Album Rating: 4.5

Nice. I don't know if I'm the only one who took awhile to warm up to this, but I definitely feel like it reveals its layers over the course of time.

Album Rating: 4.2

Yeah, I liked it immediately, but I can certainly see this one getting better with time.

Album Rating: 4.5

'No Reason' is such a calm, eerie track.

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah this is great, definitely top tier Shearwater.



Didn’t mind them trying a more ‘arena’ and synth’y sound for a couple of albums but this is what they do best.



A more grandiose Talk Talk.

Album Rating: 3.7

not sure grandiose is the right word there, but there's a vibe



still not sure how much I like this, but the floor is defs high-ish

Album Rating: 4.0

They’re more bombastic than Talk Talk, even at their more mellow here



Band would do very fitting instrumental soundtrack work, I mean I think they’ve already done some soundtrack stuff…can’t remember

Album Rating: 4.5

I just listened to Laguna Seca during a thunderstorm and it ruled.



Even though I only skimmed the surface in my review by essentially calling the album eerie and beautiful, I 100% agree that there's a vibe here and depth to be unraveled.



Glad to see this growing on others as it did for me. I need to dedicate some time to Talk Talk though because I still haven't heard them.

Album Rating: 4.0

They were accused of blatant Talk Talk homage/theft early on



That would be harsh now, they're an influence but also this band have their own thing.



Also, hardly dare say it: this is their 'most Radiohead' at times

Album Rating: 4.5

I've had an up-and-down opinion of Shearwater throughout their career, with Rook always being my go-to record as the band's high-water mark while Animal Joy and Jetplane and Oxbow sparked less interest. This has firmly rekindled said infatuation and also has me wondering if I might have prematurely dismissed some of their other works, particularly Jetplane and Oxbow. I could see Radiohead comparisons in certain songs here so I don't think that's too awfully far-fetched. I can't seem to shake the Noonday Dream vibe, but I'm not sure if it's just because both LPs snuck up on me in a similar way, or if there's actual sonic overlap. Probably the former.

Album Rating: 4.0

Thanks for making me aware of this album and artist. Was really surprised how much I enjoyed this.

Album Rating: 4.5

Glad you got something out of it! I've been a Shearwater fan for years and this might be my new favorite. Since you enjoyed this, I'm going to recommend Rook, which was always their best in my estimation.

Album Rating: 3.7

I hope we can all agree that this No Reason >>> Big Thief No Reason

the boi's voice initially gave me some Hollis vibes, but I'm placing him nearer to Toby Driver now

might as well get this up to BNM, the current grid depresses me

Album Rating: 4.0

Lol yeah somewhere between Hollis and Driver sounds about right from what I remember of Rook (for the record, Hollis = good, Driver = bad, if that even needed stating).

Album Rating: 3.7

pfft Driver cleans post-2010 are comfortably above the majority of indie vocalists

Album Rating: 4.0

Fwiw I’m judging just on the one album I’ve heard of Driver’s

Album Rating: 3.7

i cannot remember a single vocal line from that record (v much a string piece), but i have zero doubt that whatever shit he does with his voice there is fifty times more creative and sonorous than the usual 3-note platitudes to Trusted Songwriting that make up the majority of your 5list

mmm this is growing!

Album Rating: 4.0

Trusted Songwriting makes me feel safe and comfy what can I say, way better than the faux-theatrical shit Driver was on in that album

Album Rating: 3.7

hmm i'm sure it's no coincidence that unlike music, theatre is all but useless in the absence of a discerning audience

Based on first listen, I feel like people who like this would like The Dawdler's Keith in Ballachulish. Similarly sparse and eerie. Though, very different vocals, aha.

It used to be an album but the artist culled it down to an EP... there are some really good songs that are unavailable anywhere now. Hmm...

Album Rating: 4.0

' could see Radiohead comparisons in certain songs here so I don't think that's too awfully far-fetched.'



There's something there this time - but also I think it's illegal to compare anything to Radiohead at this point, a well trod path.