Saosin - Along The Shadow (May 20, 2016) Album • Page 70

I don't think it's a hot take either. I think it's easily their most well-rounded work. The first 6-7 songs of that record are just so good.

 

That's good to hear. I think Howard Benson was a really good choice for that album.

 

Yeah I can recognize AG as the best vocalist for this band but the self titled is the best front to back.

 

Totally agree. I think I'm in the minority in that I prefer Cove's songs to Anthony's in their catalog (I prefer Anthony as the vocalist despite this) but I also don't think there's any doubting that the self titled is a fantastic piece of work no matter who you prefer. I think the band sounds incredible front to back.

That being said...I would be really pissed off if they advertised this as "all the albums, all the hits" and I went to a show only to hear ZERO songs from the self-titled. The only song off the self-titled that they play even occasionally is Voices. It's almost egregious at this point.

 

Honestly, as much as I love the S/T, I wouldn't mind them playing only songs that feature Anthony, especially whenever the next album comes out

 

I love the self-titled a but I don't think any of those songs are as great as the ones on TTN.

 

There've been enough anecdotes about Anthony refusing to sing the Cove songs to make it seem likely that's what's up.

 

yeee, AG on Cove songs would be so good, so much of self titled is closer to the vibe of Translating the Name w/matured songwriting and big production. It would be a treat so I get the disappointment but get AG's reservations about singing those tracks

 

Interesting comments from Howard in this video at 9:30 mark. Gets the year wrong, but he's made a ton of records.

"Very hard record to make...band was just fighting with each other and new singer named Cove"

 

That sounds about right. Cove spoke at length on Shane Told’s podcast about the difficulties he had with the band while recording that album

 

Is that Lead Singer Syndrome? I haven't listened to that episode, i will now though.

 

It is. The interview with Cove is split up into two episodes. I thought it was pretty enlightening. He talks about how he joined the band, how intimidating it was, and how shitty it quickly became for him

 

Listening now!

 

Starting to think this is the case too. Which absolutely sucks. Come on

 

Would be weird, since Anthony has told me many times how much he loves that album.

 

It's hard to imagine Anthony being like, no, those aren't my songs, I don't want to sing them. Seems like something maybe the whole band doesn't want to do, or Anthony (wrongly) thinking he can't do those songs justice.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Anthony isn't into Cove's songs. Cove's vocal melodies were more pop/radio on those albums and that's never been his style.

 

When I first heard s/t I didn’t realize it was a different vocalist, and didn’t know for quite a time afterwards.

which is to say, the people deserve to hear sleepers

 

Anthony has even said ISOSG is his favorite Saosin record if I remember which is wild to me lol. I do remember that he said in an interview a few years ago or so it’s tough for him to sing the Saosin songs he didn’t write and can’t connect with. He said Voices was probably the one he connects most with and low and behold that’s one of the only Cove songs he’s done to this day. I think it is just not feeling comfortable, maybe feeling he can’t do them justice, not an ego thing where he refuses. Voices and you’re not alone become just big singalongs rather than him performing them.

Beau did rehearse the whole set with Voices, Sleepers, Bury Your Head, and You’re Not Alone on stream a week before the first shows, so I think they might’ve been planning to do those but maybe Anthony just didn’t get the time to rehearse those or wasn’t comfortable doing them.

 

By far my favorite Saosin record. I’d even go as far as to say it’s one of the strongest records that came out of that whole era of the scene

 

Yeah, and just generally publicly I feel he's always been an advocate of Cove and Cove-era personally. Obviously they've toured with Cove's band so that's not an issue, but it is super strange what's gone on with the marketing of this tour. If they chose to never play Cove stuff, I don't think anyone would be super surprised, but to market it as that? It's odd. Wonder if it was just a weird choice the promoter made for the advertising.

 

Yeah, if you're going to advertise it as "all the hits from all the albums" then you can't not play stuff from two of the only three full lengths released under the Saosin name. i got a ticket for this reason and have to drive 2.5 hours to the show, i am sure itll be a good show regardless but man i will feel cheated if there's nothing from those two albums.

side note, i stopped seeing thursday for this reason. i always have to drive 2 hours plus, they'd promise the wildest career-spanning set ever, then play the same 14 song set they played last time. i love the band but unless they stop by my town it's not worth travelling to see them play a short set that doesn't fulfill what was promised.

i would probably care way less if i didn't have to travel, but alas :)

 

it was probably just a dumb generic blurb added to the poster by whoever was in charge of promoting the event

 

Would be my guess as well. Though in this case it does leave some bad taste hahh, just pretty unfortunate.