Kattelox's 3.5 KISS Tournament Roulette - Post-Roulette: Puppies_On_Albums

[The Walrus]

Listening has begun.

I'm confused.

[Crow]

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Show me P!

[Crow]

Hang

__m____
_________
______
_________
_______
______
D______
______
_____d

Guessed Letters:
DFMP

oops

[Sacul]

F

[Crow]

Learning a lot about which letters are shockingly not frequently used in this band's song names

[Puppies_On_Acid]

So....... M?

[Crow]

we got one! 

[Puppies_On_Acid]

Boy, slim pickings for this hangmanen. 

[Crow]

didn't pick my songs for the purpose of hangman here 

[romdrums]

E

[Crow]

Hang

__m____
_en_e_e__
___en_
________n
___e__e
N___n_
D_____e
______
_____d

Guessed Letters:
DEFMNP

[Sacul]

N

[Crow]

Nice

[Puppies_On_Acid]

S?

[Crow]

Hang

S_m____
_en_e_e__
__sen_
_______on
___es_e
N___ns
D__o__e
______
_o___d

Guessed Letters:
DEFMNOPS

[The Walrus]

jesus

[Crow]

Yeah I'm tempted to just post the thing without hanging any men this is silly 

[Sacul]

O

[Crow]

a few

[The Walrus]

Results likely this morning. Giving 'em one last spin each as I finish writeups.

[The Walrus]

The Kattelox Effekt
by Cyril
all songs by The Hirsch Effekt

1. Simurgh
2. Lentevelt
3. Absenz
4. Agitation
5. Athesie
6. Natans
7. Coda
8. Datorie
9. Irrath
10. Cotard

Cyril, I had typed up track-by-track thoughts on this record, but I think it would be better to just put my general thoughts into one statement.

German is not a language I think is poetic; when I was studying for my music education degree, the four big languages were Latin (of course), French, Italian, and German. German always stuck out like a sore thumb; no offense to those who like it or speak it, but my god, German is an ugly language, there are no pretty sounds and no way to sing them to make them sound lovely. Italian and French are where it's at; Latin is, in my current mindstate, reserved for power metal bands who are way too extra for their own good. That's a joke. I digress.

There are some pretty moments throughout this album, and "Cotard" in particular was a nice revelation having spent most of the first playthrough wondering if I was going to be able to replay this. So after hearing that song, which is easily the best track of similar length in the collection, I felt better going back for repeats. That song really does have it all, and it's mostly done very well.

The problem is I find very little here to be memorable. German is already a horrible language for me to listen to, so I don't really have anything good to say about the singing, but I also have no idea what is going on. Reading your commentary, I was hoping you would include context or an idea of what each song is about, but I was left in the dark, and those long songs really felt like they dragged forever partially because I had no idea what was going on. Natans, Agitation - okay pieces of music, but without context, I felt no emotional response, from these or anything else.

"Lentevelt" and "Coda" are two beautiful tracks even if the latter is only 40 seconds. But it's short, sweet, and pleasant to listen to, so it's good. "Simurgh" is a nice intro track per se, it reminds me of the cowboy-western vibe of Lauri Porra's song "Rhapsody of Consequence" - because I don't have much else for reference of this particular sound.

Overall, I am glad you sent The Hirsch Effekt, I'm glad I got a broad view of their music. I found at least two or three tracks I liked enough to save to my 'favorites' list for future listening. I'm happy you sent something you love so much.

[The Walrus]

CONGRATULATIONS, STADLER!

Stadler's Childhood

1. Little River Band - Reminiscing
2. Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons - December, 1963 (Oh What a Night!)
3. Gary Wright - Dream Weaver
4. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
5. Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy
6. Mountain - Nantucket Sleighride (To Owen Coffin)
7. Pete Townshend - Let My Love Open The Door
8. Bob Welch - Sentimental Lady
9. Leo Sayer - When I Need You
10. Rod Stewart - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy
11. Bee Gees - Night Fever
12. Paul McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed
13. Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven*

So, first off. I said one of these songs was almost cheating, and you were almost on the money. "Baker Street" was sent by jingle.boy as a post-roulette concept album that I reviewed late last year. However, listening to the whole album - the Ringo Starr song's hook sounds painfully familiar but I just can't say for sure if I've heard it before or not. "Let My Love Open The Door" is a song I *know* I've heard the hook to somewhere, but I can't tell you where.  "Maybe I'm Amazed" is a song I've DEFINITELY heard before, but not in full. All of those songs are par for the course, as you more than anyone have sent songs that have made me go, "Wait, I know this..." but they're also good!

And the cool thing about this collection of songs is that they're all heavy on strong hooks - okay, mostly. The Mountain track, I admit, is probably my least favorite of the batch just because it doesn't have the same energy as everything else, and I expected to hear some huge reverb-laden rocker I could drink and be a dirty white boy to, like Mississippi Queen.

Otherwise, I have no complaints here. This is a fantastic group of songs. I just have to go song by song on this. The caliber of songwriting in this collection is extraordinary.

"Reminiscing" has a motif straight out the gate that is 1) deliciously infectious and 2) almost reminiscent of Glen Campbell's Southern Nights, one of my favorite 70s songs.

Frankie Valli - the only thing I know about Frankie Valli, other than him being famous, is that he did the title track to Grease, a soundtrack I have NO shame about loving to death. Sounds way different here, though. How much younger is he? It's a lovely song though. I dig how clean it is.

"Dream Weaver" is another song I know I've heard the hook to somewhere but oh my god, what a fantastic song. Soon as it started I knew this was a winner, but it's a contender for favorite song of the lot. Everything about this is great.

"Baker Street" makes me think of New York City. I think this has to be the biggest statement a sax player can ever make, it immediately grabs your attention, it builds into a screaming, infectious melody, only Careless Whisper comes close to matching it.

The Ringo Starr song is inoffensive and fun; I don't think it'll make my favorites playlist, but it's nice to hear something he wrote that apparently doesn't get made fun of by everyone else?

Bob Welch and Leo Sayer - I can't say I've ever heard of these two guys before, or these songs, but WOW. Instant fan if they have more songs like these. I dug the hell out of them. The singing and melodies are great (a theme of this album, clearly), but the songwriting and arranging is on point, too.

Rod Stewart - I think my pupils dilated when I heard that string bit. Holy shit! Disco! The first time I heard this I thought it was cringe/corny - "Dooo ya think I'm seeeexy?" - but oh man, that string bit with the beat... This music is SHINY, dude, and I love it. Do I smell a touch of ABBA? Fantastic song.

Bee Gees - smart choice including them. One of my favorite albums is "After the Disco" by Broken Bells and the big hit off that record, Holding On For Life, is 110% Bee Gees inspired, check it out sometime. This song slaps. I should listen to more Bee Gees. Until I heard Holding On For Life, I always thought of Jimmy Fallon when I heard Barry Gibb's voice. Thankfully that perception is now shifting and I can probably listen to an album of theirs now.

Paul McCartney - I'm not a fan of Paul. This song is a bit of a stumble toward the end, if I'm being honest. Is it a bad song? God, no, absolutely not. I just don't really think he has any balls, he's a powderpuff with a lame voice, a bad haircut, and poor taste in women. Although the grit here kind of surprised me.

Congratulations, Stadler! Consistently awesome from start to finish, a powerful and inventive EP, and an album loaded with home runs - a well-earned championship!

*Stairway is a cheeky inclusion, good on you, fantastic piece, and I can play the whole damn thing sans solo on piano. I didn't even listen to it because I can visualize every note in my sleep, but I get why it's there.

[Crow]

tbh i don't even have an idea what most the hirsch effekt lyrics about other than they generally have a somewhat political bent to them, i can't understand 'em so it doesn't matter to me 

anyways this isn't a surprising result but by the sound of things i don't think anything i could've sent would've beat what stadler sent anyways, so i'm happy with this outcome 

[The Walrus]

tbh i don't even have an idea what most the hirsch effekt lyrics about other than they generally have a somewhat political bent to them, i can't understand 'em so it doesn't matter to me 

anyways this isn't a surprising result but by the sound of things i don't think anything i could've sent would've beat what stadler sent anyways, so i'm happy with this outcome 

If I'm being 100% honest I was expecting you to go with more synthwave or that weird Foxy Shazam-type stuff which would have made the competition MUCH more fierce!

[Crow]

i do not have deep wells to draw from for either of those, honestly 
i was also way too tired to put together the concept album i wanted to do, which may or may not have fared better, but
at least check out the other album i sent you as well, anyways 

anyways:

honestly when you think about it stadler not winning the kiss roulette would be a crime against humanity so it's a good thing i sent Roulette Suicide in the final round

[Buddyhunter1]

Dammit Cyril why didn't you send the hirsch effekt in round 2 instead

[Stadler]

Thank you, thank you. 

For everyone else, when I was around ten or so, I started to understand music and what it can do emotionally.  I started to like Kiss, but at that time 'portable' music wasn't as easy as it is today.  Cassette players were cumbersome and I wasn't really facile with that yet.  So no "Kiss On Demand".   I also suffered from a fair amount of insomnia.  So equipped with a small flashlight, a book, and a cheap AM transistor radio (nine volt, with a mono earplug) I would hunker under the covers and pass large parts of the night.

The station I listened to - WICC 600AM - was talk and news throughout the day, but top 40-ish AOR over night.  So each of those songs I heard at one point or another through that little radio, and the melodies and songwriting were what came through.   Every one of those songs has, to me, three things:  an indelible melody or hook, an incredible, enduring song structure, and a strong vocal.  Things I value to this day.   The inclusion of "Stairway" was an inside joke, since that same station would do countdowns on holidays and at year end, and Stairway would win EVERY time; I think it was just an excuse to play an 8:00 song! The few times it didn't win, it came in second to Freebird! 

[Crow]

Dammit Cyril why didn't you send the hirsch effekt in round 2 instead

[Crow]

The Kattelox Effekt
A The Hirsch Effekt Compilation Album
(Alternative Title: "PIST")

Download

1. Simurgh (0:00 - 3:08)
2. Lentevelt (3:08 - 6:56)
3. Absenz (6:56 - 12:47)
4. Agitation (12:47 - 22:03)
5. Athesie (22:03 - 27:23)
6. Natans (27:23 - 37:14) (incl. excerpt from "Coda")
7. Datorie (37:14 - 43:22)
8. Irrath (43:22 - 50:01)
9. Cotard (50:01 - 59:10)

Spotify if you need it, but download is preferred.

for the morbidly curious

[The Walrus]

Dammit Cyril why didn't you send the hirsch effekt in round 2 instead

[The Walrus]

I so want Stadler to come to ProgPower one year so we can talk music. The man knows his stuff.

[jingle.boy]

Yay Fogey!  I'm just bummed I couldn't make it a fogey v fogey final.

Good on ya, Stads.

[Stadler]

I so want Stadler to come to ProgPower one year so we can talk music. The man knows his stuff.

I'd do that; if we survive, that is.  Thatnk you fofn EDIT: <--- I have no idea what that is.  Covfefe.

Add to it: 

Gerry Rafferty (Baker Street) used to be in Stealer's Wheel ("Stuck In The Middle With You", used in Reservoir Dogs.)

Bob Welch was the interim guitar player in Fleetwood Mac, between Peter Green and Lindsey Buckingham.   "Sentimental Lady" was originally recorded by Fleetwood Mac; Welch re-recorded it for a solo album in '77 and Mick Fleetwood, Chrissie McVie and Lindsey Buckingham all played on that version (the version you heard). 

The Starr song ("It Don't Come Easy") was for a while the best-selling solo single by ANY of the Beatles; George Harrison co-wrote it - uncredited - and Gary Wright, the Dream Weaver guy, played keyboards on it. 

[Puppies_On_Acid]