Looking at the track list for the Dears new album Degeneration Street, I thought to myself, “Wow, 14 songs? They must be short songs.” I was mistaken, because only four songs on the album fall below the four-minute mark. Most people would think, “hell yeah, the more songs the better!” Sometimes that’s the case, but sometimes with that many songs, you lose the album, especially if, stylistically, it’s all over the place.
Now I’m not saying Degeneration Street is all bad. Oh contraire, songs like the soft opening synth-tinged groove “Omega Dog” and bluesy track “Lamentation” are quite good. “Thrones” is also another high point, a retro rock hit with completely radio-ready hooks. The shortest song on the album, “Torches,” at a mere 1:50, is a nice interlude between “Lamentation” and “Galactic Tides,” a track that hints at the past and future with synthesizer as well as classic guitar riffs. “Stick w/ me kid” is a slick and mysterious track, heavy on staccato and distortion as well as Murphy Lightburn’s distinctive vocals driving the song to the epic finish. And while there are those quality songs that you’re sure to remember, a large portion of the album seems like filler.
As I was on my third listen, I’d been listening for three straight hours. Each song was relatively long, around 4:30 on average. By the time I was at track eight, a completely out of place track “Yesteryear,” one that starts with an awkward surf-rock hook, I thought to myself, “It’s almost over right?” I know that sounds harsh, but in most cases, less is more.
We’ve gotten so used to albums that are anywhere from eight to twelve songs, that fourteen is almost too long, especially when a large majority of them are four to five minutes long. Why not downsize and save the extra tracks for b-sides or for a later album? Cutting out the so-so tracks would have definitely made Degeneration Street have more of an impact. The way it is right now downplays the greatness of the standout tracks and makes the album sadly forgettable.
Track listing:
1. “Omega Dog” – 5:01
2. “5 Chords” – 3:34
3. “Blood” – 4:09
4. “Thrones” – 4:33
5. “Lamentation” – 4:20
6. “Torches” – 1:36
7. “Galactic Tides” – 4:38
8. “Yesteryear” – 3:51
9. “Stick With Me Kid” – 3:28
10. “Tiny Man” – 5:04
11. “Easy Suffering” – 4:33
12. “Unsung” – 4:15
13. “1854″ – 5:23
14. “Degeneration Street” – 4:57
