This record is stunning, honestly blown away by how good it is. Especially the combination of "blood from a stone" and "ii" and also the final track. I don't know anything about recording/production and so I don't hear anything weird or shitty, just a really solid, emotional record. Love it.
I love the songwriting, production, and musicality of the album. Cam's vocals are stronger than ever; the way Charlie delivers his poetic spoken-work on the opening and second-last tracks are a step up from anything he/they have done in the past. Yet, I'm really torn by the record's length. If a few of the songs were even a minute longer, the songs would shine through a lot more. I don't really understand the 20-second track towards the end; just sounds like a bunch of jumbled noise. Also, I was pretty disappointed to see that Cam's last vocal appearance on an 11-track album is in the 5th song. Good release either way. I just think it had a lot more potential.
interesting little album. the production is shit and some of the spoken word parts are super canned but overall its pretty good
So much THIS. I get what he was going for, as this was more of an art project centered around a theme, and its a very heavy subject. BUT, adding a few more actual real songs to the album, or making the others longer and more realized, would have made this an incredible album. As much as I like it, its a shame because you can tell it had potential to be a great record.
2016 had a lot of good music and the end of the year less people are typically listening to new things that said this is still good. i teeter on how i feel about the short story, will say I think it's better than the poetry featured on an autobiography now
that might be more accurate. dunno though, feel like the incorporation of it is what made it feel a little clunky. it's just kind of dropped in
Came in here to say this. Also that I like how shitty the production is. It feels home-recording romantic.
After all that wait, this is what we get? I've listened to this all the way through and for sure doesn't catch me.
I felt the same way at first, but Cam has proved he's a strong songwriter even with short, angsty-type songs. Once Raph left the band, I don't think Cam or Charlie had any intentions of keeping Old Gray going. All of his focus seemed to be on Sorority Noise and the popularity of that band eclipsed Old Gray's. Cam does say in the linear notes of Slow Burn that this is the album he didn't want to write. I don't really understand the need for two bands anyways. The members of Sorority Noise are the exact same as Old Gray now. Why doesn't Cam just write the music he wants, record it, and put it out, without having the need to distinguish the heavier songs as OG and quieter/punkier stuff as SN.
Well, I didn't even know that about Sorority Noise. This Raph dude, was he one of the main vocalists on Old Gray's first album? I agree with you on the two band thing, it pissed me off when Ace did I Can Make A Mess... while still in The Early November. Especially considering the music was very similar. Or Cursive and The Good Life.