Recent Albums to Check Out (2020) - 3

This is batch 3 of the posts that I make for noting some of the great albums which came out in current year of 2020, and usually touch upon 3-4 albums which have been added to my library this year.

Pyrrhon - Abscess Time

Genre: Extreme Metal, Technical Death Metal, Avant Garde Metal

Release Date: June 26, 2020

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Pyrrhon probably is one of most interesting but really hard to get into acts in extreme metal right now, with two stellar albums before this release where they seamlessly blend Technical Death Metal Hardcore and Noise into their hard sound with very philosophical lyrics bordering on pretentious how can they top it. I am pleased to say this is Pyrrhon's best work yet, the noise and drone elements are explored more with some obvious early Swans influences going on, this allows Pyrrhon to explore with the idea of space and makes the album more dynamic. This is not to say that there are not crushing riffs and super fast technical playing, yes of course there it and the band seems to have only upped their execution. This is an album which challenges the listener on every aspect of the listening experience and that obviously makes the audience of such album very limited but boy-of-boy this is a delight for me. On the production front Colin Marston does a great job on sparse components of the album giving organic dynamics to the flow the album. 

My Morning Jacket - Waterfall II

Genre: Indie Folk, Indie Rock

Release Date: July 10, 2020

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My Morning Jacket is a standard A tier indie rock band, with some notable albums like Z and At Dawn followed by 'just pleasent' indie rock and folk. Waterfall was an enjoyable album but apart from couple of songs I had no desire to revisit, so I am very glad when I checked out Waterfall II, this is definitely their best offering since Z, and the sonic textures in this album go from dream pop, psychedelic, country rock and folk but it all works together very well. The three song run of Magic Bullet - Run It - Wasted is enough to sell me on this album but then you also have other amazing highlights like Feel You and Spinning My Wheels. Also this album is a grower, I knew this was a great album when I heard it the first time but it has grown on me significantly.

Animal Collective - Bridge To Quiet

Genre: Indietronic, Experimental Pop, Ambient 

Release Date: July 4, 2020

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Well, there is no question that Animal Collective is one of the most forward-thinking pop groups putting out amazing material as a collective of via individual members for quite a few years now. After the excellent run of studio albums in the 2000s their output in 2010s so far has been underwhelming, this EP, however, is four tracks in the right direction. Each track is ~10 mins long and can be defined as calculated indulgence. The sound of this EP is impeccable, even with long-winded ambient passages like in title track, Animal Collective manages to keep things very interesting by introducing subtle instrumentations in various places. What this EP lacks in cohesion it makes up for a gauntlet of ideas packed in 30 mins and I can't wait for an album making use of these ideas into a more impeccable execution.

Recent Albums To Check Out (2020) - 2

This is batch 2 of the posts that I make for noting some of the great albums which came out in current year of 2020, and usually touch upon 3-4 albums which have been added to my library this year.

Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher

Genre: Singer-Songwriter

Release Date: June 18, 2020

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The hype surrounding Phoebe Bridgers is insane, she is everywhere this year especially if you are following indie content, this made me skeptical to try out here new record, plus I found Stranger In The Alps likable but was nowhere close to loving it. Boy, I am so glad I gave this one a chance, this is one of the most emotionally potent Singer-Songwriter albums I have heard in a quite a while. Phoebe's lyricism is not as cryptic as an Elliot Smith but is not as direct as Mountain Goats, it is subtle without being hidden, it has layers and the layers are apparent, more time you spend with this album more it will hit you. A second very important characteristic that makes this album great it the production which is immaculate and on songs like Kyoto and I know the End Phoebe takes some risks and they pay off in making the album more diverse. "I Know The End" is probably my favorite song of the year so far. 

Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats - Unlocked

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap

Release Date: February 7, 2020

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This is an EP released by one of the most exciting faces in Hip-hop Denzel Curry with producer extraordinaire Kenny Beats, it is a short 8 tracks and just over 20 minutes in runtime.  Despite its short length, the duo has filled this project with as much energy and heart as possible. The beats are solid and hard-hitting and the bars are well constructed. This could not have been an easy album for Denzel to make as he steers away from his usual style almost completely, his flows sounds very inspired by Wu-Tang era new your rap. This album is very good and each song is great, but none of them experiments enough to wow but I guess that's fine for an EP, the way this is executed is the reason to give it a listen.

Algiers - There Is No Year

Genre: Post-Punk, Art-Punk, RnB

Release Date: January 17, 2020

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An album from January, that seems so far behind right now, but I still keep revisiting this album once or twice a month, and there is a good reason. This is a great post-punk release from Algiers. Algiers is one of the most innovative post-punk bands from the UK revival scene, this is their third studio and they stick to their appeal immaculate fusion of punk ethos and RnB smoothness. Their unique sound mixed in with their politically charged lyrics and well-executed and produced tracks shows they really put a lot of work and thought into what they do. This album is no exception, the production falters a little at places but in general, it is full of great songs like 'Dispossession'. If you are a fan of punk/post-punk or even a rock or an RnB fan this is an album you want to check out.

Essential Albums - 23

 

Artist/Band: Blonde Redhead

Genre: Dream Pop, Shoegaze

Label: 4AD

Year: 2007

23 is Blonde Redhead's most popular (relatively) album to date, but I think it's also their best one.

About 

23 is the seventh studio album by Blonde Redhead released in 2007 following their critically acclaimed 2004 album Misery Is A Butterfly. Blonde Redhead is a three-piece with Kazu Makino on vocals and synth, and brothers Simone and Amedeo Pace on drums and guitars respectively. Blonde Redhead is one of those bands who

should receive more attention outside the indie scene. They are also one of the only bands who I think have a perfect discography. Even among their stellar discography and between critically acclaimed albums like Misery Is A Butterfly and Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons their 2003 album 23 should be talked about more. It is the perfect amalgamation of well-arranged instrumentation, aggression, and emotionally hitting yet little nerdy in lyrical content. Blonde Redhead does not bring the signature garage rock and no wave inspired riffs and lo-fi song construction and relies on sweet dream-pop sounds making this their most accessible record. However, the experimentation is there just very subtle, they bring in some experimental and angular guitar passages and very slick synths and electronics. The band recorded this with a simplistic view of creating individual songs, it is the production and mixing ( aided by Alan Moulder of MBV fame) brings all the tracks together for a cohesive listen. The number 23 named after enigma 23 as the number associated with change is a fitting name as the band transitions into a new sonic territory. 

Music 

The album opens with the title track 23 and it perfect opener for the album the lyrics deal with 23 enigma which deals with changes that a person can do good and bad in 23 seconds. There are several tracks which deal with changes and sort of ties the album together as a loose concept record. Musically this song is a pretty seamless blend of dream-pop and shoegaze with a pinch of ambient thrown in. The chorus chord change and the subsequent riff is heavenly and Kazu 

Makino's vocals just beam in creating a euphoric atmosphere. The second song Dr. Strangluv is the best song in the album with lyrics loosely relating to the movie Dr. Strangelove movie about the atomic bomb and the lyrics deal with love-hate relations with people and how misanthropic views change your perception and empathetic ties. Musically it is very somber with this very disorienting random spatial chimes/hi-hats, the percussion is very cool in this song with so many sounds buried in the mix giving this song immense repeatability. The Dress is the next song which is a classic dream pop song with a very slow verse then these shimmering guitars come into the chorus, the most interesting part of this song is how it uses space to create these dramatic parts, perfectly highlighting the lyrical reference. The next two tracks SW and Spring and By Summer Fall are more on the lane of Blonde Redhead's previous output with them playing it safe but boy it is executed and PRODUCED perfectly. Next track Silently is a very stark change of aesthetic, beginning with this very cheery beat, but lyrically it deals with the pain of one-sided unrequited love. Additionally, the vocal arrangement that overlaps on the chorus is just gorgeous. The publisher is the first song on 23 to feature vocals by Pace and sets a dark tone with bass-heavy pianos and again demonstrating a beautiful use of space to take the minimal verse instrumental to something more intricate. Heroine is about a friend's death and judging by the title possibly through drug overdose, the song musically is very hypnotic with a hint of eastern musical influence thrown in. The penultimate song Top Ranking, a very nice Indie Pop song with a catchy melody and intricate instrumentation. The album closer is again a somber dream pop song with this spacy production, which ends with a weird drum section. Overall, this is a very nice closer to this very dreamlike and ethereal album.

Final Thoughts

Blonde Redhead's sound change definitely paid off, 23 is their most successful album, and it deserves it and much more. Musically it is one of the best dream-pop albums I have heard, the production is immaculate with little details in the intricate instrumentation you notice every time you listen to it. Even though Blonde Redhead dials back the experimentation a bit on this album (relatively), it executes each song very well. The album is definitely the one I recommend to someone who is new to Blonde Redhead as a perfect entry to the diverse and PERFECT discography of this band.

Recent Albums Worth Checking Out (2020) - 1

This is batch 1 of the posts that I make for noting some of the great albums which came out in current year of 2020, and usually touch upon 3-4 albums which have been added to my library this year.

Illuminati Hotties - FREE I.H. This Is Not The One You Have Been Waiting For

Genre: Punk, Pop-Punk, Indie Rock

Release Date: July 17, 2020

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This is my album of the year so far! It is near close to a perfect album, in a short runtime of just over 20 mins and 12 tracks it perfectly captures the aggression of a small artist screwed over by their label. Sarah Tuzdin a.k.a. Illuminati Hotties had some trouble with her label leading her to self-release this album with the help of some friends. It is NOT composed of songs which she created for her 2nd album she planned to drop with her label but an entirely new crop of DIY songs, hence the title. The songs are short and furious but also immediately catchy, which combined with the small runtime of the record will warrant in full repeat listens. This is not a subtle record what is great about this record is on the surface with great lyrics, pretty well-arranged instrumentation considering this is a DIY project and finally some catchy, catchy hooks. HIGHLY highly recommend this album.

Shabaka and The Ancestors - We Are Sent Here By History

Genre: Jazz, Jazz Fusion

Release Date : March 13, 2020

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This is such a contrast from the Illuminati Hotties albums, a lengthy and subtle jazz fusion albums from the genius Shabaka Hutchings and co. Impulse! records have been putting out great jazz albums for ages now, but they have hit an amazing streak in last 3 years with my jazz albums of the year coming from them every year, this year is no exception. This is a fantastic album full of layers with instrumentation ranging from heavy percussion with African rhythms to elements of smooth jazz. Lyrically this album is interesting as well with it warning us of impending apocalypse and exploring historical ties leading up-to it. This album rewards repeated listens as there are so many layers to peel and enjoy, I can safely say I will be revisiting this album over and over again.

Imperial Triumphant - Alphaville

Genre: Black Metal, Avant-Garde Metal

Release Date: July 31, 2020

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Imperial Triumphant is one of the most exciting acts in metal right now, they came onto the scene with their last album Vile Luxury being a very interesting mix of black and death metal along with elements of jazz, gospel, and classical music. They released Alphaville on Century Media Records, their major-label debut, which had me concerned that they will tame their sound. I am so glad that I was wrong, they kept on with their experimentation, this album edges out their last album a little as the blend of different genres is much smoother here and they also put in some elements of noise and drone music. The orchestral and gospel elements when present in the album sounds creepy and unsettling when juxtaposed with heavy and crushing black metal blast beats and riffs (especially in the opening track Rotted Futures). The album is little front-loaded with a lukewarm finish but still a very worthwhile and satisfying listen.

Essential Albums : The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories ...)

Artist/Band : Steven Wilson

Genre : Progressive Rock, Neo-Progressive Rock

Label : Kscope

Year : 2013

Let’s take a look at the prog darling Steven Wilson’s third solo album which probably is the best progressive rock album to come out in 2010s

About 

Steven Wilson is a workhorse and it sometimes feels he has single handedly managed to keep progressive rock alive. Hailing from London he is most well known for fronting the band Porcupine Tree, he also has side projects in bands such as No Man and Blackfield. Mr Wilson is multi-instrumentalist as well as a producer with experience of working with bands like Opeth and Anathema.

Embarking on solo career by releasing Insurgentes in 2008 and following up with Grace for Drowning in 2011, both albums which I thought were spectacularly average. Raven that refused to Sing was released in February 2013 and is partly produced by Alan Parsons (guy who engineered a little known album called Dark Side of The Moon). Raven Refused to Sing received huge critical acclaim and is very well known in progressive rock and metal fans. Even though this album featured on Billboard 200 I believe this album should be more recognized as the best progressive rock album to come out in 2010s.

Music

With a runtime of little less than an hour and 6 songs this is a concept album about the supernatural and each song representing a different ghost story. The musical influences of classic progressive acts like Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull are clearly present but the songs feel fresh and modern. The album opener Luminol is the longest track on the album running past 12 mins and starts with an aggressive bass riff and is juxtaposed with a mini flute solo and Steven’s voice comes soaring saying ‘’Here we all are born into a struggle, To come so far but end up returning to dust” which sets the tone for the album perfectly, the rest of instrumentation builds up to release into a mellow part where Wilson sings with some really well engineered background vocals. Second song “Drive Home” is by far my favorite song in any Steven Wilson album with it’s very emotional lyrics about losing a loved one and THE BEST DAMN guitar solo! The Holy Drinker opens with these haunting chords panning from right to left channels and slowly builds the aggression pairing perfectly with the previous song, it has a very distant sounding saxophone passages and you are not clear as to where it is coming from which adds to the haunting sound, finally going into the verse which is very pink floyd, the rest of the song plays out well. The Pin Drop is probably my least favorite track here, Steven’s voice does not sound good against this relatively minimalist sounding track. The Watchmaker is a beautiful song with again the depth being really well constructed in the production front, and even being a slow track the vocals feel like they are being sung to you in a closed room, next leg of the  song is played almost as a jam session, a very nice euphoric jam session then it stops and slowly builds up again to something dark and drony ending. Finally the closer and the title track, it is an amazing composition opening with somber piano and Steven’s voice is coming in with a nice touch of reverb, and as it builds up the vocal layering is just angelic and the drum fills are like cherry on top.

Final Thoughts 

Apart from obvious songwriting and instrumental diversity this album brings to the table, the execution of each note on this album is impeccable. I like this album more than most of Porcupine Tree’s catalog specifically because of the lyrics. Steven’s lyrics  can come off as cringe and occasionally preachy, definitely so in his Porcupine Tree output and his best songs are about relatable themes. Even with the underlying concepts of supernatural all the songs on this album lyrics deal with relatable themes. Secondly the production choices are standard for a progressive rock album for 2013 however, I think Alan Parson’s hand is really subtle in production and sets the atmosphere for the album, making it very organic.

I love this album, and I would recommend this for any fan of progressive rock or even casual rock fan, and I think outside of the album context songs like Drive Home and Raven That Refused to Sing are really well constructed.