Something I've Noticed

or it's exactly how the band wanted it to sound, and that's why it was released sounding that way. you don't like it, and that's fine, but don't act like it's WRONG.

Musically the album is great. Production wise the album feels ugh. Lyrics are very hit or miss. I just don't enjoy dead friend or DWTJ

doctoracula wrote:

or it's exactly how the band wanted it to sound, and that's why it was released sounding that way.  you don't like it, and that's fine, but don't act like it's WRONG.  

What band wants their album to sound like shit? That doesn't even make sense. This isn't a lo-fi album, LJG admitted that during her reddit AMA. And it's not a "raw" recording like RAR, it was done with the intention of sounding good. Raw recordings don't even have the same problems this album has in parts. This album has some of the problems you get from ripping bootlegs.

It has nothing to do with taste or liking something or not, it's about the production being good or not. The production is not good. You can still like it if it's not good, but you can't say it is good. It's akin to liking B-Movies. You enjoy them but you can't say they are good.

DavyGrolton wrote:

Musically the album is great. Production wise the album feels ugh. Lyrics are very hit or miss. I just don't enjoy dead friend or DWTJ

This more or less sums up my opinion of the album as well. It feels like they opened some doors but never fully walked through them.

Are you still listening to a vinyl rip, or something?
I have the actual CD, and it sounds. fucking. great.
The only part of the album that sounds mildly off are the verses of "Dead Friend".  Definitely sounds like someone fucked up there, but that's the only song.

Again, the production-value sounds great.  Excluding White Crosses (because, holy shit, it had huge funding, and PUNKS CAN'T HAVE EXCELLENT SOUNDING RECORDINGS!!!), the only album of theirs that sounds better, in my opinion, is Searching For A Former Clarity.

P.S.
You started typing words again, butthole.  You're on a gif-only probation.  Grrrrr.

P.P.S.- White Crosses has the best production. Suck my ass.

telegraphrocks wrote:

Are you still listening to a vinyl rip, or something?
I have the actual CD, and it sounds. fucking. great.
The only part of the album that sounds mildly off are the verses of "Dead Friend".  Definitely sounds like someone fucked up there, but that's the only song.

Again, the production-value sounds great.  Excluding White Crosses (because, holy shit, it had huge funding, and PUNKS CAN'T HAVE EXCELLENT SOUNDING RECORDINGS!!!), the only album of theirs that sounds better, in my opinion, is Searching For A Former Clarity.

P.S.
You started typing words again, butthole.  You're on a gif-only probation.  Grrrrr.

P.P.S.- White Crosses has the best production. Suck my ass.

First off White Crosses is terrible so fuck you forever:




Second, I only have digital copies of it. I've listened 3 or 4 of them and they all have the same problems regardless of how I listen (headphones, computer speakers, car stereo, etc.). The problems include but are not limited to: non-existant bass, guitars changing levels, songs being slightly different volumes, and really weird post effects (such as the guitar stuff at the beginning of Osama). Honestly this is the first time I've heard stuff like this outside of bootlegs and live performances.

However, I'm kinda done with this convo. I think we've all stated our points and the inherent problem with debating/arguing is that neither sides is convinced no matter how passionately they argue. It just leads to bitterness. Lets be friends and have a dance party!!!!!

alright i like it.

I like TGDB, and I don't hear "bad production" or "bad mixing". I like White Crosses, and I don't hear "overproduction". Others feel differently, and I appreciate threads like this; makes for an interesting read! Music IS pretty subjective and people with different musical backgrounds and tastes are gonna hear music differently, and that's cool.

I mean, listening to (e.g.) Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music is a rather pleasant and relaxing experience for me. For others, it's pure torture. Probably something to do with how your brain is wired...

Quote :

Lets be friends and have a dance party!!!!!

Seconded! Who's hosting?

Hahahaha! You could have been the biggest dick on the planet and offended me in every possible way, but having that Walter White gif immediately following it would have cancelled all the evil out... even though the gif, itself, is evil.

Dance party it is!

it really does sound way better on LP than any digital version out there. i was kind of surprised when i finally threw the vinyl on.

i would definitely take the production of TDB over white crosses. JUST SAYIN.

doctoracula wrote:

it really does sound way better on LP than any digital version out there.  i was kind of surprised when i finally threw the vinyl on.  

i would definitely take the production of TDB over white crosses.  JUST SAYIN.

I actually agree with that. I really hate the production of WC.

oh stanley

Oh streaMers not streaKers.

Album is a 7... ehhh 7.5/10. Got too burnt out on the songs early on and the production sounds like a poop-truck

Now I'm pissed.
If you don't like the album, that's totally fine.
But you're on a (fan) message board for the band rooting against them.

That makes no fucking sense.

telegraphrocks wrote:

Now I'm pissed.
If you don't like the album, that's totally fine.
But you're on a (fan) message board for the band rooting against them.

That makes no fucking sense.

I'm not rooting Against Them (ha!). I just want a modicum of honesty when giving an appraisal of an album. For the fans to do to it that's fine and usually expected, but for a "pro" music reviewer to just ignore an album's faults is straight up wrong and misleading to their audience. Again I don't care that much in fact this thread has gotten out of hand. I just wanted get this off my chest because of all the ridiculously exaggerated adoration this album has I received which I (and most everyone I've talked, you being the notable exception) think is actually fairly underwhelming. Ok maybe not underwhelming but good? Solid? Maybe just whelming ? I want this band to get recognition but not when I feel it's undeserved or for reasons not related to the amazing records they've put out in the past.

I kept seeing these 10/10 reviews lauding LGJ's bravery while completely not addressing or glossing over the faults of the album and I was like:

I really don't get the "misleading to their audience" part. As far as I can tell, their audience is pretty heterogenous and can't agree on pretty much ANYTHING when it comes to albums they've put out in the past... e.g. "New Wave/White Crosses is a pile of stinking crap and Butch Vig is a bad, bad producer!" vs. "No, it's a great album and Butch Vig is a great producer!". So, it's only natural some folks just looove this album while others think it's seriously flawed and underwhelming. You feel the positive reviews are undeserved and that's fine, I just happen to disagree with you - different strokes for different folks and all that.

Personally, I thought White Crosses was underrated (yeah, sue me!) so I'm just happy that this time around they've gotten the positive reviews they deserve. TGDB has been framed as a "new beginning" by many (most?) reviewers, and I think the perceived newness and freshness does explain why many critics have given them a benefit of a doubt this time around, instead of just seeing a band past its sell-by date and having a knee-jerk reaction along the lines of "oh, another album from those punks who sold out, I'll give it a cursory listen and a blah review and then go on raving about some cool new band".

saari wrote:

I really don't get the "misleading to their audience" part.

I meant in terms of the audience for their reviews. People who haven't really heard of AM!.

I agree so much with your point (also, GIFs rule). For me this album isn't an 8/10. I like it, but it's so important to be critical to help bring prestige to a high mark. This is why I don't like Punknews' reviews. They are all 4/5.

1. I think people are afraid to go out on a limb to rate an album.
2. People want to seem hip supporting Laura.
3. LJG wouldn't likely RT negative reviews?

For me, the audio atrocity that is "Dead Friend" alone knocks the album down a mark. I feel there are 4 superb great tracks (title track, FML666, Paralytic States and Black Me Out). Four average songs and 2 poor -by AM! standards- tracks in Osama and Dead Friend. That's not an 8/10 album for me. That's a 5.5-6/10. It doesn't mean I don't listen to it or don't like it, but it's just not a great album. For me that is.

nickno wrote:

I agree so much with your point (also, GIFs rule)

Also I'm not saying everyone who praises the album is being misleading. If you really like it that's fine but as a pro music reviewer to stick your head in the sand and pretend there aren't a few problems sonically with this album is wrong. I'm saying it's misleading to not even address the problems the album has while slapping down a 10/10.

The reviewer for Alternative Press had what I think is the most honest review giving TGDB a 7/10 and saying: "Transgender Dysphoria Blues definitely isn’t perfect, but its high points are high enough that even a fuckface like yours truly can’t ignore its flashes of brilliance."

Rolling Stone had probably the worst review despite me agreeing with their score (7/10). Their main point was: "Musically, it sticks to the band's established brand of warrior-cry punk metal." Against Me! plays punk metal? Have you listened to this band before?

With all the talk about how most sites and blogs only pay peanuts to their contributors - if they pay anything at all - and how unpaid internships have become more and more ubiquitous in the media industry, one wonders how many "pro music reviewers" are there anymore. Sure, the Rolling Stone dude probably gets paid (unless he's an unpaid intern), but how many reviews is he expected to churn out on a weekly/monthly basis and how much time and effort is he willing to put in a single review? Not much, it seems. (Punk metal? Yeah, right...)

It would be great if well thought-out, thoroughly researched and skilfully written music journalism by professional, ambitious and knowledgeable journalists was the standard. Unfortunately, I don't think that's the case, so I don't have high expectations for the bulk of the reviews I come across on various sites. Probably that is why I don't find anything particularly surprising or fishy about the fact that the sonic architecture of TGDB hasn't come under close scrutiny. It's just business as usual. I mean, how often do you see a reviewer writing about the engineering involved? How many reviewers actually know enough and care about the technical aspects of recording a rock album to give their informed and articulated opinion about it? I think that's relatively rare.

Caring about reviews is some real idiot shit.

dannyglover wrote:

Caring about reviews is some real idiot shit.

Eat a dick fuckstick.