Chromatics - Dear Tommy (2018)

Seems like Ruth is more central than on any previous record here.

― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, October 1, 2019 9:05 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

Feels more apparent than ever that Ruth is the starlet to Johnny's director

i think the slight broadening of their sonic palette has really helped them to come into their own and feel less pastiche-y than before here. it's also much more tightly constructed as an album which really helps, and just sounds a lot better production-wise than before too.

love "Touch Red", but "On the Wall", while sounding great, adds nothing to the JAMC

The production has definitely been polished since the last album but the last singles/EPs from 2018/2019 already hinted it (specially liked Camera and Time Rider and had hopes they would make it to an album but alas they wont)

The guitars are specially good in here compared to the ones in Kill For Love which imho were very screechy sounding.

my guess is "time rider" and "camera" will eventually show up on dear tommy as they were originally intended for it

completely agree about how the production has come a long way on the material post-kill for love - all the singles intended for dear tommy were a step up and it's improved even more since then

Is there an ilm thread for this phenomenon? Only other example I can think of atm is Abbey Road/Let It Be

off the top of my head there's prefab sprout's from langley park to memphis/protest songs

There's a second classic rock cover in there: 'On the Wall' is 'Baba O'Riley' in all but name.

I'm exaggerating, but the echoes are hard to shake off.

it's a jesus & mary chain cover, so while i hear what you're getting at it's probably just as applicable to the original

Ah, I had no idea. I guess I should listen to Darklands.

wow, the On the Wall cover is breathtaking

album's pretty good, but also feels uncharacteristically low-stakes? which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if they wind up releasing Dear Tommy soon I'm guessing it'll be another 90 minute opus or something

That's how it feels to me too.

I really want a Chromatic’s cover of a Leonard Cohen song, with their Montreal connections.

Slowly beginning to agree with the "this is their best album" take. Love the "Light as a Feather"->"Touch Red" trio especially

PS it looks like 'I Can Never Be Myself When You're Around' is quietly back on Spotify? <3

another new album of sorts has been released - Faded Now. it seems to be a mix of alternate versions of Closer to Grey tracks and new tracks. it's also been added to the Closer to Grey deluxe edition, so i guess these new tracks are essentially Closer to Grey b-sides/outtakes?

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ICYMI, part 2: https://t.co/TopQOYgxSf

— Vehlinggo (@vehlinggo) April 20, 2020