March 29, 2024, 02:36:25 AM

------------------------------------------

If you have Login Problems Use the Login in Top Menu Bar


------------------------------------------
If you have a problem registering here, Leave a msg at our FB Page >> Here.

Plz Don't use Hotmail to Register. You might not receive Activation mail. Use Other free mail provider like Gmail or Yahoo.






Author Topic: What are you listening to  (Read 770954 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5055 on: September 06, 2021, 04:20:02 PM »
I've been waiting to hear you take on this album! I listened to it in full this morning and I think you are pretty fair here, although I don't really have an issue with the song length at all (but I am used to lengthy tracks in general). Personally, I much preferred this album to The Book Of Souls - I think the folk influences here really mesh well with their sound and I think the riffs are way better; maybe not on the level of The Trooper or Fear of the Dark, but I think that there are really cool riffs to enjoy on almost every track on Senjutsu, with plenty of that awesome double-lead guitar driving things. Initially I felt that the vocals were taking much more of a back seat this release, but Bruce gets his moments for sure (I actually really love his performance on the closing track Hell On Earth, especially the part around 5:15 in the song before the guitar solo!). There is a distinct absence of speed metal here (Stratego and Days Of Future Past have the most pace here), but honestly I don't mind; honestly I found it was sounding a bit tired and campy in their previous releases. I found this album to also be beautifully paced. I like where Iron Maiden have landed with Senjutsu a lot and I feel like they are playing to their current strengths really well. Metal has come so, so far since they were the ones pioneering with speed and dual-guitars and crazy solos, and I don't think they necessarily stand out in those regards anymore (to be fair, not even the bands that took these elements from Maiden and pushed further with them can really be considered pioneering or exceptional anymore really, e.g. In Flames), but that's OK because they are able to write music like this that is just great in and of itself. I never thought I'd be saying this, but Iron Maiden have made one of my favourite albums of 2021


Oh wow, I didn't think you'd like it that much!

I have to give it another listen. I'm listening to Brave New World again currently so I'm feeling that coming Fall season Iron Maiden vibe. Every couple years I get the itch to listen to their 21st century albums in order. So I'll see how Senjutsu falls after being refreshed on the previous albums. An hour and a half is a lot to take in on a first listen of any band.

I think my biggest issue was the tempo, for the last three songs I wasn't sure when one song ended or began. Song length isn't an issue to me unless I feel it doesn't do much in that time. I loved "Empire Of The Clouds" and that was 18 minutes! To me that song, and other long Maiden tracks like "Dream Of Mirrors" and "Paschendale" have a lot going on and lots of interesting sections. I didn't feel that way about the Senjutsu songs on first listen.

That said, I respect Iron Maiden for changing as they've gotten older. Judas Priest tried really hard to recapture their youth on their last release Firepower. It was a decent record but it wasn't as interesting to me. With Maiden you get the feeling that they feel like moving forward and not just copying their past.


 

I've been real behind on new music this year. I gave BiSH's latest album GOiNG TO DESTRUCTiON a second listen today and found it to be really enjoyable. There are a lot of nice musical parts. With the promo pictures and music videos Chicchi is really taking back her place as the center of BiSH and not just second banana to Aina. The strange outfits that they wear in the awesome new music video linked below signal that Chicchi (who's shown first) is the captain of the group.

But as usual Aina dominates most of the songs and her presence is just so strong. Her voice is so distinct and I think everyone who gets into BiSH picks her out as their favorite member right away. Ayuni is just as prominent on this album and her vocals are significantly better than on BiSH's last album CARROTS and STiCKS. In 2019 it felt like Ayuni was singing poorly on purpose, she changed her vocals to be more shrill. But she reigned it in last year while still keeping the snarl and distain that makes her voice appealing. I really like a lot of the songs on this album and I feel like the more I listen to them the more they will become BiSH classics for me. This is a solid release!                                     
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxUwjuUe7Vg 
« Last Edit: September 20, 2021, 07:43:29 AM by Manimal »

Offline NO1SY

  • Resident Slacker
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
  • Gender: Male
  • Will eat your cookies
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5056 on: September 19, 2021, 02:51:23 PM »
Been offline for a couple of weeks, so lots of new music has been released that I'm hyped about!

Eidola - "The Architect":
IT'S HERE!!! Been listening to this album solidly since Friday and it makes me very happy. It is a complete treat of progressive post-hardcore/Swancore. Awesome vocals, possibly even better drumming, infectious guitar noodling. Two noticably new aspects for me: The addition of Sergio Medina has allowed the group to do more interesting layering/trading with guitars and include some really cool solos, and also there are some really lovely layered soundscapes scattered throughout (notably the one closing out the album). On top of all of this, there are some moments where the band get heavier than ever before, especially in the track featuring Jon Mess of DGD, which just added to the diversity and fun of the album. Almost every song brings something special to hook me with, with the exception of maybe two songs in the middle, which aren't bad by any means either, just a bit more standard. The tracks flow really well from one to the next too. Makes me smile as much as when I heard "To Speak, To Listen" for the first time!

TesseracT - "PORTALS":
During lockdown TesseracT put together a super high-effort pre-recorded live show called PORTALS, and they have released the recordings as a live album. Usually I don't care much for live albums but this one is basically studio-level recording quality and also this was an opportunity to get recordings of Dan's vocal performances of Ashe's songs, which are some of the best performances of these songs he has ever done and are quite transformative. On top of this, unfortunately Jay could not leave the US to play drums for this project, so Mike Malyan of Monuments filled in and was an absolute beast behind the kit for the show. If all live albums were of this quality I would definitely check them out more.

Spiritbox - "Eternal Blue":
Spiritbox finally release their much hyped debut full-length after years of EPs and Singles. It's decent, with excellent musicianship and production throughout, and Courtney is undoubtably an incredible frontwoman. Synths and electronics are used to add a variety of flavours to the different tracks, from adding dreamy or haunting ambience, to turning the tracks more industrial in sound. This variety is a double-edged sword in some regards however, as there is little cohesion between the songs so no really flow to the album. For me, I got just over a 50% hit rate on enjoying this collection, preferring when they either go really heavy like Holy Roller, or getting very post-metal like Constance. Strangely, I actually preferred the more up-tuned sound of Secret Garden to a lot of the other down-tuned trancks that were basically just modern metalcore with a bit more guitar bending. So basically, depending on your tastes, your mileage may vary with this one.

Inferi - "Vile Genesis":
Honestly, as crushing and disturbing as this album can get, it is just such, such fun and at times even evokes a triumphant feeling (obviously I relate to this alien conquest somehow!?). These are some of the most insanely talented musicians in the business, and they feel exciting and energetic in the neo-classical-inspired technical death metal scene. Arpegios aplenty. Drums that should require 8 limbs. Actually wonderfully musical bass lines underneath everything. Soaring and interestingly rhythmic vocals. And with it all, quite an enjoyable variety of feels between each of the songs. This will be great for gymming to!

There are a bunch of exciting singles that have released, but hopefully we aren't too far out from full albums so I will cover them then. :biggrin:

Offline NO1SY

  • Resident Slacker
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
  • Gender: Male
  • Will eat your cookies
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5057 on: October 02, 2021, 10:12:43 AM »
Another pretty big week of new music for me!

Awesome singles (a lot of which I missed talking about previously):
Sabaton - "Steel Commanders" * (I also got a ticket to see them in March!!!)
Animals As Leaders - "Monomyth" *
Ad Infinitum - "Unstoppable"
Tetrarch - "Stitch Me Up"
Eskimo Callboy - "We Got The Moves" *
Avatar - "Going Hunting" *
Khemmis - "Living Pyre"
Mastodon - "Pushing the Tides" * & "Teardrinker"
Twelve Foot Ninja - "Over and Out"
As I Lay Dying - "Roots Below"
Whitechapel - "A Bloodsoaked Symphony"
Swallow the Sun - "Woven Into Sorrow"
The Devil Wear Prada - "Sacrifice"
Monuments (Feat. Mick Gordon) - "Lavos"
Four Year Strong - "Pipe Dream"
Invent Animate - "The Sun Sleeps, As If It Never Was"
Shadow Of Intent - "From Ruin... We Rise"
Trivium - "The Phalanx"

* = unmissable

Albums!:

MONO - "Pilgrimage of the Soul":
A new find for me. Mono are a Japanese experimental, intrumental/post- rock group that favour wonderful guitar and soundscape layering over the more math-rock style that I hear more often from Japanese bands that I also like. The result on this new album is stunning. Each song feels like it is taking you on a journey that is full of wonder and hope and beauty. I was so moved that I instantly added this to my collection and also ever album of their back-catalogue. One of my favourite new finds this year.

Sleep Token - "This Place Will Become Your Tomb":
I wasn't expecting a new Sleep Toekn album so soon after the last, but I'm definitely not complaining! Musically, this new release really nails down pretty much everything that the band does really well, and slaps it all with a new metaphorical coat of paint production-wise (the best it's ever been). There is an increased focus on electronic and even more acoustic style songs on this release, and the overall experience is slightly softer than Sundowning (especially due to the lack of harsh vocals on this one), but honestly it's not a bad thing - there are still plenty of heavy breakdowns to enjoy throughout, and a super dark atmosphere in some songs. And of course, Vessel's vocals croon and captivate.

Tremonti - "Marching in Time":
Straight up awesome album. Mark Tremonti is a great songwriter and frontman, and the rest of his band hold up in their performances too. Musically nothing groundbreaking, but just rock solid, sounds huge and epic, and gets me headbanging. Lots of cool riffs and solos to enjoy alongside soaring choruses and hard rock breakdowns. It's just a lot of fun, and also a bit moving when Tremonti gets personal.

Rivers of Nihil - "The Work":
I did not envy the pressure on these guys after they released pretty much the top metal album of 2018 with "Where Owls Know My Name"... Everyone was left wondering how they would live up to it. Well, they did a pretty good job with "The Work" by my standards, but it has definitely divided the metal fandom... I will admit it's not as immediately creative or "new-sounding" as Owls, but the album is more cohesive and thematically deep in my opinion. Some people also aren't fans of the relatively simple phrasings the band relies on for heaviness sometimes, but honestly I find it gives more space for the atmospherics to creep through, and also if you listen really hard, you'll actually notice that the bassist is doing some really cool stuff beneath the mix (just a little buried is all...). Personally I also enjoy the softer, doomier aspects of this album a lot. Give it a go and see where you land on it!

Orbit Culture - "Shaman EP":
I was excited for this EP after Flight of the Fireflies dropped. It's a phenomenal song with an awesome main riff and a soaring chorus and crazy outro breakdown, and that followed suit from North Star of Nija, my favourite track off their "Nija Album" by a country mile. Basically I found that they hit a sweet spot mixing in some awesome Gojira-esque influence into their sound with these two tracks, especially into the cleaner vocals. Shaman definitely leans more in this direction, which I think is great, and gets a bit explorative and creative too! Each of the 5 tracks brings something really cool to the table. But Fireflies is still the big hitter here, and is the most accessible song for new listeners.
« Last Edit: October 02, 2021, 03:25:15 PM by NO1SY »

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5058 on: October 07, 2021, 09:54:25 PM »
Had a listen to your unmissable songs there NO1SY.

"Steel Commanders" was good fun. What a look for a band, but the song itself was cool. Really great chorus. It's that level of cheesy that still makes it awesome.

"Monomyth" first guitar notes I was like, ah it's one of those songs. Haha, it was a good listen though. They kept the song interesting throughout.

"WE GOT THE MOVES", I mean even without the video the start of the song was really unexpected. It was actually a pretty cool fusion of sounds and a fun song.

"Going Hunting" was the most interesting one here. I don't have much to say on it but it was effective.

"Pushing the Tides", ah never really given Mastodon much of a try. Somehow I confused Mastodon as Protest The Hero, who I have listened to 2-3 albums from. This song had a weird feeling to me vocally but the composition was cool. If anything just your unmissable list here shows there's a lot of interesting stuff still going on today in Metal.



I'm loving SCANDAL's latest single "one more time". It has a really feel and bright sound. The instrumental and everything is quite simple and it works so well. Tomi's on it with a grooving bassline. I think SCANDAL is best when they make these nice Pop songs. They've been releasing amazing song after song this year. They've been together, with the same line-up, for 15 years now. and they're still at the top of their game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T-j3lf9gIE 

Aina The End has been going so fast I haven't caught up. Her latest single and music video is excellent. I'm loving the sounds on this track. The guitar is so extremely simple here and it just...works. Aina's done a lot of ballads so far and I don't like all of them but this is a great track. She really explodes in the bridge and last chorus. It's such a satisfying build and take off. The music video is excellent also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3TtPK-0B-s 

Ayuni D has been revealed to be the vocalist for a different kind of project. I saw a link posted before of this YouTube channel when it just rumored to be her. I thought "hhhm, the voice is similar but I don't know". Now we know it's her and it's interesting. She sings in a different way and in some of the songs she does things she hasn't in BiSH and PEDRO. The tracks are decent, although the vocal mix isn't very natural sounding.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvvnKTiTU4Y 

the peggies' new song is a good bit of fun. The track is quite interesting, even structurally. Yuho has some very distinct chord changes that she likes to do and on this song the peggies experiment a bit. I'm really looking forward to the new album. I pre-ordered it on CDJapan since the singles have been so good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhPVcrCLq0Q

« Last Edit: October 07, 2021, 10:00:03 PM by Spooky Manimal »

Offline NO1SY

  • Resident Slacker
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
  • Gender: Male
  • Will eat your cookies
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5059 on: October 09, 2021, 02:33:54 PM »
Ayyy good on you for giving them a listen!

I personally really enjoy how varied and explorative metal can be with its use of a wide pool of musical technique and style fusion. Metal basically just implies the use of heavy distortion and "chuggy" rhythms, but this can really be overlaid on anything and sound pretty good if done tastefully. The same can be said for other more umbrella categories of music like Pop or Dance music - but I personally feel that metal inspires the widest range of inclusion currently, and also caters to my enjoyment of instruments and musicianship.

I will be honest with you and say that I still can't get into J-Pop/Rock bands like these. I like the fact that Japan seem to be incubating a lot of talented instrumentalists (especially very impressive female players), and the funk influences like in that Peggies track are fun for sure. For anyone into more happy, easy-listening, good-vibesy music than me these are good tracks.




Trivium - "In The Court Of The Dragon":
Trivium have been music machines over the last few years, and so a new album from them so soon was a surprise, but also not unexpected! I immediately fell in love with the first single and album title track, which saw the band getting progressive and trashy and fantastically energetic. It is probably my new favourite Trivium song. The expert instrumental musicianship is on full display from all band members throughout the album (Alex Bent especially is an absolute beast behind the kit). The 50/50 split on this album will be over Matt's vocals, and this is true even for me. Sometimes he nails it and the songs are really engaging and then sometimes it can feel like he's missing range and creativity... but even then I've heard people who disagree over which songs count as which. For me I really enjoyed the more progressive tracks like Fall Into Your Hands, The Phalanx, and the Opeth-inspired The Shadow Of The Abattoir, but others really enjoy the more straightforward anthemic tunes like Feast Of Fire.

Katatonia - "Mnemosynean":
Wonderful surprise to get a B-Sides and Rarities double album from my favourite band. It is ordered in reverse chronology over the course of their varied career. I have already heard most of the rarities, and I'm much more partial to Katatonia's music from 2003 onwards, so I ended up treating this like an EP release basically - I really enjoyed the first half of this release with 5 new folky and prog-rock tracks for me to experience. The back half is from when their production was much more rough, it's good if you are into that old-school, lo-fi sound. You also get some dark electronica remixes of hit songs. For me the B-Sides were really enjoyable, and almost a shame that I have been missing them all these years! Better late than never! Can't wait to see the band live in February next year!!!

New tracks from:
Circa Survive - "Imposter Syndrome"
Bullet For My Valentine - "Rainbow Veins" - Never thought I'd be excited for a BFMV release in 2021... but all these singles have been absolutely killer!
Sumo Cyco - "Sun Eater"
Veil of Maya - "Outrun" - Really interesting song, goes from basically "Sleepwalker" by Parkway Drive, to indie-rock era BMTH, to "The Trooper" by Iron Maiden, all with Veil of Maya sound!?
Like Moths To Flames - "The Preservation of Hate"

Also, checkout Dave Grohl performing "Smells like teen spirit", EPICA's recent live performances of "OMEGA", and the instrumental playthrough of Rivers of Nihil's "The Void from Which No Sound Escapes"
« Last Edit: October 09, 2021, 05:39:17 PM by NO1SY »

Offline NO1SY

  • Resident Slacker
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
  • Gender: Male
  • Will eat your cookies
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5060 on: October 25, 2021, 10:14:06 AM »
Yo! Been a couple of weeks since I've shared my music listening, and we've gotten a few new releases that I've been very excited for:

Twelve Foot Ninja - "Vengeance":
What a fun band. And what wacky music videos! Continuing on their insane ability to fuse reggae, funk and latin influenced sections into a prog-metal backdrop, Vengeance also sees them take these back to the 80s, and puts a large focus on what I think are a vatiety of other music styles from the same era - e.g. darkwave and pop-ballads. Most of the time it works really well - Start the Fire is perhaps my new favourite TFN song and they go super hard on Culture War in a way remeniscent of Sikth. There was very little I didn't enjoy about the album - only a couple of tracks didn't really interest me (Gone and Dead End), but because of the stylistic variety others may get more out of them.

Gemini Syndrome - "3rd Degree - The Raising":
I had completely forgotten about GS over the years (in the same way I tend to do for no good reason with similar sounding bands that straddle the alternative metal/radio hard rock sound - Sevendust, Red, even Breaking Benjamin...). But I was pretty impressed by the singles that this band put out earlier in the year. Instrumentally not super special, but solid, and I found that there are some cool rhythmic choices in the very strong vocals that carry over that alternative metal influence in a way that I enjoy listening to. Unfortunately, for me the album drops off fairly quickly with a greater focus on more tepid radio rock and a lack of dynamism within the songs. The penultimate song Where We Started From clawed it back a bit, but a bit too little too late for me sadly. But if you are into bands like modern Three Days Grace then this might be a good album for you.

Ice Nine Kills - "Welcome To Horrorwood: The Silver Scream 2":
INK are a band that divide metalheads... They are a bit like a heavy version of old Panic! At the Disco - Theatrical styled alternative music, but with breakdowns this time instead of electronica. They return to more horror films on this album, and musically it's pretty enjoyable stuff if you don't mind this style. They undeniably know how to write catchy songs, and they can definitely get heavy too. Something that kind of gets lost along the way, however, is the horror... While the songs are enjoyable and fun, they are lyrically kind of surface level takes on the films that inspire them and really don't delve too deep into the themes, nor try to recreate the horror atmosphere - with the exception of maybe Funeral Derangements, inspired by Pet Sematary. For me it doesn't make the music bad, it just comes across like more of a musical theatre album than a horror music album - so you have to decide if that's enough for you too.

Every Time I Die - "Radical":
The kings of southern-style hardcore return with a new rip-roaring album bursting with nihilsm and attitude. It is intense and in your face from the get go, and while the vitriol is fun in a cathartic kind of way, it's actually the less heavy tracks on the album that stand out to me: Post-Boredom is super catchy and fun; and Thing with Feathers has wonderful crooning vocals that are equally emotive as the poisonous screams elsewhere. You can just feel everything in ETID's music. The instrumentals in every song make me want to move, and the vocals are just so expressive and emotive that they drag me into them. This is definitely an album of the year contender for me.

More new albums that I haven't gotten around to listening to enough yet:
Biffy Clyro - "The Myth of Happily Ever After"
Don Broco - "Amazing Things"
Unto Others - "Strength"
Starset - "Horizons"
Prisma - "Gold"
The Agonist - "Remnants in Time"

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5061 on: October 27, 2021, 10:43:25 PM »
Listening to the Who like crazy, the obsession continues. Added a lot to my record collection this week! Some more thoughts on their albums. 

The Who, Quadrophenia

Fast becoming one of my all time favorite records. This is just an incredible set of songs. It gets better everytime I put it on and the way it all connects together is very cool. Keith is what makes this album so good. He hauls ass on tracks like "The Punk And The Godfather", "The Real Me" and "The Dirty Jobs". Just giving it everything and playing in such an exciting way. It fills with me insane energy the way he dares to send the song falling off a cliff for every fill. You can hear him screaming during "The Dirty Jobs", which is one of the album's highlights. John Entwistle is also playing amazing parts on every song.

The synths are cool on the record and give it a lot of character. Vocal melodies are simple but very catchy and effective. Pete's rhythm guitar is super basic, he gives space for John and Keith. His leads are very cool though especially on "Cut My Hair". I love the different sections of the songs. Keith's vocals on "Bell Boy" make it an amazing song and "5:15" is just...oh my God. Again Keith keeps it interesting by playing different fills each time. The horn arrangement and stuff is mega catchy and the song, much like most of the album, is just plain cool. "The Punk And The Godfather" is so extremely cool, the way it comes in with that smashing rhythm and the entry of the harmony vocal in the bridge. Keith plays the ultimate badass fill during the second verse where he goes into half time, it just suspends the world for a brief couple seconds. I can't get over how much I love Keith's playing.   

I feel the energy and spirit behind his performances flow through me when I listen to these songs. His playing on Who's Next and this album is honestly my favorite drumming that I've ever heard. It's just pure instinct based playing with your balls type stuff, I can't get enough. But Quadrophenia is great because everyone is on point. The lyrics are not the best, and some of the rhymes are downright lazy ("things ain't all that simple-your losing all your dimples"). I think "Sea And Sand" is filler. Pete even plays the ending riff of "Won't Get Fooled Again" during the song. There is a slight originally issue in some songs (ripping of other Who songs) but as a whole record, I just love it.

The Who, Who Are You

This is actually a better record than I initially thought. It has some very solid tunes like "New Song" and "Had Enough". Pete goes out of his mind insane with the synths though, especially on "Sister Disco". That is a very cool track though and John Entwistle's bass part in the short break in the chorus explodes me. The only issue...Keith isn't there for most songs. He adds nothing to "Sister Disco" but a really lazy and unexciting tom filled part. He only goes into high gear for the title track, where he delivers a brilliant and high powered performance that sends me rocking all over the room. "Who Are You" also has one of the catchiest hooks of any Rock song I've ever heard.

John gets to contribute three songs, all of which are great. "905" is a fun weirdo song and "Trick Of The Light" has a monster riff but a sad and pathetic story in the lyrics that would of fit tonally on The Who By Numbers. A guy tries desperately to please a hooker and get a hint of emotion from her. The lyrics don't even try to hide how lame the narrator is. This album is pretty good but it would of been all the better if Keith was in good shape. It's a notable and sad decline, even from his straight forward but heavy playing on By Numbers. I do like his beat on "New Song" and also his use of a china cymbal (?) throughout the record atleast. Overall though, this album is a grower. 

The Who Sell Out

I really love the concept of this record and the entire album experience it creates. To me the songs aren't as good on their own, but they are interesting and well made. The sound is overall not good, it's very muddy and the drums sound bad. Pete's guitar is so farty on "I Can See For Miles". I bought the original stereo record because the mono mix is too messy for me. I love the commercials on the record and the humor. "Mary Anne With The Shaky Hand" is the highlight. "I Can't Reach You" is great as well. "Our Love Was" is such a weirdly complex song that you need to hear a bunch of times to understand what's going on. The album loses steam by the end but overall I really like it as a record to put on. But song by song it's not as good.

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5062 on: November 08, 2021, 07:58:30 AM »
A good old fashion morning quicklist.

The Who: I'm A Boy
The Beatles: Tell Me Why
AC/DC: Down Payment Blues 
KISS: All The Way
Thin Lizzy: Angel From The Coast
Todd Rundgren: All The Children Sing   
The Cars: It's All I Can Do 
Foreigner: I'll Get Even With You
Albert King: Crosscut Saw
B.B. King: Go Underground                     
Japanese Breakfast: Be Sweet
Aimyon: On a Cherry Blossom Night
PEDRO: Natsu 
SILENT SIREN: Answer
BiSH: I have no idea.
the peggies: Dramatic
PIGGS: Love Cats
Nana Kitade: pureness
Ai Otsuka: CHU-LIP
SCANDAL: one more time
Rush: The Big Money
The Clash: Rudie Can't Fail
Pete Townshend: Slit Skirts
MARiA: Kiss o Sh!temiyoka
DAOKO: NICE TRIP


   

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5063 on: November 21, 2021, 10:29:53 PM »
Art Blakey, Moanin'

Great classic Jazz record. This was an excellent listen. It sounded amazing, so lively and direct. The title track was fantastic and I loved the flow of it. The whole record was top notch and I'd certainly buy it and listen to it whenever the Jazz mood strikes! This is just the type of Jazz I enjoy. I don't know how to define it, I just like it.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv9NSR-2DwM 

Horace Silver, Song For My Father 

Damn! This was a really awesome album. The title track sets the mood with it's Bossa Nova type beat and a super cool layered melody. This record was super melodic and awesome the whole way through. I love the sound of it, the two...I don't know trumpets...going together on both channels made for a great tone. Once again this is that great type of Jazz that I enjoy. 

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWeXOm49kE0 

Mayumi Kojima, Sweetheart of Pablo 

A really nice Jazzy J-Pop album. She has a really sweet voice and the songs sound great. I liked everything here and felt it was even a bit short at 33 minutes. Good stuff! It kept playing on Spotify and the autoplay actually led to some killer tracks that brought me to the next album I listened to this today.                             

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRC57zo4Ris

Kahimi Karie, Trapeziste   

I can't describe this record, it was an amazing experience. I was truly stunned and left amazed by every song. For the first time in a while I was truly shocked and heard something I never have before. From the sort of eerie beginning of "Tornado (Outside)" you know this is going to be a ride. That song has such a thick and vivid mood, it picks up so much and takes you on an amazing sonic journey. "About The Girls" blew my mind. Insane stuff. I have never ever heard a song with this specific mood before, there are some truly unusual and creative effects with the vocals midway through and the backing music is so cool. The songs on this album go wherever feels right. "About The Girls" dips into a quiet part and returns with a new musical passage. I was just speechless. This is an incredible record that warrants many more listens, I can't believe I've never heard of her before. This is incredible mind bending stuff to me.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq6dzkEeKbI

Pete Townshend, Who Came First   

Pete's first solo album is nothing special. It's clear what songs are Who demoes because they sound incomplete and lacking with the powerful balls of Keith & John and the strength of Roger's voice. The other songs are just Folky acoustic tracks with a production I don't like. To me this album sounded very dull and Pete's vocal performances were slightly weak. "Pure and Easy" is maybe the best song Pete ever composed but sadly there is no version that ever hit home (the Record Plant one is close to perfection, it's loose and badass). This album has one really great song, "Parvardigar". It's a beautiful song with a nice pick-up. You really feel the emotion behind it. Otherwise I wasn't into this album.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZkIdo55oUw 

Frank Zappa & The Mothers, One Size Fits All 

Super cool album, really definitive Zappa. The arrangements are awesome and really involved. It's a joy to take it all in as the band navigates through crazy songs. "Po-Jama People" was my favorite song. Overall this was enjoyable and worth more future listens!                                                       

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7kMlW2WiZs 

Betty Davis 

She was out of this world, and far ahead of her time. Betty Davis hits you direct with vocals that truly stand out. When she sings you are paying complete attention. She rips through the speakers, with a dry mix, and slides across the songs with so much personality. She is easily one of my favorite vocalists ever, you can't deny the presence of her voice and the amazing expression she conveys. The backing vocal is perfect, the right amount of grooviness in the drums and bass with some steaming guitar. I can't believe I only heard of Betty Davis last year, she is so incredible. This album is exceptional.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2B0FBdzGis 

Millie Jackson, Caught Up 

A great Soul record with a strong concept. Every songs ties together perfectly on this album, conveying the story and drama perfectly. The closing song "Summer (The First Time)" really sends it home. The songs didn't quite stand out and amaze me but as an entire album it works really well. A concept record that is able to pull off it's concept and themes strongly!                                               

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amb0JFw447k
« Last Edit: November 21, 2021, 10:40:26 PM by Manimal »

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5064 on: December 10, 2021, 08:55:38 AM »
Another good ol' morning quicklist, always hits the spot. 

Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels: Devil With The Blue Dress On/Good Golly Miss Molly
Larry Williams: Slow Down
The Beatles: I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
The Who: I Can't Reach You
The Zombies: Care Of Cell 44
The Millennium: I'm With You
Albert King: Crosscut Saw 
Betty Davis: Feelins
Junior Wells: Snatch It Back And Hold It
Pete Townshend: Face Dances - Pt 2                   
The Cars: It's All I Can Do
PEDRO: Hito
Nana Kitade: HOLD HEART
Stereopony: Chiisa na Mahou     
YUI: Winter Hot Music
SCANDAL: one more time
Aimyon: On a Cherry Blossom Night 
Aimer: Koiwazurai 
miwa: Hikari E
WEDNESDAY CAMPANELLA: Ikkyu-san
AZALEA: GALAXY HidE and SeeK
Japanese Breakfast: Kokomo, IN
The Byrds: Time Between 
Thin Lizzy: Sarah - Version 3
Elvis Presley: Any Way You Want Me (That's How I Will Be)
 

         

Offline NO1SY

  • Resident Slacker
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3318
  • Gender: Male
  • Will eat your cookies
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5065 on: December 12, 2021, 12:51:19 PM »
@Manimal - Are you still making your curated mixtapes?? (Also that is a Beatles deep cut!)

Anyways, I feel like it's been a while... I've been slacking on sharing the screamy shouty rawr rawr music that I've been listening to...

Colours - "Skin & Bones EP":
But instead, let's start with something that is not metal... and not new. Colours formed from some of the members of the 2000s Metalcore band Burden of a Day, and Skin & Bones was an indie art-rock EP they released before they transitioned to a more art-pop/electronica sound that I enjoyed quite a lot less... This EP is fantastic though: creative, poetic, dynamic and relatively pretty sounding. Unfortunately, this Youtube playlist is the only remaining streamed source of this EP I can find...

Now into the metal and new stuff!

Khemmis - "Deceiver":
Doom metal is innately quite dreary... but with this new album, Khemmis have managed to make it soar. It's almost "fun"! Almost. Phil's clean vocals do a lot of the heavy lifting, creating powerful and captivating melodies with a lot of range. There is also some melodic death metal influence on Deciever that feeds into the instrumentals, with dual guitar layering and awesome chuggy riffs, backed by solid drumming, for a bit more pace and excitement than your standard Doom Metal fare. Great stuff. Khemmis also put out my favourite rendition of Dio's "Rainbow In The Dark" that is definitely worth checking out.

Swallow the Sun - "Moonflowers":
This is arguably the band that got me into Doom Metal. Moonflowers presents really nothing new for the band, it just takes all of the atmosphere and emotion the band is known for and makes it sound MASSIVE. The album feels slightly more cohesive and consistent than their previous couple, even if none of the songs individually manage to quite knock "Firelights" off of that top spot for me (Enemy, All Hallows' Grieve and Keep Your Heart Safe From Me come close), I think I enjoy Moonflowers more as a whole. Also, the thing that I think is most improved on this album is the heavy sections, due in large part to Mikko greatly improving his harsh vocals, and instrumentals that are frankly just explosive!

Whitechapel - "Kin":
I thought that they made me a fan with The Valley, but with Kin I am now well and truly hooked. This is a monster of an album. The band are more melodic than they've ever been instrumentally and with Phil Bozeman's refined mixture of harsh and clean vocals. They are also more engaging to me than they have ever been, getting creative with dynamics, speed and rhythm (Alex Rudinger was a great choice of studio drummer). Some fans may be a bit dejected that the band's sound is now markedly less raw and heavy overall, but personally I love it and think that they have found a great balance.

Archspire - "Bleed the Future": (First 8 songs of playlist)
This band is actually insane! Technical Death Metal with neo-classical elements played at a million miles an hour, with a vocalist who has mastered circular breathing so can keep up and probably give Eminem a run for his money on his best days! It's brutal and blisteringly fast, but also punctuated by moments of very melodic reprieve that give you a chance to breath and catch up. All together it's just really fun. It's featuring on a lot of peoples' top albums of 2021 lists already and I have to agree.

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5066 on: December 12, 2021, 04:07:16 PM »
@Manimal - Are you still making your curated mixtapes?? (Also that is a Beatles deep cut!)

Yup, haha. I think I'm on Tape 115 for my J-Pop series.

My "quicklists" are just playlists I make up real quick of songs I want to hear in that moment. I always enjoy assembling songs in a satisfying way. I never really listen to normal playlists. Sometimes my quicklists turn into mixtapes if they really work.

I'll keep making mixtapes as long as I have a tape player in my car.

Lots of good hidden gems like that one on A Hard Day's Night also  :D

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5067 on: December 14, 2021, 09:06:17 AM »
Another nice little quicklist.

The Clash: Up In Heaven (Not Only Here)
The Who: Don't Let Go The Coat
Bruce Springsteen: Jackson Cage
Cream: SWLABR
Bo Diddley: I Need You Baby
Thin Lizzy: Having A Good Time
The Stooges: Loose
The Doors: Peace Frog
The 13th Floor Elevators: (I've Got) Levitation 
Aerosmith: Bright Light Fright   
Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels: Little Latin Lupe Lu
The Byrds: Why 
Neil Young: Don't Cry No Tears 
Free: Fire And Water   
Betty Davis: Nasty Gal 
B.B. King: Confessin' The Blues   
Junior Wells: Hoodoo Man Blues   
Jimi Hendrix: You Got Me Floatin'
Bob Dylan: Positively 4th Street 
The Beach Boys: Let Him Run Wild
Pete Townshend: The Sea Refuses No River     
Rush: Freewill
The Rolling Stones: Coming Down Again       
Pink Floyd: Time       
Led Zeppelin: Achilles Last Stand
 
                                               
« Last Edit: December 14, 2021, 09:42:33 AM by Manimal Claus »

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5068 on: February 08, 2022, 08:24:47 PM »
SCANDAL, MIRROR   

SCANDAL have come through with a great new album that represents the sound of a band who have grown and evolved together. They have really matured their sound and made a great set of Pop songs. There are more Electronic elements than before, but each member still comes through. They haven't all sang their own individual songs since Yellow in 2017, so it was nice that they got their own representative tracks.

I was so amazed with their singles in 2021. I thought their 2020 album Kiss From The Darkness was a step down after Honey, but they came back strong! "Eternal" is one of their best songs ever and "One More Time" is such pure joyful fun. A lot of the songs on Mirror are ballads, but there is enough going on to make the songs interesting. I really like the tone of this album. It's mature and upbeat. There aren't any Rock songs like SCANDAL used to do, but it's really enjoyable for something lighter.   

   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJkMqoozKV4   

Offline Manimal

  • God Of Thunder & Rock 'n Roll
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4126
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: What are you listening to
« Reply #5069 on: February 22, 2022, 08:15:50 AM »
Some records I've been loving recently.

The Isley Brothers, Go For Your Guns

I love this record soooo much. I have put it on so many times since I got it last month. It's just so awesome! Hard grooving tracks with amazing drums and bass. It's so well produced and recorded! This album is all about the powerful rhythms.

Every song has an awesome groove, and they are so catchy! Nothing gets in the way of these awesome songs, the band never over does it. They play just enough to make you get down and dirty to the rhythm. The album ends with "Livin' In The Life" and "Go For Your Guns" which is basically one awesome beat for 6 minutes. The groove is so good, it could of gone on for 6 more minutes! I love when it speeds up and Ernie Isley comes in with an awesome solo. "Footsteps in the Dark" is the song we all know from Ice Cube's "It Was A Good Day". Man it's one Hell of a track, such a heavenly guitar & vocal sound and the most perfect drums and bass. There is so much space in the music and oh my God, it's just such an incredible record.           


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gtKfDESlSI       

Prince, Dirty Mind

I've had this one on a lot lately. I love the DIY style of this album and the urgent catchy songs. The music is great and there is no bs here. It's a short and to the point album that gives you the goods. "Do It All Night" has to be one of my favorite Prince songs. That opening keyboard bit is so great. Every track is great here.

I really enjoy 1999 and Controversy, but Dirty Mind has them beat because it doesn't have long songs with little skits. There are no time wasters with this record, every song is on point and awesome. It has a raw quality, especially how Prince clips the mic on songs like "When U Were Mine". I love the vibe of this record, it's so fun! I was so happy to finally get the record, I've wanted it real bad ever since I first heard this album a few years ago. Some of Prince's albums don't hit me right away and take a few listens, but this one was great from the first time.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwklCBKfPKM 

Janet Jackson, Control

Janet is one of my favorite artists but I had underrated this record! I had only listened to it once when I got it a few years ago. Now, I've had it on twice in the last two weeks and I really like it! This is just a fun youthful album with a lot of life. The production is absolutely amazing and I can't get over how amazing it pairs with Sonic. Seriously, the basslines are like the entire foundation of Sega Genesis music. I had such an amazing time listening to this record and playing Sonic Mania.

"The Pleasure Principal" is such an amazing song! That bassline, oh my God, but also the vocal melody! "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive" is like a City Pop song, so good. 'When I Think Of You" is also amazing. Of course the album's two big hits "Nasty" and "What Have You Done For Me Lately" are also awesome, with really interesting production. Janet presents such a great spirit with her vocals here and songs like "Control" and "Let's Wait Awhile" could only come from someone with that youthful naivety. This is such an enjoyable record that makes me so happy to listen to. Janet's music is so full of genuine emotions! 

   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXInTVW5h4Y

Pete Townshend, All The Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes

Such a gem! I love the style of this record and the little look into Pete's world that it presents. The songs are not always clear in their meanings, but I like the expression. The production is the perfect merger of electronic and organic music. The drums and bass are full of life. Pete doesn't bring out the firepower on guitar too much, but he has some nice bits that provide texture to the songs.

"Face Dances Pt. II" is my obsession of late. I cannot get over how deeply I love this song, it is something that inspires me so much! I wish I could make something just like it because wow, I can't stop listening to it. Easily my favorite Pete solo song, even one of my favorite songs he ever wrote. "Slit Skirts" is also incredible with one Hell of a standout chorus. I sing along so passionately everytime. The whole record is great, it might not be amazing song to song but as a whole it's very strong. I got this one on a whim without expecting much, I didn't think it would become such a favorite with me!                   
 
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiQI2x7RKYM
« Last Edit: February 22, 2022, 08:23:25 AM by Manimal »