Love or Hate?

Trollheart · 06-24-2015, 10:57 AM

For latecomers only!

As Batty said, recs were closed fairly soon after they opened, but as I explained that was because once the bar went up everyone rushed in at once and I was again inundated with recs. Which is great, but if I let that go for days I'd have hundreds of albums to listen to.

Nevertheless, it does strike me as slightly unfair to those who were, for whatever reason, unable to get their recs in before the boom came down. So for those people, and those people only, I'm reopening for a short period.

From now till Friday, anyone who has not yet submitted or had a rec chosen may do so. This does NOT include anyone who has already given me albums so please don't use this as an excuse to shoehorn more in, nor may you change one you have submitted. Your time has come and gone. This is ONLY for those who did not get a chance to recommend and wish to.

So it's now almost 5pm on Wednesday. You have till 5pm Friday to submit your rec(s), after which the door will be closed. Given that I have a lot to get through now, and will probably have more once this closes, it could be some considerable time before recs open again, so take your chance now or regret it later.

**Frownland** · 06-24-2015, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Title: Knuckle in the mud
Artiste: Wolves in Sheepskin
Genre: Experimental
Familiarity: I've heard some of Frownland's material

Track 1(Love) Hold on, what is this? This actually sounds like MUSIC! Did I click on the wrong ... no, it's his album all right. This is not at all bad. Quite ambient so far. My only complaint is that it seems to be pretty much the same all the way through, and for a piece that runs for over seventeen minutes I would have expected perhaps a little more variety?

This track is the main reason I recommended the album to you. Don't expect too much variety when listening to a drone track, but imo this track jumps around a lot.

Quote:

Track 2(Love) This has more a kind of jazzy, Waitsy feel with also the idea of being dumped right into the middle of a Twilight Zone episode. Good piano, horns are a little distracting but not too much so, good guitar. Kinda sounds like someone keeps opening a creaky gate?

No horns or gates, just bass, flute, piano, and my friend's dog also makes an appearance. And of course you think it sounds like Tom Waits

.

Quote:

Track 4(Hate) I wasn't aware Frownie was a muslim, but here he is at morning prayers!

Huh? I have no idea how you got that connotation from that track, especially since the lyrics are about lesbian sex (if you can make them out).

Quote:

Track 7(Hate) ****ing crickets???!!!

Crickets, yes, but more importantly there are coyotes.

Quote:

End result: I thought (hoped) I was finally getting something different from WISK and the first track raised my hopes, but after that it went severely downhill and never recovered. Some people have described this as “relaxing” and “ambient”. While that might apply to the first track, it certainly does not to the rest, and this is not something I would put on to relax or fall asleep to. Sorry Frown but I think that's it for you and I: you can have the kids, I just want the cat. And that cup. And your cowboy hat.

So, Love or Hate? Started off hoping, but it's a clear Hate I'm afraid.

Chances of a full review: 0/10

Kind of figured that it would end up this way. It makes me wonder how you would receive the album if the tracks were arranged differently. Something like putting all of the relaxing and ambient tracks (ie Caught Between the Gears, Birth of the Emboweler, and Prodding a Pile of Rotten Meat) at the end instead of separating them.

Trollheart · 06-24-2015, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

No horns or gates, just bass, flute, piano, and my friend's dog also makes an appearance. And of course you think it sounds like Tom Waits

.

I don't know if you're familiar with The Final Cut (I'm gonna assume you are)? It's like that sound just before "Your possible pasts" begins.

Quote:

Huh? I have no idea how you got that connotation from that track, especially since the lyrics are about lesbian sex (if you can make them out).

It was kind of a joke. You sound like one of those mullahs in the towers calling everyone to prayers. That kind of wailing noise you always hear.

Quote:

Crickets, yes, but more importantly there are coyotes.

Ah, but are there roadrunners?

Quote:

Kind of figured that it would end up this way. It makes me wonder how you would receive the album if the tracks were arranged differently. Something like putting all of the relaxing and ambient tracks (ie Caught Between the Gears, Birth of the Emboweler, and Prodding a Pile of Rotten Meat) at the end instead of separating them.

I was pretty desperate to find something of your music I would like and could write favourably about, as I think you're a great guy and a talented musician with some great (if odd) creative ideas. But I really struggled. I feel like a father listening to death metal and asking his kid why he can't play some nice rock and roll or something?

Maybe, maybe one day. Thanks for not being too offended though: I know this music is uber-important to you and I would not want to make fun of or belittle it, but this is the chance you take when you review the music of someone you know and respect.

YorkeDaddy · 06-24-2015, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Title: For now
Artiste: Daydream Society
Genre: Ambient
Familiarity: I know some of YorkeDaddy's work; some I love, some I, well, don't...
Daydream Society

Track 1(Love) Takes about thirty seconds before I can even discern any music (slow start) though some ****er was going mad with a drill out in the street, but when it gets going it's a nice gentle relaxing sound. Nice shimmering synths. Goes by very quickly for a four minute song.
Track 2(Love) Kind of reminds me of the sun rising in the morning (when the **** else does the sun rise?)

; nice kind of almost oriental feel to parts of it. Seems like it could be nice music to do Tai Chi or whatever exercises to. Not that I do such things.
Track 3(Love) Nice rising synth tone on this, reminds me of clouds clearing away to reveal a clear blue sky and birds singing. Maybe. Interestingly, perhaps, its title (“After everyone leaves”) is very similar to that of one of my own laughable attempts at music, which was called “When everyone has gone home”...
Track 4(Love) Stronger, slightly punchier feeling to this, with some kind of feedback or effect making the piece a little abrasive, though not too much. Like the kind of danceroom vibe.
Track 5(Love) Back to some slow, building ambient, very nice. Well-titled; it gives just that feeling of floating in space, or perhaps moving from one state of being to another.
Track 6 Meh, pretty almost existential. A little hard to get to grips with.
Track 7(Love) Echoes almost of Frownland! Nah, not that bad, but mostly effects and what I would consider to be non-musical sounds. Not a fan of this sort of thing. Well, hold on now: about halfway through we have some nice synth coming through. That's quite nice.
Track 8(Love) Nice peppy synth with a faster one behind it
Track 9(Love) This one's a nice relaxing ambient
Track 10(Love) Lovely atmospheric closer that somehow manages to be quite powerful in an understated way. Loses marks for the sudden ending though. Why?

End result: Another triumph for YorkeDaddy; far different from cloudcover of course, and a lot better than his previous effort with DDS that I listened to. I really enjoyed this.

So, Love or Hate? Oh Love, for definite.

Chances of a full review: 3/10

Hooray!

Kind of surprised you found "Separation" to be underwhelming, that's one of my favorites I've ever made period. But hey I'm just delighted that you enjoyed it after disliking one of my previous albums so much.

Also the abrupt end to the last track was very intentional. Very dark, but uh, it's supposed to signify the moment when the person the album's about dies. That track is my musical interpretation of someone's final moments.

._.

**Frownland** · 06-24-2015, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I don't know if you're familiar with The Final Cut (I'm gonna assume you are)? It's like that sound just before "Your possible pasts" begins.

Ja, all the squeaks are from the flute. Stryder had just gotten it and was still learning.

Quote:

I was pretty desperate to find something of your music I would like and could write favourably about, as I think you're a great guy and a talented musician with some great (if odd) creative ideas. But I really struggled. I feel like a father listening to death metal and asking his kid why he can't play some nice rock and roll or something?

Maybe, maybe one day. Thanks for not being too offended though: I know this music is uber-important to you and I would not want to make fun of or belittle it, but this is the chance you take when you review the music of someone you know and respect.

On a couple of occasions my dad has asked me and my band why we don't play songs

And ja, you have to be thick skinned if you make this kind of music, even if it is your life. Imagine if John Zorn reacted negatively to all the criticism he gets, he'd have killed himself by age 25. Not to mention with all the **** I sling about bands like Marillion I should be able to take it as well as I give it.

You've always got the first two tracks along with Impressions (which I have you on record saying you liked, don't deny it) if you want to listen to the greatest recording artist of the 21st century.

The Batlord · 06-24-2015, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Ja, all the squeaks are from the flute. Stryder had just gotten it and was still learning.

**Frownland** · 06-24-2015, 06:07 PM

Yes, that's where his parents got his name from.

mythsofmetal · 06-24-2015, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

For latecomers only!

As Batty said, recs were closed fairly soon after they opened, but as I explained that was because once the bar went up everyone rushed in at once and I was again inundated with recs. Which is great, but if I let that go for days I'd have hundreds of albums to listen to.

Nevertheless, it does strike me as slightly unfair to those who were, for whatever reason, unable to get their recs in before the boom came down. So for those people, and those people only, I'm reopening for a short period.

From now till Friday, anyone who has not yet submitted or had a rec chosen may do so. This does NOT include anyone who has already given me albums so please don't use this as an excuse to shoehorn more in, nor may you change one you have submitted. Your time has come and gone. This is ONLY for those who did not get a chance to recommend and wish to.

So it's now almost 5pm on Wednesday. You have till 5pm Friday to submit your rec(s), after which the door will be closed. Given that I have a lot to get through now, and will probably have more once this closes, it could be some considerable time before recs open again, so take your chance now or regret it later.

So, in reply to this. Since I had earlier mistakenly recommended something when recs were still closed, and have yet to get the chance to have you review something from me for this thread, I was wondering if a rec from me now would be acceptable here?

Earlier you showed an interest in checking out some Atmospheric Black Metal, but with that rec I suggested for you earlier on I later realized that my memory had been fuzzy and only two or three of the five tracks really resembled Atmospheric Black Metal. So, I was wondering if you would just want what I recommended which was Nocte Obducta's Stille, or a better fit Atmospheric Black Metal album which is more consistently so than that Nocte Obducta album, or something else which is fairly different I have in mind? I'm not naming anything else specifically besides the Nocte Obducta album I already had mentioned, since I feel like that would be somewhat unfair and seem as if I'm recommending multiple albums at once, so I'm being a bit vague while also providing options for if you would rather review something else, okay?

If you don't care to choose or procrastinate over the options, then just review Stille, which can be found on bandcamp here, but keep in mind it really isn't 100% pure Atmospheric Black Metal.

Trollheart · 06-24-2015, 06:18 PM

I'm happy to listen to anything, so whatever you want to rec is fine. Stille or anything else, I don't mind. You tell me.

The Batlord · 06-24-2015, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Yes, that's where his parents got his name from.

Either his parents are nerds or do the correct amount of drugs.

06-24-2015, 10:57 AM	#981 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	For latecomers only! As Batty said, recs were closed fairly soon after they opened, but as I explained that was because once the bar went up everyone rushed in at once and I was again inundated with recs. Which is great, but if I let that go for days I'd have hundreds of albums to listen to. Nevertheless, it does strike me as slightly unfair to those who were, for whatever reason, unable to get their recs in before the boom came down. So for those people, and those people only, I'm reopening for a short period. From now till Friday, anyone who has not yet submitted or had a rec chosen may do so. This does NOT include anyone who has already given me albums so please don't use this as an excuse to shoehorn more in, nor may you change one you have submitted. Your time has come and gone. This is ONLY for those who did not get a chance to recommend and wish to. So it's now almost 5pm on Wednesday. You have till 5pm Friday to submit your rec(s), after which the door will be closed. Given that I have a lot to get through now, and will probably have more once this closes, it could be some considerable time before recs open again, so take your chance now or regret it later. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

06-24-2015, 06:07 PM	#987 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Yes, that's where his parents got his name from. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

06-24-2015, 06:18 PM	#989 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	I'm happy to listen to anything, so whatever you want to rec is fine. Stille or anything else, I don't mind. You tell me. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018