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PO Now: American Football - LP3 (3/22/2019)


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5 hours ago, Stress On The Sky said:

I don't have a preferred gauge or thickness when it comes to splatters I can live with streaks, I'm just not a fussy guy.

Having no discrimination or preference towards streaks is ideal.  You were just wondering about - or at least surprised by - the lack critiquing on the BSM variant, and I wanted to give you potential insight.  (Not that I'm speaking for everyone.)  While the BSM variant doesn't 100% match that original description, it has a subtle / cool / "hold up to the light to really see it" kind of splatter going on, and those are just dandy in my books... hence no critique.

 

So after a couple more listens, I think I'm ready to weigh in on the album.  Track by track thoughts for anyone who's already familiar with the album and cares to read an opinion.  Spoiler tags for everyone else.

 

Silhouettes

What an introduction to the album.  This is the only single I caved on at the end of last year; truly feels like ages ago.  Right off the bat I'm enjoying the new soundscapes that Americ are treading on this album.  Even in fear of using overly lavish descriptions and going full Gumbo, I have to say that I absolutely love the spectral vibe that just drenches the entire song.  It sounds unlike anything the band has ever committed to tape and I'm all about it.  I can see why they released it as a single since it really taps into that surreal, hazy aesthetic you get with the cover's gradient and fog.  I think they tie in nicely.  Hearing Mike single oh the muscle memories for the first time... I knew there was lasting power in that vocal melody, and it has resonated well with me over these past few months.  Call it AF.  Call it Owen.  Whatever camp you lump it in, that's an incredible hook and you can imagine how pleased I am that reoccurs so often in this spacey jam.

 

Every Wave To Ever Rise

Intro feels very "vintage" AF, in a good way.  I was actually unfamiliar with Elizabeth Powell before hearing her featured on this track, and I have to say I enjoy her contributions quite a bit.  Her vocals certainly have a strong allure to them, and her spotlight moment of the song may be the highlight for me.  The last minute and a half that closes out the track is unmistakably chill, and really showcases the band's ability to write atmospheric slow-burners.  I'm into it.

 

Uncomfortably Numb

Like everyone else, I went into this song with the utmost apprehension.  I've never enjoyed Paramore, but I've also never hated them.  For as hard as they were meme'd here on the boards – thanks, Zay – I do think Hayley is a talented vocalist, and he features have slowly trickled their way into my music in the past.  (Recalling an appearance or two on mwY's Ten Stories off the top of my head.)  So with all that being said... this shit's great.  I find myself looking forward to this song a lot more than I probably should.  It breaks away from the ethereal, "post-rock" vibes that the band weaves into most of the album's tracks, and really feels more like a pop tune than anything else.  A few of my friends who shared their first impressions all hated this track.  And for all intents and purposes, it really is outside of American Football's wheelhouse of songwriting.  I was initially kind of hoping that Hayley's vocals would be a little more distorted or subdued, but considering how commanding her voice is, subtlety has never been Hayley's strong suit.  I still think her melodies are stellar though, and even though she could afford to be a little less in the forefront of the production at times, her vocals intertwined with Mike's work.  (The lessons are so much less obvious the further you get from home).  When she takes the stage and has the entire band backing her... it is decidedly not the American Football we all know and love.  But the people unable to let that notion go are the same ones who are going to miss out on what this song has to offer.  And truthfully, that entire concept can be applied to the rest of the record, too.

 

Heir Apparent

When the bass pops off at 1:25 or so.  That's that good shit.  It happens again at the halfway mark, with guitars on full midwestern-emo twinkle mode, and the drums invigorating the moment with uncontested energy.  It all makes for a nice call-and-answer song structure, that contrasts nicely with how chill and dreamy those instrumental breaks are.  The vocals on the outro are kind of different.  I'm not overly in love with them, but I think they contribute to the album's thematic style, and help to further cohere it together.  And finally; that main, reoccurring guitar line... I'm trying to think of how possibly "Gumbo" I can explain my thoughts on it.  Maybe holy shit dude that guitar I just want to evaporate and follow it into the ether or wherever it may transcend like a ray of sunlight, goddamn!  Yup.  That should do it.

 

Doom In Full Bloom

I love how instantly recognizable and "at home" something like a horn can make this album sound.  I foresee the intro to this song rubbing a lot of nostalgic fans the right way.  The instrumentals on this song are something else – I feel like few moments on the album can really rival the 4-minute mark - give or take - where the song blossoms and unfurls into that outro passage.  I can see why so many people cite this song as an early favorite, if not solely for that lovely guitar line.

 

I Can't Feel You

Rachel can do no wrong.  We can all agree on that right?  Her appearance on the album is the feature I was most excited to read in those early press announcements.  I think the drumming on this track may be my favorite on the record, just for the groove it brings into the picture.  And how fucking great is it when the song crumbles out from below, leaving just the acoustic guitar and Mike singing I'm fluent in subtlety before the drums and that amazing bass crawl back in?  I'm really into the shifts this song takes.  Not a bad moment as far as I'm concerned.

 

Mine To Miss

I think I'm still kind of warming up to this one.  Anyone else find this one the least impactful up front?  Or just me?  More guest vocals from a mystery woman, this time... the way they're implemented in this song are ace, though.  Also.  I really, really do not like the way Mike sings my heart at 1:46.  And I don't know that I ever will.

 

Life Support

Fuck, this is a grade-A closer, isn't it?  I love how this song is punctuated by those really "climactic" and grand instrumental breaks.  This song would feel so out of place and borderline cheesy if it were sequenced anywhere else in the record, but from the first listen it hit me as such an appropriate finale to the record.  It's beautiful but also harkens back to the bittersweet mood that's strung so generously throughout the band's first self-titled album.  The bright transitions are a nice touch, and I like the use of the strings – not overdone, and retaining good taste.  But that melody in the guitar... the one that latches onto the song's ending and sinks with it; that's the magic of American Football in a bottle, right there.  At least to me.  You know it's beautiful but it also kind of stomps on your insides.  There was no real moment like that, leading up to this closer, so I'm really pleased that they stuck a depressive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

All in all I'm very pleased with this album.  The wait was worth it and I can see why you guys haven't been able to put it down.

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6 minutes ago, Derek™ said:

So after a couple more listens, I think I'm ready to weigh in on the album.  Track by track thoughts for anyone who's already familiar with the album and cares to read an opinion.  Spoiler tags for everyone else.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Silhouettes

What an introduction to the album.  This is the only single I caved on at the end of last year; truly feels like ages ago.  Right off the bat I'm enjoying the new soundscapes that Americ are treading on this album.  Even in fear of using overly lavish descriptions and going full Gumbo, I have to say that I absolutely love the spectral vibe that just drenches the entire song.  It sounds unlike anything the band has ever committed to tape and I'm all about it.  I can see why they released it as a single since it really taps into that surreal, hazy aesthetic you get with the cover's gradient and fog.  I think they tie in nicely.  Hearing Mike single oh the muscle memories for the first time... I knew there was lasting power in that vocal melody, and it has resonated well with me over these past few months.  Call it AF.  Call it Owen.  Whatever camp you lump it in, that's an incredible hook and you can imagine how pleased I am that reoccurs so often in this spacey jam.

 

Every Wave To Ever Rise

Intro feels very "vintage" AF, in a good way.  I was actually unfamiliar with Elizabeth Powell before hearing her featured on this track, and I have to say I enjoy her contributions quite a bit.  Her vocals certainly have a strong allure to them, and her spotlight moment of the song may be the highlight for me.  The last minute and a half that closes out the track is unmistakably chill, and really showcases the band's ability to write atmospheric slow-burners.  I'm into it.

 

Uncomfortably Numb

Like everyone else, I went into this song with the utmost apprehension.  I've never enjoyed Paramore, but I've also never hated them.  For as hard as they were meme'd here on the boards – thanks, Zay – I do think Hayley is a talented vocalist, and he features have slowly trickled their way into my music in the past.  (Recalling an appearance or two on mwY's Ten Stories off the top of my head.)  So with all that being said... this shit's great.  I find myself looking forward to this song a lot more than I probably should.  It breaks away from the ethereal, "post-rock" vibes that the band weaves into most of the album's tracks, and really feels more like a pop tune than anything else.  A few of my friends who shared their first impressions all hated this track.  And for all intents and purposes, it really is outside of American Football's wheelhouse of songwriting.  I was initially kind of hoping that Hayley's vocals would be a little more distorted or subdued, but considering how commanding her voice is, subtlety has never been Hayley's strong suit.  I still think her melodies are stellar though, and even though she could afford to be a little less in the forefront of the production at times, her vocals intertwined with Mike's work.  (The lessons are so much less obvious the further you get from home).  When she takes the stage and has the entire band backing her... it is decidedly not the American Football we all know and love.  But the people unable to let that notion go are the same ones who are going to miss out on what this song has to offer.  And truthfully, that entire concept can be applied to the rest of the record, too.

 

Heir Apparent

When the bass pops off at 1:25 or so.  That's that good shit.  It happens again at the halfway mark, with guitars on full midwestern-emo twinkle mode, and the drums invigorating the moment with uncontested energy.  It all makes for a nice call-and-answer song structure, that contrasts nicely with how chill and dreamy those instrumental breaks are.  The vocals on the outro are kind of different.  I'm not overly in love with them, but I think they contribute to the album's thematic style, and help to further cohere it together.  And finally; that main, reoccurring guitar line... I'm trying to think of how possibly "Gumbo" I can explain my thoughts on it.  Maybe holy shit dude that guitar I just want to evaporate and follow it into the ether or wherever it may transcend like a ray of sunlight, goddamn!  Yup.  That should do it.

 

Doom In Full Bloom

I love how instantly recognizable and "at home" something like a horn can make this album sound.  I foresee the intro to this song rubbing a lot of nostalgic fans the right way.  The instrumentals on this song are something else – I feel like few moments on the album can really rival the 4-minute mark - give or take - where the song blossoms and unfurls into that outro passage.  I can see why so many people cite this song as an early favorite, if not solely for that lovely guitar line.

 

I Can't Feel You

Rachel can do no wrong.  We can all agree on that right?  Her appearance on the album is the feature I was most excited to read in those early press announcements.  I think the drumming on this track may be my favorite on the record, just for the groove it brings into the picture.  And how fucking great is it when the song crumbles out from below, leaving just the acoustic guitar and Mike singing I'm fluent in subtlety before the drums and that amazing bass crawl back in?  I'm really into the shifts this song takes.  Not a bad moment as far as I'm concerned.

 

Mine To Miss

I think I'm still kind of warming up to this one.  Anyone else find this one the least impactful up front?  Or just me?  More guest vocals from a mystery woman, this time... the way they're implemented in this song are ace, though.  Also.  I really, really do not like the way Mike sings my heart at 1:46.  And I don't know that I ever will.

 

Life Support

Fuck, this is a grade-A closer, isn't it?  I love how this song is punctuated by those really "climactic" and grand instrumental breaks.  This song would feel so out of place and borderline cheesy if it were sequenced anywhere else in the record, but from the first listen it hit me as such an appropriate finale to the record.  It's beautiful but also harkens back to the bittersweet mood that's strung so generously throughout the band's first self-titled album.  The bright transitions are a nice touch, and I like the use of the strings – not overdone, and retaining good taste.  But that melody in the guitar... the one that latches onto the song's ending and sinks with it; that's the magic of American Football in a bottle, right there.  At least to me.  You know it's beautiful but it also kind of stomps on your insides.  There was no real moment like that, leading up to this closer, so I'm really pleased that they stuck a depressive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

All in all I'm very pleased with this album.  The wait was worth it and I can see why you guys haven't been able to put it down.

 

TL:DR

 

He's into it

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2 hours ago, Derek™ said:

Having no discrimination or preference towards streaks is ideal.  You were just wondering about - or at least surprised by - the lack critiquing on the BSM variant, and I wanted to give you potential insight.  (Not that I'm speaking for everyone.)  While the BSM variant doesn't 100% match that original description, it has a subtle / cool / "hold up to the light to really see it" kind of splatter going on, and those are just dandy in my books... hence no critique.

 

So after a couple more listens, I think I'm ready to weigh in on the album.  Track by track thoughts for anyone who's already familiar with the album and cares to read an opinion.  Spoiler tags for everyone else.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Silhouettes

What an introduction to the album.  This is the only single I caved on at the end of last year; truly feels like ages ago.  Right off the bat I'm enjoying the new soundscapes that Americ are treading on this album.  Even in fear of using overly lavish descriptions and going full Gumbo, I have to say that I absolutely love the spectral vibe that just drenches the entire song.  It sounds unlike anything the band has ever committed to tape and I'm all about it.  I can see why they released it as a single since it really taps into that surreal, hazy aesthetic you get with the cover's gradient and fog.  I think they tie in nicely.  Hearing Mike single oh the muscle memories for the first time... I knew there was lasting power in that vocal melody, and it has resonated well with me over these past few months.  Call it AF.  Call it Owen.  Whatever camp you lump it in, that's an incredible hook and you can imagine how pleased I am that reoccurs so often in this spacey jam.

 

Every Wave To Ever Rise

Intro feels very "vintage" AF, in a good way.  I was actually unfamiliar with Elizabeth Powell before hearing her featured on this track, and I have to say I enjoy her contributions quite a bit.  Her vocals certainly have a strong allure to them, and her spotlight moment of the song may be the highlight for me.  The last minute and a half that closes out the track is unmistakably chill, and really showcases the band's ability to write atmospheric slow-burners.  I'm into it.

 

Uncomfortably Numb

Like everyone else, I went into this song with the utmost apprehension.  I've never enjoyed Paramore, but I've also never hated them.  For as hard as they were meme'd here on the boards – thanks, Zay – I do think Hayley is a talented vocalist, and he features have slowly trickled their way into my music in the past.  (Recalling an appearance or two on mwY's Ten Stories off the top of my head.)  So with all that being said... this shit's great.  I find myself looking forward to this song a lot more than I probably should.  It breaks away from the ethereal, "post-rock" vibes that the band weaves into most of the album's tracks, and really feels more like a pop tune than anything else.  A few of my friends who shared their first impressions all hated this track.  And for all intents and purposes, it really is outside of American Football's wheelhouse of songwriting.  I was initially kind of hoping that Hayley's vocals would be a little more distorted or subdued, but considering how commanding her voice is, subtlety has never been Hayley's strong suit.  I still think her melodies are stellar though, and even though she could afford to be a little less in the forefront of the production at times, her vocals intertwined with Mike's work.  (The lessons are so much less obvious the further you get from home).  When she takes the stage and has the entire band backing her... it is decidedly not the American Football we all know and love.  But the people unable to let that notion go are the same ones who are going to miss out on what this song has to offer.  And truthfully, that entire concept can be applied to the rest of the record, too.

 

Heir Apparent

When the bass pops off at 1:25 or so.  That's that good shit.  It happens again at the halfway mark, with guitars on full midwestern-emo twinkle mode, and the drums invigorating the moment with uncontested energy.  It all makes for a nice call-and-answer song structure, that contrasts nicely with how chill and dreamy those instrumental breaks are.  The vocals on the outro are kind of different.  I'm not overly in love with them, but I think they contribute to the album's thematic style, and help to further cohere it together.  And finally; that main, reoccurring guitar line... I'm trying to think of how possibly "Gumbo" I can explain my thoughts on it.  Maybe holy shit dude that guitar I just want to evaporate and follow it into the ether or wherever it may transcend like a ray of sunlight, goddamn!  Yup.  That should do it.

 

Doom In Full Bloom

I love how instantly recognizable and "at home" something like a horn can make this album sound.  I foresee the intro to this song rubbing a lot of nostalgic fans the right way.  The instrumentals on this song are something else – I feel like few moments on the album can really rival the 4-minute mark - give or take - where the song blossoms and unfurls into that outro passage.  I can see why so many people cite this song as an early favorite, if not solely for that lovely guitar line.

 

I Can't Feel You

Rachel can do no wrong.  We can all agree on that right?  Her appearance on the album is the feature I was most excited to read in those early press announcements.  I think the drumming on this track may be my favorite on the record, just for the groove it brings into the picture.  And how fucking great is it when the song crumbles out from below, leaving just the acoustic guitar and Mike singing I'm fluent in subtlety before the drums and that amazing bass crawl back in?  I'm really into the shifts this song takes.  Not a bad moment as far as I'm concerned.

 

Mine To Miss

I think I'm still kind of warming up to this one.  Anyone else find this one the least impactful up front?  Or just me?  More guest vocals from a mystery woman, this time... the way they're implemented in this song are ace, though.  Also.  I really, really do not like the way Mike sings my heart at 1:46.  And I don't know that I ever will.

 

Life Support

Fuck, this is a grade-A closer, isn't it?  I love how this song is punctuated by those really "climactic" and grand instrumental breaks.  This song would feel so out of place and borderline cheesy if it were sequenced anywhere else in the record, but from the first listen it hit me as such an appropriate finale to the record.  It's beautiful but also harkens back to the bittersweet mood that's strung so generously throughout the band's first self-titled album.  The bright transitions are a nice touch, and I like the use of the strings – not overdone, and retaining good taste.  But that melody in the guitar... the one that latches onto the song's ending and sinks with it; that's the magic of American Football in a bottle, right there.  At least to me.  You know it's beautiful but it also kind of stomps on your insides.  There was no real moment like that, leading up to this closer, so I'm really pleased that they stuck a depressive pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

 

All in all I'm very pleased with this album.  The wait was worth it and I can see why you guys haven't been able to put it down.

 

I would just like to take a moment to appreciate outloud how spot on that Gumboism was.  I nearly spit out the imaginary drink in my mouth.  That might be my favorite thing you’ve ever posted.  

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4 hours ago, bluescreenlife said:

For me it's Self Titled > Self Titled > Self Titled 

While I partly agree with this I believe American Football is their best. American Football is also good. Not as good as American Football but certainly better than American Football 

Edited by Saxonjulin
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