might be higher, want to listen more, definitely some bops, very consistent very good
RELISTEN1: definitely grown on me, I expect it’ll probably keep doing so, maybe up to as high as S. Hasn’t yet though, we’ll see
RELISTEN2: There’s definitely been a general increase in my like and appreciation for them since I last gave them direct attention. And yet, I’m moving them down a little bit. I will explain.
Their first album I still don’t love a ton as an album— not to say it’s at all bad, it’s just definitely not up to the standard of their latest stuff (barring a couple songs in there). But Bad Self Portraits is standout, Side Pony I think I played up in my mind but is still solid, Free Yourself Up I did not give enough credit it stands up. Obviously is a little bit weaker overall, and Good Together I thought was super mid on first listen and not much better on the second and third.
Obviously and Lake Street Dive (album 1) both have some songs I love, but it’s mostly not my favorite. Not bad, just not my favorite, lots of songs that are good enough or that make for a fine enough album, but that wouldn’t be excited to have pop up on a playlist. Good Together I like more now than I did at first, has a couple songs I like well enough, but most of it is honestly just kinda uninteresting to me. Not bad, just not engaging. Feels nothing like the earlier Lake Street Dive that I love.
And that’s the thing, is that there’s a period of Lake Street Dive I adore. In total, Lake Street Dive has six albums. Three of them I think are great, with one of those three being genuinely stellar. The other three I think are pretty good, tough to complain about, but I just don’t really care for them. That’s the thing I keep saying, isn’t it? “It’s not bad by any means, it’s just…”. Even when “not bad” still actually does mean “good”, that’s a frustrating mindset to be put in by music, especially when the feeling hits half the time and I know it didn’t have to be that way because the other 50% I like so unreservedly.
I don’t want to move them out of A+ because I really do like them. The albums I like I like a lot, almost more than I actually like them if that makes sense? I like their vibe, I’ve seen them live and my family likes them and I feel a connection to them that’s real that I don’t want to deny. I like them, and I want to like them, and both of those things are important. So I’m going to move them down from high A+ to low A+, and that should work out well.
Bad Self Portraits is seriously a good album, it was not my favorite Lake Street Dive and it so much is now, it’s excellent. So good.
tunafruitsandwitch 