#album review

[girlreviews]

Review #146: Parallel Lines, Blondie

Man oh man oh man. I love Blondie so much. I found this record in the Windsor Oxfam. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I remember what boyfriend was with me so that puts me between 15 and 18. Yeah, same guy. I actually don’t remember if he ended up getting his hands on this record or not. I think I still have it. Will rifle through my collection later to check.

Blondie was in the “being cool” wilderness for some absolutely crazy reason at that point, and nobody really gave a shit about them anymore. When I was 17 or 18 they were playing the Reading Hexagon which is honestly still just such an unbelievable insult I’m still annoyed about it. I’ll circle back to that.

Parallel Lines epitomizes the complete and total coolness and badassery of Debbie Harry. I have never wanted to be someone more than I wanted to be her. So much confidence. Such incredible cheekbones. Such commitment to art. No apologies. The voice of an angel one moment and snarling whimsical warnings, like, hey you, don’t fuck with me, the next. Always standing in front of all of those completely non-descript nobody dudes. Yeah they’re playing the music, but who cares, who are they? It’s all her. She is Blondie.

Can I pick a favorite? It opens with Hanging on the Telephone, in which she is really threatening to rip the phone clean off the wall. It might be that one. But we’ve also got the classic One Way Or Another, which needs no comment, and one of my actual favorites of all time, Heart of Glass which never fails to fuck me up, but like, it’s a god damn disco track? Like sure, yeah, let’s boogie away our heart break. And I did. And I have. And I will. And these are all SINGLES. We aren’t even discussing the actual album tracks yet. Just listen to it. Honorable mention goes to Sunday Girl, which I always really loved. It’s cute and it’s kind of sweet in a very teenage girl kind of way that worked for me since I was in fact, a teenage girl. Also, not on the official album release, but there was a version of that track where the latter half was sung entirely in French and I always really dug it.

Okay so circling back to the Hexagon. This is a weird story and I’m still not sure how I feel about it, to this day. As I said, Blondie were playing a show at the Hexagon. I was absolutely obsessed with them, and Debbie Harry. I was also 17 or 18 and spent every penny I had on going to shows, but those pennies were pretty limited. I worked as a waitress at the pub that was two doors down from my house. It was full of characters. One such character was a regular, he was in his late 40s, was very wealthy, didn’t drive, was single, and spent literally every bit of his spare time in that pub. Think on that. He paid a lot of attention to the various young women that worked there. Was he creepy? No not exactly. But did it make you uncomfortable? Yes it did. Because you never knew when he might make it weird. Everyone liked him well enough. One day out of the blue this guy presented me with five tickets to the Blondie show. I didn’t know what in the hell to say or whether to accept them. Or what it meant. Whether there were expectations attached to them. Whether it was okay to take them. I was uncomfortable. I was 17.

Here’s what happened. My Mom, who sort of knew him too, since he was always there, decided it was fine, because she wanted to go. But for it to be okay, she decided he also had to come. So we went, he came, and a few friends too. The thing is though, she never knew him like I did. I saw him every day. I saw him with the other girls that worked at the pub. I saw him drunk off his ass. I don’t know that I ever would have taken the tickets. Or if I did, I’m not sure I ever would have invited him. I feel a bit queasy about it to this day. I think in the end something really off-base happened one night between him and someone on staff and he got barred. That was usually the way it went with regulars who were there that often.

The other thing to note is that Blondie ended because Debbie Harry was with Chris Stein, who was literally dying of some rare autoimmune disease throughout their last tour. There were other factors at play, but essentially, they broke up because he was too sick and she stayed at his side and became his full-time carer. When he was well, he left her. They are, remarkably, still close friends to this day and still perform together. Just never forget that men are dogs, and that Blondie is and always will be Debbie Harry. I love her. To this day she looks better than I do in a mini skirt and I love that for her.

ETA: I checked and in fact, I do not still have Parallel Lines in my record collection, but I am quite confident it got lost when I moved back to the US. Also, I’m not 100% certain that show was at the Reading Hexagon. I just know it was a shitty venue not worthy of Blondie. This was 18 years ago. You get the idea.

[zinphandel]

hellllllo phannie nation 🫡🫡🫡 its time for:

dan howell’s albums of the year listen through and rating with kate @zinphandel: 2016 edition!

The albums this year are:

1. Frank Ocean- Blonde

2. Radiohead- A Moon Shaped Pool

3. Kanye West- The Life of Pablo

4. Solange- A Seat at the Table

5. Danny Brown- Atrocity Exhibition

BONUS ALBUMS!!!

Bon Iver- 22, A Million

Beyoncé- Lemonade

Death Grips- Bottomless Pit

What an unreal selection of albums we’ve got for this year! I will listening through and reviewing each album, and would love to hear your opinions as well!

Click the link on each album to read my review

read my 2015 reviews here :)

[thats-the-teen-spirit]

Linkin Park - From Zero - Album Review

Well, a few months ago I didn't think that I would write such a review but here we go. So Linkin Park announced their return in September followed by a tour and an album, to everyone's surprise. The new singer after the great Chester Bennington's passing was announced to be the former Dead Sara vocalist, Emily Armstrong. The announcement was followed by many controversies which I'm not gonna touch on in this review, I'm just here, purely for the music, so take all my opinions with a grain of salt.

From Zero (Intro)

A very short, barely even 20 seconds intro is a Queen-like gang vocal/choir harmony followed by Emily asking about the name of the album. It sounds like they recorded her first reaction to Mike's idea for the album name, which is - as Mike mentioned many times throughout the promotion of the album - a double entendre. From Zero means from the ground up, a new beginning which is definitely true for the band after losing a beloved former member and a friend, but also From Xero which was the first name of the predecessor band of Linkin Park. It's genius if you think about it, and by the short and cut end of the intro Emily realizes this as well.

2. The Emptiness Machine

The first single and the song that started the return. The video and the song are both great, though it left a sour taste in some fans' mouth, expecting either a Chester-imitation or someone completely different (rumors were Amy Lee and Deryck Whibley). The Emptiness Machine opens up with a modern beat and Mike's rapping, he even sings the first chorus hinting at something new to come. The second verse starts with Emily singing and while at first I thought she lacks the power Chester had, by the end of the second chorus she proves her place is right among the boys. The lyrics are about an abusive relationship to someone or something which left people thinking about Emily's past (imo the lyrics definitely fit into Linkin Park's past catalogue as well). The passion of the last chorus and the "I only wanted to be part of something" bridge will leave you wondering though: how would this song sound with Chester?

3. Cut the Bridge

Already a non-single with a choppy hard rock riff and octaves, Mike starts rapping and you realize this is definitely a Linkin Park song. In my personal opinion this sound would have fit into The Hunting Party as well as this album. I'm not the biggest fan of the chorus but it's a fun song that might get a few headbangs at concerts. Emily definitely carries this song, the bridge melody by Mike is... not the best, a little jarring and does not fit his vocal style and range. We'll hear a few moments like that in the coming songs.

4. Heavy Is The Crown

Heavy Is The Crown was the second single and the anthem of this year's League of Legends championship which gave to already one of the biggest bands of the planet some extra boost of publicity. If I had to describe this song with old Linkin Park songs I would say this is a renewed version of Faint with the breakdown of Given Up. The beat and the melody throughout the song is very Meteora-era and the "THIS IS WHAT YOU ASKED FOR" breakdown pretty much calls out the fans who wanted a nu-metal banger. It's like they knew their return was controversial and they have to do the maximum nostalgia factor to appeal to the same audience that once loved them. Emily shows her real power in this one, letting out the beast and hinting at what's coming.

5. Over Each Other

A pure Emily song and the third single. Mike is not singing nor rapping in this one, and in the video we see Emily being in a relationship, breaking up and fighting with her girlfriend until the story takes a dark turn when she fakes her own death to get away from her now ex-girlfriend. It's a very honest and upbeat song that really arrives by the second half. The lyrics show a burnt-out relationship that seems to be over soon. This one I cannot even imagine with Chester's vocals, which is the first and the last time this happened during this album. The instrumentals in the second half are (in my personal opinion) very much Minutes to Midnight-like, almost as if Rick Rubin produced this one as well.

6. Casualty

Undoubtedly the heaviest one on the record, there's barely any clean vocals, (even Mike is shouting for most of the song) and there's even a hardcore punk beat in it. This is basically like their song Victimized was on The Hunting Party instead of Living Things. The guitars and drums are filled with rage and in the bridge we hear a new sound from Emily which is very In This Moment/Maria Brink. I didn't expect a hardcore song by Linkin Park but in 2024 even that could happen.

7. Overflow

After a very lengthy intro the song arrives to a space-y, flowy verse which is reminiscent of Deftones and I.O.U, the song Mike recorded with Chino Moreno off his solo record, Post Traumatic. The chorus keeps up the same slow pace and by the bridge I figured that this song would be very fitting to A Thousand Suns. Which is possibly the only song on this record that I can say this about. Like a more modern version of a medley of that album, strange sound and it's not gonna be my most listened song but I think it will find its audience.

8. Two-Faced

Ever wanted to hear a Meteora/Hybrid Theory song sung by a female singer? Well, here you go. Imagine if Figure.09, A Place for My Head and One Step Closer got together on a drunk night and had a lovechild. The verses are also very much like Nobody's Listening, another song from Meteora. The breakdown is so much fanservice to the HT fans that it's almost exactly the One Step Closer riff (even the turntables are there). This will be one of my favorites for sure, it gives me that Cure for The Itch for a old-new HT sound. The fans who can get over to be ready for the new era of the band and only love the first album will be happy to hear this one.

9. Stained

Another song that is hard carried by Emily's vocals, I swear it's like they're doing this on purpose. Mike is one of my favorite songwriters and musicians but man, is he boring in this song. This is the first song where I felt like it's a filler. Chorus melody is alright especially in the last one where it's much more epic, but the verses, the instrumental and the overall vibe of this song is very forgettable. If I wanted to be really harsh I would say, this one is a more pop-ish song of One More Light got rerecorded with a different vocalist and distorted guitars.

10. IGYEIH

IGYEIH or I Gave You Everything I Had is another heavy banger. The riff is very nu metal, reminding me of Burn by Three Days Grace. It's another one that Emily is carrying on her back, her performance is 110% again. Mike's "the clock keeps tickiiiiing" call-ins are very much forced, and in my opinion lack chemistry with the rest of the song. The yea-yea-yea-s by Emily are also somewhat forced before the chorus, the buildup and the breakdown are great though. It's not as mid as Stained but I honestly expected better from the riff.

11. Good Things Go

Probably my favorite song of the album, straight up. The modern rap beat and Mike's work on the rapping and the wonderful vocals by Emily make this composition a pleasure to listen to. Some people I saw online compared it to Leave Out All The Rest, I don't think that is true. While this is a ballad of some sort having very emotional lyrics, it's an unfair comparison to LOATR. The delivery by both Mike and Emily is amazing though and the buildup is one of my favorites of this year, it's both relieving and cathartic. This is this album's take on Good Goodbye and this one undoubtedly wins both the message and the delivery battle.

Overall I'm not gonna lie, I expected more. Upon the second listen I realized that I lost recency bias already. Some moments turned out to be probably the worst in their catalogue while others were highlights of this year's musical journey for me. The singles are definitely the stand-out songs, though Good Things Go and Two-Faced are up among them. Emily carried most of the songs as I mentioned many times before and it's clear that the band's intention was to make the audience love her as much as they loved working with her, even if this effort cast a dark shadow on the rest of the bands' performance.

7/10

[louisupdates]

FULL ARTICLE ON EUPHORIAZINE

By Saskia Postema 26.4.2024

Mere days after winning “Artist of the Year” at the inaugural Northern Music Awards, Louis Tomlinson is celebrating the only way he knows how – by giving back. Tomlinson just dropped a surprise album, which includes a curated list of live performances over the past years. It’s a risky move, as live albums are notoriously difficult to make worthwhile. But there’s no doubt about it: Tomlinson is deserving of that award, and the recordings on Louis Tomlinson: LIVE deserve to live forever.

After an initial stop-start to his solo career, Tomlinson has certainly flourished since finally getting to hit the stage. He’s been touring extensively over the past few years, performing a mix of tracks from his first two albums. Both were solid records that heavily referenced anthemic, rich sonic soundscapes. In fact, Tomlinson previously admitted that he wrote certain tracks with a live show in mind. Indeed, songs like “Face The Music,” “Out Of My System” and “The Greatest,” from his No. 1 selling album Faith in the Future, absolutely benefit from the live instrumentals compared to their studio versions.

It isn’t often that live performances consistently seem to not only live up to but objectively improve the perfectly engineered studio recordings. Perhaps it’s the love that the album so clearly captures for live music that does it. The singer-songwriter is an avid fan of his own fans and gets to share a collective experience of joy with them. Just listen to the crowds serenading Tomlinson in return during “Chicago,” recorded live in – you guessed it, Chicago. From Tomlinson’s perspective, audiences across the world have always been part of breathing life into these live recordings. Now, people get to live that same experience with him by listening to this record that is woven together with impeccably mixed joyful screaming in the background.

Tomlinson’s storytelling isn’t hindered by the crowd’s reaction. Rather, it is bolstered by it. In both power ballads like “Common People” as well as raucous tracks like “Silver Tongues.” The live setting seems to function almost akin to a prism – each song shining brighter, richer, fuller. Perhaps the only track that is tighter in the original version, is the seductive “Written All Over Your Face.” Nonetheless, the instrumental break and palpable, wild excitement make for an enjoyable listen.

Similarly, right in the middle of the highly addictive “All This Time/We Are Beauty” mash-up, a fan can be heard screaming “I love you” if you listen closely. The sheer adulation of the crowd is decidedly earned. Tomlinson has worked hard to prove himself, despite never having lacked the talent. Perhaps merely the confidence that he could do it, would do it, has done it. Nevertheless, he’s been open about the tension between his own love for music, and his at times debilitating need for perfection. As he’s settled into his career, a quiet undertone of determination and grit, of relief and fulfillment – of gratitude remains in every single show.

On “Saturdays,” you can actually hear Tomlinson mumble that the view’s never been better from where he’s stood on stage. It’s a high-maintenance track with all the right ingredients for a Tomlinson classic. There’s confessional lyricism, emotive delivery, and a gradual yet powerful crescendo in musical arrangement. It needs to be sung with conviction, and it’s clear that Tomlinson pulls power from the audience to deliver.

Notably, none of the covers that Tomlinson frequently incorporates in his concerts made it onto this live album. With that in mind, perhaps this release signals that Tomlinson has finally embraced his own artistry. Because if anything, Louis Tomlinson: LIVE is a reckless celebration record. An ode to joy, the synergy between artist and audience, and the impact of well-timed, flawlessly executed live guitar solos.

[thehuntfortrencherlostmedia]

Hello folks.

So, I waited a while to let everything marinate in my brain before writing this. Haven is an interesting album to discuss in the grand scheme of the Trench discography. Everything feels familiar & status quo, but different, new & exciting all at once. Its production is fantastic throughout and truly allows for everything to shine. It’s also their most cinematic album to date, which is saying something given what Astoria was inspired by.

So let’s break down each track, shall we?

A Normal Life: Already gushed about this one when it came out and my thoughts haven’t changed one bit. This just might be my new favourite opener. There’s just a little sprinkling of everything from all across their discography that allows this beauty to marinate and stand on its own.

Lightning & Thunder: I’m torn. I like it still, but I do think that when you listen to it within the context of the album it loses something. It was definitely made to be a radio single. There’s nothing wrong with that.

I’m Not Getting Better: Straight to the point, catchy & fun. I really have nothing else to say on the song.

Down To You: Arguably the biggest earworm on the album. This one gets in your head and it just stays with you.

Now or Never: The By Now of the record for me. Soft & yet full of momentum all at once. This is a dream worth fighting for, indeed. Also, while both INGB & DTY show off a more R&B/Funk flow, it really sticks on this song, and now that you’ve noticed it, you’ll be hearing it a lot throughout the record.

Into The Storm: Hello, Porcelain. But also… it’s own thing. It might not be giving up, but I don’t see it as surrender either. I see it as going with the flow, facing your problems head on. This is also the first true dive into Josh’s relationship with Amanda on the album, and how he’s so happy they finally figured out how to co-exist.

Ancient History: Oh hi, Astoria. You mind if I take elements of Burning Up & Yesterday and blend them into something new? And how about the past arguments in his and Amanda’s relationship don’t matter, and how it was nice to meet back up with her. It shows how time can heal relationships. Also, SAXOPHONE. That is all.

Stand and Fight: The actual Porcelain of the record. People thought they were gonna go in a This Meets War for this song, when instead it’s a slow burn that truly stays with you.

Turn & Run: Here’s how you do a sequel song and then make it stand out from its older brother. Much like the combos of Celebrity Status/Perfect & B-Team/Toy Soldiers, both sides of the coin make me giddy inside. And holy cow… welcome to the edge indeed. That hint of Fix Me screaming… I need more of it Josh. Please? I’ll be a good girl. There’s also a lot of Masterpiece Theatre II on this one. Easily my favourite of the short songs.

Worlds Collide: I go back and forth on this one in my head. There’s parts of me that love it, there’s parts of me that feels it’s too similar to the two tracks before it…. And then we have the end. And that just… made me smile. Also, I love Josh SCREAMING “Nobody’s Safe” and the fact they left in the vocal crack. That’s how you can tell his emotions are in full display here. So yeah.

Nights Like These: The comforting palette cleanser after three songs hit you with whiplash back to back to back. It’s very reminiscent of tavern songs, sea shanty’s & is just a warm hug of a track. Also, breaking down the fact that sometimes it’s nice to have just a cozy, relaxing night with friends. Feels like the Who Do You Love of the record too.

Remember Me By: Um, Micheal? Did you just possess Josh again? This feels so 80’s R&B I can’t help but love it. Also, Ian! Nice to hear you sing, bud. We’ve heard the other three all throughout this record and now we get your voice on top of the amazing percussion. Kudos.

Haven: So, here we are. The closing track. And, it’s good. It feels like they took The Killing Kind , Masterpiece Theatre III & End of An Era Abd threw them in a blender… and the result came out great, but… it does lack something to me? And if anything, it brings out the fact this album fits into the Relationship Theory too: It is about starting anew like I said ages ago but also about how their relationship (Josh & Amanda) isn’t perfect but he loves the imperfection now that they’ve figured out how to make it work. She might’ve broke his heart once but he reconciled & became stronger because of it. And now he can show that all across these 13 tracks.

So yeah. Haven’s likely my album of the year, and I do like it. But I do think that while it has some of the highest highs the band had ever reached, I do think they didn’t fully nail the Hero’s Journey theming & that it’s not as cohesive as some of their other work. It’s a sturdy S-, easily #2 or #3 in my overall rankings, even #1 depending on the day.

[applepiesandalibis]

Uboa — The Flesh of the World

Released: May 20, 2020

Genre: Industrial, Death Industrial, Noise, Drone, Power Electronics

Song ranking:

The Flesh of the World

Inside/Outside

God Unbounded

Exsanguination

Thoughts: Yep, Uboa post again. I just adore her work so much and I listened to this EP today and found it to be absolutely amazing.

Xandra mixes heavenly vocals with some of the harshest, rawest screams as well as brain-scratching electronic instrumentals, which made TFOTW one of my favorite records by her. Well, to be honest I've only listened to three of them so far and all became my favorites. Though this EP feels slightly different from her full-length albums, it still has the classic "Uboa" elements, including the oddly comforting feeling of despair and hopelessness, perfectly transformed into musical pieces and just the raw emotion that scares you in the best way possible.

This review is pretty short but I think my point is clear: I really really loved this EP. An underrated work of art that I want you all to check out!

Overall rating: 8,5/10

[singularwetramennoodle]

The Crane Wives Have Gone Above and Beyond Beyond Beyond: An Album Review

The Crane Wives' newest album, Beyond Beyond Beyond, was released on September 6, 2024. It has been haunting my life ever since.

The album has ups and downs. The slowness in "Say It" really brings the anticipation, and everything past "if you could, would you erase me?" is pure liquid gold. But it just isn't as strong and visceral as the other songs on the album. "Higher Ground" also doesn't have the same energy because of the lack of structure, but after a few re-listens, it really grew on me.

As far as "Predator" goes, it takes a second to get used to the rhythm, but I love how it almost feels mocking. The melody rocks back and forth as the lyrics tear you into pieces. And I am absolutely GOBSMACKED by "Scars," "Bitter Medicine," and "Mad Dog." They all bring the feral energy that gets me so addicted to this band, and they bring a lot to it. I need to flat-out ignore the theme of "Black Hole Fantasy" and aggressively daydream to these three songs.

"Black Hole Fantasy" has, by the way, brutally murdered me. "Even in my fantasy I keep the car running in case I need to take off" stabbed me directly in the heart.

Finally, "Arcturus Beaming" seems to take a step forward after a long period of contemplation. You haven't quite reached a destination-- "nothing will change until I change" after all, but you're ready to return to the real world. It's a fitting song to hold the name of the album.

As custom for The Crane Wives, there are strong themes of the past, change, and "moving on" in their masterful lyrics. The story is keeps pushing forward, and you're following the character's thoughts as you're swept into the future along with them. There's less rhythm and structure in these songs compared to their biggest hits. While it takes a bit of getting used to, there's still a beautiful flow present throughout the songs and their craftsmanship.

[pretentious-art-love]

Album Reviews #47 - Disco Volante by Mr. Bungle

Mr. Bungle were always inspired by David Lynch’s style of combining dream-like surrealism with the uncomfortable and the nasty. They had included some samples from Blue Velvet in their self-titled record, and now, they have gone ahead to create a full album of Lynch-inspired oneiric reverie. Disco Volante's music evolves with its own logic; the songs shift from moments of intense and scary other-worldly emotion to completely dissipate into miscellaneous sound collages, and then evolve into more miniature samples of wrecked music.

As with any David Lynch film, the atmosphere in the album can be as thick as it is ordinary. While the music seems dissipated and random in most senses, it is only so in its structure. I have always said that Disco Volante shares many sound similarities with Jeux des Dames Cruelles, an album by the band's first album producer, John Zorn. However, while the music of Jeux des Dames lets itself spill like the paint of a splashed canvas, the music of Disco Volante turns into something at the same time less and more tangible—not the world of smeared paintings, but the world of dreams. There are so many miniatures of music composed in a wonderful tapestry of influences, ranging from Nuevo Tango and Psychedelic Pop to Klezmer, Raga Rock, and Acid Techno. All these miniatures of sounds can be as catchy as they are cinematic. While these moments can be memorable on their own, Disco Volante dissolves instantly into a cacophony of banal musique concrète sounds and field recordings or changes its train of thought to a completely different genre or composition without losing its character. For example, "Phlegmatics" starts with a Thrash Metal section, only to suddenly stop and slowly build up where both guitar and voice seem to be independent of the rest of the song in a beseeching lament while the drums are still on a chase. This way, "Phlegmatics" blends the sensation of yearning and anguish, which you can experience in nightmares or delusions caused by sickness. "The Bends" is composed mostly of an atmospheric piece exuding different ominous melodies per minute around a sci-fi flair. "Violenza Domestica" has momentary bursts of violence around cheap sentimentalism, slowly deteriorating into a creepily possessive song. This is something that many Bungle-inspired bands were unable to understand: Bungle’s eclecticism is more about genre-bending rather than song-swapping. The songs do not change one after the other in the same track, but they can explore wildly different sounds around the same idea while staying cohesive as a single, albeit broken, piece. Even when the jar is broken, it is assembled with the same parts it is composed of, rather than pieces from different jars, and that’s where its genius lies.

The emotions in the record can be as terrifying and revolting as they can be in Lynch’s movies (as, for example, in Blue Velvet itself, with its plot involving kidnappings, sexual slavery, and abuse), but there are brushstrokes of an added emotional palette in this record. It is Mike Patton’s whimsy and the band's knack for jest that give life unique of its own rather than one of a simply Lynch-inspired record. The buffoonery that embodies the record works to make it even more nefarious and depraved. With its banter, Disco Volante transforms what could be a world of pure horror and shock into a complete tapestry of depravity, making it one of the most horrifying albums you could ever hear. It is true that as it stands, this might as well become the less popular of the three mainline Mr. Bungle records, with its average dropping further every year and its overall track ratings barely managing to get a few bolded songs to date, which curiously enough seem to favor the tracks that maintain a proper rhythm instead of the more freeform ones. Still, though, I find it an absolutely incredible record, probably more so than the other two records, considering its attention to detail in creating a cohesive soundscape—a palpable, almost tangible experience in the freeform song, which is something all other Bungle bands have not either managed or focused to create. If you find it way too difficult to properly grasp, my advice would be to start with the tracks that are more freeform and climb your way up, leaving the tracks with more apparent rhythm at the end, to not let your brain get used to their momentum before it is wise. The record as a thematic piece is summarily cohesive, but if the order of its movements disconcerts you more than what it helps you, you can still take advantage that all these are different songs and that they are pieces you can independently digest as you see fit.

As it stands today, Disco Volante is one of those records that might be too difficult for most people, but its experience is undeniably unique and amusing. It's edgy, funny, hilarious, and incredibly vivid and striking. If you are interested in art that accurately represents the world of dreams, I absolutely recommend it to you, not just because of its oneiric quality, but also because it is completely evil and hysterical.

My version thing to do is putting all The Bends sections between each song, this connects the album with a thematically spooky ambience. Moving Nothing after After School Special and putting The Bends ending, Re-Entry, allows the album to end in a gust of noise and loop back to Everyone I Went To High School With Is Dead.

Everyone I Went To High School With Is Dead

Man Overboard

Chemical Marriage

The Drowning Flute

Carry Stress In The Jaw

The Secret Song

Aqua Swing

Desert Search For Techno Allah

Follow The Bubbles

Violenza Domestica

Duet For Guitar And Oxygen Tank

After School Special

Nothing

Phlegmatics

Nerve Damage

Ma Meeshka Mow Skwoz

Screaming Bends

Backstrokin’

Panic In Blue

Platypus

Love In The Event Horizon

Merry Go Bye Bye

Re-entry

8/10

[glass-beasts]

ILYSFM ALBUM MELODY ANALYSIS!

SHOW PONY

Similar: Creatures In Heaven, Helium, It’s All So Incredibly Loud

Mood: wistful, healed hurt, reminiscent, piteous

WHATTHEHELLISHAPPENING?

Similar: I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)

Mood: satisfaction, bitter joy, relief, overwhelmingly exhausting contentment, careful carelessness

CREATURES IN HEAVEN

Similar: Helium, Agnes

Mood: cumbersome love, finality, unclouded closure, acceptance of regret, nostalgia, state of missing

WONDERFUL NOTHING

Similar: Mama’s Gun, Flip, Toes, Space Ghost Coast To Coast

Mood: lusty vengeance, satisfying hate, moth-to-a-flame mindset, anger-less despise

A TEAR IN SPACE (AIRLOCK)

Similar: Mama’s Gun, Domestic Bliss

Mood: obsession, depressive love, desperation, mercurial passion, capricious feelings

I CAN’T MAKE YOU FALL IN LOVE AGAIN

Similar: It’s All So Incredibly Loud, Helium, Melon and The Coconut

Mood: deep-seated miss, nostalgia, hopelessness, wishing, broken-hearted, knowingly contradictory desires

HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE BOMB

Similar: Heat Waves, A Tear In Space, Youth

Mood: unintentionally intentional distancing, passive frustration, dissuasion

WHITE ROSES

Similar: Space Ghost Coast To Coast, Poplar Street (lyric-wise), I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Talk), Show Pony

Mood: dark path towards light at the end of the tunnel, de-villainization, dying desire, lonesomeness, selfless reminiscing

ON THE RUN

Similar: Waterfalls Coming Out Your Mouth, Tangerine

Mood: light humor, self-scapegoating, decided closure, hopefulness, yearning, blind belief, self-loss

LOST IN THE OCEAN

Similar: Mama’s Gun, Hazey, Dreamland, Hot Sugar

Mood: exhaustion, passiveness, relaxation, carelessness, agape (Greek love type)

OVERALL ALBUM MOOD:

Oxymoronic, loving, grieving, preciousness

[toothybj]

Music Fan

[crying-screaming-throwingup]

my thoughts on prelude to ecstasy:

the intro orchestral movement?? it felt like something out of a roman period piece. it was so perfect and just *chefs kiss* and the ending crescendo was so gorgeous

burn alive felt so dramatic like watching the lead up to a murder “let me make my grief a commodity” and “there is candle wax melting in my veins” are just such poetic lyrics. the guitar riff during the verse feels like a warning- eerie and stark. “i am not the girl i set out to be” is such a raw line it makes me feral omfg. abigail morris’ final line felt like an open wound

i’ve heard caesar on a tv screen before but in the context of the album as a whole changes it. it’s almost like a sequel of sorts, showing what she “set out to be”. musically, the contrast between the verse and chorus itches a scratch on my brain. “champion of my fate” feels so spiteful idk why

the feminine urge gives lana vibes maybe cause of the darker imagery and tone. it feels like a performer cracking their mask. “i am a dark red liver stretched out on the rocks” is sUCH A GOOD LYRIC. “to nurture to wounds my mother had” killed me my god

again i’ve heard on your side before but the album changes the feelings within it. if the feminine urge was the cracking of the mask then this song is the removal of it. it is vulnerable and raw and open about love and shame. the vocals feel like they’re pleading but already resigned- it’s heartbreaking

the flute opening for beautiful boy sounds so wistful. this so is so queer omg. “what good are red lips when faced with something dark” the lone piano chords in the chorus plus the harmonies are so ethereal they make me feel like i’m at my funeral service.

gjuha makes me feel like i’m intruding on something private, a ritual between a girl and a god. THE TRANSITION OMFG

the placement of gjuha before sinner MAKES ME FEEL THINGS OMG. like the contrast of imagery, between sin and holiness. “TURN TO THE ALTAR OF LUST” this song made me feral when i first heard it and it makes me feral now like omg. the religious imagery in this entire album is so interesting

my lady of mercy’s bass line is so groovy and perfect and amazing. and the percussive claps are so amazing. again, this so is so queer™️. the heavier sound in the chorus is so amazing and the bridge makes me feel like i’m fighting my final stand and praying to win

i love the stripped back piano of portrait of a dead girl compared with my lady of mercy. even further in the track, it remains kinda mellow and softer but no less direct. “the dignity of letting me go” when it finally gets more upbeat it the chorus it rly doesn’t disappoint. and the strings omg. also song title could be a nod to the album cover or vice versa??

the beginning of nothing matters feels like a prayer and the harp is so bloody good. “a sailor and a nightingale dancing in convertibles” the guitar riffs in the second verse are so funky i love it and the solo just makes me want to dance.

mirror feels like the end of the battle- the drums and solemn voice. it’s the end of the performance, the final death. “pretty glass and empty heart” death of the performer is the death of the album. but the final fifty seconds feels like a rebirth in a way, growth and renewal.

i don’t know if u could tell but i fricking loved this album like it’s everything i’ve ever wanted in terms of vibes and blend of dramatics and sincereness. i’m just praying that i get tickets omg

[thesleeptokenarchive]

Social Media Update: Rock Sound TV Album Review

In 2021, Sleep Token posted a link to Rock Sound TV's review of their recently released album, This Place Will Become Your Tomb.

[Web Archive Link] [FB]

An offering, from the Rock Sound publication.

SLEEP TOKEN'S ‘THIS PLACE WILL BECOME YOUR TOMB' INTENSELY DEMONSTRATES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN

By JACK ROGERS

With their second record, Sleep Token have created a piece of art that transcends this existence whilst also staying firmly rooted in what it means to feel so strongly. This is why it is so vital.

For as long as history will allow us to look back, music has been a means of exercising and exorcizing emotion. A vessel for the most beautiful, brutal and boundless feelings that our minds and bodies can conjure, it's a means of connection that transcends language, creed and culture. A universal escape from the trials and tribulations of the world that will outlast and outlive its creator by the millennia.

Music is humanity at its most vulnerable and visceral, and that is why it is so vital.

It's within this space that Sleep Token has always existed. Since their introduction to the world back in 2016, beginning as a means to present their love and appreciation for the ancient deity Sleep but becoming something much more significant in the process, they have built up a rabid and relentless following via their musical output and nothing more. By hiding away their identity and giving away no additional information, the focus is solely on sound and that sound has always attempted to breach the very essence of what makes us who we are. Tales of devotion and devastation, hope and heartache, are presented by Vessel and his associates in ways that enrich the soul and ensnare the senses, with only our own experiences there to compare the adoration and anguish with.

And it is with 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb', their brand new offering, that unique delivery comes to a head, and where Sleep Token show just how special they really are.

Following on from the ambitious variety of 2019's 'Sundowning', there is a new sense of otherworldly cohesion to this new album. A dense atmosphere, clinging to you like tar but with the texture of newly woven silk, the record feels like a deep glimpse into the magical universe that Sleep Token exists in. A place where time and space collide like lovers kept separate for too long and reality and fantasy blend like petrol seeping into water. A place where Vessel, as this sentient being, delivering these songs feels powerful and mysterious, someone to be feared as much as they are revered. From the towering dominance of 'Alkaline' to the haunting seduction of 'Like That', you are transfixed and taken to the other side by the intoxicating sounds filtering through you.

But on the other side of that comes the humanity of it all. With every heartbeat comes the threat of heartbreak, and to live passionately comes with the risk of feeling the worst that life has to offer as much as the best. Every moment that feels like it exists in a completely different dimension on 'This Place Will Become Your Tomb', another is firmly rooted on Earth, where desolation is always just around the corner from delight. You have the blossoming 'Mine' standing toe to toe with the tear-stained 'Distraction. The deep need of 'The Love You Want' is only a short distance away from the bellowed despair of 'High Water'. The spiralling longing of 'Hypnosis' and tender infatuation of 'Telomores' stare directly at the stark admissions of 'Fall For Me' and broken spirit of 'Missing Limbs'. The highs and lows of leaving ourselves open to others and committing our everything to them are presented in the most touching and terrifying ways, and it takes something rather remarkable to bottle that part of existence. But Sleep Token make it feel like second nature.

'This Place Will Become Your Tomb' is the sort of album that cannot be simply plucked out of the ether. It is a record from deep inside the soul, where layer upon layer has been chipped away to reveal the very essence of existence. Where life has been lived so viscerally, to the point where feelings you didn't even know were possible, have been felt, that every single movement made feels like either heaven or hell. It exists on a plane of its own crafting as much as it does here on in our own reality, and that is what makes it so extraordinary. It is a perfect summation of what it means to be human, whilst also trying to explain what it feels like when the things we experience make us feel like we have transcended this flesh altogether. The most intense love, intoxicating lust, and crushing loss are documented here in the most striking, seductive and sensational ways possible. And it is an absolute pleasure to behold it all.

Worship.

[zinphandel]

hello phannie nation! i am starting my listen through/review series of dan howell favourite albums of each year, starting with 2015.

The albums from this year are:

1) To pimp a butterfly- Kendrick Lamar

2) M3LL155X -FKA twigs

3) In colour- Jamie XX

4) Art Angels- Grimes

5) If you’re reading this it’s too late- Drake

(he ranked them this year but doesn’t do this ever year)

I will be sharing my review n opinion of each one because dan has a fantastic music taste n i hope more people listen to his recs! Feel free to do the same i would love to hear your opinions :3 !!!!!!

Click the link on each album title to read my review <3

listen to the spotify playlist of my faves here

[album-a-day-project]

2/20/24

Yeat

2093

====

This is my first time listening to Yeat at length. I've come to the realization that I don't need 22 tracks from artists like this anymore. He seems to use the same exact flows as Travis Scott, without the same level of entertainment value, maintaining a monotone voice throughout every single track.

Upon reviewing the credits, I noticed numerous writers listed for each track, as well as various 'TikTok Producers', which initially surprised me. It appears that we're witnessing the full evolution of Soundcloud rap into TikTok rap, with the first successful artists garnering substantial industry hype and financial backing. This is likely how Yeat managed to feature Future on the track 'Stand On It', which falls flat.

There's undoubtedly a place for this type of music, and Yeat appears to be leading the charge in the zone of TikTok rap. However, the repetitive and uninspired lyrics fail to drive the overall industry forward. By the end of this album, I find myself thoroughly exhausted. Thankfully, it's finally over.

5/10

[queenofclogs]

the next album review is gonna be a bit different from the usual, since this is a new version of an album i already reviewed (Queen album review) instead of just rating the songs with stars (★), you'll find the notes i took while listening to each song on the record and an overall opinion on the record in general

the ratings and notes are about the difference between the old and new sounds, not the songs in general

hope you enjoy and let me know what you think of this new version of the album!

Queen I

Artist: Queen

Release date: October 25th, 2024

Length: 42 min 16 s

Tracklist rating:

Keep Yourself Alive ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

• a little bit of a shocking change on the intro sound

• not a fan of the echoes on Freddie's vocal

• amazing drum solo sound, much clearer

• not bad, pretty good sound overall

Doing All Right ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• very nice intro sound

• clean and hearable bass

• wonderful acoustic guitar sound

• drums on point

• the high vocals sound nice

• very pleasing outro

Great King Rat ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• pretty good drum sound

• clear vocals

• clear and nice guitar solo

• great acoustic guitar

• not so different from the old version, nice to listen to

Mad The Swine ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

• good vocals

• nice drums

• acoustic guitar on point

• nice electric guitar

My Fairy King ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

• good intro instrumentals

• Roger's screaming sounds way better in the old version

• Freddie's vocals sound pretty nice still

• great bass sound

• very cute piano

• pretty good electric guitar

• nice outro

Liar ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

• not a big fan of this new intro sound, it's a bit plain

• electric guitar not so clear

• gorgeous acoustic guitar

• the "LIAR" sounds very good to be honest

• not sure if i like the note change in the "why don't you leave me alone"

• don't really like the vocal sound in the "i have sailed the seas" section

• the drums when the faster section starts are very pleasing to listen to

• guitar not as i clear as i'd liked

• not a fan of the "listen" sound

• very nice drums during "mama, i'm gonna be your slave"

• ok, but DEAKY'S VOICE???

• drums covering the guitar a little too much for me

• John's bass on fucking point

• i can barely hear the guitar at some points

• Freddie's vocals are nice overall

• amazing drums towards the end

The Night Comes Down ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

• amazing acoustic guitar sound

• not a at all a fan of drums in this one

• vocals still sound a little too different to the old version

• great bass

Modern Times Rock 'N' Roll ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• THIS is an amazing mix

• drums on point

• i'd like a louder guitar

• vocals much much clearer

• probably the best of the new version

Son And Daughter ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

• really nice intro

• nice drums

• guitar very similar to the old one, but a little low for my liking

• good vocals, i guess

• nice eco

Jesus ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

• this guitar is the way more hearable than the rest of the mix

• good drums

• pretty intact vocals

• the guitar on the bridge sounds really gorgeous, but right after is less hearable

• the guitar at the end of the brigde sounds beautiful

• didn't really liked the end of the song, doesn't have the gorgeous eco of the old version

Seven Seas Of Rhye ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

• THIS, this is what i'm talking about

Total: 4.1 (46/55 stars)

General review:

to be honest, i think The Night Comes Down's new mix wasn't the best way to introduce us to the new mix of the album, cause it didn't gave the best first impression

i was expecting something worse, but still hoping and believing in Queen with all my will, so, when i first listened to the whole record i found myself thinking, it's not as bad as i was expecting

there's somethings i don't like, for example, you can barely hear the electric guitar in 90% of the record, and some small changes in the general sound a bit off for me

BUT, there's many things i did like, the bass sounds pretty clear now, the drums are pretty amazing in general, the piano sounds very nice, but i think my favorite thing about this new mix is the sweet and gorgeous sound of the acoustic guitars in it, it sounds truly beautiful

and obviously that you can hear John's "all day long" clearer (pls tell y'all did too and i'm not insane)

overall, it's not so bad, i don't think i will listen to this version more frequently than the old one, which i completely adore, but in general it's very nice

thanks for reading!

[coulson-is-an-avenger]

KILL THE WHALE (LYRICS AND COMMENTARY)

HELLO! Over the past couple of months I have been making it a personal project to transcribe and annotate the lyrics for Daniel Emond's musical adaptation of Moby Dick, called "Kill The Whale".

For those unfamiliar with this album/adaptation, here is the official description of it right from Emond's website:

Kill the Whale is a concept album and live rock opera, built in the characters and waters of Melville's Moby Dick. When Ishmael, a young rocker with an unknown past falls in love with the hiphop harpooner Q, they join Peek-Wow, the Whaleship/Orchestra led by steel-eyed frontwoman Ahab, who sets her crew upon a course to kill the gigantic sperm whale that maimed her, a plan opposed by Ahab's first mate (and secret admirer), the devout and soulful Starbuck. Contending with face-melting squalls and mad mates, the hymnic wonder of whales nursing in the heart of the Ocean, and the poignant Gospel of the castaway cabin kid Pip, Peek-Wow embarks on a rock and roll quest for vengeance. Kill The Whale is memory manifested as a 1970's folk/hiphop/rock opera, that centers two queer romances, lifts voices of color, and re-casts authority roles as women.

The album was released on Spotify in April of this year, with two live performances at Joe's Pub taking place only a few days after it's release.

I have archived and noted the lyrics as they appear in the studio album, the live variation, and Daniel's "official" lyrics as posted to his personal Reddit, and the differences therein. I and my good Melville scholar friend and partner @pocketsizedquasar-2 have also left extensive commentary, notes of context, and criticisms of this album in the document. Please enjoy the fruit of much labor and insanity :)