If Key and Peele wrote songs for Prince it would sound like Thundercat's Drunk. The jazz, funk, psych bassist's third album is a concept record about getting drunk and figuring out life. While the record takes the listener on a musical journey and trip through some very strange places, it is an experience. The music gives the listener a visual idea of what they can play in their head when listening to it. Thundercat and the rest of the Brainfeeder label are the only artists pushing music in new directions and with the help of the label's master Flying Lotus as well as Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, and others, Drunk is a trip and one you want to go back to.
FINAL GRADE: A
Ryan Adams – Prisoner
Ryan Adams has always been an artist who wears his heart on
his sleeve and on his latest record, his lets it beat in full force. Taking
inspiration from his recent divorce, his struggle to find himself and the
solace of being alone, Adams creates his best record in years. Touching on
almost all of the different sub genres of rock and roll he has written and
recorded in, Prisoner is him coming undone and back together again.
FINAL GRADE: A
Japandroids – Near to the Wild Heart of Life
The Canadian garage duo are back and fire on all cylinders
as they bring a joy back to rock and roll that has not been seen or heard in
what feels like ages.
FINAL GRADE: A
Power Trip – Nightmare Logic
Take the early thrash sound and production of Slayer, mix it
with the technical metal of Megadeath and give it a storyline like early
Protest the Hero and you have Power Trip’s fantastic new album. Nightmare Logic
is a whiplash of force, power, and brutality rolled into one.
FINAL GRADE: A
Los Campesinos! – Sick Scenes
For years the British collective Los Campesinos! have been
creating a joy and energy in their music while being tender and open about
their feelings. Now, on Sick Scenes, they come full circle and mature and
create their best record to date with a refreshing blend of new ideas but still
sticking to who they are as a band.
FINAL GRADE: B+
The Menzingers – After the Party
The Philly punks know how to have a good time and be very
enthusiastic about it on their latest, they deliver what fans love but further
their ability to do it.
FINAL GRADE : B+
Tinariwen – Elwan
The African guitar collective still manage to make
interesting music after all these years and find a way to tap into the world
while sticking to their roots.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Elbow – Little Fictions
On their best record since The Seldom Seen Kid, Elbow bring
their orchestral symphonic rock back to the mainstream with an introspective
album about love, loss, desperation and hope.
FINAL GRADE: B+
The Dig – Bloodshot Tokyo
The New York band brings a new level of atmospheric and
synth rock to their sound and on one of their tamest albums, they still show
they are not only a very interesting band but one that can be played during any
occasion.
FINAL GRADE: B
Steel Panther – Lower the Bar
You can’t take Steel Panther seriously and that is the whole
point, yet, we highly doubt there is anyone having more fun making 80s power
pop metal-inspired tunes than them.
FINAL GRADE: B
Lupe Fiasco – Dragos Light
The Chicago emcee returns on what could be his final record
and delivers his statement on the state of the union. Fiasco has always been a
lyrical mastermind and on Dragos Light, he gives society the tongue-lashing it
needs.
FINAL GRADE: B
Big Sean – I Decided
Big Sean has been making records for almost a decade but his
latest finally hears him at his most confident and comfortable with his mic. I
Decided features Eminem, The-Dream, Jeremih, Migos as the biggest heavy hitters
and he can keep up with the best of them.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Thievery Corporation
- The Temple of I and I
The D.C.-based world music innovators don’t have to look
very far to see the country is going to shit, so as they channel the nation’s
fury into song, they give us all a lesson in global politics and it his us like
a smack in the face. The Temple of I and I is easily their best record since
2004’s The Cosmic Game and as they continue to make music, they show us why
they are very much needed in 2017.
FINAL GRADE: B-
Surfer Blood – Snowdonia
There was so much promise with Surfer Blood when they
arrived and as the years went on, they have gone through the death of a band
member, players leaving and a handful of new recruits which as all made them
push to make new music but not a new sound. Snowdonia doesn’t live up to the
potential that the Florida band could have pushed to achieve with this record.
FINAL GRADE: C+
Dirty Projectors
On their new record, which is said to be a breakup LP, the
band get so mellow you might fall asleep before the album even ends.
FINAL GRADE: C-
Sepultura – Machine Messiah
Sepultura seem to have given up and are making records for
the sake of making records which is what a band should never do. Machine
Messiah is a lost, uninspired record that just throws a bunch of heavy riffs
together where they hope to see what sticks and unfortunately, none of it
really does.
FINAL GRADE: D
