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Post by chigs on Apr 26, 2014 13:08:39 GMT
It does get better and better with each listen. There's usually one track on each album I skip but I don't think there's a duff track here...the bonus track DNA is lovely too.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 26, 2014 16:21:47 GMT
A few listens in and I'm really starting to like the album after a hesitant first listen. There are a few tracks that I'm not sure about, including Follow You Home which I think is too much like World At Your Feet for me to believe at the moment. I'm sure its day will come and it'll click all of a sudden though, sometimes happens. Refugees and Quarters are the stand out tracks though. Quarters is fantastic, remembered it well from seeing it live and it's just instantly struck a chord.
I feel the same as Paddy in that the album isn't really a massive departure from what they were doing when they closed up shop for a bit 8 years ago though. They'd already started going down the more electronic route and there were hints of this sound coming through in more than a few b-sides. It's definitely the right progression for them in my opinion. It suits them and suits the time.
I think I'll need a few more listens before it all clicks into place and I can write a proper review but as of now, I'm enjoying it, am happy this is the path they've chosen and am looking forward to falling in love with a few more tracks over the comings days.
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Post by buckley on Apr 26, 2014 19:49:05 GMT
Was so happy to receive my signed cd from the postman this morning. Was an unexpected suprise. Been listening to it all day LOUD with a massive grin on my face.
Im a huge fan of 80's / synth and the "sound" of the album ticks all the boxes for me. Protection, In The End, and Thief are early favorites and I was already a huge fan of Follow You Home which is "classic" Embrace.
Is it perfect, of course not, but the fact that my favorite band are together making new music of this quality in 2014 which is something I never thought I would see, simply fills my heart with joy. Im beaming !
My one gripe is that great songs like Decades, Bullets and Chameleon will never be heard (except by hardcore Embrace fans) as I think they would have slotted in perfectly onto the album, which could have been 12 or 13 songs. The one song thst is'nt grabbing me at the moment is At Once but thats not to say it wont grow on me.
Im always baffled how anyone can realy judge an album properly on a day or two's listening and I certainly dont claim to. Peoples opinion dismissing it or praising it can easily change over time. Truely great albums need years to pass the test of time. I would hate to think that some people have listened once, dismissed it as rubbish, and therefore never listen to it again. Surely all of us at one time or another have disliked albums we ended up loving and vice versa gone off albums we initially loved. Who can say where this album will rank in mine or, indeed, anyones hearts in a year, 5 years or 10 years time. All I can say is that at the "moment" I love this album and I love this band. And past history tells me that I (hopefully) will. I was'nt looking for another TGWO so comparisons are pointless to me.
Listening to it today has been very emotional for me. Like many fans, past Embrace albums / gigs are bookmarks in my life both good and bad. 8 years ago I was a completely different person to the one I am today. Its another world. Im glad im here today to listen to my favorite band make music in 2014.
Im going to put my feet up tonight and watch the album dvd with my wife. Life today is better then it was yesterday. Thats what this band does for me. And for that im grateful.
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Post by Sulphur Man on Apr 26, 2014 21:49:44 GMT
The new album pisses all over TGWO.
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Post by Sulphur Man on Apr 26, 2014 22:06:43 GMT
The really nailed TDLAHO! Fuck Yeah! Might be the best thing Embrace have ever done.
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mowgli77
New
SG21 - Can't Wait
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Post by mowgli77 on Apr 26, 2014 22:38:38 GMT
Impossible to compare this with The Good Will Out because that album is probably embedded in the hearts of most lifelong Embrace fans and for me just couldn't be equalled so I'm glad they didn't make an album trying to replicate that. Victims of their own success by making such a fantastic debut album. They will obviously move on musically from 2008 to 2014 and I love electro synth type music such as Depeche Mode and like this direction. Some of the songs sound like Talk To Angels material, quite deep, dark, electro pumping beats at times and I can imagine songs like Equal, admittedly a B side rather than an album track going down really well live if they decide to play it.
I have always loved the heartfelt songs rather than the jump along ones and on this album I really can't begin to like Self Attack Mechanism, for me it is one of the weakest songs they've ever done. Bullets, Equal, Chameleon or Decades would all have been better album tracks than this but this is the only song I don't like on the album. I think Follow You Home is a bit tacky at times and weak lyrically in places but having heard it live I know it goes down well and the oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh chants that reverberated around the Picturedrome will surely do the same in May during the tour.
Protection is really catchy, not an immediate favourite but I keep finding myself singing it like I've been brainwashed or hypnotised into repeating these lyrics. A strong opener for me and sets the tone quite well for the rest of the album. In The End another that is quite catchy and will probably become a favourite over time. Refugees I like but don't love. I Run is excellent, one I'm enjoying. Quarters is just one of those bizarre tracks that surprises you but in a pleasant way, first time I heard it I thought Scissor Sisters but very good live track and probably will be one of the tour favourites this May. At Once one of the better tracks. The Devil Looks After His Own I am still undecided on. A Thief On My Island absolutely epic, perfect tune to finish the album.
A strong comeback and a base to build upon going forwards.
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Post by DC on Apr 26, 2014 22:41:09 GMT
It's good, but I'd not agree with it being better than TGWO.
Today's been my first listen of the album so a lot of it I'd not heard before, or not for over six months since the giddy night at the Hop in Wakey.
So far a couple of tracks really stand out for me - Quarters (it's bonkers) and At Once (it's just absolutely beautiful without being a formulaic ballady type thing). Self Attack Mechanism would be growing on me more if I couldn't hear the bass from an old Go West! song in there. Thief though, my word, the wallops of self assured smashes of noise against quietness are marvellous.
I came back from Wakey with two songs I wanted to tell the world about, what I now know is Refugees (and which I liked better live and more raw) and the battering my ears got from Thief.
I already know I'm going to have At Once going on as an earworm for quite some time.
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Post by sarahlouise1970 on Apr 27, 2014 10:24:35 GMT
It's good, but I'd not agree with it being better than TGWO. Today's been my first listen of the album so a lot of it I'd not heard before, or not for over six months since the giddy night at the Hop in Wakey. So far a couple of tracks really stand out for me - Quarters (it's bonkers) and At Once (it's just absolutely beautiful without being a formulaic ballady type thing). Self Attack Mechanism would be growing on me more if I couldn't hear the bass from an old Go West! song in there. Thief though, my word, the wallops of self assured smashes of noise against quietness are marvellous. I came back from Wakey with two songs I wanted to tell the world about, what I now know is Refugees (and which I liked better live and more raw) and the battering my ears got from Thief. I already know I'm going to have At Once going on as an earworm for quite some time. Only listened to the album 3 times so yet to realise what the stand out favourites are for me but I would definitely agree with you about "At Once" it's a beautiful, beautiful song.
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Post by Tracy on Apr 27, 2014 11:12:34 GMT
I'm loving the album. Usually I skip to a favourite track but with this album I love them all and have played it in full about 6 or 7 times. Songs that are sticking in my head are Quarters and Self Attack Mechanism.
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Post by tomw on Apr 28, 2014 8:28:41 GMT
Does anyone else think that the photo that came with the deluxe CD was a slightly odd choice? The band all look a bit bored & Danny's more interested in his phone!
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Post by tomw on Apr 28, 2014 8:32:46 GMT
Quick album comment: only listened right though once and it's a thumbs up from me. Have listened to Protection several times since though: brilliant.
Strange experience hearing 'In the End': I'd only heard it once at SG20 but the chorus felt like I'd known it forever. I know Nick mentioned that it had come from an earlier version of Too Many Times, but I'm fairly sure that I've never heard that.
[Edited to retract the bit about song endings - changed my mind!]
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Post by jamesfisher6 on Apr 28, 2014 9:27:29 GMT
I must admit I am slightly dissapointed by this, but I still really like the album my top two at the moment are Quarters, and I Run.
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Post by hywelwj on Apr 28, 2014 10:52:08 GMT
It was great playing it to a mate on Saturday who doesn't know embrace. He loves his 80s bands, so was comparing tracks to depeche mode, new order and the smiths. He was quite impressed with the album, got to play it ridiculously loud in his car on the way down to Southampton.
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Post by deanozoff on Apr 28, 2014 13:25:16 GMT
Having listened to the album 3 times this morning my early impressions aren't very positive. As much as it pains me, and it really does pain me, I'm finding the album rather dull.
The lead singles didn't fill me with optimism so I was hoping the best was yet to come, and in a couple of tracks there is better (Thief being a terrific song) but I'm struggling with the lack of tunes. The musicianship is top drawer but I'm finding there's too much going on at the same time and it's overproduced. I find the versus are a bit muddled and forgettable.
This new direction isn't for me I'm afraid.
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Post by nowimnobody on Apr 28, 2014 16:02:13 GMT
Having listened to the album 3 times this morning my early impressions aren't very positive. As much as it pains me, and it really does pain me, I'm finding the album rather dull. The lead singles didn't fill me with optimism so I was hoping the best was yet to come, and in a couple of tracks there is better (Thief being a terrific song) but I'm struggling with the lack of tunes. The musicianship is top drawer but I'm finding there's too much going on at the same time and it's overproduced. I find the versus are a bit muddled and forgettable. This new direction isn't for me I'm afraid. I'm enjoying it but I can see what you mean about too much going on. Sometimes simplicity is better. I have a feeling you'll like the stuff on the live DVD. I've only seen a couple of the tracks so far (my copy is somewhere over the Atlantic currently) but they're simpler and more melodic, more of Mr Dale's ivory tinkling comes through. Follow You Home, for example: www.youtube.com/watch?v=v58AwjpXj2k
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Post by slutbunwolla on Apr 28, 2014 16:56:24 GMT
Update from me after a full weekend of listening. I really like it. I think its lyrically one of the strongest theyve done, There's no sloppy mush about looking as you are and la de da run of the mill love songs. The "ballads" on here have substance & bite and are much darker than anything theyve done before, maybe thats what's alienating a few people?
I also dont agree with the lack of melodies complaint. Im a big melody guy, i like bands to progress and try new stuff but if it doesnt have a melody behind it I wont like it, this album, for me, combines enough progression and experimentation to make it sound interesting but retains the big anthemic oomph Embrace have always had. Follow You Home has more hooks in it than a bait n tackle shop.
Self Attack Mechanism for me is one of the strongest tracks theyve done in their career and I cant Adam and Eve people who think its the weakest track (see what i did there?)! Goddamn you all for being different!
Its interesting that moving away from the Coldplay lite stuff they've become associated with that they may have alienated some of the fanbase, I hope thats not the case, cos this album to me is what Embrace have always been, theyve just ramped it up to 11.
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Post by slutbunwolla on Apr 28, 2014 17:12:17 GMT
sonic I hadn't actually read your post when I posted my "review" but having done so it was interesting that we both highlighted the absence of the sorts of melodies we associate with the band. I can tell we both desperately want them to be there but I'm on my third full listen now and I still don't hear them. Perhaps once I've heard them live I will connect more, I certainly hope so. nowimnobody thanks for the considered response and I agree with much of what you said. I suppose for me two examples come to mind: The Bends is one of my favourite albums ever and OK Computer wasn't far behind but as much as I wanted to like Kid A I never have and I never will. The melodies of Fake Plastic Trees, High and Dry, Street Spirit were nowhere to be found and I couldn't connect. Of course one of the reasons Radiohead are so admired is their evolution but they pretty much lost me from Kid A and a part of me will always regret what might have been had their evolution been less extreme. You also mentioned that the band shouldn't try and make another TGWO and I agree. But that doesn't mean they need to ditch many of the qualities that make them special. For example, what I've heard from the new Coldplay album I've really loved - it sounds very reminiscent of Parachutes but at the same time feels like an evolution and progression. What's more its low fi acoustic sound is a beautiful contrast to the enormous fluorescent soundscapes of Mylo Xyloto. I just wish this new Embrace album could have married the evolution the band so clearly crave with the melodies and feeling of TGWO, DFM and OON. Just to clarify, are you comparing the directional shift between the The Bends and Kid A to TGWO and "Embrace"? Cos thats a bit bonkers mate. Completely agree with losing Radiohead after Kid A after loving The Bends and OK Computer. But this is nowhere near as much of a musical shift as that was.
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Post by Tracy on Apr 28, 2014 18:01:12 GMT
I've listened to the album about a dozen times now and each time I've played it my favourite song keeps changing. I'm not usually a fan of slower songs Embrace have done (apart from TGWO) as I find them too melancholy, however, the slower songs on the album don't have that feel and I love them. I'm very impressed with the musicality and listening to the album you can tell a lot of time and care has been taken in the making of it. Nothing like TND which was rushed and therefore felt unfinished. I love the new album more and more each time I play it. I don't think I've enjoyed listening to an album in a long time. Love it
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Post by willow on Apr 28, 2014 18:11:08 GMT
Does anyone else think that the photo that came with the deluxe CD was a slightly odd choice? The band all look a bit bored & Danny's more interested in his phone! I was a little confused too when I saw it tbh.
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Post by bewildergirl on Apr 28, 2014 19:00:24 GMT
I hope I can be forgiven for not having had time to listen.
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