Going into Stranger Than Fiction, I assumed it would be another derivative of Generator: solid, but a greener version of the band’s sound I initially heard. I came in thinking The Process of Belief was safe and untouchable at the top spot.
Yeah. Nah.
This record really took me by surprise. Every track landed. No filler. For my next listen, I won’t be skipping a single song. That’d be a complete disservice to its pacing and flow. Where "Process..." was colorful and varied, Stranger Than Fiction feels like cruise control at the perfect speed. I didn’t have to think about the gas, I didn’t have to think about the brakes - I just looked out the windows and took all the scenery in. I was riding in the driver's seat. That’s how effortless it felt.
And, Jay Bentley? For all the claims I read that state he “doesn’t do too much,” the bass parts constantly jumped out at me and announced their presence. I don’t know, was he drinking a ton of coffee in the studio? I didn’t expect to be talking about the bass lines as much as I did.
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
2:46 - “Incomplete"
10:43 - “Leave Mine to Me"
19:53 - "Stranger Than Fiction"
25:17 - "Tiny Voices"
32:17 - "The Handshake"
39:30 - "Better Off Dead"
44:42 - "Infected"
54:45 - “Television"
1:00:00 - “Individual"
1:02:54 - "Hooray for Me..."
1:08:06 - "Slumber"
1:15:57 - "Marked"
1:20:03 - "Inner Logic"
1:27:33 - "What It Is"
1:33:03 - "21st Century (Digital Boy)"
1:39:04 - Final Thoughts