First off, I'd like to clarify for everyone reading, who might be confused: Emery, though they do incorporate some mild screaming, are in no way an emocore or post hardcore band. They are emo, with some light sprinklings of said genres throughout their songs, but not enough to really classify them as emocore band. This CD is more along the lines of Silverstein and Thursday then Underoath or The Used. They combine multiple vocal harmonies and overlays with lots of octaves and melodic picking to create their sound. Now, on to the track by track:
01. Walls-This song starts with a sort of swelling effect, and is started off by the keyboardist's wailing screech, which end up being one of the weak points of the album. It then trails into the more melodic verse, which is followed by the chorus, which has some very well done harmonics. The keyboards are also very apparent in this song, moreso then in much of the CD. The second verse is picks it up a little, and then dies back down before going back into the chorus. The end of this song is something I've always been slightly torn on. After seeing them live, I know it works better in a concert setting, but on the CD it just comes off slightly foreed, and the screaming vocals are nasally, almost whiney, if thats possible. The final guitar riff is very nice. This song is good, but wears thin pretty quick. 3.5/5
02.The Ponytail Parades-First off, I must express a bit of personal bias towards this song. It is my absolute favorite on the album, and I really have little bad to say about it. The vocals are spot on, with alot of back up from the guitarist on this song, and beautiful harmonies. The song builds up very nice to the "chorus", where Toby sings "I never though that you could say these words," and Devin adds some nice backup. The keyboards and drums help build this song up to the ending, which is heartwrenching, and has an understated(albeit very cool) keyboard part. The song ends on a heavier not, with a very cool guitar riff. One thing you will realize as this CD goes on is that alot of the heavier parts sound very similar. This song, however, is amazing, and as I said, I really have no complaints. 5/5
03.Disguising Mistakes With Goodbyes-This is my second favorite song. It starts off with a very cool guitar riff, and the mizing on this part is excellent. Do yourself a favor and listen to this CD on a quality sound system. The intro to this song can get your blood pumping. The intro then trails off into the verse, which is sung with the keyboardist offering some backgrounds screams for good measure. This song is considerably faster paced then the previous, and after another heavier part it slows down. The ending to this is perfect, with more vocal harmonies and mixed vocals and a heartwrenching ending by Toby. Whether you like this style of music or not, you must appreciate Toby's vocals. They are emotional without being whiney, and signify meaning without sounding forced. All in all, an amazing song. 5/5
04.By All Accounts(Today Was A Disaster)-This song starts off with some soft guitars, and a thumping bass. The song builds very nicely, and then follows a similar structure to the previous two songs, as in it doesnt really have much of a structure other than alternating between slower, more melodic parts, and something a little more upbeat. The ending of this song is once again the strongest point, and one of the few parts where the screaming actually works, as this time both Toby and the keyoardist scream it together. This song is one of the weaker on the album. It's not a particularly bad song, it just lacks any standout part to make it truly amazing, like the first three tracks. 3/5
05.Fractions-This is another gem of a track. It starts of slow, with perhaps the corniest lyrics on the whole CD. "one in three you are here, to tell me we cant do this, three for three ill sisagree". After the intro the song really picks up. I must admit, I love the structure of the song. It almost has two parts that you could call the chorus, as they are both repeated and both very catchy. The interludes between these parts are equally well pulled off, and this song is overall very midtempo, and one of the softer songs on the album. The keyboard parts on this song are also well done, and the ending is heartwrenching, probably my favorite musical part on the album. It drags on a bit in places, but overall keeps you interested. This is one of the songs I find myself skipping when I'm low on time. 4/5
06.The Note From Which A Chord Is Built-This short song is framed by a very pop-punk sounding guitar riff. The ending again is very emotional, and Toby builds up his vocals here without overdoing them. Not much else to say, as this song is basically intro, verse, verse, outro. As simple as it is, it's still very good. 4/5
07.Bloodless-This is another classic song off this album, and probably the least emo song on the CD. It is also one of the few songs with a tangible chorus and bridge. The guitars really stand out on this song, and add a very palpable mood to the song. I always feel a sense of urgency and nervousness when listening to this song. By the time the song builds to the mosh-worthy ending, the song has taken the listener for quite a ride. 4.5/5
08.Under Serious Attack-This is my least favorite song on the album. Structure wise, it reminds me alot of number 4, though thats not necessarily a bad thing. It just feels more uneven then the other songs on the album, and some of the buildup falls flat, due to questionable tempo swings. Not a bad song by any stretch of the imagination, it just feels kind of flat. 2.5/5
09.As Your Voice Fades-This song was written about someone close to the band that passed away, and the emotion they feel over this person is very apparent throughout the song. This is easily the most heartbreaking song on the album, and all the musicians are right on their instruments, even the bassist, who has been mostly invisible since the first few tracks. The buildup in the middle is the climax of this song, and the permeating sadness cant help but get to you as you're listening to the song. Another winner. 5/5
10.The Secret-This song is a great closer, and also strikingly different from the other song on the album. It has a distinctive vibe that flows throughout the song. Any aspiring musicians who want to know how to properly build their song to a climaz need only apply here. This song expertly inches its way towards the final climactic moment, and then, after falling, brings it right back up again. The vocals are again excellent, with alot of harmonies here. Overall, this song is a great closer, and a true showcase of the talent these men have. 5/5
Overall 4/5 I dont feel justified giving this album a five, there's just too many points where the album stutters a little bit. But it's an overall amazing CD, one that anyone who enjoys the emo style should readily enjoy.
This Message Edited On 03.18.06
