yeah so at first i was thoroughly unimpressed. but so if you listen to it longer, you start realizing that it just doesnt hit you as fast as the last album. the last album was a mix of immediately capturing hooks with vocals that took some time to love, but when you did, it was an amazing combination.. this one is just the whole cd takes time before you realize its amazing-ness

This is simply the sound of the band reaching into their more plaintive bag of tricks. Whatever...it's a great album which promotes thought and discussion, which is all I ever ask for from art! CYHSY have lost the influences that tainted their first album and have come up in the same muddy water as The Cure did with Seventeen Seconds...BTW, FIve Easy Pieces is fucking brilliant!!! STEVE HOLT!!!… Expand

I saw CYHSY live in Mpls, MN and they were great. Love their debut album but really not impressed with this one. Also, and this MUST be said, the Some Loud Thunder performed on the live EP is much better than the studio recording in my opinion. Various Artists (CHYSY)- Fall 2006 Tour EP Get it and hear what could have been.

I like but don't love 5 songs on the album. The rest are a complete mess. I disagree and think that the lead sounds like David Byrne. This is the only reason I like the group, because I loved the Talking Heads. They are a creative band and have good ideas, but after a great first album, I find it hard to believe that they could not look each other in the eyes and say let's stop recording and really try to make this project work. They didn't and the album has failed. It sounds like an attempt to get easy cash knowing that many will buy it since their early success. Hey, they suckered me in.… Expand

"So jaw droppingly agile at subverting your every expectation that its impact can't possibly be fully absorbed or properly appreciated without necessary detachment" ...man, I just want to dig the music and if I don't, it's not my fault. I like some songs and even appreciate some things I don't quite like yet but, but man oh man - going on for more than 2:30 with "undawata youanme undwata youanme undawata youanme ..." proves just too too much to bear. okay it's "We'll design a clever disguise. We'll retreat to the bottom of the sea. We were destined to live out our lives underwater, you and me." but it drags and drags and drags... and I love the first album - purposely didn't listen to it for a while so I could take this album on it own - eased myself into it after being jared by the intentional bad production in song 1-...but it's just not a 10 and I don't think I'm a "hater" for saying so. I go into track 10 and by midway I'm like a crab trapped under the rusty edge of a trawler's cage and traumatized further by the sound of my own shell scrapping along the ground so, so, so s-l-o-w-l-y while I wait, impatiently, to die. ugh. Anyway, I do like the album and will keep working with it like new food but so far, it isn't like falling in love all over again - but that's okay. sorry. had to vent.… Expand

Underwhelming

a bit over-ambitious and loss of concentration, still good quality

CYHSY have guts. They had what most indie bands dream of having and then they threw it all away. With Some Loud Thunder, CYHSY prove that being an indie darling isn't what they're after. They are here to make music. And not just music that is catchy or feel-good. They are totally involved in the creative process. They take risks, explore, and don't get hung up on whether it will be popular among the indie crowd or not. This Album is one of the most refreshing and unique pieces of music I have heard in a long time, and I applaud CYHSY for making such a bold break from where it looked like they might be headed. Oundsworth has the kind of incomparable vocal talent that will take them far. And I don't hear the David Byrne anywhere. CYHSY are the kind of exciting band I've been waiting for, and I can't wait to see what they do next.… Expand

Listen to it longer. it is the album of the year. ;)

This band at least has some distinct style to separate themselves from the rest of the music scene. I'd give the debut a 10 and this an 8. Not as good but not in any way a sophomore "slump".

Wow, the best album of the year so far. The lo-fi structures makes me so happy.

why people hate Fridmann? Love this album and best than first, to me

Disaster. I feel that it's an attempt to avoid disappointing people had they continued in a similar vein as the first album. "This new record sucks"..."Yeah, but we were TOTALLY trying something different"......

I gave it a 4 because the musicians are okay but if you think the vocals are good you are only lying to yourself. The vocals suck plain and simple just like the first time around. Someone please tell that guy that he is not David Byrne - not even close. I know he says he doesn't try to sound like him but he does and he sucks.

Slap The Hype Say No

Different to their debut, and it takes at LEAST five listens to really get it... But you will eventually learn to love it - just let the sonic waves wash over you, and enjoy.

half assed CD. the only people who like it are delirious fans that can't accept that their favorite musicians made a dud. the first album was grand, but this is total crap with a few good gems. raised expectations aren't the reason for the poor ratings. a lot of bands can pull off the hype and live up to what everyone wants, and this is a band that couldn't. regardless, they'd still be getting poor ratings no matter what the circumstance for this trash.… Expand

Has none of the catchy hooks of the last album so you'd better be a true fan to appreciate an album that takes so much work to enjoy.

This is a really strong second album. They have once again sabotaged the most obvious contender to be a hit (Some Loud Thunder) with a bizarre fuzzy production. Over and Over Again could have been the hit from the last album but the song structure was odd and it just fizzled into a whimper after the second verse. This could be intentional - who knows? Luckily there are two sets of perfect songs on this disc - tracks 2-4 and the last three songs. This album also contains there best song so far - 'Mama...' The vocals are what make this band so special - if you don't like them then you will never like this band - it is that simple. If I had to describe them I'd say part David Byrne, part Frank Black and part Thom Yorke. All at their most strained and 'difficult'. Perfect!… Expand

Beautiful album, love these guys so much!! Best album of the year!

Amazing lo-fi Album, maybe, the best album of the year. People don't understand the intents on the album. It's a Masterpiece record, I recommend.

Evolution is part of the process here. When I first began to delve into this album, I was exasperated, bored and felt generally uneasy / dissapointed. Criminally underlooked and undervalued, these songs reward with repeated listens. I've been playing this non-stop since its release. Pros: - Varied, rich mixture of styles, tempos and arrangements - Dazzling collection of songs ("Goodbye to Mother and the Cove" / "Mama, Won't You..." / "Underwater..." / "Five Easy Pieces") outweigh the messy, unfocused ones ("Satan Said Dance" / "Arm & Hammer") - Ounsworth's unique vocal delivery. Annoying at first, captivating later - Not as "same sounding" as their first - Growing pains = good thing! -D. Fridmann is a producing genius Cons - A bit unfocused for some - Varied instrumentation may not be for everyone - Newcomers may not enjoy… Expand

they grow and Satan is really great song(I can see it came from Talking heads)

Definitely grows on you. Took me a while to get into, and I don't think it is going to get the same playtime as the first. But I still can't stop listening to this one, so thumbs up.

Fuck the haters. Simply put, this album is a bona-fide musical miracle and therefore won't be recognized for what it is by the skeptical majority. So jaw droppingly agile at subverting your every expectation that its impact can't possibly be fully absorbed or properly appreciated without the necessary detachment of the distance history provides. One hundred years from today this will still stand as one of the century's finest works of sonic genius but don't expect widespread recognition as such for at least 15 more years. It simply isn't ready to be properly received yet. Lest anyone should think I'm just some diehard fan spouting biased hyperbole; I wasn't sold by their promising yet vastly overrated debut. It turns out that I was unwittingly right not to be swayed, because, in retrospect, it's clear that record was designed as a smokescreen. Now that they've secured the universe's full attention, CYHSY have just given birth to the revolution while simultaneously throwing everyone who promoted them too soon off their trail. It's the perfect two-step plan to ensure the followers who thought the band had begun leading them earlier will be marching in the opposite direction. The recruitment strategy is rudimentary yet effective: hide in plain sight. The whole world will tune in with anticipation but seeing what appears to be too much static, most will drop out. The few who remain will eventually or immediately recognize and decipher the true message buried in the code. The revolution WILL be televised but with the intention that it will cause all but the bravest and most visionary of us to switch the channel.… Expand

2007 I love you

I really don't understand why everyone is saying this album is a "grower". I actually liked all but a couple of the songs on first listen, which is pretty rare. What I find amusing is that every review says there are some standout tracks and some duds, but each reviewer has totally different opinions as to which are which. I like their debut, love this one.

I'm a huge fan of Clap Your Hands and absolutely still love their debut. Even went to Coachella to see them, but this album was a disappointment. It's flat-out mediocre. Stand-out tracks include Underwater (You and Me) and Mama, Won't You Keep... That said, I look forward to their third effort. By the way, if you want to check out a great album, jump on the Cloud Cult's new upcoming album The Meaning of 8.… Expand

The first disappointment of the year. It simply doesn't have the energy that made the debut so echanting, nor the melodies to keep you humming along. Lyrics take a back seat as well, with Oundsworth going for a more Thom Yorke-ish throw anything on paper and hope it works approach. Yankee Go Home and Underwater are the standout tracks with Satan Said Dance and Love Song No. 7 decent enough. The rest is forgettable and the opener hurts my ears, literally (what the hell is he doing to the vocals?). There are a lot of bands I'm looking forward to this year, unfortuantely this was near the top of my list. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come.… Expand

CYHSY has been plagued with the expectance of their sophomore album to reach their debut's success and that was just too much to overcome. Instead they produced an album that was even weirder than their first.

I listened to their first album for a year and a half. I preordered this album and started listening to it about two weeks ago. The first track "Some Loud Thunder" was very perplexing at first. It had the too much bass..is this what they meant it to sound like feeling....after I accidently heard the song twice more mistaking it for a different song from the album..I realized how much the song had changed on me after a few listens. ok so some of the songs I don't like as much as the others. I do like the whole album...every song seems to bring it's own uniqueness. So saying that hear are my favorite, middle, and least favorite songs on Some Loud Thunder: 5 Favorites Track 1 "Some Loud Thunder" Track 3 "Mama, won't you keep them castles in the Air and Burning? Track 9 "Yankee Go Home" Track 10"Underwater (You and Me) Track 11"Five Easy Pieces" 3 in the Middle Track 2 "Emily Jean Stock" Track 5 "Satan Said Dance" Track 6 "Upon Encountering the Crippled Elephant" 3 Least Favorites Track 4" Love Song no.7" (which I first heard a while back of course) Track 7 "Goodbye to Mother and the Cove"(although once the drums set in..i am hooked) Track 8 "Arm and Hammer" (the oddest sounding song of the bunch) Their first album came out of nowhere and hit everyone in the face. I was enchanted by the songs. This time around I am yet again enchanted by the songs. I didn't even know their was this great hype. I've since read about it..and well..that's how things can go...Too many people listening to a band that just forms..and as the band grows...so will criticism... Comparing their 2nd album to their 1st is ridiculous. and well I'm fully pleased with their 2nd album. I've gotten what I expected. I enjoyed what I enjoyed. It's music. Some people like certain songs for different reasons. Some people like some bands..more than others. It always happens. It always will.. and yeah..for this album..I'm in their with the people that like it. ^.^… Expand

This alum is a difficult listen at first and is much more noisier than their first album. Buried underneath all of the fuss are some great songs/melodies. I keep wondering what it would have sounded like if they hadn't intentionally made it murky and cleaned it up a touch. However, it is a throughly enjoyable listen if your able to spend time with it.

CYHSY are a great band and this a good album. Overall, all this hype is useless... There aren't any bad tracks but some seem to be lacking in quality. Alec OUnsworth has led his band into a mess that actually sounds decent.

Damn good CD, has some stand out tracks, but not as good as the debut. Buy it, it's worth it, support the band you know will come out with another amazing CD in their career. This is more experimental, and they do a good job and just that, experimenting. Some segments of songs fall flat and some soar with sonic glee. Some Loud Thunder is worth a purchase and some heavy rotation, but it's no classic.… Expand

This poor band raised so many expectations. This album was destined to be just ok. And that's what it is.

Underrated. Maybe even better then the first. Don't mind the critics and give it a fair shot.

I try not to make hasty judgements about an established band's new album, there is always a tendency to compare it unfavorably to the previous album...especially if the previous album in question is as good as CHYSY's debut. Unfortunately, I just can't dig this new one as much as the first one. There are flashes of what could be incredible indie pop songs, but they're covered up by needless noise. Experimentation is great and fine and good, but not if it ruins the song's enjoyability. By the way, what happened to the Bassist? Was he simply told to stop playing great lines? I noticed he's completely missing on a few tracks. Why? All of the debut album's strongest songs had fantastic basslines. Some Loud Thunder has a couple decent lines, but nothing nearly as warm and engaging as Over and Over Again or Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away. I'm very disapointed.… Expand

i don't see where all this backlash is coming from. this album's about as good as the other one. couple good songs, most are just mediocre.

this a challenging album, it isn't as easy as their first album, but it really is worth it. the distortions and ambience really make for an engaging album. try it out.

Best album of the year. Sophisticated, demanding and essential.

Not all that different in overall feel from the first album, but lacks any cracking tracks similar to 'Over and Over Again' from the first disk. And 'Satan' is simply awful - thank goodness for the skip function.

Like the new Shins, this album will grow on you if you just give it a chance. Listen to it on at least 2 seperate occasions and you will see what I mean. Sorry, it's just one of those kinda records. By that I mean it is definitely "difficult", but it still has some appeal to it. The main problem with the album is not the production (which I personally like for its attempt to try something totally different...plus Dave Friedmann is a God) but as the Pitchfork review said, the songs just don't stand up under scrutiny. You can't blame bad production if the songs aren't there. You can see that their first album is already considered a modern-day classic and will be highly played and valued for many years. This will always be considered the divisive, difficult, and subpar sophomore album. There's no way around it...there are just not enough good songs on this thing. I would still recommend it to any fans of CHYSY or fans of the great Dave Friedmann.… Expand

Upon first listen, I was ready to laud this album as a vast disappointment. After a few listens, though, it began to really grow on me and even though I haven't been able to enjoy it nearly as much as their debut, I still find it to be a very great, and (regardless of what the critics are saying) very listenable album. The title track is one of the most genius and nirvana-inducing songs that I have heard all year. "Some Loud Thunder" while not as good as its masterful predeccessor is simply a progression of sorts and I can't wait for their next release.… Expand

Can't believe this album has had lukewarm reviews. It is fantastic!

I truly feel sorry for the people who hear this album once and dismiss it. They are missing out on a great experience. Yes, the first song is distorted, which makes it challenging to listen to, but it's catchy as hell. Get past the initial response...enjoy the handclaps and the backing vocals and the melody and the emotion. You can tell Mr. Ounsworth was having a great time in the studio with experimenting with different sonic landscapes. Embrace this, listeners. Emily Jean Stock and Mama, Won't You....are the two best songs they've ever recorded. but again, it takes some time to realize this. Be patient. Keep at it. You will be rewarded.… Expand

Fine Doug R. - Fuck me. That still doesn't take away the fact that this album is not only the epitome of a sophomore slump and a huge disappointment, but it is also, sorry to say it, pretty much a shit album.

A pretty good sophomore album that departs from the self titled. Basically my favorite moments of this album ("Mama, Won't You..." "Love Song No. 7" "Satan Said Dance" "Underwater You & Me") match that of the first, but the probably is the consistancy. A few lazy tracks like "Upon Encountering..." and "Goodbye to the mother" amongst others hold the record down. It's a brave attempt to move towards change, but it's not as solid as the first album.… Expand

Hands down, best album released thus far this year. Yes, I know it's only January, but "Some Loud Thunder" will stand the test of time. There are a couple duds here (the interlude, and Arm & Hammer) but the debut was the same way. Some Loud Thunder's best songs (I.E. most of them) far surpass anything the band has previously released.

I think this is more rich and beautiful than the debut. Say Goodbye to Mother and the Cove is their best yet I think.

Well on it's way to being the most sandbagged album of the year. Expands on CYHSY's debut with a deep, richly layered sound that deserves and requires many listen-thrus to fully enjoy.

This album is good. It's often difficult to meet the expectations of the media , when you are a band that defines itself by ignoring the hype.

Although took some time to get used to this album - its not ground breaking but has some gems on there to make it worth while.

I love "Some Loud Thunder". I love the way its produced, how scrappy and crappy it sounds. The jingle-jangley sound and atmospheric haze coupled with his voice is dreamy and sometimes gorgeous

I really don't understand the bad critics... Like the first one, it's fresh, complete and addicting ...

I have to say, I don't get why this brilliant album is coping such low reviews. Sure, the recording is a little harsh, particularly the opening track, but the production is also pretty pure and unadorned, harking back to some of the 90's bands I love, and the sound cleans up as the record progresses. I haven't been this caught up in a record for ages. Great songs, well played and not screwed up by over blown production. Oh, and the singer is more Tom Verlaine than David Byrne, if his voice is to be compared to anything. Don't write this album off until you've listened to it.… Expand

am really fascinated with this record, it is without a doubt one of my favorite records of this year because 'Some Loud Thunder' shows a face different with so surprising sounds, for sample 'Satan Said it Dance' or 'Some Lud Thunder' It is a record completely different to the first one and it shows us to a band that continues toward before with strong steps without looking back.… Expand

Let's be honest, there is no backlash. This isn't a sophomore slump. People loved the purity and underdog nature of the story of their success, which translated into an affection for the band that artificially inflated our perceptions of the objective quality of the music on the first album. But the songwriting was always subpar two-chord blandness, and the quirky voice was going to get old at some point. Anyone who believed this band ever had any promise or long-term potential is crazy.… Expand