Los Campesinos! -- ROMANCE IS BORING

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CAN WE ALL JUST PLEASE CALM THE FUCK DOWN??


My god, this thing gets better with every passing day. There's no doubt in my mind now that this is superior to Beautiful/Doomed, even if there may not be anything on it as great as Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1, the title track or Miserabilia. And maybe some of the high points ARE better. It somehow manages to be the most diverse album without losing any of the consistency of quality. And that's kind of a rare feat.

Right now the stand-outs for me are In Media Res, DMEB #2, Straight in at 101, and This Is A Flag.
 
For realz. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing them live yet, but being able to hear the above line screamed as well as "WE KID OURSELVES THERE'S FUTURE IN THE FUCKING, BUT THERE IS NO FUCKING FUTURE!" being shouted by hundreds of people would be well-worth the price of admission.
 
I don't put anything by them on terribly often, and when I do, it's not for more than an album-length amount of time (at the very, very most), but for those short bursts, they're fucking incredible. I just can't take the angsty twee for too long without it grating against my skin.
 
I think that's the problem for me, or it became the problem.

I also likely overdosed on them once they clicked (the CLIQUE!) for me.

Perhaps the time off coupled with new material will rekindle my appreciation.
 
The thought of a club full of people yelling that together with the band is already sending shivers down my spine.

"BUT WHAT DID YOU EXPECT" from "The Sea" is going to have a similar effect.

I've made good on my declaration to not re-download and listen to this album before its release. Happy day!
 
For realz. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing them live yet, but being able to hear the above line screamed as well as "WE KID OURSELVES THERE'S FUTURE IN THE FUCKING, BUT THERE IS NO FUCKING FUTURE!" being shouted by hundreds of people would be well-worth the price of admission.

That was cool, but singing "WE ARE ALL ACCELERATED READERS" topped it, I think.

I fell off of this band's bandwagon.

I wonder if I can possibly climb back on, or if their appeal for me was a transitory thing.

It won't take you very long to find out, if you're so inclined.

I don't put anything by them on terribly often, and when I do, it's not for more than an album-length amount of time (at the very, very most), but for those short bursts, they're fucking incredible. I just can't take the angsty twee for too long without it grating against my skin.

I think it can be said that this album isn't nearly as precious as the first two albums, and I think the darkness makes it a richer listen. Certainly not something that would be as likely to get annoying (not that I'm annoyed anyway).

I've made good on my declaration to not re-download and listen to this album before its release. Happy day!

Get over yourself, Mr. Integrity.
 
Well, it has a rougher and tougher edge than the last two albums; a lot less "fun". I'm detecting a greater shade of sadness and pessimism in the lyrics as well.
 
Define darkness? Like, honestly.

I'm going to resist making a snide comment back...but, for me, "darkness" implies dissonance, minor keys, descending patterns, and a generally melancholy feeling in the music. Lyrically, it depends. I mean, looking at the Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, that's an incredibly "sunny" or "light" sounding album (lots of major keys, upbeat tempos, etc.), but lyrically, it's incredibly depressing and dark. "Darkness" and "lightness" in music are very much an intuitive thing for me; it's an aura the music gives off, quite simply. Then again, the beauty of music (one of many, that is) is the fact that it's infinitely semantically indeterminate, so what I hear as "dark," you might not, and vice versa.

I'd easily say that Romance is Boring is "darker" than Hold On Now Youngster as well.
 
I'm going to resist making a snide comment back...but, for me, "darkness" implies dissonance, minor keys, descending patterns, and a generally melancholy feeling in the music. Lyrically, it depends. I mean, looking at the Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, that's an incredibly "sunny" or "light" sounding album (lots of major keys, upbeat tempos, etc.), but lyrically, it's incredibly depressing and dark. "Darkness" and "lightness" in music are very much an intuitive thing for me; it's an aura the music gives off, quite simply. Then again, the beauty of music (one of many, that is) is the fact that it's infinitely semantically indeterminate, so what I hear as "dark," you might not, and vice versa.

I'd easily say that Romance is Boring is "darker" than Hold On Now Youngster as well.
Yes.

In my own simplified summary: nothing on HONY sounds like "The Sea Is a Good Place to Think of the Future."
 
I'm going to resist making a snide comment back...but, for me, "darkness" implies dissonance, minor keys, descending patterns, and a generally melancholy feeling in the music. Lyrically, it depends. I mean, looking at the Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, that's an incredibly "sunny" or "light" sounding album (lots of major keys, upbeat tempos, etc.), but lyrically, it's incredibly depressing and dark. "Darkness" and "lightness" in music are very much an intuitive thing for me; it's an aura the music gives off, quite simply. Then again, the beauty of music (one of many, that is) is the fact that it's infinitely semantically indeterminate, so what I hear as "dark," you might not, and vice versa.

I'd easily say that Romance is Boring is "darker" than Hold On Now Youngster as well.

Thank you. Much better than what I could up with while drunk at 3am.
 
I was just curious if the lyrics were "dark," the music was "dark," or both were "dark." Thanks for avoiding the snide comment and for the information.

EDIT: I should add that I'm definitely curious as to how a whole album of "The Sea..." will work, exactly. Or if.
 
Everything going on during the "a good place to look to the future is when you are sat at the sea" is fucking exquisite. Especially once the backing vocals come in with the oooo's beginning with the "weather here is overcast" line. Good lord. I can't get enough of that god damn song.
 
I was just curious if the lyrics were "dark," the music was "dark," or both were "dark." Thanks for avoiding the snide comment and for the information.

EDIT: I should add that I'm definitely curious as to how a whole album of "The Sea..." will work, exactly. Or if.

For what it's worth, when you write something such as "Like, honestly" as the ending to a "question," it comes off sounding like you're a dick and being condescending. That's what I was going to react to, and now that I've had a bit of time to process it a bit more, I can say what I was going to without the snarkiness. This isn't the first time you've come off that way either, and to be honest, the way in which you interact with people makes me avoid B&C from time to time. Simply put, there's better ways to state your opinions, you know? Clearly, you love music, probably as much as I do (and that's saying a fucking lot, by the way), so I understand the immense passion you have for bands or albums that you like, but like I said, sometimes the way in which you go about expressing those opinions is frustrating.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and it wasn't meant personally (seeing as I only know you through the internet tubes and all). It was just something that's been on my mind for awhile (which this comment of yours happened to spark), so I had to get it off my chest.
 
Damn! That was a pretty epic (if polite) smackdown. And Shouter, the way you worded that question did come off as rude.


Anyway, I think This Is A Flag. There Is No Wind may very well have the greatest LC! chorus ever.

IT'S A CRIME IT'S A CRIME IT'S A CRIME IT'S A CRIME!
 
Oh, sorry. I was just trying to say that I was asking the question for real, though. Like, "I'm asking this honestly--how do you mean that the record is dark?" Sorry for the confusion.
 
Oh, sorry. I was just trying to say that I was asking the question for real, though. Like, "I'm asking this honestly--how do you mean that the record is dark?" Sorry for the confusion.

It's all good. Hopefully, there's no hard feelings, since you know a shitload about music, and your posts (though epically long) are usually fantastic. I didn't think that you meant it to be rude, it was just the way it came off. If you would've asked the way you did below, there would be no confusion.

I was just curious if the lyrics were "dark," the music was "dark," or both were "dark."
 
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