The Album Club 2017

Trollheart · 05-05-2017, 10:25 AM

I'm not sure if when people select their album they first check to see if it's on Spotify, but despite plenty of this band's work being there, this is not, which means I have to listen to it on YouTube, which is slightly annoying. I had originally written a very damning review of this, but as I listened to it more I found I, well, hated it less, though the opening few tracks are still terrible.

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
Jesus Christ my ****ing ears! That is abrasive!!

2. What did you think of the opening track?
Absoutely hated it. Not a good indicator for the rest of the album.

3. What did you think of the next track?
Also terrible

4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? (see note 1)
Absolutely hated his scratchy, off-key (to me), abrasive, annoying whining scream. Once he settled down into what I would call more palatable music his voice wasn't as grating. I couldn't say I ever liked it though.

5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? (see note 2)
Some of it was okay, a lot of it was nowhere near my particular wheelhouse, especially the first four tracks.

6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
It started out awful but improved quite vastly as it developed. By the end I didn't hate it.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
Didn't pay too much attention to be honest. Some of it I couldn't even understand.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts? (see note 3)
Mostly, no.

9. What did you think of the production?
Very punk I suppose. Shrug.

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?
No and no.

11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not?
Mostly, no. Some of it was good but it's not the kind of thing I would seek out.

12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
It actually improved more on repeated listens, though the first four tracks never got any better for me.

13. What would you class as your favourite track(s), if you have any?
“Titanic”, “Our eyes”, “Hand without a body”, “Three rings”, “Secret”, “The house I live in”

14. And the one(s) you liked least?
“Gloria”, “Ear”, “Every hour”, “Elevator boy”, “Up and down”, “All of me”

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? (see note 4)
n/a

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material?
No. One album was definitely enough.

17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album?
Wasn't sure what to expect, but as I initially hated it and then grew to, if not like it, then tolerate it, yeah probably surprised a little.

18. Did the album end well?
Oddly enough, the Wiki page shows “Run” as being the last track but on the YT I got it's “Everything is right”, which I thought was pretty weak and feel that “Shanty town” might have been a better closer.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
They could have stayed out of the recording studio. Nah, seriously: if the songs had been a bit more like “Secret” and “Titanic” I could have enjoyed it much more. The fast, seemingly directionless chaotic tracks ruined this for me though.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
Completely all over the place. Some of it was good – what, guitar rock? Indie rock? Who knows? - but then we got mad punky stuff that just turned me off, so it never really quite settled on one style or the other.

Think I'd go for a 5/10 on this. "Unassailable" my hole.

**Frownland** · 05-05-2017, 10:28 AM

If you come around on this album and end up loving it, revisit The Beatloads because my guitar style on that album rips off Half Japanese hard.

Trollheart · 05-05-2017, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

If you come around on this album and end up loving it, revisit The Beatloads because my guitar style on that album rips off Half Japanese hard.

Hmm. I doubt I'd ever end up loving or even particularly liking it. I just think the original post I was going to write was too harsh and my opinion of it changed from horrible to not too bad. That's about as far as I see it going.

Trollheart · 05-05-2017, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Daniel wrote it.

I'm not quite sure what you're saying here. Daniel is Daniel Johnson, who isn't part of the band. What's your point?

**Frownland** · 05-05-2017, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I'm not quite sure what you're saying here. Daniel is Daniel Johnson, who isn't part of the band. What's your point?

Quote:

There are six cover songs, including "Gloria", a song by the band Them famously covered and rewritten by Patti Smith. Two songs were co-written with Daniel Johnston; "Titanic" and "Hand Without a Body".

.

Trollheart · 05-05-2017, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

.

Yeah I know that. I can look up Wiki too, and I did; I did my research while I listened. But writing "Daniel wrote it" is pointless. Unless he says who Daniel is, what's the point he's trying to make? I just feel it was a useless post, with no information and I don't see what he was saying. It's like having an album on which, say, Paul McCartney wrote or co-wrote a song and saying "Paul wrote it", but not saying Paul who?

**Frownland** · 05-05-2017, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah I know that. I can look up Wiki too, and I did; I did my research while I listened. But writing "Daniel wrote it" is pointless. Unless he says who Daniel is, what's the point he's trying to make? I just feel it was a useless post, with no information and I don't see what he was saying. It's like having an album on which, say, Paul McCartney wrote or co-wrote a song and saying "Paul wrote it", but not saying Paul who?

1: I think he posted it because Alyosius said it was an original.
2: You appear to have figured it out who it was without the last name quickly. I don't see the issue here. Do we need to establish a rule that we only use full names with middle initials and birth years?

Trollheart · 05-05-2017, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

1: I think he posted it because Alyosius said it was an original.
2: You appear to have figured it out who it was without the last name quickly. I don't see the issue here. Do we need to establish a rule that we only use full names with middle initials and birth years?

No I don't care, I just think he should have said which Daniel he was talking about. Makes sense. It was a great song though, one of the best on the album certainly.

The Batlord · 05-05-2017, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

We Are They Who Ache With Amorous Love - Half Japanese

All I'm really going to do is try to express why this is in the unassailable club. This is music that only props itself up with genius. This is a nude woman, no make up, vagina ripe and unwashed, breath of garlic and onions, exposed and full of lust. Are you man enough to let her melt into you? To accept and love her humanity as it is? To suck on her healthy bitter sex? That's what this music is. Pure. Real. Not dirty. Not rotten. But not cleaned up either. This is nature. Perfect five out of five stars without question.

**Frownland** · 05-05-2017, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

Anything with any dissonance Trollheart can't stomach aha

Not everyone can see the beauty in ugliness.

05-05-2017, 10:25 AM	#771 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	I'm not sure if when people select their album they first check to see if it's on Spotify, but despite plenty of this band's work being there, this is not, which means I have to listen to it on YouTube, which is slightly annoying. I had originally written a very damning review of this, but as I listened to it more I found I, well, hated it less, though the opening few tracks are still terrible. 1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in? Jesus Christ my **ing ears! That is abrasive!! 2. What did you think of the opening track? Absoutely hated it. Not a good indicator for the rest of the album. 3. What did you think of the next track? Also terrible 4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? (see note 1) Absolutely hated his scratchy, off-key (to me), abrasive, annoying whining scream. Once he settled down into what I would call more palatable music his voice wasn't as grating. I couldn't say I ever liked it though. 5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? (see note 2) Some of it was okay, a lot of it was nowhere near my particular wheelhouse, especially the first four tracks. 6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)? It started out awful but improved quite vastly as it developed. By the end I didn't hate it. 7. What did you think of the lyrical content? Didn't pay too much attention to be honest. Some of it I couldn't even understand. 8. Did you like the instrumental parts? (see note 3) Mostly, no. 9. What did you think of the production? Very punk I suppose. Shrug. 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? No and no. 11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not? Mostly, no. Some of it was good but it's not the kind of thing I would seek out. 12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less? It actually improved more on repeated listens, though the first four tracks never got any better for me. 13. What would you class as your favourite track(s), if you have any? “Titanic”, “Our eyes”, “Hand without a body”, “Three rings”, “Secret”, “The house I live in” 14. And the one(s) you liked least? “Gloria”, “Ear”, “Every hour”, “Elevator boy”, “Up and down”, “All of me” 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? (see note 4) n/a 16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material? No. One album was definitely enough. 17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album? Wasn't sure what to expect, but as I initially hated it and then grew to, if not like it, then tolerate it, yeah probably surprised a little. 18. Did the album end well? Oddly enough, the Wiki page shows “Run” as being the last track but on the YT I got it's “Everything is right”, which I thought was pretty weak and feel that “Shanty town” might have been a better closer. 19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved? They could have stayed out of the recording studio. Nah, seriously: if the songs had been a bit more like “Secret” and “Titanic” I could have enjoyed it much more. The fast, seemingly directionless chaotic tracks ruined this for me though. 20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?** Completely all over the place. Some of it was good – what, guitar rock? Indie rock? Who knows? - but then we got mad punky stuff that just turned me off, so it never really quite settled on one style or the other. Think I'd go for a 5/10 on this. "Unassailable" my hole. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

05-05-2017, 10:28 AM	#772 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	If you come around on this album and end up loving it, revisit The Beatloads because my guitar style on that album rips off Half Japanese hard. __________________ 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