Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Ginseng - Manual Heart Massage

1/23/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Ginseng

Manual Heart Massage
self-released; 2014

3.3 out of 5

By Ted Rogen



If you were alive in the 90’s one thing you probably remember is an exorbitant amount of romantic comedies that came and went. I was sometimes forced to watch them with my girlfriend at the time and on almost every occasion I would think “this wouldn’t happen in real life”. It didn’t shed any light on the truth. Why do I bring this up for an album review you ask? Well, it seems as if the Manual Heart Massage by Ginseng aims to do exactly the opposite of what those movies did. The album attempts to be as raw and truthful as possible. It is even mentioned that “You won't find any courting songs or breakup ballads” on the album. It’s something you have to respect if even you don’t like the music because truth is something that we are all looking for and connect with.

Truth be told I have very little info about Ginseng. I don’t have any names or history so we are going to go with what we have. The songs are pretty much vacant of percussion and revolve around guitar and piano. Ginseng flirts with different styles but you do hear piano bar type blues that reminded me of Billy Joel as well as remnants of the softer side of Guns N Roses.

The production is far from perfect as the guitars sound to closely miked and thin along with a number other of minor problems. Overall, it wasn’t too bad considering it was recorded with a Zoom r8 portable recorder.

The album begins with one of the strongest songs on the album entitled “Gall Bladder” which revolves around little more than his piano and vocals. I thought the vocalist sounds especially good here. He put some serious gusto into his voice and you can feel it resonate.

“Thorax” adds some guitar in the mix. It was in need of some proper EQing and compression. That being said  the song is pretty strong and establishes the vocalist has a good voice. I started to enjoy his singing style the more I listened too the album. “Riverbed” is a pretty melancholy almost chilling  song about a lady who drowned in a lake and for weeks she went unknown with no name, no identity, and no family.

The album ends with “Hypothalamus (Part One)” and “Hypothalamus (Part two). “Hypothalamus (Part One)” sounds like the introduction to a sci-fi movie about a dystopian future. It revolves around spoken word which is served on a canvas of disparate electronic elements.  “Hypothalamus (Part two)” reverts to a piano based but is sprinkled with electronic elements. The end of the song was engaging and pointed to a different direction for Ginseng.

Manual Heart Massage has its mishaps. Not all the songs work and sometimes seems a bit overly serious. A little bit of humor or irony injected in there might not have been a bad thing. Overall, more of it works then it doesn’t and is worth a spin.
Become A Fan
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band

© Divide and Conquer 2021. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact