I will judge an album by the cover. (electronic, ambient)

~~coryallen2~~ · 04-22-2009, 09:09 AM

how bout this one?

Zarko · 04-22-2009, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ZZZ

Drei Gesellen by Liederjan. Release (Help)

Hows this for a cover!?

Some of you can laugh all you like but I like it. I am a bit of a lover of history and this kinda stuff gets me thinking. It is medieval for a start and with a saint, a musician playing 2 flutes and another musician playing a lute, it has an attraction that portrays, to me at least, the minstrel, the pious troubadour, that story teller who came to the village and entertained the peasants with tales/songs of warrior kings and damsels and castles in Bavaria. Of course one look at the cover text made me realise that it was German. Interesting. Could this be baroque and if so in the manner of Micheal Nyman's fabulous soundtrack to The Draughtsmen's Contract?

Well no! In fact I got a rather strange surprise in that on first listen I got what I would consider a folk album of songs, that if sung in English could have been any number of British/Irish folk groups. After a 2nd listen I had to go back to the blog that I found this on a read up on what was said. And a very interesting read it was. To quote the blog

Younger musicians flocked to Classical, Jazz and later Folk. We all of course know the impact of "Kraut Rock"

To quote the blog further

Now that chicken drinking song with the oom pah band this ain't. In fact, as the blog says, it is "international" in style and I suspect that if this was sung in English it may have had a following among the bearded pint drinkers of real ale but it is not. It is beautifully played, in fact some tracks are live and we are treated to a tight folk group with deep male harmonies and even a capella's. I have genuinely enjoyed the album on my now total of 4 listens and have even read up on German folk on wiki.

BUT, and it is a huuuuuge but, I have not a bloody clue what they are singing about and the truth of the matter is that when it comes to folk tales of "Protest songs of oppressed farmers and labourers" you gotta know what the heck they are protesting about.

So great cover for me but not the style for the music though. Be that as it may I am a happier man for the experience of having my knowledge of German Folk music enhanced via this crazy idea of judging an album by it's cover.

Good review there 4ZZZ... Sounds like an interesting one, wouldn't mind a link to this blog to say the least

Keep up the good work

4ZZZ · 04-22-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coryallen2

how bout this one?

Interesting.

But I think that you are missing the point. I am looking to find my own covers via my travels through blog world. As I see the cover if I am attracted to it for some reason I will maybe write a review based on a couple of listens blind, if that makes sense, and then I will read up after those listens to find out more info on the artist. In a way it forces me to listen to the music with just the cover in mind and with no preconceived ideas as to what the music is about. Why don;t you give it a go. You may discover things that you had never thought about before, e.g German Folk

jackhammer · 04-22-2009, 09:20 AM

If the album was in English I would have definitely checked it out as I like Folk especially trad. Folk but the lyrics are intrinsic to the music and I wouldn't be able to fully immerse myself in it.

4ZZZ · 04-22-2009, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarko

Good review there 4ZZZ... Sounds like an interesting one, wouldn't mind a link to this blog to say the least

Keep up the good work

Coming your way old mate.

4ZZZ · 04-22-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

If the album was in English I would have definitely checked it out as I like Folk especially trad. Folk but the lyrics are intrinsic to the music and I wouldn't be able to fully immerse myself in it.

Yes I understand that totally. As I suggested in the review it leaves a hole in the ultimate enjoyment of it sadly. The interesting thing is that Zarko can put me onto an album like Truart where there are found sounds and sample of various individuals singing in a LOTE and it works. Then there are songs like e.g Michelle by The Beatles and one has no issue with it being sung in a LOTE but an entire album of German Folk?!? Really happy to have had the experience but will probably not go back there again.

Zarko · 04-22-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ZZZ

Yes I understand that totally. As I suggested in the review it leaves a hole in the ultimate enjoyment of it sadly. The interesting thing is that Zarko can put me onto an album like Truart where there are found sounds and sample of various individuals singing in a LOTE and it works. Then there are songs like e.g Michelle by The Beatles and one has no issue with it being sung in a LOTE but an entire album of German Folk?!? Really happy to have had the experience but will probably not go back there again.

Yes, it definitely is an oddity in regards to languages other than English. Sometimes I actually prefer not having the lyrics in English because then you don't get sucked into that whole world of trying to rate something based on what they say. With some of my journal entries, I have preferred another language simply because with folk it sometimes forces you to look deeper into the thing. And most of the time, English lyrics are pointless and for the sake of it (Unless its something like Hurricane - Dylan) rather than being an important and intricate part of the song.

jackhammer · 04-22-2009, 09:55 AM

I have quite a few albums where English is not the lanuguage but when it comes to Folk then the whole essence of Folk is storytelling. Whether that is factual or fireside myths being described and it is one of the few times that an element would hamper my enjoyment of music,.

**Janszoon** · 04-22-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4ZZZ

Hows this for a cover!?

My god that cover is atrocious.

4ZZZ · 04-22-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

My god that cover is atrocious.

Never a Classicist hey?!

.

04-22-2009, 09:20 AM	#34 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	If the album was in English I would have definitely checked it out as I like Folk especially trad. Folk but the lyrics are intrinsic to the music and I wouldn't be able to fully immerse myself in it. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

04-22-2009, 09:55 AM	#38 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	I have quite a few albums where English is not the lanuguage but when it comes to Folk then the whole essence of Folk is storytelling. Whether that is factual or fireside myths being described and it is one of the few times that an element would hamper my enjoyment of music,. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

04-22-2009, 09:09 AM	#31 (permalink)
~~coryallen2~~ Account Disabled Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: lorain,ohio Posts: 909	how bout this one?