YRadio

For those that know me or have indeed listened to my show, they would know that I have loved this band and played the odd song by The Ataris/Kris Roe on my show since I started doing Y Radio. Ever since a friend of mine in my teen years played IOU one galaxy from their album end is forever I have had an infinity with the lyrics and to me the genius that is Kris Roe. It may be surprising for me to say that despite this some of their songs I do feel I've grown out of and some of the time I don't like them at all, yet I find myself coming back to listen to them, like an old pair of slippers that suddenly feel as good as new. They have a very personal meaning to me, something I obviously wont bore you into, but again I've

chosen a rather difficult album than I could of chosen, as it was their last and less successful album to date.

This particular album is memorable to hardcore Ataris fans as the album that alienated a significant number, as it took the band from more easy friendly sound to dark and dare I say it emo origins (I hate putting music into genres). This is most fans of the band said anyway. The reason I emanation Kris Roe is that he is the attars, due to being the only original member left and he was always the musical force behind the band even when their mainstream album So Long Astoria was released. When I mention this you'll probably then discover where you've heard them from as on that album they did a cover of Don henley's Boys of Summer that got a lot of plays in the summer it was released. Now I don't want to go hardcore fan on the readers but I, like the band, were never happy about doing this cover as it was pushed by the record company as they knew it would sell well. Anyway, several years and different band members Kris and a totally new lineup released Welcome the night, which I remember being ridiculously impatient to get my hands on, as Id discovered all of their albums and song and grew the fondness that I feel for them now.

As I said earlier, welcome the night was a massive change from the music that The Ataris had become known for. As you start the cd you can start hearing the beginning riff of 'Not Capable of love' and you can tell that the band have gone for a completely different darker sound. having said that, the opening song is not far off the stuff they did before this album, it just seems more grown up. Critics that reviewed this album at the time said it felt exactly like that, that Kris Roe had some sort spiritual quest when making this album which you start to feel as you listen to this album. The second song cardiff by the sea, one of my favourites, has a real edge to it, and you start noticing that the powerful lyrics that Kris is known by is still the main focus of the album. It seems that the lyrics are even more personal that usual, due to the fact that it feels in the way its order that Kris was definitely finding himself in his own life. well, I wouldn't know for definite but it certainly feel that way. It also has a kind of bipolar mood about it, switching from dark and edgy to more optimistic then something in-between. take for example the 3rd song new years day which has some regret intertwined with a flirting of optimism. Yet as the album progresses it gets more and more hopeless, and in that the middle of the album feels lost and out of place. Id hate to say this being a fan but some of the songs become a little bit boring and seems unfinished, a sound track for this rainy morning being an example where you want the song to push on and it just stays where it is. having said that their are good songs on this album and I firmly believe that you can listen to this whatever state of mind your in.

From the last last call Is an emotionally powerful song and something that I fully understand, you can hear in Kris' voice how he had reached the bottom when he wrote this song, and I've always loved acoustic driven Ataris songs: it seems to fit his voice perfectly. I loved 'when all else fail it fails' because the title has such a meaning to me, and the story that Kris portrays in this song really helps you understand what he has went through. It seems through the way the song is put together to convey feeling towards someone better than most song of that nature, as he seems to be over the person he mentioned then suddenly say he cant live without her. I know through being a fan that he went through a divorce so this seems to fit that particular experience better than anything on the album. this album was used for a competition on the popular online game world of warcraft, and it seems the song they chose more than any other was 'connection are more dangerous than lies' which shows Kris at his mischievous best. the ending of the album is vintage Ataris in that Kris references shakespeare quite frequently in his albums (the song my so called life, is a reference to a series claire danes was in, who played juliet). It seems to indicate this theme of self discovery as it ends with the line 'I rest my lifeless head upon your heart, forever' which of course at face value is romeo and juliet, but the album as a whole it gets darker and darker, so in my ways it may chronicles kris's life, certainly in the years between so long astoria and welcome the night.

One of the hidden treats of this album, before i conclude this review, is the b sides of welcome the night. they are available in certain special editions but can also be found on the interment and it is a real shame they weren't included in the album. Sonnet for the early departed, is really spooky but beautiful song that I want to be played at my funeral, I just think kris' tired sounding voice connect with the slow piano and screaming guitar. 'driftwood sin' is an interesting idea, I just think the chorus once it starts playing doesn't match the versus but I really love the haunting strumming in the background. this song in particular and the first elegy show that Kris definitely had some religious experiences, he seems to at the least be questioning life, existence, faith, that maybe these two songs were left out for that reason. Thats not to say the songs that made it to the album don't have that connotation, I just have the feeling that he may have thought it was too much. The ghost of last december is a great song, something I listen to regularly, it does sound like the old Ataris sound brought up a level. I think for that reason it wasn't considered to be put on the album, as the albums order as you listen to it become clear that it was given great consideration in what running order the songs were put in. there is also a welcome the night song that in on some versions (I believe it was in the first us release) that I really wish made it onto the album I have, as it has a great baseline, piercing drums, it really is a fantastic mixed song. my favourite b side, last but not least, has to be 'oh kansas city' which is a fantastic, upbeat acoustic sounding kris roe song, It has a really good pace to it and I listen to that song more than another as its my idea of a feel good song.

The only trouble is, I cant include the b songs in my review as they aren't on the album, therefore my conclusion is one of content. Its a decent concept album, concept in that Kris tried to lead The Ataris brand in a different direction, but found it alienated a lot of the hardcore fans. I like and admire anyone that tries something different,and I admire Kris for how talented he is, It just doesn't feel like a complete good all round album. Some song you want to skip due to not really leading anywhere, like I said I understand why some songs got on the album than others as it all fits in terms of structure, but unfortunately hampers the overall quality. Im still excited for their next album graveyard of the atlantic, as Kris says it will bridge the gap between this album and So Long Astoria, so in essence, it could be album this could of been. I'm eager to find out!

Overall YRadio Score

69%

Release Date: February 2007

Reviewed by: Steven Hesse

YRadio Rating System

• 0.5 Star = 0% - 10%
• 1 Star = 11% - 20%
• 1.5 Star = 21% - 30%
• 2 Star = 31% - 40%
• 2.5 Star = 41% - 50%
• 3 Star = 51% - 60%
• 3.5 Star = 61% - 70%
• 4 Star = 71% - 80%
• 4.5 Star = 81% - 90%
• 5 Star = 91% - 100%