Hello everyone, I’d like to apologize for the recent gap in articles, due to me being busy with school and other related activities. I’d also like to say that these gaps are likely to continue, since I have even cast in another school play, which will take my time for at least three weeks. I’ll try to continue posting regularly on Sundays, but things might not be back to perfect until the summer. Anyway…
I can’t that say that I was a regular listener of St Vincent before. I’d always hear her name brought up in Indie circles as one of the high marks of the current scene, combining sweet melodies with strong guitar lines. Besides this album, the only song I’d ever listened to by her was “Cruel”, which likely ranks as one of the best singles of the 2010s so far. More importantly, I know that song well enough to figure out how much Anne Clark changed her sound on her newest release.
See, in between her last solo album Strange Mercy and her self-titled, there was an album that changed St Vincent’s sound more than most had realized. In that time, St Vincent released an album with David Byrne, named Love this Giant, I did not listen to this album, mostly because I was informed that it was terrible, but from people who did listen to it, I hear that this album takes a lot from the style established there, namely in the move from more guitar lines to heavier brass sections. Still, the change between albums is startling, only accented by the visual morph of Annie Clark from her previous Indie image to some sort of digital Albert Einstein.
If there’s one thing this album is, it’s grand. The instrumentation is massive, filed with banging drums and overlapping synths, mixed with distorted guitar and Annie’s distinctive vocals above all else. The sound helps represent the change in theme, with the album said by Clark to be about our connection to the digital world. With this in mind, it’s easier to take the synths and compression as part of the new sound, creating an album that truly feels like it lives inside the data files of a working class computer. It’s artificialness is one of it’s greatest strengths, creating an album that remains unique throughout, mixing weird synth lines with moments of lush natural instrumentation, most notably on “Severed Crossed Fingers”.
However, the album also falters, if only because the songs so easily run together. The songs often seem to share some basic ideas, with the frantic drumming, compressed guitars, and synth lines appearing often enough where they never truly feel new, only feeling like another reoccurring concept in an album full of them. Albums that sound the same the whole way through falter the second time around, and while this doesn’t ruin the album, it does make it a less rewarding listen the second time though.
Still though, the album is a high quality mark of the year so far, ranking in the top 3 of what I’ve heard this year. It’s a good album, just one that could have used a few more ideas to truly stand out from the other Indie Pop acts. It’s worth a listen, but don’t play it too often.
Even among the Juggalos, there are ICP albums that are considered among their worst. Of all these albums, the most commonly bashed album is Bang! Pow! Boom!, their first album of the second set of Joker’s Cards. But of all their albums, I found the one I feared the most was Riddle Box. Not because it’s bashed, oh no. I feared this album because among Juggalos, it is considered their magnum opus. So how does their most highly regarded album hold up? I think you know the answer.
While the first two albums are based on the actual carnival and its leader the Ringmaster, The Riddle Box focuses on the first exhibit you see after your death, an empty room with nothing but a musical box decorated with a faded question mark. After winding it up, the good see the face of god and are welcomed to the afterlife, while the evil are swallowed by a fog that melts your brain (just go with it). But once again, this is all subtext.
First of all, I hate it when artists repeat songs on multiple albums in remix forms, so this album already gets marks for including another mix of “Chicken Hunting”. Secondly, I’ve already said numerous times that these guys are just not good rappers, but on several songs on this album, they add in really obnoxious voices on a couple songs, notably “Lil Something Something”, which is just kinda gross sounding.
But you wanna hear the craziest thing about this? I don’t actually mind this album as much. Sure, there are some classic awful ICP tracks like “The Joker’s Wild”, but on the whole, this album is a massive improvement on the last two. Now I’m not saying it’s a masterpiece, or even good, but compared to the last two, it almost looks like there was effort put into this song. For one, the production is a million times better, with the terrible bass and drums sound replaced with a more horror themed atmosphere, which fits the songs far better than rejected 80s backing tracks. The rapping also has some actual energy to it, so you’re not stuck listening to monotonous raps over monotonous beats.
Just to be clear, I’m not saying this album is good.Compared to their other albums, though, this is definitely the best I’ve heard so far, and I can get why people consider it their best. Too bad they kept making albums, since most fans agree that they never did beat this.
Well I guess it’s time to start this over. And just in time for (the month in which) Halloween (is located)!
NOTE: If you submitted $25 on Tugboat for a review, those are coming, just after I finish this.
Insane Clown Posse Month 2: The Wraith: Shangri-La
First off, why are rap albums so long? With rock and pop albums, you usually get 15 songs at most, but with rap albums, it’s always 18 or more! I’m just saying they could use some trimming. Anyway, this album and its follow-up Hell’s Pit form the final joker’s card, The Wraith, representing death. It’s also where the true meaning of the Joker’s Cards is revealed. You ready for this?
IT'S…
God. That’s what it is. Throughout all of this, The Dark Carnival is actually a metaphor for life after death and what happens to those who sin. ICP is a religious rap group. Yay.
Anyway, this album is their first since Carnival of Carnage where I can’t even find solace in the backing beats. ICP’s producer Mike E. Clark left after the release of the Bizaar/Bizarr double, leaving them without the one person in the group who knew what they were doing. And whoever they got to replace him obviously has no idea what to do. The beats are either generic as shit or plain annoying, including one song that sounds exactly like every rap beat from 2002, with the air horns and shit. It’s obnoxious an an instrumental album, and I don’t think I’ve ever heard a rap beat as annoying as “Cotton Candy and Popsicles”.
Anyway, ICP sucks at rapping. I know, surprising, right? Even beyond that, though, there’s not even the dumb-ass fun of listening to them pretend like they’re actual insane clowns that break into people’s houses and kill them while they sleep. Outside of a few songs, like “Thy Staleness”, the lyrics are upbeat and happy, and it’s just a slog to listen to. This album is just no fun, not even in a “hey look this is bad let’s laugh” kind of way. It’s terrible in a boring way. And just serves as a slog. The only line that even got a smirk from me is in “Thy Staleness”, where Violent J’s voice suddenly goes into a sophisticated deep tone. It’s dumb as shit, but at least it was a smile.
This album is just completely terrible, bordering on unlistenable. I don’t know if it’s the worst album I’ve ever listened to, but it’s up there. Don’t make the same mistake I made. Stay away. Let me be your warning.
Hello, and welcome to that time of year again. The time where I have to decide what were the best albums of the year, so that you can buy them for Christmas, most likely. So, without further stalling, here is…
The Top 20 Albums of the Year (20-11)
20. The Odd Future Mixtape Vol. 2- Odd Future
I was too late on the Odd Future bandwagon to put Goblin on this list last year, so I’m glad I can put its successor now. Odd Future is a great breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of Hip-Hop, and this album shows the best of every member. Tyler the Creator is probably the most interesting producer around right now, and every song is unique and bizarre in its own way. It’s not the best rap album of the year, or even the best Odd Future album (that’s coming later), but hell if it ain’t a damn fine listen.
Key Track: Oldie
19. R.A.P. Music- Killer Mike
And on the flip side to Odd Future, here’s an album that breaks no new ground, but is still one of the most captivating listens of the year. Sure, R.A.P. Music might be your typical Political Rap album, but what matters is that it’s done well. It’s a completely captivating listen, and Killer Mike simply kills the mic. So while you know you’ve heard the whole thing before somewhere, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s exceptionally done. Definitely check it out to hear Southern Rap done right.
Key Track: Don’t Die
18. Tempest- Bob Dylan
HERESY, I hear you cry out. How can an Bob Dylan album be this low? Well simply, I’ve heard Dylan do better. But remember, this is Dylan we’re talking about, and the album is still head & shoulders above most other artists. Dylan doesn’t have the same voice, but the power of his lyricism is still there, along with an excellent band behind him pumping out some of his best songs in decades, such as “Pay in Blood” and “Tempest”. Is it his best? Personally, I wouldn’t even put it in his top 10. But it’s still an excellent album that deserves to be heard.
Key Track: Pay in Blood
17. Sun- Cat Power
As Cat Power’s first album since The Greatest, I can’t compare, since I’ve never heard The Greatest or You Are Free. But what I can say is that this is still a damn fine record made of damn fine Indie Pop. It’s just as bizarre as the performer who created it, but the use of gentle melodies and abrasive instruments at points makes it undeniably interesting. From what I’ve heard, it’s more dance-oriented than her other stuff, and she does it surprisingly well. It definitely makes me want to check out the rest of her library, even if it suffers from brickwalling at times.
Key Track: Always on My Own
16. Kids in the Street- All-Amercan Rejects
I know,I was surprised too. I couldn’t stand any of what All-American Rejects had put out before, coming off as Fall Out Boy without the sense of humor. But on this album, they got me. Switching from Emo to 80s-influenced Pop Punk, it’s a bizarre switch, but it works beautifully. They’re still overly sincere about their music, but the music definitely makes up for it now, instead of use coming across as whiny. Here’s hoping they stay on this path from now on.
Key Track: Beekeeper’s Daughter
15. Blunderbuss- Jack White
The White Stripes are on of my favorite bands ever, so it was sad to see them go last year. But luckily, Jack White is back, and he’s brought his best qualities as a songwriter. White is one of the best guitar players working today, and this album is a great display of his talents, from the country tinge of “Love Interruption” to the garage rock of “Sixteen Saltines”. And without Meg White, he even has a decent rhythm section for once! A definite listen for a White Stripes fan looking for more.
Key Track: Sixteen Saltines
14. The Afterman- Ascension- Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is one of my favorites of the “new-prog” scene. Both they and Mars Volta put out albums this year, but I felt this was a lot better than Noctourniquet, which I felt was average. But this album is fantastic, and their best since No World For Tomorrow. There’s no song as immediate as “Welcome Home” or “The Broken”, but the album as a whole is remarkably strong, mixing together tight musicianship with excellent song writing and some excellent singing. If you like Prog, pick it up.
Key Track: Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute
13. All We Love We Leave Behind- Converge
One of the most consistently interesting Hardcore bands working today, Converge’s new release is easily their best since their masterpiece, Jane Doe. With their usual mix of fanatic and complex playing with vocals best described as a pterodactyl that just had its balls stepped on, the album has a higher level of melody than previous releases, and is completely devoid of filler in its 45 minute run. A Hardcore classic.
Key Track: Sadness Comes Home
12. Safe Travels- Jukebox the Ghost
Well that last record was intense, wasn’t it? Well how about some quirk synth-pop. Jukebox the Ghost is probably the second most obscure band on this list, so I’m glad that I can promote them to all of you, since this is a band that anyone can love. This band is pure fun, and is an absolute joy to listen to, especially mixed in with all the morose indie-pop surrounding it. As much a break from its time and place as Weezer’s debut was from Grunge, this is an album that could brighten up anyone’s day.
Key Track: Somebody
11. Koi no Yokan- Deftones
I adore the Deftones. Personally, outside of the mediocre self-titled from 2003, every album they’ve done is an absolute classic. And this is likely their best since the timeless White Pony back in 2000. The band’s writing is still unbelievably tight, serving as a perfect mix of Dream Pop and Alt Metal, and Chino Moreno is still the best singer Metal has to offer. There aren’t any individual songs as good as “Hole in the Earth” or “My Own Summer”, but it’s a remarkably tight complete package.
After 12 years, the Joker’s Cards have finally been finished, plus two extra albums released on the same day. As of this point, I have listened to 9 ICP albums, with four more to go. Let’s get this over with. It’s been a long trip, and I’m two weeks away from finishing it.
Now if you thought that the previous concepts behind the album were dumb, wait until you hear this one. No, it’s not an album long Juggalo take on a William Shakespeare play, even though that would have easily been the greatest thing ever made. Instead, it’s about a massive storm that takes the role of a roller coaster, as it jerks you around and presumably causes intense vomiting at the end. And to reflect this mood, they described this album as their most thematically inconsistent, to reflect the turbulent nature of the storm! God bless their hearts.
First of all, they apparently finally realized that intro tracks are terrible. Secondly, they brought their original producer back, Mike E. Clark, so this hopefully won’t sound as bad as their last two. Spoiler: it still sounds pretty bad. Instead of the more Hip-Hop based music of previous releases, the music seems to have been switched to more of a live instrumentation style. This leaves the music honestly feeling a little dry and stale, like a really bad Rap Rock album from around the early 2000s, even though this album is from 2007. It’s just a very dull sounding album, without anything to really pop out.
And hey, the rapping sucks, but at least it’s getting slightly better. It’s always worth it to hear a little thought put into their words, and their flow has definitely improved. Still though, songs like “I Do This!” show that they still have a long way to go to be considered master lyricists. At least there’s no more weak ass attacks at other rappers. And “Growing Again” is pretty fun in a very stupid way.
Overall, The Tempest is the definition of a weak release. There’s nothing to really set it apart, consisting of lame music, slightly less lame rapping, and INCREDIBLY lame album art. But hey, at least it’s not Shangri-La.
I think I can go ahead and call myself a Kanye West fan. His five albums are all some of the best albums released in the last 20 years, with My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy currently being my no. 1 album of the decade so far. But so far, I must say I’m cautiously optimistic about his next release, the presumptuously titled Yeezus. With its bizarre cover art and debut songs that are very far from the norm, it’s at least bound to be interesting.
This is Kanye’s first album following his relationship with Kim Kardashian, and this worried me at first. I was afraid that Kanye would make a typical terrible I-got-a-baby album, filled with inner reflection and trite melodies. But based on the cover as it is known now, it looks like we’re getting nearly the complete opposite. There does seem to be the reflection, with the songs taking a more conscious turn, based on the titles “Black Skinhead” and “New Slaves”. But rather than relaxed beats, the music is harsh and loud, particularly on “Skinhead”, which is closer to Death Grips (an awesome Experimental Rap group you should check out) than to anything on the charts at the moment.
I definitely enjoy both the songs currently known after appearing on Saturday Night Live, particularly “Skinhead”, which is one of my favorite songs of the year. But what I’m anticipating the most is how these songs will sound on the album itself. Kanye is one of the best producers working today, so hearing these songs in a fully mastered form could really make the album a classic. However, you can only truly judge an album when it is finished and released. Who knows? Maybe the rest of the album really is as trite as expected. I doubt it though, since it would be weird to have two abrasive tracks surrounded by ballads. I think it’s safe to expect at least one “I’m a father now” song on there.
So overall, you could consider me hyped for this album. I doubt it will be as good as MBDTF, but than again what is. At the very least, it’s always exciting to see an established artist try something new with their music. And whether it’s amazing or terrible, you can expect me to review it when it’s released on June 18th.
NOTE: Instead of the song-by-song style reviews for older albums, I’m reviewing these albums as a collective whole.
Well, I guess it was about time that I finally review an album that came out in the last year. And what better album to start off with than Justin Timberlake’s return to Pop music after 6 years, The 20/20 Experience. It’s interesting to think that one of the few Pop singers to stay from the beginning of the decade is the guy from NSync, but I guess this is the world we live in. At least he’s been better on average than his former ex and fellow Pop elder statesman Britney Spears.
First off, when Timberlake called this album an experience, he wasn’t kidding. There are two songs under 6 minutes, and three under 7. Over half the album consists of 7 minute Pop epics. This would be weird for the standard Pop singer, but Timberlake has always been a little more than a Pop singer. Along with Lady Gaga, he’s a Pop singer who’s better described as an artist, crafting each song into his perfect vision, unlike someone like Rihanna, who cranks out release after release. A strictly commercial act doesn’t take 6 years to release a follow-up to a hugely successful album like Futuresex/Lovesounds. Timberlake serves as a modern musical Michelangelo, carving into a song until every note and sound is utterly perfect in his vision.
The album is absolutely overflowing with character. Timberlake shines on every song, clearly enjoying himself every step of the way through. And for once, the music lives up to that charisma. If the music was alive, it would be a Frankenstein Justin Timberlake. If he didn’t use a style or instrument on the album, it’s likely that he’s saving it for the 2nd half of the album in November. If Meatloaf made a Pop album, this is what he would make. “Suit & Tie”, the first single and easily the weakest song on the album, is actually the most cohesive. Every other song just sprawls into whatever thing it wants to do next. I can’t remember the last time I heard a guitar solo on a Pop album, but there’s quite a few here. The album reminds me of a stronger The 2nd Law by Muse, in that it’s an absolutely entrancing collage of music. But while The 2nd Law was eventually dragged down by its ambitions, Experience is exactly as silly as it needs to be. And every song reveals new fascinating elements of themselves with every subsequent listen. This is an album that might take a little while to get, but it’s worth it. Right now, my favorite tracks are the final two, the bombastic “Mirrors” and the gorgeous and ethereal “Blue Ocean Floor”, but every song needs at least one listen.
While you can already tell that I love this album, I do have one major problem with it. Every song goes on for too long. I understand that the album is an “experience”, but even a masterpiece needs at least a little trimming. You could probably cut about 10 minutes off this album and it would be improved quite a bit. And while not a flaw, since it’s a great, fun song, “Let the Groove Get In” is REALLY out of place on the album. While the rest of the album is more of a “swelling” bombast, “Groove” has a immediacy to it that makes it weird as part of this album, though I can see it working as a great radio single.
In short, this is one of the best Pop albums in recent memory. If you want to understand how a Pop star can also be a high-caliber artist, this is a required listen. It might go down as Timberlake’s masterpiece, especially if the 2nd half is nearly as good. I know that the end of the year is 8 months away, but if this isn’t in the top 10, I can likely declare this one of the best years in music. But no matter what, listen to this album.
Looks like we’re talking about one of the big ones. Velvet Underground & Nico is one of the biggest and most influential albums of all time, an album that’s nearly impossible to say anything new about. It’s the Seventh Seal of albums, an art piece that even the casual listener can enjoy, a piece that’s almost impossible to criticize. So I guess it’s time for me to give out my view on this album. So it’s time to look at the ultimate sacred cow of music, Velvet Underground & Nico.
1. Sunday Morning
So here we have the introduction to the most important album of all time, and in my opinion, this is a damn excellent intro. Far softer than the rest of the album, it starts off with gentle playing on a celesta, an instrument John Cale had just found before recording the song, and the instrumentation is just as gorgeous. Not only this, but Lou Reed does some of his best singing on this song, crafting a beautiful picture of the aftermath of a on-night stand. It tiptoes near repetitive and boring, but manages to stop right at beautiful. A definite highlight.
2. I’m Waiting For My Man
I’ve already talked about this song on a very early article, but I’ve come a long way since then, so I guess I should restate it. I don’t care for this song. I find it overbearingly thumping, sounding like it’s repeatedly smacking you in the head. And after how good Lou Reed was in the last song, he just sounds awful here, completely dry and deadpan. It’s an originator of punk, but it has none of the heart. It’s not terrible, but it’s definitely weak.
3. Femme Fatale
Another softer song, this time with darker subject matter, this is the first song sung by Nico, a popular Baroque Pop singer from the time. Honestly, she’s a better singer than Lou Reed, and I wished she sang on the whole album. Either way, this is a great song, gentle, but not boring. It really sounds like a lost Beach Boys song, with a German female folk singer. It’s excellent.
4. Venus in Furs
And once again, a song I don’t really care for. For me, this song completely meanders for 5 minutes, never changing. For me, it’s a lot like “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane, a song made to be listened to while flying through the air into the purple mouth of Zeus, by which I mean high as fuck. But while “White Rabbit” is a great song anyway, “Venus in Furs” use sounds droning for the sake of droning, noise for the sake of noise. Not a song I really enjoy.
5. Run Run Run
This was the first VU songs I ever heard, and it remains a favorite of mine. Reminiscent of early Rock ‘n’ Roll songs like a slightly rougher “I Saw Her Standing There”, it’s a great little number, perfect for a soundtrack of the 60s. To me, this is what “I’m Waiting For My Man” should have been, a Rock 'n’ Roll number that isn’t an exercise in tedium. It’s probably the least memorable song on the album, for better for worse, but it’s still a damn good song.
6. All Tomorrow’s Parties
I think this might be the first time a song grew on me while listening to it for the first time. I don’t mean it changed for the better, I mean I suddenly got what it was doing. For the first three minutes, I thought this was another droning piece that would never end. Around halfway through, though, it clicked. The mix of slow drumming and the manic piano makes for a perfect swarm of chaos, and the calmness in Nico’s voice just seals the deal. It never really changes, and I do think they could’ve cut off about a minute or two from the album version, but as it stands, this is still a great song, and the first experiment on the album I really like.
7. Heroin
And here we have my favorite song on the whole album. “Heroin” is a masterpiece of songwriting, perfectly describing the worst aspects of heroin addiction, constantly building up to a crescendo of stress and panic, accented by the thunderous drums. The use of only two chords for the whole song really shows how much can be achieved with so little, with Cale’s violin used to excellent effect throughout. It’s perfect evidence for why anyone should stay away from heroin, lest it turn you into a panicking, fearful, and screaming shell of your formal self, made complete with some of the scariest feedback you’ll ever hear from a violin at the end. In other words, it’s perfect.
8. There She Goes Again
Another Rock 'n’ Roll song, the song starts off with a stop-and-go, before really going into a very Beatles-esque style to it. It really does sound like if Lou Reed had wandered into a Beatles rehearsal and started screaming into a microphone. Overall, it’s very similar to “Run, Run, Run”, making it another less memorable song on the album, but also highly enjoyable.
9. I’ll Be Your Mirror
The shortest song on the album and one of the softest, “Mirror” is a simple love song by Nico, making her third lead appearance on the album. The song is very simple, but very charming, serving as a break from the madness all around it. It’s not really a great song on its own, but its placement is perfect, so it’s got that to it.
10. The Black Angel’s Death Song
You heaver hear a song that would have been a lot better if it got rid of one part? That’s this song. If this song had gotten rid of the completely rambling and piercing violin scratching, it would have been pretty standard, but far less grating. It seems like chaos for the sake of chaos, and it use brings the song down. If the violin had been used for a wandering atmosphere, that would have been good, but instead, it’s obnoxious. Not a very good song, but at least interesting.
11. European Son
And as a finale, how about some free jazz. A damn good closure, the song is what “Black Angel” should have been, wandering and chaotic without being obnoxious. After a minute of normality, the song goes for 7 minutes of wandering after a massive crashing noise, almost liked the album suddenly snapped into a mindless haze. The song continuously builds, sometimes bursting into nothing but a roaring, grinding noise. It never lets up, and it’s some uncomfortable listening, but the sheer range and energy makes it work, until you see things a different way. Definitely a fitting end to the album.
So after listening, this is definitely a difficult album. But that’s what its appeal is. It’s a noisy mess of chaos from the Factory, the height of noise and chaos in 60s America. It’s a perfect soundtrack for that time, and was a defining album of its generation. And even though I disliked three of the songs off it, the others are so good that I believe the album is worth the title of undying classic.
Score: A+ Best Song: Heroin Worst Song: The Black Angel’s Death Song
Hello everyone, and welcome to the end of Lil Wayne Month! After 6 albums, it’s amazing I survived this long, especially after Rebirth. So how’s it end? Well… let me say this. With my review of both I Am Not a Human Being and Tha Carter IV, I must say that this month does not end with a bang, but with a whimper. A soft, pathetic whimper. These albums are weak as shit, but nowhere near the disaster of Rebirth. These albums are merely forgettable.
Well first, the good. These albums aren’t Rebirth. Seriously, though, there are two really good songs on these albums, with “6 Foot 7 Foot” likely being the best song Wayne ever recorded. With great production and clever lyrics, plus a great guest verse by Corey Gunz, it’s really a great song. Now on to the bad.
Frankly, these albums are fucking BORING. Like, brutally boring. This makes The XX look like Slayer. The beats, outside of the two good songs, are uninspired and lousy, and the lyrics are among his worse. Of particular note are “I’m Single” and “How to Love”, one a drowsy rap song that’s unbearable, and the other an acoustic ballad that I would give credit for if it wasn’t so terrible. And for a problem mostly just for Tha Carter IV, this is an album that sounds more fake and mechanical than David Guetta’s entire career. The entire album just sounds like it was made in Garageband in a day, with no further improvement. Just off the first song, “Blunt Blowin”, the strings sound remarkably fake, and it just hurts the song. And then there’s “John”, likely his all time worst song, and the worst disrespect to John Lennon I’ve ever seen. It’s god-damn painful.
So yeah, these albums are plain bad. If I had to choose the better, it would probably be I Am Not a Human Being, since there’s at least a small bit of effort showing through, plus you can’t help but compare it to Rebirth. But overall, both of these albums are bland as hell, and I never want to hear either of them again. I’m so tired of Lil Wayne. After all this shit following Tha Carter II, it’s just disappointing. I hope I never have to talk about him again. This Sunday, I’m not even publishing a bookend post. We’re talking about Maroon 5 on Sunday.
10. LP1-FKA Twigs You can read my review of this album here, but in total, this album will go down as one of the best debut albums of the last few years. With its mix of psychedelic art pop beats and airy vocals, Twigs creates one of the best album experiences this year, with a beautiful cloudy atmosphere filling a small metal room. If you need a great gateway into PB R&B like the Weeknd, you won’t find something better than this. Best Track: Two Weeks 9. Here and Nowhere Else-Cloud Nothings Back in 2012, I made the mistake of not listening to Cloud Nothings’ breakthrough album, Attack on Memory, which now sits comfortably in my list of the best albums of that year. So this year, I’m glad that now, I can give their new release the recognition it deserves. Moving from the slower build-up sound of their previous release into a faster, more hardcore style, and it pays off in droves. Cloud Nothings continue with their electric power, and serve as one of the bands keeping punk alive. Give them a listen. Best Track: Psychic Trauma 8. A Toothpaste Suburb-Milo A lot of the time, you hear people talking about the lack of intellectual rap, and when I hear that, I have to point them in the direction of Milo. Serving as a black, more relatable Aesop Rock, Milo mixes excellent wordplay and references with beats that create a homey, yet alien atmosphere, similar to the album cover. Milo created one of the most unique rap albums in recent memory, suited perfectly for lonely walks through the city at night. Best Track: Peanut Butter Sandwiches 7. Syro-Aphex Twin After 13 full years, it’s great to not only have Richard D James back, but with one of the best electronic albums this decade. Syro serves as an excellent sampler of Aphex Twin’s style, fusing all of his previous styles together to create one of his more consistent works. Twin’s works still sounds like something out of this world, even after a decade of electronic becoming the dominant form of music. Richard D James is the royal king of electronic, and this album serves as his crown jewel. Best Track: I don’t know man do you see how long those song names are 6. Everything Will Be Alright in the End-Weezer You have no idea how happy this album made me. After more than a decade of releasing material ranging from decent (The Green Album, Maladroit) to god awful (Raditude), Weezer has finally released a new album comparable to their original masterpieces. Finally moving away from the dull Power Pop and hip hop of before, Rivers Cuomo and pals have moved to what originally made them great, with guitar riffs and lyrics that even the most antisocial music nerd can relate to. This album shows that no matter how far you fall, you can always make your way back up. Best Track: Foolish Father 5. DSU-Alex G Remember that other band camp release I was talking about? Well here it is, and it’s when of the best lo-fi releases I’ve ever heard. Hailing from Philadelphia, DSU makes as much sense performed in a basement as it does in a concert hall, with short, heartfelt songs that may at first be hard on the ears, but will just as quickly fall perfectly into place. Serving as a great sound-alike to Pavement, the album will have anyone who listened to Indie Rock in the 90s exploding with joy. Best Track: Harvey 4. St Vincent-St Vincent I haven’t listened to a lot of St. Vincent before this release, but because of this, I feel like I definitely should. On her new album, Annie Clark changed her sound to an electronic big band, and that change goes better than it limey ever should. The brass section goes excellently with the pre-established crazy guitar work, and Clark’s sinisterly sweet vocal work just wraps up the whole package. With songs as strong as “Digital Witness” and “Birth in Reverse,” this is not one to miss. Best Track: Digital Witness 3. Run the Jewels 2-Run the Jewels I’ve been a supporter of El-P and Killer Mike since their release of their first mix tape under the collaborative name last year. Now that the project has moved beyond a simple experiment to a full band, however, more people than ever can see just how well this team works together. Through El-P’s phenomenal beat work and Killer Mik’s skills on the mic, the album succeeds along the same lines of their previous release, bringing a chaotic yet simple fun that’s missing from modern hip hop. And with artists like Zach de la Rocha getting in on the fun, it’s hard to put this album down. Best Track: Close Your Eyes and Count to Fuck 2. Lost in the Dream-The War on Drugs If you think Heartland Rock is an inherently boring genre, this album should give you at least some interest in the topic. Fusing John Cougar dad rock with a cloudy layer of dream pop, Lost in the Dream is the best album Don Henley never made. The best break-up album of the year, the album slowly sweeps you away with its melodies, like a river of gin. If you wanted an album that sounds like if the Eagles and the XX made an album together, this is the album made for you. Best Track: Under the Pressure 1. To Be Kind-Swans What can you say about this utter behemoth of a record? Just two years after Swans’ magnum opus The Seer, the classic No Wave group has already topped it, with an album that it truly unlike anything else ever recorded. Michael Gira has made an album that can only be compared to the slow destruction of Earth, as it slowly crumbles under the weight of a god hiding beneath the crust. This is the album of the end times, as we are slowly crushed under its weight. This album will murder us all, and I can’t wait for it to happen. Best Track: Just a Little Boy As usual, here are the honorable mentions of the year: Time to Die-Electric Wizard Melana Chasmata-Triptykon Salad Days-Mac Demarco 1989-Taylor Swift They Want My Soul-Spoon Benji-Sun Kil Moon Royal Blood-Royal Blood Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light on Everything-Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra And the album that would have easily made the top 5 if it had come out before I finished the list: Black Messiah-D'Angelo Join me next time for the ten worst albums of the year.
Note: This is the last paid review I had on hold! Now, you can pay for albums to review again, and I will try to get them finished in a week or two.
If there’s one story that music writers love, it’s the story of the vindicated flop. No one cares about the albums that were immediately acclaimed by everyone and sold like hotcakes as soon as it hit the shelves. We care about the artists who released albums years or even decades before their time, ignored by the public and barely mentioned by critics, only getting their due by inspiring a wave of Indie bands decades later. Here is where you find Marquee Moon by Television, The Velvet Underground & Nico, Parachute by the Pretty Things, and today’s topic, Forever Changes.
Love is one of the best examples of a band perfectly fitting their time period, but still not making it as big as they should. Hailing from the psychedelic scene in Los Angeles, Love found themselves in the right place at the right time, and were even one of the first multicultural bands, right before Sly & the Family Stone ended racism forever for everyone. After two mildly successful albums, they were already falling apart, leading to their last effort before they switched to another set of rotating musicians behind one central member, in this case singer Arthur Lee. With their last album as a functioning full band, Love crafted their Baroque Pop masterpiece Forever, before disintegrating into a mess of drug addiction and member rotation. So how does it hold up? Fantastically, to an extent.
A lot of bands go for the Baroque Pop sound, fusing traditional pop with the orchestral sound of Baroque music, typically with the additions of horns and strings, to create a fuller sound. Few bands, however, did it quite like Love. Forever Changes is many genres while denying key aspects. It’s Acid Rock without the distortion. Its Baroque music without the pompousness. It’s Psychedelic Rock without the manipulation, and it’s even a Mariachi album at points. It’s both beautiful and dark, most famously in its classic opening cut, “Alone Again Or,” one of the greatest singles of the 60s. The album balances acoustic picking, lyrics of lonesomeness and missing your love, stirring harmonies, powerful strings, and even a mariarchi horn section to create a perfect opener in less than four minutes.
And this continues throughout the rest of the album. “Bummer in the Summer” is an even better version of “Summer in the City”, “Live and Let Live” is the closest the album gets to true Psych Rock, “Andmoreagain” is a time-displaced medieval ballad, and the album just goes on from there. No song sounds similar to each other, and it’s not hard to imagine this album as a soundtrack to a counter-culture film about three friends who drive across the country. It’s perfectly timed at 42 minutes, and at no point does it feel like it drags. Except for one instance, but we’ll get to that in a second.
Now for such a perfectly constructed album as this, what could be wrong? Well, sometimes it almost feels too perfect, if I may be enough of a pretentious asshole to say that. As a straight up Pop album, this is fine, with the album coming off as a mansion, primely executed and crafted. But it’s a Psych Rock album with no room for improvisation, and in a way, it kills it. Not that it makes the album less than stellar, but compared to someone like the Zombies, it can feel stiff and prissy, almost uptight and snobby. Along with that, “The Red Telephone” isn’t up to parr with the rest of the album, with an uglier melody and a tedious spoken word section.
As a whole, however, and viewed by itself apart from its parent genre, Forever Changes is a classic. It’s one of the strongest Psychedelic albums, even better than the more remembered classics like The Doors and Surrealistic Pillow. If you have any interest in 60s music, this is one to check out.
Hi!! I love your art style and all of your art a ton :) i especially like how you do clothing. Would it trouble you to do a little tutorial? Im working on fabric and clothing myself and tbh im already using your art as reference. I like how you draw fabric so fluidly as well as how detailed and realistic it looks!! Id really love whatever tips you could offer, but either way, thanks for sharing your art with us!
wow omg thank you so much??? i tried my best to explain a few things i try to keep in mind when i draw clothes, feat fashion icon sokka themselves.
ash-and-starlight
