Album review: BLUE OCTOBER – Spinning The Truth Around

Up/Down Records [Release date: 14.10.22]

Compulsive songwriter Justin Furstenfeld of Blue October is long past previous compulsions. The only thing he’s tested positive for in recent years is Covid, and he shook that off pretty quickly.

And now this authentic storyteller and mood maestro documents the very personal tale of two lovers’ journey, with Spinning The Truth Around (part 1).

A famous, long dead poet once said that “the best writing is about strong emotions recalled in tranquility”. Furstenfeld has clearly taken that on board. Listening to Spinning… is like picking a route through a tidal wave of emotion, with each song progressively marking a stage in his marital breakdown.

His scorched voice and world weary persona lives every moment. From the poignant soul mining – “I don’t want change, we both want more” – of the title track, ‘Spinning The Truth Around’, to the heart lifting confessions – “there was you and there was me, and it was the best days of my life – of ‘Don’t Say It Wasn’t Love’.

Musically, there’s a startling but very welcome jump from the jaw droppingly intricate, hypnotic rock arrangements of ‘The Kitchen Drawer’ and ‘Shut Up I Want You to Love Me Back’ to the rootsy, pared down groove of ‘Change’ and the velvety, whispering, ‘Love Isn’t Good Enough’.

It all flows, it all makes sense. There’s a vaguely spiritual sense of desolation running through it all. It’s catharsis. No doubt Part 2 (due next year) will herald a new beginning. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)