p.s. @Aaron Mook - your profile tagline says you'll rank anything...how many scene points do Thrice and co. get for this one ;)
I mean, they're already kind of scene gods, but this is a top three Thrice album, so lots hehe. Beggars>Vheissu>TBEITBN>TAITA>The Alchemy Index>>Major/Minor>>>The Illusion of Safety>>>>Identity Crisis
Oooooh rankings! Count me in: Beggars > Vheissu > The Alchemy Index > Major / Minor > the rest I'm not sure where this one fits quite yet...
I never got the vibe that Beggars was regarded as their best work... well-received, sure, but best work? I thought that was Vheissu. Vheissu>Beggars=Alchemy Index 1>M/M=Illusion>Alchemy Index 2>TAIA>Identity, with this probably tied with or above Alchemy 2.
HAHA! Man, your flow chart is pretty spot on. Minor revisions (I have to separate out the different Alchemy Indexes - as you can see I have some polarizing thoughts about the individual discs): Beggars>Alchemy: Earth>Vheissu>Alchemy: Water>TAITA>Alchemy: Fire>Alchemy: Air>Major/Minor>The Illusion of Safety>Identity Crisis And too soon for me to be responsible with my TBEITBN placement :)
@Aaron Mook Sure! ;D I'll be here discussing it in a few days ;D but all the references and conclusions in your review make me leave all my doubts :) can't wait to give it a proper listen, which I'm saving for the least busy time of the night :)
I see your point but it's just something that rubs me the wrong way when a reviewer states something inherently subjective in a matter-of-fact way. Especially when it has to do with fan perception of past works and isn't commentary on the album itself. There are exceptions I think, when an album is universally accepted as a "masterpiece" among fans. Something like the Shape of Punk to Come or London Calling for example. Beggars isn't that album. Also, I don't mean to be blunt but you're out to lunch saying "Beggars has been widely accepted as their best work." Vheissu would likely be the most common choice with TAITA coming in next. I'd be amazed if even one of out every five Thrice fans called Beggars their best album
Sorry it rubs you the wrong way, but it's something most reviewers do for the reasons I mentioned and I don't think it's going to stop anytime soon Also five different users on the page of this thread alone have called Beggars their favorite ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yeah going through this thread I'm starting to see that. If I recall correctly, people were pretty ambivalent towards it when the album initially came out. Crazy how time changes perceptions... But I guess you don't need to go much further than Pinkerton to see that hypothesis ringing true.
I remember it being pretty well received, people loved it on AP.net right off the bat. I know I did. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
FWIW, every Thrice fan I've met in real life except one thinks Beggars is a poor album. It blows my mind, seeing as it's been my favorite/second favorite since it came out. Everyone I know thinks either Vheissu or TAITA are the best. But that could just be my circles.
Agreed. I think Thrice fans need to be given more credit. Feel like they've evolved with the band. Really, it's the borderline or "left behind" fans that want the harder (and typically older) stuff.
Please don't take this the wrong way, but are those the friends that sort of stopped listening to new music after high school? I have those friends, and would agree that they would not dig anything after Artist.
Did someone say Thrice album ranking thread? Vheissu>Beggars>Alchemy=TAITA>TBEITBN>M/M=Illusion>>>Identity
In regards to the discussion above, I can't even begin to rank their discography. I think each one of these albums has its place for me - whatever mood I'm in or whatever I'm thinking about they seem to have a song for. I will say that I do return to Beggars quite a lot, however. As far as TBEITBN, I've listened to it all the way through about 6 times now. By the 3rd listen everything really clicked and I find myself enjoying *almost* every minute. These might seem like 2 super minute details, but what is still bothering me as I listen is: 1) The second verse of "Death from Above." Dustin is making that connection between Christianity and (American) militarism, and every time I listen I keep thinking we're going to get one more line/couplet after "...and do the will of God." I feel like he's on the verge of saying something SUPER profound and then nothing. It's not a big deal, but it bums me out! 2) Whistleblower might be my favorite track on this album so far, but the chorus of "I'm the Whistleblower!" and the line "I'd rather start a riot" just don't seem quite up to standard. There's been a bit of talk in the last few weeks that the lyrics are way more direct than some of their previous work, and I've said already I quite like it. Yet I don't remember anything else from Dustin grating me like this, even considering some of the stuff off of Fire that was super literal. I'm not sure if anyone agrees/cares, but I just had to share those thoughts. But that's it. Literally every other second of this album is working for me. So glad to have these guys back.
Dope review. Love the new system. "Recommended" is all that needs to be said. Score is so subjective, and I'm glad it's gone. But also I kinda want to know what score it would have gotten. Haha. Love this record, even the stuff that hasn't completely grown on me yet. Sonically fantastic, lyrically relevant. Great write-up Aaron, even if I completely disagree with Major/Minor being lackluster, I do agree that this feels like the natural progression to Beggars. Solid analysis.
Hey, thanks a lot! I really appreciate that. I'd compare "Recommended" to like an 8, probably an 8.25 for this
Haha! Fair assessment. Honestly, only maybe 2 of them. The rest definitely branched out more, and aren't much of the nostalgic type, they just love the hell out of Artist for whatever reason. I guess it's catchy, but it's definitely one of their weakest.