LPF Album Reviews 2.0

[Stenners]

I think he meant the video links =) but okay... lol

 

I havent included a link to an entire album yet & don't plan to! I buy alot of albums, though like most people im prone to downloading as well but I own a good half of the albums I have reviewed on this site. With the playlists I use the music as a promotional tool =D

[azemkamikaze03]

I think he meant the video links =) but okay... lol

 

I havent included a link to an entire album yet & don't plan to! I buy alot of albums, though like most people im prone to downloading as well but I own a good half of the albums I have reviewed on this site. With the playlists I use the music as a promotional tool =D

 

if its videos then idc lol

 

i mean i respect that u at least own the majority

obviously some albums u just cant find.

but im sure a lot u can if its good enough

[Friðbjörn]

I'm talkin for myself. and those albums that I guess you mean, by those artists barely making any money, they just can't be bought where I live. they don't come to the stores...

if I don't download, I don't hear it. it's that simple.

if toxic comes and reviews a godspeed you black emperor album and doesn't give a link, chances are very good I won't be able to get it, because 1) they don't sell it here, and 2) jeezy might not find it either...

 

and I support free downloading no matter who it's from. if I were ever to become a famous artist I'd still support people in downloading my shit...

but yeah I guess not all artists think the same

[Toxic1]

It's simple as this. Downloading only truly hurts mainstream acts and their major labels. Why do you think there is only a major crack down on RIAA artists only? Many indie artists don't really care so much that their album is illegally downloaded as long as they are getting the exposure needed to draw in new fans to their live shows. And possibly obtaining better opportunites with other labels in the future if that's what they want.

 

Indie artists generally make their big profits with their live shows and merchandise. If word spreads on an excellent album, people generally want to hear it before they buy it. Especially if the listener is new to the artist/band. If the album is excellent as described by the critics &/or fans, then it's probably a good chance some of these people are going to support "a good thing" by buying the album and even more so by attending their show. I do that.

 

I usually buy my top 10 or 15 favourite albums of the year out of hundreds of albums I hear throughout individual years. And I also generally go to a good number of shows when I can. I support what I truly love. I support other artists and music I love. And I want to spread the word and the great music around.

 

I support upping whole albums. Especially from indepenedant artists that need the exposure. People don't want to feel ripped by buying something that they might not like. Some people don't make alot of money and I'm sure they would like to put it towards albums and artists they really love when they can. And their live shows as well.

[HaziLPTonz]

wow stenners, im honestly surprised that you liked Yellowcards new offering-well, like is subjective, but you gave it a good review score, i was thinking maybe i could get away with a 6

 

stenners pretty much covered what i was gonna say, while this album is punk/pop, it isnt you normal punk/pop album, on the surface, its a pretty in punk type of album, lots of love songs, lots of clean ballad like rhymes, on the inside, its really about many of the bands struggles, such as their plummeting sales for LnS(which was rated VERy highly by critics and sold hellishly fast in the first few weeks), losing friends along the way(theyve had a fair rotation of members since the pre ryan key days),the song Shadows and Regrets is dedicated to Ryans childhood friend who died a few years ago,View From heaven from OA was also another tribute to him

 

so while it sounds "fresh" and abit happy-the mood is very dark,a continuation from what the band did for LnS. but very much without the political overtones that dogged the band for a fair while after the release

 

Light Up The Sky is the first single off the album, and the video was released a day or 2 ago.i loved basically all of the tracks, which was a fair surprise,given since LnS, i was hoping they wouldnt go back to ocean avenue days, but the simple blend of the two has me pretty much making this album,MY album of the year. to go away,left so bitterly dissapointed when your 2nd album basically flunked after so much hype, and to come back and make an album like this? hell,its worthy of a 10/10

 

worthy songs to note-light up the sky(first single),the takedown,shadows and regrets,afraid and fighting

 

 

im gonna wade into the dlding albums thing, i agree with it for the most part, i mean its to promote albums-like toxic said, and alot of bands need that exposure-LP got that initial start off mp3.com,also it gives the consumer choice, they dont wanna buy an album that theyre not gonna like at all, and some are too poor to afford a cd as a luxury. but in saying that, some albums people just download and dont buy,even if they can, album sales can determine success or failure, say, for Yellowcard, at one stage a few sites had YC;s album as its top download for a fair while too, which no doubt took away numbers, considering YC barely managed to scrape 500k(some will say this isnt a failure, but when the record company puts a line on what they should be selling, and consider OA sold millions, it was a major letdown), and for any band that is smaller than YC, it could easily mean the end for them.

[Stenners]

I dont think its worthy of a 10/10 as the is nothing about it that is THAT different, it's certainly not perfect by any means, just a good pop punk record.

 

Upcomming Reviews: Jet Plane Landing - Backlash Cop

The Gourds - Noble Creatures

Gogol Bordello - Super Taranta!

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/082fa1fd31d04e038d218b8a7884ca80.jpg

 

Artist: Jetplane Landing

Album: Backlash Cop

Genre: Rap-Rock/Funk/Rock/Alternative

 

Did you ever think you would see the day that a rap rock album would ever be featured

on this page? Well I guess now is the time for said genere to make an all but welcome rare

apperance in music nowa days & while yes this band do dabble in rap rock it isn't exclusivley

rap rock the is singing in it too! Anyways yes when I heard this album for the first time all

I could think was how this band sounded like what would happen if Rage Against The Machine

and Red Hot Chili Peppers collberated.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/music/images/jpl_270.jpg

 

You wouldn't believe this band actually comes from London, they sould wholeheartedly american

with the vocals not sounding the slightest bit british and the guitar riffs not being that

of typical brit rock it's a welcome change from a band hailing from the british isles. But does this

album work? Well I do have a few niggles with it, opening and title track 'Backlash Cop' sounds

totally out of place and some of the changes they have implemented to their sound, though

small, are in the many and are quite hard to digest. But overall this album is a joy to listen to! It

may take a couple listens before you fully appriciate it but it's hardly hard to get into first

time round. With it's funky sounds other chugging guitars it's sure to hit home with many people

and not just those who are into alternative music, most deffinatly the best 'rap rock' album

for many a year (though its not really a rap rock album).

 

Rating: 8.5/10

Reccomended: White Music, Lungs Of Punk, Why Do They Never Play Les Savy FaV On The Radio?, Dizzy Gillespie For President, The Breaks (pt1)

 

Here is some footage of the band which features some music!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUCGbavRgQE

[Toxic1]

Most artists and bands that give up or cave in because of record sales were only truly in it for the money and fame. There are plenty of bands I listen to that have put album after album after album out despite low sales numbers. They do it for the love of music no matter what and of course for getting by and making a living. Especially with their live shows.

[Friðbjörn]

if you're only in it for the money and fame then the music suffers for that which means they don't sell well.

or, it used to be that way, until people like Britney Spears starting selling...

[Stllmn8j]

I'd like to see Fri review The Fiancee by The Chariot

[Friðbjörn]

aight

coming up after the Omar Rodriguez album

[Black_Angel]

You guys ever heard anything by Reuben?

I've heard promising things about them but they're still relatively unknown I think.

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/6c09cd7335909ad64bff75505acdd9a9.jpg

 

Artist: The Gourds

Album: Noble Creatures

Genre: Country/Pop/Alt.

 

Country music is quite a fickle genre, in my personal experiance it is a genre of which

is very hard to do well & often just sounds incredibly hick like and very irrelevant, here

is where The Gourds come in offering more to the Country forumla then the average country

artist. Sure the isn't too much new here it all sounds like something we have heard before

but its to the effect this band lay down these ethics it's all very well structured and lyrically

very sound and pretty relevant which many country muscians tend to miss due to a time warp

in political views often found in such artists. Anyways more to the point which is the music

this stuff is incredibly fun and hooky, you have brass instruments comming from more or less every

corner the is some synth to the mix..... in fact alot of the ethics are alot more alternative music

rather than country.

 

http://austin.metblogs.com/archives/images/2006/01/Gourds.jpg

 

'Kicks In The Sun' has an incredibly hooky guitar riff more suited to that of indie rock

than say country for example but when you know this band are something different and

indeed something special is with the powerful 4 Promenade," "Moon Gone Down," "Last Letter," and "Steeple Full of Swallows" which are less band orientated and more traditonal in their approach

but they are pretty damned beautiful all the same. Sure it's not all gravy it can grate, as I

find with most country records it can get a little I don't know cliche in it's sound but

heh what you going to do, another good strong album from one of Country's most consistent

acts.

 

Reccomended: Promenade," "Moon Gone Down," "Last Letter," and "Steeple Full of Swallows"

Rating: 7.4/10

[Stenners]

http://www.offtopic.forum/data/MetaMirrorCache/464e8e11aca9bba25c425cc005732022.jpg

 

Artist: Eugene McGuinness

Album: The Early Learnings Of Eugene McGuinness

Genre: Indie/Alt.Pop/Singer Songwriter

 

As if he came from no where this artist has swiftly became of great interest of me, ever

since I heard his debut singler 'Monsters Under The Bed' I have been greatly antiscipating

the opputunity to hear more! Now I got that chance but unlike many other artists that

I have gotten excited about in the past this album actually delivers! What he offers is both

indearing hooky pop music full on synths, hooks and so on but also delightfully simple beautifully

excecuted accoustic numbers. Lyrically this album is either tounge in cheek or very heart felt

and both done with great tounge twisting and radiclously relatable lyrics, mainly about every day

life.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioassets/photos/2007/3/21/17431_2.jpg

 

So, more about the song, the album opens with the approachable 2 hooky synthy pop songs

both of which done to great effect 'A Child Lost In Tesco' which appears later in the album

is a funky and stange approach on pop music its done to great effect with ooo er-ooo vocals

but and lyrics just about supermarkets which actually come off very well! The slower tracks

more heart felt and ballad like ones 'Vela' is beautiful & has a folk edge to it, it is actually

one of the nicest songs I have heard all year. Actually when it comes down to it the isn't a song

on this record that I dont either really love or really like & this is after repeated listens but

I also really loved alot of the record from the word go, approachable lovely little album this

and at only 8 tracks feels just about the right length.

 

Rating: 9.75/10

Reccomended Tracks: High Score, Monsters Under The Bed, Bold Street, A Child Lost In Tesco, Vela, Madeliene

 

Music Video: Monsters Under The Bed

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=xnujO3SCGBE

[Friðbjörn]

album: Omar Rodriguez

artist: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez / the Omar Rodriguez-Lopez quintet

genre: jazz fusion / experimental

 

I knew this guy had talent, when I saw him play with At the drive-in, and I realized there was more to him when I heard of his work with Mars Volta, but I knew not he was capable of these huge immense long instrumental pieces heard on this album. This is a 43 minute 5 track album. Meaning: This album is far from accessible to the average ear. Not everything is long though, the lengths average from 3 mins to 17.

In my opinion actually, the track that flows best is the 17 minute Jacob van Lennepkade. I listened to it, and it was over much quicker than I thought. Which basically means it's fun.

However this is a jazz album, and a very experimental one, mixed with rock and eastern european folk influences.

It's full of the jazz characteristics along with more Omar-esque guitar soloes. Sax plays a huge part. The melodies are kind of chaotic at times but work out, as really eccentric music, it must be said. This is definately not for everyone. However it's a huge turn away from the stuff you'd usually hear on the radio nowadays. So in that way it's definately ear and eye opening.

 

Musically it's a good piece and all, but on an entertaining level it doesn't score quite so high.

 

rating: 6/10

 

next:

Opeth - Blackwater Park

The chariot - The fiancée

[Stenners]

Artist: Korn

Album: Untitled

Genre: Hard Rock

 

Generally speaking, Korn are very much a band of declining quality..... everyone from the fans

to the outsider knows it. This their latest effort the rather unoriganlly album without a name

approach is actually a very good an approriate advert for the contents of which the album contains

they have run out of any new ideas! What do I mean by all this you say? Am I being synical

and overy critical.... I don't think so, this album already sounds about 7 or 8 years old its extremely

dated they all use the power chord slow chug method, the drumming and percussion very boring & the vocals rather expectidly tired and dull, in fact the only thing this album really has going for it

is it's bass lines which at time add pressence to the songs but even they arent very special.

 

http://files.turbosquid.com/Preview/Content_on_3_31_2004_09_34_14/corn_01.JPG376a46a3-aa36-45b9-9c67-e1f55726984dLarge.jpg

At the moment? This Corn is way more interesting

 

More about the music, lyrically its really angsty..... do these guys really have

that much to be angry about anymore? It all sounds very shallow and fake, this feeling

is also enhanced by the 'Typical' this is a very dark sound sound.... which is actually

less dark then my forehead which is actually rather white! Basically I say this Korn

were once a reasonable band and while slightly better than their last effort this album

just plain out dull and emotionless. Strictly for the devote fan base.

 

Rating: 3.5/10

Reccomended: Love & Luxury

[Friðbjörn]

album: Blackwater Park

artist: Opeth

genre: progressive death metal

 

Many people consider this Opeth's Opus magnum. Between Orchid (debut album) and this one, Opeth really polished it's sound. It's quite less raw, but still just as agressive and hard-hitting, when needed.

The emphasis on this album are less on the death growl than before, with more clean singing instead, which is frankly good, cause the vocalist has a beautiful voice when he decides to sing instead of bark, lol. The death growls are pretty different than your usual type screaming, so they're definately less of a turn-off.

Now, why could this be an opus magnum? Well it isn't an opus magnum unless you like death metal. If you get that out of the way, you still have to be open to a lot of things. A lot of parts on this album sound almost like classical music arranged for acoustic guitars. The rhythm guitar and lead guitar have definate chemistry, and the bass and drums are not so much in the spotlight usually but deliver their roles well.

The changeups within songs are that rapid and common that you don't usually notice so much how long each track is. With the exception of Patterns in the Ivy, the average track is 8-9 minutes.

 

The album starts off with The Leper Affinity, which has a slow buildup, but launches into this in-your-face metal song with deathgrowls, before breaking down into acoustic and clean. And as far as general song structure goes, I heard both ABABCB (although that form more like Metallica, in the way of adding things in between, switching up parts, etc), and also all over the place. Song starts in this particular place, and ends maybe near by, though having moved all over in the mean time. Leper Affinity ends for example in this piano solo, which I did not expect, not even with Opeth.

 

Now, when you hear the term death metal, you think of brutal screaming, distortioned guitars, and double kick drumming, among other things. But Opeth has been subject of disputes over which genre they fit into. A lot of their rock or metal is a lot softer than death metal, and a lot of their music is played on acoustic guitars, and even piano, like Patterns in the Ivy, which is only acoustic guitars and piano. Another standout track on this album, if not only for the style, is Harvest, which is a sort of a ballad I guess, played acoustic, and with clean singing. It would be a pretty cliché song I guess, if it weren't for the fact that the band is playing around with chord variations, instead of being stuck in the same patterns many other bands are. And the track creates a very distinct atmosphere, from the rest of the album, yet not, cause somehow it all fits together.

 

 

 

as a whole, very strong piece, lots of things to enjoy

rating: 9/10

[HaziLPTonz]

ahahaha "at the moment this corn is more interesting"

 

just a question, is there going to be like, a compilation of the best songs throughout the year? i know there are those for the month, but will there be a massive one for the year? like iono, the top 50 rated tracks

[Stenners]

Probably =)

 

I didnt realise people ACTUALLY downloaded them though.

[Friðbjörn]

I think you'd be surprised lol

[Friðbjörn]

album: The fiancée

artist: The chariot

genre: metal

 

The chariot provides here an album of brutal chaotic metal. It's characterized by extreme screaming of the vocalist, heavy distorted minor key guitar riffs, and tempo changes and other very chaotic elements. This is a band that embraces the raw factor. Both the screaming and all the extreme guitar feedback and start stop tempo changing drumming establish that sound.

I did as a matter of fact not understand one piece of screamed lyric on this album. The screaming is, at least for a foreign speaker, not exactly intelligible. The few moments where it wasn't screamed I think I almost understood some words here and there.

The breaks from the chaos are The Trumpet, and the latter part of the track And shot each other, which feature a quire. And the harmonica part of Forgive Me Nashville. Aside from that this is basically "let's rock the fucking roof off this place". Which is kind of admirable, I dunno how on earth the band is gonna keep up this energy on stage.

Props indeed for attitude, style, and most of all the energy and chaos, but the packaging don't cover it if the inside is not good enough.

The screaming doesn't offer much diversity. It's quite impressive at times, but a lot of the time it sounds like the guy's had one too many cigarettes. And it kinda drowns the guitar, and I thought half of the time I was listening to the same song with just different pace and lyrics (or not really, I can't understand them lol). The riffs are just the same as I've heard with 35873475837458 similar bands, and they make up most of the melody. But I guess their focus is less on melody than the chaos.

 

With that said, better luck next time, a 4.

 

Rating: 4/10

[Stenners]

http://lineout.thestranger.com/files/2007/06/Royksopp-Back-To-Mine.jpg

 

Artist: Various

Album: Back To Mine vol 25: Mixed By Royksopp

Genre: 80' Funk, Italian Pop, Alternative

 

The Back To Mine is a fine constitution of compilation CD's offering you and

in sight into a bands influecnes and what they listen to at home, this latest

offering mixed by good electro duo Royksopp shows a pretty interesting take

on a mix cd.... they take the unexpected route of going all Funk and Italian on us

much to my dismay it does show alot of where there influences come from thus

making it a Back To Mine true to the artist, which is always a posetive thing

when it comes to compilations such as this.... the choice of songs are pretty good

the mixing is logical and structured although at times a little messey but this is

essentially a great album to chill out to or an aid in a house party.

 

Rating: 8/10

 

1. Born Under Punches - Talking Heads

 

2. Sphinx - Thumann, Harry

 

3. One More Round - Kasso

 

4. Ma Quale Idea - D'Angio, Pino

 

5. Above And Beyond/Off Side - Winter, Edgar/Ray Mang & Nathan D'troit

 

6. Take A Chance - Mr Flagio

 

7. Charleston/Meatball - Oldfield, Mike/Emmanuel Splice

 

8. That's Hot - Jesse

 

9. Legs - Art Of Noise

 

10. 3am Give Me - I Level

 

11. Dirty Talk (European Connection) - Klein & MBO

 

12. It Ain't Easy - Supermax

 

13. Could Heaven Ever Be Like This - Muhammad, Idris

 

14. Night People - Dalton, Guy

 

15. Get Closer - Dore, Valerie

 

16. Can't Be Serious - Ginny

 

17. I'm Never Gonna Let It - Funkadelic

 

18. It's Been A Long Time - New Birth

[HaziLPTonz]

well u download out of necesity as to why people see certain tracks as good as they are, curiosity i spose

 

we should put a guide up for the bands/albums/songs/singles youve already done, like a catalogue so people dont hafta continue to scroll back or click back to find a certain review, and every review should have multi reviewers(hard as it may be), i mean, a band may get 4 from one reviewer, and that puts someone off from listening to em, even if this is the kind of music that they may like

[Friðbjörn]

I actually started that a while back. put up a site, but I hadn't put that many reviews there, and it was only mine and Matt's

[HaziLPTonz]

whats the site??

 

i spose u could just copy paste alot of the stuff from here onto ur site? and maybe add jeez to ur line up, im sure even independent reviews wouldnt be too bad, gives variety