The Album Review Club - End of Round #9 Break (page 1904)

threespires said:
That's hardly the highest bar in the world is it?!

Thanks to all who listened and reviewed, various comments got me reflecting on how much more accepting of simplicity I have become the older I get, but that's a conversation for another day.

You can come out now @Coatigan
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Ha, thanks. Been hectic at work covering for colleagues off on easter holidays, rather than to do with the album itself, which I would have liked to have found more time for (discussion rather than listening). I confess I skipped over other reviews and didn't even have time to attempt guessing this weeks clues. But onwards and onto the next one, things will settle from next week.

In case it was mentioned here and I missed it in my skipping through pages, how are you doing @RobMCFC?
 
OK, and thanks to you and others for asking.

I posted an update in the Prostate Cancer thread, which I'll copy & paste below.

As a lot of guys in this thread must be around my age, I'll use this as an opportunity to encourage people to take the PSA blood test. Whilst I've not been diagnosed yet, this may well have ended up saving my life.

RobMCFC said:
Had my biopsy yesterday - results in 10-14 days.

All went well although I’m a little sore and in a bit of a fug from the general anaesthetic, so I’ve got a day off work today.

Although not officially diagnosed yet, the consultant has sent me home with my first set of hormone tablets, so I guess the treatment starts now. He said it wasn’t vital to start them immediately but as I’d voiced concern about the delay between initial blood test and starting treatment, he was happy to start with them now.

Apart from diagnosis, there’s one more hoop to jump through: the bone scan I had a couple of weeks ago showed a small amount of uptake (of the radioactive tracer used in the scan) in the skull. Clearly not related to the prostate but the radiographer wants me to have a CT scan so they can check it’s nothing (which the consultant believes will be the case).
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On the first song, I thought it was Sam Fender singing for a moment! Definitely sounded like 17 going under in parts!
 
RobMCFC said:
OK, and thanks to you and others for asking.

I posted an update in the Prostate Cancer thread, which I'll copy & paste below.

As a lot of guys in this thread must be around my age, I'll use this as an opportunity to encourage people to take the PSA blood test. Whilst I've not been diagnosed yet, this may well have ended up saving my life.
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Good luck and well done for encouraging others out there.
 
GoatersLeftShin said:
Sorry to hear that @RobMCFC and really hope everything goes well for you.

It also feels like a great time to say a big thanks for running this thread, I always look forward to the nominations.

Take care and hope everything works out.
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BlueHammer85 said:
Good luck and well done for encouraging others out there.
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Thanks, and don’t worry, I plan on being around running this thread for a long time.

..... and winning the Blue Moon Cup this season.
 
OB1 said:
The Pale Fountains - not the kind of 80's pop that resonates happily with me. It's not offensive, like say Dexys, but doesn't score nostaligia or style points.

6/10.
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Yeah but if you didn't like Dexys music there was always Kevin's excellent dress sense to fall back on.

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Black&White&BlueMoon Town said:
Allison Moorer - Down To Believing

It's a solid 8.5/10 for me, I just ran out of time with 14+ hours of driving yesterday to give this a proper write-up, but I wanted to get my score in before the deadline.

"Thunderstorm / Hurricane" was indeed the standout, but there were many more, that I'll hopefully get to soon.
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Alright back to the boards after a long week of catching up work-wise. Now to elaborate on my score.

Ever have a road trip and had a soundtrack to such that you know will last with you forever?

Well, thanks to @threespires, this album selection was certainly the soundtrack to our eclipse trip. This selection was nominated the day we left for Nashville, and it received heavy rotational play as described here in prior posts. It even had an extended life by the time we hit southern Illinois for the total eclipse on Monday, and our traveling friends wanted to know what gold we were listening to Sunday night while playing cards. That's where the extra 0.5 scoring comes in when an album here not only reaches us, but when presented to others, is in high demand. Bravo.

When I first heard the selection "was going to Nashville", I'm glad it was more Americana than Country. As @journolud and @RobMCFC pointed out, there are differences, and this to me fell into the first category, and the songs really started out strong as many others had noticed.

The first 4 songs were all just really good, different, and had enough variations to really define an album. I was not familiar with Kenny Greenberg prior, but I see he's been a part of many session recordings, and his guitars clearly carry this album. Add in that he is known for bringing a rock-and-roll sensibility to Nashville recording sessions, and I'd say he more than captures that on this album. Allison's vocals too, just really shines, and is the 2nd differentiator on this album. I too wanted more "Thunderstorm / Hurricane", but I sure as heck was happy with what we got at the standout song for me on the album. I'd be remiss if I didn't give a strong nod to "I Lost My Crystal Ball" as my 2nd favo(u)rite and just how the one two punch of guitars and vocals really hit here. Amazing beginning to an album that was nearly raising the bar higher with each track.

"If I Were Stronger" picks things up again with a slow start into a strong ending. "Blood" too is such an amazing song lyrically, given her past it just really hits hard, while being such a softly delivered song vocally. "Mama Let The Wolf In" reminded me just a bit of Brandi Carlile's "Mama Werewolf", but that was released after this album. "I'm Doing Fine" again is a testament to Allison's resilience, and adding in Kenny's guitars here, it succeeds quite well. "Back of My Mind" again starts out well with a mandolin led track, and Kenny's guitar playing compliments it well towards the end.

The thing that stood out to me on Fogerty's "HYESTR" was the vocals, and how they didn't try too hard to mimic Fogerty's growling and bellowing version of the refrain. In that way, Allison makes this song unique to her. The music for the most part follows the same CCR sound, but it's the vocals here that really stood out to me in being unique to her.

The closer with "Gonna Get It Wrong" really ends things well as a soft sung and beautiful ballad that encompasses the honesty touched on throughout the album, and sums things up well.

This selection will be one I come back to for the memories of the past week or so, and I'll be sure to catch the other albums that tp and others have touched on here that they really like.
 
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