LogFAQs > #976907949

Deleting my old post so I can make some slight changes to the list and post a few thoughts--not many, but I need to test out my new keyboard and want to be on the record as having said something.

GENERAL THOUGHTS:

I really liked this album. I don't usually revisit albums that we've covered too often (outside of the "Rank the Albums" period where I need to refresh my memories), even the ones that I enjoy, because it can be a bit rough trying to make extra time for it. I need to prepare to listen to whatever our next album is, there's usually an unrelated music topic or two on board that I'm trying to follow, I've got my own music that I want to listen to, and sometimes I do things other than listen to music. So, dropping everything to sneak in one extra listen and rearrange my list is very out of character for me & is a pretty good sign that I'd rank this as one of the top tier albums we've covered.

[Later, after having finished the relisten]

Well, it's definitely a long album. I'd say I really, really like about half of it; I suppose if I were to score every song on the album and average them to give a "fair" ranking, this would *probably* wind up several spaces lower in my Rank the Albums list than it's going to... but seven high scoring songs, for me, more than makes up for any parts of the album that try to drag it down.

TRACK THOUGHTS (in no particular order):

Ready to Start: I'm not sure how it'll hold up, but I think this may actually be my current favorite song of the cycle. There's a lot of competition and it likely depends on what type of mood I'm in that day, but still, great song.

Sprawl II: A good song that's dropped a bit from where I had it before. As I'm sure I've mentioned before, I'm typically drawn towards darkness, so a blunt line like "I need the darkness, someone please cut the lights" is basically cheating in terms of 'things I'm obligated to give a lot of points for'. Still, it's not quite as catchy as "Empty Rooms" or as emotional as "The Suburbs (Continued)", so I think I want it moved down just a couple pegs.

The Suburbs (Continued): A short, poignant outro. I'm sure there's an argument that the song is too short for me to be giving it such a high placement--I'm honestly considering moving it up to first--but I'm not really bothered by short tracks. It comes in, hits the emotional beats it wants to, and fades away. A perfect end to the album.

Suburban War: One of the songs I most wanted to revisit and move up a few notches. I have a hard time figuring out why I'm drawn to this track, but I am drawn to it regardless.

Empty Room: The other song I wanted to revisit as I've had this stuck in my head for days. "When I'm by myself, I can be myself"... am I that easily manipulated by such basic lyrics? Yes. ....Ehhh, very close call between this and Suburbs (Continued), but I think I'll jump this one up to second place. Honestly, my top three are all really close this time around, I could cycle them in any order and be content with it.

City with No Children: Catchy tune and the second verse has some very pleasing self-doubt. I enjoy this.

Half Light II (No Celebration): A song that is close to greatness. I love low tones and this song certainly *toys* with the idea of powerful, rumbling tones but never fully commits to it; there's a fair amount of pain over growing up--"In this town where I was born, I now see through a dead man's eyes" is definitely the type of blunt sadness I go for--but I never quite connect with it the way I should. I do like the song, but it feels like it should be something I love and it never quite reaches that mark.

The Suburbs: It's an odd complaint, but the backing music on this track feels a bit too jaunty for me. It is better than I gave it credit for (or, perhaps, my love of "The Suburbs (Continued)" is eroding my ability to judge this track fairly [or, perhaps, both]) and I'm moving it up my ranks a little.

Month of May: Ehh... I shouldn't be so blunt about it, but the more typical rock sound on this track kinda bores me? Like, it's *fine*, but....

1: Ready to Start
2: Empty Room
3: The Suburbs (continued)
4: Suburban War
5: Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
6: City with No Children
7: Half Light II (No Celebration)
8: The Suburbs
9: Deep Blue
10: Wasted Hours
11: Modern Man
12: We Used to Wait
13: Half Light 1
14: Month of May
15: Sprawl I (Flatland)
16: Rococo

Didn't list the extra songs this time--"Speaking in Tongues" would probably steal fifth place and "Culture War" would be last.

Clube de Esquina > One of Us is the Killer > Knower Forever

Original Gangster > Hes The DJ Im The Rapper > Raisin Hell