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Guster — Careful
Album: Keep It Together
Avg rating:
6.7

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1044









Released: 2003
Length: 3:37
Plays (last 30 days): 0
You walked out when I asked you to stay
As usual you'll get your way
You closed the door and stumbled down to the street
Where you wring your hands
And you drag your feet

Where the words can't find you
To crawl inside you

I'm ringing all the warning bells
Careful or you'll hurt yourself
Others lie, lie, lie, they adore you
I'll be the one to tell
Careful or you'll hurt yourself
Gonna try, try, try 'til the morning comes

But you can't hide standing under these stars
They know everything, they know where you are
You're in your head, you're all turned around with it
And they're shining down their light to bring you back again

Back where I can find you
To crawl inside you

I'm ringing all the warning bells
Careful or you'll hurt yourself
Others lie, lie, lie, they adore you
I'll be the one to tell
Careful or you'll hurt yourself
Gonna try, try, try 'til the morning

All you want to see is make-believe, it's nothing
But way down underneath

I'm ringing all the warning bells
Careful you don't hurt yourself
Others lie, lie, lie, they adore you
I'll be the one to tell
Careful, you'll hurt yourself
Gonna try, try, try 'til the morning comes
Comments (109)add comment
This song makes me think of what I love about Crowded House, the Shins, The Beatles; the singing, the harmonies, the rhythms are exquisite, and their message so clever and uplifting, even when melancholic. They make me smile, every time.
I gave this a 3, and I like Guster!
I have loved Guster since I first heard them here as far back as I can remember. bought cds back then
 sans wrote:

These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.


Seventeen years after posting, the comment has lost most of its intended sting:

"These guys sound like they have respectable grooming standards that are also fiscally sustainable."
Excellent band!  
Refreshing and uplifting.
Bonjour bien RP bonne musique
 Greenman wrote:

Underated band. Underated album. Underated song.


Underrated cover art too; hummingbirds rule!  LLRP!!
 Al_Koholic wrote:
sans wrote:
These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.
I only pay $10 for mine.
 

I mean... is that a lot?
Underated band. Underated album. Underated song.
 chyk5 wrote:
That is one catchy little ditty. 
 

Ditto about this ditty.
 Boxie wrote:
Insipid comes to mind.
 
Careful....and Keep it Together there Boxie - though my 7 reflects some of what you said, I've probably thought about an 8 on this and haven't...still the 7 is a good range for this and a lot of Guster tracks are great (might have to spin a disc or two now I think of it....) Long Live RP!!
Insipid comes to mind.
That is one catchy little ditty. 
 wxman wrote:
Not too bad of a song, just a bit bland though. It doesn't really provoke any feeling or emotion. At least for me.
 
Yet it "provoked" you to write a comment about it.
The instrumentation makes me think early Eagles hired Elvis Costello.
Yes, I know that's weird and possibly even not defendable, but that's that. 
 MJdub wrote:

I see that similarity, but that's a stretch, and it's not nearly close enough to make a legal case.

Edit: Reading through the comments I see a lot of people somehow think this song is exactly the same as the Cure song.  Take some music lessons people!

 
Really. Too bad it'll never happen.
So reminds me of Jim Cuddy & Greg Keelor with Blue Rodeo. That said it's still really good.
I remember hearing this the first time.  I had already been a fan of Guster for over five years and was shocked at how big a change they had made on this album.  I almost lost interest in them, thinking they had "sold out," or lost what was special about their early work.  I eventually grew to love this album and appreciate the ways they developed their style.  I also became familiar with Joe Pisapia and realized how much he contributed to this album as well as the following album.  Guster and Joe have since parted ways but I loved the effect he had on Guster while they collaborated.  You can hear him all over this album, and when I hear it I miss him being part of the band.  He has a solo album which in my opinion takes a while to grow on you but is awesome.  
Love it!!!!!!!!
Whats wrong with a bouncy ikkle tune ...I like to bounce{#Jump}
Catchy tune. I like the simplicity and the little ear candy stuff that's added as stanzas are added. Great chords and melody.
 socalhol wrote:
{#No}  this song is like a mundane Bodeans song.....
 
Ouch! It is ok not to like the song, but that is downright cruel!{#Eek}
 thewiseking wrote:
oh oh, call the attornies. these tools ripped off the Cure's In Between Days.
 
I see that similarity, but that's a stretch, and it's not nearly close enough to make a legal case.

Edit: Reading through the comments I see a lot of people somehow think this song is exactly the same as the Cure song.  Take some music lessons people!


I love, love, love Guster. If that makes me uncool or an inappropriate music person, THEN SO BE IT.

(she said defensively {#Tongue-out})
{#No}  this song is like a mundane Bodeans song.....
New Guster CD out October 5! Can't wait.
oh oh, call the attornies. these tools ripped off the Cure's In Between Days.
 jagdriver wrote:

True, this. And I usually really like Guster.
 
Thirds. Can't really remember the song I just heard five minutes ago. Can't hit a home run every time. 
 Hannio wrote:
Nice, but not very interesting.
 
True, this. And I usually really like Guster.

Nice, but not very interesting.
 milchschnitte wrote:
no more to say.
 
Careful.....

 milchschnitte wrote:
{#Puke}no more to say.

 
We must not be listening to the same song?

{#Puke}no more to say.

This has always reminded me of "Inbetween Days" by the Cure.
 bindi wrote:

I am just picking up on this band - this tune has such an infectious chorus and great jiggle jangly byrdseque guitar - love it.  How's the rest of the CD?  I may start my Guster collection here.


 
An excellent place to start your Guster collection. But then you will also want to buy Lost And Gone Forever, and Ganging Up On The Sun. Those are their 3 best, IMO, most especially Lost, and Keep It Together.

I am just picking up on this band - this tune has such an infectious chorus and great jiggle jangly byrdseque guitar - love it.  How's the rest of the CD?  I may start my Guster collection here.


Ain't it the TRUTH?  And everything from Lost And Gone Forever!

 
paloeguevo wrote:
Great song.
No matter what the music critics say here at RP
guster has the power to always make me happy.
If you liked this song try listening to
Come Downstairs & Say Hello from this CD. Great tune.
Or watch the video from ACL here
https://www.chimehosting.com/guster/video/acl_comedownstairs.html
 

i give all songs a 10
i like to be nice
it takes alot to make a song
i would give you a 10 if you made one if it was sincere

rp on my iphone
I have come to LOOOOOOOOOOVE GUSTER
My personal favorite Guster song, from a great album
Great song. No matter what the music critics say here at RP guster has the power to always make me happy. If you liked this song try listening to Come Downstairs & Say Hello from this CD. Great tune. Or watch the video from ACL here https://www.chimehosting.com/guster/video/acl_comedownstairs.html
what about "One Man Wrecking Machine?" Not rubbery at all.
skooney wrote:
Rubber stamp sound of the last 10 years or so
It's too bad this song and Amsterdam are the only Guster some people will be exposed to...alot of their stuff is non-rubber stamp material in my opinion.
Rubber stamp sound of the last 10 years or so
Isn't the theme song for the new TV show, "Friends II"?
brando wrote:
This is garbage :(
No unfortunately is Guster
For about 5 seconds I thought this was the Cure. Then it started to suck.
upinya wrote:
Pete Yorn + Gin Blossoms + (Shameless rip off of) The Cure = This Trash.
I think the Gin Blossoms was the biggest target of the rip off By the way..I don't see Gin Blossoms on the list...Too bad
Al_Koholic wrote:
I only pay $10 for mine.
$10 cut for a bald smiley sems a bit exorbitant. Try au naturel and drop the $10 on a good used cd... Works for me.
Mugro wrote:
At the risk of being lynched by the RP masses, I must express my support for this song. Perhaps I am merely a sucker for melody and harmony, but I think this song is great despite being played on Clear Channel media. Just because a song is played on FM does not mean that it is bad. So there. Let the beatings begin!
Not played on any FM in Atlanta..... great song from a fantastic CD.
upinya wrote:
Pete Yorn + Gin Blossoms + (Shameless rip off of) The Cure = This Trash.
Hey if a band can mix all that up into a toe tapper, more power to them! Better than yet another ashlee simpson (why is she still being promoted?!) pile of ofal on the radio.
sans wrote:
These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.
I cut my own hair. *crap* maybe that's why I'm not in a band.
At the risk of being lynched by the RP masses, I must express my support for this song. Perhaps I am merely a sucker for melody and harmony, but I think this song is great despite being played on Clear Channel media. Just because a song is played on FM does not mean that it is bad. So there. Let the beatings begin!
This is garbage :(
CONTRIVED....
upinya wrote:
Pete Yorn + Gin Blossoms + (Shameless rip off of) The Cure = This Trash.
You missed Crowded House there. Still, it's not bad I think: a 6.
Pete Yorn + Gin Blossoms + (Shameless rip off of) The Cure = This Trash.
sans wrote:
These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.
I only pay $10 for mine.
sans wrote:
These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.
That's funny. :)
These guys sound like they have $40 haircuts.
wxman wrote:
Not too bad of a song, just a bit bland though. It doesn't really provoke any feeling or emotion. At least for me.
and me. Totally forgettable.
Sweet little song! Where are all the horrible comments coming from?
mig7 wrote:
Sorry--My local clearchannel ruined this song for me. It's like their anthem or something.
There's such a thing as "local clearchannel"? My heavens, that's as much an oxymoron as "George Bush Center for Intelligence." But you have my sympathies. I can see how that would happen.
in a way it's a shame they moved off their minimalist arrangement (just guitars and hand drums, IIRC), but I still like them a lot.
Sorry--My local clearchannel ruined this song for me. It's like their anthem or something.
Radio Paradise should be called Radio Guster, all the friggin time, it's just not necessary, now if it was Julio Eglasias all the time, that would rock!!
This stuff is OK, but not as good as their older stuff. Seems like they've tried to go more "Poppy" to sell more.
Guster is great. Lost & Gone Forever is my favorite album from them, too, but I really like this song.
Bootsy wrote:
When I heard the opening riffs of this track I turned up the speakers because I thought it was that great Cure song...."come back come back don't walk away, come back come back come back to stay".....but then I was only disappointed when it was this top-40ish sounding tune by a band with a lead singer that has an annoying voice.
Yeah, I'm hearing The Cure too. Wish it was them, but....
i could've swore it was Lifehouse?
When I heard the opening riffs of this track I turned up the speakers because I thought it was that great Cure song...."come back come back don't walk away, come back come back come back to stay".....but then I was only disappointed when it was this top-40ish sounding tune by a band with a lead singer that has an annoying voice.
I've loved Guster for quite a while, but this album is a bit of a departure of the sound I fell in love with. If you want a treat, listen to Lost and Gone Forever. From front to back the album amazes me everytime I hear it.
Mmm, not my style. I can't handle his voice.
I like this band. This is my first exposure to them, RP and this CD. I like Jesus on the Radio, and Amsterdam. Previous Discs good?
stubbsz wrote:
Yeah, every bit as bland and ordinary as The Gin Blossoms. How can you compare them to REM or the Cure?
I was not comparing them, but I was actually quoting previous comments and wondering about that too...
This song isn't their best, neither is the CD. The past ones were great, especially Parachute. Check them out for some great music!
masterhead wrote:
More than the Cure Or REM, I can hear Gin Blossoms..a forgotten band
Yeah, every bit as bland and ordinary as The Gin Blossoms. How can you compare them to REM or the Cure?
Not too bad of a song, just a bit bland though. It doesn't really provoke any feeling or emotion. At least for me.
More than the Cure Or REM, I can hear Gin Blossoms..a forgotten band
kept hearing these guys here...and kept wondering who they were...so much, I bought the disc...nothing groundbreaking, but very pleasant, tight arrangements...like the lead's voice...kind of a guilty pleasure...couldn't say exactly WHY I like them, i just do...'nuff said
Tarquin wrote:
Interesting comments regarding who Guster sounds like. I've never heard this song before, but when it first came on, it sounded to me a lot like... well, Guster. It's always funny to me how we always try to label newer music in terms of older music rather than just accepting a song or a band for what they are. (Also funny how that while I was typing this, RP went into a Cure song. And yeah, the songs sound similar, but there's no way I'd mistake one band for the other.)
Well, I'm hardly an expert, having only heard this album and a few other Guster tracks, but I think they have their own sound, which is synthesized from a lot of other older sounds (sorry, I buy into the theory that there's really not much that hasn't been done before to some extent). Anyway, on most of their songs, I tend to notice some 'influence' sticking out above the crowd. But if the song in reminiscent of early REM or the Cure or whoever, it sitll is noticable as Guster.
and sick of it too! :)
I'm seek of this song already.
Interesting comments regarding who Guster sounds like. I've never heard this song before, but when it first came on, it sounded to me a lot like... well, Guster. It's always funny to me how we always try to label newer music in terms of older music rather than just accepting a song or a band for what they are. (Also funny how that while I was typing this, RP went into a Cure song. And yeah, the songs sound similar, but there's no way I'd mistake one band for the other.)
OK... a local radio station played this the other day (which was SO COOL, I love this song), but whoever says that station programmers these days are completely clueless is jumping the gun, cause they followed this with Sister Hazel song. So I'm not the only one who thinks this song sounds a LOT like Sister Hazel.
i have had this song stuck in my head ALLLLL day... wow -- and i had to check to make sure i'd clicked into the right song when i read all the Cure comparison stuff -- the Cure?? -- seriously? where does anyone hear the Cure in this? Jayhawks: sure, Toad: sure -- CURE? ya'll must be into the GOOD crack... (ha ha ha -- and of course it segues into "letter to elise" -- maybe ya'll didn't notice when the song changed over...?)
DBCinCA wrote:
Pleasant enough in small amounts. As noted below, there is definitely a Cure ripoff/homage in the tune, but the comparison to Toad the Wet Sprocket doesn't work for me. This song reminds me more of the Gin Blossoms... anyone else?
Right on DBC. To me it sounds like Cure without the talent. Based on your comment and others it definately takes the prize for derivative song of the week!
to sum it up quickly... it sounds like some other songs. just not as good. and unfortunately the slight resemblance to Toad makes me dislike it.
Funny, now when I hear this, I hear similarities to the Jayhawks in this tune... not a bad thing, but strange how what your ear is attuned (sp?) to changes from the time you initially hear a song to the subsequent times you hear it...
Pleasant enough in small amounts. As noted below, there is definitely a Cure ripoff/homage in the tune, but the comparison to Toad the Wet Sprocket doesn't work for me. This song reminds me more of the Gin Blossoms... anyone else?
Pusherman wrote:
You are indeed correct. I went to college at Tufts and lived down the hall from Brian, the bongo player, and he was a big Toad fan. TWS very likely influenced the music of the band. Nevertheless, I don't really care too much for the tune...so it goes.
Toad rocks so much...and I like this song...its their new Single even, but I realy like Guster...finally got them to come play at my college since I'm president of the concert board, and got to hang ou with them...fun stuff, esp Brian
Boring at first, then irritating. Ripped off my earphones.
drH wrote:
Sounds like the ToadtheWetSprocket of the '00's.
You are indeed correct. I went to college at Tufts and lived down the hall from Brian, the bongo player, and he was a big Toad fan. TWS very likely influenced the music of the band. Nevertheless, I don't really care too much for the tune...so it goes.
drH wrote:
Sounds like the ToadtheWetSprocket of the '00's.
whatever. it just sounds lame to me. i gave it a "2" for "marginal."
Sounds like the ToadtheWetSprocket of the '00's.
I saw these guys live in Seattle and I was really blown away. The drummer plays everything with his hands... even the snare! This song is really catchy but I am going to have to check out the Cure song... I didn't pick this up as a ripoff.
Too much of a ripoff !!
DavidCarrico wrote:
The "Curish" guitar riff is similar to the song "Without You": Go on go on Away from here And I know I was wrong When I said it was true That it couldn't be me and be her Inbetween without you Without you ...
it's actually called "In Between Days"
Coming to St. Louis on Dec. 7. Going to have to check them out. Local radio station having their annual "River of Toys" charity concert. Also playing are Barenaked Ladies, Wilshire, Hootie & Blowfish, and Gavin DeGraw. Should be good.
Thought I recognised the riff from somewhere. Still a great song though. With or without the riff. Love the vocals.
The "Curish" guitar riff is similar to the song "Without You": Go on go on Away from here And I know I was wrong When I said it was true That it couldn't be me and be her Inbetween without you Without you ...
newwavegurly wrote:
There's a guitar riff in here that sounds suspiciously like The Cure... anyone else hear it?
Definitely! Jumped right out at me.
Just got this album last week, and Careful has been in my head ever since!!!! I've been a Guster fan for a long time, and this album certainly doesn't compare to Guster's older material, but taken as is....it's not half bad.
newwavegurly wrote:
There's a guitar riff in here that sounds suspiciously like The Cure... anyone else hear it?
Funny...I feel like the opening riff sounds like the end of "All Apologies" by Nirvana. I love Guster...great song.
There's a guitar riff in here that sounds suspiciously like The Cure... anyone else hear it?
Pleasant pop. This group seems to be at a fork in the road: one way leads to interesting artistic output, and the other leads to inoffensive musical filler. Choose wisely, grasshopper.
Great choice! Guster is a fantastic band. Let's hear more!