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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 16, 2020 15:24:26 GMT 1
Even though we are in 2020 now I will keep knocking these out until I have a top 40, then I will move onto 2020 releases
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 16, 2020 15:53:13 GMT 1
FOALS - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 Release Date: 8 March 20192019 saw two albums released by British rock band Foals, Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 in March and Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2 in October, I will review them both as individual albums, I have always like Foals but it was their 2015 album "What Went Down" that really stood out for me with some great singles especially Mountain at My Gates so lets se if album 5 and 6 met that same high standard 1. Moonlight 6 2. Exits 10 3. White Onions 7.5 4. In Degrees 8.5 5. Syrups 6.5 6. On the Luna 9.5 7. Cafe d'Athens 5 8. Surf Pt.1 N/A 9. Sunday 8 10. I'm Done with the World (& It's Done with Me) 6SummaryOn Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 we have some of Foals best songs to date, the singles Exits and On the Luna are among some of the best of their career, the production is excellent which I think was down to frontman Yannis Philippakis taking on that role but at times the album drifts away into its own ambient universe and as a result Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 is a bit of a mixed bag 7.44/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 16, 2020 16:21:10 GMT 1
FOALS - Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2
Release Date: 18 October 20196 month after Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 Foals released it's sister album Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2, but before the album was released lead singles, "Black Bull" and "The Runner" were debuted on 1st August and 5th September 2019 respectively via Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show giving us a taste of what was to come 1. Red Desert 6.5 2. The Runner 10 3. Wash Off 8 4. Black Bull 8.5 5. Like Lightning 9 6. Dreaming Of 7 7. Ikaria N/A 8. 10,000 Ft. 7 9. Into the Surf 7.5 10. Neptune 8
SummaryEverything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2 is less ambient than its sister album released earlier in the year, we have a lot more guitars this time around with the album having a more prog rock feel to it which at times strays into the math rock territory of their early days, there are still some atmospheric moody moments but we mostly have guitar driven songs here with big riffs, there isn't any filler here either which makes Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2 my favourite of Foals 2019 releases 7.94/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 16, 2020 17:02:12 GMT 1
THE RACONTEURS - Help Us StrangersRelease Date: 21 June 2019After 11 years away Jack White, Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler are back with a third album entitled Help Us Strangers, they are probably best known for 2006 single "Steady, As She Goes" but they have released 2 very good albums so lets see if their 2019 effort matches that excellence. 1. Bored and Razed 8 2. Help Me Stranger 8 3. Only Child 7.5 4. Don't Bother Me 6.5 5. Shine the Light On Me 8.5 6. Somedays (I Don't Feel Like Trying) 8 7. Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) 6.5 8. Sunday Driver 9 9. Now That You're Gone 8 10. Live a Lie 8 11. What's Yours Is Mine 7 12. Thoughts and Prayers 8
SummaryWhilst none of the singles really grabbed me to the same extent Sunday Driver did, three other singles made my top 400 of the year, this is actually a solid return by The Raconteurs, it has everything you would expect from a Jack White side project, frenzied guitars with a bluesy feel, pop melodies, loads of piano and an eclectic mix of songs, I'm not sure how Shine the Light On Me was never released as a single, it has such a nice groove but I think the Donovan cover Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness) was a misstep overall the album is pretty good, hopefully they don't make us wait another 11 year for another album 7.75/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 18, 2020 13:47:30 GMT 1
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB - False AlarmRelease Date: June 21, 2019False Alarm is the fourth studio album by Northern Irish indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club, the album was preceded by four singles, "Talk", "Satellite", "Dirty Air" and "Once". On Metacritic, the album has an average rating of 76/100, based on 8 reviews, which indicates "generally favourable reviews" and peaked in the UK album chart at #5, I have loved the singles so this is shaping up to be my favourite Two Door Cinema Club record 1. Once 9 2. Talk 8.5 3. Satisfaction Guaranteed 7 4. So Many People 7 5. Think 7.5 6. Nice to See You 8 7. Break 6.5 8. Dirty Air 9.5 9. Satellite 8 10. Already Gone 8
SummaryThere is plenty to like here as Two Door Cinema Club venture from the safety of formulaic indie 2.0 and explore a new sound, at times they sound like they have been listening to too much Tame Impala and on Think sound more like Portugal. The Man, neither are a bad thing, the album is a very nice synth-heavy collection of songs indebted to 1980s pop-rock songs 7.9/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 20, 2020 22:35:41 GMT 1
KEANE - Cause and EffectRelease Date: September 20, 2019Cause and Effect is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock band Keane, released on 20 September 2019 through Island Records. It is their first full-length album since Strangeland (2012) and hiatus from early 2014 to late 2018, I saw them live in 2019 and they were charming and engaging and their set was a great mix of old hits and some fantastic new tracks 1. You're Not Home 6 2. Love Too Much 8.5 3. The Way I Feel 9 4. Put the Radio On 7.5 5. Strange Room 6.5 6. Stupid Things 9.5 7. Phases 8 8. I'm Not Leaving 7.5 9. Thread 7 10. Chase the Night Away 7.5 11. I Need Your Love 8SummaryNot a game changing comeback by any means but Cause and Effect is a solid comeback album, for me there are a few to many piano ballads that go nowhere but this is Keane, but that was expected. What is pleasing is their are some cracking songs on here, the brutal honesty in "Stupid Things", the synth-pop hooks of "Love Too Much" and "The Way I Feel" wouldn't be out of place on Perfect Symmetry and the beauty of the closing track "I Need Your Love" are all highlights here. 7.72/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 27, 2020 16:39:00 GMT 1
PRETTY VICIOUS - Beauty of Youth
Release Date: July 12, 2019I first heard these guys in 2015 when they released Are You Ready For Me, pretty sure I found them through TheThorne playlist. The Welsh band, who released their long-awaited debut album 'Beauty Of Youth' this summer, broke the news via social media that they won't play or make music together under the current moniker beyond 2019, In 2020 they will return with a new name and singer, with frontman Brad Griffiths having taken a break from the band earlier this year due to mental health issues. Sad news but they did give us the fantastic Cave Song EP, 9 singles and this album so lets have a listen 1. These Four Walls 9.5 2. Move 9 3. Something Worthwhile 9 4. Someone Just Like You 8 5. No One Understands 7.5 6. Force Of Nature 7.5 7. Lost In Lust 7 8. What Could Have Been 7.5 9. Playing With Guns 8 10. I Don't Wanna Know 8 11. Are You Entertained? 8.5 12. Little Molly 8.5
Summary Beauty of Youth is quite a surprise, this album is packed full of absolute anthems with almost every track drenched in big riffs. They have some big songs on this record starting with opening track These Four Walls which is an absolute belter to start an album with, frenzied, urgent guitars and a brilliant melody but this isn't a one off, they keep up the pace throughout Beauty of Youth, quickly moving into track 2 aptly named Move they keep up their huge sound with a stomper of a track that plods along with their overdriven guitar riffs, the first half of the album is 100mph, it slows down in the middle but they finish strongly with 4 cracking tracks starting with the Stereophonics esq Playing With Guns which is one of the slower tracks on the record and ending with two bangers in Are You Entertained? and Little Molly. Pretty Vicious’ up-tempo debut effort is everything a first rock album should be, with catchy overdriven riffs, ferocious vocals and energetic tunes that rocks hard from start to finish, these guys could've been huge. 8.16/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 28, 2020 15:05:37 GMT 1
CIRCA WAVES - What's It Like Over There?Release Date: April 5, 2019What's It Like Over There? is the third studio album by British indie rock band Circa Waves. On review aggregator website, Album of the Year, the album currently holds an average critic score of 65/100 indicating mixed reviews. It peaked at #10 in the UK album chart which made it their second top 10 album. 1. What's It Like Over There? N/A 2. Sorry I'm Yours 6 3. Times Won't Change Me 7.5 4. Movies 8 5. Me, Myself and Hollywood 7 6. The Way We Say Goodbye 8.5 7. Be Somebody Good 7 8. Passport 7 9. Motorcade 7.5 10. Saviour 7.5
SummaryWhat’s It Like Over There? sees the group ditch the surging guitars in favour of more subtle gospel-tinged bluesy piano sound. In a very Arctic Monkey’s move they have ditched the sound of their first two albums to make way for piano melodies (Times Won’t Change Me, Passport, The Way We Say Goodbye,), it is an ambitious move away from their sugar sweet guitar pop tunes of their first two albums into at times dreary piano pop, there are some highlights here especially The Way We Say Goodbye and Movies 7.33/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 29, 2020 21:55:38 GMT 1
JIMMY EAT WORLD – Surviving Release Date: October 18, 2019The American rock band from Arizona released their 10th studio album in late 2019, Surviving received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 78, which indicates "generally favourable reviews. I enjoyed the singles from their last album and their early/mid 00's releases were fantastic, this album peaked at #21 in the UK 1. Surviving 7.5 2. Criminal Energy 8.5 3. Delivery 7 4. 555 7.5 5. One Mil 7.5 6. All the Way (Stay) 9 7. Diamond 8 8. Love Never 8.5 9. Recommit 6.5 10. Congratulations 6.5 SummarySurviving is an apt name for the bands tenth album, formed in 1993 and featuring the same core members since '95 they are now veterans of the music industry, musically they haven't changed a great deal either but recent albums they have developed a more mainstream radio sound but at the same time sticking to their old sound, Surviving is an incredibly consistent album from start to finish and should go down well with Jimmy Eat World Fans and fans of the genre alike 7.65/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 3, 2020 18:23:37 GMT 1
THE MENZINGERS - Hello Exile Release Date: 4 October, 2019The Menzingers are an American punk rock band from Pennsylvania, to date the band has released six studio albums, with their most recent, Hello Exile, released on October 4, 2019. I got into them in 2016 when they released a string of excellent singles from After the Party including Lookers and Bad Catholics. They remind me of a Gaslight Anthem with their Americana/Heartland rock style. 1. America (You’re Freaking Me Out) 9 2. Anna 9 3. High School Friend 7.5 4. Last To Know 7 5. Strangers Forever 8.5 6. Hello Exile 7.5 7. Portland 8 8. Strain Your Memory 7 9. I Can't Stop Drinking 6.5 10. Strawberry Mansion 8 11. London Drugs 7.5 12. Farewell Youth 7.5SummaryIf their 2017 album "After the Party" was The Menzingers coming to terms with getting older then "Hello Exile" is them dealing with all the trials and tribulations of being in your 30's, they have always dabbled with the occasional touch of ska or acoustic song throughout their back catalogue of what was always straight up punk and whilst there’s always been a Gaslight Anthem-like feel to their songs but with "Hello Exile" they have gone full on Americana with their own brand of Heartland rock but hey sounding like the love child of Gaslight Anthem and Bruce Springsteen isn't a bad thing. Unsurprisingly given the theme of the album it starts with a song about the despondency at the state of the USA and ends with the acoustic alt country ballad Farewell Youth as the band realise their youth is well in their past, I like it, the 3 singles were bangers "Anna", "America (You’re Freaking Me Out)" and "Strangers Forever" and there's enough new stuff here to make this a good album, one in sure TheThorne would like 7.75/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,529
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Post by TheThorne on Feb 3, 2020 18:56:20 GMT 1
They have had 2 minor hits in my chart but not got as far as listening to the album sounds like its worth it.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 3, 2020 21:44:48 GMT 1
Yeah this one is probably a good one to check out, sounds very late 00's
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 4, 2020 13:53:27 GMT 1
ROYAL REPUBLIC - Club MajestyRelease Date: 31 May, 2019Royal Republic are a Swedish rock band from Malmö, they are hard to describe but imagine a disco infused Eagles of Death Metal with saxophone solo's and you wont be far off. Club Majesty have been described by music critics has a hybrid of disco, new wave, and dance punk and from what I have heard it is all just really fun over the top glam rock disco. The album made no impact in the UK but peaked at #17 in Germany. 1. Fireman & Dancer 8.5 2. Can't Fight the Disco 8 3. Boomerang 7.5 4. Under Cover 7.5 5. Like a Lover 6 6. Blunt Force Trauma 7.5 7. Fortune Favors 7.5 8. Flower Power Madness 7 9. Stop Movin' 7.5 10. Anna-Leigh 9.5 11. Bulldog 7.5
Summary Royal Republic have taken their love for rock music and combined it with their love for disco and have come up with a fun retro 70's sounding record, it has everything you would expect from throbbing basslines to dancefloor-ready synths, there is definitely more than a hint of Eagles of Death Metal meets Electric Six throughout Club Majesty and the result is a fun disco rock album. 7.63/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 4, 2020 18:02:10 GMT 1
VAMPIRE WEEKEND - Father Of The Bride Release Date: May 3, 2019American indie rock band Vampire Weekend released their fourth album Father of the Bride in 2019, the release marked the band's first project in nearly six years, following Modern Vampires of the City (2013), and the group's first project since multi-instrumentalist and producer Rostam Batmanglij's departure from the group. The album was preceded by three double singles: "Harmony Hall" / "2021", "Sunflower" / "Big Blue" and "This Life" / "Unbearably White". Upon release, it received widespread acclaim from music critics, earning the band their second Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album at the 62nd annual ceremony, as well as a nomination for Album of the Year. It was also a commercial success, becoming the group's third consecutive album to debut at number one on the US Billboard 200. 1. Hold You Now (featuring Danielle Haim) 8 2. Harmony Hall 10 3. Bambina 8 4. This Life 9.5 5. Big Blue 7.5 6. How Long? 7 7. Unbearably White 6.5 8. Rich Man 6 9. Married in a Gold Rush (featuring Danielle Haim) 7.5 10. My Mistake 6.5 11. Sympathy 7.5 12. Sunflower (featuring Steve Lacy) 8 13. Flower Moon (featuring Steve Lacy) 7 14. 2021 6.5 15. We Belong Together (featuring Danielle Haim) 7.5 16. Stranger 8.5 17. Spring Snow 6 18. Jerusalem, New York, Berlin 7
SummaryWith 18 tracks this is a long one but Vampire Weekend do like their short tracks so the album still only clocks in at just over 57 minutes. With the sheer amount of tracks and the guest musicians the whole album feels like friends got together to record a bunch of tracks so there isn't much flow here but as individual tracks there are more hits than misses, singles Harmony Hall and This Life are highlights along with the album tracks Bambina and Stranger, other notable tracks are the duets with Danielle Haim but there is a lot of filler, this could've been a great 13 track album 7.47/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 5, 2020 23:54:10 GMT 1
WHENYOUNG - Reasons To DreamRelease Date: May 24, 2019Irish trio Whenyoung have been releasing tracks since 2013 but back then they went by the name Sisters which was quite frankly a terrible band name, they had a #1 in my chart back in February 2014 with Hush Hush www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3S0pgKogkY but quickly vanished, they took some time re-inventing themselves and in 2017 started releasing material under the name Whenyoung and have steadily grown into a fantastic melodic indie pop band and released their debut album Reasons To Dream earlier in 2019. 1. Pretty Pure 9.5 2. Never Let Go 8.5 3. The Others 9 4. A Labour Of Love 7.5 5. You're Grand 8 6. Blow Up The World 6 7. Blank Walls 8 8. Future 7.5 9. In My Dreams 8 10. Heartbroken 7 11. Something Sweet 6 SummaryReasons To Dream is an album about reflecting on change, loss and hope and even though for the most part Whenyoung write power pop songs they aren't afraid to address the big issues facing young people, they have perfected their sound which is a little shoegaze and a little twee without becoming either. its been a long wait for their debut album but they have added some nice riffs and grown organically as a band over the last few year and have released a very good debut album here 7.72/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 10, 2020 18:38:54 GMT 1
WHITE LIES - FiveRelease Date: February 1, 2019Five (stylised as FIVE or ⠋⠊⠧⠑ in Braille) is the fifth studio album by British post-punk band White Lies. On review aggregator sites such as Album of the Year and Metacritic Five has enjoyed the highest aggregate ratings of any album the band has released. Ten years on, five albums in lets see what White Lies have to offer with Five. 1. Time to Give 8 2. Never Alone 7.5 3. Finish Line 7.5 4. Kick Me 6.5 5. Tokyo 10 6. Jo? 8.5 7. Denial 7 8. Believe It 9 9. Fire and Wings 7.5
SummaryFive opens with the operatic seven-minute long symphony "Time to Give" which has a nice synth progressions that builds and builds, it was released as the first single and a fitting opening for the album that ends with the apocalyptic doom-ridden finale "Fire and Wings", along the way we have some sublime melancholic synth-pop in "Tokyo" and "Believe It", the more guitar based "Jo?" is a nice break from the synth pop, many a nouveau gothic band like Interpol and Editors have tried to go the synth/electronic route with very little success but White Lies have struck the perfect balance between melodic dark ambient synth rock and 80's new wave pop 7.94/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Feb 12, 2020 17:39:00 GMT 1
I FIGHT DRAGONS - Canon Eyes Release Date: December 9, 2019The Chicago band I Fight Dragons are known for their combination of pop punk/rock that incorporate retro video game sounds into their songs. They aren't signed to a label so took to patreon to get funding for their third full length album "Canon Eyes" which from what I've read sounds like a love letter to Weezer and the two singles I have heard went down well with me so here we are.1. Artifact 8 2. Not Done Yet 8.5 3. Punch Drunk Destiny 7.5 4. Oh the Places You'll Go 7.5 5. A New Brain 10 6. While We're Still Young 8 7. Never Go Alone 7.5 8. One and Done 7.5 9. Lighthouse on the Sea 7.5 10. The Devil You Know 8.5 11. Burning It Down 7 12. Good Morning Sunlight 6
SummaryThe chiptune element to their songs are interesting and the pop punk riffs are rocking, Its totally my kinda thing combing retro video games and pop punk, I can hear the similarities to Weezer and even maybe Plain White T's too. The stand out song here is "A New Brain" which is a fantastic pop punk song and was a #1 hit in my chart. Their sound needs to be heard, I cant do them justice with words, I noticed a few other people on Haven appreciated some of their songs in 2019 so if you haven't already then check out their album 7.79/10
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