Emery- While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP [crobsession.blogs
Christian Rock OBSESSION | 08/22/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Emery is on fire. After releasing ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, a lot of people's summers were made, and now Emery is preparing to set out on Thee Summer Bailout Tour. But back in October, a not-so-little EP was released that set off this band. While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP successfully got fans hyped and very ready for what may already be the best album of the summer.
The EP kicks off with two songs featured on ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, "The Smile, The Face" and "Edge Of The World." Both songs are packed with energy and speak of broken hearts, which prevails as the theme of this EP, as it is with a lot of Emery's songs. But Emery always puts a new spin on things, mixing it up and keeping it original. "Ten Talents" changes the pace of the EP by opening with a piano intro and moving into a chorus with a little bit of a slower tempo. The lyrics are very heartfelt, as would be expected from an Emery song, asking "Is it too late? Am I too gone? Is there something I should know?Are we working for nothing? Is there anything to show for the service?Is it worthless?" It's overall a great song, possibly my favorite to ever come from Emery. "Always Depends" picks up the tempo again, with a punk-sounding intro and chorus, only to slow down again with "Thoughtlife." Fans who own or have heard The Question, Deluxe Edition will recognize it as a demo at the end of the album. It sounds a little different there than here, since the acoustic guitar has been replaced by a piano. It's not your typical Emery song, but it doesn't sound half bad coming from them. The closer on the EP, "Do The Things (You Want)" musically is "Say The Things (You Want)" in a different key and different instrumentals. Again, it's a very heartfelt song written to the fans.
The album booklet (if you bought the EP in physical form) is a very big plus for any Emery fan. Notes from the band members are under every song, telling of how the song came to be and its meaning. It's a very personal touch that would be great if every band included something similar to it.
While Broken Hearts Prevail... EP is one of the better EPs I've heard. It's definitely a hefty EP (compared to... oh, I don't know... *cough*House of Heroes*cough*) with a good amount of songs. It's also great for summer listening, since a good majority of the songs talk about events that take place in the summer. It's also great for honest and heartfelt lyrics, which has become signature of Emery. If you enjoyed ...In Shallow Seas We Sail, do not hesitate to check out this EP.
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A Good Preview for Hardcore Fans
Onward to Utopia | Florida, US | 06/21/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"My initial response upon receiving my disk was obviously that of excitement, although I noticed some minor damage to the jewel case on the side. This was not a big deal, as the case is barely used nowadays anyway, but this does slightly diminish my view of the retailer, because it was advertised as new. The EP itself has its own ups and downs, but it was worth the purchase. I would probably only recommend this disk to hardcore Emery fans, as the best two tracks (in my opinion) are also used in "In Shallow Seas We Sail," and the buyer may feel that the EP is useless at that point. For those more enamored with Emery's timeless style, there are a few good jewels on this disk, such as one of their earliest songs (we're talking pre-"The Week's End" here) which, consequently, is also a ton of fun to hear. Bottom line, this disk was well worth the money I paid for it, but I would only recommend a purchase here on Amazon. This disk was way overpriced at BestBuy."
Great
ELS | Jersey | 11/20/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you're a long time fan of Emery you'll love this EP. My only complaint is that it's too short, can't wait for their next LP."