At a glance album reviews

[Smeggy]

Maybe if Trent tried his hand at some Jazz you might like him better.

[aardvark baguette]

Yuck. I tried to figure out why so many people here stroke Trent Reznor's dick, but drew a blank. There's better industrial out there, and these lyrics are horrible. New one sounds like a video game soundtrack, which he did better with Quake.

I consider Closer to be pretty much the best electronic song ever made.

[grawk]

Trent Reznor's songs communicate pain better than the vast majority of music I've heard. Johnny Cash doing trent does communicate it a little better tho.

[boomana]

Trent Reznor's songs communicate pain better than the vast majority of music I've heard. Johnny Cash doing trent does communicate it a little better tho.

And that's because Johnny lived one hell of a life.

[grawk]

And that's because Johnny lived one hell of a life.

That he did. Kermit too.

YouTube - Sad Kermit: Hurt

[boomana]

Ah yes. I should see if I can get Kermit a bed in rehab. As he presents, I already like him better than 2/3 of our patients.

[hungrych]

Yuck. I tried to figure out why so many people here stroke Trent Reznor's dick, but drew a blank. There's better industrial out there, and these lyrics are horrible. New one sounds like a video game soundtrack, which he did better with Quake.

YOU'RE HORRIBLE!

OH NO HE DI INT

[Thelonious Monk]

People who haven't lived life rarely appreciate music that references life.

Trent Reznor's songs communicate pain better than the vast majority of music I've heard. Johnny Cash doing trent does communicate it a little better tho.

What are you, 15?

You don't know just how I feel
I want to know everything
I want to be everywhere
I want to fuck everyone in the world
I want to do something that matters

The man has about 200 words in his vocabulary. He sings about nothing but angst and how things are always SLIPPIN' AWAY.

Maybe if Trent tried his hand at some Jazz you might like him better.

YEAH LORRLOZ I HAVE A JAZZ NAME SO I ONLY LISTEN TO JAZZ MUSIC

[Thelonious Monk]

YOU'RE HORRIBLE!

OH NO HE DI INT

It's sad that your joke retort was more biting and witty than the serious ones.

[Thelonious Monk]

Opeth - Watershed

Opeth has replaced the acoustic interlude with the electric interlude.

:snore:

[en480c4]

Fixed it for you...

Opeth - Watershed Thelonious Monk's Album Reviews

Opeth has replaced the acoustic interlude with the electric interlude.
Thelonious Monk has replaced the thoughtful and insightful review with the flame bait reviews of albums popular on Head-Case.

:snore:

:snore: indeed.

[Thelonious Monk]

new review: Still Life and My Arms, Your Hearse are pretty good, but still rather scatterbrained. My beef with Opeth is the fact that every song is basically 10 minute long plodding riff variations with no thematic development to speak of, just... to put it as eloquently as possible, meandering electric stuff cut up by uninspired acoustic stuff. Same old formula every time. No thanks.

[ilikebananafudge]

Stars - Set Yourself on Fire

Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)

Let me start by saying this is one of my favorite albums ever; and that's saying something.

I discovered this album like I've discovered many other albums, through my hometown library system. I had vaguely heard that the band Stars was good, and so I requested that my library hold this for me. When I went to pick it up, I saw a friend who casually questioned me as to what CDs I was checking out. When he saw that I was getting Set Yourself on Fire, he said, "oh, that's a good one."

How right he was.

It starts off with a fantastic song, "My Ex-lover Is Dead." Stars likes to incorporate quotes in some of their songs (other albums do this as well), and this album is no exception, starting with a raspy, crackly recording of a man saying, "when there is nothing left to burn you have to set yourself on fire." Then a gorgeous tune ensues, stunningly beautiful, followed by a lovely cello (I think) part that flows into Torquil Campbell's vocals. The song is about seeing a former lover for the first time in years, capturing the beauty and sadness of it.

Much of this album is about lost love, or love in general. The band is quite romantic in its lyrics, and unbashful when dealing with death, love and sex. Stars is at their best here when they simplify things. Two of the best songs on the album ("One More Night (Your Ex-Lover Remains Dead)" and "The Big Fight") are largely bass, drums, and voice. They gently roll along with a constant dialogue between Torquil and the other singer Amy Millan.

In fact, one of my favorite aspects of Stars is the interplay between the male vocalist (Torquil) and the female vocalist (Amy). Unlike most modern music, which seems like a one-sided view of things, this feels more like a story that is unfolding while the music is playing. It helps that I adore both of their voices; they seem so sincere.

Another strength of this album is the production and mastering. It feels fantastically intimate. The vocals are rich and forward sounding, and the drums, piano, cello, guitar, are all clear and present as well.

Other highlights of the album are "Calendar Girl", the introspective closer about death and the beauty of life, "Ageless Beauty", which almost seems out of place with its busy, noisy guitars, but is gorgeous nonetheless, and "What I'm Trying To Say", presenting the anxiousness and excitement of declaring love.

But really, the entire album is just fantastic. Highly, highly recommended.

[EdipisReks]

thanks for bumping this thread, i had forgotten how much of a douche bag TM was.

[ilikebananafudge]

ha, wasn't my intention, but glad to be of help.

[deepak]

I will have to listen to that, I like stuff on the Arts and Crafts label.

[Voltron]

thanks for bumping this thread, i had forgotten how much of a douche bag TM was.

Funny, I thought the same thing.

I will have to listen to that, I like stuff on the Arts and Crafts label.

Set Yourself on Fire is a good album although and I like it quite a bit, but I wouldn't say it is a 5 out of 5 kind of album. Maybe 4 though.

[ilikebananafudge]

Stars is my favorite band, so I'm a bit bias

[faust3d]

Thirsty Moon - Blitz (1975)

Very nice instrumental album, enjoyable from beginning to the end. I don't get why so many people dislike it. Yes this is not at all similar to the first two Thirsty Moon albums, but give the guys a break they try to change things around and try a more streamlined rock style in this one, somewhat futuristic if you ask me.

The songs are shorter and most have repetitive melodic structures driving them, with some electronics making things interesting. Gone is the complex big band extravaganza with polyrhythmic structures, still the compositions are interesting and refreshingly brisk and original. "The Jungle of Your Mind" is a nice percussive extravaganza that would not have been out of place on any of the first two albums. Last song "Crickets don't Cry" also standouts as it sounds more like old Thirsty Moon. I am also very happy with mastering and bonus tracks on LH CD.

Overall music has a dreamy feel to it and in a way predates some of more spacey NDW stuff that was forthcoming.




Vladimir Estragon - Three Quarks for Muster Mark (1989)

Overall feel of the album is very Jazzy and RIO with some NDW and rock overtones. First track (The Warten) is especially jazzy with wonderful sax work and energetic piano. There are several very short (40 - 50 seconds) tracks that serve as bridges between album’s schizophrenic mood swings. These interlude tracks are mostly jazzy and give an underlying feeling of style to the entire album. This album has to listened to in it’s entirety in order to appreciate it. Three Quarks For Muster Mark has a flow that is not apparent in the beginning but becomes very apparent after a few listens. Sax work is superb through out the entire albums as well as various synth and piano interludes. The vocals, on the tracks that have them, are superbly strange and inventive. There are a few tracks of pure madness with squeals and various noises shaped into sound canvas. You can clearly feel a clash of musical styles and musician’s backgrounds on this one.

This is an impressive album in it’s ability to keep you hooked and amazed as well as thinking throughout listening sessions. If you don’t like it at first I suggest a few repeated listens as it is difficult to “get” on the fist listen.

[LarsMarkelson]

Stars is my favorite band, so I'm a bit bias

Thanks for your review. I have the album and pretty much only listened to the 1st track, Your Ex-Lover is Dead... it's a fantastic song, sounds incredible on the HF-2. Now listening to the other tracks you mentioned