Robyn, aka Robin Miriam Carlsson, since the mid 90's has been dishing out Dance Pop and Electro Pop that's gotten her a ton of acclaim. But I've always been a little iffy on her early stuff. 1995's "Robyn Is Here" is a decent Pop album, and it's clear that she's a hell of a singer. But almost nothing about this stands out and comes off like something I couldn't hear anywhere else. 1999's "My Truth" though at the very least did come off as a little more outside-the-box. Tracks like "Electric" did show Robyn pushing in a more futuristic direction, and I loved that. But still, there wasn't anything grabbing me about this wildly. So much so, that I just sort of forgot about Robyn for a while. But with 2005's "Robyn", I felt like I was starting to really get the hype. This was just the album I wanted to hear From Robyn. The production was quirky, I loved the snarky lyrics and Eurobeat flavor, and Robyn was just making really great Pop and Dance Pop. Sure, lyrically this wasn't reinventing the wheel. But Robyn just seemed so much more sure of herself, and the results were great. And then 2010's "Body Talk" absolutely blew up and Robyn became a megastar, and it was pretty easy to see why. This was an absolutely gigantic Pop album filled with anthems and personal tracks, bombastic beats, and heavy synths, sassy lyrics, and quirky hooks. And it was just all sone so freakin' well. Uhhhh but like, these new singles are OK. But to be honest, they're just not nearly as instantaneous or filled with personality. Let's chat friends!
(CLASSIC BANGER ALERT)
This album starts out with “Missing U”, and it’s pretty much exactly where you think this album would start. This is a very shimmering track with some really great production. And honestly, in a few short bars, I can already tell you this is exactly where I want to hear Robyn. This soaring chorus, the smooth verses, all around this is just well done. It’s a sort of retro, but it doesn’t come off as dated as you would fear. Not to mention, there’s just this human aspect to this that I really can’t deny. That’s one thing I’ve always really loved about Robyn. Hell, her usually booming personality isn’t even in full effect here, this is just an all around really great Pop tune. Then we get “Human Being”, a much more synthetic track. Like, if there was any semblance of human feeling in that first one, it’s gone now. And of course, since this is one is about being a human being, which is awkward. But Robyn really pulls it off in a big way. Her performance here is one of her sleazier, but it comes off genuinely sexy most of the time. There may not be any beat bashing you in the face. But the slick grooves and steamy instrumentals make up for that in a big way. This one works on all cylinders. Up next is “Because It’s In The Music”, and we really do have to give it to Robyn. The production on her albums is always so pristine, she always does so well in bringing in the right people. But tracks like this is where I’ve always sort of lost Robyn with tracks like this. This one is much more low key. And while the last track showed how Robyn could handle a slower track, this has almost none of the same qualities. The atmosphere isn’t steamy or interesting, and I just feel like this one doesn’t pop at all.
Once again, “Baby Forgive Me” shows Robyn focusing on a much more low key vibe. And to be honest, that’s a little disheartening. Like many, I love hearing Robyn with gigantic Pop hooks. Like, this one is just so quiet and subdued, which are words I’ve literally never been able to use to describe Robyn. Like, I actually do really love the atmosphere here, and the very dreary instrumental. I feel like as far as that goes, this is wonderful, and Robyn could have done something very steamy and legitimately cool. And her vocals are actually really great too. But why the hell is there literally nothing else going on with this one? And “Send To Robin Immediately” literally just continues with everything that made the last track so iffy. And guess what? I have the same feelings. Robyn’s vocals are beautiful and all, and I love the hulking atmosphere. But nothing about this reaches out and grabs me. But the progression of this one is interesting at least, and the way this one evolves. But this is still just an over-over-exaggerated interlude. Like, yea, it eventually sounds just fine, after like 3 and a half minutes. But why am I like, pulling for things to say? Thankfully, “Honey” does instantly grab my attention. Robyn here doesn’t sound low key or subdued, she sounds like a damn dance floor queen immediately. And while this still isn’t as flashy or as bombastic as maybe I wanted to hear, this is once again, an overly decent Pop song. The beat is just so hypnotic, the production is Icy, and Robyn’s vocals sound just incredible really. There’s also a slight Euro-Dance element that has been seemingly absent this entire album. When Robyn really gets in the groove like this, she really is a force to be reckoned with.
Now, “Between The Lines” actually comes off like something off of “Body Talk”. It’s got that glistening, Future Pop sound, but Robyn strings it together with some Euro-Dance flair and some steamy lyrics. And honestly, this is an awesome sound for her. And when this one picks up and gets into its more upbeat groove, things are really refreshing. It honestly sounds like something she should have been working with this entire album. This track is great. But oh God, just when I think Robyn is sort of in a groove, we get “Beach 2K20”. This one starts out with a glitchy sort of beat. And honestly, it’s just sort of agitating. Like, so much of this album just doesn’t come off like a Robyn album. I just wanted to hear her come back and dominate the dance floor. But this track is absolutely a head-scratcher. On top of this from Robyn. If you even want to call it that, cause it’s barely that. Between that and the genuinely obnoxious vocal snippets and sound effects and I literally feel like I’m back in the 90’s in the worst way. Like, this sounds like a 90’s Pop parody. This is bad, so bad that it may just be the worst track I’ve heard all year. And the fact that this is literally one of the longest track here, makes things rough. But Robyn ends off with a good note on “Ever Again”. This is so straightforward and groovy that I couldn’t be happier to hear it. This is so simple, but after that last track which almost made me scream, this is a breath of so much fresh air. This is a sassy, catchy Dance Floor track that’s empowering and shows how strong Robyn is. This is literally all I wanted to hear, and why we didn’t get more of this is beyond me. It’s simple, it’s catchy, and has a great groove. Where was this?
Rating: 7.1/10
Give A Listen To: “Missing U”, “Human Being”, “Honey”, “Between The Lines”
Least Favorite Track: “Beach 2K20"
Genre: Electro-Pop / Post-Disco
Overall Thoughts: Swedish Electronic queen Robyn returns with a seriously mild album that’s honestly really disappointing. The singles leading up to this were great, and when Robyn focuses she sounds absolutely incredible. But there are so many really strange experiments on this album. And very rarely do they end up doing anything more than makes me want to listen to some of her other material. The production is pristine though, and vocally Robyn still sounds amazing. But this is just a really great example of an artist maybe stepping too far outside of the box.
Daughters is a Grindcore and Noise Rock band from Providence Rhode Island who has been together now since the early 2000's. They made their debut in 2003 with "Canada Songs", which is actually a really decent start for the band. This is a pretty straightforward Mathcore and Grindcore release. But this is the early 2000's, which means the Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge are at their peak, which means Daughters had to combat that with personality. Which they absolutely did. "And Then the C.H.U.D.S. Came" and "I Don't Give A Shit About Wood, I'm Not a Chemist" weren't only heavy as fuck, they were also hilariously over the top and wildly charismatic. And between the screeching howls and wonky guitars, this album is a fucking blast. But Daughters with their next release, 2006's "Hell Songs", Daughters did a pretty massive shift. This was still the same chaotic, abrasive shitshow that the first album was. But frontman and vocalist Alexis S.F. Marshall's vocals had evolved completely from violent shrieks to these ridiculously awesome bluesy vocals that sound a whole lot like Elvis being tortured. Now, between you and me, I feel like this album took a little while to get rolling. But the second half, with tracks like "Hypervintilationsystem" and "Crotch Buffet" was actually freakin' great, and in a lot of ways, this reminded me of almost Every Time I Die. But with 2010's "Daughters", I completely became sold on their sound. This was their cleanest and well-produced album to date. But ironically, they didn't give up any heaviness. The breakdowns were out of control, the instrumentals were noisy, and Mashall's vocals were just as out there. And honestly, I loved every last minute of it. So, it's been about 8 years since we've heard from them. But from these singles, man, they sound a little mild for me. Let's chat.
This album starts off with “City Song”, and let’s talk about this. Daughters have always had a strong bond that was fueled by Noise Rock. But this is the noisiest I’ve ever heard them. Like, this is practically a drone. But it absolutely IS exciting, especially with the very pulsing percussion. Now, I don’t know how to feel about this though. This track has a good sound, but it’s a weird one. It’s practically a Gothic Metal track at parts with just how ghoulish Alexis sounds on vocals. It’s sort of campy, but it’s also sort of not. This is a weird one to pinpoint. And yea, it’s hypnotic and twisted. But for me, this just isn’t what I wanted to hear. On the other hand, “Long Road, No Turns” is a totally different animal. This is twisted from the start, with see mingling winding chords that are constantly moving. It’s abrasive and truly weird, and Alexis just sounds so much more at home here. The guitars here are next level as well, they don’t even sound like a damn instrument. They sound like someone being tortured half of the time. And your damn right, this is exactly where I want to hear Daughters. And as things roll on, it just gets more out of control and more over the top. It’s complete madness, and it’s a blast. There’s absolutely still a ton of very real tension and unnerving passages here though, as shown on “Satan In the Wait”. This one instantly just comes off so tightly wound. Alexis as this album rolls on just goes more and more down this rabbit hole of insanity. He’s always come off so tortured, but this is an all-time high. And honestly, it’s a little goofy. I wanted to hear Daughters attacking from all angles. And this is certainly intense and vicious. But like, this isn’t what I showed up for. And it’s just so long winded, you have to be way too patient with it. It’s alright, but not for me. But whoa nelly, the grittiness comes back real quick with “The Flammable Man”. This track is absolutely a winding hell hole of wildness. I love the constantly shifting guitars that are just out of control, and Alexis’s vocals amongst this chaos just seem so much more intact. And let’s talk about this production. With this newfound cleanliness, it actually ends up making everything here come off so much more suffocating, and the noisy segments even noisier. This one is a real ripper.
“The Lords Song” continues on with just how determined of a sound that Daughters have when focused. Like, I love the way these guitars here absolutely explode constantly. It’s practically like they pop in and jump scare you. Alexis sounds one again practically rooted in a Gothic performance, and I can actually really get into that. While it is more of the same from where we left them the last time, this is actually right where I want to hear them. Now, “Less Sex” is a really interesting track. This one has Daughters once again taking a very slow pace. But this time it’s much more dreary and bluesy. And I love just how alive this one is even if it’s low key. Like, there may not be much of the usual chaos going on, but this time at least we get some other noisy instrumentals that we get some edge from. And Alexis here sounds chilling and genuinely tormented. Like, this is actually a really brave and interesting next step for Daughters. This may not be what I signed up for, but I wouldn’t be opposed to hearing more. Next up is “Daughter”, and here I love just how very dreary these bass licks are. That, alongside these pounding drums, makes for some seriously twisted licks Like, I feel like this is some super dreary, old school Post-Punk band that’s been transported to the future and given some heavier instrumentals. But like, some of these passages are also really awkward. When this track is on, it’s really on. But there are also a lot of moments where I feel like I’ sitting around for something bigger to happen. But there are also a lot of super campy moments that I do like. This new sound of Daughters is so close to being a knockout for me, but I still can’t fully embrace it. Like, with “The Reason The Hate Me” I absolutely get behind this new sound immediately. I love just how noisy this one is, and how much these guys have finally embraced some Industrial sounds. It’s crunchy, it’s not nice, and Alexis sounds like a damn near torture victim here. It’s ridiculous but I absolutely love it. It really gets you into that mood that something is seriously wrong. And some of these guitars that pop in later in the track are hellish and manic. This is a great sound.
Now, when it comes to tracks like “Ocean Song”, I really do love just how manic and intense Alexis comes off. Because here, he seriously sounds like a damn lunatic. Not only that, but the band is literally just blaring all of these wild instrumentals and practically throwing them up, not giving two shits about how nice it sounds. Honestly, it’s exciting. That, alongside these, spewed vocals that are just so BLAH, make for a really great metal tune. And yes, in times like this, this does remind me a whole lot of what SWANS are up to these days. But hey, that’s cool man. And Daughters end up finishing this album off with some serious Mathcore. And honestly, that’s all fine and dandy by me. The guitars continue to be on another level completely, they don’t even sound like instruments. And while I have enjoyed Alexis’s performances more in the past, I do have to point out, this track here is charismatic as hell. And I love just how bulky and pulverizing this gets at times. I just feel like I need to hear more of THIS sound from Daughters.
Rating: 7.8/10
Give A Listen To: “Long Road, No Turns”, “The Flammable Man”, “The Lords Song”, “The Reason They Hate Me”
Least Favorite Track: “Satan in the Wait”
Genre: Noise Metal / Experimental Metal / Industrial
Overall Thoughts: Alexis and the rest of Daughters are back for their first album in 8 years and a completely new sound. Which for some, may be really exciting and others may just be really aggravated by this. The short story is, this is Daughter’s most experimental and bizarre album to date. They work with Industrial sounds and unbearably tense Experimental Metal. And some of it is really good. But for me, I just sort of sit around waiting for something bigger to happen. Daughters approach to tension is actually really refreshing and interesting, but I need some more.
Antarctigo Vespucci is the Punk duo / Supergroup made up of Chris Farren and one of my personal favorites of the genre, Jeff Rosenstock. They debuted this project back in 2014 with "Soulmate Stuff", with Chris taking most of the vocal duties. And honestly, this is a decent debut. It's not amazing, but Chris and Jeff have so much chemistry and similar lyrical styles. They both always seem so cynical and bummed out. And while I wish I heard some more of Jeff's influence on this project, I certainly dug what they were doing. But with 2015's "Leavin' La Vida Loca", I really REALLY started to get what they were doing so much more. The personality on this album is fantastic with both Chris and Jeff really shining. Lyrically, if you know these guys you know it's filled with a ton of very half-stoned, self-loathing material. But if you can get past that, this album is a freakin' blast and filled with quirky, catchy tunes. And man oh man, have they really buckled down on these latest singles. I mean, they are catchy as hell. Let's chat!
This album starts out with “Voicemail”, which is sort of a Low-Fi intro. And honestly, it’s sweet. It has that same sort of very lovesick vibes as other tracks from these guys have. But like, I just wish this was maybe just a little punchier and had more standing power. It’s one of the more sincere tracks here too. But with “Kimmy”, this album really does start to get its footing. While this is a Pop Punk album at heart, there’s a ton of really great Power Pop elements between these synths and absolutely gigantic chorus. No joke, you just really don’t hear choruses this gigantic anymore. It’s awkward in all the best ways and reminds me of how human some of this genre’s artists can be at times. Chris sounds sincere, Jeff backs him up wonderfully, this is great. On the other hand, “White Noise” turns things down a few notches. This isn’t nearly as anthemic but continues to be a really solid sound. I actually really love just how heartbroken Chris comes off half of the time. Like, these aren’t polished Pop-Punkers at all. But if you’re a fan of Jeff’s solo work at all, you know all about this. It’s so catchy and punchy, and these choruses continue to be absolutely gigantic. Simple, but they stick with you so well. Not to mention, “White Noise” is so quirky and fun. On the other hand, “Breathless on DVD” really strips things down again. But even though this is one of the slower tunes here, between the animated and goofy synths and the incredibly personal lyrics this works amazing for the duo. It’s incredible actually just how much a little nice production can do for a band because before this I was down with their sound, but this is miles better. And the songwriting is so simple, yet incredibly sincere. I do however continue to gravitate more towards upbeat tracks like “The Price is Right Theme Song”. I love the storytelling feel to this one, and just how rich this is instrumental-wise. Like Jeff’s solo work, it’s got everything from Xylophones to horns, and that’s all fine. But honestly, this is actually a slight hiccup for me on the album. Instrumentally this is impressive and lyrically this is deep, even morbid at times. But I feel like, without a big flashy hook or some catchier moments, this is a little average.
On the other hand, “So Vivid!” is the sound through and through that, I want to hear these two. It’s slower and has some more chugging guitars, but the strong focus on synths and with Chris being the star, this one is absolutely fantastic. Every time this one’s chorus rolls around, I can’t help but scream out every word. It’s incredible honestly and shows that Chris and Jeff are such heavyweights in Pop Punk. And I feel like what really drives this home is just how heartfelt some of these performances are. This really does take me back to a simpler time for these genres. “Freakin’ U Out” picks things up however in a little more of a traditional direction. And yes, this is by far the best track here, it’s just so damn catchy. One thing I really do love about this one is that we get Jeff and Chris doing a sort of dual vocals, and it comes off so much stronger. Like, yea, I may sound like a Jeff Rosenstock fanboy, but I would love to hear even more of him on these tracks. I love the Folk Punk vibes to this, and just how passionate these performances are all around. It’s quirky at times, with Chris and Jeff really not caring how they come off most of the time, in the best way. “All These Nights” however, sounds much more like a late-album heavy hitter on a Jeff Rosenstock album. It’s much slower all around, and that honestly confuses the hell out of me. It these songs came off nearly as catchy as some of the other tracks here, that would be one thing. But let’s be real, it doesn’t. This one just comes off genuinely awkward. The only thing that genuinely saves this one, is once again just how big and beautiful this chorus is. And of course, THIS is where we finally get Jeff singing more on his own, I wish I was more into it. On the other hand, where the hell is “Not Yours” coming from? Between the off-the-rails riff and the soaring synths, this is honestly one of the rowdier tracks here. I don’t mean to bash those slower tunes, but the honest truth is that Chris just sounds so much more sincere on tracks like this. And I don’t know how they do it, but this ends up coming not whiney at all. And this one actually has some really great life lessons in it. This is fantastic. "Do It Over” is once again much more mellow and low-key. But because this is a little bit more on the upbeat side, it actually works. I love how incredibly personal Chris’s lyrics are for this one. More than a few times on here, he’s bringing up plenty of things we’ve all felt and gone through. This one is just so charming and sweet. And I have to continue to praise just how vast this instrumental palette is, Chris and Jeff continue to be fantastic at keeping things interesting.
Now, “Another Good Thing” is a pretty different sound for the duo. We get these very stripped down verses and a big booming chorus. But I do just sort of feel like Chris’s performance here is a little more sure of itself than usual. Like, that chorus is GIGANTIC. But everything else here just isn’t nearly as heartfelt as it usually is, and it just takes a little too much away from this. But it’s not all bad, because I do like the very crunchy guitars. With “Lifelike”, we get an honest to God ballad. And honestly, I don’t mind it really at all. Because they’re really going forward with this one, it ends up coming off so much more sincere. I love the dreary backing vocals, just how genuinely broken Chris sounds, and not to mention, the pianos are just heart-wrenching. It’s a strangely depressive sound, but I can’t say I don’t hate it. Sure, this isn’t like anything else here but it’s a really emotional finale. And when those guitars come crashing in, things get seriously epic, and that last chorus is practically tearjerking. This is a great sound for the duo. But I don’t know, I’m just not into “E-Mail” and these weird bookends for the album. Like, this is pleasant at best, and certainly personal and heartfelt. And as far as building up the personality of this band, this is huge. But that’s literally it, nothing else about this track sticks with me.
Rating: 7.9/10
Give A Listen To: “Kimmy”, “So Vivid!”, “Freakin’ U Out”, “Not Yours”
Least Favorite Track: “The Price is Right Theme Song"
Genre: Pop Punk / Power Pop
Overall Thoughts: Chris Farren and Jeff Rosenstock come together as Antarcticgo Vespucci once again, this time for a much longer effort. And honestly, with some shinier production and more focus on playing off each other makes this a pleasant surprise of a Pop Punk album. Chris’s performances are often incredibly heartfelt and passionate, and Jeff does a fantastic job of backing him up. The instrumentals are surprisingly vast, bringing in elements of Folk Punk and Pop Punk, and their are few choruses here that aren’t absolutely gigantic. My only issue is, they have a sound, I want them to stick to it. Some of the slower and more gimmicky tracks here are easily the least impressive. But still, this album is a blast.
I just love getting music submissions! Chelsea and the Noise are an Industrial duo based out of Hayward California, made up of Chelsey Hice and Brent Watters. They're on their second EP these days, so if you like what you read here, be sure to go check THAT out as well. Let's get into it!
Well, this EP starts out with some absolutely gigantic Industrial beats that sound like damn gunshots. It’s exciting though and really gets you on the edge of your seat. What follows is a whole lot to take in, and QUICK. We have Chelsea’s very hypnotic, repetitive vocals which I feel like in other styles of music possibly wouldn’t be as exciting. But between the gigantic Electronic beats and the muscular instrumentals, it’s absolutely fantastic, and Chelsea comes off downright sexy more often. It’s dark, but it’s also incredibly catchy and reminds me a whole lot of some old school Sleigh Bells or Crystal Castles. This track is an exciting intro, there’s just so much going on. It’ll make you want to hit the dance floor, it’ll make you want to pump some iron, it’ll get your heart rate up, all while remaining catchy. On the other hand, “Castle” is just as urgent but in a different way. This one immediately is much colder and so much more abrasive. I actually end up enjoying Chelsea’s vocals even more here, they’re just so intoxicating. I actually love this track’s much more electronic approach, all while keeping a strong guitar riff as well as some elements of Hip-Hop. Now, I know what you’re all thinking, a lot of bands these days try to blend these genres and it sometimes doesn’t work. But here, it’s massively exciting and so immediate. If you’re going to examine one track here over the others, make it this one. Then we have “Thick / Clear “, and it certainly is really great to hear the duo sticking with an Alternative Rock sound as a backbone. Because honestly? That riff behind everything comes off really great and makes for a really slick groove. Not to mention, Chelsea is just as good at bringing in some Pop hooks. It’s nothing that would make its way through the Pop charts, but it makes for a track that’ll really stick with you. Now, of all the tunes here, this does hit me the least. And that’s really only because I would have loved it to be a little grittier and heavier. But still, this is a really solid track, continuing to blend all of these styles. Not to mention, that last instrumental break is VERY well done. This EP ends off with “Depth Denying (Underwater)”, which goes even further down the Electronic rabbit hole. And first off, this song title is absolutely correct, because the atmosphere here is suffocating. I love the wailing guitars behind all of Chelsea’s hypnotic vocals. And while on the last track I was a little worried about these two going too far down an Electronic path, this track is absolutely nuts. I love just how bulky and immense this beat is, and the very hazy production is a great touch. And it may just be me, but I love just how creepy and unsettling the finale of this track is, honestly, I would love to hear even more of THAT.
Like how this sounds? Go check em' out! And tell em' The Finschise sent ya!
Genre: Industrial / Noise Pop / Electro Punk / Some really exciting shit / Electro Pop
Overall Thoughts: Chelsea and the Noise came through here with a surprisingly solid collection of wildly catchy and intense Industrial tracks. In 4 tracks we have elements of Noise Pop, Electronic Music, some Hip Hop and more. And for the most part, it’s all gravy. I mean sure, I would like this EP to be a little more gritty or dark, and I would honestly LOVE for them to go even further down the Industrial sound, but that’s just me being picky. Chelsea and the Noise blend all of these sounds really well and make an entirely fresh sound out of it, and it’s exciting as hell.
Julia Holter is a Los Angeles-based Singer/Songwriter that since the early 2010's have been dishing out very sweet, beautiful Indie Pop. But her 2011 debut album may just not come off like that. This is a dense, strange, and hard to place Ambient and Drone album. It's a weird one, to say the least. But I have to say, Julia's incredible voice and chilling performances make this actually a very intriguing listen. But with Julia's next release, 2012's "Ekstasis", she began to really craft her sound. This is still a very brave, stunning Ambient album. But here she brought in tons more of her very heavenly, sweet vocals that just warmed my bones. But personally, I still felt like Julia could do even more with her voice. Julia, however, was far from done, as her next album "Loud City Song" really launched her into the division of Indie Pop heavyweight. This showed Julia taking the sound of her early days, but taking the reigns and really becoming more of a star than ever. Her vocals have never been this up-front and absolutely heavenly. But at the same time, this is a genuinely strange and experimental Pop album with tons of cinematic twists and turns. While Julia makes things easy to swallow with her impeccable performances, you really never know what you're going to hear next and it's wild. But with Julia's next album, 2015's ""Have You In My Wilderness", she launched her way into Baroque Pop superstardom. She had completely broken through the smokey Ambient passages and was now focusing completely n a very refined, elegant Pop sound. And it was absolutely breathtaking. Tracks like "Sea Calls Me Home" and "Feel You" are some of my favorite tracks in the Baroque Pop genre of the last few years, and this album overall is just so beautiful. So Julia is back after a few years. And honestly, she is sounding more ambitious and eclectic than ever, which is really saying something. I can't wait to dive deeper friends.
(A personal favorite of mine!)
Julia doesn’t waste a single second in bringing in tons of luscious instrumentation with “Turn The Light On”. Between this kaleidoscopic and wild instrumentation and Julia’s vocals, there are tons to like here. As far as the instrumental goes, I can barely fathom just how many layers there are to this, it’s overwhelming honestly. But none of this comes off ugly, it’s all just so beautiful and ready to be heard by the world. There are winding strings and triumphant horns and beautiful harps, all together at once. But then we have Julia’s vocals which are angelically hanging over it all, keeping everything in tune. And let me tell you, her vocals have never come off so immediate or powerful. This is an incredible intro. “Whether” does take a little bit more of a structured approach. Or at least, just about as structures as you can get with Julia. I love the very tight synths, and the seemingly infinite palette surrounding her. Like, it’s always so much fun to listen to tracks like this from Julia, because you find new instrumentals with each listen that you may have missed. Then we have Julia’s vocals which once again come off so immediate. One thing I sort of had an issue with Julia’s vocals at times were how timid they were. But because “Have You In My Wilderness” brought her out of her shell so well, she’s stayed out of it. Because this is very upfront and freakish. Call me crazy, but I’m loving this, and Julia just seems so fearless. “Chaitius” continues to be very pleasant and wonderful to hear. On this one, Julia brings in this very refined, warm sound that is just so cool. There’s always been this very retro feel to Julia’s music, and it comes through here in spades. There are these super-warm horns, and Julia’s vocals floating through the background are absolutely mesmerizing. But let’s address the elephant in the room. This is a total departure from where we left Julia a few years ago. She took the more Pop-oriented sound of her latest album, and she went back and tweaked the sound that she got big, to begin with. And the result is tracks like “Chaitius”, which might be a little long winded and patience-testing, but just so inviting. Julia’s vocals performance here is very sporadic and tough to place, and certainly a little out there. But, she’s so good at putting these tracks together. And not to mention, when this track explodes towards the finale, it’s incredibly euphoric. It’s music you really have to put your brain on for, but the rewards are wild. For wildly experimental Pop music, this is scratching all sorts of itches. On the other hand, “Voce Simul” is much more patience-testing right off the bat. But let me tell you, I absolutely love just how smokey and mysterious this is. Julia has almost always been very close to the edge of darkness, or there was seemingly a slightly dark edge to her music. And this is no different, even darker in fact. We get some very David Lynch-ian horns slowly making their way through the background, alongside some very graceful harps. All of this is playing second fiddle however to Julia’s mesmerizing, incredible vocal performance which is equal parts steamy and mysterious. Once again, this is a lot to sit through at points but so worth it. Now, “Everyday Is an Emergency” is a wake-up call. With all of the very slow-paced and refined material here, this is a major turn around. This starts off instantly with all of these very hectic, strange horns all blaring at once that end up coming off like some alarm or siren. And no, it’s really not that flattering at all. As a matter of fact, it’s kind of annoying. And it goes on for literally 4 minutes. And it’s such a shame because when that all quiets we get this very sweet, heartfelt ballad from Julia which may be one of her most straightforward and likable material here. I love the warm pianos and the throwback synths and the loneliness of this one. I mean, I guess sitting through the first few minutes of whatever the hell that was made me appreciate this a whole lot more, but I don’t know if that’s a good thing.
But with “Another Dream”, Julia does seem to get back in her groove. I actually really love hearing her deal with these very spacey and weird synths. They really add an interesting dynamic as they rattle on beneath Julia’s very sweet vocal performances and the angelic harps. It ends up making for this sort of clash of styles, the absolute serenity of Julia and the more Baroque elements of this, and the absolute coldness of the more electronic elements. You never really know what you’re going to hear. Like, here there’s a sort of slow groove building up this entire time, but that doesn’t shock me at all. But Julia just ends up tying everything together with this absolutely stunning vocal performance that’s just so warm and cozy. Julia continues to go for a lot more synthetic sounding tracks like “I Shall Love 2”. But I've yet to be 100% disappointed by any tracks with that backdrop here, so it’s fine by me. Julia’s vocals here are so soft and sweet but on the more monotone side. But to be honest, she really makes it work with just how hypnotic her performance is. It really does reel you in with these very lavish instrumentals, and the continued infinite layering of everything. Not to mention, the evolution of these tracks as they roll on and on is just so interesting. Like, this one started pretty cold and hypnotic. But by the end of the this, Julia practically has me crying with just how passionate and beautiful this is. This is quite an ambitious undertaking. The more electronic elements of this album continue with “Underneath the Moon”, and it’s still a very slick sound. But some of the material that follows on this track is questionable. Now, I don’t have a problem with jamming out a bit. Hell, there are actually some really cool elements to this, like the plucked guitars that pop in occasionally, and that wall of drone that sort of makes it’s way in is pretty stunning. This one eventually does shape up a bit. But the amount of confusion here is a little disheartening. Like, all of these instrumentals for once don’t really seem like they’re nearly as organized. Julia just sadly seems a little off. And it’s a shame, because when this track is on, it’s actually really stunning, especially that chorus. But Julia continues to grab my heat instantly with tracks like “Colligere”. I love just how incredibly emotional this one is, between these horns and strings everything just sounds so lied to and bruised. In cases like this, Julias’s experimentation and fearlessness have reached a peak. Her vocals here are once again, on the weird side. But they’re still so subtle and half of the time surreal, you can’t remember if they were even there or not. And yes, there is a little David Lynch feel once again. But I’m telling you, Julia’s dense atmosphere and her long history with Ambient-work just makes this so stunning. This album is gripping, but it’s also so damn delicate. But it’s these quiet moments like “In Gardens’ Muteness” that really make Julia’s performances pop. Like, here this is just a straight up, classic ballad here. Julia sounds absolutely incredible. As far as vocal performances go, this is EASILY performance of the album. Instrumentally though, this is a little bit of a letdown, mostly because of just how dense and vibrant this album started off. But hey, this is still gorgeous.
You know, one thing I do seem to keep returning to, is just how sorrowful and deeply sad this album comes off at times. “I Would Rather See” is just so lonely sounding with everything from Julia’s very somber performance to the very dreary instrumentals. Once again, this album certainly has cooled its jets with experimentation. But this is what we’re getting as a cohesive sound, Julia is pulling out some wonderful sounds. I love just how deep and vast this one comes off. The atmosphere just sounds completely limitless, and the instrumentals that pop in seemingly poking their head through a fog. Now, this album has really gotten very mellow. It’s almost coming off slowly like a Dream Pop album, with a lot of this reminding me of the new Beach House. But, it is still incredibly pleasant on the ears and absolutely sweet. I love the experimental, truly wonky feel of “Les Jeux to You”. Like, Julia is absolutely sounding out there here. Her lyrics and performance are bizarre, and honestly, this may be one of the fun tracks I’ve ever heard out of Julia. But hey, it absolutely works for me. And I love just how progressive this is and how many genuinely interesting passages this has. All systems go on this sound, and I love how elegant this ends up. And with “Words I Heard” things just get even more dramatic, which is something I really didn’t think was possible. But the truth is, this track is just so up-front and in-your-face. You don’t have to wait for 3-minutes for this one to get going, not that that was a bad thing. But it’s refreshing to hear Julia in such a warm and sweet atmosphere. But like, her performance is absolutely stunning here, when her vocals are upfront I remember just how much I loved her last album. And yes, this is a far cry from that. But this is the sort of cinematic, emotional performance I crave from her. On the other hand, “I Shall Love 1” is an absolutely ghoulish track. Between Julia’s chanting and the very freakish instrumentals, this is massive. Compared to its sister track, this one is much much more straightforward. Now, a lot of people have compared her to Nico in the past and this actually does end up coming off like a sort of updated Velvet Underground & Nico recording. And honestly, it’s just as majestic and eye-opening. It’s hulking, it’s massive, it’s meditative, and it’s giving me the same sort of hypnotic feels that some people get from listening to Swans. So right off the bat, it’s pretty clear that we're not getting a big finale from “Why Sad Song”. To be honest, this is actually one of the most abstract and Experimental tunes of the bunch. Almost honestly, a little too much. Sure, occasionally one instrumental pops in that really gives me the chills or at least one that I feel like I haven’t heard in a while. Honestly, this is an alright finale. Her vocals are very smooth and silky and pleasing on the ears. But let’s be real, this doesn’t send anything off. As a matter of fact, these vocals actually sound like they've been ripped out of a number of other tunes here. And that’s fine, but of all of the incredibly lavish sounds we’ve gotten here, this just doesn’t add up. However, I’ll give “Why Sad Song” this. This track is emotionally exhausted, I just wish it was as refined as the rest of the material here.
Rating: 9.0/10
Give A Listen To: “Voce Simul”, “Chaitius”, “I Shall Love 2”, “Colligere”
Least Favorite Track: “Underneath the Moon”
Genre: Baroque Pop / Experimental Pop / Ambient / Dream Pop
Overall Thoughts: Julia Holter returns, ditching the breezy Pop of “Have You In My Wilderness”, but not leaving the songwriting. On “Aviary”, Julia Holter outdoes herself by bringing in a slew of a dreamy, ambient, and incredibly classy set of Pop tunes. These aren’t Pop tunes that are instantaneous, these are tracks that you have to really sit with. But the results are often wild, resulting in these kaleidoscopic moments of euphoria. Julia has played with sound since her debut ages ago, that’s nothing new. But with better songwriting, better production, and some of her most ambitious instrumentals to date, Julia has knocked it out of the park.
Neneh Cherry is a Swedish Singer who first got big int he late 80's with her "Raw Like Sushi" album. Now, I wasn't that knowledgeable of her music until recently, but this debut absolutely rules. It blends elements of Pop and R&B with Funk and other genres, throws in some World Music flair and really comes through with a brilliant sound. Some tracks here like "Buffalo Stance" and "Kisses on the Wind" are more straightforward Pop anthems that get you on the floor. But Neneh eas also very conscious with tracks like "Inna City Mamma" and "Love Ghetto". This album seriously rules overall. Neneh returned in 1992 with "Homebrew", which for me wasn't as immediate. But I did enjoy some of the Funk and Pop-Rap tracks on here. There were also some really great features from the likes of Guru and Michael Stipe. But with Neneh's next release "Man", she started adopting this very dreamy, Trip-Hop vibe, which I honestly thought she did so well. She had already had ties with Massive Attack, so this didn't shock me too much. But she blended it so well with World Music that once again I felt like Neneh was bringing in some really interesting vibes to the Pop world. Now, 2014's "Black Project" was an album that I wanted to love. This was Neneh's most eclectic and abrasive album to date, with some seriously far-out production. But while instrumentally this album was a feast. I couldn't help feel like Neneh was at her most reserved. Neneh is back with her first new material in a while, and honestly, these singles are pretty varied. Some are really good, other being average at best. Let's chat!
(A personal favorite of mine!)
This album starts out with “Fallen Leaves”, and honestly, it’s a very cool start. I love the sort of breezy vibe. Four Tet’s Production was very heavily talked about behind this album, and I love how warm it is here honestly. It really works great alongside Neneh’s very smooth, smoky vocals. That, alongside of this undeniable imagery in these lyrics, makes for actually a really cinematic and intriguing intro. Neneh has never considered herself to be a Hip Hop star, and I would say that’s a fair point. But the sort of Jazz Hip Hop influence is very nice, and this is a heartfelt intro from Neneh. On the other hand, “Kong” is a sort of dreamy, dreary Trip-Hop drenched tune with tons of Downtempo elements thrown in. Now, honestly, Four Tet has worked with Neneh before. But this is much more in the style of where I wanted to hear the two working together. It’s a very hypnotic, meditative beat, and I loved how soulful and bruised Neneh comes off here. Like, her vocals are just so bluesy. And while, yes, you can argue that it does seem like Neneh is holding back a little, this very tight, engulfing atmosphere is fantastic. But then we have the “Poem Daddy” interlude, which in a different life could have been really emotional and actually well done. But instead, we get this really weird, Low-Fi spoken word piece that I have to look into way too much. Now, I do have to give “Synchronised Devotion” credit, and this whole album at least to some extent. This is a very chilly, personal album that makes you focus on Neneh so much more than usual. But in moments like this, I just feel like she’s holding back way too much. We get these very visceral, symbolic lyrics here that are filled with imagery. And as far as that goes, this is actually pretty stunning as a spoken word piece. But there is literally nothing else happening here, I personally just need a little more. Give me a beat, give me a dreamy vibe, anything.
But hey, I do like the stripped down and acoustic vibes of “Deep Vein Thrombosis”. It’s simple, but it’s seriously hypnotic and really gets you in the groove. I love just how small her performance is here, it ends up being so quiet and powerful. In times like this Neneh’s performance is brilliant enough to really carry this track without any big beat. The beat is just so breezy and almost World inspired. And of course, her very wordy performances are just so intense. But like, so many tracks on this album just have so little going on instrumentally. Which, in the right sort of environment would be totally fine. But “Faster Than The Truth” is just a freakin’ mess. I don’t mind that Neneh is super into these very hectic, Spoken word performances, that’s fine. But outside of that this track is just so cluttered. This one just ends up blowing right by with no impact. Finally though with “Natural Skin Deep”, we get a little more meat. We’re 7 tracks in, and we’re finally hearing something that’s more than Neneh and a minimal beat. I love the massive beat here and all of the bells and percussion and effects. Once again, it’s pretty cluttered and overwhelming at times. In times like this, Neneh’s very wordy, intense performances are pretty overpowering. And when this one winds down in a more jazzy, laid back track, things only get better. This is a really cool tune, even if it is a little cluttered at moments. But for every track like that, we get a stripped down track that sounds so incredibly empty, like “Shot Gun Shack”. Like, if Neneh wants to work with these beats that are super minimal, that’s fine. But these literally end up sounding like incomplete tracks and let me tell you Four Tet is just so much more than this. I’m sorry, but this just isn’t my cup of tea. And worst of all, I feel like Neneh is holding back.
But like I’ve said, there are moments where the icy cold feel here actually really works well. Like, with “Black Monday”, I get it. The minimal tapping is unbearably tense like I’m almost ready to scream just wanting something to happen. I mean, this is still really bizarre and you have to really tune in in a big way for this one. It’s thinking man's Pop. But I do really love the downtempo beat that you have to be patient with, and Neneh’s very cold quiet performance. Not to mention, it’s just such an eerie, twisted tune that’s so incredibly tense throughout. I’ve got nothing bad to say about this one. But then Neneh continues to really strike out hard with underwhelming interludes like “Cheap Breakfast Special”. They have so much potential, but they’re just so hard to follow. But hey, “Slow Release” has this very mysterious vibe to it that I actually really love. Neneh has subtly brought in a lot of World music influences, here it’s in these woodwinds and percussion, and honestly, it’s really fantastic. There may not be any dreary beat here, but it’s just not necessary here. Not to mention, I absolutely love just how bluesy and souls her vocals are here. It’s just such a haunting track, if we got more sounds like this, this album would have been a knockout. And honestly, “Soldier” is really intriguing. It’s times like this that actually does upset me a little, mostly because let’s be real, Four Tet could have done so much more with the production on this album. When he arrives, it’s huge. But there are times where I feel like he can do more. This is such a breezy instrumental, but it packs so much mystery and punch in it, it’s actually stunning. And then we have Neneh’s performance, which is easily one of her most passionate and powerful of the bunch, which is really saying something. Like, I honestly wish that on other tracks her and Court Tet had this same chemistry. It’s a winding, personal tune that ends up summarizing this album surprisingly well, and it makes me happy.
Rating: 7.5/10
Give A Listen To: “Fallen Leaves”, “Kong”, “Slow Release”, “Black Monday”
Least Favorite Track: “Faster Than The Truth”
Genre: Trip-Hop / Downtempo
Overall Thoughts: I mean, Neneh is just so damn talented that she can’t really make anything completely awful. Here, she teams up with Four Tet to make one of her most dreary, Downtempo albums to date. And sometimes, that’s done to a fault. There are more than a few tracks here which I wish there was a little more than just this very chilly, minimal beat and nothing more. Neneh’s angry, politically charged lyrics are almost always enough to keep me awake. But in the moments where Four Tet and Neneh really get on the same page, this quickly becomes mesmerizing.
Empress Of is the Synth-Pop / Electro Pop project of Lorely Rodriguez. She's been at it for a few years now, and I always enjoyed some of her features. But I always sort of wrote her 2015 debut "Me" as just standard Baroque Pop and Synth Pop. But I just listened to it recently, and I honestly really loved so much of the material here. This album is glistening with fantastic production, warped Pop bangers, and some genuinely left-field approaches to the modern Electronic sound. And ever since, I've really been curious to see where she goes next. Now, Empress Of is back with some new material, which shows her focusing more on her specific sound rather than sending numerous at us like with her debut. But that's not necessarily bad, some of these singles have actually been quite good. Let's chat my friends.
This starts out pretty much exactly where I figured it would with “Everything To Me”. It’s a very breezy, cool, Pop tune, and honestly, I’m happy with it. I feel like Lorely sounds so sweet, and I love the storytelling aspects to this. Not to mention, some of the dual vocals are really fantastic and really brings back some of the wildly experimental vibes of Empress Of’s debut. Not let’s be real, this isn’t that. That first album right off the bat was just so outside the box, and this is much safer. And honestly, that’s a little disappointing. But for an Alternative R&B tinged Indie Pop track, this is a good start. Now, “Just The Same” is a little more quaint and sweet, and actually pretty steamy at moments. Lorely as far as her vocals go, are right on point. But let’s be real, this is just so faceless at the end of the day. To be perfectly honest, instrumentally this is pretty nauseating. This completely fake Tropical vibe has me literally rummaging looking for some of Drake’s newest material. Like yea, it’s a sweet Pop tune. But none of this has any personality. Then we have “Trust Me Baby”, and I don’t know how to put this lightly but this just doesn’t sound like the same Empress Of that graces us a few years ago. Her vocals are absolutely on point and sweet. But instrumentally this is just so timid. Like, I feel like this is an absolute shell of her debut. Experimentation by this point is completely out the window, this is just bland. Now, I do think some of the Spanish singing is actually really likable and something she could probably do more of. But instrumentally, I just can’t help but have to fight for myself to stay awake. Like, I’m literally by this point pining for Lorely to stay in the basic realm of Indie Pop. That’s what we’ve come to friends. Like, here, I actually really love the swaying synths and her endearing performance. But this is still a far cry from where Lorely was a few years back. But lyrically, this is genuinely sweet and Lorely just comes off so human and innocent. This is a fine Indie Pop tune, but that’s all.
Then we have “I Don’t Even Smoke Weed”, a very smokey Indie Pop tune (no pun intended). I actually really love the very personal side to this album, it’s a great freakin’ touch. And instrumentally, at very least this has a big ol’ groove. But no joke, why am I clinging to all of these so hard? Empress Of’s music used to come so easy to me, but here I am going crazy for little details. Outside of that though, this is very pleasant. I actually love her monotonous performance and the catchy synths. And yea, this is far from this big statement that I was expecting and I’m digging it. The very straightforward synth beats keep hitting one after another with “Timberlands”. Like honestly, this is absolutely bottom of the barrel. In moments like this, I just can’t help but feel like Lorely has just dropped the ball all around. And it’s a shame because her vocals are so sweet and the lyrics once again are so personal. But there is nothing about this instrumental or beat that I couldn’t make for myself in about 5 minutes. This album continues to just be OK at best. But Lorely does start to turn things around with “I’ve Got Love”. This one actually has some really cool moments. Within the instrumental here, I actually feel like I can tell this is a little something different. I love just how soulful these backing vocals are and the sort of dance-influenced sound. Like, it’s nothing too wild, but it’s genuinely snappy and different. Now, “All For Nothing” is actually pretty interesting at points. It has a sort of World flair to it, but it also has a really big beat. I mean, it took a while, but I certainly feel like Lorely is starting to take some risks. I love how wonky some of the instrumentals are, and just how catchy this hook is. Like, this is SO SIMPLE and straightforward, I just wish we got even more of it.
And believe it or not, “When I’m With Him” may just be the most straightforward track of the bunch, dare I say the best song here. It’s got these very funky bass licks right out of the book of Blood Orange, and Lorely just sounds at her most bruised in every way. It ends up being this incredibly personal tune, one that’s catchy and also really thought-provoking. Now, after all of this, this album has still really not offered up that great clash of styles that we once got from Lorely. But if THIS is what we’re getting going forward, it’s not the worst thing. This album ends off with “Again”, and this one has a much more woozy and dreary tone right off the bat. Which honestly, really excited the hell out of me at first. This track has so much potential, And THEN I heard Lorely’s vocals. Her performance here is her sleepiest of the bunch and is just so boring. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard her this tame. Even this sleepy instrumental which at first intrigued me just ends up being way too much for me by the end of it.
Rating: 7.3/10
Give A Listen To: “Everything To Me”, “Love For Me”, “I’ve Got Love”, “When I’m With Him”
Least Favorite Track: “Trust Me Baby”
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Thoughts: Lorely Rodriguez returns after blowing up with an exciting blend of clashing genres and Indie Pop hooks, with a much safer and more low key album. Now, this has it’s pros and it’s cons. Yes, instrumentally this album is often anything but exciting or daring, half of the time I feel like I could have put together some better instrumentals for Lorely. However, with less focus on instrumentals Lorely comes out of her shell more than ever and ends up coming through with her mom personal album to date. Hell, if she can find a medium between this album and her debut, she could seriously create something incredible. However, until then, this is just a slightly above average Indie Pop project.
Peter Bjorn and John is a Swedish Indie Pop trio that since the early 2000's have been bringing to the table their own unique blend of airy, Indie Pop. And with 2002's self-titled debut I really got excited to hear more of these guys after hearing tracks like "I Don't Know What I Want Us to Do". But holy hell, the rest of this album was just so freakin' tame and bland. And honestly, their 2004 album "Falling Out" was even less interesting to me. I feel like deep down these guys had a sound. But they just weren't capitalizing on it, and in its place were playing bland Indie Rock. But PB & J turned on in a big way with 2007's "Writer's Block". And yes, this album is so much more than just "Young Folks". This album really showed the trip embracing just how sweet and airy their sound was deep down and started to write genuinely quirky and compelling tracks. It's a breezy album that's fun, but also a complete step up for them. But with their next release, "Seaside Rock", P B & J went almost completely instrumental on us, for this very hazy, dreamy, Psychedelic Pop album. And for the most part, this isn't terrible. It's not the most adventurous sound in the world, and it does get a little repetitive, but it was certainly pleasant. But if I knew what was coming, I honestly would have wanted them to stay with this sound. Their 2009 album "Living Thing" was a complete departure of everything interesting about this band. This album was painfully robotic, not breezy at all. The songwriting had gone out the window entirely, and I really don't know what P B & J were even thinking anymore. But hey! I actually thought 2011's "Gimme Some" had some good moments. Sure, so much of this album is filled with dated on arrival Indie Pop. But tracks like "Tomorrow Has To Wait" and the strangely aggressive "(Don't Let Them) Cool Off" are honestly some of their better tunes in a while. But while I thought PB & J were in comeback mode, 2016's "Breakin' Point" through that right out the window. This was a painfully cheesy, dated and goody Indie Pop album. There were plenty of catchy hooks and catchier grooves. But the material here was completely faceless and blew right past me leaving no impression. Now! *deep breath*. I actually have a lot of hope for this album, mostly because these lead-up singles have been pretty great.
This album starts out with “Longer Nights”, and instantly I’m into a lot of this. I love just how mysterious this is and how ambient it comes off. I never expected this from Peter Bjorn and John. But it actually works wonderfully with ushering in this darker sound they’ve been working with. Now, I wouldn’t say this sound is 100% dark, but there are plenty of very interesting new elements here. For one, on vocals, Peter sounds so emotional, much more so than I ever remember hearing. It’s a somber sort of tune, even though for old times sake they do throw in a big catchy chorus. I really don’t mind this at all honestly. It’s a sweet Indie Pop tune, but none of this comes off nearly as dated as some of their other stuff. We get these big pianos in the background, and some of this almost reminds me of the material of Jens Lekman. Now, “Every Other Night” is much more upbeat, but I have to continue to point out just how different of sounds we’re getting from this trio. I feel like 5 or 6 years ago this tan would have been dated on arrival. But this one almost has some Dream Pop and Post Punk elements. Hell, I almost see fans of maybe Beach Fossils being into this. It’s a very vast sound, one that’s very breezy at times and just so carefree. But the catchy hooks remain, and this continues to be such a breath of fresh air for this trio. Now, “Gut Feeling” is actually on the weirder side for these guys. Like, this is a legitimately strange tune fueled by heavy use of vocal effects. There are some very dreary instrumentals and one of this album’s catchiest and most immediate choruses. But Peter, Bjorn & John continue to really sound at their most emotional. For years, I’ve just had this issue with them bringing in elements of all sort of Indie Pop’s greats. But here, this just comes off as completely organic. And the soulful vocals here just come off so well.
Now, “Living a Dream” continues down the same route as the last few tracks. But sadly, this one doesn’t make me feel the same way. Like, the trio just sounds so much more stiff in this environment and they just sound like they’re trying maybe a little too hard. There are some nice vocal melodies, and I do like the breezy vibes, and those backing keyboards are a nice touch. But outside of that, this is a little forced for me. “Velvet Sky” continues with these very instantaneous and breezy sounds. But something about these tracks is wearing off on me a little bit. Earlier, it seemed to be coming naturally to the trio, that they were just easing up a big and letting ideas flow. Now, there are some great elements here, like those some fantastic drums pounding away in the back. As a matter of fact, when it comes to the instrumental this is actually really great. But outside of that, this is just so bland. Ironically it’s the glossier tracks like “Wrapped Around the Axle” that end up making me stick around. Like, when Peter Bjorn & John are on, they are ON. They’ve been known to make some catchy choruses, but some of these tracks are really next level. While “Wrapped Around the Axle” isn’t exactly the catchiest one of the bunch, it’s still got plenty of great elements like that woozy beat and intoxicating vocals. On the other hand, “Dark Ages” has this Dark Western vibe to ti that I didn’t expect at all. Like, Peter here sounds just so exhausted and worn out, and does this dreary Western vibes so well. He also continues to sound so emotionally invested. It’s not like these tracks are reinventing the wheel, we’re just dealing three guys that are great at writing Indie Pop tunes relax a bit and let it come naturally. That may lead to a dance floor classic or an honest to God Western, a passionate one at that. And for my money, “Dark Ages” is my track of the album, and easily the most epic track here. It’s all just so simple too, where was this years ago?
On the other hand, “Sick And Tired” roll back a little and goes for this sort of Dark funk. It’s very off-kilter and strange. But Peter Bjorn & John at the very least reel me in with once again, a very haunting and chilling chorus. This entire track just has such a nocturnal feel to it. I just wish I was more into these verses that come off so wishy-washy. These guys really need to stay focused. And then we have the bizarre “Silicon Valley Blues”, and that title is absolutely true. This is easily the bluesiest track here, which is something I figured I would be really into. But outside of Peter’s incredibly passionate vocals, there is nothing here to love. The very hazy instrumental just isn’t that good, and the gigantic atmosphere which I’ve enjoyed for the most part just seems to be swallowing up everything else here. This one is just washing all over the place and it’s easily the least focused tune of the bunch. But “Heaven and Hell” is something I really didn’t expect for a finale. This is a much more stripped down ballad, filled with acoustic guitars and no synths in sight. And honestly, it’s filled with some of the more sincere, sweet vocals of the bunch. It ends up being absolutely gorgeous, pretty straightforward, incredibly beautiful and heartfelt. I didn’t think I would enjoy a tune like this from Peter Bjorn & John, but it rounds off this album wonderfully.
Rating: 7.4/10
Give A Listen To: “One for the Team”, “Every Other Night”, “Heaven and Hell”, “Dark Ages”
Least Favorite Track: “Silicon Valley Blues”
Genre: Indie Pop
Overall Thoughts: Peter Bjorn & John with “Darker Days” really don’t reinvent the wheel in any way. But for the first time since their “Writer’s Block” album, I seriously feel like the trio doesn’t sound completely dated. The music here is some of their most somber and dreary to date, but it leads to some of the band’s most emotional tracks in years. And yes, there are a few stinkers here, and more than a few reminders of just how far they’ve fallen. But this is easily the most decent thing they’ve done in years.
Cloud Nothings are the longtime Rock project of Dylan Baldi. Now, I for one was never really into their super early low-fi recordings. But with 2011's "Cloud Nothings" I hopped aboard the hype. This was a collection of incredibly catchy and well-written Garage Rock tunes with a Power Pop edge. Tracks like the upbeat "Understand At All" and "On The Radio" were so carefree and seemingly drunkenly in love, while tracks like "Forget You All The Time" and "You're Not That Good At Anything" were much soberer. All around, I loved this project. But I don't think in my wildest dreams I could have guessed what would happen to Cloud Nothings next. Dylan on its next project, "Attack On Memory" in one clean swoop took on the Post Hardcore sound and mastered it. Cloud Nothings went old school channeling the likes of Fugazi and Slint, and absolutely sounded like pros doing it. No joke, this is actually one of my favorite modern Post Hardcore albums. There are catchy moments like "Stay Useless" and "Our Plans". But let's be real, it's the blood boiling slow burners that make this album, like the infinitely looping "Wasted Days", the bruised "No Sentiment", or the absolutely immense "No Future/No Past". This album is a must listen. But when everyone was ranting and raving over 2014's "Here and Nowhere Else", I was scratching my head. The hooks were catchier obviously, and even Dylan's songwriting was more immediate. And trust me, there were a few really great tracks here. But the majority of this album just didn't seem nearly as tortured or as patient as their previous album. And 2017's "Life Without Sound" was basically a Pop-Punk album. In parts, a pretty decent one, with tracks like "Modern Act" or the slow-paced "Up To The Surface" stealing the show. But when did Cloud Nothings lose their teeth? What happened to this band? But HEY! What's this?! Who turned on the heavy?! Because these new singles are just that, grimy and heavy. This has become one of my most anticipated Rock albums of recent memory, let's chat.
(A personal favorite of mine!)
This album starts out with “On An Edge”, and right off the bat this is much more hectic than anything Cloud Nothings have done since “Attack On Memory”. I love just how upbeat and intense these drums are and how wild these guitars come off. And most importantly, Dylan Baldi sounds like a maniac. Like, he sounds like he’s about to reach out and grab your throat. It’s aggressive and abrasive, and it’s wild as hell. Now, I do maybe wish we got a catchy hook thrown in. But that’s just me being picky, this is an exciting and off the rails punk track that I wasn’t expecting to hear right off the bat. Then we have “Leave Him Now”, and this track is so much more like it. This actually reminds me a lot of their early material. I love just how intense and upbeat this one is, but there’s still this absolutely glorious, gigantic chorus that’s just so catchy. There’s almost a 90’s feel to this from a songwriting stance, but it’s not suffocating. Like I said, there’s something about this that reminds me of their self-titled album the way this is just so painfully in love. Here, we see Dylan reaching out to someone he cares about and he sounds just so desperate. It’s upbeat and chaotic and has just the right amount of heaviness in the instrumentals. And it really sticks with you well after it’s over. And no, this isn’t as immense or heavy as “Attack On Memory”, but this is all gravy. Now, I don’t know what the hell happened to Dylan the past year, but “In Shame” continues on with a very smash mouth sound, and I can’t begin to tell you how happy this makes me. Like, there are absolutely some nods to the early days of Hardcore Punk. But at the same time, in all it’s ferocity this is still insanely catchy when it needs to be. But the crushing riffs and the breakneck drums are just so likable, I’m eating this all up. Now, “Offer An End” may not be as intense, but sonically this is just as interesting of a tune. Dylan’s more soothing vocals here offer up a different sort of throwback sound, and I actually love just how vast this comes off. Like, those distant guitars are such a fantastic touch and give this one such a unique sound. Here, like I said, Dylan doesn’t really sound nearly as aggressive and actually sounds pretty bruised. But this is just a fantastic change up for Dylan. It’s harmonious in parts, but it’s just so cutting and visceral and sounds so damn human. No, this may not be anywhere near as instantaneous as Cloud Nothings early days, but this is making me so happy right now.
And dare I say, “The Echo Of The World” is so good that it sounds ripped completely out of “Attack On Memory”. It’s the perfect blend of these pummeling riffs that keep piling up constantly, one after another. This one just keeps on hitting, one bar after another, this one is one bone shattering riff after the next. I love how unbearably tense the tapping drums are, Dylan absolutely has remembered everything he utilized in the past. I mean, as far as a single goes, I really don’t think I could ask for more. Not to mention, this has the sort of cutting, memorable hook that I’ve been dying for. It even has that dense, suffocating atmosphere that Cloud Nothings have done so well with. This is two thumbs up all around. Then we get to “Dissolution”, which at first glance, sounds like one of the more direct and straightforward tracks of the bunch. It’s upbeat and certainly streamlines, and I do like just how down to earth some of Dylan’s vocals are. But the guitars here are a little too soaring for my liking, to the point where there’s no edge to them whatsoever. Even 3-minutes in, this is a low point in the album for me. But then we get this 7-minute jam that I honestly feel like Dylan just plopped in to make this album longer. The result isn’t exciting, and doesn’t come off like a jam, and isn’t interesting or “Wild”. No, this just sounds like Dylan screwing around. Sure, there are a couple of cool moments in the last 2 minutes, but outside of that this sucks. But “So Right So Clean” gets right back in that very primitive direction quickly. I love just how slow and intense this one is. There’s nothing fancy about this whatsoever, and Dylan just sounds like an animal. And while yes, occasionally I feel like he’s putting on a bit of an act in his vocals, this is a great, sludgy jam. Some of the breakdowns are just so intense and work with buildup so well. Not to mention, Dylan’s lyrics here are freakin’ awesome and he’s not holding anything back at all. And some of these final instrumental moments are just pummeling. Sign me up for more of THIS. And Cloud Nothing really end off this album with one of it’s catchier moments with “Another Way Of Life”. This is upbeat, with almost some of the Punk elements on display that Dylan worked with years ago. But I have to say, I love his vocals a whole lot more here. Not to mention, I actually am seriously loving how catchy this track is. A lot of the material here reminds me of their last album, just not as flimsy or poppy. The instrumentals here are seriously of the rails and pretty wild at times like those drums are insane. Everything about this finale works great, I just wish this album was longer.
Rating: 8.1/10
Give A Listen To: “Leave Him Now”, “In Shame”, “Offer An End”, “The Echo Of The World”
Least Favorite Track: “Dissolution"
Genre: Post Hardcore / Noise Rock / Indie Rock
Overall Thoughts: Praise whatever you believe in, Dylan Baldi remembered how to be heavy. This is a massive return to form for whoever enjoyed his work with the “Attack On Memory” album he mastered the Post-Hardcore genre with years ago. But at the same time, there are few moments here which aren’t excellently written and seriously catchy. And while yes, the 10-minute jam “Dissolution” isn’t the journey that Dylan Wanted, this is a very VERY solid album. My only real issue is, I really do wish Dylan waited another 6 months and gave us more tracks and a beefier album.
Spiritual Cramp is a San Francisco based Post-Punk band that since their inception I've been pretty obsessed with. To me, they embody everything that was so great about this sound in the early 80's. With their first EP, 2017's "Mass Hysteria", they put themselves on the map in a big way. Tracks like "The Ice Age Isn't Fucking Coming" were so freakish and jittery and practically had some Dance-Punk vibes. But with tracks like "Tenderloin", there was an urgency surrounding these tracks that hadn't been heard in these genres in years. And earlier this year 'Police State" made me even more of a believer. This EP hit on all Post-Punk sounds. There was the political and Reggae-infused "850 Bryant", the explosive "Spiritual Cramp", and my personal favorite, the sing-a-long "Blood Clot". Spiritual Cramp was well on my radar. So Spiritual Cramp is back, with a compilation of their first two EP's and some new songs, let's chat.
This album starts off with “The Erasure”, this very animated, jittery Dance Punk track. Like, sure, it’s a little underwritten. But as far as performances go, Spiritual Cramp have so much personality. From the Ghoulish vocals to the attitude in the lyrics, there’s just so much to take in. Not to mention, I do really love how they continue to have such a wide array of influences. There’s some funk in here and some brilliant percussion. And yes, if you’re not into these vocal stylings, this may just rub you the wrong way. But I love this. On the other hand, “Upset Stomach” picks things up into a nice upbeat, grimier, darker Post Punk tune. Like, when these guys are on, they are ON. I love the dueling vocals here that are both aggressive and freakish as hell. It’s so straightforward, and it still makes me want to get up and groove. But Spiritual Cramp continues to be so good at bringing out what was once truly great about these sounds in the early 80’s. But it’s not polished or fake sounding, it’s rugged as hell. “Northern Soul Search” takes things down a notch but continues to stick around that same very classic, true to form Post Punk. But here, it almost comes off like too much of an imitation. Like, this is literally ripping right out of bands like Television, which isn’t necessarily a terrible thing. But let’s be real, here the band doesn’t really sound nearly as animated and freakish, which is something I’ve always gravitated towards. Of all of the tracks here, this is easily the most underwhelming. But on the other hand, “Television” has a serious Dance Punk vibe. Here, I love just how freakish and campy the band sound. But they make it work wonderfully. The riff is just so straightforward and crisp sounding, and it absolutely gives this a little bit of an edge. And I just love how sonic this one comes off. It’s such a simple sound that nobody capitalizes on. And while I prefer these guys at their more aggressive, this is a great sound. Now, honestly, “Pretty Vacant” is a really nice surprise. Spiritual Cramp here cover Sex Pistols, and yea, it’s always nice to throw in a cover every once in a while. And now, while this isn’t as aggressive and as wild as the original, I actually really love how scuzzy and fuzzy this one is. The band just sound so tortured, which changes this song entirely. It’s over-the-top, it’s artsy, but it’s also just so damn ghoulish and freaky. This isn’t the easiest track to cover, any Sex Pistols track is. But the boys did well.
Now, “Lovers Town Revisited” is a real shot out of the dark, and honestly, I love it. This is a stripped down tune, with only a few vocals and guitars, and while it’s not acoustic is almost has that feel. Hell, this almost has a Folk Punk vibe to it. It’s also worth noting, this is by far the shorts track here by far. But it has that great personality, catchy riff, and is just so damn well written that it ends up being one of my favorite tracks here. On the other hand, “Spiritual Cramp” is an absolute ripper, and has been since I first heard it months ago. It’s completely off the rails with this unstoppable riff, and I love just how freakin’ harsh some of the vocals come off, sounding like they’re going to break through the album and just rip you to fucking shreds. It’s a hell of a Punk tune. “850 Bryant” on the other hand goes back in a more experimental direction. It’s sort of a Reggae infuse tune that has almost a Clash “Guns Of Brixton” feel to it. Not only that, but this sort of political vibe to this is just really classy, and shows that the band has a whole lot of range. Now, if you’re into hearing this band go wild, you’re not going to be into this, period. But it’s a really slick, groovy tune that shows a different side to Spiritual Cramp. Now, after all this time, “I Feel Bad Bein' Me” is a track I’m not too nuts about. As a matter of fact, this is a bit of a low point for me. I like the nasty riff and upbeat vibe. But vocals this is a major downfall for the band. Here, they don’t come off as anything more than a cheap imitation. Like some of the other tracks early on, hear Spiritual Cramp here just come off like a cover band, which is just something that they have to really look out for. However, between you and me, “Blood Clot” should have been a single. This track is an absolute gem. I love the patience-testing opening riff and just how dark and hypnotic this is. Vocally, this is just the right amount of theatrics. But outside of that, I freakin’ love how incredibly rowdy this one is. Like, I can’t listen to this without picturing some over-the-top, goth-themed bar singing along with every note. And honestly, it’s a freakin’ unique sound that I can’t say I’ve heard anywhere else. And yea, it’s not too vicious and it’s on the slow side. But it’s incredibly exciting, and I really want to hear more and more of this.
Now, “All My Friends Are Out Tonight (Alright)” isn’t exactly my favorite of the bunch. Especially when you look at these slower, groove bases tunes, this just doesn’t scratch the right itches. However, I do think the very hypnotic group vocals are fantastic and a great touch. But I just wish this track was even more over the top. Go crazy, get wild, let loose guys, because here they just sound stiff. But “Tenderloin” is still such a cool track to me, especially of all of these more upbeat tracks. The very nocturnal, slick bass line is just freakin’ classy and dreary. Not to mention, these are easily some of the most passionate and intense vocals of the entire album, believe it or not. It’s moments like that that almost have an Art Punk flair, almost like something Wire would touch. This is the gloomy, but still, just as over the top sound, they should focus on. Now, this is a really great album, or compilation (whatever you prefer). And a lot of tracks here still sound just as good as a few months ago. But “Wrecking Machine” has lessened on me. This one is just so over-the-top and goofy, not to mention it’s easily one of the album’s lowest moments from a songwriting stance. But “The Ice Age Isn't Fucking Coming” ends off this album is absolutely a ripper to end this album off on. And if you’re looking for THE Spiritual Cramp sound, this is the one to check out. I love just how anxious this track is, and I love how vicious and twisted this is. It may not be the traditional Hardcore or even Horror Punk sound, but there are all sorts of nods. This is just the right amount of ridiculous, and it makes me so damn happy to hear.
Rating: 8.7/10
Give A Listen To: “The Erasure”, “The Ice Age Isn't Fucking Coming”, “Lovers Town Revisited”, “Blood Clot”
Least Favorite Track: “Northern Soul Search”
Genre: Post-Punk / Dance Punk
Overall Thoughts: Spiritual Cramp combine their first two EP’s, throw in a cover and some new tracks for their first full-length album. But if this is what we’re getting so early in their career, ladies and gentlemen the future is looking bright for these genres. This album is packed with tight, aggressive, anxious and freakish recordings that are brimming with anger and personality. Sometimes you may want to groove, sometimes you may want to revolt, and while this is technically a compilation it comes off like something much more fluid. If you’re not aware of these guys yet, you will be.
