An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

[Zageron]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

Put that in my backlog yesterday, I'll review it some day.

Cool.

To soundtrack enthusiasts (or anyone who rates music in general):
How do you guys rate soundtracks, especially ones that you've already went through the given source material with? While I try to avoid rating soundtracks with their source material, I can't help but do so anyway. Especially with ones that I overwhelmingly enjoy - I probably give 0.5-1.5 points higher than I should. But at the same time, I feel that it fits there. What about you guys?

My rating system uses the simple 5 star method.


1 star songs are skipped by foobar, so I never listen to them again.
2 stars are for music which I could get through but I would very rarely listen to intentionally.
3 stars, excellent music that doesn't necessarily yell at me when it's on. Less noticeable, but still decent.
4 stars, music that gets me dancing/relaxing/feeling something immediately, and doesn't falter through the entire song.
5 stars, music that holds nostalgic value or does an exceptional job of the 4 star requirement.

It's all very situational, and of course sometimes I feel like I need to have 10pt ([0.0/0.5] - 5.0) to express subtle liking differences between some tunes. My 4 and 5 star ratings change over time, and will rise or drop according to the moment I am listening to it. @bonus point, this is where your extra points would fall. :P

It seems like a pretty standard way of rating music and not nearly as intricate as yours.

[Nick Skyline]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

If you don't mind, I'd like to have Princess Ghibli II, both Tool albums (just realized, both of those could be categorized as Art Rock in some way), and the Pokemon X/Y Soundtrack removed from the shortlist.

I've actually got a new list of recommendations:

* Sunn O))) - Monoliths & Dimensions
* Sunn O))) - Black One
* Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F♯ A♯ ∞
* X Japan - Art of Life
* Pendulum - Immersion
* VA - Monstercat 017: Ascension

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

@Zageron: So you rate music by tracks? That's interesting. Not many people I know rate individual tracks - when they do they're usually to rate the overall album. Your rating system makes sense - it's pretty standard yeah. I wouldn't say my ratings are intricate, the average track rating is just there for a gauge for me. I don't have a way to convert my average track ratings to actual album ratings - though I've considered it. Too many exceptions so I can't make any concrete table.

There is one person on RYM which has a complex formula to determine his album ratings, I think it's a bit excessive but it works for him so.

@Nick: Already listened to Immersion and F#A#Infinity. Immersion was really good when I first listened to it (back in 2010), but there were some tracks that I didn't like. I still feel the same way, but more so. Definitely a more varied album than anything Pendulum has made, but they're not always good. Gave it a 6/10 - favourite tracks were The Island and Self vs. Self.

As for F#A#Infinity, I've only listened to the first release, so the first two tracks. The first track is generally fantastic, the second track not so. Nervous... Sad... Poor... showed me this post-apocalyptic background and it was really beautiful. I think the last section was the part that ruined it for me. I don't quite remember the second track. I gave it a 7/10 though, I'll have to revisit that again.

[Gradiant]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

Would like to add 'Haunted' by Poe

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

June 23rd, 2014
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The Flag of Punishment by Galneryus (recommended by Hateandhatred)
Galneryus is a Japanese power metal band. I'm not too familiar with Galneryus, though I've heard their name a couple of times. Rather mixed when it comes to power metal, I like some and I dislike some. I've heard one song from them, and I liked it. It's not in this album though, The Flag of Punishment is their debut studio album.

Admittedly it's pretty difficult for me to talk about power metal, as I'm not very good at explaining how I feel when it comes to it. In addition, I can't talk about it on a technical level. Most of my metal reviews show this. I'll try anyway. Struggle for the Freedom Flag is very epic, though it does get pretty cheesy at points. The instrumentation is just nothing short of loud and powerful, just as you'd expect power metal to be. I wouldn't call it generic, though it does remind me of Sonata Arctica a little. I like it, but the vocals don't create the same effect. Yama-B's vocals are a bit too whiny here I feel. It does change partway through, and the solo is very aggressive and grandiose. It's quite beautiful, shame that it's a little shortlived. It goes back to the chorus, which is decent. Nothing too great, but it's not bad.

Beyond of the Ground is definitely less aggressive, but it still has that grandiose atmosphere. The vocals here are a lot better, nowhere as whiny. Maybe it's growing on me? I'm not sure. Either way, the vocals are good. The instrumentation is less appealing, as it isn't as brutal as the first track. I guess it balances out, it's decent. The chorus is just so catchy though, those vocals are so good. That's the main thing that stands out to me anyway, the rest of the track is alright.

It's so odd to describe this album, or power metal as a whole. This is progressive power metal - so I can't compare it to power metal albums that I like. It'd be silly to compare Nightwish to this, for example. I think it'd be better for me to explain why I like power metal sometimes I guess. It's adrenaline pumping. It's straight forward. It's the textbook example of POWER. You feel like you're unstoppable, nothing will stop your onslaught that is power metal. The over-the-top energy is exactly what makes it so great. Just the sight of something so large and powerful is just amazing. Is it cheesy? Absolutely. Nothing wrong with that though. Has the album accomplished this? I wouldn't say so completely. Most of them don't do too much for me. There's usually one or two components that are missing. When they are complete though, like in Holding The Broken Wings, it's just great. Monumental, powerful and just glorious.

It has a metal ballad. Requiem is a depressing progressive track. The instrumentation is just fantastic, it actually moves me a bit. It's like a song at the end of a war, an apocalypse, or a last song. Whatever it is, it's not an uplifting track by any means. It does fascinate me though. With such powerful instrumentation, why haven't many bands create depressing power metal instrumentals? It's one of the better power metal tracks I've heard in a while. I can appreciate it in a way that I'm familiar with, viscerally. I don't enjoy it the same way as I enjoy regular power metal. That's what makes it quite unique for me. Wonderful experience.

The second half of the album is substantially better than the first, I feel. It has more testosterone-filled strength than the part before it. While it is very powerful and majestic, it does lack one compartment. Catchiness. I feel that most of the album lacks this. There are some notable catchy bits in Beyond of the Ground, but that's generally it. Feel that the album would improve greatly if it was more engaging. As it is, it is a bit of a tiring listen.

Not bad, but there's considerable room for improvement. It is a pretty respectable power metal release. If you're into (progressive) power metal, you'd love this. I'm rather mixed on power metal - this album is middle of the road for me. Not overly cheesy, but not the catchiest thing ever. It's decent. That's really all I could say about it.

Album Highlights: Requiem, Holding The Broken Wings
Track Average Rating: 3.23/5
Overall Rating: 6/10
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Moiety by Helios
Keith Kenniff is a multi-instrumental composer/producer, who is generally known under the aliases Helios and Goldmund. Helios is an ambient project, with prominent elements of post-rock. I thought Eingya was solid, with sentimental (albeit rather trite) melodies and compositions. Bless This Morning Year is the loveliest thing to listen to in the morning. Coast Off feels like watching a beautiful sunset, and the list goes on. It's not super good, but it's definitely a force to be reckoned with. Not many of his other albums evoke that cathartic of an effect for me. Unomia is alright but lacking, for example. Moiety is a 30 minute album, so it's fairly short. Much shorter than Eingya or Unomia.

Nothing It Can is very light. I feel like I'm floating, it's quite the euphoric experience. It's definitely breath-taking, but it's too light at first. The guitars come in after 2 minutes or so, creating this weight for the track. The guitars aren't intrusive, it enhances the dreamy atmosphere quite nicely actually. It does feel a little aimless, but it's not a bad thing if it sounds nice. Very neat little track.

Your Zenith follows the same light atmosphere Nothing It Can has. It tries to be depressing but at the same time cleansing. Doesn't quite work, I feel that the light weight makes the effect too bright. The atmospheres clash, and it doesn't come off as emotional as it should be. Sound is pleasant, but not the most engaging.

The next track however, In Everything Was Given, does it wonderfully. While I wouldn't say that it's depressing, it's certainly sombre. It's the cleansing component that's truly fantastic. The vision of a bright sky at the end of your life is apparent. I just close my eyes and shower in this wonderful light. It creates this wave of emotions - sadness and purity are only a few. The main emotion I get though... is freedom. I feel like I'm finally free from chains made by stress. It's a euphoric feeling, to say the least.

Bold Advances sharply changes the mood of the album. The dreamy atmospheres are no longer there. Even when it feels dreamy, it doesn't feel the same. It's not as euphoric and free as the first three tracks. It honestly makes me feel very uncomfortable - the contrast is too much. By itself it's probably a relaxing experience, but it stands out like a sore thumb as it is. Not a good thing.

Oddballs aside though, most of the album is great. This is ambient in its purest form - very light and beautiful. I could compare it to Stars of the Lid, but this is nowhere as bright. Most of these tracks have a small dash of melancholy to it. That little dash does make the tracks hit home for me. I'm more affected by these drones, I see clearer and more relatable pictures. That just enhances the experience, which is a great thing. That's what I want from ambient, and Keith does it well. Not as well as Eingya, but that's comparing apples to oranges. Eingya is definitely more post-rock driven, this is mainly ambience.

The album, true to its name, is split up to two parts. Quite frankly, the good tracks and the bad tracks. It's pretty clear which ones aren't as good, like Nature People and Your Zenith. Nature People is too dark and is too much of a sharp turn, far more than Bold Advances. Your Zenith just doesn't do much. These problems are minor, aside from Nature People, so it's not too bad. Most of them still sound decent, definitely more than tolerable. Fortunately most of the album is good, so it makes up for it.

I really like this album. Helios shows that he's not a one-trick pony with this album. It contrasts with its emotional instrumentally-structured brother Eingya considerably. Moiety showers you with wonderful dreamy atmospheres, some more beautiful than SotL's. It's a truly great experience, not including the poorer tracks. The bad tracks do make the album a little worse, but it's not too intrusive. Skipping the tracks won't cause too much of a problem. Highly recommended for people who are into ambient. Both new and experienced listeners alike. Non-ambient listeners might avoid this, listen to Eingya instead. This album might be a little too airy and spacious.

Album Highlights: In Everything Was Given, Nothing It Can, Equal Ourselves
Track Average Rating: 3.5/5
Overall Rating: 7/10

[master q60]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

Animals as leaders - animals as leaders
Avenged sevenfold - waking the fallen
Between the buried and me - the parallax II: future sequence
Gemini syndrome - lux
System of a down - toxicity
Over-clocked remix - donkey kong country 2: serious monkey business

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

Added. I have listened to Toxicity. I really loved it when I was 13-14 years old, but it hasn't aged well. Most of them just sound silly to me at this point. Chop Suey and Toxicity sounds nice, but the others... not as much. 4/10 was what I gave it. Some tracks were okay, but some others are really bad. Don't quite recall which, though.

June 24th, 2014
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Aether Dynamic by 000
000 (or OOO) is an IDM artist. Aether Dynamic is his sophomore studio album. I couldn't find much information on him, other than being in Sublight Records.

The first track, Siloh (Abandoned) does remind me of a cross between Hecq and Erratic. The sounds are quite intricate but also callous. It's an intriguing mixture of sounds, to say the least. I get the same appeal from artists like Autechre, trying to make sense/emotion out of clinical atmospheres. It doesn't last long though, not enough time for me to take in everything that's given to me.

It's hard to talk about the next track, Spangled. It almost feels like walking on zero gravity. The ethereal synths really create this space-like atmosphere, while the hip-hop kickdrum creates a clinical layer. Really neat, but not very interesting. Everything feels slowed down, the low tempo does make everything noticeably heavier.

Jabberwok V7 is where the album starts to get loud. The hip-hop elements are definitely more substantial in this track. Really intriguing at first, but the repetition does get to me quick. It's definitely more daring than the other tracks, but it doesn't do much. It's a loud melody for the sake of being loud. There's not much else to it. It does get a little better with a more catchy tune at the last 30 seconds though. It's a shame it came at such a late time.

The album is pretty varied, but it's mainly subtle melodies or hard-hitting ones. Subtlety in music is really difficult to execute well - but when it's done, it's magical. I don't think this album executed subtlety too well here. It gives out a tinge too much. Tracks like Sans Collinder don't do much other than make pretty pictures. Maybe subtlety isn't necessarily suited for genres like IDM, but I've seen some good subtle IDM tracks. Ametsub did a decent job, for example.

The hard-hitting tracks? They don't hit hard enough. I feel that they're a little too tame, they don't create much as well. Either that, or they're not very substantial. Tracks like Stood Still and Jabberwok V7 definitely sound hard, but they're not hard-hitting. They're too empty-sounding, not enough interesting sounds/structures going on. Chakra Alignment is an exception though, it's pretty nice sounding. Not the best, but it's pretty neat. It's not necessarily large/complex in structure, but it's engaging.

That's really what matters when it comes to albums - engagement. It is the ultimate factor when it comes to enjoyment. Other factors like memorability don't really come into place if the album fails in the engagement compartment. This album... is not particularly engaging. Yeah, the sounds are interesting, but so is most IDM. This album doesn't have anything else to provide. Intriguing sounds don't do much for me, especially if they aren't extremely interesting. I'd say Autechre's tracks are very interesting, it really stands out. This album is just something I don't regularly listen to. It's definitely different, but not appealing.

To summarise I'm just not feeling this album. It has too little engagement and ultimately doesn't provide much. It's different, but I'd much rather have more leftfield music. Autechre, Ametsub and a couple other artists did much better. It's not a "bad" album, but it leaves a lot more to be desired.

Album Highlights: Siloh (Abandoned), Chakra Alignment
Track Average Rating: 2.72/5
Overall Rating: 5/10

I do apologise for cutting down on the amount of reviews per day, but it's been taking a toll on me. I don't think I'll be able to get to 365 albums in 7 months, it's ridiculously tiring. Oh well, I'll go for as much as I can. I don't know when I'll take a break or something, but I'm pretty sure it'd happen often now.

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

June 25th, 2014
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Sorry I'm Late by Cher Lloyd (recommended by moches)
Cher Lloyd is an English pop singer who rose to fame from her part in The X Factor. She has made a couple of singles which topped the charts, like Swagger Jagger. Since then, she has signed into a label and released a couple of albums. Sorry I'm Late is her most recent album.

Guuuuh... hmm. Just Be Mine has a pretty decent beat admittedly - but the vocals. They're not particularly intrusive, it's the content that bothers me. I guess it's just one of those albums that you shouldn't take seriously. The track is fun sure, but not quite intriguing to me. I feel that Utada Hikaru has made better dance-pop tracks, like Travelling. Given they aren't too comparable, this is more fun-loving. Just not my cup of tea I guess.

Bind Your Love is a dance-pop ballad, which is nice. Definitely a more engaging track than Just Be Mine. I am a sucker for ballads like these - I used to bop my head to Umbrella all the time. A little repetitive, but that isn't too much of a problem. It's actually one of the better pop tracks I've heard in a while. Pretty catchy, both vocally and instrumentally - quite fresh throughout. Solid.

Like most pop albums this does by having a couple of bad tracks. This album... does have more bad tracks than good. Bind Your Love is great and all, but that's it. I'm not too fond of tracks like I Wish and Sirens - too poppy and slapstick. A little too energetic for me, basically. I'm not too big on dancey music like this - I'd much have trance. Maybe poppy isn't the right word, now that I think about it. It's too fun at points. Tracks like Dirty Love are infectiously dancey and all, but it doesn't appeal to me. It's too jovial.

Not overly bad though. I do enjoy this more than most mainstream pop albums. Not that it's saying much, but still. Yes, it's generally mindless - but it's fun. It's definitely not the type of music I like, but it's nice. Tracks like Killin' It are great every once in a while. The ballads are actually pretty good too. Goodnight is a pleasant little ballad - Cher Lloyd's voice does complement the naive and child-like atmosphere. The instrumentation is wonderful in the second half. Definitely not tear-jerking, but it's a keeper. Would listen to it again.

I don't really have much else to talk about. I can't think too much of the album. I don't think I should anyway, this album is mainly about fun. All in all, alright. There are many pop cliches here that I'm not a fan of, but they're generally minor. While I can't wholeheartedly say that I like this album, it's something. I do feel that the bad attitude edge does create a detriment for me, but not all musicians would do well being saints. This does appeal to the general public a lot more. She should make more ballads though - they are quite good. Not as good as Hikaru's, but still a commendable effort.

Album Highlights: Bind Your Love, Alone With Me
Track Average Rating: 2.55/5
Overall Rating: 5/10
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Princess Mononoke Original Soundtrack by Joe Hisaishi
Studio Ghibli! Joe Hisaishi is the composer of over 100 film scores and albums, dating back to 1981. His most notable soundtracks include Spirited Away, Ponyo on the Cliff, My Neighbour Totoro, Ghibli movies. I'm assuming that everyone knows what Studio Ghibli is, so I won't elaborate on them. I'm going to review Princess Mononoke's soundtrack today. I have not listened to any soundtrack from Joe Hisaishi, he's a composer I have overlooked for a while. I guess it's time to find out whether his work is really as good as others mention it is. I would also like to note, I have not watched Princess Mononoke yet. Thus, I'm judging this album as an individual entity.

Joe Hisaishi's ability to evoke emotions through an entire orchestra is really something else. From the grandiose The Legend of Ashitaka, to the intimidating The Demon God, to the serene Journey to the West. It's really interesting to me, not many composers could mend orchestration so well. At least, not in such a fluid manner. I really can't help but think of Stella at its sombre moments, to be honest. Not just because of the similar melodies, but how cohesive it is. It is a smooth experience throughout each track, although some tracks do end abruptly. Some of them just felt too short.

The tracks here create quite solid landscapes as well. As someone has not watched the movie yet, it definitely is intriguing. The Land of the Impure reminds me of a post-apocalyptic barren land. Void of life, but there are signs of deceased life here. Something quite grotesque and tragic happened here. I don't know what in particular... but it's depressing to think about.

I have to admit, some of the tracks here do evoke a nostalgic feeling. The weirdest part is that I haven't watched any Ghibli movies, aside from Spirited Away. The track The Demon God II - The Lost Mountains just reminds me of... action movies I've watched as a child. It's hard to describe it, it's similar to the work of Randy Newman at points. Whatever it is, I felt as if I've heard it before. I don't mean it in a bad way, in fact the fact that Hisaishi is able to do that is commendable.

I'm halfway through the album as I'm writing this. The album so far has been very consistent. The tracks are very visceral, and at the same time atmospheric. They're nothing short of breath-taking at its most serene, and definitely tense/anxious at its scariest. Requiem II is just amazingly large to me. The content of the track is just so spacious and grotesque. The looming tracks are not like any track I've heard from any soundtrack before. They're really really interesting, quite replayable for the most part too.

Speaking of replays though, I do have to repeat the track sometimes to capture the mood of it. This is my biggest gripe with the soundtrack by far - the lengths. Very few tracks here last for over 2 minutes. There are so many tracks here that I wished are much longer. Requiem III, The Young Man From The East... so much more. These short lengths do end up creating abrupt endings and a lot more to be desired. Comparing the first and last track... the last track just destroys it. The thing is that they're the same melody, but the last track is 3 minutes longer. I'd personally love to see most of these tracks to be much longer, but it's a movie soundtrack. With 33 tracks, I can't see how these tracks will be used in the movie if they're longer. Too many tracks, too little substance basically. Does get a little exhausting too, but maybe that's because I'm sleepy.

Regardless, it's a very solid soundtrack. One of the best I've listened to, for sure. The soundtrack covers so much, from tragedy to anxiety to serenity. I do wish that it did cover more ground on the tragedy component, but it's great as is. It stands on its own extremely well, with its variation and brilliance. It's definitely not a perfect soundtrack - not even close. Most of the tracks are too short. However, it makes up for it by constantly having fantastic and memorable tracks. The Legend of Ashitaka, Requiems II and III, Ashitaka and San and so many more. Most of the tracks here are great, to different extents of course. I'm really surprised with the fact that most of the tracks were as strong as they are. Usually soundtracks have 5-6 tracks that I'd listen to again, this has... well over fifteen. Along with the fact that I haven't even watched the movie nor know the concept of it just makes it even more special. It is a wonderful experience, but I think I'm missing out a lot without watching the movie. This makes me want to watch the movie now, but it's midnight and I'm sleepy. Thus the incohesive review.

But yeah, superb soundtrack. Going to watch the movie tomorrow. Highly recommended for any soundtrack enthusiast, or anyone into orchestral music. You won't regret listening to the soundtrack of Princess Mononoke. I think 8/10 is a fair rating. I'll have to give this a few more listens when I'm fully awake to ensure that I'm rating it properly. Might be overrating this slightly.

EDIT (June 27th, 2014): I think it might be a tad bit overrated. It wasn't as good the second round, but it's still quite a magical experience. Just not something I'd listen to often, I guess. I'll just reduce it to 7.5, it's still quite good. Just not as good as I remembered.

Album Highlights: Too many to list - have my track ratings instead.
Track Average Rating: 3.71/5
Overall Rating: 8/10 7.5/10

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

June 27th, 2014
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Takk... by Sigur Ros
Sigur Ros is an Icelandic post-rock band - one of the most popular post-rock bands at that. Responsible for some of the most influential post-rock albums of all time, such as Ágĉtis byrjun and ( ). However, Takk is the album that catapulted them to the mainstream. Admittedly I haven't listened to Sigur Ros, so I have no idea what to expect. From what I've heard, it is supposedly to be really good. We'll see.

The self-titled track is ambience, really twinkly ambience. I'm not sure what to think of it, it's a pretty sound. It's like watching a night sky, while the melancholy of the night embraces you. The sun soon rises in the next track, Glosoli. The atmosphere is nothing short of ethereal. The vocals feel a little heavy despite its dreaminess, but it's alright. It reminds me of a cross between Helios' Moiety and Ferri. It's uplifting, but at the same time sombre. Not new by any means, but it's still quite an intriguing sound. It does get much heavier towards the end, with the crescendo at full swing. A little bit too excessive, but it keeps the track fresh I guess.

Hoppipolla brings back the twinkliness of the self-titled track, in all of its beauty. However, I feel that the vocals are a little... intrusive. The voice is a bit too down-to-earth, so to speak. It's not very ethereal. The buildup is decent, but it's a bit too cliche for me. It feels like one of those tracks you hear in uplifting commercials, more than anything else. It's not necessarily bad, but I think there are more beautiful tracks that create similar effects.

The album as a whole is very uplifting. Think of probably the most uplifting post-rock/ambient album you can find, and magnify it. That's Takk. It's not necessarily unbridled joy, but you can feel the joy and brightness from this album. I'm not a very happy person, nor do I like uplifting albums that much. This album is something that doesn't appeal to me like other post-rock albums would. It has this sense of homeliness and warmth that I just can't relate to. I'm too cynical of a person to really embrace this as wonderful. It sounds nice though, it's just that it's a little bit too much for me. Like say in the brass sections in Se Lest, I just can't help but feel that it's unnecessary. It's already a jovial track, adding an additional bright section make it feel insincere personally.

I have to admit though, Sigur Ros really knows how to make beautiful landscapes. While Milano isn't necessarily cathartic, the atmosphere is just pretty. It's hard to describe it, it's very warm and welcoming. It looks like home, and everyone's welcoming me back. The crescendo is everyone cheering in unison, as I've finally reunited with my family. I'm... not too sure what to think of it. I mean I guess it's supposed to be heartbreaking/uplifting, but I don't feel it. It feels so hollow. Completely superficial to me. I feel the same with Gong, even moreso than Milano. Gong does sound much better though, so I can't dock off too much.

I don't really have anything else to say about it. The last two tracks are a little more depressing, but they aren't much better. A little too underwhelming for me personally. Overall it's not a bad album, just not my cup of tea. When it comes to post-rock I do want something large and visceral. Mono and GY!BE did the large component quite well. While they didn't quite make the mark with viscerality, this rubs off the wrong way for me. I didn't feel much while I'm listening to this. The times when I do, I just feel that it's not really sincere. Oh well, maybe I'll listen to this again in the future. Might not be in the right mindset for it. Feels like an album that I need to be in the mood for, more than anything else. It's just disheartening to know that I'm rarely in the mood for albums like these.

Album Highlights: Takk..., Gong
Track Average Rating: 3/5
Overall Rating: 6/10
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Rushup Edge by The Tuss (recommended by Coolboyrulez0)
No one quite knows who The Tuss is. Many have speculated that The Tuss is the side project of Aphex Twin. Many people dismissed that claim and said that it was a side project of musicians Brian and Karen Tregaskin. Whoever it is, it doesn't change what The Tuss makes. The Tuss makes IDM and acid techno. They have made an EP and an album - Confederation Through and Rushup Edge. I'm going to review the latter today.

Admittedly I've never been a fan of a dated electronic sound - like most of RDJ Album and Lunatic Harness, but this is interesting. Synthacon 9 is really fast-paced and catchy. Very melodic and intricate as well. It's acid techno done right - the catchiness is exactly what I needed. Really really good, though it does last a little too long for my tastes. I think the last section could be shortened by a bit.

Some strokes of genius, some unappealing bits. I liked the first half of Shiz Ko E due to its intricacies and catchiness. The latter half though is just bland and unmemorable to me. I can say the same with Last Rushup 10, albeit in different sections. Fortunately the album does move away from conventional acid techno at points, like the track Death Fuck Mental Beats. It is the harshest track, generally drill and bass. It's dark and aggressive, especially in the first half. The second half isn't as aggressive, but it's pretty hard-hitting. That is, up to the last minute. It goes back to a harder sound, almost resembling Venetian Snares.

It's some of the best acid techno I've heard, there's no denying that. There's just something about the album that pulls me away though. It might be the dated electronic sound, but not as strongly. Maybe it's just how uninteresting and underwhelming it is to me. This most definitely sounds like Aphex Twin, and I have more problems with Aphex Twin's music than just dated sounds. Engagement, song-writing... a lot more. This album does fix one of the problems AFX has. Unfortunately it's just one issue, I still have a couple of problems with this album. It's not necessarily engaging, though there are some nice moments here and there. I can't see myself listening to it again just for the nice bits either.

Basically this album's a step above Richard D. James Album for me, but that's not saying much. There's still a lot more to be desired - or maybe this style of music isn't for me. I could see how some of these tracks would be engaging to others. It's very detailed and intricate, though not quite noticeable at a speed like this. The people who do notice all these intricacies would really enjoy that, I'd imagine. Unfortunately it's too underwhelming for me, these details are a little blur due to the speed of the tracks. Oh well.

Album Highlights: Synthacon 9, Death Fuck Mental Beats
Track Average Rating: 3.17/5
Overall Rating: 6/10

Two more reviews later today probably.

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge


Septembre et ses dernières pensées by Les Discrets
Les Discrets is a French shoegaze/blackgaze band. They collaborated with Alcest to create their first studio album - Les Discrets / Alcest. After a year, they released Septembre et ses dernieres Pensees. I like blackgaze, especially dreamy ones. Alcest's Ecailles de Lune is one of my favourite metal albums. None of the other blackgaze albums I've listened to has quite reached that level though. Sunbather was far too abrasive and flashy for me. Souvenirs d'un autre monde (which technically isn't blackgaze but blah) wasn't too engaging. It's still a good album, just not as great as Ecailles. I've heard this band is similar to Alcest, so maybe this album will work.

The intro gives me some black metal/dark ambient vibes, similar to Trist's Hin. Really neat. The album then kicks off with L'echappee, or The Breakaway. Wonderful instrumentation, the guitars are so prevalent yet so dreamy. It's really catchy, to say the least. The vocals are a bit of an acquired taste, it's rather intrusive at first. Not quite as dreamy as Neige's vocals, but still interesting. I do like it considerably, not as much as Neige's dreamy vocals, but this is still good. It ends way too soon though - doesn't quite appeal to me as much as Ecailles de Lune Part 1. I really wanted more, but what I was given is fantastic so far.

Les feuilles de l'olvier is a harder hitting track, but not quite black metal. The instrumentation is still as prominent as it was before. While it is harsh and heavy though, it still has this dreaminess. The vocals do make this track quite magical too, a lot dreamier than the previous track. Hard to describe the atmosphere, it's anxiety-inducing and dark, but the same time ethereal. It's monumental as well, which really makes this track breath-taking. Superb, though I feel like it's lacking something. Fortunately it is rather minor, so it's not too detrimental.

Song for Mountains is much softer than the previous two, more of a ballad. It still has heaviness, but it's similar to post-rock more than anything else. It does have some moments of heaviness which turns to blackgaze, but they're not as prominent here. Still very good, but nowhere as strong as the previous two tracks. It's a bit too conservative with its instrumentation. Not quite as memorable.

Sur les quais is a folk track, quite the post-apocalyptic one too. It feels as if the sky is grey, a figure singing to the river. I have no idea what she's singing, as I don't speak French. The landscape I get from it is really beautiful though, although the structure is fairly simple. It's not the best folk track I've heard, but it's still really good. The simplicity of this does it well.

The album isn't quite filled with variation like Ecailles de Lune was, but it's made up with better tracks. I feel that the uniformity is a good thing as well, actually. It normally wouldn't be a good thing, but this is an exception. It keeps the album predictable enough for me to take in, it also makes the tracks consistently good. It does get a little exhausting halfway through, but it's not too bad. It helps that it's short too, clocking at only 43 minutes. Gives the album a lot more replay value.

The second and third tracks are absolutely mindblowing to me. They're short yes, but they are probably two of the most addictive blackgaze tracks I've heard. Half of the other tracks don't quite hit the mark. Effet de nuit felt a little boring and repetitive, though the sound is great. The last minute is a nice change and is better than the rest of the track, but abrupt. It doesn't connect with the rest of the track for me, might be filler for the next track. Even the longest track Chanson d'automne doesn't quite reach that level of enjoyment. It's still great, with its progression and all. Just not brilliant. To be completely honest, I can probably say that for a lot of the album. They're good and are pretty in their own ways, but that's the most they would provide.

...But that's the only flaw I can think of. The album as a whole is really good. Some tracks are indeed weaker than the rest, but that's barely any consideration. The "weaker" tracks are still quite good, better than some of the tracks in Ecailles de Lune. Given a comparison between Ecailles and this album isn't quite the best. Les Discrets' sound is similar to Souvenirs d'un autre monde instead. This album is denser and darker in sound though, which differentiates this from Souvenirs. Quite frankly, the differentiation is what makes this a fantastic album. It's dense, it's loud, it's dark, it's everything I'd want for a loud and hard-hitting album. It works wonderfully.

I feel that it's a post-apocalyptic version of Ecailles de Lune, with similar night skies and more barren landscapes. The dreaminess is far less prominent here, but the darkness is looming all the more. The change in atmosphere does appeal to me a lot more, but in a different way. I can't say that I like Ecailles de Lune the same way I like this album. They are uncomparable aside from the similar sounds - the atmospheres they evoke are very different. What I can say though, is that this album is excellent. Many good tracks, high replay value, my cup of tea. Get this album if you're into Alcest, or shoegaze in general.

Album Highlights: L'echappee, Les feuilles de l'olivier, Svipdagr & Freyja
Track Average Rating: 3.85/5
Overall Rating: 8/10

[EtienneSM]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
TesseracT - Altered State
Monuments - Gnosis
Periphery - Periphery II (This time, it's Personal)
Filthy Frank - Pink Guy
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

[MarioNintendo]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

I've read the styles that you enjoy... and somehow, the only album I want to recommend is Random Access Memories, by Daft Punk. If only for the song Motherboard.

Over-hyped album, I wouldn't be surprised if you already listened to it... :P

[L.B.D.D]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
TesseracT - Altered State
Monuments - Gnosis
Periphery - Periphery II (This time, it's Personal)
Filthy Frank - Pink Guy
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

fried rice bitch

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

The Black Dahlia Murder - Nocturnal
TesseracT - Altered State
Monuments - Gnosis
Periphery - Periphery II (This time, it's Personal)
Filthy Frank - Pink Guy
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Added, I have already listened to Pink Guy and Nocturnal.

Nocturnal is my favourite album from The Black Dahlia Murder, though it's not saying much. It has some of the best tracks they have done (Deathmask Divine and What A Horrible Night) - but there are some weak tracks. It's definitely an improvement from Miasma, but still not the best. There still are some uninteresting tracks, like Virally Yours and Climactic Degradation. Gave it a 6/10, though it used to be higher (7/10).

You don't need me to describe what I feel about Pink Guy. I still masturbate while eating Top Ramen at a faster rate. In the bigger quantities, it counts as rape. Obviously novelty, but it's still not the funniest thing in the world. Too long as well. I will refrain from giving my rating because it is supposed to be enjoyed ironically anyway. (3/10)

I've read the styles that you enjoy... and somehow, the only album I want to recommend is Random Access Memories, by Daft Punk. If only for the song Motherboard.

Over-hyped album, I wouldn't be surprised if you already listened to it... :P

Yes, I have listened to RAM. It's been a long time since I've listened to it though. I just remembered not liking it, though there are some interesting moments. Just hasn't aged well, I suppose. Not too fond of disco, doesn't help that the album is long too. I gave it a 4/10. I thought Motherboard was pretty typical for the album.

Album reviews later today.

[EzExZeRo7497]

Re: An Album A Day Keeps The Doctor Away | 365 Album Challenge

June 28th, 2014
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Digital Ambient Designs by she
She is the electropop/chiptune project of musician Lain Trzaska. Fairly well-known artist in the FFR community, a favourite for some. I used to really like she, but his music hasn't aged well. I still like Pioneer and Make Me Real, but Coloris, Electric Girl and Chiptek... not as much. They just feel a little too poppy at this point. Too joyous, it's no longer my cup of tea. I can still appreciate it for what they are, just not something I'd listen to anymore. Digital Ambient Designs is a chiptune album with elements of ambience, glitch and electropop.

Despite the album title Digital Ambient Designs - I wouldn't call this ambient. Bells is too intrusive to be ambient. It's more like glitch/noise more than anything. The track does progress to an almost psychedelic electropop melody, which I'm not too fond of. Not very engaging, but it's an interesting sound. Not something I hear everyday.

Behind the Broken Mirror is definitely where the album starts to become more ambient. Even then though, it's not quite ambient. It's a pretty slow electropop track - similar to Nebula's sound but with less energy. I do like it, but not by much. It's just uninteresting overall, while it is catchy at points.

For Lianne takes a step down from the energy ladder - now mainly ambient. The sweet sounds of the piano, the overall dreamy yet pixelated atmosphere... it's odd. I'm not quite sure what to think of it, honestly. It's definitely different, but not very intriguing to me. I feel as if more could be done with this idea. The chiptune synth is nice and all, but it's a bit too unambitious. I want more - perhaps a dreamier sound.

Niji no Kawa is a chiptune ambient track with oriental elements. Very neat, almost reminiscent of video game music. This track honestly has this aura of nostalgia to me. I don't expect anyone to relate, but it just reminds me of all of the retro RPGs I've played. I could see it fit into games like The Spirit Engine or any indie RPG game. It's quite cozy and memorable, quite the keeper. Last 30 seconds feel intrusive though, the noises are far too heavy.

The album is somewhat true to its name, I guess. You can technically consider this ambient. There are many other elements going on though, namely chiptune and electropop. Regardless though, it is probably she's most ambitious work. At least, I think it is. I have not listened to Days yet. While Lain has not moved away from his signature chiptune sound, there is considerable variation here. Electropop such as Just Your Regular Beat Song, glitch in Conversations and atmospheric ambience like Lain's Room - not something I'd hear every day from she. Given, Lain has made darker ambient tracks before. The Insomnia series (the original one in particular) is far darker.

While it is she's most ambitious work, it's not very consistent in quality. Sure, the combinations of chiptune and other genres are quite unique. Chiptune and ambient are genres I've never thought would go well together. It's just that they aren't very interesting in the long run. In the first few listens I'd think that it's nice, but it gets bland quite quick. In addition, I feel that the combinations are a little... bland. It does need something else to make it better. Take Niji no Kawa's oriental elements, that gave the track a flare that the other tracks didn't. Only exception would be Lain's Room, which is atmospheric enough to not need an additional flavour. The others just feel a bit too restrained and unambitious. I want Lain to do more, it really shows potential here. Maybe I'm just not fond of chiptune, but I sincerely think that the chiptune element does ruin the emotional value here. The tracks that are predominantly chiptune are average at best.

I'm just not feeling the album as much as I should, I suppose. While yes, this is different from any work Lain has made, it's not very intriguing. I wouldn't say that it's "bad", but it's just not experimental enough. It's different enough to be separated from his other works, but not different enough to be remarkable. That's the main flaw of the album, personally speaking. If she was a little more bold in his music... it'd probably be way better. His ambient tracks here are decent at best, when the chiptune elements are stripped down they are a little better. If you want ambient from she though, I'd recommend Make Me Real/Insomnia instead. This doesn't quite make the mark for me.

Album Highlights: Lain's Room, Niji no Kawa
Track Average Rating: 2.63/5
Overall Rating: 5/10
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Memories of a Beautiful Disaster by James Durbin (recommended by rushyrulz)
James Durbin is an American hard rock/metal artist from California. He was a finalist on the tenth season of American Idol and was signed to Wind-Up Records after he was eliminated. From then, he has made his first single Love Me Bad and his debut album Memories of a Beautiful Disaster.

The first track, Higher Than Heaven, was a nice surprise. The brash and heavy instrumentation and environment does remind me of Blue Stahli. Particularly his self-titled album. What differentiates Durbin from Stahli is the vocal delivery. James Durbin's voice is really good. Very engaging, essentially pitch-perfect, it's just fantastic. The instrumentation is great for the most part, but it's not particularly catchy. It's a great track though, but I've heard better.

All I Want is substantially different from the previous track, more poppy more than anything. Not my cup of tea, the lyrics are really cheesy. Vocals are decent, but aren't being used to the fullest potential. Instrumentation is really generic, but okay. All in all not that good. It's not super bad, but I do want to listen to something else. Love in Ruins has the same issues, but to less of an extent. The rock component halfway through feels excessive and trite. Lyrics are still quite silly. Not too fond of this track, even less so than All I Want.

I honestly don't have much to say about the album. It's pretty decent hard rock/pop rock, though trite at points. While I can't say that I'm fond of either pop rock or hard rock, this isn't bad. What really stands out for me is James Durbin's voice. It's quite a step higher than most alt-rock bands, even some hard rock bands. It especially shows in tracks like Deeper - showing his lower range. His screaming in a couple of tracks is really neat too, though I don't quite remember which tracks in particular. Love in Ruins was one of them, I think? His voice in pop ballads does fit quite well too. Especially in the track May - while the rest of the track isn't that great, his vocals do shine here. Very emotional, though a little too angsty at points.

Mixed bag of tracks. Some good ones, some pretty bad ones. You have cheesy and boring tracks like Outcast, and depressing and memorable tracks like Everything Burns. The inconsistent quality does ruin the album's enjoyment for me. Not by a very large margin, but definitely noticeable. It's not as inconsistent as most rock albums, though. None of the tracks other than Screaming is bad. However, I can't quite say that any of the tracks are particularly impressive. Everything Burns is probably the best track here, Higher Than Heaven is close.

I'm pleasantly surprised, I didn't expect this album to be decent. I think I'll like this a lot more two to three years ago. Back then I was really into industrial rock/metal - this would fit nicely to my collection. I'm more into black metal/melodeath more than anything else now, so this album isn't as appealing. It still has some merit though, I wouldn't mind going through it again. Just... nowhere as great as I think it would be years ago. There's definite room for improvement, but Durbin did a good job at appealing to the general audience. Recommended for most hard rock enthusiasts.

Album Highlights: Higher Than Heaven, Everything Burns
Track Average Rating: 2.64/5
Overall Rating: 5.5/10