#when things started getting heavier on the rock and more grungy

[queencvbra]

Tory's top ten artists on spotify:

The Weeknd

Bon Jovi

Poppy

Doja Cat

Paramore

Billie Eilish

Madonna

Muse

My Chemical Romance

Megan Thee Stallion

honorable mentions, in no particular order:

Nirvana

DragonForce

Audioslave / Soundgarden / anything Chris Cornell tbh

Jonas Brothers

Black Sabbath

Metallica

Avril Lavigne

Snoop Dogg

Eminem

[turntabless]

hi love!!!!

The Colour and the Shape by Foo Fighters

🔮 the colour and the shape - foo fighters 🔮

welcome back to turntable takes!!! this week we have a request sent from the wonderful, absolutely lovely @lord-of-the-weird !! love you darling <3 things in my life kinda exploded so i am getting to this waaaaayyyyy too late, but here we are!

genres: alternative rock, grunge, hard rock, punk rock

doll

ohhhhh. the soft vocals through that crackly radio filter in the beginning is so beautiful? and the soft strumming of the guitar is so perfect. ‘doll me up in my bad luck / i’ll meet you there’ is suuuch an intriguing line. the introduction of the drums being louder and then backing off as the clear vocals come in? insane. BASS pretty yummy wowowow. god i swear i wanna eat these vocals. oooooooo soft to RASPY!!!

monkey wrench

OH FUCK this one is immediately different!!! huuuuuge guitar moment at the very beginning of it! such a masterful change in tone and tempo. THE FULL STOP. GOD YEAH. these lyrics and the riff that reappears in between the lines??? yum yum yum. i swear the little bit of whine in dave’s voice especially during the chorus is soooooooo lovely it’s so perfect for the song i think especially when his voice is so raspy for a lot of the song??? OHHH stripped back layered vocals on the ‘temper’ repeated lines?? DAVE SCREAMING? god this fucks!!!! so cathartic!!!!! and right back to the chorus??? perfect. the drums are so solid and the bass and guitar work so well together this FUCKS! adore the repeating ‘fall in fall out’ parts!!

hey, johnny park!

ohoHO drum breakdown to begin. scrumptious. guitars joining in sooooo well with so much crunch??? lovely. OOOOO stripping back the heavy guitars dave’s voice is SHINING with the strumming guitar n full bass. drums there just enough to notice and love. BACK to the heavier instrumentals with soft vocals that move into rasp??? WHEW. also these lyrics hurt as well!!! it’s such an emotive album so far but it’s SO good? OH little falsetto moment in the layered backing vocals. TRULY living for the slight whine in his voice i’m TELLING you. oooooooo cute lil guitar moment. the lead is so Clear and it’s just breaking out of the muddy bass and rhythm. DRUM BREAK AGAIN. RASPIER HEAVIER VOCS this is insane!

my poor brain

oh SHUT UP fade in to this song????? INCREDIBLE. that was SICK!! chaotic distortion of the instrumental and then a quick flip to soft strumming and a nice bassline??? HIGHER VOCALS that kinda melt into the instruments a little bit??? TO HARD HEAVY GUITAR BASS DRUMS and then BACK TO SOFT????????? FOO FIGHTERS ULTIMATE KINGS OF SWITCHING UP THE VIBE !!!! AGAIN this heavy chorus is INSANE and tbh… the drums are doing it for me so much. OOO cute lil electrical/phone(?) noises during a screaming breakdown. lead guitar higher just melting into the mud of the bass n drums so nicely. ‘sometimes i wish that i could change / i can’t save you from my poor brain’ oowwwwwwwwww. this ending instrumental fucks!

wind up

OH. OH YOURE KIDDING. yummy yummy warbling guitar with heavy drums and a SICK riff. this melody too is so cool with the little descending notes?? yum. SCREAM BABYGIRL. truly this is really cool to see how they play with pitch and melody to set the tone??? because the chorus is a bit softer and the instrumentals are more stripped back. DISTORTION AGAIN OOOOOIHHHJ i love when guitar starts Bleating at me like it’s truly TRULY A FAVOURITE THING. MORE SCREAMING GO BABE !!!!

up in arms

oooooooooo fuzzy guitar immediately yummy. soft!!!! slightly echoey vocals and a Very grungy feel with the music until they get stripped back again. yummmmmmm the fuzz is so nice. NO FUCKING WAY. DRUM BREAKDOWN INTO FASTER HARDER GUITAR THIS FUCKS!!!! his voice still between soft n hardcore it’s so scratching the brain. THE WHINE. FUCK YEAHHHHHH. MMMHM. oooooo FUCK GUITAR SOLO THIS FUCKS. feels like a teen movie tbh. niiiiice stripped back ending with some drum beats to break it up

my hero

DRUMS BASS SHINING IMMEDIATELY. THIS IS INSANELY GOOD FOR ME. oooo sexy lil riff. the chorus and the construction of the melody is so intriguing and the lyrics KILL. emotional guitar and you can feel it in the vocals so well!! oooooh. the lil turn of the guitar going slightly flat was such a yummy choice. nah this is so COOL. TEMPO INSTRUMENTAL VOCALS PICKING UP FOR SOME HEAVINESS. scrumptious. this lil ascending riff is sooooo good. oooooo distorted guitar noodling to finish it

see you

acoustic???? moment????? oooooo this is insane. this feels SO GOOD. oh my god. BASS IS SO CLEAR THIS IS IT FOR ME. whine is back and i’m so happy but he has such range and control on these vocs??? oooo instruments picking up slightly. lil more distortion. stripped back down. is this an upright bass also??? it sounds so much like one i’m not sure. LAYERED VOCALS LETS GO!!!! this is really pretty actually :’)

enough space

DISTORTION LETS GOOOOO i love songs that start with some funky noises. SHUT UP THIS BASS IS SO FAT N CRUNCHY this is for ME! heavy guitars let’s GO!!! we’re so back <3 OH that bass is so fucking clear i love it here. scrumptious. RASP YELL SCREAM !!!!! yeah yeah yeahhhhhh. nah they’re tooooo good at switching the tempo. chorus is when shit starts picking up and it reaches that crescendo and is stripped back so immediately after and soooooo well. looooove this guitar as well. insane. so warbled and muddy. fucks HARD all throughout. sharp cut off. great.

february stars

stoooooop are you fucking with me???? isolated piano???? soft vocals????? LAYERED VOCALS?????????? guitar entered. bASS THERE YOU ARE. THE SOOOOOFT SOFT DRUMS so sharp n perfect. YES okay we’re getting more clear slightly rougher but still so stripped back. it’s so intriguing to me how versatile this band is!!! also these lyrics are making me SAD !!!!!!! god my love for this bass in this album cannot be overstated. SHUT UP THEY PICKED IT UP ITS SO GRUNGE POWER BALLAD. SLIGHT DISTORTION ON THE GUITARS SO GRIMY SO BEAUTIFUL. goated lyrics i’m in love.

everlong

ooooooooo. OHHHHH. bass drums guitar absolutely melting together beautifully?? the start is so dark and velvety and it progressively gets a little sharper. druuuuums. gorgeous. and these lyrics might actually kill me im SO SAD. also wowow the whine is so back!! also booold choice of including what sounds like vocalizing with the other instruments and it absolutely worked. this is so truly cathartic i’m gonna go scream sing this to myself at 3am. WHISPERING THROUGH THE RADIO FILTER WITH BASS N GUITAR AND THEN IT ABSOLUTELY BREAKS INTO SOARING INSTEUMENTALS AGAIN. come ON!!!! CHORD TO END IT. ohgh.

walking after you

acoustic guitar strumming beautifully with just the loveliest lyrics. there’s something along with the guitar that’s just a little darker and deeper and it does feel so nice. very grunge very beautiful. cymbals slowly phasing in. yummy. they sneak up and its beautiful!!! these vocals too are so insane to me. so gentle so evocative!!! they truly can do it all. why is my heart breaking at this album i haven’t even gone through a breakup like ?!!?!! sorry again so entranced by these cymbal runs. yum. guitar is nice and jangly at some parts but so soaring and clear too?? god.

new way home

WE ARE BACK EVERYBODY!!! fun lil electric guitar riff with some western jangle in it. love. love how raspy n beautiful the vocals are. this sounds much more alt rock than some of the other ones and that is COOL i love it!!!! fun lil bass lines in my eeaaarrrrssssss. so good. oh???? OH?????? whispering with almost completely stripped back instrumental. gradual crescendo with some light higher strumming of a guitar??? this is SICK???? OH SHIT THEYRE SPEEDING UP!!!! TEMPO CHANGE FOLKS!!!! SCREEEAMMM IT OUT WOOOOO!!!! this is so COOL!!! once again insanely evocative but it feels like acceptance to me which is so fascinating and SUCH A WAY to start closing out the album. OOOOOOOOOO lower pitched guitar just beautifully playing and soaring so clearly above the instrumental. FADE OUT !!! LIFE CHANGED!!!!

the colour and the shape

HIGH DISTORTED NOODLING GUITAR TO LOW. SCREAMING. BASS IS INSANE HERE. GOD WHAT????? this is so SICK??? LET IT OUT BESTIE !!!! GOD drums also insane right now just loud enough to be caught and it’s melding so well with everything. CYMBALS. woooooow!!! SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE SHAPE!!!! okay i know i said acceptance but this is FULLY a fit of anger and i LOVE IT!!! ohhhhohoho. feedback from the guitar to fade us out. INSANE. ENERGIZING. BATSHIT. wow.

thoughts: foo fighters truly kings of changing up the tone and brightness of the song. like fully switching from gentle strumming and piano to fully-fledged hard rock. muddy grimy guitars and bass to light and flowing power ballad moments. screaming to falsetto!!! how. wonderful. also they’re just so intriguing and creative with riffs and melodies that it’s so lovely to listen and see where the song goes! this album is truly breakup album ever. WOW. thank you kk for changing my neurochemical structure.

[bigfatmusicblog]

honeyglaze - Real Deal ALBUM REVIEW

Anyone who has ever been in a three piece band can tell you how hard it sometimes is. Especially compared to playing in a four piece or more where there are more people to hide behind -  in a three piece you’re typically the lone driving force behind your instrument. There’s nowhere to hide on that stage. Now there are also benefits that come to playing in a smaller band as well - less egos to deal with, can probably tour in a hatchback and, if you want to get capitalistic about it, there are less people to split the overall payment with. 

All that to say, honeyglaze is a three piece outfit from South London. Genre-wise I have read online people refer to them simply as Post-Punk - and I think this broad stroke sort of downplays all the different parts that make up honeyglaze. Jangly math rock riffs interspersed with random breakdowns reminiscent of mid-2000s post-hardcore bands, melodies and vocalizations that go from indie-folk artist to a dry Londoner talk-sing. honeyglaze is a lot more than just another South London post-punk band - maybe we’ll call it post-mathcore? post-math-folkcore? Whatever, who cares about genres anyways? (it’s me, I care too much)

The most impressive thing about this band is the fact that they’re able to delve into so many different genres and inspirations as a three piece. When I first listened to this album, because of the robust guitars, clever bass riffs with Anouska Sokolow’s vocals almost floating above it all like a low cloud, I thought they were five strong at least. But, GOD, a fucking THREE PIECE?!?! DOING ALL OF THIS?!?!? I was already hooked to this band but this fact alone made me realize that they are something truly special - especially with this strong STRONG sophomore album REAL DEAL.

Real Deal is a beautiful album that plays on themes of femininity, not feeling comfortable in your own body, and general anxieties about society paired with images of popular culture. The album starts off with the beautiful Hide - this song acts as a precursor to the whole album, being used in the same way an overture is often used, it gives you a taste of the musical themes that will be repeated throughout. Going from a grungy riff to the soft felt like nature of the clean guitar that plays behind the verses, culminating in a huge loud breakdown - it teaches your brain that this is what a honeyglaze song is in the world of Real Deal. 

The album continues on with Cold Caller, probably the lightest song on the album both subject-wise as well as the playful lead that continues throughout the song. This song is followed by Pretty Girls, one of the singles for this album, and it makes sense why this song was a single that they chose. This is the first song on the album that really plays with the overarching concept throughout the album, which are feminine struggles in a modern day world. It’s also the first song where you really get a taste of the cleverness behind Sokolow lyrics. “Pink, I wear pink on pink/I’m in touch with my feminine side/I always wear pink” she sings in the second verse, putting a slight snarl of sarcasm behind the feminine side line. 

Following Pretty Girls is Safety Pins the start of a darker feeling in the album, with a heavier, more driving riff, especially compared to what we’ve heard so far. There’s a gorgeous moment in this song that’s a real highlight of Sokolow’s voice as she randomly glides upwards on the line “I wish that I didn’t linger” evoking the likes of The Zombies or that more trad indie-folk sound I mentioned earlier. Continuing on with the dark themes of Safety Pins is Don’t - potentially the most badass song on this album. It’s about conversations with men that don’t listen due to internalized sexism, whether conscious of it or not. She gives you warning that she’s not to be fucked with, not only shown through the lyrics and the flat, angry, vocal performance, but the playfully dark riff that is prevalent through the entire song. What I like about this run of two songs is that it shows the true talent and duality of Sokolow’s vocal ability and performance. The differences between the two songs are noticeable and yet they go together so well. I will say however, that last bridge/breakdown does feel a little “Dodge Ram” commercial to me, glad to know it came from a cooler band though - we all write butt rock sometimes.

The next three songs are all on the softer side, which isn’t to say it’s never loud, but the loudness and fuzz take a backseat. Starting with TMJ it’s whiplash compared to how raucous Don’t was mere seconds ago. This song has the first real hook on the album and has a great variation on the typical move of loud build up into loud break down, where it has a loud build up towards the end but then subverts your expectations going back into the soft beautiful riff that’s played at the top of the song. After that is I Feel it All a song that plays on feeling from :01 where it starts off with an overwhelming soundscape I believe intended to invoke the feeling of, well, feeling. Then is Ghost, again on the softer side, but has the best hook on the entire album. Invoking relatable imagery of DVDs stacked on the floor with metaphors drawn on the most mundane of items. This song also has the prettiest lyric on the entire album, “You can see me naked without taking off my clothes��� woof, much to think about - Billy Ray Cyrus.

Following that is TV the best fucking song on this whole album. I have listened to this song on repeat since the release, it’s definitely in my Top Ten of the year, and closer to one than ten. It starts off with an admission, seeing someone who is as put together as you wish you could be, even in the smallest of activities such as changing channels with confidence. As someone who grew up in front of the TV, watching these same home renovations shows, making plans to completely transform my life, plans so grandiose they’re impossible to follow up on - this song is incredibly relatable to me despite my inability to relate to the feminine experience. Also it does this little thing during the instrumental breakdown where it makes it sound like your speakers are broken? Just a lot of fun, little frills like that are what make this song and album so good. Listen to this as loud as you fucking can.

The penultimate song on the album is also the title track, Real Deal, the heavy bass in both the guitarists and bass riffs that play off each other is once again putting them in a grunge realm. With loud heavy guitars blaring throughout, vocally you see someone actively gaining confidence as the song continues. Starting off almost sarcastically saying “I’m the real deal” as each verse ends you begin to believe it more and more - and as the verses continue the lyrics invoke more confidence, a confidence that was seemingly impossible to find early on on this album. 

The final song on the album is Movies, a song about escapism, its most impressive aspect in the instrumentation. Starting off with a complex quirky “drum riff” wherein both the guitar and bass take a rhythm position, allowing the drummer to play lead. Halfway through the song, after some post-hardcore droning about wanting to go to the movies “when there’s no one I want to be,” there’s a Vampire Weekend type riff showcasing the fun abilities of the guitar player. After that initial verse under that new motif it’s the Bassists turn creating a melodic lead that gets repeated a few times more. The song ends soft, with the last minute and a half being almost pointless. Could've ended on a higher note but how do you end something like Real Deal? I don’t know, and sometimes I wish it never ended.

OVERALL:

This album is about inner struggles, not only presented through the personal lyrics but how the instruments are almost battling with each other for supremacy. However much they struggle though, it comes together beautifully. This isn’t an album I would skip, it draws you in, constantly making you feel like you missed something on the last listen through, making you eager to start it all over again. Combining all of that with the fact that this is a three piece makes it all the more impressive, I hope they tour in the US soon and I hope I can see them. Good shit.

GRADE: A

[thedeathdeelers]

silence

silence is his enemy.

he squeezes his eyes shut, fists clenched tight at his sides as his fingernails dig into his skin.

he grinds his teeth together, jaw locked in place, as he tries to focus on anything but the thoughts mercilessly chipping away at his defences. he can already feel them leaving behind raw scars as they bleed through every crack in his mind.

he should’ve gone with alex to the skate park.

he should’ve followed reggie to ray’s photoshoot.

he should’ve insisted on tagging along with julie on her shopping trip with flynn.

he should’ve, he should’ve, he didn’t.

and now he’s stuck surrounded by a deafening silence that only helped to amplify the screeching thoughts that refused to leave him alone.

he lifts his fists up towards his ears, his fingers aching from the pressure, as he presses them against his skull, hoping against all hope to forcefully push out all of the noise out of his head.

the silence isn’t helping. the silence never does.

without opening his eyes, luke unclenches his left hand and blindly reaches forward to pull his old Walkman from the coffee table towards him. he grasps onto the wire of his headphones, yanking them off the table and onto his lap, the attached Walkman banging against his knee.

he releases his right hand, and quickly gets to work, fitting the headphones over his ears as he cranks the volume up to max before even pressing play.

he hopes the cassette in the Walkman has a loud, heavy, grungy sound.

the first thing he hears is a chunky riff, loud enough to make him wince. a few seconds later, the beats of the drum join in, filling his ears, as the vibrations seep right into his very core.

the song progresses as it gets heavier, louder, and luke feels like he might finally be able to breathe.

but then there’s a lull in the music, a couple of seconds of quiet, and he suddenly feels like he can’t breathe again.

he hunches over, elbows on his knees as he slips his fingers in his hair, pulling and tugging at different strands to stop the noise.

music always did the trick - but maybe it’s reached its limits with him. what will he do now?

another song starts up, and the impossible feeling within him eases ever so slightly, but nowhere near enough.

he squeezes his eyes shut once more, rocking back and forth as he struggles to lose himself in the music.

-

his eyes startle open at the feel of a soft warm touch on his cheek, his heart beating a little harder, only to be met with deep dark brown eyes staring back at him.

he doesn’t move, doesn’t blink.

with music still blaring in his ears, all he does is focus on the shifting golden flecks in her eyes, focuses on the way her lips change shape as she utters his name.

the noise blasting in his ears starts to fade, a different kind of silence shifting into place. she looks worried, her brows furrowed as her eyes roam his face, her fingers threading through his as she eases them out of his hair.

they drop limply onto his lap when she lets go, her touch floating back towards his face as his fingers wrap around the hard shell of his Walkman. her fingertips trace over his features, her thumb swiping across his cheekbone. he doesn’t know what to do, so he just watches her, breathing slowly as he follows her movements. and with every touch he feels his heart beating a little slower, with every soft caress another thought melts away.

he sees her mouthing words at him again, but he can’t hear any of it.

he lets go of the walkman, feels the wires tug on his headphones as it hits the ground.

they slip off his ears, the music drifting away, slowly being replaced by another kind of silence - one he’d been needlessly chasing all day.

it’s a sacred kind of silence that he only ever gets to experience when he allows himself to stare into the depth of julie molina’s eyes. to see himself reflected in them with so much love and joy and certainty, leaving no room for his loud ugly thoughts.

a stare that helps him feel grounded. calm.

he keeps his focus on the girl in front of him, on those eyes that can temper the thoughts in his head, as his hands reach forward towards her. he only stops when his fingers come in contact with her soft skin, gently cradling her face in his hands.

he pulls her towards him and she follows, only stopping when his forehead is resting against hers.

It’s quiet, and he can finally breathe.

silence is his enemy, but julie molina is his saviour.

silence is his enemy, but maybe one day it won’t be.

[eurovision-del]

And now, just before the show tonight, here’s the conclusion of my ranking of the entries this year, with my top 10.

10. Sweden – Move

I never got the hype for any other song in Melfest this year so I was overjoyed when this song won! It’s just such an expression of love and joy, with a message that may be familiar but still very important. The Mamas nail those harmonies and each gets a moment to shine, their voices are so incredible. I enjoy the pop sounds in the chorus well enough, but the moment I love is when it moves in the properly gospel bridge, it just brings the energy right up.

9. Georgia – Take Me As I Am

Georgia have become one of my favourite countries in Eurovision, up there with Albania and Portugal. I’m so grateful that they stick to their guns and do their own thing, sending interesting varied music. As a halfway decent rock song, this was always going to make my top 10. It’s not perfect as far as rock goes, I feel it could do with a little more variety, it’s all very loud with long notes, and I could do with some different rhythms and levels in the verses, but the scream of anguish works very well in the chorus, and I like the grungy sound the song has. I do think this song is saying something important with the idea of wanting to be loved as who you are while taking a dig at the big 5, but I do feel the lyrics, while to the point, can feel a little basic. Tornike is one of the artists confirmed for next year, and I’m very excited to see what he brings!

8. Norway – Attention

This is the best straightforward ballad this year as far as I’m concerned. I find it deeply moving, Ulrikke sings this song and sells it so well. Lyrically, I think this is actually really strong, at first I was put off by how needy it sounds, but the main line in the chorus ‘why do I think it’s ok not being me because of you’ brings it all together and makes it clear it’s about someone who knows it isn’t healthy, but can’t help themselves, and it makes the song feel so much more relatable and painful to me. The melody is also really strong, and I adore the moment after the quieter bridge where the song absolutely lets loose in the climax.

7. Germany – Violent Thing

Sometimes a song just cuts through, and I don’t care about the lyrics, and I can’t point to what it is, but it just sets the mood so well and I just want to dance. This is that song this year. I could point to a good production, and a unique voice, but in the end I can’t really justify my love for this song other than the instrumental just works for me! I want songs to make me feel something and this is just makes me feel happy, I can’t really explain it.

6. Czech Republic – Kemama

So remember when I ranked this song 5th out of 7 in the Czech selection? I still stand by that ranking, that’s how strong that selection was this year. That said Kemama did grow on me over time. I’ve just finished my final semester at Uni and submitted my dissertation a couple of days ago, and I’m not sure when it was, but at some point this song became my relief from it all, I love how chill it sounds while still being really uplifting, and those pre-chorus lyrics (I just work like this, 24/7) became a bit of an anthem for me these past months. The lyrics hit the perfect spot between being really personal to the singer, but also very relatable. I didn’t hate the first revamp either, though it was poorly mixed, and I really like the final version, those little guitars are so nice, though like Alcohol You I wish it had upped the intensity on the final chorus by working on the backing track without having to resort to changing the melody and forcing in a dramatic note in the main line, but I think it’s still a great track.

5. Israel – Feker Libi

So looking at the average mood of my top 10 (with some exceptions), apparently I just wanted to feel good things this year. This is the song that encapsulates that, it’s such a burst of joy and fun, and the one that most successfully fills me with happiness and makes me want to dance! I think the blend of different ethnic influences in the backing and the different languages works so well here. There’s so many things that just work here, from the little instrumental line at the very opening, to the vocal calls, to the way it repeats the chorus just enough to get it well and truly stuck in your head, but switches up the beat to keep it interesting and exciting. I love the second half of the chorus where the heavier ethnic beats come in, but I think part of why it works is because it contrasts so nicely with the more familiar dance beats in the first half of the chorus. My favourite part though is the end, where it ramps up the energy with the beat switch and it’s just so good! And to top it all off it’s sung by Eden Alene, who is such a great charismatic performance, she exudes joy on that stage and just seems like someone you’d want to party with. Of all the artists who are confirmed for next year, she’s the one I’m happiest for.  

4. Ukraine – Solovey

In Feker Libi I could point to so many individual parts and say why they work for me, for Solovey I just have to point to the whole song. The blend of ethnic sounds with that singing technique and the modern beats works really well, and while drops are very hit and miss for me, this one just works. It’s a truly unique entry, I can’t think of anything I can really compare it to, and one that I absolutely love.

3. The Netherlands – Grow

This song was one of the later ones released, at a similar time to many others, and I thought it was nice but kind of overlooked it the first time I heard it. I can’t remember when it was, but there was one time I was listening through all the songs, and it just reached out and touched me, and I absolutely fell in love with this song. I love the structure here, the way it starts contemplative with several verses, before the final section builds up to a peak right at the end of the song, taking you on a journey from almost bittersweet reflection to a final note of confidence and hope. Jeangu has such a great voice, and I adore the way he sings this song, he brings so much texture and emotion to the lyrics. And about those lyrics, these are easily my favourite this year. I tend not to look up lyrics for songs, if I can’t pick them out in the song, I won’t judge them, and that was absolutely true for this song, but this song really puts the lyrics front and centre so I couldn’t help but pay attention. Similar to Kemama, they’re a good mix of deeply personal and relatable, but the emotional connection is so much deeper in this song. This is the point in my ranking where I really start to mourn that we’ll be missing these songs on stage, I’m sure Jeangu will bring something great next year but this song is so excellent I’m disappointed we’ll never see it on stage.

2. Iceland – Think About Things

Looking back on my rankings at the time I almost can’t believe I didn’t rank this song first in Iceland in the semis. But by the time the final came round I knew I wanted it to win though, and it’s only grown on me since. There’s not much I can say on this song that I haven’t said before, the instrumentation is top tier, I love the 80s synth, that brass in the instrumental, and that baseline. The song progresses so nicely into the best key change of the entire Eurovision season, national finals included, and puts such a smile on my face. It might not make me want to get up and party like Feker Libi does, but it’s just so uplifting and enjoyable, and you can’t help but dance along a little. It’s also got some great lyrics which are a genuine expression of love for his daughter. I was worried the staging might make it seem a little goofy, but the overall internet reaction has been really positive, and the whole performance is just a lot of fun.

1. Lithuania – On Fire

And finally, my favourite song of this year. The perfect combination of a slick instrumental production with a real soul. The message of never being too old to live is great, and that instrumental line on the drop is just infectious. I also actually really like the way the lead singer sings, it’s a little rough but it compliments the backing track perfectly. This song absolutely stands out on it’s own but it is elevated by the staging. It’s definitely one of the best staged performances of the national final season, ‘winner vibes’ might not be the most helpful term, but this was the performance that really gave me them. We’ll never know who would have won this year, there were certainly options, but I do feel for Lithuania as this was their big chance to snatch their fist win. I don’t know if The Roop will come back next year, but I do worry that this was lightning in a bottle, I’ve listened to some of their other songs and they’re very good, but everything about this was perfect, from the song, to the staging, to the performance, and it’s going to be very hard to replicate.

Overall, I found this year a little less interesting than last year, with a lot of songs in the grey ‘this is fine’ zone, but there were plenty of songs that did stand out, and five that I truly love and look forward to listening to for years to come, as part of the Eurovision canon.

[doomedandstoned]

Portland, Oregon Heavyweights Old Kingdom Flourish in ‘Flowers’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

Review & Film by Billy Goate

There's an expression here: "Keep Portland Weird." I'm finding is not unique to our city, but it certainly does sum up the music community here. For damn near a decade, I've been keeping a close eye on the Oregon heavy underground, with special attention paid to its rising stars. You'd be hard pressed to find a weightier scene in the United States concentrated in one place. Richmond, Virginia, comes to mind as a close rival to its prolific nature, and just across the border in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Each year the City of Roses gives birth to a new crop of promising young bands or a reconfiguration of members from older bands, something we're painstakingly documenting in our Doomed & Stoned in Portland compilation series. What most all share in common is a penchant for tuning down, playing loud, and keeping you guessing. The thing that makes it all so special to me is that no two bands sound alike, due in large part to the stubborn DIY ethic and innovative spirit that has pervaded this region since it's pioneer days.

Enter OLD KINGDOM, an outfit comprised of Jonathan Andersen (guitar, vox), Aaron Powell (bass, vox), and Adam Jelsing (drums). For the majority of the '10s, the PDX band has been a staple of dive bars, local festivals, and our own Doomed & Stoned Showcase. "We tend to write songs as a collective effort with no single songwriter," Old Kingdom tells me. "Music is always first, then vocal parts, then lyrics last."

This organic approach is perhaps why the songs on the new album, 'Flowers' (2019), sound so damned tight. It may also be why it's hard to pinpoint a specific style to fit this into. Old Kingdom's style is stamped with the influence of the Melvins and the '90s Seattle scene, though firmly grounded in a riff-driven approach indicative of stoner rock and the rhythmic intensity born of punk. There are times when we feel the album is going to break out into a mosh and other moments when we're ready for an old fashioned slam dance.

One thing is certain: it's heavy and it's metal to the core. Much like their compatriots, Die Like Gentlemen (or distant "cousins" Helmet), Old Kingdom are solid in the fundamentals of rock and metal and find ingenious ways of fusing the two effortlessly. In their own words, Old Kingdom are a "grungy, high-energy, high-volume" lot.

I asked Old Kingdom about the message behind the music. "Rather than telling a story," they replied, "Jon’s lyrical collages, one might say, usually paint a picture with somewhat abstract thoughts and ideas. Aaron tends to write lyrics about more personal thoughts and experiences." With such deeply idiosyncratic songwriting, it's hardly surprising that the band prefers to leave meaning to your perception. Take what you will from it, just remember to have a good time.

Flowers was recorded by Ian Watts over the course of three days at “Thee Slayer Hippie,” Steve Hanford’s House of Tain (pictured on the back of the record jacket above). Look for Old Kingdom's new album to go live everywhere on Friday, July 26th. In the meantime, you can hear it all from edge to center right here, right now, on our bitchin' lil blog!

Give ear...

flowers by Old Kingdom

Bonus: Exploring Old Kingdom's 'Flowers'

Despite the band's seeming reluctance to elucidate the meaning of their lyrics, I managed to convince drummer Adam Jelsing to share some anecdotes related to each of the songs you'll hear on 'Flowers' (2019) to edify your listening adventure.

Take The Crown

This is the oldest song on the album. We wrote it before our first album was released. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Flowers

Shortly after Aaron joined the band, he missed a practice and half-jokingly said, “Just bust out a new ripper while I’m gone.” Jon and I did exactly that. A couple practices later, Aaron had vocals in mind and it was totally complete. We called it "short ripper" until I heard the lyric, “The flowers die to create new life.” I knew that was the title. We like the juxtaposition of flowers sounding pretty and pleasant, while our music is a bit darker and heavier. (Aaron Powell - lead vocal)

Quasar

This track has been scrapped a few times for not feeling quite right. After Aaron joined the band, I re-wrote the drum parts and we brought it back to life. It became one of my favorite tracks. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

White Widow

The title of this one is a weed reference. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Face To Face

Jon started this out as an acoustic song, not intended for Old Kingdom. I heard the riff and said, "Distort this fucker!" It was still incomplete when we went into the studio. We recorded it with the intention of it being a demo, but then we kind of nailed it. Aaron came up with the main vocals on the spot. We overdubbed and layered the end until we loved it. I even wrote a vocal melody for the first time. It’s pretty much my favorite song I’ve ever written. (Aaron Powell - lead vocal, then both Aaron and Jon at the end)

Moonlight

Yep, this song is about Jason Voorhees. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Jubilee

Think of this as a pleasant walk with a disturbing end. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Blast Off!

...with your weed into the night. Rocket in the shape of a pipe. Ride it all the way to outer space, 'cause you keep on looking for another way. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Locate

Originally intended to be an instrumental called "East" and the first track on our second album, as our first album starts with an instrumental called "West." After Aaron joined the band, he wrote super rad vocals for it. (Aaron Powell - lead vocal)

Castles

I wrote the first couple riffs to this guy! Pretty stoked that they made it onto the album. (Jon Andersen - lead vocal)

Red 96

Super old riff ideas brought back to life. (Aaron Powell - lead vocal)

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[newmutantnz-blog]

Lucinda

This is an original story about a 16-year-old girl, who is oblivious to the terrible nature of her parents until one day she finds, something or more importantly someone.

If you do read the story please tell me what you think! :) I am always looking for ways to improve my writing!

And yes there may be some spelling mistakes, I am rather dyslexic so please don't judge me too hard on that. ;) 

Chapter one:

Lucinda read the pale pink letters stuck to the dark wood door. Inside the door a larger room lay dormant as if it was asleep. A pink queen bed lay freshly-made, waiting patiently for the girl to return. Stacks and stacks of books stood vertically crammed together covered by a blanket of dust. Paints and an easel dominating the table in front of the window. Jewelry shoved angrily into a temperamental box that looked like it was going to throw up chunks of gold and diamonds any second. The window stood and watched from the mountainous building. The glass witnessed the secrets that occurred in the central square of the little town, today busy in the warmth of this exceptionally fine spring morning. A person's room can tell someone a lot about someone. In this case, Lucinda, (Lucy for short), from her room, sounds like I'm going to start to tell you yet another prince’s story. And that is true but I don’t think Disney will be making a movie on this any time soon.   

  Lucy was a good girl. She did as she was told, always sat up straight, wore what her mother wanted even if it was uncomfortable. Went to every event she was asked to go to. She didn’t ask questions. But yet she wondered, in the dark gloom of the stone castle. The screams at night, vague memories of past lives. She wondered a lot. Why didn’t she just ask her parents, you ask. Well if you had met her parents you would know - mean and hard-looking, eyes to kill. I had a brief run-in with them when they were trying to steal something to harm people or take over the world or something like that but that’s another story and we'd better not get sidetracked.  

  It was the week of Lucy's 16th birthday; she was terribly excited. Skipping with joy she sang softly to herself dancing around in the archway, tall and beautifully decorated with poppies, daffodils, alstroemeria, roses and many other festive flowers, entwined in intricate bone carvings. There were a lot of bone carvings in this dark gloomy castle. I wonder sometimes how she could have ever felt happy there. Everything is gray and black, the air inside cold, so cold it plays with your lungs, always having the upper hand of your life. Keeping you on your toes, like someone is watching you. But yet she danced and sang as loudly as she could.  

  With a blink of an eye, the week passed, and it was the eve of the only child of the kingdom's birthday. Tossing, turning, twisting, sleep - stubborn and refusing to move closer. Wide awake, thinking. There was something not right.   

  She decided that she would go and explore. She had seen most of the castle but there was a wing that was forbidden. Normally there was 24/7 surveillance of the hall but for that moment there was none. Curiosity tugged gently at the hem of her nightie, whispering for her to move forward into the cold, cruel nothingness of the gaping dark hall. Lucy refused to move forward, for Fear held her hand tighter, resisting the force of Curiosity. Curiosity had been burning inside her for a long time. Now it had an opportunity to escape form the prison Lucy had made for it in her mind. Curiosity allied with Anger to form the power of Teenage rebelliousness, flattening her fear and sense of duty, pushing her forward. 

  Stories of this hall that her mother and father had told her were on repeat in the back of her mind, some of which sent shivers down her spine, but curiosity had the reins, steering her like a horse down the hall.  

Cold cut deeply like knives being thrown down the hall. Clank, thump, each step echoed like a falling tree, no matter how lightly she stepped. Slowly but faster than she expected, the end of the hall emerged. Sticky, slimy, each step was now softer and slower for the ground was covered in a thin coating of goop. A thick metallic smell crawled its way across the floor up to her nose. 

   The door, big and heavy, didn’t look too different from any other door in the house but her mind exaggerated the situation. Like her senses had been dialed up to 110%. The door appeared to loom over her like a haunted rock face. Lucy found the door mesmerizing - it drew her towards it like a black hole sucking in defenseless planets. Cold and metal, squealing a little as it rotated, the door handle clicked out of place, allowing a portal to the space of something new, undiscovered by Lucy. Heavy was the door, heavier than Lucy had expected it to be. She had to use both hands to pry the dang thing open.  

  Tiptoes, quiet as a mouse, makes no sounds. For to be caught now would be a disaster. Fear had fought her way back. She pestered Curiosity to take great caution, for this was unknown territory and that meant danger. Fear knew she was too far in to turn back now.  

  Burning dimly in the corner near the door was a small torch.  

Now clutched in what was trying to be brave hands of Lucy. Across from the door the light shown, it was unfazed by the sight. Flickering happily, peacefully perhaps, this was all the flame had ever known, it would have no support for Lucy now. 

Lucy had a different reaction. The pounding in her head stopped. Everything stopped. Time froze. The breath in her mouth stood still, even electrons paused for a split second.  

    Dim light illuminated, grungy grey bars all greasy and grim. Eyes made wide from lack of light stained a pale green. Sunken into her face, sculptured in perfect despair. Below, freckles danced across her nose dispersing slowly across the rest of her face to thin pink lips. Ruby hair fell flawlessly to the middle of her chest, framing an oval face. Cheek bones flicker with the altering light from the torch. A long neck led the eyes to the light pink sleeping dress, covering her slender body. She was very pretty apart from those screaming eyes.  

  Lucy walked over to her, hand outstretched to touch the bar for it was like looking in a mirror. The girl was Lucy or looked like her. She was a clone. Made to replace different organs and body parts so she could live forever.  

  Along the room more cages showed themselves, each one with a member of her family in them. All with fearful eyes, wide accustomed to living with so little light. Blood-stained operation table stood reminding the captured of their grim fate. Papers spread neatly across another table. A poster which showed how to cut the bodies hung above this desk along with a pin-board. This pin-board explained the insanity of the situation but Lucy did not read it. Bravery had run, she did not want to look at what was on those papers. 

  Curiosity gave into Caution and Fear, spinning her round. Lucy's eyes looked deep into the clone's for a split second. She couldn't be certain because that night's events could not be distinguished by what was real and what was not. How could this be real?  

But she swears the clone mouthed the words 'Help me'. But Fear had taken over pulling both arms, forcing Lucy into a frantic sprint. 

  She felt sick to her stomach. She did not stop running until she got back to her room. She did not know what to do but cry. As imagination tried to find reason in this situation, theories multiplying like bacteria invading her mind. Sleep didn’t return that night, instead, she was plagued by those eyes - swollen, pale green eyes of the clone.   

I probaly wont post the second capter unless some one wants it. XD

[existentialmagazine]

Review: Josh Vine’s new indie-rock single ‘One Of Those Days’ wields a multifaceted edge of light comedy amidst dark undertones

After garnering support from BBC 6 Music, the BBC Introducing show and countless news outlets as well as many support slots, upcoming indie rock artist Josh Vine seems to be making great waves within the music industry - and he’s still only just getting started. Since debuting in 2018 Josh has shared eight fantastic singles, of which five were selected as ‘Track of the week’ from the BBC, and now 2022 sees the release of his ninth ‘One Of Those Days.’ Making quite a distinct change in sound and even message, this track already proves to be a standout from the rest of Josh’s work, and certainly a welcome addition to his discography of thrilling releases.

Charging in to be his most aggressive, in-your-face release to date, ‘One Of Those Days’ certainly dives headfirst into the indie-rock genre with a distinct angst and confidence that makes the track all the more enthralling to listen without pause. Wasting not even a second when you press play, ‘One Of Those Days’ immediately slams in with thundering drums and a brazen, moody bassline, setting up the stage for a release centred around dominant frustration made clear from every strikingly loud instrument. Adding a flair of excitement and ever-so slightly quickening the pacing, a catchy electric guitar riff weaves itself between the soundscape at hand for an edge of vibrancy in a mass of grungy tones. With the choruses occasional cymbal hit adding a more upbeat tone to the mix, ‘One Of Those Days’ truly defines itself to be a bombastic, sure-to-be crowd pleaser littered with energy and the constant anticipation of whether things will continue to build towards a heavier scene. Topped off by Josh’s smokey, hoarse vocals, ‘One Of Those Days’ thrives within the more raw, to-the-bone sound that typically has created some of the greatest indie-rock hits. Resting just under three minutes, the amount of bundled up attitude and character that resides within Josh’s every word and the grittiness of each powering instrument just goes to show that a true performer can put on just as much of a show through a recording as he could do in a room filled with a sweaty, packed crowd.

Setting the stage for a cathartic and humorous story, Josh takes ‘One Of Those Days’ to explore a different side to his lyricism than he usually nurtures. Contrasting massively with his usual downbeat, self-proclaimed ‘sad boy stuff’, Josh instead explores a comically bad day that sees the unlucky protagonist falling out with everyone they know or see. Intended to not be taken too seriously, as to spark up a laugh or just a bit of fun, ‘One Of Those Days’ wonderfully wields a multifaceted edge in its deep, smoky sound that at first leads you to believe the message will take a darker twist. Instead, much of the lyricism focuses on the menial things contributing to one down-right comically awful day: ‘Run out of the coffee, and the world will go on.’ Although it succeeds in its intention to push a lighthearted narrative in its storytelling, ‘One Of Those Days’ still maintains the ability of relating to those wishing to see it a little deeper. As lines like ‘Same old pages, and sad old rhythms, and I guess that’s just one of these days’ can apply to almost anyone’s misfortunes, the repeated emphasis on it being just ‘one of these days’ really doubles-down on the notion that at the end of it all, it’s just one day in the grand scheme of things and regardless of what you’re going through, you can persevere through it.

Of the track, Josh Vine elaborates that: “The song is about having a comically bad day and falling out with everyone you know. This was probably the first track I’ve written with a bit of fun and humour in it.”

To experience everything both bright and melancholic that ‘One Of Those Days’ has to offer, you can give it a listen for yourself here!

Written by: Tatiana Whybrow

Photo Credits: Unknown

[chorusfm]

The Top Albums of 2018 (So Far)

I think I say this every year but fuck it – the music 2018 has blessed us with in its first six months has been extraordinary. With all the insane shit happening around us and to us in this day and age, it feels like music is the only sane thing we have. So below we have our top 20 favorite releases of the year thus far. If you can’t find something to love on this list then you just aren’t trying hard enough – this is an eclectic list that encompasses multiple genres and styles. I can’t wait to see what the next six months brings to our ears. Note: You can share your own list in our music forum. The Top Albums of 2018 (So Far) 1. Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers Brian Fallon came up in the New Jersey punk scene writing nostalgic rock songs about ferris wheels and that old house in Asbury Park and sleeping on the beach. He did it all so damn well that his band, The Gaslight Anthem, famously earned the Springsteen seal of approval. Fallon is a Jersey boy through and through, which makes the idea of his new departure of a solo record—an organ-led, British-invasion-influenced solo record recorded in New Orleans—so fascinating. That he completely pulled it off, continuing his incredible hot streak of albums that began with 2008’s The ’59 Sound, proves that Brian Fallon is among America’s greatest living songwriters. Following his solo debut, 2016’s great if slightly by-the-numbers Painkillers, Sleepwalkers feels far more confident and mature, as Brian Fallon stretches his skillset into a dozen interesting new territories. The NOLA flavor shows up when Fallon experiments with sultry new rhythms in “Come Wander With Me” and the horn-driven title track. “Forget Me Not” references the Beatles in the bridge to signal to listeners that, yes, this is a ‘60s pop song. There is a sizable dose of Pearl Jam in the grungy guitar tones on “My Name Is The Night (Color Me Black),” and there is just enough Barry Manilow flavor in stadium-sized ballad “Etta James,” which sounds like if “Mandy” were performed by a guy with neck tattoos. Still, despite the rampant experimentation, Sleepwalkers is as cohesive a record as we’ve come to expect from Fallon over the past decade, making it one of the most exciting moments in his impressive discography and one of 2018’s most well-crafted records. [JB] 2. The Wonder Years – Sister Cities “I feel like if you’ve been following The Wonder Years, this is where it’s been going,” frontman Dan Campbell states in the teaser trailer for Sister Cities, and he’s spot on. This is the band’s most dynamic album yet, which says a lot considering how much the band has grown with every release. “Raining in Kyoto”, one of the heavier songs the band has written, introduces the central theme of the record, which is that no matter how far apart we may be physically, we’re all connected by our shared humanity: “an older man stood close by and smiled at me / I rung the bell like he did, I told you I’m sorry / a makeshift funeral, I tried setting you free.” On the other side of the world during his grandfather’s funeral, Campbell found solace in a place that didn’t share a spoken language, but a language of grief and love. The album’s closer, “The Ocean Grew Hands to Hold Me,” is The Wonder Years at their most vulnerable: “when I was in shambles / when I got too weak / the ocean grew hands to hold me.” The song, and the album as a whole, is about darkness and loss, but it’s also triumphant. It’s about realizing that our individual struggles are our collective struggles. At our lowest points, our humanity—the ocean—lifts us up and carries us home. [SS] 3. Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour While Kacy Musgraves is a country artist, it’s hard to characterize Golden Hour as a strictly country album. She’s been bending the genre since her release of Same Trailer Different Park in 2013. Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me what genre Golden Hour is placed into because it’s just a good album. Some song on the record (“Slow Burn,” namely) require warming up to them before you can enjoy them in the full context of the album, but I didn’t mind giving this a few spins before it sank in. “High Horse” is a catchy tune and it’s not the only one on the record. With each song, you get the sense that Kacey just wants to do her own thing without focusing on what it’s going to be labeled as. Her personality shines through and that’s what makes this album a fun one to listen to. [DC] 4. Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz Spanish Love Songs are a band that play a particular brand of denim-jacket-punk that feels informed in equal parts by Against Me!…As The Eternal Cowboy and “The Authority Song” by John Mellancamp. Many of their songs contain lyrics where lead vocalist Dylan Slocum fears out loud that he will be killed in an act of random gun violence. This is to say that Spanish Love Songs are an American rock band. Schmaltz is greater than the sum of its parts. At first take, Spanish Love Songs sound a lot like The Menzingers, but that comparison is far too simple to leave unexamined. Compared to the Americana-influenced punk bands that preceded them, Spanish Love Songs’ choruses are more immediate with a notable to well-crafted vocal melodies and the inclusion of synthesizers to punch up the pop elements. The vocals are more frantic and anxious, as Slocum agonizes about the intersection of the aging process, the death of loved ones, and the definite timeline of his own life. Sure, the music Spanish Love Songs make may sound familiar, but the band have nailed the execution to the extent that Schmaltz is handily one of 2018’s most exciting releases from a new band. [JB] 5. Now, Now – Saved Every once in a while the perfect album seems to come along at the perfect time for me. I hear it, it just clicks, and it becomes not only my soundtrack for a few weeks, but my soundtrack for the year. Right now, that’s been the newest album from Now, Now. I find myself returning to Saved when I’m looking for a pick-me-up, when I’m looking to get into my feels on a late night, and when I’m just trying to zone out after a long day at work. The kind of album that just feels perfectly made for where I’m at and what I’m looking for from a record right now. I’m a sucker for pop-music that retains a strong emotional resonance. For music that is full of huge choruses and melodies while maintaining an emotional core. By and large, I think that’s the thread that’s followed me through my entire musical journey. It’s what really draws me to music in the first place. As we reflect on the albums that have made the first part of the year so special for us, I think about what’s going to stay with me through the rest of the year as well. I’ll be playing “SGL” while the sun’s out all summer, listening to “Knowme” as the leafs start to change colors, and have “P0WDER” on repeat in my headphones by the fire this winter. It’s an album for all seasons, for all moods, and it’s been my runaway favorite of the year so far. [JT] 6. Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait For Love After spending the last three Pianos Become The Teeth records recounting the life, love, pain, and loss of his father from multiple sclerosis, the band’s latest album Wait For Love features frontman Kyle Durfey exploring his own fatherhood, as he got married and had a child after finding some sort of closure on 2014’s Keep You. Wait For Love isn’t a happy record nor a sad record – it’s a realistic one that beautifully and painfully captures all the intoxicating highs and devastating lows of being a husband and father. The record is as emotionally complex as you’d expect from a Pianos record, but Durfey’s melodies have never been more powerful, surrounded by the band’s increased gracefulness in their musicianship and enhanced by David Haik’s pulsating and brilliant drumming. From the initial euphoric wave of “Fake Lighting” to the gorgeously intense closer “Blue,” Wait For Love is bursting with some of 2018’s most heartfelt, vulnerable tracks as Pianos Become The Teeth earnestly march into the next exhilarating phase of their career. (DB) 7. Pusha T – DAYTONA It’s been a long season for hip-hop, filled with new releases and controversy in equal measure. While many have taken Kanye West to task for his inane infatuation with Trump and a number of right-wing pundits, there was a certain curiousness ascribed to the announcement of his ambitious Wyoming Sessions. West set out to release five G.O.O.D Music albums within a month, and while ye may be polarizing enough to finally keep some listeners from buying into the producer’s schtick, the first release of these sessions, Pusha T’s DAYTONA, may be the best of the bunch. DAYTONA is as close as it gets to an instant classic, and the publicity surrounding the release, for better or worse, fuels that fact. In some ways, DAYTONA is exactly what we’ve come to expect from Pusha T – that is, luxury drug raps – but in another way, the album pushes new boundaries for the rapper. From the melodicism of opening single “If You Know You Know” to the stunning guitar samples on “The Games We Play” and “Santeria,” King Push manages to mix more braggadocio and quotables in just seven tracks than most rappers are capable of in an hour-plus. [AM] 8. Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog There is no voice in modern rock and roll as unique and indescribable as Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan. A constant see-saw between something beautiful and ugly, she undertakes a variety of different approaches, as if her voice is assuming a different character each time. And it’s so very apparent on the band’s incredible third album, Bark Your Head Off, Dog – a record that encapsulates a catharsis in the most imperfect yet perfect ways. Tracks like “How You Got Your Limp” and “Not Abel” prove that you don’t need to be abrasive to be impactful, each song channeling the tender yet spastic density of the band’s music. Bark Your Head Off, Dog may be the most visceral record of 2018, innately sticking with you long after the final track has finished playing. [DB] 9. Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer Josh Tillman is one of the most divisive voices in indie-rock, for reasons that are clear, but also somewhat silly. It seems many can’t stand the performer’s growing penchant for satire and theatrics, and if that’s the case, many will rejoice upon hearing his shortest and least ironic offering under the moniker yet. Taking sonic cues from his entire discography, God’s Favorite Customer is a piano record, a comparatively minimalist affair that often bursts into lavish compositions that would make a Beatle blush. Rooted in heartbreak and isolation, Gods Favorite Customer offers the unique songwriting chops fans have come to love as well as an unbridled and often bleak look at this particular songwriter’s process. An album of pleas, Tillman chastises himself on “Just Dumb Enough to Try” (“But I’m just dumb enough to try/To keep you in my life/For a little while longer”), but also switches places with his partner on standouts “Please Don’t Die” (“And honey, I’m worried ’bout you/Put yourself in my shoes/You’re all that I have/So please don’t die, wherever you are tonight”) and “The Songwriter.” Saving its least performative bits for the B-side, God’s Favorite Customer is the unfortunately common high point of an artist’s career mirroring a low point in their personal life. [AM] 10. Jeff Rosenstock – POST- If Jeff Rosenstock’s We Cool? is about the internally-directed disquiet that comes when an anxious person starts noticing the aging process, and if WORRY. is about the externally-directed disquiet that comes when an anxious person decides to get married and settle down in a troubled political climate, POST- is about that same anxious person trying their absolute hardest to keep it together in the era of Donald Trump. While POST- doesn’t shake up the WORRY. sound all that much (discounting some experimentation with longer song structures in the opening and closing tracks), Rosenstock has clearly gone through significant changes since Inauguration Day. Specifically, he’s writing from a much lower place. While Jeff postured himself as the flag-bearer in the movement against all that is fucked up in the world on WORRY., POST- finds the singer full of anxiety and paranoia with nothing but questions to offer. Did my friends and neighbors vote for him? How can I speak out against this? Is there really any point in doing so? Can I start a new life in Australia or something? And while “Let Them Win” doesn’t begin to start answering these questions, it does present the only possible conclusion, the only mantra that feels within reach: no matter how bad things get, we’re not gonna let them win. [JB] 11. Fall Out Boy – MANIA If you could put me in a time machine that looks like a DeLorean and shoot me back to the release of Fall Out Boy’s Take This To Your Grave, and let me tell myself that in 15 years the band would still be going strong, and, in fact, may have just released their best album? I’d probably believe time-traveling-Jason. I’ve always believed that this band is special and it’s thrilling for me to watch their career unfold. The constant has been the band’s ability to write very good songs. They’ve walked through a variety of different genres and branched out their sound, but I’d argue that the the underlying “Fall Out Boy-ness” has always remained. (Uh, ditto for people arguing about them on my forums.) MANIA has quickly grown to be one of my favorite Fall Out Boy albums. I’m drawn to this brash confidence I can feel in the songs. It’s got a pulsing soul that reverberates through a razor-tight 36 minutes. Between foot-stomping choruses and soul-baring ballads, it’s the amount of pure fun that I find in the album I’m drawn most to. In a world that feels more hellish each day, there’s a comfort to this record. I’m not surprised this band is still cranking out great songs all these years later, but I’m always pleasantly surprised when I not only find something to like, but something I genuinely want to listen to. Well done you little pleasing purple record you. [JT] 12. Lord Huron – Vide Noir Lord Huron, the indie rock group from Los Angeles, have had quite a few years to grow into their trademark sound of atmospheric landscapes and wandering journeys. Vide Noir, the third studio album and their first on a major label, was mixed by Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, The Flaming Lips) and self-produced by front-man Ben Schneider, in which he has crafted his early career masterpiece. Schneider recently credited this album to a new habit of taking nighttime drives around LA and the “search for meaning amidst the cold indifference of the universe,” according to his recent social media posts. This album in particular speaks to the late night journeys that Schneider had become accustomed to and takes the listener on a rewarding path of self discovery. Lord Huron are at their most comfortable when they experiment with these sonic landscapes and there’s plenty of this apparent on this LP. [AG] 13. Caitlyn Smith – Starfire Some artists just have those voices that you can’t deny. You might not usually listen to the genre they hail from, and you might not even love the songs, but you can hear them sing and understand why people love their music. Adele is one of those artists. Chris Stapleton is one of those artists. Jeff Buckley, when he was alive, was one of those artists. And Caitlyn Smith is one of those artists, too. For my money, Smith’s debut, titled Starfire, is one of the two or three most well-sung LPs of the decade so far. I’m guessing that one listen to the theatrical tour-de-force “East Side Restaurant” will be enough to tell you why. While Smith’s voice is the centerpiece, though, Starfire is what it is because of the songwriting. Smith has been waiting for this moment for a long time, releasing a series of EPs and writing songs for everyone from Garth Brooks to Dolly Parton to Meghan Trainor and John Legend. Starfire encapsulates that long-haul story into a record about chasing a dream until it breaks your heart—and then chasing it even harder. Songs like “Don’t Give up on My Love” and “This Town Is Killing Me” ache with the sting of everything you sacrifice when you gamble your life on a fool’s hope of music industry success. “They buried my granddad without me/’Cause I was out on the road at some one-off show in Tupelo/And I can’t take that one back,” Smith sings in the latter. Starfire is an album built on a lot of miles, a lot of lonely nights in shitty motel rooms, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. You can hear every ounce of what the journey cost in the songs, so when Smith belts something like the rafter-shaking key change at the climax of “Tacoma,” it feels like nothing less than a triumph of the human spirit. [CM] 14. Camp Cope – How To Socialise and Make Friends There’s a renaissance of primal, emotionally-charged punk rock coming out of Melbourne, Australia right now (roo-rock?) and the all-female Camp Cope is leading the charge. Lead singer Georgia Maq started as a solo artist, but added Kelso Hellmrich and Sarah Thompson to great effect on their second studio album, How to Socialize & Make Friends, a loose reference to the classic Dan Carnegie self-help book published in the 30’s. Maq is equal parts sincere, sarcastic, bitter, and brazen singing about gender politics (“And all my success has got nothing to do with me/Yeah, tell me again how there just aren’t that many girls in the music scene”) and just surviving in a world not built for sensitive people (“But sometimes it’s hard to go outside/And I’ve been driving way too much/I’ve been too lazy to fix my bike”). Her beautiful banshee scream is reminiscent of Hop Along’s Frances Quinlan’s, but nothing about Camp Cope is purely derivative. Now in their prime as a band, they have created a place for themselves all their own. [DK] 15. Underoath – Erase Me The first time I heard “rase Me, I was let down—but somehow totally vibing with album standout “No Frame.” And then I listened again. And again. The songs started wiggling their way into my head. And then I listened again. The next thing I knew, I was belting every song for weeks on end. I’d trusted Underoath for fifteen years, and they delivered again, despite my initial reaction. Listening to an album “freed from religion” was listening to the catharsis of a man not afraid to address God from a place of vulnerability and honesty unafraid of how he was perceived in the asking, conquering the addiction demons of his past, and coming to a new sense of identity—all while exploring new avenues of sound for the band. Some defined these new sounds as selling out—and while I would’ve preferred more “Hold Your Breath”-type songs to “Rapture”-type songs—I’m all for bands writing what they want to write. This will never be remembered as their greatest album, but with enough time, it becomes an intensely personal album if you let it. The soaring chorus of “In Motion” or the absolutely crushing bridge of “ihateit” spoke directly to my life experiences. Spencer sang words echoing the thoughts I’ve kept on scraps of paper only I see. When I come to music, I just like to be seen. Thirteen years after “Young and Aspiring” changed my life, Underoath still makes music that sees me. And I still see them. I’m so happy for the continued success and happiness they’ve found along the way. Erase Me is an album about the journey, and I’m already excited for what the destination of a next album promises. [GL] 16. Soccer Mommy – Clean Perhaps no other artist understands coming of age in the 2010s the way Soccer Mommy’s Sophie Allison does. Her first proper full-length, Clean, displays her knack for chronicling the uncertainties of young love, feeling misunderstood, and avoiding one’s parents in a way that feels far more mature than the subject matter would suggest. Take “Flaw”’s honest retelling of a relationship gone sour, culminating in the self-aware line: “I choose to blame it all on you, ‘cause I don’t like the truth.” Or listen to the rollicking, defiant single “Your Dog,” a screed against a controlling boyfriend that turns into a positive affirmation of her autonomy. It’ll be exciting to watch Allison grow, but for now, Clean is a hell of a first step. [ZD] 17. Animal Flag – Void Ripper Animal Flag’s latest full-length, Void Ripper, is aptly named. It’s the band’s darkest and heaviest release yet, and the music is every bit as crushing and apocalyptic as Matt Politoski’s lyrics behind it – lyrics like, “everyone I know will die” and “life is short, it always ends.” While Politoski’s lyrics are admittedly depressing, they’re also his most personal and thought-provoking yet. He and the rest of Animal Flag have torn through the void, and what they discovered on the other side was something beautiful. [ZD] 18. Frank Turner – Be More Kind Frank Turner is an Englishman, dutifully touring his way around the world and then back again, racking up a whopping 2,202 shows under his belt. So if anyone knows what might help our country right now, it’s probably the very world-weary Frank Turner. On Be More Kind he prescribes one part decency (“Be more kind, my friends/Try to be more kind”) , one part rage (“Let’s make America great again/By making racists ashamed again.”), and one part persistence (“Put on your brave face, honey, your brave face/It’s funny how fear can bring your focus in tight”). It’s a winning formula and the subject matter forces Turner to slow down in way he’s never done before. He leans in hard on the end-of-the-world theme with titles like “21st Century Survival Blues” and “Making America Great Again,” but mostly gone are the fast guitars and punk power chords, replaced instead with sensitive acoustic strumming and even, on standout track “Blackout”, a clubby dance beat. Turner crafts a surprisingly mellow, insightful album, one that feels, more than ever, like one he’s been wanting to make. And if takes an Englishman with four chords to save our country, well, we’ll take it any way we can get it. [DK] 19. The Republic of Wolves – Shrine After my first listen of Shrine I knew that this was a very special record. On their 3rd LP The Republic of Wolves return to their roots. This record delivers an album full of dynamic dark alt rock songs that are sure to fill a void for some. Lyrically, Shrine is a concept album that centers around Japanese folklore while still touching on relatable themes such as heartbreak (Birdless Cage) and spiritual conflict (Bask) . One of the album’s highlights is the centerpiece “Dialogues,” which takes the listener through a musical journey of both loud and soft dynamics, while also containing a call back a track on the bands first LP “Monologues.” The production on shrine is fantastic and contains some of the best guitar tones I’ve heard this year. This record delivers on many layers and is a must listen for fans of dynamic alternative rock. [Teebs41] 20. Turnstile – Time & Space If you’re looking for 2018’s most wild ride look no further than Turnstile’s Roadrunner Records debut, Time & Space. Blending the perfect mix of shout-along choruses, super groovy musicianship, and just the right amount of heavy to get the pit moving (thanks to Will Yip’s crisp production), the Baltimore quintet is the most exciting and unique band to emerge from the hardcore scene in years. “Generator” flows like an out-of-body experience, elevating above any and all distractions, while the fuzzy crunch of “Moon” features a guest turn from Sheer Mag’s Tina Halladay and the blistering “Right To Be” features added production from none other than Diplo. Clocking in with 13 tracks at just under a half hour, Time & Space proves that the tired ideas of what hardcore should be will not stop Turnstile from getting freaky and releasing one of the best albums of the year. [DB] Contributor Key * [CM]: Craig Manning * [JT]: Jason Tate * [AM]: Aaron Mook * [SS]: Scott Surette * [ZD]: Zac Djamoos * [DC]: Deanna Chapman * [DB]: Drew Beringer * [AG]: Adam Grundy * [GL]: Garrett Lemons * [JB]: John Bazley * [DK]: David Kallison Contributor Lists Jason Tate * Now, Now – Saved * Fickle Friends – You Are Someone Else * Fall Out Boy – Mania * Half Waif – Lavender * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Dessa – Chime * The Neighbourhood – The Neighbourhood * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Natalie Prass – The Future and the Past * Pennywise – Never Gonna Die * Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer * Soccer Mommy – Clean * Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz * Nathan Gray – Feral Hymns * Illuminati Hotties – Kiss Yr Frenemies * The Republic of Wolves – Shrine * Lykke Li – So Sad So Sexy * The Longshot – Love is For Losers * Annie-Marie – Speak Your Mind * Tonight Alive – Underworld Drew Beringer * Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer * The Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog * Turnstile – Time & Space * Petal – Magic Gone * Self Defense Family – Have You Considered Punk Music * Beach House – 7 * Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait For Love * Sleep – The Sciences * Tiny Moving Parts – Swell * Jeff Rosenstock – POST- * Culture Abuse – Bay Dream * Rolling Blackouts C.F. – Hope Downs * Dance Gavin Dance – Artificial Selection * Wax Idols – Happy Ending * Now, Now – Saved * Hurry – Every Little Thought * Drowse – Cold Air * Wye Oak – The Louder I Call, The Faster It Runs * Anthony Green – Would You Still Be In Love Adam Grundy * Lord Huron – Vide Noir * Middle Kids – Lost Friends * The Aces – When my heart felt volcanic * CHVRCHES – Love is Dead * The Neighbourhood – S/T * Moon Taxi – Let the record play * Car Seat Headrest- Twin Fantasy * Kendrick Lamar/VA – Black panther soundtrack * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Senses Fail – If there is light… * Dashboard Confessional – Crooked Shadows * Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night sweats – Tearing at the Seams * Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino * The Voidz – Virtue * Underoath – Erase Me * Superorganism – S/T * Ben Howard – Noonday Dream * Pennywise – Never Gonna Die * Father John misty – Gods favorite customer * The Longshot – Love is for Losers Craig Manning * Caitlyn Smith – Starfire * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Tenille Townes – The Living Room Worktapes * Dawes – Passwords * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Donovan Woods – Both Ways * Field Report – Summertime Songs * Brothers Osborne – Port Saint Joe * Steve Moakler – Born Ready * Dierks Bentley – The Mountain * LANCO – Hallelujah Nights * Ashley Monroe – Sparrow * Brandi Carlile – By the Way, I Forgive You * Courtney Marie Andrews – May Your Kindness Remain * Parker Millsap – Other Arrangements * The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer * The Church Sisters – A Night at the Opry * Snow Patrol – Wildness * Ashley McBryde – Girl Going Nowhere * American Aquarium – Things Change Scott Surette * the wonder years — sister cities * the republic of wolves — shrine * pusha t — daytona * dance gavin dance — artificial selection * hop along — bark your head off, dog * jeff rosenstock — post- * pianos become the teeth — wait for love * turnstile — time and space * cardi b — invasion of privacy * soccer mommy — clean * jpegmafia — veteran * tiny moving parts — swell * the dangerous summer — the dangerous summer * senses fail — if there is a light, it will find you * pennywise — never gonna die Deanna Chapman * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Hidden Hospitals – Liars * Marian Hill – Unusual * Caitlyn Smith – Starfire * Brothers Osborne – Port Saint Joe * The XCERTS – Hold On To Your Heart * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Hurry – Every Little Thought * Elder Brother – Stay Inside * The Longshot – Love Is for Lovers Zac Djamoos * Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz * The Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Soccer Mommy – Clean * Animal Flag – Void Ripper * Camp Cope – How to Socialise and Make Friends * Long Neck – Will This Do * awakebutstillinbed – what people call low self-esteem… * Pianos Become the Teeth – Wait for Love * illuminati Hotties – Kiss Yr Frenemies 1 * Mighty – Mighty * The Republic of Wolves – shrine * No Thank You – All It Takes to Ruin It All * Black Foxxes – Reidi 14. Runaway Brother – New Pocket * Speak Low If You Speak Love – Nearsighted * Jeff Rosenstock – Post- * Toy Cars – Paint Brain * Late Bloomer – Waiting * Barely Civil – We Can Live Here Forever * Casey – Where I Go When I Am Sleeping Aaron Mook * Caroline Rose – LONER * Porches – The House * Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer * The Sidekicks – Happiness Hours * Pusha T – DAYTONA * Beach House – 7 * American Pleasure Club – A Whole Fucking Lifetime of This * Donovan Wolfington – Waves * Kraus – Path * Mount Eerie – Now Only Chrisanne Grise * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending * Lord Huron – Vide Noir * Florence and the Machine – High as Hope * Leon Bridges – Good Thing * David Byrne – American Utopia * Father John Misty – God’s Favorite Customer * Frank Turner – Be More Kind * The Longshot – Love is for Losers * Kate Nash – Yesterday Was Forever David Kallison * Camp Cope – How to Socialize and Make Friends * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz * Sorority Noise – YNAAT * Frank Turner – Be More Kind * Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog * illuminati hotties – Kiss Yr Frenemies * Coach Phillips – Learning How To Swim EP * Pelafina – Sorry In Advance * Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Tiny Little Houses – Idiot Proverbs * The Penske File – Salvation * Childish Gambino – “This is America” single * Juice WRLD – Goodbye and Good Riddance * Pllush – Stranger to the Pain * Nahan Gray – Feral Hymns * Animal Flag – Void Ripper John Bazley * Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz * The Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Staten – I don’t want to be alone anymore * Now, Now – Saved * Pusha T – Daytona * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Kevin Gates – Chained to the City EP * Kississippi – Sunset Blush * Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer * Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog * The HIRS Collective – Friends. Lovers. Favorites. * Jeff Rosenstock – POST- * A Will Away – Hear Again EP * J Cole – KOD * Saba – Care For Me * Tiny Moving Parts – Swell * Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel * Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy * Animal Flag – Void Ripper * Zaytoven – Trap Holizay Garrett Lemons * Underoath – Erase Me * The Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Beyonce & Jay-Z — Love Is Everything * Jeff Rosenstock – POST- * The Weeknd – My Dear Melancholy * Cardi B – Invasion of Privacy * Frank Turner – Be More Kind * Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes * Dashboard Confessional – Crooked Shadows * Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait For Love * The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer * Senses Fail – If There Is A Light… * The Republic of Wolves – Shrine * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Janelle Monae – Dirty Computer * Migos – Culture II * Now, Now – Saved * Justin Timberlake – Man of the Woods * Pusha T – Daytona Ryan Gardner * The Wonder Years – Sister Cities * Spanish Love Songs – Schmaltz * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait For Love * Now, Now – Saved * The Sidekicks – Happiness Hours * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer * Underoath – Erase Me * Turnstile – Time & Space * Soccer Mommy – Clean * Harms Way – Posthuman Tommy Monroe * Pusha T – Daytona * Anne-Marie – Speak Your Mind * Charlie Puth – Voicenotes * Cozz – Effected * First Aid Kit – Ruins * Vance Joy – Nation Of Two * Princess Nokia – A Girl Cried Red * Fall Out Boy – Mania * Camila Cabello – CAMILA * Jay Rock – Redemption * Beyoncé & Jay-Z – Everything Is Love * Janelle Monáe – Dirty Computer * Cardi B – Invasion Of Privacy * Royce da 5’9 – Book Of Ryan * Migos – culture 2 * J. Cole – KOD * The Dangerous Summer – The Dangerous Summer * Julie Bergan – Turn On The Lights * Kids See Ghosts – KIDS SEE GHOSTS * Kanye West – Ye Aj LaGambina * Now, Now – Saved * Pianos Become The Teeth – Wait for Love * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Animal Flag – Void Ripper * Hop Along – Bark Your Head Off, Dog * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Jeff Rosenstock – Post- * Tiny Moving Parts – Swell * Fall Out Boy – Mania * MGMT – Little Dark Age Eric Wilson * Kacey Musgraves – Golden Hour * Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers * Mayday Parade – Sunnyland * Camila Cabello – Camila * Mike Shinoda – Post Traumatic * Fall Out Boy – MANIA * Mat Kearney – Crazytalk * Dashboard Confessional – Crooked Shadows * Tonight Alive – Underworld * State Champs – Living Proof --- Please consider supporting us so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/features/articles/the-top-albums-of-2018-so-far/

[wizrocklopedia]

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New Post has been published on http://www.wrocklopedia.com/2017/12/19/new-music-review-calling-back-kelly-the-one-with-the-little-wizard-boy/

New Music Review: Calling Back Kelly "The One With The Little Wizard Boy"

Editor’s Note: Content on the ‘pedia has been a bit light this year due to staffer schedules and responsibilities, however that certainly doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been any news or releases on the wizard rock front! In fact, this year has seen a number of album and EP releases from bands new and old, as well as releases from bands that wouldn’t be considered “wizard rock”, although their albums certainly are.

We wanted to end the year on a high note with reviews of some of the new music that was released in 2017. This is not intended to be a comprehensive write-up of every single track from 2017; rather, it’s a way to give credit to the artists who are continuing to release fantastic wizard rock, while also hopefully introducing our readers to some new bands they may not have been aware of. 

As 2017 comes to a close and ushers in a new year, it’s important that we reflect on what constitutes “wizard rock” in this day and age. While there are still a good number of bands that focus exclusively on writing material based on the Harry Potter books, other non-wrock bands have released music that definitely falls under the “wizard rock” umbrella.

In other words, one doesn’t need to be a wizard rock band in order to release wizard rock music.

Just last month, the Cleveland, Ohio based Calling Back Kelly dropped their full length “The One With The Little Wizard Boy” on Bandcamp and we wanted to do this excellently-produced wizard rock album some justice.

As a quick overview, this reviewer wants to note this right out of the gate – the whole album is full of sick guitar riffage and extremely thoughtful lyrics. “The One With The Little Wizard Boy” is definitely on the heavier side of wizard rock, it’s not quite metal but falls on the hard modern rock side of music for sure. If you like pounding drums, thick bass, and excellent guitar playing, this is the wrock album for you. We also wanted to point out that this release is up on Bandcamp as Name Your Price, so you can get it for free, or offer a few bucks for the hard work that went into creating such a solid, well-sounding album. If you’re looking for some new releases to crank, you have no excuse to NOT have this one in your wizard rock collection.

The album kicks off with the track “Privet Drive” which starts with guitar harmonics and a nice grungy thick bass tone. Lyrically, the song is from Hagrid’s POV about having to stick Harry with those dreadful Dursleys as the book series opens. The music really kicks in for the chorus with nice drums and driving guitar, before coming back down to quieter guitar harmonics to close things out.

“Return to Sender” is an uptempo tune that reminds this reviewer of later AFI (in fact, much of the album does). Lyrically the song initially brings Aberforth to mind, complaining about how he felt Albus abandoned his family. It may not be his thoughts exactly (more on song meanings later), but once that theme got stuck in my head I couldn’t get it out. “Obviously Always” follows, featuring fantastic drums and layered vocals. The lyrics bring us Snape’s POV about his regrets, and the fact that he knows that he now has the life he deserves for his actions. Once again, the guitar riffing is on point, and musically, the song is relentless.

The fourth track “Hair of the Dog” is from Sirius’s POV about how he’s been driving himself for years purely on the thoughts of paying Pettigrew back, and doing his best to protect Harry. That’s all that’s been keeping him alive. That song is followed by “Minutes and Moments”, which starts with slightly out of tune guitar to build tension before it really kicks into gear. This angst-ridden song is from Harry’s POV about his realization that Dumbledore protected him in order for him to die. Knowing that his death is required to help defeat Voldemort weighs on him, along with the knowledge that others have died to help him when in the end, he still needs to die anyways. Some nice synth keyboard pads really help keep the tension throughout the song.

Neville gets some attention with the next track “Bloodline (Baby’s First Heavy)”; and man, he just draaaaaaaaaaaaags Voldemort. The heavy riffs relay the pain Neville has over his parents’ state thanks to Voldemort’s orders. This song gives a real Helmet vibe while listening to it’s heavy staccato riffing.

“Catching Smoke” is another banger, keeping up with the musical theme of the album. To be honest, there’s a lot of uptempo angsty and pissed off songs with little respite to your ears. Now, I guarantee you that’s not a problem for a lot of listeners, however I found myself wanting some quieter or down-tempo sections or songs to help make the crushing songs hit that much harder.

The lyrics in “Kill” seems like Snape and Harry are alternating verses about Snape’s death in the Shrieking Shack, and how much they hated each other, but needed each other to survive. Snape’s protection helped keep Harry alive, and that mission was what drove Snape. Unsurprisingly, the next song’s title “Left Ear” gives the subject matter away – it’s about George dealing with Fred’s loss. He knows his life will never be the same, and he will be reminded of the worst loss of his life every time he looks in the mirror. In fact, the bridge mentions the Mirror of Erised and it’s one of the more heartbreaking lyrics you’ll hear in such an uptempo song.

Finally, the album ends with the track “Swanson’s II”, which is really only a quick snippet of Ron Swanson talking about the little wizard boy, which was the inspiration for the album title.

All in all, “The One With The Little Wizard Boy” kicks a LOT butt, and if you like your wizard rock exactly that (ROCK!!!) then this is the album for you. Likewise if you like songs that don’t hit you upside the head with the meaning behind the lyrics; the songs all easily stand on their own with themes of loss, anger, and pain. If you knew someone who was resistant to wizard rock but likes heavy music, this album would make a great introduction for them.

You can follow the band on Facebook, and if you do so, let them know what you thought about their recent release. It’s great to see a muggle band pick up the wizard rock baton and run with it, and we can all hope that this won’t be their last release in the wizard rock category.

Do yourself a favor – head over to Calling Back Kelly’s Bandcamp, download the album, and CRANK IT. You won’t be disappointed.

[graecvs]

✿ ♫ ✘ ✔🎒🍸

LET ME BLAB ABOUT MY BOY ( accepting. )

✿: What is your muses favourite scent?

Maybe it’s just conditioning from years of hanging out with Annabeth, but he likes lemony-citrusy smells. Homey scents like chocolate chip cookies, too, and nothing beats the clear crisp scent of the Long Island Sound after rain. He likes lighter herbal scents, and prefers things airy over musky/heavy; basically Percy just really likes when things smell fresh and crisp, a real luxury when you live in New York City.

♫: Does your muse like music? What kind?

Percy’s big into AC/DC type classic rock, but he also really likes more current stuff like Bastille, the White Stripes, Sir Sly, Macklemore… he’s got pretty eclectic taste but it more or less boils down to “grungy.” He likes heavier music with a good beat, too.

✘: What are your muses pet peeves?

answered!

✔: What is your muse’s sexuality?

answered!

🎒: What does your muse normally keep in their bag?

Chapstick! Always chapstick. He keeps a spare metrocard for emergencies, usually a water bottle, a few drachma, some protein bars. Sometimes you can find a cool pinecone or an interesting shell in there, or a trophy he got from a spontaneous monster fight that he just shoved in there and forgot about. You’re also likely to find a spare set of socks or an extra camp tee, a balled-up hoodie, a few of Ella’s feathers, or a homework assignment that was due three weeks ago. As his sister grows, his backpack starts to accumulate brightly colored hairclips and hairbands, the occasional bracelet or quarter-machine toy, and he keeps winning toys in claw machine games and shoving them in there.

🍸: Does your muse like to consume alcohol? What’s their favourite kind?

He enjoys drinking, though more socially than for the sake of getting schwasted. Luckily he has a pretty high alcohol tolerance, because drunk Percy is…an experience. If he is very drunk, chances are it’s because he got distracted and wasn’t keeping track of what he was putting in his body (or because Leo kept handing him shots) – and he likes the “girly” drinks because Jimothy you’re drinking wheat juice with a 5% alcohol content and this “girly” drink is 40% alcohol and tastes amazing.