As the album unfolds, "Formal Growth in the Desert" remains unapologetically raw and jagged. "Fractured Realities" delves into introspection, where the sonic discord becomes a mirror for personal turmoil. The song captures the sense of struggling to maintain identity amidst the chaos of life.

Closing with the haunting "Echoes of Tomorrow," the album's journey comes full circle, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved tension. The dissonance and cacophony that permeate the album echo the disarray of the world, while also acting as a cathartic release for the listener.

"Formal Growth in the Desert" stands as a testament to Protomartyr's ability to craft music that is both immediate and timeless. The album's dissonant beauty captures the contradictions of our era, reminding us that growth can emerge from the harshest of environments. In a musical landscape that often favors homogeneity, Protomartyr's refusal to conform remains a beacon of authenticity.

In a world that continues to fragment and evolve, "Formal Growth in the Desert" serves as a stark reminder that even amidst chaos, art has the power to distill meaning from discord and inspire reflection in the most tumultuous times.

Like damn son, I'd have almost been worried, if only it used the actual song names.

But now I desperately want to hear "Shadows of Progress"

Album Rating: 3.5

Lol dude, it sounds like a person. A bit mechanical and rote, but I mean.

Album Rating: 3.5

Damn, that computer rights better words than me do.

Don't speak this of you, your word things writed good

Album Rating: 4.0

About a third of their set last night were songs from this record, sadly it didn't include the ones that I've been most looking forward to ):

Still one of my absolute favorite live bands to see ever though

which ones did they skip?

would love to hear Joe Casey wail "Rain Garden" on stage

Album Rating: 4.0

They didn’t play let’s tip the creator, rain garden, graft vs host, and rats, although that last one is understandable considering the subject matter.

Album Rating: 3.5

Bumped this down a bit for now. Can't decide if I put a courtesy 4 because it's a Protomatyr record or not. This one felt a little sleepy, even compared to the last one. Hoping for something with the propulsion of Relatives in Descent or The Agent Intellect with their next release. This could grow on me again though, but I'm just feeling a little bit unmoved atm, compared to other releases. Of course, it's still brimming with plenty of Protomartyr goodness.

Album Rating: 3.5

"Courtesy 4" is a good way to put it. They've definitely transitioned into a band I can respect more than listen to their newest release over and over again (Agent Intellect, Relatives).

Still a good album, though.

Band is the epitome of "remarkably solid"

Album Rating: 3.7

they're kinda IDLES-lite now

What, how?

It’s mandatory that all modern post punk with a sturdy drum beat gets an Idles comparison

Next on today’s ticket, Bambara, and if we have time we’ll squeeze Viagra Boys in

Album Rating: 4.0

"they're kinda IDLES-lite now"



IDLES is actually the lite version of any other post punk band

Album Rating: 3.7

Clearly i havent done my homework ig, was not super impressed with this one but its got some great tracks

what's your faves?

Album Rating: 3.0

I prefer post punk lite if it means experimentation instead of sticking to the clichés.

the issue with post-punk (the name) is that it was made up to retroactively label certain contemporaneous music, but it has definitely morphed over time to mean a fuckload of different things. the original post-punk of 60s and 70s is very little alike to the minimalistic synth-heavy 80s stuff, and certainly not at all similar to the weird 00s revival wave. the name stuck to a variety of styles, most likely because at the time there was no push to really define and catalogue genres as much as there is today. i imagine "deconstructed club" back then meant that a venue will get a makeover.

to that end, an effort to call it art punk is something i can support, if only a lot of the acts actually followed any punk aesthetic, and if only "art" "punk" weren't such a pretentious name (and eggpunk is just ridiculous)

IDLES is actually the lite version of any other post punk band
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