The Beautiful Mistake

Item: This Is Who You Are
Author: Justin Brinker

This Is Who You Are

(2004)

Reviewed by Justin Brinker

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Amazon Music Spotify

Label The Militia GroupDecapolisMarch 2004

emo indie rock post-hardcore

Think about a band that one of your friends has talked about, one that they admire, and one that you feel completely left in the dark on. You try to understand what it is about this band that they love so much and why you simply don't "get it." Well, The Beautiful Mistake was that band, that person was I, notice the key word, "was." The problem, I argued, was not that I hated TBM it was just one of those bands that were there and I never chose to listen to them after all there were plenty of other bands that were doing what TBM is doing and doing it much better, right? So after a year or so of indifference I finally decided that I would give TBM a solid chance, so I received the soon- to- be- released This Is Who You Are on The Militia Group.

I decided to do some research and it seemed that almost every review about TBM's previous release, Light A Match For I Deserve To Burn, claimed the band was just another screamo outfit in the vein of Thursday and Thrice and brought nothing new to the table. Finally I had received This Is Who You Are from the minute I put in the album and the opening title track hit my speakers I was hooked and have been for the past two weeks.

One of the most redeeming qualities about this record is that TBM has a sound that is completely their own, and it starts with vocalist Josh Haquist, who evokes an emotion and passion that truly sounds like he believes in what he is singing, something that is rare in today's musical climate. From the opening title track to the closing "Cold Hands (for dying hearts)" each song blisters and bleeds emotion, honesty, and beauty. On tracks like "My Reminder" it opens with an acoustic guitar and is probably the most accessible song on the album as Haquist sings, "Oh how blessed we are to share in everything, life before was cold, cold and empty." While on other songs like "A Safe Place" he sings, "This hope that surrounds us, keeps us safe tonight" and on "A Friendly Committee" we see a heavier side of the band, where there is less singing and more screaming. Each song on This Is Who You Are is not just a song but also an anthem, the lyrics are extremely inspirational, hopeful, and powerful.

This Is Who You Are is the album Thursday wishes they could make; this is the record that sets The Beautiful Mistake apart from other bands. This is the soundtrack to life, a beautiful but haunting catalogue of anthems filled with hope and truth.

3.5/4