Lost In The Dream

too boring

I like this melodic thoughtful rock.

Sounds nice and reminds me of Ryan Adams a bit.

It’s probably one of my least favorite indie albums to come up, but it’s still pretty good. Nice lyrics and production.

Just looking at reviews for this I have to wonder if there's something wrong with me. This sounded like the world's dullest Bruce Springsteen pastiche, but every review of it hails it as some sort of masterpiece. Was it that there were very slim pickings in rock at this time? This feels like music for people who find Vampire Weekend a bit too edgy. I'm probably wrong, but I hated it. Just insultingly boring.

Bland and forgettable

Sounds like a meh knock off of Dylan

Like Travis but slower and with none of the soul

Forgettable, someone trying to be Bob Dylan but with dire straits as a backing band.

country music

Not really a fan, but didn't hate it.

Ladies and gentlemen Bob Dylan is floating in space. A neat little album that sounds like Americana mixed with neo-psychedelia and space rock, but not much to write home about. At least the soundscapes are chill.

It was good.

Þetta er alveg áheyrilegt svo sem. Minnir mig dálítið á Dire Straits, sem er hrós, en rennur svolítið saman í eitt langt lag í hausnum á mér, sem er ekki kostur. Kannski vex þetta við frekari hlustun, en eftir þrjár er ég kominn með nóg í bili.

Defs one for Amelia but I didn't hate it

Okay. Liked the instrumentation, and the singing, it was a little too melodramatic for me, but it was good 👍

It's pretty good, I like the guys voice. Might listen to again. Songs that stood out to me, Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, Eyes to the wind

Derivative and drab.

These songs are way too long. I don't usually have a problem with long songs but here it felt a bit forced

it's good, definitely of the era.

Really good album. I'm jealous of how great these guys are at making simple songs sound compelling. PHILLY REPRESENT

Really good! Good album to fall asleep to.

One of my favorite albums of all-time

"Middle of the road"-muziek is het eerste wat in me opkomt. Het heeft wel wat catchy deuntjes, maar het blijft ook een beetje saaiiig. **

HL: "Under the Pressure", "An Ocean in Between the Waves", "Burning" 2nd WoD album I've heard, after 2021's "I Don't Live Here Anymore". I appreciate the spacey psychedelic elements in this one (they complement the album cover too), but IMO the newer album has slightly better songs. 3.5 February 23, 2023

A guaranteed cure for insomnia. Red Eyes has some life to it at least.

Kinda think the same now as when this first came out. Very strong start which quickly drifts away and then picks up again towards the end. I still don’t get why this is so well loved by fans and critics. It’s decent; and had a massive influence on bands that have followed, but I don’t get why it gets mentioned in the same breath as records by The National or Walkmen.

Can barely remember how this sounded now, it was a bit 80s I think? And there was a constant drum loop in a lot of the songs? Can't have been remarkable but I remember it has about an hour runtime so can't have been too offensive. Guess I'll give it a two.

Utterly inoffensive, some nice sounds, but won't be going back.

There was a nice sound to the album but the tracks sounded very samey. Nothing stood out it was just plesant to listen to in the background. Doubt I would listen again because the runtime is too long for the repetitive feeling of the songs. Highlights: Under The Pressure Red Eyes Burning

Really enjoyed this for the most part. Some songs around the middle weren't so good and it was a tad samey but as a whole thought it was great. Sounds a bit like mystery jets but also Springsteen and maybe even Dylan in parts Will be listening again. The best tracks were under pressure, red eyes and burning

It’s hard to say whether or not I think I’ve heard The War On Drugs before. I’ve certainly heard of the war on drugs, but the uncertainty is around The War On Drugs. You know what I mean, right? Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Under The Pressure, Eyes To The Wind My expectations of this album were very different to what it turned out to be. I expected some kind of psychedelica or stoner rock (I think for obvious reasons). However, this was very easy listening pop rock with a dash of folk thrown in for good measure. Sometimes, it can be easy to think it’s might be an album by The 1975, but with better vocals. Don’t get me wrong, I quite like The 1975, but the vocals can be a bit annoying at times. Anyway, I digress, this album was really good and I liked it a lot.

A solidly good rock album with no small amount of Springsteen influences clearly visible.

i mean... its perf. not my exact vibe. but perf regardless

One of the best albums from here I've heard in quite a while

During 2014, this was one of my favourite albums from the year. However, I don't think it aged that well: songs I previously found mesmerising now leave me rather indifferent. Sure, the album has its moments. I admit to tilting towards the longer, ballad like tracks such as An Ocean in Between the Waves. However, in order to truly be able to get what Lost in the Dream tries to deliver, I find I need to leave everything else and truly concentrate on the music. Which, these days, is usually too much of an ask.

Lush and amazing. I would say the songwriting is great but at times impossible to tell what the fuck he is saying. The whole thing just comes together amazingly; its hazy and smoky and wonderful. Best tracks: Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, Lost In The Dream

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yeah, it was something they really fills the room and had a very calming presence Favourite song: Track 2 - Red Eyes

If you get the chance, try to see The War on Drugs live, they're fantastic

This album is semi-fun and semi-original. All in all, not too excited about it, but I’d definitely listen to it again as I did enjoy it. Nothing here that’s quite groundbreaking, as it is furthering a nee genre. Songs can start to get stale with such long runtimes, while some impressed me by keeping me interested with the long runtimes. 4/5

Some fantastic tracks on this

Mostly inoffensive indie rock, I hear and I assume it's trying to sell me a Honda accord as it weaves its way around a non descript California coastline road. Parts sounded heavily like Bob Dylan and I don't have the benefit of being able to turn off any hearing aids so I had to slog through those ones for sure. Overall nice but I won't be back.

Kuuntelu sillon kun hittaa ja se hittaa.. kuuntele sillon kun ei ole relevantti ja haluat anta ayhden tähden tälläselle indie kuralle..

I can't decide whether his voice reminds me of Bob Dylan or Tom Petty... bit of both I suppose. Regardless, I love this record. It sounds great, it's mixed well, the songs are well written, and the overall vision is executed well. At times I feel like it is a bit of a one-trick pony in that all the songs do sound relatively similar. The guitar sounds are pretty consistent, the song structures aren't wildly variable. So, there's a very distinct sound to his music, but luckily for me I really like this particular trick. Highly recommended for a drive with the windows down when the weather is nice. It's such a dreamy soundscape to sink into. Lovely.

In twenty years, will we still remember Hipster Americana? This feels like a mix/evolution of Dylan, Springsteen, and pop, with 80's reference making for a catchy band name. I like listening to a random album each day but I also hate that I can't see what else is on the list. There are some good songs on here but what I really want to know is whether or not this was chosen over St. Vincent or FKA Twigs — both of whom also released albums in 2014.

I did not *have* to hear this.

Few good songs. Flowed well as an album. Songs tended to start slow and build. Kinda dreamy. 3 stats

Its ok. I like the sound of the songs in the beginning but after a while it gets boring because the sound keeps repeating and it just sounds flat. There's no ups and down. Barely and energy. Not for me but it's ok. The album cover is good though I like it.

In the vein of Bruce and Neil Young. An amazing listen.

America goes Scritti Politti

There are two or three solid songs on this LP.

A solid 3/5 indie rock album for me! I liked the mix of folk and rock influences on it, but it seemed to keep leaving me hanging. The song structures sometimes droned on with little to no change, and the vocals didn't really drive like I would've preferred. I felt like I was left without a guide. However, I still think it has a lot of value and I absolutely understand why others really like it! In summary: pleasant and unoffensive, but not incredibly challenging or distinguishable. This isn't inherently bad, though!

3.5/5 Great album to fall asleep to, or just to have on in the background while you’re doing something else. Very pleasant listening experience Favorite track: Suffering

Tough one to score. I enjoyed having it on in the background, but not a very memorable album. Strong 3/weak 4

I listened to the start a couple times. Not bad. I did like this album, but it also didn't feel very memorable to me. 3.5 for me but since I can't do that, squishy 4.

Well mixed and good use of effects, this does feel like an evolution of some the influences listed on the Wikipedia page.

A couple good tracks and great tight production but ultimately a bloated album that tends up linger on ideas far too long.

The first thing people will notice is how derivative his work is on others' work. The spacious synths look back on Dire Straits, the beat is a basic krautrock-style that was likely taken from garage revival bands (alongside the lofi vocal filter), and the guitar and vocal style shows signs of Bruce Springsteen (predominantly), Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan. Yes, all artists take influence from others, but it's never been more of an imitation than here. Of course, he's none of those artists. He doesn't have the energy, dynamic range, or personality of any of those artists, but that doesn't mean any of this is bad or underwhelming. In fact, the mellow vibe, basic beat and synths, and lofi vocals are characteristics that dominate much of generic hipster indie rock nowadays. We have a coherent mass of 10 tracks that do what we do well. Take away the sources and honestly it's hard to find a better Americana album not by The National, especially one that fits so well with the times. It's a bit long at an hour, with many arguable filler tracks like "Eyes to the Wind" and "Lost in the Dream" (the Dylan copycats), but the prolonged atmospheric synths seem to make up for what otherwise would be wasted time. The reverb synths do repeat themselves quite a bit, but not nearly as repetitive as those drum patterns which do get tiresome. Favorites: Red Eyes, Suffering, Disappearing, In Reverse

Bringing to mind Waterboys Mike Scott's vocals and Springsteen's style with textured guitar and other sounds. I also keep hearing Sam Fender's "17 going under". Not sure about the extended outro of the first song. Second half is a bit better, but it's really very good.

It is hard to understand that this album is almost 10 years old already. Mixing motorik with Bruce Springsteen. Got several 5* tracks, in particular an ocean in between the waves, which might have been my favourite song from 2014. But the album is a little on the long side: 45 minutes would have been perfect, just like the albums that influenced it.

Very nice background music.

Highly atmospheric, I just lose attention somewhat toward the end.

An interesting mix of Eno styled ambience with a new wave production and a clear indie style.

Interesting dreary, dream-like sound but ultimately the album falls short because of its rather long runtime and absence of real highlights

Scale: 1: Dissapointing 2: Didn't enjoy 3: Decent 4: Enjoyed 5: Would listen again (My first impression if not mentioned otherwise in a comment) Under the Pressure: 1.5/5, if a song is 9 minutes long it should have at least some variety Red Eyes: 3.5/5, pretty ok Suffering: 1/5, nope An Ocean in Between the Waves: 1.5/5, idk Disappearing: 1.5/5 idk Eyes to the Wind: 1/5, everything sounds the same The Haunting Idle: Interlude?/5 Burning: 3/5, fine Lost in the Dream: 2/5, yeah In Reverse:1.5/5, boring Overall: 1.83/5, dont like it, boring and monotonous

I was bored with this. I knew I'd hate it the moment I saw a photo of the band that popped up on the Spotify app on my firestick. This is really nothing impressive at all and yet I don't think it quite deserves a 1, but I considered it.

Супер сведено, очень свежо, но как-то не зацепило супер. Killers убивают этих ребят))

Это исторический момент: я уснул на 5ой песне. Хорошая чилл-музыка, без каких-либо резких гармоний, размеров, ритмов, просто очень спокойный инди-рок, с вкраплениями эмбиента. Под такую музыку можно работать, ехать в поезде, лежать под открытым небом. Она многофункциональна. На этой неделе уже был похожий альбом, от Grizzly Bear, где нет упора на концепт или лирику, вложено всё в музыку. И если выставлять оценку, сравнивая с той пластинкой, то здесь она будет явно ниже. С другой стороны, если воспринимать это (а у меня почему-то такие ассоциации) как песни спетые бандой друзей на выпускном, про то, какие у них планы на будущее и как они будем преодолевать жизненные трудности, то в эту концепцию всё ложится хорошо. В любом случае, оно звучит хорошо, даже очень хорошо. Но обычно. 4/5, из-за сравнения с Grizzlу Bear, которым я поставил 5. Эмоции от прослушивания те же, разве что чуть меньше тоски. Можно переслушать, песни к себе добавлены частично. P.S. Буквально самая первая нота откинула меня к "Go Slowly" с In Rainbows Disk 2.

Очень необычно, вкусно. По вайбу есть что-то от "ladies and gentlemens...", но при этом не такой впечатляющий, что-ли. Так что 4+

Quite good and calm. Easy to listen to.

I already knew this one, but a fantastic album nevertheless.

Already listened

Good

If anyone asked me what the youths meant when they say "it's a vibe", I'd probably use this album as an example. Good chill tunes, the songs are a bit lacking in variation but they do paint a nice picture and the guitar work is very nice once you start really paying attention to it. Knew these guys since they get some play on the local radio so the first two songs I already knew. I appreciate it a bit more now having sat through a full album. Feels like a mix of Arcade Fire and Springsteen.

Listens: 2 Enjoyed: yeah Nice chill album, great for background noise

I tried listening to them back when they were a big deal, and didn't really get it. I was a little more receptive this time around but still not all that mind blowing

Some nice haunting sounds on here. Liked it!

This was a pleasant listen but not much more. I’d never heard of this band so I came in with no expectations. The album started off strong and there were no bad songs, but it was pretty repetitive. I did find myself thinking “wow this part sounds like ——— (Dylan, Petty, Springsteen, Dire Straits, etc.)” a lot. This would make pretty good background music but I probably wouldn’t seek it out.

a few good atmosphiric songs but it was just so blend

That's solid. Just... really solid. Good songwriting, excellent performances, great production. Just a really solid album.

Though it tails off a bit, this is a fantastic reboot of Dylan, if he was backed by Don Henley's Boys of Summer soft-rock 80s synth sound. They'd perfect this on the next record, which adds a bit of Springsteen into the mix as well.

I remember when they released their first album and everyone was banging on about how good they were. I thought it dull with no soul, an opinion I stand with today.

Encore un album de Post-Erasmus-Indie pour Robert qui n'en finit plus de réclamer des baffes et qui les obtient en général très rapidement.

Après une bonne vingtaine de tentatives vouées à nous imposer son style post hipster indie, Robert a enfin réussi à me faire apprécier un album du genre. Une belle preuve des dangers de la politique du bourrage de crâne, qui nous ramène aux heures les plus sombres de notre histoire.

Pleasant ‘80s corporate rock/dad rock sounding background music. I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it.

The War on Drugs > Nancy Reagan's War On Drugs. Best track: Red Eyes

AMAZING ALBUM!!!

So boring I had to turn it off.

enjoyed

doesn't sound bad, just bland. Feels like I've listened to these melodies previously, but in a more interestingly-made format

Very this century Bob Dylan, good lyrics, but every song seemed to be the same drum track and didn’t really grab me

I've heard of the band but never listened. On my first listen I wasn't super impressed but I left it on repeat and some songs popped up again and I was digging it more. I gave it another relisten with fresh ears and I really enjoyed it. Definitely vibes with my tastes after another listen.

I really wanted to like this more than I did, especially after reading on their spotify description about how many diverese genres they mix. But unfortunately all I heard all the way through was Springsteen meets Wilco. There were some soundscapes and noise that were very well made and ovbiously done with great skill but were over very quickly. The recording, songwriting and mixing on show is impressive and I did enjoy it, but I couldn't get over how let down I was, expecting something weird and interesting and just getting a big old slab of boring Americana. A complete lack of standout songs really seals the deal for me. I dont think ill be in a rush to revisit it.

So my cousin Paul loves War on Drugs and insisted I would love as well. I tried awhile back and retried again with this album. I really liked Under the Pressure, Red Eye and Lost in the Dream. But I kept feeling like I was hearing the same sound over and over again. It wasn't terrible, but the songs were long and unnecessarily drawn out. EVERY song. Again, it wasn't terrible and I think Mindy would really like this band too, but outside of a coupe songs, they were not for me. I wouldn't turn off if on, but I probably wouldn't seek out to play either. The genre it rolled into on my spotify had quite a few good songs after, including songs from Wilco and The National. Anyway, I listened at work and was OK. I wonder if I have a few beers and a couple tokes, I would enjoy more (what the hell am I saying? EVERYTHING is better after a coupe beers/tokes)? Maybe I give that a try over the weekend. Anyway OK, some good songs, but too much of the same sound. 2.5 for me. Will score a 3

Shit, I still remember when Red Eyes hit the waves. It took over the world. So dreamy and catchy with an incredibly timeless feel. It deserves all of the accolades it’s gotten. Sadly the rest of the album doesn’t stack up. The first song sounds like Red Eyes and then didn’t know when to quit. The second song is Red Eyes which gains a whole star, which is good because the rest of the album builds off of the same foundations. Aside from a few cool solos and licks here and there every single song sounded the same. When it was just a reskin of Red Eyes, it was relentlessly boring. Favorites: Red Eyes

4.5 I absolutely adore the song Red Eyes, so I was really excited to see what else this band had to offer - and I wasn’t disappointed. One of the most perfectly named albums I’ve probably heard, this album FEELS like navigating a hazy dream, the kind that makes you wonder how much was real and how much was made-up once it’s over. I’m a sucker for this kind of bass-driven dream pop bullshit, and this album is nothing but one great example of it after another. No matter the song, there was a really cool bridge or crescendo or some kind of musical shift that just set off all the auditory nerve receptors in my brain… or whatever tf it is that makes us enjoy music. As much as I’d prefer not to use someone else’s words, I really feel like Stuart Berman from Pitchfork describes it best in his review of the album: “Loaded with songs whose greatness is revealed slowly, where the simplest, most understated chord change can blow a track wide open and elevate it from simply pretty to absolutely devastating." Just a pleasant listen from start to finish, and feels nowhere as long as its runtime suggests. The perfect mental escape of an album, but at the same time there’s a part of it that makes me think of late nights with the people I care about most in this world. The kind where we’re all probably a little bit messed up on something or other, but we’re enjoying each other’s company and not caring 10 PM has just turned into 1 AM. Good vibes all around. Favorites songs: Red Eyes, Under the Pressure, An Ocean in Between the Waves, Burning

It's fine. Kinda dull. Prefer Kurt vial and the evaporators.

Kinda boring. Songs are ok and like the sound but super boring and dreary tunes

This album just felt… half-baked. Like an unfurnished apartment. I needed more than this. Not sure what kind of statement they were trying to make but.. it doesn’t speak to me.

I feel like I knew this before I heard it, whether from cultural osmosis or because it is steeped in so many cultural touchstones

It’s not bad. Just nothing that really got me going. Nothing stuck out. I may revisit this in the future. Listened to this in the car, at home, and finished at work. Not sure if I gave it it’s do. I’ll put this as a 2, with no adds, but may add later.

Under the pressure-5 Red eyes-7 Suffering-7 An ocean in between waves-8 Disappearing-6 Eyes to the wind-8 The haunting idle-4 Burning-7 Lost in the dream-7 In reverse-8

a very smooth and easy listen it definitely overstays its welcome at times tho

Very mellow, groove-rock. Some indie-soundong stuff

God, this shit is boring. One passive listen and nothing has stood out, except maybe the 9 and 8 minute (respectively) intro and outro where my feeling of tedious impatience peaked. I can’t hum one tune or recall one lyric. He tries to imitate Dylan in the way his voice trails off, in Dylan’s case the trailing signified lingering pensive thought, in Vile’s case it signifies an empty stylistic choice coated in self satisfaction. More active second listen now, ‘Suffering’ typifies his style of lyric writing, straightforward depressive to complement his earthy instrumentals delivered with no measurable feeling.

Really liked it! Will definitely like to listen again.

dimestore bob dylan, but less twangy so an improvement for me.

The War On Drugs is one of my favorite laid back rock sounds. This album comes from the lead singers battle with depression, so it's VERY laid back. Super good. Enjoyed the whole thing.

People that prefer melodic rock will find their groove here. This album deserves to be judged as a whole where each song finds a way to be what it is when it is playing, but then slipping into near obscurity when the next one starts. While this can come off as something that sounds boring, perhaps it is, but objectively without any consideration of mood or preferences, this album is remarkably solid and well done, and if it is boring, so be it, this is one of the best boring album experiences to be had.

2.5 Never heard of them before. Seems like a decent album. I look forward to listening to it more

This album can best be described as expansive. The music is a lush soundscape that sounds massive. The songs take time to develop but pay off in huge emotional crescendos. The chord structures are simple, but the melodies are anthemic and the effect is very elevating. In terms of genre, there's a bit of folk, a bit of country, and it is undergirded by an almost 70s style beat. Vocally, the singer reminds me of a more refined Bob Dylan. Overall, this is an incredible album that truly feels like a unified piece of music.

One of my all time favorites

This album made me want to do shrooms.

m o o d

Seems like another 3, some nice songwriting but not much stood out

atmospheric indie death cab for cutie rock with some 80s pop radio aesthetic

The first song was okay. For two minutes. Then the next song was okay, for one minute. It didn't recover after that until the end of the last song, which I wasn't really enjoying after the four minutes I had to get through first. He sounded like Bob Dylan, but they music was just straight boring, and at times not good.

Odd how nostalgia can manifest in more than one dimension simultaneously. On the personal: this was the last album I bought during my first music collection era. (Yes, I was seduced by the bright future of streaming. But just to make clear, I'm not a vinyl returner. If for no other reason, I lack the space and I have a developed talent for scratching records and breaking needles). Beyond me, as most things should be: it evokes an age that I was never a part of but somehow seem to think that I can identify acutely. Which, I think, is very much a positive thing to say about the record. It starts with the cover and the title. A sepia-tinted photograph, simple iconography, a distinct yet understated distinction between band name and album name. The individual is in repose, but hunched into himself as though conducting an accounting of the soul rather than opening up to the world. (Re-reading this: what a load of Pseuds' Corner) I guess I like this not because it is an exceptional album (it is good), but because it speaks to me in very distinct and individual ways. This happens sometimes, when I listen to and fall in love wit a specific album, but have no real curiosity in exploring the rest of the band's catalogue. I short, I like this, but I don't think my reasons why will have any real bearing on anyone else.

Intro, sounded like I was being abducted by a nomad isolated tribe in 19th Russia. Skins character that overdoes. I liked the long songs. The long guitar solos that you can take long night drives to, that make you feel that nothing can hurt you. Fearless.

Smooth and rolling album. All very melodic and easy on the ears, but each track is very similar.

This was... okay? Pretty forgettable. Kind of trying to be Tom Petty. Generic indie.

super chill

Частично приятная запись, частично — мало запоминающаяся скука. Эмбиентные моменты местами очень заходят, но к концу пластинки начинают надоедать. В целом не люблю этот стиль рока, так что неудивительно, что не зафанател. Мб на переслушивании раскроется лучше.

Loved it. Kind of U2 meets Springsteen vibe

I love the first two tracks and I can appreciate the general quality of this record without getting excited by it. Neither Courtney Barnett or Kurt Vile are on the 1001 Albums list. Give me either of those two over this any day.

An absolute peach - particularly at this time of year when the nights are long and the air is cold. A warm, mellow sound to sink into.

love the first 2 tracks - then goes off into sweeping introspective stuff which is a good listen.

3.5

It runs pretty long, and is pretty clearly derivative of a specific 80's sound.

Yeah, this the one

It is very 80s like. Since I already lived through the 80-s, it's hard to get too excited about 80s2.1

This LP, unlike Ghosteen, I did see on all the critics lists when it came out and I ended up listening to “Red Eyes” a fair bit. I can hear some Arcade Fire influence in that song and Bob Dylan, especially in “In Reverse". After reading that Adam G said he was influenced by The Waterboys, the vocalist similarities became obvious, in fact my co-judge said this sounded like “Mike Scott’s new band.” So, comparing this to the superb “Fisherman's Blues” which we were sent a few weeks ago, I would say that the songs from “Lost in the Dream” by comparison, seem to be cast from the same mould. They have the same desolate feel – to make songs more up-tempo they just add a faster beat. They said, I do like the mood and instrumentation, especially the guitar work. Between a 3 and a 4 for me. I’m wondering if we’ll ever see his buddy and x-bandmate, Kurt Vile on 1001?

Under the pressure is fine, but like many others have said, they use the same drum beat throughout and every song sounds the same. The lead vocalist sounds so much like Dylan, but that’s strike because I hate Dylan’s voice.

In Reverse is among the greatest songs ever made. Okay we got that out of the way up front. I’m no stranger to The war on drugs. I’ve been a fan for a half a decade now. This album in particular is very deserving to be on this list. Not only does it put The War on Drugs on the map, but it seems to be the one where they found themselves, and have been confidently creating from this vein since. This is one that will spark the same feelings from the time you first listened to it. For me it was in a time where I was making a lot of new friends and making music videos for my friend new album and we talked a lot about this band. When I listen to this I get all those feelings of excitement, creativity, and remembering what’s important. It’s not a perfect album, I still get just a touch bored in the middle. But the first half and back half are filled with some of their best jams and will keep you coming back.

strong 4, very nostalgic feeling

Indie. Ni fu ni fa.

Indie rock, psychedelic rock. Precioso.

Could barley get through the first song 😭

Amazing songs. Some a little too slow for me

It's like if you put Bob Dylan in a blender. I don't like Bob Dylan, but Dob Bylan right here has some nice production (and no harmonica) at least. First three songs were lovely, then it all got kind of samey and went on for far too long. I also really like the album cover. Gives me Dog Man Star vibes. I wish the music gave me those vibes as well, because you can never go wrong with some Dog Man Star vibes.

I used to have an app on my phone by Brian Eno called Bloom, which I spent a lot of time goofing around with. I'm not Tom Petty, but if I was then this album probably would have been the result of all those pleasantly wasted afternoons. A pretty album, relaxing, easy to listen to. On first listen I find it good not great, but I may well come back to it and let it grow on me. On the other hand, the prominent repetitive drum track might break me if I listen again. 3.5 stars rounding down for percussion. Update: rounding up, I let it grow on me.

I first came across The War On Drugs as Diane Nguyen dropped Bojack Horseman off in rehab at the end of series 5 of, well, Bojack Horseman. It's a scene that more or less stopped me dead, being a perfect culmination to a near-perfect series of a near-perfect tellyshow. Unsurprisingly, the music selection was near-perfect. The album though - well... I like it. It's like Dire Straits came back from the early 1980s, stopped off in the early-mid 2000s and picked up Death Cab for Cutie then had an illegitimate love-child called The War On Drugs. I like it a lot. But I'd not choose to listen to it when I wanted to be lifted, spiritually or emotionally, to a happier place.

The singer feels like he is trying to be a cross between Tom Petty and Bob Dylan. Not sure which one he really wants to be. The lyrics sound like he's trying to be profound, so even though he sounds more like Petty, he wants to be Dylan. I like the soundscapes in the background of a number of the songs, which make the songs a bit... more. And The Haunting Idle was pretty good too. But ultimately I just didn't find anything here that stood out, made me go "wow!" It was still average-sounding rock. They were trying to be more than that, but I couldn't pick out anything... unique. So a big "meh" from me.

This one was surprisingly good. It felt like a modern Bob Dylan meets Bruce Springsteen. Yes, at times I felt like the lead singer was trying too hard to emulate Dylan's voice (or Springsteen's shrieks) but there was a really cool blend of soft guitar and percussions, synth and piano/keys, raspy vocals, and solid lyrics. I really nice twist on (or evolution of) Americana rock. The album had me paying attention right from get go with Under the Pressure and Red Eyes; other notables included An Ocean in Between the Waves, Disappearing, The Haunting Idle, and Burning.

Prefs: Under the Pressure, Red Eyes, An Ocean in Between the Waves, Disappearing, Burning Moins pref: Suffering

Had not heard this band’s music before but I seem to remember their name. I like it. There’s a familiarity to the sound, most likely due to—as the Wikipedia entry describes—the influences on the style, so that feels comfortable to me. I like the way they put their songs together and perform them. Nicely done.

Every second of this fucks

This album is a blend of easy listening and hardcore rock stylings. In addition to thriving as a live group, but also as an experimental venture this group has the lyrical and musical prowess to soar beyond one genre or mood.

Started well but didn't really go anywhere I enjoyed

Nice. Discovering new bands like this are why we use this generator.

good one, even without kurt vile

Pretty straight forward, decent to listen to but not stand out

This album took me somewhere. Soulful and deep. Grateful that it was my first album of this challenge.

I don't hate it, just where's the passion?

Before listening: Not looking forward to this. Someone compared it to Bryan Adams, which seems like a bad sign. After listening: It was worse than I thought it would be. Every song sounded the same. No idea why this is on the list.

Chill, but not my fav

Begon erg sterk, maar zakte toch wat in.

Ik weet ergens dat dit goed is, maar het ging me op den duur toch vervelen. Toch 3 sterren voor de eerste twee tracks

Geweldig. Dit album heeft altijd iets speciaals voor mij. Kan niet precies zeggen wat dat nou is, en ik snap ook de mensen die zeggen dat het saai is, en veel van hetzelfde, maar voor mij werkt het. Red Eyes is een nummer wat heel hoog in mijn lijst van favoriete nummers staat.

Beetje slaapverwekkend, eerlijk gezegd. Niet slecht ofzo, maar wel steeds hetzelfde nummer in net een ander jasje.

Starts strong but kind of fades in interest. I almost really liked the album.

Surprisingly nice album to listen to; the whole album has a certain vibe that catches you by surprise. I will say thought that most of the songs sounded very similarly, thought. 8/10.

Meh. 3/10.

I used to listen to Goodbye Jumbo a lot. This reminded me of that. It's a "big band" rock sound, as exhibited in Red Eyes. Suffering and the Haunting Idle, a bit less so. Enjoyable, nevertheless.

I absolutely love Adam's voice and the soft ethereal folk-rock style that still has a driving energy. This really comes together for me. I've enjoyed this and have just put it on repeat all day.

Very moody. Bob Dylan mixed with Bruce Springsteen mixed with Wilco mixed with the 80s echo sound. Would be a great road trip album.

Definitely one for a particular meed I think.

Pretty darn good. 4 stars.

Booooooooring

Some of the songs were okay but it did drag on a bit, in my opinion. Couldn't really keep my interest. Favourite: An Ocean In Between The Waves

Dreamy, sad, emotional, lovely, this is a very evocative album and a totally unexpected delight. Reminiscent of Public Service Broadcasting with live vocals, and a bit Bob Dillony in places, it is beautifully crafted, subtle, textured, and chock-full of melody. I couldn't make out many of the lyrics, but for some reason it transported me to a sunset, perhaps over the main stage of a festival or overlooking a harbour full of fishing boats. Atmospheric. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Under the Pressure Date listened: 17/10/22

Really good album. It’s often a mix of bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen instrumentation, if they were updated for the 2010s. I like the spacey feel of the whole thing. 8/10

The tones! The toooooones!!!!

loved

I love The War on Drugs for their more recent albums (Deeper Understanding, I Don't Live Here...) but I haven't listened to this one. Excited to dig in! Update: Good record but a little meandering. I found myself looking at how much time was left in some of the songs to discover that while the main portion of the song had ended, there were still a few minutes of instrumental wankery to be had. I think later releases benefited from a little trimming. All that being said though, I enjoyed this a lot! The tracks sound very nostalgic like they're from some by-gone era we're all remembering fondly...which honestly could describe 2014 lol

• Nothing in the album stuck out as good or bad, though it was a calming listen. Favourite song: I have no idea, maybe Under the Pressure?

This kind of uneventful indie-pop (dream pop?) never has any business going as long as it inevitably always does. All songs indistinguishable from one another, the "tard beat" going non-stop the whole album (that really simple indie boom-tish drumbeat I imagine the drummer doing while smiling vacantly, fresh from a lobotomy), guitars and singing DRENCHED in reverb and chorus to the point the entire thing might be out of tune but there's no way to tell. Realistically though, it was almost pleasantly inoffensive - just far too long. If this was 30min, it'd be a 3. Buuuuut it was a full hour. 2/5.

Enjoyed the album, not much to say about it though.

Let me take you back in time, to the mid 90s. After suffering through "liking" music because everyone else thought it was cool (C&C Music Factory, anyone?) and then veering towards my dorm mates' penchant for early 90s hippy tunes (Phish, anyone?), one summer I discovered CD101, the new alternative station in Columbus, OH. It was sooo cool - nothing but new alternative. Low budget, but it wasn't 'corporate'. It was a DJ hanging out somewhere actually playing tracks off CDs (or so we were led to believe). They had the Andyman-athon at Christmas, and sponsored the Blue Jackets New Year's Eve event (hockey + swing dancing, awesome!). There was nothing cooler than having the oval CD101 sticker on your car. My point? Well, it was music like this. 10 years earlier, of course, but like this. You felt cool. You felt plugged in. Cranking that radio with the windows down, cruising down I-70 around the Miller-Kelton exchange on your way back from the Howl at the Moon Saloon (dueling pianos, anyone?) with the coolest tunes blaring. Man, that was the life. Then, the crapfest of the late 90s and early aughts intervened, and man that was bad. But around 2010 it the feeling started to come back - the music, at least some music, got good again. I wasn't hearing it on Mix 101, of course (the very definition of corporate radio, they ain't no CD101), but I grabbed a few of Amazon's free songs of the day, and it came roaring back. "It's been a year" by Greg Laswell. "Walk on Water" by Bad Lieutenant (the dudes from New Order). "Born Losers" by Matthew Good - holy cow. "When the lights come on this whole place gets ugly; but when they're out strangers fall in love...New Order's on the turn table we're dancing; cause what else do you do when you don't talk?". Damn. Even "Babylon" by David Gray. That's what this reminds me of. I didn't think anything could unseat Janelle as my favorite album from this so far, but The War on Drugs has done it. Hey Mix101, how's about a little less Sam Smith and a little (lot) more of this? 5/5

A definite winner! Another band I'd heard a few songs from and enjoyed, but in this case, I really liked a lot of the songs I hadn't heard before even better. Though, some of the super sleepy, ambient stuff, I could do without.

Slightly too somber for my tastes in the first listen through, it grew on me a couple tracks in but still not my favourite so far

Love!

did not enjoy

Charming soundscapes created here, dreamlike, well crafted, perhaps a little unmemorable at times but a good album nevertheless.

Really good indie rock album. Lacking a bit of variety, but still quite enjoyable.

very okay

ah, the band that 6Music wants to shove down your throat. they occasionally do some nice psych stuff but on the whole they sound far too much like bruce fucking springsteen to be listenable.

This preposterous record sounded like an enraged horse shitting all over the face of a crying baby in the living room of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Alas, we're all going to eat eachother's dicks.

I need to take more drugs

Much better than Ronald Reagan's war on drugs but nowhere near as good as that song what Grange Hill did: https://youtu.be/kkQXnQ0plDA Thought provoking, emotive stuff I am sure you will agree. Grange Hill I mean not Adam Granduciel and his mates. Obviously.

They have a wonderful sound. The combination of ultra-precise machine-like backbeat and canyon-sized echo on all the treble instruments really works. First half is extremely strong, but they’re kinda lacking in variety, so drags a little on the back half.

Took me a couple listens for this one to hit me. First pass was a more boring version of Dylan. Second pass was atmospheric, relaxing, and cool. 3/5

While I enjoy the overall style of the War on Drugs, I find aspects of this album a little boring. Sometimes it just goes too low key and is not my thing. 3/5

this is driving music (affectionate) but also sleeping music (derogatory)

Nice atmospheric stuff

I got this on vinyl. Good vibes great album.

This aIbum came out in 2014. It is essentially 80s indie music with hints of Bruce Springsteen and some Tom Petty. It isn't great. I made it through it and there is no need relisten to it.

Good, sometimes a little too Arcade Fire in their Springsteen mode.

Another perfect distillation of the defining sound of the mid 20s - it made us feel it all, in earnest. It's hard to know what a decade will sound like until you're well and truly planted in the next. I can tell you what the 80s sounded like, I can tell you what the 90s sounded like, and maybe this is what I'll tell you the 20s sounded like.

Mostly enjoyed this one. Should listen again.

So sweet, I love the nostalgic tone, especially on "Burning" and "Red Eyes".

love. v chill

Indieheads loves this band but I just don’t get it. The melodic ideas are tepid at best, and without any strong rhythmic structure the whole thing is an aqueous, chorus and reverb-drenched hour without much form or flow. Stronger drum presence in the mix would elevate things slightly, but there just needs to be more compelling and grounded leads in this thing for it to be a palatable listen.

Shit!

Started off well! Track 2 is a tune! Then it fizzled away for me!

Planant et énervant

All time favourite

definitely the whitest band i´ve ever heard.

Could quite easuly be an album from the late 70s. Decent album and one I'll likely listen to again, but to me it's more "background" music than music I'd set aside time to listen to.

First 2 songs are great. Rest is boring and same-ish. Burning is just Young Turks by Rod Stewart.

Skip after intro of the 1st song, no-no

Rock planant qui passse tres biens, a réécouter ça aussi, c'est bien produit j'aime bien ce qu'ils proposent

Great vibe and melodies. The mix and overall feeling of the album is great and I would listen to it again. 3.5/5

This album got better as it went on. I liked its sound, but none of the songs jumped out at me. My favourite song was probably Lost in the Dream, but, again, nothing jumped out at me particularly.

Great vibe, love the whole album.

The Springsteen influence is palpable, but I don't really think it holds up to that comparison. Springsteen, even during his ballads, has a lot more energy. There's also some notes of Arcade Fire in here, as well. That being said, the production is nice, and I like some of the soundscapes throughout the record. Favorite track: "An Ocean In Between the Waves"

Background noise. Nothing grabbed my attention.

"Standing in the wake of our pain." This album is about the journey down the slope beyond the peak of some past trauma. The acknowledgement that something painful has happened, and there's no point denying it, but we're going to make it through. Ride this out with me. Life is worth it. It approaches the pain of the past, not with denial, but with warmth. And hey, maybe we'll experience pain again, but we can learn from it, and take strength from it. "we won't get lost inside it all again" Cross the bridge To redefine your pain Then the answer is in your heart Wide awake I rearrange the way I listen in the dark Dreaming of starting up again Musically there isn't really anything in the way of hooks. You won't have any catchy choruses in your head after a couple of listens. I imagine this won't be a popular album on this project. Everything just flows into each other. If you're trying to listen to everything once in your lunch break or something, and you're not feeling it, this will just pass you by. If you are feeling it though, you can catch the mood that this album puts out any time you want, and it won't get old. These aren't songs with a verse sticky taped onto a chorus, and oh here comes that verse again, oh yep chorus now, oh gosh it's middle eight time! These songs grow and evolve over their life. You don't become too overly familiar with any one component after a handful of listens. There is texture and evolution. This gives this album a longevity that a lot of catchy pop albums won't have (and I love a catchy pop album, don't get me wrong). This is also why the song length doesn't matter too much. They're not trying to constantly repackage the same riff or vocal hook or change or whatever. The songs flow like a river. It's the same theme, but that water isn't coming back upstream, it's gone. It's about the journey and the motion. Elements are introduced and other elements fade away, not with dramatic changes, but with a kind of natural feeling imperceptibility. You notice the mood change more than you notice the elements that go into it. More than most of the albums we've had so far, this is best experienced "as an album". The songs flow into each other. If you're listening on something that doesn't add annoying gaps of silence between songs, the way that The Haunting Idle flows into Burning is amazing. Good album imo.

Enjoyed this one a lot, a great sense of energy and forward momentum, which works well to balance out the at-times bleak and depressing writing. Most songs just ooze atmosphere (Under The Pressure, Red Eyes, The Haunting Idle) and there is fantastic playing throughout the whole album.

Good for daytime listening

Okay. Easy listening. Lead reminds me a bit of Paul Simon for some reason

"It's not that bad" - Ike I am in complete agreement with this assessment.

Not my particular cup of tea but makes for reasonable background listening.

idk yet

Probably a 4.5 but I love this album / band so….

Super chill vibes. Mix of classic sound and modern nuances.

Ietwat te mellow voor mijn smaak. Op wat ruis elementen na een goede achtergrondmuziek plaat. Fretloze bass is altijd goed.

Requires a very specific mood for me to fully enjoy it. I really liked 'In Reverse'. The songs are too long. 2.5/5

Was literally listening to Red Eyes when the generator picked this album as the first one to listen to. I think that's a sign I gotta do it. This isn't a bad album. However, Red Eyes is the best of them and the rest of the songs kinda feel like variations on a theme that are never allowed to be their own thing. Kinda Future Islands kinda Springsteen kinda dull. It's a 2/5 ba-by

3.7

Some chill indie rock. I like this alright. Pretty sure I like their previous stuff better but haven't compared.

Pop un tanto blandengue y falto de chispa. Canciones un tanto anodinas. Excesivamente relajado para lo que suponía

Nice and dreamy - didn’t expect this sound and somehow this band completely flew under my radar apart from spotting it on festival lineups. It’s and 80s kind of sound and Adam’s vocals sound like a mix of Bob Dylan’s, Mark Knopfler and a Young Turks era Rod Stewart yet strangely skirting being derivative. The record tapers a bit towards the second half but the first half is banger after banger.

I already had a bunch of these songs in my favourites. Nice to listen to the album

I love this album. I listened to it a lot growing up and holds a special place in my heart. (This sounded cringe for some reason)

Listened Before? N This was pretty decent. Nice and mellow (a "vibe" as the kids say). Nothing stood out to me but it's well written and not bad to listen to. Strong U2 vibes but I far prefer Bono's vocals. This dude is hard to understand sometimes. Overall, I enjoyed it. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Under the Pressure

Beautiful album worth another listen-thru, I think. I can totally here the 80s themes. Like, totally.

This is one of those albums that makes this project so ace - I had only a vague notion of The War on Drugs (the band) prior to this recommendation. Pulsating, haunting indie rock, right up my street. Boom!

I guess there's a need to add some contemporary albums to this 1001. This is really enjoyable but adds nothing to Henley/Springsteen/Petty who all have pioneered this sound. Still, I quite like it. More ethereal perhaps, haunting guitars and synths rather than rock.

I don't know why this annoyed me so much. It seemed pleasant enough, but then I realized the songs were just longer versions of Don Henley or Dire Straits or something.

its like a sadder, less country Springsteen 4.5

Gods, just good

Love the dark and introspective songwriting, not big on the bubbly millennial indie-rock sound.

Vocals weren’t for me but instrumentals were very well done

Yawn, very dull

Apart from a couple of saved songs, I didnt like this much at all! I found it depressing to listen to, and a little grating on the ear.

Wow, what a mellow yet beautiful walk through this mystical soundscape. Deep and rich with an almost trance-like peace. Track 5 titled, “Disappearing” was my favorite.

An album for a specific mood, feels like a soundtrack to a great movie

Musically, pretty interseting but it would be nice to understand some lyrics - maybe a little less reverb mixed on the vocals.

Best Song: Suffering. Thoughtful lyrics and this drawn out, echoey musical style. really feels like the distillation of the melancholy feeling that the rest of the album is going for. Worst Song: Eyes To The Wind. Leans a bit too heavily in the bluegrass/country domain for my tastes. Overall: Music to drive/stare out the window of a moving vehicle to. I can see how some people would love this, but it just doesn't match the type of music I typically like. It is inoffensive and pleasant to listen to, but doesn't do much to grab my attention.

I know the name of the band, but everything on Lost in the Dream seemed like new music to me. I would be surprised if I haven't heard anything from the War On Drugs before, because this was an easy album to listen to. The music might be Indie, with hints towards Americana. If you like Fleet Foxes, you might like this. There were no bad tracks. I would listen to this album again.

I like it! First time I listened was with headphones, really good!

Awesome

When you're great, everyone wants to dim your shine. Sure, they can call it Dad rock or whatever. They can say it's derivative. They're all wrong. The haters. I've seen Under the Pressure played live. And it has evolved from this early album. It is much glossier now than this bare bones version. "I'm in my finest hour. Can I be more than just a fool?" Yeah man. You are alright. The Haunting Idle is a truly epic intro and then, it leaves you there idling like a chef who uses the precisely correct amount of salt and leaves you hungry. And then Burning comes in like Rod Stewart in Young Turks and I am second guessing my defense of their originality, but then it meanders elsewhere.. Technically some of the most persuasive guitar sounds and crisp drum work from a currently working band. War on Drugs will be a band our children will know and respect. They will listen to it to try to understand who we were. This album is a great example of why I love music.

Got pretty bored ngl

The album as a whole felt quite same to me. No track in particular stood out as something fresh and different, mostly just a similar song with a different tempo. Overall pretty disappointing sadly

If it's raining, and a nap is necessary, this might be a fit. Rather dull.

Kind of meh. Not a fan of emo.

Indie que entrega um clima etéreo.

Liked the album. Moody/emo vibe

Like driving through the desert at night, in the summer

Really atmospheric, had it's moments, however got very boring. Someone I bet you LOVES this band

The guitar really carries this album. I wasn't a fan of the vocals at all, but the rest of the instruments were complementary enough. The best parts of the album were the droning guitar solos, but unfortunately a lot of time was spent on more reserved indie rock type tunes that just weren't very interesting.

I think there were some good bits -- An Ocean In Between The Waves and Red Eyes were both standouts but the rest didn't really do anything for me. Competent but boring. Production and instrumentation are good but I don't care for the vocals at all. It's not bad but I'd never intentionally listen to it again. 43/100 gecs

Guy sounds like Bob Dylan + Paul Simon

I enjoyed this one a lot! Will definitely listen to more of this band.

Прекрасно.

Mysig köra-bil-rock

was good, need to listen to again but keen for a new album today

A nostalgic ode to 80s rock that's as inspired and well executed as the artists that came before it.

A very laid back album, but with a early 2000s indie feel to me. "Red Eyes" and "Suffering" my favourite tracks and would happily listen to the entire album again.

This is fine, but I'm giving it 2 stars because it was a bit boring and didn't need to be on this list.

Dreamy and drenched in reverb, and unfortunately on too far on the bloated side to really see myself returning to much. It was a fantastic fit for this foggy morning, though; that was excellent coincidence.

Very akin to a drearier Arcade Fire. A good chunk of bloat, but it is some good rain music.

Very casual background vibe. Mellowed out music

Was OK for someone I'd never listened to before.

Easy listening, in the good way.

Reminds me of Bruce Sprinsteen for some reason. It's good, not a fan of the slower tracks mind

Bob Dylan vibes? 3 Nothing special, "Red Eyes" has great energy though. "In Reverse" really touched me too.

Išla bi u rat za ovaj album. Al na droge

je, lijep je album, slušao sam ih neko vrijeme, ne puno jer su mi dosadili dost brzo, nedvojbeno je fin album, međutim nije mi za punu četvorku. fali mi nešta još, ne znam.

Love this band and album, they're sound is both ethereal and immediate.

Nice music, songs felt too long sometimes.

This is a perfect album for cruising around in the summer

I like

Surprisingly good. I'd heard some of this stuff before, but this is the first time I've gotten thru it all in one go. Though the album was a bit soft in places, I wholly appreciated it all the way through. Will put this into my rotation.

The War on Drugs has been a massive failure. I mean, it’s kind of dumb anyway to declare war on something that can’t surrender or sign a treaty anyway (the US hasn’t actually declared a military war since WWII), but the War on Drugs is worse than that. It has caused prison populations to explode, created a school to prison pipeline, and shattered communities. And people still use drugs! So thanks tough-on-crime Republicans, and the Democrats that went along with them (and sometimes even made it worse), for 45 years of cruel, insensitive, and just plain stupid policy. War on Drugs the band is a very different story, and a massive success. I’ve loved “Under the Pressure,” “Red Eyes,” and a few other War on Drugs songs from other albums, but never sought out a full album. While I really enjoyed “Lost in the Dream” overall, I found it to the the opposite of The Hives’ “Your New Favorite Band” - two singles to start the record, but while The Hives got better, War on Drugs never quite reached those highs again. While neither are my new favorite band, they are both bands I’ll be listening to more of.

Man, lead vocalist Adam Granduciel sounds an awful lot like Ryan Adams (but without the problematic personal life that I know of!), Yay for modern Americana that I don't feel guilty listening to!

I didn’t know the E Street Band fired Springsteen and replaced him with someone boring

I really dig the atmosphere of this album. There isn’t much too intricate or complicated. However the layering of piano/synth with the guitar, and to a lesser degree the drums, makes me happy. I’m not sure how else to put it. A couple nitpicks are that some of the tracks are a bit long and could be shortened. Suffering is a miss too. Cut that song out and trine another 5-10 minutes off smartly and I think this album could border on being great. Nitpicks aside, I just want to lay back at night on a muggy summer day, close my eyes, and enjoy this some more.

9/10. This was really nice, I'd like to relisten when I have more time to listen to the lyrics

Just kinda long and consistently alright. 6/10

I have heard people raving on about this band for a while. I remember trying to get into them but never could. It is good and all but just a bit boring for me. Nothing terrible, just nothing special either

I love me some retro 80s music but this one sorta got boring by the end.

4.5

Rätt bra

I was shocked to see this make the list. I love this album and it’s hard to determine if I prefer this one or a deeper understanding. They are both great, smooth instrumentals to a t. I can’t and do listen to this album all the time. 9.0/10

Lost in the Dream was an ok prog-rock/Americana album, however I feel it was let down by the Americana that came through. It was an easy listen albeit with one that was filled with half an album full of songs that were over 6 mins each. Best: The Haunting Idle Worst: Eyes to the Wind

5 stars

I should listen to more from them.