Blue October Completes New Album Approaching Normal for Release on March 24th, 2009
Grammy Award Winner Steve Lillywhite Produces Follow-Up To Platinum Breakthrough ‘Foiled’
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BLUE OCTOBER has completed its new studio album Approaching Normal, the follow-up to the band’s 2006 platinum plus -certified Foiled. Going to radio in early 2009 will be the first single of the album, “Dirt Room”, which continues to build on the powerful melodic and lyrical strengths heard in the band’s albums and modern rock hits, “Hate Me” and “Into the Ocean”. Lead singer, Justin Furstenfeld explains when asked about the lyrics of the song “it’s too dark and personal, I don’t think you can print that”, but adds, "It’s about fighting back…..to put an END to those who think they can hurt the ones you love.”
The album, scheduled for release March 24th, became even more hotly anticipated when news emerged that Grammy-honored producer Steve Lillywhite would produce the album at Pedernales Studio, just outside of Austin, Texas. “Steve is my all-time favorite producer,” said Furstenfeld, of the finished album. “He’s produced so many great albums for artists that are some of my biggest influences — but especially Peter Gabriel’s third album [Peter Gabriel III (Melt)]. For me, that’s it, my number one.” And, sure enough, true to the influences of Lillywhite’s classic productions, and the band’s own sterling body of work in the studio and on stage, Approaching Normal is bracing and untrammeled, anguished and cathartic, brilliantly melodic with a variety of musical textures that bring together the bands trademark sound of rock guitars, violins and lyrical story telling.
Blue October’s combination of darkness and light plays out in a song cycle that starts and ends in a fearless and unsparing high-tension trip (“Weight of the World,” “The End”), while “Say It,” “Dirt Room,” “Been Down” and “Should Be Loved” all achieve the emotional honesty and musical impact that’s the signature of the band. A wider world perspective emerges in “Kangaroo Cry/Picking Up the Pieces,” and in the philosophical “Jump Rope,” a sort of graduation song for ironic thinkers. In “Blue Does,” the sun comes out in honor of a young life.
Last summer, before recording began on the new album, Stephenie Meyer, the author of the Twilight saga of best-selling teen novels and current blockbuster motion picture, invited Justin Furstenfeld to join her on a unique late-summer four-date concert series developed to launch the release of Breaking Dawn, the latest and last novel of the series. Meyer became a fan of Justin’s and Blue October after hearing their singles on the radio and subsequently discovered the emotional impact of the lyrics through the band’s album. Equally inspired, Justin went on to write the song, “My Never,” which he then debuted on the tour to an overwhelmingly enthusiastic reaction by the Twilight fans.
Formed in 1995, Blue October struck an immediate chord in its Texas home base with their compelling live shows and a steadfast following began to bond and build around the group. The first major-label album release, Consent to Treatment, was not their commercial breakthrough, but Universal teamed with Texas-based indie Brando Records subsequently to release the powerful 2003 album History for Sale, which generated their first regional breakout hit, “Calling You.” A defining live album and DVD, Argue With a Tree, followed, and Blue October released Foiled on Brando/Universal Motown Records in 2006, achieving RIAA platinum certification in February 2007. That album generated two modern rock radio smashes, “Hate Me,” a six-month Top 10 resident, and “Into the Ocean,” selling 1.5 million copies in North America over a 62-week Billboard Top 200 chart run. In September 2007, Brando/Universal Motown released Foiled For The Last Time, a two-disc set consisting of the full version of the Foiled album, 14 newly-recorded live performances, exclusive remixes by Paul Oakenfold and Carmen Rizzo; a remix of fan favorite “Calling You,” and a wealth of video links.
Steve Lillywhite is a five-time Grammy Award winner, including Producer of the Year in 2005. In addition to his long-standing creative relationship with U2, he has contributed to the albums of Dave Matthews Band, Jason Mraz, Phish, Morrissey, Talking Heads, Simple Minds and many more.
Blue October are: Justin Furstenfeld: vocals; CB Hudson III: guitars/vocals; Ryan Delahoussaye: violin/mandolin/piano/vocals; Matt Noveskey: bass/vocals; Jeremy Furstenfeld: drums/vocals.
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