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Kedvesem · 11-25-2016, 05:57 AM

Well, it has definitely been a long while since I last posted here. Sir is back, and I forum-stalk him as always. But I also have no particular place I have been keeping track of my Album of the Year candidates, except for a Little Twin Stars notebook.

I would rather be able to see them all in order and know what is currently in my Top Ten at any given time, so...

Tokumaru Shugo - Toss
1.36
I hate this. I hate this so much. If I could give negative stars, I would. This is Twee Pop, and "twee" is an insult.

Bat for Lashes - The Bride
1.75
This was just awful. She had an interesting concept for the concept album, but the execution was dreadful. She is supposed to be singing the pain of a woman who lost her fiance on the day of her wedding, but listening to her, I did not believe in her passion or her loss. She was simply dull. And whingey.

Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger
1.91
I like Paul Simon. He has made some amazing albums. This is ... not one of them. It was lame. But he can have my wristband for free.

Bon Iver - 22, a Million
2.20
I like Justin Vernon, and his performance on Hadestown is one of my treasures. But this was just bad.

Steven Wilson - 4 1/2
2.33
There were a couple of good songs. Most of the rest were just mediocre.

Ray LaMontagne - Ouroboros
2.38
This was ... just dull. It was the first one we listened to, though, so I was still learning to rate the albums...

Dungen - Haxan
2.50
This one was more irritating than Ezra Furman overall, so he edged it out, despite their equal rating.

Ezra Furman - Big Fugitive Life
2.50
This one I was surprised to find I enjoyed as much as I did. I had watched his Glastonbury 2016 performance and was ... underwhelmed. He definitely needs to put his big boy panties on.

Goat - Requiem
2.62
Sir liked this a lot. I found much of it irritating, especially the female vocals. Ugh.

Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop - Love Letter for Fire
3.08
This was good. Some cheesy bits, but most pleasant.

Explosions in the Sky - The Wilderness
3.22
There were a couple of quite enjoyable songs, with most of the rest coming in at a solid 3. So if I were going over my whole music collection, this would not make it.

Lisa Hannigan - At Swim
3.27
Her work on Damien Rice's O is brilliant. Some of her other songs are also excellent. This album was ... good enough, I suppose.

Mutual Benefit - Skip a Sinking Stone
3.50
This was lovely. It reminded me a great deal of Love's Crushing Diamond, which is a good thing.

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker
3.56
My previous experience listening to Leonard Cohen has been underwhelming but unobjectionable (a U on the LPUC scale). Though most of this album was in the solid three range, there were a couple of stand-out songs that pulled the average up.

Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth
3.67
I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it is still my least favorite of his three albums.

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree
3.75
I liked his dark vibe throughout, and his cynicism resonates with me.

Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence
4.00
Though this has the exact rating as Sorceress, I moved it to an inferior position because, though it has more "great songs", it also has more weak songs, making it more uneven overall.

Opeth - Sorceress
4.00
I think that if I have a general "favorite genre", it's probably prog rock, whether from the classic era or now.

David Bowie - Blackstar
4.57
The only surprise for me with this is that it was not the absolute highest ranking I have. Dark and lovely as the Shulamite.

Wardruna - Runaljod-Ragnarok
5.00
This was sheer beauty when I first listened to it. It cleaned my clock. It was staggering.
Then I listened to it a second time, in a row with its two predecessors. It was a magical experience, an epic journey to the end of the world. I had already ranked the album five stars before that. Now it is probably the most perfect album I know. Intent and execution perfectly married and resulting in a tour de force that leaves me simultaneously whimpering for it to end and hoping it never does.

***

Sir and I still have over 30 albums (maybe more) to listen to between now and 31 December. That's ... a lot. I will keep posting up my ratings on those as we go, and I will do a complete Top Ten at the end.

11-25-2016, 05:57 AM	#58 (permalink)
Kedvesem I like what I like Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 303	2016 AotY Well, it has definitely been a long while since I last posted here. Sir is back, and I forum-stalk him as always. But I also have no particular place I have been keeping track of my Album of the Year candidates, except for a Little Twin Stars notebook. I would rather be able to see them all in order and know what is currently in my Top Ten at any given time, so... Tokumaru Shugo - Toss 1.36 I hate this. I hate this so much. If I could give negative stars, I would. This is Twee Pop, and "twee" is an insult. Bat for Lashes - The Bride 1.75 This was just awful. She had an interesting concept for the concept album, but the execution was dreadful. She is supposed to be singing the pain of a woman who lost her fiance on the day of her wedding, but listening to her, I did not believe in her passion or her loss. She was simply dull. And whingey. Paul Simon - Stranger to Stranger 1.91 I like Paul Simon. He has made some amazing albums. This is ... not one of them. It was lame. But he can have my wristband for free. Bon Iver - 22, a Million 2.20 I like Justin Vernon, and his performance on Hadestown is one of my treasures. But this was just bad. Steven Wilson - 4 1/2 2.33 There were a couple of good songs. Most of the rest were just mediocre. Ray LaMontagne - Ouroboros 2.38 This was ... just dull. It was the first one we listened to, though, so I was still learning to rate the albums... Dungen - Haxan 2.50 This one was more irritating than Ezra Furman overall, so he edged it out, despite their equal rating. Ezra Furman - Big Fugitive Life 2.50 This one I was surprised to find I enjoyed as much as I did. I had watched his Glastonbury 2016 performance and was ... underwhelmed. He definitely needs to put his big boy panties on. Goat - Requiem 2.62 Sir liked this a lot. I found much of it irritating, especially the female vocals. Ugh. Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop - Love Letter for Fire 3.08 This was good. Some cheesy bits, but most pleasant. Explosions in the Sky - The Wilderness 3.22 There were a couple of quite enjoyable songs, with most of the rest coming in at a solid 3. So if I were going over my whole music collection, this would not make it. Lisa Hannigan - At Swim 3.27 Her work on Damien Rice's O is brilliant. Some of her other songs are also excellent. This album was ... good enough, I suppose. Mutual Benefit - Skip a Sinking Stone 3.50 This was lovely. It reminded me a great deal of Love's Crushing Diamond, which is a good thing. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker 3.56 My previous experience listening to Leonard Cohen has been underwhelming but unobjectionable (a U on the LPUC scale). Though most of this album was in the solid three range, there were a couple of stand-out songs that pulled the average up. Sturgill Simpson - A Sailor's Guide to Earth 3.67 I enjoyed this quite a bit, but it is still my least favorite of his three albums. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Skeleton Tree 3.75 I liked his dark vibe throughout, and his cynicism resonates with me. Devin Townsend Project - Transcendence 4.00 Though this has the exact rating as Sorceress, I moved it to an inferior position because, though it has more "great songs", it also has more weak songs, making it more uneven overall. Opeth - Sorceress 4.00 I think that if I have a general "favorite genre", it's probably prog rock, whether from the classic era or now. David Bowie - Blackstar 4.57 The only surprise for me with this is that it was not the absolute highest ranking I have. Dark and lovely as the Shulamite. Wardruna - Runaljod-Ragnarok 5.00 This was sheer beauty when I first listened to it. It cleaned my clock. It was staggering. Then I listened to it a second time, in a row with its two predecessors. It was a magical experience, an epic journey to the end of the world. I had already ranked the album five stars before that. Now it is probably the most perfect album I know. Intent and execution perfectly married and resulting in a tour de force that leaves me simultaneously whimpering for it to end and hoping it never does. *** Sir and I still have over 30 albums (maybe more) to listen to between now and 31 December. That's ... a lot. I will keep posting up my ratings on those as we go, and I will do a complete Top Ten at the end.