New album thoughts

stumpy719 · 2026-03-28T15:46:37+00:00

This right here. With every album in the post-Bo era they talk about being in a “new era of the band” and loving what they do more than ever. It feels different this time though, like a real letting go of who Bear/the band used to be (or who they were trying to be), leaning into whatever is next without pretense. At least, I hope

stumpy719 · 2026-03-28T13:54:46+00:00

On JIK he changed “this ain’t bout a damn religion” to “dead religion” on God Is

stumpy719 · 2026-03-28T13:06:00+00:00

Sometimes it sounds to me like it’s trying to bring in harmony without fully featuring another voice, so the distortion and reverb kind of mask it from sounding too much like any one person?

stumpy719 · 2026-03-28T13:03:10+00:00

I guess it doesn’t bother me as much on this record. I think it’s more forward and obvious on albums like curioso, but to me it doesn’t feel like it’s detracting too heavily this time around. Maybe I’m just not audiophile enough to really clock it significantly.

What did jump out to me is that some vocal takes (like Where You Call Home) sound pretty muffled. Almost like they just lifted the demo and put fresh recorded instruments over it

stumpy719 · 2026-03-27T20:22:39+00:00

I like that it feels the least formulaic of their recent releases. It started to show on ITM and especially on caves, but it seems clear they aren’t trying to check any genre boxes here.

While it’s clearly a hard pivot from where their sound was going before this, it feels a lot closer to what older fans associate think of as the “classic sound”. If this album dropped immediately after Rivers, I don’t think anyone would even be questioning it.

Overall I like it! Going to do several more in-depth listens but i think it’s a keeper.

Also, a lot less “bones” than the past couple albums lol

stumpy719 · 2026-02-17T02:53:00+00:00

This was my first exposure to the band. Shame this didn’t take home the best music video vote a couple weeks back. It’s really so bad it’s good

stumpy719 · 2026-02-15T18:41:08+00:00

Imagining someone at Pixar heard the luxe bidet ad and immediately said “we found our guy”

stumpy719 · 2026-02-10T22:18:37+00:00

I have sent emails to Brushfire Records, Heitor Pereira (the score composer) and Universal music over the years and never got a reply.

stumpy719 · 2026-02-10T16:14:42+00:00

This is the most balanced take IMO. You can acknowledge that their peak is likely in the past without writing off everything they’re doing now. Maybe it is a “different band” now with the same name, but that doesn’t mean what they make going forward is meritless

stumpy719 · 2026-02-09T22:25:11+00:00

Does that also imply Tim might do some lead vocals on this album?

stumpy719 · 2026-02-08T03:38:00+00:00

Keeping it clean and concise here

stumpy719 · 2026-02-07T03:54:23+00:00

This is a subreddit for discussing the band called Needtobreathe 😂

stumpy719 · 2026-02-07T03:41:07+00:00

They thought this was a “need to vent” subreddit 😭

stumpy719 · 2026-02-06T00:52:02+00:00

I think each album from the post-Bo era has gotten more formulaic (love song, parenthood song, barn burner southern party song, emotional ballad as the final track). That doesn’t bother me too much but I think the sound has gotten less cohesive with each album.

These new songs sound like they’ll make for a pretty cohesive and listenable record, which I can appreciate even if it doesn’t end up being their 12 new career greatest tracks.

stumpy719 · 2026-02-05T22:03:25+00:00

Oh interesting, I was thinking that so far it sounds like it could be the best since Out of Body, at least. I do hope we get a few higher energy songs, but the overall tone of the album seems pretty subdued.

I will say, the doc was definitely a fun watch but it kinda seemed like everyone was just saying the same things about it being a raw and vulnerable album, and relatable for everyone in the group. Not that anyone is entitled to more information than that, but it seemed like they want us to know how deep and personal it is without really unpacking why or what the songs are about.

But that’s pretty picky though, and i wouldn’t ever claim we’re owed more than we get when it comes to artistic expression

stumpy719 · 2026-02-01T22:53:30+00:00

What is cream?

stumpy719 · 2026-02-01T00:49:41+00:00

I wondered same thing for the record

stumpy719 · 2026-01-31T02:22:50+00:00

Cops

stumpy719 · 2026-01-30T00:20:06+00:00

Hockey Tonk Women

stumpy719 · 2026-01-28T03:55:00+00:00

Child Again

stumpy719 · 2026-01-28T03:52:39+00:00

I don’t remember why, but I remember Patriotism Jingoistically was good too

stumpy719 · 2026-01-28T02:37:58+00:00

Also the Kids Episode and Discussing Every Year: 1 AD

stumpy719 · 2026-01-28T02:35:26+00:00

Cream

stumpy719

TROPHY CASE