Drake: More Life ALBUM REVIEW

At this point, everyone and their mother's dead mother knows who Drake is, and that same group of people know just how bad Drake's last LP Views was. I, like any logical human being, thought that Drake's last album was a huge bore almost completely bereft of anything notable or even slightly positive. But it's the current year, and Drake has released another new "playlist" called More Life. Was I hoping to see Drake pull together another good project? Yes. Was I expecting that to happen? No. And to be completely honest, More Life is so middle of the road in terms of how much I enjoyed it, it's almost like the album doesn't even exist, or it is simply made up of all the good and bad memories I have associated with Drake's music.

For example, the first half of this album is packed with one limp, fake patois laden "dancehall" tune after another; tracks like "No Long Talker" are some of Drake's worst ever, simply because there is nothing legitimate to be found in the song, everything feels like a put-on. Whereas tracks like "Do Not Disturb", "Free Smoke", and "Sacrifices" feature some pretty decent bars from Drake and all features involved, especially Young Thug, who I feel was the overall MVP on this album; both of his contributions were highly enjoyable for me.

And while I am happy to report that there are solid moments here, some (like "Do Not Disturb") even border on true greatness, for the most part, More Life is pretty much more Views. Especially, again, with all the freakin' dancehall tracks and... Drake saying "tings" on more than one occasion. Also, the production is kind of middling, which is odd, because this is pretty much the same crew that produced If You're Reading This It's Too Late. Tracks like "Passionfruit" and "Nothings Into Somethings" sound really rough. On top of that, there are just a lot of half-baked songs here, "Teenage Fever" being the prime example, as it relies mostly on the sample to carry the entire track.

So, yeah, this album was a pretty frustrating listen for me. Because while I didn't like Views, it at least had the decency to be all bad, whereas More Life is really good at some points. Honestly, if Drake continues to release one mild-to-bad album after another, I'll go ahead and skip on the next album.

5.5/10

Remo Drive: Greatest Hits ALBUM REVIEW

Remo Drive is a three-piece from Minnesota and this is their debut full length, Greatest Hits. Now, obviously, calling your debut LP Greatest Hits is either a sign of an unchecked ego, or its polar opposite, the kind of self-deprecating sense of humor that made most great indie/ emo bands of the late 90's and early 00's memorable and worthwhile; luckily, Remo Drive fall firmly in the latter. In fact, they even pull sonically from emo greats like Sunny Day Real Estate and early Brand New, all while injecting their music with peppier, more pop-punk affectations, so the listener never feels too down in the dumps.  A more apt comparison, I feel, would be that of early Weezer, who had the tendency to wrap conflicted feelings of early adulthood angst with songs that had the ability to pull even the most edgy emo out of the depths of depression.

And I've gotta say, listening to tracks like "Art School" and "Summertime" (which is superior in every respect to the similarly titled recent Weezer track) gives me the same feeling that I got when I first put on an album like Blue or even Pinkerton, though the album never finds itself in as dark a place as the latter LP. Instead, Remo Drive present one loud, energetic and tuneful after another on this LP, which lends the title even more credibility, as this album sort of feels like a mixtape that your friend might put together to show you this really awesome local band that you've never heard of. This feeling is amplified through the lyrics and overall demeanor of the album as a whole, which come off as relatable and fun, I mean, just get a load of one of the music videos released prior to the album and you'll understand perfectly, these guys are just looking to have fun and write some killer tunes to enjoy life to, and I'd say they truly succeed in that endeavor on this LP.

If I had to identify the albums biggest flaw, I'd have to say that the production is not always the clearest, with a lot of distortion and vocals that always seem to ride the midsection of the mix, tracks like "Hunting For Sport" and "Trying 2 Fool U" take a couple of listens to pick apart. But the quality of the songs here is still undeniable, as not a single one of them could be considered as a "bad" track, maybe a little on the rough side, sure, but I'd rather they be rough then boring. And with all the instrumental change-ups and smooth transitions between tracks all throughout this album, boredom is just a non-existent problem on Greatest Hits.

Overall, this is an exceedingly solid debut album in pretty much every way. These dudes are definitely the band to cheer on in the emo/ indie scene going into 2017.

8.5/10

Havok: Conformicide ALBUM REVIEW

Conformicide is the latest release from Thrash revivalists, Havok, who I recently reviewed for METAL MARCH. Which is fitting, because I feel like this album is the natural progression of an album like Time Is Up, whereas the actual follow-up felt a little less intense and interesting to listen to (think Youththanasia from Megadeth after Countdown). In fact, Conformicide is quite possibly the finest Thrash album of the past few years and while I do have a few nitpicks here and there, I think this is easily the most thoroughly excellent and enjoyable metal album of the year thus far, and also one of this year's best albums so far.

However, I have to start with my issues with the LP because they hit almost immediately, namely, the lyrics. That's not to say that I disagree with the overtly political messages on this album (for the most part, I understand where they're coming from) but the fact that the album is SO overtly political 100% of the runtime, leads to some less than stellar lyrics, because the words don't always flow out smoothly with the lyrics, such as the kind of clunky chorus on "Dogmaniacal". Also, while I appreciate the ballsy-ness of the opening track "F.P.C." I can see why a lot of people would immediately be turned off by this track, seeing as it is the one track on here that I can see those certain spheres of the internet lashing out against, other than that, this album shoots for targets that have been Thrash staples since the beginning; including, religion, government, war, and society at large. For example, the single "Ingsoc" is basically the book 1984 condensed into a seven-minute metal track and the track "Hang Em' High" sees Havok wishing for the government to "get what they deserve.

But, putting the lyrics aside (though they do add to the overall experience) this album is through and through a Thrash metal beast. From fast, in your face riffing, to nimble and audible bass-lines to machine-gun drumming, this is the genre at it's modern day finest, with pretty much each track bringing its own unique element, leading to a very enjoyable and fresh sounding LP, despite it obviously being steeped in Thrash tradition. Some of my favorite moments include the aforementioned "Hang Em' High"(this track has the ability to shred all the skin off your face if you're not careful), the equally vicious "Claiming Certainty" and the apocalyptic closer "Circling The Drain". But honestly, there really isn't a weak moment here, aside from some slightly goofy lyrics and some odd production moments here and there that make a few tracks sound a little over compressed, I can't honestly fault this album; it takes no prisoners and I like that a lot.

9.2/10

Havok: Time Is Up METAL MARCH REVIEW

Reviving an older sound that has long been past its prime can be a daunting task, especially in metal, where sounds that die out, usually did so because the best ideas from that genre were eventually driven into the ground. Thrash is a genre that I can honestly say experienced just that, although I'd say that Thrash was also outdone in every way by the likes of Speed metal and Death metal, so in a way Thrash faded because there were faster, meaner, more boundary pushing genres that took its place; however, in the last decade or so, Thrash has been slowly creeping back into the fold, and Havok, especially on their 2011 LP Time Is Up, are a prime example of why that is the case.

In fact, I'd go as far as to say that Time Is Up is a bonafide modern Thrash classic. It not only pays homage to genre pioneers like Slayer and, especially Megadeth, but it has a furiosity and sound that is distinctly modern. Havok is what happens when a group of musicians grow up on the Big Four, but say to themselves, "hey, lets do this, but with even more guts". Because from start to finish, this LP goes for the jugular, almost to an obnoxious degree, with the overall energy of this album being incredibly high and angry from beginning to end. But honestly, that is the LP's single flaw, and for someone who doesn't mind a constant barrage of angry screaming, killer guitar riffs and face melting drum playing, this flaw will simply cease to exist.

Although I consider the album to be one consistent, 42 minute highlight, individual moments of note are "Prepare For Attack", "Fatal Intervention", the title track, and "Covering Fire". And while all of these tracks possess the aforementioned Thrash virtues such, each one takes on a slightly different lyrical approach, from people throwing away their lives ("D.O.A.") to the horrors of war ("Covering Fire"), Havok really lets their Megadeth influence show, especially the track "No Amnesty" which could of easily been on Peace Sells, or Rust In Peace.

Time Is Up is a fantastic LP, but more importantly, it is a great Thrash LP, and I think it is the ideal proof that even a genre like Thrash that has long since been abandoned by its creators, can continue to strive and push forward. Absolutely killer.

9.5/10

Kanye West: 808s & Heartbreak CLASSIC REVIEW

At this point, I've reviewed enough of Kanye's music to skip any kind of introduction, I'll even skip past all the usual feelings of "He used to be so good" and instead, I'll now focus your attention to the album that split the fanbase. In fact, this album is the catalyst (more than just musically) to the Kanye that we see today. This album is simultaneously a break up album and an album mourning the death of Kanye's mother, both of which left Kanye an emotional wreck, which he puts on full display on perhaps his most polarizing album, 808s & Heartbreak.

Keep in mind, that last statement is made knowing full well that most of Kanye's material post Graduation has also been said to have the same effect; people either love it to death, or hate it with a passion. But this album was the originator; with a completely different sound, a severe lack of hip-hop tracks and even a lack of the signature sampling that Kanye built his reputation on, 808s was a huge slap in the face back when it came out, and even though it is far more easy to digest nowadays, due in large part to it being a huge inspiration to some of raps biggest names currently (Travis $cott, Chance the Rapper etc.) it is still a pretty jarring listen if listened in sequence with his first three LP's.

And while a lot of fans and critics have noted this album's many flaws, I've always found this LP to be perhaps Kanye's most interesting. It is, in my opinion, the kind of flawed masterpiece that many people claim that Yeezus or Life of Pablo is. And while it is evident that those two albums are definitely adventurous in terms of pushing Kanye's sound in new directions, they both, especially Yeezus, don't have as much purpose in their execution. 808s is a true moment of vulnerability for Kanye, and luckily, lacks a lot of the egotistical posturing that mires most of his more recent releases. On this album, he does indulge in some moments of TMI, but he never follows it up with some show of wealth or machismo, instead, Kanye bares it all, and doesn't try and compensate for any of it.

All that aside, there is actually a pretty great album here too. With tracks like "Heartless" and "Love Lockdown" being shining examples of this new sound working wonderfully, and even deep cuts like "Paranoid" and "Robocop" shine through. For a lot of people, this album was nearly unlistenable due to the use (or overuse) of autotune, something that the last half-decade has certainly made less of an issue. And while to some degree it is true that Kanye relies on the effect a bit too much, it is important to put it all in the correct context; Kanye is emotionally devastated on the majority of this LP, and the cold, calculated nature of the beats and his vocals, show just alienated and lost he felt at the time, just like the track "FML" off of Pablo.

And while I'm on the subject, 808s is one of the most emaculately produced LP's I've ever heard. If I had to point to the zenith of Kanye's work as a producer, this would be it. Every inch of this thing is creative and gorgeously arranged. From the tribal robotics of "Love Lockdown" to the absolutely heart wrenching loneliness evoked by the instrumental on "Coldest Winter", Kanye crafted this album, and the result is nearly flawless.

Still, there are flaws, most of which can be blamed on the trendy nature of the features (Jeezy and Wayne aren't awful, but feel out of place) and the closing freestyle is simply unnecessary, and is the lone miss on the entire album production-wise; though it was recorded live, so that's not much of a surprise. But, again, this album is simply amazing and is, in my opinion, one of Kanye's finest, easily.

9.2/10

Jonwayne: Rap Album 2 ALBUM REVIEW

Jon Wayne, known professionally as jonwayne, is a rapper from California, signed to the very well respected Stones Throw Records. Now of course, Jon doesn't look like a 'rapper', something that he brings up not only on this album with the hilarious opening skit to "LIVE From The Fuck You", but also on his 2013 record, Rap Album 1 where he made the album cover a literal saltine cracker. And while Jon is self aware about this aspect of his persona, he doesn't make it the main focus of his music, and instead focuses this album on his battles with addiction and from what I gather, just moving through life in general.

For as funny and witty as this album is at times, it also has a lot of emotional impact, with tracks like "Human Condition", "Out of Sight", and the fantastic closer "These Words Are Everything", Jon takes a really introspective route with this album that is incredibly endearing. For instance, the track "These Words are Everything" sees Jon reflecting on how in the end, the only thing people will remember about him are the words he speaks, so in his eyes, it's important to always be up front with how you feel and never hold back. Another memorable, and simultaneously funny and infuriating is the track "The Single" which starts up with what could of been the single most aggressive and downright catchy track on the entire album, only to have Jon flub his verse a few times, getting really angry in the process. Again, moments like this show just how open Jon is willing to be on this album, and how his wry sense of humor permeates every inch of this record.

However, not everything on this album reaches such heights as I found tracks like "Rainbow", "Blue Green", and "Hills" to be a little underwhelming, mostly because they don't involve a lot, or any, rapping from Jon. Also, I would have loved to have heard a couple of energetic cuts on this album, while the softer more controlled tracks can be quite amazing, I still would have loved to hear tracks that took the same angle that "The Single" or "LIVE From the Fuck You did".

Still, this is a really solid album from a guy I knew nothing about until now. If you like your hip-hop to be personal, introspective and a little grimy, check this thing out.

8.4/10