The drum work is one big reason I really don't like the first half of Goodness Pt 2 and Piano Player. It's just the same the whole time. Christian said "Snares are the beginning and end of the narrative arc of the record." Edit: Actually here is a better quote: The beginning and end of the narrative arc of the record. The idea that goodness is brief and ends abruptly and that time is not linear. Also it was funny -Christian haha
END OF REEL FRICKFRICKFRICKFRICKFDIX WITH THE SIGHT OF YOOOOOOU BRIMMMMMIMG GOOSEBUMPS HOLY END OF REEL THIS ALBUM GAAAAH
The bridge-ish portion of You In This Light ("clutching your body close...") makes me want to hold my girlfriend's hand and sing the words to her while sitting in a park on a summer evening I am sappy.
Double post but I think I'm beginning to view this record as the birth/rebirth and awakening/reawakening of a person in all aspects of their life. I think the speaker is experiencing these things alongside everyone in their life, and that could certainly include a partner, but I also think theres a lot of focus on family, friends, and humanity as a whole. Ultimately I think the speaker is the main focus, even if they are entering the "goodness" with others.
I think that's definitely what "Opening Mail" and "Soft Animal" are about but not the whole album. I don't think there's one specific thing the album is about. But maybe a narrative arc throughout the different topics of the songs.
Although thinking about the snares being the beginning and end of the narritive arc and the last track being called end of reel definitely gives the impression this could be a story or play out as one.
I definitely see a story, or at least the structure of one, present within the narrative arc. The snare hits, the interludes, the repeated and reiterated themes, etc all give me the impression that there is an account being given of some sort. I feel the same way about Home, but even more so with this record.
I've been kind of thinking that all 3 albums are a continuous story. It's your standard 3 part story arc: the beginning (young, new, energetic, an introduction to the characters/story) in INGO. The middle (trials and tribulations, growth, further development, challenges and the testing of character) in Home, and then the resolution (finality, bringing everything full circle, finding answers and solutions to the previous arcs challenges and bringing everything to a close) in Goodness.
I could be way off since I haven't spent much time with the lyrics of "Piano Player" and I can't listen to it now to see how well my theory plays out but since that's the first song after the snare hits signalling the start of the narrative I feel like the entire album could be the story of the character in that song where it's basically looking back on her life in the final moments of her life. The first verse where the vocals are subdued are just before we're taken back which makes end of reel make a lot of sense to me like we're looking at old family movies or something. Idk how much sense that makes but I think that would be a great narritive for a record and I'm going to listen with that in mind next time I do.
Oh man. Had a major spiritual awakening involving this album last night. Not going to go too much into the personal details but essentially this album truly hit me in full which it hadn't quite done on my first few listens. In that moment, all of the choices that I was originally not sold on started to make sense. My initial reaction had me thinking this was better than Home instrumentally but not as good lyrically, however after listening to both albums last night I now see this album as a step up in every way. In terms of the lyrics, when Home was released I didn't exactly dig deep into what was being said and try to connect it to my own experiences (probably too emotionally guarded at the time) but last night looking back I realized a profound connection between almost all of the lyrics and what was going on in my life at that time. Since then, a lot has changed in my life and my views on the world have become a bit less "fantasy" and a bit more realistic. Reading the lyrics to Goodness more closely, the connections to my current views/circumstances are even more profound. The thing is I am from Worcester myself and as much as I have wanted to love these guys, I have only enjoyed them in spurts in the past but they have gotten under my skin and are slowly becoming one of the most important bands in my life. Also up until now, no matter the band, I would have hated the fact that there was a poem included but in this case I think it sets the stage perfectly for the beauty to come. My advice to those listeners who aren't enjoying this as much as some of the others, take some time away from this thread and allow yourself the space to really feel what this album is about without the pressure of it "living up to the hype" and stuff along those lines.
This thread has really gotten back on track today, great posts from everyone.. I wish I had the ability to analyze lyrics like everyone else in here.. I can tell you exactly what chord they are playing or where they are using minor second intervals or what beat a certain part falls on, but when it comes to analyzing lyrics I fall short of many people in here.. I'm still trying to form my own opinion on what the lyrics mean to me personally.. That being said that feeling I get from two deliverances of entering someone's space and not quite feeling comfortable in it, I've felt that many times in my life and feel like the song captures it perfectly.
in that case Teebs my good friend, you need to tab this album out for the rest of us haha. but really - when you figure out how to play songs let me know ;)
I'm an English Major, so dissecting and interpreting lyrics is a ton of fun for me haha. I'm sure I'll be unpacking meaning and nuance from this record for months and months.
Yeah, definitely feel there is more of narrative here than I originally thought however loose it might be.
I was gonna say, I'd be willing to exchange some of my own lyrical interpretations for some tabs haha. The guitar work on this is just what I want from an album.
Haha I'll let you know.. Have my school concert tonight so after that will have a lot of time.. You were pretty close with your two deliverances chord progression by the way just need to change e minor to e major. And C sharp to C sharp minor
My first listening experience was pretty unique. I was at a hotel for a wedding and listened in the dark, alone as my fiance got ready. No other distractions, didn't listen to any of the live songs and only heard Piano Player and Soft Animal a few times on the day they were released. I enjoyed not really being able to read the thoughts of the people on here/get in conversations about the album as it became entirely personal for me. Maybe that's why I'm not all that interested in talking about it, ha.
Okay summer project for me when school is done is to learn everyone song on here, then share in either tab form or video form.
I support that. I've been meaning to sit down and try to pick out some parts to learn as well but just haven't gotten around to it. There's alot of cool stuff on here though.
Haha, thats how i was playing it, i probably just wasnt paying much attention when i posted it because i was in a cabin of like 45 friends that day with bad internet reception on my phone and it was chaos (every mistake needs an excuse)... but yeah now that you mention it, i did type "Em" didnt i lol? my bad.
Let's form a Hotelier cover band called The Hotelyeah and just play Two Deliverances 13 times each set
This and Carrie and Lowell are kind've like my "fuck you this is mine" albums of the past few years where I'm uninterested in any and all lyrical dissection aside from my own. It feels weird to pick out favorites/least favorites on this album. I think it works entirely as a unit and can't really be changed or altered in terms of track listing. Then again, I've never been fond of altering track listings