A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

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Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Mar3ky Dread wrote:
09 Sep 2020, 6:27pm
Wow that "Etubom Rex Williams" realky had an affect on me. I just bought a compilation cd called "Nigeria 70" that contains "Psychedelic Shoes".😎

Good work Heston. :approve:
Haha no bother mate. I wasn't sure if that track would work for anyone as it's quite dissonant. But what a hypnotic groove. Hopefully some songs from Nigeria 70 will make it to your next selection.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Marky Dread »

Heston wrote:
09 Sep 2020, 6:34pm
Mar3ky Dread wrote:
09 Sep 2020, 6:27pm
Wow that "Etubom Rex Williams" realky had an affect on me. I just bought a compilation cd called "Nigeria 70" that contains "Psychedelic Shoes".😎

Good work Heston. :approve:
Haha no bother mate. I wasn't sure if that track would work for anyone as it's quite dissonant. But what a hypnotic groove. Hopefully some songs from Nigeria 70 will make it to your next selection.
I've played that track 4 times now and it gets better every time. Love it great stuff. Hopefully the cd will contain a few more gems.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Dr. Medulla »

1. Headbutt - The King Blues
Fun stuff, what I suppose garage is nowadays. They sound like they’d be a good time playing live. Not terribly keen on the singer’s voice, but that’s a minor bitch.

2. Chevy Thunder - Spector
I can’t help but think that they wrote this hoping to make a deal with Chevy because it sounds like it’d fit in a car ad. Hard pass for that suspicion. The song itself is neither here nor there for me—I could barely remember how it was going as it played. I’d rather hear it than, say, Taylor Swift, but … yeah.

3. In My World - Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
A pleasant chorus, but the rest was kind of a holding pattern. Still, as adult alternative, it’s okay. And I’m saying this as someone who really doesn’t care for Fleetwood Mac (tho I still like LB’s Go Insane album).

4. Special Shades - French Films
You’re spot on in the Echo/HoL comparison, tho I hear more HoL. It’s 1988 UK indie rock. So we have a newish band interpreting a late 80s band interpreting 60s psychedelic rock. I dig this, tho I’d love a remix that distorts things more.

5. Psychedelic Shoes - Etubom Rex Williams
This is a seriously neat find. It sounds like smoky (not cigarette, mind you) basement club yet everyone’s wearing shades. Very, very groovy stuff.

Overall, I think you done good here. I'm disappointed. ;)
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by revbob »

Heston wrote:
09 Sep 2020, 5:58pm
revbob wrote:
09 Sep 2020, 5:43pm
Im only familiar with the 3rd artists.
Will try and listen tonight.
I'm supposing the point is to be a bit obscure-ish. I tried not to be too Limey-centric hence my inclusions of a Nigerian and some Finns. I can tell you're gonna bust my balls, Im fully prepared. :mrgreen:
Prepare to be disappointed...


1. Headbutt - The King Blues
Fun song, singer is a bit annoying. Reminded me a bit of a band I know called The Born Liars 7/10

2. Chevy Thunder - Spector
Decent song/band. For some reason I kept thinking Social Distortion although they sound nothing alike. 6.5/10

3. In My World - Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
Does zero for me 0/10

4. Special Shades - French Films
Not what I usually go for but its less 80s than it wants to be maybe. Guitar is more forward and not all synthy. but I probably wouldn't seek it out. 6/10

5. Psychedelic Shoes - Etubom Rex Williams
Very cool, at around 20 seconds it really grabbed me. Both psychedelic and African sounding. I enjoy a lot of African music, this was cool and I should explore further. 8/10

Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

Ok, I've escaped a thorough beating so far, let's see what tomorrow brings
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by gkbill »

Hello,

King Blues - I've got a couple of albums from these guys. I like them - catchy, pretty sharp lyrically, the right dose of guitars. Try We Are F***ing Angry and 5 Bottles of Shampoo (I always played the latter for the women on teams I coached). 9/10.

Spector - They're okay. They sound like Joe "King" Carrasco's kids. It would be better without the bridge. 7/10.

Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie - I have no use for these pretentious hippies (yes, you can be both!). No rating.

Special Shades - This does remind me a bit of Echo & the Bunnymen as someone mentioned - they need a bit more edge. 6/10.

Etubom Rex Williams - I'm more partial to South African music/Mbaqanga but this is okay for Western Africa. It does get a groove going. 8/10

Thanks for posting. I really like listening to new music even if it's not something I want to run out and buy.

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Silent Majority »

Mark's

Sandcastles - Cable Ties. Lovely sound, like a Friday night starting to shift into top gear and peaking. 8/10.

Nostalgia - Maroon Town. Not one that lands too much for me. Would definitely dance to it live, but not quite distinctive enough to get the pulse racing. 6/10.

The Aughts - Flat Worms. Love this, that gutter-superior sneer really works for me, like Howard Devoto. Great, great guitar sound. 10/10

The Last Man In Europe - The Blades. Epic sounding, great tune. Like a sincere Carter USM, really, but arranged like the Professionals. First one I wanted to play twice in a row. Looking forward to living in this one for a while. 10/10

Ghosts of Cable Street - The Men They Couldn't Hang. The only one I was familiar with, it hadn't ever caught my ear properly like some other TMTCH, but this time really made some headway. Though I still think there's a definitive version of this waiting to be performed, perhaps by a gruff voiced acoustic troubadour as the eighties production and instrument choices stop it being as powerful as it might be. 7/10.

Thanks so much for all the recs.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Silent Majority »

Heston's

1. Headbutt - The King Blues
I know this one, thanks to Heston's championing of this band over the years. It's great stuff, a mixture of Jamie T & the View, I think. 8/10.

2. Chevy Thunder - Spector
New to me, an absolute barnstorming fucking joy of a song. Vocals remind me of the Vaccines from around the middle of the 2010s. Epic. 9/10.

3. In My World - Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
Fuck this. Did not and will not complete. 1/10.

4. Special Shades - French Films
Yeah, this is alright. Mood music, chilled vibe but energetic with it, doesn't leave an impression and will fade out of my memory. 5/5.

5. Psychedelic Shoes - Etubom Rex Williams
Yes! Like the stuff I love from 70s Jamaican music, but twisted in the rhythm and execution. So powerful, you can dance to it, haven't absorbed the lyrics yet but the vocals are searing in an understated way. My find of the month, 10/10.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by oliver »

King Blues 6/10
My problem with KB is that they straddle a couple of different genres and I want them to be one or the other. And the "other" in this case is I want the voice without the standard indie-rock backing. A different singer and this would be 4 or 5 out of 10 and a different backing would give it a 7 or 8. I do appreciate they're somewhat different though.

Spector 6/10
Not bad, but it wouldn't bother me if I never heard it again. Sounds a little bit like it was written by committee in order to get radio play.

LB + CMcV 6/10
I really like the verse... the chorus not so much. This was a single you say? Screams album track, side 2 track 3 filler which is not bad if it's a good album - but not a single. In saying that, I'm not sure the concept of a single really exists anymore unless this is years old.

French Films 8/10
My favourite of the bunch. I like that I can't tell where they're from or when it was recorded. Would definitely be something I'd listen to as background music when working (which is not supposed to be dismissive, quite the opposite)

Etubom Rex Williams 6.5/10
I like this but I feel it could have ended around the 4 minute mark without really losing anything. Then again, I love Big Audio Dynamite so I know all about noodly excess. The description is spot on... it has a hypnotic quality
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by matedog »

1. Headbutt - The King Blues
I like this a lot. The verse vocals are unique and almost rap delivery which keeps things interesting. The E Street Band lover in me can't get enough of big pianos and big guitars. Catchy ass chorus too. 8/10.

2. Chevy Thunder - Spector
Singer and the music and everything reminds me of the first Vaccines record which is a good thing. Very enjoyable but doesn't hit me as hard as Headbutt. 7/10.

3. In My World - Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
Nice little chorus. Never listened to much FM, but the rest doesn't do much for me. It's not bad, but not really my thing. 4/10.

4. Special Shades - French Films
Wasn't crazy about this at first, but the chorus is a nice juxtaposition from the verses. Very effective. 6/10

5. Psychedelic Shoes - Etubom Rex Williams
I can't tell if this is 3/4 or 6/8 time. Very cool rhythm and production is that authentically dated sound with the slightly distorted vocals and just timelessly cool. Oh, there's a percussion breakdown. Cool, I kinda wish the vocals did more, so I'll keep it at a very solid 7/10.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

oliver wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 9:37am
King Blues 6/10
My problem with KB is that they straddle a couple of different genres and I want them to be one or the other. And the "other" in this case is I want the voice without the standard indie-rock backing. A different singer and this would be 4 or 5 out of 10 and a different backing would give it a 7 or 8. I do appreciate they're somewhat different though.

Spector 6/10
Not bad, but it wouldn't bother me if I never heard it again. Sounds a little bit like it was written by committee in order to get radio play.

LB + CMcV 6/10
I really like the verse... the chorus not so much. This was a single you say? Screams album track, side 2 track 3 filler which is not bad if it's a good album - but not a single. In saying that, I'm not sure the concept of a single really exists anymore unless this is years old.

French Films 8/10
My favourite of the bunch. I like that I can't tell where they're from or when it was recorded. Would definitely be something I'd listen to as background music when working (which is not supposed to be dismissive, quite the opposite)

Etubom Rex Williams 6.5/10
I like this but I feel it could have ended around the 4 minute mark without really losing anything. Then again, I love Big Audio Dynamite so I know all about noodly excess. The description is spot on... it has a hypnotic quality
French Films are actually Finnish. The track is from about 6 years ago.
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Kory »

1. Headbutt - The King Blues
I couldn't really get into this, as I've burned myself out on Rancid a long time ago and this sounds like a version of that with a reedier/whinier voice. I did like some of the chord changes though. 5/10

2. Chevy Thunder - Spector
This guy's vocals annoyed me on the other end of the spectrum, toward the Ray Romano end. Also nothing really interesting happens in the song and there's something empty about the production I can't put my finger on. The keys are the only interesting part for me. 4/10

3. In My World - Lindsey Buckingham & Christine McVie
I agree about the mood, and this is the cleanest production I've ever heard outside of Blue Nile. I like the verses, but the chorus is incongruously peppy. Could also use just a dash more bass. 6/10

4. Special Shades - French Films
The song itself is appealing. I think the vocals should either be lower in the verses or have some of that delay cleaned up (maybe just a different delay time). They're too loud/muddy for the rest of the mix as-is. Really liked the last 10 seconds or so, I live for that kind of stuff. 7/10

5. Psychedelic Shoes - Etubom Rex Williams
First thought in the first 15 seconds is that Tom Waits owes this guy a lot. After that, I totally get what you mean, this is great. I dig the ramshackle nature of it, like it's going to come off the rails any minute. Cool percussion/bass breakdown toward the third quarter. Great mood too. 10/10
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Olaf »

Heston wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 12:56pm
French Films are actually Finnish.
Just like French fries are actually Belgian.
Who pfaffed the pfaff? Who got pfaffed tonight?

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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by revbob »

Olaf wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 7:48pm
Heston wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 12:56pm
French Films are actually Finnish.
Just like French fries are actually Belgian.
No fucking mayo

Heston
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Re: A Bunch of Fives (New Challenge Thread)

Post by Heston »

revbob wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 7:50pm
Olaf wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 7:48pm
Heston wrote:
11 Sep 2020, 12:56pm
French Films are actually Finnish.
Just like French fries are actually Belgian.
No fucking mayo
Just lashings of salad cream.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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