Greta Van Fleet - Anthem Of The Peaceful Army

Greta Van Fleet - Anthem of the Peaceful Army (2018)

Genre: Hard Rock

In an era where some back to basics classic rock would be very much appreciated, it's a shame to see that the one band to rise up and give us the goods is relegated to being a Led Zep wannabe and mostly fails. 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.

After coming away pleasantly surprised by some of their singles back in 2017 like Highway Tune and Safari Song, I saw promise, but I wasn't unaware of the uncanny similarity to Zeppelin, especially in Josh Kiszka's wailing vocals. I hoped that by the time they rolled out with their first proper album, that they would develop a bit more, but they didn't. This album caters basically to one thing alone, and that's nostalgia. Don't get me wrong, I can see the appeal here, but I have to say that this is one of the most uninspired records I've listened to in recent memory. 

The opening track Age of Man and the third track When The Curtain Falls were somewhat catchy, but still felt incredibly uncreative and bland at times. By that point, I still had some hope that there would be some bangers on here, but they never really came. Personally speaking, while I can pick out a few tracks I "liked," none of them were that much better than what the album as a whole provided. The magnitude of their lack of originality goes so far as to rip off their own songs. Brave New World included vocal sections that sounded oddly reminiscent of Age of Man. That said, I can certainly appreciate the musicianship found on here, especially the guitar work, but it's really all flash and no substance.

It pains me to point this out, but this group is one EP and one LP in, and the lead singer already sounds like he's straining himself at times. One thing that made Robert Plant such an icon, is that he sounded genuine. Rarely did he sound like he was struggling to reach such high notes. Here, Josh is in his early 20's and sounds like a dying cat, seemingly trying to replicate Plant's style, but failing. It's surprising, considering how good he sounded in some of their earlier singles. 

For what it is, this is a pretty raw piece of work and would most certainly be enjoyable for many people who miss the heydays of hard rock. Objectively though, this record packs a string of uncreative songwriting attempts, mediocre riffs, and uncomfortable vocal performances riddled throughout. I know it's kind of ironic to call this band uncreative when comparing them to Led Zeppelin, but at least they didn't completely rip off another artist's sound to a T. This is the kind of band that would have been better off playing local joints as a cover band, but up to this point, have shown very little of worth as an individual unit. I do hope they can find their own sound, because as musicians, they do show some talent, but this album demonstrates that they are pretty uncreative songwriters.

D+

Favorite Tracks: Age of Man, When The Curtain Falls, Brave New World

Least Favorite Track: The New Day

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?

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Often hailed as one of the greatest achievements in prog-rock history, King Crimson's debut album has become a staple of rock history and pop culture, and one that by 1969 standards, seemed ahead of its time. 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.

After many years of this album seemingly going under my radar, thanks in part to its absence from YouTube and Spotify, I can now finally agree with the fanboys. This is an essential, prog-rock album, and anyone that claims to be a fan of the genre would be doing themselves a great disservice in skipping it. With its smooth blend of symphonic, jazz, and classical influences, I'm still amazed that this was released in 1969.

Uncommon for the era, 5 tracks are all that's presented here. This record runs nearly 44 minutes, so you can expect some pretty lengthy passages. As is obvious, you cannot hold someone's attention for that long without offering something incredibly well-crafted and interesting. For the most part, King Crimson did well in delivering some sweet guitar improv passages, pounding bass riffs and strangely enough, some of the best hard hitting drum fills I have heard on any record. 21st Century Schizoid Man opens up the album with an incredibly upbeat jazz-influenced track that crescendos into one of the most satisfying climaxes I've heard in progressive rock, a little bit after the 2 minute mark. This trails back to the original style of the track around the 6 minute mark. A lot of people consider this to be the highlight of the album, and I can see why, though it's hard to decide if it truly is.

As far as musical variation goes, 21st Century Schizoid Man probably takes the cake, but tracks like Epitaph and the title track are so full of life, so hypnotically beautiful, that it's hard for me to decide on a favorite. Epitaph especially, has a deep sense of urgency surrounding its haunting instrumentals and depressing lyrics, which bring to mind thoughts of nuclear fallout. Court Of The Crimson King is a wonderful album closer, and features some great fantastical imagery that really takes you to another world. I Talk To The Wind is the most "traditional" song on the record, presenting a colorful, lovely acoustic melody, perfectly complimented by Ian McDonald's sweetly melodic flute playing, which is also prominent halfway through the title track. 

The worst track on this otherwise perfectly constructed album would have to be Moonchild. There is nothing inherently wrong with some Avant-Garde experimentation in a prog-rock album. However, when the track is just over 12 minutes long, and most of it is dedicated to minimalistic instrumental quips, it does drag quite a bit. Granted, it's not a big deal for aficionados of the genre. I can't say that I wasn't amused upon first listen, though I wouldn't find myself hard-pressed to listen to this track in its entirety every time I go through this record. The sums on this record greatly outweigh the few cons here though.

A

Favorite Track: Can't decide

Least Favorite Track: Moonchild