The Album Club 2017

Trollheart · 02-24-2017, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mondo Bungle

Does he jog and write at the same time

Who?

The Batlord · 02-24-2017, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

You're just bitter that you didn't get two weeks. Get off your arse and get writing, pal.

**** you, bitch, I'll do it tomorrow I'm lazy.

Trollheart · 02-24-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

**** you, bitch, I'll do it tomorrow I'm lazy.

Breaking news! This just in!!!

Electrophonic Tonic · 02-25-2017, 12:45 AM

Black Ryder
Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
A mixture of shoegaze and indie rock. I'm a fan of the former and am fairly pessimistic about the later, so my gut reaction was pretty neutral.

2. What did you think of the opening track?
Alright. I'd love to elaborate more, but it was a like being a served a lukewarm cup of soup. Am I going to eat it? Sure. Am I going to enjoy it? Ehhh...

3. What did you think of the next track?
Pretty much the same as the first track. It was just kinda there. Not good, not bad either. The first track I enjoyed was Grass.

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
I didn't love either of them, but I preferred the guy's voice over the girl's.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
The two groups that I kept thinking of were The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, which I both like. So Black Ryder should have been a solid pick for me. I think the reason I didn't enjoy Black Ryder as much as BJTM or BRMC was because of Black Ryder's indie rock influences. It's just not my cup of tea.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
It really dragged for me the first time I listened to it. I'm pretty sure I let out an audible groan when I checked the album and realized I was not yet half-way through it. An album that drags is almost worse than bad music in terms of my listening experience.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
My big thing with lyrics is more about the cadence of your singing and the specific words you say and how they mesh with the music. Black Ryder did a fine job with that.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
Shoegaze stuff was good, especially the stuff that was a little bit heavier and more bombastic (Grass, Gone without Feeling, What's Forsaken). The more indie influences were not horrible, but I didn't enjoy them either.

9. What did you think of the production?
I prefer my shoegaze to have a bit of a denser sound, and this album is more spacy than than dense. But I felt the production matched what they wanted for their record and it was the right choice for them.

10. Did you know of this artiste prior to listening to the album, and if so, did that foreknowledge colour your perception of this album?
Not at all. I didn't even know what genre they were. It's been awhile since I've gone in completely blind on an album, so it was nice experiencing it from a fresh perspective.

11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not?
Like I said before, I like BJTM and BRMC. I think it's because I prefer their assorted influences mixed with shoegaze (psychedelic, hard rock, garage rock) over Black Ryder mixing shoegaze with indie influences.

12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
My first listen was did not leave me with a positive experience. After 4 more listens and a repeating a few tracks that I liked, I could accept the album.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
I preferred the louder, more energetic tracks, the best one of those being Gone Without Feeling.

14. And the one you liked least?
The track that had the worst ratio of shoegaze to indie rock, All That We See.

15. If the album in question is a debut, did that fact allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Je ne sais pas.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material?
Probably not.

17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album?
Pretty much neutral. I dont' feel like I wasted my time, but I have no desire to come back to this either.

18. Did the album end well?
About the same for me as when it started.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
I don't think these guys did anything poorly. I just think this isn't exactly meant for me as is.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
If we scored the album by individual tracks, the worst score would be a 4 and the best score would be a 7. It's consistent, but not exactly remarkable either.

4/10

Chicagoslaw8 · 02-25-2017, 06:03 AM

Yes,most Shoegaze just isn't for me, its a pretty decent Album.
1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
I like the guitars, thats for sure. Shoegaze is really my thing tho.
2. What did you think of the opening track?
it was pretty Decent.
3. What did you think of the next track?
i like this track, its probably my third favorite of this album
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions?
i've changed my mine on this, she's not that bad actually. she seems like a pretty nice person.
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?
it did in some spots, but like i said, this type of music generally doesn't appeal to me
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
kind of, i pretty much had the same feeling through out my first listen
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
No Opinion really.
8. Did you like the instrumental parts?
somewhat, they could be more abrasive
9. What did you think of the production?
nothing noticeable, it sounds pretty good i guess.
10. Did you know of this artiste prior to listening to the album, and if so, did that foreknowledge colour your perception of this album?
NOOOOOOOPE. nada. zip.
11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not?
not really, Now,Now is the closest to Shoegaze i have really enjoyed.
12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
having listened to this only twice, it appealed to me a bit more then the first time.
13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?
All That We Can See is excellent.
14. And the one you liked least?
None Really.
15. If the album in question is a debut, did that fact allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?
Debuts are usually a touch in the water, not every band has an excellent first album,so yes, ill allow it.
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material?
ill look out for their future material.
17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album?
i kinda expected something like this based off the album cover alone.
18. Did the album end well?
it ended ok.
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
it could be a bit more harsher/louder imo.
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
it's a pretty cionsistent album overall

Trollheart · 02-25-2017, 06:20 AM

OK, we're on the final day. A quick look through (and I could be missing someone here so let me know) tells me we have yet to hear from

DJ

Just waiting for you now so we can move on to the next album by Monday.

Thanks again to all who have expressed their thoughts so far. Batty, put that comic down and get tapping on those keys....

OccultHawk · 02-25-2017, 06:34 AM

I think we should move on Monday either way. I also think if someone doesn't get their reviews in on time they should lose their pick.

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 02-25-2017, 06:42 AM

yeah i think that sounds fair.

Psy-Fi · 02-25-2017, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I think we should move on Monday either way. I also think if someone doesn't get their reviews in on time they should lose their pick.

x3

Trollheart · 02-25-2017, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I think we should move on Monday either way. I also think if someone doesn't get their reviews in on time they should lose their pick.

Oh we'll be moving either way. I'm not hanging around and delaying everyone else for the sake of a few who haven't managed/couldn't be bothered to get their reviews in on time.

I think it's fair to hold Sunday as a sort of "holdover" day: the old album is finished but the new one, though it will take the place of the old one in the OP, is not actually due to be listened to till Monday, so any late reviews could, theoretically, be posted on Sunday. I'd prefer not to accept late ones after that though. Not that I can stop them of course; people will post as they like, but I'd hope we could all adhere to the rules a little.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psy-Fi

x3

I'd like to do this, but you know the problems it would cause. I'm prepared to put that to a vote if you want.

Who thinks Psy-Fi's suggestion of a penalty for late/no review should be implemented?

To be clear, this states that anyone who does not get their review in by the stated ending date on any album (without asking for an extension or advising some particular circumstances - holiday, work load, illness etc - which prevent them from doing so) forfeits their turn whenever it comes up, and will be moved to the back of the current queue.

What say ye? Yay or nay?

02-25-2017, 12:45 AM	#114 (permalink)
Electrophonic Tonic Your Ad Here Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 876	Black Ryder Buy The Ticket, Take The Ride 1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in? A mixture of shoegaze and indie rock. I'm a fan of the former and am fairly pessimistic about the later, so my gut reaction was pretty neutral. 2. What did you think of the opening track? Alright. I'd love to elaborate more, but it was a like being a served a lukewarm cup of soup. Am I going to eat it? Sure. Am I going to enjoy it? Ehhh... 3. What did you think of the next track? Pretty much the same as the first track. It was just kinda there. Not good, not bad either. The first track I enjoyed was Grass. 4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? I didn't love either of them, but I preferred the guy's voice over the girl's. 5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? The two groups that I kept thinking of were The Brian Jonestown Massacre and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, which I both like. So Black Ryder should have been a solid pick for me. I think the reason I didn't enjoy Black Ryder as much as BJTM or BRMC was because of Black Ryder's indie rock influences. It's just not my cup of tea. 6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)? It really dragged for me the first time I listened to it. I'm pretty sure I let out an audible groan when I checked the album and realized I was not yet half-way through it. An album that drags is almost worse than bad music in terms of my listening experience. 7. What did you think of the lyrical content? My big thing with lyrics is more about the cadence of your singing and the specific words you say and how they mesh with the music. Black Ryder did a fine job with that. 8. Did you like the instrumental parts? Shoegaze stuff was good, especially the stuff that was a little bit heavier and more bombastic (Grass, Gone without Feeling, What's Forsaken). The more indie influences were not horrible, but I didn't enjoy them either. 9. What did you think of the production? I prefer my shoegaze to have a bit of a denser sound, and this album is more spacy than than dense. But I felt the production matched what they wanted for their record and it was the right choice for them. 10. Did you know of this artiste prior to listening to the album, and if so, did that foreknowledge colour your perception of this album? Not at all. I didn't even know what genre they were. It's been awhile since I've gone in completely blind on an album, so it was nice experiencing it from a fresh perspective. 11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not? Like I said before, I like BJTM and BRMC. I think it's because I prefer their assorted influences mixed with shoegaze (psychedelic, hard rock, garage rock) over Black Ryder mixing shoegaze with indie influences. 12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less? My first listen was did not leave me with a positive experience. After 4 more listens and a repeating a few tracks that I liked, I could accept the album. 13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one? I preferred the louder, more energetic tracks, the best one of those being Gone Without Feeling. 14. And the one you liked least? The track that had the worst ratio of shoegaze to indie rock, All That We See. 15. If the album in question is a debut, did that fact allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? Je ne sais pas. 16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material? Probably not. 17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album? Pretty much neutral. I dont' feel like I wasted my time, but I have no desire to come back to this either. 18. Did the album end well? About the same for me as when it started. 19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved? I don't think these guys did anything poorly. I just think this isn't exactly meant for me as is. 20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss? If we scored the album by individual tracks, the worst score would be a 4 and the best score would be a 7. It's consistent, but not exactly remarkable either. 4/10 __________________ I was told I wouldn't need a signature... Last edited by Electrophonic Tonic; 03-28-2017 at 04:33 PM.

02-25-2017, 06:03 AM	#115 (permalink)
Chicagoslaw8 Groupie Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Utah Posts: 16	Yes,most Shoegaze just isn't for me, its a pretty decent Album. 1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in? I like the guitars, thats for sure. Shoegaze is really my thing tho. 2. What did you think of the opening track? it was pretty Decent. 3. What did you think of the next track? i like this track, its probably my third favorite of this album 4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? i've changed my mine on this, she's not that bad actually. she seems like a pretty nice person. 5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? it did in some spots, but like i said, this type of music generally doesn't appeal to me 6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)? kind of, i pretty much had the same feeling through out my first listen 7. What did you think of the lyrical content? No Opinion really. 8. Did you like the instrumental parts? somewhat, they could be more abrasive 9. What did you think of the production? nothing noticeable, it sounds pretty good i guess. 10. Did you know of this artiste prior to listening to the album, and if so, did that foreknowledge colour your perception of this album? NOOOOOOOPE. nada. zip. 11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not? not really, Now,Now is the closest to Shoegaze i have really enjoyed. 12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less? having listened to this only twice, it appealed to me a bit more then the first time. 13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one? All That We Can See is excellent. 14. And the one you liked least? None Really. 15. If the album in question is a debut, did that fact allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? Debuts are usually a touch in the water, not every band has an excellent first album,so yes, ill allow it. 16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material? ill look out for their future material. 17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album? i kinda expected something like this based off the album cover alone. 18. Did the album end well? it ended ok. 19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved? it could be a bit more harsher/louder imo. 20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss? it's a pretty cionsistent album overall __________________ https://www.last.fm/user/Chicagoslaw8 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Chicagoslaw8

02-25-2017, 06:20 AM	#116 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	OK, we're on the final day. A quick look through (and I could be missing someone here so let me know) tells me we have yet to hear from DJ Just waiting for you now so we can move on to the next album by Monday. Thanks again to all who have expressed their thoughts so far. Batty, put that comic down and get tapping on those keys.... __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 02-25-2017 at 08:27 PM. Reason: Updated to reflect reviews submitted today

02-25-2017, 06:34 AM	#117 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	I think we should move on Monday either way. I also think if someone doesn't get their reviews in on time they should lose their pick.