The Wonder Years - Sister Cities (April 6, 2018) Album • Page 145

Tracks 4 through 10 are a fucking hell of a run

 

Pretty abrupt opening song, huh? Had to double-check the tracklist to see if it was really the opener.

 

Wow, it's weird cause I really dislike Patsy Cline. My opinion is it should have been arranged completely differently, and that the transition from verse to chorus are just... I can't do it. the chorus feels like it's trying to jab my brain with knitting needles from the inside with that prickly guitar lead. That's the one song I really can't do with even though I love the lyrics.

I think I'd agree with most of what people have just said about NCTH. Obviously the production and mixing's faults are really really prominent and it's hard to see the songs for what they truly are, we've been over this, but yeah it was an unequal album. I've grown to love some songs through their alternate versions, though. I think Hemingway sounds fucking awesome on Burst and Decay, and I'd never cared for it before. Same for Palm Reader whose alt version makes the song just great and so bitter and defeated-sounding.

I'm a sucker for the title track, though. I think I started really getting attached to it when I read that interview where Dan said he recorded the vocals while half awake on the recording booth floor.

 

I hated that album the first...five times I listened to it? Preparation for this record has really made me realize how good it is.

 

I always thought that cigarettes and saints would have worked better as a closer, I think the call back would have been more effective if it wasn’t in the 5th song

 

Yeah, I thought they were going to have a running theme with that. It appears on tracks, 1, 2, and 5, never to be heard from again.

 

Hearing No Closer To Heaven songs live made me like the album a lot more upon re-listening. Same experience with the alternative versions @leerkat was talking about.

 

I have very high expectations for Sister Cities. However, I will be very surprised if it tops NCTH for me. It doesn't mean I won't love SC as its own entity. NCTH has just always been that good to me since day one.

Still very much looking forward to Friday.

 

Definitely. It would be a strong contender for their best closer if that was the case. Everything in that song just sums it up perfectly and I think it 100% should have closed the album

 

Listened to Sister Cities a lot since I got it in Dearborn last week. Pretty much had it on the entire drive to Chicago and back. Favorite songs are probably Pyramids of Salt, We Look Like Lightning, and The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me. There's a ton more I could say too like I love it the entire way through.
The pop up shop was very cool if any of you are going later this week in Philly. Ended up getting one of the custom jackets. Also had a chance to look through the photo book and it's beautiful. Looking forward to going through it with the album once my copy arrives.

 

Wonder if pre-orders will arrive Friday or ship on Friday. Probably still listen in the car for the first listen. Anyone have the running time of the album?

 

Anyone think the heavy part of We Look Like Lightning would be a good wall of death moment on this upcoming tour? @nicksteinborn let’s make it happen.

 

45 mins

 

that sounds like exactly the thing the band doesn't want anyone to do

 

Awesome. That's how long it takes me to get to work. Love door to door albums.

 

the biggest compliment i think i can articulate for this album so far is it really doesn't feel like a 45 minute album. it flies by.

 

ghosts of right now reminds be of bluest things on earth the way the chorus hits

 

Yeah haha normally a producer wouldn't represent the band but in this case he's basically a member

 

I only realize the album is near the end when it gets quieter for 'When The Blue Finally Came'.


Man what an album

 

NCTH suffers from a severe identity crisis and the band is being pulled in different directions without committing to any of them fully. This album completely remedies that

 

Idk, I always assumed NCTH had a clear identity- it was trying to serve as a sequel/rebuttal to this:

 

I respect NCTH a ton because they did try something new (I thought TGG was more of the same sonically though thematically it reached for new highs but the music didn't back up the ambition) I just think it was more of a failure than a success but it was a necessary step to take in order for them to realize sister cities

 

Whatever else anyone feels about NCTH (I love the album, as I’ve said a lot, as I do all their albums), it gave the world C&S so I’m happy that happened. It’s a perfect song.

 

fuck i haven't peeped a leak in a hundred years but my listening pool is all dried up rn and y'all are making me anxious

 

I really want my second listen to be with the book, but I have a strong feeling I won't have it by Friday :(