It has been a pretty long time since Blindside has cut an album. However, in the four years since they released their last effort, they have done a tremendous job in tightening up their sound and crafting a compelling album. While it is true that the band has been crafting music for nearly twenty years, I feel that there is a freshness to the tracks on “With Shivering Hearts We Wait” that sticks with the disc throughout. From the disc’s opening all the way out to “There Must Be Something In The Wind”, Blindside does not let up.
The disc starts out with “There Must Be Something In The Water”, a track that puts their faith front and center, linking it to tremendously compelling arrangements. While this is a good introduction to the band, I feel that the track’s key importance has to be how it interacts with the rest of the Blindside discography. It is not even that “Must Be Something” works with the rest of the album – it does – but rather that there are hints of previous efforts present in this track.
Blindside is not afraid of their history, but is not beholden to it either. The disc’s second track, “My Heart Escapes”, represents more of a break from this previous work. By establishing a different feel for “With Shivering Hearts We Wait”, Blindside attempts to go into their third decade as a band with the same sort of vitality that they had when they first started out. If you have not heard Blindside yet, give this CD a spin – they play an interesting blend of rock styles that is familiar while still being revolutionary.
Top Tracks: There Must Be Something In The Water, Monster On the Radio
Rating: 8.1/10
Blindside – With Shivering Hearts We Wait (CD) / 2011 INO Records / 10 Tracks / http://www.blindsideonline.com
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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