Troy, you NEVER stop surprising me with your reviews... I mean, whether I agree with it or not, it's written in such a majestic way that I already know if I'm gonna like it or not... And, Imma be honest, and say: Looks like I'm gonna enjoy this
Damn, it's gonna be hard to wait until I get the physical copy of the album, I love every Alcest album (but I never got into Le Secret, it's just not my thing...), and I'm addicted to Autre Temps, probably because of the dreamy, relaxing atmosphere (and yep, I don't mind the direction he's taking, as long as it's beatiful, calm and "whimsical" like this:P
Congratulations Troy, great review^^

Written by [user id=39762] on 05.01.2012 at 12:05
Originality = 7.

I think what spawned that rating was that the music changed from previous efforts. I know it's not really enough on its own to be worth a 7... especially since, like you said, the sound isn't exactly newly invented.

I don't listen to enough dream pop or shoegaze to judge this according to how those genres sound though. :/

Written by X-Ray Rod on 05.01.2012 at 13:26
I'm probably just kind of sad that one of my favorite bands is slowly getting meh so it's hard to think about it.

Same. At first I was like... please let Joe be wrong, it's not gay, it's awesome, it's Neige, it's gonna be like a 9/10.

Then I started with 8.5. Then 8. Then 7.5. Then 7.5 and it stayed there throughout the course of a handful of listens, and I thought... all righty then. That... is a lot lower than I wanted to give this, but it is what it is.

This is why we can't have nice things.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:10
This is why we can't have nice things.

*Hugs*
We'll have our Lune back someday, I promise.

Written by Merchant of Doom on 05.01.2012 at 13:37
I quite enjoyed it... nice, relaxing, background music... I can even put it on when granny visits...

Who else did a double-take when reading this?

I think it's safe to say any non-metal fan or fan of relaxing music in general could find this interesting. It's not bad... but it's definitely not something to look for when you want even an ounce of aggression.

Written by pisymbol on 05.01.2012 at 14:45
tl;dr

You can listen to an album in one day and write about it too.

In fact, if we deleted all the guest reviews that we receive that look like the album was only listened to once, I'm sure this site would have half the amount of reviews it does.

I'm sorry you don't believe I can digest music as simple as this in a day.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:11
but it's definitely not something to look for when you want even an ounce of aggression.

Wait so you judged this album by the lack of agression?

Written by [user id=20536] on 05.01.2012 at 14:52
Nice review, but cramming all of your listens into one day? I don't know if I would continue that reviewing practice. It will make for mostly negative or slightly critical reviews. It's like eating something so much you get sick of it.

I've been doing it for years.

/ true story, haters gonna hate

Written by Boxcar Willy on 05.01.2012 at 16:30
Typo on fairies in the 3rd paragraph

Actually faerie is the archaic spelling of what we know write as fairy.

(The more you know.)

Written by Paz on 05.01.2012 at 17:12
Nice review as always and so quickly!

Thank you kind sir, and indeed the Alcest fans who are just happy with a new Alcest record will undoubtedly enjoy this.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:19

Written by Boxcar Willy on 05.01.2012 at 16:30
Typo on fairies in the 3rd paragraph

Actually faerie is the archaic spelling of what we know write as fairy.

(The more you know.)

*now

Written by pisymbol on 05.01.2012 at 17:21
Flame away....

Apparently you kept going with this so...

Tell you what bor, I'll give it a "proper" listen again and come back in a week or two to let you know how my opinion hasn't changed.

Written by Boxcar Willy on 05.01.2012 at 20:21
*now

Fuck. That's what I get for trying to look smart.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:14

Written by pisymbol on 05.01.2012 at 14:45
tl;dr

In fact, if we deleted all the guest reviews that we receive that look like the album was only listened to once I'm sure this site would have half the amount of reviews it does

DON'T DO IT!!!!

Written by FrozenJoy on 05.01.2012 at 19:46
Troy, you NEVER stop surprising me with your reviews... I mean, whether I agree with it or not, it's written in such a majestic way that I already know if I'm gonna like it or not... Congratulations Troy, great review^^

And you know what, that's the exact thing a reviewer loves to hear. I don't care if we have the same taste in music, if you disagree with my rating, or even if you hate the speed with which I review...

What I like is when people read the review and take away an expectation as a result of what they read. Almost makes me feel like I'm a good writer or something.

The Voyage of the Lame

Written by X-Ray Rod on 05.01.2012 at 20:16
Wait so you judged this album by the lack of agression?

Not at all, no. I can just understand if people are looking for aggression... they won't be happy to find themselves listening to something like this.

Heard it once, this morning.

Sounded like disappointment.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:43

Written by X-Ray Rod on 05.01.2012 at 20:16
Wait so you judged this album by the lack of agression?

Not at all, no. I can just understand if people are looking for aggression... they won't be happy to find themselves listening to something like this.

I know that Troyboy, it was a joke

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:22

Written by pisymbol on 05.01.2012 at 17:21
Flame away....

Apparently you kept going with this so...

Tell you what bor, I'll give it a "proper" listen again and come back in a week or two to let you know how my opinion hasn't changed.

I kept on going with what?

Actually now that you mentioned it, please, I insist. Post here your "after-review." Can't hurt right?

Um, a question just spawned out of my mind... "There are no bursting effects within these songs because there is no substance. Unfortunately what the world is left with is but a hollow tone, pretty on the outside... and completely empty within its sparkling shell."
And you gave the album a 7.5 rating? I mean, it's kinda high for an album without any type of substance, and "hollow inside"... Do I sense a good rating anyways, as a result of the pain you'd feel if you gave it a lower rating? Specially if you liked Lune so much

Written by FrozenJoy on 05.01.2012 at 21:54
And you gave the album a 7.5 rating?

As stated in the concluding paragraph, it's still a beautiful album, typical of something with Neige involved, and it still has the ability to take you to another world.

The problem was that it didn't feel as encompassing as on the Lune.

Written by pisymbol on 05.01.2012 at 21:16

Actually now that you mentioned it, please, I insist. Post here your "after-review." Can't hurt right?

actually it can hurt.

i've found more albums sound great the first couple listens and eventually the shiny veneer wears off leaving an album i enjoy significantly less.

there are few cases where it works in reverse, where repeated listens (in a short time frame, say a week or month) "unlock" an album... but those albums are also relatively evident the first time through. you listen once and realize it's a bit more complicated and will take some time.

i haven't heard this yet, but i have heard/own their prior efforts and cannot imagine the new Alcest being something that requires a listen a day for two weeks to appreciate.

if anything, pounding out a review quickly is more apt to lend to a positive score.

in the past i've done it from time to time and Baroness "Blue Record" remains the only album i rush reviewed that i still think merits the mark i gave it. others i'd dock between a half to full point.

furthermore if you are regular reviewer (Troy, Doc, myself) it gets more complicated. I did about 55 new and legit reviews last year, joke review of Troy's April 1 band, and a review of Suicidal Tendencies self-titled album, a favorite of mine for decades, aside. 55 releases completely new to me.

a conservative estimate is i gave each disk six spins over a couple days (most were probably double that), each disk an average 50 minutes ... that is, conservatively, 275 hours (or over 11 complete days) just listening to music for reviews. realistically it's probably closer to 400 hours for me, once again, before the actual writing/proofing/editing time gets factored in. tack another 100 hours on for that. 500 hours is 10 hours a week... or damn near 3 full weeks out of 52. for a volunteer gig... on top of my real life and (very real) job.

just think on that for a minute.

in addition to that, there is only limited time for listening to music... meaning all those hours (many spent on stuff i am obligated to listen to rather than want to listen to) gobble up your free time. i did 25-30 reviews in each 2009 and 2010 before stepping my game up this year. as a result, in order to be remotely useful for the MS Award nomination process i pretty much took the month of December off for review purposes and spent a month catching up on all the shit i missed because i was so focused on reviews.

i guess it's easy to listen to something once a day for three weeks if you kick in a review a month. the more reviews on your plate (and my "plate" is an all-you-can-eat buffet), the more complicated this becomes.

and, finally, i have to wonder about the people questioning Troy. when doing book reports in school, did you read the book just once and write your report? or did you read it six to eight times spread out over multiple dates to fully digest Huck Finn (or whatever) before drafting your thesis? do you watch movies 5-6 times before formulating an opinion that you would be willing to share with friends, or do you only need to see something once before feeling competent in telling your friends "it sucks/it's worth seeing?"


in the effort of expanding our guest reviews and in sharing the experience itself, i'd like to encourage anyone critical of the approach to do the following:

go to your local cd store and pick out some random disk by a metal band with which you are unfamiliar. go home. write a review on this. now does this weekly for the next three months... six months... 12 months. i insist. and write a review of your thoughts after going through this process...

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 21:58

Written by FrozenJoy on 05.01.2012 at 21:54
And you gave the album a 7.5 rating?

As stated in the concluding paragraph, it's still a beautiful album, typical of something with Neige involved, and it still has the ability to take you to another world.

The problem was that it didn't feel as encompassing as on the Lune.

Well yeah, I guess that's the main reason I love Alcest so much (I wouldn't ask anything else from Alcest...) Sorry for the silly question, I think the problem is that I desperately don't want to check it out and find out that Neige is going meh, so I'm trying so assure myself that the album's gonna be great... I liked his albums so much, I won't stand a hollow album

Written by FrozenJoy on 05.01.2012 at 22:49
I liked his albums so much, I won't stand a hollow album

To be honest I think your best bet will be to go in without any expectations, and don't look for a follow-up to the Lune so much as a far less extreme version of the Lune. It's very "light" and "fluffy".

I like a good dose of light and fluffy music sometimes, who knows... Ok, I'll go that way if you think that's the best idea, after all, you're the one who's already listened to it, thanks man

I'm covering this one myself and you scored it about where I'm going to, Troy. Nice review.

Written by Konrad on 05.01.2012 at 23:14
I'm covering this one myself and you scored it about where I'm going to, Troy. Nice review.

Thanks. I didn't realize the shitstorm that would follow but what're you gonna do.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 23:16
Thanks. I didn't realize the shitstorm that would follow but what're you gonna do.

Meh, could have been way worse, this is nothing but a breeze compared to other dramas I've seen in the forum.

Written by Troy Killjoy on 05.01.2012 at 20:17

I've been doing it for years.

/ true story, haters gonna ha

Haha, nice use of an image under the updated policy.