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

The Batlord · 10-28-2017, 03:28 PM

Not familiar with Melvins?! Then here! Every fan of rock needs to hear the Melvins! Every. Single. One.

Trollheart · 10-28-2017, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

Not familiar with Melvins?! Then here! Every fan of rock needs to hear the Melvins! Every. Single. One.

Yeah. Like I'm going to listen to that.

Dream on.

The Batlord · 10-28-2017, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah. Like I'm going to listen to that.

Dream on.

I am not trolling you. I even went with a Melvins album that I thought you'd like better than some of their other classics. If you don't like it then it's because I miscalculated, not because I intended it. Seriously, scout's honor. I'm very much hoping you'd like Stag because it's an awesome album and everyone should have the privilege of liking the Melvins. Consider this a legit rec and not a shady one.

I ****ing promise. At the very least when I do bull**** you I try to be somewhat quiet about it so you won't notice.

Trollheart · 10-28-2017, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Batlord

I am not trolling you. I even went with a Melvins album that I thought you'd like better than some of their other classics. If you don't like it then it's because I miscalculated, not because I intended it. Seriously, scout's honor. I'm very much hoping you'd like Stag because it's an awesome album and everyone should have the privilege of liking the Melvins. Consider this a legit rec and not a shady one.

I ****ing promise. At the very least when I do bull**** you I try to be somewhat quiet about it so you won't notice.

No, I don't think you're trolling me. I'm just pointing out that the chances of me listening to a full album by a band I don't know and have no particular wish to get to know, while I'm in the middle of this, are about as likely as Frownland marrying Chula. Try a single track, maybe I'll take a listen, but don't expect me to give a full album a spin at this point.

And you were never a scout.

The Batlord · 10-28-2017, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

No, I don't think you're trolling me. I'm just pointing out that the chances of me listening to a full album by a band I don't know and have no particular wish to get to know, while I'm in the middle of this, are about as likely as Frownland marrying Chula. Try a single track, maybe I'll take a listen, but don't expect me to give a full album a spin at this point.

And you were never a scout.

And I joined the scouts for a night. Never went back but that's not the point.

Trollheart · 10-29-2017, 11:08 AM

Album title: The Roc
Artist: Daniel Herskedal
Genre: Jazz
Nationality: Norwegian
Release date: February 24
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.34
On first glance, a jazz album by someone whose specialty is the tuba doesn't sound like it is going to win any favours from me, but I must admit it's pretty good from the off. The tuba seems to be less front and centre than I had expected, and mostly this runs on a nice piano line with accompaniment from the tuba. The latter certainly comes into its own though on “Eternal Sunshine Creates a Desert” (or is it trumpet? Some horn anyway, very nice) and I'm surprised that I'm enjoying this a lot more than I had expected. There are some nice Middle Eastern tones to this, such as on “Hijaz Train Station” and “There are Three Things You Cannot Hide: Love, Smoke and a Man On a Camel”. Indeed. In terms of what I think of as jazz, or rather, what I'm used to, considering how little I've heard, the meandering “The Krøderen Line” is the closest this album comes to achieving that, and it's mostly driven on piano with viola, maybe (I see one mentioned) with some lovely smoky horn work on it too. Can't say there's anything on this I don't like.

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

Expectation Index: 10

Trollheart · 10-29-2017, 12:43 PM

Album title: Ensen
Artist: Emel Mathlouki
Genre: Electronic/Downtempo/Folk
Nationality: Tunisian
Release date: February 24
Position in Discography: Second
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.33
Nice kind of downtempo (what exactly is the dividing line between downtempo and trip-hop anyway?) sound mixed with Arabic flavour, slow and moody with a sense of brooding urgency. RYM notes the genre as “Arabic Pop”, but I don't hear pop here really at all. This is a lot more mature, and “Kaddesh” in particular has a very traditional, folky feel about it, quite stripped down musically, which allows her voice to take command, something it does with consummate ease. “Thamlaton” has a rising power in it, a sort of prayer or protest I would say, with hypnotic tribal drums which put me in mind of preparations for a battle. The last track certainly sounds like a chant, prayer or even mass of some sort. Good stuff, a long way from generic.

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

Expectation Index: 6

Trollheart · 10-29-2017, 03:42 PM

Album title: The Immortal Wars
Artist: Ex Deo
Genre: Death Metal
Nationality: Canadian
Release date: February 24
Position in Discography: Third
Fear Factor: High
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: 3.34
Don't believe I've heard a Death Metal band from Canada before. Good start anyway, very sort of prog metal in its approach though the vocals are definitely DM. Kind of a military feel to this, not that surprising as it's called “The Rise of Hannibal” and seems to follow a historic tradition that at least the titles of their previous albums shared, one about Caligula and one about Romulus. Now I read further, the whole project appears to be centred on the history of the Roman Empire. This could be very interesting. It's very well put together, and the instrumental “Suavetaurilla/Intermezzo” sounds more like something off a Power Metal album to be honest. For all that though, definitely one of the top DM albums I've ever heard. Total quality.

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

Expectation Index: 10

Trollheart · 10-28-2017, 05:55 PM

Album title: Youngish American
Artist: Dams of the West
Genre: Alt-Rock
Nationality: American
Release date: February 24
Position in Discography: Debut
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.77
On the whole, solo albums by drummers tend not to be a great idea. I don't know Vampire Weekend, but this is the debut of their drummer, and has garnered, it would appear, varied praise/criticism. It doesn't tell me here whether he, Chris Thomson, sings too, but I feel he may do, and if so, he's not a great vocalist. Actually, to be fair, he's not that bad – reminds me of one of the guys from The Alan Parsons Project – Chris Rainbow? Not sure. It's just the album itself is pretty much stultifyingly boring and I can't keep my attention on it. Oh wait: “Flag on the Can” is decent. The rest is pretty pedestrian and boring though. Also, why such a stupid name? Dams of the ****ing West, me arse!

And what's the deal with the picture on the album? Does not the top half of his body look too big for the legs???

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes

Expectation Index: 0

10-29-2017, 11:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Album title: The Roc Artist: Daniel Herskedal Genre: Jazz Nationality: Norwegian Release date: February 24 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.34 On first glance, a jazz album by someone whose specialty is the tuba doesn't sound like it is going to win any favours from me, but I must admit it's pretty good from the off. The tuba seems to be less front and centre than I had expected, and mostly this runs on a nice piano line with accompaniment from the tuba. The latter certainly comes into its own though on “Eternal Sunshine Creates a Desert” (or is it trumpet? Some horn anyway, very nice) and I'm surprised that I'm enjoying this a lot more than I had expected. There are some nice Middle Eastern tones to this, such as on “Hijaz Train Station” and “There are Three Things You Cannot Hide: Love, Smoke and a Man On a Camel”. Indeed. In terms of what I think of as jazz, or rather, what I'm used to, considering how little I've heard, the meandering “The Krøderen Line” is the closest this album comes to achieving that, and it's mostly driven on piano with viola, maybe (I see one mentioned) with some lovely smoky horn work on it too. Can't say there's anything on this I don't like. 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

10-29-2017, 12:43 PM	#7 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Album title: Ensen Artist: Emel Mathlouki Genre: Electronic/Downtempo/Folk Nationality: Tunisian Release date: February 24 Position in Discography: Second Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.33 Nice kind of downtempo (what exactly is the dividing line between downtempo and trip-hop anyway?) sound mixed with Arabic flavour, slow and moody with a sense of brooding urgency. RYM notes the genre as “Arabic Pop”, but I don't hear pop here really at all. This is a lot more mature, and “Kaddesh” in particular has a very traditional, folky feel about it, quite stripped down musically, which allows her voice to take command, something it does with consummate ease. “Thamlaton” has a rising power in it, a sort of prayer or protest I would say, with hypnotic tribal drums which put me in mind of preparations for a battle. The last track certainly sounds like a chant, prayer or even mass of some sort. Good stuff, a long way from generic. Check out more from this artist? Maybe Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 6 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-29-2017, 03:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Album title: The Immortal Wars Artist: Ex Deo Genre: Death Metal Nationality: Canadian Release date: February 24 Position in Discography: Third Fear Factor: High Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: 3.34 Don't believe I've heard a Death Metal band from Canada before. Good start anyway, very sort of prog metal in its approach though the vocals are definitely DM. Kind of a military feel to this, not that surprising as it's called “The Rise of Hannibal” and seems to follow a historic tradition that at least the titles of their previous albums shared, one about Caligula and one about Romulus. Now I read further, the whole project appears to be centred on the history of the Roman Empire. This could be very interesting. It's very well put together, and the instrumental “Suavetaurilla/Intermezzo” sounds more like something off a Power Metal album to be honest. For all that though, definitely one of the top DM albums I've ever heard. Total quality. Check out more from this artist? Oh yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 10 __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

10-28-2017, 05:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,971	Album title: Youngish American Artist: Dams of the West Genre: Alt-Rock Nationality: American Release date: February 24 Position in Discography: Debut Fear Factor: Moderate Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.77 On the whole, solo albums by drummers tend not to be a great idea. I don't know Vampire Weekend, but this is the debut of their drummer, and has garnered, it would appear, varied praise/criticism. It doesn't tell me here whether he, Chris Thomson, sings too, but I feel he may do, and if so, he's not a great vocalist. Actually, to be fair, he's not that bad – reminds me of one of the guys from The Alan Parsons Project – Chris Rainbow? Not sure. It's just the album itself is pretty much stultifyingly boring and I can't keep my attention on it. Oh wait: “Flag on the Can” is decent. The rest is pretty pedestrian and boring though. Also, why such a stupid name? Dams of the **ing West, me arse! And what's the deal with the picture on the album? Does not the top half of his body look too big for the legs??? Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Expectation Index: 0** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018