Argue with a Tree...

by Blue October

Overview

Recorded in their home state (but not their hometown of Houston) in 2004, Argue with a Tree... captures Texas rockers Blue October during an exuberant performance in front of a very enthusiastic Dallas crowd. In addition to being a live album, the two-disc set could also serve as a greatest-hits or career retrospective of sorts -- its sprawling playlist contains numbers from Answers, Consent to Treatment, and History for Sale, and the collection here represents enough of the band's material and sound to appeal to dedicated fans and newcomers alike. Argue with a Tree... is further helped along by a crisp recording that keeps the band front and center throughout, clear from troubles such as reverb or audience noise during songs. All of this works to Blue October's advantage, as it helps to highlight some fine performances from the band, particularly violinist Ryan Delahoussaye and guitarist Brant Coulter. While the two mostly concentrate on weaving understated, evocative accents into their songs, they do let loose at times, particularly when trading solos during "Italian Radio." Later on, Delahoussaye is granted a particularly impressive solo with the song "PRN," which he performs near the end of the album's second disc. Despite these many positive aspects, however, there are a few sticking points present on Argue with a Tree.... Throughout the album, vocalist Justin Furstenfeld's vocals border on aggressive and overwrought, at times sounding more spoken (or shouted) than sung, as on "Independently Happy" and "Calling You." Also, by presenting the entire concert instead of trimming it down to the strongest numbers, Argue with a Tree... begins dragging even before the conclusion of the first half. There's no doubt that the show itself was a success, judging from the cheers of the audience between songs, but the energy of the concert doesn't translate onto the album, and the initial energy from the opening tracks isn't sustained for long. While its breadth is ambitious, the album soon becomes overburdened; by the time Furstenfeld concludes the show with a haunting a cappella piece, it feels as if the music has lasted for a few days, not a few hours. ~ Katherine Fulton

Product Details

Release Date:	06/20/2025
Label:	Up Down Records
UPC:	0198715804904

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Blue October   Primary Artist
Piper Skih   MIDI,Guitar (Bass),Bass,Vocals,MIDI Pedals
King Hollis   Director
Justin Furstenfeld   Guitar,Vocals
Zayra Alvarez   Vocals
Jeremy Furstenfeld   Drums,Vocals
Ryan Delahoussaye   Violin,Vocals,Mandolin,Keyboards
C.B. Hudson   Guitar,Vocals

Technical Credits

David Castell   Audio Production,Sound Design,Audio Engineer,Mixing,Producer
Elijah Wandel   Model
Ronnie Meyers   Production Assistant
Melanie Hines   Production Assistant
Beth J. Meikos   Composer,Lyricist
G.I. Sanders   Graphic Design
Edward P. Harris   Editing
Chad Abbott   Assistant
King Hollis   Editing
Leslie Wandel   Photography
Dale Brock   Management
Anthony Longoria   Production Assistant
Mandy Cornett   Production Coordination
Melina McKinnon   Producer
Anna O'Gorman   Photography
Chuck Hatcher   Photography Director
Paul Nugent   Management
Mike Swinford   Management,Executive Producer
Paul J. Armstrong   Camera Operator
Sean Patrick/Dana Parker   Engineer
Todd Roling   Engineer
Aaron Belcher   Drum Technician
Rick Kirkham   Camera Operator
Sean Semler   Lighting
Chad Pavlovich   Guitar Technician
Lauren Voneper   Photography
Chad Wandel   Photography
Blue Miller   Composer
Justin Furstenfeld   Composer,Lyricist
Mark "Anarchy" Lee   Location Coordinator
Michael Cain   Executive Producer
Matt Noveskey   Composer
William Mueller   Composer,Lyricist
David Daniels   Mixing
Jon Erickson   Assistant
Ryan Delahoussaye   Composer
Kelly Coats   Key Grip
Greg Vest   Assistant
Paul Armstrong   Camera Operator