Blue October's last album was a bit of a disappointment for me. While the album grew on me over several months of repeated listening, I ultimately did not care for Justin Furstenfeld's constant whining and the album's inconsistent musical focus.
The latest album from Blue October, Any Man In America, is another romp through Furstenfeld's tumultuous personal life (as is most Blue October music). This time we are presented with his poetry on his recent divorce. Unlike Approaching Normal's blatant emo lyrics and scatter-shot musical hooks, Any Man In America is a much more solid album.
Furstenfeld attacks every corner of his divorce. He pleads for his wife to stay with him ("The Feel Again"), hurts in the moment of losing his daughter ("For the Love"), yet pleads again for their relationship while reminiscing of better days ("The Chills"). Instead of whining about his miserable situation, however, Furstenfeld holds his head high and goes into full-on attack mode in the titular "Any Man In America." A six-and-a-half minute opus of hip-hop-infused rock, Furstenfeld and the rest of Blue October tear into his ex-wife and a legal system favoring women before racing into a catchy-as-hell chorus warning every man in American to "take back your control."
Musically, Any Man In America is much closer to pop and hip-hop than Blue October's earlier rock-based work (History for Sale). Not every track is a winner here. The latter-half of the album lacks any of Blue October's trademark hooks and comes of a little generic. This might throw of the casual listener and cause all but the truest of Blue October fans to lose interest in the album as it enters the home stretch.
With four songs over six minutes and most other near five, this is not a radio-friendly album. More than any Blue October album before, this is an immediately personal album, and warrants time, patience, and understanding to get through all of Justin's pain. Luckily for us this time, he knows how to move past his moping and look to a positive future.
I'll take it. B3 out.
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