It is time for the final installment of Album Katchup 2021. This is the series where I take a look back of the past few months and discuss some albums. However, this one is a little different. The first section of this blog is albums released from October through December. After that, I talk about some albums that released earlier in the year that I either didn't listen to until after their quarter ended or didn't have anything to say until much later. Some of those reviews are shorter and some are the normal length, but they were all released between January and September, and I'm using this blog to talk about them. As always, you can click the album titles of each project to hear a song from them. And just a heads up: the next two blogs I upload are my top 100 singles of 2021 and my top 20 albums of 2021, so get excited for that. Without further ado, let's get started.
Illuminati Hotties: Let Me Do One More
Genre: Indie Rock
Release Date: October 1
I mean, with a band name like Illuminati Hotties, how can you NOT check out their music, am I right? This indie rock band, fronted by singer, songwriter and audio engineer Sarah Tudzin, who has worked with the likes of Logic, Slowdive, Weyes Blood and more, are back with their second studio album. With Let Me Do One More, Illuminati Hotties come through with songs of youth, love and capitalism. The lyricism is sharp, offering moments of genuine wit and humor mixed with some tragic poetry. Sarah's vocal delivery ranges from soft and intimate, like on "Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism" and "Growth," to full on manic, like "Mmmoooaaaaayaya," where she sounds like she would be at home on Cartoon Network playing as villain characters. On top of that, the tunes are great. The band takes full advantage of their indie rock sound, while also mixing some punk and surf rock influences. "Pool Hopping" has a great guitar lick and one of the catchiest choruses of the entire year. "Joni: LA's No. 1 Health Goth" is a wild punk rager, with fast tempo verses that are fun as hell and a random bluegrass jam band section near the end that is absolutely hysterical. The songwriting throughout is so much fun, causing me to come back to these songs multiple times simply because of how much joy they bring me. I do think the ballads are where the album starts to falter for me. The two ballads I mentioned earlier are both beautiful, but "Protector" and "The Sway" don't have a whole lot of progression to them, causing them to feel nondescript and tedious. There are a couple of other songs that don't do a whole lot for me. "Knead" has great verses but a boring chorus, and "Toasted" has a lot of potential to be amazing, as the melody is so good, yet it's only a 30 second interlude. Besides those moments, I thoroughly enjoyed Let Me Do One More. While indie rock that leans more towards a punk sound isn't necessarily the style I gravitate towards, I found myself constantly thrilled by the songwriting, the performances and the overall energy. Don't miss out on this one, especially if you like your rock music with a little bit of a punk edge.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: Pool Hopping; Mmmoooaaaaayaya; Threatening Each Other re: Capitalism; u v v p; Joni: LA's No. 1 Health Goth; Kickflip; Cheap Shoes; Growth
Worst Track: Protector
James Blake: Friends That Break Your Heart
Genre: Alternative R&B / Ambient Pop
Release Date: October 8
This is my first time listening to a full James Blake album. I've heard a few songs in the past, but never one of his albums. With Friends That Break Your Heart, James has made a breakup album, encapsulating both the severed ties of a relationship and a friendship. It's a dour album, and the themes, lyrics and vocals perfectly match the moody production. There are some beautiful tracks here, mainly the singles. "Famous Last Words" is a captivating opener, "Say What You Will" has a brilliant pace with the way it builds and then cuts out the music at the final chorus, and "Life Is Not The Same" is one of my favorite songs of the year. I love ominous, dissonant vocal tones that kick off the song, which is followed by this beautiful piano melody, paired perfectly with trap percussions and James's gorgeous vocals. I think, as a whole, the album starts and ends very strong. It's the middle that begins to drag for me. Tracks like "Frozen" and "Foot Forward" have cool production, but the songs themselves lack something that makes them fully captivating. Then there's "I'm So Blessed Your Mine," which is simply a mess. The beat drop is forced, and the refrain of the title feels low effort to the point of sounding lazy. Despite the dip in quality of the middle, I did like Friends That Break Your Heart. It's a sad, pretty and emotionally powerful album perfect for a depressive episode.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Famous Last Words; Life Is Not the Same; Funeral; Say What You Will; Friends That Break Your Heart; If I'm Insecure
Worst Track: I'm So Blessed You're Mine
Magdalena Bay: Mercurial World
Genre: Synthpop / Dance Pop
Release Date: October 8
On Mercurial World, synthpop duo Magdalena Bay have made something special. Singer Mica Tenenbaum and producer Matthew Lewin have crafted a fun, highly creative and energetic pop album that manages to sound fresh throughout. The production and performances are vibrant, offering sound palettes that range from dense and crushing, like on "You Lose!," to bouncy and groovy, like on "Secrets (Your Fire)" and "Hysterical Us." Mica's vocals are captivating, and her lyricism can be quite endearing. On top of that, the best tracks are total bops. This is truly the most fun I've had with a pop album all year. "Secrets (Your Fire)" is groovy as hell, with a great song structure and some really cool string passages. "You Lose!" uses heavy distortion, yet it manages to sound great, as the songwriting is catchy and pure enjoyment. "Hysterical Us" might have my favorite chorus of the year, and those pianos are pure bliss. I also think "The Beginning" is the perfect way to end the album. It's triumphant in scale and absolutely beautiful, bouncy and fun. Unfortunately, there are a few duds as well, particularly the three songs that play before the closer. "Follow the Leader" sounds unfinished, and the vocal effect is terrible. "Domino" and "Dreamcatcher" both have boring choruses and melodies that leave very little impression. I also think that the overarching concept of the album could have been stronger. I like the album opening with "The End" and closing with "The Beginning," as well as "Halfway" playing at the halfway mark, but I can't help but feel like there wasn't much direction when it came to tying everything together. Despite those flaws, Mercurial World is a blast. I highly recommend this to anyone that likes synthpop or just wants to have fun with their music.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Mercurial World; Dawning of the Season; Secrets (Your Fire); You Lose!; Hysterical Us; Prophecy; The Beginning
Worst Track: Follow the Leader
Remi Wolf: Juno
Genre: R&B / Dance Pop
Release Date: October 15
Remi Wolf's debut album can be described in one word: colorful. Everything from the production to the instrumentation to the vocals to the lyrics to even the album cover is brimming with color and personality. As a result, Juno makes for a fun, endearing, often hilarious and occasionally overbearing listen. The best moments are when Remi is letting her personality speak for itself. Songs like "Liquor Store," "Quiet on Set" and "Grumpy Old Man" are brash, bouncy and hilarious tracks, each with their own catchy melodies, funny quips and confident productions. I also like when Remi decides to go towards an R&B route, where she can really show off how impressive of a vocalist she can be. Tracks like "wyd" and "Sexy Villain" offer that feeling the best, resulting in some of her most compelling work on the album. On top of that, Remi is so good at writing hooks. I have been hearing the choruses to "Quiet on Set," "Guerilla" and so many other tracks in my head on repeat just because of how gloriously sticky they are. Unlike many other pop tracks, especially those that are heavily popular in the mainstream, I don't mind getting these songs stuck in my head. Where the album falters is when Remi starts overcompensating for her moments of underwhelming songwriting by adding production elements she doesn't need. Songs like "Sally" and "Street You Live On" have unnecessary vocal effects that try to mask how tedious their melodies are. The added vocal harmonies of "Buttermilk" sound pretty, but it doesn't stop the track from being underwritten. And also, while "Quiet on Set" is one of my favorite songs on the album, the skit at the end makes me curl into a ball due to secondhand embarrassment and cringe. I know, it's supposed to be tongue in cheek and comedic, but it sounds like a grown woman doing an impression of a toddler in the most grating way possible. Despite those few shortcomings, I quite enjoyed Juno. It certainly has its flaws, but it's the start of a promising career, all while being one of the more interesting pop releases of the year. Check this out if you haven't already.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Liquor Store; Anthony Kiedis; wyd; Guerrilla; Quiet on Set; Grumpy Old Man; Sexy Villain
Worst Track: Street You Live On
Coldplay: Music of the Spheres
Genre: Pop Rock
Release Date: October 15
I've never been a big Coldplay fan. There have been songs of theirs that I've liked in the past, but nothing has ever wowed me to the point of falling in love with their music. That case rings especially true today, as with each passing release, their sound has become more and more sterilized. Gone are the soft alt rock sounds of their first albums. Now, they've become a pop act. That's not necessarily bad, as there have been bands and artists that have transitioned to a more mainstream sound quite well. However, Coldplay's songwriting has never been that amazing. Music of the Spheres is in that same boat. It's a full embrace of a modern pop sound with bright synths, soaring choruses and weak songwriting. The production is generally nice and Chris Martin has some of his best vocal performances on this album, but I barely remember any of these songs after listening through the project. It all sounds so sterile and lacks any semblance of personality. All of the soul has been sucked out of the sound of this project, resulting in something emotionally and sonically hollow. Plus, a couple of these songs are really questionable. "People of the Pride" gave me Vietnam flashbacks to Muse's "Psycho," which is one of their worst songs ever. It has the buttiest butt rock riffs of all of butt rock, making this song stick out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of the project. "Biyutiful" uses this chipmunk filter on the vocals throughout the entire track, making it a much bigger pain than it already is. I also found "Humankind" to be "My Universe" to be corny and sappy, despite the latter having one of the better choruses on the project, as well as a rather tasteful feature of BTS. Truthfully, the only real highlight on this album is the final track, "Coloratura," which is a beautiful, ten minute prog ballad, offering the most ambitious, beautiful and compelling musical statement the band has made in years. It tells us what this band could be if they didn't get held back by such safe sound songs. Music of the Spheres was disappointing. I wouldn't say it's awful, but it certainly isn't an album that I will be listening to ever again.
Grade: D+
Best Tracks: Coloratura
Worst Track: Biyutiful
PinkPantheress: to hell with it (MIXTAPE)
Genre: Drum & Bass / R&B
Release Date: October 15
PinkPantheress's debut mixtape is a nice ten track, eighteen minute collection of atmospheric pop, R&B and drum & bass. The brief song lengths cause some of the tracks to feel incomplete, but it's mostly made up for thanks to the fantastic production, the charismatic vocals and the intimate lyrics. It's an enjoyable listen for those that need a quick music fix. I'm not going to say that anything blew me away, but I did have a good time listening to this project. If anything, to hell with it shows a lot of promise for PinkPantheress's career. Hopefully, with whatever she releases next, she develops her ideas into something more substantial and fulfilling. As is, it's pretty good, and I'm excited to see what she does next.
Grade: B-
Best Tracks: I must apologize; Passion; Reason; All my friends know
Worst Track: Last valentines
JPEGMAFIA: LP!
Genre: Experimental Hip Hop
Release Date: October 22
Damn, Peggy! Rapper and producer JPEGMAFIA has once again demonstrated why he is one of the most interesting, compelling and mind blowing artists in the hip hop sphere today. His previous two albums, Veteran and All My Heroes are Cornballs, are full of whacked out beats, charismatic flows and often hilarious, introspective and politically charged lyricism. On LP!, which follows his two eps aptly titled EP! and EP2!, Peggy has crafted an infectious vibe that permeates throughout the album's runtime. There is a solid mix of cold blooded bangers and moody R&B tinged ballads, each adding their own sense of flair, glitch and personality. Peggy has so much raw charisma in his production and his vocal delivery, making each song unpredictable in where it's going. But, all in all, the songs just slap. Tracks like "END CREDITS!" and "REBOUND!" full on bang to the point where I cannot help but bang my head along to the beat. On the other hand, tracks like "TRUST!" and "ARE U HAPPY?" create this enchanting mood that I can't get enough of. "THOT'S PRAYER!" geniously reworks the chorus of the classic Britney Spears song "...Baby One More Time" into an beautiful and even heartbreaking melody. "WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN' IS THIS?" probably has the catchiest chorus on the album, and "OG!" might contain my favorite beat of the year. There are a few tracks that are not fully my flavor, but even those are, at the very least, cool. In truth, the only track that I don't care for is "NEMO!", which is a little too out there for my taste. That's all I really have in terms of critiques. There are so many fantastic songs on this project, just showing how much of a creative force JPEGMAFIA has become. Now, one thing to keep in mind is that there are two versions of LP!. There's the regular one that you can find on streaming, and then there's the Offline version, which can only be found on Peggy's bandcamp. This version has five songs not found on the streaming version due to the inability to clear the samples with his label. On top of that, "SICK, NERVOUS & BROKE!" is titled "TIRED, NERVOUS & BROKE!", and "KISSY, FACE EMOJI" is renamed to "🔥." There are even a couple of tracks that are enhanced on the Offline version. "DAM! DAM! DAM!", which is the penultimate track on the Offline version, has a drum beat that connects the intro to the main melody, which is great, as that was the biggest thing keeping me from enjoying the song on the streaming version. Plus, "WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN IS THIS?" has an extended intro that, while not entirely necessary, does sound nice. All in all, there is no wrong version of this album, as the songs are so good. Here's what I will say about this: if you want easy access to his music, the check out the streaming version. However, if you want the true album experience the way the artist intended for you to hear, then check out the Offline version on his bandcamp. No matter which way you go, you're gonna listen to something fantastic. Yeah, that's all I have to say about this. This is easily one of the best albums of the year. I highly recommend it.
Grade: A
Best Tracks (Offline exclusives/alternative titles in parenthesis): TRUST!; END CREDITS!; (HAZARD DUTY PAY!); (GOD DON'T LIKE UGLY); WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN' IS THIS?; THOT'S PRAYER!; ARE U HAPPY?; REBOUND!; OG!; (DIKEMBE!); SICK (TIRED), NERVOUS & BROKE!; KISSY, FACE EMOJI! (🔥); THE GHOST OF RANKING DEAD!; CUTIE PIE!; BALD!; BALD! REMIX (feat. Denzel Curry); (UNTITLED)
Worst Track: NEMO!
Dream Theater: A View From the Top of the World
Genre: Progressive Metal
Release Date: October 22
I have a long history with Dream Theater. They were my absolute favorite band back in middle school, to the point where I ridiculed any other kind of music out there because it was not prog. Yeah. You know how people go through an emo phase in middle school? Well, I went through a prog elitist phase. I'm not entirely proud of that, but I did love this band, and while I don't listen to them near as much as I used to, I still find myself appreciating the sheer talent these guys have. In fact, I still occasionally listen to albums like Images and Words and Metropolis Part II with a lot of fondness. I started falling out of love with Dream Theater following the departure of drummer Mike Portnoy, who was replaced by former Extreme drummer, Mike Mangini. This is about the time when their music started to grow a lot more stale. A Dramatic Turn of Events was fine, but everything after that has sounded like Dream Theater going through the motions. Even with an ambitious two part album like The Astonishing, it still sounded like the band rehashing everything they've done prior. A View From the Top of the World fits into that same camp, unfortunately. It's clear that they are very low on fresh ideas. So many of these sounds, riffs, solos and melodies sound like everything they've made for the past two decades. Yes, the band are still very talented at their respective instruments. Their solos are all wildly impressive, and the way they play with switching time signatures is cool, but these songs feel just as bloated and longwinded as ever. I've been fine with listening to 9, 10, 20 minute songs of theirs in the past, but here, I can't bring myself to get invested because I've heard all of this before. However, there are some notable improvements with this album compared to their past works. For example, the production is much better. Everything sounds clean without sounding sterile or washed out. The drums have a nice crispness to them, and the bass is actually audible throughout the album. Yay! There are also some cool ideas sprinkled throughout the tracks. I particularly love how the guitar riff and the keyboard melody play with each other on "Answering The Call." Unfortunately, the rest is more of the same, but not as interesting. As for the vocals and the lyrics, they are still the worst things about this band. Vocalist James LaBrie hasn't sounded good since the 90s, as his tone is very nasally and all of his notes sound super strained. He does sing in a lower register here than on other material, so it's a little better, but it's not great. The lyricism is pretty terrible, though. It's nothing but clichés and corny lines throughout the project. I dunno. Overall, I found this album to be pretty mid. The instrumentation is all excellent, but the vocals, lyrics and lack of fresh ideas leave me feeling bored by the end. If you're a die hard Dream Theater fan, then I think you will dig this a lot more than me. However, I would definitely recommend any of their albums before before 2010 over this one.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Answering The Call
Worst Track: Transcending Time
Lana Del Rey: Blue Banisters
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
Release Date: October 22
Blue Banisters is the second album Lana Del Rey released this year. In a way, Blue Banisters feels more like a direct sequel to NFR than Chemtrails over the Country Club did. Compared to that album, this one is more adventurous and more bold with its musicality, bringing in string and horn embellishments, as well as adopting an overall longer album length. Now, this sense of experimentation leads to an interesting project. On one hand, you get gorgeous, emotive tracks like "Arcadia" and "Thunder." On the other hand, you get "Dealer," which is one of the worst songs I've heard all year. She sounded like she was drunk when she recorded this, resulting in abhorrent wailing over an aggravatingly skeletal instrumental. I mention the extremes in quality with those three tracks, but honestly, Blue Banisters is such a mixed bag. You get some beautiful tracks, and you get some tracks that sound hobbled together. It's a mess... but it's a fascinating mess. This album fluctuates in quality so much, that it's almost worth listening. Hell, in some ways, it's a more exciting listen than Chemtrails over the Country Club. That being said, it is also worse than that album, so it is what it is. Listen to this for yourself and form your own opinion. My thoughts? It's a little good, it's a little bad, and it's a little of everything in between.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Arcadia; Beautiful; Violets for Roses; Thunder; Cherry Blossom; Sweet Carolina
Worst Track: Dealer
Ed Sheeran: =
Genre: Pop
Release Date: October 29
I always forget that Ed Sheeran exists until he releases a new song or album. His sound is simply so bland and indistinguishable from any other modern pop artist that it's difficult to find much appeal to him, at least in my opinion. I have those same thoughts towards this album, as this project is full of pop songs that are trying way too hard to appeal to everyone, resulting in an album without any real identity. Singles like "Bad Habits" and "Shivers" offer us dull production and songwriting, each with little in the way of personality, while "Overpass Graffiti" sounds like a bad a-ha song. Then there's "2step," which has Ed rapping over a terrible beat, and "Sandman," which sounds like Ed found an instrumental from purple-planet.com and sang over it. There are so many moments on this album that play it so safe when it comes to the musicianship and the songwriting... HOWEVER, there are some genuinely fantastic songs on here. "Tides" is a great opener. The folk rock instrumentation suits Ed Sheeran's vocals and lyrics quite well. "First Times" definitely sounds like a stereotypical wedding song, but the intimate finger picked acoustic guitar sounds nice, and Ed's lyrics about sharing numerous "first times" with a significant other are quite sweet. "The Joker and the Queen" can also get pretty sappy to the point where it can't help but elicit an eye roll, but the piano sounds pretty, and the use of playing card metaphors are quite clever. Then there's "Visiting Hours," which is easily the best song on the album. I love the instrumentation and how soft yet triumphant it sounds. Ed's vocals sound more passionate than ever, and his lyricism on death is profound, sad and sweet. It's one of the best moments of his entire career, and it truthfully makes this entire album experience not as bad as it could be. If there's one positive I can give to =, it's that Ed sounds completely sincere and genuine throughout the project. It's sad that this sincerity is backed by some of the most basic and stereotypical pop clichés of the past few years. So, yeah, this album isn't great. I wouldn't say it's awful, but it certainly doesn't leave any lasting impression other than "meh." Luckily, those few good songs are really damn good. Everything else I can take or leave. You listen and be the judge for yourself.
Grade: C-
Best Tracks: Tides; First Times; The Joker and the Queen; Visiting Hours
Worst Track: Sandman
Snail Mail: Valentine
Genre: Indie Rock
Release Date: November 5
The debut Snail Mail album, Lush, was a solid, emotionally potent and slightly derivative indie rock album. It showed promise for Lindsey Jordan as a songwriter, but it lacked the bite that it needed to fully grab me. Valentine is certainly a step in the right direction, as it showcases a number of improvements. The performances are more commanding, the lyricism is stronger, the production is bolder and the vocals are better. This is exemplified in it's best capacity with tracks like the single "Valentine," with its quiet-loud verse-chorus combo and those electrifying drum pattern switch ups that I lose my mind over, as well as "Automate," which has an almost waltz-like rhythm in its verses. However, I couldn't help but find the ballads to be some of the best moments on the album. "Light Blue," "c Et. Al." and "Mia" are all gorgeous, and they all work so well with the stripped back instrumentation and the highly personal lyrics. Now, unfortunately, this album does fall under the same trappings that the previous album had. Namely, this album doesn't do a whole lot new or distinctive to make Snail Mail stand out as a band. There are a couple songs that push towards that direction, like on "Forever (Sailing)," which almost reminds me of a James Bond theme, but the album doesn't do enough to push those ideas. Plus, there are some melodically clunky tracks here. The pace of "Ben Franklin" is too lumbering for my taste, lessening the punch that the track should have, and "Glory" is simply a repetitive mess. That track gets old very quickly, especially considering it's the shortest song on the album. Despite that, I quite liked Valentine. I wouldn't say it's amazing, and Lindsey still has some growth to attain as a songwriter, but she is certainly getting there, as this is a stark improvement over her last album. Definitely check this out if you like some good indie rock.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Valentine; Light Blue; Forever (Sailing); Madonna; c Et. Al.; Automate; Mia
Worst Track: Glory
Damon Albarn: The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows
Genre: Ambient Pop / Art Pop / Chamber Pop
Release Date: November 12
I like Damon Albarn. While I'm not too familiar with Blur outside of a few key singles, Gorillaz is one of my favorite musical projects of all time. I have a lot of respect for the guy. However, his solo material hasn't done much for me. Everyday Robots was boring as hell, and while The Nearer the Fountain is certainly an improvement, I wouldn't call it great. I found the tunes to be, generally, quite drab. There's not a lot of progression to the songs, leaving lots of them to become instantly forgettable after the album ends. That being said, I do think this album has some genuinely gorgeous moments. The orchestration and the way it mixes pianos with synths, strings and saxophone makes for some beautiful tracks. Most tracks go for a more ambient sound, which, when it works, it really freaking works. The title track in particular is lovely. There are a couple songs that have more of a groove; those being "Royal Morning Blue" and "Polaris." The former is a nice bop that reminds me of Plastic Beach era Gorillaz, whereas the latter sounds incredibly cheap. There are also a few instrumental interludes, which, save for "Esja," are pretty uneccesary. Overall, I found The Nearer the Fountain to be fine. It's nothing fantastic or all that memorable, but it serves as nice background music. This is the perfect album to fall asleep to, and I don't mean that as a diss. It's that serene.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows; Royal Morning Blue; Darkness To Light; Esja
Worst Track: Polaris
Courtney Barnett: Things Take Time, Take Time
Genre: Singer-Songwriter / Jangle Pop / Indie Rock
Release Date: November 12
I’ve been interested in Courtney Barnett’s music for the past few years. Whether it be her amateurish yet bold musicianship, her dry, often talk-sing vocals or her personal lyricism, I find her music quite charming and likable. That trend continues on Things Take Time, Take Time. The lyrics show themes of relationships, heartbreak, perseverance and longing, and they’re delivered, for the most part, in an endearing way. The musicianship, while not as bold or as explosive as Barnett’s last album, compliment the themes well, as the tunes are less rough and harsh this time around. Now sadly, this is an instance where the singles far outshine the deepcuts. This was also the case for Barnett’s last album, but the quality disparity is more apparent here. Tracks like “Rae Street,” “Before You Gotta Go” and “Write a List of Things to Look Forward To” have this lovely warmth to them that I adore. Meanwhile, you have tracks like “Sunfair Sundown” and “Here’s the Thing,” which both sound corny and amateurish in an annoying way, with the latter growing especially tedious. Then there’s ”Turning Green,” which is borderline unlistenable. The drum loop is annoying, the vocals are worse than usual and the guitar solo at the end is poorly performed and has a hideous tone. Really, the only deepcut that I like is “Take It Day By Day,” even though it’s less than 2 minutes long. It’s charming, cute and has a lot of personality. Overall, I found this album to be okay. It’s not terrible, except for “Turning Green,” but outside of a few tracks, there’s nothing here that sticks with me. I recommend her last album over this one.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Rae Street; Before You Gotta Go; Take It Day By Day; Write a List of Things to Look Forward To
Worst Track: Turning Green
Silk Sonic: An Evening with Silk Sonic
Genre: R&B / Soul / Funk
Release Date: November 12
Bruno Mars. Anderson .Paak. This is the collaboration we needed, but didn't know we wanted. Once the collaboration was announced, I thought it would be interesting. However, I had no idea how much I needed this album in my life until "Leave The Door Open" was released as the lead single. This is still one of my favorite singles of the year. It's so groovy yet beautiful, with a gorgeous instrumental and some incredible vocal performances from both artists. Now, eight months since the release of that song, we have the full album. I gotta say, this was well worth the wait. This is truly one of the most fun albums I've heard all year. There is so much personality and passion in every single track on here. That personality and passion get enhanced by the instrumentation, which is all soaked in a 70s soul sound. The tracks sound fantastic, and the vocal chemistry between Bruno and Anderson is fantastic. Each track has purpose and gets you grooving, whether it's the funky "Fly As Me," the gambling epic "777," the dance-filled "Skate" and "Smokin Out The Window," or the sensual "Leave The Door Open" and "After Last Night." Plus, you have "Blast Off," a dreamy, psychedelic ballad that perfectly closes out the album, as well as "Put On A Smile," which might be my favorite song on the album. It is full of so much raw passion and sorrow that I can't help but swoon while shedding a tear. Every single moment is so immaculately put together, and it all sounds beautiful. Now, there are some arguments about what can easily be seen as criticisms of the album. The first is that this album is derivative of soul cuts of the past. That is easily understandable, but I do feel like Bruno and Anderson do a good job at making it their own with their performances. Plus, those performances are so bombastic and passionate that it's difficult to find them not impressive. The other is that it's short. The album is only nine tracks with an intro, clocking in at 31 minutes. Personally, I don't mind. Sure, it's brief, but the tracks on here are so good. This album is the epitome of all killer, no filler. Any more songs and I feel like we would have gotten some duds. Luckily, we didn't. All in all, I loved this album. This is a soulful soul album full of great performances, beautiful instrumentation, catchy choruses, funny lyrics and so much joy and fun put into every ounce of every track. I highly recommend this one if you haven't listened to it already, though I'm guessing you already have.
Grade: A
Best Tracks: Leave The Door Open; Fly As Me; After Last Night (with Thundercat & Bootsy Collins); Smokin Out The Window; Put On A Smile; 777; Skate; Blast Off
Worst Track: Intro (but that's only because it's an intro and not a full track)
Adele: 30
Genre: Pop Soul / Adult Contemporary
Release Date: November 19
After a six year hiatus, Adele has finally returned. 30 has been labeled as her divorce album, as it was written and recorded after her divorce from her husband. The resulting album contains some of Adele’s most somber, self reflective and mature songs to date, as topics of heartbreak and depression are brought to the forefront. As per usual, Adele’s vocals sound amazing, but this is truly some of her best material to date. You get some gorgeous, heartbreaking ballads like “Easy On Me” and “To Be Loved,” as well as some great bops like “Oh My God.” For the most part, this album does sound like typical Adele, but with a more refined and mature sound that works really well. In that sense, where the album begins to falter is when Adele decides to experiment, which I realize is counterintuitive, as it sounds like Adele only sounds good when she plays it safe. That’s not true, though her attempts at branching out don’t always work. The basic acoustic chords of “Can I Get It,” combined with the obnoxious whistling, gets old after a while. “Cry Your Heart Out” has a vocal effect that makes the chorus sound hideous, and “All Night Parking” has a trap drum beat for some reason, completely fighting the classical piano arpeggios. It’s little things like that that greatly hurt otherwise decent songs. Despite that, I think 30 is great. It contains some of Adele’s best songwriting and performances ever. Check it out if you haven’t already.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Strangers By Nature; Easy On Me; My Little Love; Oh My God; Woman Like Me; Hold On; To Be Loved; Love Is A Game
Worst Track: Can I Get It
Richard Dawson and Circle: Henki
Genre: Art Rock / Progressive Rock
Release Date: November 26
Henki harkens back to a sound not often heard in today's musical landscape: 70s progressive rock. It leads to an album full of groovy riffs, excellent storytelling and adventurous song structures. Now, I must say that this album is not going to be for everyone. Prog has shifted a lot over the years, and this sound is certainly not current. Plus, the vocals are, to put it kindly, odd. Dawson does not have a great voice, but his passion, his charisma and his fantastic songwriting make up for it, in my eyes. Not everything fully works for me on this album, but there are plenty of great moments on this project. Check it out, especially if you love old school progressive rock, and form your own opinion.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Ivy; Methuselah; Lily; Pitcher
Worst Track: Silene
Favorite Singles:
OCTOBER: “Easy On Me” by Adele
NOVEMBER: "Strawberry Lemonade" by Christian Lee Hutson
DECEMBER: "Concorde" by Black Country, New Road
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Nick Cave & Warren Ellis: Carnage
Genre: Art Rock / Chamber Pop
Release Date: February 25
Here are my thoughts on this album, as someone who is completely unfamiliar with Nick Cave and really only know him by name and a few album titles: it’s good. It’s quite good, in fact. The orchestration is well done, and Nick’s vocals and lyricism are powerful throughout. This is a quality album. I just wish I liked it more. I don’t know what it is, but Carnage is simply not clicking with me, and I’m not entirely sure why. This album is certainly a grower, so I might like it more with more listens, but I don’t have the urge to revisit this one, at least for a while. Here’s what I will say: fans of Nick Cave will love this, and those willing to put in the time will most likely get a lot out of this one. For me, like I said, it’s good, and I do like the album. I just don’t like it as much as everyone else.
Grade: B-
Best Tracks: Carnage; Albuquerque; Balcony Man
Worst Track: Lavender Fields
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: L.W.
Genre: Psychedelic Rock / Heavy Psych / Progressive Rock
Release Date: February 25
King Gizzard's L.W. is the sequel to last year's K.G. Similarly to K.G., this album is fine. It sounds less like a copy-paste of Flying Microtonal Banana than K.G. does, but it still suffers from some unimaginative and tedious songs. There are a few great tracks in the mix, particularly "Static Electricity," but this isn't an album that I foresee remembering all that well down the line, at least when compared to their other works.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: If Not Now, Then When?; Static Electricity; East West Link; K.G.L.W.
Worst Track: Supreme Ascendancy
Genesis Owusu: Smiling with No Teeth
Genre: Neo-Soul / Alternative R&B / Experimental Hip Hop
Release Date: March 5
Smiling with No Teeth is Genesis Owusu's first album. I feel like I need to specify that this is his debut. Why do I say this? Because with the sheer quality, creativity and songwriting of this project, it sounds like he's a seasoned veteran. This is easily one of the most captivating, fun and impressive albums I've heard all year. The combination of sounds, including R&B, funk, rap, soul, punk and more makes this such an engrossing listen. The styles mesh together very well, and no song sounds out of place, especially with the themes of this album. This is essentially a concept album. Though there's no distinct story, it deals with themes of depression and racism through reoccurring symbols like black dogs, casting a net in a fishless lake and, yes, smiling with no teeth. The first half of the album is very fun and bouncy, offering some genuinely hilarious lines. However, the second half is a lot darker and sinister, as the lyricism grows more on the nose with the themes being brought up. And while there is a bright spot near the tail end of the album, the project ends with the darkness creeping back in, stating that racism and depression are not able to be escaped. It's such a fascinating concept, and it's executed so well through its lyricism and its musicianship. Pretty much all of these songs sound fantastic. The production is great and Kofi's vocal delivery is full of personality. There are a couple of instances where he obviously wears his influences on his sleeves, but he more than makes up for it in the performances and his eccentricity. As a whole, this album is pretty amazing. It's full of some of the best bops and bangers I've heard all year. Even the songs that I don't love have some amazing parts. I feel like this is the start of a very fruitful career for Mr. Owusu. Please, do not miss out on this. Genesis Owusu is the most exciting new artist out now, and I am so excited to see what he does next.
Grade: A
Best Tracks: The Other Black Dog; Centrefold; Waitin’ on Ya; Don’t Need You; Gold Chains; I Don’t See Colour; Easy; A Song About Fishing; No Looking Back; Bye Bye
Worst Track: Smiling with No Teeth
Chevelle: Niratias
Genre: Alternative Metal
Release Date: March 5
I have a soft spot for Chevelle. They were one of my favorite bands in high school, and while I don't listen to them much nowadays, I do respect them a lot and recognize them as one of the best bands in their genre. After a five year hiatus, they return with a concept album of sorts; Niratias. It's a sci-fi themed album, and it's not bad. It's certainly not as good as some of their other projects, but I enjoyed it. It certainly falls into the same kind of sound that they have been doing this entire time, but it's not as raw or as harsh as their past couple of projects. There's a slightly stronger emphasis on being melodic here, and while I think they could have gone farther in that direction, it does bring some nice tracks. It certainly has its corny moments, and stylistically, it's nothing new for the band, but I did find myself liking this album. Is this an album I see myself returning to often? Not really. But this was a nice reminder as to why I appreciate this band so much. If you're a fan of nu-metal or alternative metal, then give this a shot.
Grade: B-
Best Tracks: So Long, Mother Earth; Mars Simula; Self Destructor; Endlessly; Ghost and Razor
Worst Track: Piistol Star (Gravity Heals)
Lana Del Rey: Chemtrails over the Country Club
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
Release Date: March 19
Chemtrails over the Country Club is the first album Lana Del Rey released in 2021. While it’s not as bold or as good as NFR from 2019, it’s still a solid listen. The songs are generally pretty, with some pleasing vocals, some nice songwriting and some gorgeous instrumentation. Some of the tracks do drag quickly, and some tracks move at a tedious pace, but for the most part, I found this album to be quite pleasant. Again, it’s not as good as NFR, but it’s still good. Check it out.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: White Dress; Chemtrails Over The Country Club; Wild At Heart; Dark But Just A Game; Not All Who Wander Are Lost; For Free
Worst Track: Let Me Love You Like A Woman
Greta Van Fleet: The Battle at Garden's Gate
Genre: Hard Rock / Blues Rock
Release Date: April 16
Greta Van Fleet has received a lot of flack for sounding like a Led Zeppelin rip off. I've definitely done that before, but I decided to listen to this new album in full to give them a fair shot. I gotta say, it's not that bad. I wouldn't call it great, but it's certainly not terrible. To be fair, they sound less like Led Zeppelin here, and instead go for a more 70s rock sound, which is fine. There were only a few times where I was thinking "hey, this band sounds like Led Zeppelin," which is a good sign. As for the songs, they're okay. There are some solid rockers on here, and the guys all play their instruments well. Unfortunately, this band suffers from trying to do too much. There are quite a few grand ideas here, resulting in the album feeling bloated and self indulgent. There's a self importance about this album that got old after a while. Speaking of getting old, let's talk about the vocals. The singer is good, but his high pitched voice got really grating after a while, and by the end of the album, he was actively giving me a headache. Overall, this album is okay. It's certainly not as bad as haters of this band say, but this is not the album that I'm going to stand in the corner for and defend. This is not the "savior of rock and roll," but it's fine for what it is. Listen to it for yourself and form your own opinion.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Heat Above; Broken Bells; Stardust Chords; Light My Love
Worst Track: Caravel
Gojira: Fortitude
Genre: Progressive Metal / Groove Metal
Release Date: April 30
I’m not sure if it’s because I’m not a big fan of this style of music, or if it’s because I’m not that familiar with Gojira, but Fortitude didn't do anything for me. There are some cool riffs, the drums sound consistently great and the screams and growls are fantastic, but the songs themselves simply don’t grab me. This album sounds like consistent bloated noise without much in the way of breathing room. And by “noise,” I don’t mean that this isn’t music, because it clearly is. I mean that with so much heavy distortion, this album begins to sound one-note very quickly. Also, what is with this production? It sounds very muddy on some songs, but on others, it sounds crystal clear to the point where it becomes on the verge of being over produced. Did two different producers produce this thing? Did something get messed up in the master? I don’t know. The point I’m trying to make is that, while I respect what this album was going for, it is certainly not for me. There’s a few great songs and some nice riffs. Everything else is forgettable. If you’re a fan of Gojira or this combination of progressive, groove and death metals, then you will probably like this more than me. If none of those styles appeal to you, then Fortitude will certainly not sway you.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Amazonia; Another World; Into the Storm; The Trails
Worst Track: The Chant
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Butterfly 3000
Genre: Neo-Psychedelia / Psychedelic Pop
Release Date: June 11
On Butterfly 3000, King Gizzard add some synths and electronics to their brand of psychedelia. I'm down for the idea of this. However, the execution left quite a bit to be desired. A good chunk of the tunes have uninspired writing. They tend to repeat the same phrases over and over again on this album. They've done it before on past works, but it rarely feels like ideas get fully developed here. Plus, the production can get really annoying at points. Certain synth leads, particularly on "Shanghai" and "Dreams," are absolutely grating to listen to. Despite that, there are some genuine bops on this project. "Yours" is a great opener, "Blue Morpho" has a nice build, and both "Interior People" and "Catching Smoke" are the most fun, danceable moments on the album. All in all, this project stands as an okay starting point for a hopefully more fleshed out electronic outing in the future. It's fine for what it is, but it's certainly not one of their best.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: Yours; Blue Morpho; Interior People; Catching Smoke
Worst Track: Dreams
The Mountain Goats: Dark in Here
Genre: Indie Folk
Release Date: June 25
I’ve been getting more into The Mountain Goats this year. I haven’t heard everything from them, but what I have listened to, I’ve enjoyed. This album included. Dark in Here is a nice collection of indie folk and indie rock tracks with solid performances and John Darnielle’s excellent songwriting. The stories he crafts are highly intriguing, and the instrumentation that backs them up is quite well put together. What makes this album notable, in particular, is its inclusion of jazz. There is considerable use of horns, as well as jazz piano. With that said, jazz elements are actually the aspect of the album that I’m the most mixed on. There are cool uses of jazz, like that groovy outro on “The Slow Parts of Death Metal Albums,” but oftentimes, it results in songs coming out either corny or overbearing. The best example of the former is “Mobile,” which straight up sounds like music for a PBS special, whereas the best example for the latter is “Lizard Suit,” whose jazz outro is forced and a gigantic sonic mess. The songs that either scale the jazz elements down, or not contain them at all, are the songs that work for me the best. Overall, I do think this album is pretty good. It does have some messy elements, but I do like most of the songs at their core. Plus, John Darnielle is still an incredible lyricist. I could hear his musical storytelling all day. Check this album out if you haven’t.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Parisian Enclave; The Destruction of the Kola Superdeep Borehole Tower; Dark in Here; To the Headless Horseman; The Slow Parts on Death Metal Albums; Let Me Bathe in Demonic Light
Worst Track: Mobile
Cautious Clay: Deadpan Love
Genre: R&B
Release Date: June 25
On his debut album, Cautious Clay shows a lot of promise as a singer. His vocals are beautiful and buttery smooth. Instrumentally, the album is pretty hit or miss, as some tunes just don't have the musicianship to bring the sticky hooks to life. However, this is a promising start to a hopefully strong career, and I do hope that he continues to improve with his next project. In conclusion... this is a debut album. It's a decent start, but there is certainly room for improvement. "Karma & Friends" is a bop, though. If you listen to any song off of this album, make it that one.
Grade: C+
Best Tracks: Shook; Karma & Friends; Box of Bones; Dying in the Subtlety; Roots
Worst Track: Strange Love (feat. Saba)
Faye Webster: I Know I'm Funny ha ha
Genre: Singer-Songwriter / Alt-Country
Release Date: June 25
Faye Webster's latest album is, I believe, the most relatable album of 2021. She sings about topics like depression, isolation, loneliness, forlorn love and the fear of taking risks. All of these topics have rung so true for the past couple of years for so many people, and the way Webster conveys these themes is potent, vulnerable and beautiful. Webster's intimate voice and compelling lyricism makes the ideas on the album all the more compelling. Plus, the music, at its core, sounds really nice. Webster combines the stylings of folk, rock, country and R&B. These combinations of genres create a sound palette that not only perfectly matches the sadness of the lyrics, but also creates an introspective, relaxing and gorgeous set of songs. Whether it's the string embellishments and Latin-influenced guitars on "In A Good Way," the kraut rock power balladry of "Cheers" or the saxophone riffs on "A Dream With a Baseball Player," Webster's musicianship remains dreamy and forlorn. The album's biggest flaw is how repetitive it gets. Many of the songs use the same, or similar, chord progressions; not only in what chords are being used, but also in the way they are used. I think some more variety on that front would have benefitted. I also wish Webster's choruses were more fleshed out. Almost all of them consist of her repeating one phrase with some musical space in between each utterance of the phrase. That's what ends up hurting tracks like "Sometimes," "Overslept" and especially "Kind Of," which is easily the most tedious song on the album. Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed I Know I'm Funny ha ha. It could have used some more variety in terms of songwriting, but I think the emotional intimacy and potency more than makes up for its shortcomings. This is a perfect midnight listen. If you want to check this album out, which I definitely recommend you do, find a time when you're all alone, the lights are out and you are left with your thoughts. This is the perfect soundtrack for that moment.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Better Distractions; I Know I’m Funny ha ha; In A Good Way; Cheers; Both All The Time; A Dream With a Baseball Player; Half of Me
Worst Track: Kind Of
Lucy Dacus: Home Video
Genre: Singer-Songwriter / Indie Rock
Release Date: June 25
Home Video is a deeply autobiographical album for Dacus. She tells very personal stories on this project, like losing her virginity on "First Time," falling out of faith on "VBS," a friend who's social identity revolves around media on "Brando" and more. These songs paint Dacus as a flawed yet endearing and relatable centerpiece to her own album. As a result, I found Home Video to be engrossing. Dacus's writing is full of detail and each word has purpose. She also manages to pull some powerful gut punches in her storytelling, especially on "Thumbs," where she describes how she would kill the abusive father of her friend. It's a harrowing track, and it is an example of how great of a storyteller Dacus is. As for the music itself, it's also very solid. You have indie rock bangers like "Hot & Heavy," acoustic slow jams like "Going Going Gone" and "Please Stay," and the epic closer "Triple Dog Dare," a song that progresses in such a gratifying way. Dacus proves that she is more than just a lyricist, as there are a lot of musically fantastic moments here. There are a few of songs that meander as they go along, making the overall song tedious. Tracks like "VBS" and "Cartwheel" feel longer than they are because of the lack of progression they have. My other main criticism is the use of autotune in "Partner in Crime." I respect the artistic choice, but it sounds completely out of place and almost completely ruins the track. Besides those complaints, I enjoyed Home Video quite a bit. It's a very nice, moving indie rock album with some of the best storytelling of the year. Check it out.
Grade: B+
Best Tracks: Hot & Heavy; First Time; Thumbs; Going Going Gone; Brando; Please Stay; Triple Dog Dare
Worst Track: Partner in Crime
Spellling: The Turning Wheel
Genre: Art Pop / Baroque Pop
Release Date: June 25
I was originally not going to listen to this. It wasn't because I didn't want to, but more of the fact that there were so many other albums being released this weekend that I wanted to hear over this one. However, that changed when a specific melon headed music reviewer gave this album the ethereal 10/10: a score we haven't seen since 2018. I figured I should listen to it based on that and see if it's actually worthy of that score. After listening to it, here are my thoughts: yeah, I get it. This album is great. Spellling has created a beautiful project with luscious strings, dark, sinister synths and some of the most captivating vocals I've heard all year. The orchestration on this album is gorgeous, and they work surprisingly well with the dark undertones of the synth leads that appear in the second half. This album is almost like a musical theatre piece with its grandiosity. Some songs elicit the feeling of dancing through the clouds, whereas others sound eerie and twisted, like they were written and performed by a witch. Plus, the writing is so good. The lyrics about life, death, youth and more are captivating, and Spellling sells it so well. As for negatives, there are a couple of songs that are a little underwhelming when it comes to the tune. I don't love the melodies on tracks like "The Future" and "Magic Act," and the latter has a guitar solo that gets grating after a while due to its tone and its simplicity. Despite that, I love The Turning Wheel. While I can't personally give it a 10/10, I do clearly see it's appeal, as well as love and appreciate how gorgeous this album is. Seriously, if you haven't listened to it already, then do it now. It's a beautiful project, and I can't wait to see what Spellling does next.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: Little Deer; Always; The Turning Wheel; Awaken; Emperor with an Egg; Boys at School; Queen of Wands; Revolution
Worst Track: Magic Act
Tones and I: Welcome to the Madhouse
Genre: Dance Pop / Electropop
Release Date: July 16
I am at an interesting place with this album. Welcome to the Madhouse is hailed as the worst album of the year. As a result, I decided to give this thing the benefit of the doubt and listen to it. Who knows? Maybe it's not THAT bad, right? After listening to the album, my feelings are... well, how do I put this? I both disagree and agree that this album is one of, if not the, worst album of the year. Why do I think this? It mainly has to do with the hype surrounding it. This thing has been hailed as something abhorrent and barely listenable. Personally, I wouldn't go that far. The songs aren't good, but for the most part, they don't make me want to rip my ears off. At it's best, this album is fairly passable background music. There are some fine pop ideas on here, and sometimes, the writing can be pretty decent. At it's worst, however, it can get pretty embarrassing. The production sounds cheap throughout, and some of the choruses get obnoxious to the point of tedium. As for the vocals... how do I put this? When they're more subdued, they sound fine. When they're sent out to run wild, they are terrible. So overall, yeah I get it. This album is bad. It doesn't work in any conceivable way. But on the other hand, there's worse music out there. At least you can listen to it and go "hey, this is music." Say about that what you will. Even still, I will never listen to this album again, and I will try to actively avoid it at all costs. Truthfully, you should to. But on the bright side, every song on this album is better than "Dance Monkey." That is probably the nicest thing I can say about it.
Grade: F
Best Tracks: uh… idk
Worst Track: Bars (RIP T)
Logic: Bobby Tarantino III (MIXTAPE)
Genre: Pop Rap / Trap
Release Date: July 30
Of all the Logic projects, this is certainly one of them. Decent beats, good flows, corny lyrics, cringy skits, half assed hooks... it's got it all. This is definitely for the die hard Logic fans. Hopefully, his next real album will be better.
Grade: C-
Best Tracks: Inside (feat. Cynthia Erivo); See You Space Cowboy…; untitled
Worst Track: Stupid Skit
Lingua Ignota: Sinner Get Ready
Genre: Neoclassical Darkwave / Avant-Folk
Release Date: August 6
Sinner Get Ready is another album I wasn't originally planning on listening to until the big bad melon man blessed this project with the illustrious 10/10. After listening to this album, I have to give Lingua Ignota props. This album is dense, heartbreaking, heavy, tragic, harrowing, dramatic and dark. It's full of beautifully layered and orchestrated pianos and strings, with Kristen's depressive, occasionally manic, borderline operatic vocals permeating through every track. Each song on here is like a twisted ritual in terms of songwriting and structure. Combine that with the lyrics and the long history of abuse Kristen has experienced in her life, and you get one of the most visceral, haunting and sad albums of the entire year. I respect this album a lot for being such a bold and often beautiful artistic statement. However, I did not like listening to this at all. Due to the subject matter and the general tone of the music, this was unpleasant and hard to listen to. Granted, that was entirely the intention. It simply boils down to my own personal preference. However, I do think it goes a little deeper than that, as each track does last just a bit too long, and stylistically, they all somewhat blend together. It doesn't make the album bad, but it's not something that I find myself wanting to listen to again. So in the end, I have mixed feelings about the album, even though it is objectively good. The performances and writing are all fantastic. It's simply not my style. With all of that said, I do think everyone should listen to this project at least once. It's a powerful listen, and such artistry needs to be experienced.
Grade: B-
Best Tracks: PENNSYLVANIA FURNACE; PERPETUAL FLAME OF CENTRALIA; MAN IS LIKE A SPRING FLOWER; THE SOLITARY BRETHREN OF EPHRATA
Worst Track: THE ORDER OF SPIRITUAL VIRGINS
Nas: King's Disease II
Genre: East Coast Hip Hop
Release Date: August 6
This right here is some quality hip hop. Not much more to say about it than that.
Grade: A-
Best Tracks: The Pressure; Death Row East; EPMD 2 (feat. Eminem & EPMD); Rare; Store Run; Moments; Nobody (feat. Miss Lauryn Hill); Composure (feat. Hit-Boy); My Bible; Nas is Good
Worst Track: Brunch on Sundays (feat. Blxst)
The Killers: Pressure Machine
Genre: Heartland Rock / Folk Rock
Release Date: August 13
Even though I’ve never been that big a fan of The Killers, it’s been cool to see their evolution in terms of their sound. After starting as a pop rock band with Hot Fuss, Pressure Machine sees the band embracing folk, Americana and heartland rock, all while giving us a concept album about vocalist Brandon Flowers's hometown of Nephi, Utah. The imagery being painted with the lyrics is vivid and well told, and the audio clips tie the album together quite well. Generally, the production and instrumentation are all great, offering a healthy mix of folk and rock. There are times when the vocals don’t live up to the scope of the album, and there are a few songs that can’t help but fall into the background, but I quite enjoyed Pressure Machine. It’s a nice slice of life album, while showcasing some of the most mature songs in the Killers catalog. Give it a listen.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: West Hills; Quiet Town; Sleepwalker; Runaway Horses; In Another Life; Pressure Machine
Worst Track: In The Car Outside
Gorillaz: Meanwhile (EP)
Genre: Dub / Dancehall / Pop Rap
Release Date: August 26
It's a perfectly fine EP to tide fans over until season two of Song Machine comes out. The title track is great, the other two are forgettable. Nothing terrible, yet nothing that I would consider to be their best.
Grade: C
Best Tracks: Meanwhile (feat. Jelani Blackman & Barrington Levy)
Worst Track: Jimmy Jimmy (feat. AJ Tracey)
Genre: Alternative Rock / Art Pop
Release Date: August 27
I've never been that much of a Halsey fan, but I have to admit, this is pretty good. The grand production makes each song sound so big, and Halsey's songwriting and vocals sound fantastic. There is a great mix of ballads, bops and bangers, and so many of them are pulled off quite well. There is a wide variety of genres here, and while they don't mesh with each other perfectly, it is a cool collection of tracks. My biggest complaint of the album is that the mixing can be a little off on some songs. Particularly with the rock cuts, the clean crispness of the vocals often sound out of place on the heavy distortion of the instrumental. Plus, those instrumentals can come across as muddy and overly fuzzed out to the point of becoming grating. I'm specifically talking about "The Lighthouse" in that situation. However, I still think If Can't Have Love is a solid album. It's a good mix of rock and pop, and I think it can turn even the most adamant of Halsey haters.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: The Tradition; Bells in Santa Fe; Easier than Lying; Lilith; Darling; I am not a woman, I'm a god; Ya'aburnee
Worst Track: The Lighthouse
Imagine Dragons: Mercury - Act 1
Genre: Pop Rock
Release Date: September 3
You know, it's kinda funny how much this album falls apart after it's first track. "My Life" is a pretty good ballad with a nice climax. The next two tracks are fine for what they are, but they're bland and boring. Everything after that? Hard pass. It's corny, overblown to the point of parody and it makes me cringe. No thank you.
Grade: D-
Best Tracks: My Life
Worst Track: Dull Knives
Baby Keem: The Melodic Blue
Genre: West Coast Hip Hop / Trap
Release Date: September 10
Here are my thoughts on The Melodic Blue, written as a poem:
Roses are red
This album's very boring
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Top of the morning
Grade: D+
Best Tracks: issues; family ties; scars; 16
Worst Track: south africa
Spiritbox: Eternal Blue
Genre: Alternative Metal / Djent / Metalcore
Release Date: September 17
Despite metalcore and djent being SO far out of my wheelhouse when it comes to genres I regularly listen to, I quite liked this album. The riffs are heavy, the drums are pummeling, the screams are killer and the clean vocals sound quite beautiful. I appreciate the mixture of heavy, brutal djent tracks and more melodic cuts. It makes the album more dynamic as a result. The album doesn’t do a whole lot for me lyrically, and some more sonic variety would be nice, but Eternal Blue is a really solid debut album for this band. I can’t wait to see what they do next. Whatever it is, I hope it’s bolder and more distinctly them. With that said, check it out if this style appeals to you.
Grade: B
Best Tracks: Sun Killer; Hurt You; Silk In The Strings; Eternal Blue; Circle With Me; Constance
Worst Track: We Live In A Strange World
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for my Top 100 Singles and Top 20 Albums of 2021 lists. They should hopefully be coming out very soon.
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