Zer0

1) What are this albums' strengths?
What appeals to me about the album so far is the atmosphere. It has a light, almost ambient feel to it and you become submerged in the beautiful sound of the album. It also uses effects such as reverb and delay very effectively to achieve this atmosphere.

2) What are its weaknessess?
While the atmosphere grabbed me on the first listen it was difficult to tell one song from the other at times. This changed somewhat with a couple of more listens but I am still in the process of really getting into the album.

3) How does it compare to the artist's other work?
This is the first album I've heard from them but it probably won't be the last.

4) Favourite songs?
The songs that stand out for me so far are 'Blur My Thoughts Again' and 'Early Evening Reverie'. The former has a bit of an ambient electronic vibe that kind of reminds me of Arms & Sleepers while the latter uses space and repetition to great effect. It also build in dynamic nicely during the latter half of the song.

5) What feelings did this album evoke?
The feeling of being outside early on a frosty morning. The atmosphere and use of reverb on this album seems to remind me of the ambience associated with frosty mornings, where distant sounds reverberate better due to the sound bouncing off hard frozen surfaces and are louder as a result. There is also a feeling of isolation, as Stu has already pointed out. It's an album to lose yourself in and forget about what is going on around you or what is going on in your life. Also the album title Alone I Admire is an indication of this isolation.

6) How does this album fit into your regular rotation?
I could end up listening to it occasionally.

7) What stood out to you about this album's themes, musically/lyrically?
Not quite sure what themes are on the album yet. But I will listen out for lyrical themes the next time I listen to it.

8) If you've had any noteworthy experiences with this album, what have they been?
I drank a nice warm cup of tea yesterday while I was listening to it. The music went nicely with the cup of tea.

9) What do you know about this album's creation? Any interesting facts or anecdotes?
Not much really. I just know that it was originally released in 1999 and then re-released in 2002.

10) How does this album represent the chosen theme?
The lush ambient atmosphere of this album seems to reverberate well with winter landscapes and dark, cold weather. It's definitely an album that I will associate with winter in the future.

11) How does this album compare to other albums nominated for this theme?
I can't draw an association between White Light/White Heat by The Velvet Underground and winter. Maybe the person who nominated it can due to personal reasons or something like that. 50 Words For Snow by Kate Bush was my nomination and it's an album that is very heavy with winter themes and a winter atmosphere. It's a pretty obvious choice. I have yet to listen to The Mantle by Agalloch but Ashes Against The Grain and Marrow of the Spirit have a bit of a wintry feel to them so I imagine The Mantle is the same. The rest I haven't heard or haven't heard in their entirety.

12) How does this album compare to others in its genre?
This album seems to occupy the lighter and more ambient end of the shoegaze/dream-pop spectrum. It seems to stand up pretty well to similar artists and I could even like it more as time passes. It has a softer sound compared to similar albums I've heard which makes it stand out somewhat.

13) Can you recommend similar albums to this?
Stu already mentioned Malory - Outerbeats and Flying Saucer Attack - Distance which I endorse. I would also recommend Bethany Curve - Flaxen and the latest Arms and Sleepers album Organ Hearts.

14) What does this album's artwork say about it? Is it well paired with the music?
I don't really have much to say about the artwork but it does seem to invoke a slightly spacious feel which complements the music somewhat.

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