I was going to say the same thing about Vesper Light. It's not just a good/great song, it's one of the best they've ever written. Period. It's that good.
More observations: Not sure how to say it, but the it’s best they’ve done with electronics imo Being a Still Life stan- this is hitting everything I want it’s not necessarily breaking any new ground, but it feels different. Like Thrice in a different filter/lens I didn’t know I needed a melodic punkier song like hold on from Thrice, but they nailed it. Albatross is the weak link for me (paint by the numbers Thrice) like the dreamer from H/E, but still find myself humming it
Ok first listen. Holy shit Distant Suns is good. That is my clear cut winner. Top tier Thrice for me. Other non-single standouts were Blackout and Vesper Light. Every song has moments that are interesting and that I’m looking forward to listening to again.
What I adore with Thrice and their records that they are always trying and experimenting with new things meanwhile you can undoubtedly state and hear that it is Thrice to the core. This new record is no exception. They always put out quality music.
Not really ready to share thoughts on this outside of it being the most Vheissu/Alchemy Index sounding album of theirs since, well, those albums. And boy do i love that.
I absolutely love this record. As a companion to East, it just enhances it, as a pair they’re tremendous achievements.
Just finished through my first listen. The boys are really channeling some otherworldly here. Feels like Vheissu Part 2 in scale and tone, while also feeling like a proper culmination of the journey that began in H/E. Oh, and everyone talked up Vesper Light so much that I tried not to set my expectations too high, but it absolutely knocked me on my ass in the best way possible. I realized I was getting teary-eyed by the end of the song.
When I first heard Undertow I thought it was a natural heir to something like Digital Sea, even right down to the lyrics: cold water, pull me under