Fair to Midland - Arrows and Anchors

[Soundscape]

01. Heavens To Murgatroyd (0:45)
02. Whiskey And Ritalin (3:45)
03. Musical Chairs (3:39)
04. Uh-Oh (4:25)
05. Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow (4:51)
06. A Loophole In Limbo (3:47)
07. Typhoid Mary Sends Her Best (0:57)
08. Short Haired Tornado (4:29)
09. The Upset At Bailey Bridge (0:53)
10. Rikki Tikki Tavi (3:32)
11. Golden Parachutes (3:51)
12. Bright Bulbs And Sharp Tools (4:05)
13. Coppertank Island (3:17)
14. Three Foolproof Ways To Buy The Farm (2:52)
15. The Greener Grass (11:15)

This is their new album, being released on Tuesday July 12th. Stream is here:
http://www.radiometal.com/en/article/preview-fair-to-midland-hits-the-target,36702

lot of people may enjoy this one as much if not more than their last album Fables From a MayFly: What I Tell You Three Times is True. Personally, the jury is out until I hear a 1st generation copy with headphones.

 

[The Invisible Guest]

I think they are fairly brilliant. I've seen them live a few times ... lead singer is insane. I like the new tune .. fairly heavy .. catchy. What's not to like, I guess?

On second and third listen I get the sense that this tune could be a major hit for them. It's an excellent tune.


Britt

 

[General Zod]

I think they are fairly brilliant. I've seen them live a few times ... lead singer is insane.

This. Britt and I saw them at Wacken, on the W.E.T. stage. They were the least Metal band to play that stage, and they just blew the crowd away with their energy.

EDIT: Ok... if the rest of the album is that good, this has serious album of the year potential.

 

[FALCON_FURY]

Agree one of the most engaging LIVE Performances I have ever seen. This disc is one of my most anticipated in sometime, plan on getting some major playtime come tuesday.
Note:was amazed how the singer was able to handle the various vocal styles that were on their first album, be was psychotic, yet spot on for the entire set.

 

[zedowns]

I loved it on my first listen, listening again right now and its even better this time around. This is definitely going to compete for my Album of the Year.

 

[nomisofsiman]

I had no clue this was coming out. Glad someone made a thread of it. I loved their debut disc and looking very forward to this. I would love to see them live, but it seems every time they tour, it's just bad timing for me.

 

[Soundscape]

the CD version does sound a fair amount better, or more listenable. Time will tell for me, but I'm starting to back off on how poor the production of the cymbals are on here. They're not incredibly crisp and clean, save for 1 or 2 tracks (Bright Bulbs come to mind), but they are more within the mix of the distortion and layering. They sound more splashy, a bit like the cymbals sound on Set Sail the Prairie.

That being said, I'm focusing more on the actual music, and I'm still rolling my eyes a bit over the praising comments. There's some nice work here, but I'm not finding it flows like Fables, nor have as many earworms or amazing songs/sections of songs.

But that stuff often can change with more play.

 

[p1driftfiend]

That being said, I'm focusing more on the actual music, and I'm still rolling my eyes a bit over the praising comments. There's some nice work here, but I'm not finding it flows like Fables, nor have as many earworms or amazing songs/sections of songs.

But that stuff often can change with more play.

Agreed that it doesn't flow like Fables, but that because it's not like Fables in that it's much harder and simpler.

It will get better with plays - case in point I did not like Whiskey & Ritalin as the "opener" or the song for that matter, but after a couple of listens, it's becoming a favorite and it sets the tone for the album, which aside from one song, is more direct and simpler than Fables.

I consider this their true second album, and it seems like it's almost a step back from the flowing (sorry, flowing is just the perfect word) Fables. Every song on Fables was not only catchy as hell, but they had tons of layers and lots going on between the vocal and music.

Arrows and Anchors cuts to the chase much quicker - the songs are not only shorter, but they get to the chorus a heck of a lot quicker.

There ultimately seems to be less in each song than in Fables, but again, the songs are just more direct and harder.

That being said, I thinks it's far more accessable than Fables, and there are a few songs that definately channel Fables (Short Haired-Tornado, Greener Grass, even Musical Chairs sounds like it could have been on Fables).

Fables will always be one of my all time favorite albums and will never be topped by A&A or future FTM releases, but this new album no doubt deserves the praise given and is without a doubt my 2011 album of the year.

 

[SkiBumMSP]

EMusic has both this new one and Fables From a Mayfly. Listening to the samples now and I really like this! Will have to grab both of these.

 

[TribunalRecords]

the album is "meh" for me at the moment. upon first listen i was kind of bummed, but it's slowly sinking in. but i am not digging as much as the last one. i hope it's a creeper however!

 

[TribunalRecords]

the CD version does sound a fair amount better, or more listenable. Time will tell for me, but I'm starting to back off on how poor the production of the cymbals are on here. They're not incredibly crisp and clean, save for 1 or 2 tracks (Bright Bulbs come to mind), but they are more within the mix of the distortion and layering. They sound more splashy, a bit like the cymbals sound on Set Sail the Prairie.

Cymbal mix? seriously?!?! so what you are saying is you prefer the crisp mix of FAKE cymbals that cut clean through because they are sounds from a sample bank?

this is a first for me. hearing a complaint about the clarity of cymbals on a record that sonically is as professional as they get.

very interesting.