album Poppy - 'Zig'

[brooklyndaddy]

8 hours ago, perpetual novice said:

This album feels confused and completely throws away the creative progression that culminated in Flux. That record was her most accomplished body of work yet and tracks like Her and Bloom were straight up just some of the best rock songs of that year period, no superlatives. There's no beating around the bush that it underperformed though, and this feels like a tentative step back to see how that goes for the numbers. Motorbike is a bop but beneath her ability and whoever mixed and mastered Hard needs to give her a refund.

I agree for the most part, I will say though I believe Hard was very much intentionally meant to sound that way. The issue is apart from the bitcrusher fx going on, overall dynamics are missing.
 

It sounds like she was going for a digital hardcore sound but once again, the production just doesn’t fully commit to it 

 

0:35 is the sonic direction I’m referring to 

 

 

[LoveInStereo]

This album’s greatest strength (and hers) is its versatility & ability to be multiple things simultaneously. It is “messy” in the sense it only sounds like itself, it defies conventions & expectations. On par with I Disagree as her best album to date. Couldn’t stop listening to the leak & it sounds even better on DSPs. Big return to form, thought Flux was disappointing as ****

Edited October 27, 2023 by LoveInStereo

[Kintsugi]

she confirmed in her Zach Sang interview there's a Volume 2 called Zag coming 

[Gold]

her albums are so different from each other and it's so refreshing her discography is really shaping up to be one of the most unique catalogs I've heard in years! 

[TrueBlood]

I agree with some users here that the production is weak, it makes the whole album sounds bland even when it's not. It has an unpolished feeling that, even if intentional, doesn't work well IMO. Also the songwriting is quite safe and bland. It's a bit too similar when it comes to melodies and structures.

 

But I think it has VERY strong highlights (Linger and The Attic for example), in this sense I actually prefer this to Flux. Overall, I'd say it's a great album that doesn't sound as great as it should be, if that makes sense.

[perpetual novice]

3 hours ago, brooklyndaddy said:

I agree for the most part, I will say though I believe Hard was very much intentionally meant to sound that way. The issue is apart from the bitcrusher fx going on, overall dynamics are missing.
 

It sounds like she was going for a digital hardcore sound but once again, the production just doesn’t fully commit to it 

 

0:35 is the sonic direction I’m referring to 

 

 

I see the vision for Hard, but I think she was working with the wrong people to achieve the desired effect, Ali Payami doesn’t have a single noise rock track to his name and Hard does sound like she’s pushing him into unfamiliar territory and I don’t think it works. If she was trying a poppier spin on the sound, there’s other artists doing it better. I mean she even toured with PVRIS recently who have the exact kind of sound Poppy could have gone for to meet rock and pop in the middle.
 

 

[Kern]

After spending some time with the album I don't dislike it that much as other ppl here but I totally agree with critics. Church Outfit and Zig are the only songs that are going hard - but Zig is not for everyone with its weird lyrics. The rest are lacking the punch. Flux was good because of the title track alone, I think this album lacks centerpiece

[Kern]

2 hours ago, Kintsugi said:

she confirmed in her Zach Sang interview there's a Volume 2 called Zag coming 

Did she? Cause I listened to this interview and I thought they were just joking. She said that Zig means there is more to come but that sounded like she means conceptually, like this is what the album is about (but I could be wrong)

[smoore95GAGA]

9 hours ago, ImpassiveThomas said:

What It Becomes, Linger, and The Attic are career highlights

Yes for Linger and The Attic, they’re def the best (and really only good ones) of the new songs. WIB is a snooze fest tho I’m sorry 

[smoore95GAGA]

6 hours ago, LoveInStereo said:

This album’s greatest strength (and hers) is its versatility & ability to be multiple things simultaneously. It is “messy” in the sense it only sounds like itself, it defies conventions & expectations. On par with I Disagree as her best album to date. Couldn’t stop listening to the leak & it sounds even better on DSPs. Big return to form, thought Flux was disappointing as ****

[Alena]

So goood

[Kinich]

I think the album was still pretty solid, I might even prefer this over Flux.

[NordicGuy]

Loving the album. My favorite tracks after a few listens are Linger, The Attic, Prove It, Motorbike and What It Becomes. A really strong effort even though the tracks are super short. Up there with I Disagree and Flux for me.

[Illuminati]

Aside from Hard I thought the production was the strongest part about the album, so it's odd to see some takes that it was lacking The songs lacked hooks imo, I Disagree checked all of the boxes while this doesn't feel on par. But I like it way better than everything else she released between this and I Disagree.

 

Knockoff, Hard (despite the messy vocals) and Church Outfit are my favorites. Zig is also nice

[Kintsugi]

4 hours ago, stupidjock said:

Did she? Cause I listened to this interview and I thought they were just joking. She said that Zig means there is more to come but that sounded like she means conceptually, like this is what the album is about (but I could be wrong)

she ended up confirming it in another interview 

 

 

[mellenthin]

Didn't really care for this album, sadly.

[Roger]

Her most fun project since I Disagree.

 

I really love EAT but I only use 2 or 3 songs.

Flux is great but I needed more of her post-genre craziness.

Stagger was meh, but I love the title track with all my heart.

[FireFade]

I'm feeling Linger a lot rn 

[JohnWayneHolland]

After giving it a full second listen I have to say that it isn't as bad as the first time, but it's still my least favorite Poppy album, hopefully Zag delivers 

[Kinich]

This album is definitely a grower so hopefully the girls give it more chances before writing it off completely after a couple of listens

[Prodigal Self]

Meh

[bestfiction]

This is really mid. 1s + 0s and The Attic are the best songs, Motorbike is a fun bop but far from her best. The rest...

[Αnt]

I actually love this. 

[BletaRexher]

This is a mixed bag. I wish it either would’ve gone in a pop or rock direction the mix of them on this is odd. I hope the next album is strictly one of the two. Motorbike was awful when I first listened to it and now I love it. This album might grow on me.

[PopKills]

One of the best albums this year and PERFECT for Halloween season! She kinda lost me a bit with ID (even though it’s objectively good) and even more with Flux but this is so good, wow.