Connect

[RamsesD]

absolutely worth waiting so long for the album. great!!!
i like die to save you and where did the time go!
and of course all the other songs!!
thank you puppies!!!!!

[Splasher]

The ending to Telling Lies is terrible.

Apart from that, the album's amazing

EDIT: Can I just say that the fact that the only Sick Puppies' songs on Australian iTunes are those from the deluxe edition of Tri-Polar is pretty poor. I mean c'mon, fair enough we don't get Dressed Up as Life but they seriously can't at least add the new album? (watch them add Connect right after I post this to make me look like an idiot)

[Anthony]

These are the songs that stuck out to me and why:

Die To Save You - Solid riffs and soaring chorus, and emmas vocals are always a little gold nugget. Always leaves you wanting more!

Theres No Going Back - Such a good song, Couldn't have picked a better first single. Love the lyrics and can't wait to hear the crowd chant the lyrics at the shows.

Walking Away - Love the intro, makes me feel like moving immediately. LOVE the vocal melody in the verses and the little quirky shreak right before the chorus's. love the bridge, I always like it when its significantly different from the rest of the song.

Gunfight - WOAH! Did that just happen?! That sound is just freakin unique! Full of energy and quirkiness! Love the riffs! Love the lyrics! Love it Love it love it!! I want to mosh to this one!

Poison - Its good, I'm not going to bash it I just don't care for it because I don't like country and it sounds like that to me. That being said kudos for diversity in this record! (just really hope it never ends up a single)

Where Did The Time Go - Another song that's still good, I like the lyrics and its composure, but just doesn't have anything that pops out to me that I connect with. Feel like something that ended up getting cut from the album would have been better.

Telling lies - Ah I love the album version of this song! So melodic and yet somewhat dark. Love the lyrics and meaning behind them! Emma's backup vocals add so much to this one. I love the vocals in this whole track and the supporting music is so different from anything Sick Puppies has ever done, its extremely instrumental I feel like It could be heard at Broadway play or in some documentary haha.

Connect - I think I got a little too excited when I first listened to this and even more so at the bridge of the song. There is this band called John Butler Trio that are from Australia as well and I am a HUGE fan of them too. They are kind of folk rock and this song reminded me of those guys. I really like vibe this song paints. It just makes you feel so good.

Run - This one will end up in a TV show or movie soundtrack I'll put money on it.

Trick the Devil Did - I think this is one of the top 3 songs that should define this album. And I say that because I feel it could easily get overlooked. Its so diverse, its got rhythm, its unique, its quirky, has energy, its loud, has cool lyrics. It has it all!

Healing Now - Ok this song is special... I find myself fumbling with words to describe it. It hits deep for me and I get a little more emotional than I'm used to. I can relate to it so much in something I'm dealing with right now. And I'm thankful for it.

Under A Very Black Sky - Not even going to try, I'll end up writing pages on this one and my fingers are already tired of typing...
















....
















f*ck That song is awesome!

[Dana]

[ColorfulDetonation]

[chandra]

Uh-Oh...My favorite little record shop is sold out of copies already! Which is a good thing for the Pups, but means I will have to wait a few more days to buy one.....youtube here I come!

[gams13]

[chandra]

^agreed! a very awesome write-up, Anthony!

And I called the guys at Skip's again, they have 12 more copies in stock now! woohoo! Can't wait to get my paws on one!

[Splasher]

[Rockiesfan4ever]

Apparently I'm unique from everyone else cuz I absolutely love Poison and wasn't a big fan of Gunfight, maybe it will grow on me the more I listen to it. Have to agree Under a Very Black Sky is kick@$$

[Cody Lee]

[4LK]

[Rockiesfan4ever]

[rapscallion]

[Skinwalker]

I'm really liking Poison, Die To Save You, Trick The Devil Did, and Under a Very Black Sky. Its a very well written album and I can't wait to see them on tour preforming some of these songs.

[Anthony]

Don't really get how so many think gunfight's lyrics are bland. Each verse tells a different story that connects with the message in the chorus. There is nothing generic about it, its extremely unique although not radio friendly. I think that is why I like it so much, its like nothing I've really ever heard. And definitely not cheesy.

[kakugori]

I got my cd today, and I'm really trying to keep my adult, polite hat on here, but I gotta say - not a fan. I like the sound and the cohesion these three have together, especially live, and Emma's bass driving the songs in particular, and it's all really missing in this album for me. Seems very...radio ready overproduced. Sorry to be a downer - seem like everyone but me likes this album.

[Cody Lee]

[Jessamy]

So this whole thing has been really tough for me, mostly because of how long I was an ambassador (almost 5 years) and I feel just awful for not liking things SP does...but here goes my story about this record and the band in general

Just to start, I love Tri-Polar, but do think it was a backwards step in terms of how incredibly deep and diverse DUAL was, but I genuinely love every song on that record.

As soon as the band announced they were working on a new record, the apprehension and fear began. I was so terribly afraid they would keep going in the manufactured, radio single direction that would be a logical progression coming off of Tri-Polar. The longer it took, the more scared I got.

And then, something amazing happened. The band played in Chicago, and as an ambassador, I got to go backstage and listen to demos of the new songs. I was SO scared it's not even funny, because seriously. What do I do if I don't like it? And then to make it worse, Shim sits on the arm of my chair. I was panicking as they introduced the songs...HE'S RIGHT NEXT TO ME HE'LL SEE IF I DON'T LIKE IT!! And then....the most beautiful voice comes over the speakers. The song was Run, and it started at the beginning of Shim's vocals. I was speechless, grinning like a fool. he's been working SO HARD on his vocals and his voice was stunning. I was literally sitting there giddy and trying not to freak out over it when Shim noticed and I told him I could already tell this was going to be my favorite song. They played a few more, and then Knife to a Gunfight (it's previous name). that was the only song I couldn't stand, the rest made me really excited for the record.

I'd gotten the download card that night and went home and got Telling Lies. I wasn't too impressed with that song either, but figured it was a B-side since they were releasing it then and not too concerned since it wouldn't be on the record.

And then, FINALLY!! an official release date and new single! There's No Going Back....it isn't awful or incredible. I love Shim's voice, but it doesn't have that WOW factor for me that YGD did when it dropped.

And now to today. Record release today, and a show tomorrow. I....I'm so torn about this record. The only songs I can honestly say that I LOVE and have on repeat are Run, and The Trick the Devil Did. I can't stand Gunfight. I'm sorry but I think it's below the talent and potential that this band has, lyrically if nothing else. The chorus is just....no. I already knew I wasn't going to like that song though. The rest.....I dont' know yet. Under the Black Sky, I love the verses, but the repetitive "under a black sky" lines don't mesh well with me. Die to Save You...again I like the beat of the verses and not the chorus. Walking Away has brilliant lyrics and pretty good delivery. Poison too has some incredible lyrics, but the folky country-ness of it is a bit odd. Where Did the Time Go I'm on the fence. I"m kind of upset that Telling Lies is on the record...out of the 80 songs they wrote there isn't a better one? Connect is slowly growing on me...the chord progression is insane, can't wait to see it live! and god some of the lyrics here! At first I thought they had ruined Run...I almost cried no joke. But after calming down, Shim's voice really is beautiful, and I love this song. I think The Trick the Devil Did is the highlight of this record though. The effect on his voice during the verses at first threw me, but it works in this song. and the chorus is so insanely catchy! Wish they were playing this live!! Healing now is also slowly growing on me, I can see that being in my top of the record as well.

I guess what I'm saying with all this is that this record is just....not what I expected? I still to this day vividly remembering when I first heard Tri-Polar. I was at church camp in the woods in Tennessee. They had a tiny store that had wifi, and that morning I sat there until it downloaded and listened. I didn't even have headphones, just crappy computer sound, but to this day I still remember how I felt hearing it.

I've learned now that I have a dopamine addiction to music. The feeling I get from listening to music is incredible, I can't stop. I've finally figured out how to describe it, and that was the feeling I got from Tri-Polar, and even more so from DUAL. With Connect...I feel nothing. And that hurts. It really does. I can't explain why I'm not a huge fan of this record except for this simple fact - I don't feel anything when I listen, and I'm crushed because of it. Shim worked so hard on his voice for this record and I think they just tried way to hard with mixing and effects in studio. It's too processed, and I think the music suffered for it.

Sorry for how long this is and I apologize if anyone feels I was too harsh about this.

I love Shim, Emma, and Mark so much and my Sick Puppies family, I love you all so much. No matter what

Jess

[Rose]

I liked it a lot more than I expected to with the previews. I love Waling Away, Run and Trick the Devil did.
So I pointed this out in the lyrics thread but the Trick the Devil did is in iambic pentameter, like Shakespeare, and as an English nerd that makes me happy.