Jerkass Wrote:
Pointless record.
If someone sent me this without knowing anything about this band,
I would've tossed this disc after the first two tracks.
How many times can you write the same song ten years later?
...Literally the same god damn chord progressions, topical lyrics and structures over umpteen albums.
Then you have something that doesn't sound similar and it sounds like a B-side from some random college band from 1991 with ten times the production budget.
I'll just put the TDS on if I need to hear this band.
This entire disc is completely forgettable.
But!
If I knew I could repeatedly sell this shit,
I would...x10
READ: You don't really like this band
I mean, you are entitled to your opinion but I just can't see how anyone can listen to "Southern Rock Opera" and then this record and can't hear a band that is now much more accomplished and nuanced musically. They're working within a rock band format and IMO, have hit several styles, and have hit and missed but to just say it's the same song over and over is simply without merit. What do you want them to do? Get with the LCD Soundsystem and make a dance record?? This is also a phenomenon I've seen on the board in the past where we get comments like "there just nothing interesting anymore about band X anymore" when Band X just continues plugging along growing as an artist (last years example: Neko Case). If you want to move on to another band, more power to you, but, don't blame Band X for essentially putting out another album of quality material. This is the Quest For New syndrome (not saying that's what you're doing here Jerkass, just something I've seen with established bands around here).
I guess they no longer have any cache with the art school cognescenti. Oh well. I'm fine with them continuing to put out music that their fans like and keep being the road dogs that they are.
As for this record, I finally listened to it all the way through yesterday and I think it's a solid effort at first listen. Where it ranks among their albums remains to be seen but I can see some of these songs becoming staples of the the live show. Not surprisingly, at least to me, I love the Shonna songs and "This Fucking Job" may be channelling the zeitgeist of people hit by the Recession better than anything I've heard yet.