Yeah I bought this the day it came out and have given it a number of listens. I like it, and I definitely think this young chap has heaps of talent. But he really needs some focus. With the right team behind him I think he could fully realize what he was going for with the album.
I'm not liking the way his voice is sounding. It sounds way more solo Julian Casablancas than the gritty-reverby-feedbacky style he had on previous strokes stuff. Typically catchy guitar riff though, at least that can be relied upon.
@melcene: Comes down to the whole "Frontier Thesis" idea. But that depends entirely on whether you buy into it wholeheartedly or not.
From Wikipedia: The Frontier Thesis is the argument advanced by historian Frederick Jackson Turner in 1893 that the origin of the distinctive equalitarian, democratic, aggressive, and innovative features of the American character has been the American frontier experience. He stressed the process—the moving frontier line—and the impact it had on pioneers going through the process. In the thesis, the frontier created freedom, by "breaking the bonds of custom, offering new experiences, [and] calling out new institutions and activities."
It is actually a fascinating topic to read up on, I would definitely suggest sourcing a copy online (theres plenty available), especially studying it as a European like myself it seems to give me some nice perspective on the topic.
I think you could definitely make a case for that yes, especially in light of reading things like "The Frontier in American History". Violence and aggression does seem to have become a part of American Society/National psyche in a fairly unique way.
Oh dude, YOU MISSED OUT. (I don't want to turn this into a thread about The Antlers, but yeah, you need to see this.)
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This gem prompted me to go back and listen to Hospice after a 3 or4 month hiatus, fuck man, that album still gets me. Seeing them live is such an experience. Also, I'm gonna have to go and buy "White Magic" and give it a couple of solid listens commuting into college. The videos you posted off it have yet to sell me..
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