when records congeal-

I don’t get the hype about the new Washed Out Within And Without. [So far the best part of this record is the album photography.]

A favorable review even showed up in The Atlantic, the last place I thought it would be. Between interviews with Pitchfork and the first listen on NPR, Ernest Greene is everywhere (as is the same photo of him.)

But no one is mentioning that this record is boring. [And I’m also mad at myself for backlistening to his catalogue for comparative listening, which now seems like a big wastoid of time.] It might just be coverage on new releases yes, but why does all of it read like deja-vu? I had a similar obsessive-like situation when following the press leading up to the March release of Under Cover Of Darkness (only it seems to have been much more involved due to The Strokes representing themselves as high priests of the garage rock revival. Vomit.)

I do dig chillwave [not so much the new Toro Y Moi] but I didn’t realize how boring it can be. Underneath the Pine has funk. It changes its consistency making a record that is fun to listen to instead of one that sonically congeals. I’ve read enough articles on Within And Without to make myself sick of it. Which is maybe what happened. [Or was it producer Ben H. Allen – who gave us the exaggerated Merriweather Post Pavilion and Matt & Kim’s new disappointing too full of tech, Sidewalks?]

Keeping a record on repeat for too long is usually how I get sick of it. But here I’m sick of the press. And I’m sick of the broken promises I face every time I go back to listen to Within And Without. It’s unexciting and bland. Chillwave is getting dull. Which may be the nature of the beast. But with press like this I should be wow-ed, right? Quite frankly it’s all coming out in the wash.