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

Trollheart · 02-05-2018, 05:27 PM

Album title: Moments
Artist: Andrew Rayel
Genre: Progressive Trance
Nationality: Moldovan
Release date: May 5
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist?No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre?No
Average RYM Score: N/A
K-pop aside, it's been a decent start for the month. Let's see if we can keep that going, though progressive trance (or any trance) has not been my thing, I have to say. This is the very first artist I've heard from Moldova, here or anywhere, so there's certainly a novelty interest in it for me. First track is really impressive, very cinematic and dramatic, instrumental. Most of it is pretty okay really, and some of it very good. I see that ATB chappie I reviewed last month helps out on the fourth track, “Connected”, but I don't know anything about him to recognise any contribution he may or may not be making. It's another instrumental, by the way.

This still isn't my thing, but it's nowhere near as bad as I had expected it to be. Some of the tracks are, as I said above, instrumental, mostly on piano or keyboards with thumping drumbeats, and some have vocals. In the latter case, it seems guests take the mike, people I don't know, though I have mentioned ATB (he doesn't sing though). There are names like Kristina Antuna, Jonathan Mendelsohn, Emma Hewitt – names, as I say, that mean nothing to me, but if you're a trance fan I guess you'll know who they are. Yeah, I could listen to this. I wouldn't be killing others to get in the door, but I wouldn't be killing others to get out either.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 05:26 AM

Album title: Where I Am
Artist: Anja
Genre: Pop
Nationality: Danish
Release date: May 5
Position in Discography: Debut
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.17
If you happened to catch, or are a fan of Eurovision, you would have seen this woman represent her country last year. MicShaz may know of her, as she's Danish and also apparently won their version of The Voice. I would have to say I don't hear anything amazingly new here; decent voice but she could be any pop singer and the songs are very generic. But then again, this is pop, so as Batty would say, what the **** do you expect? There's dance, trance and of course the odd shot of romance, and I guess given that it's only a six-track EP that's a fairly good spread. Not necessarily something I find myself hungry for though. Hey, at least she writes her own stuff, which is always a plus with me, and she's only twenty-three, so impressive for such a relatively young age. Just again, not my thing.

Check out more from this artist? I might keep an eye on her
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Actual Rating:

GD · 02-06-2018, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah, throw them this way.

Oh cool. My only rec for april is Born Wrong Love by Weed.

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 07:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigantic Debaser

Oh cool. My only rec for april is Born Wrong Love by Weed.

Okey dokey. Your last one didn't exactly go over well, but we'll see how this one does.

**Frownland** · 02-06-2018, 07:24 AM

April:
Here Lies Man - Here Lies Man
Yowie - Synchromysticism
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Async

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 07:30 AM

Album title: Towards Language
Artist: Arve Henriksen
Genre: Jazz
Nationality: Norwegian
Release date: May 5
Position in Discography: Ninth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist?No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre?No
Average RYM Score: 3.30
I think this may be the second Norwegian jazz artist I've heard. Arve Henriksen is a trumpet player, so naturally that's the instrument most prominent here, but thankfully for me, at least so far, it's very laid back and soft and gentle, lulling as opposed to harsh and brash, which suits me just fine. If it stays like this, we may just get along. Very pleasant so far anyway; first two tracks just sort of glided by, and not in an “I didn't even notice” way, more like a “that was nice” way. Fourth track has kind of odd little sounds – seems like a kid or something but I feel it's him making those sounds on the trumpet – but still very relaxing. “Demarcation Line” kind of reminds me of one of the tracks off Vangelis's The City. And suddenly it's over. Well that was very engaging and interesting, and very pleasant. The last track is some sort of traditional hymn, which has the virtue then of being the only track on the album with vocals.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

April:
Here Lies Man - Here Lies Man
Yowie - Synchromysticism
Ryuichi Sakamoto - Async

Okay, will add.

**Frownland** · 02-06-2018, 09:30 AM

Fair warning: I don't think you'll expect you to enjoy the last two. I'm still interested in your thoughts on them though.

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

Fair warning: I don't think you'll expect you to enjoy the last two. I'm still interested in your thoughts on them though.

I've heard some Ryuchi. We'll see, though.

Trollheart · 02-06-2018, 09:44 AM

Album title: in•ter a•li•a
Artist: At the Drive-In
Genre: Post-hardcore
Nationality: American
Release date: May 5
Position in Discography: Fourth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? Heard one album; did not like it
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.11
The first thing that strikes me is the way the title is written: not sure why that is. Is it the only interesting thing about the album? Let's listen. This is their first album in seventeen years, and indeed the one this follows is the one I heard (and didn't think much of), Relationship of Command. And I don't think much of this either. It's all very up and in your face, loud and aggressive (which I guess is a feature of post-hardcore) but I don't feel any affinity for this music at all. It's not punk, not quite, but it reminds me of that style. And much of it sounds the same to me. Yeah, this does nothing for me. I'm sure fans of ATDI will love it, but me, I ain't never gonna be one of them fans, no sir I ain't.

Okay, to be fair: “Ghost tape No. 9” is a very decent song, but that's only one of out eleven, and it's the second last too. The final track reinforces my dislike of the album, so there you go.

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

Actual Rating:

02-05-2018, 05:27 PM	#1761 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Moments Artist: Andrew Rayel Genre: Progressive Trance Nationality: Moldovan Release date: May 5 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist?No Familiar with the genre or subgenre?No Average RYM Score: N/A K-pop aside, it's been a decent start for the month. Let's see if we can keep that going, though progressive trance (or any trance) has not been my thing, I have to say. This is the very first artist I've heard from Moldova, here or anywhere, so there's certainly a novelty interest in it for me. First track is really impressive, very cinematic and dramatic, instrumental. Most of it is pretty okay really, and some of it very good. I see that ATB chappie I reviewed last month helps out on the fourth track, “Connected”, but I don't know anything about him to recognise any contribution he may or may not be making. It's another instrumental, by the way. This still isn't my thing, but it's nowhere near as bad as I had expected it to be. Some of the tracks are, as I said above, instrumental, mostly on piano or keyboards with thumping drumbeats, and some have vocals. In the latter case, it seems guests take the mike, people I don't know, though I have mentioned ATB (he doesn't sing though). There are names like Kristina Antuna, Jonathan Mendelsohn, Emma Hewitt – names, as I say, that mean nothing to me, but if you're a trance fan I guess you'll know who they are. Yeah, I could listen to this. I wouldn't be killing others to get in the door, but I wouldn't be killing others to get out either. Check out more from this artist? Maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Maybe Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 02-07-2018 at 02:56 PM.

02-06-2018, 05:26 AM	#1762 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Where I Am Artist: Anja Genre: Pop Nationality: Danish Release date: May 5 Position in Discography: Debut Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.17 If you happened to catch, or are a fan of Eurovision, you would have seen this woman represent her country last year. MicShaz may know of her, as she's Danish and also apparently won their version of The Voice. I would have to say I don't hear anything amazingly new here; decent voice but she could be any pop singer and the songs are very generic. But then again, this is pop, so as Batty would say, what the ** do you expect? There's dance, trance and of course the odd shot of romance, and I guess given that it's only a six-track EP that's a fairly good spread. Not necessarily something I find myself hungry for though. Hey, at least she writes her own stuff, which is always a plus with me, and she's only twenty-three, so impressive for such a relatively young age. Just again, not my thing. Check out more from this artist? I might keep an eye on her Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating:** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

02-06-2018, 07:24 AM	#1765 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	April: Here Lies Man - Here Lies Man Yowie - Synchromysticism Ryuichi Sakamoto - Async __________________ 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

02-06-2018, 07:30 AM	#1766 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Towards Language Artist: Arve Henriksen Genre: Jazz Nationality: Norwegian Release date: May 5 Position in Discography: Ninth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist?No Familiar with the genre or subgenre?No Average RYM Score: 3.30 I think this may be the second Norwegian jazz artist I've heard. Arve Henriksen is a trumpet player, so naturally that's the instrument most prominent here, but thankfully for me, at least so far, it's very laid back and soft and gentle, lulling as opposed to harsh and brash, which suits me just fine. If it stays like this, we may just get along. Very pleasant so far anyway; first two tracks just sort of glided by, and not in an “I didn't even notice” way, more like a “that was nice” way. Fourth track has kind of odd little sounds – seems like a kid or something but I feel it's him making those sounds on the trumpet – but still very relaxing. “Demarcation Line” kind of reminds me of one of the tracks off Vangelis's The City. And suddenly it's over. Well that was very engaging and interesting, and very pleasant. The last track is some sort of traditional hymn, which has the virtue then of being the only track on the album with vocals. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 02-07-2018 at 02:57 PM.

02-06-2018, 09:30 AM	#1768 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	Fair warning: I don't think you'll expect you to enjoy the last two. I'm still interested in your thoughts on them though. __________________ 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

02-06-2018, 09:44 AM	#1770 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: in•ter a•li•a Artist: At the Drive-In Genre: Post-hardcore Nationality: American Release date: May 5 Position in Discography: Fourth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? Heard one album; did not like it Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.11 The first thing that strikes me is the way the title is written: not sure why that is. Is it the only interesting thing about the album? Let's listen. This is their first album in seventeen years, and indeed the one this follows is the one I heard (and didn't think much of), Relationship of Command. And I don't think much of this either. It's all very up and in your face, loud and aggressive (which I guess is a feature of post-hardcore) but I don't feel any affinity for this music at all. It's not punk, not quite, but it reminds me of that style. And much of it sounds the same to me. Yeah, this does nothing for me. I'm sure fans of ATDI will love it, but me, I ain't never gonna be one of them fans, no sir I ain't. Okay, to be fair: “Ghost tape No. 9” is a very decent song, but that's only one of out eleven, and it's the second last too. The final track reinforces my dislike of the album, so there you go. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018