Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!)

Brian_Walalce

Joined: May 16, 2005 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 1484

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 03:11 PM UTC #

I just saw Amy in Philly and she was really good. She seemed either really bored or nervous. No one could understand what she was saying between songs, though. I believe she was speaking "English." She's just a wee little girl. But the brief tank top and daisy dukes helped.

I was a bit disappointed by the Modest Mouse album. However, I loved the Kings of Leon album. Maybe you have to be really drunk to like that one, though.

Brian

ggw

Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 14237

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 03:15 PM UTC #

Originally posted by kosmo:
so whats disappointing about the Voxtrot? is it all new material or a combo of old and new. i always found the production on the EPs a bit lacking is that still the case. just curious…

They got a serious case of Coldplayitis. The light-hearted indie-pop of their first two EPs has given way to more affected balladry. The reverb has moved to the background and the vocals and lyrics are front and center on the new album. Some of it is okay, but some of it is just plain post-Britpop dreck.

kosmo

Joined: September 23, 1999 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 16329

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 03:19 PM UTC #

bummer… looks like it will be an eMusic download then.

xneverwherex

Joined: September 27, 2004 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 2109

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 07:52 PM UTC #

The Rakes - Ten New Messages

Just not nearly as good as capture/release. granted ive only heard it one time, and perhaps need to give it another chance as i really liked their first album.

Sir HC

Joined: August 31, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 4059

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 08:16 PM UTC #

I like the new Bloc Party. I guess the big thing for me is that they cut back the insane compression on his vocals so he sounds like a singer, not that RHCP squashedness. It last one he sounded like he was really in your face, and that didn't work for me.

sch2383

Joined: August 29, 2005 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 41

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 08:27 PM UTC #

I agree on Ted Leo. If it has cut out after the 1st 7 songs or so, it would have been one of the best EPs released this year.

ggw

Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 14237

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 08:41 PM UTC #

I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.

I keep expecting Young to release something akin to the Dylan Bootleg collection and he keeps coming up short.

skeeter

Joined: May 29, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 4011

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 08:54 PM UTC #

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.

Really? Do you just not like acoustic Neil in general, or is there something specific you don't like about this one? I found the DVD to be a little dull, but I think the CD is wonderful.

Relaxer

Joined: October 15, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 5410

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 08:59 PM UTC #

Originally posted by ggwâ?¢:
I will add the Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall album to the roll of the underwhelming.

I keep expecting Young to release something akin to the Dylan Bootleg collection and he keeps coming up short.

While I'd like to see a hot Neil show come out, at least there exists Arc/Weld and Live Rust, both of which are excellent.

ggw

Joined: December 16, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 14237

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 09:19 PM UTC #

Originally posted by Bombay Chutney:
Really? Do you just not like acoustic Neil in general, or is there something specific you don't like about this one? I found the DVD to be a little dull, but I think the CD is wonderful.

I like acoustic just fine. I think I was just expecting something phenomenal and this comes up a little short. I'm not throwing it on the dustbin or anything, but I have a bunch of Neil Young boots (including a seven-disc set of acoustic stuff) and I think that Young must have something better in his vaults. Massey Hall may just be a victim of my elevated expectations.

bnyced0

Joined: March 02, 2006 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 894

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 09:40 PM UTC #

Originally posted by Relaxer:

Originally posted by bnyced0:

Originally posted by kosmo:
[qb]I think the real fuss is limited to the UK, selling 60K albums here really isn't shit.
She sold 60k her first week, when hardly anyone knew about her here. Back to Black will sell a million-plus in the US, eventually. It's just now getting pushed by the labels, and her theatre shows are selling out all over the country. She still might end up a one-hit wonder, but I'm betting she'll get at least 2 big hits off the album.
You could be right, about eventually going platinum, but the point was there WASN'T a fuss, which your point about "hardly anyone knew about her here." amply exemplified.

I think in "our" circles she was well enough known, but you dont' become a major seller in our circles, she could perhaps sell 250K. Her shows are still only selling out to alternative audiences, if adult contemporary radio (ala K.T. Tunstall, Corrine Bailey Rae, etc ) get ahold of her than it could happen, though I have to admit I'm a bit ignorant of how radio works these days since I only listen to NPR, over the internet.

I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally. But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.

In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does.

kookiemnstr8

Joined: March 13, 2005 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 396

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 10, 2007 at 10:31 PM UTC #

Originally posted by kcjones119:
I think a few of the songs on the new Ted Leo are real clunkers and some are embarassing mistakes (that f'ing white boy reggae song, parts of bomb.repeat.bomb). There are some songs I really like, but overall underwhelming.

Bomb.Repeat.Bomb is unlistenable. I retract my previous statements, this is the most disappointing album of the year. So disappointing that I forgot it existed.

Rhett Miller

Joined: November 15, 2001 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 17762

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 12:57 AM UTC #

Are you sure the mainstream hasn't already gotten ahold of her? I mean her album has been in the top 20 for seven weeks now, whereas the Shins, Arcade Fire, and Modest Mouse, who all debuted high, saw their sales drop off quickly. And I heard "Rehab" on 94.7 the Globe.

I also heard Lily Allen at Trader Joe's today.

Originally posted by bnyced0:

Originally posted by Relaxer:

Originally posted by bnyced0:

Originally posted by kosmo:
[qb]I think the real fuss is limited to the UK, selling 60K albums here really isn't shit.
She sold 60k her first week, when hardly anyone knew about her here. Back to Black will sell a million-plus in the US, eventually. It's just now getting pushed by the labels, and her theatre shows are selling out all over the country. She still might end up a one-hit wonder, but I'm betting she'll get at least 2 big hits off the album.
You could be right, about eventually going platinum, but the point was there WASN'T a fuss, which your point about "hardly anyone knew about her here." amply exemplified.

I think in "our" circles she was well enough known, but you dont' become a major seller in our circles, she could perhaps sell 250K. Her shows are still only selling out to alternative audiences, if adult contemporary radio (ala K.T. Tunstall, Corrine Bailey Rae, etc ) get ahold of her than it could happen, though I have to admit I'm a bit ignorant of how radio works these days since I only listen to NPR, over the internet.

I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally. But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.

In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does.

Mobius

Joined: March 28, 2002 at 06:01 AM UTC

Posts: 1371

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 03:10 AM UTC #

I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally. But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.

In other words, I don't think it's going to happen, but won't be surprised if it does. [/qb]

[/QB]

Let's face it - America was clueless about Amy Winehouse until bull@930 burst onto the scene like a special needs Swedish foreign exchange student on amyl nitrites and opened everyone's eyes. When you were building hipster cred telling everyone "Yeah Lily Allen's good but you gotta hear Amy Winehouse" before you even know who the fuck she was . . . that was all bull. Meanwhile his dream of seeing Amy at the 9:30 Club continues to fade like dying embers. Such is life.

Darth Ed

Joined: May 19, 2003 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 1159

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 03:34 AM UTC #

Originally posted by Mobius:
Let's face it - America was clueless about Amy Winehouse until bull@930 burst onto the scene like a special needs Swedish foreign exchange student on amyl nitrites and opened everyone's eyes. When you were building hipster cred telling everyone "Yeah Lily Allen's good but you gotta hear Amy Winehouse" before you even know who the fuck she was . . . that was all bull. Meanwhile his dream of seeing Amy at the 9:30 Club continues to fade like dying embers. Such is life.

Post of the week!

Relaxer

Joined: October 15, 2001 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 5410

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 12:47 PM UTC #

I'm a Amy W. fan, so I wouldn't begrudge her stateside stardom though I think it would be the death of her, literally. But I don't see the same dynamic working for her to be massive (platinum plus sales) as the other recent brit imports that had similiar success in the UK, and unfortunately it's due to her being a little "too urban" for the plain jane crowd that has to get engaged to get sales over 1million.

First of all, Amy Winehouse is at no risk at all of dying. Her whole 'elegantly wasted' shtick is just that, a shtick. She knows exactly what's she doing, and she is not out of control by any streth. I'm sure she likes a drink, but more than anything, she knows that she's created an image that generates headlines and fans. "Oh no, this might be my last time to see Amy Winehouse before she goes all Janis on us!"

Second, the fact the she name-checks Slick Rick and has Ghostface Killah on her US album tells me that she's not trying to appeal to the vanilla crowd. That's not the crowd that's propelled Ne-yo, Akon and Joe to mass sales.

kosmo

Joined: September 23, 1999 at 05:01 AM UTC

Posts: 16329

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 01:15 PM UTC #

Can't believe yet another thread has turned into a Amy W. discussion…

She'll sell that million if Lite FM picks up on her, the audience favors their velveeta.

Here is some highlights of a review from her recent NYC show at the new Highline Ballroom

The set was peppered with material from both of her albums, 2003's Frank and this year's Back To Black. As expected, she seemed a bit schnockered, as well as a bit uncomfortable in front of the packed crowd.

For some reason, Winehouse's dress was driving her mad. She attempted to get the attention of her tour manager, as she was wanting to change clothes during the middle of her set. All she wanted was her jeans, but that had to wait until the encore.

Winehouse ended her set with an oddly sped-up rendition of her single, "Rehab,"…

Now dressed in jeans, she gave her finest performance of the night, "Me And Mr. Jones." She, for once, commanded the stage, slinking around and giving the occasional hip thrust as she asked "what kind of fuckery are we?"

My favorite from the review is about the venue

Centered smack dab in the middle of the meat packing district, it has a slightly pretentious vibe and very mediocre sound. Consider me unimpressed.

the tripwire

Based on the fact that she is backed by the Dap-Kings a working retro soul band who normally back Sharon Jones, I'm willing to at least check her out live and "Frank" out if it ever gets released domestically. By the album is like a package of America Cheese slices..

lbcardoni

Joined: Unknown

Posts: 0

Re: Underwhelming albums of 2007 (so far!) May 11, 2007 at 01:19 PM UTC #

Back to the original subject…

The View-Hats Off the Buskers