Review: Thursday - War All The Time

artist: thursday album: war all the time label: island records released: 9/16/03 by: eduardo moutinho To say that I eagerly anticipated Thursday’s new album, War All the Time, would be a gross understatement. I’ve been salivating over this release like a famished coyote needing to eat to survive. The two teaser tracks, along with a live track I heard Thursday play at their last show in Boulder, fueled my hunger even more. So when the stores opened on Tuesday, September 16th, 2003, I ran and snatched a copy of the record for myself. My coyote spirit found a carcass to indulge upon. I don’t mean to go out on a limb here, but let me just say, this may be the best album I have ever heard. Period. Yes, I speak blasphemous words against hopesfall and the lot, but I stand by the words firmly. This album is fucking wicked. And yes, I also realize that I just compromised my journalistic integrity by (gasp) writing out an expletive in a piece of writing. Eh, Rolling Stone editors aren’t the only ones allowed to do it. Why is this album so good you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Firstly, this is one of those albums I have talked about earlier, where every single track is spectacular. You can play this record from start to finish without ever having to skip around. Each track tells its own story, with exceptional lyrics and equally fantastic musicality. You will come away with at least eight or nine “favorite songs” having trouble picking out what is truly best. In the end, it hits you like a bag of lead: the whole damn thing is incredible. Like Poison the Well, Glassjaw, and Thrice, this is Thursday’s debut release on a major record label. While this may not sit well with many folks, there is absolutely no reason to fret. The sound that Thursday shaped into one of the most emulated new forms of rock is present and elevated to infinitely new levels of sonic mastery and majesty in War All the Time. The charmingly raw sound is still the foundation, and the band builds upon their layered melodies and vocal structures throughout the record. Some tracks are complex and engaging, while others stripped-down and simple. In the end, everything comes together into a beautiful compilation. The instrumentation on this record is amazing. The guitars, bass, and drums are simply sensational. Songs like “Asleep in the Chapel,” “Marches and Maneuvers,” “Signals over the Air,” “Between Rupture and Rapture,” and “Steps Ascending” have wondrous melodies, one layered on top of the other, forming organized chaos. I found myself listening to these tracks repeatedly, sometimes listening to the same track many times over. They’re so impressive. The guitarists are making a statement, with their constant breaks, changes, and use of different sounds and techniques. I’ve never heard such effective, albeit subtle, usage of harmonics. The bass is integral in the transitions, which really shows how tight these guys are. Drums are exceptional, as they have always been. I’m amazed, just plain amazed. Vocals are really well done, and extremely emotional, which is expected from Thursday. As I said before, the lyrics are wonderful. The writing is so clever and profound. Just listening to “For the Workforce Drowning” is enough proof of how clever Geoff Rickly really is. I think his vocals round out the rawness of the music perfectly. He sings as if he’s pouring his soul out to the listener. And if you’ve seen him live, you know that is exactly what he is doing. The backup vocals done by the members are even more evident than they were in Full Collapse. Each individual scream is distinctive and gives even more character to the music. There really is no need to further elaborate on the vocals here, as their proficiency is a given. I’ve mentioned some tracks already, yet I’ve left a few out. This album is indeed a complete work. Thursday tried to make this release more intimate, and it shows with tracks like “This Song Brought to You by a Falling Bomb,” which is a somber piano and voice number. The title track, “War All the Time” is pure emotion. There are slower, more vulnerable-sounding, tracks here, and it’s a welcomed addition as it adds balance and variety to the songs altogether. I guess you can say that this is a sign of maturity on the part of Thursday. I’m not going to end this review by writing a huge conclusion commanding you to buy this release and to devote the next few months of your life to it. I think what I have written so far speaks for itself. What I will say though, is that this release is special. I was hoping for something comparable to Full Collapse, and what I got completely surpassed it. This band is untouchable. favorite song: "steps ascending" and "between rupture and rapture" (tie) rating: 100%/100% listen to thursday