hop along: painted shut

I'm mad that Alfred dissed her vocals over at TSJ (though "How Simple" doesn't really showcase her range)

holy crap, this comes out in two weeks

hoping for an NPR stream next week

These songs remind me of Vs-era Pearl Jam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IbBU4QXxD4

maybe i should make a thread for the new record

yes please

this album is already a winner

most anticipated thing ever

hoping for an NPR stream next week

― Simon H., Thursday, March 22, 2018 1:07 PM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ask and ye shall receive

hell yes

"somewhere a judge" is so good

god she works miracles with that voice. Somehow she makes it sound beautiful and elegant even even during the parts of these songs that would customarily call for more braying or over dramatic delivery... Seems like a small thing, but it puts such a different spin on these songs. Like, so much of this music is usually about the sensation of spiraling out of control, but she reverses that script. This is sooooooooo good, one of the best things I've heard this year.

i'm not sure if there's a run as great as the first three songs on painted shut but it might be more consistent? "look of love" is kind of astounding

album feels less like a step forward from painted shut than a step sideways but i'm not complaining

There's a loose, session-y vibe to these songs that reallllllly flatters her. Like "Fox in Motion" and "One That Suits Me" make me thing she could hit the park out of a Memphis album if she wanted to

for sure, she's so good at gliding through the cracks in the music (and in her voice), and that'll probably clarify itself even more when less compressed audio is available

maybe i wish there were more moments of melodic drift like on "what the writer meant"

that's probably my favorite song but honestly every song has at least a moment or two that knocks the breath out of me

fox in motion -> one that suits me -> what the writer meant

^^^ that's the stuff

That's the stretch to beat. Like, on any album this year. Fucking remarkable.

the guitar playing is on another level this time

First three tracks on this are nice but once the album hits "Not Abel" it takes off and doesn't look back, just one high after another. Wasn't expecting to get Nina Nastasia vibes from this but some of those strings are transcendent

this is a good album but going forward anyone who comments on her voice should be obligated to make a similar comment about the equally noteworthy dude of pretty much any indie rock dude because for christ's sake, you'd think she sounded like diamanda galas instead of a slightly more rough jenny lewis

I.....do not think the average indie rock vocalist, male or female, is equally noteworthy/distinctive, and I listen to an embarrassing amount of contemporary indie rock. it's not just the sound of her voice, it's her phrasings and lyrics, too.

like is it sexist more generally that male voices don't receive as much scrutiny, yeah, but I don't know how you can write about these guys and not bring up the subject

I generally enjoy J@yson Greene's reviews, but I'm not hearing Rod Stewart here – yet.

yeah that review was good, this isn't subtweeting it, it's just every single piece I've read

i idk why i'm so mean each time i come to visit

drummer in this band is so good that i miss him when he's not playing

i find her vocals way more interesting than diamanda galas tho

although tbh the best thing i've _read_ about it is the word 'serrated' in the op of this thread

not ready to say whether this is better than painted shut, but it's certainly excellent, some curveball productions and the band has improved to the point that frances can save her more dramatic vocals for the most emotional parts of the song. tho i do kind of miss her softLOUDsoft acrobatics.

scratch "productions," write "arrangements" instead

"one that suits me" just kills me

this album sounds great!

I think "Prior Things" is the standout for me. They have a knack for closers.

Wow the Nina Nastasia vibes are otm

one that suits me, somewhere a judge, what the writer meant are the standouts.

also the other songs.

Nina? Ok gotta check this out than silently judge everyone who stans for this but doesn't support the Divine Ms. N

not striking me as as good as painted shut SO FAR but i will persevere

Ums it's not overt but I was definitely hearing it at some point midway through the album.

still digesting this. the singles really pop in the context of the album. i was a little underwhelmed with How Simple when it first came out, but now I really appreciate the melody and i've been singing it to myself since listening to the album this morning. Prior Things is a badass closing song that's gonna kill live, and it's the only song on the record that has a "holy shit" vocal moment like the "common kind" refrain in Waitress" or the chorus of The Knock.

how can I explain it?
having been seen,
what would that mean?

i can’t explain it,
having been seen!
what would that mean?

at first i was like "this isn't as good as painted shut" but as with that album i cry literally every time i hear it so who can say

new thread imminent

it would be fun if it included a poll imo

i thought it might be too early, but i'll set the date for a few months from now!

+1

we need a painted shut poll tho

hop along: bark your head off, dog

also lol i thought about that right before i made the new thread vc