Vertical Horizon - Everything You Want

If R.E.M. hadn't already blazed the trail years ago, Vertical Horizon's Everything You Want would be a seminal album, with its earnest harmonies, fluid melodies, and jangly guitars. And while Vertical Horizon may not have taken many forks off the road to Athens, they have whipped up an excellent pop-rock meld out of the purloined elements. Beginning with the ardent and anthemic "We Are," the pop band who began life on Georgetown's central campus nearly a decade before this major-label debut was released unleashes a personal diary of loss, love, and angst. The band, led by school chums Matthew Scannell and Keith Kane, find they just can't leave their pedagogical leanings behind. Only this time their investigations are into the mysteries of the human heart rather than Zeno's famous paradoxes. But the real paradox here is how a band so derivative can have made such a credible album. This time familiarity doesn't breed contempt. "You're a God," an edgy lament about putting someone on a pedestal, could have been lifted right out of the Alanis songbook, but it still manages to shimmer on its own merit, as do most of the 11 songs. --Jaan Uhelszki Amazon.com

Brink of stardom

If you've only heard their radio singles then you haven't heard the best of Vertical Horizon. This is a very solid CD, well worth buying, especially now that it is cheap. The first 7 tracks are all excellent as well as the album closer shackled. If you like quality melodic rock music, you will love this. December 3, 2006

Like many other things at the time...

I originally had bought this album in high school and have since played it from then on.

It's not that this album is particularly stunning, amazing, original... because it's not. It's the best for what was out at the time, playing on the radio way too much and an album that 90% of people I know own.

What I love about this album is the fact that it represents that time in music (mid-90s) wonderfully, where alternative music really became popular and started branching off into more creative venues.

I agree with the other reviews, that it's terribly formulaic. But so was most of the music at that time (like I stated, it represents that time in music). There is an amazing gem on this album, however, which is "Grey Sky Morning/Best I Ever Had." Meloncholy, sad, and relenting. I know there were even a few covers made of it, it's a wonderful song that I do hope becomes a classic of sorts.

Though this review is most likely not very helpful, I do hope that this strikes a chord with those that 'grew up' in the mid 90's and that this album is remembered as a small treasure of that time. It's terribly familiar and wonderful to listen to. September 9, 2006

After a few years .... it still is a great album!

I bought this ablum when it first came out. I really enjoyed it. Being an older rocker myself; I enjoyed the music. The kids (mine) liked it too but they soon grew tired of it probably because I played it so much.

The other evening I heard another cover of a couple of the songs covered by Verticle Horizon on this album. So, I pulled theirs out again and listened again. It is still (after 6 or so years) an excellent album. I put it back into my car and now some of my friends are asking .... "hey, who is that? I really like it!"
It does still sound new.
May 25, 2006

Some songs are gems, others are quite mediocre

I remember watching Dawson's Creek faithfully every weekend many years ago and loved the kind of songs they played in the show. Listening to this album kind of reminds me of the style of songs played on Dawson's Creek, but I guess its almost like listening to any Goo Goo Dolls album - too many songs sound similar to each other, its almost formulaic. However, the band manages to tweak the formula sometimes to produce very good melodies that stand out from the rest. For me, these gems on the album are "Everything You Want" and "Best I Ever Had". "Finding Me" is quite good but it sounds a bit too "generic" - too typical of pop-guitar music these days. Personally, I find most of the songs forgettable except for the 2 gems I've picked out. April 15, 2006

Everything You Want

It is a great album. I wish I had purchased it sooner. March 27, 2006

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