Crystal Castles: (iii) ALBUM REVIEW

Ever since their debut self titled album came out in 2008; Crystal Castles have been every hipsters favorite electro-punk band. And I won't lie, that debut album is really effin' awesome. With Tracks like "Untrust Us" and "Crimewave" it's hard not to love. But their second album ( also self-titled) left me feeling a little disappointed. It lacked the spark that made the debut so enjoyable; and instead, a lot of the tracks on that album felt too subdued and buried in effects. 

And that feeling has only been reinforced with the latest project from this Toronto-based duo, an album that is, yet again, self titled. 

And it's apparent from the start that CC have chosen to go with a sound more reminiscent of tracks like "Celestica" and less like the aforementioned tracks from their debut. And that's kind of sad, since it's songs like those that got me into this band in the first place. But still, not every track on here is a bummer. Take the track "Kerosene" for example; it possesses all the things that make a CC song great, with glitchy vocals and a pretty good beat. 

But songs like "Plague" and "Affection" are either too simple or bury the vocals in a sea of reverb. Which is upsetting, because I think the singer, Alice Glass has a lot of personality, and it's a shame that the production stifles that a bit. 

Aside from a few standout moments ( like the closer) (iii) just doesn't do it for me like the debut, or even (ii) did... I know that these guys can still pen a good tune, and the cohesiveness of this album shows that they are  getting better at putting a concept together. However, (iii) suffers from some pretty big problems, and is a very bland listen because of them. 

6/10

Action Bronson: The Symbol Track Review

"The Symbol" is from Action Bronson's latest mixtape "Rare Chandeliers" and the song and video both pay homage to the grind house style; with a pretty sick guitar lead playing throughout the sample. And lets not forget the video... simply put: It's fantastic.

The mixtape as a whole is pretty good too, though I'm not entirely on board with AB at this point. I look forward to hearing future projects from this guy, especially if they have tracks like "The Symbol" on them.

Mac Demarco: 2 Album Review

You may recall my review of the track "My Kind of Woman" from Mac Demarco's "2".

You may also recall that in that review I said that while there were a couple decent tracks on it; the album as a whole was underwhelming. Well, I'll admit; in the time since that review I've been going back to the album again and again... and I actually like it... a lot. 

I just couldn't resist the care-free and totally chilled-out atmosphere found on "2". With it's dreamy and sometimes danceable rhythms, and killer melodies; it's a very enjoyable listen from start to finish.

The album starts off fantastically with the track "Cooking Up Something Good", it's a quirky and slightly funky tune, and it starts things off brilliantly. The next song "Dreaming" is pretty self explanatory sound-wise, with Mac's twangy and reverbed out guitar leading the way. 

The track "Freaking Out The Neighborhood" is a slick and insanely catchy song with a killer guitar lead. In fact a lot of tracks have great guitar leads and solos ( "Ode To Viceroy" especially) that create a lot of 

standout moments. 

You can check out my review for the track "My Kind Of Woman" if you want a more in depth view. But it still stands as my favorite song on "2"; and that says a lot considering that I've become pretty enamored with the entire album. Especially the closing track "Still Together" which finds Mac strumming an acoustic guitar and reaching the upper registers of his range; creating a very "In The Jungle" kind of atmosphere.

While at first I didn't really see anything special in this album ( aside from the singles) I'm glad It finally clicked with me, and turned out to be one of this years most enjoyable listens for me. 

8.5/10

Big Boi : Lines (feat. A$AP Rocky & Phantogram) Track Review

"Lines" is the latest single from legendary southern rapper Big Boi ( most will know him from Outkast.)
And unlike the last single "She Said Okay" this track has a much more serious tone; and a slightly trippy beat and hook from Phantogram. It's a pretty nice track overall, and even A$AP Rocky drops a pretty decent verse.

This track along with "She Said Okay" will be on Big Boi's forthcoming album "Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors" which should drop sometime in December.

Dirty Projectors: Swing Lo Magellan Album Review

After the surprising success of their last album Bita Orca, the Dirty Projectors are back with their latest album Swing Lo Magellan. A album that seems to follow in the tradition of every other DP album before; angular and intricate guitar leads backed by harmonized vocals and oft times inscrutable song structures.

But aside from a few exceptions, Swing Lo Magellan is actually the bands most straightforward and instantaneous album yet, in my opinion at least. Whereas I found myself growing bored with a good chunk of the material on Bita Orca; Magellan just has such a great flow and sense of melody, that I can't help but be entranced. 

The album starts of with the track "Offspring Are Blank" which is probably the most "Orca" like track on here; but only until it busts out in a loud guitar in the chorus. The following track "About To Die" is where things really take off for me, the drum beat that starts the song is just so odd and the chorus on this song is fantastic.

The tracks "Gun Has No Trigger" and the title track are standouts as well; the latter taking on an almost Velvet Underground sound and mood. And "Gun Has No Trigger" has some of the darkest lyrics on the album. The whole album just has a very oddball, yet approachable vibe to it; it's hard not to get swept up in it.

My only gripes would be the track "Maybe That Was It" which is a slightly meandering song with no truly notable moments, and the "rawkin" chorus on the opener is a little out of place.

Still, this is easily the most enjoyable time I've had with a Dirty Projectors album, and I'm glad I gave it a chance even though I didn't love Bita Orca.

8.2/ 10

Earl Sweatshirt: Chum TRACK REVIEW

Usually when I hear that a member of Odd Future has dropped a new track ( save for Mr. Frankie Ocean, of course) I need to prepare myself for some disappointment. Because it seems that ever since Tyler, The Creator, dropped his album "Goblin" last year; the group and it's off-shoots have been releasing mostly sub-par material. Which is sad, because these guys have a lot of potential.

Chief among them is Earl, who, fresh out of juvie ( not THAT fresh) has started dropping new tracks, and "Chum" is the first notable new release from Earl this year.

The track is simply great, with a somber piano loop playing over a fuzzy beat. It actually reminds me a lot of the early stuff OF was putting out back in 09, which is a good thing. Unlike so many newer OF projects, the production on this track is free of cheap synthesizer sounds and fruity loops drum beats.

And since this is Earl we're talking about; the rapping is pretty great too. "Chum" is a very personal track for not only Earl, but for OF in general. Detailing how the loss of his father has affected his outlook on life and maybe why he was acting out in the first place. It's refreshing to hear something of real substance being produced by OF, and not the same old stuff from guys like Hodgy Beats and Domo Genesis.

I'm excited to see whether or not Earl's next full length will contain more tracks like "Chum". Since in a lot of press releases this year, he's been stating that he plans on moving past the juvenile and shock style music that he put out in the past.

Craft Spells: Gallery EP Review

In 2011, Craft Spells released one of my favorite albums of the year; their debut Idle Labor. It had a lo-fi sounds reminiscent of bands like Wild Nothing or Beach Fossils; but with a decidedly more New Order approach circa "Power, Corruption and Lies". A combination that proved to be very rewarding and re-listenable; with catchy hooks and danceable grooves.

Now we have their latest EP titled Gallery. And the band sticks to their guns, mostly, putting together 6 dreamy, infectious and now cleaner sounding, songs. 

The EP starts out great with the track "Still Left With Me" which is every bit as weepy as the title suggests. Next the track "Warmth" offers up a sparse, but no less catchy chorus and great synth lines.

Every track on here is good, but it's when their great that you get to see just how much they've improved from the debut. The track "Burst" is that very example; it's bright and full of color, and the production is fantastic. 

This is a great step forward for Craft Spells; and I'm excited to hear their next full-length.

7.0

Blast From the Past: Of Montreal: Tim, I Wish You Were Born A Girl

This wonderful little tune comes from Of Montreal's debut album from 1997. The title says it all; it's a song about wishing that your best friend was a girl... And my god is it catchy. This band, and bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and The Olivia Tremor Control, are what make the Elephant 6 Collective such a worthwhile group of people; I recommend you check out more stuff from not on this band, but the others in the collective as well.

Mac Demarco: My Kind of Woman Track Review

This little ditty comes from Mac Demarco's second full length release "2". It's a song about a girl... and while that's not especially original in any regard, it's still one heck of a tune. Mac has a knack for churning out care free songs about life, and while "2" isn't entirely great; songs like "My Kind of Woman" are keeping me interested in what this guy does in the future.

Wild Nothing: Nocturne Album Review

Dream pop is a very tricky genre. On one end of the spectrum you have bands like Beach House, with their emphasis on creating heavenly atmospheres over straightforward pop songs. And then on the other side you have a band like Wild Nothing; who use their dreaminess to cover their pop songs in a sea of synths and re verb-laden guitars.

This is the band's sophomore release; but unlike so many sophomore outings, this one actually improves the band's overall sound and is a stronger product then the debut.

And with songs like the opener "Shadow" with it's bouncy melody and soft, Billy Corgan Esq crooning, establishes the mood for the rest of the album, and is a superb song as well.

The title track is another standout, presenting a more dreamy sound and is just as rich with melody as the opener. In fact, every song here contains a strong sense of melody. And while songs like "Through the Grass" and "This Chain Won't Break" don't exactly have the greatest hooks; you'll still find yourself humming the melodies for days.

Other highlights include "Only Heather" "Rheya" and "Paradise". The former being my personal favorite; it combines all of the band's best elements into one 3 minute slice of perfection.

Overall, this is a very strong album. Sure, it's not the most original album on the planet; but it's a darn good one and is well worth checking out.

7.8/ 10