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Apologies for the earlier post, it was written in a slight rush and apparently I forgot how to speak my own Language.
In response to those who disagree with the score, I think I was generous, the more I listen to this album, the more I think I should lower it. An album deserving a 5/5 would be genre defining, “Colors” did this. This album did not.
What do you get when you take fantastically talented musicians who try to show that they’re all deep and talented on the same album? A mixture that leaves only a taste, and has you wondering why certain pieces are over the top, and others buried.
The times when BTBAM are trying be deep come off wrong. The slower melodic songs on the album seem almost like they are trying too hard to achieve what they want to give us. On the other hand, the long tracks show them doing what they do best, fusing genres and styles together with the best of them. You get the heavy metal-core vocals matched over solos or a jazzy styled picking, returning to the heavy breakdowns.
During the heavier songs they slow down a bit and put some melody in there, but the balance of the song is apparent when they do it. None of the slow tracks show a balance, they just kind of drag. It’s easy enough to skip the slower songs. But once you skip ‘em, you’ll have to handle the length of the heavier tracks, the shortest is just over nine minutes long, the longest just over seventeen minutes. The album is, after all, only six tracks. Four long, two short.
If BTBAM is your bread and butter you won’t be disappointed, however, I don’t predict this album grabbing new listeners.
Score – 3.5 / 5
Favorite Tracks:
- Obfuscation
- Fossile Genera – A Feed From Cloud Mountain (my true favorite on the album)
- Swim To the Moon
Click image below to purchase on Amazon
Responses to “CD Review: Between the Buried and Me “The Great Misdirect””
on October 27th, 2009 at 6:16 pm said:
You are very wrong, this album is a 5/5. I dont need to say anymore.
on October 27th, 2009 at 6:42 pm said:
I liked the review, not biased or one sided, but I think there is one thing that needs to be mentioned.
It’s a grower, not a shower.
I’ve listened to it countless times since it leaked and I’m still picking up most parts.
Overall, it isn’t Colors, people are just going to have to accept that.
I honestly like it better than Colors.
on October 27th, 2009 at 8:47 pm said:
Worst. Review. Ever.
I would think that one would take pride in his/her editorial work by at least spell/grammar checking the review. It’s supposed to be “they’re” – not “their”. Or capitalizing the first letter of a sentence. I felt like I was reading an unintelligent email from a high school freshman. Also, if you’re gonna spell it BTBaM, due to the word “and”, then you should also recognize the article “the”. BtBaM. Or you could just use BTBAM like everyone else.
“If you like BTBaM, you’ll like it”…. no really? What a completely ridiculous statement by one who probably brags to his ugly girl friends that he blogs and does CD reviews. This sentence is like saying “hmm… do I like chocolate?” and the response being “Well… if you like chocolate, then you’ll like it.” You basically told the reader in 7 words “Don’t read my review. I add nothing to the topic but words.”
And it’s also a terrible review cuz this album is CLEARLY a 5/5.
on October 27th, 2009 at 9:05 pm said:
You are very very wrong Juke-bot. This album is just as, if not more amazing than Colors and it shows nothing but growth on the band’s part as musicians. But then again how can I trust a review that is not even proof read. “…they just king of drag.”
on October 27th, 2009 at 11:15 pm said:
This Cd encompasses all that Between the Buried and Me has to offer. weather they are flawlessly fusing styles(not to mention incorporating their OWN version of of style), or smashing a break beat rhythm down your throat, they once again push what it means to even make music. This cannot be labled as a genre, but rather a band. A sound if you will. I gave this CD a 5/5, even though i would have personally liked to have heard more sweeping harmonies and modal progression.
on October 28th, 2009 at 4:38 am said:
Very amateur, poorly worded review.
on October 28th, 2009 at 4:48 am said:
I don’t agree with this review very much but it’s not as harsh as other reviews I’ve seen.
Btw, greatest music I’ve ever heard. I’m listening to fossil genera right now. It just got to the epic ending. God, I cry everytime I listen to it.
on October 28th, 2009 at 9:00 am said:
Agreed, indeed with the review entirely. ‘Colors’ was a fresh canvas for the band, where structure and theme was very important to the overall picture. It seems as though that BtBaM tried too hard on this album to impress, whereas ‘Colors’ was amazing-ness coming from Narnia. ‘The Great Misdirect’ plays all around the theme of society in its’ lyrics. Very well written, as well as performed. A few new features to BTBAM in this album is the classical guitar parts, in addition to more acoustic parts, and slide guitar. Each musician put in a great amount of time and effort into creating another great piece of music. The only thing I find frustrating is the musical structure of “Swim to the Moon” as a finally song, I find that it was not as well written as “White Walls”. The breakdown is absolutely chaotic and amazing. Still ingenious to them. I don’t like this album as much as ‘Colors’, but it’s just as amazing.
on October 28th, 2009 at 11:48 am said:
This is a ridiculous review. Careful of your double negatives when you’re reviewing a record that many educated people will be fans of. BTBAM deserves a 5/5 on this, hands down. Best record of the year. Don’t listen to this quack reviewer. If you want the real review, listen to the people who can really appreciate it instead of listening to segments of songs a few times. The melodic sections are better than BTBAM has ever done, and the heavy parts will always blow your mind. Paul’s singing on “Desert of Song” is perfect, and the bluegrass influences are apparent throughout the album, giving it a layer clearly absent in any other band’s composition these days. 5/5!!
on October 28th, 2009 at 2:30 pm said:
First of all, get the fuck out of the journalism business. Are you fucking kidding me with this review? It sounds like a twelve year-old grammar school dropout wrote that. This is a gem: “…seem almost like they are trying too hard to achieve what they want to give us.” More matter with less art, you verbose piece of shit. Or how about this one: “None of the slow tracks don’t show a balance…”? Try proofreading. Judging by your inept grasp of the king’s English, I can only surmise that you will never come close to creating anything nearly as accomplished or ambitious as this band does with every album. Seriously, what would you say is a 5-star album if this one is only a 3.5? Fuck off.
on October 28th, 2009 at 8:02 pm said:
Grammar problems aside, I agree. I’ve been listening to this album for 2 weeks and I’m right behind Juke. This album isn’t garbage, but it’s not Colors. A 5 would be Genre defining, something the industry hasn’t heard, something that shows the musicians pushing boundaries. This album sounds like BTBAM just doing their thing. You can’t fault them for doing it, but you can’t hand them a Grammy either.
on October 28th, 2009 at 10:28 pm said:
this is a genre defining album, its not supposed to be like colors
on October 30th, 2009 at 8:32 am said:
BOOOOOOO! Critics know shit.
on October 31st, 2009 at 11:57 am said:
You couldn’t be more wrong. Colors wasn’t genre defining. BTBAM and their evolution as a band has been genre defining. It isn’t solely about the albums themselves, but more about the growth with each new album. The process started with Alaska, expanded with Colors, and continues to evolve into The Great Misdirect. This is their greatest album yet 5/5.
on October 31st, 2009 at 6:54 pm said:
lol
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