January 2020 Wrap-Up

A mix of free time and inspiring music projects released recently has given me the ambition to attempt to resuscitate this ol' word box of mine, even if it functions as nothing more than an unused portfolio. So let this serve as a welcome, or a welcome back, if you will. 

There is not a singular album or artist review that seems timely or appropriate to return with in of itself, so I figured a look back at January releases collectively might be a little more suitable. I would say that 2020 is off to a promising debut, and while some artists have already blown me away, others have left me sorely disappointed. With that being said, let us take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly from the last month.

The Good

Mac Miller - Circles

While there are a few albums that fall into the good category, there is only one that truly left me a mark on me and will undoubtedly show up on my (and many others) year end list. Circles, the most recent and presumably final release from the late Mac Miller who passed away unexpectedly in 2018, was a beautiful tribute to the young musician's career. As someone who has been critical of Miller at periods throughout his career, I can finally say that he was able to find the perfect blend of neo-soul and pop rap he seemed to be so desperately seeking over his previous releases. While 2016's Divine Feminine and 2018's Swimming missed the mark in this same vein, Circles sees Miller fully tuned in to his artistic direction. He's as confident as ever in his voice, yet lonely and introspective in his words. This leads to a beautifully produced melancholic mash-up of vivid sounds, with some of the best lyrical material I feel he has ever produced. From the timid, introspective, self-titled album opener, to the equally thoughtful lead single Good News, Miller never shy's away from appearing vulnerable or weak.

"Well, it ain't that bad
It could always be worse
I'm running out of gas, hardly anything left
Hope I make it home from work
Well, so tired of being so tired"

Miller writes on Good News.

There is a lot more that can be said in regards to the final product delivered, but to avoid making my reflection on this as long as a usual review, I'll finish with this.  I think it is fair to say that Miller's final release, was also his most complete. It is a tragedy to not only lose him as an artist, but of course also as a person. In saying that, Circles serves as perhaps the most beautiful final act he could have given us.

Rating: 4/5

Floral Tattoo - You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start

One of the biggest surprises I found last month came in the form of Seattle based band Floral Tattoo and their newest release You Can Never Have a Long Enough Head Start. If you could not tell by the long winded album title, it is indeed ripe with influences from the early 2000s emo scene. It is not inherently your standard emo release however, and it set apart by it's booming, noisy, shoegaze inspired soundscapes. Crushingly beautiful at times, with the shared voices of vocalists Alex Anderson and Gwen Power, it's a moving project that had me hooked from the first listen. It is not exactly an innovative combination of genres, but treading new ground does not appear to be what the band set out to do on this record. Instead they are looking to capture you with the explosiveness of their sound. There are moments where the album does come to a bit of a lull, and not each track brings the same energy as She or Danny, Be Well. Collectively, however, it is a positive release that brings some well deserved attention to the group. A step forward that can hopefully lead to even more powerful material as they move forward.

Rating: 3/5

Pinegrove - Marigold

Another solid release from the group who blend modern country inspired instrumentals with heart-on-my-sleeve midwest emo lyrics. Much like their previous two releases Cardinal and Skylight, I feel this album shows some very high highs. For example, the title track Marigold and the album opener Dotted Line are two brilliant pieces that warrant giving the record a listen on their own. Yet ultimately , it can feel a little too same-y when consuming it all at once. Much like my previous criticisms of Pinegrove, I feel they struggle to make the most of every track and quite quickly a project can turn into 3-4 memorable songs that you will take with you for awhile, and a handful of others that will quickly become forgettable. 

In saying this, I still feel the album was a positive addition to their discography, and further proof they have it in them to write some incredibly enjoyable songs. Whether or not they're able to build off of the momentum that came off of the positive reception to Cardinal is yet to really be seen. Here is hoping they can continue to grow with their next project. 

Rating: 3/5

The Bad

I might be better off naming this section as the "indifferent," because for the most part that is my exact feelings towards these releases. As is usually the case early in the year, we get a few releases by artists who are either looking to capitalize on an early start at a time where not a ton of big releases are scheduled, or are being held up due to delays that prevented releases later in the previous year. Perhaps this is why there were so many forgettable records to be found. Either way, let us take a look at some of the more... shall we say, lukewarm, projects from January.

Stormzy - Heavy Is the Head

Anyone who knows me personally would be aware I have a bit of an infatuation with UK grime. There is nothing quite as powerful as the booming bass and energetic deliveries found on classic grime releases from the likes of Dizzee Rascal or Wiley. Stormzy has been a bit of a prodigy in the grime scene, appearing on tracks from the likes of the aforementioned Wiley in the past and building up quite an exorbitant amount of hype surrounding him in the process. His first attempt to harness this hype into a full length studio release came back in 2017 with the release of Gang Signs and Prayers. To the disappointment of many, however, Stormzy strayed from the grime influence on that project and instead laid most of his focus on moving into a more accessible and easily digested pop rap direction. Dabbling his influences in the realm of a more traditional hip-hop and R&B sound led to a fairly forgettable project and had me hoping to see the Manchester based emcee return to his roots on his sophomore follow-up. 

What we received in Heavy Is the Head, unfortunately, is very similar to the disappointment of Stormzy's previous LP. It is better, I will begin by stating that emphatically. There are some tracks that do show the grimier side of the emcee and even when he blends them with a little more pop essence they pack enough of a punch to feel true to his sound. One listen to Big Michael, Audacity, or Vossibop will show you just how much talent Stormzy does have in his delivery. He comes into these tracks aggressive, focused, and ruthless in his approach. A project containing nothing but songs cut from this ilk could rank high in the halls of UK hip-hop and grime releases. And yet, he appears indifferent to this material. Just like on Gang Signs and Prayers, Stormzy seems insistent on burying these tracks between the blander poppy R&B styling of Do Better and the uninspired lyricism on a track like Superheroes. It isn't so much that these songs are outright bad, they just seem to serve as nothing more than what I would call vibe killers. After building you up with the energetic flows and speaker busting production of the grime cuts, Stormzy swoops back in and breaks the immersion with these uneventful filler tracks. 

A project with one lackluster cut to match every enjoyable one. Stromzy is back with yet another failure to consistently capture that same sound that made his early singles so impactful. 

Rating: 2.5/5

Algiers - There Is No Year

This one is painful to type out. I mean it when I say that. Over the last decade the Algiers released two albums that would probably end up fairly high on my top 50 list (a list that I might get around to making at a later date.) So to say I was excited by the prospect of a new Algiers project is no stretch. If you were to ask me what I expected them to deliver on it, though, I never would have guessed it would be such a disappointment. 

It is not so much that they put out a bad project. In reality, it is quite far from that. It is actually perfectly okay. Maybe that is the issue though. This is an album that is just... okay. The loud, industrial influenced elements that made their previous two records stand out so much seem to be gone. We still have the soaring soul inspired vocals of Franklin James Fisher and the chugging high tempo riffs still feature prominently throughout. There just seems to be a lack of that same substance, that pizzazz if you will, that made them such an alluring outfit to begin with. A quick flip through the track listing will give you all you need to hear. Nothing offensive, nothing really worth spending all that much time commenting on. In effect, it feels like a collection of songs that just failed to stand out enough to make the track list of their previous efforts. Perhaps not a record that deserves to be regarded as the bad, but more so as the disappointing. 

Rating: 2.5/5

The Ugly

AJJ - Good Luck Everybody 

If it pains me to dismiss Algiers in such a fashion that I previously did, then it kills me to say what I am about to say about AJJ. For those who are perhaps unfamiliar with the ragtag folk punk posse formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad who are responsible for some of my personal favourite albums of all-time (see Knife Man and People Who Can Eat People for such projects), let this please not serve as your introduction. A band renowned for their clever, abrasive, over the top political commentary and satire during the mid 2000s to early 2010s, AJJ seem to have lost all touch with that side of their music on Good Luck Everybody. If their last release The Bible 2 was disappointing (it was) then this is a straight up punch to the gut. While front man Sean Bonnette is still delivering the same quippy political commentary we have come to expect, it is being done at a much more tepid pace. Instrumentally the project fails to excite, with some of the blandest musicianship the band has given us to date. The only real deviation we get from that is on Normalization Blues, a track that plays very much to it's name as an up tempo blues tune but lyrically does not offer anything more than a mediocre commentary on the state of the average American person. We get similar takes on tracks like No Justice, No Peace, No Hope, that while presenting an important topic, seems to lack the same abrasiveness AJJ would approach such topics with in the past.

It all just falls a bit flat in the end. There is no question that the band are true to their beliefs and stick with it in their song writing. It just seems like that intensity you would find on their older projects has gone away, and in it's place all that remains is a subpar indie folk act bringing forward room temperature political takes in a client chalked full of more than enough of them already. 

Rating: 2/5

iiiDrops by Joey Purp

Over the past few years, the SAVEMONEY collective has been one of, if not the, most exciting things to come out of the diverse, ever thriving Chicago hip-hop scene. Spearheaded by the rise of emcees Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa, the lesser known members of the group have also quietly managed to put together a pretty solid body of work. Now, it's member Joey Purp's turn to step up to the plate, and on iiiDrops he proves that it is him who is next to step into the limelight.


From the bright organ keys and horns on the opening track Morning Sex, into the Pharell-esque dance beat of Girls, Joey Purp stretches his sound far beyond what's popular in Chicago right now. While you might go into this thing expecting the rattling hi-hats, blaring 808s, and bumping bass, you're instead presented with the same kind of varied, flamboyant production you might find on a project from the likes of Vic or Chance. Speaking of those two, they both pop up on the track listing, Chance on the aforementioned track Girls, and Vic on the album's victory lap Winners Circle, a track that's elevated by a wonderful piano melody and shining synthesizers. Fellow Chicagoans Mick Jenkins, Saba, and theMind also lend a helping hand on the project, with all three delivering solid contributions when given the chance.


It is, however, Joey Purp who truly shines on this 11 track collection, as the 20-something year old artist comes through sounding like a true veteran of his craft, swinging his pen like a dagger of sorts as he delivers lyrics that don't aim to impress, but instead aim to provoke feeling and resonate with the listener, something that is accomplished on nearly every track. His swaggering confidence is evident, while also digging into his tough upbringing with lines like "I sold crack/I'd be damned if I can't sell a rap" on the closing track Escape.

Cornerstore, the sixth track on the mixtape is the real showcase here though, as the jazzy, street rap instrumental features a prominent use of horns and is one of the finer beats that producer Thelonious Martin has given us up to this point in his young career. Purp is joined by Saba and theMind, and the three work together to paint a picture of their childhood in Chicago, a city which has constantly been identified as one of the most violent and dangerous places in the US. On this track however, Joey isn't looking to give a PSA on the dangers of his hometown, and instead is simply presenting you with an idea of where he came from, and how it's impacted him to this day. The song presents perhaps the strongest lyrical display on the album, and is highlighted with the lines like "and white kids deal with problems that we never knew to bother/arguing with they dads, we pray we ever knew our fathers" a line which allows Purp to again put an emphasis on his upbringing while also touching on rather personal and emotional topics without coming off as soft.

Going into iiiDrops, I was quite far from being a fan of Joey Purp, but I can't deny his abilities after giving this release multiple listens. From his brash delivery to his rugged voice, the young emcee exudes Chicago, while having the charisma and lyrical strength to separate himself from the rest of the crowded pack looking to find their sound in the streets of city. 

3.5/5

Check out the track Cornerstore below:

You can stream iiiDrops in full over on Joey Purp's soundcloud page here.

More Rain by M. Ward

Folk singer-songwriter M. Ward of both She & Him and Monsters of Folk fame has always managed to deliver his most impressive material by himself, in my opinion at least. During the span of what's now been an illustrious 15+ year career, he's managed, as a solo artist to avoid releasing anything less than an enjoyable record. On his newest project, his first under the M. Ward alias in four years, he looks to continue that streak while also incorporating many new elements into his traditional folk sound.

The pitter patter of rain pouring down in the (More Rain) intro leads us into the album's first real track, Pirate Dial which is one of the expected signature folk tracks. It features some fantastic layered acoustic guitar with the ambient sound of rain fall heard in the background. One of the most visceral and beautiful tracks on the album, the sparse instrumentation helps create a wonderful atmosphere while Ward's vocals contain just enough reverb to make the indie influence evident. He follows this track up with Time Won't Wait Up, a much more upbeat americana track that features multiple vocal tracks from Ward and his chanting of "do do do" almost evokes a certain doo-wop feeling, something that certainly is a new addition to his ever changing repertoire. This same feeling reoccurs on the track I'm Listening as well.  It's one of the slower tracks on the album, and the enchantingly quiet guitar work in the background is met with Ward's whisper like vocals which help to deliver yet another impressive cut.

The album certainly does start off hot, but there are a fair share of not so impressive moments as well. A perfect example would be the fairly generic cut Confession, which fails to stand out thanks to the lack of lyrical substance and some of Ward's weaker guitar play on the album. Despite the intriguing electronic elements that comes with the use of a synthesizer, Girl From Conejo Valley also fails to make all too much of an impression, and at this point in the album it becomes clear that Ward is capitalizing a bit more on the slow-paced, atmospheric tracks than he is the upbeat, heavily instrumentally layered moments. Fortunately, there's no shortage of the slower tracks throughout, and they're covered with Ward's echoey, distant yet inviting vocal approach that causes you to feel if he's singing to you, rather than at you. At times, the album reveals a certain familiarity to fellow folk artists Father John Misty's work, yet with a much more serious and accessible tone.

At only 38 minutes in length, there's no need of the album overstaying it's welcome, and it's a good thing that was the approach taken. The layered vocals make for a nice change, but they're used in such an abundance throughout, that one or two more tracks tacked on at the end could have resulted in overkill. Instead we find a nice mix of a plethora of different instruments, ranging from horns, to violins, to moments where we actually get some rather loud and booming percussion. It's when Ward puts his focus into his trust guitar that we really hear something special though, and on a track like Phenomenon, a song that is closer to honky-tonk country than it folk, that we see why. When complimented with light use of an organ, a banjo, a bass, we see how much can be put into a track while still keeping it simple and precise.

The variety of genre influence and overarching introspective theme of More Rain makes it a welcomed addition to what is already a superb musical catalogue for the accomplished song writer. There are certainly some moments stronger than other, and it feels as if more effort went into a handful of tracks than did the rest of the album, but ultimately it doesn't stop the record from being enjoyable.

Rating: 3.5/5

You can listen to M. Ward's track Girl From Conejo Valley below:

This Unruly Mess I've Made by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

It can easily be said that Macklemore has taken over as the face of pop rap over the last few years. Loved by the mainstream audience, but despised by many self proclaimed hip-hop heads, he's been put into a tough position because of his success. As an underground Seattle rapper, he released his fair share of projects, including his sole full-length album as a solo artist The Language of My World back in 2005. However, it wasn't until he met producer Ryan Lewis and the two decided to team-up that his career began to take off.

As a duo, the two independently released two EP's before their debut album The Heist hit stores in 2012. Packed full of decent production and fairly average pop rap rhymes, it was the subject matter of tracks like Same Love, and the catchiness and comedic punchlines of hits like Thrift Shop that helped the duo rise to the top of the charts. Of course it wasn't all smooth sailing for the duo however, as they received a fair bit of backlash from the rap community, especially when they were awarded the Grammy for rap album of the year in 2013 over Kendrick Lamar and his monumental release Good Kid MAAD City. The duo refused to let the lukewarm reception get to them though, and tracks like the new album This Unruly Mess's lead single Downtown made it clear they weren't prepared to back away from the pop sound anytime soon. That eventually became an afterthought however, as last month with the release of the album's second single White Privilege II, Macklemore took on a very important topic, and despite early criticism from your's truly, I've grown to enjoy the track quite a bit and respect it not only for it's relevancy, but also for what Macklemore offers lyrically.

Even with one solid single, I still went into this album expecting to be disappointed by sugary pop hooks and cringe worthy attempts at musical comedy. Nonetheless, I felt the need to give it the time of day, and astonishingly, I ended up being quite impressed.

The album kicks things off with one of the best lyrical displays Macklemore has offered thus far in his career, as Light Tunnels see's the Seattle emcee detail his experience at the Grammy awards and his thoughts during his upset win for rap album of the year. We also get a peak into the mind of the rapper, as he mentions how insecure and uncomfortable the award made him, as well as how much he began to doubt his skill after the criticism he received. Lines like "I don't like who I am in this environment, I forgot what this art's for" help reinforce what he explains throughout many of the albums deeper moments, which is that he cares about hip-hop and can offer more than just being "another white radio rapper." The song's chorus, sung by Mike Slap is the same generic pop hook I've come to expect from Macklemore, but it isn't enough to stop me from enjoying this track, as the introspective bars have me actually caring about what the emcee is saying, something that very rarely happened on his last album.

Other deep cuts like the aforementioned White Privilege II which serves as the closer, and Kevin a track that features Leon Bridges and details the overdose of one of Macklemore's childhood friend's, show us a much more honest, down to earth conscious hip-hop side of the duo that I didn't expect to find on this record. In the past, with songs like Same Love, I've felt like Macklemore was simply using current world issues for his own gain, and while I'm not necessarily convinced that wasn't the case in the past, I don't feel that way with these cuts on Unruly Mess, because there's a touch of sincerity, and it feels like there's something to prove with each line delivered.

It's not all positives on the album though, and that same cheesy mainstream pop culture artist who we've come to know appears multiple times on the album. Downtown is an obvious example of that style, but we get tracks like Brad Pitt's Cousin, Dance Off, and Let's Eat as well which see rather lackluster punch lines and weak attempts to brag. I struggle to take Macklemore serious when he takes a braggadocios lyrical approach, and the overly radio friendly production doesn't do much to elevate the tracks either. There are however, a handful of cuts that sit somewhere between those that are self reflective and the others that are drenched in pop influence. Buckshot, a cut that features New York hip-hop veteran KRS-One and iconic producer DJ Premier centres around Macklemore's experience with graffiti art, something that any one familiar with KRS-One will know he also is well versed in. It's a very enjoyable track, and sits on the fun side without relying on too clean of a chorus or too much pop influence. The indie-rock flavored instrumental on St. Ides is another one of the album's highlights, as the lyrics reflect on Macklemore's history of alcohol abuse. The twangy guitar featured on the track helps make it one of the better beats throughout the project as well.

I've breezed over White Privilege II a few times already throughout this review, but I feel like it's important to address the track a bit further. The song of course discusses the black lives matter movement and the ongoing struggle between black youth and police officers in the United States. Macklemore mentions the silence he and many other white artists have resorted to while the incidents continue to occur, and he also reflects on the hip-hop culture and those who consider him to have "stolen the sound" for his own gain. I have already said I was dismissive of the song at first listen, but since I've come to respect the emcee more, not for making a track on something important, but as serving as the connection between what's occurring and a mainstream audience. No, you shouldn't feel sympathy for Macklemore when hearing this track, but it's purpose is instead to inspire those who have set in silence and have remained uninvolved with protests and demonstrations to stand-up and be heard. Regardless of your opinions on the matter, it's a track that warrants a listen for the power behind the message alone, and the lyrical display from a man who prior to this track was nothing more than a boring pop rapper, at least in my opinion.

The best moments on This Unruly Mess I've Made are easily the best that the duo have offered since they began teaming up, and I'm very impressed with what they've done throughout the LP. Unfortunately, there are still a handful of tracks that feel phoned in, as if the sole reason they were included was to appeal to a more a mainstream audience, and that hurts the album quite a bit. Nevertheless, my opinion on Macklemore and Ryan Lewis has been altered quite a bit, and I now see a lot more potential in their sound. If they can trim out some of the more uninspired moments in the future, Macklemore will have plenty more award shows to write about.

Rating: 3.5/5

You can listen to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis' White Privilege II below:

Ufonaut by Entropia

For those not familiar with Entropia, they are a Polish post/black/experimental metal outfit who really hadn't crept onto my radar until the release of this LP here; Ufonaut. With that being said, the fusion of black metal and post metal, also known as blackgaze, has been one of my favorite metal sub genres over the past few years, and it has led me to a handful of fantastic releases from the likes of Deafheaven, Ghostbath, and Harakiri for the Sky. So, when going into this album, I clearly had high expectations. Fortunately for myself, and any other fan of this genre, Entropia delivered in quite impressive fashion. 

On Ufonaut, the band encompasses a traditional black metal style as means to create a basis or outlining sound for their music, but it's their ability to take influence from other subgenres and incorporate them throughout that really adds the extra substance to this project. The opening track Fractal is a great example of that, as the opening 45 seconds or so, see's the band weaving in and out between a much more traditional black metal guitar riff and some Mastodon-esque sludgy, slow paced guitar stylings. As the track progresses, we also see the band incorporate the use of an organ which helps contribute to the very haunting nature of the song. As it comes to end, horns are introduced, which really allow for the group to build a fantastic crescendo to what is easily one of the best moments on the entire LP. 

From there, you find much more of that same risk taking and genre bending formula as the album proceeds. Songs like the title track Ufonaut see the band experiment with some slower, cleaner guitar tones in between heavy, hard hitting moments, while both Mandala and Paradox are used to showcase the group's more experimental side, as they use variations of middle eastern instruments to help create some intricate, folkish instrumental passages. The record's closing cut, Veritas is also worth mentioning, as it's the longest track on the record and also perhaps the loudest. It finishes the album off with a fantastic climax, thanks to the final minute of the track which is full of in your face, wretched, ugly screams that really help drive their sound into your head like a car with no breaks smashing into the side of a burning building (that was seriously the best analogy I had.) 

Aside from Veritas however, the vocals do, at certain moments at least, tend to come off as rather gimmicky and annoying. It's not so much the vocalist himself, (who goes by the stage name of U, as each one of the band members is named after a letter from the word Ultra,) but it's the production choices. Like on the aforementioned opening track Fractal for example, we find a blowing, wind-like noise appearing seemingly every time U opens his mouth, and then as the album continues, the vocals become coated with an echo effect that would make you assume the band recorded the frontman while he was screeching in a dark, empty cave. And while typically that might be a positive on a black metal project, this isn't your ordinary record, and the rest of the production is rather clean and lively in comparison to the raw, lo-fi nature of the vocals. 

With that being said, the vocals only appear on perhaps a third or so of the album, and the focus clearly lays on the instrumentation, which is of course consistently fantastic, so it doesn't interrupt my enjoyment all that much. There really isn't anything on this album that doesn't deliver in a unique and intriguing fashion. It's certainly heavy enough to welcome any fans of more traditional black metal acts, but it also keeps you guessing by firing post-metal inspired passages at you on nearly every single track. A great addition to the Polish black-metal scene, and a fantastic statement for all blackgaze bands around, Entropia delivered a very nice LP.

All in all, I'm giving Ufonaut a 4/5.

Let me know down in the comment section, have you heard the album? If so, what'd you think?

Listen to Fractal, the second single released from the album down below:

You can download or stream the album over on Entropia's bandcamp page here.

The Life of Pablo by Kanye West

It seems as if The Life of Pablo, Kanye West's 7th full length LP had a release that was based more so around the spectacle itself than it was actually around the music being created. From the way that the man known as Yeezy decided to handle the release, premiering it at Madison Square Garden alongside his latest fashion venture Yeezy Season 3 (which you watch in full over at TIDAL here) to the multiple name changes of an album that began as So Help Me God, which then became SWISH, and stopping at Waves before finally ending up with the title The Life of Pablo. It seemed to be a lot of ego stroking, and left expectations varied among those waiting for the album's release.

While West has had a history of successful releases, with his debut full-length effort The College Dropout winning him one of his many Grammy Awards and giving him his first hit single with Jesus Walks, it wasn't until 2010's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that Kanye truly came into his own as an artist. The album was an introspective and dark look in at the life of a man who had transcended being a rap artist and had now become an infamous pop culture star thanks to his outspoken ways, and in particular his run in with Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards. He continued to impress critics and fans alike after the release of MBDTF with his following album Yeezus, a record that saw the GOOD Music founder experiment with elements of abrasiveness and noise rap for the first time. It was yet another standout release, and managed to convert many former unimpressed listeners into bonafide fans. 

On his new release The Life of Pablo, we're getting what feels like a reflection on his career as well as a combination of all the sounds he's incorporated in the past. Tracks like Father Stretch my Hands and Highlights are both reminiscent of his early material, the Graduation record in particular, and the I Love Kanye interlude takes a similar formula to the skits found on his aforementioned full-length debut The College Dropout. That interlude is one of the most interesting moments on the album due to the way that Kanye embrace his reputation as a self-centred egotistical man much like he did on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, while also poking fun of it in humorous fashion. Unfortunately, aside from that single track we don't hear much more of that same introspective side of the rapper throughout the LP. We do however get a few cuts similar to those found on the album Yeezus, as both Feedback and FML bring out that same abrasive and a touch more experimental side of Kanye we've seen before, making them enjoyable cuts worth hearing.

While there were many artists recruited to collaborate on the album,(Kid Cudi, Chris Brown, Rihanna, Post Malone, and The Weeknd to name a few) it's the guest verse of rap superstar Kendrick Lamar that really steals the show as far as the star studded features go. His appearance on No More Parties in L.A, which was released as a snippet earlier on, is one of the best moments you'll find on the album. K.Dot has constantly proven himself as one of if not the premier emcee in the game, and he does so here yet again on another artists record. 

That does however lead into the biggest problem with the project, as many of the best tracks found in the listing were already released as singles. Not only have you already heard the core of the album by listening to the tracks that have already been released, but you've also heard the best moments. When Kanye originally tweeted out the track listing, the album contained just a mere 9 tracks, and some of the singles which had already been released had been left off. No More Parties for example, was originally not going to be on the album, yet ended up being one of the best tracks, making it appear as if the singles were just thrown on either from fear or nervousness. The final single released from the album, 30 Hours, ended up being one of the least impressive moments found on The Life of Pablo, as the song clocks in at five and half minutes, yet feels as long as the name would imply it to be. Like quite a few other cuts scattered throughout, it doesn't bring anything new to the album, and the beat is nothing more than generic and boring filler. Kanye killed a lot of the momentum found on the original album by making the decision to add so many tracks at the last minute, as quite a few of them fail to stand out on their own, and hardly justify the delayed release. 

Most of what's found on the album feels very familiar, as if it's already been heard quite a bit before. Even the most controversial moment on the album, the line from the track Famous where Kanye states that not only might he still have sex with Taylor Swift, but that he in fact made her famous, it feels as if he's living in the past of something that was relevant over 7 years ago. All of the emcee/producer's former releases are enjoyable for their own reasons, but when placed into one single project, it feels more like a convoluted mess than anything new.

At the end of the day, The Life of Pablo is not Kanye's best release, and when compared to his last two albums, it seems like a step backwards. Is it a bad release? Not by any means. But when considering the roll that the Chicago native has been on over his last few albums, and the hype that was surrounding one of the biggest rap releases of the year, it can't help but leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth.

Favorite Tracks: Feedback, I Love Kanye, Real Friends, No More Parties in L.A

Least Favorite Tracks: Highlights, 30 Hours

Rating: 3/5

If you've heard the album, what did you think of it? Go ahead and let me know your thoughts down below, if you disagree tell me why I'm wrong or just call me mean names.

II by Magrudergrind

Power-violence/grindcore outfit Magrudergrind rose to prominence back in 2009 with the release of their self-titled second full-length album. It was a project that brought fans and critics alike together with immense praise and respect for the groups ability to combine brutally crafted grindcore and power-violence with the use of vocal sound clips and many different stylistic influences. They have continuously managed to impress with their ferocity and hardcore aesthetics while also improving between each release since their inception back in 2002.

Following the release of their 2010 EP Crusher, the band dropped off the radar, and despite a couple of public appearances and reissues of former material, have left fans disappointed with their lack of output. The politically charged trio are back this year however, and with Converge's Kurt Ballou handling the engineering duties once again, Magrudergrind are looking to pick up where they left off and wreak havoc on any and all potential listeners.

What hasn't been done already within extreme music? There isn't much an act can do to be any louder or more chaotic than the music that came before it. In the case of Magrudergrind, they instead look to incorporate moments, like one found on the second track Divine Dictation, where the guitar playing slows down to a chugging pace momentarily, serving as a hardcore punk influenced break from the ferocity, something that reoccurs throughout the LP. With that being said, it's primarily earth shaking blast-beats, punk oriented guitar riffs, and blood curdling vocals that provide the barbaric nature of the music on II.

The biggest change from the band's last full-length to this one, is the disappearance of the sound clips, which were one of the defining factors on their previous releases for me personally. They take advantage of the extra time allotted from the decision to leave out any vocal samples by instead delivering 24 minutes of unrelenting force. It's that same bloodthirsty savagery that has garnered so many comparisons to British grindcore originators Napalm Death. While the band has been around for 30+ years and continues to put out fantastic material (see their Apex Predator - Easy Meat album released last year for any needed proof) they are getting older, and it appears that Magrudergrind may just be the right act to inherit the title of the biggest grindcore act.

The music that the American extreme outfit is crafting isn't necessarily for everyone, but it definitely serves it's purpose. For anyone who enjoys the kind of music that is guaranteed to make your ears bleed and turn you into a weeping mess of a human, this LP is a goldmine.

Rating: 4/5

Check out the track Sacrificial Hire from the new album below:

You can download the album at Magrudergrind's bandcamp page here.

Ezekiel's Hags by Seven Sisters of Sleep

Sludge metal has always been more of a style than a genre, with it's down-tuned, methodical, swampy guitar play featured prominently alongside booming drums and vocals that can range anywhere from wretched screams to warm and welcoming serenades. It's certain that you never know exactly what to expect going into an album with the label "sludge metal," aside from the fact that it will hit you hard and it won't quit until you're done listening.

Not only does the Californian based five-piece Seven Sisters of Sleep (SSOS) embrace the sludge metal mantra, but they also use it as a stepping stone, a method of inspiration only to explore even darker and heavier depths of the metal world. The music found on Ezekiel's Hags can't be lumped into any modern genre, and trying to define it simply isn't a possibility. The band isn't looking to show their musical influences, or give you an idea of what they're trying to make, instead they're looking to engage in a complete onslaught of gigantic proportions as they envelop the listener in a cloud of raw, dirty, unrelenting musical horror.

As soon as the lightning fast blast-beats and Converge-esque screeches of the opening track Jones explode onto the album, the pace of the record is set. At only two minutes in length, you'd believe SSOS would rely on short, frantic, organized chaos to carry the momentum on their first release in three years. Instead, however, we see the band tackle multiple cuts of over five minutes, even seeing the closing track Bastard Son come in at over ten minutes. Just as easily as the band can hit you over the head with a hammer and bring your misery to an end, they can also tie you up and drag you along, stretching the brutality to twice or even three times the expected lengths while still finding new ways to keep you invested.

Even deadlier than the group's incorporation of such a varied list of genres (death, doom, and black metal as well as hardcore and grindcore, to name a few) is their ability to do so at the drop of a dime. One minute you're getting lost in the chugging guitar riffs of Plateau or Third Season, and then next thing you know, the vigorous drumming on Brother's River or the ear-splitting vocals and grindcore outro of Sacred Prostitute shakes you from your core. The album is equally technical and beautifully composed as it is ruthless and sadistic, perhaps that's exactly what Seven Sister's are aiming to do.

Favorite Tracks: Jones, Denounce, Gutter, Sacred Prostitute, Ud-Nun, Bastard Son

Least Favorite Tracks: None

Rating: 3.5/5

I'm Up by Young Thug

Recently I reviewed the newest Future album EVOL (a review which you can read right here) and during that review, I mentioned the subtle subtweets and disses exchanged between Future and fellow Atlanta based rapper Young Thug over the last year or so, thanks to the two rappers embracing the state of 21st century hip-hop where all "rap beef" takes place on Twitter. Regardless of the words exchanged between the two, the true showdown came this past Friday as both artists released their own respective projects. While Future's EVOL was an average trap project that gave us the same Future we've been seeing for his last few releases, I was hoping Young Thug would seize the opportunity to capitalize on his seemingly always growing momentum, and finally prove himself as a rapper.

Originally, it was Slime Season 3 that was planned to be released this month. Instead, however, Young Thug, claiming inspiration from Kanye West and all the name changes his upcoming release (now titled Waves, incase you weren't sure) went through. Under the name I'm Up, Thug has released his 10th project since the beginning of 2014, and yet still, Thug fails to prove that he's deserving of his popularity.

The promising opener F Cancer, is a tribute to rapper Boosie Badazz, who had announced his diagnosis of cancer back in November of last year. The bass driven, upbeat production coupled with Thug's flow and simplistic lyrics and a feature from Quavo (of Migos fame) actually helps build an enjoyable, catchy cut that Thug has proven he is capable of doing in the past. Unfortunately it is one of the few songs on the album that actually manages to do enough to standout. For My People and Special are two other moments on the project where Thug is able to make a slight statement, thanks to the spacey trap production and intriguing features. Aside from that however, I'm Up is a collection of generic, boring, subpar trap songs. Thug's exuberant personality is no where to be found on the project, and much like I mentioned in my review of Future's EVOL, Thug is becoming another artist who is putting out far too much material and rather than impressing like he did when he first blew up, he's slowly assuring his fate as just another musical fad rather than a truly enjoyable act.

Each time I listen to I'm Up, I can't help but struggle to pay attention once I'm four or five cuts in. There's nothing impressive or enjoyable being shown aside from the few decent cuts I mentioned previously. If it comes down to Future or Thug, I'm listening to EVOL over I'm Up any day of the week, and that's not necessarily a compliment to either artist, but more so just proof that both are beginning to overstay their welcome thanks to the far too frequent releases.

Favorite Tracks: F Cancer, For My People, Special

Least Favorite Tracks: King TROUP, Hercules

Rating: 2/5

Below you can watch the F Cancer music video, which is co-directed by Thug himself, and also features the rapper/now director(?) being dressed head-to-toe in a set of pink scrubs.

EVOL by Future

If there's one thing that can be said about Future, it's that he's among the most frequent releasers in the hip-hop scene. Since 2012, he's released three full-length albums and eight mixtapes alongside a plethora of singles and guest features. With all these releases coming so frequent, the Atlanta born emcee has proven his consistency, but is also beginning to border on overstaying his welcome. Now, just over six months since releasing what is easily is best project thus far in his career, DS2, Future is releasing EVOL, his fourth LP.

Less than a month ago Future released his Purple Reign mixtape, and the general consensus on the release was that the trap artist needed to slow down on his musical output. Too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and because of the lack of diversity in Future's sound, and for the most part, the trap genre itself, there's nothing new being brought to the table. On EVOL, it's much of the same we've already heard. Albeit there's much less filler and throwaway tracks than Purple Reign, but even the best tracks on EVOL fall short of what the rapper is truly capable of. 

The unfortunate byproduct of releasing an album the caliber of DS2, is the heightened expectations that come alongside the success. With so much music being released, he's smothering his listeners with subpar material instead of giving us the quality we know that he's capable of making. Some of the tracks on EVOL are catchy trap anthems that are worth a listen. Cuts like Maybach and Xanny Family are both incredibly catchy and certainly contain some replay value. The problem is that plenty of the other tracks fail to differentiate themselves from anything else found on his other material, and despite being an album, the project doesn't have the feeling of being any more than another mixtape. 

The track listing also gives us some completely obnoxious tracks, and Lie to Me is the first one that comes to mind. The spacey-synth based instrumental is way too busy and distracting thanks to the heavy bass line that feels as if it's been turned up way too high, making for what is overall some messy production. The lyrics aren't much better, although no one should go into a Future record looking for in-depth or impressive lyricism. Program is the only cut that rivals Lie to Me for the least enjoyable on this project, as the fact that every line ends with "program" drives me insane due to the lack creativity lyrically. 

Future turns it around with the following cut Low Life, that features The Weeknd, straight off of the success of his latest album Beauty Behind the Madness. It's by far the longest track found on EVOL, clocking in at over five minutes, but still managing to remain interesting. The album finishes with Fly Shit Only, a song that features one of the most impressive beats I've heard Future use since DS2, as there's some piano, some electric guitar, and even some distorted, glitchy noise to be found within the instrumental. 

Ultimately Future came up a little short on his latest effort, but EVOL is still nothing to scoff at. There's some entertaining tracks, and some not-so-enjoyable moments as well. If there's one thing to take away from the album however, it's that Future continues to prove that he needs to slow down on his releases. Quality over quantity is what his fans are looking for, and while his frequent output is very impressive, it's leading to more lacklustre songs than necessary. 

It's worth noting that fellow Atlanta, Georgia based rapper Young Thug also released a project this past Friday, and has been quite vocal about his issues with Future in the past. To find out my thoughts on Thug's latest, make sure to subscribe to the blog or follow me on Google+ as I will be reviewing I'm Up soon!

Favorite Tracks: Maybach, Xanny Family, Low Life

Least Favorite Tracks: Lie to Me, Program

Rating: 3/5

Hotel Paranoia by Jazz Cartier

When Jazz Cartier claims "everybody in the States compares me to Drake, cause not many in the city can carry the weight" on the song Talk of the Town, he delivers an interesting perspective of what's to come on the follow-up to his debut album Marauding in Paradise that was released back in April of last year. Not only does Jazz share Drake's hometown of Toronto, Ontario, but he also shares a similar sound to that of the OVO member, as just like Drizzy is known for his ability to to craft fantastic party anthems over a plethora of beats, Jazz once again proves he's capable of the same on Hotel Paranoia. 

Coming in at 16 tracks, Hotel Paranoia is quite an ambitious effort from the Canadian emcee, but if one things for sure, Cartier never shies away from taking risks. Whether it be through his boastful lyrics or his seemingly ever-changing beat selection, which while often trap flavoured, seems to also incorporate influences from many other genres as well. Even with the diversity though, 16 trap songs is a lot to digest, but could the up and coming hip-hop artist step-up and deliver yet again?

The aforementioned opening track Talk of the Town is exactly the way a project should open, Jazz is bold, he's energetic, and ultimately he introduces his listeners of what's to come. That is, until the outro of the song begins, and a skit between himself and an apparent worker from the "hotel paranoia" plays out. I didn't go into this mixtape expecting a concept project, but when one presents a skit of the sorts, and even finishes it with Jazz asking the employee if she can inform him when his friend arrives, as well as asking where the elevator is. The concept seemingly disappears after that track however, and the only true reoccurrence is when the albums sole guest appearance, coming from River Tiber, appears later on in track listing. Once again though, the cut has no clear connection to anything else in the project, so the skit is a somewhat questionable inclusion on the album.

The album almost appears to be divided into halves, as the first ten or so tracks are the expected hard hitting trap beats with Jazz dropping one liners and braggadocios statements. It changes up with After The Club however, as the subject matter becomes the relationship between the Toronto native and a love interest. The change in pace is reversed however, as Tales, the fifteenth track in the listing brings back the style found in the first ten cuts. The track pacing is interesting, but in some ways makes the project feel convoluted.

The project's closer, Save Me From Myself, is one of the most eccentric cuts I've heard from Jazz, as he delivers his first verse in a raw, almost demented vocal style. It's easily one of the most intriguing cuts found on the album, alongside How We Do It, a track that samples the Montell Jordan song by the same name. Not only is the use of the sample fairly interesting in it's own right, the song is the trap anthem you can expect to hear when you tune in to a Jazz Cartier project.

The album definitely flips back and forth, with a share of generic trap cuts that don't add much to the overall experience, but also quite a few enjoyable cuts that display lyrical skill as well as a strong ability to craft catchy hooks. If the goal with this release was to separate himself from Drake, I do believe Jazz succeeded, with that being said, the comparison isn't a bad thing and the more distancing he does, the more he'll need to add diversity and individuality to his sound.

Favorite Tracks: Talk of the Town, Red Alert, How We Do It, Save Me From Myself

Least Favorite Tracks: Illuminati Love Song

Rating: 3.5/5

Is the Is Are by DIIV

It's been four years now since dream-pop outfit DIIV released their debut album Oshin back in 2012. It was an album that did find a very positive reception, but I personally found it to be repetitive, boring, and just like any other dream-pop album to come out before it. Essentially, the band were taking the most accessible albums of shoegaze, things like the reverb soaked vocals and instrumentation and the mixing of those previously mentioned instruments being much louder than the vocals, but leaving behind the atmosphere and "wall of sound" so to speak, that often accompanies shoegaze music.

While I certainly did have my flaws with the band's debut, I also saw that there may be some potential beneath the band's otherwise fairly generic exterior. If they could work out the kinks, embrace more of the shoegaze sound, and leave behind the indie-pop guitar riffs, perhaps, just perhaps they could escape being lumped together with nearly every other band in the same genre.

All that I hoped for, everything that I thought the band could do to right the wrongs they had previously committed, is no where to be found on their second full-length release Is The Is Are. The album is about as incomprehensible as the title, nothing more than a 60+ minute 17 track blur with every song sounding oh so similar to the one before it, and the one before that one, and of course the one before that one as well. Just like on their previous effort, the New York based five piece have compiled a grouping of tracks that easily could be found on any other dream-pop project. The vocals remain for the most part nonsensical, the reverb soaked guitar and vocals remain the same, and the band continues to choose to play almost identical guitar riffs on a regular basis. At times, it appears that the band is toying with post-punk inspired bass lines, but they don't fit the sound that the rest of the group are trying to emulate, and instead of being a nice change of pace it ends up making for a very odd choice. Even after listening to this album time and time again, it's still difficult to remember the tracks and what the band did on them, partially because it sounds that similar, and partially because it's just that forgettable.

There are however, three song's that to do manage to stick out on the album. All three of these songs share the similarity of containing a secondary title of (*name's* Song.) I'm not sure what the significance of the names' included are, aside from Bent (Sky's Song) which features frontman Zachary Cole Smith's girlfriend Sky Ferreira. These tracks are the only time throughout the album that the band truly takes any sort of risk, and actually embraces the shoegaze sound completely by playing with elements of feedback, very heavy noisy distortion, and the aforementioned "wall of sound." Not only do these make for good tracks by DIIV's standards, but they make for fairly enjoyable tracks by any standards. They distinguish themselves from the rest of the track-listing, and actually offer some enjoyable moments. Sky's Song, for example, reminds me quite a bit of iconic noise-rock outfit Sonic Youth, especially the spoken vocals that cause Ferreira to sound quite a bit like Kim Gordon. Bent (Roi's Song) is a track that features lots of distortion and feedback, making it one of the noisier cuts on the album, the only other truly noisy track is Mire (Grant's Song), as it also features a ton of feedback, but rather than fading, it stays in the background of the recording throughout. As the final few minutes of the song nears, we get a short little noisy interlude as well. While the guitar passage continues, there's also a ton of other noises going on, someone playing with their strings causing even more feedback as well as the drummer going completely off tempo, and it creates something that actually sounds worthy of the shoegaze tag.

To sum up DIIV's recent effort, it's 85% what every other dream-pop is doing, 15% quality. The three songs where the band step out of their apparent comfort zone and really strive for something different, they succeed, but on almost every other track the group seems comfortable with these interchangeable elements that make the album as boring and uninspired as it ends up being.

Favorite Tracks: Bent (Roi's Song), Blue Boredom (Sky's Song), Mire (Grant's Song)

Least Favorite Tracks: If I could remember any other songs, I'd tell you, but I already forget them.

Rating: 2/5

Moth by Chairlift

To be as blunt as possible, synthpop is very in at the moment. A genre that first became prominent back in the early 80's, it saw acts like Yellow Magic Orchestra and Depeche Mode help pave the way for acts to come later on throughout the 90's and 2000's. Even just taking a look back to last year will show you a plethora of fantastic synth based releases, with the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen, Chvrches, and Neon Indian all releasing fantastic synth driven albums (and if you want to read my thoughts on Carly Rae's E•MO•TION you can do so here.)

So where does Chairlift come into all of this synth music being put out of late? Well, with the release of their newest full-length LP Moth, the Colorado based duo are clearly showing that they have been inspired by the synth-pop acts of late, as rather than sticking to their dream-pop/electronica roots, they've embraced the trend themselves, and while they've frequently incorporated the synthesizer into their sound, on the new album we see it become their primary instrument for the first time.

From the moment Look Up, the album's opening track begins, it becomes evident that this is not the same album that other artists of the genre have been putting out. In fact, throughout the album, it feels as if not only are Chairlift embracing the synthpop sound, but they are also looking to explore every crack and crevice of the genre. While Look Up serves as an intriguing taste of what's to come, it ends being somewhat of an afterthought once you get into the best that this album has to offer, beginning with the following track Polymorphing. Not only does the track serve has an incredibly catchy and enjoyable listen, but it also seems to be modelled after the same style found on Neon Indian's latest album VEGA INTL. Night School. Even with the clear influence, Chairlift still manage to separate themselves from their peers through many different unique elements used in their sound.

Also unlike some other acts in the scene, the duo frequently go out of their way to incorporate many different instruments on tracks throughout the album. Just take a look at the acoustic guitar featured on Romeo or the violin used in the outro of Ottawa to Osaka for proof of the bands versatility. We also see them take risks by incorporating loud, booming drums at times, as well as lots of progression throughout the tracks. The aforementioned Ottawa to Osaka is easily the best example of that progression, as the song opens with a bit of somewhat of an experimental sound, before settling down as Caroline Polachek begins singing. Not only is her voice fantastic on that track, but also throughout the album, as she delivers beautifully sung hook and after beautifully sung hook, sometimes delivering the lyrics in a hushed whisper, and on one track in particular playing around with a more raw style.

That track is Unfinished Business, and easily serves as one of the project's less interesting cuts, as Polachek seems to be looking to let her vocals loose on the chorus, but for whatever reason sounds as if she's being held back as her voice cracks and ultimately falters out. The track isn't helped much by also containing the most uncreative and uninspired instrumental featured on Moth.  Having said that, aside from Unfinished Business, even the lesser cuts on the album are still quite enjoyable. Tracks I found forgettable after my first few listens like Look Up, and the closer No Such Thing As Illusions I'm now finding myself enjoying and coming back to semi-regularly. As much as Chairlift succeeded in creating great radio-ready catchy singles, they also paid a lot of attention to insuring the flow of the album remains consistent and almost every track has something to offer.

From beginning to end, Moth is an album chalked full of danceable, catchy, sing-a-long pop tunes that anyone with an appreciation for pop music will enjoy. Is this an essential synthpop record? Of course not. It does stand on it's own though, and can easily rival any of last year's releases of the same genre.

Favorite Tracks: Polymorphing, Romeo, Ch-Ching, Crying in Public, Moth to a Flame

Least Favorite Tracks: Unfinished Business

Rating: 4/5

Paradise by Pop. 1280

Pop. 1280 are a Brooklyn based cyberpunk/industrial/noise rock band who released their debut full-length album back in 2012. Going into the release of their third full-length this year, I had no prior experience with the band, and had very little of an idea of what to expect. Thanks to the band's fusion of old school synth/electronic elements with loud, haunting, industrial and noise rock, they truly were able to give me a pleasant surprise.

The most accurate description for what Paradise resembles, is if Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor decided to get together and make the soundtrack for an 80's horror film. The raw, in your face vocal style found on tracks like Phantom Freighter and the seven minute epic In Silico are very reminiscent of Manson's early work, and the upbeat electronic/industrial production has clearly been inspired by Reznor's early work with Nine Inch Nails. It may sound like an odd concept on paper, or maybe it sounds like something you've heard already with Manson's highly regarded debut Antichrist Superstar, but this album is unlike anything I've personally ever heard.

From the opening track Pyramids on Mars that features an intro comparable to the beginning of Michael Jackson's classic Beat It, to the title track Paradise that features almost exclusively a voice that sounds as if it's being played back through a portable recorder, the atmosphere created throughout this record is one of both fear and darkness. At times it feels as if Pop. 1280 are barking at you with their incredibly loud instrumentation and raw vocals, and at other times it feels as if you're watching a masked killer chase a group of teenage girls through a forest. Tracks like the aforementioned In Silico manage to capture and hold your imagination for it's seven minute runtime, while a track like Rain Song also manages to stay interesting despite containing simply dissonant industrial noises and frontman Chris Bug's vocals. As the track progresses the distant synth sound in the background helps create a very visual and eerie feeling, and makes it easily one of my favorite cuts from the album.

On my first listen through, the album was a blur. It sounded like a 39 minute mess that was trying to be too much. Now, however, with each listen I give the album, it grows. The atmosphere becomes more evident, the ambient moments help make the noisier tracks that much angrier and more enjoyable. It's just as much what the band doesn't do on Paradise as it is what they actually do that helps make this album what it is.

Unfortunately, much of the atmosphere that was built up and used to further the album is lost when the final track hits, as Kingdom Come is a anti-climatic finisher that ends up being the most disappointing moment of the whole album. The song appears to be building and building, leading to what you'd expect to be a post-rock-esque crescendo, but unfortunately that never comes fully to fruition, and instead the closer feels as if it's just a lyrical onslaught being screamed over a very short uninspired loop of instrumentation. While perhaps another intriguing concept for the band to toy with, it left me feeling a little bit cold. The band does attempt the climatic finish within the final minute or so of the track, but the lacklustre first half of the song takes away from what could have been an exciting conclusion.

On Paradise, Pop. 1280 created an album that is a visceral, chilling experience. Not only is the band able to take influence from a plethora of artists and apply it at a high level, but they always find themselves creating a sound that is truly unique. Not only is this easily one of the most atmospheric records I've heard early on this year, but it's also one of the most throughly enjoyable.

Favorite Tracks: Phantom Freighter, In Silico, Paradise, Rain Song,

Least Favorite Tracks: Kingdom Come

Rating: 4/5

Anti by Rihanna

R&B/pop artist Rihanna has been a part of the mainstream pop scene for what feels like forever now. As hard as it is to believe, it's been over 10 years since here early hits Pon de Replay and SOS hit the airwaves for the first time. During her career, Rihanna has at the very least, attempted to change her musical style multiple times, to varying degrees of success. On her last release back in 2012 Unapologetic, she attempted to incorporate elements of EDM in her music, a change that while an interesting idea, didn't add very much to the music she was creating.

Now, 4 years have passed since the release of Rihanna's last full-length album. Not only did she decide to drop an album without much notice or singles to hype the release beforehand, but she also looked to go against the "grain of pop music" so to speak, even naming her album Anti, because as she stated "the album will be the very antithesis of what the public expects." With that being said, Rihanna isn't the first pop star to try and reinvent the formula, and if the risk doesn't pay off, she won't be the first to fail either.

First, let's look at the bad. The lyrical content on this album is arguably the most dumbed down you will find on a pop record. It goes without saying at this point that Rihanna doesn't write her own music, but typically, hearing that an artist does not write their own songs leads one to expect fairly catchy and simplistic songs. However, that isn't always the case on Anti. Instead, we get horribly written lines like James Joint's "I'd rather be, smoking weed, whenever we breathe" and whatever you want classify the mumble filled moments of the album's only single so far Work, which happens to be easily the least enjoyable track on the album as Rihanna comes through as both obnoxious and non-sensical at times, and even a feature from one of the biggest acts in hip-hop Drake can't seem to save face. As the album nears the finish, we also get a trio of slow, uninspired, all together boring ballads. The first of which, Love on the Brain is a clear ode to early mainstream soul artists, but falls completely flat and is nothing new to see from a pop singer as just last year Meghan Trainor's album Title was an equally uninspired throwback doo-wop album. The second to last track Higher sees a very quiet piano based instrumental hide in the background as an attempt to showcase Rihanna's vocal talents. While Rihanna has, without a doubt, a fantastic voice, there's nothing aside from her voice to take away from the track, as it simply offers nothing else. Finally, the closing track Close to You is another piano ballad, this time a break-up song. It's a very forgettable track, and could be interchanged with any other ballad on any other of her earlier albums (so much for the antithesis right?)

Now, onto the areas were the album truly impressed me. The opening track, Consideration, features a glitchy drum pattern focused instrumental, and is one of my favorite cuts on the whole album due to the dub/reggae elements incorporated. We also get a guest appearance from TDE signee SZA, and the two come together for a short yet very enjoyable opener. Desperado is also a very enjoyable track, thanks to the explosive piano/synth based instrumental which also features some of the better lyrics on the record. The Hit-Boy/Travis Scott produced Woo sounds like it would have belonged perfectly on Scott's last full-length Rodeo, and for that reason alone is very easily one of the best songs I've ever heard from Rihanna. Of all these moments, perhaps the album's peak moment comes on Same Ol' Mistakes, a cover of Australian psychedelic-rock act Tame Impala's song by the same name. Not only does Rihanna handle the track incredibly well, but it was recently reported Tame Impala's Kevin Parker is "very happy with how the song turned out" which should definitely say something of her performance.

Anti is easily one of the more interesting pop records I've heard in the past few years, and Rihanna manages to take influence from many artists and genres as a whole throughout the project. Not only is this, in my opinion at least, a new career high for the Barbadian singer, but it's also perhaps her most divided album as far tracks go. The songs range from boring and disappointing, to unique and innovative, and the transitions between are often so quick that sometimes you might forget you're listening to an album from a Top-40 Billboard artist, and I mean that in the best way possible. Unfortunately, the base formula that often times comes with being such a successful mainstream act appears quite a bit throughout Anti, and while it doesn't ruin the album, it does take away from what could have easily been a milestone release.

Favorite Tracks: Consideration, Desperado, Woo, Needed Me, Same Ol' Mistake,

Least Favorite Tracks: Kiss It Better, Work, Higher,

Rating: 3.5/5