Kill Them With Kindness

The Jealous Sound | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 3, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Better Looking
• ASIN: B00009B8D7
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,776 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

That Saves the Day poster on your wall may fade, but the importance of being earnest doesn t. Even grown-ups--those of us over the age of, say, 21--need their heartstrings plucked now and again, and, ladies and gentlemen of the jukebox jury, sometimes Wilco just ain t gonna cut it. Enter the Jealous Sound, a Los Angeles quartet whose debut album, Kill Them With Kindness, is emo for the rest of us heartfelt guitar rock capable of punching you in the gut and patting you on the back. J-Sound frontman Blair Shehan sketched out a memorable design for sensitive-indie-boy life with his previous band, Knapsack. Since then, Shehan s grown balder and bolder. There s a new ferocity behind these breathless melodies, the kind of disenchantment that only emerges after one s third or fourth layoff. Shehan has aged out of his target demographic, but his songs are still a visceral kick. On Hope for Us, he passes out at a party and begs for mouth-to-mouth, desperate for oxygen (or some tongue); on Guard It Closely, he shows up to Christmas dinner halfway between drunk and dead. Shehan isn t afraid of dying of a broken heart he s just afraid of dying. Hospital references abound, and self-medication is prescribed and described. Blissing out on his first E, Shehan swims in a sea of alcohol and pills and cuts his hands fumbling with a first-aid kit. But when his band, particularly ace guitarist Pedro Benito, kick-start his shaky ticker, the album takes off. Naïve is a power-pop Everybody Hurts, and on the majestic Anxious Arms, the fumbly awkward guy actually lives happily ever after. --Spin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

The long-awaited new album from Los Angeles indie rock sensations the JEALOUS SOUND-BLAIR SHEHAN (KNAPSACK), PEDRO BENITO (SUNDAYS BEST), JOHN McGUINNIS, and ADAM WADE (JAWBOX, SHUDDER TO THINK)-and the band's first release since freeing themselves from the grips of major-labeldom. Eleven new tracks-and a re-recorded version of "Anxious Arms"-of blinding, pounding yet infectiously catchy rock, delivered with huge hooks, spine-tingling guitars, hypnotic, breathy vocals, and strong songwriting. Produced by TIM O'HEIR (All-American Rejects, Superdrag, Folk Implosion, etc.). --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't get enough, October 18, 2004

By 

Ryan P. Baker "tears for two" (Kansas City, Kansas,USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kill Them With Kindness (Audio CD)

Probably the best album of 2003. This band's first full length album breaks through. Blair Shehan's amazing vocals leave you wanting more and more. Naive, the second track, shifts into high gear, the bassline rocks. Above the waves, the last track, is one of my all time favorite songs, it starts on such a sappy note, but then breaks into depression and questions of being. I love this album, and you will too.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ONE OF MY FAVORITE RECORDS!, May 27, 2004

By 

Mark Zanca (sonic 77) (Montreal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kill Them With Kindness (Audio CD)

I just can't get this CD out of my CD player. It is an awesome record & truly a master piece! The 12 songs from A to Z are extremely catchy & memorable. I love all the knapsack records, but this record shows a much more mature sound & song writing style. Blair Shehan is one of the best singers & writers around these days. His new band ROCKS! Get this record it is worth every penny!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great full-length debut, June 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Kill Them With Kindness (Audio CD)

The new release by The Jealous Sound continues in the fine tradition of their self-titled EP and lead singer Blair Shehan's previous band, Knapsack. "Kill Them With Kindness" is a great record, full of melodic rock songs with just the right tinge of electronic flourish. Shehan has a knack for capturing the lovelorn soul, and the lyrics really shine, a bit more direct and comprehensible than his previous work. The album is a bit more consistent in terms of quality, and a lot more varied in terms of sound, than the Knapsack discs. A very strong debut; not your average 'emo' band. I'm looking forward to seeing them live sometime.