The Answers

This article is about the 1998 album by Blue October. For the novel, see The Questionnaire (novel by Salomon). For other uses, see Answer (disambiguation) and The Answer (disambiguation).

The Answers is the first album by the American rock band Blue October. It was recorded in October 1997, at Sound Arts Studio in Houston, Texas. It was released in the United States, on January 3, 1998, by RoDan Entertainment/Scoop. It is Blue October's only album featuring founding member and bass guitarist Liz Mullally, who also played piano on the album.

The Answers
Studio album by Blue October
Released	January 3, 1998
Recorded	October 1997
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	57:07
Label	RoDan Entertainment/Scoop
Producer	Brian Baker and Justin Furstenfeld
Blue October chronology
The Answers (1998) Consent to Treatment (2000)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Houston Press	(favorable) [1]
AllMusic	[2]
Sputnikmusic	[3]
Confront Magazine	[4]

For several years, the band was not allowed to sell the album on its website or at concerts because of its contract with Universal Records. The album was only available by mail order directly from RoDan (Justin and Jeremy Furstenfeld's parents Roann and Dan Furstenfeld, who managed the band at the beginning) until an agreement was reached in 2005.

The album was re-released in the US by Universal Records in 2008. However, the re-released version was packaged in a digipak and did not include the booklet that accompanied the original version of the album. The Answers was also originally released on cassette tape in addition to CD. Cassette versions of the album are extremely rare, and have become collectors items among Blue October fans. A remastered version of the album was released on translucent colored vinyl in 2024 as part of Blue October's "Collected Series" box set, which included their first four albums. A limited edition stand-alone version of the album was released on translucent black vinyl in 2025. The stand-alone vinyl version of the album features an etching of an orchid on the reverse side of the second record.

Between January and April 2018, the album became unavailable on various streaming services, such as Apple Music and Spotify. The reason for this change is unknown, but the rest of the band's catalogue remains on the platforms.

Many of the songs on the album deal with themes of depression, including "Black Orchid", which is about suicide.

Track listing

All songs written by Justin Furstenfeld.

Side one

No.	Title	Length
1.	"The Answer"	5:56
2.	"Two A.M. Lovesick"	3:07
3.	"The 21st"	4:08
4.	"Breakfast After Ten"	3:01
Total length:		16:12

Side two

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Italian Radio"	3:52
2.	"For My Brother"	5:28
3.	"Sweet and Somber Pigeon Wings"	5:13
4.	"Weaknesses"	4:11
5.	"Blue Sunshine"	4:38
Total length:		23:22

Side three

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mr. Blue's Menu"	3:24
2.	"Darkest Side of Houston's Finest Day"	4:13
3.	"Tomorrow"	3:47
4.	"Black Orchid"	6:09
Total length:		17:33

Personnel

• Brian Baker – producer, engineer, mastering, mixing
• Adrian Garcia – assistant engineer
• Jeff Wells – mastering
• Ryan Delahoussaye – mandolin, violin
• Jeremy Furstenfeld – percussion, drums
• Justin Furstenfeld – lyrics, guitars, vocals, piano, drums
• Liz Mullaly – bass guitar, piano