Customer Reviews

Prepare to Be Wrong

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Straylight Run strikes again with their newest CD, "Prepare to Be Wrong EP." This CD is the follow-up to their first full length self-titled album. Anybody who has listen to the self-titled album will not be disappointed with the new EP. While the two CDs contain different songs, they are alike in many ways.
The self-titled album contains a big flair for repetition, which adds to the effect the song has upon the listener. Repetition of the lyric "you can't go home again" in the song "Mistakes We Knew We Were Making" draws the listener into the song and helps them relate to the fact that things and people change. In the song "It's For the Best," the lyric "we're moving forward, but holding ourselves back, and we're waiting on, something that will never come" is constantly repeated in order to hammer the point across that the past is not worth living in, and it also adds to the emotional affect of the entire album.
"Prepare to Be Wrong" also uses repetition to strengthen its emotional emphasis. In "Later That Year," Straylight strengthens their position against war with the repetition of "we did the math, it wasn't worth it after all" and brings an anti-war feeling to any ear listening to the song. The slow, melodic song "A Slow Descent" uses the lyric "it's only a matter of time" several times to increase the impact of the song's point that not everything always works out for the best.
Straylight Run also has many varieties of instruments on the two albums. Songs like "The Prefect Ending," "Existentialism on Prom Night," and "Now It's Done" from the self-titled album use a heavy dose of the keyboard to get the emotions rolling. A slow, steady beat on the drums and guitar are used in other songs like "Sympathy for the Martyr" make listening to Straylight Run like being on cloud nine.
The EP also uses a variety of instruments in addition to the aforementioned drums and guitar. The use of a tambourine along with the drums in "It Never Gets Easier" adds to the rich sound of the song. The bells used in "Later That Year' are used to strengthen the repetition of the emotional lyrics. However, the keyboard is again the biggest contributor to Straylight's music. The song "With God on Our Side" would be nothing more than spoken words without the rhythmic use of the piano keys.
All these similarities between the two albums add up to a phenomenal compilation of songs. From the emotional songs off the self-titled album to the anti-war songs of the EP, Straylight Run shows off their true and unique potential with these touching ballads. For any fan of an Alternative/Rock/Pop/Emo/Punk sound, Straylight Run is a must listen.

There are some genuinely beautiful songs on this CD. Straylight left me wanting more, and more I will get. I agree with another reviewer's one word synopsis, "Wow."

The lyrics are exceptional in a minimalist way. Repetition blended with nicely orchestrated music made for some emotionally powerful songs. I didn't necessarily agree with some of their politics, but it didn't diminish the experience.

Straylight is more than a band creating music; they create a feeling/a mood. This stuff is very powerful. It's refreshing...

I adore Straylight, I've more or less "followed" them since their inception, and they put on one of the best live shows right now, easily. In terms of recordings, though, it's been pretty much downhill since their very first release of the demo versions of the original 6 songs (one of which is "A Slow Descent" from this EP). The demos were well-worked-out songs, but they also maintained a really raw energy. By the time some of those songs made it onto the album, the overproduction sometimes flattened out that original energy and made the album versions tepid -- but at least the songwriting was really strong.

Now it's the opposite problem. This EP sounds like it's unfinished; the only song that really stands up is "A Slow Descent," which it should since they've had that one in the vault for several years. The other songs just weren't ready to be released. A lot of the lyrics are painfully sophomoric (especially "It Never Gets Easier"), and even so, they're really repetitive, like John had worked out a couple of lines he liked but not really worked them up into fully structured songs yet. In terms of the production, it sounds like it was recorded in John's bedroom (oh, and it partly was, according to the liner notes), and that's not entirely a bad thing. It's not overproduced at all, and John even manages to get some moments in here where he's channeling his old energy/rawness/engagement again. But overall, this EP just sounds like it wasn't ready to be released, and I'm not sure why they rushed to do it. Better, tighter songs and a bit more polish would have helped immensely.

Oh, the songs. "A Slow Descent" is a solid song, but it's already been out in various forms for awhile. "Hands in the Sky (Big Shot)" is OK: the lyrics are not subtle or interesting, but it's got great energy and it builds really well. Michelle's intro song "I Don't Want This Anymore" is, again, lyrically "meh," but her voice is gorgeous and it sounds nice. The cover of "With God On Our Side" is incredibly ill-advised: it's by-the-numbers, it's entirely enervated and listless, and it's unnecessarily long. The person who said that this EP has a bit of a "Christian rock" feel to it is, unfortunately, really right. And what is this shallow pseudo-political gesture? It's ill-considered, easy, and cringe-inducing. John should stick to what he does better: raw and screamy and not trying to be all "wise" about the government all of a sudden, especially if it's going to come out in such silly, predictable lyrics.

First of all I love the production on this album. This was because John took over all production duties. I must admit there is a big feel of anti-war throughout the EP, but it doesn't take anything away from it. The first track "I Don't Want This Anymore" starts off with Michelle's angelic voice singing "i dont want this anymore" and you automactically know this a bit of a departure from the debut. Then comes "It Never Gets Easier" I love this track, it was originally called "Costello" but they rerecorded it and it sounds so much better. Then comes the jewl "A Slow Decent", many of you might remember it from the demos that they released on their website before they even put out a cd. This is probably one of my favorite songs ever recorded by Straylight Run. I was very happy it made he EP. You can't really prepare yourself for the next song "Hands in the sky(Big Shot)." Its very electronic and slow at first and then leads up to these war sounding drums as John's raw screams take over your ears. This is their first single. its amazing. The next song "Later That Year" is definitly a anti-war song with the lyrics "we did the math and it wasnt worth it after all" starting mid song unitl the end of the song. The repetion somewhat reminds me of Taking Back Sunday. You'll find yourself singing along singing "we did the math..."
Then the last song starts. What a incredible song to finish the EP. It's a cover of Bob Dylan's "With God On Our Side." Most bands that try to cover Bob Dylan these days fail miserably, but Straylight Run do it so well its impossible to not get a bit emotional with the great vocals and amazing piano chords. If the EP only consisted of this song I would buy it. It amazing.
You wont be dissappointed with this EP. Check It Out!! More Great things will Come for this Great Band.

The songs on this EP are excellent. The vocals are very strong, the lyrics memorable and pointed, and the instrument work is also very good. Michelle Nolan is great here. Her voice on I Don't want this anymore has a Julee Cruise sound. John Nolan is remarkable. His voice on Later That Year has a resigned sad quality that makes it one of the best songs. The repition of "We Did The Math, It wasn't worth it after all" makes the song very powerful. A Slow Descent is also a strong song. It makes you think of the breakup of TBS and how it freed this great talent to go on his own. The cover of With God Our Side is also worth hearing.

This is a great album. There is a solid vibe all the way through. Production is great - everything we wanted from their full length debut (and didn't get)... and more.

I don't want to offend the band, because I really don't know anything about them. Yes, I was disappointed like other reviewers to find when I received the cd that they were voicing a political view throughout the album, but that's their perrogative - fine. However, I ordered this cd because I wanted the song Hands in the Sky (Big Shot) as featured on Sons of Anarchy, Season 2 - the scene where they're riding out to have it out with the white supremacists. What you hear in that episode is approximately the last three minutes of this song (after listening to about 2 1/2 minutes of something that sounds NOTHING like the ending). I was hoping the entire album would have been like that, but it's nowhere close. So, if you're hoping for something hard with lots of energy to get you going, this is not the album for you. It is much more mellow than you think. But hats off to the music director/s of Sons of Anarchy for finding that clip of a song for that scene. It was perfect!

but the shere number of right-wing emo idiots on this site really is just pissing me off. One: this is a good album. It's got very nice songs, and they are well written and sound good. Two: everyone here keeps saying that the political lyrics "don't take away" from the album. Here's a thought: why can't they add to the album? Considering that some of them are quite good, why would they be tearing our "country and troops down", because they are just voicing their opinions. But then again, that is a luxury these days. I wonder what these people think when they listen to a Thursday album. Three: this is actually a good ep. It's short, sure, but all eps are, and there are some great songs on it. That's it. You should buy it, because, at least these days, Straylight Run is much, much more interesting than mainstream darlings TBS that Straylight broke off from.

I loved this EP. If you like the first album, you will enjoy this one. Memorable and moving, regardless of what some people say.

Straylight run is an excellent band. Some of the songs are a little on the soft side for my taste, but they are still damn good. The use of keyboard, synth, guitar, drums, and vocal layering and variety of song styles (from vocal balads to pop to electroning and rock) shows that their is true talent behind the musicians.
Both their albums are great, but somehow different. Their style didn't change between them, but, because the songs are of such a medley of genres, the song type differ enough to give the albums a different feel.
If you like music that sounds good and has talent, and dosn't consisit of mere power-chords and volume give straylight run a shot.