Blue October caters to just about anyone, but this could be both a good thing and a bad thing. While their music can be appealing to many people, fans of a specific genre might like some songs, but not others, as the band dabbles in different styles. The reason why Blue October isn’t as big as you would expect is probably because they can’t settle on one sound.

Foiled is a fusion of skill and taste—the result is a multi-dimensional album, which you don’t see too often these days. The mix of pop, hard rock, dance and 80’s sounds is diabolically genius—almost as if Blue October is ready to take over the entire music world with this one album.

At first, Foiled comes off as an alternative rock album. The first two tracks have all of the characteristics of rock songs; intricate guitar work, riveting drum rhythms, and the expected introspective lyrics. At this point, it seems like the album is just another predictable album.

The third track, “Into the Ocean”, sheds some of the alternative sound and takes on a pop sound. When you hear the synth as well as the way vocalist John Furstenfeld delivers the lyrics, you’ll begin to question what direction this album is going to take.

The next two songs return the listener to the wonderful alternative rock sound. The strange pop tangent in the previous song can almost be forgotten by the time the fourth song, “What If We Could”, is over. Toward the end of the song, Furstenfeld is almost screaming lyrics like “What if we could” and “I would meet you/ Would you meet me”. The rock trend continues into the next song, “Hate Me”, the first single off of the album.

“Hate Me” received a great deal of radio attention when it was first released, and it is probably one of the more, if not the most, memorable tracks on the album. Lyrics like “Hate me today/ Hate me tomorrow/ Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you” bring the hard rock side of the band out more than any other song on the album. The powerful lyrics and vocalist John Furstenfeld’s amazing performance make this song an instant classic; however, there isn’t much more where that came from.

After “Hate Me”, things get tricky again. “Let It Go” is more of folk music song, if anything. The instrument work is minimal, but effective, with the implementation of harmonica and piano sounds. Lyrics like “Where do you go/ When the day is long/And where does your heart beat/ And who is wrong” let go of the aggressiveness some of the previous songs possess. The tone of the remaining album is uncertain once again.

Surprisingly enough, the tone changes once more—this time returning to the rock attitude of earlier songs with “Overweight”. This flows at a nice pace and it is full of good guitar riffs and lyrics like “Pull my hair back, look me in the eye/ There's a self-destructive meaning in the bleeding of a guy” sung in a regretting tone of voice. Blue October has definitely mastered their alternative rock sound, but can they do techno as effectively?

Probably the biggest surprise in this album is the song “X Amount of Words”. If you thought pop and folk were strange for Blue October, you’ll be thoroughly shocked when you hear Furstenfeld begin the song with a computer-like tone of voice. “X” is electric, cool, but different to the point that this song stands out from the rest of the album like a sore thumb.

The rest of the album follows a similar pattern. “Drill Through My Cheek” sounds just like “Hate Me”, “Sound of Pulling Heaven Down” dabbles in folk again, and “Everlasting Friend” is a slow pop song.

The last song “18th Floor Balcony/It’s Just Me” is an epic, 11-minute masterpiece. If you can’t handle the mix-matched genres of the previous songs, at least skip to this last song before you move on to anything else.  It would be a shame to miss this song. Furstenfeld and the rest of the band tone everything down to create a touching and ultra-introspective environment where your imagination can run free with their lyrical sentiments. “I knew it from the start/ My arms are open wide/ My head is on my stomach/ And we’re trying so hard not to fall asleep”, are lyrics so empowered with emotion that a sense of truth can be felt.

This last song, without a doubt, defines this album and ends it with a passion that you will never forget.

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No. 2 :

muic and art are inspiration...capable of breeding aspiration...
Blue October are inspiring and have aspired to perfection...11/18/2007

Submitted by blueoctoberose • 2007-11-18 12:52:17

No. 1 :

overweight freakin rocks.

Submitted by ryan • 2007-02-12 17:32:52

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