Fair To Midland

[FeebleFables]

Re: Fair To Midland

Yes, I feel like the first half of the album really shines while the second half kind of meanders. Also, the sound of the cymbals bugs me to no end.

I think it's really solid the whole way through

Favorites so far:

Whiskey & Ritalin
A Loophole in Limbo
Short-Haired Tornado
Golden Parachutes
The Greener Grass (wow)

And the lyrics kill me, lol, he's gotten better at using his 'sayings' in a more purposeful, less random way.

"I smell a rat and just in case, I set up traps and you're the bait. Surprise."

Love it.

[TheRuleofThree]

Re: Fair To Midland

My fave so far is "If curiosity killed the cat, well, you better teach the cat to fight back."

[SoundscapeMN]

Re: Fair To Midland

the CD version does sound a fair amount better, or more listenable. Time will tell for me, but I'm starting to back off on how poor the production of the cymbals are on here. They're not incredibly crisp and clean, save for 1 or 2 tracks (Bright Bulbs come to mind), but they are more within the mix of the distortion and layering. They sound more splashy, a bit like the cymbals sound on Set Sail the Prairie.

That being said, I'm focusing more on the actual music, and I'm still rolling my eyes a bit over the praising comments. There's some nice work here, but I'm not finding it flows like Fables, nor have as many earworms or amazing songs/sections of songs.

But that stuff often can change with more play.

[FeebleFables]

Re: Fair To Midland

Roll your eyes to this: I think it's better than Fables

[Chroma]

Re: Fair To Midland

Roll your eyes to this: I think it's better than Fables

So do I. This album is so much more focused than Fables was. Not that Fables is bad, but half of that album is practically forgettable to me. This is strong and consistant throughout.

[AnewKINDofFEELING]

Re: Fair To Midland

So do I. This album is so much more focused than Fables was. Not that Fables is bad, but half of that album is practically forgettable to me. This is strong and consistant throughout.

Which half of Fables is that? Seriously, I can't think of a single song on that album that I don't enjoy the hell out of.

[Ars Sycro]

Re: Fair To Midland

I miss the "growling" vocals. It's there in a few songs (especially Rikki Tikki Tavi), but it was all over in Fables.

[Corroded Halo]

Re: Fair To Midland

I miss the "growling" vocals. It's there in a few songs (especially Rikki Tikki Tavi), but it was all over in Fables.

Yeah, Whiskey & Ritalin REALLY could've benefited from those. That bridge towards the end ("and you better hide... you're coming with me...") had it live, and I hate that he held back in the studio version.

As for the A&A vs. Fables debate: I have a nasty habit of judging things a lot differently when they're new vs. after they've had time to sink in, so I don't want to stake out a firm position just yet. But as a longtime fan, my initial thought is that they're about equal. I think the songwriting on the new record is probably a bit more varied and interesting, but the production and studio performance (particularly vocally) aren't quite as good, so it just about evens out in the end.

[noclevername]

Re: Fair To Midland

"Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow" is a clear favorite for me at this point. It even has "growly" vocals, Ars.

[SimpatiK]

Re: Fair To Midland

After a day of listening this album is one level up from Fables IMO.

[theis]

Re: Fair To Midland

but it was all over in Fables.

Huh?

As far as I can hear he only "growls" in Dance of the Manatee.

[AnewKINDofFEELING]

Re: Fair To Midland

My favorites so far are Amarillo, Rikki Tikki Tavi, Short-Haired Tornado, and Coppertank Island.

Three Foolproof Ways to Buy the Farm is a pretty sweet song, too.

[Ars Sycro]

Re: Fair To Midland

Huh?

As far as I can hear he only "growls" in Dance of the Manatee.

It had been a while since I've listened to Fables, but I just relistened to the first half or so of it, and I think I now know what I probably noticed as the difference that I identified as the growling. Maybe I'm wrong on this and as I listen to this one more I'll pick it up there as well, but it seems like there are less key/tone/pitch (whatever the hell it is) changes on each song than there were before. Fables made it sound like there were 4 or 5 different vocalists on each song. Here, for the most part, they seem to find a key/tone/pitch and stick to it.

[Gnomad]

Re: Fair To Midland

I really don't see that as a bad thing.

[Ars Sycro]

Re: Fair To Midland

It's just different opinions. Thus far, I enjoy Fables much more than A&A.