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

Trollheart · 01-10-2018, 03:26 PM

And yet you allow elph to be closeminded about Slayer? At least I listened to (some of) the damn thing. Anyway, I couldn't care less. I knew you'd react this way. I won't lose sleep over it. Moving on.

**Frownland** · 01-10-2018, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

And yet you allow elph to be closeminded about Slayer?

I give him **** for his taste in metal quite often, I just don't think that he needs to be concerned about other people with his opinions as was being discussed in that thread. But yes, I put you two on the same tier as far as this is concerned.

Quote:

At least I listened to (some of) the damn thing.

You might have heard a minute or two of the album but I am certain that you didn't listen to anything. You just went "nyeh not pop! Not free jazz conventions!" and ran away.

Quote:

Anyway, I couldn't care less. I knew you'd react this way. I won't lose sleep over it. Moving on.

Pretty cool of you to not care about the fact that you're a godawful music critic and music enthusiast.

Trollheart · 01-10-2018, 04:34 PM

Album title: Dominion
Artist: Tech N9ne
Genre: Hip-hop
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Eighteenth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No; heard of him
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.44
Damn it, I hate reviewing albums through YouTube. Why isn't this on Spotify? Why? So annoying. Anyway, I hear this as more trap than hip-hop, if trap is what I've been told it is, viz, darker, slower more kind of menacing hip-hop? First track (after the intro) is anyway, for sure. Sorry: fo sho.

“Casket Music” is more stripped-down and hardcore, while “Wheels Like Hill” just powers along with some great rhymes and rhythm. Yo. I don't, however, and probably never will, get the idea behind “skits”. Are they just there to pad out the album, or are they supposed to relate to something? Usually they're either phone calls, people talking or maybe excerpts from studio recording talk. They never mean anything to me, and they just come across as an annoyance, so I won't mention any here, though there are several.

“Reloaded” is another stripped-down effort, almost industrial in a way, and "The Answer" has a kind of reggae feel to it. Mind you, there are so many guests on this album it's literally impossible to get an idea of whether this Tech N9ne guy is any good or not. Too many cooks spoil the album, guys. Also too many tracks: twenty-four? It's all right but doesn't impress me as anything particularly special.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-10-2018, 05:14 PM

Album title: My Moment
Artist: Tee Grizzley
Genre: Hip-hop/Trap
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.94
It's very refreshing to hear a hip-hop album (given the few I've heard, of course) open with an a capella track; really demonstrates how good (or bad) the rapper is, and this guy seems to be pretty good. When the music kicks in he's still impressive. “Real Niggas” is a damn fine track, in fact there's not really a track I don't like. Damn excellent for a debut.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-11-2018, 11:43 AM

Album title: Sincerely, Future Pollution
Artist: Timber Timbre
Genre: Folk/Freak Folk/Psych Folk/Country Blues
Nationality: Canadian
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Sixth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.07
Very gentle start, lovely soft organ driving the opener in a nice laid back country style; like the guy's voice, very pleasant. Next one has more a kind of almost funk bite to it, more uptempo (though not, it has to be said, a lot) followed by a really cool instrumental. Sounds like “Moment” is using vocoders, which is interesting in this genre (well, the folk part – there seem to be a whole lot of subgenres checked here) and some fairly darkish organ too. There's a very low-key presentation to most of this that I find charming. You're not going to be performing any air guitar solos to it, that's for sure, but very enjoyable, if quite dark. Some good instrumentals too.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-11-2018, 12:57 PM

Album title: The Assassination of Julius Caesar
Artist: Ulver
Genre: Synthpop/New Wave/EDM
Nationality: Norwegian
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Eleventh
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of them
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.45
Why did I think Ulver were a Black Metal band? Search me, but I did. I hear them get a lot of discussion around here, so let's see if it's warranted. Well it's pretty good all right, sort of a vaguely doomy edge to it. “Rolling Stone”, all nine minutes and change of it, is pretty damn intense and gets wild near the end. Oh yeah, this is pretty sweet. One of the best synthpop (darkwave?) albums I've come across since, I don't know: Beautiful Suicide?

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

Actual Rating:

**Frownland** · 01-11-2018, 01:03 PM

Ulver has started off as black metal but they pride themselves in diversity and have released a little bit of everything.

Trollheart · 01-11-2018, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Ulver has started off as black metal but they pride themselves in diversity and have released a little bit of everything.

Ah, so I haven't completely lost it. Thanks. I wondered why the name was so linked in my mind with BM. That's a hell of a transition though isn't it?

Trollheart · 01-11-2018, 03:25 PM

Album title: Revival
Artist: Vancouver Sleep Clinic
Genre: Electronic/Art Rock/Alt-Rock
Nationality: Australian
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.84
This is pretty good so far. Not quite sure where to categorise it, though “Living Water” is terrible, just a bargain-basement pop song. The bouncy “Empire” more than makes up for it though. Kind of hear elements of Coldplay here, but don't let that put you off.

The vocal is very distinctive, almost feminine-sounding at times. “Lung” is heartbreakingly beautiful. Another great track is “Sleeping World”, some kind of mix of low-key pop and ambient, maybe. Really effective. Really nice stuff all round, other than that one song. Sort of gives me a Sigur Ros feel at times too, odd as that may seem. Also Tim Bowness. Who? Shut up.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 06:58 AM

Album title: WYW
Artist: Wear Your Wounds
Genre: Post-Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No but I've heard Converge
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A decent bit yes
Average RYM Score: 3.27
Now this could be an interesting one. Solo project by the vocalist and frontman for Converge. I like a lot of post-rock, but I don't like metalcore, so this could go either way. Okay well I know he's a singer but I have to say the first song doesn't totally impress me, whereas the second, with no vocals, and the third, with very faint and low-key ones, do. “Hard Road to Heaven” is kind of like a slow doomy piano, almost on its own, very ominous and dark, whereas “Cry of Your Life” is the closest I guess this comes to the metalcore of Bannon's parent band, with some fine guitar from Kurt Ballou. “Breaking Point” is particularly great too, really powerful and emotional, as its title would suggest. Back to the piano then for “Shine”, with a barely discernible vocal. I guess, for a guy who screams his head off with Converge, this is a major change, and it's good to see he can embrace such a shift in his vocal prowess. It works very well. I'm no fan of Converge, but I really like this. I like it a lot.

I did think – and I could of course be wrong here – that post-rock was exclusively instrumental, and I wonder is this actual post-rock? Though the music certainly sounds like what I would expect from that genre. The vocal, when it's used – and it's not that often to be fair – is low and indistinct enough almost not to be there at times, so I guess that's almost instrumental anyway. Either way, I really enjoyed this album. Not sure if fans of Converge will like it, but I did.

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

Actual Rating:

01-10-2018, 03:26 PM	#1521 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	And yet you allow elph to be closeminded about Slayer? At least I listened to (some of) the damn thing. Anyway, I couldn't care less. I knew you'd react this way. I won't lose sleep over it. Moving on. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-10-2018, 04:34 PM	#1523 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Dominion Artist: Tech N9ne Genre: Hip-hop Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Eighteenth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No; heard of him Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.44 Damn it, I hate reviewing albums through YouTube. Why isn't this on Spotify? Why? So annoying. Anyway, I hear this as more trap than hip-hop, if trap is what I've been told it is, viz, darker, slower more kind of menacing hip-hop? First track (after the intro) is anyway, for sure. Sorry: fo sho. “Casket Music” is more stripped-down and hardcore, while “Wheels Like Hill” just powers along with some great rhymes and rhythm. Yo. I don't, however, and probably never will, get the idea behind “skits”. Are they just there to pad out the album, or are they supposed to relate to something? Usually they're either phone calls, people talking or maybe excerpts from studio recording talk. They never mean anything to me, and they just come across as an annoyance, so I won't mention any here, though there are several. “Reloaded” is another stripped-down effort, almost industrial in a way, and "The Answer" has a kind of reggae feel to it. Mind you, there are so many guests on this album it's literally impossible to get an idea of whether this Tech N9ne guy is any good or not. Too many cooks spoil the album, guys. Also too many tracks: twenty-four? It's all right but doesn't impress me as anything particularly special. Check out more from this artist? Nah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-10-2018, 05:14 PM	#1524 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: My Moment Artist: Tee Grizzley Genre: Hip-hop/Trap Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.94 It's very refreshing to hear a hip-hop album (given the few I've heard, of course) open with an a capella track; really demonstrates how good (or bad) the rapper is, and this guy seems to be pretty good. When the music kicks in he's still impressive. “Real Niggas” is a damn fine track, in fact there's not really a track I don't like. Damn excellent for a debut. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-11-2018, 11:43 AM	#1525 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Sincerely, Future Pollution Artist: Timber Timbre Genre: Folk/Freak Folk/Psych Folk/Country Blues Nationality: Canadian Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Sixth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.07 Very gentle start, lovely soft organ driving the opener in a nice laid back country style; like the guy's voice, very pleasant. Next one has more a kind of almost funk bite to it, more uptempo (though not, it has to be said, a lot) followed by a really cool instrumental. Sounds like “Moment” is using vocoders, which is interesting in this genre (well, the folk part – there seem to be a whole lot of subgenres checked here) and some fairly darkish organ too. There's a very low-key presentation to most of this that I find charming. You're not going to be performing any air guitar solos to it, that's for sure, but very enjoyable, if quite dark. Some good instrumentals too. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-11-2018, 12:57 PM	#1526 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: The Assassination of Julius Caesar Artist: Ulver Genre: Synthpop/New Wave/EDM Nationality: Norwegian Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Eleventh Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of them Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.45 Why did I think Ulver were a Black Metal band? Search me, but I did. I hear them get a lot of discussion around here, so let's see if it's warranted. Well it's pretty good all right, sort of a vaguely doomy edge to it. “Rolling Stone”, all nine minutes and change of it, is pretty damn intense and gets wild near the end. Oh yeah, this is pretty sweet. One of the best synthpop (darkwave?) albums I've come across since, I don't know: Beautiful Suicide? Check out more from this artist? I will Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-11-2018, 01:03 PM	#1527 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Ulver has started off as black metal but they pride themselves in diversity and have released a little bit of everything. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-11-2018, 03:25 PM	#1529 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Revival Artist: Vancouver Sleep Clinic Genre: Electronic/Art Rock/Alt-Rock Nationality: Australian Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.84 This is pretty good so far. Not quite sure where to categorise it, though “Living Water” is terrible, just a bargain-basement pop song. The bouncy “Empire” more than makes up for it though. Kind of hear elements of Coldplay here, but don't let that put you off. The vocal is very distinctive, almost feminine-sounding at times. “Lung” is heartbreakingly beautiful. Another great track is “Sleeping World”, some kind of mix of low-key pop and ambient, maybe. Really effective. Really nice stuff all round, other than that one song. Sort of gives me a Sigur Ros feel at times too, odd as that may seem. Also Tim Bowness. Who? Shut up. Check out more from this artist? Oh yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 06:58 AM	#1530 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: WYW Artist: Wear Your Wounds Genre: Post-Rock Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No but I've heard Converge Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A decent bit yes Average RYM Score: 3.27 Now this could be an interesting one. Solo project by the vocalist and frontman for Converge. I like a lot of post-rock, but I don't like metalcore, so this could go either way. Okay well I know he's a singer but I have to say the first song doesn't totally impress me, whereas the second, with no vocals, and the third, with very faint and low-key ones, do. “Hard Road to Heaven” is kind of like a slow doomy piano, almost on its own, very ominous and dark, whereas “Cry of Your Life” is the closest I guess this comes to the metalcore of Bannon's parent band, with some fine guitar from Kurt Ballou. “Breaking Point” is particularly great too, really powerful and emotional, as its title would suggest. Back to the piano then for “Shine”, with a barely discernible vocal. I guess, for a guy who screams his head off with Converge, this is a major change, and it's good to see he can embrace such a shift in his vocal prowess. It works very well. I'm no fan of Converge, but I really like this. I like it a lot. I did think – and I could of course be wrong here – that post-rock was exclusively instrumental, and I wonder is this actual post-rock? Though the music certainly sounds like what I would expect from that genre. The vocal, when it's used – and it's not that often to be fair – is low and indistinct enough almost not to be there at times, so I guess that's almost instrumental anyway. Either way, I really enjoyed this album. Not sure if fans of Converge will like it, but I did. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018