Take A Chance, Lose It All
As you can probably tell from the other posts on this website that I’ve authored, I generally like to take my time with things. I like to spend a good amount of time with an album, get to know it inside and out before I attempt to pass judgement on it. Today I just can’t help it — I’m jumping the gun.
The new album from Montreal’s The Stills came out on Tuesday and it’s quite good. They sort of blew up five years ago as the first signee to Vice Records, making a splash and getting some pretty lauditory reviews with their first album, Logic Will Break Your Heart, and a few of the accompanying singles. I think I might be the only person in North America that actually liked the follow-up, Without Feathers. It actually got no stars in at least one review I read, the critic saying it was like their first album only boring and not good at all.
Well I’m not entirely sure what the critics might say about this one, but when I’m listening to “Everything I Build” I really couldn’t care less. It’s new territory for the band, the majority of it nothing more than a couple of repeating, palm-muted, plucked guitar notes, a few keyboard flourishes, and some gorgeous vocals about everything going wrong. I’ve listened to it about ten times more than any other songs on the record. Hell, I like it so much I’m writing this at work (which I never do) while I ought to be working. The rest of the album is good, but goddamnit this is a centerpiece if ever there was one.
Pick up the new release, Oceans Will Rise, from the band’s new label, the renowned Arts & Crafts:
Physical: Expensive vinyl!
Digital: the fabulous Zunior site
These guys were way better when they were the Undercovers.
Indie rock can suck my ass.