Deaf Wish - Lithium Zion

Deaf Wish is an Australian Punk band who I got hip to around the release of their "Reality & Visions" album.  This was a very murky, twisted Post Punk album that really brought a lot of the qualities of the early days of the genre back from the dead.  The production was murky, the vocals were eerie, and the band seemed focused.  Now, the songwriting wasn't flawless, and I feel like their sound was a little one dimensional.  But this was a decent Post Punk release.  However, with 2015's "Pain", Deaf Wish got my attention.  No longer were they imitating the glory days of Post Punk, they were perfecting it.  Tracks like the 6+ Minute "Dead Air" and "The Whip" were fueled by flawless pacing and tension, while tracks like "Newness Again" and "They Know" showed the band branching out into a more Punk sound.  Between all of that and some really sleek production, this to me seemed like the real arrival of Deaf Wish. Deaf WIsh has returned my friends, with a sleeker sound than ever, and a much darker and grimier sound too, believe it or not.  And from the sound of these opening singles, I love just how much tension they've learned how to build.  Let's chat!

This album starts off with the very grimy, greasy “Easy”.  There’s almost a sense of Low-Fi to all of this, in a way that makes this track come off like some incredibly dark alter-ego of Guided By Voices, at least instrumentally.  But the start of this one is the tension in every way.  This one rolls along so smoothly, so slow, it just doesn’t care about anything in its path.  It ends up building up a lot of quick tension that the band releases often here with some really great guitar breaks and an almost euphoric chorus.  Now, no, this isn’t Deaf Wish at their most instantaneous or catchy.  But man, this does a great job of bringing in a lot of the sounds of this album, and just brings you up to speed with the very classic sound of Deaf Wish.  But “FFS” quickly brings a whole lot more of a raucous vibe in.  We get this very sweaty riff that it so much wilder compared to the intro, and this one has Sarah Hardiman taking over lead vocal duties.  And to be honest, there’s been times where I haven’t been as into some of her vocals.  But here, she sounds much more aggressive and seemingly has so much personality here.  It’s funny, this track is the polar opposite of the last track here, being so much more instantaneous and catchy.  Now, one thing I do sort of wish that would carry over from time to time with Deaf Wish is the production.  Deaf Wish finds themselves doing a little bit of a juggling act with the production, between more cleanly produced tracks and genuinely grungy tracks like “Metal Carnage”.  I mean, outside of the production, this track is actually a real gem.  I love how pummeling this is, with this one almost taking some cues from Hardcore.  It’s aggressive as hell, but it’s also insanely catchy.  Honestly, I can’t remember the last time I heard Deaf Wish going for such a streamlined sound, and it’s good.  On the other hand, “The Rat Is Back” has Deaf Wish once again putting on their “tension” hat.  It’s a very slow paced, sinister song packed with surreal imagery, one that would have most Post Punk acts shaking in their boots.  I just love some of the vocals here that are just so slippery and almost seductive, also while coming off truly dangerous.  And outside of that, the production is just so hulking and massive, and these riffs just keep getting grimier by the minute.  “The Rat Is Back” at the end of the day is just so simple, and practically comes off like a Bauhaus cover at times.  But I love this track.  Even that last 40 seconds of euphoric humming is just masterful.

Deaf Wish continues to scratch all the right itches with “Ox”.  I love how genuinely hectic this one is, immediately there are just so many guitars attacking from all angles.  But that’s not it, here we get a much more mani, intense spoken word vocal performance.  It’s practically hypnotizing at times, I feel like even bands like Protomartyr would be able to learn from this.  This track is easily one of the best of the bunch, it’s just so incredibly raw and in the moment.  Please, Deaf Wish, more tracks like “Ox”.  On the other hand, what the hell is even going on with “Hitachi Jackhammer”.  I like the sort of campiness of this one, and just how much Deaf Wish seem to just let go and have some fun for a few minutes.  But to me, this is actually a low point for the album.  Like, I love the waves of very hazy guitars and the very animated vocals.  But outside of that, this is just a toned down version of tracks like “Ox”.  But Deaf Wish” fire back strong with this album’s title track “Lithium Zion”, which may just be the most straightforward Post Punk track of the album.  This has such a cavernous and unhinged feeling as these very gloomy verses roll on.  And yea, you can argue that a lot of this album is nothing new for these genres, and they often just sound like they’re covering some true legends.  I wouldn’t say that though, as the band plays with enough energy to make it all sound fresh.  Not to mention, the overall gloominess of this album continues to be fantastic.  “Lithium Zion” may be an instrumental, but it’s pretty fantastic.  On the other hand “Deep Blue Cheated” is just as unhinged but much more aggressive sounding immediately.  I don’t know why, but I continue to get a sort of Sonic Youth flair from this, which I really can’t pinpoint.  But I feel like this track has absolutely an old-school “Goo” feel to it.  This is far from the most melodic track here, but it’s passionate and has just the right amount of gloomy vocals and intense verses.  Not to mention, this is one of the longer tracks here, but Deaf Wish does well with keeping you interested.  But I would actually say Sarah’s vocals here are the element that takes this to the next level.  It comes in much later than usual, but when it does, it’s just so mysterious and oddly sexy, all while we get some of this album’s wildest vocals yet. 

On the other hand, “Birthday” smooths things out into one of the catchier tracks here.  And that’s very strange indeed because it’s still very aggressive and hazy.  It’s almost dreamy in a way as literally everything about this track constantly hits you from all angles.  And Sarah’s vocals continue to be so dangerous and oddly sexy.  This track may be on the shorter side, but this band is holding it together wonderfully. But of all of the tracks here, “Afraid For You” is the least captivating.  All of a sudden, I feel like Deaf Wish don’t care nearly as much for a Post Punk sound, and are literally going for a sort of gloomy Indie sound practically.  And without all of that tension and aggression, this track is just so boring to sit through.  The vocals on all sides just don’t sound nearly as into this as they should be  I just don’t know how the quality here took this much of a nose dive.  This album finishes up with “Smoke”, and once again I still feel like this reminds me so much of Sonic Youth.  But trust me, it’s in the best way.  I love the woozy, hazy guitars and the dangerous vocals all around.  It’s just such a dark, winding track that’s full of twists and turns.  And yea, this is by far the longest track here.  But nothing is overblown, it’s just a truly dark and grimy finale that has my mouth watering for more Deaf Wish.

Rating: 8.3/10

Give A Listen To: “FFS”, “The Rat Is Back”, “Ox”, “Smoke”

Least Favorite Track: “Afraid of You”

Genre: Post-Punk

Overall Thoughts: Deaf Wish come into their own more than ever and offer up their sleekest and most dangerous sounding tracks to date.  You can argue that half of the sounds on this album they’ve ripped from the playbooks of Sonic Youth and Bauhaus.  But one thing you can’t dispute is just how great they make it sound.  And between that, very updated production, grimy instrumentals and some very moody performances, this is a really great Post-Punk album.

The Internet - Hive Mind

The Internet since the early 2010's has been dishing out very Spacey, Funk-infused Alternative R&B.  Made up of Matt Martians and Syd, I always sort of felt like of the Odd Future bunch, The Internet sort of stuck out like a sore thumb.  Their 2011 debut "Purple Naked Ladies" was wildly inconsistent.  Now, Matt can certainly get a very spacey groove going, and Syd can certainly sing.  But the tracks here were hilariously spotty, and often convoluted.  Now, the band's one foray into synth pop on here with "Cocaine" actually was a major standout.  But outside of that, I was just sort of unaffected by this debut.  Now, 2013's "Feel Good" was a big shift for The Internet, as both Syd and Matt sounded so much more confident here.  At the end of the day, they focused so much more on the two of them collaborating and making music than having guests take the spotlight, and it sounded pretty solid.  While the songwriting was still a little to be desired, and at over an hour this was massively overblown, I was at least enjoying this album more than their debut.  The Internet returned in 2015 with "Ego Death", their strongest album yet by far.  By this time, the production and beats were so much more interesting, and Syd had gotten so confident with her singing that she could practically carry the project herself.  The Internet also chose some really great guests that complimented there style, like Janelle Monae and Vic Mensa.  And while yes, the songwriting was a little repetitive at times, this was The Internet's strongest showing yet.  But HEY, let me tell you.  These singles The Internet have been bringing to the table recently have been really fantastic, and some of their best singles to date.  Let's chat!

This album starts off with “Come Together”, and instantly these are some of the best grooves I’ve heard in any genre this year.  I love the slick bass, and just how smooth this track comes off.  The Internet has just come so far from hazy, fairly sloppy brand of Space Funk.  No, here this comes off as a laid back, soulful jam of a tune.  Syd has come out of her shell so much since the birth of this project years ago, and sounds fantastic.  The very breathy woodwinds and the sexy vibes of everything else are just so tasteful.  I wouldn’t say this is the catchiest or most immediate track here, but this is a very steamy, groovy intro that shows just how much this project has come along.  But if you’re trying to get on your feet in a big way, “Roll (Burbank Funk) is the answer.  This one has an absolutely killer dance groove, and enough bass to make the funkiest band blush. Even Matt Martians over the years have really come into his own.  There’s still a slight Spacey vibe to this, but it comes off so much better thought out.  But with the addition of guys like Steve Lacey etc., The Internet’s music has become so animated and lovable.  But there’s also a certain simplicity to this that’s almost too obvious.  This is far from a journey or anything wild, but it’s one of the catchiest and most brilliant Alternative R&B ticks you’ll hear this year.  The very sleek vibes of this album continue with “Come Over”.  This is a pretty damn steamy affair, if Syd wasn’t already out of her shell compared to years ago, her performance on “Come Over” is next level.  Instrumentally, this track is stripped down much more compared to other tracks here.  But for an incredibly sexy, steam jam, everyone on board really makes this work.  Now, honestly, I do wish this one wasn’t so straightforward, because as far as an Alt-R&B tune goes, this is a little simple.  But little details like that absolutely killer guitar solo and the fantastic production make this a solid track. But for my liking, these much more upbeat, insanely funky tracks like “La Di Da’ are the way to go.  This track is so hectic with so many damn instrumentals flying at you from every angle.  It’s almost overwhelming, but it’s also so well put together.  Between Matt’s very smooth hook and Syd’s very charismatic verses, this is brilliant  And like I said, I really do love hearing The Internet working with a much more upbeat sound.  It’s so simple, but it just works so well.  Not only that, but it shows The Internet really defining their sound, which is something I’ve waited years for.  Then we have “Stay the Night”, another very sleek, slow jam of a tune.  But Syd’s very delicate and incredibly tender vocals here make it work.  There’s almost a sense of innocence to this one in a weird way.  But it works for the ban, and while the instrumentals are stripped down and seemingly so quiet, end up painting a very steamy backdrop for this late night jam.  And while at first, I feel like the simplicity of a lot of these tracks was a little bit of a turn off for me, it’s grown on me, and honestly works as a throwback to a simpler time in R&B.

Now with “Bravo”, we get the slowest and most left-field track here yet.  It’s far from the upbeat, Space Funk we were getting earlier, and this may be the most straightforward track here.  But sadly, it’s tracks like this that hold me back from going head over heels for this album completely.  It’s still got some great bass licks, and this may just be Syd’s most charismatic performance of the album.  Hell, I love the entire “performance” theme to many of the lyrics here, it makes things legitimately sexy.  But this one also has some of the most forgettable production here, and the instrumental could have been so much more.  On the other hand, “Mood” is so much more interesting.  The production here is flawless, and the bass grooves are so much on point.  Not to mention, Syd’s performance is once again so charismatic.  At the end of the day, this is still a very simple track, with Syd going deep into detail about a first date and trying to impress.  But it’s one that works all around, and just gets me in the mood for all sorts of stuff.  Is it hot in here?  With “Next Time/Humble Pie”, Syd’s performances continue to be just so charismatic and incredibly strong.  But another slight issue that I have with this album is that so many of these tracks so blend a little bit.  It’s not the biggest problem in the world, because instrumentally this album remains solid.  But if it wasn’t for some of this stellar production and Syd’s performances, some of these tracks would bend together quite a bit.  But if that’s my only real issue, you’re right, this album really isn’t bad at all.  Because trust me I still love tons of what’s going on here, with Syd’s performance of her approaching a love interest and all.  Then we get a much more hazy, spacey second half as well, which I’m even more interested in. It’s been such a while since we’ve heard anything like this and honestly, it’s so refreshing.  It’s the sound Matt and Syd were going for years ago, just gussied up a little, and it’s great.  The Internet continues to reel me back in with each passing moment with tracks like “It Gets Better (With Time)”.  This track is one of the funkiest tracks present, which is saying something.  It’s smooth and absolutely dripping in cool, and I just love the instrumental all around.  And Syd’s performance once again is honestly jaw-dropping.  Obviously, she’s the star here, no matter how much this has become a group effort.  It’s got some fantastic grooves, and here we get a guest verse from Big Rube which honestly is dripping in cool as everything else here. “It Gets Better (With Time)” is one hell of a tune and a testament of just how far they’ve come.  Things just keep getting funkier by the second with “Look What U Started”, believe it or not.  This one isn’t nearly as steamy or delicate, this is almost heavier in a weird sort of way.  Everything about this track is just so much more in your face, and even Syd’s performance is so much more mature.  It’s practically hypnotic the way this bass just keeps rattling on and on.  It’s not the most shocking track here, but it’s just another reminder of just how far The Internet has come.

This album rolls on with another very soulful, funky jam with “Wanna Be”.  This one has Syd once again almost taking a little bit more of an innocent stance.  And she does pull it off really nicely, as some of these love songs are actually pretty sweet.  But let’s be real, sadly this track sounds like 8 other tracks here.  And compared to some of the other tracks that have toyed with these themes, this one is just average.  Thankfully, “Beat Goes On” is just the track I needed to hear.  I honestly would have liked to hear a little more of Matt's vocals on this album, which we do get here.  And in moments like this, he sounds like just as much of a star as Syd.  Not to mention, it once again has that sort of Spacey vibe that early singles of this album had.  This track is awesome, having some serious grooves, but brings in plenty of really great ideas without pushing themselves to far.  Not to mention, some of the production tracks here are genuinely awesome.  Even that beat switch and the second half of this track, maybe be some of the coolest moments here.  “Hold On” wraps this album off in a very whimsical way.  Lyrically though, right off the bat, we’re back to so many of the same themes, which is a little aggravating. To the point where I honest to God feel like this is a summary of half of the tracks here.  Sure, the bass is hypnotizing and Syd sounds at her most heavenly.  But nothing about this track is engaging for the first few minutes.  And even when the rest of the instrumentals pop in, this is far from The Internet at their most creative. 

Rating: 8.0/10

Give A Listen To: “Roll (Burbank Funk)”, “La Di Da”, “Beat Goes On”, “It Gets Better (With Time)

Least Favorite Track: “Bravo”

Genre:  Alternative R&B / Funk

Overall Thoughts:  To say this is by far the best Internet album to date is a wild understatement.  For years, The Internet to me has stuck out like a sore thumb in the Alternative R&B and Funk worlds.  Here though, between Steve Lacy’s production, Syd being more out of her shell than ever, and The Internet as a whole sounding more focused than ever, this is one of the steamiest and funkiest albums of the year so far.  There are a few tracks that blend together, one or two tracks are repetitive.  But when this album is grooving at full blast, these are by far the best set of tracks The Internet has come through with. 

Ovlov - Tru

Connecticut based Indie band Ovlov the last few years have become the stuff of legend in a way.  Back in 2013, they released "Am", an album that more or less has become a cult classic.  And until recently honestly, I didn't really get that.  Mostly because I honestly hadn't given it a chance.  However, upon checking it out I actually really dig a lot of what's going on here.  There are elements of Power Pop, Emo and guitar driven Indie-Rock, all tied together with the passion of The World Is A Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid To Die, as well as the wild personalities of Los Campesinos.  And then, that was it.  We really haven't heard much from Ovlov since.  But here we are with some new singles.  And honestly, they're not terrible.  Maybe not as energetic and truly interesting as their debut tracks, but still very interesting.  Let's chat about this new Ovlov album.

This album starts off with the very grimy, sort of grungy “Baby Alligator”.  It’s a very scuzzy start, and honestly, it’s even triumphant deep down.  And honestly, Ovlov have all the reason to sound triumphant, it’s been years since we’ve heard from them.  Instrumentally, all around this is gold.  But why are these vocals just rubbing me all sorts of wrong ways?  Their cult-status debut was a clash of dozens of genres, while this, on the other hand, sounds like a mashup between Dinosaur Jr. and Built To Spill.  And no, that’s really not bad, the guys pull it off.  But holy fuck, I just wanted to hear something more energetic.  But I can’t complain about all of this track because the harmonies are on point and the songwriting is just fine.  With “Half Way Fine”,  we’re getting some more spot of guitar work.  And if you like scuzzy Rock that sounds like it’s way beyond the point of blowing out speakers, you’ve come to the right place.  But why am I still not hearing any real passion or reason to come back to this? Like, this is just so painfully average, and certainly not the clash of styles I loved on first listen.  As far as the playing goes, it’s all just about where it should be.  But there’s literally no reason for me to return to this.  On the other hand, “The Best Of You” actually does grab my ear right off the bat.  It’s not exactly as heavy as some of the tracks we’ve heard so far.  But this is a sound that all around is just so different for this album.  I love the hectic passages that lead up to this very anthemic chorus.  Here, Ovlov is playing with tons of urgency and seem to have plenty to say.  It’s exciting and sweaty, and Ovlov is instantly back to being a band you really can’t tell what to expect from.  Not to mention, we get these unbelievable backing synths that bring in a sort of nostalgic feel.  This is one killer tune.

Then we have “Spright” which does bring back the slower, grungier sounds of the intro to this album.  But vocally, this track is miles more engaging and just sounds like singer Steve Hartlett is so much more invested in this.  It’s in moments like this that reminds you that Ovlov can seriously write incredibly catchy material when they set out to.  The vocals are tender and emotional and call back to Emo’s late 90’s glory days.  It’s beautiful, but Ovlov continues to bring in plenty of feedback and scuzzy guitars to make sure you’re still with them. But it’s these more upbeat, frantic tracks like “Stick” that I continue to be drawn to so heavily.  We get these very exciting passages here, with very robotic drums and one of the more memorable riffs here.  But Steve’s very soothing vocals act as a really interesting dynamic shift.  It’s catchy, passionate, and Ovlov do seem like they’ve done a complete 180.  And trust me, I can’t tell you how happy I am to say that, because when Ovlov gets into their groove their music comes off so much more than a nostalgia act.  It ends up coming off as a truly incredible salute to a more simpler time with all of the emotions and passion necessary.  All of that, with a focus on guitar that you quite frankly just don’t hear anymore.  But then we get “Tru Punk”, which couldn’t be further away from its title.  This one has a sort of old-school 90’s Indie sound that almost reminds me of The Dismemberment Plan.  It’s not bad though, and once again the real star is Steve’s very emotional performance.  Instrumentally, I do sort of miss the scuzz and focus on guitars.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, this is still a very guitar driven track, but there’s usually a simplicity to Ovlov’s music that I miss.  This is one of the more lukewarm tracks here, and it’s a shame because the last 30 seconds are brilliant.

Thankfully, Ovlov really nails it with the final three tracks here.  “Fast G” is the Punk track that I needed to hear right about now.  This is a wild, sweaty Garage Punk anthem the likes of which I didn’t expect to hear.  This one has enough scuzzy back-feed to impress John Dwyer, as well as easily some of the most memorable guitar riffs of the entire album.  Not to mention, Steve, I really didn’t expect you to be able to pull off this true blue freakout performance, but it’s awesome.  It’s moments like this that remind me of what I loved so much originally about Ovlov.  And all of these solos man?  I need a shower.  The more upbeat tracks continue to roll on with “Short Morgan”.  But what I love about this one, is that it really encapsulates what’s so pure and emotional about some of Steve’s performances.  I absolutely love this track in every way, and honestly may be one of the best Punk tracks I’ve heard all year.  I love the absolutely soaring chorus that reminds me of Japandroids in their prime, as well as some of these side thoughts Steve seems to be having.  Like, if we got an album filled with tracks like this, this would contender for Rock album of the year.  The guitars are right in front where they should be, it’s explosive, it’s passionate, and an absolute blast. But after a series of very short, passionate tunes, the last thing I was really expecting to hear was a 6-minute jam.  But that’s what we get with “Grab It From The Garden”.  It’s very sluggish and filled with tons of tension and vocals that seem like they’re constantly about to break free.  There are elements of Post Hardcore and old school Emo.  And honestly, I really don’t have any problems with this at all.  It sums up a lot of the ideas that Ovlov have brought up here from start to finish and also is just a really great display of emotion from the guys.  And no, it didn’t need to be 6-minutes plus, and it’s not the most exciting track here.  But man, shout-outs to Ovlov for turning this album around. 

Rating: 7.9/10

Give A Listen To: “The Best Of You”, “Stick”, “Fast G”, “Short Morgan”

Least Favorite Track: “Half Way Fine”

Genre:  Indie Rock / Lo-Fi/ Garage Rock / Emo / Man, about 6 other things honestly

Overall Thoughts: Ovlov return after 6 years with an album that does take a little while to get going, and it’s certainly not perfect.  But when this album kicks into high gear, Ovlov remind us of what’s missing in so much of today’s Rock music.  Between a heavy focus on a Guitar driven sound and Steve Hartlett’s often ridiculously passionate performances, there is tons to love here.  There are elements of old-school Emo and Post Hardcore, and if you like scuzzy guitars you’re in for a treat.  But at the end of the day, this is a really solid Indie record that sounds like it was made for a different time.  And no, it’s not the exciting clash of styles we were introduced to on Ovlov’s debut 6 years ago.  But it’s still wildly passionate and entertaining. 

Skeletonwitch - Devouring Radiant Light

Skeletonwitch are an Athens, Ohio that have been at it for years now.  Now, the first time I tuned into these guys was for their 2007 album "Beyond the Permafrost".  Overall, I thought this was decent at best.  The band certainly had a very unique blend of Black Metal and Thrash, which actually got pretty melodic at times.  And while I honestly would have liked to hear some better production in spots, tracks like "Baptized in Flames" and "Limb from Limb" were brilliant.  Skeletonwitch thankfully just sounded better and better over the years.  2009's "Breathing the Fire" was so much more polished, and had the band working with their catchiest material yet.  And while the production was crisp and the songs were catchy, this was all done without the band toning down their material.  Not to mention, there was this over the top feeling to them that I just didn't really hear from Metal in a while, and it was very enjoyable.  Skeletonwitch continued to get better with 2011's "Forever Abomination", which honestly may be my favorite of their albums.  This is an album that's just as pummeling as their early work.  But there are elements of Folk and Celtic Metal, and overall just seemed to be so much more on display. The songs were tight and often to the point, and wildly energetic.  Plus, while there had always been a certain campiness I enjoyed with Skeletonwitch, here they seemed all business, and it was really pleasant.  Skeletonwitch returned in 2013 with "Serpents Unleashed", one of the band's most straightforward releases.  And it's by no means a bad one.  But for the most part, this album just sounds like the band is on autopilot.  Sure, their solos were some of their most concrete, and the band hasn't played this confidently ever.  But I just feel like this album didn't do anything wild or new for the band.  So it's been a few years since we've heard from Skeletonwitch.  But from the sounds of these new singles, they're back to their genuinely creative streak, and that's exciting.  Let's chat.

This album starts out with “Fen Of Shadows”, and I love just how patient and grand this intro is.  We have these lone, grand guitars that seem filled with sorrow but are also strangely elegant.  But they of course quickly open up into this very aggressive and muscular verse.  The first thing that really stands out to me is just how fantastic the production is here.  Like, you can pick apart literally every instrumental, and they all sound brilliant.  Now, this is the band’s first outing with new vocalist Adam Clemens.  But here, he sounds absolutely vicious.  His vocals are so cutting, but also are able to tune into that slightly melodic sound that Skeletonwitch has worked with in the past.  This is literally everything I could have asked to hear from an intro.  It’s explosive and gruesome, but it also has this very grandiose flair to it that I can’t help but feel like salutes the true greats of Black Metal.  There are some really great Death Metal and Thrash passages as well, and overall this is just the sort of Journey of a tune that I am just so happy to hear. Hell, even the very sorrow-filled final 2-minute jam is stunning.  On the other hand, “Where Paradise Fades” is a real rip-snorter of a Metal tune.  It’s got the charisma of classic Iron Maiden tracks, with the technicality of Metallica in their prime.  And all around, it’s awesome.  I love the absolute out of control feeling to this one that seems like not only is this off the rails, it’s ripped the rails right off too.  On the other hand, I’m not as nuts for Adam’s vocals here.  Don’t get me wrong, they’re not bad.  But at the end of the day, they seem a little more amateurish than what we were hearing on this album’s opener.  Thankfully, the rest of the band continues to play with some serious charisma.  Not to mention, I can’t remember the last time the band showed so much personality.  If Adam’s vocals were a little more on point, this would be phenomenal.  Overall, this album is pretty much the glorious rebirth I really wanted to hear.  The band just sound so determined together that it’s scary.   On “Temple of the Sun”, there are practically some MetalCore elements, but it’s classy.  I love the dueling vocals here, and just how once again the band sound absolutely off the rails.  And Adam here completely gets his striped back with his unbearably vicious performance.  And I love how this all just seems so soaring and epic.  But it continues to be some of the little details that keep me coming back, like those guitar solos and some of the playings during the verses.  It’s all just so campy, but not to the point where I can’t take it seriously.  And towards the end of the track, they end it all off with this highly melodic and truly memorable passage that’s just so catchy.  On the other hand, “Devouring Radiant Light” once again starts off with this very somber, stripped down performance.  Not only does it give us a minute to rest, but it also lets us take in just how skilled Skeletonwitch have become.  Like, take this and compare it to the very scratchy and hectic early recordings.  And yes, this one has some chugging guitars and almost some groove metal elements towards the beginning. But this track is just as muscular and aggressive.  But no matter how intense this track gets, Skeletonwitch never leave behind that very somber, emotional base that this track started with, as it almost haunts the entire track.  It’s still a metal track though, with these very abrasive and intense vocals and phenomenal guitars.  I mean, the obvious thing to say is that I’ve never heard these guys so anthemic and cinematic.  But they’ve come such an incredibly long way in structure, it’s impressive. 

The very anthemic chords and soaring atmospheres rage on with “The Luminous Sky”.  This track is one of the most instantaneous tracks of the bunch, it’s just so majestic.  But of course, that’s not leaving anything out int he cold as far as Metal goes, because these drums are ridiculous and these vocals are vicious as anything else here.  The Thrash portions sound great, and everything has that sort of Epic flair that you would hear more in Black Metal than anything.  And guess what?  It all comes together wonderfully.  I mean, obviously, this is an album that is almost pristine with just how much great production was put into this.  So, if you like your Metal a little scuzzy, this may not be doing anything for you.  Now, as I’ve said plenty here, there are a lot of epic, grandiose highs on this album.  But there’s also a great sadness to this album.  Which brings me to “The Vault”  These guitars on this intro are just so bluesy and patient.  I don’t even mind that they go on for well over a minute.  But it’s as things go on that this track gets iffy.  Even when all the other instrumentals pop in, this is easily the safest track of the bunch.  And yes, the guitar solos are certainly awesome.  But the intro alone lasts 3 minutes.  And even when all the other instrumentals begin to pile up on this track, this just isn’t a crowning achievement at all.  Elements that earlier sounded ballsy now just sound goofy, like the vocals and the chugging rhythms.  This doesn’t even sound like Skeletonwitch, and certainly doesn’t sound like the same album.  Sure, the wild guitar solos and genuine emotion behind them are great.   But for a 10-minute track, this isn’t scratching all the right itches. However, “Carnarium Eternal” starts off so much more explosive and more aggressive than we’ve heard on any track here.  I mean, this is an absolutely brutal affair.  And yes, once again, we do seem to be getting some Metalcore influence.  But it all comes off pretty classy and interesting.  I love the sheer power and nonstop feel to this one.  While other tracks here have taken their time and really created an atmosphere, this is a solid, nothing fancy Metal jam.  The playing is solid, the vocals are great, and while I wish this one had maybe a little more personality, I don’t mind it overall.  This album’s finale “Sacred Soil” just seems like the release of all of the tension build up around this album.  It’s in your face, epic, and the playing all around is incredible.  There’s some really brilliant imagery here, and there’s just so much brute force to this.  Like, this reminds me once again of just how epic and grandiose some of Black Metal’s earliest recordings came off as.  To be honest, I really wish a lot more of this album was as progressive as “Sacred Soil”.   Still, this is a seriously above average Metal album. 

Rating: 7.9/10

Give A Listen To: - “Fen Of Shadows”, “Where Paradise Fades”, “The Luminous Sky”, “Sacred Soil”

Least Favorite Track: “The Vault”

Genre: Thrash Metal / Death Metal / Black Metal

Overall Thoughts:  With their first album with Adam Clemens on vocals, Skeletonwitch comes through with one of the more memorable albums in their discography in a while.  They’re thinking outside the box here in a big way, and more often than not it’s shocking just how quickly Clemens has meshed with the band.  There are some elements of Death Metal, Black Metal, even Metalcore at times (the last one there is probably the most suspect of the bunch), all played with Skeletonwitch’s usual campiness and balls to the wall attitude, as well as a strange sorrow most of the time.  But, on that note, this album is most exciting when Skeletonwitch is at their most Progressive, and some tracks are less ambitious than others.  But overall, this continues to be a really great year for Metal.

Wild Pink - "Yolk In The Fur"

Wild Pink is an Alternative Rock band hailing from NY.  Now, I first got him to these guys around the time of their "Good Life" EP, mostly with just how incredibly passionate and calculating some of the performances here were.  The very visceral performances almost reminded me of something out of the Wolf Parade book.  But at the same time, Wild Pink seemed to know how to really make a great Pop song as well.  Because let me tell you, the material here is seriously catchy and had some very slick Power Pop influences.  Wild Pink made their full-length debut in 2017 with "Wild Pink".  Now, this album shied away from just how catchy some of the tracks were on their first EP.  And in return, they went for a real throwback Indie sound, combining elements of Slowcore and Emo, and it really wasn't terrible.  And yea, I did sort of miss just how catchy some of the tracks were.  But still, I wasn't too pissed. So, I'll be honest, I don't know how to feel about these new Wild Pink tracks.  They've gone much more Pop on us, which isn't necessarily bad, some of these singles are great.  But some are literally the worst tracks they've ever released.  Let's chat about this new Wild Pink album.

This album starts off with “Burger Hill”, and right from the opening very sweet notes of this, this is easily the vastest thing that Wild Pink has put forward recently.  It’s on the delicate side with strumming and the warm synths.  But it’s very cinematic in feel, and I can’t even begin to tell you just how serene this is.  But outside of that, it’s wild just how much these guys have really upped their game.  John Ross’s songwriting has absolutely multiplied by less and bounds.  The fact that this is the same Power Pop act that I was introduced to years ago is pretty staggering but in the best way.  “Burger Hill” is a very patient tune, that really takes advantage of pacing and atmosphere, and yes, I can honestly see a lot of War on Drugs fans being into this.  I really don’t have a bad thing to say about this.  Now, with tracks like “Lake Erie” that it just becomes so obvious how much of a sense of Americana that Wild Pink have taken on.  But trust me, it’s just as big and powerful as everything else here.  It gives the album this unreal sense of nostalgia and longing, and Wild Pink have adapted it into their style so seamlessly.  Now, you can argue that some of these songs are often very simple, and they certainly are.  But some of these simple, imagery fueled tracks are incredibly catchy.  It’s smokey at times and has the king of passionate vocals you need when you’re trying to get these sounds across.  We get a wailing guitar solo, epic drums, and as far as a sort of heavy track goes, this is the biggest track of the album. “Yolk In The Fur” on the other hand starts winding things back down for a more softer tune.  But Wild Pink continue to make these tracks just so big and epic.  There is a little bit of a throwback feel to this one, but at the end of the day, it just makes that very nostalgic feel to all of this even stronger.  This is just as hazy, and practically Shoegaze influenced at times.  But Wild Pink almost always have that Heartland feel trailing just out of reach.  And even if by this point I sort of wish they were switching things up a little bit more, this is a pretty solid track.  Thankfully, the second half of this track (since it’s just so damn long) is much stronger with gigantic power chords.  Then we get a very pleasant folky interlude with “Civility At Gunpoint”.  And I’ll be honest I don’t have tons to say about it, it’s just sweet and transitions things nicely.

This album rolls on with “Jewels Drossed In The Runoff”.  And I have to say, just how incredibly vast this album continues to be is just a wonderful thing.  Between the very warm synths and the acoustic strumming and the endearing vocals of John, these tracks have really grown on me a whole lot.  And lyrically, they continue to paint such beautiful pictures.  I’m actually seriously excited to see where this band eventually goes.  But for now, I do have a slight issue with this album.   I do feel like a lot of these tracks so easily wash into one another, and at times it’s a little hard to remember which one is which.  But it makes for a very nostalgic listening experience.  Then we have “There Is A Ledger” which switches things up in a big way.  This one is all based around this robotic beat that’s just so hypnotic.  I love the storytelling aspect of this one and just how much that groove breaks up this album.  In an album where a lot of the best songs do wash together a little bit, this one stands out massively.  I love just how haunting and memorable some of these synths are, and if you don’t walk around humming that one synth line all day there’s something up.  But no matter how many different elements Wild Pink throw in here, I can’t help but shake the feeling that this is all so simple, and so damn obvious.  It’s an awesome track.  “The Seance On St. Augustine St.” on the other hand, is the most stripped down track here, and probably my least favorite.  Without all of those synths and vast atmosphere, when we’re left alone with everything else this just sounds bland.  There isn’t anything about this track that really stands out or even sounds like anything else than an Indie band trying to get back to their roots.  Which is fine and all, but between the departure of a lot of the elements that make this album as good as it is, and the insanely slow pace of this one, I’m fading fast.  I mean, I do still really love some of the lyrics here and all, and when things pick up in the second half it’s better.  But at the end of the day, I’m just not into this one.  “John Mosby Hollow Drive” however is instantly much more enjoyable.  This one has this very pleasant, upbeat Folk Rock vibe.  It’s smooth, upbeat, and one of the more determined tracks here.  I do sort of miss some of the synths right about now, and I do sort of wish they would pop in.  But Wild Pink sound like they know what they’re doing, and this one is insanely catchy.

This album hits another snag with “Love Is Better”, one of the first tracks I heard from this album.  And I’m sorry, I really wanted to like this, but it’s just so painfully cheesy and ultra positive.  Now, it has grown on me a bit since I originally heard it.  But this one is just a little too simple for me.  Sure, it has some really catchy synths, and this driving beat is great.  But the simplicity of this album’s lyrics has caught up to this so quickly.  But, it’s refreshingly optimistic for this era of Indie Rock, that in that respect it’s really sweet.  But man, I just wish this wasn’t so tossed together.  Thankfully, “All Some Frenchman’s Joke” is just the sort of warm, homey finale that I wanted to hear.  It’s just so cozy but still remains just as incredibly vast and cinematic as some of the longest tracks here.  Here, John is right back to write these very succinct lines fueled by glorious imagery.  It’s beautiful, stunning, and just so simple and obvious.  And not only that, but it’s one of the shortest tracks here, by far.  But it works, and just reminds us that Wild Pink still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves. 

Rating: 7.9/10

Give A Listen To: “Burger Hill”, “Lake Erie”, “There Is A Ledger”, “All Some Frenchman’s Joke”

Least Favorite Track: “The Seance On St. Augustine”

Genre: Indie Rock / Americana / Heartland Rock 

Overall Thoughts:  This is a vast improvement and a gigantic change of pace for Wild Pink.  They’ve gone from what was basically a Power Pop band to worshipping the War On Drugs sound.  And I mean that in the best way.  There are tons of power chords here, passionate vocal performances as well as some of warmest synths you’re going to hear this year.  Not to mention the songwriting on here more times than not is seriously classy.  Simple, but filled with tons of imagery, and unbearably classy.  There are a few tracks here and there that sort of blend in with one another, and some of the later moments are a little bland.  But hell, I’m excited about the future of this band. 

Ty Segall & White Fence - "Joy"

Whoa nelly, I've been waiting a long time for this friends.  By now, you know who both Ty Segall and White Fence are.  Ty's one of the biggest workhorses in underground music, White Fence between Producing, collaborating and performing has done it all in the Psych Rock genre.  But way back in 2012 they came through with an album together called "Hair".  And let me tell you, this was a crowning moment for both men.  Both of these guys have expansive, wild discographies that are overwhelming at times.  But for half an hour on "Hair", they brought out the best in one another.  White Fence's production was a gem and sounded like a legitimate throwback to a simpler time in Rock music, and Ty's very eclectic performances have never sounded better.   Like, Ty has released dozens of albums, but this one is easily in his Top 5.  And honestly, I was beginning to think we'd never hear these two together again.  But apparently, we've gotten lucky.  Ty and Tim (White Fence) are back at it with a new set of tracks.  But am I the only one who thinks they sound a little unfocused?  Let's chat.

(A stone cold classic friends)

This album starts off with the very aptly named “Beginning”.  It’s a strange one, with a lot of pretty bizarre sound effects, followed by some almost innocent dual vocals coming right at you.  Between that, and a strangely upbeat and intense instrumental, this is a shot out of left field.  Moments in, and this is already much ballsier and a whole lot more straightforward than anything on “Hair”.  It’s got a certain kookiness to it, that doesn’t go too far, as this is this is just a sort of prolonged intro track.  But it grabs your attention and shows that Ty and Tim have some tricks up their sleeves.  Then we have “Please Don’t Leave This Town”, which almost brings up the old school, Classic Rock tones of “Hair”, but also that “Sentimental Goblin” of Ty’s from last year.  Ty actually sounds fantastic on this very groovy, upbeat track.  But like I said, there continue to be tons of these little instrumental detours that are just so quirky and filled with personality.  This is far from what I was expecting to hear from Ty and Tim, but it’s a blast.  But for every track like that, there are tons of tracks here like “Room Connector” that just seems like half thoughts.   This is a mere 30-seconds of instrumental that could have easily been tied on to the last track.  On the other hand, “Body Behavior” is a seriously triumphant and almost grand track, the likes of which I didn’t think I wanted.  While this album is one of Ty’s quirkier ones of recent memory, this track just sounds so focused and genuinely streamlines.  I love the intense guitar strumming as well as Ty’s manic rant.  Not to mention, it’s just all a buildup for this very soaring chorus.  It’s the sort of track I needed to hear right about now.  But every time Ty and Tim really get things revved up, we get a little hiccup like “Good Boy”.  Ever since I first heard this track, I just can’t seem to get my head around it.  I don’t mind Ty’s lyrics here at all, to be honest.  But it just seems like it’s crammed with so many small, incomplete thoughts.  And if I’m missing something here, I just don’t get it.  Not to mention, whatever happened to that seriously classy throwback production that these two spent so much time with on “Hair”?

Thankfully for Ty and Tim, when this album does get on track, it gets seriously engaging and truly out there.  It certainly in a way comes off like some Frank Zappa worship but is it ever good.  The duo’s personality absolutely oozes out of tracks like “Hey Joe, Where You Going With That?”.  It’s a stripped down number that’s really hard to place with this off-kilter beat and new instrumentals popping in whenever they feel like it.  It’s a bizarre number, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun.  Not to mention, I feel like underneath all of these genuinely twisted lyrics, that Classic Rock sound isn’t that far off.  But why are tracks like “Rock Flute” necessary?  These interludes are only wasting time on an album that’s already not that long.  But I have to say one thing when these interludes just go away and track like “A Nod” come to save the day, it’s nothing but gold.  This is another stripped down sort of Folky number, but Ty sounds incredibly comfortable here.  It’s sincere, to the point, and Tim’s production here sounds so much more in the right wheelhouse.  As this album rolls on, things also get weirder by the minute.  “A Grin Without Smile” is easily one of the most freakish tracks here, which is only made even more freakish by way of these very twisted lyrics as well as just how heavy this track is.  I mean, you can argue that this album is unfocused and that a lot of these tracks should have been more fleshed out.  But I will say this, it makes for a very exciting, rapid-fire sort of experience.  And with “Other Way”, this album has officially reached a new level of weirdness.  But if it means getting more tracks like this, bring it on.  This track is an absolute barn burner, with intense and unhinged guitars and Ty’s most manic and twisted performance of the entire album.  Not to mention, Tim’s production here is just so hulking and massive.  It’s moments like this that make this bizarre album so rewarding.  But Ty, please, tell me, why are tracks like “Prettiest Dog” necessary.  Yea, sure it’s a catchy little guitar piece, and it does help the album move yard.  But it’s 16 seconds long and could have easily been a part of the last track.

Ty and Tim still have a whole lot of tricks up their sleeve.  “Do Your Hair” sounds really streamlined and seriously focused.  I still feel like Ty and Tim are showing loads more personality here, and that’s what makes this album genuinely interesting at the end of the day.  There are some quirky lines here, but in these instances, Ty just sounds so much more confident.  These very short, rapid-fire tracks and ideas are certainly an interesting approach.   And then out of nowhere, after 12 1-2 minute tracks we get a 5-minute jam in the form of “She Is Gold”.  And I emphasize Jam because Ty and Tim really let go here and jam out completely.  And it’s interesting, it’s very smooth and jazzy.  It also has some really weird dark undertones and a genuinely twisted atmosphere.  But at the end of the day, this one for me seems to be the pinnacle of just how unfocused for this album.  This album isn’t terrible.  But at the end of the day if this was cleaned up and trimmed down this could have been just as good as “Hair”.  But with tracks like “She Is Gold”, Ty and Tim just seem like they’re messing around.  Thankfully in the last two minutes, this one does get a little heavier and actually starts to get interesting. But this was a ballsy tune, and it didn’t end up working out the way Ty had hoped.  But then we get tracks like “Tommy’s Place”, which is another foray at some seriously left field stuff.  There are genuinely cooky keyboards, as well as a stuttering rhythm that’s seriously tough to pinpoint.  And Ty’s vocals here are just so utterly goofy that you can barely tell what he’s saying.  But call me crazy, but it’s totally entertaining and the sort of freakish stroke of genius that Ty could use at this point in his career.  I just wish some of these interludes were ripped out and some of these ideas were more streamlined.  This album finishes up with “My Friend”, which may be the strangest track here.  Strange because of how incredibly straightforward and sincere of a ballad this track is.  Ty honestly hasn’t sounded this focused this entire album.  In a way, this actually does sort of remind me of the songwriting style the duo approached “Hair” with, and this guitar solo is seriously tear-jerking.  But where did this track even come from?  Especially after just how genuinely bizarre the rest of this album is.  It’s an incredible finale, one that absolutely restores some faith in this duo.

Rating: 7.8/10

Give A Listen To: “Please Don’t Leave This Town”, “Body Behavior”, “My Friend”, “Other Way”

Least Favorite Track:  Honestly?  Probably “Good Boy”, that track almost made me give up on this album before it started.  

Genre: Garage Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Lo-Fi

Overall Thoughts:  Going into this album after just how genuinely brilliant “Hair” was many years ago, there were some pretty high standards.  But if we’re being real here, my friends this album is a completely different beast.  “Hair” was a master class in throwback Rock sounds, with Ty’s Psych Rock mastery and Tim’s expert production creating a high point in both men’s discography's.  On the other hand, “Joy” is an often freakish, puzzling and genuinely twisted project.  Ty and Tim have pulled together a series of very short and completely bonkers tracks, and let me tell you when it’s good, it’s GOOD.  As a matter of fact, when Ty and Tim really focus for a minute or two, the results are often a stroke of genius.  But some of these interludes are asinine, and a few tracks don’t have nearly as much personality as others.  But still, this is a genuinely interesting and bizarre Garage Rock album that will get your gears turning. 

Wet - Still Run

Wet are Indie Pop and Indietronica band hailing from New York.  Now, a few years ago, around the time of their 2016 debut "Don't You", Wet completely blew up.  That was mostly due to the release of big singles like "Don't Wanna Be Your Girl".  Now, this was a decent album, nothing absolutely crazy.  Some of the album's more Pop centered moments were some of it's weakest, and some of the ballads here were on the boring side.  However, tracks like "It's All In Vain" and "Deadwater" actually had some seriously killer vibes.  It was tracks like that that actually got me really excited to see what Wet would do next.  Wet is back with some new material, and still dealing with the same issues seemingly from these singles, but more on that later.  Let's chat.

This album starts off with “Still Run”, and let me tell you this really isn’t where I wanted to hear them start.  Sure, Kelly Zutrau sounds totally fine in her vocal performance, even great.  But this instrumental is horribly clumsy.  The accosting strumming in the background just isn’t needed, and this entire track could have been so much more chilled out.  As a ballad, this is one of the most boring tracks here, and at the end of the day, just sounds like a track that just wasn’t good enough to make the band’s debut album.  Now, to be honest, “There’s A Reason” as a much more straightforward and charming Pop tune is so much more in the realm of what I want to hear.  I love the bouncy vocals and just how focused they all sound.  And not to mention, tracks like this are easily some of Wet’s most catchy and engaging tracks all around.  And yes, lyric-wise they really do have to start branching out.  But for now, this doesn’t sound bad at all.  There’s even a sort of throwback singer-songwriter feel to this that I can’t say no to.  Overall, this is a very pleasant track.  On the other hand, “You’re Not Wrong” gets Wet out of their shells even further, and has them working with some much more upbeat and positive sounding material.  And it’s alright, for one of their more pop-oriented tracks, it’s really not terrible.  But they have a real talent of getting some really cool grooves rolling with their tracks, and I really sort of wish they just went back to that.  This just ends up being super positive to the point of it being cheesy.  On the other hand, “Lately” is exactly what I want to hear from them.  I love the throwback synths and the very chilled out vibes to this one.  It’s sleek, and Kelly sounds at her steamiest and most confident.  It’s passionate and has just so many awesome sounds to it.  This once again also has a very retro vibe, like an overlooked 80’s Pop tune.  But hell, it’s a good one, not to mention Kelly sounds so much stronger than usual.  All around, I have nothing bad to say about this one. 

Now, with tracks like “Softens”, Wet seem right on their way to making yet another really likable track.  The atmosphere is wild and really chilled out.  But as this one rolls on it’s just so ridiculously boring.  It’s so sluggish, and there isn’t an emotion to be seen for miles.  Like, this track is well over 5 minutes, but I absolutely have nothing to say about it.  It’s terribly boring, and nothing grabs me even slightly.  On the other hand, “11 Hours” has such a stillness to it that I’m actually interested.  Sure, you can argue that this one is just as quiet as the last track.  But at the very least, this one brings together some genuine tension, and that emptiness just sounds so vast.  Kelly ends up sounding her most bluesy, and this track has some of the album’s biggest showings of emotion.  But it’s tracks like “This Woman Loves You’ that constantly make me shake my head and make me want to put away my laptop.  This is unbearably cheesy in every way and sounds like a rejected song from the new Kacey Musgraves album.  But at the very least, Kacey made those songs sound good.  I will give “This Woman Loves You” this, it does have a very cool instrumental that’s super playful and creeps along so slowly.  But in moments like this, I just have nothing but doubt for the future of Wet.  And “Out Of Tune” is an even more breathy, completely drab ballad.  Like, sure, Kelly’s vocals are very beautiful and pure.  But to say that they could have done a little more with this atmosphere would be the understatement of the year.  There are some cool moments, like the very dreary guitars and strings, that’s all gravy.  But everything else on “Out Of Tune” is an absolute travesty.  Not to mention, at this point I feel like they’re recycling track after track, and these lyrics are just abysmal. 

And let me tell you, right about now there is literally nothing I wanted to hear less than yet another stripped down overly-emotional ballad.  But “Visitor” starts off to be just that.  It’s just so sappy and heartless, even if Kelly’s vocals continue to be very pretty.  However, when some of those drums come pounding in, this one does pick up quite a bit.  I mean, in Wet’s case, I guess that’s just the answer, more and more instrumentals.  Because it’s when we get these very still moments that I just have more and more issues.  But with this album’s finale “Love Is Not Enough”, I’ve had it.  I’m absolutely fucking done.  No more ridiculously cheesy breakup ballads, I’ve had one too many of them.  And this literally is the most heartless and emotional track here by far.  Even Kelly is so incredibly out of her element.  And the worst part about “Love Is Not Enough”, is that in the distance we do have some very sinister synths that are actually really cool.  But, no, no thank you, I don’t need any more of this. 

Rating: 5.8/10

Give A Listen To: “There’s A Reason”, “Lately”, “11 Hours”, “Visitor” (FOR THE MOST PART)

Least Favorite Track: “Love Is Not Enough”

Genre: Synth Pop / Indie Pop

Overall Thoughts:  I mean, hey, if literally the blandest, most emotionally barren Synth Pop and Indie Pop is your thing you’re going to love this.  Sure, some of the band’s more solid singles are one here.  But ballad after ballad, heartache after heartache is just not something I’m into, at least not from Wet.  The vocals here are great, and when they decide to bring some hazy Alternative R&B beats things actually get funky and fresh.  But too much of this album just seems like recycled tracks that weren’t good enough to make the first album. 

Dirty Projectors - Lamp Lip Prose

Dirty Projectors are the long-time project of David Longstreth and company, who over the years I've had a rocky relationship with.  Around the time of their "The Glad Fact" debut, I really didn't know what to think.  I found myself absolutely adoring David's very soulful and wild performances, who right from the start was just such a commanding presence.  And yea, that lead to some really great tracks like "My Offwhite Flag" and "Three Brown Finches".  But it also lead to a lot of sort of odd, Artsy moments that would just come off so much more interesting as the band progressed and worked with some better production.  And honestly, I have a whole lot of the same feelings about 2003's "Morning Better Last'.  This album was stripped down, and best at it's most Artsy, like on "My Brother Had A Birthday".  And I still was totally into David's very soulful performances, but I just really was sick of this stripped down, Low-Fi feel.  But with 2004's "Slaves Graves and Ballads", Dirty Projectors really started to get cooking.  This album had loads better production, and it did wonders for the bands sound.  David sounded so much more confident and commanding as a singer, and more often than not actually sounded really incredible here.  And the lavish instrumentation that took the place of the earlier Low-Fi Indie Rock was an absolute joy. And while some of the later tracks like "Ladies, You Have Exiled Me" and "A Labor More Restful" weren't my cup of tea, this album was a remarkable change of pace.   Then we have the slightly more challenging 2005 release of "The Getty Address".  Now, the story behind this album is wildly convoluted to say the very least.  But David and company continued to sound wonderfully colorful by continuing with this cleaner production route.  Tracks like the elaborate "I Will Truck" and the hazy "D. Henley's Dream" were absolutely beautiful.  And while this was still an album you really had to turn your mind on to listen to, I wasn't bored.  But for me, I really started getting blown away with Dirty Projector's work with 2007's re-imagining of Black Flag's classic "Damaged".  With the addition of more musicians, most notably Amber Coffman on vocals, this seemed so much less more of a vanity project.  David Longstreth was still the star and a great one at that.  But the music of Dirty Projectors seemed more lavish and interesting than ever.  This album has some of their wildest and most elaborate tracks to date.  The performances are charismatic, the instrumentals are creative, the production remained clean, and there are some genuinely wild re-imaginings on here as well.  And while yea, sometimes it got out of hand, like the horribly drawn out "Thirsty and Miserable", this was Dirty Projector's most genuinely likable project to date. Dirty Projectors continued to expand their sound with 2009's "Bitte Orca", their most stunning album to date.  Now with the vocal chops of Angel Deradoorian added, Dirty Projectors were a serious force to be reckoned with in Art Pop.  This album was the collective's most accessible and genuinely catchy album to date.  But it still demanded 100% attention and was still genuinely wild and experimental in its entirety.  David Longstreth didn't just seem like a one-man band anymore, he sounded like a genuine Art Pop God, one that was fearless, and one that could write a Pop sound that would challenge you while remaining just as infectious.  "Bitte Orca" is still a tough album to digest at times, but it's a modern masterpiece.  Dirty Projectors returned in 2012 with "Swing Low Magellan", and even more beautiful album.  Now, while this album wasn't as instantaneous and catchy as their previous album, the vocals of Amber, Angel, and David had seemingly got even more charming.  Not to mention, I feel like the instrumentals all around were just so much more skilled.  I may have been looking for a slightly more instantaneous album, but this was still wildly likable.  Now, we all know what happened next, between the break up of Amber Coffman and David Longstreth, drama within the band, yadda yadda yadda.  A whole mess of people was wondering about the future of Dirty Projectors.  David returned to the project however in 2017 with the release of the project's self-titled album.  This album was a huge departure from the very artsy and elegant past of the group, and in its place was the breakup album of the year.  David at this point sounded so bruised and legitimately hurt, and this album was an absolute portrait of a broken man.  And it's surprisingly really really good.  David's lyrics had never been this human and easy to read into, and while the group had always sort of dabbled in Alternative R&B, this album went all out with it.  And not for nothing, "Up In Hudson" may just be the best Dirty Projectors track, period.  And honestly, I wasn't expecting to hear from Dirty Projectors this soon, but here we are.  Now, these singles have been a little all over the place, ranging from god awful to genuinely solid.  Let's chat about it, friends!

This album starts off with the very light and sweet intro of “Right Now”, which is literally the epitome of what I’ve come to expect from Dirty Projectors.  We have some very fluttering guitar chords, some elegant horns, and David’s vocals which seem to just get better as he ages. There are still some Alternative R&B influences tossed in, and David continues to work with some really left-field production which actually works awesome.  And we also have Syd here of The Internet, who also just has come into her own so much over the last few years.  While this isn’t the most stunning intro, it’s a fine intro that shows what David has been up to. Now, when I first heard “Break-Thru” I really wasn’t into it at all.  It just seems to me like David is putting on way too much of an act.  I like some of the elements here and all, like the bluesy harmonica and the tight guitar playing.  All of that is totally fine.  But David’s performance here, while it’s totally energetic just comes off so stiff.  Not to mention, this one overall is so safe.  I wanted to dig “Break-Thru”, but I cant, even with the very sunny sound of it all.  On the other hand “That’s A Lifestyle” does pick up nicely with some more upbeat Folky guitars and some rhythms that are genuinely hard to place.   But David here sounds so much more on his game, from his heavenly falsettos to his more bluesy vocals, this one all around has him sounding much more comfortable.  It’s a quirky number, its some solid playing all around.  In a way, it actually sounds like a stripped down version from one of the band’s truly great albums.  It’s breezy and playful.  But call me weird, but I feel like so far I really haven’t heard David come out of his shell too much.  Thankfully “I Feel Energy” has the album starting to pick up.  I absolutely love the series of fine grooves here, and just how genuinely funky everything comes off.  The horns are lively, and David’s performance is easily one of his bluesiest and genuinely cool here.  The production is flashy, and here we finally get a taste of David really getting comfortable.  Now, he’s dabbled in seemingly endless genres and sounds over the years.  But this is some of the most obvious dive into World Music David has ever touched. And honestly, it excites the hell out of me, and I can’t wait to hear more of this. 

Then we get “Zombie Conqueror” which is a real treat.  Instrumentally this is one of the wildest and hardest to place tracks of the album, with these guitars that are constantly jumping all over the place.  There’s almost an old-school, sort of Celtic Rock feel to this in a way. But it works, and really brings out some of David’s most passionate and wild performances of this album.  Not to mention, the guitars here are strangely so much heavier than anything I’ve heard out of Dirty Projectors in a while.  It’s a genuinely exciting and invigorating track.  And I really do have to give David credit.  Obviously, he lost a lot with Amber and Angel leaving.  But he didn’t replace them but brought in some seriously phenomenal guests like Empress Of.  Then we have the very charming, Baroque Pop inspired “Blue Bird”.  It’s a sweet, fluttering track that has plenty of David’s most beautiful vocals of the album.  It’s breezy and very pleasant, even if this sort of doesn’t sound particularly fresh.  Once again, this does sort of sound like a watered down version of something from a truly great Dirty Projectors project.  Which no, isn’t bad, but I wanted something a little more extravagant.  “I Found It In U” is up next, and I really don’t know where all of these serious grooves are coming from, but I’m all for it.  Dirty Projectors have always been a sort of “experience” of a band.  But this track is different, and seriously fun, which is something that David hasn’t gone all out within a very long time.  In a weird way, I almost get a sort of Paul Simon vibe from this, and that’s far from a bad thing.  Not to mention, in general, it’s just so pleasant to hear David working with material that shows him being more positive and happy.   On the other hand, “What Is The Time” brings things down a little for a ballad that brings in a lot of the sort of R&B vibes that Dirty Projectors have been working with.  But sadly, it’s these tracks that drag this album down.  This one is unbearably cheesy, almost to the point where it comes off ballsy.   Some of the horns sound recycled practically, and this one just sounds so tossed together.  And I feel bad cause David sounds actually really great.  But overall, “What is The Time” is average. 

Thankfully, “You’re The One” featuring Robin Pecknold and Rostam gets things rolling again in a big way.  Some of the harmonies here from David and Robin are absolutely to die for and make me melt inside.   I have to commend David, he continues to nail it with these features.  But I also have to point out the elephant in the room, this is by far the most romantic album I’ve heard from David in years.  As far as a genuine bald goes, this track is stunning.  It’s short, but it’s mighty impactful.  But of all of the tracks here, “(I Wanna) Feel It All” has the most legitimate sorrow to it.  Almost to the point where it’s all done so well without those very dreary horns.  They work through rather nicely and honestly, sounds like it would have been comfortable on the band's last album.  But man, talk about the elephant in the room.  This really isn’t that bad of a song.  But to wrap up the album with this is just fucking depressing.  And Dear Nora's contributions are some of the weakest of the entire album. 

Rating: 7.6/10

Give A Listen To: “I Feel Energy”, “Zombie Conqueror”, “I Found It In U”, “You’re The One”

Least Favorite Track: “(I Wanna) Feel It All”

Genre: Art Pop / Art Rock / Experimental Pop

Overall Thoughts:  In just about every way, this is literally the polar opposite of Dirty Projectors album from last year.  That was a deep, groovy and soulful breakup album.  This album, on the other hand, is often joyous and carefree and shows David back to singing about love.  Which for the most part is a nice change of pace.  David brings in some fierce guests, and almost some Funk and World Music influences to make one of his most colorful albums in years.  But at the same time, there are a few tracks that sound like David is trying maybe a little too hard, or trying to do a little too much.  But while it’s not as beautiful and emotional as their last year's album, this is still a very solid release in David’s legendary Dirty Projectors songbook. 

Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love

Deafheaven in the past few years has taken the American Metal scene by absolute storm.  I may have gotten on the bandwagon around the time of "Sunbather", but these guys started out strong in 2011 with "Roads to Judah".  While future releases were a little more sprawling and fueled by occasional ambient passages, this was a crushing debut.  Right from the start, Deafheaven knew the sound they wanted to conquer, and they did masterfully with it between thunderous Black Metal and hazy Shoegaze influences.  Now, for my liking, this album was a little short, but to hear the band this confident and knowing their sound right off the bat was impressive.  But Deafheaven turned up every amp and their creativity and skyrocketed to the hearts of every modern Metal fan with 2013's "Sunbather".  Adored by critics and fans alike, this album was more than just a masterpiece.  This album just showed how much Metal still had to offer the world, combining crushing Black Metal, breathtaking instrumentals, all mixed together with a fiery charisma and epic song structures.  Not to mention, Deafheaven here just seemed to tap into this true sorrow of the genre which resulted in this often unbearably sad project.  It's not an easy listen and demands some patience, but it's the epic Metal album this generation demanded and deserved.   Deafheaven returned in 2015 with "New Bermuda", an ever shorter but more streamlined album.  And, hot take, this album is better in every way.  Sorry, not sorry.  This album was heavier where it needed to be, more intense, more atmospheric, more emotional, and when it needed to be, more beautiful.  The Black Metal influences were amped up, but the band's atmospheric interludes were done masterfully.  It may not be as sprawling as their breakthrough album, but it exceeds it by leaps and bounds as far as technicality and ambition.  Deafheaven is back after a few years, and from the sound of it, on top of their game in every way.  Let's chat boys and girls.

This album starts off with the very slow ballad “You Without End”.  Now, you have to really give it to Deafheaven, because they are 100% fearless in the world of Metal.  They want to start things off with a 10-minutes piano ballad?  Consider it done, and consider it genuinely gripping.  There is just so much sadness here that it’s unbearable at times, as these ambient sounds just hit you from all angles.  As this one begins to pick up, it’s just so wildly interesting just how much Deafheaven has made this their sound.  Their instrumental interludes that fall on the prettier side of thing s have been around for ages.  But with “You Without End”, it becomes more obvious just how much personality is crammed in here.  It’s just so smooth and hip, between all the confident pianos and wailing guitars, as well as George Clarke’s screams over it all.  You would honestly think a lot of this came off either awkward or strange or both, but it ends up coming off much more epic and grand than you would expect in a way that this literally sounds like a mission statement for the album.  This is far from Deafheaven’s brand of triumphant and charismatic metal.  But for a very grand and powerful start, not to mention genre-defying, “You Without End” is amazing.  Then we have “Honeycomb”, which right off the bat has Deafheaven getting you right on the edge of your seat.  Mostly due to these very otherworldly sound effects, and it’s awesome.  As far as just how passionate they sound and how unbelievably charismatic they come off, makes this a pretty flooring display.  I love just how muscular this track is, between the pouring drums and wailing guitars all over George’s very emotional screams.  Not only have Deafheaven completely gotten down the American Black Metal sound, they’ve perfected it.  These guitars have seemingly limitless personality and end up complimenting everything wonderfully.  By the end of this one, it’s practically anthemic.  You have to give these guys credit, they’re on top of their genre.  Even the ending instrumental break is just so incredibly rewarding and seems so therapeutic after that onslaught.  As this album rolls on with “Canary Yellow”, this album continues to be an absolute guessing game as far as Deafheaven goes, as this one literally starts off with another very sweet instrumental.  Which is fine, it’s what sets Deafheaven apart from every other band in this genre.  Now, in the past, the term “Shoegaze” i always felt like you had to use very loosely with Deafheaven.  I always just sort of felt like they weren’t pulling from the genre exactly.  But with “Canary Yellow”, they are absolutely bringing in that classic sound of Shoegaze.  The dreamy atmospheres, the hazy guitars, it’s all here in spades.  But Deafheaven turns on a dime and end up bringing in the metal, and quick.  I feel like as far as legitimate anthems, this collection of tracks are some of the most strangely catchy in the band’s catalog. It’s wild and aggressive, but still has just enough hazy guitars lying underneath to really set them apart.  Now, I do sort of feel like some time in the future this could come off as a little watered down.  But I’ll be damned if this isn’t still wildly entertaining and absolutely crushing when it needs to be.  And once again, those last few minutes are absolutely rewarding and therapeutic.  “Near” once again shows the band taking a more subtle approach.  The thing is, once upon a time this track would have been genuinely shocking to hear an all-out Metal band drop their defenses for another very sweet, harmless instrumental.  It’s very bouncy sounding and has just such a sense of innocence to it.  And while no, this isn’t anything to write home to Mom about, my God is this ever soothing and euphoric.  Like, hearing these guys go for an all-out instrumental Post Rock album really doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.  The vocals really never get to be too much of the star here, because this one folks is all about atmosphere.  But I have to say they really aren’t even missed. This album continues to be some of the most emotional music we’ve heard yet from Deafheaven.

Deafheaven continues to surprise me with tracks like “Glint” which honestly may be my favorite track here.  The band’s patience here is genuinely flawless.  There’s instantly so much danger and trouble brewing, and these instrumentals from a distance do sound like they’re on the lighter side.  But with every passing moment, I feel like just a little more darkness piles up on top of these very meditative riffs.  Not to mention, with just how slow “Glint” is it’s wild just how aggressive and muscular some of these instrumentals come off.  The drums are patient and the guitars just seem ready to pounce seemingly at any second.  And they do, and it’s glorious and absolutely ripping and anthemic.  It’s a brutal track. but so many little details help this one come off absolutely flooring, like those wailing guitars and George’s emotional cries.  And after all these years, I feel like Deafheaven just know how to make a track like this into a genuinely catchy tune.  But then we get “Night People”, by far the shortest and strangest track here.  And yes folks, this is a true blue ballad.  Not some fusion black Metal and a ballad, this is a Piano ballad straight up.  And honestly, this one took some time for me to really get into, mostly because how radically different this one is.  But all around, the vocals, including guest vocals from Chelsea Wolfe of all people, are absolutely beautiful and charming.  It’s an emotional tune, which by the end of it with the pounding drums and epic instrumentals gets pretty gigantic.  Now, I’m going to come out and say it, this isn’t terrible.  But this would have been a lot more flooring to me if it was tied on to the end of one of their heavier songs.  But while they’ve certainly given us a whole lot to chew on so far, they clearly aren’t done yet as this album ends with “Worthless Animal”.  This track is back to the band on their drearier and more emotional side.  And as far as that goes, this is powerful and incredibly raw.  And then we have George’s performance which is just so vicious, quite possibly his most vicious here.  For a finale, I have to admit one thing I love is just how final this DOES come off.  These guitars are soaring, it’s epic, majestic while remaining just as creative as the rest of the tracks here. 

Rating: 8.4/10

Give A Listen To: “You Without End”, “Honeycomb”, “Canary Yellow”, “Glint”

Least Favorite Track: “Night People”

Genre: Black Metal / Shoegaze / Blackgaze 

Overall Thoughts:  Deafheaven return after a few years away with quite frankly, their most diverse and fleshed out release yet.  Take the best moments of “Sunbather” and “New Bermuda” and bring in an excess of it, and that makes for this new album.  The guitars are more epic, the vocals are more cutting, the instrumental interludes are longer, and the emotions run deeper than ever.  It’s more beautiful, it’s more gruesome and more twisted.  Which yea, makes me feel like Deafheaven is ready for a little bit of a switch up in the near future.  But for one of the best Metal bands to come through with an album of what they do best time and time again, this album is a wonderful reminder of how awesome they are.