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

Trollheart · 01-16-2018, 01:34 PM

Album title: YOLO
Artist: Dia
Genre: K-pop
Nationality: Um....
Release date: April 19
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Look, just shut up, ok? It's embarrassing enough as it is!
Average RYM Score: 2.42
And the K-pop just keeps coming. Sure, they use tags like bubblegum pop, soft rock, something called “trot”? But really it's all just K-pop, innit? Girls having fun, bouncing around and singing about boys. Sigh. Look! They're even laughing at the end of the last track, how cute.

All right, well there are some good points. A kind of mariachi song, something with a French or possibly Italian flavour, which adds a little spice to the usual bland K-pop formula. Basically though it's the same old same old. Coming to expect no more with K-pop, not that I had any high hopes to begin with.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-16-2018, 02:57 PM

(Pic too large and anyway who cares?)
Album title: H
Artist: Lee Hae-ri
Genre: K-pop
Nationality: Let me just think about that for a moment...
Release date: April 19
Position in Discography: Debut EP
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yes yes! I admit it...
Average RYM Score: N/A
Lee Hairy?

Seriously, there must be something to enjoy while I'm listening to this flood of K-pop. Is there no end to it? At least this time we're back to just EPs. This one gets a pass as it avoids the usual generic K-pop formula by being a generic ballads album. A good one, but still all ballads, and while that's better than being a bouncy, poppy album, it's not a lot better and if you hate ballads you'll hate this. But I don't. Hate ballads that is. I don't love this, but it's certainly a whole lot more tolerable than most of the K-pop I've endured since I began this thread. So a slightly higher rating for you, hairy Lee.
Check out more from this artist? Just maybe
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No

Actual Rating:

(Only because I like ballads, and it breaks the somewhat generic K-pop formula a little)

Trollheart · 01-16-2018, 05:08 PM

Album title: So schön anders
Artist: Adel Tawil
Genre: Pop
Nationality: German
Release date: April 21
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 0.76 (We have a new winner in the low ratings stakes!)
Another German pop star. This kicks off better than the previous one anyway, though after Hairy Lee I'm somewhat over-ballad-ed and this starts with a ballad. Ah well, room for one more, eh? It's a good one, and it's also the title track. And a second ballad. But again, a very good one. Okay, I see he was in a boyband prior to going solo, and the next track certainly has that feel about it. Youssou N'Dour adds some class to the fourth track, but it is weird when the whole thing is sung in German, apart from, well some parts, which are sung in English. Good horns certainly, and I like “Worte”, though there's that ****ing squeaky voice again in the background. Not a bad pop album, certainly better than I had expected. Maybe a few too many ballads, but we won't hold that against him. Certainly doesn't deserve the ****ty rating. Some people are just ****s.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-17-2018, 10:20 AM

Album title: Bad Habit
Artist: Alee
Genre: Country Pop
Nationality: Canadian
Release date: April 21
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: N/A
All right well so far this is nothing special. Comes across as the female equivalent to Bro Country (Grrrl Country?), not very impressive. More pop than country, and not great pop at that. Yeah, there's nothing here. Ten-a-penny pop with some not very advised country pretensions.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-17-2018, 12:08 PM

Album title: Wrangled
Artist: Angaleena Presley
Genre: Country/Americana/Outlaw Country
Nationality: American
Release date: April 21
Position in Discography: Second solo
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No but I love Pistol Annies
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.19
I've already enjoyed Miranda Lambert's breath-takingly beautiful solo album The Weight of These Wings from 2016, and I've loved both the albums from Pistol Annies, so a solo effort from another of that band should be right up my street, hence the high expectation. I also need some proper country after enduring what Alee laughingly terms it. Unsurprisingly, I love it from the first track, the dour and maudlin “Dreams Don't Come True”, and it's low-key, downbeat country of the very highest tier all the way. This is how to do it. Country ain't about singing about girls, or boys, or even gettin' drunk (well, yeah it is, obviously) – you got to get to the soul (Alee!) if there is one, and then kind of rip it apart while downing ten Jack Daniels. Bottles, not glasses! The dark piano on “Only Blood” is ****ing chilling.

Bit too much rockabilly in “Country” though, and I can't say bringing Yelawolf in on it works really, but it's a small (though annoying) blip and we're back to quality with the title track, kicking on with “Bless My Heart”, though the slightly Mexican-tinged “Outlaw” is something of a disappointment: bit limpwristed and weak I feel. That notwithstanding though, what I love about this, and the Pistol Annies albums to a slightly lesser degree, is the note of bitterness that runs through them. This isn't good-time, honky-tonk country, this is get-the-****-out-of-my-face-before-I-get-my-shotgun-from-my- pickup country! “Cheer Up Little Darlin” features narration from the legendary Guy Clark, and it's good to see her two sister Pistols adding their vocals to the album.

Overall, pretty much what I expected, and another great addition to the growing Pistol Annies extended discography. Eat it, Alee!

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-17-2018, 01:18 PM

Album title: neXt
Artist: ATB
Genre: Pop/Trance/Techno/Progressive Trance
Nationality: German
Release date: April 21
Position in Discography: Tenth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.90
This guy may have ten albums out but this is my first listen to him, so from my point of view, having a female guest vocal on the very first track is not the greatest way to make the proper impression. That said, it's a hell of a good pop song, and she's a great singer. At least, unlike the other German pop album reviewed very recently, this is all in English, which will make it easier for me to get a handle on it. Or not. Okay, I see the guy who goes under the name of ATB – Andre Tanneberger – is a music producer, so I guess he doesn't sing on this at all, as there appear to be different vocalists on every, or almost every track (some of them reprise their performance later). So I guess we're looking at an Alan Parsons Project type thing here, where Alan Parsons produces and plays but never sings.

Just four tracks in, but I'd say it's a decent enough pop record with some techno features that doesn't really appeal to me, and as it's a double album I ask myself the question as to whether or not I have any hope of getting through it all? The trouble is that, not being an afioconado of this kind of music, I have no touchstone to use and it all seems disjointed to me, like I'm listening to a various artists album or some taster for pop/trance/techno/whatever. Meh. Yeah, basically this sounds like the sort of thing people would shake their booties to over in Ibiza or whatever; great fpr dancing but not so great for listening to and crap for reviewing. Really nice piano intro on “Connected” is quickly shoved aside for a heavy bassy trance rhythm and the song becomes another generic (for me, anyway) dance song. I think I've had enough now.

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

(Interestingly, look at this other ATB video I found! Didn't know Jansz was that famous!)

The Batlord · 01-17-2018, 01:21 PM

That cover is ****ing with me.

Trollheart · 01-17-2018, 01:23 PM

The world does not need another Barry Manilow album, especially one where he witters on about how much he loves New York.

All I have to say about this album can be expressed through this Family Guy video.

rubber soul · 01-17-2018, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

The world does not need another Barry Manilow album, especially one where he witters on about how much he loves New York.

All I have to say about this album can be expressed through this Family Guy video.

Hey, you have to listen to it, Trolls. You said you listen to every album on Wiki's list.

The Batlord · 01-17-2018, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

All I have to say about this album can be expressed through this Family Guy video.

So you pretend to hate him but are secretly a Fanilow?

01-16-2018, 01:34 PM	#1591 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: YOLO Artist: Dia Genre: K-pop Nationality: Um.... Release date: April 19 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Look, just shut up, ok? It's embarrassing enough as it is! Average RYM Score: 2.42 And the K-pop just keeps coming. Sure, they use tags like bubblegum pop, soft rock, something called “trot”? But really it's all just K-pop, innit? Girls having fun, bouncing around and singing about boys. Sigh. Look! They're even laughing at the end of the last track, how cute. All right, well there are some good points. A kind of mariachi song, something with a French or possibly Italian flavour, which adds a little spice to the usual bland K-pop formula. Basically though it's the same old same old. Coming to expect no more with K-pop, not that I had any high hopes to begin with. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-16-2018, 02:57 PM	#1592 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	(Pic too large and anyway who cares?) Album title: H Artist: Lee Hae-ri Genre: K-pop Nationality: Let me just think about that for a moment... Release date: April 19 Position in Discography: Debut EP Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yes yes! I admit it... Average RYM Score: N/A Lee Hairy? Seriously, there must be something to enjoy while I'm listening to this flood of K-pop. Is there no end to it? At least this time we're back to just EPs. This one gets a pass as it avoids the usual generic K-pop formula by being a generic ballads album. A good one, but still all ballads, and while that's better than being a bouncy, poppy album, it's not a lot better and if you hate ballads you'll hate this. But I don't. Hate ballads that is. I don't love this, but it's certainly a whole lot more tolerable than most of the K-pop I've endured since I began this thread. So a slightly higher rating for you, hairy Lee. Check out more from this artist? Just maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No Actual Rating: (Only because I like ballads, and it breaks the somewhat generic K-pop formula a little) __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-16-2018, 05:08 PM	#1593 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: So schön anders Artist: Adel Tawil Genre: Pop Nationality: German Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 0.76 (We have a new winner in the low ratings stakes!) Another German pop star. This kicks off better than the previous one anyway, though after Hairy Lee I'm somewhat over-ballad-ed and this starts with a ballad. Ah well, room for one more, eh? It's a good one, and it's also the title track. And a second ballad. But again, a very good one. Okay, I see he was in a boyband prior to going solo, and the next track certainly has that feel about it. Youssou N'Dour adds some class to the fourth track, but it is weird when the whole thing is sung in German, apart from, well some parts, which are sung in English. Good horns certainly, and I like “Worte”, though there's that **ing squeaky voice again in the background. Not a bad pop album, certainly better than I had expected. Maybe a few too many ballads, but we won't hold that against him. Certainly doesn't deserve the ty rating. Some people are just s. Check out more from this artist? Doubt it Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah Actual Rating:** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-17-2018, 10:20 AM	#1594 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Bad Habit Artist: Alee Genre: Country Pop Nationality: Canadian Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: N/A All right well so far this is nothing special. Comes across as the female equivalent to Bro Country (Grrrl Country?), not very impressive. More pop than country, and not great pop at that. Yeah, there's nothing here. Ten-a-penny pop with some not very advised country pretensions. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-17-2018, 12:08 PM	#1595 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Wrangled Artist: Angaleena Presley Genre: Country/Americana/Outlaw Country Nationality: American Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Second solo Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No but I love Pistol Annies Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.19 I've already enjoyed Miranda Lambert's breath-takingly beautiful solo album The Weight of These Wings from 2016, and I've loved both the albums from Pistol Annies, so a solo effort from another of that band should be right up my street, hence the high expectation. I also need some proper country after enduring what Alee laughingly terms it. Unsurprisingly, I love it from the first track, the dour and maudlin “Dreams Don't Come True”, and it's low-key, downbeat country of the very highest tier all the way. This is how to do it. Country ain't about singing about girls, or boys, or even gettin' drunk (well, yeah it is, obviously) – you got to get to the soul (Alee!) if there is one, and then kind of rip it apart while downing ten Jack Daniels. Bottles, not glasses! The dark piano on “Only Blood” is **ing chilling. Bit too much rockabilly in “Country” though, and I can't say bringing Yelawolf in on it works really, but it's a small (though annoying) blip and we're back to quality with the title track, kicking on with “Bless My Heart”, though the slightly Mexican-tinged “Outlaw” is something of a disappointment: bit limpwristed and weak I feel. That notwithstanding though, what I love about this, and the Pistol Annies albums to a slightly lesser degree, is the note of bitterness that runs through them. This isn't good-time, honky-tonk country, this is get-the--out-of-my-face-before-I-get-my-shotgun-from-my- pickup country! “Cheer Up Little Darlin” features narration from the legendary Guy Clark, and it's good to see her two sister Pistols adding their vocals to the album. Overall, pretty much what I expected, and another great addition to the growing Pistol Annies extended discography. Eat it, Alee! Check out more from this artist? Yup Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating:** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-17-2018, 01:18 PM	#1596 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: neXt Artist: ATB Genre: Pop/Trance/Techno/Progressive Trance Nationality: German Release date: April 21 Position in Discography: Tenth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.90 This guy may have ten albums out but this is my first listen to him, so from my point of view, having a female guest vocal on the very first track is not the greatest way to make the proper impression. That said, it's a hell of a good pop song, and she's a great singer. At least, unlike the other German pop album reviewed very recently, this is all in English, which will make it easier for me to get a handle on it. Or not. Okay, I see the guy who goes under the name of ATB – Andre Tanneberger – is a music producer, so I guess he doesn't sing on this at all, as there appear to be different vocalists on every, or almost every track (some of them reprise their performance later). So I guess we're looking at an Alan Parsons Project type thing here, where Alan Parsons produces and plays but never sings. Just four tracks in, but I'd say it's a decent enough pop record with some techno features that doesn't really appeal to me, and as it's a double album I ask myself the question as to whether or not I have any hope of getting through it all? The trouble is that, not being an afioconado of this kind of music, I have no touchstone to use and it all seems disjointed to me, like I'm listening to a various artists album or some taster for pop/trance/techno/whatever. Meh. Yeah, basically this sounds like the sort of thing people would shake their booties to over in Ibiza or whatever; great fpr dancing but not so great for listening to and crap for reviewing. Really nice piano intro on “Connected” is quickly shoved aside for a heavy bassy trance rhythm and the song becomes another generic (for me, anyway) dance song. I think I've had enough now. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No (Interestingly, look at this other ATB video I found! Didn't know Jansz was that famous!) __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-17-2018, 01:23 PM	#1598 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	The world does not need another Barry Manilow album, especially one where he witters on about how much he loves New York. All I have to say about this album can be expressed through this Family Guy video. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018