Album Club 2019: Barbara Morgenstern - Doppelstern

Anteater · 02-17-2019, 10:38 PM

Barbara Morgenstern - Doppelstern

This week's outing comes to us from MicShizam....who is possibly still banned. I dunno. Let's review it anyway.

Zhanteimi · 02-17-2019, 10:39 PM

At first I didn't connect to this in any way, neither positively or negatively. It's just forgettable sonic wallpaper, kind of soulless and lacking any real substance. It's not bad, and it's not good. It is the sonic epitome of "meh". The production is lush, the sounds beautiful, but from one song to the next, I could remember nothing of what had come before.

As time went on, though, I became more irked. When the dude comes in for his vocals, everything gets a little worse. The existence of this kind of music makes me angry because it's such a waste of time. Like, there's great music out there (even if it's the horrible kind of great), but this schlock is what people waste their time on?

4 out of 10.

Blarobbarg · 02-18-2019, 03:55 PM

This album was completely unremarkable. Its production is lush, and the songs are fun and almost Gorillaz-esque in some ways, but it is neither memorable nor groundbreaking. It just... is.

I certainly don't hate it, but I also don't particularly like it, and that's almost worse than being something awful.

5/10 from me.

OccultHawk · 02-18-2019, 04:21 PM

Aglow is a good song

Jacaszek and Julia Kent are good people to work with but sugar don’t turn **** into chocolate

2/10

Anteater · 02-23-2019, 10:38 PM

Nice production values, but everything else didn't work particularly well for me. I don't mind formulaicness in genres such as AOR, hair metal or, say, City Pop from 80's Japan (because those genres tend to bring the bacon when it comes to a good hook or memorable melody or a good arrangement), but this post-90's sounding A-ha schlock with twinkly European trip-hop dalliances just doesn't work for me. Maybe I would have to have a different sort of background to like this stuff in a vaguely nostalgic way, but unfortunately miss Morgenstern just misses the mark.

That being said, I thought 'Facades" was pretty...but if my favorite track on a vocal-oriented pop record is a song where she's just contributing a few background oohs and ahhs, that's kind of a problem in and of itself.

3 out of 10

Psy-Fi · 02-26-2019, 06:04 AM

If he hadn't decided to leave us before this album came up, these reviews probably would've sent him packing and heading for the exit.

OccultHawk · 02-26-2019, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elphenor

lol poor shammy even in death his tastes will be slammed

My balls tingle every time I see the line through his name.

Neapolitan · 03-04-2019, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anteater

Nice production values, but everything else didn't work particularly well for me. I don't mind formulaicness in genres such as AOR, hair metal or, say, City Pop from 80's Japan (because those genres tend to bring the bacon when it comes to a good hook or memorable melody or a good arrangement), but this post-90's sounding A-ha schlock with twinkly European trip-hop dalliances just doesn't work for me. Maybe I would have to have a different sort of background to like this stuff in a vaguely nostalgic way, but unfortunately miss Morgenstern just misses the mark.

That being said, I thought 'Facades" was pretty...but if my favorite track on a vocal-oriented pop record is a song where she's just contributing a few background oohs and ahhs, that's kind of a problem in and of itself.

3 out of 10

I agree with you on the "Nice production values." However I think it is better than a "3 out of 10."

There are a couple of pluses for me. These pluses from areas where the album intersects with my interests. I am curious about bands from Europe. Whenever I find one I get somewhat disappointed when they sing in English, so it is plus that this album is (mostly) sung in Deutsch. There a moments where the music reminds me of Imogen Heap, Facade for example.

There were a few things I didn't like about it. Top of the list of "dislikes" was the guy singing. Sometimes the lyrics and the way the sung didn't quite work for me. Despite its short comings I enjoyed most of the album for the most part. So I feel like being more generous in rating this album than rest of you. I don't think MicShizam picked a bad album at all.

rating 7/10

02-17-2019, 10:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,873	At first I didn't connect to this in any way, neither positively or negatively. It's just forgettable sonic wallpaper, kind of soulless and lacking any real substance. It's not bad, and it's not good. It is the sonic epitome of "meh". The production is lush, the sounds beautiful, but from one song to the next, I could remember nothing of what had come before. As time went on, though, I became more irked. When the dude comes in for his vocals, everything gets a little worse. The existence of this kind of music makes me angry because it's such a waste of time. Like, there's great music out there (even if it's the horrible kind of great), but this schlock is what people waste their time on? 4 out of 10. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic

02-18-2019, 03:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Blarobbarg Do good. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Posts: 2,065	This album was completely unremarkable. Its production is lush, and the songs are fun and almost Gorillaz-esque in some ways, but it is neither memorable nor groundbreaking. It just... is. I certainly don't hate it, but I also don't particularly like it, and that's almost worse than being something awful. 5/10 from me. __________________ https://rateyourmusic.com/~Blarobbarg ｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆　^my RYM^　｡･::･ﾟ★,｡･::･ﾟ☆ (◠‿◠✿)

02-18-2019, 04:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
OccultHawk one-balled nipple jockey Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Dirty Souf Biatch Posts: 22,006	Aglow is a good song Jacaszek and Julia Kent are good people to work with but sugar don’t turn **** into chocolate 2/10 __________________ 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Member of the Year & Journal of the Year Champion Behold the Writing of THE LEGEND: https://www.musicbanter.com/members-...p-lighter.html