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| Walking with Strangers | 
 enlarge | Artist: The Birthday Massacre
Label: Metropolis Records
Category: Music
List Price: $15.98
Buy New: $11.28
You Save: $4.70 (29%)
New (38) Used (11) from $7.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 11425
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 4.9 x 0.4
MPN: 80505
UPC: 782388050524
EAN: 0782388050524
ASIN: B000UGG34G
Release Date: September 11, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW, Factory Sealed items direct from the Studios. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. Quick International Airmail!
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| Customer Reviews:
 Walking with who.... October 5, 2007
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
The only album I looked forward to this year was Walking with Strangers. I've listened to it more times than I can count since it was released, sincerely hoping it will grow on me. I found the strongest tracks on the album to be Kill The Lights, Red Star and Movie. I've heard (and own) the original versions of Remember Me and To Die For. I prefer the orginal versions to those included in the album, and I am left to wonder why To Die For is included on the new release especially if you already own Nothing & Nowhere; lyrics from Chibi's duet with Vanity Beach on their song Knight Moves have been recycled and included in the song Looking Glass.
I just cannot get used to their new direction, although I understand that bands need to evolve, and it does feel like quite a departure from their previous albums with a rockier edge to it. Some may enjoy this turn, I'm unimpressed with it. The ethereal feeling has waned leaving me a little disappointed by Walking with Strangers. I still love them, but prefer Violet over Walking with Strangers any day.
 Good album, not Great October 17, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Very good album, but not quite to the level of the previous one.
As always, they have great effects and such, but this seems like they kind of forced this album out and that it didn't have the same edge that the first one had.
 TBM's "Master of Puppets" September 29, 2007
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
I think I've waited my entire life for this album. I don't hate a single song on it and it's one of the few "3rd" albums that manages to pull all the elements together from the previous efforts and make one outstanding piece of art. I don't agree with their latest rendition of To Die For - I believe that the "Nothing and Nowhere" version was superior. However, the remaining tracks are all stellar, at least on the first listen. After about two weeks, Science, Kill the Lights and Falling Down began to wear out faster than the remainder of the CD. I think, for me, that this is largely the result of the fact that they are calmer tracks, while the more upbeat songs began to hold more of my interest. Among the faster songs, Walking With Strangers, Weekend, and Looking Glass are my picks. But, the song that sold me was Red Stars. I don't know why. The chorus is what holds me the most, after the clean breakdown before closing the song with the main riff.
The departures from the previous two albums are Remember Me (though there seems to be a demo floating around somewhere, it is NOT on the previous full-length releases) and Movie. Remember Me reminds me of a song by Systematic called Glass Jaw from their "Somewhere in Between" album. That's not a detraction, it's a compliment. Suitably melancholy, with a moody, angsty feel. Movie is an 80s ballad that, with the appropriate title, calls up the feeling from Molly Ringwald movies (to me it stays with the concept of Nevermind at the end of "Violet").
There is no one like TBM making music right now, and I sincerely hope that the copy cats stay away. The sound is still fresh and TBM continues to evolve. Even their production is evolving. While "Nothing and Nowhere" had a slightly unfinished, unpolished sound and "Violet" was more polished, but much more macabre and moody, this album is much more sharply produced. It sounds "cleaner", because the effects are still there, but they don't saturate the landscape as on the previous two albums. It's a change, not for better or worse, in my opinion, but definitely noticeable. I do kind of miss the effects saturated sound of "Violet" which was tighter and cleaner than "Nothing and Nowhere", because "Walking With Strangers" is almost Spartan in comparison. Effects are "focused" in the new album.
If you're a fan of TBM, don't miss out. You'll appreciate some of the changes, I'm sure, and you will likely be disappointed in others, but take it for what it is: a focused amalgamation of the previous two albums.
It's not a repeat, because even the songs that sound familiar have a different, pop-dance leaning; it's a progression while maintaining their roots. Hard to do, but I believe that they've done it, and I don't think that my title is out of line considering that belief. Enjoy.
Strays from old conventions, sticking to their own. October 7, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Maybe it's Halloween coming, or maybe it's workplace angst. Something led me into Amazon's "Goth" collection with the following criteria: The band had to be entirely new to me, and it had to be labeled "goth."
This band brings enough of their own spirit into the genre to be enjoyable again. This also turns into their downfall. Genre bands find a lot of safety in same-ness; Walking with Strangers is as guilty as they are refreshing.
This duality might best be described through the synthesizer work on the album. Beneath the surface is this wonderful bass synth which plays, runs amok, has fun and complements every song. Then there is the entirely generic lead synth in which one preset is prominent from beginning to end.
Likewise, the imagery which seems to come so naturally to the band is polluted with all-too-typical alternative angst about being a professional musician. This stopped being a new or interesting theme in the days of eighty dollar designer flannel shirts.
There is a lot to like, overall. The band has a wider canvas of sounds to choose from than many of their genre. Looking past that lead synth, there's a good usage of different combinations of their talents to different effects. This immediately separates them from the masses of one-trick goth groups. The album really picks up with To Die For, leaving me anxious for the last four songs with every listen.
Finally, I would not have bought this album at all had they not allowed people to preview the whole thing through their web site. Those moments of courage are what make this band great. Less time taking the safe route would make them absolutely amazing.
not as good as violet, but still a good album to check out.... March 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
ok, so now i can honestly say since i got this bands first cd, violet, i am now a new found fan, so i decided to give this cd a try.. i must honestly say in my opinion, it is not as good as violet, but it is still a good cd, with almost the same sounds as the previous cd, but also with differences, which is a good thing. especially with the releases of both albums being so close together.. my favorite track so far would have to be weekend, which is pretty danceable. overall, im pretty content with this album, but it still does not even compare to violet.. i still reccomend it.. it just has some slower down tempo tracks and a couple slower ballads, but overall, its a good album... deffintiley check it out.....
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