'I talk to the wind, my words are all carried away, the wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear.' Years ago when I was deep into discovering all of the musical gems of the 1960s, this album came up. In the Court of the Crimson King has an iconic cover, with its grotesquely disproportionate facial... Continue Reading →
Review: Metallica, “Hardwired…To Self-Destruct” (2016)
The lords of metal return with their first album in 8 years. Back in primary school when I was still into whatever was on the radio like The Spice Girls or Shawn Mullins, Metallica was one of the first bands, along with Korn, to move me from the darkness into the light. It was around the period... Continue Reading →
Review: BadBadNotGood, “IV” (2016)
BadBadNotGood are one of those groups you check out because they have a funny name. I was first introduced to them via a Spotify Discover search and listened to their album III for a good few months straight. I really loved their fusion of hip hop beats, modern jazz, electronic, soul and rnb sensibilities - and with... Continue Reading →
Review: Car Seat Headrest, “Teens of Denial” (2016)
Three-piece indie band that reconsiders the limits of the indie-rock genre. The context of some bands impressive you more than the band and the songs themselves, but thankfully this is a mix of both. Car Seat Headrest is the creation of Will Toledo, a 23-year-old guy that started recording songs in his bedroom. He would complete the vocal lines in... Continue Reading →
Review: The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, “The Getaway” (2016)
The Chilli's wrestle between their funk-rock roots with moodier, ambient landscapes. It's hard to review any new The Red Hot Chilli Peppers (RHCP) albums after the departure of guitarist John Frusciante. Their last album with Frusciante - the double-LP Stadium Arcadium - showcased the height of the band's songwriting powers, although there was certainly a lot of filler. (I... Continue Reading →
Review: Kanye West, “The Life of Pablo” (2016)
God. Family. Friends. Self and Fame. Kanye returns with an ambitious and creative album that asks what we glory in. I'm not really a Kanye fan. Way to start. Every now and then I check out what he's doing. Avoiding his antics is now as hard as avoiding Kim Kardashian's. The latest antic being him... Continue Reading →
Review: Explosions in the Sky, “The Wilderness” (2016)
Catharsis. Crescendo. Introspection. Reverb. Texas post-rock band Explosions in the Sky (EITS) finally return with a brand new album, The Wilderness - their first in 5 years. But was their venture out of the wilderness worth the wait? One of the issues with post-rock music is that is can quickly become formulaic and predictable. EITS reached their peak... Continue Reading →