Blood Orange - "Negro Swan"

Blood Orange is the Funk and Alternative R&B project of Dev Hynes.  Dev started this project up in the early 2010's, and made a splash with his 2011 debut "Coastal Grooves".  And honestly, this isn't a terrible album.  It brings to light a lot of the very groovy, bass-heavy Funk that Dev has gotten big with.  But at the same time, a lot of people did sort of bash this album for being a little on the Low-Fi side.  And yes, the production is sloppy as hell, and a lot of the time I feel like Dev is trying to find his footing a little too much.  But tracks like "Complete Failure" and "Can We Go Inside Now" have this undeniable sense of cool to them that Dev would eventually master.  Dev returned in 2013 with "Cupid Deluxe", and finally started to get some steam going.  This was a much classier and much more streamlined album, with Dev really getting into some pretty funky stuff.  There were plenty of slick Bass licks and a big 80's sound, and most importantly Dev was writing catchier material.  While his debut was a crammed slop of an album filled with Dev trying so hard to bring tons of genres together, "Cupid Deluxe" seemed to be his sound.  But I still wasn't too nuts about this album.  Dev more often than not just sounded like he was covering these sounds instead of actually writing new material.  Not to mention, I wanted to hear Dev's personality come through more.  But Dev returned in 2016 with "Freetown Sound", an album that showed him capturing his sound and nailing it.  This was one of my favorite albums of the year by far of any genre, Dev just seemed to be coming off so natural throughout all of it.  Tracks like "Augustine" and "Best To You" were some of the funkiest and most enjoyable R&B tunes of the year, and tracks like "E.V.P." and "Better Than Me" made for stunning deep cuts.  And sure, some of the interlude tracks were a little preachy, but for the most part, I was able to completely look past that. This album is fantastic.  So Dev is back under the Blood Orange name, and honestly, these singles have been OK.  Nothing too crazy, but certainly not bad.  Let's chat friends.

This album starts off with “Orlando”, and instantly this album is going in a very different direction than it’s predecessor  There are a lot of the same elements tinkering about, like the ever-present funk and the soul influence.  But let’s be real this is a much more sorrowful sound coming from Dev, and honestly I actually really love that.  He already had oodles of personality, but this is brand new for him and I don’t mind it at all. It’s smooth and all, but like I said, it totally has a tarnished sound to it compared to the last album.  Overall, I’m totally into this as an intro.  And while I still think this album get’s a little preachy in parts, for here, I don’t mind it.  Now, say what you will about this album, but if you dig it or you don’t, you have to admit this is a much more elaborate album.  Dev may have really branched out with his last album.  But with this, he takes things to the next level with tons of nostalgic samples and a ton of instrumentals.  And so far, he’s knocking it the fuck out of the park.  With this one, we once again have a real focus on Funk and Alternative R*B.  But once again, there’s a real grittiness to this.  And yea, I’m down with it so far.  It’s not as instantaneous as the material Dev provided with “Freetown sound, but this is still just fine.  On the other hand, I actually feel like some tracks here should come off a little stronger, like “Take Your Time”.  Here, we get a very close up and personal performance from Dev.  Much more than usual too, since this is basically a stripped down with little to no instrumental.  But I do think it’s maybe just a little too barren.  But when other instrumentals do pop in, like these very jazzy woodwinds, I feel like Dev is just so much more on point.  And his vocals have only gotten better and better with time.  I just feel like I wish this went even more down the line with making an elaborate instrumental.  But it is still really steamy, so I end up having mixed feelings.   Then we have “Hope” featuring Puff Daddy and TeiShi.  And right off the bat, I have to give Dev credit, because this hook is catchy as hell.  And some of these samples he’s working with are genuinely solid.  But this beat and the production here are just so flimsy.  It’s a smooth track and all, and TeiShi’s vocals up against the very delicate pianos are actually stunning.  But Puff Daddy sounds just as uninspired as usual, and this track just ends up being OK.

Now, some of the voiceovers that transition one track to the next has been a little bit of a downfall for me in the past, that’s nothing new.  But with tracks like “Jewelry”, Dev at least back them up with some flashy instrumentals.  I love the sweeping synths and just how warm this one is.  It’s actually pretty jaw-dropping between all of that and just how strong Dev’s vocals come off.  I’m still waiting for some of the Electro-Funk of the last album to show up.  But if this is the direction Dev is going in, I can’t completely hate this.  It’s smooth, silky, and once again nocturnal.  But as much as I do enjoy this track, I stand by my words, this is much less instantaneous.  But if Dev is really intent on going for this much more elegant vibe, I’m all for it.  Then we have “Family” which is a decent interlude, with out of the better narrations here.  But just feel like it’s alright, this could have easily been tied on to another track here.  But for my money, I do really love the sort of Rock vibe to “Charcoal Baby”.  It’s still Dev’s usual blend of Funk and Soul, but why do I feel like this is an instrumental that Mac DeMarco would have fit on wonderfully.  It actually really works wonderfully for Dev though and ends up being one of the more memorable moments here.  The synths are warm, the instrumental gets pretty minimal at times, it’s all gravy. But even outside of that, Dev sounds on top of his game like I can’t begin to describe.  It’s not what I’ve come to expect from Dev, but it’s different in the best way.  But why does this album have so many interludes?  We get another one next with “Vulture Baby”, and it’s not terrible, it’s actually likable and jazzy.  But I just wish some of these ideas were fleshed out more because I do like the dreary tone. 

On the other hand, “Chewing Gum” is much grimier and Hip-Hop oriented than anything.  And yes, that’s only made bigger by the samples.  Dev actually sounds alright with his soothing vocals over these beats.  It’s also one of the more throwback sounding tracks here, which has always been a mainstay of his work.  But man, Rock just sounds out of place here in every way.  His lyrics, flow, and that acoustic strumming is just not doing anything at all.  I feel like this one would have been a great Blood Orange Solo track, but what happened to Dev’s ability to choose memorable guest singers. Then we get “Holy Will”.  Dev really is dishing out some of his most experimental tracks yet.  But this one has a really big ace up its sleeve with Ian Isiah’s absolutely flooring performance.  Between that and the very sparse atmosphere, this is practically a Gospel track.  Even though I would have liked some more input from Dev, this is still jaw-dropping.  Then we have “Dagenham Dream”, which brings in a big bulky beat and some throwback synths.  But overall, what the hell happened to the production here?  The production on so many tunes on “Freetown Sound” was so pristine.  But here, everything seems so muddled.  Which I honestly feel like was done as an effect to give this album a very “used” feel to it.  But here, it doesn’t come off nearly as classy as I would hope.  This album, in general, is much less average than I hoped.  On the other hand, “Nappy Wonder” doesn’t sound nearly as terrible for another stripped down track.  But that’s mostly because I actually think this is one of Dev’s most solid performances of the bunch.  But why is the production still so tinny?  This track could have been absolutely stunning.  And I do think this is one of the better tracks here though, but it could have been more powerful.  But I do really love the zany keyboard and guitars that give this one a seriously off the rails feel. 

On the other hand, “Runnin” is really, REALLY classy.  Like the acoustic strumming here could have easily been very cheesy. But it actually ends up ushering in one of Dev’s most interesting performances here.  He just has this essence to him here that’s just so cool, so sleek and dangerous in parts.  And honestly, it’s what I loved so much about “Freetown Sound”.  It’s just so moody, but it also progresses his sound so well, it’s wonderful.  Then we have “Out of Your League” featuring Steve Lacy.  And seriously Dev?  Where the hell was this sound all album?  I love the throwback synths here that are just so strong that I feel like makeup for their absence on most of this album.  Their track is fantastic.  The hooks are catchy, the beat is perfect, and the funk is seriously strong.  And with Steve Lacy on deck, this one goes to the next level entirely.  It’s easily one of the most memorable tracks of the bunch.  But man, I don’t see the point in yet another 2-minute interlude as we get with “Minetta Creek”.  I just feel like some of these have really great ideas.  But because so many come our way on the album, I just feel like it makes Dev come off unorganized.  This is by far one of the most repetitive tracks of the bunch.  I like the airy vibe and all, but nothing else about this one captures me, at all.  But with “Smoke” we see Dev end off the album with some Rock vibes and acoustic strumming, and it’s great.  Not to mention he throws in some audience sound effects which don’t come off cheesy.  This is an awesome ending tune, one that really doesn’t wrap up anything, but summarized Dev’s ideas so he can continue to use them in the future.  With this, I’m not scared of any futuristic experimentation Dev wants to check out. 

Rating: 7.8/10

Give A Listen To: “Orlando”,  “Out Of Your League”, “Charcoal Baby”, “Runnin”

Least Favorite Track: “Dagenham Dream”

Genre: Alternative R&B / Bedroom Pop / Funk / Soul

Overall Thoughts:  If “Freetown Sound” defined Blood Orange’s sound, “Negro Swan” really takes a deep look at the inner feelings of Dev Hynes.  Gone is the pristine Funk and Soul that graced us a few years ago, and in it’s place is a dreary and often depressive blend of Psychedelic Pop and R&B.  It’s not exactly what I expected to hear, but it’s a great sign of just how willing to experiment Dev is at this point in his career.  A warning though, these are a handful of tracks that need to be sat with.  There isn’t a single track on here that isn’t as instantaneous as some of the material on “Freetown Sound”.  But it’s still a very emotional, dreary, and rather elegant look into the mind of Dev Hynes. 

The Lemon Twigs - Go To School

The Lemon Twigs are a band that I've wanted to chat about for some time now for a few reasons.  Whether it be their ties to Foxygen or the fact that they're from my hometown of sunny Hicksville on Long Island, these guys are worth some chatting about.  I caught wind of them around the time of their "Do Hollywood" album, which honestly took me a few listens to really wrap my head around.  It's a very sunny, retro Psychedelic Rock and Pop album, with some really great singles no less.  I mean, tracks like "Hi+Lo", "Haroomata" and "These Words" were classy throwbacks to say the very least.  But at the same time, I sort of wanted the Lemon Twigs to push their ideas further.  There was a very solid base to all of this, but I was waiting for these guys to really take off.  And with their 2017 EP "Brother of Destruction", I was a little letdown Tracks like "So Fine" and "Beautiful" were just fine.  But I still felt like this EP could have been so much more colorful and wild.  But uh, who turned on the light?  These singles from this new Lemon Twigs project have been absolutely their most colorful and personality-filled yet.  Where has this been??  Let's chat about this new album!

This album starts off with “Never In My Arms, Always in My Heart”, and I have to say this is a very determined start that actually does a really great job of pumping you up and introducing you to the Lemon Twigs sound.  It’s a very artsy sound that if you’re into bands like Foxygen or Of Montreal, you’ll love.  But this is new for Lemon Twigs, as this album takes on a sort of Rock Opera vibe.  Between the highly detailed, narrative verses and the big booming chorus though, I actually think this is really classy.  It’s catchy, flamboyant, and wildly colorful.  In a nutshell, this is exactly what I’ve wanted to hear from them in the past.  Not to mention, some of these ridiculously passionate vocals towards the end are a knockout.  On the other hand, “The Student Becomes the Teacher” is much more stripped down.  All around, but it’s also strangely epic and unbelievably passionate.  I love the wide instrumental pallet these guys are working with, they really are bracing out.  Of course, these vocals are seemingly right out of a musical, which is exactly what they were going for, and they aren’t going to be for everyone.  But hey, if you’re into over-the-top and fearless Rock & Roll, this is great. Then we have “Rock Dreams”, and one thing I do really love on this album overall is the sort of breezy and carefree vibe to this all.  But more than anything, I can’t say no to just how elaborate and colorful this track is.  Now, I do have to say, this is actually one of the album’s lesser moments as far as vocals go.  Like, I’m really not into them at all in parts.  But this album's very quirky narrative does really me back in.  And while there are some of the most un-interesting vocals of the entire album here, they are passionate.  And it’s still absolutely catchy.  Not to mention, this album on paper is about a Monkey raised to be a human who goes to school, but I feel like there’s just a ton of more Socio-Political themes hanging around too.  On the other hand, “The Lesson” is the most stripped down track we’ve gotten here yet.  And honestly, I’m not too wild about it.  Earlier, we got a slower track, but at the very least that one reeled me in with a series of very epic instrumentals.  But here, just so many awkward quirks about the band just seem to be everywhere.  The vocals seem so fragile, and that narrative that dominates this entire album just seems to be a little harder to grasp.  Like, it’s touching in parts, but its moments like this that I wish this album was a little more straightforward. 

On the other hand, “Small Victories” has so much more of a sunny and sweet vibe that it’s contagious.  I have to give it to these two’s vocals because they’re so much more sure of themselves compared to their first album.  Plus, this one has a couple of different movements, and honestly they all come off pretty damn smoothly.   There’s also a huge Of Montreal vibe that’s inescapable, especially their early stuff.  So many of these tracks are so likable, instantly too.  Like, year, this narrative is a little convoluted at times.  But I can’t help but to sing every word and have a blast listening to this. Then we have “Wonderin’ Ways”, and I have to say, it’s some of these light, much less lavish tracks Lemon Twigs need to be wary of.  It worked at first because the instrumentals they were dealing with at the time were powerful and epic.  But this one is ridiculously flimsy.  Even the vocals are just falling apart by the minute.  There are some classy moments and all that I do really enjoy, and this is far from the worst tune of the bunch.  But they do really need to stray away from these slower, lighter tunes.  On the other hand, “The Bully” takes something which should be a traumatic experience, and paint it against this very sunny and sweet backdrop.  It’s beautiful, almost tropical and 100% contagious. I’m still not absolutely stunned by some of the more down to earth vocals.  But man, when things take off and “The Bully” begins to sing, these vocals get wildly animated.  It’s hard to follow the narrative occasionally, but to say that I’m still not having a damn blast would be a lie.  On the other hand, “Lonely” is the soft track that I needed to hear right about now.  This one may be stripped down and light on the ears.  But it’s filled with beautiful harmonies and interesting instrumentals.  Like, here, we get some plucked Banjos and strings, it’s actually really classy and interesting.  Not to mention, here we get some of the album’s most passionate and heartfelt vocals.  

I actually really love some of the more Rock N Roll tracks here, like “Queen of my School”.  I just feel like this energy is a portion of Rock that the band’s contemporaries don’t really touch enough of these days.  It’s a much more off the rails track for the most part.  Even vocally this is on a different level entirely.  Not to mention, you have to give these guys credit, I wanted them to branch out and do something extravagant.  And this is just that project.  Also, some of these breakdowns are ridiculous.  As this album rolls on it just gets more and more animated.  You really never know what direction the band is going to roll off into, and that makes it exciting.  “Never Know” has some Disco and Funk thrown in, and man is it ever soulful and a fantastic switch-up after the last few tracks.  Some of the harmonies here once again are really fantastic and heartwarming, and this on overall is just fantastic for Lemon Twigs.  But it’s moments like “Born Wrong/Heart Song” that I just feel like Lemon Twigs are getting maybe a little too dramatic for me.  This is straight up goofy in parts sadly.  Like, this has been a damn emotional album, filled with tons of colorful moments and elaborate setups.  But for the first time in 11 tracks, I legitimately feel like this is just way too much.  I can understand a more tender track was needed after a while, this-this is an excess in every way.  It’s moments like “The Fire” that I’m just feeling so much more overall.  I love the heartfelt and dreary guitars and the simple yet effective singing.  This one as a whole may be the most elaborate of the bunch, in the best way.  It’s just such a dramatic track, but in this case I feel like the boys just really have thought this one out so incredibly.  It’s easily the track that gives away the most about the album's narrative, but outside of that all of these performances here just seems to be coming directly from their hearts.  Also, I’m still getting a gigantic Of Montreal feel, especially their “Gay Parade” era which is fantastic.  It all comes off so catchy and memorable, especially in the second half with all of these unbelievably catchy vocals.  

Once again, “Home of a Heart (The Woods)” takes things down a little bit.  It has this sort of retro, Folk Rock feels to it that’s not terrible.  But my issue with these tracks and Lemon Twigs going for these kinds of tracks is just that usually, this marks a loss for their personality.  The vocals here are soaring and sound just fine, and the instrumental is mighty elegant. But I feel like it’s in moments like this that we lose a little something from their personality.  That’s just me though, you may dig on this because these harmonies are to die for.  But I’m tons more into “This Is My Tree”.  It’s swanky and sleazy, and this one is just so freakin’ alive and fun with Rock N Roll.  There’s obviously some Glam Rock in here too, and it comes off really flashy and fantastic.  In general, the band’s energy on this track is fantastic.  And even more than that, there just seems to be this positivity here which is truly appreciated.  On the other hand, “If You Give Enough” is a very elegant and refined tune.  Like, it begins to really wind down this “music” really well.  But instrumentally, I just feel like this has so much potential to be so much bigger and better, not to mention animated.  And it’s a shame because this one as a whole has tons of potential and some really sweet harmonies that I really love.  But sadly, of all of the album’s singles, this hits me the least. On the other hand, “Go To School” is just the sort of campy, over-the-top and highly animated track I wanted to hear as a finale.  This is practically a jingle, one that’s crammed with personality.  Hell, it’s practically goofy in parts.  But for some reason, this does wonderfully at wrapping this album up. 

Rating: 8.0/10 

Give A Listen To: “The Student Becomes the Teacher”, “Small Victories”, “Lonely”, “The Fire”

Least Favorite Track: “Born Wrong/Heart Song”

Genre: Psychedelic Pop / Baroque Pop / Rock N Roll / Psychedelic Rock / Rock Opera

Overall Thoughts:  For the last few years, I’ve been sitting around waiting for The Lemon Twigs to really take off.   They had a great sound to start with, that was obvious.  But with “Go To School” the band completely take things up a notch, with a quirky story and insanely colorful production.  Each instrumental is just packed with wild imagery, and for the first time the band just seem to really be putting their vision to paper more than ever.  The result is some of the most genuinely catchy and memorable Pop Rock tunes of the year.  Now, yes, the narrative occasionally gets a little muddled, and the vocals on maybe one or two tracks are a little iffy.  And yes, some of the lighter tunes here lack the wonderful personality the rest of this album has.  But still, this isn’t just the best collection of sounds Lemon Twigs have put together by far, it’s a collection of some of the most colorful and instantaneous Rock tracks I’ve heard all year. 

Interpol - Marauder

Interpol is the legendary Indie Rock and Post Punk band hailing from New York, lead by Mr. Paul Banks.  Now, sometimes with bands these days it takes them a little while to get their sound in check.  But with 2002's "Turn on The Bright Lights", Banks and company proved very quickly they knew what they were doing, almost too well. This was an absolute masterclass in Post Punk and Indie with Interpol attacking at all angles.   From the tense and manic "PDA", to the strangely off the rails "Say Hello To The Angels", to the "Untitled" intro that still sometimes brings me to tears, this album is one of the 2000's most memorable Rock debuts.  Interpol returned in 2004 with "Antics".  Now, the first thing that was glaring about this album was the lack of that very dreary atmosphere, and Interpol was clearly going for a much more immediate sound.  And at first, I resisted.  But this album has so many great moments from start to finish, from impeccable singles like "C'Mere" and "Evil", to gloomy, brooding moments like "Take You On A Cruise" and "Next Exit".  Interpol may have been pandering to a slightly different audience, but I'll be damned if they didn't sound great doing it.  But with 2007's "Our Love To Admire", Interpol really started dropping the ball.  Outside of singles like the undeniable "The Heinrich Maneuver" or the slow-burning "No I In Threesome", there was barely anything to truly love here.  Paul Banks often sounded exhausted, and the wonderful atmosphere that once haunted Interpol albums was long gone.  And in its place, just seemed to be a bunch of really exhausted sounding, poorly written Indie tunes.  Then we have 2010's "Interpol" album, which I'm not even trying to be funny, I completely forgot came out.  This album is criminally boring, filled with faceless instrumentals and Paul Banks just sounding out of ideas.   But Interpol came back with a slight improvement with 2014's "El Pintor".  This was an album fueled by more aggressive singles like "Anywhere" and "Breaker 1", which actually weren't that bad.  And yes, there is still a slew of really boring tunes that just do nothing for me overall.  But Interpol did seem alive and cooking again.  Not to mention "All The Rage Back Home" is one hell of a single.  So it's been a hot minute since we've heard from Interpol.  But from the sound of these singles, the band do sound rejuvenated.  Let's talk about this Interpol album, shall we?

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “If You Really Love Nothing”.  Now, as far as the instrumental goes here, I actually think this is a pretty decent, focused intro.  Like, I love the determined drums and the energy coming from Interpol.  But Mr. Banks, ahem, what is you doin’?  I have no idea why he’s going for these genuinely cheesy verses that seem to take all the mystery out of all of this together.  And yea, that’s really what drew me to Interpol in the first place.  The chorus is fine and all, but all of these high pitched vocals on the verse are absolutely laughable and ridiculous.  Like, it ends up bringing down this entire track, this isn’t where I wanted to start.   At the very least “The Rover” as an early single from the album actually packs a whole lot of punch.  I love the upbeat riff and just how much heavier some of the production is here.  Like, as far as that goes, this is easily one of the heaviest tracks the band has come out with since the band’s days of “Antics”.  And that goes for all around.  Paul sounds fantastic and full of energy.  And while no, that famous atmosphere that ruled the airwaves years ago isn’t anywhere in sight, I have no issues with this.  With “Complications”, it continues to be obvious that Interpol just seems like they’re full of life for the first time in a while, really does add a lot on its own.  Here, Paul Banks is right back to sound full of mystery and is genuinely twisted sounding.  Of all of the tracks here so far, this one actually stands out to me the most.  I love the twisting verses and just how genuinely evil Interpol sound, when was the last time I’ve been able to say that about these guys?   It’s also just so tense, I love it.  The hits just keep on coming with “Flight of Fancy”, which is once again incredibly tense and an atmospheric Post-Punk tune.  I’m not going to say “go tell your friends that Interpol sounds like themselves again”.  But, if you’re up for a real throwback track, this is actually pretty awesome.  I love just how sweeping and hypnotic this track is.  Like I said, I wouldn’t say that business is back to normal, but with tracks like this, I wouldn’t mind coming back for seconds.  But I don’t know, “Stay In Touch” slowly reminds me that things really aren’t what they seem.  I do like this track in a way, even if that twangy and practically country riff just doesn’t let up at all.  It’s just so damn goofy, and it’s a shame because I really love a lot of what else is going on here.  It’s certainly dark and chilling, and it absolutely has that mysterious vibe to it.  But I don’t know, I just feel like this is a stretch.  Like, I feel like this isn’t coming to the band like it once would, and so easily at that. 

But let me tell you, the lack of an atmosphere is continuing to get to me.  Let me just say, if “Interlude 1” is supposed to get me in a chilly mood, I’m not biting.  At all.  But I do like the very tense playing of “Mountain Child”.  You have to give Paul credit when he’s on, he’s really on.  Here, he just sounds so dangerous, and the band around him sound just as determined.  But oh God, this chorus is just so damn corny.  I feel like Interpol at the end of the day are just so flimsy these days.  They want to do things the old fashioned way, they want to make these dark, foreboding atmospheres.  But with this track, I just feel like there’s part of Paul that wants to create a memorable single or two and that’s it.  This is just so damn wishy-washy.  But Interpol continues to know how to reel me back in with “NYSMAW”.  This one is honestly in every way exactly where I want to hear Interpol these days.  Paul hasn’t sounded this genuinely twisted this entire album.  The instrumental is just so determined and nocturnal.  Listening to this, I just sort of picture Interpol driving around in Brooklyn being up to no good, which is originally where I loved hearing them.   Not only that, but here Paul has such a sorrow, and he sounds so tortured and torn here, I really can’t tell you how great that is.  And to be honest, yea the heavily drenched in sound effects vocals are a little cheesy.  But this is still quite possibly the best track of the bunch.  But every time I really get in the zone here, Interpol gives us a track like “Surveillance”.  Some of these softer tracks are seriously flimsy.  Sure, Paul may be putting on an act here and trying to sound like a total villain.  But let’s be real, as far as ballads go, Paul has fallen a lot since his days of “NYC”.  This track is just so faceless, even with the riffs being hypnotic.  Hell, even the rest of the instrumentals are so lively and interesting, but this track is still far from where it should be.  On the other hand, I actually still love “Number 10” since hearing it a while back.  It’s got a great atmosphere, a memorable guitar riff, and just tons else going for it.  Not to mention, the production on this album as a whole has been on point.  And when this track picks up into a much more upbeat Post Punk track that’s reminiscent of Interpol’s legendary “PDA”, it just get’s special. It’s an awesome tune, and if I heard this track and this track only, I would honestly think Interpol were back firing on all cylinders.  Not to mention this is easily Paul’s most passionate and heartfelt performance here.  It actually does a whole lot for this tune, I’m happy. 

I do have to continue to say, the sheer urgency of this album is a massive step in the right direction.  But with “Party’s Over”, I have to ask why the hell Paul continues to break out these unbearable high pitched vocals.  I literally couldn’t take these seriously if my life depended on it.  And it just gives me this horrible taste in my mouth, like even Interpol aren’t taking this album seriously.  And yes, “Interlude 2” is actually much more on an interlude than the first one.  But what the fuck does that even mean?  And why do Interpol have to focus on minute-long interludes to build an atmosphere?  Then we have the finale, “It Probably Matters”, which I’ll be honest have some clashing thoughts on.  For one, this tracks bouncy riff shouldn’t exist, this isn’t what I showed up for.  But I do enjoy some of Paul’s very dreary performances here, and I do think the atmosphere is one of the best of the bunch.  But I’m just so torn because that bouncing riff is just so freakin’ goofy.  This track is just ok.  This entire album is OK.  Sure, this is better than everything they’ve done since “Antics”, but what does that even mean? 

Rating: 7.2/10

Give A Listen To: “Complication”, “Flight of Fancy”, “NYSMAW”, “Number 10”

Least Favorite Track: “Party’s Over”

Genre: Post Punk / Indie Rock 

Overall Thoughts: I have good news and bad news.  The bad news is, If someone tells you that the original Interpol sound is back for good with this new album, they’re lying.  The good news is, this is the most concrete work Interpol has put out since “Antics”.   Most of that is due to some better production, heavier riffs and some genuine energy coming out of Paul Banks for a change.  However, let’s be real, there are a few moments on here where Paul’s vocals are cringe-worthy to no end.  Not to mention, why is it that time after time I feel like this isn’t coming naturally to Interpol and they’re reaching for this sound big time.  Still, though, there are some really great moments on here, much more so than their last three albums combined. 

Uniform - The Long Walk

Uniform first emerged on the Industrial and Metal scene back in 2013, and I first got around to checking them out with their 2013 EP "Our Blood".  And honestly, I didn't have too much to say about it. "Our Blood" was a sloppily produced, overly noisy jam and "Of Sound Mind and Body", while it did show much more truly interesting ideas, left me just wanting more.  But Uniform really started cooking with 2016's "Ghosthouse" EP.  This was a much more Industrial and had some seriously wild recordings.  And honestly, I loved every minute of it.  Uniform here didn't come off as a bunch of guys screwing around with feedback, they sounded focused and legitimately nasty.  In 2015 we got our first taste of a studio album from Uniform with "Perfect World', and honestly, I was a little disappointed.  I feel like I was having terrible flashbacks listening to this and remembering the early days of this project.  Uniform, outside of the wild "Buyer's Remorse", just sounded unfocused.  The grimy production was nice, and when they were on, they were on.  But this album was sloppily produced, and if the guys were trying to progress their sound, I couldn't hear it.  But with 2017's "Wake In Fright", I felt like Uniform finally got their sound.  This album had blistering and aggressive Punk tracks but also had Industrial grooves that Trent Reznor wishes he could have written.  Tracks like "The Killing of America" and "Bootlicker" were simply put, fantastic tracks.  And while I did sort of wish they went further and heavier at times, I felt like Uniform finally had their sound.  So what did Uniform decide to do next?  Why, they do whatever any current Metal band does in between albums, record a split album with The Body.  And honestly, I was super excited for this album.  But it really didn't leave any impact on me whatsoever.  This was an album that was very noisy, abrasive and wild.  But it showed nothing of that great progression Uniform showed us on "Wake In Fright", and honestly I just ended up being really let down by this release.  So Uniform are back, with some of their most aggressive singles to date.  Let's chat about it!

Right off the bat Uniform scratches all the right itches with “The Walk”. I love just how big and bulky the production is here and just how massive the band sounds.  As a trio, these days, the band’s sound is broader than ever. I love just how grimy and disgusting this track is, which is just made even more gut-wrenching by this absolutely putrid and explosive vocal performance.  But of course, because we’re dealing with Industrial Metal, these are all brilliant qualities.  But it’s also oddly catchy in parts too, like on that really memorable guitar hook on the chorus that reminds me a whole lot of early 2000’s Alt-Metal in the best way.  This track is wildly explosive, and I love every second of it.  Plus, the atmosphere here is just so much more on point than what we were hearing on the band’s previous material.  This is one for lifting weights by my friends. On the other hand “Human Condition” is even grizzlier and more aggressive.  If you haven’t realized already, this album isn’t for the weak of heart.  The pacing on this one is genius, as Uniform isn’t rushing for anyone, and are just taking their own damn time pummeling everything in their path.  Now, Michael Berdan isn’t the best singer around, I get that.  But I just love the way he’s constantly spewing out every emotion in his body, no matter if it sounds good or not.  Sure, they aren’t bringing in as many industrial grooves, but holy fuck does this one get your blood pumping. The onslaught continues with “Found” in a big way.  This one is ridiculously sludgy and aggressive.   But it’s moments like this that I feel like it maybe comes off a little too abrasive, that’s just my thoughts though.  Here, Michael doesn’t sound nearly as tuneful, which I know shouldn’t matter in these genres but it does to me.  It’s just a mess of noise and aggression, which is just fine on paper.  And there’s certainly nothing wrong with it.  But there’s nothing truly memorable about this that sticks once it’s over.  But instrumentally, this is still stunning.  On the other hand, “Transubstantiation” is just so sludgy, but is instantly filled with a whole to more personality.  I love the chugging riff here and the immense pacing.  It’s in moments like this that I feel like Uniform have something special.  They’re not playing their instruments constantly at blistering speeds, they’re doing things at their own pace, exploding only when they feel like it.  The riff here is wonderfully massive and pummeling, and I love how the vocals just come off so tortured and manic.  Uniform really do have one hell of a sound. 

On the other hand, “Alone In The Dark” shows the band breaking out into a more Hardcore sound.  The sheer amount of feedback on this track is ridiculous and is enough to make Sludge or Doom Metal fans perk up instantly.  But then we get this absolutely rowdy, the intense verse that shows the band embracing their Punk side, which is something I really wish they did a little more.  It’s a brutal track, with Michael on vocals sounding absolutely tortured.  Which is honestly, right where I want to hear him the most.  It’s just so focused and chugging, this is all gravy, my friends.  Then we get moments here like “Headless Eyes” that just sound so big and bulky, nearly suffocating.  Like, they obviously took a lot from working with The Body.  But here, very quickly they bring in these absolutely massive, muscular grooves that are just so God Damn hypnotic and instantaneous, and I love it.  This is gonna be a workout album for a lot, a damn good one that keeps throwing you off by just attacking you at all sides.  This is a great sound for these guys and the last 30 pummeling seconds in absolutely intense.   Once Uniform get in this groove, it just gets so hard to stop them.  I love just how steak and determined “Anointing Of The Sick” comes off, the sluggish grooves here are just so muscular and well put together.  And though this isn’t one of Michael’s most memorable performances of the bunch, he’s still just fantastic at getting in your head and making his performances so tortured.  And this incredibly noisy, wailing guitar solo here is just so damn good.  Ohhhhh boy, but “Peaceable Kingdom” is the most abrasive of the bunch.  I feel like this is the end result of every noisy passage on this entire album.  Which, no, isn’t bad at all, I love hearing these guys at their noisiest and most progressive.  But this slow-paced, very cautious track is just not the way to do it.  There are some really cool elements to it, like the fantastic vocals and the patient ticking in the background.   So this one just sort of ends up being an alright finale sadly, but it could have been a whole lot more let me tell you.

Rating: 7.8/10


Give A Listen To: “The Walk”, “Transubstantiation”, “Alone In The Dark”, “Headless Eyes”

Least Favorite Track: “Found”

Genre: Industrial Metal / Experimental Metal / Noise Metal

Overall Thoughts:  Pound for pound this is Uniform’s most consistent release to date.  Sure, it shows them slowly getting away from the grooves and Industrial styling of their early recordings.  But working as a trio these days has made their sound vaster than ever, and shows the band embracing their most raw and Punk-oriented sounds to date.  Their guitars are crunchier, and Michael Berdan on vocals honestly sounds more tortured and twisted than ever.  Now, I do feel like in one or two moments Uniform let their noisy roots get a little out of control, and they don’t end up writing nearly as a well-structured song as I know they can.  But this album is still the most consistent throughout project they’ve brought to the table yet.  

Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef

Animal Collective is the long-time Experimental Pop/Neo-Psychedelia act consisting of Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Geologist and Deakin.  Now, AnCo if you're not into, I'm not judging, a lot of people aren't for various reasons.  But for me, they've always had a very special place in my heart.  Avey and Panda first came together in 2001 for their "Spirit They've Gone, Spirit They've Vanished" album.  This one's a toughy folks, as many of the first few Animal Collective albums are.  This album is a very cosmic blend of Psychedelic Rock, FolkTronica, Experimental Pop and more.  It's not an easy album to digest at all.  But there's also something incredibly innocent to this album.  So much of this just so joyous and youthful, and Panda and Avey's vocals are so charming.  They end up making a very hard to describe and hard to place album strangely nostalgic and sweet. It's a tough album to digest, but it's worth it. Later that year AnCo returned with "Danse Manatee", which was basically the exact opposite of their debut.  This album was a cluttered, sloppy Experimental Electronic album with much less charm.  Panda and Avery's vocals weren't nearly as sweet, and without that it just sort of sounded like they were messing around most of the time, and I wasn't laughing.  AnCo returned in 2003 with "Campfire Songs", which returned to the very joyous Psych Folk, this time a little more stripped down.  And while there wasn't anything mindboggling this was a very sweet release.  AnCo returned to their weird ways with 2003's "Here Comes the Indian".  This was a very freaky, ambient and truly bizarre album.  And honestly, I don't completely hate it, it's not exactly an album I run to in AnCo's discography.  But it has this wonderful carefree and and genuinely strange atmosphere that I can't hate.   Now, up until this point, I wasn't wild about anything AnCo had released.  But it was the release of "Sung Tongs" that blew me away and made me a stone cold fan.  This album had all of the past qualities of AnCo projects, the whimsicality, the joyous singing, a feeling of youth.  But for the first time, Animal Collective was approaching this from a slightly more Pop-centered direction.  Don't get me wrong, this was far from an accessible project.  But there were catchy hooks and memorable lines all over the place, and AnCo had finally seemed to hone in on their sound.  Animal Collective continued to grow bigger by the minute with 2005's "Feels".  Once again AnCo were working with a very youthful, carefree Psych-Folk sound that was so immediate and likable.  It was sweet and fun, but it was also catchier than other with immediately timeless tracks like "Grass" and "The Purple Bottle".   But in 2007, AnCo proved they weren't screwing around with genres anymore, and produced their first truly timeless album "Strawberry Jam".  This was a whimsical, carefree album of the ages.  It started blending more Electronic elements matched with their usual Psych Pop, Folk and Experimental flair.  And for the first time, they really made an album that wasn't only mind-bending, but also very dramatic and exciting.  Tracks like the strangely wild "Cuckoo Cuckoo" to the polarizing "For Reverend Green" are just wonderful, and the joyous opener of "Peacebone" is simply timeless.  Now if only AnCo created an album next that absolutely blew everything out of the water in their discography, as well as modern Pop.  Ahem, that's exactly what they did in 2009 with "Merriweather Post Pavillion".  For 54 minutes, Animal Collective weren't outsiders, they weren't Psych-Pop's most experimental act, hell they weren't even four lifelong friends.   Here, Animal Collective were a Pop act, and proved they were one of the best in the world.  They seamlessly blended carefree attitudes, infectious hooks, timeless harmonies, stunning production, all stringed together with some of the most challenging yet intriguing Pop music around.  It's one of my all-time favorite albums, and one that you absolutely need to hear.  From legendary hits like "My Girls" and "Brother Sport", to patience-testing yet rewarding tracks like "In The Flowers" or "Guys Eyes", it's no wonder why this is one of the most critically beloved and fan-adored albums of this generation.  But with 2012's "Centipede Hz", things started to get a little weird for AnCo.  The band decided to follow-up their catchiest and most beloved universally album with their noisiest and most hectic to date.  There are absolutely some brilliant tracks here,  like "Father Time" and "Today's Supernatural", and this album in doses is totally exciting.  But at the end of the day, Animal Collective seemed a little burned out.  Which leads me to 2016's "Painting With", which is by no means perfect.  It's greatly flawed, with a great deal of the second half being completely forgettable.  However, this album also has some really great moments.  There are some amazing singles like "FloriDaDa" and "Golden Gal", as well as one of my favorite singles of 2016 "Lying In The Grass".  But tracks like "The Burglars" and "Hocus Pocus" are totally fine deep cuts.  And yes, AnCo do seem a little tame here, and aren't nearly as energetic.  But this album isn't nearly the trainwreck people make it out to be.  Oh boy, so I'm worried about this one folks.  AnCo are back with a 2 hour album, one whose sole single isn't terrible, but it's tough to judge an AnCo album on that.  That being said, let's talk.

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with a very pensive, experimental style track that harkens back tot he early days of their studio trickery with “Hair Cutter”.  And let’s talk about this atmosphere.  I mean this is easily the most haunting thing that Animal Collective have touched down on, this is straight up ghoulish.  Avey’s vocals echo a lot of the material he was touching down on with his project from last year.  But I sort of have the same issue with this as I do with a lot of early AnCo works.  This is a stunning, hypnotic piece of Experimental music.  But without the catchy writing of Panda Bear or the youthful excitement of their early work, this rolls right in and right out without stopping me at all.  It’s an experience, but that’s all it is.  But with tracks like “Buffalo Tomato”, I actually do start to see a little bit more of what AnCo are going for.  This track has a thick, dense atmosphere that’s layered in mystery.  It’s also incredibly colorful and genuinely intriguing.  It’s times like this that make a lot of coherent sense for a change.  There may not be a wide palette of instrumentals or a catchy hook, but I’ll be damned if this isn’t infectious in its own weird way.  Avey’s yelped vocals are just so hypnotic and strangely beautiful.  This is a really strange track, and this is a weird album.  But I’m up for all of this and more.  The very dense, suffocating atmospheres of this album continue with “Inspector Gadget",  I do have to give them credit for that.  But it’s in moments like this that I don’t really have nearly as much of anything to say.  There was a time where I felt like Animal Collective were a bunch of stoned teens, hanging around and fucking with production equipment.  And with this one, I feel like we’re right back there again, what a waste.  Now, overall this album is pleasant on the ears.  And I do think a whole lot of the textures are really well done.  But without a hook or a genuine melody, a lot of these tracks do start to blend together just a little.  Like, I love the very playful keyboards on this one, and Avey’s very hazy vocals are just so cool as they float in and out practically haunting you.   But outside of that, this track is once again, just OK.  This album as a whole is just that, simple OK.  It’s pleasant while it’s on, but just try telling the difference between some of these tracks.  But once again, “Coral Understanding” brings in some serious mystery to this album that I actually really love.  Within these very dense atmospheres, there’s just such a terror lurking. Here, Avey doesn’t come off nearly as carefree as usual, he comes off genuinely freakish.  And yes, there’s still a lot fo hazy instrumentals that are really hard to place.  Like, I honestly would love to know the band’s writing process for this album.  But this track is easily one of the best here.  It’s also strangely tortured at times.  AnCo is throwing it all at us and more, that’s for damn sure.  Plus, I actually enjoy how genuinely tense this one gets.  

With “Airpipe (To a New Transition)”, we’re getting somewhere.  I absolutely love the tense, bulky production of this one and the wonky synths.  It’s certainly as far as atmosphere is concerned, the coolest thing here.  This is a bold track that you can enjoy with or without the film that was made to go along with this.  Hell, it may be hard to track down, but there’s even a little groove in there that’s bouncy as hell.  Ironically enough, this is one with even fewer vocals, where I actually have to tune out and really get into the vibes.  But I personally like that a lot and makes for some incredibly visual stuff.  Now, “Jake and Me” strips back a lot of elements, leaving us only with Avey’s ghastly vocals and some very distant guitars.  And the effects are pretty cool and all, but that’s it.  How many times am I going to be faced with saying that here?  So many of these tracks are cool to vibe out to.  But the sheer amount of songs here that blend together and don’t stand out is ridiculous. I do like that keyboard melody that breezes in and out, it’s actually really haunting and beautiful.  But if that’s all I’m pointing out about a 4-minute track, we have a problem here.  On the other hand, some moments here are strangely immediate, like “Coral By Numbers”.  Here, the boys don’t sound like they’re screwing around nearly as much.  Honestly, this sounds like a warper version of something from their “Sung Tongs” album.  Avey’s vocals here are his catchiest and most accessible of the entire album.  It’s filled with a handful or really jittery synths as well as tons of hazy production.  I actually can seriously get with this.  But then we get thrown right back into this very hazy maze of sight and sounds with “Hip Sponge”.  I barely can keep track of this one, and while I actually really dig some of Avey’s bluesy vocals that come off as some of the most fun here, this instrumental barely exists.  Practically every track here has these portions of truly great tracks, snippets of something left over from some truly great tracks.  But this, this isn’t it.  But for every track like that, we get a track so far out-there like “Coral Realization” that practically sounds like the freakish older brother of a track on “Centipede Hz”.  There’s practically a drone going on between these lapping waves of synths and literally nothing else.  It’s challenging, but it leads to some really wild moments.  Imagine if this album had a few catchier tracks thrown in and the guys seemed more focused?  This would be monstrous. 

But instantly with “Lundtren Coral”, there’s little to nothing going on here.  We have some very pleasant synths in the background, but not much else.  But once those lapping guitars come in, once again this comes off an awful lot like some of Avey’s stuff from his album last year.  It’s twisted and hard to place, and  It’s literally more and more like this reef is haunted with each passing moment.  Snippets of this are really enjoyable, but only snippets.  The guitars are cool, the atmosphere is chilly, but what else is bringing me back for more?  It’s literally laughable how so many of these tracks start the same.  There’s always just this very tiny drone and some eerier keyboards, and it’s the same with “Palythoa”.  And honestly, that’s fine, but it’s just agitating to hear so much of the same.  The more I think about it if you’re going to listen to this album listen to it while watching the visual portion.  Like, I’m absolutely ecstatic when Avey’s very dreary vocals come in, just because they break up the monotony just a little.  This is not a good track, and I really don’t know what the hell AnCo are doing anymore.  But AnCo sends us on a real ride with this album’s finale “Best of Times (Worst of All)”.  Which surprisingly starts off genuinely noisy and exciting.  But even that sort of just floats off into this very freaky, heavily synthetic track.  There are some good elements once again (go figure), like Avey’s performance which may just be his best of the bunch, and those very wonky synths.  But holy shit, I just have had so much of all of this that my patience has completely run out.  It’s one of the sweeter tracks here, and it’s even really catchy, but uh….anyone know where I can find Panda Bear these days?

Rating: 6.7/10


Give A Listen To: “Buffalo Tomato”, “Coral Understanding”, “Airpipe (To a New Transition)”, “Coral By Numbers”

Least Favorite Track: “Inspector Gadget”

Genre: Experimental / Ambient / Neo-Psychedelia 

Overall Thoughts:  Animal Collective on “Tangerine Reef” take a big step back and return to their days of studio tricks and Neo-Psych atmospheres.  But without Panda Bear on board and with no direction, this album is a mess.   Like, if you watch this alongside the visual portion it’s loads more interesting.  But without that, so many of these tracks end up only having a few interesting moments at best.  The atmosphere the band brings to the table is great, and Avey’s very haunting vocal performance often does a great job of bringing in this vibe of a real terror within this reef.  But holy hell, if this is what AnCo is doing in 2018 this is bad. 

Trevor Powers - Mulberry Violence

Trevor Powers since the early 2010's, has been making whimsical, Low-Fi Indie Pop under the name of Youth Lagoon.  Now, it actually took me a really long time to warm up to the Youth Lagoon project.  The first time I really listened to his debut with the project, 2011's "The Year of Hibernation", It didn't really hit me too hard.  Between the very hazy production and Trevor's very unique, quiet singing voice, it really didn't leave too much of an impact.  But hearing tracks lie "Afternoon" and "July" in the last few months again, I can start to really see the appeal.  Trevor was often working with some very hazy, quiet performances, but man were they ever packed with emotion.  But with Youth Lagoon's 2013 album "Wondrous Bughouse", I felt like Trevor was playing so much more to his strengths. This was a beautiful, colorful album that still featured the Low-Fi production and somber lyrics.  But as a whole, I was just so much more into this.  Tracks like "Dropla" and "Mute" stuck with me so much, and I just felt like Youth Lagoon really were on to something interesting and different.  Youth Lagoon returned once again in 2015 with "Savage Hills Ballroom", a much more stripped down and elegant album.  Here, Trevor seemed to be out of his shell a little.  Now, I know people aren't as into this album as other Youth Lagoon projects, but I think it's still pleasant.  Tracks like "Kerry" were just super sweet ballads that showed Trevor was wonderful at penning these ballads.  And yes, it wasn't as colorful or as Low-Fi.  But still, I enjoyed this album.   So since then, Trevor has been quiet, disbanding the Youth Lagoon project. But Trevor is back with his first real solo effort, and I'll be honest for the most part I'm really not into all these singles.  Let's chat guys.

Well, I have to say, “XTQ Idol” is actually a pretty exciting and shocking intro.  It’s got some big, beefy production, and Trevor’s vocals are as haunting and genuinely strange as ever.  This track is absolutely twisted overall.  I do like the very glitchy and abrasive production, but that’s really all sadly.  Like, I like this track and all, but it’s nothing that I haven’t heard done anywhere else and a thousand times better.  Like, I’ve enjoyed Trevor’s music in the past, but he’s not James Blake.  It’s an interesting track though, one I don’t completely hate.  But he’s gotta come up with something a little more original if he’s going to continue down this path.  On the other hand, I actually do really love “Dicegame” from start to finish.  There’s just so much sorrow and mystery in this track.  The synths are just so cold, and they end up sounding so well aside of Trevor’s small voice.  Here, this is something I feel like I haven’t heard anywhere else, and it’s something that actually creeps the hell out of me.  Like, the effects on his vocals are downright terrifying.  Like, if this beat was heavier, this would be an industrial banger practically.  It’s a weird one, but I’m totally down with this.  But then we get “Pretend It’s Confetti”, which is just this asinine interlude.  Yea the production is wonky and glitchy and certainly ear grabbing.  But this album has barely started getting on track, I just didn’t need this.  I do, however, like the low-key funk of “Clad in Skin”, which alongside the genuine mystery of this, actually makes for a bizarre and strange track.  But call me nuts, it works.  The production here takes a little bit of a back step, as this isn’t nearly as abrasive.  But with Trevor’s very unique vocals as well this bizarre atmosphere, this one is strange man.  But it’s also so ghoulish and freakish that it actually really sticks with me.  Plus the groove on this one, that’s classy Trevor.  

On the other hand, “Playwright” seems to be tugging at some more spiritual roots which on paper sounds great.  We get some very light guitars, Trevor’s gentle vocals, and nothing else.  Like, sure, we get some blasts of synths.   But it’s gotten to the point where literally it’s not shocking or wild, it just sounds desperate.  While this track is personal and Trevor’s performances are emotional, to say that this isn’t a seriously boring tune would just be lying.  “Film It All”, is once again, another very bland and sort of tasteless Alternative R&B rip off.  This time at least Trevor gives us a little bit of a beat to really sink your teeth into, which is big.  But as far as his vocal performance goes, this is amateur hour at it’s worst.  Sure the chorus is twisted and genuinely evil sounding.  But everything else about this track just seems so desperate.  At the very least, “Squelch” has some seriously exciting production, and among the very quiet atmosphere and these sporadic instrumentals, this is out there man.  But the pacing of this one is still so off, and Trevor’s performance is just so hard to wrap my head around.  There are some really cool elements to this, but as it rolls on and the instrumental just gets bigger and bigger, I feel like things just start clashing so hard and none of it sounds good.  But hey, I’ll give this to Trevor, “Ache’ is a fantastic track.  I love the very swanky sort of funk that actually reminds me a bit of that Years & Years album.  It’s sleek, sexy, and genuinely groovy.  And of all of the tracks here, I feel like Trevor actually sounds brilliant here.  Or at the very least here he sounds the most focused, hell this is practically an honest to God Pop tune.  But it’s easily the most engaging and genuinely interesting track here.  It’s also seriously dramatic at times, and I’m all for it.  

Then we get “Plaster Saint” and hey!  Once again, there’s actually some genuine emotion here.  I love the lush pianos, and with just how minimal this is works wonders with he very abrasive production.  I love the grimy, dark, twisted beat and Trevor’s vocals which are his most genuinely freakish yet.  But when he reaches his higher register he honestly gives some of his most memorable bars of this album.  It’s beautiful and personal sounding while remaining as genuinely experimental.  Like, here, he’s taken all of this sounds he’s been working with here, and actually making a sound with it that I can set aside.  And honestly man, it’s good.  But with “Common Hoax”, am I missing something?  Like, yea there’s an atmosphere, one of the best of the bunch, and it’s cool.  But Trevor just sounds so awkward here.  When there’s not abrasive production to coat Trevor’s vocals it just isn’t flattering.  And I feel bad because his performance is heartfelt and I love how the instrumental almost comes off like a “Fragile” era Nine Inch Nails instrumental, just not as perfect.  I’m not sold on this one my friends, Trevor’s new direction is in a really weird place. 

Rating: 6.5/10


Give A Listen To: “Dicegame”, “Clad In Skin”, “Ache”, “Plaster Saint”

Least Favorite Track: “Playwright"

Genre: Art Pop / Experimental Pop 

Overall Thoughts:  Trevor Powers on this album throws off every Youth Lagoon fan by cranking the volume up to outrageous new levels.  It’s an album fueled by heavily-drenched vocals and blasts of synths and gnarly production that would make Trent Reznor blush.  But this isn’t a unique sound at all sadly.  There may be exciting moments, but Trever spends most of his time here ripping off Alternative R&B legends and stumbling to find his own sound.  Which yea, he eventually does sort of find, and there are a few gems throughout this.  But this is an overall very strange start to Trevor’s new journey. 

Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today

Death Cab For Cutie is the long-time Indie Rock band fronted by Ben Gibbard.  Now, the band's sound over the years may have gotten a little stale and overplayed, but in the late 90's when these guys showed up on the scene they had a really revolutionary sound.  Their 1998 debut "Something About Airplanes" is a solid debut.  I love just how genuinely fiery Ben was in his young age with tracks like "President of What?" and just how calming and reflective tracks like "Sleep Spent" and "Your Bruise" were.  And yes, some of the later tracks here got a little drawn out, but still, Death Cab had plenty of room to grow, which they did. In 2000 they returned with the much cleaner "We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes".  This album was practically meditative at times, with very soothing backing melodies that complimented Ben Gibbard's very charming performances wonderfully.  No, his performances we're nearly as fiery here.  But there was just so much to like about tracks like "405" and "For What Reason".  Death Cab cleaned up their sound even further with the release of 2001's "The Photo Album".  And honestly, it's not a terrible album, and it contains some of the band's first forays into a more Alternative sound.  With tracks like "A Movie Script Ending", it actually sounded like they were on to something too.  But some of the lighter tracks here had me not nearly as interested, and just wanting a little something different.   However, Death Cab went on to make they're first truly great album in 2003 with "Transatlanticism".  This album was an emotionally deep and inviting album that got the best of all sounds for the band.  There were deep, heavily bruised tracks like "Passenger Seat" and "Transatlanticism",  but there were also some of the band's most genuinely great ventures into Alt Rock yet with tracks like "The New Year" and "The Sound of Settling".  Now, the production here was much more glossy, and if you prefer the band's early days trust me I get it.  But for me, this was a truly defining moment for the group.  But with 2005's "Plans", I started to have less and less nice things to say about Death Cab.  Tracks like "Soul Meets Body", "Crooked Teeth" and "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" were fantastic singles, some of the best tracks the band had ever released.  But almost every other track here just had me scratching my head.  These weren't necessarily bad tracks, but I had little to nothing to say about any of them.  Death Cab continued down their downward spiral with 2008's "Narrow Stairs".  Now, I actually dig some of the tracks here, more than most.  Like, I'm actually totally into the 9-minute monolith "I Will Possess Your Heart".  But this is barely a Folk album.   No, this is more Alt-Rock then ever, and Ben Gibbard most of the time just sounded not nearly as fiery.  Things got even blander for Death Cab on 2011's "Code and Keys".  By this point, there was no Folk influences insight, and this was just straight up Alternative Rock.  Which wouldn't be a bad thing, if Ben hadn't become a true shadow of his younger self and his performances weren't completely lifeless.  However, there were one or two solid tunes, like "Doors Unlocked and Open".  But overall, what had even become of Death Cab?  With 2015's "Kintsugi" it seemed like Death Cab were more of an Alternative Rock band than ever.  But honestly, at least they were writing catchy tracks like "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" and "Black Sun".  But in this case, some of the Folk tracks seemed phoned in, and just plain goofy.  Again I ask, what the hell happened here?  So Ben and the boys are back, with some of their worst singles in years as well as one of their best, shall we dive deeper friends?

(I'm a sucker for this one let me tell you)

This album starts off with “I Dreamt We Spoke Again”, and let’s start with some positives.  I know I may have badmouthed this album at first, but no joke, let’s talk positive.  I actually really don’t mind the production here at all.  It’s light and gives this track a seriously airy and Pop-centered vibe.  So honestly, this track isn’t completely a wreck when you dissect things.  I love the bass that pops in for the chorus, and surprisingly I think the focus on a more Synth-driven chorus is actually really classy.  But it’s Ben’s vocals and lyrics here that bring this down.  His vocals and lyrics are some of the cheesiest and uninspired he ever wrote, end of story.  This one does have plenty of potential deep down, but it’s dragged down by all of the same issues that have plagued Death Cab since “Plans”.  On the other hand, “Summer Years” has a much more upbeat and urgent feel to it.  I literally haven’t said that in seemingly forever with this band.  I love the playful guitars just how breezy this one is.  Hell, even Ben’s very sweet vocals come off so much more alive here.  I feel like Death Cab are finally starting to wrap their heads around the fact that their brand of Indie Folk has run it’s course.  And honestly, hearing them put that aside for a more Indie Pop sound is absolutely refreshing.  And clearly, Ben can still write a really snappy, sweet Pop tune.  And those distant guitars and continued focus on synths and Piano melodies is all very classy.  “Summer Years” is just a great song.  On the other hand, I know I just got done saying how this production really isn’t that bad, and the band was progressing by moving away from an Indie Folk sound. But “Gold Rush” is too much for me, and honestly made me want to toss this album aside before it was even over.  This production is just way too squeaky clean for my liking.  And this instrumental is frustrating, I don’t know when this became a Bluesy album but it sounds atrocious.  And no, Ben’s very uninspired performance is not doing anything for anyone.  Ben and company may be on to something with a more Pop-oriented sound.  But with “Gold Rush” they set themselves back in a big way.  On the other hand, “Your Hurricane” is actually really pleasant.  I mean, if that first track here was going for this emotional, longing song about death and loved ones, this comes off so much better.   Ben here reminds us just how good of a Pop tune that he can write when he tries.  Here, he legitimately sounds heartbroken and completely lost, and these throwback synths end up giving this more of a human feel than anything.  As far as from a songwriting perspective goes, this may just be my favorite track here.  It’s sweet and tender, and I honestly wouldn’t mind coming back to it.

The throwback synths continue to be a major player for this album with “When We Drive”.  This is another dreary, emotional ballad.  And no, it’s not as strong as the last track sadly.  The shimmering synths here detract a little, and Ben’s songwriting isn’t nearly as pristine.  But to be honest, as far as a sound goes, this actually has grown on me.  And from an album standpoint, this is easily Ben’s best-written album in probably 15 years.  If they can iron out some of these kinks, they could easily make another modern classic.  Now, of all of the singles released, “Autumn Love” is by leaps and bounds the best thing going here.  In an album filled with loved ones and emotional ballads that tug at your heart, this track is the most genuinely positive of the bunch.  Damn you Ben Gibbard, when your Pop Song hat is on, you can do it better than half of your contemporaries.  I love the carefree and sunny vibe to this, and it’s times like this that just make me beg Ben to stick with this more Pop direction they’ve been going with.   Then we have “Northern Lights” and I still can’t believe just how well some of these more Synth driven songs are coming off.  Like, there are some seriously snappy tunes here, that show Death Cab really pushing out into areas I never thought I would have heard.  Ben i back to his more emotional and personal writings, and here within these more upbeat synths just make him sound so urgent.  Once again, this new focus on a more Pop-oriented sound is doing nothing but big things.  And funnily enough, they don’t end up sounding like they’re dating themselves at all.  Just the opposite, they sound youthful as hell and I honestly love this track.  With “You Moved Away” Death Cab continues to sound completely determined.  I do dig the distant pounding drums here, as well as the dreamy synths that seem to be haunting this one from a distance.  But sadly, this is my least favorite of Ben’s performances in quite a while.  Here, he doesn’t sound nearly as focused or as genuinely heartbroken as he does in other moments here.  Instrumentally, I do like some of the grooves here and it’s got a real interesting tone.  But let’s be real, this doesn’t hold up nearly as well as some of the catchier tracks here.  However Ben cheers to you guys for trying out a more abrasive sound, I hope it gets only better. 

Death Cab clearly has more tricks up their sleeve.  I wasn’t expecting to get another track that puts me in Death Cab’s good graces, but that’s just what “Near/Far” does.  If other tracks here went for an upbeat and positive sound, this one rules over them all.  I love just how determined this one is, even though Ben’s very solemn lyrics do bring this down a little.  It’s a seriously classy jam though, one that’s actually really impressive.  There’s still a massive throwback vibe to it, and I actually do really love the atmosphere the synths usher in.  No, this track isn’t bad at all.  This album ends off with “60 & Punk”, and ohhhhhhhhhhh nooooooooooo, I’m practically screaming at Ben to get the hell away from that Piano.  After all the genuinely great tracks here, this is the sort of track I was hoping would stay long gone.  I do like the dreamy instrumentals that pop in eventually, those actually come off much more emotional than anything Ben is doing here.  But this is just so weak and toothless after some of the fantastic progressions Ben has made here.  I do commend him for writing this track as far as lyrics go, but outside of that, this is so boring. 

Rating: 7.2/10


Give A Listen To: “Summer Years”, “Your Hurricane”, “Autumn Love”, “Northern Lights”

Least Favorite Track: “Gold Rush”

Genre: Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Alternative Rock

Overall Thoughts:  While the teaser tracks to this album may go down as some of the worst tracks Death Cab for Cutie has ever produced, as an album, this is the strongest material Ben Gibbard and company have thrown at us since “Transatlanticism”.  The band have finally seemed to realize that the sound they made themselves famous with has quite frankly been done by so many artists, that they needed to switch things up.  In it’s place we get shimmering synths and a focus on Pop hooks, and most of them are pretty good!  This album has a sloppy start and an even sloppier ending.  But for the first time in like, 15 years, I actually have some positive things to say about a Death Cab for Cutie album.  

Mitski - Be The Cowboy

Mitski, aka Mitski Miyawaki over the past few years has become an absolute staple of the Indie world.  Mitski started out her career in 2012 with the short but powerful "Lush".  This was an album powered by gigantic, emotional performances and Mitski's equally powerful songwriting.  There were soft ballads here as well as practically rebellious, introspective tracks as well that seriously made you think.  There were singer-songwriter vibes, jazz vibes, as well as some really straightforward and fantastic guitar work.  But Mitski really threw a curveball with her next album, "Retired from Sad, New Career in Business".  This was a much more artsy and emotional album, for better and for worse.  The more elegant instrumentals were just fine, but they often detracted from Mitski's performances.  Tracks like the upbeat and fun "Strawberry Blond" and the ridiculously emotional "Class of 2013" were major standouts, but overall this is easily my least favorite Mitski project.  But it was with 2014's "Bury Me At Makeout Creek" that I feel like Mitski became an absolute star.  Here, Mitski picked back up her guitar, wrote some seriously punchy and passionate tracks, and gave a series of the most emotional performances of her life.  Hell, there are practically Punk tracks on here, all with Mitski's very telling and personal lyrics.  It was the first time I really sat down to a Mitski album and remembered being absolutely blown away by the end of it, and let me tell you, it's good. And then Mitski just sort of blew up completely with 2016's "Puberty 2".  This was a genuinely emotional, powerful and telling album from Mitski.  We saw a lot of the same details as guitar-driven tracks, very personal lyrics, and even more passionate performances.  From emotional tunes like "I Bet On Losing Dogs" or "Your Best American Girl", to genuine Punk tracks like "Fireworks", this was a great coming out party for Mitski.  Ms. Mitski is back, with a set of singles that are honestly wildly cinematic and some of her most epic tracks to date by far!  Let's chat! 

This album starts off with “Geyser”, and it’s a strangely regal and very classy intro from Mitski.  But honestly, it comes off much more epic and stunning than I could have ever asked for.  It’s exciting between the buildup of the instrumental behind Mitski and the stunning production.  And honestly, since the first time I heard this track I’ve been floored by it.  Mitski is absolutely one of the most emotional performers in Indie now, and this is no different.  But with this absolutely stunning and epic and gorgeous and incredibly instrumental blaring behind Mitski, this one becomes one of the most incredible singles I’ve heard all year.  Then we get “Why Didn’t You Stop Me”, and it’s becoming obvious that Mitski is really starting to branch out more and more.  She’s come a long way from being just another emotionally sound and well-spoken Indie songstress.  I love the pulsating, practically Industrial beat here which compliments her absolutely lovely verse wonderfully.  THere’s a sort of old-school vibe to this one, and it ends up really complimenting Mitski’s lyrics too.  She really does pen these incredibly tender, loving tunes that also have so much strength and power to them.  “Why Didn’t You Stop Me” is just so catchy, and shows Mitski branching out, but also showing her that the same old Mitski is still here.   On the other hand, “Old Friend” strips things down for a much more intimate performance.  It honestly sounds like it would have fit nicely on one of Mitski’s early recordings.  I love the quaint narrative for this one, as Mitski goes into detail about meeting up with an old friend.  And honestly, it comes off like you’re that old friend and Mitski’s catching up with you. It’s a simple tune, but Mitski is making catchier and more universally understandable music than ever, and that’s wonderful.  “A Pearl” on the other hand sounds like one of Mitski’s early singles.  This is the sort of passionate, intimate ballad that Mitski got noticed with years ago.  It’s a very sweet ballad, but as far as her performance goes, this is one of her strongest to date.  It’s actually pretty unbelievable.  Now, this is a pretty short album filled with genuinely short tracks.  But Mitski keeps packing them full of ideas so they end up coming across as complete.  Mitski is just one hell of a songwriter, and these very epic instrumentals have become larger than life.  Now, “Lonesome Love” is honestly one of my least favorite tracks here.  The upbeat, pleasant Folk vibe of this one is just sort of goofy and sticks out like a sore thumb within this album of Mitski really pushing herself.  However, lyrically this is one of the most memorable tracks here, especially that line about “'Cause nobody butters me up like you, and Nobody fucks me like me”.  I just wish this instrumentally packed more of a punch. 

“Remember My Name” however, packs a punch right off the bat.  Mitski’s lyrics are just as punchy and personal, and actually some of her most down to earth of the album.  But here, she’s absolutely wailing on her guitar, which is where I love hearing her the most.  And the sort of grungy, unpolished sound and the hypnotic vibes are awesome.  This track, in general, is absolutely brilliant.  On the other hand “Me and My Husband” is also very lavish and elegant, and not nearly as heavy as some of the other tracks here.  But once again, this one really does seem like sort of a sore thumb.  Mitski herself sounds fantastic and on top of her game.  Like, as far as a modern storyteller goes, Mitski is a damn superstar.  But instrumentally this one is tame.  She’s already proved here that she’s willing to try anything, so she needs to focus on that.  Take for example “Come Into The Water”.  There’s some genuine mystery to this one which is wildly exciting.  I love Mitski’s very cold, bluesy performance that’s pretty damn chilling.  But it’s also so damn dreary and emotional.  I don’t even mind that it’s less than 2-minutes, Mitski doesn’t waste a second.  It’s so haunting and beautiful, it’s brilliant.  On the other hand, “Nobody” is one of the more straightforward tracks here.  It’s got a very singer-songwriter vibe to it.  And honestly, I have been a little lukewarm on tracks like this here, but this one is done incredibly tastefully.  Mitski here gives one of her most tender performances of the bunch.  Not to mention I really love how this one transition into a straight-up Disco track halfway through.  It all comes off wonderfully though and just makes me so damn happy for Mitski.  Even if this one does have a sort of underwhelming chorus, I can’t be mad at how great this comes off.   “Pink In The Night” brings us back to the very grand, epic sounds that we heard earlier.  The atmosphere is just so thick and hard to penetrate, but her very beautiful and sweet performance ends up breaking through it.  Once again, I thought I would just hate how repetitive this one is at times, but it makes for one of the more memorable choruses here.  Mitski just ends up coming off so incredibly human, one that can make mistakes, one that isn’t perfect, one that’s just so real.  And that alone makes this album you absolutely should listen to.

On the other hand, “A Horse Named Cold Air” is the softest of the bunch.  And I get what Mitski was going for here.  And don’t get me wrong, her performance is genuinely gorgeous.  But I’m not really too crazy about the stripped-down piano ballad feel.  Thankfully, Mitski knocks it out of the park with one of her most jaw-dropping performances of the bunch.  But if I was lukewarm on that, Mitski ends up knocking it out of the park completely with “Washing Machine Heart”.  I love the pulsating synths and just how hypnotic this one is, all while Mitski is sounding damn near angelic.  The imagery here is just fantastic Mitski’s songwriting on this entire album is so impressive.  This one ends up being one of the album’s most immediate and likable tracks.  It’s moments like that I feel like Mitski has gotten more fearless than ever, and that excites the hell out of me.  Then we have “Blue Light” which is an incredibly sunny and cheery track the likes of which I honestly thought I would despise.  But some of these narratives that Mitski brings up are just so wonderful and ends up adding even more to the number of risks she’s taking.  Then this track transitions over into a practically Dream Pop single the likes of which Julee Cruise would have put together for Twin Peaks.  And trust me, I’m all for it.  Now, I know I’m in the minority here and I apologize in advance.  But of all of the singles here, “Two Slow Dancers” is my least favorite.  Once again, lyrically Mitski does grab my attention.  But I just continue to feel like some of these lighter tunes stick out a tad.  This has been an album of progression for Mitski that has seen her constantly push out of her shell.  But this one to me seems safe.  I do think some of the synths that come in are super classy, and Mitski’s lyrical performance is just so visceral and beautiful.  It’s far from the worst tune, but there are so many better tracks here. 

Rating: 8.4/10

Give A Listen To: “Geyser”, “Old Friend”, “Remember My Name”, “Washing Machine Heart”

Least Favorite Track - “Me and My Husband”

 

Genre: Indie Rock / Indie Pop

Overall Thoughts:  Mitski makes an absolutely stunning evolution on her 5th album here.  For years she’s made her name as a guitar-wielding Indie hero with a wonderful eye for detail and incredibly endearing songwriting.  And don’t you worry, that’s all still here in full effect.  But Mitski on “Be The Cowboy” takes her sound and multiplies it by leaps and bounds.  She brings in striking production and more personal lyrics than ever, as well as constantly challenging herself by bringing in instrumentals I would have never dreamed we’d hear her on.  Sadly I feel like some of the lighter tracks here are a major back-step for Mitski, especially in an album that shows her constantly pushing herself.  But if Mitski wasn’t one of the most beloved songwriters in the Indie world already, she sure as hell is now. 

Oh Sees - Smote Reverser

Afternoon friends!  Did you know I'm a sucker for Garage Rock, specifically with a Psych Rock twist?  Clearly, if you've hung around on this blog enough, you know the answer is "Yes, you idiot".  Thee Oh Sees, AKA Oh Sees, AKA OCS, AKA whatever the fuck John Dwyer is feeling like calling them these days are the long-time Psych Rock/Garage Rock project of mastermind John Dwyer and company.  Now, I'm aware that their early Freak-Folk days are special to some people.  But for me, it all began with 2008's "The Masters Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In".  To this day, this remains one of Oh Sees most genuinely brilliant projects.  This is a ghoulish, practically terrifying collection of catchy Garage Rock anthems, overblown in all the right ways.  This album practically sweats out acid and "bad trips" as it rolls along, with cheery drug ballads like "Two Drummers Disappear" and more dreary tunes like "Graveyard Drug Party".  Dwyer half the time didn't even sound like the frontman of a Garage Punk band, he sounded like a junkie who wandered into a haunted house, and it was a BLAST to listen to. Oh Sees continued to craft their sound with 2009's "Help".  Dwyer and company still came off as Garage Rock's most playful ghouls but with much better production this time around as well as a much larger concentration on writing genuinely catchy songs. Which, yes, took away from just how in the moment that first album had come off.  But if that slight loss lead to hulking tracks like "Destroyed Fortress Reappears" and unbelievably catchy tracks like "A Flag In The Court" and "Rainbow", it was worth it. Not to mention, the chemistry between John Dwyer and Brigid Dawson is one of Garage Rock's best-kept secrets.  Oh Sees returned in 2009 with "Dog Poison", which to me seemed like the next step for the group of Garage Rock misfits.  The production was cleaner, the band had started branching out into using some new instrumentals, and Dwyer was writing catchier songs than ever.  And while yes, at not even 24 minutes I was literally begging for more at the end of the album, Oh Sees seemed to be on a roll. But with 2010's "Warm Slime", I was thrown off.  This album was sloppily thrown together and for the most part, seemed completely rushed.  The production was grimy, and there was just so little to really enjoy here.  But also, it seemed like John Dwyer was drifting further and further away from writing catchy material, which worried me.  But Oh Sees returned in 2011 with "Castlemania" and got rid of every doubt in my mind.  This is honestly one of my favorite Oh Sees albums.  I like to hear Oh Sees at their campiest, freakiest and most ridiculous.  And my friends, that's what this is to a T.  Tracks like the insanely catchy "The Whipping Continues", the pummeling "A Wall, A Century 2", and Dwyer's fun and freaky ode to weed in "I Need Seed" are just a blast.  It may not be as heavy as what they would become, but it's just so much fun, and sees the band pulling from their Freak Folk influences, which is all gravy to me.  In 2011 Oh Sees released their noisiest album yet, "Carrion Crawler / The Dream", a favorite of both critics and fans.  This album was so unhinged and absolutely wild.  Dwyer was penning his most visceral lyrics yet, all filling up these tunes that were driven by guitar solos and feedback.  There are live staples like "The Dream" and "Contraption/Soul Desert", but also insanely good deep cuts like "Robber Barons" and "Crushed Grass".  Oh Sees had finally seemed like they were comfortable with their sound, and they could only go up from there.  Then we have 2012's criminally underrated "Putrifiers II".  This album was a little more stripped down and Psych-Folk oriented in parts.  But Dwyer's songwriting was at it's peak by far, with tracks like "Flood's New Light" and "Hang A Picture" were some of the catchiest and most enjoyable tracks Dwyer had penned in years, and tracks like "Putrifiers II" and "Will We Be Scared?" were reminders of just how dangerous Dwyer was.  But for a short while after that, I really got a little tired of Oh Sees.  2013's "Floating Coffin", an honest to God fan favorite and a go-to for anyone trying to get into Oh Sees work.  But for me, it's not my favorite of Dwyer's work, at all.  Sure, "I Come From The Mountain" was the first Oh Sees track I ever heard, and "Maze Fancier" and "Tunnel Time" are easily some of Dwyer's best deep cuts.  But there's so much reverb and feedback going on that more often than not, these songs don't have as much personality and absolutely aren't as catchy.  Oh Sees did start to make a comeback in 2014 with "Drop".  I actually love just how dangerous Dwyer sounds on most of these tracks, and between live favorites like "Penetrating Eye" and fantastic deep cuts like "Camera (Queer Sound)", there's plenty to like here.  But there's also a lot of very bland, "business as usual" tracks here that I can't fully get into.  But Dwyer and company got back in my good graces in a big way with 2015's "Mutilator Defeated At Last".  This album wasn't perfect, but it showed Dwyer again going back to really concentrate on the music he was creating.  Sure, there was just as many bonkers guitar solos and plenty of reverb.  But The songwriting was catchy, and Dwyer's very freakish and wild personality seemed to be oozing out of every pore again. Oh Sees returned in 2016 with one of their most fiercely original works in years, "A Weird Exits".  This album took all the horror imagery and swapped it for Sci-Fi, and it was GOOD.  Tracks like the unhinged "Plastic Plant", the controlled chaos of "Dead Man's Gun", and the absolutely blaring and ingenious "Ticklish Warrior' were some of the freshest Oh Sees tracks in years.  Now, some of the jammier moments on here, are still a little iffy in my book, as I feel like they're more interesting live then on record.  But still, this was a great rebirth for Oh Sees, and just came off as a wildly over-the-top soundtrack to an alien race's road trip to earth to slaughter everything in sight.  Oh Sees were on cruise control entirely by the time 2017's "Orc" rolled around.  This was a wild album with elements of Krautrock and Post Punk all over the place.  But then of course we got tons of wailing guitar solos, visceral and violent lyrics abound, and John Dwyer at his freakiest.  And for the most part, hell yea this was a great album.  Some of those more Jam-oriented tracks were still a little suspect for me, but still, Oh Sees were on top of their game.  But 2017 also saw the release of "Memory Of A Cut Off Head", a real eye-opener for Oh Sees.  This was a stripped down Psychedelic Folk album with not a guitar solo in sight.  But the return of Brigid Dawson, an abundance of twisted, bloody lyrics, and Dwyer's focus on songwriting entirely made for a remarkably enjoyable album still.  It's different, but man does it ever work for them.  So Oh Sees are back!  Or is it OCS?  Thee Oh Sees?  Oh I never know.  BUT, they sound the most explosive they've been at in a while, and I can't wait to chat more about it.

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “Sentient Oona”, and right off the bat, I do really love the very spacey sound to this.  The guitars are heavy and the instrumentals all around are solid.  But there’s a very spacious atmosphere and some really haunting and freakish vocals from John Dwyer.  Now, Dwyer and company for years have really brought out a lot of Classic Rock influences and other Rock genres that you just don’t hear anymore, and that’s no different here.  There a sort of Funky jam floating through this entire track, and Dwyer’s solos are noisy but also tuneful.  Honestly, this track overall is just all gravy for Oh Sees fans. Not to mention, there’s just such a campiness that I’ve always loved to hear from Oh Sees tracks. Also, for a more Jam-heavy track from Oh Sees, this is wildly bold and shows them making big strides in all the right places.  But it’s with “Enrique El Cobrador” that things really start getting rolling.  This one isn’t as polished or as groovy.  No, this is just a straight up Funky, sleazy Garage jam.  There continues to be a real old school sense to this.  But here, I absolutely love a lot of the little details.  Dwyer’s vocals performance here is absolutely brilliant, and those wildly catchy synths are just where I want to hear them.  Some of the imagery here is ridiculously over the top as it’s always been as well.  But I have to say, so far this album is shockingly progressive and tuneful.  Personally, I like to hear Dwyer at his most catchy and writing his more Pop-oriented material.  This is NOT that, but it’s still some of his catchier songwriting than what we’ve heard these last few years.  “Enrique El Cobrador” is grimy as hell and just so sleazy, I can see this track soundtracking some ridiculous Alien porno movie, and I love it all.  On the other hand, when I first heard “C” I wasn’t as into it.  It has grown on me a little bit though, and it’s easily the most Rock N Roll thing Oh Sees have done in a while.  Hell, there’s practically some boogie in this track. I mean, there is an absolutely killer groove to this one, all being encased with the usual freakish lyrics of John Dwyer as well as those bizarre sound effects constantly buzzing throughout.  Now, this one isn’t as heavy as I would have liked for it to be, and I honestly wish this was maybe a little catchier.  But still, this is just another progression for one of Garage Punk’s finest.  But Dwyer and company bring it up to an entirely new level with “Overthrown”, with what may just be the heaviest track they’ve ever recorded.  This is the closest thing they’ve done to an all-out assault, with practically a few dips into Metal.  This track is absolutely pure evil, with blaring guitars and Dwyer sounding more like an absolute freak with each passing verse.  But call me nuts, that wailing guitar is just so catchy and memorable.  It’s the quickest track here, but it’s also one of the most straightforward and ingenious. 

But with “Last Peace” Oh Sees bring back the Jam elements we heard earlier in a big way.  This one is moody, dreary, and overall the sort of Rainy Day jam that I wasn’t expecting to hear.  Dwyer just sounds so downtrodden and gloomy, and the very emotional guitar solo he busts out is just fine.  But let’s address the elephant in the room.  The last few albums when Oh Sees have gone for a track like this, it’s ended up being one of my least favorite of the bunch.  And yes, this isn’t exactly my favorite track here, but it’s so much more tuneful than what I’m used to hearing from tracks like this.  Not to mention, I feel like I can enjoy this on the album but it would also be just as interesting live.  Not to mention, the pacing here is just fantastic.  The second portion of this one gets so much more cosmic with campy synths and some brilliant Krautrock and Punk influences.  The more I hear this on, the more it grows on me.  Then we have “Moon Bog” which almost brings in some Reggae influences, you really never know what you’re going to hear.  It’s one of the grooviest tracks here, but it’s also one of the album’s bleaker and darker moments.  I continue to be shocked by just how sorrowful this is in parts.  Like, come on, these guitars are bluesy as hell.  But among all of that, Dwyer just sounds so damn evil and truly dangerous.  It’s a really interesting dynamic to say the lease, and it’s just something I didn’t expect to hear.  Overall, this album is a big leap for Oh Sees, that shows them grabbing the remains of “A Weird Exits”, “Orc” and “Memory of a Cut Off Head” and molding them together while working out every last kink.  But of all of the tracks here, “Anthemic Aggressor” sadly does the least for me.  This is the sort of overdone jam that Oh Sees lost me with on “A Weird Exits” and “Orc”.  It’s technically sound and all, and overall there’s just so much going on that you really do have to sit back.  Dwyer’s guitar is at it’s most freakish, and the overall campiness of this one is a huge plus.  But let’s be real, this is also Oh Sees at their most indulgent, and I really just can’t remember anything from this one.  Not to mention, worst of all, I feel like this shows zero progression.  This literally just sounds like a track that wasn’t good enough to make it onto “Orc”, and I just expect so much more from oh Sees right now in their career.  But with “Abysmal Urn”, Oh Sees begin their second wind that really lasts until the end of the album.  I love just how in your face and wild this one is.  Dwyer has been nailing guitar solos this entire album, but not once does it come off as genuinely in your face as it does here.  Here, he sounds like an absolute creeper throughout this entire verse and comes off so dangerous.  And that’s 100% where I want to hear him.  The winding guitars are great, the campiness has hit an all-time high, and I love how gruff and unpolished this one is.  And yea, this could have been maybe a little catchier.  But honestly, I’m willing to overlook that, this track rips from start to finish.

Then we get “Nail House Needle Boys” which is a real throwback for Oh Sees.  This sounds like one of their very grimy singles of years ago, and I love hearing it.  Sure, we might be dealing with some souped-up production, but at its core, this is a sweaty Garage Punk tune for the ages.  Once again, we have these very bluesy and emotional guitars.  Hell, even Dwyer himself seems to be back to his best behavior, even if he still comes off just so dangerous.  This may not be Oh Sees at their most unhinged, but they sound determined and have come such a long way of hopping on grooves.  “Flies Bump Against the Glass” on the other hand, sounds like it could have been one of the better tracks on “A Weird Exits”.  Here, Dwyer continues to progress the sound of his legendary Garage Punk band but turns the campiness all the way up.  Which is honestly hard to wrap your head around, but it’s the truth, and it’s a blast.  We continue to get a slew of very bluesy guitar solos, and this very sorrowful jam that I’m actually stunned by.  As far as a straight up Jam goes, I honestly can’t remember the last time one came off this well.  This album ends off with “Beat Quest”, honestly, this sounds exactly where they should be ending this album.  Once again, we see the band going with a seriously dreary sound, which is something that I still really haven’t wrapped my head around.  But it also has this very determined and upbeat sound that is absolutely undeniable. Dwyer’s vocals here are seriously bruised and heartbroken, and it gives him so much character that I just didn’t expect to hear.  Also, this one continues to show just how genuinely the band seems to be holding down these very cosmic grooves.  It’s something that I figured we should have expected eventually, but I’m impressed this all came off as well as it did.

Rating: 8.6/10

Give A Listen To: “Enrique El Cobrador”, “Overthrown”, “Abysmal Urn”, “Beat Quest”

 

Least Favorite Track - “Anthemic Aggressor”

Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Garage Rock / Garage Punk / Krautrock 

Overall Thoughts:  When you’re an Oh Sees fan, you never know what John Dwyer is going to throw at you.  “Smote Reverser” however is one of the more shocking releases in Oh Sees last few years.  This album is a blistering mix of Progressive Rock instrumentals, extended Jams, bluesy Guitar solos, all mixed with the usual campiness and blood and gore that Oh Sees have dished out for seemingly forever.  “Smote Reverser” is a trip of an album, that shows Oh Sees progressing in every way, taking the wailing guitars and undeniable fun of “A Weird Exits”, while adding in the determination and Krautrock influence of “Orc” with the sweeping melodies of “Memory of a Cut Off Head”.  Go into this album like you would any other Oh Sees album, not knowing what to expect from John Dwyer.  Just don’t be surprised when he blows your mind once again.