Review Summary: Let's write the songs they want. I thought they'd love us, but they don't, they don't.
Emery try too hard to progress by going too many directions, not developing a single one of them.
That, of course, is the summary of Sean Rizzo’s review for Emery’s
I’m Only A Man. After scouring the internet for quotes from reviews, this is one of the most bluntly honest and not just “omg this sucks so hard.” While I do not personally agree with this summary, it seems most of the world did. When Emery released
I’m Only A Man, much of their newly founded fan base left them. Many were saying that “Emery was dead.” Well, Emery must have heard these reviews and all the negative things about their third release, and they decided to do something about it. Or maybe they wanted to stay with Tooth and Nail records, seeing as though the album that fulfilled their contractual obligation flopped. Whatever the reason Emery decided to “return to their roots.” So many bands in the past have promised this, only to disappoint their listeners by not even coming close. Emery actually delivered on this statement, much to the surprise of just about everyone. But because of their latest release,
While Broken Hearts Prevail wasn’t exactly garnering the attention that it warranted. Everything that the critics thought were missing from I’m Only A Man were back, and in most instances, even better then before.
Band Members:
Toby Morrell: Vocals/Bass
Devin Shelton: Vocals/Bass
Josh Head: Keys/Vocals
Matt Carter: Guitar
Dave Powell: Drums
While only being a seven track EP,
While Broken Hearts Prevail contained some of the best work of Emery to date. Two of the songs off of this EP even went on to be featured, as is, on Emery’s next LP, …In Shallow Seas We Sail. The album begins with the frantic opener,
The Smile, The Face. The Smile, The Face is exactly what fans expected to hear on Emery’s 3rd release. And it doesn’t take long for the screaming to return in full force. After a few, quick guitar notes, Toby and the boys explode into one of the better songs on the EP. The song goes through different tempos and keys until the end, when out of nowhere the band stops for a drum fill and a breakdown, akin to Walls, occurs to end the song. One of the main improvements that Emery made with
While Broken Hearts Prevail is the guitar work by Matt Carter. With I’m only a man, Emery usually only used 1 guitar and usually it had a sort of tangy, country feel to it. Well with the songs off of this release the usual guitar tone is present again, even though this album is once again self-produced. Also the use of duel guitars takes it rightful place back in Emery’s arsenal of musical weapons.
While Broken Heart Prevail has some rather memorable moments to be found scattered throughout. One could be found on the ending of
Edge Of The World when the up-tempo song slows down and Devin’s vocals take the spotlight with soft guitar and drums until the last 30 seconds when the band picks it back up and ends another spectacular song. Or the chorus of
Say The Things You Want, which is so insanely catchy that Emery decided to cram it into a 3:30 song as many times as possible, and with a great result. Emery even chooses to remake a song from pre-The Weaks End era.
It Always Depends is a song that was featured on
The Columbus EEP Thee, but basically died when Emery was signed.
Emery ends the EP with 2 straight acoustic songs, that showcase the ability of both singers, Toby Morell and Devin Shelton. The first,
Thoughtlife starts off solemnly, lyric-wise and music-wise. The song is basically a song that uses keys and synths and not much else. The chorus’s piano adds an almost airy, poppy fell, but the lyrics keep it down to earth.
Just know that you can’t take back what you said, and darling I’m not in the forgiving mood. You kept on replying that it’s all in my head. But your just a liar and I’ve got the proof. There isn’t any guitar until the ending and only then it’s acoustic.
But the last song is one of the highlights of Emery’s career.
Do The Things (You Want) is a song about how they feel betrayed that their fan base would be so quick to abandon them after one release. It’s really an emotional song that really manages to portray the hurt that Emery felt after I’m Only A Man and all of the harsh criticism that followed it.
With every song that you sing it’s yours to the heart, and when you fly, you’ll fall then a new one will start. My eyes burn with hope, that you’ll hear what you say. If this was just for the gain, then may we never get paid. And the music that makes my feet move to, it’s the same as the music that’s inside of you.
Lets write the songs they want. I thought they’d love us, but they don’t, they don’t
