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

[RobMCFC]

I know it's your thread but that comment seems harsh and a little unnecessary. I think though to be fair from memory you have been equally scathing of some of the biggest names in music such as Dylan, Neil Young, even Bowie. I'm not sure there are many voices in popular music that really pass muster under close examination.

Anyway, night shift for me tonight so I won't get another uninterrupted of Voice in until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest but I have got a few youtube videos of Eyeless in Gaza lined up to see if he looks as good or bad as he sounds.

Veering between a 7 and 8 so far for the album but not fully decided yet.

Come on, there’s always room for a little comedy. That was only in jest, although I do stand by my comments about the vocals for the first 15 tracks.

I have been scathing about some vocalists, but Dylan wasn’t one of them. He’s not got the best voice, but he has a lot to say and writes interesting lyrics. I just find with a lot of new wave, post-punk, avant-garde, whatever you want to call it, the vocalists are out just to sing in a weird way for no apparent reason. Dylan, Springsteen, Steve Earle, even Leonard Cohen just sing that way because that’s their natural voice, whether you like it or not. They don’t, for want of a better phrase “put on a weird voice”. It’s one of my pet hates in music, and I’ll always call it out.

I’m sure there are exceptions, but most punk singers I have heard all sound like that as well, so that’s another genre that I haven’t got any time for. I know that rules a lot of bands out, but that’s OK because there’s always loads more good music to listen to.

Occasionally, I do come across a singer that has a quirky voice and I like it. Peter Garrett of Midnight Oil is a good example, but a lot of that is because he’s an Aussie and doesn’t try to force an American accent.

All of this is just my two-penneth. I started and run the thread, but I don’t think it gives me any more or less right than anybody else to praise or criticise the albums under review. I would hope that everybody feels free to be honest. @KnaresboroughBlue is a great contributor and I enjoyed his last nomination (Smetana), but there’s a lot about this album (particularly the first 60%) that ticked a lot of my “negative boxes”! So apologies to him if I have been over-zealous here.

 

[PragueBlue]

@KnaresboroughBlue is a great contributor and I enjoyed his last nomination (Smetana), but there’s a lot about this album (particularly the first 60%) that ticked a lot of my “negative boxes”! So apologies to him if I have been over-zealous here.

Not at all. I knew when choosing this album that it wouldn't be universally popular and I find it very interesting reading other people's views on music that I love, even if those views are contrary to my own.

 

[bennyboy]

Not at all. I knew when choosing this album that it wouldn't be universally popular and I find it very interesting reading other people's views on music that I love, even if those views are contrary to my own.

Wouldn't be the same if we all had the same opinion.
The older I get the angrier I become with music I do not like.
This is a great thread all I wish for now is somebody to nominate a new piece of music that I can give a high mark to.
Cannot remember the last time a new artist got my attention.

 

[RobMCFC]

Not at all. I knew when choosing this album that it wouldn't be universally popular and I find it very interesting reading other people's views on music that I love, even if those views are contrary to my own.

Glad you are taking it all in the right spirit. After all, it would be a pointless thread if we all turned up every week and proclaimed the current week's album the best thing since sliced bread.

Wouldn't be the same if we all had the same opinion.
The older I get the angrier I become with music I do not like.
This is a great thread all I wish for now is somebody to nominate a new piece of music that I can give a high mark to.
Cannot remember the last time a new artist got my attention.

I can see that as the weeks go on, we have various camps: Americana, rock, new wave, prog, classical, ambient, Britpop, avant-garde. Some people have their foot in more than one camp but also have their pet hates.

I'm wondering if there is some universally popular album out there that somebody can find that everybody agrees on. I don't mean everybody rating it 9 or 10, but one where the lowest score is 6, nobody hates it and everybody agrees that it's generally a good thing?

The quest continues .......

 

[PragueBlue]

I'm wondering if there is some universally popular album out there that somebody can find that everybody agrees on. I don't mean everybody rating it 9 or 10, but one where the lowest score is 6, nobody hates it and everybody agrees that it's generally a good thing?

The quest continues .......

I would guess most of those albums would already be quite well known. I have tried to choose albums that are among my favourites but also that are likely to be something different/new.

 

[journolud]

Glad you are taking it all in the right spirit. After all, it would be a pointless thread if we all turned up every week and proclaimed the current week's album the best thing since sliced bread.


I can see that as the weeks go on, we have various camps: Americana, rock, new wave, prog, classical, ambient, Britpop, avant-garde. Some people have their foot in more than one camp but also have their pet hates.

I'm wondering if there is some universally popular album out there that somebody can find that everybody agrees on. I don't mean everybody rating it 9 or 10, but one where the lowest score is 6, nobody hates it and everybody agrees that it's generally a good thing?

The quest continues .......

I could be wrong but feels like this album has attracted the extremes with very little middle ground

 

[RobMCFC]

I could be wrong but feels like this album has attracted the extremes with very little middle ground

Pretty much - if we consider 5 and 6 middle ground then yes, everything is either side of that.

 

[RobMCFC]

I would guess most of those albums would already be quite well known. I have tried to choose albums that are among my favourites but also that are likely to be something different/new.

I think that is probably the best way to go. I'm not suggesting that anybody try to find something liked by all, I was just wondering what kind of album would come closest to this. Funnily enough, looking back at the scores, I think your Smetana album currently is the best example of this: three 5s and everything else between 6 and 9. Probably because we all recognise the inherent skill required to come up with a classical piece, even though it's not our chosen genre. Also, there's no singing on it!

 

[Saddleworth2]

Glad you are taking it all in the right spirit. After all, it would be a pointless thread if we all turned up every week and proclaimed the current week's album the best thing since sliced bread.


I can see that as the weeks go on, we have various camps: Americana, rock, new wave, prog, classical, ambient, Britpop, avant-garde. Some people have their foot in more than one camp but also have their pet hates.

I'm wondering if there is some universally popular album out there that somebody can find that everybody agrees on. I don't mean everybody rating it 9 or 10, but one where the lowest score is 6, nobody hates it and everybody agrees that it's generally a good thing?

The quest continues .......

Good challenge that mate.

 

[BimboBob]

Good challenge that mate.

Got to be this one...