Lost Souls

I definitely listened to this at the wrong time of day. This is an album that’s supposed to be listened to at 3am on a Saturday morning when walking through the streets of a wet Northern city in a post-party haze. I listened to it over my lunch break on a Monday afternoon, and I liked it just fine, but I do think it’d be enhanced by listening in the correct setting

Everything about the inclusion of this album in the list angers me. First, there's that Wikipedia blurb saying that, quote unquote, "*Lost Souls* is considered by many to be the best debut album since Oasis' *Definitely Maybe*." Endquote. "Many"? Who, "many"??? You know what they should say about that sort of statement: "This article needs additional citations for verifications." Apart from a few subsets of music nerds, literally no one outside of Britain cared about that album when it was released. That comparfison is just ludicrous and based on thin air. I can actually find flaws in Oasis' debut, but it's just wishful thinking to consider the two records had the same sort of cultural impact. Wikipedia's supposedly "objective" blurb doesn't start well to say the least. Actually, there was a "reference" for that statement up there, with a link to a short piece on Canadian website *Exclaim* about Doves' next LP *The Last Broadcast*--when their promoting machine was trying to reach the overseas market for the band's second album. Quote unquote, without any reasonable piece of evidence: "*Lost Soul* was hailed by *many* (a-hem) as the best debut from an English artist since Oasis's *Definitely Maybe*. But there was only one problem" adds the short piece: "it was so damn gloomy." Endquote. "Gloomy"??? Or damn boring and self-indulgent overall? Portishead can be "gloomy". Chelsea Wolfe surely is "gloomy". Nine Inch Nails, too... In comparison, Doves' *Lost Soul* isn't gloomy. It's only three British lads coming from the Manchester house music scene opportunistically switching gears towards indie pop rock as the Hacienda party was drawing to an end, eliciting comparisons to what supposedly occurs when it's 4AM and the drugs and booze wear off after a wild night out. You know what those sorts of "comparisons" are... They're just... stories. Some sort of selling points that don't say anything about the music per se. And this one sure omits to mention how most of the music in the album is bland and self-indulgent--a second rate version of Coldplay that brings nothing "essential" to the table (yes, such a situation is possible, and it actually redeeems early Coldplay in my eyes!!!). And what's mind-boggling is that some easily-swayed reviewers are still buying that story on this app. Or maybe they just care too much about music that favors style over substance, orbackground hums over truly engaging stuff. Hence, maybe, that incredibly high global score of 3.27. Isn't marketing powerful? In all fairness, I can try to find mitigating circumstances explaining why the British music press decided to be so helpful to Doves. Their studio burnt to the ground, erasing from the surface of the earth all the recordings that their previous iteration as an electronic outfit (Sub Sub) had garnered. Doves also had an ear for "textures", a skill they had probably acquired when they were a house music act. Yet in terms of *compositions*, they were still dilettantes most of the time. Case in point, the first two tracks in this debut, *both* using lazy descending half-note progressions as an attempt to create a *mood*. I've mentioned Portishead earlier... When the Bristol outfit sampled an Isaac Hayes instrumental to build *Glory Box*, they added a *key* element: Beth Gibbons' moving, memorable vocal line, which goes straight to the heart. In comparison, what Doves' singer does on that sort of progression is just a meandering, pointless doodle that goes into endless circles without any clear emotional payoff. And it's the same sort of self-indulgence that can be found in 75% of the record. About the remaining 25%: third cut "Break Me Gently" fares far better, thanks to its proper chorus. So does the title-track, where the band flexes compositional chops at last. And then, there's the Foo-Fighter and Super Furry Animals-adjacent "Catch The Sun". Taken on its own, it's a very nice indie pop / indie-rock song, with Jimi Goodwin's voice suddenly acquiring more presence and warmth compared to his (or Andy Williams') previous vocal performance. But maddeningly, the song's inclusion in the middle of side 2 brings its own set of problems. Unexpectedly switching gears once more, Doves operates quite a jarring turn compared to the lazy proceedings that occured before said song jumps out to your ears. Remember that promotional blurb about this album being the equivalent of a return to home in the dead of the night, after a night at the Hacienda? Well here, as the band takes a peep out of the window to catch the rising sun, you suddenly realize that everything before was only a drug-induced illusion--in case you didn't realize it before. Guess it's part of the album's "concept", after all. But everyone who went through a similar experience knows it usually leads to perceptions that are, quite often, a little unpleasant. People next to you, who seemed to be shining all night long, now look tired, drowsy, dull or incoherent. And you feel tired, drowsy, dull and incoherent yourself. You all get one last high as you watch the sun rising, and then everything turns into "The Man Who Told Everything"-levels of boredom and exhaustion. Because even though that latter track stays on the indie-rock lane explored by "Catch The Sun", the whole Doves thing becomes pointless once again, up until the very last, inconsequential cut. So here it is. You have three or maybe four good songs out of the twelve tracks from this album, but the rest is instantly forgettable 24 years after the fact. Maybe I could have bumped my grade to a 2/5 mark, you know, just to respect that sort of proportion outlined up there. But since this middling record has been so inexplicably praised, and since it's using up a slot clearly more useful to hundreds of better records, I'm gonna go lower than that, just to protest about the whole situation. In more general terms, that means a 6/10 mark (5+1), because Doves are still skilled musicians. But honestly, having *Lost Souls* in this list even made me reconsider my previous benevolent feelings about Doves' sophomore LP *The Last Broadcast*. And this is the first time such a thing happens since I started to use this app. Number of albums left to review: 240 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 329 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 195 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 243 (including this one)

I enjoyed many of the moody, melancholy components at play here but found they never truly coalesced into a resonant conclusion.

There's some interesting sounds and effects used at the beginning of this album. It was a pretty unique and relaxing album until Catch The Sun which felt extremely out of place. It feels like an emo Foo Fighters song that was created to be a radio hit. Reprise was a lovely little number. This album had an interesting back and forth of being really relaxing and calm, to have unsettling ends of songs. This album feels like it has some legs to get to a 4, but I don't see myself revisiting this one anytime soon.

Very surprised to see a second ! Doves album on this list. This one doesn’t hit anywhere near as hard as the first one we got. Even the other one had mostly boring-ish songs but it had enough musically to carry it and make it a solid overall album. This one was just the boring songs without much else. Good to see that they evolved as a band between this one and the other one we got which was released 2 years later I think

My lazy take is that this is Madchester beigewave with a touch of glitch and a dollop of Radiohead. Let’s not be lazy: this is music to play in Park Lane hotel bars for rich old men and their escorts as they hopscotch lines of MDMA and cocaine.

Approached this fully expecting to hate it, and I was not disappointed. Another tedious UK band whose myriad plaudits are highly mysterious. I'm convinced Doves are basically a support group for failed Manchester musicians to rally around, an AA sponsor for the post-punk survivors. Dismal guitar sent wandering aimlessly around overlong dirges peppered with grating, yet puny vocals. As exciting as a wet, grey Monday morning in Macclesfield, appropriately enough. I won't distinguish it with the 1* it probably deserves.

D’Angelo - Voodoo Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele Yo La Tengo - And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out Britney Spears - Oops I Did It Again Queens Of The Stone Age - Rated R Graham Coxon - The Golden D Quasimoto - The Unseen Deftones - White Pony At The Drive In - Relationship Of Command Kylie Minogue - Light Years Electric Wizard - Dopethrone God Speed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven Craig David - Born To Do It Wu Tang Clan - The W The above is a relatively diverse list of albums released in the year 2000, all of which failed to earn a place in this list, while Doves ‘Lost Souls’ held firm. 59 minutes and 9 seconds I will never get back

No. 244/1001 Firesuite 4/5 Here It Comes 3/5 Break Me Gently 3/5 Sea Song 3/5 Rise 4/5 Löst Souls 3/5 Melody Calls 3/5 Catch the Sun 4/5 The Man Who Told Everything 4/5 The Cedar Room 3/5 Reprise 3/5 A House 4/5 Average: 3,42 Pretty good, but for me a lot of songs felt like they had way more potential. But they were never really able to get it all together. This could have been really great.

It was fine. Not sure why the author thinks we to hear 2 Doves albums but 0 Lois Armstrong.

I my review of their second album, I found them to be too derivative of other people's works, particularly Colplay. And I can sorta hear those vocals here too, but considering the timeline, I think now it more comes from Oasis. I'm hearing a lot of Beatlesesque melodies (especially "Lost Souls") mixed with a fuzzy shoegazy atmospheric grand sound, certainly a chiller, more focused form of Oasis. They weren't the only one doing this of course; you also had Verve and Spiritualized earlier, but this is just darker and pop-accessible. Highly accessible with a full, developed sound and somber mood. As a whole, it's a coherent experience, with songs flowing well and maintaining the same vibe. I found plenty of songs I liked, and I think I prefer this to The Last Broadcast. I'm not crazy about it yet, I did really enjoy all the songs, and I could put it on repeat. No bad songs. Giving it the full score, and maybe I should revisit The Last Broadcast.

I was familiar with this band in name only so I wasn't sure what to expect. Glancing over their influences and the album cover, I slightly assumed this would be a selection of alternative pop rock arena anthems. This isn't quite that. Instead, I discovered something that seems to defy easy definition. Yes, Doves had a big sound, but they created it behind a veil of effects and experimentation, influenced by shoegaze, and, to my ears anyway, neo prog. A small chunk of this actually reminds me of post Fish Marillion when they riff on the Beatles or even if the album 'Brave' was geared more as hangout music. Another surprise was the amount of Mark Hollis and Talk Talk touches with the use of keys, harmonica, and some guitar tone. This group seemed more content creating texture than hooks which might leave some feeling put off, but for me it was welcome despite not always being an easy listen. Multiple plays seem to reward the listener.

It's a nice album to study to or while driving through nature. On the other hand I don't remember a thing about this.

Music made for the background. So unremarkable, I only noticed that the album was over 5 autoplay songs after the fact.

Pretty good! Firesuite is an amazing intro. Every song here is good, and had heart into it. Memorable tracks, cool lyrics, cool atmosphere. Very cool!

Beautiful album, so much atmosphere. I have loved this for many years.

Throwing me back to that emotionally turbulent time of the early aughts when I listened to these guys *on repeat.* I still like them, but I'm not sure I love the memories their songs are dredging up.

Another unknown find that works for me.

This is fine, but it’s very bland, and absolutely nothing stands out. Also, does it need to be 59 minutes? They don’t say anything in the extra 15 minutes that they couldn’t have said in a standard 45.

I liked it, but it was pretty forgettable.

This was definitely too slow for me, but it made for decent background music

Of all the albums evers made, this sure is one of them. I am certain it exists, although would find it difficult to prove this. I know I listened to it but, other than "catch the sun" coming on as the clouds parted, I don't really remember it. Not that it is bad, or particularly good, just not especially memorable. Individually, I quite like the songs, but as a solid lump of "album", it just sort of happens. Probably not a worthy inclusion on the list, as I don't think anyone would have noticed if it wasn't there, but I also barely noticed that it was there. Tl;Dr: this album is magnolia paint.

3 stars. Did not hold my attention.

It’s like an Oasis meets Radiohead, with way more emphasis on the indie rock vibes. Very spacey and ethereal. The singing is good, but I always feel like the British versions of this genre get a little cheesy. Just my opinion. Some songs hit their stride and become power pop ballads, but for the most part it’s passable and not worth a relisten.

Best song - Sea song

Wannabe Radiohead, without the results.

Lost Souls is the debut studio album by British indie rock band Doves. FFS this list could easily be the 500 albums you must listen to before you die if you were to remove the crossover UK pablum pop that sounds exactly like everything else from the same period. 2/5

I somewhat remembered this album from its original release but I didn’t remember how dull it was. It never gets going and never goes anywhere. I clearly didn’t remember it very well as it’s just not that memorable. The follow up was much better.

Amazing album. It is a dreary day record or one listened to on a long drive alone. This record was on heavy rotation when I first heard it. They managed to do what Coldplay attempted by trying to be the mash up of Oasis and Radiohead. I love this album and their follow up The Last Broadcast, which I might like more.

This was the perfect album to listen to while zoning out on the bus. If you need to just sit in your feelings, this is the album for you!

doves' debut album, this album starts and immediately i am transported to another planet. it's a peculiar phenomena, but i find myself hypnotized by almost that lull you into a dreamy space... you're alone in the cosmos, but it's a good feeling, being by yourself and floating for hours. echoes of tracks about heartbreak, ambition, and a deep exploration of sound itself. it's the kind of album that makes your mind explode. how can humanity create such sounds, i'll never know.

Much better than Last Broadcast. Catch The Sun is an instant classic, but Rise is the standout on this for me and probably still my favourite Doves song.

I really enjoyed this. They have a good diversity of sound, sometimes like Oasis and sometimes not.

Bloody great

I listen to this album a lot, I just love it.

Great

I can definitely see why some people call this a stellar debut album. Solid 5 Stars.

I’m at a 5. Going into this one & seeing the line about “the best debut album since Oasis” on Wikipedia set the bar rather high. I’m not quite sure if they matched that bar, since I’ve never heard Oasis’ debut album, but they’ve created something here that I think justifies that statement, even if it’s tonally far different than what I was expecting. I really cannot remember the last time an album won me over this much on account of just vibes & soundscapes – the vocals do a great job of gliding on the instrumentals & pulling out some of the emotion, but the buildup on each track, and the cinematic feel of the whole thing, opening up the mind to imagery beyond just the lyricism, is what’s making this album really work for me. Every single track here captures a mood, whether it’s melancholy, loneliness, hope, or anxiety, and the production does a great job of making each track feel unique, despite how much of a similar ground most of them tend to cover. I can understand the idea of this album just being “ambient moody soundscapes” for one person’s ear, and if the cinematic buildup style they tried to capture doesn’t work for you, this album’s going to bounce off of you. I think that’s kind of a disservice, though – maybe it’s just because I listened to this with a full attentive mind & headphones in, but I found myself really captivated & enraptured by the world each soundscape brought me into. It’s not a direct 1:1 comparison, but my closest analog is “The Downward Spiral” in terms of effectively using sound design to convey a story – Trent Reznor does it better, don’t get me wrong, but this felt kind of similar to me. It doesn’t always work – I think a few tracks sort of settled when they could’ve gone into a higher gear, I think a few of the lyrics fall flat on some tracks and leave more questions than answers, and occasionally, the instrumentals or vocals get a bit drab or repetitive. However, when it does work, I think it’s one of those things that’s very easy to feel and hard to describe, and this album never once committed that cardinal sin of making me feel nothing. Ultimately, I really enjoyed this, and while I can totally see why someone might give it a 2 or a 3, I just felt so impressed by it, and I think it’s pretty deserving of a 5. I’m glad it’s on the list, and I’m glad that the 2000 Mercury Prize nominees haven’t given us a bad album yet. It’ll be really awkward if I don’t like Parachutes by Coldplay though.

Wow

It's quiet and calming and just interesting enough. Late, late night turning to early morning.

Very chill and solid. Feels like something you'd want to listen to around a campfire surrounded by friends, just has a very homey and comforting feel which works very well. All around a good listen, and nothing negative to say

Fantastic. Never heard of this band before!! And yet, a couple of the songs sounded suuuuuper familiar! I liked it so much that I listened to it immediately a second time, it’s just nice sounding :)

Elegant, evocative atmospheric rock (or post-britpop, as some may want to call it) that would have been a classic if there was any justice in this world.

One of the most powerful and poignant atmospheric rock album you'll ever encounter. Wonderful melancholic arrangements - a beacon for all lost souls.

This album is too good for the britpop? Let's call it post-britpop... When strong and melancholic songwriting meets hypnotic atmospheres. A masterpiece of its kind.

Usually when listening to an album on this list I'll check the Album Summary to get some context. I didn't do that with this album and was pleasantly surprised when I recongnised the opening track as one I've heard many times on a chillout compilation album. The album just got better from there and I was also familar with The Cedar Room. Apart from the two tracks already mentioned I also enjoyed the title track. I look forward to given this another spin.

Automatic 5 from me - I love love love this album! I was introduced to Doves as being former techno DJs that had switched to making indie rock but hadn't lost sight of the idea they were making music for people on drugs, and while I don't know how true that is, the end results are hard to argue with! There's a dreamlike quality to the album, the way the songs blend into each other, the build ups of euphoria and the cool downs on the other side, the samples adding texture - it's all wonderfully cinematic, which is one of the main things I look for in music. I am still pained seeing people compare them to Coldplay. 😆 Fave tracks - love the opening run of "Fire Suite" -> "Here it Comes" -> "Break Me Gently". Love the switchup of tone across "The Man Who Told Everything" -> "The Cedar Room"

Love it

This reminds me of car journeys home as a child. Nowadays this sort of music always feels like it's telling the end of the story and we're seeing what happened to all of the characters at who weren't the main characters.

I hate it when my eloquent notes from listening don't save and I have to remember what I typed. Anyway, started off setting a mood with Firesuite and held it through to the end. A great album well worth repeated listening.

What a super great Post Brit-Pop piece. I cannot describe how much this meant to me during early 00‘s.

I can’t believe this album slipped through the cracks for me. Back in the early 2000s, this was exactly the kind of music I loved. Discovering it now feels like I missed out back then. This album reminds me a lot of Moon Safari by Air, but with an indie rock twist and more structured songs. It has a sense of longing, with a lot of emotional depth. It’s very melancholic, dreamy, and atmospheric. This is definitely an album I’ll be playing more in the future.

Noel Gallagher pilled Brit goodness

I can’t believe this album slipped through the cracks for me. Back in the early 2000s, this was exactly the kind of music I loved. Discovering it now feels like I missed out back then. This album reminds me a lot of Moon Safari by Air, but with an indie rock twist and more structured songs. It has a sense of longing, with a lot of emotional depth. It’s very melancholic, dreamy, and atmospheric. This is definitely an album I’ll be playing more in the future.

I swear that the reason the upbeat dance band Sub Sub became Doves was so that they could write minor-key songs. But they're brilliant, a crashing comedown after the regrettable highs of Britpop, with dashes of Ride and Spacemen 3 and early Verve. "The Cedar Room" is the best track, I remember playing it over and over again when it came out. "If I told you you was wrong" is grammatically UNFORGIVABLE though. Still five stars.

Hard to believe this is a 90s record. With many of the cinematic, orchestral stylings of 2000s rock, this album feels very much ahead of its time. There’s a lot of really cool ambient and Shoegaze elements in this music as well. I listened to this record while driving the California coast, and it was very fitting.

Loved this. A bit moody but also has some real welly.

Incredible. Another perfect album for me. June starting off HOT

A super enjoyable concept album from a band I really should have listened to more before now. So many influences from 90s and 00s bands. Definitely going on my "must listen more" list, from now on.

Mycket Coldplay, mycket Radiohead och många andra band jag gillar känns som detta. Många bra låtar, nästan alla, och definitivt en rolig lyssning (fick lyssna flera gånger). Med tanke på mitt dåliga sätt att ratea så får denna en 5 i jämförelse med mycket annat. 5orna ger jag till skivor som har över 5 låtar jag tycker riktigt mycket om.

Wow! How did I miss this group? Just an amazing sound!

Nice melancholy feel. Probably overrating it, but I did really enjoy this. Maybe just fit my mood perfectly at the time.

Well, I see why the previous Doves album was demoted from this list, as I am not sure two albums from this group are needed. But this was every bit as good as the other album. Happy to have one of these still on the official list. I loved it.

This is not derivative of Coldplay. Both band's debuts were released in 2000 and Doves were an electronic act called Sub-Sub before that, and were Badly Drawn Boy band members in between. And that's what makes the difference. Doves arrived with a bit of dance/groove built in from the start, and sound Northern and bleak and they are named after the imprint on a popular ecstasy tab. Whereas Coldplay were a bunch of posh London boys who had more in common with Travis initially before becoming the worlds most bland and therefore most successful outfit. This is one of my favourites of all time, it came out when it was all festivals and girlfriends and hot-hatchbacks and post-pub sessions and job prospects for me. It's mix of doomy atmosphere, driven percussive songs and grimly-fought euphoria hooked me straight away and has stayed with me since, even if all the other things mentioned buggered off ages ago. It's a well paced and atmospheric album too and works as a piece. The portentous opening, followed by a series of engaging songs that are in turns optimistic, reflective, swelling, and then coming down to earth with the title track before we are off to a forgotten night at the fairground with 'Melody Calls'. Absolutely in place 'Catch the sun' ditches the introspective and bitter-sweet tone that preceded, and blasts into the open sunshine for an air-punching anthem, even if we do seem to be only just outrunning the ever present storm clouds. The album ends with the wrung out heartbreak of 'Cedar Room' then ultimately 'A house' which hints at the studio fire that caused Doves to become Doves. For a lot of people this will just be another gloomy English guitar band album but for me it's a stone-cold, copper-bottomed, masterstroke.

didn't know them, intriguing and diverse album!

woah

Really enjoyed this. Ethereal

That deserves a second and third listen. I enjoyed the album and would listen through it again. I didn’t love every song, but I loved a few and liked the rest.

cool

This album was amazing. I unknowingly already had a couple songs in my favorites. Will check out their other albums.

Definitely something I would not have found on my own. Great relaxing music to help keep calm during a rough commute.

Loved this album--

Part Indie Rock, part Dreampop, part Shoegaze, part Madchester, part Triphop. Makes for a absorbing combination. I'd missed this (and Doves entirely) when it came out, but really glad to catch up with it now.

Could cure a headache

A hidden gem, such a good album.

Liked this, enjoyed it a lot.

10/10 I’ve heard this album before it’s one of my favorite 2000s alternative albums

probably a better album than their more commercially successful ones.

Man, I really loved that. All the things I love about Air's "Moon Safari" but with more structure to it. It's just such a good vibe from needle drop to record end. I'm so surprised at what a good time that was. Full marks.

5+ stars. Always loved this album

Aangename verrassing

Bare en ting og si: Fantastisk, dronete, poppete, harmonisk, velprodusert post grunge rock.

Dette er mye bedre enn jeg husker.

top songs: the cedar room, catch the sun, melody calls, the man who told everything, firesuite, lost souls, the kind of music you want to drown in

If you like anthems, this baby is for you. I happen to really like anthems, so I was all about Lost Souls. A little bit Oasis, a little bit early Arcade Fire, a little bit ready to listen to this one again in the future.

Very proggy/

New band I like!

A pretty good album, I liked Fire suit, Sea Song and Lost Souls the most.

I was quite taken by this band. It is an odd thing to "know" music and be a fan for a long time and not know about a band that suits your style but this is not the first time this has happened. It could be to do with the (really surprising and eye opening) fact that American radio is super limited in scope of who they actually give air time to and a lot of Euro bands just are not on that list. While that sucks, at least now I have access and the album generator came through quite nicely here! I love this album actually and will listen to a lot more of their stuff moving forward. (New wave, progressive rock, sort of poppy feel stuff in case one wonders.)

4.3 That's a cracking debut album. How are these guys are not thought as highly as other 2000s British rock acts (Coldplay etc.) is beyond me. Well, one slight reason is that future albums didn't hit as good as this, but this album is phenomenal for sure. Definitely will have this on rotation.

Esta dpm de moment. "escoltant cançó 1 mentres estudio politica migratoria i proclastino amb el disc 🙂🙂"

Something special about this one.

This is a good album, but it would perhaps punch harder if it was trimmed down a fair bit. Favorite track: "The Cedar Room"

A great selection of dark, luscious tracks that are so densely packed with layers. Just really good indie music throughout - nothing too much to it in the most simplified terms. Could have done with cutting some of the fat from the run time. Best Tracks: - Firesuite - Sea Song - The Cedar Room Worst Tracks: - Melody Calls Rating: 8/10

Nice

des solo acoustique de folie, j'avais l'impression que mon père me chantais des chansons comme quand j'etais petit

I really like one of the guys’ tone (from the second half). The repeated melody of catch the sun is exactly the same as one line of an old (released in 1994 but still quite popular now) Chinese/cantonese song, which put me off a bit. But I still liked the song and I also liked the man who told everything. In general this album matched our mood very well as our bus drove through the mountains under the rain!

First album for these guys as Doves although they’d released some earlier stuff under a different name. Soaring arrangements and soulful vocals. Excellent as is the second album.

This was right up my alley!

An album with some genuinely incredible production that's occasionally bogged down by a fusion of two vocal styles that I really don't care for. Not every song falls under these (The songs 'The Man Who Told Everything', 'A House', and 'The Cedar Room' had genuinely solid lead vocal melodies and were maybe the best songs here). But many other songs have these very flat, reverb-drenched wailing vocals that make them a slog to get through when they go on for too long. Mainly the songs in the middle, like 'Rise', 'Lost Souls', and 'Melody Calls' I had issues with. Let's talk more about what I liked here, though. I mean, in essence, I'm getting a well-executed fusion of trip-hop, dream-pop, and shoegaze. And it works marvelously when these strings swoop in like on the opener 'Firesuite', an instrumental cut, or the climax of the aforementioned 'The Man Who Told Everything'. I loved that subtly twangy guitar tone on the 'The Cedar Room', peak distorted, fuzzy dream-pop shit. And despite this song's very forward Britpop identity, a genre and sound I don't really care for, it was maybe my favorite song here. And despite its 7-minute run time, I think the track manages to make most, if not all, of those minutes interesting, enjoyable, and vital to the song's structure. The arpeggiated groove with those piano embellishments on 'Sea Song' was another one of those utterly gorgeous moments. I also really liked the baroque-fused instrumental interlude 'Reprise', a song that brings back those pianos and strings that I loved so much on some of the other songs. I'm leaning towards loving this album - the entire thing just sounds so cozy and exquisite. The vocal moments that I didn't like as much don't outweigh all the other larger-than-life-sounding moments on this album. This was life-affirming shit at its best, but sleep-inducing at its worst.