Needles & Grooves

i like both, but oooof that first record??? still slaps

Second has some artsy filler but it's tolerable, first has way too much artsy filler. At least that's my general vibe after listening to each a couple times, I'm not prepared to get into a "artsy filler debate"

I enjoy post-rock more than post-punk in general so I lean more towards Ants From Up There, but For the First Time is no slouch. Both are excellent.

I don’t really care for FTFT at all, AFUT is like a completely different band. It also has much more songwriting and normal song structure which makes me like it significantly more. I still respect FTFT, but it’s just not my cup of tea

FTFT has more spiraling chaos and experimentalism, but AFUT is more refined. It’s like a whole album experience whereas the first one is amazing - but not as thematically or instrumentally tight. I love every single song on it. But I get more out of AFUT as a whole.

i never really got the absolute praise for both tbh.. i do really like AFUT but its really only the last 2 songs that are amazing (and specifically the last 2 minutes of the last song made the last song as worth it as it is)... i did kinda not see the hype for FTFT because i thought "oh so this is basically more black midi.. i already have black midi" but there is clear reasons to love BCNR

I love both and on different days will prefer one over the other... but where AFUT will always beat out FTFT is in its production. I find AFUT's production so beautiful and intimate and live, it'll never not thoroughly impress me

but Opus might be my favorite go to listen for BCNR... it's so fun, I love it so much!

I enjoy them both. Ant’s From Up Here feels like a progression but is also less raw than For The First Time. Both are excellent for different reasons.

I gotta say though, just thinking about this again and listening to the live LP now... Sunglasses is one of their absolute best songs ever.