Jawbreaker - Dear You

Shortly after a close break up of the band which is featured, this masterpiece was recorded. A much higher production value to take into consideration, as well as throat surgery being completed on lead singer Blake Schwarzenbach. Which takes away the rough, gruff vocals. Much deeper material, where I feel they really found themselves at peak of everything. Released in 1995 through a new record label, DGC Records. Jawbreaker come under a vast list of genre's and sub genre's and what not. Summed up in three, post hardcore, punk, grunge. Let me state here, listen to this album as soon as possible if you enjoy the material in any aspects (which could be lyrical content, guitar formation and sound, all round punk) of Nirvana, Fugazi any mature style hardcore. 

Three piece band from San Francisco, bring this thirteen track album that consists of obvious signs of time and consideration to the final product. From what I can figure out, Fireman - track 4 is the only single from the album, or at least it had a music video. This was Jawbreakers only official music video. This album contains the big tracks of Jawbreakers discography apart from Kiss The Bottle and Boxcar (although featured in the 2004 release), which are their big anthems in my opinion. But as a whole, this album is their most important. After surgery, Blakes voice in my opinion, is unique and really stands out. I feel it blends well with the style and in some ways fits in better with the post hardcore scene, calm it down on the shouting. 

Dear You kick starts with Save Your Generation, no long intro's and you soon pick up on the lyrics. I don't know a Jawbreaker fan who doesn't know at least the first verse of this banger. To me, this is Jawbreakers anthem. The first few tracks really have that pre shit emo feel. Real emo mixed with a pop punk sound. I wont cover the single Fireman too much, but the content is unreal, the more you listen the more you pick up on. We move onto Accident Prone, Track 4. This is my recent favourite Jawbreaker song, at this moment in time. It's got that late night drive feel and you can sing along and feel part of it. You know, where you're thinking your part of the music video being all passionate and shit. We drop out of the emo phase to some more hardcore/punk issues. Not giving a shit type songs. Track 5 Chemistry, includes some dirty rough overdrive guitar sounds, Heavy riffs, which short palm muting between which brings a bit of feedback. You know what Im taking about, Sun Goes Down by Arctic Monkeys? That intro sorta thing, Jawbreaker got there first though. The only acoustic track is named Unlisted Track. The last song of the album, this really shows off Blakes new voice and how well its working for him. You can tell he's mastered how to hit different notes with his voice. The general feel of this album is, he's sick of boring people following a general line doing the same old shit. I hear you boys, i feel you. I DIG IT. 
  
Much more full sounding album compared to previous ones, that doesn't take anything away from any of them though. That's what makes them, enjoy progression. It's clear they were going for a wider audience with this release, but in no way have they sold out during it. Im not even going to try and guess any gear used, but I know the guitars used were Les Pauls and for Bass, a standard American Fender P Bass through the famous Ampeg set up.  

Listen HERE