There are only so many ways you can describe an album like Deja Entendu, or really any album for that matter, so I'll keep this simple. The opening track, Tautou, sets the pace for the whole album, not in terms of decibel level, but rather in terms of emotions and attitude. It's a slow, deliberate track that almost feels like it, in itself, is sad. The songs that follow (Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades, and I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light) support this feeling, albeit in a more energetic way.
The track listing is rather erratic. You'll be hard pressed to find any song that may be considered "happy," and except for the rare acoustic song, it follows the trend of "drop tuned and heavy" throughout, but the tempo will hit peaks and valleys far too often, as evident between Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis and Guernica.
The overall feel of the album is not a bright one, but it's a strong one. You can almost feel the band's pain and suffering, even without listening to the lyrics, and it's easy to relate. On the ninth track, Guernica, Jesse manages to inspire the listeners, rather than pull them down.
Deja Entendu is a fitting title, in that if you've listened to similar bands, you won't be surprised by what you're about to hear, and they seem to follow a pattern for most of the album. And as long as you don't tend to pass over CDs like this one as "just another emo record," then it will likely stand out for one reason or another. |
