Trollheart Listens to Every Album on Wiki's List for 2017

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 09:19 AM

Album title: Climate Change
Artist: Pitbull
Genre: Hip-hop/Hip House/Trap
Nationality: American
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Tenth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No. Heard of him.
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 1.66 (I think this is the lowest RYM rating so far!)
Well the first track is basically a retread of Pat Benatar's “Love is a Battlefield”, so not too impressed with that. After that it takes off with “Bad Man”, which rips along and it's pretty okay. Then he takes REO Speedwagon's “Take it on the Run” and turns it into “Messin' Around”. In fairness, he does a better job with this than he did on the opener. I have to say, this isn't bad; it's almost more funk or soul than hip-hop, he says with undeserved confidence as if he knows. But it's good so far. Now it's the Stones' “Free” that gets the Pitbull treatment. There are a few too many guests, some of whom work (or at least, register their presence) such as R Kelly and Leona Lewis, though neither really add anything to the album, and some of whom are completely faceless, such as Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. Overall not a bad album, but as I've said before, if you need to have so many others supporting you, can you really call it your music?

Check out more from this artist? Probably not
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 4

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 10:07 AM

Album title: In Mind
Artist: Real Estate
Genre: Indie Rock/Jangle Pop/Dream Pop/Psych Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Fourth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.18
Jangle Pop indeed: I like the long guitar intro to the opener, and it's very pleasant as a song. That could be the problem though: it's all very pleasant but nothing really stands out, at least not to me. It's quite low-key and friendly, soft and mellow, but almost fading into the background. Okay, well “Two Arrows” does manage to come out of the general wallpaper sound and impresses me with the guitar work. Another good track is “Diamond Eyes”, and I like the buildup to “Saturday”. It's also a decent song. But overall the whole album is a little tepid and faceless for me, if enjoyable on one level.

Check out more from this artist? I might
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 4

rubber soul · 11-21-2017, 10:12 AM

Yeah, it's kind of boring, like something you might have heard in the late 80s. I mean, it's not terrible; it's just, well, not anything.

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

Yeah, it's kind of boring, like something you might have heard in the late 80s. I mean, it's not terrible; it's just, well, not anything.

Exactly. As I said in some other review, it's just, well, there.

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 11:11 AM

Album title: Rather You Than Me
Artist: Rick Ross
Genre: Hip-Hop/Trap
Nationality: American
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Ninth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No but heard of him
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.86
OK, I like this so far. A lot of soul in this, and the brass ( is it synthesised? Probably) is pretty cool. I could, however, do without loudmouth Chris Rock on “Idols Become Rivals”, but the song is good; very ominous, dark beat behind it. Guess this is trap again? So of course is the next one, “Trap Trap Trap”, though it seems to mean something else? Is “I took my roof off at the red light” a euphemism for something, I wonder? I like “Dead Presidents” too (referring to money, I assume: heard this in a Waits song) and overall I'd have to say this is a pretty good album. Enjoyed just about everything on it really.

Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 10

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 11-21-2017, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

totally irrelevant personal story but i've always hated dream pop and real estate were to me at least one of the most boring bands under that umbrella. when I heard Darling for the first time i couldn't believe how much i liked it and it had me so excited to hear the album. yet it still managed to be a total snoozefest. i still love that song though.

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qwertyy

totally irrelevant personal story but i've always hated dream pop and real estate were to me at least one of the most boring bands under that umbrella. when I heard Darling for the first time i couldn't believe how much i liked it and it had me so excited to hear the album. yet it still managed to be a total snoozefest. i still love that song though.

I think it's the interesting guitar intro that did it for me. But after that, pretty much bored by most of it.

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 11-21-2017, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I think it's the interesting guitar intro that did it for me. But after that, pretty much bored by most of it.

yeah. it’s very... jangely, for lack of better words.

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 12:55 PM

Album title: Chills and Fever
Artist: Samantha Fish
Genre: Blues
Nationality: American
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Sixth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? Definitely heard of her
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.41
While I do like the blues, I'm more partial to the slow, moody type than the faster, kind of jazzy ones, and this album kicks off with two of the latter type, so so far I'm not terribly impressed. She can sing, certainly, but as a blues guitarist I'm waiting to hear some good licks. There's a lot of funky soul in the third track, which I like more; her voice kind of reminds me of Elkie Brooks. What do you mean, who? It's good stuff, and those guitar skills are definitely on show, but I'm waiting for a slow blues number and well, here it comes, kind of, in the shape of “Either Way I Lose”. Continues more or less in this vein with “Never Gonna Cry” then “Little Baby” has a very country/bluegrass feel and then back to slow blues with “Nearer to You”. I'm not sure if that's Nick Cave's “Crow Jane” at the end – can't remember how it goes – but if so, cool.

Check out more from this artist? Maybe
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 11-21-2017, 01:24 PM

Album title: You're Not As _____ As You Think
Artist: Sorority Noise
Genre: Indie Rock/Emo/Pop Punk/Alt-Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.34
Good start, very uptempo and powerful, knd of like the second track more almost, gets a bit angsty at the end (emo? Angsty? Really?) and then it plunges into reflective I suppose almost sulking with “A Better Sun”. Hey, how crazy is it that the only one of the four who doesn't have any vocal duties is the drummer, whose name is Charlie Singer?

Decent album, to be fair. Nothing I'd go wild about, but very listenable.

Check out more from this artist? Maybe
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 4

11-21-2017, 09:19 AM	#1091 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Climate Change Artist: Pitbull Genre: Hip-hop/Hip House/Trap Nationality: American Release date: March 17 Position in Discography: Tenth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No. Heard of him. Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 1.66 (I think this is the lowest RYM rating so far!) Well the first track is basically a retread of Pat Benatar's “Love is a Battlefield”, so not too impressed with that. After that it takes off with “Bad Man”, which rips along and it's pretty okay. Then he takes REO Speedwagon's “Take it on the Run” and turns it into “Messin' Around”. In fairness, he does a better job with this than he did on the opener. I have to say, this isn't bad; it's almost more funk or soul than hip-hop, he says with undeserved confidence as if he knows. But it's good so far. Now it's the Stones' “Free” that gets the Pitbull treatment. There are a few too many guests, some of whom work (or at least, register their presence) such as R Kelly and Leona Lewis, though neither really add anything to the album, and some of whom are completely faceless, such as Enrique Iglesias and Jennifer Lopez. Overall not a bad album, but as I've said before, if you need to have so many others supporting you, can you really call it your music? Check out more from this artist? Probably not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 4 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-21-2017, 10:07 AM	#1092 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: In Mind Artist: Real Estate Genre: Indie Rock/Jangle Pop/Dream Pop/Psych Rock Nationality: American Release date: March 17 Position in Discography: Fourth Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.18 Jangle Pop indeed: I like the long guitar intro to the opener, and it's very pleasant as a song. That could be the problem though: it's all very pleasant but nothing really stands out, at least not to me. It's quite low-key and friendly, soft and mellow, but almost fading into the background. Okay, well “Two Arrows” does manage to come out of the general wallpaper sound and impresses me with the guitar work. Another good track is “Diamond Eyes”, and I like the buildup to “Saturday”. It's also a decent song. But overall the whole album is a little tepid and faceless for me, if enjoyable on one level. Check out more from this artist? I might Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 4 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-21-2017, 11:11 AM	#1095 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Rather You Than Me Artist: Rick Ross Genre: Hip-Hop/Trap Nationality: American Release date: March 17 Position in Discography: Ninth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No but heard of him Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.86 OK, I like this so far. A lot of soul in this, and the brass ( is it synthesised? Probably) is pretty cool. I could, however, do without loudmouth Chris Rock on “Idols Become Rivals”, but the song is good; very ominous, dark beat behind it. Guess this is trap again? So of course is the next one, “Trap Trap Trap”, though it seems to mean something else? Is “I took my roof off at the red light” a euphemism for something, I wonder? I like “Dead Presidents” too (referring to money, I assume: heard this in a Waits song) and overall I'd have to say this is a pretty good album. Enjoyed just about everything on it really. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-21-2017, 12:55 PM	#1099 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Chills and Fever Artist: Samantha Fish Genre: Blues Nationality: American Release date: March 17 Position in Discography: Sixth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? Definitely heard of her Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.41 While I do like the blues, I'm more partial to the slow, moody type than the faster, kind of jazzy ones, and this album kicks off with two of the latter type, so so far I'm not terribly impressed. She can sing, certainly, but as a blues guitarist I'm waiting to hear some good licks. There's a lot of funky soul in the third track, which I like more; her voice kind of reminds me of Elkie Brooks. What do you mean, who? It's good stuff, and those guitar skills are definitely on show, but I'm waiting for a slow blues number and well, here it comes, kind of, in the shape of “Either Way I Lose”. Continues more or less in this vein with “Never Gonna Cry” then “Little Baby” has a very country/bluegrass feel and then back to slow blues with “Nearer to You”. I'm not sure if that's Nick Cave's “Crow Jane” at the end – can't remember how it goes – but if so, cool. Check out more from this artist? Maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-21-2017, 01:24 PM	#1100 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: You're Not As _____ As You Think Artist: Sorority Noise Genre: Indie Rock/Emo/Pop Punk/Alt-Rock Nationality: American Release date: March 17 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.34 Good start, very uptempo and powerful, knd of like the second track more almost, gets a bit angsty at the end (emo? Angsty? Really?) and then it plunges into reflective I suppose almost sulking with “A Better Sun”. Hey, how crazy is it that the only one of the four who doesn't have any vocal duties is the drummer, whose name is Charlie Singer? Decent album, to be fair. Nothing I'd go wild about, but very listenable. Check out more from this artist? Maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 4 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018