Secret Santa 2012

[Paul]

Review:

First of all and above all else I want to say thanks santa for getting me a CD (that's 3 in 4 I think - yes theGhost' date=' I'm looking at you) and, before Christmas too. For that, I'm grateful.

Now to the CD, well, I've tried . . .

I thought I liked hiphop, but apparently I was wrong. Nigga this nigga that, joint this, smoke that - well, it's not those nice Beastie Boys, that's for sure. It's a 24 track CD, half of which are from the Bronx, the other half, part soul with a 70's feel The hiphop is mostly of the type that doesn't really do it for me. But you hope there's a gem don't you. Here goes.

The tracks I could give another go:

06: Computer Face (string arrangement).

09: Fitta Happier / The Quakers - mainly for the backing track - is there an instrument version?

Track 10 sounded like a mix of Sanity Valve and 2 farmers but maybe it isn't a joke.

(Outlaw - The Quakers)

14: Lion / Harmonic 313 - it's ok.

15: Fertilizer / Frank Ocean - nice

16: Suddenly there's a pop/soul track. Interest vocal reverb. I like it. The Fall - Rhye

17: It's a soul track but I can't stand this vocal style.

Then there 3 or 4 tracks that could easily be in the Grand Theft Auto, but alas not K-Rose.

21: Change / Mala. Quite nice.

23: Keep on Loving Me / Onra. Bit of a Daft Punk groove going on. Was fine then the vocals came in and suddenly I'm thrown out of comfort.

 

And that's it.

You've got me listening to stuff I don't like but it gives me a different perspective and the 2nd half, I could listen to again (and will).

 

Who it is? Well I don't think it's Paul as I think he would have mixed up the genres a little more, who else? I have no idea! Anyone?

 

1. Intro - Freddie Cruger

2. Back fr another one - Casey veggies

3. BKLYN - Hodgy Beats

4. Al Greens Dream - Tall Black Guy

5. Can't help it - Wonkyjackson tribute?

6. Computer Face - ?

7. Awe - Thesatisfaction

8. Red Scheme - Roddy Rod

9. Fitta Happier - The quakers

10. Outlaw - The quakers

11. EWNESW - Danny Borwn

12. New York - Angel Haze

13. Dusty 21 - Ta-ku

14. Lion - Harmonic 313

15. Fertilizer - Frank Ocian

16. The Fall - Rhye

17. Nakamarra - Haitus Kaiyote

18. Ca Fait plasir - Triptik

19. Nsu Na Kwan - Ebo Taylor

20. Spaced Out - La Melodia

21. Change - mala

22. The book of soul - Ab-Soul

23. Keep on loving me - Onra

24. Fresh - the quakers

 

I will give it more listens (I now have it on my itunes) but if there's someone out there that thinks they would love it and give it another review with passion I'll be happy to send it on.

 

Thanks Santa.

 

Thanta.[/quote']

 

So if this isn't off me, does anyone have any ideas?

 

Also, am I right about mine Karl?

[Karl_b]

Spot on, Teach; I must be one of the easiest on here to guess, I'm rumbled early on every year!

 

Huge pressure on my shoulders this year, my music tastes are very different to yours, finding (mostly) guitar music to suit was a difficult task but one I enjoyed. I had a really long list and ruled out so much that I just didn't think you'd go for but even so, I don't expect all (or many!) to be a roaring success. I hope I've given you a good slice of what I'm in to and given a little taste of things you might not normally come across.

 

Also, mine arrived yesterday. I haven't had a listen yet but it's going on in the car whilst we go off to her folks. I also have an idea who sent it, but I'll have a further think before revealing. Cheers, Santa.

[Paul]

Spot on' date=' Teach; I must be one of the easiest on here to guess, I'm rumbled early on every year!

 

Huge pressure on my shoulders this year, my music tastes are very different to yours, finding (mostly) guitar music to suit was a difficult task but one I enjoyed. I had a really long list and ruled out so much that I just didn't think you'd go for but even so, I don't expect all (or many!) to be a roaring success. I hope I've given you a good slice of what I'm in to and given a little taste of things you might not normally come across.

 

Also, mine arrived yesterday. I haven't had a listen yet but it's going on in the car whilst we go off to her folks. I also have an idea who sent it, but I'll have a further think before revealing. Cheers, Santa.[/quote']

 

I'll get a review up in the next day or so Karl. Thanks for the effort mate. It's what SS should be all about.

Edited December 23, 2012 by Paul

[Paul]

My CD off Karl:

 

I should start off by saying that, as Karl pointed out above, this CD is mostly completely outside my musical tastes. It's not that I don't like rock/guitar music; it's just that I find so much of it bland, unoriginal and soulless. However, I've given this a good go and here's my review:

 

1. The National - Fake Empire: A very moody/atmospheric piano and vocal opening before drums and (double?) bass kick in. Strings then build as it goes on. Not melodic enough for me, unfortunately.

2. Midlake - Roscoe (Beyond The Wizard's Sleeve Remix): Great fucking name for a remix (although I don't get it in this context). Some slight psychedelic vibes in the guitars and I certainly detect a big Thom Yorke influence in the vocal. However, it neither rocks out or tunes up enough for me.

3. Yeasayer - Ambling Alp: Nice weird bleepy electronic start, but then the slightly waily/plaintive vocal kicks in before the tune breaks down into something slightly reggae beat influenced. Not pushing my buttons, even if the horns elevate it later on.

4. Deerhunter - Memory Boy: sub-60s/late Beach Boys type tune that's fine as far as it goes; quite poppy.

5. Bright eyes - From A Balance Beam: quite interesting take on a guitar tune. It almost takes a looping approach to its structure with the stop/start riff. The vocal is genuinely tuneless though; it always amazes me that so many musicians who really can't sing have such successful careers.

6. Arcade Fire - Sprawl II: a synth-pop type thing with a female vocal. I know little about these other than that they're widely lauded but I don't get the appeal from this tune. It feels very plodding to my ears.

7. Sufjan Stevens - Age of Adz: great intro like a weird orchestral tune up with all sorts of choral vocals going on. I love mad shit like this. However, the main vocal then brings it back down to earth with a bump for me. Too fey/bland. The weird shit carries on throughout which is ace, but vocals like this just don't do it for me, sorry. It's certainly original though which is a big plus point. It's dead long too and I like artists who aren't afraid to do that. The breakdown at the end to just vocal and guitar sounds really nice after the preceding noise as well.

8. Grizzly Bear - Yet Again: melodic, American-sounding gentle guitar pop. It's fine; just not my brew.

9. Sharon Van Etten - Serpents: slide guitar and bombastic drumming with a female vocal. I'm not a fan of wailing vocals; for me, all the great rock vocalists, whether male or female, have a soul-influence. This is more folk influenced though.

10. Queens Of The Stone Age - Go With The Flow: tempo steps up here and the driving drum/piano beat behind the insistent guitar riff is good. I've always liked the idea of this band but the vocal seems a little tame compared to my (admittedly ignorant) expectations of them.

11. Death From Above 1979 - Little Girl: fucking brilliant rock riff to open this and keep the CD tempo up. This is clearly a three-piece and the pared-down simplicity of the tune really works. Not something I'd listen to again, but it's deffo a head-nodder and one I wouldn't zap forward on x30 when watching Jools Holland.

12. The Velvet Teen - Noi Boi: Not really sure how to categorise this to be honest. Loads of stuff in the mix here, but it's not for me.

13. Bob Dylan - Pay In Blood: I fucking hate Bob Dylan's voice, but this is far more tuneful than his usual awful atonal wail. In fact, it's a really great Blues vocal. The tune is totally inoffensive, but it has happily shown me that there is at least something in the Bob Dylan legend I can relate to. Ta.

14. Jack White - Freedom at 21: now this bloke is the real fucking deal; a genuine musical genius in my view whose love of black American music suffuses everything he does to a greater or lesser degree. This is less my cup of tea than some of the more overtly Blues and hip hop influenced-rock of his I've heard, but I still love him. Anyone who tours with two entirely different backing bands on the same tour, has been a member of three different bands of his own and writes a James Bond theme is a bone fide legend for me.

15. Bill Wells & Aidan Moffet - (If You) Keep Me In Your Heart: another example of brilliant musicianship undermined by wilfully half-arsed vocals, in my view. I know that's supposed to be the point, but it irritates me. The heavily-emphasised Scottish accent I totally get; the not bothering to sing in tune, I don't.

16. Laura Marling - Hope In The Air: as with most things on here, I can appreciate its quality, but I just can't relate to it. Very folk-influenced and not in a way that appeals to me.

17. Sigur Ros - Untitled 3: very atmospheric instrumental music that is right for a CD closer.

 

Karl, I thank you kindly for your efforts that have exemplified the work of some people I constantly hear about without actually hearing. I can't pretend this was anywhere near my taste (which you already knew anyway), but it did everything Secret Santa is supposed to do, so thanks mate; much appreciated.

Edited December 23, 2012 by Paul

[Stu Monty]

Death from above 1979 are a two piece mate. One of them also formed MSTRKRFT.

[Woo]

Mine has arrived, which is ace - been fortunate enough to receive one every year I've participated in SS - so thanks very much to my Santa. The culturally insensitive title aside (Brirriant Rurrabies For Woo) I'm really looking forward to it. It's a double disc effort, which I admire, so thank you very much. No tracklist, although he did admit to have printer issues so Jon will have to oblige there.

 

Gonna give it a whirl over the festive period and will have a review up after a few listens.

[Yozzer]

Received mine today, gonna give it a whirl over Christmas and put a review up soon. Thanks to my Secret Santa.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Mine hasn't come yet.

 

I hope my recipient received theirs in time.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Mine hasn't arrived either.

 

I was hoping to get a review up by tomorrow or boxing day, but it'll have to be a bit delayed now as I've got a lot of work on over the next few weeks.

[The Golden Eel]

Few of those tunes on Paul's CD were on the one Karl did for me last year. I really liked the vocals on Keep Me in your Heart, actually.

 

Re: QOTSA being tame. I know what you mean but you need to check out Rated R stuff rather than stuff from that album, Rated R is pure quality and not tame in the slightest.

 

Good example:

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Few of those tunes on Paul's CD were on the one Karl did for me last year. I really liked the vocals on Keep Me in your Heart' date=' actually.

 

Re: QOTSA being tame. I know what you mean but you need to check out Rated R stuff rather than stuff from that album, Rated R is pure quality and not tame in the slightest.

 

Good example:

 

To be fair to Paul, Homme's vocals are tame for a rock singer.

 

It's when Oliveri and Lanegan sing that the tameness subsides.

[Juniper]

Right, I'll give it a few more days to allow more discs being received and Secret Santa guesses following reviews (get them up people!) then I'll start to think about providing the neg/rep lists.

 

Poor showing this year people, very poor indeed. I can only organise the lists, I can't make you all stick to your duties and crack on.

[RobbieOR]

I'll have my review up soon. Been busy.

[Hand Shandy]

Arrived home this evening to find the CD waiting for me, but will be off to my old man's until after New Year tomorrow morning.

 

Will try and give it a listen in the next couple of days, but can't make any promises...

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm out and about over the next few days, so I won't be able to review until the dust settles.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I haven't had mine so can't review.

 

Shame. As I have a day of listening to music all day planning for NYE.

[Lurtz]

Yeeeeaaaaassss! Mine arrived today. Looks like it's from one of our Oirish friends. It's got a picture of Danny Dyer on the front and a quick scan of the track list informs me that "Shoot Speed Kill Light" by Primal Scream features so I am expecting further greatness. I'll give it a proper listen in the next day or two.

[Karl_b]

Been giving mine a good listen but we're away so won't be able to review for a few days.

[Joe Le Taxi]

I'd love to do this but my taste in music is completely different to everything I've read in this thread. Look to the house music threads for my style of music.

 

Guess I have a year to broaden my tastes.

[Paul]

I'd love to do this but my taste in music is completely different to everything I've read in this thread. Look to the house music threads for my style of music.

 

Guess I have a year to broaden my tastes.

 

That's the whole point. D'uh!

[Hand Shandy]

Yeah but you wouldn't be happy if you got a CD with 'Gangnam Style' on it would you?

 

Therefore I vote to keep Lewis out...

[Stu Monty]

Just in case my giver is concerned, I have your CD, and have had it for a while. I'm mulling it over and will launch my thoughts up after the weekend.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I haven't received mine yet.

[cmuller]

I'll stick my review up by Sunday at the latest. Had all sorts on recently.

[Hand Shandy]

Right, this is based on a grand total of three listens as I've had real trouble finding the time to do anything for myself since Christmas!

 

So, this is very much a 'first impressions' review and I reserve my right to change my opinion at a later date...

 

CD title - Class of 2012

 

Track 1

Shearwater - Breaking The Yearlings

First track's a new one to me. Never heard of the band either. It's a good start -guitar-based with a nice bit of Hammond organ. Can't beat a bit of Hammond... While quite slow, it's dark and heavy and I like it.

 

Track 2

Japandroids - Fire's Highway

More guitars, but considerably more upbeat! The drummer's certainly having lots of fun... Again, never heard of them, but I'll certainly be looking them up. Like this one a lot.

 

Track 3

Woods - Impossible Sky

Another new band for me. Bit more laid back and still guitar-based. The intro's slightly reminiscent of a Velvet Underground track, but then it goes its own way. Very pleasant, and will probably be a grower.

 

Track 4

Grimes - Oblivion

I'd heard of Grimes but didn't think I'd heard anything by them. Then this came on and I realised I had. I don't know why, but I was expecting their stuff to be darker - probably an assumption based on the similarity of the name Grimes to 'grime'. This is very nice piece of electronica, and I'll be tempted to look up more of their stuff.

 

Track 5

Crystal Castles - Telepath

More electronica. A bit darker and lyric-free, but not what I'd call techno. Then I'm quite 'old skool' when it comes to techno... Decent enough track, but doesn't really go anywhere. It's probably great if you're buzzing your tits off in a club, but I fear those days have passed for me. As a standalone track, it's just OK.

 

Track 6

Purity Ring - Fineshrine

Have heard this one without knowing who it was, probably on 6Music. On first hearing it I thought it was a nice tune without really setting my world on fire, but on further listens I really like it. Can't really tell you why, but I do.

 

Track 7

Cloud Nothings - Stay Useless

Don't recognise this one at all. Reminds me of some of the indie stuff from my youth, many moons ago now (sigh...). This is a positive thing - good, simple bassline, some excellent drumming, nice jangly guitars, and some angst-ridden lyrics about how terrible life is. Very good.

 

Track 8

Guided By Voices - Spiderfighter

I've heard of Guided By Voices, but don't think I've actually heard anything by them. Dirgey guitars which then break down into gentle piano at the end. It's OK and it might grow on me, but it doesn't really jump up and grab me...

 

Track 9

Grizzly Bear - Yet Again

Again, a tune I'm familiar with from 6Music (are you getting an idea of where I hear most of my music nowadays?) and I did know it was Grizzly Bear, which makes me feel slightly better about my musical knowledge... Like this one.

 

Track 10

Trailer Trash Tracys - You Wish You Were Red

I like the track title for a start! And I recognise it as well!!! Again, a good tune with an excellent bass riff. Another band to look into...

 

Track 11

Yeasayer - Reagan's Skeleton

Never heard of this band, or this tune. A bit more electronic. In fact, it's bordering on 80s-esque and really reminds me of someone from around that time, but I just can't put my finger on who at the moment. A few more listens may help with that one. All in all, another one in the plus column.

 

Track 12

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Only In My Dreams

While I don't know the name, I think I recognise this one. Very nice tune - light and breezy.

 

Track 13

Perfume Genius - Normal Song

An acoustic guitar and a voice, which I tend to like. The bloke's got a nice voice, and this one will probably grow on me as I listen to the lyrics more closely.

 

Track 14

Tame Impala - Nothing That Has Happened So Far Has Been Anything We Could Control

I thought I recognised this one when I saw the track listing, but now I've listened to it, I can safely say I've never heard it before in my life. It's got a laid-back, psychedelic kind of groove to it, but there's lots going on in the track, which I appreciate is quite contradictory, but hey it's my review! A great way to end the CD.

 

 

 

Simple yet effective artwork (a Liverbird) for the front cover, while the inside picture is bugging the hell out of me because I recognise it but can't put my finger on where from. My sender is going to have to help me out there, because it's driving me crazy.

 

There's also a free pull-out 'poster' wishing me a "Merry Christmas yer filthy animal". Again it's driving me slightly bonkers as there's a picture of a bloke holding a machine gun and I can't make out who it is or get the reference - it looks like either a young Michael Gambon (but I can't think of any films where he's toting a machine gun!) or Ray Winstone.

 

That said, it's probably neither of them!

 

All in all, another great Secret Santa CD that's introduced me to a lot of stuff I haven't heard before, and I'll certainly be listening to it a lot more.

 

I've been very lucky with my senders since getting involved with this, and I'd like to thank everyone who's sent me a CD over the last few years.

 

If I had to take a guess (which I suppose I do - that's the point, after all) I'd go for Monty (but the lack of Sigur Ros makes me think not) or Woo...