Reviews (page 6 of 7)
Gear: Abyss DIANA MR (vegan) Artwork: 💁♀️🧾💁♂️ Mix: 🎧😐🆗 Musik: 🎙️🦥🥱 Wertung: 🦥(🦥)/5
Surprised at this album.
This is forgettable and long. I didn't feel like it did anything critical to the history of music, but, maybe they were the blueprint for all sad rock to come after them?
Overture n/a (Well) Dusted (For the Millennium) 2.8 Punishing Sun 2.4 X-Tra Wide 3.2 1972 3 Temptation of Egg 3.3 Raw 3 Wolfy 2.8 Shiver 2.6 Dirty from the Rain 2.4 Astonished (In Memphis) 2.8 No Reply 3 Satellite 3.2 Bottom Line Man 3 Way to End the Day 2.6 Shrine 2 Score: 2.806666667
This was pretty awful. The dude cannot sing and his music was bad. 1/5
What a slog. Soft spoken singing and what seemed like 50 dreary songs. The singer kind of reminded me of the guy from grandaddy but without the upbeat music. There were a couple of songs I thought were alright near the start but I can't remember what they were after listening to all that. Not horrendous but not worth it, 1.5.
I was ready to give the album 4 stars - I like the vibe, very similar to Bill Callahan recently (although not quite as diverse, still some good stuff). The drums on Satellite were not great, and after that the album drifted off. Punishing Sun and Dirty from the Rain were my favourite tracks. Sounds very millennial, which is good fun though. Grungy.
Never heard of these and really enjoyed it mostly. Reminded me of Bill Callahan that we had recently, or maybe even Elliott Smith in parts??? Either way, its pretty up my street. Spotify took me to a 2 hour version of the album, which kinda grated on me though. Shiver was my favourite. I reckon I'll be back
Too long to get to the good stuff, and the bonus tracks were better. 2 stars for quality -3 for waffle
Not what I was expecting - sort of a mix of Beck and Leonard Cohen. Interesting listen and instrumentation was nice, but spoken-word vocals could get a bit annoying. Not fully sure why it's on this list.
I didn't listen to the bonus tracks, I couldn't have done this for 2 hours! I had not heard of Giant Sand but was surprised that they have 33 albums in their discography! What a long and boring album.
I hadn't come across Giant Sand - Reminded me of Smog/Bill Callahan and I really enjoyed it as some background music today. Usually I'd baulk at a nearly 2 hour album, but for what I needed today - an album that didn't ask much of my attention and that I could just leave on repeat - it was pretty good. Not about to become a mega fan, but will keep it in my back pocket for another rainy day (like today)
Boring. Annoying.
trippy
It’s not a terrible album, it’s just a very unremarkable album. Nothing happens
This is ok. And again I ask... was it really a MUST that I hear this before dying??
El country alternativo de Giant Sand se mezcla en algunos temas este disco de con potentes guitarras y ritmos acelerados más propios del punk, pero en general mantiene un aire más contenido. No en vano, hacía poco de la muerte por cáncer del guitarrista Rainer Ptacek cuyo emotivo slide en "Shrine" cierra el álbum. Para mí de lo mejor. Personalmente ninguno de los temas de este disco llega a engancharme totalmente y quizás sea por lo experimental de su sonido en demasiadas ocasiones. No obstante, el tema "(Well) Dusted", que suena tras "Overture", me ha llegado a generar grandes expectativas por su sonido y su extraño lirismo. Igualmente me ha gustado el aire jazzistico de "Wolfy".
There are a couple of tracks on this album that have great music, Satellite stands out. I believe the lyrics and singing do a disservice to the rest of it. This album has its moments, too few and far between
Reminds me a little of the monologuing in The Doors An American Prayer
Super great album it's a strong 7 for me. The lyrics were great and some of those songs were super haunting. It was a bit long and idk how much ill come back to it but awesome shit.
Tom waits plus Yankee hotel foxtrot. Still outshined but rip torn by MJ Lenderman at the moment though.
Really worthwhile, an exciting adventure. Belongs here for sure. Lesser to a few more popular acts of the time such as Silver Jews or even Bright Eyes
I didn't dislike this but at the same time, I didn't find it very interesting and wouldn't look for a repeat listen. I couldn't help but think throughout that the lead singer was a Lou Reed wannabe. 2.5/5
A few interesting selections but felt generally too arbitrary in its random noises and key changes. Actually a bit disquieting.
Bastante agradable.
Oddly interesting.
Chore of an album hahahahahahhahaha It was fine.
Bueno, me recordó a Mobi y Jamiroquai
Sounds like a failed pitch to get on a Tarantino soundtrack. For all of its quirky individuality, everything seems borrowed. Too much chore, not enough enchantments.
More interesting and enjoyable than I anticipated. Not quite sure it belongs on this list but has a better claim than many other things I've listened to.
Levyn alkupuoli kuulostaa Kurt Vilelta (tai siis toisin päin) ja se on hyvä koska pidän Kurt Vilesta! Sanoituksien ja tunnelman puolesta. Tämäntyyppistä mies semipuhelaulaa -musisointia on maailman sivu, mut tää henki vetoaa muhun. Mutta! Miksi levyn pitää olla näin sairaan pitkä! Ainakin kolmasosa pois.
Heillä on esteettinen visio, jonka he haluavat välittää kuulijoille - verkkaisesti, rauhallisesti ja luonnostellen. Välillä toimii. Mutta kyllä tämä myös puuduttaa.
This whispery thing; I don't know. I think I kind of like it unironically, though it is something I would make fun of usually. For a whole album though; I can see how it would get tiring. Am I tired? After an hour, yes. Still liked it at the start, though.
As others have noted - this indeed is a chore. Sort of alt-country, sort of indie. There are some interesting moments- but they don’t outweigh the sameness.
Didn't find anything exciting about this album. It was okay I guess. Wouldn't listen to it again.
chore is right...
How can something have so much potential and be so annoying simultaneously? The last (extra) song is almost good, but that's all.
Couldn’t get passed thinking this is an Aldi version of Nick Cave. I don’t like genuine Nick Cave.
Surprisingly chill, alt-rock record from Giant Sand, Chore of Enchantment has an easy-going sound with Howe Galb, whose talky-vocal styling remind me of a cross between Jeffrey Lewis and the Silver Jews, David Berman. The other artists associated with this album and other recordings by the band are definitely within my radar of musical taste. I like this, nothing overly essential, but a worthwhile listen.
2.5/5. Weird and odd, but not necessarily bad. Just not for me. Although, I'd say this was pretty boring overall.
Satellite was a brillant, rest was okay
I tried.
4.0
Very good this one Nice and chilled
This would have been a 4 star album, but it was ruined from its excessive duration. I know it is the extended version, but no album should last for two hours!!!
Oh it's a chore alright. Really great if you suffer from insomnia. Perhaps this could be considered spicy elevator music. Also... 30 songs and nothing to say? 3/10.
Enjoyed
Flashes of brilliance on this album I'd never heard of, but perhaps just a bit too long.
This sounded like an attempt to combine Yo La Tengo, Leonard Cohen, and Beck (and I had this thought before a song mentioned Leonard Cohen). Bit bad but takes itself too seriously.
Another band I've never heard of. Surprised to read that they're from Arizona. This reminded me of Nick Cave a little. Not quite as dour. If the songs were more upbeat I think I would have liked it better.
Sounds like Kurt Vile to me. A little morose in sound but was gentle music to wake up to so that was nice.
Weird, leonard Cohen sort of crap.
goes hard
Not for me.
Folk rock alternativo. Ni fu ni fa. Pues mira, iba a ponerle un 3 pero por meter más canciones de bonus track que las que tiene el propio disco al final le doy un 2. Por pesado.
Bastante agradable.
No, but interesting, sort of.
I had not heard of this album nor Giant Sand prior to this, although I do like several of the “similar artists”. I gave this three listens front to back and as I expected, it’s a grower that requires multiple listens. It reminds me at various times of Wilco, Beck, and especially Menomena and Lambchop. The highlight for me is Shiver, but there isn’t a bad song on the album. It’s another great gem found through this project.
Hard to rate this one… I enjoyed the dreamy weirdness of some of the songs, some not so much, really loved a couple, really disliked others. So many things going on, some work and some fall flat. Gonna rate this 3/5 today but I could understand anyone’s ratings from 1-5 (because my feelings throughout the album and even some songs swung from 1-5). Fave song is ‘Astonished’ as it reminds me of Lord Huron with the female harmonies
This is such a 90s alt rock album to the point of parody. Okay music playing behind some of the blandest mumble vocals ever. I remember some of the lyrics being funny but already hardly remember them at all. Also didn't listen to the bonus tracks because I really couldn't be bothered.
Wow did this one sneak up on me. Never heard of it, pulled it up and saw 1h57 minutes, let out a small moan of despair (mind you I had a 2h15 min double album the day before). Overture gives no hint of what’s ahead. First listen first song, I’m not getting it. Despair starting to turn to dread. Let’s head to Wikipedia… hey there! This isn't a two hour album! Spotify added 14 bonus tracks. Ok ok unclench that jaw. We’ve gotten to track four now, and things are starting to change up a bit. Maybe this album is more interesting than I realized? I’m going to pay more attention. Holy cow, I think I’ve fallen in love. I’ll get to the bonus tracks in a little while, First I’m gonna go back and listen to the original album again!
This was a stunning discovery. Never heard of before. Loved it. Touches of Calexico. Better. Moments of great beauty to revisit.
fucking trash
Who the fuck thought I needed to hear this before I died? I will admit, there is some poetry in some of the songs that is relatable and nice, but for the most part this album just gave me fucking anxiety. I didn’t even listen to the bonus tracks and I’m not even joking this album left me feeling like I should start drinking again to forget I listened to it. If you rated this album above a 2, and that’s even pushing it, you’re simply lying and just trying to act like you’re some music junkie who is better than everyone else. It has some good poetry, but there was no reason to make this into an album. I would argue that if he just left this as written poetry it would’ve been a lot better.
Got just over half way. Not my cup of tea, first couple songs I could appreciate it for what it is but after half an hour then sheer boredom kicked in. I've heard a lot of similar bands that equally aren't my thing but probably deserve the list more than this one to be honest. 2.5*
Groupe totalement inconnu. Et totalement inintéressant. Il m'a semblé tellement interminable que .... je ne l'ai pas terminé. =>1/5
oli hetkiä, joissa kykenin huijaamaan aivojani tykkäämään tästä. joitain vipuja piti väännellä synapseissa että se onnistui mutta valitettavasti alta-aikayksikön iski tylsyyden tunne naamaan kuin tuhat valehtelevaa huoraa... vasta kuudestoista albumi kyseiseltä bändiltä. ehkä jos kirjoittaisivat vähän rivakampaan tahtiin sitä musiikkia niin laatukin parantuisi. perkele. jätti hiekka? jättiläiset ja. gi muurahainen hiekka. all these places... all my faces... blown away...... todayh........ vähän beatles lyriikkaa. tarvitaan nykyaikana, nykypäivinä menot sellaiset että voitaisiin hidastaa pikkusen wolfy
Completely unfamiliar w Howe Gelb & Giant Sand & really enjoyed it. Definitely something I'll be coming back to
calling this album a chore was apt...
Great! Good sound!
Giant Sand…in my asshole.
Chore to listen to. Boring. Lazy songwriting. How is this one of the best albums of all time...
My god, that was so boring.
Just a chore.
like being stuck at the back behind a bloke having a chat with his mate during the support act
Horrible
Buncha quiet meandering. Ugh.
It was okay
When faced with a band or album I’ve never even remotely heard of, I know it’s either going to be terrible or a pleasant surprise. This is verging into the latter for me - I didn’t actually mind it much at all. It’s a bit weird, sure. The vocals are almost depressing but something about it is enjoyable, comforting even.
Never heard of them/this album before. From the first song I was really intrigued. It was really nice melancholy tinged alt/country/folk rock, with some lovely subtle background percussion, keyboard and guitar parts and fills which elevate and made each song unique. Really felt well thought out and produced. It was totally up my street, but but but, I just found it boring. Unfortunately the song writing just didn’t hit the mark, and the vocals a bit too spoken to make an impact. All a bit like watching England at Euro 24 really, lots of exciting potential but ultimately dull to watch. So frustrating.
Just a nondescript album, most of it I did not like. Not quite Per Ubu though.
Kinda a vibe? What the fuck is temptstion of the egg It was background music fr a bit though
Leonard cohen meets Tom waitts
This WAS a chore.
honestly whatever
I actually really liked this. I can’t justify five stars, but I did enjoy it.
Un album intime que j'ai eu de la difficulté à situer dans une époque. Une bulle hors du temps.
SO BORING. never bad or anything but my god not sure it could’ve been more dull
Reminds me of the great Leo Kottke. Enjoyed this one. 3.5/5 Might listen again
This certainly was a chore (haw-haw), it drones on like nobodies business, there are a few highlights but they are few and far between and overall I just got bored.
Definitely unique. Nothing stuck with me long term, but it's something different for sure.
As someone who loves odd, strange, unusual, and experimental music, I really appreciate what this album was going for. Unfortunately, I think the end product fell short of what it was aiming for. This album shares many similarities with Tom Waits and Nick Cave. You’ll definitely get a blend of different genres and the experimentation of unconventional sounds and production techniques. The songwriting is narrative-driven, with vivid lyrics. Like Tom Waits and Nick Cave, it possesses distinctive vocals characterized by emotional depth and a raw, gritty delivery. So, while I appreciate the experimental approach and what the album was aiming for, there’s a lack of connection on my end.
Another album I never would have found without the 1001. Like the indie/country vibe here - good songs, witty lyrics.
I felt like this lasted longer than a root canal. Turned it off at track #29. Maybe 30 seconds of one song felt like it had a nice groove, but the rest had flies buzzing around it like a cow patty on a hot summer day.
Id rather listen to the mating sounds of whales than this album. It drags on endlessly and drains the listeners will to live. I would like a few words with the moron who decided this piece of crap album needed “bonus” tracks. 1 star because less isn’t possible.
good music for a rainy day
this is good!
A cool exploration and breakdown of genre. not really feeling it 5 tracks in but its cool.
Fine Quite dull Doesn't deserve a place in this list
This album could really benifit from being about half the length it already is. I don't *hate* it, it's just too long sounds exactly the same all the way through.
No idea what to expect for this album. Sand makes me think of Sandstorm so could be electronic for all I know. Well it isn't DaRude. It is more songwriter alternative? It has kind of an interesting feel to it that I can't quite pinpoint yet. Some songs seem to push into the southern style but not particularly country. The lyrics seem to have a bit of cleverness and/or sarcasm to them and I'd liked to have more time to go through them. Some songs had kind of a poetry feel too, and it just sounds like a guy just making what he wants to make for the fun of it, and not really caring about anything commercial or radio. I like the vibe of this album. It feels like something I could make if I was going to put together an album. Favorite track "No reply" 3.5/5
*Snore* of Enchantment
Dont really know hownto rate this. Was cool and experimental and really well produced but too long and maybe not my favorite musoc but objectively it is a great album
The answer to the question “what if Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen were mediocre writers and had no personality in their voices?” A chore indeed.
Notable tracks: (Well) Dusted, X-Tra Wide, Temptation of Egg, Satellite
I didn't think it was possible, but Giant Sand, for an alt-country band, may actually be too mellow.
Wow! What a beautiful collection of songs !
Ok I have no clue who these guys are, but this album was awesome. Perfect example of why I keep doing this album thing every day. The song with the most Spotify streams on here only has ~480K, and only one other song is over 100K streams, but this is just great. I never would have come across this otherwise, and I'd have missed out. I don't really know how to describe it, it's got this alt-rock/country/folk sound. The singer is really understated but he packs a real punch (NME said "raw but tender empathy in songs full of unexpected departures", I like it). I guess this came right after their former guitarist and the singer's friend died, so the emotion is really coming from somewhere personal. You get this kind of grimy alt-rock at times ("Temptation of Egg", "Satellite"), deep emotion at times ("Raw", "Way to End the Day"), and then these beautiful little folk songs too ("Shiver", "Bottom Line Man"). There's a few weak spots and it's a bit long (60 minutes), but this is really solid overall. I think sometimes I tend to rate a bit too much based on artist prestige and critical acclaim (it's hard not to), but this is about as obscure as you get on this list and I'm into it. I don't expect this to have high ratings on here, but I think it's great (even on a second listen the next day). Favorite song: Raw Other: (Well) Dusted, Punishing Sun, Temptation of Egg, Wolfy, Shiver, Dirty from the Rain, Astonished (in Memphis), No Reply, Bottom Line Man, Way to End the Day 6/18/24
There's occasionally a decent tune but most of this just made me want to listen to a better Lou Reed album.
I listened to all of this 2hr album then read about it as I felt confused by the half-whispered singing. I learned about Howe Gelb’s loss prior to this album; I learned (and heard) about how he was influenced by The Cure. I read about how was starved for new music in Tucson, Arizona and decided to make his own, which served as the blueprint for alt-country. I understood more. Does it mean that I liked the album? Nah.
Totally missed this band and album. On one listen I will certainly be listening more. Ticks a lot of boxes for what I like, particularly idiosyncratic vocals.
Right away I'm left with a feeling that this just isn't doing it for me. I don't mind the instrumentals, his vocals leave a little to be desired, and it's all a little boring. I get the feeling the majority of listens this album gets on Spotify are because it's on this list. It's not bad, it's just boring. I think I need a nap...
I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. It's a sort of rock in a folk/indie direction. It's pretty understated vocally and instrumentally, sort of reminds me of Wilco and a little Lou Reed too. It's certainly pleasant, nothing objectionable, but nothing really stands out either. I could take it or leave it.
It took like 4 songs for this album to get good, but it was solid after that point. Really nice sound and textures, even if the register of the lead singer's voice was annoying.
I had never heard of this. I like it a lot but I don't understand why it's on this list
wow i fell asleep
I liked most of this one #insight
Strange and all sound similar Do not love it and also didn’t even attempt to listen to all 30 songs
Well, this takes the prize for the sleepiest alternative album. The lyrics are sometimes nonsensical in a spooky way. Some of the tracks are quite endearing, though.
Has a bonny prince billy vibe
interesting chill album - rock was unique. Would like to listen more.
Strange and drawling, and some of the poetry is good, but I don’t think there’s enough musicality to tie it all together.
I do not know what this genre is, but the singing is almost spoken. I like the music, but not so much the "singing". Very interesting that they are from Tucson!
Until the vocals started, this was actually quite interesting. Then the vocals came in and everything came crashing down. Seriously, how do some of these albums get signed with such shit singers.
I got bored this this pretty quickly
Oh yeah ok and that, I think?
Some individual tracks were ok but as an album it didn't work, felt like it was perpetually on the cusp of waking up and getting more lively but left me feeling cheated
I felt like I'd heard of Howe Gelb before. His output looks prolific. I liked the sound, very chilled and poetic like Buck 65 or Lee Hazelwood. The album wasn't "tight" though and I felt that it could have benefitted from more variety. Twenty years ago I might have bought this in a record shop, I might listen to another Giant Sand album to see, but probably won't return to this one. Also: How geeky is calling your band Giant Sandworms? :eyeroll:
Yup, that was a chore! I liked how several of the songs start off, then they seem to drop off the cliff edge.
Abysmal. Absolutely dire. How anyone can seriously rate this highly is astonishing to me. Depression on wax.
Als je graag Pixies, Nirvana en Smashing Pumpkins zou luisteren maar je kunt absoluut niet tegen herrie dan is dit een redelijk alternatief met een experimenteel randje en een aardige stoot blues en country erbij. Dat een track als 'Satellite' wel wat naar herrie neigt moet je maar even op de koop toe nemen. Ook voor mensen die Nick Cave iets te depressief vinden of Bob Dylan te verschrikkelijk vinden gorgelen. Ik luister deze op maandag en daar past het wel bij. Mompelrock met fluisterinvloeden. Dermate hipsterig dat het zo uit 2019 zou kunnen komen. Het slaat eigenlijk nergens op, maar ik hou hier wel van. Ik ga hem misschien nog wel vaker aanzetten. Een snobkeuze (met gemiddeld ongeveer 40k streams per nummer), maar ik vermaak me ermee. Ideale muziek om een shot heroïne bij te zetten, denk ik. Tof geheel. Hoge 4.
Chore of Enchantment is a studio album by the alternative rock band Giant Sand, originally released in 2000. Never heard of this band before now. There's not too much information about them on Wikipedia either. They're based out of Arizona, and they've got a bit of a country vibe to them. It's a bit reminiscent of Wilco, only not as good. The lead singer's voice can get weird at times too, almost like a whisper. Not unlike Nick Cave (which is probably why it was on this list). This was not bad but pretty forgettable, it's no surprise to see this entry was removed from later editions of the book.
This band just isn’t for me. One listen and I haven’t been able to connect with the lyrics or music in a single song. Gives me a lot of Nick Cave vibes, and I just can’t bring myself to a second listen to try to maybe have it click. I don’t like the spoken word singing or the slow roll country. 2/5.
Original and well crafted
I wish I could give a 3.5.
After I got thru the introductory track, I ended up enjoying this more than expected. It's experimental, but still has melody.
A bit too sleepy for me
Yeah this is my sort of thing I think
A very mellow album for the summer
What in the "Give Me a Leonard Cohen Afterworld" is this shit?
When I saw that this was a 60 minute long rock album, I dreaded it. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This kind of reminded me of Pete Yorn's musicforthemorningafter, which came out a year later. I do think this album is too long...it felt somewhat repetitive. I think it could have been better had it been more concise. I'd consider listening to this again. More of a 3.5 but I'll round up.
Really not my thing at all. Not a fan of his voice, the tracks feel really empty, and I'm just not resonating with the lyrics.
Country con toque sureño, me gusta. Me sonaba el nombre de la banda, pero creo que nunca los oí. A pesar de que en Wikipedia no hay nada, lo cual suele ser una bandera roja importante, me ha parecido interesante. He guardado X-Tra wide, no creo que lo vuelva a escuchar. Aunque sí al autor, debe tener cosas mejores.
seems like a likable guy
Had a cool quirky vibe kinda like Eel
A bit too pretentious for me. Gives me too much of "beach boy near the fire with his guitar".
Reminds me of Silver Jews.
"Chore" is a very fitting word to use, because listening to this felt like doing taxes (this is a very original joke that nobody has made yet). I'm astounded at how many albums with two sentences on their Wikipedia page and like 10k Spotify plays are on this list, because genuinely, how do you dig something like this up and then decide it belongs on the list over fucking Neutral Milk Hotel or Weezer. I doubt anybody has listened to this album outside the context of this book in the past 10 years. 1/5 for being offensively bland. Boo, I throw rotten tomatae at thee.
Not great, not terrible
Familiar but so unique.
Ok
Thought this was a really nice listen, and reckon it'll grow even more after a few more spins (which I'll give it).
One of those annoying 'talking as much as singing' kind of voices and albums. Musically I kinda liked it at several moments but not a voice that I love. It's like Wish.com Neil Young in some ways? 2.5
Unique sound
Chore. Bore. Snore. Please no more.
Pretty shocked this came out in 2000 feels like it could’ve easily blended into the early 90s but either way this was an incredibly generic and boring album. At least some albums that I’ve disliked are just because of taste and are still unique. This was just white paint bland yet still palatable to listen to I supposed. 3.9/10
Very easy to like, not fantastic but solid.
Not bad at all
Solid. 3.5
gut!!!!!!!
Soothing
I thought this might be great at the first song. Kind of hazy Dinosaur Jr. or Grant Lee Buffallo vibe. Then came the slide guitars. Goes on too long, horrible country influence, directionless.
chore of enchantment is an album i struggle to define. it sounds more modern, not from 2000, and the combination of alternative and folk is so unique. there's even a time where the album has a psychedelic sound. toward the end of the album is when the folk becomes more present and i'm reminded of leonard cohen, which certainly makes a lot of sense. the lyrics aren't quite up to cohen's standard, but the simplicity of the vocals are very early cohen-esque. so in contradiction, i feel like this album is more in the seventies. but the alternative rock parts are for sure ahead of their time.
Like my friend who also does this project, I heard the vocals of Giant Sand and was immediately reminded of the likes of Leonard Cohen. They're often dark, often gritty, and often delivered in a half-sung, half-spoken manner. Also, there's some occasional piano tinkering that also feels reminiscent of Cohen. The fact that they even mention Leonard Cohen in one of their songs leads me to believe they very much know and acknowledge that he is an inspiration. This album sounds to me like the standard indie folk that became popular in the early 2000s, and I'm not quite sure what is special about this inclusion in particular. I will say that all of the Leonard Cohen-isms make this album stand out a bit from the other indie folk of the time, but I still just wasn't particularly captured by this.
Moody broody voice. Probably the precursor to bill Callahan. The lyricism is off kilter and at times off putting, though not in a gross kind of way. Funky elements on some songs. Velvet underground is a clear influence here. The discordant jams you hear every now and then rock.
This was not good at all, the music was eh but the singing style was lethargic at best. Meh.
Mi pare un mischione. Tutte cose diverse, non pessimo, ma niente di particolare.
This was surprising and enjoyable. His voice kept reminding me of late Lou Reed.
Never heard of them before, but I wish they were still called giant sandworms. Very Dune! I can hear a whole lot of other influences in here. There’s a little bit of Wilco, a little bit of Ryan Adams, a little bit of Calexico, a little bit of the more poetic singer songwriters. Felt a little bit overlong and one note but I appreciated the moodiness. Nice title but veered more towards chore than enchantment.
This was pretty cool — probably not great that it came on the heels of the Nick Cave album only because it made the comparisons impossible to avoid, and Cave has more depth, IMO. This sets a mood and has its quirky charm, but I never felt like it revealed insights beyond its serene surface.
i've tried with these guys before (different album) but the results were the same. nothing stuck with me. maybe if i gave this some serious attention and several listens i'd be able to delve into the nuances of this music. but i doubt it. i swear critics rave about random bland bands just to troll us.
I thought this was pleasant albeit too long.
solid
First listen Saved 5/16 Top track: (Well) Dusted
Yeah, not good.
Never heard of this at all. Obviously banished from the book and Wikipedia isn't much help. It's quite nice and chill, for a weekend morning, good for that. Some of it sounded like Eels verses, ie without the big tuneful chorus. Doesn't stand out for me. I get huge 'random thing found in a bin of cheap CDs on the floor in Vinyl Exchange' vibes from this record. I am also here to rebut the Lou Reed and Bill Callahan comparisons as I will be keeping those please and leaving this. I did like Satellite though.
Bastante agradable.
No longer in the book. Bland alternative, and a bit too long.
Might have just set the record for quickest tap out for me, congrats!
The fastest way to improve this album would be to just cut out the lead singer completely
I think I prefer the music he made under the name "Lou Reed." Quiet, and we'll done music that drags. I little more pace and a touch of heroin my help.
The very definition of unremarkable. Don't really recall a single redeeming thing about the listen. 1.5/5
Who ARE these guys?!!? Why have I never heard this before. There are a lot of elements involved with this recording that I enjoy, each song has a hook that pulls me in, I'm really enjoying this. 4 stars for surprise delight!
I think this album is having an identity crisis. There's Lou Reed-esque vocals, a splash of psych rock here ("1972"), the overall feeling of country and folk, but with trip-hop drums occasionally tossed in there? I'm usually fine with the dry, listlessness of the Reed vocal style, but combined with the very laid-back feeling of the album overall, it just makes it feel like so much wallpaper. I can find a few tracks I don't mind, but overall the thought is, who is enjoying this? It's too boring to be anything to listen to actively, but it's not... anything-enough? to be something that you'd consider mood music. It's just got nothing for me.
Lou reed but less interesting
Kinda weird, can't really tell what genre it's supposed to be. Holy hell this is a long album.
Alternativ rock, ret stille til tider, ikke vildt ophidsende
This is a decent enough noisy alt-rock album, but there is nothing that draws me in or makes me want to return to any of it.
Very decent background track for a cold rainy Friday.
Bastante agradable.
Surprisingly good. Starting to get some nice stuff now
Strano ma l'ho ascoltato tutto
According to wiki, the only claim to fame this album has is being included on this list. Given this list's other entries, my expectations are low. Yeah, this is just bad.
Saw this listed as "Alt Rock." Please. Singer songwriter all the way. Pretty good. I enjoyed it, but, given its length, not a great deal of variety.
Nothing special
Good listen.
Wow, didn’t know you could make music in only a speaking voice. Sounds like the music the bar puts on to kick everybody out. Very dull.
I was ready to write this off completely as a glorified Leonard Cohen imitation until I realized the great Juliana Hatfield provided some background vocals. But not enough. This fella sure does enjoy singing about rain.
Hmm. In a way, it reminded me a bit of yesterday’s Nick Cave album, but while it started off promisingly and had some cool moments, it never reached a point where I felt totally sold. Not bad, but unfortunately a little forgettable. Favorite tracks: (Well) Dusted, Shiver, Dirty From The Rain
Might be one of the most forgettable and boring albums on this list. Still giving it three stars because it was listenable and not offensive to the ears in any way but I will never think about this album again, it left no impact whatsoever.
Not my style but it was alright
As the album was still getting on its feet I was feeling as though this would be on the more dry side of alt-country; one that can be hard to sludge through without some endurance. However, the album picked up some speed a little bit in and stayed rather good throughout, with a lot of Neil Young influence to keep you entertained, and a surprise or two in the form of noisy tracks to keep you on your toes. As much from the era, its far too bloated, and I could see this being repetitive for some, as it does keep a general tone that can feel flat all in a row, but if you let the album take you places, its really good at being something rather pretty, and I'd even argue has some of that melancholic feel that Leonard Cohen presents, although its not as captivating lyrically as Cohen. Overall, a solid record that I'm glad I spent time listening to.
Some redeeming tracks, but nothing special. Vocals remind me of Bill Calahan, but musically it's lacking.
I wanted to like this, I really did. There is much that is lovely and poetic and thoughtful but it really is a slog to get through the whole album and the lack of tonal variety makes it disengaging to attempt to decipher the lyrics. Best guess, there is a five star album in 'em but this ain't it.
Cool alternative rock, which is at times sparse and chilled. It has a nice vibe. I can't decide whether I like the singer's voice or not. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Satellite Date listened: 23/03/24
Sounds a lot like Lou Reed, without any of the catchy hooks. But that's OK. It's still a decent album. Higher than some others in this range.
Seems at its strongest when the poetry reading-like delivery is blended with a bit of a signing approach that lines up with the tone of the music. I this Dusted, Punishing Sun, Shiver and Astonished stand out the most for me. Songs like 1972 and Satellite are musically more angsty, but the vocal delivery is still a bit disaffected and seems a bit off to me. Interesting listen.
Interesting. Not sure what to make of it, but it wasn't as boring as I thought it might be.
Musically really enjoyed this, the vocals though just cross the line of being Lou Reed inspired to sounding like a tribute act. Due to that makes me jsut want to listen to a Lou Reed album instead, so won’t make my frequent rotation.
Fooled me in the first few minutes thinking this would be post-rock. Turned out to be generic 90s slacker alt country. It's very long and boring with a few novelties thrown in to make it look cool. Favorites: (Well) Dusted, Temptation and the Egg, Shiver, Astonished
This was an interesting album. I wasn't terribly impressed with it. But I didn't hate it. I liked the wide range of styles and sounds. But nothing was really catchy. There were a couple that sounded dark and industrially but they were mediocre. 3 stars.
A Lou Reed wanna be album. 2/5
Good but too long
a fun grab bag of late 90's sounds.
I really liked this one. It was a blend of a lot of cool artists. There were definitely some Ben Harper guitar tones at times, a little bit of Phish vibes, and - for some reason - the singer's voice reminded me of the guy from Cake. It was a fun exercise is trying to figure out who they sound like and then realizing that they created a pretty unique sound. I'll definitely come back to this one.
This album is certainly a chore, but not of enchantment. Pure crap.
Unlistenable. The only mildness ok songs were ruined with random crap
Bastante agradable.
Well this is odd. I've never heard of this, or them. Yet the singer sounds kind of like Mr E and Lou Reed's bastard son. It is both amateurish and polished. Dull, yet engaging. I don't think I know how to rate this. I'm very much turned off by Satellite. Because it shows that the Lou Reed thing is known and leant into. Which very much detracts from the overall vibe. Right. I've just got to "Shrine" and thought to myself "Blimey, this album is a bit fuckin long" and checked the album list. To find I was at track 16 of THIRTY tracks, with a playing time of just shy of two hours, and actually fuck that shit. That's too long. The album is too long, and they should feel bad.
Boring
This album feels like your Ol' Uncle Jimmy got drunk and broke out his instruments that he doesn't quite remember how to play. You also know he was never the true vocalist for his band that never broke out of the local bar scene...if that seems harsh, it is. This album is no good. Fav tracks: N/A
Not much is grabbing me here, either lyrically or musically. The lead vocals tend to be pretty low-key, sometimes spoken word. That already makes this a more subdued listen. I hear the influence of Lou Reed, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen (who gets name-checked on one song) but outside of a few interesting production choices here and there, nothing hooked me.
This was just OK for me. I didn't love the singers voice, it felt kind of "put on". I also wanted so many of the songs to get somewhere, and they seldom did. Ultimately it's pretty forgettable for me.
loved!
Ça a tout juste le mérite de pas casser les oreilles. Vous avez dès à présent la possibilité de me contacter ainsi qu'eltrapeze sur une adresse courriel que nous venons d'ouvrir : robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com Celle-ci peut servir à nous demander ce qu'il faut penser de tel album ou plus simplement connaître la date de la prochaine émeute anti-Costello.
Nouvel artiste à moins de 50 000 auditeur mensuels, décidemment un paquet de gens auront loupé des albums avant de mourir. Pour tout message d'admiration envers ma personne, ou de haine envers mon camarade d'écoute robgruyère, vous pouvez nous contacter sur cette adresse email: robertestleperedemikeladd@gmx.com
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Not great, but interesting enough to keep my attention
Interesting. Not one I'm planning to come back to but nothing I disliked about it. 2.5 stars
1.5, I liked the writing and idea but I think the execution was horrible.
??? I dont get it. gib besseres in die richtung
Has a good groove and some variety. For the Lou Reed haters I guess I could see why they wouldn’t like it but hey I like Lou Reed.
I've never heard of them before. They were really good!
New band for me. Enjoyable.
Not my vibe.
Surprisingly, it was what I needed
You don’t need to hear this before you die, but Thrill Jockey is a rad record label, so 3 stars.
It's a desert-rock band with jazzy influences.
не запомнилось но и не впечатлило. по описанию ждала чего-то поизящней
Chore of Enchantment is just a chore tbh. It tries to front itself as folk rock but it's miserable, uninviting, lacks creativity or poise, utterly boring. Nothing else to add.
Tedious and boring. Can't really sing, uninteresting lyrics on top of pretty uninteresting music. 2/5, not actively unpleasant, but it's a low 2.
I wanted to like this. Gave it a good few listens. Alt country removes the brassiness and directness of country but for me if you don't go the whole hog and end up at bleak, weird or desperate you get this sort of amiable gentility that is probably good for a Gen X dinner party but makes for a boring solo listen. I didn't dislike it as much as a 2 really but could not give it a 3.
This album always seems to be trying too hard ..... 2.5 for the risk taking ......
Never heard of this group, but found it surprisingly listenable.
Overall -damn, an overture on an album -honestly sounds like a dramatic reading -this is exactly why white men need to be told to shut up at least once in their life, like why did no one tell this man he can’t sing -if the vocals were stripped, I’d enjoy this more -I’ve never had second hand embarrassment from an album, this is like someone burning at karaoke Well Dusted -Jesus Christ did he pregame the recording with a carton of cigarettes or something -it’s like a trust fund baby said dad, I wanna be Kurt Cobain Punishing Sun -ok why am I liking this -like it wasn’t good but I enjoyed it for some reason Temptation of Egg -oh my god, this has got to be a joke
Never before have I listened to an album and got that the feeling that I'm being stalked. The entire thing sounds like he's whispering angsty poetry written by a heartbroken sixth grader into your ear as you take the back roads home at night. There were a couple of songs that I liked, but I guess when you throw 30 songs at the wall something is going to stick. If you look at their larger discography they seem content to release quantity not quality.
This is one of these albums that gets you with its unique style on the opening tracks but then it just stays the same. Howie Gelb might be a good producer and man for writing music but his voice is not enough to carry an album, especially not in that quiet style alone.
It's pretty obvious that they deserve more acclaim (based on "Punishing Sun" and "Shiver" and "X-tra Wide," say), but perhaps not all that much more acclaim. It's all just a bit too obscure (willfully, one feels), a bit too ephemeral and elusive, and discordant/distressed (purposefully one assume) and though much that drifts through is interesting and even purty as a desert sunset, much just kind of evaporates. One also suspects this isn't their best record (but simply lacks time just now for full exploration of the catalog) and that some of their influencees (e.g., Bill Callahan, Mark Kozelek) might have outpaced them, even if subject to some of the weaknesses. Also, if GS is/was on this last. where the hell is Yo La Tengo?
Terrible band name, ok record. It feels like there’s more to it with further listens but within the frame I get to judge these albums it didn’t captivate me so … sorry :/
I enjoyed it - fit the mood of the day for me.
Pretty boring.
I liked it more than expected. Had not heard it before. Where was I in 2000? Ah, grad school. What else did I miss?
Rather long and self-indulgent
I don't know what's wrong with me. I just like folk music I guess, something about this is so alluring to me. Sounds like a lesser version of Bill Calahan which I loved. 7/10
There is a version of this album with 30 songs on it, fuck that. Weird, tone def sometimes, slightly annoying. Simply did not vibe with it. 3/10
I am glad I listened to this one.
Interesting and glad I got to discover it. It's a more defined less rebellious Lou Reed.
Well, they got the Chore bit right. Generic indie guff - nothing to grab me here.
An interesting album. It starts off with a slacker stoner feel, and then shifts to full on industrial. Are they fans of Beck by any chance? There wasn't enough here to hold me through to the end.
This album grew on me. Mellow, somber and at sometimes, dark. Giant Sand's singer sort of sounds like Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Mad Season, etc.).
I'm a little worried by the Wikipedia page on this that it might be my least favorite genre on this list, "NME-core", but I'll give it a chance. Sounds like it might be a bit weirder than the run-of-the-mill brit-pop alt-rock sound at least. Oh never mind this is a lot better than that first impression. I am much more on board with weird americana/alt-country! Vocals are reminding me a lot of Yo La Tengo around this time. I feel like "X-tra Wide" could have come right off a YLT record, title and all. I see a lot of reviews on here hating on this vocal style, I don't mind it all so far! Yea, I liked this a lot. Very different than a lot of the other stuff on this list. Solid 4 stars.
Long and couldn’t deal with it
Ok. Not great
interesting!
Did I listen to the right album? I'm pretty sure calling this "rock" is a stretch.
Well... meh? This album didn't hook me. It didn't delight me. Nor did it offend me. Or challenge me. I didn't hate it, or like it. There must be some reason it is on the list, some reason why I "must" to listen to it before I die. But I can't discern it. The vocalist generally sounds like he's half asleep. The playing is competent, but laid back. clean and clear, but nothing memorable. At best it hints at Velvet Underground, but without the edge, the spirit, the ... well the danger. Maybe Neil Young's "Tonight's The Night" without the raw emotion and angst. My first thought was to give this a 3, because it is certainly competent. But it creates no real emotional response at all. The Allmusic review sums it up nicely: "Many of the songs tend to drift by without grabbing hold". And a reviewer at Sputnik Music said: "There’s just enough meat to keep the listener interested throughout the sixty minutes of Chore of Enchantment." No, there's not enough meat. Boring is a sin in music. That'll knock it down to a 2.
A terribly mixed bag – gets more disoriented and unsure of itself as time goes on, stumbling from the discordant to attempts at standard guitar ballads. Unsure of what the aim was here but the whole LP feels jumbled and lacks cohesion, maybe I’m missing an art piece statement but this just sounds aimless.
Nr. 118/1001 Overture NR (Well) Dusted 3/5 Punishing Sun 3/5 X-tra Wide 3/5 1972 NR Temptation of Egg 3/5 Raw 3/5 Wolfy 2/5 Shiver 4/5 Dirty from the Rain 3/5 Astonished 2/5 No Reply 3/5 Satellite 2/5 Bottom Line Man 3/5 Way to End the Day 2/5 Shrine 3/5 Average: 2,79 At times pretty boring.
Bemüht, aber nicht gut.
I enjoyed this. Never heard of them before. Gives me a modern Lou Reed kind of feel. I'd like to check out some other albums.
I thought the speaker had switched to playing Lou Reed at one point. Perfect Sunday in front of the fire music, just chill and nice
Has a lot to say but somewhere in the middle my attention gets weary
No thank you
I had never heard of this before. There are some fun tracks on this one, but for my taste, this is a "once in a great while" kind of listen. The style gets a bit old after a while.
Better than I imagined, even if not all songs work well.
I appreciated some of it, I always like to listen to acts that do things a bit differently, go against the grain. There's some interesting lyricism here, but overall this isn't my kind of "weird".
This one starts off with two absolutely great tracks, "(Well)-Dusted" and "Punishing Sun", subdued and subtle, but with stellar chord changes and a few gems on a lyrical standpoint. A little bit later, the sequence of songs "Shiver" (with its wink to "Walk On The Wild Side"), heartrending ballad "Dirty From The Rain" and atmospheric country-folk cut "Astonished (In Memphis)" is pretty convincing as well. Howe Gelb doesn't have a "spectacular" voice, but what he does with his lower timber serves those compositions right, even with some (endearing) frailties here and there on a technical standpoint. Unfortunately, a lot of the songs on the album, conveying the same exact sort of melancholic "confessional" mode, are somewhat "interchangeable". Moody and well-crafted for sure. But quite unobtrusive and generic as well. With its slow-yet-raucous distorted guitars, Nick-Cave-and-Lou-Reed-indebted "Satellite" attempts to wake the listener up in the middle of side two. Yet if that composition is decent, it's not exciting enough to elicit more than a passing interest in the song. Having this album popping on the app today reminded me I should also dig into Calexico's discography, since they're also from Tucson (and Burns and Convertino once played with Gelb). Giant Sand will have to wait until I reach that point. And I'm afraid that by the time I do so, there won't be any "room" left for them in my list. 3/5 for the purposes of this ranking, which translates to an 8/10 grade for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: approximately 300 (I've temporarily lost count here) Number of albums I'll include in my own list: half so far, approximately Number of albums I *might* include: a quarter, approximately. Number of albums I'll never include: another quarter (including this one, many others are more important to me)
Thought it was interesting. Reminded me of lou reed and the kind vibey chill talk music
A few years ago, I listened to a few Giant Sand albums to see if I could get into the music. This album was not one of those that I listened to, but it may as well have been. The sound of Giant Sand on "Chore of Enchantment" was not terribly different on those albums as heard on this one. I could not get into their music and unfortunately this album does not change that. As I have said frequently about other artists, this album is not "bad." It is simply unremarkable and I have no clear idea why it is in this book. The write up about this album is short, the Wikipedia page is short and there isn't much information about the greatness of this album. It's all mid-tempo "alt-country," though I would possibly argue with that description. So no, I do not see where this album has a place in this book. It's unremarkable and I am not sure the gap in music this is intended to fill.
w e i r d Is it just me or is it o u t o f t u n e
Enjoyed the instrumentation and vibe of this album.
Reminded me of Cracker, Jayhawks. Slow songs, not high energy. LONG album. Got repetitive after 90 minutes. Didn’t turn it off….
Rating: 5/10
Just a little too strange. Jumps all over the place and I just can't quite get to that enjoyment point without a spike in the wrong direction.
Gepflegte Langeweile.
Dit album had precies niet veel om het lijf. Het was oké voor op de achtergrond, maar dat is ook alles
So, because a British journal says you have raw but tender empathy then you can get on this list? I won’t deny there were pieces I enjoyed, the vocals were interesting and reminded me of some others similar. Some quirky songs, but this didn’t need to be on the list.
Actually really enjoyed this one. Never heard of this group, and it sort of reminds me of a mix of Tom Waits, Lou Reed, and maybe some other acts as well. But you blend those styles up with some rock music and even some cowboy-country kind of music, you get a pretty great album out of it. It's funny how some of these lesser-known, British albums end up being more appealing to me than some of the albums from the big artists on here like Tom Waits, David Bowie, whoever else. This one is really cool. Favorite tracks: Well Dusted, X-tra Wide, Temptation of Egg, Astonished, Shrine. Album art: For some reason the cover on this site is a shot of two people holding a marriage license? It doesn't even look real, and it's not that on wikipedia or apple music. Instead, the cover I'm seeing is a stitching of two photos of a blue room, with some lights strung up and a drumset in the next room. Really, really cool cover, the colors are excellent, just a great photography piece and the effect of the two images overlapping is really nice. Love this one. 4/5
Very interesting. "Dirty by the Rain" is probably the best song of the album.
Every time I thought 4 stars for this album, there’d be a track that just completely lost me. I wanted to equate this to a YHF or Nick Cave of eclectic, weird song structures, and in a lot of ways, it gets there, but then it just falls flat in a monotone attempt to be something more. It sounds almost timeless on some tracks, but then completely dated on others. Kind of stuck on a rating to give here.
Started off feeling like a chore to get through; ended up leaving me feeling rather enchanted.
Virkilega ljúf plata. Ég hlustaði reyndar á eintak með fullt af bónuslögum og þá fór mig svolítið að langa til að hætta og skipta yfir í eitthvað annað en ef ég takmarka mig við grunnplötuna þá var þetta bara fínasta stöff.
Chore to listen to
This album thinks it's way cooler than it is. Vocals ruin it for me.
Not sure why this is considered an album you need to hear before you die; nothing special about this one. Sonically uninteresting and probably the most sparse wiki page I’ve seen so far
Reminds me a lot of Morphine. They have some interesting songs and lyrics. I like the delivery of the singer, will definitely pay a revisit.
Horrible
What an amazing listen. Never heard of these guys before this project. Sign me up! I think this was great. 4/5
could i write poetry to this? n
Kind of interesting, but I doubt that I will feel a need to listen to it again. There are plenty of other Giant Sand albums out there that may be just as good or better. Two and one-half stars, plus an extra half-star for the guest appearance of Juliana Hatfield.