Trollheart

Okay, if no-one has any objections to this, I'd like to formalise the reactions to the album by way of a sort of questionnaire. Of course, you're free to write how you like/hate/have no interest in the album any way you want, and to expound on its merits or lack of till your face turns blue and your PC screams "I need to sleep!", but if everyone could make an attempt at filling this out we can kind of get a general reaction.

Hey! Twenty questions! How about that?
Here then, within that format, are my own thoughts.

1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?

Absolutely hated it. Was quite ready to turn it off, but knew I couldn't as it was for the club so persevered.

2. What did you think of the opening track?

See above. I didn't like the music (very 70s prog I felt, overblown and bombastic) and hated the way the only lyric up to about five minutes in was Leslie singing the title. Thought it was very lazy and reptitive. But it got better.


3. What did you think of the next track?

Didn't do much to change my mind really. It was okay, nothing special. Still not that impressed by it.


4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate her? Any impressions?

She's a competent vocalist, and I do like the way she decided not to go out and forge her own solo career as so many AI finalists/winners do, but to join a band. I think she made the right choice. She has a voice that's well suited to progressive rock, and there aren't all that many female vocalists in that genre at the moment, so well done to her for choosing that path.


5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not?

Not really, not at the start. Found it a little confused, over-powerful and bombastic (yeah, I know I used that word already).


6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?

MUCH better, once "Mindscan" began. Up to then, particularly after "Termites", I was fighting to keep playing it.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

Again, the lyrics in "Mindscan" are very good, though there aren't that many of them. The rest I found kind of meh, but I grew to tolerate them. Nothing stood out terribly though.


8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Yes, especially the laid back parts in "Mindscan", and "The man who knows your name" was quite good too. I can see why this band began life as an instrumental one before hooking up with Leslie.


9. What did you think of the production?

Hard to say, as my copy had a lot of artifacts and pops, which were jarring. Seemed quite okay though.



10. Did the fact that the singer was involved in "American Idol" colour your perception/preconceptions, and if so, how?

Absolutely. I was eager to hear how an American Idol contestant would survive outside of the "solo singer" arena.

11. What sub-genre, if any, would you assign this music to?

Not really sure. Not that well up on sub-genres. I don't think it's heavy enough to be progressive metal (though "Termites" edges into that sphere) so maybe just progressive rock for me. Someone who's better able to redefine these things might have a more informed opinion.

12. On repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?

Much more. It grew to be less of a chore the second time around, and soon I was even starting to not hate "Termites" as much. I think at this point I've listened to the album about five times.

13. What would you class as your favourite track, if you have one?

"Mindscan" obviously, but since that's split into ten parts I'll go for the lovely piano melody in part II, "Entrance".

14. And the one you liked least?

Duh? "Termites". WAY too heavy, and doesn't sit well with the rest of the album, for me.

15. Did the fact that this album is a debut allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated?

No real leeway.

16. Are you now looking forward to their next album?

Yes


17. What did you get, thematically, as the idea behind "Mindscan"?

The idea of alien abduction, with the intention of creating a hybrid species (X-Files ahoy!) which would bring peace to either Earth, the galaxy or both.


18. Did the album end well?

Yes, very satisfyingly.

19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?

Leave off "Termites", have the opener be less repetitive. Perhaps have "Mindscan" at the front, not end of the album, as I probably in normal circumstances might not have got that far, and so missed the best part of the album, consigning it to the pile I play once and then never again.

20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?

Generally hung together well, though the other tracks didn't seem to tie in with "Mindscan", so I'd see this as a sort of "2112", where there's an epic concept piece on the "second side" and the other side is unrelated tracks.

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018