1. What were your VERY FIRST impressions on listening to the album, say from the first five minutes in?
I loved the guitar and thought hey this is going to be an easy album to listen to! Then she started singing, and that was kind of that.
2. What did you think of the opening track?
Loved it for about forty seconds. For me, the singing ruined it, although in fairness this was not the worst (imo) that she sung; she got a lot more annoying as it went on, but this was a bad start.
3. What did you think of the next track?
Hated this with the passion of a thousand Hitlers writing a thousand copies of Mein Kampf. Her singing really pissed me off here and I couldn't even enjoy the guitar on this track. The castanets were pretty annoying too.
4. Did you like the vocalist? Hate him/her? Any impressions? (see note 1)
Absolutely hated her. I understand she has passion and pain in her voice, but so could say a singer in a DBSM band. That doesn't mean I'm going to like DBSM. This voice did nothing for me. That's incorrect: it put my teeth on edge.
5. Did the music (only) generally appeal to you, or not? (see note 2)
The guitar was okay, but the singing made it hard to concentate on it.
6. Did the album get better or worse as you listened to it (first time)?
Much worse
7. What did you think of the lyrical content?
n/a as I don't speak Spanish
8. Did you like the instrumental parts? (see note 3)
Yeah. About the only decent parts on the album
9. What did you think of the production?
Pass as ever
10. Did you know of this artiste prior to listening to the album, and if so, did that foreknowledge colour your perception of this album?
No and no
11. Is this, generally, the kind of music you listen to or not?
Not really, no. I'm not into flamenco, nor do I have a burning desire to be.
12. Assuming you listened to the album more than once, on repeated listens, did you find you liked the album more, or less?
A lot less, and I only listened twice, but it was enough
13. What would you class as your favourite track(s), if you have any?
None, but “La Plazuela y el tardon” at least had someone else singing, so that was bearable. The same can be said of “Por primera vez”
14. And the one(s) you liked least?
Everything else.
15. If the album in question is a debut, did that fact allow it, in your mind, any leeway, and if so, was that decision justified or vindicated? (see note 4)
n/a
16. Are you now looking forward to hearing more from this artiste, if you have not heard any of their other material?
Absolutely not
17. Were you surprised by your reaction - positive or negative - to the album?
Yeah. I had hoped I'd like it more, but that voice. Ugh.
18. Did the album end well?
Well, it ended, so I guess that was good.
19. Do you see any way the album could have been improved?
Make it entirely instrumental
20. Do you think the album hung together well, ie was a fully cohesive unit, or was it a bit hit-and-miss?
I really neither know nor care.
This is obviously for some people, particularly fans of flamenco I guess, but it's not for me. All I can give this is a generous 4/10 and hope never to encounter it again.
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Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018
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