Building from the ground up can be difficult in music, Synthpop music especially, and is a task made more daunting by having lost a key member from past recordings. Blue October prove to be equal to the task with their second effort, Preaching Lies to the Righteous.
Following the death of member Barney Miller, the band regrouped and resurfaced with an excellent, if more down-tempo follow-up to their Incoming debut.
While the tracks may be in a more mellow vein, there are few low points to this disc. From the opening strains of Mistakes to the final notes of Let the Sandman Descend, this is a solid, well-written, and accessible album. Standout tracks include the above 'Mistakes' (which blends nicely into 'All I Need is now'), the first single 'Stranded', 'Casino', and 'Leaving This Place'.
Musically similar to Erasure and OMD they may be, but this release shows Blue October have a sound and perspective all their own.
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