Grayscale - Umbra (August 27, 2021) Album • Page 4

Yeah, I’d add more before I’d subtract anything. Overall I was underwhelmed by my first listen but the second and third listens have been increasingly satisfying.

 

I’m pleasantly surprised with this album. I wasn’t excited at all after hearing the singles, but this feels like a natural progression from nella vita. I roll my eyes at some of the lyrics but I’m looking forward to spending more time with this

 

I just want them to double down on without you and really push themselves sonically. It’s weird - I prefer the super pop stuff (without you, bad love) and then the edgier stuff (dirty bombs, king) but less of the stuff that’s In between. They have a nice duality quality to them for sure.

 

Honestly they should’ve made that photo the album cover

 

I love the tone of this album. Grayscale is one of the few bands in the scene that have a fun time mixing it up.

 

They also touched on wanting a minimalistic cover for a few reasons - A) because Nella Vita had such a clear visual direction and B) they wanted people to not be able to immediately draw an assumption based on their album cover. They felt it would attract more people that way.

Even if I don’t like their choices all the time, I have to respect that everything they do is calculated and very well thought out.

 

Yeah he seems like a pretty heady dude tbh

 

Who produced/mixed this? There are a few minor issues I have here and there.

 

Courtney Ballard produced it and mixed it (well, he at least mixed Dirty Bombs)

 

Liking this more than Nella Vita on first listen. NV had a few tracks I really loved but overall I wasn't as hot on it as a lot of people were.

 

Just finished my first listen and the ending to Light is so abrupt. Felt really jarring for the end of the album.

 

I'm enjoying this much more than Nella Vita. Some really great songs on here.

 

Yeah, on my first listen I laughed out loud and said “what?” all alone in my apartment.

 

Really enjoy this. Live Again and Carolina Skies are so dang good.

 

Better than Nella Vita for me and I really enjoyed that album. Without You is so, so good. Agree with above about loving if they went even further in this direction.

 

Really disliked all of the singles so not gonna lie, bar was kinda on the floor going in. With that said, was pleasantly surprised with some of this. It doesn’t really break a lot of new ground for them and therefore doesn’t seem as fresh and spirited as NV, but does enough to scratch that pop rock itch that I’ll definitely be returning to it

 

Probably the best album to ever come out of this era of the scene, god damn. The fact that these guys aren't the face of alternative rock is a massive failure of the system, because this is equally fun as it is accessible.

Side note-- Courtney Ballard is one of the best producers in this genre, he's taken so many bands to the next level (Stand Atlantic, Waterparks, Bearings, etc.)

 

Not to be a buzzkill, but does anyone else feel like there’s way too much going on in some songs? It’s like production overload. Maybe it’s just because I’m used to their other music. On my second listen, I kept wondering how they were going to pull off half these songs live.

This album also reminds me a lot of Emarosa’s Peach Club.

With that all said, I do like that the album is more diverse than the singles let on, and Collin sounds really great.

 

Overall this is better than Nella Vita but I’m not sure there’s a song as good as In Violet. Dreamcatcher might be one of their worst songs in general

 

I’m with you, band deserves way bigger success than they are getting

Also, that Bearings record really was a huge improvement, I’m gonna keep my eye on Ballard

 

I was really bored by this which sucks because I love this band. The songs all sound similar. Maybe I'll revisit.

 

Never heard of this band before, this album is a lot of fun. Really really reminds me of Eye Alaska, which is a great thing.

 

I viewed this like Nella Vita. I love about half of it and they have some great songs, but the other half is rather boring. I love that they are branching out and doing their thing but I do miss the more aggressive side that they displayed on the first album at times.

 

only a few songs in but this is a lot of fun

 

this isnt the best album ive ever heard or anything but its a super solid pop rock album. nothing on here stands out as weaker than the rest imo. im pretty impressed honestly