The Early November - Lilac (September 27, 2019) Album • Page 29

I will put some airpods in his ears as well so we can share the experience

 

I can see how they said this record was originally too dark and he went back and rewrite some of it.

 

You Own My Mind is beautiful

 

Funny to see how polarized people are already

 

This link works, thanks!

 

Yeah just got through it, will definitely be very divisive. I can see how fans would be disappointed. I loved it though, glad to be on that end of the spectrum. Will see if it continues to grow or falls off for me, but right now I think this is a very good album the whole way through.

 

Probably won’t get to this until tomorrow, trying to lower my expectations of getting the dark TEN record that I keep hoping for

 

It’s definitely dark, but like dark groovy pop songs with ear worm melodies. Stick with it Bc the back half is very good.

 

@Leftandleaving your review going up tomorrow?

 

anybody have any knowledge on how much the rest of the band was involved in this one?

sounds a lot more like Ace's side projects than TEN.

not that that's a bad thing. just talking out loud.

 

It's not nearly as good as Imbue but I enjoyed it better than I thought I would. We'll see how much I end up coming back to it though, especially with the loaded next few weeks of releases.

 

I think the band is pretty much just Ace and then Jeff plays drums on whatever Ace needs him for, and Bill may or may not just tour. Not sure if Bill actually writes with Ace or not. I never see him in studio videos or anything, so yeah. I think it's 90% Ace, at least, which makes sense.

 

This album is incredible

 

Probably Monday, so if you get inspired this weekend, feel free to write something up instead!

 

Nah it’s all you pal! I get the vibe from this thread that the record will take a little bit to come to conclusive opinion on, so I’m just itching to read some long form thoughts by a person who’s had it for a minute. Looking at you too @jordalsh!

 

seeing them tonight. Gonna pick up the vinyl and listen tomorrow.

 

Alright so it’s cloudy out today and work ain’t the vibe. Threw on some headphones and checked this out — here are my way too long rambling first impressions jotted down during the ads between tracks and post listen

- Perfect Sphere is a great opener and perfectly captures Ace’s unique vision of pop music through the TEN lens, similarly to Ave Maria

- My Weakness feels like it’s attempting pop music from the same angle that Fireworks tried to with Flies On Tape. Don’t opinion check me on this cause I’m probably wrong lol. But imo it doesn’t really work (after my full listen this is easily my least favorite track on the record)

- Chorus of Comatose is very Bleachers to me. Hell yeah

- Not really an inherent sucker for brass or woodwinds, but Ace really knows how to incorporate that stuff in a way that adds color to his music without feeling like a gimmick. It’s the perfect compliment in Fame

- Some of these bass lines are bonkers. Good for him man, just fucking going for it

- You On My Mind came with a huuuge wave of relief. This is the song from the teaser that came out well over a year ago and finally hearing it now is so goddamn satisfying. This song is also the perfect start of my initial favorite one-two punch on the record

- ah. Make My Bed. Make that a one-two-three punch lol. Wasn’t sold on that first round of whistles but came around by the second one. What an insanely catchy chorus

- okay wtf the whole back of the album owns. Our Choice is as MASSIVE as the title track is beautiful and somber

- I feel like a lot of the “this feels like a solo record” remarks might be stemming from the depth of Ace’s vocals not always matching the music he’s singing to? Like he’s singing to these grandiose compositions that sound like they’re being played in a concert hall, but the tone of his vocals often feels very dry just like he’s in a studio booth. As a result it can sorta place him “on top” of the music rather than settled into it. Not always the case but just something that stuck out to me a few times. In any case it doesn’t bug me much

- overall, I’m super impressed. If the album being entirely comprised of songs like the back half is what Ace meant by it originally being too dark, then I suppose my only slight disappointment is that he didn’t keep it that way. The last five songs on this are exactly what I’ve wanted from TEN basically since they came back. But I can’t earnestly fault him for doing what he wants to do with his art when his stabs at groovy pop music here are also pretty remarkable. Recency bias be damned, this likely goes down as my favorite TEN record

 

Yea I’d echo all of the positive sentiments above, especially re: Our Choice. I think this album’s fantastic, probably his most consistent yet. I love the instrumentals, production, and the vocals, they sound wispy and weak sometimes yet desperate and dripping with emotion. Can definitely see this overtaking In Currents for me.

 

I really couldn't get in to Imbue... but this is awesome. Coming from someone who didnt listen to early TEN records, but love ICANMAKEAMESS and Ace's solo stuff.

 

this resembles the latter more than it does TEN

 

Which is funny because isnt ICANMAKEAMESS just his solo stuff but.. not his name? haha.

Growing In was such an underrated album.. God damn that one for some reason gets me the whole way through.

 

I think "Hit by a Car" is absolutely the weakest song on here.

The one's I love so far are:

"Perfect Sphere"
"Ave Maria"
"I Dissolve"
"Fame"
"Our Choice"

EDIT:

Oh shit and "You Own my Mind"

 

I love My Weakness like a lot a lot

 

i had a feeling u would like that one!

 

This is different for sure, but I love it. Our Choice is a monster of a song, so earnest in the way so uniquely Ace. I Dissolve is another early favorite.