Enter Shikari - A Kiss For The Whole World (April 21, 2023) • Page 4

I do like Common Dreads! But there are many moments that are “cringy” don’t have the same forgiveness that the nostalgia lends itself on TTTS, and they had a way better handle and how to present their ideas and motifs on their later albums. It’s a betweener album in my eyes - one that I’m not particularly fond of, but I recognize that they needed to make that to become what they will be

I love the betweener album concept btw. I love when I hear that and can’t wait for the next album

 

I have a friend who legitimately can't listen to Sssnakepit because of how cringey the lyrics are.

He lost it at "yeah yeah, we're nice guys, UNTIL WE'RE NOT!"

 

Literally can’t argue with that haha - worst moment in their discography imo

 

1. A Flash Flood Of Colour
2. The Mindsweep
3. Nothing is True & Everything is Possible
4. Common Dreads
5. The Spark
6. Take To The Skies

 

I personally think this is way worse:

"What's the one thing that has
More speed,
More strength,
And goes deeper than us?
A Nuclear Submarine."

 

The Mindsweep, I HATED most of it when it came out, but for some reason over the years it's growing on me a lot. The only song I can't stand is Myopia

 

“Here Rou asks a question that arguably encourages the listener to contemplate the unknowable, divine connection between humans. In doing so he enforces the theme of unity that is present throughout Shikari’s work.

Alternatively the answer to his question is the natural world. In this case the question serves to support Shikari’s environmentalist concerns which suggest that we should co-exist with nature instead of exploiting it.

However his question doesn’t receive either answer. It is answered in a different voice, a technique frequently used by the band to imitate the establishment or tyrannous corporations. Therefore “a nuclear submarine” represents the affinity that establishment figures have for fear and conflict.

More specifically this could be an allusion to the UK Trident programme. This is a nuclear weapons programme in the UK that is being renewed to the tune of £100 billion. The band openly oppose this decision and advocate investment in the National Health Service, one of the many areas in which these funds would be better placed.”

lol what genius has to say about those lines

 

I mean, let's be real, he could make those points AND write better lyrics

 

UNTIL HE CANNNNTTTTTT


Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun DERNNNNN

 

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxEYT2-gqhv1vT7XAxak4mtki-u5ByypDl

 

That's the best lyric

 

1. Common Dreads
2. A Flash Flood Of Colour
3. Nothing is True & Everything is Possible
4. Take To The Skies
5. The Mindsweep
6. The Spark

Would be mine too.

 

Both very funny actually.

 

The Spark
Common Dreads
Nothing is True
The Mindsweep
TTTS
AFFOC

^ just gonna buck the trend a bit lmao

 

This is a really interesting line up but also kind of extremely cool? It's got like their softest album and one of their hardest albums in the top two. That's really a nice blend.

 

nostalgia plays a big part of my ranking Common Dreads there. there's definitely bits of it that haven't aged too gracefully, but it takes me back to such a good time in my life and the exact moment I really fell in love with this band that I can't critique it with any kind of intensity. (although, they fucked up leaving "All Eyes on the Saint" off it lmao)

as for The Spark, just such a beautiful and emotional album for me, it's one of the most important albums in recent years for me especially in terms of what a fucking energy drain being alive in the world is sometimes. "An Ode to Lost Jigsaw Pieces" is genuinely one of my favourite songs of all time

 

Right now I'd say

The Mindsweep
Nothing Is True
Take To The Skies
The Spark
Common Dreads
A Flash Flood Of Colour

except the Top 3 is pretty much interchangeable. I'd probably put TTTS at a lower place if I was fully honest and acknowledged that it's the Shikari album I listen to the least these days, but I have so much nostalgia attached to it.

 

I think Common Dreads and A Flash Flood of Colour is the definitive version of this band. Everything I love about them is on full display on those two. The Spark is the only one I don't like at all.

 

Did it not, ahem, spark your interest?

 

Enter Shikari are undoubtedly one of my favourite bands, which when I look back is very strange because when I first heard the demo of ‘Sorry, You’re Not A Winner’ I absolutely hated it.

1. NIT&EIP
2. AFFOC
3. The Mindsweep
4. The Spark
5. TTTS
6. Common Dreads

‘TTTS’ only edges above for nostalgia reasons. I’m very glad Rou ditched those struggled lows from that album onwards.

 

Also, just because I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, these non-album cuts slap.

 

I'll always have a soft spot for "The Feast". Even though back in the day I was frustrated by their decision to not re-record it, I'm glad they didn't. It just can't be replicated without losing some of the magic.

It makes me sad that it went from being a live staple to then being brought back for the TTTS anniversary tour and retired right away. It'd be interesting to hear them revisit it, either in its original form or with some tweaks like they've done with Sorry You're Not A Winner over the years.

 

The Feast is probably one of the most fun songs from that whole era, it's just a riot

I truly will never understand how they thought Closing was a better end to that album than Kickin' Back. yeah those lows on TTTS are painful lol

 

I don't think TTTS has many lows tbh

A version of that album was released with Kickin' as the last song (bonus song)