Album Club Review - ????

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1964white
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Album Club Review - ????

Post by 1964white »

Right here we go with a new topic that everyone who loves their music can get involved in.
I know we have at least fifteen members play the music polls & also some who don't participate, the likes of Dalton, Swannie, Rat, SG, Cjay plus others have all expressed they enjoy music so anyone who wishes to join in please do !

Anyway I'm looking at running this topic similar to a book review club but in this case a 'album club' which hopefully will stir up much discussion.

Rules

One of our members choose two of their favourite albums ( I suggest one of the two not too obscure).

The rest of us listen to the two chosen albums via our collections/spotify/youtube or whatever streaming service you use.

We then post up our opinions/review the two selected albums :
Whether you like/dislike
Favourite songs
Comparisons
Ratings out of five
Feel free to discuss varied reviews
No youtube clips please, this topic is for discussion only

Once the interest for the two albums in question has faded, another member chooses their two albums for review

So who is first with their two albums ?
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Muppet the Cat
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by Muppet the Cat »

OK, I'll kick-off 64

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood

Thoughts ?!?!?!? :) :moggy:
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by 1964white »

Cat up first with his two albums for everyone to give a listen & review accordingly

Thank you Cat :tup:
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by The Subhuman »

erm.....not sure what to post tbh
"Never debate an idiot, they'll only drag you down to their level and they have the advantage of experience"
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by 1964white »

faaip wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 7:21 pm erm.....not sure what to post tbh
Just post up your thoughts on this weeks albums suggested by Cat birthday boy :)
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by Irish Ian »

Muppet the Cat wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2019 6:48 pm OK, I'll kick-off 64

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood

Thoughts ?!?!?!? :) :moggy:
You do mean the original Sabbath Album? There is a deluxe version which is more of a compilation...

In any case I am in.

Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that p,or destruction
Sorcerers of deaths construction
In the fields the bodies burning
As the war machine keeps turning
.

Now where is my spotify password..
'
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Re: Album Club Review

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Black Sabbath 'Paranoid'

On just their second album, mere months after their debut in 1970, Black Sabbath crushed the sophomore jinx with a hammer of sludge and metal, doom and gloom, and utter head-banging glory called 'Paranoid' which was a No.1 album for the band

Why did so many 70's bands have to include a drum solo on their albums. I recall at concerts the sniff of a drum solo use to send me scuttling to the bar or to the loo when nature called :roflmao:

Favourite tracks

'Planet Caravan' gives the air of something you'd hear in a hippie commune

'Paranoid' is a song one can never tire of hearing, it was written in less than half an hour as a filler song for the album & then became a huge top 5 hit, Sabbath's only top 20 song.

'War Pigs' Iommi's iconic guitar riff & the instrumental is sublime

Rating

:star: :star: :star: :star:
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Re: Album Club Review

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Manic Street Preachers 'Lifeblood'

Never been a fan of MSP's music so I approached this album with trepidation. I always give albums I haven't heard previously the obligatory minimum of three listens, well I didn't need three plays with this one I loved Lifeblood immediately. Where did this MSP sound come from ? it's pure pop-rock with a cluster of songs that stick in your memory cells several hours later, I was humming their songs in the shower this morning :-D
Apparently the Manics didn't like this album :shock:

Favourite songs

I Live To Fall Asleep
Always/Never
Emily
A Song For Departure
Cardiff Afterlife

Rating

:star: :star: :star: :star:

Thank you Cat :tup: another album on my wants list, to arrive here soon as it's going cheap on Amazon
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Re: Album Club Review

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Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Never been a fan of early British metal, Ozzie's voice is like fingernails on a Chalkboard for me and his delivery leaves me cold. I've never owned it and would never have any interest in doing so. I suppose for 1970 it was an eyeopener but it was dated by the mid seventies and I can't stand the forced prog style lyrics

Favourite Songs

I can tolerate Paranoid if I hear it once a year, that's about it

:star:
Last edited by The Subhuman on Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Album Club Review

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1964white wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:20 pm Manic Street Preachers 'Lifeblood'

Never been a fan of MSP's music so I approached this album with trepidation. I always give albums I haven't heard previously the obligatory minimum of three listens, well I didn't need three plays with this one I loved Lifeblood immediately. Where did this MSP sound come from ? it's pure pop-rock with a cluster of songs that stick in your memory cells several hours later, I was humming their songs in the shower this morning :-D
Apparently the Manics didn't like this album :shock:

Favourite songs

I Live To Fall Asleep
Always/Never
Emily
A Song For Departure
Cardiff Afterlife

Rating

:star: :star: :star: :star:

Thank you Cat :tup: another album on my wants list, to arrive here soon as it's going cheap on Amazon
I seemed to recall you saying previously on one of the threads that you weren't at all keen on the MSP's 64 and the fact that any SotD nominations I've put forward haven't done very well that others were of the same opinion. Which is to an extent why I put it forward, rather than a 'safe' choice most people would like.

They are a marmite band and I think their politics put some off - albeit at least they have an opinion and something to say, whether you agree or not. Also Nicky Wire prancing around in a dress, what's all that about ?!?!? (apparently he was a very good footballer as a youngster - offered trials by Div1/Prem teams (might have been Arsenal and/or Chelsea/Spurs ?)

I must confess that other than the odd track I'm not a fan at all of MSPs early albums (Generation Terrorists, Gold Against The Soul and especially The Holy Bible), in fact most of the stuff with Richey Edwards to be honest. I only really started listening to them from Everything Must Go onwards.

Like them or not I think you have to admire them as a band as they don't play safe and make albums that sound the same one after another, albeit that's not to say that some are any good (wasn't overly impressed with more recent albums like Rewind The Film and Futurology).

Lifeblood is by far my favourite (with tracks like A Song For Departure, Always/Never and Solitude Sometimes Is standouts IMO) Manics album, albeit many MSP fans think it's one of their worst and much prefer the depressing sound of earlier stuff on the likes of The Holy Bible.

After Lifeblood I'd go for Postcards From A Young Man, Know Your Enemy and Send Away The Tigers.

I'd also thoroughly recommend James Dean Bradfield's 2006 solo album The Great Western (unlike Nicky Wire's 2006 solo effort, I Killed The Zeitgeist, which is rubbish, IMO).

Anyway glad you liked it 64 :moggy:
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Re: Album Club Review

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Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood

I struggled with this, I don't do well with Brit Pop to start with. MSP not at all. One of those albums I reckon that are a dime a dozen play once leave on the shelf ...I own a few of those. No stand out track by the time I got to Emily I'm wondering if this keeps going downwards in quality as every track seems to be worse than the previous. I love albums that are well put together, thoughtful and take you for a bit of a ride...Reminds me of the Doves Kingdom of Rust without the high spots.

I'm not sure I should be posting negative reviews as it may not be in the spirit of the forum which is why I posted the earlier post.

Best songs ..Maybe Empty Souls which has a semi interesting break, but it's lost in a sea of bland. IMO


:star: :star: - Because it's not bad or annoying just there's too much like it and outside of a handful of bands, guitar based bands originality died years ago
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Re: Album Club Review

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faaip wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:15 pm Black Sabbath - Paranoid

Never been a fan of early British metal, Ozzie's voice is like fingernails on a Chalkboard for me and his delivery leaves me cold. I've never owned it and would never have any interest in doing so. I suppose for 1970 it was an eyeopener but it was dated by the mid seventies and I can't stand the forced prog style ltrics

Favourite Songs

I can tolerate Paranoid if I hear it once a year, that's about it

:star:
Only :star: :shock: :shock: :shock: for one of my Top 10 albums of all time

I guess boring if we all liked the same though faaip :moggy:
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Re: Album Club Review

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Muppet the Cat wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:41 pm Only :star: :shock: :shock: :shock: for one of my Top 10 albums of all time

I guess boring if we all liked the same though faaip :moggy:
Apologies ...I'm frowned upon in my circles too don't worry. I say I don't like Black Sabbath/Deep Purple very much and folks look at me as if I'm retarded. Probably is me tbf

It doesn't take much to ruin music for me and in this case I really can't stand Ozzies voice ..and those awful lyrics. The worst thing about a lot of Prog and Heavy Metal are the lyrics ..

At least now I can say I've heard the album right through once

If you want me to say something nice about the Manics ..I can, So much better than Oasis
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Re: Album Club Review

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Post negative if that is what you think Faaip...

I know I will :)
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Re: Album Club Review

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faaip wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:39 pm Manic Street Preachers - Lifeblood

I struggled with this, I don't do well with Brit Pop to start with. MSP not at all. One of those albums I reckon that are a dime a dozen play once leave on the shelf ...I own a few of those. No stand out track by the time I got to Emily I'm wondering if this keeps going downwards in quality as every track seems to be worse than the previous. I love albums that are well put together, thoughtful and take you for a bit of a ride...Reminds me of the Doves Kingdom of Rust without the high spots.

I'm not sure I should be posting negative reviews as it may not be in the spirit of the forum which is why I posted the earlier post.

Best songs ..Maybe Empty Souls which has a semi interesting break, but it's lost in a sea of bland. IMO


:star: :star: - Because it's not bad or annoying just there's too much like it and outside of a handful of bands, guitar based bands originality died years ago
In all honesty I wasn't expecting any/many positive views for the MSPs

Honest views are appreciated though :moggy:
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Re: Album Club Review

Post by Haighy »

Paranoid... love it.
Still got it on vinyl. Love it and unlike faaip Ozzy's voice is ok. Nothing special but you know who it is as soon as you hear it.
Great, probably the first heavy metal band.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Re: Album Club Review

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Overall I like this Album.


Paranoid. How can you sit through that and not get the head moving??? Plus the fact it was recorded in one take. I had a Sabbath compilation and it was ran right into Iron Man. Awesome

War Pigs, those sirens get me every time. Anarchy. I can see the Fog of War. And the Riffing... alongside Ozzys accusatory lyrics. Precision drum and bass when Iommi gives us his best Hendrix licks.. Menacing.. Sinister. Subversive. My Fave Sabbath track

Planet Caravan Sounds like Ozzy is submerged under the sea. Eastern influences. Sounds like Someone nicked their big sisters Santana LP. Experimental track.

Iron Man Intro sounds like the Martians have landed. Riffing. Ozzys manic voice chimes in. Rhyming lyrics. And those drums. One of those tunes you dont know wether to headbang to the guitar or the drums.. Then the descent into mayhem drums, bass, guitar.
then finally SILENCE.
My second fave track on this album after Warpigs.

Electric Funeral. I used to look on this as a filler track. It is a real plodder. Lyrically heavy -- images of desolation. Doom, Then the tempo changes, jazzy beats, Schizoid... then back to the slogging, plodding funeral procession. then drift away to the grave...

Hand of Doom Never took to this track. Drugs, oblivion. Ozzies demons all lined up in a row.

Rat Salad A fiddly wee track that I never saw the point of. Filler tune imo. Time for Geezer to show off his stickmanship.. Yawn.

Fairies Wear Boots
Never a fan. Musically it cant seem to make up its mind what direction it is going it is all over the place. I think Ozzy just came up with a good title and wouldnt give up until he had a song. I do like the guitar work though. Especially when Tony bend the neck of the guitar to get that wanging sound. Not the best tune to end the album on.

Top 3
War Pigs
Iron Man
Paranoid

Worst
Rat Salad

:star: :star: :star: :star:

I will do the other one later.

MSP were never on my playlist but I look forward to giving it a spin.
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Re: Album Club Review

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Irish Ian wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 8:58 pm
War Pigs, those sirens get me every time. Anarchy. I can see the Fog of War. And the Riffing... alongside Ozzys accusatory lyrics. Precision drum and bass when Iommi gives us his best Hendrix licks.. Menacing.. Sinister. Subversive. My Fave Sabbath track
Agreed Ian, for me as well :moggy:
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Re: Album Club Review

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faaip wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:39 pm I'm not sure I should be posting negative reviews as it may not be in the spirit of the forum which is why I posted the earlier post.
Why not Faaip ?

I introduced this topic to create discussion on our favourite albums even though opinions would be divided as everyone has different music tastes
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Re: Album Club Review

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hector wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2019 6:52 pm Post negative if that is what you think Faaip...

I know I will :)
I wouldn't expect anything less from you Hector :lol: when it's my turn to post up two albums I mustn't go with a Smiths album although it could be quite fun reading
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