Williammunny11

Grrr...I had to miss this on account of a last-minute commitment. Thanks for all the feedback everyone...I hope he does more of these...hoenstly, if he did one every two weeks, maybe just to focus on a specific album, I would so be down.

That's a great edit!

Honestly, if not for my wonderful wife and child, I'd probably be there right now.

This is amazing...thanks for posting!

Looks like you got it squared away?

Man, I can't wait for this to come to 'on demand'!

Warched the first two episodes, but plan on going back. Would you say it has a strong finish?

I recently finished Emily St. John-Mandel's 'The Glass Hotel' and it blew me away. The post-apocalytpic 'Station Eleven' is her 'claim to fame', and it is indeed an excellent read, but I give her so much credit for diving into a completely different direction with 'The Glass Hotel.' The story essentially follows a Bernie-Madoff-esque ponzi scheme from beginning to end, highlighting the far-reaching consequences of one man's actions. Brilliant.

Echoing many of the comments here, I was beyond excited for this (as a huge TNG fan) and was pleased with the first few episodes. That all being said, the season quickly went off the rails and I was wholly dissapointed by the end. Stewart gave a great performance throughout, but the store left me wanting in so many ways. One thing I kept thinking while watching was, 'who is this for?' It seems like they were trying to bridge the gap between capturing a new audience, and pandering to die-hards...and in the end, I feel like they failed on both fronts. I was so not into this that I have little interest in watching a second season. Such a missed-opportunity in my opinion.

I already posted my thoughts in the 'other' thread, but then I noticed this one here. Yes, I am very excited for the new album. I liked the last 'record,' but at only 8 songs, it felt more like a 'getting reacquainted' EP than an actual full-length.

Anyone have thoughts on the two new songs that popped up last week? While I completely understand the mixed reaction, considering the heavy 'Adore-era' influence, I really, really love that era of the band, and dig the tunes a lot.

Amazing interview...great job, man!

I wanted to check out the one he did a few weeks back, but it conflicted with my schedule. This time, however, I'm so there. Did anyone check out the last one? Care to offer thoughts or opinions?

My heart goes out to Matt for his loss. In regards to the stateside shows, I'm hoping that this Coronavirus business doesn't interfere with any of the upcoming shows. Seems ridiculous to even wonder, but it seems like this story just gets wilder by the day.

Absolutely, that was the whole point of this thread. I love reading lists, and I think the fact that there's little consensus so far speaks to the sustained quality of Matt's output.

Yeah, that sounds pretty spot on. And you know what? I appreciate his candor. As an artist myself, I've had a lifelong love/hate relationship with just about everything I've ever created. Come to think of it, I don't know that I've ever met another musician who didn't feel the same way. That being said, you'll be hard pressed to find a 'big name' band/artist/musician who'll give you an honest opinion of their work. And I get it, you need to 'support your brand' and all that jazz, but in regards to Matt, he's never dodged the topic, which is something that I both appreciate and respect.

Okay, so after a week of listening, I finally feel like I’m at a place where I can articulate my thoughts. The following is my review of Matt’s new record; noticing the scant online coverage for Moving Walls, I purposely wrote in a more formal voice here as I intend to post this in a couple different places. Hopefully, this write-up will have some legs, or at the very least, raise some awareness for the record. ***Quick note: In addition to the new-album thread, I’ve decided to ‘double post’ this in the album-rankings thread (which I started a few weeks back) as well, since it pretty much sums up my thoughts on both topics. Moving Walls: The Beauty in the Struggle From his impressive run in the mid-‘90s (by way of of the alt-rock band that shared his name), to his sustained ‘under the radar’ success as a solo artist, Matthew Good has been redefining the expectations of his audience for the better part of three decades. And with his ninth solo release, Moving Walls, the Canadian singer-songwriter re-establishes what longtime fans have known for years: Matthew Good is writing the best music of his career. Good himself has used the term ‘adult contemporary’ when trying to describe Moving Walls, and while the tag certainly fits (at least in a general sense), it ultimately undersells the album’s depth and scope. Where recent outings often felt like the work of an artist struggling to find a balance between expectation and inspiration (marked by Good’s attempts to offset his increasingly atmospheric ballads with amps-to-eleven rockers), Moving Walls is brazenly unapologetic; from start to finish Good plays to his strengths, leaning heavily on concise arrangements, confessional lyrics, and some incredibly inspired vocals. Case in point being the dynamic album-opener “One of Them Years”, a brooding number that finds Good dispensing biting bursts of dense, Dylan-esque prose over a circular chord-progression. Subtly switching gears, “A Momentary Truth” echoes the upbeat folk of Hospital Music’s “The Boy Come Home”, while the appropriately-titled “Beauty” further showcases Good’s ever-evolving lyrical abilities. Combining a staccato piano-line, thunderous backbeat, and Good’s soaring vocals, the album’s first single, “Sicily”, judiciously channels the singer’s alt-rock roots to great effect. “Boobytrapped”, on the other hand, leans heavily on a beautifully recorded string-section while “Radicals” confidently waltzes its way through one lyrical gem after another, closing out one of the more solid opening salvos in Good’s catalog. Next up is a trio of standout tracks (the stunning, six-minute rocker “Dreading It”, the snare-driven “Your Rainy Sound”, and the lush, understated “Fingernails”), each of which adds a healthy dose of energy and momentum to the album’s second act. “Lumiere Noire” (notable for Good’s decision to sing the entire song in French) features a brilliant acoustic solo while one of Moving Walls most intimate moments comes courtesy of “A Thousand Tons”, a beautifully orchestrated three-and-a-half minute emotional crescendo that easily could’ve found a home on 2011’s Lights of Endangered Species. Another expertly-crafted slice of mid-tempo folk-rock, “The Heights” sets the stage for the stunning ballad “Selling You My Heart”, a heartbreakingly candid song that has ‘instant classic’ written all over it. “Thorn Bird” evokes the lush atmosphere of 2003’s Avalanche, marrying sparse, shimmering chords with one of the record’s strongest vocal performances while “The Parts” provides the album with an appropriately introspective coda. It’s understandably tempting to try and measure an artist’s latest release against their past work, and in the case of Moving Walls, the most obvious point of reference is probably 2007's Hospital Music. There are plenty of similarities (both albums are largely acoustic and feature fifteen songs clocking in at over an hour), but where the former often sounded like a necessary catharsis, the introspective mood permeating Moving Walls feels like a deliberate artistic choice. To take the analogy a step further, if Hospital Music was the sound of a man picking up the pieces, Moving Walls is what he ultimately turned those pieces into. The album is dense, but far from impenetrable, and repeated listens reveal an incredibly nuanced mix; Moving Walls is easily one of best ‘sounding’ records Matthew Good has released. To that point, it’s easy to imagine Moving Walls as a template for the next stage of Good’s career, one where he follows in the footsteps of fellow countryman Neil Young, refusing to acquiesce to the established narrative that attempts to paint aging rockers into that ‘shut up and play the hits’ corner. Moving Walls isn’t a flawless record (given the prevalence of ballads, especially on the back-half, mileage may vary depending on mood), but it’s pretty damn close, and is sure to please longtime fans. Either way, for the first time in years, it sounds like the only person Matthew Good was ‘trying’ to please was himself, which makes Moving Walls a win/win for everyone. My final thoughts: So there you have it. As you can probably guess, I love the record. Matt’s really outdone himself and Moving Walls more than exceeded my expectations. I don’t think I’ve been this impressed with a release since Lights, and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that in both cases, he’s chosen to back off the electric guitar, and focus on placing the lyric and mood front and center. I’m hesitant to give it a ranking (I mean, it’s only been a week), but if I had to say right now, I’d probably place Moving Walls in my top-3 favorite Matt Good releases, behind only Lights of Endangered Species and Chaotic Neutral. If by any chance you happen to read this, hats off Mr. Good.

Okay, so after a week of listening, I finally feel like I’m at a place where I can articulate my thoughts. The following is my review of Matt’s new record; noticing the scant online coverage for Moving Walls, I purposely wrote in a more formal voice here as I intend to post this in a couple different places. Hopefully, this write-up will have some legs, or at the very least, raise some awareness for the record. ***Quick note: In addition to the new-album thread, I’ve decided to ‘double post’ this in the album-rankings thread (which I started a few weeks back) as well, since it pretty much sums up my thoughts on both topics. Moving Walls: The Beauty in the Struggle From his impressive run in the mid-‘90s (by way of of the alt-rock band that shared his name), to his sustained ‘under the radar’ success as a solo artist, Matthew Good has been redefining the expectations of his audience for the better part of three decades. And with his ninth solo release, Moving Walls, the Canadian singer-songwriter re-establishes what longtime fans have known for years: Matthew Good is writing the best music of his career. Good himself has used the term ‘adult contemporary’ when trying to describe Moving Walls, and while the tag certainly fits (at least in a general sense), it ultimately undersells the album’s depth and scope. Where recent outings often felt like the work of an artist struggling to find a balance between expectation and inspiration (marked by Good’s attempts to offset his increasingly atmospheric ballads with amps-to-eleven rockers), Moving Walls is brazenly unapologetic; from start to finish Good plays to his strengths, leaning heavily on concise arrangements, confessional lyrics, and some incredibly inspired vocals. Case in point being the dynamic album-opener “One of Them Years”, a brooding number that finds Good dispensing biting bursts of dense, Dylan-esque prose over a circular chord-progression. Subtly switching gears, “A Momentary Truth” echoes the upbeat folk of Hospital Music’s “The Boy Come Home”, while the appropriately-titled “Beauty” further showcases Good’s ever-evolving lyrical abilities. Combining a staccato piano-line, thunderous backbeat, and Good’s soaring vocals, the album’s first single, “Sicily”, judiciously channels the singer’s alt-rock roots to great effect. “Boobytrapped”, on the other hand, leans heavily on a beautifully recorded string-section while “Radicals” confidently waltzes its way through one lyrical gem after another, closing out one of the more solid opening salvos in Good’s catalog. Next up is a trio of standout tracks (the stunning, six-minute rocker “Dreading It”, the snare-driven “Your Rainy Sound”, and the lush, understated “Fingernails”), each of which adds a healthy dose of energy and momentum to the album’s second act. “Lumiere Noire” (notable for Good’s decision to sing the entire song in French) features a brilliant acoustic solo while one of Moving Walls most intimate moments comes courtesy of “A Thousand Tons”, a beautifully orchestrated three-and-a-half minute emotional crescendo that easily could’ve found a home on 2011’s Lights of Endangered Species. Another expertly-crafted slice of mid-tempo folk-rock, “The Heights” sets the stage for the stunning ballad “Selling You My Heart”, a heartbreakingly candid song that has ‘instant classic’ written all over it. “Thorn Bird” evokes the lush atmosphere of 2003’s Avalanche, marrying sparse, shimmering chords with one of the record’s strongest vocal performances while “The Parts” provides the album with an appropriately introspective coda. It’s understandably tempting to try and measure an artist’s latest release against their past work, and in the case of Moving Walls, the most obvious point of reference is probably 2007's Hospital Music. There are plenty of similarities (both albums are largely acoustic and feature fifteen songs clocking in at over an hour), but where the former often sounded like a necessary catharsis, the introspective mood permeating Moving Walls feels like a deliberate artistic choice. To take the analogy a step further, if Hospital Music was the sound of a man picking up the pieces, Moving Walls is what he ultimately turned those pieces into. The album is dense, but far from impenetrable, and repeated listens reveal an incredibly nuanced mix; Moving Walls is easily one of best ‘sounding’ records Matthew Good has released. To that point, it’s easy to imagine Moving Walls as a template for the next stage of Good’s career, one where he follows in the footsteps of fellow countryman Neil Young, refusing to acquiesce to the established narrative that attempts to paint aging rockers into that ‘shut up and play the hits’ corner. Moving Walls isn’t a flawless record (given the prevalence of ballads, especially on the back-half, mileage may vary depending on mood), but it’s pretty damn close, and is sure to please longtime fans. Either way, for the first time in years, it sounds like the only person Matthew Good was ‘trying’ to please was himself, which makes Moving Walls a win/win for everyone. My final thoughts: So there you have it. As you can probably guess, I love the record. Matt’s really outdone himself and Moving Walls more than exceeded my expectations. I don’t think I’ve been this impressed with a release since Lights, and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that in both cases, he’s chosen to back off the electric guitar, and focus on placing the lyric and mood front and center. I’m hesitant to give it a ranking (I mean, it’s only been a week), but if I had to say right now, I’d probably place Moving Walls in my top-3 favorite Matt Good releases, behind only Lights of Endangered Species and Chaotic Neutral. If by any chance you happen to read this, hats off Mr. Good.

This!

I agree with Tips. This isn’t Dream Theater; grab a capo and strum along and you’ll figure it out right quick.

I suppose with streaming services, it’s understandable. The LP is a must have either way!

While I am a firm believe in the idea that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I’m not sure I will ever understand why someone would take the time to tell a forum of hardcore fans that - A: I haven’t liked so and so in x number of years/albums, and B: this new album isn’t going to change that. There’s something to be said for waiting more than 12 hours to tell the world you like or dislike anything. As someone whose written a lot of review-based articles over the years, I can assure that first impressions are often fluid, especially with things we love. Keep all of that in mind, I’d urge anyone who was turned off by the record to give it another spin at some point. It’s dense, and incredibly emotive, and probably won’t hit the same way on any given day - all the more reason to revisit at a later date? As far as my thoughts on the album, keeping in mind what I just wrote, I want to let the album sink in before I really offer my thoughts, but suffice it to say, I am incredibly pleased with what I have heard. I don't want to be a prisoner of the moment, but I suspect that I will be listening to this album for months to come.

I have only seen Matt once, so I have little to offer here other than to say welcome to the Bored and that this is a great topic. That being said. I would love to hear song like Set Me On Fire (which I hold in extremely high esteem), either with a the 'full-on' treatment, or even as a solo guitar/vocal number. I can't wait to see the set lists begin to roll in from this upcoming tour. Buffalo here I come!

Sounds great, and I'm really glad that song is going to get the 'finished' treatment.

I'm gonna do the pre-order for the vinyl today. I assume it will come with an MP3 code (all of the other's I've purchased have), but I'll be sure to update when it arrives.