Biblical – Monsoon Season
We have been talking a lot about Toronto’s metal / prog trio
Biblical and finally, their much anticipated debut arrived and does not
disappoint. The band who sound as if there is an entire army in this band
rather than three guys combine their influences of thrash, metal, punk,
hardcore, prog, and old time rock and roll. They pound and push boundaries to
no end and we are just hearing the beginning of what they can do.
FINAL GRADE: A
Pharrell – G I R L
Following one of his most successful years in a long time,
Pharrell unexpectedly announced a solo record a month before it arrived and G I
R L continues his wave of new success. Combining the funk of James Brown, the
essence of Michael Jackson, and his signature out of this world production and
songwriting, Pharrell scores again.
FINAL GRADE: A
Johnny Cash – Out Among The Stars
The “lost” album from Johnny Cash surfaces thanks to his son
“discovering” it and looking to put it out. This 1980’s lost record has finally
arrived and it haunts us, simply because the record is as beautiful and dark as
we would hope, it is as if The Man In Black is still with us.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Perfect Pussy – Say Yes to Love
Syracuse, New York, noise makers Perfect Pussy seem to come
from nowhere but they are showing that they are more than just hype. After
being one of the most talked about bands to come from SXSW and get heavy promo
from NPR, Perfect Pussy take that Bikini Kill thrash and garage rock sound and
push it further as if they are in their final seconds of life as they push
their music through your speakers.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Band of Skulls – Himalayan
The English trio return with their third album and while
they may be from the other side of the pond, they show their heavy American
rock and roll influence on Himalayan. A tour-de-force album that shows while
this band may not be new to some, they will become household names to others.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Elbow – The Take Off and Landing of Everything
The English ballad giants return with their latest album,
and following the somber dud of 2011’s Build A Rocket, Boys!, The Take Off and
Landing of Everything hears Elbow get more upbeat, more optimistic, and most
importantly much more lush in sound and style than ever before.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Fanfarlo – Let’s Go Extinct
The third record from this English collective hears Fanfarlo
experimenting a bit more with electronic sounds and a bit more texture than
their previous effort, 2012’s Rooms Filled With Light. The record is a loosely
based off the theory of evolution, but the album hears this band evolving from
what we knew about them.
FINAL GRADE: B
The Men – Tomorrow’s Hits
New York City’s favorite garage rockers are now four albums
into their career in four years and are showing no signs of stopping.
Tomorrow’s Hits hears the band going a bit more technical but just as chaotic
as they have in previous releases and only make things more interesting as to
what they will do next.
FINAL GRADE: B
Metronomy – Love Letters
The fourth album from England’s neo-new wave punks is much
more introspective and raw than previous releases and while most bands of their
genre would be going for a radio hit, they are doing things on their own terms.
FINAL GRADE: B
Neil Finn – Dizzy Heights
The songwriters songwriter, Neil Finn returns with his third
album and while the New Zealand legend has been in the business for over 30
years, it is surprising that Dizzy Heights is only his third album. Finn makes
Dizzy Heights a family affair with use of his wife and sons on the album and
still shows that even after all these years in music, he has not lost his
touch.
FINAL GRADE: B
Skaters – Manhattan
The much talked about NYC throwback thrash punk band,
Skaters released their much anticipated debut and they prove that The Big Apple
still has the ability to produce a punk band that will raise eyebrows
everywhere.
FINAL GRADE: B
Rough Francis – Maximum Soul Power
Coming off the success of last year’s documentary, A Band
Called Death, which features the children of members of Death in the band Rough
Francis, the latest generation decided to release an eight-song LP that takes
their family’s legacy into a new era.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Bayside – Cult
The Long Island via Queens post-punks return with their
sixth studio album and bring the same thunder that fans have loved from Bayside
over the years. Cult is a record that is for their cult, the legion of fans
that have stuck by them through the years and each song, though may not be
directly about that, that motif is there.
FINAL GRADE: B-
War on Drugs – Lost in the Dream
Indie favorites War on Drugs return with their third album,
and while the band have built a massive buzz over the years, Lost in the Dream
alters what people had known about their style and sound. The record has mysteriously
murky and dark tones but overall echoes some worthwhile creativity.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Skrillex – Recess
Pulling what Beyonce had done months prior, Skrillex
surprisingly unveiled his latest release of wub and sub-bass onto the masses.
While it is hard to review or chronicle EDM albums simply because so much of it
relies on the live experience and energy from the crowd, Recess seems to be an
excuse for Skrillex to hit the road again on a large scale -- as if he really
need a reason too.
FINAL GRADE: C+
Tokyo Police Club – Forcefield
Tokyo Police Club have had an interesting career, a few
years back they had the indie world by the balls and then seemed to disappear.
Now, as they make a “comeback” with Forcefield, the band experiment with a
formula that has already been done before and play it safe to try and get back
in the good graces of those that made them such a hot act.
FINAL GRADE: C-