Album Review: Twenty One Pilots-Blurryface

What A Blur

Twenty One Pilots-Blurryface (1.9/10)

This album is frustrating: I really have no other way to say it. Vessel had its moments i'll admit, but this thing just seems very fake to me. Twenty One Pilots spend a lot this album calling out others for making formulaic meaningless pop music, but ironically this thing is pretty much the same thing as what they are calling out. I get that this group is creative in sense, but believe they are deceptive. A lot of these songs sound very different from each other, yet almost all of them are just different forms of very stereotypical pop songs. They have songs about being bored, not wanting to grow up, and of course songs about internal struggles (which sound like pretty petty to me, sorry.) Ultimately, Blurryface tries to be a smart, left field pop album, but it fails tremendously at this. It fails because like I said its whole thematic concept feels fake and its sounds are frankly not very creative, but it also fails because it beats a dead horse. The things that I liked about vessel are just being reused, and that is really not a good sign. I understand that people enjoy a band that can blend a pop-rap-punk attitude, but yea that's been done before. Honestly if a band continues to just use this strategy they are bound to fall into oblivion: just look at Linkin Park. Also they insisted on making yet another ukelele song seemingly just to continue the trend. As a band you are not forced into any songs, and honestly I feel like TWP need to learn that. These tricks just feel old, and I think that this whole twenty one pilots sound could use some tweaking. Hell, even Tyler Joseph says that he feels like his music is affected by the media and fans. Brother, just do what you have to do to really make your music. Do not let anything get in the way of that. This is why Blurryface is so frustrating. Joseph even admits that he strips back on his music for the mainstream appeal, but he criticizes others for doing so. I feel like twenty one pilots could have made a great album here, but they half committed on an idea, and honestly doing something half way is worse than not doing it at all. As Mike Ehrmentraut says, "No more half measures Walt". 

I'm not going to bother criticizing the album any further because I simply have a lot to say in that regard. I could sit here all day and talk about this album, but ultimately a lot of the complaints will just blend together. I don't want to hurt the fans of this band, and I honestly think that you guys are completely valid in liking this band. If something makes you happy, and if you like something don't hide it. You guys are loud and proud about this band, and quite honestly that is very refreshing to see. My opinion shouldn't mean anything to you, so if you are reading this and you completely disagree with all my critiques above, just know that we probably are very different people with very different faces. While you may be a Blurryface, I will never be one and that is completely ok. 

Best Songs: HeavyDirtySoul, Not Today, Goner

Worst Songs: Stressed Out, Ride, Fairly Local, Tear In My Heart, Lane Boy, Polarize, We Don't Believe What's On TV, Hometown

Album Review: Hot Chip-Why Make Sense?

Too Much Sense

Hot Chip-Why Make Sense? (7.3/10)

Hot Chip has made a name for themselves over the years for their quirky, indie-electro dance tunes that usually featured a twinge of experimental. I often hear them grouped with groups such as LCD Soundsystem and Cut Copy, which is very high praise. Still, I don't see them as a giant success. I have undeniably enjoyed many tunes of theirs in the past, but most of their albums just are not complete enough for me. This new one fixes this issue, but also creates a new issue. I feel like while this album is very catchy all the way through, it also lacks the creative energy of the first few records. Sure I can sing these to myself and I can give more proper full listens, but to me the songs just do not feel as unique as they used to. Pop tunes such as Doctors and How Do You Do just seemed to stick out a little bit more. These two tunes really stuck out to me just because they sound a little bit more unconventional. Doctors is a melody led by steel drums, and electronic glitch beats are thrown into the mix and the ending result is pretty awesome. How Do You Do is pretty awesome just because it is fun, but it also features a lot of fun accessory percussion (maybe I just love percussion timbres). These tunes felt very unique to the band, but the new album just kind of feels bland in comparison. Don't get me wrong, the new album is far from bad, but to me, Hot Chip still has not really struck a perfect medium of poppy songwriting and complex, interesting instrumentation. Based on this album I can at least say they are improving in some regards, so my hopes are not completely broken. 

This album opens with the super catchy Huarache Lights which actually to me is not a great start. I think the lyrics and some of the progressions are really nice, but I simply think a lot of this track just seems borrowed. It feels very Daft Punk inspired and to me I just do not hear a lot of innovation. Still though, I have to say there are positives about the track. The way the track kind of just gradually builds is really nice and while the synths are very repetitive, they are also pretty cool and powerful. Overall it's a good track that could have been a lot better. Love Is The Future is a great track which just feels pretty comfortable in its own skin. The track doesn't feel forced, and it kind of reminds me of something off the latest Passion Pit record, just more focused. The emotional sounding synth lines mixed with the jumpy drum groove feels right at home for this band. This track, however, does feature a rap verse that just feels so awkward and unnecessary. Without this verse the track would be better.  Crying For You has some absolutely great keyboard and bass work, but the vocals just don't even nearly sound good till the chorus. While this song may have a lot of choruses and a nice outro of synthy poppy goodness, its verses ultimately just make me lose interest in the tune. Started Right is a funky song that just feels right. The track features back up string, guitar, and keyboard parts that just layer on top of each other well. While this track is a little overly generic, I will admit it works this time. White Wine and Fried Chicken is my favorite tune on here just simply because it doesn't sound like Hot Chip. It sounds more like a conventional indie band, but at the same time Hot Chip generally stays out of this territory. It was kind of nice to see them play into this non-electronic kind of realm. The tune is pretty simple actually, but the charm kind of just passes it by and wins you over. Dark Night is too long for its lack of ideas, and it honestly sounds like a ton of other bands, so yea that one doesn't hook me. Easy To Get is a great tune that feels pretty Caribou influenced. The synth arpeggiation kind of just reminds me something Dan Snaith would do, and overall this track just has the laid back, yet badass feel of a Caribou track. Killer track. Also the way this track fades out into more dissonant textures is pretty awesome for sure. Need You Now is pretty good, but a little too repetitive. Admittedly I don't get really into it until the last minute when the vocals kind of just fade in and out of the track. Still, those layered vocals on top of some patchy, yet great drum work really drew me into that track. So Much Further To Go is an absolute dud for me. It's not bad, but this track loses all direction immediately, and while I do enjoy the more relaxed vibe of that song, it just has nothing to draw you in. Everything on it just feels so plain. In contrast, Why Make Sense is an immense closer. The synth and drums build on top of each other, and the whole thing just feels really important to the band. This track feels complete in every way from it's arrhythmic synths to its story it tells in the lyrics. This track just feels exciting, and it is everything I do enjoy about this band. It is a very musical track that just still feels very poppy and energetic. So is Why Make Sense? a failure of an album? Hell no. This album spawned a lot of interesting moments and great things, but is it progression? No. This band can still create musical builds and great moments, but the creativity overall on this thing seems a little restricted, and I have to say that Hot Chip could really be dangerous if they could ever walk the tight rope of popularity and creativity well. I'm pretty amped to hear more from this band, and I have to say that I am betting on them for the future. 

Overall this album is very good, but I do not necessarily think it is better than their old material. It has great catchy tracks, but every once in a while it just seems like they lazily sewed a track together. This can be frustrating from a band with such good potential, and I feel like until they really force me to listen to them, I cannot reward them. This album is good, but ultimately it is not their best, and I still am not a huge Hot Chip fan. 

Best Song: Love Is The Future, Started Right, White Wine and Fried Chicken, Easy To Get, Why Make Sense, Need You Now

Worst Songs: Huarache Lights, Crying For You, So Much Further To Go

Album Review: Snoop Dogg-BUSH

Not Snoop's Typical Plant 

Snoop Dogg-BUSH
(7.7/10)









As ridiculous as that title may seem, it is easy to overlook anything Snoop Dogg has done in the last 10 years quite honestly. The man is comfortable and there is no problem with that, but it has gotten to the point where Calvin Broadus is more popular for his stoner persona than his actual music. And while I think Snoop is a more than capable rapper, it is really hard to say he has impressed me a lot recently. However, within the last year and a half, he is starting to do some cool things in my opinion. I thought some of his collaborations with Flying Lotus were pretty cool, especially Dead Man's Tetris, and I also thought he sounded right at home on Kendrick Lamar's new album To Pimp A Butterfly. What did these two tracks have in common? They weren't conventional Snoop sounding songs! On Dead Man's Tetris Snoop rapped over video game sounding beats with very cool synth progressions, and this gave Snoop's routine a little more life. On Institutionalized off Kendrick's new album I heard Snoop rapping with a little more emotion than usual as of late. He did not disappoint, even when paired with one of the world's best rappers which really impressed me. This track sounded a little early Snoop inspired, and it was refreshing to hear Snoop back in that type of setting. On BUSH Snoop continues to try some new things, and actually even go back to his roots in some ways. BUSH is easily Snoop's best work in years, and it is not because he dropped bars and went back to his gangster sound, but rather it is because he provided a more focused stylistic change to keep listeners intrigued. While this album doesn't feature nearly as much rap as his other efforts, it does hold my attention a lot, and it has a lot of great things going on. Some of the production and features are very well done, especially all work done by Pharrell Williams. This album just feels like a breath of fresh air for me, and it actually ironically sounds more focused and reggae influenced than anything Snoop Lion ever produced. While this thing will definitely not live up to albums like Doggystyle or The Doggfather, it will certainly be another good edition into Snoop's discography, and at this point that is a good accomplishment.

BUSH opens up with quite possibly my favorite pop tune of the year in California Rolls. This tune features Pharrell Williams with a catchy hook and crisp production. The song feels very old school, yet with a touch of new to it at the same time. This track's hook also has cool word play with the food California Rolls and the phrase "How California Rolls' as well. Stevie Wonder is also on here with presumably some piano and back up vocal contributions. Overall this track just feels smoother than a glass of lemonade on a nice summer day, and it is by the far the highlight of the album for me. The next track admittedly loses some steam for me. This City is not awful, but it simply feels kind of bland after the great opener, and I was not happy to hear this. R U A Freak sees Snoop at his most funkadelic and mysterious. The bassline on this track is just incredible, and it has me dancing every time. The song can feel lazy lyrically for sure, but honestly it's just a simple sexy funk tune, and there's nothing wrong with that. Still sometimes Snoop's lyrics just feel awkward and forced. Awake also has Pharrell on the hook, and he yet again just adds a certain spark to the song. These two seem to just create great hooks together. This track also has those funky guitar chords that I love. They are very corny, but they still work well. This track just feels like it was so fun to make also. Everyone contributing vocally just feels into it, and the groove just fills my body with joy. So Many Pros is probably too long, but it still has some great things on it. The backup singers are just singing their ass of on this one. I really love hearing that, but in comparison Snoop just feels lazy on this track. This one is also catchy and funky, but it doesn't posses the same spark as Awake. Peaches N Cream is also too long, but yet again the instrumentation just feels spot on. Phat drums, groovy bass, and the camaraderie in the vocals just puts me in a great mood. Edibles is so tightly produced that I can't hate it. The song itself is actually pretty bad, but the drums are just so tight sounding, and the blending of real instrumentation with drum machines is pretty awesome. Pharrell really saved this album at times actually, especially considering how poor the lyrical output was. Still the instrumentals are constantly amazing sounding, and I just am having a blast listening to this. The last 3 songs are undoubtedly really disappointing though. I Knew That is just so forgettable. Snoop does not have much charisma on here even though he tries, but almost everything he says on here just feels really creepy actually. Run Away tries to the most charming track on here with the trade off between male and female vocals, but Snoop and Gwen Stefani establish no connection on here. I cannot really feel anything for either protagonist of this song, which is really disappointing. Lastly, I'm Ya Dogg is actually pretty good, but when you put two legends in Snoop and Kendrick on a track I expect better results. Kendrick kind of saves this track from oblivion, but overall it's still pretty listenable. Also this thing kind of just fizzles out, which is such a bummer. This track does not pack the energy that some of these other tracks do, and on such a fun summer loving album this just feels inappropriate. Despite all its flaws, this album still impressed me though. I have to say Snoop pulled through on this one, and I think that this will please many people.

Overall if you love more instrumental rap music check this thing out. It does not have great lyrics at all, but it is fun, catchy, and simply groovy and sometimes that is all you need. I feel like Snoop will never make another classic, but with BUSH he has proven he still at least has more to offer.

Best Songs: California Rolls, R U A Freak, Awake, So Many Pros, Peaches N Cream, Edibles, I'm Ya Dogg
Worst Songs: This City, I Knew That, Run Away

Album Review: Kamasi Washington-The Epic

Once In A Blue Moon

     

Kamasi Washington-The Epic   9.5/10  

Jazz is perhaps one of the most adventurous genres ever created, and that's the beauty of it. Everything is so flexible with it's form and structure, and nothing is pigeonholed by speed or sound of songs. Jazz also has birthed some of the longest songs/records in existence today, and that is not a bad thing at all. The length of these tunes often result in some of the most wacky/interesting musical progressions ever to be heard. Kamasi Washington has been known as Flying Lotus' saxophone player, and during this tenure he played jam packed, 2-3 minute songs that were glitchy-electro, yet jazz sounding. While Fly Lo's tunes are very unique, some of the other musicians behind them are often forgotten, and it is nice to see Kamasi step out of his shadow to try things on his own. So this question is: Does Kamasi's solo album live up to Flying Lotus and other Brainfeeder artists? The answer is met with a resounding yes! This album packs so many ideas and fresh takes on jazz music that somehow over the course of its 174 minute run, it never manages to lose my interest. Kamasi Washington is not just a fresh face for jazz music, but he possibly the freshest one in the entire game right now. Him and his band have managed to make something very abstract, yet very logical in the same breath, and to me that is very special. Few artists can make an album as oddball as this one, and truly make it sound like every song/moment belongs on there. While Flying Lotus' last album was really unique and cool, I would argue that this thing, despite being practically the opposite of that album, is stronger in every way possible. It is really refreshing to see some new people step up in a genre like jazz, and believe it or not, jazz is not even close to being dead. This movement is just getting started. 

Over the course of this behemoth of an album, Kamasi displays his very versatile skill on the tenor saxophone. He shows that he can play clean, dirty, wild, or very reserved and any of it still sounds like him. No matter how he plays, it somehow still fits exactly into his signature saxophone sound. The rest of the musicians on here display similar skill, especially the drummer, who rotates in between basic swing/latin grooves into oddball solos that often switch feels from duple to triple in the middle. As a jazz drummer, I am aware that most of this music is extremely challenging to play, which just gives me a further appreciation of every musical moment going on here. Every arrangement on here has so much variation and depth that it is really hard to analyze, so I'll just sum up some of the tremendous highlights from this record for you. The opener Changing of the Guard sets the tempo for this record right away. The incorporation of a choir and strings, and other exotic percussion really adds a unique environment to this track, and many of the ones that follow it. Askim is absolutely epic! This piece is a little more funky than the opener, but the time still feels very loose. The band makes several time changes throughout, yet they still find utterly fantastic. The Rhythm Changes feels short on this album, but it still is refreshing to hear a song with a more complete set of lyrics, and a song with a more direct purpose. The first side of this triple album is a little more traditional swing in comparison to others in my opinion. The second side feels just a little bit more free with tunes such as Magnificent 7 which include very improvisational sounding bass and drum parts that are pretty cool. The sax solo also gets extremely wacky which is really cool. Not a lot of people can hit the notes he is playing, and Kamasi really needed to prove himself like this early on in his career. Re Run feels very funky throughout as the drums and bass often take a backseat to the brass/woodwind work and this sounds pretty clean. I just really love the bongos also in this track because that is pretty unconventional. Side 3 is probably the weirdest, but also the best for me. Washington's take on Clair de Lune feels very personal yet still authentic and I can appreciate that. Malcom's Theme is also a meaningful ballad portraying the life of civil rights leader Malcolm X, and I think it is really cool that an African American musician today is paying homage to someone who paid the ultimate sacrifice. This song is also just very cool, and it feels like it tells a strong personal narrative. Cherokee is the funkiest tune on the album, but this is pretty refreshing. Sounds a little like a more musical advanced Jackson 5 song, which I think is pretty cool. The Message is an absolutely monstrous closer that grooves in 7/8 and is about as off-kilter as it gets. This song has some absolutely insane solos all across the board, and it probably displays the diverse musicianship on here better than any track on the album. I really feel like the album peaked at this moment, which felt just perfect. The last track is really supposed to be the best song.

Overall, this album is not for everybody. If you don't like jazz you won't like this most likely, but it sure tries a lot of new things such as chorus and string arrangements, and it also has plenty of just crazy eccentricities to it that are unmatched by any jazz album I've heard in recent memory. Kamasi Washington hasn't just rekindled my excitement for a genre, but he reminded why music is so great in the first place. He taught me that music is a group effort, and without everyone on board, the whole thing would be a trainwreck. I happily find camaraderie in music, just as Kamasi does, and I hope he inspires more people like me everyday. 

Best Songs: Change of The Guard, Askim, The Next Step, The Rhythm Changes, Miss Understanding, Leroy and Lanisha, Re Run, Henrietta Our Hero, Magnificent 7, Re Run Home, Cherokee, Clair De Lune, Malcom's Theme, The Message

Worst Songs: Isabelle, Final Thought, Seven Prayers

Album Review: Vlasta Popic-Kvadrat

New Beginnings, or Maybe Not?

    Vlasta Popic: Kvadrat (8.6/10)

Music has advanced so far in the past couple decades that is often so easy to overlook things. We have moved on to an era for crisp, in studio sound and while that may be very aesthetically pleasing sometimes, it can also ultimately be a downfall. Sometimes we get so caught up in the sound of an album that we forget about the songs. While this new record from Croatian punk-rock outfit Vlastic Popic may be pretty well produced, it is very no bullshit. What I mean by this is that it just flat out gives you the music with no fluff and no unnecessary noise. The band exudes intensity in their performance by their shouting vocals and their sinister, yet catchy guitar chords. Also these songs flat out cook! The tempo is always pretty fast, so bobbing your head along is pretty easy. This record is very punk at heart, but some of these tunes are a little more unconventional, namely the 9 minute closer. This album, while being in a completely different language, speaks to me which can only mean that it is truly great. I wasn't aware of this band only a week ago, but they popped up on my twitter feed, and I decided to give them a chance. I was immediately hooked by their dissonant, hard nosed sound, and while punk bands tend to die off pretty early, I would not bet against this band at all. Not to say this record is flawless, but it with punk music, is isn't perfect just a sham anyway?

Trziste kicks this thing off with immediate energy. It kind of feels like an interlude into the actual album, but this is only a minor complaint. This song kind of serves as a microcosm for the record as a whole, and honestly the simplicity of this song only adds to its awesomeness. Ako Nisam Dobra continues in this vein of simplicity, but this track builds more and gets into more of a groove. The whole thing gets pretty loud, and the contrasting colors of the instrumentals with the female vocalists work pretty well. Mastanje is a more indie sounding song with guitar work that sounds very Speedy Ortiz reminiscent. This track doesn't progress much and it can get annoying. The original idea is pretty nice, but it kind of feels like failed opportunity. That being said this track is actually pretty good still, and it serves as a nice break from the punk edge of the album. Dolje is a Rage Against The Machine sounding drum groove over two clashing guitar parts. This track just sounds hectic, and while not a highlight of the album, it is certainly still pretty enjoyable. The small break in the middle of this song where it picks up some speed was pretty unexpected and I really liked that unpredictable moment. Ataksija is kind of reminiscent of a Viet Cong song, especially Bunker Buster. This song kind of just wanders around until all the sudden it is a massive huge sounding piece. Subtle builds help make this track an amazing highlight of the album. The guitar colors are pretty similar to some early Nirvana riffs. Also this track just feels pretty unique in the scope of the whole album. Not a lot of bands can make a track like this, and I really appreciate this. O Vodi is probably my least favorite song on here just because of its generic nature. It's not bad, and the guitar outro is pretty nice, but still it feels like a lot more could have been done to make that track stick out. Nervonzo Se Sanjari is an awesome closer though. This song feels so short, but it is 9 minutes long so yeah that's pretty great. This track takes a lot of twists and turns, including 2 minutes of silence, but it seems to pay off. It makes the track more compelling and it makes the listener truly listen to the story being told. This album has some flaws for sure: sometimes it goes on too long, sometimes the ideas are not creative, and sometimes the ideas are not fully fleshed out, but it is undeniably that this band has an "it" factor. They truly can just jam together and make rockin' tunes which is hard to come by these days. They embody the bands who love the live experience, and they definitely do not need the help of a studio to sound like pros. Every once in a while a band like this comes a long that just has a gift, and no matter how many mistakes they may make, they will always rule! Vlasta Popic are not the "hottest new thing" or the most creative band, but they certainly posses this gift, and I am excited to see if they can continue to make some creative indie-punk records.

Overall, This record is great because it does not try too hard. It is simple and meaningful, just like any other punk album should be. This band has a lot of potential, but knowing the history of punk bands, that does not always work out; however, something tells me everything will be alright for Vlasta Popic.

Best Songs: Ako Nisam Dobra, Szeged, Dolje, Trziste, Ataksija, Nervonzo Se Sanjari
Worst Songs: O Vodi, Slijepa Naza

Album Review: Mumford & Sons-Wilder Mind

A Wild Ride

Mumford & Sons: A Wilder Mind
4.0/10










Mumford & Sons have never really struck a chord in my heart. Their signature anthemic style folk ballads have never really impressed me in anyway, but I can certainly see the appeal. The band brought a unique, driving sound to the mainstream that was pretty hard pressed to find nowadays. The band seemed to be on a roll with fans and critics alike, but still I have never found anything special about them. Sure, they play Banjos and a bunch of more old fashioned instruments, but I really think that this band relies on a bunch of gimmicks to get them through. Remember this is just my opinion, but I believe their songs are too corny, they are predictable, and they all sound so similar. I just feel like there is nothing particularly new about the band in general, so when I heard they were prepping a new album I'll admit I was not that curious to find out what was coming next. Then I remembered that it is never appropriate to simply write off a band, so I decided to give this album a try. After hearing the initial singles off the album, I knew this record was a sonic shift for the band. This prospect excited me, and I was really eager to see if this band could finally win me over, but yet again I just find myself extremely disappointed. Wilder Mind is different for the band, but it is literally the most generic album I've heard all year. Generic is not always necessarily bad, but when you have the musical talent of a band like Mumford & Sons it is really sad to see all the bland and poorly layered tracks on here. While I did hate the banjo led anthems, I liked them more than this because at least those songs showed a little character. These new tracks literally sound like any old indie rock band, and it the gig just feels old. While I do like indie, I just have to say this thing sounds forced and just flat out plain. I still believe these guys can make something great, but to me it still feels like they are wasting time appealing to the mainstream and not really focusing on what really matters: the music.

Do not get me wrong, this album isn't atrocious or anything, it just wastes a lot of opportunities. Some tracks on here actually work quite well such as the opener: Tompkins Square Park. This track balances a driving beat with a very sentimental set of lyrics. Marcus Mumford feels like he is telling a story here, and it feels very close to home for him. He longs to get to a better place, and on this track the band breaks new ground. Aaron Desner's of The National worked on production on this album, and he would be proud of this track. The very eerie and minimalistic guitar rhythm is very National-esque, and it fits very well with the song overall. This song kicks off the album great, but Believe immediately lets the listener down. It tries to be this big anthem, but it really actually fails quite hard. The end sounds absolutely tiny, but I know that they wanted that thing to sound huge, it was the only thing that made sense. Perhaps this could have been a production error, but it still shouldn't have made the album. The Wolf is a great cut that reminds me a lot of Interpol. It uses it's catchiness to its advantage, but it is pretty rocking and it could actually benefit from less production still a great track. I'm not going to go into the rest of the songs individually, but almost every other song on here fails. With the exception of Broad-Shouldered Beasts and Snake Eyes nothing really captures me. A lot of these songs try to hit home at a lyrical level or sentimental value, but really these songs usually just do not even hold my attention. I feel like these are just weak attempts of song s I've already heard before, and for that reason I cannot appreciate this album too much. It's listenable, but so much more could have been done, and I really feel like perhaps the Mumford & Sons need to stop thinking about what they want to sound like, and start thinking about what they do sound like. They need to be able to acknowledge sometimes they get too corny or catchy, but they have to use these things to their advantage. Tracks like The Wolf show them progressing in this form, but still some tracks just show them doing things I feel like they cannot pull off.

Overall the Wilder Mind is not really all too wild at all, but it certainly is not awful. I just think this album could have really benefited from some more thought, and some more work. Everything kind of seems rushed and sloppily made to me. The band plugged in guitars, but if you still loved that Banjo sound there will certainly will some catchy songs you'll like. I just cannot say that this band has made a crazy, must-listen to record when I can find something by a somewhat unknown artist that sounds almost exactly the same. While this album has its moments, the wildest ride I experienced was my rollercoaster of disappointment. I know some people enjoyed this, but for me I just can't dig it, sorry.

Best Songs: Tompkins Square Park, The Wolf, Broad-Shouldered Beasts, Snake Eyes
Worst Songs: Believe, Wilder Mind, Just Smoke, Monster, Ditmas, Only Love, Hot Gates

50 Must Have Tracks From The Last 5 Years

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
50. Titus Andronicus-Titus Andronicus
49. Wild Nothing-This Chain Won't Break
48. Kanye West-Devil In A New Dress
47. Caribou-Jamelia
46. Joey Badass-Hazeus View
45. Death Grips-Takyon
44. LCD Soundsystem-Us V. Them
43. Kendrick Lamar-A.D.H.D
42. Radiohead-The Butcher
41. Grizzly Bear-Speak In Rounds
40. Flying Lotus-Do The Astral Plane
39. Hundred Waters-Xtalk
38. Modest Mouse-The Ground Walks With Time In a Box
37. Bombay Bicycle Club-Shuffle
36. Deerhunter-The Missing
35. The National-Anyone's Ghost
34. Los Campesinos!-Cemetery Gates
33. Cymbals Eat Guitars-Definite Darkness
32. The Strokes-Metabolism
31. Kendrick Lamar-King Kunta
30. Thundercat-Heartbreaks, Setbacks
29. Andrew Bird-Eyeoneye
28. Wilco-Art of Almost
27. Kanye West-Blood On The Leaves
26. Bombay Bicycle Club-Favourite Day
25. Arctic Monkeys-That's Where You're Wrong
24. Death Grips-Guillotine
23. Hundred Waters-Seven White Horses
22. Lower Dens-Alphabet Song
21. The Walkmen-Heaven
20. Cymbals Eat Guitars-Jackson
19. Beck-Wave
18. Cloud Nothings-Cut You
17. Spoon-Who Makes Your Money?
16. Deerhunter-He Would Have Laughed
15. Broken Social Scene-World Sick
14. Wilco-One Sunday Morning
13. Arcade Fire-Reflektor
12. Bombay Bicycle Club-Carry Me
11. Julian Casablancas & The Voidz-Human Sadness
10. The War On Drugs-Red Eyes
9.   Caribou-Can't Do Without You
8.   Titus Andronicus-Old Friends and New
7.   Bombay Bicycle Club-So Long See You Tomorrow
6.   Kendrick Lamar-M.A.A.D City
5.   The National-Pink Rabbits
4.   Arcade Fire-We Used To Wait
3.   Radiohead-Give Up The Ghost
2.   Cloud Nothings-Wasted Days
1.   Grizzly Bear- Sun In Your Eyes

Album Review: The Tallest Man On Earth-Dark Bird Is Home

The Bird Has Flown Away

The Tallest Man On Earth
Dark Bird Is Home
6.7/10

Kristian Matsson is such an underrated songwriter. Throughout the years, he has been pounding out sentimental acoustic songs that really pull at the listener's heart strings. Matsson's slight accent and his just overall simplicity made him feel so human and real in comparison to many folk artists today. A lot of other folk artists kind of rely on hokey gimmicks that kind of get dry, but Matsson's emotion and charm has continually wooed me during his reign. That being said, Matsson has been moving away from what made him so great, and that truly bums me out. There's No Leaving Now, his last album, was more produced and less solid lyrically than his past effort: The Wild Hunt. This album was not bad by any means, but it seemed like Matsson's inspiration for this type of music was simply fading. He did not seem as passionate or frightening as he was in his previous efforts, and at the time I thought a sound change could be necessary. So now we have the follow up, and boy do we get a change in pace. The whole thing just sounds like a completely different artist, but is that necessarily a good thing? I'm really not sure. There is a lot to like on here, but there are definitely some awful things happening as well. Overall, this record is either a tremendous misstep by Matsson or it is the beginning of a sound that merely needs some time. Only time will tell on that department, but for now lets just talk about The Dark Bird Is Home. 

The first thing that needs to be said about this album is that the emotion is there. Matsson is very passionate, and you can hear the pain in his voice. Matsson wrote this record after a nasty break up, and I am glad to see that he was able to channel his energy in a good way. While this record is more emotional than the last one, it is also even more produced. The lack of production on the first couple Tallest Man releases was really charming. It really felt like someone was in the room with you, and it felt like your little secret. This record's production really takes away a lot of the sentimental value away from the songs. A lot of the emotion I mentioned above feels more artificial as a result of the production. Still, you wonder at this point of Matsson's career if we will ever hear another record as under-produced as the first couple: probably not. Although the production might be flawed, some new things on this record feel really fresh. Most Tallest Man songs are pretty stripped back arangements, but on this record we see a lot more instrumentation. Sagres brings in horns, woodblocks, and strings and it really provides a spark in the listener's ear. Some of the added instrumentation really helps out the closer as well. The atmostphere created in the last 50 seconds of The Dark Bird Is Home is far more advanced than anything Matsson has ever done. These final seconds also include horns, and they really create a very bittersweet mood to the piece. In what seems to be a very bittersweet effort, I find that more than appropriate. The record starts out really strong with 3 of the first 5 tracks being great. Fields Of Our Home is so painful and relatable. The lyrics often deal with disrespect that comes with a break up. Matsson throws his heart at you here, and honestly this track really feels like a logical progression for Kristian. It makes sense, and boy does it sound good. At times this track can drag along, but I think it is still very beautiful and very haunting. Little Nowhere Towns is a piano led diddy that shines above most cuts on this album. This track gives the listener something closer to the first albums, much like Kids On The Run. The piano is a new timbre for the most part in his songs, so it is also refreshing to see it utilized well. I also really like the lyrics on here. They deal with the inevitablity of leaving your home. Often you can feel like you spent such a long time somewhere just to get nowhere. It's quite a chilling song. Singers is another great song with a really simple structure. Just pretty charming folk music that is hard not to like. The back half is a lot weaker. While Sagres has some great instrumentation that is pretty promising, it also fails to progress enough on its original ideas. It is an interesting song, but I feel like Matsson wrote half a song and just kind of extended it. Timothy also just makes me feel absolutely nothing. This track just is kind of annoying, and unnecessary to me. The shout chorus is really cheesy and the whole thing is pretty repetitive. These issues make it hard for the song to strike any sort of emotional chord. Beginners is a pretty nice song, but I have to say it is pretty forgettable. I think that it is possibly the closest thing to an early Tallest Man song on here, but it really fails to capture that spark he once had. Seventeen suffers from all the same issues Timothy does. It is really lousy and just simply feels generic. It fails to make any emotional impact because it does not really do anything different from its first 30 seconds. This song also actually seems poorly mixed to me. The guitars can kind of drape over the vocals sometimes, and Matsson's lyrics are always the best parts of Tallest Man songs. As mentioned above, the closer is absolutely gorgeous. The "folk-drop" at the end can be cheesy for sure, but the atmospheres presented are pretty amazing, so that doesn't bug me. Also the track before that drop is pretty solid. It is possibly the most human at peace Matsson feels all album, and how appropriate that he ends on a bang. Overall, this album has plenty of issues such as, bad tracks, production errors, and unfinished work, but Matsson can still win me over a good percentage of the time. There are plenty of good ideas for every Darkness of The Dream, and that is pretty encouraging. But just a couple years ago the idea of Matsson making a song like Darkness Of The Dream would be maddening. The thing about this album is that while it does see some new ideas come to success, it also has some vital flaws. One huge flaw is that it has no cohesion. The album is supposed to be this sad break up record, but none of the songs really match up thematically and that really hurts the effectiveness of this record. This is either Matsson's first step in a grand reveal for a new sound, or the man is simply just running his project into the ground, and sadly I think the latter is more accurate.

I'll say this again: this album is not bad at all. I think, indeed, some of its best moments are undeniably some of Matsson's best moments yet, but some of these tracks drag on and really don't fit together. The over production and the lack of focus seem to kind of just accumulate to a scattered project that had a lot more potential than result. Regardless of this albums failures, I cannot deny that there is still something unique about Kristian, but I'm just afraid that this line is being drawn thinner every record. I have to say that Dark Bird takes a valiant effort in trying to expand his palette, but in the end it comes up short, and makes Matsson seem like an amateur  at times. Sadly, this was not a redeeming record for me, but I am sure it was for Matsson himself. He finally feels right at home, and who am I to judge?

Best Songs: Fields Of Our Home, Singers, Little Nowhere Towns, Beginners, Dark Bird Is Home
Worst Songs: Darkness Of The Dream, Slow Dance, Timothy, Sagres, Seventeen

Album Review: Alabama Shakes-Sound & Color

Alabama Shakes: Sound & Color (8.5/10)

All The Right Colors

2015 has been a pretty crazy year, and perhaps the biggest surprise musically of this year was this album. Alabama Shakes were not a terrible band, but their debut provided, to me, lackluster soul-rock tunes that were ultimately pretty forgettable. Obviously Hold On was a great single, but it still lacks anything that makes it its own separate thing. It sounds pretty ripped off from a lot of other soul rock bands, and it overall is not very strong in character. It just sounds pretty overly generic, and plain. This issue was the plague of this band's entire first effort, Boys & Girls, for me. However, this go around was a complete 180 for me. The band sounds more mature, powerful, and charismatic on this new record. Lead singer Brittany Howard sings her heart out over sometimes very sexy, mysterious instrumentation. The guitar riffs are tasty, the choruses are often catchy, and almost all the songs strike a chord with you. Unlike the first record, this record doesn't beg you to listen to it, but instead it forcefully shoves its powerful attitude into your ears.

The title track kicks this thing off with a mysterious vibe to it. Vibraphone and cymbals colors help intensify the very suave feel of the song. Howard's vocals also are more loose in this song where as most other songs on here are more controlled. The song feels really good, and is probably one of the most creative things this band has done to date. Don't Wanna Fight is not one of the strongest tunes on here, but it still drags you in with a catchy hook, and a very passionate vocal performance by Howard. Even the weaker moments on here can be salvaged by Howard sometimes. Dunes and This Feeling are both more reserved tracks that are very charming. These tracks are not overly complicated, but they are still very pretty and real sounding at times. Dunes is a nice little break after the catchy Don't Wanna Fight, and after the punchy-funk tune Future People, and the bombastic rock tune Give Me All Your Love, This Feeling is beautiful. This feeling is pretty much just accoustic guitar, piano, vocals, and small taps on the guitar for percussion, and it possible draws you in more than any of the more extensive instrumental tracks on here. The tune is very calming, and I really feel like I got to know a piece of Howard after listening to it. Also the guitar part is really simple, but gets its job done. This track is so simple, but it doesn't bore me in the slightest. Guess Who is a muffled vocal over jazz lounge guitar and glitchy drums. It sounds weird, but actually translates pretty well. This one is also pretty stripped back. Shoegaze is probably the most generic tune on here, but it is by no means bad. It feels kind of insignificant next to Miss You. Miss You and Give Me All Your Love are absolutely gigantic tunes that see Howard shouting her lungs out, and it is really triumphant. Give Me All Your Love feels so emotive and sad, but Howard spins this song in a way where it feels like she is in control and I really appreciate this. Miss You is a bluesy tune that feels familiar, but nonetheless powerful, and you cannot help but to jam out to it. The two last songs are actually pretty forgettable to me though. Gemini and Over My Head are pretty similar to the title track, but these tracks drag on too long, and they lack the personality and timbres of the exciting opening track. Another complaint about this album would be that sometimes the band does not allow these instrumentals enough room to breath. Everything still feels kind of compressed and cut down, when I think this sound could be bigger and better. Also the best tracks on here are significantly better than the worst. I feel like this record was so close to being consistent straight through, but some hiccups towards the end really hurt it. Knowing that Alabama Shakes are improving thus far, I would not bet against them making a truly great album someday, but for now this will more than suffice.

Pick this thing up if you are a fan of soul-rock with jazz/garage/funk influences. That's pretty broad, but Alabama Shakes find a way to pack a lot of cool sounds onto this LP. Overall I am pretty proud of the progress this band has made, but if they cut down on the lackluster, spacy tracks and the mandatory mainstream hit tracks, then they could have a serious AOTY contender on their hands. This thing is more than impressive, but you still can't help but feel like it could have been that much better. Still, I am pleased with this album, and if you wanna give this thing I chance, I'd highly recommend it.

Best Songs: Sound & Color, Dunes, Future People, Give Me All Your Love, This Feeling, Miss You
Worst Songs: Don't Wanna Fight, The Greatest, Gemini, Over My Head

Album Review: Blur-The Magic Whip

Is There Any Magic Left?






Blur: The Magic Whip
7.6/10












Blur don't have anything left to prove at this point. They are Brit-Pop legends and many of their works have really stood the test of time. In addition to this, many of their members have continued on with notable success outside of the band (most notably Damon Albarn). So it kind of begs the question: why? Why are we getting this Blur record after 12 years of pretty much silence. I guess the answer to that is why not. This groups fans absolutely adore their work, Damon Albarn has been everywhere lately, and they simply are still popular enough to comeback, so it kind of does all make sense. Still, many people never thought they'd hear this album, and it is kind of cool to see it finally come to fruition. So does this thing live up to their previous works? I'll answer that quite simply: no, but that is not necessarily a terrible thing.

Some of the band's earlier work is so potent and destructive, so it was kind of unreasonable to expect so much out of this thing. That being said, there are still some very good tunes on here. The best tunes on here are super eerie and haunting. Tunes such as Ice Cream Man and I Thought I Was A Spaceman both create very dense, teeth chattering melodies that feel so bitter, but so right at the same time. Go Out is another tune I enjoy a lot. It has a more rock and roll sound, and its attitude and charisma let it shine. I Broadcast is also not very different or challenging to the ears, but it is pretty catchy and enjoyable. Ghost Ship is another tune that is very interesting and has a very chill atmosphere. The tune feels pretty ethereal and very meaningful. I have a fun time decoding what this track is about, but I know I like it a lot. Lonesome Street and Pyongyang both give me David Bowie Low vibes with their very textural instrumentals as well as Albarn's strange vocal deliveries. These tracks are very groovy and probably the most memorable tunes on here for me. Lonesome Street is such an awesome way to start the record in my opinion. It feels like Blur hasn't lost a step on this tune. Lastly, My Terracota Heart is an absolutely stunning track that is definitely among some of the band's best work to date. The guitar work is Radiohead-esque and the vocals are haunting as many of the songs on this album are. The lyrics are pretty perfect for this tune, and the tune is cryptic and catchy. Absolutely adore this track. That pretty much sums up every highlight on here for me sadly though. The tracks that are weak to me are pretty bad. New World Towers never grips me at any point of its running, and it is perhaps one of the weakest tracks on here. It just feels so boring in comparison to the rest. There Are Too Many Of Us suffers from a similar problem, but it is not nearly as bad. This track was actually initially pretty gripping, but it failed to develop and blossom into what it could've been, so that really turned me off. A lot the instrumentation here had a lot of potential actually, but it was not harnessed well enough to make a good end result. Ong Ong, while fun, is painfully cheesy and sounds like it was made by a children's band. I can dance to it, but I definitely do not like it. Lastly, Mirrorball seems so half-assed to be the closer of this record. The record people have been waiting for so long ends with such a whimper, and to me that is really sad. This track isn't awful actually, but considering the last two songs are both pretty forgettable, the disappointment is felt pretty heavy when you hear this song.

Although the band made plenty of blunders on this record, I will say this is a fairly good comeback record. Some tracks are absolute treats, and some are just pretty good, but nothing on here is horrendous or anything. I have to say Blur did a pretty good job considering they are aging pretty fast at this point. I think if anything, this album will show people that while they may have lost a step, this band still can pack a punch. The album may not be amazing or anything, but it is solid, and that I cannot deny. So every time I hear New World Towers, I can live knowing that there is still a lot to enjoy. Overall, I am still pretty happy with this record, and if you love the band, so will you.

Album Reviews: Miami Horror-All Possible Futures

Anything But Futures

Miami Horror-All Possible Futures (8.0/10)

Miami Horror seems completely content with where they are right now. Their music exudes happiness and prosperity, so perhaps it seems a little ironic that their album title suggests where they might go with their future. This band seems so relaxed and carefree, and it just seems like they go with the flow. Their future is definitely up for question, but for now I'm much more interested in their current effort. All Possible Futures is a pop filled fest with a very modern, yet very retro sound to it. It makes its fair share of New Wave shout outs, but it certainly sounds as fresh as any pop record today. The whole album just feels like one big shout chorus (in a good way)! You can sing, dance, and really just feel good while listening to this music, and that is all that matters. This band's music just feels really good in the moment, so lets just drop all this talk about the future for now, and just talk about this band's current state. 

This album is filled with energetic, grooving instrumentals and it is evident right out the gates. American Dream starts with a very soft, humming tune that eventually grows into a dance track with a very catchy hook. Tracks 2 and 3 are both strong, but are ultimately relatively forgettable, but Cellophane makes you want to dance all night. While this instrumental can be relatively simple, it gets the job done, and it's charm is pretty enchanting as well. Wild Motion continues this trend of danciness, but is a little sharper. This tune is a little more unique to the band, and it includes a little more instrumentation than Cellophane. It is also one of the catchiest tracks on here, and feels more like a full effort from the band. After a nice interlude, the album picks back up with Colours In The Sky. This track has an M83-ish kind of vibe to it, and I really enjoy it. It does not pack the punch of an M83 tune, but it still is a nice little break from the very energetic, fast tunes occupying a lot of the album. All It Ever Was, is another one with an M83 vibe to it, but this track is more in the vein of a Midnight City. This track is very catchy and danceable, but yet it is pretty haunting as well. The instrumentation is very smooth on this track, and it just feels like being sprayed by a mist shower. It is very refreshing. The back half of this record to me, while pretty good is noticeably weaker though. Out of Sight and Stranger are very strong tunes, as well as the closer Forever Ever?, but ultimately some of these last tracks do not grip me the same way the beginning of the album does. Perhaps this is because the album is so long, that I begin to lose interest. Really, the album is not extremely long, but for the lack of variety on this thing sometimes, it does feel pretty long. Also, some of these songs just feel like rehashed versions of some of their earlier work. To me, this album could really have been stunning, but its best features are also its worst. It is very comfortable in its own skin, but it also does not have a wide variety of sounds on it. Ultimately, if anything, this puts Miami Horror in trouble for their future. That's why sometimes it is so hard to believe this record is called All Possible Futures. It just feels like a band that may not have much longer on top. Regardless, I still really enjoyed the bulk of this record, despite its occasional cheesiness and it's non-varied, and overly long format. 

In the end, if you want something to just live life to, this thing does it pretty good. This record is perfect for dance parties, group gatherings, and an introduction to electronic indie pop, but it is definitely not all you'll want to listen to. This thing is pretty paper thin, but it does not try to be anything else, and for that reason it is still very enjoyable. Miami Horror have made a very solid electronic indie pop record, but the real question is will their future even be possible?

Best Songs: American Dream, Cellophane, Wild Motion, Coulours In The Sky, All It Ever Was, Out of Sight, Stranger, Forever Ever?

Worst Songs: Real Slow, Out of Sight, Who Is Gonna Save Us?, Another Rise Another Fall

Album Review: Passion Pit-Kindred

Kindred In Spirit

Passion Pit: Kindred
(6.4/10)








Being Kindred is similar/related, so it is actually a pretty appropriate title for a Passion Pit album. Although I do enjoy Michael Angelakos's music for the most part, I wouldn't say it evolves very much at all. Perhaps this is the biggest problem with Kindred. Everything here seems so familiar for me, and it does not seem necessary for me to listen to at times. Manners was a stunning album, and Gossamer was a solid follow up, but I will admit that these albums are both relatively forgettable. What I mean by this is that I enjoy it thoroughly while listening to it, but all the tracks can't really cement themselves inside my head. This thread certainly continues on this album, but for different reasons. Kindred is nowhere near as musical or lyrical as their previous releases, but it has a very fun, light hearted attitude to it that I can really appreciate. Kindred may not be the most stellar album in the repertoire, but it is certainly not boring. Entertainment value aside, this album does have a lot of issues though, and it would feel wrong not to address them.

My main issues with this album is its reluctancy to do anything new. These things just all kind of feel like rehashes of older tunes, and while some of them are good rehashes, it would be nice to hear some unique experimentation. Perhaps the only glimpse of experimentation on this thing is the closing track Ten Feet Tall. Sadly, this song is way too sugar coated in auto-tune and synths, and it is by far the worst track on here. It also is just a sequel to a better track earlier in the album. Also this track does not dig as deep into Michael's personal side as other releases. Tracks where we get more sentimental/emotional approaches are amongst the best tracks on here, so it is really upsetting that we do not get more of that. The first five tracks are all fun, but I would trade almost all of them away for another Dancing On The Grave or My Brother Taught Me How To Swim. Both of these tracks feel the most real to Angelakos. These songs are some of his most personal to date, and I feel like these songs are some of the band's most potent work. A lot the other songs are just pop songs, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but when you have the capability to make emotional music, why make something that is kind of dimmed down for the masses? It just kind of frustrates me. The album as a whole is really fun to listen to, and it certainly isn't bad, but it is simply not as enthralling as their previous efforts. Their other albums are more emotive, hooky, and creative. Passion Pit did not fail in making this album, but they certainly need to change their approach up if they want to stay relevant.

Overall, if you want some fun light-hearted pop music, than this thing is still a pretty good album. If you are like me, and you loved their prior efforts, than you may be a little disappointed with this release, but there is still some stuff to enjoy on here. There is nothing shocking on this album, but Passion Pit can still right very catchy tunes. While this album wasn't my favorite, I still believe this band has the capability to make another great album. They haven't went full Matt & Kim on us.

Best Songs: Dancing On The Grave, My Brother Taught Me How To Swim, Where The Sky Hangs, Looks Like Rain, Lifted Up

Worst Songs: Ten Feet Tall, Whole Life Story, Five Foot Ten, Until We Can't, All I Want