Wouldn't You Rather

[chtimixeur]

AB have been attempting to get heavier with each record and I wish they would stop doing that.

I long for AB to put out a record that sounds like a combination of ODR and BB.

[Achilles]

It’s been an ear worm for me. Chorus took a sec, but then I kinda got an Alice In Chains vibe from it, and think it really flows. I think folks have mentioned it previously, but I def see the style over past couple albums give little nods to Mastodon and Gojira. Makes sense

[VigilantSteve]

AB have been attempting to get heavier with each record and I wish they would stop doing that.

I long for AB to put out a record that sounds like a combination of ODR and BB.

See, and I'm generally the opposite of that. Despite being a fan from day one, I hope they never completely go back to the ODR sound, and enjoy them getting heavier. They've long since left that ODR sound and I don't feel like that represents AB as a whole at all anymore.

[Dolo]

See, I'd love to see a mix of BB and say, ABIII, but people who's never written a song, have little idea of how it's sometimes so hard to compile a song, especially in a certain style. AB wants to evolve, and you have to respect that, but the type of evolving they were involved in while wriitng the new record just doesn't seem to be right. Obviously, we haven't heard the new record yet, but I don't think it's gonna come anywhere close antyhing groundbreaking.

[Blackbirddd]

The biggest complain I have for this single it’s the mix, god it keeps sounding pretty bad, it’s actually hard to find clear guitars and obviously the album will sound the same in terms of mixing, that makes me sad.

[austinjhnsn]

Man, I know this is sort of off topic but I love how ABIII has grown on the fanbase. It was definitely super polarizing after it came out and especially with Fortress being the album that came after, it looked weak initially, but I think time has been kind to it... Unlike TLH. Its always been close to number one for me, just depends on my mood.

[Silvercreed]

Man, I know this is sort of off topic but I love how ABIII has grown on the fanbase. It was definitely super polarizing after it came out and especially with Fortress being the album that came after, it looked weak initially, but I think time has been kind to it... Unlike TLH. Its always been close to number one for me, just depends on my mood.

Probably the same will happen with the TLH. At least, I hope so.
Although I agree that it is difficult to listen to the album due to the horrible mix.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

TLH is a different album. It won't grow on people the same way, at all.

Still kudos to some great tracks, though:

- The Other Side
- Cradle to the Grave (some irks, but overall great)
- This Side of Fate
- Island of Fools
- The Last Hero

Honorable mention to The Writing on the Wall and Crows on a Wire. You Will Be Remembered would be fine for me with a better instrumental arrangement and tempo, and My Champion would be great with a clearer and more dynamic mix.

The mix overall brings the album way down, though. AB III doesn't have the same issue.

- - - - - - - -

I've finally decided to listen to Wouldn't You Rather up until the end of the first chorus, just to get a taste. I like the song overall very much. I do have my slights regarding arrangement/mix again, but they are minor and not big detractors, at least not yet. I only heard the YouTube version, and apparently the iTunes version is far inferior as far as mix, which is just unfortunate. Overall though, I'm pumped for the new album.

[SamarthJoshi]

Seeing all the differing opinions here is genuinely making me laugh now. One person shitting on someone else's favorite song and vice versa(All in good fun, I hope). And I'm saying this with absolutely no feelings of mockery or disrespect. Even in this chaos, this place is awesome!

I don't know what's wrong with a little bit of discussion. This is a discussion board, at least the last time I checked it was. We don't need to mark every time, that whatever we say is stated as an opinion and not as an absolute truth. I prefer this to having everyone tap the backs of everybody in AB and say 'great job, guys, this is the best song you've ever put out'. It's still okay to have a little bit of constructive criticism.

I don't know why you think I have a problem with a little bit of discussion. I have never forced anyone to like a song or an album. That sounds weird even while writing it. Of course, I agree with you that we cannot appreciate AB for everything they put out. I have listed a few songs which I didn't like a few posts above this one.

[Ubik]

TLH is a different album. It won't grow on people the same way, at all.

Still kudos to some great tracks, though:

- The Other Side
- Cradle to the Grave (some irks, but overall great)
- This Side of Fate
- Island of Fools
- The Last Hero

Honorable mention to The Writing on the Wall and Crows on a Wire. You Will Be Remembered would be fine for me with a better instrumental arrangement and tempo, and My Champion would be great with a clearer and more dynamic mix.

The mix overall brings the album way down, though. AB III doesn't have the same issue.

- - - - - - - -

I've finally decided to listen to Wouldn't You Rather up until the end of the first chorus, just to get a taste. I like the song overall very much. I do have my slights regarding arrangement/mix again, but they are minor and not big detractors, at least not yet. I only heard the YouTube version, and apparently the iTunes version is far inferior as far as mix, which is just unfortunate. Overall though, I'm pumped for the new album.

Kind of funny you say that, after it came out the mix was the thing that aggravated people most about it. It was basically the origin of Elvis complaints.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

I didn't say AB III doesn't have mixing issues, I said it doesn't have the same mixing issues.

Something changed from BB to AB III with mixing though, I agree. Myles doesn't sound like he's at the forefront anymore, there is a lot more reverberation throughout, and instruments don't distinguish themselves anymore like they used to. I remember once bringing it up here in the early stages of my time here, and I had somebody go: "You're kidding, right?"

But still, it doesn't have the harsh, shrill, clashing frequencies and wall of noise that TLH has.

[SamarthJoshi]

Speaking of Elvis and the Mix in general, how much does a Producer have control over the mix? I think that the Band must have listened to more amount of music than I guess almost everyone here. They should have a very clear idea about what a masterfully recorded album sounds like, right? So wouldn't they want to emulate a similar experience? I believe that they must have some kind of an opinion about how they want their individual instruments to sound. So then it comes to the skill of the producer to mix the album how the band wants it to be or does he have the full control over the sound and the band has to have trust in his judgement?

I remember this moment from "The making of Blackbird" documentary where Elvis is playing one layer of the song(Before Tomorrow Comes, IIRC) individually and then plays the complete track with all layers combined and Myles then jokingly says in the end something along the lines of "We have our whole future in the hands of this man".

[riemslag1]

People can complain about Elvis as much as they want, but does that do him justice ?
Probably every sound he is responsable for is requested to sound as such by the band themselves.
I mean, is it possible that anything the man produces reaches the audience without approval of the musicians involved ?
So also this much mentioned TLH-wall of sound-mix is requested to sound as such by AB, isn't it ?
Perhaps more easy and comfortable blaming Elvis, but is that correct ?

[anguyen92]

I mean Myles pushed for Elvis to not go crazy on the layering for Year of the Tiger. Not really the easiest thing to do when you got a mandolin, lap steel guitar, resonator guitar, banjo, acoustic guitar showing up at some point.

A Dying Machine sounded fine and didn't have the issues of the quality of sound as The Last Hero.

Slash could pick any producer he wants for his solo albums and those guys would love nothing more to work with Slash and yet, he went with Elvis as well. Also, Myles didn't push for Elvis to be the producer for Slash. Slash liked what he heard on Fortress and thought working with Elvis could be something cool.

At the end of the day, it comes to down to what does AB want? I've been speculating, ever since I have started listened to Mastodon a few weeks back, that AB in their attempts to heavily distinguish themselves from the other bands they are associated with (Creed, Slash, Tremonti, Myles solo) that it's a possibility that they decided that going the route of Mastodon and their sound would be the best approach? That style can lead to quite polarizing results. I don't mind that style, but I would like to see them to show the opposite in some parts of Walk the Sky.

[cheesedip1]

For example, it is difficult for me to understand how many people find Blackbird a masterpiece, when half of the album is average.

Yeah I would probably agree with you on this.

Blackbird is an amazing song, Ties that Bind, come to life, watch over you, are also good.

Everything else is kind average.

The album has good instrumentation but honestly, good choruses are usually what get me into a song. Some of the choruses on the album are weak.


-----------

Brand new start- good song, chorus is kinda weak but the rest of the song is pretty decent.

buried alive-- chorus could be better

coming home---worst song on the album; Myles playing the song acoustic once at a performance was a nice touch tho.

before tomorrow comes--- nice lyrics but song could be better; love the intro and the tremonti vocals

rise today---really liked it when it first came out, decent but could use more energy

one by one--- good intro, the chorus could be better

break me down--- needs work, weak chorus

white knuckles--- chorus could be better

wayward one--- chorus is kinda weak

All 3 bonus tracks are good, btw.

Sorry.

[Dolo]

For example, it is difficult for me to understand how many people find Blackbird a masterpiece, when half of the album is average.

Just out of curiosity, which one is your favourite?

Brand new start- good song, chorus is kinda weak but the rest of the song is pretty decent.

buried alive-- chorus could be better

coming home---worst song on the album; Myles playing the song acoustic once at a performance was a nice touch tho.

before tomorrow comes--- nice lyrics but song could be better; love the intro and the tremonti vocals

rise today---really liked it when it first came out, decent but could use more energy

one by one--- good intro, the chorus could be better

break me down--- needs work, weak chorus

white knuckles--- chorus could be better

wayward one--- chorus is kinda weak

All 3 bonus tracks are good, btw.

Sorry.

I've never seen an analysis of an album which would be that shallow. So the choruses are shit but the rest of the songs are great?

[Arctic]

There was so much drama after Rise Today was released. It’s pretty funny looking back on it though.

lmao I was like 20 years old and I went offfff, full on temper tantrum - it was stupid

weirdly enough the issues I had with the song at that time are long gone (at the time I was very right-leaning; now I'm the opposite), but I think it's very weak musically

Did you have the same username back then? Because I’m pretty sure that’s the one I remember causing a huge shitstorm in the thread right after the single was released, lmao. Good times.

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Never heard someone say White Knuckles has a lackluster chorus. Pretty underrated song when you think about it.

[scarecrow]

There was so much drama after Rise Today was released. It’s pretty funny looking back on it though.

lmao I was like 20 years old and I went offfff, full on temper tantrum - it was stupid

weirdly enough the issues I had with the song at that time are long gone (at the time I was very right-leaning; now I'm the opposite), but I think it's very weak musically

Did you have the same username back then? Because I’m pretty sure that’s the one I remember causing a huge shitstorm in the thread right after the single was released, lmao. Good times.

Yeah. I was an immature dumbass.

Still immature but a lot more self-aware.

[Silvercreed]

Just out of curiosity, which one is your favourite?

Favorite album? Fortress