I do have to say, I think this is probably the most AC firing on all cylinders album yet. It’s every member contributing more than ever with the least reliant on overwhelming production. At this point in their career to be making music at this level is more than impressive. Each member has had their high and lows. This is the rawest, most exposed, most progressive and most connected to the jammy roots they’d not really birthed until now.
I’m super happy for Avey on this one tbh. He is seriously coming into his own at this point. And the band behind him has never had better contributions to the whole.
What a fruitful time for AC 25 or so fucking years into a career.
Defeat adds a gargantuan heft to this record, and ties the narrative of it together acting as the "abyss/ordeal" in the hero's journey. It's presence on the album sets the backdrop for the other songs, and Defeat's themes are given more nuance and depth by them in turn.
Magicians/Defeat is a(nother) career-defining artistic statement from Avey of epic proportions.
100% agree.
dervish wrote:
I do have to say, I think this is probably the most AC firing on all cylinders album yet. It’s every member contributing more than ever with the least reliant on overwhelming production. At this point in their career to be making music at this level is more than impressive. Each member has had their high and lows. This is the rawest, most exposed, most progressive and most connected to the jammy roots they’d not really birthed until now.
I’m super happy for Avey on this one tbh. He is seriously coming into his own at this point. And the band behind him has never had better contributions to the whole.
What a fruitful time for AC 25 or so fucking years into a career.
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
Hard to believe there's a Deakin song I like more than Royal and Desire (especially after only a year of being out), but Stride Rite might be it. He just keeps getting better
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
I was just about to ask what music I should listen to till Sep 29 comes around.
Imagine if Noah led the next AC record with a heavy Stereolab influence. I think that would be the next best direction for them to go from here, unless Deakin wants to take the lead on the next record lol.
EDIT: Or if they expand on Defeats intro and go full Journey Into Satchidananda
I love the singing on this record maybe more than ever? The way it sounds AND is done.
I listened to Time Skiffs like 2x+ in my car this weekend and I love that record too. Almost seems more like "listenable" than IIN which is such a big, deeper maybe endeavor. But has a totally unique personality. I think especially Avey's bass profile seems to be a big part of how Skiffs feels. Has a physicality that seems unique to it, where Avey's bass is still very present on Now but feels a little less forward or sumn idk (and yet these are bassy songs so I don't fully know what I mean yet)
This album seems like a band captured live in a room in the most ideal of ways in terms of the quality of recording, with minimal overdubs. And the songs are either short and punchy af, even moreso than something like WGB or Walker, OR more likely they're long af and deep and kinda "heavy" . Whereas Skiffs is a lil more Geo heavy studio stuff + long intro/outros? Idk
Like there's a "heaviness" to this record. I think I sound like I'm protesting too much, but I think they split these songs into 2 groups in the best way they could have. Prester John's and Royal are the only thing that come close but they seem wrong for this group. Anyway people might be tired of people talking about how the Skiffs and Now songs are or are NOT diff but it's still interesting to me a lil.
Also Genies has fully (re-)grown and is not overly subtle seeming like it almost felt last weekend on first few lessons. It's huge and wild. If I compare the first half of this album to their last like, idk 3 main LPs at least and how much it vibes with my soul, it's just night and day.
I love every AC album but some of my "issue" songs on past albums include shit early on like Rosie Oh, Vertical, Buffalo Tomato and even kinda Car Keys to some extent. But here I have 5 strait songs that I am ALL out 100% balls to the wall in love with starting it off.
Also I think I like Royal more than Stride, but Stride is like the only one that is still revealing itself/growing so I do like that.
This is a monster album and it's danker and wilder and deeper than anything they've done in 10+ years as a band nearly, and I'm a big ol PW, CHZ and Tangerine head. And skiffs. Idk I like all their weird and bizarrely different incarnations but wow I love this one. I'd be down for them to stay in this mode for a fuggin while but I should jump over to the new era thread to see what others are thinking... I can't picture what's next at all, but I know it's lit.
If I say that some of the highs of their solo output since ODDSAC has been higher for me than their highs as a band to some extent for 10 years, (with exceptions of like On Delay, PW b-sides, a few CHZ songs, a few Skiffs songs, TR/MW's general vibe) then this seems to be an album band that fully beats even those out.
Maybe there's no Selfish Gene or Reaper b-sides level wildness, but the Panda songs go even harder than Homies or Buoys highpoints, and Avey is doing even better than like. Season High and Cows/7s highs. Which like, 7 highs are quite quite high for me. 7s is Avey's Homies in terms of solid-ness.. 7s songs coulda been IIN b-sides/ep.... anyway, I love it.
Gem & I is like organic Sonic music like wtf how did they do this. Noah sounds so energized on this record to me, it's infectious. Magicians>Defeat>Gem is a particularly epic stretch on a good six straight potential 5/5 songs. Very happy with this tracklisting atm
Edit: oh shit someone posted the same thing about Sonic and Gem & I a few days ago, good call! It's gotta be those synths
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
I've been out of town for the last week so I'm late to the party- if someone would be able to send a crunchy snack my way I'd hugely appreciate it. So exciting to read all this!
I gotta say this album sounds way better on speakers than on headphones. I'm surprised at the difference.
i gave it a full listen with the cans on saturday and have to say i preferred it to car speakers (which aren't sus). i tend to trend towards headphones as the most immersive way to listen to music. i am excited to spin the vinyl at the end of the month.
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
i was just ignoring CA for a while but since people on this page are asking — is the leák any good? i thought i saw quality complaints when it happened. if it's sounding fine i would like a link too!
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put on your queens of the stone age record and suck your own dick
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
Fantastic playlist, it made my morning. You nailed the vibe.
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it and you feel like it captures the vibe. Still keen for any suggestions. Feel like I have quite got it all covered yet. Close but not quiiiite.
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
Fantastic playlist, it made my morning. You nailed the vibe.
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it and you feel like it captures the vibe. Still keen for any suggestions. Feel like I have quite got it all covered yet. Close but not quiiiite.
Definitely should have some Neu, try hallogallo from their s/t
I’ve been really trying to listen out for drumming similar to the beat panda has been playing since he did those solange tracks so some of the things I’ve saved are:
Easy to be Hard by Cher
Forge Your Own Chains by D.R. Hooker
Liquid Love by Roy Ayer
My Band by Carib Tokyo would sound a lot like gem or broke if it were half speed slower
And maybe try Flowers in the Rain by the Move, the repeated synth and drum patterns remind me of pandas racks on IIN
There’s some moments from Old Rotten Hat by Robert Wyatt that give me some Defeat vibes.
Oh and Astral Traveling by Pharoah Saunders cause it was sampled for the Music Box performance but I can’t remember which song atm
Does anyone else think that Stride Rite sounds a lot like a Vashti Bunyan song? I'm not sure if I'm making it up or its just the vibe of the slow melody with floating piano. Something from either her second or third albums?
I just can not get enough of Magicians. It’s already up there with Mr. Fingers as one of my absolute all time AC songs and it’s only been a few days. It’s so lush. The low end is enormous. Avey’s vocals are like a warm hug. It’s just beyond perfect. You might just say it’s…
The second half of Magicians gets a lot of well deserved praise, but man the chorus in the first half is so amazing. Maybe some of my favorite synth sounds they've ever conjured, it actually feels sort of distinct from a lot of other stuff in this era.
I've been putting together a playlist of stuff that potentially influenced 'Isn't It Now?' or at least stuff that it reminds me of (some of which is awesome stuff that others have mentioned). Would love suggestions from anyone for songs that you think would work well.
Fantastic playlist, it made my morning. You nailed the vibe.
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it and you feel like it captures the vibe. Still keen for any suggestions. Feel like I have quite got it all covered yet. Close but not quiiiite.
Oh and Astral Traveling by Pharoah Saunders cause it was sampled for the Music Box performance but I can’t remember which song atm
Hiya. I'd be incredibly happy for a DM. xoxo from someone lurking since 2007 (who obviously forgot their login details and had to create a new account).
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