Listening now. It Has To Start Somewhere is absolutely incredible. One of the best album openers I've heard in a while.
Bloodlust wasn't bad, I like the verses and bridge a lot. The chorus definitely was the least interesting part of the song but still not bad.
Wake Me is...interesting. Definitely not bad, just very radio-y. Production is terrific. But yeah, if this one turns out to be my least favorite on the record we're in good shape.
Hmm interesting. I don't know exactly how I feel.. I like it, there were some really cool parts, but others not so much. I will definitely be giving this multiple listens. Early highlights are IHTSS, Sink With You (fav), No Frame and I Gave Up. Sink With You sounded like a continuation of LITSOS, which is probably why I liked it so much and the ending of In Motion reminded me of Disambiguation.
No Frame is so cool! Very different but very good track. I really dig it. and then it only gets better 2 minutes in.
I feel like I should love Sink With You more than I do. Definitely the most interesting musically so far.
In Motion is good. Not as immediate as the rest of the back half. This one might need a few more listens before i love it haha.
Oh crap I just realized on second listen Bloodlust reminded me of Driftwood.. am I crazy in thinking this?
I Gave Up is super solid as well. Not the best closer they have ever done but a very good closer for this album!
First listen complete. I guess my initial thoughts are just: hmm. This is going to sound like really poor critism probably, and again this is only my first full listen, but a lot of it just felt...uninteresting to me? Like, earlier today Emergency Broadcast came up on shuffle and that song is just a sonic journey that takes me places. These didn’t feel very dynamic to me, as if they started where they ended. I can say that the last three tracks definitely stood out and felt like they were the strongest. I dunno, initial listen has me pretty disappointed, but so have a lot of albums on initial listen. Rapture still sucks tho Edit: one thing that I, and I’m sure many people, love about UO is just the way Tim’s signature style. He’s got some southern twang in there mixed with pop, and some weird off the rails riffs. I didn’t really hear much of that on display. Wasn’t really anything that made me think, “damn I wanna learn how to play that.”
Overall: I really like it! It's dark, moody, heavy in enough places, and full of very interesting moments! Early highlights are: It Has To Start Somewhere, Sink With You, Hold Your Breath, and No Frame.
Also Rapture is definitely the weakest song for me. The only song on the record that I consider just all right.