If anyone has joined their Broadcast instagram thing, they've just posted a studio snippet of Rory recording a new song. Seems like a heavy low tuned one.
The Mindsweep has grown on me a ton. The Last Garrison is up there with their best songs. Never Let Go Of The Microscope and Torn Apart are up there as well. Even songs I didn't love on first listen like Myopia and The Bank of England are solid. Though the former is a tad too repetitive and the animal lyrics are a bit silly. Dear Future Historians would be their best closer if they didn't choose to end it with The Appeal & The Mindsweep II. They continue to get better at how they use the electronic elements in their songs. There's no use here I can really point to which feels out of place.
The Spark is mostly a miss for me. Outside of Airfield and Rabble Rouser, there wasn't a ton that really grabbed my attention. It's definitely their most pop and ballad-driven album yet. That's not a bad thing by any means, but it doesn't feel like a fully realized sound.
I've given all a few spins before moving on, so I'll do the same for this one. The Mindsweep grew on me a ton, so we'll see what happens.
I think there's definitely an argument for The Spark the more I think about it. I hope you like the next albums!
I would absolutely say the Spark is way poppier than NIT, it at least has a way “lighter” feel than anything else they put out, outside of maybe a Kiss
I liked it more on a second listen. "The Sights", "Live Outside", and "An Ode to Lost Jigsaw Pieces" definitely stood out more this time around. I do appreciate that they switched things up a bit and went for a much quieter and a little less aggressive sound. I'd still rank it on the lower end of their albums for me, but it's better than my first impression gave it credit for.
I like both songs, but it upsets me greatly that "Live Outside" is the big song off of The Spark, because I'd much rather hear "The Sights" live any day, that song is just plain fun
I love Live Outside and wish the production was different because it could hit so hard but just doesn't
the production of The Spark is one of the things that really drives me to it. Extremely good sounding record.
I really like Live Outside, but when I saw them last year, it felt like a really weird choice to end their encore with. Rest of the set had been pretty heavy and hectic, and then Live Outside just kinda changed the vibe in a way which felt jarring. (Still one of the best live shows I've ever been to)
I'm not sure the performance is still available anywhere but I still remember watching their Hellfest 2019 set, which was intentionally heavier on their metal-ish material... yet they ended with Live Outside anyway. The crowd's reaction is priceless
I didn't love it at first but the acoustic version by Rou really hits on a different level and is beautiful