Seether Albums (4)
'Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces'
Release Date 10/23/2007
Tracks 12
Label Wind-up
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Seether's lead singer/songwriter, Shaun Morgan, is an unabashed, unapologetic worshiper of Kurt Cobain, using Nirvana's sound as a template for Seether and, more importantly, interpreting Kurt's teenage angst as something entirely un-ironic and confessional. This is a pretty skewed reading of Nirvana but not an uncommon one, and there have been scores of bands that have devoted their careers to ironing out every quirk in Cobain's legacy, with Seether being one of the more prominent of this legion in the new millennium. In Morgan's interpretation of Nirvana, music is just a vehicle for emotional catharsis and boy did he ever have a lot to get off his chest in 2007, as in the previous year he lost a guitarist; was subjected to the humiliation of his ex, Amy Lee, pretty much writing an entire album about him on Evanescence's The Open Door (including the withering hit single "Call Me When You're Sober"); and did a stint in rehab. All this turmoil is evident on their third proper album, Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces, a title that hints at Morgan's propensity for purple prose (but not his predilection for profanity; the F-word powers more than a few choruses here). Those tortured and tormented words are at the center of Finding Beauty as Morgan pours out his soul, pairing naked emotional bloodlettings with jacked-up and overly polished active rock. He doesn't really put a unique spin on his angst, although "Rise Above This," a midtempo tune with an identifiable melodic hook, stands out. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Grape Street, the Philadelphia venue where One Cold Night was recorded on February 22, 2006, is also the location of the chance encounter between guitarist Pat Callahan, singer Shaun Morgan, and bassist Dale Stewart. Callahan was given a chance to audition for the band after Morgan saw him play at Grape Street. But the venue was chosen as the album site for a sense of homecoming and comfort for the entire band -- not just Callahan. Yet even this feeling of homecoming can't save One Cold Night from its generic glumness. Seether never strays much from the rules and confines of post-grunge and alternative metal, but their grittier attitude and less self-righteous lyrics make them seem more down to earth than Creed or Nickelback. In fact, about the only surprising aspect about the album is that it doesn't sound like a live album at all. What should have been an emotional return ends up sounding more like a chore than a celebration. Other than a few cheers before and after songs (someone yells the drummer's name), the album sounds like it was recorded in a studio. There is absolutely nothing raw or imperfect about it, which is usually the charm of live albums. If One Cold Night wasn't marketed as being a live album, listeners could very well have no clue that it is. Not only did the crowd not seem to be having a very good time, but the band didn't either, offering almost no interaction with audience members. Most of the songs chosen for the live performance are brooding, somber, and self-deprecating. Actually, it's kind of depressing. The album's perpetual gloomy state flows so generically from one song to the next that you're not sure if the album is, in fact, just one long song. One Cold Night doesn't offer Seether fans anything that the band's in-studio recordings don't. All but two of the songs are hits from the band's certified gold albums, Disclaimer, Disclaimer II, and Karma and Effect. Unlike most live albums, this one lacks a sense of catharsis, fun, or general attentiveness. If this release was geared toward developing a new fan base, it's unlikely to achieve its goal. It doesn't stand out, neither from the band's other albums, nor from those of Seether's peers. On the other hand, for die-hard Seether fans, One Cold Night could work as just a mellower version of the band's previous albums and will hold some appeal for that reason. ~ Megan Frye, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Seether follows in the tough-yet-sensitive tradition of Staind, Nickelback, and other grunge-aping power ballad hitmakers, although this band's road to the top may have been a little rougher than most. They have had their fair share of dues paying, touring solidly for over a year just to hit gold with Disclaimer in 2003 and then touring again in 2004 for the messy repackage Disclaimer II, which also only mustered gold sales. Add to that the fans displeased with the repackage and near-fans displeased that Seether were hard rockers and not a ballad machine as "Broken," the duet with Evanescence's Amy Lee that spurred the release of Disclaimer II, indicated. Their sophomore effort has been beset with its own pre-release woes, mostly label concessions that singer Shaun Morgan has been quite vocal about. The original title of Catering to Cowards was ditched in favor of the less biting Karma and Effect, the cover art was altered, and perhaps most troubling to the vitriolic Morgan, he was asked not to swear on the recordings. Despite all of this, Karma and Effect lives up to Disclaimer and perhaps even betters it with a stronger, road-tested band in permanent drummer John Humphrey and the addition of second guitarist Pat Callahan. Lyrically, the lack of profanity hasn't dulled this butter knife at all. It's stuck in the same ambiguous and inwardly tortuous morass as Disclaimer. Is that a bad thing though? If Seether was mining a different tradition, maybe, but more often than not the lyrics in neo-grunge are a vehicle to which the music is the release, and by that definition they at least are keeping in line with recent standards. There isn't any sign of Amy Lee this time, except in boyfriend Shaun Morgan's thank you list, but ballads like "Plastic Man" and "The Gift" should satisfy anyone hoping for a repeat of "Broken." Those more appreciative of Seether's fierce moments will prefer the explosive album opener, "Because of Me." Karma and Effect doesn't widen the scope of post-grunge but stands up well as a standard-bearer for modern hard rock. Diligent listeners will find a studio jam added as a bonus cut that shows a bit more depth to Seether and reps the band's South African roots as well with lyrics sung in Afrikaans. ~ Wade Kergan, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The hard rock trio known as Seether has concocted an album that is ripe with vulnerable angst, as Disclaimer is a debut that follows the path that bands such as Staind and Cold have capitalized on in the 21st century. In fact, Seether's moody rock edge borders on the formerly prominent grunge style once championed by another trio, Nirvana. This comparison may be a bit overboard, yet the first half of Seether's debut does expose a visible Cobain influence on these three men from South Africa. Songs like "Gasoline" and "69 Tea" are overbearing and weigh heavy on the listener's mood as Seether churns through these aggressive yet depressive bursts of attitude. The album evens out as it progresses, as tracks such as "Driven Under" and "Pride" are reluctantly catchy yet assuredly satisfying in riling one up or allowing you to calm yourself down. Seether reveals its weak side on the mellower songs, as "Sympathetic" and "Fade Away" stumble along like the group is unsure of itself. They are much more comfortable in the raging aggro stomp of "Pig" and "F**k It," which could become a volatile theme for the Y generation. The album closes with the one successful laid-back song: "Broken" is mellow yet confident, as vocalist Shaun Morgan finds the courage to open himself up without releasing a scream every few seconds. Disclaimer is an album that breaks no new ground, yet manages to find its footing as it unfolds and eventually wins the listener over with moody determination. ~ Jason D. Taylor, All Music Guide
