Embrace - Out of Nothing

This album basically gave me the idea for Best Album of the Day. After listening to it for a few months I wondered why a band this great hadn't caught on in the US. I don't think they even tour here. It's a shame because they're fantastic.

I discovered this album in 2005 while browsing music on Rhapsody (gotta check that out - AWESOME place to discover new music). There is a great feature that allows you to view similar artists while listening to a specific artist. In this case I was listening to Coldplay and noticed that there was a similar band called Embrace, so I checked them out. Wow! What a find!

These guys are British, and they are actually friends with Coldplay. In fact, Chris Martin wrote the song "Gravity" for Embrace and it's featured on this album. It is an excellent song and I have no doubt, had it been given a chance, that it could have been a hit single in the states. That being said, these guys do not sound like Coldplay but definitely fit in that Brit Rock genre. The two bands would be a great match in concert.

The album opens with the song "Ashes" which is very driving and melodic with some very cool layering. The chorus has a very big sound. Great way to start an album.

Other highlights include "Someday", "A Glorious Day", and my personal favorite, "Wish 'Em All Away." The opening of that song includes a very catchy harmonica intro. Overall, this album is incredibly melodic.

I've heard three other albums by Embrace which were all very good, but Out Of Nothing is by far the best. If you're a fan of artists like Coldplay, David Gray, or U2, you owe it to yourself to check out this masterpiece by Embrace.