I think this is pretty good! The lowpoint (of their entire discography) is definitely 2X Tigers but everything else is good.
I feel like Tropic Scorpio is only great relative to the mediocrity surrounding it Solid pop rock song but Jenkins can write those in his sleep, which makes the lack thereof kinda mystifying Best 10 seconds on the album (and the most reminiscent of old 3EB) is Alexis Krauss’ vocal part on Screamer
2x Tigers is definitely the weird peak of the album, but it doesn't completely and utterly NOT work, haha
Yeah, I don't get the hype yet. Maybe it will grow on me. Not a bad song, but it would blend right in on Dopamine, which has a handful of stronger tracks in my opinion.
longtime 3EB fan checking in: I think this album is fucking awful. I don't know if all the recent shit around Jenkins has tainted my perception somewhat, but this is the worst his songwriting has ever been by far
I really thought his lyrics had suffered but after a re-listen (plus a weekend spent with my metal buddies aping shit like “cause I don’t see the light anymore” or “if I could take away your pain I would”) I realize Jenkins is still a wizard Honestly who else could work “telemetry” or “valise” into a pop song and have it flow that well
It actually flows really well. Considering the persona he seems to have adopted over the past decade or so I expected much worse, he comes off like such an effete smarmy douche in interviews but I’ve never felt the same from his lyrics.
It’s just really odd - you see a music video from the 90s like Losing A Whole Year or Never Let You Go and he looks and sounds like a dude you’d wanna party with Now every interview he’s just this lazy Mick Jagger/John Waters hybrid and it’s a serious turnoff Thank the lord it doesn’t come across in his vocal delivery