Room's Too Cold

Early November | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 7, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Drive Thru
• ASIN: B0006L0L7K
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,560 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Nailed Shut, September 18, 2003

"...these guys are going to blow you away."

Rating: 8. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

The Early November have a flair for irony. For proof, look no further than The Room's Too Cold, the New Jersey-based bandˆs Drive-Thru Records full-length cd debut. Despite the chilly title, the new album is as warm and richly embracing a collection of songs as one is likely to hear this or any year.

Co-produced by lead singer/songwriter Ace Enders and Chris Badami (producer of their 2002 EP For All Of This), The Room's Too Cold is a striking departure for The Early November (as well as for Drive-Thru Records, which crosses new musical frontiers with this album). The band passed on using synths, auto-tune and pro-tools. Instead, they went for natural sound and intensity, using vintage amps and instruments, a live string section and predominantly first-take vocals.

With its off-kilter rhythms, unconventional melodies and enigmatic lyrics, The Room's Too Cold is not always easy to understand. "This record kind of sneaks up on you," notes Enders, whose soulful vocals dominate. "You gotta listen to it a few times before you come around."

Indeed, the album's 11 songs are richly varied, though the band deliberately left imperfections on the album, because that’s just how life is: imperfect. Tracks like "Ever So Sweet," "Baby Blue," "Fluxy" (which features an appearance by the Starting Line's Ken Vasoli) and "The Course of Human Life," traverse broad emotional landscapes.

"The Mountain Range In My Living Room" is about that all-too-human tendency to sweep problems under the rug. Says Marro, "It's about any sort of problem and how people just ignore it or don't say anything. We think it's far more rewarding to figure out what a song means by reading the lyrics and figuring things out on your own. We don't just want to hand it to the listener."

The album’s closer, "Everything’s So Cold..But You’re So Hot" is a personal accounting of the end of a relationship that fell into the trap of continual forgiving and forgetting. "Time makes it fine," sings Enders, but eventually it’s time to let go. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reminds me of Brand New's transformation, January 10, 2004

By 

Thomas Peter "Music Addict" (Oxford, MI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Room's Too Cold (Audio CD)

Similar to Brand New's 'Deja Entendu' album, you can really hear how The Early November has matured on this album. I don't really understand all of the negative reviews, as their sometimes strange guitar riffs ("Something that Produces Results") are anything but ordinary. Here's a rundown:

1) Ever So Sweet
I think it's kinda strange that these guys begin their album with a slow, acoustic piece, but it works. The later part of the song is the best part, so give it a chance...it grows on you. Like all of the album, the songs have great transitions between them. 9/10

2) Something that Produces Results
I love this song...so much energy. The guitar part about midway through the song is one of the strangest things I have heard, but contrary to other reviews of this album, these guys are unlike other 'emo' bands, whatever emo is. 10/10

3) The Mountain Range in My Living Room
I heard this song well before I bought the CD, as it was available for download from MP3.com. I just love the theme behind this song...it's about being tired of sweeping his problems under the rug, and they're becoming too much to handle. Who other than these guys would think of something like that? This song rocks, its a great sing-a-long one. 10/10

4) Sesame, Smeshame
I just noticed how these guys like to cluster all of their best songs at the beginning of this album. This is another great one...it reminds me of one of the songs on the 'For All of This' EP, but I just can't think of which one, sorry. The swing feel at the beginning of this song is something new for them, though. 9/10

5) Baby Blue
This might be my favorite song on the album...however, it doesn't get to its best part until the end. This song reminds me so much of Brand New, with the layered vocal work. I just noticed how short this song is. 10/10

6) The Course of Human Life
I love every song on this album, and this one is no exception...but it's just missing something. It feels like a filler to me. 7/10

7) Dinner at the Money Table
It's easy to say that this portion of the album is the worst part...combining tracks 6 and 7. I usually love TEN's acoustic stuff, but this song just has nothing to it. 7/10

8) Exchanging Two Hundred
Ah, this is the Early November I love. This is such a great song...the layered vocals are sweet, great guitar riffs, just great contrast between quiet and energetic parts of this song. 9/10

9) My Sleep Pattern Changed
This song disappoints me. The whole thing sounds like one long intro, and you're expecting the big, emotional moment to come, and it never does. It leaves you thinking, "that's it?" 6/10

10) Fluxy
Wow I love this song. It's by far the most radio-friendly song on this album (what do you expect with Ken Vasoli, TSL guest vocaling?) He does a good job though. I love the guitar riff at the beginning of this song, its easily one of the highpoints on this album. 10/10

11) Everything's Too Cold...But You're So Hot
I hate the name of this song, it departs from these guys' otherwise very mature image. However, this is such a great breakup song...this song is really quiet, and i love the melody. The climax is later in the song with Ace screaming/crying his words...man, that's gotta be what emo is.

All in all, this CD isn't as catchy as the 'For All of This' EP, but it doesnt have to be. This shows just how talented these guys are, being able to write such diverse music. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up. Verdict: 94/100

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It really deserves a 2.5, January 7, 2006

By 

Billy loves music (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Room's Too Cold (Audio CD)

First of all, let it be known that I am not some cynical jerk that surfs amazon to crap on bands. I am a music lover, and 99.9 percent of the time I am the one defending backs that have been the subject of an attack by some close-minded person who lacks any joy in their life. The reason I have to say that this album should get a 2.5 is because how horrible the singing is. Enders does come up with great melodies. I think that the music is good and I think that if he sang everything in tune and didn't sound like someone was pinching his nose then I would absolutely love this album. Their are a number of songs I like by The Early November. However, as a whole, this album was put together very poorly. There are beautiful parts in it, which alsmost saddens me because I know they are capable of making much better music. I predict that The Early Novemeber will get better in time and eventually I will be reviewing them and announcing that I love his singing. I can already tell from their demo of "Decoration" I will like their new stuff that is going to come out. I just can't recommend about 3/4ths as good sounding music. Sorry to the avid fans here. I know what its like to see one of your favorite bands get a "bad" review. Just know that I am not a hater and I understand very well why you enjoy this band and I don't condemn your taste in music. :)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very good indie rock, November 19, 2005

By 

Mark (Bogota, NJ, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Room's Too Cold (Audio CD)

I don't really know what to call this record. This isn't emo at all. The vocalist's voice is much more powerful and has much better range than your typical emo vocalist. It is also much more complex and varied and has a much wider scope than any "emo" record...yet, I would compare this record to Jimmy Eat World's "Clarity" whom are one of the few bands that can accurately be described as emo. Go figure.

At any rate, this really is a great CD. I usually avoid any band on Drive-Thru records, however, remembering this band from many years back in New Jersey before Drive-Thru fame, I gave this record a shot.

Whether you're looking for acoustic, bouncy, catchy pop rock, or just flat out beautiful ballads, its pretty much all here.

If you're looking to download...here's how the songs breakdown.

Acoustic:
Ever So Sweet
Dinner At The Money Table

Catchy:
Something That Produces Results
Mountain Range In My Living Room
Sesame, Sheshame
Fluxy
Baby Blue

Ballads:
Exchanging Two Hundred
My Sleep Pattern Changed
Everything's Too Cold, but You're So Hot
The Course of Human Life

everything just works. The song flow really well together, the music is well done, and sounds as if they took their time to explore every idea. Its a well done record. While I wouldn't say the lyrics are exactly groundbreaking, they are wonderfully abstract leaving you to interpret the song. If you've got an open mind and like indie rock, emo (real emo), or pop, I strongly suggest this CD.