This past week has marked yet another week in what has been a massive year for music. Dr. Dre came back with his soundtrack album Compton, FKA Twigs released a surprise EP/video, and The Weeknd scored his first-ever Hot 100 #1 hit with his Michael Jackson-esque jam "Can't Feel My Face."
This review will be the first "new" review that I'll be doing from now on. Rather than do singular reviews, I'm doing several shorter reviews compiled into one post. These shorter, condensed reviews will still have a rating and my favorite tracks, but will instead have a few well-written paragraphs explaining why I like or don't like the album.
This review will be the first "new" review that I'll be doing from now on. Rather than do singular reviews, I'm doing several shorter reviews compiled into one post. These shorter, condensed reviews will still have a rating and my favorite tracks, but will instead have a few well-written paragraphs explaining why I like or don't like the album.
Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss
Chelsea Wolfe is a Sacramento-based singer songwriter who is probably best known for her experimental guitar playing and haunting singing style. She has a sound that's very similar to if St. Vincent fronted Swans. I'd never really listened to Chelsea Wolfe a whole lot before, but this was a fantastic first impression to have. Like the aforementioned Swans and St. Vincent, Chelsea Wolfe's fifth studio album follows no rules. The grimy, gussied-up synths and guitars on here and dirge-y even remind me of doom metal bands such as Electric Wizard.
While I don't love every single song on here, there really isn't an uninteresting moment all through the 55 minute-long album. Be it Chelsea's dream-like voice, the droning, apocalyptic instrumentals, or the unusual song structures, if you're into experimental music even a little bit, there is a good chance you'll like this one. The songs swell in intensity and emotion throughout. It's desolate, brooding, and even mournful at times; stylistically, she's the polar opposite of the artist I'll be reviewing next. Like I said, if you're a fan of St. Vincent or Swans' more recent work, then this is a great album for you.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite Tracks: Carrion Flowers; Iron Moon; Dragged Out; Maw; After the Fall; Simple Death; Survive; Color of Blood
While I don't love every single song on here, there really isn't an uninteresting moment all through the 55 minute-long album. Be it Chelsea's dream-like voice, the droning, apocalyptic instrumentals, or the unusual song structures, if you're into experimental music even a little bit, there is a good chance you'll like this one. The songs swell in intensity and emotion throughout. It's desolate, brooding, and even mournful at times; stylistically, she's the polar opposite of the artist I'll be reviewing next. Like I said, if you're a fan of St. Vincent or Swans' more recent work, then this is a great album for you.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite Tracks: Carrion Flowers; Iron Moon; Dragged Out; Maw; After the Fall; Simple Death; Survive; Color of Blood
Mac DeMarco - Another One
Indie rock's lovable goofball is back with an 8-song mini-LP that clocks in at under 24 minutes. Since breaking onto the scene in 2012 with the mini-LP Rock and Roll Night Club, Mac DeMarco has carved out his own niche and garnered a very devoted fanbase. I've never been a fan of his music--as I'll get to in a minute--but I've always somewhat respected him for having such a big influence over a very specific group of people. On top of that, he's always seemed willing to stay close to his fans, something I don't really see a whole lot of artists doing.
As for his music, influenced by artists such as Steely Dan and Shuggie Otis, I haven't really heard anything that I've loved yet, and that includes this new mini-LP. As with 2014's Salad Days, Another One is jangly and sunny. However, it rides the worn coattails of artists like Real Estate, another group that I seem to have trouble clicking with. None of the tracks really stuck out to me, save for the last track "My House By The Water", in which Mac gives out his personal address and invites people over for coffee. While I didn't really love the rest of the record, I will admit that this is honestly a pretty cool thing that he did. Apparently, quite a few people have taken him up on the offer.
I'll leave the review at this: If you're a fan of Salad Days, you'll like this new release from DeMarco. If you're not a fan of Salad Days, you probably won't like it.
Overall: 5/10
Favorite Track: My House By The Water
As for his music, influenced by artists such as Steely Dan and Shuggie Otis, I haven't really heard anything that I've loved yet, and that includes this new mini-LP. As with 2014's Salad Days, Another One is jangly and sunny. However, it rides the worn coattails of artists like Real Estate, another group that I seem to have trouble clicking with. None of the tracks really stuck out to me, save for the last track "My House By The Water", in which Mac gives out his personal address and invites people over for coffee. While I didn't really love the rest of the record, I will admit that this is honestly a pretty cool thing that he did. Apparently, quite a few people have taken him up on the offer.
I'll leave the review at this: If you're a fan of Salad Days, you'll like this new release from DeMarco. If you're not a fan of Salad Days, you probably won't like it.
Overall: 5/10
Favorite Track: My House By The Water
Dr. Dre - Compton
Finally, after 16 years, we finally have a full album from the godfather of gangsta rap, Dr. Dre. After rumors seemingly every year that Detox was finally being released, Dre came out several days ago saying that the album was no more, citing the reason as "it just wasn't good." But we get this album instead, and that's definitely better than nothing. When you consider Dr. Dre's long period of inactivity without a full album, the mere fact that we get an album from him this year is kind of mind-blowing.
Before I started listening, I was a little scared that Dre may have lost his touch after not having another album for nearly two decades. While this album is not as strong as 2001 and definitely not as strong as The Chronic, it still has everything that made those albums great, from the banger beats to the killer guest features.
As far as guest features go, Dr. Dre proteges Kendrick Lamar and Eminem are obvious standouts. But the biggest surprise on here was probably Snoop Dogg on the song "One Shot One Kill", performed by Jon Connor. He sounds so mean and dirty on the song and I hardly recognized him at first. To be completely honest, there really is not a bad guest feature on here. The same goes for the beats. Not a badly-produced track anywhere in sight here. Some of the beats even sound a bit like Kendrick Lamar's 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city. It's a little fitting, seeing as they also have similar themes present.
If you're a fan of hip-hop, then there is a good chance you'll highly enjoy this new (and likely final) album by one of the most important figures in hip-hop.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite Tracks:Talk About It (feat. King Mez & Justus); Genocide (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, & Candice Pillay); Loose Cannons (feat. Xzibit, Cold 187um, & Sly Pyper); Issues (feat. Ice Cube, Anderson .Paak, & Dem Jointz); Deep Water (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Justus, & Anderson .Paak); One Shot One Kill (performed by Jon Connor, feat. Snoop Dogg); For The Love Of Money (feat. Jill Scott, Jon Connor, & Anderson .Paak); Medicine Man (feat. Eminem, Candice Pillay, & Anderson .Paak); Talking To My Diary
Before I started listening, I was a little scared that Dre may have lost his touch after not having another album for nearly two decades. While this album is not as strong as 2001 and definitely not as strong as The Chronic, it still has everything that made those albums great, from the banger beats to the killer guest features.
As far as guest features go, Dr. Dre proteges Kendrick Lamar and Eminem are obvious standouts. But the biggest surprise on here was probably Snoop Dogg on the song "One Shot One Kill", performed by Jon Connor. He sounds so mean and dirty on the song and I hardly recognized him at first. To be completely honest, there really is not a bad guest feature on here. The same goes for the beats. Not a badly-produced track anywhere in sight here. Some of the beats even sound a bit like Kendrick Lamar's 2012 album good kid, m.A.A.d city. It's a little fitting, seeing as they also have similar themes present.
If you're a fan of hip-hop, then there is a good chance you'll highly enjoy this new (and likely final) album by one of the most important figures in hip-hop.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite Tracks:Talk About It (feat. King Mez & Justus); Genocide (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, & Candice Pillay); Loose Cannons (feat. Xzibit, Cold 187um, & Sly Pyper); Issues (feat. Ice Cube, Anderson .Paak, & Dem Jointz); Deep Water (feat. Kendrick Lamar, Justus, & Anderson .Paak); One Shot One Kill (performed by Jon Connor, feat. Snoop Dogg); For The Love Of Money (feat. Jill Scott, Jon Connor, & Anderson .Paak); Medicine Man (feat. Eminem, Candice Pillay, & Anderson .Paak); Talking To My Diary
FKA Twigs - M3LLI55AX
On Thursday, English R&B songstress FKA Twigs released surprise EP accompanied with a video (shown above). As is probably the case with most, I got into her music last year with the release of her debut album LP1. She has a cool, almost unconventional approach to modern R&B. As with Chelsea Wolfe, FKA Twigs' music is almost dream-like in sound.
The most I can say about this EP is that Twigs took everything that she had done on her previous album and improved on it. The production is still dark and nightmare-ish, and her ethereal voice floats through the music and blends with it rather than float over it. In other words, she took everything that was present on LP1 and improved on it.
Overall: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: I'm Your Doll; In Time; Glass & Patron; Mothercreep
The most I can say about this EP is that Twigs took everything that she had done on her previous album and improved on it. The production is still dark and nightmare-ish, and her ethereal voice floats through the music and blends with it rather than float over it. In other words, she took everything that was present on LP1 and improved on it.
Overall: 9/10
Favorite Tracks: I'm Your Doll; In Time; Glass & Patron; Mothercreep