Cons: Not really the AFI I know, kinda disappointing.
The Bottom Line: On its own merits, a pretty solid moody rock record. It doesn't touch The Art Of Drowning, and didn't come close to meeting my expectations.
pearl-drum-man's Full Review: Sing the Sorrow by AFI
INTRO
I was a casual fan of A.F.I.’s earlier works, however with the release of The Art Of Drowning they finally got me on board full steam, mostly due to the heavier vibe from the guitars, and Davey Havok’s more polished (yet still unbridled) vocal approach. With the release of Sing The Sorrow the guys are offering their major label debut, after being longtime residents of Nitro Records (exclusively). Surely there will be the usual “sell-out” criticisms, but I’ve got news for you, A.F.I. don’t care! When time came to find a home for Sing The Sorrow, the question wasn’t whether or not to sign with a major, but which one to sign with, enter Dreamworks Records. Unfortunately, it seems the “sell-out” cliché may actually have some merit.
PRODUCTION
The booklet is very straight forward, with black and white non-gloss pages. The lyrics are just written as one single paragraph, which is slightly annoying trying to read. They obviously didn’t invest much of that major label budget into the physical packaging.
If I had to bet money I would say this is a Pro Tools production, ‘cause the musical tones are very muted and dull sounding. This is most noticeable in the guitars and the cymbals. This record really lacks the sonic crunch that The Art Of Drowning produced (especially in the guitars). I would even say I prefer the raw production values of the A Fire Inside Ep over the sound of Sing The Sorrow. Also, Davey's voice has a notably higher (more whiney) pitch, and has lost some of the snotty nastiness he usually has. On the plus side, the record has huge low end.
THE MUSIC
I basically consider this record a reverse negative of The Art Of Drowning. TAOD featured about 10 smoking hardcore punk tracks, with 3-4 more mellow tracks mixed in, making for a nice balance. Sing The Sorrow basically features about 10 mellow to mid-tempo tracks, with only a couple barn burners mixed in. This was a major disappointment for me. After my initial listen of the album, I was prepared to totally bash it. Fortunately I held off a couple days, and after several spins, came to a more appropriate opinion.
Dancing Through Sunday and Death Of Seasons are the only tracks that really fit into hardcore punk vein. Both feature brisk drumming, loud guitars, Davey Havok’s more aggressive vocal styling, and shout along choruses. Good stuff, I like them a lot.
Most of the tracks are mid-tempo rockers. Non are particularly amazing, but all seem to be fairly solid. This Celluloid Dream is a very average example of this, although it does feature probably the best hook on the whole record in the chorus. Silver And Cold is another track that starts off without much commotion, but kicks in hard in the chorus. Girl’s Not Grey is a strong upbeat rocker, and the first single/video. Speaking of the video, the band elements are quite good, but the guy in the bunny costume has to go!
The Leaving Song is a melancholy acoustic ballad with especially strong lyrics, and one of the better songs on the record. This Time Imperfect is another great track, and fans of Morningstar from TAOD will recognize the formula. Unfortunately, this track is not listed, and is hidden at about the nine-minute mark of track 12. Fortunately, the song does have lyrics printed. Look for it; it’s a good one. I only wish they would have put it on its own track instead of having to go through the non-sense of fast forwarding through several minutes of silence to get to it.
A.F.I. made a point of being more experimental with samples on Sing The Sorrow. Throughout the record there are brief interludes or subtle additions. While I don’t feel it had any noticeable positive influence, it wasn’t a distraction either. Probably the only track worth mentioning in a completely negative light is Miseria Cantare- The Beginning. It’s the only song on the record I really don’t like at all, and it happens to be the first track on the record, why they would start the album off with probably the weakest song seems like an oversight, but that’s just my view.
TRACKLISTING
Miseria Cantare- The Beginning
The Leaving Song PtII
Bleed Black
Silver and Cold
Dancing Through Sunday
Girl’s Not Grey
Death Of Seasons
The Great Disappointment
Paper Airplanes (makeshift wings)
This Celluloid Dream
The Leaving Song
....but home is nowhere (This Time Imperfect hidden track)
BOTTOM LINE
For $7 I’m gonna recommend this record. I had high expectations and was (and still am) disappointed, but it’s still pretty decent stuff if judged on it’s own merits. I suspect new fans might have a much more positive view of the record, I also suspect hardcore fans will not like it. Doesn’t approach the greatness that A.F.I. gave us on The Art Of Drowning
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