Reviewing the playlists in the "Shuffle Your Playlist" thread

[Trollheart]

Since nobody was interested in my original idea, I'm just going to go ahead and review these myself.



Next up:

[degrassi.knoll]

I got once measly like for my gorgeously presented five-track shuffle, I'm not going to give anyone else the validation of engagement. 

[Trollheart]

Yes I really like the artistic way you presented it Steph: shows a lot of care went into it.

I just, you know, didn't bother saying it. Soz.


Fine. I'll do it myself. I'll grab each playlist posted in the other thread and review it here. And then I'll make my own thread. With blackjack. And hookers. In fact, forget the thread...

[Trollheart]

First up, first in the thread. Comes from this guy--->

And here it is.
      |
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      V

Wifisfuneral - Every Fucking Pill In The World (ft. Unotheactivist)

Ceschi - Heaven At Your Finger Tips (ft. Anonymous Inc)

Agonoize - Paranoid Destruction (SITD RMX)

K Death - Spokes
I was told that this rapper used to be on Music Banter.

Stuey Rock & Future - Bitch Waitin' At Home

Darby O'Trill - Body in a Void (ft. Insane Poetry)

Big Hoodoo - Boom Boom Piggy (ft. Trick Trick)

2Pac - Life Of An Outlaw (ft. The Outlawz)

¡Mayday! - 12 Hands On The Wheel

Drake & 21 Savage - Pussy & Millions (ft. Travis Scott)

Just have to make sure they're all on the Y, as I don't do the S. Once I've confirmed, I'll begin assaulting my ears and let you know what I thought.

Note before I start: you guys know that while I try to go into these things with an open mind, the chances are I'll hate your music. However I hope you also know that I will do my best to be fair, not discount anything just because I don't know/know of/like that artist/genre, and my adventures in reviewing albums on Wiki's list has shown me that there is a lot of decent music out there which I would otherwise never have even thought of listening to, so you never know.

But I'll probably hate the majority of it.

PLEASE don't take offence if so, and don't try to, like a certain person who used to be on MB and had a propensity for not smiling much, explain to me why I'm wrong, or advise me to listen to half a dozen albums/mixtapes/whatever you're having yourself in order to truly understand and get into the artist. That's not my goal here. I don't even know if I have a goal here, other than to sit in judgement on the music taste of others I mean give an unbiased opinion of the music in your playlists. Don't expect miracles, and if I hate it let me hate it, accept that and move on. I'm sure you hate my music too. And yes, I will also be reviewing my own playlists, Ouroboros-like. Sure why not? What else have I got to do?

Hey, if nothing else, as ever, it will be a larf as you giggle at my failure to "get" your music, how little I know, how old I am, and possibly ruminate upon how much better the world would be without me in it.

[degrassi.knoll]

Yes I really like the artistic way you presented it Steph: shows a lot of care went into it.

I just, you know, didn't bother saying it. Soz.

I don't mean to degrade your engagement as measly. It's just like, please sir, may I have some more?

[Trollheart]

Wifisfuneral - Every Fucking Pill In The World (ft. Unotheactivist)

(Note: as usual I'm taking my genre tags from Wiki, also perhaps Discogs and RYM. If they're not right, suck it.)
 
Genre: Hip-hop/Trap
Source: 4th album Ethernet
Year: 2018
Nationality: American
Comments: Just be aware, hip-hop fans, that I often find it hard to make out the rap, so don't and usually won't be paying too much attention to them. I like the sort of laid back, almost spooky theme of this. It's nowhere near as in my face as I had expected, and though see above I must say the "flow" (ah, bless! He thinks he knows the jargon. He'll sleep tonight) seems very good, well controlled and well delivered. If only I knew what I was talking about. Oh well. I don't hate this, in fact I quite like it. Good start, Mister Ferre!
Rating:


Ceschi - Heaven At Your Finger Tips (ft. Anonymous Inc)

Genre: Folk Punk
Source: 14th album This Guitar Was Stolen, Along With Years of Our Lives
Year: 2024
Nationality: American
Comments: Making tiny inroads into punk rock, mostly via Celtic Punk, though I understand I don't have, to use the vernacular of the genre, a fucking clue, certainly not yet. Still, I can say that I now don't hate it as a genre, or dismiss it, as I used to. Let's see what this is like. I love the opening, and I would say (shut up Trollheart, pretending you know anything. God I hate you) the singer sounds a bit like Billy Bragg. A short song, one second short of two minutes, but very pleasant, and honestly personally I don't see the punk here, but then, as ever, what do I know? Like this a lot. Going well so far.
Rating:

Agonoize - Paranoid Destruction (SITD RMX)
Genre: Aggrotech (?)
Source: Debut album Assimilation: Chapter One
Year: 2004
Nationality: German
Comments: Okay I have no idea what aggrotech is, but with that and a band called Agonoize I think I can safely assume this is going to be LOUD, aggressive and ear-bleeding, and that I'm unlikely to enjoy it. Wait a minute! What is that? Harps? Ah, no. Just wishful thinking I guess. Oh but I didn't expect keyboards? And a sort of I don't know, darkwave sound? Christ TH can you ever get it right? Oh come on now: given the information I had to work with, anyone not into this would have come to the same conclusion. The vocal is sort of borrowed from black metal, so a kind of meshing of that and industrial/new-wave/synthpop/darkwave? Again I'm surprised because this is pretty damned good, and not at all what I had expected. I could see this being played at clubs, which I'm reliably informed are places people go to dance and consume fermented vegetable juices in order to reach an advanced state of inebriation. Yeah, strike three for me: this is really good.
Rating:

K Death - Spokes
I was told that this rapper used to be on Music Banter.

Genre: No idea but I'll take Lucem's word it's rap (no information on any of my usual friendly sites)
Source: See above
Year: Duh
Nationality: No clue
Comments: Don't know about him being on the old Banterus Musicalium, never personally heard of him though I don't move in those circles. Nothing on the Y so unless you have a copy I can listen to, nothing I can do so moving on.
Rating:

Stuey Rock & Future - Bitch Waitin' At Home

Genre: Pop rap/Southern hip-hop/Trap
Source: Second album FDU and Free Bandz
Year: 2011
Nationality: American
Comments: The only thing I know about this is that I've heard Future (no, not seen the future, different thing) and didn't particularly like him if I remember. I don't think I hated him, but I certainly didn't love him. So his presence here might skew me towards the less appreciative side of my ratings, we'll see. Well not bad really. Could do without the autotune (my nemesis) but other than that a nice kind of laid back ballad, pretty good.
Rating: 

Darby O'Trill - Body in a Void (ft. Insane Poetry)

Genre: Horrorcore/Rap (?)
Source: Dunno: I've checked every album and EP, and the mixtape has no track listing
Year: D'oh!
Nationality: I presume American
Comments: On my interesting jaunt through the albums I noticed a lot of references to juggalos and ICP. Is this something to do with them? Who knows, but some of the titles are hilarious and some are stomach-churning. I assume none of this is meant to be taken seriously, lyric-wise. Well I can't review it as the Y shakes its mighty head. Laters!
Rating:

Big Hoodoo - Boom Boom Piggy (ft. Trick Trick)

Genre: Horrorcore/Hip-hop
Source: 2nd album Asylum
Year: 2016
Nationality: American
Comments: Oh here's another one! Let's see if I can get this one. Yeah I can. Hell this is good. I really like this. Not too sure about the old horrorcore tag, but it's powerful stuff. The sort of movie-style music as a backing, kind of like an old Clint Eastwood film or something, underlines the stand against the cops, as if the title didn't. Don't think this will be blasting out of any black-and-whites! Cool stuff, like it.
Rating:

2Pac - Life Of An Outlaw (ft. The Outlawz)

Genre: Hip-hop
Source: No idea
Year: No idea (1996?)
Nationality: American
Comments: Hey, even this thick white Irish boy heard of 2pac. What's that? Heard his music? Oh my stars, no. First time for everything I guess. Yeah, another fine track with a lot of anger in it. Guess 2pac did it first, or something. Respect.
Rating:

¡Mayday! - 12 Hands On The Wheel

Genre: Shrug
Source: Look, I don't know. There are four or five bands called Mayday, and the Spanish upside-down exclamation mark don't register with searches, so sue me.
Year: Dunno
Nationality: Maybe Spanish or Mexican, but who knows?
Comments: Why twelve hands on the wheel? Six people can't fit into the driver's seat of even a Hummer, I'd imagine. Yeah, good idea: I'll shut up and get on with listening to the music, if I can find it. Nope. I can't. So on to the last one.
Rating:

Drake & 21 Savage - Pussy & Millions (ft. Travis Scott)

Genre: Hip-hop
Source: 15th album Her Loss
Year: 2022
Nationality: American
Comments: I've heard of Drake, but never heard anything by him. I have no idea who or what 21 Savage is, and I have listened to one album by Travis Scott. I did not like it. This isn't bad, though once again I have to suit up to do battle with my natural enemy, Autotune, damn it into the deepest darkest hell. Good enough song though.
Rating:

So, given what was in this playlist, and allowing for the ones I couldn't find, a surprisingly enjoyable playlist, for which I have to award an average rating of

[Trollheart]

Next up, it's himself:

[Trollheart]

Grindy's avatar used to be this scary-looking dude or creature in a tree at night, gave me the feeling he/she/it was about to attack me. Also reminded me somewhat of Eddie on the cover of Maiden's Fear of the Dark album. And that's how I often feel with this guy: you don't know what, to coin a phrase, mad shit he's going to come up with. So it's with a slight sense of trepidation I venture into the dark, moonless forest that is his playlist. What was that? Just an owl, you say. Hmm. All right then. I'm trusting you. Mind the covered pit with the sharpened whaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

Colin Stetson - All The Days I've Missed You (ILAIJ I)

Genre: Jazz/AVant-garde/Rock
Source: 3rd album New History Warfare Vol 2: Judges
Year: 2011
Nationality: American
Comments: Oh no! It's the J word! And the A word! I knew it was a mistake to come into this fucking forest. Probably find my bleached bones lying here in years to come, my ears decomposed off my head with my skeletal hands still clamped to them. Oh well, I asked for this. Hey, at least it's short. Kind of like some sort of drone, mixed with a "Last Post" idea. I'll say it's okay, but probably only because it doesn't have time to get going. Whew.
Rating:

Imperial Triumphant - Rotted Futures

Genre: Black metal/Avant-garde
Source: 5th album Alphaville
Year: 2020
Nationality: American
Comments: It's that A word again! I know Grindy likes his black metal, and in fact 'twas he, do I but recall correctly, who got me into blackgaze, so I can forgive him a lot. Mind you, I sort of get black metal a little myself now. Ah, how far I've come, and how far I have yet to go. Hah! I note a track on one of their other albums, Abyssal Gods or something, called "Sex in the Vatican" or the like. Cool. Title of this track sounds like poorly-invested money by stock brokers. Sure, I'll shut up. Someday. Has to happen. I like the creepy opening, very sort of symphonic metal or summat, building up to something, no doubt a hoarse, scratchy vocal on the way... oh no, these guys go for the Cookie Monster vibe. Fair enough. The music is bitchin' and I mean bitchin'. Really like this. Did I mention it was bitchin'? It's bitchin'.
Rating: (Only stopped getting 5 stars due to the vocal, which I can't make out and sort of takes from the song for me)

Massacre - Surfing

Genre: Death Metal
Source: 2nd album Promises
Year: 1997
Nationality: American
Comments: Now look, I'm just going to take a chance here, but I think you misspelled the track name. "Surfing"? Surely not. I see no such track on any of the albums I looked at. I did, however, see "Suffering", which seems more in keeping with a death metal band, so I'm going to go with that. If I'm wrong, let me know what album this "Surfing" of which you speak is on, but I don't see it. So then, taking "Suffering" as our subject, I, er, can't. No such track coming up. In desperation (and doubt) I tried "Surfing" too, but unless I fancy listening to a ten-hour Beach Boys compilation - spoiler: I don't - I got nothin'.
Rating:

Okapi - Ricalchino Solleone

Genre: ?
Source: ?
Year: ?
Nationality:?
Comments: You've stumped me again, Mister G! I can find two artists of this name, but one is some Italian sound engineer or something and the other has two albums, neither of which this is on.

Rating:


Mark Nauseef, Ikue Mori, Evan Parker & Bill Laswell - Yuga Warp

Genre: Electronic/Jazz/ Free Improvisation
Source: 18th album Near Nadir
Year: 2011
Nationality: American
Comments: And the hits just keep coming! Now we have the F word. No not that one: Free, followed by the I word. And also the J one. Sigh. Okay, cover me: I'm goin' in! And we kick off with the sound of someone opening a door and walking across a hardwood floor with a glass of water - oh you know how it goes with this improvisational shite I mean cleverly written, out of the box, unconventional... um, shite. Yeah this ain't gonna be for me Mister G sorry. Now it's like the Clangers (what?) out on a boat on the sea. I mean, I'm sure it's clever and highbrow and, um, clever, but I ain't never gonna understand this, noway nohow.
Rating:

The Clangers


Janko Nilovic, JJ Whitefield & Igor Zhukovsky - Really Hot

Genre: Jazz/funk/soul/psychedelic
Source: 32nd album Cosmos Giants
Year: 2024
Nationality: Montenegrin/French
Comments: This at least sounds more like something I can listen to. Pretty cool as it goes, very funk-ay. Like the jangly guitar. Neat. Kind of reminds me of Floyd.
Rating:

Time Of Orchids - Everyone Is Suspended

Genre: Rock/Classical/Post-Modern/Experimental
Source: 4th album Sarcast While
Year: 2005
Nationality: American
Comments: Sounds like massive layoffs! From what I hear, not before time. As soon as this starts I bloody hate it. Different vocals which seem to be out of tune (yes I know but to me they do) and a kind of hippy/folk idea running through a sharp guitar line that reminds me of something but I don't know what, but whatever it is I don't want to hear it again. Oh, and now some screaming and shouting, just what I needed.
Rating:

Mary Halvorson Quintet - Saturn Sings (No. 18)

Genre: Jazz
Source: Debut album Saturn Sings
Year: 2010
Nationality: American
Comments: Easier to listen to than the last one (though cats mating in my garden at night would be easier to listen to than that, and marginally more pleasing, sorry mate) this is still not really my thing. Hey what can I tell you? I'm not a jazz fan, and I never will be. For what it is, I'm sure it's good, but it does nothing for me.
Rating:

Make A Rising - Transmutation

Genre: Progressive Pop/Avant-Prog
Source: 2nd album Infinite Ellipse with Head and Open Fontanel
Year: 2008
Nationality:American
Comments: I feel this has an odd 70s feel about it, quite catchy with some nice keyboard work. I think it reminds me of After Crying, though maybe I just need to cut down on my medications. The vocal is an odd kind of chant, multiple singers I think, two at least anyway. Yeah it's not bad but though I don't hate it I don't love it.
Rating:

Keiji Haino, Merzbow & Balázs Pándi - How Differ The Instructions Of The Left From The Instructions Of The Right? (Part II)

Genre: Noise, Improvisational/
Source: 51st album けない無防備 = An Untroublesome Defencelessness

Year: 2016
Nationality: Japanese
Comments: Disclaimer: I've had some small experience of yer man Kenjo, (and shuddering experience of Merzbow, which still has me waking in a cold sweat!) so if this is a three-day long song I'll only listen to some of it, get an idea as to whether I like it or not. I got things to do. Okay this was hard to find. I had to get the album on YT and then scan forward to this track. Will I regret it? As the man from Carlsberg says, almost certainly. Ah sure there's me Merzbow now, fair play to him, kicking up a fuss and making lots of noise that means nothing to me in a musical sense, standard Trollheart disclaimer. Sorry it's just feedback and noise to me. Never gonna get into this stuff. Oh now, I listened to the whole track. What more do you want?
Rating:

So there it is. Not, perhaps, a fair reflection of your playlist, as there were 2 tracks I couldn't find to listen to, but I have to go with what I have, and as Rick from Pawn Stars sometimes says, sorry man, we're so far apart we'll never make a deal today.
Overall rating

[Lisnaholic]

Thanks, Trollheart ! This thread will be a great resource for anyone like me, who has looked at the playlist thread and thought, "I'm curious about these lists, but there are just so many songs..."
Now I'll have your own impressions to guide me through some music that I wouldn't otherwise explore. Well done   (and good luck slogging through such a mountain of material )

[degrassi.knoll]

I think capping the shuffles at 5 tracks is the move and not just because I did it first but because it is right

[Trollheart]

It's up to yourselves, but personally I think 10 is good. I'll do up to 20. A glutton for what, you say?

[Trollheart]

Next one up is the cutie with a real bite, as you'll see from the fact that not a single one of the tracks below is anything like a love song. Well, unless you love severed heads or making them suffer I guess! Yes, it's time to review the first shuffle from our own

And here it is.


Make Them Suffer - Soul Decay

Genre: Metalcore/ Pop Rock
Source: 4th album How to Survive a Funeral
Year: 2020
Nationality: Australian
Comments: Now, it should be understood beforehand that, though I'm a metal head (causes chaos going through airports I can tell you!) I've never been into metalcore, so this may be a bit of an ordeal. This one starts off with the classic metalcore "Give me a throat lozenge!" style of singing, like the vocalist has been arguing with someone for hours and is now just hoarse. Melody-wise it's good enough, plenty to recommend it, lots of energy, though I believe I do feel a headache coming on.
Rating:


It Dies Today - Severed Ties Yield Severed
Heads

Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Source: Debut album The Caitiff Choir
Year: 2004
Nationality: American
Comments: Ah, they do like their death and violence imagery, don't they, these metalcore boys? Wonder what would happen if you got a black metal band teaming up with them? Blackcore? The only real difference I see between this and the last one is that the guitar is more of a thrash metal - oh hold on: clean vocals as well as unclean ones, as it were. Okay that's different. Think I like this one better. The clean vocals come in for the chorus, which gives the song a bit more structure (also means I can understand some of it). Daycent, as we say here.
Rating:


Motionless in White - 570

Genre: Metalcore/Industrial
Source: 6th album Graveyard Shift
Year: 2017
Nationality: American
Comments: And this is far more Maidenesque, with bouncing guitars romping along nicely. Some clean vocals here too. Look, I may not be saying a lot, but somewhat like with power metal, it seems there's not a lot you can say about metalcore, as they mostly seem to follow the same basic idea. Which is not to say that they all sound the same, but to the untrained ear they seem to be very similar to each other.
Rating:

Iwrestledabearonce - Ulrich Firelord, Breaker of Mountains

Genre: Avant-Garde/Heavy Metal/Metalcore
Source: Debut self-titled EP
Year: 2007
Nationality: American
Comments: Although to be fair, this guy sounds like he's having a fit, or else someone stuffed a ferret down his pants and he's screaming "Get it out! Get it out!" If these guys did wrestle a bear once, I wouldn't be surprised if said bear ran away. Just a mess - oh what? Now we have reflective guitar and a female vocal, which makes me think the YT has skipped onto another video, but no, still the same song. How odd. Changes the whole feel of the thing, almost as if this is the real song, the guy roaring at the start was some escaped lunatic who somehow found his way into the studio and has been unceremoniously escorted out so that they can get on with the song. I must say, it's so much better without him. Oh, but he must have broken loose and escaped his captors because here he comes again! And now we have Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King", or a version of such. I said it before, I'll say it again: odd. But not bad.
Rating:

Chimaira - Sp Lit

Genre: Nu-Metal/Industrial
Source: Debut album Pass Out of Existence
Year: 2001
Nationality: American
Comments: This guy has a far better voice than most of the others, and the chorus is almost clean vocals. Love the sort of Metallica style guitar in this.
Rating:

Born of Osiris - Now Arise

Genre: Deathcore
Source: 2nd album A Higher Place
Year: 2009
Nationality: American
Comments: Guitar melody is cool here, almost approaching a blend of prog metal and black metal, but the vocal leaves a lot to be desired. A lot.
Rating:

Alpha Wolf - Akudama

Genre: Hardcore/Nu-Metal
Source: 2nd album A Quiet Place to Die
Year: 2020
Nationality: Australian
Comments: This rattles along at breakneck speed, but I can't honestly say it does anything for me. Bit of a mess.
Rating:

Bleeding Through - Love in Slow Motion

Genre: Hardcore/Heavy Metal/Metalcore
Source: 4th album The Truth
Year: 2006
Nationality: American
Comments: Has a lot of power and aggressive energy, with what sounds like a mighty keyboard line, distinguishes it a little from most of the other tracks. Plus there's clean vocal on the chorus which puts it in almost more a speed/thrash or even groove metal vein. I do like this. No wait, I don't. I love it.
Rating:

The Black Dahlia Murder - Funeral Thirst

Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Source: Debut album Unhallowed
Year: 2003
Nationality: American
Comments: I know about the Black Dahlia Murder. Karen, lord rest her soul, got me to read it to her; never warned me it was about a dismembered body. Sigh. There's a certain sense of that here, a kind of dismembered vocal (one scratchy and hoarse, the other deep and growly - don't know if it's the same person, though sometimes it is) and a hammering drumbeat that just goes through my head and does nothing to help my rapidly growing migraine. Guitars are good, though they're a little subsumed in the mix it seems. Oh there's a decent solo now. That's good. But yeah, other than that, not a lot for me here. Like that book. Still gives me the shudders.
Rating:

Suicide Silence - Disengage

Genre: Deathcore
Source: 2nd album No Time to Bleed
Year: 2009
Nationality: American
Comments: Oh for fuck's sake! Now that's taking it a little far! When I racked this up the Big Y assured me "You're not alone" and wanted to give me the numbers of "organisations that could help me". Jesus on a frog-powered riverboat attempting a crossing of the Missouri! I know, I know! Some people might listen to music like this because they're suicidal, but hey, I'm depressed but not yet ready to deprive this world of my presence. As for Suicide Silence? Hmm. How can I say this without giving offence? They can fuck off. Nothing there at all. Just terrible. And now I really have a headache. Fucking metalcore.
Rating:

Sorry Lexi but I did explain at the start that me and metalcore may sometimes bump into each other on the street, but we always cross over to avoid one another. Needless to say, it's their fault, not mine. Best I can do for ya I'm afraid.

Overall rating:

[Trollheart]

Thank you

I see a whole lot more jazz here than I like, and one jazz song is a whole lot more jazz than I like! I also note most of these seem to be live performances, so I don't know if I'll be able to get them on the Y but sure I'll give it a go.

UPDATE: Saulaac has provided me with links for two of the missing tracks, new reviews shown now in green and overall rating updated.



MOWGLI - Cénac - Jazz 360 - 8 Juin 2019

Genre: Jazz, presumably
Source: ?
Year: ? but 2018 or before obv
Nationality: French, perchance?
Comments: Okay this is what happens when artists take well-known names for their projects. Mowgli is of course the young male protagonist of Kipling's "The Jungle Book", and, more importantly, Disney's interpretations of it. There are at least four artists using this name, and though I thought I had narrowed it down to a French nu-jazz artist, neither of his albums show that track. I even tried putting the word jazz after the search term, but no dice. The Lords of Y ask me repeatedly if I would like to see scenes from said "Jungle Book", to which I politely decline and back out of the viewing room without making eye contact. In other words, can't find this, have no clue what it is or where to see it, and so must leave it. Je suis desolee, as I believe you say.

Update: I quite enjoyed this, the relaxed nature of it, the way each band member did his own thing and then they joined together, the audience reaction. The music wasn't really for me, but it was good overall.
Rating:


George Russell – Vertical Form VI (1981 - Album)

Genre: Jazz
Source: 4th live album Vertical Form VI
Year: 1977
Nationality: American
Comments: You neglected to say which track, just put down the whole album, so if you expect me to listen to the whole album, well, that ain't happening. Moving on.

Update: This, however, did nothing for me, and shows me why I hate jazz, sorry. Very annoying and boring, with a lot of squealing and messing around. No thanks.
Rating:


KERBSIDE COLLECTION - GLAZE

Genre: Jazz-funk
Source: 4th album Round the Corner
Year: 2022
Nationality: Australian
Comments: Poxy algorithms! When I put in "Kerbside Collection" the first result that the Y handed me was a video for waste collection! Could that be a comment on what was to come? Well now that would be unfair, and I don't do unfair. But to be fair to me, jazz-funk is probably my least hated jazz, and I don't hate this. It's quite groovy in fact. And not too long. Very pleasant, and good to finally get one of your tracks I can bloody listen to!
Rating:


Les Égarés "Orient Express" - Jazz in Marciac 2024

Genre: Jazz
Source: Dunno
Year: Dunno
Nationality: Dunno but presumably French?
Comments: Can't find anything on these guys, so have no idea what album this comes from, but I was able to find the video on the Y, which is good because it's cool as a summer shower in Florida. Sweet. And I say that with it being over seven minutes long. Jazz has never sounded so good.
Rating:


She's a Fast Persuader - Jamiroquai Live in Sydney 2010

Genre: Jazz fusion/Funk
Source: (originally) 7th album Rock Dust Light Star
Year: 2010
Nationality: English
Comments: Not a fan of the old space cowboys now I must say, but let's see what this is like. Well it is hard to resist the innate coolness and smoothness of the song... all right, I give up. Damn fine.
Rating:


Bob James - Live at Montreux - 1985

Genre: Jazz
Source: ?
Year: 1985
Nationality: American
Comments: Yeah, again you've got no track here and I ain't listening to a whole gig.
Rating:


Puccio Roelens - Northern Lights - Rare Groove

Genre: "Library music" (?)/Disco/Funk
Source: 9th album April Orchestra presente RCA Sound Vol 13
Year: 1977
Nationality: Italian
Comments: Oh you do make your selections hard to track down, Monsieur! Trawling through album after album by this guy, see no "Rare Groove" but the track is on this one so we'll go with that. Assuming it's on the Y. Is it? It is. Very well, then: let the Itchy and Scratchy and Puccio show (sorry) begin! Is this a cover of the old Renaissance song? Not sure, but it doesn't sound like it. It's okay I guess but sounds like a million disco-themed background music pieces I've heard on old movies. Meh.
Rating:


A Certain Ratio - Flight

Genre: Post-punk/Dance-punk/Funk rock
Source: Debut album The Graveyard and the Ballroom
Year: 1979
Nationality: English
Comments: Sounds a bit dreary, like a cross between Joy Division and Kraftwerk maybe. Bit of Mode in there, possibly of the Depeche kind? Not my cup of poison, I fear.
Rating:


LTJ Bukem - KISS FM London - 13 December 1995

Genre: ?
Source: ?
Year: 1995
Nationality:
Comments: Again, insufficient data. Shutting down program. Please do not reboot your computer.
Rating:

Although I realise the playlists weren't initially posted to be listened to, now they are being. Listened to, that is. So I need information. Information. Information. I won't get it. So if a) there are just albums mentioned, b) no YT exists or c) just an artist/gig is posted, I can't make any comments on those, and therefore overall ratings are going to suffer as a result. Speaking of which.

Overall rating: (no change)

[Lexi Darling]

@Trollheart Thank you for posting your thoughts, I really enjoyed reading them even if our tastes differ! You always give things a chance and praise the elements you do like, and I think that's a good mindset to have.

The female vocalist in Iwrestledabearonce is actually doing both the singing and the screaming, just FYI. Great band, I saw them live in 2010 and they ripped.

[Trollheart]

Watch out, people, here he comes! Heeerrrrre's


And here's his playlist

Usher - Boyfriend

Genre: Contemporary R&B/Soul/Hip-hop
Source: No idea
Year: Dunno
Nationality: American
Comments: Yes I'm someone who has never heard an Usher song, what of it? Usher, Usher, all fall down! No? Well anyway, I couldn't find out what album this comes from. There were indications it was to be on his most recent, but I don't see it in the track listings. I must say, I really like it. It's very catchy and the two vocals work very well. Even the bit of Autotune ("Destroy Autotune by 2030: I am Trollheart and I approve this message") doesn't bother me that much. Oh, but the sudden bit of talking does. How I hate that. Ruined the bloody thing. Still like it though.
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Aceyalone feat Riddlore - Find Out

Genre: West Coast Hip-hop
Source: 6th album Love and Hate
Year: 2003
Nationality: American
Comments: A lot of energy in this, very dramatic kind of backing track. Pretty good. I mean, not something I'd necessarily seek out again, but I wouldn't consciously avoid it.
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Tevin Campbell & Rosie Gaines - I2I

Genre: Contemporary R&B/Smooth Soul/New Jack Swing
Source: Non sequitur
Year: I have no idea
Nationality: American
Comments: Looked all through his albums and didn't find this, so who knows where it comes from? Right; I see it's from a movie soundtrack. Seriously? A Goofy Movie? Holy shit. Sounds kind of AOR to me, something like Foreigner or Toto or something. I like it.
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Hanumankind & Kalmi - Big Dawgs

Genre: Memphis Hip-hop/Rage
Source: 5th single
Year: 2024
Nationality: Indian
Comments: A lot of "Uh, yeah" in this I must say. Grinding guitar or synth sounds a bit like a buzzsaw. The sort of acapella bit is interesting. Like this too.
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Dragons of Zynth - K.I.M.(Keep it moving)

Genre: Art Rock/Neo-psychedelia
Source: Unknown
Year: No idea
Nationality: American
Comments: Another one I couldn't place. Looked at the track listing for the albums, no luck. Sounds quite metal to me I must say, I guess the fuzzy guitars are where the neo-psychedelia comes in. Good singer. Sounds like he goes a little out of tune though. The slow bit halfway through is really nice.
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Pentatonix - Jolene

Genre: Acapella pop
Source: 5th EP PTX Vol IV - Classics
Year: 2017
Nationality: American
Comments: God I HATE Pentatonix! As the Patrician once said to the mime in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, "learn the words!" If you can't play a musical instrument don't fucking pretend to be one! Fuckers. I've nothing against Dolly but I hate this song. So damn whiny for such a firecracker as her.  I know I'll hate their version. Well at least Dolly is on the track herself. That helps. I still hate it though. Fuck Pentatonix. Did I say fuck Pentatonix? Fuck Pentatonix.
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Red Cafe feat Rick Ross & Ryan Leslie - Fly Together

Genre:East Coast Hip-hop/Gangsta Rap
Source: 8th mixtape Hell's Kitchen
Year: 2012
Nationality: American
Comments: Meh this one's okay but there's something about it that just isn't speaking to me. Too many rappers? Different styles? Not sure. Just not feeling it. Bro.
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Charli xcx - b2b

Genre: Electropop/EDM
Source: 7th album brat
Year: 2024
Nationality: English
Comments: Not too much of a fan of this sort of music. I find this one extremely repetitive and the driving rhythm hurts my head, but that's just me. Doesn't seem to be much in it, but I guess this kind of music is more about being something you can dance to as opposed to having (ahem) deep lyrics.
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Fetty Wap - Undeniable

Genre: Pop rap/Trap/East Coast Hip-hop
Source: 4th album King Zoo
Year: 2023
Nationality: American
Comments: Oh I like this from the moment it begins. The sweeping piano, the slow percussion, tinkling keys, the vocal. It has it all.
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Charli xcx - 360

Genre: Electropop/EDM
Source: 7th album brat
Year: 2024
Nationality: English
Comments: I suppose her fans know what to expect by now. Didn't think much of this either and the video is very annoying, but then I'm not reviewing the video. I guess I can say that there was slightly more in the song than the last one in your list (the last CXCX one I mean) but not a lot. Also, I don't get the title but what does that matter to an old codger like me? Now, where's that cloud that's always laughing at me? I'll show it!
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A pretty damn fine playlist all told, my man! No problem with any of those tracks (other than fucking Pentatonix! How could you?) and some of them I did think I'd struggle with.

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