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Tide
While Sunny Day Real Estate's (SDRE) flannel-clad Sup Pop labelmates spent most of the early '90s honing their stagediving skills and writing the next anthem for angst-ridden teens, SDRE concentrated its creative energy on making a debut album full of songs so powerful and emotionally bracing that onstage antics seemed redundant. The result was 1994's Diary. which became a cult classic and laid the foundations for emo, an entirely new subgenre in rock.Six years, a defecting bassist, a new record label, and a religious conversion have failed to distract the band from focusing on anything other than artistic perfection. This tunnel vision becomes undeniably evident on SDRE's Time Bomb Recordings debut, The Rising Tide. In an age when popular music has the collective soul of a robot, SDRE has managed to deliver the most divine, spiritual album of their eight-year career.
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The Rising Tide wastes no time getting started as "Killed By An Angel" explodes with a bass drum crescendo and thunderous guitar intro that give way to lead singer/bassist Jeremy Enigk's mellow, yet eerily piercing vocals. "One" is an affirmation of the existence of God, while "Fool In the Photograph" is a poignant tale of reflection and redemption. "Tearing In My Heart," an acoustic ballad, and "Television," a stab at commercial success, both feature SDRE venturing into previously uncharted territory without losing even an ounce of credibility.
Although guitarist Dan Hoerner and drummer William Goldsmith give tremendous performances, it is Enigk who truly shines on The Rising Tide. With a voice that combines the best high-pitched melodies of Geddy Lee with the intoxicating whine of Billy Corgan and lyrics that are as beautiful and thought provoking as anything he has ever written, Enigk reaffirms his status as one of a declining breed of truly enigmatic rock poets.
Sunny Day Real Estate will be showcasing songs from The Rising Tide, as well as its revered back catalog, when taking their incredible live show on tour across the U.S. this fall. Take this opportunity to check out one of the most awe-inspiring bands in music today, and see why Enigk and Company still don't have to resort to posturing to drop any jaws. (Time Bomb)
—Steve Barnett
SDRE will play at Toad's Place on Tues., Oct. 17.
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