Best Ever Albums

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

KitchenSink — Sat, 29 May 2021 19:34:26 GMT

Author: KitchenSink

Posted: 05/29/2021 23:34

craola wrote:

kind of a mixed bag for me. it's ok, but there's not enough meat on the bones for me. it's a fun, proto-typical indie rock album. to that effect, it works well enough. but i thought some of the songs suffered from being a bit too full, particularly the earlier songs on the record, and despite some pretty sounds from the keyboard and cool guitar riffs throughout, the songwriting never drew me in, and (especially on the first couple tracks) it's loud/noisy/over-normalized. my ears were pretty tired by the time i got to what i thought were some of the better tracks (in the middle of the record). in the more dynamic moments, i quite liked what they had going. no stranger to life and candlelight are quite lovely. and in general, i think the record showcases some buttery-sweet guitar tones, plus the keyboard really shines at times. but i can't help feeling that if they could've dialed everything back a bit, i would've enjoyed this a lot more.

more or less my thoughts as well. intermittently good (if not very good or great) but far too much chaff in the way of the wheat. frustrating because I feel like there's a much better album buried in here somewhere, like if just a few pieces were moved around and a new mix was delivered it could be mmm *chef's kiss*, but as it is now it kind of mostly just blends together or sounds like stuff I've heard a million times before. that said, enough here did make me briefly go "hmm" that another listen or two might be in order....

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

craola — Mon, 29 Mar 2021 17:45:10 GMT

Author: craola

Posted: 03/29/2021 21:45

kind of a mixed bag for me. it's ok, but there's not enough meat on the bones for me. it's a fun, proto-typical indie rock album. to that effect, it works well enough. but i thought some of the songs suffered from being a bit too full, particularly the earlier songs on the record, and despite some pretty sounds from the keyboard and cool guitar riffs throughout, the songwriting never drew me in, and (especially on the first couple tracks) it's loud/noisy/over-normalized. my ears were pretty tired by the time i got to what i thought were some of the better tracks (in the middle of the record). in the more dynamic moments, i quite liked what they had going. no stranger to life and candlelight are quite lovely. and in general, i think the record showcases some buttery-sweet guitar tones, plus the keyboard really shines at times. but i can't help feeling that if they could've dialed everything back a bit, i would've enjoyed this a lot more.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Hayden — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 19:31:32 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/28/2021 23:31

RoundTheBend wrote:

This was good.

I'm too lazy to add anything else.

But it's on my chart now.

Good stuff.

It's been quite the year for both rock and those living down under.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

RoundTheBend — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 22:48:53 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/28/2021 02:48

This was good.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

musicoed — Sat, 27 Mar 2021 16:37:47 GMT

Author: musicoed

Posted: 03/27/2021 20:37

.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Mercury — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 16:21:27 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 03/25/2021 20:21

Listened a few times. Okay, 2.5 times. And I didn't like it. I liked the music, or at least I found all the elements fine in and of themselves. Outside of the songwriting which I felt was pretty bland, the elements here were fine. The general sound, though, feels like a standard Indie Pop/Rock sound. Nothing captured or moved me.

Not sure what is happening to me, but almost every Indie Rock album I've heard this year has underwhelmed me. I hope to have something rekindle my interest in the genre. For now though I can't say I have much to say about this.

Okay, I thought the production, especially the way the drums sound, is pretty good to great.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

kokkinos — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 07:00:29 GMT

Author: kokkinos

Posted: 03/25/2021 11:00

I repeat this in pretty much every nomination, but what I like the most about this club is that the majority of the picks so far have been albums I would never consider lisetning by myself, which makes the experience so much better. Lots of fun with this one, it almost makes you wish it was summertime, so that you can endlessly fool around without a single care in the world. As the album progresses, it takes some twists and turns, can't tell how I'm feeling about them, at some points I was close to losing focus, I guess a re-listen is necessary in order to be able to properly assess them. Towards the end it picks up the pace again and goes out on a high note. Also, it continues the theme of the previous week, placing entertainment and enjoyability above all other factors- even though they use different means to achieve it, both albums served their purpose to a more than adequate degree - giving me food of thought in view of next week, not sure if I 'm gonna keep the pattern going or not.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Keatownrodriguez — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 17:13:45 GMT

Author: Keatownrodriguez

Posted: 03/23/2021 21:13

There's been a few records this year that've given me the same feel as this one, most notably that hospitable bracelet record, but this is probably my favorite of this type of sound so far this year. The vocal mix is pretty appealing to me and overall it feels like it knows what it's trying to accomplish and does it pretty well.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

LedZep — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 19:26:29 GMT

Author: LedZep

Posted: 03/22/2021 23:26

Yeah this is very derivative but see if I care. It's sunny indie pop. And I love that post-punk edge, makes things a lot more interesting. Athens was a great track. Honestly I've enjoyed this a lot more than I should've cause it's not really my favourite genre. I like indie pop but I'm always the first one to criticize the lack of inventiveness in the genre in the last decade or so. This one fit the mould and yet it's so much fun. Good pick Repo!

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

EyeKanFly — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:05:39 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 03/22/2021 17:05

Repo wrote:

EyeKanFly wrote:

Repo wrote:

Sounds like: Kiwi Indie poppers
Location: Australia

Wait so are they from Australia or New Zealand (or both?)? Either way, your description gets me excited. Going to the top of the queue

Australians who sound like kiwis! lol I worship Kiwi Rock from the 80s - early 90s.

Gotcha, makes sense! Just finished listening, nothing that blew me away but it was definitely a solid album. Similar feel to The Beths who are (IMO) one of New Zealand's best acts right now.

This is the 8th one of these so far? I'll probably put this somewhere in the top half of ALC picks. Close call with last week's album.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Repo — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:12:53 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 03/22/2021 13:12

EyeKanFly wrote:

Repo wrote:

Sounds like: Kiwi Indie poppers
Location: Australia

Wait so are they from Australia or New Zealand (or both?)? Either way, your description gets me excited. Going to the top of the queue

Australians who sound like kiwis! lol I worship Kiwi Rock from the 80s - early 90s.

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

EyeKanFly — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 08:39:24 GMT

Author: EyeKanFly

Posted: 03/22/2021 12:39

Repo wrote:

Sounds like: Kiwi Indie poppers
Location: Australia

Wait so are they from Australia or New Zealand (or both?)? Either way, your description gets me excited. Going to the top of the queue

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Applerill — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 01:46:21 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 03/22/2021 05:46

Ooh, this is soooooo bright and summery <3

Definitely one of my favorites of the year so far

Re: ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Hayden — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 22:47:52 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 03/22/2021 02:47

Repo wrote:

Sounds like: Kiwi Indie poppers binging on Millions Now Living era Tortoise, The Sea & Cake and Teenage Fanclub

In the queue 😄

Haven't seen this one around yet.

ALC #8: Pacific Kiss

Repo — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 22:16:56 GMT

Author: Repo

Posted: 03/22/2021 02:16

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Pacific Kiss by Rat Columns

Sounds like: Kiwi Indie poppers binging on Millions Now Living era Tortoise, The Sea & Cake and Teenage Fanclub
Genre: Indie Rock
Location: Australia
Release Date: February 12, 2021

Was going to go with this great black metal album by Hulder or some killer Drone Metal by Divide & Dissolve, but then I heard this and it was a pretty easy choice. Just some great Indie Rock which reminds me most of mid-90s Sea & Cake without sounding derivative.

I'm not going to be around tomorrow since I have stuff with my kids so decided to launch this thread tonight. Hope you like it!