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Songwriter Forum => The Bar => Topic started by: PopTodd on August 14, 2015, 05:02:13 PM

Title: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on August 14, 2015, 05:02:13 PM: It's been cool getting free music to listen to and write about. So, yeah, I don't get paid in money, but in music So, check them out if you like (there is always at least one song sample at the end of each), and maybe you'll find something new that you'll like.

My newest:
DRINKS - Hermits On Holiday
Welsh chanteuse Cate Le Bon and San Fran psych man Tim Presley (White Fence) team up to confuse their fans with a fun new project - DRINKS.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/08/drinks-hermits-on-holiday.html

I'll make new posts as I have new ones published, but here are links to the rest of my reviews:
Martin Newell - Teatime Assortment
A sort of "best of" the last 5 years or Martin's output as Cleaners From Venus.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/07/martin-newell-teatime-assortment.html

The Thons - Hot Fun
Chicago post-punk trio with killer guitars, takes on a slight psych flavor. But not too much.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-thons-hot-fun.html

The Chills - The BBC Sessions
Excellent career-spanning live in-studio document from the brilliant Kiwi band and Flying Nun stalwarts.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-chills-bbc-sessions.html

Wand - Ganglion Reef
If Black Sabbath were an Elephant 6 band.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2014/11/album-review-wand-ganglion-reef.html

The Limiñanas - (I've Got) Trouble In Mind: 7"s and Rare Stuff 2009/2014
Excellent French husband/wife duo who channel all that is good and right about the Nuggets box sets.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2014/10/album-review-liminanas-ive-got-trouble.html

Tinarawen - The Radio Tisdas Sessions/Amassakoul
Vinyl reissue of the first 2 albums from the great Tuareg collective.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2014/09/album-review-tinariwen-radio-tisdas.html

Fumaça Preta - Fumaça Preta
My #1 album of last year (depending upon the day). Like Captain Beefheart jamming with Os Mutantes and Tom Zé. Seriously. And seriously awesome.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2014/09/album-review-fumaca-preta-st.html

Let me know if you check any of these out and if it helps you discover anything new that you dig. That would make me happy: to make you happy. If this thread has any interest, I'll update it with new reviews as I write them. If not, I won't.
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: Neil C on August 14, 2015, 08:28:56 PM: Well Mr Todd or is it Pop?
Just had a listen to a couple and whilst i've never heard of any of them bar The Chils i think you're reviews are right on the money and describe what I heard.
keep up the good work.
:)
Neil
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on August 14, 2015, 10:17:29 PM: Quote from: Neil C on August 14, 2015, 08:28:56 PM
Well Mr Todd or is it Pop?
Just had a listen to a couple and whilst i've never heard of any of them bar The Chils i think you're reviews are right on the money and describe what I heard.
keep up the good work.
:)
Neil

You can just call me Todd.
And, thanks!
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on September 18, 2015, 08:05:54 PM: Here's another new one:
Dr. Cosmo's Tape Lab - Coconut Summer Drop In 432
Scottish psych weirdos do their best Brian Wilson impression.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/08/dr-cosmos-tape-lab-coconut-summer-drop.html

And I should have 2 more up sometime next week.
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on September 22, 2015, 03:00:14 AM: Another new one:
Salad Boys - Metalmania
A New Zealand band from Christchurch, who sound like they're from Dunedin.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/09/salad-boys-metalmania.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on October 04, 2015, 04:18:13 PM: The City - Now That Everything's Been Said
Did you know that Carole King had a psychedelic phase?
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-city-now-that-everythings-been-said.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on October 11, 2015, 04:21:09 PM: The Butterscotch Cathedral - S/T
A psychedelic masterpiece, with two 18-minute, multi-movement suites that fly by. Quite awesome, indeed.
http://active-listener.blogspot.co.nz/2015/10/the-butterscotch-cathedral-st.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on October 27, 2015, 07:18:57 PM: Here We Go Magic - Be Small
Engaging synth pop, inspired by John Cale & Brian Eno's masterful 1990 collaboration.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/10/here-we-go-magic-be-small.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on November 14, 2015, 02:55:04 PM: Newly posted:
Invisible Astro Healing Rhythm Quartet - 2
Modern jazz with post-rock and Ethiopian funk influences.
http://active-listener.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/invisible-astro-healing-rhythm-quartet-2.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on November 22, 2015, 09:56:39 PM: Cumbias Chichadélicas - Peruvian Psychedelic Chicha
A really fun compilation of psychedelic Cumbia music from Perú in the late 60s and early 70s.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/11/cumbias-chichadelicas-peruvian.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on December 05, 2015, 06:03:03 PM: Mystic Braves - Days of Yesteryear
Think "psychedelic" and the sound of this record is pretty much exactly what you would expect, I think.I don't think it's my best writeup, but it's a pretty good record, and I think that comes across.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/12/mystic-braves-days-of-yesteryear.html (http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/12/mystic-braves-days-of-yesteryear.html)
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on December 17, 2015, 01:43:24 PM: Klaus Johann Grobe – Baby Lass Uns Sein / Peter Stringer-Hye – Sunday Girls EP
A single and an EP from a couple of artists on my current favorite label—Trouble In Mind. And, TIM pulls through again.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/12/klaus-johann-grobe-baby-lass-uns-sein.html (http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2015/12/klaus-johann-grobe-baby-lass-uns-sein.html)
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on January 08, 2016, 02:42:20 AM: Dogbowl - Zone of Blue
After more than a decade without a peep, a very, very welcome return by one of my most-beloved weirdo artists of the 1990s.
http://active-listener.blogspot.co.nz/2016/01/dogbowl-zone-of-blue.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on February 02, 2016, 10:57:31 PM: Boogarins - Manual
The excellent new album from a terrific young Brazilian psychedelic band.
http://active-listener.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/boogarins-manual.html (http://active-listener.blogspot.co.nz/2016/02/boogarins-manual.html)
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on April 28, 2016, 02:13:20 AM: Fumaça Preta - Impuros Fanáticos
Sophomore album from one of my favorite new bands does not disappoint. Acid rock psych Tropicalia.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/04/fumaca-preta-impuros-fanaticos.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: tina m on April 28, 2016, 02:31:34 PM: hi there Pop! this looks fabulous i have only just found it.....i cant wait to check it out properly tonight
i love this sort of music!
i hook up with a american guitarist online & we do psychedelic surf instrumentals with twin guitars
now i know why your eyes look like that! ;D
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: tina m on May 04, 2016, 08:41:42 PM: is anybody there?
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on May 04, 2016, 10:13:33 PM: Quote from: tinam on April 28, 2016, 02:31:34 PM
hi there Pop! this looks fabulous i have only just found it.....i cant wait to check it out properly tonight
i love this sort of music!
i hook up with a american guitarist online & we do psychedelic surf instrumentals with twin guitars
now i know why your eyes look like that! ;D
Cool. Glad you checked it out tinam! Thanks so much!
Where is your American guitarist located in America? I'm near Chicago.
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on May 31, 2016, 12:08:59 PM: Barry Adamson - Know Where To Run
The new cinematic noir sounds from one of my favorites!
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/05/barry-adamson-know-where-to-run.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on June 09, 2016, 03:38:58 PM: Klaus Johann Grobe - Spagat der Liebe
I had a bit of a hard time writing this one, but it's a very cool new psych-Krautrock record. I really am digging these guys.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/06/klaus-johann-grobe-spagat-der-liebe.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: CaliaMoko on June 09, 2016, 04:22:03 PM: You keep exposing me to groups I never would have heard of before. Cool! :)
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on June 09, 2016, 04:26:21 PM: Awesome!
That's what I like to hear!
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: Helena4 on June 17, 2016, 11:58:48 AM: I love reading/watching etc. music reviews from regular reviewers to find new music I might want to try. I've really expanded my horizons recently by doing that. And I haven't heard of hardly anything you're reviewing so I'm sure it'll be a great way to expand them more. Keep up the good work.
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on June 17, 2016, 12:01:14 PM: My pleasure!
Thanks for reading!
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on September 29, 2016, 04:13:20 PM: Omni - Deluxe
My first one published in a long while. Some pretty great post-punk from former members of Deerhunter and carnivores.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/09/omni-deluxe.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on November 01, 2016, 11:13:18 AM: Ultimate Painting - Dusk
Appropriately titled new album of beautiful somnambulant pop music that's the perfect soundtrack for the ride home after a night out.
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/11/ultimate-painting-dusk.html (http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2016/11/ultimate-painting-dusk.html)
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: PopTodd on May 25, 2017, 11:28:57 AM: The Black Watch - The Gospel According to John
A great new album from the long-running cult band.
RIYL: Yo La Tengo, Eleventh Dream Day, Teenage Fanclub
http://active-listener.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-black-watch-gospel-according-to-john.html
Title: Re: I've been writing record reviews for a year or so now
Post by: Gill on May 25, 2017, 10:13:17 PM: great stuff here! exposure ;D