Banned
I've spent a week with this album, and it's underwhelming af. Much in the same way Like Clockwork was underwhelming to me. I can't understand when it takes a band more than four years to come up with nine songs that sound like stuff they've already done years prior.
At this point, I'm over Josh, unless it's another TCV album..
Throbbing Member
not sure if those were posted already. Josh gives a bit of info song by song. Talks about Jons pedal clap trigger too
Active Member
Funny thing is, I think "villains" sounds like a really bad version of TCV... I gave this one another shot yesterday with good headphones and really taking my time with, but that was the last time I will touch this record. I can't believe how much I dislike it and it's actually quite ridiciulous at this point. I give up and hope for the live show to pull me back in.Originally Posted by Prettybrokenspiral
On the other hand I can't understand what the fuzz is about Ronson. I expected nothing bad to happen and nothing genius so I don't really hear his input on the new record at all and won't blame him other than for not stepping in and telling Josh that this record is the worst QOTSA has put out. I alson don't mind if there are guests on the records or not. Apart from Lanegan they always are buried in the back of the songs anyway, even Trent was barely noticeable apart from "era vulgaris" the song.
Active Member
I do like this record, but I can't get over the fact that some of the guitar sounds like it is made from a goose.
Last edited by Kodiak33; 09-01-2017 at 10:44 AM.
Active Member
Can't help hearing Hall and Oates in the intro of Feet don't fail me now
Banned
Villains of Circumstance does weird things to me. What a song.
Throbbing Member
I'm really surprised by the negative reception this album is getting.
Active Member
Like Clockwork was amazing! What didn't you like about that album? And you don't like Villains because it "sounds like stuff they've already done?" It sounds like maybe you're just not a big QotSA fan. It's interesting to me that you seem to not like Villains because it sounds too much like their older material, while others seem to dislike it for the exact opposite reason; that it sounds too different from their older material (at least production-wise). I agree that nine songs is pretty scant, but at least it's not loaded with filler. I've noticed a lot of bands cutting back on the number of tracks they put on an album, though. I remember in the '90s when CDs ruled the music industry, it seemed like 12 songs was the minimum and more often than not bands included an average of 16 or 17 tracks per album. Now I see a lot of bands only putting 10-12 songs on their albums.
He REALLY sounds like David Bowie at a few points in that song too. I love it.
Last edited by sonic_discord; 09-01-2017 at 12:31 PM.
God is an American
LOL, I'm not... remember ten, twelve years ago?
Banned
LC has its moments; it's just very ho-hum to me, compared to everything that came before it. Much like Villains: it's not a bad album per se, just an underwhelming one in contrast to what he's been capable of in the past.
At least the album packaging for the deluxe LP version I bought is boss. Maybe my favorite artwork for a Queens album yet.
As far as my fandom goes, I'd say it's sizeable. I've been into Josh since the Kyuss days and was rocking the self-titled Queens album long before anyone else around me even knew it was a thing. I also don't care much for Rated R, but love Era Vulgaris. So yea, I'm one of those QOTSA fans
Stubby Member
God damn Head Like a Haunted house is a fantastic fucking song. I bet that will be amazing live. This album just keeps getting better as time goes on for me. ...Like Clockwork is one of my favorite albums of all time and is the one that got me into the band so this album had pretty much zero chance of surpassing it, but it's really great. Probably my 2nd or 3rd fav queens album
•••••¤○●○¤•••••
Un reborn again is the best track on the album and one of the best queens songs ever. Intro sounds like the Faint to me.
Throbbing Member
HLAHH, Un-Reborn Again and Hideaway is an amazing run in this album. Hideaway just hits all the right spots.
Stubby Member
I think what turns me off most about this album is the lack of any kind of separation in the mix among the instruments. Finally heard it on vinyl on a good setup today and was even more disappointed to find it wasn't just listening via streaming giving these songs a lack of dynamic range, it was just produced/mixed that way.
Active Member
Active Member
Really? I hear a lot of stereo back and forth. The lower end isn't as present as I'd like but it's definitely a stylistic choice.
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Active Member
Throbbing Member
I'm enjoying the new album a fair amount. I jumped on that deal and bought it for $5.99. Hard not to at that price. Anyway, the first three tracks are awesome, it lulls a little bit in the middle of the album, and the end picks up again quite a bit. Feet Don't Fail Me / The Way You Used To Do / The Evil Has Landed / Villains of Circumstance are my favorites from the album. I do wish the overall sound was a little..thicker, like their earlier albums, but I don't mind the production as much as some seem to.
I also took the opportunity during this recent Queens binge of mine to revisit Era Vulgaris. I gave it a listen when it came out a decade ago, didn't really like it, and never really went back to it. Perhaps my taste in music has evolved enough, or perhaps I didn't listen hard enough to it before, but I'm finding myself loving it. It has a grimy, sludgy, dirty feel to it that I enjoy a lot. Having listened to it several times in the last few days, I don't understand why I wasn't more into this before. The intro to 'Misfit Love' gives me goosebumps.
Throbbing Member
Villains is so groovy. Albeit straightforward, but so groovy. Like Josh took this feeling & merged it with pop & classic rock sensibilities. I'm getting a Bowie / Eagles / Blue Oyster Cult vibe mashed with classic QOTSA overall.
Fav tracks: Domesticated Animals, Head Like A Haunted House, Un-Reborn Again
EDIT: Era Vulgaris is my favorite modern QOTSA record. I feel like Era was a division point.. Lullabies To Paralyze is the essential record in my mind, but I love what Josh & Co have done with the current platform. It still feels like QOTSA, I admire that there is no fear of change
Also, I love Jon Theodore. Sure... he really could pull off some crazy mathcore / Neil Peart / Danny Carey shit but fuck.. I love that he rocks this record so hard. As a drummer myself... It is far more impressive to lay back and fulfill each song to whats necessary. Hats off to Jon.. I would gladly trade him anyday
Last edited by Soma; 09-05-2017 at 03:22 AM.
Active Member
I do as well.
Saul Williams fan.
Come on, people. You keep shitting over Villains' production and mixing, but you're somehow okay with the damn-near-unlistenable mix of Deftones' Gore?
she/her/hers
i'll take some over-saturation any day over a thin, small-sounding mix (of a band that's supposed to sound huge). at least gore has interesting drum parts. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Active Member
I think it sounds great. Granted I'm listening to the HDtracks version (which I feel like is missing the intro to "The Way You Used to Do") via a digital connection from my NWZ-A17 to the MDR-1ADAC cans. The drums sound amazing throughout.
Of course when I listen on my iPod through sport headphones while I'm working out it's a little tinny but then so is everything on those things.
Stubby Member
me, I'm not
Throbbing Member
I kinda dig Gore more than Villains sonically. I dig that both bands were trying something different.
I get the beef as far as how the records are mixed. Could be better but still damn fine.
Throbbing Member
well, I got the CD and the music is grwoing on me, all sounds concerns aside.
But what upsets me the most is yet again the lack of complete booklet in there. I get that it's now a dying format but come on, a folding 4 pages (at least) wouldn't hurt, it's not like they can't spare the few cents it probably cost to do this. Or make a nice digipak instead of that crappy jewel case.
So now I can't get proper artwork without buying the expensive vinyl bs deluxe or whatever edition
Active Member
Yeah, I really regret buying the CD. There's pretty much nothing to it. I don't own a turn table, but seeing the photos others have posted (with full booklet and stickers), I definitely wish I'd ordered the vinyl instead.well, I got the CD and the music is grwoing on me, all sounds concerns aside.
But what upsets me the most is yet again the lack of complete booklet in there. I get that it's now a dying format but come on, a folding 4 pages (at least) wouldn't hurt, it's not like they can't spare the few cents it probably cost to do this. Or make a nice digipak instead of that crappy jewel case.
So now I can't get proper artwork without buying the expensive vinyl bs deluxe or whatever edition
Resident Asshole
Wanna buy my indie pressing?
Science Officer
This is just the best http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/articl...-bedtime-story
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Administrator
All the people complaining about album's mix and drums in particular probably never heard an album called Era Vulgaris. Everything sounded super hollow, drums sounded like a set of saucepans, yet... surprise surprise, it worked because that's what that album needed and how Josh wanted it. It's the same story all over again.
Seriously, if I'd just listen to this new record without reading this thread, I wouldn't in a million years suspect that there's something supposedly wrong with its mix.
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