The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 419

I think I might have to bail after this week. Turns out life/work is pretty busy.

 

No worries. That comes first.

 

Where are all the reviews at?!

 

I've contemplated doing this for a while and would actually be down considering work has been pretty slow recently, and I have some time to dive into albums. How do I go about joining?

 

Tomorrow for me, I've had a load of existing employees have to be re-trained but that's now finished! I'm liking this Ramona record though!!

 

Every Friday I will post random pair ups. So I will add you to this Friday?

 

Yep. Sounds good!

 

I’ll have a review up tomorrow, I want to cram a couple more listens in before writing it up

 

This week I listened to Biffy Clyro’s Only Revolutions, assigned by @nickyeatworld
I’d never listened to Biffy before, admittedly because I always thought the name was silly and assumed they had a punk-ish sound I dont usually care for. That said, I know they’ve got some dedicated fans around here so I went in open minded and I’m quite pleased I did bc I actually liked this record quite a bit! I don’t have too much to say unfortunately (sorry, Nicky!) because I didn’t get to listen as much as I’d have liked, busy week and whatnot, but I do have some positive impressions. The vocals at times reminded me of frank turner, or maybe what I want out of frank turner, and the guitars were a lot more variable and fun than the breed of punk I expected the band to be. Apple Music describes it as punk aggression fused with prog rock ambition and I think that’s actually a pretty fair description. i don’t listen to a lot of punk but I found this record pretty accessible and really catchy. Favorite track is probably Know Your Quarry. Wish I had more to say atm but I’ll be sure to give it more listens, I’m glad I got this pick. The CMCS reboot is off to a good start, thanks for the rec!

 

Yeah, anyone i get paired with, there is no rush to post reviews. Post it in a day or a week or a month, I am not fussed. Just whenever you have the time

 

I have never listened to Ramona before so when Deals, Deals, Deals was offered a few of you were quick to rally behind @Kiana and this recommendation. It’s actually a surprising release and I’m surprised I never listened before. They have the hooking songs and the lyrics to make it more than just a record. It’s a great addition to the punk music scene and whilst Ramona try to be different, there’s a natural throwback to the genre and the record rightly flows. Deals x3 is record that knows what it needs to be, full of power chords and duel vocals that capture a raw, yet comfortable, tone.
“Jet Fuel Can’t Melt Steel Hearts” is the album’s opening song that is delivered with such gusto that the hooks it hits you with is both meaty and thoughtful. The song’s drumming is used dynamically that it can be considered insistent and energetic.
The lyrical perspective of Ramona is direct and the two vocalists provide a grail structure of singalongs and highlights. “Not Your Token” is a great example of the exciting shredding combination that feels like one giant chorus. “We’ll make a difference, we’ll make it better with or without you” is the catching line for this punk album.
Deals, Deals, Deals is a highlight for me. It’s a frank, self-perception of uncomfortable thrill with a combination of talk therapy and fear that pulls you into the genre. It’s filled with traumatic songs that make it an involving listen. The lyric “you can build your own family, be the person you wanna be” is the vehicle for the bull**** that Ramona try to finesse and it cements this as one of the best records I’ve heard all year

 

Great reviews @disambigujason and @GBlades

That Ramona album sounds good, I'll have to check that out when I get a chance. As for Biffy if you want to delve further into their back catalogue @disambigujason hit me up and I'll suggest where's best to go depending on your tastes, as they've got a fair few albums now and they differ quite a bit depending which era you go for.

 

Macseal - Super Enthusiast (2019)



So @SamLevi11 gave me Super Enthusiast, the debut album from Macseal, that actually came out last Friday (the day he rec'd me this).

Macseal are a emo band from Long Island that have emerged from the emo revival scene that's been kicking off in the last few years. They've released a couple of EP's prior to this release, one of which "Yeah, I Know" I'd previously heard (and enjoyed) so I kind of knew what I was in for with this.

So I really enjoyed this album, it was a little more polished than the ep I'd previously heard and felt a little more subdued at first, so it took me a few listens before it properly clicked with me. Once it did though I really enjoyed it, it's got that 90's throwback twinkly guitars throughout that I adore and some really cool math rock moments to it too. While I enjoy the songs on this that go a bit harder like Nothing's a Sure Thing, Shelly and Safe Spot, it's really it's more mellow moments that shine for me. One of which is my favourite song on the album in Upside Down Again, which has that whole American Football vibe going on, and seems like a real self reflective song.

Anyways thanks for this rec @SamLevi11 this was a great album to get for my first week back in CMCS. I'll definitely be going back to this and keeping an eye on what this band does next.

Favourite Tracks: Upside Down Again, Nothing's a Sure Thing, Shelly, Graduating Steps
RIYL: Barely March, Oso, Oso, American Football

 

I was paired up with @cshadows2887 and he recommended Open Book, the debut album by country/pop/alternative singer Kalie Shorr.



The tattered and hectic nature of the cover art does a pretty good job encapsulating the themes of the album, as does the first line of opener "Too Much to Say": "I've never been worse, thanks for asking / Is it making you nervous, all this honesty?" This song is a great mission statement for the album with a big-time pop hook, a mix of rock and country instrumentation, and confessional lyricism. Throughout the 13 tracks of the album, Shorr lays bare her own issues in a candid and empowering manner. She also tackles the demons of her friends, family, and admittedly shitty ex-boyfriends ("I don't really like dating assholes, but I do it cuz I have a weird relationship with my dad" she declares to kick off late-album standout "Gatsby") that have shaped her life experiences thus far.

Single "F U Forever" is a powerful kiss-off to an ex and probably contains Shore's most impassioned vocal delivery here. Closer "Angry Butterfly" has some grunge influence with distorted guitars that somehow pair very effectively with banjo picking in the chorus. However, for all of Shorr's sarcasm and wit she also has some beautifully-written and heart-wrenching ballads on this album. On "Escape," Shorr details leaving a home where she was surrounded by escapist habits including addiction and self-harm.

"The World Keeps Spinning" is the emotional center of the album, where Shorr addresses her sister's death from a drug overdose. She uses some incredible imagery in the chorus to show how everything keeps moving even when it feels like your world is crashing down: "The sky didn't even have the decency to cry / And that damn sun still found a way to shine / When my heartache's hitting / I think it's kind of cruel that the world keeps spinning." In the bridge, she drops my favorite lyric of the album, "I drove by a wedding on the way to your funeral / And I bet the bride was happy that the weather was beautiful." This is such great songwriting and perfectly encapsulates how everyone is going through their own ups and downs in life at any given time. It's a sentiment I've been thinking about even when I'm not listening to the album.

My favorite run on here is on the back half of the album from "Gatsby" through "Lullaby." "Gatsby" is upbeat and fun (despite the subject matter), and is followed by "Thank God You're a Man," which is unique on this album for Shorr's lower-register soulful vocal delivery. "Vices" and "Lullaby" are two of the more alternative rock-influenced tracks on the album.

I told @cshadows2887 that I've been getting more into the country/pop genre recently and he really hit it out of the park with this recommendation. I will be returning to this album often and I wouldn't be surprised if it makes a late run for my EOTY list!

 

Great review! I definitely understand the sentiment that sometimes we have to look at someone and realize that on the surface they may be ok but inside they could be dealing with a whole host of issues.

 

Great review and I really enjoyed it as well!

 

Great review, I’ve also been getting into a lot of country/pop sort of stuff to the last few years so this seems very much my thing.

 

This week @jorbjorb gave me The Days We Had by Day Wave. The only credited member of Day Wave is singer and multi-instrumentalist Jackson Phillips, who plays every part on The Days We Had and only enlists a backing band for live shows. Phillips’s many talents are on display here as he mixes lush guitar and synth tones with driving indie rock beats. The sonic results land somewhere between The Shins and Bloc Party’s mellower side. My personal highlight comes early on: The pulsating groove and soaring chorus of the album’s opening track “Something Here” remind me of my favorite Jealous Sound songs.

I’ve been putting this on a lot in the background this week while working, and it’s always a pleasant, relaxing listen. It’s easy to nod along to, but there’s more than enough going on for close listening as well.

Excited to be part of the club going forward!

 

Nice review man!

 

Definitely check out the album before, Puzzle. It came after the singer lost his mother and some of the songs on that album are unbelievably touching (Folding Stars and Machines), whilst it also has Living Is A Problem which is an insane opener. It's also a slightly more interesting album I think.

Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I also found "Nothing's A Sure Thing, Shelly" and "Graduating Steps" to be my favourite songs, but I have found there isn't really a song I don't enjoy on this.

Just got to wait for them to come over the UK so I can see them now.

 

I definitely got a Spanish Love Songs vibe from this.

 

Thanks, it's good to get back into the rhythm and there's been a lot of music recently that just need to be shared, Biffy a great local (Ayr) band and my story is that they were doing a gig in Glasgow at the SECC and I was at the front rocking my fucking socks off. Got a nasty push and twinge on my eye, Simon Neils guitar string snapped and got me right in the face! Same at Twin Atlantc in Edinburgh when they done a stage dive basically took out my whole shoulder. Actually became pretty good friends with Sam McTrusty after that,

The country pop intrigues me so any more recs on those would be great, too! Never mind listened to a few and this is really pop-country!

Spanish Loves Songs! I knew there was something it reminds me of but missed that opportunity.

 

This is the list of people I have that are interested. Final count will be by midnight EST.
@Petit nain des Îles
@Michael Schmidt
@Chase Tremaine
@nickyeatworld
@troyplaysbass
@GBlades
@cshadows2887
@SamLevi11
@ugman_2000
@Patterns in Traffic
@disambigujason
@summertimejesus
@Micool1
@broken22
@edisnfg
@swboyd
@BTDandFeelingThis

Just confirming these people for the next round starting tomorrow. I will make the cut off at midnight EST.