Sunny Day Real Estate

Sunny Day Real Estate: The Rising TideThe Rising Tide (2000)
Time Bomb

Reviewer Rating: 4.5

User Rating:

Contributed by: blackhipster666blackhipster666
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on March 31st 2006I'm sure that the emo kids of the world are shedding crocodile tears over the fact that Sunny Day Real Estate (SDRE) never made a Diary Part 2. But there are those of us who think the band actually made progress with each successive recording. God forbid a band experiments with the discipline of pro.

I'm sure that the emo kids of the world are shedding crocodile tears over the fact that Sunny Day Real Estate (SDRE) never made a Diary Part 2. But there are those of us who think the band actually made progress with each successive recording. God forbid a band experiments with the discipline of progressive rock or they could be propelled into the not-so-favorable ranks of a band like Styx.

After the highly acclaimed How it Feels to Be Something On, which was the final record SDRE did for Sub-Pop, they returned again with The Rising Tide, a slightly more commercial offering than its predecessors. But don't fret; there is not a Mr. Roboto in sight. Overall, it's a spiritually passionate record in the vein of bands such as Live or U2.

It kicks off with the less-than-stellar tracks "Killed by an Angel" and "One," starting to show promise in "Rain Song" with its dust-in-the-wind guitar plucking. "Disappear" starts off with a driving rhythm section and evolves into an emotionally charged rocker similar to that of Unforgettable Fire-era U2. If the ominous soaring harmonies included in the chorus of "Snibe" don't begin to chill you to the bone after repeated listens, I don't know what will. "The Ocean" serves as a temporary melodic breather before the onslaught of the almost-tribal "Fool in the Photograph."

As we approach the end of the CD, we come across 2 tracks that would have seemed out of place on earlier records by SDRE. First, there is the slow and dream-like "Tearing in My Heart," which begins with a sample of children playing after a voice asks "Here's some kids...do you wanna hear some kids?" After "Television," which takes the most advantage of Jeremy Enigk's banshee-like wail, comes "Faces In Disguise," a prog-rock-inged song complete with synth and string flourishes. It builds from a gentle pacing ballad to a compelling rock anthem sure to propel the listener into a trance-like state.

The album closes with the inspirational title track, "The Rising Tide," in which Jeremy insinuates that humanity's attempt to fill their own holes and build walls in order to escape from reality are abortive and that "Morning comes in the dream before we rise / When we linger side by side / It's my heart that speaks this time / We will ride the rising tide."

Old SDRE fans may feel the band had officially sold out, but the only thing SDRE sold out to was making their most accomplished masterpiece to date. Disappointingly, they would disband again a short time after the album's release. Although The Rising Tide may very well be the final statement from SDRE, it was an appropriate way to end its legacy.

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

iamnotarobotadam (October 1, 2012)

My favourite albums by them are this and Diary. I can't pick a favourite.

Anonymous (April 3, 2006)

This album sounds like Queensryche.

Anonymous (April 1, 2006)

Are you saying that Mike Ness owns a major label? Because this album was definitely released by a major.

-Chinatown

Anonymous (April 1, 2006)

Shame on Mike Ness for having this associated with his label.

sickboi (April 1, 2006)

So.....the first 2 tracks are "less than stellar" yet this gets an almost perfect score?

To each his own, but I've always thought the opener was very critical of how the album is perceived.

Anonymous (April 1, 2006)

So my friend's older brother was this badass dude who always was like years ahead of me in terms of music. He always had the sick metal and industrial shit that I would end up liking years later and would sit in his basement room and smoke weed and then beat the crap out of us whenever we asked him for drugs/advice/whatever. Anyway, 10 years later I run into this guy and we eventually get around to what he listens to now. He has forsaken all his old metal and underground hiphop and shit for Sunny Day Fucking Real Estate.. He's also an accountant , so that might explain something. I'll never be able to like this band since its a blatant reminder of one of my childhood heroes selling out.

-Ken

Anonymous (April 1, 2006)

Weird, I always think of Diary as my favorite, but then I'll listen to LP2, and realize that it's so much better. But it never sticks with me.

Meh, I don't listen to this band much anymore.

-Pope Skeletor

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

It's good. But, Diary is possibl one of the best albums ever made. In my opinion, of course.

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

*the other two are*

-Chinatown

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

When all is said and done:

1. How It Feels to be Something On
2. Diary
3. LP2

And, at a distant 4th, this overall pretty average album. Haven't heard Live.

This band's first and third albums are essentials, but the other two is merely ordinary. It seems as though both times SDRE explored a sound (1-2: emo rock; 3-4: indie), they started out with tons of ideas and hooks...but then lost it all for the second foray. Oh well. Still one of the great bands of the 90s.

-Chinatown

cantsitstill (March 31, 2006)

i hate the band Live. HATE them.
shame on you for making me think of them!

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

uh. KIlled By An Angel is an incredible song...

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

meh. this album is ok, but...

diary and lp2 (the pink one) are much better.

FuckYouOiOiOi (March 31, 2006)

i found diarreah to be so fucking boring i couldn't listen to more than three songs. those songs were like 5 minutes of the same mellow shit being repeated. it was hell.

vitustinnitus (March 31, 2006)

I would've given this a one after I had just bought it. However, I stuck with it and it turned out to be better than I thought.

After years of listening to both (as well as the other SDRE albums), I'm still gonna have to go with Diary as their best.

historypeats (March 31, 2006)

I really like this CD, although I don't think "Killed By an Angel" is as bad as the reviewer does...

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

front to back - great fucking record.....

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

diary is great but this LP is excellent as well. why are people so fucking retarded that one record has to stand as some sort of nail i the coffin? there are 300 rolling stones records out, and noone stopped with their first record for chrissakes.

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

meh

I know it's a cliche to say 'this band went downhill after ......' but in this band's case it's true.

I actually feel bad for these guys that they tried so hard to be part of the mid 90s mainstream alternative scene that was all over MTV, but never quite made it.

danperrone (March 31, 2006)

this album suuuuucks

Scruffy (March 31, 2006)

This is my favorite SDRE album. I had already bought the first three from a friend, and honestly barely ever listened to them. I was in another friend's car, and I really dug what was on the stereo. I asked. It was this album. So, I bought it, and I love it.
And I think the first two songs are amazing, definitely better than "less-than-stellar".
This isn't my favorite type of music, but the pop in these songs is undeniable.

Anonymous (March 31, 2006)

This has 3 or 4 good songs, but the production is way too slick and the keyboards sound really cheesy. Some of the lyrics are pretty bad too ("and it's candy!" or "she's cruel and free, like television").

The first 3 records and Jeremy's solo album are way better.