The year is almost
over, and so many artists have released records that most of you won’t listen
to. Last year was the same. In fact, there were so many records that you may
have missed some. So Ryan has taken it upon himself to review all of them in
this five part series! Accompanying each album are a few choice tracks that
really stand out, listen to them. Make sure you like and share us on the
internet or else we won’t return the favor.
Welcome to the Past!
Part One:
The 1975: The 1975-
European pop-punk band tries to express themselves with this lackluster album.
Akin to a British Panic! At the Disco, The 1975 tries to be upbeat and make
songs about fooling around with girls they like. It is nothing you haven’t
already heard. So you can just politely ignore this one.
Good songs- “Chocolate”
C
Adam Ant: Adam
Ant Is the Blueblack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner's Daughter- The master of Neo-Romanticism
is back with the goofiest named album in decades! Aside from the moniker, Adam
Ant ‘s style of storytelling is wacky and engaging. The mix of Glam and
Alternative rock is amicable, but does not make it a total success. (And for
some reason the vocal mixing is terrible)
Good Songs-
“Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter” “Hardmentoughblokes” “Shrink”
D+
Gary Allen: Set You
Free- An un-obnoxious country album. This very accessible album is
pleasantly devoid of pointless tropes that plague contemporary country.
Contains some heartbreaking songs about addiction and other afflictions.
Thankfully there is only one mention of a dog; no mentions of a truck. Check
this one out.
B+
Antiphon: Midlake-
Spacey rock. Nothing I haven’t heard before. Very laid back sound. Not exerting
too much effort. Letting the instruments play themselves, more or less. Seems
like the band was over their own sound while they were recording, not worth it.
Good songs- “The Old and the Young”
C
A$AP Rocky: Long.
Live. A$AP- There is nothing special about this album. Once again another
lowest common denominator rap record about hanging out, having sex, making
money and being better than other people. We have all heard this before. You
can pass on this.
D
John Batiste: Social
Music- Exciting Jazz album from a group of talented musicians. True
highlight is the songs that flirt with gospel like Mingus used to. Some fairly
creative takes on standards like “St. James Infirmary”.
Definitely worth a listen.
B+
Sarah Brightman: Dreamchaser-
Made for your local Dentist’s office. Easy listening at its easiest. With such
covers as Wings’s “Venus and Mars”
and Sigur Ros’s “Glosoli”
you are sure to find at least one song you will mildly tolerate then swiftly
begin to hate! You are better off just listening to the originals.
D
Bullet for My Valentine: Temper
Temper- This metal album does little to extend the reach of the genre. It
is a very straight forward effort, and the band clearly plays it safe by
reusing the same chord progressions from they’re last album. Merely opting to
slightly change the subject of the lyrics, emphasis on slightly. There are much
better metal albums out this year.
Good Songs- “Truth Hurts”
D
Nick Cave: Push the
Sky Away- Singer-songwriter Nick Cave took his time with these nine
focused, brooding ballads. Ever the storyteller, Cave makes sure you get no
pleasure from the tales he weaves. This a fairly major departure from his more
recent, melody centric albums. It is slow, methodical, and you will take no
pleasure in it. Which is the point, I guess.
Good Songs- “Mermaids”
C
CHVRCHES- The Bones of
What You Believe- Scottish synth-pop group has their sights set high, and
their sound set low…fi. Reminiscent of other European effect heavy bands like
M83 and ABBA. Their sound has many, many low tones and flirts with shoegazing.
Good listen for those who enjoy pop or synth-pop. The single, “Lungs” is a nice diversion from other pop
bullshit on the market now.
Good songs- “Gun”
B-
The Civil Wars: The
Civil Wars- This group brings a very refreshing take on the country genre.
The harmonies entwine throughout each song. Both singer/songwriters know how to
make truly gripping songs. It stinks that they split up. A must.
A-
Deltron 3030: Event 2-
The second album from hip hop heroes Del “The Funky Homosapien” and Dan “The
Automator”. This albums packs in a wide spanning scope of sounds and
imaginative, spacey lyrics sure to please any listener. This concept album
about a guy going on a space trip is well worth the money. For some reason,
tons of celebrities lend their voices to this project as well. Talents such as
David Cross, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, The Lonely Island and Joseph
Gordon-Levitt help make this album unforgettable.
A-
Drake: Nothing Was The
Same- There is nothing worse than this album.
F
Dropkick Murphy’s: Signed
& Sealed in Blood- Legendary Celt-Punk band’s newest work is pretty
much made for people who like to get drunk and yell. Perfect for any occasion!
Each song is as engaging, and predictable enough, for even passers-by to join
in on the merriment/sorrow. So play these songs and yell at those you love and
hate.
B+
Everything Everything: Arc-
Surprisingly creative and deep. A true work of art! This British indie band is
like what Panic! At the Disco could have been if they didn’t suck but weren’t
as emo as Fall Out Boy. If you are looking for a unique and sometimes complex
band, start here.
A-
Foxygen: We Are the 21st
Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic- This group sounds like a
mid-sixties psychedelic band going full swing on some heinous shrooms. It’s all
about sending good vibes and love and grooves and impeaching Nixon. Foxygen
also isn’t too shy about flaunting their deep blues roots either. This album is
a pretty worthwhile listen.
B
Josh Groban: All That Echoes- This guy can sing! It’s like
the Phantom from that Opera play got twelve songs all to himself. Each song
kind of has the same tone of being sad or amorous, which kind of gets boring.
This album is best as a sprinkle amidst your playlist.
C+
Ben Harper & Charlie Musselwhite: Get Up!- Good God this album sure has got the blues. The first two
songs are somewhat lacking, but once they get rolling, they hardly let up. One
of the standout moments of the album is on the song “Blood Side Out”. This
heavy, heavy song gives both musicians a chance to pair up and really show how
bad they have the blues. This album has some really good parts and some pretty
mediocre parts. Listen to the songs below.
B-
Icona Pop: This
is…Icon Pop- Super-synthy-lowest-common-denominator-dubstep-infused dance
music that is surely to become your guilty pleasure of the year. Today’s
equivalent of 80’s music, in as positive a way as possible.
C+
The Joy Formidable: Wolf’s
Law- This Indie-Metal band’s newest release has some pretty catchy songs. Their
high energy riffs are perfect for working out. They are the kinds of songs that
energize you to win a video game, or bungie-jump. Check out the “Maw Maw Song”.
A-
Juicy J: Stay Trippy-
A prime example of how truly awful music can get. Filled with bafflingly
unimaginative lyrics that may or may not be just what J was doing (or would
rather be doing) at the moment. If you want to get high and party, this is for
you.
Good Songs- “Wax”
F
k-os: Black on Blonde-
International superstar k-os gets deep on this synth-heavy album. He gives
plenty of time to state his influences and inspirations (God). Melding singing
with rap verses, this work has plenty for any Hip-Hop fan. I would put this
album squarely in the conscious rap genre in the vein of Arrested
Development and Anthony Hamilton.
B
Talib Kweli: Prisoner
of Conscious- Hip Hop extraordinaire returns with another solid offering.
Kweli once again proves he can manipulate his unique brand of storytelling over
any beat. A really fun album with great guest acts.
B+
LL Cool J: Authentic-
I do not know why this album was made. It starts with a song about getting high
on bath salts (“Bath Salt”),
and continues in that vein for the remainder of the album. Each of these songs
are superseded by the next in how embarrassing they must be for LL Cool J. “We
Came to Party. Hey look I got my hands up on your body.” Enough said.
F
John Legend: Love in
the Future- Smooth and soulful! Wonderfully produced album filled with some
pretty good covers. If you are in the mood to make babies, throw this bad boy
on!
B+
Lowrider: Black Stones-
There is plenty to like from this melancholic indie album. The band borrows
from different areas, mostly soul and blues, to make a really engaging album.
Lowrider excels at sounding like a wide variety of different bands but are
wholly themselves. Easily in my top twenty of the year.
A
M.I.A.: Matangi-
This album is frightening. Kind of like a collection of songs a crazy ex made
for you while tripping on ecstasy. The beats are sporadic and effect heavy,
borrowing heavily from dubstep and other subgenres MIA helped inspire. MIA’s
lyrics are mostly about vengeance and love, and in different vocoder settings,
further making this album a trip. A little too inaccessible for me, but still
classic MIA!
B-
Major Lazer: Free The Universe-
This album is perfect for stoners. Multi-elemental melodies that are made for
wonderers and mind expanders of all sorts. The duo of Diplo and Jillionaire
combine reggae and dancehall music to create a pretty great album. Also good
for the clubs! Not really good for quiet spaces, though.
Good Songs- “Get Free”
B+
Paul McCartney: New-
Very fun album from a well-known musician. It is no mistake that so many bands
list the Beatles as their main influence. McCartney harnesses a keen ability
for song writing that is quite unique. One of the best songs on the album, “On My Way to Work”, is
about riding a bus and masturbating. McCartney’s other non-solo projects are a
little more profound and legendary, but this album is still a delight.
A-
Tim McGraw: Two Lanes
of Freedom- This album borrows from the worst aspects of country music:
Beer, Girls in cut-offs, and Trucks. Mr. McGraw then takes these elements and
makes it worse by trying to make it relatable to today’s youth. Sentimental
songs of youth, long nights of partying, and of course Lil’ Wayne. Please,
don’t listen to this.
F
Moby: Innocents-
Very mellow and engaging album from the master of ambient electronica. Blending
many different elements into a smooth, buttery concoction that will have you
hooked. Also available in chunky!
A-
Janelle Monae: The
Electric Lady- Funky soul rap installment from one of the most
underappreciated performers to date. Janelle Monae adds a level of flavor that
is sadly missing ever since Outkast’s last album. The compositions in this
album are as bad as they want to be. Never a dull moment on this genre-blending
adventure!
B+
The Polyphonic Spree: Yes,
It’s True- The famously huge group plays it very safe with this vanilla
effort. It sounds more like a Passion Pit B-side than their earlier albums, which
may be giving it too high of praise. The album is syrupy and fails to capture
one sense of wonder despite the non-stop efforts. Not made for everyone.
Good Songs- “Let Them Be”
D+
Robert Glasper Experiment: Black Radio 2- The Experimental Jazz group is at it once again,
this time bringing with them a dozen or so Hip-Hop and R&B stars. This
album flawlessly weaves a multitude of jazz influences into a thick and smooth
sound that anyone will fall in love with. The addition of such artists as Jill
Scott, Brandy, Anthony Hamilton and Snoopzilla to these songs are sure to
excite the listener. The final song of the album, Bill Withers’s “Lovely Day”
quaintly ties up what is one of the best albums of the year.
A
Rudimental: Home-
The first album from U.K. electronic duo mixes soul, dancehall, house and a
passable amount of dubstep. These songs will draw you in and put you in an
unescapable groove. I am surprised these songs aren’t as popular as they should
be.
B+
Silverstein: This is
How the Wind Shifts- Emo band follows the blueprints of mediocre suburban
punk music to a fault. There is nothing new in this album that hasn’t already
been done at least a dozen times. There are plenty of other good (read:
listenable) albums that have come out this year. Ironically, the best songs are
in the form of short vignettes.
D+
Scott Stapp: Proof of
Life- Very predictable solo album from former Creed frontman. Each song has
riffs taken directly from previous Creed endeavors, leaving only an embarrassing
grasp at relevancy. Absolutely nothing surprising about this album to the point
where it seems lazy. Not good at all, but better than Nickleback.
F
Starfucker: Miracle
Mile- If you like weird music that doesn’t go anywhere fast, you will love
this album. Reminds me of MGMT and Animal Collective; both bands came out with
albums this year, by the way. I saw this band live and they were pretty good.
The studio recordings don’t do the band justice.
Good Songs- “Atlantis”
D
Tegan & Sara: Heartthrob-
The Queens of Indie stay true to form on this outing. Mixing their unique
voices with energetic samples and nonstop drums. A great choice for most
occasions. Make sure you aren’t doing any dangerous tasks because you may get
fatally distracted.
B+
Yo La Tengo: Fade- Indie giants Yo La Tengo continue their
long trend of making mellow albums and living in their parent’s basement.
Always eating all the food and refusing to do their chores (ie: mowing the
lawn). I swear, if they don’t do something productive before putting out
another half-baked album, I am going to lose it.
C
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