Sunday 31 July 2022
Billie Eilish "Don't Smile At Me" (2017)
Thursday 30 December 2021
My Top 10 Albums Of 2021
On
reflection Its felt like a somewhat uneventful year musically. Now into
the second year of this pandemic, the isolation and lack of normality
has had me listening to less music and more podcasts. With seventy one
records to pick from, it didn't take long for me to sus this list out
with only thirteen or so making an impact. Thus the list reflects my
taste with only two new artists of which one was more out of my comfort
zone than the other. Its always my ambition to find new music each year
but given the current circumstances I feel like I'm in a music rut of sorts,
listening to to similar sounds.
(10) Hypocrisy "Worship" link
Speaking of similar sounds, its been far too long since I've had a dose of the Hypocrisy sound. Their return was a welcome one, delivering a class set of songs that riffed hard and recycled the vibes they are known for. I can't fault it, I've enjoyed Worship plenty of times since. I can only think of a missed opportunity for the paranoia themes to have more of a potency in our age of misinformation however It is more likely myself that has a different viewpoint from that of my youth when I found them.
(9) Malcom Horne "Infinity Volume II" link
Malcom's music was an instantaneous click for me. The first Infinity volume felt rather varied in focus and quality but had its mesmerizing moments too. This second installment has a focus, music for streamers! Now a regular feature on my own streams, the consistency of this larger basket of songs holds up well and continues to provide chilled classy vibes to relax with.
(8) Little Simz "Sometimes I Might Be Introvert" link
As a big, bold and ambitious record, Introvert has a few bumps in the journey that maybe held it back a little in terms of my personal taste. The good news is that I've enjoyed this one plenty since, which is the recurring point of this blog. The new and novel can often fade from ones conscious with time but this one held up! The rapid narratives and expressive excursions of thought she drives on with the opening songs is still a marvel!
(7) Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" link
A strong return for one of musics biggest starts. Happier Than Ever isn't quite as remarkable as When We Fall Asleep, however Billies strength of character and maturity is! Some of the lyrical themes here are so refreshing where Pop music it can often be fraught. I also think the stride for a little more musical diversity may have been a bit and miss but better to stride in new directions than stay in a comfort zone. Looking forward to more in the years to come!
(6) Turnstile "Glow On" link
I've been tempted to put their EP Turnstile Love Connection in this list. Its essentially the best cuts from Glow On, which in its strides to infuse Hardcore with some other influences, wobbled its way over the victory line. Its often the more Hardcore leaning cuts I enjoy as the vibrant energy they exude fades a little on the experimental cuts. One thing is for sure they are still swinging hard and one to keep a watch on.
(5) Spellling "The Turning Wheel" link
Spellling was quite the enthralling experience! A chemistry sounds reaching far in different directions and reassembling the influences like a breeze. On one had you can relax with the music and enjoy the wonderful songwriting. On the other you can get analytical and dissect, where a trove of interesting ideas is to be found both aesthetically and in the writing. Great record, sadly I didn't feel the same of Mazy Fly.
(4) Deafheaven "Infinite Granite" link
Of all the records on this list I must confess that Infinite Granite is one I have not returned to but its impression was a remarkable one. The reception was a bit mixed among fans but I was personally blown away as this engulfing musical experience unraveled. The cleaner vocals and 80s influences were a niche touch delivering an organic record with some intriguing extremes.
(3) Nas "King's Disease II" link
As one of Hip Hop's greatest, Nas has been exceedingly consistent in a genre often victim to high starts that trail off. With Illmatic he has a debut that could never be peaked but that hasn't stopped him from delivering quality and his inspirations has been stoked again thanks to fruitful collaborations with producer Hit-Boy. This second installment was a remarkable into some of his best rhymes in decades. Fantastic narratives and insightful expressions give it an endearing impression. I'd be keen to put this in his top three records and with a third installment on the way there will be more to enjoy but this chapter will be hard to top!
(2) Ministry "Moral Hygiene" link
Ministry have been a favorite "later discovery" of mine for some time now. The sort of band that would have fit perfectly into my youthful tastes. AmeriKKant was a welcome return at the time, now a little worn out, this new installment Moral Hygiene tackled the current social political climate again. This time around the mood and tone was class. Musically, it is more varied and interesting, wrapping with a stunning spectacle of an ending as the death toll keeps rising! I was blown away and am still this one!
(1) Lil Nas X "Montero" link
Never had picking my favorite record for a year been so easy. I was simply blown away by this record. Lil Nas X is an interesting artist, with much to say while captivating a mainstream audience in the process. Its not a place I'd expect to find so much musical maturity, yet here it is! A diverse record that balances popular light weight trap beats with a country tang primed to detour into experimental places that blossomed stunning songs. Its a remarkable record, setting a high bar for him, however the quality of songwriting here suggests this is no fluke. A follow up could be just as good!
Monday 2 August 2021
Billie Eilish "Happier Than Ever" (2021)
Billie's voice has flourished from intimate wordings and quirky whispers to classy undressings of emotion through power and strength. Vulnerable, yet in control and laying all bare to be heard by those who listen. Having frequently been at the attention of a news cycle set on critiquing her presentation of self, the topics of the record get wrapped up in a critical awareness of this pressure which she replies to with unshakeable truth through reason. For young people growing up, these messages are so on point. The mesmerizing transient drone of Not My Responsibility sets an intense focus for Billie to talk truth of all the commentary on her clothes, appearance and sexuality, illuminating that the problem lies with those who choose to speculate and judge themselves.
Getting Older and My Future deliver such a charming maturity and positivity from a young person navigating the waves. "Cause I'm in love with my future, can't wait to meet her", wonderful lyrics, its so nice to hear warm outlook on ones life and aging. The classic taste of airy reverberated synths, soft inviting pianos, gentle guitar strumming and crafty grooving baselines somehow nestle sweetly between their "traditional" sound with tracks like Oxytocin, I Didn't Change My Number and Overheated, these songs being more rooted in the style that defined her breakout.
Billie may take the spotlight but Finneas deserves much praise for masterfully expanded the albums pallet to sound as if a group of top session musicians had been brought in to gloss up the electronic aesthetic of his When We Fall Asleep Where We Go instrumentation. The record navigates both ends of the spectrum and all in between as its run time offers up a fair helping of variety. Billie too overlaps her playful whisperings and glowing traditional singing to keep things healthily interesting. Their chemistry is sublime, offering up an engrossing engagement from subdued instrumentals that embrace sparsity and slow tempos to give keen power to the minimal melodies and aesthetics left to be heard. Most the instruments arrive soft, ambient and incidentally with flourishes of energy coming from snappy percussion forging interesting grooves.
With every listen I've felt a fizzle in the end starting at NDA, a quite remarkable lyrical tale and musing that doesn't seem to hit the stride instrumentally, the bite of the words just don't resonate for some unknown reason. It tempo shifts up at the end, transitioning into Therefore I Am, which quite honestly felt all too much like a rehash the debut records vibe. Then the title track, gets off to a wonderful start but suffers growing pains agressing up into a sing along grunge blowout that lacked the right melody or lyric to give it the vibe it clearly strides for. No album is perfect and not every track resonates quite like some of Billie's words which are as stated, quite remarkable for the pitfalls she is successfully navigating.
Your Power makes a personal favorite for me. With a soft gush of Ethereal wind, the two usher in a heartwarming guitar and voice song reminiscent of Mazzy Star. Its lyrical content feels intentionally offset from the melancholy vibes the song ushers forth. I doubt Happier Than Ever will have quite the impact its predecessor had however between the two we simply have more fantastic songs to enjoy and plenty more to look forward too it seems. The one thing I hope people take away from this one is the lyrics. So much to be learned from someone else's experience here.
Rating: 8/10
Thursday 26 December 2019
My Top 10 Albums Of 2019
This records theme and setting is colossal, a plunge into the expansive cosmos led by meaty metallic guitars and aggressive drumming to batter you through the abyss. Initially it felt a bit bland and straight forward but its riffs devoid of flash and flair have a lot to offer as it becomes familiar. I am so stoked they have gotten things together and somehow retained the magic they had sixteen years ago.
If Devin releases an album, chances are it will make it to this list. I adore the man and his musical vision but with such a large catalogue of albums they new songs become a blur, the best of blurs. Empath however plays like a slice of everything rolled into one and elevated to another level. I think it could be among his best but only time will tell at this point. Its a huge record, loaded and layered, it may take more time to fully get through.
Not his best work, a flawed ambition but fruitful its in new direction. Inspired by church music and Gospel, infusing elements of it with a dash of Hip Hop, Kanye forged a slice of something outside the ordinary to introduce to the masses and I personally loved it. Of course being somewhat of an agnostic the lyrics didn't move me much but the music and stunning voices at play did very much so.
The young Northampton rapper may be one to watch out for in the future. This statement led debut has a lot of attitude and vitality about it. The story telling is fantastic but it stems from many of the things that success changes. A lot of Rap artists I can recall have suffered from this, the escape of poverty diminishing the source of inspiration but none the less its a cracking album that I fondly frequent back too.
I never expected it to be so but Slipknot have undoubtedly created something you can hold in a similar light to their classic arrival records. The eruption of chaos, aggression and frustration of them crash landing into the public conscious could never be the same again but twenty years later the group missing now three of the original nine tap into the very best of the bands sound with a solid record spiced with a bit of experimentation that has grown on me. Great to have he Knot back at it!
Its certainly nice to hear more advantageous, experimental artists capturing ears in the mainstream. She may not exactly be "out there", her songwriting has many of the decent tropes Pop music can have but the use of ASMR techniques and vocal distortions is fun, interesting and expressive. All in all a fantastic record I enjoy every time I hear but also one to follow closely in the future.
Kill The Sun is an example of why bands shouldn't be afraid to explore their other aspirations. Stepping aside from their metallic roots, the group explore an exotic breed of Americana. Its utterly infectious and may of been what sent me on an Alice In Chains binge this year, learning that group too made Americana EP's between albums. There is now doubt they were an influence and although this was a short record I've loved it over and over. Massively infectious!
I've been blown away by the sheer talent that is Little Simz. English Rap music has often felt in the shadows of the states if not pursuing a cultural altercation like Grime or Drill. Simz stands firm with fiery traditional rhyme skills and impressive cadence, she also has a lot to say and thus delivers some serious lyrical substance alongside some boisterous, affirming bars.
I was anticipating this album immensely and on arrival it blew me away. Puppy have a fantastic sound, a mix of all the best bits from Alternative Rock & Metal of the nineties. This album delivered in droves however I may have over saturated it. With a year to binge on The Goat, another surprise came along to steal the show. It was my first record of 2019 and I was pretty sure it would take the top spot.
Sabaton have done it, maybe only with the help of Indy Nidel! I've been converted. Knowing these guys are history buffs interested in similar aspects of war, this album animated into life as I knew its inspiration intimately. Having followed the week by week reliving of World War I, its songs took on a whole new meaning that let melodies and tuneful songwriting really take hold. It can be a bit cheesy in places but its always fun and riveting with metallic energy. Since I wrote about it, its been on frequent rotation and is still giving tones of pleasure. It was totally unexpected but they trumped The Goat for me.
Monday 15 July 2019
Billie Eilish "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" (2019)
Favorite Tracks: You Should See Me In A Crowd, When The Partys Over, I Love You, Goodbye
Rating: 8/10