Sound: I first heard Murder By Death when I saw them open for the Hush Sound. At first, I thought they were terrible. Looking back now, I realize that all of them were rather drunk that night, because once I got the album, I realized that they were fantastic. I hate to label bands, but the basic sound reminds me of an old country western. Only with rock. Another nice addition is the cello player. I don't really like the cello and I do think a piano would sound better, but you gotta give them credit for being different. // 9
Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics are an electic mixture, about drinking, family values, the old west, and saving your soul from the devil. The song Brother is about sticking up for your family, no matter what (there may be better brothers, but you're the only one that's mine). The song Dead Men and Sinners reminds me of an old pirate drinking song. The lyrics fit perfectly along with the strange alt-country sound of the music. The singer sounds extremely like a young Johnny Cash with his baritone voice. It fits the music perfectly. It's really scary how much he sounds like the man in black. // 10
Impression: Murder by Death does not sound like any other band out there. I can't even come close to any other band that would sound anything like them, except Knights of Cydonia by Muse could possibly sound somewhat like one of their songs. The most impressive songs are Brother, Dead Men and Sinners, Raw Deal, and The Devil Drives. I love how this album sounds so different from other albums. Each song is a story that you can fall into, and songs flow easily from one to the next. I would definetly buy this album again if it were stolen. It has earned a permanent rotation on my iPod. // 10
