Boy Sets Fire Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
While an ear for melody had always tempered Boy Sets Fire's post-hardcore tumult, 2000's After the Eulogy moved even more consciously toward hooks with the mid-tempo rock of tracks like "When Rhetoric Dies." Since then, the Delaware-based quintet has left Chicago indie Victory for Wind-Up, the New York-based label that made its name with Creed. Tomorrow Come Today, their Wind-Up debut, doesn't dilute the band's often caustic political discourse; musically, however, the band has fully embraced the melodicism that After the Eulogy hinted at. As a logical progression, this is understood and accepted. But the album suffers from big-league production homogeny. Produced by ex-Ugly Kid Joe guitarist Dave Fortman (who also manned the boards for the young Wind-Up groups 12 Stones and Evanescence) and mixed by Jay Baumgardner (Godsmack, Orgy), Tomorrow Come Today is a meticulously detailed sound recording. Josh Latshaw and Chad Istvan's guitars are impenetrable or elegiac, depending on the mood, but the rhythm section of Rob Avery (bass) and Matt Krupanski (drums) gets the short end of the stick. Ultra-compressed guitars and touches of programming and piano -- not to mention the significant emphasis on Nathan Gray's vocals -- unfortunately make tracks like "Bathory's Sainthood," "High Wire Escape Artist," and the hidden bonus ballad "With Every Intention" sound too similar to the glut of aggressive metal also-rans that have clogged the market since the popular explosion of the genre. Gray's voice -- with its whisper-to-a-scream range -- has always conveyed much of the emotion in BSF's progressive, often acerbic hardcore sound. So it's a credit to BSF that they didn't let Wind-Up or their producers completely attenuate these elements. Tomorrow Come Today begins with Gray's bellowed mantra of, "Protest is patriotism," a notion echoed in the incendiary political treatise printed on the record's inlay card. "Eviction Article" explodes then, the song's martial rhythms driven forward by Gray's vitriolic lyrics: "The constitution burns to ash in front of you/The people will know what you're up to/Your sins will come back on you." "Dying on Principle" and "Handful of Redemption" might be the best songs on the album, encapsulating perfectly the band's rage, rhetoric, and conscious movement toward melody. With Tomorrow Come Today, Boy Sets Fire has definitely taken aim at the mainstream. But while they may have made a few instrumental sacrifices, their agenda is being broadcast loud and clear. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
There is little difference separating Boy Sets Fire's Victory debut, After the Eulogy, and the re-release issued through Wind-Up in 2001. This first pressing does have its subtleties, as those more intrigued by a rougher, independent sound should enjoy the production quality of this effort. Overall it is identical, only lacking "Timothy," a song that was included on the re-release. For those into politically driven, emotional hardcore punk, Boy Sets Fire is arguably one of the best, and this happened to be their breakthrough album, which found the band courted and later signed by the label otherwise known for modern rock monsters Creed. ~ Jason D. Taylor, All Music Guide
'The Day the Sun Went Out'
Release Date 1/1/1997
Tracks 12
Label Equal Vision
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Day the Sun Went Out is the cliff from where Boy Sets Fire took a huge leap and succeeded to bigger and better things (although some will surely debate it). This 11-song album is the lyrical zenith of what the punk and hardcore scenes are meant to be: political struggles, personal awareness, and evolution, and the frustrations that sweep everyone away. Stylistically, Boy Sets Fire is also reaching the summit, performing a beautiful combination of hardcore power, punk angst and emo grace. Some of the material on the album isn't as polished as later works, thus showing the immaturity of the band at the time, yet it is that same passion and energy which makes The Day the Sun Went Out such an exciting album. Not only is it impressive in that nature, but because of the diversity displayed there is literally something on here to draw almost every type of harder indie music fan. The guitars display a mid-'90s chugga-chugga form at some points, but other times shift to indie rock stylings and all along are accompanied by Nathan Gray's diverse vocals. Interesting and creative, the only unfortunate thing is that this might very well be their best album. ~ Kurt Morris, All Music Guide
