Aly & AJ - Pretty Places & album A Touch of the Beat...

OK guys me and Fetch have been doing the lord's work here but i'll need some of enthusiasm from OTHERS AMONG Y'ALL for this record.

After 2/3 listens in full it's already revealing itself in stunning ways. @POP! @jivafox @Tisch @Iguana @Gangsta Nancy Lam @RJN and others who love 90s singer songwriter types, there's so much nutrition you will devour here - in particular the confessional back quarter of the album, Personal Cathedrals (A SONG TITLE!) and Hold Out, will be right up all of your allies.

Lucky to Get Him is also serving a gorgeously unexpected hybrid of folksy midtempo and Carly Rae Jepsen banger. I saw @monsta stanning on insta but we been knew queen has taste - the rest of y'all, get streaming!!!

I haven't listened yet but I do love them so I need to. And then I can show the appropriate enthusiasm
 
I can't believe they're doing 20 European dates :D the way we won! now just make the beautiful vinyl available here and I'll stan forever. (apparently they said on ig they're making it happen!)

That's good news. The deluxe vinyl does look stunning but the regular would do for me, all that flipping and changing the 45rpm is a bit unnecessary.

Stomach is the one today. Slightly agog that Aly's husband chipped in with the 'I just can’t stomach being your ex-wife'.
 
Well the presale was a shambles but by doing a lot of digging I found a link and I can’t quite believe I’m going to see them!
 
I feel like I’m in California :disco:

well not really but this album is really good. Especially stomach, which is very much my fave on first listen
 
it's such a top down road trip record. some parts of Pretty Places actually do remind of California from The OC soundtrack. :disco:
 
I feel like I’m in California :disco:

well not really but this album is really good. Especially stomach, which is very much my fave on first listen
I like this one a lot too. Generally speaking, I've never disliked a song they released but I find them a bit SAMEY
 
@POP! if you give the album a few chances I promise you will love it. there's actually quite a bit of variety to it. more electronic flourishes than I'd expected.
 
Hadn’t really paid any attention since the AMAZING Joan of Arc on the dancefloor but just given this album a go and is really enjoyable !
 
@POP! if you give the album a few chances I promise you will love it. there's actually quite a bit of variety to it. more electronic flourishes than I'd expected.

I agree with this. I've listened 3 times now and a lot of the songs are definitely growers.

Current top 3:

1. Stomach
2. Personal Cathedrals
3. Paradise
 
Lost Cause (very Golden Hour) and Paradise are creeping up on me to tug at my wig this week. this album is SO DIVINE!

11 Pretty Places
09 Lost Cause
08 Break Yourself
11 Slow Dancing
10 Paradise
11 Symptom of Your Touch
10 Lucky to Get Him
10 Listen!!!
09 Don't Need Nothing
09 Stomach
08 Personal Cathedrals
08 Hold Out

I really don't know what could top it for album of the year.
 
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The cover of The National's I Need My Girl has been added to Spotify:




So good to see them performing to a huge festival crowd:





I still haven't sprung for a physical as I am waiting to see what the situation is with the deluxe that they somewhat ridiculously talked about before they even released the album.
 
A nice late summer refresh, though the beefed up chorus compared to the very chill verse was a little jarring at first:

 
who is that on the cover and what has she done with Aly?
 
yeah it's clearly a different sonic direction (more Ten Years) and I like the production but not obsessed with the chorus yet.
 
what a fantastic turn. these girls are so special, i can't get enough.

slow dancing is a miniature epic and that video is pushing me to the edge of (city) life. oh the humanity.

also symptom of your touch. also that bit in pretty places.

send that vinyl to me immediately. no waiting and exorbitant postage though, thanks.
 
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i really want this vinyl (at reasonable cost)!
their online shop doesn't deliver here and the last time i ordered some from the usa, i rued the day.

sidebar: i've been (successfully) brainwashing people with this album. it's so good though a little frustrating for me as i find tracks 2 and 3 amongst the weakest (even if still pretty good by normal standards). the rest is just so good.

argh!
 
Paradise is :disco: I've also been back on this album after resting it for a bit. def in contention for my #1 of the year.

really curious to see what the other deluxe tracks serve. new one coming this week!
 
Paradise is :disco: I've also been back on this album after resting it for a bit. def in contention for my #1 of the year.

really curious to see what the other deluxe tracks serve. new one coming this week!

it must be this year's e*mo*tion cause i really really really like it.
 
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I haven't got the album yet either, partly due to having to order from their store (though that didn't stop me previously) but mainly because they said they were releasing a deluxe before the standard was even out! Once I know what they are offering with the deluxe I will bite the bullet no matter what.

Anyway the new song sounds typically glorious:

 
It is a busy Friday but Am I Alright is wonderful:




Already liking this one more than Get Over Here. It very much fits with the main album.
 
Oh that’s nice. These guys have never really come across my radar I’m not sure why, they seem to be put on a bit of a moopy pedestal. What am I missing out on and why has the world hidden them from me?
 
Oh that’s nice. These guys have never really come across my radar I’m not sure why, they seem to be put on a bit of a moopy pedestal. What am I missing out on and why has the world hidden them from me?

oh funks, they are wonderful in every way. give the album a chance, betting they'll surprise you in a good way.

i can never guess which songs you'd like these days but i'll spoil you with the following information:

10 Pretty Places - that refrain *.*
08 Lost Cause
07 Break Yourself
10 Slow Dancing - the feels *.*.*.*
10 Paradise - the guitar pop we deserve
10 Symptom of Your Touch - what is there even to say? *.*.*.*.*
09 Lucky to Get Him
09 Listen!!!
09 Don't Need Nothing
09 Stomach
10 Personal Cathedrals
08 Hold Out

and they're all growing, i've been hammering this album/the singles weekly and i'm still not over it.
 
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They’ve been around a while haven’t they? I see their name mentioned a lot but this is actually the first time I’ve had a song THRUST in my direction

I will add them to my list.
 
They’ve been around a while haven’t they? I see their name mentioned a lot but this is actually the first time I’ve had a song THRUST in my direction

I will add them to my list.
They were child Disney stars, but they've come back in the past few years with more mature music. Stomach is their best for me
 
they're reformed disney child stars. they've been doing really nice stuff over the last few years - big, off-center guitar and synth pop like take me and joan of arc on the dancefloor.

this album is definitely the best i've heard by them so far, it's pop but it's smart and it has emotion and the melodies are there and the musicians who they've worked with have done a great job and the nostalgic romantic country vibe is really working for me against going crazy in this dystopian backdrop outside my house.
 
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there's actually not a single one that is a dud. how often does that happen? i've alisted them all, but yeah the hazel one probably is the strongest.
 

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