Quote:
Originally Posted by Routine Builder
Perhaps to encourage folk who are streaming to buy the album before they get to the perceived filler. They did exact same with PFAYM. Seems to be the case for a lot of their back catalogue. Track 2 and Track 3 are the sweet spot for their singles seemingly.
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GT: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 11
GATS: 2, 3, 5, 7
THB: 4, 6, 9
EMG: 2, 3, 5, 9
TIMT: 1, 2, 3, 5
KYE: 1, 2, 4, 5
L: 2, 3
SATT: 2, 3, 4, 7
PFAYM: 1, 2, 3
RTF: 2, 3(ish), 7
F: 1, 2, 6(ish)
RIF: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8
TUVL: 2, 3
CT: 2, 3, 4, 5
So yeah, other than THB, their albums are always front-loaded with singles, and none of their albums have more than one single in the second half.
SPOILERS FOR CRITICAL THINKING WILL COMMENCE IN 5
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Critical Thinking - This is pure Futurology, let's have more of this lads. Nothing like the reviews and interviews suggested, but it's fucking great.
Decline & Fall - Sounds even worse coming in off the first track. It's like going from Peeled Apples to It's Not War.
Brushstrokes of Reunion - In contrast, this sounds a lot better thanks to coming after its much poorer cousin. Still hate the TV theme riff in the chorus.
Hiding in Plain Sight - This definitely grew on me. Still think it's too repetitive, and Nicky sounds like Chris Martin, but it's nice. Having too uncharacteristic, Nicky-fronted songs bookending the two Manics-by-numbers singles at this point is making it feel like a really strange album.
People Ruin Paintings - Still really like this one.
Dear Stephen – This... isn't a career highpoint.
Being Baptised - I like the reverby spidery guitars a lot, it's a nice chord sequence, but the tune slips in one ear and out of the other. Instrumental break and solo are gorgeous. James sounds like he's straining to reach the high note in the final chorus. Sean's outro bit amused me.
My Brave Friend - I've already forgotten that song.
Out of Time Revival - Weird. Verse is like... I dunno, maybe a Lifeblood b-side or something, slightly lo-fi, very '80s sounding, not a great melody but the sound is really interesting... then it dips into another Decline & Fall-esque shit chorus with guitar hook and strings.
Deleted Scenes - Ok yeah, this is interesting, the drums are really... strangely stilted and awkward in a way that makes it really leap out. Musically it's not very original, but quite effecting. Not especially enamoured by the lyrics. Big '80s sounding ballad with very strange drums, not what I was expecting.
Late Day Peaks - Oh, it's Lifeblood time. I like this. Not exactly an earworm but it sounds beautiful.
OneManMilitia - The way he sings "I sound like a dying cause" is really fucking weird. Sounds like a KYE song with Lifeblood production. I'm not sure it's as successful as it could be, but it's quite fun.
So mostly a very nice
sounding album, and I'm very glad that 'Decline & Fall' is an outlier rather than it being another PFAYM, but honestly, they sound tired and bored. The album being pieced together separately makes sense of the fact that the production and arrangements - the guitar tones, synth sounds, Sean's occasionally odd drums - seem to have had much more thought put into them than the songs themselves, which are practically nonexistent. TUVL is the closest to a grower they've released for me - I hated it at first but now I think it's alright - and in general my initial thoughts tend to match my long-term thoughts, so this doesn't bode well, but I'll be giving it a few more listens in the coming week or two. Might buy a copy if my feelings change, but overall I'm not feeling it at all.
Critical Thinking - great
People Ruin Paintings, Hiding in Plain Sight - very good
Being Baptised, Deleted Scenes, Late Day Peaks - gorgeous but forgettable
OneManMilitia - alright
The rest - *shrug*
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SPOILERS END.