The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 238

Actually I’m bored, I’ll just post the pairings now:

CMCS PAIRINGS

04/23-04/30

@teebs41 // @Nate_Johnson

@JediMasterKevo182 // @SaveTheEarth

@bachna84 // @SamLevi11

@broken22 // @Kiana

@ugman_2000 // @Larry David

@Patterns in Traffic // @anonimito

@disambigujason // @cshadows2887

@Micool1 // @Davjs

@sophos34 // @highfidelity203

@CobraKidJon // @nickyeatworld

@mad // @iCarly Rae Jepsen


Not on the list? Want to join? DM me

 

I bet I can guess an album @SaveTheEarth will be listening to this next week!

 

This week @Micool1 and I are going to trade:

Him - the whole Frank Zappa discography

Myself - the whole Johnny Cash discography




kidding, it'll probably be one album that we have yet to decide on

 

Since her partner had to take a break next week, I took on a second partner in @Kiana

She gave me:

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy (2018)

The Cure - Wish

I gave her:

Blink-182- California

Boys Like Girls- Boys Like Girls

 

@broken22 had me listen to Alkaline Trio - Agony & Irony

So I've never heard an Alkaline Trio album that I recall. I've known who they are forever cause I've been on this website forever and I don't post from under a rock! And I've heard the odd song here and there. Like I'd def heard Help Me at some point in my life because it sounded super familiar when I listened to the album but I never sought them out. I felt that the album was enjoyable. I was never bored or checking the tracklist to see how much longer I had, which i sometimes am guilty of doing with albums i even enjoy (RIP my attn span). I wouldn't say any moments really grabbed me either as being like a standout, but it consistently held my attention and I liked it. The songs were well-crafted and it all came together rly well. I'd def be open to listening to more of their records.

 

This thread has the best opinions of Agony & Irony I've ever seen, and I like the album!

 

@SamLevi11 and I are paired up again this session.

He will be listening to Spanish Love Songs - Schmaltz

I will be listening to Movements - Feel Something

 

I have only listened up to eve FHTI when it comes to Alkaline Trio. I need to listen to the later stuff.

 

The one after FHTI is their best album

 

I’d agree with this statement!

 

Have you been listening to the As You Were podcast?

 

No I have not.

I’ll check it out!

 

It's good! There's more to it than just trashing or praising the songs. They go a lot into the history of the Trio, turbulence on Vagrant, etc.

 

Looks like an interesting idea - how long are the episodes typically?

 

30 min

 

A few hard weeks at work later, and I fell a bit behind. So sorry for the delay, @broken22 and @JediMasterKevo182! Here we go!




Blind Melon: Blind Melon

Being a big fan of 90s alternative, I knew that Blind Melon would sit in my wheelhouse. I'd always been a fan of "No Rain," and it's sad that this band was considered a one-hit wonder for the most part, since this album shows how much talent they had. (The way in which the band essentially...fell apart is also very sad - quite a tragedy.)

This whole album doesn't stray too far from the hit single "No Rain," with most tracks featuring southern rock- and/or blues-influenced guitars (really awesome solos, too!) and distinctive vocals that I can only describe as "velvety," even though I know that's not the best adjective for them. I also picked up some jazzy elements, which was awesome to hear.

Musically, I am easily reminded of Better Than Ezra, (really early) Vertical Horizon, and the Gin Blossoms, which are bands I know very well, in comparison.

Critique-wise, as the album went on, I found it difficult to differentiate one track from the next, which is why I couldn't really write a detailed sentence or two about each track. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it! It could be that I just need to give it more listens. Some of my favorite albums took a long time to grow on me and enable me tell one track from the next. (I may just update this review at a later date.)

I certainly enjoyed my listens through this album, and I look forward to future spins! I will say that I got a lot of work done to this album (I'm always looking for albums that fit that particular purpose), so I'll probably be giving it more air time very soon.

Verdict: 8/10

Favorite tracks: Soak the Sin, Dear Ol' Dad (the guitar is something else!), No Rain, Holyman, Seed to a Tree

Reminds me of: Better Than Ezra, Gin Blossoms, (really early) Vertical Horizon


(Thanks for sharing an album I should have listened to years ago, @broken22! I look forward to giving it the time it deserves soon.)











blink-182: California

After really enjoying (except for some of the vocals) self-titled, I was very excited to hear their newest album. This is especially true since I was more likely to enjoy the vocals this time around. Also, one of my favorite musicians (David Hodges) helped co-write three of the tracks.

Just like on the first album of theirs that I heard, the instrumentation fantastic - the drums are stellar and the guitars are fantastic as well. I felt like this was a more "refined" sound than self-titled (not that self-titled didn't sound polished), so I found it to be more immediately accessible to me.

As usual, I'm not yet to the "analyze lyrics" stage, but the ones I did hear were enjoyable. The melodies were incredibly catchy, and I am very happy to report that I did find the vocals to be very enjoyable!

No major critiques here!

The album opens up with "Cynical," which let me know within seconds that I'd really enjoy this album. What awesome percussion! It's a very fast (and short) track, but it leaves a great impression. "Bored to Death" was a single and is another track that showcases the excellent drums (the toms that appear once in the pre-chorus are a nice touch). I really enjoyed the guitars on this incredibly catchy track, too - it was my first stand-out favorite! "She's Out of Her Mind" might have been the track that most reminded me of self-titled, with the melodies. I love the rhythm guitars and the bridge! "Los Angeles" is like a runaway train with a hint of...reggae (?) to it at times, and I love it (it's probably my top favorite)! Next up was "Sober," which felt a bit like a "throwback" track too, and it's very catchy! "Built This Pool" is...well, it's an interlude! Moving on... "No Future" is a pretty cool track that has some stellar guitar work. "Home Is Such a Lonely Place" is the first of three tracks co-written by David Hodges (the others are the following two tracks). Due to this, I was immediately drawn to it. It has such lovely acoustic guitars, and the melodies are so smooth. This is one of the tracks that really showcase the band's newer, more-refined sound (in my opinion). "Kings of the Weekend" starts out with a really cool drum intro and then the guitars and vocals come in prior to the (really catchy) chorus' arrival. There's some pretty cool guitar work on this one too! "Teenage Satellites" again has some pretty complicated (and awesome) drums. I really love the melodies here! "Left Alone" is a bit tame in comparison to the majority of the album (until the chorus), and I quite enjoyed the melodies once again. The bridge is really cool! "Rabbit Hole" is another "throwback" track in my mind. Aside from the vocals, it wouldn't feel out of place on self-titled. Lyrically, "San Diego" is about Tom, which makes a lot of sense now that I know that (thanks for the tip, Kevo!). Aside from that tidbit, it's a really cool track in general! I like the contrast between the verses and the chorus/bridge. The guitars reminded me of Anberlin a bit for some reason. "The Only Thing That Matters" is a really fast track (reminiscent of "Cynical") and was quite catchy! Next up was the title track, which is slower than the majority of the album. It has a really lovely and catchy melody. Also, it makes me think of the (many) favorite songs I have with the same title, which is never a bad thing. The lyrics really paint a picture! "Bohemian Rhapsody" closes the album out with a fast-paced interlude.

Verdict: 10/10

Favorite tracks: Cynical, Bored to Death, She's Out of Her Mind, Los Angeles, Home Is Such a Lonely Place, Kings of the Weekend, Teenage Satellites, San Diego, California (yes, over half the album)

Reminds me of: all things pop-punk



(Thanks for sharing this fantastic album! I'm stoked to have enjoyed it as much as I did!)














Taking Back Sunday: Tidal Wave

This album is my introduction to this band, so I was approaching it with no prior impressions or expectations. Well, I did know that this is one of Kevo's favorite bands, and he has yet to steer me wrong!

The instrumentation was awesome - I heard some fantastic guitar and drum work, with some variation in style that caught my attention throughout the album. (I was really impressed with the rhythm of the melodies, especially.) I even heard some piano and strings!

Without being able to discuss the lyrics in detail yet, I can at least mention that the lyrics I did catch were good. As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the melodies, and I quite enjoyed the vocals too (even though I've heard that they tend to be divisive).

No major critiques, again!

"Death Wolf" opens the album with an organ-like sound and some distortion. It's a really cool effect that allows the listener to prepare for what was to come next: a rather fast and powerful track with a strong, steady drum beat. The guitars and melodies were really enjoyable! Next up is the title track, which had an old-school (maybe 80s rock?) feel to it for some reason. I found it getting stuck in my head a lot, so that tells you just how catchy it is! "You Can't Look Back" reminds me of "Glycerine" by Bush at times. The vocals on this track really made me think of Ryan Star's vocals at times (he's a big favorite of mine), which is a great thing. I love the change of pace in this track - it might be my top favorite on the album! "Fences" begins with some gorgeous strings and then picks up with some awesome guitars and drums. This track has a bit of a folky feel to it (It reminds me of "People & Things" and "The Glass Passenger" (in places) by Jack's Mannequin, actually!), but the more classically-styled strings found their way back during the bridge. What a cool song! "All Excess" is another track that reminds me of 80s music for some reason, and the vocals remind me of Kevin Griffin from Better Than Ezra at times (the chorus)! That's pretty surreal, but very cool. "I Felt It Too" is a beautiful ballad, with stunning melodies and lyrics. "Call Come Running" picks the pace back up and once again revisits that "vintage" feeling, but probably more in the 90s alternative neighborhood this time. I love the pulsing bass drum and guitars! "Holy Water" starts out with some cool distorted guitars and builds to a huge chorus. This track reminds me of Journey, which is an awesome thing! "In the Middle of It All" is a faster track, with some big guitars and a catchy melody. The rhythm of the guitars reminds me of Anberlin in places. What a cool bridge! "We Don't Go in There" is a huge standout for me (again I hear Ryan Star in these vocals). It starts out really quietly and then takes off with some powerful guitars and drums. I just love it - the melodies are so catchy! This was the first track from this album to get stuck in my head. "Homecoming" is another track that starts out rather delicately, but instead of going the rock route, it ended up sounding more like a folk track. It's very cool - the drums are especially enjoyable! "I'll Find a Way to Make It What You Want" starts out with the music itself playing in reverse, which is pretty cool! There's also a bit of vocoder, too! Some piano gets added over the "reversed" music, while the gentle vocals continue. Distorted guitars find their way into the mix later on, as the song builds dynamically. It's the "riskiest" song on the album, and I love it for that reason - it's too cool! The "reversed" music returns as the song winds down. What an awesome closer!

Verdict: 10/10

Favorite tracks: Death Wolf, Tidal Wave, You Can't Look Back, Fences, I Felt It Too, Holy Water, In the Middle of It All, We Don't Go in There, I'll Find a Way to Make It What You Want (yes, over half the album)

Reminds me of: Bush, Jack's Mannequin, Ryan Star, Journey



(Thanks for sharing another great album - I was really impressed!)





Now it's time for me to really start digging into the most recent round's recommendations! I'll get them out ASAP,
@Larry David!

 

Wow, two perfect scores! I am beyond happy that you loved my two favorite 2016 albums!

 

I’ve been paired with @Larry David next week, he’s given me:

Cory Branan- Mutt
Spanish Love Songs- Schmaltz

And I’ve given him:

Tubelord - Our First American Friends
Butch Walker - Sycamore Meadows

 

That Spanish Love Songs album is excellent

@Larry David any other Butch Walker albums you haven’t heard?

 

hello I would like to unbench myself but if possible I would like to do one album per week rather than two

 

That’s completely fine! There aren’t any requirements for number of albums each week. I’ve been doing one album a week lately and I’ll tell my partner right up front that I prefer one album :)

 

I've actually only heard Stay Gold front to back. I really enjoy that record so I'm not sure why i didn't pursue his stuff further. They've been added to my library since then though haha

 

Welcome back! We just started a session, I’ll find you a partner

 

I can do a second album/partner if needed :)

 

I realized I accidentally forgot to give a partner to @JRGComedy . If he wants to pair with @nfdv2 he can. If not, you can!