@unbornwhiskey I think I would have felt biased in favor of your review because of how much you talked it down, but I actually just read the P4K review and loved it without putting the pieces together that it was yours. Terrific job!! Beautifully written!
I don't know if this is possible. It probably isn't. I'm gonna try anyway. 19. Existential Dread, Six Hours' Time 18. Break on Through (To the Other Side) [Pt. 2] 17. Winter Solstice (alt. version) 16. Dirty Air 15. Flee, Thou Matadors! 14. Winter Solstice 13. [dormouse sighs] 12. Cities of the Plain 11. Kristy w/ the Sparkling Teeth 10. Julia (or, 'Holy to the Lord' on the Bells of Horses) 9. 9:27a.m., 7/29 8. Wendy & Betsy 7. Bethlehem, WV 6. New Wine, New Skins 5. 2,759 Miles 4. August 6th 3. Another Head for Hydra 2. Tortoises All the Way Down 1. Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore And I love Existential Dread.
Yeah, I think numerical based scores or even letter scores are bad and have a negative effect on music critique. For instance, do I disagree with anything said in the P4k review? Nope, it captures my feelings well. Would I rate this album 7.5/10? Haha no. If the number score isn't based solely on the quality of the music and is instead based on ((quality÷how Condi Nast feels about the band)×name recognition)- any connection to the punk or emo scene= 7.5 then what's the point? It adds nothing of substance.
I was really drunk when I quoted this but I wanna expand and say that this lyric for some reason just really stands out to me and always sticks in my brain. I love how it reads like stage direction
I don't mind scores to be honest, you just have to go into it knowing that everyone will feel differently about it. It's a good barometer if you see mostly bad or mostly good scores, regardless of individual score. I have much bigger issues with reviews that are just one mini paragraph after the next in a simplistic linear style that is just a recap of each track. You're reviewing an ALBUM, the same way a movie review shouldn't be the Wikipedia plot summary. (I'm not directing that at anybody I just see too much of it around in the ether for my taste ha)
For the longest time I HATED it because with my first and middle names I was named after a certain Welsh rugby player, c/o my dad, but I've come around to it hahah.
I think "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" is one of the best songs they've ever written. Strong Foxes vibes.
@unbornwhiskey extremly envious of your writing talent, i think i do an alright job of conveying lyrical analysis but your ability to describe music and lyrics and how they connect is extremely well done and this review was spot on
'While all hiding in our painting-of-a-house-hung-up-inside-that-same-painted-house-which-ever-implies-another-painted-house-inside lives' Aaron must have watched Synecdoche, New York. Edit: That would explain a LOT of the lyrics on this album actually... That movie is crushing.
This record is certainly inspiring some fantastic writing ha. Loved both Drew's and Unbornwhiskeys reviews equally!
Gonna repeat all the review love. You all did wonderful jobs on these pieces. All that I've read have been great, but props to @unbornwhiskey and @Drew Beringer.
this is great drew also i love that all three reviews posted in the past few pages dwell on “new wine, new skins,” which i discovered today is my favorite mewithoutyou song
really though, i should absolutely be sick of this album with how much i've played it. can't put it down.
i've had an impossible time trying to figure out what my favorite song is on this but more and more i feel like new wine might be it.