Customer Reviews

Knives Don't Have Your Back (Dig)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone who follows the Toronto music scene is no doubt familiar with Emily Haines, the quirky frontwomen of indie band favorites Metric, and occasional member of the excellent rock collective Broken Social Scene. "Knives Don't Have Your Back" is the first commercially released solo album from Haines, not counting her self-released and long out-of-print 1996 debut "Cut in Half and Also Double."

"Knives Don't Have Your Back" is a great album that barely misses the excellent mark, with many of the songs sounding similar and few standout tracks. As a whole, the album is pleasant, melodic, and downbeat - a stark contract to Haines's day job. I see this as more of a strength, as her voice lends itself well to piano-driven ballads, but diehard Metric fans might not be so enthralled. The album starts with three excellent tracks, "Our Hell," "Doctor Blind," and "Crowd Surf off a Cliff." While none of these songs are contenders for extensive radio airings, they are well written and superbly executed soft rock songs. Haines has progressed as a songwriter over the first two Metric albums, and it gets better here. The musical arrangements on later tracks, such as "Reading in Bed," "The Last Page," and "The Lottery" are also high quality, with piano and guitars mixing well with organs, pedal steels, and even trumpet. My one complaint, as noted above, is the "sameness" of the songs. Many of the songs begin and end in a similar fashion, and none of them are standout tracks along the lines of "Death Disco" and "Poster of a Girl." However, I can't resist Emily's voice and songwriting style, so I am far from regretting this purchase.

Mad props also go to the album's packaging. I love albums with extensive liner notes, something that the two Metric albums totally lacked, so this was a nice surprise. The album is presented in a handsome, hardcover digipack, with full lyrics included.

Emily Haines is one of indie rock's most intriguing figures, and like Jenny Lewis, she has proven that she can work within different musical styles while remaining distinctive. Hopefully, her audience will continue to grow as a result.

This is from the perspective of someone who hasn't heard Metric's music before. I am a huge fan of women soloists, tori amos, cat power, beth gibbons, vienna teng, bjork, pj harvey, etc.. and i have to say i havn't herad anything quite like this album. If you like meloncholy female pianists, you should definately suport this woman. "Knives Don't Have Your Back" is very melodic, very stark, humble, and quite poetic. The album is fairly quiet for the most part, but there are some lively and awesome band moments too, mostly in the first half, as in "Mostly Waving" with a hip brass section. "Doctor Blind" is another vibrant favorite. Each song is catchy enough to stand out, even the ones at the end, after a few listens, but there is still a definate unity between all the songs, despite them being written throughout the course of her life. A friend lent this to me and after one listen i was completely addicted. The only song i didn't think was as good as the rest was "lottery", though it's not a bad song, I just don't get what she's really trying to express when she refers "sexual suicide is a new crime, lets commit it". Overall her lyrics are both fresh and familiar, "...rather give the world away than wake up lonely.","she calls around finds me crying, wish i was capable of lying sometimes" Other favorites are "Crowd Surf Off a Cliff" and "Reading in Bed".

This album has a place next to the best of them.

Any diehard Metric fan who is desperately searching for some new Metric-ness from Emily Haine's first solo album, "Knives Don't Have Your Back," should turn away and pretend this album doesn't exist. Honestly, "Knives Don't Have Your Back" is many things. But it is not a Metric album and with the exception of Haine's always-beautiful voice, there is nothing here that would even hint that this woman is partly responsible for the indie-rock sensation that is Metric.

No, this album is far different than anything we've heard from Emily before, and though it could potentially turn away many of her fans, a thoughtful listen will reveal the beauty of "Knives Don't Have Your Back."

Let's run through this real quick. Piano? Check. Emily's vocals? Check. Drums, guitars, and other instrumentations? *crickets* Cleverness aside, that's essentially what this album is; Emily playing the piano and singing. Sure, there's an occasional percussion track here and there and a hint of bass guitar or two, but for the most part, it's as simple as Emily on piano. The surprise here is that it actually works, and I can't imagine this album being a success in any other form than it is.

Emily's lyrics have been a bit personal from time to time, but she really opens up on "Knives..."

Take for example, "Numb is the new high, old memories die out 'til nothing and nowhere is golden" which is immensely more poignant and touching than any Metric song has ever been. But fans of Emily's biting style of social commentary will have no problem with this album, either. Having never shied away from telling it like it is, Emily comes off as brilliant with a line like "We don't know how to help. Only know how to hump," and even though it's presented in a manner that is the exact opposite of Metric, it's the same Emily Haines that Metric fans have come to love.

Enough on the lyrics. As I stated before, this album is really just Emily on piano. The thing is, with such great lyrics flowing through the heart of every song, the omission of a band really makes these songs all the more powerful and touching. It adds a bit of vulnerability to a woman who we've only seen rocking out with a bunch of boys. It's personal, amazingly personal, and Haines is really allowing herself to be vulnerable. But beyond that, there is actually some great music here, albeit toned-down and somewhat simplistic.

As a fan of Metric, and now of Haines, herself, I have to say that I was initially disappointed with "Knives Don't Have Your Back." It is definitely not a Metric album. But what it is, is beautiful, touching, personal, and, at times, heartbreaking. Any fan of Emily Haines' lyrical stylings should definitely check out this album. Although I can't see myself making this album a priority for months to come, I can definitely foresee it getting multiple plays in my stereo, if only as a soundtrack to the winding down of my days.

Recommended for fans of Tori Amos, Metric, and anyone who really wants to know all about the inner workings of Emily Haines.

Key Tracks:
1. "Our Hell"
2. "Doctor Blind"
3. "The Lottery"
4. "The Maid Needs a Maid"



3 out of 5 Stars

OK, I really love this record. Some of it's pretty sad, all of it's pretty beautiful, and the best part- 100% Emily Haines. If she isn't the most creative, talented, artistic person making music in the alt/rock world, I don't know who is. Warning, repeated listening may cause depression in the thoughtful or weak of heart!

As far as other reviews calling metric's music, "consistent" I have to disagree, and I think this work is very similar to the early, out of print hard to find metric music. That early stuff shares little with their reformatted approach since Old World Underground. If you've heard the Metric track 'Butcher," this CD's sound will be familiar- esoteric poetic lyrics set to somewhat stark melodic music. So think Metric, Part I, and this music WILL be familiar.

Digging deeper yet, Emily's father's influence is naturally present in everything she does, and in this record's case, she's not even tried to hide that fact. Just compare this album's packaging with her Father's work with Carla Bley on "Escalator Over the Hill." If you're an Emily Haines fan, you may seriously want to study up- it'll be worth it!

I am a huge Metric fan from seeing them in concert to listening to "Live It Out" nonstop for almost all of 2005 into 2006. So when I discovered that Emily Haines was releasing a solo album consisting of her and the piano w/ dark and politically moving songs I knew I had to purchase it. My first instant favorite song was Track #2 "Doctor Blind" which is understanding on so many levels w/ an excellent video to accompany it. Of course I love Track #1 "Our Hell" especially the line "our hell is a good life." Track #3 "Crowd Surf Off A Cliff" is an achning beautiful song contenting the line I love "if you find me hide me I don't know where I've been." In Track #4 "Detective Daughter" I love the line "There are so many skirts under the table. None of these long legs are mine. She calls around finds me crying. Wish I were capable of lying sometimes." And then as the music drifts off Emily swoons "Love is hell,hell is love. Hell is asking to be loved." I just adore that line it is like no other. Track #8 "Reading In Bed" contents the thoughtful line "with all the luck you had why are your songs so sad sing from the book you were reading in bed and took to heart." It makes you wonder if she is talking about herself b/c Emily Haines has said in many interviews relating to this album that it was a self discovery for her and that it was much more personal than anything she could have done w/ Metric. As a whole the album is understanding and a thoughtful piece of work that is at times depressing but relieving in a sense b/c who can't relate to feeling terrible or singled out. I love the style of the writing and her whispering voice is so breathtaking and almost sympathetic at the same time. Just a true gem!

I haven't actually heard Emily Haines in her original band, so I can't compare, but this album is beautiful. The songs stay in your head for days after listening, and she puts tons of emotion without the slightest trace of cheese or saccharine. The lyrics move effortlessly from sarcasm to longing to anger to sadness, but somehow never becoming overly melodramatic.

So ethereal, and yet so disquieting. Haunting (Emily's voice in particular, and especially in juxtaposition with the music). This could be the score to a David Lynch or Krysztof Kieslowski film.

This artist was suggested by Pandora and I have to say that I love it.

a classic album. utterly brilliant. humble. this album could rip your heart out, but instead chooses to simply tell you the truth. and its comforting. the bells and whistles from the metric releases are replaced with mostly just a piano, and it allows the music to communicate more directly with you. this album will change your way of life.

My favorite part of any thing she's a part of (Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars) is Emily Haines. She has a killer voice and writes excellent lyrics. I love every track on this album. If you haven't heard her solo stuff before (or even if you have) and enjoy any of the above bands, don't hesitate making this purchase.