The Album Club 2017

Electrophonic Tonic · 03-02-2017, 11:40 PM

If this club is still somehow a thing by the time we get to my turn, I'm leaning towards this. The feature list is diverse enough between genres where I'd hope everyone could pull out at least a few tracks that they liked.

N.A.S.A - The Spirit of Apollo

Trollheart · 03-03-2017, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electrophonic Tonic

If this club is still somehow a thing by the time we get to my turn, I'm leaning towards this. The feature list is diverse enough between genres where I'd hope everyone could pull out at least a few tracks that they liked.

N.A.S.A - The Spirit of Apollo

Oh ye of little faith. This club will still be a thing when we're all drawing our pension and complaining about "the noise the kids listen to today".

(In my case, two or three years from now..)

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 03-03-2017, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

When my turn comes around...let's go with Ocean Machine: Biomech by Devin Townsend, since there's probably a fair amount of people participating in this club that have yet to dive into this guy's brilliance.

yes sir, wonderful album and devin's best outside of SYL imo.

**Frownland** · 03-03-2017, 04:13 PM

Ja, I can't say that I'm particularly excited about that week. I don't think I've heard that one though, so there is the chance that it won't be pointless and boring. SYL is cool though.

The Batlord · 03-03-2017, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Ja, I can't say that I'm particularly excited about that week. I don't think I've heard that one though, so there is the chance that it won't be pointless and boring. SYL is cool though.

Nah it's dull.

innerspaceboy · 03-03-2017, 05:19 PM

ISB's review of O.L.D. - Old Lady Drivers

The ever-shifting musical elements and melodic to atonal transitions certainly made for an intriguing listening experience. As this was my first introduction to grindcore, I was amused by the frantic jumps between thrash, hardcore punk, crust, noise, and even a few tiny nods to prog rock riffs.

The cheeseball factor of the record definitely kept me listening. Upsampled voices, monstrous barking, juxtaposed tempos and cartoonish collisions of meter and melody… all together it sounds like they had some serious fun making the record.

But I kept wondering to myself… are these guys the Bloodhound Gang of grindcore? Or is all grindcore like this? The structures were smart and quick-witted, but the humor and subject matter seemed to wallow in the bottom of the cultural barrel where I’d expect to find other useless and interminably-adolescent bands like those of nu/rap metal or the grotesque and offensive-for-the-sake-of-offensive college frat tunes of the aforementioned BHG.

Still, the subject matter of O.L.D. seemed a bit more carefree and less contrived than the Limp Bizkit filth I’ve worked so hard to avoid. I likely just need to experience more metal to develop a more cohesive understanding of its various incarnations. At the very least, there is a compositional and instrumental proficiency here which is entirely devoid from lesser acts like the nu/rap metal genres. (Please tell me those don’t exist anymore?)

By the middle of the record, I was surprised to find the band settling into more standardized structures and longer-than-a-minute tracks. The “Cocaine” cover was entertaining and unexpected. “Colostomy Grab Bag” was surprisingly melodic, even with the down-tuned guitars, and I quickly sank into its little groove. “Feeding the Worms” was straightforward enough and surprised me yet again with its sudden smooth transition to “Old Ladies…”

The punk-spirited closer, "Screaming Geezer" was a fun way to end the record. And while it is not something I would pull off the shelf with any frequency, this was still an eye-opener, which is precisely why I joined this review thread.

The Batlord · 03-03-2017, 05:25 PM

Yeah, most grindcore isn't that goofy. More often than not it's political, but there are the goregrind bands who write obscene lyrics that require them to have a medical dictionary open. But goregrind sucks.

OccultHawk · 03-03-2017, 06:18 PM

My Review

Is it possible to effectively pisstake metal?

Me on a road trip with the type of metal head who only wants to listen to metal. All metal all the time. 10 hours. Windows rolled up tight not to waste the smoke. More weed lit up every 20 minutes or so. Very loud metal blasting the whole time. Stoned as all hell. Me driving. Metal too loud to talk. Creepier and creepier my head got as the trip moved on. The last cassette still echoing through my head while the current one blasted. Sick of metal. But then it's back. Metal still creeps me out. Even this album that parodies itself and goes all over the place. I think cranked up real loud it's still potent enough to genuinely do your head in. And, too, 1988. This my not be Napalm Death but damn this was on the vanguard people. I think it holds up.

I will say that I wanted to choose something that would be fun to review. It's not necessarily an endorsement but I do give it 4 out 5 stars. It's fun, creepy, juvenile, pre-90's irony.

I wanted to choose a metal record. My first two choices were Kilslug and Upside Down Cross but they aren't on Spotify. Then I thought Goat Penis but didn't like the stuff on Spotify for reviewing purposes. Then I thought Hate Forest or Acid King but wanted something more assailable. I remembered the old classic Earache Grind Crusher compilation and decided on this. I hope at worst it was amusing.

I think this stuff is worth knowing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Plotkin

**Frownland** · 03-03-2017, 06:21 PM

Oh, I didn't know that Plotkin was in OLD. Plus one cool point for them.

The Batlord · 03-03-2017, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

I wanted to choose a metal record. My first two choices were Kilslug and Upside Down Cross but they aren't on Spotify. Then I thought Goat Penis but didn't like the stuff on Spotify for reviewing purposes. Then I thought Hate Forest or Acid King but wanted something more assailable. I remembered the old classic Earache Grind Crusher compilation and decided on this. I hope at worst it was amusing.

Good think you didn't choose Goatpenis or I would have had to abstain. I love their name with all my heart and refuse to ruin the image I have of them and that name by knowing what they sound like.

03-02-2017, 11:40 PM	#251 (permalink)
Electrophonic Tonic Your Ad Here Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: The Twilight Zone Posts: 876	If this club is still somehow a thing by the time we get to my turn, I'm leaning towards this. The feature list is diverse enough between genres where I'd hope everyone could pull out at least a few tracks that they liked. N.A.S.A - The Spirit of Apollo __________________ I was told I wouldn't need a signature...

03-03-2017, 04:13 PM	#254 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Ja, I can't say that I'm particularly excited about that week. I don't think I've heard that one though, so there is the chance that it won't be pointless and boring. SYL is cool though. __________________ 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

03-03-2017, 06:21 PM	#259 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Oh, I didn't know that Plotkin was in OLD. Plus one cool point for them. __________________ 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

03-03-2017, 06:18 PM	#258 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	My Review Is it possible to effectively pisstake metal? Me on a road trip with the type of metal head who only wants to listen to metal. All metal all the time. 10 hours. Windows rolled up tight not to waste the smoke. More weed lit up every 20 minutes or so. Very loud metal blasting the whole time. Stoned as all hell. Me driving. Metal too loud to talk. Creepier and creepier my head got as the trip moved on. The last cassette still echoing through my head while the current one blasted. Sick of metal. But then it's back. Metal still creeps me out. Even this album that parodies itself and goes all over the place. I think cranked up real loud it's still potent enough to genuinely do your head in. And, too, 1988. This my not be Napalm Death but damn this was on the vanguard people. I think it holds up. I will say that I wanted to choose something that would be fun to review. It's not necessarily an endorsement but I do give it 4 out 5 stars. It's fun, creepy, juvenile, pre-90's irony. I wanted to choose a metal record. My first two choices were Kilslug and Upside Down Cross but they aren't on Spotify. Then I thought Goat Penis but didn't like the stuff on Spotify for reviewing purposes. Then I thought Hate Forest or Acid King but wanted something more assailable. I remembered the old classic Earache Grind Crusher compilation and decided on this. I hope at worst it was amusing. I think this stuff is worth knowing: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Plotkin