[GhettoKameleon]

What're your thoughts on the first two songs from This Is War? I'm interested in hearing what old sk00lers think about it. I know that most of us had a certain...disdain for ABL, so I want to know.

That said, I actually really enjoy both songs. They absolutely destroy anything from ABL (except Battle of One). It's nice to be excited for their new album.

[7Corners]

I love Kings and Queens...This is War (the song), though, has to be listened to a few more times. It's definitely better than anything on ABL (minus BO1 and Hunter), but as of right now the jury is still out on that song for me.


I feel I should also say that in addition to being from the S/T age, I am also a big fan of old U2.......

[fusion]

So far so good, I like it. The one thing that really intrigues me are the synths at the end of the Kings And Queens video, which were mostly present during the self titled era. Good start and hopefully it will continue being that way on the album.

[Lily_17]

Good thread Chris, I'm interested to see what people's opinions are. I hope more answer!

One more question/discussion point to add, if I may. How much do you think your opinions on this album will be/have been changed by your newfound expectations, given ABL? Do you think you would feel the same way about the songs as you do now if you went right from Capricorn to Kings & Queens?

This goes for all opinions about both ABL and This is War (and S/T), obviously. Don't you shove me into that box of preconceived ideas.

[Dai]

clearly, there is an undeniable love for s/t and all things related to it. i remember hearing the 'attack' sampler and near-hating it because it was so different, but it actually ended up being one of my favorite songs from ABL, the album itself something i came to love as a different beast. i know a lot of people go back and relapse and fuel the undying feud that is S/T vs. ABL, but i honestly enjoy them both equally for a variety of reasons.

now, that said, from what i've heard of TIW, i can say, again, i love it for a multitude of different reasons and aspects. if you asked me, "which album does it sound more like?" i would say, musically, it would probably be closer to s/t than ABL despite what people are saying about K+Q. honestly, there are three songs right off the bat that come off sounding that expansive and jovial, and that's K+Q, search & destroy, and possibly this is war, but that song is fucking ridiculous on the amazing scale. a lot of tracks from TIW are the polar opposite of K+Q and i think a lot of you will come to find that. afterall, the song played at the end credits of the K+Q video is indeed from the album--personally, i hear a lot of s/t's demo tracks in that short clip alone.

like attack, when i first heard k+q, i wasn't sure what to think, especially considering the circumstances of how i got to hear it. i thought, 'this is a really, really great song. huge, really DIFFERENT..' and the 'different' part made me wonder, but i quickly grew to love it. really, it's not the best the overall album has to offer but i still think it's a strong opener. the video heightened it, i think.

so yeah.. S/T vs. ABL vs. TIW.. all different monsters, no necessity to be judged against one another, just compared between tracks. i seriously hope TIW turns people (back) over, because i personally find it to have a lot to offer despite skepticism.

[Lily_17]

so yeah.. S/T vs. ABL vs. TIW.. all different monsters, no necessity to be judged against one another, just compared between tracks. i seriously hope TIW turns people (back) over, because i personally find it to have a lot to offer despite skepticism.

I really like this part in particular.

[blah]

I like what I've heard so far. It's not S/T but it's not ABL either, so we're good.

[Phoenix#]

SIAS sounds so cool

[davida]

I'm not 100% on board with these two songs, but from what I've heard from the other selections, things are looking up.

I find the "summit choir" parts distracting, and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that the beauty of some of the songs is going to be sullied by the cacophony of the choir.

i'm thinking a remix album without the summit choir.

can i get a second?

[Dai]

I find the "summit choir" parts distracting, and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that the beauty of some of the songs is going to be sullied by the cacophony of the choir.

i'm thinking a remix album without the summit choir.

can i get a second?

partial second. i wouldn't mind it, but i don't mind it too much w/ them either. i think while the characteristic is in a "lot" of songs, it's downplayed in most of them compared to TIW/K+Q, so you don't really notice it too much. thankfully the music / jared overpowers it in other songs, and that's what i personally find more important.

[Imprudente Voyageure]

S/T vs. ABL vs. TIW.. all different monsters, no necessity to be judged against one another, just compared between tracks. i seriously hope TIW turns people (back) over, because i personally find it to have a lot to offer despite skepticism.

I agree with you in a way, these records are so much different you can't even compare them, and this is basically a good thing. There are tons of bands out there that keep on doing the same stuff after many years, which means that changing the way you make music is not always that easy, although you may not like what's new at first.

I find the "summit choir" parts distracting, and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that the beauty of some of the songs is going to be sullied by the cacophony of the choir.

I have the same feeling about the choir; it was ok in Kings and Queens, but I just can't stand it in This Is War. Hope there are songs without it, otherwise it will sound pretty redundant.

[HipMomster]

i heard a lot of old U2 in it. Jared himself even admitted that K & Q was like "streets on crack" and then reiterated their influence.

there is definitely a more "fuller" sound, which I like. However, I only liked a few songs right away where i said "damn, that is AWESOME!" the rest put me to sleep. but sometimes that happens with me...i won't like a particular song and it ends up being my favorite, so I can't really say with certainty how I feel just yet.

[davida]

partial second. i wouldn't mind it, but i don't mind it too much w/ them either. i think while the characteristic is in a "lot" of songs, it's downplayed in most of them compared to TIW/K+Q, so you don't really notice it too much. thankfully the music / jared overpowers it in other songs, and that's what i personally find more important.

i guess i can't be sure until i hear the whole album, because who knows, maybe there is something i'm not picking up on and will "get it" once i hear the whole thing, but something like that will be the pea under my mattresses if it's just "there" because...

[coredelusion]

I'm not 100% on board with these two songs, but from what I've heard from the other selections, things are looking up.

I find the "summit choir" parts distracting, and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that the beauty of some of the songs is going to be sullied by the cacophony of the choir.

i'm thinking a remix album without the summit choir.

can i get a second?

Well davida this is what I wrote after the listening party, so yeah you absofuckenlutely get a second from me..

I loved the drums throughout. For me Shannon is the foundation of this band.
The big surprise was the dance/techno stuff, loved all that. The let down was getting into a song then all of a sudden high pitched oh oh ohs or whatever they were took me out of it and I wanted to punch someone in the face.
It was fun watching the K&Q video on a big screen same time as some of the participants. Lots of energy was in the room, ha! It was brilliant and I literally gasped out loud to an unexpected part!
Don’t really know how I feel about the album yet, but last night my fav song was the last one, L490. It was really beautiful, a perfect end.

[davida]

Well davida this is what I wrote after the listening party, so yeah you absofuckenlutely get a second from me..

so if i punch someone in the face, it will make it all better? i could get down with that.


or


maybe i'll let you punch me in the face. that way i can pass out, not hear the summit choir and get some fucking sleep.


you pick.

[coredelusion]

aint going near you with all that pee under your mattress

[HipMomster]

I agree the last song is magnificent. and it IS a perfect end.

[7Corners]

I find the "summit choir" parts distracting, and I have a sinking feeling in my gut that the beauty of some of the songs is going to be sullied by the cacophony of the choir.

I couldn't have put it better myself. Too much of anything is a bad thing...I hope they used a lot of restraint when using the choirs, and that 99% of the time their desire for creating something beautiful surpassed their desire for giving the summit attendees the 'oMgz das me!!!' feeling.



Oh, and Lily...I'm having a really hard time speculating on what my opinion of the new CD would be had ABL never been released. I do, however, believe that this CD would have been a much more natural progression for the band...ABL literally came out of left field. I still wish I could have heard the songs they'd written for the record back when it was tentatively titled "Battle of One" as opposed to "A Beautiful Lie".

[coredelusion]

Well obviously expectations are completely different because of abl, the shock factor isn’t there. But they wouldn’t have gone from s/t to putting voices of their fans everywhere.

I still wish I could have heard the songs they'd written for the record back when it was tentatively titled "Battle of One" as opposed to "A Beautiful Lie".

Exactly. 1000s of hours of music were discarded. We missed out on an album.