Music Banter - View Single Post - Bitesize: Trollheart's Daily Album Mini-Reviews

Trollheart · 01-16-2017, 09:39 AM

Bigger and better for 2017. Well, bigger anyway...

Some changes have occurred. When I started this journal it was as a sort of foil to my main journal, where reviews could be condensed and not run on for ten pages like my usual style. In the interim I've learned to be a little less wordy (no, I have) and so the idea of shorter reviews kind of doesn't make too much sense any more. Also, I now have my “Listening List” thread for that. So here I'm going to change the format.

There will be no reviews. Definitely not. No way. Well, maybe. Occasionally. Sometimes. Depends on how I'm feeling. But the point is there won't always be one. The idea is that I will listen to the album, rate the tracks using my patent pending “Love or Hate?” style, and will write most likely a few short lines, maybe a paragraph in some instances about the album. Just basic stuff. In some cases, this may expand out a little but it most it will just be a line or two. Maybe. Also, some categories are going or being merged. Things like “favourite track(s)” will now be redundant, as you'll be able to see from the track listing what I thought of each one. I'm getting rid of “Initial impression” too, and the ratings will be moved to the end instead of being the first thing you see. Also, although this was originally conceived to only deal with albums I had not heard before, I will now also feature some I know, on occasion, but may either not have heard for a while or may only have listened to once or twice. Actually, you know what? I'm removing all restrictions on albums reviewed here: if I've heard it before, reviewed it before even, if it's part of The Great Discography Project or has appeared in another journal or thread, or is due to, don't care. I may look at it here too. Anything is up for grabs. Taking the Hum Factor out too, as it's really unimportant to how good or bad an album is.

Artiste: Casting Crowns
Nationality: American
Album: Come to the Well
Year: 2011
Label: Beach Street/Reunion
Genre: Christian Rock
Tracks:
Courageous
City on the hill
Jesus, friend of sinners
Already there
The well
Spirit wind
Just another birthday
Wedding day
Angel
My own worst enemy
Face down
So far to find you
Chronological position: Fifth album
Familiarity: Zero
Comments: You know, I could go on smugly about how this is sub-country mixed with pop/rock and a large slice of Christian worship, but who the fuck cares? If you can put aside the overtly religious messages in the songs (which you should have expected anyway if you had done your research before beginning to listen to this) then you can enjoy this on its own merits. In places, nowhere near as preachy as I had expected, and the songwriting is good. Kind of reminds me of if Bon Jovi did Christian Rock. If that makes your blood run cold, move along; I like most of this. It is a little embarrassing when they try to “rock out” on “My own worst enemy” though.
Intention: I reckon I'll check out more of their material. Who cares if they're part of the God Squad? I listen to (some) Black Metal but don't venerate Satan. This is decent music.

01-16-2017, 09:39 AM	#281 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Bigger and better for 2017. Well, bigger anyway... Some changes have occurred. When I started this journal it was as a sort of foil to my main journal, where reviews could be condensed and not run on for ten pages like my usual style. In the interim I've learned to be a little less wordy (no, I have) and so the idea of shorter reviews kind of doesn't make too much sense any more. Also, I now have my “Listening List” thread for that. So here I'm going to change the format. There will be no reviews. Definitely not. No way. Well, maybe. Occasionally. Sometimes. Depends on how I'm feeling. But the point is there won't always be one. The idea is that I will listen to the album, rate the tracks using my patent pending “Love or Hate?” style, and will write most likely a few short lines, maybe a paragraph in some instances about the album. Just basic stuff. In some cases, this may expand out a little but it most it will just be a line or two. Maybe. Also, some categories are going or being merged. Things like “favourite track(s)” will now be redundant, as you'll be able to see from the track listing what I thought of each one. I'm getting rid of “Initial impression” too, and the ratings will be moved to the end instead of being the first thing you see. Also, although this was originally conceived to only deal with albums I had not heard before, I will now also feature some I know, on occasion, but may either not have heard for a while or may only have listened to once or twice. Actually, you know what? I'm removing all restrictions on albums reviewed here: if I've heard it before, reviewed it before even, if it's part of The Great Discography Project or has appeared in another journal or thread, or is due to, don't care. I may look at it here too. Anything is up for grabs. Taking the Hum Factor out too, as it's really unimportant to how good or bad an album is. Artiste: Casting Crowns Nationality: American Album: Come to the Well Year: 2011 Label: Beach Street/Reunion Genre: Christian Rock Tracks: Courageous City on the hill Jesus, friend of sinners Already there The well Spirit wind Just another birthday Wedding day Angel My own worst enemy Face down So far to find you Chronological position: Fifth album Familiarity: Zero Comments: You know, I could go on smugly about how this is sub-country mixed with pop/rock and a large slice of Christian worship, but who the fuck cares? If you can put aside the overtly religious messages in the songs (which you should have expected anyway if you had done your research before beginning to listen to this) then you can enjoy this on its own merits. In places, nowhere near as preachy as I had expected, and the songwriting is good. Kind of reminds me of if Bon Jovi did Christian Rock. If that makes your blood run cold, move along; I like most of this. It is a little embarrassing when they try to “rock out” on “My own worst enemy” though. Intention: I reckon I'll check out more of their material. Who cares if they're part of the God Squad? I listen to (some) Black Metal but don't venerate Satan. This is decent music. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 01-16-2017 at 09:54 AM.