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08-21-2011, 11:32 AM
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#131 (permalink) | |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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The grand ideas are probably one of the most attractive aspects of post-metal because they go for the lofty and complex ideas and will write an entire album about it. It does a lot to dispel the false beliefs that metalheads are nothing but violent meat heads who can't sit still long enough to form a cohesive thought. I know that same rumor is also dispelled if you read the lyrics to a lot of other subgenres, but I think post-metal is a great ambassador because they also reject the fashion, which as an anti-fashionist I can relate to. |
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08-23-2011, 09:54 AM
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#132 (permalink) |
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silky smooth
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Pangaea
Posts: 4,079
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Well, I wanted to see if I agreed with your music taste and whether I should start getting everything you put up, so I got the Autolux record.
And I must say, I fell in love with it very quickly. I'll be paying close attention to this thread. |
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08-27-2011, 02:22 PM
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#133 (permalink) |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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Alright I know this may seem like a cop out but I've been busy this week, so this week's review is just a retread of my Kendrick Lamar review posted here.
72. Kendrick Lamar - Section .80 (2011) Genre: Hip Hop  **** Your Ethnicity Hol' Up A.D.H.D. No Make-Up (Her Vice) Tammy's Song (Her Evils) Chapter Six Ronald Reagan Era Poe Man's Dreams (His Vice) The Spiteful Chant Chapter 10 Keisha's Song (Her Pain) Rigamortus Kush & Corinthians Blow My High (Members Only) Ab-Souls Outro HiiPower Section.80 is the debut LP for Compton emcee Kendrick Lamar, who has really been alive in the West Coast hip hop scene over the last few years. Toured with Tech N9ne and Jay Rock in 2010, and has been selected to work on Dr. Dre's long-awaited Detox album. Since 2009, Lamar has also released a mixtape and EP, keeping himself incredibly active, something his young age makes easier. While Lamar may be young (23-24), he approaches his subject matter in a very meaningful way that gives him this "wise beyond his years" mystique. That is something that can be incredibly beneficial to a hip hop artist, especially one who comes from an area that is only largely known for the negative stereotypes of hip hop that turn off a lot of potential listeners. Also with his added age, it makes him one of the emerging voices of Generation Y, which is a subject that he brings up quite a bit throughout the album. In fact that's really one of the things about the album I quite enjoyed, the fact that it talked about the Generation Y and how with the instability of the world, they don't really know their place or what their future holds. He couples this with drug use as a way of not celebrating or enjoying life, but as a way to dull the fear of that uncertainty. Substance is really what makes this album, all of Kendricks songs have substance and meaning to them, even some of the more joke songs like "Hol Up", "Rigamortus", and "The Spiteful Chant" have some hidden insightful observations. That said though, on the songs where he has more to say, you are really left with something to think about. This is particularly true on the tracks "No Make-Up (Her Vice)", "Ronald Regan Era", "F*** Your Ethnicity", and "Keisha's Song (Her Pain)", the last one in particular being one of the greatest examples of storytelling in recent memory. All of them deserve you reading the lyrics along, to better understand what Kendrick is rapping about. The beats also deserve a mention because they are really good. They have that kind of laid back feeling that goes with west coast hip hop, but they're also quite modern sounding, with a bit more emphasis on an electronic/ poppy sound that's more akin to the beats one would find on a Kanye West album. This could deter fans of older hip hop, but if this is the direction the genre is heading then I'm OK with that. The production is also incredibly crisp making all the layers more audible. The beats also sample some really nice jazz bits, especially on the second to last track "Ab-Souls Outro". The album isn't without its faults though, and while they are pretty miniscule they still deserve some mention, if only to make Kendrick aware of them before his next album comes out. One of the biggest things with Kendrick is he sounds a little too laid back in his tracks, it makes you wonder how much he really cares, I mean you know he does, but a little more energy could really grab a person's attention right off the back without relying on clever lyrics and well written songs that require a deeper examination. Some of his hooks can be a little weak at time as well, however the verses are so well crafted that they make up for it, but generally people memorize the hooks. There can also be a pretty jarring juxtaposition between some of the songs, like the biting and edgy opener "F*** Your Ethnicity" to the almost juvenile "Hol' Up", a song about sex and some of the mistakes that comes with it. Overall though at the end of the day, this is a a 60-minute hip hop album that doesn't bore me once. At no point did I ever drift off, this album holds your attention from start to finish and that can be difficult for some albums, however with the substance, flow, and beats all working as one, it makes it impossible to get bored. As far as debuts go this will probably be well-regarded and thought of as one of the best hip hop albums of this decade, so do yourself a favour and get in on this one while it's still fresh. |
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12-07-2011, 12:15 AM
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#136 (permalink) | |
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Al Dente
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 4,708
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01-05-2012, 12:56 PM
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#138 (permalink) |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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71. mc chris - mc chris is dead (2008) Genre: Nerdcore Hip Hop  mc chris is dead older crowd reese pizza butt hoodie ninja metaphor on* kill it rollercoaster nrrrd grrrl magic (skit two) falynn the masturbation song freaks never give up (ft. Andrew W.K.) This definitely won't be the most popular addition to this list, in fact, unless you've already listened to this album I would be shocked if anyone actually did go out and grab it after reading this entry. This album is definitely polarizing in many ways, if you're not a geek or into the geek/nerd subculture you probably won't get a lot of the in-jokes or even really be interested in the subject matter at all. If you don't like the idea of geek culture expressed through hip hop, then this album definitely won't be for you, and finally if you don't like the sound of a grown man who sounds like he's 6, this definitely won't be the album for you. Are all the losers gone? Good! I hate those guys. mc chris is dead (2008) is nerdcore artist mc chris' 4th studio album and the first one of his that I had the pleasure to listen to. It features a wide variety of beats, a blend of pop, electronic, and rock while standing very firm in its heritage. The subject matter can best be equated to that of an adolescent teenage boy, a self-deprecating, libido fueled romp through the those horrible years. It's sometimes fun to look back on those years and laugh at the misfortunes of our youth, but in some cases the songs can hit a little too close to home for some. For me it was the song "older crowd" and the lyric "let's play Scrabble, let's play boggle" after leaving a club because of feelings of embarrassment, which pretty much summarizes my New Year's Eve. The song "freaks" definitely feels the most organic of all his songs though, as it strips away the humor and just recants the days of your fellow freaks banning together to create some semblance of normality. Sure you weren't invited to the hottest party, but there's always a large booth a Denny's where you can have just as much fun. On the technical side the production is incredibly slick and the beats are well made and will get your body moving, even in a sitting position. mc chris definitely uses this to his advantage with his flow, creating a very natural album. The place where you'll definitely get your money (or time if you download it because you're a horrible human being that nobody will ever love) is in the humor. The album contains 3 skits, all of them go on a bit in length, which is pretty common for mc chris. In fact in the skit "metaphor", mc chris' agent actually comments that his skits are terrible and they go on for way too long. While this is a pretty accurate description, I'm ashamed to admit that they still manage to make me laugh every time, so I guess that's some kind of an endorsement from me. Besides that, the song "on*" is shamelessly addicting and will certainly make you laugh if you like immature things from time to time. I know this review has been kind of all over the place, it was pretty impromptu, but I really do think this album is worth your time if you're a geek or are just looking for a way into the nerdcore subgenre. Take it for what it is, don't expect it to change your life, but it will at least provide you with an hour of entertainment. [ YOUTUBE]d78UW1FPvWY[/YOUTUBE]
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06-27-2012, 02:06 PM
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#139 (permalink) |
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Cardboard Box Realtor
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hobb's End
Posts: 7,648
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70. Boduf Songs - How Shadows Chase the Balance (2008)
Genre: Singer/Songwriter, Contemporary Folk  Mission Creep Things Not To Be Done On The Sabbath I Can't See A Thing In Here Quiet When Group Pitiful Shadow Engulfed In Darkness A Spirit Harnessed Found On The Bodies Of Fallen Whales Last Glimmer On A Hill At Dusk So when I transitioned from a Windows based PC to a Linux based PC I lost some files in the process. Most of it was pretty inconsequential stuff, papers from semesters ago, shitty half-mapped out short stories or campaign ideas for RPG's, and stuff like that. One file, however, that was among the lost was my list I made in 2010 for this thread. So if you've been wondering why this has been dormant for the better part of a year, that's why. Anyhow, while How Shadows Chase The Balance wasn't on my list, it definitely deserved to be, because it's one of those rare folk albums that penetrates my drug addled, instant gratification, oooo shiny object mind that has made appreciating folk music incredibly hard for me. As you've no doubt surmised by the song titles, this album isn't exactly full of happy songs one would expect on a more upbeat singer/songwriter. No, Boduf Songs, or Mat Sweet, excels in the ability to write horribly depressing songs that feel like your soul is being sucked out through your ass hole, but, could still probably get you laid. What Mat Sweet knows how to do is how to write a sad song, but not seem like it's all about self-pity. His outlook seems to be more of a fascination with the macabre, utilizing that imagery to accentuate his strange and dark lyrics. I haven't really delved much into the actual deeper meanings of the lyrics because they're hard to come by, and because his minimalist approach to the instrumentation and melody still manage to stay in the forefront, demanding your concentration. Speaking of instrumentation, his is almost entirely finger picked acoustic guitar based, and while I'm not an expert in this, it sounds like he's using a nylon string guitar. On the song "Quiet When Group" he does add a small drum loop, and even a small bass guitar riff. On his latter LP he does include a few electronic elements, but nothing like that are found on this album. I'll admit I'm a little out of my element when it comes to reviewing a folk album because it's not something I listen to all that often in its own right so I apologize if this ends a little abruptly. Hell I can't even really say "If you like artist X, you'll like this guy" so I'll just say this, if you like dark albums, dark imagery, and songs written in a minor key (or at least it sounds like it to my amateur music theory meanderings) then I can say you will definitely get some enjoyment out of this. Basically if you like the stuff CanwllCorfe listens to, you will get something out of this. |
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Linear Mode
