Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Upside Down Flowers (November 11, 2018) Album • Page 14

The album is great as it is. A lot of it has to do with looking back and reflecting on life. The slower pace fits right into that to me.

I can sit here and think about certain moments and replay them in my head, they generally feel slower than real life.

 

Speeding up songs is a very strange thing, IMO.

 

Hey now like I said I can't take credit for the idea, read it here at some point so I'm not fully crazy. Certainly get the reflection vibe and understand why it is what it is. I think part of it came from seeing Ohio live and feeling like it was a tad bit faster live as well.

 

I don't think you're crazy! It's just not something I would ever think to do. Tempos are a pretty deliberate songwriting choice in most cases, and I think the tempos of those two songs are completely a match with the lyrical content.

 

Speeding up tempos feels like changing the color of a painting. Sure, you can do it, it may look interesting ... but why?

 

shoutout to all the lost souls who used the faster version of "Stolen" as the first dance song at their wedding

 

an artist recording an alternate version of a song is far different than speeding up a youtube video

 

you're totally right. I can be silly lurching in different directions. many blessings and holiday hearts brotha

 

i had trouble fully enjoying the self-titled for a while because somehow i ended up associating "Maps for the Getaway" to a death in the family, and the same thing is happening now that i'm associating "Everything Must Go" to my inevitable breakup. i really don't know why this happens, since both are actually hopeful songs. this really really sucks

 

I always think of the Will Ferrell movie that's literally about the same exact thing as the song is and they both have the same title

 

just read the synopsis and wow that is one movie i'm going to stay away from unless i wanna feel even more miserable

 

This album sounds fantastic on vinyl. Like I know a lot of people complained about the vocal effects, they didn’t bother me, but maaaaannn they were made for vinyl listening

 

The vocal effects have actually annoyed me more over time. I listen to a song like Everything Must Go and I immediately feel that it would sound so much better if it didn't sound like he was singing from a room across the hallway. Totally ruins it.

 

The issues with the vocal effects always surprise me a bit- they have zero impact on my enjoyment of the album. I barely even notice them!

 

Yeah, I don’t even notice them outside of “Goodnight Rock n Roll.”

 

My response:

 

you have to admit you at least notice them on Goodnight Rock and Roll... right?

 

There's vocal effects on that track?!

 

Bad dad joke aside, that is definitely the track they are most obvious. But they don't bother me.

 

The vocal effects are one of the big reasons I don't enjoy this, but I still don't really like most of the songs on here even if they didn't have the vocal effects

 

So after a few weeks with this, I'm still of the mindset taht I love the first 4 songs, and House in the Trees.

The rest are super hit or miss for me. This Wild Ride is probably the best of the rest for me.

But those other 5 are top tier Andrew McMahon songs for me...probably puts this album above the self-titled for me, right behind TGP.

 

Man, I can't wrap my head around not loving each of the last four.

 

Especially EMG. My favorite song of that title since Taking Back Sunday

 

And "Careless"! I feel like that's a super classic Andrew McMahon jam. But yes, "Everything Must Go" is wonderful.