Just finished. The record gets better as it goes along, but the second half is GREAT. The run from tracks 5-10 is unreal. High Forever and Lips were the only two I wasn't really that crazy on, but God, the last three tracks are fucking terrific.
I already know Anxiety in Real Time is going to be a new favorite Maine track for me. Absolutely fucking scratches the itch that The Maine did for me on LLL.
Their career spans my entire military career. I know each album based on where I was at the time, what I was going through… literally no other band has been like that for me during this time of my life. I always said Finch was my favorite band, but I really think it may be this band at this time In my life.
This is definitely more of LLL’s counterpart than YAO - that second half stretch is pretty close to perfect
On that note, they've legit played several full songs on pillar that are demos that could easily fit on this album, pretty sure it sounds like they are already working on 9, this record has been done for 7+ months according to Pat
The only tracks I’m not enamored with are the two “ballads” at the heart of the record. Not bad just there.
First impression is to rank this below Lovely, American Candy, and Pioneer, but above Can't Stop, Forever Halloween, and Black & White. I think I like it about as much as You Are OK for different reasons. The best songs from XOXO are better than the best songs from YAO, but I think YAO is a better album conceptually. I'll have to think about it.
I hope they push what they're going for on DPB with future releases. Would loooooove to see them break radio.
Do they have any production creds on this? Seems like they are really pushing that side of things (at least John from a few interviews/podcasts I’ve seen/heard)
This is so damn good. Wish I wouldn’t have burnt out the singles, but I blame the long rollout for that. I’m shocked at how much this keep band keeps maturing and trying out new sounds with each release. They’re sooooo close to a mainstream breakthrough. They’ve put in the work and did this on their terms. It’s so refreshing to a experience a piece of work like this for the first time. Dirty, Pretty, Beautiful and Anxiety in Real Time are my immediate favorites. DPB better be a single!! Bravo gentlemen. You did it yet again.
Been very clear for a while this would be a run at radio, and I gotta hand it to them for playing it as smart as they always do — Sticky has done well for them, and saving the other obvious singles for the actual album cycle rather than the rollout was the right move. High Forever and DPB will do numbers, and the band deserves it. Bummed to say the record’s not for me though, haha. Aside from some impressive production moments and a lot of actually stunning guitar tones, I have a hard time seeing myself going back to this
Sorry for the double post but I can already tell this will be coming out in 2nd place for me in The Maine's discography (to no one's surprise LLL is 1st). The middle half dips a bit for me but the start and end is @Jason Tate curious what your thoughts on the album?
Agree with the popular opinion that the last 3 songs are absolutely brilliant. I just wish the whole record was a bit longer