Music Appreciation Thread

[SleepingSilence]

Reviews, reviews for everyone. Mwhahahaha!

@Gin Since you sent it to me. 7.5/10 Rating comes down to taste. Not a big black metal fan either. But I am a sucker for metal with different instrumentation and this track is pretty well done musically. I'd give it an 8 at least, if it maybe had a little more lyrical quality, maybe higher if I particularly enjoyed the genre.

@Aristo 7/10 Very few songs are worth a 9 minute run time in my humble opinion. But it was enjoyable enough, good atmosphere.

@TheMadAsshatter 7.5/10 Note I'm not nostalgic for this song. But that is a pretty good solo/ending riff.

I guess this album might at least be an interesting one. This grew on me after the second chant, I might used to this guy's most high/aggressive vocals.

[TheMadAsshatter]

If I had heard this during my Sophomore year of high school, I would have eaten this shit up. I'd probably still dig it if I'm hitting the gym and need some "get fucking pumped" music, but for casual listening I'm not so sure. It feels a bit outside of the punk genre and closer to hard rock, so ehh (fuck me, my musical taste is regressing).

Regardless, it was enjoyable to listen to and it doesn't do anything wrong from what I can tell. 7/10.

Remember a few posts ago where I mentioned I love songs with a sense of desperation? I'm hardcore craving that right now.

[SleepingSilence]

@TheMadAsshatter The high pitched shrieks coming from that songs and others that came out weren't on the last album, so hopefully it won't get grating on the album yet to be released.

Maybe not the best time to listen, when in middle of the night and kind of music'd out from all that I did listen to today. It's still a decent rock song, but I know they can do better than that, in the lyrics and in the catchy department. 6.5/10

Speaking of music binge's, here's one of the random songs I found today (in lack of having a better idea.) :D

[TheMadAsshatter]

@SleepingSilence That was interesting. The calm, vaguely sinister vibes are always welcome. I wasn't too sold on it at the beginning, thinking it would be too hip-hop-ish or something, but I liked it more and more as it unfolded. There is one thing that I found annoying, and that was the trickling sort of sound that played between the first chorus and the second verse, and again during the second chorus; it sounds too fast and staccato in relation to the rest of the song and doesn't really fit in my opinion. Otherwise I enjoyed it quite a bit. It's a different sound than I'm used to, but I like it. 7/10

I was originally tempted to put up some more shitpost material, but after some thought I decided that today was not that day. Instead, I stumbled upon this and, well... time to do some research on this band.

[SleepingSilence]

Well if nothing else, maybe we'll find music for each other. Since no one else wants to participate. :P

@TheMadAsshatter 7.5/10 I enjoy most pop punk, so it's hard to judge it often. Just fun music. Though I guess to judge anything, the singer when comparing him to people like The Wonder Years or whoever else. The vocalist isn't the strongest singer, but I had no real problems with him either.

Good video to watch as well.

[TheMadAsshatter]

I'm going to have to listen to more of this band. You're two for two now with these guys.

I'm too tired to give a thorough review, so I'm just going to leave it at "It's good, and nothing seemed strikingly wrong with it." 7.6/10.

Also too tired to come up with anything better than this. Anyone who played Tony Hawk Pro Skater will likely remember this one.

[Wardian]

@TheMadAsshatter 6/10. The beat was kickin' good, but I prefer music with catchy melodies which this didn't have. I also wasn't big on the extended drumrolls (or whatever they were). The lyrics did a good job making me think of some crazy town in the desert full of bloodthirsty cultist, like a more ruthless version of Hot Fuzz. But I had to look up the lyrics to understand them, which isn't really a bad thing because the gritty way they were song was part of the tone for the song. If I had played Tony Hawk Pro Skater I would probably have given it a better rating.

I fell in love with this following song the first time I heard it despite not knowing enough Chinese to understand much of it. Just know that "Wo hai shi ai zhe ni" means "I still love you love".

[SleepingSilence]

@Wardian I watched it on a different video, but I hope the song was Magic Power - I still love you. Mostly a soft rock/piano ballad, with some random dubsteppy sound effects at the end of the song that didn't really mesh all that well. I usually like songs similar to this. I even tried listening to it twice. Vocalist isn't bad or anything. But it was just kind of bland for me, my only other real criticism is the wub sound seemed forced into the song. 4.5/10

I haven't gotten to listen to all the new music I've been wanting to listen to, so I'm going to cheat and post another song from the newest band that got me to adore it. This shit will never get old for me. Sorry, it's a bit long, but worth listening to the end. :P

Lyrics for those who care. It's quite well written, even without full album context, so worth checking.

[Kassarock]

@SleepingSilence Generally I'm quite a fan of progressive rock, but I'm not sure how I felt about this. I wasn't a huge fan of singers voice or some the stylist choices made, but none the less its fun and has pretty good twists and turns in it. The instrumental opening was good, and I especially liked change-up in the last couple of the minutes. It didn't really drag for me, but that's probably because I listen to a lot of prog. Anyway gonna give it a 5 or 6, good, just not really what I would listen to.

I don't really know if this music, performance art, or a window into this poor man's slow descent into madness - but it deserves to be appreciated:

[FrankenDaughter]

@Kassarock Well, uh... I certainly appreciated it? The level of delightful mania is such that I can't be genuinely sure whether the guy is just working an act or truly present in the story he tells. But I can't deny this is the most entertaining performance/interpretation of Teddybear Picnic I have ever listened to. This is a guy I am going to look up later also; the manner in which he affects losses of self-control on his acordian is too deliberate for him to not at least be an excellent player.

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For my inaugural presentation in this thread I'd like to share a piece that is very near and dear to my heart. I've had several moments in my life where someone shared a piece of music with me and it completely opened up my way of thinking about music. In almost every situation it also fortified my belief that people who think there is no good music have just stopped trying to find it. The person who shared this piece with me has had a lasting impact on my life such that even though we haven't talked in years when his birthday shows up on facebook I am transported back to the fourteen months that this song was my wake-up alarm.

[AlteredTundra]

@FrankenDaughter
The beginning of this song is oh-so bizarre and weird. honestly, I didn't know what to expect going forward, but it's certainly a breath of fresh air. A lot of layers and elements that make it a refreshing listen. Not sure what that sort of whistling sound in the arrangement is but I ended up becoming a fan of it. Also, unsure what the genre would be(sounds like indie folk or something). Whatever it is, I certainly enjoy it.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable track with unique arrangements that worked well together.

9/10

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[FrankenDaughter]

(To be clear, I won't be doing song ratings. It feels like something forced when I talk about music usually, just as bad as when someone asks me to list my top ten albums or whatever).

@Altered Tundra

This is an evocative little piece. Very much puts me in mind of a relationship montage, with melancholy being a strong theme personally. I can look back at any of my relationships that have ended and pull up snapshots and mash them together for a distressing little slide show. The exchange at the four-minute mark is particularly painful. The way Lovewave's vocalist portrays that conversation is like the end of a very long conversation that has lasted months up to that final moment. There's something to be said for what's lost in translation--I don't speak the language. But I loved this enough I'd definitely be willing to branch out and see what else Lovewave has to offer. A good get.

May I introduce you to... Midori?

[AlteredTundra]

@FrankenDaughter This was quite the interesting piece of music. The punk-like spoken vocals mixed with that jazz-themed instrumentation really was bizarre to hear, but all of it worked well together methinks. Listening to this really did give me a sense of wonder and had me smiling the entire way through.



This might be a bit on the longer side of things for a song of its genre, but I think it's worth it. It's so well-crafted and an enjoyable listen if you like progressive rock. Like, I think it's more along the lines of Rush and Dream Theater rather than the Tool-brand of prog.

[FrankenDaughter]

@Altered Tundra

This was... a very nostalgic thing to listen to. Not because I have ever listened to Frost before, but because over the course of the song I was reminded of a lot of things I've listened to since 2010, and had come to those memories straight from remembering listening to Rush in my youth. The comparison to Rush is accurate in terms of intended intricacy alone. But from popular music, this reminds me a little of a lot of different bands and artists that have a similar intent.

On the electronic side of things, I was reminded of Shpongle and Infected Mushroom. On the fusion/prog side of things I was reminded of Enigma and Sting. But, overshadowing any of this were some of the independent, obscure music makers I've listened to as an adult. Specifically, the overproduced madness of Shnabubula, and the dissatisfaction with any one style for too long that defines the haphazard nature of Vupltrax.

One thing though; I was truly grateful for the fact that I had the house to myself when I tried listening to this. Anything less than enough volume to shake the living room would've been a disservice to such a delightful assemblage of ideas. This is one of those tracks I can hardly imagine recommending to anyone because most people I know don't listen to music as avidly as I do. There's a lot of clash herein that will be difficult for people. I got through it. I'm not certain anyone else I know would with a smile on their face. Phew.

Very good once.
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Another one of my secret favorite things, from a secret favorite album I can pretty much listen to once a week and never find old.

[KaijuBaragon]

@FrankenDaughter I liked this quite a lot, honestly. I adored the guitar work, and I found my head bobbing as I was listening to it. I will admit that due to the length I skipped ahead a few times, but I never really found myself in a part that I disliked. In addition, the vocals weren't harsh, they were pleasing to the ear, which I enjoyed. I'll most likely check out other songs by the same guys in the future, so thanks for that



I present, Atlas Genius

[AlteredTundra]

@KaijuBaragon - a fun song that one, I enjoyed it immensely. Loved the whole science theme throughout. Each member did rather well with what they contributed. I don't think there was a single aspect of the track that I didn't enjoy. The song structure was great and lyrics simple enough that you don't have to think about them too much to enjoy them. The sort of breakdown around the 3:00 mark was interesting. I think the drummer was probably the strongest one, though. He had a solid rhythm throughout which I think it essential for a good drummer.

[TheMadAsshatter]

@Altered Tundra I thought I was going to like it going in, but as the song went on it began to feel repetitive. The overall structure of the song was very bland, which in all fairness does lend to the overall tone, but still. It kinda just bored me. It didn't really stand out much to me; even the lyrics sounded like something that pretty much anyone could have come up with. It didn't even hit me in the feels, which I feel like was the intention, but the fact of the matter is you don't generally get that with a song that has the exact same chord progression the entire time with little to no variance. If anything, I think I felt apathy more than anything listening to this.

5.5/10.

[FrankenDaughter]

@TheMadAsshatter Explosions In The Sky meets Transatlanticism era Death Cab, as far as instrumentation goes. This definitely transcends the comparison quickly though. It's easy to look to lyrical traits, but honestly this is just what happens when a singer uses diction as the instrument, ala Sound Garden, Pearl Jam and the like. The lyrics are telling a story, but you don't have to pay attention to feel things It just helps in the review. This is a lost and empty thing about a lot of situations I've walked away from where my codependency of the past has gotten the better of me. It's a lot to reflect on, none of it unwelcome in my current scene.

Not the first thing I've heard by Lonely The Brave. Another good sign that they've got something unique to say in a genre full of derivative work at the moment. It isn't my jam, but it was certainly good and not something I'd skip in a streaming feed. Good call.

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Presented without comment.

[KawaiiKyouko]

@FrankenDaughter It's.. weird, I'll say that much. Very 90's indie scene-ish, like for example Lisa Germano in both the audio picture and the lyrics. Not entirely my cup of coconut milk, but I can see the appeal in it's oddity. I suppose the vocals themselves bored me, however I do enjoy the low quality equipment used in a strange way. The raw feeling of the tones I suppose. But I'll have to give it a 8/10 in general, despite my own eh feelings to it, I thoroughly enjoyed the lyrics and raw factor. Aside from that, I can be as pretentious as I wish, but I feel like it's still lacking in some areas. However, an 8 is still by all means a very good grade.
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And now to something completely different. So different as you probably could get it. A friend of mine plays in this band, and I personally absolutely love this song as well, so I am like "hey might as well share some local boys' music"
youtu.be/eXqhKRjG5gI

[Slamurai]

@KawaiiKyoukoThis was an unique listen; I could tell at the start it was going to be metal, but the electronic bits were a surprise. I generally prefer straight metal, although the flair gives the song a kind of industrial feel, which is what they seem to be going for, based on their metal-archives page. It's listenable; wouldn't be out-of-place in an action movie or even a video game soundtrack, either. However, past the industrial elements and electronic layering, the instrumentation is very bare-bones, minimal. I counted just two or so simple riffs that repeat the whole song. While they're simple, they're also the most energetic parts of the song, and set the tempo. The pace set by these riffs is somewhat hampered by the gap in anything interesting at 2:06-2:30. There's another void in the music at 3:19 to 4:03, where quiet synths take over before going back to the main riff. I feel like these breaks in the song kill the pacing set by the metal parts, and the song can't decide what it wants to be.
Unfortunately, neither the drone of the synths or the one or two metal riffs are particularly engaging to listen to; the song lacks a good 'hook' to keep the listener invested, besides coming back to the main riff again and again. While this isn't my cup of tea, I can see why it might appeal to others.

Which of the members is your friend? One thing I was surprised to learn is Morfeus was involved in this project, having played live for Mayhem in the past. As someone who listens mainly to black metal, that was a neat find.

I dislike trying to quantify ratings, so take the review as you will.



Speaking of black metal, here's Finland's Horna.