Very creative! But----------------kind of hard to whistle the tune!
Very creative! But----------------kind of hard to whistle the tune!
I've had a copy of the album for a few weeks now and I have to say it's probably the band's strongest to date. There's nothing as 'out there' as Blind Leaving the Blind and not much as straight BG as tracks from HTGAWFTG - it's more like the band (not just Chris) have taken the full range of what they do and molded it into a unique and distinctive sound. I love it.
Chris and the boys always have something up their sleeve. It would be quite boring to hear variations on the same thing over and over. I've preordered. I await the mailman.
"your posts ... very VERY opinionated ...basing your opinion/recommendations ... pot calling ...kettle... black...sarcasm...comment ...unwarranted...unnecessary...."
http://www.vanityfair.com/video/2012/02/1429870817001
A well shot video of the boys playing Movement and Location. Thile confirms what's been previously discussed in this thread. That being the band spent the past two albums pushing themselves to be something they were not. Rather than simply embracing what they do well.
Charlie Jones
Clark 2-point #39
Rigel A Natural
I'm not a fan of Thile's solo and collaborative work since leaving NC, but I'm loving the Punch Brothers. Working as a band seems to temper Thile's more self-indulgent impulses which tend to repulse me. I also tend to be more on the alternative, roots, folk, americana end of the the spectrum (as if those are on the same end!) rather than traditional bluegrass.
My preorder showed up on Saturday. It hasn't taken long to get used to this one. There's a little bit of HTGAWFTG and a little of the campiness (in a good way) of Antifogmatic. What's left is the new sound. A unified, pulsing groove that's loaded with hooks.
One thing that jumped out is Critter gets to stretch his flat picking skills. For two (or three) albums he's chugged along in the background tying everything together. The sonic glue I suppose. It's nice to see him get a little bit of the spot light.
I've got a road trip to Chicago later in the week. I'm looking forward to some critical listening in the car.
Charlie Jones
Clark 2-point #39
Rigel A Natural
I received my copy saturday, listened through once so far...seems very poppie to me. I'm sure it will grow on me, just not wowed like I was with Antifogmatic. I don't really like the heavily produced acoustic sound so far...confusing to me why they went in that direction. Everything on the radio these days is soooo over produced to make up for lack of quality musicianship the natural sound of this band on prior albums was very refreshing being a traditional bluegrass layout... but not traditional bluegrass. Being as creative as this band is I can understand them wanting to evolve their sound, IMHO being as produced as this album is changed the way they create dynamics/mood change.
Interesting...
My initial response is to be snarky and say, "I really didn't care for this band's music back when they were called Mumford and Sons, and I don't much care for it now as The Punch Brothers."
However, within the sort of aesthetic this song seems to be exploring, I think it's okay. Truth be told, I have little affection for the recent crop of bearded, acoustic-folk-indie-prog, lite-rock bands fronted by dudes singing obtuse mildly-poetic lyrics in falsettos. Some I tolerate better than others and this falls on my sense of the "better than others" spectrum. I do think the part where the instruments drop out and Chris just does some basic strums with nothing but the bass sounds awful...like something from a Punch Brothers "shreds" parody. The youtube video also seems to be an interesting and again, "better than others", song in the "new folk rock" vein.
It will be interesting to see when the reviews come out how the writers justify referencing this stuff in relation to bluegrass. I bring this up because everything Thile seems to do usually gets reviewed through that prism. Personally, I hate it. I think it reeks of lazy music writing by people who have very little concept of (and certainly little or no respect for) bluegrass. The typical music critic reviewing this will see banjo, mandolin, violin, acoustic guitar and push the idea that this is simply another example of a band pushing the boundaries of bluegrass. Perhaps some readers will buy that. I think it's an insult to both bluegrass and to what Punch Brothers appear to be trying to do in these songs.
That would be the snarkiest of snarky comments, seeing how they don't sound like Mumford
It should be getting really hard to classify them as a bluegrass these days. Maybe their plan is to continue to modernize their sound until they loose the bluegrass label, then back it down a notch.
I'm not so sure that this effort is "over produced", as it's PB experimenting with their recording techniques. They've used a basic studio effect (reverb), some obvious EQ cuts and most importantly they've re-amped their mic signals to various degrees. When I think over produced, I think adding instruments or parts that the band couldn't pull off in a live show (string section, drums, a line of ladies singing backup, whatever). That's just my opinion though. Many thought the Thile/Daves project was "over produced". Having seen them live they can most certainly pull off their recorded sound in a live setting. I'd say it's evolutionary rather than over produced.
Last edited by mando.player; Feb-13-2012 at 1:13pm. Reason: stoopid typos
Charlie Jones
Clark 2-point #39
Rigel A Natural
I've only had the chance to listen once so far, so I'll need many more before it can really sink in. I can already see it's going to incite a fair amount of controversy. I'm already on record as saying I didn't like the new direction for my own reasons, and my initial reaction is - I may have to eat my words. All my objections still stand. I shouldn't like this album, but for the most part I found in incredibly compelling.
Hard to say why right now, but I think they've found a certain comfort level as a band - they're not trying to live up to any expectations and they don't have any grand goals other than to make the music they want to make. I think that really comes across in a way that wasn't apparent on the first two albums. There are a ton of new sounds on this record - things I've never heard an acoustic band do before. But I also hear a lot of strains of Chris's past. There were moments that reminded me of Punch, and even a little of the later Nickel Creek material.
I should stop rambling, but I certainly hope to have more to say as I listen more.
I've only been able to listen to it twice so far, but I thoroughly enjoy it.
It's certainly not a bluegrass album, but I'm pretty sure the guys didn't set out to make Who's Feeling Young Now? a bluegrass album.
Grrrrrrr.....jealous! I pre-ordered at my first opportunity and still haven't received mine.
Larry
For people like myself who hadn't pre-ordered this album you can stream the whole album in it's entirety at this site
I passively listened to it and like what I heard so far. Can't wait to get an actual copy.
I am listening to it right now, mine came in the mail today. I already think this might be their best outing, songs that stick in your mind from the first listen, a sign of good things.
Kentucky KM 140 (Sold)
Weber-Made The Loar
Eastwood Mandocaster (Sold)
Kala SMHC Concert Uke (Sold)
1910 Gibson A-1
The Loar LM 700
Washburn B8K Banjo
Recording King RA 998-E resonator
1923 Gibson F-4 with double stamped FON
This was my first thought. It's an easy listen, in a good way.
Charlie Jones
Clark 2-point #39
Rigel A Natural
Can't get it to work; tried numerous times.
"When I heard what Socrates had done on the lyre, I wished indeed even [I had done] that...but certainly I labored hard in letters!" - Cicero, "Cato the Elder on Old Age"
Weber Gallatin Mahogany F
19th Century Ferrari(?) Bowlback
Early 20th Century British Mandoline-Banjo & Deering Goodtime Tenor
1960s Harmony Baritone Ukelele
The Magic Fluke Flea Soprano Ukelele (in 5ths!)
1910 German Stradivarius 1717 copy, unknown maker
1890(?) German Stradivarius 1725 copy, G.A. Pfreztschner, maker
nice nice nice.
I got my pre-ordered copy today. Listened to half of it before my 6 o'clock class, and just rode around for a while and listened to the whole album. This album is a quite logical step, and a step that should not be all that surprising to people who have followed the band from the HTGAWFTG days. The album seems a bit cacophonous at times, but I'm sure it's supposed to. I REALLY like both of the covers. Their Radiohead covers have been a high point in their live shows for a few years now, and I'm glad they picked "Kid A" for this one. And "Flippen" is a great arrangement and a solid choice for the list. It is interesting that this is the first album with this band that has not included an original instrumental (if you count "All of This is True" from the Antifogmatic release). Upon my first listen I heard some poppy bits of Thile's "Deceiver," some HTGAWFTG rehashing, some of the progressive indie rock sounds from Antifogmatic, and I felt that "Soon or Never" (the clear stand out to me) harkened some early, delicate traditional stuff that Thile has done (a la "Bury Me Beneath the Willow"). "This Girl" brings back some of the semi-jaded religious ponderings from TBLTB and other stuff in the past in an interesting way. I also dig the effects and increased production. I don't think those choices are cheesy, and in spots they do an incredible job highlighting the vocals (of which, Gabe's on "Hundred Dollars" is noteworthy). As much as I enjoy it, and most of what PB do, there is a part of me that wishes Thile's Loar got a little less chop work out in some of this music, but I suppose in playing music that, performed by anyone else, would have drums, the mandolin has to fill that role. Thanks, Mr. Monroe, for your example. All in all, I'm a fan, and I am very excited to settle into this one. To conclude this long-winded epistle, I am VERY excited to see PB here in Boone, NC Friday 2/17 for the first show after the release. A workshop before the show and a potential gig playing in the lobby before and during intermission are also bright prospects. Also, Tim O'Brien will be performing Saturday 2/18 here for the ASU Fiddlers Convention. I have an awesome weekend ahead! Cheers to all, and happy listening.
Has anyone been able to download from their web store "kungfustore.com?" I preordered the vinyl package, said it comes with a free download of the album on the 14th, it's the 14th and the only thing I can download is "Movement and Location." Perhaps they have to flip the switch on the internet at 10:00 when they get in to work?
I really want to hear this album, wish I had bought on iTunes, seems to have been available there since the 10th.(?)
amazon has opened up their MP3 page for it.
I really like this recording. Stands out in a new way from them and seems much more accessible, although that's just an old guy's opinion. Pretty exciting stuff. I think they're really hitting their stride as a band.
Oh give me a break. Your kind of ignorant reasoning is sickening. I'm allowed to have an opinion because I can think critically and live in a country where I am allowed to speak my mind. Do you deny me that right?
Let me ask you a question...do you have an opinion about anyone who's ever been President? Well, have you ever been President? Oh, you haven't? Then I demand you have no opinion about any President (or anything any President ever does in office) until you hold the highest office. Let me ask you a question, do you like some movies and not others? Well, have you ever written, directed, or starred in a major film? Then I demand you never have any opinion about any movie you ever watch until you direct, write, and/or star in a major film of critical and popular significance. Do you find some website designs better than others? Well, unless you are the top web designer in the world, I deny you the right to say anything critical about any web design you ever see. Do you have any opinion about religion? Are you God? Oh you're not? Then you have no right to have any opinion about religion.
Tell you what Jeff..until you play better than Thile, I demand you not have a positive opinion about him, because if you are not as good, you obviously can't say with any sort of credibility whether he is, in fact, any good...just as I am not allowed to say he is bad since I am not as good a mandolin player as Thile.
Like I said, your line of reasoning is sickening to anyone who believes in critical thought, intelligence and freedom of speech. Enjoy being a sheep Jeff.
Last edited by Alex Orr; Feb-14-2012 at 10:44am.
Take it somewhere else, guys.
I think this sentiment captures the new album fairly accurately. While I don't doubt for a second that recording their previous albums was a ton of fun, it seems like Punch/Antifogmatic were albums they "had" to make while WFYN is the album they have always wanted to make.
The more I listen to the album the more I enjoy it and the harder time I have picking just one favorite song.
Last edited by Ark Isle; Feb-14-2012 at 9:48am. Reason: skipped a word!
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