The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 191

Yeah, could be best. I have 3 partners already and @Nate_Johnson is sick, and @bachna84 has a sick child. So unless someone else steps up, next week is easiest

 

word sounds good

 

Change of plans. @broken22 has agreed to trade with you, so DM

 

I can fit in one extra album if you just want to do one this week @sophos34

No pressure though if you don’t want to do one this week.

Edit: Haha I see @broken22 has got there first, ignore this message

 

im totally down to do just one

 

oh shit word

 

It's very likely you will recognize a bunch from Clumsy and of course the song "Somewhere Out There" off of Gravity but I wouldn't go to that record until you've heard Spiritual Machines, Clumsy and Happiness is a Fish

 

The first Fountains of Wayne album is different than I expected, having only picked their career up at Welcome, Interstate Managers. While that one is almost exclusively satirical, almost to the point of being a Tom Lehrer vibe, this feels much more straightforward. They hooks are all still there but they project a little more sincerity. "She's Got a Problem" in particular is a huge standout. It's dark but also actually sympathetic and has some serious feeling. "Barbara H." also stands out as a tight pop song that has some swing to it somehow. The whole thing is fairly underproduced, but it's more charming than bothersome. Overall another win for them.

 

So, last week I had the pleasure of being paired with the Father of Brackets, President of this Club, @JediMasterKevo182, who gave me two albums.



First up is Blink-182 - Take Off Your Pants and Jacket. This band needs no introduction around here. Blink is the kind of band that I know all the big songs, but have never actually took the time to go back and listen to the full albums from which those songs came from. So of course, right from the start, I already knew and liked First Date, Rock Show and Stay Together For the Kids.

I had some expectations before diving in this album. I was expecting catchy Pop-Punk music about partying, relationships and things like that. That's not to say Blink can't do some more serious songs. Just listen to Stay Together For The Kids, which talks about divorce. You just don't expect songs as deep as, let's say, the second album I'll be reviewing below. That's just not what they are known for. Did it meet my expectations? Well, kinda.

The lyrics were pretty much what I expected. But the songs, while still being catchy, didn't grab me as much as I anticipated. After one listen, the only thing I could remember, apart from the singles I already knew by heart, was the chorus of Reckless Abandon. Then some other things stuck after a couple more listens, like Story of a Lonely Guy, Give Me One Good Reason and Shut Up. Some other tracks, like Online Songs, didn't do much for me. That's not to say the tracks weren't good. You still get some great riffs and Travis Barker's awesome drumming, but it's just not the type of songs that gets me anymore.

The version I listened to also had the b-sides which I have to say were quite good and I would have replaced some tracks from the actual album with them. Then you have some really deep tracks about fucking a dog, and your mom, and your dad, and your grandpa, and a pirate.. Oh sorry, a Mexican pirate. Oh that's one thing I forgot to say I totally expected, the joke songs.

Overall, I think this album was good, but I feel it's the kind of album I would have loved had I heard it for the first time sooner in my life, but at this point, it's not exactly the kind of music that grabs my attention. I know it's an unpopular opinion around here, but I prefer California over this one.

7.5/10




The second album I got to discover this week is Senses Fail - If There Is Light, It Will Find You. Funny thing is that I had actually started listening to this album before it was recommended to me, but had to stop after 2-3 tracks to do something else. I was a little worried before starting this album, because I had heard some songs from them before. I liked most tracks from Let It Enfold You or Still Searching, but I had also heard half of The Fire and it had too much screaming for my tastes. That's why I didn't know what to expect.

This album is the first album that was totally written by singer and only remaining original member Buddy Nielsen. It is a very personal record. Right from the first notes of Double Cross, I was hooked. The opening riff is infectious and the chorus is catchy as hell. In fact the entire album is like that. This song talks about keeping your passion alive despite all the trials you face while growing older. The album keeps pretty much the same pace through the next songs Elevator to the Gallows and New Jersey Makes, The World Takes.

You then get to Gold Jacket, Green Jacket. Even though this song is also very good, I think it felt kinda weird in the context of the album. While the rest of the songs have very personal lyrics, this one has political undertones with talks about capitalism and consumerism. I felt like it didn't fit with the rest of the themes on this record.

The next song is a definite highlight of the album. This is where the album gets the most personal. First Breath, Last Breath is about Buddy's wife who almost died while giving birth to their daughter. It's something that comes back a lot throughout the album, but it is most apparent here. The way it is presented here is as if she had really died and he had to raise his child by himself. The lyrics are heartbreaking, with lines like "I used to wonder why people put bullets in their brains, now it seems like the only way to stop this pain. How the fuck am I supposed to wake up every day and pretend that I love her as much as I miss your face?" I also love the background screams in the chorus.

The other highlights for me are Stay What You Are, which is a song about the first show he saw with his wife, a Saves the Day show. Then there is the title track If There Is Light, It Will Find You, a nice ballad that wraps up the album perfectly.

I absolutely loved this album full of catchy hooks and infectious riffs. I will definitely go back to it a lot.

9.5/10

 

Amazing reviews!

 

Spoiler alert but I'm really looking forward to reviewing one of my albums this week, my god it's incredible.

 

Nice! I didn't see who you are paired with and what you traded so that is always exciting as well!

 

Awesome write up man!! I’m glad you enjoyed both albums and that the Senses Fail one placed so high. Also is it me or did your writing style improve on those :)

 

Thanks for the recommendations! Yeah I really went all out on these reviews haha. Actually, I used to write reviews (in French) on tumblr some years ago, but I stopped because nobody was reading them anyway.

 

I apologize for the slacking I have been doing as of recent. I have been really sick with a severe cold and I am in the middle of moving to North Carolina from New Jersey in the next couple of months. With the excuses out of the way, I am going to try and get back to catching up my reviews.

@JediMasterKevo182 asked me to check out:
Jack's Mannequin: Everything in Transit (2005) Maverick Records

This is not the first time this album has been reviewed in CMCS so I won't bore everyone with the history, etc. With that being said, unlike the other reviews that have been done, I won't shower this album with glowing reviews. I think part of my problem with taking so long to review this album (amongst the numerous other excuses I listed above), is that when I don't connect to an album but want to, I almost get a form of writers block. I have listened to this album more than any other album in my CMCS tenure and unfortunately I just don't "get it".

This album is a fun poppy record and makes me think of summer and just gives you a lot of great happy vibes. That is exactly what Andrew McMahon was going for when he made this. You can definitely see the evolution of Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness with the direction he was going with this solo project. After the recording of this record, Andrew was struck with tragedy and diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, and was not able to tour in support of it right away.

I will inject a personal note here: I think a lot of the reason I wanted to connect with this record and him as an artist is that we both were diagnosed with the same form of leukemia. I was diagnosed with ALL when I was 10 years old and my life was turned upside down. I am so grateful that both Andrew and I are alive and well. I think it's so amazing that Andrew McMahon has created the Dear Jack Foundation in order to help those diagnosed with cancer and leukemia. I personally have chosen a career in healthcare in order to give back to those that are suffering from a variety of illnesses.

Ok, back to the review! As I said before, this is a fun poppy record and the whole time I kept thinking of a more upbeat version of Ben Folds Five with the injection of piano, synths and fun lyrics. I love how great he is at telling a story like that of country music artists.

The record is very enjoyable but nothing really GRABBED ME and the album felt so much longer than it really is. There are a lot of great songs on here and I felt myself singing along to a lot of them even by the second or third listen. I am going to be reviewing The Glass Passenger next so I am hoping I can connect to that one more as I love Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. I will definitely add this to my mix I have created with all my reviews from CMCS but I don't see myself revisiting the album as a whole.

Favorite Songs:
The Mixed Tape
I'm Ready
Into the Airwaves

6/10

 

Well we are sure reading these!

 

Nice writeup! A shame you didn’t connect to it like you wanted to, but that’s how it goes! Very good job on this review

 

This makes me happy!

 

Glass Passenger is also really good, but for the life of me, I cannot stand the chorus of American Love.

 

It doesn’t bother me one bit!

 

@cshadows2887 gave me two albums to listen to!


The Commodores - Midnight Magic

This was a fun album to listen to! It made me miss when bands knew how to play together. Like, the bass is so in the pocket. A primarily funky affair, I was surprised to find a few slower, more emotional songs. Those songs didn't succeed as much for me, but I think it's just because I enjoy solid funk so much. The album is pretty much the perfect length. 8 real tracks (plus a ninth outro of sorts), each an average of about 4:30 long. All in all, a fun album to listen to and absorb the old production techniques. This record just sounds great.



The Creepy Uncle Band - Nights Are Forever

This is a difficult album for me to discuss, because it is good, but I am not sure how to articulate why. Maybe it's the horns that punctuate There'll Never Be Another For Me. Maybe it's the intricate and deceptively complex guitar work present through the album. Maybe it's the spotless vocals that I assume are traded between both of the uncles. Either way, I enjoyed this album right from the opening track. It all sounds familiar, even though I hadn't heard it until last week. Showboat Gambler is another highlight and finds them adapting their signature soft rock into a more Americana/Bluegrass vibe. Solid album.

 

I can't explain why it bothers me haha. I love the rest of the album but almost always skip that track.

 

Look at those mustaches!

 

Any place where I can get someone to listen to a soft-rock masterpiece like Nights Are Forever is a place I want to keep posting.

 

That’s not the first album from the 70’s that’s been recommended. It’s really cool!