Reviews
I can see why this has its fans but it just doesn't connect with me the way their other work does. The songwriting feels less inspired and the production, while technically impressive, feels a bit sterile. A few standout moments keep it from being a total miss.
Revisiting this for what must be my 200th listen and it still gives me chills at the same moments. The mark of a truly great album is that it never loses its power no matter how familiar it becomes. If anything, knowing what's coming makes the anticipation even better. I played this for a friend recently who had somehow never heard it, and watching their face during certain moments was like experiencing it for the first time all over again. The sharp intake of breath during that one transition. The slow smile spreading during the climax. This album connects on a primal level that transcends taste or genre preference.