You know the drill by now! Obviously this in allll opinion as always. 2018's been a fantastic year for music. Some of the album's on here have lessened on me over time, others have grown on me. Enjoy it friends, here's to a bigger and better 2019, exciting news to come!
Top Albums
25. Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar
In every way with "Cocoa Sugar", Young Fathers have outdone themselves. For years they've dabbled in Experimental Rap, Alternative R&B, and even Low-Fi Pop. But here, Young Fathers have combined all of that and more for what may just be their masterpiece. This album is political, gritty and more often than not, very urgent. In a way, I can almost see fans of Algiers "The Under Side of Power" being into this. It's a lot to take in, often with all of these different sounds bleeding into each other constantly. You may very well start off with an Alternative Rap banger only to get slapped with a catchy Pop Hook. It's exciting just about from start to finish and really has me ready for whatever Young Fathers want to do next.
24. Oh Sees - Smote Reverser
When you’re an Oh Sees fan, you never know what John Dwyer is going to throw at you. “Smote Reverser” however is one of the more shocking releases in Oh Sees last few years. This album is a blistering mix of Progressive Rock instrumentals, extended Jams, bluesy Guitar solos, all mixed with the usual campiness and blood and gore that Oh Sees have dished out for seemingly forever. “Smote Reverser” is a trip of an album, that shows Oh Sees progressing in every way, taking the wailing guitars and undeniable fun of “A Weird Exits”, while adding in the determination and Krautrock influence of “Orc” with the sweeping melodies of “Memory of a Cut Off Head”. Go into this album like you would any other Oh Sees album, not knowing what to expect from John Dwyer. Just don’t be surprised when he blows your mind once again.
23. BROCKHAMPTON - iridescence
BROCKHAMPTON return after “saturating” the Hip Hop scene with an adventurous, emotional and undoubtedly personal album. Going into this album, me and I’m sure a lot of others really didn’t know what to expect out of these guys. And I mean, can you blame them? They’ve been through a lot in the last 6 months, and as good as the “SATURATION” trilogy was, it was often hard to pinpoint. But “iridescence” is highly adventurous and well written follow up to the tapes that made them famous. There are plenty of great bangers, charismatic performances from the whole crew, and teary-eyed ballads that come off better than anyone could have expected. I think the most exciting thing about this project is, I honestly think BROCKHAMPTON haven’t even peaked yet. This is such a great album, and I think they’re just going to keep going up from here.
22. KEN Mode - Loved
KEN Mode come off their polarizing “Success” album that’s even rowdier and more untamable. There are MathCore references here, and bizarre horn breakdowns that would make the boys of Dillinger Escape Plan blush. But more often than not, the sheer simplicity of this album is what makes it tick. I haven’t heard KEN Mode playing with such technicality in years, and the fact that they sound this focused this far into their career is a testament to how great they are. And sure, I do miss the bulkier production of Steve Albini, but for a 9 track album, this is surprisingly VERY solid Post-Hardcore album.
21. BAMBARA - Shadow On Everything
BAMBARA have come out of their Noisy cocoon they made for themselves years ago, making for easily the grizzliest Post-Punk album you're going to hear all year. This album is absolutely dreary and often incredibly intense. But BAMBARA are originally Southern boys and have brought in numerous elements of Southern Rock to make this album even more emotional and often more tortured sounding. This could have easily been just another Post-Punk album, easily. But BAMBARA has taken the sound and give it a dangerous, surreal new twist and I can't wait to see where they're taking it next.
20. Tribulation - Down Below
Tribulation for years has built up their sound, often in bringing campy sound effects and plenty of Gothic atmospheres to create a very distinct sound. But this may just be their finest work yet. First off, the production on here is pristine, Tribulation sure has come a long way since their first, muddy EP. But it's a whole lot more than that with "Down Below". The performances are much more aggressive, the vocals are more grizzly, and the instrumentals are proficient and wild. But the most curious element here is just how much Tribulation respect the past of the genres they toy with. This album is often epic and grandiose, even gorgeous occasionally, and incredibly gratifying.
19. Anderson .Paak - Oxnard
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.
18. The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
The 1975 return after a bloated and overproduced album with their easiest to take in, yet incredibly adventurous album yet. For years, The 1975 have given themselves massive shoes to fill with insanely catchy Indie Pop anthems, but their issues time and time again have been their studio albums. For the first time, with “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships”, the 1975 fill those shoes. They’ve come up with a collection of millennial anthems diving deeply into Sex, Drugs, and Romance with no fear of how any of it comes off. There’s hectic Synth-Pop, smooth Jazz, Dreamy Pop numbers as well as the instantaneous Indie Pop that made them such a monumental act, to begin with. And while after all of these years, I'm not wildly crazy about some of the ballads, this is the first must-listen 1975 album, quote me on it.
17. Oneohtrix Point Never - Age Of
The latest Oneohtrix Point Never album may not be Daniel Lopatin's most abrasive, experimental, or wild release. But it's easily his most telling and most apocalyptic. As the cover art depicts, a lot of the tracks on this album from a distance sound like very warped Pop tunes. But upon further investigation, something always seems very VERY wrong, and it's often near to impossible to figure out what. There are blasts of noisy production, chilling guest spots, and for the first time ever some actual vocals from Dan himself (even though technically there have been lyrics on his past albums). Like most of OPN's albums, this isn't a fun album, and it's one that requires some very intense listening. But it ends up being Oneohtrix Point Never's most horrific and dystopian album to date.
16. Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
On every level, this is the most exciting and wildly creative Rap album 2018 has given us yet. Kanye's production choices and Kid Cudi's hooks haven't been this spot on for years. Not to mention, like I said in Kanye's "Ye" review if you thought albums like "Yeezus" were maybe a little shallow, this is genuinely strange and experimental in the best ways. But it's more than that. It's honestly the companion piece to "Ye" that we didn't know we need. It wraps up a lot of thoughts that Kanye had there. And Cudi, my lord Kid Cudi. This is a guy who years ago I was truly worried about the sanity of. And hearing him here, in this very positive, genuinely healthy light, It's nothing short of remarkable. Not only is "Kids See Ghosts" and truly a well-written exercise in positivity, but it also continues to break the mold for what modern Rap and Hip Hop can be. It's a crime it's so short.
15. Denzel Curry - TA13OO
Denzel Curry in the last few years has, for my money, become one of Rap and Hip-Hop’s real Rockstars. But the material on “TA13OO” has transcended him to an entirely new level. His performances here are some of his most energetic to date, and if you’ve listened to his early material, you know that’s saying something. The production here is cloudy and nocturnal, and to say that this isn’t Denzel’s most emotional and depressive album yet would be a lie. It’s Psychedelic and artsy, but also aggressive and often tortured, with very few moments that aren’t refreshing and genuinely wild.
14. MGMT - Little Dark Age
MGMT are back with their most puzzling and bizarre album yet. It's an album that I really didn't understand at first, and one that takes a few listens, quite the opposite of their days on top of the Indie Charts. It's filled with tongue-in-cheek humor, tropical rhythms, some cynicism, and Psych Pop influences all over the map. For many, this is going to be a very hit or miss album, with some maybe turning it off after the first track or two. But if you're into MGMT and want to hear themselves push themselves to the brink of sanity without imploding completely, give this a listen.
13. SOPHIE - Oils Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
SOPHIE on this album comes out of her shell in more ways then one. She’s slowly over the past few years come out into the public more, revealing her identity and sexuality. And all of that, is a gigantic part of this album, but it goes even deeper. Musically, this is SOPHIE coming out of her shell just as much. There are only a few of the Experimental Pop bangers that we all fell in love with years ago. The rest of this album is a sprawling, often freakish, and highly experimental Pop album diving into love, lust, and who you are. And if you’re like me, and you’ve been waiting for this album for years, it’s just going to be all ear candy. It’s wildly adventurous, to levels I honestly didn’t see coming, and Sophie’s song concepts and immense production deserve a round of applause in itself. The future is looking brighter by the minute.
12. Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams
Fucked Up return with their first album in years, sounding more sonically adventurous and wilder than ever. Fucked Up has always been more than just another Hardcore band, but more than ever it seems to be the case. Here, they bring in elements of catchy Indie Rock, hazy Psychedelic Rock, funky Electronics, and a deep appreciation for the roots of Hardcore Punk. The result is one of their wildest and most outlandish albums in their discography. It’s got a dystopian narrative and tons of rebellious mesmerizing hooks. I just have two major issues. For one, it’s insanely long, which ends up not being terrible because of just how many fantastic tracks are found here. But when this album is bad, this album is borderline terrible, especially when it comes to these ballads.
11. IDLES - Joy As An Act of Resistance
How do you even follow-up one of the most aggressive Punk albums of 2018? Well, of course, but expanding your sound in every way without giving an inch of weakness. This album has better production, just as visceral and cutting lyrics, and still packs an absolute wallop. There are pressure-cooker slow burners, there are streamlined Post-Punk tunes, there are anthemic throwbacks to the glory days of Punk, what even more can you ask for. I mean, yea, IDLES aren’t reinventing the wheel in any way whatsoever. But holy FUCK do they do this sound justice.
10. Julia Holter - Aviary
Julia Holter returns, ditching the breezy Pop of “Have You In My Wilderness”, but not leaving the songwriting. On “Aviary”, Julia Holter outdoes herself by bringing in a slew of dreamy, ambient, and incredibly classy set of Pop tunes. These aren’t Pop tunes that are instantaneous, these are tracks that you have to really sit with. But the results are often wild, resulting in these kaleidoscopic moments of euphoria. Julia has played with sound since her debut ages ago, that’s nothing new. But with better songwriting, better production, and some of her most ambitious instrumentals to date, Julia has knocked it out of the park.
09. Shame - Songs of Praise
Shame here on this album comes off like a tea kettle that's been on the stove for too damn long, ready to explode at any moment. While we really are in a sort of Post-Punk renaissance, Shame seems well ahead of the game. The material here, while it's very cleanly produced, often comes off with the sort of rough edge that British Punk greats are known for. The performances are all tight, no matter what style of Post Punk they go for. Some of the tracks here are tasteful throwbacks to the genres earliest days, with other moments rocketing towards the future. No matter what your cup of tea is in the Punk world, you're going to find it here. And even if Shame doesn't really do anything fantastically new with these sounds, do they ever sound good with it anyway.
08. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
Rap’s dreariest, loneliest soul returns after 3 years with a mind-altering, staggeringly experimental album. “Some Rap Songs” is much more than just some rap songs thrown together. This is the culmination of every sound that Earl has ever worked with. The jazzy rap nods of his Sly Tendencies days, the horrific alternate dimension that was his "EARL" mixtape, the emotional and somber tones of “Doris" and the agoraphobia and paranoia that plagued “I Don’t Like Shit…”. Earl is an absolute megastar. His flows are stunning, his ideas are forward thinking, the beats are wild, shit I had to keep pausing this album just to take it all in. It’s a true appreciation of albums like “Madvillainy” and “Donuts” while marching bravely towards the future and becoming more human than ever. Absolutely stunning.
07. Ty Segall - Freedom’s Goblin
This may be Ty's most in-depth, out of control, and experimental album yet. And if you've been following him as I have for years, then you know just how big of a statement that is. This, however, is a little different than your average, yearly album from Ty. No, this album as it goes on is a celebration of modern music of all sorts. Ty touches down on Disco, Punk, Rock N Roll, Folk, The Blues, and countless other genres. But more than that, this is a celebration of Ty, of every sound he's ever touched, and bringing them to the table in a way that I can only describe as some sort of colorful, freaky, Garage Rock variety show. There are a few moments on here that are a little weak, but for a double album, this album flows almost too smoothly.
06. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour
Up until this point, it was sort of obvious that Kacey Musgraves was one of the best things about modern Country, and her first few albums all around are very good. But this is Kacey's most mature, introspective, and impeccably wrote album to date. Kacey's not a young woman anymore, and for the first time sounds like a grown woman experiencing life's beauties for the first time. She talks about new relationships and falling in love, as well as life and the world around her, and it's all entertaining. Not to mention, Kacey also takes plenty of time to expand her instrumentals as well, bringing in elements of Folk, Pop and more. Needless to say, this is Kacey's greatest achievement, and her first "Must Listen" album.
05. Behemoth - I Loved You At Your Darkest
Polish Black Metal legends Behemoth have returned once again, with an album that quite frankly just blew everything else in Metal this year completely out of the water. You can argue that this is Behemoth’s most human album, and you certainly would make a fantastic point, because I believe it is. But while from a distance this may be a different side for Behemoth, everything else about this band and this album have been cranked up more than ever. The more melodic moments from “The Satanist” are here and spades, as well as their focus on building a massive atmosphere as they’ve been learning to do for years. But since day one, the adventurous side to this band has always been a selling point for me. Behemoth throws everything at you here, to a point where you don’t know whether or not you’re going to be pummeled by Death Metal riffs or an Acoustic passage. You may hear some Classic Rock inspired drum fills or a Choir chime in for a chorus. It’s all on the table with Behemoth, and while this may not be their best album, it’s a dangerous reminder to just how bold and fearless this band is in the Metal world.
04. Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy
Will Toledo was obviously onto something when he originally penned “Twin Fantasy” years ago. I don’t know if it was “unfinished” as he believes, but it certainly was a little rough around the edges, and a difficult listen at times. However, this reimagining is truly something special. Will took everything, and I mean everything that was originally so likable about this and made it so much easier to comprehend and follow, and it is GOOD. “Teens of Denial” may be about Will in a relationship with a male, or a female who ever knows with this dude. But, he’s packaged it in a way that you can comprehend these feelings if you’re in a relationship with whomever. The hooks are punchy, the choruses are soaring, and WIll’s anecdotes are timeless. Obviously though, what makes this so good is just how well this is written. Will seems to have such a gift for writing songs. There are tracks on here that are heart-wrenching to the point where you want to reach out to Will and check up on him, but moments later he’ll have you laughing with some well-placed cynicism or a truly memorable observation. This album may not be as universally relatable as “Teens of Denial”, but its sincerity and blatant honesty are incredible.
03. Iceage - Beyondless
Iceage took nearly 4 years recording this album, but it may just be their best. After their last album, "Plowing Into The Field of Love", I thought that Iceage had reached their artistic peak. But with this album, they've made the performances even more emotional, the atmosphere's even more intense, and are working with catchier material than ever. Elias Bender Rønnenfelt has never sounded so diabolical, and the band supporting him have never sounded more succinct. There are Gothic elements as well as a few nods to their early Post-Punk explosion. But if this album proves one thing, it's that Iceage is the most daring and fearless, and absolutely most dangerous Punk band on the planet. This isn't an easily digestible listen by any means, but it's the most must-listen album I've heard in months.
02. Parquet Courts - Wide Awake
Parquet Courts have returned with what may be their best and is by far their most ambitious album to date. They seem to have really done something I thought was completely impossible, take the modern protest album and make it Funky, fun and colorful. There are plenty of tracks on here in the fashion of early Parquet Courts recordings, with their legendary blend of sleek Indie and Wild Punk. And don’t worry, the passionate performances and poetic lyrics are very much so intact. But Danger Mouse on production has taken these guys to the next level. This album is wildly quirky and has endless character. Even instrumentally, we have everything here from Southern ballads to straight up Funk, and it comes off wonderfully.
01. Beach House - 7
Over the last few years, I've had many worries about Beach House. I was worried that their dreamy, hazy style was slowly running out of steam. Even more than that, I worried that they would try to remedy that by adding in more instrumentals. Which, spoiler alert, they do here, in a big way. But I don't think there was any way I could truly expect the immaculate results of this album. Beach House has transformed into a new band, with live drums and more added instrumentals than ever. The result is just as mysterious and beautiful, but with a new found determination. This album is an experience beyond any I've had this year. It reminds us that nobody builds an atmosphere or writes such incredibly beautiful songs as Beach House. But it also reminds us that they are far from done providing us with some of the most indescribable music of this decade.
Thursday, December 20, 2018
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
The Finschise's Top 50 Singles of 2018!
Afternoon all! I wanted to wait a few more days for my Top Lists. But I just got so damn excited that I can't help but post them early! A few things first! As every year, I stuck with singles for this list. A lot of the time, there are deep cuts on albums that I prefer to some of these singles. But for this list, we're sticking with tunes released as singles. Enjoy everyone, tune in tomorrow for my Top 25 albums!
50. "Short Morgan" - Ovlov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsVA834u1A
49. "Four Out Of Five" - Arctic Monkeys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Es-8FfATo
48. "Bound" - Zola Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNnoH1rjaf0
47. "Body Behavior" - Ty Segall & White Fence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fS2q1mhmFk
46. "Thought Contagion" - Muse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ_3S-IQm38
45. "Bad Bad News" - Leon Bridges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cztfyj1dVgk
44. "In My View" - Young Fathers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQFPikYSalg
43. "Hunger" - Florence & The Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHXEGz3PJg
42. "Feathers & Lips - KEN Mode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LErEZi4A8Zw
41. "Espionage" - Preoccupations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl1oQE2uzxw
40. "Burn" - The Soft Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIVB9x-HDzg
39 "Levitate" - Twenty-One Pilots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_1AKKKJnk
38 "Zero Day" - Nothing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJhkZo5OCHE
37 "Black"- Pale Waves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvArQfLjtv0
36 "Ever Again" - Andrew W.K.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_EupMUsb50
35 "Mr. Tillman"- Father John Misty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5B5IGqyy2s
34 "Throwback" - Jim James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnDbZOGNYE
33 "Virgo" - Atmosphere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4PSdVCBl0c
32 "Overthrown" - Oh Sees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5q_bF2Te04
31 "PPP" - Big Ups
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHurqZ2i3Nw
30 "You Worry Me" - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMWVUE5K-ZY
29 "Turn Around" - Dungen & Woods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf1IG6kGk6U
28 "Black Paint" - Death Grips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXM65yCN7Qg
27 "Bloom" - Troye Sivan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41PTANtZFW0
26 "Rats" - Ghost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ijc7A5oAc
25 "Chun Li" - Nicki Minaj
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpm07-BGJnE
24 "Pristine" - Snail Mail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tnTucP1UM
23 "The Lament" - Tribulation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvJQGOFltSk
22 "Talking Straight" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj5tH-6vNKY
21 "When You Die" - MGMT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmozGmGoJuw
20 "Breathe In, Breathe Out" - Melody's Echo Chamber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh1fJvNa-o4
19 "Black Walls" - Chromatics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwigmMTsM-Y
18 "Blue Vapor" - Marissa Nadler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDnupH9_GYc
17 "Loading Zones" - Kurt Vile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mbh43HgT4U
16 "Black Snow" - Oneohtrix Point Never
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQJF-7Y2h0
15 “Almost Had to Start a Fight/In And Out of Patience” - Parquet Courts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Bka7yNyKA
14 "BLACK BALLOONS I 13LACK 13ALLOONZ" - Denzel Curry feat. Twelve'len & Goldlnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSnkPxDjQSY
13 "Raise Your Voice Joyce" - Fucked Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAh1Nm5Zjvw
12 "Bartzabel" - Behemoth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhfy9TPga-c
11 "Love It If We Made It" - The 1975
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wl1B7DPegc
10 "La Di Da" - The Internet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xyDg9Tco5s
9 "Danny Nedelko" - IDLES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF_G-RF66M
8 "Nice For What" - Drake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BwWKXjVaI
7 "Nervous Young Inhumans" - Car Seat Headrest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NPATRzaF00
6 "Tints" - Anderson .Paak Featuring Kendrick Lamar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u749Hi0gDVM
5 "Concrete" - Shame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MVLqZpnwow
4 "Geyser" - Mitski
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdFZJf-B90
3 "Lemon Glow" - Beach House
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08qd-vsHbaY
2 "Pain Killer" - Iceage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP8GJj8lAI8
1 "Miki Dora" - Amen Dunes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RONXqXaF8oI
50. "Short Morgan" - Ovlov
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsVA834u1A
49. "Four Out Of Five" - Arctic Monkeys
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Es-8FfATo
48. "Bound" - Zola Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNnoH1rjaf0
47. "Body Behavior" - Ty Segall & White Fence
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fS2q1mhmFk
46. "Thought Contagion" - Muse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ_3S-IQm38
45. "Bad Bad News" - Leon Bridges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cztfyj1dVgk
44. "In My View" - Young Fathers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQFPikYSalg
43. "Hunger" - Florence & The Machine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GHXEGz3PJg
42. "Feathers & Lips - KEN Mode
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LErEZi4A8Zw
41. "Espionage" - Preoccupations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl1oQE2uzxw
40. "Burn" - The Soft Moon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIVB9x-HDzg
39 "Levitate" - Twenty-One Pilots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv_1AKKKJnk
38 "Zero Day" - Nothing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJhkZo5OCHE
37 "Black"- Pale Waves
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvArQfLjtv0
36 "Ever Again" - Andrew W.K.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_EupMUsb50
35 "Mr. Tillman"- Father John Misty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5B5IGqyy2s
34 "Throwback" - Jim James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RnDbZOGNYE
33 "Virgo" - Atmosphere
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4PSdVCBl0c
32 "Overthrown" - Oh Sees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5q_bF2Te04
31 "PPP" - Big Ups
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHurqZ2i3Nw
30 "You Worry Me" - Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMWVUE5K-ZY
29 "Turn Around" - Dungen & Woods
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cf1IG6kGk6U
28 "Black Paint" - Death Grips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXM65yCN7Qg
27 "Bloom" - Troye Sivan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41PTANtZFW0
26 "Rats" - Ghost
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_ijc7A5oAc
25 "Chun Li" - Nicki Minaj
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpm07-BGJnE
24 "Pristine" - Snail Mail
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tnTucP1UM
23 "The Lament" - Tribulation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvJQGOFltSk
22 "Talking Straight" - Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zj5tH-6vNKY
21 "When You Die" - MGMT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmozGmGoJuw
20 "Breathe In, Breathe Out" - Melody's Echo Chamber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh1fJvNa-o4
19 "Black Walls" - Chromatics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwigmMTsM-Y
18 "Blue Vapor" - Marissa Nadler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDnupH9_GYc
17 "Loading Zones" - Kurt Vile
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mbh43HgT4U
16 "Black Snow" - Oneohtrix Point Never
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQJF-7Y2h0
15 “Almost Had to Start a Fight/In And Out of Patience” - Parquet Courts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-Bka7yNyKA
14 "BLACK BALLOONS I 13LACK 13ALLOONZ" - Denzel Curry feat. Twelve'len & Goldlnk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSnkPxDjQSY
13 "Raise Your Voice Joyce" - Fucked Up
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAh1Nm5Zjvw
12 "Bartzabel" - Behemoth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhfy9TPga-c
11 "Love It If We Made It" - The 1975
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wl1B7DPegc
10 "La Di Da" - The Internet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xyDg9Tco5s
9 "Danny Nedelko" - IDLES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkF_G-RF66M
8 "Nice For What" - Drake
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9BwWKXjVaI
7 "Nervous Young Inhumans" - Car Seat Headrest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NPATRzaF00
6 "Tints" - Anderson .Paak Featuring Kendrick Lamar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u749Hi0gDVM
5 "Concrete" - Shame
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MVLqZpnwow
4 "Geyser" - Mitski
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zdFZJf-B90
3 "Lemon Glow" - Beach House
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08qd-vsHbaY
2 "Pain Killer" - Iceage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP8GJj8lAI8
1 "Miki Dora" - Amen Dunes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RONXqXaF8oI
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
The FInschise's Top 5 EP's of 2018!
We're one step closer friends! Thursday I'll be publishing my top 50 Singles of the year, and Friday look out for my top 25 albums! Until then, enjoy my top 5 favorite EP's!
5. Chelsea And The Noise - Blank Frames
Chelsea and the Noise came through here with a surprisingly solid collection of wildly catchy and intense Industrial tracks. In 4 tracks we have elements of Noise Pop, Electronic Music, some Hip Hop and more. And for the most part, it’s all gravy. I mean sure, I would like this EP to be a little more gritty or dark, and I would honestly LOVE for them to go even further down the Industrial sound, but that’s just me being picky. Chelsea and the Noise blend all of these sounds really well and make an entirely fresh sound out of it, and it’s exciting as hell.
4. Belle & Sebastian - How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pt. 3 - EP
Belle and Sebastian round up their "How To Solve our Human Problems" trilogy with easily the most enjoyable group of tracks yet. While other Parts of this EP Trilogy have seem lost, with Belle and Sebastian rarely having any direction, this EP has tons of it. There are still some punchy grooves and some very refined instrumentals, but that's something that these Indie Pop legends have worked with for years. But this EP is just so likable overall, and a really pleasant short listen. How this ties in with the other EP's, and what this trilogy represents as a whole is up for debate. However, if you want a refresher course on what Belle and Sebastian can do when they're focused while we wait for a full length album, this is a surprisingly decent EP.
3. Woods / Dungen - Myths 003
Woods and Dungen really come through on here with surprisingly pleasant and concise set of tracks. The "Myths" series in the past has been such a disappointment to me, often sounding like two acts thrown together and rushed to record. But here, Woods and Dungen actually get like half an hour of a recording together, and the result has some fantastic chemistry. More times than not, the Cosmic jams these two offer up are so concise that you forget this is a collaboration between two artists. Now, the majory of this EP is instrumental, just warning you. But if you can get past that, this EP is seriously pleasant and has some serious jams on it.
2. Spiritual Cramp - Police State
Spiritual Cramp on this 11 minute EP do more for the Post and Dance Punk genres than most acts in the game right now. In 4 tracks, this EP travels from Dub Reggae to Old School grimy Punk. The performances are manic and extremely urgent, and there are few moments here where I'm not completely excited to hear what these guys do next. Also, the versatility of this band is just so freakin' interesting, and their full length album is just as exciting.
Gatecreeper / Iron Reagan - Split
This EP absolutely RIPS in every way. Yea, it’s 20 minutes. Yea I sort of wish these two bands would focus more on their own solo albums. But let’s be real, this EP shows a great progression in both of these acts. We see Iron Reagan embracing their Punk energy more than ever, and bringing in a slew of group choruses that come off GREAT. Then we have Gatecreeper, who have clearly been working on building up their atmosphere’s and getting more conceptual by the day. This EP may be short, but it’s absolutely brutal, and incredibly memorable, and has some of the best tunes either one of these bands have worked with.
5. Chelsea And The Noise - Blank Frames
Chelsea and the Noise came through here with a surprisingly solid collection of wildly catchy and intense Industrial tracks. In 4 tracks we have elements of Noise Pop, Electronic Music, some Hip Hop and more. And for the most part, it’s all gravy. I mean sure, I would like this EP to be a little more gritty or dark, and I would honestly LOVE for them to go even further down the Industrial sound, but that’s just me being picky. Chelsea and the Noise blend all of these sounds really well and make an entirely fresh sound out of it, and it’s exciting as hell.
4. Belle & Sebastian - How to Solve Our Human Problems, Pt. 3 - EP
Belle and Sebastian round up their "How To Solve our Human Problems" trilogy with easily the most enjoyable group of tracks yet. While other Parts of this EP Trilogy have seem lost, with Belle and Sebastian rarely having any direction, this EP has tons of it. There are still some punchy grooves and some very refined instrumentals, but that's something that these Indie Pop legends have worked with for years. But this EP is just so likable overall, and a really pleasant short listen. How this ties in with the other EP's, and what this trilogy represents as a whole is up for debate. However, if you want a refresher course on what Belle and Sebastian can do when they're focused while we wait for a full length album, this is a surprisingly decent EP.
3. Woods / Dungen - Myths 003
Woods and Dungen really come through on here with surprisingly pleasant and concise set of tracks. The "Myths" series in the past has been such a disappointment to me, often sounding like two acts thrown together and rushed to record. But here, Woods and Dungen actually get like half an hour of a recording together, and the result has some fantastic chemistry. More times than not, the Cosmic jams these two offer up are so concise that you forget this is a collaboration between two artists. Now, the majory of this EP is instrumental, just warning you. But if you can get past that, this EP is seriously pleasant and has some serious jams on it.
2. Spiritual Cramp - Police State
Spiritual Cramp on this 11 minute EP do more for the Post and Dance Punk genres than most acts in the game right now. In 4 tracks, this EP travels from Dub Reggae to Old School grimy Punk. The performances are manic and extremely urgent, and there are few moments here where I'm not completely excited to hear what these guys do next. Also, the versatility of this band is just so freakin' interesting, and their full length album is just as exciting.
Gatecreeper / Iron Reagan - Split
This EP absolutely RIPS in every way. Yea, it’s 20 minutes. Yea I sort of wish these two bands would focus more on their own solo albums. But let’s be real, this EP shows a great progression in both of these acts. We see Iron Reagan embracing their Punk energy more than ever, and bringing in a slew of group choruses that come off GREAT. Then we have Gatecreeper, who have clearly been working on building up their atmosphere’s and getting more conceptual by the day. This EP may be short, but it’s absolutely brutal, and incredibly memorable, and has some of the best tunes either one of these bands have worked with.
Friday, December 14, 2018
The Finschise's 10 Worst Albums of 2018!
Afternoon all! List month rages on! Overall, I feel like 2018 had a ton to love in the music world. But when this year was bad, it was REALLY bad. Let's chat about 10 of this year's darkest moments.
10. The Shins - The Worms Heart
If you thought last year’s “Heartworms” was disappointing, let me tell you, this is even more disappointing. James Mercer had this concept of sending an album he already recorded and “flipping” it, reversing the tracklist, making fast songs slow and vice versa. The only issue with that is, James only really keeps up with that concept for a select few tunes here. His re-imaginings of tracks like “Mildenhall” and “Half a Million” show that this could have been at the best, an interesting counterpart to “Heartworms”. But the rest of these tracks show James really dropping the ball in a big way, not “flipping” these tracks for any artistic value, but more than anything seemingly doing it just to fit the concept of this album. If this was a short EP with a handful of re-works, this could have been really pleasant. But it just gets out of control really fast, and James doesn’t sound like he can handle it.
9. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Panic Blooms
Black Moth Super Rainbow return after a few years with their safest and most puzzling album to date. Throughout the years, I feel like this project was absolutely hard to dissect and very heady. But at the very least, it was a fun project. But this, whatever the hell this is isn't fun. I don't want to vibe out to any of these songs, most of them are just boring and seriously bland. There are a few interesting detours into ChillWave and SynthWave. But outside of that, sure there are some cool sounds here and there, but the bulk of this album is massively disappointing.
8. Drinks - Hippo Lite
Cate Le Bon and Tim Presley come together for their second album under the DRINKS name, and it might just be the most awkward collaboration you'll hear this entire year. Cate is a truly accomplished Singer-Songwriter, and I've loved Tim's production in the past, this should be a match made in heaven. But there are only a very few moments on here that DRINKS sound like they're on the same page. The performances are genuinely awkward, the instrumentals are amateurish, and if this album has a direction I don't know what it is. What's sad is, some of the most memorable tracks here are brief, one-minute interludes, it's that bad. I still think they've had true chemistry in the past, and they can easily have it again. But this is a shining example of just recording whatever the hell you want and putting it with some off-kilter production doesn't make for an Experimental Rock record.
7. No Joy / Sonic Boom - No Joy / Sonic Boom
Now, I've been a fan of No Joy's work in the past, and I was actually really curious about where they were going to take this EP with Sonic Boom. Sadly, this 4 track EP is some of the most incredibly safe and quite frankly boring Synth Pop I've heard in ages. I give Sonic Boom credit because he did wonders with the production of this EP. His beats are often refreshing and the atmospheres he brings to the table are legitimately cool. Sadly, it's Jasamine White-Gluz who brings these recordings down, who sounds absolutely lost without Guitars ad a Shoegaze base. This EP is hard to sit through altogether.
6. Wet - Still Run
I mean, hey, if literally the blandest, most emotionally barren Synth Pop and Indie Pop is your thing you’re going to love this. Sure, some of the band’s more solid singles are one here. But ballad after ballad, heartache after heartache is just not something I’m into, at least not from Wet. The vocals here are great, and when they decide to bring some hazy Alternative R&B beats things actually get funky and fresh. But too much of this album just seems like recycled tracks that weren’t good enough to make the first album.
5. CHVRCHES - Love Is Dead
CHVRCHES ever since their debut album has seemed to slowly go fall from grace in a big way, and trust me this is far from the exception. The band seems like a shell of their former selves. At one point, they wrote anthems that demanded immediate listening, but the material on here seems like CHVRCHES aren't even too sure of what they're doing anymore. From sounding like a cover band to giving faceless, emotionless ballads, this album is a mess. All I can say is, thank God CHVRCHES can still write a catchy chorus that will stick with you, because if they couldn't this may have been the biggest snoozefest of the year.
4.Okkervil River - In The Rainbow Ruin
Okkervil River expands on their sound that they began experimenting with on their last album, "Away". There are Strings and Jazzy elements and synths galore. And while at a glance this album sounds really nice, there's no heart in sight. This was once a Folk project built on passionate performances and sharp lyrics. But the material on this album shows those days are long gone. Will Sheff sounds exhausted and often is sort of just a backdrop to the sea of instrumentals here. Sure, a track or two goes over well and comes off like a genuinely interesting experiment for the band. But too much of this album has me scratching my head and falling asleep rather than coming back for seconds.
3. Justin Timberlake - Man Of The Woods
This is by far Justin's most diluted and self-indulgent project, period. Justin promised us something new, something special, something combining elements of all sort of great genres. Which we do get, on about 3 or 4 tunes. But the rest of this album is bloated, with most tunes coming off as leftovers from his last 2 albums, tracks that were left off for a reason. This isn't the definition of "Cool" as Justin has come to be the usher of, and this certainly isn't groundbreaking. But sadly, some of the more focused moments like "The Hard Stuff" and "Montana" show what this album could have been. This album may be worth a listen out of curiosity, but for me, I'll be sobbing in my closet with my copy of “FutureSex/LoveSound"
2. AWOLNATION - Here Come The Runts
Boy oh boy. For years, I've honestly thought that while Awolnation has been able to put out some solid singles. But as far as an album goes, time and time again I feel like they just end up being corny when it comes to the big picture. But if that was the case years ago, that goes double for this album here. Every once in a while, Aaron Bruno and company have a decent sound on here, even enough to put out a solid tune in its entirety. But the remainder of this album is corny, ridiculous, and takes itself way too seriously. Awolnation for most of this album does strip down their sound, getting rid of most electronics. But to be honest, that electronic element was the only thing that would occasionally lead me to enjoy an Awolnation track. And when that's taken away, we're left with Awolnation desperately trying to write straightforward Rock tunes, which somehow come off more ridiculous than their Electro-Rock Conspiracy tunes. Not a good album.
1. Lykke Li - so sad so sexy
After a few albums of crafting her sound and becoming one of the most passionate and well-rounded voices in Indie-Pop, Lykke Li proceeds to throw it all out of the window. Very quickly. This is barely an Indie Pop album, this sounds like any Pop songstress trying to go for a more nocturnal sounding album and bringing in elements of Trap. No, it's not pretty, it's actually the worst album I've heard this year. Lykke's songwriting is laughable, sounding like a child wrote half of these songs. And in general, she just comes off remarkably unlikable.
10. The Shins - The Worms Heart
If you thought last year’s “Heartworms” was disappointing, let me tell you, this is even more disappointing. James Mercer had this concept of sending an album he already recorded and “flipping” it, reversing the tracklist, making fast songs slow and vice versa. The only issue with that is, James only really keeps up with that concept for a select few tunes here. His re-imaginings of tracks like “Mildenhall” and “Half a Million” show that this could have been at the best, an interesting counterpart to “Heartworms”. But the rest of these tracks show James really dropping the ball in a big way, not “flipping” these tracks for any artistic value, but more than anything seemingly doing it just to fit the concept of this album. If this was a short EP with a handful of re-works, this could have been really pleasant. But it just gets out of control really fast, and James doesn’t sound like he can handle it.
9. Black Moth Super Rainbow - Panic Blooms
Black Moth Super Rainbow return after a few years with their safest and most puzzling album to date. Throughout the years, I feel like this project was absolutely hard to dissect and very heady. But at the very least, it was a fun project. But this, whatever the hell this is isn't fun. I don't want to vibe out to any of these songs, most of them are just boring and seriously bland. There are a few interesting detours into ChillWave and SynthWave. But outside of that, sure there are some cool sounds here and there, but the bulk of this album is massively disappointing.
8. Drinks - Hippo Lite
Cate Le Bon and Tim Presley come together for their second album under the DRINKS name, and it might just be the most awkward collaboration you'll hear this entire year. Cate is a truly accomplished Singer-Songwriter, and I've loved Tim's production in the past, this should be a match made in heaven. But there are only a very few moments on here that DRINKS sound like they're on the same page. The performances are genuinely awkward, the instrumentals are amateurish, and if this album has a direction I don't know what it is. What's sad is, some of the most memorable tracks here are brief, one-minute interludes, it's that bad. I still think they've had true chemistry in the past, and they can easily have it again. But this is a shining example of just recording whatever the hell you want and putting it with some off-kilter production doesn't make for an Experimental Rock record.
7. No Joy / Sonic Boom - No Joy / Sonic Boom
Now, I've been a fan of No Joy's work in the past, and I was actually really curious about where they were going to take this EP with Sonic Boom. Sadly, this 4 track EP is some of the most incredibly safe and quite frankly boring Synth Pop I've heard in ages. I give Sonic Boom credit because he did wonders with the production of this EP. His beats are often refreshing and the atmospheres he brings to the table are legitimately cool. Sadly, it's Jasamine White-Gluz who brings these recordings down, who sounds absolutely lost without Guitars ad a Shoegaze base. This EP is hard to sit through altogether.
6. Wet - Still Run
I mean, hey, if literally the blandest, most emotionally barren Synth Pop and Indie Pop is your thing you’re going to love this. Sure, some of the band’s more solid singles are one here. But ballad after ballad, heartache after heartache is just not something I’m into, at least not from Wet. The vocals here are great, and when they decide to bring some hazy Alternative R&B beats things actually get funky and fresh. But too much of this album just seems like recycled tracks that weren’t good enough to make the first album.
5. CHVRCHES - Love Is Dead
CHVRCHES ever since their debut album has seemed to slowly go fall from grace in a big way, and trust me this is far from the exception. The band seems like a shell of their former selves. At one point, they wrote anthems that demanded immediate listening, but the material on here seems like CHVRCHES aren't even too sure of what they're doing anymore. From sounding like a cover band to giving faceless, emotionless ballads, this album is a mess. All I can say is, thank God CHVRCHES can still write a catchy chorus that will stick with you, because if they couldn't this may have been the biggest snoozefest of the year.
4.Okkervil River - In The Rainbow Ruin
Okkervil River expands on their sound that they began experimenting with on their last album, "Away". There are Strings and Jazzy elements and synths galore. And while at a glance this album sounds really nice, there's no heart in sight. This was once a Folk project built on passionate performances and sharp lyrics. But the material on this album shows those days are long gone. Will Sheff sounds exhausted and often is sort of just a backdrop to the sea of instrumentals here. Sure, a track or two goes over well and comes off like a genuinely interesting experiment for the band. But too much of this album has me scratching my head and falling asleep rather than coming back for seconds.
3. Justin Timberlake - Man Of The Woods
This is by far Justin's most diluted and self-indulgent project, period. Justin promised us something new, something special, something combining elements of all sort of great genres. Which we do get, on about 3 or 4 tunes. But the rest of this album is bloated, with most tunes coming off as leftovers from his last 2 albums, tracks that were left off for a reason. This isn't the definition of "Cool" as Justin has come to be the usher of, and this certainly isn't groundbreaking. But sadly, some of the more focused moments like "The Hard Stuff" and "Montana" show what this album could have been. This album may be worth a listen out of curiosity, but for me, I'll be sobbing in my closet with my copy of “FutureSex/LoveSound"
2. AWOLNATION - Here Come The Runts
Boy oh boy. For years, I've honestly thought that while Awolnation has been able to put out some solid singles. But as far as an album goes, time and time again I feel like they just end up being corny when it comes to the big picture. But if that was the case years ago, that goes double for this album here. Every once in a while, Aaron Bruno and company have a decent sound on here, even enough to put out a solid tune in its entirety. But the remainder of this album is corny, ridiculous, and takes itself way too seriously. Awolnation for most of this album does strip down their sound, getting rid of most electronics. But to be honest, that electronic element was the only thing that would occasionally lead me to enjoy an Awolnation track. And when that's taken away, we're left with Awolnation desperately trying to write straightforward Rock tunes, which somehow come off more ridiculous than their Electro-Rock Conspiracy tunes. Not a good album.
1. Lykke Li - so sad so sexy
After a few albums of crafting her sound and becoming one of the most passionate and well-rounded voices in Indie-Pop, Lykke Li proceeds to throw it all out of the window. Very quickly. This is barely an Indie Pop album, this sounds like any Pop songstress trying to go for a more nocturnal sounding album and bringing in elements of Trap. No, it's not pretty, it's actually the worst album I've heard this year. Lykke's songwriting is laughable, sounding like a child wrote half of these songs. And in general, she just comes off remarkably unlikable.
Monday, December 10, 2018
The Finschise's 10 most pleasant surprises of the year!
Afternoon all! List month races on! 2018 had a whole lot of great music, some pretty bad stuff too. But more than anything, I felt like this year was absolutely brimming with surprises, here's the 10 biggest for me! As always, this is all opinion folks. Enjoy!
10. Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun
I’m not going to sit here and make any excuses. No, this album really isn’t perfect or epic or brilliant. Hell, you can argue that James and Jimmy’s presences are barely felt, and at the end of the day, this is still the Billy Corgan show. But this album is like, 18 years in the making, and there are a few tracks here that are actually not bad at all. With all of the drama, backstabbing, and ridiculousness surrounding this album, I expected much much worse.
9. SOPHIE - Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
This one is a little different for me! I saw SOPHIE perform live years ago and her performance blew my mind. Then, I obsessed over the “PRODUCT” compilation. But we haven’t heard from SOPHIE in years, and when we did hear from her, what would she even sound like. And going into this, the album’s singles seemed to be all over the damn place. But the resulting album we finally got is every bit as exciting and mind-melting as I could have ever hoped for. It’s a deeply personal album filled with chilling performances and indescribable beats. It’s everything I ever hoped to hear from SOPHIE.
8. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
So let’s just start off with a cold hard fact that people don’t want to admit. This album, it’s not a bad album. And leading up to this, I have no idea how anyone in their right mind could have expected what we eventually got. I mean, last time we heard from Alex and company, they were mastering dark and moody Alternative and writing songs alongside Josh Homme. So when Alex Turner revealed that this album wasn’t going to have any singles released beforehand. And listening to it in full for its first time, it’s obvious why. This album is a spacey Lounge Rock album filled with ghoulish imagery and Glam Rock influence. AKA, something that isn’t easy to swallow at all, especially for longtime fans. But do yourself a favor, give it another listen or two, you’ll find some of Alex Turner’s most intriguing lyrics in years, as well as some genuinely interesting instrumentals that I can’t wait to see Alex expand on.
7. Kimbra - Primal Heart
This was an album that I was so worried about from a distance. Time after time, album after album I’ve been so let down by Kimbra’s work. She has such an awesome voice and an incredible range of influences. But with “Primal Heart”, Kimbra made the album I’ve been waiting to hear for years. Kimbra here busts out into classy Baroque Pop, mammoth Pop-Bangers, all while bringing in elements of World Music as well as some awesome production. It’s the album that I wish she wrote 6 years ago honestly and a colorful and adventurous one at that.
6. Beach House - 7
Since the beginning of Beach House’s career, I worried about them. As much as I’ve always enjoyed their music, I knew a day would come where the Dream pop legends would try to embrace a more instrumentally heavy sound. You see, there was always a sort of simplicity to their music, and I feared that would eventually leave. And with their last two albums, it seemed like my fears were coming true. But with “7”, Victoria and Alex have made the leap to a more dense sound with such a beauty and recapturing the band’s original mysterious edge. It’s an album that I thought I would never hear, and certainly, never enjoy as much as I love this album. It’s colorful, psychedelic, haunting and most importantly beautiful.
5. Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys
I mean, shit. Like, compare this to “Stoney” and that other genuinely trash Mixtape he dropped a few years ago and this is genuinely a gigantic step in the right direction. No, it’s not perfect. But friend of the world Posty has come a LONG way from muddling up classic Fleetwood Mac tracks.
4. Andrew W.K. - You’re Not Alone
As a gigantic, old school fan of Andrew W.K., this album made me simply put, Happy. Once again, this isn’t exactly reinventing any wheels for Andy, and it’s certainly is far from his best work. But compared to album’s like “Close Calls With Brick Walls” and “The Wolf”, it is absolutely heartwarming to hear Andrew having some legitimate fun again. There may be one too many cheesy spoken word pieces on here, which is why this album didn’t get a higher scoring review from me. But there’s a sense of positivity here that is simply put, missing from Rock music these days. It’s personal, bombastic, and loud, everything we’ve always loved from Andrew.
3. MGMT - Little Dark Age - Warning! Alert! Lend me your ears! Hey, so uh, this album is legitimately fantastic from start to finish. But what makes this album such a pleasant surprise is quite frankly where the band has been the last few years. They went from Synth-Pop anthems to literally creating one of the worst album’s I’ve heard with their last album. No, it wasn’t good at all. But with “Little Dark Age” MGMT return with a fresh new Psych Pop sound with a healthy dose of Goth tendencies and some of their strongest songs since their debut. I had no idea what to expect going into this album, but this is STRONG.
2. Twenty-One Pilots - Trench
So has the hate for this album died down at all? No? Oh ok. Well hey, look, this album really isn’t bad at all. Let’s start out with the obvious. The songwriting here compared to years of “Alternative” bullshit and Reggae-infused looks are a breath of fresh air, and Tyler’s rapping has risen absolutely ten-fold. It’s dark and so much more aggressive in parts, and every aspect to Twenty-One Pilots just seems so less cheesy. So yes, this album is far from a mind-blowing experience. But the massive shift in gears, genuinely compelling songwriting and all around more darker and heavier tone, this album was a big surprise.
Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
Who the hell in their right mind could have foreseen that two of Rap’s most polarizing figures, who by the way weren’t even talking two years ago, could come through with one of this year’s most compelling and adventurous Rap albums? Kanye West and Kid Cudi came together here with just under 24 minutes of all killer, no filler Psychedelic Rap diving deep into new waters for both men. When this album it’s Dark, its practically satanic, grooving on Classic Rock riffs and two of the biggest personalities in modern music. However, Kids See Ghosts come full circle completely and end up rounding this album out with these unreal moments of clarity and hope. Cudi sounds mentally stable, as does Kanye if you can imagine that. The singing is top notch, the raps are wildly creative, and this ends up being one of the most colorful albums of the entire year of any genre.
10. Smashing Pumpkins - Shiny And Oh So Bright, Vol. 1 / LP: No Past. No Future. No Sun
I’m not going to sit here and make any excuses. No, this album really isn’t perfect or epic or brilliant. Hell, you can argue that James and Jimmy’s presences are barely felt, and at the end of the day, this is still the Billy Corgan show. But this album is like, 18 years in the making, and there are a few tracks here that are actually not bad at all. With all of the drama, backstabbing, and ridiculousness surrounding this album, I expected much much worse.
9. SOPHIE - Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides
This one is a little different for me! I saw SOPHIE perform live years ago and her performance blew my mind. Then, I obsessed over the “PRODUCT” compilation. But we haven’t heard from SOPHIE in years, and when we did hear from her, what would she even sound like. And going into this, the album’s singles seemed to be all over the damn place. But the resulting album we finally got is every bit as exciting and mind-melting as I could have ever hoped for. It’s a deeply personal album filled with chilling performances and indescribable beats. It’s everything I ever hoped to hear from SOPHIE.
8. Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino
So let’s just start off with a cold hard fact that people don’t want to admit. This album, it’s not a bad album. And leading up to this, I have no idea how anyone in their right mind could have expected what we eventually got. I mean, last time we heard from Alex and company, they were mastering dark and moody Alternative and writing songs alongside Josh Homme. So when Alex Turner revealed that this album wasn’t going to have any singles released beforehand. And listening to it in full for its first time, it’s obvious why. This album is a spacey Lounge Rock album filled with ghoulish imagery and Glam Rock influence. AKA, something that isn’t easy to swallow at all, especially for longtime fans. But do yourself a favor, give it another listen or two, you’ll find some of Alex Turner’s most intriguing lyrics in years, as well as some genuinely interesting instrumentals that I can’t wait to see Alex expand on.
7. Kimbra - Primal Heart
This was an album that I was so worried about from a distance. Time after time, album after album I’ve been so let down by Kimbra’s work. She has such an awesome voice and an incredible range of influences. But with “Primal Heart”, Kimbra made the album I’ve been waiting to hear for years. Kimbra here busts out into classy Baroque Pop, mammoth Pop-Bangers, all while bringing in elements of World Music as well as some awesome production. It’s the album that I wish she wrote 6 years ago honestly and a colorful and adventurous one at that.
6. Beach House - 7
Since the beginning of Beach House’s career, I worried about them. As much as I’ve always enjoyed their music, I knew a day would come where the Dream pop legends would try to embrace a more instrumentally heavy sound. You see, there was always a sort of simplicity to their music, and I feared that would eventually leave. And with their last two albums, it seemed like my fears were coming true. But with “7”, Victoria and Alex have made the leap to a more dense sound with such a beauty and recapturing the band’s original mysterious edge. It’s an album that I thought I would never hear, and certainly, never enjoy as much as I love this album. It’s colorful, psychedelic, haunting and most importantly beautiful.
5. Post Malone - Beerbongs & Bentleys
I mean, shit. Like, compare this to “Stoney” and that other genuinely trash Mixtape he dropped a few years ago and this is genuinely a gigantic step in the right direction. No, it’s not perfect. But friend of the world Posty has come a LONG way from muddling up classic Fleetwood Mac tracks.
4. Andrew W.K. - You’re Not Alone
As a gigantic, old school fan of Andrew W.K., this album made me simply put, Happy. Once again, this isn’t exactly reinventing any wheels for Andy, and it’s certainly is far from his best work. But compared to album’s like “Close Calls With Brick Walls” and “The Wolf”, it is absolutely heartwarming to hear Andrew having some legitimate fun again. There may be one too many cheesy spoken word pieces on here, which is why this album didn’t get a higher scoring review from me. But there’s a sense of positivity here that is simply put, missing from Rock music these days. It’s personal, bombastic, and loud, everything we’ve always loved from Andrew.
3. MGMT - Little Dark Age - Warning! Alert! Lend me your ears! Hey, so uh, this album is legitimately fantastic from start to finish. But what makes this album such a pleasant surprise is quite frankly where the band has been the last few years. They went from Synth-Pop anthems to literally creating one of the worst album’s I’ve heard with their last album. No, it wasn’t good at all. But with “Little Dark Age” MGMT return with a fresh new Psych Pop sound with a healthy dose of Goth tendencies and some of their strongest songs since their debut. I had no idea what to expect going into this album, but this is STRONG.
2. Twenty-One Pilots - Trench
So has the hate for this album died down at all? No? Oh ok. Well hey, look, this album really isn’t bad at all. Let’s start out with the obvious. The songwriting here compared to years of “Alternative” bullshit and Reggae-infused looks are a breath of fresh air, and Tyler’s rapping has risen absolutely ten-fold. It’s dark and so much more aggressive in parts, and every aspect to Twenty-One Pilots just seems so less cheesy. So yes, this album is far from a mind-blowing experience. But the massive shift in gears, genuinely compelling songwriting and all around more darker and heavier tone, this album was a big surprise.
Kids See Ghosts - Kids See Ghosts
Who the hell in their right mind could have foreseen that two of Rap’s most polarizing figures, who by the way weren’t even talking two years ago, could come through with one of this year’s most compelling and adventurous Rap albums? Kanye West and Kid Cudi came together here with just under 24 minutes of all killer, no filler Psychedelic Rap diving deep into new waters for both men. When this album it’s Dark, its practically satanic, grooving on Classic Rock riffs and two of the biggest personalities in modern music. However, Kids See Ghosts come full circle completely and end up rounding this album out with these unreal moments of clarity and hope. Cudi sounds mentally stable, as does Kanye if you can imagine that. The singing is top notch, the raps are wildly creative, and this ends up being one of the most colorful albums of the entire year of any genre.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs
This album starts off with ‘Shattered Dreams’, and this shit isn’t wasting a single second. Right off the bat, we get this absolutely ghoulish small and a dreary performance from Earl. Like, it’s actually pretty chilling and absolutely reminiscent of what we’ve seen from Earl in the past. It’s just so visual, and reminds me so much of like, the incredibly paranoid feel of Danny Brown’s “Atrocity Exhibition”. Like, Earl sounds like he hasn’t left his house in weeks. He’s practically slurring his words yet he sounds skilled as ever. It’s a chilling, terrifying performance but it stops you in your tracks and really makes you analyze everything. Earl is just so talented. Now, with ‘Red Water’ it just becomes so obvious that Earl is really REALLY ahead of the curve. I love just how abstract and all over the place, this beat is. Half of the time, I feel like the production here is just morphing in front of us. Somehow though it doesn’t come off messy, it comes off genuinely wild. Earl’s performance here is absolutely chilling, bringing in these violent images as well as personal stories. It’s visceral and incredibly real, and absolutely vicious. Up next, ’Cold Summers’ is absolutely wild. The jazzy beat is something out of the book of Madlib. But not in the way where it comes off as a ripoff or an imitation, more like if Earl was his student. It’s a constantly morphing, colorful beat mixed with sights and sounds that sometimes come off familiar. And it’s absolutely nuts, to be honest. Earl’s delivery here is so much more upfront and aggressive, and this one has Earl diving into past friendships. He continues to come off so paranoid, so lonely, it’s so powerful and it excited the hell out of me. on the other hand, ‘Nowhere2go’ is so much more suffocating and encapsulating, sort of like some of the material from his “I Don’t Like Shit…” album. Earl’s performance is dreary, twisted and honestly gloomy. But in his performance, he comes off legitimately emotional and bent out of shape, mostly because we know Earl is just like that. We have Earl once again going deeply into friendships, which is really curious. It just makes Earl come off even more like an agoraphobiac and it’s just where I want to hear him. It’s cutting, dreamy, and the sort of left hook I needed in rap. Now, this is a constantly shifting album, so you need to keep that in mind. ‘December 24’ has a glitchy beat and Earl’s much more upfront performance here. Like, he doesn’t sound like some gloomy teen anymore, he sounds much fiercer and aggressive. And honestly, that alone knocks this out of the park. But like, come on. How good is this album To an extent, I get this feeling that this some weird, spiritual successor to “Madvilliany”. It’s not a cheap imitation, this is all skill.
This album rolls on with ‘Ontheway!’ featuring Standing On The Corner. Now, honestly, of all of the beats here so far this one doesn’t hit me as hard. This one samples some of the same tracks that J Dilla sampled on his legendary “Donuts” album. Earl though drops some pretty solid bars here with just the right amount of pop culture references. This one is a sort of low point though if you even want to call it that. ‘The Mint’ featuring Navy Blue continues on with this very dreary and dreamy sound. Some of the samples Earl is using seem so out there and deep, I have no idea where the hell all of this is even coming from. These tracks are so syrupy and just come off like they’re in slow motion or something. But it ends up adding to this very claustrophobic sound. I love this one, I love Earl’s very in-your-face performance and the very eerie sound to all of this. Honestly, this is all gravy, it’s even hypnotic in points. A lot of these beats continue to come off so classy and so adventurous with ‘The Bends’. I love his rapid-fire verses here and how Earl just keeps things ripping one line after another. Now, I sort of wish this one was maybe a little more visceral and visual. But Earl is an absolute wizard so far and is sounding impeccable. But “Loosie” pushes back in the right direction with this absolutely terrifying beat that’s constantly morphing and moving and Earl sounds like a damn serial killer on top of it. It’s less than a minute, but Earl sounds so impressive. On the other hand, ‘Azucar’ has almost a soaring feel to it with a much less claustrophobic beat. It’s almost joyous even though clearly Earl takes things down several notches with another very gloomy verse I love just how personal this continues to be a lot, Earl doesn’t sugarcoat anything. These are rap tunes that demand numerous listens, dissection, dictionaries, and attention.
By this point, it’s obvious that Earl has absolutely deformed the modern Rap beat, to the point where they are absolute shadows of themselves. It’s a smooth track, and at one point this beat was probably jolly and full of life. But Earl, between twisting and turning this beat and his morbidly depressing verse makes this an Earl classic. Like, you may even have to pause some of these tunes to take it all in. Cause guess what, there’s a TON to take in, but it’s just so rewarding. ‘Veins’ continues to make this album absolutely perplexing to keep up with. I feel like I have to unravel Earl’s metaphors and wordplay, constantly engaging me amongst this slow-motion beat. It’s bruised, and it’s far from easy to take in. But it’s the most personal thing we’ve ever gotten from Early which is really saying so much. And then there's the short interlude ‘Playing Possum’, featuring Cheryl Harris & Keorapetse Kgositsile, AKA Earl’s parents. And let me just say this, from a guy who's been slowly unraveling himself to us for like, 6 years now, this is next level. It’s a short interlude, but it’s powerful. Now, honestly, of all of the tracks here, “Peanut” is absolutely my least favorite. I’m sorry, but Earl practically rapping over a drone just isn’t what I wanted to hear. Yes, it’s freakish and twisted, but this isn’t for me. But ‘Riot!’ ends off things on a genuinely left-field note, and that’s saying something for this album. I love the joyous guitar that’s all slowed down and dreary. And yea, it’s just an ending instrumental, but it’s one of the more perfect ending credits sequences I’ve heard all year.
Rating: 9.0/10
Give A Listen To: ‘Red Water’, ‘Nowhere2go’, “Azucar”, “Veins”
Least Favorite Track: “Peanut”
Genre: Experimental Rap / Abstract Rap / Psychedelic Rap / Alternative Rap
Overall Thoughts: Rap’s dreariest, loneliest soul returns after 3 years with a mind-altering, staggeringly experimental album. “Some Rap Songs” is much more than just some rap songs thrown together. This is the culmination of every sound that Earl has ever worked with. The jazzy rap nods of his Sly Tendencies days, the horrific alternate dimension that was his "EARL" mixtape, the emotional and somber tones of “Doris" and the agoraphobia and paranoia that plagued “I Don’t Like Shit…”. Earl is an absolute megastar. His flows are stunning, his ideas are forward thinking, the beats are wild, shit I had to keep pausing this album just to take it all in. It’s a true appreciation of albums like “Madvillainy” and “Donuts” while marching bravely towards the future and becoming more human than ever. Absolutely stunning.
Give A Listen To: ‘Red Water’, ‘Nowhere2go’, “Azucar”, “Veins”
Least Favorite Track: “Peanut”
Genre: Experimental Rap / Abstract Rap / Psychedelic Rap / Alternative Rap
Overall Thoughts: Rap’s dreariest, loneliest soul returns after 3 years with a mind-altering, staggeringly experimental album. “Some Rap Songs” is much more than just some rap songs thrown together. This is the culmination of every sound that Earl has ever worked with. The jazzy rap nods of his Sly Tendencies days, the horrific alternate dimension that was his "EARL" mixtape, the emotional and somber tones of “Doris" and the agoraphobia and paranoia that plagued “I Don’t Like Shit…”. Earl is an absolute megastar. His flows are stunning, his ideas are forward thinking, the beats are wild, shit I had to keep pausing this album just to take it all in. It’s a true appreciation of albums like “Madvillainy” and “Donuts” while marching bravely towards the future and becoming more human than ever. Absolutely stunning.
Monday, December 3, 2018
The 1975 - A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships
(Sorry guys, I found this one inescapable)
This album starts off with “The 1975”, as per tradition. And it’s honestly, pretty ear-grabbing. Matty’s absolutely drenched vocals are going to be either something that attracts fans of like James Blake and Bon Iver or push you away. But it’s warm, and it’s something that really demands attention as an intro. However, I do sort of wish that this was a little more of an intro, there are some good ideas here. On the other hand, “Give Yourself a Try” is an upbeat and wild sort of Synth-Pop track. But like I said, it’s very loose and free feeling, almost coming off unrehearsed in parts. I love the soaring riff and Matty’s very confident vocals. He’s always been sure of himself. But here, he comes off as this suave and genuinely cool dude speaking for a nation of his millennia fans. He goes intro sex, which many of The 1975’s tunes do, but even that comes off so much more tasteful and less creepy than it has in the past. This is genuinely urgent and exciting and shows The 1975 already challenging themselves. On the other hand, I love “TooTimeTooTimeTooTime"'s much more woozy and warm vibes. Oh boy, ok so this is going to be seriously polarizing, like The 1975 themselves. I mean, we’re living in a time were Drake thinks he can pull off any accent he wants and the amount of Fake Dancehall on the market is staggering. This one on the other hand really goes deep in on this warm, tropical sound that I feel like I should hate. But it’s done really tastefully, and Matty’s very groovy and hypnotic vocal performances make this come off so catchy. Then we have “How to Draw / Petrichor” which is much less direct, as this one really takes it’s time painting this very sweet, graceful atmosphere. It’s very light on the ears, it’s delicate, but it ends up not coming off cheesy even though it has like this Music Box feel. And let me tell you, I actually feel like Matty’s absolutely drenched vocals even come off even more chilling and interesting here. Among this very graceful atmosphere, I can’t help but get totally swept up. And the progression here into this much more electronic and upbeat groove is done really well too In the past, The 1975 have always had a very BIG feel to their music. But I feel like so far this has been a serious realization of what they can do. Not to mention, I love just how alien and weird Matty’s vocals come off towards the end. Now, you have to give The 1975 credit, they really are branching out into all sorts of different sounds. “Love It If We Made It” shows Matty diving into sex and drugs once again, and what goes into steamy moments in the backseat of a car etc. But it’s done so incredibly passionately that I can’t help but really embrace it all. I love the patient, pulsating beat that just keeps pounding away. Instrumentally, this really isn’t that wild of an album, more often than not, it’s pretty straightforward. But the group play it all with plenty of passion, and Matty has reached such a level of charisma that it all works. It’s sort of throwback vibe, especially with that chorus. But if this is what we’re getting moving forward, I’m interested.
But, I’m sorry fangirls, for all of the time that “Be My Mistake” has been floating around I still think this is such a back step. The amount of charisma and passion in this album so far has been monumental. But this one just gives me all sorts of PTSD to some of the later moments, on their first two albums, moments where Matty just ended up coming off much more creepy than anything. This is painfully bland, and not a beautiful track by any means. Even in Matty’s vocals and lyrics, I feel like he knew people would eat this up anyway and didn’t care when writing it. So no, I don’t like it. And it’s not like The 1975 can’t write a ballad, they’ve done it plenty of times. “Sincerity Is Scary” however takes a step back in the right direction, in a big way. It starts off with this once again very vast atmosphere that’s absolutely gorgeous but instantly gets a massive amount of “cool” with some jazzy horns. And honestly Matty’s very sleazy vocals that grace this tune wraps things up so nicely. It’s a groovy, slick track that I just really didn’t expect to hear. This is an album full of left turns, you can’t say that The 1975 aren’t branching out their sound. And that group choir surrounding Matty is seriously classy and gives this such a gigantic sound to it. It’s a really great tune. “I Like America & America Likes Me” on the other hand, takes things back in a much electronic direction, which I really don’t mind nearly as much as I thought it would. Like, the beat on this one absolutely booms, and even though Matty’s vocals are drenched with all sorts of Justin Vernon worship, they end up coming off wildly passionate. It’s a fantastic sound. I mean, sure, it’s not as genuinely catchy and Pop-centered as their early stuff. But for me, it’s not as genuinely catchy and Pop-centered as their early stuff. But for me, I’m just so happy to hear Matty and the crew fill out these gigantic shoes that they’ve been trying to fill for years. But oh lord. I’m sorry but everything about “The Man Who Married a Robot / Love Theme” is cringe-worthy and weirder than anything. It’s a spoken word piece about a lonely guy who watches Porn with his computer. No, literally, WITH his computer, and they basically fall in love. No thanks. And if they’re going to go for a sort of ballad, “Inside Your Mind” is much more interesting and passionate. I mean, there are occasionally some seriously cheesy, borderline goofy lyrics. But at the very least there are some genuinely emotional moments here. Personally, I still don’t think this is their forte or even their best sound. But it’s a sweet, endearing ballad. Much more so than “Be My Mistake”.
Now, as corny as it sounds "It’s Not Living If It’s Not With You” hits the spot for me. It has elements of sweet and innocent Pop, it's catchy, it’s larger than life, what more can you ask for? As a matter of fact, while it’s not my favorite single of the bunch, this is probably the easiest one to swallow and a good place to start. The continued use of very lush backing vocals is still really tasteful. And while I haven’t talked about it too much, the production here and for the most part this entire album is pretty spot on. This is incredibly charming. Oh boy but we get another stripped down track with “Surrounded by Heads and Bodies”. And don’t get me wrong, once again I think this comes off better than “Be My Mistake”. And Matty’s performance here is very tender and sweet. But once again, I just sort of feel like this really isn’t their strength. But I actually do like how this one picks up a bit into a more upbeat acoustic ballad. So no, “Surrounded by Heads and Bodies” isn’t bad, but this isn’t where I like hearing them. Now as far as ballads go, “Mine” really steps it up. There’s still a very stripped down feel here. But man, this is just so warm and cozy, and the sort of Jazzy vibes to this somehow really don’t come off bad at all. Not to mention, I feel like of all of the tracks here this is by far the most genuinely mature. Matty here doesn’t come off as some half-stoned millennial. No, he comes off as a young man who's ready to grow up a little. And it’s actually really sweet, and an absolute knockout of a ballad. The jazzy horns, the warm pianos, this is tasteful as hell. Now, “I Couldn’t Be More in Love” is once again, a slow dance of a tune with some serious 80’s flare. Here, we are 14 tracks in, and I’m still getting Bon Iver vibes. And while this track isn’t an absolute knockout or a home run, it’s actually really charming and I certainly wouldn’t mind slow dancing to it. And Matty’s performance here is absolutely flooring, alongside these group vocals once again. I mean, I’ve never been for these slower jams from The 1975, but fuck, this is a solid tune. And this album ends up pulling off a really sweet finale with “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)”. This one, once again, is a bit of a ballad. But the picked up instrumental makes this one pop just enough. The strings are heavenly, and when those guitars come crashing in for the chorus it’s a pretty euphoric moment. This is just a straight up, nothing fancy fantastic Rock tune that wraps up this album wonderfully. Once again, this is not the sleek, shallow Indie-Pop that they got famous for. And honestly, if you’re obsessed with that sound you may hate this. But this shit is absolutely epic as a finale.
Rating: 8.8/10
Give A Listen To: “Give Yourself a Try”, “How to Draw / Petrichor”, “Love It If We Made It”, “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)”
Least Favorite Track: “Be My Mistake”
Genre: Indie Rock / Indie Pop / Synth-Pop / Dream Pop
Overall Thoughts : The 1975 return after a bloated and overproduced album with their easiest to take in, yet incredibly adventurous album yet. For years, The 1975 have give themselves massive shoes to fill with insanely catchy Indie Pop anthems, but their issues time and time again have been their studio albums. For the first time, with “A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships”, the 1975 fill those shoes. They’ve come up with a collection of millennial anthems diving deeply into Sex, Drugs and Romance with no fear of how any of it comes off. There’s hectic Synth-Pop, smooth Jazz, Dreamy Pop numbers as well as the instantaneous Indie Pop that made them such a monumental act to begin with. And while after all of these years, I'm not wildly crazy about some of the ballads, this is the first must-listen 1975 album, quote me on it.
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