Nirvana: Bleach CLASSIC REVIEW

Unlike most of my classic reviews, I'll spare you the background. Because if you've been paying attention to rock music for the past 20 years, then you know who Nirvana are. Instead, I'm going to go straight into telling you all about there rather unappreciated first LP, Bleach. 

Most people know their breakout classic Nevermind, a fantastic LP with some of the 90's best alternative rock. However, few people seem to acknowledge their debut for the fantastic LP that it is. Recorded on a $600 budget in a very short amount of time, Bleach has the sound of a low-fi album, but is never short on thick riffs and Kurt Cobains signature growl. 

In fact, while Nevermind is easily the better produced LP, I actually prefer the sound of the recording on Bleach for how raw and in the moment it is. Plus, it's hard to deny the songs on this LP, from the opening notes of "Blew" to the creeping beauty of "About A Girl", this album is a showcase for just great a songwriter Kurt was, and how tight the band's playing was even before the addition of Dave Grohl on drums. 

Other great cuts include "School", "Love Buzz" and my personal favorite, "Negative Creep" a track that sees Kurt shredding his voice over the albums hardest and most intense riff. Track for track, Bleach shows off the talent that Nirvana possessed and would continue to showcase on their following two LPs. 

While it may not be the popular opinion, I do think Bleach is my favorite Nirvana album, with In Utero and Nevermind trailing behind. I just love the rawness of this album, and how freewheeling it all sounds; it's Nirvana at their genesis, and it's a superb rock album.

9.3/10

Perfume Genius: Too Bright ALBUM REVIEW

Perfume Genius is the moniker of singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas. Mike has been making moody, fragile sounding music under the Perfume Genius name since 2010, when he released his debut LP Learning. Now I've been a pretty big fan of this guy's music ever since he put out his last full length, Put Your Back N 2 It a couple of years ago. In fact, that album made its way on to my end of the year list for that year, and I admitted to being unable to write a formal review, due to the fact that I couldn't honestly describe the achingly beautiful songs and emotions of that LP. However, now that I've had a lot of time to digest not only that album, but the rest of PG's music, I can say without hesitation that PYBN2I is one of the most heartfelt and beautiful albums to be released in at least the last five years.

Now, nearly two years later, we have Too Bright, an album that, even from the first single "Queen" promised to be a big shift for Mike. No longer is he a quiet, solemn voice accompanied only by his piano and a few synths, or an acoustic guitar. Instead, Too Bright sees Hadreas expanding not only his musical horizons with a plethora of new sonic additions, but we are also witnessing a man who is embracing, even more than before, his sexuality and the identity that comes along with it.

Songs like "Queen" and "All Along" seem to directly confront bigots and those who are "scared " of how Mike carries himself. The former with an incredibly bright and powerful chorus that has one of PG's best refrains yet, "No family is safe/ When I sashay...". This line alone shows Too Bright's shift in confidence, and it is truly inspiring to see Mike bloom as an artist.

Other standouts (in an album full of them) include the second single "Grid" which sounds more akin to an industrial Swans track than anything that PG has done before; the track "My Body" has a similar quality to it. However, among these more vibrant and aggressive moments, Hadreas still graces us with the style of song that made his music such a treat in the first place; minimal tracks that feature him and his piano, though this time around there are cellos and other instruments in place to give a bit more warmth to the mix.

The opener "I Decline" is just so soulful, and features an almost gospel-like chord progression that reminds me of "Sister Song" from his last album. The title track and closer are two top notch ballads as well, as well as the album's centerpiece "Don't Let Them In".

I have yet to be disappointed by anything that Perfume Genius has released, and I'm already preparing a nice spot for this LP on my end of the year list, it's really that fantastic; you should listen to it.

9.1/10

Dr Dre: The Chronic CLASSIC REVIEW

It's no secret at this point, you know I'm a sucker for west coast hip hop. And as far as classic of the west coast are concerned, very few come close to The Chronic. Released late in 1992, Dr Dre dropped what is considered one of the best and most influential LPs in rap music. Which is no overstatement, since a lot of the lines, flows and even production styles of this album can still be heard being referenced or straight-up stolen in modern rap music. Guys like Kendrick and YG are constantly referencing, or working with Dre and Kendrick even had a major feature with Dre on his last full length on the track "Compton".

So, The Chronic is a pretty well known and respected LP, and truth be told, that is still true to this day. Though there is some pretty terrible things said about women, and pretty much anyone who isn't on Death Row records, The Chronic still proves to be a hard-nosed, sometimes hilariously clever hip hop album that I enjoy immensely. 

Tracks like the classic "Nothin' But a G Thang" and the smooth "Let Me Ride" still sound fresh and for an album that is just about 21 years old, that's no small feat. I also really enjoy the little skits that play between some of the songs, most notably (though I'm not proud of myself) the one introducing the track "Deeeez Nuuuuts". 

Though The Chronic is a lot of fun, there are more serious moments, like "Lil Ghetto Boy" and "The Day The N****z Took Over", which actually has a sinister beat that I absolutely love. Also, it's hard to deny the flows on this LP, they're simply immaculate, with Dre and a young Snoop Dogg, who is easily one of my favorite MC's of all time, especially on this and his own debut Doggystyle.

Aside from some questionable lines about women and certain parts of the male anatomy, The Chronic still stands as one of, if not the best, examples of west coast hip hop and rap in general. I love this album, and chances are you already do too, but if you've never given the album a listen, I implore you to do so ASAP.

10/10

Death from Above 1979: The Physical World ALBUM REVIEW

Death from Above 1979 are a duo that got their start back in 2002 with their EP Heads Up, which displayed the duo's ability to craft tight, danceable tunes with a lot of guts. Their debut LP further proved this, but where You're a Woman, I'm a Machine resonated with the public, critics weren't as keen on it ( at least at the time of its release). In retrospect, that LP was the precursor to what was acceptable in mainstream rock music, with a lot of feel-good songs wrapped in rough, chugging riffs.

The Physical World is the long awaited follow up to YAWIAM, and it sticks pretty close to the blueprint that that LP used, which leads, unsurprisingly, to another wholly enjoyable rock album, though it is a little less exciting. That's not to say TPW won't get your blood pumping, but its just not the left-field attack that their last album was, though that has everything to do with how influential that LP was.

The album kicks off with some nice riffs and a pretty strong hook on the track "Cheap Talk". The lyrics are decent, though fairly unobtrusive, something that is true of pretty much all of DFA's material. But the album continues its run of groove-heavy riffs and crisp choruses with the following two tracks "Right On, Frankenstein!" and "Virgins", even though the latter has one of the most boilerplate lyrical concepts on the entire LP.

I would say that every track on TPW is solid, and not a single one does anything offensive. However, the flip side is that none of the tracks do anything radically new, for both rock music and DFA as a band. But, I honestly can't say I'm too upset with that, since DFA still know how to pen a tune, and are still cranking up the volume nobs on their amplifiers to 11, incorporating plenty of distortion as well.

The band also manages to work in a couple of slower moments like the album centerpiece, "White Is Red" where the lyrics describe a relationship that went south, over a familiarly chunky instrumental and what sounds like a synth lead in the background.

So, if you're in the market for a chunky, headbang- worthy rock record, then The Physical World has you covered. For what it lacks in innovation it really makes up in just being solid rock LP from top to bottom.

8.2/10

DJ Mustard: 10 Summers ALBUM REVIEW

In the past couple, DJ Mustard has made a name for himself in the world of modern West-Coast rap music. His style is very stripped down and slightly old school, but despite his tendency to be pretty straightforward and sometimes redundant, DJ Mustard is still a pretty compelling producer at the end of the day.

This was certainly the case on my favorite mostly Mustard featured project, YG's My Krazy Life. On that LP, Mustard proved to have both the most, and the best, beats. In fact, his beats are pretty much the reason I enjoyed that LP, and continue to do so. So, of course I was interested in an album of Mustard beats featuring a variety of MC's on them: now we have 10 Summers.

This album is 100% Mustard beats, and that alone makes it worth listening to; however, there are a few major drawbacks to this LP. One, not all MC's on 10 Summers are created equal. For instance, I enjoy features like Jay 305, and Teecee on the track "Ghetto Tales" and I really enjoy the opening track to this LP. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for poor verses to start flooding these tracks, like the ones on "No Reason" a track that features the likes of YG and Jeezy, and has one of the weakest hooks on the entire LP. But that track has nothing on the shear awfulness of "Giuseppe", a track that just stops 10 Summers dead in its tracks, with one horrendous verse after another and a truly miserable hook delivered by the otherwise charismatic and enjoyable 2 Chainz. 

The following two tracks "Face Down" and "Down On Me" both offer up a different flavor of the same old sex-fueled antics that tracks like "Do It To Ya" offered up on YG's LP (Except that track was devoid of a typically laughable verse from Big Sean).

Overall, I was mostly pleased with the beats here, but the rappers were pretty disappointing. So, if you like DJ Mustard beats, this LP is worth at least a couple of listens.

6.0/10