The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 162

@JediMasterKevo182 are you taking this one?

 

It’s simple really. On Monday each week, I assign you a random partner. You give them 1-2 albums they haven’t heard, and they give you the same number of albums you haven’t heard. At some point before the next Monday, you come back here and post your thoughts on the albums you just heard, songs you like, what you’d recommend them if someone else liked a similar band, and that’s it! Simple :)

 

Has it been mostly (for lack of a better term) "scene"/emo/pop-punk/ap.net stuff? Or have people been open to variety? If the latter, sign me the hell up.

 

Definitely the latter. There’s been everything from pop punk to metal to country to hip hop to 80s Jazz. All depends on who you get

 

Well if you can use more people, add me in. I'm always looking for opportunities to force my recs of random shit on others. Haha

 

Like if you get me, you may get pop Punk/alternative/metalcore. @Nate_Johnson is very wide spread ranging from metal to many other genres. @skogsraet has given out plenty of hip hop. It’s a gamble but many of us have discovered many new stuff outside our usual tastes

 

We sure can. Hmm. @Nate_Johnson , want another?

 

Lets do it! @cshadows2887 send me a DM and we will get going.

 

Welcome our newest member: @cshadows2887
After MUCH deliberation we have decided on our trades.

They will be listening to:
Toy Cars: Paint Brain
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Wrong Creatures

I will be listening to:
Brandi Carlile: By the Way I Forgive You
The Xcerts: Hold on to Your Heart

 

I'm stoked you finally listened to these! Park especially only gets better with repeated listens.

 

Hold on to your heart is my main aoty contender so far, so I hope you enjoy it Nate.

 

Upon first listen I’m getting a Marianis Trench vibe. Very cool.

 

@JediMasterKevo182 gave me Northstar- Polyanna for my second rec of the week.


This was a band that I had heard a ton about between my years spent on AbsolutePunk and here. They're a band that just continually slipped through the cracks for me to listen to. I had heard a song here, or there. I knew it was a band I would like if I spent some time with them, so I'm very glad Kevo stopped that drought for me!


The opener "For Members Only" instantly hooked me. It took me back to a time where this would've easily been one of my favorite bands. They would've been a band that would've shared space in my 6 CD changer in my Ford Escort with The Ataris, Hidden In Plain View, The Starting Line, Taking Back Sunday, and Fall Out Boy.


The record continues on with solid songs that completely fit the 2004 time period that it was released in. I could easily see them being a band that I would've been searching daily waiting for their show to come to my city. I can't say enough about how much the nostalgia really got to me on this record. I'm very thankful that I finally heard this band, and regretful that I didn't listen to them sooner so they could have had infinite good memories with friends associated with them


Favorite tracks "For Members Only" "American Dream" "Two Zero Two" "To My Better Angel" "Rocket City"

 

I know I am doing these out of order but this record was too good not to write about.

@cshadows2887 and I traded this week and he recommended:

The XCERTS: Hold on to Your Heart (2018) Raygun Records

The XCERTS are a 3 piece rock band from Scotland. They can best be described as mix between Biffy Clyro(another Scottish band) and Marianis Trench. If you know both of those bands then you know you are in for something fun.

The album is incredible from start to finish and reminds me of watching a broadway play and the star of the show is front man, Murray Macleod and he reminds of a mix between Josh Ramsay of Marianis Trench and James Michael of Sixx: A.M. Throughout the albums 10 songs and only 37 minutes you feel like you are going through the acts in an incredible play.

You can just picture the curtain opening and spotlight shining on a solo Murray playing a piano on opening track, The Dark. Then the band comes out and then go right into rocker Daydream. This song is one of my favorite on the album and just oozes the above mentioned bands with an 80's vibe and this continues until the very last track, Cry.

Cry is an incredible closing number. You can just picture the crowd with their lighters errrr cell phones and a spotlight on a person performing a saxophone solo accompanied by Murray on the piano. The use of the saxophone throughout the record works amazingly well and never overstays it's welcome.

Once again, this is an incredible record and there is not a song I dislike. Short and sweet. GO LISTEN TO IT!

Favorite Songs:
Daydream
Feels Like Falling In Love
First Kiss Feeling
Hold on to Your Heart

10/10

RIYL: Marianis Trench, Biffy Clyro,

TOP 3 AOTY for 2018 so far:
Shame: Songs of Praise
The XCERTS: Hold on to Your Heart
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Wrong Creatures

 

I feel like I should really like this album, but it isn't hitting me like I expected it to yet. Going to keep trying because this style really appeals to me.

 

I loved the last Biffy Clyro and Marianis Trench records and this is the perfect combination of the two. Keep trying!

 

Definitely going to keep trying. I wasn't huge on the last Marianas Trench album, but Masterpiece Theatre and Ever After are awesome. Biffy is another one that I've spent some time with and feel like I should really like, but they haven't quite clicked with me yet. Need to spend more time with them too!

 

Someone is about to run a Marianas bracket btw, for you brackateers out there

 

Glad you liked this record so much (great rec @cshadows2887 ) . I saw them the week after the album came out and the new songs sound so massive live and the dark was just so beautiful.

If you get a chance check out their last album (there is only you) as that was filled wall to wall with bangers.

 

I’m jealous you got to see them. I can only imagine how insane their live show is!

I will absolutely be digging into their discography.

 

This is what I love about this place - you've found all three of your top albums of the year through rec's in here. So cool.

 

You are so right. I don’t think I would have found these albums otherwise!
All I ask of my trades is that they be from 2018 so I can keep up with new releases while also finding new music. I’m open to any genre otherwise.

 

I'm lucky that I've seen this band more times than I can remember at this point. If they ever come near you on a US tour they're definintley worth catching live.

 

Do you live in Scotland?

 

Nah I live just south of London but The Xcerts are based in Brighton which is only a 45min drive from mine. I’m quite lucky with where I live for shows, I can be in London in 40mins by train or be in any of Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton within a 1 hour drive, all of which will see most bands touring the uk come through.

The main reason I’ve seen them so much though is the fact they’ve been touring relentlessly for the last 8/9 years so I’ve had loads of opportunities over the years.