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

Trollheart · 10-26-2017, 05:58 PM

Album title: Prisoner
Artist: Ryan Adams
Genre: Rock/Alternative Country
Nationality: American
Release date: February 17
Position in Discography: Sixteenth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No but heard of him
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.28
You know, I was once convinced Ryan Adams took his name to annoy Bryan Adams, and I assumed he was some dorky acoustic singer/songwriter like Ed ****ing Sheeran, but this kicks off pretty rocky I must say. Not bad. And he writes all his own material, and plays a lot of instruments. Pretty cool. Hey, how great is it that there's a guy plays on this called Mike Viola, and he plays the ... guitar?

Yeah, this is okay but I'm not hearing anything to get particularly excited about.

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

Expectation Index: 0

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 10-26-2017, 06:25 PM

you mixed up your links TH.

Trollheart · 10-26-2017, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qwertyy

you mixed up your links TH.

Which ones?

Trollheart · 10-26-2017, 06:38 PM

Album title: Hard Love
Artist: Strand of Oaks
Genre: Indie Rock/Psych Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: February 17
Position in Discography: Fifth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not really
Average RYM Score: 3.13
Okay. “Radio Kids” is catchy, “Salt Brothers” has a nice almost slow bluesy feel, then the psych/folk starts coming through with “On the Hill”, and so far this has been pretty good I have to say. “Cry” is a lovely acoustic piano ballad, then it rocks back up for “Quit it.” And if you want psych rock, nothing says that better than “Taking Acid and Talking To My Brother”, now does it? Yeah, pretty impressed, I'll be honest.

Check out more from this artist? Might do
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah

Expectation Index: 9

Trollheart · 10-27-2017, 10:23 AM

Album title: Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood
Artist: Sun Kil Moon
Genre: Folk Rock/Indie Rock/Anti-Folk (?)
Nationality: American
Release date: February 17
Position in Discography: Eighth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? Heard one album; hated it
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.28
I had heard of this guy a lot around the forum – somehow got the idea the guys were talking about some hip-hop artist, so it was a relief (or so I thought) when, recommended the album Benji in my now-defunct “Love or Hate?” thread, I heard normal singing, but I quickly grew to not like and then hate the album. So what's worse than listening to a double album for review? Listening to a double album by someone whose other album you hated for review. Maybe it's time to give him another chance, or maybe not. I still don't like the way he sings, which is in a kind of strained, tortured monotone mostly, and there are some very long tracks here so whether I'll last or not is anyone's guess.

My opinion remains from the first album that not only is his voice boring, it sounds bored, as if he's just not interested either in singing or in the subject matter. Probably completely wrong there – almost certainly so – but this is the impression his singing conveys to me. Some people can do that laconic style very well – Cave, Cohen, Waits to some degree – but I just don't buy into SKM's shtick here. The music is also very monotonous. Not a lot good to say really, and we're only past the first track. What is it about this guy that makes him think that mumbling words in a disinterested sort of way is going to engage anyone? Well, clearly people like him, but this is not for me. I'm about ready to hit that button. Well hell, I know I'll get **** from people here about this, and I'm ready to bail, but never let it be said I didn't give this a fair chance, so though I'm tempted to use my first ever “Oh Hell No!” card, I'll grit my teeth, dig my heels in and force myself to listen to a few more tracks, though I doubt my opinion is likely to change, even if by some miracle I should make it through the whole album, an event as likely to occur as my suddenly getting into free jazz.

All right, that's six tracks in and I cannot get past this man's boring dreary voice. You guys can all keep sucking SKM's dick but I'm gonna reserve my mouth for one that deserves it. Like the next album up. As for this? Nah. Let me out of here.

Check out more from this artist? No ****ing way. Ever.
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Dunno

Expectation Index: 0

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 10-27-2017, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Which ones?

maybe my computer was playing tricks on me but the Ryan Adams and The Ravonettes video were swapped.

Trollheart · 10-27-2017, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qwertyy

maybe my computer was playing tricks on me but the Ryan Adams and The Ravonettes video were swapped.

They look ok to me. TBH this has happened to me once, but when I reloaded the page the videos were sorted. Thanks for the reply though; I was afraid that maybe the indices were screwed up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

this guy is a reviewing MACHINE

Do I detect a note of sarcasm in your tone?

The Batlord · 10-27-2017, 10:55 AM

That's been happening to me off and on recently as well, especially in the What Are You Listening To? thread.

Trollheart · 10-27-2017, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

That's been happening to me off and on recently as well, especially in the What Are You Listening To? thread.

I think it's conclusive proof that we are, after all, living in the Matrix. And it's undergoing some sort of maintenance, or possibly, attack.

Trollheart · 10-27-2017, 11:13 AM

Album title: Lost in the Ghost Light
Artist: Tim Bowness
Genre: Progressive Rock/Art Rock/Downtempo
Nationality: English
Release date: February 17
Position in Discography: Fourth solo album
Fear Factor: Non-existent
Familiar with this artist? Very
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Very
Average RYM Score: 3.27
Damn, but I need something to wash the taste of Sun Kil Moon out of my mouth! Ah, perfect! I've loved Tim Bowness's music ever since I heard him with No-Man, but because that's a project he undertook with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson – and every prog fan loves Steven Wilson, though probably not as much as Steven Wilson loves Steven Wilson – he tends to get a little overshadowed on that. His solo material, however, is another matter, and I really enjoyed his last album but one, Abandoned Dancehall Dreams, though I have yet to hear the one prior to this, Stupid Things That Mean the World. There's something really ethereal about both his singing and his music that always relaxes me, and this is demonstrated to its fullest extent on “Moonshot Manchild”, however there's some rocking to be had to, like “Kill the Pain That's Killing You” with its semi-tribal beats and squealing guitar riffs.

Mostly though, Bowness tends to do the, I guess you could call it, as Wiki do, downtempo to some degree, style of laidback, relaxing prog rock that almost makes speaking about individual tracks redundant. You sort of lie back and immerse yourself in the music, let it wash over you. There's some unexpected darkness in the – rather short – title track, showing that Bowness can step onto murkier paths when required, then we're back in the quieter, softer realms for “You Wanted To Be Seen” before “Distant Summers” completes a near-perfect album and demonstrates that you don't need to have seventeen or more tracks on your album for it to be a triumph.

Check out more from this artist? Always
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes of course

Expectation Index: 0

10-26-2017, 05:58 PM	#701 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Album title: Prisoner Artist: Ryan Adams Genre: Rock/Alternative Country Nationality: American Release date: February 17 Position in Discography: Sixteenth Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No but heard of him Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.28 You know, I was once convinced Ryan Adams took his name to annoy Bryan Adams, and I assumed he was some dorky acoustic singer/songwriter like Ed **ing Sheeran, but this kicks off pretty rocky I must say. Not bad. And he writes all his own material, and plays a lot of instruments. Pretty cool. Hey, how great is it that there's a guy plays on this called Mike Viola, and he plays the ... guitar? Yeah, this is okay but I'm not hearing anything to get particularly excited about. Check out more from this artist? Doubt it Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-26-2017, 06:38 PM	#704 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Album title: Hard Love Artist: Strand of Oaks Genre: Indie Rock/Psych Rock Nationality: American Release date: February 17 Position in Discography: Fifth Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not really Average RYM Score: 3.13 Okay. “Radio Kids” is catchy, “Salt Brothers” has a nice almost slow bluesy feel, then the psych/folk starts coming through with “On the Hill”, and so far this has been pretty good I have to say. “Cry” is a lovely acoustic piano ballad, then it rocks back up for “Quit it.” And if you want psych rock, nothing says that better than “Taking Acid and Talking To My Brother”, now does it? Yeah, pretty impressed, I'll be honest. Check out more from this artist? Might do Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah Expectation Index: 9 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-27-2017, 10:23 AM	#705 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Album title: Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood Artist: Sun Kil Moon Genre: Folk Rock/Indie Rock/Anti-Folk (?) Nationality: American Release date: February 17 Position in Discography: Eighth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? Heard one album; hated it Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.28 I had heard of this guy a lot around the forum – somehow got the idea the guys were talking about some hip-hop artist, so it was a relief (or so I thought) when, recommended the album Benji in my now-defunct “Love or Hate?” thread, I heard normal singing, but I quickly grew to not like and then hate the album. So what's worse than listening to a double album for review? Listening to a double album by someone whose other album you hated for review. Maybe it's time to give him another chance, or maybe not. I still don't like the way he sings, which is in a kind of strained, tortured monotone mostly, and there are some very long tracks here so whether I'll last or not is anyone's guess. My opinion remains from the first album that not only is his voice boring, it sounds bored, as if he's just not interested either in singing or in the subject matter. Probably completely wrong there – almost certainly so – but this is the impression his singing conveys to me. Some people can do that laconic style very well – Cave, Cohen, Waits to some degree – but I just don't buy into SKM's shtick here. The music is also very monotonous. Not a lot good to say really, and we're only past the first track. What is it about this guy that makes him think that mumbling words in a disinterested sort of way is going to engage anyone? Well, clearly people like him, but this is not for me. I'm about ready to hit that button. Well hell, I know I'll get ** from people here about this, and I'm ready to bail, but never let it be said I didn't give this a fair chance, so though I'm tempted to use my first ever “Oh Hell No!” card, I'll grit my teeth, dig my heels in and force myself to listen to a few more tracks, though I doubt my opinion is likely to change, even if by some miracle I should make it through the whole album, an event as likely to occur as my suddenly getting into free jazz. All right, that's six tracks in and I cannot get past this man's boring dreary voice. You guys can all keep sucking SKM's dick but I'm gonna reserve my mouth for one that deserves it. Like the next album up. As for this? Nah. Let me out of here. Check out more from this artist? No ing way. Ever. Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Dunno Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-27-2017, 11:13 AM	#710 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Album title: Lost in the Ghost Light Artist: Tim Bowness Genre: Progressive Rock/Art Rock/Downtempo Nationality: English Release date: February 17 Position in Discography: Fourth solo album Fear Factor: Non-existent Familiar with this artist? Very Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Very Average RYM Score: 3.27 Damn, but I need something to wash the taste of Sun Kil Moon out of my mouth! Ah, perfect! I've loved Tim Bowness's music ever since I heard him with No-Man, but because that's a project he undertook with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson – and every prog fan loves Steven Wilson, though probably not as much as Steven Wilson loves Steven Wilson – he tends to get a little overshadowed on that. His solo material, however, is another matter, and I really enjoyed his last album but one, Abandoned Dancehall Dreams, though I have yet to hear the one prior to this, Stupid Things That Mean the World. There's something really ethereal about both his singing and his music that always relaxes me, and this is demonstrated to its fullest extent on “Moonshot Manchild”, however there's some rocking to be had to, like “Kill the Pain That's Killing You” with its semi-tribal beats and squealing guitar riffs. Mostly though, Bowness tends to do the, I guess you could call it, as Wiki do, downtempo to some degree, style of laidback, relaxing prog rock that almost makes speaking about individual tracks redundant. You sort of lie back and immerse yourself in the music, let it wash over you. There's some unexpected darkness in the – rather short – title track, showing that Bowness can step onto murkier paths when required, then we're back in the quieter, softer realms for “You Wanted To Be Seen” before “Distant Summers” completes a near-perfect album and demonstrates that you don't need to have seventeen or more tracks on your album for it to be a triumph. Check out more from this artist? Always Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes of course Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018