The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 378

They're working on a new album, and still on Vagrant! Glad you enjoyed the record!

 

Yo, who here do I owe album reviews? I've been super busy lately (it was my birthday this weekend and I've had job interviews and stuff for my current work) so I've lost track of what I reviewed and what I didn't.

 

Another excellent review! I think you really hit the nail on the head, once again. So glad you enjoyed it!

 

I’m sure you’re not the only one who’s forgotten!

Post the list @anonimito !

 

The last album @anonimito gave me was sort of a "half" album as we gave each other EP's for our third trade and is:

Olafur Arnalds: Living Room Songs (2011) Erased Tapes

Olafur Arnalds is an Icelandic multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer. I am no stranger to his work and reviewed his beautiful album, For Now I Am Winter, previously. Unlike that album that is very dense, orchestral, electronic and grand, this "album" is very stripped down and almost minimalist in nature but for good reason. Olafur, despite how amazing he already is, likes to constantly challenge himself, so he decided to write, record and produce seven songs in the span of seven days. These were all done in the comfort of his living room apartment, hence the title of the album. If this weren't enough, he decided to record it all on video and release it to the public for free after it was finished to allow his listeners to experience it along with him. (In lieu of the album cover I decided to include the video so people could watch and listen along.) This does not have the grand production of For Now I am Winter but still feels beautiful with a majority of the album only being Olafur and his piano. In the video that is included you can see the various musicians he recruited to help him create this masterpiece. As I mentioned, the whole thing feels so stripped down and pure. Even the violins and other instruments feel as if they are vulnerable while also perfectly placed. The two songs that bookend the album are the most ambitious and are also the longest, while my favorite song is Lag Fyrir Ommu, which translates to "For My Grandmother" a song which he dedicated to his late grandmother. It just feels so real and you can see the pain on his face while he plays it.

Often times we need artists like Olafur to bring us back down to earth after hearing so many amazingly produced and dense albums. We are literally witnessing pure artistic talent and that is not something that can be doctored up in a studio. I truly felt at peace listening to this and would do it many times over as the whole album is less than 25 minutes. I can't say enough about how amazing this is and thank you @anonimito for giving me the opportunity to review it.

Favorite Songs:
Fyrsta (First)
Lag Fyrir Ommu
This Place is a Shelter

RIYL:
Classical
Pianists

 

I wish I could, but I'm about a month behind in updating the spreadsheet. (Work will settle down a bit in a few weeks, so I'll remedy this before autumn arrives...) Also, if the album assignments weren't announced, they wouldn't be included in the spreadsheet. Sorry!

I'd recommend going back through the assignment posts by @Bad Frequencies and then going through DMs to track down the actual albums. Wish I could help more!

 

Fantastic review! I agree completely - this is the kind of album that just takes you to another place. I'm so very happy that you enjoyed it!

 

It’s ok - I know who owes me reviews

 

@Patterns in Traffic and I traded recently and they gave me:

Oh, Weatherly: Lips Like Oxygen (2018) Hopeless Records




Oh, Weatherly are a rock band from Dallas, Texas that formed in 2015 and this is their first official
full length for Hopeless Records after releasing a couple of EP's and going through some member changes. Musically the band is one of those that tow the line between alt rock and pop punk much like Mayday Parade or Sparks the Rescue. Actually, the record was co-produced by Mayday Parade drummer Jake Bundrick. Front man Blake Roses is extremely energetic while the bands shifts seamlessly between pop punk jams and alt rock ballads. Lyrically, the album is a deeply personal one for Blake. It was written in the wake of his fathers passing leaving him to raise his younger sister. On top of this, he was trying to cope with a failed engagement. He used these experiences and put them all into the energy to create the record we have now. In his own words: “This album is a tribute to the lessons I have learned and to the people who mean/meant most to me,” “I do not regret anything I have done in my life and would not take back a single thing. I would not have made it here without these experiences driving me. That being said, I no longer expect anything from anyone but myself.” These are very wise words from a person so young, but sometimes tragedy can force us to grow up very quickly. Unlike most pop punk bands, the topics discussed are not always cliché and feel almost like life lessons. At only 34 minutes in length the album flies by and there is not a bad song on the album. It is also extremely catchy and you will be singing along by the time the album is done. I will be spinning this quite a bit and once again I can't wait to see where it falls on my EOTY list. Thanks @Patterns in Traffic !

RIYL:
Mayday Parade
Sparks the Rescue

Favorite Songs:
Not a bad one in the bunch so check them all out!

 

Glad you enjoyed it! I need to spend some more time with this myself but I had a feeling early on that it would be something you'd dig!

 

Just Friends review coming soon, sorry for the wait.

 

Yeah I should have my review of Earth Crisis for Nate up either today or tomorrow too.

 

@Patterns in Traffic other recommendation for is:
The Maple State: The Things I Heard at the Party (2018) Far Out Records



The Maple State are rock band out of Canada...oh, wait Manchester, England (looking at you Boston Manor) and this is their first record in 10 years! Let me start off by saying I am so glad that they decided to come back together and write this record. Their last EP, Say, Scientist was released in 2008 and is more reminiscent of The Get Up Kids while this record is so much more. Musically, they mix alt rock, folk, Americana and indie rock and it works so well because each song is unique yet feeling so close to home. The guitar work at times almost reminds me of shoe gaze or dream pop because of how jangly they sound while the bass and drum work is just fantastic and just keeps the band dialed in. Vocally, lead vocalist, Greg, alternates between singing and almost spoken word but it works so well and it matches the rhythm of the band perfectly. While lyrically, it matches the time the band had off and speaks of meeting up with friends and talking about the old days. There is not a bad song on this record and the band mixes it up enough to keep it fresh. I couldn't help but think about the amazing record that Shame put out at the beginning of the year and how this is right up there with it.

Favorite Songs:
The Things I Heard at the Party
Something in the Water
Winner
The Motorbike and the Closest of Calls

(It changes almost every time I listen)


RIYL:
Alt rock
Americana
Dream Pop
Folk
Indie Rock
Shoe gaze

Side note: Everyone needs to stop giving me such fantastic recommendations because you are making my EOTY of the year list almost impossible!

 

I definitely need the check this one out. Sounds fantastic

 

Glad you liked this! It really took me by surprise after knowing nothing about them going into my first listens. I think it says a lot that my three favorite songs aren't included in the four favorites you mentioned. Lots of variety and quality on this album!

 

Listening to it again now because it's been a few weeks. Groovin'

Actually his more speaking-style delivery reminds me a lot of Craig Finn/The Hold Steady at times.

 

Oh shit "Something in the Water" is better than I remember.

Certified slapper (am I using this right?)

 

@teebs41

 

IT SLAPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We have a ruling: "Slaps" as a descriptor shall not be nounified

 

I brought in @teebs41 as a subject matter expert.

 

I will use slaps but not in my reviews as per an agreement with @Larry David

 

I was gonna say slapper definitely has other meanings haha (at least it does here in the uk).

 

I believe Boston Manor are named after the London Tube Station of the same name. Or maybe the English North East town of Boston :)

Anyway, good rec, I need to listen to this for sure.