Paper Route - Real Emotion (September 23, 2016) Album

Not sure if anyone else is excited about this -- "Chariots" is one of my favorite songs of the year so far.

 

I'll give this a listen because back in like 2009 I saw these supporting Paramore and actually really enjoyed them. I remember a red album that had decent songs on, but one with like yellow tape that didn't impress me much. (Sorry for sounding all Shania Twain there).

 

Haha, yeah I liked the red one (Absence) more than their second too. "Dance On Our Graves" is probably the Paper Route song I go back to most.

 

I love Absence, Peace of Wild Things is great too I just didn't connect to it as strongly. According to twitter, this album goes with blue so they have all the primary colors represented. I'm actually kind of excited for this. Hopefully it's good.

 

Also, here's one more song from the album.

 

Not thrilled with 'Laugh about It' but 'Chariots' really grew on me. Absence is one of my all-time favorite albums so I'll definitely check this out.

 

Haven't seen a track listing yet. Is Zhivago definitely on the album?

 

Yes, so far I've only seen the track list on iTunes but it's there.

 

Yes, it is. Album is 16 tracks on all versions and includes it.

Also, I didn't like Laugh About It but today it kind of clicked. Fun song. Listening to Absence now

 

I like Peace of Wild Things, but I definitely prefer Absence. I really do think they lost something when Andy Smith left the band. It's odd, I listened to his album with his new band, Brother Leather, and thought it was just okay save for a few tracks. He, JT and Chad just had such an interesting dynamic together and I miss that. I still love this band, but I'll always wish I could have heard more from the original lineup.

 

I'm really interested to hear what they do with 16 tracks. Both of their other albums (especially Peace of Wild Things) have felt very concise, so I wonder what they'll do with 4-6 more songs.

 

Y'all crazy about their last album - nothing off Abscence resonated with me at all, while "Better Life" and "Two Hearts" off of The Peace of Wild Things are prettymuch pop perfection, like a less shitty Imagine Dragons. The vocals on those two songs are particularly impressive, I never get the fans pining for their old vocalist.

None of these new songs are very good unfortunately.

 

Their EP is so incredibly solid.

 

Well, Andy did sing, yes, but JT has always sung as well. It's not that I miss Andy's singing specifically. Andy was one of the three founding members of the band and he played the guitar, harmonica (really miss that harmonica) and theremin. He was more interested in softer, sensitive Paul Simon influences and was thus into chord progressions that JT and Chad weren't as interested in. You can hear it in his work both on Absence, the self titled EP, the Christmas EPs and the Are We All Forgotten EP. That also happens to be a style I like and I don't think that's such a big deal. He added something unique to the band beyond vocals. Beyond that, I never said I didn't like The Peace of Wild Things. I actually like it a lot, including those songs you mentioned as well as "Glass Heart Hymn" and "Calm My Soul." I just also happen to miss Andy and wonder what their releases would be like with his musical influence still in the mix.

 

I completely agree. I love everything they've done, but if 'Be Healed' didn't exist, Absensce would be a perfect album, in my opinion. I enjoy the poppier direction they've taken since, but they definitely had something special there that I don't feel like they've been able to recreate since.

 

Absolutely. They had some fantastic pop numbers on Absence wherein Andy's contribution really shines. "Carousel", "Tiger Teeth", "Last Time", to name a few. My personal favorite off Are We All Forgotten is "Empty House".

and of course "Only Words" from the self titled EP is Andy at his sensitive best:

 

I haven't listened to them since like 2009 when they supported Paramore. When I saw your comment about Be Healed I was like WHAT but jumped on Spotify and realised I'd mistook the title of the song. Thought you were referring to Gutter or Good Intentions. Was gonna flip hahahah

 

No, those are both great songs! Haha. Be Healed is just like... why.

 

Yeahhhh. Not great. Especially when compared with those.

 

I'm really bummed. I absolutely adored Peace, and liked most of Absence, but none of these tracks do a great deal for me. Chariots has grown on me a bit, but I feel like Peace sounded so huge and polished.

 

New song is soooo good.

 

Balconies is definitely my favorite of the new stuff so far. Keep getting more and more excited for this!

 

Bump because this is out now!

I only made it through the first 5 or so before leaving for work but I like what I've heard!

 

I didn't love Zhivago as a single, but I really like it with the intro and in context of the rest of the album