Love or Hate?

Trollheart · 08-24-2015, 06:33 AM

Ok, so as mentioned I'm going to intersperse the album reviews with some single tracks, and here are the ones that were first to get into the queue:

Title: Nuclear War
Artiste: Sun Ra
Genre: Jazz
Taken from: Nuclear War, 1982
Familiarity: I heard a Sun Ra track once. It was awful!
Suggested by: Plainview (who should know better)

Expectations: I doubt I'll like this.

So, this is a track from the album Plainview substituted his own for because he thought I would hate it eh? Makes perfect sense, then, to throw me a track off it. Guess he wants to know if he was right. Well, as I mentioned above I did listen to one Sun Ra track a while back and did not like it one bit. Still, one track does not an artiste make, so who knows what I'll think of this? Okay, well there's a really nice jazzy piano to start off, those gentle jazz drums and then the vocal is kind of in a soul vein, with the chorus going “Yeah!” in the background. Not bad so far. Yeah but it's one of those songs that does not need to be seven minutes long. It's incredibly repetitive, and by the four-minute mark I'm ready to stop listening. I will though, as I promised with the album, listen all the way through. Maybe it'll get better. Maybe not. No it didn't.

Conclusion: It wasn't nearly as bad as I had been expecting, but very much overstretched and while it wouldn't stop me listening to him again I would prefer to hear something that wasn't stretched and drawn out more painfully than William Wallace at the end...

So, Love or Hate? On balance, I can't say I hated it and there were good parts in it so it's a Love.

Chances of looking into the album: 10%

Title: Paranoid Android
Artiste: Radiohead
Genre: Indie Rock
Taken from: Ok Computer, 1997
Familiarity: Have so far heard two Radiohead albums; loved one, hated the other
Suggested by: Plainview

Expectations: Not really sure, could go either way.

Nice little acoustic opening, kind of laidback with a soft vocal. Gets a little more kind of progressive in the second minute. Interesting blindside there: I thought when he sang “When I am king” it was going to continue with “you will be queen” but instead he promised “you will be first against the wall!” Not a love song, then!

Nice bass at 2:07 and synthy goodness too I think.

Was just about to say that for a supposedly angry/bitter song it was very gentle when suddenly around 2:50 guitars punched in and it got a whole lot meaner. Oh, and now at 3:36 it slows right down again, getting into a kind of almost gospel chorus, low and gentle. I'm really enjoying this. Now at 5:50 it's back to the guitars and some really weird phased riffs I think as it all picks up again. Then it suddenly stops.

Conclusion: Now that's how to do a six-minute-plus song and not overstretch it! That had everything; well constructed, well sung, well written, kept the attention, plenty of changes. Pretty excellent all around.

So, Love or Hate? Well it's obviously going to be a Love, isn't it?

Chances of looking into the album: 80%

TechnicLePanther · 08-24-2015, 07:12 AM

I hope you're happy taking another Radiohead.
Radiohead - Pyramid Song

mythsofmetal · 08-24-2015, 08:10 AM

Here are my three tracks. I assume the rule is to not submit anymore until all are reviewed, for this song submission thing you're now doing? I'll check the OP soon, or at least make sure I know the rules before I try to submit any more.

Uaral - Eternal Beauty of the Trees

Gire - Zold Zivatar

Augury - Sovereigns Unknown

Trollheart · 08-24-2015, 09:19 AM

OK, TLP but everyone else no more Radiohead. I don't wish to turn this into the Radiohead thread.

As a matter of fact, I'm changing my mind: if anyone wants to submit tracks from an album that's in the queue, you can do that. Sort of a taster I guess or an idea of how I'll eventually receive the album when I get to it.

Trollheart · 08-24-2015, 09:59 AM

Title: I am the Law!
Artiste: Anthrax
Genre: Heavy Metal
Taken from: Among the Living, 1987
Familiarity: I know some Anthrax, sure. I used to own Fistful of Metal...
Suggested by: The Batlord

Expectations: Hoping to like this one.

Good heavy rockin' guitar gets us underway, trundling along nicely. Good vocal from Belladonna. Like the lyric ”You're just a man, he is the Law!” Why wasn't this on either of the Dredd movies? Huh? Huh? Speeds up around 3:35 and gets into a real shredfest. Nice. I've heard better though, the aforementioned debut album being a case in point. Good fun though.

Conclusion: Decent song, but if it was the first time I'd heard Anthrax I would probably wonder what all the fuss was about, and how they were considered one of the Big Four of Thrash?

So, Love or Hate? As Batty said, it's about Dredd though, so it could be nothing else than a Love, could it really?

Chances of looking into the album: 40%

Title: Loose
Artiste: The Stooges
Genre: Hard rock/Punk
Taken from: Fun House, 1970
Familiarity: Zero
Suggested by: The Batlord

Expectations: I doubt I'll like this. I've seen Iggy perform “I want to be your dog” and thought little of it.

Hard guitar to get it started and a very Bowiesque sound (not surprising as they were friends, although he would really only have been getting started at this stage). Vocal's good. Not as chaotic as I expected. Good guitar solo. Great feel of being onstage somehow from this; you can't really picture them in the studio, headphones on, watching a mixing desk and smoking cigarettes.

Conclusion: A lot better than I had expected really.

So, Love or Hate? Give this a Love. Two for two, Batty!

Chances of looking into the album: 50%

Title: Terrorbird
Artiste: Author & Punisher
Genre: Industrial Doom Metal?
Taken from: Ursus Americanus, 2012
Familiarity: Zero; think I read an article about him once, may have been in one of Batty's journals?
Suggested by: The Batlord

Expectations: No idea

Okay, well that's just industrial noise to begin with, then a voice saying something over and over again. Decent drumbeat comes in but it's essentially the same for about a minute or so, then some growly vocals and more drumming, some heavy guitar but this is not engaging me at all. Just pretty much the same all through so far and we're halfway through the song. Meh.

Conclusion: Pretty boring and annoying. And thanks for the nasty video Batty!

So, Love or Hate? That's a definite Hate.

Chances of looking into the album: 0%

Plankton · 08-24-2015, 10:19 AM

Well, you've reviewed most of my other work, so why not give this one a spin:

Planktons Odyssey - The Dream

It's a short concept EP.

Trollheart · 08-24-2015, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plankton

Well, you've reviewed most of my other work, so why not give this one a spin:

Planktons Odyssey - The Dream

It's a short concept EP.

Sorry man, single tracks only. Even if it's three by you then I can only accept one. One per artiste, same as the album rules.

grindy · 08-24-2015, 10:24 AM

Do me! (By which I mean a track of mine.)

https://soundcloud.com/watsche/seams-splices

Plankton · 08-24-2015, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Sorry man, single tracks only. Even if it's three by you then I can only accept one. One per artiste, same as the album rules.

Here's one track off of it:

Flight of the Killer Plankton

Trollheart · 08-24-2015, 10:36 AM

Choose one. That's another thing: don't say "oh anything from album X". Do the legwork, give me the track. If possible, also let me know what, if any, album it's from, so I don't have to search for it LIKE I HAD TO FOR AUTHOR & PUNISHER BATTY!! (Glare)

08-24-2015, 06:33 AM	#1691 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Ok, so as mentioned I'm going to intersperse the album reviews with some single tracks, and here are the ones that were first to get into the queue: Title: Nuclear War Artiste: Sun Ra Genre: Jazz Taken from: Nuclear War, 1982 Familiarity: I heard a Sun Ra track once. It was awful! Suggested by: Plainview (who should know better) Expectations: I doubt I'll like this. So, this is a track from the album Plainview substituted his own for because he thought I would hate it eh? Makes perfect sense, then, to throw me a track off it. Guess he wants to know if he was right. Well, as I mentioned above I did listen to one Sun Ra track a while back and did not like it one bit. Still, one track does not an artiste make, so who knows what I'll think of this? Okay, well there's a really nice jazzy piano to start off, those gentle jazz drums and then the vocal is kind of in a soul vein, with the chorus going “Yeah!” in the background. Not bad so far. Yeah but it's one of those songs that does not need to be seven minutes long. It's incredibly repetitive, and by the four-minute mark I'm ready to stop listening. I will though, as I promised with the album, listen all the way through. Maybe it'll get better. Maybe not. No it didn't. Conclusion: It wasn't nearly as bad as I had been expecting, but very much overstretched and while it wouldn't stop me listening to him again I would prefer to hear something that wasn't stretched and drawn out more painfully than William Wallace at the end... So, Love or Hate? On balance, I can't say I hated it and there were good parts in it so it's a Love. Chances of looking into the album: 10% Title: Paranoid Android Artiste: Radiohead Genre: Indie Rock Taken from: Ok Computer, 1997 Familiarity: Have so far heard two Radiohead albums; loved one, hated the other Suggested by: Plainview Expectations: Not really sure, could go either way. Nice little acoustic opening, kind of laidback with a soft vocal. Gets a little more kind of progressive in the second minute. Interesting blindside there: I thought when he sang “When I am king” it was going to continue with “you will be queen” but instead he promised “you will be first against the wall!” Not a love song, then! Nice bass at 2:07 and synthy goodness too I think. Was just about to say that for a supposedly angry/bitter song it was very gentle when suddenly around 2:50 guitars punched in and it got a whole lot meaner. Oh, and now at 3:36 it slows right down again, getting into a kind of almost gospel chorus, low and gentle. I'm really enjoying this. Now at 5:50 it's back to the guitars and some really weird phased riffs I think as it all picks up again. Then it suddenly stops. Conclusion: Now that's how to do a six-minute-plus song and not overstretch it! That had everything; well constructed, well sung, well written, kept the attention, plenty of changes. Pretty excellent all around. So, Love or Hate? Well it's obviously going to be a Love, isn't it? Chances of looking into the album: 80% __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 08-24-2015 at 12:10 PM.

08-24-2015, 07:12 AM	#1692 (permalink)
TechnicLePanther and the livin' is easy... Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: New York Posts: 1,997	I hope you're happy taking another Radiohead. Radiohead - Pyramid Song __________________ Many have tried to destroy it... but... true evil never dies. It is only... REBORN *SUGGEST ME AN ALBUM* - I'm probably not going to listen to it but I will if you bother me enough.

08-24-2015, 09:19 AM	#1694 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	OK, TLP but everyone else no more Radiohead. I don't wish to turn this into the Radiohead thread. As a matter of fact, I'm changing my mind: if anyone wants to submit tracks from an album that's in the queue, you can do that. Sort of a taster I guess or an idea of how I'll eventually receive the album when I get to it. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-24-2015, 09:59 AM	#1695 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Title: I am the Law! Artiste: Anthrax Genre: Heavy Metal Taken from: Among the Living, 1987 Familiarity: I know some Anthrax, sure. I used to own Fistful of Metal... Suggested by: The Batlord Expectations: Hoping to like this one. Good heavy rockin' guitar gets us underway, trundling along nicely. Good vocal from Belladonna. Like the lyric ”You're just a man, he is the Law!” Why wasn't this on either of the Dredd movies? Huh? Huh? Speeds up around 3:35 and gets into a real shredfest. Nice. I've heard better though, the aforementioned debut album being a case in point. Good fun though. Conclusion: Decent song, but if it was the first time I'd heard Anthrax I would probably wonder what all the fuss was about, and how they were considered one of the Big Four of Thrash? So, Love or Hate? As Batty said, it's about Dredd though, so it could be nothing else than a Love, could it really? Chances of looking into the album: 40% Title: Loose Artiste: The Stooges Genre: Hard rock/Punk Taken from: Fun House, 1970 Familiarity: Zero Suggested by: The Batlord Expectations: I doubt I'll like this. I've seen Iggy perform “I want to be your dog” and thought little of it. Hard guitar to get it started and a very Bowiesque sound (not surprising as they were friends, although he would really only have been getting started at this stage). Vocal's good. Not as chaotic as I expected. Good guitar solo. Great feel of being onstage somehow from this; you can't really picture them in the studio, headphones on, watching a mixing desk and smoking cigarettes. Conclusion: A lot better than I had expected really. So, Love or Hate? Give this a Love. Two for two, Batty! Chances of looking into the album: 50% Title: Terrorbird Artiste: Author & Punisher Genre: Industrial Doom Metal? Taken from: Ursus Americanus, 2012 Familiarity: Zero; think I read an article about him once, may have been in one of Batty's journals? Suggested by: The Batlord Expectations: No idea Okay, well that's just industrial noise to begin with, then a voice saying something over and over again. Decent drumbeat comes in but it's essentially the same for about a minute or so, then some growly vocals and more drumming, some heavy guitar but this is not engaging me at all. Just pretty much the same all through so far and we're halfway through the song. Meh. Conclusion: Pretty boring and annoying. And thanks for the nasty video Batty! So, Love or Hate? That's a definite Hate. Chances of looking into the album: 0% __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 08-24-2015 at 12:11 PM.

08-24-2015, 10:19 AM	#1696 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	Well, you've reviewed most of my other work, so why not give this one a spin: Planktons Odyssey - The Dream It's a short concept EP. __________________ See location...

08-24-2015, 08:10 AM	#1693 (permalink)
mythsofmetal Music Addict Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 207	Here are my three tracks. I assume the rule is to not submit anymore until all are reviewed, for this song submission thing you're now doing? I'll check the OP soon, or at least make sure I know the rules before I try to submit any more. Uaral - Eternal Beauty of the Trees Gire - Zold Zivatar Augury - Sovereigns Unknown

08-24-2015, 10:24 AM	#1698 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	Do me! (By which I mean a track of mine.) https://soundcloud.com/watsche/seams-splices __________________ *A smell of petroleum prevails throughout.*

08-24-2015, 10:36 AM	#1700 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Choose one. That's another thing: don't say "oh anything from album X". Do the legwork, give me the track. If possible, also let me know what, if any, album it's from, so I don't have to search for it LIKE I HAD TO FOR AUTHOR & PUNISHER BATTY!! (Glare) __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018