The Baroness Thread.

[DoctorAction]

Thanks for that. Sounds great.

[twosuitsluke]

https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/baroness-stone/?fbclid=IwAR2AL4czWlvwvTN2pi14bcS0IpYj0TqQQFbjJORZDTTG3Zp3DL0k5Qa0umQ

Nice review dude! I’d love to be able to do this but I just suck at writing music reviews 

I was quite underwhelmed by Gold & Grey, and it’s probably my least favourite Baroness record, so I’m hoping this reignites my love for the band. The singles have been solid so far.

[DoctorAction]

Will be interesting to see how we feel about the new one, then - Gold & Grey is my favourite by a stretch. Actually, I've owned all their records, but I've not listened to anything but Purple and G&G for ages.

[RodrigoAltaf]

https://www.sonicperspectives.com/album-reviews/baroness-stone/?fbclid=IwAR2AL4czWlvwvTN2pi14bcS0IpYj0TqQQFbjJORZDTTG3Zp3DL0k5Qa0umQ

Nice review dude! I’d love to be able to do this but I just suck at writing music reviews 

I was quite underwhelmed by Gold & Grey, and it’s probably my least favourite Baroness record, so I’m hoping this reignites my love for the band. The singles have been solid so far.

Thanks! I like doing interviews much more than I do writing reviews...but nobody likes Baroness at Sonic Perspectives, so I took that challenge.

The new album has something for every type of Baroness fan, and it's overall more direct than Gold & Grey, and without so much compression. Can't wait to see them in November here in Toronto!

[DoctorAction]

Stone is a cracker on first listen. The production is basically perfect. All albums should sound this good.

I keep reading the word "direct" about it. I'm only one listen in but I didn't feel that. Darker and more psychedelic would be my first take.

But what a band. Renews my faith in heavy music when I hear bands doing their own thing like Baroness and Voyager.

[twosuitsluke]

I’m on new releases all day today. Haven’t gotten to Stone yet, but really looking forward to it, good to hear positive reviews.

Edit: ok, yea this sounds pretty good, after listening to half the album. It feels like a step into new territory in some ways. Choir was a surprise, not sure I’ve ever heard vocals like that from John. Always like it when a band can surprise you. So far so good

[nick_z]

I’m on new releases all day today. Haven’t gotten to Stone yet, but really looking forward to it, good to hear positive reviews.

Edit: ok, yea this sounds pretty good, after listening to half the album. It feels like a step into new territory in some ways. Choir was a surprise, not sure I’ve ever heard vocals like that from John. Always like it when a band can surprise you. So far so good

Choir almost has a Clutch vibe to it. Pretty cool.

[DoctorAction]

The vox deffo have some new approaches. Choir especially.

[twosuitsluke]

Ok, so thoughts on the new album, and Baroness in general. I’ve been a fan since about ‘10, when I first heard the Blue Record, and although I really enjoy the band they’ve never crossed over into a top 50 band or anything. Inevitably they get compared to bands like Mastodon a lot, which is how I first discovered them. Mastodon are one of my all time favourites and Baroness always kinda fall short, and here are my reasons why.

I think John Baizley is incredibly talented (he’s probably one of my favourite artists) but I find his vocals to be quite weak. I love Mastodon because of the versatility they have with three lead vocalists, I think it really compliments their different styles. Unfortunately Baroness don’t have this going for them.

Riff wise I think the band are stellar, and I also adore some of the melodic guitar work they have layered into their music over the years. Herein lies another problem I have with the band, they always leave me hanging with these great guitar parts. They are beautiful, but too fleeting. I’ll use Beneath the Rose, off the new album, as an example. There’s this lush part that comes in around the 4 minute mark, but it’s over before you know it. It’s like in Shock Me as well, they have this absolutely gorgeous section (and I love the guitar tone as well), but it’s too damn short. They leave me wanting more and feeling unsatisfied, and it’s something I can’t shake when listening to them.

I’m just finishing up my second listen to the new album, and one thing I do like is the new vocal approach John is taking (I’m assuming it’s John?). It almost feels like they have a second vocalist and helps give some variety. The album still very much feels like a Baroness record, and one of their better ones, but I can’t help thinking they have it in them to write a truly incredible record. Just my thoughts on the band.

I will finish up saying that John Baizley’s artwork is godly, and makes each release a fuller package. I have a T-shirt that came with deluxe version of Purple and it’s still one of my all time favourite band T-shirts.

[RodrigoAltaf]

Ok, so thoughts on the new album, and Baroness in general. I’ve been a fan since about ‘10, when I first heard the Blue Record, and although I really enjoy the band they’ve never crossed over into a top 50 band or anything. Inevitably they get compared to bands like Mastodon a lot, which is how I first discovered them. Mastodon are one of my all time favourites and Baroness always kinda fall short, and here are my reasons why.

I think John Baizley is incredibly talented (he’s probably one of my favourite artists) but I find his vocals to be quite weak. I love Mastodon because of the versatility they have with three lead vocalists, I think it really compliments their different styles. Unfortunately Baroness don’t have this going for them.

Riff wise I think the band are stellar, and I also adore some of the melodic guitar work they have layered into their music over the years. Herein lies another problem I have with the band, they always leave me hanging with these great guitar parts. They are beautiful, but too fleeting. I’ll use Beneath the Rose, off the new album, as an example. There’s this lush part that comes in around the 4 minute mark, but it’s over before you know it. It’s like in Shock Me as well, they have this absolutely gorgeous section (and I love the guitar tone as well), but it’s too damn short. They leave me wanting more and feeling unsatisfied, and it’s something I can’t shake when listening to them.

I’m just finishing up my second listen to the new album, and one thing I do like is the new vocal approach John is taking (I’m assuming it’s John?). It almost feels like they have a second vocalist and helps give some variety. The album still very much feels like a Baroness record, and one of their better ones, but I can’t help thinking they have it in them to write a truly incredible record. Just my thoughts on the band.

I will finish up saying that John Baizley’s artwork is godly, and makes each release a fuller package. I have a T-shirt that came with deluxe version of Purple and it’s still one of my all time favourite band T-shirts.

While I absolutely love the band, I 100% understand where you're coming from with your comments about ther vocals and riffs.

[DoctorAction]

Really interesting view on the band. Comparisons with Mastodon are frequent but I see them in a separate space these days, tbh.

I enjoy all vocalists from both mentioned bands. Dig John's vocals more than Brent or Troy from M, myself. Brann and John are tied for me.

What B have over M now (not earlier) is the vocal harmonies. Gina and John together gel so well and are now harmonizing most of the time, like Simon & Garfunkel used to. That's a rare and beautiful thing.

B feel more of a vocal song band while M still feel more of a riff band to me (even though M have moved more toward melodic vocal focus over the last decade) and that's something I prefer.

I love both bands but listen to B much more than M these days.