MB Album Club 2022

**Marie Monday** · 09-18-2022, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

Thanks for doing the rating average for Morphine, SGR. I've had a busy week, some computer probs and then all that time spent shopping for a Trollheart voodoo doll.....

TBH, I was also a bit dis-animated by the Field Music album; I expect interesting things from Marie's recs because they're frequently worth following up. This time, though, I found it a struggle to get through the album at all. To begin with, the band's fundamental decisions about their sound seem to be the opposite of what I like: Field Music gives us consistently short songs, a bright and breezy sound, lots of vocals, and standard (afaik) band line up. I prefer longer gloomier stuff.

I can't really go song by song, but most of them seemed to jump around without actually going anywhere. Those are the twists and turns that Marie mentions: maybe an achievement of a kind, to keep the lisna off-balance, but imo they didn't offer much reward in return for the sacrifice they made: a good solid sound that you can get down with. I found the guy's singing kind reedy, weak and annoying, especially on In Context, and on the track A House Is Not A Home I felt that the band was finally admitting,"We have nothing heartfelt or sincere to offer, just a flippant kind of cleverness."

So, definitely not for me. I've never heard of Spoon, the comparison several of you make: I think the closest I have come to Field Music's sound is the band Misophone, who, if anything, are even more lightweight and annoying.
An apologetic 3.5/10 I'm afraid, Marie.

Don't be apologetic it's fine!

Lisnaholic · 09-18-2022, 06:57 AM

Thanks Marie, that's kind of you.

In fact, I was worried about how low my rating was, almost at Trollheart levels (

). After some thought, I have just edited my rating up to 4; it has helped me to work out in my own mind a slightly more consistent grading policy:
5 = midpoint - not good, not bad
above 5 = graded quite generously, jumping fast through the numbers so many albums get a decent score
below five = graded on a slower-moving scale, so that it has to be really bad to get a low score

At this rate, I'll soon be turning album-grading into a science, not some haphazard subjective nonsense! Soon, we'll all be able to measure albums precisely, just like we measure a piece of wood.

rubber soul · 09-18-2022, 07:10 AM

My ratings would go something like this...

10- Absolute Classic and if anyone disagrees...

9- Near classic. Possibly the best thing I've heard in ages
8- Not perfect but very good album nonetheless
7- Good album. Not a classic but something to enjoy
6- Fair. Listenable, maybe a little above average but only a little
5- Definitely average
4- Below average
3- Really below average. Are you guys actually making me listen to this?
2- Now this album kind of sucks. Target practice anybody?
1- This album really sucks. This rates with the worst of Paul Anka!

So nobody better give me a 1 album, or else...

Lisnaholic · 09-18-2022, 07:36 AM

That's a good system, rubber soul. I might even copy it for my own use.

music_collector · 09-18-2022, 08:03 AM

Seeing as how I've given a 7 quite often, I believe we're rating on the same level.

**Marie Monday** · 09-18-2022, 11:06 AM

I rate as follows (distinguishing between how much I like it and how good I think it is because there can be a difference):
10. Unassailable
9. Love it and will keep listening to/brilliant, special album
8. Like it a lot and will listen to (part of it) again probably/good album
7. Album is pretty good: competent but not really special or flawed but charming/I quite like it
6. Album is meh/I feel indifferent
5. Mostly meh but some negative things stick out
4. A bad album: dull or incompetent/listening to it irks me
3. A very bad album/I feel strong resistance to listening to this
2. A trainwreck/can barely bring myself to listen to it
1. An abyss of ugliness

Lisnaholic · 09-18-2022, 11:41 AM

Some good descriptors there, Marie - from Occult-Hawk Worthy on down.

(*checks to see if you have ranked any of my nominations "an abyss of ugliness" *)

**Marie Monday** · 09-18-2022, 11:51 AM

Oh I would never give a 1 or 10 except in very special cases. Certainly not a 1
The way I'm grading this is basically the 1-10 grading system I'm used to from school

Trollheart · 09-18-2022, 12:07 PM

I rate as the little guy in my head tells me to. What's that you say? Burn down what? Oh, I couldn't do THAT!

Could I...?

SGR · 09-18-2022, 02:32 PM

my rating system

6-10 - varying degrees of good
1-5 - varying degrees of bad

09-18-2022, 06:57 AM	#522 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Thanks Marie, that's kind of you. In fact, I was worried about how low my rating was, almost at Trollheart levels (). After some thought, I have just edited my rating up to 4; it has helped me to work out in my own mind a slightly more consistent grading policy: 5 = midpoint - not good, not bad above 5 = graded quite generously, jumping fast through the numbers so many albums get a decent score below five = graded on a slower-moving scale, so that it has to be really bad to get a low score At this rate, I'll soon be turning album-grading into a science, not some haphazard subjective nonsense! Soon, we'll all be able to measure albums precisely, just like we measure a piece of wood. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

09-18-2022, 07:36 AM	#524 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	That's a good system, rubber soul. I might even copy it for my own use. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

09-18-2022, 11:41 AM	#527 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Some good descriptors there, Marie - from Occult-Hawk Worthy on down. (checks to see if you have ranked any of my nominations "an abyss of ugliness" ) __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

09-18-2022, 12:07 PM	#529 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	I rate as the little guy in my head tells me to. What's that you say? Burn down what? Oh, I couldn't do THAT! Could I...? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

09-18-2022, 02:32 PM	#530 (permalink)
SGR No Ice In My Bourbon Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: /dev/null Posts: 4,326	my rating system 6-10 - varying degrees of good 1-5 - varying degrees of bad Last edited by SGR; 09-18-2022 at 03:22 PM.

09-18-2022, 08:03 AM	#525 (permalink)
music_collector Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Canada Posts: 757	Seeing as how I've given a 7 quite often, I believe we're rating on the same level.