Yeah I agree there’s more repetition here than I need. I think it just irks me in different spots than you. I wouldn’t cut any of Light Night
no, I don't really view music that way. I kind of hate ranking in general but I still create a list (only at the end of) every year because it's a good way to recommend albums others might've missed
The World So Madly has a vocal melody that is soooo like Narrow Stairs era Death Cab that I love. I also love this part Where does all the pain go? Inside an empty room? Now you look at the clock, beg it to stop It blinks at you, blinks at you, blinks at you now I am also more than happy to let them ride out a jam. Strange Love is the only one that hasn't really clicked for me yet. I think this could end up at the top of my list (which I hardly really make anymore for real). I just love this album tbh. It's all I've wanted to listen to and it's really lifting my spirits
I think the album is OK. there's something in the water with contemporary american indie where a lot of bands are kind of mining the same territory and blending similar influences (especially classic rock and radio americana) in a really proficient and professional way that kind of bores me. reading the stereogum interview where they did a track by track confirmed for me that a lot of what they were doing sonically was mimicking or evoking other bands, with the help of engineers who know exactly how those records were produced. it's obviously "good" but it sounds like a museum exhibit to me.
This is a great critique and definitely something I’ve thought about as we hear more and more artists play their hand at this sound. I would say the same for that “dirtgaze” trend. Ratboys do this well but generally it is becoming a bit predictable.
First listen I definitely felt the length of a lot of the songs. Second listen and it didn’t bother me as much. I still think some of the songs need trimmed even 30-60 seconds. Overall a good record.
Not bothered by the length of any tracks there - you can always rewind it slightly if you're bored at times, but repetition can be contemplative
Yeah, I feel like these song lengths are perfect and the meandering is a major part of the album thematically and at the core of the Ratboys sound
I do think records were generally better off when “45 min or less unless it’s a stone cold classic” was the standard rule
My only issue with the length of this album is that the album is SO good, and I want to keep listening again and again, but then I sometimes can’t finish it before my bedtime!
After a week of listening, some of my thoughts on this are starting to solidify. When I first heard this I wasn't as blown away as the last few albums. They are just too consistently good that I just expect them to release great music. I agree with those that are saying that they are getting predictable. They haven't evolved much but I'm not sure this is an issue since they are so consistently good. I think I'd like them to evolve a little more though. The highs on this are sooo high. What's Right is an all timer. Open Up, Light Mountains, Burn it Down, are all massive and almost all the songs are great. But my least favorite songs on this are some of my least favorite that Ratboys have ever done (Strange Love and At Peace in the Hundred Acre Wood). Those songs aren't bad, but with a discography as good as Ratboys, they fall at the bottom. Those songs have great lyrics, but musically don't do anything for me.
I would put Hundred Acre Wood at the bottom of their list of closers for sure. It's nice, but it's not the emotional wallop that all of the last three have been for me. Peter, Printer's Devil, and Bad Reaction are some of their best songs
I know this was your beef with The Window, but outside 1 or 2 tracks (Crossed That Line and No Way) I really didn't find it a problem on that record. Finally got around to this one and my goodness are they tripling down on it here. Feeling it on almost every song unfortunately. Not a bad record, but not nearly as good as the last on first listen and too many songs feeling 35% longer than they need to is definitely part of it.
don't hear that at all. i think the sprawl is part of the appeal... they remind me of a band like modest mouse or bright eyes in that sense. plus like half the songs are only around the 3 minute mark, lol. spending time with this definitely confirms it's my favorite ratboys album. the window is very close behind, but there's something here that feels like an even greater level up. open up is a great tone setter, know you then hits the 90s indie thing they're so good at doing, and light night is probably their most daring and adventurous song yet. then you have anywhere and the world so madly which are classic ratboys, penny in the lake and strange love which have the alt-country flair, and the last 4 tracks which are definitely the peak of the record for me. the themes of opening up and searching for answers lend themselves really well to tracks that are more extended and rambling. i think that's a strength of theirs, not a weakness. overall it's really great to see the band finally getting their flowers and recognition for being one of the most consistent acts in the indie rock world.
The only songs that haven’t landed with me fully yet are the last two, but I am in love with this record. I’m seeing them Tuesday in Philly, excited to hear them jam out for a while.
I listened to this once on release day on my commute, then kind of put it on the back burner to come back to later. Listening now with the lyrics in front of me and it's incredible now that I'm really locked in on it.
I really really love this album. It's really very easily my favorite release from them. I don't think any of their albums have been a daily listen for me like this. It goes by really fast for a 50 minute album, and I really don't think any of these songs overstay their welcome. @ImAMetaphor summed up my feelings pretty well a few posts ago