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Better Than Ezra - Paper Empire Audio CD

A fair review of the Better Than Ezra "Paper Empire" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Better Than Ezra reviews here, or go back to the Better Than Ezra tabs.

Better Than Ezra Band: Better Than Ezra
Title: Paper Empire
Rating:
Release Date: 2009-05-12
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Absolutely Still 2: All In 3: Black Light 4: Fit 5: Hell No! 6: Hey Love 7: I Just Knew 8: Just One Day 9: The Loveless 10: Nightclubbing 11: Turn Up The Bright Lights 12: Wounded

Major Disappointment


I heard this album and couldn't believe this was the same BTE that gave us, Deluxe, Friction Baby, Closer, Garden, Robots and then this - its a completely different band. The drummer is very weak, why did you let Travis go? At the very least re-instate Carey from the Deluxe album, he packs more of a punch behind the kit.

The songs are just plain boring and quite frankly BTE you need to get back into the studio with a much more noteworthy drummer and learn how to craft songs like you once could. This band has burned out and the time apart from making albums really wasn't worth the wait!!!

Perhaps releasing a B-sides album would have been a better move or making Artifakt more easily available. Sorry this album is horrid.

Hopefully the next one will be a return to form and hopefully we won't have to wait so long. This just doesn't break any new ground. Boring! .


Ezra has been the soundtrack to my life


However. I listened to the whole album, and songs like Wounded really ring of KG's work and would fit in the lineup. . . man, I don't know what to say. I don't want the guys to stay stagnant, I want the best for them. I have seen them live, and I have every album from Circle of Friends to BTR, including Artifakt. But I don't really like this work. I had to listen to Garden a few times before I just loved it, though tracks like Murder, Beautiful Mistake, Under You, and Live Again were all instant standouts. They took a new direction and it was weird, but ultimately incredible. I thought this was the same gig, but it isn't. The raw nature of the music is lost. It isn't stripped down like Closer or Deluxe. It isn't heavy and awesome like Friction, and it isn't experimental like Garden. It is just so overdone and. . . jangly? If that is a word.

All I know is every album but Artifakt has hundreds of plays on my ipod (artifakt i have to be in the mood for, but i like a lot), but this album won't really make it into the rotation much.

Every other album spoke to me in a different way and became a part of my life, even Robots. I'll always be grateful to the guys for putting into words what I was thinking, and giving me something to make memories to. I'll be first in line for the next one.


Absolutely Still
It's a re-make of a Val Emmich song of a couple years ago. This is a review of just their first song, Absolutely Still. If you like it, check out more of his music. I definitely think Val's version of better, though I suppose BTE made it sound more 'pop-ish' and that's ok. When I first saw BTE in concert Val Emmich opened for them. At the same time I re-discovered BTE, an awesome band, and discovered Val Emmich who is now my favorite song-writer.

If you ever get a chance to see either of them live, do not miss it. Just saying that if you like this first song, check out Val's version, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.


An unfortunate turn
Aside from Absolutely Still, the lyrics were uninspiring, the music generic, and the overall tone of the album sophomoric. Being a long-time BTE fan (started collecting and listening in 1994), I've found this album a disappointing turn for one of my favorite bands. I'm truly disappointed in the song crafting on this album. What happened to the experimentation of "How Does Your Garden Grow"? The catchiness of "Closer"? Or the contemplative lyrics of "Before the Robots"? This album is an unfortunate presentation by an otherwise skilled set of musicians.


Their worst, but still the best
I love BTE - this album's better than 99% of all other albums ever released, it just happens all the other BTE albums are in the other 1%. .

I've only had it a day and I'm already humming all the tunes- some of the earlier albums took more time to get into, so I'm hoping this one grows and grows like them!.


You can see a complete list of all Better Than Ezra discography, or go back to the Better Than Ezra tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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