Bleachers - s/t (March 8, 2024) • Page 13

Gaslighter is always the album I point to when people say he's got no range, or is overrated, or is making all the artists he works with sound the same. Resurrecting a band that's been out of the limelight for more than a decade, and making something with them that sounds fresh and current but also 100 percent THEM, and also totally unique from what pop-country was at that time...that's a lot of big hurdles to clear, and that album just sails over all of them. Makes me wish he'd work with more country or used-to-be-country artists.

 

I can get why people have Jack fatigue - he's one of the most visible parts of Taylor Swift cinematic universe at this point, obviously she's everywhere, and they've made a decent amount of music that sounds a certain way. And beyond Taylor he's everywhere himself in general. But he gets a lot of shit I just think is outright wrong and you kind of hit the nail on the head for why I disagree with it - he's reinvented his sound several times over at this point and just about every time there've been elements to it that are completely fresh.

2:20-2:40 in Call Me After Midnight!!!

 

I’m ready for another Chicks album tbh

 

The Maren song he just did is quite good, possibly more for her next album

 

This is good

 

Apparently Call Me After Midnight started as an unreleased Brockhampton song

 

I don’t love his music much or his production but the ubiquitous hate for him that’s so often flat-out wrong makes me feel like I reflexively need to defend him

 

“We’re gonna know each other forever” works well as a closer, too. This really needs one more banger to break things up.

 

First album of his I listened to front to back and genuinely felt like I didn’t force myself through any songs.

This album is fantastic.

 

Margo

 

Same. I hope we don’t have to wait so long this time.

I’m very curious what her next album is going to sound like, but I am expecting it to be an Antonoff production.

 

How are the bonus tracks on this? Contemplating picking up the vinyl

 

Yeah, curious if he left off some bangers

 

Yeah it's just factually inaccurate to say that "Tights on My Boat" sounds like anything else he's done.

 

I've only heard "Margo" and then part of "I Am In Your Hands", but "Margo" is incredible.

 

That album does a really great job at balancing this organic, in-the-room feel with a lot of big, shiny pop production. He’s good at that in general (this new album is an example, as is the 1975 album he did) but it really stuck out to me on Gaslighter because that’s not how any other pop-country album sounds.

 

Exactly how I’m feeling. This scratches an itch for me.

You can definitely hear the influences of working alongside Aaron and JV for the pandemic Taylor albums, the 1975 influence (or if this is the sound they wanted, whichever direction).

 

Really enjoying the new album as well. The synth-brooding parts feel like an epic marrying of The 1975's atmospheric tracks paired with The Midnight. I'm sure I'll get around to reviewing the record in the early part of next week, since I keep coming back to this one.

 

As expected, this sounds absolutely amazing through my headphones.

 

Gosh, Call Me After Midnight is perfect.

 

this is going into the same category as Arctic Monkey’s Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino for me. What I mean is it’s always going to sound best at night, preferably through headphones, and with a little buzz on

 

I’ve had 91 stuck in my head all day

 

I must admit, this specifically kicks ass.

 

I can’t pretend to know his tricks and secrets, but I suspect he frequently live mics electric guitars he’s also running through amps and effects, so you get the cool reverb or whatever other effect he wants but also that immediate, tactile sound of picks hitting strings. A very literal representation of exactly what you’re saying. Forever mixing great sound detail with slightly off-center live sounds.