This album is amazingly cohesive while also feeling far more diverse than their previous work. This is gonna be really high on my end of year list.
All the different bundles they did over the summer kinda made it impossible not to pre-order. I'm pretty sure I have 2 or 3 coming. haha the deluxe edition itunes one and then one or two tshirt bundles
So after a few months of torture, the day has come. We finally get to hear Low Teens. Here are some of my thoughts as I listened to the album. i wouldn't call it a review exactly, but it slightly resembles one. 1. Fear and Trembling – What a way to start this album. Probably overtakes Roman holiday as my favorite opener. Just an absolute beast of a song. Sets the tone of the album perfectly 2. Glitches – So we have had this one for a while, a very classic sounding ETID song. The breakdown is so good, and I will always envision Steve Buscemi dancing around to it thanks to that clip the guys posted way back when. 3. C++ - I wasn’t aware that such a heavy song could carry so much pure emotion. I have mentioned in the past that this song is heartbreaking to me and already one of my favorite ETID songs ever. Keith absolutely kills it. 4. Two Summers – I assume this is the song that Andy says should have been a B Side. I am not going to lie, I agree. It is a great song, but following the previous 3 songs, it just seems like a strange break in the flow. However I absolutely love the chorus, if you can call it that haha.”You looked at what the light shined on not where it was coming from” 5. Awful Lot – Wow, coming straight after Two Summers, the guitars and drumming of this song made me want to start moshing again! Keith seems to be experimenting with a new style. Reminds me of Overstayer. Acknowledge me you motherfuckers . The ending is so great. 6. I Didn’t Want to Join Your Stupid Cult Anyway – My most anticipated song. Exceeded all expectations. Holy shit that riff at about 1:30 is awesome. Makes my tattoo idea even better, and I couldn’t be more excited now about it. 7. It Remembers – I feel that this song accomplished what Two Summers couldn’t. It’s a change of pace from the speed and heaviness of the first half of the album, but it pushes the album forward. I imagine hearing this live makes it even better. Brendan Urie was great, amazing how quickly he put his vocal part together for them. 8. Petal – This song paints a picture of hopelessness perfectly. The instrumentation sounds so bleak, matching the tone of the lyrics. I absolutely love the bass in this song. ETID are known for having great bass lines, but this is a whole new level 9. The Coin Has A Say – Said a lot about this song in the past. It will go down as one of the best. 10. Religion of Speed – When the album was announced, I made a prediction that this song would be the Moor of this album. The opening guitar riff confirms my suspicion, in my opinion. A lot of experimentation on this track. At this point in the album, I have confirmed its status as my AOTY. I am on a journey that I don’t want to end, and I truthfully cannot imagine what lays ahead of me in the next few tracks. Push the pedal right through the floor. 11. Just As Real But Not As Brightly Lit – Thrown right back into a meat grinder. A true jam. Again, Keith is on point with his lyrics. Jordan and Andy are fucking killing it. This album is really tearing me apart. I can’t pinpoint everything I love about it. It is hard to compare one song to the next, as they are doing different things and doing them so goddamn well. 12. 1977 – Reminds me of Hot Damn, at the start. So aggressive and relentless. Then it takes a turn into a NJA/Ex-Lives feel. Great song 13. Map Change – Oh no, the end L. ETID has some amazing closers, but a minute into this song, I feel like this may be their first true closer. It feels like something is being finished. I feel like this may have a lot to do with the fact that, for the first time, an ETID album has a very clear direction and purpose. Just, wow, truly being brought to tears. I think ETID did it, they finally wrote an album that could overtake Hot Damn. Low Teens is an absolute monster. I have only one complete listen under my belt now, but this is AOTY. This is going to go down as one of the greatest releases of this genre. 666/5, 11/10, 3 thumbs up, however you want to say it, perfection. Even with the, in my opinion, slightly jarring break in the action with Two Summers, the album grabs hold and doesn't let go. I really need to discuss this album with you guys, as there is so much to take in. I feel like there is so much more I may have missed. And if I had to pick a favorite song... it is tough... it would be between C++, Cult, and Map Change. For now at least. Who knows where I will be in a few listens.
This was a bloody lovely surprise to wake up to. Only up to It Remembers atm but holy shit this album is so killer so far
Twice. Original pink vinyl on their main site that sold out. And then the purple vinyl/No Country For Low Teens shirt/screen print bundle from JBWW. I wanted that last one they put up too limited to 100 with the alt artwork for the album and the slip cover...... but I couldn't justify a THIRD time.(heck maybe not on the 2nd time) If you listened to the last pudcast..... "fuck it" mentality basically. On the fence? Fuck it just do it.
Well that was a truly fantastic listen. Exactly what I wanted out of a new ETID album. A tour de force the entire way through. Defo gonna be top 2-3 by end of the year
Jammed most of this on a walk early this morning. Got to "Petal" as I was getting back home and nearly broke down. Had to sit down outside to get through that track. At this point I think this is everything I've ever wanted from ETID in one album. Oh, and Urie sounds great on "It Remembers", I wish he sang like that all the time.
This album is insane. I actually didn't really love the opener or Two Summers on first listen, but I'm sure I'll warm up to them. I feel like back on that Shane Told podcast, keith said the opening track had no screaming. I wonder if they originally had Two Summers as the opener and changed it.
This record really is a beast. There are no rules, no regulations, no set boundaries that contain it; it moves around frantically, straddling the line of chaos without ever truly delving into it. There is a lot to sink your teeth into here, and having lyrics in front of me would help the digestion process, but ETID definitely did it again. Also Petal has to be the most emotionally devastating ETID song to date, right? I had tears in my eyes.