Love or Hate?

The Batlord · 11-14-2015, 11:19 AM

It amuses me that without any knowledge of Mother Love Bone, Trollheart saw the album as retro seventies rock combined with hair metal. Grunge fans love to pretend that Apple is like one of the crown jewels of the genre, but it isn't even really grunge. Or that good.

Tristan_Geoff · 11-14-2015, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

It amuses me that without any knowledge of Mother Love Bone, Trollheart saw the album as retro seventies rock combined with hair metal. Grunge fans love to pretend that Apple is like one of the crown jewels of the genre, but it isn't even really grunge. Or that good.

Honestly I can never get my head around why people thought grunge was a genuine genre. Sure, the groups all pull from similar influences and have the same production, but none of them sound too much alike other than that. They all fit more neatly into other genres.

It was more of a marketing term for labels really, or a descriptive word for distortion. But if distortion is the only characteristic of grunge then a lot should be classified as grunge.

Trollheart · 11-14-2015, 02:48 PM

Title: Overpowered
Artiste: Róisín Murphy
Genre: Electronica/Pop
Familiarity: Zero

1. Overpowered: Synth-heavy of course, she has a nice voice which doesn't grate; this is a slowish opener. Yeah, I like it. Restrained but with a decent punch.
2. You know me better: More uptempo, slightly dancier but still catchy.
3. Checkin' on me: This has a sort of soul tinge to it
4. Let me know: Started off like a ballad but picked up into a real funk groover. Nice.
5. Movie star: Nice thick buzzy synths on this one. Oh yeah, really like this one. If I knew what Lady Gaga sounded like I would probably say this sounds like her, but I don't so I can't. But I bet it does. Actually it reminds me of Animotion. Best track so far.
6. Primitive: This is a nice change. A laidback little track that isn't quite a ballad but is slower and more relaxed than the rest of the album so far.
7. Footprints: Back to the funk, with some real seventies style synth, handclaps, the whole bit. She really has a nice voice. Sounds like Judie Tzuke at times, especially here. I'd like to see though what she does with a really passionate ballad, maybe piano or acoustic guitar.
8. Dear Miami: Like this too. Has a very fresh, relaxing feel to it.
9. Cry baby: This is a real techno dancer, but pretty damn cool. I could dance to this. You have been fairly warned.
10. Tell everybody: This is just so smooth!
11. Scarlet ribbons: Ah yes! A soulful ballad. Love this, and she hits it right on the money.

End result: Not the sort of music I would normally listen to, but this album was pretty damn righteous. Batty nails it again.

So, Love or Hate? Nothing but Love, here.

Trollheart · 11-14-2015, 02:50 PM

Title: Every Open Eye
Artiste: Chvrches
Genre: Pop
Familiarity: Heard and loved the debut album; looking forward to this one.

1. Never ending circles: Well it's not disappointing from the off. A nice marching kind of pop song, heavy percussion, great rippling synth
2. Leave a trace: Kind of lighter and more uptempo, still really good though. Man, she has some voice, hasn't she?
3. Keep you on my side: Nice and boppy; nothing as strong so far as anything off the debut. Waiting...
4. Make them gold: This is the first time I've heard something comparable to The Bones of What You Believe. Excellent track.
5. Clearest blue: Now we're getting somewhere. This album just took off.
6. High enough to carry you over: Boo. Male vocal. Decent song, but is decent good enough for this album? I think we all know the answer to that.
7. Empty threat: Oh yeah, so much better when Lauren gets behind the mike. Great pumping, powerful, happy pop song with such a hook.
8. Downside of me: Superb little downtempo track. Love it.
9. Playing dead: Has a real hard edge to it. Powerful percussion (drum machine?)
10. Bury it: Yeah, it's just getting better now as it heads towards the end. Another hard-edged song with stabbing synthwork.
11. Afterglow: Beautiful ethereal ballad to end; almost ambient. Just gorgeous.

End result: I kind of expected this to be great, so it's not as big a surprise as the debut album was. That said, I was perhaps a little more expectant and maybe ended up being a little harder on this than I should have been. Still a great album, and a wonderful followup to The Bones of What You Believe, but that album still holds first place for me.

So, Love or Hate? Nevertheless, and to no-one's surprise, it's a total Love.

The Batlord · 11-14-2015, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Title: Overpowered
Artiste: Róisín Murphy
Genre: Electronica/Pop
Familiarity: Zero

1. Overpowered: Synth-heavy of course, she has a nice voice which doesn't grate; this is a slowish opener. Yeah, I like it. Restrained but with a decent punch.
2. You know me better: More uptempo, slightly dancier but still catchy.
3. Checkin' on me: This has a sort of soul tinge to it
4. Let me know: Started off like a ballad but picked up into a real funk groover. Nice.
5. Movie star: Nice thick buzzy synths on this one. Oh yeah, really like this one. If I knew what Lady Gaga sounded like I would probably say this sounds like her, but I don't so I can't. But I bet it does. Actually it reminds me of Animotion. Best track so far.
6. Primitive: This is a nice change. A laidback little track that isn't quite a ballad but is slower and more relaxed than the rest of the album so far.
7. Footprints: Back to the funk, with some real seventies style synth, handclaps, the whole bit. She really has a nice voice. Sounds like Judie Tzuke at times, especially here. I'd like to see though what she does with a really passionate ballad, maybe piano or acoustic guitar.
8. Dear Miami: Like this too. Has a very fresh, relaxing feel to it.
9. Cry baby: This is a real techno dancer, but pretty damn cool. I could dance to this. You have been fairly warned.
10. Tell everybody: This is just so smooth!
11. Scarlet ribbons: Ah yes! A soulful ballad. Love this, and she hits it right on the money.

End result: Not the sort of music I would normally listen to, but this album was pretty damn righteous. Batty nails it again.

So, Love or Hate? Nothing but Love, here.

I don't even remember who that is.

DwnWthVwls · 11-15-2015, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

I don't even remember who that is.

I like her. I think she got popular from this song:

11-14-2015, 02:48 PM	#3 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: Overpowered Artiste: Róisín Murphy Genre: Electronica/Pop Familiarity: Zero 1. Overpowered: Synth-heavy of course, she has a nice voice which doesn't grate; this is a slowish opener. Yeah, I like it. Restrained but with a decent punch. 2. You know me better: More uptempo, slightly dancier but still catchy. 3. Checkin' on me: This has a sort of soul tinge to it 4. Let me know: Started off like a ballad but picked up into a real funk groover. Nice. 5. Movie star: Nice thick buzzy synths on this one. Oh yeah, really like this one. If I knew what Lady Gaga sounded like I would probably say this sounds like her, but I don't so I can't. But I bet it does. Actually it reminds me of Animotion. Best track so far. 6. Primitive: This is a nice change. A laidback little track that isn't quite a ballad but is slower and more relaxed than the rest of the album so far. 7. Footprints: Back to the funk, with some real seventies style synth, handclaps, the whole bit. She really has a nice voice. Sounds like Judie Tzuke at times, especially here. I'd like to see though what she does with a really passionate ballad, maybe piano or acoustic guitar. 8. Dear Miami: Like this too. Has a very fresh, relaxing feel to it. 9. Cry baby: This is a real techno dancer, but pretty damn cool. I could dance to this. You have been fairly warned. 10. Tell everybody: This is just so smooth! 11. Scarlet ribbons: Ah yes! A soulful ballad. Love this, and she hits it right on the money. End result: Not the sort of music I would normally listen to, but this album was pretty damn righteous. Batty nails it again. So, Love or Hate? Nothing but Love, here. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-14-2015, 02:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Title: Every Open Eye Artiste: Chvrches Genre: Pop Familiarity: Heard and loved the debut album; looking forward to this one. 1. Never ending circles: Well it's not disappointing from the off. A nice marching kind of pop song, heavy percussion, great rippling synth 2. Leave a trace: Kind of lighter and more uptempo, still really good though. Man, she has some voice, hasn't she? 3. Keep you on my side: Nice and boppy; nothing as strong so far as anything off the debut. Waiting... 4. Make them gold: This is the first time I've heard something comparable to The Bones of What You Believe. Excellent track. 5. Clearest blue: Now we're getting somewhere. This album just took off. 6. High enough to carry you over: Boo. Male vocal. Decent song, but is decent good enough for this album? I think we all know the answer to that. 7. Empty threat: Oh yeah, so much better when Lauren gets behind the mike. Great pumping, powerful, happy pop song with such a hook. 8. Downside of me: Superb little downtempo track. Love it. 9. Playing dead: Has a real hard edge to it. Powerful percussion (drum machine?) 10. Bury it: Yeah, it's just getting better now as it heads towards the end. Another hard-edged song with stabbing synthwork. 11. Afterglow: Beautiful ethereal ballad to end; almost ambient. Just gorgeous. End result: I kind of expected this to be great, so it's not as big a surprise as the debut album was. That said, I was perhaps a little more expectant and maybe ended up being a little harder on this than I should have been. Still a great album, and a wonderful followup to The Bones of What You Believe, but that album still holds first place for me. So, Love or Hate? Nevertheless, and to no-one's surprise, it's a total Love. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018