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The Inevitability of a Strange World

 
Album Review: The Inevitability of a Strange World

  • Artist: Halifax
  • Rating: StarStarStar
  • Release Date: May 23, 2006
  • Type: Lyrics are included with the album
  • Genre: Rock

Review

Taking a forceful step forward from their A Writer's Reference EP, Halifax have noticeably upped the aggression factor on The Inevitability of a Strange World. While their songs are still pop-punk blasts of energy, this time the guys throw in some piss and vinegar that gives them a much harder, tougher feel without resorting to screamo antics. Energetic drumbeats fuel this fierce attitude throughout the album, but in that passionate way to rile up the mosh pit rather than like the hostile aggression of bands that just want to kill their ex-girlfriends. Don't be fooled, though: lyrically, the band can also spout bitterness -- "Listen sweetie/You never meant that much to me/Hope your eyes can see what you did to me/You'll always be my enemy" -- but it's probably nothing that good friends or a new, healthy relationship couldn't fix. With its opening Van Halen-esque riffs, searing guitar leads, and a spirited background chorus of "Hell yeah!," "Our Revolution" plays like Halifax were really a hair metal band raised on blink-182. Other songs follow in the same vein -- they're not blatant classic rock ripoffs, but upbeat rockers like "Under Fire" and "Anthem for Tonight" are, well, just plain anthemic. And not only does "Hey Italy" prove that breaking up is still no reason to not flail about, it also shows that Halifax should stick more to the boisterous side of the pop-punk formula, as many of their later attempts to slow things down do nothing more than give listeners a chance to catch their breaths. Overall, the album fits in nicely with the Warped Tour majority -- "I Told You So" sounds like a lost song from Brand New's early years -- but there's something about The Inevitability of a Strange World that seems like it should've been released during Drive-Thru's heyday in the early 2000s to really make a lasting impact. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track TitleComposersPerformersTime
Nightmare Halifax Halifax (3:52)
Our Revolution Halifax Halifax (3:08)
Under Fire Halifax Halifax (3:02)
Anthem for Tonight Halifax Halifax (3:44)
Hey Italy Halifax Halifax (3:14)
Snow in Hollywood Halifax Halifax (3:47)
Such a Terrible Trend Halifax Halifax (4:14)
Better Than Sex Halifax Halifax (3:48)
Giant in the Ring Halifax Halifax (3:51)
Promise Me Tragedy Halifax Halifax (3:15)
A Tint of Rain Halifax Halifax (4:04)
I Told You So Halifax Halifax (3:29)
Murder I Wrote Halifax Halifax (5:50)

Credits

Jim Feeney (Assistant Engineer), Lou Giordano (Audio Engineer), Kristine Ripley (Project Coordinator), Derek Karlquist (Assistant Engineer), Chris Brandt (Group Member), Lou Giordano (Engineer), Stefanie Reines (A&R), Roberty Gary (Layout Design), Jeff Soto (Illustrations), Doug Peyton (Bass), Machine (Audio Engineer), Ted Jensen (Mastering), Doug Peyton (Group Member), Machine (Audio Production), Lou Giordano (Audio Production), Corey Zaloom (Keyboards), Richard Reines (A&R), Lou Giordano (Mixing), Chris Brandt (Guitar), Todd Parker (Engineer), Lou Giordano (Producer)
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Wikipedia: The Inevitability of a Strange World
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The Inevitability of a Strange World
Studio album by Halifax
Released May 23, 2006
Recorded Carriage House Studios (Stamford, Connecticut), The Machine Shop (Weehawken, New Jersey)
Genre Rock
Pop punk
Length 49:24
Label Drive-Thru
Producer Lou Giordano, Machine
Professional reviews
Halifax chronology
A Writer's Reference EP
(2004)
The Inevitability of a Strange World
(2006)
Singles from The Inevitability of a Strange World
  1. ""Our Revolution""

The Inevitability of a Strange World is Halifax's third release, issued on May 23, 2006 by Drive-Thru Records. The album has sold 34,795 copies as of October 2006, peaking at #130 on the Billboard 200 and at #1 on Billboard's Top Heatseekers chart.[1][2] Its first single (and only as of January 2008) was "Our Revolution".

Produced by Lou Giordano, the album was originally planned to be released on August 9, 2005, but Drive-Thru Records asked the band to record four more songs with record producer Machine ("Our Revolution", "Hey Italy", "Such a Terrible Trend", and "I Told You So"). The release was then rescheduled for February 14, 2006, but delayed again for distribution issues. On February 7, 2006, however, a three-song sampler containing "Nightmare", "Under Fire", and "Anthem for Tonight" was made available for online purchase and at the band's concerts.[3]

Bassist Doug Peyton joined Halifax in-between the two recording sessions, hence singer Mike Hunau played bass on the Giordano-produced tracks.[4] Guest musicians on the CD include guitarist Paul Nelson (performing a solo on "Anthem for Tonight"[5]) and Tourmaline's keyboardist Corey Zaloom.

The Japanese version of the album, released on May 17, 2006 through In-n-Out Records, features a bonus track titled "Obsession". The song first appeared as "Because Pillows Are for Sleeping" in an interview with video podcasting group DMZ on December 10, 2005.[6]

The album is named after a book Moberg was supposedly writing, in Hunter S. Thompson's novel 'The Rum Diary'.

The album's cover and inlay artwork bears resemblance to that of Finch's Say Hello to Sunshine (2005), as both were created by Californian illustrator Jeff Soto.

Track listing

(all songs written by Halifax)

  1. "Nightmare" – 3:52
  2. "Our Revolution" – 3:08
  3. "Under Fire" – 3:02
  4. "Anthem for Tonight" – 3:44
  5. "Hey Italy" – 3:14
  6. "Snow in Hollywood" – 3:47
  7. "Such a Terrible Trend" – 4:14
  8. "Better Than Sex" – 3:48
  9. "Giant in the Ring" – 3:51
  10. "Promise Me Tragedy" – 3:15
  11. "A Tint of Rain" – 4:04
  12. "I Told You So" – 3:29
  13. "Murder I Wrote" – 5:50
  14. "Obsession" – 3:41 (Japanese bonus track)

Credits

  • Chris Brandt – guitar
  • Adam Charles – guitar
  • Thomas Guindon – drums
  • Michael J. Hunau – vocals, bass
  • Jonothan Wesley Jones – piano, keyboards
  • Paul Nelson – guitar
  • Doug Peyton – bass
  • Corey Zaloom – keyboards
  • Jeff Soto – Album art

References

  1. ^ "Soundscan Results: October 1st, 2006". Absolutepunk.net. http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=176730. Retrieved October 5, 2006. 
  2. ^ "Halifax Chart Position". Absolutepunk.net. http://absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?t=140768. Retrieved June 3, 2006. 
  3. ^ "Halifax CD Preview and Tour". Drive-Thru Records. http://www.drivethrurecords.com/news/displaynews.asp?News=1150. Retrieved May 22, 2006. 
  4. ^ "Interview With Halifax". Europunk.net. http://www.europunk.net/interviews.php?id=167. Retrieved June 8, 2006. 
  5. ^ "Paul Nelson - Guest Spot". http://www.paulnelsonguitar.com/halifax.htm. Retrieved July 7, 2006. 
  6. ^ "mefeedia videoblogging directory: DMZ". http://mefeedia.com/feeds/7354/. Retrieved July 7, 2006. 

 
 
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Inevitability of a Strange World [Bonus Track] (2005 Album by Halifax)
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