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the_eggwhiteA bit more back-filling, starting back in the Bs. As usual, I'm trying to comment live as I go... and I may well be doing other things at the same time. This means I might not notice titles of songs or whatnot... so I'll just give an overall vibe and call out song titles as I go.
Black Mountain - Black Mountain
Opener "Modern Music" is a pretty upbeat, catchy number which I like a lot more than I'd previously remembered. Which bodes well. In general, this album reminds me a fair bit of early Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath... but with a little less of Led Zep's folkyness (yes folks, listen to some early Led Zep and you'll find it remarkably folky) and a little less of Black Sabbath's doominess. "Druganaut" follows up the old-school vibe, leaning a little more into stoner-rock territory but keeping the early heavy-metal vibe there as well.
"Set Us Free" brings the pace down, but still keeps things moving with some good (and quite unusually low key) guitar solos... after which "No Hits" brings the pace nicely back up again, and it takes a turn for the psychedelic and strange... making the song kick in in a way that I really didn't expect. It works, though, so they pulled it off nicely.
Finisher "Faulty Times" is a slow, crawling number that constantly feels like it ought to kick in soon. Every now and then it feels like it's about to... and then it slips back down to the slow buildup again... only finally really kicking out at the end.
I'd guess there's some occasional vocal similarities with Kings of Leon, too... but don't let that stop you. Kings of Leon annoy the shit out of me and the singer's voice makes me want to strangle somebody (preferably him), but this lot don't do that to me at all.
Verdict: Keep
Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
This one's new to me - I didn't know it existed until I replaced the previous album. So I thought I'd pick it up and see how it did. I'm giving it the proper pscyhedelic treatment, too. I'm listening with my room illuminated only by my psychedelic colour changing lights and the screen.
So far, it's doing pretty well. "The Hair Song" is a good strong, rocky number to open with... and the vocals are a lot cleaner than before. They're a little less nasal and whiney, which is a big step up. It seems that they're being a little more adventurous, and they're finally letting Amber Webber cut loose a bit of the vocals - almost being a second lead rather than backing. Maybe she's just more confident than before, or the mix is different... but I notice her voice more. She's a lot clearer and stronger voiced than on the previous albums.
"Old Fangs" is already cementing itself as a favourite - a good strong, solid song. Slower number "Radiant Heart" is sticking in my head without grating on me too.
I think at this point, just three songs in, I've decided this album was worth the money. It'd have to really go out of it's way to cock things up after what I've heard so far, and if it did, well, there's already three good songs that I can hive off to mp3.
I'm going to lie back and listen now, only commenting if something really stands out.
Or at least, that was the plan. The intro of "Rollercoaster" put paid to that idea. I wasn't immediately convinced by where it goes right after that intro, they bring it round again pretty sharpish. "Let Spirits Ride" picks that up and runs with it, delivering a good, old fashioned classic rock sound mixed in with a more modern feel. I think this one might turn into a bit of a favourite.
So far, I think this is the album where Black Mountain really find themselves as a band. I'm sure other folks would disagree and say it's where they lost their way... but right here, right now, my opinion's the one that matters.
Also, I wouldn't have said so from their sound, but they clearly prog. Why are they prog? Because there's a mellotron in there, and they only ever come out for prog bands.
Verdict: Very Definitely Keep
Celldweller - Celldweller
Changing the style up a bit this time to something a bit more industrial / electronic / rocky. This is good stuff. I'm not going to dwell on this one too much as there's quite a lot of it and it's in my "stompy, get shit done playlist" at work for when I need to blot out the outside world and just push through distractions. It works pretty well for that.
"Switchback", "Stay With Me (Unlikely)", "Frozen", "Afraid This Time" and "Own Little World" are the songs that leap out at me as instantly recognisable.
Verdict: Keep
Choke The Word - Enjoy The Parade
I picked this one up via a kickstarter run by the bassist, who I'm kind of vaguely aware of via rpg.net. I'd heard some of his bass work around the place a few times before the album arrived, and I'm always a fan of good bassists, so picking this up was a no brainer. Some of the rest of the album isn't quite my style, and I think that the mix could possibly have dome with moving the violin and the vocals back a little... but that's just my personal taste. Even with those quirks it's a good first album.
Standouts for me are "Cerrado", "Gilgamesh", "In June", "Sod" and "Horsemen"
Verdict: Keep
Coheed & Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Muscally, I love these guys. They're awesome on so many counts. Vocally, occasionally they're okay... the rest of the time it's like having midgets following me around and stabbing my toes with sharpened walruses. By which I mean it's weird as hell and fairly unpleasant. I want to love them, and occasioanally I manage it... then the guys opens his mouth just that little bit too much and goes a little too high pitched...
The title track is pretty awesome, and I can tolerate his singing for most of it. This was, I believe, the track that made me notice the band and buy the CD. After that... I'm less keen. There are good songs where I can tolerate his voice... but they're outnumbered.
Standouts (in a good way) that didn't make me skip them "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3", "Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)", "The Crowing", "Blood Red Summer"...
Hang on a minute. I'm listing most of the songs. Damnit. I think I might be keeping this one after all.
Against it, though, the singer has scary hair... and that's me saying that.
Verdict: Keep, I think. Probably. Although I may change my mind.
Right... now I'm back up to date and on track. More should follow at some point.
Black Mountain - Black Mountain
Opener "Modern Music" is a pretty upbeat, catchy number which I like a lot more than I'd previously remembered. Which bodes well. In general, this album reminds me a fair bit of early Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath... but with a little less of Led Zep's folkyness (yes folks, listen to some early Led Zep and you'll find it remarkably folky) and a little less of Black Sabbath's doominess. "Druganaut" follows up the old-school vibe, leaning a little more into stoner-rock territory but keeping the early heavy-metal vibe there as well.
"Set Us Free" brings the pace down, but still keeps things moving with some good (and quite unusually low key) guitar solos... after which "No Hits" brings the pace nicely back up again, and it takes a turn for the psychedelic and strange... making the song kick in in a way that I really didn't expect. It works, though, so they pulled it off nicely.
Finisher "Faulty Times" is a slow, crawling number that constantly feels like it ought to kick in soon. Every now and then it feels like it's about to... and then it slips back down to the slow buildup again... only finally really kicking out at the end.
I'd guess there's some occasional vocal similarities with Kings of Leon, too... but don't let that stop you. Kings of Leon annoy the shit out of me and the singer's voice makes me want to strangle somebody (preferably him), but this lot don't do that to me at all.
Verdict: Keep
Black Mountain - Wilderness Heart
This one's new to me - I didn't know it existed until I replaced the previous album. So I thought I'd pick it up and see how it did. I'm giving it the proper pscyhedelic treatment, too. I'm listening with my room illuminated only by my psychedelic colour changing lights and the screen.
So far, it's doing pretty well. "The Hair Song" is a good strong, rocky number to open with... and the vocals are a lot cleaner than before. They're a little less nasal and whiney, which is a big step up. It seems that they're being a little more adventurous, and they're finally letting Amber Webber cut loose a bit of the vocals - almost being a second lead rather than backing. Maybe she's just more confident than before, or the mix is different... but I notice her voice more. She's a lot clearer and stronger voiced than on the previous albums.
"Old Fangs" is already cementing itself as a favourite - a good strong, solid song. Slower number "Radiant Heart" is sticking in my head without grating on me too.
I think at this point, just three songs in, I've decided this album was worth the money. It'd have to really go out of it's way to cock things up after what I've heard so far, and if it did, well, there's already three good songs that I can hive off to mp3.
I'm going to lie back and listen now, only commenting if something really stands out.
Or at least, that was the plan. The intro of "Rollercoaster" put paid to that idea. I wasn't immediately convinced by where it goes right after that intro, they bring it round again pretty sharpish. "Let Spirits Ride" picks that up and runs with it, delivering a good, old fashioned classic rock sound mixed in with a more modern feel. I think this one might turn into a bit of a favourite.
So far, I think this is the album where Black Mountain really find themselves as a band. I'm sure other folks would disagree and say it's where they lost their way... but right here, right now, my opinion's the one that matters.
Also, I wouldn't have said so from their sound, but they clearly prog. Why are they prog? Because there's a mellotron in there, and they only ever come out for prog bands.
Verdict: Very Definitely Keep
Celldweller - Celldweller
Changing the style up a bit this time to something a bit more industrial / electronic / rocky. This is good stuff. I'm not going to dwell on this one too much as there's quite a lot of it and it's in my "stompy, get shit done playlist" at work for when I need to blot out the outside world and just push through distractions. It works pretty well for that.
"Switchback", "Stay With Me (Unlikely)", "Frozen", "Afraid This Time" and "Own Little World" are the songs that leap out at me as instantly recognisable.
Verdict: Keep
Choke The Word - Enjoy The Parade
I picked this one up via a kickstarter run by the bassist, who I'm kind of vaguely aware of via rpg.net. I'd heard some of his bass work around the place a few times before the album arrived, and I'm always a fan of good bassists, so picking this up was a no brainer. Some of the rest of the album isn't quite my style, and I think that the mix could possibly have dome with moving the violin and the vocals back a little... but that's just my personal taste. Even with those quirks it's a good first album.
Standouts for me are "Cerrado", "Gilgamesh", "In June", "Sod" and "Horsemen"
Verdict: Keep
Coheed & Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Muscally, I love these guys. They're awesome on so many counts. Vocally, occasionally they're okay... the rest of the time it's like having midgets following me around and stabbing my toes with sharpened walruses. By which I mean it's weird as hell and fairly unpleasant. I want to love them, and occasioanally I manage it... then the guys opens his mouth just that little bit too much and goes a little too high pitched...
The title track is pretty awesome, and I can tolerate his singing for most of it. This was, I believe, the track that made me notice the band and buy the CD. After that... I'm less keen. There are good songs where I can tolerate his voice... but they're outnumbered.
Standouts (in a good way) that didn't make me skip them "In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3", "Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)", "The Crowing", "Blood Red Summer"...
Hang on a minute. I'm listing most of the songs. Damnit. I think I might be keeping this one after all.
Against it, though, the singer has scary hair... and that's me saying that.
Verdict: Keep, I think. Probably. Although I may change my mind.
Right... now I'm back up to date and on track. More should follow at some point.
