Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp A Butterfly
Two days after the 20th anniversary of Tupac’s Me
Against the World, Kendrick Lamar surprise released his sophomore album a week
ahead of schedule and if anyone ever doubted that the Compton rapper could be
the second coming of Pac, all doubts are officially pushed aside. Beautiful,
raw, honest, intense, To Pimp A Butterfly is a modern poet putting social
commentary and storylines over beats provided by the likes of Flying Lotus,
Thundercat, Terrace Martin, Pharrell, Dr. Dre, among others. Clocking in at 80
minutes, which is long for any record, especially by today’s standards, Lamar
lets his feelings about celebrity, love, the hood, and black culture out with a
vengeance. Combining hip-hop, funk, jazz, psychedelica, and rock, Lamar defies
the sophomore slump and proves he will not be pigeonholed. With lyrics about
Trayvon Martin to Michael Jackson to Nelson Mandela, as well as his “interview”
with Tupac, this record is a lyrical document of our times by a one-man verbal
wrecking ball.
FINAL GRADE: A+
Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds – Chasing Yesterday
Another sophomore album that refuses to be pigeonholed comes
from the former Oasis axeman and songwriter, Noel Gallagher. Chasing Yesterday
is Gallagher coming into his own and putting his past behind him, while the
only yesterday he may be chasing is selling out massive stadiums around the
world, he goes for that sound but on a different level. Chasing Yesterday is a
bit more eccentric and intimate that his 2012 solo debut. Fusing jazz and rock,
Gallagher goes for something new and it works.
FINAL GRADE: A
Twin Shadow – Eclipse
For his third album, George Lewis Jr. aka Twin Shadow goes
from being the male version of Robyn to his own dance leader and new wave
leader. Eclipse is a record about coming into your own and Shadow does that
with enough tracks that will make you click repeat over and over again.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Ghostpoet – Shedding Skin
Using late night tales and the sounds of the London
underground scene, Ghostpoet returns even more mysterious and romantic on his
third album, Shedding Skin. A surreal, beautiful and very modern British album
from one of the UK’s best exports.
FINAL GRADE: A-
Sufjan Stevens – Carrie and Lowell
Sufjan Stevens has built a very successful career being a
musical unicorn who clearly gives zero fucks about what you think of him and
his style. He is a funky storyteller from Detroit that breaks all musical rules
and boundaries while doing it all on his own. Carrie and Lowell is his love letter
to his parents and after a five year wait for fans, he returns to his
indie-folk roots to go back to basics.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Incubus – Trust Fall EP
The mighty alternative rockers return with a new EP, which
is actually the first part of their new record, the second part arrives later
this year to make a complete record. After the epic disaster of their last
album, 2011’s If Not Now, When? the Calabasas band go back to their boundary
pushing roots and combine more electronic hooks and guitar than they have in
recent past. This is a step for the future of the band that is headed in the
right direction.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Flash Bastard – WILD
This Canadian band describes themselves as glam punk and
glitter rock, but Flash Bastard are so much more than that. They are probably
the most fun you will have listening to any record released in 2015 thus far.
WILD is their latest offering and the title lives up to the name. Now, if only
this band can tour with The Darkness and Steel Panther, all would be alright in
the world.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Lieutenant - If I Kill This Thing We’re All Going to Eat for
a Week
Foo Fighters bassist Nate Mendel ventures into the solo
world for the very first time under the name Lieutenant. Mendel is usually the
quiet one in Foo’s but this time he busts out into his own. Bringing along
former Sunny Day Real Estate bandmates for the ride, he shows off his hidden
songwriting skills and shows why, aside from Dave Grohl, he has been the only
constant member of Foo Fighters, which after hearing this record, could be
because he is the backbone to any musical act he is apart of.
FINAL GRADE: B
Cannibal Ox – The Blade of the Ronin
14 years after their terrific debut, Cannibal Ox return with
their sophomore album, The Blade of the Ronin. The Bronx duo stay along similar
ideas from The Cold Vein but are missing out on the flawless El-P production
that record had.
FINAL GRADE: B
James Bay – The Chaos and the Calm
After a series of solid EP’s, English singer / songwriter
James Bay finally arrives in album form with The Chaos and the Calm. Combining
the best tracks from his EP’s as well as new songs, the man with the tall hat
shows why he is one the best young songwriters today with his tender and
touching side.
FINAL GRADE: B
Airborne Toxic Event – Dope Machines
Four records in and California’s Airborne Toxic Event are
still making solid records. Dope Machines hears the band depart from the
orchestral rock sound they were known for and hears them venture into more
electronic stadium-style hooks and with enough power that will get any crowd
chanting along. Just hear the single “Wrong,” and you will know we were right
about this review.
FINAL GRADE: B
Atari Teenage Riot – Reset
The digital hardcore OG’s return with their fifth album and
their second since their reunion and bring forth the filth, fury, and social
commentary that only they can. Reset is the soundtrack to the internet lead by
the Wikileaks generation.
FINAL GRADE: B
Reptar – Lurid Glow
The fantastic Athens, Georgia, indie rockers take the spirit
of the Athens bands before them – REM, B-52’s, Of Montreal, and bring their own
blend of silly creativity on their sophomore album. Now that the weather is
getting better, this is a record to play while hanging in a park or driving
around with friends.
FINAL GRADE: B
Hot Rod Circuit – Sorry About Tomorrow
The emo titans of the early 2000’s are back and pick up
where they left off. Sorry About Tomorrow will surely please old fans who have
been waiting for new music from this band since their hiatus in 2008.
FINAL GRADE: B
Marika Hackman – We Slept At Last
Since 2012, we have been following the career of English
singer / songwriter Marika Hackman and after three years of waiting, we get her
beautiful debut. The young and talented songstress plays a minimal style that
lets the listener focus on her lyrics rather than her voice or the production
around her.
FINAL GRADE: B
Modest Mouse – Strangers to Ourselves
It has been eight years since Modest Mouse released a new
album and in that time so much has happened. Some members left, including
Johnny Marr, various ideas were tossed around like high profile producers and
collaborations like Big Boi. But in the end, the band returned with a record
that captures their disjointed eight years away perfectly. Strangers to
Ourselves is far from the best work they have done but in many cases, also, is
not the worst. It does feel a bit all over the place and chaotic in sonic style
and feels more along the idea of “Hey, let’s just get this out and work on the
next record.” While they have been away for so long, they weren’t forgotten and
this could just be an appatizer to hold fans over for something else.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Ratking – 700 Fill
The New York City hip-hop collective stormed onto the scene
last year with So It Goes, now, they follow their acclaimed debut with a
surprise mixtape. 700 Fill still contains that raw, raucous, and rambunctious
rap that we have loved about the group but with minimal production and just
letting the lyrics do the talking.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Of Montreal – Aureate Gloom
The freakishly fabulous Of Montreal return with their 15th
album and the band keeps it as strange and as weird as ever.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Ringo Starr – Postcards from Paradise
Ringo is back with album No. 18 and it is exactly what you
guessed it would be and sound like.
FINAL GRADE: D