War On Drugs new album and release date announced!!

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Jerry James, Jun 1, 2017.

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  1. AFCBRINGWOOD

    AFCBRINGWOOD Forum Resident

    As for the sound quality, I find the compression a distraction. The CD is bad but I've got to say the vinyl (MPO pressing on black vinyl) isn't much better and I'm not convinced a different mastering was used. This is just speculation of course so I could be wrong. I don't really understand what needs to be done to transfer the files to vinyl when so much compression is used. I've read that the levels need to be reduced but comparing the CD and vinyl, the differences are minimal at best in my opinion. I do detect a slight reduction in brightness on the vinyl but that could just be due to the different equipment I'm using (Rega RP6 v Naim NDX) or the nature of the format.
     
  2. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    I'm still having a problem with the new set - just can't get into it - not one song is memorable to me. When Lost In The Dream came out it got constant air play on 2 area stations - I'm not hearing air play with the new album. Radio introduced me to the band 2 over years ago because the songs made me sit up and take notice. I'm very much disappointed. I was really looking forward to this one.
     
    AFCBRINGWOOD likes this.
  3. AFCBRINGWOOD

    AFCBRINGWOOD Forum Resident

    I'm reserving judgement for now as this sounds like a bit of a grower to me. Like you, it hasn't had the effect 'Lost In The Dream' had on me but there's still some good music on it. I really think the compressed sound hurts it though.
     
  4. fourfeathers

    fourfeathers Forum Resident

    Location:
    North America
    Saw these guys at Massey Hall in Toronto over the weekend and HOLY **** this band is on fire right now. In terms of fiery, jammin' live shows, this was up there with My Morning Jacket and Roger Waters for the absolute best I've seen this year. They're really fleshing out these tunes and are in complete control of tone and vibe. Not to mention they've got a super ****ing sick light show. They smoked out an entire 3000-seat theatre and then shot out rainbow lazers during "Under the Pressure"! Who else does that?!

    "Thinking of a Place" was stretched out to 15 sublime minutes, but unfortunately that pushed them to their curfew and we did not get an encore. The previous night, they busted out "Like a Hurricane" in honor of Neil after their main set, so that was a bit of a bummer. But I suppose you can never go wrong leaving the crowd wanting more.

    WOD have now offically been elevated to "never ****ing miss these guys" status. A+!
     
    Muzmus, enro99, JNTEX and 4 others like this.
  5. Harry Hood

    Harry Hood Forum Resident

    Location:
    England
    Thanks for that. I might try again for Manchester tickets now. I wasn't gonna bother, as the Youtube clips I'd sesn weren't as good (or long) as the studio versions.

    And yeah, even at 11mins, the studio version of Thinking Of A Place isn't long enough. They're just hitting on a lovely little keyboard lick then it fades out. I could easily go a couple of minutes more.
     
  6. babermac

    babermac Well-Known Member

    Couldn't agree more. Unfortunately I don't think it's just a mastering problem; the DR probably died in mixing. This Shawn Everett guy just seems to be one of those major label LA brickwallers. The other day I was listening to Broken Social Scene's latest album on the bus, which has been breaking my heart ever since it was released. (The songs are SO good, but the mix/master just fatigues the hell out of my ears.) A few songs in I started thinking to myself, "you know, this experience sure does remind me a lot of listening to the new War On Drugs. I wonder who produced this record." Sure enough...Shawn Everett.
     
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  7. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Picked up a black vinyl copy to replace the green one I bought day of release.

    Went straight to side 3 and was overjoyed to finally hear "Thinking of a Place" without the dreaded nonfill zipper sound.
     
    Porkpie likes this.
  8. Porkpie

    Porkpie Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    I saw the US vinyl online and to be fair it looked really cool but I’m in the UK and picked up the regular black vinyl and not a pop or tick anywhere. Great album!
     
  9. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    Great, great album. I'm engaged the more I listen to it, and the songs start to develop more character. Pain, Holding On, and Thinking Of A Place are the major standouts for me. Just a shame that the mastering is terrible.
     
    Robert C, CCrider92 and johnnypaddock like this.
  10. Mother

    Mother Forum Resident

    Location:
    Melbourne
  11. CCrider92

    CCrider92 Senior Member

    Location:
    Cape Cod, MA
    I'm very disappointed that Adam allowed this to happen.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  12. clercqie

    clercqie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium
    My vinyl copy plays very clean and quiet, no complaints in that department. Maybe the music isn't as dynamic as could be, but to be fair, there's a lot of great music that could sound better. What parts sound "hard-clipped" for other people?

    The songs themselves are terrific imo. It's a wonderful album and follow-up to Lost in the Dream.
     
  13. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    The whole album just has this sucked in, compressed sound with everything maximized so often times instruments sound blurred together, normally during busy moments.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  14. clercqie

    clercqie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium
    Well ok, but that's been kind of their style all along right? Slave Ambient for example, really has this blurred, shoegazy feel to it in general. They've tempered it a bit for the follow-ups, but that's still a big part of their aesthetic.

    Idk, I get it's not a perfectly clear, open sound, which annoys a lot of people. But for me, that has been there from the start.
     
    Jerjo, Echoes Myron and johnnypaddock like this.
  15. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    I agree. While I really hate the sound of a lot of "modern" mastered music, this album seems designed for the lower dynamic sound. It just works here.
     
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  16. bcaulf

    bcaulf Forum Resident

    Eh, if that’s what they’re going for then that’s fine. My first impression was that it was just poorly mastered.
     
    Robert C likes this.
  17. clercqie

    clercqie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium


    If you haven't heard the older albums, this above is the opening track for Slave Ambient. Should clear (ha!) some things up, I guess. :)
     
    erowid likes this.
  18. PanaPlasma

    PanaPlasma Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium, Europe
    Sound is maximized but definately not clipped imo.
     
  19. This album just grows and grows on me. It's every bit as good as Lost in the Dream, imo.
     
    Rupe33, Dayfold and Alan57 like this.
  20. clercqie

    clercqie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Belgium
    Getting tickets to see them again in december, woopwoop!!

    Last time I saw them was right before Lost in the Dream blew up, so that was still in a really intimate setting (200 people). Now they're playing in the biggest concert hall in Belgium, what a change.
     
    Rupe33 likes this.
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