Coheed & Cambria Band • Page 109

Exactly why Al the Killer is my least favorite on IKS even though musically it's a lot of fun.

 

I'd agree with this, but the story lyrics are infinitely better to me than the overly personal stuff on TCBTS.

I think I can stomach the GAIV lyrics a little better knowing that a lot of the misogynistic stuff was written in anger during a period when his gf broke up with him, and they worked it all out and now seem to have a pretty great life together.

 

The lyrics on that album suck regardless, but I’m glad they worked things out

 

I kind of like the story based lyrics lol it’s impressive to be able to write songs while sticking to a huge overarching story

 

It’s impressive when it works. I think he’s honestly gotten better as a lyricist and storyteller with the Afterman and Vaxis albums. When he’s able to write his story, but still make the songs relatable, that’s much better than “I NEED MAYYYOOOOOOO”

 

There are obviously some iconic lines on the earlier albums and I love those songs and moments, but I just think he’s leveled up in a more general sense

 

Vaxis is TBD, but Afterman is my favorite part of the story so far. It's pretty coherent, succinct, and a neat concept. Basically diving deeper into what happens when you come home from an extended space mission. It also came out before Interstellar. Not saying it's a totally original idea, but I do wonder if people say things like, "Oh so he copied Interstellar" without realizing Afterman predated it.

 

I think Afterman is his best work in regard to the narrative. Easiest to follow and digest

 

Agreed about Afterman. Enjoying the story of Vaxis so far as well, though I think there is a huge beat story-wise I stumbled upon that AWOTWM doesn't deliver on.

I mostly feel like I have enough context from the songs to follow along with broad strokes of the story though, which is nice as I don't really have any interest in reading the books or comics. Probably helps that Vaxis (and Afterman) are more grounded than the early stuff haha.

 

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3

1. Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)
2. A Favor House Atlantic
3. 21:13
4. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
5. The Camper Velourium III: Al the Killer
6. Cuts Marked in the March of Men
7. The Crowing
8. Blood Red Summer
9. The Camper Velourium I: Faint of Hearts
10. The Light & the Glass
11. The Ring in Return
12. The Camper Velourium II: Backend of Forever

Man I have been underrating this album. This was always the most frustrating Coheed album for me because it had so many parts I really loved but a lot of the songs as a whole didn't do it for me and since it was almost universally considered their best I was disappointed I wasn't getting it. I'm not sure why but it feels like it's finally clicked and I love just about everything on here now.

Current Ranking

In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
The Second Stage Turbine Blade

So my rankings are already shook up. I can see IKS taking my top spot but I'll have to revisit Descension and see how that one holds up for me.

 

Damn Backend of Forever lower than Ring in Return?

 

Yeah, I love Ring in Return and I don't quite love Backend of Forever haha. I do like it a lot though, the first 4 minutes or so are just my least favourite part of the album.

 

Backend of Forever is maybe my favorite Coheed song lol

 

It's actually still grown on me a fair bit. I used to dislike it. The ending is great.

 

I'm sure it's out there somewhere, but I have it as well. I still have my MBP with a CD ROM drive, maybe I'll rip it/upload it if anyone is interested.

 

that last minute or so after the second chorus in Backend of Forever rules, I love the "I wish I would never burn again" part so much

 

I love how different the 2nd chorus is from the first. The way he sings it, the inflections being on different words, it builds so well and then explodes into that final section. Still gives me chills.

 

I've got it on my Plex. I just want the world to listen to it lol.

 

Backend is the quintessential masterpiece from their golden years that a big chunk of the fanbase somehow doesn't appreciate, so now they hedge more toward 3-chord pop songs with no intrigue like Love Protocol.

 

Love Protocol rules

 

Here To Mars, Love Protocol, Disappearing Act, Beautiful Losers, Feathers... at some point that vein of their tracks just comes across as "do the generic big chorus thing again!" I'm obviously in the minority in their current fanbase, but it still eats at me that Claudio is capable of writing quirky, unique, yet also viscerally enjoyable riffs and chord progressions like Backend or Willing Well I or Black Sunday, but a bunch of fans just shit on them and beg for Big Top 40 Chorus #28.

 

Yeah I'll take Love Protocol any day.

 

DEAR AMBELLLLLIII-HI-IIINAAAAAAA

 

Didn’t realize their diehard fans weren’t into the big prog epics they’ve done throughout their career. Maybe I’ve had the wrong impression of this band and their fanbase all these years

 

Anyway, the band has been putting straightforward alt rock songs with huge hooks on their albums since at least IKS so anyone who is pretending like that’s never been a huge part of their sound and following is just telling on themselves