My Exploration into 2016

JGuy Grungeman · 01-07-2016, 02:25 PM

Alright, people! I'm about to review Blackstar! I'll be with you in about 20 minutes after this post!

JGuy Grungeman · 01-07-2016, 03:00 PM

★ [Blackstar]

This is my tenth Bowie album. Bowie likes to do a lot of stuff. He experiments with time signatures and lengths no matter how unconvential. Some great songs of his are too short, and some are dragged out. But he always Bowie's himself through any form of psychedelic, rock, pop, and experimental jargon with some well-written lyrics. Blackstar is probably Bowie's biggest example of his sound(s). In other words, the album starts out with a very different turn from “The Next Day.” This is his 26th studio album, and he hasn't changed a bit. He's still the same guy who can amaze you by doing different things with every album, even if he's reinventing old tricks.

Not perfect, the first track is very, very Bowie. This, of course, is good for the track because Bowie is the only one who can really pull the feel of his albums off. Other people can try, but the truth is if someone else wrote that song, no one would do it as well. This song is like a ten minute version of Dune. The freaky aura and the multiple slow sounds and low amouunts of drama help to emphasize Bowie's love of experimentation. The track reminds me of my friend Hayden Who, who's first album was very experimental jazz that was just like this song: deep, extremely unconventional, thought-provoking, requiring a lot of attention, and worth the listen. The next track is “Tis a Pity,” which steers more toward speed and loudness, whuile slightly drowning out Bowie's soft vocals. Not the best track. Too much saxophone, not enough rhythm. A filler song for an experimental album if I ever heard one. For those who don't know the single called “Lazarus,: the song is the third track. It's very slow and soft. But it still maintains a dark mood from the start, especially after about 30 seconds ewhen David Bowie dsays”Look here, I'm in Heaven.” It's a nice, artsy turn from the highly experimental moments of the first two tracks, making for a mental break from concentration. The song doesn't require a lot of attention. The next track is “Sue.” Sue goes back to the same feel as the second track, but is clearer and less drowned. Bowie doesn't do anything different vocally; he goes deep and depressing like the rest of it. The track also carries the same roughly played but lightly rhythmatic saxophone. The best of the best moments are near the end, when Bowie proclaims “Soooooon, goodbye,” and we hear some really interesting usage of production to mutate the instruments while Bowie goes louder with his voice. This brings a space feel. As for the fifth track, does anyone remember Space Oddity? Yeah you do. Otherwise, you likely wouldn't be reading a David Bowie article. “Girl Loves Me” has softer, cooler bass with a strange production that nearly makes it sound like a backing electronic rhythm for synth pop, and the song itself is softer, heavily produced, yet so simple and quiet that they make an excellent combo. Very creative. Still the mood never changes, which could be good or not. The next track , is much more heavy on the jazz, letting the saxophone actually carry some of the rhythm this time while low vobacking vocals help to emphasize a contradictory creepiness which combines with the light-hearted and cheery jazz so well that contradiction became good. And lastly, transcending from the previous, is "I Can't Give Everything Away." It ends the album very well. The feel is much more jumpy and cheery, although it still amintains a smooth and even pace while being lyrically repetitive and seriously avant-garde (although slowly), making the listener feel good right after hearing all THAT.

It's a very haunting album, one that switches from full mental capacity to soothing lullabies but maintains a depressing scenario until the end, although the music is all that changes while Bowie's vocals and the lyrics are still personal. Bowie uses a lot of the same techniques from the past and reinvents them, as stated. But when I think about it, I've never heard a Bowie album like that. Sure, I heaven;t heard every Bowie album, but this is my tenth.

David Bowie's career spans 26 studio albums, and this is one of his most inventive. Most people lose it by now, if they are “classic artists” anyway. Bowie didn't. Sure, there's a chance that Mr. Bowie may never reach his golden days of Ziggy Stardust and Space Oddity, but he's never really lost his talent/touch. I can't call this the best album of 2016, because '16 started recently and because it's not perfect. It is, however, one of the more stand out ones we'll find this year. Bowie fans will be greatly pleased. Everywhere, people have this album as the only one on their 2016 top 100 lists. And they all say it's near 8. I agree, but I think it's a little closer to a 9/10.

8.6/10.

JGuy Grungeman · 01-08-2016, 10:26 AM

The Soldier by Borejko

Style:Ambient
Release: January 1, 2016
Length: 27 min.

Borejko makes a lot of albums every year, and most of them are filler albums for his discography. This one, however, shows real trying. Fantastic production techniques are used to make real compositions instead of drowned out sounds, compositions with a few surprises. I personally think this album is on par with Ambient 1.

9.5/10.

JGuy Grungeman · 01-08-2016, 11:04 AM

Pages 期 by waterfront dining
Style: Contemporary R&B, Vaporwave
Length: 15 min.

I normally don't listen to really short albums, but this one caught my sight. It was a really good way to spend 15 minutes. The vaporwave itself was so soulful, and the production was squeaky clean. I plan to listen to an album of theirs soon.
9.2/10

JGuy Grungeman · 01-09-2016, 11:48 AM

Soft Days by Sea Pinks

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...6L._SY355_.jpg

Style: Surf Rock, Soft Rock
Release: January 8, 2016
Length: 45 min.

Surf Rock is always an ups and downs kind of thing. If you want a surf rock album as an album, instead of a bunch of radio hits, you'll need real songwriters. A lot of surf rock people hear my be from a one-hit wonder band or it may be early Beach Boys or Ventures. Most, not all. This isn't to downplay surf rock bands, but it's a statement that a lot of it doesn't really sound any different from another band. Sea Pinks are a little bit of proof of that. I'll admit, these guys know how to write a song. It's just, they also know how to take a previous song and put the same feeling into another one, like AC/DC or Ramones. It sounds the same throughout the whole thing. Although the album really isn't that bad, it's boring.

70/100

JGuy Grungeman · 01-09-2016, 11:55 AM

Oops! I forgot one. Bright Universe by The Grey Marshmallow and The Prodigal Son (a collab)

Style: Experimental IDM
Release Date: January 1
Length: 30 min.

The Grey Marshmallow goes for a lot of softer genres: minimalism, ambient, electronic, etc. This time, he took IDM and experimented with it so much that it was surprising that the level of unconventionality did not get tiring. But at the same time, he mixed it like a DJ that gets a lot of radio play, so it's pleasant for both total radio junkies and those who look for something less popular.

82/100

JGuy Grungeman · 02-01-2016, 10:29 AM

Well, I haven't posted here for a while. I've been busy preparing for the rock thread. But hopefully today, I'll give you a review of my most hoped for album of 2016, The Astonishing by Dream Theater!

JGuy Grungeman · 02-01-2016, 05:23 PM

Dream Theater - The Astonishing
Style: Prog Rock, Prog Metal, Rock Opera
Release: Jan. 29, 2016
Length: 130 Minutes.

I've been waiting for The Astonishing for a long time. This is my seventh DT album. From a fan who knows how the late-2000's and early 2010's have not been kind to them, I can safely say I am pleased with this album and that my longing for more good Dream Theater music has been appeased. I never bothered with Dramatic Turn or Black Clouds and Silver Linings. I plan to listen to Systematic Chaos, though. And I'm sure any other Dream Theater fan can say this is their first legit good album since 2007's Systematic Chaos. I mean, in the 2000's we had Octavarium. Overused same-old techniques. And then Dream Theater had the unfortunate streak of Black Clouds, Dramatic Turn, and their self-titled. It seemed apparent that Dream Theater lost their touch. However, Dream Theater's time for reinvention had come. With more usage of piano to bring a slight dramatic turn away from constant metal and into some rock, and occasional choir singing, not to mention the science fiction robotic moises that own Skrillex, The Astonishing really is a dramatic turn of events.

The strange thing about the intro is that it clearly gives of a sci-fi vibe, denoting the album's a concept or a rock opera. After a long drum solo, the album shows off the band's ability to play metal like a symphonic prog band like Kansas or Genesis. Afterwards, we hear some modernized metal, showing that Dream Theater knows how to keep up with the times. But after a slight choral work, they play as if they literally were Kansas, going back to the 70's. The band also uses the occasional guitar technique similar to the same reverb-laced Wagnerian motorcycle sounds of Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell albums. So, the point of this into is possibly to show off a tribute to rock music in general or to show off Dream Theater's “diversity” as a prog band. This makes up the firs ttwo tracks.

We then hit the story as the operatic overture is done and the audience is grabbed. The story is similar to 2112 or the children's book The Worst Band in the Universe, where a dystopian government rules and music is the central form of rebellion. It is an original, but still interesting, concept. “The setting is outside of the dystopian cities and in the village of Ravenskill. The music itself continues to use a gospel choir to help emphasize the “opera” aspect of the album. However, it is still a modern Dream Theater album where many of the same techniques from previous works are used. However, the sci-fi production and gospel choir are different, so they're improving from their self-titled. However, “The Gift of Music” is the first track of the story, and it is shorter than necessary, mainting a “prog epic” feel but lasting 4 minutes. The first track tells of how music is a form of rebellion that must be used. The second track, “The Answer,” seems to be about the hero realizing his calling. It's a softer piano-rock track that transcends into the next. “A Better Life, uses the music to emphasize the hero's brother's adoration of his the hero's apparent destiny. I could go through the whole story, but Dream Theater has a link. It's quite a complicated story. Know this. The album does a great job at emphasizing the emotion. Songs about tyranny and the lead antagonist, the Emperor, are often dark or rebellious, leading to a vibe that the emperor is not a fun man to be around. The music is alsi heavy when the emperor sings. This denotes his power and dominion over the land. The album also has short musical numbers that act as intros to their track, such as the sounds of trumpets and horses denoting the arrival of the Emperor in Rasenskill. The whole album does this. Obviously, Dream Theater can still tell a story. Songs about the hero make the listener feel good, confident. And the hero's unsurity of his ability is denoted by a strange, uplifting form of rock bordering on alternative which gets louder as the hero gains confidence. Whenever the robots in this sci-fi realm come, robotic sounds and guitar riffs are born and Skrillex gets owned. Dream Theater. They can do soundtracks if they tried.

Dream Theater has made their best album since Train of Throught. That's not much to say, but it's something since Dream Theater's past albums weren't that good. Dream Theater has managed to get decent ratings with whatecer they put out, but they seemed to lose their spark. You can only combine Pink Floyd with Queensryche for so long. Still, Dream Theater did manage to make it their sound.

However, I think their next album should be shorter. 2 hours of Dream Theater is great, but not every time. This is Dream Theater's longest studio album. And it wasn't even tiring. Overall, I'd say this is good. It's a success, and it's brought DT back on track. Good work.

81/100

JGuy Grungeman · 02-16-2016, 01:56 PM

Enstacy by Khan
Style: Alternative Rock, Ambient
Release Date: Feb. 17 (tomorrow), 2016
Length: 27 Minutes.

The album is one of two debut EP's by Khan, a Melbourne band. The album is alternative, and it starts out vaguely like Pearl Jam. However, the album quickly drifts away from that and into an ambient soundscape of acoustic and electric guitars. It ends with a really soothing 10 minute track with great vocals and beautiful guitars. Worth the listen.

92/100.

JGuy Grungeman · 02-17-2016, 10:58 AM

Swan Valley Heights by Swan Valley Heights

Release Date: January 30, 2016
Style: Stoner Rock
Length: 64 Minutes.

The album's made up of seven long songs around 9 minutes each, give or take a couple minutes. All stoner rock. Despite the simple rhythms, it felt somewhat nice and sleak, almost completely saving each track from drowning themselves out with really cool rhythms. The pace is perfectly slow, and the lyrics are deep and a little meaningful.

83/100

01-07-2016, 03:00 PM	#12 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	★ [Blackstar] This is my tenth Bowie album. Bowie likes to do a lot of stuff. He experiments with time signatures and lengths no matter how unconvential. Some great songs of his are too short, and some are dragged out. But he always Bowie's himself through any form of psychedelic, rock, pop, and experimental jargon with some well-written lyrics. Blackstar is probably Bowie's biggest example of his sound(s). In other words, the album starts out with a very different turn from “The Next Day.” This is his 26th studio album, and he hasn't changed a bit. He's still the same guy who can amaze you by doing different things with every album, even if he's reinventing old tricks. Not perfect, the first track is very, very Bowie. This, of course, is good for the track because Bowie is the only one who can really pull the feel of his albums off. Other people can try, but the truth is if someone else wrote that song, no one would do it as well. This song is like a ten minute version of Dune. The freaky aura and the multiple slow sounds and low amouunts of drama help to emphasize Bowie's love of experimentation. The track reminds me of my friend Hayden Who, who's first album was very experimental jazz that was just like this song: deep, extremely unconventional, thought-provoking, requiring a lot of attention, and worth the listen. The next track is “Tis a Pity,” which steers more toward speed and loudness, whuile slightly drowning out Bowie's soft vocals. Not the best track. Too much saxophone, not enough rhythm. A filler song for an experimental album if I ever heard one. For those who don't know the single called “Lazarus,: the song is the third track. It's very slow and soft. But it still maintains a dark mood from the start, especially after about 30 seconds ewhen David Bowie dsays”Look here, I'm in Heaven.” It's a nice, artsy turn from the highly experimental moments of the first two tracks, making for a mental break from concentration. The song doesn't require a lot of attention. The next track is “Sue.” Sue goes back to the same feel as the second track, but is clearer and less drowned. Bowie doesn't do anything different vocally; he goes deep and depressing like the rest of it. The track also carries the same roughly played but lightly rhythmatic saxophone. The best of the best moments are near the end, when Bowie proclaims “Soooooon, goodbye,” and we hear some really interesting usage of production to mutate the instruments while Bowie goes louder with his voice. This brings a space feel. As for the fifth track, does anyone remember Space Oddity? Yeah you do. Otherwise, you likely wouldn't be reading a David Bowie article. “Girl Loves Me” has softer, cooler bass with a strange production that nearly makes it sound like a backing electronic rhythm for synth pop, and the song itself is softer, heavily produced, yet so simple and quiet that they make an excellent combo. Very creative. Still the mood never changes, which could be good or not. The next track , is much more heavy on the jazz, letting the saxophone actually carry some of the rhythm this time while low vobacking vocals help to emphasize a contradictory creepiness which combines with the light-hearted and cheery jazz so well that contradiction became good. And lastly, transcending from the previous, is "I Can't Give Everything Away." It ends the album very well. The feel is much more jumpy and cheery, although it still amintains a smooth and even pace while being lyrically repetitive and seriously avant-garde (although slowly), making the listener feel good right after hearing all THAT. It's a very haunting album, one that switches from full mental capacity to soothing lullabies but maintains a depressing scenario until the end, although the music is all that changes while Bowie's vocals and the lyrics are still personal. Bowie uses a lot of the same techniques from the past and reinvents them, as stated. But when I think about it, I've never heard a Bowie album like that. Sure, I heaven;t heard every Bowie album, but this is my tenth. David Bowie's career spans 26 studio albums, and this is one of his most inventive. Most people lose it by now, if they are “classic artists” anyway. Bowie didn't. Sure, there's a chance that Mr. Bowie may never reach his golden days of Ziggy Stardust and Space Oddity, but he's never really lost his talent/touch. I can't call this the best album of 2016, because '16 started recently and because it's not perfect. It is, however, one of the more stand out ones we'll find this year. Bowie fans will be greatly pleased. Everywhere, people have this album as the only one on their 2016 top 100 lists. And they all say it's near 8. I agree, but I think it's a little closer to a 9/10. 8.6/10. Last edited by JGuy Grungeman; 01-07-2016 at 03:18 PM.

01-09-2016, 11:48 AM	#15 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Soft Days by Sea Pinks http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...6L._SY355_.jpg Style: Surf Rock, Soft Rock Release: January 8, 2016 Length: 45 min. Surf Rock is always an ups and downs kind of thing. If you want a surf rock album as an album, instead of a bunch of radio hits, you'll need real songwriters. A lot of surf rock people hear my be from a one-hit wonder band or it may be early Beach Boys or Ventures. Most, not all. This isn't to downplay surf rock bands, but it's a statement that a lot of it doesn't really sound any different from another band. Sea Pinks are a little bit of proof of that. I'll admit, these guys know how to write a song. It's just, they also know how to take a previous song and put the same feeling into another one, like AC/DC or Ramones. It sounds the same throughout the whole thing. Although the album really isn't that bad, it's boring. 70/100 Last edited by JGuy Grungeman; 01-09-2016 at 02:32 PM.

02-01-2016, 10:29 AM	#17 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Well, I haven't posted here for a while. I've been busy preparing for the rock thread. But hopefully today, I'll give you a review of my most hoped for album of 2016, The Astonishing by Dream Theater! __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

02-01-2016, 05:23 PM	#18 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Dream Theater - The Astonishing Style: Prog Rock, Prog Metal, Rock Opera Release: Jan. 29, 2016 Length: 130 Minutes. I've been waiting for The Astonishing for a long time. This is my seventh DT album. From a fan who knows how the late-2000's and early 2010's have not been kind to them, I can safely say I am pleased with this album and that my longing for more good Dream Theater music has been appeased. I never bothered with Dramatic Turn or Black Clouds and Silver Linings. I plan to listen to Systematic Chaos, though. And I'm sure any other Dream Theater fan can say this is their first legit good album since 2007's Systematic Chaos. I mean, in the 2000's we had Octavarium. Overused same-old techniques. And then Dream Theater had the unfortunate streak of Black Clouds, Dramatic Turn, and their self-titled. It seemed apparent that Dream Theater lost their touch. However, Dream Theater's time for reinvention had come. With more usage of piano to bring a slight dramatic turn away from constant metal and into some rock, and occasional choir singing, not to mention the science fiction robotic moises that own Skrillex, The Astonishing really is a dramatic turn of events. The strange thing about the intro is that it clearly gives of a sci-fi vibe, denoting the album's a concept or a rock opera. After a long drum solo, the album shows off the band's ability to play metal like a symphonic prog band like Kansas or Genesis. Afterwards, we hear some modernized metal, showing that Dream Theater knows how to keep up with the times. But after a slight choral work, they play as if they literally were Kansas, going back to the 70's. The band also uses the occasional guitar technique similar to the same reverb-laced Wagnerian motorcycle sounds of Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell albums. So, the point of this into is possibly to show off a tribute to rock music in general or to show off Dream Theater's “diversity” as a prog band. This makes up the firs ttwo tracks. We then hit the story as the operatic overture is done and the audience is grabbed. The story is similar to 2112 or the children's book The Worst Band in the Universe, where a dystopian government rules and music is the central form of rebellion. It is an original, but still interesting, concept. “The setting is outside of the dystopian cities and in the village of Ravenskill. The music itself continues to use a gospel choir to help emphasize the “opera” aspect of the album. However, it is still a modern Dream Theater album where many of the same techniques from previous works are used. However, the sci-fi production and gospel choir are different, so they're improving from their self-titled. However, “The Gift of Music” is the first track of the story, and it is shorter than necessary, mainting a “prog epic” feel but lasting 4 minutes. The first track tells of how music is a form of rebellion that must be used. The second track, “The Answer,” seems to be about the hero realizing his calling. It's a softer piano-rock track that transcends into the next. “A Better Life, uses the music to emphasize the hero's brother's adoration of his the hero's apparent destiny. I could go through the whole story, but Dream Theater has a link. It's quite a complicated story. Know this. The album does a great job at emphasizing the emotion. Songs about tyranny and the lead antagonist, the Emperor, are often dark or rebellious, leading to a vibe that the emperor is not a fun man to be around. The music is alsi heavy when the emperor sings. This denotes his power and dominion over the land. The album also has short musical numbers that act as intros to their track, such as the sounds of trumpets and horses denoting the arrival of the Emperor in Rasenskill. The whole album does this. Obviously, Dream Theater can still tell a story. Songs about the hero make the listener feel good, confident. And the hero's unsurity of his ability is denoted by a strange, uplifting form of rock bordering on alternative which gets louder as the hero gains confidence. Whenever the robots in this sci-fi realm come, robotic sounds and guitar riffs are born and Skrillex gets owned. Dream Theater. They can do soundtracks if they tried. Dream Theater has made their best album since Train of Throught. That's not much to say, but it's something since Dream Theater's past albums weren't that good. Dream Theater has managed to get decent ratings with whatecer they put out, but they seemed to lose their spark. You can only combine Pink Floyd with Queensryche for so long. Still, Dream Theater did manage to make it their sound. However, I think their next album should be shorter. 2 hours of Dream Theater is great, but not every time. This is Dream Theater's longest studio album. And it wasn't even tiring. Overall, I'd say this is good. It's a success, and it's brought DT back on track. Good work. 81/100 __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

02-16-2016, 01:56 PM	#19 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Enstacy by Khan Style: Alternative Rock, Ambient Release Date: Feb. 17 (tomorrow), 2016 Length: 27 Minutes. The album is one of two debut EP's by Khan, a Melbourne band. The album is alternative, and it starts out vaguely like Pearl Jam. However, the album quickly drifts away from that and into an ambient soundscape of acoustic and electric guitars. It ends with a really soothing 10 minute track with great vocals and beautiful guitars. Worth the listen. 92/100. __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.

01-07-2016, 02:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Alright, people! I'm about to review Blackstar! I'll be with you in about 20 minutes after this post!

01-08-2016, 10:26 AM	#13 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	The Soldier by Borejko Style:Ambient Release: January 1, 2016 Length: 27 min. Borejko makes a lot of albums every year, and most of them are filler albums for his discography. This one, however, shows real trying. Fantastic production techniques are used to make real compositions instead of drowned out sounds, compositions with a few surprises. I personally think this album is on par with Ambient 1. 9.5/10.

01-08-2016, 11:04 AM	#14 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Pages 期 by waterfront dining Style: Contemporary R&B, Vaporwave Length: 15 min. I normally don't listen to really short albums, but this one caught my sight. It was a really good way to spend 15 minutes. The vaporwave itself was so soulful, and the production was squeaky clean. I plan to listen to an album of theirs soon. 9.2/10

01-09-2016, 11:55 AM	#16 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Oops! I forgot one. Bright Universe by The Grey Marshmallow and The Prodigal Son (a collab) Style: Experimental IDM Release Date: January 1 Length: 30 min. The Grey Marshmallow goes for a lot of softer genres: minimalism, ambient, electronic, etc. This time, he took IDM and experimented with it so much that it was surprising that the level of unconventionality did not get tiring. But at the same time, he mixed it like a DJ that gets a lot of radio play, so it's pleasant for both total radio junkies and those who look for something less popular. 82/100

02-17-2016, 10:58 AM	#20 (permalink)
JGuy Grungeman Primo Celebate Sexiness Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 2,662	Swan Valley Heights by Swan Valley Heights Release Date: January 30, 2016 Style: Stoner Rock Length: 64 Minutes. The album's made up of seven long songs around 9 minutes each, give or take a couple minutes. All stoner rock. Despite the simple rhythms, it felt somewhat nice and sleak, almost completely saving each track from drowning themselves out with really cool rhythms. The pace is perfectly slow, and the lyrics are deep and a little meaningful. 83/100 __________________ I'm a pretty nice troll if you ask me.