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

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 10:27 AM

Album title: G4 Love Songs
Artist: G4
Genre: Popera (would you believe?)
Nationality: English
Release date: February 3
Position in Discography: Fifth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? Had the misfortune to see them on the X Factor; other than that, no
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Didn't even know it existed
Average RYM Score: N/A
As I say in the notes, the first and only time I saw boyband G4 was when I was forced to watch the X Factor with my sis, at a time when she could make it down the stairs and I could hardly leave her on her own, so I had to suffer this and other programmes I would rather saw my head off than watch. As it happens, when G4 appeared I expected a run-of-the-mill boyband, so was pleasantly (at the time) surprised when they all started singing acapella in tenor voices. It was different. It was interesting. But there's a reason why the likes of The Flying Pickets had one or two hits and were then forgotten about: it's a novelty that very quickly wears off. Apparently, G4 have had five albums, including this, so I guess someone's buying their music. Here, they engage star talent such as opera singer Lesley Garrett and, um, Merril Osmond. Ah. Yeah. They also decide, rather unwisely in my opinion, to tackle Meat Loaf's “I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)” as the opening track, and it's pretty limp and uninspiring. Garrett's a recognised star but she's wasted here.

I don't know: it's very overblown and I'm sure if you were watching this live it would be very powerful and dramatic and impressive, but it's not really something I want to listen to for another nine or ten songs. I think I've had enough. It's pretty easy to predict how they're going to handle songs like “I Don't Want To Miss a Thing”, “Can't Help Falling in Love”, “I'll Be There” and the unjustly-hated “Everything I do (I Do it For You)”. I don't think I need to hang around to see how those opuses turn out under the treatment these guys are handling them with. Not for me thanks.

Check out more from this artist? Absolutely not
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No thank you

Expectation Index: 6

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 12:07 PM

Album title: Fresh Air
Artist: Homeshake
Genre: R&B/Synthpop
Nationality: Canadian
Release date: February 3
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.02
Certainly sounds groovy when it starts, nice and smooth and soul-ish and more like something out of Detroit than Montreal, then slides into more of a - I don't know – New Wave? - sort of thing. Very pleasant though. And back to funk. Enjoying this a lot. Got a nice kind of downtempo/trip-hop feel to some of the tracks too, especially “Wrapping Up”, but the title track I found quite boring and wearing to be honest. All right, I'm getting bored now. But then “This Way” is a really nice dreamy piece that helps the album recover well.

Check out more from this artist? On balance, probably not
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 3

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 03:15 PM

Album title: Crossover Ministry
Artist: Iron Reagan
Genre: Crossover Thrash Metal
Nationality: American
Release date: February 3
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A very little
Average RYM Score: 3.07
Ah, you've got to admire the humour in the band name! Superb. After listening to soft rock and bleeding popera this is going to be a welcome change hopefully. Eighteen tracks and coming in at a total of less than half an hour! I'm glad to hear I can make out the vocals, as I thought they might belong more on Sesame Street than here, if you know what I mean, but while they're aggressive and shouty, they're perfectly listenable. The songs are all very very short – there's only one that's over three minutes, and many don't even make the one minute mark (“Parents of Tomorrow” clocks in at a hefty FIVE SECONDS, while “No Sell” is double that, at an epic twelve!) – so it's hard to assess them, but overall it seems to be a lot of fun and some very good shredding, even if it doesn't last. The longest (!) track, “Dead With My Friends”, coming in at a mind-stretching three and a half minutes, starts off very dark and atmospheric, then takes off into headbanging Heaven. This is great.

“**** the Neighbors” is the kind of anthem Metal has been waiting for! Play this one seriously LOUD at 4 AM! The best way I can describe these guys is a bargain basement Slayer but with tons of humour. Nowhere hear as good, admittedly, as Tom and the lads, but **** are they fun! Look, this is not going to win any Grammys but for headbanging mayhem it's a whole pile of fun! Brain optional, huge speakers mandatory!

Check out more from this artist? Oh **** yes!
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 0

The Batlord · 10-09-2017, 03:24 PM

Maybe you'd like Municipal Waste then. They're the poster boys for modern, goofy, drunken thrash. Iron Reagan basically sound like a complete ripoff tbh.

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Maybe you'd like Municipal Waste then. They're the poster boys for modern, goofy, drunken thrash. Iron Reagan basically sound like a complete ripoff tbh.

Nah, I heard those *******s and they haven't the talent in all their bodies that one member of Iron Reagan has in his little finger. **** them.

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 05:44 PM

Album title: The Garden
Artist: Kari Jobe
Genre: CCM/Worship
Nationality: American
Release date: February 3
Position in Discography: Fifth
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.61
Ah crud! Back to the bleeding God Squad we must go! Why is it that an album I actually want to review (Julian Cope's) is not available and this crap is? God-damn-it is all I can say. Oh well, let's get this over with huh? I suppose you have to admire someone who can call God in as her gardener, as she explains on her Wiki page: God used a garden in my back yard to help me remember that He is always at work to turn extremely difficult situations into beauty. Everything we do in this life, on this side of heaven, is Kingdom oriented. There will always be pruning, planting, watering and growth. Different seasons have different experiences- but God is always up to something beautiful. Hope she paid Him more than minimum wage!

And once again, worship music surprises me. Sentiments aside, take the religion out of this and it's well sung, well written and very well played. I'm starting to build a certain respect towards these musicians. They're not going to convert me, but I won't be not listening to their music purely on the basis of what it stands for. Her singing kind of reminds me a little of Amy Grant. **** it: there's nothing here I don't like. Save me, Jebus! I've been reborn!

Check out more from this artist? I would not be averse
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah, maybe

Expectation Index: 9

Zhanteimi · 10-09-2017, 05:50 PM

.

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mord

You're gonna make a great Christian some day, TH.

I'll need to buy a whole lot of modelling clay first.

On a more serious note: I suppose, even though I don't really believe, I do espouse the Christian way of life, as in, I try to do good and to put myself last. I'm ****ed if I'm going to love my enemy, though when it comes to love your neighbour, well, if you saw my neighbour you'd have no trouble with that!

The Batlord · 10-09-2017, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Nah, I heard those *******s and they haven't the talent in all their bodies that one member of Iron Reagan has in his little finger. **** them.

Lol I don't even really like Municipal Waste, but that song is still fun as ****. I guess I might check out Iron Reagan, but honestly the only new age thrash album (i.e. new thrash album made by a new thrash band) that I've truly liked was Evile's Enter the Grave. It even had Flemming Rasmussen as producer of Ride the Lightning, Master of Puppets, and And Justice for All fame.

Trollheart · 10-09-2017, 05:55 PM

In fairness, you're not going to get much out of them, as, as I said, the songs are all really short (check out "Parents of the Future"!) but I find them great fun. "More War" is ****ing great - "I want MORE WAR! I want MORE WAR!" Idiotic genius.

10-09-2017, 10:27 AM	#451 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: G4 Love Songs Artist: G4 Genre: Popera (would you believe?) Nationality: English Release date: February 3 Position in Discography: Fifth Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? Had the misfortune to see them on the X Factor; other than that, no Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Didn't even know it existed Average RYM Score: N/A As I say in the notes, the first and only time I saw boyband G4 was when I was forced to watch the X Factor with my sis, at a time when she could make it down the stairs and I could hardly leave her on her own, so I had to suffer this and other programmes I would rather saw my head off than watch. As it happens, when G4 appeared I expected a run-of-the-mill boyband, so was pleasantly (at the time) surprised when they all started singing acapella in tenor voices. It was different. It was interesting. But there's a reason why the likes of The Flying Pickets had one or two hits and were then forgotten about: it's a novelty that very quickly wears off. Apparently, G4 have had five albums, including this, so I guess someone's buying their music. Here, they engage star talent such as opera singer Lesley Garrett and, um, Merril Osmond. Ah. Yeah. They also decide, rather unwisely in my opinion, to tackle Meat Loaf's “I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)” as the opening track, and it's pretty limp and uninspiring. Garrett's a recognised star but she's wasted here. I don't know: it's very overblown and I'm sure if you were watching this live it would be very powerful and dramatic and impressive, but it's not really something I want to listen to for another nine or ten songs. I think I've had enough. It's pretty easy to predict how they're going to handle songs like “I Don't Want To Miss a Thing”, “Can't Help Falling in Love”, “I'll Be There” and the unjustly-hated “Everything I do (I Do it For You)”. I don't think I need to hang around to see how those opuses turn out under the treatment these guys are handling them with. Not for me thanks. Check out more from this artist? Absolutely not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No thank you Expectation Index: 6 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-09-2017, 12:07 PM	#452 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Fresh Air Artist: Homeshake Genre: R&B/Synthpop Nationality: Canadian Release date: February 3 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.02 Certainly sounds groovy when it starts, nice and smooth and soul-ish and more like something out of Detroit than Montreal, then slides into more of a - I don't know – New Wave? - sort of thing. Very pleasant though. And back to funk. Enjoying this a lot. Got a nice kind of downtempo/trip-hop feel to some of the tracks too, especially “Wrapping Up”, but the title track I found quite boring and wearing to be honest. All right, I'm getting bored now. But then “This Way” is a really nice dreamy piece that helps the album recover well. Check out more from this artist? On balance, probably not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 3 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-09-2017, 03:15 PM	#453 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Crossover Ministry Artist: Iron Reagan Genre: Crossover Thrash Metal Nationality: American Release date: February 3 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A very little Average RYM Score: 3.07 Ah, you've got to admire the humour in the band name! Superb. After listening to soft rock and bleeding popera this is going to be a welcome change hopefully. Eighteen tracks and coming in at a total of less than half an hour! I'm glad to hear I can make out the vocals, as I thought they might belong more on Sesame Street than here, if you know what I mean, but while they're aggressive and shouty, they're perfectly listenable. The songs are all very very short – there's only one that's over three minutes, and many don't even make the one minute mark (“Parents of Tomorrow” clocks in at a hefty FIVE SECONDS, while “No Sell” is double that, at an epic twelve!) – so it's hard to assess them, but overall it seems to be a lot of fun and some very good shredding, even if it doesn't last. The longest (!) track, “Dead With My Friends”, coming in at a mind-stretching three and a half minutes, starts off very dark and atmospheric, then takes off into headbanging Heaven. This is great. “** the Neighbors” is the kind of anthem Metal has been waiting for! Play this one seriously LOUD at 4 AM! The best way I can describe these guys is a bargain basement Slayer but with tons of humour. Nowhere hear as good, admittedly, as Tom and the lads, but are they fun! Look, this is not going to win any Grammys but for headbanging mayhem it's a whole pile of fun! Brain optional, huge speakers mandatory! Check out more from this artist? Oh yes! Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-09-2017, 05:44 PM	#456 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: The Garden Artist: Kari Jobe Genre: CCM/Worship Nationality: American Release date: February 3 Position in Discography: Fifth Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.61 Ah crud! Back to the bleeding God Squad we must go! Why is it that an album I actually want to review (Julian Cope's) is not available and this crap is? God-damn-it is all I can say. Oh well, let's get this over with huh? I suppose you have to admire someone who can call God in as her gardener, as she explains on her Wiki page: God used a garden in my back yard to help me remember that He is always at work to turn extremely difficult situations into beauty. Everything we do in this life, on this side of heaven, is Kingdom oriented. There will always be pruning, planting, watering and growth. Different seasons have different experiences- but God is always up to something beautiful. Hope she paid Him more than minimum wage! And once again, worship music surprises me. Sentiments aside, take the religion out of this and it's well sung, well written and very well played. I'm starting to build a certain respect towards these musicians. They're not going to convert me, but I won't be not listening to their music purely on the basis of what it stands for. Her singing kind of reminds me a little of Amy Grant. ** it: there's nothing here I don't like. Save me, Jebus! I've been reborn! Check out more from this artist? I would not be averse Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yeah, maybe Expectation Index: 9** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-09-2017, 05:50 PM	#457 (permalink)
Zhanteimi Mord Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Tokyo Posts: 4,874	. __________________ Zhanteimi LetsTalkMusic Last edited by Zhanteimi; 11-28-2017 at 04:49 PM.

10-09-2017, 05:55 PM	#460 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	In fairness, you're not going to get much out of them, as, as I said, the songs are all really short (check out "Parents of the Future"!) but I find them great fun. "More War" is ***ing great - "I want MORE WAR! I want MORE WAR!" Idiotic genius. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018*