Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Have Heart

The Things We Carry (2006)
Bridge Nine Records

Reviewer Rating:

User Rating:

Contributed by: Meg
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on October 24th 2006

I can’t wait to see what Have Heart will do with more album time and a bigger production budget.

The wait between Have Heart's EP What Counts and debut full-length The Things We Carry was long and full of impatience on my part, but as anticipated, the band have gone above and beyond my expectations. With undeniably earnest lyrics and a blistering, relentless pace, The Things We Carry sets the standards high for what modern day straight-edge hardcore albums should sound like.

For a seasoned Have Heart fan, two of the most important aspects that have changed during the two years between the band's EP What Counts and The Things We Carry are the clean production and lyrical improvement, though neither were enough of an issue in the first place to keep What Counts from being a solid EP. The Things We Carry is the product of a band who are wise beyond their years. While What Counts offered songs mostly discussing traditional hardcore material, The Things We Carry provides lyrics you don't have to claim edge or be passionate about the hardcore scene to appreciate. Hell, even a quote from E.E Cummings manages to appropriately fit into the album ("of a world that's doing its best, night and day, to make you (me) everybody else" in "Watch Me Sink").

The Things We Carry won't give you the chance to prepare for its intensity with how immediately hard-hitting the first track, "Life Is Hard Enough," is. You'll be given an opportunity to rest during the intro for "Watch Me Sink," but not for long as the track soon features stern, memorable shouts of "A breaking in spirit / a breaking in promise / a breaking in me." Another standout track soon follows with the powerful "Armed with a Mind." Lyrically the song shows off how mature the band has become through lyrics like "True beauty can't be seen with the eyes" and "Boy, your true strength sleeps behind your eyes." The words themselves don't sound overly eloquent, yet through the genuine passion and conviction in their delivery, a strong message is relayed.

Following the re-recorded, straight-edge anthem "Something More Than Ink" (originally from What Counts) is "The Machinist," featuring guest vocals from Sean Murphy of Verse which lend to the track's powerful appeal. Have Heart ends The Things We Carry at the strongest point possible with "Watch Me Rise." When you think the track is over it returns in full force to complete the message "I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." The sheer presentation of the vocals is nothing short of incredible, forceful and uplifting, while the track itself is exceptionally unique in melody.

It's impossible for words to do this album justice. The Things We Carry? Powerful, dynamic, and hard-hitting. Get into it.

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.

shadowfax (August 18, 2011)

this album inspired me to change

smokeem (June 22, 2011)

Amazing, still stands up today. I miss them.

bosox6969 (December 24, 2008)

best band, best cd end of story

CaptCam (June 5, 2008)

this album is so great and awsome the best album i have ever heard i listen to this album every day the whole way through gets my spirits up

PyrrhusDarwinCastello (March 22, 2008)

I was going to give this album a 8-9 because I think they can do better, but considering that it makes me feel so good, things like musical progression are secondary. Just pure energy. PURE, as in: I just cant stop smiling and tapping on my leg like crazy when I listen to this on my headphones while walking outside. Fuck if people look at my funny. Maybe then they want to know why I do it... I dont even listen to that much HC. I maybe own 5albums. I just love good music regardless of genre.

Tangy (March 19, 2008)

This album is absolutely essensh

and

Radiohead sucks

douglas_is_rad (October 19, 2007)

Have Heart's lyrics cliche and cheesy?

"As the animals, they can't reason but as humans we can, so are you just a wild animal or a rational man? / Our bodies take you nowhere / might does not make right / There's a gift inside your head called your mind"

"I've seen the growth which you keep caged and I've seen the minds that go un-raged / I've seen the body robbed of soul, just to fuel your control / I've seen the standing knocked to their knees / and I see the human beings you treat like machines"

"This world has got me praying on my knees for one peaceful thought in my mind / my stride / my life / My time is consumed with a thousand thoughts / Flying free like a flock of birds with no direction or intention of finding home"

The themes behind the songs (save for Unbreakable and Armed With A Mind) are semi-cliche, but the lyrics a fucking amazing. Granted, most of the beauty is in the delivery... still, I think they hold up on their own pretty well.

Please try listening to the album before you pass judgement. It helps.

xsomecamerunningx (July 19, 2007)

hardcore doesn't get any better than this. truly amazing. truly flawless.

Albert_Belle (May 16, 2007)

Those lyrics are just pathetic, so cliche and cheesy. Just not my cup of tea.

xFreezyx (March 4, 2007)

This album blew me the fuck away. Best hardcore band out right now.

pipedown (February 12, 2007)

album fuckiung rules
lyrics are so awesome

watch me rise is such a good song

moneenerd (December 14, 2006)

this album is PRETTY good but not worth 4 and a half.

BisonChris (November 19, 2006)

brilliant, this is what hardcore should be

Anonymous (October 27, 2006)

"WAAAAY to posi for me. And straight-edge anthems = no listen"

He doesn't say straight edge once in this album, you fool.

onegirlarmy (October 26, 2006)

What Counts definitely was a pretty crappy release, IMO, agreed with the person below. I liked Have Heart from their original demo, but hated What Counts so much that I stopped liking the band after that. After hearing this, it may just make me a fan again. Very, very good album.

danperrone (October 26, 2006)

just calling it as i see it

who is ilovescott? puh-leeeeeze

Anonymous (October 25, 2006)

Sure, a 9...

-Chinatown

Anonymous (October 25, 2006)

more african than aids...darker and faster

Sally_Field (October 25, 2006)

extremely predictable review

Even if my review is predictable, it's even more predictable for you to say something negative toward anything involving me.

0/10 for shock-value, Dan. 0/10.

i8yourzombie (October 25, 2006)

I listened to this tonight. Solid album, I really enjoyed it.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

gayer than aids.

gladimnotemo (October 24, 2006)

What, Anchors was busy?

Adam_K (October 24, 2006)

Best hardcore LP of 2006. I have impeccable taste, so you know it's true.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

WAAAAY to posi for me. And straight-edge anthems = no listen.

givemeamuseumandillfillit (October 24, 2006)

I'm very dissapointed by new verse, the first step AND this record..

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

Dude wants to act like he knows shit all the time, but always ends up sounding like a clown.

Although, Verse and Ceremony's new ones are fucking awesome. New Another Breath is alright, but can't touch Have Heart.

ILOVESCOTT (October 24, 2006)

danperrone, when you start actually writing your own reviews, then you can comment on others without looking like a joke.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

-BizzleBrizzle

sirens (October 24, 2006)

i dont have to listen to this to know 4 1/2 stars is way too much.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

Flawless album, Have Heart fucking rules, if you think otherwise you're probably a terrorist.

Changeisasound (October 24, 2006)

This is probably my favorite release of '06. The end of "watch me rise" is incredible, it builds up, then it explodes. it would be rad to see live.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

Very solid album, review doesn't get to the point, comments are asinine

etwiels88 (October 24, 2006)

The album is good, but it hasn't stuck with me

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

I don't get it.

"this single, with the "oooohhhhh we're gonna have a female write our review because they can do what boys can do but better, not really, da na na, na na na"

disgusts me to no end.

first time i have been disgusted by a band in a really long time because of the songs they actually wrote

for some reason that song disgusts me as much as davey havok does"

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

bane also use an EE cummings quote on ne of their albums

firestarterkaraoke (October 24, 2006)

A damn good band, they are gonna be going places with their music

Mute98 (October 24, 2006)

great cd but the most essential modern hardcore cd to own is final fight- under attack

stevejonestherealbones (October 24, 2006)

naw looking at davey havok actually does disgust me

i havent heard any of these albums though so they must all suck?

- bones

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

impatience

SilentStorms (October 24, 2006)

So I assume that with all the posts by Jones the Bones that he likes Davey Havok. Ya fucking unoriginal bastard ... you copied yourself. Jokes, this band is kinda ... uhhhh crappy. Yeah, that works.

LeightonESmith (October 24, 2006)

Its a pretty good cd. Not 9.5 though. More like 7.

Anonymous (October 24, 2006)

"What Counts" was garbage. Crap production - the guitars sounded so bad (like they were being played through fender combo amps) and weak tempos.

I hated them till I heard the 2003 Demo and realized they had butchered good songs with "what counts"

The new album is them at their best, solid songs, great vocals. I'm really surprised the author of this review failed to mention the creativity behind "Old Man II" which at times sounds like a screamo song to me.

danperrone (October 24, 2006)

extremely predictable review

this album has some pretty good songs but it is definitely not at the top of the heap of hardcore this year...it can't hold a candle to shit like another breath, verse, and ceremony

6.5/10

stevejonestherealbones (October 24, 2006)

this single, with the "oooohhhhh we're gonna have a female write our review because they can do what boys can do but better, not really, da na na, na na na"

disgusts me to no end.

first time i have been disgusted by a band in a really long time because of the songs they actually wrote

for some reason that song disgusts me as much as davey havok does

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com