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Album Rating: 4.5
Eagerly awaiting your next "this year I swear I'm gonna stop with all the 5s" list sowing (;
Probably won't happen; I've just come to accept that when music excites me beyond belief that restraint goes out the window. I love writing under the influence of hype/excitement, it's like a drug. A 5 at this point doesn't mean it's in my top 0.1% or whatever rule was unofficially concocted by some of the site's more conservative raters, it just means it is beyond a shadow of a doubt in my top albums of the year and will be considered at length for the AOTY on my annual awards show feature or top 25 list.
2022. The year Sowing goes nuts and 1.5's everything. I weep for the not-confirmed-taking-out-my-ass Taylor Swift triple album next year.
The day that happens please send a search party for my body because I've been replaced by an IRL contrarian imposter.
this is good but very muchly way too long, not sure i'll ever make it through to the second half again
The length doesn't bother me, and as I said in response to the same criticism on p.1 of the thread, good music is good music. The length may influence how often I'm able to listen to said music, but it doesn't negatively impact my assessment of the artist's work (see: The Seer, The Color Spectrum, IRA, et al). That said, everyone has their own set of criteria for rating music and far be it from me to judge with all these 5s =D It's cool to see you enjoying this though, and I hope you give it the chance it deserves because the back half is where some of the absolute best songs are (t/t, felios, lonely boy, death city drive, 3d)
This is a pretty wild ride. Thanks for the spotlight on this one. Absolute lush and beautiful. Has an upbeat Kings of Convenience vibe.
The pleasure was all mine. The review is a bit gushing, but it was hard to contain my excitement over this one. Will have to check Kings of Convenience at some point.
I'm starting to dig this a lot
I did not have Pika 4/5'ing a lush pop record that I insta-5'd on my bingo card for this lifetime, but you love to see it.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Have to say after skimming the comments that one of my least favorite arguments in music discourse is "2 hours = too long". Before even considering an artist's intent or how well a mood is sustained, there's a presumption that an artist is demanding too much of your time or testing your patience.
I find albums of this length really effective at world-building, and heightening awareness of when you enter/exit a listening experience (40 min albums can pass you by when thrown in a queue). Plus, in the pandemic era most of us have long stretches of time that are well-suited to 2 hour albums. For three years going, my fav electronic lp has been in this time range (juneunit's s/t, hvl's alignment, and this year's skee mask). It's become my preferred length for an album.
THIS. I've never understood why an album could be written off for being too long. Many of my favorites of the past decade have been ~2 hrs for exactly the reasons you stated (The Seer's and IRA's atmosphere, The Color Spectrum's themes and intentional eclecticism). I'll admit that this album isn't necessarily a world builder, and I don't think the atmosphere/"album experience" itself justifies its length - but I definitely think that it more than holds its own through sheer musical muscle; it's just 21 pop songs that are that good. There's also a sense of migration from its pop-folk beginning (daily dose of her smile, poison, falling down, friends) to some Weeknd-ish R&B (cellphones, movie screens, felios), to jazz (beautiful, blesser) to classical (t/t) to hip-hop (magic) and noise rock (spelloutriver). It's arranged in such a way that it becomes more ambitious as it goes on, although that in itself doesn't necessarily qualify as an atmosphere or theme. I'll let you decide ;-)
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
I really enjoy the chill vibe this record has
And with good headphones, there's quite a lot to unpack within all its mushy layers
People with chronic otitis probably will find it somewhat homogenous though
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
Some cool moments on the back half of this, but otherwise finding this largely uninteresting and lacking personality. Think the folkier moments toward the beginning are particularly shallow, despite some impressive instrumental moments. Less and less inclined towards artists that dip their toes in other genres for what feels like the heck of it; I always feel like I'd rather just listen to jazz or hip hop or noise rock, as opposed to surface-level imitations of the aesthetics of those genres (obviously you disagree here). Anyway, liked some of his stuff in the past, so I think I get it. Will give it another spin when I'm in a better mood; only listened 1.5x, for obvious reasons. Glad people have found something special, even if it's not for me.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
That's disappointing that this didn't do more for you, but yeah. I obviously had a pretty opposite experience and find his voice/music full of power and sincerity, not shallowness (although this could be partially influenced by learning his backstory as someone who was washing dishes for a living and playing music on the street a few years ago). It's also interesting what you said about surface-level imitations of other genres, because I touched on the same topic earlier itt but was arguing from the other perspective; that the ideas here do not feel shoehorned or thrown in for good measure but are rather a crucial part of building this massive all-purpose pop experience. I hope you'll reconsider and find more to it in the future, but aside from that I cannot complain about you giving it your valuable time, so for that alone I'm grateful :-)
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
holy dang this is a super chill listen
a perfect sunday album
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
"that the ideas here do not feel shoehorned or thrown in for good measure but are rather a crucial part of building this massive all-purpose pop experience."
Yeah, that's a good and fair point. I like the way you conceptualise it as moving through these different genres/moods, becoming more and more ambitious as it goes. Definitely reflects in the way the album carries itself; the thing definitely doesn't sound aimless to me. I think cause none of the songs individually (except near the end) stick for me, though, I'm unwilling to be swept along for the journey. But like I said, I may just not be in the mood for it, so will be sure to check again soon. < 3
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
It really does feel like a chill Sunday album, or maybe a rainy day pop album. Either way, it is indeed very relaxing.
You're the nicest person to disagree with Blush, haha. Let me know if this ever grows for ya.
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was gonna hear this but then kanye released a 2 hour album lol
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Oh shit it's finally out?
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
'was gonna hear this but then kanye released a 2 hour album lol'
{gulp}
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
'Jesus Lord pt. 2: 11:30 runtime'
I mean that song could be called that and have a near 12 minute runtime and be my favourite song of the year but I wouldn't bet the mortgage on it
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jesus lord is the best track on the album, haven't reached pt. 2 (assuming it's an extended version)
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
I know god breathe on this
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Round 2 with this, guess I’ll listen to Donda after
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
YoYo, revisit Tiny House with me instead
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
no need, hard 5
| | | Album Rating: 4.0
Okay my ONE gripe with this is that he does the fast guitar lick from “Out Loud” on pretty much every song with an acoustic guitar
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Haha, that's hilarious if true. I've only ever heard that song from the YouTube link to his AI audition, so I'll have to take your word for it until I can go back and listen a few more times.
| | | Album Rating: 4.5
Youve become the king of long albums this year, Sowing! This and IRA sure are long, but hell, id be lying if i said im not enjoying the ride!
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