Secul's spicy anti-prog miniroulette v3.5. AN UPDATE!1!!!!

[Stadler]

Could be mine:

Feels sort of generic in general

Although it's nothing groundbreaking, it's quite well executed

Stronger songwriting than what I was expecting

[Sacul]

One of those, yup.

[ariich]

I have no idea so I'll just wait for everyone else to guess theirs and then mine will be the last one left.

[Buddyhunter1]

I have no idea so I'll just wait for everyone else to guess theirs and then mine will be the last one left.

Same. Guessing first-impressions is usually so tedious so I doubt I'll be revealing who's is who's until the results in the next roulette I do

[Nekov]

Results tomorrow.

[Crow]

it's only 5 PM

[Nekov]

It's 9 PM here is Argentina

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

It's 9 PM here is Argentina

I didn't realize how much farther East Argentina was from the West coast of the United States...

[Sacul]

It's been a long day for me here and there are 17 entries so I'll do the following: I'll split results into 3 chunks and post the first tonight and the rest tomorrow.

[TAC]

It's 9 PM here is Argentina

I didn't realize how much farther East Argentina was from the West coast of the United States...

EVERYWHERE is far from the West Coast of the US.

[Sacul]

So you can bear the waiting, here's the first impressions revealed. You'll be glad to know that some of these have changed quite a bit, mostly grown up on me


ariich If there's "sacul music" then this is "[player] music"

Nekov Started being quite underwhelmed by it but there's something captivating in its strangeness

kingshmegland Warm and lush, but does it stand out? We'll see

home Bombastic, intense. Good stuff.

TAC Some tracks have quite a bit of a [70s band] flavor but it goes into another direction, I like them

Buddyhunter1 I've had one of these riffs on my head for a bit

The Walrus Sounds nice, but feels like background music for YouTube ads

Heretic Feels sort of generic in general

Elite Definitely has an anime sort of sound

Shadow NInja 2.0 Sounds a little different from what I usually dig in the genre but it's not too far, it works

Cyril Quite lovely, although it might go on for a bit too long

Stadler Although it's nothing groundbreaking, it's quite well executed

rondrums Reminds of a bit of this other artist on the genre although I dunno if it's as original

Tomislav95 A bit more varied than expected, has a nice warmth to it

Anguyen92 Stronger songwriting than what I was expecting

Puppies_On_Acid Lovely and intimate but doesn't feel very unique imo

OpenYourEyes311 I love the strings here

[Buddyhunter1]

Yes, Cornflake and Cubensis Lenses have some fan-fucking-tastic riffs

[Sacul]

Results 1/3

TAC: Alice Cooper
First impression: Some tracks have quite a bit of a [70s band] flavor but it goes into another direction, I like them

Some songs have a definite Pink Floyd influence, like the beginning of The Sound of A. Well most of it sounds quite influenced by The Wall, but that's not a bad thing, I love the Floyds.Lyrics are quite simple although a tad repetitive here, talking about how meaningless noise is what everyone likes. Ok boomer? Clones (We're All) is quite simple but fun, I love the sounds here. The track itself is nothing spectacular and doesn't have much variety but works. Perfect is cool, has some pretty silly lyrics about about this imperfect girl he loves anyway - a simple hard rock tune. And we're back to another Floyd-ish tune with Pass the Gun around, although the influence is a bit less obvious. The main solo is quite nice and emotional. I'm not sure I get the lyrics though, maybe it needs more context - is this a concept album?

Overall I liked these songs, not quite dad rock I you said but I'd argue only Clones would fit that label. If I end up exploring more of his work, I might go with that album.

3.5/5


Buddyhunter1: Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
First impression: I've had one of these riffs on my head for a bit

Yeah Cornflake has some very cool riffs . Then it goes into these ethereal vocals, only to build up to the riff again. Kind of a Porcupine Tree approach, I dig it. I also love the progresssions and how the last chorus is the most bombastic. Simple and effective. Cubensis Lenses (the heck are these names ) also has a very cool riffs. The chorus might not be as memorable as the previous one but it's got a lot of energy in the guitars. The instrumental bit at 3:30 tho, . The following track is the one that's kinda borderline prog on its main melody but that's ok. I love the strings and how it doesn't follow a strict structure. My only complaint is that it may go on for a bit too long.

All in all, 3 very solid tracks. Well done.

4/5


The Walrus: ATTLAS
First impression: Sounds nice, but feels like background music for YouTube ads

Ok that was a harsh first impression, but it really felt like I had heard one of these tracks on some ad, in particular the first one, Ryat. November has a pretty nice piano and some cool synths but it kinda goes nowhere. A Ray of Light is definitely more focused and I like where it goes but it doesn't really wow me despite it's climatic ending. Half Light is definitely the highlight for me though. Cool pop song if quite by the numbers.

I get why these tracks appeal you a lot but to me they sound a little generic and that's usually a big detriment for me, in particular with electronic music since you can create any sound you want instead of going with presets

3/5


Shadow Ninja 2.0: Architects
First impression: Sounds a little different from what I usually dig in the genre but it's not too far, it works

I tipically like my metalcore quite raw and relentless, so this having more of a melodic twist is interesting. The Distant Blue starts quite heavy and intense, then has a pretty pleasant breakdown and ending. I like the electronics during Memento Mori, I also was surprised to hear some very fitting samples on the middle. This is also the most varied song of the bunch going thorugh different sections and with plenty of varied instruments at the same time. Hereafter is the heaviest track here, with some banging riffs and ethereal vocals mixed in the chorus.

Pretty solid entries, I just wished the guitars had a bit more of character instead of that typical chugging sound reminiscent of djent. Would give them a bit more of personality imo.

4/5

ariich: Arcane Roots
First impression: If there's "sacul music" when this is "[player] music"

Yeah I can see how this can be borderline prog for some but it'd be quite a stretch tbh. These guys are definitely an alternative rock act with some electronics here and there. In a way I'm kinda reminded of Oceansize a bit in that sense. These tracks have a very ethereal quality and curiously I tend to prefer the instrumental sections - no that there's anything wrong with the vocals, but they tend to overtake some songs with their presence. For instance the ending of Indigo is just gorgeous, the riffs on Off the Floor are killer, and the synths on Arp are lovely. That last track in particular being my favorite of the bunch, having a bit of everything mixed in.

I like your selection leaning a little more towards the subtle electronics and synths. I can't say I'm in love with this band just yet but I could see them growing a bit more on me.

4/5

Nekov: Lung
First impression: Started being quite underwhelmed by it but there's something captivating in its strangeness

What genre are even these guys? It kinda reminds me a bit of Bent Knee and Diablo Swing Orchestra on their weird moments. I'll admit I was initially put off by their weirdness but it's been slowly growing up on me, these tracks are just so damn catchy and fun. I love the unusual instrumentation like the (electric?) cellos on Control and Abuse being the main drive of the songs. These tracks kinda remind me of a metal-less version of some of öOoOoOoOoOo's Samen. I also love the vocals and the harmonies she makes.

I find it kinda hard to describe these tunes since they're pretty unusual yet very accesible. Very intriguing band.

4/5

[Buddyhunter1]

[Anguyen92]

Anguyen92 Stronger songwriting than what I was expecting

Sweet.  That comment gives me a lot of relief.

[Crow]

Kill Me Dacul

[Elite]

Is it anime simply because he sings in Japanese though?

[Nekov]

Nekov: Lung
First impression: Started being quite underwhelmed by it but there's something captivating in its strangeness

What genre are even these guys? It kinda reminds me a bit of Bent Knee and Diablo Swing Orchestra on their weird moments. I'll admit I was initially put off by their weirdness but it's been slowly growing up on me, these tracks are just so damn catchy and fun. I love the unusual instrumentation like the (electric?) cellos on Control and Abuse being the main drive of the songs. These tracks kinda remind me of a metal-less version of some of öOoOoOoOoOo's Samen. I also love the vocals and the harmonies she makes.

I find it kinda hard to describe these tunes since they're pretty unusual yet very accesible. Very intriguing band.

4/5

That right there is precisely why I sent them to you. I know you like unconventional and experimental music and these guys are just that. I'm glad I nailed it 

[King Postwhore]

I saw Lung with Bent Knee.   My wife got a signed cd from them.

[TAC]

I'll take the 3.5.

Sacul, even though you like some weird shit, you've managed to surprise me a couple of times with some older stuff, so I know you have a bit of an old soul in there...somewhere.

[ariich]

Nice, a solid start - glad you liked it! I think you'll really like Melancholia Hymns. Their previous albums are slightly more straightforward post-hardcore in terms of style but they're also great.

[Sacul]

Is it anime simply because he sings in Japanese though?

That and it has sort of an anime intro/outro feel

Nekov: Lung
First impression: Started being quite underwhelmed by it but there's something captivating in its strangeness

What genre are even these guys? It kinda reminds me a bit of Bent Knee and Diablo Swing Orchestra on their weird moments. I'll admit I was initially put off by their weirdness but it's been slowly growing up on me, these tracks are just so damn catchy and fun. I love the unusual instrumentation like the (electric?) cellos on Control and Abuse being the main drive of the songs. These tracks kinda remind me of a metal-less version of some of öOoOoOoOoOo's Samen. I also love the vocals and the harmonies she makes.

I find it kinda hard to describe these tunes since they're pretty unusual yet very accesible. Very intriguing band.

4/5

That right there is precisely why I sent them to you. I know you like unconventional and experimental music and these guys are just that. I'm glad I nailed it 

Yup, that intersection between experimental and accessible seems to be my sweet spot.

I saw Lung with Bent Knee.   My wife got a signed cd from them.

That makes lots of sense, I imagine it must have been an intense act!

I'll take the 3.5.

Sacul, even though you like some weird shit, you've managed to surprise me a couple of times with some older stuff, so I know you have a bit of an old soul in there...somewhere.

I've been listening to plenty of old stuff lately, mostly from the 60s through the 80s. Haven't liked everything, but some stuff has stuck like Tears for Fears, Charles Mingus, Iggy Pop, The Beach Boys, Sonic Youth, and some Beatles tracks.

Nice, a solid start - glad you liked it! I think you'll really like Melancholia Hymns. Their previous albums are slightly more straightforward post-hardcore in terms of style but they're also great.

I'll definitely check that album! I think this time I'll do an actual post-roulette thing showing which bands I've dug the most.

[King Postwhore]

Very intense. I know I have pics. I'll find them and post them.

[King Postwhore]

Lung



Bent Knee

[Sacul]

That looks rad

I'm halfway through the second batch...

[Crow]

 

[Sacul]

Results 2/3

Puppies_On_Acid: Imogen Heap
First impression: Lovely and intimate but doesn't feel very unique imo

Ok that first impression is sort of inaccurate as I confused it with the next bunch of songs. There's a nice variety here, from the synths and electronics on 2-1 mixed with the acoustic instrumentation, to the xylophone and beats on Have You Got it in You?, and the more minimalist The Moment I Said It, ending with a very pop-ish track, I'm God. These are very nice songs that somehow I don't find particularly memorable for some reason - they're not generic at all, yet I find it hard to remember any of their main melodies after listening.

So yeah, pretty cool songs, but I don't feel they resonate that close to me.

3.5/5



Tomislav95: Phoebe Bridgers
First impression: A bit more varied than expected, has a nice warmth to it

I've seen people rave about her last record, which I listened to a song from but wasn't blown away. So this was a nice surprise, maybe I'd dig her with a closer listen. The first song, Smoke Signals, is quite nice and minimal, kinda has a bit of a Twin Peaks vibe to it. Motion Sickness is definitely more into indie rock territory while keeping the warm, almost ethereal atmosphere. Funeral has some pretty sad lyrics and the instrumentation goes along really well, might be my favorite of the bunch. But Kyoto is quite close there, and also seems to be most bombastic of your selection. I love the trumpet there, and the chorus is very memorable.

I think I'd score these a little higher had it had more songs in the vein of the last two, but these are all pretty nice tracks. I might check out Punisher in the end.

3.5/5


Anguyen92: SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]
First impression: Stronger songwriting than what I was expecting

These could also qualify as having an anime sort of sound, considering the guy seems to write soundtracks for those chinese cartoons. These are mostly pop-rockish tracks with different singers, and from your description I expected something a bit less well-crafted but all of the tracks are pretty solid.  My fav track is probably Into the Sky for the lovely vocals and the electronic instrumentation, but I also dig the energy the other songs bring. I like how Glory -into the RM- brings both the guitars and the strings in a way that feels kinda unique actually.

Nothing I'd really listen much on my own these days but might have dug a lot during my teens.

3.5/5


OpenYourEyes311: Linkin Park
First impression: I love the strings here

Well I think I prefer these to the originals, at least the ones I'm familiar with, which are... Crawling, basically . There's plenty of cool beats and glitchy vocals here, and surprisingly, strings. And it really kind of works quite well. I quite like H! Vltg3 as it feels like a regular hip-hop track with good beats, I wouldn't know it's a remix of these guys

Not much to say, never been a big fan of Chester And The Linkin Parks but this was very cool to listen to. Might make me check out Hybrid Theory though, never listened to it in full.

3.5/5


kingshmegland: Fleet Foxes
First impression: Warm and lush, but does it stand out? We'll see

I'll admit that these tracks seemed deceptively simple at first but a closer listen reveals plenty of layers to their songwriting - the many vocals harmonies interspersed with the muted guitars on Montezuma, the vague but colorful lyrics of White Winter Hymnal, the lovely piano and more vocal harmonies on He Doesn't Know Why (my favorite of the bunch), and the many parts of The Shrine / The Argument. All of the songs have a very lush quality, an almost ethereal yet very grounded feeling. I think only the last track drags on a bit much but it's forgivable.

I've meant to listen to these guys for a while and I can kind of see why they're so influential, as I can hear bits of this style in more modern records. Good stuff.

4/5


Cyril: Mae
First impression: Quite lovely, although it might go on for a bit too long

I'm always a fan of lovely piano pieces, as it's one of my favorite instruments, and this hits the right spots most of the time. I mean, it's not the most unique piece ever, and it is kinda too long for what it's trying to achieve, but it's pretty lovely and goes through several moods - exuberant, joyful, melancholic, sad, adventurous. It'd fit quite right into an emotive indie game.

Not much to say, it's a pretty song.

3.5/5

[Shadow Ninja 2.0]

Oh I forgot to comment in here. Totally fair assessment of Architects, although personally I never read it as djenty, I guess because djent to me tends to be associated with a sort of sterility of emotion, like the band is just loud because the amps they bought happened to go to 11, but Architects are loud because they're furious.

Will send something else sometime.

[Crow]

seasons is an interesting case where i like it mostly for its context, in the middle of the last of a three-set of EPs that essentially put the band on hiatus for nearly a decade later, it's like the end credits music but then there's a really effective two-song coda after it that all just... works well together

and of course the track listing was, for no good reason, rearranged on the rerelease that completely ruins that flow, but 

[Sacul]

Oh I forgot to comment in here. Totally fair assessment of Architects, although personally I never read it as djenty, I guess because djent to me tends to be associated with a sort of sterility of emotion, like the band is just loud because the amps they bought happened to go to 11, but Architects are loud because they're furious.

Will send something else sometime.

Oh I agree, just made the comparison to their guitar sound, their music definitely has more emotion than most djent out there.

seasons is an interesting case where i like it mostly for its context, in the middle of the last of a three-set of EPs that essentially put the band on hiatus for nearly a decade later, it's like the end credits music but then there's a really effective two-song coda after it that all just... works well together

and of course the track listing was, for no good reason, rearranged on the rerelease that completely ruins that flow, but 

Oh that's cool, might check it out then to see how it fits.

[Buddyhunter1]

Nice variety in the scores so far.

[Crow]

i didn't get a 3/5 so i'll take it

[Sacul]

Nice variety in the scores so far.

In retrospect maybe having quarter points would have been a good idea but I'm way too used to this scoring system, so expect most entries to score 3.5/5

[Buddyhunter1]

ONLY THREE ROUNDS UNTIL THE EP ROUND

You should post those rules so I can put mine together in case I make it that far.

[Sacul]

Oh yeah I'll make a post about that a little while after I post results