
My initial reaction was and is disappointment. Not because The Winter of Mixed Drinks is a bad record. It's not. But The Midnight Organ Fight was such a rare album, simultaneously raw and soaring, that I suspect any followup would be disappointing for me.
There are many praiseworthy elements. I think Scott Hutchison is the most captivating, passionate rock vocalist since the early Bono. The hooks just won't quit, the lyrics remain quirky and non-cliched (for the most part), and there's a huge, anthemic sound here that clearly wants to reach the back of very large arenas. The negatives? It's unfocused. It's a collection of pop/rock tunes. There's nothing wrong with that, but TMOF had such a compelling forward momentum, highlighted by the worst of breakups, suicidal self-loathing, and, finally, a resolution to carry on in the midst of the shite, that it felt both exhausting and exhiliarating. This one? Nice songs. Most significantly, the production bothers me. A lot. I'll probably get used to it. But I think I've gone on record a few times in noting that I'm not a fan of Lanois/Eno production, and this sounds like The Joshua Tree Grows in Glasgow.
I love this band. There is every indication that this is the album that will break them big, and they deserve it. It's huge in every way. And, as I did when I first heard U2's War and realized that the rock 'n roll landscape was about to be permanently altered, there is a part of me that is a bit saddened. Call it the Inevitable Wow Factor, and call it slightly diminished returns.
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