Search - Relient K :: Five Score & Seven Years Ago

Relient K's Fifth Fantastic

J. R. Morales | Puerto Rico | 03/02/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Relient K has managed to something that rarely we see a band do in their fifth release: top their previous four releases while maintaining that familiar sound that defined Relient K as a gigantic, monstrous musical force to be reckoned with. Light and poppy, but deep and dark, Relient K takes us through the everyman's daily struggle with both, his human and spiritual self. Loaded with the witty lyrics that Relient K is so famous for, "Five Score & Seven Years Ago" is, undeniably, a gem.



"There's a lot more variety in terms of the music[:] it has a broader scope and it's much more diverse," said the band when I asked them about their latest release. "It has more instruments and more vocals." Right they are. With the addition of John Warne (bass) and Jon Schneck (guitars, banjo, mandolin, etc), Relient K now has five (that's right - five) singing voices. The result? A richer, fuller melodic structure that accents in just the right places in every song - most notably in their first single "Must Have Done Something Right" and their album-ending, 11-minute musical and lyrical masterpiece: "Deathbed" (which features the voice of Switchfoot's Jon Foreman as "Jesus"). Musically, the sound is as tight as ever: the progressions, the riffy guitars, the injective drumming - all mixed with excellence (the production, by the way, is phenomenal). One thing that one notices rather quickly is the appearance of the piano in more songs. A welcomed addition, since it truly makes the sound deeper and fuller.



Lyrically, their humor is, as always, evident on some songs, but there are a few darker humored songs that kind of pick up where "Who I am Hates Who I've Been" (from their album "MmHmm") left us. Focusing on redemption, Relient K declares that, no matter what, God can give you another chance: "Yeah, we're fallen people. Yeah, we're sinful, you know? That's going to happen," said the band, "but He's always there, you know? He'll dust us off and give us a hug." Other songs, like "Faking My Own Suicide" and "The Best Thing", take a fresh and fun look at love and relationships.



In short, "Five Score & Seven Years Ago" is an awesome follow-up to "MmHmm" and, in this critic's opinion, out-did it. If you thought blandly of their previous releases: although this album still carries that Relient K flavor of their previous albums, there's definitely something different on this one - you might want to give it a try. It doesn't matter how long you've been a Relient K fan, this is the album that you've been waiting for. If you're not a Relient K fan yet, brace yourself - you're in for a big, happy surprise!



Enjoy!"

They have done it AGAIN!!!

A. Duluc | The Dominican Republic | 03/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I admit I was a little doubtful they were going to make an album as good as mmhmm, and also this was my most expected album of the year. so expectations were pretty high, but they've vanished any of my doubts since I can say this is they're best album yet.



Songs like "The Best thing", "Come Right Out and Say It", "Forgiven" and "Bite My Tongue" will stick to your head for a long time. the biggest surprise for me was "Deathbed". I've always liked punk-rock-short-songs and I was far from imagining I was going to enjoy an 11-minutes song this much.



The only part that felt a little out of place was "I Need You" because they sound too much like Anberlin (at least to me). But it is a great song nonetheless.



Buy this album and enjoy an excellent band at their best. I did."

Fantastic

David S. Ragsdale | Tallahassee, FL | 03/07/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I had been heavily anticipating Relient K's new album for about two weeks, ever since I had decided on a whim to rip my friend's copy of Mmhm. Well it being my Spring Break and all, I woke up at 11 yesterday and immediately zipped to Best Buy to buy Five Score...



Being a new fan, I hadn't really had the opportunity to listen to a lot of their older stuff, save for Two Lefts Don't Make A Right and SOME of Tongue in Cheek...but you can really hear their musical progression from one album to the next. Matt Thiessen's songwriting has always been Grade A, but with the previous three releases he's taken it to an entirely different level. Mmhm IS the true Relient K sound...with songs like When I Go Down, Be My Escape, Life After Death and Taxes, Who I Am Hates Who I've Been...



But now we have Five Score and the band has once again taken their sound to another level.



From the opening Beatles/Beach Boys-esque harmonies of "Plead the Fifth", and then on to the rocking "Come Right Out and Say It" and "I Need You," it's apparent immediately that the band has raised their game. It's still Relient K, but it's Relient K more refined and focused than they've ever been. Everything is in perfect balance.



We then have "The Best Thing," which is the first of a few songs about the newfound love of his life. As with many songs on the cd, is has a great piano riff throughout as well as a ridiculously catchy chorus.



"Forgiven" is my personal favorite song on the cd. Again, a very nice piano riff underneath a frantic strumming guitar, followed by a chorus that just swells...."We're all guilty of the same things, we think the thoughts whether or not we see them through, and I know that I have been forgiven..."



"Must Have Done Something Right" is a pretty playful love song that is once again very catchy.



"Give Until There's Nothing Left" is probably my second favorite song on the cd with, per usual, a great message.



"Devastation and Reform" is another rocking track with a very nice guitar riff from Hoopes. Great chorus.



"I'm Taking You With Me" is another love song. Pretty good.



"Faking My Own Suicide" has slide guitars and great folk sound to it. Unlike anything I've heard from RK before. Great song.



"Bite My Tongue" has more great guitar work and another great message...don't cause pain through words.



"Up and Up" is yet another well-written, uplifting, happy track about celebrating everyday of your life. Great chorus and great song.



"Death Bed" is about a dying cancer patient. It sounds like a song titled "death bed" might be really heavy, sad way of ending such a happy cd, but while the song is very powerful, it's not what you think it probably is. It's probably not much of a stretch to say that this is the best song Matt Thiessen has ever written. The verses recount the dying man's life behind a very bouncy beat and great piano playing. Matt Thiessen apparently played about 12 instruments in this song which is really a testament to what an amazingly talented individual he really is. This song IS Relient K, and it continues their trend of ending their albums with great songs...ala Jefferson Aero Plane, When I Go Down...



Well, yeah, it's an amazing album. Go out and purchase a copy if you want to hear one of the best kept secrets in pop music. Okay, maybe they aren't THAT big of a secret, but they are still relatively under the radar...probably because of the Christian Rock label. But as Matt T said, "C.S. Lewis wasn't about just writing to Christians to make them better. He was about writing books that everyone could read and expand their minds. That's what music is all about, too. [Not long] ago it was absurd that P.O.D. was doing Ozzfest or that Sixpence None the Richer was all over the radio. Then, all the sudden, it's all changed."



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