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Album title: Gumbo Artist: P.J Morton Genre: R&B/Soul/Funk/Jazz-Fusion Nationality: American Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Fourth Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.33 All right, I'll say it: anything to Jelly Roll? No? Right, that's that out of the way. Sounds kind of like Stevie Wonder to me, but I could do without the guest rap on “Claustrophobic": it seems completely out of place to me. “Sticking To My Guns” is damn funky though, while “Religion” recalls the very best of seventies soul, and also, perhaps oddly, to me at any rate, puts me in mind of Lighthouse Family. Yeah but it kind of tails off from there, and ending with a version of “How Deep Is Your Love” is an odd move, I feel. Not a bad version, but doesn't help the album finish any less strongly than it was going to. Check out more from this artist? On balance, probably not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed6.jpg |
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Album title: Novum Artist: Procol Harum Genre: Progressive Rock/Art Rock Nationality: English Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Twelfth Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed8.jpg Familiar with this artist? A little Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Very Average RYM Score: 3.06 You have to wonder how a band like Procol Harum, surely stuck firmly in the traditions of the progressive rock of the seventies, would deal with the new century. This is, after all, their first album in fourteen years, and though I'm hardly a fan and haven't exactly been keeping up with their releases down the years, I find it hard to believe they've moved with the times and technology like Yes, or diversified into pop territory like Genesis, and I wonder if they might feel a little like fish out of water? Well, we'll see. The opener sounds like a blues rocker, and does have quite the seventies rock feel to it, and “Last Chance Motel” is really good too. However I'd have to say I hear little in the way of prog rock here. If anything, I'm reminded of Kansas. Lots of blues on this, that's for sure. A real standout is “Soldier”, which may have an unoriginal and in-your-face title, but is a really good insight into the mind of a returning warrior and how he copes with life in “civvy street” and faces the things he has done. At the other end of the scale, “Neighbour” is a funny little tale of jealousy and covetousness, very suburbia. Pachelbel's “Canon in D Major” gets worked into “Sunday Morning”, nice ballad while I hear a lot of Vulture Culture-era Alan Parsons Project in “Business Man”. Overall, really good album and enjoyed it all. Nowhere close to prog though, not in a million years, no matter how pale the shade of white may be. Check out more from this artist? Yes, I must Check out more from this genre or subgenre? What do you think? Actual Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed9.jpg |
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Album title: Americana Artist: Ray Davies Genre: Americana/Country Nationality: English Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Fifth solo Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg Familiar with this artist? I know of The Kinks, of course Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Some Average RYM Score: 3.28 An interesting thing, for a quintessentially English musician associated with the British Invasion of the sixties to be exploring the traditional and folk music of the USA, but there it is. But lord, it's desperately dull so far. I mean, I like my Americana, but this is just so bland it's almost painful. Mind you, we're only two tracks in: another thirteen to go. If I make it that far. Right, this is hot garbage, to quote the Member of the Year 2017. I've had enough. http://i.imgur.com/jC6K4gi.gif Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes |
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Album title: Robyn Hitchcock Artist: Robyn Hitchcock Genre: Psych Rock/Pop Rock/Country Rock Nationality: English Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Twenty-first Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.30 Looks like another loser for me. I don't know Robyn Hitchcock, but so far I don't like what I'm hearing. Seems very dated, which, given that I've just listened to ageing rocker Ray Davies, is in keeping with what looks like being a quite disappointing day musically. Hopefully there'll be some sort of upswing, but so far it's not been good. Okay, well, “Sayonara Judge” has a nice melody and feel to it, reminds me of the Stones on something like “Waiting On a Friend” maybe. Nice steel guitar and some twinkly piano. “Detective Mindhorn” (what?) isn't bad either but the rest is just average. Check out more from this artist? Nah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Dunno Actual Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg |
I'm actually going through some Robyn Hitchcock in my top-twenty five project (I've actually have made it to 1990; thirty years ahead of what I've posted so far). It turns out I like him a bit better than I originally though. I can see where he could be getting stale though. As for Davies, the Kinks kind of lost me somewhere in the seventies and were just plain sporadic in the eighties. Davies, to me, musically speaking, is just a shell of what he once was. It's always a bit sad to see- kind of like seeing what's left of the Who at the Super Bowl a few years back.
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I've heard the Soft Boys. They're decent but I like Hitchcock's work with the Egyptians better.
My favorite album from him though is a solo effort; I Often Dream of Trains. It's basically an acoustic album, and you can hear just how melodic Hitchcock is when the music is stripped down. |
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Album title: Be Myself Artist: Sheryl Crow Genre: Rock Nationality: American Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Tenth Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg Familiar with this artist? Just the few singles Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yeah Average RYM Score: 2.85 Never been a fan of Sheryl, but I've always tended to lump her in with Shania (may be someone's fantasy, I don't know) in terms of both being a little similar in how they approach their music, but I could be well off here. Add in Melissa Etheridge too, while you're at it. “Long Way Back” is a decent song but I'm hardly being blown away here at the moment. Another standout is “Love Will Save the Day” and there's a nice bouncy country tinge to “Rest of Me” and great power and passion in “Heartbeat Away”. Kind of getting better as it nears the end. Yeah I guess it's not as bad as I had thought. What a ringing endorsement, eh? :rolleyes: Check out more from this artist? Dunno Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah Actual Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed7.jpg |
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Album title: Tears on the Dancefloor Artist: Steps Genre: Pop Nationality: English Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Fifth Estimated Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed3.jpg Familiar with this artist? I have heard and hate them Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.98 Jesus Christ! It's like listening to ABBA, but without the talent. Tears on the review page, more like! How can a band like Steps only have five albums in a career spanning twenty years? Oh yeah: cos they're ****. Mystery solved. Man this is low grade pop of the worst calibre. Oh right: “Story of a Heart” is an ABBA song. Yeah but they sing it just like the Swedish supergroup only not anywhere as well. Seems like they only have one drum pattern, and they use it on just about every song. Is it odd that there are only ten tracks on this (ten too many) and four are cover versions? Do I even care ? Do you? Does anyone give a curse about this band other than that Rachel Stevens is in it? What? She's not in Steps? That's S Club 7? Well, shut my mouth! Even less reason to listen to it, then. Okay, I'll admit “Firefly” is what I suppose you young'uns call “a banger”? Something that bangs? Back in my day, that meant an old beatup car or a sausage. I guess it's not the worst album in the world – I've heard a lot of worse K-pop – but it's not about to make me a fan or anything. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: http://www.trollheart.com/speed5.jpg |
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