The Album Review Club - Week #191 (page 1286) - Harlequin Dream - Boy & Bear

journolud said:
Is this a budget Frank Ocean asked my son. I had no idea what he meant but I could have guessed or just listened to some Frank Ocean to see if he was a better version of whatever this is. That's what I'm doing now and it's left me strangely relieved. Not because it's better than serpentwithfeet but because it's sort of as, erm, sorry bad.

I don't like doing bad reviews but neither did I want to use the cop out of well it's not really my thing. Partly because I didn't know what this thing was but a few tracks in to Spotify playing Frank's top tracks I'm getting an idea of what this thing is. And isn't.

Frank to be fair has a bit more variety than serpent but neither holds my attention.

I found myself getting irritated by this week's pick. It's not the lyrics or even the (self) obsession with his sexuality. Although it is a bit boring. I'll happily defer to those who find variety and things to like in his voice, I found it whingy and cringy. There were odd moments when I thought the album might break out of it's torpor but like a cat stirring, licking it's balls and then settling down for another nap this was just an illusion of action.

The general paucity of ideas was emphasised for me by the attempts to sing, or whatever it is, in different keys and tones and the efforts to impart soul and deeper meaning into what are some pretty mundane lyrics.

Ultimately it's a relationship album or an album about love and sex. I don't mind this as a source of material, after all as Rob pointed out it makes up about 75% or more of all recorded pop songs. Probably.

It seems to be Frank Ocean's obsession too and I'm getting equally bored and irritated by him. If it's music for lovers I want I'll stick to Gregory Isaacs.

For the serpent I'm very sorry to say it's a 4
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Re. Mr Isaacs, unfortunately for my long suffering spouse my middle name is Gregory and so I've always felt it was legitimate for me to 'sing' to her "there's a patient by the name of Gregory..." She puts up with a lot, some would say more than anyone should have to.

@RobMCFC when you publish your thread book, I think Journo's feline analogy here is worthy of the dust jacket quotes.
 
SOIL SERPENTSWITHFEET



Another hard listen for me, sorry MR B this doesn’t do it for me, no issues with the lyrics.
But the background music/noise reminded of a film score which in itself is ok.However his voice really started to grate after a few tracks.He reminded me of Anthony and the Johnsons which I like the odd track and of course he’s got a proper musical accompaniment, sadly this guy doesn’t.





3/10
 
@mrbelfry didn't quite manage to grab the bottom spot in our table with his first nomination but it's probably quite apt (or asp?) that an artist known as serpentwithfeet scores lower than a snake's belly - soil got14 votes for an average of 3.71. This is comfortably the lowest average and not many posters had too many positives to offer here.A brave nomination indeed.

This week we welcome @BimboBob back to the nominator's chair - or we would if he wasn't flouncing off to the museum to look at some old coins, so it falls to yours truly to provide the clues and post his write-up.

Make it quick because I've got a meeting soon.
 
RobMCFC said:
@mrbelfry didn't quite manage to grab the bottom spot in our table with his first nomination but it's probably quite apt (or asp?) that an artist known as serpentwithfeet scores lower than a snake's belly - soil got14 votes for an average of 3.71. This is comfortably the lowest average and not many posters had too many positives to offer here.A brave nomination indeed.

This week we welcome @BimboBob back to the nominator's chair - or we would if he wasn't flouncing off to the museum to look at some old coins, so it falls to yours truly to provide the clues and post his write-up.

Make it quick because I've got a meeting soon.
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Museum? Leicester Uni I'll have you know.
Look at old coins? Conservation dear boy.
Flounce? Got to merge in with my students.
 
threespires said:
There's really no need to be like that you know ? Mind you, I did once have cause to hire a BAFTA nominated producer :-)
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After you worked on the sculpting of the bafta award? ;)

I say such thing with admiration of your sheer breadth of experience, just for clarity.
 
Coatigan said:
After you worked on the sculpting of the bafta award? ;)

I say such thing with admiration of your sheer breadth of experience, just for clarity.
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I've never had a crack at sculpting, might try my hand at some Barbara Hepworth type stuff; I've got a few chisels and it can't be that hard surely??
 
No cross to carry - mark lannegan

King Creoste - flick vs

Double cross - seabound
 
threespires said:
Can't imagine Jedi Mind Tricks are Bimbo's kind of band, so I got nothing.
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All wrong so far. He gave a one-line explanation to that 2nd clue and I'm still none the wiser.

As for the cross - the cross itself is not significant - it's more what it represents.
 
RobMCFC said:
All wrong so far. He gave a one-line explanation to that 2nd clue and I'm still none the wiser.

As for the cross - the cross itself is not significant - it's more what it represents.
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Fashion?
 
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