149 replies to this topic

[SonicAlligator]

Listening to this for the first time right now (Oh my God, he only checked this out because Pitchfork liked it!) and I really enjoy it. I kinda see The Boss here (Jersey boys, nostalgic lyrics, r'n'r), but I think these guys have a very distinct sound that I like a lot. Anyone else see a little Okkervil (and maybe a hint of The Killers) here as well? This is really good.

[Simakos]

You aren't taking wanky in the correct context. "Wanky fanboyism" doesn't mean "wanky".

mitch, when you say wanky, i know how to take it...

[RustyTrombone]

Listening to this for the first time right now (Oh my God, he only checked this out because Pitchfork liked it!) and I really enjoy it. I kinda see The Boss here (Jersey boys, nostalgic lyrics, r'n'r), but I think these guys have a very distinct sound that I like a lot. Anyone else see a little Okkervil (and maybe a hint of The Killers) here as well? This is really good.

Absolutely love the record and i do agree with the Killers reference....i definitely hear a little bit of Brandon Flowers in the vocals of a couple of the songs.....

[swede]

great album. reminds me of sam's town with better lyrics and less over-emoting. love this.

exhibit A: " in the backseat"

[Hewletts Daughter]

'The Patient Ferris Wheel' will definitely be making my year-end mix. Probably the best rock and/or roll song I've heard in 2008. Try and argue with that. Just try.

[Simakos]

it's all about "High Lonesome" for me lately...

[MattDrufke]

And what a fantastic opener.... "Everybody leaves and I expect this much from you..."

[UselessRocker]

the Springsteen/Replacements comment in here made me think "Ah crap, I'm gonna have to listen to this". After three listens, I'm just not sure about this one. It doesn't look a thing like Jesus.

[Heretix]

Just bought this blindly. Really digging it. Some of it sounds a bit forced, but hey, bands have to start somewhere (yes I know this is their second album). It's like a right-down the middle, clean-cut split between The Boss and Against Me! It's sort of unnerving really. But wholly enjoyable. Title track and Cowgirls = greatness. But the reverb on the vocals and the general limited range of the lead singer's voice is also very reminiscent of Killers, Sam's Town especially (UselessRocker's comment just made me remember that observation)... it seems odd that some people would like this and still vehemently hate The Killers. But whatever. EDIT: I see this has already been discussed. I should actually read the thread before I post, eh?

[solace]

i guess i can hear some comparisons to Brandon's voice on a few songs, but live his voice was very very strong.

[UselessRocker]

i guess i can hear some comparisons to Brandon's voice on a few songs, but live his voice was very very strong.

How can you NOT hear it? The tone of the guy's voice + the reverbed vocals + lyrics like "I haven't seen Sandy and Johnny or Mary/I heard they got married mighta had a couple babies/ traded their memories for Fairview and liquors". Yeah, he's borrowing and referencing Bruce characters and lyrics. But the result is def. more "Read My Mind" than "Out in the Street".

Also, while I'm in bash-mode, that "I'm On Fire" cover was pretty terrible.

[solace]

*shrug* honestly i can't really stand The Killers, or moreso, Brandon's voice (especially live)...

[Heretix]

i guess i can hear some comparisons to Brandon's voice on a few songs, but live his voice was very very strong.

How can you NOT hear it? The tone of the guy's voice + the reverbed vocals + lyrics like "I haven't seen Sandy and Johnny or Mary/I heard they got married mighta had a couple babies/ traded their memories for Fairview and liquors". Yeah, he's borrowing and referencing Bruce characters and lyrics. But the result is def. more "Read My Mind" than "Out in the Street".

Also, while I'm in bash-mode, that "I'm On Fire" cover was pretty terrible.

You're completely on the money here. But I like The Killers, and I like this, so it's all good.

[MattDrufke]

I heard "The 59 Sound" on Q101, and was jotting down lyrics so I could find out who sang it. When I got to, "Y'ain't supposed to die on a Saturday night", I just assumed in was Flowers. But again, great disc.

[solace]

except Flowers is now obsessed with Oingo Boingo instead of Bruce

[thresholdofrevelation]

I'm 5 songs into this and I'm liking it a lot. It strikes me as something that could really reward on repeat listens. Also, parts remind me of The Gin Blossoms. I mean that in the nicest way possible.

[Simakos]

the more i play this record the less i hear Springsteen in the vocals... i wart to see these guys live.

[UselessRocker]

This is like The Killers for me. Not only in how it sounds here & there, but in that I find some of these songs to be pretty undeniably, well-written pop songs but on the flip side I also find it all too forced to really strike a chord with me and win me over. Enjoyable record, though.

[Heretix]

This is like The Killers for me. Not only in how it sounds here & there, but in that I find some of these songs to be pretty undeniably, well-written pop songs but on the flip side I also find it all too forced to really strike a chord with me and win me over. Enjoyable record, though.

Dude, stop taking the words out of my, uh, fingers. I really do like this album but yeah, that's an issue, some of it feels forced. It's hard to take it sincerely and seriously (and it's certainly not being ironic or funny either) and that certainly reduces my enjoyment a bit. Fine album though. There are some moments of sincerity though, like the "Woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet/It's a pretty good song maybe you know the rest" line. Great lyric, the band at least acknowledging the massive influence on the work. There's a bit too much Sally and Johnny on this record, unless that is just another "homage" to Springsteen... but it's overdone either way.

[UselessRocker]

This is like The Killers for me. Not only in how it sounds here & there, but in that I find some of these songs to be pretty undeniably, well-written pop songs but on the flip side I also find it all too forced to really strike a chord with me and win me over. Enjoyable record, though.

Dude, stop taking the words out of my, uh, fingers. I really do like this album but yeah, that's an issue, some of it feels forced. It's hard to take it sincerely and seriously (and it's certainly not being ironic or funny either) and that certainly reduces my enjoyment a bit. Fine album though. There are some moments of sincerity though, like the "Woke up in my bed with the sheets soaking wet/It's a pretty good song maybe you know the rest" line. Great lyric, the band at least acknowledging the massive influence on the work. There's a bit too much Sally and Johnny on this record, unless that is just another "homage" to Springsteen... but it's overdone either way.

Much like the "Mary" reference on Sam's Town, when Gaslight Anthem Guy talks about Johnny, Sandy and Mary and references "I'm On Fire", it really makes me groan. It's like, dude, I get it. I'm sure iit's meant with love and you're referencing as a tribute, but create your own characters. Craig Finn is indebted to Bruce too, but at least he has Hallejulah, Charlemagne, the Eyepatch Guy, Nightclub Dwight, Gideon, Juanita, etc.