[noisereductions]

The sequencing is indeed excellent. (I'm referring to the CD edition). It works as 2 sonicly thematic suites seperated by the almight "Karen".

[atsonicpark]

Loved this album, remember downloading it on KAZAA (!) and listening to "Rain on Tin" constantly. Ended up buying it at Wal-Mart (!!) with my lunch money haha. Great fucking album. I was able to somehow play this in art class (!!!) in my high school once. It's really a masterwork, I actually think it is one of their most accomplished and perfect albums. I think it's really easy to overlook it, because the whole thing is so subdued and quiet. But it's really pretty much a perfect album, and it's such a strange followup to NY Ghosts and Flowers. You know, this album reminds me of what Television had sounded like in my head, before I actually heard Television. All kinds of (mostly) clean guitars playing off of each other.

"SYMPATHY FOR THE STRAWBERRY" is another one of my all time fav SY tracks, the way it builds tension constantly; also, is it the only SY song with an organ in it? It just rules.

I dunno, I just love this album, it's amazing. I think it has some of my favorite SY production, everything is so clear. I think Steve's the real star of the album, as he often is.

I just like how subdued the whole thing is, but it's actually really intricate and epic at the same time. Or, as someone said to me once, "It sounds like they're proving they actually know how to play their guitars again." Haha. While I don't agree with that, I do think it is one of the best examples in their whole catalogue that they're just straight-up gifted, brilliant songwriters, unlike anyone else around. The way their songs flow is wholly unique to them. It's weird.

[noisereductions]

Adam, totally agree.

"Sympathy" is in my opinion one of their most perfect tracks. And as it's often compared to "The Diamond Sea," I almost think it's an even more perfect epic closer. It feels like tiny waves crashing and building into a beautiful monsoon. And the organ! And the drums! And the OMG Kim can still sound sooo seductive with her vox when she wants to! And the words!

It's funny, I love every song on MS. Like I said it's my favorite album of the 00's. But once "Sympathy" ends it's like... it's like every other song is SIDE 1 and side 1 is perfect, but "Sympathy" is SIDE 2 all its own. It's an amazing entity by itself that weighs just as much sonically as everything that preceeds it on the record.