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EP Review: Azaelia Banks - 1991

Azaelia Banks – 1991 EP

Rating: 8.5/10

After many months of anticipation and delays, we finally have the first proper release from the young rapper. She has spent a long time working on this as well as her debut album, due later this year, whenever she isn’t feuding with many other rappers on Twitter. With four songs and only two of them unreleased, there isn’t much here that you probably haven’t already heard. The release opens with the fun title track that shows off Banks’ great wordplay with a relaxed and sunny beat, even if it isn’t one of the best tracks she’s put out yet (though its pretty damn good). The other new track is “Van Vogue” a more electronic focused track that features some nice distorted vocals the way A$AP Rocky does on a lot of his tracks. The bridge features Banks rapping her spitfire lines over an Elite Gymnastics style beatThe first two songs are good, and then a two minute long skit that is pretty funny and a callback to Kanye’s old skits that enhances the song that comes next.

There isn’t much to say about “212” that hasn’t already been said. It was one of the best tracks of 2011 and was Banks call to arms, an amazing track that showed off her talents as a rapper and singer. It’s been gaining popularity ever since its initial release last fall, and for good reason. It’s the main reason this rating is so high. The release closes with another familiar yet spectacular track in “Liquorice”, which first came out this past December. It’s another excellent rap that’s a bit more chill than “212” yet still features some of her best lyrics and showcases her knack for rapping. The two new songs are welcome and great, even if they can’t quite match up to the two familiar songs on the release. As a collection of four songs though, it’s some of the best rap you’ll hear all year, even if it feels kind of like a reissue more than a brand new release. 

- David Sackllah

Album Review: John Mayer - Born And Raised

John Mayer – Born and Raised

Rating: 6.0/10

There are a lot of factors at play on John Mayer’s fifth album, Born and Raised. The singer/songwriter has had a recent health problem with his throat, which has caused delays and cancellations for some of his shows and this album. I wish him the best and hope that he beats all of the challenges he is facing with this. However, the past couple of years have been rough besides that, from embarrassing racist comments in magazines to public scandals involving America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift. His personal reputation has never had much of an impact on his music, of which he is a very talented musician who has released some great songs and albums. That being said, I’ve always had a hard time seeing what the huge appeal is behind his music, which is sometimes very good but has always seemed to me as slightly bland.

Born And Raised doesn’t really do much to try to alter that perception, as Mayer’s attempt to make a folk album makes for what might be his most dull record yet. The blues rock in album opener “Queen Of California” is pleasant, but kind of wistfully lies in the background like the best of elevator music. Most of the album just kind of runs together as soft alternative rock that comes off as uninspired and unremarkable. Songs like the predictable longing of “Something Like Olivia” aren’t bad, but have been written by countless other musicians already. Lesser popular soft rock bands like The Fray could have written lead single “Shadow Days”. Some songs are good on here, like the relaxing and compelling title track “The Age of Worry”, which shows Mayer adopting Mumford & Sons’ rolling drum beat and inspirational lyrics.

The second half of the album features more country and blues influence on tracks like “Love Is A Verb”, which has some lyrical holes in it, showing that Mayer probably isn’t even trying half of the time. “Whiskey, Whiskey, Whiskey” sounds like a lot of other songs on the radio, and this whole album lacks originality. Technically, Mayer is still a great musician, and most of these songs aren’t bad, especially compared to some of the other releases this year. There’s just nothing here that sticks out even in comparison to Mayer’s earlier albums. This is his relaxing folk album, but it’s mainly tiresome and not memorable. The album can be enjoyable, and probably will be for fans of Mayer, but it’s far from his best work.

- David Sackllah 

EP Review: Diplo - Express Yourself

Diplo – Express Yourself EP

Rating: 7.0/10

Apart from being one of the most polarizing producers around, Diplo is also one of the most enigmatic and loud-mouthed music celebrity too. He’s always posting Tweets calling out other artists or talking about his travels around the world. He’s also having a hell of a year, with new music from his Major Lazer out, production credits with high profile artists like Usher, Santigold, and Azaelia Banks, plenty of new releases from his Mad Decent/Jeffries label, and a crazy live show. All of this is rounded off by his latest EP, a showcase of the various types of influences he bases his music off of, from reggae, dancehall, and bounce music to his fun style of electronic music for parties.

The EP saves its strongest songs for its bookends, especially the deliriously fun title track, which features bounce music star Nicky Da B which is one of the greatest booty-shaking music around this side of Big Freedia. The song has an amazing music video, and is one of the most fun dance songs of the year. The other high point is the slow building closer “Set It Off” featuring the incredibly named Lazerdisk Party Sex. The song combines a fun dance beat with some dubstep and sunny synths to make an infectious and great track. Other high points are the more dubstep heavy “Barely Standing” featuring Datsik and Sabi. The pop vocals combine with the wobbling bass to make for a fun song that is one of the better aggressive dubstep tracks around. The reggae influence comes back in “No Problem”, which could have been a Major Lazer track, and the other two are fun even if they’re not as memorable as the other tracks. Express Yourself is overall a solid EP even if it seems to run a little long with each song running close to five minutes in length. There are some great tracks on this that should add to Diplo’s huge year, even if the EP could use a little more diversity.

- David Sackllah 

Album Review: The Walkmen - Heaven

The Walkmen – Heaven

Rating: 8.5/10

The  Walkmen have consistently been one of the best indie rock bands around for the past decade or so, and they have achieved this by releasing many great albums that specialize in restraint. They are masters at knowing when to pull back and when to increase the intensity. Many have criticized them for being too safe or boring, similar criticism levied at their contemporaries in The National, but The Walkmen have been slowly building their resume with solid albums like this one that are never showy or flashy.

Heaven tackles a lot of themes such as settling into maturity, and features singer Hamilton Leithauser delivering some of his best lines in a more relaxed and quiet manner, often in a more happy or celebratory fashion than we’re used to from this normally angry band. Heaven is best in moments like midway through the album opener “We Can’t Be Beat” featuring the Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold on backing vocals when Hamilton belts out a line right before the drums come in, and proves his vocal chops. The song is lovely, and so is the next one, “Love Is Luck”, which builds off a tender message. Lead single “Heartbreaker” is the Walkmen sounding at their most triumphant, and a striking difference from high points on earlier albums.

Many of these songs are very restrained, like the quietly beautiful “Line By Line” which features a guitar line and Hamilton’s voice only, and the equally sparse “Southern Heart” which features Hamilton asking a woman to “Tell me again how you love all the men you were after”. The second half picks things up with the more upbeat “Song For Leigh” and the rousing and fun “Love You Love” before settling into the knockout title track. When he sings “stick with me, you’re my best friend” it sounds inspiring, but when he gets to the chorus and belts out “remember, remember, all we fight for”, the song becomes The Walkmen’s loudest rallying cry and the album’s definitive statement.

The album ends with the soft and dreamy “No One Ever Sleeps” and the excellent “Dreamboat”, which features the great line “I left you a million times. The irony ain’t lost on me” repeated over and over. The Walkmen can still be bitter at times when it’s called for, but Heaven stands as their most reassuring statement from a band whose members are quickly approaching middle age. Heaven proves they’re doing it gracefully, while still releasing some of the best work of their career. 

- David Sackllah

Album Review: Royal Headache - Royal Headache

Royal Headache – Royal Headache

Rating: 8.5/10

Sound the alarm because garage rock is back! This four-piece band from Australia brings a soulful edge and vintage feel to short and fuzzy sounding garage rock that packs quite the punch. The album was released overseas last year but got its American release a few weeks ago, and what it lacks in length it makes up for in pure energy. Coming in at 26 minutes long, the album is short, and leaves you wanting more. Most songs capture a retro feel that sounds rough around the edges, especially with the catchy and soulful “Really In Love”, which features lead singer Shogun’s signature wails that sound like they’re coming from another time, more specifically the 50s or early 60s. Definitely more direct and earnest than the psych influenced sound of Ty Segall, Royal Headache show a knack for strong melodies, especially on tracks like “Psychotic Episode” and the delightfully fast paced “Girls”, which almost could be a Chuck Berry song. This is Motown influenced garage rock, and that shows on highlights like the crunchy “Back and Forth” and especially on the anthem like shouting on “Honey Joy”, which features a sing along chorus that sounds like a rallying cry. There are a few instrumentals such as the upbeat “Two Kinds of Love” and the more relaxed “Wilson St.” that help to round out the album, which works wonders as a short burst of garage rock from a young band with a long road ahead of them. 

- David Sackllah

EP Review: Sara Bareillis - Once Upon Another Time

Sara Bareilles – Once Upon Another Time

Rating: 7.0/10

I have to say that Sara Bareillis has always been one of my favorite of the newest wave of adult contemporary female singer songwriters alongside Norah Jones, Tegan and Sara, and Regina Spektor. She’s the kind of singer who fits right in on the radio as well as music festivals like ACL, and has a knack for writing really pretty and catchy pop songs. She does this on her newest EP, which she recorded with Ben Folds, especially on the tender title track, which features only Sara’s voice for the first two and a half minutes, before the instruments slowly come in, and the song sounds like a beautiful lullaby that makes for a great introduction to the album. By the time the backup vocals come in with the harmonies, you’ll be hooked. What’s disappointing is that the rest of the EP never reaches the heights of the fantastic title track. “Stay” is a pretty ballad that shows again that Sara is quite good at writing slow songs that have a soulful side to them.

“Lie To Me” is another decent track that goes on for a bit too long, but my main complaint is with the duet with Ben Folds, “Sweet As Whole”. It’s a very bitter and angry side disguised as another pretty ballad, and while the sentiment is nice (trying to fight people’s perceptions of you), the failure lies in the execution. The singalong chorus of “That guy’s an asshole, that guy’s a bitch” comes off as clunky and insincere. It’s weird to hear Sara sing a string of curse words, and it feels cloying the way it tries to disguise a bitter and sharp song in a sugary sweet package. It definitely left a bad taste in my mouth, and brings the EP down a bit. The EP ends on another sweet ballad in “Bright Lights and Cityscapes” which brings the EP back up quality-wise. With a few great songs, Once Upon Another Time is a pretty good EP, especially for fans of the singer songwriter, that is sadly brought down by one misfire. There isn’t a ton of variety in the piano led ballads that would fit well on Grey’s Anatomy, but Sara does a really good job at writing them most of the time. 

- David Sackllah

Album Review: EL-P - Cancer For Cure

EL-P – Cancer For Cure

Rating: 8.5/10

Former Company Flow rapper EL-P is having a hell of a year. After returning the forefront last year with some great production work and guest features (especially on The Last Huzzah), he returned this year by producing the excellent new album by Killer Mike and creating his own fiery companion album. Cancer For Cure is less about the specific social issues that R.A.P. Music was and more about general feelings of paranoia and frustration. EL-P’s futuristic and aggressive beats are on full display here, especially as showcased with the awesome opener “Request Denied”. Playing like an instrumental for almost three minutes before EL-P cuts the music and introduces himself, the song is one of the best openers I’ve heard in a long time. EL-P’s style is fast and incredibly coherent. His lyrics are like listening to the wordplay of one of the greatest writers of our time. The first song is a mission statement that segues into his thesis, lead single “The Full Retard” that is build over a line that repeats “you should pump this shit like they do in the future.” The song definitely has a futuristic and industrial feel to it that features El-P just going insanely hard on a great track.

The next few songs feature some great work from friends, like Interpol’s Paul Banks on “Works Every Time” and amazing spots by Mr. Exquire and Danny Brown on “Oh Hail No” and Killer Mike and Despot on the rough and awesome “Tougher Colder Killer”. These first six songs, also including the great “Drones Over Brooklyn” make for an incredible first side, that hits you hard with some of the best rap songs of the year. The album’s second half is still strong, but focuses a lot more on paranoia, from his distrust of a girl who supposedly cares about him on “The Jig Is Up” to institutions on “Sign Here” to the police on “For My Upstairs Neighbor”. EL-P described this as a fight record in an interview to Pitchfork, and it definitely feels that way, with some of the angriest and most aggressive verses of the year. While the album’s second half never reaches the pure intensity of the first, Cancer For Cure definitely grows on you, getting better and more involving on each listen. It may not be as strong an album overall as R.A.P. Music, but it comes close. Either way, EL-P has had an instrumental part in the two best rap albums of the year so far, and shows no signs of slowing down. 

- David Sackllah

Album Review: Beach House - Bloom

Beach House – Bloom

Rating: 9.5/10

Some bands like to change their sound after each album, to show that they are constantly trying to evolve their sound. Others often have the same sound from album to album, only progressing slowly in small increments. Often the best combination is a mix of these two, a synthesis of the various elements that make a band great in order to achieve a goal that every artist has when they make an album. That goal is to create a masterpiece, and by combining elements from their last two albums to help push their sound forward, that is exactly what the Baltimore duo Beach House have created on their fourth album, Bloom.

Their second album, Devotion, was a very dreamy record meant for late nights, and had great hooks, and airy qualities that gave it a very hypnotic and mesmerizing feel. They followed that with Teen Dream, and album that had better production qualities and expanded their song with more catchy choruses, propelling them on a path to indie stardom. Teen Dream was fantastic, but it lacked some of the spacey qualities that made Devotion so unique.

Bloom acts as a perfect combination of the past two albums. It retains the dream pop aspects of Devotion, from the drum machines and guitars sound to the half-awake whispers of Victoria Legrand’s beautiful voice. However, they don’t scale back, making songs as epic in scope and grandeur as anything from Teen Dream. Album opener “Myth” is an easy contender for best song of the year, as it entrances the listener by slowly building up, surely and constantly, to an epic conclusion that asks the important question “What comes after this momentary bliss” that many have throughout their lives. “Wild” doesn’t drop a beat with its beautiful chorus and tender lyrics anchored by the belief that “the past is what will catch you”. The lyrics are poetic and capable of evoking multiple interpretations and emotions from the listener.

The album segues gracefully into “Lazuli”, which starts with a simple lullaby riff on the keyboard before an epic chorus comes in with “ahs” repeated that makes for the most entrancing song Beach House has released since their great song “Gila”, while Legrand sings the comforting sentiment in “like no other you can’t be replaced”. Then “Other People” comes along with a chorus that might be catchier than anything from Teen Dream, with themes about lost friends and trying to keep in touch. This album focuses very much on the past, but also as much as the uncertainty of the future, themes anyone can relate to. “The Hours” is another standout that features some of the best hooks Legrand has ever come up with, especially towards the latter part of the song, and the way she changes the line of “don’t care about me” to “don’t leave without me” will be stuck in your head for a long time.

The second half of the album keeps the pace with memorable and spectacular songs, including the haunting “Troublemaker” and the distant storytelling of the fantastically uplifting “New Year”. “Wishes” continues the theme of dreamy hooks and big choruses that you will become lost in. “On The Sea” is another tender track about forgiveness and finding yourself. As good as the lyrics are throughout the album, you won’t notice what they’re saying as much as you will notice how they make you feel. This is an album full of strong emotions. Everything leads up to the fantastic closer “Irene”, which might be one of the best three songs Beach House has ever made. The song slowly builds up for its initial three minutes, adding layers while leading up to Legrand’s beautiful line of “it’s a strange paradise”. Then, everything cuts out but a droning guitar line and a simple drum beat, before it all comes back, one layer at a time, until it reaches a conclusion that is beyond epic, one of the most uplifting moments of the year as the chorus line is repeated over and over.

I cannot understate how majestic and beautiful this album is, an indication that sometimes all it takes to create a masterpiece is the tweaking of various elements of your sound until you reach that point that is just perfect. All these songs start off slowly before building into bigger and more epic conclusions’, and for this reason the name Bloom fits this album perfectly. Bloom is easily the best album Beach House has recorded so far, and is also easily the best album released in 2012 so far. In fact, it will be very challenging for anything else this year to top the wonder and mystery of Bloom. 

- David Sackllah

Album Review: Father John Misty - Fear Fun

Father John Misty – Fear Fun

Rating: 8.0/10

When J. Tillman quit Fleet Foxes a few months ago, many wondered why someone would leave a band that had so much upward momentum both critically and commercially. He wanted to focus on his solo work, so he moved to Los Angeles and took up the stage name of Father John Misty, marking a difference from his previous solo albums under J. Tillman. The result is a fun and upbeat folk album that has a west coast element and offers more good times than the two Fleet Foxes albums did. Tillman is a great storyteller, as evidenced on the rollicking “I’m Writing A Novel”, which tells a bunch of ridiculous stories of a bad drug infused trip, and is one of the most fun songs of the year. The album opens on a slower note with “Funtimes in Babylon”, which sounds the closest to his Fleet Foxes work and serves as a nice intro to the album by moving the locale to the city of angels.

He brings in country influences to “Well, You Can Do It Without Me”, which might be about his leaving of Fleet Foxes, and if it is, it’s a bit bitter. “Nancy From Now On” features Tillman singing a chorus in a dazed and disco sounding falsetto that fits in well to a psychedelic scene. The album ends on a pair of highlights with the pysch folk storytelling of “Tee Pees 1-12” and the tender singalong chorus of “Every Man Needs a Companion”, which evokes religious symbols in its airy verses. The best song from the album is the lead single “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings”, a song so good they got Aubrey Plaza from Parks and Recreation to be in the music video. The song has a driving momentum that gives it much more rock elements than many standard indie folk songs. Tillman has created a great album, even if the songs in the middle aren’t as strong as the ones at either end. Fear Fun is full of catchy folk rock songs that prove that Tillman’s decision to leave Fleet Foxes to make his own music was probably the right one.

Album Review: Killer Mike - R.A.P. Music

Killer Mike – R.A.P. Music

Rating: 8.5/10

Killer Mike, the rapper from Atlanta whose biggest claim to fame includes features on popular songs by Outkast such as “Snappin & Trappin” and “The Whole World”, has created the undisputable best rap album of 2012 so far. Killer Mike is a politically charged rapper who is very angry with the racial and social issues plaguing America right now, and his music is a direct descendant of the inflammatory no nonsense rap of the late 80s by groups such as Public Enemy and N.W.A. R.A.P. Music was produced entirely by EL-P, who does an excellent job at creating dark and ominous beats that fit Mike’s bombastic rapping style almost perfectly. All of these songs hit hard, but there is a variance in the intensity and subject matter throughout. Some songs are more introspective such as the touching ode to his grandfather in “William Burke Sherwood” or the soulful “Ghetto Gospel”. He draws on various influences, and manages to namecheck John Gotti and Salvador Dali in the same line on “Untitled”, another one of the more subdued tracks on the album, where he explains his distrust of the government and religious institutions, showing his overall dissatisfaction with organized systems in general.

However, when Mike brings it and hits hard, he comes harder than almost anyone else in the game right now, especially on the spitfire of “Go!” which is a two-minute long exercise in excellent rapping skills. He brings in the big guns with guest stars such as Bun B and T.I. on the album opener “Big Beast”, which serves as a great intro to this album, featuring some of the hottest verses of the year and a chorus that kills over a beat that builds up as it goes on. It’s his way of proving his worth, and showing that he’s one of the best rappers right now. He shows off his native roots with the country themed “Southern Fried”, and goes back to the aspect of storytelling with the catchy “Jojo’s Chillin”. The second half of the album features a guest verse by EL-P and a somber collaboration with “Emily Panic” in “Anywhere But Here”. The title track closes out the album with an overall thesis statement, but the albums high point is without a doubt it’s radical and polarizing middle.

The two tracks in the middle are incredibly politically charged and very radical and cover racial issues. “Don’t Die” tells the story of a violent encounter with a crooked cop who harasses Mike simply for being a rapper. Killer Mike doesn’t care for cops or their treatment of blacks, and doesn’t pull any punches in letting that opinion be known.  However, the true radical statements are saved for the fierce track “Reagan”, in which Killer Mike paints a very different portrait of the late president, one of hypocrisy and fueling a drug war simply to create free labor in prison systems and to unfairly persecute blacks. He doesn’t save his anger for just Reagan, as he compares Obama to Reagan (for probably the first time ever), calling all the presidents talking heads for administrations obsessed with oil and profits at the expense of its citizens. Killer Mike expresses some very radical views, closing with the statement “I’m glad Reagan’s dead”. Whether or not you agree with his message, or even sympathize with him, the simple rapping chops he displays on the track are astounding. He incorporates quote from the president with a fiery sermon, and takes an uncompromising stance and sticks by it. Its content is incredibly divisive, but it is a very impressive track.

In all, R.A.P. music is a very politically charged album that hearkens back to a time when rappers took a hard stance on social issues of the time. Killer Mike definitely builds on the legacy of Chuck D and others from that era with rap that criticizes the government as well as overall social issues in the nation. Say what you will about the content, but a rapper caring this much about issues is something that has long been lacking in the genre over the years, and R.A.P. Music is a great album that should help Killer Mike reach new audiences and make a big name for himself. Be sure to give it a listen.

- David Sackllah

EP Reviews: Mister Lies

Mister Lies – Hidden Neighbors EP

Rating: 8.5/10

Mister Lies & Different Sleep – Mass EP

Rating: 8.0/10

Mister Lies is the moniker of 19-year-old Nick Zanca, a producer who is currently attending college in Chicago. He creates spacey and relaxing electronic music that is influenced by Burial (one of my favorite electronic musicians), as well as Portishead. His brand of downtempo beats is perfect for late nights, when everything is spacey, glitchy, and distorted. He has released two EPs in the past few months, one by himself and one with another Chicago producer named Different Sleep. Both are filled with the kind of moody electronic music that Burial is known for, but are accented with subtle differences. Mass features more vocals and is a bit more upbeat, with dramatic tracks like Kristina (Acension) which is built off of a distorted vocal and driving beat. Mass also features “Safety Net”, which features the vocals of Jessica Blanchet, and makes for a slower club hit. The other two tracks on Mass are calming and slower, making for a great EP.

His solo EP, Hidden Neighbors, is even more impressive. It opens with the ambient title track, which fades in and out in a haunting fashion. The EP then goes into Morgan, which sounds very close to Burial at his best, full of dark synths and faint beats that hearken to late nights driving through the grimy parts of town. The EP gets even stronger with the subdued “False Astronomy”, a track that is built around a soft and distorted female vocal, and is a very entrancing and hypnotic track. Everything leads up to the standout of both releases, “Cleam”, which slowly builds off a beat that pounds along and gets stuck in your head, while the echoing and distorted vocals loop and become an uplifting and haunting track. It’s the highlight of an excellent EP, one that beats out Mass by a little bit. Both of these releases are incredibly strong, and showcase Mister Lies’s talents as an up and coming producer who creates the kind of involving downtempo electronic music that Burial became famous for. Both of these EPs are great, and worth checking out, making for perfect late night electronic music. 

- David Sackllah