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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 2, 2021 12:46:40 GMT 1
BEAST IN BLACK - Dark Connection
Release Date: October 29th, 2021Next up we have a Finnish-Greek-Hungarian heavy metal band that was founded in 2015 in Helsinki by guitarist and songwriter Anton Kabanen (ex Battle Beast), they merge power metal with 80s post-disco/synth pop with heavy sci fi themes and its amazing. On their website the band describe their new album as... "Enter cyberpunk. Flying cars, sprawling metropolis, valleys of neon lights, emotionless killers, gynoids, femmes fatales, shadowy characters, lethal lust, forbidden passion, love larger than life, space travel... All this and much more is what 'Dark Connection' holds within. Such cyberpunk animes as Armitage III, Cyber City Oedo 808, AD Police, Battle Angel Alita and Bubblegum Crisis have essentially served as sources of inspiration, as well as the immortal classic film by Ridley Scott; Blade Runner. And as always, a Beast In Black album wouldn't be a Beast In Black album without a heavy impact of Berserk, the manga and anime creation of Kentaro Miura. Sadly, the beloved author passed away while we were still making this album. Thus, 'Dark Connection' is dedicated to Kentaro Miura." 1. Blade Runner 7.5 2. Bella Donna 7.5 3. Highway To Mars 8 4. Hardcore 8.5 5. One Night In Tokyo 9.5 6. Moonlight Rendezvous 10 7. Revengeance Machine 7 8. Dark New World 8 9. To The Last Drop Of Blood 7.5 10. Broken Survivors 8.5 11. My Dystopia 8 12. Battle Hymn 7.5 13. They Don’t Care About Us 8
SummaryWhat better way to start a futuristic dystopian concept album than with a song called "Blade Runner", there is certainly a strong sci fi theme running throughout "Dark Connection" along with plenty of 80s synths. "Highway To Mars Sounds" like Another Rainy Night by Queensryche, also I love the imagery of a future where we have a highway to Mars especially at the start when a stewardess makes an announcement about approaching their final destination, the largest city on on Mars, lyrical a homage to Total Recall? they cram so much sci fi into this album, next is third single "Hardcore", having seen the video it seems to be about falling for a masochistic virtual reality sex robot ha, make sure your alone if you check the video out. One of my favourites next, an out and out techno infused synthpop banger "One Night In Tokyo", their sound is hard to describe but basically they mash up Children of The Night, ABBA and the Mortal Kombat film soundtrack together, which brings us to for me one of hte best songs of the year "Moonlight Rendezvous" about human looking robots hunting older models in some dystopian Blade Runner style future, "Half-dead in the wasteland of steel and cement, like a failed experiment, hunted by a sunless city that never sleeps, neon reapers rake the streets. Dreaming of a past I may have never had, everything was false and planned, aching, just a wind-up toy designed to feel but the tears are real. I'm a phantom of flesh and fantasy, a machine with a soul in agony, is there anything left to save of me?". Highlight of the album tight here, sadly after that nothing can really compare, but we have metal bangers such as “Dark New World” and “To The Last Drop Of Blood” with their 80s rock hooks which makes a change from the synth led songs. "Broken Survivors" has one of the best choruses on the album. The album then ends with three slower songs, the ballad like "My Dystopia" and two covers, first by Monowar and then to end the album Michael Jackson’s "They Don’t Care About Us" gets the "Beast In Black" treatment. It’s silly, but it works. 8.11/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 5, 2021 14:53:10 GMT 1
THE VACCINES - Back In Love City
Release Date: September 10, 2021The Vaccines have said Back in Love City is a concept album of sorts, with the songs meant to invoke the titular metropolis as a destination for good vibes and escape from the chaos. Frontman Justin Young said the record is inspired by his experiences of a house swap in Los Angeles as well as Ridley Scott’s futuristic interpretation of the same city in Blade Runner. The album was released on 10 September 2021 through AWAL via Sony Music. Five singles, "Headphones Baby", the title track, "Alone Star", "El Paso" and "Jump Off the Top" have been released ahead of the album which peaked at #5 in the UK 1. Back In Love City 10 2. Alone Star 8.5 3. Headphones Baby 8.5 4. Wanderlust 9 5. Paranormal Romance 8.5 6. El Paso 7.5 7. Jump Off The Top 9 8. XCT 8 9. Bandit 8 10. Peoples Republic Of Desire 7.5 11. Savage 7 12. Heart Land 7 13. Pink Water Pistols 8
SummaryTitle track "Back In Love City" is up there with the best songs The Vaccines have ever done, with a great 80's sound, "Alone Star" reminds me of the theme tune for kids cartoon Special Agent Oso, especially the intro ha, i keep expecting them to sing "special alert, special alert". "Headphones Baby" was another great poppy single, I enjoyed all 5 singles from this album actually, a decade has passed since The Vaccines released their iconic debut LP "What Did You Expect from The Vaccines?" since then they have grown into a great band, releasing four top 5 albums including #1 record Come of Age but I'm really enjoying their more mature song of "Back In Love City" (and their last album "Combat Sports"). At times this album crosses into Red Rum Club's territory by channelling 'Tarantinoesque' wild spaghetti western vibes with the help of a horn section and a slightly Latin flavour especially with "Wanderlust" and "Paranormal Romance". Two more singles "El Paso" and the surf rockish "Jump Off The Top" complete a banging first half of the album, the second half of this album has a lot to live up to which starts well with acronyms aplenty in the lyrics of "XTC" and a huge riffs in "Bandit" and "Peoples Republic of Desire". The album does lose a bit of steam towards the end but slow tempo closing track "Pink Water Pistols" wraps this visit to Love City up nicely and if you don't want to return to Love City you need to rethink your priorities. 8.19/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 6, 2021 22:29:47 GMT 1
ONLY SUN - Tangled Mind
Release Date: May 21, 2021Speaking about the album, Only Sun said: “Tangled mind is an album built around the concept of mental wellbeing. Written over the course of a pretty eclectic year of our mental health, it tracks the subject through swings of dark paranoia and self doubt, through to pure bliss, hope and trust. The High Wycombe indie poppers have always pushed the boundaries, constantly evolving. Beginning as a typical secondary school group of friends, the band have now been together for over 10 years, constantly searching for ways to push their ever-modulating sound, 2018 saw them release a new song every month culminating in the huge anthem NHS70, a song celebrating 70 years of the NHS. 2019 and 2020 saw a few singles building towards their debut album "Tangled Mind" released earlier this year 1. The Switch 8 2. Weird Wins 7.5 3. Thinking Of You 8 4. Throwaway 7 5. Conspiracy 9 6. Hyenas (Tangled Mind) 7 7. Switch Off, Fall Off 9 8. Bad Decisions 8 9. Extraordinary 8 10. Penny Drop 8 11. Wishing You Well 7 12. Surely No Way Back 7.5 13. Time 7.5SummaryOn their debut album Only Sun have recorded a fine album based around the concept of mental wellbeing, the songs represent a snapshot of real-life, opening up about struggles like paranoia, mental health, drug abuse and fighting against toxic masculinity. Musically their main influences are clearly the early ‘00s indie rock bands, so totally my kind of thing, despite the rather solemn topics the music is catchy and laden with hooks and synths with "Conspiracy" and "Switch Off, Fall Off" being two fine examples of the bands sound, indie bangers while having vulnerability at the very core. I enjoyed this one, its been a long time coming and it took me a while to get round to reviewing this one but glad I did, they really can craft a great pop tune 7.80/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 7, 2021 14:03:05 GMT 1
THE DEAD DEADS - Tell Your Girls It's Alright
Release Date: August 20, 2021The Dead Deads are an all female Nashville-based power trio that combines elements of alt rock, grunge, punk rock and metal, they are such an interesting band, I'm one track into the album and we have sweet harmonies, grunge riffs and guttural growls of "feed my sea beast". The Dead Deads have established themselves as a live act not to be missed, performing on more than a dozen U.S. tours, two Canadian tours with Seether, Bush, Chevelle and Stone Sour. To date, the trio has released a live album, two studio albums, and a split 7-inch single. Whilst on tour with Stone Sour they persuaded iconic Slipknot and Stone Sour vocalist Corey Taylor to co-write and feature on their new album. Taylor himself spoke about the track and working with the band during an interview with Matt Pinfield. He says, “I got turned on to (The Dead Deads) by their album For Your Obliteration… which is such a great album and is some of the best songwriting I’ve heard in years. We had the chance to have them on some Stone Sour shows, and me and Tish hit it off as songwriters. She said, ‘I’ve got this idea for a follow-up to ‘Murder Ballad,’ which was essentially ‘Murder Ballad II.’ Through video, we went back and forth, building this song and working it out. It became something really really cool.” I already charted "In For Blood" and "Deal With Me" along with their collaboration with IRONTOM earlier this year so I have an idea what this album might sound like 1. Sea Beast 8.5 2. Thinkers And Preyers 8 3. First Tooth 8.5 4. Hey Girlfriend (feat. Julia Lauren of The Foxies) 9 5. Dead Inside 7 6. Murder Ballad II, (feat. Corey Taylor) 9 7. Wait And See 7.5 8. In For Blood 8 9. Murder Reprise 8 10. Deal With Me 8.5 11. Out Of The Sky 7.5 12. Cure For Life 8.5SummaryThe Dead Deads take metal and grunge riffs and fashion them into pop hooks, add them to dynamic vocals that range from sweet melodies and harmonies to screams and even the occasional growl. I can't express how great this album sounds, big grungy guitar riffs? Check. Sugar sweet harmonic vocals? Check, guttural growls? Check, accordion backing tracks? Check, excellent colabs with Corey Taylor and Julia Lauren? Check. A campy musical theatre-esque interlude? Check. This album has everything and at times is wonderfully dark especially on the brooding "Murder Ballad II" featuring Corey Taylor, a clear album highlight. When everyone from the Slipknot frontman to Paul Stanley and Lzzy Hale are singing your praises you know your on the right track. Other highlights include banging opening track "Sea Beast", once you hear this you know what your in for, the collaboration with Julia Lauren of The Foxies is another highlight 8.16/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 9, 2021 21:50:35 GMT 1
SAM FENDER - Seventeen Going Under
Release Date: October 8, 2021The North Shields singer-songwriter is back with new album "Seventeen Going Under", this is his second #1 album. Speaking to Radio X's John Kennedy about the track and the album as a whole, Fender said: "I did a bit of therapy. That's what made it happen. I did a bit of therapy and you know, they make you chat about being a kid and all that. And there's a lot of things that you kind of pass off as insignificant moments of your life that turn out to be quite poignant things that happen and how it it affects and shapes your character when you get older..."So I guess that was the backdrop of lockdown. I was talking about that stuff and it was always rattling... it was in the corner of my brain and that's where all the material came from. I was just writing about what I was thinking about at the time." He added: "I thought I'd write about the stuff that was relatable that I could hear being shouted back in an arena, you know? And the stuff that would be uplifting for people as well..." 1. Seventeen Going Under 10 2. Getting Started 8 3. Aye 7.5 4. Get You Down 9 5. Long Way Off 8 6. Spit Of You 8.5 7. Last To Make It Home 8 8. The Leveller 7.5 9. Mantra 8 10. Paradigms 8 11. The Dying Light 9
Summary"Seventeen Going Under" is a deeply personal and emotive record with a juxtaposition between vibrant music and the somber lyrics, the one thing you get with Sam Fender is genuine, honest, well crafted lyrics. Speaking on the album, Fender said: “This album is a coming of age story. It’s about growing up. It’s a celebration of life after hardship, and it’s a celebration of surviving.” Last week his song "Seventeen Going Under" which came out in July just peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart on the 3rd December due to a Tiktok trend of users sharing their messages of abuse and mistreatment to lyrics from his song. Along with the deep lyrics there is plenty of great tunes to go along with them, I love the outro for closing track "The Dying Light", maybe not the big hits of his debut album but certainly a more mature sound here. "Seventeen Going Under’" carries on down the same path he set off on with "Hypersonic Missiles" but with some nice refined touches 8.31/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 14, 2021 23:04:09 GMT 1
BADFLOWER - This Is How The World Ends
Release Date: September 24, 2021Badflower are an American rock band founded in Los Angeles, California. The band is composed of singer/guitarist Josh Katz, lead guitarist Joey Morrow, bass guitarist Alex Espiritu and drummer Anthony Sonetti. Their debut studio album, OK, I'm Sick, was released on February 22, 2019 to some critical acclaim, their lyrics often include hard to talk about subjects and the struggles of real life. On July 6, 2021, the band announced their second album, titled This Is How the World Ends. The singles "Family", "Don't Hate Me", "Fukboi", and "Johnny Wants To Fight" were released in that order leading up to the album's release on September 24 1. Adolescent Love 7.5 2. Fukboi 8.5 3. Family 8 4. Johnny Wants To Fight 8.5 5. Stalker 8 6. Everyone's an Asshole 9 7. She Knows 8.5 8. Only Love 7 9. Sasshole 8 10. Don't Hate Me 9.5 11. Tethered 9 12. Machine Gun 7.5 13. My Funeral 8.5
Summary"Adolescent Love" sets you up for a slightly less traditional rock album, starting with a mellow slow burner, from there we have a rollercoaster of soft song, hard song which i don't mind, they have taken the quiet, loud thing and ran with it. Singles "Fukboi", "Family" and Johnny Wants To Fight" are all great, themes of taking your family for granted, treating them badly and complicated relationships run through the album but stand out track has to be "Everyone's an Asshole" which dissects the problems with modern society from political division to everyone's general a lack of empathy and "Don't Hate Me" about hating yourself and not wanting a loved one to hate you as much as you hate yourself, the one thing you get with a Badflower album is real themes and meaningful lyrics. Another great song here is "Tethered", a narrated social commentary that touches on how hard it is being a woman in today’s world if you meet the wrong people and find yourself trapped, not everyone has your best interests at heart. Overall, this album shares many themes that are personal and dark, but sometimes it’s exactly what people need to feel their own situation is normal. With songs such as "Tethered" and "My Funeral" it makes people dealing with those issues heard and these situations on "This Is How The World Ends" is an unfiltered social commentary on growing up in 2021, in a world divided and broken 8.26/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 22, 2021 23:41:53 GMT 1
RISE AGAINST - Nowhere Generation
Release Date: June 4, 2021
The ninth full-length studio release for the Chicago punk band. Following the album's announcement in March 2021, the band outlined the themes and messaging behind the record in a press release, stating that "today there is the promise of the American Dream, and then there is the reality of the American Dream. America’s ‘historical norm’ that the next generation will be better off than the one that came before has been diminished by an era of mass social, economic and political instability and a sell-out of the middle class. The brass ring that was promised by hard work and dedication no longer exists for everyone. When the privileged climb the ladder of success and then burn it from the top, disruption becomes the only answer.” Receiving generally positive reviews upon release, with Metacritic awarding the album an aggregated score of 74 out of 100 and Wall of Sound scoring the album 9/10, stating that the band's "goal of riling people up, and making them realise the inequality of the world in which we live in, has been achieved" 1. The Numbers 8 2. Sudden Urge 7.5 3. Nowhere Generation 9 4. Talking To Ourselves 8 5. Broken Dreams, Inc. 7.5 6. Forfeit 7 7. Monarch 7.5 8. Sounds Like 7 9. Sooner Or later 7.5 10. Middle Of A Dream 7 11. Rules Of Play 8
Summary Rise Against are the spiritual decedents of Anti Flag and Bad Religion with their straight talking, Socially-conscious punk rock songs, it's been 20 years since Rise Against dropped their debut album "The Unraveling" and these guys rock especially on album title track "Nowhere Generation". Amongst the at times frantic punk rock we have well-executed production, energy, hooks and plenty of socially-relevant themes. The over arching theme of "Nowhere Generation" is dedicated to examining the plight of the younger generation as they face increasingly challenging circumstances, living through various crises and recessions, only to be labelled as entitled confused snowflakes 7.63/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 23, 2021 0:25:50 GMT 1
CREYE - II
Release Date: January 22, 2021This Swedish band started in May 2015, by Andreas Gullstrand, after releasing the critically acclaimed EP “Straight To The Top” in early 2017, the band signed a record deal with Frontiers music and released their self-titled debut album in October 2018. After announcing that August Rauer would be the new frontman for the band in late 2018, Creye spent the majority of 2019 touring in Sweden and Europe. With their new line up 2021 saw the release of their second album "II", I'm not sure how i missed these guys, pretty obscure band I know but this is the kind of AOR I love so much so I'm giving this one a play even though it came out in January 1. Broken Highway 9 2. Carry On 8.5 3. Find A Reason 8.5 4. Siberia 8 5. Face To Face 9.5 6. Can’t Stop What We Started 7.5 7. Lost Without You 8 8. Hold Back The Night 8.5 9. Let The World Know 8 10. Closer 7.5 11. The Greatest 8.5 12. War Of Love 7.5
SummaryCreye have a slick melodic rock sound with a touch of 80's retro going on, classic AOR, opening track “Broken Highway” starts the album off with classic AOR keys and vocal harmonies before "Carry On" takes things up a level with chunky chords and a big chorus, "Siberia" is a bit Eurovision but that's not necessarily a bad thing when done right. That brings us to album highlight for me "Face To Face" with it's pure mix of American radio rock on the surface with an underlying hint of city pop culminating in a terrific guitar solo from Gullstrand and nice key change, the first half of the album is fantastic and totally something TheThorne would like, "Lost Without You" is a slower song, the kind that would be a #1 hit if it was by Ed Sheeran, in fact it is very Ed Sheeran actually. "Hold Back The Night" wins the award for most AOR sounding song title, the song is a bit darker with a big chorus and a nice synth solo and customary hey's, The quality on display holds up pretty well towards the end of the album with plenty of good tunes to be found as we go deeper into the album with incredibly cheesy "The Greatest" with lyrics like “Someday, somehow we’ll be the greatest”, but they pull it off, they hit all the right notes to make a great AOR record in 2021, this one is a pure joy to listen to from start to finish, it even goes close to being my album of 2021! 8.25/10
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TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,534
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Post by TheThorne on Dec 23, 2021 13:44:02 GMT 1
CREYE - II
Release Date: January 22, 2021This Swedish band started in May 2015, by Andreas Gullstrand, after releasing the critically acclaimed EP “Straight To The Top” in early 2017, the band signed a record deal with Frontiers music and released their self-titled debut album in October 2018. After announcing that August Rauer would be the new frontman for the band in late 2018, Creye spent the majority of 2019 touring in Sweden and Europe. With their new line up 2021 saw the release of their second album "II", I'm not sure how i missed these guys, pretty obscure band I know but this is the kind of AOR I love so much so I'm giving this one a play even though it came out in January 1. Broken Highway 9 2. Carry On 8.5 3. Find A Reason 8.5 4. Siberia 8 5. Face To Face 9.5 6. Can’t Stop What We Started 7.5 7. Lost Without You 8 8. Hold Back The Night 8.5 9. Let The World Know 8 10. Closer 7.5 11. The Greatest 8.5 12. War Of Love 7.5
SummaryCreye have a slick melodic rock sound with a touch of 80's retro going on, classic AOR, opening track “Broken Highway” starts the album off with classic AOR keys and vocal harmonies before "Carry On" takes things up a level with chunky chords and a big chorus, "Siberia" is a bit Eurovision but that's not necessarily a bad thing when done right. That brings us to album highlight for me "Face To Face" with it's pure mix of American radio rock on the surface with an underlying hint of city pop culminating in a terrific guitar solo from Gullstrand and nice key change, the first half of the album is fantastic and totally something TheThorne would like, "Lost Without You" is a slower song, the kind that would be a #1 hit if it was by Ed Sheeran, in fact it is very Ed Sheeran actually. "Hold Back The Night" wins the award for most AOR sounding song title, the song is a bit darker with a big chorus and a nice synth solo and customary hey's, The quality on display holds up pretty well towards the end of the album with plenty of good tunes to be found as we go deeper into the album with incredibly cheesy "The Greatest" with lyrics like “Someday, somehow we’ll be the greatest”, but they pull it off, they hit all the right notes to make a great AOR record in 2021, this one is a pure joy to listen to from start to finish, it even goes close to being my album of 2021! 8.25/10 Just listened its very good but a little bit soulless and by numbers, with AOR you need something to hook you in, its usually is one very magical song, a certain breakdown or the video which can bring AOR alive. Whats the word Id use 'earnest' but not really enough emotion, you get what I mean but must admit I love 'Let The World Know' is it a single going to check out YouTube. Now if you heard that over a big moment in a movie, it would be something Its very Rocky! And yes 'Face To Face' is really good as well reminds me of Richard Marx in sound not vocally.
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Post by Mic1812 on Dec 23, 2021 20:29:59 GMT 1
Creye i and Creye ii are cracking albums. Love it love it love it
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 23, 2021 21:11:57 GMT 1
It is marvellous what you can randomly find on spotify!
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Dec 30, 2021 22:40:08 GMT 1
WOLF ALICE - Blue Weekend
Release Date: June 4, 2021Blue Weekend is the third studio album by English alternative rock band Wolf Alice, released on 4 June 2021 through Dirty Hit. Blue Weekend was preceded by four singles—"The Last Man on Earth", "Smile", "No Hard Feelings" and "How Can I Make It OK?". The album received widespread acclaim from music critics, with many naming it the band's best work, and was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize in 2021. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating of 100, the album received an average score of 91, based on 19 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", ranking it as the fifth highest-rated album of 2021. Going to be honest I have put this one off just in case I give it a below average review and get chased off Haven by the Wolf Alice fan club hehe I have loved two of the singles and thought the other two were ok so that's where I start with this one but i have heard they hop between folk, garage rock and shoegaze which sounds interesting, I'm generally less of a fan of their slower songs. 1. The Beach 8.5 2. Delicious Things 7 3. Lipstick On The Glass 8 4. Smile 10 5. Safe From Heartbreak (if you never fall in love) 8 6. How Can Make It OK? 8 7. Play The Greatest Hits 7.5 8. Feeling Myself 7 9. The Last Man on Earth 9 10. No Hard Feelings 7.5 11. The Beach II 7SummaryI love how "The Beach" builds into a crescendo of noise, big thumbs up from me there, "Delicious Things" is the most Wolf Alice song I've ever heard though flipping from weird whispery ASMR to indie pop banger and back again, I'm not sure what to make of this one, I had to turn my volume up, "Lipstick On The Glass" is better even though it is still a bit whispery. "Smile" was the highlight of the singles for me and so far stands out with its fuzzy guitars, love Wolf Alice when they get a bit heavier but "Safe From Heartbreak" ticks the right boxes too, it's a bit folkey with a 90s/early 00s feel. We have a few decent singles mixed in the middle of the album with "How Can Make It OK?" and later on "The Last Man on Earth", there are certainly some good songs here but some of the melodies are a bit forgettable which is always a risk when loading an album full of slower, low tempo songs with whispery vocals but I did like that they are exploring similar but clearly distinct genres to mine what i think are their best songs on "Blue Weekend", i mean play "The Beach", "Smile", "Safe From Heartbreak" and "The Last Man on Earth" back to back and you would struggle to pin them to a genre, all very good songs but for me overall I think I will be filing this one in good, not great 7.95/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 3, 2022 14:54:34 GMT 1
VISTAS - What Were You Hoping to Find?
Release Date: August 20, 2021The Edinburgh band are almost like a throwback to British indie music from the mid 2000s, unashamedly the poppier end of indie pop, 2020 saw them release the perfect festival album in "Everything Changes in the End" (which i reviewed at the time 7.87/10), only for all the festivals to be cancelled, they wasted no time releasing their follow up album though "What Were You Hoping To Find?" and that is where we start today as I try and catch up with a few albums, the good news is quite a few of them I have already listened too, I just never got round to writing them up 1. What Were You Hoping To Find? 8 2. Start Again 9.5 3. Dayglow 8.5 4. Young Forever 8 5. Stuck In Your Head 9 6. Brand New 8 7. Feels Like Falling 7.5 8. Upside 8 9. This Information 7.5 10. Tied Up 7.5 11. Some Are Not Meant To Belong 6.5 12. The Love You Leave Behind 7.5
SummaryFrontman Prentice Robertson said of the record: “It’s incredibly clichéd to call album two “the difficult second album” but I think that description really does ring true. When I sat down at the start of 2020 to try and write some new music there was so much uncertainty in my life. Our first record wasn’t released yet and I didn’t know how that would be received or where we would end up once it was out. As 2020 progressed it would be safe to say that this sense of uncertainty grew (for obvious reasons) and I think this is where the second album came from. “Looking for some kind of answer is the common thread that runs through this album. On our debut, we focused on the transition from our teenage years into adulthood and on this album we asked the question: “now that you’re here, what it is that you want?”. All the tracks on this record look at something where uncertainty plays a large role and we felt the title ‘What Were You Hoping to Find?’ summed up the sentiment of the album as a whole. We ask a lot of questions across this album and I think it has helped us to answer them for ourselves.” The album certainly shows both growth and consistency by Vistas, there isn't a bad song here and some of my favourite Vistas moment feature here from "Start Again" that was a #5 hit in my personal chart to the excellent "Stuck In Your Head", "What Were You Hoping to Find?" is a great follow up to their debut album, the only downside is repetition 7.95/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 10, 2022 17:08:59 GMT 1
THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA - Aeromantic II
Release Date: September 3, 20212020 saw the Swedish AOR band from Helsingborg release their fifth album Aeromantic (8.12) which was packed full of great classic rock, since then the band have recruited keyboard player John Lönnmayr for "Aeromantic II" in order to find the last ingredient to perfect their “Miami Vice Goes Disco”. The music of The Night Flight Orchestra is mostly referred to as classic rock or AOR, or more rarely as hard rock which seeks to emulate music from the 1970s and 1980s. According to Matthias Weckmann from the German Metal Hammer magazine "the band delivers everything that one loves and loved about bands like Journey, Foreigner and Survivor". 1. Violent Indigo 8 2. Midnight Marvelous 7.5 3. How Long 8 4. Burn For Me 9 5. Chardonnay Nights 8.5 6. Change 9.5 7. Amber Through A Window 8 8. I Will Try 8.5 9. You Belong To The Night 8 10. Zodiac 8 11. White Jeans 9.5 12. Moonlit Skies 7.5 13. Reach Out 8
SummaryIf you enjoy AOR you can just skip the analysis and go buy the record because you will love this. If you hate AOR then this will be like Chinese Water Torture because "Aeromantic II" is a pure homage to the classic rock of the 70s and 80s, I love the term “Miami Vice Goes Disco”, It sums them up perfectly as a band and gives you an idea of their sound. I already knew singles "Burn For Me", Chardonnay Nights", "Change" and "White Jeans" were all glorious slices of AOR but highlight of the album tracks has to be "I Will Try", you know what its hard to pick a favourite, almost every song could be on the GTA: Vice City soundtrack. Much more keyboard driven than its predecessor, with memorable melodies and big choruses and to round things off as a bonus we get a cover of Cheap Trick’s “Reach Out” from the Heavy Metal motion picture soundtrack. 8.30/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 21, 2022 14:44:21 GMT 1
DAUGHTRY – Dearly BelovedRelease Date: September 17, 2021Now I have my best of 2021 singles completed and Time Machine 70s out of the way I think I will try and use that free time to get these few straggler album ratings up because some of these were big! So starting with a comeback from out of nowhere! As far as I know Daughtry had a #11 hit in 2008, vanished off my radar and then came back into my world at least with the two singles from this new album "Heavy Is The Crown" and "Changes Are Coming" that charted #203 and #45 in my songs of 2021 countdown. The band was formed shortly after Chris Daughtry came 4th in American Idol, naming it after himself, I don't think anyone took them seriously? I certainly have been sleeping on them 1. Desperation 7.5 2. World On Fire 8.5 3. Heavy Is The Crown 9 4. Changes Are Coming 10 5. Dearly Beloved 8 6. Cry For Help 7.5 7. Asylum 8 8. Evil 7.5 9. The Victim 8 10. Somebody 7.5 11. Call You Mine 7 12. Lioness 7.5 13. Break Into My Heart 7
SummaryGoing to keep this short (ish), "Dearly Beloved" is quite frankly a rock album I didn't think Daughtry had in them as a band formed after Chris Daughtry was on American Idol, then he names the band after himself, despite selling over 9 million albums and over 25.6 million digital tracks in the U.S they have never been taken seriously over here in the UK. But on "Dearly Beloved" the song writing is great, the vocals are powerful and the production is outstanding, this is just a brilliant post grunge record. A lot of the lyrical themes hint at calling for an uprising against the unfair norms of society, love, loss, the usual stuff but very politically on point for our times, my favourite track "Changes Are Coming" wouldn't be out of place as an encore for a "Nothing But Thieves" set, brilliant stuff but then this is right up my street 7.92/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 21, 2022 15:07:44 GMT 1
THE HONEST HEART COLLECTIVE - More Harm
Release Date: October 8, 2021Canadian four-piece rock band The Honest Heart Collective have just released their third studio album "More Harm", it is only 7 tracks long though so not a lotto get stuck into, is 7 tracks technically an album? Anyway, I know and love three of these tracks already with "I Heard You're Worried About Me" and "If You Wanna Leave" both making my top 50 songs of the year. The bands sound sits somewhere between The Gaslight Anthem and the Menzingers, proper American heartland rock 1. I Heard You're Worried About Me 9 2. Linework 8 3. 11/17 9 4. If You Wanna Leave 9.5 5. Fine. 8 6. Funeral 7 7. No More 7.5
SummaryWhilst this is only a short one it is a record that covers a lot of topics like mental health, fading friendships and relationships gone wrong. The first five songs on the record are pure boot tapping heartland rock (think of the E Street Band or Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) but with the folk punk attitude of Gaslight Anthem and the Menzingers whilst the last two songs are more Ryan Adams acoustic at his most sombre, alt country moments, both styles of music here are complete with confessional lyrics as standard but I prefer the a rousing heartland rock of the first 2/3rds of the album, its only a short album but as Sum 41 would say its all killer and no filler 8.28/10
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Roo.
Member
Posts: 17,866
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Post by Roo. on Jan 21, 2022 21:01:02 GMT 1
Daughtry are great! They were on my 100 most listened quiz (did I ever give away the final answers?) and their first album is brilliant. I lost track of them around the third one, I need to catch up on these new ones!
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 21, 2022 21:18:37 GMT 1
Daughtry are great! They were on my 100 most listened quiz (did I ever give away the final answers?) and their first album is brilliant. I lost track of them around the third one, I need to catch up on these new ones! I think you had a few left to name, think we all got stuck, i definitely recommend giving this album a listen though
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 24, 2022 18:15:40 GMT 1
THE LATHUMS - How Beautiful Life Can Be
Release Date: September 24, 2021The Lathums are an English indie band from Wigan, they formed in April 2018, having met at The Music College in the local district of Pemberton, after their tutor placed them in the same project group, and within a year they signed with Island Records. They released their debut album, How Beautiful Life Can Be, on 24 September 2021 which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart! I have been following these guys since their "Fight On" EP, so I know 7 of these songs already so I'm looking forward to this one, it has a real chance of being up there for my album of 2021 1. Circles Of Faith 8.5 2. I'll Get By 8.5 3. Fight On 8 4. How Beautiful Life Can Be 10 5. The Great Escape 8 6. I Won't Lie 9 7. I See Your Ghost 8.5 8. Oh My Love 8.5 9. I'll Never Forget The Time I Spent With You 7 10. I Know That Much 8 11. Artificial Screens 8 12. The Redemption Of Sonic Beauty 7.5
SummaryThe Lathums debut album "How Beautiful Life Can Be" certainly doesn't disappoint, the whole album is a throwback to when indie pop dominated the charts in the mid 00's, this blends musically the acoustic indie of The Kooks with the more whimsical story telling and melancholy of some of the best bands of the 80's and 90s, I do like a band that doesn't try and hide their regional accents, I still think title track "How Beautiful Life Can Be" is the real jewel in the crown here, definitely an album worth checking out if you haven't already 8.29/10
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Post by Razzle Dazzle on Jan 26, 2022 15:43:08 GMT 1
WE ARE SCIENTISTS - Huffy
Release Date: October 8th, 2022We Are Scientists are a prolific American indie rock band that in formed in 2000 consisting primarily of guitarist and vocalist Keith Murray and bass guitarist Chris Cain, with drummer Keith Carne joining the band in the studio and for live performances since 2013. The band have released seven studio albums, not including their early release Safety, Fun, and Learning (In That Order), which the band have gone on to describe as more of a rough draft, than a proper album. The band's breakthrough success came with their debut studio album, With Love and Squalor, which sold 100,000 copies in the first six months. This was followed by the releases of Brain Thrust Mastery in 2008, Barbara in 2010, TV en Français in 2014, Helter Seltzer in 2016 and Megaplex in 2018 and now Huffy 2021. As well as music, Keith and Chris are known for their comedy, often injecting humour into their interviews, press-releases and off-the-cuff jokes at their live shows. Physical copies of the album will come complete with customisable artwork, sticker sheets and a blank wall on which fans can customise the artwork themselves. 1.You’ve Lost Your sh*t 92. Contact High 8.53. Handshake Agreement 84. I Cut My Own Hair 105. Just Education 86. Sentimental Education 7.57. Fault Lines 8.58. Pandemonium 8.59. Bought Myself A Grave 710. Behavior Unbecoming 7.5SummaryOk lets start with the first single from the album released early in 2020, "I Cut My Own Hair", the song and video are just "We Are Scientists" at their best, fun, quirky, guitar driven indie pop by two guys that don't take themselves too seriously, check out the video for that single if you haven't already. The band continue their streak of solidly good records after a dip around Barbara/TV en Français they have released 3 solid albums in a row now. "Huffy" had five solid singles released before the album came out spread over a good year and a half so if your a fan there are only 5 new tracks to and I have to say the quality of album tracks are quite high which isn't something older "We Are Scientists" albums are known for. So overall a very good album, very consistent, no filler, some vintage "We Are Scientists" songs and some great album artwork 8.25/10
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