A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

[revbob]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Mladic”
This shit is pretty cool. Always meant to check them out, never have til this. I like it. Again not something I would regularly listen to but there's definitely a time and place for me for this kind of thing. 8/10

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

[Dr. Medulla]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Mladic”
This shit is pretty cool. Always meant to check them out, never have til this. I like it. Again not something I would regularly listen to but there's definitely a time and place for me for this kind of thing. 8/10

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

[Marky Dread]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Mladic”
This shit is pretty cool. Always meant to check them out, never have til this. I like it. Again not something I would regularly listen to but there's definitely a time and place for me for this kind of thing. 8/10

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

[Heston]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Mladic”
This shit is pretty cool. Always meant to check them out, never have til this. I like it. Again not something I would regularly listen to but there's definitely a time and place for me for this kind of thing. 8/10

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Give me Phil any day! I'd rather spend another day in paradise than another night in hell.

[Dr. Medulla]

Godspeed You! Black Emperor, “Mladic”
This shit is pretty cool. Always meant to check them out, never have til this. I like it. Again not something I would regularly listen to but there's definitely a time and place for me for this kind of thing. 8/10

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

[revbob]

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

You beat me to it.

[Marky Dread]

I’m a bit surprised. I wouldn’t think you’d dig this kind of art rock, but I’m nonetheless pleased. You’d likely be good with recent period Swans, as it’s generally noisier but just as long.

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

Harsh...but fair.

[Dr. Medulla]

It wouldn't be every day listening but I definitely have room for stuff like that. The biggest impediment would be time I do tend to mostly listen to short fast songs but otherwise it ticks a lot of boxes. I think I would have enjoyed stuff like this more when I was in school as I always listened to music when I studied and did homework but I no longer do that when Im trying to learn something technical. I dont trust myself to be able to process the material while Im reading. I'lll need to explore some more material of theirs.

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

Harsh...but fair.

Low-hanging fruit is tasty enough for me.

[Marky Dread]

Fair. It works as both concentrated and background listening for me, but the length of a song does demand some commitment.

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

Harsh...but fair.

Low-hanging fruit is tasty enough for me.

You just gotta reach for those nuts sometimes.

[Dr. Medulla]

You don't know what commitment is! Tom can listen to the whole of Phil Collins greatest hits front to back. That's real commitment.

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

Harsh...but fair.

Low-hanging fruit is tasty enough for me.

You just gotta reach for those nuts sometimes.

Monkey's gotta grab the peach.

[Marky Dread]

Let’s not confuse commitment with grounds for being committed.

Harsh...but fair.

Low-hanging fruit is tasty enough for me.

You just gotta reach for those nuts sometimes.

Monkey's gotta grab the peach.

[matedog]

Sigrid - High Five. - Not too keen on her voice, but I like the accompaniment. The chorus is nice and rousing. Seems a bit too young for me though. I think it's generally good, but I can't connect with it too much 6/10.

The Amazons - Stay With Me. Catchy uptempo guitar rock. What's not to like? Nothing ground breaking, but well done 7/10.

Embrace - I like the general slow start and build up. I initially thought it was too soft for me, but that hook eventually broke through for me 7/10.

Starsailor - Faith Hope Love. Not doing much for me. A bit too polished. It's not bad, but my least fav of the bunch 4/10.

Metallica - Atlas, Rise! Always happy to try more Metallica. The intro is a bit too synced up, but that's not off base for the style. Nice jump between regular and cut time, not unlike Master. More blues inflected solos that are more reminiscent of their 90s output and that's okay. Instrumental sections aren't as interesting as their best songs, but the vocals are strong even if the melodies aren't as distinct. A good effort, but doesn't move me as much as their best stuff. 5/10.

[oliver]

Sigrid - High Five 5/10
Sorry, but I've always been a tap-in merchant. TBH it's probably a 6/10 for me but I'm leaving it as a high 5.
I found the vocals somewhat interesting but musically it didn't do much for me. I imagine it's one of those songs that I would find extremely irritating if it's played on the radio (and I actually listened to the radio) but after the 100th play I'd find myself humming it.

The Amazons - Stay With Me 6.5/10
After my disappointment that this wasn't a cover of the Faces 'Stay With Me' and then my relief that it wasn't Sam Smiths 'Stay With Me' I kind of liked it but it felt a little derivative

Embrace - Maybe I Wish 7.5/10
Liked this more than I thought I would. Most Embrace I've heard has left me a little cold. Maybe they should lead with the b-sides.

Starsailor - Faith Hope Love 7/10
Singer reminds me of Hamilton Leithauser before he became a Bob Dylan tribute act. Another one I like but don't really love. Can't quite nail what it's missing for me but it's lacking something that tips me over the edge into true fandom (where I'd spend real money on them)

Metallica - Atlas, Rise! 4/10
I don't hate Metallica, I like a couple of their songs but this one isn't for me. Kind of Metallica-by-numbers. Sorry.

[Dr. Medulla]

My sincere apologies, Tom, that I forgot I had to listen to your picks once my home internet situation was sorted.

Sigrid - High Five.
I genuinely like her quirky voice. I’d love to hear what she could do with something besides this generic inspirational-sounding pop. It’s like trading card bubblegum—the taste disappears so quickly you can’t remember it even had any.

The Amazons - Stay With Me.
I’ve got plenty of bands like these in my library. They’re fine as decent energy guitar pop, but don’r really stand out in any way. The very definition of workmanlike. Which is kind of a dis but not entirely.

Embrace - Maybe I Wish.
This is, like, music for fifteen-year-old girls who get ditched by their crush or their friends. Back in the old days, this is the song where fans flick their lighters at the band.

Starsailor - Faith Hope Love.
Weren’t these guys part of that late 90s run of bands that all sound like Travis? If not, they fit right in with that crowd. And it’s perfectly fine in that vein. I probably would have liked it a lot more at the time.

Metallica - Atlas, Rise!
What the hell happened to Metallica? This is remarkably tame stuff. I’m with gkbill in thinking of Spinal Tap. The solo is the only part with some life to it. I was never anything close to a Metallica tho I liked their first few albums more than most metal, but this makes me sad.

[BitterTom]

My sincere apologies, Tom

No problem mate, not sure I'll be back by popular demand! Cheers all for giving them a listen!