Month: June 2020

June 19, 2020

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Phantom Planet – Devastator (Gong Records)

If you’re like me and you were a huge closet fan (because you were way too old to be an “out” fan) of the teen drama the O.C. in the early 2000s, then you are already familiar with at least one song by Phantom Planet, “California”. This little band actually had 4 studio albums between 1994-2008, but haven’t played together or released anything since. Even though Jason Schwartzman is no longer a band member (fun fact, he was the drummer for the band from 1994-2003), I am still a fan of this band that I have heard dubbed as the kings of “wholesome American Indie”.

It’s always tricky for bands with long spanning careers to release new albums, especially when they have fallen into a strict genre of music. On the one hand, fans expect a sound that they can recognize. We want to be able to turn on the radio and say “Hey, that’s Phantom Planet!” On the other hand, we want something fresh and new, something that doesn’t sound exactly like the previous album from 2018. Devastator does a great job of this on both accounts. Their unnecessary teenage angst is gone (come on guys, you live in California), but what remains is an album of heartfelt melodies, exceptional instrumentals, and an album that I have not been able to stop playing on repeat.

My favorite song on the album also happens to be the first single released: “Time Moves On”. This is a bit of a sad and angsty song (albeit more grown up level angst) about time passing us by and the constant hope for things to change, all the while they just stay the same. “BALISONG” and “Party Animal” both play like upbeat rock anthems, and “Through the Trees” is a tale of accepting heartbreak from a “gated community turf”. “Torture Me”, “Waiting for the Lights to Change”, and “Gold Body Spray” are all also break up songs, presumably about the “devastator” who seems to have done just that.

Overall, Devastator is a no-skip playthrough, an album that will remind you of your emo days while remaining modern and relevant.

FFO: Rooney, Augustana, Neon Trees

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June 12th, 2020

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Note: The post is uncharacteristically light on material this week. We would apologize for that, but we don’t produce the banality that got released on June 12th. When an artist does something of note, we’ll comment. Feel free to argue for your favorite artist that we slighted this week. Or any week for that matter.

Chloe x Halle – Ungodly Hour (Parkwood Entertainment)

Sisters Chloe and Halle Bailey have both lived a full life in the entertainment world, despite being only 21 and 20 years old, respectively.  From acting credits including The Fighting Temptations, Meet the Browns and Let It Shine, to being discovered from covers performed on YouTube; following all that up with a mixtape, two EPs, and now their 2nd studio album, Ungodly Hour – and their first charting single on the Billboard R&B Songs chart.  At this point, you’ve already got a pretty good career.  Or, in the case of Chloe x Halle, a pretty good start.

The superstar that discovered the Chloe x Halle duo on YouTube was none other than Beyoncé, who sought them out after listening to their cover of Bey’s “Pretty Hurts”.  The influence is palpable; all three women are strong, sensual, introspective and unapologetic.  The production is at the perfect level, enough so that it doesn’t just fade into the background, but not so much that it overshadows the work of the two songstresses.

The best song on Ungodly Hour, in my opinion, is also the charting single. “Do It” is a legit earworm through and through, with a great beat and fun lyrics (“He say, ‘Where you from?’ Tell ’em, ‘Outer space’/’Cause a bag the only thing I’m tryna chase”).  “Overwhelemed” is a short track that highlights the more emotional side of the duo, while closing tune “ROYL” (short for “Rest Of Your Life”) is a nice nod for doing your thing in the limited Earth time you have left.  In all tracks, the sisters are balanced, both within themselves and together as a single entity.

Even with all the success they’ve had already, the future remains bright for the pair.  Halle will be starring as Princess Ariel in the live-action version of The Little Mermaid soon, with Chloe nabbing a role alongside Russell Crowe in upcoming horror flick The Georgetown Project.  I’m sure it won’t be long before the two get back in the studio to start work on album #3 – and if I had to guess, we’ll be talking about how they just keep improving a few years from now.  Beyoncé better watch out, lest the students become the teachers.

FFO: Beyoncé, Solange, Teyana Taylor

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The Podcast: Track 1, Side 1, Album 1

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This time out, yes we stole a bit from High Fidelity…

It’s not a full rip-off, or so we’re going to tell ourselves. We added the caveat that our songs also had to be off the artist’s first studio album. Once again, we came up with three interesting lists with surprisingly little overlap.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0IcpwpAFc8dF5emvEl0nAV?si=2HhXV1K_QmeJIWA0VI0oKw

Zack’s List:

5. Linkin Park, “Papercut”, Hybrid Theory
4. Ed Sheeran, The A-Team”, +
3. Beastie Boys, “Rhymin’ & Stealin'”, License to Ill
2. Weezer, “My Name Is Jonas”, Weezer
1. Metallica, “Hit the Lights”, Kill ’em All

Jeremy’s List:

5. Paul Simon, “I Am A Rock”, The Paul Simon Songbook
4. Living Colour, “Cult of Personality”, Vivid
3. Salt-N-Pepa, “Push It”, Hot, Cool & Vicious
2. Kiss, “Strutter”, Kiss
1. Guns ‘n Roses, “Welcome to the Jungle”, Appetite for Destruction

Dan’s List:

5. Metallica, “Hit the Lights”, Kill ’em All
4. Tom Waits, “Ol’ 55”, Closing Time
3. Foo Fighters, “This is a Call”, Foo Fighters
2. Wu-Tang Clan, “Bring da Ruckus”, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
1. The Beatles, “I Saw Her Standing There”, Please Please Me

June 5, 2020

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This cover image released by Keeping The Blues Alive Records shows “Blues With Friends,” the latest release by Dion. (Keeping The Blues Alive Records via AP)

Dion – Blues With Friends (Keeping The Blues Alive Records)

It has been nearly 60 years since Dion first appeared on the scene with his first hits, “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer”, songs that will live forever. He is a living legend, and at 80 years old, has given us his 18th studio album. Taking a note from Santana, Dion asked a different guitar icon to join him on each track. 

Among those he counts as friends are the prodigious talents of Joe Bonamassa, Billy Gibbons, Brian Setzer, Jeff Beck, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, and several others. Each of those tracks takes on the personality of the guest artist, varying the styles of blues from swing – to folk – to rock – to traditional. Through it all, Dion’s voice provides a unity between the songs. Age has most assuredly not weakened his voice. On the contrary, he sounds as vibrant, powerful, and relevant as he ever did. 

I defy anyone to listen to “My Baby Loves To Boogie” (John Hammond), “Bam Bang Boom” (Billy Gibbons), or “I Got The Cure” (Sonny Landreth) without feeling the need to move. Equally difficult would be ignoring the emotional grip of “Can’t Start Over Again” (Jeff Beck) or “Told You Once In August” (John Hammond, Rory Block). 

From the first track to the last, Blues With Friends is a trip worth taking.

FFO: Eric Clapton, Alabama Shakes, any of the artists named above

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Top Hit Singles from May 2020

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We had another eleven songs hit the top 40 this past month, and as I said on the pod, there is some quality out of nowhere. But let’s start with the bottom of the barrel and work our way up.

11. Powfu ft. beabadoobee – Death Bed (Coffee For Your Head)
If you saw “coffee” in the title of the song and were hoping for an upbeat track that gave you the same feeling as the titular drink, then prepare for disappointment. This track was originally released in 2019, but not vary widely because Powfu had yet to get clearance from beabaddoobee for the use of her sample. It was re-released this year when he finally got it. However, when most people think of a sample, they think of a piece of a song used to construct another song. Here the sample feels like it’s the actual song and the sad, white-boy rapping is part of a remix, not the intended original. It’s sadboi low-fi hip hop, which I already have a low tolerance for. The same way part of the FA crew have a visceral reaction against the emo-pop of the early 2000’s. But to make matters worse, there’s no effort to make it feel like his song. It’s all her work, her chorus and he just dropped his Soundcloud verses on it. Just lazy.

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May 29, 2020

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Dive Index – Waving At Airplanes (Neutral Music)

In the past, I have been accused of comparing too many artists to Radiohead, to the point where that comparison loses some meaning. As such, I hesitate to use that as a jumping off point, even when the record is screaming for it. 

Dive Index is an L.A. based collaborative electronic project led by producer and composer, Will Thomas. Waving At Airplanes is the fifth full-length album under this name, and collaborators for this effort are vocalists Natalie Walker and Merz. In a convenient arrangement of songs, the tracks alternate back and forth between the two of them. 

Stylistically, this is shoegaze electronica at the top of the class. Most of the music is static pulses, electric blips and ethereal, atmospheric chord progressions. Every sound on the album is made using a modular synthesizer, with the exception of the construction sounds that happened to breach the studio soundproofing. 

Natalie’s vocals are beautiful and intoxicating, singing about deeply emotional moments of self-discovery, ignorance in relationships, and being absorbed by the things around us. “She’s Exploding”, “Wish I Had A Pulse” and the eponymous track stand out as jewels in this particular display case. Merz’s tracks, on the other hand, are a pretentious word salad that only occasionally stumble across a message. The most egregious example is “Pristine Wilderness”, which makes as much sense as a stroke victim with Tourette’s.     His tracks SOUND good, though, and ultimately, that’s what is most important. 

This record is definitely not for everyone, but it certainly struck a chord with me. 

FFO: Amnesiac-era Radiohead (Sorry. Had to.), Roger Eno, Ian Masters

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The Podcast: May 2020 In Review

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It’s time again to get the best new releases of the month, as Jeremy and Zack have their five best albums of the month while Dan has his rankings of the month’s new top 40 hits.

Zack’s Best of May:
5. Johanna Warren – Chaotic Good
4. Hayley Williams – Petals for Armor
3. Christian Lee Hutson – Beginners
2. Carly Ray Jepsen – Dedicated Side B
1. Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Reunions

Jeremy’s Best of May:
5. Asking Alexandra – Like A House On Fire
4. Boston Manor – Glue
3. The 1975 – Notes On A Conditional Form
2. Deau Eyes – Let It Leave
1. Shiner – Schadenfreude

Dan’s Top Hit Singles of May:
3. Ali Gatie – What If I Told You That I Love You
2. Sam Smith & Demi Lovato – I’m Ready
1. Megan Thee Stallion – Savage