The Wonder Years - Sister Cities (April 6, 2018) Album • Page 135

but Aaron West is a character so its entirely melodrama, its not real. im sure he pulls from real things but its fictitious.

i dont really see how singing about actual things that have happened in his life or real things he deals with are performative, like calling out pharmecutical companies, shining a light on racism in america with a very specific example, death of a close friend to drugs and how that continues to affect someone even years after theyre gone, watching someone slowly die of a debilitating disease, etc. i guess thats more of a subjective thing but it just seems kinda disengenuous

 

actually disengenuous is the wrong word here im sorry i dont mean to come off like im attacking you or anything but hopefully my point is coming across ok

 

I definitely understand, my band is currently trying to interlock 3 guitar parts, keys, double-tracked drums, bass, and multiple vocal lines (basically what you just talked about). It's an insane balancing act. I also feel a little spoiled because I think the mix/masters from Upsides through TGG contain some of my favourite rock "production."

As a counterpoint to my first post, songs like "It Must Get Lonely," "Heavens Gate," and "Flowers Where Your Face Should Be" are leveled really nicely. When the drums are alone (like the verses of Sister Cities), the drums become the best part of the song.

 

Is this really how most people feel about his writing?!
Is it because he's much more into emphasising literary devices than most lyricists in the genre? Does working a certain way on a certain literary style with your lyrics make them fabricated or performative or not coming from an honest place? Genuinely asking, without wanting to start a philosophical debate.

Or is it just the content that's the problem and not the form? maybe I'm so surprised because I find Dan's literary voice and the way he writes to be extremely honest and very naturally relatable to my own thought process/way of processing the things around me personally (nb I'm autistic lol so that's an exploit). Again I don't want to sound aggressive at all, I'm just genuinely surprised, that viewpoint really comes as a shock to me! I thought I had a mainstream opinion on this haha

 

Chiccarelli is a mad man. 4 mics on kick summed to one track. 3 on snare summed to one. Vintage C12s on overheads. Vintage U87s on far rooms. That live room in Sunset is also insane with cymbals. We had to tape shit and use a thin, dry ride so the rooms weren’t just completely blown out. I love how unique and dirty the drums are.

 

The word “melodramatic” (see also: “navel gazing,” “reads like a diary entry”) in relation to lyrics or poetry or writing or what have you really frustrates me a lot of the time it’s used because it often seems to come from a place of criticizing the writer rather than what’s been written. Calling something “melodramatic” kind of insinuates that the reality of the subject matter isn’t worth the suffering or pain being described and I think there are very few cases where that doesn’t come across as a value judgment rather than a constructive piece of criticism.

I don’t think it’s impossible for something to be melodramatic to a fault (that Mom Jeans record is basically unlistenable to me because of the “you ripped my heart out” style of break-up lyrics) but more often than not, it comes across to me as talking-down.

 

The drum tone is deffo one of the things I like the most about this album. Whacks me in the face.

 

I can't wait to record my new band I'm starting with @Deathco_019 i haven't done much real recording in years too busy with programming electronic bleeps I miss recording drum sets

 

so what sort of picture should i get with nick on wednesday? i was thinking one that has me in a headlock from him. any suggestions?

 

no that's absolutely perfect

 

@nicksteinborn would you do that???

 

Goddamn this record is so beautiful.

 

re: if everyone feels this way, I feel like I'm probably in the minority but also idk for sure

I don't think it is his literary style. if I had to guess, I would say that all art, especially art dealing with darker themes, require some degree of performativity, because you're translating this internal experience into an external medium. and I think some people do it in a way that makes the internal experience ring true and "real" for me as the listener, and other people do it in a way that makes me unable to separate the performative quality from the content, and that's the case with Dan. it always feels like he is telling a story for the story's sake while not being aware of it, and that makes me unable to connect to it.

the reason I brought up Aaron West is that Dan's writing on that album actually felt the most natural to me, and the way he goes about telling this character's story (via a series of expository songs) felt similar to the way he writes about real experiences, even though the topics are obviously different.

idk if you're saying that I should be criticizing the writer vs. what's been written or the other way around, but my criticism was directed toward Dan's writing style rather than the subject matter. the melodrama was in reference to the way he presents the subject matter, rather than the content itself, if that makes sense

probably poor word choice on my part in hindsight, my apologies

 

have him balance you horizontally, one hand under your head, one hand under your feet

(pivot locations approximate, adjust accordingly)

 

I really love It Must Get Lonely

 

definitely my fave so far. Everything about it hits me

 

The production bit that keeps standing out to me is the drum sound in the second verse of Heaven’s Gate. Very cool sounds there.

 

Sat down and listened through it all now and I actually really like it. Didn't think they'd be able to pull me back in but fair play. Gonna have to see how it holds up but yeah signs are good.

 

assuming youll even be allowed in lol

 

I think I love this on my second listen.

No Closer To Heaven wasn't bad, but as a full album it didn't feel consistent, but I enjoyed it as a collection of solid songs.

This one has a driving theme/sound and I love that

Also Dan's lyrics on this are fantastic/goosebump inducing

 

i already preordered nick i am a paying customer

 

ugh

 

Spit on his copy

 

Yeah after first listen this has immediately jumped to my favorite TWY record... it's definitely the most emotionally resonant. Gonna be on repeat for the next week or so.

 

This is good. I’m not immediately enamored, but there is a lot of stuff happening here that I like. I’m not sure how much more I want to listen before the official release, but I’m definitely satisfied with what I heard today.

The closer is gonna be in contention for their best song.