Love or Hate?

Trollheart · 11-02-2015, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YorkeDaddy

That review pretty much sums up my thoughts on Opeth in general. A strong track here and there but for the most part their albums do little for me

Well not quite. I enjoyed Damnation but wasn't that mad about Pale Communion. Other than those, this is the only Opeth album I've heard.

Trollheart · 11-02-2015, 05:28 PM

Time to get back to your tracks suggestions. Sorry for the long delay!

Title: Make 'em purr
Artiste: Sage Francis
Genre: Hip-hop
Taken from: Copper Gone
Familiarity: Zero
Suggested by: DwnWthVwls

Expectations: Considering it's hip-hop my expectations are a little low, but hopefully DWV has chosen a track I may actually tolerate or even like...

Starts off really nice and downbeat, beautiful piano and when the vocal comes in it's slow and restrained, and that piano is threading through it. Video is great, though of course I'm not rating the songs on the videos, but it is very clever. Is this about his cat? Love the purring cat at the beginning. Oh it's just kicked up with some heavy percussion and his vocal is getting more intense, a little angry and desperate. I'm finding I really like this. Oh god! It is about his cat, and it's dying. This is really sad, but totally beautiful.

Conclusion: The saddest song/video combination I've watched since James Blunt's “No bravery”, and a truly different, surprising and moving song. **** man: ya got me!

So, Love or Hate? This is a True Love

Possibility of looking into the album: 90% if it's mostly like this.

DwnWthVwls · 11-02-2015, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

90% if it's mostly like this.

Glad you liked, but I don't think you'll like the album. He's pretty diverse and while the lyrics are always there, the sound you heard in that song is not. I'd never rec you an album by him, but I'm sure there are other songs you'd like.

Still might be worth skimming if you're feeling up to it some time.

Edit: Just checked out that No Bravery song btw, I've never listened to him. *Thumbs up*

Trollheart · 11-04-2015, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DwnWthVwls

Glad you liked, but I don't think you'll like the album. He's pretty diverse and while the lyrics are always there, the sound you heard in that song is not. I'd never rec you an album by him, but I'm sure there are other songs you'd like.

Still might be worth skimming if you're feeling up to it some time.

I kind of thought that alright. TBH it was a heartbreaking song and video, for which I give him major props, but I don't think I'd really want to find myself in that emotional space again any time soon.

Quote:

Edit: Just checked out that No Bravery song btw, I've never listened to him. *Thumbs up*

Everyone hates Blunty, so I'm surprised and impressed that you liked it. It's a really good album mostly, though everyone is right to hate "You're beautiful"...

Trollheart · 11-04-2015, 07:00 AM

Title: Kirikyogen
Artiste: Kuni Kwachi and Flower Travellin' Band
Genre: Doom/Psych/Prog Rock
Familiarity: Zero, but have heard of them, mostly through “Pounding Decibels”

1. Kirikyogen: Very seventies hard rock indeed; like the organ giving it a nice touch of prog rock too. No idea what's being sung as it's all in (presumably) Japanese but it's not bad. It's a little repetitive, but that's probably because I don't know what's being sung.
2. Music composed mainly by humans: Love the title! Sort of crooned chant in the vocal, almost like a prayer. The piano work here is dark and excellent.
3. Time machine: This is quite creepy in a good way. Goes through too many changes for what it is though. Harmonica, eh? Nice. Hey, is he singing in English here? More great piano. This guy's good. This one is catchy: while making dinner I found myself singing “Time ma-shee-an!”

4. To your world: This one is great, kind of a blues ballad. Really like this one.
5. Graveyard of love: Another slow track, oddly, with I think a sitar or maybe a ****ing kazoo, and the vocal very low for most of it. Cool.
6. Classroom for women: Just conjures up the wrong (read: right) kind of images, doesn't it? Especially as this is a Japanese album. From the seventies, yeah, but still, if there's one thing Japanese love it's sexy schoolgirls. Of course, I don't know if the title is completely innocent or even allegorical because (anyone?) the only Japanese I know is “kinichi-wa” and “Sayonara”, so they could be learning how to cook rather than having hot, steamy ... where was I? Oh yeah. Um, great acoustic guitar intro anyway and I feel the harmonica may make an entrance soon. Ah, no it didn't. Boo.
7. Scientific investigation: This is a really nice ballad --- no it isn't. It just picked up in tempo. Still sweet though.

End result: Very seventies of course, but I like pretty much everything on this album. Keyswork is fantastic, vocals are great even if I don't know what the guy is singing, and yeah, really like it.

So, Love or Hate? Give this one a Love.

Trollheart · 11-02-2015, 05:36 PM

Title: They warned me
Artiste: Okily Dokily
Genre: Unsure (metal?)
Taken from: ?
Familiarity: Zero (but everybody loves Ned Flanders!)
Suggested by: Frownland

Expectations: You never know with Frown. Gonna say I may enjoy this one.

Okay, sounds like metal, with a kind of side of shoegaze, death metal scream. Hmm. Meh, it does nothing but repeat the same line. Boo.

Conclusion: Very bored with that. Was expecting something a bit more interesting.

So, Love or Hate? We'll give this one a big fat Meh.

Possibility of looking into the album: 10%

Trollheart · 11-02-2015, 05:46 PM

Title: Prince of fire
Artiste: The Wandering Midget
Genre: Doom Metal
Taken from: From the Meadows of Opium Dreams
Familiarity: Zero
Suggested by: mythsofmetal

Expectations: Doom Metal is usually not bad. I'm optimistic about this one.

Nice grindy guitar with a bit of punch to it; like the vocals, almost sort of warrior chorus material. Would sing great power metal or even Viking metal. The vocal is kind of more declaimed than sung, but it's quite listenable. Good melody. Nothing terribly different to a lot of doom metal but not bad at all.

Conclusion: Yeah it was okay. I've certainly heard better. And worse.

So, Love or Hate? This can squeeze in with a Like. Just about.

Possibility of looking into the album: 10%

Trollheart · 11-04-2015, 06:54 AM

Title: New Level of Malevolence
Artiste: Sterbhaus
Genre: Thrash Metal
Familiarity: Zero

1. Grudgeholder+Hatemonger: Okay, when I first looked at this I thought, maybe electronica or trance, something like that? But no, it's metal, and I'm told the band use humour in their lyrics, so maybe this will be a blast. Maybe not. The title of the first song would certainly please Urban! Really fast and thrashy with a sense of Slayer in the lyric, though I have to ask what the **** this means? “I’d like to whip your ass and whip it good/ Good ol’ fashioned human stew/ That will once it’s served/ Serve as another mocking bird.” Huh? The vocal's scratchy but I've heard worse doing Metal Month III. Meh, not too impressed though. Actually no, I really don't like this one. Poor opening.
2. El giftus Satanus: I do like the line “What sort of job is this for a skeleton anyway?” and also “El giftus Satanus! The gift that keeps on giving/ Whether you're dead or living!” Yeah, it's a good bit better than the first track. Some great guitar work here.
3. Necrostabbing the corpsefinder: The title is hilarious, but the song is too fast and chaotic really.
4. Bloodbarf: This is much better. Slow, grindy, menacing, and I can mostly undersand the vocal.
5. Crossed and pissed and devoured: They're mostly just getting a pass for the quite funny lyrics, but this song is also not too bad. Not as frenetic as others. But how can you not like the title, then the line “Succubus-ting my ass off”?

6. New level of malevolence: This even has a hint of Maiden in the guitar riff at the start! Nice. Was that a ****ing Russian folk melody just now??
7. Baby Jee and the 3 stalkers: Not sure if they're just messing around with the lyrics here, but the joke's beginning to wear a little thin. Okay, to be fair, there's a pretty sweet slow guitar part here about halfway that's induced me to change this from White to Orange. At least they're trying!
8. King of the red: This is actually really good. I can get into this. Sort of like power metal slowed down. Nice unexpected gentle ending.
9. It came from the brain: Back to the aimless thrash
10. The grand theology: Something of a mess really.

End result: Definitely not my thing, but I'll give them respect for clever and often funny lyrics. Not a band I'd listen to again though. Maybe a trance one would have been better?

So, Love or Hate? I can't Hate it, it ain't Meh so I'll give it a cautious Like.

Trollheart · 11-06-2015, 09:48 AM

Title: A Wizard, a True Star
Artiste: Todd Rundgren
Genre: Rock
Familiarity: Have heard of him, but don't think I've heard anything by him

1. International feel: Reminds me of Devin, though I know he was going for a sort of Beatles Sgt Pepper thing. Very progressive. Nice start.
2. Never Never Land: From the stage production of Peter Pan apparently. Meh.
3. Tic tic tic it wears off: Very short but quite nice instrumental
4. You need your head: Not mad about this. Also short but quite frenetic. Guitar is quite fantastic, can't be denied, but, you know...
5. Rock'n'roll pussy: Most of these tracks are pretty short aren't they? This one is okay, but just that. Very repetitive.
6. Dogfight giggle: Is this Animals? No. Sod it then. Some dogs panting. Jesus. I'm sure it demonstrates Rundgren's prowess on the guitar, making these sounds, but for me it's just annoying.
7. You don't have to camp around: This one's okay. But again, just okay. Nice vocal harmonies, even though it only runs for a minute. Organ's cool. Actually I like this now. What can happen in a minute huh?
8. Flamingo: Another instrumental. Clever sure but meh.
9. Zen archer: The first thing approaching a proper song, with a nice carnival style rhythm that reminds me of ... no, I won't say it. Are they flutes? Like the midsection. Sax here is gorgeous. Changing this to Blue. Was Green.
10. Just another onionhead/Da da Dali: Quirky. Not bad. But a few too many of these are relying on their oddness, and this isn't a Zappa or Beefheart album. Meh. Second part is annoying. I hate it when they use twenties styles in rock music. Grrr!
11. When the shit hits the fan/Sunset Blvd: Well it's got a great title at least. Bit of a damp squib though. Instrumental. Not bad but nothing great. Oh, ok: vocals in the last few seconds. Still kind of meh to okay. Give it an Orange.
12. Le feel internacionale: Sort of a reprise of the opener? Not sure why this is even here?
13. Sometimes I don't know what to feel: Now it's a soul song. It's not bad, but I'm really not soul-ed. Sorry.
14. Does anybody love you?: And another soul one. It's okay.
15. Medley: This starts off well, but I don't quite get the idea of switching from rock to soul for the last three tracks, and this lasts ten minutes. I think it's a homage, so fair enough if so, but what about the other two? It's a great track for the most part, but if I want to hear a ten-minute soul track, I'll listen to a soul album.
16. Hungry for love: It's okay but nothing special.
17. I don't want to tie you down: Nice sort of folky piano ballad.
18. Is it my name? : Now this is more like it! Powerful keyboard intro, sense of Yes in the melody, good rocker. Why isn't all the album like this?
19. Just one victory: And a gospel one to end on. Impressive, but again, too many styles here and it's just hard to wrap my head around.

End result: Although I have never heard any Rundgren up to now, I feel this was not the album to make an introduction to him. It's just too quirky and the styles are all over the place. Hard to get a decent idea of what he's about. I would have thought maybe one of the Utopia albums instead? Confusing. Good parts, but not enough of them.

So, Love or Hate? Can only muster a Like on this one.

Pet_Sounds · 11-06-2015, 01:51 PM

That's not Rundgren's best album imo (Something/Anything is), but I was expecting a Meh from you. Glad to see you enjoyed it more than I thought.

11-02-2015, 05:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Time to get back to your tracks suggestions. Sorry for the long delay! Title: Make 'em purr Artiste: Sage Francis Genre: Hip-hop Taken from: Copper Gone Familiarity: Zero Suggested by: DwnWthVwls Expectations: Considering it's hip-hop my expectations are a little low, but hopefully DWV has chosen a track I may actually tolerate or even like... Starts off really nice and downbeat, beautiful piano and when the vocal comes in it's slow and restrained, and that piano is threading through it. Video is great, though of course I'm not rating the songs on the videos, but it is very clever. Is this about his cat? Love the purring cat at the beginning. Oh it's just kicked up with some heavy percussion and his vocal is getting more intense, a little angry and desperate. I'm finding I really like this. Oh god! It is about his cat, and it's dying. This is really sad, but totally beautiful. Conclusion: The saddest song/video combination I've watched since James Blunt's “No bravery”, and a truly different, surprising and moving song. ** man: ya got me! So, Love or Hate? This is a True Love Possibility of looking into the album:** 90% if it's mostly like this. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-04-2015, 07:00 AM	#5 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: Kirikyogen Artiste: Kuni Kwachi and Flower Travellin' Band Genre: Doom/Psych/Prog Rock Familiarity: Zero, but have heard of them, mostly through “Pounding Decibels” 1. Kirikyogen: Very seventies hard rock indeed; like the organ giving it a nice touch of prog rock too. No idea what's being sung as it's all in (presumably) Japanese but it's not bad. It's a little repetitive, but that's probably because I don't know what's being sung. 2. Music composed mainly by humans: Love the title! Sort of crooned chant in the vocal, almost like a prayer. The piano work here is dark and excellent. 3. Time machine: This is quite creepy in a good way. Goes through too many changes for what it is though. Harmonica, eh? Nice. Hey, is he singing in English here? More great piano. This guy's good. This one is catchy: while making dinner I found myself singing “Time ma-shee-an!” 4. To your world: This one is great, kind of a blues ballad. Really like this one. 5. Graveyard of love: Another slow track, oddly, with I think a sitar or maybe a **ing kazoo, and the vocal very low for most of it. Cool. 6. Classroom for women: Just conjures up the wrong (read: right) kind of images, doesn't it? Especially as this is a Japanese album. From the seventies, yeah, but still, if there's one thing Japanese love it's sexy schoolgirls. Of course, I don't know if the title is completely innocent or even allegorical because (anyone?) the only Japanese I know is “kinichi-wa” and “Sayonara”, so they could be learning how to cook rather than having hot, steamy ... where was I? Oh yeah. Um, great acoustic guitar intro anyway and I feel the harmonica may make an entrance soon. Ah, no it didn't. Boo. 7. Scientific investigation: This is a really nice ballad --- no it isn't. It just picked up in tempo. Still sweet though. End result: Very seventies of course, but I like pretty much everything on this album. Keyswork is fantastic, vocals are great even if I don't know what the guy is singing, and yeah, really like it. So, Love or Hate?** Give this one a Love. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-02-2015, 05:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: They warned me Artiste: Okily Dokily Genre: Unsure (metal?) Taken from: ? Familiarity: Zero (but everybody loves Ned Flanders!) Suggested by: Frownland Expectations: You never know with Frown. Gonna say I may enjoy this one. Okay, sounds like metal, with a kind of side of shoegaze, death metal scream. Hmm. Meh, it does nothing but repeat the same line. Boo. Conclusion: Very bored with that. Was expecting something a bit more interesting. So, Love or Hate? We'll give this one a big fat Meh. Possibility of looking into the album: 10% __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-02-2015, 05:46 PM	#7 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: Prince of fire Artiste: The Wandering Midget Genre: Doom Metal Taken from: From the Meadows of Opium Dreams Familiarity: Zero Suggested by: mythsofmetal Expectations: Doom Metal is usually not bad. I'm optimistic about this one. Nice grindy guitar with a bit of punch to it; like the vocals, almost sort of warrior chorus material. Would sing great power metal or even Viking metal. The vocal is kind of more declaimed than sung, but it's quite listenable. Good melody. Nothing terribly different to a lot of doom metal but not bad at all. Conclusion: Yeah it was okay. I've certainly heard better. And worse. So, Love or Hate? This can squeeze in with a Like. Just about. Possibility of looking into the album: 10% __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-04-2015, 06:54 AM	#8 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: New Level of Malevolence Artiste: Sterbhaus Genre: Thrash Metal Familiarity: Zero 1. Grudgeholder+Hatemonger: Okay, when I first looked at this I thought, maybe electronica or trance, something like that? But no, it's metal, and I'm told the band use humour in their lyrics, so maybe this will be a blast. Maybe not. The title of the first song would certainly please Urban! Really fast and thrashy with a sense of Slayer in the lyric, though I have to ask what the ** this means? “I’d like to whip your ass and whip it good/ Good ol’ fashioned human stew/ That will once it’s served/ Serve as another mocking bird.” Huh? The vocal's scratchy but I've heard worse doing Metal Month III. Meh, not too impressed though. Actually no, I really don't like this one. Poor opening. 2. El giftus Satanus: I do like the line “What sort of job is this for a skeleton anyway?” and also “El giftus Satanus! The gift that keeps on giving/ Whether you're dead or living!” Yeah, it's a good bit better than the first track. Some great guitar work here. 3. Necrostabbing the corpsefinder: The title is hilarious, but the song is too fast and chaotic really. 4. Bloodbarf: This is much better. Slow, grindy, menacing, and I can mostly undersand the vocal. 5. Crossed and pissed and devoured: They're mostly just getting a pass for the quite funny lyrics, but this song is also not too bad. Not as frenetic as others. But how can you not like the title, then the line “Succubus-ting my ass off”? 6. New level of malevolence: This even has a hint of Maiden in the guitar riff at the start! Nice. Was that a ing Russian folk melody just now?? 7. Baby Jee and the 3 stalkers: Not sure if they're just messing around with the lyrics here, but the joke's beginning to wear a little thin. Okay, to be fair, there's a pretty sweet slow guitar part here about halfway that's induced me to change this from White to Orange. At least they're trying! 8. King of the red: This is actually really good. I can get into this. Sort of like power metal slowed down. Nice unexpected gentle ending. 9. It came from the brain: Back to the aimless thrash 10. The grand theology: Something of a mess really. End result: Definitely not my thing, but I'll give them respect for clever and often funny lyrics. Not a band I'd listen to again though. Maybe a trance one would have been better? So, Love or Hate? I can't Hate it, it ain't Meh so I'll give it a cautious Like*. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018*

11-06-2015, 09:48 AM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: A Wizard, a True Star Artiste: Todd Rundgren Genre: Rock Familiarity: Have heard of him, but don't think I've heard anything by him 1. International feel: Reminds me of Devin, though I know he was going for a sort of Beatles Sgt Pepper thing. Very progressive. Nice start. 2. Never Never Land: From the stage production of Peter Pan apparently. Meh. 3. Tic tic tic it wears off: Very short but quite nice instrumental 4. You need your head: Not mad about this. Also short but quite frenetic. Guitar is quite fantastic, can't be denied, but, you know... 5. Rock'n'roll pussy: Most of these tracks are pretty short aren't they? This one is okay, but just that. Very repetitive. 6. Dogfight giggle: Is this Animals? No. Sod it then. Some dogs panting. Jesus. I'm sure it demonstrates Rundgren's prowess on the guitar, making these sounds, but for me it's just annoying. 7. You don't have to camp around: This one's okay. But again, just okay. Nice vocal harmonies, even though it only runs for a minute. Organ's cool. Actually I like this now. What can happen in a minute huh? 8. Flamingo: Another instrumental. Clever sure but meh. 9. Zen archer: The first thing approaching a proper song, with a nice carnival style rhythm that reminds me of ... no, I won't say it. Are they flutes? Like the midsection. Sax here is gorgeous. Changing this to Blue. Was Green. 10. Just another onionhead/Da da Dali: Quirky. Not bad. But a few too many of these are relying on their oddness, and this isn't a Zappa or Beefheart album. Meh. Second part is annoying. I hate it when they use twenties styles in rock music. Grrr! 11. When the shit hits the fan/Sunset Blvd: Well it's got a great title at least. Bit of a damp squib though. Instrumental. Not bad but nothing great. Oh, ok: vocals in the last few seconds. Still kind of meh to okay. Give it an Orange. 12. Le feel internacionale: Sort of a reprise of the opener? Not sure why this is even here? 13. Sometimes I don't know what to feel: Now it's a soul song. It's not bad, but I'm really not soul-ed. Sorry. 14. Does anybody love you?: And another soul one. It's okay. 15. Medley: This starts off well, but I don't quite get the idea of switching from rock to soul for the last three tracks, and this lasts ten minutes. I think it's a homage, so fair enough if so, but what about the other two? It's a great track for the most part, but if I want to hear a ten-minute soul track, I'll listen to a soul album. 16. Hungry for love: It's okay but nothing special. 17. I don't want to tie you down: Nice sort of folky piano ballad. 18. Is it my name? : Now this is more like it! Powerful keyboard intro, sense of Yes in the melody, good rocker. Why isn't all the album like this? 19. Just one victory: And a gospel one to end on. Impressive, but again, too many styles here and it's just hard to wrap my head around. End result: Although I have never heard any Rundgren up to now, I feel this was not the album to make an introduction to him. It's just too quirky and the styles are all over the place. Hard to get a decent idea of what he's about. I would have thought maybe one of the Utopia albums instead? Confusing. Good parts, but not enough of them. So, Love or Hate? Can only muster a Like on this one. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 11-06-2015 at 01:47 PM.

11-06-2015, 01:51 PM	#10 (permalink)
Pet_Sounds Remember the underscore Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: The other side Posts: 2,488	That's not Rundgren's best album imo (Something/Anything is), but I was expecting a Meh from you. Glad to see you enjoyed it more than I thought. __________________ Everybody's dying just to get the disease