Okay, now that I've had a second to digest this...I repeat, Holy Hell, what a freaking album.
As a huge Oceansize fan, I was elated when Vennart released 'The Demon Joke' a few years back. I listened to it to death, and while it very much felt like a 'solo' record, I enjoyed it immensely.
'To Cure a Blizzard,' on the other hand, just didn't do it for me. I've tried and tried (even gave it a spin this morning), but the record is just too all over the place for me. It's good, very well crafted, but a bit too 'noodley' for my taste.
That all being said, this latest release is not only my favorite of the bunch, but it is also the closest thing to an Oceansize album I've heard in years.
I mean, I get it, the dude was a huge part of that band, but there was something about the overall mix of those five guys (especially on 'Frames') that just can't be replicated...'In the Dead, Dead Wood' comes pretty damn close.
Kudos to whoever it was you said this might be their 'album of the year'.....I'm inclined to agree. For something that was apparently 'recorded quickly' (according to his liner notes), this sounds incredibly realized.
The whole thing is amazing, but as others have mentioned, the back half, especially that amazing closer, is amongst Vennart's best work to date.