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

rubber soul · 01-03-2018, 10:24 AM

Oh my god. Not Eight is Enough Betty Buckley.

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 10:50 AM

Album title: Love in the 4th Dimension
Artist: The Big Moon
Genre: Indie Rock
Nationality: English
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.21
So far I wouldn't call this bad, necessarily, but it's pretty average. Certainly not giving me anything to get excited about. Yeah, there's nothing new here. I guess it's all right if you're into that sort of thing, but these guys could be any of a hundred similar indie bands, and I don't need to hear another that has really nothing new to offer.

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I guess; oh look! The very next one!

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 12:58 PM

Album title: That's Your Lot
Artist: Blaenavon
Genre: Indie Rock
Nationality: English
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.19
It's weird: in complete contrast to the last band, who are also an English indie rock band releasing their debut, I'm immediately more drawn to this album from the beginning than I was through the whole length of the other. There's just more energy, interest and I don't know what here, but it's caught me from the first track. Maybe that will fade as it goes along, but it's at least a far better start than The Big Moon's effort. The vocalist has a much more engaging voice (I found the other one to be more rooted in punk/garage styles. Maybe) and there is a nice mix of ballads and harder rockers on here. A lot more impressed overall. “Alice Come Home” has a great sense of building up into something, which it certainly does, and “Ode to Joe” is another fine track with a great extended instrumental section at the end.

Even the longest track, the just shy of eight minutes “Swans” doesn't get boring or seem overstretched in any way, and is something, to be fair, of a tour-de-force, perhaps even the centrepiece of the album, certainly one of the standouts. Yeah, so different to The Big Moon it's like night and day. Stupendous stuff, very impressed indeed.

Check out more from this artist? Oh yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

Oh my god. Not Eight is Enough Betty Buckley.

Luckily, as an Irishman I've never had to endure that so it means nothing to me. Other than this.

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 05:47 PM

Album title: Memories ... Do Not Open
Artist: The Chainsmokers
Genre: Electronic/Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist?No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 1.20 (I think we have hit a new low! Is this even lower than G-Eazy and Carnage?)

What is it with April? Everyone wants to release their debut in this month? And on the same day? Here we have three debuts, one after the other, released on the same day. Still, with the memory of The Big Moon behind us, this one, too, impresses me from the beginning. There are a lot of conventional, even cliched pop tropes used, but somehow this album seems to avoid being relegated (by me, anyway) to the status of just another pop album. It definitely has something. Apparently, that something is Coldplay. Well, on one track anyway: “Something Just Like This” is written by them, and sung by Chris Martin, so essentially that's a Coldplay song with the members of Chainsmokers merely providing a backing band really. Actually, not even that, as all of Coldplay are on it too. And helped write it. Well then, even more a Coldplay song. Whether that loses respect for them in your eyes or not is up to you; it is a disappointment to me. But then, it's only one track so maybe I won't hold it against them.

“It Won't Kill Ya” and “Paris” soon help me to forget that though, and the album continues the upswing in quality it was enjoying up to then. Not that the Coldplay song isn't a good one, but, well, it's just, you know, Coldplay, and doesn't belong here at all. “Young” kind of comes across as a lot Train, some Deacon Blue, then they do it again by closing with another collaboration, this time with Florida Georgia Line. “Last Day Alive” is a good song, but again, it's not this band but another one playing it. I'm afraid this will reflect in the rating.

Check out more from this artist? Maybe
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Actual Rating:

Mondo Bungle · 01-03-2018, 06:11 PM

I think I speak for everyone when I say I'd rather listen to this than Coldplay or the Chainsmokers

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

my literal least favorite group

the new and even worse Coldplay

abysmal rating is probably from guys like me who are subjected to this garbage via the radio

They do have a lot of Coldplay about them, don't they? Train too. I think I may have been overgenerous with my rating, but sure, it is what it is. Doubt I'd listen to that again though.

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mondo bungle

i think i speak for everyone when i say i'd rather listen to this than coldplay or the chainsmokers

fjf?

Mondo Bungle · 01-03-2018, 06:14 PM

yes that is what those letters are

Trollheart · 01-03-2018, 06:22 PM

Album title: Death Peak
Artist: Clark
Genre: Electronic/Techno
Nationality: English
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Ninth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? N to the o
Average RYM Score: 3.23
Why such a low estimated rating, you ask? Do you ask? Someone asked. I'm sure I heard someone ask “Why such a low estimated rating, TH?” Well, I'm glad you asked. See, techno is one of the genres I really have no time for. To me (and this may not be the case but anyway) it's fine if you're dancing, or blitzed out of your head, or both, but for listening to, well, I'd rather spend an hour listening to my neighbour drill holes in his wall. What's he building in there? We have a right to know...

The first track confirms my fears, and all I can say about it is that it has that pounding, incessant beat that seems to be the hallmark of techno, lots of handclaps and synth lines, but nothing that appeals to me. “Catastrophe Anthem” at least has a little more of the electronic and less of the techo about it, much slower and darker, with a children's choir of some sort , but mostly no, this isn't my kind of thing at all.

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Actual Rating:

01-03-2018, 10:50 AM	#1462 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Love in the 4th Dimension Artist: The Big Moon Genre: Indie Rock Nationality: English Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.21 So far I wouldn't call this bad, necessarily, but it's pretty average. Certainly not giving me anything to get excited about. Yeah, there's nothing new here. I guess it's all right if you're into that sort of thing, but these guys could be any of a hundred similar indie bands, and I don't need to hear another that has really nothing new to offer. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I guess; oh look! The very next one! Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-03-2018, 12:58 PM	#1463 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: That's Your Lot Artist: Blaenavon Genre: Indie Rock Nationality: English Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.19 It's weird: in complete contrast to the last band, who are also an English indie rock band releasing their debut, I'm immediately more drawn to this album from the beginning than I was through the whole length of the other. There's just more energy, interest and I don't know what here, but it's caught me from the first track. Maybe that will fade as it goes along, but it's at least a far better start than The Big Moon's effort. The vocalist has a much more engaging voice (I found the other one to be more rooted in punk/garage styles. Maybe) and there is a nice mix of ballads and harder rockers on here. A lot more impressed overall. “Alice Come Home” has a great sense of building up into something, which it certainly does, and “Ode to Joe” is another fine track with a great extended instrumental section at the end. Even the longest track, the just shy of eight minutes “Swans” doesn't get boring or seem overstretched in any way, and is something, to be fair, of a tour-de-force, perhaps even the centrepiece of the album, certainly one of the standouts. Yeah, so different to The Big Moon it's like night and day. Stupendous stuff, very impressed indeed. Check out more from this artist? Oh yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-03-2018, 05:47 PM	#1465 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Memories ... Do Not Open Artist: The Chainsmokers Genre: Electronic/Pop Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist?No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 1.20 (I think we have hit a new low! Is this even lower than G-Eazy and Carnage?) What is it with April? Everyone wants to release their debut in this month? And on the same day? Here we have three debuts, one after the other, released on the same day. Still, with the memory of The Big Moon behind us, this one, too, impresses me from the beginning. There are a lot of conventional, even cliched pop tropes used, but somehow this album seems to avoid being relegated (by me, anyway) to the status of just another pop album. It definitely has something. Apparently, that something is Coldplay. Well, on one track anyway: “Something Just Like This” is written by them, and sung by Chris Martin, so essentially that's a Coldplay song with the members of Chainsmokers merely providing a backing band really. Actually, not even that, as all of Coldplay are on it too. And helped write it. Well then, even more a Coldplay song. Whether that loses respect for them in your eyes or not is up to you; it is a disappointment to me. But then, it's only one track so maybe I won't hold it against them. “It Won't Kill Ya” and “Paris” soon help me to forget that though, and the album continues the upswing in quality it was enjoying up to then. Not that the Coldplay song isn't a good one, but, well, it's just, you know, Coldplay, and doesn't belong here at all. “Young” kind of comes across as a lot Train, some Deacon Blue, then they do it again by closing with another collaboration, this time with Florida Georgia Line. “Last Day Alive” is a good song, but again, it's not this band but another one playing it. I'm afraid this will reflect in the rating. Check out more from this artist? Maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-03-2018, 06:22 PM	#1470 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Death Peak Artist: Clark Genre: Electronic/Techno Nationality: English Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Ninth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? N to the o Average RYM Score: 3.23 Why such a low estimated rating, you ask? Do you ask? Someone asked. I'm sure I heard someone ask “Why such a low estimated rating, TH?” Well, I'm glad you asked. See, techno is one of the genres I really have no time for. To me (and this may not be the case but anyway) it's fine if you're dancing, or blitzed out of your head, or both, but for listening to, well, I'd rather spend an hour listening to my neighbour drill holes in his wall. What's he building in there? We have a right to know... The first track confirms my fears, and all I can say about it is that it has that pounding, incessant beat that seems to be the hallmark of techno, lots of handclaps and synth lines, but nothing that appeals to me. “Catastrophe Anthem” at least has a little more of the electronic and less of the techo about it, much slower and darker, with a children's choir of some sort , but mostly no, this isn't my kind of thing at all. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018