GF music review club

[Guest]

1 hour ago, ZonkoVille77 said:

Just listened to the first track (The dripping tap) from KG&WL album ' Omnium Gatherum'. Mental brilliance. I'm now intrigued by these guys.

It’s a sinkhole that is definitely worth a dunking.

[cloggypop]

Anyone liking King Gizzard that hasn't given Thee Oh Sees a go needs to sort that right out. 

 

Both bands have a ridiculous output though. 

 

See also Ty Segall. 

[ZonkoVille77]

Feel like I might be cheating here actually since it's only just come out, and we all know how good Thom Yorke/Johnny Greenwood are, but I think everyone needs a good listen to this one. 

 

The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention 

 

https://open.spotify.com/album/009EjjwUjtdjvH7UP0wHzi?si=_JoNC0yoQOGZ70E1k-kTbg&utm_source=copy-link

[Guest]

5 hours ago, ZonkoVille77 said:

Just listened to the first track (The dripping tap) from KG&WL album ' Omnium Gatherum'. Mental brilliance. I'm now intrigued by these guys.

Just started listening to Omnium Gatherum, didn't realise they actually had a new album out and it's a double.

 

The Dripping Tap. Fuck. Ing. Bat. Shit.

[Guest]

 

[ZonkoVille77]

Rollins Band - Weight

 

I definitely listened to this when it first came out. Liar was a jukebox favourite with some mates from college.  I actually forgot what 'Rollins Band' sounded like until I listened to this again. I clearly wasn't overly impressed then as I have no good recollections of it and to be honest I'm not massively impressed now. It may have been due to what I was listening to at the time (Beck, Beastie Boys, Oasis, Portishead) that this didn't particularly grab me. 

 

I echo Jose Jones' and Skids' sentiments. Just left me quite bored to be honest with some tracks sounding quite similar. Bass player is excellent but it just didn't do it for me.

 

Highlights:

 

Liar
Step Back
Volume 4

 

6/10 for me, Jeff

[ZonkoVille77]

Devendra Banhart - Rejoicing in the Hands

 

I'm an admirer of Devendra Banhart. I think I've seen him live 4-5 times now. He's an excellent musician and performer. However this album is quite tepid, even if the guitar playing is excellent in parts. (What Will We Be is my fav Devendra album).The album sounds like it was recorded in a couple of weeks in someone's back garden shed. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just feels it was done to the bare minimum. A bit more effort could have elevated it.  I actually like his warbled voice on some of these tracks which carries a genuine honesty about it. 

 

He's not short on melody when styles out the classic sound of days gone by on 'The Body Breaks' and 'This Beard Is for Siobhan'. Excellent playing on the interlude track 'Tit Smoking in the temple of Artesan Mimicry'.

 

Best tracks:
The Body Breaks
This Beard Is for Siobhan
Insect Eyes
Autumn's Child

 

6/10
 

[Oh Buoy]

[Jose Jones]

The Smile - A Light for Attracting Attention 

 

I’ve listened to this a lot, but taken quite a while to get around to writing the review, mainly because I am quite crap at them.

 

I’ve never been a big Radiohead guy, not sure why really, just never happened. Obviously I have friends who are, and the missus brought all the albums up to Kid A into the marital collection, and I really like a fair number of songs, but not one of those groups I’ve fully embraced.

 

Anyway, The Smile has Thom & Jonny plus the drummer out of Sons of Kemet. Bit more background - I like a bit of them, especially “Your Queen is a Reptile” - one of the best named albums going.

 

The first half of “A light for attracting attention” is really really good.

“The Same” is futuristic hospital ward ‘head-style magic.  
The drummer fellow really makes a difference on “The Opposite” - love that shuffling intro - and “The Smoke” which based on a groovy bass line.

Also really like “You will never work in television again”.

 

It maybe loses stream a bit in the second half of the record, love “Free in the Knowledge” but it’s perhaps one more killer song off being an absolute classic.

Liked it a lot though.

 

8/10

 

[ZonkoVille77]

Laura Mvula - Pink Noise.

 

Never heard of Laura Mvula so nice to hear a new (to me) artist.

Stats with 'Slow Passage'. A proper 80's sound from this with a very good vocal. She's an excellent singer. Nice synths. Ohh err. The entire record then cosies up to the same 80's ideals: impossible to ignore the nods to the big stars of the 80's. 

 

Stand out tracks:
'Church Girl' - I immediately got Whitney Houston 'I want to dance with somebody' vibes from this. 

'Got Me' - so clearly influenced by 'The Way you make me Feel' by Michael Jackson. Hard not to like this. Pure 80s indulgence.

'Before the Dawn' - Excellent vocal here. Enjoyed the bassline here with those synths sitting nicely in the mix.
'Conditional' - The only "modern" sounding track before the big chorus kicks in

'What Matters' - a odd tune for Simon Neil to sing I would have thought but he's not out of place here and delivers a performance. Good track.

Well, the bang of the 80s off this record! A Good pop album. Brought me back to the good old days of MTV. Nod to the production too which manages to capture that 80s sound without the flat-sounding, drum-machine percussion that was well able to spoil a good 80s tune. A refreshing listen, all said. Would I reach for this for something to listen to? Being honest, I probably wouldn't. But I enjoyed it and the missus hasn't stopped listening to it since I've had it playing so that's a win.

 

A solid 7.5/10

[ZonkoVille77]

I think that's me finally up to date. 

[Carvalho Diablo]

Review: The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention

 

[presses play]

 

The Same - really odd percussive bass drum pulses, hypnotic guitar and synths, Thom Yorke just being Thom Yorke, sings "we are all the same".

Apt, not a million miles away from latter day Radiohead.

 

The Opposite - nice dry drums and guitars riff, the foot is tapping and the head is nodding, a good sign.

Spacey chorus, ends abruptly.

 

You Will Never Work In Television Again - more punky and immediate vibes and vocal.

"Their hopes and dreams devoured by his eyes" guys and gals (?).

 

Panavision - haunting piano and vocal gives way to something much more benign.

This could have been lifted straight from Amnesiac. Really good.

 

The Smoke - bass and drums lead the way before Yorke takes over with a staccato vocal.

The bass line (strangely) has a West Indies flavour but the song ultimately doesn't do much for me.

 

Speech Bubbles conjures Motion Picture Soundtrack without the potency.

 

Thin Thing - down the rabbit hole we go, riding a sequenced guitar and an incredible drum track.

Love the segue into the chorus, great punky guitars.

Best song yet.

 

Open The Floodgates - "don't bore us, get to the chorus and open the floodgates", haha, great writing. Getting paranoid here.

As ever with these guys, a stellar choice of instruments and voices, the mix sounds phenomenal.

The song itself? Not so much.

 

Free In The Knowledge - a lovely vocal melody over a simple strummed acoustic guitar. This builds into something much more, the background synths and percussion elevating this into a little cracker.

 

A Hairdryer - interesting title, busy percussive riff but doesn't really go anywhere. Filler.

 

Waving A White Flag - synthy strings build and swell, meeting Thom Yorke in a feature length episode of Stranger Things.

Not my favourite.

 

We Don't Know What Tomorrow Brings - killer opening riff conjures Carpenter's brilliant Assault On Precinct 13 soundtrack.

More straight ahead rocker and exactly what the album was requiring at this moment.

Verse 2 could serve as a warning to Sadio and Mo!

Great song, my favourite so far I think.

 

Skrting On The Surface closes this album and is Radiohead 1-0-1, beautiful riff and odd time sigs, haunting vocal, drums dropping in and out.

We know it works and it's a very satisfying formula, no less so here.

 

Honestly, why didn't they just call themselves Radiohead here? Probably would've shifted several million more albums just in the strength of the name alone.

Really enjoyed this 7.5/10

 

 

[Guest]

It’s like Radiofoot

[Carvalho Diablo]

Any more reviews of Zonko's The Smile album?

It's been up for a while now and it's a solid record.

 

Who's next to pick too? It's about time we had something new to listen to.

[Jose Jones]

50 minutes ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Any more reviews of Zonko's The Smile album?

It's been up for a while now and it's a solid record.

 

Who's next to pick too? It's about time we had something new to listen to.

Think it’s @TheHowieLama next.

Then me, then you.

[TheHowieLama]

I've listened to the acoustic record. Sounds like it was done a Portastudio - some interesting guitar sounds.

 

Not listened at all to the last one - give me until the weekend - will get something up.

[Jose Jones]

On 06/07/2022 at 23:01, TheHowieLama said:

I've listened to the acoustic record. Sounds like it was done a Portastudio - some interesting guitar sounds.

 

Not listened at all to the last one - give me until the weekend - will get something up.

Oi! Howard!

[Carvalho Diablo]

2 hours ago, Jose Jones said:

Oi! Howard!

What he said ^^^

[TheHowieLama]

Let me swap turns with the next fella.

[Carvalho Diablo]

44 minutes ago, TheHowieLama said:

Let me swap turns with the next fella.

Looks like you're up @Jose Jones

[Jose Jones]

Alright then.

I was going to pick a class double album, but might keep that one up my sleeve for next time.

Instead I’ll go with some smart dumb fun Swedish shit that I have been listening to this week.

The pick is Cave World by Viagra Boys.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2IC2TP7bnwkfl56vjabLQt?si=q_IfbUY_TD6a0n5LeL5BCA
 

 

[Carvalho Diablo]

3 minutes ago, Jose Jones said:

Alright then.

I was going to pick a class double album, but might keep that one up my sleeve for next time.

Instead I’ll go with some smart dumb fun Swedish shit that I have been listening to this week.

The pick is Cave World by Viagra Boys.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2IC2TP7bnwkfl56vjabLQt?si=q_IfbUY_TD6a0n5LeL5BCA
 

 

I haven't got a clue what to expect but looking forward to it mate.

[ZonkoVille77]

37 minutes ago, Jose Jones said:

Alright then.

I was going to pick a class double album, but might keep that one up my sleeve for next time.

Instead I’ll go with some smart dumb fun Swedish shit that I have been listening to this week.

The pick is Cave World by Viagra Boys.

https://open.spotify.com/album/2IC2TP7bnwkfl56vjabLQt?si=q_IfbUY_TD6a0n5LeL5BCA
 

 

 

Nice one. I've never heard of the Viagra Boys...

[cloggypop]

Viagra Boys singer currently has the best belly in rock. 

[Bruce Spanner]

They peaked at the EP…