The E-Talkers have finally returned after a much needed change of band members and style. New people, new instruments, new greatness. While staying mostly true to their old style, they have added a bit more instruments such as a piano and trumpet for some songs, they are spliting away from being a one style band and now focusing on merging as many as they can. Great songs, not one of them is bad. "Take Two" is one of the most amazing songs ever created.
You pop this CD into your CD player and the first track of Flyleaf's self-titled debut, "I'm So Sick," which comes on with a dark bass intro. Within 20 seconds you hear Lacey Mosley let out a gut-wrenching scream. This girl can do it all. Even though it is not the most professional voice in the market, she shows lots of emotion and energy in her singing. The 2nd single from this CD, "Fully Alive," states: "Fully alive/More than most/Ready to smile/And love life/Fully alive/And she knows how to believe in futures" (during live performances she would say Jesus instead of futures). This song shows that we can persevere through anything and be "fully alive," through Christ. The next track, "Perfect" is a very encouraging track, which says we're "perfect in weakness" and we can only be made right through Jesus' strength. "Cassie" is a very intense song that challenges all the listeners to ask themselves if they truly believe in God and if they are willing to stand by God's side even to the bullet of a gun, as Cassie Bernall did at Columbine High School. Lacey states clearly that she will stand by God. "Sorrow" starts nice and slow during the verses and takes it away with a flowing chorus. An energetic song comes on next, stating that it hurts to say sorry, but in the end we will be healed of our scars, on "I'm Sorry." "All Around Me" is the raw worship song of the record, which shows us the alternative side of Flyleaf, saying that when we trust in God, we are healed. The 8th track, "Red Sam" points straight to God as the truth and talks about worship. The stunning ballad, "There For You" is a conversation between the band and God, that thanks God for being with them and caring for them. The song is kind of confusing, because we can't be there for God, but I think it is just an offer of the bands love towards God. "Breathe Today" moves like a train, as the rock is brought on. This song preaches: "Big enough to fill the void that's inside of you/It's just a breath away," showing that we are suffocating without God, but he is everywhere and if we accept him we can breathe and realize the meaning of life. The last track is a stunning song that continues to prove that Flyleaf knows how to make good "slow" song. This song is breath-taking. This duo between Mosley and Ryan White, from Resident Hero, was perfect for this song, "So I Thought," reflectng upon a broken romance, but encouraging others by saying that Jesus is there inbetween all of the pain (they actually say "Jesus" this time).
“Tonight I’ll get up on the stage and all my problems seem to go away/Tonight I’ll get up in those lights and I will sing my best for you tonight,” proclaims Plain White T’s frontman Tom Higgenson on “Sing My Best,” from the album All That We Needed.
On October 24th, Saddle Creek will release Noise Floor, a collection of Bright Eyes singles, one-offs, unreleased tracks, collaborations and covers recorded between 1998 and 2005. Variously recorded to cassette four-track, minidisc, reel-to-reel tape machine, ADAT and computer, these songs trace Bright Eyes' evolution from basement project to band of international repute. Many of these gems previously lost to out-of-print obscurity are hereby resurrected.
