Album Rating: 4.0

I hear a bit of The National and even The Killers in this, but this for the most part just blows both out of the water with the grand theatrics of it all. I completely get why the singer would say its too self indulgent but I think in most peoples opinion thats what makes it so kick ass.

Album Rating: 4.5

I feel like personal/emotional lyrics are kinda self indulgent in nature so as long as they're good it doesn't bother me

Album Rating: 4.5

but I can definitely see why after writing an album with those types of lyrics you would wanna move away from that in the future

Album Rating: 4.7

"Rowan is right go rowan"



yea when aren't I?



also I see what y'all are saying but the lyrics and songwriting on The Positions was a lot more straightforward than this and it's still a fucking fantastic album. I hope they build on this too but I wouldn't be against a return-to-roots type album if it's as good as Positions is. basically these lads haven't missed yet (give or take a Heroes cover)

Album Rating: 5.0

The Killers? What?

Album Rating: 5.0

What I find interesting about this thread is I remember the consensus on sputnik used to be that no one cares about lyrics. Did the userbase change or am I remembering that wrong?

Album Rating: 4.5

Maybe in some circles benkim. I've always been a lyrics person and mewithoutYou and The National were always celebrated here. The more m/ people probably care less.

Album Rating: 3.9 | Sound Off

m/ peepz don't care because:

a) they don't understand what the guy is saying

b) said guy is saying heinous shit but the music's good so let's ignore the lyrics

Album Rating: 5.0

"but I wouldn't be against a return-to-roots type album if it's as good as Positions is. basically these lads haven't missed yet (give or take a Heroes cover)"



The Positions is good but it's nowhere near as good as this IMO (except Magnolia which is unbelievable), and wait a minute I liked that Heroes cover

Album Rating: 4.7

but Radioface! Sjamboksa! The Diving Bell! I think that album's due some love on sputnik tbh even if it's not as good as this



the Heroes cover was perfectly adequate, just really uninteresting. sounded like they chucked Dave's vocals over some Garage Band strings and said fuck it

Album Rating: 4.5

Lyrics are a great additional factor that elevate already good shit.

Great lyrics can make good music even better.

They're not gonna save bad music.

And bad lyrics usually don't sink great music.

Album Rating: 4.5

Unless they're, like, gross bad

Album Rating: 4.7

Lyrics have always been pretty make or break for me tbh. I'm shocked when people don't care about them at all

Album Rating: 4.5

I agree with your first two points Porcupine, not sure about the last two

Album Rating: 4.5

Don't know if great music can have bad lyrics...any examples?

Album Rating: 4.5

Throw a dart at a board with punk bands plastered to it, half the time.

Today is the Day

Porcupine Tree/Steven Wilson has some abysmal lyrics sometimes

Black Tambourine

So much Ben Folds

Carly Rae Jepsen (Hella pop music, really)

Foxy Shazam



Idk like I like most music I hear, and most lyricists are pretty mediocre tbh

Album Rating: 4.5

Great music can definitely have bad lyrics. And actually now that I think about it I agree that bad lyrics rarely ruin good music unless they're just horrifyingly bad. But I think good lyrics can save "bad" music, or at least elevate it from very mediocre to good

Album Rating: 4.5

like imagine if Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan for example had the same lyrics as like, an early Beatles song. that would suck. but with the lyrics it has it's a great song

Album Rating: 4.5

Fair point, actually. I guess most of the time I have blinders on for that side, like if the lyrics are good and I like the song for that fact, more often than not, I'll find myself thinking the same about the music, but that might self-fulfilling idk

Album Rating: 4.5

Like, definitely fair play with Bobby D (at least towards his more folky stuff), but that never struck me as bad so much as an underpinning canvas for the lyrics (same with a lot of solo acoustic stuff). So I think I agree with you, Cole?