July 24, 2020

July 31, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

Gaerea – Limbo (Season of Mist)

Gaerea is not a band. They are a “Vortex community”, “bestow[ing] their Undying Sigil to the masses”.

For an act that has been around less than 5 years, this black metal quintet from Portugal is certainly making an impact on the global scene. The theatrics create a mystery about the group. Only 3 members of the outfit have been named, the remaining 2 shrouded under a hood bearing the Undying Sigil.

Limbo takes us to Dante’s first circle, the hopeless wasteland where human chattel await their eternal damnation. This imagery is potent throughout the record, starting with the vivid depiction on the cover and continuing seamlessly through the music.

Calling this “black metal” is a bit of a mislead, though. The theatrics and themes aside, the music actually feels more like doom metal, with plenty of sludgy breakdowns, atmospheric bridges, and a sense of guitar melody that you just don’t get with black metal.

Whatever you want to call it, Limbo is relentless. It opens with a powerful overture of a song, “To Ain”, an 11-minute opus that sets the tone, theme, and sound that will occupy your earspace for 52 minutes over 6 tracks. The structure of the album is classical in nature, using movements to walk us through the “new” stages of grief: sadness, denial, anger, madness, and despair. The album closes with “Mare”, a 13-minute monolith that bookends Limbo with that same feeling of being held captive, but with chaos lurking overhead.

I found myself listening with rapt attention. Limbo is an absolute masterpiece and Gaerea has created the perfect soundtrack to 2020. It really feels like we’re in the First Circle, awaiting damnation. I hope they don’t make us wait too long to experience the Second Circle, where we will be blown about in a violent storm without hope of rest.

Bring it on.

FFO: …And Oceans, Enthroned, Carach Angren

July 17th, 2020

July 24, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer811 Comment

Meghan Trainor – Treat Myself (Epic)

I sat down with this record expecting, even hoping, for something to tear apart. I was not ready to actually enjoy (most of) a Meghan Trainor album. The lead single, “No Excuses”, is such a trainwreck of a song I was ready to launch into a tirade about faux-sincerity, narcissism, and banal pop tropes that are all embodied by a mush-mouthed blonde commercial puppet.

Sure, she switches between personalities from song to song, decrying the horrors of a relationship, then wanting him back. Sure, when she sings the phrase, “Love Yourself”, it somehow sounds like she’s saying “Out dog yourself”. Sure, every song is a repetitive, four-chord, easily-digestible melody.

But…

Goddammit if it doesn’t work this time. Ignore the Nicki Minaj part of “Nice To Meet You” and the melody and beat are quite pleasing. Close your eyes and listen to “Funk” and you can almost hear Janet. “Working On It” might be the most honest a pop star has been recently about personal failings. Throw a Spanish verse into “Lie To Me” and it could be Shakira. And the best part is, she finally has a producer that nearly eliminated the overuse of handclaps and ‘60s pop basslines.

My favorite track on the album has to be “Here To Stay”, in which she basically says, “Yeah, I’m a piece of shit, but apparently you’re into that, so let’s do this.”

The problematic tendencies definitely still exist (“Babygirl”, “Genetics”, and the aforementioned “No Excuses”), but by and large, this is a huge step in the right direction.

FFO: Janet Jackson, Sabrina Carpenter

July 3rd and July 10th, 2020

July 24, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

We owe you a bit of an apology. A lot of good music happened in July, but due to some personal things that happened during that time (not going to bore you with details), we struggled to get things written. Rest assured, we were listening and intend to remedy the lapse in posts…

Right now.

Cuddle Magic – Bath (Northern Spy)

Bath is the sixth album from Brooklyn-based sextet, Cuddle Magic, and it is a damned shame that it took me six album to hear of them. As of this writing, I have not traveled back through to their origins, but if Bath is at all indicative of their body of work, they have a fan for life.

Folk-pop is a genre that doesn’t get a ton of radio play or heated discussion outside of your local bookstore or coffee shop. It’s also rare to find a folk-pop outfit that challenges the dynamics of the genre. Bath is acoustic. It is also orchestrated to be extraordinarily intoxicating. Voices float in and out at precisely the right moments. The instrumentation is consistent by changing to suit each individual song, whether that’s a harmonica (“Gracefully”), a pump organ (“This Way”, “Eleanor”), or the simple pluck of an acoustic guitar (“Hurt a Little”, “Still In Touch”), it is the perfect accompaniment to the softly sung vocals of Benjamin and Kristin.

Yeah, I learned their names. So what?

From the first moments of “What If I”, you can feel the love. Love for the music. Love for each other. Love for the listener.

Oh, and the fun part…

The whole album was recorded live in a bathroom. That’s right! Six people, no headphones or electronic tricks. Just microphones, instruments, and pure, unadulterated talent.

FFO: The Shins, Bon Iver, Iron and Wine

June 26, 2020

July 3, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

HAIM – Women In Music Pt. III (Haim Productions)

First and foremost: there is not a “Women In Music Pt. I” or “Pt. II”. There is a lot of significance to the number “three” here, however, given the three sisters that make up HAIM (Este Haim, Danielle Haim, and Alana Haim), this being their third album, and likely other references that I’m not smart enough to get. Regardless of nomenclature, though, this is a powerhouse of a pop album.

Women In Music Pt. III shines for all of the different areas that it touches and excels in. From a funky beat on “Los Angeles” that would be at home in an early 90s hip-hop track, to something closer to a Fleetwood Mac track (“Up From A Dream”), HAIM hits all the literal and figurative notes.

I refuse to call HAIM a “girl group”, because that would insinuate that “boy groups” are on the same level, which the vast majority are not. The sisters have not only matured their sound, but have truly expanded upon it here. I will be doing them the justice that I should’ve done them years ago, and going back to check out their previous two albums. I know they won’t be as good as Women In Music Pt. III, but they will still be a treat.

FFO: The Aces, MUNA

June 19, 2020

June 26, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

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

June 12th, 2020

June 19, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

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

June 5, 2020

June 12, 2020October 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

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

May 29, 2020

June 5, 2020September 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

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

May 22, 2020

May 29, 2020September 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

BRELAND – BRELAND EP (Bad Realm Records)

Oh boy, where do we start.

So what Breland – I apologize, I mean BRELAND – and his team have produced here can definitely be considered “music”. I will give him that. But that’s where the compliments end, because the BRELAND EP is doodoo.

The tracks on BRELAND EP are mostly bad hip-hop songs with bad country aspects shoehorned in. The best tracks are the ones that don’t feature any of those country leanings – for example, “WiFi” is pretty solid. But there are plenty of tracks in the other category, including “Hot Sauce”, “Horseride”, and the absolute abomination known as “My Truck”. I’ve heard plenty of samples and beats in my day, but never one that sounded like forest animals in various levels of distress. It’s easily the worst song I’ve heard this year; I would gladly put it up against several other years too, and feel good about my chances.

I’ll also say that none of this is a knock to BRELAND’s vocals, as he sings pretty well! But his voice is ridiculously overshadowed by the overproduction inherent in most of the track, and that’s a shame. I’d definitely give him another chance if he stepped out of the contrived country-rap space and made a more traditional R&B album.

FFO: Lil Nas X, Sam Hunt (who unsurprisingly features on a “My Truck” remix)

May 15, 2020

May 22, 2020September 16, 2020 monkeyhammer81Leave a comment

The Dears – Lovers Rock (Dangerbird)

Before getting into the music on this album, a couple points of clarification need to be made. Firstly, this is not a band. It is an undefined collective led by Montreal-based icon and presumed Bond villain, Murray Lightburn. Secondly, any act that self-indentifies with Serge Gainsbourg is saying 2 things: 1) “We don’t want to be pigeon-holed into a genre”, and b) “We might be French”.

Their eighth studio release is a collection of reflective tunes that can best be described as eclectic orchestral pop. From the Bowie-esque “Is This What You Really Want?”, to the early-Weezer sounding “I Know What You’re Thinking About And It’s Awful”, to the Motown love song “Play Dead”, the instrumentation is always full and rich. This is no surprise, since the list of contributors on the album may as well be the Montreal phone book.

Throughout all of it, Lightburn’s voice shifts between styles effortlessly, doing what is needed to float, cut through, punch up and generally take control of every track. His charisma has a Neil Diamond-at-the-cabaret quality to it that’s undeniable and enchanting. The flow of the record feels more like a well-crafted playlist, easily moving from song to song without seeming repetitive or jarringly different.

It’s brilliant.

FFO: Serge Gainsbourg, Broken Social Scene, British Sea Power

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Author: monkeyhammer81