2018 Album Favorites: Anteater Reviews 'Em

Blarobbarg · 12-18-2018, 09:11 AM

That Avantdale Bowling Club record is a ****ing banger.

rostasi · 12-18-2018, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by windsock

Kinda. I don't think there's any original members still in the lineup.

Yeah, I enjoy reading what's being written in this thread (even tho there's some dodgy info at times),
but, this time, I have to point this out as well. There are NO original members in this line up at all.
Roy Babbington showed up on the "Fourth" album eventually pushing Hugh Hopper out and
John Marshall showed up for only one side of the "Fifth" album - taking the place of Robert Wyatt.
Still, nice to see someone actually writing about music here.
I've been enjoying this album for a few months now.

**Frownland** · 12-18-2018, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blarobbarg

That Avantdale Bowling Club record is a ****ing banger.

I'm more excited about the album's potential influence than the album itself tbf. It's a great listen but probably won't find its way onto my list.

OccultHawk · 12-18-2018, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I'm more excited about the album's potential influence than the album itself tbf. It's a great listen but probably won't find its way onto my list.

Dude you only did like 20% of 2017

Nobody makes your lists you lazy ****

**Frownland** · 12-18-2018, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OccultHawk

Dude you only did like 20% of 2017

Nobody makes your lists you lazy ****

Patience my friend.

Anteater · 12-18-2018, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rostasi

Yeah, I enjoy reading what's being written in this thread (even tho there's some dodgy info at times),
but, this time, I have to point this out as well. There are NO original members in this line up at all.
Roy Babbington showed up on the "Fourth" album eventually pushing Hugh Hopper out and
John Marshall showed up for only one side of the "Fifth" album - taking the place of Robert Wyatt.
Still, nice to see someone actually writing about music here.
I've been enjoying this album for a few months now.

What I meant was that there's material on Hidden Details that was written by the original lineup and that the current, performing version of the band was made up of a mix of people from their classic (up the mid 70's) era and new people. I corrected it for posterity, so thank you for pointing it out.

Blarobbarg · 12-18-2018, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

I'm more excited about the album's potential influence than the album itself tbf. It's a great listen but probably won't find its way onto my list.

It won’t be on mine either, but I can’t say it’s for lack of quality... i just had other stuff I liked more. I’ll return to it in the future, I’m sure.

And I sure hope it influences a new wave of jazz-rap groups.

Anteater · 12-18-2018, 08:22 PM

14. Subsignal - La Muerta

Genre(s): "Post-prog"

Sounds Like: Seiges Even, Rush, Saga, Mansun

A nu-prog band with a penchant for rich arrangements, Subsignal have been tearing it up for a few albums now...but I gotta hand it to La Muerta: this thing's got some serious hooks in the warehouse. Enough to hang every every ham and slab of beef with room to spare, in fact. Lustrous electronic elements are juxtaposed against these guitar/synth concoctions, with the grand prize for prime melody going to the title cut, the anthemic 'The Bells Of Lyonesse' and the super sugary but engaging 'Even Though The Stars Don't Shine', which is as good a feelgood single as anything you might hope for in 2018.

The "Subsignal sound" is probably overall best described as a more contemporary Permanent Waves-era Rush with a different melodic sensibility, spearheaded by Arno Menses's strident, world-class vocals that elevate the material to heights it might not otherwise reach. If you hate prog then this album probably won't change your mind, but if you want to try something a little different then this is just what the doctor ordered.

Key · 12-18-2018, 08:51 PM

I want to listen to everything in here. I've always appreciated your taste. Especially with Mitch Murder.

Anteater · 12-19-2018, 08:53 PM

^ I'm surprised he made it to my final list, but I'm a total softie when it comes to those synths. Makes me want rev up To Live And Die In L.A. or Black Rain on queue and let the music playyyy.

13. Sigh - Heir To Despair

Genre(s): Avant-garde Extreme Metal

Sounds Like: Sadist, Ruins, Massive Attack, Mr. Bungle, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

Besides having the best album cover I've seen this year, Sigh have definitely taken a stranger turn than usual for their latest opus, which IMO is the best thing they've done since their legendary 2001 release Imaginary Sonicscape. While not as zany or spastic, they explore a mindboggling array of sounds and ideas in the course of nine songs, including Acid Mothers Temple-esque psychedelia on opener 'Aletheia' and what sounds like mid 90's trip-hop with a claustrophobic, haunted-house Rob Zombie vibe on 'Heresy I: Oblivium'. Bonkers as all hell, but so off the wall that it really sicks with you long after the album comes to an end. And there's no shortage of amazing riffs either, complete with early thrash sounding leads at times. And flute. Lots of flute.

To me, Sigh has always been something like a singularity in metal: a black hole of uniqueness that swallow up anything and everything if it's usable to them compositionally. Heir To Despair stands out as one 2018's most singular releases for sure and a big feather in their cap. I look forward to what they do next...

12-18-2018, 09:11 AM	#41 (permalink)
Blarobbarg Do good. Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota Posts: 2,065	That Avantdale Bowling Club record is a ****ing banger.

12-18-2018, 08:51 PM	#49 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	I want to listen to everything in here. I've always appreciated your taste. Especially with Mitch Murder.