Wire Post to Wire - Best album since OK Computer?

[Davey]

Anyone in these parts know the band The Standard? A couple years ago our old (but young) buddy Rae sent me a CD of their last album, August, with the comment that it had a lot of elements he liked but just didn't quite make it and after listening a couple times, I had to agree. One or two stellar songs but the whole thing just didn't come together for me either. AMG describes it as "spacy indie prog pop" which is a sound I definitely go for, but there was just too much meandering with little in the way of dynamics for my taste, I guess.

Anyway, fast forward to May 2004 and I'm thinking of placing an order with alphacrazeshopping (via http://shopping.yahoo.com/....btw - anyone ordered from alphacraze before?) because they seem to have the lowest prices on some stuff I've been wanting to buy, but I want to minimize the per disc shipping costs so I'm checking out the latest issue of In Music We Trust to see if I can find something to add to my list and I come across a A+ review of their latest Wire Post To Wire,
http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/65r33.html. Hmmmm, sounds really good. So I check at AMG and they also love it, and even echo Rae and my thoughts on the last one. And so I check at amazon for customer reviews and see this rave that I'll post below (remember, not my words). Looks like a winner. Anyone heard it yet? Comments? Guinea pigs?

Best album since OK Computer, April 24, 2004
Reviewer: Danielle Robison from Salt Lake City, Utah United States
I have tried hard to introduce everyone I can to this album, with mostly good results. There are two main criticisms I've heard from those that I shared Wire post to wire with; 1. Putnam's vocals sound as if he's just had his throat ripped out and put back in upside down before recording this record, and 2) it's a shame there aren't 25 songs on this album because they would all be as great as the nine that made the cut. This is a bold record that makes me remember why it is that I bought a stereo so long ago. This music is so perfect, so emotional and so INTERESTING, that they have ruined other bands for me. I find myself comparing other bands to them and shaking my head in dissapointment. The band has fused together many genres in seamless ways that make it reminiscent of way that Pink Floyd was able to bend sounds on The Wall. They are able to evoke an atmosphere here that will spray a wonderfull mist on your day. Even Numbers is the best track, but the other 8 are my second track. Give it a listen, you'll be glad you did.


EDIT: And a warning from PopMatters...

Wire Post to Wire is by no means a bad record. Skillfully executed, the Standard have created an album to be proud of, however, it is also an album that will immediately divide listeners. Those who can tolerate Putnam's unique vocal style will find much to enjoy in the album. Once you're past the vocals there is a pleasant post-rock album awaiting you that will please fans the Shipping News, June of '44 and Bedhead. However, those who are immediately put off by Putnam's warble will find Wire Post to Wire to be a trying listen. http://www.popmatters.com/music/revi...wirepost.shtml

But back to me, I'm listening to August right now and the vocals are probably the biggest problem. It's actually a pretty nice album, a little better than I remember. The vocal style is along the lines of Will Oldham but without as much of that crackling emotion, but I don't mind it. Kind of a quiet Eddie Vedder, maybe. Works better in some songs than others. I saw one review likening his voice to Tragically Hip’s Gordon Downie, which I guess might be close except I can't even remember what he sounds like. Need to give some Hip a listen.

[Swish]

So how much do they want for this on alphacrazeshopping? I just ordered it from deepdiscountcd for 12.97 with free shipping, although it'll take a week or so to arrive. I guess I'll be the guinea pig if no one else is game. I have a couple others coming from Amazon that I've read stellar reviews about and nobody has mentioned anything about them here so far...at least I found nothing in my searches. Maybe I'll be the first to discuss them, a rare event for me with all you music geeks to contend with at Rave Recs.

Swish

[Davey]

So how much do they want for this on alphacrazeshopping? I just ordered it from deepdiscountcd for 12.97 with free shipping, although it'll take a week or so to arrive. I guess I'll be the guinea pig if no one else is game.

Alright Swish, way to take one for the team! Sounds like it'll be a decent CD even if it doesn't quite live up to my hype because I've been enjoying the last one a lot more than I remembered and this new one is much better by all accounts I've seen. The price at alphacraze is $11.63 but the only way to get the shipping and handling down to $1 per CD is to order at least 5 CDs, so yours wasn't a bad price at all.

[Slosh]

I got a freebie Yep Records comp with a couple of those songs (Ghosts For Hire and Runway Week) but I wasn't very impressed. Only one spin so far so who knows if it'll grow on me. The comp as a whole didn't do much for me (at least not yet). The other bands are The Comas, Dolorean, Ken Stringfellow, The Sadies, Ian Moore, The Bigger Lovers, The Butchies and all have two songs each.

But hey, ya gets whats ya pay for.