The Album Review Club - Week #194 (page 1303) - Ants From Up There - Black Country, New Road

Coatigan said:
I can kinda tolerate some clever clogs adding peas to a carbonara. There’s no need, and I'd never do it, but, whatever. I can also just about accept some fancypants adding mushrooms to it. Again, wtf! But hey, live and let live. But adding both of those, and then a bit of sage and mustard too? Sorry mate too far.

I desperately want to like this. It sounds like a few things I like, or at least like something I Should like. I admire it’s experimentalism, the brave attempts at breaking things, the intentions, and even the skills involved. But it is for the best part overdone. One or two songs at a time are fine. At length, the album is a slog. A shame, hope they reign it in a bit on the next ones because I think there is good stuff there, and I'll give subsequent albums of theirs a go in hope.

I already mentioned the songs I like above, and there are segments of others I like too. But as a whole, I'd quite like to pass it through a sieve. A 6 is as high as I can go with a bit of goodwill.
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I do wonder what something “new” that I liked would sound like. Whilst I didn’t like the vocal tone or delivery on this album, and some of the music was drawn out, it wasn’t a complete disaster.

I still believe that everything worthwhile has been done, and the best we’ll ever get is some branch or variation from something that already exists.

But anyway, it would definitely have to feature proper instruments, not have rap or whingy vocals. Maybe the “new” quirk would be the space between the notes, maybe some combination of exotic stringed instruments but backed by something electronic, you get the idea.

I’ve not given up on hearing that new thing, but it’s a very small thermal exhaust port to hit :)
 
RobMCFC said:
I do wonder what something “new” that I liked would sound like. Whilst I didn’t like the vocal tone or delivery on this album, and some of the music was drawn out, it wasn’t a complete disaster.

I still believe that everything worthwhile has been done, and the best we’ll ever get is some branch or variation from something that already exists.

But anyway, it would definitely have to feature proper instruments, not have rap or whingy vocals. Maybe the “new” quirk would be the space between the notes, maybe some combination of exotic stringed instruments but backed by something electronic, you get the idea.

I’ve not given up on hearing that new thing, but it’s a very small thermal exhaust port to hit :)
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You quite liked the Lau album, and while the underlying folk is fairly traditional, think their delivery of it is somewhat unique, and perhaps might count as new.

The same can be said for Idles in their genre version, there is a lot about them that's pretty fresh. But then...
 
Coatigan said:
You quite liked the Lau album, and while the underlying folk is fairly traditional, think their delivery of it is somewhat unique, and perhaps might count as new.

The same can be said for Idles in their genre version, there is a lot about them that's pretty fresh. But then...
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Anybody can make something “new” by doing something totally unmusical - man with chainsaw, random nutter in the street banging two lager cans together, The Idles. Doing something new whilst staying within the bounds of music, now that’s the real trick.

I have enjoyed the Lau tracks you put on the playlist and the album we reviewed.
 
RobMCFC said:
Anybody can make something “new” by doing something totally unmusical - man with chainsaw, random nutter in the street banging two lager cans together, The Idles. Doing something new whilst staying within the bounds of music, now that’s the real trick.

I have enjoyed the Lau tracks you put on the playlist and the album we reviewed.
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The bounds of music though, are not defined by.. you know what, never mind.

Fwiw, I love Idles not because they sound a bit new or push the boundaries, but because they make fucking awesome music that moves me to my bones. Which is the point of music, rather than to tick some arbitraty boxes.
 
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What has annoyed me about this weeks nomination, is the inclusion of the comma in the band’s name.

The Black Country New Road is a rather splendid route that has saved many hours of queuing on the M5/M6 over the years. There is a lovely viaduct that not many get to see, where it passes over the Wolverhampton Birmingham canal. A haven for local wildlife, frequented by many a happy junkie and alcoholic.

Why then if you name a band randomly after said route, would you feel the need to add a comma? Let’s face it if they’d picked Mancunian Way, would they have gone for Mancunian, Way?

Not surprisingly, I prefer the Black Country New Road, to Black Country, New Road. One is useful and makes me happy, the other is pretentious and pointless.

Boring and annoying with random squeaks from a sax is not my idea of fun music. Couple that with some dreadful vocals and it makes a complete drawn out dirge. I’m with Benny… 2/10
 
GornikDaze said:
What has annoyed me about this weeks nomination, is the inclusion of the comma in the band’s name.

The Black Country New Road is a rather splendid route that has saved many hours of queuing on the M5/M6 over the years. There is a lovely viaduct that not many get to see, where it passes over the Wolverhampton Birmingham canal. A haven for local wildlife, frequented by many a happy junkie and alcoholic.

Why then if you name a band randomly after said route, would you feel the need to add a comma? Let’s face it if they’d picked Mancunian Way, would they have gone for Mancunian, Way?

Not surprisingly, I prefer the Black Country New Road, to Black Country, New Road. One is useful and makes me happy, the other is pretentious and pointless.

Boring and annoying with random squeaks from a sax is not my idea of fun music. Couple that with some dreadful vocals and it makes a complete drawn out dirge. I’m with Benny… 2/10
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And how do you feel about Panic! At the Disco, Portugal. The Man, Blink-182, AC/DC, or ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead?
 
I have this album a couple more listens and on the whole it grew on me, there's definitely some stuff to get into over more listens and I'm definitely going to do that.

I think I agree with others who said it's too long - if it could be trimmed by 10 mins I think I'd bump it up more.

However, it's a good pick this and something a bit different. I like it they are trying something rather than it being a middle of the road rock/indie/etc type of album.

7/10
 
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