I’m pretty sure he’s mostly writing/producing for others now. I would love to hear some more from him some day.
I can see how people find that this just blurs together, but listening on headphones with the volume up really makes the finer details shine. These songs sound really full for a relatively stripped down record.
Headphones with the volume up was exactly how I listened last night haha. Like I was saying before, definitely impressed by the instrumentation and production, but the songs absolutely still blur together for me regardless. The intricate details probably aren’t gonna matter in the long run if this just winds up being background music
this is too long and meandering to warrant too many revisits unfortunately :( good on her for making shit she wants to make tho.
The melodies just aren't grabbing me instantly like Immunity on a first listen. Like the Alewife melody is one of my favourites of all time and just still randomly pops in to my head several times a week. I'm all for trying new styles and not just remaking the same album but I'm not really feeling some of the kinda jazz-lounge chord progressions either really.
I don’t really remember much of Immunity, and I think this record is a huge step up. Big 70’s Laurel Canyon influence, lots of very interesting key changes. It’s very cool.
On track 2, excited to see where this takes me as I wasn't expectign this direction after the last one. With what I've heard so far, and read from the comments, I think this might've been a better release later in the year when it starts getting colder. Though, what do I know, I'm only 8 minutes in lol The production is crazy though, wow.
It was pouring out earlier so I threw this on in the house to have something on while I cleaned up a bit and.... didn’t make it through. Don’t even remember what song it was, just remember suddenly being like “wait this is still on??” I’m gonna have to just put it down for a while and come back in a few months. Maybe the anticipation I had for this is just too much in the way right now or something
It’s funny that someone doesn’t remember much about Immunity haha because that album was just way more immediate and attention grabbing to me than this.
After listening a few more times, I get some of the complaints. While some of the songs really work for me (Amoeba, Reaper, Bambi, Harbor, Joanie, Just For Today) some of the others (Zinnias, Wade, Little Changes, Management) meander in a way that isn't as impactful now that I've heard them multiple times. I think the production and overall lushness (is that a word?) of it all kept my attention on first listen, but it does drag a little bit for me now. I'm hoping getting to know the lyrics and spending more time with the tracks will help assuage some of my issues. And to be clear, I do still really enjoy the album. It's just not the slam dunk I was hoping for.
Also, even though I enjoy both of them quite a bit, Blouse and Just For Today are a little too similar for their own good
Reaper definitely makes sense as being the first song she wrote for the record — that one and Just For Today feel the closest to her older stuff from a songwriting and melody perspective Also very excited to get more Shelly music. That single last year was so good
The best reviews are the ones that make you want to listen to an album, and even though I didn't love this on first listen, this review succeeded in doing that. Clairo: Sling