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Grimes - Art Angels |OT| Out now! Welcome to REALiTi
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bbsting120
Member
OMG I was at the Atlanta show tonight and the place about caved in when Janelle came out! It was sick as. Her show was great overall but she was only on for just under an hour which was a tad disappointing. Was super satisfied though that she ended with Kill v Maim 
<3
uncelestial
Member
You're gunning pretty hard, but honestly, the new album does sound like it's in the same ballpark as Chvrches. Which isn't bad per se, but calling the release of a broad, accessible pop album a "progression" is not as accurate as maybe a "shift" in the eyes of many. It's primarily a stylistic choice; if you removed the haze and upped the beat drops and fidelity of Visions, you'd probably find that there's a lot more change in the arenas of production and presentation than in terms of musical structures and ideas.
"The Bones of What You Believe" and "Art Angels" both got the exact same ratings on Pitchfork (8.5) and garnered many of the same descriptions. I don't get why a Grimes fan would be so high-handed towards Chvrches. Someone else will have to clue me in on why that makes sense.
For the record, I don't like either of them.
You're gunning pretty hard, but honestly, the new album does sound like it's in the same ballpark as Chvrches. Which isn't bad per se, but calling the release of a broad, accessible pop album a "progression" is not as accurate as maybe a "shift" in the eyes of many. It's primarily a stylistic choice; if you removed the haze and upped the beat drops and fidelity of Visions, you'd probably find that there's a lot more change in the arenas of production and presentation than in terms of musical structures and ideas.
"The Bones of What You Believe" and "Art Angels" both got the exact same ratings on Pitchfork (8.5) and garnered many of the same descriptions. I don't get why a Grimes fan would be so high-handed towards Chvrches. Someone else will have to clue me in on why that makes sense.
For the record, I don't like either of them.
Chvrches is just much more stale and generic than Grimes (at least Art Angels - earlier grimes had the same flaws). They are pleasant, and perfectly valid to enjoy, but they're unwilling to offend, which Art Angels is constantly happy to do. Really the only similarities is that there are female vocals, synths, and traditional pop song structures.
Jzero
Member
Her screams sound seriously surreal live. I hate screaming in music but hers are so different.
Still not as good as Visions.
Still not as good as Visions.
Internet Celebrity
Member
lol @ opinion shift in this thread after reviews
Let'e see some quotes from individual users to back that up.
uncelestial
Member
I guess I really don't hear what is even mildly "offensive" in Art Angels?
Internet Celebrity
Member
You are probably right, seems plausible that everyone who likes the new album only started posting here after reviews were out.
On that note, brilliant album. Surprised people aren't more excited about Pin.
Art Angels has the most identifiable and strongest personality of either artists' catalogue, and strong personality is always going to cause divisive reaction.
sixteen-bit
Member
Finally listened to this and I like it.
Gotta say that the first time I heard Scream I was like, "oh man I'm not so sure about this, I hope it's the outlier." and now I'm feeling pretty dumb about that. It's a jam.
People were lamenting how this album was Grimes gravitating towards mainstream pop, but honestly if mainstream pop sounded more like this (i.e. idiosyncratic and not so much like it was manufactured for mass appeal) I'd be more inclined to listen to it. I'm not that familiar with Chvrches catalog, but from the songs I've heard, I can say that if Grimes sounded like that I might agree with those lamentations I'd heard earlier.
No offense to Chvrches fans, but they sound pretty bland to me.
Yeah I don't know that anyone has had any big turn around in opinion because of review scores on this one.
People were lamenting how this album was Grimes gravitating towards mainstream pop, but honestly if mainstream pop sounded more like this (i.e. idiosyncratic and not so much like it was manufactured for mass appeal) I'd be more inclined to listen to it. I'm not that familiar with Chvrches catalog, but from the songs I've heard, I can say that if Grimes sounded like that I might agree with those lamentations I'd heard earlier.
No offense to Chvrches fans, but they sound pretty bland to me.
Yeah I don't know that anyone has had any big turn around in opinion because of review scores on this one.
I don't even pop GAF but churches and grimes comparison is....wow. Next we gonna have people in here saying she's on the same level as Purity Ring. Lmao get real. GRIMES is head and shoulders past churches. Churches are nice and all but they don't push any boundaries, and they z me. This album has me bopping right now.
Arthr2ShdsJcksn
Banned
I was really hoping janellegrimesphotography.com was nothing but pictures of JM and Grimes on vacation having fun together, but alas, it's just some lame two-bit photography studio.
http://janellegrimesphotography.com/galleries.html
Can somebody make what I want? I need to see more pictures of the two coolest chicks in music together. This is like when David Bowie and Freddy Mercury got together and wrote Under Pressure, except that this is important.
http://janellegrimesphotography.com/galleries.html
Can somebody make what I want? I need to see more pictures of the two coolest chicks in music together. This is like when David Bowie and Freddy Mercury got together and wrote Under Pressure, except that this is important.
LOL. No, I know there is someone who will argue any position on GAF but this would legit surprise me.
Will Butler reviews (or discusses) Art Angels:
http://thetalkhouse.com/music/talks/will-butler-arcade-fire-talks-grimes-art-angels/
http://thetalkhouse.com/music/talks/will-butler-arcade-fire-talks-grimes-art-angels/
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
I'm fairly easy to persuade re: music. Reviews (text, not scores) have pointed out things I wasn't noticing before and contextualised the musician and the scene for me.
I listen to lot, but I've been through this cycle too many times to dig my heels in the ground and claim originality of opinion. I tend to go with the P4-esque crowd fairly happily, with a few exceptions here and there. If I like something, a bad review is less likely to persuade me otherwise, if I don't like something, a good review can win me over. That's the case here. There don't really seem to be any downsides. I just get more music to listen to.
I think I'm not alone here, and I wish more people would just be open about this. I mediate this behaviour by not being aggressive about things I don't like unless I can articulate it cleanly, which with music is often extremely hard to do. I admire good reviews.
Looking forward to seeing Grimes in concert in Feb!
I listen to lot, but I've been through this cycle too many times to dig my heels in the ground and claim originality of opinion. I tend to go with the P4-esque crowd fairly happily, with a few exceptions here and there. If I like something, a bad review is less likely to persuade me otherwise, if I don't like something, a good review can win me over. That's the case here. There don't really seem to be any downsides. I just get more music to listen to.
I think I'm not alone here, and I wish more people would just be open about this. I mediate this behaviour by not being aggressive about things I don't like unless I can articulate it cleanly, which with music is often extremely hard to do. I admire good reviews.
Looking forward to seeing Grimes in concert in Feb!
mattiewheels
And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
That's a good way to describe the different personalities of the two albums. I personally really liked Visions because it reminded me of the contemplative analog synth work of Hans Joachim Roedelius (Cluster, Harmonia, Roedelius), but with a lot of energy and a really cool voice. The guy's stuff is so unique and warm, you should hear it. Definitely don't feel that as much with the new one, so it's not entirely up my alley but I still hear the idiosyncrasies and stuff that made me like her in the new songs.
man that is some P4K Kid A review level cringe
Found a decent upload of Venus Fly (live) from last night.
She's playing Boston next Friday. Went to buy tickets today. All sold out, except for people price gouging $25 tickets for hundreds.
Feels bad man
that sucks, I thinks she said she's gonna do a full US tour next year thoughuncelestial
Member
I do have to agree that Grimes has a lot more "flavor" than Chvrches. I've never been a fan of Chvrches, and like you guys always found them really generic. But I also felt like a lot of what made Grimes' recordings more idiosyncratic was her recording it herself, not some sort of artistic aspiration -- in otherwords, if she could greater emulate glossy, high-production pop, she absolutely would. Her new album shows her skills to that end have certainly grown. I mean it's actually quite impressive how close she can get to something that was put together by a team of lackeys for pop stars that are backed by huge labels. I have a reflexive aversion to overly sweet pop but I do really respect that she is capable of doing it all herself. Will have to give Art Angels a serious listen, but I was never all that enamored with the older, quirkier recordings so I'm probably not going to go for a glossier version of that music.
Her doing it herself is absolutely the the reason it sounds like it does, but I don't think think it's because she is less capable than a team assembled by a huge label. What I'm saying is that the difference between Grimes and Taylor Swift (or any other mainstream pop act) is a bit more nuanced than you're making it out to be, and maybe it's because of your aforementioned aversion to overly sweet pop. It's like some people cannot stand hip-hop or country music, so when they hear even great examples of it they can't get past that prejudice. I've been there.
No. It's one or another.
Hope so.
I should've jumped on the tickets earlier, but it took like a week to convince my girlfriend to go. :lol
Phone Sex and Kill v. Maim got her on board
Rollo Tomasi
Member
Going to see Ms. Boucher tonight in DC at 9:30 Club. Hype levels rising!!!!!!!!
Monocle
Member
Wat no that's not allowed. If you like Grimes, you have to say Chvrches suxxxxxxx.
teruterubozu
Member
the truth?
teruterubozu
Member
Ah objectivity in music, good luck with that.
radios shipping overview
Member
I think at this point I appreciate Grimes for who she is and what she represents more than i like her music. The album sounds produced for laptop speakers, and that makes it almost painful for me to listen to. It's just so thin. I've heard ultra-glossy pop that at least uses a full frequency range.
I like most of the songs from Pin onward, but I can't stand to listen to anything before that for long enough to appreciate the lyrics. She's obviously carried off what she intended to do with the album, and I respect her for that. 'Visions' created a world that felt a bit hermetic and fragile, and it very often felt like home for me. 'Art Angels' is obviously not made for someone with my preferences or biases, and that's fine.
I still really, really like Realiti.
I like most of the songs from Pin onward, but I can't stand to listen to anything before that for long enough to appreciate the lyrics. She's obviously carried off what she intended to do with the album, and I respect her for that. 'Visions' created a world that felt a bit hermetic and fragile, and it very often felt like home for me. 'Art Angels' is obviously not made for someone with my preferences or biases, and that's fine.
I still really, really like Realiti.
if we were discussing music and not a lump of hot trash, youd have a point
not sure what you're talking about.
I heard this at Fun Fun Fun Fest before actually hearing the new album and it was pretty fucking great.I don't get what's so good about Kill V Maim. I want to, but...
Once I got back to work on Tuesday, I finally listened to the new album. It's different. Very different. I still liked it, but there's definitely an adjustment period that is necessary.
They both played at FFFF. Chvrches as a headliner on Friday, Grimes as a subheadliner on Saturday. I definitely like Chvrches more, by a wide margin, but Grimes is very good as well and I was excited to see her. I thought her performance at ACL last year (or the year before that? Can't recall) was better than her show on Saturday which felt a little bit uninspired at times. But she kicked into high gear towards the end with Kill v Maim (which I had not yet heard before she played it) being particularly great live. She called it her favorite song on the new record.
Rollo Tomasi
Member
AND the concert has been postponed due to "illness". I hope she's okay.
Actually it's definitely meant for headphones. The production is so layered (as is all Grimes songs) that it can be hard to pick up on the vocals when using speakers because of the bass.
D
Deleted member 17706
Unconfirmed Member
Just discovered this today. Got up to Flesh without blood and played it on repeat no fewer than 20 times immediately afterward. Love this song. Decided to try to listen to the rest of the album and now I'm really enjoying Kill V. Maim.
Going to have to check out some of her other stuff after this.
Going to have to check out some of her other stuff after this.
mattiewheels
And then the LORD David Bowie saith to his Son, Jonny Depp: 'Go, and spread my image amongst the cosmos. For every living thing is in anguish and only the LIGHT shall give them reprieve.'
Man, World Princess sounds so cool. It kinda wears out its welcome and gets repetitive, but it has this immense sound. Really love the way she produces.
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