They aren’t as blue as the name

Blue October

History For Sale

Universal Records

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Blue October

History For Sale

Universal Records

Blue October has experienced something not many bands have before, or would have cared to. They have been both dropped and re-signed by the same label. It’s a rare yet refreshing case when a major record company (Universal) admits the loss of a good talent. In fact, Blue October’s newest release, History for Sale, was written with the intent to have revenge on the label that eventually released the album.

With their sound ranging from soft melodic songs to rough rock powerhouses, the members of Blue October describe themselves as “bipolar rock.” Talk about hitting the nail on the head. Singer/songwriter Justin Furstenfeld, violinist Ryan Delahoussaye, guitarist C.B. Hudson and drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld show listeners that rock is about expressing the way you feel, not sticking to a certain sound.

Opening up History for Sale is the song “Ugly Side.” With a hint of romantic Spanish guitar and violins, it resembles a style similar to Five for Fighting, especially Justin Furstenfeld’s high voice and soft-spoken words. The second track continues that feel with “Clumsy Card Hour” in which he sings, “Here I am standing up/To say I want to fall in love with you…”

Then “Razorblade” hits you like a ton of bricks. It’s a forceful and powerful song in which Furstenfeld shouts out with such an assertive anger you can truly feel it run through your body. It changes into rough, emotion-filled rock. You can feel with every beat why the lead singer calls his music his sanity and his release. His delivery, combined with the heavy guitars, expresses an avalanche of intensity that scatters itself throughout the whole album.

That intensity is carried on in the song “Somebody,” a song which blatantly expresses their resentment about getting dropped after their first album. “Somebody” is an in-your-face middle finger to the record company that dropped them. They end the track with a grin at their return: “Who let the losers win? /Let’s break a smart-ass grin…/Let’s let the losers win!”

“Calling You” made its commercial release with its appearance on the American Wedding Soundtrack. It’s a perfect blend of the edge and pop-friendly vocals on their CD. The song is a good way to expose the band without showing the drastic levels they reach between soft and hard throughout this album.

Their “bipolar” style will let everyone find a track on this album to cling to. Whether you are feeling romantic, melancholic, or indisputably angry, Blue October’s History for Sale has something to hold onto.

You can experience the roller coaster ride that is Blue October at the Rex on the Southside tonight. Doors open at 7 p.m. for this 21+ show. Advance tickets are available at (412) 323-1919, through Dave’s Music Mine in the South Side at (412) 488-8800 and at the Rex box office after 8:30 pm.