TV Review: Orange Is The New Black

It took me some time to jump into this one, but once I did, I was pretty glad to see where they’ve gone with it. Orange Is The New Black is the newest series made in-house by Netflix, who has already won my heart through the David Fincher led House of Cards. I was leery, since this show was created and produced by the mind behind Weeds, which I didn’t care for despite the immense popularity. For some reason I buy a woman getting thrown into prison for 15 months over drugs than I do a housewife running a drug cartel through her suburban house for 8 seasons. But what do I know? 

New Music: June 2013

Here’s a new segment I’ll be starting to do each month. Towards the end of each month I’ll put together a post of records that I had some things to say about, but didn’t warrant a full review. A lot of people ask me for quick recommendations on new music and I think this will be a great way to shed light on some records that some people might be missing each month. This will not be instead of regular reviews, but rather an extension so I can cover more music and let you know more about it! Let’s dive in...

Music Review: Jay-Z, Magna Carta... Holy Grail

You could easily say that hip-hop has definitely changed in the past five, maybe even ten years. The leader of the change could be Kanye West, as evidenced by the innovative yet flawed Yeezus, which I've reviewed here on this blog. Where Kanye was all about pushing the envelope, and trying new things in the name of creativity, the stark contrast is sticking with what you're good at, and what works. Jay-Z returns with not nearly the amount of flair West did, and boasts a sprawling 17-track album of, what many could consider, traditional hip-hop. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, reigns true for Hova.

Music Review: Relient K, Collapsible Lung

I’ve been spending some time lately going back to old music I used to listen to when I was a kid. While most of it is Christian contemporary and punk music, there’s definitely some gems in there. Most of these bands are still going, and there’s been a lot of changes for many of them. Relient K is one of those bands, and after six records, they’ve outlasted many in their genre, and still manage to stay relevant. Their seventh full-length, Collapsible Lung, just released and showcases a bit of a different band than what most of us might be used to.

Music Review: Oh, Sleeper, The Titan EP

Through previous Oh, Sleeper albums, we’ve seen the band get more raw, and more focused musically. Vices Like Vipers was arguably their most raw and frenetic recording, as well as emotionally gripping. Go listen to “The End of a Dark Campaign” and tell me that doesn’t just rip your heart out. Son of the Morning and even Children of Fire were very clean and produced well, giving Oh, Sleeper their signature sound. As a Christian band, they’ve always stood out to me as some of the more technical and thought-provoking groups in the genre. So where does The Titan EP fall in line? In fact, I think it shows an even more mature and concept-focused band, primed for even more popularity than where they are now.

Music Review: August Burns Red, Rescue & Restore

August Burns Red has never been a band to stick with the same old thing. Each record, they continue to push themselves and step outside what most would consider straight, standard metalcore. Rescue & Restore, the band’s fifth full-length album, continues this trend, and pushes the genre even further than they have before. It’s always a pleasure to see what these Lancaster, Pennsylvania natives have up their sleeves.

Music Review: Vampire Weekend, Modern Vampires of the City

 

I've only ever really liked the singles from Vampire Weekend, songs like "Mansard Roof", "Oxford Comma", and honestly, I can't remember anything specific that I cared for off of Contra. But somehow the band has stayed on my radar, particularly with the immense anticipation for their third recording, Modern Vampires of the City. As I've told many people before, I'm very interested in third albums, particularly because most bands try something new the second time around, then blend the original sound with the new sound to make something either super memorable or ultimately forgettable.

Music Review: Kanye West, Yeezus

If there’s one thing you can’t fault Kanye West for, it’s creativity. The man makes every attempt at making music that is just way out of - what seems like - his comfort zone. With Yeezus, he somehow kept the entire project under wraps until the last couple of months. After the immense (critical) success of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, he’s back with a follow-up, and it proves to be much more in your face than anything he’s released before.

Movie Review: Now You See Me

“The closer you look, the less you’ll see.” Those are some of the first words wise-cracking magician Danny Atlas tells his audience within the first minutes of Louis Leterrier’s Now You See Me. Unfortunately, his words are the tell that gives away the increasingly wobbly drama of the film itself, resulting in what could possibly be the greatest shell game in theaters. Coming from the director of the Transporter series, the better Incredible Hulk, and Clash of the Titans, the film’s quality is is hit or miss, and a great indicator of what lies under the shell: not a lot.

Review: Daft Punk, Random Access Memories

Eight years is an eternity in the music world. While most artists release albums every two to three years, Daft Punk has never been one to go with the flow. Homework came in 1997, followed by Discovery four years later, and Human After All four years after that. Then eight years go by with no new studio album (save for the soundtrack to Tron, which everyone...and I mean everyone... expected to be a proper Daft Punk album, which it was not). Finally, in 2013 we have Random Access Memories. Following some brilliant marketing campaigns and somehow keeping the music very, very under wraps, the French duo has released the fourth full length of their illustrious career. But how does it fair?

Review: The Shouting Matches, Grownass Man

Who else knew that Justin Vernon had another band up his sleeve besides Bon Iver? Not me, I'll tell you that much. I wasn't expecting much from this record, and I'm not really sure why. Maybe it's because I didn't want another airy, sentimental record that sounded just like Bon Iver. Don't get me wrong, I love Bon Iver. But I was pleasantly surprised to find a bluesy, rock-infused record of….well….change. It's almost like Bon Iver doesn't exist when you listen to The Shouting Matches record. Let's dive into Grownass Man…

Early Thoughts: Marla Mase

I don't mind weird stuff. I've heard some pretty odd albums during my time reviewing music, and some of them are pretty brilliant. The best artists know how to channel their eclectic tastes into music and make it work. Marla Mase's new album Speak showcases the singer/songwriter's talents, but it can border on a little too out there at times. This album is all over the place: going from a punk-style tune like "Piece of Peace" to a slow building synth-focused song like "Open Up My Heart" which features elements of poetry from the artist. "Lioness" is similar to the previous tracks I've spoken about, but features Mase incorporating funk and world music within the spoken world style.

Early Thoughts: Grant Lyle

I haven't always been a guitar-focused individual. Most of the music I really get into is mostly percussion driven. Some friends of mine have even said I've got a little bit of drummer in me. Canadian singer/songwriter and guitarist Grant Lyle's newest album So There is a primarily guitar-focused record, and while it's not bad, it leaves quite a bit to be desired. Check out after the jump for some early thoughts.

Early Thoughts: Monks of Mellonwah

Through a first listen, Sydney-based rock outfit Monks of Mellonwah may not have my heart, but they definitely have my attention. Their third EP in three years, Sky & The Dark Night leaves a little to be desired on a few fronts. The album (albeit 3 tracks and clocking in at just over 8 minutes) takes you on a bit of journey that is likely to remind you of something you saw in a movie once. It's best to listen to the full mix and hear it in its entirety, and for good reason. The band seems to rank up there with others that can do a lot with such a short span of time. Listening to the EP brings to mind some of what RED and even Between the Buried and Me have accomplished.

Review: Paramore, Self-Titled

Recently, I've not wanted to review any records that I would consider "bad". Yes, I have feelings on the issue, and yes, I can be pretty opinionated at times, but I usually don't like to put it out there unless its something I really feel the general public needs to know. In the case of music, I like to try and let people know about how good or bad a record is before they jump out and buy it. This time, I really felt strongly enough about my opinions that I needed to share it. Again, this is only how I view the band and the subsequent record they just released. So now, with that long-winded explanation behind me, Paramore's new self-titled record.

Review: Fall Out Boy, Save Rock and Roll

I've been a pretty big fan of Fall Out Boy for a while. Yes, go ahead and judge me. I was probably just as surprised and excited as the average fan when the band announced their return. I found it quite hilarious too that Pete Wentz had an interview the day before the announcement, and he said in that interview the reunion would never happen. Nevertheless, the band has returned with their fifth album, after a lengthy hiatus. I knew there'd be some changes, mainly because of how different and (in my opinion) mature the Folie A Deux album was. 

Review: Deap Vally, Get Deap! EP

So I've been sitting on this duo for a while, and tracking their songs on Facebook as they've kind of erupted. Deap Vally is a new two-piece rock/grunge outfit out of LA, starting in 2011. I discovered them through Buzz Bands LA, which you should definitely check out if you want to be familiar on any of the up and comers out of LA. I hate that the first record we have from them is just an EP because I think there's so much potential with these two girls. Four tracks in I just want more from them. But Get Deap! is what we've got, and I'll take it over nothing.

Review: Justin Timberlake, The 20/20 Experience

Let's face it. Justin Timberlake is probably the most successful and established male artist since Michael Jackson. Between being part of *Nsync, one of the most successful pop groups, and transitioning flawlessly into solo stardom, no one can get enough of Justin. After two hugely popular albums, the prince of pop left the music scene for 6 years, focusing on his acting career and other ventures (albeit his MySpace involvement was still focused on music); some thought he'd never come back to music. But early in 2013, he confirmed his revisit to what he called his first love. Now, we've got The 20/20 Experience, the long awaited return of JT.

Review: The Cave Singers, Naomi

Yet another band I'd never heard of but have come to love, The Cave Singers released their fourth album last week. What's funny is I've found a few hardcore albums that came out this past week as well, and this gem just quietly released. Sometimes you find the best music while banging your head to great metal. The Cave Singers are definitely not metal, but their simplistic sound is enough to stay in my player for years to come.

Review: Atoms For Peace, Amok

Ever since Thom Yorke announced the Atoms For Peace record, I've been anticipating the resulting album and hoping that it would be a continuation of Eraser, Yorke's previous solo album. While AFP isn't truly a solo album for him, what with including members of Beck, R.E.M and Red Hot Chili Peppers, it still has an undeniable feel of Yorke's signature sound. And because it features that, it definitely fits right in with Yorke's previous effort, and possibly surpasses it.

Review: Red, Release the Panic

While I'm not too much of a big fan of Christian music anymore, I do still follow some bands from time to time. It's always interesting to see the evolution of a band, especially when they drop from a label and start independent again (like Thousand Foot Krutch's release last year). Red has been around for a while, and they're still on the label that signed them from the beginning. So far, not much has changed for the band musically. When I hear a new album is coming out for band like this, I always give them the benefit of the doubt that something will have changed. I wondered if Release the Panic was going to be a change of pace for them.

Review: Foals, Holy Fire

Since Spotify launched over here in the US, I've had the chance to get to know a lot more bands that I hadn't listened to before. Friends would always tell me about bands to check out, and I'd write it down but didn't have a way to discover them. Foals is one of those bands. I've known about them for years, but never really discovered them and listened fully to their music until last year. Both Antidotes and Total Life Forever are still new to me, but they've become staples in my music library. I'm happy to say that Holy Fire is shaping up to be a welcome addition as well.

Review: Local Natives, Hummingbird

I can't say much about Local Natives as an opening, simply because they've been on and off my radar since their debut. I loved Gorilla Manor, but I'll admit I forgot about the for a while. But just from the buzz flying at the end of last year, I knew Hummingbird was going to be one of the first major releases for 2013 that I'd be covering. It's a pleasant surprise to forget about a group that comes back full force and reminds you of why you fell in love with them in the first place.

Review: Tegan and Sara, Heartthrob

The 80s are making a bit of a comeback, it seems. While they might not be the first to do it in the past few years, Tegan and Sara's newest release Heartthrob showcases some distinct disco-rock flavors, and it works for them. The duo has never been one to stick to what works, nor what is socially acceptable, but Heartthrob focuses on the dance element, and these two ladies have it down pretty well. For their seventh album, there's more electronic elements than ever before, but the Quin sisters have used it to their advantage.

Review: The Lone Bellow, self-titled

Folk-tinged indie groups have been popping up like weeds in the past three years or so. It's likely that 2013 will be no different. We can thank the immense success of Mumford and Sons, along with Arcade Fire winning album of the year at the Grammys for this. The rise of the independent band is growing exponentially. The Lone Bellow is the next group to join these ranks, but I'll admit I'm more excited about this three-piece group than some of the others coming around. Here's why.

Review: Yo La Tengo, Fade

So I'll admit: I’ve never listened to Yo La Tengo. Fade is the first album I’ve ever heard from the band. And maybe that doesn’t make me qualified to review it. But by golly, I’m going to do it. Because this is a great album. According to Wikipedia, this is their 13th full length album, and on Spotify they’ve got even more than that. I couldn’t spend enough time with all their older music to make an informed decision on whether this album is good or not. So go ahead and put an asterisk next to my review if you like. But as a new fan, I’m loving this album.

Review: Twenty One Pilots, Vessel

Twenty One Pilots has been on my radar for about a year now. Close friends have been digging them for about that same amount of time, and they each have their own reasons why they’re into the band. Their unique blend of rap and pop provides a new way to enjoy the various styles, and the band’s garnished a pretty decent little following since 2010, when their first album debuted. Vessel is their first release on a major label, and some of the songs are old favorites to longtime fans.

Biggest Disappointments of 2012

So now that I’ve released my final lists for the year, you might notice two albums that are suspiciously left off. If you were involved in the music industry at all this year, you know that the top two albums of the year were Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange and Kendrick Lamar’s good kid, m.a.a.d. city. Normally, I tend to agree with some of the top albums of the year. This year is a stark contrast. These two albums are highly overrated, and that’s my humble opinion. Allow me to explain.