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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
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| EMO CROWN 2 - Rnd 3: New Kid on the Block
RULES: The judges of this competition will be DeadlyNightShade, sincerelyaural, Frivolous, LandDiving, AsleepInTheBack. The competitors are as follows: Conmaniac, UniqueUniverse, Artuma. Each competitor will present 1 album per round. The judges will then rate the albums out of 5, using .1 increments. A new round will begin after the judges have completed ratings. 30 albums will be presented in total (i.e. 10 from each competitor, or 10 rounds). The winner will be determined by the highest average, but a tiebreaker system will be used if necessary; each judge will have one vote for the best rec. | | 1 |  | The World Is a Beautiful Place...
Whenever, If Ever
Mineral? The Promise Ring? Sunny Day Real Estate? Jeez, you're still listening to those dinosaurs? Keep up with the times, old man. Recs from 2010 and onwards, if you would be so kind. | | 2 |  | Human Hands
Human Hands
Art's
Asleep:I feel like something horrible must have happened to these guys in order for them to record this. Excellently composed and passionately performed, Human Hands s/t is a brooding and unkempt collection of sprawling linear gut wrenchers that only occasionally outstay their welcome. Probably a bit too bleak for me to want to come back to too regularly, but it nails what it sets out to do. 3.7/5.
Frivolous: Thereās something strangely alluring to the grim nature of this album. The final, grand closer sums it up perfectly - a slow, tumultuous build up until the singerās screaming his brains out. Itās not a *fun* listen persay, but it is definitely a worthwhile endeavor. 3.8/5
Jack: Like a glass full with the hearts and souls of all the band members. Itās introduced quite slowly, patiently, before the instruments and vocals work to overpower each other for the rest of the record. I think that for all its efforts, the screaming loses out in the end. Every screamed sentiment | | 3 | | Human Hands
Human Hands
... falls dead against a lovely wall of noise, as though the popping of the snare and the sneering of the guitars can throw punches harder than any written word ever will. This music is brooding and it dwells in the worst of headspaces, but I feel grateful for the fact. 4.1/5.
Deadly: As warm as the first embrace of a lover this record is at once tranquil in its tender opening passage, ādiseaseā as it slowly leans its way towards an inconsolable tone with its introduction of harrowing and desperate screamed vocals. Like the tug and release of a relationship it encapsulates the shift of emotions. Whether it be sorrow, frustration, love, happiness, you can find a piece of each as time passes on. Instrumentals range from lighthearted and breezy to swelling and noisey, all without ever feeling unnecessary. It leaves its mark as it carries with it a beauty but also a sadness that is unshakable. 4.2/5 | | 4 |  | Glocca Morra
Just Married
Con's
Asleep: A noodly, frantic, passionate and sloppy mess, just how I like my emo. Phenomenal guitar work, a stunning vocalist, and it has horns ... so yeah (for future reference, I love horns). Also, killer lyrics on this thing, generally poetic but blunt and to the point when it suits (āI'm not as empty as I used to beā). I expect this to keep growing. Edit: indeed it did, from a 4.2 to a 4.4/5.
Deadly: An Irrevocably, invigorating, and energetic album, Motherfucker. Con delivered a rec here with some of the most impassioned vocals paired with spastic instrumentals. Just Married is full of vigor and is consistently pleasing in its deliveries of rather haphazard yet attractively disorganized song structures. Thereās even a few unexpected moments with unexpected instruments such as the xylophone featured on āBroken Cigarettesā, the hints of tambourine with more festive xylophone playing on āEating Snowā, and the horn the closes off the record on āMe + Genieneā. Thereās not ... | | 5 | | Glocca Morra
Just Married
much to complain about here. 4.4/5
Frivolous: The more I think about this album, the more I enjoy it. Itās rough, messy, feverish, and completely entrancing. The lyrics are pretty great as well - despite the madness, everything seems to fit incredibly well. Me + Genieneās closing sample is killer. 4.0/5 (for now)
Jack: Anthemic vocals segueing into quintessential midwestern noodling segueing into textural horn sections retreating into a laundry list of early-twenties insecurities; this record handles the balancing act gracefully. I like how both guitars handle math-riff duty for the majority of this thing -- like theyāre off doing their own thing, letting the bass handle rhythm duties on its own. It makes this album sound fragile, fleeting, but most importantly, Glocca Morra make it work in a way that reflects the (again, somewhat cliche) lyrical themes that they cover. 3.8/5. | | 6 |  | Heart Attack Man
The Manson Family
Unique's
Asleep: I love how this manages to do quite so much with quite so little. Its songs usually revolve around 2 or 3 chords that the band oscillate between, backed by simple but driving drumbeats and sprinkled with tasty lyrical nuggets that are delivered in an appropriate mix of moans and shouts. It makes for an easy and undemanding listen, one inherently lacking in depth but which still pushes all the right buttons. 3.5/5.
Frivolous: Iām pretty much gonna echo Asleep on this one - this album is a simplistic jam. While thereās not a lot to it instrumentally, the energy these guys bring and build their songs off is infectious. āSurrounded by Moronsā and the final track are a lot of fun. 3.4/5 | | 7 | | Heart Attack Man
The Manson Family
Jack: This sounds like something Iāve heard before. I guess things become derivative or cliche for a reason (see: song structure, lyrical themes, instrumental breaks for a simple riff); this is pretty good, albeit one-note, emo. Itās elevated occasionally by lofty vocal harmonies (Fringe) and earworm guitar melodies (Surrounded By Morons) but for the most part, Iām left disinterested by a lack of dynamics. 3/5.
Deadly: I have to agree with LandDiving as I was also left unmoved by the simplistic nature of this album. I felt nothing stuck out in the mix of what I would call a monotonous emo album. The vocals on this were especially unimpressive in my opinion, as I never really felt a raw sense of emotion regardless of what lyricism might have been successful. Feels like there's no real energy or spark that makes me remember this or want to come back to it. 2.8/5 | |
AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Kind of a mirror of the last one. Still keeping the criteria easy enough to meet, will increase the challenge soon enough. Also, I know some revival started pre-2010, but didn't want to make it toooo easy. | Artuma
08.24.17 | oooh boy, we're dangerously entering the conmaniac territory... | ZombieToyDuck
08.24.17 | this should be good | Artuma
08.24.17 | alright i'm going with
human hands - s/t | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | this is my territory yes | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | glocca morra - just married
lmk if anyone's heard it before | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | Heart Attack Man - The Manson Family | ZombieToyDuck
08.24.17 | damn Unique, givin' a real fresh rec there eh? | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | I'm glad, gives me an excuse to check more stuff from 2017. I'm falling behind. | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | I hope there won't be a 2017-albums-only round, cause this is all I've got. | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Probs not, this should be it for the temporally limited rounds I think. | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Though at least I know how to fuck up unique now | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | Can I change my rec? | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | But I'm already jamming it ): | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Sure though, if you wish | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | The Brave Little Abacus - Just Got Back from the Discomfort | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | ooooooooooh, interesting. I would have assumed someone had heard it but sure | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | that's a riskier rec imo | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | Okay then, leave Heart Attack Man in. | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | you do you Unique | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | I don't know what to think! | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | Fuck it! Leave the Heart Attack Man in there. | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | he's crumbling folks | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Alright I'll leave it as is. | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | wait, don't | ZombieToyDuck
08.24.17 | DAMNIT UNIQUE MAKE UP YO DAMN MIND! | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | leave it | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | ffs | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | or don't? | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | LEAVE IT | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | and ignore whatever else I am about to say | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Alright, sorted. | Papa Universe
08.24.17 | Wait! | Conmaniac
08.24.17 | ahhhh!!! | Frivolous
08.24.17 | alright this should be interesting | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | I'm all done and dusted. Got it done quickly as my wifi may be patchy for the next few days. If you all finish and I'm nowhere to be found (unlikely, but just in case) someone just post all the ratings and descriptions in the comments. Won't be the neatest thing but at least I won't be holding anyone up. | BlushfulHippocrene
08.25.17 | Brave Little Abacus would've been a god-tier recommendation. | Conmaniac
08.25.17 | good thing he talked himself out of it | AsleepInTheBack
08.25.17 | I'm hoping someone recs it down the line tbh, I need an excuse to check that | Frivolous
08.25.17 | alright my bit is done | verdant
08.25.17 | will hopefully get mine done later today | AsleepInTheBack
08.26.17 | Cool. Is Claire participating in this one? | verdant
08.26.17 | ĀÆ_(ć)_/ĀÆ | verdant
08.26.17 | i am finito, done, out-of-work, rid of my allocated task, finished | AsleepInTheBack
08.26.17 | Sweet. Deadly, where you at boy? | Conmaniac
08.26.17 | my man | ZombieToyDuck
08.27.17 | You guys can post i wont be able to do much listening. I'm usually pretty busy on weekends so monday will be when ill have my writeups done. | Papa Universe
08.27.17 | Oi, I might not be around for a while, so could you put in that Brave Little Abacus rec for me into the next round, if it fits the criteria, of course...
Thanks | AsleepInTheBack
08.27.17 | It's okay deadly, we can wait and that way Claire can get in on the round too. And sure unique, if it fits | Conmaniac
08.27.17 | imma about to get hella busy so ya i can wait | AsleepInTheBack
08.28.17 | How's it coming along deadly? | Conmaniac
08.28.17 | excited to see the results | ZombieToyDuck
08.28.17 | had some work issues will get on this after lunch should be done today tho | Conmaniac
08.28.17 | sounds good man | ZombieToyDuck
08.29.17 | Welll about tonight... I got free deep purple and alice cooper tix soooo | ZombieToyDuck
08.29.17 | fuck yeah | Papa Universe
08.29.17 | Yeah, sure, go knock yourself out, mate.. | Conmaniac
08.29.17 | thats pretty badass | ZombieToyDuck
08.29.17 | Yeah man holy shit deep purple is next level insanity rn | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Nice one Deadly.
So I have all the write ups ready to go, but list edits are currently broken. People okay with me posting them in the comments to see the results and so I can set up the next list (not that I'll be able to edit it) or shall I wait for Sput to get its shit together? | Papa Universe
08.30.17 | Wait for Sputnik to get normal. | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | UNIQUE HAS SPOKEN, AND SO IT SHALL BE
edit: also, go fuck yourself | ZombieToyDuck
08.30.17 | don't say these things they go straight to his head | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | damn, you're right, I'll edit it | Papa Universe
08.30.17 | No, son, you go fuck your very self. Now I have spoken and it shall be so. | ZombieToyDuck
08.30.17 | hahaha thatta boy | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Hot damn, he's got me | Conmaniac
08.30.17 | gettin hot in here | ZombieToyDuck
08.30.17 | ayeeee the con man returns | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | WE'RE BACK BOYS | Papa Universe
08.30.17 | oh well | Papa Universe
08.30.17 | Should have kept the Abacus pick... | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Judges get in here. Also, new list is up: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/list.php?listid=176890 | Conmaniac
08.30.17 | wooooo yess 4.4 is the correct score, glad ya dug the rec :D | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Was a goddamn good rec | Conmaniac
08.30.17 | gotta check that Human Hands album |
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