letlive. "The Blackest Beautiful" Album Review

Sometimes it's difficult to form the right words that sum up an artist's track or album properly. Either you don't feel like the words fit quite right, you think you might sound pretentious and you don't want to sound like you're telling people what to listen to. When it comes down to it, an album review is someone's way of expressing their thoughts on an album which has moved them (or in some cases, that failed to) and a mere suggestion that if you're looking for new music, or if you appreciate that person's personal taste, you may like  it!

Letlive. is a band who, while you can appreciate on record, totally brings it live. Something about having seen them live will make you appreciate the album that much more. But, you're in luck, because the album still stands on strong legs on its own and brings the unhinged live show vibe that's so widely talked about onto the CD. Though their last album, Fake History, received the utmost praise and will obviously be used to compare to this new release, it still had some semblance of a band whose pieces remain being figured out and put together. It's easy to make an album review a "compare/contrast" album and talk all about how it didn't meet expectations from the last album, or how much better it was, but let's stay focused on this album.

It's been online in a full album stream for about 2 1/2 weeks already, and despite the reputation that the band has built for themselves, it's surprising how many people aren't talking about this record. This album is unforgettable, in a "this band really knows who they are now" type of way. There's no fumbling in the dark anymore. This album will please old fans, new fans, and open up the spectrum of fans they will reach in the future, with the wide range of sounds. Diverse, on-point lyrics sung by the versatile Jason Aalon Butler, (and backed by Jeff & Ryan) incredibly talented, harmonizing, shredding beasts Jeffery Sayhoun and Jean Nascimento on guitar, well-versed Anthony Rivera giving 0 f*cks on drums, and Ryan Johnson totally killing it on bass.

Seems like a lot of albums these days aren't saving the best for last, but often placing one of the best, if not the very best, right at the beginning. "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" started out as a favorite track of the album and after many, many times listening through the album, stayed that way. One of the first lines "We're here to fulfill every one of your dreams" later resonated with me with me as being true about the entire album.

"Empty Elvis" was a surprisingly beautiful, crooning second track to follow the rough, loud start. "Virgin Dirt" was another unexpected favorite, due to almost nobody having talked about it and its strength. Starting off with a softer crooning, it will take you and wrap you up and bring you along for the ride. Coming to the end of the album, "Priest and Used Cars" being another underrated favorite, capturing me with this sense of... unhinged, beautiful anguish, like a man who has no time for conversation, but desperately needs you to understand a point he's making.

In the end, this album is worth the wait and proves that every single member in this band knows who they are, what they're doing, and have insane amounts of talent. It's a good thing they found each other, or who knows what would have come if they weren't making this type of masterpiece together.