Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth

Kamasi Washington, if you don't know, is currently rewriting every rule in the book when it comes to modern Jazz.  He's played for everyone from Kendrick to St. Vincent, and as a bandleader is currently on top of his game.  His 2015 album "The Epic" is....quite frankly epic.  It's a 3 disc, near 3-hour monolith which for lack of a better term is overwhelming at first.  The first disc here is probably the catchiest of the three filled with anthems like "Change of the Guard" that while being well over 12 minutes long, are fairly easy to dissect.  But that doesn't take away from the sheer power this disc has. Meanwhile, the second disc of this album is a little less anthemic, but much more intense and has an unreal amount of technique.  Not to mention, you have to take into consideration that these are all tracks that range from like 7 minutes to something 15.  But the majority of them play so smooth you would never even notice. And to be honest, Kamasi really rounded this album off wonderfully with the third disc.  Now honestly, I wasn't as into some of the more vocal lead tracks like "Cherokee", but that's just me.  But if this wasn't enough Kamasi for you, he returned in late 2017 with "Harmony of Difference", a fairly short EP.  Right off the bat, if you're looking to get into Kamasi it may be easier to start with this EP, since jumping into a 3 hour Jazz album isn't exactly easy even for a seasoned listener.  But outside of that, this EP was incredibly smooth and shared a lot of the same qualities as it's predecessor.  Kamasi's playing is ridiculous, the performances are passionate, and there's a sense of urgency to the music here that has all but disappeared in modern Jazz.  Kamasi is back though, and from the sound of these singles just as prolific than ever.  Let's chat!

This album starts off with “Fists of Fury”, and a different side of Kamasi to say the least.  This isn’t the epic, grandiose, and very anthemic Jazz we heard on his massive debut.  I mean, if you want to be technical, it is.  But there is a sense of urgency to this the likes I’ve never heard from Kamasi.  I love the short, tight playing that comes off strangely aggressive.  Now, in the past, more times than not I have to admit, I haven’t been nearly as interested in any Kamasi Washington tune that has a full-fledged vocal performance.  And while this track is still not my favorite of the bunch still, it has seemingly so much more genuine purpose than other tracks Kamasi has tried at with vocals.  This is an anthem for anyone who's tired of waiting for change and wants to make it happen.  And with these very passionate vocals alongside the very hectic playing here, you’re damn right every word id believed.  I also love just how soulful this one is, and how groovy it gets in parts.  But not once can you sit back and vibe out to “Fists of Fury”, because the sheer musicianship for nearly 10-minutes here is baffling.  And I would honestly swear have gotten even more intense, especially around the 6-minute mark.  “Can You Hear Him” is up next, and as gigantic and fulfilling as Kamasi’s first album was, I honestly feel like this is even more vast and technical.  I love the very sweeping atmospheres of this one.  Between Kamasi and that very airy french horn, this one gives me the chills.  And its all set on this very stunning backdrop that’s just so big and beautiful, this one is absolutely nuts.  But with that bass that I swear wasn’t never this funky ever, as well as these out of control synths, I honestly feel like Kamasi’s music has gone to new heights.  The music of Kamasi and his band has always been ridiculously urgent.  But this, my friends, is a completely different animal.  Not to mention, we gave those same epic backing vocals that helped us travel through “The Epic”.  “Can You Hear Him” is hectic, and hard to keep track of often.  But man, it’s all so worth it when you can just sit back and vibe out to Kamasi playing for a few minutes.  Now, the music of Kamasi Washington has always sort of had some Funk to it, as most Jazz does.  But as we get to tracks like “Hub-Tones”, it’s obvious that this is a whole new level.  There’s some jam to it ridiculous rhythms, I love just getting lost in this one, with it’s very airy atmosphere and strong horns all around.  But it’s some of the percussion here that makes it absolutely divine to me.  That, combined with some of the most intense horn playing this album has to offer, makes “Hub-Tones” absolutely wild.  It’s an untamed sound that almost comes off like something from Miles Davis’s “Bitches Brew”, in a way that this one seems to be imploding on itself and breaking all the rules.  But man, is it ever wild and awesome.  But with all of this going on, it’s miraculous just how no skill is left out and everything is just as flooring.  And for a 9-minute jam, this breezes by easily.  On the other hand, “Connections” and some of the other more subdued tracks take a more classic approach to Jazz.  But while it’s more on the quiet side, man does it ever have this undeniable sense of cool.  But after the absolutely soaring introduction to this album, I can’t help but feel that this is a little on the bland side.  Like, the playing is sweet and all, and the choir in the background bring in that very epic sound.    And trust me, the chill vibe to this one is certainly welcome after that last absolute blast of a track.  But I fee like Kamasi is holding back slightly here.  However, there are plenty of elements here that still make this a spectacle, like Kamasi’s very vibe-heavy solo and the other horn’s as well.  But remember just how fast those first tunes breezed along?  “Connections” does drag a little sadly.  And I want to like this one so badly, because hearing Kamasi on this atmosphere is wild, and that trumpet solo is top notch.  So no, “Connections” isn’t terrible, but Kamasi has to watch himself with these slower tunes.  

“Tiffakonkae” on the other hand is just so incredibly warm and inviting almost instantly.  The playing here isn’t nearly as intense or genuinely anthemic.  But there’s just such a welcoming vibe to this, and if you’re new to the Kamasi train this actually is a great place to start.  But that’s not to say that this track isn’t an absolute master class.  Kamasi’s playing is absolutely flooring from the word “go”, whether he’s laying out truly cool vibes or blowing your mind with some of the most passionate playing you’ll hear all year.  That, alongside some wonderfully paced drums and some delightfully confident pianos, makes this work.  It’s just stunning to hear just how much ground Kamasi covers with all of these clashing styles.  “Tiffakonkae” is a master class.   But that’s all thrown out the window instantly with “The Invincible Youth”, a much more abrasive and wild Jazz tune.  Instantly, all of those chill vibes are long gone, and in it’s place every instrumental just sounds tortured.  Which thankfully, eventually washes away into another track that rivals the last tune in terms of just how colorful it is.  Personally, I love hearing Kamasi this relaxed, and with these very funk keyboards backing him up, this one comes off truly cosmic.  And man, all of the other horn solos here are just as snappy and passionate.  But of course, the star remains Kamasi, whose playing here comes of effortless.  Not only that, even though he doesn’t contribute vocals or anything, he has such a presence and seems totally in control of all of this.  And I continue to absolutely love the funky vibes this album toys with.  Then we have “Testify”, and whats this?  A track under 6 minutes?  Now that’s the biggest shocker here from Kamasi.  I’m used to him breezing through 10 minutes effortlessly.  But Kamasi here rolls on down the Funk path continuing to bring a whole lot of very cool new instrumentals for his band.  But why am I totally not into some of these vocals?  They aren’t terrible vocals, they worked just fine earlier.  But on tracks like this I just feel like it takes a little away from the big picture.  Trust me, these vocals are still very soothing and in other instances I’d be eating them up.  But here, I just feel like I’m so much more in the mood to just heard the band throw another stunner at me.  And trust me, when this one settles down into a more straightforward track it’s incredible.  But still, “Testify” is sadly a low point for me.  On the other hand, “One Of One” is much more down the path of what I want to hear from Kamasi and the band.  Not only is this so much more straightforward, with the focus right where it should be.  But this one has the immense grandiosity and gigantic feel that made “The Epic” just plain epic.  There isn’t a single instrumental here which isn’t wildly focused and sounding larger than life.  And it’s just urgent enough to come off like some sort of modern Jazz anthem, which is honestly right where I want to hear Kamasi.  This track is groovy, and still has a sort of funk vibe in that thumping bass which I can’t really say no to.  And those backing vocals are right where they need to be, they don’t distract, they just add to how gigantic this track is.  Not to mention, there’s some serious jam elements here that I’m totally into all around.  For a finale to the first disc here, this absolutely wraps this up wonderfully, to the point where I need a minute or two to cool down. 

“The Space Travelers Lullaby” starts off disc 2, and it just starts off so breezy and incredibly lush.  It still has a little bit of the earlier, spacier sound.  But there is such a serene beauty to this one.  And so quickly it picks up into this encapsulating Jazz wonderland that is just so incredible that I never want it to end.  It has this warmness to it like the last track of disc one, but it also has a gigantic sense of adventure the like of which I haven’t heard this year.  The pacing on “The Space Travelers Lullaby” is also seriously ridiculous, with it’s very slow, emotional passages followed by these very climatic instrumental choruses.  It’s beautiful, and I feel like this almost should soundtrack some forgotten Disney classic in the way it’s just so animated.  The fact that these tracks have this much character alone is just jaw-dropping.  Even when this one slows down for it’s final few minutes, I can’t say no to this.  The whimsical, fantastic vibes of this album are magical. And if Funk hadn’t already been a major part of this album, “Vi Lua Vi Sol” is next level.  We have some very cosmic rhythms as well as some heavily drenched vocals, which to be honest sound really great on this track.  It gives it that otherworldly feeling that Kamasi has gotten so great at creating.  And the way these horns coincide with the soaring vocals is fantastic, to the point where when we go get that inevitable solo all around, it’s literally chilling.  “Vi Lua Vi Sol” also capitalizes on all of these World music influences.  It may not be as wild and passionate as early tracks, but this is still an incredible display of raw power and emotion.  And Kamasi’s sheer power and presence as he’s crushing this solo, I feel like I need a break and can’t believe he doesn’t need one.  “Street Fighter Mas” rattles along with a lot of the low-key Funk that’s made this album so smooth.  There are some very woozy synths, alongside of some very classically trained Pianos.  This may be one of the most laid-back tracks of the bunch.  But it’s absolutely oozing with personality and incredible moments.  Kamasi’s solo here sounds like a victory lap as he’s completely blown by everyone else in the current Jazz game.  “Street Fighter Mas” is a short track, but Kamasi has done so many other remarkable things here that you can’t be mad.  Now, “Song for the Fallen” hits on all angles in a way.  It’s warm and very inviting.  But the wild instrumentals swirling around and around are some of the album’s most funky and skillful yet.  Kamasi does take a little bit of a backseat here, with a very laid back and soulful performance.  But the fantastic drums and epic atmosphere of this really does make this just as jaw-dropping as other tunes.  Kamasi has gotten so good at just working with a groove, it really encapsulated you and has some great Jam elements.  And when his solo does finally arrive, you can bet your ass it’s passionate.  All of these incredibly different style of Jazz coming together, it’s spectacular. 

Now, “Journey” may be the most stripped down track we’ve heard in quite some time.  It takes its time with introducing the vibe here, and Kamasi gets a nice extended solo.  But what follows is just another sort of alright track with more vocals than I would like, sadly.  Now, that may be for you, but for me, I would so much rather hear an extended jam at this point.  There’s nothing wrong with the vocals, as they’re certainly beautiful and pure, and give this album even more of a very human aspect.  But outside of that, this track isn’t nearly as focused as some of the other tunes.  No matter how much of a Jam this album can be at times, there’s always a cohesive theme and it all seems planned out.  “Journey” just seems scatterbrained and shows Kamasi taking a major backseat.  After 5 minutes, we finally get some really masterful stuff.  But this one just sadly whizzes by me, not leaving much of an impact.  “ The Psalmist” up next takes things down a much funkier path again.  And no, it’s not even just the bass anymore, it’s just about everything from the Pianos to all of the horns.  But once again, I can’t help but feel that this sound all around was done so much better earlier on.  Not only that, this one goes for this very urgent sound once again and ends up coming off rushed.  Sure, the playing all around is to die for.  But structure-wise, this is another low point.  Thankfully so much of this album is mind-numbing in the best way. “Show Us The Way” swings things majorly back in the right direction, with a whole lot of the elements that made me love “The EPic” so much.  This one is wildly confident and anthemic and has just the right amount of urgency.  Here, the backing vocals make this sound like a damn Jazz happening, a true spectacle.  Everything from the hypnotic piano solo to the gargantuan horns is just so perfectly executed.  This is absolutely wild and majestic and has some of Kamasi’s most passionate playing yet.  This massive, 2 and a half hour album ends off with “Will You Sing”.  And right from this very grand, warm start, I can tell that this finale is going to be the powerhouse I need.  I love just how emotional and sentimental this one is.  Even when it picks up into this much more standard, funky number, this is still one of the most human-sounding tracks here, with a genuine sorrow you can’t disregard.  Now, do you hear these vocals?  They soar through most of the track, but here they do nothing but add a grandness and even more epic feel all around.  Like, I’m actually getting a little choked up over how gigantic and emotional this track is.  The horn solos all around are to die for, and even though this is a pretty straightforward finale, I couldn’t be happier with the way that any of this track turned out.  And it has this unbelievably positive vibe that I really needed to hear this album end off with. 

Rating: 8.7/10


Give A Listen To: "Can You Hear Him", "One Of One", "The Space Travelers Lullaby”, “Show Us The Way”


Least Favorite Track: "Testify"

Genre: Jazz 

Overall Thoughts:  Kamasi Washington returns a few years after his breakthrough monolith “The Epic”, with a 2 and a half hour monster that honestly surpasses it in every way.  Now, this is not an easy album to digest by any means.  Hell, a two and a half hour album by anyone is hard to digest.  And to be honest, I’m still not totally into some of the more vocal heavy tracks here, it’s just not for me.  However, so much of this album is absolutely mind-bending.  So much so, that half of the tracks here I literally had to take a break after hearing all the raw talent on display.  It’s cinematic, with a lot of added Funk elements and seeming endless solos from some of the best all-around Jazz players in the world.  It’s beautiful, urgent, political, and seriously groovy.  It’s tough to sit through in one sitting, but it’s worth it.  

Gang Gang Dance - Kazuashita

Gang Gang Dance are a Neo-Psychedelia and Experimental group hailing from New York.  Now, from the first time I heard them on 2005's "God's Money", I saw tons of potential here.  Overall, I really wasn't too impressed with the album, as a lot of the shorter songs to me just came off like incomplete ideas.  But it was on longer tracks like the 9-minute monstrosity "Egowar" that had some seriously incredibly passages and an awesome sound.  But it was 2008's "Saint Dymphna" that really started having me get the Gang Gang Dance sound.  This album took a turn for the more Electronic with more vocals and more synths as well.  But in general, this album was so much more coherent and had some legitimately interesting ideas.  Not to mention, I just felt like Gang Gang Dance were so much more focused, that these tracks weren't just thrown together or improvised.  Gang Gang Dance returned in 2011 with "Eye Contact", their most spiritual sounding album to date.  Which no, isn't a bad thing.  But some of these tracks tested my patience more than anything.  And while there were tracks like "Adult Goth" that I really loved, too many tracks here just flew right past me. So Gang Gang Dance are back with their first full-length album in quite some time.  And call me surprised, from the sound of these singles we're dealing with some of their most accessible and genuinely catchy material to date.  Let's chat!

This album starts off with “( infirma terrae )”, and right off the bat, it’s obvious that this is one hell of a cleaned up sound.  They aren’t screwing around with sound or anything close.  Here, Gang Gang Dance have created a genuinely perplexing and far out atmosphere.   The heavily drenched vocals work nicely and the atmosphere is dense.  It’s not much, but it certainly has me on my toes for what’s to come.  But then this album really starts to open up nicely with “J-TREE”, which is honestly one of the most accessible and listener-friendly tracks the band has ever touched.  Vocalist Lizzi Bougatsos does come off a little like Grimes here.  But between her very airy vocals and the very vast atmosphere of this one, I can’t help but be really enchanted with this.  It has this very adventurous sound, and when the pulsing instrumentals come in this just gets bigger and better.  Then we have that very spiritual feel which has always sort of stuck around the music of Gang Gang Dance.  And here, it’s no different.  There’s still that huge world music influence as well, which has never come off this soothing.  Overall, I’m all for this as an intro to the music of the album, there are some genuinely great ideas.  But the absolute gigantic leap in quality is the star.  Like, the fact that these are the same wild experimentalists we met years ago is absolutely nuts.  And while that vocal clip is a little bizarre and preachy towards the end, this is an awesome tune. The very pristine, breezy feel to this album rolls on with “Lotus”.  There’s a very calming vibe to this one, with almost some ambient moments thrown in that go over really well.  But there’s also enough organic instrumentation here to make this pretty accessible.  Then we have Lizzi’s vocals which I can never remember being so enigmatic and truly haunting.  Even in the sweetest moments, like that very charming and sweet chorus, this one has a very ethereal quality.  But at the same time, there’s enough Pop influence to “Lotus” that makes it really stick with you.  Now, a whole lot of this album is made up of these very eclectic, hard to place and genuinely “out there” interludes.  Which really aren’t terrible, but also sometimes sound lost.  “( birth canal )” for existence, takes us back to the early days of Gang Gang Dance when they were a part of that New Weird America period.  And, it’s a solid interlude and all.  But I’m missing the point of having so many interludes, they take up so much of the album.  Isn’t there something else you could be doing?  Like, giving us another song or two after like 7 years.  

This album continues on with its title track “Kazuashita”.  It remains in the very cosmic, hard to place Electronic section.  While these interludes so far haven’t blown me away completely, I have to say they capture the very weird and hard to place tones of this album.  But, I have to say, this one brings in a tremendous sense of longing the likes I’ve never heard from Gang Gang Dance.  There’s this very human sense to this that’s been missing the last tracks or so.  But this is where the album also starts to slip a little.  This track has this unbearably boring and monotonous speech that goes throughout, and it just adds absolutely nothing.  Eventually, it does open up a little into another very playful Electronic tune bringing in elements of numerous genres from around the world.  And the very lush production helps wonderfully and actually creates some legitimately wild moments.  Also, when Lizzi does show her face here they seem like they were ripped directly out of some very epic Anime series, which somehow makes this even more adventurous.   I continue to love how genuinely cinematic this album is, and how a whole lot of the material here is just so vast.  “Young Boy (Marika in Amerika)” has almost a throwback feel with some very 80’s synths.  But that’s not all, we have some almost Hip-Hop elements thrown in too, as well as some really slick grooves.  And on top of all of that, Lizzi’s vocals here are drenched in effects.  But with everything around her just as experimental and out there, it honestly really works nicely.  This may just be the first time in a long time that I’ve wanted to groove to a Gang Gang Dance album.  But hey, if it meant more tracks like this, bring it on.  But it’s with tracks like “Snake Dub” that it becomes obvious that Gang Gang Dance still have a long way to go.  First off, this is a strange tune even for me, and I love bands that get as experimental as possible.  But after how genuinely accessible this album has been so far, this just seems out of place.  The beat is totally fine and all, and Gang Gang Dance still come up with one hell of an atmosphere.  But “Snake Dub” to me just comes off as way too much of a collage, and most of it is sadly just sort of obnoxious.  Then we have “Too Much, Too Soon”, and guys, what happened to just how majestic and cinematic this album started off as?  The thing is, I’m fine with the Gang Gang Dance experimental sound.  But this track is wildly different from where we started.  Sure, there are some really great synths and a vast atmosphere deep down.  But you have to go through so much muck just to get there.  Eventually, once again, it does open up nicely.  But the sluggish nature of this one is massively depressing and doesn’t sound nearly as adventurous as where we started.  

But like I said earlier, the band is clearly on to something.  I actually think the very laid back and refined “( novae terrae )” is really charming.  It’s not exactly some mind-blowing track, and it is a little preachy.  But with just how synth-heavy it is and just how cool of an atmosphere it has, it works.  Then we have our finale here, “Salve On The Sorrow”.  And let me just ask, where the hell has this sound been?  In a way, this almost reminds me of the very sophisticated sounds of Roxy Music’s “Avalon” album.  I love the booming drums and the vast synths.  And these are easily, EASILY Lizzi’s most sweet and likable vocals yet. This one is just a really classy Pop tune, and I don’t have a clue where this sound has been.  It still certainly has a little bit of a left-field edge to it with the wonky production and endless instrumentals.  But “Salve On The Sorrow” is a damn cool, refreshing Pop sound that artists aren’t really working with right now.  

Rating: 7.6/10

Give A Listen To:  "J-TREE", "Lotus", "Young Boy (Marika in Amerika)”, “Salve On The Sorrow”

Least Favorite Track: "Snake Dub" 

Genre: Neo-Psychedelia / Experimental 

Overall Thoughts:  Gang Gang Dance return for the first time in quite some time with their most accessible album yet.  Between the very retro synths and often very cinematic feel to it all, this is a pretty adventurous album.  At the same time, Gang Gang Dance are more often than not, writing honest to God Pop songs with their classic Experimental twist.  And it’s actually not bad of an album at all.  But some of these interludes that take up the majority of this album are questionable, and some of the tracks in the second half show the band struggling to continue to sound so vast.  Still though, Gang Gang Dance are on to something. 

SOPHIE - "Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides"

UK Based Electronic Producer up until recently was a mysterious figured.  She was, for a few years pushing out big singles with everything from futuristic bangers like "BIPP" and adorable Bubblegum Pop like "LEMONADE".  But every single Sophie put out just got more twisted and more mind-bending.  These singles were all compiled on the 2015 collection "PRODUCT".  And for a singles compilation let me tell you, this thing is solid.  Tracks like "VYZEE" will get you out on the dancefloor, while tracks like "JUST LIKE WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE" will have you choked up a little.  Now personally, my mouth has been drooling for a full-length SOPHIE album.  And what do you know, it's finally here.  And from these singles, we've gotten everything from tearjerking ballads to some of SOPHIE's biggest and wildest bangers yet.  I can't wait to dive deeper. 

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with one we all know, "It's Okay to Cry".  This was one of my favorite tracks of last year, by far.  It's just so delicate and beautiful.  It has a sort of bubblegum flair to it like most PC Music affiliates do.  But it also has that wildly futuristic SOPHIE feel to it.  It's pristine and just so clean, but in this case, it's totally fine. Now, you have to realize this was a lot of peoples first glimpse at SOPHIE without massive effects.  And in that case, it makes this tracks and it's meaning so much more beautiful.  This isn't a banger, this isn't a club track, it's a truly stunning and emotional ballad to loving yourself and being what makes you happy.  It's also an anthem of understanding who you are, no matter what.  And it's absolutely beautiful.   Not to mention, it all ends off with this gigantic, explosive climax that still gives me chills.  But don't let that trick you into thinking that Sophie has left monumental bangers behind her.  Because with "Ponyboy" SOPHIE rewrites every rule in the book.  This sounds like any given club banger on her excellent "Product" compilation.  But here, everything is maximized.  The production is absolutely fucking crushing, and I dare you to sit still with this massive beat hitting from all angles.  And, if that's not your cup of tea, there are plenty of more melodic and straightforward moments on this one.  Not to mention, the over-sexualizing of everything in sight just works so well for SOPHIE.  More of this, please.  Now, I'm gonna be real with y'all, "Faceshopping" is my least favorite track here.  Let's start out with some positives though.  The production is still wild and crushing, and SOPHIE is just constantly pushing herself to bigger and better sounds.  Not to mention, the entire concept of the lyrics here is fascinating.  But this isn't nearly as instantly engaging as every other track here.  And there are some great things about this track, like just how freakish it is at points.  But SOPHIE could have taken this so much further and maybe even made it poppier.  But I do still love that really haunting breakaway verse that pops in. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uERIXLWeik0

But instantly "Is It Cold in the Water?" reels you right back in, no pun intended.  I love how immediately how cold and uninviting this is.  I love the playful synths, that in a way almost remind me of the early days of Crystal Castles.  All of that is between SOPHIE's very unsettling and freakish performance.  But oh my lord, this track is just so beautiful and intense in every way.  Like, I haven't heard these wild and such prominent vocals on a SOPHIE track ever.  So all around, this is just jaw-dropping.  I love some of the imagery as well, it just makes me want to dive deeper and deeper.  This is an album all about SOPHIE, not only that, but her coming out of her shell more by the day.  On the other hand, "Infatuation" brings in those very classic, effect-drenched vocals.  But that's not a bad thing at all if you're a fan of and PC music affiliate, this is nothing new to you.  This is absolutely a mysterious, beautifully layered and emotional track.  While it's not nearly as freakish as some of the other tunes here, SOPHIE's absolutely incredible production makes this genuine ear candy.  I love the layers and layers of different vocals coming at you, and just how gigantic some of these instrumentals are.  So far, this is just an incredible album that does nothing but excite me for the future of Electronic music and Pop music.  Then we have "Not Okay" which is the shortest track here by far and is sort of an interlude.   But trust me, it's just as mind-numbing and genuinely out there as other tracks.  Between some of SOPHIE's most abrasive and crushing production yet, some heavily drenched vocals and some samples of what sounds like Pop tunes from another dimension, this is wild.  It's a short track and all, not even reaching 2-minutes.  But, SOPHIE has packed enough genuine experimentation into these bars for 5-minutes, and it's exhausting in the best way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laWPXcUx35E

On the other hand, “Pretending” takes it’s entire first minute to just build up this barren wasteland of an atmosphere.  I mean, this is something out of the dystopian book of Oneohtrix Point Never.  Hell, screw the first minute, SOPHIE takes the first 2 really establishing herself.  But it’s actually incredibly cinematic and wildly adventurous.  Some of SOPHIE’s sound effects are incredibly raw and matched with her booming production create this absolutely chilling atmosphere.  For SOPHIE fans and people who have waited years for her to truly encapsulate herself in an album, and to really branch out and create a truly cinematic atmosphere that you know she could, this is just going to be one brilliant track after another.  Then we have “Immaterial” which is the sort of Pop tune that I really needed to hear right about now.  To an extent, this actually does sound a whole lot like something from SOPHIE’s past, maybe even from a collaborating with Charli XCX or something.  I love the bubblegum approach to this one and just how genuinely sweet this track is.  But while this is much more instantaneous, SOPHIE isn’t letting anything go, no she’s still working with divine production and beats you aren’t going to hear anywhere else.  And I love just how soaring and all over the place, these vocals are.  “Immaterial’ is nothing short of a blast.  Then we have this colossal finale “Whole New World/Pretend World”, which honestly may be my favorite of the bunch.  I love how instantly how straightforward this one is.  Sure, it’s a Pop tune at heart, most of Sophie’s material is.  But these urgent and abrasive synths are just so funky and end up creating one of the most genuinely amazing beats I’ve heard all year.  And this sung hook is the brilliant meeting of a rejected track from the “Night at the Roxbury” soundtrack and the theme song to a new Kingdom Hearts game.  It’s freakish and remains hard to place for well over 9-minutes.  But it’s also the mission statement for this entire album and sums up almost every musical concept here.  It’s just catchy enough to have you singing the rest of your day, but it proves that as far as SOPHIE’s ideas go, she’s so far from done that it’s almost scary.

Rating: 8.7/10

Give A Listen To: “It’s Okay to Cry”, “Ponyboy”, “Is It Cold in the Water?”, “Whole New World/Pretend World”

Least Favorite Track: “Faceshopping”, sue me!

Genre: Electronic / Experimental Pop / Avant-Pop / Bubblegum Pop

Overall Thoughts:  SOPHIE on this album comes out of her shell in more ways than 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.

Death Grips - "Year of the Snitch

Death Grips ladies and gentlemen.  The Experimental Hip Hop / Art Rap / Punk Rock / Noise project hailing from California that's had us on our toes seemingly forever.  They've broken up seemingly endless times, screwed with their fans, and we love every minute of it, don't we?  The first time I experienced Death Grips was on 2011's powerhouse of a Mixtape "Exmilitary".  This album showed the Experimental trip sampling everything from Black Flag to Janes Addiction, to Link Wray, to Charles Manson.  But it all done masterfully.  From "Takyon (Death Yon)" to "Klink", it was all done so brutally, with such a blood-pumping intensity that I couldn't resist.  Instantly Death Grips had their own sound that was so different than everything else on the market.  In 2012 they returned with the even bigger, more intense, more experimental and certainly weirder "The Money Store".  Death Grips here stepped away from the more sample-based style for some more live instrumentation.  The result was a seriously incredibly experience.  "The Money Store" represented a sort of "End of Innocence" in the world, and we had front row seats.  Tracks like "I've Seen Footage" and "Hacker" almost had intense grooves to it, while tracks like "The Fever (Aye Aye)" represented so much of the anger in the world in 2012.  They returned later that year with "No Love Deep Web.  This album was much more focused on big electronic beats and less on Glitchy, intense Hip Hop.  And for the most part, I thought this album was sort of average for Death Grips.  Tracks like "Black Dice" and "Lock Your Doors" were intense and really fantastic.  But so much of the rest of the album seemed so much less busy and paranoid.  And I'll be honest, 2014's "Government Plates" has never been my favorite of the band's projects.  It's certainly angry and explosive.  But this project almost sounds like an MC Ride solo album, and that's just not what I was interested in hearing.   And we all know what happened next.  Rumors of a break up here.  One "final album" there.  Rumors rumors rumors.  Jenny Death when?  We eventually got 2015's "The Powers That B".  It's an album that I'm torn on.  The first disk has always completely escaped me almost, seeming dreadfully unfocused and just plain strange.  But disk 2, "Jenny Death" was the reinvigorating, wild experiment I wanted to hear from the band.  This disk was incredible, with tracks like the explosive "On GP" and the off the rails "Beyond Alive" being major standouts.  While the first disc wasn't too exciting, the second disk showed to me that Death Grips had plenty to still give us.  But one thing that I always know to do with Death Grips, is never let your guard down.  In 2016, they released their most pummeling, intense and Punk-spirited album "Bottomless Pit".  To some, this sounded like the unraveling of MC Ride's being, while others noted this album sounded like a rebirth of Bad Brains.  Whatever you want to call it, it's ridiculously good.  From industrial bangers like "Bubbles Buried In This Jungle", to Social commentary like "Eh", to the blast of an opener "Giving Bad People Good Ideas", it was clear that Death Grips somehow were still putting out some of their best material.  So anything is always possible with Death Grips.  And if you have been following along with these singles, you'll know that.....well we can really expect anything.  I mean some of these singles have been total garbage, but others have been some of the best tracks they've done in years.  Let's chat guys and gals. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoZgZT4DGSY

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “death grips is online”, the iconic phrase that you know damn well what it means.  Right off the bat, what the hell even is this?  I feel like I’m traveling light speed through some computer on 6 Red Bulls.  It’s erratic, wild, and totally Death Grips.  It’s not nearly the Hardcore Punk sound they were toying with on their last album, just the opposite actually.  But when things get cooking, it’s got just as much raw energy and aggression, all from MC Ride’s vocals alone.  I do have to say though, this is surprisingly on the rails for a Death Grips track, in a  good way.  Sure, it’s will and intense.  But I would be lying if I said this was the blast of sound we were used to hearing.  Thankfully, Death Grips make it work, and this actually comes off like the urgent intro I wanted to hear.  And honestly, if they were to incorporate more electronic sounds, this would be the way to go.  Then we have “flies” which actually really caught me off guard the first time I heard it.  Mostly because sadly just how lackluster it is.  There isn’t a single moment here that MC Ride comes off as more than just another angry Alternative Rap MC.  Like, he once came off so charismatic, and trust me he still is.  But “flies” is sloppy as hell.  I dig the lyrical performances and all.  But despite being one of the earliest singles dropped from the album, I can’t help but feel like this was thrown together.  The beat is nonexistent, and Ride stumbling over this verse is not the excitement I crave.  But thankfully, Death Grips bounce back in a gigantic was with “black paint”.  This is the sort of muscular, noisy, legitimately experimental track that I needed to hear.  Ride sounds absolutely fucking dangerous with this intro.  No longer does he come off as mildly agitated, he comes off like an absolute monster.  Then we have these muddy, almost melodic Industrial riffs crashing all around.  “black paint’ isn’t pristine, it’s muddy and aggressive and 100% where I want to hear Death Grips.  It keeps their legendary sound intact, but it also shows them pushing more and more into fields of Rock and Metal, and that excites the hell out of me.  On the other hand, “linda’s in custody” starts off with this very hard to place bear.  Between that and the very whimsical atmosphere, this is a real shot out of left field.  But in the best way, trust me.  In a way, this is a sort of back to basics sound for the band, with them stripping down a lot of the abrasive guitars and samples for a much more simple instrumental.  But in its place, we get this legitimately paranoid verse from MC Ride the likes of we haven’t heard in years.  There’s also elements of their EP from last year, so if you were into that very hectic and urgent sound check this out.  Then we have “the horn section”, which is even more frantic and more urgent, with nothing but these ridiculous drums from Zach Hill and these blasts of synths that I dare you to keep track of.  It’s only a minute and change, but for an interlude from a band who I’m not used to hearing this from, it carries things along nicely.  And I just love the synths here, it makes me feel like I’m listening to Com Truise on steroids. 

Maybe by now, you’ve noticed, but all bets are off with this album.  You really don’t know what you’re going to hear from one track to the next.  On “ha ha ha” we get some samples of early Death Grips tracks with screams of “DESTROYER!!” followed by other genuinely freakish samples.  The beat here is so much more suffocating and immense, and it just sort of closes in on you.  And the riff here is just so destructive, and it has the sort of devilish playfulness that the band had on “The Money Store”.  And I just love the confidence on MC Ride’s verse.  He’s spitting with such a confidence its not even funny.  But like I said, at this point all bets are off, making for one of the more legitimately exciting albums I’ve heard in a while.  Take for example “shitshow”.  As this album rolls on it gets more and more apparent that the band is really intent on sampling their early material more and more, which is fine.  Because trust me there's enough organic material here to make it all fresh.  So, uh, this track?  What the hell is even happening anymore?  If people called “Bottomless Pit” the second coming of Bad Brains, this literally sounds like Death Grips covering Bad Brains.  And hell yea, it’s awesome.  It’s just so explosive, with the verses being absolutely pummeling, all leading up to this almost goofy chorus.  Just sign me up for more of this, please.  But at some point, everyone has to hit a wall and slow down a bit.  And my friends, “streaky” is one hell of a downer.  Ever since I first heard this track I just didn’t get it.  It reminds me of “Eh” from the band’s last album, in a way that lyrically it’s an important tune in the band’s discography.  But MC Ride’s performance is just so off here.  He doesn’t sound interested at all, and the beat is just so average that it sounds like someone imitating Death Grips.  “Year of the Snitch” truly gets more bizarre by the minute.  Next up is “dilemma”, and we get the collaboration between Death Grips and the director of the Shrek movies that the internet exploded over.  This one has these very retro 80’s synths that I’m actually sort of obsessed with.  It doesn’t end up watering anything down as they sort of hang around in the background as this one pummels on.  I feel like Death Grips are embracing more and more of a Punk attitude by the day, this time with a heavy riff and this incredibly catchy and memorable chorus.  “dilemma” is absolutely awesome, and proves that you really can’t let your guard down with Death Grips.  On the other hand, “little richard” brings in the sort of abrasive beat that we honestly haven’t heard too much of just yet.  And the pummeling, intense beat that follows is pretty awesome.  I love how this one ends up coming off like a warped and tortured Pop tune.  Now, I do sort of wish this one had more of a presence of MC Ride.  But for an experimental tune from a highly experimental band, this is solid. 

But like I said, you never really truly know what to expect from a Death Grips album.  All I have to say is what the actual fuck is “the fear”?  This very artsy, glamorous beat just doesn’t sound like it fits the band at all.  The pacing on this track is an absolute joke, mostly because it doesn’t exist.  And MC Ride’s flow is swallowed up completely by all of the nonsense going on around him.  This is just a really amateurish track, and that whole intro about the guy drinking blood is practically Death Grips parodying themselves.  This track is laughable.  “outro” pummels on as another solid interlude.  I like the thoughts here and all, and the playing under all of these effects actually sounds cool.  But the real star of these final few tracks is “disappointed”.  This is an absolutely wild and intense finale, with some of the most truly brilliant performances of the entire album.  Ride sounds like a freak of nature here as he absolutely screams his head off.  The drums are intense, the samples are wild, this is the final blast of energy that I didn’t know I even wanted.  It’s freakish at times, chilling, but every time you sort of get into the groove, Death Grips come along and switch things up on you, sort of like this entire album. 

Rating: 8.3/10

Give A Listen To: “death grips is online”, “black paint”, “ha ha ha”, “shitshow”

Least Favorite Track: “the fear”

Genre: Experimental Rap 

Overall Thoughts:  Death Grips are back with what may just be their most Experimental and truly bonkers album to date.  Between sampling themselves, bringing in more Rock influence than ever and working with a fuller sound than ever, the band sounds refreshed.   It’s also one of the most varied and of their releases to date, with the band almost constantly shifting sounds and styles at a moments notice.  Now, if you’re a fan of the band, you’ll be happy to hear that everything that made the band once truly groundbreaking is back in a big way.  The masochistic lyrics, the urgent and paranoid performances, the blistering instrumentals, it’s all here in spades.  And while no, not every Experiment here works, for the most part, this is a wildly entertaining album from one of the most genuinely out there bands around. 

Nine Inch Nails - "Bad Witch"

Nine Inch Nails is the long time Industrial Metal project of Mr. Trent Reznor, and if you didn't know, my favorite band.  Trent under the Nine Inch Nails name has done it all, tortured us with "The Downward Spiral", gave one of the most genuinely terrifying future predictions on "Year Zero", and released other countless classic Metal albums.  "The Fragile", "Pretty Hate Machine", they're all good.  But the 2000's has been a little less flawless to say the least when it comes to Trent's output.  There was the polarizing "With_Teeth", which honestly has grown on me a lot over the years, and "The Slip" and "Hesitation Marks" which more often then not I forget even exist.  But It was with the early 2017 EP "Not The Actual Events" that Trent really started revving my engines again.  This EP was almost too solid for it's own good, especially in 2018.  From the gritty "She's Gone Away" to the monolithic and epic "Burning Bright (Field On Fire)", this album was the heaviest and darkest the band had sounded since the late 90's.  The legends returned later that year with yet another EP, "Add Violence".  This EP was significantly cleaner and not nearly as grungy, as well as much more Synth heavy.  And to be honest, this EP has sort of lessened on me since I first heard it.  But it's still a solid reminder that NIN Have plenty more in the tank. Now, I was expecting to hear a lot of things on this new NIN project.  But from the sounds of this teaser track, this may be the most left-field and genuinely experimental stuff that Trent has given us in years.  I'm ecstatic to chat about this one folks, let's not waste any more time. 

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This album, yes, ALBUM starts off with “Shit Mirror”.  And let me tell you, this is exactly what I wanted to hear.  This track is an intense, gritty industrial rocker.  This actually reminds me a whole lot of what we heard on “Not the Actual Events”.  But it’s taken a step further.  Trent sounds absolutely tortured on vocals, and I can’t help but love the very instantaneous feel of this.  This doesn’t feel like it took Trent forever to perfect, this just sounds like a surprisingly live take.  It’s upbeat, aggressive, and I love just how murky and muddy it is.  And while Trent repeats over and over “New world, new times”, this is far from new ground for Nine Inch Nails.  It’s gritty, heavy, and honestly right where the band should be right about now.  The very “off-the-rails” feel of this album continues in a big way with “Ahead of Ourselves”, another very intense track.  The authenticity of this track is stunning within itself, and in a way almost reminds me of the material on “Broken” from way back when.  These very winding verses lead up to an incredibly abrasive chorus, while still sort of remaining on the melodic side.  Now, if you know Trent then you probably know his lyrical style.  And to be honest, things haven’t changed that much.  The chorus here is so hypnotic, and Trent doesn’t sound like he’s desperate for attention which is nice.  So far this album is wild.  On the other hand “Play the Goddamned Part” is a bizarre, sort of Experimental piece.  But instantly it’s just so ear-grabbing.  There’s this lumbering bass line and the production is super muddy, all while this very mysterious Sax goes on and on.  It’s just so mysterious and genuinely hard to place and to call this hypnotic would be an understatement.  I’m totally digging it though, and I would absolutely rather listen to this than whatever Trent was going for on the finale to “Add Violence”.  Not to mention, I love just how raw this album continues to come off.  This doesn’t sound like a well-produced Metal album, I haven’t heard Trent this “in the moment” in years.  And while yea, “Play the Goddamned Part” isn’t going to get your blood pumping, it’s intriguing. 

That last track really ushers in “God Break Down the Door” really nicely.  This track continues with this “anything goes” mentality, but it adds in an element we haven’t heard yet.  That’s right, the ol’ Synthesizer.   So far, this album has been pretty heavy and I haven’t heard a bloop or a blip in the muddiness.  But here, they come off completely refreshing.  And to be honest, I can’t remember a single time that I’ve heard them come off this intense and off the rails.  So no, I really can’t be mad.  Trent’s performance here continues to be commanding and hypnotic. But to be honest, a whole lot of this track is just as hypnotic.  From the soothing, repeated vocals to the very Avant-Garde feel to everything else going on in the background.  This is one wild tune, and more than anything just shows that Trent hasn’t been sitting around twiddling his thumbs, he has plenty more to give.  Now, “I’m Not From This World” may be my least favorite track here.  But to be honest, this one really isn’t bad at all.  I love how genuinely dangerous this intro is and how this one creeps along.  Listening to this, I feel like I’m traveling in some catacombs or watching one of those legitimately creepy videos from “Sinister”.  It’s a chilling sound that reminds us just how much of a master of soundly Trent is.  There was a time where Trent was one of few people I never worried about as far as instrumental interludes go.  But this is different, this is over 6-minutes.  But I’ll be honest, it does it’s job and gets me all sorts of hyped for whatever final is coming our way.  A genuinely terrifying atmosphere, pouring drums, twisted synths, murky production, what else can you ask for?   Now, “I’m Not From This World” pumps you up big time for “Over and Out”, and this is honestly not the finale I was expecting.  But I mean that in the best way, this is a wonderful surprise.  This is a much more futuristic, synth-heavy jam that would have been very comfortable on “Year Zero”.  It’s very cold and has the same dystopian vibes that Nine Inch Nails master years ago.  There are just so many good ideas here, between the groove which are totally welcomed after just how heavy the first track was, to the almost comforting atmosphere of the later moments.  And as far as a vocal performance goes, I really don’t think that Trent has sounded better on this entire EP, and I mean that.  He ends up bringing in a very human aspect to this wasteland of a finale.  It’s something that I wasn’t expecting to hear, but almost nothing about this album is what it should be, especially not this far into Trent’s career.  “Over and Out” is oddly emotional, and a truly awesome finale. 

Rating: 8.2/10

Give A Listen To: “Shit Mirror”, “Ahead of Ourselves”, “God Break Down the Door”,  “Over an Out”

Least Favorite Track:  “I’m Not From This World” (But even THAT isn’t terrible)

Genre: Industrial / Experimental Metal

Overall Thoughts:  Going into this short project, I feel like all bets were off with Nine Inch Nails.  I had no idea if this was supposed to be an album or an EP, or what even this album was going to sound like with just how radically different the last two Nine Inch Nails EP’s were.  So first, the obvious, yes this is an album.  And more than that, it certainly feels like one.  But I feel like this may just be the most organic and raw NIN projects in a very long time.  Nothing about this album seems forced or ridiculously produced.  No, like Trent said in the interview he revealed this project with, this sounds like it just sort of “came to him”.  Now, for whatever era of Nine Inch Nails is your favorite, you’re probably going to hear that sound here.  Whether it be the intensity and muddiness of “Shit Mirror”, the out of control synths of “God Break Down the Door”, or the surprisingly emotional “Over and Out”, this is an awesome sampling of all of Trent’s sounds.   My only real issue is, and I hate being that guy, but I wish this was longer.  This doesn’t feel like an EP, it feels like an album, one that only would have gotten more intriguing with more material.  That being said, this is easily the best thing Trent and company have done in years.  

Protomartyr - Consolation EP

Detroit Michigan Post-Punkers Protomartyr have been at is for years now making super gloomy, atmospheric, goth-tinged Punk.  I actually got introduced to them when I saw them by chance at Pitchfork's music festival a few years back when they absolutely blew everyone away with their performance.  Now, truth be told I'm not too wild about their 2012 debut "No Passion All Technique".  The recording here is a little sloppy, even for Punk standards, and that great atmosphere that they would once end up ruling over is nowhere in sight.  However, frontman Joe Casey right off the bat was so charismatic and interesting to listen to.  Plus, Protomartyr absolutely had the energy that they needed to rule over this genre down to a science.  Thankfully, Protomartyr cleaned up their act very quickly with their 2014 album "Under Color of Official Right".  This album was much more abrasive and intense, while simultaneously sounding so much better on paper.  It's an album that pulls from Hardcore Punk to an extent while sticking to the band's Gothic, Post-Punk roots.  But to me, what made this album so interesting was just how hypnotizing the band's material was becoming.  This album had track after track with these absolutely haunting hooks that locked inside your mind and just wouldn't leave.  It's not a perfect Post-Punk album, but it's a very strong showing.  However, with Protomartyr's 2015 album "The Agent Intellect", they nailed their sound.  This was a dark, moody album that had distanced itself completely from the band's early Punk material.  Tracks like "I Forgive You" and "Why Does It Shake" proved that the band had simply put, mastered the art of creating a dense atmosphere.  For the first time, I felt like Protomartyr weren't just followers, but completely leading the Post Punk sound. Protomartyr returned in 2017 with the absolutely massive "Relatives in Descent", one of my favorites of 2017.  This album saw the band going further down the rabbit hole of darkness, with frontman Joe Casey sounding less like a singer and more of some manic lunatic ranting and raving over the band's heaviest produced tracks yet.  This album is by far the most hulking and heavy hitting of the discography, with tracks like "A Private Understanding" and "Don't Go To Anacita" being perfect tracks to start with if you've never really listened to Protomartyr.  But it was intense, throttling tracks like "Up The Tower" and "Male Plague" that made me keep returning to this one.  So I'll be honest, I really wasn't expecting to hear from Protomartyr this soon.  But they're back with a new EP, with some of their grizzliest, moody and artsiest material to date, and THAT'S exciting.  Let's chat boys and girls.

(A personal favorite of mine!)

This EP starts off with “Wait”, and right off the bat Protomartyr are back to their grizzliest and most abrasive.  The atmosphere sadly, isn’t all here though, at least for me.  Like, to me, this doesn’t sound like it was made recently from Protomartyr, it actually sounds more like the band’s early material with a lot more Noise Rock and Hardcore influences.  It also doesn’t have that same gloomy, thick atmosphere that their last album had.  Plus, not hearing Joe Casey in a more upbeat or wildly aggressive atmosphere just takes a little away.  This is sadly, not the intro I wanted to hear.   But instantly “Same Face In A Different Mirror” puts me right back in the mood I want to be in.  This track is murky, gloomy, and in every way just so much more intense.  I love Joe’s very intense, succinct performance here which is just so twisted.  Not to mention, even lyrically this is just so cryptic, this would have landed wonderfully on a recent release of theirs.  And yea, I sort of wouldn’t mind if this was a little more upbeat or heavier, but this is still awesome.  On the other hand, “Wheel Of Fortune” is just a legitimately crushing Post-Punk exercise in destruction.  Joe hasn’t sounded this charismatic and wild in a long time, and I love just how over the top this one is.  And Kelley freakin' Deal of the breeders on backing vocals actually nails it and really does a great job of balancing out Joe’s performance.  And speaking Joe’s performance, it just gets more and more out of control, even lyrically I have occasionally stop for a minute and just take it all in.  Then this one transfers into this very slow, brooding track.  It’s gloomy, murky, nocturnal, and comes off incredibly dangerous.  It’s an artsier sound than we’ve gotten recently from Protomartyr, but I want to hear more.   This EP ends off with “You Win Again”, and when Protomartyr really gets into their groove it’s really hard to get them out of it.  This one is almost elegant and continues to show them going down a very artsy route.   Joe comes off almost romantic sounding in a weird way, but it remains just as dangerous and twisted.  Kelley’s performance on this one is a fraction of how impactful it was on the last track.  But still, Joe and the boys hold their own.  And yea, the very artsy vibes of this EP rage on with these very Avant-Garde horns, which I’m actually totally curious to hear more of, but I need to hear more of it.  This EP is solid and all, but I do just sort of wish they went back into album mode. 

Rating: 7.2/10

Genre: Post-Punk

Overall Thoughts:  Protomartyr returns after not even a year away with a very Arsty, yet still just as gloomy E.P. And no, it's certainly not terrible.  Like I said, with some very suave performances and obtuse horns, this is a completely new side to the band.  But because it's just such a small sampling of this sound, I don't know if I'm completely into it yet.  Hell, I don't even know if Protomartyr themselves are completely behind it.  But for now it seems like an interesting direction to go in, they just need to iron out some kinks.  

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever - Hope Downs

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever is a Melbourne based Indie Rock band who ever since their debut in 2016 have had my attention.   Their "Talk Tight" debut was a very breezy, fun Indie Rock album, which I know, we really didn't NEED at the time.  But this album showed that RBCF were wonderful songwriters, writing splendid verses and incredible choruses.  Between jangly guitars, peppy tracks like "Clean Slate", and breezier tracks like "Tender is The Neck", these boys instantly sounded so versatile.  There were elements of Indie Pop, Surf Rock, and just about 8 other sub-genres as well, which was simply impressive.  RBCF returned in 2017 with "The French Press" EP, which in case you missed it, was my favorite EP of the year.  This was a short but very focused effort that dabbled in Surf Rock, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, and more.  The breezy title track was easily one of the best tracks of the entire years, and bluesier, wild tracks like "Fountain of Good Fortune" and "Sick Bug" gave the band so much needed personality.  If you haven't yet, check this EP out SOON. So all that's missing now is, of course, a full album.  And RBCF has given us, finally, just that.  And From these singles, the band seems to have not changed a lick of their sound.  Let's chat. 

( A personal favorite of mine!)

This album starts off with “An Air Conditioned Man”, and Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever is not wasting a single second to usher in their jangly, breezy blend of Indie Rock.  I have to say, they’re certainly sounding urger, which is great.  There are still elements of Surf Rock and good ol’ Indie thrown in.  But I just love how punchy and filled with attitude this is.  Not only is this obviously the most triumphant and urgent sounding Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever track yet, but they just sound so confident.  As good as their last EP was, you got the feeling that the band was still trying out a handful of different sounds.  But on “An Air Conditioned Man”, they have their missions statement and they’re running with it.  And I love the almost Post-Punk vibe I get from that last Spoken Word verse over those wailing guitars.  The determination of this album rolls on with “Talking Straight”.  Now, you can make the argument that these guys aren’t really bringing anything too groundbreaking to the over-saturated Indie field.  But man, are they ever playing what they know with some freakin’ passion.  I absolutely love this track and just how catchy it is.  In a lot of ways, this would have fit really nicely on their last EP.  Not to mention, I absolutely love these much more deadpan vocals.  The alternation between the three singers in the band is actually a really great quality, and it’s even more interesting when they’re practically singing on top of one another.  It’s a nostalgic tune, but it’s also welcoming and incredibly warm and likable.  Now, I’m a winter boy at heart.   But tracks like “Mainland” make me want to take a long drive, roll down the windows and sing as loud as I can.  This is just another big, breezy and sweet Indie tune.  I love all of the imagery here that just adds to how warm this one comes off.  But on top of all of that, I continue to be blown away by just how confident the band is sounding.  I can’t say no to “Mainland”, it’s just so damn catchy.  Then we have “Time In Common”, which I have no idea where the hell THIS came from.  But let me tell you, I’m glad it’s here.  This track is easily the most aggressive and Punk spirited track I’ve heard from Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever.  I wouldn’t say it’s necessarily angry or rebellious.  But between the very wordy performances and the wildly upbeat verses, this one packs a punch..  Not to mention that chorus is easily one of the most hypnotic of the bunch.  This is absolutely a sound I would love to hear more of from the band.  Hell, I would even love to hear them more aggressive than this.  Not to mention, at only 2-minutes it’s a welcome change of pace to an album that wasn’t even stale yet. 

Now, “Sister’s Jeans” may be the sunniest track we’ve heard yet.  Sadly though, it’s also one of the shakiest.  So far, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever has sounded nothing short of confident and on top of their game.  But here, they sound unsure of what whey they want to take this track.  Like, the chorus here is grade-a and totally sticks with you and all.  But the playing here isn’t nearly as instantaneous, and the band just don’t sound as invigorated.  I do still think they pen some great lyrics that really speak to you.  But of all of the tracks here, this one just doesn’t sound complete to me.  Thankfully, “Bellarine” has just enough intensity to instantly reel me back in.  I can’t tell you just how much I love hearing Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever at this intensity.  Like, they took to this sound so quickly it’s wild.  But at the same time, they really don’t give up any of the jangly guitars or catchy choruses.  Because trust me, I’ve been singing this damn chorus all day.  The versatility of RBCF continues to be their absolute strongest aspect.  You don’t know if they’re going to go for a more Surf Rock inspired tune or a throwback Indie Jam, nothing is off limits.  Plus, I swear the band’s instrumentals have just gotten better and better over the years.  “Cappuccino City” takes us back to a more stripped down sound.  But on the other hand, this one is just so sunny and breezy.  Instrumentally this is just the warm Indie tune I want to hear from them.  But as far as the vocals go, this is an absolute snoozer sadly.  It’s just so uninteresting, and to be hone, don’t even sound like any of the vocals we usually hear.  I just don’t know what to say about this one, thankfully instrumentally it’s sweet on the ears.  Thankfully, “Exclusive Grave” gets us back in that slick, upbeat groove.  And yes, this time around the vocals are just so much more interesting.  It may be these sort of monotonous vocals that we occasionally get from the band, but it works.  I love the twangy guitar solos and the solid pacing, and while this track may not be as upbeat as I’d like, it’s just fine.  And like I said earlier, the occasional shift between vocalists, sometimes at a moments notice, is pleasant.  

If you haven’t gotten it by now, this is a damn fine full-length debut, with only a few short hiccups.  However, the biggest hiccup here comes in the form of “How Long?”.  This track right off the bat just shows that Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever just still aren’t completely comfortable with their sound.  This track is a broke down, sort of Southern sounding track which is fucking bizarre when you realize they’re from Australia.  And yea, they tried this sound out on their last EP and it worked great.  But here, it’s just awkward, and the vocals are so much more drawn out and boring.  Thankfully, the band pulls through with a fantastic closer with “The Hammer”.  This is one of the peppiest and most interesting all around tracks here.  Instantly, I feel like these vocals have so much energy to them, and instrumentally I feel like while this isn’t mindblowing, it’s right where the band should be.  Not to mention, between the storytelling aspect here and these awesome visuals, this track is wildly entertaining. 

Rating: 8.1/10

Give A Listen To: "Talking Straight", "The Hammer", "Time In Common", "Bellarine"

Least Favorite Track: "How Long?"

Genre: Indie Rock / Jangle Pop / Surf Rock 

Overall Thoughts: Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever continue to not have the most wild and groundbreaking sound, but end up playing it so well and passionate that it's just so refreshing.  Their formula is so simple, but it constantly works for them.  Catchy riff, jangly guitar solo, sing-along chorus, next.  There are the same elements of Surf Rock and Jangle Pop, and the band are sounding their most confident.  Not to mention, there's some new found attitude on some of these tracks that comes off amazingly.  There are some awkward detours and moments where they sound a little unsure of what they want to do in the long run, and you can argue that their EP from last year was better than this album.  But Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever remain the sunny, breezy Indie band we need right now. 

Melody’s Echo Chamber - Bon Voyage

Melody's Echo Chamber is the Psychedelic Pop project of Ms. Melody Prochet.  Now, Melody made quite a big splash in 2013 with her self titled debut with the project.  Between a dreamy, noir fueled approach to the budding Psych-Rock revival sound and some major support from Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker, this album made some big waves.  Now, for me, I actually dug most of the album.  Tracks like "Some Time Alone, Alone" as well as "I Follow You" were refreshing Psychedelic tunes that showed Melody embracing a more Pop side to this genre.  Which trust me, is very much needed.  But there were also a lot of tracks here like "Quand Vas Tu Rentrer" and "Bisou Magique" that to me, just seemed so shallow.  Melody had the sound down, and some glitzy production to make it sound good.  But so much of this album seemed to me to just be tailor-made for Urban Outfitters shoppers who wanted to freak out.  So it's been quite a few years since we've heard from Melody, but man, these very hip and genuinely experimental singles actually have me really excited for this album.   Let's chat!

This album starts off with "Cross My Heart".  This is a light, breezy start that leads way to some actually seriously lavish instrumentals.  Melody this time around seems to be distancing herself slightly from the Psych Pop of her last album.  But in its place, is this very true to form Psychedelic Folk.  All around this seems to me to e so much less gimmicky and shallow. It's breathy and Psychedelic, and some of these instrumentals are actually stunning.  Then we have this sort of weird Hip-Hop freakout complete with Jazz flute, and you know what that means.  All around, I feel like Melody has upped her sound in a gigantic way.  Not to mention, this track very gracefully hits the 7-minute mark, meaning Melody is really pushing out into new territory.  And your damn right it's exciting.  This track is pretty wild all around.  Not to mention, the production here is so much more intimate, and if Melody is going for an all around retro track this is absolutely 110% the way to go.  The strings are epic, the guitars are grand, it has a cinematic feel, I couldn't be happier.  On the other hand "Breathe In, Breathe Out" has a little Garage Rock flair to it, and I couldn't be happier to hear that.  But it also has loads of very Psychedelic synths and multi-layered vocals that work wonderfully for Melody.  While her debut was a little shallow in parts, I feel like this album is actually coming off like some relic of the early 70's.  It's actually really punchy too like those wailing guitars are absolutely an amazing touch.  I seriously can't get enough of what we've been hearing so far, and Melody continues to sound wonderful.  On the other hand "Desert Horse" slows down for an all-around more cosmic and bizarre sound.  But for a much slower, genuinely freakish song this works for Melody.  Like, I felt in the past that Melody's work was just a little too obvious for me.  I always just felt like I knew where it was going.  But between the freakish vocals, the bizarre Hip-Hop elements, and Melody's twisted lyrics here I have genuinely no idea what I'm going to hear next.  I do sort of wish this track was a little more catchy because that's what made the first two genuinely awesome.  But this very wild (yes, wild) album continues to be just so engaging. Now, I don't know why, but I've never been that into some of Melody's French-speaking songs.  In the case of "Var Har Du Vart", this track is a mammoth of a disappointment.  I actually really dig the stripped-down vibe and the very breezy atmosphere.  But at least than a minute and a half, this is a mere afterthought compared to the wild and genuinely freakish material we've heard so far.  

" Quand Les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser La Neige" on the other hand is instantly so much more cinematic and seriously beautiful.  I love just how gigantic her instrumentals are like there is some seriously lavish stuff going on here.  And here, Melody's very breathy vocals come off so cozy and legitimately beautiful.  This one, while it's still pretty out there has so much comfort in just how psychedelic it is.  I love just how almost Jazzy Melody's performance is.  Not to mention, I have to add some of these tracks have some legit Progressive Pop vibes with just how many layers and seemingly different movements there are.  As this one rolls on, it just gets so blatantly obvious that this is a completely different ball game from Melody's first album.  " Quand Les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser La Neige" is light years more ambitious and is just so cinematic and colorful than anything I could have expected.  But with " Visions Of Someone Special, On A Wall Of Reflections" Melody takes a big step towards a more modern sound.  Hell, there's almost a Jazzy vibe here.  Personally, I do feel like Melody sometimes does hop around a little too much.  Meaning, so many times she gets into this groove and sounds like a real classic of the 70's, in the best way. But there are sadly a few short moments here where she loses that a little bit and comes off so much more as an imitator.  And to be honest, that's not a problem.  But on tracks like this, it's just so much more obvious.  This isn't nearly as colorful as the early tracks here, and Melody seems less focused.  But the very cosmic vocals and adventurous feeling of this one does help a little.  But remember that I was just saying about Melody flip-flopping a little?  Well on "Shirim", it comes off genuinely exciting.  Not only do we get this very elegant and sweet Psychedelic Rock riff, we get this almost abrasive beat backing it up.  It's a very colorful track, and Melody sounds at her most charming.  This is a mix up of styles that I can really get into, and honestly, I really hope we hear more of it in the future.  And don't worry, as sort of modern this one comes off, I have to say it remains genuinely freakish and experimental.  For a finale, "Shirim" works great. 

Rating: 7.5/10

Give A Listen To: “Cross My Heart”, “Breathe In, Breathe Out”, “Quand Les Larmes D’un Ange Font Danser La Neige”, “Shirim”

Least Favorite Track: "Var Har Du Vart”

Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Psychedelic Folk / Psychedelic Pop 

Overall Thoughts: Melody returns 6 years after her debut with an album that I honestly feel like is so much more adventurous and genuinely colorful.  While I felt like her debut was shallow in parts and was just trying to be another throwback artist, the music on “Bon Voyage” comes off legitimately retro sounding.  There are almost some progressive elements on here bizarrely enough, mostly with just how many layers and movements there is on some of these tracks.  Melody, to begin with, had so much potential, and on “Bon Voyage” she exceeded my expectations.  There are a few slight hiccups, and occasionally Melody flip flops a little too much between a more current and retro sound.  And not to mention, I really wish this album was longer because I want to hear more of this sound.  But still, the future is looking absolutely wonderful for Melody. 

Mourn - Sopresa Familia

Mourn are a Barcelona based Punk band who gained a whole lot of buzz around their 2014 self-titled debut.  This was a very punky, gloomy, but also incredibly catchy Punk album.  It featured well-written anthems like "Otitis" and "Misery Factory", and made it's way in and out and 23 minutes.  It was filled with a great helping of attitude and some moody lyrics, and at the time all of the members of the band were incredibly young.  Mourn seemed poised to take over. They returned in 2016 with "Ha, Ha, He.", which was only a few short minutes longer then their debut.  And trust me there were some great tracks here like the moody "The Unexpected", and my personal favorite "Evil Dead".  But for me, I felt like this album was a little less spontaneous-sounding and was much less aggressive.  I still enjoyed it, but I did enjoy their much more attitude filled debut a little more.  So it's been a few years since we've heard from Mourn.  And these singles have ranged from totally faceless to actually really awesome.  So I'm curious to see how these 4 have grown in the last few years, let's chat!

This album starts out with “Barcelona City Tour”, and I have to give it to Mourn for coming off very urgent.  But I feel like this instrumental is a little flimsy.  This isn’t nearly as focused as they once sounded years ago, with a sort of gloomy, old school Punk feel.  But these vocals, however, on all accounts, are sounding awesome.  To be honest, I really don’t think I’ve ever heard them this truly angry and unified.  I just wish this one went further instrumentally.  On the other hand, “Skeleton” isn’t nearly as upbeat or Punky, but it’s just so much more focused.  I love the imagery here, Mourn has absolutely always had the occasionally twisted tune, and this is a good one. It’s much less aggravated and the band seems so much more at peace, which I thought I would hate. But honestly, this track is seriously punchy and incredibly memorable.  It’s not flashy, it’s less than 2-minutes and just really fantastic.  Now, I do have to say that with age, some of these vocals have gotten a whole lot more passionate and intense.  I also have to give credit to the production, with the band sounding fuller than ever.  On tracks like “Strange Ones”, it actually gives this a much more heavy sound which I’m totally into.  I love the sort of extended jam on this one that reminds me of something I would have heard on the last Screaming Females album.  Not to mention, I really can’t think of too many slow tunes from Mourn.  But this actually gives me a lot of hope for future tracks like this.  It’s intense, streamlined, and that last 30-seconds is absolutely brilliant.  Then we have “Fun At The Geysers”, which of all of the singles here, this absolutely stuck out to me the most.  For one, I absolutely love the dual vocals here between the high pitched screeches and the more interesting and dark vocals underneath. This one actually has a lot of gloominess that I originally obsessed with on their self-titled debut.  But with all of that, Mourn don’t give up on just how legitimately catchy and melodic this track is.  

Now, there’s nothing too heavy about this album.  “Candleman” is on the lighter side with some catchy guitar hooks and some nice harmonies.  But I feel like it’s in moments like this that Mourn come up a little short.  The attitude and youthful qualities that we heard earlier are all out the window, and if this one didn’t have really awesome harmonies it wouldn’t have much of anything.  Especially for a short track, this one doesn’t come off nearly as genuinely interesting.  But then “Orange” really takes this album on a weird detour with a much more whimsical number.  If that Punky attitude was gone before, it’s completely gone now, and in its place is this sort of Low-Fi ballad.  It’s not the worst track I’ve heard this year, but for a Mourn track, this isn’t welcome in my book.  Thankfully, Mourn bring in a much more crunchy and aggressive sound with this one.  This is easily one of the heaviest sounds I’ve ever heard from this band, mostly just because the production here is so freakin’ crunchy.  It’s a decent track and all, but I do sort of wish they focused more on honing in on their catchier material.  Because honestly, that’s their strength.  But man, this track is still pretty fantastic, and I do love the sheer intensity of this one.  Especially in the last minute, this track get’s ridiculous.  And I hate to be that guy, but I really do love the much more moody and aggressive tracks here.  For example, “Thank You For Coming Over”.  Here, it’s where Mourn’s very melodic vocals come through at their most anthemic, and the band just seem so much more urgent.  And I love how as it goes on it just spirals out of control and gets completely hypnotic.  More of THIS, please. 

The sheer determination of this album continues to lead to some of it’s sharpest moments.  “Bye, Imbecile” is all about this great, upbeat riff and some sharp vocals.  But I feel like of all of the tracks here, this one focuses a whole lot more on instrumentals.  Which honestly, is a really nice change of pace.  So much so, that when the final minute rolls in with these much more harmonious vocals, it’s actually exotic and legitimately exciting.  Honestly, I really love hearing Mourn in a more upbeat attitude, I just wish they would return more to their gloomy roots.   On the other hand, “Divorce” is a sort of grimy sounding and much more patient tune.  It’s moments like this that you have to take a step back and really think, wow, this is their third album and they’re like, 19 years old.  It’s wild.  Now, this one almost has a Post Hardcore edge to it.  But I continue to not be nearly as into some of these slower tracks.  They’re going for this pressure-cooker style, which is totally fine.  But as far as more emotional tunes go from Mourn, the band’s more punk-oriented tracks are just so much fierier.   But for a grimier and grungy tune, “Epilogue” actually works out pretty nicely.  Mostly because the vocal performances here are just so passionate and wild.  It’s moments like this that I feel totally comfortable with Mourn taking a slower approach.  It’s still got that great Punk attitude as well. Now, I do sort of wish tracks like this were maybe a minute longer, but I also know not to bite off more than I can chew.   This is a fine tune.  But sadly Mourn do end off this album a little awkwardly with “Sun”.  I don’t have a problem with the band going for a ballad or a stripped down number.  But to be frank, this track is wildly awkward and sticks out like a sore thumb.  In the second half this one picks up in a big way with these wailing vocals that are just so big and emotional, and it does give this album a sense of finality.  I just wish it didn’t have that first minute of serious awkwardness. 

Rating: 7.4/10

Give A Listen To: "Skeleton", "Fun At The Geysers", "Thank You For Coming Over", "Epilogue"

Least Favorite Track: "Orange"

Genre: Indie Rock / Punk Rock

Overall Thoughts:  It's crazy to believe that this is Mourn's third album.  And for the most part, this sounds like where the band should be right about now.  I continue to think that the band is at their most memorable when they're going for that moody, Punk sound that I was introduced to them with years ago on their debut.  The harmonies are on point, and some of these vocal performances are wildly passionate.  But when Mourn slow things down, it often gets pretty ugly sadly.  And why are there legitimate Low-Fi ballads on here?  Still thought, this is about where Mourn should be sounding.