Future Islands - Singles Review

Future Islands - Singles [Synth-Pop]

Here's a band that shot to fame with their performance of 'Seasons' on the Letterman show, and it's not surprising to see why. Samuel T. Herring reams with energy and passion on every word he belts out, so much so that the sudden death metal vocals he executes near the end of the song don't sound that out of place (ha, now that's something that should challenge metal bands!). I've been listening to this album repeatedly since its release in April and I have to say it's one of the better pop albums of the year.

I won't go through song by song since most of the songs follow the same pattern. The other band members, keyboardist Gerrit Welmers  and guitarist William Cashion don't actually do all that much to stand out. Herring is the man who carries the entire album through, elevating otherwise cheesy lyrics (though not terrible) with his theatrics and confidence. Arresting moments like that screams on 'Falling From Grace' are the ones that make this album.

Sound-wise, it's at a mediocre DR5, again pretty strange for an otherwise minimalist album. Since Herring's voice is the centre of attention, there isn't much else to add. The synth sounds are pretty well done in my opinion.

On a side note, I really must find more things to say on non-metal albums. This has been a great pop album that I am sure other metalheads may love.

★★★★☆

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence Review

Lana Del Rey - Ultraviolence [Pretentious]

☆☆☆☆☆

Feel free to read about some actual music we reviewed. Links are to your right.

The Neighbourhood - I Love You Review

The Neighbourhood - I Love You [Indie Pop]

Quite widely penned for it's immaturity and it's poorly written lyrics (the latter of which I whole-heartedly agree with), The Neighbourhood's EP and, subsequently, this debut album have created quite a storm on Internet on visual mediums like Tumblr. I myself only came to discovering the band after my friend linked me the lead single on Youtube; 'Female Robbery'.


It's easy to see why the lead single clearly misdirects your anticipation for the album, because the broody, atmospheric lull of the single isn't at all reciprocated in the rest of the album. In fact, the single seems like a carefully planned marketting ploy in the wake of the colossal impact of Lana Del Ray's signature style of slow, glacial songs with seemingly 'deep' subject matter. I mean no disrespect- no wait, that's a lie, but the annoyingly narcissistic nature of today's emotional songs will piss you off after you've been through much more colossal albums than this. That said, shallowness doesn't really matter in the music, though it paints the picture of the artiste and indicates how you're expected to appreciate it. Here, The Neighbourhood melds influences from other genres, particularly indie rock and rap, in what results in an ironically pop album, that is exciting on the surface because of the relatively fresh approach in sound that masks the atypical pop song structures on I Love You.

The lead single, however, is dazzling in it's use of 'screams' (either guitar effects or a highly distorted human scream) as atmosphere, repeating them even, and that is a highlight in the album. However, like the rest of the strengths on the album, it's shortlived. There are numerous instances when the band uses alternative sounds or instruments for the melody, such as on 'Sweater Weather'. However,the album tosses up the strengths of their earlier EPs with the modern radio sound, with crooned lyrics of angst to appeal to the adolescents and post-hip hop rhythms for a wider audience, though the mismatch of slick, groovy beats highly contradict the thick, sharp atmospheres borrowed from the post-rock arena (now conveniently just labelled 'indie' by society).

As for the lyrics, I leave that to the listener. Lyrics are subjective to the listener, since I am not going to make you any more mature by convincing you these are poorly written lyrics.

★★☆☆☆ Passable - One or two good songs, a bit of flow

Atoms For Peace - AMOK Review

Atoms For Peace - AMOK [Electronica / Indie]

It's hard to ignore this album with two juggernaut artistes on it, namely Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Flea of Red Hot Chilli Peppers. I will be the first to admit that I am a Radiohead fanboy, especially in the wake of their last two beautiful albums, that could easily be in my best of lists for albums any time. I am going to try and review this impartially.


Thom Yorke's presence is huge here though, and his electronica washes completely dominate any other analogue music here even if he was expecting a harmonious marriage. Not that experimentation is a problem, but Radiohead's prime was in guitar-centric anthems on OK Computer, and Yorke has been a supporting guitarist himself. Does his electronica sound convincing? Yes and no.

On the plus side, there is 'Default'. A fantastic track with an angry, futuristic electronic beat that juxtaposes superbly well with Yorke's famous nasal croons, and Yorke effectively uses the synth here because no instrument could reciprocate the beat of the song here. This is forward thinking music that does not neglect the songcraft of the 90s, and could easily be one of the best non-metal songs of the year.

Another thing that strikes me here is how energetic and colourful the album is, as compared to Yorke's earlier career. The percussionists are really good in bringing out complex, yet palatable rhythms, and the album has a lot of syncopated polyrhythms, a rarity in popular music though the DNA has had its straints on Radiohead's The King Of Limbs. This are all, again, pitted against Yorke's sleepy vocals (you have got to admire his abstinence from vocal effects though out the album) and they create a dense sonic sound although this pretty much the norm on electronic music.

The problem however, is when both sides fail to gel well with each other. Flea's bass is pretty much in your face, even more obvious with the deliberate absence of guitar texture, and when he brings in the funky rhythms, Yorke is still in sleep mode. The music, even in its uplifting tempos and complexity, sound flat. Thom Yorke should have allowed his voice to be more dynamic, because the clash works on some songs ('Defualt', 'Dropped', 'Judge, Jury & Executioner', 'Reverse Running' and the title track), but overall, it sounds overused, bland and well, disappointing. I may dig this album, but as far as professionality goes? This is below the standard of the Radiohead we come to love. Decent, not too good.

★★★☆☆ 

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die / Paradise Review

Lana Del Rey - Born To Die / Paradise [Hipster Music]

Perfect for the Instagram generation, Lana Del Rey's three-million-copies-sold debut Born To Die and her follow-up EP Paradise are inconveniently packaged into one set for 2012 in what can only be desperate attempt into boosting CD sales with the deceiving notion of buying added material, which does not live up to its worth.

It is hard to analyse music in these two CDs without analysing the pampered model who fills in the templates with her overwhelming persona, or possibly, her lack of it. Lana Del Rey has a staggeringly low mezo-soprano voice that is surprisingly well-executed... sparsely. Whilst her singles like 'Video Games' explored her low-pitched vocals, the rest of the album is just the same as any other female pop star who is 'manufactured' for today. Her 'female gangster' attitude is not as convincing as her bigger fans claim.

One of the defining elements of Lana Del Rey's music is the incorporation of strings at glacial pace into her songs, to give it some sort of cinematic feel, and it is clear that her music is a visual as it is aural, but this is precisely what pulls down the albums; the song-writing is mediocre. For songs which are meant to be executed in such a majestic, epic scope, the songs are blatantly radio-friendly songs that are processed to the point of mass consumption, and in all irony, this is showcased exclusively in none other than the track 'Radio', where the songstress' unique voice is altered to sound sickeningly innocent and the song sounds unnatural and awkward. The singer definitely suffers when she reaches into her higher register and that destroys many of the songs in the album and not even the auto-tune can protect the cringe-inducing chorus of 'Carmen'.




With Paradise, the songs sound more accessible and the producers have been smart enough to utilize the elements which made 'Video Games' such a hit, the strings. However, there isn't much you can improve in a year and her high vocals on 'Ride' were enough to turn me off. Themes continue to be about how she failed to get her 'American dream', and lyrics like those in 'Cola' are downright bizarre and trying too hard:


My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola
My eyes are wide like cherry pies
I got sweet taste for men who're older
It's always been so it's no surprise

And its chorus blatantly rips off the Beatles, the star again gives off a hideous high pitched coo in this song which I cannot stomach.

In a gist, Lana Del Rey's vision of music is visual and her execution is excellent, but the crafting of her songs need some serious work. She might also want to employ a better producer to manage her frightening high pitch.

★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable

The xx - Coexist Review

The xx - Coexist [Indie Pop]

Minimalist rockers The xx have returned with more whispers and loose guitar notes on Coexist. Winning a Mercury Prize for their debut self-titled and a lot of praise for critics looking for the next big thing. Their debut has catapulted band leader Jamie Smith as an electronic producer (and his new found skills show well in the crisp, pounding beats). Personally though, I found xx a little to pretentious, liking at most, and really at MOST, only half of their first album.

That being said, there is, stylistically nothing new to find in their album, though the sound is a little upbeat this time with Jamie Smith in production, keeping the main melodies spacey and distant while the beats take a bigger part in the overall sound stage, juxtaposing pulsing dance beats with a guitar that was probably recorded at the back of the recording studio. Songs meander between the fine line between precision and boredom.



Vocals-wise, the duo of Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim are... unconvincing to me, as they always have been. The group's obsession with an intimate sound is really limited by the vocal range, with not even a high note or a sudden impassioned coo appearing anywhere to grip you. This is, what I personally feel, gives the band its poseur sound, because ultimately the individual band members cannot make the most out of their songs. Minimalism is harder than the word implies, but it is not impossible. Listen to Tool's Disposition, it could easily fit in well with the xx's imagery and themes of intimacy, tension or passion. The point is to create a huge impact with as little elements as possible. In sharp contrast, the xx merely try to create style but clearly don't give a shit about substance, with no elements of surprise even with an apparent lack of song structure.

The xx are also habitually uninterested in writing full albums, with half of the album falling behind the filler category. Just as their self-titled thrived behind the successes of significant singles like 'Islands', 'Crystallized' (which, interestingly, has been made more minimalist when covered by Gorillaz's frontman Damon Albarn) and 'Infinity'. Here, as well, one sees that it is quite obvious to see which songs were hurried and which were carefully produced; 'Angels', 'Chained', 'Fiction' and 'Swept Away'. Elsewhere, songs appear to become interesting before just ending abruptly, without any resolve or attempt to do so anyway (case in point; use of strings in 'Tides' that leave a lot to be desired. Maybe it's just me.

★★★☆☆ Average - Half of album is listenable

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do Review

Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do [Indie Pop]





Get the fuck over Adele or St. Vincent. This woman's album comes seven years after her last and features excellent songs, vocals, instrumentation, production, you name it, it's perfect.





Completely rejecting the overused melodies of her peers, Fiona Apple creates an album of extensive depth. The echoes of children crying in 'Werewolf', despite the soulful crooning from the singer, makes for a highly intriguing juxtaposition that is sure to excite the listener. Many of the songs contain samples of field noises, which is more of a black metal stylistic than a contemporary pop music feature. Also interesting to note is the excellent drumming from Charley Drayton, who doesn't give simple 4 part rhythms but uses every drum in his set to create savagely satisfying drum fills atop the smooth-jazz songs constructed by Apple.





What truly gives the album character is the arrangements of the music. All the elements come together not sounding like a bad mishmash of mismatched musical parts but as a complete whole, a dark, raw, complex and strangely emotional album (she even gives harsh growls in the song 'Regret'!) that has several intricate cuts. It is dense, and definitely not for everyone. As a metalhead who hardly steps out of his genre during these annoyed days, I can safely say The Idler Wheel... could easily compete with any other album, regardless of genre, for this year's favourite list.


Rating: ★★★★☆ Good - Strong flow, immediately grabs you