The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 292

I did always hate homework so ya i dont know its tough pat makes a fair point there

 

This is something that Kevo and I have been speaking about. Are the people that aren't participating really going to step up if we extend it to two weeks or is it more time to procrastinate? On the other hand, if it will get more people to join and try it out we can try and see how it goes with one session being two weeks. If it goes sour, we have lost one session and the people that are truly invested will stay. I get it, it's hard to listen and write a review amongst our busy lives, especially if it starts to pile up.

One thing I mentioned is allowing everyone in the two week sessions to do additional reviews or bonus reviews. (Whatever you want to call them!)

 

I’ve said it before, but the reviews really don’t need to be anything too elaborate. Just spend a few minutes typing up some thoughts on the album(s).

I doubt many people are falling behind because of not having the 40 or so minutes to actually listen to the album.

Just my two cents.

 

I’d personally keep it at one week sessions

 

this shouldn’t feel like homework though

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

I think I agree that a longer session would probably result in more time to procrastinate. Would probably also lean toward keeping it one week. Agree that trying it for a session won't hurt anything though

 

you’re wise beyond your years

 

Let's see what our fearless leader decides to do. We did talk about making some other minor changes but Ill let him take the reigns on that.

 

What if we had a new pairing every week but reviews weren't "due" for two weeks? So you're still getting new recs and writing reviews every week to keep the momentum going but you have two weeks to digest each rec for those who feel that one week is tight to get familiar with an album and write about it.

Might be harder to keep track of everything but methinks there's potential

 

I see what you’re saying, but ultimately that would mean you have one write-up due each week which is essentially where we’re at now

 

I would go for that.

 

Ok, what if we took off next week/memorial day week, then the following week we start the idea that @Patterns in Traffic said?


*kevo these are notes for you check out when you get back.

 

I’m going to brain storm. The fact is, and I don’t know if some of you remember, we tried two week sessions before. It changed nothing and actually made this thread incredibly dead most the time. People ended up disliking it in hindsight

 

Lol I'm glad you said this because I could've sworn it had been tried but nobody else brought it up and I was like haha maybe I just forgot to message a partner 1 week and made it 2 weeks myself on accident??

 

I remember that, it was not long after the start.

 

Those were dark times for the CMCS

 

I thought they were 10 day sessions, but I was just a lurker, so I have no idea, lol.

 

When we did the two week sessions, wasn’t it that you had two weeks to write a review but a new pairing each week? In retrospect that indeed spelled procrastination. What if the club just took an off week every other week? I fear for the activity level but new pairings each week reaaally builds up on you lol

 

No it was two week sessions, 10 days new pairing so there was a two day wiggle room

 

I mean, also, we say one week, but many of us even myself a couple times have done them late. It’s not like we ban you and demand everyone block you if your write up isn’t up EXACTLY in seven days. And we are pretty good about benching you Until you’re caught up if you ask.

 

I mean, I've had reviews over a month late.

 

Exactly. As long as you make SOME effort no one says anything. Life gets busy we know this

 

Ok, this is the first of my two bonus albums for @Bad Frequencies.



Hawthorne Heights: Fragile Future (2008) Victory Records



This is Hawthorne Heights third full length and essentially the last they released for Victory Records. That is unless you want to count Midwesterners, which is a greatest hits.

This is a really hard record to review as it was written in the wake of losing backing vocalist and rhythm guitarist Casey Calvert. The band decided to carry on as a four piece and with the loss of Casey, so were the screamed vocals. This is the only record in the entire Hawthorne Heights discography without screamed vocals and although I continue to harp on the fact that the band is better without them, it feels like the band is not “whole”. It is a hard thing to explain but to those that have listened to the first two records as much as I did, it will make some sort of sense.

The record opens with The Business of Paper Stars, that would have fit perfectly on the first two records. It has gang vocals instead of Casey’s screamed vocals and it works really well. The song can really be taken a few ways but I think JT really wanted to reflect that in the music business things happen so fast and in one second it can all be gone, hence the symbolism of paper stars.

The record follows with the first single released, Rescue Me, and sees the band follow a more pop punk/rock road. It even has a solo which is done very well. The lyrical theme on the entire record for the most part is of loss and JT saying: “Is it all really worth it?” So many of the Victory bands at the time saw their careers sky rocket overnight and as quickly as you rise, the fall can be even harder. How is it even possible to continue on as a band after the loss of a person that was not only a core member but part of what made you a band? Post Hardcore was huge at the time and how were they ever going to top a record like If Only You Were Lonely? It is an extremely dark record lyrically but the band hides it well, coating it in the first instances of rock/pop punk we will see from the band and in which they will revisit on later albums.

Until the Judgement Day was a grower for me. I think it was just so far from where I knew them as a band. It even has these poppy synths taken straight from Motion City Soundtrack record. I do like the use of a piano in the bridge but it doesn’t feel like a Hawthorne Heights song.

Somewhere in Between is one of my favorite songs by them altogether. It could have been placed on the Hurt EP and looking back you could see what they were capable of. I love the harmonies and the lyrics are actually the most uplifting on the entire album and the solo midway through helps this immensely. I was lucky enough to see them play this live and you can believe I went nuts when they did.

Sugar in the Engine starts out with an acoustic guitar and has this dark and eery vibe to it. It ends with JT doing a spoken word eulogy to his fallen friend and bandmate.

Desperation is one of the other tracks I instantly fell in love with. I think it’s because it’s a mix of their older sound mixed with JT’s amazing ability to create beautiful melodies. It has this galloping beat to it and doesn’t stop and reminds me of some melodic hardcore/ pop punk bands. I love how when you hear JT’s lyrics you really believe them and feel like you were there.

Four Become One is the next single released from the record and is one where it really hits you that Casey is gone. You feel like the lighters should be out and people are hugging each other. Look no further than the lyrics:

“When 5 becomes 4, and 4 becomes 1

You're not just passing on

You're passing on all the fun we had

You made us laugh

We only cried but once

You made us laugh in photographs on display for everyone”


The band comes back swinging on 321. It starts with reverb and then comes in with this chugging beat and riffs. JT once again has these amazing melodies. I think my favorite songs on this record are when the band goes all out and just rages. This one also has gang vocals where it might have been written early on with Casey in mind.

Disaster is another one that took some time grow on me. It is a slow/ballad style song but when it kicks in with the full band it is fantastic. I just kept waiting for the band to come back in because that is when they truly shine.

Let Go of Everything You Know is an interesting song. It sees the band going full on pop punk and almost sounds like Yellowcard. I think that is my overall issue with this record in that it doesn’t have an identity but you cannot blame them at all considering the circumstances.

Corps of Corpses is pretty similar in sound to Let Go of Everything You Know but harkens back to their earlier records with these great harmonies and an insane solo. Where are the solos on Bad Frequencies?!

The band doesn’t wait a second and rolls right into Come Back Home, another one of my favorite songs on the album. It is a straight up rocker and is mix of everything that makes them great. It is another one where looking back you could see the potential of what they would evolve into. It is the perfect song to end the album on and is on the standard version of the album. I love the little medley of This Who We Are at the end of it. I know I have talked about it at length in this review but when the band harmonizes with JT it is fantastic and I get "the feels" when he sings: “I know you got burned…”

This record is far from perfect but it is such an essential record in the Hawthorne Heights discography. You can feel the pain of what they went through and how they pushed themselves to continue on as a band and evolve into who they are now. I urge anyone who hasn’t listened yet to check it out (or else I will have Kevo do it do it for me!)

Favorite Songs:
Somewhere in Between
Desperation
321.
Corp of Corpses
Come Back Home

 

Great write up!! I actually agree with everything you said, and your stand outs are mine plus paper stars too. It’s not perfect but has some major gems! It was tragic sht happened and you see it shook them, but I’m glad they’ve managed to stay strong to where they are today