Album Rating: 2.5

I really wanted to like this, and I can appreciate some of the musical risks taken here, but there are some really cringy moments that just ruin the listening experience. The intro to Big Tech Brother is an obvious offender, but the lyrics on The Place Where I Belong and Self-Aware feel so forced, like they were written by an AI lyric generator that had just discovered politics for the first time. It also feels like Mariusz just doesn't have a lot of passion behind his vocals on this one? When I listen to this compared to his performance on an album like Rapid Eye Movement there's just so much more life in his vocals on the latter. I don't know what went wrong this time but it feels very phoned in.



There are still some good moments on here and musically this album is quite varied, but the lyrics and odd musical choices take away what would've otherwise been a solid addition to the Riverside discography.

Album Rating: 2.7

I think people are missing the difference between vocals and lyrics but yeah.

Album Rating: 3.3 | Sound Off

The vocals are fine, the lyrics not so much

Album Rating: 2.7

He's a stellar vocalist. Among one of my favorites probably ever - but this album is so campy. Labelling the lyrical missteps as progressive feels like a disservice to actually good prog.

Album Rating: 3.0

I get the complaints about his vocals to an extent, though it doesn't bother me. Just like cloak, I'm all down with them experimenting, but this one felt more like a band imitating their inspiration than being themselves. There are a bunch of really cool melodies that left me blueballed, because they don't resolve and transition into not-interesting enough riffing. Landmines is so colourfully arranged during the second half that I can't stop drawing comparisons to chilled out gaming music, like I'm thinking about Spyro, or Bejeweled at that point. Post-Truth has moments where it feels like a leftover 90's Van Halen song and The Place.. makes for great atmospheric nuances, but feels like Incubus progged up their game while slowing down the tempo at the same time. Some of these tracks just feel more pocket at a higher tempo.

Not that surprised if this isn't very good, the singles were pretty wack. Piotr was such an integral part of the band

Album Rating: 4.5

Never read a thread of only bad takes before in my life!!! Shame on you!



In all seriousness, though, album is amazing, and of course the lyrics are a bit off at times, but most of them are jokingly delivered. Riverside are looking on the outside more than ever before, and they don't take themselves seriously. Also, it's kind of relieving to see them have good takes when most prog bands rely on abstract blaming and social commentary that goes nowhere (or have outright bad takes on serious issues)

Album Rating: 3.0

^ You can tell from the music video to Self-Aware. I'm glad they are having a nice time and that's exactly how I'd describe this album. Nice, even cozy at times.

Album Rating: 3.0

@ Gnocchi

He's a stellar vocalist. Among one of my favorites probably ever - but this album is so campy. Labelling the lyrical missteps as progressive feels like a disservice to actually good prog.



^^^

This

Album Rating: 3.0

Something is amiss when your favourite two tracks are instrumentals from the bonus disc

“It’s a shame because the messages themselves are poignant and on point”

Are they? They read like a mish mash of Matt Bellamy and Stephen Wilson.

Album Rating: 2.5

To clarify, Duda's singing voice has always been and still is great. It's the lyrics and some of the delivery where the problems come in. I also found the music to be pretty pedestrian and not as consistently inspired as before. Still plenty of good moments to be found, especially Landmine Blast. The bonus tracks are where it's at.

Album Rating: 3.0

The only vocal disaster is The Place Where I Belong - I’m staggered at how much I dislike that song. Massive fan of Riverside, always have been so I still shock myself with how bad I feel this song is. Vocally and lyrically and instrumentally it’s a total car crash. But having just listened to the album again I can’t fault him vocally anywhere else. Land mine Blast is getting better with each listen. And same for Self-aware. Post Truth and I’m done with you are just a bit too average really. And I can’t forgive big tech brother for that god damn awful narration at the beginning - and I’m a bit mixed with the weird synth that it starts with as well. I feel like I’m on a big downer with all my comments when in fact there is much I enjoy - but the negatives really hang heavy for me and dent my overall Impression when considering it as a whole album experience.

Album Rating: 3.0

The two instrumentals though - so so good. Totally lose myself in them with the headphones on

Album Rating: 3.0

So wrapped in the negatives - forgot to add that without doubt Friend of Foe is my clear favourite track. Absolutely love it. The bass and synth opening minutes are sublime.

Album Rating: 3.5

Friend or Foe is outstanding. The back half of the album started losing me though. I will give it many more attempts, hoping for a grower.

Solid album but The Place Where I Belong really brings the album down, they usually have great lengthy tracks but this one just drags on and contains some of their worst lyrics to date.

"Another pop-philosopher
Tells you how you should live
By starting from getting to know yourself
Wow, BFD, indeed"

Is this about Jordan Peterson?

Album Rating: 4.5

that's who it brings to mind, for sure

Album Rating: 2.5

Gave another listen today. The first two songs are really good and the band sound the most like themselves, aside from the kinda annoying chorus in Friend or Foe. I think Big Tech Brother and I’m Done with You are my least favs. At least The Place Where I Belong has a cool 4 minute outro that I kind of love, but you have to sit through all the nonsense to get to it. Post-Truth and Self-Aware are okay Rush tribute songs.

Album Rating: 3.0

Listened to it twice so far, my personal biggest bummer with this album is that it mostly ditches the more melancholic vibe of their other albums which is mostly what I liked the most with the band. I feel as if i'm listening to a different band with this album and that band decided that songs like Vale of Tears (which I didn't like that much to begin with) should be the standard moving forward. Gonna go against the grain and say that The Place Where I Belong was my standout so far despite some clumsy transitions and some really bad lyrics. Why? Because compared to most of the material on there, it has a certain fatalist mood that I do like. I can barely tell Friend of Foe and Landmine Blast from each other and it's only after the utterly corny disclaimer of Big Tech Brother has ended that I start enjoying the album a little bit. That song sorts of reminds me a bit of some of ADHD's songs.



Otherwise, not impressed with this. If this how Riverside's gonna sound moving on forward, I likely will be moving on. Kudos to them for managing to survive the death of Piotr Grudziński and trucking along forward, their new stuff just ain't my style.