Album Rating: 5.0

well dang, if Fewer Afraid is perfect, this is definitely a 5 because... I loved Infinite Josh

Album Rating: 5.0

so here we are

Album Rating: 5.0 | Sound Off

I knew it. Proud of you.

Hey sowing I'm kinda drunk and accidentally spammed a couple gorguts threads do t delet me

Sorry

Album Rating: 5.0

"Proud of you." :3

need to dig into the lyrics of this when I can, but it overall just sounds superb

Album Rating: 5.0

"the homage to getting sodas in final verse of fewer afraid feels a little lazy idk"



I mostly agree, but I would put forward four contentions



1) This is their most accomplished, ambitious and meticulous record by a fair amount. Nothing else here feels lazy - so, in a certain sense, they earned it.



2) It's not like they will ever or could ever top Getting Sodas, it's such a declarative, defining song, and it feels right that they recognize that and accept it and don't feel constrained by it.



3) I think it establishes a very satisfying sense of coming full-circle for the listener.



4) Look at the overall reaction - sometimes lazy things work.

Album Rating: 4.5

i wish they chose a slower delivery for that callback, it feels a smidge too upbeat for me.

Album Rating: 5.0

I mean, it's an incredibly hopeful, beautiful and warm call-to-action in Getting Sodas, you have to reflect that here.



The melody does seem a little forced. It's not perfectly executed, but it's executed just well enough, I think.

Eh, I don't think it's lazy- the referencing of old songs has been a trick in their bag forever (they were repurposing lyrics from their first EP on "Harmlessness"). And I saw it more as recontextualizing the lyrics than an outright homage. Like kind of setting aside how aspirational that bit in "Getting Sodas" is and making it something more grounded.

So many good moments here. Queen Sophie might be my favorite, up there with Invading, but the second half of Your Brain is a Rubebrmaid is insane, Trouble is really good too along with the whole build up of Infinite Josh with the chorus on the background.

Still not totally sold on Fewer Afraid though.

Album Rating: 5.0

Bear with me...



I do t know if any of you have been to an AA meeting or similar, but at the end of each one everyone always says a number of mantras like “keep coming back” and “it works if you work it, so work it because you’re worth it”.



You can be on day one or day 1000 of recovery and your meetings will end with words like these, from everyone who has formed a community with you.



I agree with the interpretation that the Getting Sodas reference is more of a recontextualization. Our problem isn’t drug addiction, it’s that our society, a society which we all take part and responsibility in making, fucking sucks in a lot of ways. So what’s our path to recovery? Maybe empathy and feelings and ideas as communicated through a shared emotional experience like music (as one example amongst many). We now have a community, the way those that go to AA meetings have a community. When at a TWIABP show, we should feel comfortable and loved and rejuvenated and motivated towards doing our part to help our fellow human. It works if we work it, so work it because we’re worth it.



So when that verse is dropped in Getting Sodas, it’s almost like day one of our recovery. And it’s context there very clearly establishes itself as a mantra, being sung a million times. And it’s become a staple of their live shows, so it’s a verse that all of us are used to screaming over and over again every time we go to one of these meetings.



Now we’re 8 years into recovery. And guess what? The world might be even worse. But it can still get better. We are not to lose hope. We have to work it. Keep the mantra going. Show up to the meeting/concert (or even just your car stereo with the record). Put the effort in during your daily life. The world is a beautiful place, but we have to make it that way...

Album Rating: 5.0

Damn this is good as fuck

Album Rating: 4.5

god, i really hope they play Fewer Afraid on this tour, i feel like that'll be the best context



tbh they should just play all their closers back to back

Album Rating: 5.0

Gimme a month and this'll probably be a 5. This is crazy good. Some of their best lyrics too imo especially on Fewer Afraid and the Blank tracks

Album Rating: 4.5

Fewer Afraid really is something special. just listened again and wow it just keeps going and i love that about it.



we aren't talking about it as much as the other but the Mount Hum call back is my personal highlight. it's been my favorite song by them since I realized Harmlessness is one of the best albums ever

Xeno!

Great review, was going to give this one a miss but I guess i'd best fire 'er up

Fewer Afraid is the best song here you cowards

Wow. I've only heard harmlessness prior to. This is like listening to a completely different band

Album Rating: 4.5

when sowing and gyro agree on a 4.5+ and pika gives it a 2.5 you know it's good