Music Banter - View Single Post

Unknown Soldier · 03-08-2013, 04:05 PM

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

A poppy version of Peter Gabriel era Genesis (hell Genesis again!) but then I have to say the poppy hooks on "Ghosts" really grabbed me and kind of reminded me of Raised on Radio era Journey.

2. What did you think of the opening tracks?

Ghosts a great track and I also enjoyed Playground.

3. What did you think of the later tracks?

A lot of the songs in the middle part of the album, I thought had a tendency to drag and nothing is worse than pop songs that drag, they remind of those singers on those talent contest shows! The title track was a perfect example of this trait.

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

I thought the vocalist a competant all round singer, whose style carried off most of the songs.

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

As ET said it was mostly poppy prog which to be fair does have limited appeal to me. It was an album that I enjoyed due to its poppy edge but it's probably not something I'd put on again in a hurry, but certain songs did really stand out.

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

I did appreciate some of the songs more on a second listen.

7. What did you think of the lyrical content?

They seemed to have clarity and were easy to understand, but I didn't follow them enough to judge them properly.

8. Did you like the instrumental parts?

Can't fault the instruments on the album and the band seemed very precise in what they were trying to achieve.

9. What did you think of the production?

Sounded very polished.

10. How well do you already know the band/artist?

I knew the name and also knew they were a band that had been around in the late 1980s, when their sound would've fallen into the AOR category......possibly.

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

Progressive pop if such a thing exists.

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

I think this is an album for moods and you really need to be in the mood for this album (just my opinion of course)

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

Ghosts.

14. And the one you liked least?

The slower stuff I wasn't overly keen on, no one song stood worse than the others on the album.

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

Don't know the rest of their discography to comment on this.

16. Are you now looking forward to hearing other albums by the band/artist?

I'm keen on hearing their first, which gets high ratings on some sites.

17. Did you get, thematically, the idea behind the album if there was one?

The theme didn't register with me.

18. Did the album end well?

Hate to say it but was kind of glad when it ended, it seemed long at 64 mins.....but that's a normal length today.

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

Given the poppy style of the band, it's hard to change the core of the band, but I guess they did what they set out to do.

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

It was consistent.

Overall Album Rating: 6 out of 10 A decent album but just not my style.