Another week in music has passed. I recently had the opportunity to see Chris Stapleton live at the legendary Ryman Auditorium, with up-and-comer country singer Maren Morris opening. As with any seated venue, there were several people sitting down during the show. But even that being said, the show still had many people standing up the whole time. I don't think I've ever been to a show where so many in the audience were as excited about an artist as this I did that night. Stapleton and his band, which included his wife Morganne, played a great 90 minute long set. The set included a surprise appearance from his old band the Steeldrivers, who did "Ghosts Of Mississippi" and "Sticks That Made Thunder", as well as a cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" with opener Maren Morris singing along. But enough of that. Let's do some reviews!
After about a two-year break from touring and recording music, indie heroes Animal Collective returned to the studio late last year to begin recording their tenth studio album. The result was this album.
To be clear, I've never really enjoyed Animal Collective, as much as I've tried. I've really only listened through their 2009 magnus opus Merriweather Post Pavilion, and even the big song "My Girls" took a while to grow on me. So while I was anticipating this new album from Panda Bear, Deakin, Geologist, and Avey Tare, it was difficult for me to get excited for it.
However, when I listened to this, something felt... different. It seemed more enjoyable, as if Animal Collective felt they had nothing to prove and just decided to have fun making this album. Sometime's that's a bad thing, as it feels like the band is re-hashing some of the same ideas they've had before. Still, I couldn't help but find myself enjoying many parts of this album.
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: FloriDada; The Burglars
To be clear, I've never really enjoyed Animal Collective, as much as I've tried. I've really only listened through their 2009 magnus opus Merriweather Post Pavilion, and even the big song "My Girls" took a while to grow on me. So while I was anticipating this new album from Panda Bear, Deakin, Geologist, and Avey Tare, it was difficult for me to get excited for it.
However, when I listened to this, something felt... different. It seemed more enjoyable, as if Animal Collective felt they had nothing to prove and just decided to have fun making this album. Sometime's that's a bad thing, as it feels like the band is re-hashing some of the same ideas they've had before. Still, I couldn't help but find myself enjoying many parts of this album.
Overall: 6/10
Favorite tracks: FloriDada; The Burglars
BJ the Chicago Kid, born Brian James Sledge in Chicago, is an R&B/soul artist who has been at it for a while, but thanks to help from contemporaries such as Chance the Rapper, as well as features on new albums from Jill Scott and Dr. Dre, he has gained more fame as a solo artist in the past couple of years.
This new album from the Chicago crooner is his second studio album, released last week on Motown records. Yes, almost 60 years on, Motown is still releasing records, though now, it is a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
This album indeed sounds like a modern Motown album. Sledge's voice has many subtleties and a wide range. While the production on the first half of the album seems a little overblown to the point where it almost covers up Sledge's vocals, things eventually calm down by the time you get to "Jeremiah/The World Needs More Love". I think the most distinctly Motown-sounding song on here is "The New Cupid" featuring Kendrick Lamar, who spits a verse that isn't one of his best, but for the song, it works. "Woman's World" also has a very distinct Motown sound, with melodic strings providing the background music to compliment Sledge's voice.
This album reminds me a lot of Leon Bridges' 2015 album Coming Home, but while Bridges chose to make things more retro--even right down to the production--Sledge chose to make things a little more like a modern take on retro. Honestly, it works quite well. It's a, for the most part, beautifully made R&B album, with a few hiccups and minor complaints here and there. Otherwise, lots to like about this album.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Love Inside (feat. Isabella); Wait Til the Morning (feat. Isa); Heart Crush; The New Cupid (feat. Kendrick Lamar); Woman's World; Turnin' Me Up
This new album from the Chicago crooner is his second studio album, released last week on Motown records. Yes, almost 60 years on, Motown is still releasing records, though now, it is a subsidiary of Capitol Records.
This album indeed sounds like a modern Motown album. Sledge's voice has many subtleties and a wide range. While the production on the first half of the album seems a little overblown to the point where it almost covers up Sledge's vocals, things eventually calm down by the time you get to "Jeremiah/The World Needs More Love". I think the most distinctly Motown-sounding song on here is "The New Cupid" featuring Kendrick Lamar, who spits a verse that isn't one of his best, but for the song, it works. "Woman's World" also has a very distinct Motown sound, with melodic strings providing the background music to compliment Sledge's voice.
This album reminds me a lot of Leon Bridges' 2015 album Coming Home, but while Bridges chose to make things more retro--even right down to the production--Sledge chose to make things a little more like a modern take on retro. Honestly, it works quite well. It's a, for the most part, beautifully made R&B album, with a few hiccups and minor complaints here and there. Otherwise, lots to like about this album.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Love Inside (feat. Isabella); Wait Til the Morning (feat. Isa); Heart Crush; The New Cupid (feat. Kendrick Lamar); Woman's World; Turnin' Me Up
Ra Ra Riot are a band that I've never really paid attention to a whole lot. When I was a DJ at WASU, I remember playing them quite a bit on the radio, but never bothered to check out their stuff. What I did hear was very akin to the stuff I'd heard from other college indie rock bands I was listening to at the time such as Foster the People and Passion Pit.
So for the first time, I decided to sit down and listen to a full album by the band, and honestly, I think I was right. It's an album that, while enjoyable, is pretty much a color-by-the-numbers indie pop album. Still though, it's not really a bad listen at all. I mean, I enjoyed Foster the People and Passion Pit, so there really wasn't any reason not to enjoy this album too.
Like a lot of indie rock bands of the past decade, there seems to be a huge influence of 80s new wave music in this record, and it shows on songs like "Call Me Out". Plus, all throughout, the band shows great musicianship, and frontman Wes Miles' voice soars over the music.
Like I said, I've never really paid attention to this band as they're a small fish in a rather large pond, but I think this will make me go back and check out their previous works.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Absolutely; Bad Times; Call Me Out; Bouncy Castle
So for the first time, I decided to sit down and listen to a full album by the band, and honestly, I think I was right. It's an album that, while enjoyable, is pretty much a color-by-the-numbers indie pop album. Still though, it's not really a bad listen at all. I mean, I enjoyed Foster the People and Passion Pit, so there really wasn't any reason not to enjoy this album too.
Like a lot of indie rock bands of the past decade, there seems to be a huge influence of 80s new wave music in this record, and it shows on songs like "Call Me Out". Plus, all throughout, the band shows great musicianship, and frontman Wes Miles' voice soars over the music.
Like I said, I've never really paid attention to this band as they're a small fish in a rather large pond, but I think this will make me go back and check out their previous works.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Absolutely; Bad Times; Call Me Out; Bouncy Castle
Like Ra Ra Riot, Wolfmother are a band that I've been aware of for several years, but that I never really took the time to listen to. According to the band's Wikipedia page, the band are frequently compared to Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Blue Cheer; more modern comparisons include the White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, and The Darkness.
So I went into the album expecting just that and... well, like Ra Ra Riot, I got exactly what I expected. This is a well-made album, but it's so derivative that it hurts. I don't think I've heard a band rip off Black Sabbath this much on one album since Black Sabbath's last album in 2013. No doubt that this album has its moments, but they are few and far between. I haven't really listened to Wolfmother's previous albums, so I don't have a reference point, but I think even a first-time listener of the band would agree.
Overall: 4/10
Favorite track: Baroness
So I went into the album expecting just that and... well, like Ra Ra Riot, I got exactly what I expected. This is a well-made album, but it's so derivative that it hurts. I don't think I've heard a band rip off Black Sabbath this much on one album since Black Sabbath's last album in 2013. No doubt that this album has its moments, but they are few and far between. I haven't really listened to Wolfmother's previous albums, so I don't have a reference point, but I think even a first-time listener of the band would agree.
Overall: 4/10
Favorite track: Baroness