Review Summary: Review 5 of 7: Going off the deep end with a completely inconsistent album, many concerns are brought up with the future of Blue October
Three years after Foiled was released a lot of stuff went down in Justin Furstenfeld’s life. He discovered his wife was cheating on him during his Foiled tour which would leave to a legal battle where he would later lose custody of his daughter Blue. Completely torn apart Justin would degrade once again to his alcohol addictions.
This sudden and cold change of events would lead to the release of Approaching Normal. To sum up in a few words, a complete mess. It’s fatal flaws rest in Justin himself. His hatred and anger aimed at everyone and everything and how awkward and clumsy the album is alienates everyone who listens to him. Not only are the listener’s alienated but even his own band members are lost on how to react to the unstable mess that Justin became.
The second track of the album, “Say It” is a painful listen. Justin lashes out on his Ex and directly blames her for many of his problems like his tumbling self esteem and gaining forty pounds. Yikes, Justin too has completely devolved from his mature songwriting present in Foiled and History For Sale. Relying on a lot, and I mean a lot of F bombs and childish insults to get his point across.
The band’s instrumental work is also sloppy, as Justin yells and lashes out on the first half of the album the band tries to approach and match him with a safer alternative radio rock sound that doesn’t mix with anything Justin performs well at all. Think of it like Matchbox 20 band members trying to accompany David Draiman as he performs “Down With The Sickness” it doesn’t mix at all.
The rest of the first half plays off like this through every song, Justin lashing out as his members try to figure out what the hell it is they’re supposed to be doing. Then suddenly, the album takes a sudden turn in crazy town as the next two tracks My Never and Jump Rope bridge into the last half of the album.
What makes it so confusing is that what was Justin being angry and pissed suddenly turns into him reminiscing about a relationship in “My Never” which throws back to The Answers very closely with a very simplistic and stripped down duo between Justin and Ryan. It’s frustrating, one second he’s going on how he hates everything and then goes into some soothing love song.
What the hell are you trying to take us for here? Are we just supposed to ignore that there’s absolutely no coherence in this album? No focus with the lyrics or the instrumentals as every track will leave you lost and confused? I guess so, because the album only gets more happy-go-lucky with “Jump Rope” with the positive “Life is hard don’t give up” message and kids giggling in the chorus and “Blue Does” about his daughter and how much he loves her.
Then there’s the albums closers, “The End,” one of the things I liked most about Blue October is every album closes with a sweet and somber song that emotionally packs the bands strong points. Though there’s nothing like that in this song, aggressive and fast paced the song is about Justin supposedly breaking into his Ex’s house and murders her and her new boyfriend.
What the hell Justin? Seriously, what the hell?
A confusing release as Justin struggles with his inner conflicts, this album alienates its listeners throughout its journey that besides the few tracks worth picking up, shouldn’t be taken again. Wherever Blue October is going next, here’s to hoping it’s a calm one.
Recommended Tracks:
Jump Rope