Austin

I didn’t grow up with The Cure. I wanted to study their discography, I approached the album the wrong way, “Yeah it’s a iconic but how good could it be?!” I’m still deeply embarrassed for being so dismissive. I am absolutely blown away, the melodies, how they play with space and sound to express emptiness, heartbreak, loneliness, drowning. Lovesong feels like someone you will not reach. So optimistic, and he sings again with his heart helplessly. How do they do this?! Robert’s voice is soooo unique, he creates his own echo and cadence. The guitars, drums, everything is so meticulous, timed, thoughtful. Prayers for Rain. I stopped my little sister and her friends and was like- you HAVE to hear this. The sound is SO heavy, drowning, so painful, you can feel the sadness in you. The bass beats it into your heart. Aw man, I definitely missed out and I’m sooo glad I chanced this band. So creative, a higher level of creativity that just flows. The band is a true treasure, the songs are such gems.

It’s a very, very beautiful album, strong lyrics, so melodic and catchy. It makes the listener feel like a part of something bigger and united. The musical layering, variations, vocal backings are so perfect. BMTH reminds me of Linkin Park’s Hybrid Theory. It really is like opening a box of chocolates, such a treat and talent.

I’ve always been most drawn to “Burials” of all of AFI’s poetic albums. The atmosphere and layering reminds of Mark Rothko’s large scale hue paintings. Through “Burials” AFI uses a newer approach in exploring themes of starkness, hate-filled resentment, absoluteness, inescapable fated heavy emptiness, panic attacks, impending anxiety, self-accepted longing wistfulness. The album art is paired beautifully w/slightly glittery backlit darkness. 1970s Menil Art Collection, Houston. Mark Rothko painted these large blue to black diffused canvases. If you visit in-person, (perhaps at a more normal frequency than me 🤣) you’ll realize each is an individual study of the same medium 14 times! I counted :] Menil + Rothko lined these tall walls up in his non-denominal “Chapel”. Displayed in an absolute silence, a bare concrete dome. The natural ceiling skylights dictate the overall atmosphere, constantly evolving. The art has withered a bit from me visiting often from Austin and the natural forces of Houston (.. Perhaps Rothko meant his art to wither? 🤔) ANYWAYS! Burials has layers and layers of intricately placed details, massive walls of sound, negative space, purpose, and concise thought. Every time the album ends, I am like, “..Whoa.” The further we trek past Burials into Blood, Bodies, and many more wonderful individualistic albums, I cannot help but to be emotionally chained to Burials. The lyricism and music is some of the best AFI has done (on TOP of being incredibly influential, there’s SO many musicians who credit AFI for inspiration). The composition + atmosphere is so beautiful✨ Considering how interpersonal the themes are, Davey, Hunter, Jade, Adam did a phenomenal job writing and expressing with their instruments.