Trollheart

As deep depression prevented me from updating in November, I decided to hold off and make this a double update, the last in 2017. So here we are, and man, if I look back to last year's final update, how things have changed. Members who used to update furiously (including me) are conspicuous by their absence, members who used never to even keep journals are hard at it, and there are new journals from members who never even put fingers to keyboard in this section. As Frank Drebin once philosophised, “Can't go back...”

Even at that, for a two-month update the meat is still not enough to properly feed even a dieting Batlord, but what's here is pretty much quality, and I guess that's what counts. So if you're all finished by now exchanging crappy gifts for the ones you actually wanted, and staring in dismay at that scale while also shaking your head as you look at your waistline and making that new year's resolution you know you'll never keep, let's put this year to bed, shall we?


Batty is riding on ICP's dick once again as he looks into The Amazing Jeckel Brothers (thought they were two cartoon crows?) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ite-about.html

Not quite sure if Blank is having a nervous breakdown or being the most creative and out of left field that he's ever been, but when http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...l-pleases.html, I kind of never thought of it as including talking to himself. Still, as they say, sometimes that's the only way to get intelligent conversation, huh? Um. Anyway, Joji is mentioned and there's a few lines (okay, one line) about Power Trip, and he's starting a list of his favourite wrestlers of 2017. Probably not a bad idea to be stoned if you check out his journal currently.

http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-section.html has Your Song Is Good (but he doesn't seem to impressed with them) and is much more interested in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ravaganza.html, where you'll find the likes of Oddisee, Angles 9, Wolves in the Throne Room, Billy Woods and more. His worst albums of 2017 list is certainly stirring up controversy, and I'd have to say that for Exo (meant with the utmost respect) this is the first time I've seen him put so much work into a journal. Long may he reign!

I guess he just can't stay away! I know the feeling. Where we expected/dreaded a long silence, there are this month again http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nnerspace.html where innerspaceboy is waxing lyrical over the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, recently enjoyed by most of us in the Album Club. Welcome back, dude! And just in time for the new year too!

And speaking of the recently returned (no, not the Walking Dead!) there's a new journal for 2018 as http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...e-listens.html. Interesting to see how this one goes. Kicking off with King Gizzard (and of course, what is King Gizzard without his Lizard Wizard?) and Magrudergrind.


A lot going on down at http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ong-picks.html, with Anki, Sparks, Mor Karbasi, his best songs of the last five years (which is slightly biased in favour of his usual favourite artists – Tori Amos, Cristina Branco, Dir En Grey etc – but that's ok) and a four-part tour through the new music he's experienced this year, some of which he's definitely mentioned before, but some new stuff too.

A new journal from a member who tends not to say much, but in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...s-spotify.html we'll perhaps hear more about this rather enigmatic guy. Ah, no: I should have guessed. A graphic list and so far not even any real entries. Mindfulness, we know you so well!

Mondo's finally back to finish http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...im-leavin.html and I think we can all say this is something we've been waiting for.

An artist due to be looked at in the Album Club in 2018, Neapolitan is talking about The Like in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...dern-rock.html

OccultHawk's countdown continues in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ighter-26.html with Slayer, Sabbath, Floyd, Zep, Dylan and more as he heads towards the number one spot, which I won't spoil by giving it away. Don't think anyone would guess it though. Then there's Italian ambient music and after that he launches into his favourite jazz, which is where I get me coat. I will note however that he checks out that Whit Dickey album that so bored me. That's me and jazz in a nutshell I guess.

Black Metal is the order of the day (and somewhat more up my alley I suppose) in http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ramblings.html, where he's having A Trve Kvlt Christmas (shoulda said Kristmas, Kvert; gotta love that alliteration!) and listening to Leviathan, Noosefiller, Agalloch, Fem, Immortal and Burzum. And a lot more, of course. Well, some more, anyway.

Time for the awards then, and

(I know it's technically post of two months, but I'm fucked if I'm making a new graphic for that!)
goes to Qwertyy for this love letter to that jolly scourge of churches, our man Varg, otherwise known as Burzum.
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...ml#post1900905

Funny Post

of the Month
Goes to Blank and his curious conversation with himself here:


There's little doubt as to who can claim

and that's MicShazam for his trojan work on his journal over the last two months.


A real event in journal land, Exo's new Top 50 Albums journal attracted so much interest, debate, conversation and the odd threat of physical violence that I had to bring this award back for this month, and award it to him. For those unfamiliar with this award, it's given to the journal that gains the most attention, incites the most debate, or just has most people checking it out.


Obvoiusly Mondo wins this, returning after almost exactly a year to finish his journal. Good man!

COMING NEXT YEAR....



And that's it for the final update of 2018. Hopefully all will be back on track for January and we'll have the usual update on the last Sunday of that month, assuming there's enough to write about. Until then, it just remains for me to wish you all a very Happy ... you know what? fuck it. I'm not going to wish you a HNY. This year sucked, and there's no reason not to believe the next one won't too. And I hate you all. I hope you all die in a fire. A very hot fire. Listening to the kind of music you hate the worst. Fuck you all.

Toodles!

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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018