Epicmafia

over 7 years

Bebop says

Death Grips - Government Plates

This feels very much like an in-between album to me. This album displays a version of a sound they refined and almost perfected on Interview 2016 and the recent Steroids megamix.

Could be due to my personal bias towards that side of death grips but that's my onion I guess. There are some pretty decent tunes nonetheless, as to be expected from the lads. This is a decent 7/10

Fave tracks: Government Plates, This is Violence Now, Big House

xtal

over 7 years

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

At the start of the 80s, Talk Talk were just like any other Synthpop band, if a little darker in tone. Their successful third album "The Colour Of Spring" gave their record label, EMI, justification to essentially write the band a blank cheque to finance their next project. I suppose they thought the follow up would sell even more.

In an almost perverse manner, the band's leader, Mark Hollis, decided to take full advantage of this. Over an entire year of recording, no EMI executives were allowed near the material until it was finished. The label was unimpressed with the final product. There were no singles, the band would not go on a promotional tour and the material itself was very removed from any of the chart toppers at the time. There were a few legal disputes but in the end the album was released as recorded.

Spirit of Eden draws influence from avant-garde jazz and the ambient/atmospheric music produced by the likes of Brian Eno. This is evident by the jazzy instrumentation and its often sparse nature. Whilst there are underlying melodies, this is very much a collage of sounds. Very occasionally, there are explosive, powerful moments, especially on the title track. Every time Hollis sings "everybody needs someone" I feel all gay inside.

Admittedly, it's easy to write this album off as dull. The slow pacing/sparse instrumentation/buildups etc. may not be to everyone's taste but I love it all. I've never found a more relaxing, emotional listening experience. Honestly it's my new favourite, gonna give it a 10/10.

xtal

over 7 years

riskitforthebiscuit says

One of my favorite albums, if not my favorite. The vocals, rhythms and themes are all on point.

I can't think of this as anything other than an inferior Metallica rip off. Suppose all thrash sounds similar, I used to be into it but not anymore. It really bores me. Have to give this a 4.5/10.

ice

over 7 years

It's more of a hobby. Also, it helps me write better music since I get a larger set of influences and I (at least try to) identify what makes something good, at least to me, so I can incorporate it.

deletedover 7 years

do u plan to be a music critic or something

xtal

over 7 years

Sishen says

There are a fair few parallels to be drawn between this and Floyd's The Division Bell: both start very atmospheric and vibrant. Then they stagnate due to overproduction and weak songwriting. Both final tracks are the strongest.

I'm just bored at too many points during the album. If the vocals were done better, guitar more gritty, synths weren't laughable (which they are at times) then this would definitely be much better. As it is I have to give it a 6/10.

Favourite tracks: The Path, Atlas Stone, Cockroach King, Somebody

deletedover 7 years

Old Kentucky Home is a f*cking slammer

deletedover 7 years

doesnt look like that worked

deletedover 7 years

SH*T i was supposed to do a picture

http://i.imgur.com/pN1qNUe.jpg/img]

Bebop

over 7 years

deletedover 7 years

waiting on a ranking for 3030

Katie

over 7 years

deletedover 7 years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeBuzmwOvhE

Sishen

over 7 years

deletedover 7 years

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q4Lj2zUAxk&index=11&list=PLU-4hTz3zhLUgIcNN6Gu3s0VUPNQ61NV3 do this one Xtal

xtal

over 7 years

Please post more albums btw, I'll start getting through the backlog tomorrow.

xtal

over 7 years

xtal says

Random review: Closer by Joy Division.

I've always loved "Disorder" and "Love will tear us apart" by Joy Division. They're two very simplistic yet powerful songs fuelled by undeniably catchy bass riffs and haunting vocals. That being said, I never made it past the second song on "Unknown Pleasures", probably due to the severe drop in quality between the first and second songs. Instead I tried their second album, the succinctly named "Closer".

"This is the way, step inside," Ian Curtis moans. From the very first beat of "Atrocity Exhibition" to the final sigh of "Decades", you find yourself in this desolate, melancholic soundscape. The unusual guitar screeches, crawling synths and Ian Curtis' heavy singing along with pop-like bass and drum lines create this almost unbearable sense of unease that really grabs the listener's attention.

Due to the driving beat behind most songs you'd almost be forgiven for dancing along (though don't let me stop you). The songs are quite sparse at the beginning of the album and towards the end they get more and more cluttered with grander yet muddled sonic textures.

This is related to the subject matter which isn't light either. Curtis' epilepsy was getting worse, his marriage was falling apart. He hung himself a month before the album was released. To me this album represents his deteriorating mental state leading up to his tragic end.

I'm going to give this a 9/10 since it's breathtakingly gorgeous. Favourite tracks are: Atrocity Exhibition, Colony & Twenty Four Hours though the others are excellent too.

xtal

over 7 years

Random review: Closer by Joy Division.

I've always loved "Disorder" and "Love will tear us apart" by Joy Division. They're two very simplistic yet powerful songs fuelled by undeniably catchy bass riffs and haunting vocals. That being said, I never made it past the second song on "Unknown Pleasures", probably due to the severe drop in quality between the first and second songs. Instead I tried their second album, the succinctly named "Closer".

"This is the way, step inside," Ian Curtis moans. From the very first beat of "Atrocity Exhibition" to the final sigh of "Decades", you find yourself in this desolate, melancholic soundscape. The unusual guitar screeches, crawling synths and Ian Curtis' heavy singing along with pop-like bass and drum lines create this almost unbearable sense of unease that really grabs your attention.

Due to the driving beat behind most songs you'd almost be forgiven for dancing along (though don't let me stop you). The songs are quite sparse at the beginning of the album and towards the end they get more and more cluttered with grander yet muddled sonic textures.

This is related to the subject matter which isn't light either. Curtis' epilepsy was getting worse, his marriage was falling apart. He hung himself a month before the album was released. To me this album represents his deteriorating mental state leading up to his tragic end.

I'm going to give this a 9/10 since it's breathtakingly gorgeous. Favourite tracks are: Atrocity Exhibition, Colony & Twenty Four Hours though the others are excellent too.

mort

over 7 years

grouper - dragging a dead deer up a hill

Kitt

over 7 years

xtal says

words

you'd probably be more into their previous album Strawberry Jam then

xtal

over 7 years

Kitt says

animal collective - merriweather post pavillion

Back after a few month's break. Kicking off with one of 4chan's favourites. It's a pretty decent mashup of the vocal harmonies of the 60s, the energy of new and the neo-psychedelic movement.

The problem is that whilst there are some really exciting moments, most of the album just dulls me. It's probably to voice focused, I prefer more instrumental parts. Probably 5.5/10.

Fave track(s): My girls, Summertime clothes

xtal

over 7 years

xtal says

xela says

only 15 songs on my ipod, i'll take that 10 now

I'm more of a fan of "Allergic 2 Hatas 4" and "U can't Tell, but I'm Between This Girl's Legs, Vol. 3" by that guy.

Will concede that "I sell Dope Boy" is p catchy with the "wassup I don't give a ". The rest is garbage. Maybe a 2/10.

updated to a 6, this album is a grower

xtal

almost 8 years

deandean says

Franz ferdinand- Franz ferdinand

Strange. I don't really like this record even though I probably should, it's a fusion of lots of genres I like. The big problem is the consistency and lack of variety. Sure there are 1 or 2 big singles (that I don't even enjoy much) but the rest is crappy filler. Also there's little to no originality, a lot being taken from frankly better albums released previously.

This kinda irks me since a lot of friends of mine really like this album. It's just not enjoyable, 5.5/10.

Best track(s): The Dark Of The Matinée

xtal

almost 8 years

Iulu says

Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation.
The Strokes are great but their first 3 albums imo are more of my cup of tea, later albums are still good but dont hold a candle to their older ones.

I suppose it was inevitable that I'd listen to this eventually since it's only second to Doolittle in influencing the alt-rock scene. In particular, MBV drew a lot of inspiration from this album and went on the pioneer shoegaze, my fave genre.

There's no dull moment despite the 70 minute run time. Effortless flow between intricate guitar play, great hooks and brutal chord progressions really help this stand out and shine. Gonna give this an 8.5/10 but it will probably go up to a 9 over time.

Fave track(s): Teenage Riot, Silver Rocket, Kissability (though I like them all tbh)

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