Review #1: Whenever, If Ever - The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
Title: Whenever, If Ever
Artist: The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die
Year: 2013
Genre: Midwest Emo
Listen along: (Youtube) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ktGbG4eZQ (Spotify) https://play.spotify.com/album/1ssuSs3zMKvHOq3usUvfxw
A lot of thoughts are probably racing through your head now:
Why does this band have such a bad name?
What the hell is midwest emo?
Why did you invite me to like your page on Facebook, Jacob and why should I care?
Look, I really really like music. I need an outlet to talk about it. Please read my reviews, I just wanna share what I enjoy (or discuss what I don't) with you lovely people. I'll take any of your requests, I'm gonna cover a huge variety of genres and eras of music, so just because I'm starting with some band with a whiny name doesn't mean you shouldn't read these.
Anyway, on to the actual album. Before I go into each track I just want to say that this isn't at all like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, or whatever else you would call emo music. This has much more in common with the 90's movement of the genre with bands like American Football, Sunny Day Real Estate, etc. But it also takes those bands and adds incredibly really twinkly and lush layers of guitar, giving these songs a hazy and dreamy feel. So even if you don't think you like this genre, I'd really suggest giving this a listen, it may surprise you. By the way, if you want just a quick review of the album, just scroll past the track names and to the bottom of this post.
Track 1: blank #9 Starting things off, this track isn't anything special but I sure can't imagine the record opening any other way. It's more of an introduction than an actual song, with the first minute or so being a real tense ambiance. There's some gorgeously soft cymbal rolls in the background, and finally it suddenly breaks. The tension is gone, and this delicate guitar lick starts repeating itself in the background while violins start playing. It's really really cheesy, but it sure sets the mood right for the album.
Track 2: Heartbeat In the Brain If you only listen to one song off of this album make it this one. It's not quite the best, but it sure represents everything the album is about in one package. The fantastic transition from the last song into this one immediately picks up the tempo, the guitars do this really cool thing that I can't describe any other way than DODDDOODODODODODO before the vocals kick in. They aren't everyone's cup of tea, but man does lead singer Thomas Diaz just ache with passion in his voice. The pace is really odd, jumping from huge crescendo to soft break quickly, and constantly changes from fast to slow, giving a roller coaster feel. There's a little bit of screaming in the middle that doesn't quite fit, but it's restrained enough that it doesn't ruin the track. Lyrically it may seem like your typical teenage angst, but the changes in tone Diaz drops down to a whisper, begging please "Tell me we belong here" make the lyrics feel much more real.
Track 3: Fightboat HOLY SHIT IS THAT A HORN PLAYING?! I LOVE HORNS!!! Seriously, this track just kicks you straight in the gut, a total assault on the senses. Unlike the previous track, which is long and goes through several movements, Fightboat just decides to totally rock out. And man does it work. The track has a raw, punky vibe that just is perfect after the previous "extravagant" song. The synth breakdown in the middle just comes out of nowhere spicing up the mood. If I haven't mentioned this already, don't go into this album expecting catchy melodies, this is total mood music. But man, that atmosphere is otherworldly.
Track 4: Picture of a Tree That Doesn't Look Okay The guitar in the beginning pretty much sums up that feeling of suburban teenage awkwardness. It is slow. Lumbering. And really, really, empty. I love how this song just is so unsure of itself and feels as though it was just improvised as it went along. Lines like "Do you think the landlord's pissed? We left a car parked on the lawn again." are perfect in how personal and yet vaguely universal enough that anyone feels like they can relate. And god that crescendo, just kills me. This is probably my favorite track, it just steadily builds up into this intensity after the slow beginning.
Track 5: You Will Never Go To Space Okay this one really isn't that special. If you liked the previous tracks, you'll like this one, and if you didn't you won't. It works great in the context of the album as a transition piece, but standing by itself it's just alright. Nothing really to say that I haven't already said, except that the bass line in the second half of this song fucking rules. Oh yeah, and the vocals here can actually get pretty obnoxious, even for the genre's standard.
Track 6: The Layers of Skin We Drag Around This and You Will Never Go To Space are a lot stronger when you think of them as one track, when left by itself this is just forgettable pop punk. Where's the twinkly guitars? Where's the originality? Where's that emotion? It's not bad, but it definitely doesn't lend itself a lot to talk about. In the context of the album this is just a alright piece of filler, it fits in with the rest of the album in tone I guess.
Track 7: Ultimate Steve This song is anthemic. It's very, very, cliched but it does the cliche so well it doesn't even matter. Much of the track is just one long instrumental crescendo, but the buildup is just lovely. And when the vocals finally come in, Diaz just lets it loose. Yelling about how "The world will destroy me" isn't exactly high art, but it's done with such passion and subtlety it doesn't even matter. This track just oozes melancholy emotions.
Track 8: Gig Life Total change of pace here. The acoustic guitar threw me for a loop but this isn't a generic ballad or anything. Opening with my personal favorite line of the album "You were afraid to make mistakes, but that's the biggest one you made" hits a little too close to home for me, but it sure rings true, and really ties into the album's theme of desperately wanting to live out your youth to the fullest. This track is very clear, very focused, hell, it kinda even has a chorus and melody to it unlike pretty much any other song on here. It succeeds in being a simple, fragile tale of the homesickness of touring in a band.
Track 9: Low Light Assembly While there was hints of it throughout, the album goes full on into an indie pop song here. Very, very quiet. A soothing addition of a female vocalist to back up Diaz helps add a calm to the chaos of previous songs. It's a little generic perhaps, but it's all about the little touches here, like the gentle ocean waves that are softly spread out through the song. And this is also the perfect spot for this tune on the album, as it perfectly ends directly into the explosive final song, Getting Sodas.
Track 10: Getting Sodas The opening guitar riff here makes me feel really uneasy. Like that feeling where you have that sinking pit in your gut kind of uneasy. The contrast between the relaxation of the previous track is great, but it only gets better from here. The track continues like many of the others with the awkward teenage lyrics and delicate guitar, but then BAM! The shouting here unlike most other spots in the album works flawlessly. "WHERE'S YOUR TACT? WHERE'S YOUR GRACE? WHERE ARE THE THINGS YOU REPLACE?!" so blunt, so angry, and in just the perfect spot to rock out to. Then the tempo changes once again and the drums sound like cannons aiming straight toward your heart. Another long buildup happens in the middle of the song, until the album finally drops the angst and starts to sound kind of hopeful. Yeah, they start chanting lyrics based off the band name so it should be corny, but it's actually kind of endearing and ends the album with one last big crescendo.
Summary: This album is a fucking mess. It's full of random ideas and the band can't seem to stay still for one moment. It's complicated, moody, and vague, and yet... that's why the album is so brilliant. It's full of life and full of heart, always trying to impress you along the way. It captures the feeling of being that bored angry teenager way too well. It's rough around the edges, but it's just so alive. Turn off your mind and take just a half hour and immerse yourself in this album, even if you're normally not a fan of this style of music, I promise you won't regret it.
I'll give it a nice 4.0/5.0
Comments, requests, etc.? I'd love to hear what you guys have to say, and I'm sorry if this review wasn't the greatest. I'm still working on my writing style and if you have any tips please tell me.
