Release Year: 2004/ 2017
Rating: 9.0 / 10
Favorite Song(s): "Out With A Bang"
Least Favorite Song(s): "L.A. Radio"
Ornament and Crime is the seventh studio album by sELF, but was set to be the 5th. The label it was set to be released upon, DreamWorks Records, folded the day after the album was complete. However, bits of this album were floating around for years, which is when I originally heard it in 2012.
I think this album perfectly captures its intended release time and time the band was formed. I don't mind it when a record feels of it's time, and I think this holds still as a good listen. I've revisited this album and select tracks from it countless times now, but there are some less memorable ones (... I forgot L.A. Radio was even on this, but it reminds me more of commercial segments bands like cali gari put on their albums, so I don't know if it's a cop-out putting it in least favorite. In addition, I think it's not a good album ender, when if you left it off with "Out With A Bang", it would've been... Well, just that.) I think this band often gets overlooked in retrospects of the time, but it's a shame, the instrumental and singing mesh really well in this project.
It's not an album I have physically, but I do have to say, aesthetically, I really prefer the original album artwook for this. I don't think the current one is the worst thing I've ever seen, but I like the minimalistic finger print design, as it fits more with the album name. I also don't think the newer album art really adds much to show you what's inside.
4:11pm ... 2.4.2024