yeah, the three songs immediately following Tortoises is possibly the best stretch of the album. and if the two closers don’t just tear at your heart, I’m not sure you have one.
Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore and Break on Through are legitimately one of my favourite album enders ever. Aaron sounds really devastated and the band matches. It's tough to get through (in a beautiful way) because the emotions are just so present.
Michael, Row Your Boat Ashore is not the easiest mwy song to love on its own but it's so important to the album/mwy narrative, it hits so hard in context.
I think that one is overproduced to be totally honest, if they'd stripped it way back I would have adored it no doubt
I haven’t often wondered, “What is the best second half of any record I’ve heard?” but were I to have that conversation this record would absolutely be part of it.
Haha, that's definitely my least favourite on the record. Everyone's favourite has to be someone's least I guess.
Wendy & Betsy is one of those tracks from them that I absolutely love but have zero understanding of what it's about, aside from the cat references.
I love Dormouse Sighs. Love when bands give nods to old hymns like that though, so if that's not your thing then I get that. But yeah, Wendy and Betsy, New Wine New Skins, and Michael Row Your Boat Ashore is an insane run of songs, with the two softer songs before and after the run make it perfect sequencing.
The album is amazing front to back, but if I HAD to pick a weaker portion it would be Tortoises All the Way Down and Flee Thou Matadors.
yeah, matadors and winter solstice are the weak spots for me. (i love winter solstice alt version dont hurt me)
And that outro riff in Matadors is so cathartic, especially when played in context of the full album.
Yeah no arguments from me on the outro, I just find myself listening to both (Matadors and Tortoises) and getting excited for the ending and wishing away the first 3/4 of the song.