Hello all, and welcome to the first new set of reviews this year! While I don't know if 2016 will be nearly as exciting as 2015 was for music, I can definitely say that there will be some interesting releases this year. With new releases already from David Bowie (RIP), Megadeth, Ty Segall, and others, as well as new tracks by Beyonce and Death Grips all being released recently, I'm as excited as ever for this year in music.
Charles Kelley - The Driver
2016; Capitol Nashville
Spotify Link
As many are already aware, Charles Kelley is best known as 1/3 of country stars Lady Antebellum, best known over the past decade for megahits such as "Need You Now" and "Just A Kiss". Early last year, Charles Kelley released a song called "The Driver", featuring fellow country stars Eric Paslay and Dierks Bentley. The song would become the title track to his debut studio album, released last week.
Now, as a fan of Lady Antebellum, I'm going to state an opinion that will likely be an unpopular one: As an album, this is better than just about anything Lady Antebellum has ever done. Indeed, Charles Kelley has shown that he can shine on his own, with an album that features nine songs of great pop-country and rock tunes. Along with Paslay and Bentley, there are great features from Miranda Lambert and Stevie Nicks, the latter of whom sings on a Tom Petty cover.
It's an extremely solid album from Kelley, and while I can't wait for the next album from Lady A, I also can't wait to see where he takes his solo career in the future.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Your Love; The Driver; Leaving Nashville
Spotify Link
As many are already aware, Charles Kelley is best known as 1/3 of country stars Lady Antebellum, best known over the past decade for megahits such as "Need You Now" and "Just A Kiss". Early last year, Charles Kelley released a song called "The Driver", featuring fellow country stars Eric Paslay and Dierks Bentley. The song would become the title track to his debut studio album, released last week.
Now, as a fan of Lady Antebellum, I'm going to state an opinion that will likely be an unpopular one: As an album, this is better than just about anything Lady Antebellum has ever done. Indeed, Charles Kelley has shown that he can shine on his own, with an album that features nine songs of great pop-country and rock tunes. Along with Paslay and Bentley, there are great features from Miranda Lambert and Stevie Nicks, the latter of whom sings on a Tom Petty cover.
It's an extremely solid album from Kelley, and while I can't wait for the next album from Lady A, I also can't wait to see where he takes his solo career in the future.
Overall: 7/10
Favorite tracks: Your Love; The Driver; Leaving Nashville
DIIV - Is the Is Are
2016; Captured Tracks
Spotify link
The first thing I'll admit about this album: If there was an award for which 2016 album had the worst name, this would win it. The second thing I'll admit about this album: I fell asleep while listening to it.
Brooklyn indie rockers DIIV released their sophomore studio effort last week, a follow up to 2012's Oshin. Their debut featured some shoegaze-esque indie rock, akin to bands like The Raveonettes and Silversun Pickups, who have also released shoegaze and dream pop-inspired indie rock.
I consider myself a fan of dreamy and hazy indie rock, even when it makes you fall asleep. While I quite enjoyed this album, the main problem I have with it is that there are seventeen songs on here.
Don't get me wrong, I really, really did enjoy this album. But not a whole lot of the songs, aside from a surprising Sky Ferreira feature, stick out to me.
Overall: 6.5/10
Spotify link
The first thing I'll admit about this album: If there was an award for which 2016 album had the worst name, this would win it. The second thing I'll admit about this album: I fell asleep while listening to it.
Brooklyn indie rockers DIIV released their sophomore studio effort last week, a follow up to 2012's Oshin. Their debut featured some shoegaze-esque indie rock, akin to bands like The Raveonettes and Silversun Pickups, who have also released shoegaze and dream pop-inspired indie rock.
I consider myself a fan of dreamy and hazy indie rock, even when it makes you fall asleep. While I quite enjoyed this album, the main problem I have with it is that there are seventeen songs on here.
Don't get me wrong, I really, really did enjoy this album. But not a whole lot of the songs, aside from a surprising Sky Ferreira feature, stick out to me.
Overall: 6.5/10
Elton John - Wonderful Crazy Night
2016; Mercury, Virgin EMI, Island
Spotify link
In a year where we've lost David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Maurice White, and Paul Kantner, among other classic rock icons, there's nothing more awesome than hearing Sir Elton John tearing it up on piano, five decades into his career. Not only that, but Sir Elton's thirty-second (!!!) studio effort is no joke.
The same man who wrote such classics as "Crocodile Rock", "Bennie and the Jets", and "Rocket Man" is still capable of writing such amazing songs. Are they in the same vein as the songs I mentioned? Well, that's up to you to decide. But one thing's for sure: While his voice may have aged, he hasn't lost a thing in terms of songwriting and composing. His old songwriting partner Bernie Taupin is back, and Sir Elton enlists T-Bone Burnett to assist in production.
Is it a perfect album? No, and I'm sure the nearly 70 year-old glam rocker doesn't believe he's a perfect musician. But it's still pretty damn good. If you don't believe me, follow the Spotify link above and listen for yourself. Classic rock is still alive and well... for now, at least.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite tracks: Wonderful Crazy Night; In the Name Of You; Claw Hammer; I've Got 2 Wings; Looking Up; Guilty Pleasure; England and America
Spotify link
In a year where we've lost David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Maurice White, and Paul Kantner, among other classic rock icons, there's nothing more awesome than hearing Sir Elton John tearing it up on piano, five decades into his career. Not only that, but Sir Elton's thirty-second (!!!) studio effort is no joke.
The same man who wrote such classics as "Crocodile Rock", "Bennie and the Jets", and "Rocket Man" is still capable of writing such amazing songs. Are they in the same vein as the songs I mentioned? Well, that's up to you to decide. But one thing's for sure: While his voice may have aged, he hasn't lost a thing in terms of songwriting and composing. His old songwriting partner Bernie Taupin is back, and Sir Elton enlists T-Bone Burnett to assist in production.
Is it a perfect album? No, and I'm sure the nearly 70 year-old glam rocker doesn't believe he's a perfect musician. But it's still pretty damn good. If you don't believe me, follow the Spotify link above and listen for yourself. Classic rock is still alive and well... for now, at least.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite tracks: Wonderful Crazy Night; In the Name Of You; Claw Hammer; I've Got 2 Wings; Looking Up; Guilty Pleasure; England and America
Majid Jordan - Majid Jordan
2016; OVO Sound, Warner Bros.
Spotify link
Majid Jordan are a Canadian duo consisting of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman. Signed to Drake's OVO Sound label, the duo are probably best known for their small part in the Toronto rapper's mega hit "Hold On, We're Going Home", a song that, while not unusual for Drake, featured a type of R&B/hip-hop sound that would end up being all over this duo's debut album.
Full disclosure: I really like the sounds on this album. However, it seems to follow every other R&B blueprint these days, even going as far as to ape the beats on their feature on Drake's song. It's the same complaint I have about Disclosure's most recent album, and how it sounded more like a generic R&B album rather than a cool, danceable house album. But I disgress.
Majid Jordan show a lot of promise--more so than other popstars I've reviewed in the past year--but this debut just doesn't do it for me. It's really not even that bad. It just sounds too much like every other hipster radio R&B on the radio a la The Weeknd, and this album will just kind of fade into the background noise like Disclosure's album did.
Overall: 5/10
Spotify link
Majid Jordan are a Canadian duo consisting of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman. Signed to Drake's OVO Sound label, the duo are probably best known for their small part in the Toronto rapper's mega hit "Hold On, We're Going Home", a song that, while not unusual for Drake, featured a type of R&B/hip-hop sound that would end up being all over this duo's debut album.
Full disclosure: I really like the sounds on this album. However, it seems to follow every other R&B blueprint these days, even going as far as to ape the beats on their feature on Drake's song. It's the same complaint I have about Disclosure's most recent album, and how it sounded more like a generic R&B album rather than a cool, danceable house album. But I disgress.
Majid Jordan show a lot of promise--more so than other popstars I've reviewed in the past year--but this debut just doesn't do it for me. It's really not even that bad. It just sounds too much like every other hipster radio R&B on the radio a la The Weeknd, and this album will just kind of fade into the background noise like Disclosure's album did.
Overall: 5/10
Moccasin Creek - Hillbilly Rockstar
2016; Average Joe's Entertainment
Spotify link
Moccasin Creek are a country-rap group signed to Average Joe's Entertainment, a label in part started by flagship artist Colt Ford. Other groups featured on the label include The Lacs (who I actually reviewed last year), Jawga Boyz, Trailer Choir, and Bubba Sparxxx.
As some may remember, in my review of The Lacs' last album, I complimented that, while I was not a fan of the duo's country-rap crossover and shameless pandering, I admired that the duo knew their audience. I'm pretty sure that someone listening to this would not care that this was pandering.
Just to differentiate, this is a country-rap album that is pandering in a much different way than an artist like, say, Luke Bryan does. See, with Mr. Luke Bryan, I don't think even his writers realize just how bad they are pandering to their audience. At least here, they know exactly who they are pandering to. Don't believe me? In the early days of AJE, the label would market their artists by staging shows at mud bogs. That's exactly the image I get when listening to this album, too.
Despite the album's rap elements, I cannot see a hip-hop fan liking this, and that's okay. As I said, this album appeals more to super-rural folks rather than hip-hop fans.
I really don't have a lot to say about this album, just because there isn't anything to say about this that hasn't also been said about The Lacs.
Side note: While the context on the album is pretty damn cheesy, the Eazy E homage on "Boys In the Woods" is the coolest part of the album.
Overall: 4/10
Favorite tracks: Lawn Chairs & Cheap Cigars (feat. Hard Target, Big Chuk, Big B); Live, Love, Laugh (feat. Colt Ford); Boys In the Woods
Spotify link
Moccasin Creek are a country-rap group signed to Average Joe's Entertainment, a label in part started by flagship artist Colt Ford. Other groups featured on the label include The Lacs (who I actually reviewed last year), Jawga Boyz, Trailer Choir, and Bubba Sparxxx.
As some may remember, in my review of The Lacs' last album, I complimented that, while I was not a fan of the duo's country-rap crossover and shameless pandering, I admired that the duo knew their audience. I'm pretty sure that someone listening to this would not care that this was pandering.
Just to differentiate, this is a country-rap album that is pandering in a much different way than an artist like, say, Luke Bryan does. See, with Mr. Luke Bryan, I don't think even his writers realize just how bad they are pandering to their audience. At least here, they know exactly who they are pandering to. Don't believe me? In the early days of AJE, the label would market their artists by staging shows at mud bogs. That's exactly the image I get when listening to this album, too.
Despite the album's rap elements, I cannot see a hip-hop fan liking this, and that's okay. As I said, this album appeals more to super-rural folks rather than hip-hop fans.
I really don't have a lot to say about this album, just because there isn't anything to say about this that hasn't also been said about The Lacs.
Side note: While the context on the album is pretty damn cheesy, the Eazy E homage on "Boys In the Woods" is the coolest part of the album.
Overall: 4/10
Favorite tracks: Lawn Chairs & Cheap Cigars (feat. Hard Target, Big Chuk, Big B); Live, Love, Laugh (feat. Colt Ford); Boys In the Woods
Wiz Khalifa - Khalifa
2016; Taylor Gang Records
Spotify link
Hip-hop's favorite stoner rapper (after Snoop, of course) is back with his sixth studio album. After the 2014 release of Blacc Hollywood and the massive success of the pop-rappy "See You Again" last year, I was a little concerned that the same Wiz Khalifa that had made such great singles as "Black and Yellow" and "Young Wild & Free" was gone.
However, this album is actually quite decent. Though it's still about what I expected from Wiz Khalifa in terms of rapping, the beats here are pretty tight. One of my favorite types of hip-hop beats are the slowed-down, chilled-out hazy beats, and on songs like "Celebrate" and "Cowboy", those types of beats are all over. There are the usual weed raps ("Bake Sale" feat. Travi$ Scott).
I wouldn't really consider myself a fan of Wiz Khalifa, but this is a pretty good album if only for the beats.
Overall: 6.5/10
Favorite tracks: Celebrate (feat. Rico Love); City View (feat. Courtney Noelle); Bake Sale (feat. Travi$ Scott); Call Waiting
Spotify link
Hip-hop's favorite stoner rapper (after Snoop, of course) is back with his sixth studio album. After the 2014 release of Blacc Hollywood and the massive success of the pop-rappy "See You Again" last year, I was a little concerned that the same Wiz Khalifa that had made such great singles as "Black and Yellow" and "Young Wild & Free" was gone.
However, this album is actually quite decent. Though it's still about what I expected from Wiz Khalifa in terms of rapping, the beats here are pretty tight. One of my favorite types of hip-hop beats are the slowed-down, chilled-out hazy beats, and on songs like "Celebrate" and "Cowboy", those types of beats are all over. There are the usual weed raps ("Bake Sale" feat. Travi$ Scott).
I wouldn't really consider myself a fan of Wiz Khalifa, but this is a pretty good album if only for the beats.
Overall: 6.5/10
Favorite tracks: Celebrate (feat. Rico Love); City View (feat. Courtney Noelle); Bake Sale (feat. Travi$ Scott); Call Waiting