Parachutes review

The debut album by Coldplay, who are probably the biggest rock band in the world right now. Despite a large fan-base they seem to be cool to hate, but I think they're perfectly fine myself.

Tracks:

1. Don't Panic: 7/10 too short, but it's a nice opening and it's pleasingly gentle.

2. Shiver: 6/10 this one is a bit annoying and as Chris Martin himself has acknowledged, there is a slightly stalker-ish vibe to it. Still, it's relaxing, has a nice sound and is very easy to listen to, and it also kick-started the band's insanely successful career.

3. Spies: 8/10 the best track yet, this has lovely vocals, a great vibe and a highly satisfying James Bond-esque feel to it.

4. Sparks: 7/10 it is repetitive, but that's not so bad since it's just repeating good pop lyrics and a nice instrumental.

5. Yellow: 8/10 it lives up the hype. It's an undeniably delightful love song, crafted with passion and commercial without sacrificing its artistic edge.

6. Trouble: 8/10 this feels very similar to Yellow... in a very good way though. In other words, a double whammy.

7. Parachutes: 7/10 this title track sounds pretty nice... if only it wasn't just a short interlude!

8. High Speed: 6/10 a step down, but not by a lot. It's still very pleasant.

9. We Never Change: 6/10 ditto.

10. Everything's Not Lost: 7/10 a thoroughly nice album closer.

11. Life is for Living: 7/10 a surprisingly decent, though brief, hidden track.

Best track: Yellow
Worst track: We Never Change

Summary: Honestly, I thought this album was... fine. It does feel pretty simplistic so it definitely feels like a debut and some of the songs are overly mellow, but then again it's quite nice and its heart is very much in the right place. It on the whole provides an enjoyable and uplifting experience, although it's stripped back sound and lack of risks does test the patience at times. The vocals and instrumentals are good enough to stand above many other pop artists. 





Final rating: 7/10

Lonerism review

This is the second and highest rated album by the Australian Psychedelic Rock Band Tame Impala. I heard this band performing from across the road in Portugal on the same night as Radiohead, and since that night they've become one of my favorite bands- and in the aftermath of Everything Now, they've taken Arcade Fire's place. Here are my thoughts on Lonerism.

Tracks:

1. Be Above it: 8/10 a slightly repetitive but beautifully mixed opener. The looping drums are awesome.

2. Endors Toi: 9/10 this song was supposed to represent psychedelic bliss. It doesn't. Why? Because it is psychedelic bliss.

3. Apocalypse Dreams: 10/10 in a word, genius. 6 minutes of pure, unrestrained and blissful psychedelic musical heaven.

4. Mind Mischief: 9/10 another dream of a song.

5. Music to Walk Home By: 8/10 an occasionally incoherent but otherwise lovely track that's as wonderfully chill as ever.

6. Why Won't They Talk to Me?: 9/10 a wonderful aural representation of isolation.

7. Feels Like We Only Go Backwards: 10/10 still a classic to this day.

8. Keep on Lying: 8/10 not as a good as the previous number, but still a well-crafted psychedelic gem.

9. Elephant: 7/10 I'm not a massive fan of this since it differs from what makes the band special and sounds more generic, but there are plenty of cool elements still.

10. She Just Won't Believe Me: 8/10 lovely stuff. If only it were longer.

11. Nothing that has Happened So Far has Been Anything We Could Control: 8/10 another awesome if overlong track.

12. Sun's Coming Up: 8/10 a good ending with some interesting instrumental moments, though slightly anticlimactic. I've got a hunch that was intentional though, given how clever Kevin Parker is.

Best song: Apocalypse Dreams
Worst song: Elephant

Summary: A towering, near-flawless masterpiece of psychedelic genius, this is a dream to listen to. Complex, endlessly enjoyable, haunting and stunningly beautiful, this is modern music at its very, very best. It may just be sound, but this music will take your mind to so many different places, and it makes for a transcendental, overwhelming and masterfully crafted album. You'll immediately want to listen to it again.




Final rating: 10/10

Master of Puppets review

Master of Puppets is the third and most popular album by the heavy metal band Metallica, who are probably still the biggest heavy metal band in the world. I don't usually listen to heavy metal so this should be interesting.

Tracks:

1. Battery: 6/10 a little more variety in the music would be appreciated, but if loud, over-the-top, head-bangingly loud music with as much fury and volume as possible is your thing, this song has your name on it. If creating loud, heavy and crazily intense music could be considered some sort of art, then these guys seem to do it very well.

2. Master of Puppets: 8/10 this legendary song is undeniably a beast. It's too long for its own good, but with the interesting lyrics, intense and fast-paced instrumental and relentless heaviness, it's still a striking and impressive song which feels artistic as well.

3. The Thing that Should Not Be: 7/10 the artistic craft that went into this song manages to distract from its slight monotony.

4. Welcome Home (Sanitarium): 7/10 this one is uneven. Some bits are really rather good, while other parts are just one indistinguishable heavy chord after another.

5. Disposable Heroes: 7/10 while once again completely overlong, the sheer intensity of this anti-war song is to be admired.

6. Leper Messiah: 6/10 thoroughly competent yet forgettable, this is the weakest on the album so far since nothing about it stands out.

7. Orion: 7/10 far too long once again, but undeniably a work of truly skilled instrumentalists.

8. Damage, Inc.: 7/10 this closer is more than adequate and is basically more of the same.

Best song: Master of Puppets
Worst song: Leper Messiah

Summary: How you feel about this album will depend on one thing and one thing only: how you feel about heavy metal. If you like heavy metal, this will probably be one of your favorite albums. The artistry and power of the music is undeniable. If you don't like heavy metal, you'll get pretty bored with the repetitive instrumentals and exhausting nature of the music. It's hard to review objectively since I'm not really into metal. That being said, there's still a fair amount of enjoyment to be had.




Final rating: 7/10

Demon Days review

This is the second album by the extremely popular virtual band Gorillaz, created by the former Blur front-man. I was going to try and get tickets for their show in Brighton later this year, but unfortunately they sold out within 2 minutes.

Tracks:

1. Intro: 6/10 a forgettable but atmospheric intro.

2. Last Living Souls: 8/10 this shows in full force the minimalist yet brilliant sounds and arty creativity that defines the band.

3. Kids with Guns: 8/10 a restrained but endlessly cool meditation on today's youth.

4. O Green World: 9/10 demented, artistic, weird and wonderful.

5. Dirty Harry: 9/10 as both a musical artwork and a war song, it's an utter triumph that succeeds on nearly ever level.

6. Feel Good Inc.: 10/10 combining elements that shouldn't work together at all with ease and featuring amazing lyrics, fantastic raps and an even more fantastic chorus, this is one of the most memorable- and one of the best- songs of the 2000s.

7. El Manana: 8/10 while more conventional than the other tracks so far, that doesn't make it any less beautiful.

8. Every Planet We Reach is Dead: 8/10 ditto.

9. November Has Come: 7/10 the lyrics are weaker but it's as clever as ever.

10. All Alone: 8/10 the meaning isn't always clear, but it's yet another memorable and highly enjoyable Demon Days track.  

11. White Light: 8/10 the most minimalist on the album so far still has so much to say.

12. DARE: 9/10 this relentlessly catchy and endlessly compelling song brings the album into 5 star territory once again.

13. Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head: 8/10 combining a powerful story with a lovely instrumental background, this reminds one of The Velvet Underground in a good way.

14. Don't Get Lost in Heaven/Demon Days: 9/10 an emotional, vocally amazing and surprisingly uplifting finale to the album.

Best song: Feel Good Inc.
Worst song: November Has Come

Summary: What an album. Sure; it's self-indulgent, requires you to be in the right mood and is undeniably uneven, so let's call it a flawed masterpiece. The musical arrangements are minimalist yet perfectly chosen, the mixture of different styles is seamless and it's the rare thing that is really pretty avant-garde yet also commercial and seriously catchy. Feel Good Inc. remains one of the best songs of the 21st century for example, while other track is also a blast. This is a weird and wonderful work of art, and it's also something so wonderfully different too.



Final rating: 8/10

Raising Hell review

The 3rd album by the acclaimed hip-hop trio Run-D.M.C., who are an influential part of hip hop's golden age. This is their most popular album.

Tracks:

1. Peter Piper: 5/10 despite the embarrassing lyrics, this nevertheless is well-executed, the rhythm is punchy and it will have been incredible back when it was new.

2. It's Tricky: 6/10 repetitive and badly written, but perhaps with this group it's more about the production, which isn't too bad here.

3. My Adidas: 6/10 it is catchy, but oh boy does it sound dated.

4. Walk This Way: 7/10 an effective and enjoyable (Though nothing more) mix of rap and rock which remains an iconic song.

5. Is it Live: 5/10 once again: good production, awful lyrics and a general sense of repetitiveness.

6. Perfection: 5/10 ditto.

7. Hit it Run: 5/10 mostly the same, only this time we also have annoying beatboxing to enjoy as well.

8. Raising Hell: 7/10 definitely an improvement, largely since they actually bother to do intelligent rhymes here.

9. You Be Illin': 5/10 more of the same.

10. Dumb Girl: 5/10 another one where it will just be an acquired taste, but where many will and seem to love it. If you're as lyric-focused as me, you won't have the best time.

11. Son of Byford: 6/10 not as bad as it could have been and it packs in a couple of decent beats and rhymes into 30 seconds.

12. Proud to be Black: 6/10 an acceptable ending with a nice message.

Best: Walk This Way
Worst: Hit it Run

Summary: Wow, is this overrated or what? So many people seem to love this album and I just can't see why. Yes, in terms of music production the album is fine and it was and remains influential. But influential doesn't make something good. For example, The Blair Witch Project has been a huge influence on found footage horror and you'll have a hard time finding anyone who still likes that movie. The songs are indistinguishable from each other, the lyrics are as simplistic as a children's nursery rhyme and on the whole it just sounds incredibly dated. These guys may be regarded as huge hip-hop legends, but compared to Eminem, Public Enemy, Tupac, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and many others, they simply can't hold a lit match, let alone a candle. Still, it is well-done and it's a certain style, so if you like this style of hip hop and are less lyric-focused than me, give it a go.



Final rating: 5/10

Tourist History review

This is the first album by the Irish band Two Door Cinema Club, who I saw giving a solid if unspectacular live performance at Parklife. Even if you don't think you know this band, the chances are you've heard their songs playing somewhere.

Tracks:

1. Cigarettes in the Theatre: 7/10 a nice relationship beginning song which tells an interesting story in an effective and concise way, even if it breaks no new ground at all.

2. Come Back Home: 8/10 well, that relationship was short. This song sees the relationship ending, and it tells the narrative well thanks to a catchy chorus and good storytelling.

3. Do You Want it All?: 7/10 very repetitive, but catchy enough to satisfy.

4. This is the Life: 6/10 the catchy tunes remain, but this fails to actually say anything.

5. Something Good Can Work: 8/10 one of their famous ones and understandably so; it's a fun, well-written and pleasingly indie track that makes for a nice listen.

6. I Can Talk: 7/10 once again: inessential and unoriginal but genuinely fun and enjoyable.

7. Undercover Martyn: 8/10 a nice message and the yet-again fun yet delightfully indie instrumental mean this song will appeal to the commercial and indie crowds.

8. What You Know: 8/10 easily the band's biggest song. Why? It's a banger; pure and simple.

9. Eat That Up, It's Good For You: 8/10 easily the album's best track, this may not be that high-profile but the emotional lyrics and most technically complex and skilled instrumental on the album see the album hit its peak.

10. You're Not Stubborn: 7/10 similar to much of the album; in other words, a summing up of everything people like about it.

Best song: Eat That Up, It's Good For You
Worst song: This is the Life    

Summary: Not bad at all. Basically, this is light, gentle and pleasant music with a focus on being catchy and easy to dance to. Nevertheless, some good lyrics are thrown in for good measure. As undemanding music goes, it's pretty darn solid. This is a fun, if slight work which mixes commercial and indie rock music really rather effectively. It might not engage your brain that much, but you will have a good time.



Final rating: 7/10

Everything Now review

Everything Now is the much-anticipated 5th album from Arcade Fire, who are one of my favorite bands. As I've previously mentioned I have seen them live, but they didn't play any songs from this album or any new songs at all aside from 2 very brief covers of Nirvana and The Sex Pistols. With this album going even further away from their earlier stuff than Reflektor (Anyone else getting Kid A/Amneasic vibes?) and provoking polarized reactions across the internet, here are my thoughts.

Tracks:

1. Everything_Now (Continued): 6/10 a decent if overly short prequel to the album's main song.

2. Everything Now: 7/10 it'll take a few listens, but there's something here for sure. It's generic pop sound will put many off, but its sunny vibes, interesting lyrics and fun dance soundtrack will probably win you over.

3. Signs of Life: 4/10 what were they thinking?! Lyrics which feel like an inferior pop band trying to copy The Suburbs and a painfully generic instrumental make this one of the worst Arcade Fire songs ever.

4. Creature Comfort: 7/10 a solid single with an interesting electronic instrumental and some thought-provoking lyrics, but it unfortunately forgets to be enjoyable. Meanwhile, it's nice to see Regine Chassagne back doing more vocals having been neglected on Reflektor, but she screams her way through her lyrics like some animal throwing a tantrum.

5. Peter Pan: 6/10 in both its instrumental and lyrics, there are some good ideas yet in both its instrumental and its lyrics, it's too minimalist and repetitive to really make a dent.

6. Chemistry: 4/10 chemistry? What chemistry?

7. Infinite Content: 5/10 a fun rock instrumental saves this bizarre experiment from being a total disaster.

8. Infinite_Content (2): 5/10 the instrumental is nice, so it's not as awful as it could have been so easily.

9. Electric Blue: 6/10 definitely a better single. Some nice sounds in the instrumental and the powerfully melancholy tone manage to get past some overly high-pitched vocals and general pretentiousness.

10. Good God Damn: 6/10 this has powerful, meaningful lyrics. If it only it wasn't so dull on a musical level.

11. Put Your Money on Me: 8/10 with this moving and lovely (If slightly pretentious) song, the album finally gets back up onto the level of earlier Arcade Fire stuff.

12. We Don't Deserve Love: 8/10 a wonderful song which has the band back at their peak. Such a shame it's at the very end of the album.

13. Everything Now (Continued) (2): 6/10 yet another short thing linked to Everything Now. There isn't much to say. It's fine. It's just fine. It's got enough nice sounds to drown out the loud "Why?" presumably going through your head.  

Best song: We Don't Deserve Love
Worst song: Chemistry

Summary: This should go without saying: this album is a crushing disappointment. A lot of the hatred it's got all over the internet is well-deserved. Reflektor didn't seem so great at first but it was better the second time. This really wasn't. At least I saw it coming, as a string of increasingly mediocre singles were released prior to the album coming out. Basically, this has 2 decent lead singles, 2 very good songs at the end and everything else is average or worse. Why? Well, there are a lot of reasons. Arcade Fire's lyrics have been pretentious in the past, but at least there was something there. Here, there's really not very much in the songs at all except for repeated phrases. Meanwhile, the music is painfully repetitive and often dull, and the album is missing the sense of energy and humanity that defined the band's other albums. The middle section is particularly dire. All in all, this album, despite some good moments and nice notes, doesn't indicate a bright future for Arcade Fire. What a shame.




Final rating: 6/10