I'm on to the self-titled now. El Paso. What a track. Might be there 3rd best opener behind You Know How I Do and Set Phasers to Stun. It's one of the better examples of post-reunion dual vocals.
Someone find Eric Valentine and slap him for me on account of what happened to Best Places To Be A Mom. Don't get me wrong, it's still good. But what they were playing pre-release had so much more potential: I'll admit the chorus the better in the final version. But cutting out the intro and just jumping in feels like a mistake. Also, give me that piano bridge.
I'd say the same thing about You Should Have Waited. I'm glad we got that demo in the end, but I'm still suffering from live demoitis. The initial version they played live on their reunion tour, and then had in the background of that one writing session video was so much better.
I'm backing away from my long-held "It Doesn't Feel Like Falling" is one of the most boring songs they've ever written stance. The riff is good. The verses have a fun pace to them. The chorus is huge but too repetitive. I know their choruses tend to be repetitive, but it sticks out here. The bridge is great. It feels like a song that should end differently though. After the bridge, I want it to transition into an old-school TBS outro, but it just repeats the chorus and that's where it falls flat to me. Still, overall a solid song.
Okay, well the self-titled is better than I recall as well. I've always slotted it behind New Again, but having just listened back to back... it's a much better album. There's not a song on here I don't like. Even Money. I get why many don't like it and I don't think it really fits on the album, but it's quick a fun. I feel similarly about Who Are You Anyway? The chorus is great but the track feels like it belongs on a different album. The only song I think is really skippable is Faith. It has potential, but it feels uninspired. Like New Again, it's an album where replacing a few songs with b-sides would make it leaps and bounds better. Something like this: El Paso Mackey Sasser Best Places You Were Right Sad Savior Morning Sickness This Is All Now Since You're Gone You Got Me Call Me In The Morning
Sure, but the arrangement of the song is what I'm getting at. The album version is restructured and tinkered with in a way that brings it down from what it started from.
I agree with Faith feeling uninspired. There's a lot going on but it feels boring and corny for some reason. I like the end though.
Get rid of You Got Me and keep It Doesnt Feel A Thing Like Falling, and this tracklist would shoot up high from last place in my ranking
Two highlights for me. Call Me In The Morning is their second or third best closer. It's between that and El Paso for the best song on the album. Also This Is All Now is still fantastic. One of their best choruses, bridges and another dual vocal standout.
I like You Got Me better, than Falling but I guess I didn't think about Morning Sickness and You Got Me being on the same album. If one has to go it'd be You Got Me.
yeah This Is All Now is a fantastic song. it's quintessential tbs, it has everything that's great about them
This is almost perfect but you need Jenny and Catholic knees! I like Capital M-E a lot but I could do without it.
I used to dislike New Again very much, hate it even, but I like it more these days. Still has a couple songs I always skip on it though. Losing Fred was clearly tough for them.
There are a lot of cool instrumental ideas on the album, but it does feel there isn't a really skilled songwriter like Fred or John there to help tie most of it together.