This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2011) |
The Answers | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | January 3, 1998 | |||
Recorded | October 1997 | |||
Genre | Alternative rock | |||
Length | 57:07 | |||
Label | RoDan Entertainment/Scoop | |||
Producer | Brian Baker and Justin Furstenfeld | |||
Blue October chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Houston Press | (favorable) [1] |
AllMusic | [2] |
Sputnikmusic | [3] |
Confront Magazine | [4] |
The Answers is the first album by Blue October. It was recorded in October 1997, at Sound Arts Studio in Houston, Texas. It was released in the United States, during January 3, 1998, by RoDan Entertainment/Scoop. It is Blue October's only album featuring founding member and bass guitarist Liz Mullally, who also played piano on the album.
For several years the band was not allowed to sell the album on its website or at concerts because of its contract with Universal Records. The album was only available by mail order directly from RoDan (Justin and Jeremy Furstenfeld's parents Roann and Dan Furstenfeld, who managed the band at the beginning) until an agreement was reached in 2005.
The album was re-released in the US by Universal Records in 2008. However, the re-released version was packaged in a digipak and did not include the booklet that accompanied the original version of the album. The Answers was also originally released on cassette tape in addition to CD. Cassette versions of the album are extremely rare, and have become collectors items among Blue October fans. A remastered version of the album was released on translucent colored vinyl in 2024 as part of Blue October's "Collected Series" box set, which included their first four albums. A stand-alone version of the album will be released on black vinyl in 2025.
Between January and April 2018, the album became unavailable on various streaming services, such as Apple Music and Spotify. The reason for this change is unknown, but the rest of the band's catalogue remains on the platforms.
Many of the songs on the album deal with themes of depression, including "Black Orchid", which is about suicide.
All songs were written by Justin Furstenfeld.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "The Answer" | 5:56 |
2. | "Two A.M. Lovesick" | 3:07 |
3. | "The 21st" | 4:08 |
4. | "Breakfast After Ten" | 3:01 |
5. | "Italian Radio" | 3:52 |
6. | "For My Brother" | 5:28 |
7. | "Sweet and Somber Pigeon Wings" | 5:13 |
8. | "Weaknesses" | 4:11 |
9. | "Blue Sunshine" | 4:38 |
10. | "Mr. Blue's Menu" | 3:24 |
11. | "Darkest Side of Houston's Finest Day" | 4:13 |
12. | "Tomorrow" | 3:47 |
13. | "Black Orchid" | 6:09 |
Blue October is an American rock band originally from Houston, Texas, formed in 1995. It currently consists of singer/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld, multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye, bassist Matt Noveskey, and lead guitarist Steve Schiltz.
Consent to Treatment is the second album by Blue October. Pre-production sessions took place in Nashville with producer Blue Miller, and the final album recording sessions took place at Bay 7 Studios in Valley Village and Media Vortex in Burbank, California with producer Nick Launay. The album was released in the United States on August 15, 2000, by Universal Records. It is the band's first major-label album and their only album to feature former member Brant Coulter on guitar as well as their first album featuring Matt Noveskey. The opening track is a spoken poem written by Justin Furstenfeld and recited by Blue Miller. Ryan Smith sings the female backing vocals on "The Answer" and "Balance Beam." The album was originally released on cassette and compact disc. A remastered version of the album was released on translucent colored vinyl in 2024 as part of Blue October's "Collected Series" box set, which included their first four albums. A stand-alone version of the album will be released on black vinyl in 2025.
History for Sale is the third album by Blue October. The title of the album comes from a lyric in the song "Amazing". It was recorded at Sound Arts Studios in Houston, Texas, and at Stomp Box Studios in Arlington, Texas, and released in the United States on April 8, 2003 by Brando Records. It was co-produced by Justin Furstenfeld and David Castell. It is the only Blue October album to feature former member Dwayne Casey on bass guitar, and the band's first album featuring lead guitarist C.B. Hudson. The track "Come in Closer" features guest vocals by Zayra Alvarez, who later, on the CBS reality show Rock Star: Supernova, sang the song "Razorblade" on her final episode before being voted off. History for Sale was voted best album by the 2003 Houston Press Music Awards.
Argue with a Tree... is a double live album/concert film by Blue October. It is their first live album and their fourth CD overall. The title of the album is a lyric in the song "Weight of the World". The album was recorded live on June 4, 2004 at Lakewood Theater in Dallas, Texas. It was released as a double CD and DVD in the United States in September 2004, by Brando/Universal Records. A remastered version of the album was released on translucent colored vinyl in 2024 as part of Blue October's "Collected Series" box set, which included their first four albums. A stand-alone version of the album will be released on black vinyl in 2025.
Foiled is the fourth studio album by American rock band Blue October, released on April 4, 2006, by Universal Records. The album debuted at number 29 on the US Billboard 200, marking the band's first entry on the chart. The album was certified gold in the United States on August 9, 2006, and on February 22, 2007, was certified platinum. The album was also a success in Canada, where it has also achieved platinum status. It was supported by four singles: "Hate Me", "Into the Ocean", "She's My Ride Home", and "X Amount of Words".
Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour is a live DVD/CD package by the American rock band Journey, released on 15 November 2005. The content of the package was also released on 16 May 2006 as a separate CD and separate DVD on the Columbia Records label. It was released on 180-gram vinyl in 2022, in both black and colored versions.
William Matthew Noveskey is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, guitarist, and bassist, best known as the bassist in the bands Blue October and Harvard of the South, and as bassist and frontman of the bands (a+)machines and Icarus Bell.
The Last Wish was a rock band from Houston, Texas, noted for being the first band of Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld. Ryan Delahoussaye of Blue October played with The Last Wish at a couple shows, but he was never a member of the band. Song writing collaboration was often shared by Greg Hammond, Amy Immel and Justin Furstenfeld. The members of the band attended Bellaire High School, and HSPVA, and the group was started while the members were students. The band developed a sizable following in Houston, where they performed at venues like Zelda's, Fitzgerald's, Toads Tavern, Last Concert Café, Café Artiste, McGonigel's Mucky Duck, and The Abyss on several occasions to packed houses. Furstenfeld left the group in 1995 while they were working on their third album. Furstenfeld still plays Last Wish songs during his solo shows, and Blue October has played Last Wish songs on occasion.
The Else is the twelfth studio album by rock group They Might Be Giants, released by Idlewild Recordings on May 15, 2007. The album was produced in part by the Dust Brothers, along with Pat Dillett and the band.
Approaching Normal is the fifth studio album by alternative rock band Blue October. The album was released on March 24, 2009 and debuted at number thirteen on the Billboard charts. It was Blue October's first album to be released on vinyl.
Ugly Side: An Acoustic Evening With Blue October is a live acoustic album by Blue October. It is their third live album, and eighth album overall. The album was recorded during a sold out three-day tour of Houston, Austin, and Dallas July 22–25, 2010 during which the band played two acoustic concerts each night. The band had talked about recording an acoustic album as early as 2004, but the concerts were the first ever full-length acoustic shows that the band had ever performed. The popularity of the acoustic concerts among Blue October fans resulted in the band deciding to perform a nationwide acoustic tour to support the release of the album.
Any Man in America is the sixth studio album and ninth album overall by alternative rock band Blue October. The album was recorded at Matchbox Studios in Austin, Texas between Summer of 2010 and March 2011, and was released August 16, 2011 by Justin Furstenfeld's Up/Down Records and distributed through RED Distribution. The album was produced by Tim Palmer, who has previously worked with artists such as David Bowie, Robert Plant, The Cure, U2 and Pearl Jam and had mixed Blue October's album History for Sale. The artwork on the album cover is a drawing of Justin Furstenfeld drawn by Tim Palmer's daughter Bluebell, who was three years old at the time.
Sway is the seventh studio album by Blue October. It was recorded at Fire Station Studio in San Marcos, Texas, with co-producer David Castell in February and March 2013. Additional recording sessions for strings and vocal overdubs took place at Test Tube Audio in Austin, Texas, in April 2013, and the album was mixed at Studio 62 in Austin by Tim Palmer between May and July 2013. Production credit for the album is shared between Justin Furstenfeld, David Castell and Tim Palmer. Castell had previously produced Blue October's album History For Sale and co-produced Foiled, while Palmer produced the band's album Any Man in America and mixed History for Sale. Sway was Blue October's first album to be released after Justin Furstenfeld got sober, and the songs have a marked sense of positivity and optimism compared to the band's previous work.
Harvard of the South is a four-piece rock supergroup that released its first recordings and played its initial live shows in 2014 but has its beginnings in collaborations between Longwave/Blue October singer/guitarist Steve Schiltz and Blue October members Justin Furstenfeld, Jeremy Furstenfeld, and Matt Noveskey, dating back to 2011. Harvard of the South released their debut EP, Miracle, in October 2014. Their song "Without" was issued as a free download via SoundCloud on May 8, 2017. The band's full-length studio album was published on December 11, 2020.
Things We Do At Night (Live From Texas) is a live album and concert film by American rock band Blue October. It is their second concert film, fourth live album, and eleventh album overall. The album was recorded over Thanksgiving weekend, November 28–29, 2014 at the House of Blues in Dallas, Texas, United States.
Home is the eighth studio album by Blue October. The album was recorded between August and November 2015 at Orb Studios in Austin, Texas and Justin Furstenfeld's home studio Crazy Making Studio. Long-time collaborator, Tim Palmer, co-produced and mixed the album.
Pinewood Smile is the fifth studio album released by British hard rock band The Darkness. Produced by Adrian Bushby, the album was released on 6 October 2017 and is the first album by the band to be released by Cooking Vinyl. It is also their full first album to feature Rufus Tiger Taylor on drums, after Emily Dolan Davies left the band in 2015.
I Hope You're Happy is the ninth studio album by American band Blue October, released on August 17, 2018 on Up/Down and Brando Records.
This Is What I Live For is the tenth studio album by Blue October, released via Up/Down-Brando Records on October 23, 2020 after originally being scheduled for September 18, 2020. The artwork for the album was created by Phillip Nichols. This Is What I Live For is the first Blue October studio album to feature lead guitarist Will Knaak on every song. The album also marks the first appearance of Justin Furstenfeld's daughter Blue Reed on one of the band's recordings, providing vocals on the song "Fight for Love". The title track features vocals and lyrics by Steve Schiltz of Longwave, a longtime collaborator and de facto session member of Blue October. The songs “I Will Follow You” and “This is What I Live For” were recorded at Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios. The song "Only Lost is Found" samples the Idaho song "Live Today Again" from the 2005 album The Lone Gunman.
Spinning the Truth Around is an album by American band Blue October. It is a triple album, released in three separate parts. Part I was released on October 14, 2022. Part II was released one year later on October 13, 2023, with Part III to follow in 2024. Part III will contain covers, and remixes and alternate versions of songs from Parts I and II as well as remixes of songs from previous albums.The title track was Part I's lead single, and was positively compared to Bruce Springsteen.