[Makiah S]

  ^^ Glad you like it. I've given it about 10 spins and I like it more each time. My next album is Sarah Jarosz: Build Me UP from Bones. 

OMG WHY didn't you TELL ME YOU LIKED HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I almost CRIED when I missed her Show back in November! She was only 211 MILES FROM ME q.q
 
MattTCG we must be like earBuddies... to keep bumbin into each other like this 
 
I actually did an album review... did not know this thread was here LAWL
 

Epica - Consign to Oblivion [2005]​

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Track List​

 

No.​	Title	Lyrics	Music	Notes	Length​
1.​	"Hunab K'u (A New Age Dawns, Prologue)"	Mark Jansen	Yves Huts		1:44​
2.​	"Dance of Fate"	Simone Simons	Jansen, Huts, Coen Janssen, S. Simons		5:13​
3.​	"The Last Crusade (A New Age Dawns, Part I)"	Jansen	Jansen, Huts, Ad Sluijter		4:21​
4.​	"Solitary Ground"	S. Simons	Janssen, Jansen, Sluijter, S. Simons	The single with an acoustic version of this song was extracted from The Score – An Epic Journey	4:22​
5.​	"Blank Infinity"	S. Simons	Jansen, Janssen, S. Simons		4:00​
6.​	"Force of the Shore"	S. Simons	Jansen, Janssen, Sluijter, Huts		4:01​
7.​	"Quietus"	S. Simons	Jansen, Huts, Janssen, Sluijter, S. Simons, Jeroen Simons	The only single	3:45​
8.​	"Mother of Light (A New Age Dawns, Part II)"	Jansen	Jansen, Sluijter		5:55​
9.​	"Trois Vierges"	S. Simons	Jansen, Janssen, S. Simons	Featuring Roy Khan	4:40​
10.​	"Another Me "In Lack'ech""	Jansen	Jansen		4:39​
11.​	"Consign to Oblivion (A New Age Dawns, Part III)"	Jansen	Jansen, Sluijter

 ​

I really enjoyed the symphonic intro, as far as songs go my favorite would have to be track 2, Dance of Fate. Over all though as a piece of music, there's a lovely contrast to the entire sound of Epica, yes I'm aware there are like a dozen other symphonic Metal Bands, but I enjoy Simone Simon's voice most of all. ​

Is an album I'm very much enjoying, it's a good example of a sub-genre of metal called Symphonic Metal or Gothic Metal. I really hate all these sub genre's but what ever they call it I enjoy it. ​

In particular I like the structure of the Album, it starts with a Prologue, a very classically oriented prologue and then leads into the first track with some typical metal double bass drum action and guitar riffs. Still the mastering is wonderful. ​

More on the music though, I'm enjoying the mixture of the classical strings and touches of choir styled lyrics, and yes there's a touch of some nasty growls here and there which I can appreciate. Makes a nice contrast to the music over all.​

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Although I do have a Second Pick​

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The Joy of Motion​

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Animals as Leaders ​

 

[th]

No.​

[/th] [th]Title[/th] [th]

Length​

[/th] [td] [/td] [td]

1.​

[/td] [td]"Ka$cade"  [/td] [td]

5:23​

[/td] [td]

2.​

[/td] [td]"Lippincott"  [/td] [td]

4:22​

[/td] [td]

3.​

[/td] [td]"Air Chrysalis"  [/td] [td]

5:06​

[/td] [td]

4.​

[/td] [td]"Another Year"  [/td] [td]

3:50​

[/td] [td]

5.​

[/td] [td]"Physical Education"  [/td] [td]

4:41​

[/td] [td]

6.​

[/td] [td]"Tooth and Claw"  [/td] [td]

4:23​

[/td] [td]

7.​

[/td] [td]"Crescent"  [/td] [td]

4:23​

[/td] [td]

8.​

[/td] [td]"The Future That Awaited Me"  [/td] [td]

4:33​

[/td] [td]

9.​

[/td] [td]"Para Mexer"  [/td] [td]

4:29​

[/td] [td]

10.​

[/td] [td]"The Woven Web"  [/td] [td]

4:07​

[/td] [td]

11.​

[/td] [td]"Mind-Spun"  [/td] [td]

4:35​

[/td] [td]

12.​

[/td] [td]"Nephele"  [/td] [td]

4:31​

[/td] [td=colspan:2] [/td]

 ​

To start with it's all instrumental, which is wonderful as I'm not the biggest fan of vocals. But I love how every track starts with some lovely guitar solo work a very melodic almost post rock style intro, after which comes the drop. The barrage of the kick drum, and the heavy djent guitar riffs! The technical skills of these guys alone is really wonderful to listen to, and all of this from a trio! Makes me shiver thinking about it! ​

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Track wise the entire album has a great flow to it, the softer intros and fade outs at the end of each song work nicely with their style, which is to my ears a very technical and yet enjoyable! I love to hear the results of some clearly well trained finger work, and The Woven Web is my favorite track. In particular enjoy the middle section of the track, the guitarists starts with a very metallic and taught riff, followed by a nice kick drum riff, I just love how the music really ticks. Feels like your listening to some crazy robotic brain working lol. Either way great band and some wonderful Progressive Metal from this really talented Trio! ​

 ​

 

[MattTCG]

^^ Thank you much. I'll check these out. 

 

[JoeDoe]

http://1week1album.blogspot.com/2014/05/week-16.html?m=1

St. Paul and The Broken Bones - Half the City

Such a great record!

 

[LugBug1]

The Shins - Wincing the night away (2007)
 

 
Such a great pop record. James Mercer has a huge gift for writing catchy tunes that you can't get out of your head. Theres nothing original here, just great songs from a genuine talent. His voice is very addictive..
Stand out tracks include a brilliant emulation of the Smiths 'Australia' and the single 'Phantom Limb'.

 

[MattTCG]

  The Shins - Wincing the night away (2007)
 

 
Such a great pop record. James Mercer has a huge gift for writing catchy tunes that you can't get out of your head. Theres nothing original here, just great songs from a genuine talent. His voice is very addictive..
Stand out tracks include a brilliant emulation of the Smiths 'Australia' and the single 'Phantom Limb'.

 
Hey, thanks for that. Just gave them a first listen. Me like. 

 

[LugBug1]

   
Hey, thanks for that. Just gave them a first listen. Me like. 

 

[62ohm]

Ryan Star - Songs from the Eye of an Elephant
 

I like this album very much, I think it falls under the genre of slow rock. Ordered one from JB HiFi, and turns out I have to pay $35 for it 

 Worth it though.

 

[TJ Elite]

​

Keiichiro Shibuya - ATAK015 for maria​

 

I don't normally post my album of the month this early into a new month, but even though there is a tremendous amount of contest this month, I firmly believe my choice isn't going to change. This time the honor goes to Keiichiro Shibuya, whom I was introduced to via his THE END opera a few months back. Whereas THE END was almost completely devoid of human performers and even acoustic sounds, for maria features Mr. Shibuya himself playing alone on the piano.

 

There are fourteen compositions featured here, ranging from two-minute pieces all to way eight and a half minutes. The music is often very melancholic, but there are also times of optimism and serene beauty. A lot of the music is quite minimal and at times sparse, even repetitive. I have a feeling there might be people out there to whom this album might sound empty, hollow – devoid of any form of substance. From the bottom of my heart I hope that is not the case because to me this is some of the most heartfelt music I've heard in a long time. Shibuya is not a virtuoso pianist and there's nothing flashy about this album. Everything you hear is about the music itself and expressing emotions and thoughts. That is what art is about, no? To me every note conveys a lot more than you would expect from a single note and the spaces between the notes are equally important. Everything says so much. My eyes tear up practically every time I listen to this album and it has earned a special place in my heart. I doubt I need to say that this is recommended listening. Listen and let yourself be immersed in the music.

 

The album is available for free streaming on Spotify, and for purchase in lossy format on iTunes Store and Amazon MP3, CD via Amazon Japan (what I have), and in native DSD format on Keiichiro's web shop. Links to all these below.

 

Spotify | iTunes Store | Amazon MP3 | Amazon Japan | ATAK Web Shop

 

[BobG55]

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs [2 CD 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition]

 
The first CD contains the songs Duane Allman played on after being invited by Eric Clapton. There's "Layla" of course but my favourite song on the album is "Little Wing", a Jimi Hendrix composition; the guitar play/exchanges between Slowhand & Sky Dog is the kind of stuff legends are made of; out of this world.  The song actually gives me chills. The album was produced by legendary record producer Tom Dowd (who went from being a Rocket Scientist/Engineer who worked on the Manhattan project to one of the greatest music producers/innovators). Tom Dowdw passed away in 2003.  For those who don't know about Tom Dowd he's worth looking up (ie.Wikipedia).  Almost forgot, the band's name was Derek and the Dominoes.  I remember when the album first came out 1n 1970 on vinyl of course I immediately bought it and listened to it so much that within a month or so it was full of scratches & I had to buy it again.  I've never gotten tired of this album.
 
-Old Groucho
 
From Amazon:
 
Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of this ground-breaking 1970 album. Derek & The Dominos were the almost fictional group recruited by Eric Clapton which came together during the sessions for George Harrison's All Things Must Pass album in 1970. The band released only this one studio album in December 1970, which has been re-evaluated since its release and is now regarded as one of Clapton's finest recordings and is often considered to be the defining achievement of Clapton's career. The album melded an astounding collection of musical styles - Blues, Folk, R&B and Rock - into one timeless package. It consistently appears in listings of the best rock albums ever recorded, and was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000 and continues to be noticed by critics. This deluxe edition features six exciting performances from what was to be Derek And The Dominos' second album plus all four audio performances from Derek And The Domino's sole, historic television appearance on The Johnny Cash Show, November 9, 1970. Also features two tracks produced by Phil Spector in early summer 1970 and the outtake "Mean Old World".

 

[SlimShadyMJ]

Mekakucity Days

So good! Especially if you know what the songs are about/what is being said. Sad, yet, beautiful.
I would rate it a 9/10
My favourite song is definitely Toumei Answer:

 

[Mila Kunis]

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

 

[themuna]

 
Kavinsky - Outrun

 

[moriez]

 

[SlimShadyMJ]

New month, new album(s)
That's right, I've got 2 going for me that I got into late last month and will be going strong in this one
 
The Verve: Urban Hymns
"Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life"

Greatest song ever made imo
 
Phantogram: Voices
And my favourite from the album: Bill Murray

 

[metalsonata]

Swans: To Be Kind