Silversun Pickups

I'm going to admit to never being a Silversun Pickups fan. Simply because I just never sat down and listened to them. Shamefully, the only song I really know is 'Lazy Eye' and that is because I rocked the shit of it on Guitar Hero like 10 years ago. 

And while I always try to tune out other reviews of albums because I don't want them to taint my taint-brations, shit comes across my social-media feeds and I can't help but noticing this album is getting shat all over. 

Now, I'm not sure how Better Nature found its way on to my playlist a couple of weeks ago, but it wasn't until this morning when I realized that I've been listening to the fuck out it. And I'm not sure I understand all that negative noise. 

What started off as me enjoying the first two tracks and letting the album play out in the background while I worked, turned into a full-fledged appreciation. I guess those later tracks must've seeped into my subconscious because if last night somebody asked my opinion about Better Nature I'd plead ignorance, yet, this morning (one full listen later) I found myself singing the lyrics on the 9th track.

How the fuck did that happen? Maybe I do know this album better than I thought I did. 

So, I queued it up one more time....this time for a critical listen, and in general, I gotta say that I love their length and their girth. 

MmmHmm. 

The tracks take a perfect amount of time to satisfy every part of me that needs satisfying. They complete me. Whether it's enough time to properly build to a climax, or to texturize the song so that its Soundcloud sound-wave-bar would look like an awesome roller coaster you'd wait in line to ride with chubby people who smell like nacho cheese and B.O.. The changes in tempo, volume, density, etc. keep my prostate at full swell. 

And if it weren't for the production (or girth) everything I wrote above would fall flat. There are so many sounds on the album that enhance these dips or rises. Sections, like on 'Tape Deck', where the sound phases from crisp to muddy and back to crisp. Or like at the 2.20 part on 'Ragamuffin', where the song abruptly transforms into what I swear is a sample for the XX album. 

And it's just these little parts that are sprinkled all over the album that I'd think make it impossible for anybody to shat on. That negative noise is not bro-namous as far as I'm concerned. 

Check it out. Decide for yourself if you are team tingly prostate or team shatter.