it really makes me happy to see you sharing such embarrassing, troubling memories - the vulnerability resonates. to live is to look back and wish you would've lived differently, and there are so many times in my life i already feel the same way about. i think the role of an artist is inherently tragedian, and you bring a measured brilliance to the review medium that certainly elevates it to art. avaa!
Within the context of the manosphere, we need more men like you to model healthy masculinity. Articulate, witty, in the know, authentic, with great taste in art and plenty of knowledge to discuss it in depth. I want to be you when I grow up (Im 24) AVAA
AVAA I'm not exaggerating when I say that this might be the best channel in all of the music sphere of youtube rn. Your takes are genuenly impressive and insightful, and even though it's 1 hour and 23 minutes, I was never ever bored while listening to it. Your way of presenting your arguments are really engaging and and masterfully crafted. Since now I'm an official fan, this channel is pure gold.
Haven’t finished the review quite yet but closing the album on that Frank Sinatra cover is absolutely perfect. Goes into the category of covers that don’t change the lyrics but still manage to bring a whole new meaning given the context of the album it’s on. Where the original is this beautiful kind of ode to a lover, Geordie’s version is like a quite whimper given everything that came before it. Such an incredible album from front to back and an amazing debut album from the Greep man himself
AVAA - This album is relatable in the most uncomfortable way but the joy of the music makes it somehow so easy and pleasurable to listen to. Thank you for sharing your experiences too. Very insightful as always!
I am here to play my role as a Brazilian internet user and just say that in "as if waltz" i see a huge influence from a big 90s band here called Legião Urbana, the main singer Renato Russo also liked talking about male pathetics and they have exactly this groovy sound kind of new wave, mainly the song "Indios" wich is about colonization and it has the same drumming as in the Greep song
AVAA . Saw Greep perform in NY and it was an incredible performance. I kept laughing out of delight. Then at the end he hit us with the fact that he only met his backing band 3 days earlier for this show. Amazing stuff.
AVAA I'm a huge Zappa fan and i hear his music SO much in this album. Not just the lyrics and themes. Getting right to the edge of "cheesy", the guitar tones, the crazy guitar riffs and so much vibraphone!
It's been a while since I felt the urge to listen to a new album over and over like I have with this one. Thanks so much for all the insight on why I may be connecting to it so intensely, besides the music itself being so well done.
Here I thought your proustian Blonde analysis would be my favourite video of yours for a long, long time, and then you go ahead and drop this masterclass a month and a half later. Your work is dearly appreciated, professor (as well as your great honesty and courage to tell your stories). Avaa
AVAA! I can relate a lot to what you're saying and your analysis of this album. I just turned 21, was born male (I transitioned to being nonbinary as a teenager), but was very confused about how I felt about women and how to treat them for a long time. All this is to say that I am the prime demographic for Andrew Tate type manosphere weirdos to try and prey on. I started going down the path of being radicalized by the internet as a teenager, but between figuring out more about myself and my identity and my feelings towards people I wanted to forge relationships with, I narrowly avoided going down the alt-right rabbit-hole. That said, my confusion towards relationships persisted and I spent a lot of time being pretty openly shitty towards people I liked; I still had the mindset of a hyper-masculinized person who wanted to prove their worth through being strong and tough and outwardly impressive. Took me until the end of my first semester of college (so very recently, in the grand scheme of things) to finally kick it, I think. This album felt like it was written about me when I listened to it. I *do* write sonnets in the park and try to impress people with my intellect like the protagonist of Blues (much to my own internal dismay, I hate that part of myself), I *did* consider resorting to sex work to find someone who I didn't have to fight to win over, I *do* feel a little powerless when it comes to my interpersonal relationships. The listening experience, for me like many others probably, culminated as The Magician was playing and I cried my fucking eyes out. I have never hired a sex worker, but I have been in relationships with people who didn't care about me as much as I cared about them, who I didn't understand but I wanted to and I simultaneously wanted to learn more about them but also be distant from and resent them silently for it. The Magician was *so* moving to me, that even though I liked every song on this album, The Magician cemented it as a 10/10 and my AOTY. It's not even my favorite song, that goes to Terra, but it's the most powerful for me.
@sandenson it's a very common struggle, i think. the incel/redpill movement wouldn't be nearly as big as it is if this weren't something that so many people dealt with. if you ever want to talk or need advice or anything, i can give my discord or smthn
the way you talk about music and connect all these historical and thematic motifs is so fantastic. keep it up! I quite enjoyed this album, and how utterly hectic and chaotic the vibe of the music was; it fits quite well with these exaggerated yet real, desperate and pathetic characters whose thoughts just well out in the form of Geordie's manic singing style on this record. I think his critique of toxic masculinity, male ego and self-absorbedness is really effective here...
Finally finished this video and I don’t think I have the vocabulary nor the intelligence to capture how much I admired and appreciated this entire video. The attention to detail, the historical references, the vulnerability, the research and the interweaving of quotes in such a poetic way throughout the video was quite astounding, to say the least. I’ve seen many videos of yours before but this is easily my favourite from you and my favourite video of the year. Mainly because at its core you were able to capture everything that I felt about this album in such an apt way, particularly when you talked about how the narrative is simultaneously horrifying and relatable. Thank you once again, and congratulations
In his Brat review he went into how he's privileged to have such a massive cultural capital, and that he's committed to share it as an act of gratitude and duty, more or less, and I'm glad for it. He provides lots of interesting stuff to listen, watch and read.
AVAA. Interestingly, Greep did an interview on NTS a couple weeks ago where he was asked about his feelings towards Frank Zappa, to which (apologies I can’t remember the exact phrasing) he said he’s much more interested in Zappa’s instrumentation and music than he is in his lyrics, which I think aligns pretty well with some of your points in this video. Very interesting!
Interesting. That is super evident in the music I think. His lyrics are maybe as weird as Zappa but not of the same style. But the music is very influence by Zappa obviously.
Really cool analysis - as a young woman who is a huge fan of greep, crumb, zappa, and more artists that you mention in this video, I think there's a lot to be said about channeling one's "pervy," desires through mediums like music and visual arts that obscure the line between art and artist. A line that has become evermore so blurred with internet and fan culture, which demands artists and fans alike to adhere to a set of social rules and stereotypes (i.e. if you listen to geordie greep you're a misogynistic incel)
AVAA, your analysis and personal stories from the beginning of the video til 41:00 were rly haunting yet also touching. as a male that grew up in the digital age, not consumed by the manosphere but has once dealt with incel-like thoughts and behaviors this album was also a very uncomfortable yet beautiful and relatable listen. (like you mentioned in the video) i hope that this album speaks to young men who are struggling with those sort of behaviors and i hope that from this listen, those young men can choose to make different decisions regarding how they view women and sex. thank you for this video. this was one of your best. cheers!
AVAA I just love how natural your videos feel, kind of like speaking to a friend about music we both love. So refreshing in the current music commentary scene here on youtube where almost everyone feels so scripted and formulaic, and yet your takes are so deep interesting and personal! I love this album so much, and have listened to it many times since it came out and yet I gained so much new information and new perspectives on the themes and context of the album, thank you so much for that!!
Such a great commentary, only 30 minutes in but as a young man myself I was so completely unaware my peers around me had these feelings, I'm glad you're sharing about it. Love the album too, in my opinion, the best song is the last one in which he laments his experience saying it was "but a dream"
AVAA Prof! Some New Sound trivia in case you didn't know - Seth Evans or 'Shank' was the touring keyboard player for Black Midi. Also, 'Walk on' and 'The Magician' were Black Midi songs, the former being written (and toured) in the Hellfire Era, known to fans as 'Lumps' and the latter being performed most recently until the band parted ways. Also thankyou for addressing the Manosphere from a bird's eye - it's absolutely needed at this time, and as you say criticising it is often created with supporting it, to paraphrase.
AVAA Never been so engaged on an album review/analysis before. You mentioned some stuff that I never in a million years would have picked up on lol. Thank you for sharing those stories with how vulnerable they must have been it brought so much to the analysis
AVAA, really love getting an understanding for this album for myself, clicking here, seeing you got similar from it, and hearing you connect it to not only other music but artworks and artists in general as well. The full sphere of expression, I think it's really important, it's about what we communicate, whether it be emotions, a message, etc. no matter the medium. I tend to do the same with what I see, but my scope of the artistic sphere is limited to the length of time I've had on this earth, and the things outside of that (and to a degree inside for sure) that I've been revealed to. Relate to it in ways with the life I've lived that I can to understand and empathize. Thank you for providing your thoughts here for free, seriously.
Funny to note here too, I was first introduced to wrestling with these concepts of masculinity (and in the about to be mentioned albums case, gender) through Dorian Electra's Flamboyant. Still have a deep love for that album, but after I've realized this theme and it's relation to incel culture, as you said as well manosphere culture, masculinity, and beyond, it's so fun and interesting seeing all of these different portrayals of being honest with these types of subjects without judgement, but with further expression to understand where it comes from. love it.
AVAA! Loved this review, I don’t really have anything insightful to add. You really put into words how that “yearning” feeling feeds into all of this stuff, not just in the album, but other art and history too. Thanks for a very fun 1 hour +!
Without exaggeration, this is one of the best reviews i've seen for any album. You really dove deep into thoughts and feelings behind it, connecting them with your own life experiences. I don't wanna name names but so many of the big music publications have this lowkey smug and snarky attitude in their writing. On the other hand, the more amateur independent reviewers tend to show a limited understanding of lyricism and music and it ends up feeling kind of lacking. This review felt like you got a perfect grasp on the album but without being pedantic about it.
I really appreciate this review and the analysis of this album. I watched the entire thing and immediately went back and listen to this album. It really enhacned my understanding of the music.
Greep is an arteur! This album was an experience! It didn’t click at first, but soon enough all the pieces fell into place. The Magician (as cliché as this is) is truly a magical song. The tension and release is perfect…
AVAA - This album feels very relatable, I work in the trades in the US and listen to a lot of "men's men" talk and a lot of the characters on here feel like how those guys talk during work. Love the personal reflection you share as well.
AVAA Wound up listening to this without foreknowledge of Black Midi, as it kept cropping up on my tiktok feed and intrigued me enough to give it a listen. Definitely one of my favorite albums this year. It's eerie to hear manosphere pap and realize that if your life had taken a few more wrong turns, *you* could have very easily been agreeing with that stuff (or worse!) I think "Romantic Pining for something you believe will always be out of reach" is probably how a good deal of those guys start that doomed journey. I think Greep's stance of "Disgust, Ridicule, Empathy" is a natural one when faced with these types, and masterfully executed. Looking forward to giving My Song a listen to get some more sonic context. Also, idk if anybody else caught it, but the split second Jordan Peterson impression got a hearty laugh from me!
I have a 9 month old and I know the feeling of checking that monitor all the time lol. First video of yours I’ve seen and you are a great content creator
AAVA The little piano/sax riff 2:35 into “the journey home” on my song is one of the most tenderly beautiful yet simple things in jazz to me. Would really reccomend “the survivors suite” with the american quartet, his magnum opus imo. Great vid skye!!
what a great review. it has everything a review needs: context, information and sources, quotes, social analysis and personal anecdotes. impeccable. greetins from argentina :)
AVAA stellar analysis as always. If you’re like me and have been wondering what Morgan’s been up to post black-midi breakup he’s actually heavily featured on the recently released Finn Carter project ‘Hymn for my dad’ along with Kaidi Akinnibi (who’s name some may recognise from BMs Cavalcade period) on Saxaphone. Very emotive jazz record with Morgan drumming on every track and personally one my favourites of the year.
Wow, this is a particularly terrific review. You are genuinely amazing at articulating your thoughts and putting the feelings of music into words. AVAA
the ways in which your education and profession shape your style of analysis are so incredibly unique and insightful. i'm glad you came away just as pleased and intrigued by this brilliant album as i did
AVAA, this album took me aback in so many ways, with lyrics and instrumentation and production, so to see you articulate it all was very satisfying, and the personal stories aswell. man i really appreciate pure honesty even if it is uncomfortable to look back on, it provides so much to breaking this album down, so thank you prof. !
What a rollercoaster of a video. Would love anyone who can talk for over an hour on an album I like, and I think you’re giving the right impression of it. P.S. your balcony is screaming out for a golf hole.
Loved the review! Big respect for opening up about your past and the amount of selfreflection you have clearly done! I found your channel through the holy holy review and just like the new sound album, this was a great follow up!
this is probably the best music review I've eveer seen in my life, the fact that this isn't your full time job is crazy to me because it seems like you spend so much time making these awesome reviews. I imagine you must be a great proffesor because these videos about someething that you probably wouldn't consider yourself an edpert of are very entertaing and insightful. I loved this album before I watched this, but this review made me love it even more which is what every critic should aim to do. One of the best and most personal things I've seen, and it's just as excellent as the record itself (which has recently became one of my favorites ever)
one of my songs was recently added to warp records weekly playlist, with geordie greep also in there XDDD felt like a movie. i cant wait to crack open the album
AVAA, I absolutely loved this album, listened to it with some friends that we all listen to albums all the time, and unfortunately they couldn’t see through the lyrics and hated it 😭. I’ve also been recovering from bronchitis too lol, hope you feel better soon!!!!
AVAA fantastic video, incredible analysis. I think the strength of this album, as you pointed out, is the fact that we can look at these characters and laugh, feel disgusted, feel sympathetic, but also relate to and understand them ourselves. Like you said, these sorts of feelings of inadequacy and the need to be with women are so enforced by patriarchal structures in society that it's hard not to feel those sorts of things.
Absolutely AVAA, a complex and thorough analysis of one of this year's best records. Quite a rewarding experience to see most of my feelings about the album be put into words, the confirmation bias is real
Amazing review! Glad to see fellow Rochesterian making spreading love for music! I would also very much love to have the instrumental version of this album, the only song I think would be better with vocals would probably be the Magician. I mean his vocal performance is so damn powerful on that track! AVAA!!!
AVAA, I actually saw Cameron Picton live earlier this year in Boston! He did a small 4-5 song set before BC,NR played. He had a CD for sale there (tiltled "Camera Pictures") that just went up on bandcamp less than 2 weeks ago. I definitely need to give this album a couple more listens, and I absolutely need to hear black midi's albums and that Keith Jarrett as well.
new viewer here, this was a great watch. Love your anecdotes and insight as well as your very clear passion for art and the work being discussed. Never felt bored! i haven’t even heard the record yet.
This came up on my feed and saw the runtime thinking - there's no way I am watching some dude talk about Geordie Greep for 90 minutes... yet here I am 90 minutes later. Great stuff, I came across Keith Jarrett because my dad would play his Koln Concert on CD when I was 12 or 13 and it really struck me.
AVAA skye you do too much! This a great analysis and understanding of what Greep is saying over these obtuse tunes. I really wish I was really into French and you were my professor.
Great video, I loved the connections Robert Crumb and Taxi Driver. I find it very fascinating with these incel esque characters and incel culture as a whole. Also love all the film references you make.
I believe you’ve mentioned the Pynchon-esque qualities of Greep’s writing in Hellfire. To me, Through A War could almost literally be from the perspective of Blicero during his colonization and cohabitation with Katje and Gottfried.
AVAA and get well soon. I discovered your channel in 2022 through your hellfire review - since The New Sound came out I've been anticipating this video so thank u!!!
AVAA! as soon I heard the release I wanted to know your opinion on matter of this album. thanks! this album resonates with me in a lot of levels - from lyrics to influences I share with Geordie.
Amazing video as always, doc. Hope your cough gets better soon. I love how your videos feel like engaging college lectures, and the way you transition from one point to another is so engaging. Keep doing what you do
AVAA - You’ve sent me down more rabbit holes than I can count. I will consume many opinions on this album, but I assume I won’t hear much about Keith Jarrett. Or Robert Crumb. Or Frank Zappa and so on. Thank you for always providing an intelligent and unique lens to understand great music through, as well as opening doors to other great music/art.
AVAA - I hope you get to listen to the vinyl version soon, it has great extended versions of „the magician“ i think and a great extended outro to „if you are but a dream“ and the album in general! Greetings from Germany
Dude. What you said about listening to those two albums back to back like that - my friends and I call that “the blank tape playlist”. Where you pair two albums to listen to back to back, like when you’d put one album on one side of a TDK and pair it with another on the other side. Gonna have to give this Jarrett joint a listen this weekend.
The role of a critic is so important because of his ability to worsen, or in this case, improve the work he treats, your video is really beautiful and perfect, I am in love with this album and I am in love with your video, simply masterpieces, although it is not my native language your way of expressing yourself and how you show love for the work, really words don't do justice to what you and this album made me feel. truly the goat fr 🐐🐐🐐🐐
I keep listening to the New Sound and keep imagining the Underground Man. The narrator of Fydor Dostoevsky’s Notes From Underground can also fit into this archetype of men who do not know how to socialize with others, especially women, without involving a sadist/ masochist power dynamic. The book also touches on the theme of the redeemed prostitute and criticizes the idea that a man can think himself so holy that they can save a woman by blessing her with his presence, attention, resources, etc. Also ties in the existentialist themes of death being the only absolute truth. Dostoevsky concludes that in the modern age , society, especially in developed cities (like St Petersburg 1860s) will isolate and radicalize more individuals than we would think possible. I can only imagine his horror when having to explain the advent of the internet which allows things like the manosphere to fester and perpetuate these extremist ideas from isolated individuals.
AVAA - I never thought in a million years that I would hear The Who Sell Out mentioned alongside this album but it makes total sense -- and I LOVE both albums. Incredible video and your personal anecdotes that tie into the album's themes (across all of your videos) always keep me coming back interested in hearing your interpretations and explanations. :)
it really makes me happy to see you sharing such embarrassing, troubling memories - the vulnerability resonates. to live is to look back and wish you would've lived differently, and there are so many times in my life i already feel the same way about. i think the role of an artist is inherently tragedian, and you bring a measured brilliance to the review medium that certainly elevates it to art. avaa!
Such kind words from one of my favorite video makers. Thanks!
@@professorskyesuch a wholesome interaction between 2 of my favorite video essayists! 💞
ro did you like the album
I really hate to do this but MONEYSPREAD 💸😝🤘rocking it my way🤘🔥
Great comment. Agreed, his reviews have an intriguing pizazz that feels so heartfelt.
the mew sound
ÒwÓ
🗿
bye bye 🗿
i want a full body pillowcase with Geordie on it
@@bulasturubula3660wtf 😂
I thought it was more of a sigma musical myself
Jar media reference ?
bear bear
BEAR BEAR
ruuuuuuuuuuuuun!!
@@alisterprins1567jar media still going ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Within the context of the manosphere, we need more men like you to model healthy masculinity. Articulate, witty, in the know, authentic, with great taste in art and plenty of knowledge to discuss it in depth. I want to be you when I grow up (Im 24) AVAA
We don’t need men like you (black midi reference)
AVAA
I'm not exaggerating when I say that this might be the best channel in all of the music sphere of youtube rn. Your takes are genuenly impressive and insightful, and even though it's 1 hour and 23 minutes, I was never ever bored while listening to it. Your way of presenting your arguments are really engaging and and masterfully crafted. Since now I'm an official fan, this channel is pure gold.
Thanks for the kind words
What does AVAA mean?
@@mantra1229 Watch the video bro
Haven’t finished the review quite yet but closing the album on that Frank Sinatra cover is absolutely perfect. Goes into the category of covers that don’t change the lyrics but still manage to bring a whole new meaning given the context of the album it’s on. Where the original is this beautiful kind of ode to a lover, Geordie’s version is like a quite whimper given everything that came before it. Such an incredible album from front to back and an amazing debut album from the Greep man himself
How can I like this observation more than once? He uses this standard in a completely different context for sure.
AVAA - This album is relatable in the most uncomfortable way but the joy of the music makes it somehow so easy and pleasurable to listen to. Thank you for sharing your experiences too. Very insightful as always!
I am here to play my role as a Brazilian internet user and just say that in "as if waltz" i see a huge influence from a big 90s band here called Legião Urbana, the main singer Renato Russo also liked talking about male pathetics and they have exactly this groovy sound kind of new wave, mainly the song "Indios" wich is about colonization and it has the same drumming as in the Greep song
👎👎👎👎👎
Geordie Greep has stated that brazillian music to be a big inspiration for him so likely he's heard of the artist! :D
That’s badass I’m peeping them today
@@nyxerus7500 this song was also recorded with brazilian musicians so its pretty likely that it was an influence
AVAA . Saw Greep perform in NY and it was an incredible performance. I kept laughing out of delight. Then at the end he hit us with the fact that he only met his backing band 3 days earlier for this show. Amazing stuff.
AVAA
I'm a huge Zappa fan and i hear his music SO much in this album. Not just the lyrics and themes. Getting right to the edge of "cheesy", the guitar tones, the crazy guitar riffs and so much vibraphone!
Brilliant title, genius analysis.
It's been a while since I felt the urge to listen to a new album over and over like I have with this one. Thanks so much for all the insight on why I may be connecting to it so intensely, besides the music itself being so well done.
this is genuinely one of the most in depth review i have ever seen on an album 10/10 video
Here I thought your proustian Blonde analysis would be my favourite video of yours for a long, long time, and then you go ahead and drop this masterclass a month and a half later. Your work is dearly appreciated, professor (as well as your great honesty and courage to tell your stories). Avaa
Oh, shit, Larls gang
AVAA! I can relate a lot to what you're saying and your analysis of this album. I just turned 21, was born male (I transitioned to being nonbinary as a teenager), but was very confused about how I felt about women and how to treat them for a long time. All this is to say that I am the prime demographic for Andrew Tate type manosphere weirdos to try and prey on. I started going down the path of being radicalized by the internet as a teenager, but between figuring out more about myself and my identity and my feelings towards people I wanted to forge relationships with, I narrowly avoided going down the alt-right rabbit-hole. That said, my confusion towards relationships persisted and I spent a lot of time being pretty openly shitty towards people I liked; I still had the mindset of a hyper-masculinized person who wanted to prove their worth through being strong and tough and outwardly impressive. Took me until the end of my first semester of college (so very recently, in the grand scheme of things) to finally kick it, I think. This album felt like it was written about me when I listened to it. I *do* write sonnets in the park and try to impress people with my intellect like the protagonist of Blues (much to my own internal dismay, I hate that part of myself), I *did* consider resorting to sex work to find someone who I didn't have to fight to win over, I *do* feel a little powerless when it comes to my interpersonal relationships. The listening experience, for me like many others probably, culminated as The Magician was playing and I cried my fucking eyes out. I have never hired a sex worker, but I have been in relationships with people who didn't care about me as much as I cared about them, who I didn't understand but I wanted to and I simultaneously wanted to learn more about them but also be distant from and resent them silently for it. The Magician was *so* moving to me, that even though I liked every song on this album, The Magician cemented it as a 10/10 and my AOTY. It's not even my favorite song, that goes to Terra, but it's the most powerful for me.
Too real. I'm going through similar issues right now, including in the realm of gender. Let's keep working on ourselves. Good look to you, my friend.
@sandenson it's a very common struggle, i think. the incel/redpill movement wouldn't be nearly as big as it is if this weren't something that so many people dealt with. if you ever want to talk or need advice or anything, i can give my discord or smthn
the way you talk about music and connect all these historical and thematic motifs is so fantastic. keep it up!
I quite enjoyed this album, and how utterly hectic and chaotic the vibe of the music was; it fits quite well with these exaggerated yet real, desperate and pathetic characters whose thoughts just well out in the form of Geordie's manic singing style on this record. I think his critique of toxic masculinity, male ego and self-absorbedness is really effective here...
Finally finished this video and I don’t think I have the vocabulary nor the intelligence to capture how much I admired and appreciated this entire video. The attention to detail, the historical references, the vulnerability, the research and the interweaving of quotes in such a poetic way throughout the video was quite astounding, to say the least. I’ve seen many videos of yours before but this is easily my favourite from you and my favourite video of the year. Mainly because at its core you were able to capture everything that I felt about this album in such an apt way, particularly when you talked about how the narrative is simultaneously horrifying and relatable. Thank you once again, and congratulations
In his Brat review he went into how he's privileged to have such a massive cultural capital, and that he's committed to share it as an act of gratitude and duty, more or less, and I'm glad for it. He provides lots of interesting stuff to listen, watch and read.
AVAA. This kind of a video is so amazing, just hearing you talk and ramble on is so fun for some reason, you’re so cool
AVAA. Interestingly, Greep did an interview on NTS a couple weeks ago where he was asked about his feelings towards Frank Zappa, to which (apologies I can’t remember the exact phrasing) he said he’s much more interested in Zappa’s instrumentation and music than he is in his lyrics, which I think aligns pretty well with some of your points in this video. Very interesting!
Interesting. That is super evident in the music I think. His lyrics are maybe as weird as Zappa but not of the same style. But the music is very influence by Zappa obviously.
Really cool analysis - as a young woman who is a huge fan of greep, crumb, zappa, and more artists that you mention in this video, I think there's a lot to be said about channeling one's "pervy," desires through mediums like music and visual arts that obscure the line between art and artist. A line that has become evermore so blurred with internet and fan culture, which demands artists and fans alike to adhere to a set of social rules and stereotypes (i.e. if you listen to geordie greep you're a misogynistic incel)
AVAA, your analysis and personal stories from the beginning of the video til 41:00 were rly haunting yet also touching. as a male that grew up in the digital age, not consumed by the manosphere but has once dealt with incel-like thoughts and behaviors this album was also a very uncomfortable yet beautiful and relatable listen. (like you mentioned in the video) i hope that this album speaks to young men who are struggling with those sort of behaviors and i hope that from this listen, those young men can choose to make different decisions regarding how they view women and sex.
thank you for this video. this was one of your best. cheers!
I hope Geordie gets some snippets of this, I bet he would feel incredibly honored.
AVAA
I just love how natural your videos feel, kind of like speaking to a friend about music we both love. So refreshing in the current music commentary scene here on youtube where almost everyone feels so scripted and formulaic, and yet your takes are so deep interesting and personal!
I love this album so much, and have listened to it many times since it came out and yet I gained so much new information and new perspectives on the themes and context of the album, thank you so much for that!!
Such a great commentary, only 30 minutes in but as a young man myself I was so completely unaware my peers around me had these feelings, I'm glad you're sharing about it. Love the album too, in my opinion, the best song is the last one in which he laments his experience saying it was "but a dream"
AVAA Prof!
Some New Sound trivia in case you didn't know - Seth Evans or 'Shank' was the touring keyboard player for Black Midi.
Also, 'Walk on' and 'The Magician' were Black Midi songs, the former being written (and toured) in the Hellfire Era, known to fans as 'Lumps' and the latter being performed most recently until the band parted ways.
Also thankyou for addressing the Manosphere from a bird's eye - it's absolutely needed at this time, and as you say criticising it is often created with supporting it, to paraphrase.
Yo he failed to like the AVAA comment
avaa my professa 🎉📈
had to edit and let you know this is the most genuine breakdown of any art. thank u
53:51 the Jordan Peterson impression had me laughing hysterically 😂
Great video essay!!! ❤❤
AVAA
Never been so engaged on an album review/analysis before. You mentioned some stuff that I never in a million years would have picked up on lol. Thank you for sharing those stories with how vulnerable they must have been it brought so much to the analysis
AVAA, really love getting an understanding for this album for myself, clicking here, seeing you got similar from it, and hearing you connect it to not only other music but artworks and artists in general as well. The full sphere of expression, I think it's really important, it's about what we communicate, whether it be emotions, a message, etc. no matter the medium.
I tend to do the same with what I see, but my scope of the artistic sphere is limited to the length of time I've had on this earth, and the things outside of that (and to a degree inside for sure) that I've been revealed to. Relate to it in ways with the life I've lived that I can to understand and empathize.
Thank you for providing your thoughts here for free, seriously.
Funny to note here too, I was first introduced to wrestling with these concepts of masculinity (and in the about to be mentioned albums case, gender) through Dorian Electra's Flamboyant. Still have a deep love for that album, but after I've realized this theme and it's relation to incel culture, as you said as well manosphere culture, masculinity, and beyond, it's so fun and interesting seeing all of these different portrayals of being honest with these types of subjects without judgement, but with further expression to understand where it comes from. love it.
AVAA! Loved this review, I don’t really have anything insightful to add. You really put into words how that “yearning” feeling feeds into all of this stuff, not just in the album, but other art and history too. Thanks for a very fun 1 hour +!
Without exaggeration, this is one of the best reviews i've seen for any album. You really dove deep into thoughts and feelings behind it, connecting them with your own life experiences. I don't wanna name names but so many of the big music publications have this lowkey smug and snarky attitude in their writing. On the other hand, the more amateur independent reviewers tend to show a limited understanding of lyricism and music and it ends up feeling kind of lacking. This review felt like you got a perfect grasp on the album but without being pedantic about it.
might be your best video yet
AVAA Prof. A masterpiece of a video for a masterpiece of an album, thanks for doing what you do.
I really appreciate this review and the analysis of this album. I watched the entire thing and immediately went back and listen to this album. It really enhacned my understanding of the music.
Greep is an arteur! This album was an experience! It didn’t click at first, but soon enough all the pieces fell into place. The Magician (as cliché as this is) is truly a magical song. The tension and release is perfect…
AVAA - This album feels very relatable, I work in the trades in the US and listen to a lot of "men's men" talk and a lot of the characters on here feel like how those guys talk during work. Love the personal reflection you share as well.
AVAA this is one of your best professor
AVAA
Wound up listening to this without foreknowledge of Black Midi, as it kept cropping up on my tiktok feed and intrigued me enough to give it a listen. Definitely one of my favorite albums this year. It's eerie to hear manosphere pap and realize that if your life had taken a few more wrong turns, *you* could have very easily been agreeing with that stuff (or worse!) I think "Romantic Pining for something you believe will always be out of reach" is probably how a good deal of those guys start that doomed journey. I think Greep's stance of "Disgust, Ridicule, Empathy" is a natural one when faced with these types, and masterfully executed. Looking forward to giving My Song a listen to get some more sonic context.
Also, idk if anybody else caught it, but the split second Jordan Peterson impression got a hearty laugh from me!
AVAA
You're really good at this whole "music review" thing Professor Skye. Thank you for the consistently brilliant and insightful videos.
I have a 9 month old and I know the feeling of checking that monitor all the time lol. First video of yours I’ve seen and you are a great content creator
First video of yours I've watched. Incredible incredible analysis that put a lot of nebulous thoughts I had about the album into very succinct words!
AAVA The little piano/sax riff 2:35 into “the journey home” on my song is one of the most tenderly beautiful yet simple things in jazz to me. Would really reccomend “the survivors suite” with the american quartet, his magnum opus imo. Great vid skye!!
what a great review. it has everything a review needs: context, information and sources, quotes, social analysis and personal anecdotes. impeccable. greetins from argentina :)
AVAA stellar analysis as always. If you’re like me and have been wondering what Morgan’s been up to post black-midi breakup he’s actually heavily featured on the recently released Finn Carter project ‘Hymn for my dad’ along with Kaidi Akinnibi (who’s name some may recognise from BMs Cavalcade period) on Saxaphone. Very emotive jazz record with Morgan drumming on every track and personally one my favourites of the year.
Thanks for sharing
AVAA
Definitely listening to Keith Jarrett's album this evening. Thank you, professor, for this in-depth review!
Wow, this is a particularly terrific review. You are genuinely amazing at articulating your thoughts and putting the feelings of music into words. AVAA
the ways in which your education and profession shape your style of analysis are so incredibly unique and insightful. i'm glad you came away just as pleased and intrigued by this brilliant album as i did
AVAA!!!! its honestly so beautifully human of a video.
AVAA!! I was born in Cardiff, Wales. My heart jumped when you said that for some reason.
AVAA, this album took me aback in so many ways, with lyrics and instrumentation and production, so to see you articulate it all was very satisfying, and the personal stories aswell. man i really appreciate pure honesty even if it is uncomfortable to look back on, it provides so much to breaking this album down, so thank you prof. !
AVAA seriously one of the best reviews i think ive ever seen this is amazing!!!!
Love the misspelling in the title, adds so much
It defies belief, but it was an actual typo. (Don’t usually use my reading glasses during upload). When I caught my mistake I thought…”perfect!”
his next album could very well be about catgirls
I just hope it doesn't hurt this videos discoverability in the algorithm lol
another incredible review, insightful takes in a way that's never boring or drawn out. fantastic channel
What a rollercoaster of a video. Would love anyone who can talk for over an hour on an album I like, and I think you’re giving the right impression of it. P.S. your balcony is screaming out for a golf hole.
AVAA, thanks for being one of the coolest people on this site
Loved the review! Big respect for opening up about your past and the amount of selfreflection you have clearly done!
I found your channel through the holy holy review and just like the new sound album, this was a great follow up!
this is probably the best music review I've eveer seen in my life, the fact that this isn't your full time job is crazy to me because it seems like you spend so much time making these awesome reviews. I imagine you must be a great proffesor because these videos about someething that you probably wouldn't consider yourself an edpert of are very entertaing and insightful. I loved this album before I watched this, but this review made me love it even more which is what every critic should aim to do. One of the best and most personal things I've seen, and it's just as excellent as the record itself (which has recently became one of my favorites ever)
This review was so thoughtful
This is probably my favorite analysis that you’ve done. Love this album!
one of my songs was recently added to warp records weekly playlist, with geordie greep also in there XDDD felt like a movie. i cant wait to crack open the album
AVAA, I absolutely loved this album, listened to it with some friends that we all listen to albums all the time, and unfortunately they couldn’t see through the lyrics and hated it 😭. I’ve also been recovering from bronchitis too lol, hope you feel better soon!!!!
AVAA fantastic video, incredible analysis. I think the strength of this album, as you pointed out, is the fact that we can look at these characters and laugh, feel disgusted, feel sympathetic, but also relate to and understand them ourselves. Like you said, these sorts of feelings of inadequacy and the need to be with women are so enforced by patriarchal structures in society that it's hard not to feel those sorts of things.
AVAA It feels like i've been looking for a youtuber that talks about art the way you do my whole life keep making videos they are amazing!!!!!
That JP impression was on point and actually shocked me to the core.AVAA
Absolutely AVAA, a complex and thorough analysis of one of this year's best records. Quite a rewarding experience to see most of my feelings about the album be put into words, the confirmation bias is real
Awesome Gooning As Always!
Amazing review! Glad to see fellow Rochesterian making spreading love for music! I would also very much love to have the instrumental version of this album, the only song I think would be better with vocals would probably be the Magician. I mean his vocal performance is so damn powerful on that track! AVAA!!!
AVAA
This review was incredible Prof. Heartfelt and insightful and so damn educational and interesting. Thank you for this, truly. ❤️
AVAA, wow man you are so talented at reviewing music. I love the relating themes of the album to the past and other examples of it in media.
AVAA, I actually saw Cameron Picton live earlier this year in Boston! He did a small 4-5 song set before BC,NR played. He had a CD for sale there (tiltled "Camera Pictures") that just went up on bandcamp less than 2 weeks ago.
I definitely need to give this album a couple more listens, and I absolutely need to hear black midi's albums and that Keith Jarrett as well.
new viewer here, this was a great watch. Love your anecdotes and insight as well as your very clear passion for art and the work being discussed. Never felt bored! i haven’t even heard the record yet.
This came up on my feed and saw the runtime thinking - there's no way I am watching some dude talk about Geordie Greep for 90 minutes... yet here I am 90 minutes later. Great stuff, I came across Keith Jarrett because my dad would play his Koln Concert on CD when I was 12 or 13 and it really struck me.
AVAA skye you do too much! This a great analysis and understanding of what Greep is saying over these obtuse tunes. I really wish I was really into French and you were my professor.
Great video, I loved the connections Robert Crumb and Taxi Driver. I find it very fascinating with these incel esque characters and incel culture as a whole. Also love all the film references you make.
Keith Jarrett is a brilliant musician. The Köln Concert is a top five jazz album for me.
AVAA. Thanks for sharing your emotions and memories. Can confirm that being a young man sucked and being 40 is pretty great
I believe you’ve mentioned the Pynchon-esque qualities of Greep’s writing in Hellfire. To me, Through A War could almost literally be from the perspective of Blicero during his colonization and cohabitation with Katje and Gottfried.
great catch!
Damn I have to listen now
tysm for this interesting, thoughtful, deep and personal review! Felt like 10 minutes to me, and I mean this in the best way
amazing video so greeped up
Thank you 🎉 G Greep , New Sound is a 10 play this loud as possible
Avaa professor! Saw Greep live at the weekend, incredible performance with some v Zappa-esque soloing
AVAA and get well soon. I discovered your channel in 2022 through your hellfire review - since The New Sound came out I've been anticipating this video so thank u!!!
AVAA! as soon I heard the release I wanted to know your opinion on matter of this album. thanks!
this album resonates with me in a lot of levels - from lyrics to influences I share with Geordie.
Amazing video as always, doc. Hope your cough gets better soon. I love how your videos feel like engaging college lectures, and the way you transition from one point to another is so engaging. Keep doing what you do
AVAA - You’ve sent me down more rabbit holes than I can count. I will consume many opinions on this album, but I assume I won’t hear much about Keith Jarrett. Or Robert Crumb. Or Frank Zappa and so on. Thank you for always providing an intelligent and unique lens to understand great music through, as well as opening doors to other great music/art.
AVAA - I hope you get to listen to the vinyl version soon, it has great extended versions of „the magician“ i think and a great extended outro to „if you are but a dream“ and the album in general!
Greetings from Germany
Great video as always, AVAA
Feel better prof! was not expecting a Link reference in your review lol. Thanks for the fascinating insights as always!
Dude. What you said about listening to those two albums back to back like that - my friends and I call that “the blank tape playlist”. Where you pair two albums to listen to back to back, like when you’d put one album on one side of a TDK and pair it with another on the other side. Gonna have to give this Jarrett joint a listen this weekend.
Another incredible and very insightful review. Thank you for the personal stories!! AVAA
AVAA, loved this record.
The role of a critic is so important because of his ability to worsen, or in this case, improve the work he treats, your video is really beautiful and perfect, I am in love with this album and I am in love with your video, simply masterpieces, although it is not my native language your way of expressing yourself and how you show love for the work, really words don't do justice to what you and this album made me feel. truly the goat fr 🐐🐐🐐🐐
Great video as always Professor
i’ve been waiting for this upload! you’re really the only long form youtuber i’ll watch to completion, great video! avaa!
AVAA another great video skye you're one in a billion
Based on the thumbnail I can’t wait
I keep listening to the New Sound and keep imagining the Underground Man. The narrator of Fydor Dostoevsky’s Notes From Underground can also fit into this archetype of men who do not know how to socialize with others, especially women, without involving a sadist/ masochist power dynamic. The book also touches on the theme of the redeemed prostitute and criticizes the idea that a man can think himself so holy that they can save a woman by blessing her with his presence, attention, resources, etc. Also ties in the existentialist themes of death being the only absolute truth. Dostoevsky concludes that in the modern age , society, especially in developed cities (like St Petersburg 1860s) will isolate and radicalize more individuals than we would think possible. I can only imagine his horror when having to explain the advent of the internet which allows things like the manosphere to fester and perpetuate these extremist ideas from isolated individuals.
AVAA - I never thought in a million years that I would hear The Who Sell Out mentioned alongside this album but it makes total sense -- and I LOVE both albums. Incredible video and your personal anecdotes that tie into the album's themes (across all of your videos) always keep me coming back interested in hearing your interpretations and explanations. :)
These reviews are soo good omg
Awesome review, love the insight you give. I was hooked the whole video.