All of this conjecture and hearsay comes down to one main point of consideration:
What is your idea of cohesion? If one mood, one theme and one particular sound is your idea of cohesion then this album may well feel a little disjointed to you. However, if you (like me) feel that cohesion comes from how the album leads you into certain sections, moods, themes etc then this album will feel extremely cohesive to you.
What I mean by that is an album can feel like a journey, or it can feel like a whole 'piece'. This album to me feels like an emotional trip, leading you from one mood to the next, as opposed to just jumping around from sound to sound & mood to mood. It starts of very atmospheric, soulful yet subdued and claustrophobic in it's production values. However, it then breaks open in 'Crazy Tonight' and the rush you feel from such a beautiful, straightforward hook is amplified because you've had to work for it so hard with the first half of the album. Then it just hand the hooks to you on a platter for a couple of songs - this is enjoyable and easy - it is important to note, these songs (SUC, cRAZY tONIGHT) are not bad songs. Yes, they are poppy songs, but this is welcome and almost euphoric next to the first half. I dislike HTDAAB and some of ATYCLB so trust mje when I say, these are good pop songs. Reviews will tell you otherwise but these are glorious songs that bring a bit of joy to the album, a bit of that Beautiful Day-esque pump your fists in the air.
Then it slows back down and you feel yourself slipping back 'into the sound'. Like you have reached the middle point of the horizon, now you are slipping back into the grey.
It's cohesive in the sense that it takes you on the journey by the hand and all you can do is let it and be completely submerged.
Whether or not it is indeed a classic remains to be seen. Only time will tell, it is definately close though.
Walt, every time you post, I