Post Of Random Chaos (including my top albums of the year so far).

So, the last couple of months have been sort of crazy, so my album review schedule has been all kinds of erratic. That doesn't mean I have stopped listening to new stuff, it just means I haven't had time to form full fledged opinions on a lot of it. However, I hope to get all of this off my chest as well as my overdue albums of the year so far in one big post. Enjoy!

Top Albums of the Year So Far (In no particular order).

1. Father John Misty: "I Love You, Honeybear".

The year started off really well, and this album is proof. FJM came together with a heartwarming and funny album here, full of songs about love and the road to it. In short, this album is everything you want in a singer-songwriter album that you can simply relax to.

2. Kendrick Lamar: "To Pimp A Butterfly".

Kendrick Lamar has been making waves for the past few years, but this album right here is clearly his masterpiece. An album that is so poignant, yet balances its message with an equally impressive and catchy set of instrumentals that are hard to forget. This is surely a contender for album of the year.

3. Alabama Shakes: "Sound & Color".

I was thoroughly surprised with the latest Alabama Shakes release, an  album full of tight and catchy rock tunes that even have a bit to them underneath the surface. Certainly songs like "Gimme All Your Love" will still be in rotation come 2016. Heck, this album may even win a Grammy or two, so that's cool!

4. The Decemberists: "What A Terrible World, What A Wonderful World".

 Sure, I may be a little biased, and seeing them in concert for the first time this year only enhances that fact, but I still think that The Decemberists came together and put out one of their most enjoyable albums in the last few years. Plus, you get a song about a pervy teenage boy, so this is like the most 'Decemberist' Decemberists album in years!

5. Drake: "If You're Reading This Its Too Late".

Drake has been on a streak lately. Though I thought his last album was just okay, I found myself really loving this new mixtape/album. Its been in rotation since the day it dropped, and tracks like "Know Yourself" and "10 Bands" are fantastic. I look forward to hearing his next project and just hope he can keep this up.

6. Sufjan Stevens: "Carrie & Lowell".

Sufjan has been a favorite of mine since the first time I heard Illinoise, and part of me figured the new album would never reach the same heights. While that is certainly true in terms of scale, I'd say this album is Sufjan's best in terms of just about everything else. Carrie & Lowell is a simply heartbreaking ode to Sufjan's life and relationship with his late mother, and it is a testament to just how great a songwriter Sufjan is.


Albums That I Didn't Get A Chance To Review, But I Still Wanted To Talk About.

1. Sun Kil Moon: "Universal Themes".

The new SKM album kind of came out of nowhere, and considering that Benji was my album of the year, I was really excited to listen to it. And while it definitely isn't as good as the last album, there are still some really wordy and enjoyable tracks on this album. The only problem is that some of the tracks get lost in the wordiness and rambling, leading to some of the longer tracks  feeling like a grind. This is a good album, but it isn't great.

2. Algiers: Self-Titled.

This album is fantastic and may end up on my end of the year list, but I just didn't have time to write a full review. and it's been out so long, I figured you didn't need another opinion telling you the same thing. In short, Goth meets Soul, and it's fantastic.

3. High On Fire: "Luminiferous".

Truthfully, I haven't given this album a full listen, but what I've heard has been excellent. Big, meaty riffs and fantastic melodies that are some of the bands tightest yet. I've loved almost everything that I've heard from this band and this new album is no different. Another album I really should have made an effort to review.

4.Tech N9ne: "Special Effects"

Sigh... I feel bad for ever enjoying All 6's And 7's. But at least that album had the decency to have some actually enjoyable tracks on it. Tech has been under utilizing his rapping ability and over utilizing his features lists for way too long at this point.

5. The Vaccines: English Graffiti 

It's not bad, but I just can't get over how odd the trajectory of this band has been. I like when they put out catchy brit-pop tunes, but I just don't find them to be interesting enough to do anything deeper than that.


Tracks That I've Really Enjoyed This Year.

Future Islands: The Chase

The Weeknd: I Can't Feel My Face

Hudson Mohawke: Scud Books

Rae Shremmurd: Throw Sum Mo

Kanye West: All Day

Muse: Drones ALBUM REVIEW

Muse are a band that I used to love. Though that is a bit dramatic for an opening sentence, it's true. When I was in my early teens I couldn't get enough of tracks like "Plug In Baby" and "Hysteria". These tracks and the albums they came from were a lot of fun, and I even to this day, still find a lot to enjoy about them; they're big, overly dramatic, and catchy as all get out.

The unfortunate thing is that for the last 10 years or so, the band hasn't really done anything that has moved me to do much more than shrug, or even cringe. The latter being my primary reaction to the band's last LP, The 2nd Law, an album so woefully mangled and bogged down in bad ideas, I'm surprised the band didn't implode while making it.

However, we now have this new album, Drones, which sees the group pulling back the reins of experimentation, and instead going back to a more familiar style, with a slightly more hard rock edge to it than usual. Overall, I am a fan of this change, but the album still doesn't leave that huge of an impression on me.

For instance, I like the tracks "The Handler" and "Reapers" and even find myself enjoying darn near every minute of "Defector", mostly because these tracks have great melodies, and rely on the symphonic rock styling that made albums like Absolution so memorable. But as soon as I find myself liking this album, a track like "Psycho" pops up, and I'm back to cringing.

"Psycho" features what is easily the cheesiest sample that you'll hear all year, with this drill sergeant screaming at a solider all 'Full Metal Jacket' style, but instead of being intimidating, it's just hilarious. Also, tracks like "Mercy" and "Revolt" are just too sappy and overly produced to evoke any kind of response from me.

This album is trying to urge the listener to fight against an oppressive military and government, but all I hear is the sound of a band conforming to a sound that they used to do a lot better. I'd say you're safe to pass on this LP if you haven't found any of Muse's last few albums enjoyable; it isn't terrible, but it ain't good either.

5.2/10

A$AP Rocky: AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP ALBUM REVIEW

A$AP Rocky started his career in 2011 with a really solid mixtape, which not only got him mainstream attention, but also made him a figurehead for the burgeoning 'cloud-rap' scene, a style that has since become a pretty prominent production choice in mainstream hip-hop, next to Trap. He even followed this mixtape up with a pretty solid debut album, which not only proved he could still produce worthwhile music, but even play in styles more akin to what was popular on the charts without losing his legitimacy.

However, it's been a while since we've heard a full length project from Rocky. This has a lot to do with the fact that he's been doing a lot of features, helping fellow A$AP Mob cohorts start their careers, and the untimely death of friend and mentor A$AP Yams, who he seems to be paying tribute to him with the album cover of his latest album, AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP.

The title seems to promise two things, one, that Rocky has finally become the MC that everyone knew he could be, and he even indulges in some straight narcissism, asserting that he has become a kind of rap god, kind of like Kanye. Unfortunately, he and Kanye not only share a knack for being pretty into themselves, but also releasing sub-par albums that show just how delusional these proclamations of godhood are.

The album starts off pretty well, I really like the track "Holy Ghost" and how it addresses the hypocrisy of certain religious figures who preach living within one's means, but wear expensive clothes and jewels. And the beat on this track and the following "Canal St." are pretty classy as well. But the album really gets stuck in a rut after this point, with the track "Fine Whine" sounding so muddy and unappealing, and don't get me started on the horrendous MIA verse on this track. After that we get the single "L$D" which is just an excuse for Rocky to sing over a vaguely psychedelic beat, which all sounds pretty bad when all is said and done.

While I enjoy tracks like "Excuse Me" and even kind of dig "Lord Pretty Flacko Joyde 2", tracks like "Electric Body" come in, and I'm back to shaking my head in disgust. The only other tracks that give me any kind of enjoyment are the tracks "Wavybone" for being the most consistent verse wise, "Jukebox Joints" for a pretty funny Kanye verse, and the closer, "Back Home" which has a pretty decent beat.

Overall, this album is too inconsistent for me to really be down with it. I find some tracks to be pretty good, while others are easily some of Rocky's worst yet. I'll look for more features, and especially other projects from guys like Ferg, but for now, I'll just have to chalk this album up as a disappointment that I hope Rocky can rebound from.

6.3/10

Torres: Sprinter ALBUM REVIEW

Sprinter is the sophomore album of guitarist and singer Mackenzie Scott, who performs under the moniker of Torres. Her first full length album, a self-titled album, was okay, but felt a but too stripped down and quiet for the emotions she was tackling on it. However, on this new album, we get to hear Mackenzie belt out some cathartic rockers in addition to her usual toned down, moodier tracks. Overall, Sprinter is a much more rounded and full sounding album, though a couple of the tracks here still fall victim to being a little to simple.

The opener "Strange Hellos" is a heavy rocker that could have easily been on an early PJ Harvey album, and the way Mackenzie lets her voice loose on this track is just fantastic. On the following track "New Skin" Scott tones things down, but still manages to create a memorable track, discussing the feeling of coming to a life-changing realization and thus having to try on a 'new skin'.

Aside from the opener, and maybe "Cowboy Guilt" this album is a series of atmospheric and gentle tracks that can seem a bit plain, especially on a track like "Ferris Wheel" where the track just goes on a little too long for the amount of instrumental changes it presents. That's not to say I dislike all of the slower tracks here, I actually love tracks like "Son, You Are No Island" and the closer "The Exchange" which is just so raw and personal, which is saying something since every track here is very much a personal emotional exorcism for Torres.

I'd say if you're a fan of artists like PJ Harvey, Hole, or even more folk-inspired acts like Sharron Van Etton, you're bound to at least find this album likable. I personally though it could have had a couple more "Strange Hellos" on it to break up the pacing a bit, but that's more of a personal preference since I imagine a lot of people really loving the calm tone and pace of this album.

8.4/10

The Tallest Man On Earth: Dark Bird Is Home ALBUM REVIEW

Kristian Matsson is a Swedish singer songwriter who goes by the moniker of The Tallest Man On Earth, and for the past 7 years or so, he has been crafting a string of solid albums that hold true to the roots of what folk music was in the 60s and 70s. He has been compared to greats such as Bob Dylan for his songwriting and even the sound of his voice which tends to sound a little nasal. However, despite the comparisons, Kristian has been able to create a sound that is uniquely him and has garnered him a lot of praise. However, as folk artists tend to do, Matsson has been slowly adding more and more instrumentation to his tracks, to the point where an album as bare bones as The Wild Hunt seems like a distant past, despite only being released 5 years ago.

I have to be honest and say that I wasn't the biggest fan of his last album. Though that had a bit more to do with the fact that the songs that Matsson was writing didn't seem to fit his new found fondness for more instrumentation. And upon hearing the initial singles from this latest album, I knew I was in for even more evolution is regards to the fleshing out of Matsson's backing instrumentation. But, I actually think, for the most part, that the songs here are more fit to the instrumentation than they were on There's No Leaving Now.

The album opens up with what are easily the two most instrumentally lavish tracks on the entire album, especially the track "Darkness of the Dream" which is downright poppy and also kind of reminds me of a gospel song? Then we get the more folky, though lyrically odd "Singers" which has a rather wordy chorus that is more of a tongue twister than I'd expect from a guy who is usually very blunt and to the point when it comes to lyrics. Other highlights include the piano led "Little Nowhere Towns" and the peppy "Timothy" which is probably the brightest track on the entire album instrumentally.

It is important to note that there aren't really many quite, subdued moments on Dark Bird Is Home as all the added instrumentation keeps most all of these tracks from being as personal and contemplative as a track like "Drying of the Lawns" was on The Wild Hunt, though the lyrics here are bit more personal, with Matsson singing more from the first person than ever before.

While I do think this album is really solid, and I like it a lot, I do miss Matsson's more subtle approach to songwriting. What makes an album like The Wild Hunt so amazing is not just the fantastic vocals and guitar playing that Kristian possesses, but the fact that he could make a song so powerful with nothing but those two components. There's nothing as energized and urgent as a track like "King of Spain" on Dark Bird Is Home, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but could have made this album feel a bit more important in the Tallest Man On Earth canon.

This album is, like I said, a very good one, but I think this may simply be the stepping stone to Matsson either making an album that finally marries the best of his early and later material, or the big release of instrumentation before a more contemplative release.

8.0/10

Best Coast: California Nights ALBUM REVIEW

I did a review of the last Best Coast EP last year, it wasn't a serious review by any stretch of the imagination, but I still gave it a score to reflect my actual feelings on the project. That middle of the road score sums up my feelings on Best Coast in general, and on their latest LP, California Nights, the duo do absolutely nothing to change that. In fact, this album actually made me kind of loath this group's sunny, dumbed down version of rock, something I wasn't expecting since I'm usually able to find at least some fun with this kind of music.

First, I'm going to point out the things I like about this album... the track "Feeling Ok" is decent.
That's it. That is where my enjoyment of this album begins and ends because by the end of this song I feel like I've heard enough. The shallow and kind of asinine lyrics, predictable reverb-laden instrumentals and mopey, yet sunny attitude are just too much for me to deal with for more than 3 minutes.

Add to that the fact that nearly every song on this album blends together in a mash of distortion and  weak melodies, and I can't really see why anyone, outside of hardcore Best Coast fans would enjoy this at all. It is even hard to zone out to because you'll be perpetually brought back to consciousness by how melodramatic and corny nearly every line on this album is; case and point, the track "Heaven Sent".

I've been listening to a lot of rock music lately and while I've had the pleasure of enjoying some really great new rock albums, I've had just as many, if not more, bland and forgettable ones; this album is of the latter category. Best Coast seem to like the way they sound because they literally haven't changed anything in the past 5 years, feel free to prove me wrong.

Anyway, I'm not going to waste any more time on this album; I didn't like it, not at all and think that if you're looking for a sunny, feel good rock album, go listen to that Alvvays album from last year, or just go listen to The Drums self-titled, both are actually catchy and balance the melodrama with some legitimately great songs.

2.0/10 

Mumford & Sons: Wilder Mind ALBUM REVIEW

For the past few years, Mumford & Sons have been a punching bag for snobby, hipster publications and blogs. They were playing a style of music that a lot of bands played, but they had a bigger budget and sounded better than most bands in the neo-folk genre. Sure they were a bit bland, but I'd say their last album Babel was an improvement over their debut. In short, I don't hate Mumford & Sons, I think they do neo-folk more justice than other people in their sector, especially someone like Edward Sharp or Passenger.

Wilder Mind is a big change of pace for the band, they have turned from their folk roots and have instead opted to plug in their guitars and go for a rock sound... one that is just as bland and boring as the hipster blogs said their last two albums were. I'm not going to spend a lot of time writing about this album because it doesn't warrant it. All you really need to know about Wilder Mind is that if you liked the band's past sound or even just want a solid rock album; this is not the album you're looking for.

This album just sounds so played out and repetitive, I could hardly tell these tracks apart on my first couple of listens. Not one of these tracks, save for maybe "The Wolf" warranted a response from me, and that track only got one because it has a decent melody and actually possesses a modicum of energy. But that is where the positives stop for me, this album simply left me wanting so much more.

Also, I just want to point out something that makes this album even more irritating: the production. I mean, these guys have always sounded clean cut, but this album takes the genre of rock and runs it through a washing machine full of every conceivable cleaning product on the planet, then douses it all in a really bland reverb effect until everything feels cavernous and "big", when in truth, it just sounds distant and empty.

I've listened to a lot of really solid rock albums this year, even from bands that I wasn't expecting much from, but Mumford & Sons have put out an album that takes all the energy of rock music and shoots it out somewhere in the stratosphere, never to be seen again. Ed Sheeran is doing more energetic rock music than Mumford & Sons.

3.0/10