So I just got Common Existence...

[Me & My Arrow]

...and after reading the review here on AP.net was very disappointed. Granted, most of the descriptions are correct, the guitars do "rip" and Geoff does "yelp," but there doesn't seem to be anything very special about this album after two listens through. The vocals are very standard and reminiscent of past albums; before any singing starts I feel like I already know exactly how it will sound, which just makes it sound like a less successful rehash of older vocal parts. The music is interesting, at times, but the production just buries it all in distorted mush. I realize that part of the aesthetic on this CD was to have a raw sound, but in all honesty the tone of the CD reminds me a LOT of A City..., and rather than sounding harsh, it just sounds muddy to me, as it did on the last CD. All this talk about the new producer who worked with the Flaming Lips or whatever, and it still doesn't seem to make that huge a difference.

I haven't had a chance to explore the lyrics in depth yet, so I'll have to wait to pass judgment on them, but is this a CD that has grown on people? When they released the EP I thought the songs worked well together and were well-balanced, but this album sort of runs together (like Saosin's self-titled did, but it doesn't have the same "fun" side to it). I'm hoping it gets better with the repeated listens, but so far Common Existence has not grabbed me.

[fly_guy]

I was kind of disappointed with it too. After listening to it, I hoped that I would get in to Thursday more, but it didnt work

[GuitarR0cker1]

I love this album. I would rather they sticked with their post-rock influenced sound on the Envy split.

[Dr. Acula]

...and after reading the review here on AP.net was very disappointed. Granted, most of the descriptions are correct, the guitars do "rip" and Geoff does "yelp," but there doesn't seem to be anything very special about this album after two listens through. The vocals are very standard and reminiscent of past albums; before any singing starts I feel like I already know exactly how it will sound, which just makes it sound like a less successful rehash of older vocal parts. The music is interesting, at times, but the production just buries it all in distorted mush. I realize that part of the aesthetic on this CD was to have a raw sound, but in all honesty the tone of the CD reminds me a LOT of A City..., and rather than sounding harsh, it just sounds muddy to me, as it did on the last CD. All this talk about the new producer who worked with the Flaming Lips or whatever, and it still doesn't seem to make that huge a difference.

I haven't had a chance to explore the lyrics in depth yet, so I'll have to wait to pass judgment on them, but is this a CD that has grown on people? When they released the EP I thought the songs worked well together and were well-balanced, but this album sort of runs together (like Saosin's self-titled did, but it doesn't have the same "fun" side to it). I'm hoping it gets better with the repeated listens, but so far Common Existence has not grabbed me.

Continue listening to Saosin then.

[Velvetground]

I liked it a lot haha. When I heard the ripped copy a couple weeks ago I didn't think it was anything special but after giving it a few spins today I'm definitely digging it. Last 3 tracks are wonderful.

[Keagan Ilvonen]

Fun side? If your looking for a "Fun Side" in Thursday you are looking in all the wrong places. Oh and the new record is phenomenal.

[Me & My Arrow]

Continue listening to Saosin then.

Fun side? If your looking for a "Fun Side" in Thursday you are looking in all the wrong places. Oh and the new record is phenomenal.

I didn't mean I was looking for that in Thursday, my point was simply that although that Saosin album ran together and was fairly bland, it had enough catchiness that it survived repeated listens a little longer than I thought it would. Sorry for not clarifying, but I actually found Saosin's self-titled to be pretty weak.