i think "is there really no happiness" is about the fear of fleeting happiness, that after good feelings are over they become nothing but memories, and you can never truly recapture them again
genuinely a fantastic album from front to back, some songs were def growers but after listening through the album a few more times i can say its really good and i enjoy all the songs a ton, i think nurture is still more special to me for now but we'll see how I feel in a couple years :)
such a good album, Year of the Cup and Knock Yourself Out are still growing on me. standout tracks for me are definitely Mona Lisa and Is There Really No Happiness? based on a few listens i don't think this surpasses Nurture for me but im so happy to just see Porter doing whatever he wants with his music now :D
Mona Lisa is such a great wall-of-sound track with amazing production and sound scape. The lyrics seems to be about parasocial relationships and idealizing someone with fame who you don't really know into a perfect image (or painting).
To me it's interesting that he really went for minimalistic production for this album compared to the previous 2. I love Nurture for how it fully envelops your ears with a full sound (among other things). But here you can hear every element and I think it's pretty interesting the exact way he combined all these different sounds. And that means each individual idea feels more substantial to each song's identity, but that also means the elements i dont fully love are harder to ignore or give a pass. Since there's no instrumental song on here, and not many "drops" or instrumental breaks, there's a LOT of focus on the lyrics and the vocals for this one. They were still great and important on Nurture, but with basically every song I'm really intrigued trying to figure out what exactly each song or the whole album as a whole could be about. I've listened to over 600 albums and I've personally never heard lyrics written like this before. There's a lot of weird and humorous lines, and a lot of the songs it's hard to tell what's genuine or a joke, or what the metaphors are about.. He said himself he was originally just trying to make an album with "no sincerity" and all fun, but ended up confessing his true feelings. So I think the end result is a really a unique mix of genuine and random fun. As of now, I'd say the instrumentals aren't as consistently interesting as Nurture, but there's still a LOT of great songs and moments here. And I really appreciate how different it is, tho I still hope he does a more electronic leaning album in the future. I don't care what electronic genre(s) they end up being, since he's proven very capable to create unique sounds and genre merges, and I just love instrumentals and electronic sounds.
There's obviously no objective "best," especially with an artist like Porter who changes their sound so dramatically with every new project. I think it's a really strong album and I'm definitely going to be listening to it many more times before my first Porter concert in September to further develop my opinions on it. I definitely like the sound because it reminds me a lot of the Pop Punk / Alternative / Indie music of the 2000s that I grew up listening to. I saw someone else write that the theme of the album in one word is "honesty" and I really agree with that. It acknowledges the myriad ways our experiences can challenge and even compromise our sense of identity, and the importance of maintaining the traits and values that make us who we are, because it's so much easier to Smile :D when we know we're being true to ourselves. I also think it's a phenomenal "sequel" album to _Nurture_, going from an internal conversation about our relationship with ourselves to an outward observation of our relationships with others and the world around us. In all honesty though, I still think _Nurture_ holds its spot as my favorite Porter album. The sound design is just so unbelievably gorgeous an I feel like it's the most sonically cohesive across all of its tracks. On top of that, it holds a LOT of emotional weight for me as something that helped me a LOT during my lowest point in a decade-long battle with The Big Sad™.
I’ve listened through the new album three times now and I absolutely love it! Omg I did not recognize that that was Lil Wayne in Year of the Cup that’s wild. Also ahhh I met the Frost Children at a party last year and they’re awesome! That’s super cool that they collabed with Porter! Mona Lisa is such a banger!!
Thank goodness this turned out a lot better than I was expecting given how I wasn’t huge on Knock Yourself Out and Kitsune Maison Freestyle at all, but over half the album is genuinely great so I’m definitely happy with it. Still probably my least favourite of his albums at the moment but that’s a high bar, this is still really good!
Russian Roulette is the "Mirror" of Smile :D for me, and that's what makes it my favorite of the album. I do love multiple songs on this album, but it doesn't personally hit the same as Nurture or Worlds. Others may disagree, but that's my take.
I feel like Mona Lisa is a worlds reference musically and possibly his Mona Lisa since its many peoples favorite album still so its almost like an old masterpiece and how he feels about it. No Happiness is definitely referencing nurture as nostalgic
I was disappointed at first, but then I realized he’s not trying to create his magnum opus, and he’s just trying to make music that makes him happy, ie smile
Can tell you're so excited to vibe with the album here! And yeah,what an awesome album! Personally not my AOTY but still so great! Love the last tracks here.
I've been thinking about why worlds is my favourite album of all time when everyone loved nurture and everyone is having fun with smile. I think im still in a deep hole full of water where i cant swimm away, i thats why for me thinking about living in another world where everything is more cozy feels better to me. Personally i've been trying to get out of the hole for the last 4 years and it seems that nothing has changed even if im trying my hardest, quitting drugs, going to therapy and seeking better relationships with myself and other people. I dont know what im doing wrong tbh because everyone is feeling like this album is so fun and has a playfull aura but i cant help but feel like the second half of the album is lowkey very depressing. I dont feel the love. I feel the heartbreak. And i hate it but i think im not going to enjoy this album as much as everyone because my life is shit at the time and i really wanted nurture to hit me hard, to get me going forward, to be like a checkpoint irl and to love it but life honestly feels like everything is going so bad. Am i gonna surrender? Hell fucking no, but it still hurts to feel this way. Excellent as always bowtied
My slightly condensed and reworked thoughts on the album (I wrote a MUCH longer review on reddit haha) Smile is it's a Solid album but I left feeling very underwhelmed (and still am after 15 listens of the album). I'm a massive Indie Pop fan, and Smile is a 6.75/10 for Me. Maybe having high expectations from the first 3 singles it part of what ruined it for me...? Smile has some incredible songs I prefer to Porter's other albums, but Nurture and Worlds feel like better complete packages. This album has some Highs, but Nurture has Higher highs, Smile has much lower lows than Porter's past albums. Some of the songs have a very James Ivy core sound/feel, but I feel James Ivy does a better job at that style (James Ivy did help work with some songs on the album but still yeah) Some songs have incredible lyrics, the others fall a bit short, and are just meh. The talking samples detract from several of the songs, especially Year of the Cup, Year of the Cup it's a full minute before Porter sings. I would've preferred the song as just an instrumental track, or only with Porter's verse's/chorus Many of the tracks feel like songs feel like songs any other Pop artist could've made, and Narratively some of the lyrics feel confusing, some try to seem subtle, but other use samples as a means to hammer home the meaning/message...? I adore Is There Really Any Happiness, and it's probably my favourite track now on the album, but the outro sample feels a bit odd and out of place. Easier to Love you I actually prefer to blossom. Those 2 plus the original first 3 singles are the best 5 tracks on the Album
I think I’m come to recognize that his album’s core is actually what it’s saying, not necessarily what it sounds like. Once I made that switch, my appreciation for the record was greatly enhanced. But hey, I know that’s just me!
It's a good album, but not a great album imo. A bit confusing and messy narratively as a whole package (even after several listens and reading the lyrics. It makes more sense than before, but it's not as clean as it could be narratively). Has some stand out tracks, but half the album I won't listen to past the initial several listening sessions I had (I listened to it most all day yesterday and today, VPN to NZ). Mona Lisa and Year of the Cup I loved on initial listen, but each subsequent listen I grew more indifferent about them/disliked them more. The samples in YOTC detract from the song, they should've been edited down more, or less samples and more porter. Perfect Pinterest Garden is alright, but meh. Easier to Love you I prefer to Blossom honestly, and is so pretty. Everything to Me I like the narrative, but isn't the strongest song on the album, I'd rank it about in the middle. KMF love the narrative, but the song gets old fast. Love the initial singles to death, musically, lyrically, and the narrative. Russian Roulette is probably my fav. of the 3, but Easier to love you may tie it for me now. I like the James Ivy like sound, but I personally think the James Ivy like sounding tracks aren't as good as James Ivy's stuff...? sort of a "James Ivy did it better" situation (I am aware James Ivy helped work on the album). Easier to Love You and ITRAH are probably my standout outside first singles (KMF is probably ranked lowest on the album for me lol, but I do love it narratively more than several of the songs on the album) I'd say the album is a 6.5/10 for me. I'm honestly super sad I didn't love this album more, especially since I loved the singles so much, and as an Indie Pop fan. I'd say several of the songs I'd give anywhere from a 7 to a 9/10 alone, but the album as a whole isn't as strong as a complete package. I'm still planning to see Porter live since I already bought tickets, but my expectations aren't as high as before.
I still don't understand what's special about this? It just sounds like generic hyperpop and is nothing interesting nor does it sound special- at all. Could someone explain?
porter has never been this like open and honest in his lyrics, and this is like an entirely different genre than what he's done before so it's a big shift for him, personally i think he nailed it
it really depends on the listeners. some likes it, others are not. and it's normal. porter on this album really is different from the other ones, but I expected it already considering the gap between Worlds and Nurture. imo, I like the album.
![Porter Robinson SMILE! :D LIVE @ Forest Hills Stadium NYC 8/31/24 [FULL SET]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A-SpQSkitdo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[LIVE] BABYMONSTER(베이비몬스터) - DRIP | 두시탈출 컬투쇼](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UG05pxLGwzc/mqdefault.jpg)
i think "is there really no happiness" is about the fear of fleeting happiness, that after good feelings are over they become nothing but memories, and you can never truly recapture them again
Goodbye to a world core
Yea I think that’s pretty on point
Also adding to "Easier to Love You"- the "past" voice being the nurture vocal really gets me.
ITS BEAUTIFUL
best song on the album
genuinely a fantastic album from front to back, some songs were def growers but after listening through the album a few more times i can say its really good and i enjoy all the songs a ton, i think nurture is still more special to me for now but we'll see how I feel in a couple years :)
Spellbound >> SMILE!:D
Man, props to Taylor swift for making a great album, he really did know his schedule on the 5th
such a good album, Year of the Cup and Knock Yourself Out are still growing on me. standout tracks for me are definitely Mona Lisa and Is There Really No Happiness? based on a few listens i don't think this surpasses Nurture for me but im so happy to just see Porter doing whatever he wants with his music now :D
Easier To Love You always had me in tears man. Everything in the song broke me.
Mona Lisa is such a great wall-of-sound track with amazing production and sound scape. The lyrics seems to be about parasocial relationships and idealizing someone with fame who you don't really know into a perfect image (or painting).
certified hood classic of an album this is
To me it's interesting that he really went for minimalistic production for this album compared to the previous 2. I love Nurture for how it fully envelops your ears with a full sound (among other things). But here you can hear every element and I think it's pretty interesting the exact way he combined all these different sounds. And that means each individual idea feels more substantial to each song's identity, but that also means the elements i dont fully love are harder to ignore or give a pass.
Since there's no instrumental song on here, and not many "drops" or instrumental breaks, there's a LOT of focus on the lyrics and the vocals for this one. They were still great and important on Nurture, but with basically every song I'm really intrigued trying to figure out what exactly each song or the whole album as a whole could be about. I've listened to over 600 albums and I've personally never heard lyrics written like this before. There's a lot of weird and humorous lines, and a lot of the songs it's hard to tell what's genuine or a joke, or what the metaphors are about.. He said himself he was originally just trying to make an album with "no sincerity" and all fun, but ended up confessing his true feelings. So I think the end result is a really a unique mix of genuine and random fun.
As of now, I'd say the instrumentals aren't as consistently interesting as Nurture, but there's still a LOT of great songs and moments here. And I really appreciate how different it is, tho I still hope he does a more electronic leaning album in the future. I don't care what electronic genre(s) they end up being, since he's proven very capable to create unique sounds and genre merges, and I just love instrumentals and electronic sounds.
There's obviously no objective "best," especially with an artist like Porter who changes their sound so dramatically with every new project. I think it's a really strong album and I'm definitely going to be listening to it many more times before my first Porter concert in September to further develop my opinions on it. I definitely like the sound because it reminds me a lot of the Pop Punk / Alternative / Indie music of the 2000s that I grew up listening to. I saw someone else write that the theme of the album in one word is "honesty" and I really agree with that. It acknowledges the myriad ways our experiences can challenge and even compromise our sense of identity, and the importance of maintaining the traits and values that make us who we are, because it's so much easier to Smile :D when we know we're being true to ourselves.
I also think it's a phenomenal "sequel" album to _Nurture_, going from an internal conversation about our relationship with ourselves to an outward observation of our relationships with others and the world around us.
In all honesty though, I still think _Nurture_ holds its spot as my favorite Porter album. The sound design is just so unbelievably gorgeous an I feel like it's the most sonically cohesive across all of its tracks. On top of that, it holds a LOT of emotional weight for me as something that helped me a LOT during my lowest point in a decade-long battle with The Big Sad™.
I like that idea of the theme being “Honesty”
Also hope you’re doing well now fighting that Big Sad!
@@BowtiedMedia Friendship ended with Big Sad. Now productive lifestyle and medication are my best friends.
@Neotenico Glad to hear it!
I’ve listened through the new album three times now and I absolutely love it!
Omg I did not recognize that that was Lil Wayne in Year of the Cup that’s wild.
Also ahhh I met the Frost Children at a party last year and they’re awesome! That’s super cool that they collabed with Porter! Mona Lisa is such a banger!!
Super cool! Yea Mona Lisa is a certified banger
Thank goodness this turned out a lot better than I was expecting given how I wasn’t huge on Knock Yourself Out and Kitsune Maison Freestyle at all, but over half the album is genuinely great so I’m definitely happy with it. Still probably my least favourite of his albums at the moment but that’s a high bar, this is still really good!
been mad fun following your reactions up to the album release! was really fun to get your perspective!
Thanks for sticking around for each of my videos :)
I really wish your channel would blow up, you totally deserve it! Always look forward to your reviews!!
Thank you :)
Hopefully some of my upcoming videos will hit the algorithm 😉
Russian Roulette is the "Mirror" of Smile :D for me, and that's what makes it my favorite of the album. I do love multiple songs on this album, but it doesn't personally hit the same as Nurture or Worlds. Others may disagree, but that's my take.
This is how i felt about russian roulette as well. My fav is Mona Lisa at the moment tho
Russian Roulelle has made me cry several times already and I think I can count on my fingers the songs that have made me cry
easier to love you destroyed me beyond repair
A real standout track for sure
I feel like Mona Lisa is a worlds reference musically and possibly his Mona Lisa since its many peoples favorite album still so its almost like an old masterpiece and how he feels about it. No Happiness is definitely referencing nurture as nostalgic
In his track Everything to Me you can hear the guitar play the Get Your Wish melody at around the 2:30 mark.
Good catch!
37:17 it was used in the world tour teaser
Great catch!
its easy to see@@CypiXmusic
There it is!
Thanks for making this ! I was waiting for your review since this album came out haha
Hopefully I didn’t keep you waiting too long haha
Great album. Didn't speak to me like nurture did but wasn't expecting it to capture that same feeling
I was disappointed at first, but then I realized he’s not trying to create his magnum opus, and he’s just trying to make music that makes him happy, ie smile
10:35 never let anyone tell you how to vibe
Can tell you're so excited to vibe with the album here! And yeah,what an awesome album!
Personally not my AOTY but still so great! Love the last tracks here.
Is There Really No Happiness? is for sure my favorite song on the album. Reminds me of Nurture. So pretty and euphoric.
I've been thinking about why worlds is my favourite album of all time when everyone loved nurture and everyone is having fun with smile. I think im still in a deep hole full of water where i cant swimm away, i thats why for me thinking about living in another world where everything is more cozy feels better to me. Personally i've been trying to get out of the hole for the last 4 years and it seems that nothing has changed even if im trying my hardest, quitting drugs, going to therapy and seeking better relationships with myself and other people. I dont know what im doing wrong tbh because everyone is feeling like this album is so fun and has a playfull aura but i cant help but feel like the second half of the album is lowkey very depressing. I dont feel the love. I feel the heartbreak. And i hate it but i think im not going to enjoy this album as much as everyone because my life is shit at the time and i really wanted nurture to hit me hard, to get me going forward, to be like a checkpoint irl and to love it but life honestly feels like everything is going so bad. Am i gonna surrender? Hell fucking no, but it still hurts to feel this way. Excellent as always bowtied
Easier to Love you Feeels like beautiful autumn/fall 💕💕
This album is pretty unique to say the least, I really love it though. The songs feels personal to him, and I like that.
That first verse of easier to love you was coincidentially personal to you lol
Speaking to my soul
I feel like Nuture was therapy for the person Porter Robinson and Smile! XD is therapy for the artist Porter Robinson
Yoo another livesteream ❤❤❤
it's incredible
50:05 IT WAS FAKE THIS ENTIRE TIME?????
😏
I’ve actually known it was a green screen it was obvious 😭
you heard is there really no happiness in the announcement video for the smile world tour !
Oh that’s where! Thank you!
Nurture stays my number 1, but still some wonderful songs in there
i wish you caught that get your wish motif in the last song its amazing
My slightly condensed and reworked thoughts on the album (I wrote a MUCH longer review on reddit haha)
Smile is it's a Solid album but I left feeling very underwhelmed (and still am after 15 listens of the album). I'm a massive Indie Pop fan, and Smile is a 6.75/10 for Me. Maybe having high expectations from the first 3 singles it part of what ruined it for me...?
Smile has some incredible songs I prefer to Porter's other albums, but Nurture and Worlds feel like better complete packages. This album has some Highs, but Nurture has Higher highs, Smile has much lower lows than Porter's past albums.
Some of the songs have a very James Ivy core sound/feel, but I feel James Ivy does a better job at that style (James Ivy did help work with some songs on the album but still yeah)
Some songs have incredible lyrics, the others fall a bit short, and are just meh. The talking samples detract from several of the songs, especially Year of the Cup, Year of the Cup it's a full minute before Porter sings. I would've preferred the song as just an instrumental track, or only with Porter's verse's/chorus
Many of the tracks feel like songs feel like songs any other Pop artist could've made, and Narratively some of the lyrics feel confusing, some try to seem subtle, but other use samples as a means to hammer home the meaning/message...? I adore Is There Really Any Happiness, and it's probably my favourite track now on the album, but the outro sample feels a bit odd and out of place. Easier to Love you I actually prefer to blossom. Those 2 plus the original first 3 singles are the best 5 tracks on the Album
I think I’m come to recognize that his album’s core is actually what it’s saying, not necessarily what it sounds like. Once I made that switch, my appreciation for the record was greatly enhanced. But hey, I know that’s just me!
@@BowtiedMedia I'll have to give the album another listen or two with that in mind, and see if that helps the record for me
Worlds still number 1, but this was a good album
Agreed
W Porter
W Comment
something about year of the cup reminds me so much of one taylor swift song but i cant remember which
Its ok. Glad hes happy though
It’s alright.
😔
@@BowtiedMedia I can’t complain
is there really no happiness was in the trailer i think
woohoo
Is there really no happiness? is the trying to feel alive of this album imo
It's a good album, but not a great album imo. A bit confusing and messy narratively as a whole package (even after several listens and reading the lyrics. It makes more sense than before, but it's not as clean as it could be narratively). Has some stand out tracks, but half the album I won't listen to past the initial several listening sessions I had (I listened to it most all day yesterday and today, VPN to NZ).
Mona Lisa and Year of the Cup I loved on initial listen, but each subsequent listen I grew more indifferent about them/disliked them more. The samples in YOTC detract from the song, they should've been edited down more, or less samples and more porter.
Perfect Pinterest Garden is alright, but meh. Easier to Love you I prefer to Blossom honestly, and is so pretty. Everything to Me I like the narrative, but isn't the strongest song on the album, I'd rank it about in the middle. KMF love the narrative, but the song gets old fast. Love the initial singles to death, musically, lyrically, and the narrative. Russian Roulette is probably my fav. of the 3, but Easier to love you may tie it for me now.
I like the James Ivy like sound, but I personally think the James Ivy like sounding tracks aren't as good as James Ivy's stuff...? sort of a "James Ivy did it better" situation (I am aware James Ivy helped work on the album).
Easier to Love You and ITRAH are probably my standout outside first singles (KMF is probably ranked lowest on the album for me lol, but I do love it narratively more than several of the songs on the album)
I'd say the album is a 6.5/10 for me. I'm honestly super sad I didn't love this album more, especially since I loved the singles so much, and as an Indie Pop fan. I'd say several of the songs I'd give anywhere from a 7 to a 9/10 alone, but the album as a whole isn't as strong as a complete package.
I'm still planning to see Porter live since I already bought tickets, but my expectations aren't as high as before.
I'd say between a 6.5 and 7/10, actually. So on a 100 scale, I guess 68...? It's just a bit more confusing to do partials on a 10 point scale
Seeing the divisive reaction this album has is pretty funny, seems like you either love it or hate it. Don't much like it personally, but whatever
Dude
duuuuuude
duuuuuuuuuuuuuude
@@BowtiedMedia my dude!!!
I still don't understand what's special about this? It just sounds like generic hyperpop and is nothing interesting nor does it sound special- at all. Could someone explain?
The narratives? You heard mona Lisa? How is that song generic? Artist who has never done hyperpop and freaking nailed it
porter has never been this like open and honest in his lyrics, and this is like an entirely different genre than what he's done before so it's a big shift for him, personally i think he nailed it
this is FAR from generic hyperpop but ok
it really depends on the listeners. some likes it, others are not. and it's normal. porter on this album really is different from the other ones, but I expected it already considering the gap between Worlds and Nurture. imo, I like the album.
This is anything but generic hyperpop lol. Its barely even hyperpop?
i mean it's better than his last album for sure
Nah wtf
L take
You can’t beat perfection.
nahhhh... it's still fantastic tho
L