The Album Club

[SGR]

Kidneythieves - Zerøspace



An early '00s industrial album. For industrial, it's very pleasant on the ears. First two tracks remind you a lot of Nine Inch Nails, while track 3 starts to give off a flavor of latter-era Massive Attack. Track 4 just serves as an intro to "Black Bullet", track 5. This one has more of a nu-metal sound to it. It sounds like something that could've come off of Trust Company's first two albums. Track 6, "Dyskrasia", reckons us with its stop start energy. But it's at this point that I realize that while I think the female vocalist is talented and brings a unique flavor to the industrial sounds, her voice lacks a bit of the bite I typically enjoy and expect in industrial music. Her voice really is a melodic counterpoint to the harsh texture of the music. You're milage with this may vary. "Spank" is a by the numbers rocker. And the rest? Well the rest kind of just washes over me, without much distinguishing itself, besides maybe "Serene Dream", which is a more acoustic, string driven affair. The last track follows the 2000s trend of having a hidden track behind minutes of silence. Let's just say it's not really worth the wait.

This album is front loaded. But the back half isn't terrible, it's just not stunning. The first half is where the real enjoyment lies. Probably not one I'll spin repeatedly, but a different take on the industrial formula, and a decently enjoyable listen.

6/10

Edit: Hope Trolls is doing okay, without him around, we've all really fallen behind schedule

[DJChameleon]

Is anyone in the club still participating?

Let's move onto

My Head is an Animal - Of Monsters and Men

We are super behind schedule but I will step in to crack the whip and take over for Trollheart til he comes back. Let's move onto Mindy's rec.

I will post my review of my own rec Monday then Mindy's Tuesday.

[DJChameleon]

I forgot to do this but I have free time over the weekend and will get on it.

We have fallen far behind so lets jump to the next one.


People's Spring - Warsaw Village Band (Lisnaholic)

[SGR]

I forgot to do this but I have free time over the weekend and will get on it.

We have fallen far behind so lets jump to the next one.


People's Spring - Warsaw Village Band (Lisnaholic)

Personally, I think we should just put this thing on hold until Trollheart comes back, particularly because engagement with it has dropped off immensely. Maybe people need a break? (it is summer now, so I'm guessing people are a bit more busy than usual doing stuff with their weekends, too)

I was the only one who reviewed your submission, no one reviewed Mindy's submission yet - what's to gain by 'moving on' to the next submission if no one is currently engaging with the thread/listening to the albums?

[DJChameleon]

Personally, I think we should just put this thing on hold until Trollheart comes back, particularly because engagement with it has dropped off immensely. Maybe people need a break? (it is summer now, so I'm guessing people are a bit more busy than usual doing stuff with their weekends, too)

I was the only one who reviewed your submission, no one reviewed Mindy's submission yet - what's to gain by 'moving on' to the next submission if no one is currently engaging with the thread/listening to the albums?

I kind of agree the point of moving on though is to try to catch up with the time line that has been way pushed off but I agree with you that if engagement isn't around. I shouldn't push so hard to continue it without others contributing.

I was thinking of going through with it and constantly still posting reviews until others jump in. So if it's just you and I being the only ones reviewing. I'm cool with that personally until others decide they want to start participating again.

[Guybrush]

I listened to The Sophtware Slump, but forgot to post my review and should probably listen to it again.

I liked it quite a bit, but there was something about repeating elements in the songs, like arpeggios, that were a little too static and pervasive so I had some issues with the production. Still a good album and not what I expected when I turned it on.

Trolls said not to wait for him, but a lack of engagement is more of a hurdle. I'll try and catch up.

[Mindy]

I stopped fucking with this thread and the album club when Trollheart left us. Plus the movement from MB to here.

[Lisnaholic]

Sorry, DJ, I meant to respond to you earlier, but was kind of busy, so like many, I haven't been contributing to the Album Club recently: like Guybrush, I listened to The Sophtware Slump, but didn't review it.

I hope Trollheart is beginning to  feel better about his circumstances, and obviously I would hate for him to feel any unwanted pressure about keeping the club afloat, but here's my opinion:-

To be user-friendly, the club needs a bit of gentle, continuous maintenance, doesn't it? Otherwise, everyone who comes to this thread has to trawl backwards through old posts to find: what's the current album, what are the upcoming nominations, and (for the statistically curious) what and how were the last albums rated.

But the existential prob is of course the number of people engaging in the club. To that end, finally and brazenly coming out of my closet as a teacher, I thought I'd take the attendance:-

Full members
---------------------
Trollheart (Curating only as of May 18)
Rubber Soul
SGR
Lisnaholic
Mindfulness
Janszoon
DJ Chameleon
Dr Rez **
Toy Revolver
Mrs. Waffles
Guybrush

** Subject to them joining up here.

Associate members
--------------------------------
Fetcher (On hiatus; we hope she'll be back)
Music Collector
Carpe Mortem

People in bold are the ones who might/would continue, or at least could be bullied into contributing. For myself, I could go either way on a seven-member club, but I suggest we take a quick "I'm in/I'm out" poll.

If after that, we decide to continue, I wonder about the following:
i) is it possible or respectful to access TH's opening post in order to keep things up-to-date?
ii) should we chuck out the noms of people who are absent from what will be in effect a new, slimmed-down version of the club?

Cards on the table: I'm happy to contribute over the summer, but come September I'd likely post the bare minimum as rl will again intrude into my free time.

What do you think, guys? Call a halt or do a bit of CPR on the Album Club?

[Lexi Darling]

Apologies, I've been checking this thread but yeah I'm honestly not sure which album we're supposed to be on at the moment, it seemed for a while to me like no one was on the same page. Maybe if enough people want to continue we should do a hard reset, for the sake of clarity?

I'm in if we can keep this organized.

[DJChameleon]

As I volunteered myself earlier. I'm down to continue the club as the new manager in the mean time until TH returns. I know he would want this to go on in his absence. I'm perfectly fine with a 7 person club or even a two person club if it comes down to only two people wanting to participate. Just as long as I am not the only one in it.


So I had the idea of kind of rushing through the end of the current list of albums we have by instead of leaving a two week period we do one week period just to finish up the current list.

Once we do we will start a new list of albums under the new slightly adjusted club and we can go back to the two week period.

I will add the dates to keep everyone on the same page but obviously I don't have access to the OP to edit anything. I would have to get Guybrush to help me out there.

[DJChameleon]

Apologies, I've been checking this thread but yeah I'm honestly not sure which album we're supposed to be on at the moment, it seemed for a while to me like no one was on the same page. Maybe if enough people want to continue we should do a hard reset, for the sake of clarity?

I'm in if we can keep this organized.

If you want to review an album this is the current one we are on.

People's Spring - Warsaw Village Band (Lisnaholic)

Today is July 17th so I will give until July 24th for everyone to get their review in. In the mean time I ask that people that currently want to participate in the club leave album suggestions.

[Lisnaholic]

Thanks, Mrs. Waffles and DJ ! Your commitment is contageous, and I'll contribute to the new-style club which will be under the guidance and stewardship of DJ. Well done for volunteering, DJ.  As you say, I think TH himself would approve of someone continuing the club in his absence.

It's an excellent idea to run through the existing nominations one week at a time. In the coming days, I'll catch up with some of the albums I missed, which is the v. least I can do, as it's my nom which is up for review this week.

[Guybrush]

I applaud the initiative and really want to do my part 🙂 my only problem at the moment is we're swamped with stuff to do now that it's summer vacay. We've just been away, then it's been people and family visiting every day and tomorrow we're on a train to visit friends on a dmfarm and then we're off to the family cabin etc. etc.

But I'm game for sure when I can find the time 👍

[DJChameleon]

I applaud the initiative and really want to do my part 🙂 my only problem at the moment is we're swamped with stuff to do now that it's summer vacay. We've just been away, then it's been people and family visiting every day and tomorrow we're on a train to visit friends on a dmfarm and then we're off to the family cabin etc. etc.

But I'm game for sure when I can find the time 👍

No pressure just jump in when you feel like it. I know summer is a busy season for most people that get outside and touch grass. I touched grass this weekend and was super busy.

[DJChameleon]

Thanks, Mrs. Waffles and DJ ! Your commitment is contageous, and I'll contribute to the new-style club which will be under the guidance and stewardship of DJ. Well done for volunteering, DJ.  As you say, I think TH himself would approve of someone continuing the club in his absence.

It's an excellent idea to run through the existing nominations one week at a time. In the coming days, I'll catch up with some of the albums I missed, which is the v. least I can do, as it's my nom which is up for review this week.

Because it works as a quick visual flag for anyone scrolling this thread, and makes the album easier to find, here's a link to the first track of

People's Spring by Warsaw Village Band

On Youtube this should take you a place where the other tracks are available - see spoiler for tracklist:

   

Spoiler

1. To You Kasiunia

2. Chassidic Dance

3. At My Mother's

4. I Had a Lover

5. A Red Apple
   
6. Traditional Rural Polka

7. Who Is Getting Married

8. Clear Water

9. What Have You Been Doing Kasia

10. Polka Folk is dead

11. The Rain Is Falling

12. Cranes

13. Maydów

14. Matecka (At My Mother's)

[close]

This is a good idea. I think moving forward I will post the first track just like you did and all the tracks in a spoiler tag well just the names.

No problem. Now that I have a bit more free time. I was swamped near the end of June. I don't mind helping out with the club.