So, what do you think? How does this stack up to their other releases?

So, what do you think? How does this stack up to their other releases?

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I'm not completely sold on the huge shift from strong melodies to rhythms/textures, but it's clearly a dense and layered album that I can't truthfully rate until I've listened more than 2 times.

I agree with this . There is so much I enjoy on this but at the same time most of the songs–as a whole–I'm not sure how I feel about. For example, while there are moments I enjoy on the opening track I do not see myself listening to it many more times. Most of these songs needs to be listened to in the context of the album as a whole. At the same time, even the album as a whole still feels weak to me when judged as one piece.

Hearing it's such a textured album makes me want to skip listening to it until a high quality version leaks/is released. Is there only the 320kbps version on the internet?

Well, I have listened to it a couple of times already. For me it is one of their best. 9/10 for now

Yeah like others have said, just conceptually it's by far more interesting than anything they've done before.

Though I'm already pretty much completely sold on it. Despite how fractured some of the songs may seem it works really well as a cohesive whole, and just because the melodies aren't at the forefront of some of the songs doesn't mean they're any weaker than before. Also Robin's lyrics are really great, he's improved a lot in that regard since Helplessness Blues. They have a lot of poetic weight without being too lofty, which seems to be a difficult thing for songwriters nowadays.

It just seems like the logical progression of their sound with a lot of nuance and emotion. I'm honestly very impressed.

The 320 version is fine, I don't think there's any real reason to wait.

>Also Robin's lyrics are really great, he's improved a lot in that regard since Helplessness Blues.
Maybe so but imo the lyrics are too esoteric. Whereas the lyrics on Helplessness Blues were obtuse but still incredibly relatable, the lyrics on Crack-Up are not relatable at all really. For example, if Robin hadn't put up the explanations on Genius for Third of May then I would have no idea what he was saying at all.

weak album. with good sounds

pretty much. if only people understood the difference.

That album art is fucking horrendous. What were they thinking?

Subjective

I think it's definitely their strongest album to date. I do agree with some consensus that the album works best as a bigger picture than individual pieces, but I don't think that's necessarily a criticism. It feels complex, sensitive, textured and mature in equal measure and I feel like there's a lot more to discover even after 3 listens. Might be fanboying hard here but it's AOTYSF for me and looks to stay that way.

its here lads

youtube.com/watch?v=X5hMBxYqq5c

objectively bad

Everytime I hear "Now i see...that its all corroding" i tear up a little, how does robin do it

The lyrics on Helplessness Blues were more juvenile, that's why they seemed relatable. Like lol, you straight up said they were obtuse (which I wouldn't even say is true). Yes these require a bit more interpretative effort but that's pretty upsetting that people would see that as a fault. They're just as relatable, and considerably more insightful if you actually dig into them.

I get what you're trying to say by this, but it's still fucking stupid. You're basically just saying what a number of people here have said, that it's sonically engaging but structurally lacking (which I don't even agree with, it's denser and less intuitive, but not lacking), but in a more reductive manner.

no fucking duh, lad. what I meant by "understand the difference" is the merely understanding the difference between the two, not that there is an objective difference.

being you're the only one mentioning objectivity, you're the worst post in this thread.

>but it's still fucking stupid
No it is not. Do you know what an opinion is, you retard? It is possible for an album to sonically engaging but structurally lacking. Just because you disagree does not mean the opposing opinion is "fucking stupid." Get over yourself, user.

you need to chill out. its just indie folk not classical

Shit taste in album art. If you think that's actually good, kys yourself.

>The lyrics on Helplessness Blues were more juvenile, that's why they seemed relatable.
You have to be fucking joking. This is the most pretentious thing I've heard all year on this board.

>Like lol, you straight up said they were obtuse (which I wouldn't even say is true).
Are you joking? They are by definition. There are only a couple songs on HB whose lyrics are straightforward and whose interpretation could be seen as objective. The other analyses are pure conjecture.

this. we have a FF stan here. it's almost like Cyrus Zamanian is in here.

>hurr durr ibs juss muh opinon dude Dx
You're allowed to have an opinion on an opinion, retard.

>this mad
yikes

this is not how you express an opinion of someone else's opinion:

>I get what you're trying to say by this, but it's still fucking stupid. You're basically just saying what a number of people here have said, that it's sonically engaging but structurally lacking (which I don't even agree with, it's denser and less intuitive, but not lacking), but in a more reductive manner.

>hurr durr ibs juss muh opinon dude Dx
grow up

Robin would hate you as a person.

I disagree, but the opinion's fine. I'm saying the way you phrased it is fucking stupid and reductive. Fuck outta here with that memey bullshit.
>"lel jus turn ur brain off"
I just think this a good album, part of my argument is that the s/t and HB were lacking in a lot of ways that this improved on. I don't think that's particularly fanboyish

By calling them obtuse you are proving what I said, I don't think you realize the negative connotation that word holds. And if this is the most pretentious thing you've seen here then you must be pretty new. I may be going a bit harsh on HB, I basically just think he's improved, that's all I'm saying.

>I'm saying the way you phrased it is fucking stupid and reductive.
All I said was there can be a difference between an album that sounds good and an album that is good.

>I don't think that's particularly fanboyish
you should read your posts

There isn't a "correct" way of expressing an opinion on another's critique, you mouthbreathing mong.

>I don't think you realize the negative connotation that word holds.
how's "opaque"? are you a happy pupper now? god, you're annoying.

>And if this is the most pretentious thing you've seen here then you must be pretty new.
I said "all year." Also, are you really going to play the "newfag" insult. You are insufferable.

>I may be going a bit harsh on HB
You are and you are sounding beyond pretentious.

>I basically just think he's improved, that's all I'm saying.
that would have be an accurate summary if you hadn't sperged out in your explanations

I can't even tell who's arguing who here.
Don't you realize how fucking stupid that is. It's music, it's all sound, you're saying "I like the way it sounds, but I don't like the way it sounds". That phrasing is what I'm criticizing here, not the opinion.
I called Robin a juvenile songwriter in the past. Most of the lyrics on the s/t are straight up meaningless garbage to invoke that obnoxious folk aesthetic that was popular at the time. I'm just saying I like Crack-Up and he's really improved. If that's fanboyish then whatever.

nice argument. you are straw manning my statement by saying I said there is a "correct" way. What I was saying is there are ways you can express yourself that are socially acceptable and then there's how you did it.

>Don't you realize how fucking stupid that is. It's music, it's all sound, you're saying "I like the way it sounds, but I don't like the way it sounds". That phrasing is what I'm criticizing here, not the opinion.
no, you don't realize "how fucking stupid that is". I'l give you an analogy of what I am saying: it would be like saying "I like the writing style, but I don't like the work as a whole."

>What I was saying is there are ways you can express yourself that are socially acceptable
And you were literally fucking implying that is this the correct way.
>this is not how you express an opinion of someone else's opinion
>this is not how you
God, you're an absolute idiot.

>And you were literally fucking implying that is this the correct way.
OH MY FUCKING GOD. Are you an absolute retard? By saying "this is not how you" it means the same thing as saying "that's not how you speak to your mother, young man." Of course there is not a "correct" way to speak to your mother but there are conventions in our society. expressing your opinion is the same thing. I'm not saying you can't act like a fucking retard but just know how you are acting is going to be perceived as such and it's not okay, conventionally speaking.

>how's "opaque"? are you a happy pupper now?
I mean I guess that makes more sense, but that's like the exact opposite of what "obtuse" means.
>Also, are you really going to play the "newfag" insult.
I actually didn't really mean it like that, I just don't think anything I'm saying is particularly egregious.
>that would have be an accurate summary if you hadn't sperged out in your explanations
If I think he's improved then that implies he was lacking sometime in the past, I just articulated what that was. I think you're putting too much weight on my use of the word "juvenile". That doesn't necessarily mean bad, just a bit underdeveloped, I just think this is a more mature effort.
I fucking get it dude. Saying "weak album with good sounds" is still obnoxious and reductive. Trying to be laconic doesn't work if the words aren't precise enough.

You might want to look up what "correct" means before sprouting nonsense. You're just purely arguing semantics at this point.

Thought the album was pretty good, though maybe the more textured approach was lost on me as I liked the more minimal moments most, the lead singer has a good voice and I agree the lyrics have improved.

Their previous two albums sounded a bit safe and tame at some points, which is less of an issue here for me, so I like that. I think there's a wider variety of sounds too - really liked the more electronic second track actually.

So yeah overall pretty good, enjoy it while you can before p4k and Fantano give it 9s and you can't enjoy it anymore.

I would just like to say this has nothing to do with the music.

I never invoked the term "correct." If it's about semantics then who cares? If this user is going to twist my words then they can at least understand my tone, which I already explained before I made the post responding to their response.

>but that's like the exact opposite of what "obtuse" means.
lol, how? literally how?

>That doesn't necessarily mean bad, just a bit underdeveloped, I just think this is a more mature effort.
I mean HB was, in retrospect, by definition an undeveloped release. However, I don't agree that it means that Crack-Up is more "mature." If you mean mature in sense of natural development then I agree.

>Saying "weak album with good sounds" is still obnoxious and reductive.
That wasn't me. I told you that wasn't me. I said:

>All I said was there can be a difference between an album that sounds good and an album that is (what you personally consider) good.

I was the response you quoted

>I fucking get it dude.
Also, if you "fucking got it" then you wouldn't have posted this, regardless if thought you were responding to the other post

>Don't you realize how fucking stupid that is. It's music, it's all sound, you're saying "I like the way it sounds, but I don't like the way it sounds". That phrasing is what I'm criticizing here, not the opinion.

>I like the way it sounds, but I don't like the way it sounds
This is reductive but it can be a reasonable conclusion.

>enjoy it while you can before p4k and Fantano give it 9s and you can't enjoy it anymore.
lel, I actually think there's a possibility Fantano, will give this a 10, which will make it completely impossible to have any meaningful discussion on the album.

The lyrics are great, but the music is bland and the kowtowing to weeaboos is cringy as fuck. 1.5/4

>43 replies
>12 posters
wew lad what a shit thread. Autismo Maximus sperging out over semantics and how people phrase their posts because it goes against his opinion. Dude no one cares if someone said obtuse or said something "reductive" you're arguing over the way people express themselves on a Siberian goat racing internet forum, they aren't writing essays jesus christ.

Anyways I personally enjoyed the album and I think I few songs can work outside the album well. And really there are only about 2 songs that just pass me by without me noticing, which is a bummer since that really didn't happen with HB for me. Although the music has a bigger range which is a plus and shows a bigger focus on songwriting.

...

that will be fucking awful. as you said, it will be impossible to discuss this.

this

pretty sure it's the opposite. Robin is more gentle and man crush material but Josh is the type you would cheat on with.

>And really there are only about 2 songs that just pass me by without me noticing
For me it's Kept Woman, Cassius and If You Need To, Keep Time on Me. Mearcstapa would be in that group too if it wasn't for that glorious finish.

I meant that FJM is garbage and Fleet Foxes is a masterpiece

Well then that's where you goofed. No one would have guessed that because it's objectively incorrect.

actually it's objectively correct

FJM is music for pseudo-intellectual teenagers

if you believe this then you are in fact a pseudo-intellectual teenager yourself. If you seriously listened to Pure Comedy from the title track to In Twenty Years or So and that's what you take away from it then you are a complete dunce.

There is no way you can tell the difference between 320 and FLAC. It's scientifically impossible

Leak link?

Anyone else finding that some songs transition into each other really poorly? Hoping its just the leaked version.

found the jew

What does everyone think of the video?

youtube.com/watch?v=X5hMBxYqq5c

That's definitely just the leak, you can tell they'd be smooth without the small pause.

Yes

I don't see how it would just be a leak. The music itself does not transition well.

leak in the archive isn't working...anybody got an active one? much appreciated

I disagree. It's not that the general feel of the songs don't mesh, it's more the fact that songs cut out seemingly before they should and other things like that.

youtube.com/watch?v=fCSsGogJSb0
>FJM isn't pseudo intellectual bullshit

Why is he talking about that shit instead of playing music? Who are his fans anyway?

Kept Woman is the one I always forget as well as Mearcstapa. Cassius is my third favorite song though

best songwriting
best production

cu > hb > ff

progressing with each release, the way it should be for every artist

Not that user, but Pure Comedy honestly sounds like a Louis CK bit on a talk show where he talks about how people today are fucked up. There's like no substance beyond very shallow and pessimistic observations on current trends.

ALLLL I NEED OHHH DON'T DENYYYY MEEEE

I almost went to this festival and it was going to be just for him.

I regret not doing that. This is god-tier bantz.

best song

i get a feeling that this release will be a 10/10 when it comes out

he's right ya know

You are missing the context. Check his Wikipedia page.

It's more than just political diatribes. That's just part of the album's concept.

>Cassius is my third favorite song though
It's not a bad song, but it sort of passed me by. Naiads, Cassadies is much more enjoyable imo. Cassius is a good follow up to the opener though.

meant for

can someone link me to the leak?

this is my power ranking after listening to it for the last day

1. I am all that I need
2. Third of May
3. On another ocean
4. Fools errand
5. Crack Up
6. keep time on me
7. naiads, cassadies
8. kept woman
9. Mearcstapa
10. Cassius
11. I should see memphis

It is a strange evolution but I think they pulled it off amazingly. AOTY unless Planetarium is better, which I doubt honestly.

OAO's one of those songs i wish i could hear for the first time again

cassius' orchestration outro was fucking incredible, i feel it holds up on its own but it's fated to forever be overshadowed as a follow up track to the first

- Naiads, Cassadies = Bitter Dancer

Mine so far would be:

1. Crack-Up
2. – Naiads, Cassadies
3. Fool's Errand
4. On Another Ocean (January / June)"
5. I Should See Memphis
6. I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar
7. Third of May / Ōdaigahara
8. If You Need to, Keep Time on Me
9. Cassius, –
10. Mearcstapa
11. Kept Woman

Great production, great melodies, great lyrics, excellent use of strings. It's probably AOTY, at least so far.

Reminds me of 22 A Million.
Rich in texture and 'inventiveness', light on 'songs'.

Didn't like all the whispering from Robin (ironic because he's always been famous for over-singing).

The lyrics were 1000x better than their last two records, he's been reading a ton and it shows.

Loved the way the guitars were recorded, nice shimmer. Rich percussion, really well-produced.

It's all a little mastubatory, but it's good.
I honestly love the first FF record because of its simplicity and objectively enjoyable folk rock/pop stylings. They're just very immediate, instantly gratifying songs. It was refreshing (almost 10 years ago) to hear a band that wrote such great songs and delivered them in such succinct fashion.

This new record is far more tedious, and I don't think I'll come to love it as much, but it's very mature/sophisticated. The songs just aren't quite as memorable, unfortunately. The first batch ('09) really did have a lot of spunk that seems to be lacking here.

Gotta hear the retail version before passing final judgement. The leak has choppy transitions between songs and "fuzz" every once in a while. Definitely not the finished product.

That being said, It seems to be on the same level as Helplessness Blues. Robin is the best songwriter of my generation, and if not that, certainly the best lyricist. What a special talent he is.

i think newsom still holds that songwriter crown, desu

>he's been reading a ton and it shows.
Lol, you have to in order to be an English major

Not a fan desu

hear that Newson and Callahans recording engineer produced it, they're all supposedly homies. great album

>tfw no singersongwriter folk clique

>Robin is the best songwriter of my generation
I don't know who is but I don't think it's him. Leonard Cohen was imo because he was timeless but now he's gone.

Definitely not.

Leonard Cohen isn't my generation...

As I said, he was timeless. I don't think he was locked to any generation.

Well that's not how generations work but thanks for your input anyways.

If you're going to be condescending at least be right.

A generation is a group of people born around the same time. If you meant to say "Leonard Cohen is the best songwriter of the decade" that would make sense. But he's not my generation and he's not Robin's generation. Learn what words mean.

>generation =/= music generation
learn what words mean, kiddo.

Robin is in his early 30s, Leonard Cohen is dead. They're not in the same generation anyway you put it fuckwit.

You are deflecting what I said and just repeating yourself.