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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Potential Realised, 18 May 2006
Feeling somewhat disappointed with 'War All the Time' (after 'Full Collapse' I was expecting a masterpiece), I wasn't expecting much from this album. My assumptions appear to have been misplaced.
With 'A City by the Light Divided', Thursday have upped their game to the next level. Gone is the sometimes frustratingly 'messy' sound of their previous three releases (don't get me wrong, 'Waiting' had its moments, 'Full Collapse' is an incredible collection of songs, and 'War All the Time' really shone in places). The songs here manage to be melodic and crushingly heavy in the same breath - check out 'Into the Blinding Light' as a perfect example. Geoff's vocals are stronger than ever, with a quality to his voice lacking from the previous releases - the chorus on 'Running from the Rain' when Geoff sings the word "line" - if this fails to make you shiver, check your pulse. The guitar work is intricate and the rhythm section is tight.
Thursday are a cut above all the run of the mill 'emo' bands on the scene at the moment because they have what the aforementioned sorely lack - sincerity. In all, simply a great post hardcore (or emo if you prefer) album.
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1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Thursday, 9 May 2006
As far as I'm concerned, Thursday cannot have a bad release. Everyone gives (lead vocalist) Geoff Rickley far too much flack for not being able to sing, but it seems to me there must be a reason this band has sold so many records and is now releasing their fifth studio album, "A City By The Light Divided;" on a major label, nonetheless.
The album starts off in typical Thursday fashion, with a rather hard-hitting, up-tempo jam that sets the pace for the record. The first thing that might come to your attention after you settle into the driving bass line is the production quality of this album. For some reason, everything seems too muddy, much like one is listened to an audio stream or something ripped poorly with Windows Media Player. The highs blend together and the lows blend together and it sounds like someone is making an attempt to push Geoff into the background. If you can get past the production, which I easily accomplished, you're well on your way to a great record.
After "The Other Side Of The Crash," we are met with the album's lead single, "Counting 5-4-3-2-1," another up-tempo jam in the typical Thursday style. It's catchy, energetic, and everything you'd expect out of a single from this band.
The next track, "Sugar In The Sacrament," slows us down a little bit, settling us in to the mellower vibe given to us on this record. Overall, "A City By The Light Divided" is a rather slow record compared to releases like "War All The Time," but it has its moments.
The next track is one of my favorites from the album, "At This Velocity," a haunting number about a passenger jet full of pedestrians "traveling at five-hundred feet per second five-thousand feet from the ground", hurling towards their inevitable deaths.
"We Will Overcome" gives us a nice little guitar riff and piano effects, as well as one their groovy bass lines, which are littered throughout the album. Another decent song.
The next track is a very dreary instrumental, stricken with a keyboard part that sounds like beams of light shooting through dark clouds. "Arc-Lamps" is a very beautiful piece and slows the pace down nicely.
"Running From The Rain" is another mellower track that is really nothing special, but is not bad in the least bit.
The next song is another one of my favorites, "Telegraph Avenue Kiss." Geoff pulls out his pep rally experience in this track by yelling, "K-I-S-S-I'm in distress" and "low f-i-d-e-l-i-t-y." This song is extremely catchy and very well put together.
Immediately after this anthem of sorts, we're brought back down with the striking of the ivory and Geoff's coarse tones. "The Lovesong Writer" details a songwriter's battle with personal lyrics; a decent track, but nothing to die for.
An awesome effect brings us "Into The Blinding Light," where we are met with hard-hitting drums and lyrics about, you guessed it, the blinding light. I really enjoy this song, simply because of the keyboard effect used throughout it.
The final track of "A City By The Light Divided" begins with another awkward effect and then shows us a calm riff, leading us into "Autumn Leaves Revisited." The song is seemingly about death, but you can interpret however you want. It's another one of my favorites, based on some of Geoff's harmonies and the little instrumental breakdowns.
Overall, "A City By The Light Divided" is a solid release from Thursday. The artwork is outstanding, as usual, especially on the limited edition digipak. Though this album does stray from the killer riffs of War All The Time, it seems the medium fits the message as we are lead along a haunting journey in a city, by the light dived.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome, 29 Dec 2006
This is the first thursday album I listened too. I brought it, listened to it once then hid it at the bottem of the cd pile for 6 weeks because their unique sound bemused me. 2 years on....I love this! The pure intricacy (if thats a word...) of thses songs means you get something new out of listening everytime. I think this is one of those albums you have to work to like (the radiohead of emo?), but once you do, YOU LIKE. Counting 54321 revolves on an excellent and very short keyboard lead up to the bridge, and it makes my day every time I hear it. At this velocity is wonderfully heavy, and then transforms inside your assulted ears into...well something else. In fact I think its the transformations that each song goes through is what makes this album so rewarding to listen to. There are many fine songs on this album, and I wont bore you with my enthusiasms on them, but Id just like to mention Arc-lamps, Signal flares and a shower of White. Only 3 chords and no singing, but a wonderfull build up of sound that defines for me perfectly the qualities of thursday that I have failed to describe.
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