The Early November - Lilac (September 27, 2019) Album • Page 42

Frayed in doubt

 

Lilac knocked me on my ass the first time I heard it and I think it’s solidly my favorite now. I think the production and vocals really help hammer it home for me. In Currents would probably be next, then imbue or TMTMTP depending on whether I’m feeling nostalgic that day. Never really got around to exploring his other projects.

 

I've at least checked out all of Ace's output, but Lilac is the first album to really grab me. Is there another Ace album I should revisit if I love this one? FWIW When I Hit the Ground is the other album I remember spending a good amount of time with.

 

Do you wanna try heavier Ace, lighter Ace or mid range?

EDIT: Honestly, just go for In Currents next

 

As crazy as it sounds, the first time I really heard of them was when they opened for New Found Glory on one of their recent tours. I mean I vaguely knew who they were, but not much else. Was blown away by the performance. Usually I dread sitting through opening bands I don't know.

 

I can't let this be the only ranking on here, not with Gold Rush sitting at the top!

The World We Know
Imbue
In Currents
ICMAMLNB
Lilac
The Room's Too Cold
TMTMTP
Enola
A Million Different People
Growing In
Hiraeth
Gold Rush

That was actually really tough, I love all of these! Didn't even include the EPs (Secret Wars, For All of This, Acoustic EP).

 

Gold Rush knocks idk what y’all are on about. Only thing wrong with it is that the drums are the same on basically every track

 

That bridge in Don’t Leave Me? The reverse guitar lead on Connected? Ya gotta be kidding me

I’ll ask back my previous comment for the exception of Gods though, definitely among his worst tracks

 

I am a sucker for Lame Duck.

I saw him on that Pay-What-You-Want ICMAM tour, and it was so cool to see how he utilized looping for the performance.

 

Gold Rush isn't my favorite nor is it his most exciting by a longshot but it's such a pleasant album and I do really enjoy it. Good morning album for sure

 

It's funny that you kinda just throw aside the reason the album is his worst, every single song is basically the same. One song at a time, the songs are fine, but as an album it's so incredibly vanilla and one-note. It feels like an afterthought compared to everything he has done before

 

huh, sorta like the dcfc song gold rush. That phrase is cursed.

 

I think it’s a stretch to say every song is the same, but yeah the drum patterns on most of them are nearly identical. To me it more rings as Ace just really vibing with his looper pedal and having a great time, haha. Dishing out great little hooks and leads all over the place. Feels like it was probably one of his most organic pieces of work and the fun he had making it is contagious to me

 

it's so interesting hearing you talk about the album in a completely different way than me. Calling it organic and the most fun he had makes me laugh honestly, maybe because I was really close to the project.

The album was part of Ace's kickstarter project, that was honestly a big mess, lots of unfulfilled promises and was messy all together. Gold Rush was to be the promise of a new album for kickstarter backers, but the album was pretty rushed and sloppily put together in just a week or two. Two of the songs were old Million Different People songs, so there were only 7 new songs which weren't all that exciting.

I dunno, I just remember during that time a lot of people who were part of the kickstarter were disappointed with how it was all handled, the album included.

 

it was also supposed to be his last album at the time

 

I definitely don't hate it. I enjoy all of Ace's projects. But this is definitely my least favorite. The mixing/mastering is so poor, I feel like the sound is incredibly muffled throughout the whole thing. Also the drums are basically the same for every song and almost every song has that reverse guitar effect, which makes everything sound so similar.

It was just a huge letdown coming right after his best album, The World We Know.

 

Ah yeah I definitely did not have that experience hahaha. I could see how something like that would taint the final product. As far as organic I guess I mean more of the songwriting itself and not necessarily the release though, and a short timeframe like you’re saying kinda proves that to me.

fwiw I don’t think it’s like his best release or anything, if I’m ranking ICMAM releases only it’d probably go third

 

gold rush is the best thing Ace has ever done IMO. i revisit that album so often.

 

not to be combative, but idk how you say the mixing / mastering is poor on Gold Rush but rank Lilac above it. that album sounds awful to me

 

so i may be very wrong on this, but i saw him in NYC with Mansions on that tour and i remember him saying he had written the album with a drummer, and he bailed last minute or something like that? and that's why he went to the looping, etc. could be wrong.

 

Paging @jordalsh

 

oh yes I am losing my shit

 

I wish they would press Ace Enders & A Million Different People’s When I Hit The Ground.

 

or a proper release of The Secret Wars, that thing has only ever been released digitally in 160 kbps, ridiculous

 

I always forget about When I Hit the Ground but occasionally I’ll see it on my phone randomly cause I bought it a long time ago and it’s somehow stayed put. Fantastic song. Listening now.