Give me an album and I will review it

Kirby · 01-23-2009, 03:34 PM

Well, then, I'll PM you.

Comus · 01-24-2009, 02:19 AM

Want to see your take on Jan Dukes de Grey

jackhammer · 01-24-2009, 10:17 AM

Only one in front of you now Comus.

khfreek · 01-25-2009, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackhammer

For khfreek:

[CENTER]Between The Buried And Me - Colors (2007)

I have been reading up and apparently this album made many top Metal albums of 2007....why?

There is no doubt that BTBAM have talent and eclectic musial tastes. However throwing it all into one song is not particulary original or likeable. The only sorts of bands that get away with this are bands with a decidedly Avant Garde bent and even then they run from a leftfield side of the fence and incorporate Metal INTO the sound. Having a typical Metal template and then dropping in 20 seconds of blast beats here, a little jazzy interlude there just doesnt work. If there is a sense of humour involved then it can work (Dog Fashion Disco have been fucking with the genre forever) but this comes across as bloated and even egocentric. The early 90's seen bands such as Blind Illusion and Anacrusis try to subvert a classic Metal template and they ultimately failed. BTBAM is no different. In fact it gave me a headache with how much is trying to be crammed in.

Let bands such as Agalloch and Kayo Dot mess around with the Metal template and not a generic Metalcore band who can obviously play a bit. 4/10

This review has been bugging me since I saw it, so just decide to reply. You keep talking about bands that can "get away with" the melding of genres and that other bands should leave it to Agalloch and Kayo Dot. Isn't the whole point of experimentation that you can't be wrong, you can only be pushing the envelope further? You can't decide who's doing it right or wrong based on your tastes, no one can.

This melding of genres that makes you dislike the album so much is what made a lot of others see it as metal album of the year. Where it throws you off completely with a jazzy intermission, others see the connection and love it. That must be why you felt the album was trying "cram in" all this different material, where as I hear it as a fluid masterpiece, where the each part intuitively goes into the next.

And to write BTBAM off as "generic metalcore" that uses blast beats all the time is just wrong. Paul Waggoner's jazzy guitar influence coupled with Blake Richardson being one of the best drummers in metalcore totally propels them past generic, if not in quality then at least in the variety. If you ever decide to give it another spin, listen to the drumming, it's fantastic.

PerfectRandomness · 01-25-2009, 08:48 PM

Black Roses by The Rasmus. My favorite album ever.

jackhammer · 01-26-2009, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by khfreek

This review has been bugging me since I saw it, so just decide to reply. You keep talking about bands that can "get away with" the melding of genres and that other bands should leave it to Agalloch and Kayo Dot. Isn't the whole point of experimentation that you can't be wrong, you can only be pushing the envelope further? You can't decide who's doing it right or wrong based on your tastes, no one can.

This melding of genres that makes you dislike the album so much is what made a lot of others see it as metal album of the year. Where it throws you off completely with a jazzy intermission, others see the connection and love it. That must be why you felt the album was trying "cram in" all this different material, where as I hear it as a fluid masterpiece, where the each part intuitively goes into the next.

And to write BTBAM off as "generic metalcore" that uses blast beats all the time is just wrong. Paul Waggoner's jazzy guitar influence coupled with Blake Richardson being one of the best drummers in metalcore totally propels them past generic, if not in quality then at least in the variety. If you ever decide to give it another spin, listen to the drumming, it's fantastic.

I know this is your favourite Metal album and I admire you standing up for it but let's expand a little on my reasoning. For a start, without dragging the 'age' card out, I have to point out that I have heard literraly thousands of albums with probably a quarter of those being Metal. It is quite difficult to hear new Metal albums these days and still be impressed. I have heard it all before and lots of bands just keep rehashing ideas or they try something different and fall flat on their face.

On this album the riffs are generic. They don't sound any different to what I have heard before and they certainly are'nt memorable. Then there are those little interludes that we are talking about. That's why they fail. It's the band saying "look I know a little Jazz riff, let's put it in to sound different" but they don't. If they carried that theme on and went off on a tangent then my interest would have been piqued. however the band slip straight back into average Metal riffs and it's the same old, same old.

I mention Kayo dot because to me, that is experimentation. They are not a metal band. They are an avant garde band that when they incorporate Metal, they sound fresh and original. I have nothing against experimentation and I stated that BTBAM are good musicians but the album was unremarkable for me.

This is what I prefer if it's experimental Metal (and please listen to the song through to the end):

The interlude is extended, the themes are continued and the rythms don't conform as generically as many Metal bands.

BTBAM are a band that don't have the conviction to become truly experimental and instead rely of unmemorable music punctuated by interludes that are more showing of than a statement of intention. If you like the band then great, you asked me to review it and I responded. Sometimes it's nice to have another perspective.

Bulldog · 01-26-2009, 12:58 PM

I'm thinking Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom would be a good album for this thread - I'd be very interested to see what you think of it. Let me know when you want a link

jackhammer · 01-26-2009, 02:27 PM

Yeah I will add it to the list.

jackhammer · 01-30-2009, 01:22 PM

For Lucifer Sam:

Les Rallizes Denudes - A Death In The Family (1977)

Another album that I had in my collection but it needed reappraising so here goes. LRD are a Japanese Psychedelic/ Noise Rock band who use a ridiculous amount of feedback in their music and this is where there is a huge problem. 90% of the time I review albums whilst listening to it on headphones (and good ones at that). This is for 2 eeasons. The PC is situated in my living room so earlye evening is no go as far as music is concerned but mainly because I like to hear everything in the mix. Because of the terrible production the album (it is from a bootleg i think?) it actually hurts my ears to hear it. This loses cool points on the album which is a shame because it is riff heavy and quite a way ahead considering it was 1977!

But even without headphones after a couple of tracks (quite long tracks), I find myself becoming bored and turn it off. Whilst I appreciate the sonic assault of the album, I can now see why I had'nt played it a lot before. For a quick blast of white noise it is fine but not one for everyday. 6/10

jackhammer · 01-30-2009, 01:34 PM

For Comus:

Jan Dukes De Grey - Mice And Rats Left In The Loft (1971)

By far the best album that Comus has forced (

) onto me and one I feel is even better than the similar music cousin 'Comus' album! Not as freak out and a little more focused. However this three track album is remarkably complex with odd time signatures and a huge array of instruments employed by the 3 piece band ( 3 piece? they sound like an orchestra!).

This is Jethro Tull quirky folk as distilled through a few hits of acid. Considering how long the tracks are, I don't lose interest due to the sheer number of instruments used which means that your interest doesn't have time to wane as there is always something new on the way.

This is not to suggest that the album is just a massive free for all. It has structure and discipline (Imagine King Crimson do acid Folk), and recurring motifs throughout the tracks.

One of the best albums given to me for review so far. 9/10

01-23-2009, 03:34 PM	#81 (permalink)
Kirby Music Addict Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Forest Park, GA Posts: 1,637	Well, then, I'll PM you. __________________ ::KirbyISAlmighty::

01-24-2009, 10:17 AM	#83 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Only one in front of you now Comus. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

01-25-2009, 08:48 PM	#85 (permalink)
PerfectRandomness Groupie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 14	Black Roses by The Rasmus. My favorite album ever. __________________ I unlit the light to embrace the dark To be near but not to turn into you my darling Forever we're lost in our souls' storm Reflections of each other's faults

01-26-2009, 02:27 PM	#88 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	Yeah I will add it to the list. __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

01-30-2009, 01:22 PM	#89 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	For Lucifer Sam: Les Rallizes Denudes - A Death In The Family (1977) Another album that I had in my collection but it needed reappraising so here goes. LRD are a Japanese Psychedelic/ Noise Rock band who use a ridiculous amount of feedback in their music and this is where there is a huge problem. 90% of the time I review albums whilst listening to it on headphones (and good ones at that). This is for 2 eeasons. The PC is situated in my living room so earlye evening is no go as far as music is concerned but mainly because I like to hear everything in the mix. Because of the terrible production the album (it is from a bootleg i think?) it actually hurts my ears to hear it. This loses cool points on the album which is a shame because it is riff heavy and quite a way ahead considering it was 1977! But even without headphones after a couple of tracks (quite long tracks), I find myself becoming bored and turn it off. Whilst I appreciate the sonic assault of the album, I can now see why I had'nt played it a lot before. For a quick blast of white noise it is fine but not one for everyday. 6/10 __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”

01-26-2009, 12:58 PM	#87 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	I'm thinking Elvis Costello's Imperial Bedroom would be a good album for this thread - I'd be very interested to see what you think of it. Let me know when you want a link

01-30-2009, 01:34 PM	#90 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	For Comus: Jan Dukes De Grey - Mice And Rats Left In The Loft (1971) By far the best album that Comus has forced ( ) onto me and one I feel is even better than the similar music cousin 'Comus' album! Not as freak out and a little more focused. However this three track album is remarkably complex with odd time signatures and a huge array of instruments employed by the 3 piece band ( 3 piece? they sound like an orchestra!). This is Jethro Tull quirky folk as distilled through a few hits of acid. Considering how long the tracks are, I don't lose interest due to the sheer number of instruments used which means that your interest doesn't have time to wane as there is always something new on the way. This is not to suggest that the album is just a massive free for all. It has structure and discipline (Imagine King Crimson do acid Folk), and recurring motifs throughout the tracks. One of the best albums given to me for review so far. 9/10 __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”