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.

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

M⁷R: Goldfish - Goldfish


So here i am first week into this little idea, and you know what i'm already doubting whether it was a good thing to do, but i'm committed now so that's why you are reading this now. The problem i had with it being the first week and all i wanted to listen to an artist which i know will be brilliant, and yet the whole point of this project was to listen to new music, and music people probably haven't heard of.

So this stumped me for a while, until i remembered the frankly fantastic band goldfish, who i inexplicable discovered a couple of years ago, from a video posted on failblog.org. There fusion of jazz and electronic dance was a bit unusual and at first i was needless to say dubious, not being a great fan of any kind of dance music, well honestly i despise it. But this, this was different. And so i downloaded the album that the video was from "Perceptions of Pacha", then when "Get Busy Living" there next album came out, i quickly downloaded that one too.

So not only have Goldfish changed my view on dance music, but it was long cemented itself in my list of favourite artists. I listened to them all of last summer whilst driving about, with the song cruising through being a song titled to such a purpose. During all my DofE i have listened to them, with their strong, but restrained to perfection bass, driving my feet from plodding to pounding to the beat. The enchanting melodic, and yet totally meaningless (it's not even words) chorus of "This is How it Goes", being one the prime memories of my time spent wandering around hilltops and forests.

Of course the point M⁷R was to listen to new albums, and with perfect timing Goldfish have just released a new album "Goldfish" which quickly became apparent that it was the perfect way to start M⁷R. At the first look, it seems to be a best of album with a few remixes thrown in for good measure, but buried in there are a couple of new songs which have been combined with my favourites from the older albums, to create a truly brilliant mixtape of awesomeness.


The first song "Washing Over Me" opens with a typical Goldfish sax riff, a feature along with the double bass, which encompasses the reasons why i think i enjoy Goldfish so much. The video is just as impeccable as all their others, however that not being on the album is quite pointless to mention. The other new song is "Woman's a Devil" which uses well fitted movie extracts and piano, put along with some great lyrics and beat that won't let you stay still, to create a song which i would describe as typically amazing Goldfish.

Hopefully you'll give them a listen, i really do think that if you don't you'll be missing out. And hey, if you don't like them, then that's fine as well, just please give them a chance. Most of my friends have now heard of them, down to my relentless playing of them in any situation, and most of them like them as well (well that's what they told me) So to sum this album up in one sentence, i would have to say "a great mix that typifies Goldfish" and in order for that to make some sense it will have to go with my sentence summary of Goldfish, "yes it's dance, but don't let that put you off, because the catchy melody, foot-tapping beat, jazz piano, saxophone and double bass, all mixed together and served alongside with some great lyrics, create a awesome music dish that is... well... just simply awesome"

Top Three Songs: 

1)We Come together

                       
  2)Soundtracks and comebacks (though i prefer the original to the remix)

                         
 3)Cruising Through

Skippable songs: None

Best Listening Situation: Anytime anywhere, unless you want to sit still then this won't work.

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

M⁷R: Intro

Intro? you say. To what? you say. Well honestly that is currently something i'm asking myself atm. This is just one of my several "oo that would be a good idea" ideas and that was definitely how i felt yesterday and today... well i thought to myself is it really such a good idea, but since you're reading this you know that i have just gone for it, and thrown caution to the wind. Also i do have another similar thing to this hopefully coming later this week, but i will have to see how i feel then.

So back to this thing, well to summarize it in a couple of sentences: After making a comment to my friend Emma, about how i seem to listen to a different artist each week, i've set myself the challenge of listening to a different album each week (enforcing that statement) and i thought hey why not write about this in some sort of blog review thing. So that's it basically, a music review although saying that i'm not one to have strong opinions on music and tend to listen to a wide range so the reviews will vary from genre to genre and will mostly be not very critical or in anyway probably helpful. 

Just a few points i've come up with to help with this task is a general template, which knowing me will change constantly (hopefully for the better), this will involve: a top 3 list of my 3 favourite songs on the album and a list of my skippable songs i.e. songs that i'd prefer to skip than listen to; and probably the way i found the music most enjoyable, as i spend much of my day listening to music, whether that be driving, revising, reading, eating crisps or just listening to the music. 

So i think that's mostly all i wanted to say, the first proper M⁷R will be next monday and should hopefully be run weekly, however if i can't make it to a computer i might have to post a few weeks at a time. Finally i would love to hear some input, whether that'd be album suggestions (new and old, i'm listening to them all, but i'm trying to find less well known ones), new ideas for the blog in general or M⁷R specifically (constructive criticism only please, and maybe even some positive comments who knows). Now this is where i would like to introduce you to my new fancy blog email... *trumpet fanfare* venividiblogavi@live.com this would be the ideal place to send your comments or you know just comment below either is fine, just one's not public.

 So that is that, i think. If you think i've forgotten anything just say, and if i remember anything i've forgotten i will post it in the next M⁷R. Apart from that regular VVB will continue, this will just run alongside. See you next monday for the first exciting (hopefully) M⁷R installment.