Future Islands - The Far Field

Sam did some backing vocals on the new Celebration album. An interesting voice to hear in a supporting role.

*Sigh*

It's not that I didn't like The Far Field (it's their best album). I really wish they'd release the epic synth-prog concept album they've been threatening to make. But no, the latest song is more gloopy basslines with Sam singing vaguely about trying to chase unrequited love. Again.

Maybe the rest of the album will mix things up a little.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81z1GM5fSPL._SY355_.jpg

As Long As You Are, out October 9th.

01 Glada
02 For Sure
03 Born in a War
04 I Knew You
05 City’s Face
06 Waking
07 The Painter
08 Plastic Beach
09 Moonlight
10 Thrill
11 Hit the Coast

that album cover is admirably headache inducing

Reminds me of a better executed version of that terrible Car Seat Headrest cover.

I'm surprised how much I have gone back to The Far Field. Bit of a shame it didn't have the same impact Singles did as it's a much consistent record.

Excited for the new album even though the singles suggest they aren't messing with the formula again. There's just something so comforting about what they do.

definitely but I agree with the assessment that they seem capable of so much more

yeah they definitely seemed on the edge of doing something really interesting for a while but have since made it clear they're never going to unfortunately

never really gave The Far Field much of a chance before but now that I'm giving it a proper listen I think it's their best, it's way more consistent than their past albums

agree, although I wonder if this new album is going to be different in any way from everything they've done before.

oh I just said that last month

I wonder if my next post is going to be I any way different from everything I've done before

The singles suggest this won't be anything different. I liked the first single (For Sure) but the other two haven't grabbed me as much. I'm still optimistic about the album as The Far Field was so good and maybe even their best. Tough competition from In Evening Air though.

Just read this article where the band says they thought The Far Field was a rushed, weak album that was "condescending." I personally have to completely disagree, I really loved it. Their new one is fine but from my first listen, it doesn't pack the same punch. Very hard to see how TFF was condescending, it felt very alive and real to me.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/oct/09/we-lost-ourselves-future-islands-the-synthpop-band-who-nearly-blew-it

Oh wow, that is such a weird take on the last album. It's a much stronger record than Singles and I don't see it as condescending in anyway. When he repeats, "we can pull through together" I take it as him being totally sincere and find it really powerful.

I wasn't expecting to love the new one based on the last couple of singles but it's a really beautiful album. It's a bit more understated than the last couple and it suits them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rror7CiZfYs

Can't blame em for trying something a bit different. Shame it's not particularly interesting. They always seem to stop just short of being the band they deserve to be

he's been doing cool hip hop production as Hemlock Ernst, I think he's better at that

new album is good in that it sounds exactly like all the rest of their albums

Yeah. I enjoyed it but didn't really come back to it.