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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Oct 20, 2020 12:08:25 GMT 1
BLOXX - Lie Out LoudRelease Date: August 28, 2020A quick look at my chart I have already charted 5 songs from BLOXX debut album Lie Out Loud (Thinking About Yourself #3, Lie Out Loud #6, Off My Mind #11, Go Out With You #13, Coming Up Short #35). The Uxbridge band have been releasing singles since 2016 so they have gained plenty of experience of writing hook-stuffed indie-pop, plenty of great songs never even made the album. 1. Lie Out Loud 9 2. Coming Up Short 7.5 3. Go Out With You 9 4. 5000 Miles 8.5 5. Thinking About Yourself 9.5 6. Off My Mind 8.5 7. Give Me The Keys 7 8. Hey Jenny 7 9. Changes 7.5 10. It Won't Work Out 8 11. What You Needed 7.5 12. Swimming 8SummaryLie Out Loud is a well developed breakthrough record for BLOXX, if you like female fronted indie pop then this ones for you. Speaking about the album, frontwoman Fee Booth says, “Our Debut Record - ‘Lie Out Loud’ - well how can I put it, it’s a journey from 2016 to 2020 for us as a band. The good bits, the really sh*t bits. It’s a relatable voice for anyone who’s ever struggled with themselves or with relationships or with anything. We write with the intent to be relatable. It’s a voice for everyone. The album is sonically interesting and diverse and I think it’s my favourite thing we’ve ever done.” 8.08/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Oct 21, 2020 11:44:37 GMT 1
SEA GIRLS - Open Up Your Head
Release date: August 14, 2020Sea Girls are an English indie rock band formed in London in 2015, comprising four members: Henry Camamile (vocals, guitar), Rory Young (lead guitar), Andrew Noswad (bass), and Oli Khan (drums). The band, signed to Polydor Records, are known for their indie anthems and energetic live shows. Another band that have been releasing singles since forever so i have a good idea i will love this one, they sound like a proper mid 2000's indie band. 1. Transplant 9 2. All I Want To Hear You Say 8.5 3. Do You Really Wanna Know? 8.5 4. Lie To Me 7.5 5. Call Me Out 8.5 6. Closer 7.5 7. Forever 8 8. Weight In Gold 7.5 9. Ready For More 9.5 10. Violet 9.5 11. Shake 9 12. Damage Done 8.5 13. You Over Anyone 6 14. Moving On 7.5
SummaryIf you like big melodies, guitars and synth hooks then these guys are for you, great debut album, its hard to find a song I don't like here apart from the piano ballad at the end (You Over Anyone). Frontman Henry Camamile has been open about the meaning of the album title and his own journey with mental health struggles. It was the aftermath of a brain injury when he started to write more openly about his struggles. “I had a head injury and life wasn’t going great anyway. I was partying too much, and I was relying on the wrong things. I was a sad post-teen. I think that’s typical to a lot of people, but I experienced this head injury when I was knocked out at work. After that, my perspective just changed,”. I highly recommend this album, they don't reinvent the wheel but they do easy-to-like melodies, jangly synths and sing along choruses as well as anyone 8.21/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Oct 22, 2020 13:40:31 GMT 1
PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT - Manchester Calling
Release Date: March 6, 2020
Manchester Calling is the fourth studio album by Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, both formerly members of The Beautiful South.Heaton wrote the songs in various locations in North Holland and Belgium, and composed the music between a hotel in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands, and in Limburg an der Lahn, Germany. Heaton called the theme of the album "anti growth, anti greed, [and] against the continuous tearing down of old buildings and sticking up soulless offices, and the disappearance of local accents on TV, along with the creeping spread of Americanese" in the United Kingdom. I have been meaning to review this one for a while, Manchester Calling became the third #1 album of Paul Heaton's long and distinguished career. 1. The Only Exercise I Get Is You 8 2. If You Could See Your Faults 8 3. Somebody’s Superhero 7 4. Big News In A Little World 7.5 5. You And Me (Were Meant To Be Together) 8 6. The Outskirts Of The Dancefloor 7.5 7. So Happy 7 8. A Good Day Is Hard To Find 9 9. Fat Of The Land 6.5 10. All Of My Friends 8.5 11. The Prison 7.5 12. House Party 2 6.5 13. He’s Got What I Had 7.5 14. New York Ivy 7.5 15. MCR Calling 6 16. My Legal High 8
SummaryI'm not sure the man is capable of writing a bad song, Manchester Calling delivers a generous 16 tracks, usually on an album this size at least 5 or 6 tracks are purely filler, but not here, musically Upbeat as you would expect from a Paul Heaton album but contrasted by some downbeat lyrics which speak of a complex relationship with alcohol. It is everything you would expect from the two former members of The Beautiful South really 7.50/10
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Post by Whitneyfan on Oct 22, 2020 19:31:41 GMT 1
I don't think there's a bad song on any of the 4 albums Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott have released together! He just seems to get better and better.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Oct 23, 2020 14:12:39 GMT 1
Yeah I've liked them all too, could almost be a Haven Factor entrant on their own now because they must have over 20 solid songs
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Oct 26, 2020 13:49:54 GMT 1
RED RUM CLUB – The Hollow Of Humdrum
Release Date: October 2, 2020Red Rum Club are a six piece band from Liverpool made up of vocalist Fran Doran, Tom Williams on lead guitar, Michael McDermott on rhythm guitar, Simon Hepworth on bass, Neil Lawson on drums and their famed trumpet player, Joe Corby, they craft catchy songs with western-inspired undertones, their catchy hooks and very distinctive horn section I guess they can be compared to fellow scousers The Zutons. 1. The Elevation 9 2. Kids Addicted 8 3. Vivo 8 4. Ballerino 9 5. Favourite Record 7.5 6. Eleanor 8 7. Dorado 8.5 8. Girl Is A Gun 8.5 9. Brando 7.5 10. Holy Horses 8
SummaryThe Hollow Of Humdrum is chocked full of funky bass lines and excellent trumpet riffs, there is just something so unique about these guys, the vocals feel so familiar and warm, a lot of their songs wouldn't feel out of place in a Western or a Tarantino film and then boom they hit you with a trumpet solo, i loved their debut album "Matador" and this is even better. Speaking on the songs inspiration, Fran Doran said: “I am always the fool that gets up first at a wedding, the ‘ballerino’ is me. The way I see it is that if I’m dancing, then I don’t know what you’re doing sitting there, you should be too. Ultimately, it’s about boys not dancing and that sense of unnecessary, toxic masculinity that stops people expressing themselves. It’s like a Billy Elliot story, just forget what anyone else thinks and dance!” 8.20/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Nov 9, 2020 15:21:59 GMT 1
THE STRUTS - Strange Days
Release Date: October 16, 2020Derby’s finest purveyors of unapologetically retro rock are back with their third album 'Strange Days'. The Struts decided to make the most of lockdown by recording a new album spending ten days coming up with this, the follow up to their 2014 debut Everybody Wants and 2016's Young&Dangerous. The third full-length from the British rock band finds The Struts joining forces with a formidable lineup of guest musicians: Def Leppard's Joe Elliott and Phil Collen, Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes, Tom Morello from Rage Against The Machine, and Robbie Williams. 1. Strange Days (with Robbie Williams) 9.5 2. All Dressed Up (With Nowhere To Go) 7 3. Do You Love Me 7.5 4. I Hate How Much I Want You (with Phil Collen & Joe Elliott of Def Leppard) 9 5. Wild Child (with Tom Morello) 8 6. Cool 7.5 7. Burn It Down 7.5 8. Another Hit Of Showmanship (with Albert Hammond Jr) 8 9. Can't Sleep 8 10. Am I Talking To The Champagne (Or Talking To You) 8SummaryGlam rock revivalists get productive during lockdown for entertaining third album, it opens with a great collaboration between Robbie Williams and The Strut boys about the strange times we live in post lockdown, Do You Love Me is a Kiss cover from their 1976 album Destroyer. Track 4 is another top sing along collaboration, this time with Phil Collen & Joe Elliott of Def Leppard and a that is followed up by bluesy Tom Morello number, the duet with Albert Hammond Jr is another highlight, amazing they recorded this album in 10 days, it is ultimately a fun album recorded during troubled times 8.0/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Nov 15, 2020 17:05:53 GMT 1
I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME - Razzmatazz
Release Date: October 23, 2020Razzmatazz (stylized in all caps; sometimes as RΛZZMΛTΛZZ) is the debut studio album by American musical duo I Dont Know How But They Found Me. Initially a solo effort, Dallon Weekes had been writing and recording songs while on the road with Panic! at the Disco for several years but floated hte idea with drummer Ryan Seaman about being a duo, not long after Seaman would depart his band Falling in Reverse in May 2017, followed by Weekes with Panic! at the Disco in December. The name of the band was inspired by a quote from the movie Back to the Future. 1. Leave Me Alone 9.5 2. Mad IQs 8 3. Nobody Likes The Opening Band 9 4. New Invention 8.5 5. From The Gallows 7 6. Clusterhug 8 7. Sugar Pills 8.5 8. Kiss Goodnight 7.5 9. Lights Go Down 8 10. Need You Here 9 11. Door 6.5 12. Razzmatazz 10
Summary iDKHOW might not be re-inventing the wheel, their sound sits somewhere between 70s electro pop and 80's new wave but they do it well, a band lost in time, their earlier singles were presented as long lost found footage videos that have just seen the light of day, I loved the aesthetic, there isn't a bad song on the album and the saxophone solo on closing track Razzmatazz I love it, I cant overstate how highly i recommend these guys 8.29/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Nov 24, 2020 13:09:12 GMT 1
another big one coming up
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Nov 24, 2020 15:28:57 GMT 1
NOTHING BUT THIEVES - Moral Panic
Release Date: 23 October, 2020Moral Panic is the third studio album by English alternative rock band Nothing but Thieves and peaked at #3 in the UK making it the bands third top 10 album, The album was preceded by five singles: lead single "Is Everybody Going Crazy?", released on 18 March 2020, "Real Love Song", released on 23 June 2020, "Unperson", released on 28 August 2020, "Impossible", released on 14 September 2020, and "Phobia", released on 16 October 2020. I loved their first 2 albums and saw them live back in 2015 so lets give their new album a spin. 1. Unperson 7.5 2. Is Everybody Going Crazy? 10 3. Moral Panic 8 4. Real Love Song 8.5 5. Phobia 7 6. This Feels Like the End 8 7. Free If We Want It 7.5 8. Impossible 10 9. There Was Sun 8 10. Can You Afford to Be An Individual? 9 11. Before We Drift Away 8
SummaryMoral Panic sees the band at their most experimental musically but we still have plenty of their signature melodic hooks and angsty vocals. A with a winning combination of political dissent and raw human emotion, written well before the pandemic even happened but most of Moral Panic feels like it was written for this year. The five piece Indie/Alternative rock band from Southend have come a long way since their debut album 5 years ago. “On the day it debuted on Radio One, I went down High Street near me and just saw people stealing toilet paper and buying bucket-loads of pasta,” recalls frontman Conor Mason. “I remember feeling delirious and dizzy at what was going on around me. It felt like we’d written a song about the previous year and all the lunacy on the planet, but it felt like it didn’t almost belong in that year anymore. It belonged in that week.” Musically brilliant and lyrically stunningly relevant, "Moral Panic" is a must listen to album for any rack fan 8.31/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Nov 26, 2020 15:55:23 GMT 1
MACHINE GUN KELLY - Tickets To My Downfall
Release Date: September 5, 2020Tickets to My Downfall is the fifth studio album by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. A departure from his established rap sound, the album is a more guitar-driven pop punk album. started moving into a rock music direction. In 2019, Machine Gun Kelly appeared in the film The Dirt, a biographic film about the band Mötley Crüe where he played drummer Tommy Lee. The same year, Baker released his fourth studio album, Hotel Diablo, which ended with the track "I Think I'm Okay", a more rock-leaning song collaboration with Yungblud and Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. Machine Gun Kelly, wishing to explore the sound further, booked a day in recording studio to work with Travis Barker, to record what would become the song "Bloody Valentine" after which he asked Travis Barker to set aside two months for them to collaborate on an entire studio album, to which Barker obliged. For much of the rest of the year they would refer to working on the album informally referred to as "the untitled pop punk project". Along with Machine Gun Kelly on vocals and guitar, the entire album would feature Travis Barker on drums and as a producer. 1. title track 7.5 2. kiss kiss 8 3. drunk face 7.5 4. bloody valentine 9.5 5. forget me too (feat. Halsey) 9 6. all I know (feat. Trippie Redd) 7.5 7. lonely 7 8. WWIII 8 9. kevin and barracuda - interlude N/A 10. concert for aliens 9.5 11. my ex's best friend (with blackbear) 8.5 12. jawbreaker 7.5 13. nothing inside (feat. iann dior) 7.5 14. banyan tree - interlude N/A 15. play this when i'm gone 7
SummaryFirst you can really hear the influence Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker has on the record, a lot of these songs could be Blink 182 tracks, the album can get a bit samey but singles " bloody valentine" and "concert for aliens" are excellent and the collaboration with Halsey is pretty special. In 2018 if you were to say to me Machine Gun Kelly would release one of the best pop punk albums of 2020 with Travis Barker from Blink 182 I wouldn't have believed you but here we are, 2020 is the year of surprises but this is one of the better ones. 8.0/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 3, 2020 14:52:35 GMT 1
EELS - Earth To Dora
Release Date: October 30, 2020Earth to Dora is the thirteenth studio album by American indie rock band Eels. Songwriting began with a text message thread to the band's lighting director Dora (namesake of the album) and continued collaboratively with other members of Eels. The album was preceded by the single "Baby Let's Make It Real"/"Who You Say You Are", announced on September 1, 2020 and when Earth to Dora was announced on September 16, Eels made "Are We Alright Again" available as a single. 1. Anything For Boo 7.5 2. Are We Alright Again 8.5 3. Who You Say You Are 7 4. Earth to Dora 7.5 5. Dark and Dramatic 7 6. Are You f***ing Your Ex 7.5 7. The Gentle Souls 8 8. Of Unsent Letters 6.5 9. I Got Hurt 8 10. OK 6.5 11. Baby Let's Make It Real 8.5 12. Waking Up 7
SummaryMusically, this is an album sticks closely to the classic Eels template, Mr E is an articulate and honest song writer, his songs are direct and simple, but are nonetheless impactful. Earth To Dora has some beautiful well-crafted pop songs with the highlights being "Are We Alright Again", "The Gentle Souls", "I Got Hurt" and "Baby Let's Make It Real" so if you don't check the entire album out give them a listen. A solid album that has that familiar Eels feel 7.45/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,505
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Post by TheThorne on Dec 3, 2020 15:25:40 GMT 1
First Eels album I have never bought, own every single one physically think I have more albums of his than anybody else since he was so prolific but this one didn’t grab me at all. Think one track scraped my top 40. By far is worst.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 3, 2020 15:52:09 GMT 1
Yeah its not vintage Eels, there are some good moments though and i enjoyed the singles, they got to #7 and #20 for me, but it was only good enough to be 53rd in my albums of 2020 that I've reviewed so far and I'm planning on getting at least another 10 done this year then I might do a little countdown of my top 50 but Eels will miss the cut
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 8, 2020 15:47:43 GMT 1
RHEA - Lust For Blood
Release Date: October 22, 2020RHEA are a Belgian rock band from Ghent that have opened for the likes of Royal Blood and Wolfmother, hard hitting guitar riffs and crashing drums, they really do sound like a Belgian Royal Blood, they had two big hits in my chart last year in Silver Lines #8 and Baby I'm Sorry #2. More recently they teamed up with Alex Newport (Bloc Party, Frank Turner, The Mars Volta) to record their debut album Lust For Blood. 1. Silver Lines 9 2. Baby I'm Sorry 9.5 3. Stuck In The Middle 8.5 4. Screaming 7 5. If Only 8 6. Under My Skin 7.5 7. Shut Up & Take My Money 6.5 8. Anything To Love You 7 9. Couldn’t Care Less 8.5 10. Eyes On You 7.5
SummaryIf you like Royal Blood you will love these guys, if Royal Blood were a 5 piece rock band from Belgium this would be it, if you haven't already I suggest checking out "Silver Lines", "Baby I'm Sorry", "Stuck In The Middle" and "Couldn’t Care Less", my only criticism is things start to get a bit samey, they have one formula but when it works it produces some bangers 7.90/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 11, 2020 14:07:47 GMT 1
BEABADOOBEE - Fake It Flowers
Release Date: October 16, 2020Ok, now for the one TheThorne has been waiting for, Beatrice Laus known professionally as Beabadoobee released her debut album Fake It Flowers a few weeks ago peaking at #8 in the UK. Beabadoobee has cited Elliott Smith, The Moldy Peaches, Pavement, Mazzy Star, The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel and Daniel Johnston as her musical influences, i have a good idea i will like the album after charting her singles Care #3, Worth It #7, Together #13 Sorry #19 1. Care 10 2. Worth It 9 3. Dye It Red 7.5 4. Back To Mars 6.5 5. Charlie Brown 7.5 6. Emo Song 7.5 7. Sorry 7.5 8. Further Away 7.5 9. Horen Sarrison 7 10. How Was Your Day? 6.5 11. Together 8.5 12. Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene 8.5
SummaryOk this one is a bit more low fi and folky than I expected, good debut album, starts amazingly with two excellent tracks in Care and Worth It and ends with two more very good songs, the middle of hte record is a bit too low fi, folky bedroom pop for me though. Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Khalid, Jaden Smith and Matty Healy of The 1975 have each expressed their admiration for Beabadoobee and it will be intertesting to see where she goes from here after a solid debut album 7.79/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,505
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Post by TheThorne on Dec 11, 2020 14:37:47 GMT 1
I do agree about the bedroom pop, I'm not the biggest fan of those songs but when she rocks shes awesome and totally agree on the worst track, don't know why it was a grat.
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 11, 2020 15:02:57 GMT 1
Yeah, as you can see I loved the rockier ones, I hope she goes more in that direction from now on too
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 11, 2020 17:45:07 GMT 1
RADKEY - Green Room
Release Date: November 27, 2020Punk-rock trio Radkey, are made up of three brothers Dee, Isaiah and Solomon Radke and have been going strong for a decade now. After releasing two EPs and three albums, Radkey are back with their fourth full-length effort, which they are releasing independently via their own Little Man Records. Green Room was released digitally on November 27th, while a Kickstarter campaign will be launched to help facilitate a physical release (which they smashed in the first 3 days of that going live). I own their 2016 release Delicious Rock Noise on vinyl and they have had 3 top 3 songs so far in 2020 in my personal chart with Seize, Bend and Portraits so this one could be huge 1. Seize 10 2. Two-Face 8.5 3. Bend 9 4. Real Deal 7.5 5. Portraits 9 6. Judy 7.5 7. Underground 8.5 8. Suffer 7 9. Roshambo 8.5 10. Stains 7.5 11. Ain't No Sunshine 7.5SummaryYeah loved this one, Seize is a banger, Two Faced, Bend, Roshambo and Portraits are brilliant and there isn't really a bad song on the album. Radkey always give me Ramones vibes, there is nobody else quite like them in 2020, it is straight forward radio friendly punk but I love it, they usually throw in a cover to close their albums and this time its a punked up tribute to the late Bill Withers. In March of this year, the Foo Fighters announced the DC Jam Lineup for 2020. Radkey, among other big artists such as The Go-Gos, Band of Horses, Pharrell Williams and more were on the bill for the festival. However, due to coronavirus, the Foo Fighters announced in late April that DC Jam Lineup would be canceled for this year and postponed to a later date which is a shame because that could've really helped push Radkey into the public eye. 8.22/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 12, 2020 14:16:24 GMT 1
Little teaser for my next review, they've had 19 hits in my personal chart with 2 more in my current chart
I Love You, Will You Marry Me #2 Tin Pan Boy #3 Polygraph Eyes #3 21st Century Liability #13 Psychotic Kids #15 California #22 Medication #39 Kill Somebody #87 Loner #20 11 Minutes #34 Parents #27 Time In A Bottle #57 Hope For The Underrated Youth #25 Braindead! #49 Tongue Tied #28 Weird! #24 Strawberry Lipstick #10 God save me, but don't drown me out #63 Cotton Candy #52
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