It's the curse of the second album. The first was a huge commercial success, I liked parts of it. But 'all the lost souls' really just "back to bedlam" redux. It might just be my preference for the followup album to be different and the artist to take risks with something that deviates from the formula of the last cd.
Or maybe I'm just being pretentious. I was sent the first album from a friend in the UK before it hit New Zealand, so approached it with open ears and no preconceptions. And I really enjoyed it. But then he became "the next big thing" and was everywhere on the radio and tv. I never want to hear the song You're beautiful ever again
And 'All the Lost Souls' although it has highlights like '1973', 'same mistake' and the catchy 'give me some love' (reminiscent of the catchy 'so long jimmy'), everything just seems a bit boring and the same as the last. There are some way better male singer/songwriters who I'd rather spend my time listening to.
I'm not anti - commercial top 40 stuff, but I think my future in that 'genre' will be one of picking individual tracks off itunes. I'll save my limited $ to spend on CDs that are a little bit different. More of Mr Glen Phillips maybe ;)
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
15. All of Our Names - Sarah Harmer
Original Release Date: March 23, 2004
The fourth album that I listened to on Tuesday. From Sum41 straight on to Sarah Harmer is a bit of shock. But I do really like this album, bought on the recommendation from someone on the fte list. That was a good bunch of cds that I bought back in early 2004 when the $NZ went over 60cents against the $US. Unfortunately I had a listen or two in the car, liked it, then put in the next cd I'd bought - 'this business of art' and was hooked on t&s and kind of forgot about all other music for a while there (I went on to buy 'if it was you' immediately, and preordered 'so jealous' which was released later in the year).
Sarah Harmer is another in the long line of Canadian singers or bands that I seem to really like. And wouldn't have discovered if I hadn't been a fan of Sarah McLachlan. It seems a lot of the music I listen to now is all Canadian.
There isn't one song on the cd that stands out too much, it's a good album to have on in the evenings or a lazy sunday afternoon when it's wet and grey outside.
But if you are interested, check out "Greeting Card Aisle". It's a good song.
The fourth album that I listened to on Tuesday. From Sum41 straight on to Sarah Harmer is a bit of shock. But I do really like this album, bought on the recommendation from someone on the fte list. That was a good bunch of cds that I bought back in early 2004 when the $NZ went over 60cents against the $US. Unfortunately I had a listen or two in the car, liked it, then put in the next cd I'd bought - 'this business of art' and was hooked on t&s and kind of forgot about all other music for a while there (I went on to buy 'if it was you' immediately, and preordered 'so jealous' which was released later in the year).
Sarah Harmer is another in the long line of Canadian singers or bands that I seem to really like. And wouldn't have discovered if I hadn't been a fan of Sarah McLachlan. It seems a lot of the music I listen to now is all Canadian.
There isn't one song on the cd that stands out too much, it's a good album to have on in the evenings or a lazy sunday afternoon when it's wet and grey outside.
But if you are interested, check out "Greeting Card Aisle". It's a good song.
14. All Killer, No Filler - Sum 41
Original Release Date: May 8, 2001
To sum up - Blink 182 wannabes with moments of the beastie boys on a couple of songs. I haven't followed their career since, so don't know if they deviated from the formula later on. Other than that I still quite like them and this album! I'm now over thirty but I still enjoy this light loud stuff some days and it is a bit of a relief after listening to 90s pop Alishas attic style. (yes, had a bit of time to myself at work the other day and managed to get through about four albums on my list)
'Fat lip' is a favourite, as is 'Motivation'. From memory I bought the cd for that song back in 2001, and it was good music to listen to when trying to keep myself awake on a boring evening shift.
Don't know whether the title 'All Killer, No Filler' as some of the songs sound a bit
too much like each other. It is an album I can listen too right through without fastforwarding as long as I don't think about it too much and decide to listen to Blink 182 instead....
To sum up - Blink 182 wannabes with moments of the beastie boys on a couple of songs. I haven't followed their career since, so don't know if they deviated from the formula later on. Other than that I still quite like them and this album! I'm now over thirty but I still enjoy this light loud stuff some days and it is a bit of a relief after listening to 90s pop Alishas attic style. (yes, had a bit of time to myself at work the other day and managed to get through about four albums on my list)
'Fat lip' is a favourite, as is 'Motivation'. From memory I bought the cd for that song back in 2001, and it was good music to listen to when trying to keep myself awake on a boring evening shift.
Don't know whether the title 'All Killer, No Filler' as some of the songs sound a bit
too much like each other. It is an album I can listen too right through without fastforwarding as long as I don't think about it too much and decide to listen to Blink 182 instead....
Thursday, August 28, 2008
13. Alisha Rules the World - Alisha's Attic
Release Date - haven't been able to really track this one down - it is listed as 1996 and 1997
I'm in two minds about this one. I still like "I am, I feel" but then that was the only song off this album that I heard in the 90s and I still like it now. But not sure if that is more because it was a favourite for a few months back then or if is a good song that has stands up ten years later.
I did notice that the rest of the album it kind of reminds me in places of "hormonally yours" by Shakespears Sister. Overall it is pretty good but definitively 90s. I found it pretty hard to listen to all of it, there were parts that I would really have loved to have fast forwarded through, and I probably will never listen to the full album again, although I'll probably add "I am I feel" or "Indestructable" to a playlist every now and then. If you are a fan of this style of '90s girl pop music, you'd probably like it - it's certainly better than B'witched!
I'm in two minds about this one. I still like "I am, I feel" but then that was the only song off this album that I heard in the 90s and I still like it now. But not sure if that is more because it was a favourite for a few months back then or if is a good song that has stands up ten years later.
I did notice that the rest of the album it kind of reminds me in places of "hormonally yours" by Shakespears Sister. Overall it is pretty good but definitively 90s. I found it pretty hard to listen to all of it, there were parts that I would really have loved to have fast forwarded through, and I probably will never listen to the full album again, although I'll probably add "I am I feel" or "Indestructable" to a playlist every now and then. If you are a fan of this style of '90s girl pop music, you'd probably like it - it's certainly better than B'witched!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
back to #2..
I blogged about REMs 'Accelerate' right back when I bought it. Just thought I'd mention that it turns out that I adore it, and I'd say it's one of my favourites. The songs I thought I wouldn't like grew on me, and I wouldn't be able to tell you what songs are my fav's as I love them all.
12. Alex Lloyd - Alex Lloyd
Original Release Date: October 2005
Unfortunately whenever I decide to listen to Alex Lloyd on my ipod, or even on CD in the car, I always end up choosing "Where Angels Mend". This is a bit of a disservice to this album, as I discovered while listening yesterday. It's a pretty good disc. I was listening at work, and didn't manage to note down any thing that stood out - so I suppose there wasn't anything really memorable, but I enjoyed it and will very likely be playing this one again very soon...
So, think this is the first album I've found so far in my collection that I hadn't taken the time to enjoy, but I'll certainly be taking the time to listen again.
Unfortunately whenever I decide to listen to Alex Lloyd on my ipod, or even on CD in the car, I always end up choosing "Where Angels Mend". This is a bit of a disservice to this album, as I discovered while listening yesterday. It's a pretty good disc. I was listening at work, and didn't manage to note down any thing that stood out - so I suppose there wasn't anything really memorable, but I enjoyed it and will very likely be playing this one again very soon...
So, think this is the first album I've found so far in my collection that I hadn't taken the time to enjoy, but I'll certainly be taking the time to listen again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)