Things We Left Behind

Blue Rodeo (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 26, 2010)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: TELESOUL RECORDS
• ASIN: B002UOKY4Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,104 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The definition of a rebel is someone who goes against the grain. For close to thirty years now, Blue Rodeo has taken the road less travelled - and succeeded far beyond anyone's expectations. The band emerged in the early 80's as a countrified rock band in the era of hair metal and glossy pop. Despite sticking out like a sore thumb (or
maybe because of it), their single "Try" became omni-present on radio across Canada and set in motion a three decade long career of headlining every club, theatre and arena in Canada. In 1993, when grunge rock was squeezing commercial rock off the radio, they recorded their most acoustic album, Five Days In July, and scored their biggest hit, selling over a half million copies of that one record alone. And now, in the digital age, while everyone else is thinking of ways to sell single songs through the internet or snippets of songs on cell phones, Blue Rodeo has recorded The Things We Left Behind, a double album designed to be enjoyed on vinyl. Twelve albums on, the rebels live.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Album of 2009, February 8, 2010

By 

Daniel Diersen (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Things We Left Behind (Audio CD)

I realize that best album of 2009 is a big claim. One person can only listen to a fraction of the pop, rock and country releases in a given year. But with Amazon, a good public library, and records stores that allow you to listen to CDs, a person can become familiar with hundreds of albums/CDs. After a year of extensive listening and buying, Blue Rodeo's The Things We Left Behind tops my list.

The Things We Left Behind is an amazing album! I picked up the vinyl package (includes 2 CDs as well) at a Blue Rodeo concert in October, 2009. The album has not left my rotation since. Blue Rodeo has been huge in Canada for 25 years and has a large catalog of great albums. Five Days in July (1993) is a masterpiece, but I think this lastest double album is their best work to date. The depth, breadth and overall quality of all 16 songs is amazing! The arrangements are ambitious for some songs, incorporating strings, woodwinds and additional background vocal harmonies, and whether complex or simple, the arrangements and production is just right for every song. I really can't say enough about this album and hope that more people will give it a listen. If they do, Blue Rodeo will finally get the larger US audience that they very much deserve.

Note on the vinyl version: for those that like vinyl and have a turntable, I would highly recommend the vinyl version for it's sound quality and packaging. You also get the CDs that you can use for your car and iPod. Blue Rodeo has said the album was written and produced with four sides of vinyl in mind. Each side has it's own coherency and taking it one side at a time allows one to better familiarize and appreciate the overall album.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars music that matters, January 2, 2010

By 

mark richards - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Things We Left Behind (Audio CD)

blue rodeo improves with every passing year, every new release. their music consistsently embodies heart, soul, passion and compassion. i'm not trying to gush here, but blue rodeo's music makes a person feel, reflect and embrace moments in life. the music is by turns joyous, melancholy and somber. it is always real, and it always resonates. highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't the darkness prevent you from hearing this masterpiece, August 24, 2010

By 

A. W. Carter "Hollywoodaholic" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Things We Left Behind (Audio CD)

Canadian folk rock band Blue Rodeo have been around for a long time, but unlike many bands who produce a few great albums early on and then coast on mediocrity, this double CD finds them still reaching for musical nirvana, and achieving it. If you like early acoustic Pink Floyd or the Eagles when they were still hungry, here's your perfect soundtrack. It's the only thing I've heard all summer that keeps finding its way back to my car CD player.

There are lilting 10-minute suites, and perfect 3-minute pop chestnuts. And just try to escape the haunting mantra of "Don't Let the Darkness in Your Head" from, well, haunting your head. It's a chant we all need embrace to escape the bleak moods (or news) we either get stuck in, or find the strength to overcome. This beautiful double album summons that strength.