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Bitesize: Trollheart's Not-Quite-Daily Album Mini-Reviews
In an effort to make a start on all those albums I have piling up on my hard disk that I have yet to listen to, I'm going to do my best to listen to one new album a day. This will then be reviewed here, but unlike the usual rambling, in-depth, detailed reviews that you will find in my main journal, these will be far shorter, barely skimming the surface. Hardly even reviews really: more a collection of thoughts and impressions I form on first listening to the album. Unlike the “200-word album reviews” that occasionally surface in my main journal, though, these reviews, as such, will not be restricted to any number of words, though they will be very short. This will help me perhaps discipline my writing and allow me to cut to the core of each album, rather than waxing poetic about each track, thus spinning out the review, however unintentionally.
None of which means I see anything wrong in what I do in my main journal: I like doing long, in-depth reviews, but sometimes the review can take longer than the album runtime. It's a balancing act: sometimes shorter is better, sometimes longer suits the album. It will be nice and also refreshing for me to, as it were, just bounce off the sides of the review process without diving in, as I usually do. All of these albums will be first-listen (though they may be from artistes from whom I've heard other work, or they may not) and will be accompanied by just the one YouTube, to give an idea of what the music is like. Some of these albums may indeed impress me sufficiently to be properly reviewed at a later date in my main journal, or they may be bad enough to warrant being torn apart in more detail. As anyone who reads my journal will already know, often I go so deeply into the reviews that listening to the album for pleasure becomes a secondary consideration, though not of course always. But sometimes I'm just trying too hard to compose my thoughts and find things to say, to bring the reader a flavour of the album, that I almost fail to really listen to the music. Sort of forest for the trees kind of thing. Doesn't always happen, but I'm aware of it being the case in a few instances. So this will hopefully allow me a more organic listening experience, and I'll just jot down simple thoughts as I listen, forming my overall no doubt simplistic impression of the album, without thinking about it too hard. It may not give you any idea at all what the album is like, but it will serve to get me at least listening to more music, and hopefully I can then share, or try to share, my opinion of the albums I review in this way. All right then, let's get this show on the road! Gentlemen, start your guitars! http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...px-Asiwyfa.jpg Artiste: And so I watch you from afar Nationality: Irish (Northern) Album: And so I watch you from afar Year: 2009 Label: Smalltown America Genre: Post rock/math rock/Instrumental rock (genres assigned by Wiki) Tracks: Set guitars to kill A little bit of solidarity goes a long way Clench fists, grit teeth... Go! I capture castles Start a band Tip of the hat, punch in the face If it ain't broke, break it These riots are just beginning Don't waste time doing things you hate The voiceless Eat the city, eat it whole Chronological position: Debut Familiarity: Zero Impression: Interesting, different, surprising Best track(s): Set guitars to kill, I capture castles, Don't waste time doing things you hate Worst track(s):n/a Intention: Listen to more Comments: This is very interesting. I generally see instrumental music (at least, the type I listen to) as either electronica, like Vangelis or Air, or laidback and relaxing, like maybe Gandalf, but this is all guitars and drums. It's loud, powerful, and yet in its own way strangely soporific, though not in a bad way. I've never listened to anything like this before, and I have to say I do like what I hear. Plus, they're Irish! |
Dosvidanya, Comrade Anteater!
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://www.progarchives.com/progress...9131742007.jpg Artiste: The Gourishankar Nationality: Russian Album: 2nd Hands Year: 2007 Label: Unicorn Digital Genre: Progressive Rock. Well, sort of. Hard to tie down really. Tracks Moon7 Endless drama Queer forest Taste a cake The inexpressible chagrin Syx ... End Marvellous choice Chronological position: Second album Familiarity: The tiniest bit, thanks to Anteater Interesting Factoid: “Gourishankar” means “the mountain as high as Everest”. Now you know. Impression: Interesting, but a little too much going on all at once. Best track(s): Endless drama, Taste a cake, The inexpressible chagrin, ...End Worst track(s):Moon7, Marvellous choice (overlong at 18 minutes and wanders too much) Intention: Listen to more, if more can be found! Comments: The music is excellent, however the start/stop nature of the singing --- not to mention the often indiscernible vocals --- make it often seem as if I'm listening to a corrupt file; music sort of jumps up like a dolphin leaping out of the water before just as quickly darting back under the surface and swimming away, and singing hits then runs before you have a chance to even realise it's there. There are, as Anteater mentioned in his review, a huge variety of styles and genres used by the Gourishankar, but in some ways I think it's a case of trying to force too much into one box: eventually it'll split. When they get it right though, --- and in fairness, a lot of the time they do --- it's really quite special, and I'll be trying to hunt down the rest of their catalogue, though this one was hard enough to track down. Ant? Any help, mate? :) |
Excellent Trollheart. I really like the format you used. Also, I am familiar with And So I Watch You From Afar. Not shabby at all. I had to check them out because of their funny name. Excellent idea!
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Thanx man, and thanks for being the first to comment in my new journal!
As I said, it's two-fold really: a chance to kick myself up the arse and start listening to some albums I haven't heard before, and also an opportunity to fine-tune and hone my writing. Working ok so far... |
You want mean? You got mean!
http://s5.postimg.org/w8ylbwnrr/cookierating4.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...meanstreak.JPG Artiste: Y&T Nationality: American Album: Mean streak Year: 1983 Label: A&M Genre: Heavy metal. No Progressive, Power, Nu or bloody Goth! Tracks Mean streak Straight thru the heart Lonely side of town Midnight in Tokyo Breaking away Hang 'em high Take you to the limit Sentimental fool Down and dirty Chronological position: Fifth album. Well, third really: the first two were released under their original name (see below) and “Earthshaker” is widely accepted as their proper debut. Familiarity: “Earthshaker”, “Black tiger” Interesting Factoid: Y&T began life as Yesterday and Today, shortening their name in 1981. Impression: Love it! Best track(s): Mean streak, Lonely side of town, Midnight in Tokyo Worst track(s):Straight thru the heart (too similar to the Dio track of the same name), Take you to the limit Intention: Listen to more, rediscover this band Comments: Okay, okay! So I've broken my own rule in the first three days! This ISN'T a first-listen album, but in fairness I've only ever listened to it the once (as my brother owned the only copy we had) and never really took it all in. Now I can say it's a very worthy successor to “Black tiger”, shows Y&T really finding their feet and trying some trickier compositions like “Midnight in Tokyo”, which has some (sort of) progressive influences, while both “Lonely side of town” and “Sentimental fool” shows them crossing over briefly into AOR territory, in which they don't stand out as strangers in town, like you would probably expect! There's more straight-forward metal too though, as in “Hang 'em high”, not to mention their emulation of AC/DC on the closer “Down and dirty”. With crystal clear production from Chris Tsangarides, and no ballad this time round, this album is a winner, and mean indeed! |
I've not heard Mean Streak but Earthshaker is one of the best metal albums of the 1980s, every song is virtually a killer, the whole thing sounds like a force of nature, its essential to any metal collection. The follow-up Black Tiger was a miss though and a big disappointment.
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No, I wouldn't agree. "Earthshaker" is excellent, and like many people I suspect, it was my introduction to the band, but I love "Black tiger" (see my review in my journal). It's not perfect but it's a damn fine album, and I love "Forever" and "Winds of change": nice to see Y&T can handle a ballad with aplomb when the mood takes them.
Need to listen to more though: "Mean streak" was where I stopped, as my brother got married and moved out. Who's mean now? :) |
Floating, drifting, boring
http://s5.postimg.org/b88jqzk9f/cookierating2.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...y-Floating.jpg Artiste: Eloy Nationality: German Album: Floating Year: 1974 Label: Harvest Genre: Progressive Rock Tracks Floating The light from deep darkness Castle in the air Plastic girl Madhouse Chronological position: Third album. Familiarity: “Performance”, “Metromania” Interesting Factoid: The name “Eloy” comes from the name of a race in HG Wells' “The time machine”. Impression: Gimme an “M”. Gimme an “E”. Gimme a “H”. Sigh. Best track(s): Nothing really. All a bit boring and monotonous. Plastic girl is ok, but only that. Things get a little more animated and rockish for the closer Madhouse which is also not bad, but it's a bit late by then... Worst track(s):As above. Meh. Intention: Hope their later stuff, other than what I'm already familiar with, is better than this. Comments: I've always considered Eloy --- what I've heard of them anyway --- to be more towards the harder side of progressive rock, while still never coming close to anything that could be considered progressive metal, but they have more of an edge to their music that makes it somehow more immediate, more forceful. I came across Eloy off the back of bands like Genesis and Van der Graaf Generator, and was initially surprised at how heavy they sounded, to me, at the time. Of course, those albums were their later ones, released in the mid-eighties. This is a little more laidback, more what you'd expect from a seventies prog band: lots of organ noodling, long instrumental passages and songs with grandiose titles. There are only five tracks on this album, but yet it's just barely over forty minutes long. The longest track is the second one, “The light from deep darkness”, at just over fourteen and a half minutes. I have to say though, in general, I find myself getting bored with this album: it just seems to wander all over the place, without any real idea of where it's going or what it's trying to achieve. Luckily Eloy got it together later and put out some pretty fine prog rock albums. I don't consider this one though. |
I like Eloy :) but to each their own. When you hear most of their works, you can truly make a final judgement.
Really liked Y&T and The Gourishankar, too. Excellent journal Trollheart. I'm in love with the format. And your choices have been stellar thus far. My first journal flopped (because of my own indecision on format, in part). I hope it wouldn't be improper to make a journal with a similar format. It's really concise and informative, with the comments section steering you away from writing a run-on review. Keep your eyes open for me reviewing some albums in a similar format. Oh, also, Eloy's origins lie in Germany. |
Thanks Mrd00d, always nice to have your input.
I look on this journal (even though it's only in its infancy) as a sort of "Trollheart-lite", where people who perhaps get a little bogged down in my often wordy and certainly lengthy interviews and who are constantly screaming at the screen FOR ****'S SAKE TROLLHEART! JUST TELL ME WHAT THE ****ING ALBUM IS LIKE! ENOUGH WITH THE FLOWERY DESCRIPTIONS! WE GET IT: YOU'RE A FRUSTRATED WRITER! (ahem!) can have their wish. It also makes it a lot easier to review the albums by not having to go too deeply into the guts of the music, though I still enjoy doing that for albums that deserve it (see my review of My Friend the Chocolate Cake's "Brood" from yesterday) --- nice to be able to keep my hand in, both ways. By all means use the format: it's not like I have a copyright on it or anything. Huh? What's that? Sorry, my phone... You do? ... We are...? He cant?... Uh, sorry, my legal team advise me I DO have the copyright on the format. Sorry. :) Any attempt to reproduce my format here will result in legal action being taken. Sorry, just business. :D Look forward to your new journal, and see you in court! :jailed: Oh, and yes I know Eloy are from Germany, just can't find out what region... |
Heaven sent indeed!
http://s5.postimg.org/yexhk5glz/cookierating5.jpg http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/...nL._AA300_.jpg Artiste: Millenium Nationality: American Album: Angelfire Year: 1999 Label: Frontiers Genre: AOR/Melodic metal Tracks Nations Shaman Beyond the pain Until the end of time Angelfire Heaven sent Julia Bound for glory Run Waiting for Godot Remember Saving grace The colour of night Hide behind my face Dawn Return (hidden track) Chronological position: Second album. Familiarity: “Millenium”, “Hourglass” Interesting Factoid: The way this band insist on spelling their name makes it next to impossible to Google them: Did you mean “millennium”? No I bloody didn't! Impression: Superb. Stunning. Sumptuous. Superlative. And a lot more words beginning with S. Best track(s): Hard to pick out one, as they're all pretty damn good. Opener Nations, despite being a short instrumental, is very effective and a great beginning to the album. Then Shaman, Until the end of time, Angelfire, Julia, Run, the amazing acapella breakdown Remember … hell, it's all good! Worst track(s): Whatchoo talkin' bout? Ain't no bad tracks on this baby! Intention: One more album and I'll have heard everything to date in their catalogue. Comments: It's quite a crime that these guys aren't better known, as Millenium play excellent power AOR, verging into metal territory on occasion. My introduction to them was via the album “Hourglass”, and that just blew me away. I'm tempted to say this is better. Chock-full of hooks, great vocal performances, even the obligatory power ballads which somehow don't sound that cheesy. Not to mention fifteen tracks, which is good value for anyone's money. But more importantly, not a bad track in all of those fifteen. It just keeps getting better the more you listen to it. It truly is the album that keeps on giving! I kept waiting for a bad track --- surely there had to be something lower quality here? --- but was happily disappointed. And the album ends with a gorgeous guitar instrumental, bringing everything full circle. Could probably have done without the silly few seconds of “hidden track” right at the end, but if that's the worst I can say about “Angelfire”, then it's only a tiny little flaw in an otherwise perfect album. Look, I know I said these reviews would be very short, but hell, this album deserves a little more devotion. You need to hear this. Even choosing one YouTube was a job, but I eventually decided to go with this. I think I love this album! |
https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/im...Z6CK_9HkNw87HQ
The Cookie Monster cometh! I know I usually don't bother with ratings for the albums I review, but this is a whole different journal with a completely different style of review, so for these I will be rating them. And for no reason you will ever know, I'm using a "Cookie" rating system. Hey, I found some really cool cartoon cookies and they looked, well, cool, so I decided to use 'em. Plus I owe the blue guy, okay? Albums will be rated from one cookie http://s5.postimg.org/cjgazgfv7/cookierating1.jpg right up to five cookies http://s5.postimg.org/yexhk5glz/cookierating5.jpg with obviously one cookie being an absolute crapfest and five being an album you have got to listen to. Because not every album will be categorisable in terms of cookies, there will also be half-cookie ratings, so an album that's better than three cookies but not quite four will be rated at three and a half cookies http://s5.postimg.org/al9n1gndj/cook...ng3andhalf.jpg (Hungry yet?) :) Most albums are probably gonna fall between the 3-4 cookie mark, with some really bad ones maybe going down to 2 or even 1 cookie. It's highly unlikely, but if you ever see this symbol on its own http://s5.postimg.org/h9fffjln7/cookiehalf.jpg avoid coming within even a hundred miles of this album, and saw off your own head with a spoon rather than listen to it. Seriously, it'll be that bad! But such a thing is unlikely to happen. Similarly, very few albums are going to attain the five-cookie mark (although it looks like one has already): these will be albums that can do no wrong, have no bad tracks, albums I love and you should love too. They will, in all probability, be few and far between, but you never know. So since I only started this journal this week, I'm going to go back and "cookie-up" the albums I've reviewed so far, and from then on every album will have a cookie rating shown before it. I may expound on why this or that album has attained the rating it has, or I may not. Now, where's me tea? :) |
Expect the ... uh, expected
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._cover_art.jpg Artiste: Axxis Nationality: German Album: Utopia Year: 2009 Label: AFM Genre: Heavy metal/Power metal Tracks Journey to Utopia Utopia Last man on Earth Fass mich an Sarah wanna die My father's eyes The monsters crawl Eyes of a child Heavy rain For you I will die Underworld Chronological position: Twelfth album. Familiarity: “Kingdom of the night”, “Axxis II”, “The big thrill”, “Matters of survival”, “Voodoo vibes”, “Pure and rough”, “Back to the kingdom”, “Eyes of darkness”, “Time machine” and “Paradise in flames”. Also the live album “Access all areas” (shoulda called it “AXXIS all areas...”) :) Interesting Factoid: This album marked the twenty-year anniversary of the band. Their latest, released this year, is a collection of covers of … disco hits! I kid you not! Impression: No disappointment if a little predictable. Best track(s): The monsters crawl, My father's eyes, Fass mach in, Heavy rain Worst track(s): No, not really any. Some are a little weaker than others, but nothing I would categorise as bad. Intention: Just keep listening to everything this band turns out. Comments: Look, no-one (least of all me) is going to suggest that Axxis are going to change the face of heavy metal. At best, they're a decent metal band with a good line in hooks and some great guitar, complemented by excellent keyboard licks and the occasional foray into the orchestral/operatic sort of territory more confidently trodden by the likes of Epica, Within Temptation and Nightwish, and at worst they're a generic metal band, one among thousands. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy them. A band doesn't have to be totally experimental, change the game or open up new horizons for me to like them. Were that the case, there are a whole lot of bands --- metal and otherwise --- to whom I would not give the time of day. But for what they do, Axxis do it as well as anyone, and better than some. I'm not entirely sure what a seamonster has to do with Utopia, though, but this is a decent album. It's not anywhere near as impressive as “Paradise in flames”, but then, nothing before or since has been, in my opinion. But it's well up there with the best of the rest. It's interesting to see Axxis include a German-language song on the album, and though I have no idea what the title means, it's good enough that you quickly forget it's not in English. Elsewhere there are great rockers like “The monsters crawl”, “Last man on Earth” and the title track, not to mention the moving ballad “My father's eyes”, which is where I see Axxis standing just a little apart from the rest of the crowd. They have a talent for melding hooky, almost AOR-style keyboard runs with the heavier guitar work to form something that is more than the sum of its parts, and makes Axxis just that little more than another run-of-the-mill heavy metal band. This album is unlikely to make you a fan if you're not one already. On the other hand, if you are one of those who, like me, enjoys their music, you'll be happy with this album. |
Look, it's Bowie, it's classic: what more do you want?
http://s5.postimg.org/w8ylbwnrr/cookierating4.jpg (The album is not really worthy of 4 cookies, but it's a Bowie classic, so it earns one extra just for that.) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...laddinSane.jpg Artiste: David Bowie Nationality: British (English) Album: Aladdin Sane Year: 1973 Label: RCA Genre: Art rock/Glam rock Tracks Watch that man Aladdin Sane Drive-in Saturday Panic in Detroit Cracked actor Time Prettiest star Let's spend the night together The jean genie Lady grinning soul Chronological position: Sixth album. Familiarity: “Ziggy Stardust”, “Diamond dogs”, “Low”, “Heathen”, “Let's dance”, “Never let me down” and of course the greatest hits packages. I know, I'm ashamed: I should know a lot more Bowie than this! Interesting Factoid: For anyone who hasn't figured it out years ago, the title is a pun on “a lad insane”, and Aladdin Sane was the extension of Bowie's character Ziggy Stardust as he moved out across America. Impression: Hey, it's Bowie, it's the seventies, what more do you need to know! Best track(s): Aladdin Sane, Drive-in Saturday, Time, The jean genie (obviously), Lady grinning soul Worst track(s): How could you say such a thing about Bowie? Though I admit I could have lived without the cover version of the Stones' Let's spend the night together, fun as it is. Intention: I need to hear more Bowie! Comments: Like I say, I haven't listened to enough Bowie, and this album proves it. The mad piano solo on the title track is itself worth the price of admission. After the monster success that was “The rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars”, Bowie needed to follow up that groundbreaking album with something really special. And he did. “Drive-in Saturday” puts me in mind of “Five years” from the previous album, and was one of the three singles released, while there's even a preview of a far later hit, “Absolute beginners”, in “The prettiest star”. As with most Bowie albums, it's a mixture of styles: soul, rock, doo-wop, blues... the Thin White Duke was never one to restrict himself to one genre. And as with many Bowie releases there are stories in the songs, with cautionary tales and morbid visions of the future. I particularly like the dates in brackets after the title track --- 1913, 1938 and 197? --- where he noted the year before each of the two World Wars, convinced another one would break out in the seventies. There's little bad you can say about a classic Bowie album, just as you would be hard-pressed (and brave, if not foolish) to give “Dark side of the moon” or “Led Zeppelin IV” a bad review, but I don't get the same feeling of immediacy from “Aladdin Sane” as I do from “Ziggy Stardust”. Maybe that's because I know the latter album much better, and this is my first time to hear this one. Still, an impressive follow up to an album I'm sure many thought could not be followed. It doesn't outshine or even match the glory of Ziggy, to be sure, but neither is it left languishing in its shadow. |
Somewhat short of their usual high standard
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ersdarling.jpg Artiste: Heart Nationality: American Album: Jupiter's darling Year: 2004 Label: Sovereign Genre: Rock Tracks Make me Oldest story in the world Things The perfect goodbye Enough Move on I need the rain I give up Vainglorious No other love Led to one Down the Nile I'm fine Fallen ones Lost angel Hello moonglow Chronological position: Twelfth album. Familiarity: “Bad animals”, “Brigade”, “Heart”, “Desire walks on” Interesting Factoid: Despite Heart's popularity, this album only sold 100,000 copies, possibly due to the record company shortly thereafter going broke. Heart are apparently still owed thousands of dollars for the album. Impression: A very fresh album, very different from the Heart I've come to know. Best track(s): Things, The perfect goodbye, No other love, Lost angel Worst track(s): Not really any bad tracks. Not mad about Down the Nile or Oldest story in the world but they're still not bad. Intention: Perhaps look into the older Heart stuff: this is good! Comments: It's interesting to hear Heart return to the basic rock roots of their earlier albums, which although I haven't heard I believe this album closely emulates. There's certainly a less commercial feel to this (perhaps an additional factor in its poor sales), a lot of acoustic stuff alongside some very hard-edged rock, and even some country-style mandolin and violin on “No other love”. Some nice love songs, and the whole thing is played in what comes across as a more honest vein than some of their previous work, good though that is. Pity the record company folded and left them high and dry, but they were back six years later with another chart-busting album, and a new one this year, so it seems their appeal has far from dried up. |
Nothing to get too terribly excited about
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ersofsteel.jpg Artiste: Avenger Nationality: German Album: Prayers of steel Year: 1985 Label: Wishbone Genre: Heavy Metal/Power metal/Speed metal Tracks Battlefield South Cross union Prayers of steel Halloween Faster than Hell Adoration Rise of the creature Sword made of steel Bloodlust Assorted by Satan Chronological position: Debut Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: This was the only album recorded by Avenger, but they later changed their name to Rage and have since had over twenty albums released and are still going strong, with a new one out this year. Impression: Don't take it too seriously and this is fun metal. They're not reinventing the wheel, but sure, who wants to go to all that bother? Best track(s): South cross union, Halloween, Faster than Hell, Prayers of steel, Assorted by Satan --- Hell, most of it is pretty good, while not actually verging into great. Worst track(s): Not really any bad tracks. Intention: Add to metal playlist. Probably not go much further than that though. Comments:At first I thought this doesn't look good: any band who titles their album like this has got to be a joke. Then I read about their namechange, their output and their links with bands like Motorhead, Helloween and Saxon, and I decided to give them a little more credit. Besides, any band that has a Wagner in it, and also someone called Jorg Micheal (!) has got to be worth investing a little time listening to! And on first listen I can hear the similarities with Saxon: fast, powerful guitar riffs, a singer who actually knows how to sing and be understood, growly without falling into the “death” style of grunting vocals, similar themes. A smattering of the old black metal, with songs about Satan and Hell, but it's more a nod in its direction than anything serious. It's fairly generic metal, but then, so is a lot of the music out there, and some not done as well as this. For what it is it's quite good, certainly nothing new or amazing, rooted in the traditions of Sabbath, Maiden and Saxon, with quite an NWOBHM feel to it. Peter Wagner comes across as sort of a viking god or norse warrior, and it's all good fun: lots of fretburning solos, heavy drums, a few neo-classical snippets thrown about in Rise of the creature, and not a keyboard in sight! Good stuff! |
Who says Christian Metal has to be boring?
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg https://encrypted-tbn3.google.com/im...dki2PAhas4g_sQ Artiste: Narnia Nationality: Swedish Album: Desert land Year: 2001 Label: Nuclear Blast Genre: Christian Metal Tracks Inner sanctum The witch and the lion Falling from the throne Revolution of mother Earth The light at the end of the tunnel Angels are crying Walking the wire Misty morning Trapped in this age Chronological position: Third album Familiarity: “Long live the King” Interesting Factoid: After releasing six albums, plus a live set and a compilation, Narnia disbanded in 2010. I have to say I'm sorry, and will miss them; they were a lot better than I had expected. Impression: A good follow up to "Long live the King", though a little lacking compared to that album. Best track(s): Revolution of mother Earth, Angels are crying, Misty morning(find this instrumental very Gary Moore-ish) Trapped in this age Worst track(s): Not really any bad tracks. Intention: Find Jesus. There He is! No seriously, I'm going to listen to more Narnia though, especially now that I know that what we have is all we'll ever have of their music. Comments:Okay, so it's another metal album. I'm in the mood, to paraphrase the Nolan Sisters, for metal! This time, however, I have a good idea what to expect, as I reviewed the album before this, 1999's “Long live the King”, and was surprised to be very impressed with it. So I'm hoping for more of the same. I have to say, initially Christian metal was a foreign subject to me, and I would never have willingly explored the genre, but I stumbled into it via Narnia, who I began listening to before I realised they were that sort of band, and yet found it did not take from the music at all. This album doesn't have the immediacy of “Long live the King”, but it's still not bad at all. There is, nevertheless, something odd, even somehow wrong about a metal band singing about God. We're much more used to its adherents swearing fealty (however superficially and theatrically) to “the other guy”, and it's both refreshing and confusing to hear a guy like Christian Liljegren sing about meeting Jesus, and talking of “living water from the Father”, but to be honest the music is so damn good that you soon forget what the lyrics are about, if it bothers you, or embrace the subject matter if you're interested in it. Or just ignore it altogether. But you can't ignore the talent and skill of these guys. Switch out the lyrics and throw in some about beer, women and motorbikes and you'd not pick them out from a lineup of some of the best metal bands around. Seriously. Such a pity they decided to call it a day. |
Gabriel's legacy is alive and well and living in Bournemouth
http://s5.postimg.org/w8ylbwnrr/cookierating4.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Age_Steam.jpg Artiste: Big Big Train Nationality: British (English) Album: Goodbye to the age of steam Year: 1994 Label: Giant Electric Pea Genre: Progressive rock Tracks Wind distorted pioneers Head hit the pillow Edge of the known world Landfall Dragon Bone Hill Blow the house down Expecting snow Blue silver red Losing your way Chronological position: Debut album Familiarity: Zero, other than a few tracks here and there. Interesting Factoid: This album was basically entirely the baby of guitarist/keyboard player Greg Spawton, who wrote the music and lyrics to all the tracks save two, on which he collaborated. Impression: The hype I'd been creating in my head about this band is well justified, and they live up to it without question. Best track(s): Hard to pick one out, not because there aren't any, but because they're ALL great! I particularly like Head hit the pillow, Landfall and Dragon Bone Hill, but love the rest too. This is one great album. Worst track(s): Not a single one. Not even a weak one. Intention: Get into this band the old way, ie chronologically. Comments:Yeah, I hear so much about Big Big Train, and how their sound changed down the years that I would rather not start in the middle, with some of their more popular releases, like “The difference engine” or “The underfall yard”. In this age of playlists, selected tracks and cherry-picking I want to treat this band the way I used to, which was get their first album and then the rest in order. Nah, I never did that, or at least not always: it was quite often a case of find one album I like, buy a few more either side, end up going back as far as I could and then collecting their more recent releases. But there were a few, like Marillion for instance, with whom I got into their music on their debut and then followed them religiously album by album as each was released. That's how I'd like to approach BBT, cos I think I may very much like them, from the snippets and few tracks I've heard up to now. And right away I hear elements of Genesis and Floyd in their music, quite relaxed and laidback for the most part, atmospheric and rather entrancing. Vocalist Martin Read has a very engaging and warm voice, kind of reminds me of Francis Dunnery from It Bites. Some beautiful and tasteful acoustic guitar work from Greg Spawton on the instrumentals Dragon Bone Hill and Expecting snow, the latter also containing some soothing keyboard. There's a certain sense of bittersweet melancholy about pretty much all of the album; very gentle, very restrained with some powerful vocal harmonies and great keys. This will definitely be going on the shortlist for full review in my main journal at some point. |
Good solid rock from the boys who brought you "Dawn Patrol"
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...angeralbum.jpg Artiste: Night Ranger Nationality: American Album: 7 wishes Year: 1985 Label: MCA Genre: AOR Tracks Seven wishes Faces Four in the morning (I can't take anymore) I need a woman Sentimental Street This boy needs to rock I will follow you Interstate love affair Night machine Goodbye Chronological position: Third album Familiarity: “Dawn patrol”, “Midnight madness”, “Big life” Interesting Factoid: Uh... Impression: Pretty damn good! Best track(s): Four in the morning (I can't take anymore), Sentimental Street, I will follow you, Goodbye Worst track(s): I need a woman Intention: Delve a little deeper into Night Ranger's later material, and get their latest album too! Comments:Although I probably haven't given them a fair chance, Night Ranger were one of those bands that blew me away with their debut and then just fell apart. I thought “Big life”, their fourth album, was generally terrible, very below par despite having a few (very few) good tracks, and I never went any further after that. I did however miss out this album, so perhaps it will bridge the gap between that nail-in-the-coffin fourth album and “Dawn patrol”. Or perhaps it will turn out that their debut was their only good release... You know, it's a good album. Not as heavy or immediately accessible as “Dawn patrol”, a bit less commercial than “Midnight madness”, with some pretty catchy tracks and some good down-and-dirty rockers. It's not trying to be something it's not. I like that. No, it's no “Dawn patrol”, but it's a pretty worthy successor, and I think I may be playing this a few more times. |
Why are Irish solo artists so boring?
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...albumcover.jpg Artiste: Damien Rice Nationality: Irish Album: 9 Year: 2006 Label: Heffa Genre: Folk/Acoustic Tracks 9 crimes The animals were gone Elephant Rootless tree Dogs Coconut skins Me, my yoke and I Grey rooms Accidental babies Sleep don't weep Chronological position: Second album Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: This album was only released under pressure from Rice's label, as he had intended only ever recording one solo album. It features Lisa Hannigan on backing/shared vocals; Lisa has since left Rice and struck out on her own, doing very well for herself. Impression: Interesting.... Best track(s): Elephant, Rootless tree, Accidental babies Worst track(s): Me, my yoke and I, Dogs Intention: Since he only has the one other album, I expect I'll listen to that, but to be honest I'm in no huge hurry. Comments:I've heard a lot about Damien Rice, particularly through reviewing Lisa Hannigan's “See sew”, but have not up to now listened to any of his music, and as an Irishman I think maybe it's about time I did that. Apparently his music has been used in a stack of TV shows, including two of my own favourites, “True Blood” and “Criminal minds”, as well as a bunch of films, and yet I've heard none of his songs --- or at least none I recognised as being his. Glen Hansard is another of our native sons I must make the time to hear. As I listen to this album I hear elements of a more restrained David Gray, as well as the late Harry Chapin with echoes of John Martyn and Joseph Arthur. Lovely use of mournful cello, viola and violin gives the album a very melancholic and yet strangely uplifting feel. The sheer power of Rice's voice, downbeat and understated for most of the album, really comes through on Elephant, when his powerful lungs bellow out the lyric like a wounded animal, the gently-strummed acoustic guitar which carries most of the song getting louder and more insistent until the rest of the band crash in and up the ante in the song, which then drops back off to simple acoustic again for the end. Powerful. Again you hear it on Coconut skins, but most of the time it's reserved, kept in check, only to be unleashed when required. Percussion is sparse across the album, but used very effectively when it's needed, adding an extra dimension to songs like Rootless tree and Grey room, but it's Rice's tortured voice that carries the album and demands your attention, and it's by this that the album stands or falls, despite the excellent band he has assembled. In general, I think it works, but I believe this is an album you need to be in the mood for, and I wouldn't tend to play it too often. I could also have done without the almost fifteen minutes of low whining at the end, which I believe is Damien playing wine glasses for some reason, but it all seems to be the one tone all the way through, so sounds to me more like that sound the telly used to make when the stations were closing down for the night. Yes, TV wasn't always 24 hour! It's supposed to be some sort of Tibetan chant apparently, and that's all well and good, but almost a quarter of an hour of it is a little too much to take when it doesn't even vary from note to note, and unfortunately it ends the album badly for me. Still, it's different... |
A waste of time and talent
http://s5.postimg.org/560x0hvtj/cook...ng2andhalf.jpg https://encrypted-tbn0.google.com/im...iwCDGdzq_xU3jg Artiste: Keats Nationality: British (English) Album: Keats Year: 1984 Label: Renaissance Genre: Rock Tracks Heaven knows Tragedy Fight to win Walking on ice How can you walk away Turn your heart around Avalanche Give it up Ask no questions Night full of voices Hollywood heart Chronological position: Debut, and only album Familiarity: Only through the work of the Alan Parsons Project Interesting Factoid: A project within a project! Keats was a short-lived offshoot from the Alan Parsons Project, and only recorded the one album. This one. Impression: One word: Why? Best track(s): Heaven knows, How can you walk away, Avalanche (Really, this is the best of a pretty poor bunch) Worst track(s): Ask no questions, Hollywood heart Intention: Uh, none, really, since this is their one and only release. I've always meant to listen to it though, and now I have. Comments: I've always been partial to the music of the Alan Parsons Project, which most people will probably only know from the likes of Sirius, the instrumental that introduces many a sports event and was recently used before all of the matches in Euro 2012, or the hit Old and wise, but although I bought this album, more out of curiosity than anything else, I've never really listened to it through. It's the only one they ever put out, and it features members of the APP like Colin Blunstone, Ian Bairnson and David Paton. Now, for what it is, it's good, but I find it so close to the music, style, sound and themes of the parent band that really it might as well be another Alan Parsons Project album. It's even produced and engineered by him! The only thing missing is Eric Woolfson. It's therefore hard to separate “Keats” out from the other APP output and treat it as an album on its own merits. You sort of begin to wonder why they bothered. The familiar APP beat is there, the usual suspects singing, the crystal-clear and spot-on production courtesy of Parsons himself, and even the song titles bear resemblances to APP tracks, but unfortunately there's something missing; none of the songs have the immediacy or heart of the material by the Alan Parsons Project, and Ask no questions is a particular example, just annoying: bouncy and happy without much real substance. Worse though is the closer, Hollywood heart, where the ex-APP guys try to do soul, and not very well it has to be said. There's no doubting the individual talents of these people: we've seen them prove themselves time and again on albums like “Eye in the sky”, “Pyramid” and “Ammonia Avenue”. I'm just not that sure why they decided to go in this direction, a decision which it seems was soon abandoned, and probably just as well. |
Melissa delivers a sucker punch!
http://s5.postimg.org/yexhk5glz/cookierating5.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...down_cover.jpg Artiste: Melissa Etheridge Nationality: American Album: Breakdown Year: 1999 Label: Island Genre: Rock/Folk Tracks Breakdown Stronger than me Angels would fall Into the dark Enough of me Truth of the heart Mama I'm strange Scarecrow How would I know My lover Sleep Chronological position: Sixth album Familiarity: “Your little secret” Interesting Factoid: The song Scarecrow was based on true events, written about a student who was abducted and murdered in 1998. Impression: Holy ****! This is brilliant! Best track(s): Angels would fall, Enough of me, How would I know Worst track(s): None Intention: Listen to a lot more of this lady's work, post-haste! Comments: I wasn't to be fair expecting all that much when I decided to give this a spin, but from the very first track it grabbed me and it's not showing any signs of letting go! Every single track so far has been top-notch, so much so that I'm having a really hard time choosing favourites, though I doubt I'll have the same problem with selecting bad tracks, as I really doubt there are any. Punchy, rocky, with a lot of cool country-style class and some really polished production, these songs come across as being written and sung from the heart, all very personal and definitely not just written to climb the charts. They're real, man! Etheridge has the perfect kind of voice for these songs: deep and honest with a real rasp and drawl that speaks of a woman who has seen much of life, but never lost her faith in herself. She lets loose the beast within when she rages against the killing of student Matthew Shepard in Scarecrow, then pays homage to Tracy Chapman with “My lover”, showing the breadth of her range. I can't really say anything bad about this album, and I was expecting to be underwhelmed. I need to hear more of her music. Like, now! |
Issa very good album (sorry)
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://metalwarez.com/wordpress/wp-c...ngels-2010.jpg Artiste: Issa Nationality: Norwegian Album: Sign of angels Year: 2010 Label: Frontiers Genre: AOR Tracks Angels crying I'm alive Give me a sign River of love What can I do Closer Unbelievable How will I know As I live and breathe Flying high It's not me Falling angel Chronological position: Debut album Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: Um, she's young and sexy? Okay, then: Issa got her first break with a song written by Dimmu Borgir's Stian Aarstad, how's that? Impression: I think this lady may have quite a career in front of her (she already has quite a lot in front of her, ahem!) :D Best track(s): Angels crying, River of love, Unbelievable, It's not me Worst track(s): None really Intention: Isn't there a new album out this year? Must have a listen to that. Comments:I've been meaning to listen to this album for some time. Issa, real name Isabell Over Sveen, is only 26 and comes from the cold lands of Norway, but there's nothing cold or bleak about her music, from what I'm hearing here. Uptempo, commercially hooky rock with a strong melodic flavour, it's the sort of thing that's almost exclusively male-dominated territory, but she combines the power of Nancy Wilson with the passion of Pat Benatar, while still retaining the innate innocence of a young Britney or Susannah Hoffs and throwing in the streetwisdom and raunch of Chrissie Hynde or Debbie Harry. She certainly has a powerful voice, which can rock out on songs like Angels crying, plead passionately on Give me a sign or “crunch” it on What can I do?, and with a powerful and accomplished backing band her music really hits the spot! Of course, what would an AOR album be, especially one recorded by a female artiste, without the obligatory ballad? And yes, it's there, but it's damn good, in fact, “Unbelievable”. Well, that's the title anyway, but it is very good; a sort of cross between rock and nu-country, sung with a lot of passion and angst by Issa, and in fact it ramps up near the end into something of a power ballad, with a great backing choir. Overall I'm impressed with this album and with Issa: very satisfying and certainly one to watch for the future. |
Classic from the guitar god from Ballyshannon
http://s5.postimg.org/w8ylbwnrr/cookierating4.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lling_Card.JPG Artiste: Rory Gallagher Nationality: Irish Album: Calling card Year: 1976 Label: Chrysalis Genre: Blues/Rock Tracks Do you read me Country mile Moonchild Calling card I'll admit you're gone Jack-knife beat Secret agent Edged in blue Barley and grape rag Chronological position: Sixth album Familiarity: “Deuce”, “Top priority”, “Photo finish”, “Stage struck”, “Against the grain”, “Defender”, “Jinx”. Interesting Factoid: Deep Purple bass player Roger Glover co-produced the album with Rory Impression: I can see how this is seen as a true classic. Best track(s): Country mile, I'll admit you're gone, Moonchild, Edged in blue Worst track(s): Rory? Bad tracks? You jest, surely? Intention: Isn't there a new album out this year? Must have a listen to that. Comments: I know, I know! I profess to be such a Rory fan, and yet I haven't heard what is arguably one of his finest albums. I only realise now, as I'm typing the “Familiarity” entry, how few Gallagher albums I have listened to all the way through. Sure, I know his standards, and have heard tracks from his many albums via playlists and on live recordings, but I really can only attest, now, to having fully listened to, what, six of his eleven studio albums (not including “Notes from San Francisco”) and one of his five live efforts. Some fan, eh? Well, I plan to address that wrong today, and you're right, it has been a long time coming. First impressions of course are the expected guitar brilliance from Rory, ever a master of the blues, but what is different about this album, at least to me and at least on first listen, is the inclusion of piano, particularly on Country mile, where it comes across as very honky-tonk indeed, and on the title track, where it's pure blues heaven. Kudos to Lou Martin, whose last hurrah with Rory for fourteen years this would be, as he instigated the stripped-down, bare-bones lineup of guitar, drums and bass for his next two albums. Still, good as the piano is when Martin gets going, you can hear why Rory had decided to drop it, when you listen to tracks like the softly acoustic I'll admit you're gone or the harder, rockier Secret agent --- it's not needed! Sure, it adds something to some of the tracks, but let's be honest, with a massive and versatile talent like Rory unauguably was, he could make that guitar sound like just about anything, fill in any gap --- should any exist --- in a song, and if not, hell, there was always his trusty harmonica, as he demonstrates on the song I just mentioned. So perhaps piano was skewing the band dynamic. And yet, this is generally accepted as one of his best albums. Against that, though, you have to measure the success that only really began to come commercially with albums like “Top priority” and “Photo finish”, neither of which used any piano or keyboards, although he then reintroduced them when he released “Jinx” in 1982 and they featured in the rest of his albums, Lou Martin even returning for Rory's final studio album before his death, 1990's “Fresh evidence”. Yeah, I know this review is far from as short as I said these would be, but in my defence, it's Rory! :) |
Light years ahead of her competition
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ars-164329.jpg Artiste: Kylie Minogue Nationality: Australian Album: Light years Year: 2000 Label: Parlophone Genre: Pop/Dance/Electronic Tracks Spinning around On a night like this So now goodbye Disco down Loveboat Koocachoo Your disco needs you Please stay Bittersweet goodbye Butterfly Under the influence of love I'm so high Kids Light years Chronological position: Seventh album Familiarity: “Body language”, “Aphrodite” Interesting Factoid: This is, to my knowledge, the only time two top-selling albums, released in the same year, contained the same track track, which was also released as a single. From both albums! Impression: Not half as bad as I thought it would be! Best track(s): (Other than the ones I already knew) Disco down, Your disco needs you, Bittersweet goodbye, Light years Worst track(s): Butterfly, I'm so high Intention: Perhaps listen to a a few more of her albums, selectively. Comments: I have often waxed lyrical about the wonderful attributes and beauty of Kylie's behind (and I stand by that: well, I would if I had the chance!), but it has always seemed to me that I listen to --- perhaps even “tolerate” might be a better, if less kind, word --- Kylie because of how pretty and sexy she is, and that her music, for me, comes a very long way behind (sorry!) her other delights. I was hoping to redress (SHUT it!) this imbalance by actually taking the time to listen to some of her albums. I've been disappointed with “Aphrodite” to the point of despair, thought “Body language” was a good deal better than I had expected, and that's about it for me as far as Kylie's music goes. So here I am, trying again to see if there's proper decent music behind the, ah, image. Or not. I already know this is seen as one of Kylie's most dance-oriented albums, and indeed it was this very return to form that sparked something of a renaissance for her, garnering her a number one hit and a number two, and also a duet with bad boy Robbie Williams, which gave the two of them another hit. I'm not therefore expecting much in the way of wild experimentation, guitar solos or even touching ballads, but is it all just fluff? Even I can't help dancing clumsily around to “Spinning around” (and who could forget THAT video?) and I've heard “On a night like this” before, and it's not too bad really. A lot of the rest reminds me of the old seventies disco era, like EWF and Chic, that sort of thing, with a fairly healthy dose of ABBA thrown into the mix. Not half as annoying or bland as I expected it to be, to be fair. Quite a fun album too, bubbly and a little over-the-top at times, certainly verging into camp territory with tracks like Loveboat and Your disco needs you, though not pitching there for the night and swiftly moving on (geddit?) with a really nice ballad, very moving. Interesting that a few of the songs are written or co-written by Robbie Williams and his songwriting partner-in-crime, Guy Chambers, though Kylie herself does have input to nearly all the tracks, proving she's not just a singer of other people's songs. Intriguing cover of Barry White's Under the influence of love as well. Of course, the famous duet between her and Robbie is on this, and I think is the only time the same track appeared on two albums at once, released from both as a single. Yeah, this is not a bad album. I'd certainly spin it the odd time. Now I feel a little less guilty lusting after Kylie. A little. |
Kiss drummer shines and sparkles on his own
http://s5.postimg.org/yg7fdkifr/cook...ng4andhalf.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...eter_criss.jpg Artiste: Peter Criss Nationality: American Album: One for all Year: 2007 Label: Megaforce Genre: Rock Tracks One for all Doesn't get better than this Last night What a difference a day makes Hope Faces in the crowd Send in the clowns Falling all over again Whisper Heart behind these hands Memories Space ace Chronological position: Fifth album Familiarity: Zero, other than his stuff with Kiss Interesting Factoid: Uh, I used to laugh at this guy's solo efforts? Impression: So much better than I had expected: just blew me away! Best track(s): One for all, Doesn't get better than this, Last night, Whisper, Heart behind these hands --- hell, just the whole album! Worst track(s): Not a single one. Intention: Radically rethink my attitude to this guy's music. Comments: Holy crapola! Two tracks in and I am gobsmacked! This is brilliant! And I expected nothing special at all. A sort of a cross between Springsteen, Axl and Stevie Ray, with a lot of great acoustic guitar and some really hooky rock tunes, second track Doesn't get better than this has me wondering if this is indeed true, and as it slips on into the third song, a beautiful laidback ballad, I'm having a major rethink about Peter Criss. I always considered him to be the weak link, even the joke in Kiss. I used to laugh at his solo albums going for fifty pence (yeah, it's that long ago, when we had our own currencies!) and sneer at his obvious lack of appeal, but what I'm hearing here is making an ignorant idiot out of me. Not only is he a capable singer --- I'm not going to say he's great, cos he's not, but he can carry a tune most of the time --- he also writes some damn fine material and isn't afraid to move away on certain tangents that distance his music from that usually associated with his parent band. It's almost a total remove from Kiss indeed, with covers of the old classics What a difference a day makes and Send in the clowns, both of which are handled beautifully and expertly, the latter it seems with the help of a full orchestra. Who said this man was only a drummer, living in the shadow of Simmons, Frehley and Stanley? Okay, so this album hardly ever rocks out, but the cool, laidback acoustic rock Criss purveys on “All for one” is smooth, relaxing and very mature, for a guy who could have tried to recapture his glory days by racking off a load of hard'n'fast metal and songs about “wimmen” --- which, for all I know, he may have done on previous albums --- and what results is a very tempered, balanced and above all enjoyable album, from the edgy blues of Heart behind these hands to the semi-live anthem Faces in the crowd. I really have to take my hat off to the guy, and to paraphrase the title of one of the two covers here, what a difference actually listening to the guy's music makes. Instead of sneering at what I had never heard or experienced, and now very much appreciate. Catman one, Trollheart nil! |
I'm starting to realise what people see in this band
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...albumcover.jpg Artiste: Snow Patrol Nationality: British (Scottish) Album: Final straw Year: 2003 Label: Fiction Genre: Rock Tracks How to be dead Wow Gleaming auction Whatever's left Spitting games Chocolate Run Grazed knees Ways and means Tiny little fractures Somewhere a clock is ticking Same Chronological position: Third album Familiarity: “Songs for polar bears”, “Fallen empires” Interesting Factoid: Da-da-da-da Homer, da-da-da-da-Homer ... er, no, can't think of one... Impression: Getting to like this band more now Best track(s): How to be dead, The spitting game, Run, Tiny little fractures Worst track(s): No, not really any. Intention: Need to listen to the other two albums now, to balance this out and make a final decision... Comments: For some time now I've maintained a love/hate relationship with Snow Patrol. I loved Chasing cars, and unlike probably the majority of people in the world I still love it, never got tired of it. I then listened to their debut album and hated it, with a passion. Following this, I jumped in with both feet to their last album, “Fallen empires”, and absolutely loved it. So I'm confused: is “SfPB” just an aberration, write it off as it was their first effort, or is, conversely, “Fallen Empires” the exception to the rule, and the rest of their material garbage? In an effort to answer this question I've taken this, their third album, and the first to bring Snow Patrol any real commercial success, to see if it shows them crossing a line of, in my opinion, mediocrity and banality from their debut into the chart-smashing success they later enjoyed with albums like “Eyes open” and “Fallen empires”. I must admit that it's more immediately accessible than the debut, with less effort expended on making the song titles as clever as they could --- which I believe to be one of the major pitfalls of “Songs for polar bears”: the cleverness of the titles was not mirrored in the quality of the songs --- and more used on crafting good songs, which so far I'm seeing all of these are, in particular the opener, which is very strong and seems to set the pace for the rest of the album. You can even hear an embryonic precursor to their biggest hit in Run, itself their first top ten hit; proof, if any were needed, that Snow Patrol certainly grew up and came of age on this album. I can feel the pendulum swinging over from “hate” to “love” as I listen. |
Another perfect salvo from the Heartbreaker
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Companion.jpg Artiste: Tom Petty Nationality: American Album: Highway companion Year: 2006 Label: Warner Bros. Genre: Rock Tracks Saving grace Square one Flirting with time Down South Jack Turn this car around Big weekend Night driver Damaged by love This old town Ankle deep The golden rose Chronological position: Third solo album, fourteenth overall Familiarity: “Full moon fever”, “Into the great wide open”, “Let me up (I've had enough)” Interesting Factoid: That man Jeff Lynne is back controlling things... Impression: Like this a lot, not at all hard to get into, easy to call. Best track(s): Saving grace, Square one, Flirting with time, Night driver, Big weekend Worst track(s): None Intention: One of these days I must look deeper into his work with the Heartbreakers... Comments: Yeah, I like this album. It's not as immediately in-your-face as “Full moon fever” was, but it's a nice little collection of rock songs, driving songs, lazy country fields songs and even some semi-folk/acoustic ballads in there. It gives the impression of someone not too pushed about trying, but in a good way: there's no real pressure on Petty and he can generally make music he likes, instead of what sells. Then again, that's been his mantra for over thirty years now. He is something of a maverick in the rock world, or he was, till FMF catapulted him into the charts. Although produced by him, the album doesn't show too much evidence of Jeff Lynne's influence, apart from on a few tracks, especially Night driver, where Petty even contrives somehow to sound like the ex-ELO man, and the slide guitar solo halfway through could be off “Secret messages” or “Zoom”. Another track which shows the ELO footprint is Damaged by love, both nice little laidback groove ballads. But Petty rocks out too, like on Big weekend, when he just lets his hair down (how has he still got that head of hair at his age? It's unfair, I tells ya!) and has a blast. Although it didn't follow it directly, “Highway companion” is a pretty good sequel to “Full moon fever” --- almost its younger, more reserved brother, perhaps, and certainly a disc you should make sure you have for that long road trip you've been planning for years now. |
Superb understated prog masterpiece
http://s5.postimg.org/yg7fdkifr/cook...ng4andhalf.jpg (Would definitely have achieved a five-Cookie rating had this been a full album: as it is I have to subtract half a Cookie for the fact that it's only three tracks...) https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/im...oN9Zt7Rv9g3Bgw Artiste: Also Eden Nationality: British (English) Album: Differences as light Year: 2010 Label: Self released Genre: Progressive Rock Tracks Seeing red Oud en nieuw Reality cheque (i) Fool's gold (ii) Dead reckoning (iii)Rainbow's end Chronological position: Third release, two albums before this Familiarity: One track on a giveaway CD. Interesting Factoid: Vocalist Rich Harding's first band was called Dick Hardon and the Erections! I kid you not! Impression: Loved this from the moment I heard it Best track(s): Well, there are only three, but I'll go for Seeing red as my favourite, though the other two are also great. Worst track(s): See above. Intention: Check out and review the rest of their albums Comments: Okay, so strictly speaking this is not an album but an EP, and it only has three tracks on it, but even at that, they total just over twenty-four minutes. Now that's not bad at all for an EP. Not to mention that the quality of this music is so high that in honesty, you'll probably get more out of these three tracks than you will from many a full album. It really is that good. Add to that the fact that their vocalist, Rich Harding, was in a nearly-fatal motorbike accident and actually recorded some songs from his hospital bed(!) in 2010, and you can see how serious this band are about their music. There's absolutely nothing bad to say about any of the three tracks, though there is quite a difference between the opening mid-paced Seeing red, the much slower, laidback, almost pastoral Oud en nieuw, (which I'm going to take a total guess is Welsh for “old and new”, though I could be completely wrong) and the epic closer, Reality cheque, with its differing time signatures, three movements and harder, rockier parts. It's the best of Marillion/Genesis/Rush/Mostly Autumn/Arena/Porcupine Tree/Any prog band you know: excellent guitars with sublime keyboard passages, and Harding's voice is smooth, warm, rich (sorry!) and friendly; the kind of tone that makes it seem like he's singing directly and exclusively to you. If I had to choose a single word to describe Also Eden's music it would be lush. I'm now off to listen to the rest of their albums; expect full reviews in the main journal soon. Eh, that's assuming I can stop listening to this album. EP. Whatever. I've listened to it I reckon about ten times in the last three days. And I'm going to stop listening …. NOW! Well, maybe one more listen... :) |
Who says all Christian Metal has to be --- oh wait: I've said that, haven't I?
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ld_Bleeds.jpeg Artiste: Theocracy Nationality: American Album: As the world bleeds Year: 2011 Label: Ulterium Genre: Christian power progressive metal (it says here...) Tracks I am The master storyteller Nailed Hide in the fairytale The gift of music 30 pieces of silver Drown Altar to the unknown god Light of the world As the world bleeds Chronological position: Third album Familiarity: Zero. Interesting Factoid: Impression: Powerful, fast, dramatic, excellent. Best track(s): I am, Nailed, The gift of music, Drown, As the world bleeds Worst track(s): None. Nada. Nil. Zilch. Intention: Become a convert... Comments: As this album began I had to wait an agonising almost two minutes as the music powered up, orchestral and neo-classical metal merging with progressive influences, hoping that the vocals wouldn't be death, which would have spelled the end of this review before it began, as I will simply not listen to death vocals or grunts: I want to be able to understand what's being sung. Happily, I was not disappointed, and the vocals are clear and powerful, with rather a lot of Iron Maiden in the music and style, perhaps faster and a bit more dramatic, but with an opener that runs for eleven minutes, Theocracy are not skimping on the songwriting! It's great, energetic stuff, but with a real feel for form and structure in the songs, and the vocals though powerful are never overdone, with some great backing/choral vocals adding to the overall effect. Some fine shredding, though again this never threatens to take over with the sometimes overindulgence evinced by the likes of Malmsteen. Interesting to note that lead vocalist Matt Smith (no, not that one!) also writes all the songs on this album: he certainly has some real talent. I think this album --- can't say the band, as I've only heard this one --- successfully straddles the divide between progressive and power metal without feeling it has to fall over on either side, and it works well. I fail however to see the Christian flavour in Theocracy's music, at least here: this is nothing like Narnia, who, though brilliant too, make sure their beliefs come across strongly in the lyrics of their songs. I don't see that here. I'm particularly impressed with The gift of music, which starts off as a power ballad anthem, but along the way metamorphoses into a whole different animal entirely. Sort of like someone starts singing you a lullaby as you drift off to sleep and then suddenly hits you over the head with a brick. In a good way. I also see strong elements of a heavier Millenium here, which is a compliment as I love that band. This album is just great from start to finish, and I'll be heading towards their discography as soon as I can. Great stuff! |
^ Your review on As The World Bleeds gives me goosebumps. It's my favorite album by them and I am excited to hear that you enjoy it. You'll enjoy their other albums as well. Martyr and Mirror of Souls off the Mirror of Souls album are both incredible pieces. You will not be disappointed with this band, I can promise you that.
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Running on fumes now?
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...te_America.jpg Artiste: Boston Nationality: American Album: Corporate America Year: 2002 Label: Artemis Genre: Rock Tracks I had a good time Stare out your window Corporate America With you Someone Turn it off Cryin' Didn't mean to fall in love You gave up on love Livin' for you (live) Chronological position: Fifth album Familiarity: “Boston”, “Don't look back”, “Third stage”, “Walk on” Interesting Factoid: The last album Bradley Delp recorded with Boston before his untimely suicide. Impression: Solid, but the Suits won't be overly worried. Best track(s): Stare out your window, Someone, Turn it off Worst track(s): Corporate America Intention: Wonder if Boston will ever rise to the heights of the debut again, but doubt it. Comments:Starts off well, powerfully and with a lot more AOR to be fair than straight ahead rock, but that oh-so-missed distinctive voice is great to hear, as Brad Delp puts in a great performance, his last with Boston before tragically taking his own life five years later. I'm a little offput by the electronic/dance nature of the title track, even if Tom Scholz's instantly recognisable guitar riffs do add a bit of needed punch, but the basic tune is more like something you'd hear on a dancefloor really, and despite a pretty fine solo from Tom it's hard not to scratch your head at the composition of this song. There's a nice change of pace then for a beautifully gentle little acoustic number, that comes on all Starman as it begins, and is very interestingly sung by country songstress Kimberley Dahme, who joined Boston that year. I believe this is the first time a Boston song has had female lead vocals, and it's certainly unexpected, to me at least. There's another unexpected twist in Turn it off, when Boston go all grunge rock, and a lovely little piece of Spanish guitar in I didn't mean to fall in love, though the rest of the song sounds like Toto, and is somewhat drowned in keyboards. Beautiful closer in an apparently live version of Livin' for you, off previous album “Walk on”, though to be honest the only clue it's live is at the end with some basic cheers, but it's a great song anyway. Boston will never equal or exceed their amazing debut from 1976, especially now that the “voice” of that band has passed on, but they came close with “Third stage”. This I do not place in that sort of category. It's a decent album, but in a few places quite weak and really lacking the energy and enthusiasm I'd expect not only of Boston, but of an album that bears such a title. Corporate rock? Maybe not, but as Steve Hogarth once wrote, ”The fire in your belly/ That gave you the songs/ Is suddenly gone.” |
Learn how to sing, man!
http://s5.postimg.org/ag5vrsg2b/cook...ng1andhalf.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...220px-BOTT.jpg Artiste: Kings of Leon Nationality: American Album: Because of the times Year: 2006 Label: RCA Genre: Rock Tracks Knocked up Charmer On call McFearless Black thumbnail My party True love way Ragoo Fans The runner Trunk Camaro Arizona Chronological position: Third album Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: Could not be bothered even looking for one Impression: Absolutely hate this, and it's a long time since I said that about any album. Best track(s): Arizona (just about) Worst track(s): Everything else Intention: Try to forget I ever listened to this band. Comments:Another band I've been meaning to listen to for some time. Like a lot of the bands I have on my computer but have yet to listen to, I know Kings of Leon by reputation only, and can honestly say I have never heard one single song by them (no, not even Sex on fire!) so when I say my familiarity with them is zero, I mean it. I know so little about them that until I Wiki'd them I thought they were English! Who's that laughing? Yeah, you there at the back... Well, it's running now and I don't hate the opener, Knocked up, quite catchy in fact, but you can keep Charmer: it's just terrible, like the Smiths doing punk! Ugh! Will this, I find myself wondering, be an album of extremes: some tracks I'll like, others I'll hate? Perhaps not: God I hate this guy's voice! It just grates on me like nails on a blackboard! I doubt much can rescue this album, indeed this band, for me now: sure, we're only four tracks in, but hey, if you can't stand the singer you're exceptionally unlikely to warm to the band, and though the music is generally okay, I don't see where the love for these guys is coming from, as to me they sound very distinctly average. Black thumbnail has a certain Springsteen charm to it, until suddenly it speeds up and loses the feeling; I'm really struggling to find anything decent to say about this album at all. There's a decent guitar solo near the end of True love way, but really, it's a little crack of light in the overall darkness. Do Kings of Leon do any instrumentals? I could really do without hearing --- what's his name anyway? Caleb Followill --- Jesus! These guys are all brothers? Well, I'll persevere to the end of the album, because I never leave a review half-finished (unless I hear death vocals, my one rule that never gets broken: I hear them and it's hit stop right away, and I'm outta here), but who the hell told this guy he could sing? He sounds half the time like he's hoarse, and he certainly has (to me anyway) no charm, warmth, charisma or class in his voice. Right, let it run on. Okay vocal harmonies and a decent melody to Fans, another good solo, but the big problem is still there, and our man Caleb ain't going away! Guess I'm in the minority, as KoL have been very successful, but then, so have a lot of bands I would not rate. Aquired taste? Maybe, but I don't see myself ever savouring his vocals, and the music, though not terrible, is nothing that special either. There's a nice idea in The runner, but it never seems to really get going, and there's a sleazy, Chris Isaakesque feel to Trunk which isn't bad, but Caleb seems unable to stay in tune (seriously!) and ruins it. Okay, okay! The closer is quite nice, and even Caleb's singing is not too irritating or distracting, in fact weirdly Arizona reminds me of Chris Rea's Nothing's happening by the sea. But by now it's way too late for a rearguard action or a last minute push, and Kings of Leon have lost me. I hate this album, and as long as this guy remains with them (which I guess is still the case today) I won't be listening to any more of their records. |
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Isn't it great when you take a chance on a band and it really works out? Watch this space for an example very soon of the reverse of that... :laughing: |
Folk to the max. Or something.
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...n_Faulkner.jpg Artiste: Newton Faulkner Nationality: British (English) Album: Hand built by robots Year: 2007 Label: Ugly Truth Genre: Folk Tracks Intro To the light I need something All I got Dream catch me Feels like home Teardrop Gone in the morning Sitar-y thing Uncomfortably slow Straight towards the sun People should smile more She's got the time UFO Face (her) Ageing superhero Lullaby Chronological position: Debut album Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: I used to have a friend called Tony Faulkner, and he too was/is a talented musician. This factoid is of interest to no-one but me, but hey, in ways that's one of the things that drew me to this artiste. Love the title too! Impression: Not bad, wouldn't have pegged it for a number one album. Interesting certainly, but didn't exactly blow me away. Best track(s): Dream catch me, Teardrop, Uncomfortably slow, Straight towards the sun Worst track(s): To be fair, I don't think any track could be properly categorised as bad. Intention: Dunno. Not totally encouraged to seek out more of his music, but not repelled by it either. Just okay I guess. Comments: You know, be it folk rock, folk pop, psychedelic folk or just, folk it, pure folk, I realise I don't listen to enough folk. Stop saying folk!! Okay, but really, it's a very neglected genre in my music collection, as is Irish Traditional (trad) music, and I really should do something to try to address that, because unlike some genres I pretty much know I wouldn't like --- punk, jazz, death metal, grindcore and so on --- I've heard some folk music down the years and I've never hated it, never made a mental note not to listen to it on any deep level. But I don't tend to get many folk albums, and know few folk artistes. Of course, some of the artistes I listen to could be characterised as at least partially folk, but not fully. So this is going to be interesting. I love the album title, also the fact that Newton Faulkner was apparently surprised by how well his debut was received, quickly rising to the number one spot. He comes across as quite honest and down-to-earth, which is I suppose a trait you'll find in this scene --- not too many folk super-egos out there! Well... Anyway, this album sounds like it could be a fun listen, so let's spin it. After a short acoustic guitar intro the album gets going with a sort of mix of folk and almost funk, very upbeat, particularly I need something, which utilises some good solid organ melodies, Faulkner's voice and style putting me in mind of a sort of male Tracy Chapman. The songs are all short, averaging about two to three minutes, with one edging towards four but stopping short, and one or two a minute or less. There's a nice, mostly acoustic sound to the songs which fits in pretty well with the folk nature of the music, and occasionally veers off more towards the harder edge of pop/rock, as in Dream catch me, with some guitar work that reminds me of Irish band The Script. There are also elements of Damien Rice and Joseph Arthur in Faulkner's style, and a smattering of a more acoustic David Gray perhaps, though he certainly has his own voice and is highly talented, writing or co-writing every track here, bar the cover of Massive Attack's Teardrop, which he does a good, impassioned, stripped-down version of. A nice change then for Straight towards the sun, the first piano-centric song, a nice moody ballad, a sort of semi-reggae beat for the uplifting if a little simplistic People should smile more, and there's a lot of fun in the jaunty UFO, with some telling lyrics: ”They come in peace/ We stay in war”. Good album, not a great album. It hasn't made me a fan, but I wouldn't be totally averse to listening to another of Newton Faulkner's efforts some time in the future. Based on this though, he won't be racing to the top of my listening queue, but we may certainly cross paths again some time down the road. |
(Note: it's occurred to me that I've placed certain sections of this review incorrectly. As my comments come last, things like “impression” and “intention” may already telegraph my view of the album, before the comments are read. Basically, it's back to front, and although most of it is fine the two sections need to be switched around. So as of from today I'm putting the “comments” before “intention” and “impression”. I'm also adding another sort of sub-heading, breaking “impression” into “initial impression” and “overall impression”. The initial is how I felt on my very first listen, say from track one, but of course this can change (for better or worse) as the album progresses, and so therefore the overall impression will be the impression I'm left with after having listened to the album all the way through. Now, didn't you really need to know that? ;))
All roads lead to Fergie! http://s5.postimg.org/yexhk5glz/cookierating5.jpg http://www.rocktopia.co.uk/images/st...1316716921.jpg Artiste: Fergie Frederiksen Nationality: American Album: Happiness is the road Year: 2011 Label: Frontiers Genre: AOR Tracks Angel Elaine First to cry Follow your heart Happiness is the road I still believe Lyin' eyes Love waits for no-one Writing on the wall The future ain't what it used to be The one The saviour Chronological position: Fourth solo album, but he has been involved in more than thirty albums overall, between Toto, Angel, LeRoux, Survivor, Trillion and a whole host more. Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: Well, inspiring really. Fergie was diagnosed in 2010 with inoperable cancer of the liver, but unwilling to just accept that, he looked into alternative medicine and seems now to have made almost a total recovery, quite against the rules of medical science. Initial Impression: Oh man! I love this from the first few notes! Talk about catchy! Best track(s): Angel, First to cry, Follow your heart, Happiness is the road, Lyin' eyes, Writing on the wall... I'll just stop now, shall I? Worst track(s): This guy does not do bad tracks... Comments: My initial annoyance at the theft of the title of Marillion's last album evaporates as this album kicks into gear, and right from the start it's a powerful dive into melodic rock/AOR territory, with the very best of every AOR band you can name, from Night Ranger to Journey and everything in between. There's not all that much information on the album, so I can't tell you who the band is, but they're damn tight! Opener Angel sets the scene, and things just get better from there on. Known for his work with such luminaries as Toto, Survivor and Trillion, Fergie was in hot water with the first band when he left them but continued to play some of their songs onstage, even using the name Toto! After taking a break from the music business, he found it was in his blood and he couldn't do without it, and lucky he did, or we might not have had albums like this. There are power-hooks all over the place, his voice is rich and strong, commanding and clear, and the music is a perfect backdrop to his voice, hitting mostly the harder edges of the AOR spectrum on songs like First to cry and Writing on the wall, though he can bring it right down to the softest of piano ballads on the likes of Follow your heart, with some beautiful strings backing, where you really get an idea of how versatile an instrument his voice is. Honestly, there's not a bad track on here, and almost all of them are top-class, so it's hard to choose favourites. There are more hooks in this collection of songs than at an anglers' convention! It's just a total joy, one of those rare finds you come across, where you don't expect all that much and get completely blown away. There are a few tiny niggles: a very familiar guitar solo in First to cry, though I can't quite place it (if anyone reading this can, let me know, as it's driving me mad!), a really Journey-style opening to Elaine and a serious nod to Foreigner's Cold as ice with the keyboard opening on The one, but these are as nothing compared to the overall brilliance of this album. If you like AOR, good melodic rock, well-constructed songs and powerful singing, this is an album you should have in your collection. Overall Impression: Just got better with every track. Totally blown away. Intention: Seek out more of this man's music. |
Yes, yes. I know I'm late to the party...
http://s5.postimg.org/r7r7ajgbb/cookierating3.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...220px-Takk.jpg Artiste: Sigur Ros Nationality: Icelandic Album: Takk... Year: 2005 Label: Geffen Genre: Post-rock/Ambient/Art rock (thanks, Wiki...) Tracks Takk... Glósóli Hoppípolla Með blóðnasir Sé lest Sæglópur Mílanó Gong Andvari Svo hljótt Heysátan Chronological position: Fourth album Familiarity: Zero Interesting Factoid: Initial Impression: Am I back in Solar Fields territory? Best track(s): Hoppípolla, Sæglópur, Mílanó, Andvari Worst track(s):No, I don't think there was anything on this album I didn't like. Comments: So once again we come to a band most people here seem to know, and love, but of which I am completely ignorant. However, in an effort to step away from my English-dominated music collection, I'm prepared to branch out and give these guys a go. They've certainly been successful, though I'm a little unsure, going by the less-than-clear genres Wiki slaps on them, if they'll be my cup of Tetley, but sure, as they say, we'll give it a go. What's the worst thing that can happen? (You had to ask, didn't you?) Nice, ambient synth opening on the title track, very short, just under two minutes, with a sort of prelude perhaps to the album? Not an awful lot in it, but we shall see how it goes from here in. Things staying nice and relaxed, with some sprinkly piano and a rather nice female vocal on Glósóli: of course I have no idea what she's singing about, but if the music is good enough that can matter less than it usually does, and this music is quite nice I must say. More percussion coming in now, nice powerful guitar ramping up the tension. Have to admit, I like this so far. Beautiful piano intro to Hoppípolla, soon joined by slowly thumping drums and some nice strings. Oh, wait. I'm wrong about the singer; the falsetto vocals of Jón Þór Birgisson fooled me into thinking he was female until I checked, and I see he's a guy. Woops! Well, he puts in a fine performance here, but you could definitely be forgiven for thinking Sigur Ros have a female vocalist. Um. Anyway, lovely use of a full choir too on this track. Sé lest is very interesting: almost nine minutes of pretty much pure ambience, that falsetto vocal rising above tinkling piano to form a really lovely soundscape, while Sæglópu changes everything, kicking it all up and becoming easily the heaviest and most dramatic track on the album so far. The longest track then, at just over ten minutes, Mílanó keeps things fairly strong but with some more nice soft piano running like a river through the tune; surprisingly, it's over rather quickly. Things get a bit manic with Gong but then slow right back down as the album winds towards its end, with Andvari pulling back on the throttle and idling along, and it's nice and slow then for the final three tracks. I do like this. It's different, and of course, among the very many languages I can't speak is Icelandic, so not being able to understand the lyrics is a little off-putting and perhaps leads to an overall lesser enjoyment of the album for me than someone who's fluent in this language might have, but I still found a lot to keep me interested and make me come back to check out this band some more. Overall Impression: Very nice, a new band to look into. Intention: As above, listen to some more of Sigur Ros's material. |
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Mayhem - Imelda May - 2010 There's a cold hand of dread touching my shoulder as I look at the genre here. I've never been any sort of a fan of rockabilly music, but to be fair, I've never listened to a full album of it before, so what am I judging my dislike on? Well, mostly its affiliation with the fifties, a decade whose music I generally can't stand. Happy Days? You can keep it, mate. Just not into all that stuff. But hey, Imelda's an Irish artist and I should at least give her a shot. Doubt I'll be breaking open an extra packet of cookies on this one, though! Starts off okay, to be fair: decent guitar rock. Imelda has a good voice, though I could do without the annoying wolf-howls on "Psycho", and the addition of brass on the title track just doesn't really work for me, but then I'm not overfond of brass anyway. Much better is the slow ballad "Kentish Town Waltz", really beautiful and touching, showing another side of Imelda as she reins in the madcap freneticism to turn in a truly lovely song. Course, it doesn't last, but the cool shuffle of the almost thirties-inspired "All for You" keeps the quality high, and there's a touch of Fleetwood Mac's "When the Sun Goes Down" in "Eternity", while there's an eclectic mix of reggae and swing on "Inside Out". This seems to be a thing with Imelda May: far from being just a rockabilly artiste, she appears to cross over and mix several genres, from thirties swing and jazz to reggae and country-infused folk, seemingly equally comfortable wherever her music takes her. But her main love does remain rockabilly, and she rocks out in no uncertain fashion in this style on tracks like "Sneaky Freak", "Pulling the Rug" and "Let Me Out", with a curious mix of Mariachi and Hawaiian music in "I'm Alive" that somehow works. The album ends on an interesting rockabilly take on Soft Cell's "Tainted Love": always hated the song, and I have to say this doesn't make me like it any the more. Interesting album, certainly eclectic, decidedly diverse. Not the sort of music I normally listen to, and I'd probably not be in a hurry to listen to another album of hers, but for what she does Imelda May does it well, and I suppose the biggest compliment I can pay this album is that I know what I hate, and I don't hate this. Much. TRACK LISTING Pulling the Rug Psycho Mayhem Kentish Town Waltz All for You Eternity Inside Out Proud and Humble Sneaky Freak Bury My Troubles Too Sad to Cry I'm Alive Let Me Out Tainted Love |
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Woops, on my last post, I meant to say his name was Jonsi Birgisson, not Fergusson. The exact spelling of his name is... Jón "Jónsi" Þór Birgisso
Here's a picture too: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s5ONnTfPo9...isson'.jpg |
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