Daughters - Hell Songs

Daughters - Hell Songs (2006)

Genre: Mathcore, Noise Rock

Daughters' follow up to their grind-influenced debut saw a somewhat radical departure from their formula, and personally, it was for the better. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

Gone are the screaming, indiscernible vocals. Gone is the absurdly repetitive structuring. Daughters were reborn with this album, and it was the beginning of something truly great as far as where their musical direction was going. At only 23 minutes, I was honestly kind of hoping for a bit more, which is a complete 180 from my thoughts on Canada Songs. Let me start my complimenting the compositional styling, which is still very much rooted in mathcore.

The technical intricacies and dissonant distortion is still very much present, but without the intensity and overtly loud and aggressive delivery that was present on their debut. This makes for a much more sonically interesting listen, as not only can one appreciate the technicality of the instrumentation, but also the nuances of Marshall's vocals, which can come off as intriguingly awkward, but subtly aggressive. Honestly, he sounds like a very enthusiastic drunkard mostly throughout, but that's not a bad thing in the context of this album. It's quite fitting. I love the raw and intense noise fiddling and brutal tone that is achieved by every single one of the songs on this record.

Hyperventilationsystem features Marshall singing the line, "Love is a disgusting thing," for two minutes straight, which does wear on you a bit, but I wanted to mention it simply because of how ironically comedic it was. The technicality of the piece is still something to appreciate, just like the rest of the album. As far as highlights go, I feel like I did with their first record, in that all the songs seem to compliment each other. It was a thoroughly enjoyable album, albeit somewhat short, but one that laid the groundwork for Daughters' successful formula. I really don't have much to say about this record except that it was certainly better than I expected it to be.

A-

Favorite Tracks: Daughters Spelled Wrong, Recorded In A Pyramid, Providence by Gaslight (These are just highlights. The rest are still great.)

Least Favorite Track: Hyperventilationsystem

Massive Attack - Mezzanine

Massive Attack - Mezzanine (1998)

Genre: Trip Hop, Electronica

House M.D. introduced me to Massive Attack, which sucks, because for the longest time I disregarded Massive Attack as a generic EDM project. Well, better late than never. This album is being reviewed per request. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

As this is the first album I have listened to by this group, I have nothing to compare it to, but I am aware that this seems to have been a departure from their previous two albums. One thing I really loved about it is the atmosphere that it creates. The intense bass and electronic pulses that are present throughout give a sense of dread; an almost claustrophobic feeling. The irony from this is that it's borderline mechanical sounding, while still sounding very much human at heart.

The lyrics establish this sort of disconnected relevance, most prominently on Inertia Creeps. Its lyrical content deals with a very human, emotional activity of sex, but is reduced to a metaphorical, robotic sort of meaning, with the line, "two undernourished egos, four rotating hips,” serving as an example. The nuances that comes with creating such an atmospheric tension has some downfalls, though. For one, while I was very much a fan of this record, a lot of songs could be borderline unmemorable for a lot of people, because of its favoring towards experimentation rather than creating an established and memorable melody.

Personally, a lot of the tracks did stick out to me though, as I for the most part I did enjoy the intricate sound textures and samples scattered throughout, like in the song Risingson, using a sample of I Found a Reason by The Velvet Underground. But, the aspect that really solidifies a lot of these songs for me are the vocals, especially from the female guests. Listening through Teardrop all the way through as opposed to just an edited snippet on House, was a beautiful experience, which further haunts me after reading up on some backstory. Dissolved Girl is another fantastic song with some great vocal deliveries and hard rock aesthetic. And not to take away from the male voices on here either, as they're all generally very good as well. Man Next Door is just chilling.

For the most part, I did enjoy this album pretty thoroughly, though I did feel like it slogged a bit during a handful of songs I didn't find as enjoyable. I loved this album for its sonically dark, moody vibes and how well it blended together with some of its themes and varied vocal performances. I'm glad to say that it has opened the floodgates for me when it comes to the rest of Massive Attack's discography. 

A-

Favorite Tracks: Angel, Teardrop, Inertia Creeps, Dissolved Girl, Man Next Door, (Exchange)

Least Favorite Track: Mezzanine 

The xx - xx

The xx - xx (2009)

Genre: Indie Pop, Dream Pop, Indie Rock

With a minimalist approach to what is essentially indie rock, The xx's debut album was a sleeper hit that took many by surprise. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

I'm shocked, honestly. How did this happen? Normally, an album that is as sonically stripped down as this one would constitute music that puts me to sleep, but The xx make it work. Minimal guitar work, funky beats, and prominent bass riffs that are simple, but effective. Truly, there isn't a whole lot going on here, instrumentation wise. Yet, this is a record that somehow caught my attention all throughout. It's hypnotic in a way. 

Part of this stems from Oliver and Romy's vocal chemistry found on many tracks. There's something so soothing and beautiful happening on Infinity as Oliver sings, "Give it up...," while Romy responds with such a smooth delivery, "I can't give it up..." It's funny because Oliver isn't even a very expressive singer. He seems to have this almost monotone-like voice pretty consistently, but it happens to work against the subtle instrumentation. This group seems to know what they were doing with their sound though, as the album opens with a track titled Intro, which is purely instrumental, showcasing the soft and minimalist approach that awaits listeners.

The song that seems to have the most fleshed out composition is Islands, which was actually the track that introduced me to this group, and it's pure bliss. Certainly the highlight of the album. There's honestly not much else to say here. The lack of grander music ideas here prevent me from delving much more into it. That said, this is an album that makes up for it's lack of fleshed out sounds with its superb execution of simple, catchy hooks and sultry vocal deliveries. And overall, it's just a super relaxing album to put on for a nice morning mood.

A-

Favorite Tracks: VCR, Crystalised, Islands, Heart Skipped a Beat, Basic Space, Infinity

Least Favorite Track: Fantasy

The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

The Unicorns - Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? (2003)

Genre: Indie Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Lo-Fi

The Unicorns' sole studio album release in a mish-mash of goofy and creative ideas that makes for a fun and at times comedic listen. This album is being reviewed per request. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

I appreciate the obvious fun that this band had in compiling this record. While not often classified as psychedelic, I can't help but hear traces of it throughout. Tuff Ghost features a prominent eerie bass and synth groove that brings to mind acid rock influences of the late 60's. The aforementioned fun I spoke of derives not only from the cool rhythms and creative music ideas being mended together, but also from the often zany lyrics that paint an absurd, but captivating story.

The title track I Don't Wanna Die and the closing track Ready to Die loosely tries to make of this a concept album, but is most surely done for simple comedic purposes. I couldn't help but actually laugh out loud at the ending track's abrupt ending, where the singer seems to choke, obviously indicating his sudden death. This kind of cleverness is only present in more subtle doses throughout, but it's silly all the same. Perhaps the most nonsensical lyrics come in the form of the song Jellybones, which from the title alone should be a good enough indication of what I mean.

For having a lo-fi aesthetic, the group still manages to sound completely confident in their craft, coming out very forward with their sound. It doesn't feel like a debut, but more so like a group who has had some experience under their belt, and so I applaud them for that. And on a completely unrelated note, I can't help but notice the sizeable number of times that ghosts are referenced throughout. It's ironically bittersweet how an album that heavily pushes the theme of death and imagery of ghosts happened to be the first and final album to be released by the band.

It's a shame that they haven't reunited with the purpose of creating a new album, because I would certainly be up for a listen. The band has a flurry of creative ideas that blend relatively well with their goofy style of songwriting and dream-like aesthetic. As an obscure footnote in indie rock history, I'm glad that someone recommended I check this out. It definitely deserves some more love and appreciation.

A-

Favorite Songs: Tuff Ghost, Sea Ghost, The Clap, I Was Born (A Unicorn), Tuff Luff, Ready to Die

Least Favorite Track: Inoculate the Innocuous

Dream Wife - Dream Wife

Dream Wife - Dream Wife (2018)

Genre: Punk Rock, Indie Rock

I'm glad to have casually stumbled upon this. An awesome debut punk record with tons of feminist spunk released in 2018. Not something I expected, but I'll take it. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

In an age where mainstream rock has mostly subverted to acoustic and synth applications, it's always refreshing to hear the raw sounds of a new punk record. I would have never expected that one of the more memorable punk albums of 2018 would be a product of a female trio. It's amazing how much raw aggression and energy these three provide here, exploring themes of gender stereotypes, lust, and even rape culture in the track Somebody. While there's not a whole lot of depth in these themes, the catchy and abbrasive hooks still makes for an enthralling punk delight.

The opening track Let's Make Out makes for quite an impression and let's you know exactly what you're getting into. This is back to basics indie punk, drawing on influences like The Slits and other post-punk bands. The closing track F.U.U. is the one that sticks out the most from the formula, even including Icelandic rapper Fever Dream dropping some bars in their native language. It's incredibly tongue-in-cheek, and while admittedly my least favorite track, I can't deny that it does well in capturing the unadulterated "F U" attitude of punk.

Among the rest of the track listing, you get more of the same, really. As I stated, this album isn't here to reinvent the wheel. For the purpose that it serves, it serves it well. I wasn't originally going to review this, as I honestly find it difficult to expand my thoughts on this record too much. But I still wanted to give this album some exposure, as for the most part, it was fun, catchy, and I can't help but applaud a great female punk group when I come across them. Definitely give this album a listen if you're into any of the punk-rock revival groups of the late 90's and early 2000's, especially.

A-

Favorite Tracks: Let's Make Out, Hey Heartbreaker, Somebody, Taste, Fire

Least Favorite Track: F.U.U.

The Doors - The Doors

The Doors - The Doors (1967)

Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock

Often hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, it's a wonder why I never properly heard it all the way through until recently... This album is being reviewed per request. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

One thing I always found unique about this group is their decision to mix in some prominent organ playing in nearly their music. It's honestly one of the reasons that I couldn't get into them for years. When I was younger, I just found the organ playing to be irritating at times, especially on Light My Fire, which incorporates a hefty jam session in between that seems to drag for a bit too long. As I've grown, I've come to enjoy that track and the organ playing more though, and now I view it as an integral part of the band's style.

I especially love Manzarek's organ performance on the track Soul Kitchen, which starts off front and center, and later subverts itself to subtly driving the song along on an infectious groove. Twentieth Century Fox and The End are other highlights for me. The former is simply fun and catchy, with its prominent blues influence. The latter is a near 12-minute Magnus Opus, which may not be big on extravagant music ideas, but is a grower, progressively showcasing the beauty in its general simplicity.

I can't deny that front man Jim Morrison comes off as slightly snobbish and self-conceited, not only in his lyrics, but also in his vocal performances. On the other hand, he's got some pipes. Often cited as one of the greatest front men in rock history, it's simple to discredit this as simple popularity among women, but I can agree that he's a damn good vocalist that fits well within this group. As future albums would prove, he was certainly the man for the job.

Is the praise that this record receives warranted? While I do believe it's certainly an accomplished piece of work, some of the weaker songs on here drag down the momentum just a bit, personally. The Crystal Ship and the cover Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) are by no means unpleasant, but still quite short on energy and fun as other popular standouts like Break On Through (To the Other Side) and Light my Fire. Overall, an excellent album within the realms for late 60's acid rock, if only slightly overrated by the masses.

A-

Favorite Songs: Soul Kitchen, Twentieth Century Fox, Light My Fire, Take It As It Comes, The End

Least Favorite Track: Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)

AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend

AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend (2016)

Genre: Art Pop, Electropop

This Norwegian singer turned some heads in her native country, as well as some other European countries with the release of her debut EP back in 2015 and some well received singles leading up to this album. This album is being reviewed per request. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade. 

As with a lot of young female artists to come out with a pop record these days, I was initially very indifferent about this one, but that has since changed after a few replays. For one, I have to point out that AURORA has a great voice, and she lends herself well with not only the more laid-back slow songs, but also tracks like Conqueror and Runaway, where she shows off some commendable range. The former song happens to be my favorite, with its tastefully upbeat chorus. 

As an art pop record, there isn't much innovation here. AURORA seems to play it very safe and relies heavily on her voice to drive most of these songs forward, as most are founded on simple, but catchy piano melodies/chords and some heavy beats. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I did enjoy most of the songs here. In particular, I absolutely love how prominent her voice sounds in I Went Too Far. There's a fine line between her normal singing voice and her falsetto that is really pleasant and enjoyable. 

It's really hard to not consistently talk about anything other than her voice, believe it or not. I keep reminding myself of other tracks where she really shows off. Home features an incredibly haunting chorus, that often reminds me of Gregorian chants, if the music hadn't been there. AURORA surely shows promise as a singer, and it would be great to hear her branch out in the future with some more ambitious compositions. As it stands right now, this album doesn't necessarily bring anything new to the table, but it's an overall fun, often beautiful record.

A-

Favorite Tracks: Runaway, Conqueror, I Went too Far, Warrior, Home, Black Water Lilies

Least Favorite Track: Through the Eyes of a Child

SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES

SOPHIE - OIL OF EVERY PEARL'S UN-INSIDES (2018)

Genre: Art Pop, Avant-Pop, Bubblegum Bass, Electronic, Post-Industrial, Ambient

After their well-received compilation album "Product" in 2015, there was substantial hype for this DJ's true commercial album debut. For the most part, they delivered. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly what's so interesting about this record. I admire some intricate experimentation in this day and age, and this album goes beyond that, capturing the essence of avant-Garde and electronic music into one carefully constructed record. And indeed, while the album does lay down some wonderful and weird compositions, there could have been a better flow in regards to its presentation. 

 The album starts off with somewhat of an oddity among the rest of the track listing. It's Ok To Cry lends itself to instances of traditional modern pop ballads, with not many indications of the sonic experimentation that awaits one's ears later on. It's certainly pretty, but I tend to displace it in my mind among the rest of the more imaginable songs. As hypocritical as I may sound, the following two songs, Ponyboy and Faceshopping, as interesting as they are, sound a bit too similar to each other to warrant much creativity points.

Probably the most haunting track on here, Pretending, is an instrumental that plays out more like some eerie background ambience effects for a horror film, which, as intense and sonically interesting as it is, may overstay its welcome just a bit, at nearly 6 minutes. And that's not the only instance of a track that's may be too long for its own good. The closing track Whole New World/Pretend World is an avant-garde fever dream, which at 9 minutes, is borderline insanity for comforts sake. To be fair though, there seems to be an overwhelming sense of dread that illuminates most of this record, and I can appreciate that as an aesthetic choice. 

The most cheerful track, Immaterial, sometimes sounds like it could fit right into a Kero Kero Bonito project, with it's strangely up-beat, bubblegum like presentation. It's certainly the only song I could imagine being danced to on this record. That said, while much of this album approaches borderline noise music, there are some interesting ideas that balance this out for the most part. This is definitely not a traditional pop album, and while I do believe it would have benefitted from some better pacing, it's still great for anyone that enjoys moody experimentation and is looking for a creative electronic album.

A-

Favorite Tracks: It's Okay to Cry, Faceshopping, Infatuation, Not Okay, Pretending, Immaterial

Least Favorite Track: Is It Cold In The Water?

Gorillaz - The Now Now

Gorillaz - The Now Now (2018)

Genre: Electropop, Synth Funk

After their somewhat disappointing release of Humanz during the previous year, Gorillaz came back with a much more musically coherent and enjoyable album this time around. This album is being reviewed per request. As a reminder, I do not intend for this to be a really in-depth and complex review. I'm just sharing my quick personal thoughts on the album. As for any album review I will do, I try to be objective without letting any personal bias get too much in the way of the final grade.

I was left somewhat bummed out Humanz. It's ludicrous amount of guest artists and much more pronounced electronic influences made it feel less like a Gorillaz album, and more like a compilation of ideas by different artists. I'm glad to see that The Now Now sees a much more humble return to form, for the most part. Only two out of the eleven tracks here feature guest artists, and that's incredibly refreshing. I can certainly say that I was coming into this album with some high hopes after having heard a few of the single released prior to this record, with Tranz being one of my favorites, with it's dream-like vibes and esthetic. 

Surprisingly, for a band that is known for its hip-hop influences, there is a distinct lack of it on this record. Hollywood is the only track here that really fits that bill, featuring a much appreciated and laid-back performance by Snoop Dogg. It was probably for the best, as I thought it was one of the weaker tracks here. For the most part, a lot of the tracks on this album are surprisingly laid back and have a somewhat melancholy tone to them. The closing track Souk Eye is perhaps one of the "prettiest" songs to come out of the Gorillaz' discography, even as it starts transitioning into "disco" territory near the end. I can't say that these are the sort of vibes I expected out of a Gorillaz album, but I can't complain.

Similarly to Souk Eye, Idaho is a mostly acoustic track that proves how Damon Albarn doesn't need to make use of heavy studio experimentation to make a pretty great Gorillaz song, and still have it sound like an actual Gorillaz track. Lake Zurich is an incredibly synth heavy dance track which, surprisingly, features no real vocals aside from some seemingly spoken word interjections thrown in. Fire Flies is another highlight, featuring some satisfying syncopated vocal delivery and slow, but funky synth groove.

There are certainly no shortage of good tunes on here and while not the most musically diverse of their records, this album does well in combining funk, synth-pop, dance and soul into a short and sweet package. It's quite possible that after the release of Humanz, this may not necessarily be the return to form that most Gorillaz fans were hoping for, but it's certainly a welcome entry into their discography. Hopefully, Damon will take some of the good ideas on here, expand upon them and eventually give us a true Gorillaz album once again, one that mixes said good ideas with some quality hip-hop, in the same vain as Demon Days.

A-

Favorite tracks: Tranz, Idaho, Lake Zurich, Fire Flies, Souk Eye

Least Favorite Track: Sorcererz