Top Albums 20 of 2015

Look I know I'm a month late on this, but there were way too many important 2015 releases that I missed out on and needed the time to hear. In fact, there are quite a few albums that I didn't even have the chance to review that still ended up on my list. It's been a fantastic year in music, and there's been stellar releases from a ton of my favorite artists. It seems to be customary to mention how hard compiling a year end list is, but this one truly was difficult. Without delaying it any further, my top 20 albums of 2015.

20)

Abyss by Chelsea Wolfe

Out of all the album's found on my list, Abyss is the one I've listened to the least, and it has nothing to do with the album's quality. Put simply, the album is so powerful, so noisy, so loud, that you can't help but feel the music. Chelsea Wolfe's gothic voice is beautiful yet empty, it's the only thing stopping you from being sucked into the dark, dreary production that surrounds this album in blackness. Abyss may be the heaviest album of 2015, and yet still, it  manages to feel both calming and soothing.

19)

Today, I Wrote Nothing by Billy Woods

Billy Woods has been doing his thing within the underground hip-hop scene for quite some time now, but with the release of Today, I Wrote Nothing, Woods grabbed the world's attention, and put his talents on display. He still may not be the biggest, most well known hip-hop commodity, but he solidified himself as one of the most underrated talents in the game by creating his most ambitious project yet. 

18)

Scar Sighted by Leviathan

For those not familiar with Leviathan, multi-instrumentalist Jef Whitehead's solo black metal project has been one of the biggest acts in American black metal for quite some time. On his latest album, Whitehead often times seems to forget he's even making a black metal album, as it sounds more like a hodgepodge of every genre he can think of, combining death and doom metal with noise rock, post metal, and just about anything else that crosses his mind. While typically such stylistic choices would lead to a project that's convoluted and ultimately too ambitious, that isn't the case on Scar Sighted, as each risk pays off, making for one of the better metal releases of the year.

17)

I Love You Honeybear by Father John Misty

I'm not quite sure what it is I like more about J. Tillman, the former Fleet Foxes drummer who has since went solo under the Father John Misty alias, is it his music or is it his humour? On his latest record I Love You Honeybear, there's no need to choose. The blend of Tillman's outrageous comedy and personality with his fantastic song compositions help make for one of the most unique indie folk experiences around. 

16)

Luminiferous by High on Fire

As if Matt Pike had anything else to prove after creating Dopesmoker alongside his fellow Sleep bandmates, an album that has went on to be one of the most influential stoner metal projects of all time, he decided to form his own band High on Fire. Since their formation, High on Fire have delivered quite a few classics themselves (their 2007 album Death Is This Communion is a personnel favorite of mine.) In 2015, the band released what has to be considered one of their better albums thanks to the the blend of doom metal, sludge metal, and thrash metal found throughout the track listing. Pike's vocals are perhaps the best they've ever been, and his bandmates aren't too shabby on this one either. Luminiferous makes for a great album for any fan of metal music, to say the least.

15)

Get to Heaven by Everything Everything

If you're a fan of catchy, sing-a-long pop rock, look no further than Everything Everything's Get to Heaven. The band's third full-length studio release see's them pursue darker song-writing, but when met with the band's upbeat electronic rock style it leads to what is easily their finest release yet. It's guaranteed to get stuck in your head, and leave you wanting more. If that is the case, the band even packaged five or so extra tracks alongside the deluxe edition of this release.

14)

Every Open Eye by Chvrches

Chvrches have seemingly perfected the art of crafting synth-pop at this point. They released one of the best debut album's of 2013, and followed it up with Every Open Eye, an album that proves they haven't lost a step yet. If you're a fan of synth-pop, you've already heard Chvrches, if you aren't a fan of synth-pop, check out this album and you will be.

13)

I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside by Earl Sweatshirt

Earl Sweatshirt is one of the most talented young emcee's around, and if he didn't manage to impress you on EARL or Doris, then I Don't Like Shit should do the job. Not only has Earl refined his sound and continued to improve both his lyricism and beat selection, but he managed to do so on a project that clocks in at a mere 30 minutes. Maybe it sounds too short for you to truly be able to grasp what the Odd Future member is saying, but thanks to some superb lyrics and some fantastic features, it ends up feeling like the perfect length.

12)

The Anthropocene Extinction by Cattle Decapitation

Not only do Cattle Decap possess one of the most metal names I've ever heard, but they also have one of the premier vocalists in the current death metal scene thanks to frontman Travis Ryan. The vegan deathgrind 4-piece are frequently spreading their message against the mistreatment and eating of animals through their absolutely brutal and bone shattering music, and The Anthropocene Extinction see's the band look deeper into a dystopian future where we as humans fail to change the way we're living, and if there was ever an album to scare you into changing your ways, I'd put money on it being this one.

11)

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett

Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett has been putting together solid material under the radar for a few years now, but it wasn't until last year that she released her debut full-length. The album definitely came in on the unique side of the spectrum, and was a nice change of pace to an indie rock scene that is littered with recycled sounds. Barnett's style isn't quite indie rock, but it isn't quite indie folk, to me it's a hybrid of the two. Call it what you want, perhaps the best summation of the album is simply; great.

10)

The Algiers by The Algiers

The Algiers self-titled debut full-length was easily one of the biggest, and best surprises to come from this past year. The group managed to blend gospel, post-punk and noise rock among other things with ease. They took the music industry by storm from virtually nowhere, releasing an album that's just as fun and catchy as it is skillful. The upbeat pacing mixed with some very intriguing gospel influenced vocals is seriously something to behold.

9)

 

Meliora by Ghost

If there's one thing Ghost proved in 2015, it was that you don't have to be the heaviest to be one of the best. Not only did the band put out one of their best albums yet and one of the best albums of the year, they managed to do so while creating a sound unlike what any other band is currently producing. The band gives you your hard hitting heavy metal on cuts like From the Pinnacle to the Pit and Mummy Dust, but they also toy with elements of classic rock, psychedelia and a plethora of other genres throughout the album. Hell, He Is is much closer to being a folk song than it is metal, and yet still, on Meliora it makes sense. 

8)

The Powers That B by Death Grips

What can really be said about Death Grips that hasn't already been said? Their impressive discography continues to grow, and they manage to continue producing their signature sound without ever quite sounding the same, especially on the double LP The Powers That B. We get some of the noise rap group's most abrasive and angry cuts, and we also get some of their most lyrical and timid. Sure, it may not be The Money Store, but it's pretty damn close in my mind. 

7)

E•MO•TION by Carly Rae Jepsen

If you haven't heard Carly Rae Jepsen's latest album, you need to as soon as possible. I Really Like You may not be the most impressive single, but if you take the time to dig deeper into the album, you'll find a hidden gem. An ode to mid 80's synthpop with just a touch of Jepsen's own style makes this album one of the most impressive mainstream commercial pop releases in quite some time. It's fun, it's laid back, and it's straight forward without being watered or dumbed down like most commercial pop tends to be.

6)

So The Flies Don't Come by Milo

I was late on this project, way too late. I regret every minute not spent listening to this album, and I've been making up for it even since I got around to hearing it by playing it on a daily basis. This is a hip-hop record that goes down the list and checks off every single thing I look for with an album within the genre. Milo's lyrics border from being clever to being so complex I need to use google to understand, and that's something that shouldn't be taken for granted. Combine that with some very enjoyable production and great features, and you have So The Flies Don't Come, one of the best rap projects of 2015.

5)

Currents by Tame Impala

Currents, Tame Impala's third full-length studio album was definitely a grower. After my first listen, or my first four or five for that matter, I wasn't impressed. That's not to say that I didn't like it, but maybe I just didn't quite understand it. Kevin Parker had switched up the formula that made his first two projects so enjoyable, almost completely throwing away his guitar and instead focused primarily on the synthesizers. As the album has aged, it has continued to grow on me, and has become my favorite in the band's discography by quite a large margin. Changing up the formula is always a big risk to take, but in the case of Tame Impala and Currents, it's a risk that paid off.

4)

Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens

One of the most hauntingly beautiful albums I've heard this year, Sufjan Stevens' Carrie & Lowell is not only one of the best of the year, it's one of the best in Sufjan's discography. He returned to his folk roots after experimenting with more electronic elements on his previous release The Age of Adz, which is a fantastic album in it's own right. Carrie & Lowell  was made in memory of Stevens' late mother Carrie who passed away back in 2012. The lyrics are often times very personal, inspired by his childhood and family. If you enjoy sparse, atmospheric, indie folk music, Carrie & Lowell is a must hear.

3)

Purple by Baroness

Because of it's release coming in late December, Purple was unfairly left off of many best of 2015 lists. Not only is the album a return to form for the sludge metal band Baroness after the release of the somewhat disappointing double LP Yellow & Green, but it's also perhaps their best release to date. The band once again manages to take their sludge metal roots and blend it with alternative metal crafting catchy, often time chorus driven tracks. If you feared that Baroness were going to fall off after their last album, give Purple a spin, if it proves one thing it's that not only are they back, but they're one of Savannah's premier metal acts.

2)

To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar

When it came down to declaring my favorite album of 2015, I really struggled making a decision. Kendrick Lamar dropped what has become immediately one of the most important hip-hop album's of the decade. The subject matter is important, Kendrick is talking about things that matter and that we need to pay attention to, in a time where no mainstream artists chose to do so in their music. Important doesn't necessarily always lead to quality though, and the Compton native did an impeccable job of ensuring his album was just as enjoyable as it was anything else. Tracks like King Kunta, Alright, and You Ain't Gotta Lie will keep those looking for hits satisfied, while still managing to incorporate such a bold message under the surface as well. Kendrick Lamar is declaring he's proud of his heritage, as should everyone else, while also discussing the stereotypes still perpetuated against minorities to this day. For those of you claiming that hip-hop is dead, we'll see about that twenty odd years from now when To Pimp A Butterfly is still as relevant and important as it right now.

1)

New Bermuda by Deafheaven

Until sitting down to write this list, I had TPAB and Deafheaven's latest release sitting both in my number one spot. Two albums, so different, yet so similar. One is a hip-hop album with a crucial message that everyone needs to hear, the other is a black metal masterpiece, blending the extreme genre with elements of post-metal and shoegaze among other things. The atmospheric soundscape of this album, the tremolo picked guitars and epic blast beats that make way for post-rock passages only to once again build into a wonderful crescendo, New Bermuda has everything. The groundwork was laid with the band's second studio album Sunbather, but what they did in 2015 was take it to a grander scheme, they took the 10+ minute black metal onslaughts, and the beautifully intricate interludes that separated them, and found a way to combine the two into single tracks. It's an album that screams work of art, each sound layered precisely onto one another, with the ugliness of the wretched vocals floating somewhere beneath the surface. The beauty that lays in Deafheaven's New Bermuda is simply too strong to ignore, and that's what makes it worthy of the title of my favorite album of 2015. 

7 Releases From 2015 You Need To Hear If You Haven't Already

First and foremost, let me just say that the chances of you having heard at least one or two albums on this list are very high. Rather than focusing on plucking 7 artists from complete obscurity and dropping them onto your radar, I figured it'd be better to take a mix of popular and underground artists from some varying genres, because chances are there will be at least one or two that you aren't familiar with, and that you might truly enjoy. With that being said, in no particular order, 7 albums from 2015 you need to hear.

1) Blood by Lianne La Havas

UK born singer-songwriter Lianne La Havas stormed onto the scene this year with her second full length release Blood, an album that saw her blend soul and R&B among a few other influences in what made for a great showcase of her talent. Not only does she have a fantastic voice, but her ability for writing catchy lyrics cannot be overlooked, and she's also a very gifted multi-instrumentalist. If you're looking for something new and refreshing, yet still catchy and upbeat, Blood is sure to lift you up have you singing and dancing in no time. 

2) Get to Heaven by Everything Everything

Everything Everything's contribution to the music scene in 2015 was a very welcomed one, as the band delivered some of the best indie pop-rock I've heard in quite some time. Not only was it's release a very pleasant surprise to me, but it also ended up being one of my favorite album's of the year as well. Lead singer Jonathan Higgs' vocals may take a little bit of getting used to, but once you hear a few songs from the band, and see just what his vocal range is capable of alongside their ability to craft catchy pop tunes, you'll be blown away.

3) Meow The Jewels by Run The Jewels

Ever since the group's formation and debut album back in 2013, Run The Jewels, the hip-hop duo of Killer Mike and El-P has been one of, if not the most entertaining and enjoyable rap ensemble in all of hip-hop. So it's only fair that the two combine their oftentimes aggressive and overly violent rap style with the soothing sounds of cats, right? Well, whether you answered yes or no to that, they did it. Thanks to a fan-funded kickstarter campaign, Killer Mike, El-P, a few lucky cats, and a large number of gifted producers got together and created perhaps the weirdest rap album ever made when they remixed RTJ2 with the inclusion of cat sounds.

4) Hyperview by Title Fight

Title Fight's transition from run of the mill Hardcore-punk act to shoe-gaze inspired indie rock band made for one of, in my opinion, the most pleasantly surprising releases of 2015. While the album received fairly decent reviews, it didn't quite achieve the popularity that I personally felt it deserved. The music on the album ranges from noisy and emotional, to quiet, sparse, and depressing, and really just hits the right note when you feel like listening to an album that feels like it belongs in an low-budget indie drama soundtrack (and I mean that in a good way.) The album has a wonderful flow to it, and once you press play on the first track, you'll have a hard time turning it off until it's finished.

5) Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit by Courtney Barnett

Courtney Barnett took on 2015 with momentum on her side, as her debut album Sometimes I Sit received quite a bit of exposure thanks to websites like Pitchfork and the Rolling Stone promoting the release. The reason such high profile music sites went out of their way to showcase the Australian born singer-songwriter is because put simply, she's on her way to becoming one of the best indie rock musicians out there. On her debut album she introduces us into her own signature style, a style that sees her combine very catchy indie rock style guitar riffs, with weird, quirky, story telling that see's her range from rambling about her societal views, to her delivering repetitive and catchy choruses. Her speak/sing style of delivery is something seen quite a bit more in the folk and country scene, but she works it very well into her sound, and it's definitely something worth checking out.  

6) Today, I Wrote Nothing by Billy Woods

Billy Woods approach to hip-hop is quite unlike anything that's popular within the genre now. He doesn't use club anthem instrumentals, he doesn't rely on the popularity of the trap scene, and he doesn't try to be relatable. Instead, Billy Woods uses his immaculate vocabulary, and snail speed slow delivery to make for what was one of the most intriguing rap releases of the whole year. The songs are short and to the point, the instrumentals are some of the most diverse and fleshed out of any rap project I've heard recently, and the track-list comes in at 24 cuts. How Billy Woods managed to take on a project of that length without seeming repetitive either lyrically or instrumentally is far beyond me, but for a day where he wrote nothing, he sure did write a lot (not funny, I know.) 

7) O∆ by London O'Connor

Your first question, I'm sure, is what kind of album name is that? Well, the album name seems to describe London O'Connor perfectly, because both he and the album are quite frankly, just different. The young musician assembled a project this year that is an ode to growing up and missing your childhood, or maybe just never growing up at all. I reviewed the album in full previously, and my thoughts still remain the same. While London dabbles in many different genres, it seems very clear that he is creating his own sound, and his own style to accompany it.

Harmlessness by The World Is A Beautiful Place And I'm No Longer Afraid To Die

If I had a dollar for every shitty emo album that I've listened to since the genre's revival around 2010, I'd be a very rich man. It's become a genre that is either hit or miss, as you can come across something great at any time, something on par with emo greats like Brand New, Dashboard Confessional, and Sunny Day Real Estate, but you can just as easily come across another knock off attempt of mainstream pop-punk emo acts like Fall out Boy and the All-American Rejects. On their debut, TWIABP made it clear that their eight-piece ensemble wanted to be grouped together with the greats, as they took on a different approach to the genre. They continue to follow through on that with their sophomore release.

On Whenever, If Ever, the band broke-through with what were some greatly crafted emo tracks, that constantly saw changing vocals, it seemed like every track had a different member of the band lending their voice, and while it did make for a bit of a mess, that was just part of it's magic. On their newest album Harmlessness, the band gets away from that, and we hear David Bello and Katie Shanholtzer take responsibility for the majority of the vocals. The dynamic of their voices is excellent on track to track basis and is one of my favorite things featured on the album. It flows beautifully over the instrumentation, which is another thing worth mentioning.

Emo has a always had a very similar feel to alt-rock, sometimes even post-punk, at least when it comes to the music that's being played, as it's really the lyrics that separate emo from the other two. What caught my ear during my first few play throughs of this album, was the band's ability to use both heartbreakingly sad instrumentals, and follow them up with songs that sound, almost, well, uplifting to be honest. The intro track, and one every my favorite cuts, You Can't Live There Forever, features a beautiful sparse acoustic guitar opening, before becoming a fantastic composition of violins, drums, chimes, and any other instrument the band can use to help this feeling of happiness that kicks off the album. It's not necessarily new for an emo band to mix in a few less depressing songs in their track listing, but the way that TWIABP do it, it makes me really wonder if they would simply be better off pursing more of an indie rock route than continuing with the emo genre.

Now don't get me wrong here, because the band does emo tracks exceptionally well on this album too, take a look at January 10th, 2014 for any needed proof, the track tells the true story of Diana, the hunter of bus drivers, a female vigilante who murdered two bus drivers as revenge for two decades worth of rape, assault, and homicide in Juarez, Mexico. While at it's base, it's a wonderfully crafted emo song, the subject matter makes it so much more than that, and proves the band is capable of a lot more than the confines of the emo genre. We get more uplifting, poppy, groovy tracks like The Word Lisa, Rage Against the Dying Light, and Willie (for Howard) as the track listing moves on, the end of the album sees a much more sad tone, and also features the album's two longest tracks with I Can Be Afraid of Anything clocking in at over 7 minutes, and Mount Hum finishing a minute longer.

The best comparison I have for this album is Modern Baseball's You're Gonna Miss It All, just because in the same way that it blew me away with the potential they displayed with their fusion of folk, punk and emo on the album, TWIABP blow me away with the potential of their own sound on Harmlessness. By no means is it completely innovative, but how often do you find an emo release that truly is? In a time where the genre is littered with albums not worth mentioning, the band comes through with a wonderful release, something that any fan of the genre, or indie rock for that matter, should take the time to listen to.

Rating: B+

Favorite Tracks: You Can't Live There Forever, January 10th 2014, The Word Lisa, I Can Be Afraid of Anything

Least Favorite Tracks: Mount Hum

GO:OD AM by Mac Miller

Mac Miller is a rapper/producer from Pittsburgh, PA. He broke out back in 2010 with the release of his mixtape KIDS, and ever since has been one of the most popular rappers on the scene. His ever changing sound has led to some excellent projects, and some projects that aren't quite as great. Nonetheless, the 23 year old as compiled a very versatile discography. 

Mac's second full-length album, Watching Movies with the Sound Off was released back in 2013, and while it was seen by many as a sign of maturity in his sound, I personally did not enjoy it as much as I had enjoyed his earlier work. He followed that up, however, with what is probably my favorite project in his discography Faces, a more laid back and unique, at times even comedic approach to rapping by the emcee. On his newest album, I wasn't sure what to expect. Would we get a continuation of the style seen on Faces, or would he continue to alter his sound on every project he releases, like he has done in the past?

On GO:OD AM we get a sound that hovers somewhere between his last two previously mentioned projects Watching Movies and Faces. While Mac certainly takes a similar approach to rapping that we see on Watching Movies, the instrumentals are much more reminiscent of those you'd find on his last project. I can't say that his lyrical approach on Watching Movies was bad, but I did personally find it much less entertaining than how he handled Faces, so coming into this album that was an immediate disappointment.

Perhaps my biggest problem with this album, and rap music in general at the moment, is the ridiculous 17 tracks and 70+ minute run time of the album. I know what you're thinking, why am I mad that Mac Miller provided more tracks to listen to, isn't that a good thing? It is, to an extent. But something that's happening time and time again in hip-hop, is that artists are adding additional tracks to the listing just for the sake of using tracks. Much like I mentioned on A$AP Rocky's latest project, so many of these tracks are throwaways that, if left out of the listing, would have probably led to a more positive listening experience. I think it goes without saying that the inclusion of two or three "bad" tracks, is going to really hurt someone's perception of an album. 

As far as what Mac did well, is his experimentation production wise on this project. He continues to get away from producing his own tracks under his Larry Fisherman allias, as all the production is done by other producers on GO:OD AM. We do get some very unique instrumentals on the project, like the one found on Time Flies, a track that also features cult legend rapper Lil B. Another instrumental worth mentioning is Jump, a very electronic based track that sounds much more like something you'd find on a house album than a hip-hop album. With that being said, Mac does a great job of making the most out of the track. ROS can also be added into the discussion of more interesting instrumentals, as it kicks off with Miller singing over a piano ballad before transitioning into a very sparse and laid back beat, where he even does his own backing vocals. 

The features are another thing of note, as throughout the album only 5 of the tracks contain guest features. Half of which are singing contributions (done by The Weeknd and Little Dragon), meaning Mac Miller takes on the majority of the 70 minute project all by himself. The guest verses we do see come from Chicago based trap artist Chief Keef, who delivers a very typical trap verse on the track Cut The Check, which is a below average cut. Lil B's appearance on Times Flies sees him simply talking in the background of the track, nothing more. The one guest verse worth noting, is that of Ab-Soul, who appears on Two Matches, a sequal of sorts to the track Matches by the two rappers that appeared back on Watching Movies. While Matches ended up being one of my favorites on it's respective project, Two Matches is also one of my favorites on this album. We see Soul deliver a fantastic verse as per usual, and Mac Miller keeps up quite well, seeming a little bit more focused than he does throughout the rest of the project. 

If Mac had have made the decision to leave a few of the subpar tracks out of the listing, cuts like Clubhouse, In The Bag, and Cut The Check, then I believe it would have made for a much more focused and well put together finished project. Instead, we get a project that's way too long, drags in parts, and at times seems as if it was just thrown together. That's not to take away from how many good songs there are on the album, because there are plenty, but unfortunately I can't only judge it from the good ones. 

Rating: B-

Favorite Tracks: Brand Name, Two Matches, Perfect Circle, The Festival

Least Favorite Tracks: Clubhouse, In The Bag, God Speed (the second half of Perfect Circle,) Cut The Check

90059 by Jay Rock

Over the last few years, Top Dawg Entertainment has been one of the most important labels in the hip-hop genre, as it's helped stars like Kendrick Lamar, ScHoolboy Q, and more achieve tons of mainstream exposure. However, since the label's rise to fame, it's been LA based rapper Jay Rock who has failed to reach that same level of success that his other three Black Hippy collective members have achieved. That can be in large part due to the fact that in his career that stretches back to over a decade ago, Rock has released just one full-length album, 2011's Follow Me Home, and while it was a solid release, it's been completely forgotten about thanks to the albums his label mates have released. 

Without a doubt, this new album was Jay Rock's big chance to prove that he is able to deliver on the same level of his label mates. At 30 years old, it may also be his last chance to do so before it's too late. With that being said, there are tons of rappers who don't come across their sound until later in their career, for example Danny Brown didn't release his breakout project XXX until the age of 30, and has went on to, in my opinion at least, be one of the more consistent mainstream rappers out. Jay Rock was able to prove a bit of his skill on the singles released for the album, but it wasn't until the third single, Gumbo, which was released in early August, that Jay was able to get me truly hyped for his newest project.

On 90059, Jay Rock does not attempt to completely overturn his style, as his sound is still a very much 'gangsta' rap west-coast influenced sound. He does however rely on a bit of a different production style than what we've seen him use in the past, and he does a great job of balancing his trade-mark story telling ability with a good amount of word play and braggadocios lyrics on the very laid back production throughout the track listing. Rock kicks the project off with a hard-hitting lyrical display on Necessary, a track that features an instrumental reminiscent of something you'd find on an early 2000's G-Unit album. Near the end of the project, Jay Rock does lean a little bit more on his story telling ability, especially on the tenth track Money Trees Deuce (an ode to the Kendrick Lamar song he featured on back in 2012) where he discusses friends trying to hold him back on his road to success. Even though the topic matter is serious, Jay Rock rides the line between topical rap and boasting, as he avoids getting too serious on any of his cuts. 

The features on the album are, of course, in large part done by TDE label members. The only non-TDE affiliated artists who pop up in the track listing are Inglewood based singer-songwriter SiR (who I first heard of on TiRon & Ayomari's Wonderful Prelude) and veteran hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes, who provides a very unique spin on the track Fly On The Wall, where he essentially spends his verse both praising and advising Jay Rock on hip-hop culture. While it isn't Busta Rhymes' best verse, it serves the purpose of further establishing Jay Rock as a rapper who is respected in the rap community. 

It's the TDE features however, that I was most excited for. We get a feature by 24 year old emcee Isaiah Rashad on Wanna Ride, and while he doesn't get the chance to drop a verse of his own, he does provide an excellent hook on the laid back beat. We also see a feature from singer SZA on the track Easy Bake that also features Kendrick Lamar. While the track is easily my least favorite cut on the album, she does do a fairly good job of providing a nicely sung verse that helps the instrumental transition into track's outro. Lastly, we get a rare Black Hippy collaboration on the song Vice City. Kendrick Lamar takes the lead on the track as he opens it up and also lends his voice to the hook. The production is fairly sparse which allows the focus to lay on the lyrical content that the four-piece rap collective provide. While the unique flow that the rappers use takes a couple of listens to get used to, it certainly is something different, which all four rappers aim to do on a constant basis. The only downside to this feature is that Jay Rock's verse is easily the most forgettable of the four, something that happens seemingly every time the group gets together. 

That leads into one of my complaints of the album, which is Jay Rock's inability to stand out on tracks that feature TDE members. Even on Wanna Ride, a track where Isaiah Rashad only sings the chorus, I find myself paying more attention to him than to Jay Rock. I'm not sure what it is that makes it so hard for Rock to stand out on a track with features, but it's a problem that's occurred time and time again ever since his signing to Top Dawg Entertainment. I also feel as if Rock will continue to be overlooked because of his lack of a clear cut "style." While Kendrick is known for his lyricism and ability to create conceptual story based tracks, Q has a gift for making very accessible party tracks, and Ab-Soul has established himself due to his unique lyrical approach and delivery. Meanwhile, Jay Rock doesn't seem to stand out in any specific way.

Still, those things don't take away from the experience of listening to 90059 too much, as it does come together as a very good listening experience. I do still believe Jay Rock will be the most overlooked member of the core four of TDE, but at least now he has delivered a major label project that proves he's worth a mention when discussing the artists on what is, as I mentioned, perhaps hip-hop's most important label.  

Rating: B+

Favorite Tracks: Necessary, Gumbo, Vice City, Fly on the Wall, Money Trees Deuce

Least Favorite Track: Easy Bake, The Message

That's The Spirit by Bring Me The Horizon

One of the faces of metalcore over the last decade, British metal band Bring Me the Horizon have compiled a discography 4 full length albums in their career, all of which cracked the top 100 charts in the UK. For the most part however, I've found their music to be rather basic and generic. It wasn't until their fourth album, Sempiternal that the band delivered a project that proved to me that they do have some potential to be more than just your run of the mill metalcore act. That's largely due to the band's continued experimentation with electronic elements that gave an added dimension to a genre that often times can feel very one dimensional, at least on the mainstream level.

Going into the release of their newest album That's The Spirit, I was fairly excited to see what kind of progress Oliver Sykes and co. were going to make, and if they could actually win me over with an album that actually felt as if the band were passionate about the music that they made. Instead of that however, the singles released before the album Drown, Happy Song, and Throne, made it evident that the band was headed in a very different direction than that of their previous output. While the electronic elements remained in their sound, any previous elements of the metalcore genre, or metal for that matter, were left in the past. Instead, on their latest release Bring Me the Horizon ditch the screaming vocals, hardcore guitar riffs, and booming drums, in favor of a much more radio friendly rock sound. While the electronic elements, like the use of a synthesizer remained, that was really the only element that carried over, aside from Oliver Sykes subpar song writing ability. 

Let me just say, there is nothing wrong with bands making big transitions in their sound, and in a lot of cases (Radiohead's Kid A, The Velvet Underground & Nico's eponymous album, and even more recently, Kanye West's Yeezus) a transition can lead to a band/artist putting out some of their best material. However, as far as Bring Me the Horizon's 180 turn in musical direction goes, it does absolutely nothing for me. Sonically, the band sounds different of course, but the same reasons why I couldn't get into the band before remain. The guitar riffs are recycled and often times boring, the vocals are also boring and frankly, the lyrics are even worse. Not to mention how lame the background chanting in tracks like True Friends are now that they've lost all of their previous edge. On the note of lyrics, I can't count how many times I found myself shaking my head at the lyrics on this project, the previously mentioned True Friends is a perfect example of that, as on the track Oliver Sykes sings the incredibly childish chorus of "true friends' stab you in the front." I'm not saying that the band has ever been poetic by any stretch, but they could at least get away with it when the lyrics were being screamed with a little bit of passion, on a rock song however, lyrics that sound as if they were written by a 12 year old just aren't going to fly.  

In all honesty, it's hard for me to pick out any positives on the band's newest release. It really sounds as if the band is going for a lighter, less entertaining version of what they were doing on their their first few albums. As tired as I am of the typical metalcore sound of hardcore verses that are met with cleanly sang choruses that see the vocals soar over the rest of the instruments in the most corny of fashions, this album is not much more entertaining than that. Part of me really wants to like this album, because I do think that the band has much more potential than just playing to crowds of teenage girls and selling t-shirts at Hot Topics. With that being said, if they're ever going to reach that potential, they're going to need to progress and mature, instead of doing whatever it is they did to create this disappointment. 

Rating: D

Favorite Tracks: What You Need, Drown

Least Favorite Tracks: Happy Song, Throne, True Friends, Avalanche, Run, Blasphemy

Too by FIDLAR

FIDLAR are a Los Angeles, California based skate/garage punk band who formed back in 2009. Since their inception, they've released only one full-length album back in 2013, which was of course their eponymous debut. On this album, the band blew away both critics and music fans alike, as they were able to blend together genres like skate punk, garage rock, surf rock, and more, with their own lo-fi sound. While the album was able to bring together comedy with some rocking musicianship from the band members, it's their latest album Too that has me really excited to see what the four-piece is capable of.

The album's lead single, 40oz. On Repeat would lead the listener to believe that the band is delivering an album much like their first, only slightly more produced and cleaned up. That however, is far from the truth. While the lead single does carry that same garage punk ethic that helped the band's first album become so popular, they quickly shift styles when the second track Punks rolls around. This track is a hard hitting, at times psychedelic cut, that features vocalist Zac Carper screaming at the listener.

If I was to simply list off the best tracks and talk about what makes them so enjoyable, I'd be here all day. To understand the versatility of FIDLAR, you really need to give the album a listen. There's a handful of classic punk cuts like 40oz, Sober, Drone, and more, but you also get some songs that can't easily be described by a genre classification. Tracks like Punks, Why Generation, and Overdose are perfect examples of that. Overdose stands out as one of the best tracks in the listing for me personally, as the song kicks off sounding almost folk-ish, with a very Tom Waits inspired guitar riff that transcends into pure chaos within the last thirty seconds as we get shrieked vocals, distorted guitars, and a heavy drum beat to lead the track out. The album's strength, in my opinion, lies in the band's diversity, as they really make an effort to keep any two songs from sounding too similar. 

Labeling an album as "skate-punk" can often times be a big turn off for music fans, who will then expect a project the likes of something done by Avril Lavigne or Simple Plan, but this album is so much more than that. While much more produced and less lo-fi than their debut, Too is a step in the right direction for the very talented young band, as they've shed the label of being a local punk band, and instead are throwing their name into the hat of best up and coming bands in the music world right now. If you need any more proof that punk isn't dead, take a look at FIDLAR's latest release, because you're bound to be surprised.

Rating: A-

Favorite Tracks: 40oz. On Repeat, Punks, West Coast, Why Generation, Sober, Overdose, Stupid Decisions

Least Favorite Tracks: None