Dealing with a bit of news at the moment so I’m not feeling much like writing.
Here’s another review from Cool Try; to be more specific, the second last one I wrote before the transition to Culture Eater began.
I may have used Feelings a few too many times, and some sentences are underdeveloped. Some parts could also make more sense. This needed a bit more work.
That said, overall I think this is one of the stronger reviews I’ve written.
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Anyway, I hope you enjoy.
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Bloods express feelings on their new album by the name of Feelings. Feelings is comprised of songs. This is something that you can expect from an album from musicians.
Most of Feelings sticks to a mid to uptempo pace and a verse / chorus / verse progression. Fuzzy guitar is a prominent feature, and vocals are usually ahead of everything. Whilst there are occasional deviations, Feelings sticks to a template and as a result is consistent.
There’s a lot of energy and enthusiasm as songs about romantic inclinations come out at a steady pace. At least on the surface that’s what the songs could be about. There’s likely little to no deeper meaning in the songs, but at times there seems to be a hinting toward something deeper than what’s on the surface. Regardless of what the lyrical depth may be, the lyrics match the songs pretty well.
Of course, the vocals help quite a lot in that regard. There’s no gymnastics, nothing outside of a small range and seemingly little desire to go beyond explicit requirements. There’s also a kind of hazy, airy quality to them that helps to carry the lyrics along. The vocals match the music really well due to how fuzzy and loud the instruments can be. However, this also helps to make the choice to put the vocals at the forefront of everything most of the time a puzzling one.
Outside of this, the songs work really well. Rather than push for complexity the focus seems to have been on sound and tone. The songs drive forward and get in and out as quickly as required. The faster songs bookend Feelings and are partially interspersed throughout the album. Slower songs help balance the affair.
Near the end Feelings slows a bit more with two slightly softer songs before the pace picks back up for the closer. Like the vocals there’s a hazy, airy quality to the songs that helps carry them along. They feel quite vague yet at the same time have a direct nature to them. This all helps to give Feelings a good flow that feels like just the right length.
Often there are bands that sound obsessed with the past. Bloods sound like there’s a strong interest in what has come before but underneath it all there’s something looking forward. Feelings does look back; at times a little too heavily, but it doesn’t feel mired by the past. The album is a fun and enjoyable slice of music. Bloods have a lot of potential and it will be good to see where Feelings leads them.
You can hear Feelings here.
Stupidity Hole 