First listen was not super positive for me. A few great songs, a lot of decent songs and a bunch of duds. Ill probably like it more after a few listens, especially once I figure out which songs I can comfortably cut. Also, would love to hear any justification for why it opens in the way it does. It kills its own flow several times.
I’m so sorry but I dislike the Greta intro more and more with each album spin. I didn’t mind it so much 8 months ago but at this point it’s just SO long
From that uproxx review: ‘the most explicitly political lyric on this album comes in the unconvincing fake-punk song, “People,”’ What does that even mean? Always interested to read reviews, even ones I disagree with, but that review is so weird.
I will say one thing, this record is as long as it is and they REALLY couldn't make the intro to Too Shy a separate track?? like literally don't even change anything just cut it right when the guitar comes in and the single version could just not have that pad thing under it for the first 5 seconds
Ngl I think this might be their best work, it sounds like they just made the weirdest playlist ever made and you just have to be onboard with every kind of music they are into And it turns out I am
Yeah this band always surprises me and still never lets me down... its always a bunch off music I didn’t know I needed
I’m waiting till release day so I can experience it for the first time on my long drive up north. This thread isn’t making it easy.
the critical backlash on this is completely unsurprising - you could sense it bubbling shorty after ABIIOR. same cycle happened with Father John Misty and countless others
I dunno - critics and publications just like to decide what the narrative is beforehand because they are bored or sick of an artist
not that it's especially relevant but I'm curious to read the fork write-up - it's either gonna be low to mid 7's or like a fucking 4.4 haha
and then sometimes critics and publications are just too stubborn to change their already decided upon opinion. I don't have that problem - I have posted some annoyances and criticisms about this album cycle - mainly about 22 tracks being too long - but if all 22 tracks work and feel vital I'll be the first one to admit that I was wrong.
some artists are bullet proof - Radiohead, Perfume Genius, Kendrick Lamar etc - but yeah mainly this is correct. I'm glad that this mindset has never been prevalent on AP.net and chorus.fm I mean look at The Maine for example - I remember their first few releases were harshly criticized by our site and then they put out American candy and lovely little lonely and instead of us just doubling down and always believing the band was bad (sticking to our narrative) we gave those records the praise they deserve it doesn't always happen like that
and I haven't read any of the reviews on this record yet so my posts aren't pointed towards one specific writeup or write-ups - it's just based on all the tweets I saw Matty retweeting and the same theme was showing up in the negative ones - "messy" "Bloated" "direction-less"
And then a generations or two later if the artist or album they hated turns out to be incredibly influential to the newest waves of musicians then suddenly there's tons of re-evaluations and backtracking
finished my first listen and still really gathering my thoughts/going through this thread and liking copious amounts of messages but george!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! daniel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hats off to the legend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm here for all of the best/worst album of theirs takes. I needed a polarizing album i have been so bored.
It is such a bitch to be way back on page 283 of this thread. Slow down, guys, and let me tell you that Shiny Collarbone, What Should I Say, I Think There's Something You Should Know, and Yeah I Know are my jams right now after the 5th listen.