The Batlord

That Gwen album is top shelf and you're stoopid.

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MicShazam

So I tried to get through this one yet again. Saying that it's not "doing it for me" would be an understatement.

The compositional approach is mostly that of having some instrument (standard or not) ramble away on it's own, with several more doing the same. Not so much creating a sense of any thought out coherence forming, as a sense of incidental relations forming between these musical layers. So, obviously, moments might form where something sounds interesting, novel or perhaps even moments of beauty of expression where what would have been a good idea forms all on it's own as a happy accident.

I could stop talking about the album itself right there and I guess I'm going to, because it is very relevant to remember that my musical tastes and musical perspective is as it is. I don't think you could pair many members on MB and find as big a gulf of separation as between the musical tastes of me and of Frown. If we created a complete list of absolutely all artists that we appreciate on any level, precious few would be shared between the two lists.

Be it classical, folk, metal, electronica, pop or blues - I ultimately listen to the music as compositions following a musical language of sorts. Bartók or Bebe Rexha = music with recognizable structures and clearly thought out and communicated ideas. Highly disciplined editing. Basically, I think that, in a way, to me, you could say that good composition is more about what you don't include than what you do. Select few strong ideas and develop them carefully. Music like what is found on this album is, in terms of the sheer amount of unique combinations of notes happening all the time, almost completely without a sense of ideas having been carefully edited and shaped - in that certain sense anyway. Remember that this isn't me saying that "this isn't music" or some such nonsense. I'm just trying to explain how my way of appreciating music aligns poorly with the perspective the music on this album comes from.

Frownland

Pretty much what I was expecting, at least you followed through. That said, the album is far from random or accidental despite how untraditional and bastardized it may sound. Each take on the record was performed with an idea and a structure in mind, and while we may be improvising, we're still thinking about what we're playing and how it all fits into the whole. The focus isn't on traditional song structure or development, but in creating an atmosphere to drown in. We wanted it to be psychedelically confrontational, to make the listener feel ugly, confused, and violated. If you listened to the bandcamp version, we intentionally mixed some tracks on that to damage speakers. To accomplish that, we abandoned traditional songwriting/structure in favour of chaotic improvisation taken to its extreme (as if we hadn't already).

Not saying you should like it (most people won't), but it's a perspective that you could find valuable, even if that's only as a curiosity.

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

MicShazam

Various noteworthy tracks I found on the internet:

Charming Hostess - Elenke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vRYkS7MhNc

Holy. ****.



Curve - Horror Head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4xMR7mYPWU

This is... very 90's. Possibly too much of a good thing? I kinda dig the atmosphere a bit though.



JINJER - Perennial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJgkkYX-QYw

I'll get their new EP any day now. I haven't heard this track because I'm choosing not to spoil any more of this disc ahead of time. Hopefully it's good!



Barbara Morgenstern - Angel's Whisper

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSpFasrvTho

The second single from her amazing 2018 album "Unschuld und Verwüstung". It's got some pretty cool moments for sure. Very good use of backing vocals especially.

MicShazam

Some cool music from 2018 and 2019:

Gaye Su Akyol - Hemşerim Memleket Nere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovtSJVtkwho

Turkish singer and anthropologist fronting a rock band with some cool, groovy Turkish tunes and more atmosphere than you'll know what to do with.
A late game contender for my favorite album of 2018 (titled "İstikrarlı Hayal Hakikattir" - didn't get the CD until January this year).

10 songs: All great. I highly recommend checking it out, but I'm me, so you won't do that. But you should!



Sarah Louise - Nighttime Birds and Morning Stars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhBT9GECvCo

One of the new 2019 albums that I'm quite interested in. This is the title track from the album. Seems very expressive and I really dig the feelings conjured up here. Sarah Louise is a 12 string guitar player but uses it in some unconventional ways. Pretty interesting.



Jade Bird - Love Has All Been Done Before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42XPnh4VGlI

Jade Bird putting out a self-titled debut this year. I really dig the energetic indie rock that seems to come with both some attitude, strong songwriting and an idiosyncratic singing style. I'm sometimes reminded a bit of 90's alt-songwriters, but it also sounds very modern. Very high on my list of must-have albums.



Blood Red Shoes - Mexican Dress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOUhXdt2fbg

Some peppy and catchy indie pop rock from the band's 2019 album "Get Tragic". I really dig the mix of elements on display here. The reasons why I find this so appealing are hard to convey, since they're all in the minute details of the aesthetic of the music on display here.