Weekly Music Trading Post

Glad to hear it folks :thurab:

As I said earlier, I'll definitely have my review done tomorrow.


I don't think so, as it's all fairly obscure as far as Costello's back-catalogue goes. I'll see if I can find something for you tomorrow.
 
From abdullah:


THE STAND INS (2008) - Okkervil River

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The Stand Ins is the fifth full-length release by American Indie Band Okkervil River, and second part of the concept album Stage Names. For a concept album talking about "pop culture, celebrity suicide, and the chaos and self-deception of the rock'n'roll lifestyle" it sure seemed jolly, but that's definitely the kind of contrast I usually enjoy.

I have to admit, it took a while to sink in, but after a month it definitely did. A grower that one.
I went through that album on four levels. First, I saw the great Artwork, which always seemed intriguing to me, yet I never downloaded it myself. There's something about that drunk skull that kept smiling, that I can't explain. Secondly, I read everything about its concept, which pretty much was up my alley... and it somehow explained that Artwork to me, which made it even more intriguing.

Third step, and I finally listened to the album. I found it enjoyable on first listen, and on the second listen. However, nothing did stick in my head. So I felt I should let the album rest a while, and that's how I got back to it after some 3 weeks. Fourth step was reading the lyrics while spinning the album for the 3rd time. The songs seemed familiar, and the concept finally built itself up.

So I really liked it. The lyrics are very well written, and well thought off, without the falling into the clich
 
Tyondai Braxton - Central Market
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Sent by
To kick things off, the album cover sorta tells me what I need to know about the band - they are a bunch of twats :p:

Anyway the albums sound is an attempted funky electronic rock orchestra amalgamation, to the tune of lighthearted melody for the most part. Most of the time it sounRAB like a try hard Zappa wannabe, but that isn't the worst thing you could aim for. Once you've heard a song for a bit you'll likely know if you like that song or not - The problem here being that the boys have tried to shove as much up your arse in each song as possible (Under the guise of 'being epic in scale') that most of it gets lost, except for the really weird stuff, which I'm sure they're delighted you can still hear. The vocals don't add much, but at least its a change by the time they kick in on the album. But yeah, they are still average vocals. I was struggling to reach the end of most songs, painfully waiting for a period of time that it would be bearable in terms of enjoyment. Unfortunately that came when the songs ended.

I do listen to probably too much experimental stuff, but this just didn't appeal to me at all. I can understand why some would enjoy it, but the camp factor is pretty high. Not saying campy music can't be good, heck look what at what Zappa did for all those years. Alas, in this case the group just didn't get it together right. Too much, trying to be too smart.
 
Glad you enjoyed the album, Unrelenting. I'll have yours reviewed very soon...I've just had a very busy week starting work again and moving to a new place with limited internet access.
 
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I have been meaning to get more Pil, but my recent streak of dub and death metal has left me a dazed sop to be somewhat kind. Completely different from Metal Box and the debut, Public's "Flowers of Romance" sounRAB like an album a band makes when they're about blow their heaRAB off onstage the next concert. But with a man such as John Lydon things never turn out as you predict them to be. The vocals are hardly recognizable to me, like a man cracking into dust as he moans into the depth of some very dark hallway, while borabastic drumming and other instuments are slammed together to form some primevil orchestration.

So yes I am enjoying this very much.

Kudos Bulldog. :yeah:
 
Yeah, I think I'll leave the next trade 'til sometime next week. Can't really be bothered drumming up any interest in it now, so I may as well wait 'til later.

I've listened to both my albums, so here's one of them (courtesy of AwwSugar)...

Imogen Heao - Speak For Yourself

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Imogen Heap's an artist I've only discovered fairly recently, as in within the last few months or something. The first I ever heard of her was in Gavin B's rather vast journal. The second time I came across her was on this fairly immense 10-track 4ad compilation - this song here to be precise. Anyway, I loved that song (it remains my favourite of her's to this day), so it was then I started thinking about having a look for an album or two. Which one that was to be would take some thinking about, or enough so that it all took a place on the back burner for a while.

That's until I was offered this album as per the trade. I was actually really looking forward to hearing it then (kinda makes me wonder why it took this long to review it), so I went into this expecting something pretty cool. I'll tell you what I came out with just after a word or two about Heap's sound for those not in the loop. I guess you could stick a lazy indie/alternative pop label on her, but it doesn't really do this music justice. Overall, from what I've heard, Imogen Heap incorporates a mix of repetitive electronic beats, mazy studio treatments, pop melodies, acoustic polyrhythms and...well, it'd be better if you just looked up a video or two on youtube. Hopefully that gives you some idea what to expect of her then. She's clearly a very intelligent and fairly forward-thinking songwriter. Her accent's hot as too.

Anyway, this album. It does leave me wanting to hear more of her work, and I'm very grateful to Sugar for giving me the push I needed to listen to her back-catalogue. There are some very impressive and memorable songs to be heard here (the opening salvo of Headlock and Goodnight & Go in particular), and the production methoRAB certainly do render a very clean sound perfectly suited to this kind of music. In some areas the album does sound a little hackneyed to me - Just For Now's a bit too syrupy for my liking, and I Am In Love With You coems across as a bit of a dud to me.

An impressive enough album though, so thanks a bundle Sugar. If you can recommend anywhere to go next with her discography, be my guest as I'd love to listen to more of this lady's stuff.

Anyway, cheers :thurab: Second review coming soon.
 
Bulldog sent me:

Herbie Hancock - River: The Joni Letters
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I really didn't know what expect so i chose "Court and Spark" as the first song i'd listen to (because Norah Jones). it was all pretty good, i probably won't listen to it very much seeing the songs are mostly 7 minutes long but they're good none-the-less.

6.47/10
(i'd show you how i got that nuraber but i'd rather not)

Edit: I don't like the piano solos in jazz when they last over half-a-minute
 
well i'm glad that you liked it, and i agree, it's a real shame that they couldn't release any more material.

and yeah, in a sense this is an unfinished album, so that's probably why it seemed so brief.
 
List edited.

And just so long as you get some feedback here sometime it's fine :)


You seem regular enough, so you're welcome to join in regardless of the post count if you like.
 
The partners for this week are

RoemerMW & Stone BirRAB
UnchainedBallad & OctaneHugo
Duga & Gunnels
Unrelenting & CanwllCorfe
NuraberNineDream & Abdullah424
Gotjuice & Mojopinuk
 
Anything at all really, my most listened to genres are probably rock, alternative and such, in the middle there's jazz and classical and reggae, and then there's things like hip-hop and metal which I rarely venture into. But the only reason I don't listen to them much is because I haven't discovered much that I like, which is only my fault for not really trying. So feel free to send me one of those if it's something good, and I know yo're a reggae fan so that would be cool too.

What about you?
 
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