When Broken Is Easily Fixed

When Broken Is Easily Fixed
Studio album by
Silverstein
ReleasedMay 20, 2003
RecordedJanuary – February 2003
Mount Fairview and Unity Gain
Genre
Length38:30
LabelVictory
ProducerJustin Koop
Silverstein chronology
When the Shadows Beam
(2002) 		When Broken Is Easily Fixed
(2003) 		Discovering the Waterfront
(2005)

When Broken Is Easily Fixed is the debut studio album by Canadian post-hardcore band Silverstein, released in 2003 under the label Victory Records.

Musical style

When Broken Is Easily Fixed is a post-hardcore album that has been described as combining elements of emo, hardcore punk and heavy metal.[2] The album makes use of loud-quiet dynamics, cathartic melodies, harsh vocals, and breakdowns.

Background and recording

Forming in early 2000,[3] Silverstein released two EPs, Summer's Stellar Gaze (2000) and When the Shadows Beam (2002).[4] The second EP caught the attention of Victory Records, who announced that they had signed the band on October 22, 2002.[5][6]

When Broken Is Easily Fixed was recorded at Mount Fairview and Unity Gain between January and February 2003 with producer Justin Koop.[7] Koop engineered and mixed the album; Koop was assisted by engineer Rob Turri at Mount Fairview.[7] Rainer Tan provided violin, while Shane Told and Richard McWalter supplied additional guitar.[7] Kyle Bishop gave additional vocals to the title track.[7] The album was mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side.[7]

Release

On April 3, 2003, When Broken Is Easily Fixed was announced for release in the following month. Alongside this, "Smashed Into Pieces" was posted online,[8] followed by "Giving Up" on April 5, 2002.[9] In April and May 2003, the band toured across the Midwest and southern US states, with Choke and Self Made Man.[10] When Broken Is Easily Fixed was released on May 20, 2003[11] on Victory Records.[12] Martin Wittfooth created the artwork.[7][nb 1] In July and August, the band toured across the US, with Freya; it included an appearance Warped Tour and Redemption Fest.[14][15] The band went on a short tour in October with the Fulllbast, which was then followed by a handful of shows with Rise Against.[16] Silverstein then went on a west coast and midwest US tour in November, with Bayside; Haste, Eleventeen, and Preacher Gone to Texas appeared on select dates.[17] In January 2004, the band supported Spitalfield on their headlining US tour.[18] In February 2004, the band went tour with the A.K.A.s.[19] Following this, the band toured with Strike Anywhere and Fifth Hour Hero on their tour of the US, which ran into March 2004.[20] In May and June 2004, the band went on tour with Alexisonfire, Emery, the Higher, and Hawthorne Heights.[21] The album was reissued on September 14, 2004 with a DVD and two bonus tracks, "Friends in Fall River" and "Forever and a Day".[12] In November 2004, the band supported Hot Water Music on their headlining North American tour.[22]

"Smashed into Pieces" was re-recorded by the band in 2013 and released on May 20 to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the album.[23]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Exclaim!No rating[24]
Metal Hammer6/7[25]

As of June 2007, the album has sold 179,000 copies.[26]

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Smashed into Pieces"Shane ToldTold3:42
2."Red Light Pledge"ToldTold3:48
3."Giving Up"ToldTold4:12
4."November"Josh Bradford, ToldNeil Boshart4:15
5."Last Days of Summer"ToldBoshart4:28
6."Bleeds No More"ToldTold3:16
7."Hear Me Out"ToldBradford, Boshart, Told3:48
8."The Weak and the Wounded"ToldBoshart3:15
9."Wish I Could Forget You"Paul Koehler, ToldRichard McWalter, Bradford3:26
10."When Broken Is Easily Fixed"Told, BradfordBradford, Boshart4:20
Total length:38:30
Reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Friends in Fall River"3:18
12."Forever and a Day"4:28
Reissue Bonus DVD
No.TitleLength
1."Giving Up" (Live/Unreleased)4:20
2."Giving Up" (Video)4:20
3."Smashed into Pieces" (Live)3:34
4."Smashed into Pieces" (Video)3:43
5."Band Interview"10:19
6."Interview with Shane"3:07
7."Equipment Run Through"4:54

Personnel

Personnel per booklet.[7]

Silverstein
  • Shane Told – vocals, additional guitar
  • Paul Koehler – drums
  • Neil Boshart – lead guitar
  • Josh Bradford – rhythm guitar
  • Billy Hamilton – bass guitar
Additional personnel and production
  • Justin Koop – producer, engineer, mixing
  • Rob Turri – assistant engineer
  • Alan Douches – mastering
  • Rainer Tan – violin
  • Richard McWalter – additional guitar
  • Kyle Bishop – additional vocals on "When Broken Is Easily Fixed"
  • Martin Wittfooth – artwork
  • Eric Deleporte – design

Chart positions

Chart (2005) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Heatseekers Albums[27] 48
U.S. Billboard Independent Albums[27] 45

References

Footnotes
  1. ^ An early version of the artwork, dated January 23, 2003, featured the robot in a different position.[13]
Citations
  1. ^ a b Loftus, Johnny. "When Broken Is Easily Fixed - Silverstein | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  2. ^ "When Broken is Easily Fixed - Silverstein | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. ^ "SILVERSTEIN". silversteinmusic.com. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Silverstein". silversteinmusic.com. Archived from the original on 5 November 2002. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  5. ^ "Victory Records - News". Victory Records. Archived from the original on December 1, 2002. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
  6. ^ White, Adam (October 24, 2002). "Victory signs Silverstein". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g When Broken Is Easily Fixed (Booklet). Silverstein. Victory. 2003. VR192.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ White, Adam (April 3, 2003). "New Freya, Silverstein Tracks Up At Victory". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Heisel, Scott (April 5, 2003). "Another new Silverstein MP3 available". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  10. ^ Heisel, Scott (April 17, 2003). "Silverstien tries to find out where the roadway ends". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  11. ^ Santangelo, Antonia (April 21, 2003). "Tour Tidbits". CMJ New Music Report. 75 (810). CMJ Network, Inc.: 34. ISSN 0890-0795.
  12. ^ a b "Silverstein Releases". Victory Records. Archived from the original on 1 October 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  13. ^ "Instagram". Archived from the original on 2021-12-25. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  14. ^ Heisel, Scott (June 26, 2003). "Silverstein July / August touring". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  15. ^ Heisel, Scott (July 21, 2003). "Redemption Fest Lineup Announced". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  16. ^ Heisel, Scott (September 21, 2003). "New Silverstein website / updates". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  17. ^ Heisel, Scott (October 24, 2003). "Silverstein / Bayside". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  18. ^ Heisel, Scott (December 17, 2003). "Spitalfield / Diffuser / Silverstein". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  19. ^ White, Adam (February 3, 2004). "The A.K.A.s lineup change / February shows". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  20. ^ White, Adam (January 19, 2004). "Strike Anywhere / Fifth Hour Hero US dates". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  21. ^ Heisel, Scott (April 23, 2004). "Alexisonfire/Emery/Silverstein on tour". Punknews.org. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
  22. ^ White, Adam (August 11, 2004). "Hot Water Music fall tour dates with Planes Mistaken For Stars / Alexisonfire". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  23. ^ "Silverstein re-record "Smashed Into Pieces," offer free download - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  24. ^ Green, Stuart (June 1, 2003). "Silverstein When Broken Is Easily Fixed". Exclaim!. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  25. ^ Salmutter, Elmar (July 1, 2003). "Silverstein – When Broken Is Easily Fixed". Metal Hammer. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
  26. ^ Martens, Todd (June 16, 2007). "Onward And Upward". Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 24. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.
  27. ^ a b "Silverstein | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved February 12, 2014.