Reviews

There’s something that this album has that a lot of albums don’t have to me and it’s this strange familiarity and nostalgia that this album exudes, and also its major vulnerability and raw production style. Some of the most powerful and raw moments I’ve ever heard on any album appear on this record and it never fails to get me every time. This record is one of my favorites ever. It’s seriously that good.

Loved a lot of this record. It’s not every day that you get an album that is mostly produced by Jai Paul so when something like this drops you gotta listen.

The album flows consistently from track to track, which is simultaneously its advantage and disadvantage. It felt like a safe release as they return with their first solo release in almost 7 years. Some unbelievable takes on shoegaze with "Fishbrain" and the two King Krule features. I really hoped for more experimentation here to push it to the next level, but it's a very enjoyable listen for a road trip.

Bringing some Everytime I Die heaviness here. Still digg their energetic poppunk sauce too.

A classic in its own right. Jerry took the liberty to lean more heavily on his psychedelic bluegrass and blues roots, but could have done more to change up "Deal" and "Sugaree".

Listened to it twice and not a single song jumped out. A shame about the tension.

Really an unbelievable record. No skips, with so many to return to. It's cohesive and dynamic, yet steadily builds from the first song through the last second of the last song. Definitely his magnum opus, but still very excited for Death Jokes.

one moment thom croons sweet somethings about the tragic beauty of humankind then the next i'm getting blasted with high gain full octane overdriven guitar. more of this please.

this record came out forever ago but i still feel the need to say something about it. this record is a massive departure from their previous work. adrianne and buck have demonstrated incredible folk talent through their solo endeavors, but big thief largely remained outside of that world, until this album. and what a gem it is. it blends the simplicity of folk tunes with the complexity of lyrical themes and instrumentation. 80 minutes and not a single dull moment, which is a ridiculous achievement in a record. i'm still listening to this, all the time.

Really enjoyed the spaciness of this record. They stripped things back in a tasteful way that showcases each individual's musicality in subtle ways. Definitely not disappointed, but looking for them to experiment a bit more on the next one.

One of the most important punk records ever made and continued to put the US in the same conversation as the UK in the aftermath of Never Mind the Bollocks. This album is witty and emotionally charged (i.e. "Forward to Death" and "I Kill Children") with certifiable rock and punk classics littered throughout. "California Uber Alles" will always remain my go-to dive bar jukebox cut.

Soft dance-beats accompanied by spoken stories. Calvin Harris meets Example.

As far as soul goes this is certainly essential. Unfortunately soul isn't my cup of tea.

This one will need to sink in, but on a Monday afternoon this is just, above anything else, giving me a headache.

I just don't know why I have such a thing for non-conformist sounding music 😇😇😇

I’m starting to miss Rostam

back to the basics. they know what they are and kill it every time. Todavía viva might be my favorite groove they’ve ever made tbh

Takes the VW mythos and completely implodes it. These sound like VW songs, but each one is slightly off, slightly disjointed, to the point that each song becomes something new — I’ve heard songs like this, but I’ve never heard songs like this. I want to crawl inside this production and never leave.

I don’t know how to write about this record. it’s dancey and hard and meta and shitty and angry and silly and beneath the don’t-give-a-fuck of it all lies something really clever. Blackpool illuminations is my favorite.

My argue with the wall take is that Lizzy could soundtrack the most gut wrenching off-broadway romance if given the chance. Her whole discography reads like a pensive, follow spot, cheat to audience Act I conclusion and as a reformed theater kid I’m perpetually here for it.

Early appreciation for the twang and harmonies on Come Down Soon + Movie Star (big Golden Hour Kacey Musgraves inspo) & the build on Broken Glass

The severe chokehold this album would have had on the Skins UK soundtrack

nothing but bangers coming out of Houston this week. May mama Leezy + the gang live long and prosper.

low key Hejira-esque contemplative cross country reflections, missing some of the wit and rock that made me fall in love w/ MB but nonetheless a wonderful lil ode to the power of long drives, being in love, and low dose anti-depressants

This album has some of the most intense moments I ever heard recorded.

Yes. Just yes. Exactly what I needed from them such a fresh spin on their already amazing sound that has been so uniquely theirs for 15 years. Loved the hell out of this record

Unbelievably boring. Also that Kendrick diss is truly embarrassing

Possibly the album when it’s all said and done that will have the most emotional impact on me. Side B is absolutely flawless and honestly the greatest 3 track run of all time. Some all time caliber songwriting and production

6+ months later and I still can’t believe this was created by humans. This is some of the most unreal avant-garde rock music I’ve heard come out in a very long time and what absolutely destroys me is we won’t get to hear more under the Sprain name. Some seriously mind altering and transcendental experiences come from this album. It’s an absolute beast and a challenge to listen to but it’s so rewarding to upon revisiting

Absolutely KICK ASS RECORD. Some heavy and brutal doom/drone metal that doesn’t get enough praise in their discography. The first three parts on this one track album are flawless.

This album is seriously incredible. One of those albums that keeps me coming back for more and more and I seem to not get tired of it when I revisit. Some truly beautiful and also brutal and depressive moments on here that have only gotten better with time.

One of my favorite drone records ever and one of my favorite albums period. Kali Malone’s 3rd album Living Torch swaps the pipe organ from her 2019 album ”The Sacrificial Code” with an ARP 2500, Modular Synthesis, Trombone, and Bass Clarinet. What results is a masterclass in electroacoustic drone composition. An absolute transcendental experience on both pieces on this album.

i generally fuck with everything adrianne does. she's a special songwriter, one that i really admire in her ability to weave the personal with the universal. sometimes i listen to records and think, wow, i can really feel what you felt and see what you meant. no bullshit. straight to the source of wherever it came from. this is one of those records. sadness as a gift is a straight 5/5 for me.

Very listenable and smooth, but too comfortable musically. While this record dives in a lot more personally than November and Chasing Summer, the album tends to meander and doesn't offer tons of musical diversity. The features are all showing out, though.

God, every song gets heavier and heaveier and I'm here for it. More guterals, sudden stops. And that snare, that snare...

This is some wild shit, but I love it so much. A double album, four years in the making. Perhaps their last one? Put up on YouTube without ads. Or purchasable/downloadable in .wav format (via a MegaUpload link!) if you go to fucking GeoCities of all places...

But it's full of brilliant, "off-kilter" (sorry) Brill Building-type pop that sounds like it's being played at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks. Instant AOTY contender.

Standouts: "Kingdom Come", "Dreams of You", "Government Cheque", "If You Hear Me Crying".

Although sometimes I find TSSF a bit too slick, this slow burner slams. Looking forward to the new album.

Wonderful, mellow treat, after their massive album 'Life Under the Gun'. The NOFX cover is a nice little gem.

Dipping my toes in folk lately. Discovered 'Magpie' through True Detective, Night Country. And the whole album is great.

Instrumental post-rock/-metal is my go-to focus music. It takes me to other dimensions. And ASIWYFA is a staple.

The saxophone in All The Way (Stay) hits me every time, love it.