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

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 10:45 AM

Album title: ÷
Artist: Ed Sheeran
Genre: Pop
Nationality: English
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: Critical
Familiar with this artist? Only by reputation
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 1.73
What is it with Ed Sheeran? Can he not think of proper album titles or something? Plus? Multiply? Now we have Divide: though of course he only uses the symbols, not the words. Well there's just Minus left, Ed my man! What then? Square Root? Greater Than? Fraction? Yeah, Sheeran is one of those artists that inspired my latest, probably soon to be ignored and die thread about artists you're “supposed” to hate, and I admit I know none of his music, but the attitude of his fans, who can't even say WHY they like his music, coupled with his gormless grin while attempting to cover “Run to the Hills” on acoustic guitar, make me hate him instantly. Is that hatred justified? Let's find out.

Oh dear god! Is he rapping? Nah, must be a guest ... no. Don't see one. Seems to be him. Dear lord that's embarrassing. Once we get past the red face though the next track is all right, nice bit of power and energy to it, bluesy ballad which is also ok, but then we're back to embarrassing with pseudo-Caribbean beats on “Shape of You” which definitely has TMI in the lyric. Yuck! It does recover then for “Perfect”, which is a great little song, then “Galway Girl” is thankfully not a cover of the Steve Earle song, but he tries to Irish it up with fiddles and bodhrans and whatever. Fails though, and it's an awful song. Just awful.

I don't know: I wanted to hate him, and I certainly don't love him, but he has a few good songs on this. It's probably when he tries so hard to be relevant and dope, or whatever the kids call it these days, that he fails pretty miserably and just looks stupid. Also, have I mentioned that he should really try giving his albums proper titles?

Check out more from this artist? I'd be in no hurry to
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 3

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 02:07 PM

Album title: Girotondo
Artist: Guisy Ferreri
Genre: Pop
Nationality: Italian
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Seventh
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: N/A
A hard one to track down, this. Nobody has any information on it at all. That's probably not a great start. Once it gets going though, it's pretty forgettable pop with nothing really standing out to me. Europop I guess. In fairness, it develops later on in the album into a more cultured, adult, dramatic kind of pop and it's not the worst album I've ever heard. Not even the worst Italian one. But it's far from the best.

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

Expectation Index: 2

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 02:56 PM

Album title: Last Place
Artist: Grandaddy
Genre: Indie Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Fifth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? Ony through Janszoon's championing of them
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not really no
Average RYM Score: 3.29
I remember our Jansz going on a few years back about how good these guys were, but I never got a chance to check them out. This is, apparently, their “comeback” album, after reuniting following their breakup in 2006, so I guess the pressure's on to be something special, not having had an album out in eleven years now. Well the opener certainly appeals to me; love the rich, textured sound here and it's very upbeat and friendly, which I guess is odd considering this is an album about the lead singer's divorce. Not quite Face Value, then! “The Boat is in the Barn” is a great song, very powerful and sad. Then they ramp it up completely with “Chek Injin” which rocks along like a good thing. A very good thing.

These guys seem to have the talent to create really excellent songs that they somehow shove into three minutes or less, and there's really nothing wasted. Nothing overstays its welcome, nothing sounds forced, and I guess you could say these songs may have been building up for some time, just waiting to be released. Kind of odd little sounds on “Jed the 4th”, but there's really nothing here I don't love. Excellent album. Nice one, Jansz!

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

Expectation Index: 0

rubber soul · 11-07-2017, 03:03 PM

Oh, man, I have to agree with Janszoon on this one. These guys are freaking great. I'll listen to the whole album tomorrow but I'm really glad they got back together. Their best album is probably the Sophtware Slump from 2000 but everything they did was classic. Great pick, TH. Glad you liked them

Jed the 4th is probably a variation of Jed the Humanoid I would surmise.

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber soul

Oh, man, I have to agree with Janszoon on this one. These guys are freaking great. I'll listen to the whole album tomorrow but I'm really glad they got back together. Their best album is probably the Sophtware Slump from 2000 but everything they did was classic. Great pick, TH. Glad you liked them

Jed the 4th is probably a variation of Jed the Humanoid I would surmise.

I don't think I've heard a sadder or more affecting album since The Antlers' Hospice. You really feel for the guy, and yet, if a divorce brings forth this kind of creativity ....

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 04:48 PM

Album title: I Say Yes
Artist: Jessica Sutta
Genre: Pop
Nationality: English
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.00
Another new pop singer, just what we need! Okay, so she was in the Pussycat Dolls. Just what we need. Well, the opener isn't bad: certainly has something, but it quickly loses whatever that was and falls into the tired old groove pop often does. Sounds just like any other diva now, to me. Nothing special. Yeah, well, if in doubt add a guest rapper, as in on “When a Girl Loves a Boy”, when we get to hear Pitbull strut his stuff.

Ok, this is going nowhere. But I am. Bye!

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? See next album...

Expectation Index: 0

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 05:21 PM

Album title: How I Like It
Artist: James Maslow
Genre: Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: N/A
Great. An actor turned pop singer. Just what we need. Oh, and he was in a boyband. Just what we need. Well at least it isn't all bouncy happy fluff: the opener has a kind of slow hip-hop feel to it (says he, knowing nothing about hip-hop, but from what I've heard of it this is what the opening track puts me in mind of) and so far this isn't terrible. I can at least get to the end of it without bailing, so that's something. Not a lot, but it's something.
Check out more from this artist? Nah
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 2

Trollheart · 11-07-2017, 05:47 PM

Album title: Season of the Witch
Artist: John 5 and The Creatures
Genre: Heavy Metal/Prog Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Ninth solo album
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of him
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yep
Average RYM Score: 3.09
Rob Zombie. Dave Lee Roth. Marilyn Manson. What's the connection? John 5 has been in all these bands, and more. He's certainly well known around the metal and indeed the prog scene, with a list of contributions and collaborations longer than Batty's comic book wishlist. Totally respected, he even taught John Payne of Asia how to play guitar, wrote songs for Rod Stewart and shared stage space with Ozzy. Superb bit of banjo in “The Black Grass Plague” and who can say no to a song titled “Guitars, Tits and Monsters”?

It's all powerful guitar histrionics, probably better appreciated by the likes of Plankton or maybe Wpnfire or Mondo, who know of these things. All I can say is it's headbangingly good, and well worth listening to. The highest praise I can think of is that this is like listening to a Plankton album. Yeah, that good.

Check out more from this artist? Probably
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Always

Expectation Index: 0

Anteater · 11-07-2017, 08:28 PM

That Grandaddy album is pretty pleasant. Gettin' some Jellyfish and Eliott Smith vibes.

Neapolitan · 11-07-2017, 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Album title: Last Place
Artist: Grandaddy
Genre: Indie Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: March 3
Position in Discography: Fifth
Fear Factor: Low
Familiar with this artist? Ony through Janszoon's championing of them
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not really no
Average RYM Score: 3.29
I remember our Jansz going on a few years back about how good these guys were, but I never got a chance to check them out. This is, apparently, their “comeback” album, after reuniting following their breakup in 2006, so I guess the pressure's on to be something special, not having had an album out in eleven years now. Well the opener certainly appeals to me; love the rich, textured sound here and it's very upbeat and friendly, which I guess is odd considering this is an album about the lead singer's divorce. Not quite Face Value, then! “The Boat is in the Barn” is a great song, very powerful and sad. Then they ramp it up completely with “Chek Injin” which rocks along like a good thing. A very good thing.

These guys seem to have the talent to create really excellent songs that they somehow shove into three minutes or less, and there's really nothing wasted. Nothing overstays its welcome, nothing sounds forced, and I guess you could say these songs may have been building up for some time, just waiting to be released. Kind of odd little sounds on “Jed the 4th”, but there's really nothing here I don't love. Excellent album. Nice one, Jansz!

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

Expectation Index: 0

IDK about AOTY, but they sounds a little like Death Cab for Cutie though.

11-07-2017, 10:45 AM	#891 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: ÷ Artist: Ed Sheeran Genre: Pop Nationality: English Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: Critical Familiar with this artist? Only by reputation Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 1.73 What is it with Ed Sheeran? Can he not think of proper album titles or something? Plus? Multiply? Now we have Divide: though of course he only uses the symbols, not the words. Well there's just Minus left, Ed my man! What then? Square Root? Greater Than? Fraction? Yeah, Sheeran is one of those artists that inspired my latest, probably soon to be ignored and die thread about artists you're “supposed” to hate, and I admit I know none of his music, but the attitude of his fans, who can't even say WHY they like his music, coupled with his gormless grin while attempting to cover “Run to the Hills” on acoustic guitar, make me hate him instantly. Is that hatred justified? Let's find out. Oh dear god! Is he rapping? Nah, must be a guest ... no. Don't see one. Seems to be him. Dear lord that's embarrassing. Once we get past the red face though the next track is all right, nice bit of power and energy to it, bluesy ballad which is also ok, but then we're back to embarrassing with pseudo-Caribbean beats on “Shape of You” which definitely has TMI in the lyric. Yuck! It does recover then for “Perfect”, which is a great little song, then “Galway Girl” is thankfully not a cover of the Steve Earle song, but he tries to Irish it up with fiddles and bodhrans and whatever. Fails though, and it's an awful song. Just awful. I don't know: I wanted to hate him, and I certainly don't love him, but he has a few good songs on this. It's probably when he tries so hard to be relevant and dope, or whatever the kids call it these days, that he fails pretty miserably and just looks stupid. Also, have I mentioned that he should really try giving his albums proper titles? Check out more from this artist? I'd be in no hurry to Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 3 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 11-12-2017 at 09:31 AM.

11-07-2017, 02:07 PM	#892 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Girotondo Artist: Guisy Ferreri Genre: Pop Nationality: Italian Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Seventh Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: N/A A hard one to track down, this. Nobody has any information on it at all. That's probably not a great start. Once it gets going though, it's pretty forgettable pop with nothing really standing out to me. Europop I guess. In fairness, it develops later on in the album into a more cultured, adult, dramatic kind of pop and it's not the worst album I've ever heard. Not even the worst Italian one. But it's far from the best. Check out more from this artist? Unsure. Probably not. Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 2 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-07-2017, 02:56 PM	#893 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Last Place Artist: Grandaddy Genre: Indie Rock Nationality: American Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Fifth Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? Ony through Janszoon's championing of them Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not really no Average RYM Score: 3.29 I remember our Jansz going on a few years back about how good these guys were, but I never got a chance to check them out. This is, apparently, their “comeback” album, after reuniting following their breakup in 2006, so I guess the pressure's on to be something special, not having had an album out in eleven years now. Well the opener certainly appeals to me; love the rich, textured sound here and it's very upbeat and friendly, which I guess is odd considering this is an album about the lead singer's divorce. Not quite Face Value, then! “The Boat is in the Barn” is a great song, very powerful and sad. Then they ramp it up completely with “Chek Injin” which rocks along like a good thing. A very good thing. These guys seem to have the talent to create really excellent songs that they somehow shove into three minutes or less, and there's really nothing wasted. Nothing overstays its welcome, nothing sounds forced, and I guess you could say these songs may have been building up for some time, just waiting to be released. Kind of odd little sounds on “Jed the 4th”, but there's really nothing here I don't love. Excellent album. Nice one, Jansz! Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-07-2017, 04:48 PM	#896 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: I Say Yes Artist: Jessica Sutta Genre: Pop Nationality: English Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.00 Another new pop singer, just what we need! Okay, so she was in the Pussycat Dolls. Just what we need. Well, the opener isn't bad: certainly has something, but it quickly loses whatever that was and falls into the tired old groove pop often does. Sounds just like any other diva now, to me. Nothing special. Yeah, well, if in doubt add a guest rapper, as in on “When a Girl Loves a Boy”, when we get to hear Pitbull strut his stuff. Ok, this is going nowhere. But I am. Bye! Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? See next album... Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-07-2017, 05:21 PM	#897 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: How I Like It Artist: James Maslow Genre: Pop Nationality: American Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: N/A Great. An actor turned pop singer. Just what we need. Oh, and he was in a boyband. Just what we need. Well at least it isn't all bouncy happy fluff: the opener has a kind of slow hip-hop feel to it (says he, knowing nothing about hip-hop, but from what I've heard of it this is what the opening track puts me in mind of) and so far this isn't terrible. I can at least get to the end of it without bailing, so that's something. Not a lot, but it's something. Check out more from this artist? Nah Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 2 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-07-2017, 05:47 PM	#898 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Season of the Witch Artist: John 5 and The Creatures Genre: Heavy Metal/Prog Rock Nationality: American Release date: March 3 Position in Discography: Ninth solo album Fear Factor: Low Familiar with this artist? No but I have heard of him Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Yep Average RYM Score: 3.09 Rob Zombie. Dave Lee Roth. Marilyn Manson. What's the connection? John 5 has been in all these bands, and more. He's certainly well known around the metal and indeed the prog scene, with a list of contributions and collaborations longer than Batty's comic book wishlist. Totally respected, he even taught John Payne of Asia how to play guitar, wrote songs for Rod Stewart and shared stage space with Ozzy. Superb bit of banjo in “The Black Grass Plague” and who can say no to a song titled “Guitars, Tits and Monsters”? It's all powerful guitar histrionics, probably better appreciated by the likes of Plankton or maybe Wpnfire or Mondo, who know of these things. All I can say is it's headbangingly good, and well worth listening to. The highest praise I can think of is that this is like listening to a Plankton album. Yeah, that good. Check out more from this artist? Probably Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Always Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018