Yeah, I'm kinda flat out with work right now but actually had the evening free last night, so just went with it. I suspect if I hadn't done it then I likely wouldn't have gotten to it before the weekend!washing machine wrote:kreng wrote:Jesus, you guys are quick to review this. I haven’t even had a chance to listen to the whole thing once.
As soon as WM mentioned the story being told, I was like, "That's Matana Roberts, he's describing, and that must be Kreng's mix." Honestly, I thought you made my mix, so I'll have to reevaluate my guessing when I review mine in the next couple days. At the rate some of these reviews are coming, the field of possibilities will certainly have narrowed.kreng wrote:Well spotted mr constellationBrett wrote:Washing Machine, that three track jazz piece is from the latest Matana Roberts album that came a few months back, Chapter 4 of her Coin Coin series. I remember kreng being in to it, and it's cool he's included it on his mix. If you liked that, you'll probably like the other three chapters, too.It’s really hard to pick just one track of that record since they all blend into one another, so I went with those 3.
I’m not going to lie; I was REALLY intimated to draw your name. I was just hoping everything I put on there wasn’t simply old hat and you heard it all 100 times before (and worse, hated it). I’m glad you didn’t hate it.Higgs wrote:Ha! Nice one. Thanks indeed Chris, I really enjoyed the mixer. It will get repeat play for sure.Chris_H_2 wrote:
I don't believe the tracklist for kreng's mix has been posted yet:washing machine wrote:Thoughts before getting into my mix: This was a well put together mix. Thematically there's a lot going on. The word "run" turns up in a few of these songs, and there are several allusions to either hunting or hiding. Almost all of these tracks felt like they were performed by narrators addressing some adversary or settling some score. There is no artist on here that I recognize. If I'm being honest, I don't fully recognize the genres on here either. Overall I liked this mix and would reach for it again in certain situations. Say, late at night behind the wheel on a long drive. Or buried in paperwork at the office, alone with a mind that veers to dark thoughts every now and then. I can't even begin to guess which RMer made this mix, so I'll say that it was probably NotThatGuy and that he/she is an old RMer back from the dead.
Track one: Starts with a bare bones strumming rhythm, almost like a Delta blues riff. Within ten seconds, it's apparent that this will not be a traditional folk and blues mix. Mumbling vox, minor key piano tinkering and a thick cloud of anguish start to sink into the track. This is a little like a Tom Waits track off of Bone Machine. That's my closest reference I can reach for. After hearing this, it's obvious that this mix is going to take a lot of work on my part. I'm okay with that.
Track Two: An ambient pattern that oscillates with increasing volume and intensity. I could lose track of time listening to an entire album of this. This music reminds me of the sound design in a Lynch film. I'm thinking of some specific scenes in Twin Peaks: The Return.
Track Three: This song physically hurts me to listen to. I feel the music deep down in a way that I cannot describe, and I feel like this mix is sucking me into some sort of dark hole. Ambient soundscape that is soft and airy, but the screams that cut through the air on this track are so fucking real.
Track Four: That bird came at me with a knife
Told me she wanted my life
Shake that bird out of the tree
So that everyone can see
This actually feels like a breather after the first three songs, despite these lyrics. The second half of the track, when the band kicks in, feels like a respite on this mix. Some sort of anchor to desperately grab onto if I'm going to make it through the rest of these tracks.
Track Five: Okay, now we're in it. This is a fantastic track. It's short and it's instrumental. Fuzzy-ish guitar pattern with some keyboard swells underneath. It feels like it's on the brink of breaking into a jam, but ends before it can go anywhere.
Track Six: Oh, I like this one a lot too. After that last track, we're back into some darker head space, but this one feels a little theatrical and stylish to me rather than differing shades of black. I hear a bleating sax, once again putting me in the mind of David Lynch. This time Lost Highway, but this is not from that soundtrack. I've never heard this but it sounds familiar. This would not be out of place on some of Bowie's more left-field jazzy tracks.
Your efforts are futile
When did we become so very
Brutal
These words could describe how I feel reviewing this mix...
Track Seven: This one is up there with track three. I do not like this and I'm kind of afraid of the mix master after hearing this.
My friends all wear your colors
Your flag flies above every door
But bitch, I smell you bleeding
And I know where you sleep
Do you doubt me traitor?
Throw your body in the fucking river
I'm the cuntkiller
Track Eight, Nine and Ten: This is clearly all one piece. Jazz and spoken word. More saxophone bleating. "This Little Light of Mine" starts of, then we get into a spoken word poem narrated by a woman recalling words of her mother and father. Running through woods is a recurring theme. The narrator seems to be alone at the end of the poem, which is the first track, then the next two tracks are mostly instrumental. If this is from a bigger narrative album I would like to hear it. This track stands out among the rest of the tracks on this mix because it channels pain and anger in a way that feels redemptive.
Track Eleven: This is a song about killing a woman named Maria. There is some German imagery in the lyrics too. The music sounds like a hellscape.
Track Twelve: Quiet closer. I can kind of settle in to this atmosphere. Gentle keyboard and manipulated vocals. I'm too drained to really dig into the lyrics.
kreng - a mix for washing machine
01. The Geometry of Business - Oxbow
02. Drooping Off - Abdul Mogard
03. The Origin of My Depression - Uboa
04. Shake That Devil - Antony and the Johnsons
05. Grainstacks - Steven R. Smith
06. Nothing is Happening Everywhere - L A N D, David Sylvian
07. DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR - Lingua Ignota
08. In the Fold - Matana Roberts
09. Raise Yourself Up - Matana Roberts
10. Backbone Once More - Matana Roberts
11. Maria 63 - Tropical Fuck Storm
12. Normal Love - Xiu Xiu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1exyw ... -VJT_P1zYQ
dimejinky99 wrote:I could destroy any ai chatbot you put in front of me. Easily.
Checked this out today. Some thoughts:theplatypus wrote:You are a motherfucker. Thanks for listeningBirds in Hell wrote:OK, let's do it:
Track 1: This song moved between a bozo rocker and a boilerplate atmospheric 80s rock thing. The guy sounds like he’s singing “I got us a puma!!!” in the first part but he probably isn’t. There’s nothing I liked about it at all.
Track 2: This was an instrumental rocker, probably more straight-ahead than my usual tastes in this vein, but I enjoyed it OK.
Track 3: A reverb-heavy vaguely shoegaze/indie song. This one did nothing for me at all.
Track 4: This one is great and is easily my favourite song so far. Going to search out more by whoever this is because I enjoyed it a lot.
Track 5: The Doors-y bit around a minute and a half in was probably the part I liked the most, I otherwise didn’t like this one very much. I especially didn’t like the rockier sections.
Track 6: I liked the mix of the riffier guitars and the brass. I also liked that it kind of lazily loped around a central idea without needing to “go somewhere”. This one was good.
Track 7: I really, really hated this one.
Track 8: This one was OK. I liked the feel of the quieter sections but I didn’t find her voice very engaging and the rockier parts were a bit overdone for my tastes.
Track 9: Kind of a late 60s/early 70s rock throwback thing. The problem I always have with this stuff is the drummers can’t play it right and this guy is no exception; no swing or groove, all thump and bash. I didn’t like the guy’s voice either. It reminds me of a quote I’m paraphrasing from Jim O’Rourke when he was asked if there’s any new rock bands he likes and he answered along the lines of “I don’t really listen to new rock bands, I already own all the Led Zeppelin albums.”
Track 10: This was a pretty boring rocker with vocals transmitted from the depths of a cave. Anyway, I didn’t like it.
Track 11: Hey, this is jazzy and not bad! I liked it, particularly the parts where I think the piano and guitar are doubling each other.
Track 12: This was OK. My favourite part was the instrumental break from 1:10-1:30, I probably would’ve liked three minutes of that better.
Track 13: This one did nothing for me at all, I found it kind of exhausting.
Track 14: Hey, this one is great! One of the two songs on here I really enjoyed. I really liked her voice, the guitar playing and the overall vibe. Good stuff.
Though perhaps it's not entirely apparent, I really enjoyed the process of listening to and reviewing this mix and I appreciate the time theplatypus took to put it together - thanks!
Tracklist and link:
01. Acá No Se Fuma - DDM
02. El Dilema del Origen - Poseidotica
03. Ascensor - Violenta Josefina
04. Un Día Punk - Juana Molina
05. Playa - Placard
06. Lilith - Carola Zelaschi
07. Los Escombros del Jardin - Ararat
08. Oscura - Feli Colina
09. No Existe Solucion - Ambassador
10. Carl Sagan - Los Aullidos
11. Mambo Negro - Julián Mekler Sexteto
12. 5A - Melanie Williams & El Cabloide
13. La Despedida - Temporada de Tormentas
14. Entre Dos Relámpagos - Maria Pien
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1O251 ... oNsfsuEEyw
It's all local stuff from the Buenos Aires scene, I especially leaned into the darker side of things because you are a dark man with a dark heart. Maybe I will make you a BA Jazz mix
Have you considered stacking papers and getting paid?David Yow wrote:How are Pearl Jam any different from Toto?
yes, i was really intimidated. i did a lot of research to try to try to strike a good balance between what i liked and what you wouldn't find objectionable. there was definitely a nice intersection there. i got to learn the search function in "other bands" under your username pretty intimately.Higgs wrote:Wait...what? Intimidated by me?? That's crazy talk (but not gonna lie, kinda chuffed a little too!).
I listen to a fair bit of new stuff and certainly try and enjoy a wide variety of tunes, but no way am I fully up with things. I'm fortunate enough to work for myself from home, so I get to listen to tunes all day and I get to choose what as well, which is nice. Even still, I so often find myself playing something as its good for background as much as anything else, and I have really poor retention for what I listen to most of the time!
Really enjoyed it and you turned me on to a few artists as well. I'm listening to Soccer Mommy right now (Color Theory is really great btw) and have Pheobe Bridgers, Japanese Breakfast and Grimes all lined up to go after. Thanks again.
This one was mine!Brett wrote:Track 1: An immediate start with a nervous energy, insistent beat, and squiggly guitar. Things open up in a kinda weird way when the vocals come in, but are then knocked askew again when the verse melody picks up a droney drawl. I wish I knew who the singer reminds me of. The whole song toys with standard structure a little bit, something akin to intro>chorus>verse>>chorus>instrumental break>short intro reprise>longer verse that morphs into extended outro. As I said in my previous overview, I think the mixmaker latched on to my interest in unusual sounds and elements of dissonance, or else they got awfully lucky, as this song and most of the others bend and play with conventional form.
Track 2: Here we get another post-punk kind of singer that seems to have some similarities to the first, though I think with a slightly deeper register. Calls to mind names like Ian Curtis, David Byrne, etc. This song is more straightforward than the first with lyrics about "great fire" and panicking animals, but it still has many of the hallmarks of '80s new wave/synth pop/whatever other genre markers with some offkilter choices in timbre and a few elements pulled from Caribbean and African musics.
Track 3: We continue the '80s vibe with echo guitar and synth overlaying a rhythm of digital piano and laidback hand percussion. The anxious snappiness of the first two tracks is replaced by a more wandering pace here, which is further emphasized by the vocals. They're sung by a female singer this time and more melodic than the two previous tunes. I get a "late evening hanging out in a beach town" vibe from this song and it stays in that whole zone throughout its duration.
Track 4: A shift in gears with a funky, shuffling groove with an eastern edge. There's some wordless vocals that are doing something akin to the melismatic techniques of India and the surrounding region, while a psychedlic lead line plays. I can't tell if that lead is a heavily effected guitar, a synth, or an authentic stringed gourd instrument with some filters, but either way it furthers the mystic excursions this song is trying to evoke, even though it doesn't progress much from beginning to end.
Track 5: Back to the '80s perhaps with some kind of synth pop. There's lots of little details in this song that evoke the ideas of a complex machine with many moving parts. In fact, what I really get from the instrumental arrangements of this song is the same sense I get from the Robotnik factory stages of Genesis era Sonic games. And trust me, that's a very good thing as far as I'm concerned. The lyrics keep referencing bamboo: bamboo houses, bamboo music. I'm not sure what it's on about, but I like it anyway. Probably my favorite song on the mix so far.
Track 6: This track brings some gloom to the proceedings, or at least a more contemplative mood than anything else so far. The rhythm plods, almost at a droning pace while a forlorn viola or violin provides some background melody. The vocals are even-keeled and hushed and in the middle of the song there's a small guitar part that sounds like unpeeling shards of glass. It's minimalist and moody, and once more, I quite like it.
Track 7: Sustained Night Rider tones open this song and then lay the foundation for the spoken word vocals. This sprechgesang vocal technique works well at times, and it seems to fit this song, but it's uncomfortable nonetheless, probably due to the lyrical content and the way the song barely moves. I get a little mind movie while listening to this song: the narrator is thin and balding, sitting alone in a dingy one room, one window apartment or maybe it's a hotel room. The wallpaper is yellowing and the light is dim, the anxiety of the first few songs now verging fully into depression. It's an effective song, though it's my least favorite on the mix because it's too effective.
Track 8: The first instrumental of the mix, this is some alien ambient stuff, and it's really cool. Swirling and chittering tones settle in the background while the foreground features a repeating two-note synth part. There's another tone that "sings" around this static foundation, playing a wandering melody that sounds eerily close to a voice at times in a kind of auditory uncanny valley. I definitely like otherwordly stuff like this and I'm very intrigued to learn this artist.
Track 9: Here's the second female singer of the mix, and this is the one I'm thinking of as the "silver bullet" song because that's a prominent phrase that keeps appearing throughout, though there's also a recurring scream of "I love life" that punctuates the song. I keep harping on new wave, post-punk, and goth rock as stylistic touchstones for this mix, and this song is in that same overarching umbrella, though I feel like I lack the level of nuance and knowledge to properly label some of this stuff. This, along with Track 7 is one of the less appealing tunes on the album. There's frequent interjections of things I don't think work within the song like sampled traffic sounds, and I'm not fond of the way the lead female vocals work with the deep-voiced male backup. It's not a bad song, but not one I really like either.
Track 10: Another instrumental and another one that I quite enjoy. The piece is lead by clean, mathy guitars that play frenetic interlaced melodies. The rhythm is locked in to an insistent forward momentum, very motorik though with a slightly funk sway. I've listened to a couple Durutti Column albums and this could definitely be them or somebody who is really into Vini Reilly's style. Either way, this is totally in my wheelhouse and I'm really digging this overall vibe of the mix.
Track 11: Big drums haven't really played a part in most of these songs so far. Usually it's more 'tribal' style percussion or drums with gated tones. Not the case here, as the drums are almost a lead instrument to begin with, coming in among splintering, sharp textures. This song has more menace than any of the others with weird details flittering around the soundfield and a plodding, lurking rhythm. The vocals shift often from hushed conspiratorial tones into manic chants and anxious shouting. It's a very haunted song.
Track 12: I'm gonna hazard a guess and say the title of this one is probably "As Above, So Below" as that's a line repeated with almost numbing frequency. We're in the same new wave and adjacent genres territory that the rest of the mix seems to inhabit. Sprightly keyboards dance in fractured melodies over a jerky rhythm. The lyrics are sung by several females vocalists in unison in a sort of chant-singing style. I really like that synth part that comes in at 2:45 and I think I get why this song is part of the mix. Both that synth part and the vocal parts seem to have been inspirations for last year's Mike Smith Company album. I would not be surprised at all to learn that this song is part of the DNA Smith was drawing from and I think my mixmaker saw those similarities.
Track 13: I don't know what is going on in this song. It starts off as a sort of hazy circus tune, complete with distorted clown laughter at the beginning and the halfway point and a lilting organ. Actaully, except for the clown bits, I really like what this is doing, and then at the halfway point it transforms into a warbling Middle Eastern drawl that I also really like. That droning, decaying string lines carry the tune through to its conclusion. This is another highlight and I would like it even more if not for the silly clown stuff, but I could probably grow to not be bothered by that.
Track 14: Oh man, I love this final comedown of the mix. Glassy, reverberating synth all on its own playing a downcast melody. It's like the last person on earth staring up at the moon. Or floating in space through an empty solar system. It's contemplative and sad but accepting that this is the end, that it's maybe all there ever was.
Alright, so I've really enjoyed listening to this mix over the last couple days. I've only gotten to give it one good listen through headphones, and it really shines there, but it works through speakers too. I'm impressed that it has such a consistent sense of self throughout. I would hazard a guess that everything on here is from same era, late '70s through most of the '80s. It's a time period that I have only a little knowledge of, so it's very cool to get this little rundown of the era, especially as it seems to pertain to my own stylistic interests.
I would have pegged this as a Kreng mix because I could see it fitting his aesthetic to an extent, but clearly that's not the case. Could be Spenno, though it lacks for his usual jazzy touch. I don't think it's SNC. NotThatGuy is an enigma, but a quick perusal through their four posts suggests that it's probably not them. I'm leaning towards this being an LMS mix because he has some familiarity with what I like and we share some stylistic crossover. So, that's who I'm guessing.
Chris_H_2, your mix was made by: NotThatGuyChris_H_2 wrote:Ok, here we go. First things first: spenno emailed me a link to download that was divided into 2 separate "cds" (I suspect that my mixer didn't rip these off of actual cd's). There were clear lines between the 2 based on styles/themes/etc. None of the songs had any identifiers, and so there was no way for me know what songs were which. I took notes while I listened, and here are descriptions lifted directly from those notes.
Disc 1
Song 1: We have a solo acoustic guitar kicking things off, and I can already guess at the direction that this disc is headed. The singer sounds very familiar -- almost like John Mayer mixed with Ray Lamontagne (which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing). The music then, strangely enough, sounds like a mix of Tom Jones and Doves. I know that I've heard this before. 3/4 of the way through, I remember that it's a guy called Damien Jurado. He has a very unmistakable voice. I think he's from the northwest (maybe Portland?). The song is very pleasant, almost soothing. I like it, but I fear that because the guy's voice is so unique, a lot of his songs may begin to sound exactly alike.
Song 2: Chastity Belt! I think the song is called "What the Hell" The only way I can describe this song's music is like if Destroyer joined Real Estate. I really like this song; it's one of my favorites from the band. Nice kick off thus far.
Song 3: The proverbial singer/songwriter song. it reminds me of Jeff Tweedy and Grant Lee Phillips with Mason Jennings or Billy Bragg at the helm. Total Americana. And there's the banjo solo! This is a total relaxer.
Song 4: Ooh, I like this. Wow, heavy accent on the lead female singer. Is she south african? This is just a great sound; right up my alley. It sounds raw, but polished, if that makes sense. It reminds me of Pine Grove.
Song 5: Sunshine. Great groove. The music says Real Estate meets Alvvays. I really like the opening. But it's extremely hard to make out anything the lead singer is saying. This could fit right in on an earlier REM album. The singer seems to be singing from 2 perspectives, almost like he's having a conversation (like the National's I Am Easy To Find). I think this is my favorite so far. I love it. But what the fuck is it? Diiv?
Song 6: The opening guitar chords sound like the song could fit right in on Interpol's Antics. This screams British punk rock, similar to the Clash or Sex Pistols in the key of C. This is a great song. And I have no idea what or who this is. "I'd rather be fucked than sad."
Song 7: Bassline kicks right in; kind of a rip off from the White Stripes if they walked out of a 1969 Bond soundtrack. It devolves into surf rock. I'm not sure what I think of this one; the jury's still out.
Song 8: Detroit Rock City! This is definitely Protomartyr's Pontiac 87. I've seen these guys a lot (I've never NOT had a hangover the next day). "There's no use being sad about it. What's the point of crying about it?" Oh, I forgot about the stop/start/fade out to this song. Interesting choice here, particularly among the previous songs.
Song 9: The opening guitars sound like Tycho with Destroyer singing. Starts very quietly; almost "sound of silence." Really nice opening. It turns into a mid tempo number where the singer sounds like David Bowie 1/2 way through. I feel like I should know this song, but I can't place it. It's interesting, and I really like it.
Song 10: Chelsea Wolfe - I've heard her a couple of times, and saw her at Pitchfork some time back. I've never dived too deeply into her catalog. It's a solo acoustic to start, and I'm not sure of the direction of this song. It's a really nice song, but it left me wanting a whole lot more.
Song 11: This wraps up disc 1. A nice, acoustic, soft opening. I can't tell if this is a man or a woman singing. At about the 2:00 minute mark ... it's definitely a woman. Again, I think I saw this band at Pitchfork too.
Disc 1 was definitely a mellow, brooding feel. Can't wait for disc 2.
Disc 2
Song 1: The opening sounds exactly like Secret Machines' First Wave Intact with the propulsive drums attack. Nice harmonic guitars. I REALLY like this. Now I'm really curious at the direction of this disc. It's completely different than disc 1 out of the gate.
Song 2: Jesus, this sounds like Eric Johnson or Joe Satriani. A lone, howling guitar opening. Now there are dueling guitars with a baritone sax thrown in with the same melody on repeat for 8 minutes. This just wasn't my cup of tea. Toward the end I was reminded of bagpipers at a funeral. It was a definite curveball.
Song 3: Uh oh . . . this kind of sounds like the same artist as the previous track with same effect. I can't tell whether the main instrument is a clarinet or a sax. I think it's a sax over a constant drone. I'm not sure about this one either. It's just a repeat of the same notes over and over.
Song 4: Really nice, smooth jazz number. This is definitely my favorite of the disc, and one of my favorites of the whole series of songs. Loved it.
Song 5: This reminds me a lot of Jim O'Rourke, almost like Sonic Youth's Goo. Really weird that goes on forever. And it works.
Song 6: Johnny Greenwood mixed in with Kjartan from Sigur Ros. Beautiful piano ballad with a tenor sax overlay. it too sounds like it was lifted from a soundtrack.
Song 7: This starts off like an outtake from Sigur Ros's Kveikur album, like the song Brennenstein. Very atmospheric. I'm a sucker for songs like this. Oh my! it kicks in. it's both frightening and fascinating. Somewhat industrial, and then it fades. I feel like I'm caught on an automobile assembly line. Interesting to say the least.
Song 8: This ends our journey. It's very dream sequencing, like you're running in quicksand or in slow motion. It's hazy. It definitely has a "feel" of being guttural, with constant bass and strings. It's a fitting end to this disc 2, which was somewhat imbalanced, but had that definite left-turn feel to it, which I can appreciate. This song actually sounds like something off the soundtrack for There Will Be Blood (coincidentally from my comments about song 6, made by Johnny Greenwood).
Overall, this was a tale of two disparate sounds. With the exception of 2 songs on disc 2 that I didn't really care for, either disc would be a nice listen depending on your mood (or your mood could be informed by the particular disc itself).
To whomever took the time doing this, thanks. I think a lot of thought went into it. I love both kinds of music; punchy songs (disc 1) and brooding, moody, atmospheric songs (disc 2).
And I have no idea who did this. Nice job!
Awesome. And thank you NotThatGuy. This was really well done! I really enjoyed it.Birds in Hell wrote:Chris_H_2, your mix was made by: NotThatGuyChris_H_2 wrote:Ok, here we go. First things first: spenno emailed me a link to download that was divided into 2 separate "cds" (I suspect that my mixer didn't rip these off of actual cd's). There were clear lines between the 2 based on styles/themes/etc. None of the songs had any identifiers, and so there was no way for me know what songs were which. I took notes while I listened, and here are descriptions lifted directly from those notes.
Disc 1
Song 1: We have a solo acoustic guitar kicking things off, and I can already guess at the direction that this disc is headed. The singer sounds very familiar -- almost like John Mayer mixed with Ray Lamontagne (which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing). The music then, strangely enough, sounds like a mix of Tom Jones and Doves. I know that I've heard this before. 3/4 of the way through, I remember that it's a guy called Damien Jurado. He has a very unmistakable voice. I think he's from the northwest (maybe Portland?). The song is very pleasant, almost soothing. I like it, but I fear that because the guy's voice is so unique, a lot of his songs may begin to sound exactly alike.
Song 2: Chastity Belt! I think the song is called "What the Hell" The only way I can describe this song's music is like if Destroyer joined Real Estate. I really like this song; it's one of my favorites from the band. Nice kick off thus far.
Song 3: The proverbial singer/songwriter song. it reminds me of Jeff Tweedy and Grant Lee Phillips with Mason Jennings or Billy Bragg at the helm. Total Americana. And there's the banjo solo! This is a total relaxer.
Song 4: Ooh, I like this. Wow, heavy accent on the lead female singer. Is she south african? This is just a great sound; right up my alley. It sounds raw, but polished, if that makes sense. It reminds me of Pine Grove.
Song 5: Sunshine. Great groove. The music says Real Estate meets Alvvays. I really like the opening. But it's extremely hard to make out anything the lead singer is saying. This could fit right in on an earlier REM album. The singer seems to be singing from 2 perspectives, almost like he's having a conversation (like the National's I Am Easy To Find). I think this is my favorite so far. I love it. But what the fuck is it? Diiv?
Song 6: The opening guitar chords sound like the song could fit right in on Interpol's Antics. This screams British punk rock, similar to the Clash or Sex Pistols in the key of C. This is a great song. And I have no idea what or who this is. "I'd rather be fucked than sad."
Song 7: Bassline kicks right in; kind of a rip off from the White Stripes if they walked out of a 1969 Bond soundtrack. It devolves into surf rock. I'm not sure what I think of this one; the jury's still out.
Song 8: Detroit Rock City! This is definitely Protomartyr's Pontiac 87. I've seen these guys a lot (I've never NOT had a hangover the next day). "There's no use being sad about it. What's the point of crying about it?" Oh, I forgot about the stop/start/fade out to this song. Interesting choice here, particularly among the previous songs.
Song 9: The opening guitars sound like Tycho with Destroyer singing. Starts very quietly; almost "sound of silence." Really nice opening. It turns into a mid tempo number where the singer sounds like David Bowie 1/2 way through. I feel like I should know this song, but I can't place it. It's interesting, and I really like it.
Song 10: Chelsea Wolfe - I've heard her a couple of times, and saw her at Pitchfork some time back. I've never dived too deeply into her catalog. It's a solo acoustic to start, and I'm not sure of the direction of this song. It's a really nice song, but it left me wanting a whole lot more.
Song 11: This wraps up disc 1. A nice, acoustic, soft opening. I can't tell if this is a man or a woman singing. At about the 2:00 minute mark ... it's definitely a woman. Again, I think I saw this band at Pitchfork too.
Disc 1 was definitely a mellow, brooding feel. Can't wait for disc 2.
Disc 2
Song 1: The opening sounds exactly like Secret Machines' First Wave Intact with the propulsive drums attack. Nice harmonic guitars. I REALLY like this. Now I'm really curious at the direction of this disc. It's completely different than disc 1 out of the gate.
Song 2: Jesus, this sounds like Eric Johnson or Joe Satriani. A lone, howling guitar opening. Now there are dueling guitars with a baritone sax thrown in with the same melody on repeat for 8 minutes. This just wasn't my cup of tea. Toward the end I was reminded of bagpipers at a funeral. It was a definite curveball.
Song 3: Uh oh . . . this kind of sounds like the same artist as the previous track with same effect. I can't tell whether the main instrument is a clarinet or a sax. I think it's a sax over a constant drone. I'm not sure about this one either. It's just a repeat of the same notes over and over.
Song 4: Really nice, smooth jazz number. This is definitely my favorite of the disc, and one of my favorites of the whole series of songs. Loved it.
Song 5: This reminds me a lot of Jim O'Rourke, almost like Sonic Youth's Goo. Really weird that goes on forever. And it works.
Song 6: Johnny Greenwood mixed in with Kjartan from Sigur Ros. Beautiful piano ballad with a tenor sax overlay. it too sounds like it was lifted from a soundtrack.
Song 7: This starts off like an outtake from Sigur Ros's Kveikur album, like the song Brennenstein. Very atmospheric. I'm a sucker for songs like this. Oh my! it kicks in. it's both frightening and fascinating. Somewhat industrial, and then it fades. I feel like I'm caught on an automobile assembly line. Interesting to say the least.
Song 8: This ends our journey. It's very dream sequencing, like you're running in quicksand or in slow motion. It's hazy. It definitely has a "feel" of being guttural, with constant bass and strings. It's a fitting end to this disc 2, which was somewhat imbalanced, but had that definite left-turn feel to it, which I can appreciate. This song actually sounds like something off the soundtrack for There Will Be Blood (coincidentally from my comments about song 6, made by Johnny Greenwood).
Overall, this was a tale of two disparate sounds. With the exception of 2 songs on disc 2 that I didn't really care for, either disc would be a nice listen depending on your mood (or your mood could be informed by the particular disc itself).
To whomever took the time doing this, thanks. I think a lot of thought went into it. I love both kinds of music; punchy songs (disc 1) and brooding, moody, atmospheric songs (disc 2).
And I have no idea who did this. Nice job!
dimejinky99 wrote:I could destroy any ai chatbot you put in front of me. Easily.
