Barcelona - Absolutes (Reissue)
Rating
RIYL
CopelandLydia
Brightwood
Release Date
04/28/2009
Label
Universal RepublicTracklist
1. Falling Out of Trees2. It's About Time
3. Lesser Things
4. Colors
5. Come Back When You Can
6. Stars
7. First Floor People
8. Get Up
9. Response
10. Colors
11. You Will Pull Through
12. Numb
13. Please Don't Go
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It’s a perilous route driving the path Seattle-based (not Spain-based) Barcelona is headed down. All at once derivative, lovely and soporific, the band is at various times too ambient for indie and at others, too vocal for the almost post-rock landscape they paint. Consider Brian Fennell’s seemingly borderline apathetic vocals and Barcelona appear to be an unoriginal recipe for an unhealthy career of musical failure on paper.
Yet the re-issue of Absolutes is a fighter record, as well as a grower. Give it enough time and this underdog, back with two new tracks, will punch and kick its way into daily rotations despite the factors railing against it. When the veil of “this is absolutely boring” first impressions is lifted, “Lesser Things” and the redemption-themed “Come Back When You Can” become anthemic, “First Floor People” and “Please Don’t Go” become tear-jerkers and lines like, “This morning I woke up with this overwhelming fear of love / And I’m not sure if I can resurrect you,” become contenders for best lyrics of the year. It’s all because Absolutes is one behemoth of an ambient indie pop record and any exploration of it (beyond the first) should do nothing less than captivate.
That it’s not perfect is a given. Numbers like “Get Up” and “Faded” are too soft for their own good, given Fennell’s voice sounds like he’s putting in zero energy when the sonic atmosphere drops to a toned down vibe. But the adeptness of lyrical content and the overall song-writing ability the album presents is too much to pass on. Barcelona constantly tell listeners that they are not the average Copeland wannabes with each successful instrumentally lush track, and Absolutes is altogether a resounding triumph.
--Matthew Tsai
Comments
California
ive always enjoyed this band. hope they do big things.
San Jose, CA
Yeah, good band.
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Dubuque
Good band although I think some of the newly remastered tracks aren't as good. I think the old version of "Colors" was way better.
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Drummondville, Quebec
I still have to listen to this. I probably won't buy it since I already own the first issue. I still consider the original album a great one and it should diserve at least 4½/5.
San Jose, CA
I gave it 3.5 because it's good and solid and all, but it's not mindblowing, which is what I'd consider a 4.5.
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy
I always hype this band when I can, I'm not sure if a reissue was necessary since the original is so damn good, one of the few albums that I still listen to constantly after a year of buying it. I might check out this one to see what's changed.
Drummondville, Quebec
Mindblowing is how I would describe the first issue of this album! Just like rustycage, I'm still listening this record. I discovered this album in '08 and it was easily one of my favorite album of the year.
Minnesota
I never heard the original, but this album is actually pretty good. It surprised me. And it's also a nice repreive from all of the metal I listen to.
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San Borja, Lima, Perú
Just remembered back when decoy hyped this band a lot... gave me so high expectations that when i finally gave it a listen... found it way disapointing, i really wanted to find that 'all at once' effect to me. Maybe it's time to re-check with less expectation.
San Jose, CA
It's definitely a grower. It's quite boring at first listen, but give the tunes time to hook on to your brain.
last.fm/user/thetsaiguy