Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Juliana Theory ~Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat~, July 29, 2006
There are no frills on The Juliana Theory's fourth and final full-length, Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat. I wont go into the horror story of getting this album released and the hell this band had endured throughout their careers... it's all water under the bridge now because the band is defunct. That pain is washed away for most of us with the realization that we need to accept what we've been given and cherish it.
I'm a long time fan of this band and will have to review this album as such... with my feelings in the past and my eyes on the present offering. What is Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat? After the release of Love, which was a critical flop for the band, (sadly since I think the disc, at that point, was their most mature offering) how was The Juliana Theory supposed to follow that album up?
The same way they followed up each album: evolving their sound.
Always ahead of the curve, doing emo before emo really existed on most people's radar and than abandoning emo for rock before every other band would start doing it, The Juliana Theory continued their evolution of music. Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat does a great job of melding the solid rock foundations of Love (""We Make The Road By Walking"") with the sarcastic/bitter elements of Emotion is Dead (Shotgun Serenade) without rehashing a single song... each piece is a unique part of The Juliana Theory's story. ""Leaves Like a Ghost"" is a driving track that bleeds with immediacy and might be the best representation of the band. This band is not about baseless hope, they contain the seeds to dig into emotions that go far beyond--the lyrical imagery on this disc is not that far off where Emotion is Dead was at. Don't buy this disc thinking you're getting an album full of uplifting love songs, you're getting a human beings worth of love, heartache, devastation and even a little redemption. This is, in my opinion, is the masterpiece The Juliana Theory always worked towards.
Pretty much the forerunner for every popular emo/indie band going right now that has come out in the past 5 years, The Juliana Theory never received the credit they deserved during their existence... here's to hoping people will give them the respect they deserve in death.
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
One heck of a catchy album, September 28, 2005
The Good
"This is a Lovesong...For the Loveless" rocks between subtle guitar strums and in-your-face driving riffs. The chorus is just as catchy as the biting guitar lick. A galloping drum pattern mixed with chugga-chugga riffage help command "We Make the Road by Walking". Brett Detar's vocals are on the high-pitch of things, but come off melodic and tuneful. He gives it his all on the chorus. "Shotgun Serenade" starts off with just acoustic guitars and vocals. It's not long before the track gets out of control with forceful riffs and a hard-charging vocal delivery.
"My Heart is a Soldier" explores the difficulties associated with loving someone that is so difficult. The lyrical arrangement is the hook that will reel you in. "10,000 Questions" is anchored by a memorable riff and accented by emotional vocals. It really just boils down to one question asked 10,000 times: what do we have / if we don't have each other? Some of the heaviest riffs on the album come from "French Kiss-Off", an off the wall, high-energy rocker. Be sure to keep listening for the hidden bonus track that follows.
The Bad
Nothing notable
The Verdict
The Juliana Theory is one of those bands that I've sort-of heard of, but never really listened to. I always thought they were a pop-punk band. What I've realized with Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat is that The Juliana Theory really knows how to combine great hard rock rhythms, killer guitar riffs, smart lyrics, and melodic vocals to make one heck of a catchy album.
|
|
|
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Here's The Final Bullet...., February 19, 2006
Upon this album's release in September of 2005, a fan of this fine band from the Greenburg/Latrobe, Pennsylvania area could only see greater things to come. The Juliana Theory after 4 attempts to capture their live atmosphere on a studio album came through on Deadbeat Sweetheartbeat. Unfortunately in February of 2006, the band called it quits. It's quite the misfortune for such a promising band. I'm not going to sit here and go through every album, like the countless other reviews for this particular album. All I will say is from the first album to this swan song, you can tell a growth in the band as far as musicianship and lyrics are concerned.
Brett Detar, primary songwriter and vocalist for the group found his niche in the songwriting department on this record. You can feel the anguish on the 4 pillars as they're described with the accompanying DVD. From the first song to the last song, and hidden track included, Detar and company offer an album that's worth listening to over and over again.
Standout tracks include, "This Is A Love Song For The Loveless", "Shotgun Serenade", "This Valentine Ain't No Saint", "The Final Song" and "French Kiss Off". These are not only the strongest tracks on the album, but probably the best that TJT have contributed to anything they've done in the past 7 years. There are a few lulls on the album, but they're not worth skipping over. On a whole, it is the band's greatest achievement in the studio, and it's one hell of a fine swan song if you ask me.
RIP TJT
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
~ The Juliana Theory
~ The Juliana Theory
~ The Juliana Theory
~ The Juliana Theory
~ The Juliana Theory
is The Juliana Theory's 
