NMC: THE BEST ALBUM EVER (read page 5)

[Lamrock]

Because I obviously didn't know it was Joe's turn. I wanted to keep this thread towards the top of the forum, so that it isn't forgotten and doesn't disappear into the oblivion of the Entertainment forum. A chance to unofficially recommend an album during the two month waiting period is just gravy.

Looking forward to the rule change. Sporadic posters could be a problem.

[J@3]

Ok we've gone through a whole "cycle" and it's been good so far but the main problem seems to be the review period dragging on and people losing interest waiting for their turn to come around, thus there are now some new rules:

-Instead of one recommendation per week, it's now one per five days

-Instead of having a week to review the recommendation, you now have ten days

What this means essentially is that there will always be two albums up for review, and each album gets a ten day window for itself but these windows will overlap. This means another rule:

-You can either review every album, or every second album.

So for example:

A recommends Album 1 (ten day review period for that album begins)

After five days...

B recommends Album 2 (ten day review period for this album begins, and there is still five days left to review Album 1)

You can choose to only review one of these (ideally you'd review both). If you review album 1 and not album 2, then you have to review album 3 or you'll get a strike and be bumped to the end of the list. If you review album 2 and not album 1, you have to review album 3 or album 4 otherwise the same applies. If you review albums 2 and 3, you have to review album 5 etc etc.

If you skip two in a row you will get a strike and go to the end of the list.
So basically you can only skip one at a time, is what I'm trying to get at. Obviously this isn't ideal but it should be better for people who inexplicably can't find a spare 40 minutes in ten days to listen to an album.

Also the strike system, as usual three and you're out. Strikes can also be assigned for half assing your reviews (by that I just mean one line reviews basically) because virtually everyone has put effort into theirs so far whether they liked the album or not, it's only fair to return the favor.

The key thing here is getting your recommendations in on time so we can keep the time limits consistent. So for example, we'll use the current lineup:

Joe is up next, thierry is after him and Jao after him.

Joe recommends, if thierry doesn't think he can get his recommendation in on the right day, he can give his recommendation in advance and we can just wait until the five days are up to start reviewing it. Only the next person up can do this, otherwise it'd just get confusing. If the person doesn't post theirs in advance and doesn't post it on the right day, then they'll be skipped.

Anyways I'll post a list of dates later for everyone to make this easier.

Any questions? Once I post the dates we can get this moving again.

[J@3]

Actually I've just had an idea... since I'm doing all of the dates, if you guys wanna PM me your recommendations in advance I can list them on the first page so when the date comes people can just start reviewing the album. That'd be easier than everyone posting it in the thread. The same rules apply though if you don't review and are skipped etc

[J@3]

POSTER	RECOMMENDATION DATE	REVIEW DEADLINE	ALBUM
Joe`	Sunday 23rd August	Wednesday 2nd September	Throwing Copper by Live
thierryhenry	Friday 28th August	Monday 7th September	Passion Pit - Manners
JaoSming	Wednesday 2nd September	Saturday 12th September
Lamrock	Monday 7th September	Thursday 17th September	LCD Soundsystem - Sound Of Silver
Pdub	Saturday 12th September	Tuesday 22nd September
PhatGeezer	Thursday 17th September	Sunday 27th September
ratrac	Tuesday 22nd September	Friday 2nd October
Mayerhendrix	Sunday 27th September	Wednesday 7th October
Ben	Friday 2nd October	Monday 12th October
shadowgrin	Wednesday 7th October	Saturday 17th October
Nick	Monday 12th October	Thursday 22nd October
TheOrig...	Saturday 17th October	Tuesday 27th October
Doobie	Thursday 22nd October	Sunday 1st November
Jae	Tuesday 27th October	Friday 6th November	Deez Nuts - Stay True
DrGonzo	Sunday 1st November	Wednesday 11th November

[Lamrock]

Fantastic new format idea.

[Oznogrd]

any way i can get in on this?

[J@3]

Yep sure I'll add you to that list later.

[Joe']

Okay, my recommendation is Throwing Copper by Live. Sorry I'm a bit late, I got back just yesterday and I'm still very tired so I'll be quick, here's the link. One song is missing though ("Horse",) which you can find here.

[Moz]

I was busy listening to grunge and britpop on the year that this album came so I didn’t got a chance to have a glance at it. Really into the vox effects on the opening track, The Dam at Otter Creek, it really soothes the mood of the song. The only complaint I have is that the rhythm guitar part of the track is too silent on the climax of the song.. The bass and drums overpowered it, or maybe it’s just the equalizer... I love everything on Selling the Drama. The vocals are clear and every instruments are noticeable. I Alone’s borrowed tempo is smoothly explosive. The refrain is a great appetizer. I thought Iris will be boring but as that snare came in I got hooked. I recall the day I heard Soundgarden’s Jesus Christ Pose for the first time. The vocals on the solemn Lightning Crashes really shows the heavy influence of the front man to that of REM’s. Same can be said on the next track, especially the opening part. Top is pretty average though. Again, I love the vocals on All Over You. The vocalist did a great job on fusing his singing techniques on the song. Shit Towne is not shitty afterall, at least it’s average. Only the latter part of T.B.D. is likeable to me. Not into the punky Stage. Waitress got a promising start but as it progressed it becomes repetitive. Another REM-ish track, Pillar of Davidson got an epic chorus but to me it doesn’t have the momentum that the few earlier tracks of the album have. White, Discussion revived the album from declining. Driven by a catchy bass line, it regain the momentum that the track prior to it didn’t achieved. A good album closer, set aside the hidden/bonus track. Horse got that MTV Unplugged atmosphere in it. I’m waiting for the crowd’s cheers and applause at the end, still thinking it’s an unplugged recording (later learning that they had their unplugged performance one year after the album was released). The song’s tempo is pretty appropriate to it’s title since it’s like a stomping horse. It’s one of those songs that you’ll love to listen in a hammock in the countryside.

Powered by the album’s starting five (with it’s sixthman, All Over You) it showed us that ripping-off REM is not a bad thing. Although it kinda decline after the first half, the album’s pretty solid.

********

8 of 10

[JaoSming]

Jae I edited the table to add Joe's album

[shadowgrin]

I'll probably double post and still review Jae's with Joe's.
Despite my hate for the genre like Jao and Lamrock, that Conchoid something got me interested to actually listen to all the songs.

[J@3]

Thanks Jao, completey forgot to do that. Also added illini.

I'll keep editing this post to keep track of who's yet to review this/skipping it:

thierryhenry
JaoSming
Lamrock
Pdub
ratrac
Mayerhendrix
Ben
shadowgrin
Nick
TheOriginalCandyMan
DoobieKnicks

[J@3]

I like Live. I downloaded their Greatest Hits album which pretty much sums up how I feel about them generally. Their big/popular songs are great but the rest isn't something I'd investigate much.

We're 35 seconds into The Dam at Otter Creek, finally the song starts. I have no patience. Sounds like something big is about to happen, the singer is getting excited and louder. There's some sporadic metal-sounding guitars at the moment, I wish they'd continue. And finally they do, but at a strange point in the chorus which doesn't really work for me. Finally the song has some life to it, the vocals are drowned out but it might just be Youtube's fault. I was ready to give this song a low score but it has definitely been saved in the last third.

I get the feeling I've heard Selling The Drama before, there's a music video for it so I'm assuming it was released as a single. I like it though, not as much as some others on this but it's good all the same. Weird seeing Ed (on a first name basis) with long hair.

The first song I know, I Alone. Awesome song, not my favourite of their "hits" but still good enough for me to skip since I've heard it a ton of times already. Btw, this youtube playlist is out of order so I'm sort of making it sound like I'm listening to them in sequence but I'm not, and THIS is how they should build their songs... for the rest of the album they seem obsessed with building up to something huge and not delivering.

I like the start of Iris, the guitar at the beginning is cool, and unexpected considering how slow the music is up until then. What I don't like is how the first verse was building up nicely, then basically died down into nothing. A lot of bands do this, it pisses me off. The chorus isn't really anything to write home about either way, but the whole thing is catchy enough.

Lightning Crashes is a classic, and a pretty iconic song for the 90's. Again, they make none of the mistakes in this song that they do in a lot of the other albums. Great vocal performance also

The start of Top sounds like a Rob Thomas song . It's not very long, not even three minutes which is a bit of a shame because the verses are pretty sweet but the chorus's need some more power behind them. And they are too short.

Another one that I know, All Over You is great. This to me fixes the problems I found with quite a few of the other songs, all of the building in the song actually leads to something, it's not as much of a tease and the lyrics are fantastic throughout.

Shit Towne... weird name, even for me. This is more along the lines of what I think of when I think about Live. I love the way the song just changes suddenly around a minute in, if this was heavier it'd be sick. Though it leads to nothing and goes back to the way it sounded initially again. This seems to happen a few times throughout the song, not as bad admittedly but still too much for my liking.

TBD just bores the living shit out of me, nothing happens until the song is nearly over and that only goes for like ten seconds.

Not a fan of Stage, it's a bit of a throwback try-hard song. The only thing that comes close to saving it is the vocal.

Waitress is very bass heavy in the verses, I think this song is really about prostitutes or strippers or something. The lead in to the chorus sounds like Billy Corgan came out of nowhere and started yelling, but again the chorus is a bit of a let down and also too short. I feel like a broken record but this is definitely a trend.

I don't think Pillar Of Davidson is in the playlist posted... either way, looked it up and it's pretty cool, better than the other filler songs for sure.

White, Discussion sounds a lot like Stage to me... I don't know why because really they're quite different but that's the comparison that came to mind. Not a fan, more filler.

Apparently Horse is a hidden track, I think it should have stayed that way.

This album has made me change my rating system. Under the old one it gets a really low score, but there's three amazing songs on this album and even though I didn't enjoy most of it a great deal (it was ok, but nothing I'd want to listen to again) those three alone make it worth the time spent listening to this. My only real criticism is that most of the songs are like getting a blowjob from a stripper then having the fire alarm in the building go off right before you're going to blow. Always building to something but never getting there... was probably a better way to phrase that.

72%

Looking at the number 1 albums in the US the year this was released, also hitting number one on the charts that year was Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, Alice In Chains, Jagged Little Pill, Cracked Rear View, E. 1999 Eternal and Me Against The World... good year.

[Lamrock]

Jae, quick question. It wouldn't really fit with your taste in music, but does your member title refer to the British Sea Power song, "Carrion"? I like that song. I'm about halfway through Live, and its not bad. Don't like the whole Michael Stipe imitation though. Never did like his voice. Full review coming in a while, but first impressions are 7/10.

[J@3]

Nah, Parkway Drive have a song called Carrion... I did come across the British Sea Power version on Youtube when I was looking for the other one actually.

[Oznogrd]

Just got through the whole album trying to zone out based on my rant in the letting off steam thread. Anyway on to the review.

Live is my kinda music. When I don't know what else to listen to: I pop in a 90's alternative esque playlist and zone out. Then again..I had never listened to their whole albums. My rating system is gonna be each song out of 5. Overall is gonna be the average of each track most likely

1. Dam at Otter Creek-Takes forever to get going then cant make up its mind what it wants to be. I'm not sure if its my laptop speakers but the lyrics are a little hard to get under the guitars and drums. I dont dislike it...but it's nothing I'll search for and be like "man I gotta hear that again"
3/5
2. Selling the Drama-This sounds like a 90's band trying to do their version of Every Rose Has It's Thorn. I almost thought it was on the first riff till i heard the frontman's voice. But overall? not a bad song. Catchy, can understand the lyrics, good riffs...gives me hope for the rest of the album
4/5
3. I Alone-This is what i mean by my 90's alternative. This is one of those songs i always hear and love but no one ever knew the name of it. Good Lyrics (relatable), you dont lose them in the heavier chorus, and the mix of the retrospective verse with the passionate slightly angry chorus actually works. Giving it a 5
5/5
4. Iris-This makes me feel like Live has trouble with their identity. Are they harder? are they soft? are they speed, are they slow? Time measure changes and things are fine but they appear to be at random. This song didnt really stand out to me, but not an unpleasant one.
3/5
5. Lightning Crashes-I won't even try to review this one. One of the greatest songs of the 90s and very possibly for me ever. Live at their peak right here.
5/5
6. Top-Did someone tell them to make a pop song? this is so much less rock than the entirety of the rest of the album. Just not my style. I feel like this is John Mayer if he had a band behind him.
2/5
7. All Over You-Another one of those songs i hear and no one ever knows the name of it. Probably 2nd best track on the album.
5/5
8. Shit Towne-Where the fuck did this song come from? I thought this was about personal love angst and we jump into neighborhood i hate my hometown angst. I actually checked to make sure I read the title correctly. If you're going to randomly have a title like this, it needs to be with good reason: and i dont feel like this song portrays the town as the "shit towne" its not angry enough.
2/5
9. T.B.D. Agree with jae's assessment. No better way to put it.
1/5
10. Stage-Another: where the hell? i checked to make sure my itunes hadnt accidentally started shuffling...this song just fits with nothing else and furthers the stereotype that live is "hard rock"
1/5
11. Waitress-FUCKING CHAAAAAAAAANGE!!!! 90's alternative freebird? Not unpleasant to listen to...just more randomness out of live.
3/5
12. Pillar of Davidson-Made me check again that i hadnt switched albums. This song pretty much made me wanna take a nap. Almost as boring as T.B.D for me
1/5
13. White Discussion-And now we get political lovely. I know it was 'hip' back then and not standard. But you can't jump from love songs to protest songs. It just makes no sense. The lyrics are super cliche. I expect better out of live. At least the lyrics are understandable and the instruments blend together rather than clashing
2/5
14. Horse-WTF mates? This sounds like Live has gone country. Throw in a fiddle and you have the new kid rock album. Glad this isnt considered "album" worthy because it makes no sense. Not unpleasant to listen to, just not my style again
2/5
Overall: Albums a 2.78: there's definite highs and lows but the whole thing just doesnt flow. I'd say grab the 3-4 truly stellar songs and skip the rest. Huge disappointment for me personally. I think I now understand why Live isnt on a level with some of the other bigger 90s bands.

[J@3]

The thing is, with a lot of "classic" albums (this one, Nevermind is another that comes to .. mind) there's usually so much filler but the epic songs make everyone forget about it and just focus on them instead.

[Oznogrd]

what's odd? i love every single track on nevermind. Nirvana knows who they are. Not every song is epic, but every song is undeniably them and it works as an album. This album just wasnt a cohesive effort.

[J@3]

Nevermind is 80% filler. If it wasn't for SLTL and Come As You Are I wouldn't even own it. Pearl Jam - Ten >>>>>>>>>>>>> Nirvana - Nevermind

[Lamrock]

Yeah... I don't like Nirvana very much, but Nevermind has little to no filler. All 11 songs get radio play, and are still good to this day. I never thought I would be defending a band I felt to be overrated, but thats just a ridiculous claim. I would agree that "Ten" is a better album though. Pearl Jam and Nirvana were the only "great" bands to come out of the grunge era. Then there were mediocre followers Live, and... ugh, the Stone Temple Pilots.

[kibaxx7]

I was gonna recommend "The College Dropout", but I'm sure 101% of the forum already listened to it, so I will think a new one later. Sorry I couldn't review before!

[Lamrock]

Yeah. Rich man's Food & Liquor. I've only listened to half the Live album, so I'll wait to see what your album is before making a review.

[kibaxx7]

Excellent choice in Sound of Silver man. Will review "Live" today and then recommend my album tonight. Any good sites for music streaming? I searched in YouTube playlists but some are wrong.

[J@3]

Yeah... I don't like Nirvana very much, but Nevermind has little to no filler. All 11 songs get radio play, and are still good to this day. I never thought I would be defending a band I felt to be overrated, but thats just a ridiculous claim.

Based on what? Just because it gets airplay doesn't mean it's not filler. Personally I've never heard "all 11" on the radio at all. You think they're good, I don't.... that doesn't mean mine is a "ridiculous claim" while yours is valid and right.

[JaoSming]

all 11 get airplay where I live as well