I just finished my first listen, and I have to say I'm a little surprised by this album. I went in with low expectations, with reports of it being very synth-based, and not liking the sound of the track I heard bits of before hearing the whole album ("Into the Mirror" I think). But after a trip to the record store this weekend and a quick sampling of the album at a listening station, I decided to check it out.
I don't find it nearly as "synth pop" as many claim it to be. And by many I'm referring to some of the reviews on rateyourmusic.com. What grabbed me when I sampled it at the store was that the guitars and drums seemed as prominent as ever. There are synths, sure, but to me they weren't any more prominent than in any of their other albums. The album reminds me more of Highly Refined Pirates than the last two...which is a good thing. It's definitely not as playful or complex, but it has a more lively energy than Planet of Ice, that's for sure. I think I'll be enjoying this album. My one complaint is that the lyrics are a bit juvenile. They were never the most mature band out there, but on the debut there was humor along with it. Now, it's a more serious tone but still the mind of a teenager/young college student. Planet of Ice also had a more serious tone (along with the more serious-sounding music, part of what didn't appeal to me about it when compared to the first 2 albums) but the lyrical content didn't seem as cheesy.
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