Love or Hate?

Trollheart · 08-11-2015, 06:13 PM

Ooh yeah!

Trollheart · 08-11-2015, 06:24 PM

Title: Oi Magoi
Artiste: Hail Spirit Noir
Genre: Progressive/Black Metal (interesting crossover!)
Familiarity: Zero

1. Blood guru: Interesting guitar opening. Hate the vocals of course; those type you can't hope to even make out a word of. The guitar work is very impressive though. Sounds like some keys in there, making a kind of water dripping effect. Certain native rhythms in the melody. When the vocals fall back it's really quite nice and I can see the progressive tag being very deserved. Really melodic instrumental part here around the fifth minute, then our friend on the vocals is back to ruin it, snarling and slavering over it. On balance though, I'm impressed.
2. Demon for a day: Odd kind of almost bouncy rhythm to this, the vocals are more prominent, but strangely also a little more coherent. Sounds like pipes or fiddle or something there? Probably on the keys I guess. Again there are extended instrumental sections which are really good; the less I have to hear of our growling pal the better. And that music is very progressive. I guess the Black Metal comes from (apart from the titles of the songs) the vocals, while the music is very much what I'd call prog metal. Nice mix. Oh, there he is again.
3. Satan is time:A ballad? A ****ing ballad? But yeah, there is is, and I can UNDERSTAND THE VOCALS! Best track yet, if only for the novelty factor. Sweet. Oh, that chant is just hilarious!

Picking up speed a little now. I really love this.
4. Satyriko orgio (Satyr's orgy): I guess a song about orgies is gonna be fast, frenetic and chaotic. And it is. Satyrian orgies, even more so. Guitars are racing at a fine pace here. So much for foreplay; don't think satyrs care for that. Or even know what it is! I think they think it's slamming your woman to the ground before you rip her clothes off. This is quite fun I must say. The track, not slamming women to the ground and ripping their clothes off. Though, now you come to mention it...

Wow, there's a mad long held organ chord there! Now a sort of Sabbathy riff and a moaning chorus, all very appropriate.
5. The mermaid: This is over eleven minutes, but somehow I'm not dreading it. I've quite enjoyed what I've heard on this album so far. Very different, a real meshing of two completely opposite styles of metal. Very progressive rock opening with the keyboard arpeggios, aggressive then much more low-key guitar, and there's about four minutes before any vocals come in. It's a joy to listen to, and even when the vocals do start they're completely intelligible and actually quite soothing. Going into a kind of swaying slow boogie now, guitars taking charge and holy helll this is like listening to the greatest prog rock jam ever! Absolutely love this! Aw man! It's over!

6. Hunters: So far I have nothing but praise for this album. Can that trend continue? Um, bubbling sea sounds would have been better used on the previous track, no? Anyway, another big keyboard salvo before the guitars begin to take care of business. Big screechy vocal but I doubt anything can ruin this for me now.
7. Oi Magoi: Sort of a chant to start off then a hard, pounding guitar riff as the chanting continues. This album could have twenty tracks and I reckon I'd still love it.

End result: Big surprise. I'd definitely call it more on the side of progressive than Black Metal, although the vocals do mostly fall into the latter category. But the melding of two styles that really should not work and do is very impressive, and makes for both a enthralling and interesting album and also a real appreciation of both subgenres. Top marks!

So, Love or Hate? This is going down as a True Love, no question.

Trollheart · 08-11-2015, 08:25 PM

Title: Citizen Zombie
Artiste: The Pop Group
Genre: Post-Punk
Familiarity: Zero, though I've heard Frownland enthuse about them (this does not fill me with hope...

)

Note: The first album from this band in thirty years! That has to be some sort of record!

1. Citizen zombie: I'm not mad about the sort of mechanised voice, but oddly I'm getting used to it. Not too bad really.
2. Mad truth: Weirdly kind of dancy with a Laurie Anderson edge. Again, not bad. Love the funky guitar. And the keys. Yeah! Baby!
3. Nowhere girl: Slower track, reminds me in places of Talking Heads but gets heavy enough at times to almost qualify as metal. Hmm. Again, I like this. Great ambience.
4. Shadow child: Yeah, don't like this one at all. Get nothing from it.
5. The immaculate deception: Bagpipes? Nah, I think it's just a guitar. Good though. Song's a little repetitive, but not bad.
6. S.O.P.H.I.A: This one is good fun.
7. Box 9: Not mad about this one, bit basic.
8. Nations: Like the kind of new-wavey feel to this, plus the ringing guitar. Ah, don't really like the spoken vocal, though something like accordion is interesting. Hmm. Actually I think I do like the spoken vocal now. Kind of a cross between Hawkwind's “Sonic attack” and Scott-Heron's “The revolution will not be televised”.
9. St. Outrageous: Not mad about this: too Talking Heads I feel.
10. Age of miracles: This is much nicer. Prefab kind of piano then it goes into a sort of funky/r&B style before throwing in some dashes of new wave electronica. I think this might be an instrumental? No.
11. Echelon: Drunken feel about this that reminds me of --- anyone? --- yeah. Waits. Sort of a carnivally organ or something. Slow song, not bad at all.

End result: Considering I had expected to have a harder time with it, quite a surprise. I'm not going to become a fan of The Pop Group anytime soon, but this was a decent album. Definitely a strong sense of Talking Heads, though who came first I don't know. OK now I do: David Byrne's crowd were two years ahead of TPG.

So, Love or Hate? Well, I didn't hate it and I kind of thought I would, so I guess it's a Love.

YorkeDaddy · 08-11-2015, 09:10 PM

Well this is a pleasant surprise

Great stuff TH!

**Frownland** · 08-11-2015, 09:15 PM

Glad you liked it, th. as far as the Heads comparison and them being two years earlier, it's more like 32 years earlier. Citizen Zombie is wildly different from the early stuff, which is abrasive and experimental post punk you'd hate. Here, have a taste.

**Goofle** · 08-11-2015, 09:55 PM

Getting closer to the big one guys.

Trollheart · 08-12-2015, 04:09 PM

Note to Grindy: that Russian album (Leonid Fedorov?) is gonna have to go. I can find only one source for it (YouTube) and even then all the titles are in Russian. I can find nothing on the guy --- nothing that isn't in Russian anyway --- and it's just way too big a hassle, with 22 tracks and nothing to work off. So sorry, but I'm bumping it off the list. Hope you understand.

Which means the next one up is

Title: Familiars
Artiste: The Antlers
Genre: Indie
Familiarity: Heard and fell in love with Hospice

1. Palace: All I can say is I hope this album isn't as heart-tearingly sad as Hospice: I don't think my soul could take that again! The track is opening on a lovely soft piano and synth line, beautiful sad trumpet and the vocals of Peter Silberman are as ethereal and angelic as ever. You really just feel like you're falling into a deep chasm when he sings, and it's a fall you don't mind taking. Already this is some of the most beautiful music I've heard in a long time. Is it just me, or is the cover meant to look like an overcoat, and then when you look closer it's two people embracing?
2. Doppelgänger : This time it's trumpet (or trombone, never can separate the sounds) that leads in the song, another slow, moody, fragile one, with piano coming in and Silberman's voice haunting the tune like a ghost patrolling the corridors of your mind, always just out of sight but you can sense he's there, keeping his lonely vigil. Female vocal coming in now, not sure who. Cello also makes its presence known and some fine, very light Fender Rhodes.
3. Hotel: Slightly harder feel to this, more guitar upfront, though the synth echoes seventies Pink Floyd and again it's a slow, relaxed tune.
4. Intruders: A more biting guitar, but again it's nothing like what you would call an uptempo song. Lovely organ and piano. Oh, and more trumpet. Gotta have trumpet. Some really lovely guitar here. Simple song but really nice. I think there's a harmonium or euphonium, or something ending in -onium anyway in there too.
5. Director: Vocal a bit stronger on this one, bit more passionate, but the song is still a relaxing, laidback ballad style with some gorgeous synth and fine guitar. Getting a certain Floydy vibe from this too. Just beautiful.
6. Revisited: Sort of a Country feel to this. Another lovely track.
7. Parade: I suppose I should say something, but to be honest I'm kind of running out of superlatives here.
8. Surrender: Trumpet really drives this one. So laconic.
9. Refuge: And a great closing track, as I expected at this point it would be.

End result: Not as emotionally draining as Hospice, luckily, but still I see this album as more described as one unit, an experience, almost like a symphony, and breaking it up into separate tracks sort of lessens the effect. Another wonderful album from The Antlers.

So, Love or Hate? After all the blue, you have to ask? True Love.

grindy · 08-12-2015, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Note to Grindy: that Russian album (Leonid Fedorov?) is gonna have to go. I can find only one source for it (YouTube) and even then all the titles are in Russian. I can find nothing on the guy --- nothing that isn't in Russian anyway --- and it's just way too big a hassle, with 22 tracks and nothing to work off. So sorry, but I'm bumping it off the list. Hope you understand.

Which means the next one up is

Title: Familiars
Artiste: The Antlers
Genre: Indie
Familiarity: Heard and fell in love with Hospice

1. Palace: All I can say is I hope this album isn't as heart-tearingly sad as Hospice: I don't think my soul could take that again! The track is opening on a lovely soft piano and synth line, beautiful sad trumpet and the vocals of Peter Silberman are as ethereal and angelic as ever. You really just feel like you're falling into a deep chasm when he sings, and it's a fall you don't mind taking. Already this is some of the most beautiful music I've heard in a long time. Is it just me, or is the cover meant to look like an overcoat, and then when you look closer it's two people embracing?
2. Doppelgänger : This time it's trumpet (or trombone, never can separate the sounds) that leads in the song, another slow, moody, fragile one, with piano coming in and Silberman's voice haunting the tune like a ghost patrolling the corridors of your mind, always just out of sight but you can sense he's there, keeping his lonely vigil. Female vocal coming in now, not sure who. Cello also makes its presence known and some fine, very light Fender Rhodes.
3. Hotel: Slightly harder feel to this, more guitar upfront, though the synth echoes seventies Pink Floyd and again it's a slow, relaxed tune.
4. Intruders: A more biting guitar, but again it's nothing like what you would call an uptempo song. Lovely organ and piano. Oh, and more trumpet. Gotta have trumpet. Some really lovely guitar here. Simple song but really nice. I think there's a harmonium or euphonium, or something ending in -onium anyway in there too.
5. Director: Vocal a bit stronger on this one, bit more passionate, but the song is still a relaxing, laidback ballad style with some gorgeous synth and fine guitar. Getting a certain Floydy vibe from this too. Just beautiful.
6. Revisited: Sort of a Country feel to this. Another lovely track.
7. Parade: I suppose I should say something, but to be honest I'm kind of running out of superlatives here.
8. Surrender: Trumpet really drives this one. So laconic.
9. Refuge: And a great closing track, as I expected at this point it would be.

End result: Not as emotionally draining as Hospice, luckily, but still I see this album as more described as one unit, an experience, almost like a symphony, and breaking it up into separate tracks sort of lessens the effect. Another wonderful album from The Antlers.

So, Love or Hate? After all the blue, you have to ask? True Love.

I could send you the album and provide some info if you want.
(Also the very first link google finds for me is his website in english.)
Or just leave it be, if you prefer to. You're the boss.

YorkeDaddy · 08-12-2015, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Note to Grindy: that Russian album (Leonid Fedorov?) is gonna have to go. I can find only one source for it (YouTube) and even then all the titles are in Russian. I can find nothing on the guy --- nothing that isn't in Russian anyway --- and it's just way too big a hassle, with 22 tracks and nothing to work off. So sorry, but I'm bumping it off the list. Hope you understand.

Which means the next one up is

Title: Familiars
Artiste: The Antlers
Genre: Indie
Familiarity: Heard and fell in love with Hospice

1. Palace: All I can say is I hope this album isn't as heart-tearingly sad as Hospice: I don't think my soul could take that again! The track is opening on a lovely soft piano and synth line, beautiful sad trumpet and the vocals of Peter Silberman are as ethereal and angelic as ever. You really just feel like you're falling into a deep chasm when he sings, and it's a fall you don't mind taking. Already this is some of the most beautiful music I've heard in a long time. Is it just me, or is the cover meant to look like an overcoat, and then when you look closer it's two people embracing?
2. Doppelgänger : This time it's trumpet (or trombone, never can separate the sounds) that leads in the song, another slow, moody, fragile one, with piano coming in and Silberman's voice haunting the tune like a ghost patrolling the corridors of your mind, always just out of sight but you can sense he's there, keeping his lonely vigil. Female vocal coming in now, not sure who. Cello also makes its presence known and some fine, very light Fender Rhodes.
3. Hotel: Slightly harder feel to this, more guitar upfront, though the synth echoes seventies Pink Floyd and again it's a slow, relaxed tune.
4. Intruders: A more biting guitar, but again it's nothing like what you would call an uptempo song. Lovely organ and piano. Oh, and more trumpet. Gotta have trumpet. Some really lovely guitar here. Simple song but really nice. I think there's a harmonium or euphonium, or something ending in -onium anyway in there too.
5. Director: Vocal a bit stronger on this one, bit more passionate, but the song is still a relaxing, laidback ballad style with some gorgeous synth and fine guitar. Getting a certain Floydy vibe from this too. Just beautiful.
6. Revisited: Sort of a Country feel to this. Another lovely track.
7. Parade: I suppose I should say something, but to be honest I'm kind of running out of superlatives here.
8. Surrender: Trumpet really drives this one. So laconic.
9. Refuge: And a great closing track, as I expected at this point it would be.

End result: Not as emotionally draining as Hospice, luckily, but still I see this album as more described as one unit, an experience, almost like a symphony, and breaking it up into separate tracks sort of lessens the effect. Another wonderful album from The Antlers.

So, Love or Hate? After all the blue, you have to ask? True Love.

Couldn't wait for this, and it's finally here! Just knew you'd love it, that album is truly gorgeous from start to finish. It's an incredible experience. Highly recommended to basically everyone else as well, if TH's review has you intrigued (and it should).

Micco · 08-12-2015, 08:30 PM

The Brothers Johnson - Blam!!

08-11-2015, 06:13 PM	#1541 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Ooh yeah! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-11-2015, 06:24 PM	#1542 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Title: Oi Magoi Artiste: Hail Spirit Noir Genre: Progressive/Black Metal (interesting crossover!) Familiarity: Zero 1. Blood guru: Interesting guitar opening. Hate the vocals of course; those type you can't hope to even make out a word of. The guitar work is very impressive though. Sounds like some keys in there, making a kind of water dripping effect. Certain native rhythms in the melody. When the vocals fall back it's really quite nice and I can see the progressive tag being very deserved. Really melodic instrumental part here around the fifth minute, then our friend on the vocals is back to ruin it, snarling and slavering over it. On balance though, I'm impressed. 2. Demon for a day: Odd kind of almost bouncy rhythm to this, the vocals are more prominent, but strangely also a little more coherent. Sounds like pipes or fiddle or something there? Probably on the keys I guess. Again there are extended instrumental sections which are really good; the less I have to hear of our growling pal the better. And that music is very progressive. I guess the Black Metal comes from (apart from the titles of the songs) the vocals, while the music is very much what I'd call prog metal. Nice mix. Oh, there he is again. 3. Satan is time:A ballad? A **ing ballad? But yeah, there is is, and I can UNDERSTAND THE VOCALS! Best track yet, if only for the novelty factor. Sweet. Oh, that chant is just hilarious! Picking up speed a little now. I really love this. 4. Satyriko orgio (Satyr's orgy): I guess a song about orgies is gonna be fast, frenetic and chaotic. And it is. Satyrian orgies, even more so. Guitars are racing at a fine pace here. So much for foreplay; don't think satyrs care for that. Or even know what it is! I think they think it's slamming your woman to the ground before you rip her clothes off. This is quite fun I must say. The track, not slamming women to the ground and ripping their clothes off. Though, now you come to mention it... Wow, there's a mad long held organ chord there! Now a sort of Sabbathy riff and a moaning chorus, all very appropriate. 5. The mermaid: This is over eleven minutes, but somehow I'm not dreading it. I've quite enjoyed what I've heard on this album so far. Very different, a real meshing of two completely opposite styles of metal. Very progressive rock opening with the keyboard arpeggios, aggressive then much more low-key guitar, and there's about four minutes before any vocals come in. It's a joy to listen to, and even when the vocals do start they're completely intelligible and actually quite soothing. Going into a kind of swaying slow boogie now, guitars taking charge and holy helll this is like listening to the greatest prog rock jam ever! Absolutely love this! Aw man! It's over! 6. Hunters: So far I have nothing but praise for this album. Can that trend continue? Um, bubbling sea sounds would have been better used on the previous track, no? Anyway, another big keyboard salvo before the guitars begin to take care of business. Big screechy vocal but I doubt anything can ruin this for me now. 7. Oi Magoi: Sort of a chant to start off then a hard, pounding guitar riff as the chanting continues. This album could have twenty tracks and I reckon I'd still love it. End result: Big surprise. I'd definitely call it more on the side of progressive than Black Metal, although the vocals do mostly fall into the latter category. But the melding of two styles that really should not work and do is very impressive, and makes for both a enthralling and interesting album and also a real appreciation of both subgenres. Top marks! So, Love or Hate? This is going down as a True Love*, no question. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018*

08-11-2015, 08:25 PM	#1543 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Title: Citizen Zombie Artiste: The Pop Group Genre: Post-Punk Familiarity: Zero, though I've heard Frownland enthuse about them (this does not fill me with hope... ) Note: The first album from this band in thirty years! That has to be some sort of record! 1. Citizen zombie: I'm not mad about the sort of mechanised voice, but oddly I'm getting used to it. Not too bad really. 2. Mad truth: Weirdly kind of dancy with a Laurie Anderson edge. Again, not bad. Love the funky guitar. And the keys. Yeah! Baby! 3. Nowhere girl: Slower track, reminds me in places of Talking Heads but gets heavy enough at times to almost qualify as metal. Hmm. Again, I like this. Great ambience. 4. Shadow child: Yeah, don't like this one at all. Get nothing from it. 5. The immaculate deception: Bagpipes? Nah, I think it's just a guitar. Good though. Song's a little repetitive, but not bad. 6. S.O.P.H.I.A: This one is good fun. 7. Box 9: Not mad about this one, bit basic. 8. Nations: Like the kind of new-wavey feel to this, plus the ringing guitar. Ah, don't really like the spoken vocal, though something like accordion is interesting. Hmm. Actually I think I do like the spoken vocal now. Kind of a cross between Hawkwind's “Sonic attack” and Scott-Heron's “The revolution will not be televised”. 9. St. Outrageous: Not mad about this: too Talking Heads I feel. 10. Age of miracles: This is much nicer. Prefab kind of piano then it goes into a sort of funky/r&B style before throwing in some dashes of new wave electronica. I think this might be an instrumental? No. 11. Echelon: Drunken feel about this that reminds me of --- anyone? --- yeah. Waits. Sort of a carnivally organ or something. Slow song, not bad at all. End result: Considering I had expected to have a harder time with it, quite a surprise. I'm not going to become a fan of The Pop Group anytime soon, but this was a decent album. Definitely a strong sense of Talking Heads, though who came first I don't know. OK now I do: David Byrne's crowd were two years ahead of TPG. So, Love or Hate? Well, I didn't hate it and I kind of thought I would, so I guess it's a Love. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-11-2015, 09:15 PM	#1545 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Glad you liked it, th. as far as the Heads comparison and them being two years earlier, it's more like 32 years earlier. Citizen Zombie is wildly different from the early stuff, which is abrasive and experimental post punk you'd hate. Here, have a taste. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

08-12-2015, 04:09 PM	#1547 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Note to Grindy: that Russian album (Leonid Fedorov?) is gonna have to go. I can find only one source for it (YouTube) and even then all the titles are in Russian. I can find nothing on the guy --- nothing that isn't in Russian anyway --- and it's just way too big a hassle, with 22 tracks and nothing to work off. So sorry, but I'm bumping it off the list. Hope you understand. Which means the next one up is Title: Familiars Artiste: The Antlers Genre: Indie Familiarity: Heard and fell in love with Hospice 1. Palace: All I can say is I hope this album isn't as heart-tearingly sad as Hospice: I don't think my soul could take that again! The track is opening on a lovely soft piano and synth line, beautiful sad trumpet and the vocals of Peter Silberman are as ethereal and angelic as ever. You really just feel like you're falling into a deep chasm when he sings, and it's a fall you don't mind taking. Already this is some of the most beautiful music I've heard in a long time. Is it just me, or is the cover meant to look like an overcoat, and then when you look closer it's two people embracing? 2. Doppelgänger : This time it's trumpet (or trombone, never can separate the sounds) that leads in the song, another slow, moody, fragile one, with piano coming in and Silberman's voice haunting the tune like a ghost patrolling the corridors of your mind, always just out of sight but you can sense he's there, keeping his lonely vigil. Female vocal coming in now, not sure who. Cello also makes its presence known and some fine, very light Fender Rhodes. 3. Hotel: Slightly harder feel to this, more guitar upfront, though the synth echoes seventies Pink Floyd and again it's a slow, relaxed tune. 4. Intruders: A more biting guitar, but again it's nothing like what you would call an uptempo song. Lovely organ and piano. Oh, and more trumpet. Gotta have trumpet. Some really lovely guitar here. Simple song but really nice. I think there's a harmonium or euphonium, or something ending in -onium anyway in there too. 5. Director: Vocal a bit stronger on this one, bit more passionate, but the song is still a relaxing, laidback ballad style with some gorgeous synth and fine guitar. Getting a certain Floydy vibe from this too. Just beautiful. 6. Revisited: Sort of a Country feel to this. Another lovely track. 7. Parade: I suppose I should say something, but to be honest I'm kind of running out of superlatives here. 8. Surrender: Trumpet really drives this one. So laconic. 9. Refuge: And a great closing track, as I expected at this point it would be. End result: Not as emotionally draining as Hospice, luckily, but still I see this album as more described as one unit, an experience, almost like a symphony, and breaking it up into separate tracks sort of lessens the effect. Another wonderful album from The Antlers. So, Love or Hate? After all the blue, you have to ask? True Love. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-12-2015, 08:30 PM	#1550 (permalink)
Micco Karaoke Crooner Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 170	The Brothers Johnson - Blam!! __________________ Follow me on instagram @HipHopLand, #salute!