Review Summary: Football, Etc. settle for a field goal
Audible is a weird record for me to wrap my head around. Although Football, Etc. have made improvements in almost every regard over their 2011 debut album
The Draft, somehow there's something missing. The production is a lot fuller and cleaner, the singing is stronger and less monotonous, and the reverb soaked guitar tone strongly compliments the vocals, yet somehow
Audible is less than the sum of its parts, and a bit of a sophomore slump. Some of the magic from
The Draft is gone, and Football, Etc. show that improvements can sometimes be detriments.
The Draft was very much an album of two parts; front-loaded with standout tracks that cascaded into a mellow and atmospheric second half that I can best describe as having a "sleepy time" vibe.
Audible is an uncanny mix of the two, on the whole consistent, but somehow missing the feel of the first record. The standout tracks are more spread out, but the change in production and songwriting all but destroys the atmosphere of
The Draft.
Comparisons can be unfair, and
Audible is a great record when measured by its own merits. From the melancholy arpeggios and reverb tinged tremolo picking that inhabit the opener "Fair," to the slow and emotional closer "Return," there's enough positives on this record to proclaim it as a great record. Football, Etc. can't quite live up to their rookie season, but
Audible is a strong enough outing with enough good things going for it that show that Football, Etc. are one of the better squads in the emo scene, and if they make a few refinements to their sound they'll be back in the playoffs in no time.
