Arya Stark

Wintersleep: "New Inheritors" at first listen and a little bit of "Untitled"

Wintersleep holds a simplicity that not many other bands do. Not too many lyrics in a song, not too many instruments to handle, not too much noise. When I first heard the band, I was on the 8-hour bus ride from home back to school. +81 had made me a Back To School Pack of music to listen to.
I had listened to a few other bands, and as soon as Wintersleep's "Untitled" started playing, I fell asleep. When I woke up, I noticed the album was already over, but I felt relaxed and searched for the album so that I could listen consciously.
Ultimately, I think this is my favourite band of all of the ones +81 sent to me. I can listen to it while I’m doing homework, or sleeping, or cleaning my room… it just happens to fit a lot of my daily activities.
I usually listened to the album as a whole, not giving much thought to each individual song, but “Listen[Listen, Listen]” caught my eye one day when I was sitting in front of my computer. The lyrics are simple, like I said, and there aren’t many of them, but I can never get some of them out of my head…

Of all of the songs to choose, of course Sugar picks the cheesy one. This song is just different to me. I am always telling people that they’re beautiful or attractive, I think everyone has something amazing about them. Once, someone told me how ugly they were and all I wanted to tell her was that I couldn’t stop looking at her because she was so beautiful. She told me the light was tricking me, that if she turned it off, I would think differently.
She turned off the light.
She was still gorgeous.
So I’m sure you can see now why I so easily identified with the speaker in this particular song.

New Inheritors was different for me.
I was expecting another simple album, something I could grasp at first listen.
I’m afraid this will need a few more listens before I can truly make a decision, but I felt some of the songs were a bit repetitive, mostly "Encyclopedia," and some of the songs were too loud.
I like the vocals overall, but I have to literally sit down and listen to the album as a whole.
So far, I don't know if I'm too impressed.

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Mojo

I dont know the band but i feel this is your best write-up yet.

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Last.FM | Echoes and Dust

Arya Stark

Thank you. [=
I spent a lot more time on this one, I felt it was important for me to edit.

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VEGANGELICA

Ah, sweet, sweet, romantic Sugar! I can see why you would identify with the singer in "Listen Listen Listen," which I agree is a simple, non-flashy song. How lucky your friends are to have you lifting them up when they're beating themselves down.

Since you at first slept through the New Inheritors album and then critiqued it as being too repetitive, I don't feel so motivated to listen to the whole thing. Even "Listen" feels kind of repetitive and methodical to me. Also, I guess I just prefer other singers' voices to this singer's voice, which sounds too whispery for my tastes. But I like it that *you* like the song! And, as always, I like reading your reviews.

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Arya Stark

Hey, Erica!
Thanks for reading. =]

I just editted my post, "Untitled" was the one I fell asleep to at first.
I didn't fall asleep because it was bad, I fell asleep because it was comfortable to fall asleep to.
The "New Inheritors" album did seem a tad repetitive at first listen. I'm going to listen to it again and see what I think this time, maybe on a drive to work or something like that.
The singer's voice of Wintersleep isn't always that whispery, it's just the soft song on the album. I can link another song to you, if you'd like.

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VEGANGELICA

Your editing clarified the situation for me, and yes, please do link another song for me. I'd like that! Thank you for suggesting it, AwwesomeSugar. I'm always willing to listen to any song once.

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Arya Stark

Erica, it won't let me embed this specific song, but I really like it, so I figured I'd link you anyway.

"Danse Macabre"
YouTube - WINTERSLEEP - Danse Macabre

And for those who are a fan of live performances instead:

"A Long Flight" (Live)

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VEGANGELICA

Those were both good songs, AwwSugar. I like the anguish and intensity of "Danse macabre"...the metal music sound of it, and the simple lyrics that are memorable for me, such as, "All my friends are skeletons. Oh you had such big big plans. Swallowed all your vitamins." Actually, I think those lines would be a very good post mortem description of me, because I realized early on that I was just a skeleton, and I could say of my life that I had big big plans and swallowed all my vitamins, trying to lengthen it and do what's right to live a long and happy life.

Do they often sing about death? I suppose a group called "Wintersleep" might!

The "A Long Flight" is a sad song. I loved the electric guitar...especially the jewel-like reverb effect that emerged near the end around 3:36. Sugar, I think I'll play this song for my child, because after I read stories to him tonight and lay down next to him to help him fall asleep, he was feeling lonely and sad...sad that one of his friends moved away last year. He was thinking tonight about how he'll probably never see that friend again, ever, and he was crying about that.

I realized his feelings of loss are getting stronger and more mature. I hadn't been aware that he has been missing this friend for a year...a long time, when one is so young. As we were discussing his feelings, I offered to tell him of friends I missed, which seemed to help him, and we agreed to make arrangements to see some of his school friends he is missing during summer. I told him that it *is* very hard when we lose someone, and I hope talking about it helps a little. This situation tonight reminded me that young people can and do have big, big issues they are concerned about.

I suspect the true emotional impact of the meaning of death will hit him soon. Maybe a sad song like "A Long Flight" will help him feel not so alone, since it reminds you that you are not alone in dealing with sadness over loss of others and eventually yourself. I mention all this because of the subject of loss, which I know you and I are both sensitive to.

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Arya Stark

Hey, Erica! I'm sorry I never answered. I thought I had, but I can't imagine it having gone this long without approval.

Did you ever get a chance to play "A Long Flight" for your son?

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Arya Stark

Yet another "get your cheating ass back" song.
Generic.

This isn't only "let me get your ass back." This is "I'm going to haunt you. You're never going to live this down."
Generic.

Why do I like this song?
It’s angry, it's sexy, it's a "girl's night out" kind of song, and I can respect that.

The lyrics are simple, and cliché. Talking about the other girl, asking about the other girl. But the simile between the man and a ghost is haunting.
“Just like a ghost, you were never there. So like a ghost, babe, I’ll disappear.”

I can’t quite explain the feeling I get when I hear this song. It’s dark, but catchy. It’s repetitive and cliché, but Fefe Dobson adds a craze to the music I feel like I never see anymore. She makes me believe she’ll be as haunting as she says she’ll be.

The only gift that you ever gave
Was that you let me just get away
I hope I haunt you in every dream
And you feel a little misery

About the video:

She’s not a very good actor and she’s not a very good dancer.
But the video’s crazy, and I think it fits perfectly with the song.
She basically makes him feel like he’s a nutcase, because she’s appearing and disappearing at unexpected times.

Some of Fefe’s other songs aren’t so good, I was a bit disappointed.
But I’m going to listen some more and really get a good opinion of her as an artist.
This song is pop. It’s creepy, it’s hot, it’s fun. There’s so much going on, and it made me want to share my opinion.

Bring it.

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Azucar y Especia. My blog.