Blue October, an alternative rock back from Houston, Texas, were enjoying a great amount of success when they released their fourth studio album back in 2006. The hit singles, “Hate Me” and “Into the Ocean”, gave them a wider audience and more radio exposure than ever before. Now five years later, the band has returned with its six full length album titled Any Man in America, after the average reception of their fifth. Preceded by lead single, “The Chills”, the album was recorded mainly in an Austin, Texas studio and contains a sound that stays true to who the band really is.
After a short intro, the album officially starts with “The Feel Again (Stay)”, an emotional, slow rock ballad that basically describes the relationship that the lead singer had to endure over the years and how he wishes he could have them again. The vocals are haunting; they allow the listener to really feel the message behind the track. My only negative criticism would be that the song does drag on a little, but it does pack a powerful punch to start off the effort. On “The Money Tree”, the lead singer seems to be letting out some frustration. It is not hard noticing some anger in the vocals right off the bat as the lyrics tell a story of finances running wild in a family. The sweet sounding instrumentals mask the harsh reality of the song, but only a bit. Overall, the track is a nice addition to the project; it progresses nicely with good vocals and great material. After a sad beginning, “For The Love” seems to be a very personal confession from the lead singer to everyone that he cares for. The track does keep the project on a good, consistent path, but where the song succeeds is in the chorus. The lyrics that are sung are feelings from the heart and they seem to leave a lasting impact on whoever should be listening to the song at the time. “Drama Everything” may not have a promising start, but the song does pick up as soon as the tempo does. The chorus present on the track is a catchy addition that contains serious lyrics and it may be the reason that I enjoy the song so much. The track seems to be directed to the one that always starts the problems in a relationship, the words are real, the song is perfect. As the first single off the album, “The Chills”, does a great job at introducing fans both new and old to a sound that describes who the band truly is. Since most of the album deals with the lead singer’s recent divorce, this song dives deep into the scenario real fast. You can tell that there is a broken heart; you can hear the pain as the track progresses. The song is a rock moment and I feel that the only problem is its short length. Some beautiful violins and real phone recordings open “The Flight (Lincoln to Minneapolis)” in a successful way. The vocals that are heard are a departure for the band since they sound as if the singer is rapping. When the rock sound returns it just takes the track to a whole new level and allows it to grab the listener’s attention if they were not intrigued already. There is a lot of vulgarity, but still a brilliant track. The album continues with the title track which starts off disappointingly due to the fact that it seems like the lead singer is simply talking. I am not a huge fan of the song, but I will say that the chorus is a bright moment and the only reason I really listen to it. The material is raw and personal and I do commend that aspect, but the song as a whole did not reach the true potential that it could have. On “You Waited Too Long”, the musicianship changes the pace of the song dramatically to the point where it sounds like two completely different tracks. The song is not bad, but I feel that there is nothing that makes it memorable, it is just there. The track had everything to be really great, but not all the pieces came together. The concept of the effort seems to come out in “The Honesty”, a song that feels as if it were ripped right out of the singer’s journal. The track plays out like a warning about love. Even though the one that had his heart let him down, he stills wishes them the best. The song is very simple compared to the rest of the track list, it is a nice change in pace and tone. The lead singer deals with his real-life divorce and the consequences that came from it in “The Getting Over It Part”. Some anger and distain is still felt and it seems that all that hatred that was present was just poured into this track. The song is extremely enjoyable, in a psychotic way, and it will probably be on many soundtracks about broken relationships; the song shows that the truth really does hurt. The album continues with “The Worry List”, another slow, sort of depressing song that follows the same direction as the tracks that preceded it. The song deals with certain topics such as isolation and redemption, it seems to be a song of strength. The vocals are heart wrenching while the lyrics are as true as the get. The main idea of the song sums up the entire album. The album closes with “The Follow Through”, an uplifting track that shows the lead singer getting over all the bad that has happened in his life while this album was being recorded. The song leaves a great lasting impression on the listener, even though I feel that six minutes was way too long for the track. The female vocals that are heard give the finished product something more, glad they were included.
Any Man in America is a great follow up to Blue October’s previous release, but is it a step up from their platnium selling Foiled? Not really. The album does have a rock edge that the Texas band has become known for, but some striking and noticeable differences are heard. The project seems to be a concept album that deals with situations that the lead singer experienced in his life: divorce and the love for his daughter. Some brilliant tracks were created with amazing vocals and heartfelt lyrics that rival everything out today. The album as a whole receives a strong 86%.
Tracks to Hear: “The Chills”, “The Flight (Lincoln to Minneapolis)”, and “The Getting Over It Part”
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Blue October - The Chills
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