lol @ the phrase "synth plops".. those plops are very Kraftwerk to me and I like 'em.
so I'm new around here (kinda.. lurked from 2003 on, then my account got deleted in the switch from brown to white, and now here I am again), but been a fan since 1996..
didn't realize there was so much hate for OWB. I much prefer it to AHDO (which was at the bottom of their albums for me only until recently.. started listening again and it's not as bad as I thought it was).
As for Barking.. overall, I love it. It was hard at first to get used to the straightforward pop of ALAF, or the fact that Scribble wasn't quite the 2005 live version I've been used to. But honestly - how can you hear "can you feel it?" and "heaven, heaven" in ALAF and not smile? it's so fucking catchy you just want to smash puppies.
Same with Scribble. The video captures the mood perfectly.. screaming "and it's OK.. you give me everything I need" at the top of your lungs in a fast moving vehicle.
Hamburg Hotel and Grace.. solid.
Between Stars made me think of Limmy doing
(similar choruses).
I'm guessing it will be a single.
Diamond Jigsaw screams "single" to me - probably the most accessible UW yet. I do like it, but It's so generic tho.
Love Moon in Water.
The only one I can't stand is the vocals in Louisiana.. I'm hoping that warble effect is indeed an effect. I could tolerate the song without that effect. Looking forward to the instrumental version on the box set.