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

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 09:21 AM

Album title: The World's Best American Band
Artist: White Reaper
Genre: Blues Rock/Garage Rock/Power Pop
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Third
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.25
Quite a grandiose claim to make, though I'm sure it's one made with tongue firmly in cheek. Even at that, what I hear on this album so far is nothing particularly illuminating or new. Just sounds like a lot of other indie rock bands I've heard and up to this point anyway nothing has stood out, though we are only three tracks in. It's not bad, just nothing special. Okay then, “Little Silver Cross” is pretty damn fantastic, and the next track too, with its Lizzy-inspired guitar riffs, has a lot going for it. Maybe this is getting better. They go all Quo then for “Crystal Pistol”, which is interesting, and the kind of heavy rock vibe remains for “Tell Me”. Yeah, definitely got better as it went on. Slow start, but a good progression from a meh album to a pretty decent one. Not sure I'd give them the award the title asks for, though!

Check out more from this artist? Might
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Again, might

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 10:15 AM

Album title: The World We Built
Artist: The Wild Reeds
Genre: Indie Rock/Folk
Nationality: American
Release date: April 7
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 3.22
Very pleasant, nice sound. I like the vocal harmonies, and the tracks are all good, but I just haven't heard anything that's made me turn my attention to this. I'm also writing one of my stories as I listen, and to be honest this is just kind of passing by. I don't think it's bad or anything, not by any means, but I've been able to leave it playing in the background without needing to suddenly concentrate on any song or write about any particular aspect of the album that impresses me.

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

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 10:31 AM

Album title: Eclipse
Artist: EXID
Genre: K-pop/EDM/Trip-hop/R&B
Nationality: Korean
Release date: April 10
Position in Discography: Third
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little
Average RYM Score: N/A
One thing I can nearly always say about K-pop albums, and that is that they are generally short. This is another of what they call a “mini-album”, what I would term an EP, and it has six tracks in all. Ah sure what can I tell ya? As I've said before, hear one K-pop album and you've pretty much heard them all. This doesn't do anything to change that attitude I've developed over the last four months of listening to Korea's main musical export. One point of comic relief is that one of the girls is called Hani, and when she sings on her own on one of the tracks she's credited as, you guessed it, Hani Solo!

Other than that though, nothing to see here. Move along, move along.

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'm sure I will

Actual Rating:

Paedantic Basterd · 01-12-2018, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Ah, so I haven't completely lost it. Thanks. I wondered why the name was so linked in my mind with BM. That's a hell of a transition though isn't it?

They've also done trip hop and psych pop.

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 12:01 PM

Album title: Love Honey
Artist: Ai Otsuka
Genre: J-Pop/Electronic
Nationality: Japanese
Release date: April 12
Position in Discography: Eighth
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.43
An interesting point about Ai Otsuka is that almost all of her previous albums have been titled Love something, such as Love Fantastic, Love Letter, Love Piece etc. I do have to admit it's a lot more impressive immediately than I had expected, and I really like the first track. I guess as she's been going since 2004 she knows at this stage what she's about, and I read she composes and plays her own songs, as well as produces them, so not a product of the Japanese version of the K-pop factory then. She also learned to play piano from, um, four years old, so she's no blow-in. We'll have to afford her some respect, then.

Okay well some of this is pretty straight forward pop, after the opener, but there are some nice ballads too, bit of electronica, although I do have to say I'm a little disappointed. After the promise of the first track I had expected better, but it seems to be all pretty basic and generic. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. Pity. Last track has a nice smoky jazzy feel to it. Bit late though.

Check out more from this artist? No
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? If I have to

Actual Rating:

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 02:07 PM

Album title: D-Day
Artist: D-Lite
Genre: Folk*/Alt-rock
Nationality: Korean
Release date: April 12
Position in Discography: Second
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A bit
Average RYM Score: N/A
D-Lite? Seriously? These guys need to wake up and smell the saki. I'm not harbouring much in the way of hopes for the solo effort from a refugee from a K-pop boyband, so let's see if he can make me eat my words. Nom nom. Well ****. The first track has much more about it than I had expected: very dramatic and quite mature really. Great rolling percussion and some fine orchestation which then brings in a squealing guitar. Okay, and the second track is pretty brilliant too. God damn it. Now we have a hard rock tune which is, **** it, the **** too. Where's that plate? Yeah, this is light years removed from K-pop. Really good stuff, for what it is, and a big surprise. Colour me surprised. Did I mention I'm surprised? I'm surprised. Surprised? So am I. Yum! These words need salt, though.

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

Actual Rating:

* My bollox! There's about as much folk on this as there is on a Slayer album!

**Frownland** · 01-12-2018, 02:10 PM

1. Lol
2. *sake

Trollheart · 01-12-2018, 03:08 PM

Album title: Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persusasions
Artist: Barenaked Ladies/The Persuasions
Genre:
Nationality: Canadian/American
Release date: April 14
Position in Discography: First collab
Estimated Rating:

Familiar with this artist? No but I've heard one album from BNL
Familiar with the genre or subgenre?
Average RYM Score: 2.08
What exactly is the point of this album? I don't know who The Persuasions are, but if, as it says on Wiki, they're an a capella group, what point is there in BNL covering their songs, with them? Maybe it makes sense, but not to me. Maybe if I knew either artist well, but I don't. Seems a bit indulgent to be honest, something of a publicity stunt. God this is ****ing awful. It's like listening to Darts. Seriously. That bad. You don't remember Darts? Here, let me remind you.

Yeah. Now you know how bad this is. There's no way I'm getting through this. No possible way. It's so ****ing boring. I feel like I've travelled back in time to the forties. I hate the forties. There's some slight respite when they roll out one of their own songs, “The Old Apartment”, and “Keepin' it Real” has a nice kind of gothic country feel, and in fairness it does improve, for the moment, from there. I'm now on track ten of fifteen, but I'd still say that for the most part I'm tolerating rather than enjoying this. Still, it's not as bad as it was earlier, and maybe I'll actually make it through this after all. Yeah I did, but it was not in any way an enjoyable experience.

Check out more from this artist? BNL, yes; I know they have another album released this year. The Persuasions? No: would not be interested.
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? As above

Actual Rating:

Blue Hawk · 01-13-2018, 07:21 AM

Will you review some real music ( metal )?

Trollheart · 01-13-2018, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Hawk

Will you review some real music ( metal )?

Read the OP. If it's on the Wiki list (and I can find it) it gets reviewed, in order, as per the list. This isn't a rec thread.

01-12-2018, 09:21 AM	#1531 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: The World's Best American Band Artist: White Reaper Genre: Blues Rock/Garage Rock/Power Pop Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Third Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.25 Quite a grandiose claim to make, though I'm sure it's one made with tongue firmly in cheek. Even at that, what I hear on this album so far is nothing particularly illuminating or new. Just sounds like a lot of other indie rock bands I've heard and up to this point anyway nothing has stood out, though we are only three tracks in. It's not bad, just nothing special. Okay then, “Little Silver Cross” is pretty damn fantastic, and the next track too, with its Lizzy-inspired guitar riffs, has a lot going for it. Maybe this is getting better. They go all Quo then for “Crystal Pistol”, which is interesting, and the kind of heavy rock vibe remains for “Tell Me”. Yeah, definitely got better as it went on. Slow start, but a good progression from a meh album to a pretty decent one. Not sure I'd give them the award the title asks for, though! Check out more from this artist? Might Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Again, might Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 10:15 AM	#1532 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: The World We Built Artist: The Wild Reeds Genre: Indie Rock/Folk Nationality: American Release date: April 7 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 3.22 Very pleasant, nice sound. I like the vocal harmonies, and the tracks are all good, but I just haven't heard anything that's made me turn my attention to this. I'm also writing one of my stories as I listen, and to be honest this is just kind of passing by. I don't think it's bad or anything, not by any means, but I've been able to leave it playing in the background without needing to suddenly concentrate on any song or write about any particular aspect of the album that impresses me. Check out more from this artist? Probably not Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 10:31 AM	#1533 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Eclipse Artist: EXID Genre: K-pop/EDM/Trip-hop/R&B Nationality: Korean Release date: April 10 Position in Discography: Third Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A little Average RYM Score: N/A One thing I can nearly always say about K-pop albums, and that is that they are generally short. This is another of what they call a “mini-album”, what I would term an EP, and it has six tracks in all. Ah sure what can I tell ya? As I've said before, hear one K-pop album and you've pretty much heard them all. This doesn't do anything to change that attitude I've developed over the last four months of listening to Korea's main musical export. One point of comic relief is that one of the girls is called Hani, and when she sings on her own on one of the tracks she's credited as, you guessed it, Hani Solo! Other than that though, nothing to see here. Move along, move along. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? I'm sure I will Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 12:01 PM	#1535 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Love Honey Artist: Ai Otsuka Genre: J-Pop/Electronic Nationality: Japanese Release date: April 12 Position in Discography: Eighth Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No Average RYM Score: 2.43 An interesting point about Ai Otsuka is that almost all of her previous albums have been titled Love something, such as Love Fantastic, Love Letter, Love Piece etc. I do have to admit it's a lot more impressive immediately than I had expected, and I really like the first track. I guess as she's been going since 2004 she knows at this stage what she's about, and I read she composes and plays her own songs, as well as produces them, so not a product of the Japanese version of the K-pop factory then. She also learned to play piano from, um, four years old, so she's no blow-in. We'll have to afford her some respect, then. Okay well some of this is pretty straight forward pop, after the opener, but there are some nice ballads too, bit of electronica, although I do have to say I'm a little disappointed. After the promise of the first track I had expected better, but it seems to be all pretty basic and generic. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. Pity. Last track has a nice smoky jazzy feel to it. Bit late though. Check out more from this artist? No Check out more from this genre or subgenre? If I have to Actual Rating: __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 02:07 PM	#1536 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: D-Day Artist: D-Lite Genre: Folk/Alt-rock Nationality:* Korean Release date: April 12 Position in Discography: Second Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No Familiar with the genre or subgenre? A bit Average RYM Score: N/A D-Lite? Seriously? These guys need to wake up and smell the saki. I'm not harbouring much in the way of hopes for the solo effort from a refugee from a K-pop boyband, so let's see if he can make me eat my words. Nom nom. Well **. The first track has much more about it than I had expected: very dramatic and quite mature really. Great rolling percussion and some fine orchestation which then brings in a squealing guitar. Okay, and the second track is pretty brilliant too. God damn it. Now we have a hard rock tune which is, it, the too. Where's that plate? Yeah, this is light years removed from K-pop. Really good stuff, for what it is, and a big surprise. Colour me surprised. Did I mention I'm surprised? I'm surprised. Surprised? So am I. Yum! These words need salt, though. Check out more from this artist? Yes Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes Actual Rating:** * My bollox! There's about as much folk on this as there is on a Slayer album! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-12-2018, 02:10 PM	#1537 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	1. Lol 2. sake __________________ 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

01-12-2018, 03:08 PM	#1538 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	Album title: Ladies and Gentlemen: Barenaked Ladies and The Persusasions Artist: Barenaked Ladies/The Persuasions Genre: Nationality: Canadian/American Release date: April 14 Position in Discography: First collab Estimated Rating: Familiar with this artist? No but I've heard one album from BNL Familiar with the genre or subgenre? Average RYM Score: 2.08 What exactly is the point of this album? I don't know who The Persuasions are, but if, as it says on Wiki, they're an a capella group, what point is there in BNL covering their songs, with them? Maybe it makes sense, but not to me. Maybe if I knew either artist well, but I don't. Seems a bit indulgent to be honest, something of a publicity stunt. God this is **ing awful. It's like listening to Darts. Seriously. That bad. You don't remember Darts? Here, let me remind you. Yeah. Now you know how bad this is. There's no way I'm getting through this. No possible way. It's so ing boring. I feel like I've travelled back in time to the forties. I hate the forties. There's some slight respite when they roll out one of their own songs, “The Old Apartment”, and “Keepin' it Real” has a nice kind of gothic country feel, and in fairness it does improve, for the moment, from there. I'm now on track ten of fifteen, but I'd still say that for the most part I'm tolerating rather than enjoying this. Still, it's not as bad as it was earlier, and maybe I'll actually make it through this after all. Yeah I did, but it was not in any way an enjoyable experience. Check out more from this artist? BNL, yes; I know they have another album released this year. The Persuasions? No: would not be interested. Check out more from this genre or subgenre? As above Actual Rating:** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

01-13-2018, 07:21 AM	#1539 (permalink)
Blue Hawk Rude gentleman Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 685	Will you review some real music ( metal )? __________________ Eliminate the right, eliminate the wrong, eliminate the weak, eliminate the strong.