The Finschise's Biggest Dissapointments of 2018!

Good day friends!  It's list month!  Over the next few weeks, I'm going to be diving into my favorite and least favorite material of the year.  Starting off this week, we have 10 of the biggest disappointments of the year!

10. Daughters - You Won’t Get What You Want

It’s been a long year of reviewing music.  I’m a tired man, and I’m ready to relax for a week or two.  But something keeps bugging me, what’s up with this album?  People seem to love the hell out of this thing, with many coming to me with the feared “Album of the Year” title.  This new Daughters album is good, I get that.  But this quite frankly isn’t what I want to hear, nor expected to hear from the longtime Noise Rock vets.  Is it that wrong to want to hear Alexis Marshall go all out and give us the same chaotic performances we got on their self-titled album?  No, I don’t think so.  And don’t get me wrong, I do think the band’s new approach to tension is a breath of fresh air.  But this still just isn’t for me amigos.

9. The Men - Drift

In 2016 The Men released “Devil Music”, and showed The Men return to a much grittier, darker sound like we heard in the early days.  It wasn’t a perfect album, but it was an exciting album for its own reasons.  And hell yea, I was excited to hear this new one too.  But the absolute last thing I thought I would hear on “Drift” would be The Men at their most tame.  There are heartbroken Country tracks (something they’ve nailed in the past) and Classic Rock driven highway tunes (something they’ve ALSO nailed in the past).  But The Men just sound like they have no idea what they’re doing.  On “Drift” they never seem to just stick with a sound for more than a few minutes, which could have been exciting.  But it just ends up being really directionless.

8. Legend Of The Seagullmen - Legend of the Seagullmen

Oh boy.  What is it with Mastodon-oriented offshoots that just rub me the wrong way entirely?  With the names associated with this project, this has so much potential.  Danny Carey?  Brent Hinds?  A concept album about some legendary people of the sea and a heavy nautical theme?  This should be fucking gold.  And sure, some of the early moments show the members having some completely ridiculous fun.  It’s over-the-top and practically goofy at points, which is pretty much where I wanted to hear this album.  But the second half of this album completely derails, showing the super-group rush to button up this storyline which wasn’t really supposed to be taken seriously, to begin with.  The result is a bloated, puzzling album that comes off so rushed and rigid at the end of the day.

7. Børns - Blue Madonna

Ok, so this isn’t exactly the most disappointing album of the year, and it’s not even that bad of an album.  But the quality of tracks here compared to the first Børns album is absolutely astonishing.  On his debut “Dopamine”, Børns created a series of catchy Indie Pop anthems that were oozing with personality.  “Blue Madonna” is just painfully average sadly.  The production isn’t nearly as glamorous, and outside of “Faded Heart”, I can’t remember any choruses here that actually stuck with me. And like I said, in the past Børns’s performances had been larger than life and gigantic.  Why do I feel like he’s limiting himself half of the time on this album?  There are certainly highlights, but I was expecting something huge.

6. A Perfect Circle - Eat The Elephant

A Perfect Circle, the legendary Alternative Metal supergroup return after 14 years with an album that could have been a whole lot better.  The first few tracks on this one are actually totally fine, even reassuring that Maynard James Keenan hasn’t lost touch with what made APC so great.  Hell, when Maynard gets his head out of his ass for a few minutes, this comes off as genuinely well thought out material that’s a great Alternative to Metal.  Which yes, is what was originally so great about A Perfect Circle.  But no. So much of this album doesn’t have a tooth in sight, and I’ve heard more personality on Nu-Metal albums.  It’s a one-dimensional, self-centered “Metal” album in 2018, I’m not interested.  And let me just say, the fact that Maynard has been reduced to piano ballads like “So Long, And Thanks For All the Fish” in 2018 is absolutely terrifying.  Not looking forward to that new Tool album.

5. Ghost - Prequelle

So.  What the absolute fuck happened here?  Let me be straight.  I have absolutely not an issue in the world with a band taking a new direction, at least to some extent.  It’s going to happen.  Hell, I don’t even have a problem with a Metal band taking a more metal approach.  Look at Behemoth, “I Loved You At Your Darkest” is their most human album by FAR and it’s amazing. With “Prequelle’ the Swedish modern legends throw Metal almost completely out of the window for a collection of sappy, cinematic ballads.  If we got maybe one or two of these sprinkled throughout, this would be fine.  And it’s not like the band has lost their edge because tracks like “Rats!” are legitimately fantastic.  Not to mention, Ghost has taken their legendary campiness to new levels of ridiculous, which is something I love.  But so many of these tracks barely feature guitars and just made me lose so much respect here.

4. Panopticon - The Scars of Man on the Once Nameless Wilderness


So let’s get this right on the table, this album has lessened on me a little.  Now, this one is a tough one by any means.  On paper, this is Panopticon’s most ambitious and interesting album to date.  But now, this just seems a little extra to me.  With this absolutely gigantic album, we get one disk of Black Metal and one disk of warm Bluegrass and Folk.  And honestly, a good chunk of this album is either exciting or beautiful.  But at the end of the day, it’s just sloppy and way too much.  The cruel reality is, in these two gigantic discs or material there’s only really enough truly great material for one album.  The rest of this album is just a little bland, as some of the later metal tunes get a little too faceless, and by the end of disk 2, I needed a coffee.  This could have been the next great chapter in one of Metal’s finest current acts.  In its place, we got two gigantic disks where we basically have to trim the fat ourselves.

3. Lykke Li - so sad so sexy

Oh boy.  Oh boy oh boy oh BOY.  I don’t know when Lykke became so faceless or obsessed with being this Pop Star that she clearly isn’t comfortable being.  You know, in the past I’ve admired just how fearless Lykke has been and her ability to bring together different genres.  But here, she throws away her sense of adventure and in return, we just get so many whiny lyrics and faceless jams.  This is barely an Indie Pop album.  This sounds like a no-name Pop star trying to become more edge.  And oh my God the more Trap oriented tracks here, I have to stop talking about this.

2. Animal Collective - Tangerine Reef

The year is 2018.  One of this generation’s most influential and genuinely experimental bands have returned!  Hmm?  What’s that you say?  The best songwriter in their troop is M.I.A.?  And what’s that?  It’s a visual album completely based around life in coral reefs?  Oh boy.  Oh, there’s more?  Half of these tracks do nothing without the visual experience?  Half of these tracks don’t have vocals or anything resembling a tune?  It’s almost an hour long?!  Oof.

Justin Timberlake - Man Of The Woods

So let me paint a picture for you all.  Justin Timberlake, one of the most legitimately cool figures in modern Pop.  Creator of brilliant albums like “FutureSex/LoveSounds” and “The 20/20 Experience”.  With just how bare this album was for decent Pop music, I just wanted to hear Justin doing what he does best.  But what we got, was a self-indulgent and bloated Pop album that shows Justin desperately trying to expand his sound.  Now, that’s fine, as a matter of fact, I respect that.  But this isn’t the definition of “Cool”  This isn’t hip, this is tragically uninteresting and what sounds like a collection of leftovers from his last few albums.  I don’t want to get into this, because we’re gonna be touching down on this in my “worst albums of 2018” list.  But this was the biggest back-step of any artist I heard this year by far.

Albums you may or may not have Missed - November 2018

Good afternoon all!  Hope everyone had a nice thanksgiving and all!  So we're starting something new here.   I try, but obviously I can't review every album under the sun.  So going forward, I'm going to do be giving my short thoughts on a few albums I wanted to review but just didn't have time to.  Hope you enjoy!

Ty Segall - “Fudge Sandwich”

Is it worth a listen?  Yes it is!

Thoughts:  I mean, this is just a big ol’ collection of covers, sure.  But it’s a fairly decent and actually really fun set of tunes.  There’s obviously some of these covers that there’s a little something missing.  But Ty just seems to be really having fun, which is something we don’t get to hear too often.


Tenacious D- “Post Apocalypto”

Is it worth a listen?  Not on your life sport.

Thoughts:  Oh boy, I feel like this album has just about every problem the “Pick Of Destiny” soundtrack had.  There are some genuinely funny tracks here, hell I laughed more at this in about 10 minutes than I did throughout all of “Rize of the Phoenix”.  Some of the skits are entertaining, but all of the visual gags behind this just don’t add up.  On the contrary, most of them make absolutely no sense without watching the show or knowing what it’s about. You may get a laugh or two out of it, with Kyle’s early Marlon Brando impression being legitimately hilarious.  But outside of that, I don’t want anything to do with this.


Cult Leader - A Patient Man

Is it worth a listen?  Sure!

Thoughts:  This is a genuinely interesting collection of Metalcore and Grindcore tracks, most of which hit pretty hard.  But I feel like the much more emotional and Sludge Metal performances here hit so much harder, and almost trudge into the Gothic Metal territory.  Now because of that, I feel like sometimes they end up overshadowing some of the more gritty and intense tunes here, but still, these guys have a cool sound.


Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers - Bought To Rot


Is it worth a listen?  Ugh, not really.

Thoughts:  I thought I was going to be into this, especially hearing some of the early singles.  And don’t get me wrong, I love Laura, and she sounds passionate as hell.  But while some of thee singles are aggressive and wild and easily some of the more Punk tracks are very exciting. But lyrically some of the later tracks here are just so whiny and not interesting at all.  I really wanted to like this one too.


Little Dragon - Lover Chanting EP

Is it worth a listen?  Buddy there’s better things to do with 18 minutes in a day

Thoughts:  Hey, I mean the “Love Chanting” single is actually pretty damn groovy.  If you’re into a more Dance oriented Indie-Pop sound you may be into this.  But this EP is just such a half assed project overall.  I honestly would have just hung on to this single and held it off for a while.


Cupcakke - Eden

Is it worth a listen?  Yes it is!

Thoughts:  I honestly wasn’t exactly expecting to hear from Cakke this soon.  She came out earlier this year with her most personal and mature album yet, and “Eden” does follow suit in a more ways then one.  Lyrically this is a fine album, and Cakke sounds as aggressive and intense as ever.  The only real issue I have is the issue I have with a lot of her early work, which is just how bland some of these beats are.  Still though, this isn’t a bad project!

Oneohtrix Point Never - Love In The Time of Lexapro

Oneohtrix Point Never!  Musical Pseudonym of Electronic artist Daniel Lopatin.  He's one of Electronic's true eccentrics and brave minds, and he's been a busy boy this year.  Already dropping one of my favorite album's of the year and two EP's, he's back for another EP.

This EP starts off with “Love In The Time Of Lexapro”, and I actually love just how shimmering and vast this intro comes off.  For years, Dan has become an absolute pro at quickly making these incredible atmospheres.  And while at first, I wasn’t really into some of these abrupt shift.  Like there are legitimate few seconds of silence here that there is nothing going on.  But it does add some tension, no matter how awkward it is.  But outside of that, there’s actually a lot of really beautiful stuff going on.  I love the heavy use of more melodic synths which we got a glimpse of on is “Good Time” soundtrack.  It’s mysterious and beautiful, and absolutely immense all at once.  And while yea, fans of Dan’s more explosive and left-field work won’t be into this, this is a great standalone tune.  Then we get a “Last Known Image Of A Song” re-imagining by Ryuichi Sakamoto.  Now, this one is so much more abstract.  Ryuichi here actually is making an already incredibly tense, disturbing tune even moreso.  It’s a simple rework, with very twisted effects and even more room for a very hulking atmosphere.  But it really gives you the impression that anything can happen at any moment.  But sadly, halfway through in a weird way this one just sort of reverts.  I get that this is a reworking.  But the second half of this song just sounds exactly like the original piece.  And that’s fine and all, it was a captivating track, to begin with.  But I did expect a little more here.  Then we have “Thank God I’m A Country Girl” which is a little interesting.  This one is easily one of the more urgent tracks I’ve heard from OPN in a long time.  We have very upfront keys, but that’s literally it.  There’s no mystery, no intrigue, and no atmosphere.  That, alongside its painful short runtime, makes this a big no in my book.  This EP ends off on an interesting note with “Babylon”, this time around featuring (Sandy) Alex G on vocals.  Now, this is a real shot out of left field.  This one has Dan recreate his “Babylon” opening from “Age Of”, and it’s a very pleasant, stripped down alternate take.  Obviously, Alex is a much better singer than Dan, so he does do this track justice.  And no, I wouldn't say there are any real Electronic elements here of any sort, not even close.  But at least with this track, I think it’s an interesting alternative to some of the material on “Age Of”, which is basically how I feel about this entire EP. 

Rating: 7.1/10

Genre: Electronic / Experimental 

Overall Thoughts: My feelings on this EP are basically the same feelings I’ve had on every other Oneohtrix Point Never EP this year.  It’s fine, it’s just fine.  But I wouldn’t say there isn’t a single track here that absolutely DEMANDS a listen.  I feel like between the three EP’s Dan has given us this year there’s a perfectly fine “Age Of” B-Sides tape.  It’s fine for OPN freaks and guys that want to just hear more and more of what he’s doing these days.  But none of this is “must listen”. 

The Good The Bad and the Queen - "Merrie Land"

The Good, The Bad and The Queen are the legendary supergroup made up of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong, and Tony Allen.  They originally made their debut way back in 2007 with their self-titled debut and made a ton of waves with it. It made all sorts of year-end lists, and between its Socio-Political commentary and Art Rock vibes made for an intriguing listen.  But for me, it's not really anything I've loved too much of over the years.  I'm a huge fan of all of these guys, and tracks like "Kingdom of Doom" are good.  But with all of these geniuses together, I feel like I just expected more.  So honestly, I don't think I really ever expected this coalition to ever reform.  But here we are, 11 years later with new material.  And these singles, they're not terrible.  Let's chat my friends!

So we get a short intro in “Intro” featuring some quotes from “The Canterbury Tales”.  But guys.  It’s been 11 years.  This is all you have for an intro?  I don’t buy it.  This album starts off properly with “Merrie Land”, and it’s actually a really pleasant intro.  I really honestly wish they just sort of cut out that little intro and added it somehow to this.  Damon sounds just fine if you’re familiar with his current sound than you’ll know very well what to expect.  And honestly, I’m actually really loving just how graceful and elegant these instrumentals are.  Like I said earlier, I was never really too wild about their legendary debut.  But at the very least this is dramatic and interesting.  Not to mention, Damon’s socially aware lyrics this time around seem to be a bit easier to swallow.  I’m just fine with this!  But with “Gun to the Head” things start to get a little hairy for me.  They just built up this very elegant and sweet sound.  But here, this is just sort of corny and goofy, at least elements of it is.  Like, when things sort of straighten up things get alright.  I actually do really love the group-sung chorus and the sort of ragtime feel to all of this.  But like, why do I feel like this is some bizarre, long-lost soundtrack to a disturbing Disney movie.  It’s seriously not terrible, and I can’t listen to this without singing along to some extent.  But I just wish this wasn’t so corny at times.  On the other hand “Nineteen Seventeen” is much less goofy and even a little dark.  Like, there is some seriously weird stuff going on at the intro of this one.  But I love the groovy drums and the synths that are just so hard to place.  And Damon’s performance here is one of his more lively of the bunch.  And yes, that actually does a lot, it gives this one so much life and pizazz.  Hell, “Nineteen Seventeen” is even fun at points.  Sure, Damon’s lyrics are still very conscious and not diving into any “fun” topics.  But between all of that and the backing vocals that seem to be haunting everything and the cinematic vibes, I actually really love this.  Not to mention those strings are a really nice touch. 

Ugh, but here’s my problem.  I think that Damon and company on tracks like “The Great Fire” are still very away and writing very important material.  But this track is such a bore.  The very dreary, drawn-out intro takes forever.  And even when it picks up a little into this sort of upbeat, whimsical tune there really isn’t anything about this that I can grab on to.  It’s like, a nightmare cocktail party which on paper sounds so much more interesting than it actually is.  Now, “Lady Boston” takes a much more direct approach.  It’s sweet on the ears, it’s actually pretty graceful, and Damon sounds legitimately passionate here.  The pianos here are just so charming, and the shimmering atmosphere is really a nice touch.  I would also say that lyrically this one is actually much easier to swallow as well, and I’m loving just how broad these choir vocals around Damon are.  And sure, I think that flute is a little absurd and not necessary.  But call me nuts, but this practically sounds like a really conscious and well written Blur track.  I’m all for this.  On the other hand, “Drifters & Trawlers” actually picks up a little into some low-key funk with some World Music influences.  Honestly, where has this sound been?  And as far as a truly catchy tune that sticks with you goes, this may be one of the most undeniable tracks of the bunch.  But I continue to really be on the fence with some of these flutes which make things loads more intolerable.  But Damon’s legitimately lively performance here and the instrumental shift make this very enjoyable.  But so many of these tracks on this album end up blending together.  With “The Truce of Twilight” we get yet another very downtrodden, woozy track fueled by a ragtime feel and a conscious attitude.  And once again, I really REALLY love the chorus, hell I found myself singing it all day.  But outside of that, this isn’t an interesting tune and it absolutely doesn’t stand out.  And all of these goofy instrumentals back to back are making me want to bang my head into the wall a couple of hundred times. 

But hey look!  With “Ribbons” we get some actual guitars and a sort of rustic, stripped back tune.  And well, it’s actually a genuinely cool and interesting sound.  Here, the band ends up coming off so much easier to take seriously, there’s no goofball ragtime in sight.  Damon’s performance is heartfelt, the atmosphere is somber, and the instrumental is just such a great sound for them.  If we got more tracks like this I would see the hype much more.  But what the actual fuck is going on with “The Last Man To Leave”?  Here we have Damon trying his best to make this one SUPER SPOOPY and combining that with some semi-political tones.  And holy hell is this one terrible.  No, really REALLY terrible.  And the goofy horns that pop in and over-the-top synths, I can’t deal with this.  If Damon wants this project to be taken seriously this is not doing it for me.  And is “The Poison Tree” really that much better?  This album has a fine base sound to it.  But why the hell does so many tracks blend here and float into one another end up coming off so boring.  Like, I don’t mind Damon’s falsetto’s here and the breezy atmospheres.  But everything else here is a joke.  Maybe it’s not necessarily bad, but I couldn’t tell the difference between this and some of the earlier tracks here. 

Rating:   7.0/10

Give A Listen To: “Merrie Land”, “Nineteen Seventeen”, “Lady Boston”, “Ribbons”

Least Favorite Track: “The Last Man to Leave”

Genre: Art Rock / Folk Rock 

Overall Thoughts:  Ok so this new album from The Good The Bad and the Queen is literally 11 years in the making.  And while yes, this album in parts actually captivates me more than their original work, is this worth the hype?  So many of these tracks just wash together, with the same oddball instrumentals which more than often get a little goofy.  It’s alright, but that’s literally it.  Its when the supergroup branch out into areas of Folk Rock and other genres that things get really interesting.  But those moments aren’t enough to carry this. 

Anderson .Paak - “Oxnard”

Anderson .Paak is a California based Singer, who I have to admit I was a little late to the party with. But Paak got on the map with 2014's "Venice", a lively and beautiful album that fused energetic Hip Hop, silky Soul, hazy R&B and greasy Funk. And honestly, it's vibrant and freakin' groovy as hell man.  Paak oozed charisma here, between his more Rap and Sung hooks, he really didn't seem to have any weaknesses.  This was a brilliant start.  And with 2-16's "Malibu", Paak just kept growing in all the best ways.  He continued to head down a very conscious path with very introspective lyrics. But his vibrant array of sounds continued to be the real star here.  Not only did he continue to blend Funk, Soul, Hip Hop and more, but it was all done so seamlessly, it all seemed to flow as one.  There was no clash of styles or gruesome moments, this was all just so beautiful and sweet. It was beautiful, it was soulful, but it also has absolutely tons of swagger and charisma.  Even 2016's "Ye Lawd!" collaboration with Knxwledge as NxWorries was pretty damn amazing.  Here, Knxwledge's very breezy, jazzy beats and vibey atmosphere clicked so well with Paak's soulful, conscious bars.  From the incredibly steamy "Lyk Dis" to the eternally funky "Scared Money", this collaboration rules.  So Mr. .Paak has been busy clearly.  But he's back with one of this year's most anticipated albums.  And honestly?  Just about every single is freakin' awesome here.  Let's chat about it!

This album starts off with “The Chase”, and this is actually a really freakin’ cool intro.  Between Kadjha Bonet’s very haunting harmonies that are layered for this really fantastic effect, and this very mysterious instrumental, I’m all sorts of hyped.  And what follows is some genuinely refreshing and well planned out Soul.  This has a real retro vibe to it, with a lot of this reminding me of like, the “Superfly” soundtrack, as cheesy as that sounds.  But Anderson’s very charismatic performance really wipes out anything cheesy about this.  And in its place we get this very epic, gigantic intro with plenty of old and plenty of new coming together.  It’s classy, funky, and absolutely brilliant.  Then we have “Headlow” featuring Norelle.  Like a lot of Anderson’s projects, the production here continues to be absolutely immaculate and genuinely creative.  This one is much more on the modern side compared to the intro, with .Paak giving us a very sleazy yet likable verse.  Anderson really remains so charismatic though, even when he’s at his heavier and more Rap-oriented.  Mostly because he just oozes likability, and his voice is just so unique.  It’s hazy, its eclectic, and it’s incredibly classy.  While I personally enjoy .Paak at his more soulful, this is still wonderful.  On the other hand, the upbeat and groovy Electro-Funk of “Tints” is exactly what I needed to hear right about now.  This one is just so much fun, and I absolutely love hearing .Paak in these atmospheres.  Like, this is the sound that I want to hear him run down more.  It’s sort of old school, but it’s still got tons of very new sights and sounds that actually make it more legit.  Not to mention, special Kendrick Lamar and Anderson have TONS of chemistry together, and this chorus pops so damn hard.  Give me this, more of this, ALL of this, please.  Now, “Who R U?” is the tamest and low-key track yet, and more importantly the most Rap oriented track we’ve heard yet.  And for some, that’s going to be just fine.  I do like the hectic feel and .Paak’s much more intense performance here.  That enough is really interesting.  But outside of that, this one still really doesn’t hit me too hard.  The beat is just sort of average as well as the production.  It’s not like .Paak can’t rap, it’s clear here that he can hold his own.  But this is just not captivating to me.   Then we have “6 Summers”, and I have to say the sort of in-the-moment feel to this one as well as .Paak’s instantly captivating performance has this album back in my good graces.  There are some political undertones here, there was plenty on the last track as well.  But outside of that, I think what makes this one work so well is just how timeless it comes off.  Like, outside of that Trump line I feel like there are issues here that we’ve been dealing with for a long time, and sadly will probably still be for some time.  But .Paak as always seems to be the slightest bit hopeful or at the very least offers up some alternatives.  And it honestly ends up working really nice for him.

Oh man, but some of these throwback Soul instrumentals on tracks like “Saviers Road” give me the chills.  Like, in a time where so many of these interludes are throwaway, this at the very least seems planned out and offers something to the album.  It’s gloomy and downtrodden, and while it’s short I actually feel like this is one of my favorite of .Paak’s performances of the album.  It’s heavy hitting, but it’s equally emotional and seriously sticks with you.  It’s by far the shortest track of the bunch, but it’s brilliant and reminds me of what I loved about the “Yes Lawd!” project.  “Smile / Petty” on the other hand, strips things down even further into this very steamy sort of slow jam.  And honestly, it’s effective and once again doesn’t come off cheesy.  Because let’s be real, this album could have been cheesy.  But this continues to be a seriously tasteful blend of classic Funk, Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop.  This one is once again, very personal and emotional.  I love the sort of “He Said/She Said”, style here, and how Anderson goes deep into cheating and adultery.  But outside of that, this one has this incredibly forward-thinking instrumental and is just such a breath of fresh air.  And Anderson’s performance on the second half is absolutely flooring.  Then we have “Mansa Musa”, which as far as his more-Rap oriented tracks here may just be the best of the bunch.  It’s filled with animated verses from Anderson himself, Coca Sarai, and the legendary Dr. Dre.  And it’s actually a really fantastic banger that gets pretty exciting.  And after that last track which was this super emotional tune, it’s refreshing to hear .Paak really freak out and have some fun.  On the other hand “Brother’s Keeper” steps back in time once again for this retro Soul and Funk instrumental.  It’s packed with chilling harmonies floating through the background as well as soulful guitars.  And on top of that, we have this fantastic beat that brings things to this century just enough.  And not too shocking, but Pusha T really just seems to right at home within this atmosphere.  This one ends up being wildly epic, hard-hitting, and just so damn refreshing in modern Neo-Soul and Hip-Hop.  Then we have “Anywhere” which is old school in an entirely different way.  This one absolutely has a throwback early 90’s Rap sound to it. And honestly, it’s not terrible.  It’s certainly not awful, and Snoop Dogg’s verse oddly enough is pretty on point.  But outside of that, once again I feel like this just doesn’t add up to the other tunes here.  The instrumental isn’t nearly as flashy and the production really isn’t that interesting.  This just sort of blows by me, which is depressing after all of the other truly fantastic moments here.

Oh gosh, but out of nowhere, we have “Trippy”, featuring J.Cole.  Yes ladies and gentlemen, J.Cole, who if you’re new here you’ll need to know I don’t understand.  I’ve never gotten his popularity, and let me tell you this guy is far from “Woke”.  But “Trippy” is rather breezy and sweet, even if it takes forever to get rolling.  But I do like the very woozy and hazy style of this one, and .Paak’s very groovy performance here is actually really likable.  This is easily one of the steamier moments here.  And like I said, I’m not a fan of J. Cole at all, and yes some of his bars are cringe-worthy.  But here, he doesn’t sound nearly as intolerable, which is big for me to say.  This isn’t the most jaw-dropping tune, but .Paak is still so ahead of the curve.  On the other hand, “Cheers” ups the funk in all sorts of levels.  .Paak sounds like an absolute Funk machine here, calling back to all the different sounds that he’s touched in the last few years.  I love the groovy horns and the slick bass, even the distant keyboards.  “Oxnard” is just such a colorful album from start to finish, and .Paak continues to have such intriguing ideas.  And Q-Tip absolutely sounds right at home in between this very tasteful beat.  It’s hazy and interesting, colorful, genre-bending, and an absolute breath of fresh air. And “Sweet Chick” is just as soulful and eclectic.  I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard so much personality I heard coming out of an artist like .Paak, but I love it.  I love the freaky feel to this one and .Paak’s once again very sleazy yet amazing performance.  The backing vocals are a really fantastic addition, and BJ The Chicago Kid’s guest spot is actually flooring.  Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat this.  I’m not into “Left to Right”.  I wasn’t when I first heard it, and I’m even less into it now.  Sure, it bangs and it has a hell of a beat and some colorful production.  But why do I feel like this is just so safe, and nothing about this track actually gives me the feeling that this is an Anderson .Paak track.  It’s just not what I expected to hear, and it’s seriously underwritten.  Thankfully this album is still a triumph, but this is still disappointing. 

Rating: 8.5/10

Give A Listen To: "The Chase”, “Tints”, “Brother’s Keeper”, “Smile / Petty”

Least Favorite Track: “Anywhere”

Genre: Neo Soul / Hip Hop 

Overall Thoughts: Anderson .Paak returns after already achieving superstar status with a series of his most fluid and enjoyable tracks yet.  For years, .Paak has seamlessly fused Hip Hop, Funk, Neo-Soul and more.  But with tasteful throwbacks, an interest in Electro-Funk and Pop Rap, a star-studded guest list and more, .Paak sounds more charismatic and charming than ever.  There are tasteful Jazz Rap tunes, throwback sleazy funk, modern bangers, and all sorts of other colorful gems.  It’s an album that demands a few listens, but man is it ever a blast. 

Mumford & Sons - Delta

Mumford & Sons are an English Folk Rock band who have been at it now for over a decade.  And by this point, you know who these guys are. They released their debut in 2009 with "Sigh No More" and immediately started turning some heads with an old-school approach to the genre, a rustic sound, some heartfelt lyrics and more importantly some passionate performances by Marcus Mumford.  And while at the time I wasn't phased by this album outside of a few tracks, I've grown to enjoy it much more over the years.  I mean, the only real complaint I had with this album was that I sort of wish they pushed further in an Alternative Rock direction.  Like they did with 2012's "Babel".  Here, Mumford & Sons took the same heartfelt performances and rustic sound but upped their production-game.  Not to mention they were writing genuinely catchy tracks.  I wouldn't say they were reinventing any wheels, but they just sounded great.  But with 2015's "Wilder Mind" Mumford & Sons went for much more of an Alternative Rock sound which polarized so many people, including myself.  When this album is on, it's on in a big way.  Honestly, I would say that some of my favorite Mumford & Sons tracks are on this album, like "Ditmas" and "Tompkins Square Park".  But when this album get's cheesy, it's pretty bad.  Tracks like "Believe" have never done too much for me, and some of the softer ballads are a little awkward.  But I wouldn't say this is as unlistenable as people claim.  So Mumford and Sons are back, and these singles have been a little wonky.  I mean, I really loved one of them, but the other is iffy.  Anyways, let's chat!

This album has a super solid, rustic start with “42”.  There are some harmonies that are actually really stunning, and even Marcus’s use of vocal effects here are so tasteful.  It’s a smooth track, one that is definitely still in the sort of mindset of the “Wilder Mind” era.  There are some groovy guitars and epic keyboards, not to mention as always, Marcus comes off incredibly passionate.  All around, I really dig this as an intro.  It’s a very different beat and much more of a cinematic sound for Mumford and Sons.  But they pull it off wonderfully with some gigantic instrumentals.  And things end up getting seriously epic in the last 40 seconds or so.  Now, “"Guiding Light”” drops a lot of the big, epic instrumentals and experimentation.  No, this one is Mumford and Sons by the books.  It’s smooth and reminds me once again a little bit of the material from their last album.  It’s heartfelt, sweet, passionate, and all sort of things.  But while I’m still very much into this, I can also see a ton of Mumford purists being into it.  And hey, this one still solves a problem that a lot of people had with Mumford and Sons over the years, and that's their lack of adventure.  But hey, I’m digging this.  This album continues to rub me the right way with “Woman”.  Honestly, I can’t help but actually get all warm and fuzzy listening to this one.  I love the plucked guitars in the background and the woozy electronics.  And Marcus’s performance here is absolutely stunning, in a different sort of way for him though.  Like, here, he has this absolute sense of “cool” to him, and I can’t help but get all swept up in this very breezy chorus.  It’s a little bluesy, but most importantly it’s very tender and heartfelt.  This is a GREAT sound for them.  On the other hand, “Beloved” is the most Folk-based track of the bunch yet.  And honestly, I haven’t heard Marcus this up front either for this entire album.  And yea, this one is a little bit more for the classic fans.  But it still has this incredibly warm, sweet atmosphere that I can’t say no too.  But I do sort of feel like this one is a slight hiccup.  I love Marcus’s lyrics and intense performance, that’s all fine and dandy.  But it’s not until like 2 and a half minutes in that things get really adventurous.  But still, this isn’t a bad track at all.  And I actually really love some of the World music influences and group vocals towards the end.  But it’s tracks like "The Wild” that right off the bat that give me the chills.  I love how legitimately tense and how much patience this one has.  Marcus’s performance here is pretty chilling as well, and I love how spacious this all continues to come off.  Once again, this is a little on the quiet side, so it’s something you’re going to need to sit with a little bit.  But this one is just graceful and beautiful.  And while it’s the farthest thing from instrumentally dense, it’s just as impactful.  And it transitions really nicely into this incredibly epic finale, with everything from woozy synths and gigantic drums and tons more.  I LOVE this track. 

Now, “October Skies” takes things in a little bit of a more retro direction.  There’s much less of an adventurous vibe to it, and the great atmosphere that Mumford & Sons have built up over the last few tracks seems to be forgotten.  However, if I may, I so absolutely adore Marcus’s incredibly passionate performance, especially on the chorus here.  But outside of that, I just feel like this passes off as one of the more lukewarm tracks from “Wilder Mind”.  But hot damn is that chorus great and continues to show the sort of World-influences that Mumford & Sons are working with.  And at the very least, “Slip Away” is a slightly enjoyable left turn as the band are starting to work with some slightly more upbeat material.  And it’s not terrible really.  Instrumentally, it’s sort of what I’ve come to expect from these gents, but with a little bit more of a vast feel to it.  There are also some really beautiful backing instrumentals, even what seems to be a harp.  But of all of the choruses here, this one just sort of blows right by me without having much of an impact.  And I’m sadly not that "Rose of Sharon” either.  This so far has been an album of Marcus and company really trying some new things and branching out.  But this one just completely shits all over the rustic sound they once mastered.  The result is an Alternative Rock track that sort of just sounds like they’re trying way too hard to be hip.  And that’s just not what I showed up for.  And it’s a shame because the chorus here is easily one of the most memorable here.  Then we have "Picture You” which once again does seem like it’s trying to be very modern with some Electronic beats, some of them are really good too.  But we’re getting really close here to a borderline Pop tune.  Like, the only thing about this track that I’m remotely grasping is Marcus’s performance.  THAT’s just fine.  It’s everything else about this one that’s just so average.  Thankfully, Mumford & Sons really turn it around for the remainder of this album. "Darkness Visible” isn’t exactly the most exciting thing in the world.  But here at the very least, the band is trying something different.  I love the vibrant atmosphere and the speech that actually comes off pretty epic.  You have to give these guys some credit, they really are branching out into some different stuff.  And I just love how big and hulking this gets towards the end. 

But going into this album, spoiler alert, I felt like “If I Say” was quite possibly the worst track I’ve heard from these boys in years.  Sorry, but this is literally everything that I wasn’t into about “Wilder Mind”.  Like, there are some passionate vocals that I have to give props to.  But everything else about this track is cheesy and all sorts of goofy.  And I don’t completely hate Marcus’s heavy use of vocal effects, but here he just comes off as awkward.  But Mumford and Sons brunch back with "Wild Heart”, a much more rustic and beautiful track.  This is the first track in a few that’s been really stripped back and honestly is gorgeous.  This is just so painfully real with Marcus talking directly to us, and it’s easily the most personal track here.  It even has a broken down, bluesy vibe to it.  Honestly, I can’t say enough good things about this one.  Even some of the backing instrumentals are just so tragic and emotional, I love this one so much.  And “Forever” is the sort of tender ballad that I’m surprised to say comes off really well also.  While yes, this one does sound like one of the lesser tunes on their first few albums,  I can’t deny just how passionate and immense Marcus sounds here.  Lyrically, this is actually one of my favorites of the bunch.  It’s seriously gorgeous, and I really do love some of the backing vocals that pop in.  Sure, I may have been harsh on some of the other ballads here.  But this is legitimately stunning, and that last high note is nothing short of impressive.  This album ends off with “Delta, and once again sounds very spacious.  But I fear that it’s maybe a little bit too spacious.  I do like Marcus’s very bluesy vocals and his bruised performance.  But instrumentally, this one is a little bit of a snoozer.  Thankfully, Mumford and Sons really do end up knocking this out of the park with very passionate performances.  Sure, I wish this ending track was a little more adventurous but this could have been so much worse. 

Rating: 7.7/10

Give A Listen To: “42”, “Woman”, "The Wild”, "Wild Heart”

Least Favorite Track: "Picture You”

Genre: Folk / Indie Folk

Overall Thoughts:  Mumford & Sons on “Delta” tear off their rustic roots for their most adventurous and genre-defying album to date.   It’s an adventurous album, filled with woozy synths and huge atmospheres, most of which are actually pretty intriguing.  However, there are a few moments where I feel like Mumford & Sons may have bitten off a little more than they can chew, and end up coming off a little too close to a Pop band.  However, if you’ve had a problem with just how straightforward the sound of Mumford & Sons can be at times, give this a shot. 

Azusa - Heavy Yoke

Asuza is a Metal supergroup that has recently formed, and right off the bat actually caught my attention quickly.  We have members here of bands like Dillinger Escape Plan, Sea + Air and Extol.  Those are big names.  And from hearing these singles that started the album off, I was impressed at their moody, yet heavy sound that blended all sorts of interesting sounds.  Let's chat about this debut folks.

This album explodes with “Interstellar Islands”, not wasting any time.  Instantly, we get some vicious Metalcore breakdowns, some rigid MathCore, and some really explosive vocals from Eleni Zafiriadou.  Like, she is absolutely monstrous in her performance.  But this one also has some really well done, hazy sequences that walk the edge of beautiful.  It just gives this one a little something different, but don’t let that fool you, this one is blistering.  But for my liking, I actually sort of wish we saw them experiment even further with these sort of dreamy sounds.  This is decent, but it’s clearly pulling from everything these artists have already done.   Now, “Heart of Stone” is much more streamlined.  This one is a little more in the Alt-Metal direction and I actually love the sound of this track.  Eleni’s screams are just as guttural, but I love how she kinda sorta sounds human deep down, giving her this incredibly tortured sound.  Not only that, but I love the catchy hook that they drop in on this one, making it just memorable enough.  But they do all of this without giving up an inch of just how technically abrasive this one is.  Like, this is HEAVY.  But, I’m loving every minute of this one, and the quiet moments here make for some seriously great moments of tension.  The technical onslaught continues in a big way here on “Heavy Yoke” with rumbling drums, and Eleni’s performance is absolutely curdling.  Like, it is absolutely brilliant.  And here, they make this really cool move of going for a big, dreamy, dreary chorus.  It’s beautiful and all, but then these verses come along and they’ll have you running for your life.  I like this one a LOT, even though I do sort of feel like they need to really narrow down their sound an iron out some kinks.  But so much of this is impressive.  Now, ““Fine Lines”” actually goes for something entirely different.  This is a much slower, atmospheric, chugging tune with tons of personality.  And it’s absolutely freakin’ brilliant to be honest, even if it’s less than 2-minutes.  Azusa here really define their sound and find a great balance between all of these sounds coming together.  Eleni’s singing is beautiful, and even amongst all of these beautiful elements this one still has plenty of teeth. 

On the other hand, “Lost In The Ether” blasts in with plenty of chugging Metalcore drums and zooming guitars.  But this one is my least favorite track of the bunch.  This is decent and all, but outside of the more sung chorus there really isn’t anything about this one that stands out to me as something truly different in these genres.  And some of these Mathcore inspired moments here to seem to be a little more unsure of themselves than these guys were hoping for.  And it’s a shame because there are really cool elements, like that sung chorus and these very tense drums.  And with tracks like “Spellbinder”, I can’t really say much more.  This is easily the tightest and most rigid tune of the bunch yet.  But this absolutely has no personality.  As a matter of fact, it has like -2 personality.   And sure, this one rips, but with these guys, I really feel like they can do so much more.  The fact that I have nothing to say about this one good OR bad is a problem.  But “Programmed to Distress” has such a legitimately eerie, twisted intro that I can’t help but dive right in.  I know that it’s predominately been a lot of the slower tunes here that I’ve enjoyed.  But I do really love some of the incredibly haunting vocals here, and just how loving this one is.  Like, here, some of these Mathcore moments actually come off like they have some meat to them.  And Eleni’s vocal here may just be her most harmonious of the bunch.  All of this, while still remaining genuinely heavy.  On the other hand, “Eternal Echo” is one of the more calculating songs here.  I love how much this one really just attacks from all sides.  The guitars are rigid, the drums are booming, and these vocals are just so tortured, as Eleni sounds like she’s about to rip her damn throat out.  I actually wish they ended up taking this one up a notch and went to the next step.  But still, this is a really great sound for them. 

Now, “Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis” takes everything I enjoyed about the last track but adds in some keyboards in the background to take things to that level that I really wanted them to go.  Sonically this is so vast and chilling, and Eleni here is absolutely captivating.  This one is heavy as hell, but there isn’t a single second here where Azusa isn’t completely challenging themselves.  The winding guitar solos are jaw-dropping, the drums are bonkers, and there isn’t anything here that isn’t completely melting my mind.  And that’s what I personally want to hear.   On the other hand, “Succumb to Sorrow” is absolutely soul sucking.  Here, Eleni sounds like she’ll rip YOUR throat out for a change.  It’s not the most explosive tune here.  But the calculating guitars and the pummeling drums here are a really great touch.  Once again though, I do wish this was a little longer.  But hey, some of these effect-drenched vocals at the end are BRILLIANT.  This album ends off with “Distant Call”, and of all of the slow-burning, chugging tunes here, this is not the band’s finest moment.  Like, I think the very breezy chorus is fine, and that distant violin (or at least I think it’s a violin) is a nice touch.  But the piles of Mathcore riffs piling up here just sound lost and even worse, awkward.  This is an alright introduction to this project, but they can narrow down their sound so much more. 

Rating: 7.4/10

Give A Listen To: “Heart of Stone”, “Fine Lines”, “Programmed to Distress”, “Iniquitous Spiritual Praxis”

Least Favorite Track: “Spellbinder”

Genre: Metalcore / Mathcore / Experimental Metal 

Overall Thoughts:  With how fantastic of a year this has been for Metal, I honestly did expect a little more out of this album.  Asuza has a really great sound, blending elements of all of the bands these members came from.  And honestly, it’s really interesting, especially when they slow things down.  They blend genres like Metalcore and MathCore with gloomy Doom Metal.  There are the occasionally dreary breakdowns and even catchy choruses.  But I feel like they don’t take that far enough.  When they’re just blaring through Metalcore jams, they tend to come off a little faceless sometimes.  Still though, this isn’t terrible. 

The Smashing Pumpkins - "Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun"

The Smashing Pumpkins are the legendary Alternative Rock/Grunge band fronted by the great Billy Corgan.  And if you know me, you'll know that the Pumpkins mean a LOT to me.  In 1991 they made their debut with their cult classic "Gish" album.  This was a very moody, Psychedelic at times Alternative Rock album that showed just how talented The Smashing Pumpkins were.  The gloomy lyrics, the lovesick bars, Billy Corgan's hypnotic performances, its all on display.  Between big hits like "Rhinoceros" and "I Am One", as well as true deep cuts like "Suffer" and "Crush", this is a fantastic intro.  But with 1994's legendary "Siamese Dream", Smashing Pumpkins became legend.  This album is one of the most important, wonderfully written, impressive Alternative Rock albums of the 90's.  Billy's lyrics throughout are timeless, and the band's playing from start to finish is incredible.  And like, how many #1 singles were even on this album?  "Cherub Rock"?  "Disarm"?  "Today"?  It's ridiculous and just as timeless as ever.  1995, however, showed a huge switch up for the Pumpkins, as their next venture was a colossal double album.  Billy's once thoughtful lyrics about youth and all of its different layers were almost completely replaced with a series of colorful, epic lyrics in a gigantic narrative.  And honestly, it's still a mixed bag after all these years. The singles here are certainly timeless, with tracks like "1979" and "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" being some of the band's most successful singles of all time.  Not to mention, some of the deep cuts here, from the stunning "Sumbleine" to the gritty "Jellybelly" this album has endless gems.  But at the same time, there is just so much material here, including countless tracks that are well over 7-minutes.  To quote my high school English teacher, "there's enough good material here for one album, not two".  For me, I actually am so much more into 1998's "Adore".  This album is a misunderstood one, with Billy coming off much more emotional and hurt throughout.  There are also some obvious Gothic Rock and Electronic elements throughout, and it's an absolute departure from the sound of Smashing Pumpkins.  But between singles like "Ava Adore" and "Perfect", and brilliant deep cuts like "Appels + Oranjes" and "Tear" are some of the best in the Pumpkins discography.  But this was the real finale of a seriously great string of albums.  Oh boy.  But with 2000's "Machina / The Machines Of God" things get really REALLY bad.  I mean, I actually love tracks like "The Everlasting Gaze"  and "Stand Inside Your Love".  But halfway through the album, the production gets unbearable and Billy's lyrics are absolutely hilariously bad.  And "Machina II" is actually, not really that bad of an album, it actually gets a really bad reputation.  But then, things get really sloppy for The Pumpkins.  We all know what happened next.  The Pumpkins split up very messily.  Billy goes off and does all sorts of weird solo work and average at best side projects, and there's the whole 2007 "reunion" that I still haven't gotten over.  But that's not all 2007 had to offer up for the disappointing side of the Smashing Pumpkins.  No, around this time we got "Zeigeist", the first Pumpkins album in years.  And boys and girls, it's bad.  Not just bad, but probably one of the worst albums I've ever heard.  The mix on this album is laughably bad, and if you thought Billy's lyrics had been getting bad, just wait til you hear him going off on politics and religion for nearly an hour.  It's just not a good album, even if after all these years I still like "Tarantula" and "USA".  Billy took some time off and returned in 2012 with "Oceania", a MUCH better album.  This may not be perfect, but it shows Billy going for a newer, more electronic sound.  The tracks are breezy and emotional, and this entire album just seems so much less full of itself.  It's not perfect, but there's plenty to dig here.  Even 2014's "Monuments To An Elegy" is an intriguing listen.  Sure, this is far from the guitar-driven teen anthems that got them famous.  But Billy seemed to regain some tasteful mysticism here, and the electronic elements in tracks like "Monuments" and "Dorian" made for some actually great tracks.  Well, this is certainly a shocker folks.  Billy, Jimmy Chamberlain, and James Iha are back for the first time in like, 18 years together for what may be the closest thing we get to a "real" Smashing Pumpkins album these days.  And what do you know, the singles leading up this have been really likable. Let's chat!

( A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “Knights of Malta”, and this is an oddly graceful and genuinely cinematic intro.  Now, honestly, this is a far cry from the anthemic guitar jams of the 90’s.  But this is a very heartfelt, epic ballad that actually comes off really nicely.  The strings are a nice touch, the backing Gospel vocals are shockingly really tasteful, and Billy’s guitar solos are soulful.  Now like I said, this isn’t The Smashing Pumpkinsyou’ve been waiting to hear from for 18 years.  This is a little more mature and all, and actually has Billy sound a little less out of his mind.  I actually think this is a really epic and cinematic intro.  On the other hand, “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)” is much more upbeat, and honestly comes off a little more along the lines of what I expected to hear.  It’s smooth, guitar driven, and has even a little bit of a throwback flair.  It’s moments like this where I wouldn’t be completely shocked to hear if some of these tracks were written around the “Adore” era.  It’s got a nice bass groove, and once again Billy at the very least sounds coherent.  It’s catchy, straightforward, I’m good with this.  Now, “Travels” turns things down a little bit with a much more pensive performance.  And now, this isn’t really a misstep, but it’s times like this where I feel like Billy’s songwriting is catching up to him.  This isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s not nearly as decent as some of his early tunes.  Thankfully, some solid production and some really decent backing instrumentals at the very least make this one listenable.  But this doesn’t have that same sort of refreshed feeling.  Now, “Solara” has lessened on me a little bit.  Like, the first time I heard this I was ready to pump some serious iron, hit the treadmill and ready to GO.  And I actually do seriously love the grittiness of this and just how heavy the guitars are.  But I do have to say, these are some of Billy’s cheesiest lyrics of the bunch.  But just how groovy and heavy this track is at times, does help this out a lot.  Plus, it’s just so great to hear Billy and company freak out.

Then we get “Alienation”, and yet another (yes, ANOTHER) slow tune.  I’ll be honest, I was hoping for maybe a few more guitar jams.  Ugh, but this one is certainly a little hard to swallow.  It’s not completely bad, I do like the very cinematic feel to this once again.  But Billy’s lyrics here once again are just so bloated.  Listening to this you can literally hear Billy typing away on his keyboard thinking he’s the deepest dude around.  There’s a good track here somewhere, I even like just how passionate Billy sounds and that guitar solo is fine.  On the contrary, “Marchin’ On” in every single way is where I want to hear Smashing Pumpkins right now.  This is a wild, intense, sonically impressive track that I just wasn’t ready for.  It’s off the rails, it’s upbeat, it’s aggressive, and Billy sounds legitimately angry and for a purpose.  It’s wildly short too, almost too short. But it’s easily the most excited I’ve been here by a long-shot.  Those wailing guitars, breakneck riff, this is heavy man. Now, hearing Billy go for some of these ballads in his older age, like “With Sympathy’, it’s a little hit and miss.  Mostly because he just can’t hit some of these notes like he used to.  But there are some interesting choices here like that flute in the background, and for a slower tune, this isn’t as corny.  Yea, I wish we got more guitar jams like the last track.  But if this is what we’re getting in 2018 from these guys, is this really that bad?  And thankfully, with “Seek and You Shall Destroy” Billy and company actually end this album off in a big and meaty way.  This track has an absolutely heavy riff and an oddly catchy hook.  And yes, it’s cheesy and preachy, and even a little goofy, but sue me it’s catchy.  I would have even liked to hear this one even more off the rails and wild.  But this one is a confident Alt-Metal throwback track with some teeth to it that I really enjoy.  That alone right there is more than I thought I would enjoy on here. 

Rating: 7.6/10

Give A Listen To: “Knights of Malta”, “Silvery Sometimes (Ghosts)”, “Marchin’ On”, "Seek and You Shall Destroy"

Least Favorite Track: “Alienation”

Genre: Alternative Rock

Overall Thoughts:  The Smashing Pumpkins return with 3/4 of their original lineup for the first time since 2000.  This is an album that has so much drama behind it, years of breakups and egos and God knows what else, really.  And the result, isn’t perfect, as a matter of fact, it’s probably just about as rocky as the road TO this album.  But outside of that, this isn’t terrible.  Billy’s lyrics while still misguided and bloated are at least being sung by him passionately, and with James and Jimmy back in the mix, he seems to be a little bit more down to earth.  The instrumentals are often pretty epic as well, even though I personally wouldn’t have minded maybe another Guitar-jam or 2.  But outside of that, hey man, this isn’t bad, I wasn’t expecting to make it through this alive. 

Muse - Simulation Theory

Muse is the longtime Space Rock and Alternative Rock lead by Matthew Bellamy.  You know these guys by now, they've been around since the late 90's and have in recent years gotten pretty big.  But as many times as I've tried I've never really been into their 1999 debut "Showbiz".  This album just blows by me every time, and even though Bellamy's performances are dramatic and the riffs are fine.  But the choruses would only get bigger and better over time, and they weren't quite there yet. Now, 2001's "Origin Of Symmetry" certainly was a step up.  The band were much more of a unit here and seemed to have a real sense of what they wanted to do. There were some really fantastic riffs and catchier choruses, but I still felt like this album was bloated and needed to be streamlined.  But Muse really kicked it up with 2004's "Absolution".  This was a shredding guitar album at it's finest filled with memorable hooks and a political edge.  Tracks like "Time Is Running Out" and "Stockholm Syndrome" is nothing short of classics, and to me, it just seemed like Muse had a sound and were sticking to it.  And Muse continued to actually churn out some seriously great tunes with 2006's "Black Holes and Revelations".  Tracks like "Supermassive Black Hole" and "Knights Of Cydonia" are modern guitar classics.  But more importantly, as a whole, this album was deep.  Tracks like "Map Of The Problematique" and "Starlight" are genuinely fantastic tracks, even if some of the deeper cuts were cheesy and sometimes goofy.  But still, Muse had a sound and was on top of it.  But with their next album, "The Resistance", Muse's cheesiness won out and just became too much for me.  The singles here are great and are some of Muse's best to date.  But some of these later tracks are just so corny, and almost all had this ridiculously political undertone that made me just want the early days of Muse so much.  And then we have 2012's "The 2nd Law", and how do I put this lightly?  This album fucking sucks.  The groove-heavy riffs are laughable, and Matthew's vocals have just become so corny by this point.  No thank you!  2015's "Drones" definitely showed Muse return to a more guitar-driven sound, which in terms of tracks like "The Handler" worked just fine.  But this album was just so ridiculously paranoid and goofy.  The political undertones and laughable concepts were so incredibly goofy that I just couldn't take the rest of this seriously. Muse used to be so much fun, but this is not anything close to it.  Now, I don't want to get my hopes up, but a few of these singles I've really loved.  They aren't by any means perfect.  But Muse for a few minutes have seemingly dropped all the politics and are just having some fun, and honestly so am I.  Let's chat!

(One of my personal favorites!)

This album starts off with “Algorithm”, and right off the bat, this is actually interesting.  This is by far the most groovy and electronic thing that Muse has touched, PERIOD.  Like, the 80’s Synths are so obvious and basically super cheesy and cheap, and in a really weird wave have sort of a ChillWave feel.  But I’m just so into this right now, and there are some really actually epic moments, especially when those strings come in.  This is all just so simple, and while this may not be the brilliance of an album like “Absolution”.  But Matt’s vocals are haunting and really likable, and while yes there is still a seriously over-the-top feel to it, this doesn’t seem nearly as goofy to me in a strange way.  This is one of the more straightforward tracks of the bunch, but it does wonderfully usher in the sounds of this album.  Then we have “The Dark Side”, and this continues with a whole lot of the same sounds, like also bringing in some big guitar hooks for the party.  My God, some of Matts lyrics here are absolutely laughably cheesy.  But it’s almost in a tasteful way, in a guilty pleasure sort of way.  It’s a way that sort of acknowledges that Matt and company know damn well just how cheesy their sound has become.  No, they’re not trying to be some incredible Rock group, and I like that a LOT.  I love the grooves here that actually get me up and moving, which is something I was NOT expecting at all.  These drums fills are just so muscular, and the complete absurdity of this album so far has been scratching all sorts of itches. I mean, I sort of wish this one was a little catchier, but so far that’s my only complaint.  “Pressure” on the other hand is likable and surprising for an entirely new reason.  I freakin’ love the upbeat and horn-laden grooves of this one, I literally can’t remember the last time I’ve had this much fun with Muse.  And this guitar hook is absolutely massive!  And while yes, some of the more high pitched vocals on the chorus I could have done without, just about everything else here really works for me.  But like, where was this sound all of these years?  This is a real testament to just how genuinely fun Muse and Alternative Rock can be in general.  Now, all of these years that Muse has been absolutely dying to shove political undertones down our throats is just so much more aggravating when listening to “Propaganda”.  This is all of that, but it’s done with a sense that Matt isn’t taking himself too seriously.  The result is strangely funky, sleazy and genuinely fucking FUN political tune.  It’s almost frustrating that we’ve had to sit through genuinely awful albums like “The Second Law” and “Drones”.  The acoustic guitar is a great touch, and almost has a 90’s “Odelay”-era Beck vibe, and I seriously can get with that.  Now, I have to admit, this one is cheesy.  Like, this is late-90’s Teen RomCom levels of cheese, which can easily be a turn-off.  But I’m having fun. 

Now, “Break It To Me” is Muse at their grooviest yet, seemingly dropping all of the ridiculous Political vibes for a few.  And honestly, this one doesn’t hit me AS hard.  I do love the groovy guitars and Matthew’s haunting performance, and I wouldn’t say this is a bad tune.  But this one does lack the genuinely catchy vibes of some of the other tracks here, and other tunes have been much more instantaneous.  But there are practically Hip Hop vibes here at some points which are just so wonky that I can’t completely say no to this.  But with tracks like “Something Human” I do start to see some flaws of this album.  Matt’s performance is genuinely heartfelt and I do really love how sweet this one is.  But in an album absolutely dripping with 80’s cliches so big that they become a damn parody of themselves, I just didn’t want to hear a ballad.  Now, this one since I first heard it HAS grown on me a bit, mostly because of how genuinely adorable this one is.  Like, I can’t remember the last time I heard Matt sounding so much with life, if only for a few minutes.  But still, this is a down moment for me.  Now, let’s be real for a second.  At first, I absolutely hated “Thought Contagion”.  I thought it combined everything that I once truly hated about Muse.  But I actually have grown to love this one.  Like, I love the hypnotizing riff, the gigantic group vocals at the chorus, and just everything that’s so genuinely outrageous about this one.  From Matt’s lyrics about being “Bitten by a true believer” and the wonky vocal effects with him at times.  Like, he ends up coming oof all jittery and paranoid as we’ve come to know from Matt’s more recent performances.  But with just how over-the-top and borderline goofy this one is at times, I can just enjoy it for what it is, genuinely fun Rock.  On the other hand, “Get Up and Fight” is once again a very light and breezy tune, which still catches me off guard.  It’s a very smooth track, but in a way, this reminds me of “Something Human”.  If Matt didn’t take himself as serious.  And for our troubles, we’re presented with one of this album’s biggest and most passionate choruses of the album.  Yea, it’s completely over-the-top but Matt’s very cinematic performance makes it so much easier to swallow. 

With “Blockades” decide here to go even more out of control with synths.  This is their most upbeat and intense track of the bunch yet, and I absolutely LOVE how intense these drums are.  Like, I genuinely love how visual and cinematic this is.  And this chorus is just so freakin’ fun between Matt’s very paranoid vocals and the blasts of backing vocals that pop in.  But if I haven’t let this one yet, this entire album is unbearably cheesy at times.  But like the recent success of “Stranger Things”, and everything else 80’s, yea it’s cheap, and Muse knows it.  But call me a sheep for all of this, but I’m having a blast.  Oh boy, but I have no idea what the hell “Dig Down” is supposed to be.  But here we get a super low key and bass heavy slow jam.  But here, I can’t explain it, but Matt’s performance just really bugs me.  This has been an album of him letting go and enjoying himself so much worse, which is seriously a welcome change.  But here I feel like he ends up taking himself way too seriously and believing every ridiculous word he’s saying.   This just isn’t what I want to hear from Muse, and I’m having way too many horrible flashbacks to just how bad some of their last few albums really are.  And honestly, this album’s finale “The Void” is just sort of boring and not nearly as bold as some of the other tunes here.  Like the synths that creep their way through this track are actually pretty cool.  But Matt’s performance here is more confusing than anything.  This track just ends up leading nowhere, and it’s sad because this atmosphere is great. 

Rating: 7.6/10

Give A Listen To: “Algorithm”, “Pressure”, “Thought Contagion”, “Blockades”

Least Favorite Track: “Dig Down”

Genre: Alternative Rock 

Overall Thoughts:  Hey look, if you completely hate this album and everything that Muse has become I get that.  No, trust me, I really do.  But for me, this may not be the genuinely interesting alternative to mainstream Rock that I once loved, but I had a blast with this.  Sure, Matt’s very paranoid performances and focus on building these very political undertones is a lot to swallow, and are genuinely cheesy for most of this album.  But throughout “Simulation Theory” Muse seem to be in a different place entirely, one where they know just how cheesy and corny their music is.  The result is a collection of Synth-driven, completely over-the-top anthems that are so ridiculously goofy at times that they end up becoming guilty pleasures.  

Action Bronson - White Bronco

Action Bronson! New York MC, former chef, practical meme look-alike of yours truly ladies and gentlemen!  Bronson's been at it for years with gritty performances, a knack for witty Pop culture references, and a cocky delivery.  And honestly, for years he's been a breath of fresh air to the Rap world.  Mixtapes like "Rare Chandeliers" and my personal favorite "Blue Chips 2" are quirky, personality-tapes that illustrate  Bronson as a modern Mafia boss. And honestly, they're a blast.  But, when it's come to his studio recordings things have gotten really iffy for Bronson.  "Mr. Wonderful" and "Blue Chips 7000" are both average at best.  But hey, maybe this new tape will turn things around!

This album starts off with “Dr. Kimble”, and moments in this is so Bronson.  I love the soloing guitar int he background and Bronson’s very grimy delivery.  As always, it’s littered with Pop culture references and some violent, mafioso bars.  And honestly, this is right where I want to hear him,  I love the howling in the background and just how charismatic he comes off, not to mention genuinely funny at points.  And the overall breeziness of this track makes it practically come off like a Jazz Rap tune.  I’m down for all of this.  Then we have “Irishman Freestyle”, and this one sort of continues down that same Jazzy feel, with this almost coming off like some of his “S.A.A.B. Stories” EP.  He’s always so confident, you never have to worry about that with Bronson.  But at the same time, these horse samples are just so goofy.  I mean, it’s not too annoying yet.  But I just don’t get it, and I just feel like it’s not necessary.  But still, this is a groovy tune.  On the other hand, “Mt. Etna” is completely sloppy.  I’m down with Bronson going for some Jazzy tones.  But here, I feel like he’s doing just a little too much.  And between that, his continued obsessions with Horse samples, and one of his least interesting verses here, this is forgettable.  And it’s a shame because I do feel like there’s a lot of this track that usually feels within the realm of material I like from Bronson.  And it all just ends up being this ridiculous and stupid Weed joke.  And “Live from the Moon” is even worse, from the faux-live feel and that intolerable horse sample.  We get this painfully bland beat that sounds like it was sampled from a Mafia movie soundtrack.  And yes, on paper that should be amazing from Action.  He’s just so far beyond this and should be so much better on this beat.  Not to mention, these are literally some of the worst Pop Culture references I’ve ever heard. 

Now, at first, I was into these new beats from Bronson.  But at this point, I’m just begging him to hop on something more flamboyant.  I will say though, the very laid back of “White Bronco” is actually really groovy.  Yea, his performance is slick and braggadocios, but it comes off sharp.  This even reminds me of some of his early, mafioso stuff.  It’s a great sound from Bronson.  Now, I do have to say I actually love just how over-the-top and ridiculous Bronson comes off at times.  Like, on “Brutal” he sounds like an absolute animal.  Which is great and all.  But this one comes off a little unfocused at the end of the day, and Bronson and Meyhem Lauren never really click with the beat.  However, I do like just how vicious the two come off, and Meyhem legitimately sounds great.  On the other hand, “Prince Charming” is a great sound for Action.  This track is groovy and soulful, and he sounds genuinely fantastic on this beat.  It’s a sort of gloomy beat, and that works with his more melancholy verse.  It’s a really different sound for this album, but it’s classy.  Not to mention, it just shows how great Bronson can sound with a more conscious sound.  But sadly, this album completely spirals out of control.  “Telemundo” is legitimately strange and has a genuinely terrifying sample to start things off.  And I don’t know, I just feel like this one is a little dialed in.  The synths are an absolutely fucking amazing touch, and I would love to hear more of that.  But Action’s verses here is so boring and snooze-worthy.  Like, his pop culture references seem thrown together, and he just seems like he’s running low on ideas. 

It’s ironic that “Picasso’s Ear” starts with Action telling people to wake up.  The irony is, I really AM falling asleep.  It’s another short tune, and I’m just not into this.  These beats were classy at first, but this just isn’t doing anything for me.  I mean, yea, some of the pop culture references perk me up a bit.  But that’s literally all.   Then we have “Ring Ring”, and what is up with all of these gloomy, uninteresting beats?  Like, I wish I could go off on Bronson’s performance but it’s just so average.  His performance is practically goofy at points, and to call this uninspired would be an understatement.  None of this come off like Bronson wants to be here.  But hey, “Swerve On Em” featuring A$AP Rocky is actually a really great finale.  I actually love this Harry Fraud beat, who's done so much with Action over the years that they have great chemistry.  I love the more anthemic feel to this one, and just how lively this one is.  Not to mention the electronic beat is really refreshing.  This is a weird tune.  It’s great and all, and it’s easily track of the album.  But this sounds like it belongs on another album.   But hey, it’s catchy, Rocky’s performance is energetic, and Bronson sounds awesome.  I don’t know where this sounds been hiding, but I’m glad it at least showed up for a few. 

Rating: 6.4/10

Give A Listen To:  “Dr. Kimble”, “White Bronco”, “Prince Charming”, “Swerve On Em”

Least Favorite Track: “Live from the Moon”

Genre: Hip-Hop

Overall Thoughts:  This is easily, EASILY Action’s most disappointing work in a long time.  While I know he’s been within some drama with Vice lately, but if this is what he’s putting out on his own holy shit is this guy out of ideas.  The material here is completely uninspired and half of the time sounds like Action wants nothing to do with any of it.  His Pop-Culture references seem forced, and these beats start off interesting but are just so gloomy by the end.  A few tracks here are pretty awesome, but overall Action really needs a switch-up right about now. 

Vince Staples - FM!

Vince Staples is a California-based MC that for quite some time now has been quite a heavy hitter in modern Hip-Hop.  Whether it be his gritty "Hell Can Wait" EP or his Dark and Cinematic "Summertime 06', between heavy production, booming beats, and charismatic performances Vince became a damn star.  And then we have last years "Big Fish Theory", which showed Vince work with bigger producers and a bigger list of guests to make a more concise but equally hard-hitting album.  Now, excuse me if I seem like I'm taken off guard here, but I didn't expect this album, especially so soon.  Let's talk about it!

( A personal favorite of mine!)

This “blink and you’ll miss it” album starts off with “Feels Like Summer” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, and Vince wastes not a second introducing this album.  It’s actually really done well though, and it’s legitimately really fun.  Now, this is a little bit of a brighter and more energetic beat than we’re used to hearing from Vince.  But he sounds smooth as hell and legitimately fantastic.  His flow is smooth and brings up a lot of the same sort of Politically-tinged lyrics and life talk.  But it’s so smooth, and my GOD Ty Dolla $ign sounds incredible on this hook.  This intro is amazing.  On the other hand, “Outside” is a little bit colder and genuinely chilly.  But Vince continues to sound just so charismatic and grimy.  Like, his verses over the years have just got more and more cutting.  Not this may be one of the catchiest tracks from Vince that I’ve heard in some time, and it’s obviously much more straightforward.  I mean, if you’re a fan of Vince’s larger than life projects, this may blow right past you.  But if you’re into hearing Vince in exciting and small doses this is great.  The beats on this album continue to be absolutely chilling with “Don’t Get Chipped”, despite how genuinely fun some of these bars are.  Also, some of the production is seriously grimy man.   Lyrically, I do feel like Vince isn’t doing anything too wild or different.  And Jay Rock’s chorus is average at best.  But still, this is a short, intense and energetic performance from Vince.  Now, “Relay” is so much more in Vince’s ballpark.  This beat isn’t super chilly, but it’s super dark and cinematic.  Hell, I fel like this would have ended up nicely on “Summertime 06”.  This hook is just so hypnotic, and his flow here is just so smooth.  Like, it’s not as energetic and bouncy as it usually it, but he has such a cool vibe to his verses.  There’s almost an old-school Gangsta Rap sound to it, and it just comes off so good. 

Now, this album is really short.  That’s not a problem but it’s something you’ll want to keep in mind, and it has tons of little skits.  Take for example “New EarlSweatshirt (Interlude)”, featuring Where’s Waldo champion of 2018 Earl Sweatshirt.  No, really, where the fuck is the album Earl?   Now, this may be a 20-second interlude, but just hearing Earl spit on this intense beat is GREAT.  Then we have “Run the Bands”, armed with a very eerie and dreary beat.  The atmosphere continues to be a huge selling point here, and yes, this album in a big way has taken a turn for the dark.  But honestly, this one may be my least favorite track of the bunch.  This chorus is just so repetitive, and it’s far from the best one here.  Vince’s performance is just fine.  But nothing about this is nearly as memorable and sticky as other tracks here.  Now, at the very least, “Fun!” is actually pretty fun.  The beat is a blast, and I love the chorus here as Vince and E-40 just sound like two regular guys that really do just want to have some fun.  I mean yea, Vince chucks that all out the wind with Pistol-wielding verses.  But this track is a blast and sticks with the feel of so many tracks here.  “No Bleedin” continues with just how seriously hypnotic and dark this is in parts.  Little details like the sound effects and heavy production make this one really pop.  But Vince's very grim lyrics continue to be blood-soaked and violent, and honestly really exciting.  This may not be the wildest track, and Kamaiyah’s performance is easily one of the most forgettable guest spots here, but this is still packed with adrenaline. 

Then we get a few more intermissions of sorts, none of them are really good either.  First, we have “Brand New Tyga” and OH GOD.  IT”S HAPPENING.  TYGA IS COMING THROUGH MY HEADPHONES.  MAKE IT STOP.  I DON”T CARE THAT THIS IS LESS THAN A MINUTE.  IT’S TOO MUCH.  Now, where was I?   Oh, yea!  The "(562) 453-9382” isn’t that much better, to be honest.  You know, this album is really entertaining and fun, but this just wasn’t needed.  This album ends off with “Tweakin”, and as a finale, I feel like it works so well.  I love just how dreary and dreamy this one is, it reminds me of some of the eeriest moments of “Summertime 06’”.  Even Vince’s performance here is just so dreary and depressive, I can’t help but love it.   And Kehlani’s hook is just so damn catchy and haunting, she ends up having wonderful chemistry with Vince. 

Rating: 7.8/10

Give A Listen To: “Feels Like Summer”, “Relay”, “Fun!”, “Tweakin” 

Least Favorite Track: “Run The Bands”

Genre: Hip Hop / Alternative Rap

Overall Thoughts:  Vince Staples with “FM!” doesn’t do anything too wild or different.  Hell, I would barely even call this an “album”.  But for me, in 22 minutes Vince really just refreshes my memory of just what he can do.  The production is quirky and often fun, his guests, for the most part, click wonderfully, and most of all, Vince’s flow has never sounded this effortless.  I mean, yea, some of the skits are a little goofy and maybe not 100% necessary.  But man, Vince got my mouth watering for whenever he DOES drop his next full-length album. 

Sun Kil Moon - This Is My Dinner

Sun Kil Moon ladies and gentlemen, one of the more polarizing acts in Indie Folk right now.  You know these guys by now, they're lead by Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters, they've been around since the early 2000's.  They made their debut in 2003 with "Ghosts of the Great Highway", which is actually one of my favorite Sun Kil Moon projects. This is Mark Kozelek before he got into his super long-winded storytelling mode, and features him at his most easy to read at points.  There are some great Folk Rock elements, and a ton of Alternative vibes as well in the grungy guitars.  Not to mention, there are just a ton of really catchy, well-written tracks here.  The next time we heard from Mark and company was with 2005's "Tiny Cities", a collection of Modest Mouse covers.  And yes, a LOT of people have a ton of issues with this album.  I mean, these are tough songs for anyone to cover of any genre.  But Mark does OK with them, sure they're not incredible and are obviously missing something without Isaac Brock singing them. But this isn't terrible.  But Mark got back on track in a big way with 2008's "April".  This was a collection of songs much in the style of their "Ghosts..." album.  But Mark and company began to stretch these song lengths out over 9 and 10 minutes, and these tracks often became super meditative.  While some of the Alternative Rock elements they began their career with had sort of fizzled out, I really couldn't say no to tracks like "Heron Blue", which may just be my favorite Sun Kil Moon album. But it was around this time that I sort of lost interest for a little while with Sun Kil Moon.  Their next album "Admiral Fell Promises" was average at best.  I just felt like this much more Acoustic approach was OK and all, but I felt like Mark could do better.  Which he did slightly do with 2012's "Among The Leaves".  Like, this was a slightly better album, with tracks like "Elaine" and "That Bird Has a Broken Wing" really standing out.  But once again, I felt like Mark was really holding back a bit.  But with 2014's "Benji", Mark and company really mastered their more stripped down sound.  This was a deeply personal, crushing album that was absolutely too real at times.  Mark went deep into his family life, past loves, and thoughts on death.  And yes, it's a lot to take in and it's a long album.  But my God, it's a modern Folk masterpiece.  But with everything good about "Benji", 2015's "Universal Themes" is the exact opposite.  This album is a bore, with so many tracks dragging on forever.  What was great about "Benji" was just how much it was like catching up with an old friend.  "Universal Themes" was like sitting through an awful lecture.  But tracks like "Little Rascals" and "With a Sort Of Grace I Walked To The Bathroom To Cry" were actually very well done.  But overall, no thank you man, no thank you.  Ughhhh, but then there is 2017's gargantuan "Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood".  And I'm not gonna lie, it has its moments.  I actually do really like some of the instrumentals and the return to form from their early work.  But this album is OVER 2 HOURS of Mark Kozelek going on and on about nothing.  Sometimes, it makes for some really interesting tracks like "Philadelphia Cop".  But other times I was literally forcing myself to stay awake.   Mark and company are back, and outside of a 1-minute long Partridge Family cover, Mark hasn't graced us with singles.  Let's chat.

This album starts off with “This Is Not Possible”, and this is actually a really cool intro.  I love the Jazzy, airy feel to this track.  Even Mark, who doesn’t shift up his style at all, sounds a little looser here.  Now, let’s talk about the rest of this one.  This is a lengthy track, as most Sun Kil Moon tracks are.  It’s more or less a long list of Scenarios that Mark has dealt with while traveling, mostly in restaurants and hotels.  And for the most part, it’s actually really interesting, mostly to hear the contrast between different places and their hospitality.  Now, how true these scenarios are is up to date, because we all know Mark can be a little difficult.  Not to mention, this track has some genuinely quirky and funny stories, like the decaffeinated coffee bit.  And yea, it’s lengthy and if you’re new to Mark’s style this is still a lot to take in.  But for someone who has sat through quite a bit of it, this is great.  Not to mention this is one of the more structured tracks in his recent output.  Between all of that, and Mark’s eventual dive into his musical taste as a young man and breaking the 4th wall, this is all gravy.  “This Is My Dinner” is a little less Jazzy and instrumentally sound.  And in its place, we get this very breezy, warm For sound.   And it’s honestly really great, and almost reminds me of like some American Football.  But Mark continues to sound totally refreshed and not lost at all.  Obviously, his style is a little rambling, and if you’re not interested in his stories you may want to leave while you’re ahead.  But here Mark goes into some interesting topics like adultery in his youth and being with someone who was in a relationship.  But this one does really start to hop around a little bit more, but one thing remains the same, Mark’s focus on traveling.  This is the first time in a while that Mark has stayed constant with themes, but it really does mix things up just enough.  Mark keeps it really fresh, going back and forth between his thoughts on performing overseas to him missing his cat when away on tour.  And honestly, it ends up getting really emotional, and obviously tragic when his Cat passes away.  But “This Is My Dinner” eventually does get into some thoughts on his fans and all, as well as his attachment to certain places he’s been to.  Now, some of the stuff here between Mark and a heckler at his show is a little much and is definitely Mark at his most Kozelek.  But still, this is great.  With “Linda Blair” though, Mark does start to lose me a little.  In moments like this, how the hell am I supposed to focus on Mark with this instrumental?  Even without Mark’s vocals, it’s just annoying.  Once again we have Mark talking about traveling.  But oh my lord Mark, this whole Linda Blair bit is practically goofy.   I just find this one so much harder to follow.  Mark’s thoughts here come off just as fragmented as this genuinely annoying instrumental.  With Mark’s style of music, some tangents and side stories aren’t just expected, they’re welcomed.  But here, Mark just sounds genuinely unfocused, as he hops from traveling to performing to Mike fucking Tyson.  All the while these twinkling guitars just flutter over everything and make things hard to swallow.  But by the end, this track goes all sorts of hellish.  Instrumentally, this is intense and heavy, with Mark once again at his most Kozelek, blasting Steely Dan and The Eagles.  Honestly, I would much rather just hear Mark go down a list of more bands he hates.  But “Copenhagen” makes for a really interesting change of pace.  This one is almost a continuation of this album’s intro, as Mark goes into a lot of the same scenarios, and talks about how favorite hotel has them all taken care of.  But this instrumental is so much more intense, and Mark’s much more strained performance here adds a ton to it.  Even that whole scenarios with the woman and her husband seem reminiscent of what we heard earlier of that story of Mark’s younger days.  It’s actually really interesting.  I mean, this isn’t the most ridiculous track of the bunch or the most interesting.  But hey, I’m not nearly as bored as I have been with Mark recently.  

Now, “Candles’ on the other hand brings back the very breezy and graceful sounds we got earlier, and I love it.  Once again we have Mark going deep into his traveling days.  But it continues to be really fresh to hear him this focused.  We have some really heartbreaking moments here, like this one between Mark and the late Elliot Smith, which is absolutely tragic.  And yea, there are a few cringe-worthy bars here, like when he’s going off on people who eat Deer meat and tells them to eat a Moose instead.   Mark, you are really something else buddy.  But the very breezy, sweet atmosphere of this one is such a nice change of ace.  Mark also really goes back a LOT to life on the road, mostly dealing with stress on the road.  It’s really an interesting topic, and it’s not something people chat about too much.  And then we have the very intense passage about candles, and about Mark’s Dad warning him about candles.  Which of course, leads to the fact that Mark accidentally burned down his apartment at one point, nobody said these were happy songs.  These are lai fully real at times, but if you know Mark this isn’t new.  Now, “David Cassidy” once again makes for a really interesting turn.  This one is, as you can imagine, a tribute to the late David Cassidy.  And by the looks of it, Mark had a real fondness of David.  This one goes deep into David’s life and why Mark finds him so interesting.  And honestly, it ends up coming off really heartfelt and leads to some of Mark’s most intense performances of the bunch.  Even though this is one of the shortest and most direct tracks of the bunch, I have nothing bad to say.  And then this album begins to start taking a massive nosedive, first with a cover of “Come On Get Happy”.  And yes, this is only a cover, but am I the only one who thinks this is terrible?  Like, this is just as awkward as the worst moments on that Modest Mouse cover album from years ago.  It’s just not very good, at all.  This isn’t Mark’s style and ends up just being weird.  And I thought I would have some nicer thoughts about “Rock ‘N’ Roll Singer” since Mark has always spoken so highly of AC/DC.   But his very quiet, mellow performance of this classic by them is an absolute bore.  He sounds like he’s having a damn seizure over this much less exciting instrumental.  Like, there are some notes here where I literally can’t help but laugh, as terrible as that is.  Mark should just know better. 

At the very least, “Soap for Joyful Hands” has a sound that Sun Kil Moon sound comfy with.  I love just how incredibly dreary and moody this one comes off.  But I just feel like this album has actually taken a real downturn.  Mark for a while was coming off so human and legitimately different than what we’ve been hearing from him in the last few years, and that’s a welcome change.  This track just reminds me of everything I’ve hated about the last two albums.  But Mark does end this album off on a halfway decent note with “Chapter 87 of He”.  The very breezy instrumentals are a really nice touch, and Mark sounds very comfy within this atmosphere.  This one goes off on everything from cigarettes to advertising and actually has Mark sounding pretty great.  Not to mention, this one has a really great Jam quality to it.  Like, I have hearing Mark ramble on about nothing, especially in the studio.  But this comes off genuinely in-the-moment and has a great live quality to it.  That, alongside one of the more animated instrumentals here, comes off really cool.  My only real issue is that I sort of wish this track was as focused as some of the earlier tracks here.

Rating: 6.9/10

Give A Listen To: “This Is Not Possible”, “This Is My Dinner”, “Candles”, “David Cassidy”

Least Favorite Track: “Rock ‘N’ Roll Singer”

Genre: Folk / Spoken Word / Folk Rock

Overall Thoughts:  This is by no means a perfect Sun Kil Moon album, and if you’re new to Mark’s music under this name this isn’t where you should start.  But this is a semi-interesting new chapter for Mark and company.  As a matter of fact, the entire first half of this album is really solid, with Mark going deep into stories about traveling all over the world, all to the tune of some very interesting and tasteful instrumentals.  But two incredibly awkward covers and a few unfocused final tunes later and this one derails pretty quickly.