Sunny D
Midnight Hauler
"We've gotta try a little harder..."
Posts: 1,900
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Post by Sunny D on Mar 27, 2014 0:25:13 GMT -5
Completely agreed. Either they'll "get" the darkness of the album... Is the general consensus that Teeth Dreams is "dark?" Obviously there is a darkness to it but I didn't think that it was significant compared to The Hold Steady or modern indie. This is not meant to be rude, I am legitimately curious. My sensor for "dark" has been broken ever since last month when Xiu Xiu came out with Angel Guts: Red Classroom.
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 27, 2014 0:35:35 GMT -5
I don't think it's that dark. Sure, there are sinister or desperate moments - Frighten, Only Thing, Oaks. But Spinners, Ambassador, Big Cig, Wait Awhile, and Runner's High are all pretty damn feel-good to me.
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Sunny D
Midnight Hauler
"We've gotta try a little harder..."
Posts: 1,900
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Post by Sunny D on Mar 27, 2014 1:00:46 GMT -5
I don't think it's that dark. Sure, there are sinister or desperate moments - Frighten, Only Thing, Oaks. But Spinners, Ambassador, Big Cig, Wait Awhile, and Runner's High are all pretty damn feel-good to me. This is my thought exactly. The Hold Steady almost always approaches dark themes with positivity, which ultimately outshines the overall darkness in my opinion. There are of course exceptions to this on each album, but I think the optimism and rockitude overpowers it. Yeah. "Rockitude."
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Post by bobsacamano on Mar 27, 2014 7:16:36 GMT -5
Maybe "dark" is not the right word, but there's a certain sadness permeating through almost every song, I feel. There's a distinct lack of "woo-hoo" on this album (i.e., no Massive Nights). At least that's how I see it. I don't think ANY of the songs you mentioned are "feel-good"! The "subjects", if that's the right word, all sound like pretty damn broken people.
This is all YMMV-ish, though. Personally, I'd trade the woo-hoo's for the sadness any day of the week.
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Camie
Midnight Hauler
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Camie on Mar 27, 2014 15:39:40 GMT -5
With it being Thursday... I am starting to think Pitchfork isn't going to rate the album.
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Post by doctoracula on Mar 27, 2014 15:49:56 GMT -5
They'll rate it eventually. Or not. Its just one website that has a really strangely loaded connotation attached to it.
I really think every THS album is dark except BAGIA
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tbob
True Scene Leader
Posts: 548
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Post by tbob on Mar 27, 2014 16:11:07 GMT -5
Is that the same Pitchfork who gave the greatest live album of all time (A Positive Rage - who needs Live in Leeds?!) 6.0? Fuck them. And Mojo (who I subscribe to incidentally). 2 stars? Seriously?!
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 27, 2014 16:33:06 GMT -5
They'll probably have it up tomorrow. Even Johnny Cash got booted back to Thursday.
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Post by mhetrick14 on Mar 27, 2014 19:23:51 GMT -5
Is that the same Pitchfork who gave the greatest live album of all time (A Positive Rage - who needs Live in Leeds?!) 6.0? Fuck them. And Mojo (who I subscribe to incidentally). 2 stars? Seriously?! "a positive rage" isn't that great a live album.
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 27, 2014 19:46:29 GMT -5
Is that the same Pitchfork who gave the greatest live album of all time (A Positive Rage - who needs Live in Leeds?!) 6.0? Fuck them. And Mojo (who I subscribe to incidentally). 2 stars? Seriously?! Live At Budokan. End of discussion.
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Post by doctoracula on Mar 27, 2014 21:17:14 GMT -5
it really isn't that great of a live album. i LOVE live albums, and i wanted it to be wonderful, but i never listen to it. i've got at least a dozen THS bootlegs i'll listen to before the official live album
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Post by Andy on Mar 27, 2014 21:17:17 GMT -5
They'll probably have it up tomorrow. Even Johnny Cash got booted back to Thursday. ^ This. The releases schedule this week is stacked - THS, Withered Hand, Liars, Future Islands, Johnny Cash, Owls, Tokyo Police Club, Tony Molina. Would be surprised if it's not the lead review tomorrow.
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nowah
Sniffling Indie Kid
Posts: 226
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Post by nowah on Mar 27, 2014 21:25:04 GMT -5
"Dark" is a marketing term that got attached to Teeth Dreams to make sure people know it's not a party record like Boys and Girls in America was presented as. I hate it because it implies dim lights and downtempo tracks. Dynamic is a better term for the music and heavy is a better term for the lyrics but those are both loaded words in rock criticism. I'd prefer a not yet rated from Pitchfork anyway. it really isn't that great of a live album. i LOVE live albums, and i wanted it to be wonderful, but i never listen to it. i've got at least a dozen THS bootlegs i'll listen to before the official live album This.
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Post by bmegroove on Mar 27, 2014 21:30:17 GMT -5
"Dark" is a marketing term that got attached to Teeth Dreams to make sure people know it's not a party record like Boys and Girls in America was presented as. I hate it because it implies dim lights and downtempo tracks. Dynamic is a better term for the music and heavy is a better term for the lyrics but those are both loaded words in rock criticism. I'd prefer a not yet rated from Pitchfork anyway. Exactly, it's not like we won't be feeling amazing driving around this summer with this on and the windows down.
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 28, 2014 0:02:12 GMT -5
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Post by dannyhatch on Mar 28, 2014 0:02:25 GMT -5
6.4. Those dickheads.
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 28, 2014 0:08:26 GMT -5
Better review than I expected. But how could someone think this is their worst sounding album? The guitars and drums sound fucking boss. I'm firmly drinking the Nick Rask kool aid.
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Admin
Midnight Hauler
Posts: 2,434
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Post by Admin on Mar 28, 2014 0:08:35 GMT -5
This is easily the most considerate middle-of-the-road review of the album. Well informed, thoughtful. May not like the reviewer's point of view, but it's not some hatchet job, either.
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jc
Cityscape Skin
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Post by jc on Mar 28, 2014 0:10:43 GMT -5
Basically a more cogent version of the CoS one but with a fairer rating!?
If you've never experienced the themes of the album I guess it's harder to connect with it. Thankfully it's a little bit different for us regular old humans!
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Post by dealwiththedealers on Mar 28, 2014 0:11:28 GMT -5
One thing I do love about Pitchfork is they write long, specific reviews which clearly had a lot of effort put into them. Even if you disagree, you can pinpoint the reasons why... for that reason, I think it's a great review.
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esper
Clever Kid
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Post by esper on Mar 28, 2014 0:11:29 GMT -5
The fact that they gave it a bad review makes me love the album even more.
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Post by muzzleofbees on Mar 28, 2014 1:58:04 GMT -5
I think it'll also be in the 6 range, because they are idiots. Yeah I'm thinking like a 6.2. Deserves much higher obviously. I guess you won the competition It's a decent review. I sort of see the same strengths and the same weaknesses in the album. I just weigh them differently. The strengths are more visible to me, and the (relative) weaknesses don't bother me that much.
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citrus
Clever Kid
"Lets everyone act like a goddamn professional!"
Posts: 103
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Post by citrus on Mar 28, 2014 2:24:11 GMT -5
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citrus
Clever Kid
"Lets everyone act like a goddamn professional!"
Posts: 103
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Post by citrus on Mar 28, 2014 2:46:27 GMT -5
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Post by muzzleofbees on Mar 28, 2014 2:50:42 GMT -5
To be fair, the reviews are written by two different persons. So even if HIW was decent (6.2) to Deusner, it's quite possible that this Thompson guy thinks it's disastrous. Even though I think that's a pretty wild exaggeration.
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