The Album Club: Hard Reset

[DJChameleon]

Album club is currently under new management. Take it or leave it!!



I pretty much copy/pasta some of TH basic rules from the OP but added a few things into it. So re-read this post when you get the chance because I modified it a little bit.

If anyone wants to be on the current members list let me know, if you want to be dropped down to associate member meaning you are a bit too busy to participate we can accommodate that. I would like for all the members that are on the current list to tap in. Just leave a comment say "aye" or "here" if you wanna participate in the album club with the new captain. 


Anyone who wants to take part let me know and I'll add you to the sign-up sheet. You'll then be eligible to select an album, any genre, any year. Each album will be under the spotlight for two weeks, with the first  week given over to time to listening to the album and the second to commenting on it.

You can write as much or as little about the album as you like, just please remember always to be respectful of people's choices.

I'd like to have each review end up with the star rating so that we can keep track of the ratings of the club as a whole, but the main thing is just to get people talking about music again in a fun way(after people get back from summer vacations and busy work/life schedules).


Note: full members are those who participate in each album chosen, listening to it, reviewing and suggesting their own. Associate members are those who seem to want to take part, but for whatever reason have not been able to give it the time needed. They may pop back in, so we're basically holding their seat, though it's empty at the moment. You can opt to be an Associate member, which means you can just drop in and out as you like, but that also means you're not eligible to suggest an album.


Full members
---------------------
Lisnaholic
DJ Chameleon
Mrs. Waffles
RebelYeller


Associate members
--------------------------------
Fetcher (On hiatus; we hope she'll be back)
tristan_geoff
Guybrush
Toy Revolver
Mindfulness
Janszoon
SGR(On hiatus)

Albums already reviewed (thanks to Lisnaholic for the hard work drawing up the list)

Spoiler

 

Albums Done And Dusted So Far:

Elizium: nominated by SGR: Average rating: 7.5 (first review in post #21)
We Have Fed You All: Batlord: 8.6 (#53)
Tsuchi No Ne: Marie Monday: 6.8 (#83)
Pleasures Of The Harbor: rubber soul: 7.3 (#121)
Program Music I: Lisna: 7.5 (#145)
Time Passages: Trollheart: 7.5 (#156)
The Electric Lucifer: rubber soul: 7.3 (#217)
Sleep It Off: Marie Monday: 8.5 (#233)
Beautiful Midnight: music_collector: 6.3 (#271)
Stepmother City: Lisna: 8.0 (#302)
LIQUID: Lab vol 5: SGR: 8.1 (#340)
Maria McKee: Trollheart: 7.6 (#385)
100 Days, 100 Nights: rubber soul: 7.8 (#409)
Neverending White Light: music_collector:6.6 (#431)
Cure For Pain :Lisnaholic: 6.4 (#472)
Tones Of Town: MarieMonday: 6 (#501)
Protection: SGR: 7.2 (#540)
Sackcloth And Ashes: Carpe Mortem: 8.6 (#572)
Ride The Black Wave: Trollheart: 6.6 (#599)
Paul's Boutique: SGR: 7.2 (#650)
Concrete Blonde: rubbersoul: 8.3 (#682)
From Spain To Spain: Lisna: 5.2 (#695)
Living Things : Mindfulness: 5.6 (#710)
Joy Comes Back : Trollheart: 7.1 (#745)

   

[close]

Current album:

JPEG Mafia - Scaring The Hoes(2023)


Future albums:

[Lisnaholic]

Well done DJ ! Thanks for the "Hard Reset". I hope it serves its purpose and encourages some people to catch up and contribute to the club!

[DJChameleon]

Yeah thanks Lisna for the good idea. It will make it easier on me to update the OP.

I still need to update the review scores so its WIP.

[Lisnaholic]

No probs, DJ !
Yep, the scoring has gona a little adrift recently, partly because a couple of members didn't like the idea, so they reviewed and didn't put a number. Also, you've started a 5-star system, where previous scoring was out of ten.
Whatever you decide to do, it may be best to "spoiler" or remove entirely my old list of "Done and Dusted Albums" as those are all from two threads ago, on another forum.
Let me know if you want any assistance with lists, as I seem to have discovered a nerdy delight in tabulating statistics.

[Lexi Darling]

Warsaw Village Band - People's Spring

This was pretty interesting music to tackle going in with no context. I'm guessing it's some kind of traditional Polish folk music or music inspired by such? I don't listen to much folk, honestly, and the stuff I do is generally more gentle acoustic stuff, a lot of music that would be at home on Windham Hill Records or something. This kind of stuff is more rhythmic and upbeat, so it was an interesting change from my usual preferences in acoustic music.

This album has quite well arranged and dense compositions, I liked the variety of instruments. In particular the trumpet solo on "At My Mother's" was pretty dope and I enjoyed the wailing solo vocalist on "A Red Apple", which was one of the most atmospheric tracks and my personal favorite. Special mention to the jaw harp on "Who Is Getting Married" as well.

This was a pretty vibrant and enjoyable album, though my attention tended to wander a bit during some of the instrumental passages. Overall I enjoyed it, thank you Lisna for the nomination!

[DJChameleon]

No probs, DJ !
Yep, the scoring has gona a little adrift recently, partly because a couple of members didn't like the idea, so they reviewed and didn't put a number. Also, you've started a 5-star system, where previous scoring was out of ten.
Whatever you decide to do, it may be best to "spoiler" or remove entirely my old list of "Done and Dusted Albums" as those are all from two threads ago, on another forum.
Let me know if you want any assistance with lists, as I seem to have discovered a nerdy delight in tabulating statistics.

I will spoiler them. I like the idea of keeping a history of albums already done and the person who recommended them even if everyone doesn't get into the habit of scoring.

I would appreciate it but it's not necessary. I just like having the list for albums already recommended so we don't end up with repeats.

[Lisnaholic]

Many thanks for your review of People's Spring, Mrs. Waffles ! I smiled when I read this "This was pretty interesting music to tackle going in with no context" because, yeah, it's a bit of a left-field choice given the Album Club's leaning towards modern rock.
I will try to follow your good example and post a review here soon, but in the meantime, I'm still playing catch-up, and have just put a review of the Kidneythieves album in the old thread.

[DJChameleon]

Warsaw Village Band - People's Spring

I did what I normally do and listen to album club material at the gym while doing cardio.

I had just listened to the Barbie soundtrack for like the 20th time and finished up Killer Mike's album for the 8th time. Turning this on was such a welcome change of pace I loved it. The entire time listening to it. I felt like I walked into a pub somewhere in Europe. I loved all the instrumental tracks. My one minor judgement is that after awhile it all sounded super similar and I couldn't decipher which track I was on after awhile without specifically looking. I didn't care though. Just like Mrs. Waffles I went into this folk album with no context but thoroughly enjoyed the listening experience.



It's really supposed to be 3.5 stars but it didn't want to work properly or maybe I screwed up the command.

[Lisnaholic]

I'm very pleased that you both enjoyed People's Spring, but with some reservations. That's pretty much how it was with me.

Yes, Mrs. Waffles, this is a long way from Windham Hill type acoustic material! In fact, I found that whatever volume I played it at, it always sounded robust and loud; everyone playing with great determination, which meant that there weren't many nuanced, gentle moments on the album. So, as you both mentioned, that gets a little tiring.

Lyrics that I can't understand make me lose track of which song is which, just as it did for you both, I think. I identified about 4 tracks that felt almost interchangeable low points: rather generic pieces that I feel could've come from various other East European ensembles. ( The two Polka tracks, for example.) Luckily, they were among the shortest tracks too.
On the plus side, some great, longer standouts:

i) The opener, To You, Kasiunia with its calm, plucked-string beginning (possibly a dulcimer) that suddenly lurches into a kind of wild syncopated ride with the wailing singers taking us to another level.
ii) The Red Apple has sombre bass-register strings pushing it remorselessly along, while a female vocalist snakes her way through what sounds like some long passionate story. There's something about her clear strong voice that gets me every time.
iii) Cranes was notable to me because it starts out with a solo violin straight out of a Curved Air Vivaldi track 
iv) The Rain Is Falling also has some violin and/or cello right up front, a sombre beat and insistent, combined voices, with a wonderful instrumental section: that possibly-dulcimer instrument again, overtaken by violins rising to a crescendo.
v) Mateka (At My Mother's - second version) is the weirdest, best track imo, while the album finishes with Joint Affair In The Village
which seems to be an unnecessary re-working of the earlier track I had A Lover.

Some really powerful songs, but coming in at over one hour of playing time, it's a little overwhelming in intensity and duration. I think it would've sounded better if they'd cut out some of the weaker tracks, which would've made the gems shine through with greater impact. 7/10
 
I feel like a band photo helps give an idea of this album: traditional instruments in the hands of a bunch guys who look like they have their own determined, non-traditional agenda:-

[DJChameleon]

Monday on the 31st we will start up the next album.

Also since there are only two albums left we need new recommendations.

I have four that I'd like us to listen to but I will sprinkle them in between the recommendations of others so it's not just only my recommendations that we are listening to.

Killer Mike - Michael
Across the Spiderverse Soundtrack
Barbie Soundtrack
JPEG Mafia - Scaring The Hoes

[tristan_geoff]

signing in as associate member

[RebelYeller]

Album club is currently under new management. Take it or leave it!!



I pretty much copy/pasta some of TH basic rules from the OP but added a few things into it. So re-read this post when you get the chance because I modified it a little bit.

If anyone wants to be on the current members list let me know, if you want to be dropped down to associate member meaning you are a bit too busy to participate we can accommodate that. I would like for all the members that are on the current list to tap in. Just leave a comment say "aye" or "here" if you wanna participate in the album club with the new captain. 


Anyone who wants to take part let me know and I'll add you to the sign-up sheet. You'll then be eligible to select an album, any genre, any year. Each album will be under the spotlight for two weeks, with the first  week given over to time to listening to the album and the second to commenting on it.

You can write as much or as little about the album as you like, just please remember always to be respectful of people's choices.

I'd like to have each review end up with the star rating so that we can keep track of the ratings of the club as a whole, but the main thing is just to get people talking about music again in a fun way(after people get back from summer vacations and busy work/life schedules).


Note: full members are those who participate in each album chosen, listening to it, reviewing and suggesting their own. Associate members are those who seem to want to take part, but for whatever reason have not been able to give it the time needed. They may pop back in, so we're basically holding their seat, though it's empty at the moment. You can opt to be an Associate member, which means you can just drop in and out as you like, but that also means you're not eligible to suggest an album.


Full members
---------------------
SGR
Lisnaholic
Mindfulness
Janszoon
DJ Chameleon
Toy Revolver
Mrs. Waffles
Guybrush


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

tristan_geoff


Albums already reviewed (thanks to Lisnaholic for the hard work drawing up the list)

Spoiler

 

Albums Done And Dusted So Far:

Elizium: nominated by SGR: Average rating: 7.5 (first review in post #21)
We Have Fed You All: Batlord: 8.6 (#53)
Tsuchi No Ne: Marie Monday: 6.8 (#83)
Pleasures Of The Harbor: rubber soul: 7.3 (#121)
Program Music I: Lisna: 7.5 (#145)
Time Passages: Trollheart: 7.5 (#156)
The Electric Lucifer: rubber soul: 7.3 (#217)
Sleep It Off: Marie Monday: 8.5 (#233)
Beautiful Midnight: music_collector: 6.3 (#271)
Stepmother City: Lisna: 8.0 (#302)
LIQUID: Lab vol 5: SGR: 8.1 (#340)
Maria McKee: Trollheart: 7.6 (#385)
100 Days, 100 Nights: rubber soul: 7.8 (#409)
Neverending White Light: music_collector:6.6 (#431)
Cure For Pain :Lisnaholic: 6.4 (#472)
Tones Of Town: MarieMonday: 6 (#501)
Protection: SGR: 7.2 (#540)
Sackcloth And Ashes: Carpe Mortem: 8.6 (#572)
Ride The Black Wave: Trollheart: 6.6 (#599)
Paul's Boutique: SGR: 7.2 (#650)
Concrete Blonde: rubbersoul: 8.3 (#682)
From Spain To Spain: Lisna: 5.2 (#695)
Living Things : Mindfulness: 5.6 (#710)
Joy Comes Back : Trollheart: 7.1 (#745)

[close]

Current album:

People's Spring - Warsaw Village Band (Lisnaholic)


Coming up:
The Holy Bible - Manic Street Preachers (SGR) - Starts July 31st
Changing Landscapes (Zompopa) - Arthur King (Toy Revolver) - Starts August 7th

I'd like to join 

[DJChameleon]

Added Tristan to associate and will add you to the regular list.

Manic Street Preachers is the next one up.

[DJChameleon]

Okay so I made a slight modification to the full member's list. Once a person on the associates list posts a review in this thread they will be moved back to the full members list.

I also updated the OP to include that we are currently listening to Manic Street Preachers' The Holy Bible.

[Lexi Darling]

Sounds good! I should be able to get on the review in a timelier manner than usual since I actually have some free time this week. Looking forward to it, that's a pretty acclaimed album that I've never actually heard a note of so I'm eager to see what it sounds like.