Songs for the Broken Hearted

(Glue Factory)
by Tim Den

Seventeen songs dedicated to the most self-analytical of the human seasons, being dumped. Songs for the Broken Hearted does a good job capturing heartbreak with many approaches. Whether it’s the pop rock of Teen Heroes and Weston, the emo-esque Roadside Monument and Diskothio, the ambient dub of Mastodon (Rick Rodney of Strife in disguise), or the rough’n’gruff rock of The Juliana Theory and Boy Sets Fire, the feeling of being left behind permeates every note. But it’s the acoustic numbers by Jimmy Eat World and Onelinedrawing (Jonah of Far gone solo) that really bring it home. Jimmy Eat World, with a cover tune called “Spangle,” sounds like a crushed Weezer on the brink of suicide. Armed with their trademark beautiful chords, Jimmy Eat World make the song their own. Onelinedrawing, on the other hand, has Jonah at his most vulnerable and tragic with “Pollyanna,” a song so beautiful it can bring a grown man to tears (who, me?). Whispering with a voice that speaks lifetimes, Jonah not only showcases just as much dynamics as Far, he brings a different, deeper emotional impact to the music by lowering the volume. His track alone is worth the buy. With the aforementioned are Metroschifter, Gameface, One Hundred Words For Snow (alright, somebody stop this “let’s have the longest band name possible” crap), Longfellow, J-Rod, Action League, The Killingtons, and J Church. While this is not only a comp that’d be a delight to play anytime, it’s musical medicine that might pull you through your next break-up.
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