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

Trollheart · 11-11-2017, 06:34 PM

Album title: The Awakening
Artist: Gfriend
Genre: K-Pop
Nationality: Korean
Release date: March 6
Position in Discography: Fourth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 2.83
Why is the Fear Factor high for a boy K-pop band and low for a girl one? You work it out!

I've heard more girl K-pop I've enjoyed than boy (precisely none of the latter) and I always enjoy hearing the girls sing. No, I'm not Googling them! Honest! Another EP, which is one saving grace the K stuff has: most of the bands seem to release EPs rather than albums, so there are less tracks to get through. This has six, with what I assume are some eco-friendly songs, though “Hear the Wind Sing” might be more concerned with a late night at the local Korean restaurant for all I know. But “Save my Earth” surely is an eco-whine, while “Rain in the Spring Time” may not be, but it sounds nice.

But meh, maybe I've just zoned out on too much K-pop over the last two months, or maybe it really is this bad. I got nothin'. Ya let me down, girls. Oh well. Next!

Check out more from this artist? Nah
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No choice. Here we go...

Expectation Index: 6

Trollheart · 11-11-2017, 06:51 PM

Album title: Rose
Artist: B.A.P
Genre: K-Pop
Nationality: Korean
Release date: March 6
Position in Discography: Seventh Ep; thirteenth overall
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 2.87
Yeah, it;s hard to see how this even qualifies as an EP: with only three tracks I'd call this a single, but there you go. Keeping in the land of K-pop for now – ah, no. This is far from K-pop: more like nu-metal or something. Interesting at least. Different. **** it, at least it has a bit of personality about it, and doesn't sound like the songs have been written by the corporate board of K-pop Inc., though it probably has. Best of the bunch so far, though that wouldn't be hard, admittedly.

Check out more from this artist? I might
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? More on the way

Expectation Index: 10

Trollheart · 11-12-2017, 06:12 AM

Album title: Rollin'
Artist: Brave Girls
Genre: K-pop
Nationality: Korean
Release date: March 7
Position in Discography: Fourth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.50
Another day, another K-pop album. Well, EP. Not a whole lot more to say, really: seems once you've heard one you've heard them all. Maybe there's some hidden gem lurking out there that I have yet to encounter, but so far the ones I've listened to could all be interchanged with each other and I wouldn't even be able to tell them apart.

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Oh, I'm sure I'l have to. That's it for the moment though.

Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 11-12-2017, 10:49 AM

Album title: Western Ware
Artist: Hyperbubble
Genre: Synthpop/Electropop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 7
Position in Discography: Sixth
Fear Factor: Critical
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: N/A
Well this is interesting, and by interesting I mean potentially excruciating! The first ever electro country and western album? Sounds scary! The first track is, to be fair, ****, and then they cover Dolly's “Jolene”, but they, again to be fair, don't do much new with it: she even sounds a little like the Country national treasure herself. Meh. Yeah, I just don't get it. They're country songs, but there's little (so far) in the way of “electropopping” them up, this could be a low grade country album. What's the point here? At least “Bar Wars” has some fizzing electronic thingamummies going off, but it's still basically a country song. Yawn.

Okay, finally! Their version of Glenn Campbell's “Rhinstone Cowboy” goes all out, with jumping synth, wails, sirens, tripping drumbeat, the whole bit. That's more like it. And of course I know that song so I can evaluate it properly. The rest is basic country though, while the closer seems to go more in the synthpop vein and ignore country altogether. Again, I ask, why did they bother doing this?

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

(Luckily, no YouTube videos seem to exist for these songs. Be thankful!)
Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 11-12-2017, 11:38 AM

Album title: W Face: Inside/Outside
Artist: Koda Kumi
Genre: J-pop
Nationality: Japanese
Release date: March 8
Position in Discography: Thirteenth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 1.79
From K-pop to J-pop we go. It's all right, but there's nothing really standing out here. Some nice ballads sandwiched in between bog-standard dance tunes. Meh. I say again, meh. Oh **** no! It's part of a two-album deal, the first called Inside and the second called, well, Outside. And I thought I was finished! What a fool I was!

Ah well, at least “What's Up” has a nice bit of rocking energy to it, and “Promise You” is a nice kind of power ballad. None of which changes the fact that I have ANOTHER ****ING COMPLETE ALBUM to listen to! Yeah, it's basically more of the same. Oh well, at least it's over now.

Check out more from this artist? Nah
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Shrug

Expectation Index: 0

The Batlord · 11-12-2017, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Look like a couple of over-the-hill never-weres with a desperate idea to scrape up something resembling sales.

Paedantic Basterd · 11-12-2017, 02:19 PM

I didn't know Liv Tyler and Alan Rickman had a band

Trollheart · 11-12-2017, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Look like a couple of over-the-hill never-weres with a desperate idea to scrape up something resembling sales.

Believe me, they sound like that too!

rubber soul · 11-12-2017, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Look like a couple of over-the-hill never-weres with a desperate idea to scrape up something resembling sales.

There has to be a bad songs thread. Are these guys on Spotify? It sounds like the so bad they're good variety like the Shaggs or whatever

Trollheart · 11-12-2017, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

There has to be a bad songs thread. Are these guys on Spotify? It sounds like the so bad they're good variety like the Shaggs or whatever

Anything I review here is either on Spotify or on YouTube. This is certainly on the former. And no, I wouldn't think you could even save them by saying they're so bad they're good. There are maybe two or three decent tracks on the album, the rest are simply covers of country songs done in country style. Hopeless.

11-11-2017, 06:34 PM	#941 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: The Awakening Artist: Gfriend Genre: K-Pop Nationality: Korean Release date: March 6 Position in Discography: Fourth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 2.83 Why is the Fear Factor high for a boy K-pop band and low for a girl one? You work it out! I've heard more girl K-pop I've enjoyed than boy (precisely none of the latter) and I always enjoy hearing the girls sing. No, I'm not Googling them! Honest! Another EP, which is one saving grace the K stuff has: most of the bands seem to release EPs rather than albums, so there are less tracks to get through. This has six, with what I assume are some eco-friendly songs, though “Hear the Wind Sing” might be more concerned with a late night at the local Korean restaurant for all I know. But “Save my Earth” surely is an eco-whine, while “Rain in the Spring Time” may not be, but it sounds nice. But meh, maybe I've just zoned out on too much K-pop over the last two months, or maybe it really is this bad. I got nothin'. Ya let me down, girls. Oh well. Next! Check out more from this artist? Nah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No choice. Here we go... Expectation Index: 6 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-11-2017, 06:51 PM	#942 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Rose Artist: B.A.P Genre: K-Pop Nationality: Korean Release date: March 6 Position in Discography: Seventh Ep; thirteenth overall Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 2.87 Yeah, it;s hard to see how this even qualifies as an EP: with only three tracks I'd call this a single, but there you go. Keeping in the land of K-pop for now – ah, no. This is far from K-pop: more like nu-metal or something. Interesting at least. Different. ** it, at least it has a bit of personality about it, and doesn't sound like the songs have been written by the corporate board of K-pop Inc., though it probably has. Best of the bunch so far, though that wouldn't be hard, admittedly. Check out more from this artist? I might Check out more from this genre or subgenre? More on the way Expectation Index: 10** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-12-2017, 06:12 AM	#943 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Rollin' Artist: Brave Girls Genre: K-pop Nationality: Korean Release date: March 7 Position in Discography: Fourth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.50 Another day, another K-pop album. Well, EP. Not a whole lot more to say, really: seems once you've heard one you've heard them all. Maybe there's some hidden gem lurking out there that I have yet to encounter, but so far the ones I've listened to could all be interchanged with each other and I wouldn't even be able to tell them apart. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Oh, I'm sure I'l have to. That's it for the moment though. Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-12-2017, 10:49 AM	#944 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: Western Ware Artist: Hyperbubble Genre: Synthpop/Electropop Nationality: American Release date: March 7 Position in Discography: Sixth Fear Factor: Critical Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: N/A Well this is interesting, and by interesting I mean potentially excruciating! The first ever electro country and western album? Sounds scary! The first track is, to be fair, **, and then they cover Dolly's “Jolene”, but they, again to be fair, don't do much new with it: she even sounds a little like the Country national treasure herself. Meh. Yeah, I just don't get it. They're country songs, but there's little (so far) in the way of “electropopping” them up, this could be a low grade country album. What's the point here? At least “Bar Wars” has some fizzing electronic thingamummies going off, but it's still basically a country song. Yawn. Okay, finally! Their version of Glenn Campbell's “Rhinstone Cowboy” goes all out, with jumping synth, wails, sirens, tripping drumbeat, the whole bit. That's more like it. And of course I know that song so I can evaluate it properly. The rest is basic country though, while the closer seems to go more in the synthpop vein and ignore country altogether. Again, I ask, why did they bother doing this? Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes (Luckily, no YouTube videos seem to exist for these songs. Be thankful!) Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-12-2017, 11:38 AM	#945 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,994	Album title: W Face: Inside/Outside Artist: Koda Kumi Genre: J-pop Nationality: Japanese Release date: March 8 Position in Discography: Thirteenth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 1.79 From K-pop to J-pop we go. It's all right, but there's nothing really standing out here. Some nice ballads sandwiched in between bog-standard dance tunes. Meh. I say again, meh. Oh **** no! It's part of a two-album deal, the first called Inside and the second called, well, Outside. And I thought I was finished! What a fool I was! Ah well, at least “What's Up” has a nice bit of rocking energy to it, and “Promise You” is a nice kind of power ballad. None of which changes the fact that I have ANOTHER **ING COMPLETE ALBUM to listen to! Yeah, it's basically more of the same. Oh well, at least it's over now. Check out more from this artist? Nah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Shrug Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-12-2017, 02:19 PM	#947 (permalink)
Paedantic Basterd Music Addict Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 5,184	I didn't know Liv Tyler and Alan Rickman had a band