Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness - Zombies on Broadway (February 10, 2017) Album • Page 12

i honestly can't think of a recent record that's altered my consciousness more significantly. i loved the airy nostalgia and americana vibes of the last record -- and i prefer "singer-songwriter pop" to straight up pop so i think i give the edge to that one -- but damn andrew's tapped into something special these days.

it's like he's finally bounced back from getting sick and shed all the psychological impurities that were weighing him down. he's clearly operating from a much more loving and joyful space these days and it comes through in the music. it's inspiring to see.

after some time with it i feel confident saying it's his best work since transit.

 

I like this album, I like everything he has done, but it's definitely one of my least favorite albums of his at this point

 

What he said. Although there are like 4 songs I thoroughly enjoy.

 

On par with his usual level of quality for me. Not one of his career highlights necessarily, but not any below it.

 

Really? You like it as much as albums such as Everything In Transit, The Glass Passenger, and North?

 

No? Hence saying it's not a career highlight. Bu it's not a huge dip in quality either. His career has always consistently been at the same high level, with occasional moments of rising even higher.

It's also a more complete record than TGP, which has a bunch of his best material but is spotty

 

Oh I must have misread your post then.

 

Without American Love and Suicide Blonde, TGP would possibly be the most "complete" record of his. Every song other than those two fit so well together thematically and musically

 

Even though I agree a couple tracks feel out of place, TGP might still be my favorite Andrew McMahon release.

 

in terms of favorites i'd rank it below transit passenger and possibly even the s/t but i think this is his most consistent work since the now mythic peak of eit. there's just something about the vibe that's so inspiring on this one.

passenger will always be up there cus it's attached to a certain time in my life. but it has some his worst songs and a good amount of meh songs (along with the best songs he's written to be sure) and i don't go back to it in full anymore.

 

"American Love" is one of his 10 best songs. I know I've said this all the time. And I know nobody agrees. But I will argue against this literally every time I ever see it on this website until I die.

 

American love is great. So catchy

 

There's a version of The Glass Passenger that I think could have been his best record. The actual album is a little disjointed, I think, but it's still a really important record for me. My version wouldn't include "American Love," though. Sorry Chris!

I still love this, though. I spun it a few times this week after giving it some time to breathe. I'm to the point now where I really like every song.

 

I'm usually never ever a stickler for lyrics, but the chorus is just not something I've ever come around to. Having the chorus be one line repeated over, and having that line be "big hearts are for breaking" just seems so... bad to me

 

Aside from EIT, I think both this and the last record are probably the most consistent releases in his catalog. There are no points on either where it feels like it takes a dip in quality. Trust me, this is coming from someone who truly likes every single JM and SoCo record front to back.. but the Wilderness records seem to have that sense of "completeness" that EIT had.

 

I would argue that Eveeything In Transit and North are by far his two most consistent albums.

 

Transit definitely without a doubt. I could see the case for "North" before these last two albums, but "Break Myself" always stuck out as a weaker spot compared to the rest of the album IMO. Not that it's a bad song though. It's been a while.. I'll have to revisit

 

North has some dizzying highs, but it's one of his spottiest albums for me. "Only Ashes" is a bottom five song in Andrew's catalog, imo.

 

I think that's also the album that Josh had the most input on as far as songwriting ("Only Ashes" being one of his).

 

yea andrew's stuff on north is dope overall (besides break myself) but then there are all those josh songs i don't enjoy

 

What's wrong with Only Ashes and Break Myself?

 

They aren't very good songs.

 

Meh. I like them both.

 

You're right, Craig's wrong.

 

Honestly I'd take either of those songs over pretty much anything on this one.