I decided to do this on a blog since I know a few friends that looked forward to this album... cough Electric cough... Plus I actually like AJR, the first song I heard from them ever was Weak and I was SHOOK, I had to listen to their album "The Click" and it was actually pretty nice, so here's my first listen rankings and thoughts on this new one x
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13. OK Overture - LMAO well, that was interesting. Felt like a rollercoaster ride.
12. My Play - Aight I didn't like this one from its beginning and it kind of didn't go anywhere. I'm surprised this was a single :x
11. The Trick - Okay I did not like the voice alteration in the verses, but the chorus was actually interesting/promising.. This song is an oddball though, and tbh the lyrics can be a little confusing (what's with the eighth grader wanting to be with a 28-year old girl, I...)
10. Joe - LMAO what is this!! This goes from some ragtime shit mixed with beatboxing, to some hyperpop shit (where are my gay hyperpop friends at sksksk), then... this uh very disappointing childish chorus. I like the 2nd verse and, surprisingly, that "hyperpop" part of it though 馃拃
9. Christmas in June - Oh okay then, take me back to the jazzy days! This one is super cute actually, I like the chorus most. The bridge is a little eh though. But overall it kinda gives me... "cutesy romantic" vibes without being sappy and slow.
8. 3 O'Clock Things - I like how this reminds me of what new-school PATD would do, but it's also very their style. Honestly I love those lyrics too, they kinda snapped. I'll have to relisten to this again though because it's not a "standout" on first listen.
7. Adventure Is Out There - Honestly I wasn't sure at the beginning especially with that "socks" line but this really got better! I love the instrumentation, and I get the message. But sir(s), stay inside, we're still in a pandemic!! (lol)
6. World's Smallest Violin - I actually appreciate the message of this song, and it's kind of something quite a few people can relate nowadays. The instrumentation felt a bit WILD at some points but it got progressively better honestly. It's definitely a highlight on the album for sure.
5. Humpty Dumpty - I love the instrumentation here, and the song actually grew on me while listening to it! A few points down for the unnecessary "OKAY" vocal but besides that I like the song a loooot.
4. Bummerland - I did hear this song before, because I really liked Bang! so I decided to check this one out! Still a cute bop, I enjoy it quite a bit. Gives me very summer vibes too x
3. Bang! - It just bangs (no pun intended)! When I first heard this, I got the same feeling when I heard Weak for the first time - just a pleasant surprise and curiosity to listen to the rest of their stuff!
2. Ordinaryish People - YES! This is the type of shit I love! That chorus is so so good, and that ending is kinda cracked but I LOVE it.
1. Way Less Sad - Oh WOW I should've listened to this one before the album dropped huh! I can sense some VERY slight hip-hop tinges here and there and that's where I fall in love... This is for sure my fave, it's a jam and I'll be revisiting it for sure.
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I think this was a pretty nice album tbh, it DID have some weird tracks/some tracks I wouldn't necessarily revisit, but I definitely enjoyed quite a few of these. My faves are deff 1-6 on my rankings, and then 7 and 8 have the potential to grow on me more.
SmoothStalker12 I KNOW I KNOW, and I usually like messy/all-over-the-place things, but that was kinda eh. It's still an overture anyway.
And tbh I'm actually not like a "stan" of them but I did hear about "Neotheater" but I actually haven't listened to it :x but interesting, that song did sound SLIGHTLY different from some of others, like, from a different "year"
Also did you know Adventure is Out There was originally made for Neotheater? Glad they cut it