Cleopatra

I really enjoy the style the lumineers have. It’s perfect for all the modern day hipsters. Aside from that they make good folk pop music and it’s enjoyable to drive and listen to their albums. This one is a good example of that easy and upbeat lyrics. Catchy tunes and choruses. All around fun stuff. 7.2/10

The Lumineers' first album came out in 2012, the same year that Mumford & Son's 'Babel' came out. Incidentally, following that release, Mumford & Sons would completely change their sound and move away from the put-on stomp and holler sound that made them famous. After we collectively emerged from this strange time in popular music that saw the rise of commercialized neo-traditional Americana, this music began to feel contrived and fake. These artists may have been earnest, but the swift rise and fall of this genre feels suspect in hindsight. This album was released in 2016, well after this genre had its day in the sun. That suggests to me that the Lumineers, who still release on an independent label, are not merely chasing a trend. Though this music is no longer to my taste, I recognize decent song craft when I hear it. There is a decent command of tension building and release (something that I think was largely responsible for this genres brief popularity), and the vocal performances are occasionally great. The music itself falls firmly into stomp and holler indie folk, yet there is something in the piano work that suggests an early 20th century Tin Pan Alley/ragtime feel that was more present on their first album. This album is definitely front heavy, though I find that some tracks on the back half more contemplative and interesting emotionally. I still enjoy the Lumineers for nostalgia's sake and it makes me think back fondly to my undergraduate days when I was discovering music for myself for the first time when their first album came out.

Refreshing!

About a decade on from the dreaded handclap/footstomp era of indie, the hindsight hasn’t changed much from living in the moment itself. The instrumentals are executed well, the sound design feels alternative, and it sure looks like an independent LP – so why then does the whole thing feel so soulless? There’s not a shred of genuine emotion on this thing, and despite the musical execution the whole thing feels flat. My working theory is that many artists of the time saw this kind of working man, independent lo-fi aesthetic as a covert way to sell out. These tracks may have started out on smaller stations, but eventually they all somehow found their way into mainstream radio, home insurance commercials, and brunch restaurant playlists. It’s the same kind of artificial songwriting that modern pop uses to establish memorability more so than actual musicality, and it still feels just as stale as when it first hit the scene.

Good melodies and hooks elevate this folk music above the usual Nashville-style Americana. Reminds me a lot of Whiskey Town.

Ugh the Lumineers. I just cannot stand them. Thankfully it was relatively short. Stay away

This is nice. 4 Not essential to me though

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Sleep on the floor, Ophelia, Angela

Oh good, more folky garbage. lol @ calling it "stomp clap hey ho" hipster music. It sure is. 1/5.

Apple commercial? "Alternative" coffee shop? Melancholic hipster? Here's the soundtrack.

Beautiful album, but hardly special. The band was part of an eclosion of indie folk bands at the beginning of the 10s. They were one of the good ones, but a bit reiterative. No big deal

Really love the indie folk sound. There was a smile on my face when I saw this album was submitted

This is that band with the anoying 'Hey ho'. The however is pretty good to swallow. Nice vibes an a sunny day like this. But together it is also very tidy and pop minded. That's not bad, but a little more edge would be nice!

Some nice tracks, and I like the reverby-sound. But all-in-all nothing to really get excited about.

Not my taste

Some very polite and nice sounding modern folk for shows on the CW

I, too, went to college in the 2010s

Back in the good old days when I used to listen to the radio, the Lumineers would regularly get played on the station I usually listened to. I never turned the station, but at the same time I can't say I really loved it. It was always good, but maybe a little bland. That's how I feel about this album. There's nothing I can point to that's bad about it, but it's just a little boring. 3 stars.

Perfectly okay stomp-clap-hey music that doesn't overstay it's welcome

Yeah, I mean, it deserves a spot. Not my favorite though. A little samey.

I'll take The Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver for this sort of indie-folk thing.

The Lumineers are kind of derided these days of a relic of that "hey ho stomp clap hey hollar" indie-folk that was very popular around the early 2010s. I think it's... fine. I don't dislike it, but I don't love it. The Lumineers are clearly decent at what they are doing and have a lot of popular songs, but it's not my thing. It's a bit too much U2 meets Folk which feels a bit more about a spectacle.

Good choice. Thanks for suggesting

of course everyone thinks that Ophelia is good, but the rest was pretty meh TBH

There are nice melodies in here, especially bookending, which is to say that the real "in: falls limp. Neither spirited nor reaches out to mine.

I didn't dislike this but it didn't really distinguish itself for me from a lot of similar neo-old timey acts.

10/10. I submitted this album, so obviously I like it. I will admit though that it was not my favorite album not to be included on the main list, only my favorite from an artist with no albums on the list. The first three songs are the best start to an album I could ask for, but it does leave the album feeling pretty front-heavy, which is in my mind it's biggest weakness. Also a perfect album to put on for a short drive, because I don't feel obligated to finish it if I get home faster than I expected.

Definitely loses some steam after the first couple songs, but come on! 9/10

Quand ma belle-soeur me disait qu'elle aimait les lumineers je comprenais pas trop, je connaissais seulement I belong with you etc. Mais cette album est juste vraiment trop bon je suis content de l'avoir écouté. Le vibe parfati pour une journée tranquille à la maison. 5