Forgot about this thread.
I was really (REALLY) disappointed with Challengers. I did end up waiting til the release date like I said I would, trucked myself down to the music shop, got it on glorious compact disc (ha) and sat myself down to listen. So so whelmed. Not overwhelmed like I wanted to be, like I thought I would be. Not underwhelmed, either; the tail end of the album picked things up a little. Just.....whelmed.
I really do think "Entering White Cecilia" is a great song, and it reassured me; for even BEJAR to turn out three disappointments would've wrecked me a little. Everything after it is pretty good: "Go Places" has a great vocal track from Neko, "Mutiny, I Promise You" actually has a bit of energy to it unlike most of the album, I liked the call-and-answer sort of style to the singing in "Adventures in Solitude", and then "The Spirit of Giving" is mediocre Bejar back to round it all up.
This album has its defenders, but I think the general reaction is telling. Any NPs release will get the usual crowd of people championing Mass Romantic, which IS an incredible record....and a few Electric Version fans here and there, with the release of these last two.....but do you remember when Twin Cinema came out? The critics shat all over themseves, the fans shat all over themselves, and it was something that was talked about. Because despite having quieter tracks (unlike the full-out no-respite sugar-rush first two albums) it was still A VERY GOOD RECORD. And people cared. Noticed much response to Challengers?
It isn't a terrible album. But it's a disappointment because it's boring. And after claiming this band as 'my all-time favourite' for most of high school....it bums me out.
I only listened it through once when I first got it; I've been through the last 5 tracks a few times since then.......but I am listening to it again now that I've written negatively about it. I might issue a redaction. I probably won't.
