Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Instrumentally I believe this is rather compelling, there's plenty of intrigue to be had there. If I remember Kurt Ballou headed the production here.

Maybe too many people are coming into this band for the first time with wild expectations or something but yea if you’ve heard Presents then this album shouldn’t be much of a surprise [2]

"Here's this year's version of Wait For Love--a record with certain merit to it that will certainly cause divisions over its overall quality."

Pretty sure I was the only one who loved that album last year.

Album Rating: 3.5

I listened to Completed about a month ago and reading reviews about the band, the vocals have always been a point of contention. I don't understand listening to this record and thinking the vocals are a mistake, when Presents had the same vocal style 18 years ago. If anything, the Chip King/dying muppet vox from the Seeing record are the ones I'd see someone taking umbrage with.

tbf Presents predates this album by.... well, many years, so it’s not THAT obvious that the vocals should correlate directly

and I don’t feel like the ppl put off this are primarily ppl coming in “for the first time” - seems mostly like residual fans of yesteryear

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Just because the band keeps a certain style of vocals doesn't mean it's not a mistake. If it is inappropriate given the context of the surrounding instruments, and it's too disruptive to form an interesting contrast, then I think that's an error.

Album Rating: 3.0

Mars if you have a couple of moments can you listen to Melody 5 by Tera Melos and Lowest Common Demoninator by Unwound (songs not albums!) Would be v interested to see how you find them in comparison

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

In both cases, the vocal choices fit the music being played. The shouts in the Tera Melos song are so few and far between that they're hardly even a factor, but when they do enter you tell they are uttered with force. The Unwound track's droning, spacey aesthetic works as a suitable compliment.



Here, the vocals are a stark, uncomfortable contrast and are uttered with zero energy.

Album Rating: 3.5

the vox here don't surprise me, but damn he sounds so bored it's insane.



music fucking rules face tho

Album Rating: 3.0

Hmm okay this both encourages and confuses me at the same time ;]

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I don't find these vocals comparable in terms of the context they appear in. This delivery, as I said, could indeed work with more effort put in to it. But as it stands it would be more suited for something ala that Unwound song.

Album Rating: 3.5

I dunno where I read it, but I'm pretty sure Jeff Smith blew out his vocal chords performing without a microphone for so long.



As for how I feel about the vocals, I agree he sounds bored. He probably just can't do any better than this. I enjoy "Drone Before Parlor Violence" and the closing track, but a lot of this is pretty boring.

Album Rating: 3.0

This left a lot to be desired, sadly. Didn't think it was bad, but the energy is severely lacking. And I'm fine with the vocal choice, but the delivery this time feels passionless pretty much the whole time.

Album Rating: 4.0

“If I remember Kurt Ballou headed the production here.”



Jack Shirley did production, plans to record with Ballou fell through

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Ah, nevermind then.



I think the energy is evident in the instrumental section, or there is at least a bite there that is quite captivating.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Jeff said his post-Seeing vocal style is meant to mimic a cynical carnival announcer, or something to that effect. Honestly I don't really mind it, his vox are clearly backseat to the music, which is great

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I get more of that from Presents. This sounds like he's not putting forth the effort whatsoever. If the vocals are such a secondary concern, it begs the question of why even have them included to begin with?

Album Rating: 3.5

what about the lyrics thoo (not like i've read them lmao)

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

I mentioned them briefly, but the lyrics are actually pretty awesome. It's a shame they're robbed of the feeling that could have been conveyed. Only two cuts off of this are instrumental so the rest is all featuring some sort of writing.

really don't know why they went the route they did with this, album is linear as all hell