Tag: album review

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Florence Welch emerges ‘High As Hope’ The unflinchingly confessional album introduces a newly-assured Florence

●●●●○ Florence Welch is at her most unflinchingly honest in her fourth studio album with Florence and the Machine, leaving listeners stumbling around like unordained priests in her cathedral of confessions. Composure can be regained, however, when it becomes clear … Continue reading Florence Welch emerges ‘High As Hope’ The unflinchingly confessional album introduces a newly-assured Florence

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Retro Records: The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” "Pet Sounds" manages to expertly blend popular music with experimentation, combining the tight harmonies of ‘doo-wop’ with some of the most innovative arrangement and composition in modern music.

Ranking the best albums of the twentieth century, Rolling Stone placed Pet Sounds, the 1966 album by The Beach Boys, second only to The Beatles’ Sgt Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band. In the case of ‘best’ films, albums or books there … Continue reading Retro Records: The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” “Pet Sounds” manages to expertly blend popular music with experimentation, combining the tight harmonies of ‘doo-wop’ with some of the most innovative arrangement and composition in modern music.

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Alien She’s “Feeler” Growlingly political and atmospherically moody, a local trio to check out.

●●●●○ Alien She‘s debut studio album Feeler launched Friday, 24 November, to the double-fanfare of opening for Pussy Riot the night before the launch party. I was at the Pussy Riot gig where the local Dublin punk band were the … Continue reading Alien She’s “Feeler” Growlingly political and atmospherically moody, a local trio to check out.

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Ten Add Ten: The Very Best of Scouting for Girls A vault of pop nostalgia worth investigating?

Arguably the epitome of the bubblegum-pop days of the mid-to-late noughties sound is the fun, happy-go-lucky English pop-rock band Scouting for Girls. Remarkably, their self-titled debut is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. To celebrate, the trio has come out … Continue reading Ten Add Ten: The Very Best of Scouting for Girls A vault of pop nostalgia worth investigating?

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King Krule’s “The Ooz” Finally Gets Us Excited for Indie Rock While none of its inspirations are hard to decipher, these sounds come together like a collage that looks as a whole entirely different from its embodied parts.

●●●●● David Longstreth of Dirty Projectors recently referred to the community of independent rock as mostly “miming a codified set of sounds and practices whose significance is inherited rather than discovered reflective of the world as we experience it now.” … Continue reading King Krule’s “The Ooz” Finally Gets Us Excited for Indie Rock While none of its inspirations are hard to decipher, these sounds come together like a collage that looks as a whole entirely different from its embodied parts.

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Otherkin is More Than “OK” Otherkin aren’t inventing anything new in terms of sound, but what they have created is an album full of catchy garage rock that will have you stamping your foot and yelling at the top of your lungs.

●●●●○ No strangers to the Irish rock scene, Otherkin give us electrifying rock ‘n’ roll in their debut album OK. These raucous Dubliners have been impressing audiences since 2014, with their punchy songs and energetic live performances, but now we … Continue reading Otherkin is More Than “OK” Otherkin aren’t inventing anything new in terms of sound, but what they have created is an album full of catchy garage rock that will have you stamping your foot and yelling at the top of your lungs.

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Moses Sumney’s “Aromanticism” – Review Moses Sumney’s debut release celebrates the value of solitude with an album drenched in the traditional signifiers of love.

●●●●● “Aromanticism/aromantic – having no interest or desire for romantic relationships.” It seems to be an intentional irony, then, that Moses Sumney’s debut release celebrates the value of solitude with an album drenched in the traditional signifiers of love. From … Continue reading Moses Sumney’s “Aromanticism” – Review Moses Sumney’s debut release celebrates the value of solitude with an album drenched in the traditional signifiers of love.

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Coming Back Stronger: Ibeyi’s Sophomore Album Strong in its vulnerability and brazen in its declarations, "Ash" defies the boundaries of established genres, and proves that all of this can be done to the backdrop of commanding drum lines.

Ibeyi’s sophomore record, Ash, retains the essential Afro-Cuban influences of their debut while foraying into experimental electronic territory. Overtly political and intensely personal lyrics allow the sisters to confront themes of race and womanhood, relying heavily on motifs and repetition. … Continue reading Coming Back Stronger: Ibeyi’s Sophomore Album Strong in its vulnerability and brazen in its declarations, “Ash” defies the boundaries of established genres, and proves that all of this can be done to the backdrop of commanding drum lines.

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Cut Copy’s “Haiku From Zero” bleepy bloopy synth / disappointing, generic / forgettable songs

Cut Copy’s latest bleepy bloopy synth fusion represents a lack of progress for the band, who have seemed to settle for what is a largely unforgettable musical style. Haiku From Zero is an unadventurous collection of songs which maintains a certain … Continue reading Cut Copy’s “Haiku From Zero” bleepy bloopy synth / disappointing, generic / forgettable songs

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The National: “Sleep Well Beast” – Review "Sleep Well Beast," while garnering so far the same critical acclaim as any other The National record, continues what is a downward trajectory.

●●●○○ The National’s most recent offering Sleep Well Beast follows after Trouble Will Find Me, which was a puzzling record. It continued their unbroken streak of critical acclaim, appearing on multiple “Albums of the Year” lists as well as earning … Continue reading The National: “Sleep Well Beast” – Review “Sleep Well Beast,” while garnering so far the same critical acclaim as any other The National record, continues what is a downward trajectory.