People want the truth...
Posted August 24, 2009
By veritas,
...but never want the scars
Let's get the obvious out of the way up front. This is a very different album from anything else that Emery has done to date. Most of my friends went into this album with high expectations along the lines of Emery's other albums and were bitterly disappointed. The screamo edge is gone, however in its place is a more mature and thoughtful Emery than perhaps expected. I think this is a very important work in the band's discography that should not be missed by fans.
That said, I do not believe that Emery is at their best here. This album does a spectacular job of showcasing the vocal talent of Toby and Devin, but the music lacks the same finesse. The musical highlights of the album only leave you wanting more of what could have been. World Away is a beautiful song with a catchy chorus and soothing vocals throughout, with loud guitars and distortion crashing in towards the end. The bizarre mixture works amazingly well and in my opinion shows that Emery does good working within each style, but is at their best when they bring the two together. The vocals are pleading and passionate throughout, shown best in the bridge of After the Devil Beats His Wife ("People want the truth / But never want the scars... And you say it's going to be okay / Over and over again"), yet they are also weirdly flawed and seem off key and out of pitch in songs like Can't Stop The Killer ("Well go ahead and run / Run from the man with the gun in his hand") and The Movie Song ("It's true, I would do anything for you / She asked if this was cool / I played it like a fool / It's like I've said before / I could die tonight for just one kiss more").
For the most part, the lyrics come across as a confusing mess for me personally. I do believe that they matured a lot from the mostly relationship-based content of The Question (which was itself not without its spiritual highlights) and the themes running through songs like Rock-n-Rule display that the best. Yet in spite of the highlights, just like with the vocal work, the low points drag the rest of the album down with it on songs like Can't Stop the Killer ("Run from the man with the gun in his hand / Darling I would shoot you before I would ever let you leave") and Story About a Man With a Bad Heart ("I bought her several drinks / And slipped the ring into my hand / We drove to her place / And let the good times roll again / Suddenly everything shakes as my protection breaks / And now I'm on my knees and I scream this was wrong").
In the end, I think you'll find that with tempered expectations and appropriate taste in this style of music, this is a decent album that you'll find pleasing to listen to. I still listen to my favorites from I'm Only a Man quite often, but I feel the latter songs on the album are less cohesive and drag the rest of it down.
My Highlights: After the Devil Beats His Wife, Rock-n-Rule, World Away
Lying there with a broken heart on bedroom floors
And finally I realize that I am only a man
If I were the maker, I would fashion out a blade
To cut out every inch of dead heart I've made View All Music And Book Reviews By veritas | View veritas's Profile
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