1. Wide Eyes- Good opener, letting a mainly percussion based instrumental be the opener sets the mood and the slowness of it helps ease the listener in. parts are reminiscent of Fleet Foxes' White Winter Hymnal.
2. Airplanes- Not so smooth transition. Prominent percussion continues. seems unpolished and refined ant the same time. has parts that focus on vocals rather than instrumentals (different from first track)--not done as well as they could have, but good for adding variety to the sound and breaks up the song.
3. Sun Hands- One of the hits from the album. Better transition. still has the percussion as a focal point. this track balances vocals and instrumentals better. strongest track on the album so far, when it stops and does the breathy slightly talking, slightly singing, thing before going into a rough, harmonized repeating of the chorus, then has a crashing instrumental sound.
4. World News- This track gives the percussion a more far away sound. Continues to sound Fleet Foxes-ish. More steady beats that mix well with the vocals to give a feeling of running.
5. Shape Shifter- No percussion at the beginning. calls the guitar and vocals to the focus-and keeps it on them throughout. Parts where the vocals almost sound like The Fray, but not in a bad way. Parts where the vocals and instruments crash together after building are genius moments of release.
6. Camera Talk- First track where all of the lyrics really stand out- start to fade into the instruments again in the middle and end, though. Gives a great dropping moment at the end.
7. Cards and Quarters- Brilliant transition from
Camera Talk to this track. a great softer (softer than the rest of the already soft tracks, anyway) song for the middle of he album. sounds like someone slowing down, trying to get air-fitting the way the rest of the album before this feels like someone running. Did something different with the drums that sounds like something between someone pounding on a door and a heart beating.
8. Warning Sign- More guitar work throughout. Moment in the middle that sounds so rough and strung together it's beautiful, then goes back to the normal sound for the album without missing a beat. there are three consistent different styles going through the song-mainly guitar, vocals, then rough strumming with vocals.
9. Who Knows Who Cares- A complete departure from the other songs, not in a bad way. they take on a new style and sound (for them to do, anyway), that sounds almost gospel-esque, with parts that tie it to the rest of album through their use of drums. this track makes the keyboard and guitar parts the focus instrumental focus, while still relying on the vocals to be the head of the whole track.
10. Cubism Dream- following the last track they let the vocals still take focus, while still having the same steady drum beats throughout. "I did it for me" along with the backing vocals and percussion feels heartbreaking.
11. Stranger Things- While the "ooohhhs" feel floaty and ethereal, the percussion remain grounded and when mixed together the two sides have a confusing, light feeling to them. the slow parts of vocals are able to cut, too, all together a track dripping with emotion.
12. Sticky Thread- Weaker track than all of the ones before it, but good as an ending. Successfully uses all of the techniques that the rest of the album did. nothing about it completely stands out, though.
ends with two alternate versions of Camera Talk and Sun Hands.
Listens best with: Over the ear headphones rather than earbuds. helps make the music surround you and lets you really feel every strum and drum.
Also good for driving around at night and thinking.
