|
Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Jul 6, 2018 16:27:46 GMT -5
Does the vinyl have all 14 tracks of the deluxe or just the regular version? I saw the vinyl at the store today but didn't even look at it because I figured I'd just get the CD but then I thought after, what if the vinyl came with the CD?
|
|
Enigma.
Diamond Member
Joined: July 2007
Posts: 13,590
|
Post by Enigma. on Jul 7, 2018 4:00:11 GMT -5
This is such an amazing album! My friend saw them live yesterday and astounded how good they are.
Rendezvous and Up in Flames are my standouts after 1.5 listens
|
|
newpower
3x Platinum Member
Joined: December 2005
Posts: 3,532
|
Post by newpower on Jul 7, 2018 7:07:23 GMT -5
This is such a great album. Don't Panic and All For You are my early faves but all is high quality.
|
|
nightshade
Diamond Member
I'm adaptable.
Joined: October 2008
Posts: 10,696
|
Post by nightshade on Jul 7, 2018 16:42:21 GMT -5
Y&Y could've done much better with the roll out of this record. They released two of my least favorite tracks of theirs ever and their album is one of my favorites this year so far. Another great record. So many good tracks. I really want to see them again now that the album is out and of quality.
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Jul 8, 2018 11:46:30 GMT -5
Yep, obsessed with this album. Still on repeat since Friday.
Here's my opinions on each track:
1. Karma/Don't Panic - Karma is a smash waiting to happen. When I saw the track was explicit I figured they would go with the whole "Karma's a b!tch" route, but I love the way they handled the lyrics for this track. It's sassy, it's fun and laid-back. It's very pop but also has influences of R&B to me. Is it just me? - Don't Panic is so different and new for them, but literal pop perfection. I love the message they're sending and it's relatable. Olly also DELIVERS with the vocals on this track. The final high note? God. 2. Howl - Such an elegant track. It reminds me a lot of Shine and Border, 2 of my favorite tracks from "Communion" and the lyrics are quite clever honestly. I'll never not love their religious imagery and lyrics in their songs. It reminds me of a song you'd listen to while being cliche and looking up at the stars. I don't know why it gives me that vibe but it does. 3. Rendezvous - I feel like either this or Karma could be the King of this era, and maybe it's because of the sudden start like King had alone, but I think it has good replay value and the production of the track is very interesting. 4. Preacher - Wow don't we just love songs about forcing a guy to come out! In all seriousness, this could've been a good choice for the lead single. It has that wow-factor in my opinion and is upbeat and fun. I think it could've been a good way to be like "Hey, we're back. Get ready for this era" kinda thing. I really like this track though. 5. Sanctify - I don't know why I like this track so much. Maybe it's because of HOW different it is from their previous era and the darker sound to it, but this is also the track that got my friends into Years & Years' as well so there's clearly SOMETHING there. 6. Hallelujah - Again, the religious imagery and lyrics are something I adore about Years & Years. I love the synth in this song and just how fun and upbeat it is. 7. Up In Flames - Is this even Y&Y? This is something so different for them but it's so good. It's very much a story-telling track and I love that about it. 8. Hypnotised/Palo Santo - Hypnotised is such a hypnotizing track. It lives up to it's name. It has such interesting lyrics and it's a perfect ballad no one can tell me otherwise. - Palo Santo is the title track. I knew it was going to be interesting and bomb af. I love the slow start and then how it picks up quickly and then the drop at the end when it consistently built up in the choruses but didn't drop. I love it so much. 9. Lucky Escape - Despite it being lower than I'd like it to be (I still don't know where it's officially placed) I love this track. It's an emo pop bop ballad and it's so petty but so well written. I love the production on the track. It's like cute, but with the lyrics it's so much darker I don't know. I love it so much. 10. All For You - Again, low, but a bop. There's not a single track off this album I dislike, but maybe because I heard this track before it released it's burned on me or something, I don't know, but I still love the track. I think it has the best lyrics off the whole album. Love the lyric about the bitter fruit 11. If You're Over Me - Despite it being at the bottom of the list, I still love this track. It's a cute breezy lil' jam, but there's just better songs.
I'm not ranking Here since it's just an interlude and I'm not going to listen to it that often, but I love how it's just layers of vocals. It's also, very story-telling and descriptive. I love the lyric about the lover or three.
I'll probably edit the list later once I officially figure out the rankings, I just did this up quickly.
|
|
|
Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Jul 8, 2018 17:21:26 GMT -5
My early fav is track 3.
|
|
dbhmr
Diamond Member
>
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 23,320
|
Post by dbhmr on Jul 8, 2018 22:16:51 GMT -5
I was so uninterested in this when I heard “Sanctify,” but it’s probably my least favorite on the album; this is really great on first listen.
|
|
addict03
New Member
Joined: September 2013
Posts: 148
|
Post by addict03 on Jul 9, 2018 6:45:25 GMT -5
This is a brilliant record. One of the best so far from this year. WOOF!
They have arrived.
|
|
JayBoozer
7x Platinum Member
Joined: December 2003
Posts: 7,693
|
Post by JayBoozer on Jul 9, 2018 10:06:47 GMT -5
Anyone else getting "You Oughta Know" vibes from "Preacher"?
|
|
Albie
Administrator
Joined: January 2014
Posts: 16,232
Staff
|
Post by Albie on Jul 9, 2018 16:47:38 GMT -5
Ok, so they've managed to exceed my expectations with the album given the single choices.
I've had "Hallelujah" and "Up In Flames" on heavy rotation.
|
|
Chelsea Press 2
Diamond Member
#LiteralLegender
The way I feel is sexual, when you're next to me
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 69,056
|
Post by Chelsea Press 2 on Jul 11, 2018 15:09:13 GMT -5
Olly did an interview and photoshoot with Paper Magazine. Olly Alexander Is Done Being RepressedStory by Jacob Brown / Photography by Joshua Wilks 09 July It's Pride in New York. Under the hot June sun near McCarren Park in Brooklyn, Olly Alexander's British pallor is beginning to flush pink — this despite the cooling effect of his silken harem pants and skimpy top, and the sensuously protective layer of sunscreen he periodically applies. On the way back to the not-exactly-boutique hotel his label has housed him in, Pride-goers of every shape, size, and color are filtering out of subways, their pastel balloons bobbing behind them. A few young marchers, their cheeks decorated with little face-painted rainbows, eye Alexander nervously; one says, "hi;" then the whole lot rushes over. Selfies are taken, autographs signed. At 27 years old, the lead singer of Years & Years has a short acting career behind him and a soaring music career ahead. A number one album in the UK already under its belt, the band's second release Palo Santo is now out. Like Communion before it, the album is packed with ear-wormy hits. But it's also bigger, possessing of a certain competent ambition hard for queer artists, long suffering under the yoke of the straight male dominated music business, to achieve. Alexander seems to be aiming high with Years & Years' trajectory, heading straight to arena tours, radio play, international number ones — true pop stardom on a mega level. An hour later Alexander's Uber drops him off outside Brooklyn Steel, the venue he's performing in that night. The sun hasn't gone down yet, and it's still insanely sweaty outside. Nevertheless, with many hours till show time, at least 100 fans are already in line — it's an explosion of rainbow face paint. The faces are young and of every shade and gender. Again, selfies are taken. Some have gifts for him. Alexander's not so new to his success to be shocked by this reception. But it's all new enough that you can tell he's wondering if he should pinch himself. And in fact, you can see in the eyes of his fans that they kind of want to pinch themselves as well. They're cognizant how special it is to be young and queer and getting to wait in line all afternoon with all of their young and queer friends — all to see their young and queer idol perform. None of this is lost on Alexander. "In many ways, this is the very best time to be a gay artist ever," he says. "We wouldn't be where we are today without all the gay artists that have come before us and broken down so many barriers. But barriers aren't gone. Particularly for less privileged members of the queer community. There is this very insidious casual homophobia that exists in the fabric of everything including the music industry. Labels and people in positions of power pay lip service to supporting LGBTQ artists. And that's great. But when are we going to see a gay artist really thrive and succeed? Selling out arenas, hitting number ones. I guess that kind of happened with Sam Smith, but I just think from my personal experience, the amount of comments like 'Oh, this is very gay' or 'This is going to turn some people off' is a real problem. I would hesitate to say, Yes, I'm engineering this brave new frontier of queer music to infiltrate the masses with my gay agenda. But that's kind of what I want to do and has always been one of my goals. Now seems like the right time." His point about timing is important. The fact that Alexander spent a years as an actor (he had roles in films like Gaspar Noe's Enter the Void, and on TV shows like Skins, and Penny Dreadful), may have meant that he started in on music just as the world was primed for him. Even on Years & Years previous album Communion, Olly was somewhat circumspect when it came to the genders in the love songs he wrote. "I don't think I could've written the new songs 10 years ago," he agrees. "Even when we made our first album Communion just a few years ago, I was so scared. I only put a few male pronouns in the songs, and it was very subtle. That album was a bit more ambiguous in terms of it's gay narrative. Of course, there's no single gay or queer experience — everyone is going to write their experience differently. But we're just now seeing openly queer artists truly write their own music and speak their voices into the world." Love, rejection, and unrequited desire — every pop star sings about these themes. And every human being experiences them regardless of their sexuality or gender expression. But certainly those of us who are queer share a unique cadence of lived emotional experience. And like no one else before him, Olly Alexander is transmitting those cadences uncensored into the rhythms and melodies of his songs. It's not a certain lyric or musical phrase you can put your finger on; it's more ephemeral than that; but it's undeniably there. And it's damn irresistible — to LGBTQ+ audiences, but also to everyone else. Raw emotional honesty always sticks into you deeper and resonates louder. "We can have different emotional languages stemming from our cultures and friendship groups," says Alexander. "There are all these specificities that maybe queer people finally get to grasp onto with my songs. But at the end of the day, everyone experiences the same emotions or at least has a reference, a way into that emotion. I have always tried to explain to people that it doesn't shut them out. When you are writing truthfully about your own experience people will recognize your honesty." And for straight men? Super gay music may be exactly what they need, whether they know it or not. "That's a prison unto itself, straight culture," says Alexander. "There are all these invisible lines that people draw in front of themselves — you can't say that, and you can't get too emotional, and if you are a straight dude, the whole culture of masculinity is super oppressive. I wouldn't say I have sympathy exactly for straight guys but I do have compassion. It's not easy for anybody." Straight fans notwithstanding, gay sex is an undeniable part of the Years & Years story. Primal urges undergird every great pop moment, and Alexander is just as horny as '80s Madonna in her black bustier, '90s Britney in that problematic schoolgirl uniform, and even those promise-ring toting Jonas brothers singing over the orgiastic screams of their 2000s tween audience. But queer sex scares people — or used to (particularly label executives). All the iterations of possible body part combinations seem to freak out anyone who want to gloss over the obvious sexuality of the songs they sing from their showers. So the pressure has long been to hide the queerness in innuendo, leaving fans to pore over lyrics in search of subtle clues. "Oh yeah, I had that with Jeff Buckley," laughs Alexander. "He has this one song called 'Opened Once' and the first line says, 'I once was open and one with a traveling heart, I loved this sweet guy.' So I was like 'I knew it! Gay!' But there was no real evidence of that. I think the first gay artist I was aware of was George Michael, because my mom liked him and she would play his music. I was at an age that where I didn't actually understand the situation but I knew that he had done something scandalous." If Years & Years success means that the cyphering dies out, Alexander is ok with that. "Nostalgia can be a trap," he says. "Codes are fun — and they are such a part of our history. I love the symbolism of it all. But I think we should be taking that as inspiration to create new ways to communicate with each other. That's what I'm trying to do anyway." Palo Santo doesn't hold back in this regard. The pronouns are clear. The videos show every permutation of writhing gender combination. In one of the album's most charged moments, the song "Sanctify" repeats the chorus: "So don't break. Sanctify my body with pain. Sanctify the love that you crave. Oh, and I won't, and I wont, and I won't be ashamed." Kinky gay sex with a little sacrilege — it's hot. "Yeah there's this S&M vibe," says Alexander — possibly with a bashful giggle. "I'm definitely interested in that part of the human psyche, that pleasure and pain kink zone — our deepest sexual fantasies and desires. And I wanted to write something that spoke to how painful the experience of being gay can actually be. How we kind of interrogate our desires, and there's a part of us that wants to be hurt and we enjoy the pain. For me anyway, I've kind of known that about myself for a while. Thankfully now I'm in a different place with these things. But when I was a teenager, I was self-harming and I was bulimic — I've been very open about this. I don't want to draw parallels between that kind of personal experience and what it means to be queer in general, because that's wrong. But specifically for me and this song — and maybe for some others — that's part of where it comes from." He continues, "I talk about sex like this a lot — especially in the press — because so many people are afraid of it. I understand that some people don't want to and that's fine that's their choice. I mean, every time I do it I know my family is going to be so embarrassed. My mom reads everything I do, but whatever she's cool with it and has seen it all before. But with so few vocal gay people in the world, I've noticed that some people get upset when I talk about sex because they say it's perpetuating this stereotype that gay men are just promiscuous and want to fuck anything that moves — and I say, listen some gay men are like that and some aren't and that's ok. There's more than one way to be gay, or queer, there's not just one. So, I'm trying to get that across, to get across my experiences." It's important that none of this paint Alexander as some sort of self-righteous sex crusader. Nor as some kind of gimmicky wannabe pop-star trying to sell his music with fake sex. Nothing could be further from the truth. The core differentiator when it comes to Alexander versus other gay artists is that he's simply done being repressed. It almost feels like, and this is meant as the highest of compliments, he's performing with the fun sexuality of that one person who sings Beyonce — and nails it — every Friday at your local gay karaoke night. Which actually makes sense since, what with the lack of out gay male pop stars, it was the great women of pop who inspired Alexander. "As a kid there was this 80s greatest hits cassette that my mom had, and I would play it all the time because it had 'Material Girl' on it and I loved 'Material Girl'. I would put it on in my room and dance around. I didn't know why, at the time, but I was instantly drawn to these female singers and female artists. As I grew a bit older, it didn't feel like there were any men I could identify with — or that didn't feel like a safe kind of zone to be in, especially for a gay boy. Well, except Stevie Wonder; I loved Stevie Wonder. But there was just something about these women who were so idolized and were so in command of their bodies and sexuality, and everyone was so invested in them and their narratives as women. I mean, much smarter people than me have written about this and why gay men in particular kind of love divas. But I just felt like I wanted to sing like Whitney Houston and everyone on that tape." Their influence on Alexander is obvious, but he walks a delicate line with that influence perfectly. On stage at Brooklyn Steel, the references are all there. Dancing. Backup singers. The whole shebang. But it's also very much singular to Olly Alexander. Things are both muted and exaggerated. Take his choreography — it's professional as befitting a sold out show of two thousand, or as anyone who's seen his moves in the recent videos might expect. But it doesn't overwhelm Alexander's naive inner gay boy — that 15-year-old who, though bullied mercilessly at school, never broke; who must have been unbearably adorable bopping to Christina Aguilera and Beyoncé in his little bedroom in Yorkshire. We all know the indefatigable enthusiasm of the teenage queen who, home alone, escapes into his own limitlessly worshipful fandom. That enthusiasm has never left Alexander, and he's inviting us to escape into it once again. www.papermag.com/olly-alexander-pride-2585229644.html?rebelltitem=16#rebelltitem16
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Jul 12, 2018 0:24:55 GMT -5
im feeling quite attacked
|
|
Libra
Diamond Member
The One Who Knows Where All the Bodies Are Buried
:)
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 14,376
My Charts
|
Post by Libra on Jul 12, 2018 2:20:08 GMT -5
I was looking forward to this album with some trepidation, because my fear was that it wouldn't live up to Communion. Going through it no less than three times on Sunday (and again tonight), I can say that this is as great as that (still) is. Overall, the album has several spots that conjure up "familiar" sounds in that they sound like something I've heard before. A few of these I can specifically place - for example, "Don't Panic" has a melody line at its end that's practically lifted off of "Worship" from Communion. Also: {This completely self-referential reference that literally no one will get}Both "Hallelujah" and "Up in Flames" sound reminiscent of tracks that are on this 9-year-old mix CD that I still have from a 2009 Pride. While other "familiar" spots are ones I can't place without a ridiculous amount of researching. But sounding different degrees of "familiar" doesn't drag this down at all. A couple of other notes: I was taken aback by "Up in Flames" being the closer, both because of its intense, driving melody and the fact that it sounds nothing like the rest of the album. I was also surprised when Olly revealed the above photoshoot on his IG, only less so because it's plainly obvious how Olly's been, ummm...putting himself out there, so to speak, over the past couple of years. I'm surprised no one's posted this yet, if only for the sake of thorough-ness: That said, I'm not sure it lives up to whatever they're going for with it. Lastly, this:
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Jul 12, 2018 18:13:31 GMT -5
The short film confuses me. I don't know what they were going for
|
|
Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 12, 2018 18:20:28 GMT -5
I finally listened to the album today and I enjoyed it from start to finish. Solid stuff.
|
|
newpower
3x Platinum Member
Joined: December 2005
Posts: 3,532
|
Post by newpower on Jul 12, 2018 20:22:57 GMT -5
They covered Ariana Grande
|
|
Glove Slap
Administrator
Sweetheart
Downloading ༺༒༻ Possibilities
Joined: January 2007
Posts: 29,480
Staff
|
Post by Glove Slap on Jul 13, 2018 11:24:06 GMT -5
Album goes in at #3 in the UK behind Drake & TGS; the debut entered at #1.
|
|
Juan Carlos
Administrator
One of Pulse's great hidden gems
🔐🌕💛
Joined: February 2011
Posts: 37,409
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
Staff
|
Post by Juan Carlos on Jul 15, 2018 21:34:57 GMT -5
I have to be honest that my expectations towards the album decreased after "Sanctify" and "If You're Over Me" came out. Although I like the former and the latter is growing on me, both of them are definitely my least favourite singles they have released so far. However, with the release of the two instant grats ("Palo Santo" and "All for You"), they caught my attention again, so I listened to the album (well... I was going to listen to it nonetheless) and I was surprised to see how solid is. That said, I still prefer Communion over Palo Santo though.
Oh! And "Rendezvous" needs to be pushed as a single. It's amazing. Also, I hope they release the H&M version of "Hypnotised" too at some point.
|
|
Libra
Diamond Member
The One Who Knows Where All the Bodies Are Buried
:)
Joined: September 2003
Posts: 14,376
My Charts
|
Post by Libra on Jul 17, 2018 11:47:19 GMT -5
See, for me it was sort of different, in that my greater concern was always over how the whole body of work was going to turn out. Which is not to say that the songs don't matter as much individually - they absolutely do - but...well, unless they put out song after song that was absolute shit, I'd probably be looking forward to the album right up until it dropped. When "Sanctify" dropped, it didn't exactly become my new favorite song of theirs, not even close. But it does come off as a forward progression from them - no way would a song like that go anywhere near Communion - and more importantly for me, it's still good. Just as important (for me) is that that's how I invested into Communion in the first place: Once they'd gotten to the point where they were (IMO) putting out great song after great song with consistency ("Shine" notwithstanding), that's when I decided to check out the full album.
So...it only made sense to think that once again, the best might still be yet to come with Palo Santo.
|
|
schnetzka
2x Platinum Member
The album that never ends... I mean 'THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: THE ANTHOLOGY' out now!
|
Post by schnetzka on Jul 18, 2018 17:46:34 GMT -5
This charted at #75 on Billboard Top 200 in the United States. What the hell United States.
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Jul 18, 2018 17:50:43 GMT -5
bye.
|
|
Chelsea Press 2
Diamond Member
#LiteralLegender
The way I feel is sexual, when you're next to me
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 69,056
|
Post by Chelsea Press 2 on Jul 18, 2018 17:55:41 GMT -5
This charted at #75 on Billboard Top 200 in the United States. What the hell United States. There really hasn't been that much promotion in the U.S. and there's no mainstream hit single.
|
|
|
Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Jul 18, 2018 19:04:31 GMT -5
After just a week, this album is my third most listened to album in 2018 behind Brandi Carlile and George Ezra's new albums.
|
|
hilbertkc
New Member
Love Them More
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 406
|
Post by hilbertkc on Jul 19, 2018 3:40:13 GMT -5
I am so in love with this album! Was perfectly released when I was on Holiday. I made my boyfriend listen to it and he's now a fan too! :)
Karma is THAT bop!! (and Up in Flames).. although I truly love the whole album! Such a fun listen
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Jul 20, 2018 16:38:00 GMT -5
This is already my most played album of 2018 with over 5000 plays (counting the 2000 plays I had on Sanctify before the album dropped that are counted to it.) Each song off the album has over 100 plays. I'm a stan.
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Sept 1, 2018 10:27:38 GMT -5
All For You appears to be the next single.
|
|
|
Post by Devil Marlena Nylund on Sept 2, 2018 21:30:55 GMT -5
Best choice! Love All For You!
|
|
Lumi
4x Platinum Member
I feel so sad, you should be sad
Joined: March 2018
Posts: 4,788
|
Post by Lumi on Sept 12, 2018 16:50:29 GMT -5
After 3 months of it's release, "Palo Santo" has an 81 score on Metacritic with 16 reviews under it's title.
|
|
Juan Carlos
Administrator
One of Pulse's great hidden gems
🔐🌕💛
Joined: February 2011
Posts: 37,409
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
Staff
|
Post by Juan Carlos on Sept 14, 2018 16:03:19 GMT -5
|
|
Juan Carlos
Administrator
One of Pulse's great hidden gems
🔐🌕💛
Joined: February 2011
Posts: 37,409
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him
Staff
|
Post by Juan Carlos on Sept 30, 2018 11:03:31 GMT -5
|
|