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

**Frownland** · 09-19-2017, 02:47 PM

I couldn't connect with that album either, but I feel like there's a good chance of you loving The Mars Volta if you heard them.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I couldn't connect with that album either, but I feel like there's a good chance of you loving The Mars Volta if you heard them.

OK, noted. Maybe I'll give them a shot. Thanks.

Trollheart · 09-19-2017, 05:39 PM

Album title: In the Passing Light of Day
Artist: Pain of Salvation
Genre: Progressive Metal
Nationality: Swedish
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Tenth
Fear Factor: Very Low
Familiar with this artist? Somewhat
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Very
Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Always
Finally, something I can get on board with right away. Pain of Salvation are hardly my favourite prog metal band, but at least they're more in my wheelhouse than about eighty percent of what I've listened to so far here. Weird to think that the main man wrote this while half-expecting to die in hospital. Very poignant: reminds me of the circumstances behind Redemption's This Mortal Coil. I will say, opening and closing with ten-minute-plus tracks is a slightly risky strategy, but then after ten albums I guess they have their loyal fanbase. I just feel that might scare off someone checking out the band for the first time. Well that first ten minute track has gone in quicker than I expected. The difference when you're into the music, huh?

Yeah, Pain of Salvation are still far from the top as regards prog metal bands for me, but I'm getting to like them better since I discounted them after listening to One Hour By the Concrete Lake. I would probably need to go deeper into this to get the proper appreciation of the album, but as it stands it's pretty damn good.

Expectation Index: 0

Neapolitan · 09-19-2017, 08:58 PM

Can you review "Oh Sees - Orc" soon? I was curious what you thought of the album.

~~MicShazam~~ · 09-20-2017, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Or maybe not. The album has degenerated into what can only be called crap now. I've lost interest and there are still like five tracks to go. Tuning out. Not for me. Maybe the Mars Volta are/were **** too, but if they were anything like this then I don't think I missed much. I also hate this guy's voice, very annoying.

I don't want to say that you shouldn't check them out, but personally, I really can't stand The Mars Volta. Big part of this is Lopez's annyoing voice, part of it is the frantic, effect-overloaded and shrill sounding music they play. They have 1 song I like, that's it.

Trollheart · 09-20-2017, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neapolitan

Can you review "Oh Sees - Orc" soon? I was curious what you thought of the album.

When was it released? I'm doing this completely chronologically, so, you know..

Quote:

Originally Posted by MicShazam

I don't want to say that you shouldn't check them out, but personally, I really can't stand The Mars Volta. Big part of this is Lopez's annyoing voice, part of it is the frantic, effect-overloaded and shrill sounding music they play. They have 1 song I like, that's it.

This does not sound good. At times I liked the guy's voice but at most times it just bugged the hell out of me, and the music did little if anything for me. Perhaps the Saturn Ganges instead?

Trollheart · 09-20-2017, 12:10 PM

Album title: GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions
Artist: PnB Rock
Genre: Hip-Hop/Trap/R&B
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much
Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No
Question: what's the best way to piss me off from the beginning of an album? I'll give you a clue: it begins with “auto” and ends in “tune”. God how I ****ing hate that process! Given that this is a hip-hop album anyway, this is not a good way to get me onside, and I'm not. Not from track one anyway, but we'll see if it gets any better. It would want to. One thing about this: it's a debut. Why does he have to have some many (presumably) established singers help him out? Can he not do this on his own? You seldom if ever see a rock or even pop album released as a debut where famous stars all add their voices; why is it this way in hip-hop? Surely this is watering down the effect of having your first album out, as maybe people are buying it for the star names and not your music?

I'll allow that it's gone from annoying to tolerable, so that's an improvement I suppose. “Playa No More” is a decent song, even despite the thrice-cursed Autotune. God how I hate that! Have I mentioned how much I hate it? I really hate it. Just so you know. Oh wait: “Selfish” is excellent. Never thought you'd hear me saying that, did you? Frankly, never thought I'd hear myself saying that. But it is really good. A real atmosphere to the song. “Notice Me” is nice too, like the organ. I think were it not for the Autotune I could possibly have a higher opinion of this, but it's really hard to listen to a voice so heavily modulated and you wonder what they really sound like without the technology.

You know though, it's not terrible; seems more like r&b or soul to me, rather than hip-hop, but then, what do I know? Not a big fan of actual speech (as opposed to a rap against music) in songs, so “Smile” doesn't have that effect on me; not that great a track anyway. Well, basically I don't hate this but I sure wouldn't be too interested in hearing any more. Meh.

Expectation Index: 2

Trollheart · 09-20-2017, 02:26 PM

Album title: Feel Your Feelings Fool!
Artist: The Regrettes
Genre: Punk
Nationality: American
Release date: January 13
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Critical
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Check out more from this artist? At the moment, not possible
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Maybe
Ah, **** it: you've gotta give props to a band whose album opens with “I Don't Like You”! Great energy, but a very sixties vibe about it. More Runaways than Siouxsie (it's an all- or mostly -girl band) with a bit of maybe The Pretty Reckless throw in. Sorry, I'm Irish: ****ed in.

Pretty catchy if a little simplistic. A punkish version of The Bangles? Yeah, they're fun and some of the songs are quite decent, but it is a little not quite childish but maybe juvenile in execution. Then of course there's “Pale Skin”, which has a lot of thought put into it, both musically and lyrically, and really stands out as something different on the album. If there's a “mature” track here, this is probably it. Changes the whole tone of the album. Doesn't last though and basically this is a fun album that you might put on when you're feeling down, but I don't think it has the kind of staying power it perhaps should.

Or maybe I'm just a joyless old ****.

Expectation Index: 8

djchameleon · 09-20-2017, 03:52 PM

PnB Rock had so many songs and mixtapes come out before their debut. That is why they are popular enough to have features jump on their debut. It is just their debut on a record label but they have released other material. This is the trend with soundcloud rappers/artists. Also, I wouldn't call them hip hop at all. They are more like PBRNB which I'm sure you haven't delved into before but it is more RnB along the likes of The Weeknd, Frank Ocean, Miguel and How to Dress Well.

Neapolitan · 09-20-2017, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

When was it released? I'm doing this completely chronologically, so, you know..

August 25th, 2017

09-19-2017, 02:47 PM	#131 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,548	I couldn't connect with that album either, but I feel like there's a good chance of you loving The Mars Volta if you heard them. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

09-19-2017, 05:39 PM	#133 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: In the Passing Light of Day Artist: Pain of Salvation Genre: Progressive Metal Nationality: Swedish Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Tenth Fear Factor: Very Low Familiar with this artist? Somewhat Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Very Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Always Finally, something I can get on board with right away. Pain of Salvation are hardly my favourite prog metal band, but at least they're more in my wheelhouse than about eighty percent of what I've listened to so far here. Weird to think that the main man wrote this while half-expecting to die in hospital. Very poignant: reminds me of the circumstances behind Redemption's This Mortal Coil. I will say, opening and closing with ten-minute-plus tracks is a slightly risky strategy, but then after ten albums I guess they have their loyal fanbase. I just feel that might scare off someone checking out the band for the first time. Well that first ten minute track has gone in quicker than I expected. The difference when you're into the music, huh? Yeah, Pain of Salvation are still far from the top as regards prog metal bands for me, but I'm getting to like them better since I discounted them after listening to One Hour By the Concrete Lake. I would probably need to go deeper into this to get the proper appreciation of the album, but as it stands it's pretty damn good. Expectation Index: 0 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 05:23 PM.

09-20-2017, 12:10 PM	#137 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: GTTM: Goin Thru the Motions Artist: PnB Rock Genre: Hip-Hop/Trap/R&B Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Not much Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? No Question: what's the best way to piss me off from the beginning of an album? I'll give you a clue: it begins with “auto” and ends in “tune”. God how I **ing hate that process! Given that this is a hip-hop album anyway, this is not a good way to get me onside, and I'm not. Not from track one anyway, but we'll see if it gets any better. It would want to. One thing about this: it's a debut. Why does he have to have some many (presumably) established singers help him out? Can he not do this on his own? You seldom if ever see a rock or even pop album released as a debut where famous stars all add their voices; why is it this way in hip-hop? Surely this is watering down the effect of having your first album out, as maybe people are buying it for the star names and not your music? I'll allow that it's gone from annoying to tolerable, so that's an improvement I suppose. “Playa No More” is a decent song, even despite the thrice-cursed Autotune. God how I hate that! Have I mentioned how much I hate it? I really hate it. Just so you know. Oh wait: “Selfish” is excellent. Never thought you'd hear me saying that, did you? Frankly, never thought I'd hear myself saying that. But it is really good. A real atmosphere to the song. “Notice Me” is nice too, like the organ. I think were it not for the Autotune I could possibly have a higher opinion of this, but it's really hard to listen to a voice so heavily modulated and you wonder what they really sound like without the technology. You know though, it's not terrible; seems more like r&b or soul to me, rather than hip-hop, but then, what do I know? Not a big fan of actual speech (as opposed to a rap against music) in songs, so “Smile” doesn't have that effect on me; not that great a track anyway. Well, basically I don't hate this but I sure wouldn't be too interested in hearing any more. Meh. Expectation Index: 2** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 05:24 PM.

09-20-2017, 02:26 PM	#138 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Album title: Feel Your Feelings Fool! Artist: The Regrettes Genre: Punk Nationality: American Release date: January 13 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Critical Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Check out more from this artist? At the moment, not possible Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Maybe Ah, ** it: you've gotta give props to a band whose album opens with “I Don't Like You”! Great energy, but a very sixties vibe about it. More Runaways than Siouxsie (it's an all- or mostly -girl band) with a bit of maybe The Pretty Reckless throw in. Sorry, I'm Irish: ed in. Pretty catchy if a little simplistic. A punkish version of The Bangles? Yeah, they're fun and some of the songs are quite decent, but it is a little not quite childish but maybe juvenile in execution. Then of course there's “Pale Skin”, which has a lot of thought put into it, both musically and lyrically, and really stands out as something different on the album. If there's a “mature” track here, this is probably it. Changes the whole tone of the album. Doesn't last though and basically this is a fun album that you might put on when you're feeling down, but I don't think it has the kind of staying power it perhaps should. Or maybe I'm just a joyless old . Expectation Index: 8** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018 Last edited by Trollheart; 09-21-2017 at 05:25 PM.