Album: "The Rising
Tide"
Artist: Sunny Day Real Estate
Label: Timebomb Recordings
After the incredible "How It Feel To Be Something On...", Sunny
Day toured,
took a break, and then went to work on their fourth LP. A definate transitional
album for the trio, they wanted to establish "The Rising Tide" as
a mature, well
produced record. Once again fans we're forced to realize a new direction that
the band is heading. They begin the record in typical SDRE fashion, with a
great
opener. "Killed By An Angel" is a schizophrenic monster of a song,
transfering
tones back and forth from a slightly overdriven verse to a grinding chorus.
The
first two songs of the album set off with some huge guitar tones that Sunny
Day
never quite acheived on their first three records (not to disgrace the tones
on
the previous albums). "One" moves along nicely with its very well-written
melodies.
Sunny Day seems to reel in their diary-lp2 era fans with the first couple
songs,
and then blows the doors off everyone with the following songs starting with
"Rain Song". They proceed to take a road they've never taken before,
experimenting
with acoustic guitars, strings, and rich vocal harmonies. I must say the first
time
I listened to the album, some of the songs were very strange coming from Sunny
Day.
But as I got used to this new style, i began to see what an amazing work of
art
"The Rising Tide" is. Throughout the LP they flow through great
songs like "Disappear",
"The Ocean" with its new vocal effects, "Tearing In My Heart",
and "Faces In Disguise".
They close very fittingly with the incredibly moving, piano-laiden "The
Rising Tide".
As a whole, the album is incredible...from Dan's guitar playing, to Jeremy's
great
bass playing and vocals, to Will's even more solid than HIFTBSO drumming.
I must give credit where credit is due...the production of Lou Giordano is
superb,
and it takes Sunny Day's sound to new and different heights. I give this album
a 9.5 out of 10...BRAVO SDRE!
Mike Wiegand