Trollheart Listens to Every Album on Wiki's List for 2017

Trollheart · 12-19-2017, 02:16 PM

Album title: Keepsake
Artist: Heavy Heart
Genre: Pop/Rock
Nationality: English
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: N/A
I sure like her voice; the music is upbeat but kind of at the same time laidback, could be some elements of shoegaze and/or dream pop in here. A somewhat common problem is cropping up though, in that there's nothing wrong with any of these songs but there's nothing either that's really jumping out at me and making me take notice. “Yellowbird” might be the first time this has happened, and it's kind of more the extended instrumental ending that speaks to me. Yeah but mostly it's just passing by in a pleasant, unremarked kind of way. Nothing bad, but nothing great. Not quite a meh, but not too far removed from it I'm afraid.

Check out more from this artist? Probably not
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

(No YouTubes available; perhaps that tells its own story...)
Expectation Index: 6

~~MicShazam~~ · 12-19-2017, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

The first, and to date only, Goldfrapp album I heard (their debut) I absolutely loved. Whether that will turn out to be the exception or not we will find out.

Goldfrapp has changed style a bit over the years. Just know that the debut is very unique. To me, it even sounds sort of Twin Peaks esque at times (so basically a bit like something Angelo Badalamenti could have worked on, although he hasn't). The albums in between the first and the newest are mostly very upbeat and poppy. One of them even had a hint of Abba to it. I think the second newest is supposed to be very low key, but I haven't really heard it.

Trollheart · 12-19-2017, 03:19 PM

Album title: As the Sun Sleeps
Artist: Invidia
Genre: Metalcore
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yes
Average RYM Score: 2.40
Very powerful, anthemic start, could see this getting the studded fists in the air certainly, while “Rotten” has crunching menace about it, grinding and heavy to the max, then “Marching Dead” has the kind of hook Metallica would probably give their eyeteeth for. “Smell the Kill”, while a little laughable, is another one with a great hook, something these guys seem to do very well. There's more than a little of the nu-metal/rap metal to “Step Up”, but it's a good song. Overall, I'd say a decent metal album but again, nothing to get particularly excited about.

Serves them right for taking their name from a computer graphics card!

Check out more from this artist? Might
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 3

GD · 12-19-2017, 03:44 PM

Would you mind putting a plus or minus in front of the expectation index rating, so we know if it was better or worse than expected? Just a suggestion

Trollheart · 12-19-2017, 04:49 PM

Album title: Veins
Artist: Homeboy Sandman
Genre: Hip-hop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Seventh
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.13
Unlike much/most of the hip-hop I've heard so far, this guy seems to concentrate on his rapping with a very basic (and quite funky) backing track mostly on guitar, at least for the first track. The rapping is very impressive (I guess those in the know would say he has a good flow?) and where a lot of even the top layer of talent in this genre seem to rely quite heavily on lavish production and guest musicans, Homeboy Sandman likes to do it all, I guess, old school. The songs are all very short – only one, almost two, crack the three-minute mark – and the album itself only has ten tracks, which is quite refreshing in these days of seventeen, twenty or more track-albums, much of which is often filler. Homeboy's strength is definitely in his lyrics and his rapping, not in the music, which is almost incidental, background even. I can't say this, of course, being a total hip-hop noob, but it seems like he's getting back to the basics some of the bigger stars have forgotten made this genre. Maybe. Anyway, he's well worth listening to.

Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 10

Ol’ Qwerty Bastard · 12-19-2017, 05:23 PM

heeeell yeah, that’s a really solid album. was gonna recommend it if it didnt cone up

Trollheart · 12-19-2017, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Qwertyy

heeeell yeah, that’s a really solid album. was gonna recommend it if it didnt cone up

Really impressed by it. The guy has real, raw, natural talent. Not that I'd know. But I'd take him over Kanye or Kendrick. Probably.

Trollheart · 12-20-2017, 03:48 AM

Album title: Two Hearts
Artist: Jackie Evancho
Genre: Classical Crossover/Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 31
Position in Discography: Seventh
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.50
I know the first song here, as it appears on Josh Groban's Closer album, and “Caruso” is a beautiful song, and she sings it well. I also know Mascagni's “Cavalleria Rusticana”, though this is a version with vocals, and the piece itself is a classical instrumental. She does a very good job here too. Very operatic voice, which really then suits one of my favourite hymns, “How Great Thou Art”, and whether she's singing showtunes (“The Way We Were”, “Safe and Sound”), pop songs (“Fix You”) or traditional anthems (“America the Beautiful”) this lady has one powerful and engaging voice. She also does a fistful of pop songs she has had a hand in writing here, so she has more than just the classical contemporary arrow in her quiver. A good songwriter too. Impressive stuff.

Check out more from this artist? Might do; classical crossover isn't really my thing but this was nice
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Again, probably unlikely

Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 12-20-2017, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gigantic Debaser

Would you mind putting a plus or minus in front of the expectation index rating, so we know if it was better or worse than expected? Just a suggestion

Not necessary: here's how it works.

Spoiler for last explanation:

GD · 12-20-2017, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Not necessary: here's how it works.

Spoiler for last explanation:

Ok. Still sort of a headache, but I guess it makes sense.
Thanks for explaining it again

12-19-2017, 02:16 PM	#1281 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Keepsake Artist: Heavy Heart Genre: Pop/Rock Nationality: English Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: N/A I sure like her voice; the music is upbeat but kind of at the same time laidback, could be some elements of shoegaze and/or dream pop in here. A somewhat common problem is cropping up though, in that there's nothing wrong with any of these songs but there's nothing either that's really jumping out at me and making me take notice. “Yellowbird” might be the first time this has happened, and it's kind of more the extended instrumental ending that speaks to me. Yeah but mostly it's just passing by in a pleasant, unremarked kind of way. Nothing bad, but nothing great. Not quite a meh, but not too far removed from it I'm afraid. Check out more from this artist? Probably not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes (No YouTubes available; perhaps that tells its own story...) Expectation Index: 6 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-19-2017, 03:19 PM	#1283 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: As the Sun Sleeps Artist: Invidia Genre: Metalcore Nationality: American Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yes Average RYM Score: 2.40 Very powerful, anthemic start, could see this getting the studded fists in the air certainly, while “Rotten” has crunching menace about it, grinding and heavy to the max, then “Marching Dead” has the kind of hook Metallica would probably give their eyeteeth for. “Smell the Kill”, while a little laughable, is another one with a great hook, something these guys seem to do very well. There's more than a little of the nu-metal/rap metal to “Step Up”, but it's a good song. Overall, I'd say a decent metal album but again, nothing to get particularly excited about. Serves them right for taking their name from a computer graphics card! Check out more from this artist? Might Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 3 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-19-2017, 03:44 PM	#1284 (permalink)
GD ???pp? ??snW Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: NO Posts: 686	Would you mind putting a plus or minus in front of the expectation index rating, so we know if it was better or worse than expected? Just a suggestion __________________ lasty\|rate-y music-y

12-19-2017, 04:49 PM	#1285 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Veins Artist: Homeboy Sandman Genre: Hip-hop Nationality: American Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Seventh Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.13 Unlike much/most of the hip-hop I've heard so far, this guy seems to concentrate on his rapping with a very basic (and quite funky) backing track mostly on guitar, at least for the first track. The rapping is very impressive (I guess those in the know would say he has a good flow?) and where a lot of even the top layer of talent in this genre seem to rely quite heavily on lavish production and guest musicans, Homeboy Sandman likes to do it all, I guess, old school. The songs are all very short – only one, almost two, crack the three-minute mark – and the album itself only has ten tracks, which is quite refreshing in these days of seventeen, twenty or more track-albums, much of which is often filler. Homeboy's strength is definitely in his lyrics and his rapping, not in the music, which is almost incidental, background even. I can't say this, of course, being a total hip-hop noob, but it seems like he's getting back to the basics some of the bigger stars have forgotten made this genre. Maybe. Anyway, he's well worth listening to. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

12-20-2017, 03:48 AM	#1288 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Two Hearts Artist: Jackie Evancho Genre: Classical Crossover/Pop Nationality: American Release date: March 31 Position in Discography: Seventh Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.50 I know the first song here, as it appears on Josh Groban's Closer album, and “Caruso” is a beautiful song, and she sings it well. I also know Mascagni's “Cavalleria Rusticana”, though this is a version with vocals, and the piece itself is a classical instrumental. She does a very good job here too. Very operatic voice, which really then suits one of my favourite hymns, “How Great Thou Art”, and whether she's singing showtunes (“The Way We Were”, “Safe and Sound”), pop songs (“Fix You”) or traditional anthems (“America the Beautiful”) this lady has one powerful and engaging voice. She also does a fistful of pop songs she has had a hand in writing here, so she has more than just the classical contemporary arrow in her quiver. A good songwriter too. Impressive stuff. Check out more from this artist? Might do; classical crossover isn't really my thing but this was nice Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Again, probably unlikely Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018