Reviews (page 5 of 7)
Works well in a certain conditions. Just at home didn't do it for me. Riding my bike in the sun with this in my ears helped me appreciate it more.
I like the music, but not sure about the lyrics. It does give me long life in the desert vibes, but he just lacks something to make it sound sincere. He wrote things but doesn't fully believe them. I don't hate it, but I wouldn't come back to this one.
Hi singing is slightly worse than the song writing.
Musically, I like this. It’s dusty, sparse rock with a big dash of alt-country. I didn’t expect that and I am satisfied by it. The lead singers voice though is just too detached to make this even remotely great. He just sounds so incredibly bored by all of it. In fact, the longer this trudges on, the more insufferable he becomes. There are some truly lovely songs on here but the album is too long. Not justified considering how lazy and uninvested he sounds.
Not really sure what this was. It kind of feels like the dollar store version of Leonard Cohen. That sounds mean, but that’s how it comes across to me. The lounge vibes were interesting though, and I liked some of the later songs. This might grow on me if I listened more, so I will give a 3 for potential!
This one dragged a bit. I won’t be listening again. Highlight: Nothing really stuck out.
Too Long even before all of the bonus tracks. And I liked the bonus tracks better.
A different and alternative approach to country music.
Didn’t initially like this one but I enjoyed it after the first few tracks. Listened through twice and both times I started off not liking it and ended up thinking this was an album I might add to my rotation. Really enjoyed the mix of genres and the different instruments that get used. Also really liked the style of the singing. Fav song: Shiver - I also liked Temptation of Egg, Raw, Astonished (in Memphis) and Bottom Line Man Least fav: (Well) Dusted - shame it’s so early in the album because it made me think I wouldn’t like the album.
This whole band sounds a bit like a guy that brings the guitar out at a social gathering and is good on guitar but absolutely shite at singing and also fully up himself when you listen for more than a few minutes. Why all the bloody bonus songs as well. I don’t care if you recorded the shit song in a different American city why are you including it again. Specific rating - 1.7 Fav song - (well) dusted Least fav - Wolfy
Think there's a real mix of chore and enchantment on this album and I'm not quite sure which is winning. Mostly enjoyed his odd style of singing but there were a few songs where I started to really understand why other people would find it annoying. Almost gave it four stars but then I relistened to some of the earlier tracks and remembered how much I didn't like them. Favourite: Shiver or Dirty From the Rain Least: X-Tra Wide
-It was kinda boring and sorta creepy
way too long for this kind of slow music. so slow it burns my bunghole. but still kind of nice. might improve on another listen.
Tsja, dit is een klein beetje Leonard Cohen zijn stijl, maar dan wel gewoon een stuk minder. Muzikaal gebeurt er wel meer, maar ik vind de stem van de zanger mwah... Het is het net niet zeg maar. Er zitten ook best wat skits op het album, met alleen instrumentale stukken. Best interessant en zeker niet drama, maar het klinkt allemaal gewoon heel erg alsof niemand op dit album echt zin heeft om er op te staan. Alsof iedereen onder schot werd gehouden om dit album op te nemen. Ik heb best wel veel albums die ik hoger geef omdat er pure fun op klinkt. Leonard Cohen klinkt niet alsof hij plezier heeft, hij klinkt alsof hij doodop is en toch nog de kracht weet te vinden om te zeggen wat hij zeggen moet. Dit album klinkt als geen van beiden. Het klinkt een beetje alsof de zanger besloot dat het cool is om ongeinteresseerd te klinken, en dus heel erg zn best doet om vooral zo te klinken. Nee, dit is niet best, dit is slaapverwekkend en belachelijk dat dit een album is dat ik moet horen voor ik doodga. Misschien voordat ik slapen ga? Daar is het namelijk wel best wel geschikt voor. FAVO: Punishing Sun,
No conocía al grupo pero oye, disco sólido, aunque demasiado largo
I feel like if I gave this one another listen I could really get into it, but unfortunately for it I will not be doing that. At least not right now. 4/10
I often love these eclectic albums that throw in everything but the kitchen sink, but my first impression of this one was that it felt a little too hipster/millenial for my taste. The Wikipedia entry with almost no information on it just confirmed my suspicisions that this was likely a flavor of the month debut album in some music magazines and soon forgotten, aside from an additional to the list. But curiosity got the better of me and I looked into who Giant Sand is. So it was fairly perplexing to realize that the lead singer was born in 1956 and had been playing music since the 70s. The band had been together since 1985, making proto-grunge music, and this was the band's 16th album. So intrigued, I tried to give it another chance with open ears and I can definitely say that it grew on me a lot. It's another weird and wonderful album that just took some time to make sense. It's definitely a hidden gem in the indie rock scene.
The fuck is this?
Hyvin tuotettu, hienot torvet, kiinnostava artisti
01) Overture - / 02) (Well) Dusted (For the Millennium) - 7,0 03) Punishing Sun - 6,5 04) X-Tra Wide - 6,0 05) 1972 - 3,0 06) Temptation of Egg - 6,0 07) Raw - 5,0 08) Wolfy - 5,5 09) Shiver - 6,0 10) Dirty from the Rain - 6,0 11) Astonished (In Memphis) - 5,5 12) No Reply - 5,5 13) Satellite - 5,5 14) Bottom Line Man - 5,0 15) Way to End the Day - 5,0 16) Shrine - 1,0 TOTAL: 5,23 (52/100) Current ranking: 491/551
This album doesn't actually appear in my copy of 1001 albums...but hey ho, let's go... I kind of liked this, but what shifts my score down is that the sangs are all quite samey sounding.
Pretty chill, but hard to label - somewhere between alt country and psychedelic for the most part. Some of the songs were kind of boring while others were decent, but the album is super long so there were bound to be good and bad parts.
Comfy. This one was long, but didn't feel like it.
Couldn’t get into this album at all. Voice was so lifeless to me. May try again in future but had no endearing quality for me.
..
(Well) Dusted
Honestly, it wasn't as much as a slog as I was expecting. I think the lead should consider alternatives to music though; gently speaking out of tune and out of time for the backing tracks is just stupid. The instrumentals were pretty good, and I didn't mind the backing vocals either. The lead singer can piss off. All the fucking songs sounded the same too I don't get the idea behind this thing. MORE LIKE SNORE OF ENCHANTMENT 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 GET IT HASN'T BEEN SAID BEFGORE ON THIS SITE 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yup, that was a fucking chore alright
Oh it was a chore alright.
8/10
The best parts of this album reminded me of what I like about Silver Jews, and the weaker parts struggled to remind me I was listening to an album at all. That is to say that I like the lo-fi folk sound on some of the songs here. The vocals are very good but it really isn't something that's suited to a whole hour of listening. I wish that the band exercised the same restraint with their very excellent instrumental flourishes with the vocals, it would have made for a much better album if it were just leaner and leaned less on the vocals. Apart from that, I found the album to be quite backloaded. An excellent opening track leading into a few tracks of nothing before hitting a good streak from Shiver onwards (where the pedal guitar really did a lot for me). I had never heard of this band prior to this nor was there a whole lot to read about the album's production. Overall, while some of the alt rock stuff was alright this would have been a whole lot better as a focused folk album. Highlights: (Well) Dusted, Shiver, Astonished (In Memphis)
I really enjoyed the last few songs, but it dragged getting there. Some good songs and happy to have tried this album. :)
Muttery indie music
I liked a few of the songs at the beginning, but they got boring in the middle and end. I felt I was listening to the same thing over and over again.
I feel... conflicted about this one because it has half of the album being so up my lane (moody alt rock with a country influence is winning for me sometimes) I almost thought I had a new favorite, but the other half being straight up country wasn't my favorite thing. Still, even if its all over the place, the songs are great and so is the singing, maybe a forgotten gem I'll have to listen to it more though
There was nothing enchanting about this The chore was to try and stay awake during this album 2 ⭐️
M'eh
Two of these startes Calexico, kept the good americana and got rid of the mostly annoying psych-rock Flaming Lipsy quirkiness. Id rather listen to Calexico
This was def interesting, chores of enhancments is one of those albus that carves a unique sound and space for me. Giant sand seems to be able to seamlessly transition between genres and flows giving a sense of music mastery. The album flows well too. I don't see myself revisting this too often but something about it , probably its uniqueness) makes me very glad to have heard it
DNF cuz i got bored because it sucks. Chore of a listen!
Not for me
meh
Cool to see a Thrill Jockey release on this list. I had never listened to Giant Sand before, but based on it's label, I figured it'd be interesting and cool enough and it was. Really enjoyed this, listened to it a couple times.
…chore is apt. I know it can be tough to fill a variety of slots on a list of 1,001 but an album that is neutral and sounds like others from the same time period isn't one that should be considered. 2/5
Relentlessly boring. Nothing to add, just make it end so I can listen to something else. I kept turning it up because I couldn’t hear it before I realized that my brain was just actively tuning it out. No other album I’ve ever listened to was as easy to tune out as this one. 2/5
This was ok. Vocals are Lou Reedish in places, which I can generally only tolerate in The Velvet Underground.
Was not the best I gotta say, hard pass on this
The instrumentation carries this album because the vocals, while largely tender and relaxed, seem to fade into the instruments. The instrumentals were enchanting, the vocals were a chore
I hated this. Didn't get it, would never listened again.
It felt a little meh at first, but it quickly grew on me. I think I'd like to listen again reading along with the lyrics, it feels like the kind of vibe I might really like. It reminds me a bit of Leonard Cohen.
A blend of country, folk, and rock, with a touch of Tom Waits. It’s solid, but falls just short of greatness. 3.5.
Fine but got tedious.
I didn't like the lead singer's voice.
A couple of the songs were bit of a chore, but overall it was fine. I could see listening to this again at the right time, but not anytime soon.
Kind of interesting, but I’m tired of interesting. I just was good music, not some guy talk-singing. This is not for me.
Favorite Track: Shiver
Honestly, not a fan, not sure why this one was on the list. Given Its the list of 1000 albums you should listen to before you die, I’m gonna give it a one out of five. Not for me.
Yes, this was a chore. Had to forward thru every song about midway
not my thing, but can see the merit
I won't like any rating I give this one.
Tries hard to be Lou Reed but it didn’t click with me.
goomy
2.53
As a whole, this ain't my thing at all. But there is so much unexpected strangenes and some really fun moments that I can't help but enjoy far more than I should.
This was a chore of no enchantment. So dreary. I guess this is the kind of album you make when you can’t sing.
Mixed
Oof, this was baaaad
This was a really good album. It’s amazing that this group has been around since 1980 and recorded lots of albums, and I’ve never heard of them.
Super cool variety of songs
Nice discovery
Chore indeed.
it's s subtly great record
Eehh… It started out as an interesting album but as the songs went on I was bored (which is rare for me), and yes, it felt like a chore to listen to. At first I accepted the vocalists voice as a unique part of the band, but I ended up being unable to stand it unfortunately. This wasn’t an entirely horrible album, but I’d certainly need to be in the right mood to listen to it.
Reminded me a bit of Lou Reed at times.
Listening to this was quite a chore. Nothing special over here. Move along.
This was one big cover version of Shawn Mullins' Lullaby. Did not enjoy this one as it was all the same song over and over again.
Nice surprise
It almost had a quality I liked, kind of like a moody Morrissey vibe. But then they’d wreck it a song or two later with something that was just awful and didn’t work.
Pleasant listening.
it's interesting, i guess, but why is it notable?
Temptation of an Egg?? In this economy??? Pretty much unlistenable tho lol. 1.5.
This was like a k-mart version of Bob Dylan Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5
gtfo
A very average record. Not bad but also not very great. It has some very good tunes but most of it is just average.
Very chill and raspy, not my cup of tea but nice for an evening photographing Jupiter
It's not terrible, but it's so far from amazing. The number of tracks on this album turns it forgettable, but a good experience yet. Ends up in the middle of nowhere, and its potential is not well used.
This is kinda what I imagine people mean when they say "whisper sweet nothings in my ear". Not pleasantries, just barely audible statements of no consequence. This time, set to music.
No
I don't know where I stand with this - - I've heard and enjoyed later Giant Sand that I liked... this has its ups and downs, Maybe if it was just one album instead of a double, it would work better a true 3.5
A good album at its base but the lead singer's voice is so annoying
This is almost too relaxing at times...
Complete waste of time.
Kind of boring, and I just really need more music in my music. Too much Lou Reed-esque talking for me.
Really boring and obscenely long. 1/5 stars.
It was talking over slow alt rock , not my thing. Some songs on the bonus tracks picked up a little and had cool moments but they fizzled out
Well... at least Shiver was quite alright. But generally, between the singer who thinks he is Lou Reed and the self-important music, this was .... wait for it ... a Chore!!!! to get through. .... I'll see myself out. 2.5/5
"Mom, I want Leonard Cohen." "We have Leonars Cohen at home." Leonard Cohen at home:
What is going on here. Why is this noteworthy? I've heard worse things but I can't find a single thing about this to make it worthwhile to hear or revisit. They know how to play instruments.
This is slop. Basic slop. I don't know why this is here. Why is this here?
Supposedly Alternative Rock / Folk Rock? A boring depressing album that is neither folk nor rock. One reviewer praised this album's "raw but tender empathy in songs full of unexpected departures" - what a load of pretentious crap.
Think calexico or lambchop.
Another one that makes you say "why is this here" instead of (unrepresented but way better artist). Its better then Korn at least but didn't do much for me
Howe Gelb's voice is too glib and casual for this to be an impactful record, and the lyrics are never not pretentious, tho they don't always approach the following prattle: 'It's w/ great human OP8 for a headachy nation.' It's too bad, since a track like 'Temptation of Egg' has authentic groove, and 'Shiver' sustains a driving energy, but I can't deal w/ a title like that, and the latter harbors this drivel: 'The deliver of shiver.' More empty poetry: 'And I would ponder this disease like a peeling onion skin striptease.' Above all, the blues and country should never be whispered. Seeing that Gelb is only intent on whispering, it all collapses into something fiercely boring and has few saving graces. No 'furtiva lagrima' for me - just prominent irritation.
I was a little bored by this one. I can usually enjoy weirder, singer/songwriter in this vein, but for some reasons this one doesn’t really click with me. It may be the vocalist to some extent, but I also just didn’t feel very moved by the instrumentals, so it made for an overall pretty uninteresting listen for me. There may be more there lyrically that I could grab onto, but with the nature of this project of a single album a day, the music itself really needs to stand out if I’m going to spin an album from this list more than twice.
Musically I did not really hate this. The vocals are the thing I have the biggest problems with. The monotonous, bored delivery becomes annoying very fast. I could stand it for a little while but a few songs in, listening to the voice became really frustrating. This is just annoying, repetitive, boring and did not have to be that long. Favourite song: Shiver (probably the only melodic vocal moment on the album)
I usually feel great after listening to the album of the day. Not today
Chore of Enchantment is just okay. I do kinda like the idea the band seems to be going for, using some Leonard Cohen style vocals and putting them in an alt-rock album is certainly an idea for an album i would enjoy. The problem is though, the album just never does anything with a lot of the ideas it has and it makes a lot of the songs just feel pretty boring and safe. There were a couple of stand out tracks in this album but nothing i would feel like i would go out of my way to listen to again. This album is not a bad album, it just isn't really all that special and there is just far better stuff out there. Best Song: Wolfy Worst Song: Shrine
In my older age, I've grown impatient with most, if not all that surrounds me, music included. The music that used to bring me joy, is boring. It tries too hard, is too show-y or attempts to rebuild and improve the past. Sure, my mental state may sound like 'depression,' but I'm calling it old age. Giant Sand, includes a mild bit of reminiscence from the days I used to listen to Calexico, and I don't think anyone would accuse this band of trying too hard to impress. The slow tempo, and muted vocals and gimickless production make Chore of Enchantment make for an enjoyable album. This is the introverted, standing along the sidelines, house in the woods, music that I've been needing but unwilling to look for. Great find.
That was a chore to get through. This Giant Sand album has been removed from the list, but I’m not sure how it ever got on there to begin with. Joey Burns and John Convertino helped Howe Gelb make this unenchanted record, but they had already splintered off to form Calexico. Now that’s a much more worthy addition to the list. Calexico’s “Feast of Wire” is a terrific album, with a really cool blend of styles. Like Giant Sand, it was once on the list, but has been removed. And with less than 100 albums left to go, we haven’t hit it yet. It’s a five, I think - looking forward to that one.
Oh good more talking rhythmically and calling it singing. AND we are adding random sounds into otherwise fine songs in order to sound experimental and edgy. No thank you.
1014 albums in and I have no patience for bad vocals. And they occur far too often on this list.
There might be a worthwhile album hidden in there somewhere, but my lord would you have to do a lot of digging to find it. Some of the concepts, and even some of the melodies are actually great, but the lead singer is just so devoid of skill and charm that everything stops when he starts singing. Some tracks seem to be aiming for a Lou Reed feel and are almost passable, but some appear to aiming for a weak, weak, impersonation of the later version of Cohen. The lyrics absolutely do not carry the delivery though. Also the Spotify version I listened to was 2 hours long, but that appears to padded with remixes and bonus tracks, so I guess I can't blame them for that directly.
Not bad, not great, very mellow, it was an album that I listened to.
Meh, not terrible but often felt like it was being weird for the sake of weird.
Another one I am a little torn on. I had never heard of this and I would say overall it was a pleasant surprise. This feels like a rainy day album to me. Both literally and figuratively to be honest. The tracks that are good are REALLY to my taste but it goes on a little long and there are some stinkers on there too. Would have benefitted greatly from some paring down. If it had been it actually could have been a 5 star contender for me, or at least a 4.5. As is I'm waffling between a 3 and a 4. I'm going to round up to the 4 because I do think this is the perfect album for the right mood, just need to skip a few songs maybe.
Not even halfway in but this is painful. Would be less of a chore if he didn't sing.
It did not need to be 2 hours long 30 songs track list. No clear identity of what they wanted to have the album be like. Also I can't be arsed with men being poor singers anymore. Fully losing the plot. Only song I can tolerate is Shiver.
More like Chore of an Album. Yawn.
Although this fell away at the end the collection is pretty cool.
Vissa låtar är ganska trevliga men har väldigt svårt för hans släpiga prat-sjungande, det tar aldrig fart. Vissa låtar är också ganska tråkiga. Kommer nog inte lyssna på igen. 2 av 5
From one perspective there isn't much on this album. And in the same time this fascinating album that hit some nice vibe moment in me.
There was nothing in this album that I could get a firm grip on. Too monotonous a soundscape for my taste.
How interesting, another turn of the century band/album I've never heard of. After listening half way through I can already say this is not for me. Reminds me of Nick Cave to a degree... and Elvis Costello or someone like him, I don't like this kind of music, so I don't really remember their names. It's not bad as such, it just doesn't hold my interest. Folk music is not my think, I don't know what makes this "folk rock", I guess not doing it by the rules to the tee? It is mostly about the lyrics, but I'm a music guy, melody and riff dude, I especially like massive sound. Acoustic guitar or a piano does not fulfil the need at all, even if they add some support instruments to the mix. It's good enough that I can understand why someone would like this, but I just find myself thinking should I skip this track or just put on something entirely different. PS. Midway through I did just that. I put on Ultra Death Cult's "End Times Are Good Times", which was another artist I'd never heard of before, but immediately felt slightly better.
Don’t mind some of the instrumentation but the vocals drove me nuts. Far too often they’re too quiet to make out what they’re saying. When you can understand I don’t care. 2/5
Almost a four
Smog by way of Thrill Jockey Records was not something i knew existed, or that i needed it so much. "Chore of Enchantment" keeps in low gear with its eclecticism, always surprising you when something like a trip hop beat or a sample of an old movie pops in or a mellotron comes in on one of the tracks. my only real complaint is the horrible mouth smacking intro on "Temptation of Egg". alongside this, "Raw" feels less raw and more underbaked, a good idea that could have been a great song but never develops with ornamentation like the other tracks do. otherwise, all the little experimental flourishes feel at home here, introducing itself as a warm friend before walking right out the door. what a delightful variety of reunions.
Not my style
First time hearing this and probably the last. Didn’t like or dislike.
boring
It's usually not difficult to predict what the album will be like when its entire Legacy section on Wikipedia is simply the fact that it's in the 1001 Albums book. There are many of these 90s or 00s indie/alt rock albums that fall into this category. While I don't mind listening to some of these albums, I do think that they tend to be the least worthwhile albums in the book. The 1001 list has an impressively varied selection, but I do think the albums like this (where the only notable thing about it is its inclusion in the list) are its biggest weak spot. I've got nothing against obscure album choices in theory, however. I definitely wouldn't say that just because an album is less influential and doesn't have as important of a legacy, it shouldn't be included. But I do think that makes them harder to justify. Not an unpleasant listen, but among the most forgettable.
too many soft edges. there's a song at the end that wakes up a bit, but otherwise . . meh
It took me e a while to figure out how to rate this album. I kept trying a few distracted listen attempts but I was never able to get a handle on the album as a piece until I sat down gave it my full attention. Since I have it as a 4 sided double album in vinyl I'll rate it in that way....side 1 is brilliant singer-songwriter fare that goes from bluesy to folky to even a touch funk. Side 2 starts off in the same and reaches the album's zenith with Shiver a beautiful country rock ballad that swings with beauty and grace. Things go kinda sideways from there rest of side 2 and side 3 are mostly forgettable. Side 4 is better but mostly because we revisit the earlier stronger songs with alternate takes of Dusted and Shiver. Overall a fine album with some beautiful poignant songs if it were a single album it might merit 5, but as is 4 stars
Elements of Sparklehorse to this Doesn’t quite have that magic though but it’s an interesting lo-fi Americana sound that I’m keen to listen to again
Blind album and artist. Honestly kinda boring but not dreadful. I have no clue why this is on the album list.
Album 693 of 1001 Giant Sand - Chore of Enchantment (2000) Rating : 2 / 5 Meh. Blend of alt-country, punk, and folk. Nice voice.
A chore to get through. It's kinda boring and too long. Also quite unpolished in places.
👌🏿
It’s alright, honestly I didn’t listen to it.
Very meh. Not sure how this got on the list. On the three side of a 2.5
It's like a slightly improved folk version of Lou Reed. I don't like folk music. I hate Lou Reed.
Stealing this from one of the global reviews: listening to this was a chore...
The deadpan delivery (particularly on songs like Raw) channel the spirit of Lou Reed. As a whole this is a pretty campy sounding record -- like something that would soundtrack a film or some quirky cross-country trip. I don't hate it, but the spoken word bits on X-Tra Wide are pretty goofy. I actually like Temptation of Egg quite a bit; nice little bopper. And the individual instrumentation can be quite nice and almost sparse (despite having over 10 members on the personnel list). Seems like one of those albums with strong "hipster" appeal. By that I mean it is music that feels a little off color generally, and is altogether interesting, but oozes of a certain pretentious spirit. A bit long winded, but I actually found I resonated more with the back half than the front. Satellite and Shrine were both standouts to me. Weird album straddling a 3/4 line. Going high 3 here because I don't feel any immediate urge to go back through the experience.
Slow and depressing. Reminds me of a worse Nick Cave. Was pretty much ready for this one to end once I started it.
Not sure why but that album really annoyed me. Might have been the weird way the singer whispered the whole time. Or could have been that sometimes it feels like the instruments were just playing whatever the hell they wanted to. Seems like music that I would normally really like, but just something about this did not jive with my ears. Anyways, like 95% of that album was pretty terrible, and 5% was mediocre to ok
I feel like if you're a big Tom Waits guy this album will be your jam. Unfortunately I am not a big Tom Waits guy. Temptation of Egg is tight though.
Giant Sand was band that I tried to get into in the '90s but I had given up by the time of this 2000 album. Nothing ever caught hold of me. I'm surprised to see anything by them on this list. Not that they're terrible. It's just that Howie Gelb's vision has never appealed to many outside the band's following. ...and this record, as it turns out, is more of the same. Meandering, understated, mood pieces that conjure remote places and broke-down people, not exactly Americana... not exactly like pre-Odelay Beck, sharing some sonic space with Jim White's more-compelling stuff from the same era... at an hour long, this is a slog of a record for the most part. The punky spurt of "1971" was a surprising interlude, and "Shiver" stands out like an actual song I'd want to hear again. Some of the lyrics carry some weight, and some of the atmospherics/production is cool, but not enough to save this record for me.
4/5
Unique sound, I have never heard anything like this before. A mix of alt rock, quite lofi, with a strong country influence. One point for originality for sure. Small problem is that I didn't like it. It wasn't that bad to listen to it, but certainly my mind was not entirely focused on music, it was too 'backgroundy'. But it's nice to know there are quirky bands around.
I really dug the first track, but then it just sounded like a smarmy guy mugging. Kept that first as a favorite. The rest is dispensable.
I'm starting to understand the real premise of the book's title, which is that some of these albums are intended to make you welcome death
It's a good album. Like early Josh Ritter.
Well, 'chore' is accurate. Just kind of drones on. Vocals aren't great. Couldn't recount a single track if I tried.
Pretty cool. I liked it. Listened a couple times
Never heard of this artist. But being from 2000 I have a feeling this is a little indie rock/electronic pop. Completely wrong. Sounds like Tom Waits. A little mellow. Not exactly what I was expecting. Going to wait for the 3rd track on this album. Too mellow for me. 2-3 stars
Fun with something I haven't listened to, or even heard of before! It's usually fairly easy to hear when something is from the 90s, but not with this. And I say that as a good thing. It feels like it might as well have been made today, so it definitely survived the test of time. It was very cool to hear this album, but it's probably not anything I'd put on again. I don't know what it is, but it just doesn't resonate that well with me somehow, and I'm a bit sorry for that honestly.
Very hard to pinpoint when this was recorded without looking at the release date. Felt a bit like Bright Eyes but with a lower voice. It started of ok but the longer I listened the more it started to bore me. I guess it could be a weak 3 but I don't want to listen to it again and no songs really caught my attention. It just felt a bit whiny. Still there it was different from what usually is on here.
Just ungodly slow. Pretty dull.
Why does the opening track sound like it was composed for a SNES game? Overall this is boring. The singer sounds like he's trying really hard to sound cool. I don't get the sense that his singing voice actually sounds like that. He probably idolizes Nick Cave and early Tom Waits, not that there's anything wrong with that. It's in the ballpark of some great indie releases from the same era, but misses the mark. The try-hard lyrics and imperfect, barely-singing vocals ruin some otherwise decent instrumentation. How you gonna put this on here but not Sparklehorse or Grandaddy? OR BUILT TO SPILL FFS
This record falls together too rarely for it to be a classic for me. I like records that are loosely held together but this is a little too loose. And the last track is suuuuper tight! Like wth?
ok but kind of shit 2/5
Uninteresting dross
this was decent, i didn’t dislike it i found it fairly enjoyable
3.3 2x (extended 1h57m)
Not in my edition of the book! 2000. 1 star. Dull hipster bar noodling that goes on for far too long, with a vocalist channelling a stoned Lou Reed. Who decided this was essential listening?
More like sand in your bathing suit at the beach.
Not sure what it's supposed to be
I am giving it a 2 because of the bonus tracks. Without them, it would have been 1 star. The beginning was not great but it picked up a little at the end. It's not an album I will visit again, but it doesn't mean that I won't give the band another try with a different album.
Couldn't really get into it.
All of the tracks are the same
Good, weird. Probably won't listen again
Worst album ever...a chore?YES....enchantment? FUCK,NO! music played on the elevator to HELL ...1 star, wait, no stars for this ...sorry Giant Sand....even your name is fucking stupid
OK album. It was a bit of a chore to get thru though.
oh wie langweilig das dahin plätschert. und der vergleich mit young schmeichelt ebenfalls nicht, auch wenn er passt. ohne highlight, ereignisloses album.
Interessanter Indiesound der gefällt, aber irgendwann auch etwas gar relaxt wirkt.
banging my head against the wall
Okay not a fan of his voice but sometimes there were really cool music arrangements that I liked and then they’d be ruined imo by some crazy sound. I hypothesize Alex likes this album or will at minimum listen to it twice lol
This album sucks. Like Godspeed You! Black Emperor or Silver Mt. Zion but bad. Temptation of Egg is maybe the only halfway good song on this album. 1
This is like a less interesting sparklehorse - but i love sparklehorse, so i kinda linked this. the vocals are too Bill Callahan-y for me though. 3.5 down to a 3
not a fan of the vaguely grungy vocal style
An alright album, I liked Overture and Way to End the Day.
Great indy in the same vein as the Flaming Lips.
Never heard of them. I was a bit scared when I saw that on Spotify most songs from this album have under 100k streams but I didn't have a terrible time listening to this. Doesn't sound like a groundbreaking album but I needed some calming music so that's nice. Giving it a generous score. 3/5
I should've taken chore being in the title as a warning.
Another in the long list of I’m guessing this might be really interesting with more listens. Until then I can say I enjoyed moments but not consistently.
Está tranqui, es bastante lindo el disco, pero no es la gran cosa. Se hace largo.
Seems like mood music...just caught me in a good mood so it didn't work for me...I am trying to get away from sad b@atard music....but everyone needs a cry sometimes.
Struggled to get through the bonus tracks
That was completely unknown to me, not just the album but the band as well. It was absolutely delightful, listened to it three times today.
damn 2 hours again :O pretty chill guitars and vocals, kinda a raspy country voice? and at times lovely piano and experimental stuff I think my dad would like this, I didn't connect to much with it although I feel like there are a couple of good messages and more that I missed. Overall a 6/10 but man No Reply is lovely! Bottom Line Man and Way To End A Day are also new topics to me. Shrine is great two so I seem to prefer the second half of the album, that chill guitar and outro is calming. I didn't listen to the Bonus Tracks or Remixes, sorry, didn't have the energy.
I like this a lot. Getting Lou Reed vibes tho less dark, Germanic sleaze and more sunny, desert vibes.
A proper curate's egg this one!!
Not a bad album but pretty boring. Background music at best, though not sure what situation I'd put this on in the background
This was entirely new to me again and i think it struggles to justify its place here. Some perfectly serviceable but unassuming low fi indie folk, that just doesn't seem to stand out
A curious mix of Lou Reed, Wilco and Neil Young that I had never heard or even heard of, but ended up enjoying very much. I will be listening to more Giant Sand.
Great!
It’s a Chore alright.
This sounds like it would be the soundtrack of an indie film with a cult following
Very long, very dreary, very boring
Far too long, and I didn't even listen to the bonus tracks.
There was definitely no enchantment here and it was a chore to get through it. Would have given 0 stars if I could have
Wasn’t too much of a chore, really enjoyed the chill vibe of this. Especially the song with rain in the background
Shiver, Satellite and others that were more melodic and often had female backing vocals were enjoyable whereas the monotone talk singing became tedious. Overall I enjoyed the album on the whole.
Chore indeed. Would be revolutionary if Lou Reed hadn't already done it 25 years earlier.
Gran descubrimiento, uno de esos álbumes por los que me gusta hacer este challenge. Una mezcla de folk/country muy ambiental, una especie de Ry Cooder pero más country. Una banda sonora perfecta para conducir por el desierto, aunque también algo largo y un poco pesado a veces.
Not Bad. Chilling. Pleasing to the ear. Just some folk songwriters minding their own business.3-3.5/5.
Very unique alternative country. One track will be a straightforward song with hints of americana, and then next will experiment with instrumentation, style, or songwriting. Some certainly work better than others, but they're all highlighted with the deep, smokey singing voice of Howe Gelb. Does it do enough to warrant a spot on the list? I would argue no, it just isn't consistent enough in quality, especially given it's runtime. Chore of Enchantment could have something special in there, something better, but it needs some editorial revisions and a stronger creative vision.
Horrible indie/alt rock garbage. Singer has the most monotoned voice ever. They got the word Chore right.... It is a Chore to listen to. While listening to Temptation of Egg, my 4yr old son put his fingers in his ears and said he didn't like it. He has more sense then the complete morons who thought this album belongs on this list. This is absolute hipster indie/alt rock garage. Nothing about this is good. Favourite songs: Dirty From the Rain, Shiver Least favourite songs: Temptations of Egg, and the rest of this piece of shit record... 1/5
yfirleitt hægt alt-köntrí. minnir á tweedy og þess háttar. er frekar gott. ég vil meira.
This sucks.
Some pretty songs but overall rambling
It’s like Smog, but just the boring songs
Dollar store Lou Reed. Inoffensive, but ultimately uninspiring.
Meh. Coney island baby without Lou Reed or decent tunes and with horrible dischordant guitar solos.
interesting
B0000000RING
Dude seriously tried to rhyme Cohen with Own. Also sampled about four different genres and was terrible at all of them.
Listened Before? N I have never heard of these folks. After looking at their Spotify page I'm not surprised. Their biggest hit has only about half a million listens. Not to say this is bad, but I'm not sure what it's doing here... I didn't really dislike it, but it's very mellow and stripped down. Feels very local to the desert they are from. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Shiver
What a chore it was listening to this.
Pretty good. Kinda reminds me of Beck
Interesting and entertaining.
Right up my alley but I don't know if this is something I will revisit. The atmosphere is great, as well as the production. Everything has it's place nothing feels too busy.
What is it with 90s indie music and bass/baritone voices? Alabama/A3, Morphine, the Magnetic Fields, Giant Sand etc... Could you imagine any of these breaking through in another decade? As for the album itself, it's eclectic and wordy americana with great arrangements and playing. But despite how varied the music can be, Howe Gelb's voice still manages to become a drone by the second half. A great argument for splitting records into Side A and Side B like you would on vinyl.
Not too bad, it was alright having the album play in the background. There wasn't anything too exciting but it was somewhat enjoyable. Nice little rhythmic music.
Ah yes, quite enjoyable. Certainly something I'll dig further into. Faves: Shiver, Satellite
Yeah, I really dug this - slowcore-adjacent, often dreamy, often cinematic - this project has definitely opened my eyes to alt country! Will be digging into these folks' back catalog. Fave tracks - "(Well) Dusted (For The Millenium)" is phenomenal. "No Reply" and "Satellite" work well together. Really, though, this is more about the album taking you on a little slacker journey than individual tracks...
This was pretty cool. It is a pretty low key affair with some interesting lyrical content and kind of a lounge-y, countryish vibe.
Could someone please explain to me why I need to listen to this painfully drab album?
A chore, yes, I agree. Also a bore. Creepy, Leonard Cohen, hard-R pronouncing singing along with some nice music at times.
This was most definitely no an album I had to listen to before I die. It wasn't the very worst, but I couldn't hear anything good in it either. The Wikipedia page is also pretty empty, leaving me clueless as to why I should care about this one.
There were a few songs toward the back half of the album that stood out, but you had to listen to 7 tracks to get there. Too dry and low energy for my taste. I think I would've liked it better as an instrumental album I'll probably never listen to this again. Super forgettable. Not sure what this album is doing on this list
Tough one to get through. The vocals ruined it all for me, I just don’t enjoy the singers voice or delivery. The music wasn’t half bad at times, there are some interesting surprises throughout, but the time between surprises really drags. Not my thing.
Lo-fi alt country. I’m kinda into it
- War mir bisher gänzlich unbekannt - Ich stehe wie an der ein oder anderen Stelle ja schonmal erwähnt auf so ziemlich alle Country Subgenres. Alternative Country und Americana stehen dabei ganz weit Oben auf meiner Liste. Auf diesem Album ist beides wunderschön vereint!! - Der Dude hat eine ziemlich coole, laidback Surfer Stimme. - Insgesamt alles sehr entspannt - Wunderbare Sonntagsmucke Rating: 3,75-4/5
- kam überraschend, dass das ein so geiles Album ist - abwechslungsreich, kreativ - hat einfach Bock gemacht
Meh
I'll give it points for at least being a pretty interesting listen, they try a lot of different styles and while it doesn't always stick, it's better than being boring. Might even grow to enjoy it with more listens, but that won't be for a while if ever.
Tuntuu ettei levy etene ja lähinnä lepää paikallaan. Hyviä yksittäisiä elementtejä, mutta yleinen taso tappavan puuduttavaa.
Harvinaisen tylsä
This was homework
Ujdzie. 2/5
Well 2 hours is a bit much, but I think this was the extended version it was OK but too long in reality. I'll give it a 3.
I’ve never heard of them and a quick read of the Wiki thread didn’t give anything away at all. With an open mind I had a listen whilst on a long drive. Very interesting album, and one that can’t really be labelled by a sticking a genre on it. I wasn’t blown away by the first few tracks but then the step change from ‘X-Tra Wide’ to ‘1972’ grabbed my interest. What followed was such a varied catalog of songs and instruments and arrangements and tempos. Will give it another listen when I’m not as distracted by the idiot drivers on the M3.
I've heard a few Giant Sand songs a long time ago, and I never realised they were still going! This album was pretty good for them, I'm pretty sure they were more experimental and off the wall than this, but that does shine through in places. Maybe a bit too Americana folksy for my tastes though.
Aggressively mid. Is this guy related to the author, why is this here? I almost want to give it a 1 because its so bland and uninspiring. But its not solely bad, its just not good either. Disappointing. Why is this on the list?
2.5
Some parts definitely surprised me, but damn, what an overly long self important album
Very boring. Didn’t keep it in the library.
This is like if the Flaming Lips singer wanted to make an album that sounded like Bruce Springsteen. That’s not a good thing. I found myself getting distracted by everything but this album. I actually forgot I was listening to something, which says a lot since music is my thing. There is nothing good about this one, sorry. 2 failure of albums in a row? Sheesh
This is a cool album cover. Kinda cool album title. This is boring music. Sometime last year Center of the Universe was mentioned somewhere as an essential, and I listened to a tiny bit of Giant Sand before deciding it wasn't for me. If not for that my review would be saying this is forgettable music that has no business on the list, but apparently there's something enduring about it. Has a bit of a "buddy don't you know you're not Bob Dylan yet?" vibe to me. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
I like the name Giant Sand quite a lot. Is it a giant grain of sand? A giant area of sand? Not all that much to say about the record. Mostly forgettable, with a couple of Moments throughout. Lots of that on this list. Decent, maybe not essential.
I just couldn't get past the lackluster vocals paired with laid back instrumentation, just nothing to grab attention or hold interest.
I don't really know what to think about this album. It feels like it never starts, but I'm on the 11th song already. Luckily that means I only have (looks at track list) THERE'S 19 SONGS LEFT ON THIS FUCKING ALBUM? WHO HAS THE TIME FOR THIS SHIT? 3/5 The music isn't bad, but it's long and boring all the same
Total surprise, quirky and raw, but also melodic and relatable.
Giant sand? Giant shit more like. Who decides to put this on these lists? Why is it great because it isnt...
Nah
I mean. Sure.
Would have rather Eno- and that is saying a lot.
I'd never heard of this group before. I liked this, it gave me 'if Eels went country' vibes at times. I may need to return to this one for a closer listen.
Felt like a Willie Nelson album that wasn’t written or sung by Willie, I would have preferred if it was. Also waaaaay too long.
When it started I thought I was going to like it more but I didn’t. 2.5
Giant Sand’s *Chore of Enchantment* is an album that offers a mix of poetic depth and eclectic musicality. While the music itself didn’t resonate with me personally—it felt a bit outside of my usual preferences—I can still appreciate the unique blend of styles and the ambition behind its sound. What truly stood out to me were the lyrics, which are often profound and sometimes delightfully whimsical. One line, in particular, caught my attention and stuck with me: *"You can get Leonard Nimoy to play the part of Leonard Cohen."* It’s such a clever, evocative phrase that encapsulates the band’s knack for pairing the unexpected with the profound. Even though the music wasn’t entirely to my taste, I can see how it might strike a chord with fans of Giant Sand's distinctive approach. If you’re someone who loves thoughtful, offbeat lyrics and a willingness to experiment sonically, this album is worth exploring.
Kind of a generic alt rock sound. Nothing bad but nothing really stood out
Чилловый
Way too chill with nothing of interest to grab my attention.
Never heard of this guy so was interested in listening to something new. It’s difficult to categorise this album. Some good music arrangements but soon tired of the talking monotonous vocals. Not certain why or how this album made the list. Not so much an enhantment but more of a chore. 2/5 21/11/24
Slow, plodding, reasonably enchanting. This didn't grip me.
Yeah a chore. Seriously why is this on here? Maybe it's because I'm at the very end of this but really? So much boring ass shit. And too damn long.
Unacceptable
There are a lot of annoying noises and whines scattered throughout the songs. So, it’s hard to get through a whole song. This is misophonia hell. Stopping early.
A wonky, blurry and intimate-sounding dose of Americana. It never really got too loud, and at its quitest Chore of Enchantment became little more than dark mutterings over muted guitar. More curious than enjoyable - but curious is fine, too.
++: (Well) Dusted (For the Millennium), Temptation of Egg, Wolfy, Satellite, Bottom Line Man +: Overture, 1972, Raw, Shiver, Dirty from the Rain, Way to End the Day +-: Punishing Sun, X-Tra Wide, Astonished (In Memphis), No Reply, Shrine 7,7/10
The interminable droning of the vocalist handicaps the talented musicianship on this album, ensuring that three stars is the most it will get from me.
Someone tried and failed.
Aldrig hört förut men det finns något.
Never heard of this band. Kinda like a sleepy Low, Wilco Americana. Decent. May explore more.
I had never heard of this band before. They are pretty good. I will be listening to more of their albums.
Amazing to me how some folks are able to create their own world. I mean no doubt he's a child of something and he has siblings and peers with similar sounds, but the way all his songs feel like they accrue to some larger thing on purpose. Now that I'm writing this is all seems basic and obvious haha
Sounds too much like Lou Reed. Stand-out: No Reply
Dollar store Lou Reed. No thanks.
I would have loved to discover this 20 years ago. (ntm.)
Alright
Just a boring album. Nothing particularly interesting or groundbreaking to speak of. The songs usually just have one musical idea and don’t go anywhere. The talk singing might have been okay for an EP but listening to that for 16 songs (30 with all the bonus tracks!!) is just exhausting.
Yes, hmm. Nice aspects to it, some songs are actually really good, but followed by plain bs "raw" and then the unbearably boring "Wolf". The singer is not an asset here. Not enough raw empathy to get me up and applaud...
J'ai trouvé ça plutôt monotone et pas tellement mémorable. Comme une version moins bonne du Bill Callahan. 4/10
It has moments but on the whole not for me
2.5
Bore off mate
Just ok.
Never heard this before. Not horrible but pretty bland with a couple of okay moments. Shouldn't be on this list. A soft 3 stars
I really like his voice, and how low and crackly it is. The sparse instrumentation compliments it well and knows exactly when to jump in and out. I'll have to explore them more.
Crap.
2 Stars (5/15)
Really dreary. Some songs were OK, but most just made us want to die.
how did this end up on this list⁉️his singing is awful and the instrumentation & lyrics are so bland
This is somewhere between Wovenhand and Silver Jews and isn’t bad, but is not as good as those other bands.
I kind of like 1972, I almost like Wolfy
3.5
Ok, but a bit boring.
I actually really enjoyed this one... Musically really kept me interested. The vocals were really not to my liking, but actually worked with the feel of the music but as the album. The latter half of the album is what really sold me on it as a whole "Dirty as The Rain" stuck me as a left of center Van Zandt tune. The solo on "No Reply" just soars, but my favorite song on the album is "Satellite". It's dirty groove really pulled me in from the start I'm starting this off at an (8.15) ★★★★ with room to grow on me.
There are some interesting features here, but I don't like the vocals and the production. 3 stars