The Wonder Years - The Hum Goes On Forever (Sept 23rd 2022) Album • Page 51

The Genius interpretation of Paris (COVID) vs. what is actually about (Big Dick Nick winning us a Superbowl) is fun

 

I feel like I usually favor the first half of their albums a bit more but I am absolutely loving the last 4 songs on this, more so than the rest. I also like the opener and Cardinals a lot, it's just the middle section (Paris through Lost it in the Lights) that isn't clicking with me

 

The point is there hasn't been a lineup change, still essentially the same dudes. If they whole band had been completely turned over minus maybe 1 og member id get it, just insane to look back on their entire career

 

yeah the 3 Yip songs being a three song stretch in the middle of the album is another odd decision.

 

I am loving this more with each listen, but I think Oldest Daughter is still my favorite song here.

 

I mean, they just mentioned it might’ve been empty because of COVID. It’s not like it was some grand interpretation of the song.

 

Definitely a similar vocal melody!

 

Did you write it? Why would you quote me just to say that

 

Listened through this once and like it a lot on first listen, but it's kind of a weird album in the sense that around half of these songs wouldn't feel out of place on TGG or even Suburbia, while the other half absolutely feel like a natural progression from Sister Cities. The difference between Low Tide and Songs About Death is massive, even if the literal subject matter is actually pretty similar. I feel like this split kind of fits the theme of the album in some sense, but I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it at the moment

 

You're The Reason hits harder every listen.

 

The guitars on this sound so good. So loud and mean - remind me of what Sturgill did on Sound and Fury

 

Can't remember the last time I had to get up and walk away from my computer after listening to a song for the first time

 

yeah I've been a crying mess by the end of You're The Reason twice now

 

Also, I thought the whole theme of "needing to help someone when you feel like you can't help yourself" wouldn't be relevant to me at all, but in a bizarre twist of fate, I may be taking in a stray kitten that my friend found on Wednesday. This coming one week after moving out to live completely on my own for the first time and struggling with many feelings of loneliness and helplessness

Not quite having to raise a baby during a pandemic, I suppose, but the Wonder Years always come through at the right time, nonetheless

 

The transition from "Songs About Death" to "Low Tide"

 

By far the best-sounding TWY album. Such a nice change not having the entire discourse be about how muddy the guitars sound.

 

yeah the whole album sounds great.

 

I’m listening to Sister Cities now and it really is like night and day. Sounds like shit in comparison.

TWY really don’t need that third guitar in the studio. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two albums that try to be their most dynamic are also the ones that sound the worst. Sister Cities gets pretty close to cracking the code but it’s still constantly apparent that this is a pop-punk band trying to make something less brash and coming up a bit short.

Edit: that being said “It Must Get Lonely” is still that girl

 

It’s a shame Sister Cities sounds so shitty because fuck I love that album. I can’t even compare it to NCTH because I think I’ve only listened to that like once since 2015.

 

Easily the song I go back to most from that album, along with "Flowers."

 

Those two and The Orange Grove are the only ones from SC I'll throw in the queue when I'm on a TWY kick

 

"Orange Grove" and the title track are on my running playlist (and now most of Hum is too).

 

One interesting progression through their albums is “Hey Thanks” -> “I’ve Given You All” -> “Madelyn” -> “No Closer to Heaven” -> “Flowers Where Your Face Should Be” -> “Laura and the Beehive” ie the songs that lean away from or entirely forgo percussion. That’s a mode that has clearly never come naturally to them, but I’d argue that’s a clear level up in terms of songwriting on every album (with the exception of I’ve Given You All and Madelyn, which are about equal in my eyes). I think we’d all be shocked if this band put out a song like “Laura” two years after TGG without anything in between.

edit: thinking about it, you could slot “Devil in my Bloodstream” in here as well, but even that song (along with Madelyn, I’d argue) is the band writing a Wonder Years song, then removing percussion, rather than thinking about how the composition works in its absence

 

I’m in and out on these guys but yeah this record’s great. Relatable and cathartic in the best way. Happy I don’t have a kid yet or is probably be a puddle.

 

I "only" have a cat, and am absolutely a puddle.