blue october any man in america

Released: 03 October 2011 Label: Ear Music

Blue October are another of the talented prog rock bands formed in the mid 90s but never really got famous outside of their homeland USA. They are bringing this album to the UK and Europe this November, so if you’re interested, this will be the time to see them.

With Any Man In America, their seventh full length album, they are telling a deeply personal story, which brings a somewhat melancholy but defiant mood to the sound. It’s a brave move by Justin Furstenfield, to tell in such detail the story of his marriage breaking up and baring his heart in such a way.

There’s confusion, sadness, anger, denial, depression and finally realisation and determination through the album. The more observant reader will recognise these responses as phases of Fishers personal transition curve. All of which makes it a bit of a difficult album to listen to. It’s a story, therefore of a journey, and of healing from the trauma of a personal tragedy. Very often, from such inspiration, great works of music will appear. I’m honestly not convinced that’s happened here.

Musically, it’s a bit reminiscent of Peter Gabriels So album, but with the added influence of hip hop and rap, so I’m not sure if that really works well either as it is a bit inconsistent. There is a huge variation in styles through this album, as if the band aren’t really sure about their direction or sound.

Whether you will like it or not depends on your tolerance level for such a huge variation of styles and personal stories.

To misquote the doctor from Star Trek, ‘it’s rock, Jim, but not as we know it’.

by Alan Thomson