Vince Staples: Hell Can Wait EP REVIEW

Young West-Coast rapper Vince Staples has been making noise in the underground rap scene ever since he dropped a remarkable verse on Earl Sweatshirts album Doris, on the track "Hive", a personal favorite of mine from last year. And while I haven't exactly been too hot on the past couple of mixtapes that Vince has dropped, I have to say he's in prime form on his latest EP, Hell Can Wait.

On this EP, Vince drops a lot of solid verses and some decent choruses, backed by a lot of eerie buzzing beats that call back to the west coast greats of the 90s, but also bring to mind the new faces of the west coast, such as that latest LP from Schoolboy Q, and some bits of Odd Future as well. 

The EP flows pretty well too, with the first four tracks focusing on everything from a tough childhood being raised by paranoid drug dealers ("Screen Door") to Vince's own take on the recent media focus on police brutality on the superb single "Hands Up". 

I would say the only weak track on the entire LP is the closer, "Feelin' The Love" which is a little too repetitive for my taste, and features one of the weaker hooks as well. However, I found myself being really into the albums other softer moment, "Limos" with it's description of a problematic relationship, and a wonderful vocal feature from Teyana Taylor. 

I can't exactly knock the EP for being short, but I can honestly say that it left me wanting more. I can only hope that his next full length is as interesting and fleshed-out as this EP is. I'm glad to see Vince living up to his massive potential.

8.7/10

Iceage: Plowing Into The Field Of Love ALBUM REVIEW

Iceage are a noise-punk band hailing from Denmark, and they've been making a lot of waves in independent music ever since their debut, New Brigade. While that album was good, I thought the follow-up You're Nothing was much better and was a sign that these four extremely young Danes were maturing. However, Plowing Into The Field Of Love is bound to go down as the moment Iceage went from being a good band to a truly great one.

PITFOL is a much more ambitious and lengthy album, clocking in at around 50 minutes, it runs nearly as long as the band's entire discography up until this point. And that ambition is fully realised, with tracks that feature a lot more harmony and are backed with some fantastic extra instrumentation. Plus, Iceage has gotten even better at creating tracks that emphasize their goth-rock influences, but still utilize their punk edge. One of my favorite tracks "Glassy Eyed, Dormant and Veiled" is a perfect example of how Iceage balances slow, mournful verses with truly explosive choruses that seethe with aggression and sound incredibly weary. 

But of course, I can't ignore this LPs more "upbeat" moments, with lead single "The Lord's Favorite" being a prime example. At first, I wasn't sure about this tracks rockabilly style, but after a couple more listens, and a thorough readthrough of the lyrics, I realized what the band was going for; a track that paints the bands usual Nihilism in the light of a night of drinking and partying, leading to a bitter, but somehow raucous little tune that is really a highlight for the entire year. Other tracks that fit this bill are "Abundant Living" and "Against The Moon".

I simply love how this band is able to write such dark and moody tracks, but still back them up with the ferocity of punk music. It makes for a listening experience that is worth revisiting and analyzing, but doesn't require you to sit down and fix your chin on your fist to enjoy properly. Instead, you can thrash about and have a great time. 

This is the kind of music I want kids of my generation listening to, the kind of music that delves into dark subject matter, but still has energy and aggression. Finally, I'm glad to see that Iceage are maturing even more, and with two LPs under their belt that I've had nothing but love for, I'm excited to see them become the legends that their posed to become. 

9.5/10

Weezer: Everything Will Be Alright In The End ALBUM REVIEW

It's been a long road for Weezer. They released two of the most celebrated (in retrospect) and loved LPs of the 90's rock era, but never seemed to find their footing in the years past Maladroit, an album that is usually just seen as "good for what it is". To me, Weezer was never more compelling and worthwhile than on their sophomore album, Pinkerton, an album I have reviewed on this blog, and love dearly. 

However, despite the severe disappointment that the last handful of Weezer albums have presented, I have always been open to the band rediscovering their sound, and Everything Will Be Alright is exactly that; the sound of a band reconnecting with their roots, and releasing their most satisfying and worthwhile album in over 10 years. 

The album opens up with the track "Ain't Got Nobody" which has a great melody and a wonderfully chunky sound. In fact, the first four tracks are fantastic rock tunes; they sound great and showcase the chemistry that Weezer seemed to have lost after Maladroit. I especially like the track "Eulogy For A Rock Band", sure it's a little cheeky, but that is what I always enjoyed about early Weezer tracks, their ability to be both emotional and funny. 

The only major flaws on this LP are some spotty moments in the mid-section ("Da Vinci" and "Go Away") and some weak lyrics, though it could be argued that Rivers Cuomo has never had a way with words on any of his tracks. However, some questionable lyrics aside, I think this album is incredibly solid and enjoyable; it glides easily from one song to another with little to know interruptions, such as the cringe-worthy moments on albums like Raditude and Hurley *shudders*.

So, as the title of the album states, everything WILL be alright in the end, because Weezer have actually made a new album worth listening to from beginning to end; something that I thought impossible a year ago

8.0/10 

Mick Jenkins: The Water(s) ALBUM REVIEW

Mick Jenkins is a Chicago rapper who has been putting mixtapes out for a goo while, but with his latest release The Water(s), Jenkins proves that he can put out a concept album and keep it interesting throughout. And even though this is the first project I've ever heard from this guy, I have to say I wish I'd heard of him sooner. Mick has a great sense of style, and his flows are smooth when he wants them to be, but can be hard as nails as well (especially on tracks like "Jerome"). 

The concept of the album is pretty self explanatory, Mick pens a series of tunes that either create the sonic idea of water, or he straight up references water itself. But he goes beyond the mere idea of water as the thing that covers most of the earth (though he does mention that), he actually sees water as a healing substance, both physically and spiritually. The track "Healer" is one of the best representations of what this album shoots for, and it's a pretty solid slow jam as well. 

Though I actually think this album goes for a more socially aware angle. Mick makes a lot of references to drinking water, which I can only imagine actually means that he wants people to "drink" from his well of wisdom, or just wisdom in general. A specific line that points to this would be one found on the title track, where in the chorus he mentions water being more important than gold (or riches) while urging other rappers to "save your soul".

 

Though this may sound a bit preachy, and the whole concept of water does become a little redundant, I personally think Mick balances this out pretty well with a lot of solid bars and some really stand out lines. The production is great too, with everything from trap to boom-bap making an appearance. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this LP, it has a lot of great moments, and while I wish it was just a tad bit shorter (cutting tracks like "Who Else" and "Canada Dry") I was really impressed with a vast majority of this LP and am looking forward to whatever Mick has in store for the future.

8.2/10

La Roux: Trouble In Paradise ALBUM REVIEW

It's been a while since I've heard anything from La Roux. Back in 09' the former duo had one of my favorite pop songs of that year with "Bulletproof", but I never bothered to look deeper into the album that that song came from. However, I did notice that La roux seemed to disappear from the pop scene entirely. Turns out, the duo were going through a bit of a rough time, which resulted in them splitting up, leaving the name and creative output to frontwoman Elly Jackson.

Now, I may be the wrong guy to be discussing the obviously sensitive subject the breakup of La Roux as a duo, but I have to say, at least in terms of the music, Elly seems to be doing just fine by herself. Because Trouble In Paradise is easily my favorite pop album of the year, and is bound to make its way onto my end of the year list in some capacity.

First of all, this album has a fantastic aesthetic. The pulsating bass lines and chunky synths remind me of some of the 80's best hit singles. Mix that in with a bit of Bowie and Prince worship, and you have an album that is incredibly easy to love; it also helps that the songs on this LP are incredibly sharp and catchy as well, with a fair bit of ambition to boot. I mean, at the end of the day, these are pop songs about love, and the troubles that one can find whilst being in and out of it. But with tracks like "Silent Partner" with its earnest beat and Depeche Mode esque darkness, not to mention length, it's hard not to admire La Roux for being this  creative in the pop music she creates.

However, while there some great slow moments on this LP, like the single "Let Me Down Gently", it's the brighter, more swaggering moments that stand out the most. For instance, the opener "Uptight Downtown" has some of the brightest and most fun guitar leads I've heard all year, and Elly delivers her verses with confidence and finesse. The following track "Kiss And Not Tell" and my personal favorite "Sexoteque" are both superb bits of Prince fanfare, with Elly owning the tracks with her rather impressive vocal range.

I'll cut my self short by simply saying that I think Trouble In Paradise is easily La Roux's crowning achievement thus far. Sure, it's not reinventing anything, but I;d argue that it is injecting a stale idea, 80's nostalgia, with a shot of life that it has been in desperate need of.

9.0/10

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