When Lorde first appeared on the scene with "Royals", I was somewhat intrigued; ultimately, however, I found myself uninterested in the rest of her debut album, Pure Heroine. I found it too repetitive, each song too similar to the last. So when Melodrama was announced and lead single "Green Light" was released, I noticed it, but again found myself not giving it much attention. However, a few days after the album's release, one of my good friends recommended I listen to it. I was skeptical, but I promised I'd listen and downloaded the album to listen on the way to work the next day.
Boy was I surprised.
In the 4 years since her first album, Lorde seems to have done some growing up; now at 20, she's seen the world and experienced a bit more of life. This album feels more mature, more expansive in the lyrical content and the sounds and structures of each track. There's love, there's loss; vulnerability threads throughout. The whole thing flows from beginning to end, feeling like a story rather than a collection of songs from the same artist. "Green Light" opens the album with energy and a feeling of hope; not necessarily being where you want, but knowing where it is and that you'll get there eventually. It transitions into "Sober", one of my favorite songs off the album so far. It's sensual yet melancholy, thumping along with lines like:
"But my hips have missed your hips
So, let's get to know the kicks
Will you sway with me?
Go astray with me?"
And even though Lorde sings of all the glorious things they'll do and partying and everything else that comes with it, there's the ever present and haunting line in the background: "But what will we do when we're sober?". It's a reminder of what awaits the next day after the parties, when the alcohol and drugs wear away and you're left with the very revealing daylight.
"Homemade Dynamite" answers some of those questions, painting the picture of the next day with vivid images like the second verse:
"Might get your friend to drive, but he can hardly see
We'll end up painted on the road
Red and chrome
All the broken glass sparkling
I guess we're partying"
The pre-chorus also lends to this idea talking about;
"So let's let things come out of the woodwork
I'll give you my best side, tell you all my best lies
Seeing me rolling, showing someone else love"
"The Louvre" is one of the songs that I both love and hate. It starts with a muted guitar strumming The chorus has this cool build to it, slowly getting louder as Lorde repeats the line "Broadcast the boom boom boom, and make your mom dance to it". And it feels like it's going to erupt into something huge and epic and incredible and then it never quite does. It just leaves you wanting more and more, which in itself is very impressive. It doesn't just give you what you want, it leaves you on edge waiting for the next part. Which is why I also slightly hate it, cause it leaves me wanting more.
"Liability" is one of the most vulnerable points of the album, both in terms of lyrics and sound. It's just Lorde and a piano, with really incredibly lines like
"The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy
'Til all of the tricks don't work anymore
And then they are bored of me".
You can tell Lorde's done some struggling as she's worked through fame and what comes with it, in terms of those who are close to her. It feels honest, brutally honest, and it's captivating.
"Hard Feelings/Loveless" starts soft, but you can tell it's going to bloom into something big and bold. The chorus gives you a taste, with the layered vocals singing about dealing with the hard feelings in life before dipping back into the second verse which contains one of my favorite lines "I care for myself the way I used to care for you". The second chorus finally gives way to an instrumental full of distorted noises and a booming drum beat that is one of my favorite points of the album. The last third of the song is where it switches to the "Loveless" part, driven by a hip-hop beat and Lorde's sweet yet somewhat haunting layered vocals singing:
"Bet you wanna rip my heart out
Bet you wanna skip my calls now
Well guess what? I like that"
It continues on as the song fades out, leading into the first of two revisits of earlier tracks: "Sober II (Melodrama)". This one is lead by a string section and piano that give way to showcase Lorde's vocals. It kicks itself up with a huge bassline and hip-hop beat that, when combined with the string section, allow Lorde to showcase a bit of an edgier side.
"Writer In the Dark" follows in the same veins as "Liability", with a piano being the only thing accompanying Lorde for most of the song. This time she laments a relationship that fell apart, yet keeps that hopeful light with lines like "I'll find a way to be without you babe". Her vocals feel like they stretch a bit higher than her usual, prefered lower range, adding to the vulnerability of the track.
"Supercut" picks the pace back up, the pulsing muted bass drum pushing the track along as it's joined by synths that remind the listener of the 80's. This another one of my favorites, with such great use of contrast that give the different aspects of the song so much more power and impact. There's a lull in between the 2nd and 3rd chorus, where everything drops out and it's just Lorde who sings low until she lets herself almost scream and the rest of the track comes crashing back in for one last hurrah before muted vocals and a low synth bass line guides the track to completion.
"Liability (Reprise)" sees Lorde turning the things that people said about her back on them, empowering herself and not succumbing to hopelessness. The instrumentation is still stripped, but it's different; the piano is replaced by a growing synth, and a drum pulses along. This feeds into the album's closer, "Perfect Places", which doesn't let the album go out on a soft note. Despite all the hardships she's faced and issues she's struggling with, Lorde shows that she's not down for the count. She questions the judgement she's faced and asks "what the fuck are perfect places" as the final notes of the song fades out.
Overall, I was very impressed with how Lorde has matured and the way in which she approached making this album. She's shown that she's not a one-hit wonder, and she's not going to just churn out the same thing again and again. The musicality of the album, the sound choices and lyrical depth are all astounding for a "pop" album. Definitely not something I expected to enjoy, let alone find myself listening again and again. Congrats on an incredible sophomore album Lorde, and cheers to what I believe is the start of a truly remarkable career.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: Sober, The Louvre, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Supercut
Related: Halsey, Sigrid, Banks
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Heaven/What's Wrong - Pvris
I discovered Pvris (pronounced "Paris") while I was studying abroad in Lithuania in the spring of 2015, and since then I've become an avid fan. Their star has certainly been rising, with opening slots on tours for the likes of Fall Out Boy, Muse, and 30 Seconds To Mars, as well as their own headlining tours (they're absolutely phenomenal live, highly recommend it). And the momentum continues this August as Pvris will be releasing their sophomore album, All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell. They've released two singles so far; "Heaven" on April 30th and "What's Wrong" on June 13th.
"Heaven" opens in a very stripped down manner, simply Lynn Gunn's vocals over piano chords, but quickly builds into something much more massive than their previous material. It's less distorted, more electronic elements, but still the same edge and fire that their debut album White Noise brought to the world. The piano and electronic drums drop on the second chorus and are replaced by a drumset and guitar that push into the huge chorus. The bridge shows off some of Lynn's best vocals to date, with her combination of power and grit coming through on the repetition of the line "you took my heaven away". The song does a great job of exploiting contrast, from the quiet intro into epic chorus and the heavy bridge stripping down halfway through while still maintaining its intensity.
"What's Wrong" continues in the same vein, showcasing more electronic elements while still keeping the band's dark and edgy vibe very much alive. The intro guitar line is quite haunting in the few moments it's alone; it's quickly joined by a beat and Gunn's shouts in the background. The song is really driven by the beat and the warbling synth, with Gunn's vocals floating throughout the track. The highlight of the song would have to be the bridge, with the slow build and Gunn telling the listener that, despite those who might think so, "No I never sold my soul". She starts out almost just saying it, but as the instrumental builds, her singing climbs higher and higher until she's screaming the line again and again.
Both of these songs really show what Pvris is capable of, and the direction they've chosen to push themselves. The inclusion of more electronic elements is a natural progression; they showed this in the two songs they released for the deluxe version of White Noise, "You & I" and "Empty". They've still retained their darker vibe and their ability to delve deep into their own darkness. I think their rise has just begun, and that they have the potential to climb even higher than they already have.
Rating:
Heaven: 4.5/5
What's Wrong: 4/5
"Heaven" opens in a very stripped down manner, simply Lynn Gunn's vocals over piano chords, but quickly builds into something much more massive than their previous material. It's less distorted, more electronic elements, but still the same edge and fire that their debut album White Noise brought to the world. The piano and electronic drums drop on the second chorus and are replaced by a drumset and guitar that push into the huge chorus. The bridge shows off some of Lynn's best vocals to date, with her combination of power and grit coming through on the repetition of the line "you took my heaven away". The song does a great job of exploiting contrast, from the quiet intro into epic chorus and the heavy bridge stripping down halfway through while still maintaining its intensity.
"What's Wrong" continues in the same vein, showcasing more electronic elements while still keeping the band's dark and edgy vibe very much alive. The intro guitar line is quite haunting in the few moments it's alone; it's quickly joined by a beat and Gunn's shouts in the background. The song is really driven by the beat and the warbling synth, with Gunn's vocals floating throughout the track. The highlight of the song would have to be the bridge, with the slow build and Gunn telling the listener that, despite those who might think so, "No I never sold my soul". She starts out almost just saying it, but as the instrumental builds, her singing climbs higher and higher until she's screaming the line again and again.
Both of these songs really show what Pvris is capable of, and the direction they've chosen to push themselves. The inclusion of more electronic elements is a natural progression; they showed this in the two songs they released for the deluxe version of White Noise, "You & I" and "Empty". They've still retained their darker vibe and their ability to delve deep into their own darkness. I think their rise has just begun, and that they have the potential to climb even higher than they already have.
Rating:
Heaven: 4.5/5
What's Wrong: 4/5
Monday, June 12, 2017
Last Young Renegade - All Time Low
I've listened to All Time Low on and off since the early days of high school, with their album Nothing Personal being the first record of theirs that really caught my attention. They've always had their energetic pop-punk sound that has captured the hearts of the fans they have acquired over the course of their career. My interest rose and fell over the years with their different albums, but they hadn't quite put anything out that really stood out for me in a way that made me stop and reconsider my perception of them.
Last Young Renegade managed to do that.
My first inclination that this album was going to be different was the lead single, "Dirty Laundry", which felt more somber and grown up compared to most of the other material they had previously released. Alex Gaskarth seemed to push himself differently with the vocals for this song, and the musicality of the song was very different, with electronic elements and a slow building throughout the song that gave it an edge I was not expecting from All Time Low. The way the song climaxes into the final chorus is impressive and captivating. I wasn't as similarly captivated by the other singles, "Last Young Renegade" or "Nice2KnoU"; they felt a little more similar to their older material, although when the whole album released, I found myself enjoying the songs much more in the context of the rest of the tracks.
The first couple of listens through the record gave me an immediate and clear impression that this was not the same All Time Low of the last few albums we had seen from them. This was not a group of kids, pining over girls and living for the next part. This was a group of men who had lived through a bit now, who had experienced real relationships and understood a bit of what the important parts of life are. They've grown a bit more worn down from everything, still determined to carry on but affected by some of the things they've experienced. The partying didn't leave, either, but it's now expressed in a different way; songs like "Life Of The Party" talk about some of the aspects of fame that are not so appealing, being surrounded by strangers and moments of self reflection and revelations of internal changes that cause Gaskarth to sing about how he "can't find me anymore".
The past is reflected upon quite a bit throughout the album, with songs like "Good Times", "Nightmares", and "Last Young Renegade" all talking about different aspects of nostalgia and reminiscing about what was and will never be again. "Last Young Renegade" focuses on a specific relationship, one that Gaskarth laments letting go. "Good Times" even references one of their old songs, with the line "underneath the stars we came alive" bringing to mind "Six Feet Under The Stars", and carrying a general mood of remembrance for the way things used to be when they were younger. It feels like the band isn't necessarily wishing that things were the way they used to be, which is nice; instead it's a reflection on the parts of the past that were good, but not a desire to live in those times again. "Nightmares" seems to deal with the trauma of something harmful in the past, with there being "a ghost in the back of this room" and how he's "still having nightmares". This one is a stand out, not only for the lyrical content and vocals but the dark tone overall. It starts with a very lonely guitar riff (probably intentional for the imagery) and feels fairly edgy compared even to some of the other songs on the album.
Some of the songs definitely feel a bit more upbeat in terms of the sound and energy, such as "Dark Side Of The Room" and "Drugs & Candy". "Dark Side of Your Room" has these pulsing verses that erupt into a huge chorus that feels like something straight out of a movie. Gaskarth seems to push himself to extremes with the vocals for this tune, singing fairly low and subdued on the verses and then giving a bit of a growl to the chorus as he yells and pushes the energy levels higher and higher over an instrumental that keeps pace in terms of the power. "Drugs & Candy" opens with one of my favorite lines from the album "I can't take another hollow-point conversation", which I found to be very relatable and just such a poetic way to talk about shallow conversations. Lyrically, this song is not super upbeat, but it's one of the catchier songs on the album in terms of the music and way the instrumental pushes through the darker aspects of the words.
The album closes out with "Ground Control (feat. Tegan and Sara)" and "Afterglow", the former of which is interesting mostly for the choice of featured artist, as the female vocals help bring a different feel to the track, and the latter feeling very different for All Time Low in terms of the sounds they explore. Both songs are a bit more experimental for the band, through the direction each goes and the sound of each. They felt a bit weaker compared to the rest of the album, but are still good for the band in terms of the ideas and sounds they push for in each track.
Overall, I was much more impressed with this album than I expected. It really feels like the band grew up a lot with this album, both lyrically and sonically. They let themselves move past the places they were most comfortable with, and the risk was definitely worth it. The final result is an album that I know I will be listening to for a while, and possibly one of the best to come out this year so far.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Dark Side of Your Room", "Dirty Laundry", "Nightmares", "Drugs & Candy"
Last Young Renegade managed to do that.
My first inclination that this album was going to be different was the lead single, "Dirty Laundry", which felt more somber and grown up compared to most of the other material they had previously released. Alex Gaskarth seemed to push himself differently with the vocals for this song, and the musicality of the song was very different, with electronic elements and a slow building throughout the song that gave it an edge I was not expecting from All Time Low. The way the song climaxes into the final chorus is impressive and captivating. I wasn't as similarly captivated by the other singles, "Last Young Renegade" or "Nice2KnoU"; they felt a little more similar to their older material, although when the whole album released, I found myself enjoying the songs much more in the context of the rest of the tracks.
The first couple of listens through the record gave me an immediate and clear impression that this was not the same All Time Low of the last few albums we had seen from them. This was not a group of kids, pining over girls and living for the next part. This was a group of men who had lived through a bit now, who had experienced real relationships and understood a bit of what the important parts of life are. They've grown a bit more worn down from everything, still determined to carry on but affected by some of the things they've experienced. The partying didn't leave, either, but it's now expressed in a different way; songs like "Life Of The Party" talk about some of the aspects of fame that are not so appealing, being surrounded by strangers and moments of self reflection and revelations of internal changes that cause Gaskarth to sing about how he "can't find me anymore".
The past is reflected upon quite a bit throughout the album, with songs like "Good Times", "Nightmares", and "Last Young Renegade" all talking about different aspects of nostalgia and reminiscing about what was and will never be again. "Last Young Renegade" focuses on a specific relationship, one that Gaskarth laments letting go. "Good Times" even references one of their old songs, with the line "underneath the stars we came alive" bringing to mind "Six Feet Under The Stars", and carrying a general mood of remembrance for the way things used to be when they were younger. It feels like the band isn't necessarily wishing that things were the way they used to be, which is nice; instead it's a reflection on the parts of the past that were good, but not a desire to live in those times again. "Nightmares" seems to deal with the trauma of something harmful in the past, with there being "a ghost in the back of this room" and how he's "still having nightmares". This one is a stand out, not only for the lyrical content and vocals but the dark tone overall. It starts with a very lonely guitar riff (probably intentional for the imagery) and feels fairly edgy compared even to some of the other songs on the album.
Some of the songs definitely feel a bit more upbeat in terms of the sound and energy, such as "Dark Side Of The Room" and "Drugs & Candy". "Dark Side of Your Room" has these pulsing verses that erupt into a huge chorus that feels like something straight out of a movie. Gaskarth seems to push himself to extremes with the vocals for this tune, singing fairly low and subdued on the verses and then giving a bit of a growl to the chorus as he yells and pushes the energy levels higher and higher over an instrumental that keeps pace in terms of the power. "Drugs & Candy" opens with one of my favorite lines from the album "I can't take another hollow-point conversation", which I found to be very relatable and just such a poetic way to talk about shallow conversations. Lyrically, this song is not super upbeat, but it's one of the catchier songs on the album in terms of the music and way the instrumental pushes through the darker aspects of the words.
The album closes out with "Ground Control (feat. Tegan and Sara)" and "Afterglow", the former of which is interesting mostly for the choice of featured artist, as the female vocals help bring a different feel to the track, and the latter feeling very different for All Time Low in terms of the sounds they explore. Both songs are a bit more experimental for the band, through the direction each goes and the sound of each. They felt a bit weaker compared to the rest of the album, but are still good for the band in terms of the ideas and sounds they push for in each track.
Overall, I was much more impressed with this album than I expected. It really feels like the band grew up a lot with this album, both lyrically and sonically. They let themselves move past the places they were most comfortable with, and the risk was definitely worth it. The final result is an album that I know I will be listening to for a while, and possibly one of the best to come out this year so far.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Dark Side of Your Room", "Dirty Laundry", "Nightmares", "Drugs & Candy"
Friday, June 9, 2017
hopeless fountain kingdom - Halsey
When Halsey announced her new album, hopeless fountain kingdom, and released the lead single, "Now or Never", I was curious as to the direction she would move with her sophomore release. Her first album, Badlands, was gritty, dark alternative-pop that was surprising and refreshing, and relatively unknown until "New Americana" blew up on the radio. The release after the breakthrough album is always one to watch, because it can establish the tone for the rest of that artist's career.
From it's opening, hopeless fountain kingdom establishes that it is an epic story, a musical journey that Halsey takes the listener on over the course of the 16 tracks. "The Prologue" set the stage, with Halsey reciting the actual prologue from Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. It lets the listener know that this is not simply a collection of songs, but a tale of lovers and tragedy.
hfk finds Halsey experimenting much more than she did on Badlands, moving beyond her darker sound and exploring different aspects of pop music and other genres. Songs like "Don't Play", "Eyes Closed", and "Lie (feat. Quavo)" give off stronger hip-hop vibes than her other material, which is not surprising considering how much hip-hop music she posts about listening to. Her opening track, middle interlude "Good Mourning", and the closer, "Hopeless (feat. Cashmere Cat), are all examples of Halsey pushing herself into songs that are not necessarily traditional in terms of structure. She also goes more into the full pop mode, giving us an almost throwback to mid 2000's pop (maybe a dark Britney Spears) with "Walls Could Talk", a short and stripped song that utilizes very few elements to make a catchy song that leaves you wanting more. Another standout track is "Sorry", the piano driven, stripped down song that has Halsey lamenting about the mistakes she made with handling her "unknown lover".
Halsey not only experiments with sounds but with her range, with her vocals throughout seeming to show a growth and push towards the limits of her capabilities. Songs like "Angel On Fire", "Devil In Me", and "Bad At Love" feel her voice soaring higher than we've previously heard. It feels like she's grown more comfortable, more confident in her singing and in herself. It comes off in a lot of the lyrics of her songs and in the way that she delivers them; she doesn't hold back in talking about her exes ("Bad at Love", "100 Letters") or in talking about the things she has discovered about fame and what comes with it ("Alone"), . She also touches upon something more personal about herself; her sexuality. She has publically stated that she is bisexual, and it comes out often in the wording of her lyrics. It's really cool to see someone talk about it without hiding it or being subtle, like on the songs "Strangers (feat. Lauren Jauregui)" and "Bad at Love", the later of which she references failed relationships with both men and women.
Overall, I'm really impressed with the way that Halsey approached her second album. She knew the kinds of expectations that came after her first album released, and it didn't seem to affect her in terms of putting out an album that people were expecting. She did what she wanted to, musically, and retained her musical freedom while still making something that she knows that her fans will enjoy and something that tells a story in the process.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: "Walls Could Talk", "Bad At Love", "Strangers", "Heaven In Hiding"
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
One More Light - Linkin Park
Before I start this review, I just want to put out a bit of a disclaimer. I have been, for most of my life, a huge fan of Linkin Park. They have been my favorite band for many, many years, and I have been known to adamantly defend them when people question why they've gone in the many directions they have. I will, to the best of my abilities, keep this review as objective as possible. My opinions will present themselves, so be aware as you read.
Since 2000, Linkin Park has been a big name in the rock/alternative scenes (more into the later as the years have gone on. As their career has progressed, they've continued to experiment and redefine themselves as musicians; they've moved far past their nu-metal beginnings of Hybrid Theory and Meteora. Their last album, The Hunting Party, (see my review here), left things on quite the heavy note for the group. So when they began releasing the singles for their latest album, One More Light, the fans immediately knew that this was not going to be in the same vein, despite the irony of the name of the lead singles, "Heavy" and "Battle Symphony" (both of which I reviewed here and here).
When the album finally dropped, I made sure I had it downloaded onto my phone before I left work. I hoped in my car, and for the next 35 minutes I drove around and played the album from front to back. Then I didn't listen to it again till later the next day. I spaced it out, making sure I had the right amount of time to process it. I even delayed writing this review an extra few days to make sure I was ready to write my thoughts.
From what I've noticed so far, it's very diverse in terms of the influence of genres that are apparent throughout the album. The opener, "Nobody Can Save Me" feels a lot similar to more rock-based contemporary Christian songs, in terms of its orchestration and lyrical content. The closer, "Sharp Edges", has a slight country/singer-songwriter vibe. "Good Goodbye" is easily the hip-hop song of the album, even featuring Pusha T and Stormzy. "Talking To Myself" is like an Adele song that got cranked up a couple notches. "Sorry For Now" brings in the bubbly-electronic feel of Owl City with EDM sensibilities and a drop to match (the first time I heard it, I got chills). It may seem like too much put together when listed like that, but the flow of the album is very well done; most of the songs feel very much like they belong together (although "Good Goodbye" does feel like a bit of an outlier). It's a continuation of Linkin Park wanting to explore new sounds and new ideas in their music.
The big element of this album that feels different is the lyrics. The band has stated in many interviews and videos leading up to and after the release of the album that they took a very different approach to their music process. Normally they write the music first and then build the lyrics around the existing tracks. For this album, they flipped that process on its head and started with all the lyrics first, then built the music around the words. They also worked with outside songwriters, another move that was new for them. The result is evident in the way that the music sounds. It's evident in the variety of genres they tackled, due to the large number of outside influences on the songs.
I was rereading my review of The Hunting Party, and I found myself laughing at the striking similarities/differences for how I'm approaching this review. On that album, I found that the instrumentals were interesting, but the lyrics felt more forced. On One More Light, I'm having more of the opposite problem; the lyrics feel more real and deep, while the instrumentals are more forced. Certain songs, such as "Invisible", "Nobody Can Save Me", and "One More Light" are really interesting in terms of lyrics and instrumentals; these tracks do a good job of tackling both sides equally. "Invisible" has a bit more of Linkin Park's signature wall of sound, layering various elements to create a listening experience that is captivating for both the lyrics/vocals and the instrumentals.
Other songs, such as "Heavy" and "Halfway Right" capture me lyrically, but fail to keep me sustained due to the instrumentals, which is particularly frustrating with "Halfway Right" given the weight and depth of the lyrics for that song. Talking about former drug addiction, Chester's line "I woke up driving my car" feels chilling when the full impact is realized. The instrumental, however, really doesn't keep me as engaged as I'd like to be.
The crown jewel of the album is the title track, One More Light. It was the song that inspired the rest of the album, one that is very special for the band. It covers the subject of losing a close friend, something the band experienced during the writing process of the album. The song became very much real for the band and the fans with the passing of Chris Cornell, former lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave and a good friend of the band, the day before the album released. Seeing them perform the song in honor of him on Jimmy Kimmel was an incredible and heart-wrenching experience (see it here, be prepared with tissues). It showed how much these lyrics mean to the band and the personal level that they went to when they approached this album.
This album definitely had its ups and downs. It wasn't perfect, by any means, but I personally feel like it did a better job than The Hunting Party in terms of showing a progression from the band. It's another entry in their ever growing discography that shows the versatility of the band, even if it wasn't their most successful attempt. Lyrically, it was very honest and refreshing, it covered a lot of ground that the band hadn't touched on before; a specific example being "Sorry For Now", which Mike sings to his kids about always being gone on tour and away from his family. It shows the band is maturing, they're growing and addressing their issues, both past and present, and looking towards the future. "Sorry For Now" also showcases some of Mike's best vocals to date, revealing his growth as a singer and his vocal range and power, and has Chester (sort of) rapping, which is an interesting reversal of roles. Instrumentally, the songs can fall a little flat sometimes, relying a bit too much on current trends of fabricated drums, lots of hi-hat ticks, and somewhat bland backing synths and arrangements. It's not the best album they've ever done; I think most people can agree on that. But it's also not the worst; it was their venture into more "pop-sounding" music, and it probably won't be replicated again, given their tendency to never make the same album twice.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended: "One More Light", "Nobody Can Save Me", "Invisible", "Sorry For Now"
Since 2000, Linkin Park has been a big name in the rock/alternative scenes (more into the later as the years have gone on. As their career has progressed, they've continued to experiment and redefine themselves as musicians; they've moved far past their nu-metal beginnings of Hybrid Theory and Meteora. Their last album, The Hunting Party, (see my review here), left things on quite the heavy note for the group. So when they began releasing the singles for their latest album, One More Light, the fans immediately knew that this was not going to be in the same vein, despite the irony of the name of the lead singles, "Heavy" and "Battle Symphony" (both of which I reviewed here and here).
When the album finally dropped, I made sure I had it downloaded onto my phone before I left work. I hoped in my car, and for the next 35 minutes I drove around and played the album from front to back. Then I didn't listen to it again till later the next day. I spaced it out, making sure I had the right amount of time to process it. I even delayed writing this review an extra few days to make sure I was ready to write my thoughts.
From what I've noticed so far, it's very diverse in terms of the influence of genres that are apparent throughout the album. The opener, "Nobody Can Save Me" feels a lot similar to more rock-based contemporary Christian songs, in terms of its orchestration and lyrical content. The closer, "Sharp Edges", has a slight country/singer-songwriter vibe. "Good Goodbye" is easily the hip-hop song of the album, even featuring Pusha T and Stormzy. "Talking To Myself" is like an Adele song that got cranked up a couple notches. "Sorry For Now" brings in the bubbly-electronic feel of Owl City with EDM sensibilities and a drop to match (the first time I heard it, I got chills). It may seem like too much put together when listed like that, but the flow of the album is very well done; most of the songs feel very much like they belong together (although "Good Goodbye" does feel like a bit of an outlier). It's a continuation of Linkin Park wanting to explore new sounds and new ideas in their music.
The big element of this album that feels different is the lyrics. The band has stated in many interviews and videos leading up to and after the release of the album that they took a very different approach to their music process. Normally they write the music first and then build the lyrics around the existing tracks. For this album, they flipped that process on its head and started with all the lyrics first, then built the music around the words. They also worked with outside songwriters, another move that was new for them. The result is evident in the way that the music sounds. It's evident in the variety of genres they tackled, due to the large number of outside influences on the songs.
I was rereading my review of The Hunting Party, and I found myself laughing at the striking similarities/differences for how I'm approaching this review. On that album, I found that the instrumentals were interesting, but the lyrics felt more forced. On One More Light, I'm having more of the opposite problem; the lyrics feel more real and deep, while the instrumentals are more forced. Certain songs, such as "Invisible", "Nobody Can Save Me", and "One More Light" are really interesting in terms of lyrics and instrumentals; these tracks do a good job of tackling both sides equally. "Invisible" has a bit more of Linkin Park's signature wall of sound, layering various elements to create a listening experience that is captivating for both the lyrics/vocals and the instrumentals.
Other songs, such as "Heavy" and "Halfway Right" capture me lyrically, but fail to keep me sustained due to the instrumentals, which is particularly frustrating with "Halfway Right" given the weight and depth of the lyrics for that song. Talking about former drug addiction, Chester's line "I woke up driving my car" feels chilling when the full impact is realized. The instrumental, however, really doesn't keep me as engaged as I'd like to be.
The crown jewel of the album is the title track, One More Light. It was the song that inspired the rest of the album, one that is very special for the band. It covers the subject of losing a close friend, something the band experienced during the writing process of the album. The song became very much real for the band and the fans with the passing of Chris Cornell, former lead singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave and a good friend of the band, the day before the album released. Seeing them perform the song in honor of him on Jimmy Kimmel was an incredible and heart-wrenching experience (see it here, be prepared with tissues). It showed how much these lyrics mean to the band and the personal level that they went to when they approached this album.
This album definitely had its ups and downs. It wasn't perfect, by any means, but I personally feel like it did a better job than The Hunting Party in terms of showing a progression from the band. It's another entry in their ever growing discography that shows the versatility of the band, even if it wasn't their most successful attempt. Lyrically, it was very honest and refreshing, it covered a lot of ground that the band hadn't touched on before; a specific example being "Sorry For Now", which Mike sings to his kids about always being gone on tour and away from his family. It shows the band is maturing, they're growing and addressing their issues, both past and present, and looking towards the future. "Sorry For Now" also showcases some of Mike's best vocals to date, revealing his growth as a singer and his vocal range and power, and has Chester (sort of) rapping, which is an interesting reversal of roles. Instrumentally, the songs can fall a little flat sometimes, relying a bit too much on current trends of fabricated drums, lots of hi-hat ticks, and somewhat bland backing synths and arrangements. It's not the best album they've ever done; I think most people can agree on that. But it's also not the worst; it was their venture into more "pop-sounding" music, and it probably won't be replicated again, given their tendency to never make the same album twice.
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended: "One More Light", "Nobody Can Save Me", "Invisible", "Sorry For Now"
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Dig Down (Single) - Muse
It's been almost 2 years since Muse's last release, Drones, (which I reviewed here), and they've now dropped the new single "Dig Down" for an upcoming, unknown album. With Drones, we saw Muse stray back towards their heavier roots; if "Dig Down" is any sort of indication, this will not be the case. The single opens with a wobbling bass, similar to the sounds used in "Madness" from The 2nd Law. It's a slow building song, with Matt Bellamy's vocals guiding the song along as various instrumental elements are added as the song progresses. The first chorus gives a bit of a preview into the scope of the song, with the multi-layered vocals giving almost a choral effect. Everything continues to build as it progresses, with even more vocal lines added the second time the chorus comes around and the drums kicking it up a notch as Bellamy shreds on the guitar before the song opens into its peak in the final chorus that combines the electronic and organic elements into an epic and inspiring finish.
The lyrics really feel like the focus of the song, shifting away from the more politically charged lyrics of Drones and towards a more personal tone. The verses describe the struggles an individual might face, and the chorus prompts the listener to push through the hardships, to "dig down and find faith", which seems simplistic at first glance, but really serves its purpose when combined with the instrumental.
Upon first listen, I was a bit underwhelmed; coming from Drones, I seemed to expect them to continue on the heavier end of the spectrum. However, after a few listens, I began to dig it a bit more (appreciate the pun), and now as I'm writing this review, I know I really enjoy the song and I'm excited for the direction it indicates for the new album. The song is not perfect, by any means, but it's a better step for them (in my opinion) than what they did with their last release.
Check out the cool video for it here; I also think they did a cool job with the way the video progresses as the song goes on.
Rating: 3.5/5
The lyrics really feel like the focus of the song, shifting away from the more politically charged lyrics of Drones and towards a more personal tone. The verses describe the struggles an individual might face, and the chorus prompts the listener to push through the hardships, to "dig down and find faith", which seems simplistic at first glance, but really serves its purpose when combined with the instrumental.
Upon first listen, I was a bit underwhelmed; coming from Drones, I seemed to expect them to continue on the heavier end of the spectrum. However, after a few listens, I began to dig it a bit more (appreciate the pun), and now as I'm writing this review, I know I really enjoy the song and I'm excited for the direction it indicates for the new album. The song is not perfect, by any means, but it's a better step for them (in my opinion) than what they did with their last release.
Check out the cool video for it here; I also think they did a cool job with the way the video progresses as the song goes on.
Rating: 3.5/5
Friday, May 19, 2017
After Laughter - Paramore
The Paramore of 2017 is not the same as the Paramore of 2013, when we got their self-titled album, neither in sound or in line-up. For a band that's been around since 2004, they've had quite a few members leave and come back, with the current line up consisting of Hayley Williams, Taylor York, and Zac Farro (who left the band in 2010 but recently rejoined during the recording of their new album). Through these changes, the band has experienced much, and it's very much reflected in their 5th studio album, After Laughter.
The lead single, "Hard Times", revealed the new direction in terms of sound. Paramore shed their pop-punk skin completely, opting for a new, more mature, alt-pop sound. The music generally sounds cheery, especially on the up-beat songs, which creates an interesting juxtaposition between the sound and the lyrical content. "Hard Times" is a prime example of this; the instrumental and vocals come together to create a song that makes sitting still while listening very, very hard, but the lyrics include lines like "All that I want is to wake up fine; Tell me that I'm alright, that I ain't gonna die". It's like this throughout the album; another of these moments I've noticed is the opening line from the second single, "Told You So": "For all I know, the best is over and the worst is yet to come" (a line that I've had ringing in my head since I heard it). It creates a listening experience that is not static; you almost end up conflicted by the end of each song because the music makes you happy, but the lyrics can leave you not quite as cheerful. "Fake Happy" is another example, although a bit obvious given the title, as a song that balances this newer, pop-oriented tone while revealed a group of people who are struggling with the hard times (not going to apologize for that pun) that occur in life.
When you take into account the amount of people Williams and York, the two most consistent members since 2010, have lost, the direction of the album is not surprising at all. It's the story of people coping with loss, sometimes subtly and sometimes far more obviously, such as tracks "Grudges" and "Tell Me How". Both of those songs deal with it differently; "Grudges" is much more upbeat in terms of the instrumental and the lyrical content. Williams sings about how despite the seeming wasted time, she "can't keep holding on to grudges" and waste more time without forgiving and loving the people that are important. "Tell Me How" closes out the album a little more somberly, as indicated by the piano & vocal intro and the opening line of "I can't call you a stranger, But I can't call you". This song tells a tale of someone wanting someone back in their life, to move past the mistakes and hurts of the past. The bridge is especially moving, with the lyrics being:
"You keep me up with your silence
Take me down with your quiet
Of all the weapons you fight with
Your silence is the most violent".
This song, if speculation can be drawn upon, seems to be directed at former bassist, Jeremy Davis, who left the band due to monetary issues between himself and Williams. I can't confirm that, but it would make sense given that situation and the lyrics of the song. It makes it all the more heart-wrenching while listening to.
The whole album doesn't leave you teary eyed, however. Songs like "Caught In The Middle", "Rose-Colored Boy", and "Pool" are all songs that leave you feeling a little more lifted.
"Caught In The Middle" has a little bit of a reggae vibe to it, with Williams singing on the chorus:
"I think I'm a little bit caught in the middle
I gotta keep going or they'll call me a quitter"
It's an interesting song in that it dwells on being stuck in a situation or point of life, but it leaves room for hope and something to look towards.
"Pool" is much more positive in its instrumental, which is evident from the moment the drums and guitars kick in. The lyrics are centered on a recurring lover, someone that couldn't be given up on or let go, which can feel a little heavy; ironically enough, the catchy tune that Williams gives to these words helps keep the listener from sinking under too much.
"Rose-Colored Boy" feels like the most carefree song on the record, with the lyrical content not being heavy and the instrumental boasting quite the 80's influence that gets the listener on their feet. It's not one that will leave you terribly deep in thought, but it's going to be a great summer song for days with friends and adventures in the sun.
I don't know what I expected from Paramore in the four years between their last album and After Laughter. All I know is that the album showed an incredible amount of growth, both musically and personally, and that's something that seems to be hard to find in a lot of music today. They took their personal issues and channeled them into something very productive and beautiful. It's still a bit early to say, but I think that this is one of the best things Paramore has done, if not the best. It's very much a step in the right direction, and I think and indication that Paramore (hopefully) won't be done anytime soon.
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: Caught In The Middle, Pool, Told You So, Tell Me How
Related: Walk The Moon, Best Coast
Rating: 4/5
Recommended: Caught In The Middle, Pool, Told You So, Tell Me How
Related: Walk The Moon, Best Coast
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