MB Album Club 2022

Trollheart · 06-14-2022, 02:28 PM

Okay this was weird. The only instance I ever came across where I had definite preconceptions about it going in, when I saw the dreaded words "free jazz" (why is he in prison anyway?) and assumed I'd hate it. Then when it began I was like oh hey this is all right, in fact as it went on it was more than all right; it was very nice.

Until it got to "Tuva Blues", where it all changed. The acapella opening annoyed me, the kid talking on it annoyed me, and her vocal histrionics later, well, I guess you know by now where I'm going. And it didn't get much better from then on. "Old Melodie" had some nice singing on it, but there was too much, I guess experimental/avant-garde stuff around the edges for me to enjoy it as perhaps I might have without, you know, the experimental/avant-garde stuff. Actually, no, I quite liked this one, as I listen back to it now, I think overall it's a nice song.

But "Lonely Soul" and "Boomerang" - of course, both the two longest tracks on the album - really **** the bed for me. The former started off well, lulled me into a false sense of security then went all weird, with hollow drum beats and a pretty strange vocal, reminding me of a kind of female Waits or Beefheart or Zappa or some damn thing. Hated this for the fact that it started off so well and then just dropped right into, for me, a musical cess pit. Kind of sounded, to me, as if she was sticking her tongue out or having some sort of fit during it. Got very glitchy along the way too.

Then we have "Boomerang", which nearly gets things back on track, but then there's some more weird vocal stuff that puts me off.

In general, an album I might listen to again, but only until the last two or three tracks. Therefore, though I enjoyed it more than I didn't (and more than I had expected to) I can only really give it a 7.5/10

music_collector · 06-14-2022, 02:53 PM

This is another artist I didn't know about.

The music is relaxing. I liked the jazzy instrumentals going along with the beats, specifically the horns.

This music would fit in at a hotel lobby, upscale restaurant, or a salon.

I'll give it a 7.5/10 as well.

SGR · 06-15-2022, 09:17 AM

^Man, if they were playing this in a hotel lobby, upscale restaurant, or a salon, they'd scare away the customers.

Trollheart · 06-15-2022, 09:28 AM

Have to be honest, this surprised me too. I mean, some of it is a little ambient, but much of it is very abrasive, jarring and discordant. Wouldn't want to be stuck in a lift when, say, "Boomerang" was playing!

SGR · 06-15-2022, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Have to be honest, this surprised me too. I mean, some of it is a little ambient, but much of it is very abrasive, jarring and discordant. Wouldn't want to be stuck in a lift when, say, "Boomerang" was playing!

Or "Lonely Soul" - on the other hand, seeing the reaction of other people would be hilarious.

Trollheart · 06-15-2022, 10:37 AM

GET ME OUT OF HERE GET ME OUT OF HERE GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Are you claustrophobic, sir?

No I just can't stand this MUSIC!!!!

Lisnaholic · 06-15-2022, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SGR

Or "Lonely Soul" - on the other hand, seeing the reaction of other people would be hilarious.

Yes, "Lonely Soul" would be the worst one to be stuck with. You would need post-traumatic counselling, Trollheart!

SGR · 06-15-2022, 11:27 AM

I saw Trollheart's comment that mentioned free jazz - so I went into this expecting free jazz. Free jazz is most certainly not what I got.

This is like...uhhh....trip hop with the addition of tuvan throat singing and some non-traditional (to trip hop) instruments. I gotta say, I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like this before. And even in the moments that were jarring and discordant (Lonely Soul being a standout in that department, with the lead singer sounding like a dying bird on parts of the track), I couldn't help but keep listening. This album is quite compelling.

The album is filled with so many different textures, moods, and sounds that it really is a joy to listen to - I think I've listened about 3 times now and will continue to listen to it. Besides some of the harsher singing, it's actually a very approchable album too. I wouldn't exactly call it easy listening, but despite my joke about scaring customers away, I could see many people enjoying different parts of this album.

I don't know what she's on about in terms of the lyrics, I don't even know how to describe what's going on half the time, but the range of what you get here is excellent - jazz meets trip-hop meets funk meets tuvan throat singing - this thing vibes!

This is perhaps the most unique album I've heard in the MB Album Club thus far, so to Lisna, I say: "An excellent pick!"

I think I'd give this an 8/10, and I plan to listen again in the future for sure.

Lisnaholic · 06-15-2022, 11:35 AM

I'm really glad you've enjoyed the album, SGR, and that your reaction has been similar to mine, about it being a very unusual sound that is not overall too challenging to listen to.

rubber soul · 06-15-2022, 12:16 PM

I have to agree with SGR here. I do hear some more traditional influences here though as I hear a lot of Japanese folk music in this. I do like the vocalist for the most part. It definitely has an ambient feel to it and is quite jazzy. Order to Survive is a little hard on the ears but I like the Avant-Garde vibe to it. A little bit of Yoko Ono maybe?

I'm guessing if there would have been a single off the album it would have been Let the Sunshine. It's sounds like the most listenable track to the average listener. I can definitely hear the trip-hop here.

Okay, I can see Troll's issue with Lonely Soul. Very Yoko Onoish here. I guess I can hear the glitches too but it doesn't bother me as much as it did Trolls or MC. Maybe because that part didn't really last that long.

Then there's Boomerang and I disagree with Trolls here. I really like this track and I like how it ends the album.

So, yeah, this was a really good choice and it helped me decide on my next pick though it will have nothing to do with this genre (just don't know enough about it to be honest).

Anyway, I'm going to go with SGR and give it a solid rating.

rating: 8/10 (the word has spoken

)

06-14-2022, 02:28 PM	#301 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Okay this was weird. The only instance I ever came across where I had definite preconceptions about it going in, when I saw the dreaded words "free jazz" (why is he in prison anyway?) and assumed I'd hate it. Then when it began I was like oh hey this is all right, in fact as it went on it was more than all right; it was very nice. Until it got to "Tuva Blues", where it all changed. The acapella opening annoyed me, the kid talking on it annoyed me, and her vocal histrionics later, well, I guess you know by now where I'm going. And it didn't get much better from then on. "Old Melodie" had some nice singing on it, but there was too much, I guess experimental/avant-garde stuff around the edges for me to enjoy it as perhaps I might have without, you know, the experimental/avant-garde stuff. Actually, no, I quite liked this one, as I listen back to it now, I think overall it's a nice song. But "Lonely Soul" and "Boomerang" - of course, both the two longest tracks on the album - really ** the bed for me. The former started off well, lulled me into a false sense of security then went all weird, with hollow drum beats and a pretty strange vocal, reminding me of a kind of female Waits or Beefheart or Zappa or some damn thing. Hated this for the fact that it started off so well and then just dropped right into, for me, a musical cess pit. Kind of sounded, to me, as if she was sticking her tongue out or having some sort of fit during it. Got very glitchy along the way too. Then we have "Boomerang", which nearly gets things back on track, but then there's some more weird vocal stuff that puts me off. In general, an album I might listen to again, but only until the last two or three tracks. Therefore, though I enjoyed it more than I didn't (and more than I had expected to) I can only really give it a 7.5/10** __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

06-15-2022, 09:28 AM	#304 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	Have to be honest, this surprised me too. I mean, some of it is a little ambient, but much of it is very abrasive, jarring and discordant. Wouldn't want to be stuck in a lift when, say, "Boomerang" was playing! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

06-15-2022, 10:37 AM	#306 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	GET ME OUT OF HERE GET ME OUT OF HERE GET ME OUT OF HERE! Are you claustrophobic, sir? No I just can't stand this MUSIC!!!! __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

06-15-2022, 11:35 AM	#309 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	I'm really glad you've enjoyed the album, SGR, and that your reaction has been similar to mine, about it being a very unusual sound that is not overall too challenging to listen to. __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

06-14-2022, 02:53 PM	#302 (permalink)
music_collector Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2022 Location: Canada Posts: 757	This is another artist I didn't know about. The music is relaxing. I liked the jazzy instrumentals going along with the beats, specifically the horns. This music would fit in at a hotel lobby, upscale restaurant, or a salon. I'll give it a 7.5/10 as well.

06-15-2022, 09:17 AM	#303 (permalink)
SGR No Ice In My Bourbon Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: /dev/null Posts: 4,326	^Man, if they were playing this in a hotel lobby, upscale restaurant, or a salon, they'd scare away the customers.

06-15-2022, 11:27 AM	#308 (permalink)
SGR No Ice In My Bourbon Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: /dev/null Posts: 4,326	I saw Trollheart's comment that mentioned free jazz - so I went into this expecting free jazz. Free jazz is most certainly not what I got. This is like...uhhh....trip hop with the addition of tuvan throat singing and some non-traditional (to trip hop) instruments. I gotta say, I don't think I've ever heard anything quite like this before. And even in the moments that were jarring and discordant (Lonely Soul being a standout in that department, with the lead singer sounding like a dying bird on parts of the track), I couldn't help but keep listening. This album is quite compelling. The album is filled with so many different textures, moods, and sounds that it really is a joy to listen to - I think I've listened about 3 times now and will continue to listen to it. Besides some of the harsher singing, it's actually a very approchable album too. I wouldn't exactly call it easy listening, but despite my joke about scaring customers away, I could see many people enjoying different parts of this album. I don't know what she's on about in terms of the lyrics, I don't even know how to describe what's going on half the time, but the range of what you get here is excellent - jazz meets trip-hop meets funk meets tuvan throat singing - this thing vibes! This is perhaps the most unique album I've heard in the MB Album Club thus far, so to Lisna, I say: "An excellent pick!" I think I'd give this an 8/10, and I plan to listen again in the future for sure.