The Dangerous Summer - Gravity (June 21, 2024) • Page 23

(Sighs.) I was only asking if it was ever commented on or critiqued. I did not mean to suggest that they should "get grief" or that they can't use another locale for creative direction. My grunge example was me acknowledging that this has been done time and time again.

 

Decided to put on RFTS for the first time in a while yesterday while doing some yard work - it is just so ridiculously good for a debut album, like it's not even fair. The fact that War Paint was an incredibly worthy follow-up feels like a miracle in and of itself, and it has to be so daunting to continue to follow those up.

I'm so back and forth on this band, but god damn, that album is pretty close to perfect, especially back in the day for my 2009 self, and still hits for the old man I am in 2024.

 

2009-10 I would listen to this on summer trips to Northern Michigan and man, did it really unlock something.

 

i remember listening to where i want to be in the late fall of 2010 with my high school gf one night when we were thrifting together and that moment in time has been seared into my brain permanently. that and 7-8 months later when work in progress released as a single when i was visiting the college campus i was going to next fall for orientation and i listened to it on headphones in my hotel room. those two moments dont sound like much but i put so much weight on them in my mind because of the music i associate with it. its powerful like that. its why i dont buy the "its just nostalgia" as a counter argument because its nostalgic for a fucking reason, you know? that shit hit me when i was 18 because it was special.

 

so many songs unlock very specific memories for me its unreal

 

Can confirm that The Dangerous Summer + summertime in northern Michigan = perfection.

 

I finally gave it (Gravity) a proper headphone listen yesterday and I do think it is a good album - the pacing is solid, no real qualms with production, and a lot of the songs seem like genuine efforts.

The thing though - and I think this happens with tons of bands as they/I age, not just TDS - is that I would be hard pressed to put on this album over any of their earlier work. A lot like other bands from the same era (Mayday Parade comes to mind) - I think they really need to push their sonic boundaries and come out with something quite different that can stand out to continue to be relevant. Obviously very easy for me to say from my armchair and much harder to actually do, but going heavy or going weird on the next release would get a lot more of my attention.

Cheers though, solid album overall, and I hope the tour goes well.