Poison the Well - Versions
I really feel like I’ve had this album on my computer and I’ve been waiting to review it for so long. I’ve been listening to it on and off for at least two weeks, but it’s been really hard to get a good grip on exactly what I think of the album.
If I had to give a straight-up answer, it would definitely be some thumbs up.
Like I said, it definitely took me a little while to decide on my opinion of the album. It came as a pretty big surprise, as I hadn’t really been waiting or expecting Poison the Well to release anything new. The timing was good though, as I was in a really good mood for some PTW.
From the first track on the album, ‘Letter Thing’, it sounded just like something straight off You Come Before You, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I always appreciate when a band is out to try something new. As I listened a bit further, I was reassured that this was something at least a bit different. There are definitely some guitar licks and riffs that I wouldn’t have expected to hear on any of the previous album. Use of a slide (from what I can hear) and sometimes what even sounds something like a guitar solo here or there seems like quite a jump. The riffs are interesting, more or less unpredictable compared to their older stuff. Also, some of the chord progressions and transitions almost feel at awkward at first, but can be more and more appreciated as they’re given a bit of a chance. ‘Composer Meet Corpse’ really seems to be a prime example of exactly what I’m referring to.
As I went through the album some more, I realized that the sound and impression it gave me was quite a bit darker. Songs like ‘Slow Good Morning’, while fairly slower than previous releases, caught my attention more than just the same old rocking out all the way through. The slower songs (particularly ‘Riverside’, ‘You Will Not Be Welcomed’, ‘Nagaina’, and the aforementioned ‘Slow Good Morning’) have riffs that almost seemed reminiscent of a Western feel (you know, cowboys at saloons) — but that certainly could just be me.
Overall, not much to say about it. It’s a good album. I wouldn’t write home about it, but it’ll be put through it’s paces on my playlist.