Monday 23 July 2012

My Mildly Mad, Maybe Mundane, Monday Music... Review



M7R: Yellow Ostrich - Strange Lands


Right so technically this is the second week of M7R, although it's come 3 weeks after the previous. Sorry about that, but if you read today's other post i give a somewhat full explanation. Wait there's something in that sentence i'd like to repeat though, today's ! Yes this is indeed my second post of today, and i reckon that it somewhat makes up for my general laziness induced absence from any blogging. Ok i'll also admit now that perhaps the timing of the introductions of both M7R and T7C were frankly poorly timed, but hey-ho that's just how i roll (if you are able to roll in a random and unorganized manner).


Anyway back to the whole purpose of M7R, that is reviewing music (i think, it's been too long). And as those of you who read in a normal top to bottom, line by line, and not a haphazard random way, will already know what album i'll be reviewing this week. For those of you who prefer the random approach to reading, this week i'm reviewing Strange Lands, by Yellow Ostrich, a band who i found on the rather excellent Noisetrade site (give it a check out if you wish).


Firstly i will now say that it is... well... different, unique or substitute your own synonymic adjective. So i suspect you'll either love it or hate it, or indeed moderately like it or dislike it, ok that's really not going to work, but basically they haven't made music that will please the majority, and for that i like this album. More importantly i like it because i fall into the love it bracket of the music style they incorporate, and i think that may be to do with it reflecting my previously mentioned rolling fashion.


Each song generally starts with a guitar riff of some sort, bass or electric guitar and they're simple but great, as any good riff. Then the singularity of the sound is quickly broken with the introduction of more sounds (very technical language i know). But generally there isn't many layers to their songs, each part is clear to hear so you aren't bombarded or overwhelmed, making it very easy to listen to and relax to. I found it quite beneficial to listen to whilst reading.

The lyrics and the voice with which they're sung plays a huge part in this. It's quiet restrained and the lyrics aren't catchy and so instead of listening to the actual words sung, instead they just become part of the music and sound. Well that's what happens for me, i haven't really played it to my friends that much and so external opinions are hard to come by, which is more the reason for you to give them a listen and make up your own opinions and possibly share them.

Now i'll single out some songs like any good reviewer would do, and this is causing me a slight problem, because whenever i listen to Strange Lands the songs tend to merge into a continuous songtrack, no matter how shuffle throws them at me. And that might give you a general idea of one the downsides of the non-catchy lyrics, or even melody to some extent; the songs really aren't that memorable. I mean i can remember bits of each song that enjoy (like the opening of Marathon Runner, or the chorus of Stay At Home) or in one case a bit i dislike (i really don't like to be assaulted by brass instruments, which is precisely what happens in When All Is Dead)

So apart from that bit actually, i really like this album and so instead of trying to single out specific songs now, i'm just going to go straight to the top 3 and let you listen to them and make up your own mind, because i am sure that you're view will be totally different to mine anyway, and i can't seem to express mine very well at the moment, perhaps it could be argued that i could never do such a thing anyway.

Top Three Songs: 

1) Stay At Home

2)Marathon Runner 



3)I Got No Time For You




Skippable Songs: None, though maybe skip through the brass part of When All Is Dead


Best Listening Situation: Background music to reading or writing, preferable immersed fully with over ear headphones.

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