Anybody else a little underwhelmed by the new release?

[Kathleen]

This album is for sure a grower. Especially Jacquard Causeway. Here has been my experience:

First listen (a few snippets from Desert Listening party):
Wow, that sounds like shit. Oh well. What did I expect? It's on speakers, going into a consumer recorder, fighting wind, and then streamed. Turn it off. I hope this song isn't just bad though.

Second Listen (internet livestream):
Yeah, ok... I guess it's on the more "ambient" first half of the album.

Third Listen (High quality speakers, HQ AACs.)
Oh yeah, I see what they're doing there. There's that rhythmic sound. Is that what a Jacquard loom sounds like? I should look that up.

Fourth Listen (same as third)
This is actually quite good. I appreciate this. Maybe not love, but I'm picking up what they're putting down.

This morning:
Why is Jacquard Causeway stuck in my head?!

[Kathleen]

For all those underwhelmed by this album, I beg of you to please leave your preconceptions/comparisons to previous albums at the door next to your coat rack. Then put on your coat (if it's cold), go for a walk to somewhere lovely with your music player and simply:

"Listen"

Yesssss. This.

[seanandcandy]

This album is for sure a grower. Especially Jacquard Causeway. Here has been my experience:

First listen (a few snippets from Desert Listening party):
Wow, that sounds like shit. Oh well. What did I expect? It's on speakers, going into a consumer recorder, fighting wind, and then streamed. Turn it off. I hope this song isn't just bad though.

Second Listen (internet livestream):
Yeah, ok... I guess it's on the more "ambient" first half of the album.

Third Listen (High quality speakers, HQ AACs.)
Oh yeah, I see what they're doing there. There's that rhythmic sound. Is that what a Jacquard loom sounds like? I should look that up.

Fourth Listen (same as third)
This is actually quite good. I appreciate this. Maybe not love, but I'm picking up what they're putting down.

This morning:
Why is Jacquard Causeway stuck in my head?!

i dont think a post has EVER been so reflective of how i felt as well
ESPECIALLY THIS MORNING

[thedisavowed]

One thing is for sure: you HAVE to heard this album on decent equipment. Don't believe earbuds and crappy streams.

[Jonse]

Seems like some of you have forgotten that the brothers make music for themselves, not us. We're lucky enough that they decide to release it. I mean, come the fuck on. You guys constantly complain about how long they disappear between albums and then make threads like this. It's like shooting yourself in the foot and then asking why it hurts...

My ass.

I firmly believe that TH is a direct response to the negative fan reaction TCH received. The fans said "we want more MHTRTC!" and they delivered.

How is this like MHTRTC?

[Heath]

I think it's more a cross between geogaddi and TCH than MHTTC

[re-phaelam-ed]

(Old time poster here new username) It seems disproportionate the amount of praise this album is getting. All the long time fans I've talked to in a personal context are generally a little let down, but on the forums and reviews there doesn't seem to be much critical discussion.

Yes, time will bare some quality on it as everyone is saying, but in terms of the raw sound that is entering the ears; compare that naked sound to the naked sound of Geogaddi or even TCH EP and there seems to be a missing quality.

In the early 2000s we had hoards of musicians rightfully inspired by BoC, myspace communities, lots of excitement and energy etc. The thing is that the aesthetic impact sort of waned once a few started copying the image so callously and deliberately, and people who have been around will know exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not saying they were "wrong", in fact put some of that music side by side with the new BoC and you can't tell who's who!....

..and I guess that is what irks me. TCH Ep seemed like a move away from the more cursory elements of their style which had been beaten to death but this is sort of a regression. That's not to say that its less than great (it is certainly great) but how many times do we want to hear those basic synth pad drones (Semena Mertvykh), for instance? How transparent and simple do we want melody and sound design to be (Cold Earth)?

I wouldn't go so far as to call this album a stain on their catalogue, but is it really worth the seven years? Share your thoughts.

long time fan...been on board for ages [under diff tags]. what i heard on the stream was GREAT.
looking FORWARD to the actual release.

cant please everyone.

[thedisavowed]

Why new names?

[zeoevil]

My only contribution to this thread is to say that if this release was a extended play with just Reach for the Dead, Cold Earth, Palace Posy, Nothing is Real, and New Seeds, I would have been ecstatic. Everything else is just cake.

[Elexen]

My only contribution to this thread is to say that if this release was a extended play with just Reach for the Dead, Cold Earth, Palace Posy, Nothing is Real, and New Seeds, I would have been ecstatic. Everything else is just cake.

I agree. But I would add Come To Dust in there too.

[lumpenprol]

Can anyone articulate exactly technically what was missing ?
did it need more arps , more children laughing , perhaps more sinister overtones , more Orange ?

I'm going to take a guess and say that some people probably felt it was a bit 'safe' or lacking in diversity. I could see why if that was the case. I have no doubt that plenty of people will disagree here, but I don't think the album, as an overall piece of work, is as sonically interesting or groundbreaking as some of their other work. Clearly BoC weren't aiming to reinvent the genre but when you put this record side by side with their other albums, it's perhaps less eclectic and more predictable. It's more of a case of Tomorrow's Harvest meeting expectations rather well, as opposed than actually shattering them.

yep, that's it in a nutshell for me.
I don't expect BoC to be Ae, constantly reinventing. But this album feels quite safe and predictable to me. Even, dare I say it, boring. That's why Palace Posy is so refreshing, it's pretty much the only track that feels challenging and has a whiff of spontaneity and "wtf" about it.

Still processing the album tho.

[honeypower]

I think it's more a cross between geogaddi and TCH than MHTTC

this.

overall the album is spectacular. i just wish it didn't sound so 'clean'

[Magrathea]

I think it's more a cross between geogaddi and TCH than MHTTC

this.

overall the album is spectacular. i just wish it didn't sound so 'clean'

PC speakers will cheaply add that crappy dirty sound for you

[Fredd-E]

This morning:
Why is Jacquard Causeway stuck in my head?!

I'll tell you why. Because it's an epic song. That's why.

[Kathleen]

My only contribution to this thread is to say that if this release was a extended play with just Reach for the Dead, Cold Earth, Palace Posy, Nothing is Real, and New Seeds, I would have been ecstatic. Everything else is just cake.

I agree. But I would add Come To Dust in there too.

What about Sick Times?

[paul]

"listen"

YES.

this has been my mantra since say ... 3:23 @ RFTD was released.
cant stop - i even say it to my dog.

i like that i am not alone.
plus it is good advice.

[thinkdontpray]

its good to know that im not the only one walking around whispering listen to my cat

[re-phaelam-ed]

My only contribution to this thread is to say that if this release was a extended play with just Reach for the Dead, Cold Earth, Palace Posy, Nothing is Real, and New Seeds, I would have been ecstatic. Everything else is just cake.

left for a while...couldnt remember passwerd.
was stupid one time...

[paul]

its good to know that im not the only one walking around whispering listen to my cat

my man!

[thinkdontpray]

i have a feeling that when i listen to the record for the first time mashed on shrooms the "listen" is going to have a big impact on me

still to this day because of a great shroom trip, this song right here has always tripped me out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbdp37LbORo

since i fell in love with that song whenever someone asks me "are you there?" i feel high

oh it happens at 5:00 into the song if you dont want to listen to one of the most amazing songs ever

seriously, listen

see what i did there?