Music Club XII: No speak Engrish

[Omega]

Rammstein - Moskau

I'm not on board with the whole Rammstein thingmabob; Some of their stuff is OK but a lot of it sounds very cut-n-paste to me. I think their stage show (which admittedly is incredible) gets them a hall pass. Haven't heard this before, but I'll be honest, I liked it. I can be objective now and then, see ;)

7/10

 

Asian Kung-Fu Generation - Flashback

Not sure about the Green Day comparison, perhaps more Bad Religiony to me? Anyway, I like this but echo the comments about it not overstaying it's welcome. Short, sharp and pretty cool.

7/10

 

I will ignore you comparing a bland japanese pop punk band to one of the greatest punk bands ever created. Where's the multi-part harmonies or searing lyrical content? Nah mate, nah..... ;)

[Inno]

Well, I don't know about the lyrics, they could be searing :D I was basing it purely on the guitars, sounded more Bad Religiony than Green Day-ey to me.

[Maxximus]

Sometimes Mean White Boy Bobby

 

Rammstein - Moskau

Being a sucker for anything remotely industrial, I'm pretty familiar with Rammstein so I've heard this song before. I love the angry open and how the song becomes tempered by the female vox. It's hard to not get pumped listening to this band. They have an emotional quality that appeals to me and this song's got that in spades. I wouldn't call it my favorite Rammstein song, but it's far from their worst. I really like the female backing vocals, so much that I had to comment on them twice. 7/10

 

 

Asian Kung-Fu Generation - Flashback

Oh yeah this is totally like the Japanese Bad Religion just not as intense. I love me some Bad Religion so I'm totally okay with this. It was short enough to have been a great choice for last clubs Sprint and Marathons picks in the sprint category. So short in fact that I had to give it a second listen and didn't mind at all.

 

There's a lot of energy there but like I said, not as much as Bad Religion, but that's good. No one likes a copycat. The singer is pretty good and briefly shows off his range. The rest of the band is very competent. The little bridge or "breakdown" reminds me of something else I can't quite place. Overall this was pretty good. Would listen again. 7/10

[Beefhead]

BABYMETAL - ギミチョコ！！- Gimme chocolate!!

This thing is ****ing epic. Somebody posted a live performance from some metal festival here in the us on my Facebook page, and I freakin loved it. 9/10

 

Dir En Grey - didn't like this too much. Sadly I don't know what it is that didn't work just that it didn't. Let's see how bout 4/10

 

Rammstein - Moskau

Rammstein is Rammstein 9/10

 

Asian Kung-Fu Generation - Flashback

Yeah this pretty cool I like this almost as much as gimme chocolate. 8/10

[Laffy]

BABYMETAL - Gimme chocolate!!

I was not expecting to like this as most metal songs are not my thing but this was not bad at all. For novelty value along you gain extra points but I found myself actually liking this. I listened to it a second time and it grew on me again. 7/10

 

Dir En Grey - "Hageshisa To, Kono Mune No Naka De Karamitsuita Shakunetsu No Yami"

I am afraid this is not me at all where as I love the guitar and drums the sound and tone of the singers I do not like at all it grinds on my nerves. For the instruments alone I will give 5/10.

 

Asian Kung-Fu Generation - Flashback

I am now shocked this is my favourite so far it has shown me that I need to move my taste in music to accept more gendres and to be more open minded before I think about reviewing a song as I was expecting to hate this as well. I would look this group up and listen to more songs they have done as this is good. 8/10

 

Rammstein - Moskau

Well I was not expecting this I like this song as well I had never heard of Rammstein before but metal is mot my thing but strangely this is actually not bad at all. Not sure if I would buy an album or have there songs on my phone but if it came on the radio I would not turn it off. 6/10.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Laffy

[Laffy]

I have been listening to a lot of Andre Rieu thanks to my dad. He does everything from pop, drinking songs and classical. I was going to do the Dutch drinking song but chose instead my favourite classical song.

 

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

 

[video=youtube_share;GD3VsesSBsw]

 

My next song takes me back to the 1994 Italian World Cup and the first time I had heard the three tenors sing and was introduced to something called classical music. I was hooked, this is them just having fun trying to outdo themselves it is one of my favourite memories. When ever I am down I listen to this.

 

The 3 Tenors O Sole Mio 1994

 

[video=youtube_share;ERD4CbBDNI0]

Edited September 13, 2014 by Laffy

[Omega]

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

 

I'm not an opera fan, this piece of music has been so overused since the Old Spice ad made it famous that I can't even listen to it anymore. 0/10

 

The 3 Tenors O Sole Mio 1994

 

And this is the ice cream ad music so yeah.... at least there was some fun in it from the tenors. 3/10

 

These reviews say nothing about how well each piece is performed, they could be the best versions sung by the greatest operatic singers ever. I like one piece of opera really and that's nessun dorma and only then if it's sung by Paverotti or Harry Secombe, which I know is a little random but there you go.

[dsrchris]

Wasn't the 1994 World Cup in America?

[Inno]

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

 

Yeah, it's NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL DRAMATIC MUSIC for beginners. It's an awesome tune, it has to be said - but overkill is the name of the game. And Andre Rieu is a monster and must be stopped. He's brainwashing old people into following him blindly. My folks think he's some sort of God.

5/10

 

The 3 Tenors O Sole Mio 1994

 

This was like The Spice Girls of male opera singers at the time; couldn't go anywhere without hearing them. Opera and classical... I appreciate the skills and the talent but it's just so not my bag. Except Zadok The Priest...

5/10

 

Just something I can't get into at all. Sorry folks :/

[Omega]

Wasn't the 1994 World Cup in America?

 

Aye, it was Italia 90 as the computer game will tell you... :)

[Laffy]

Well the concert was 1994 for some reason I have had it in my head that it was the World Cup in Rome. Maybe there was one then as well.

[dsrchris]

I know the 1990 World Cup created a big deal for using Pavarotti's version of "Nessun Dorma", so maybe that's where some of the confusion is coming in?

[ShaolinHandLock]

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu - I've heard this music before, not in it's entirety or this particular version though. The beginning, as well as the dramatic part leading to the end were fine, but the singing in between dragged on a bit for me. I didn't hate it, but not something I'd listen to. 3/10.

 

The 3 Tenors O Sole Mio 1994 - Don't really know what to say about this. 2/10.

[Maxximus]

Giggles

 

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

I'm with Megs on this. These days it's used to hock merchandise. That's when music ceases to be music and becomes a jingle. A shitty corporate jingle that remindes people they need to put chemicals under their arms so the don't offend anyone else with their stench. the 13 year old me who discovered this in the film Excalibur would give this a 10/10, but the best the me of today can come up with for this is a 2/10. I literally never want to hear this ever again.

 

 

The 3 Tenors O Sole Mio 1994

I was hoping mobsters would have busted in and started shooting up the place. That didn't happen. I'm sad now. Same as the above really. One point per dude. 3/10

[dsrchris]

Laffarella:

Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

I remember listening to this as a kid (incidentally, after saying how cool it was on the Old Spice advert and my Grandad playing me the full piece of music), and I thought it was amazing. And then the X Factor just ruined the sh*t out of it for me. Now I can't hear the opening of this without thinking of that d*ckhead announcer with the booming voice being all, "IT'S TIME FOR THE X FACTOR!!".

 

I f*cking HATE the X Factor, they are the ruiners of all that is good, which unfortunately includes this song. It used to be a 10/10, but from sheer overuse and it's frequent appearances on the goddamn bast*rd X Factor I can only give it 5/10 in good conscience.

 

The 3 Tenors - O Sole Mio 1994

Go on then, who else started singing "Just one Cornetto"? :lol

 

Again, another great piece of classical music, which just suffers from over familiarity and being shoved into a buttload of adverts. It's pleasant enough, but far from the best thing I've heard from the 3 Tenors. The vocal interplay is cool, and you can see that all 3 guys are having a laugh with this, but unfortunately it's another 5/10.

 

 

Right, time for my picks. We've had metal and classical so far, so how about some Europop for y'all? We're going Eurovison up in this b*tch!!

 

For my first pick we're going all the back to 1979 for a song which may be familiar if you follow the work of Uhaa Nation. If you don't, prepare yourself for (in my opinion) one of the finest foreign disco songs ever committed to vinyl. I'm expecting everyone to learn the dance moves for our next official TWO meet up.

 

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan"

[video=youtube;p2bvPzvFlP8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2bvPzvFlP8

 

 

Secondly, who like Polish hip-hop? How about Polish hip-hop with immense amounts of cleavage thrown in for good measure? Here's the song I thought should've won this year's Eurovision Song Contest:

 

**I guess this may be NSFW, dependant on how your work feels about gratuitous cleavage shots?**

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls)

**skip to about 45 seconds in for the song to actually start**

[video=youtube;rr1DSgjhRqE]

 

WOOOO!! EUROPOP!! :tban

Edited September 18, 2014 by dsrchris

[Omega]

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan"

 

Well, some Germans heard "Rasputin" by Boney M and found another infamous dude from history to write a song about. Now, backstory time. I used to go visit my mate in uni when I had my year out, he used his CD player as an alarm and the CD he had was.... Boney M's greatest hits. I now bear a very really hatred for cheesey disco tunes. So sadly, despite finding this awesome I have to give it 2/10

 

however Chris's new nick name is DSRchingis Khan, fact.

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls)

 

10/10 because it's eurovision and that's possibly my most guilty pleasure of the year. Well played sir.

[Inno]

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan"

Now this, I like just for cheese. I like cheese. HOO! HAH! I did read it as DSRChris Khan and thought you were moonlighting...

8/10

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls)

Yes. The "wit" in me wants to give this one 2/10 for each outstanding point, but it's better than that. I kinda dig it in that once a year pissed up on cheap Kestrel Lager Eurovision way

8/10

[Shaun2J]

Argh, Chris stole my damn Dschingis Khan pick! I'm being robbed :lol

[dsrchris]

:lol

 

I was gonna be boring and just use some J-Pop from an anime, but then I remembered Uhaa Nation's music and figured I'd use that instead.

 

Sorry dude... :D

[Evil Gringo]

Laffarella: Carmina Burana ~ O Fortuna | Carl Orff ~ André Rieu

 

Dramatic but overused as everyone has said, although while most seem to associate with the X-Factor, having never watched an episode of that show when I hear it the picture in my mind is the Annoying Devil off Balls of Steel. Still whilst I don't like Opera I do appricate the talent involved in being able to do it which is why I won't give this nothing bad, just a just below average 4/10

 

The 3 Tenors - O Sole Mio 1994

 

I have pictures of Cornetto's in my head as Chris alluded to. Again not a fan of classic music or artists (well unless you count Katherine Jenkins when she is not singing?) but everyone of a certain age group knows these three, knows this song and even if they don't like it they won't be too offended by it. Still though, not my cup of tea.3/10.

 

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan"

 

One of the breakdowns in the song sounds like a bit of an Ompa Lumpa song out of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Classic 70's cheesy pop, similar to a watered down ABBA in some respects - not something I'd like to listen to all the time but if it came on the radio (and what a weird and wonderful radio station that would be) I wouldn't turn it off. 5/10

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls)

 

It sounds like the Saturday's if they were from Eastern Europe musically but with more accordion. It's modern Europop cheese, produce and done rather well, with the addition of some lovely chesty ladies in the video - additionally the vocalist looks a little like Lily Cole. Again not something I'd listen to everyday but the fact that a) she looks like Lily Cole, b) boobs and c) accordion means I am giving this a 7/10

[Maxximus]

Chris Wood

 

 

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan"

I hate disco. I'm sorry, I just do. That said, I listened to this twice. It's so goddamn catchy and makes for a great entrance theme. The music is classic disco, the lyrics are very simply even in a foreign language and while they may be repetitive, that's keeping to the classic disco genera.

 

I would listen to this and enjoy it anytime it was played but wouldn't actively seek it out or play it myself. It's silly and fun. 6/10

 

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls)

Slavic girls are smokin' hot and this song it pretty baller. I obviously don't understand the words but that doesn't keep it from being catchy. The beat is pretty good; I love the accordion and strings mixed in. It gives it that ethnic flare that makes this track somewhat endearing.

 

Again, not a song or group I would actively seek, but I enjoyed it. Bonus point for the boobs. 7/10

[ShaolinHandLock]

Dschinghis Khan - "Dschinghis Khan" - I have no idea what to say to that. It didn't do anything for me. This left me feeling nothing either way, sorry. 2/10.

 

Donatan & Cleo - My Slowianie (We Are Slavic Girls) - This just annoyed me. Her voice annoyed me, especially during the chorus, and the constant clapping distracted me, rather than blending into the song. I found nothing to like here. 0/10.

[Maxximus]

Sorry it's taken me so long guys, I've been really busy with life and recently battling a nasty cold that has me pretty much hating almost everything.

 

Let's get it on!

 

First up is a drone type sounding ballad from Icelandic metal band Sólstafir. I love this song. It's a little long but very catchy, ethereal, full of emotion. It's long but doesn't feel that long, if you get what I'm saying. The female backing vox that comes in around the four minute mark add just another amazing layer to an already great track.

 

The title Fjara means Beach and the song is about someone who has lost their way and is struggling, and failing, to find the right path once again.

 

 

[video=youtube;XmGdSOhBx8E]

 

 

Up next is a track by German industrial band Einstürzende Neubauten called Stella Maris featuring German singer and actress Meret Becker. It a duet and basically a really neat love song. Not much more to say about it really. Short and sweet.

 

 

[video=youtube;dYmRnl_J9GI]

 

 

Enjoy!

[Inno]

Sólstafir - Fjara

 

Ooo, first thought - this would fit into Twin Peaks perfectly, and that means I like it. Plus the video is some freaky Scandinavian shit and everybody needs more of that in their life. I really like this.

9/10

 

Einstürzende Neubauten - Stella Maris

 

Digging the dude's Spanish Inquisition style hat first of all. Quite cool and quirky, this. Has a weird evil, dark udnertone to it that go against the lyrics; it's another David Lynch-esque kind of feel to it. Pretty cool.

7/10

[ShaolinHandLock]

Sólstafir - Fjara - This felt overlong to me. The music didn't feel like it really kicked in until around 3 minutes in. I'm not really a fan of the vocals either. So I didn't like it. The music video was cool though, so it gets extra points for that. 3/10.

 

Einstürzende Neubauten - Stella Maris - I didn't like this at all. I can't really describe why, I just found this borderline annoying. Sorry. 0/10.