Real Estate. Not Sunny Day. Just Real Estate.

I think "Days" is where they first hit their stride. "Atlas" is like a slightly more polished continuation of that album. The s/t debut isn't up to the same level. There are a couple of tracks that show promise, but it's a bit slight and unfocused.

Agreed. The debut has moments but hadn't really distinguished itself from the rest of the Woodsist style bands of the same period until "Days".

"Days" is one of the great growers of the past several years, imo

I agree - Days is the album of coice, although Atlas is showing similar qualities. I miss the lengthier songs of Days though.

I wrote about Days for record club:

http://devonrecordclub.com/2014/03/15/real-estate-days-round-62-toms-selection/

Don't really hear the clientele comparisons but defo hear the sea and cake. Anyway i love them both, and this album too.

Kinda can't get past primitive tho. Just a lovely straightfwd song of the sort I haven't heard in a good wee while.

^^^^^^^^^***^^^^**********gets it

Real Estate listeners: you might like Posse's new album (Soft Opening, released this year). It's on Spotify.

Yeah the Posse album is pretty good. Personally I didn't care for Atlas, its just toooo glossy and for me is almost unlistenable- and I loved every song including B-sides that they ever released before this came out. No hard feelings though, those guys are just too cool to hate on

I really don't see it as that far in sound from "Days".

The only really significant difference I can hear is the lack of climactic moments this time around in relation the past records.

This Posse record is so so so great.

Sometimes I wonder what the music I make myself will sound like when I finally get a group of engaged individuals together to record with me. Or if that will ever happen.
I've been too shy to put up a craigslist ad, and I'm not lucky enough to have any interested friends yet.

just hearing the new one for the first time --- man "indie rock comfort food" is so OTM

Man, Atlas is so pretty. Six-string bliss. The music supplies the emotional depth that is mutely gestured at by the lyrics. Early-period REM is the sonic comparison that most often comes to mind.

well, maybe ballad-y, slow-moving early-period rem. there's no boxcars or wolves, lower here.

(and to be clear, i like this real estate record a lot)

The only really significant difference I can hear is the lack of climactic moments this time around in relation the past records.

Definitely, and I miss that. This album could benefit from a bit more dynamic variation, one or two of those (still quite gentle) exclamation points.

Seeing these guys tonight. Psyched for the laid back swaying flannel vibe.

how were they ? on letterman this wednesday btw

love pretty much everything these guys do

Really enjoyed them. Reasonably tight in the songs though very ambly and loose in between.

Liking the new one (but I still like some of the New Zealand guitar pop it reminds me of better)

I think I don't like it because the only tracks I didn't like on Days were "Easy" and "It's Real" and Atlas is comprised of 10 "It's Real"s

Man, I really disagree, if anything Atlas is more like 10 variations on "Easy" than "It's Real" and that's still a big stretch. I wish there was an "It's Real" on here.

Martin's new material is pretty enjoyable (3 songs released so far). It’s clear he is the creative director for Real Estate. The other guy's solo stuff has a pretty good spirit but his is the most measured and tasteful to me. Alex’s music has a nice attitude but for me is too shallow and gets boring, Ducktails recent stuff has too much sheen and not enough personality or uniqueness (loved his lo-fi first album though). People think Real Estate is boring and inoffensive and samey but it’s clear he has a really good sensibility for laid back and wistful 80s/90s sunny jangle style, same way the Clientele has a great measured consistency with their own brand of laid back, wistful style.

Yes. These guys are excellent. It's ironic that there are approximately 8 zillion interchangable synth pop bands right now, yet this band gets called "samey"

It kind of brings the Bats to mind as well- lots of samey material but always strong and melodic and compelling.

Whelp, Ducktails quit the band to focus on being Ducktails or so we're told. Julian Lynch fills the role. Martin's latest album probably would have done much better if it was branded as Real Estate, because honestly the only thing that was audibly different at all was the subtle instrumental dressings and the clear lack of Ducktails reverby lead guitar. Otherwise I'd like to consider it a strong 4th LP by them (him), no offense to Alex's contributions to their overall sound. Wonder if the reverb lead will remain part of the formula going forward.

synth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUFr4SK1-l4

i love this

feels like this bends them back more towards "it's real" days than the last record which i didn't really like

good stuff - the drone was always my favorite part of their sound

yeah turns out the last album was just a bit too static; it's a fine line between dreamlike and asleep

New one is a bit boring aside from the single

that was my takeaway - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I like the first three songs, but it loses me after that. I kept looking at the track listing as it was playing and was always surprise/disappointed how long was left on the album. That's never a good sign.

This is a bummer. It blurs so quickly into indistinguishable sameness, like an EKG flatlining

Always thought Matt Mondanile was the key to Real Estate. Really bummed me when he left the band; knew Courtney & co. would make an album like In Mind, sleepy and samey.

They never got much better than "Municipality" I think. That whole album is great, definitely their peak.

...I like the album. I really like the long jammy song on the first side.

Album is all right but Real Estate have always been a "two tracks per album" group for me. "Darling" is pretty special.

i like this! sleepy and samey aren't necessarily deal breakers for me, anyway.

I think Darling is great, but most of the album is not clicking for me - as someone who likes s/t and Days pretty much front to back

yeah I like this a lot too - it's comforting, warm 60s psych vibes, hearing a bit of Teenage Fanclub in them

the She's So Heavy ending on Two Arrows is fun imo

File under: Things that are boring but good

https://pitchfork.com/news/real-estate-fired-guitarist-matt-mondanile-in-2016-because-he-allegedly-mistreated-women/

Massive new story -- triggers noted.

https://www.spin.com/featured/matt-mondanile-ducktails-real-estate-sexual-misconduct-allegations-detailed/

so sad

I'm glad the new album is good because now I kinda don't want to hear the old ones

Days will always be special to me, despite this.

yeah I think it probably will to me too in a while it's just right now I don't really want to hear it

Right

You're entering this town
Yourself a weeping clown
You play along to songs written for you
But you're all out of tune

Hm, as they say.

https://pitchfork.com/news/matt-mondanile-addresses-sexual-misconduct-allegations/

Per the legal statement:

Regarding Real Estate, the band required Matt to sign a “leaving agreement” in February 2016 that prohibits both him and the band members from making any negative or derogatory statements about the other, or that may negatively affect the other’s reputation and career. In violating the terms of the agreement, Real Estate band members were not “protecting the victims,” they were instead protecting themselves by sidestepping the controversy to protect the band's commercial viability.