Has there ever been an album review thread? One a fortnight, maybe?

[Sporting]

There are loads of threads here on various musical genres, many with links which I sometimes click on...but then invariably never return to. I often just forget.

How about someone chooses an album. preferably available on YouTube or Spotify etc.,either old or new, one which most people may not have have heard before? And then we would have around two weeks or so to listen and pen a review/reaction/impression which could be as long or as (Twitter style) short as wished.

For myself, the challenge of listening to something outside my usual musical comfort zone and giving an opinion or two would be good.

[Sits]

I think people do the odd one now and then. I did a not very good one some years ago about one of Bruce Springsteen’s first two albums. Probably 40 or 45 years after it came out.

[ad hoc]

I quite like this idea

[Sporting]

Thanks. I'll wait a couple of days to see if anyone else is interested.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

All for it but suggests a shorter turnaround than two weeks - maybe weekly?

[Sporting]

All for it but suggests a shorter turnaround than two weeks - maybe weekly?

Okay with me, but reviews can be posted beyond the deadline (busy lives etc.)

[Sits]

Or whenever people are able to do them?

[Sporting]

Yep

[imp]

Nice idea - in theory I'm up for it, though can't promise I'll keep up with it.

[Benjm]

I'm interested, although my contributions would probably make the Shark Sandwich review look like peak Morley/Penman era NME in comparison.

[delicatemoth]

You can't put that!

Every February there's a thing on Twitter called #MWE (I think this is Music Writing Exercise), where people write a review a day of an album they never listened to before.

https://twitter.com/grantgolden/status/1360057821379907586

I mention this mainly because, being a Twitter thing, this nails you down to a 280-character maximum, which is a limitation that might help those who'd like to do it but feel a bit daunted.

[Sporting]

Would anyone wish to suggest a starting album? I have a couple in mind but would like to see if they're familiar for too many of you (no point reviewing Sgt Pepper, for example!)

[gjw100]

OK, I'll bite, even though it's like placing the heads of your loved ones above the parapet to be shot down. From 1975, I'll nominate Van Der Graaf Generator's 'Godbluff', an album that ought to be unfamiliar to most of OTF's younger generation, and one that should provoke some interesting reactions. Although very much of the Prog era, VDGG were the Prog band it was OK to like after 1976, and their fans included John Lydon, Julian Cope, Graham Coxon, Phil Oakey and Mark E. Smith. And me of course. I loved them then and love them today, and it will be interesting to hear what others think of the album.

[Sporting]

OK, I'll bite, even though it's like placing the heads of your loved ones above the parapet to be shot down. From 1975, I'll nominate Van Der Graaf Generator's 'Godbluff', an album that ought to be unfamiliar to most of OTF's younger generation, and one that should provoke some interesting reactions. Although very much of the Prog era, VDGG were the Prog band it was OK to like after 1976, and their fans included John Lydon, Julian Cope, Graham Coxon, Phil Oakey and Mark E. Smith. And me of course. I loved them then and love them today, and it will be interesting to hear what others think of the album.

I've never heard this. Seems to be on YouTube too.

By the way, it's not compulsory to suggest something you love unconditionally.

Shall we start with Godbluff?

[Sporting]

This is the original, not the CD with bonus tracks. Enjoy (or not...).

[Various Artist]

OK, well I've just downloaded that on Spotify. So if I manage to give it a listen I'd be pleased to try coming up with a review here.


Edit: The above couple of posts have appeared while I was typing that! Have fired up the YouTube link straight away. First impressions.... hmmm.

[Sits]

I’ll try it on Spotify with no promises, but thanks for the thread Sporting, and for gjw100 as first cab off the rank.

[Sits]

Note to self and those on Spotify: the original album is the four tracks only. 5 and 6 CD bonuses only. I’m going to listen only to 1-4 because that’s the “real” thing.

[Sits]

Van Der Graaf Generator - Godbluff

Now, I need to start this with a few caveats, or whatever they are: first I sense that a Venn diagram of mine and gjw100’s musical tastes would have quite a small overlap, and that’s as much a reflection of the shallowness of my tastes as it is the depth of his; secondly I have struggled with Prog since my self-inflicted crash introduction*; thirdly that the vocalist is very important to my enjoyment of music, and I struggled with Peter Hammill’s; and finally that I’m a bit lazy in my consumption of music, and probably don’t make enough effort with it. All of which makes me far from an ideal first reviewer of this album, and I hope gjw can accept this in that spirit.

Overall I enjoyed elements; there’s something a bit Bowie-esque about Hammill’s vocals on the chorus of the first track The Undercover Man. The instrumentation of both Scorched Earth and Arrow was engaging. On the latter in particular, as it got going (if I’m honest) I was really starting to enjoy it, and hoping it would be an instrumental. But then I felt uncomfortable with Hammill’s voice when he struck up. As I type that I realise that I’ve just completely missed the point; it’s meant to be a bit uncomfortable, the guy’s not trying to serenade us or make us feel cheery. I don’t think I’ve done this album justice.

*Around 1980, having enjoyed Genesis’ Top Ten hit Turn It On Again I bought the album Duke, which I enjoyed and still do. My 16-17 year old self felt that to like an artist, one needed to be a completist. I bought Trespass and Nursery Cryme in quick succession. No Spotify, entirely on spec because they were Genesis. I wasn’t ready for that sort of music at all at that age, and sadly I think that turned me off. I liked my brother’s Hawkwind records, but when they were spacey and rocky, not proggy.

[Sporting]

I really have to ask myself what prog actually means, and why the majority of it leaves me cold, but also why Trespass, Nursery Cryme and Foxtrot are three of my all-time favourite albums. Maybe it’s Gabriel’s voice, which I love; but I think it mainly has to do with songs which are focused and seem to grow and stretch organically, despite a few overly bombastic moments, whereas Godbluff, while thrilling and moving at times, lacks that structure I’m looking for. This is my musical culpa mia, one which it’s hard to do much about on an emotional level. I found it hard to get a handle on the four songs on this album.

I made notes while listening and though reproducing first rough impressions when ostensibly penning a considered review may simply be not on, there are no rules here so here goes:

The Undercover Man: early morning, spring. Mannered vocals. A gorgeous beginning. Pretty musical patterns, maybe a bit too arranged for me. But then I can’t get a grasp on melody nor rhythm, and I don’t know where we are going; it all seems a bit aimless.

Scorched Earth: More dynamic, but too stop-and-start. Don’t get on much with organs, I’m sorry to say. [I googled the lyrics and (sorry again) they are 6^th form poetry of the worst kind.]

Arrow: Nifty intro, more drummy, sax cuts nicely across. A jazzier feel, then we go idyllic. The second half of the song feels like a different song: it’s disorientating.

The Sleepwalkers: Apart from a weird bit in the middle section (about three minutes in), the best track on the album by far. Playful flute, jaunty in general. Smorgasbord of different sounds, some of them again seemingly belonging to other songs. The final section is exciting, and Hamill’s voice now convinces.

I’m aware that there will be much I have missed, and that I’m by far not the best judge of this genre. I can only try to be honest.

[Sporting]

Sits: nice observation re the Bowiesque vocals.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

This is a great idea - I'm in.

[Sporting]

Excellent. The idea is for an album a week - ignore thread title - but there should be no strict deadlines re reviews and responses.

[imp]

I'm eleven minutes in and thinking we should be very grateful to VdGG - this kind of bland, pompous rock-opera was the inspiration for punk to come out kicking and spitting. It sounds like they're auditioning for the tedious musical you'd get dragged to by your mum on a day-trip to London.

I seem to be on the instrumental bit now (20 minutes in). Presumably someone with taste took the fucking singer outside and stabbed him. Oh fuck, no, here he is again, growling about something or other like he dropped his nuts too early into a hot bath. Peter, always test the water first with your elbow!

Enough already. I'm perturbed that this album was ever made, let alone that people might still be listening to it. 0/10.

[Sporting]

I think you should give the final track a try, however much it potentially hurts. Your score might nudge up to 0.5.