semisonic

Track Listing:
(Click for lyrics)

1- F.N.T. (Slichter/Wilson)

2- If I Run (Slichter/Wilson)

3- Delicious (Wilson)

4- Down In Flames (Wilson)

5- Across The Great Divide (Wilson)

6- Temptation (Slichter/Wilson)

7- The Prize (Wilson)

8- No One Else (Wilson)

9- Brand New Baby (Munson/Wilson)

10- Falling (Wilson)

11- In Another Life (Wilson)

12- I'll Feel For You (Wilson)

Every time I put this record on, I have the same debate with myself: Is it better than Feeling Strangely Fine? I still can't decide.

Great Divide was Semisonic's first full length album, and was released in 1996. It was named Great Divide because of the length of time between the first recordings of it on '94, and the final recordings in 'late '95, due to a shake up at MCA. Other reasons for the name can be found here.

The record itself is a real summer album, opening with the stunning F.N.T, it puts you right in the mood for the sun, something continued with the excellent If I Run. Then come the true Semi fan's favourite's: Delicious and Down In Flames. Delicious is the one some know as the "woo hoo, woo hoo, yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" song, due to the chorus, and has been featured in Friends. Then, Down In Flames, the greatest song ever written (well, behind Bohemian Rhapsody, which isn't a bad place to be!). This was the first ever single Semisonic released, yet the guys still refuse to play it at their live shows, despite constant pressure from fans. We'll break them eventually.

Onwards with the album, track five, Across The Great Divide, fits exactly into the niche carved by the first 4 tracks, before Temptation slows the mood down. The Prize is the next track and was also released at the time of the Pleasure EP's release, but to see the video is like finding a four-leaved clover. The mellow mood is contunued on with No One Else, before the excellent Brand New Baby bounces in to stop you falling asleep. The final three tracks are excellent enders for the album. Falling and In Another Life are nice and mellow, and its nice to hear John take to the mic for a change of pace in Falling. The final track, I'll Feel For You, carries on the still going tradition set in the Pleasure EP with The Gift, of accoustic enders and beautiful lyrics. Semisonic should give lessons on how to end an album.