The "emo"-OKComputer or the "hopeful"-OkComputer? Well actually the Rising
Tide is both. Fans wanting a return to Diary era music will be pleased. Fans
wanting more HIFTBSO era music will be pleased. Fans of albums in general
will be pleased. I know this sounds confusing, but in trying to describe
what is easily one of the best albums of 2000, I get too excited about this
lush album to make much sense.

The Rising Tide is an album which has both powerful, monster sing
alongs,"Killed By An Angel","One","Snibe", and "Television", and beautiful,
melodic softies, "Ocean", "Rain Song", "Tearing in My Heart", "Faces in
Disguise" and "Title Track." The whole album is generations from where I
thought SDRE was heading with HIFTBSO, and I must say this album knocks you
over the head with power. I didn't recover until about the third listen, and
therefore now able to comment on this new masterpiece. Perhaps some song
descriptions will help convert the pagan neysayers:

Killed By An Angel: Diary era Power, like an electric fusion
between The Blankets were the Stairs and Seven, that
blasts this album into the stratosphere. A monster
headbanger.

One: While still recovering from Killed,"One" knocks you over the head
with its dynamics and singalong chourus. The best Christian rock song
I've ever heard.

Rain Song: Thankfully the boys decided to throw this gem next to
help us recover from the onslaught of ROCK. A very Nick
Drake-ish tune that exudes simplicity and beauty.
An A+ love song, (yes, a love song).

Disappear: The pummeling drums of The Prophet meets a Pillars
inspired riff in this Eastern monster. The chourus is pop
excellence (very FOO FIGHTERS).

Snibe: THE ROCK SONG ON THIS ALBUM. THe masterwork of Enigk's bass is
at the forefront, driving this very political song into Diary era
mania. An instant favorite of mine, even though I don't usually care
for political songs.

The Ocean: Shimmering SDRE at their best. THe augmentation of the
keys and watery effects blow the demo version away.

Fool in The Photograph: Another Eastern Number (I was surprised).
The chanted background mantras in contrast with the
driving guitars works really well. A great rocker.

Tearing in My Heart: Although the children playing intro is not
that great in my opinion, the song that soon follows is
worth the wait.Simple, lush and beautiful.

Television: A "happy" emo song? Yep! A very 80's tune (think THe
Vasilines) that is just pop gold. Most SDRE fans will hate it,
but I don't.

Faces in Disguise: The BEST SONG ON THE ENTIRE ALBUM IS THIS ONE.
I can't even discribe how amazing this song is.

The Rising Tide: THe most intricatly melodic and harmonic song is
a great closer for this album. Another must hear.

This is a amazing album with the thanks to the production. To Die-hard SDRE
guitar-bass-drum purists: you may have trouble with the synths and the
orchestra and sound effects, but if you open your ears to the beauty of the
music, your mind will surely change.

On a final note about the artwork, I was entirely disappointed. Instead of
finding another great artist to use in the cover and booklet in the Sonic
Youth Tradition, the boys simply had a couple pictures of waves and a really
good montage of pictures (gasp!) of themselves. From a design standpoint,
the booklet and cover are good, but from a SDRE standpoint it was a let
down. Although the lyrics (thank GOd) are printed in the booklet, that still
does not make up for the loss of Chris Thompson.

GO OUT AND BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A SDRE Fan for life --PETer Dobill

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