Touche Amore
Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me


3.5
great

Review

by Damus USER (7 Reviews)
July 18th, 2011 | 16 replies


Release Date: 2011 | Tracklist

Review Summary: An acceptable follow-up to a promising debut.

Touche Amore's recent line-up rearranging has gone pretty overlooked. The growing band features a new bassist, a new drummer, and the original bassist took over guitar duties (the band has 3 guitarists now I believe). With a debut that was so compelling and hard-hitting, the change in line-up made me look at this sophomore effort a little harder than normal.

"Parting the Sea" trades in the dense, intimate production of "...To the Beat" for crisper, less bassy production. This change caters to the band's evolving sound. This time around vocalist Jeremy Bolm seems to have changed his outlook on things. The lyrics are notably more positive this time around. I found myself cringing at some of the lines like, "it loses its feel of mystery and any hope that it can give me reason not to just stop screaming out loud."

Nonetheless, "Parting the Sea" is kept afloat by a handful of great songs. Namely "~", "Art Official", "Uppers/Downers", and "Home Away From Here", which demonstrate the band's dynamic, methodical hybrids of hardcore/screamo. The band could have easily gone through the motions of their debut, it's nice to see them evolving.

It's exciting to think of what we have coming our way from Touche Amore.



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user ratings (1495)
3.8
excellent
other reviews of this album
IAmKickass (5)
Parting that sea has taken some time, but it seems they've found what makes them one worth mentionin...

craigy2 (3.5)
...

ian b. (4)
anxiety, isolated and amplified....

Iluvatar (3.5)
There goes Touche Amore, bringing the windmills again...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Aids
July 19th 2011


24512 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

not a great review.



A new bassist as a result. And an entirely new drummer.




both of these are fragments and makes the beginning of the review read very awkwardly. There are lots more errors but I can't be fucked to point them all out right now. I'd say proofread/re-write this.

AtavanHalen
July 19th 2011


17919 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Fuck is up with the wide-on

taylormemer
July 19th 2011


4964 Comments


Nice and spacious.

pmmets07
July 19th 2011


5984 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

damn dude this is pretty poorly written. the first paragraph is a trainwreck. however, i do agree with your 2 negative points about the album.

iFghtffyrdmns
July 19th 2011


7044 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

I agree with a lot of your review, though the writing itself is pretty choppy and seems rushed, sort of like the record sometimes. Plus, you don't exactly justify why you've given this a 4 (which I agree that it deserves), rather you spend most of your review harboring on its shortcomings.

Either way, this record rules. Just as much as Dead Horse, in my opinion.

Damus
July 19th 2011


594 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

I've reworked much of the review. I agree parts were pretty awkward.

Aids
July 19th 2011


24512 Comments

Album Rating: 2.5

much better, decent review now

iFghtffyrdmns
July 19th 2011


7044 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

It's gone kind of under the radar that Touche Amore underwent such a significant change in lineup. A new bassist, a new drummer, and the original bassist taking over for a lost guitarist.



I would change this just a little more to the following:

It's gone kind of under the radar that Touche Amore underwent such a significant change in lineup, including a new bassist, a new drummer, and the original bassist taking over for a lost guitarist.



Also, with the 4th paragraph, I would combine it with the former paragraph and combine those last two sentences, so you'd have something like:

A handful of tracks fell embarrassingly short of my high expectations, especially in passages such as, "it loses its feel of mystery and any hope that it can give me reason not to just stop screaming out loud."



As for the last two paragraphs, I think it could be made just a little more cogent with some small changes:

Nonetheless, "Parting the Sea" is saved by a handful of expertly assembled songs. Namely "~", "Art Official", "Uppers/Downers", and "Home Away From Here", which demonstrate impressively dynamic songwriting, as well as shifting hybrids of the post-hardcore/screamo combination the band chooses to incorporate. It's inspiring that they didn't just go through motions of "...To the Beat" which they could have very well done and gotten away with, and it's exciting to think of what we have coming our way from Touche Amore.





I know that might seem like a lot of constructive criticism to throw at you but I think with those changes it'll read a lot smoother, and the changes you've made do make it a nicer review than it originally was. Nice job, keep working at it and you'll get there in no time at all.

Damus
July 19th 2011


594 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Thanks for the insight. Still learning to review as smoothly as possible. I should just wait a night and then re-read over my reviews before posting.

FearThyEvil
July 19th 2011


18628 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

saw this at the record store, bought la dispute/koji instead. but it was super cheap suppose i should pick it up soon.



How was that split Potato?

iFghtffyrdmns
July 19th 2011


7044 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

yeah I need to hear that split too.

their split with touche is banging though, sooooo good.

Damus
July 19th 2011


594 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

What's with all the negs guys. Come onn.

Damus
July 19th 2011


594 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

There goes my approval rating...

NozDamus
July 19th 2011


1 Comments


This is poop, big poop.

OddNozDamus
July 20th 2011


1 Comments


Oh my god. I can't believe how good this review is. Oh wow.

FilupLees
July 20th 2011


344 Comments


So many 4's above me.



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