AFI - Improving Bodies
Every track on Bodies has so much potential to be amazing but my bois in AFI kinda squanderd it
Preface: I really enjoy this album. wonderful instrumentation across the board and definitely the most different sounding album from the band
it's the songwriting that falls flat which mostly falls on the Davey/Jade side. Let's see how I would like them to flesh it out! |
| 1 |  | AFI
Bodies
Twisted Tongues
This being the first song reveal of Bodies could not be more hype. Definitely the most post-hardcore song on the album and I'd like it to feed into that a bit more. The verses are perfect, no change there. The chorus is good, just relatively underwhelming. Maybe instead of repeating the main hook with higher notes, tie it up with a different one to conclude the chorus? Not super necessary since it's honestly still fine/catchy. What I really want is to change the bridge. A retread of the chorus was the last thing I wanted to hear. It's not bad, hell, it's inoffensive but it's just oh so bland. Give me a big build leading to a new epic melody. Some screams or harsher vocals would have worked so well and then it could have exploded back into the chorus. |
| 2 | | AFI
Bodies
Far Too Near
If we needed a song to genericize post-CL AFI, this would be it. And honestly, it's not bad at all, but too safe. I can live with a 2nd track jam being just that, but please give me a more interesting chorus. Give My Heart To Youuuu repeated over and over evokes nothing and it's not even that catchy. That's all, just give it a rework and I think we're good here. |
| 3 | | AFI
Bodies
Dulceria
1 of 2 songs that were SO CLOSE to having nothing for me to complain about. Everything up until and including the bridge is wonderful and oh so fresh for the band. Yet after that, it just feels so directionless. I like the idea of giving us an instrumental jam in the back half but how about we just go into a different outro instead of bringing back the chorus hook, or at least give us a different melody before that. Maybe having the bridge melody return as a layer? Could give it more of a build feel than a jam one. Some middle ground there sounds cool, but I'm kinda just throwing ideas out here at this point. Anything different after the bridge or at least changing the part where the vocals come in is all I'm asking for. |
| 4 | | AFI
Bodies
On Your Back
First song where I don't think I'm going to request a melody change/addition. I think.
The coolest part about this song is the bridge and it kinda rounds out everything before that. It's a shame it's not returned to again so let's do that. Bring it back right after the last chorus instead of the solo thing and if possible give it more energy. Some harsher vocals could work and instead of having space before the "Love" that transitions back into the chorus, just say it immediately and have that end the song. Screamed of course, giving it that punk edge we oh so desperately crave |
| 5 | | AFI
Bodies
Escape From LA
Here it is guys...the one song I don't need to change. I'd personally love if they stretched out the instrumental section before the vocals come back in the bridge and/or if they did the same thing right when it hits the "I gotta get out of LA" part but I don't NEED it, it works in the amount of time they gave it. If anything a more interesting guitar part in that outro section could be fun. I originally thought gang vocals at the end would be cool but I'm less sure of that now even though I'm sure they'll sound amazing live. But yeah, I love this song and think it's pretty exceptional for what it is. A better Summer's Out of Sight off the 2nd to last BA album and I already loved that song so yeah. |
| 6 | | AFI
Bodies
Begging For Trouble
The chorus is pretty good on this but it also kinda sounds like a pre chorus? Like it's begging for some sort of big anthem of a chorus that we just never get. I almost hear hints of what I want in the layering done in the last chorus. I'd say either officially treat the chorus as a pre chorus and add that big anthem OR just simply expand the outro. We're getting strings and added vocals and they're only there for mere seconds. What could have been an amazing pop song becomes rather forgettable for coming and going too quickly. |
| 7 | | AFI
Bodies
Back From The Flesh
I love the mood here but it's just too repetitive/simple. I don't like how the verse transitions into the chorus as is. Some building pre-chorus is all we need to fix that. Next, give the song an actual bridge, not just some lazy sounds for a few seconds. Davey doing some eerie passage here like in Tied To A Tree could work. After that, the harmonized chorus that's there works fine tbh. |
| 8 | | AFI
Bodies
Looking Tragic
Ugh, I was so ready to shit on this song but it's grown on me. I like the chorus now but that doesn't mean it should stay. It's definitely too basic and it works but it's not hard to imagine a different chorus working better. Something more playful/dancey since that's definitely the vie they are going for, just make it less repetitive. Get rid of that god awful bridge too. Literally anything else here, please. And then I think we have an actual good pop song. |
| 9 | | AFI
Bodies
Death of The Party
Honestly very cool with everything this track is doing but it's almost too reserved. Let's give it a chance to let loose and I think the bridge is perfect for that. Instead of going back into the chorus, just go back into a more intense version of the bridge. It's already weird enough, let's inject as much chaos as we can. That energy can even carry over to the last chorus with maybe a harsh vocal layer or just some crazier electronics over it. |
| 10 | | AFI
Bodies
No Eyes
The other song I didn't want to complain about but here we are. I love this song, it might be the best one here actually. It feels so nostalgic for the band. Great verse and easily Davey's best chorus on the album. The piano in the mix sounds really nice too. 2 minor complaints though! The bridge is kinda weak. It's not bad, but it doesn't add anything to the song. I feel like going big is always my option to improve things so I won't not bring that up as a suggestion but even just making it more emotional would be nice. Something like the bridge in Greater Than 84 comes to mind. The 2nd complaint is that I think the last chorus should be a double one. This chorus deserves it. |
| 11 | | AFI
Bodies
Tied To A Tree
This song is probably the most experimental sounding thing AFI has done and I love the vibe of it. I'm cool with it retaining that dark/bleak vibe for most of the song I just feel like after the bridge something needed to be different. The track feels like it almost builds to nothing and I'd like it to build to yano...the opposite of that. The chorus can come back but expand on it. Maybe even have a vocal isolated version before it starts building into that. More synth too? Nothing crazy, but I feel like anything to really accentuate the atmosphere would really help this closing track. |
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