Blue October Album: “History for Sale [Clean]”

Blue October's songs are the most honest expression of emotions I've heard in a pop/rock band. This cd covers every range of emotion from rage to helpless love. Although it's clear that the singer/songwriter is a lot more depressed than most people, he expresses it in a way that nearly all people can connect with. His lyrics are poetic and earnest, his voice is intense and melodic. And what rock band has a violin?

Amazing is one of the sweetest and yet most depressing songs ever written. "Can we pretend I'm amazing?"

Inner Glow is the exact opposite, an energetic, exuberant expression of inner strength. "Gonna wake up strong"

Blue October may go from one extreme to another, but they're never mundane.

This album is cleaner and more well written than Consent to Treatment, and deeper than Foiled. If you buy only one Blue October album, make it this one... but why buy only one?

About two months ago, a friend who is a longtime Blue fan, brought the band to my attention. I listened to the the live Argue with a Tree cd & HFS. I thought they were good, but I wasn't swept off my feet or anything. Later, I borrowed the live dvd Argue With a Tree. I didn't watch it right away, afterall I hadn't been blown away by the cd's, right? Unable to sleep on a weeknight, I put on the dvd thinking I'd watch some of it & return it. I could tell my friends I had watched it & thought the band were pretty good. In one of the reviews someone said you can't really appreciate Blue October until you see them live. As I watched this live performance, I was swept off my feet. Yes, as another reviewer wrote, Justin is not the first to write about heavy issues. But, it is the passion, the pain, the joy, all the emotions in between, & of course the music, that makes Blue stand out over even well-known groups. There are so many talanted songwriters & musicians who never see the light of day, simply because of timing, funding, the politics of the music buisness. I pray Blue October isn't one of these. It is all there. They have it. Buy History For Sale & any other Blue October cd/dvd you can get your hands on! They have touched so many people on a smaller scale, let's help them make it bigtime. We all benefit. PS: I will be seeing Blue October live for the first time next month in Austin. The show is the same day as my 10th wedding anniversary. We are going with the friends who brought Blue October into our lives. We are all prepared to be swept off our collective feet!!!!!!

There is definetly something for everyone on here. The song "Razorblade" filled with rage about his uncle, suddenly and unpredictably switches to a softer, love ballad "Calling You." When you put this cd in, i promise, the songs do not fade towards the end of the cd eitheir. Every song just gets better then the next. The song "Amazing" definetly fits its title, and "Come In Closer" is just an absolutely beautiful, original song with haunting lyrics. I think the song on here though that will for sure win your attention will have to be "Inner Glow" which the lyrics talk about the radio and how much artists have lost their "inner glow." Anyone who just wants an original band, who doesnt sound commericial and like everyone else out there, this is the band for you. The tracks just get better each time you listen to them, which is a rare thing these days. Definetly reccommed to any smart person with good taste in music....pick up this cd today.

Looped electronic drums and electric violin open an album of pure emotion, passion, and artistry. From the hypnotic opening track, "Ugly Side" to the emotional detachment and isolation of the finale, "Amazing," I could not stop myself from smiling, crying, and just plain feeling every emotion that might be hidden inside my heart waiting to leap out at the sound of another soul who feels life with the same intensity.

This album is a masterpiece. That's not a term to throw around lightly, but that's just what this collection of songs is. Justin Furstenfeld (singer/songwriter) is a master songwriter - creative, sincere, and unflinchingly honest. In the 50 minutes of this cd, he takes the listener on a voyage through some of his most personal memories and life experiences (chances are you've had some if not all of the same experiences or at least similar ones), at times drowning in heartache and isolation, at others revelling in the joy of life and love, and, still, at others, being hateful without remorse. Whatever the case, there are no apologies for the truths that are laid out for all to see hear. It's a man expressing himself because if he kept it all inside he probably couldn't live with himself. A true artist. This cd is worth every penny and then some...truly, in my mind, a priceless piece of art.

. . . from the crap that's been force-fed to the public by the music industry lately. Blue October came to my attention when I saw them open for Concrete Blonde at Washington DC's 9:30 Club. The first impression I got of them, while waiting outside for the show to begin, is a bunch of cool guys who really like interacting with their fans (I had short conversations with several of them about the old-school CB t-shirt I was wearing at the time). Always a good sign. Even despite that, I went in expecting some lame, eminently forgettable, watered-down college-rock group.

Instead, I was grabbed by their sound and smashed over the head by their performance. The rocking "Razorblade" first caught my attention; it's the third track on this disc. It's lyrically deft, musically complex, and viscerally heavy. I can't even compare it to something else, because Blue October's sound is so unique. "Calling You", also on the regrettable "American Wedding" soundtrack, is ridiculously catchy despite also being well-crafted and sincere. "Sexual Powertrip (One Big Lie) Bla Bla", despite nearly being shorter than the time it takes to read the title, is a treat to my ears; almost like a bunch of great rock riffs and pop hooks cut-and-pasted into the musical equivalent of a surrealist colláge. The hypnotic "Ugly Side" is so heartfelt and raw that I have to quibble with the band's decision to open the album with it; stupid people might be put off by it's depth. Really, the album's biggest flaw is the track order (and that's the only reason I give it only four stars out of five). The stuff that most grabs the ear is buried. The remainder of the album is quite good, don't get me wrong; I just hope that the record-buying public is smart enough to appreciate a CD like this one.

Now, I could continue to review the album track-by-track, but I'll save you all the time of reading it. Instead I say this: If you like music that makes you think *and* feel, buy this album. This is definitely one that will challenge what you think rock music should be.