Sunny Day Real Estate
http://www.sunnydayrealestate.com

styles: indie rock, emo rock
others: Promise Ring, Chamberlain, Radiohead

The Rising Tide
Time Bomb, 2000
rating: 7.1
reviewer: mr p

The progression of Sunny Day Real Estate's music is fairly logical. It began in the mid-90's with Diary and LP2, both very raw, in-your-face albums. Diary being the more emotionally involved album, whereas LP2 being their more original and creative attempts. After the breakup and reformation of the band, How It Feels to Be Something On followed in 1998 -- an amazing record of angelic proportions layering beautiful guitar lines over intense, driving music. And finally, we have The Rising Tide where Sunny Day's progression reaches near prog-rock status.

Many of the songs are layered with keyboards and strings, giving the album a full, slick sound. Whether this is good or bad, or both, this album presents some of SDRE's best moments. "The Ocean" and "Tearing in My Heart" are two lush compositions that show the light-hearted side of SDRE, while songs like "Killed By An Angel" and "Snibe" sees the hard-rocking SDRE of past.

But one of the vital elements missing in these songs are the unique bass playing that was especially evident on LP2 and How it Feels. Lead singer/guitarist Jeremy Enigk fills in on bass for The Rising Tide, causing the basslines to sound as if they were last priority in the recording process. And the overall emotional impact and feeling from these songs are noticeably different than before.

This is definitely a different band than the one that helped create the term "emo" in the 90's. And maybe that's why it's so hard to enjoy the album. It is by no means a bad album, but it just seems that Sunny Day may be dabbling in territory that doesn't suit them as well as their earlier efforts.

1. Killed by an Angel
2. One
3. Rain Song
4. Disappear
5. Snibe
6. The Ocean
7. Fool in the Photograph 
8. Tearing in My Heart
9. Television
10. Faces in Disguise
11. The Rising Tide
 

How It Feels To Be Something On
Sub Pop, 1998
rating:  9.4
reviewer: cowboy dan

An album for your soul.  How It Feels to Be Something On is more than just one of my favorite albums of all time; it is my heart, my mind, my emotions. 

A beautifully recorded album.  The guitar sound, along with Jeremy Enigk's voice(s), will fuse your mind and body, spawning a hybrid emotion that incorporates the body's need to cry and the mind's need for mental excitation.  Not to mention that, musically, this album seems to have it all: slow mellow rock, hard rock, loud rock, soft rock, math rock, emo rock, you name it.  It naturally exhibits the expected, ingenious, characteristic - Sunny-Day song structures, though not as immediately noticeable as on their previous release, most often referred to as LP2 (or The Pink Album). 

I was fortunate enough to fall in love with How it feels... at a time in my life when I was in desperate need of a release, something to fill a void.  This album did that and more.  Singing along -- well, practically screaming along -- to the choruses of songs such as "Pillars" and "Two Promises" and "How it feels to be something on", and the bridge sections of songs such as "100 Million" and "Guitar and Video Games".  The feeling is indescribable. 

Avoid expecting to hear another LP2, or even another Diary, rather just give a listen.  No matter how you like your Sunny Day (scrambled, over-easy, or sunny-side up?), How it Feels to be Something On is just another example of how well Sunny Day can make music.  Many fans have been confused by the significant shifts in style with each new release from Sunny Day Real Estate, but every album still finds its way to our heart, regardless of its style.  How DO they do that?

1. Pillars
2. Roses in Water
3. Every Shining Time You Arrive
4. Two Promises
5. 100 Million
6. How It Feels to Be Something On
7. The Prophet
8. The Shark's Own Private Fuck
9. Guitar and Video Games
10. The Days Were Golden

LP2
Sub Pop, 1995
rating: 9.3
reviewer: hobbes & mr p

This album is more than just another album; it is a masterpiece. If someone were to ask me for the definition of emotional music, this album would be my answer. It is beautiful, emotional, and most of all, it is honest. The other SDRE albums are all works of art in their own right, but LP2 pulls it all together. All of SDRE's bag of tricks are on this album, so of course the album showcases some of their best moments.

Chiming guitars, followed by two snare hits catapults LP2 with "Friday". Indecipherable lyrics spit out of Jeremy Enigk's throat, as the band flex their rock muscles. The rest of the songs continues in stunning manner, ranging all over the musical spectrum. You have soft songs, loud songs, hard songs, mellow songs; and they all have the patented SDRE build up.

"Red Elephant" proves to be one of the shining gems on this short 9 song album. The drums keep you on your toes, and Enigk's voice will bring a tear to your eye. The pure emotion of this song encompasses why SDRE is so unique. "8" will make you move, if not physically, then mentally. This song seems to represent the album's emotional peak. It truly gives you what you want; the perfect build up, the wonderful blend of guitars and voice, and as usual, more emotion than most can handle.

"Iscarabaid" may be their most intriguing song, yet. The manic shifts in attitude provide for one of the weirdest and most captivating use of the guitar. The eerie singing floats above the music like water, as the drums drill rusty nails into your skull. Easily one of the highlights of SDRE's music career.

"Rodeo Jones" is a climax in it’s own, in fact it can be an album in its own. The best part of "Rodeo Jones" being at the end is that it starts and finishes with all of the emotion the rest of the album had. Take it out, and you have all of the emotion in most new Emo bands entire albums, in one song.

Everything from the complex time signatures and dynamic shifts, to the melodic basslines and unique vocal style, LP2 documents Sunny Day at their most experimental. Even though the band uses the basic instruments found in rock, the music still sounds fresh and unique.

What's strange is the band reportedly were not getting along very well during the recording of this album. Even the artwork (or lack thereof) seems to represent the mood of the band during this time period. Whether this worked to their advantage or not, LP2 stands as one of the most unique and emotional records of the '90s. A must-have album if you crave a rock album that will carry on throughout your life.

1. Friday
2. Theo B
3. Red Elephant
4. 5/4
5. Waffle
6. 8
7. Iscarabaid
8. J’Nuh
9. Rodeo Jones