Three years since Blue October's last studio album, Foiled keeps true to the eclectic mix of passionately delivered post-grunge that has built the band a core of loyal fans over the years. And while it's this eclectic quality that allows Blue October to sneak successful singles to the top of modern ock charts, the somewhat challenging nature of their music is also what seems to keep them from really staying in the mainstream spotlight. After all, many of the same people who would eat up the soaring "Hate Me" -- which was gathering considerable momentum on radio before Foiled's release -- might not comprehend the rest of the album compared to their copies of the latest from Nickelback and Alter Bridge. They may enjoy the up and down nature -- from introspective brooding to straightforward ock -- that appears on "What If We Could," but the album's highlights come in the moments when the band doesn't rely on in-your-face tactics to get its point across. The often desolate and anguished nature of Justin Furstenfeld's lyrics complement his aching voice, which still comes off as a self-aware, less pious Ed Kowalczyk, along with Ryan Delahoussaye's affecting violin. As such, while "Hate Me" is the catchy, more formulaic song of the album, his distraught confrontation of the personal selfishness that apparently ruined a past love makes the song work beyond radio accessibility. Sheesh, every jilted girlfriend of a messed-up relationship should be so lucky as to have a remorseful guy outwardly admit sentiments like "Kicking shadows on the street for every mistake that I had made/And like a baby boy I never was a man." The dark "Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek" explores Furstenfeld's somewhat split personality with a crunchy ap/ock chorus that contrasts the funk guitar of calmer, introspective sections. On the lighter side, "Everlasting Friend" is a warmly executed, piano-laced delight that hints, along with the intimate "18th Floor Balcony," that the often broken frontman still holds hope close. Things get a little hairy, however, on the deviating "X Amount of Words." A New Order-ish echno beat leads the song's delivery into realms similar to -- no, seriously -- Ciara's "Goodies" with occasional background vocals appearing with a likeness to Linkin Park's Chester Bennington; but at least the sheer weirdness of the song makes it admittedly fun. Overall, Foiled is a multifaceted effort that delivers more than History for Sale and, thus, should delight fans with its arrival. Whether or not the mainstream is now ready for Blue October has yet to be determined.
So, for the first time since 2002, I went and saw Blue October the other night. The last time I'd seen them was at La Zona Rosa when Endochine opened up for them. They were drawing pretty well back then - well enough to fill up La Zona Rosa with 1200 alcohol starved drinkers, so this was interesting for me. First, the venue. Here's a shot that I took of it when I toured there earlier this year....
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its another one of those emo songs ....awsome ^_^ very cool song yus
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So... I've been listening to Blue October's 'Foiled' album a lot the last couple of days. The singer has a voice that works for me and the over-all feel of the album is fine for this craptastic winter weather. But I've been listening to selected tracks and literally had no flippin' idea that this band I'm enjoying sings a song that I've mocked for months now.Every time our local emo-heavy radi...
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Once upon a time not that long ago... I sat on my couch, flipping channels on the TV when VH1's Fresh New Music show popped up and Blue October's song, Into the Ocean was on.Now~ This wasn't the first time I was listening to this song. I have to say in the past that I was exposed to it about a total of 4-5 times and with each time I heard its intro I think I actually kind of flinched and walked...
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This is like a whole new band to me, never heard of them but since I'm living in Texas I keep listening to them. Really cool band maybe one day I'll loose my fear and I'll go to a concert near ja.
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Blue October's lyrics can grate sometimes (maybe because I'm too old) due to a cheez factor (hey, grating cheez!) but then the sexy rhythm will win me over again (maybe because I'm not too old, HA)
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There's something cheezy about this Blue October number, I almost feel that I shouldn't like it, maybe it's not 'quality' or something. It must be one of those guilty pleasures, like having a crush on someone totally inappropriate.
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some weather appropriate tunage. well at least up here in the northeast :)
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I thought my kids seemed kind of young at 11 and 12 to be so into videos and the latest music, and then I remembered being only 8 years old during the Summer of Love and being captivated by the what 'mod' music dribbled into our lives in the tiny backwoods northern town we lived in then. What I wouldn't have given then to have been 18 and in San Franscisco! Anyhow, I let them tune in to what'...
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So... I've been listening to Blue October's 'Foiled' album a lot the last couple of days. The singer has a voice that works for me and the over-all feel of the album is fine for this craptastic winter weather. But I've been listening to selected tracks and literally had no flippin' idea that this band I'm enjoying sings a song that I've mocked for months now.Every time our local emo-heavy radi...
More >
So, for the first time since 2002, I went and saw Blue October the other night. The last time I'd seen them was at La Zona Rosa when Endochine opened up for them. They were drawing pretty well back then - well enough to fill up La Zona Rosa with 1200 alcohol starved drinkers, so this was interesting for me. First, the venue. Here's a shot that I took of it when I toured there earlier this year....
More >
Every since I heard the song "Hate Me", I have been fascinated by this band. To come from such a shitty place like Texas amazes me. I'm not sorry if I offend any of you Texas loving texans, I hate that place. Anyway, this is not about my hatred for Texas or it being a barren waste land of unusable space. It is about Blue October and how much I enjoy listening to them, "X Amount of Words" ha...
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And here is the second song I promised. Enjoy yourselves and let me know what you think. Happy Mogging! I'll see you in a week or so!
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This is like a whole new band to me, never heard of them but since I'm living in Texas I keep listening to them. Really cool band maybe one day I'll loose my fear and I'll go to a concert near ja.
More >
its another one of those emo songs ....awsome ^_^ very cool song yus
More >
Once upon a time not that long ago... I sat on my couch, flipping channels on the TV when VH1's Fresh New Music show popped up and Blue October's song, Into the Ocean was on.Now~ This wasn't the first time I was listening to this song. I have to say in the past that I was exposed to it about a total of 4-5 times and with each time I heard its intro I think I actually kind of flinched and walked...
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 You Make Me Smile |
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| 2 She's My Ride Home |
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| 3 Into the Ocean |
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| 4 What If We Could |
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| 5 Hate Me |
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| 6 Let It Go |
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| 7 Congratulations |
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| 8 Overweight |
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| 9 X Amount of Words |
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| 10 Drilled a Wire Through My Cheek |
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| 11 Sound of Pulling Heaven Down |
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| 12 Everlasting Friend |
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| 13 18th Floor Balcony |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Foiled")
