MOOPY ALBUM CLUB WEEK #1 | Tove Lo - Lady Wood

Rate this album out of ten

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    27
VoR said:
Oh yes I certainly don't want to put restrictions on people - and we'd probably struggle with weekly 2016/2017 releases anyway.

I just hope this doesn't descend into a "my music taste is cooler than thou" pissing contest.
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I hope it does
 
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Anyway, my review

In retrospect, my Tove Lo indoctrination program might have gone down better if I'd run this around her much poppier debut, which I also love. But I felt like Lady Wood fit the brief a bit better (as I understood it) to open us up to some current pop music that we maybe haven't given the attention that we would have done 5-10 years ago.

Which is a slightly apologetic way of saying that I don't find this to be a perfect album either, but I do think it's a very good one - and she's definitely one of the relatively few current chart presences that really resonates with me. Not that this album has been a smash, but the last one did well, and she's definitely somebody who's done very well at balancing a chart presence with appealing to the tastemakers from Pitchfork to Popjustice.

I think the main flaw this album has is that it's lacking a big lead single, which probably hurt its chart fortunes. Cool Girl is a slinky, slightly unsettling delight, but it definitely takes a while to get its hooks into you. (For those who haven't seen it, it's based on a speech the sociopathic girlfriend gives in Gone Girl). True Disaster is moody Scandi-pop at its shimmering finest, but not quite enough to save an already underperforming album, and it kind of flew under the radar. If nothing else, I'm glad this experience put that song onto people's playlists.

Sonically, the album does walk a fine line between cohesive and samey, but I do think pretty much every song has a really strong melody. It occurred to me today that it might be best understood as a kind of 2016 version of Holly Valance's State of Mind album. I also think it'd make a great Britney Spears album if Britney was a bit more adventurous.

Highlights for me aside from the singles are Imaginary Friend - because it's the poppiest thing on there, Influence, Keep It Simple and Flashes. The language thing is a bit jarring at first - it was a reason it took me a good while to warm up to her earlier hit 'Talking Body', which I now adore - but once you get used to it you totally stop hearing it. I did find it quite funny how horrified so many of you were by her NAUGHTY POTTY MOUTH and the reference to 'Lady Wood'.

I also agree that WTF is a weird closer. I'd totally have swapped that with Flashes myself.

Rate

09 Influence
08 Lady Wood
10 True Disaster
09 Cool Girl
08 Vibes
07 Don't Talk About It
09 Imaginary Friend
10 Keep It Simple
09 Flashes
08 WTF Love Is
 
If you did enjoy this album, I've wanged on about Habits plenty already, but it truly is one of my favourite pop songs of the past few years. Just so bleak and suffused with self loathing, which has long been one of my favourite hallmarks of non-Eurovision related Scandi-pop. Never got on board with the remix, which I blame for it passing so many here by.



For those yearning for poppier fare, I already mentioned Timebomb, which could easily have been a hit for Ellie Goulding. Talking Body is also really infectious once you get over the slightly clunky use of fuck in the chorus.



I'd really recommend Queen of the Clouds album in general, it's a lot more upbeat and varied, although it is a bit overlong.

And so ends my transparent attempt to make everybody like Tove Lo.
 
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Why not toss between Phoenix and Beverley (:horny:) for our next choice since they got in there first and both have delicious* goods ready to roll?

*TBC

Although I'm quite keen to see what sort of NOISY HORROR the fragrant GNL has up her pantalons
 
lolly said:
Yes, very much this. Rules only need imposing if it's really not working, I'd say.
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I don't want to be so negative right now, but it does show up people's fear of alternate music than their own. Which is reasonable, but that's part of the joy.
 
Susan-Claire said:
Why not toss between Phoenix and Beverley (:horny:) for our next choice since they got in there first and both have delicious* goods ready to roll?
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So you're going to let the Book Forum snobs to rule this club too? We all know Ms Bev has the Egyptian equivalent to Psy ready (thinking it's something avantgarde and edgy).
 
I think it should be any album at all. Just because it was released before 2016/7 doesn't mean people will have heard it, and frankly I'd warm more to lending my ear to people's absolute favourites than just their latest fad.
 
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Ag said:
I don't want to be so negative right now, but it does show up people's fear of alternate music than their own. Which is reasonable, but that's part of the joy.
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*sigh*

At no point did I suggest any kind of restriction on what people recommend. In fact if you read the first thread I actively argued against it. I was just trying to clarify, for my own understanding, what the goal was with this little project.

I'll happily listen to whatever people select, whether it's Nine Inch Nails or Michael Buble. My only worry is that if people feel they have to second-guess their choices to avoid being sneered at, this is going to fizzle out a lot more quickly.

ANYWAY - second host to be announced imminently.
 
So in case the next host wants to copy this methodology, I entered everyone who participated into an excel sheet - excluding myself, lolly and Floppet. Then I used a random online number generator. The number was 14.

The poster on row 14 is... @Mugatu

Take it away babes.
 
Can I do the next one

Teaser clue: artist name rhymes with Folid BarmoHnie
 
VoR said:
*sigh*

At no point did I suggest any kind of restriction on what people recommend. In fact if you read the first thread I actively argued against it. I was just trying to clarify, for my own understanding, what the goal was with this little project.

I'll happily listen to whatever people select, whether it's Nine Inch Nails or Michael Buble. My only worry is that if people feel they have to second-guess their choices to avoid being sneered at, this is going to fizzle out a lot more quickly.

ANYWAY - second host to be announced imminently.
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I wasn't really referring to you
 
I realised I have missed the deadline on this, but I wanted to say I really rather enjoyed the album! Listened to it a few times when it was released then sort of forgot about it, but relistening to it for this has brought back a good few highlights (Influence, True Disaster, Cool Girl, Don't Talk About It... AKA the ones everyone else has already mentioned, oh well :D). Good choice VoR! Solid 8/10 for me.
 
Suomi said:
Cob why won't you accept my request on Facebook
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This really needs to be addressed and not lost.

Mind you pretty sure Suomi has refused my friendship request on FB. As have others on Moopy. For the record you will all be getting zeros on Moopyrate from me.
 
I refuse no requests. I love making new friends and I'm always on the look-out for me.
 


Added to Spotify last week. May be of interest as a lot of people have singled it out as a highlight.
 
Played the whole album today because I'm ALL OVER True Disaster at the moment. The album is a bit forgettable to me for now but lord True Disaster is a tune!
 
I think this might officially be my favorite album from 2016. Weakest tracks for me are "Cool Girl" and "Keep It Simple" but really it's all just so consistent and tight at 10 tracks. I can listen to the album from start to finish without skipping a track which is RARE.

10 Influence
10 Lady Wood
11 True Disaster
07 Cool Girl
09 Vibes
08 Don't Talk About It
10 Imaginary Friend
08 Keep It Simple
09 Flashes
10 WTF Love Is
 
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