Dawes - Passwords (June 22, 2018) Album • Page 2

Streaming on NPR.

First Listen: Dawes, 'Passwords'

I've had this for a couple days. It's not an instant "love" like the last four have been, but there's some really great stuff here. They continue to be one of the best bands working, imo.

 

Ha, beat me to it!

 

Came here to post here as well

The only “oh ya, I’m listening to this over and over” has been Feed The Fire bitbonly half done through my first listen

 

My early reaction is that they needed another rocker in the mid-section. That part of the record drags a little for me.

 

I have to agree with Craig's early take. This is really good but it's very mellow, and I think a little too mellow. I really think the 12 1/2 minute stretch occupied by My Greatest Invention & Telescope just needed more energy. Neither one is a bad song, but they are both very long and very low-energy, and the album definitely drags during that stretch.

I have to say though that their inctedible musicianship really shines through on this album, and these songs all sound fantastic. I think I was expecting / hoping for something a little more wild and experimental from them after We're All Gonna Die, but this is very good. I am looking forward to spending more time with it.

 

Doing an AMA right now

Hey, it’s Taylor, Griffin, and Lee of the band Dawes. We’re here to answer all your questions about our new album Passwords, out today! AMA! (AUA?) • r/indieheads

 

haven’t thought about this band in a while but i’m pretty excited to check this out

 

About to hit play for the first time. Their last record was the first one I didn't love more than the one that came before it. It was still fantastic though.

"All Your Favorite Bands" is pretty easily my favorite.

 

"I Can't Love" is soooooooooooo good

 

The end part, where Griffin sings the backing part, is really great.

 

Dawes - Passwords • chorus.fm

 

Craig, having read most of your reviews over the years, I think I can confidently say that your biggest flaw as a human being is your dismissal/overlook of North Hills.

 

has anyone been to their "an evening with..." shows before?

 

I caught their last tour. It was a great show. No opening act, two full sets, probably about 2.5 hours of music. They change up the setlist from night to night, too. On the last tour, at least, they were trying to play every song in the catalog at least once before the end of the tour.

 

Ha, fair. Honestly, I do like that record. I just think better things were to come. I also heard Nothing Is Wrong first. It might have been different if I'd been onboard from the start and got to watch that progression happen.

 

Album is definitely a grower, should have waited on listening to the 4 songs that came out earlier but really liking it the more I listen.
Should get my shipment soon thatbhas the 7” with the bonus track.

 

What is this bonus track of which you speak...??? If it is anything with any kind of energy, anything uptempo, I am definitely going to have to track it down. The more I listen to this album, the more apparent the lack of energy through its midsection becomes.

 

feed the fire’s part where the filter opens up on the synth is such a cool sound for them. my greatest invention might be taylor’s bear ballad.

 

It’s called I Will Run
Came with a bundle on their web store. Will share if it has a DL code

 

That would be much appreciated. Most of the songs on this album have gotten even better for me with time, and I already liked them a lot to begin with. But the stretch of My Greatest Invention-Telescope-I Can't Love right in the middle of the album feels more and more to me like a huge misstep, which is so rare for them.

 

"My Greatest Invention" is the only one that hasn't really clicked with me yet. I think "Telescope" is super interesting, lyrically, and I love the end of "I Can't Love."

The last two tracks are my favorites by far, though.

 

That's why I'm struggling with this though, because none of those 3 I named are bad songs. Each one of them is a good song, but all 3 of them in a row is 18-odd minutes of very low energy on what is already a pretty low-key album. I suppose maybe I just like when Dawes rocks out a little harder...(?)

I realize this is all very nitpicky . These guys are incredible and have such a solid run of albums. Definitely very curious to hear I Will Run though. And I agree, the last two tracks are insanely good.

 

Yeah I saw them open for Josh Ritter right after the release of North Hills and it's my 1B. To me that (and Nothing is Wrong) is the essential, default Dawes sound.

Oh man I didn't know about that either.

 

Always had a handful of this band's songs in rotation but just now diving in to them fully -- Christ, All Your Favorite Bands is an incredible album (and song).

 

It's a *perfect* album to me honestly.