I like Departing better as a singular statement. But the newest has some of my favorite individual moments, I think. My personal favorites from the new one are "Terrified," "All We've Ever Known," "Vulcan, AB," and "Not Love or Death."
Yes. All of Daydreams and Nightmares (second full length--the home of both of these songs) is really quality. Straight jams. Their drummer just goes to town throughout that one. In Our Space Hero Suits is a little weaker. It's more eclectic, as if they were still finding their feet when they made it.
This article is insulting to both Marina and Charli. Why are they being pitted against each other again??? And Marina is way more than the poor man's version of Charli. Screw that.
I get the same feeling listening to this as I do listening to Robert Johnson and Miles Davis. These are odd comparisons, true. But there's something there. Just pure talent, breathtaking inventiveness, and real vision all converging on each song. Listening to Kendrick go to work and make art--this is what music is about. As others have said, I feel privileged to be alive while Kendrick is in his prime.
I certainly have no beef with this list. Kill v. Maim is a killer of a song--the mixture of the pure vocal aggression and the sugary production is exhilarating. That song gets me so hyped. I would like to give a shout to Wet's newest single, "It's All in Vain." Their run of flowing, silky singles continues.
I enjoy Raury's rapping. His feature on "Higher" by Sbtrkt is stellar. On that track he flings himself from rapping to singing and back. That's where he's at his best. I don't think he should go pure rap for rap's sake à la Earl Sweatshirt, but he should still integrate it into his stuff.
Some artists/albums:
Andy Shauf--The Bearer of Bad News (noir of the Canadian prairie)
Kate Tempest--Everybody Down (uber-literate female rapper from England)
The Crookes--Hold Fast (Well-executed indie rock with a retro feel)
Keaton Henson--Dear (possibly the saddest album you'll hear)
Those Dancing Days--Day Dreams and Nightmares (Swedish girl group that is no more, to whom I cannot stop listening)
Typhoon--White Lighter (echoes of Arcade Fire)
"The Plot" is fantastic. One of my favorite songs of the past 10 years. I kind of think they went off the rails a bit with Milk Famous. It's good enough, but I think they kind of left behind what they do best. They're at their best when they get that piano/double-drum interplay--a combo of cabaret and punk energy with some other influences thrown in to spice things up. On Milk Famous, however, something's missing. The energy isn't all there, and the in-studio trickery is distracting at times (sometimes it sounds like they're going for Paul Simon, which doesn't really work with their aesthetic). MF has its moments. I just think it's a bit of a misstep.
Yes, a Tove Stryke shoutout!! And also, Owl City's shtick is a potential contagion. It's the worst of the monogenre (or just awful, pandering music if you're not aboard the monogenre train).
I'm personally putting that Cayucas album on repeat. There is nothing revolutionary about it, but the lyricism is evocative. It's bittersweet and beachy, making it a fantastic album for driving through the countryside or along the coast.
Some of my favorites this year so far:
FJM--I Love You, Honeybear
Courtney Barnett--Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit
Shamir--Ratchet
The Staves--If I Was
The Wombats--Glitterbug
Passion Pit--Kindred
Kendrick Lamar--TPAB
Milo Greene--Control
Tove Stryke--Kiddo
I would like to note that, despite its general dismissal, that Wombats album is full of some woozy, synthy bangers that sound like a spent party kid realizing that he's been living in a mirage. As for the Tove Stryke, I'll hawk that album for a long time.
This is a fantastic week for new albums. This one, Donnie Trumpet's Long Band Name, Flo + the Machine, and Sun Kill Moon seem to be getting all the headlines. Rightfully, they are--though I can't say I'm too into Koz and his stuff (even without all the recent controversy).
It's so fully packed that some albums that I would label as "Very Good-Great" are not quite getting the looks they might deserve. For example, that Holychild album is one of the most fun albums of the year. If you're looking for a summery sing-along, that's it. They know what they are, and they're extremely good at delivering the best of that bratty pop. Algiers has also put out an intriguing album--it's dark, but it has this driving energy to it. It drowns blues and gospel elements in growling guitars and driving punk drums. I love it.
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