AM

Is this album polarizing to a degree? I think so. It moves along steady- too steady. Doesn’t reward me as I listen, and needs more momentum to drive it. The vocals rarely have a punch or intrigue as well. Very weak rhythms and doesn’t give pushes or pulls either.

With bare melodies and not much direction, the moods don't come through, and it’s a tacky listen. Very consistently uncolorful and nothing much impressive. Really no highs or spectacular things, but it's really to the point of being too lackluster and unpleasant. There seems to be little to no drive or impact. Way too easygoing.

“Do I Wanna Know?” has the same instrumental direction with not really engaging vocals. I don’t care for the guitar riff either, doesn’t have a lot of weight or movement to it. I keep wanting more from it but it doesn’t give me any more than I hoped for. “R U Mine?” is loosely catchy, doesn’t hit in the end. Feels too bland and unimpressive. The structure is clunky and really not immersive at all.

“One for the Road” has more un gratifying structure to it. It’s actually incredibly underwhelming, no growing lines and the melodies are less compelling. In “Arabella”, I don’t like the flow of the pace. It gets more slow, returns to the same feel- doesn’t progress the best either. Really forgettable vocal performance and plain sounds overall.

I really dislike the almost distant and layered vocal sound in “I Want It All”. It just goes on with the same beat and droning vocals. No builds or anything, and the guitar that comes in to the end is barely noticeable. “No. 1 Party Anthem” has such a slow and sad chord progression, it practically goes nowhere. It’s memorable in a way, but not in the way I’d like. There is some shaping around the middle that helps a whole lot though.

“Mad Sounds” is so boring and forgettable. Not catchy or really directional. It’s got an okay mood, but not mind blowing at all. “Fireside” has impotent phrasing, structurally bland. I want it to move, grow, change, something.

“Why’d You Always Call Me When You’re High?” has a boring bass line and the rhythmic feel is pretty bad. Just feels really flat and the melody only makes it worse. I like the background vocals in “Snap Out of It”, melody not the best though. The structure is also not too interesting, just continuous.

"Knee Socks" has a nice bass line, very complementary. Also has more memorable melodic lines and the guitar has great sound. Don't like how it comes back to the chorus at the end, just overdone I think. "I Wanna Be Yours" has an okay mood, but a really odd ending to the album.

Doesn't need a lot of development for the slower song it is, but fails to make an impression. With every song sounding pretty much the same, I don't think this album accomplishes much. Songwriting isn't gripping and falls short on memorable vocal performances as well. The instrumentals go on with so little energy that I could just give up listening.


fav(s): Knee Socks

least fav(s): I Want It All, Fireside, Why’d You Always Call Me When You’re High?