Honorable Mentions of 2013

Hey there! Well, the new year is on the horizon and while I've already posted my end of year lists, they're are a few tracks and albums that I would like to mention. These are songs and LPs that I thought were great, but didn't make the best of lists for the year. Enjoy!


Tracks

I couldn't say goodbye to the year without mentioning this track, it  has everything you need on a pop song. Why didn't it make the cut? Well... I forgot.

This song is easily on of the highlights from the latest KoL album. However, I felt this track was so great because it showcased everything I already love about the band and not a new and exciting sound, which was what I was looking for in my top 5 tracks.

Alright, if you've read my review for The 20/20 Experience you know that I targeted this track specifically for being sappy and overly produced... but it grew on me. While I wouldn't say it has become my favorite track off the LP, It is one of the best, most sincere love songs that pop music produced this year.

Not really a "popular" song, but a fun song nonetheless. "Yu" is the best track off of the new Mellowhigh release, and probably my favorite Odd Future single that doesn't feature Tyler or Earl.


Albums

Simply put, this is one of this years best rock albums and a complete surprise for me. If you'd like to know my full opinion, check out my review!

Hellogoodbye really pulled threw o their latest album. I thought that this band would go down as one of those mid 00's groups whose big single was the only noteworthy thing about them, and that they would be a guilty pleasure of mine. However, their sophomore LP and now, this latest album are enough to prove that HGB are worth revisiting.

Out of all the Odd Future related projects of this year, Wolf was easily the best. While it didn't make my top 10 best, it came darn close because this LP has grown on me a great deal since my initial, mostly positive review.

And finally, I simply couldn't forget to mention the latest Death Grips album, soundtrack... thing, Government Plates. It isn't a favorite of mine for the year, but it also didn't disappoint me. I found some of my favorite DG songs on here mixed in with some of my least favorite, which left me confused and a little uncomfortable... kind of like the first time I listened to Death Grips.


Welp, it's been a pretty great year for the musics and I can only hope that next year is just as good! I hope you all have a happy New Year and that all of those resolutions that you're making either become reality, or they fold early in the year so you don't feel too bad about it.

Top 10 Best Albums of 2013

2013 has been a pretty great year for music; we got to see a bunch of old bands put out stellar new material, and we also saw a lot of up and comers get their due as well with albums that I know I'll be spinning well into the new year. It was tough condensing the year into a top 10, but I think I narrowed it down to the best of my ability. So, without further adieu, here are my top 10 favorite LPs of 2013!

10. Danny Brown "Old"

XXX was an excellent mixtape and really put Danny Brown in the underground rap spotlight. With Old, Danny uses the dark/crazy album set-up with the first half finding Danny rapping about getting older and his place in the game and life in general; while the second half is one hyper, energy packed jam after another. I thought this LP was fantastic, maybe not as great as XXX, but that's mostly because that mixtape was my introduction to Danny.

9. Chance The Rapper "Acid Rain"

On this mixtape, Chance The Rapper really showed himself to be an exciting and eccentric voice in the world of hip hop. From song to song, Chance mixes influences and alternates between rapping and singing with ease. I'm excited to see what Chance has in store for 2014, especially if any of it is as memorable as songs like "Cocoa Butter Kisses".

8. Disclosure "Settle"

I didn't get a chance to do a full review for this album, which I still regret because this is simply one of the best and most memorable debuts I've heard in quite a while. It is also an incredibly tight, and consistent house-influenced pop LP, and that's no mean feat. I thoroughly enjoyed this LP for just how joyously dance-able nearly every track was, a true standout for the year.

7. Kurt Vile "Wakin' On A Pretty Daze"

Mixing influences from artists like Neil Young and the hazy reverb-laden production of his former band, The War On Drugs, Kurt Vile manged to put out the mellowest release of 2013, and seal me in as a fan of his music. I love the rich production and the sincerity of this album; as soon as the first track starts, I'm sucked into a warm feeling and don't leave until the final strums of "Goldtone" stop.

6. Pusha T "My Name Is My Name"

Pusha T did something this year that I didn't expect; he put out not only his best solo album yet, but also managed to blend poppier moments with his usual tough-as-nails bars with only a couple of them coming off as clunky (I didn't forget the track "Let Me Love You"). This album grew on me in a pretty big way and I'm able to say that it was truly one of this year's best.

5. Run the Jewels "Self-Titled"

Let me tell you something, put Killer Mike and El-P together and it's going to end up on a "best of list" somewhere, whether it's Pitchfork or my lowly little blog. It's impossible to deny the power of these two as MCs, and El-p's production? Forget about it. No other rap album this year pulled me in like this one did, and that says a lot, considering this year was actually a pretty decent year for rap LPs from guys who rap with as much technical ability as these two.

4. Arcade Fire "Reflektor"

Arcade Fire have gone from  awe-inspiring indie darlings to a Grammy award winning act who's latest LP has proven to be one of this year's most polarizing. Obviously, I sit on the side who thinks this LP is something great, but It didn't start that way. At first, I thought this record aimed to high and forgot to integrate a meaningful concept; however, on further listening, and digging deeper into the lyrics, I found that Reflektor was an Arcade Fire album unlike any other before it. Because for the first time, the band not only sang about overcoming whatever funk they're in, but they actually did, with songs that sleekly grooved their way across the near hour and a half this album lasts. This is a record about overcoming a technology obsessed world by using it to create music that feels both synthetic and natural.

3. Savages "Silence Yourself"

No other LP this year rocked as hard as Silence Yourself, and I'm not talking about volume. Savages have crafted an album with the soul of a classic Post-punk album, emphasis on punk, making all other attempts at this style of music seem paltry in comparison. The band not only creates layered, detailed songs with booming drums and catchy guitar rifts, but they also write lyrics that spit in the face of conformity. While yes, the band itself seems a little too wrapped-up with being a "serious" band, but that doesn't matter if the songs they make are as great as what's on this LP.

2. Daft Punk "Random Access Memories"

I was so excited to hear the new Daft Punk album, I listened to that 30 second sample for "Get Lucky" over and over, and even watched all of the videos featuring contributors to the LP in hopes that I'd hear a new snippet, or figure out what direction they were going in. In short, I wasn't disappointed. If you want to know the extent of my appreciation for this LP in detail, check out my review! But for now, I'll say that RAM is not only one of the best albums that 2013 has to offer, but it is also one of the best Daft Punk LPs, second only to Discovery.

1. Vampire Weekend "Modern Vampires of the City"

This LP came as a surprise to me, not because it was good, because lets face it, this is a Vampire Weekend LP, and at the very least, their LPs are good. No, this album surprised me with how drawn in I was to every part of it, something that their last LP didn't do. While I loved Contra  it just wasn't saying anything lyrically that captivated me like this LP does. MVotC is an incredibly human record, discussing relationships, death and God with complete sincerity, and a ton of wit  and charisma. I loved this album from the first time I heard it and that feeling only grew as the year went on. While it's not a perfect record, I was hard-pressed to find an LP this enthralling and wondrous.

Top 5 Most Disappointing Albums of 2013

2013 has been a fantastic year for music. There were comeback albums, career definers and plenty of unexpected gems. Unfortunately, this is not the list where I tell you about those albums, instead, this is the top 5 albums that disappointed me the most (whether or not I think the album is good or not). This isn't really a list of the worst albums of 2013, just a list of albums that failed to live up to my expectations. Enjoy!


5. Earl Sweatshirt "Doris"

I had really high hopes for this LP, and some of the tracks here did live up to the hype. I really enjoyed the three singles ("Hive" "Chum" and "Whoa") and deeper cuts like "Sunday" and "Burgundy" were great too. Sadly, the other two-thirds of the album is spotty and sometimes just plain boring. I still hold to the statement I made in my "Chum" track review, in that I'm still excited to see where Earl will go from here; I only hope it's a more rewarding listen than Doris was.


4. Drake "Nothing Was The Same"

Two years ago Drake dropped his sophomore LP, Take Care, and for the first time ever, I enjoyed not just one, but a good chunk of a Drake album. Going into 2013, Drake dropped some worthwhile singles, like "Just Hold On, We're Going Home" and "5 AM In Toronto", but the latter isn't on this LP and the former is dropped in the middle of an incredibly inconsistent tracklist, making it seem like too little, too late. The only other tracks I truly enjoyed were "Tuscan Leather" and "From Time"; otherwise, the rest of the songs here are either too melodramatic for their own good, or feature some of the most ill-fitting production I've heard on a Drake album. I don't really know if I'm a fan of Drake or not at this point, I guess I'll give Take Care a spin and see.


3. CHVRCHES "The Bones Of What You Believe" 

Ugh, this LP had so much potential to be one of the years best. From the moment I heard the track "The Mother We Share" I was super excited to hear more songs from this band, then I heard the track "Recover" and that feeling only grew... But this album was not what I was expecting. Now before I go on, it would probably be useful to know exactly what kind of LP I was looking for on TBOWYB, and it's pretty simple; I was looking for an album of colorful, upbeat and memorable electronic music that would finally put that overlong, over-hyped M83 album out of my head. But instead, I got an album of bland and forgettable tunes, with lyrics that were very hit or miss, and some poor choices where vocal performances are concerned (either the male singer needs to liven up, or just stop singing alone on tracks). I didn't want to dislike this LP, and I even revisit it from time to time, to see if maybe it will grow on me; sadly, that hasn't happened.


2. Blood Orange "Cupid DELUXE" 

Like CHVRCHES, this is an album that got a lot of positive buzz upon it's release, but also like CHVRCHES I found very little to like about it. The first two tracks aren't bad, but the album takes a nose dive and never recovers. The songs here are too reliant on 80's nostalgia too be anything more than music to reminisce to. But Cupid DELUXE can't even get that part right, thanks to boring instrumentals and weak singing on a vast majority of these tracks. I liked the singles that dropped from this album, and I really like the single "Dinner" that came out last year, but that track isn't here and what is here is spotty at best.

1. Kanye West "YEEZUS"

Ahh Yeezy, you have so much talent, but too much ego. Much like MBDTF, Yeezus suffers the most from Kanye's insistence that the most interesting thing about his music is the context that surrounds it. Also, the blatant bandwagon jumping on Yeezus is hard for me to ignore, not because Ye had decided to try this sound, but because he did it so poorly in comparison to a group like Death Grips or Clipping. I like moments from this LP, but I can't really say I can enjoy a single track all the way through without finding something that annoys or underwhelms me. In a year full of ambitious and career- defining LPs, Yeezus shows me that Kanye West doesn't feel the need to make his "ambitious" album an album that is also enjoyable to listen to.

Top 5 Pop Music Songs of 2013

Pop music is a pretty interesting part of our culture, it's fun, instantaneous and even ugly. Personally, I found myself listening to a lot more radio music this year (the workplace is a great way for that to happen) and actually enjoyed some of it! Here are my top 5 Pop songs of 2013.


5. Lady Gaga "Do What U Want"
I'm not the world's biggest Lady Gaga fan, but I will concede to the notion that, when she wants to, she can pen some of the best modern pop music around. "Do What U Want" is a sexy, pulsating tune with a refrain that sees Gaga telling the listener, or rather, the world; that they can do whatever they want with her body. On the flip side, they can't have here heart or her mind! It's not the most original song concept, but Gaga sings so passionately and R.Kelly is mildly amusing here as well.

4. Bruno Mars "Treasure"
Yes... I enjoyed a Bruno Mars song. Luckily, it was the funky, Michael Jackson soaked "Treasure", a track that I honestly didn't recognize as being a Bruno Mars song, or even a song of this decade. Which is about the highest form of complement that I can give this song... and that bass line.

3. Drake "Hold On, We're Going Home"
I only wish that Drake's latest LP was this consistently smooth and worthwhile. This track emphasizes everything I find enjoyable about Drake, even if the lyrics are fairly simplistic, but hey, it's a pop song! Also, this song probably has the most hilarious "serious" video I've seen all year.

2. Kanye West "Bound 2"
Speaking of both disappointing albums and videos that don't fit the mood of the song, at all! We have "Bound 2", one of the highlights from Yeezy's latest album. This track is one of those closers that makes your brain think that the previous 9 tracks weren't spotty as all get out, and actually leaves you feeling relatively satisfied. I love the sampling and the mid section vocal contribution, and I even enjoy Kanye's lyrics here as well.

1. Janelle Monae "Primetime" ft. Miguel
Every year has one, and 2013 has one of the finest I've heard in the past five years or so. I'm talking about the star-studded smooth duet, a staple in the R&B genre. Jonelle and Miguel do this concept justice with a song that feels propelled by true yearning, not lustful compulsion, and it's impossible to deny just how great these two sound singing together. I've played this song so many times, I probably should have listened to the rest of Jonelle's new LP... but nothing beats this song!

Arcade Fire: Reflektor ALBUM REVIEW

It is incredible to see the trajectory of Arcade Fire. They started out as a big band with big ambition, but little fame, to a band that has not only a huge cult following, but also managed to win the Grammy for "Best Album" with their last full length The Suburbs. An album that seemed to satisfy both fans and the newcomers alike, since the album before it was Neon Bible, an album in the bands discography that has just as many fans as it does haters. In fact, with the release of this brand new LP Reflektor, there seems to be a trend amongst critics that mirrors (ha ha) the release of Neon Bible; in short, it's divisive. 

I personally think that Arcade Fire is one of, if not the best rock band that modern music has to offer, but I wouldn't say that they don't have their flaws. For one, the lyrics on a lot of Arcade Fire songs can find themselves in some pretty corny and melodramatic territory, but at the same time, it's that melodrama and sincerity behind them that makes their songs so darn uplifting. Another thing about Arcade Fire (and many other modern rock bands) is that they suffer from "First album blues", or at least the fans do. Because, no matter how great any of their latter work is (and I think they've put out some superb albums since) the fans will live and die by the bands first album, Funeral. Granted, that album is incredible and deserves every good thing ever said about it, it unfortunately has created a mindset in fans that they'll never be able to top it, and that is what I believe leads a lot of people to misjudge albums like Neon Bible and Reflektor.

Anyway, enough speculation and context, how is the new Arcade Fire album? Well, me; it's pretty darn good. If I had to point to tracks that stood out the most, the title track, "Afterlife", "Normal Person", and "It's Never Over (Hey Orpheus) would be my go-to's. But honestly, I don't think pulling tracks out of this LP does it justice, because Arcade Fire have gone through the trouble of pacing this LP in such a way that you really can't go without any of these tracks. While this may not be the most conceptually fleshed out AF album, it is perhaps their poppy-est and most groove oriented. Which leads to lot of moments that bring to mind some sort of apocalyptic dancefloor, or perhaps a caribbean themed dance party where the music is played by emotionally aware robots. 

Yeah, this album is kind of hard to sum up in anything less than an essay's worth of text, but I'll be blunt. Reflektor may not be my favorite Arcade Fire album, in fact, I found a couple of the songs here to be sort of middle of the road ("Joan of Arc" "Supersymmetry"), but I can't deny the fact that for a good portion of this LP, I was filled with the same sense of wonder and uplift that Arcade Fire first brought to the world with that legend of an album, Funeral.

8.5/10

Death Grips: Government Plates ALBUM REVIEW

Just when I thought I'd really have to wait an entire year for another Death Grips album, they go and drop another LP out of the blue. If you've been following the exploits of Death Grips (even if you haven't) you'll remember how they did a very similar thing with their last album No Love DEEP WEB, released last year. However, unlike last year, DG aren't in the same position they were in 2012. They're on their own label, and to coincide with the release of this new LP, they've posted a video for every single track on the LP... which all have their own unique way of being totally weird and wonderful. 

But seeing as how it's been less than a year since their last release, and taking into account how that same situation made NLDW abut of a mixed bag in some respects; just how is the new Death Grips album?

Well, it certainly has its moments of brilliance, but sadly feels like the least inspired release Death Grips have released thus far. 

That being said, one must take into account the amount of ambition usually found on a DG album, since their last 3 albums could easily be cited as the LPs that started the whole "industrial rap) trend. A trend that even Kanye West found himself trying to emulate on Yeezus. So yeah, this LP may not be that ambitious for DG, but it's still an incredibly forward-thinking piece of music. 

Now lets get into the actual music! Because that's what I'm here to talk about! 

Easily, the first three tracks are some of, if not the best tracks on the entire LP. The opener is a visceral piece of music that reminds me of my favorite moment from NLDW, "No Love", while the track "Anne Bonny" sees DG working with a lot of the sounds they've been working with for the past couple of albums, but with a more noise and intensity. However, the most aggressive, and perhaps my favorite track on Government Plates is the track "Two Heavens" which features an immense amount of aggression, but also has some of the best sampling I've heard DG incorporate into one of their tracks. 

The track "Birds" finds a home on this LP after floating around on the internet for a couple of  months, and it still works well as a calmer moment on this LP.

Before I wrap things up though, I have to address the major downside to this LP; the instrumental tracks. "This is Violence" and "Big House" are decent, and I actually enjoy the later quite a bit for just how odd it is. But tracks like "Feels Like A Wheel" and "Bootleg" just feel like filler. The title track is also a but underwhelming and runs into the same problem the weakest tracks from NLDW did; they lack a clear hook or lyrical edge and aren't really memorable as a whole. As far as the last track goes, DG use it (like they usually do on their releases) to add a longer, more contemplative tune to the album, but this track doesn't stick with me like "Hacker" or "Artificial Death in the West".

So overall, it was nice to see a new batch of tracks from one of my favorite bands, but I have to be honest and say that this LP is no where near as enjoyable as DG's last two releases, and while I was able to pull some fantastic tracks out of it, I don't think this LP will find a home in my top 5 of the year, sadly.

It's not like Death Grips cares about anybodies opinion anyway.

7.1/10

Hellogoodbye: Everything Is Debatable ALBUM REVIEW

For most people, there are bands, albums, and songs they used to listen to, but in retrospect see them as hokey, corny or just plain bad. For me, Hellogoodbye's debut album is kind of like that, though It sides more with the corniness issue. 

That LP came out in 2006 and received a fair but of praise for its hit single "Here In Your Arms", but after that album, the band seemed to disappear, as did my interest in them. Then, out of nowhere, as I was scrolling through my spotify playlists one day, I thought to myself, " Maybe I should see if that Hellogoodbye album still holds up", but I was stopped dead in my tracks with a sight I wasn't expecting... I saw that they'd released a sophomore album, titled, Would It Kill You? And without a second thought, I pressed play and was immediately pleased with what I was hearing. The album just  sounded so fresh and exciting, a perfect pop album, with little to no trace of the band's previous obsession ( or reliance) with electronics. 

So, while that album got me back in the fold with the band, I was still a little hesitant to listen to their new album, released October 29th of this year, Everything Is Debatable, but I'm glad to say that this LP maintains most of what made there last two albums great. 

Simply put, this is a bright, friendly and sometimes cutesy pop album with great hooks, instrumentals and vocals that are so pleasant to the ear, they're like a vanilla milkshake for your ears. Highlights include the folky opener and the m83 esq title track, which has one of the finest grooves in any pop song released this year. The tracks "Summer of the Lilly Pond" and "Die Young, Die Dumb; Not Soon" are breezy and fun. 

The only thing I can really knock this album for are the lyrics, which while sincere, are corny from time to time and don't really stray too far from the typical girl-boy relationship topic. 

While I still hold to the second album as there finest work, I am happy that Hellogoodbye managed to craft another little pop gem. It's just a shame a lot of people write these guys off because of how popular and niche their first album was, because Hellogoodbye are some of the finest pop song writers I've heard in the last 5 years or so.

8.5/10

Bob Dylan: Nashville Skyline CLASSIC REVIEW

Bob Dylan is a man who has put out so much music over the 50 years or so he's been making it, that people are bound to pick a decade or a series of albums that they prefer over others. Some prefer the early goings of Freewheelin'  or the pure decadence of Blonde on Blonde, and you'll even get the rare person who prefers his newer stuff, but to me, there's no better Bob than the one found on Nashville Skyline.

Sure, its not his most lavishly produced or challenging work, but there's a beautiful simplicity and an irresistible warmth to this LP that draws me in, and doesn't let me go for the entire half-hour it lasts. 

Songs like the opener, a retread of a track from Bob's sophomore album, now with a country tinged feel and an incredible duet with the man in black himself, Johhny Cash is one of my favorite songs, not only from this album or Bob Dylan; but ever. While tracks like "Threw It All Away" and "Lay, Lady, Lay" are staples of country music, the real stuff anyways. 

I remember the first time I heard the track "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You" on a used vinyl copy of Greatest Hits Vol 2, and immediately sought out the album from which it came, thus leading me to one of my all time favorite albums. That's a memory I will always cherish, as will I this album. 

10/10

John Legend: Love In The Future ALBUM REVIEW

John Legend likes to sing about love. He has been doing it since his debut album Get Lifted, and continues to do it on this LP. But that's what makes this album, to me at least, so endearing; it not only is an album full of love songs, but it is also a passionate and sometimes downright inspirational album about love. Which is refreshing in a world where pop music needs to paint love in a way that makes everything a struggle, or something that ends terribly. Granted, that is a very real aspect of love, but it's refreshing to hear someone sing about the positives of love in a way that makes it seem like the only perfect thing in the world. 

In a way, John Legend reminds me of soul singers from the late 50's and early 60's in this way; his unfaltering devotion to the subject of love may come off as corny sometimes, ( some of the lyrics on this LP do come off that way) he sings so well and with so much sincerity that it's hard to really hate anything about his performance on this LP. 

The album starts of with three fantastic tracks, the last being one of my favorite songs of 2013, the immaculately produced and performed "Made To Love", a track that takes one of the most familiar R&B tropes and somehow shines a new light on it, with John singing "I was sent here for you/ We were made to love/ You were sent for me too", so passionately that I can't help but hang on to his every word. 

Other great tracks include: "Tomorrow", "Wanna Be Loved" and the closer "Caught Up".

And these tracks carry the same gracefulness that  is on display on "Made To Love" and that's no mean feat. 

Aside from all of the praise I have for this LP, I do have to point out the fact that, like I said before, the lyrics aren't always great. Tracks like "Dreams" and "Asylum" are actually kind of cringe-worthy at some points and the two features on this LP are pretty underwhelming ( though the fact that one of them is Rick Ross may have something to do with that).However, that didn't stop me from enjoying Love In The Future a whole lot more than I was expecting to.

8.0/10

CHVRCHES: The Bones of What You Believe ALBUM REVIEW

CHVRCHES are an electronic band from Glasgow, Scotland, and for the past year or so they've been steadily building a fanbase with their last EP and the singles, "The Mother We Share" and "Recovery". To me, they sound like a mix of M83 and the vocal sensibilities of a band like Camera Obscura; which on paper sounds like a pretty great combination, and sometimes, especially on the aforementioned singles, is.

In fact, the album opens up with the track "The Mother We Share", a track I absolutely adore, and its followed up by the track "We Sink" which isn't half bad. But, it doesn't take long for this LP to dip in quality, with the tracks "Gun", "Tether" and "Under the Tide" all featuring forgettable melodies and "Under the Tide" has male vocals that have none of the passion or finesse of the female vocals. 

Then the track "Recover" starts, and for a moment, I am reminded why I was excited to listen to this album in the first place. This track has a great melody and an explosive chorus that I won't forget, come lists time in a couple of months. "Night Sky", like "We Sink" is an okay follow up to the previous track, but it's hard to shake the feeling that the album is going downhill again at this point.

And that's kind of how the album carries on, granted, I thought the track "Science/Visions" wasn't bad, but nothing on The Bones of What You Believe ever reaches the same heights that the singles do. 

6.0/10

Best Coast: Fade Away ALBUM REVIEW

Best Coast are the kind of band that you take at face value. That's not to say they aren't a band worth listening to, but their approach to sunny, 60's influenced rock music is pretty shallow when you get past the pleasantness of the sound. 

I'll start with the things I like about their latest "mini" album, Fade Way, because this is certainly my favorite Best Coast project thus far. For instance, the tracks "Fade Away" and "Fear of My Identity" are great breezy little rock songs that, while lyrically aren't that impressive are just so fun and melodic that I can easily ignore the fact that what is being said in the song is pretty bland and ofttimes cliche. 

Sadly, aside from maybe the closer, I really can't see any reason to revisit this LP, due to the aforementioned lyrical blandness and some samey-samey melodies and chord progressions. But hey, maybe I'm not in the right mindset to truly enjoy an LP like this. Which to my understanding involves a fair bit of weed and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

That last part was a joke.... Hehe.

5/10

Toche Amore: Is Survived By ALBUM REVIEW

Toche Amore play a genre of music that I don't usually find myself covering. That is mostly because a lot of the newer music in the genre "Post-Hardcore", have some of the most cringe-worthy, whiny lyrics and forgettable, redundant instrumentation you'll find this side of radio rock.

But every so often, I stumble onto a band that does the genre justice, and Toche Amore, (at least on this new LP) are just that. They just play with so much energy and melody it's hard to deny tracks like "Just Exist" and "Anyone/Anything", for the mere fact that they not only rock hard, but lyrically these tracks are poetic and detailed.

The entirety of Is Survived By, seems to be about self-acceptance and realizing that in order to live a decent life, you have to give it your all. Which is a refreshingly sincere attitude in a generation of apathetic, irony-obsessed teens and young adults who are too busy drinking Starbucks and writing their novel on transcendental black metal, to really express a legitimate emotion.

Aside from being an incredibly like-able album conceptually, Is Survived By is also an incredibly loud and often aggressive LP, with every line screamed, but not to the point where you can't understand what's being said. In fact, this is one of the most readable and coherent vocalists I've ever heard in this genre. And that's a good thing, because he's also one of the better writers I've heard in a while, though he can delve into sappy territory on a few tracks here.

This seems to happen every year; I find an album in a genre that usually makes me cringe, that I actually find to be not only a great album, but perhaps one of the finest I've heard all year. Check it out.

8.5/10

Violent Femmes: Self-Titled CLASSIC REVIEW

The year was 1983, music was changing at an incredibly rapid pace, with the mainstream focusing on synths and cocaine, a trio called Violent Femmes put out their first LP; a stripped-down acoustic punk gem. 

Now, a lot of people may be familiar with this band via the song "Blister In The Sun," which was a big hit during the early nineties, but that also means a lot of people haven't taken the time to appreciate this album, and the Violent Femmes in a more meaningful capacity. Because Violent Femmes really signaled a new wave of punk music in the early eighties, or at least a wave that would finally reach shore a decade or two later.

 

Aside from the popular ( but still excellent) "Blister In The Sun" this album features some truly gripping punk tunes like the grooving and angst filled "Add It Up" or the snotty "Kiss Off." But the album also has more tender moments with tracks like "Please Do Not Go" and  the closer "Good Feeling."

The album also carries on punk tradition with its length at under 40 minutes, the album flies by, but not before digging its claws into your brain with catchy hooks and pure punk energy. You may also recall the group Gnarls Barkley doing a cover of the psyched-out "Gone Daddy Gone," which is one of my favorite tracks on this LP.

So, yeah, there's not much left to say about this LP, just go listen to it! It's so simple, but not an LP you'll be able to forget anytime soon.

9.0/10

Pusha T: My Name Is My Name ALBUM REVIEW

Pusha T first came to fame as one half of the rap duo Clipse, a duo that garnered a lot of praise with their first two albums; especially Hell Hath No Fury. However, ever since that group split, Pusha has failed to find a foothold in terms of a solo career, at least on that was as rewarding as his contributions to Clipse. 

But, in the last couple of years Pusha T has seen it fit to change that. He signed on to G.O.O.D Music, put out a new mixtape that was well received, and appeared on numerous tracks on last years Cruel Summer. While that album was overall a disappointment to me, I loved Pusha's features on tracks like "New God Flow" and "Don't Like." 

And now we have Pusha's latest full length album, My Name Is My Name; a title that seems hokey at first, but ounce you've listened to the LP, you realize that this album is in fact Pusha T's attempt at finding his own sound, at least relative to his past works. 

The album opens strong with the track "King Push" which features a sample that was also used on Yeezy's last LP. Which isn't surprising, considering the fact that Kanye produced the majority of the tracks on this album. The follow track "Numbers On The Boards" may be my favorite hip-hop song of the year, with it's unorthodox beat and Pusha's dense rhymes that build on each other in clever, thought provoking ways.

Other good tracks are "Suicide" "40 Acres" and the Kendrick Lamar featured "Nosetalgia" which is the closest the album comes to topping "Numbers On The Boards." Sadly, the album has a few duds on it. Namely the track "Let Me Love You" with Kelly Rolland delivering a cheesy and cheap R&B hook, and Pusha replicating Ma$e for the entire length of the track; it is a glaringly bad track in an otherwise consistent LP. I'd also have preferred that the Future kissed "Pain" and Kanye warbling auto tune on the track "Hold On" were left off the album.

While its not perfect, My Name Is My Name is a surprisingly worthwhile LP with some great tracks on it and a lot of solid, often quote-worthy rhymes.

7.8/10

Of Montreal: Lousy with Sylvianbriar ALBUM REVIEW

Kevin Barnes is a weird guy. That alone is all I would need to say to introduce this review of the latest Of Montreal review. But, I'm not that kind of guy; I quite enjoy context; Which leads me to say, there's a lot of context with Of Montreal. 

The band first formed back in the early 90's as a Beatle influenced lo-fi band, with the ever popular Elephant 6 collective. A group that spawned some of the most interesting and worthwhile lo-fi acts of the 90's, Of Montreal included. But since those days in E6, Of Montreal have been transforming at an alarming rate, with albums like Sunlantic Twins, which was one of the bands first forays into electronic music, to Hissing Fauna: Are You The Destroyer? An album that took the band in a more glammed out direction. This phase of the band's evolution came to a messy, uneven head with the album False Priest, which was an LP I wholeheartedly disliked. But all was not lost, at least to me and a small group of critics, with 2011's Paralytic Stalks, which saw Barnes bringing the band's sound back to earth for over 40 minutes. Yes, that album was a bit long, but I would be lying if I said the first half of that LP still gets regular listens in my Ipod.

So all of that brings us to this new LP Lousy with Sylvianbriar; and I must say, the more focused and straightforward approach that started to show on PS is furthered and refined on LwS. In fact, this album is so focused and straightforward, that I've already seen comments that read like "old Of Montreal is back!" Which isn't far from true, though Barnes still writes lyrics from the standpoint of a bitter, defeated man who seems to have a wordy retort to just about any situation. 

The album kicks off with the fantastic "Fugitive Airs" which is by far the peppiest song Barnes has written in years. This track is followed by the stellar "Obsidian Currents" and showcases LwS' greatest quality; it's beauty. Almost half the tracks on LwS are slow paced and beautifully composed pieces of glam rock, that really reminds me of T-Rex or Bowie. Of course, neither of those artists are as downright nasty as Barnes can be, with lines like "The last ten weeks have been a motherf***er" opening the track "Triumph of Disintegration." 

It's clear that Of Montreal did some major thinking when it came to what direction they would take the band, or rather, the fact that Barnes isn't the main brain behind things anymore, made him rethink the way he writes songs. Either way, it has resulted in an album that is not only enjoyable for Of Montreal fans or fans of absurd music, but is legitimately great and is easily in my top 5 Of Montreal albums. 

9/10

Smith Westerns: Soft Will ALBUM REVIEW

If you told me circa 2011 that I would one day enjoy a project by Smith Westerns, I would have rolled my eyes. That's because in 2011, Smith Westerns had just put out their sophomore LP Dye it Blonde, an album I wasn't ( and still aren't) too keen on. Why? Well, to me the songs had catchy melodies and some pretty playful guitar leads, but the album as a whole was seriously lacking in clarity. From the vocals that were ofttimes pushed so far back in the mix as to make them unintelligible, or the rhythm section suffering from being mixed too close together, making them sound muddy. So, you can understand why I was a little hesitant to listen to SW's latest LP Soft Will. That being said, I actually found myself loving almost every track on the album. 

It helps that the album starts out with three top notch tracks, the Beatles esq "3am Spiritual" which has a killer chorus, "Idol" with it's infectious melody, and "Glossed" which, as the title implies, is a smooth and dreamy little tune. 

The album does hit it's first bump with the track "XXIII." An instrumental track, that while not terrible, just doesn't do very well on repeat listens. But, the LP picks right back up after that, with tracks like "Fool Proof" and "Best Friend." The album also closes with the wonderful "Varsity," which is the perfect summation of what SW were shooting for on Soft Will, delivering an album that sounds clearer, and is more cohesive in terms of lyrical themes. 

I'd say that SW have done a 180 in my mind. I've gone from cringing at most of their songs, to bobbing my head and even singing along to most of the tracks on this LP; I love it when a band does that.

8.5/10

Kings of Leon: Mechanical Bull ALBUM REVIEW

I first listened to Kings of Leon back in 2008 when they released their 4th studio album, Only By the Night, and my 14 year old self found a new favorite band. Granted, that album is not considered to be KoL's best, but that didn't and still doesn't, stop me from enjoying it immensely. Songs like "Manhattan" and "I Want You" still get regular rotation in my CD player. 

After backtracking through the band's previous material and finding even more great songs like "Molly's Chambers","Ragoo" and "Tapper Jean Girl" I was in love. Sadly, the band's 2010 release Come Around Sundown was a pretty huge letdown, the same kind of letdown that OBtN was for so many other KoL fans. 

Well, it's been nearly 3 years since that album and KoL are "returning to form" on their latest album Mechanical Bull. But, the question is, what form are KoL returning to? The southern tinged hard-rock of their first album? The jangly rock of their sophomore release? Or the early phase of their arena sized rock sound? To me, it's simple, KoL are combining all of their past elements into one release, and for better or worse they have put together an album that sounds like what you'd expect, more KoL.

Personally, as a fan of most of their output, I find myself clinging to songs like "Supersoaker","Rock City" and "Beautiful War" simply because these tracks contain all the things I love about this band; great melodies, catchy choruses  and a real knack for driving guitar leads and rhythm sections. 

But Mechanical Bull exhibits a key flaw with KoL's recent output; they are just too set in their ways to create anything truly unique to both themselves and rock music at large. Whereas albums like Aha Shake Heartbreak showed a band blossoming into something truly special, MB shows KoL as being a band more concerned with just putting music out there, regardless of whether or not it sounds like a dozen other bands or not. This fact is most evident in the way the album flows, with a lot of the songs in the mid section sounding a little samey-samey with  only a couple of standout moments like the track "Comeback Story."

Anyway, I feel like I'm ranting a bit now. In short, I did enjoy listening to MB, and in fact, I pulled some pretty great singles out of this LP. But I just can't say this LP is as good as KoL's earlier stuff, for the simple fact that a lot of it sounds like modified versions of those early songs. 

7.0/10

Drake: Hold On, We're Going Home TRACK REVIEW

 

If you told me a couple years ago that I'd enjoy anything by Drake, I would laugh and subsequently slap you in your smug face... But in truth, Drake's last album Take Care marked a turning point for how I feel about this guy. And granted, that album wasn't perfect, but it had a fair bit of ambition and a lot of good ol' fashion pop sensibility.

And Drake is continuing this trend of impressing me on his latest single "Hold On, We're Going Home." Which features Drake going all 80's slowjam on us; with a percussive, driving beat, and some pretty decent singing from Drizzy. Sure the lyrics are repetitive and vague, but I just can't deny how catchy and simply smooth this track is.

Justin Timberlake: The 20/20 Experience ALBUM REVIEW

Yes, I know this review is incredibly late; but with the recent announcement of a part 2/ B-sides collection from The 20/20 Experience, I just had to share my thoughts on this LP.

Justin Timberlake is a man who needs little introduction. He started his music career off as part of the hit-making boy band NSYNC, and while other members of that group have pretty much abandoned the music biz since the 90's, JT has enjoyed a rather successful and critically accepted solo career. 

Personally, I've never listened to his first solo LP, and while I enjoy the singles off of Future Sex/Love Sounds, I never found the rest of the album to be all that great. 

Now, usually this is the part where I tell you how this LP is a total 180 and that I love everything about it. Sadly, while I do enjoy this album for more than the singles, ("Mirrors" not withstanding) it isn't a very smooth ride. 

And that's surprising considering how smooth the production is, and how great some of the songs are. My complaints lie more with JT's penchant for writing some of the sappiest and contrived lyrics you're likely to hear this side of an REO Speedwagon song. "Mirrors" being the prime example. It straight-up sounds like an NSYNC song, but without a group chorus. And I'll also add the song "Pusher Love Girl" to the list of supreme offenders, though I'm still able to enjoy that track, because of the instrumental. 

A lot of people got upset when "Suit & Tie" came out featuring a pretty lame Jay Z verse, but I actually liked JT's singing a lot, and thought he managed to craft a pretty great chorus. The track "That Girl" is the clear highlight, showcasing all JT's talents, without all of the cringe-worthy lyrics, and as with the rest of the LP, the production is great. 

Out of the 10 tracks on The 20/20 Experience, I'd say with utmost that confidence that I enjoyed 3 of them immensely, 2 were pretty good and the rest fall into a grey area... with "Mirrors" sitting at the bottom. And ironically, for an album claiming perfect clarity, this LP fails to put out a uniform sound or concept. Don't get me wrong, the album sounds great, but that doesn't make up for the lyrical foils and some overly long songs.

6.8/10

Earl: "Hive" TRACK REVIEW

Earl is getting ready to release his newest album Doris, on August 20th; and has dropped a new track/ video for the song "Hive". Like "Chum" and "Whoa" before it, this track shows off more of Earls obsession with dark sounds and moody production. Though this track has more in common with "Whoa" in terms of lyrical content.

I said it back when "Chum" first dropped and I'll say it again, I'm extremely excited for Doris. Hopefully it will at least live up to the hype and be in league with Tyler's last LP Wolf.

Classic Review: Weezer: Pinkerton

In 1994 Weezer released their debut album, Blue; and became one of the most popular bands in the post-grunge era of music. But instead of following it up with an LP that used the same blueprint of quirky and kind songs about sweaters and surfing; Weezer ended up releasing a frustrated, awkward, and highly personal album, called Pinkerton.

A move that was torn to shreds by critics and fans who wanted another "Buddy Holly". Pinkerton doesn't have many lighthearted moments like "Surf Wax America", but instead, it opts to give the listener cathartic bursts of raw emotion, and sexual frustration. 

The opener "Tired of Sex" starts with noisy guitar sounds, and soon kicks into a loud and rhythm section fueled jam that has a killer guitar solo. "No Other One" features one of front man Rivers Cuomo's most impassioned vocal performances, and like almost every song on Pinkerton, a metric ton of distortion. 

In fact, one of the reasons Pinkerton was canned upon release was because of the production, which was handled entirely by the band. However, in recent years, critics praise the album for how forward thinking it was in terms of sound. And with good reason; all of the songs here ( save for the closer "Butterfly") are rollicking affairs that paint a sonic picture for the intense lyrics underneath them. 

On a more personal note, Pinkerton was among the albums that inspired me to really get into music; and actually helped me through some hard times with it's raw sound and profoundly heartfelt lyrics. 

I mean, come one, "El Scorcho" and "Pink Triangle" may be two of the greatest songs about unrequited love ever written, and "Butterfly" still has the power to bring a tear to my eye. 

If you haven't given Pinkerton a listen yet, I implore you to do so. It's a bit awkward, and can be downright outrageous at times. But once it sinks in, this album has the ability to stick in your mind for weeks on end. 

10/10