Blue October

The vast reserves of hate music critics reserve for Blue October can, in all likelihood, be traced back to their adolescence. Nothing angered these smart, socially awkward folks more than being at a high school or even a junior high party, watching as some hapless wanker playing mediocre guitar in the corner convinced everyone he was the Sensitive Rocker Type and was thus surrounded by adoring pseudo-groupies. Blue October is that hapless wanker. Rampant expressions of self-pity make for a bad record but one that sells like hotcakes to teenagers, 21-year-olds with teenage mindsets and anyone susceptible to pompous instrumentation and melodramatic vocals. This pretty much tells the story of the former Houston five-piece's Foiled, originally released way, way back in April 2006. The re-issue, Foiled for the Last Time, is a vehicle intended to move Teach Your Baby Well, a new live disc recorded at Stubb's in Austin last year and comprised mostly of Foiled material. Teach is far too weak to stand on its own merits, so this re-release is an acceptable (if extremely cynical) business move. On the other hand, the whole package is both unnecessary and gratuitous—and therefore, considering the source, entirely appropriate.