New Music Review: Better Than Ezra "Paper Empire"

OK, so technically the album is entitled Better Than Ezra Plays Paper Empire but I'm not typing that every time I an unable to refer to the album without using a pronoun, so Paper Empire is all you're gonna get.

Better Than Ezra Plays Paper Empire (8/10)

This album flows fantastically, and anyone who has listened to BTE beyond Deluxe (the album with "Good", "In The Blood" and "This Time of Year") knows that every single effort they've released since has had a fantastic way of flowing, yet retaining each song's individualism. kicks off with the catchy and quietly memorable "Absolutely Still". I found myself humming the chorus all day: "I've got this nervous feeling I never wanna kill/Absolutely still.". BTE has done a fantastic job of maturing from their alt-rock/grunge roots into grown-up, big-boy alternative rock pop masters, somehow flying under the radar. "Just One Day" hearkens back to a vibe similar to "Closer" on the album of the same name; with its quiet, laid back self-reflection message. With that album (Closer) they began their intrepid quest to shake themselves from the grunge genre, and moved to more of a super-poppy, catchy hook band, and thus catapulted themselves into mainstream obscurity. The follow-up (Before The Robots) saw them pull back the reins a bit on the over the top poppyness, and move back towards a true rock band. They have FINALLY gotten the right mix with Paper Empire. They still felt it a point to remind everyone that they can write a catchy song that you will find yourself singing around your co-workers, followed by their subsequent ridicule of you, thanks to "All In" and "Hell No!". Then there is what is possibly my favorite track on the album "Nightclubbing". It has a very brit-pop feel to the song, and, coupled with "Blacklight" is really the epitome of BTE, bringing together all the pieces of who they are, who they were, and where they could be going.

All in all, its a fantastic album; not nearly their best work, but it is near the top in the ranks of Better Than Ezra's catalog. If this is an indication of what's to come from the guys in BTE, they will continue to list me as a fan, and with a little push from some viral, grassroots marketing, could add or bring back hordes more.

Tracks to check out:

"Wounded"
"Blacklight"
"Nightclubbing"

Tomorrow's (well, later today's since I'm a day behind): Akron/Family's Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free.