Fantasies
Well, this is hard to post since Metric is clearly my favorite band of the last few years, but their new album Fantasies leaked onto the internets yesterday and it doesn't sound great.
I wish I could say why, exactly. In their own words, according to Prefix Magazine,
Vocalist Emily Haines has stated that she set out to write "genuine" and "simple" lyrics, while Metric's guitarist Jimmy Shaw describes the sound on Fantasies as "very big," and "very dreamy."
It just sounds empty to me (not in the same way as the great opening song Empty on their last album) and the production seems flat and ordinary, like they were overthinking everything and making bad decisions. For example, I cannot fathom not including the amazing Waves that's available with their limited deluxe edition. Maybe it was finished too late for the album?
I'm holding out some hope that this was a demo that leaked, because I think a lot of this could be fixed with a remaster. The basic songs are good. Gimme Sympathy, for example, is fantastic. But it sounds like they weren't having any fun at all recording it. It sounds rushed! Maybe this was the "especially intense experience for us making this record" Emily refers to in her post from 11/5.
But this song in particular is highly fixable. They might need to re-record the drums and the guitars, but just bring them up a lot. And then bring them up some more. Slow down the tempo a bit. Do it with about half as much keyboard, and no backup vocals.
Thank the lord this blog is not popular enough for them ever to see this post. I bet it'd be the most irritating thing ever! Particularly if this *was* a demo that leaked.
Anyway, I'm still looking forward to getting it when it's released at the end of the month. I'm definitely still glad I paid for it; I think it's clear judging from my last.fm that I owe them some money!
wait what?! i thought yesterday at brunch you said what you’d heard so far was sounding great? no?
yes! that is the crazy thing. the pre-release stuff is really good! the more i think about it, the more i suspect/hope i just got an early demo and that the album will be recorded differently. we’ll see soon!
hey how was the ok go show? what other shows are you going to soon? we’re checking out jeff lewis at pete’s candy store this saturday but i think i already told you that. i have a strong urge to go to a bunch of shows but i can’t find anything coming up that i’m psyched for.
whoa i didn’t expect that emoticon up there to get all rich-text on me. (I’m sure that’s not the right term but you know what I mean)
they freaking rocked. so hard i forgot all about longwave, who also played. and oppenheimer, they were good too.
i’m going to headlights on april 24, i’ll post an mp3 of them shortly. other than that though i have no idea who’s even playing.
i’ll definitely be seeing metric of course when they come through. even if the album sounds like the thing i heard, they’re still going to sound great live. i’ll let you know if i see anything else of interest!