Scream & Light Up the Sky

The Honorary Title

Product Details

• Vinyl (August 19, 2008)
• Original Release Date: August 28, 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Doghouse
• ASIN: B001B92E76
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #184,899 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"New York emo wordslinger shoots for big guitars and drums, and scores" --Rolling Stone

Product Description
Indie-rock duo the Honorary Title make their major-label debut with their third album, SCREAM AND LIGHT UP THE SKY. With more of a full-band sound than their indie recordings, courtesy of big-name producer Rob Schnapf (Beck), Jarrod Gorbel and Aaron Kamstra open up their previous bare-bones blend of folk and emo-tinged indie rock into a sound that's closer to a more aggressive version of the Shins or the Decemberists. Highlights include the snarky first single "Untouched and Intact." A personal and intimate record containing songs about how relationships linger, break down, and begin anew.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Light Up" my life, August 30, 2007

By	Andrew Whipple (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scream & Light Up the Sky (Audio CD)

It seems to be a recurring event; it happened last week with Rilo Kiley and now this week with Brooklyn-based The Honorary Title. Abandoning your signature sound for a more radio-friendly one can either be a disaster (Liz Phair) or a step forward in creative development. Luckily, The Honorary Title finds firm footing in a broader sound that embraces the band's pop sensibilities.

The album opens humbly with lyrically driven anthems "Thin Layer" and "Stay Away" but immediately kicks into gear with "Untouched and Intact", the album's first single. "Stuck at Sea" is a perfect example of THT's new sound: ambient, area-friendly, and virtually free of acoustic intimacy. As "Far More" proves, the album is essentially a balancing act: maintaining a sound that suits Jarrod Gorbel's vocals and lyrics but simultaneously augmenting that very sound.

"Radiate" is grand affair while "Along the Way" is a beautiful return to the days of THT's "Disengage" - both catchy and spare. And just when you think you know where this album is going "The City Summer" arrives. It's the song that could possibly propel THT into the mainstream. The song even opens with a "Na Na Na Na..." chorus. Even indie-elitists won't be able to deny this one. "Only One Week" and "Wait Until I'm Gone" recall the quiet melancholy of Anything Else but the Truth, providing a great showcase for Jarrod Gorbel's heartfelt vocals. Closing the album is "Even If", a gorgeous new type of THT intimacy that's easy to embrace, even love.

Lyrically, THT have never been more consistent. Their songs have always contained both cynicism and depth but Scream and Light up the Sky contains the strongest hooks of their career. Produced by Rob Schnapf, who has worked with Elliott Smith and Beck, The Honorary Title greatly expands their sound without abandoning their trademark style. Jarrod Gorbel's haunting vocals and deep confessionals sound better than ever on an album that, instead of taming their sound, makes it louder, more defined, and more polished. Even armed with a newly engaging, radio-friendly sound, The Honorary Title still remains a quality band, with all of its golden traits untouched and intact.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New, full-band sound anchored with singer/songwriter roots., December 22, 2007

By	Daniel Spratlin "THE Daniel Spratlin™" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Scream & Light Up the Sky (Audio CD)

When the Honorary Title released Anything Else But The Truth in 2004, singer/guitarist Jarrod Gorbel and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Kamstra were an acoustic duo. After several years of playing live, their sound naturally grew to require a full band, with Jonathan Wiley contributing electric guitars and Adam Boyd (ex-the Format) providing the backbeat. If fans of the singer/songwriter formula that graced Truth are worried Gorbel's personal and poignant stories will be lost among the noise, they can put their fears to rest. Playing with a full band, Gorbel's distinct, powerfully emotional vocals have never sounded fuller on Scream And Light Up The Sky. Ranging from vibrant pop-punk ("Untouched") to acoustic balladry ("Even If") to indie-flecked rockers ("Apologize"), each song contains a hook as prominent as the hipster scene in the band's native Brooklyn. While incredibly catchy, a closer listen reveals the dark themes of failed relationships, meaningless sex, inevitable change and mental anguish. "Stay Away" finds Gorbel wailing, "If you're using me/Do it slowly/Make it last until I have to go," and the haunting "Don't you think I'm lonely/Eager to complete the story/Confused and still haunted with why you'd start over" on "Even If" are just two examples of the longing, confusion and heartbreak that pepper the disc. In the end, the Honorary Title prove singing your sorrow really is cathartic.

5.0 out of 5 stars AwEsoMe CD!!, February 19, 2008

By	DeerEyes (Falls Church, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scream And Light Up The Sky (MP3 Download)

I first heard The Honorary Title while watching TV. The song was 'Far More' and the lyrics captured my attention full force.
The songs are somewhat melancholy, but only with a kind of pleasantness. The lyrics come full of meaning, and the songs are sang with a great deal of power and intensity.
My favorite songs on the CD are: Thin Layer, Stay Away, Stuck at Sea, Far More, Radiate, and Wait until I'm Gone. You will definitely not be disappointed with this CD!