June/July reviews
Posted: 11 Jul 2016, 13:50
So with the arrival the other day of my mix, I remembered that I'd forgotten all about this, so if you're still waiting on a disc, you might have me to blame. Don't worry, I'm on it.
Anyway, I'm afraid to say I didn't like much of my mix this month. I do appreciate the effor that goes into this, and I don't like to sound negative, btu I just don't really get on with most of this sort of thing...
1. Punk rock. Sounds a bit like the theme to Friends, and for that reason, I’m out. I never liked punk, sorry, it just sounded like a bunch of old people being childish to me. The bit I did like was the guy who sounds like Jad Fair shouting things over the ending.
2. Some nice sounds on this. It’s got a nicely claustrophobic edge to the vocals, neat compression, I guess. The song doesn’t really do much for me, but they sound quite good at it nonetheless. If this was on the radio I wouldn’t change the station, but I wouldn’t turn it up either.
3. As opening lines go “Grandpa pissed his pants again” is right up there. It gets your attention. Sadly, for me, not in a good way. I don’t know what this song is, none of the elements seem to go together, nor do any of the parts give me any pleasure.
4. Oh look, I’m sorry but I can’t even listen to this. I hate everything about it.
5. I quite like the guitar sounds on this, but everything else kind of annoys me. Sorry.
6. This one feels unfinished to me. It feels like a working version of something, I kept waiting for it to kick in but it never did.
7. Seavy guitars, smashing of drums, unhappy singing, despite it being a “la la-la la” sort of thing. It must be tiring to have to play this. It’s not for me, thanks. I just don’t like that sort of thing.
8. This is a bit of a silly thing, a light relief from all that bashing. Seems a bit mean to make fun of Rick Astley for having a fat neck, mind. I don’t mind the odd comedy song, and this was better than the preceding tracks.
9. Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and how good to hear it! Cracking track, with some fine horns. Weird thing to write a song about, though, isn’t it? Can you imagine it working in any other genre?
10. This one’s quite pleasant. Reminds me a little of Josh Rouse, for some reason. Maybe the atmosphere. It’s very neat and tidy. Sounds like something from one of those films staring Zoey Deschanel, or whoever it is in those films. Cosy, cutesy. This is a cosy, cutesy track.
11. 3/4 time. So often one of my favourite time signatures. Lots of good songs in 3/4 time. This is one of those American singer-songwriters I never really paid much attention to. Ryan Adams or Elliot Smith or one of those guys. Feels a bit more produced and polished than it needs to be, but I quite like this. I’d need to hear it a lot more before I could decide how much, but it certainly makes me want to hear more.
12. Elvis Costello, isn’t it? I don’t get him. What is he? Why does he sing like that? Is it good? Doesn’t it give him a headache? I’m lost. I don’t know what to say about this, it’s inoffensive, I guess. It’s not unpleasant to have in my ears. I’ll tell you what he does do that I really like and that’s a good middle 8, and this is a belter. Comfortably the best part of the song. I guess that’s why he and McCartney wanted to work together.
13. Condition by Kenny Rogers. I actually first knew this song as covered by Supergrass. You ever hear their version? It’s great. But you’d struggle to spoil this, wouldn’t you? Did he ever do anything else that sounded this good? I’ve never thought to find out.
14. Good lord, whatever next? This sounds like the theme tune to a daytime TV show. Did you mean to put this on? I can’t think what would make anybody choose to listen to this. Is this the people who did that horrible Love Shack record? It has the same drum sound. Not for me.
So, um, yeah, well, thanks. I just didn’t really like much of this. But there’s a couple I’m interested in, especially number 11, and, you know, you probably won’t like anything I send you. But thanks all the same, you know?
I also received a bonus disc, featuring, alongside Hendrix and the Byrds, Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up and Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music
Anyway, I'm afraid to say I didn't like much of my mix this month. I do appreciate the effor that goes into this, and I don't like to sound negative, btu I just don't really get on with most of this sort of thing...
1. Punk rock. Sounds a bit like the theme to Friends, and for that reason, I’m out. I never liked punk, sorry, it just sounded like a bunch of old people being childish to me. The bit I did like was the guy who sounds like Jad Fair shouting things over the ending.
2. Some nice sounds on this. It’s got a nicely claustrophobic edge to the vocals, neat compression, I guess. The song doesn’t really do much for me, but they sound quite good at it nonetheless. If this was on the radio I wouldn’t change the station, but I wouldn’t turn it up either.
3. As opening lines go “Grandpa pissed his pants again” is right up there. It gets your attention. Sadly, for me, not in a good way. I don’t know what this song is, none of the elements seem to go together, nor do any of the parts give me any pleasure.
4. Oh look, I’m sorry but I can’t even listen to this. I hate everything about it.
5. I quite like the guitar sounds on this, but everything else kind of annoys me. Sorry.
6. This one feels unfinished to me. It feels like a working version of something, I kept waiting for it to kick in but it never did.
7. Seavy guitars, smashing of drums, unhappy singing, despite it being a “la la-la la” sort of thing. It must be tiring to have to play this. It’s not for me, thanks. I just don’t like that sort of thing.
8. This is a bit of a silly thing, a light relief from all that bashing. Seems a bit mean to make fun of Rick Astley for having a fat neck, mind. I don’t mind the odd comedy song, and this was better than the preceding tracks.
9. Sweet Soul Music by Arthur Conley, and how good to hear it! Cracking track, with some fine horns. Weird thing to write a song about, though, isn’t it? Can you imagine it working in any other genre?
10. This one’s quite pleasant. Reminds me a little of Josh Rouse, for some reason. Maybe the atmosphere. It’s very neat and tidy. Sounds like something from one of those films staring Zoey Deschanel, or whoever it is in those films. Cosy, cutesy. This is a cosy, cutesy track.
11. 3/4 time. So often one of my favourite time signatures. Lots of good songs in 3/4 time. This is one of those American singer-songwriters I never really paid much attention to. Ryan Adams or Elliot Smith or one of those guys. Feels a bit more produced and polished than it needs to be, but I quite like this. I’d need to hear it a lot more before I could decide how much, but it certainly makes me want to hear more.
12. Elvis Costello, isn’t it? I don’t get him. What is he? Why does he sing like that? Is it good? Doesn’t it give him a headache? I’m lost. I don’t know what to say about this, it’s inoffensive, I guess. It’s not unpleasant to have in my ears. I’ll tell you what he does do that I really like and that’s a good middle 8, and this is a belter. Comfortably the best part of the song. I guess that’s why he and McCartney wanted to work together.
13. Condition by Kenny Rogers. I actually first knew this song as covered by Supergrass. You ever hear their version? It’s great. But you’d struggle to spoil this, wouldn’t you? Did he ever do anything else that sounded this good? I’ve never thought to find out.
14. Good lord, whatever next? This sounds like the theme tune to a daytime TV show. Did you mean to put this on? I can’t think what would make anybody choose to listen to this. Is this the people who did that horrible Love Shack record? It has the same drum sound. Not for me.
So, um, yeah, well, thanks. I just didn’t really like much of this. But there’s a couple I’m interested in, especially number 11, and, you know, you probably won’t like anything I send you. But thanks all the same, you know?
I also received a bonus disc, featuring, alongside Hendrix and the Byrds, Rick Astley’s Never Gonna Give You Up and Julie Andrews singing My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music