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

threespires said:
I discounted this as I didn't have SB down as an LG fan which goes to show I should stop jumping to conclusions. I can however make amends by scoring this pretty well.
Click to expand...
Better go dust off some of my convictions from my English Teacher review. Ctrl+C Ctrl+V time.
 
threespires said:
I discounted this as I didn't have SB down as an LG fan which goes to show I should stop jumping to conclusions. I can however make amends by scoring this pretty well.
Click to expand...
I was convinced I was right so have already listened 3 times and I will confirm it was rubbish.
This is probably more to my liking
 
journolud said:
Ooh it's going to be the London Suede, sneaky but a good way to give everyone a second chance to appreciate this great group

Or maybe not
Click to expand...
'If you are going to be Florence Welch, you better commit to the floating'.
 
Out on blue 6 said:
I was convinced I was right so have already listened 3 times and I will confirm it was rubbish.
This is probably more to my liking
Click to expand...

Yeah, one listen and I wasn't looking forward to the other two.

I'm on record that pretty much my favourite type of voice is a contralto and though Hannah Reid's voice doesn't quite have the textures to be absolutely top of the table I've gone from quite miserable to pretty happy.
 
journolud said:
Local Natives- Gorilla Manor

I must admit I felt a little bit of pressure to like this given that @Coatigan and @Black&White&BlueMoon Town both name checked me and reckoned it would be right up my street. And by rights a lot of the ingredients are there but I would have to say that after several listens this may be on my street but it is a few doors down and not showing too much inclination to come to my house.

I likened it initially to Fleet Foxes and Arcade Fire. Arcade Fire I've never really got, Fleet Foxes can be added to a list that includes Hiss Golden Messenger, Father John Misty and maybe Bon Iver (past the first two albums) of artists that are hanging around down the road not sure whether to come up and party or just skulk off to the pub.

That is, all those bands I've listened to following a review or article I read somewhere, discarded them and then listened again when I saw another review or comment just in case I really was missing something. And none of them have ever sat that comfortably with me.

Coatigan mentioned Woods as a band I like in thinking that I would also like Local Natives. It seemed a reasonable shout but the first time I heard Woods, on a sampler CD that came with Uncut they literally came banging on my door and demanded to be let in. I've not enjoyed all their back catalogue as the sound was pretty rudimental early days but over the course of a few recent albums they had something I couldn't get enough of.

So what of Local Natives. Kind of nearly men. I've listened several times and have been waiting for something to really click. I think I've got similar thoughts about them as I did about English Teacher in that there were moments that I thought they really had something but that was rarely sustained. Local Natives are nowhere near as irritating as ET though and by the times of todays final listen this was becoming more palatable and those bits of songs that might have irked a bit were doing less so. Camera Talk is a good example of this, started well, nice vocals, good melody but then came over a bit Supertramp for a few seconds (a few too many).

Best tracks Sun Hands, Shapeshifter and Warning Sign but this latter also afflicted with a mid song interlude of unnecessarilyness.

To be fair given another week and a few more listens I think this, if not sitting comfortably on my sofa would at least be milling around in the kitchen. I did give Hummingbird one listen, not enough to form an impression but although this didn't grab me as much as I hoped and others thought it would I'm not going to turn them out on the streets. I will probably listen again and I often find that discarding something and then coming to it a few weeks later can for some reason lead to a new appreciation. Obviously didn't apply to those I listed above and if Local Natives ultimately join that gang they'll be in good company but unlike last weeks 6.5 for Gerry Rafferty which I'm unlikely to revisit this could still have a chance.
Click to expand...
Apologies if you felt any pressure, I guess I liked in woods bits that reminded me of Local Natives. And other bits of Portugal.The Man , so it was a genuine stab at conversation making. Sometimes these guesses work out, sometimes they don't.
 
Coatigan said:
Oh snap, sick burn!
Click to expand...

I'm afraid I don't understand these young people words or are you speaking in Scotch ? (As Stewart Lee would say). :-)

For the record I think Welch is an excellent performer, it might seem an odd comparison but I'm some ways she reminds me of Morrissey. Neither of them interested in understatement, both of them capable of being pitchy on a bad day (even before M's voice went down the pan) but both capable of cleverly managing it and even to the extent of turning to their favour albeit in different ways.

I've never really got the comparison of Reid to Welch beyond the vaguely 'ethereal' label. I think they have quite different voices and strengths. Reid has a much greater useable range, Welch is capable of creating more texture which is probably helped by the vulnerabilities in her voice.
 
threespires said:
I'm afraid I don't understand these young people words or are you speaking in Scotch ? (As Stewart Lee would say). :-)

For the record I think Welch is an excellent performer, it might seem an odd comparison but I'm some ways she reminds me of Morrissey. Neither of them interested in understatement, both of them capable of being pitchy on a bad day (even before M's voice went down the pan) but both capable of cleverly managing it and even to the extent of turning to their favour albeit in different ways.

I've never really got the comparison of Reid to Welch beyond the vaguely 'ethereal' label. I think they have quite different voices and strengths. Reid has a much greater useable range, Welch is capable of creating more texture which is probably helped by the vulnerabilities in her voice.
Click to expand...
No I got what you meant and I agree. She is definitely consistently a bit off key. Covers over it in various styles.

But I do totally get the unavoidable voice comparisons though, it is the back of throat deeper singinf, and the delivery. I'll be honest, I find Flo's voice far more comfortable. I could never get into LG. It is a bit, 'Sleep Token with a Wailing Wifey' for me.
 
threespires said:
It made me laugh but I wasn't sure if there were any underlying references and felt too thick to ask.
Click to expand...
Smacking your kid is against the law in Scotland. Hence 'if you don't behave you're going to Carlisle' might be something a jock might shout to their kids..

Now even I don't find it that funny!
 
Coatigan said:
Apologies if you felt any pressure, I guess I liked in woods bits that reminded me of Local Natives. And other bits of Portugal.The Man , so it was a genuine stab at conversation making. Sometimes these guesses work out, sometimes they don't.
Click to expand...
It was a light hearted comment really although I did want to give it a fair go. I don't tend to give myself time to get too involved in the chat about an album and sometimes the thread, like many others just runs away with me.

Based on this I will now give Portugal. The Man a listen
 
journolud said:
It was a light hearted comment really although I did want to give it a fair go. I don't tend to give myself time to get too involved in the chat about an album and sometimes the thread, like many others just runs away with me.

Based on this I will now give Portugal. The Man a listen
Click to expand...

Had a bit of a deja vu.

See no.7, and my 4th paragraph hefore. We have stood on this bridge before!

Satanic Satanist followed by Church Mouth probably my favourite of their albums, if that helps.

journolud said:
I think this is our best playlist, certainly in terms of being consistently listenable. Short on stand out tracks but nothing horrible either. A few that have had me exploring further, with mixed results.


1. The HU - Yuve Yuve Yu -Enjoyable opener, they sound like they're having a good time.

2. T.Rex - Life’s A Gas -I only really know T-Rex from singles, never felt the need to explore more but this song has some substance and I will probably see what else they have to offer

3. Kevin Morby - This is a Photograph II- I've heard some very good Morby songs but ultimately he doesn't stand out as a singer songwriter for me in what is a bit of a packed field. This song is OK

4. The Be Good Tanyas - Draft Daughter’s Blues aka Ootischenia- not what I would usually listen to but enjoyed this, country I can tolerate.

5. Washed Out - All I Know- Loved this, despite as someone has already mentioned the repetitive and slightly overused twiddly bit. Like the apprentice had found a sound and someone had complimented him on it so he's flogged it to death. I listened to the album which I also enjoyed on the whole

6. Tasmin Archer - Sleeping Satellite- There's no denying this is a great track and one I'll be adding to my playlist of random one-offs tracks. I was hoping for more of the same from the album but it didn't sustain these heights for me

7. Woods - Light of Day- the vocal here won't be to everyone's taste but I didn't have a problem with them, listened to this album as well, a pretty unique sound, I can't think of a comparison but I did listen to @Coatigan suggestions of Local Natives and Portugal.The Man on the back of this. Three fairly big back catalogues that could keep me busy.

8. Avishai Cohen - Remembering- Already mentioned this as being quite intriguing. I'm no expert and like Einaudi's La Onde of which this reminded me. Einaudi seems to get slated by "serious" classical music fans. I don't think there is a direct comparison but the piano here is of a similar style. I suspect that Cohen is better thought of. I did find the (his) bass a bit too busy here and having explored his back catalogue a bit can't see me becoming a fan as it's more jazz than anything else but this track is very good.

9. Joe Walsh - Life’s Been Good- the four minute single version would probably have been enough for me on this one, good track but didn't need the 8 minute version.

10. Aimee Mann - I Should've Known-
11. Latin Quarter - America For Beginners- this song sounder familiar but I remember it having a faster tempo. Probably just my imagination, anyway it's fine as it is. Haven't explored these further but may well do

12. Welshly Arms - Legendary- Also familiar although I've never heard of the band. Good track

13. The Walkmen - The Rat- great attitude on this one. I listened to some more of the Walkmen but didn't here anything as good as this.

14. Off With Their Heads - Clear The Air- never heard of these, sounds a bit like the likes of Blink 182 and some of the other powerpop bands we've had on the album thread. Got a certain something about it but also has that feel of trying to appeal to a particular audience, of which I'm not a member.

15. Strange Powers - The Magnetic Fields- This one got me bopping, in that slightly strangulated way I have once I've checked no-one could possibly see me. Great song. Going to have to check these out as well.

16. James McMurtry - Just us Kids- repeated listens to this and his other track has seen him the surprise grower. Already been pointed out the similarity to Lou Reed in his voice, lyrically not too far away either. Been reading about his political song writing which might be dated now but I think I'll have to check out. The two tracks here though light touch and pretty amusing to be fair. Think I prefer this of the two but it's close.

17. Latto - Big Energy- ah right fair enough, not something I would usually listen to and it led to me being ridiculed by my son when he heard it. Of it's style it's better than most but not really my cup of tea...

18. Black Sabbath - The Wizard- ...And nor is this really but the hokum lyrics were a decent enough distraction and well it was OK. I'm afraid that I'm one of those who is never going to go further than Paranoid when it comes to Black Sabbath although I vaguely remember an album called Technical Ecstacy, or something like that, being a bit different

19. Kiki Dee - Amoureuse- a pleasant surprise, quite sensual, she has got a good voice

20. Bob Marley - No Woman, No Cry (live)- Obviously familiar, it's classic, fair enough.

21. Noel Gallagher - Live Forever (live acoustic)- great song but disappointing version. Much prefer the original.

22. Cactus - Parchman Farm- Not for me this one.

23. Family of the Year - The Stairs- Lovely tune with brilliantly subversive lyrics. Another one that I'll need to earmark for further listening

24. King Crimson - Three Of A Perfect Pair- KIng Crimson can be a frustrating listen, some of my favourite all time tracks are by them but then they can also churn out some unlistenable meandering stodge. That is probably why my interest in them has never gone beyond their first phase which ended with Red. So this was interesting. Love this track, listened to the album which true to form was the archetypal Crimson mixed bag. I will be exploring that era a bit more though.

25. James McMurty - Ft. Walton Wake-up Call- see my previous comments. Almost a parody feel about the lyrics on this one t let's be honest, who amongst us (of a certain age anyway) can't empathise with refrain?

26. Bjork - Big Time Sensuality- I've never really liked anything of Bjork's but I did like this. Assuming the album it's from is her debut then maybe she hadn't got too quirky by this point. Listened to some of the album this morning. I'm not likely to become a fan but some of it, this track included is very good.

27. In Tua Nua - Don't Fear Me Now- Got a nice easy going feel to it. Damning with feint praise a bit but this is decent.

28. The Handsome Family - Weightless Again- superb! Near the end of the list and could have been flagging but this is great. Coincidentally they have an album reviewed in the most recent copy of Uncut (which also has an article on Warren Zevon for those who might be interested). Been listening to a bit more of these. Probably going to listen to a lot more.

29. Frank Zappa - Peaches En Regalia- Not a fan of Zappa but this was listenable. Very listenable Didn't stop me wanting to listen to Weightless Again again though.
----
30. Steve Forbert - Heartstrings (** YouTube ** only)- something a bit melancholy about watching and listening to this. I've never heard of Steve Forbert but can see he's got quite a catalogue behind him. Would be interested in hearing an original version of this, here he seems to be straining and it's got the feel of someone bringing the curtains down on his career. A downbeat end to the playlist.

So, there you have it. As usual am in the dark about most of the nominations but got a few ideas. More importantly some more musical rabbit holes to go down.
Click to expand...

Coatigan said:
30 songs on here but I seem to be stuck on maybe 3. Talking about the ones that have made a big first impression at least, enough to explore more. For now.

While I quite enjoyed the opening song, I did think it sounded a bit 'eurovisiony'. Trying more of their stuff, they seem to have a mix of songs. Some that are better to listen to, and not trying to go mainstream, and some that are almost written to try attract a bigger westren audience. I prefer the former. Certainly an interesting band. Throat singing, who knew.

Tried an Avishai Cohen album as well, just went with the one the song is from out of laziness. It is very good, more jazz than the song suggests. Learned he is actually a bassist, hence the bass is so prominent it.

Absolutely love Woods (not The Woods as I erroneously said before, which is also a band and different). Like a cleaner less fussy Portugal.The Man. A real gem of a find for me. Not had a go at a full album yet, just been going through the popular songs.

Quite enjoy The Rat as a song by the Walkmen, although could never get into their stuff before. One of those bands spotify keeps telling me I would like, but it quite hasn't clicked. Maybe this song gets me there.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top