W/e 18/04/25 - Teen Mortgage, OK Go, The Birthday Massacre, Bon Iver, Pavement

As close a race as we’ve possibly had - just a ¼ point between our winner Bon Iver and The Birthday Massacre who prop up the quartet. All 4 sit pretty much mid-table.

The Horrors remain in top spot for the 4th week.

Andy has back to back 😀for the first time in 18 months, a fair bit ahead of the field. Sam continues on his recent roller coaster with this weeks ☹️, just pipping Justin.

Pavement were a pleasant first listen for many and sit in a respectable spot on the classics alongside Band of Skulls and Faith No More.

Andy

The Birthday Massacre - My interest was definitely piqued with the opening riffage on Sleep Tonight but as the album progressed it got a bit samey and dare I say it a bit too poppy! Overall enjoyable if unremarkable 6.5

Bon Iver - I’ve always been a fan of Justin but appreciate his early stuff could have put people off a bit. While there’s still a touch of the woodsman falsetto from “For Emma” there’s a load of variety and he even gets, dares I say it, a bit groovy. A great listen 8.5

OK Go - I’ve not listened to an OK Go album before, but have obviously enjoyed many of their singles thanks to their always interesting videos. On the basis of this I might go back and dive deeper as it’s excellent and it seems their art school visuals are more than worthy of their music. Cracking stuff 8

Teen Mortgage - A not bad at all but of punky type stuff. Doesn’t outstay its welcome either 6.5

TotW - Everything is Peaceful Love by Bon Iver

Pavement - As mentioned I’d never listened to this before despite it being very much in my wheelhouse and it proved to be so. Top drawer alternative rock with a touch of the Velvets, although it’s also nice that you can hear Pavement in modern stuff too 8

Guy

The Birthday Massacre – Thought this was good. There are odd bits that go a bit heavy like ‘Whisper’ but elsewhere it’s full of nice keyboard driven tunes and pleasant female vocals a la Chvrches. ‘Wish’ and ‘Cruel Love’ stand out. - 7.8

Bon Iver – I had these guys pegged wrong. Expected a heavy rock album and instead got a listenable indie-ish album. There’s a little bit of Country and Western in here which is less good. Overall, decent but didn’t pull up any trees – 6.5

OK Go – Excellent videos but slightly less good music. They feel like a lite version of Vampire Weekend. Kind of washed over me - 6

Teen Mortgage – When I saw Kerrang had given it a good review I feared the worst. But I actually enjoyed this way more than I expected. It’s veering on the heavy side for me but is counter-balanced by the punk vocals and energy – 6.7

Pavement – I’ve not listened to this album before, but I wish I had. It’s excellent. Grungey guitars, vocals that are a cross between Lou Reed and Julian Casablancas, melodic but raw and energetic at the same time. Reminded me of the Pixies in places too. Great choice Phil. – 8.5

TOTW – Wish, The Birthday Massacre

Sam

The Birthday Massacre: I never liked Evanescence much but these guys sound like the band Evanescence could have been if they were good . Great singer. I’d see them live in November but it’s a Monday . 7.8

Bon Iver : Bad music alert ! Disjointed and annoying . No thanks : 3

Ok go : odd , a bit all over the place . Very patchy at times :5

Teen Mortgage : excellent driving punk rock . What a cracker . 8.4

Pavement: mostly brilliant example of 90’s slacker rock . Occasionally weird so

It’s a 7.5

TOTW : Party by Teen Mortgage

Simon

The Birthday Massacre: this lot have been around for 25 years apparently, although they're a new one on me - slightly gothy electro-pop, not an unpleasant listen but doesn't offer anything to write home about. 6

Bon Iver: was expecting indie folk, so not far off with sable - fable is more soul orientated and better imo, not massively my cup of tea but engaging enough. 7

OK Go: pleasingly off-beat, occasionally laconic, slacker fare - it's a decent listen although not sure I'll be back for further spins. 6.5

Teen Mortgage: furious, Bad Nerves style punk rock - initially exhilarating, but ultimately a bit one-dimensional with limited shelf life. 6.3

Pavement: not previously listened to Pavement before but glad I have now - thoroughly enjoyed this, a hugely appealing but distinctly lo-fi blast of early '90s grunge, great stuff. 8.2

TotW: OK Go - Once More With Feeling

Phil

The Birthday Massacre 6

Stadium-ready widescreen sound with grungey guitars, decent vocals, keyboard washes and much chest-beating. Not really my thing but you have to admire their chutzpah.

Bon Iver 6.5

I never did get around to listening to For Emma or any of Bon’s previous works but I gather the opening tracks here, issued separately, recall his earlier work. I really enjoyed them. The others, less so. Stylistically, the second album is very mixed, with gospel and country prominent. The biggest problem for me is I just can’t abide autotune or any of the current vocal distorters so its heavy use is an immediate turn-off.

OK Go 6.5

Annoyingly quirky at times but mostly well-constructed tunes, with echoes of Field Music. Don’t give up now is a really good track.

Teen Mortgage 6.5

Reasonably enjoyable punky sounds, with buzzsaw guitars that recall the Ramones. Vocals not quite in the Joey Ramone league though.

TOTW – Bon Iver - Speyside

Classic

Pavement 9

What I love about this album more than anything is its scruffiness. Every track sounds like a first take and after a quick listen to the playback they all just shrugged and said “That’ll do”. But you know they worked at this. The album’s worldview is warped, deliberately offbeat, like a slacker version of the Fall. And yes, you can tell they’re fans. Later albums were more polished but this is the bomb.

Mark

Birthday Massacre - all a bit angsty and emo / nu metal for me, reminded me of the one 'alternative' entry you get each year at Eurovision - 5

Bon Iver - tremendous album, some really beautiful songwriting on here, folk-soultronica or whatever you'd call it, put me in mind of a modern day Van The Man - 8

OK Go - I swung between thinking this is really good and really irritating, and concluded that it's just the wrong side of quieky clever clogs for my liking. Definitely some good stuff, but it went a bit try hard in places - 6

Teen Mortgage - kind of my thing, I get the Ramones comparisons but the tunes weren't quite there - 6.5

TOTW - Speyside, by Bon Iver

Jim

Birthday Massacre 6

Slightly odd mix of rock and pop. I enjoyed the Chvrches tinged tracks.

Bon Iver 6.5

A bit of surprise as mentioned. He’s got a nice voice alongside the polished folksy pop

OK Go 7.5

A feel-good pop treat, with a few gems including the terrific Take Me With You that I expect to be a contender for my ’25 for 25’

Teen Mortgage 7.5

Cracking punk offering , with a little more depth that many if their ilk. I Don’t Wanna Know was a great one to finish on.

TOTW: OK Go – Take Me With You

Pavement 7.5

I had dipped into these guys a little some time back, but not for a while. A nice throwback of raw noise

Erol

Birthday Massacre - a mix of heavy guitar and very eighties synth rock vibes. Reminded me of Heart on occasion. A moderately enjoyable listen overall though. 6.7

Bon Iver - now this caught me unawares. Disc 1 is just odd but Disc 2 evolves into a lovely soul fest. Touches of Sam Smith with the vocals here and there, and I love the subtle gospel infusion. I can see why they won a Grammy a few years ago. Perfect for a chill afternoon by the pool, I imagine. 7.9

Ok Go - it took me a while to find my stride with this, but eventually it clicked. The are some quirky art-house numbers but these are nicely balanced with a few really well crafted and innovative bouncy tunes. This is one to go back to for me. 8

Teen Mortgage - mosh pit madness. I’d enjoy jumping around to this at a festival but am sure I would forget the experience quickly afterwards. 6

TOTW - Day One, Bon Iver. It was a close call between this and Take Me With You by OK Go (big shout out to Jim).

Pavement- I had never heard of these guys until last week, let alone listened to them. What an enjoyable surprise. So raw and edgy, they have a touch of a latter-day Velvet Underground but at the same time I can also hear an early version of the Strokes. Great choice, Phil. 8.3

Annette

The Birthday Massacre: 7

Bon Iver: 7.5

OK Go: 7

Teen Mortgage: 7

TOTW: Bon Iver - everything is peaceful love

Classic: Pavement- 7.5

Matt

The Birthday Massacre: 6.5

Bon Iver: 6

OK Go: 7.2

Teen Mortgage: 6.8

TOTW: OK Go, Once More with Feeling

Justin

The Birthday Massacre - not bad for this typenof emo rock. 6.2

Bon Iver - not sure what this is. Country and Western with a pop twang. Didn't really grasp me. 5.5

OK Go - some of it is too clever for its own good and is almost a piss take of Hot Chip, but the songs that click are good. 6.8

Teen Mortgage - ok bit of punk guitar 6

Totw. Golden Devils - OK GO

Pavement - liked the Pixiesque sound. Could grow to like more 6.5

Adam

Birthday Massacre

Good ol bit of gothy, rocky, poppy. Would have enjoyed this as a young greebo and even now as a less young greebo. 7

Bon Iver

Fan of his work. Has he gotten a bit less depressed? Mixing in more electronic upbeat sounds. A great album. 7

Ok Go

Missing some of the rough energy of their earlier stuff. More polished and arty this time around but good. 6

Teen Mortgage

Rollicking rocking. Reminded of a slightly rougher Thermals/Japandroids. 8

TOTW - Ride - Teen Mortgage

Pavement - not listed before, had a listen around a few of the tracks of other albums too. Solid 90s rocking. 8