GF music review club

[Guest]

If anyone else wants access I could post a link to the MP3s of the Ozomatli albums...

[Carvalho Diablo]

Righto, apologies to everyone and especially to Moof for my tardiness with the linkage for the latest album of the week...

The Congregation by Leprous.

 

The GF Music Collective Youtube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmD81dOULR2dlVx03buDBQ/playlists?view_as=subscriber

 

 

 

The Congregation Youtube link :

 

 

 

 

The GF Music Collective Spotify playlist : https://open.spotify.com/user/carvalho666/playlist/3k64dON6XvCI1W9GFNH8Gr?si=UQNywRsPSn2GXvo4M5Ljww

 

Leprous - The Congregation Spotify link : https://open.spotify.com/album/0BTCS1O61sSYZ8o5kCqx03?si=9UyUyYQ9QxSyFI5zfuVDlg

[Carvalho Diablo]

Just trying something a bit different here, hope this linkage works...

 

[Carvalho Diablo]

So, after Mook's departure here is the new running order :

 

Shooter In The Motor

Moof

Skidfingers McGonical

Boss

The Howie Lama

Chevettehs

Stig 

Paul

Winston Wolf

Clarence

Zonkoville77

Red Talisker

 

So, it's Skids' turn to select his AOW next. Looking at around 20th / 21st March, give it another weekend for people to have a good listen and get their reviews in for Moof's latest AOW from Leprous, and also gives some more time for some of our members to catch up and drop in some reviews for some of the older AOWs.

 

You be okay for then Skids ?

[ZonkoVille77]

The Congregation by Leprous.

 

Good choice, Moof. Enjoying this the more I listen to it. Drumming is excellent on this album.

It very much reminds me of another band I'd been listening to over the last few years, "Nothing But Thieves" in vocal style and pace at times, but Leprous are more aggressive and more prog. I'm not going to track by track this one, but I'd give it a solid 7/10 with scope for an even higher mark the more I listen.

[REDTALISKER]

The Congregation by Leprous.

 

So it's metal this time round and over an hour of it to boot. Yes, my heart sunk low and on hearing the opening seconds of the album my first thought was that this would be a real struggle making it through it to the end. Well I can report that I not only made it but, whisper it, rather enjoyed it. Having in fact listened to it several times here's what I thought.

 

Production is good. Even on youtube it sounds clear and crisp.  Concur with the comment regarding the drummer. In fact I would go as far as saying the album as whole seems to use the drummer as the driving force to many of the songs. There are little snippets throughout the album which would not sound out of place from bands who aren't metal (the openings to Flood and Lower spring immediately to mind). Definitely a grower on repeated listenings. 

 

If I was going to nit pick - and I feel a little churlish doing so - some of the songs felt a little drawn out and wasn't overly keen on the vocal style. Didn't by any means hate it but also not sure I would ever grow to love it either. He can certainly sing that there is no doubt and I wouldn't be surprised if for some his vocals on the album would be a strong point.

 

Overall rating this week then is pleasantly surprised. Would happily listen to them again.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I’ve listened to Leprous and I’m giving Shooters album a listen (properly now As he’s been a gent) much more enjoyable listening to it properly.

 

I’ll get a review for both up tonight and tomorrow.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I may get get in early and pick mine this week. I’m torn between about 10 though.

[REDTALISKER]

While waiting for the next AOW thought I might have a listen to some of previous choices I have missed. Not necessarily in the order aired I decided first to have a listen to the Happy Mondays' Bummed. If I am honest it wasn't a totally random choice. Like some others on here I am sure, It's Great When You're Straight got a lot of airplay in my house back in the mid 90's. It was a fun album. The Happy Mondays, however, were very much in the periphery for me the first time round. Mainly because my music tastes had evolved quite considerably in the years between the two. Seeking out the Happy Monday's albums was something I always intended to do but never got round to. This seemed a perfect excuse to put that right. So here goes.

 

Listened to most of the album(think you are missing one track off the running order) from the youtube channel and to have to say initially was very disappointed. Have to agree with, I think it was Carvalho, who criticised the production. Sounds as if the band were recorded from the room next door albeit with the door open. Not happy leaving it at that I next listened to a flac version of the 2007 reissue to see if some of the problems could be levelled at Youtube's door. Well the answer to that is both yes and no. It sounds certainly better but still retains that cavernous feel to the sound. It did grow on me upon repeated listenings though, the album itself if not necessarily the production. It's a little rough around edges in places but there is plenty of charm to it what with Ryder's sharp and cynical lyrics accompanied by a dense swirl of guitar and bass.

 

My final rating is that this album is most definitely flawed but I think I actually have a sneaking like for it.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Right, apologies for my tardiness fellas, been fucking about with my IPTV service all week trying to get that fucker to work. Now that I'v cracked it then I will definitely have my review of Moof's Leprous AOW up tomorrow.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Review : The Congregation by Leprous

 

Okay, heard of Leprous but never actually heard them before. To be honest I thought they were one of those ghastly Scando Death Metal bands or summat, obviously wrong...let's go.

 

[presses play]

 

The Congregation opens with The Price, a surprisingly clean sounding intro, nice vocals and it's all gone a touch synthy, not what I was expecting at all. The vocalist is interesting, like the chord changes, the production a touch too smooth for my tastes, but really that's nitpicking. An interesting start.

 

A frenetic opening salvo heralds second track Third Law, nice double bass but the rolling toms are too prominent for me, again some very interesting guitar chords. A nice chorus but I'm finding everything a bit too polished and smooth, I want to hear those guitars grunt. The vocalist is reminding me of the fella from Muse ! Not neccessarily a bad thing, I don't dislike Muse like some, but I'm not feeling it here.

I really like the percussion in the breakdown. Yeh, interesting.

 

More big drum rolls, double bass and toms bring in the next track Rewind. Yeh, this drummer can certainly play. Nice synths but this singer still isn't convincing me. At times Rewind is very Musey, I like it though, best somng yet imo. A nice fast ending and I can easily imagine a crazy moshpit. Exit Matt Bellamy, enter Cronos.

 

The singer fails to convince me yet again during The Flood, his delivery feeling very out of place and disparate. A nice big heavy riff takes over, yeh I'm liking this, the best bit of this record yet, a big fat throbbing riff with some deep synthy bass and a nice vocal melody for the chorus.

 

Triumphant - this lad can sing alright but I still don't feel that he's at all suited to this band. There's a dynamic tension there, a schism, I find myself pondering if his heart is really in this? Triumphant seems disjointed and it's not being helped by the perfect production job which somehow keeps drawing my attention to the albums imperfections and flaws, a real paradox. This record feels cold. Not my favourite.

 

More staccato riffs and tom work at the start of next track, but I am struggling to grab hold of a melody, I need to find something to drag me along because The Congregation is beginning to lose me.

More interesting guitars and some phat bass work being the highlight of Within My Fence.

 

Red - synths set an atmospheric scene, another haunting vocal, I'm waiting for those tom rolls and the interesting guitar work. Here we go...sadly finding this is becoming too predictable.

 

Slave sounds like it was inspired by Matt Bellamy. It's trying to be grandiose but there are no hooks here, no excitement. Slave is sending me to sleep, sorry Sam.

The nearest thing yet to a guitar solo makes me sit up and take notice, a nice rolling riff carries us onwards until Cronos returns with his guttural whimseys. Slave picks up towards the end, it sounds cinematic and I'm left pondering whether it's a film I'd choose to watch.

 

A mellow and upbeat start to Moon, all the elements are there but there's something missing, that spark of magic. I'm now officially struggling with this record. Hang on, a nice chorus, swings and rolls, that's better.

Interesting but not gripping. A nice end riff.

 

The start of Down reminds me of Queens Of The Stone Age, especially those dry as bone guitar sounds. Sadly the vocals and toms are now getting on my tits. Nice synthy bass. Hang on, there's the hook I've been after, the chorus vocal is fantastic, providing the warmth and the colour that this album has been sorely lacking in, it really stands out, like a ray of light in an abyss of oppressive gloom. A bit harsh ? Maybe, but the best song yet imo.

 

Lower - more synth + vocals + toms. Hmm, very Musey. By the numbers. A uninspiring way to end.

 

So then, following Moof's first AOW, Steven Wilson's quite brilliant Hand Cannot Erase, I had really high hopes for Leprous' The Congregation, sadly it didn't live up to them at all. I found The Congregation to be incredibly frustrating; predictable, formulaic, sterile, cold, precise, unispired, I grew bored of it quickly. There were nowhere near enough hooks to keep me coming back, where was the excitement ? Was it rationed ?!

 

The Congregation leaves me shaking my head. Win some, lose some I guess.

[Guest]

The Leprous album has been listened to and it's grown on me a little so I'm not ready to give a view on it. Another listen needed I think.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Skids to post the next AOW in the next couple of days.

[Lee909]

I'll try and catch up in next few days. A few family things keeping me pretty locked up and not really in the right frane of mind at the moment

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Skids to post the next AOW in the next couple of days.

Will do chief. Narrowed it down to 2 now.

 

Reviews will be defo be up. Just need to give Shooters another run through.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Will do chief. Narrowed it down to 2 now.

 

Reviews will be defo be up. Just need to give Shooters another run through.

I've just listened to one of my favourite ever albums, I bet it's the one you pick .

[TheHowieLama]

Leprous - The Congregation

 

 

Tough sledding here for me boys - have to be honest. Three times through.

 

First tune - Starts off with tons of flubba da bubbita on the drums ( though this may just be an intro as I searched the track itself this last time around and that part seems to be missing) and goes into a circular riff - back to flubbita and tbh I have lost interest even before it hits the chopped machine like riff to bring the actual tune in. I guess the analogish arpegiated stuff makes it a little different - but there is not much I go for here - sounds like they are playing to a harmonic click track the whole time.

 

Second tune - more machine gun drum/riffing and relatively simplistic vocal la las - 8 minutes in and there has not been anything I could remember - then trying to hit the big chorus -- I think he is saying someone must bow. 

 

Third tune -- ridiculous amounts of flubbida dubbita from the drummer - circle ending, pretending - GAHHH -  tune is Rewind and I am fast forwarding.

 

 

At this point I will say that these fellas can maneuver their tools - but there is a complete lack of any flow/breathing/groove in any of this and I would accept that is by design. Dont like. Moofers last pick - with similar technical prowess on display - had an organic feeling. This feels like going to the dentist.

 

Fourth tune -- so far the best - a bit of a little groove - still locked to a sequenced bass ostinato (or what sounds sequenced) though probably played live - again I think that the folks who appreciate this find that a good thing.

 

The record continues from here - kind of formulaically -- somewhat moody analog synth pad sections interspersed by machine gun riffing and hella bunch of flubbida dah dubbidah from the drummer.

 

Owed it to Moof after the superb Wilson record to at least throw this out there but it is not for me. Check it out for yourself.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

I'll throw my AOW in now and get back to you on the reviews. Bit manic and I don't want to hold up the listening aspect any more than I need to.
 
So here goes....
 
 
I was torn as to what album to pick for this turn, I had 10 originally and managed to whittle it down to 2 records down to this one.
 

 
 
Heritage by Opeth is one of my all time favourite records. It seems I have a vibe about this and my last choice, both in my top 10. Easily. This album does not have the close affiliation to my youth like Superunknown did. However this is the album that made me believe that there was still a frontman in Mikael Åkerfeldt who really cock sure of the album he wanted to make, which went against the masses. 
 
For me it really has some out of this world playing by all participants. In particular the rhythm section by Martín Méndez and Martin Axenrot (drums). Some of their collective playing blows my mind at times. Add to that Åkerfeldt's groovy, funky, 70's rock, metal feeling riffs and perfect Scandinavian voice; and his sideman Fredrik Åkesson ripping out solo's, it becomes a thing of beauty (in my humble opinion of course)
 
It's an album that be played out loud at home and on the car (and they are something to else to see live as well) or through headphones having just finished a fat smoke of something very herbal and mellow, just when you're ready to be taken on a musical cosmic ride somewhere you let your mind go to.
 
Enough about my herbal remedy anecdotes, let's move on to the running order and link to Spotify & YouTube video playlist. 
 
1. Heritage (Instrumental) 
2. The Devil's Orchard 
3. I Feel The Dark
4. Slither
5. Nepenthe 
6. Häxprocess
7. Famine
8. Folklore
9. The Lines In My Hand
10. Marrow Of The Earth
 
Bonus Tracks on the Special Edition:
11. Pyre
12. Face In The Snow
 

https://open.spotify.com/album/2bVYeA0BEb0Rtj94ECaahK

 

​There is a little video blog type documentary which is below, which is worth watching for the flute and percussions contributions on Famine by Björn J:son  and LindhAlex Acuña respectively.

 

 

Enjoy. 

 

 

[TheHowieLama]

Aaaaannd back to the sled....

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Very presumptuous of you Sir.

[TheHowieLama]

Appears to rhyme with death - metal - Scandinavian. Eeesh..

 

I will take to heart these words groovy, funky, 70's rock and will place my trust in you for about 30 minutes.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Didn't Steven Wilson produce and play on an Opeth album or two ? Looking forward to this one, heard of Opeth but never heard them.

 

Will drop in tomorrow with an updated Youtube channel link. Cheers Skids.

[Carvalho Diablo]

Okay, in addition to Skids' links to his latest AOW Heritage by Opeth, here are some more :
 
GF Music Collective Spotify playlist : https://open.spotify.com/user/carvalho666/playlist/3k64dON6XvCI1W9GFNH8Gr?si=xnZtcZFCQ8eeXj8NXyYD0g
 
and embedded :
 

 
and GF Music Collective Youtube channel :https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmD81dOULR2dlVx03buDBQ/playlists?view_as=subscriber
 
Boss is next man up with his AOW, due around 29th / 30th March. Let's make that a really good Friday fellas.

[Skidfingers McGonical]

Didn't Steven Wilson produce and play on an Opeth album or two ? Looking forward to this one, heard of Opeth but never heard them.

 

Will drop in tomorrow with an updated Youtube channel link. Cheers Skids.

 

I know he was on Damnation as backing singer, playing, producer and engineer. He’s also part of the one off Storm Corrosion with Åkerfeldt.

[REDTALISKER]

Apparently he mixed this album(says he who knew nothing about this till he typed into the internet). Have run through the album once this evening but will need to listen to it again before commentating.