This is weird album. I think it's like a 3.5 but it also might be my favorite album of the year at the same time. It's so long and there's undeniably filler, but fuck me does it have some high highs. Definitely cliche, but this is such a 2020 album with its theming and execution.

I think it's very similar to the movie A Ghost Story for me, for reasons I can't quite articulate. We Will Always Love You is highly flawed, but it's been moving me with each subsequent listen. There's a lot to unpack and think it will age well.

Album Rating: 4.0

There's a fantastic 40 minute album somewhere in here.

Album Rating: 3.0

Honestly don't think there's a single weak track on here. Reflecting on Wildflower, there are several.

Album Rating: 3.0

Even Weightless and Until Daylight Comes?

Album Rating: 4.5

Agreed, but i won't deny the latter half wanes.

You guys just gotta engage in the concept more smh

Album Rating: 3.0

The latter half has wherever you go, take care in your dreaming, music makes me high, running red lights, born to lose, and music is the light. Weak take!



Okay yeah weightless isn't enjoyable I guess but it fits with the theme. Until daylight comes is on the weaker side of things but still solid.

Album Rating: 4.0

All the interludes, and the last third is pretty weak, with a couple exceptions like Running Red Lights. Weightless is bloody useless.

Album Rating: 3.0

I'm surprised more people aren't digging born to lose and music is the light. Those are 2 of the best imo

Album Rating: 4.5

Weightless alone is useless but in the context of the album it's fantastic.



The whole thing is about communication and human voices, often into space. I think the voyager mission morse code was a really nice way to summarise, and then ending with the 'my voice is still gonna be here' about the value of our voices to transcend time and space... literally

Album Rating: 3.0

Yeah it bookends the album nicely and fits contextually but it is rather annoying to listen to. I think they could have maybe toned it down a bit and achieved the same result

Album Rating: 4.5

This is really fucking good. New to the artist so excited to uncover all that I've missed.

Album Rating: 3.7

I will never understand people complaining about interludes being useless on an Avalanches record lmao

Sow, hop back to Since I Left You asap. I've got a feeling this will stay your fave, but that album is still a fab jam

Album Rating: 4.5

I'll do that, thanks. I am mesmerized by this. Are their other albums in a similar vein or are they the kind of artist where each album is a wildly new departure? I'm intrigued regardless, but this is...wow. Probs will bump to a 5/5 if this holds up in a month or two. (sneaky edit: lmao jk, gonna insta-5 this)

Album Rating: 3.7

Hmmmm this is in a similar vein to their other albums to a certain extent in that there's heavy album-length continuity and a fuckton of samples, but the first two are more sample-driven and less spaced out. Wildflower was where they started introducing feature vocals (v inconsistently imo), so that has more common ground with this, but neither of the other two are as feature-heavy or as frequently morose as this? You'll get what I mean within 2 tracks of either album haha, but tl;dr this is a slight departure but shares a foundation of sorts

Album Rating: 4.5

Since I Left You was a monumentally *significant* album for me, one that hit my ears at just the right age and time and will always mean more to me than, perhaps, the music itself. But this album hits like a big rig in the asteroid belt. I had close to zero expectations for it, and now I’m dancing between 4.5 and 5.0 too. Can’t think of a better coda to this nightmare of a year, and here’s hoping they keep cranking out the material at this pace. I figured the Avalanches were history, and here they are at the edge of the zeitgeist. Fuckin cheers

Album Rating: 4.5

Thanks JotW. I'll certainly be checking the rest of their discog once this runs its course, but it's nice to know what I'm getting myself into.



And yeah I agree that this is the best possible end to 2020.

Album Rating: 4.5

Since I Left You is incredible, even without considering how and when it was made.

Think this is edging to be my AOTY. All sorts of feels

Album Rating: 4.5

You know what’d be amazing? If they ever touched up, mastered and released some of their live sets. I’ve only dipped my toes a bit into their live catalogue, but the final 5 minutes of their ‘06 Big Tent set (“Living on a Prayer” vs “Around the World”) is a mashup for the ages. It reminds me of Girl Talk but with real humanity at the core; and that’s what distinguishes the Avalanches from almost all of their peers

Album Rating: 4.0

this is good shit

Album Rating: 4.0

On repeated listens this is growing more on me. Born to Lose and Music is the Light are very good. Last song is still pointless. Too bad this was released too late in the year that it won't be on the staff end-of-the-year list.