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

grindy · 12-17-2017, 04:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Starts off with some spoken word in Venezuelan (I assume) with some kind of nice ambient music behind it, but it's a short intro and then we have a poppy kind of uptempo number, then I really like “Lejos” (eyes?) which has a great hook and bops along like a good thing, very sort of arena rock but not really. This is great stuff: really happy, upbeat and catchy, makes you want to dance. Don;t worry: I'm not going to dance! This could turn out to be my favourite foreign-language album of this year. ****ing great stuff, not a bad track yet (9 of 13). Yeah, this was a massive surprise and a really excellent album. Arriba! (Or whatever they say in Caracas).

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Hopefully there won't be any artists releasing more than one album this year or else TH will throw down a rule.

Already done: I've had two from Future, and probably others too. Also, **** off, ICP Boy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindy

Ah, just **** off. Haven't you got terrible prog to listen to?

grindy · 12-17-2017, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Already done: I've had two from Future, and probably others too. Also, **** off, ICP Boy.

Ah, just **** off. Haven't you got terrible prog to listen to?

Prog? Yes. Terrible? No.

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindy

Prog? Yes. Terrible? No.

But surely you have trees to lurk behind?

grindy · 12-17-2017, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

But surely you have trees to lurk behind?

Where I do my wanking is none of your buisness.

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindy

Where I do my wanking is none of your buisness.

Sure, but how do you not fall out of the tree, is what I wonder?

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 09:29 AM

Album title: None of the Clocks Work
Artist: Amir Obè
Genre: Hip-hop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 30
Position in Discography: Fourth EP; sixth overall
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.18
Makes a good impression when it kicks off with a sort of atmospheric song, pretty much sung and not rapped, and the second one is just as good, quite dark and morose in theme. Is this not more trap? I'm unclear on the distinction, though I read that trap has darker, slower elements than traditional hip-hop, and this certainly ticks both those boxes. Whatever it is, it's damn good. I mean, damn good. Last two tracks up the tempo a lot. Really enjoyed that.

Check out more from this artist? Ah, yeah
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 10

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 11:00 AM

Album title: Mental Illness
Artist: Aimee Mann
Genre: Folk/Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Ninth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of her
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.39
Pleasant stuff; kind of reminds me of a cross between Judie Tzuke and Suzanne Vega, though I'm sure there are more appropriate comparisons that could be made. “Lies of Summer” is a nice song, catches my attention as being a little special. Very pleasant piano underpinning “Patient Zero”, almost a Bruce Hornsby feel to it in a way. “Philly Sinks” has a very Joni Mitchell vibeto it, but overall I'd say this is really just an album to have on in the background, to relax to, but there's not really too much to say about it in a review, even a short one like this. I mean, it's not likely to make me suddenly a fan or anything, but it's a decent record.

Check out more from this artist? Dunno
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah

Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 12-17-2017, 01:07 PM

Album title: Triplicate
Artist: Bob Dylan
Genre: Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Thirty-eighth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? Oh, let me see now: think I may have heard of him!
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.83
Dammit! Why didn't I make a rule saying no cover albums? Well, I didn't, and anyway I've already done at least one, so there's no getting away from this. Not that I have any problem with Dylan, but a ****ing TRIPLE album of covers, most of which I don't even know? Sigh. Gonna be a long hard slog, this. I must admit, it's a little boring on first listen. I mean, essentially this is Dylan wanking off to the artists that he loves, means nothing to me and is well before my time, so rather like Stewart's Great American Songbook series, something of a massive case of self-indulgence, and I don't think it's very fair to spread that over thirty tracks. But here we are. It's unlikely I'll be writing much about this – I really don't care what songs inspired Bob Dylan – and will only pipe up if there's anything I know, if even then. Mostly I'm just letting it play and waiting to get through it in the background. Call that sacrilege if you will, I don't care.

Hmm. Interesting to see that it gets a relatively low score on RYM. Not that surprising though: this is more boring than listening to a Mark Knopfler solo album. Oh, I know “The Very Thought of You”. I don't, however, care. Not even a third of the way through. Dare I bail on Bob? I have to say, “Braggin'” has almost done me in, but I see “As Time Goes By” is up next, so **** it, let's see what he does with that. I honestly doubt I'm gonna make it through this entire thing though. It's soul destroying. It's like listening to Sinatra or something, not that there's anything wrong with that, but if I want to listen to Sinatra I'll put on one of his albums. This is just not quite torture but boredom with a capital bore. Think I'm done here. Sorry Dylan purists, but I cannae take this no more. Lasted as long as I could.

Check out more from this artist? At some point I probably will
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Who knows? But not of choice.

Expectation Index: 10

12-17-2017, 09:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: None of the Clocks Work Artist: Amir Obè Genre: Hip-hop Nationality: American Release date: March 30 Position in Discography: Fourth EP; sixth overall Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.18 Makes a good impression when it kicks off with a sort of atmospheric song, pretty much sung and not rapped, and the second one is just as good, quite dark and morose in theme. Is this not more trap? I'm unclear on the distinction, though I read that trap has darker, slower elements than traditional hip-hop, and this certainly ticks both those boxes. Whatever it is, it's damn good. I mean, damn good. Last two tracks up the tempo a lot. Really enjoyed that. Check out more from this artist? Ah, yeah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-17-2017, 11:00 AM	#8 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Mental Illness Artist: Aimee Mann Genre: Folk/Rock Nationality: American Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Ninth Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of her Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.39 Pleasant stuff; kind of reminds me of a cross between Judie Tzuke and Suzanne Vega, though I'm sure there are more appropriate comparisons that could be made. “Lies of Summer” is a nice song, catches my attention as being a little special. Very pleasant piano underpinning “Patient Zero”, almost a Bruce Hornsby feel to it in a way. “Philly Sinks” has a very Joni Mitchell vibeto it, but overall I'd say this is really just an album to have on in the background, to relax to, but there's not really too much to say about it in a review, even a short one like this. I mean, it's not likely to make me suddenly a fan or anything, but it's a decent record. Check out more from this artist? Dunno Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-17-2017, 01:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Triplicate Artist: Bob Dylan Genre: Pop Nationality: American Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Thirty-eighth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? Oh, let me see now: think I may have heard of him! Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.83 Dammit! Why didn't I make a rule saying no cover albums? Well, I didn't, and anyway I've already done at least one, so there's no getting away from this. Not that I have any problem with Dylan, but a **ing TRIPLE album of covers, most of which I don't even know? Sigh. Gonna be a long hard slog, this. I must admit, it's a little boring on first listen. I mean, essentially this is Dylan wanking off to the artists that he loves, means nothing to me and is well before my time, so rather like Stewart's Great American Songbook series, something of a massive case of self-indulgence, and I don't think it's very fair to spread that over thirty tracks. But here we are. It's unlikely I'll be writing much about this – I really don't care what songs inspired Bob Dylan – and will only pipe up if there's anything I know, if even then. Mostly I'm just letting it play and waiting to get through it in the background. Call that sacrilege if you will, I don't care. Hmm. Interesting to see that it gets a relatively low score on RYM. Not that surprising though: this is more boring than listening to a Mark Knopfler solo album. Oh, I know “The Very Thought of You”. I don't, however, care. Not even a third of the way through. Dare I bail on Bob? I have to say, “Braggin'” has almost done me in, but I see “As Time Goes By” is up next, so it, let's see what he does with that. I honestly doubt I'm gonna make it through this entire thing though. It's soul destroying. It's like listening to Sinatra or something, not that there's anything wrong with that, but if I want to listen to Sinatra I'll put on one of his albums. This is just not quite torture but boredom with a capital bore. Think I'm done here. Sorry Dylan purists, but I cannae take this no more. Lasted as long as I could. Check out more from this artist? At some point I probably will Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Who knows? But not of choice. Expectation Index: 10** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018