Forum Member Album Reviews

[The Batlord]

Originally Posted by Key

Machine+ (Machine) - BIRDS CAN SING

I can't quite remember if I've listened to your stuff before, but I genuinely like what I've hearing for. It's nice to see someone at this site go for that alternative / experimental rock. The only gripe is that sometimes the sound quality is a bit hit or miss but maybe that's just me. I like the tracks otherwise. I totally get why you made some track a little shorter as well as I do the same thing. I mostly do that if I want to make a transition track or something. The vocalist here is also amazing. If that is you Machine, you've got a great voice. Very calming.

I legitimately do like every track because each one adds its own flavor. I would say that TIRED and WOLF are my favorites so far. I love the beat you have going in WOLF. Good **** man.

.

[Key]

No Curfew Kids - ~vines~

Been missin' ya Tristan so it's nice to see that you've been working on some new ****. And god damn it's awesome. From the beginning of the first track I was already hooked. I've always really really liked your music from the start and I've always respected you as a musician, but this album certainly showcases growth in a strong way. Every track is awesome. Especially considering not every track sounds the same. Apex would probably be the standout track for me though since right off the bat, it incorporates that noisy atmosphere that I absolutely love playing with in my own music. Definitely done really well here, and certainly better than a lot of my stuff. Just love the whole atmosphere of the track in general, but the additional noise is really nice.

Industrial4 certainly seems more like a filler track but I really like it regardless of its intent. It's wild, it's crazy, and most certainly, it's awesome. Really nice contrast from the previous tracks. Under The Porch then goes back into that deeper atmosphere that starts off really nice with some cool synth and overall beatage in the background. This track continues to get better and better. Only thing is I wish it was a little bit longer. This is such a neat style. I may try to incorporate it in some of my music in the future.

We then end with Behind the Garage Door which is again a huge contrast to what the rest of the album was bringing, and that's not a bad thing. This track starts off with a relatively simple electronic chord but then goes into something that honestly gradually gets better. The continuous electronic chord in the background suits this song pretty nicely. Has a pretty depressing feel to it while not diving too far into that mindset. Really nice.

Overall, I really like this a lot. I wish some of the tracks were a bit longer but then again, I've made albums where collectively it comes out to less than 5 minutes so I totally get it. Otherwise a pretty fantastic album.

[Tristan_Geoff]

Originally Posted by Key

No Curfew Kids - ~vines~

Been missin' ya Tristan so it's nice to see that you've been working on some new ****. And god damn it's awesome. From the beginning of the first track I was already hooked. I've always really really liked your music from the start and I've always respected you as a musician, but this album certainly showcases growth in a strong way. Every track is awesome. Especially considering not every track sounds the same. Apex would probably be the standout track for me though since right off the bat, it incorporates that noisy atmosphere that I absolutely love playing with in my own music. Definitely done really well here, and certainly better than a lot of my stuff. Just love the whole atmosphere of the track in general, but the additional noise is really nice.

Industrial4 certainly seems more like a filler track but I really like it regardless of its intent. It's wild, it's crazy, and most certainly, it's awesome. Really nice contrast from the previous tracks. Under The Porch then goes back into that deeper atmosphere that starts off really nice with some cool synth and overall beatage in the background. This track continues to get better and better. Only thing is I wish it was a little bit longer. This is such a neat style. I may try to incorporate it in some of my music in the future.

We then end with Behind the Garage Door which is again a huge contrast to what the rest of the album was bringing, and that's not a bad thing. This track starts off with a relatively simple electronic chord but then goes into something that honestly gradually gets better. The continuous electronic chord in the background suits this song pretty nicely. Has a pretty depressing feel to it while not diving too far into that mindset. Really nice.

Overall, I really like this a lot. I wish some of the tracks were a bit longer but then again, I've made albums where collectively it comes out to less than 5 minutes so I totally get it. Otherwise a pretty fantastic album.

Thank you so much what a cool review to read! Yeah some of the tracks were indeed filler and I left the songs short for lack of inspiration to make them that way so I think it fills out nicely as short. I'll review your newest album next.

[Tristan_Geoff]

Cats With Hats
The Light (2019)

I really like what you have here man, it's super ambient sprinkled in with samples, glitches, and noise. The songs build up really well, spindling out in arms from original noise samples until eventual heavenly keyboard strikes. The samples range from brass to hellscapes. Definitely a vast improvement over your earliest works which were in themselves interesting and accomplished as well.

8/10

[Tristan_Geoff]

https://rateyourmusic.com/release/al...ats/the-light/

[Key]

Originally Posted by Mrs. Tristan Rosenstock

Cats With Hats
The Light (2019)

I really like what you have here man, it's super ambient sprinkled in with samples, glitches, and noise. The songs build up really well, spindling out in arms from original noise samples until eventual heavenly keyboard strikes. The samples range from brass to hellscapes. Definitely a vast improvement over your earliest works which were in themselves interesting and accomplished as well.

8/10

Thanks for listening, my dude. The Light is definitely a return to what my older stuff sounded like. Wanted to implement more noise than I did in the previous releases. Definitely appreciate the kind words.

[Key]

Trouble Salad - The Architecture of Trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble

I've got this downloaded on my phone so I can listen easily on my way to work. That's what I did this morning and it was wonderful.

I give you mad respect for constantly putting out bangers. And this album is certainly no exception. Back when you released The Red Candle Fiasco, I considered that your peak, and that's not a slight at your other stuff. I just found that to really bring together everything your good at when it comes to music. But then you released The Architecture of Trouble, and The Red Candle Fiasco took 2nd place.

The album starts off with some styles that I've become familiar with in your music, but you use it in such a way that makes it always feel unique and fun. Every track after, to me, brings a certain part of Trouble Salad in its own unique way. Every track is a style that you've used and have come to master and are using it with some fresh new ideas to really showcase what makes Trouble Salad, Trouble Salad.

And to me, I find that to be part of the meaning behind the title, The Architecture of Trouble, which in itself is really smart.

It'll probably take a few listens before I know what my favorite track is, but it's hard to say because they're all really good for their own reasons. Each track stands out as its own thing each time and it's certainly a pleasure to listen through and hear the different themes and movements taking place in the music. Super inspiring as well.

Another thing I like is how overall calm the whole album feels. It's like a jazz record went crazy and merged itself with varying genres together. It's overall a really neat way to go with an album and it's definitely my new favorite of Mondo's.

At the current moment, I'm listening to Booknose and I love it. I think both The Standing Man and Glaucomatose are up there as well. Welcome To 3 am dub starts really funky but it ends up being a really stellar track as well.

These are also first impressions, so my opinions may change over more listens, but not in any negative ways. I'll come to appreciate the music more and more each time I listen. I love it right now though and that's all that matters for now. Really nicely done, Mondo.

[Mondo Bungle]

I always have to end up hearing it all so much while I'm doing it and get worried that it's super tiring even though no one else has heard it yet.

I still think it got long winded toward the end but the tracklist itself was giving me issues and I thought it might go on too long for the style but I dunno. I probably shouldn't lose any sleep over having tracks 10 and 11 back to back but it irks me in ways I don't understand.

I think 10 could've just been trashed.

It still was a grievous effort and I'm happy you'd call it your favorite, I was mainly worried that people might think it's kind of a drag with the downtempo direction and extended tape squallings.

[Key]

I think you definitely should feel proud of what you've made here because it's quite good. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have enjoyed it when I listen to each track individually throughout the day. I didn't find it tiring at all but you're also hearing this from someone that has managed to put several 15+ minute tracks on the newest album coming up. So, I totally get it. It helps to let this sit for a while and work itself into something interesting as the track goes on. Certainly that's the impression I get from a lot of the tracks on your album. The downtempo parts were really cool and reminded me of the stuff that I've made on some albums so it was really cool to see you using it as well.

[YorkeDaddy]

Originally Posted by Key

Trouble Salad - The Architecture of Trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble
https://troublesalad.bandcamp.com/al...ure-of-trouble

I've got this downloaded on my phone so I can listen easily on my way to work. That's what I did this morning and it was wonderful.

I give you mad respect for constantly putting out bangers. And this album is certainly no exception. Back when you released The Red Candle Fiasco, I considered that your peak, and that's not a slight at your other stuff. I just found that to really bring together everything your good at when it comes to music. But then you released The Architecture of Trouble, and The Red Candle Fiasco took 2nd place.

The album starts off with some styles that I've become familiar with in your music, but you use it in such a way that makes it always feel unique and fun. Every track after, to me, brings a certain part of Trouble Salad in its own unique way. Every track is a style that you've used and have come to master and are using it with some fresh new ideas to really showcase what makes Trouble Salad, Trouble Salad.

And to me, I find that to be part of the meaning behind the title, The Architecture of Trouble, which in itself is really smart.

It'll probably take a few listens before I know what my favorite track is, but it's hard to say because they're all really good for their own reasons. Each track stands out as its own thing each time and it's certainly a pleasure to listen through and hear the different themes and movements taking place in the music. Super inspiring as well.

Another thing I like is how overall calm the whole album feels. It's like a jazz record went crazy and merged itself with varying genres together. It's overall a really neat way to go with an album and it's definitely my new favorite of Mondo's.

At the current moment, I'm listening to Booknose and I love it. I think both The Standing Man and Glaucomatose are up there as well. Welcome To 3 am dub starts really funky but it ends up being a really stellar track as well.

These are also first impressions, so my opinions may change over more listens, but not in any negative ways. I'll come to appreciate the music more and more each time I listen. I love it right now though and that's all that matters for now. Really nicely done, Mondo.

Literal god-tier album art, where the hell did you find this?

Also I might swing a review or two in here sometime soon. I've missed out on a lot of members' work. No idea if or when I will ever get back into making music personally but I'm still very curious at what Ki and Mondo have been up to in particular