Trollheart Listens to Every Album on Wiki's List for 2017

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 06:35 AM

Album title: Walk
Artist: Grayson/Reed
Genre: Christian Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not as little as I'd like to be!
Check out more from this artist? Maybe but not too likely
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'd prefer not
Question: what's worse than listening to some guy singing bland Christian Pop? Answer: listening to some guy and his wife singing bland Christian Pop. Oh dear. At least it's only an EP, six tracks, though I fear it may be six too long. Another question: if you're married why use both names? Surely what God has joined let no man put asunder etc? Ah who cares? Let's get this over with. Ah, I see they're from Nashville. Even better.

I find it amusing that this EP scored higher on the Heatseekers Chart than it did on the Christian Albums one! Basic kind of mix of country and pop, again in fairness no direct references to the Big Guy, so points for that, and they can sing – and the duets between them are nice – but still nothing that special, not that I was expecting such. “Fight For You” is a nice ballad, and there are good tracks here. Not as terrible as I had expected. Praise Jebus!

Expectation Index: 1

Zhanteimi · 09-19-2017, 06:37 AM

.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mord

^ As a Christian, I must say this is shit.

Yeah it was ok but nothing special.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 07:33 AM

Album title: Not Even Happiness
Artist: Julie Byrne
Genre: Contemporary Folk
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Second
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much
Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I wouldn't be rushing to, no
Meh, folk is not generally my thing: I find it usually quite dreary and depressing, and this starts off exactly as expected, with acoustic guitar and Julie kind of whining the vocal. Yeah, the problem here is that, like much of the folk I've heard (Woody aside) this sounds a little sullen, a little brooding, as if the singer has a chip on her shoulder against the world. May not be the case at all, but the way it's sung, that's how it sounds to me, so it ruins any chance I might have of enjoying the music. Yeah sorry, I just can't get past her bored, disinterested, droning voice. I hate this.

Expectation Index: 10

**Goofle** · 09-19-2017, 07:36 AM

Why have you undertaken this project?

~~Cuthbert~~ · 09-19-2017, 07:57 AM

Thought the same

Can't see it being finished.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goofle

Why have you undertaken this project?

I need professional help. Read the OP for the short answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Man like Monkey

Thought the same

Can't see it being finished.

It will be. Maybe not this year, but it will be.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 11:13 AM

Album title: Endless
Artist: The McClymonts
Genre: Country/Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Sixth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Vaguely
Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Country, yes. Country Pop, no.
I like a bit of country, but it varies wildly across the genre. You can keep Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw, but I'll have Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam, and of course the real country legends – Nelson, Gayle, Van Zandt, Cash ... I've also enjoyed some “newer” country like The Pistol Annies and The Dixie Chicks (well, new to me), but while I love Faith Hill I'm not mad about Shania, so it all depends. This sounds more like it leans heavily on the pop side than the country, which is not my preference. If you're country, be country, don't be pop, or if you must mix both then please make sure the country is on top. Here, if it's here at all, it's very much subsumed in a layer of sugary-sweet pop. Meh. Not so much **** on your boots as mud on your Jimmy Choo's. Yeah, this has no balls. Doesn't even deserve the country tag: it's just bargain-basement pop, and I'm not impressed.

Expectation Index: 4

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 01:11 PM

Album title: Hai Noi Duo
Artist: Nguyên Lê & Ngô Hong Quang featuring Paolo Fresu
Genre: Jazz/Folk/World Music
Nationality: Vietnamese
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Seventeenth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

The keen-eyed among you may have noticed that the last two jazz albums that came up on this list have not been reviewed by me, but it's pure coincidence that I could not find them. Guess some jazz is like that. I actually wanted to, but if it ain't on Spotify or the Y then I'm ****ed. I never expected this one to be on the former, but hey, it is, so let's give it a spin. Nice mixture of what I assume to be ethnic sounds and instruments with the normal jazz feel, and now what sounds like a native chant or possibly a didgeridoo or something similar. Very tribal anyway. Good so far. Some damn fine guitar work here, almost shredding. Yeah, this is, as Frownland would no doubt say, cool as ****. Real Asian melodies and rhythms with a jazzy base. If more jazz was like this I might get into it more.

The singing/chanting on “Like Mountain Birds” took me by surprise initially and I thought I wouldn't like it but it's really grown on me. Guitar work is pretty phenomenal too. Yeah, I really like this. Who woulda thunk it, huh?

Expectation Index: 10

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 03:40 PM

Album title: Roman Lips
Artist: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Genre: Electronic/Experimental
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Forty-third, looks like
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much
Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'm not sure

The Mars Volta, eh? Heard of them, never heard them, but this guy is or was apparently their bandleader until they broke up a few years back, now he's with At The Drive-In, about whom I know little either. Certainly has been prolific, looking at his discography, which reads like something Buckethead or Devin Townsend would put out. Worked with a lot of eminent musicians too. Three tracks in though and I'm hardly sold. Don't worry: I won't wimp out and hopefully it'll get better, but if I were judging this purely on the first three tracks I would not be impressed. Sense of Matt Johnson as we move into “Bitter Tears”, the fourth track, so maybe there's hope.

Or maybe not. The album has degenerated into what can only be called crap now. I've lost interest and there are still like five tracks to go. Tuning out. Not for me. Maybe the Mars Volta are/were **** too, but if they were anything like this then I don't think I missed much. I also hate this guy's voice, very annoying.

09-19-2017, 06:35 AM	#121 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Walk Artist: Grayson/Reed Genre: Christian Pop Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not as little as I'd like to be! Check out more from this artist? Maybe but not too likely Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'd prefer not Question: what's worse than listening to some guy singing bland Christian Pop? Answer: listening to some guy and his wife singing bland Christian Pop. Oh dear. At least it's only an EP, six tracks, though I fear it may be six too long. Another question: if you're married why use both names? Surely what God has joined let no man put asunder etc? Ah who cares? Let's get this over with. Ah, I see they're from Nashville. Even better. I find it amusing that this EP scored higher on the Heatseekers Chart than it did on the Christian Albums one! Basic kind of mix of country and pop, again in fairness no direct references to the Big Guy, so points for that, and they can sing – and the duets between them are nice – but still nothing that special, not that I was expecting such. “Fight For You” is a nice ballad, and there are good tracks here. Not as terrible as I had expected. Praise Jebus! Expectation Index: 1 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 06:33 PM.

09-19-2017, 06:37 AM	#122 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 12-07-2017 at 07:34 PM.

09-19-2017, 07:33 AM	#124 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Not Even Happiness Artist: Julie Byrne Genre: Contemporary Folk Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Second Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I wouldn't be rushing to, no Meh, folk is not generally my thing: I find it usually quite dreary and depressing, and this starts off exactly as expected, with acoustic guitar and Julie kind of whining the vocal. Yeah, the problem here is that, like much of the folk I've heard (Woody aside) this sounds a little sullen, a little brooding, as if the singer has a chip on her shoulder against the world. May not be the case at all, but the way it's sung, that's how it sounds to me, so it ruins any chance I might have of enjoying the music. Yeah sorry, I just can't get past her bored, disinterested, droning voice. I hate this. Expectation Index: 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 06:34 PM.

09-19-2017, 11:13 AM	#128 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Endless Artist: The McClymonts Genre: Country/Pop Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Sixth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Vaguely Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Country, yes. Country Pop, no. I like a bit of country, but it varies wildly across the genre. You can keep Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw, but I'll have Steve Earle and Dwight Yoakam, and of course the real country legends – Nelson, Gayle, Van Zandt, Cash ... I've also enjoyed some “newer” country like The Pistol Annies and The Dixie Chicks (well, new to me), but while I love Faith Hill I'm not mad about Shania, so it all depends. This sounds more like it leans heavily on the pop side than the country, which is not my preference. If you're country, be country, don't be pop, or if you must mix both then please make sure the country is on top. Here, if it's here at all, it's very much subsumed in a layer of sugary-sweet pop. Meh. Not so much ** on your boots as mud on your Jimmy Choo's. Yeah, this has no balls. Doesn't even deserve the country tag: it's just bargain-basement pop, and I'm not impressed. Expectation Index: 4** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 06:35 PM.

09-19-2017, 01:11 PM	#129 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Hai Noi Duo Artist: Nguyên Lê & Ngô Hong Quang featuring Paolo Fresu Genre: Jazz/Folk/World Music Nationality: Vietnamese Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Seventeenth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes The keen-eyed among you may have noticed that the last two jazz albums that came up on this list have not been reviewed by me, but it's pure coincidence that I could not find them. Guess some jazz is like that. I actually wanted to, but if it ain't on Spotify or the Y then I'm **ed. I never expected this one to be on the former, but hey, it is, so let's give it a spin. Nice mixture of what I assume to be ethnic sounds and instruments with the normal jazz feel, and now what sounds like a native chant or possibly a didgeridoo or something similar. Very tribal anyway. Good so far. Some damn fine guitar work here, almost shredding. Yeah, this is, as Frownland would no doubt say, cool as . Real Asian melodies and rhythms with a jazzy base. If more jazz was like this I might get into it more. The singing/chanting on “Like Mountain Birds” took me by surprise initially and I thought I wouldn't like it but it's really grown on me. Guitar work is pretty phenomenal too. Yeah, I really like this. Who woulda thunk it, huh? Expectation Index: 10** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 10-07-2017 at 11:10 AM.

09-19-2017, 07:57 AM	#126 (permalink)
~~Cuthbert~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Black Country Posts: 8,827	Thought the same Can't see it being finished.

09-19-2017, 03:40 PM	#130 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Roman Lips Artist: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Genre: Electronic/Experimental Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Forty-third, looks like Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'm not sure The Mars Volta, eh? Heard of them, never heard them, but this guy is or was apparently their bandleader until they broke up a few years back, now he's with At The Drive-In, about whom I know little either. Certainly has been prolific, looking at his discography, which reads like something Buckethead or Devin Townsend would put out. Worked with a lot of eminent musicians too. Three tracks in though and I'm hardly sold. Don't worry: I won't wimp out and hopefully it'll get better, but if I were judging this purely on the first three tracks I would not be impressed. Sense of Matt Johnson as we move into “Bitter Tears”, the fourth track, so maybe there's hope. Or maybe not. The album has degenerated into what can only be called crap now. I've lost interest and there are still like five tracks to go. Tuning out. Not for me. Maybe the Mars Volta are/were **** too, but if they were anything like this then I don't think I missed much. I also hate this guy's voice, very annoying. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018