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Title: Live at Imurj
Artist: Black Bouquet
Genre: Rock
Artist Reaction: Don’t know; I’ve reviewed some of MTR’s music before. I think I liked it.
Genre Reaction: Wasn’t sure what the genre would be, so no reaction before I listened
Familiarity: This is the first I’ve heard of this band
Suggested by: Mrs Tristan Rosenstock
A Little Background: None really
Expectations: No idea. I hope for at least a mid-range Like
Overview: Really can’t tell you anything, other than this is MTR’s band.
(2) Bed of Roses: Good rocky rhythm getting us going; vocalist sounds a little strained, sort of cross between a softer punk and an emo singer maybe. Good melody in the song, the vocal is very passionate but I can’t say I like his style personally. Not a bad singer by any means, just not my thing.
(3) Out of Luck: The guitar comes a lot more to the fore here, and it’s nice and jangly. Is it Morrissey that the singer reminds me of? Quite possibly. Whether he will or would take that as a compliment or not is something I guess he’ll have to decide. I don’t intend it as one or the other, though it should be known I’m not a fan of the Smiths or Morrissey. Nothing should be read into that however; I’m just trying to place his vocal style and who he sounds like to me. I think the sound could be fuller, though of course this is an independent recording, and live at that. I just feel it sounds a little hollow. Really like the guitar though; the guy knows his stuff. Sort of a feeling of Lloyd Cole or the Style Council in his playing.
(2) Colder Weather: Slower and more grindy (hah!) this time, with some pretty thunderous drumming from our own MTR (sorry if I don’t wax lyrical about your playing, man: you know how I am with drummers, don’t know a good from a bad one) and now it picks up speed, getting boppier and more uptempo. Again though, sorry but that vocalist just ruins things. Not my cup of poison at all, his singing ain’t. Certainly a lot of energy in this.
Dead Flowers: I find it a little hard to maintain my interest in this track; doesn't seem to be going anywhere, not to me anyway. Guitar reminds me of Lifeson on this one, sounds kind of seventies.
Honey, Hang Me: That one passed by too and there really is nothing I can write about it.
(1) Feline: There’s an interesting growling guitar line in this at least, and even the vocalist isn’t too bad. Sort of an almost heavy metal feel to the riff. Terrible, abrupt ending though.
(2) Before I Wake: Again good percussion here, stands out well and the guitar takes decent charge of the tune.
Conclusion: Certainly not terrible, though from a personal standpoint I would consider the singer to be the weak link. I’m sure everyone who likes this music like him though, and I wish him and your band well. But if someone else were singing I think I might have been better able to get to grips with the music. The production doesn’t help. Not bad though. I’ve heard worse. There’s a ringing endorsement if ever you heard it, eh? ;)
So, Love or Hate? It’s not quite a Meh, but I can only manage a
Love (2) which I think is actually pretty generous, but I don’t want to discourage you and want also to be fair to you. Best I can do, bud.
:shycouch:
