The Front Bottoms - Going Grey (October 13, 2017) Album • Page 21

I feel like they sort of rushed to get this out. I mean it's been basically exactly two years, giving them another to write something more solid would probably have been the best move.

 

If I worked at FBR and this was the album that was delivered to me, I would of course let the band do what they want.... but I wouldn't believe in it like I did with BOT, and therefore wouldn't allocate much marketing spend to it

 

I've said repeatedly, it's my least favorite TFB release, but I still am enjoying the hell out of it.

 

Reading the review, I think it's well written, and whilst I think he's overly harsh, I do agree with the last paragraph.

Whether it’s in ten years or even sooner, mark my words, the popularity of the Front Bottoms will no longer be treated as a shocking development. The day will come when we’ll hear about how their early live shows became the stuff of local legend, or how Talon of the Hawk defined someone’s entire 2013, or how Twin Sized Mattress inspired them to pick up a guitar. There are stories to be told about how Front Bottoms became one of the most successful indie rock bands to emerge in the past decade, but they won’t likely include Going Grey.

 

I'm pretty comfortable at this point saying I enjoy this more than Back On Top, although I guess that could still just be because it's new. Peace Sign and Trampoline are my least favorites. Peace Sign reminds me a lot of Summer Shandy, which is my least favorite on Back On Top. Trampoline is fun, but I don't know it doesn't click with me as much.

Maybe my expectations just weren't as high as some of you? I don't think I liked BOT quite as much as some of you (although I do really like it). I do agree with part of the Pitchfork review that this album won't really be a part of their narrative in the future, but in my opinion that's not because the songs aren't good but because it sort of follows the same style of BOT with some refinements, so it's just a good album by a good band, instead of being something new from them that pushes their sound forward, and that's ok with me.

 

I’ve cooled down on this album a lot. It’s fine. Probably more consistent than the self titled or Talon but comes nowhere near the highs of those two (or the entirety of Back On Top, for that matter)

 

I think I did more promoting for this album through social media than the actual record label themselves. Also, from a business stand point, who cares if the label didn’t like the album or believed in it (if that was the case) , they are still under your roster and it’s stupid not to try and get this record out to as many people as possible and back it up.

 

W.H.O.A.

 

I don't think I'll ever like anything they release as much as I like ST/Talon. Those albums just have a different tone than BOT/GG in my opinion. Those albums were a little darker, a little more raw and I feel the last two tried to be more mainstream pop. Again, I like them all, but the last two have been my least favorites and don't even come close to ST or Talon, imo.

 

I definitely have some production complaints about this album, I’ll echo that it sounds a bit too clean and compressed, sure. But I do think the songwriting here is just as good as it’s always been and Brian’s voice has maybe never sounded better.

 

Not their best, but it still jams.

 

The line “I don’t care if you’re not sorry, I forgive you. And with or without your support I will continue.” Always hits me hard no matter how many times i listen to “Cough It Out”

 

I kinda liked/didn't love this record at first, but I find myself returning to it pretty regularly and it continues to grow on me with each listen

 

I still listen to at least a few songs from this everyday. Some of their best songs are on here and none that I'd consider their "worst" so that's a win for me

FYI the songs I think are top tier for them are Vacation Town, Raining, Grand Finale and Trampoline

 

Hearing the new songs live will strengthen your interest them. I was iffy on some, but now I find myself randomly whistling or singing along to all of them.

 

Trampoline really worked for me live.

 

They pull it off well but ultimately I dont get the hub-bub over that track. It's a pretty standard break-up song lyrically....and instrumentally/arrangement-wise, it's a pretty straight forward pop song. It's kind of unique for Front Bottoms but not generally at all.

 

The only song that the production bugs me on is Peace Sign. I think the run from Don't Fill Up On Chips to Raining is amazing and the rest is fine.

Definitely came around on this album though!

 

I listened to this once and haven't come back yet. I get kinda streaky with the Front Bottoms so I'm just assuming I'll latch on to this once I'm in more of a TFB mood. Weirdly enough I did the same thing for Talon back in '13 and one day was just like "shit, this album rules"

 

I think in an album full of sevens, it's a decent 8, alongside You Used To Say and Bae.

 

all I have to say is that FBR dropping the ball on their current "punk" band is not at all a surprise to me, especially when you consider how they dealt with/marketed the Swellers.

 

paramore and all time low both sold significantly less than they should have too based on past history/sales too, it's not just about TFB. the band's shows are selling as well as ever

 

I don't know why I feel the need to defend FBR, but saying they should have promoted this album better is a pretty uninformed assumption to make. No one here can provide the marketing budget for the release, nor can they provide where the marketing budget was spent.

FBR is a large label with a very impressive history, I guarantee the run P&L's on every single release and if they didn't have high projections, or think there was a hit single, then they can't viably allocate a ton of money on the album.

Music is a business, as a fan it's easy to say that a label didn't market well enough, or spend enough, but in the end it's the label's decision where they allocate their resources whether the fans like it or not.

 

Man, this is average.

 

i'm not going out on FBR for this one record, it's been a trend across every single one of their releases this year. plus there's some upper management changes that probably have to do with this as well