So steer it somewhere else? Groaning "ugh can't believe people are talking about pitchfork reviews AGAIN" doesn't add anything novel to the thread either. I mean, Craig said "I get what the reviewer is saying, but I also disagree that the album needed to explore more of the systemic problems that destroy small towns. I think I like it more that the characters just have these clouds over them and are trying to deal with, without necessarily thinking about why those clouds are there." That's a valid thread of discussion in relation to the review to pick up or ignore. I'm not even defending that specific review because it isn't that great, but the idea that there aren't writers (Sam Sodomsky comes to mind) at Pitchfork thinking about music in compelling ways is wild.
Listened to the unabridged version on a run today and might stick with that version from now on. For some reason I expected the interviews to be much longer and was surprised that they were as short as they were. Glad they’re not as long as that fucking 4-hour rambling shit that opens The People’s Key. Talk about an album that needs an abridged version (or at least, song).
You’re missing the point. “If there’s no such thing as time, you’re already there [at the beginning of the first song]”
and this is why it’s annoying to me when it gets brought up in any context, because it always devolves into meaningless drivel. but it’s my fault for not “steering the conversation” or whatever bullshit lol
I shared the Pitchfork review because I thought it had some interesting points (most of which I disagreed with) and I was curious to see where other people stood on some of what was said in that review, specifically the "Brandon should explore the systemic causes of these issues" point.
I'm glad you posted the pitchfork review, even though I vehemently disagree the idea that Brandon have explored the systemic causes of those issues. I love the way he did it, from the perspective of people living under and struggling against such forces without even being aware of them or realizing that the are there in a conscious way.
There is definitely a conversation to be had about the underlying causes of economic depression, extreme poverty, and widespread opioid addiction that plagues many small towns like the one this album is about. But I think Pressure Machine wisely keeps the microscope on the people.
Man I've never really listened to The Killers since Hot Fuss but I fucking LOVE this. Listened to it three times at work today.
I agree about it being an important conversation - I just think it was beyond the scope / not the focus of what he was doing here.
Did that PF author not like Breaking Bad for the same reasons? How much good art are they downvoting for focusing on the personal stories instead of the macro level causes of the forces that lead people to be the way they are?
I spent the weekend going back and listening to their last three albums, which I’ve never heard before, and man I really love Imploding The Mirage and Battle Born. Wonderful Wonderful is good too, has some high highs, but is definitely an uneven listen. Man I’m really glad I got back into this band, they’ve been doing some truly great stuff since post-Day & Age.
Listening to this on an evening run really cracked it open for me in a new way. It’s a perfect late summer sundown record. “Quiet Town” in particular hit me really hard on this listen.
i mean the pitchfork writer is absolutely correct that brandon flowers is far too removed from the regular people/life in nephi to accurately portray it, but thats such a small minor nitpick in what makes the album great. the storytelling is good, the lyrics are phenomenal and so is the music. that the storytelling doesn't get into enough of the nitty gritty behind its themes seems hardly worthy of a footnote.