You Should Be Living

Twothirtyeight | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 8, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tooth & Nail Records
• ASIN: B00006JSDN
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #157,822 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Moving Towards Indie Rock, September 24, 2003

By 

Peter Swift (Cogan Station, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: You Should Be Living (Audio CD)

Don't get me wrong, I love this album. I love it a lot. I just like "Regulate the Chemicals" a little better. This is still a fantastic album, and I'd recommend it to just about anyone (ok, maybe not to someone wearing a Billy Ray Cyrus shirt).

Twothirtyeight seems to have identified their sound on this album far more than their previous albums. Full of incredible and catchy guitar hooks and riffs, twothirtyeight found a sound that isn't quite comparable to anyone else. It is a very original album with elements of blues, jazz, and even country in the mix. The album seems to have lost the staight emo sound and moved to a much more interesting and unique flavor of indierock. The album is put together wonderfully, from the anthem "Modern Day Prayer" to the slow and dreary (and lyrically confusing) "The Bathroom is a Creepy Place for Pictures of your Friends," this album has set a new standard for Christian influenced emo/indierock and is an excellent choice for anyone. It is more accessible than "Regulate the Chemicals" and other previous albums, and it is far stronger lyrically. Chris Staples weaves his talent for songwriting beyond the spokes and straight into the hearts of his listeners.

I do have a question about the album altogether though...is track number four a self-fulfilling prophecy? This is twothirtyeight's last album, they broke up in April of 2003, and "Romancing the Ghost" deals with the idea of the group's disbanding. Anyhow, if you aren't satisfied with "You Should be Living" and the twothirtyeight back-collection, there's still hope. Chris Staples (vocals/guitar) released a solo EP entitled Burned and Blistered and I'm pretty sure it's available over the twothirtyeight website. Tooth and Nail is also releasing what I'm guessing is a compilation of B-sides and fan favorites around Christmas entitled "Scrapbook." I'm looking forward to that, and maybe to some more of Chris Staples solo work (which, by the way, is fantastic).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Should Be Living Invigorates the Lifeblood of Rock, November 15, 2002

By 

Rachael (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Should Be Living (Audio CD)

With You Should Be Living, their most recent album, twothirtyeight renews the rock music which many of us lament daily as an industry fallen from grace. With bands, such as the White Stripes, the Strokes, and twothirtyeight, producing music, this generation is finding the soul and honesty that has been continually compromised by other artists. The 10 tracks on this album will bring recognizance for those of you who have listened to and enjoyed Regulate the Chemicals. If you have never bought a twothirtyeight album, this or Regulate the Chemicals are strong albums that will find themselves in your cd player again and again. For those of you who have yet to see them in concert, check their website or pollstar for dates because the heart and intensity conveyed through your speakers will be soon forgotten once you experience the raw emotion and candid music of twothirtyeight in concert. Buy the album!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Should Be Listening to This CD, July 23, 2003

By 

"zeppelin18138512" (Phoenix, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You Should Be Living (Audio CD)

Let me put some perspective on the table. This is twothirtyeight's last and final album. There are no more albums after this. Also, every one of their albums from start to finish has gotten increasingly better and twothirtyeight's style has been forged into an identity; a beautiful smart identity. On this cd, the bouncing clean guitar riffs have become all their own. This is one of my favorite albums. From start to finish, there isnt one song I would skip. The musicianship here is outstanding! Let me give you a song by song outline.

1. Modern Day Prayer - The best song on the CD. Was released as first single. Very dark and utterly soul-searchingly beautiful. The lyrics on this song are my favorite, although all of twothirtyeight's lyrics are wonderful - *****

2. Sticks Are Woven in the Spokes - A moderately paced song, easy going, fun to listen to. Great stuff. - ****

3. Forty Hour Increments - The catchiest guitar hook ever. This song is brilliant from start to finish. This is a more upbeat song for twothirtyeight. This song is totally based off the guitar riffs. Spectacular. - *****

4. Romancing the Ghost - I personally think they should have put this song last on the cd. It basically outlines how twothirtyeight is over and done with. The lyrics here are brilliant. This is my second favorite song on the cd. - *****

5. That Sad and Holy Glow - Not particularly a hard song, but hard in regards to twothirtyeight's style. The lyrics here are very poetic. Reminds me of Paul Simon's lyrics. Its got a great bass line. Just so you know, if you are buying this cd for kids, this song does use the word "whore" as a metaphor. It's not raunchy though, and is used to make a point. I personally dont mind it at all. This is a great song. I love it. - *****

6. Step into the light - The guitar here has a little bit of a country feel. A somewhat slower song, but one of the best. This is a song that would be best listened to while hanging out in the middle of the desert. It shows humans unwillingness to change, and God's forgiveness that gives us freedom. Brilliant. - *****

7. Sad Semester - It's got an interesting Drum and Bass intro. This track has the funkiest beat of any song on the CD. One of my fav's. Good song to rock out to. The guitar riff really gets inside your head, and the vocals get the craziest they get here. The lyrics are great. Have some great references to the people you used to know in highschool. Gotta love it. - *****

8. I Pretend to Choke - This song has a great beat to it. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Very inventive. This song has a lot of good change ups, with what ends up to be a sixties pop feel to it. Freakin Great. - *****

9. Rhythm & Blues - If you do skip one song, make it this one. Dont get me wrong, I personally wouldnt skip any, and I love this song. But I feel I must warn you that this is very what the title says it is. It's the song with the most blues in it. Very sad and slow. I personally love this song, I think its spectacularly and sadly beautiful. Its got a great change up in the rhythm at the end of the song. So overall, my least favorite track on the Cd, but I love it. - ****

10. Bathroom Is a Creepy Place for Pictures of Your Friends - Acoustic. Beautiful. Reminiscent of my childhood. At 2:49, I wish it was longer. Great slow closer. - *****

Oh man I love this Album. Thanks to twothirtyeight for the years of great music and inspiration.