NEW ALBUMS MARCH 2016

Wellllllll there has been an unbelievable amount of new music this month. To the point that I'm yet to have a chance to properly digest it all, or even locate it all for that matter, so a couple of albums will have to wait till next month. 

In the spirit of this blog, I won't be reviewing the new releases I know you've probably already heard/seen elsewhere. Instead, here are a few new albums you might have missed from the last month. Enjoy :)

GoGo Penguin - 'Man Made Object'

Genre: jazz, contemporary classical, experimental

Favourite tracks: 'All Res', 'Unspeakable World', 'Weird Cat', 'Initiate'

This is the first release from Manchester based jazz piano trio GoGo Penguin since they signed with the famed Blue Note Records. Their first two releases garnered much deserved critical praise for their infectiously catchy, jazzy, and modern instrumental compositions. Blending elements of electronica and trip-hop into an all-acoustic, traditional setting, GoGo Penguin's music is mesmerising in its complexity and virtuosity. On top of all that, it's melodically poppy and memorable. 

The full range of the band's talents are on display on this new album, from the rhythmically intense drumming to the emotionally charged piano playing. GoGo Penguin's music often sounds like the most perfect jam sesh ever: it feels spontaneous yet still proves itself to be finely polished and playfully clever. That being said, I don't feel the same level of energy in this collection of tracks compared to their previous albums. There are some stellar, solid songs that are impressive in all the same ways, but this album doesn't hit the same level of mind-bending intensity as often as their previous album '2.0'. Regardless, this is a consistent release and more GoGo Penguin is never a bad thing. I've listened to this album many times this month and will no doubt return to it in the future.

This is a group that's definitely worth checking out. Starting with this latest LP or their previous release '2.0' will give you a good idea of what these guys are all about.

You can listen to 'All Res' here: 

Lushlife/CSLSX - 'Ritualize' 

Genre:experimental hip-hop 

Favourite tracks: 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)', 'Incantation', 'The Ecstatic Cult', 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'

Features from the likes of Ariel Pink and Killer Mike were enough to draw me to this new, and very ambitious, project from the mostly unknown rapper/producer Lushlife. Bringing in a wide range of contributing producers and rappers, 'Ritualize' pulls together interesting ideas and some amazing tracks here and there but never feels like a cohesive listening experience.

From the outset I was excited by the angle this album seemed to be taking. The dreamily processed pianos and downtempo beats feel like a homage to the production style of Nujabes, perhaps not as clean or streamlined, but still a riff on the work of a producer I absolutely adore. And moments of this album do in fact pull off the introspective, overly pretty instrumental style to great effect. We also hear some very poppy glistening, glassy synths on a few tracks on this album along with the grimy, wet synthwave-style production on the Ariel Pink feature track 'Hong Kong (Lady of Love)'. 

For the most part, the production choices and musical ideas are intriguing despite the lack of consistency across tracks (to be expected on an album so laden with collaborators). Unfortunately, a number of the tracks are let down by Lushlife's lyricism and delivery. His rapping is competent but also pretty mono-tonal. He seems to only have one speed, one flow, one setting on his own verbal amplifier. Each verse feels a lot like the last and more like a way of getting from X musical idea/hook to Y rather than an interesting aspect of the song in its own right (the one exception to this that comes to mind is the track 'Burt Reynolds (Desert Visions)'. His voice often feels like it's just there, which is a real shame for the tracks that string together some excellent production but aren't backed up by solid verses. Of course, there are some pretty incredible verses from the guest rappers on this album, especially Deniro Farrar and Killer Mike. 

If you have an interest in the softer side of hip-hop, check this one out. There are some genuinely excellent tracks on offer that I know I'll be coming back to. 

You can listen to 'The Ecstatic Cult (feat. Killer Mike)' here:

Gramatik - 'Epigram'

Genre: electronic, dubstep, future funk, hip-hop

Favourite tracks: 'Satoshi Nakamoto', 'Native Son Prequel', 'Eat Liver!', 'Back to the Future', 

New York-based producer Gramatik has really put himself out there these last couple of years. Between a steady stream of his own releases and the establishment of his very own Lowtemp record label last year, he has managed to establish himself as a heavy-hitter in the world of electronic music. Never one to conform to one current trend, Gramatik dabbles in electro-swing, trip-hop, future funk, house and dubstep (and as is the case with this new album, a combination of some or all of the above). 

This album leans harder on higher impact, dirtier, dubstep-influenced passages than a lot of Gramatik's other work. While the high-energy bass-fests that sprinkle this whole album grab your attention, they occasionally feel like the remnants of a trend in electronic music that has come and gone. When they work, Gramatik's dubstep passages feel like a perfect synthesis of a once-beloved genre and his own, more nuanced production style, combining lots of bassy wubs with some smooth guitars, brass and strings. As is to be expected, Gramatik's style shines through truest when he is building jazzy, downtempo beats that let the mix breathe organically, rather than the somewhat chaotic dubstep style which can contend too much with the vocals and other instruments. The dubstep influence isn't wholly distracting, it just feels like it works better when it is pared back a bit, such as the track 'Eat Liver!', compared to when Gramatik lets himself run wild into ideas that are too hectic and loose to be interesting beyond serving as a drop. 

I'm a little mixed on how I feel about this album as a whole. Some of the tracks are really well balanced and interesting, others don't let the originality of Gramatik's production style really shine through. Perhaps my lukewarm response to a lot of the heavier moments on this album are more of a personal preference thing, or maybe these crazy wubs and drops are supposed to be banged out over club speakers and not carefully listened to. As with all of Gramatik's music, you can download this album for free of his website and have a listen for yourself. 

You can listen to 'Back to the Future (feat. ProbCause)' here:

Denzel Curry - 'Imperial'

Genre: hip-hop, trap, cloud rap

Favourite tracks: 'ULT', 'Sick and Tired', 'Knotty Head', 'Narcotics', 'Pure Enough', 'This Life'

This is the full length follow up to Denzel Curry's very well received debut 'Nostalgic 64'. Known for his ferocious, aggressive vocal delivery, Denzel spits out edgy, angry raps over trap beats and dreamy samples. The full extent of his technical prowess makes its way onto 'Imperial' as he proves himself a worth contender in the crowded world of hip-hop. 

Denzel doesn't just rap fast, he raps smart. His flows alternate and evolve thoughtfully, with care and attention to how the rhythm of his lyrics mesh with the instrumentals on these tracks. Never without a fire in his throat, Denzel Curry drives 'Imperial' along with relentless passion making this album a dense, hard-hitting listening experience. Among the ten tracks on this album are some brilliantly written verses and some of Denzel's catchiest vocal refrains and hooks. Occasionally the lyrics fall into some cliches of the hardcore hip-hop world, with some tracks dealing with robbery, drug dealing, drug taking etc. But for the most part this album feels raw, authentic and focussed on delivering a musical vision from a unique artist. 

This is a solid album from front to back. It's savage, sometimes dark, and full of gritty, ferocious verses. Fans of hip-hop would be doing themselves a disservice by passing this one up. This is an artist who's just getting started, I expect we'll see a lot more of Denzel Curry over the next few years. 

You can listen to 'ULT' here:

This month was crazy busy with new releases. I hope you enjoyed this selection of albums. I try to feature albums that are little more obscure but still deserve attention in the hopes of introducing people to something new, so I've chosen not to include the big mainstream releases from March. That doesn't mean I didn't like them or ignore them like some kind of hipster music snob, I just think this blog is better suited to showcasing the stuff that's a bit off the beaten track. You can find that other stuff anywhere. 

There have already been some pretty great albums this year, but nothing so far has blown me away. Maybe that will change next month with new albums from Tim Hecker and Mogwai, two albums I've been anticipating for a while. 

Thanks heaps for reading. Everyone who shares this blog or comments an album they enjoyed from the last month will receive actual superpowers. No joke. 100% legit offer ***

Have nice day :) 

*** of course it's a joke why are you even reading this tiny text? 

FEBRUARY 2016 - ALBUM ROUNDUP

I don't think I have anything music related to rant about this month... so here are some album reviews.

Moth Equals - One Tusk

Genre: trip-hop, down tempo, electronic

Favourite tracks: 'Cordiform', 'Aim to Get Caught', 'Gone', 'If it Keeps on Raining'

This is a little gem I stumbled upon on Bandcamp and has been my go-to chill out/chuck on in the background music this month. For the most part, Moth Equals doesn't deviate from the trip-hop/down tempo mould. However, there are some unique ideas on this album that make it stand out from the slew of what I think of as innocuous hipster cafe music. 

From a rhythmic point of view, the drum beats are fairly straight forward and typical. What really grabs the listener's attention is the vast textural palette and influences Moth Equals has used to build these tracks. Using a variety of acoustic and electronic instruments and sampling, each track is a growing soundscape with a clear, designed goal in mind. Dreamy and mesmerising in its detail and soft instrumentation, One Tusk gives us some real gems throughout its runtime. This includes the track 'If it Keeps on Raining' which very cleverly reuses the hook from Led Zeppelin's 'When the Levee Breaks". 

Some aspects of this album's production are very safe, but it does just enough to feel like its own beast. My only real gripe with this album is the use of random audio clips that seem to have been taken from TV shows or movies. They are a tad jarring among the carefully paced compositions on the album and seem like a vain attempt to give this album a sense of profundity it didn't need. 

This one's great as background music or for a close listen. Definitely check it out if you're into chilled beats. 

Listen to 'Aim to Get Caught' here:

Kanye West - The Life of Pablo

Genre: geniuscore, douchecore, "I'M THE GLITCH"*,
~ A E S T H E T I C ~

Favourite tracks: The ones where Kanye tells you how great he is, 'Subscribe to Tidal, pretty please' 

Just kidding. I don't have anything to say about this album that hasn't already been said. 

I'm also not some kind of "Kanye hater". It's just a prank, bro. 

*Kanye actually said this over and over again in an interview with Zane Lowe while comparing himself to a character from the movie Wreck it Ralph. This fucking guy. 

Jesu/Sun Kil Moon

Genre: alternative, folk, spoken word 

Favourite tracks: 'Last Night I Rocked the Room Like Elvis and Had Them Laughing like Richard Pryor', 'Fragile', 'Father's Day', 'America's Most Wanted Mark Kozelek and John Dillinger', 'Exodus'

Justin Broadrick (Jesu, Godflesh) and Mark Kolezek (Sun Kil Moon, Red House Painters) come together on this new LP. Despite a steady creative output that spans multiple decades and projects, Mark Kolezek really found a new following with his 2014 album Benji, a superb example of contemporary songwriting that I would easily name among my favourite albums of all time. Last year, Kozelek (again as Sun Kil Moon) released Universal Themes, a somewhat experimental mish mash of stories and musical ideas. Universal Themes was rambly and drawn out, even for Kozelek, with long spoken word passages and instrumental breaks. While there were some shining songs and moments on the album, Kozelek made it clear he wasn't about to ride his own Benji wave of popularity with more of the same. 

In a lot of ways, this new collaboration feels like a midway point between Benji and Universal Themes. The real meat of these songs is Kozelek, with Broadrick giving his own unique flavour to the production and instrumentation. Again, the tracks are long, rambly and story-driven, as is to be expected from Kozelek. One thing is impossible to dispute, Kozelek knows how to tell a story. Each song is like a masterfully written musical short story, moving through moments of humour and heartbreak with a keen self-awareness and deep honesty. 

The instrumentation varies far more than it did on albums like Benji or even earlier Sun Kil Moon albums like Ghosts of the Great Highway. The first few tracks of this album lean heavily on a steady rock drum beat and loose, lo-fi distorted guitars. To me, these songs get a bit too musically and rhythmically repetitive with the non-stop driving riffs. It feels like the guitars and Mark's vocals are struggling for space in the mix and distracting from the lyrical content of the songs. Fortunately, the album picks up with some clever instrumental variation and stronger musical themes towards the middle and latter part of its tracklist. The electronic elements and acoustic arrangements (reminiscent of Benji) Broadrick has put together are sonically interesting and work incredibly well with Kozelek's vocal delivery. Even the later use of the noise-rock style electric guitar tone melds in more effectively on the song 'Sally'.  

While this collaboration is not flawless, when it gets it right it's pretty damn good. 

You can listen to THIS VIDEO IS NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY oh seriously YouTube why you gotta make this so hard for me. 

You can listen to 'Exodus' here.

Mood Robot - The Story We Tell Ourselves

Genre: electronic, synth pop

Favourite tracks: 'Intro', 'Drip', 

The intro track and 'Drip' are what first drew me to this EP. The intro is an instrumental blend of retro chip tune sounds and 80s style synths that come together in a modern, Kavinsky-esque way. It's damn cool and catchy. 'Drip' is a poppy delight, mostly leaning on those same synth tones and some nicely integrated electric guitar. It's melodically infectious with some interesting production choices and smooth vocals. 

Unfortunately the other tracks on this EP don't feel as polished. While the production remains fairly pristine throughout, the musical ideas and melodic hooks are nowhere near as interesting. The male vocals are pretty weak and don't do a good job of carrying what are already fairly uninteresting songs. It just doesn't do enough to stand out from the abundance of other indie synth pop out there. 

It feels like this EP is more of a single with a few other tracks thrown in Mood Robot didn't want to go to waste filling out the runtime. The intro track and 'Drip' are well worth your time, but I don't see myself coming back to the rest of the EP in a hurry. 

You can listen to 'Drip' here:

Annnnnnnddddd that's it for this month. What's been filling your ears lately? Anything I should review? Also, if you've read this far, what did you enjoy out of this selection? Anything you want to see more of, or similar artists? I can't really review every single thing I listen to, so what do you wanna see? 

And as usual if you share this blog post you'll receive a lifetime supply of ... like orange juice (or a fruit juice of your choice). 100% legit limited time offer.**

**terms and conditions apply***

*** Terms and conditions: this isn't legit. 

ALBUM ROUNDUP JANUARY 2016

When I started this blog I also made a decision to change the way I buy and consume music. I wanted to buy more physical copies of new music and listen to lossless, uncompressed audio sources wherever possible. Which means buying CDs or paying for a lossless download. This is fairly picky of me but I think it's justified for two reasons:

• I genuinely have a better listening experience when using lossless audio; and
• I believe my "relationship" (for lack of a better word) with the album is enhanced through the process of actually pulling the album off the shelf, popping it into my disc drive or the CD drive in the car, flicking through the liner notes etc.

Neither of these things are revelations - in fact, you're probably thinking "well, duh". But I think that while the internet has given us easy access to more music than any other platform before it, the way we consume music has not changed for the better in all aspects. I have plans to address these points in further depth in a standalone post. 

What this has caused is a bit of an unforeseen difficulty in writing this blog: buying music legitimately is way harder than it should be. Unless an album is fairly mainstream, it's not going to be on shelves here on release day. Okay, fair enough, I'm into some pretty obscure stuff. But putting in special orders and getting an album weeks after release is tiresome, especially when I know I could sail the high seas of the internet and have it for free in a matter of minutes. And it's especially annoying when you want to dive into an album and digest all it has to offer before writing about it in your blog that nobody reads (except you, you awesome person). So I could pay for a download, right? Convenient, quick and legal, right? Well, sometimes, but there are other issues with that which are perhaps better suited for that other post I mentioned.

What all that crap means is that these blogs will invariably always be late and pretty much never contain all of the albums I wanted to talk about for the month. I'm not really complaining too much, this isn't some serious thing with a serious deadline and serious consequences. I'm just making some observations, some preliminary thoughts about something I think I'll address in more detail later. This blog aside, I find it absurd that legal access to music isn't as straightforward as it should be. And I have some ideas about why that is, about the shifts in the industry and technology that are the cause of this. Anyway, I'm getting carried away. Some other time.

These albums though:

Saul Williams - 'MartyrLoserKing'

Genre: spoken word, hip-hop, poetry, experimental

Favourite tracks: 'Horn of the Clock-Bike', 'Ashes', 'The Bear/Coltan as Cotton', 'Burundi', 'Down for Some Ignorance'

Saul Williams is a figure that has long stood at the fringes of the hip-hop and poetry worlds. He has won awards for his writing and poetry and collaborated with many big-hitters, most notably Trent Reznor on 'The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!'. Saul Williams has always excelled in pushing himself artistically rather than pursuing commercial success and his latest full length album proves his dedication is unrelenting. 

From the outset there aren't any surprises in the themes explored on this album. Williams's poetry and music has always been focussed on social and racial inequality (Martyr Loser King/Martin Luther King, geddit?), which he approaches in a nuanced if not occasionally obtuse way. Williams is still a poet at heart and has never been one to base his lyrics around an idea of catchy or musical verse writing. Instead, the lyrical content of this album is mostly delivered through carefully written poetic verses and loud, chanting choruses. He knows what he's doing in this respect, but some of the delivery and content of the lyrics is probably a bit too out there for some people's taste.

This album really excels in its instrumental production. Borrowing heavily from alt-rock and drone music, Williams uses some brilliantly utilised loops and noisy synths to flesh out the tracks. Every track is rich with a full sonic palette including tribal drums, blearing electronics, distortion and clever sampling. Each song is full of intrigue and worth a close listen to hear all of the aesthetic ideas that have gone into the production of this album. It really is mesmerising. 

I'm yet to get enough of this album. There are some genuinely creative and solid songs to be found here. It is definitely my pick from this past month. 

You can listen to 'Burundi' here.

Skindred - 'Volume'

Genre: ragga-metal, alternative metal

Favourite tracks: 'Volume', 'Saying it Now', 'No Justice'

There was a time when I would have named Skindred among my favourite bands. Their unique blend of reggae and metal didn't always work perfectly but when it did it was a lot of heavy hitting fun. While not all of those old songs have aged well, the ones that have still hold up really well. Their use of rhythmic, growling verses and soaring melodic choruses with a reggae feel was creative and stood out. 

This latest album, like their previous release 'Kill the Power', for the most part doesn't feel as fresh and daring as their earlier albums. This is a case of too much filler not enough killer. There are a few good tracks that feel like the Skindred of old but the rest feel a bit weak. The bounding, heavy riffs are still there but they feel very generic and unimaginative, mostly indistinguishable from a lot of popular hard rock and alternative metal out there. The guitar tone is a bit messy in places as well, the overdrive falls flat and feels like it's missing some punch from the mids. The vocals are also missing that unique reggae flair on the filler tracks and some of the melodic hooks are downright boring and repetitive. 

If you're a fan already or into the genre this album is worth a listen, but after a couple of listens you'll realise which tracks are worth skipping. 

You can listen to 'Volume' here:

マクロスMACROSS 82-99 - 'Jutsu' 

Genre: electronic, funk, pop, dance, vaporwave 

Favourite tracks:  'ミュン・ファン・ローン', '『82.99 AM』', 'Idol Talk Pt. II'

In an alternative universe ABBA were Japanese and someone remixed their songs into modern dance tracks that sound like a funky retro-futuristic video game soundtrack and it sounded like Macross 82-99. That's pretty much what this is. 

Taking samples from everything from anime soundtracks to the Stone Temple Pilots, this EP provides a lot of high energy fun in short bursts. The beats are heavy and danceable, with enough layers to keep things interesting. Despite how busy these songs are and all the samples used, the tracks are masterfully mixed and crystal clear letting the detail shine through. 

Give this one a go. It's catchy, fun and somehow nostalgic even if you haven't heard the sampled works. (It's also available on their Bandcamp and you can name your own price, so quality music for free or a few bucks, up to you).

You can listen to '『82.99 AM』' here:

There was one other album I was going to review this month but I've barely had the chance to listen to it and this post has gone on long enough. I'll leave it for next month :) 

Thanks for reading. If you share this blog post I will no joke give you like, ummm some magic beans. No scam. 100% legit not drugs actual magic beans for a limited time offer*

Have nice day.

*offer expired I'm so very sorry

5 BEST ALBUMS OF 2015

Welcome to another totally subjective "best of" list on the internet. Here I will be naming my 5 favourite albums from 2015, in no particular order. These are simply the 5 albums from 2015 I think you should listen to if you haven't already - a bit of a catch up on the extra delicious music that came out last year before 2016 gets underway for real. A couple of these albums have already been covered in my monthly roundups, so I'll just be copying in that review and an additional comment or two on why it has made this list. I hope you enjoy my brief review of the best music from 2015 :)

Punch Brothers - 'The Phosphorescent Blues'

Genre: bluegrass, newgrass, folk, country
Favourite tracks: 'Familiarity', 'Julep', 'My Oh My'

Four super talented dudes, a mandolin, a violin, a banjo, and a bass. At a glance, that's all the Punch Brothers are, yet they manage to produce music that is far more detailed and modern than you would expect from a bluegrass band.

'The Phosphorescent Blues' draws heavily on their bluegrass roots but never really sounds like bluegrass. Every track is perfectly infused with rock sensibilities, carefully composed melodies and classical virtuosity, showing the breadth of experience and influences the band members bring to the table. The opening track 'Familiarity' (one of my favourite songs of 2015) showcases the Punch Brothers' command of the full sonic spectrum of their instruments, bringing it all together in a song that is as evocative as it is musically interesting. From there on out the Punch Brothers pull the listener through song after song of mature, contemporary songwriting and masterful instrumental compositions.

In a music industry rife with electronically assisted overproduction, 'The Phosphorescent Blues' stands out as a shining example of what can be achieved through solely acoustic, intelligent and modern songwriting.

Glen Hansard - 'Didn't He Ramble'

From my September album round up: 

"Genre: folk, acoustic, singer-songwriter
Favourite tracks: 'McCormack's Wall', 'Lowly Deserter', 'My Little Ruin'

"This is Glen Hansard's second full length LP as a solo artist. Fans of his previous album 'Rhythm and Repose' and the follow-up EP 'Drive All Night' will find a lot of familiar territory on 'Didn't He Ramble'. On this album, Hansard puts his vocal chops and mature approach to songwriting on full display accompanied by more lavish instrumentation than his earlier work.

At its best, Hansard's songs are equal parts grace and vigour and there's no shortage of either on this album. Most tracks embellish Hansard's usual guitar-driven sound with a more detailed instrumental backdrop, featuring sweeping strings, fiddle and horns. For the most part, these instrumental choices pay off in spades, giving the songs twists and turns that make you sit up and take notice. At their core, the collection of songs on this album are still the quality, story-driven, sincere songs everyone expects from Glen Hansard, with more colourful instrumentation. It's not ground-breaking but it's a winning formula and compulsively easy to listen to."

This is one of those solid, thoroughly enjoyable albums that doesn't stand out for its inventiveness but for its ability to synthesise and reinvigorate tried and true staples of music that have been loved for decades.

Lianne La Havas - 'Blood'

Genre: soul, rhythm and blues, pop
Favourite tracks: 'Unstoppable', 'Grow', 'Never Get Enough', 'Good Goodbye'

Lianne La Havas has a whole lot going for her: an incredible voice, instrumental prowess, ears finely tuned to the finer points of musical aesthetics, and song writing chops to tie it all together. 'Blood' puts all of these qualities on display in an infectiously easy listening package. From slow or whispery verses to belting choruses, her voice is always rich and smooth. Each song soars with ease and grace while still being firmly grounded in carefully constructed musical backdrops - what you end up with is pure ear candy.

Fans of modern pop music and fans of old school soul alike will find a lot to love on 'Blood'. It's solid and polished the whole way through, well deserving of a place on this list.

Julia Holter - 'Have You in My Wilderness' 

From my October album round up:

"Genre: pop, art pop
Favourite tracks: 'Sea Calls Me Home', 'Betsy on the Roof', 'Have You in My Wilderness'

This is my first proper foray into the music of critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Julia Holter, and I am definitely glad I gave this album a listen.

There's a lot going on in Julia's music which is very poppy at its core, melodically at least. What sets her apart is the unbelievably lush instrumental accompaniment Julia uses. Primarily string and piano focussed, the instrumentation is brilliantly composed and mixed in a way that greatly enriches Julia's crystal clear (but somehow still whispery and soothing) vocals. Julia doesn't shy away from some fun surprises either, such as the saxophone solo in 'Sea Calls Me Home', which seems to come out of nowhere but really makes the track a knockout.

Simply put, this album is downright gorgeous in every way and worth a close listen. Fans of intelligent and interesting pop music won't be disappointed."

'Have You in My Wilderness' becomes more and more entrancing with every listen as you pick up on all the little musical nuances and delights. It's astounding beauty never seems to tire and its appeal feels astonishingly unique and refreshing through multiple plays through.

Kendrick Lamar - 'To Pimp a Butterfly'

Genre: rap, hip-hop
Favourite tracks: 'Wesley's Theory', 'King Kunta', 'u', 'Alright', 'Hood Politics', 'How Much a Dollar Cost'. 'The Blacker the Berry', 'You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said)', 'i', 'Mortal Man'

Yes I know, super original. This album caused shock waves when it was released and made the top of many best of lists for 2015, but there is a very good reason for that - it's downright brilliant in every possible way. If I had to pick just one album, this would be THE album of 2015.

'To Pimp a Butterfly' is more than an album of modern hip-hop masterpieces, it's a snapshot of Kendrick Lamar as a person, a self aware examination of his own internal conflict and personal struggles. 'To Pimp a Butterfly' is about Kendrick's struggle to stay true to his own identity in the face of his rising fame and accompanying guilt, loss and depression he feels over the way he uses his celebrity status. Lyrically, every line is written with a strong sense of rhythm and the poetic power of language. The flawless delivery, catchy hooks, and spoken word passages all serve to give detail and depth to the thematic ideas Kendrick is exploring.

Musically, the production is organic and draws on a broad palette of instruments and ideas. There are typical hip-hop beats and grooves as well as elements of free-form jazz and more experimental sonic ideas. Every single sound on this album feels perfect and natural with a staggering level of attention to detail.

'To Pimp a Butterfly' is painfully honest and sincere, a rarity in most modern music especially the often hyper-masculine world of hip-hop. It garnered a lot of attention in 2015 but it's clear this album will be talked about for years to come. With a slew of Grammy nominations and ongoing hype, you can already see the anniversary edition reissues on the shelves 10, even 20 years from now. This album excels in every possible way and it might be years before we hear anything as thematically poignant and fully realised as 'To Pimp a Butterfly'. A true achievement.

Honourable mentions:

The Mountain Goats - 'Beat the Champ'

Ludovico Einaudi - 'Elements' 

Everything Everything - 'Get to Heaven' 

That's it. 2015. Done. Thanks for reading. If you got all the way to the end here, it's your lucky day. For a limited time* only I will be giving away a free iPhone to everyone who shares this blog post. No scam.

Have nice day.








*offer expired, it was super super limited, I warned you

End of year (November/December) album roundup 2015

IT'S ALMOST JANUARY YOU LYING QUACK THIS ISN'T MONTHLY is what the 3 people who actually know I do this blog might be thinking as they click this. The truth is there weren't many albums in November I wanted to review. Traditionally, album releases slow down a fair bit this time of year, bar a few big names trying to cash in on holiday spenders and cookie cutter Christmas crap. On top of that, the albums I wanted to review weren't easy to get a hold of since... well, Australia. I did see a lot of incredible live shows and will include some brief comments on those here as well, just to make you jealous. So really, this is an even more comprehensive roundup than usual, despite there being only three new releases I want to talk about.

Note: yes I know Adele released a new album and Beliebers are frantically trying to cook up enough mash to go with his latest "bangers" but reviewing albums everyone already knows about is not the point of this blog. If you really wanna know my opinion on a specific album let me know and I'll include it in a roundup :)

Coheed and Cambria - 'The Color Before the Sun'

Genre: progressive rock, alternative rock
Favourite tracks: 'Here to Mars', 'Colors', 'You Got Spirit, Kid'

This new album is Coheed and Cambria's first departure from the high-concept sci-fi story driven albums they've been known for. Having given us the whole Amory Wars saga, a prequel, and then a prequel to the prequel, maybe it was time to for the band to abandon the conceptual underpinnings of their previous albums. After all, it'd become known that a lot of the story (for the fans who even followed it, I'd be lying if I said I understood it all) was a way for frontman and songwriter Claudio Sanchez to tell his own personal stories via analogy.

The issue is that a lot of the appeal of Coheed's music came from the scope and romanticism found in the storytelling. Not only did it feed into their lyrics but also the music, giving the listener a real space rock opera experience even if they weren't fully invested in the sci-fi story being told. 'The Color Before the Sun' is Coheed and Cambria without a doubt, but it's missing the epic scope that often elevates their songs beyond a lot of other alternative rock out there today. It manages to be an entertaining album in its own right with some stand out tracks, but without the epic musical journeys and crescendos found on their previous albums it doesn't quite live up to the band's reputation.

'The Color Before the Sun' is a safe rock album. There are no big riffs, guitar shredfests, or vocal acrobatics. It's decent, but it feels like leaving behind the conceptual underpinning of Coheed and Cambria's music has restricted the band more than it has freed them.

You can listen to "You Got Sprit, Kid" here:

Punch Brothers - 'The Wireless'

Genre: bluegrass, newgrass, folk, country
Favourite tracks: 'In Wonder', 'Sleek White Baby'

My mancrush on Chris Thile aside, the Punch Brothers have raised the bar on their most recent full length albums. 'The Phosphorescent Blues' only came out earlier this year and it'll definitely be making an appearance on my best of 2015 list (coming soon). The Punch Brothers take what is a traditional bluegrass band setup (mandolin, bass, guitar, banjo, and vocals) and push it to its technical, sonic, and musical limits.

'The Wireless' is a wonderful taster of an EP for fans like myself who wanted more after 'The Phosphorescent Blues'. The songs on this EP are a bit more clean cut for the most part but still do a great job of showcasing each member's technical and compositional prowess. The instrumental tracks are fun and full of raw energy, showing a deep appreciation for bluegrass tradition while also breaking rules to keep things fresh. The Punch Brothers always seem to have one foot in the past and one foot stepping ahead of the rest of the pack. As is the case on the track 'Sleek White Baby', a funny and painfully relevant song which points the finger at our modern obsession with mobile phones through a satirical 50s style "ad".

'The Wireless', like the Punch Brothers themselves, is more fun, energetic and modern than any bluegrass band has the right to be.

Listen to 'Sleek White Baby' here:

Mono/The Ocean - 'Transcendental' (split EP)

Genre: post-rock
Favourite track: 'Death in Reverse'

Mono are the best post-rock band out there right now. They've given us music that is wholly unique and astonishingly powerful, album after album, for over a decade. Their music is paradoxically raw and refined at the same time, noisy but painfully beautiful. 'Transcendental' is a perfect word for their music - it's far more than the sum of its parts. I had the absolute pleasure of seeing them live earlier this month and it truly exceeded all expectations. Played live, their music was more powerful than I could have imagined. It was a show like nothing else I've ever experienced - pure, beautiful noise played with total care and ferocity. 'Death in Reverse' the first of two tracks on this split EP is a fine showcase of what Mono can achieve in a little over 10 minutes, but if you want to hear them in all their glory do yourself a favour and pick up any of their full length studio albums. You won't be disappointed.

The second track on this album is from The Ocean, a band I am admittedly unfamiliar with. While Mono opt to blend beauty with ferocity, this track tends to transition from one to the other. It's a decent track, although when it really boils down to it the vocally lead section of the song is far less interesting than the thoughtfully constructed instrumentation around it.

You can listen to the EP in its entirety here:

THOUGHTS FROM LIVE SHOWS:

Chris Cornell live at QPAC

As is to be expected from such a legendary performer, this show was phenomenal. Chris played songs from his entire career and even some covers, all done flawlessly and effortlessly. New to this tour is the inclusion of a cellist that tours with Chris. The added depth given to the acoustic renditions of Chris's songs was a delightful and welcome surprise. Without much of a break, Chris Cornell captivated the entire audience for over two hours. Most would say he's getting old, a little past his prime maybe, but seeing him live confirmed this is definitely not the case.

Rise Against at Riverstage

This was my third time seeing Rise Against live and I'd have to say it was the best of the three. After the woeful (and I mean, wow, so bad) support acts, Rise Against put on an energetic and fun show. They never messed around as they charged through big hits and die hard fan pleasers, including some incredible variations on well-known songs. Noticeably missing from their set were any of the songs off their most recent album, but from the outset it was obvious this was a show for the long-time fans. And I don't think anyone left Riverstage disappointed.

So that's the last roundup of 2015. What have you been listening to over the holiday season?

I'll be doing a 'best albums of 2015' list type thingo in the next week or so with accompanying reviews and thoughts on each album. So look out for that if you're interested.

If you read this far congratulations. I'll no joke give you a free cookie. Like for real. Limited time offer, look in your mailbox it might be there.

Have nice day!

Album roundup - October 2015

It's a few days late because of exams, but here are my thoughts on the albums I listened to in October. There were some great releases this past month. Enjoy :)


Julia Holter - 'Have You in My Wilderness'

Genre: pop, art pop
Favourite tracks: 'Sea Calls Me Home', 'Betsy on the Roof', 'Have You in My Wilderness'

This is my first proper foray into the music of critically acclaimed singer and songwriter Julia Holter, and I am definitely glad I gave this album a listen.

There's a lot going on in Julia's music which is very poppy at its core, melodically at least. What sets her apart is the unbelievably lush instrumental accompaniment Julia uses. Primarily string and piano focussed, the instrumentation is brilliantly composed and mixed in a way that greatly enriches Julia's crystal clear (but somehow still whispery and soothing) vocals. Julia doesn't shy away from some fun surprises either, such as the saxophone solo in 'Sea Calls Me Home', which seems to come out of nowhere but really makes the track a knockout.

Simply put, this album is downright gorgeous in every way and worth a close listen. Fans of intelligent and interesting pop music won't be disappointed.

Listen to 'Betsy On the Roof' here: 

Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long - 'Debris' 

Genre: poetry, spoken word

Favourite tracks: 'Debris', 'Shut Up and Say Something', 'For Instance'

This is the second collaboration between famed spoken word poet Shane Koyczan and The Short Story Long. Shane garnered world-wide attention for his poem 'To This Day', which appeared on his first album 'Remembrance Year'. Shane's command of the sonic and rhythmic qualities of the spoken word accompanied by carefully composed music proved to be a captivating combination. 'Debris' continues to use this combination to great effect, providing a collection of genuinely insightful and evocative (and often earnestly hilarious) poems.

Shane's poetry is incredibly accessible in its irreverence, honesty, and wit. Each poem is carefully written and delivered, showing a mastery of storytelling, metaphor, sound, and rhythm, never falling flat or feeling stale. The musical accompaniment is equally as nuanced and, in my opinion, does an even better job of underscoring Shane's poetry than on 'Remembrance Year'.

If you have an interest in spoken word already or are looking for a place to start, it's hard to go wrong with Shane Koyczan. 

Listen to 'Debris' here:

Ludovico Einaudi - 'Elements'

Genre: contemporary classical, neoclassical, minimalist

Favourite tracks: 'Petricor', 'Night', 'Logos', 'Song for Gavin' 

Ludovico Einaudi is one of the greatest composers alive today and 'Elements' is just further proof that his virtuosity and compositional prowess show no signs of slowing down. I'm a long time fan of Einaudi and would easily place his previous full length LP 'In a Time Lapse' among my favourite albums of all time (seriously, if you have functioning ears and haven't heard that album you should get on that). 

On 'Elements' Einaudi returns to a slightly more piano-centric and stripped back approach similar to earlier albums such as 'Divenire' and 'Nightbook'. While still occasionally reaching the epic scale of 'In a Time Lapse' this album places the piano front and centre for some truly beautiful and entrancing compositions. Sonically, Einaudi throws some electronic elements in the mix as he often does, which serve to give the pieces an edge and modern sophistication that goes beyond pure piano or orchestral composition. 

It's solid the whole way through with each piece having its own unique merits, but like all Einaudi albums the true mastery of his work is best experienced in one complete listening. I don't have much more to say about this album, it's truly wonderful. This was the album I was most looking forward to in October and I'm glad it delivered. 

Listen to 'Night' here:

William Basinski - 'Cascade' and 'The Deluge'

Genre: avant-garde, experimental, ambient
Favourite tracks: n/a

It's hard to describe Basinski's music so I'll try to keep this short. If you're unfamiliar with the world of experimental and ambient music and haven't heard of him before, William Basinski is an incredibly well regarded and accomplished artist. He's best known for his series of tape-loop compositions 'The Disintegration Loops' (2001-2002) which are still regarded as one of the best works in ambient music to date.

'Cascade' and 'The Deluge' are variations on a new tape-loop composition that features a lilting and eerie piano loop, melancholic and weightless in feel given the almost complete absence of sound in the low range. Each variation repeats the loop as different feedback loops and reverbs of varying lengths alter the sonic aspects of the loop before it fades into nothing. It's Basinski and I won't pretend to know the ins and outs of his process, each new release by Basinski seems so simple yet so detailed and complex. While 'The Disintegration Loops' will always be Basinski's signature work, these new compositions are astonishing and affecting in their own right. The music speaks for itself.

Listen to 'The Deluge' (including 'the denouement' and a shortened version of 'Cascade') here:

Boy & Bear - 'Limit of Love'

Genre: Indie, folk-rock

Favourite tracks: eh

Eh. I like Boy & Bear. Their two previous albums weren't amazing by any stretch, but among the mostly average songs were some real gems. This new album is like their previous two (like, a lot) but without the gems. It was so forgettable that the first time I listened to it I actually forgot I had and made a mental note to listen to the new Boy & Bear album before realising I in fact already had.

I've given it a few listens and gone a bit more in depth with some tracks to give this album a fair chance. Unfortunately, the songs here are at best a bit boring and forgettable and at worst a drag. There are also some bizarre production choices that make this album feel a bit off and stale, such as having the guitar tracks on most songs mixed to the very far right (it's seriously off putting, I had to swap headphones to check it wasn't an issue with my gear). Each track feels completely void of emotion and direction, to the point where it all sounds very similar, even for Boy & Bear. This wasn't an album I had on my radar in particular, I just thought it'd be a nice listen since, hey, Boy & Bear are a pretty decent band. But this was a disappointing album overall. 

THIS IS WHERE I'D PUT MY REVIEW OF THE NEW COHEED AND CAMBRIA ALBUM if I'd actually been able to purchase it on the day of its release and not three weeks later due to a goof by the local distributor. No stores (in Brisbane at least) had their shipments arrive until over two weeks after the release of the album. I've had a listen to the album but not closely enough to review it yet, so I'll let that roll over into November's roundup.

What did you listen to this past month? Any new albums you think I should listen to?

Thanks heaps for reading if you did. As always, have nice day :) 

Album roundup - September 2015

Hi, I'm Marco, and I listen to heaps of music. I also like to share my opinions on music, discuss music, and introduce people to new artists. Rather than write full reviews people probably won't read, I am going to do a monthly roundup of the new albums (and maybe some older ones I've only just got around to) I've been listening to accompanied with some thoughts on what's worth a listen and why. I'd like to point out I have no music education of any sort, I'm just a dude that listens to a lot of music that wants to share that with others and also push myself to think more deeply and critically about the music I listen to. September is coming to a close, so let's have a look at what's been filling my ears this month.

Firstly I want to point out that I will not be ranking these albums from best to worst, longest to shortest, heaviest to lightest or tastiest to blandest (they all taste like plastic or cardboard, by the way). That's not really the point of this blog. Music is incredibly subjective. In a world where someone can click something that catches their interest and form their own opinion within a matter of minutes, I find ratings and rankings a little pointless. This is about pointing people in the direction of what might capture their interest in the first place. Enjoy :)

Glen Hansard - 'Didn't He Ramble'

Genre: folk, acoustic, singer-songwriter
Favourite tracks: McCormack's Wall, Lowly Deserter, My Little Ruin

This is Glen Hansard's second full length LP as a solo artist. Fans of his previous album 'Rhythm and Repose' and the follow-up EP 'Drive All Night' will find a lot of familiar territory on 'Didn't He Ramble'. On this album, Hansard puts his vocal chops and mature approach to songwriting on full display accompanied by more lavish instrumentation than his earlier work. At its best, Hansard's songs are equal parts grace and vigour and there's no shortage of either on this album. Most tracks embellish Hansard's usual guitar-driven sound with a more detailed instrumental backdrop, featuring sweeping strings, fiddle and horns. For the most part, these instrumental choices pay off in spades, giving the songs twists and turns that make you sit up and take notice. At their core, the collection of songs on this album are still the quality, story-driven, sincere songs everyone expects from Glen Hansard, with more colourful instrumentation. It's not ground-breaking but it's a winning formula and compulsively easy to listen to. Listen to 'My Little Ruin' below:

Emancipator - 'Seven Seas'

Genre: electronic, downtempo, trip hop

Favourite tracks: Canopy, The Key

Douglas Appling, better known as trip hop producer Emancipator, originally caught my attention in 2013 with his album 'Dusk to Dawn' which I would definitely name among my favourite albums of that year. Unique instrumental choices and a real sense of dynamics were what originally made my ears prick up - it was instrumental trip hop with some fun twists that gave 'Dusk to Dawn' an original atmosphere. 'Seven Seas' features some of those elements that made 'Dusk to Dawn' so appealing - the jazzy phrasing, interesting use of woodwind and other traditional instruments mixed in with electronic sounds - but doesn't reach the same atmospheric or original feeling. The sound here is still signature Emancipator, but the aspects that made his music so intriguing get lost amidst a lot of the other competing ideas on this album. To me, a lot of the looped phrases and beats feel a tad lazy and uninspired. Those more unique instrumental choices don't shine through on most of the tracks here, leaving this album no more exciting than a lot of other downtempo and trip hop music already out there, something more likely to be heard playing on low volume in some sort of hipster cafe. The addition of vocal loops adds to the business of the album, often taking centre stage despite not being particularly interesting. While it's a decent album in its own right, with a few shining tracks, fans of trip hop won't find anything surprising here and newbies to the genre would be better off starting elsewhere. I'll be giving this one a few more listens to see if it grows on me, you can listen to it here: 

Chris Cornell - 'Higher Truth'

Genre: folk-rock, acoustic, singer-songwriter

Favourite tracks: Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart, Higher Truth 

Chris Cornell needs no introduction. He's one of the most influential vocalists and songwriters in rock history. Fans of Soundgarden and Audioslave will know what Chris is capable of, those familiar with his solo career will note it's a bit of a rocky road. Chris' goal with this latest album was to release a bunch of songs that would translate well to his fully acoustic solo show he is currently touring with (and which I will be seeing in November, you could say I'm a bit excited). 'Higher Truth' gives us some stellar songs and shows that Chris' voice is as strong and evocative as ever. Bar those few select tracks, the rest of the album is pretty run of the mill without many surprises. Each song is competent and enjoyable in its own right, but it quickly becomes obvious which are the real killer tracks here. The songs showcase Chris' voice but aren't the greatest example of his songwriting, never really reaching the raw emotional edge we saw on 'Euphoria Morning' (what I still believe to be Chris Cornell's best solo album) or some of the tracks on 'Carry On'.  Granted, I don't think that was the intended purpose of this album. This one is worth a listen for fans of Chris, but those unfamiliar with Chris as a solo artist would be better off starting with 'Euphoria Morning' or his live acoustic 'Songbook' album. You can listen to 'Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart' here: 

The Dead Weather - 'Dodge and Burn'

Genre: blues-rock, garage rock, alternative 

Favourite tracks: I Feel Love (Every Million Miles), Lose the Right, Impossible Winner

'Dodge and Burn' is the third album from rag-tag rock supergroup The Dead Weather. This whole album is ferocious, hard-hitting bluesy rock that's worth some foot-stamping and head-banging. Running at a break-neck, high adrenaline pace for most of the album, The Dead Weather deliver their unique style of slightly experimental rock with a fire that demands attention. Enjoyable from start to finish, with some out there guitar tones and jammable grooves, this is an album any blues rock fan will already have on their radar. Not every song here is exactly amazing, and some of the riffs and hooks feel a bit too familiar, but The Dead Weather do their thing and they do it damn well. Listen here: 

Shinedown - 'Threat to Survival' 

Genre: rock, alternative, post-grunge

Favourite tracks: Asking for It, Cut the Cord, Thick as Thieves

I have a soft-spot for Shinedown. I've been a fan for years and while their last album 'Amaryllis' didn't thrill me it had some enjoyable tracks. I was apprehensive about this new release, afraid that Shinedown were continuing down a path of commercialisation and losing what had made their first three albums worthwhile. Unfortunately, my fears were mostly realised. This album is by no means terrible, it's not really even bad. It's just aggressively average. A couple of tracks here can get your head-bopping or have some catchy hooks, but I feel like it's all pretty shallow and the appeal won't last. On the whole this album feels lazy. From the lyrics to the production, it's all too predictable and safe, especially towards the tail end of this LP. Some lyrics are almost cringeworthy, and some production choices (especially concerning the vocals) make no sense at all. The poppy hooks might get this album some air time, but it's not a good example of what this band is capable of. If you're new to Shinedown you're better off travelling back in time to their first two albums, 'Leave a Whisper' and 'Us and Them'. You can listen to their latest here: 

That's the roundup for September. Thanks for reading if you did. Let me know what you thought of these albums or what you listened to this month, I'm always open to suggestions. October brings new albums from Coheed and Cambria and Ludovico Einaudi, two releases I've been waiting for all year, so I look forward to sharing my thoughts on those and others. 

Have nice day.

Marco.