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concertcollector-blog · 7 years

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“Part Three” by Chase Atlantic (Review)

About a week ago, Chase Atlantic dropped what I’m assuming is the final component of their EP trilogy. Part Three was released with a total of 4 brand new tracks to give fans yet another little taste of what they’ve got planned for the future (at least, I hope they’ve got more planned for the future). While Part One was a total hit for me, Part Two was unfortunately more of a miss in my book. For that reason I was slightly nervous to hear what the band had in store for this EP. Would it wow me like the first installment of this series, or would it just barely meet my expectations like its companion?

Right of the bat I noticed that the band decided to change up the album artwork this time around. The spooky red background and x-ray filtered bodies of the band members sparked my curiosity almost immediately. I soon learned that the new color-scheme really fit the mood of the whole EP, which I do appreciate. The contents of the EP, however, gave me some mixed emotions once again. Let’s get into it, shall we?

Track 1: Drugs & Money

Not to be confused with “Drugs & Candy” by All Time Low, though it shouldn’t be hard to mix up ATL’s delicate ballad with this dangerous, cocky, and fun new track from Chase Atlantic.

The song opens up the entire EP with creepy forest sounds and disoriented wind chimes, and then immediately fades into a slow, steady, and attention grabbing beat. I was satisfied for the first few moments, until I realized that already, this track sounded a lot some of the other songs Chase Atlantic have released recently. As the first minute of the song passed by, I was hoping the chorus would pick up.

Fortunately, with just a simple cock of a fake gun, “Drugs & Money” transcends into a chorus that is short, sweet, and catchy as hell. “Drugs and fucking money”; the repetitive use of this badass phrase is something that I was expecting from a band like Chase Atlantic. What I appreciate about it this explicit lyric is that this line works for them. They sing about these antics in such an effortless way that I hardly even think twice about the ridiculousness of them.

However, after the high I experienced throughout the chorus of “Drugs & Money”, I came back down to the somewhat disappointing reality that overall, the song wasn’t their most unique. It felt very similar to some of Chase Atlantic’s older songs like “Into It” and “Why Stop Now”. But after listening to this track a few more times, I’ve grown more fond if it and I can definitely see myself rocking out to it more in the future.

Song rating: 7.5/10

Track 2: Keep It Up

The infamous Chase Atlantic saxophones open up the next song on the EP, “Keep It Up”. This track is definitely my favorite song from Part Three for a few reasons.

The first verse instantly put a smile of relief on my face. I knew at the 15-second mark that this song was going to have a completely different style than “Drugs & Money”, which, in my case, was a good thing. The beat of this song is light, airy, and sweet. From the quick lyrics to funky bass in the background, this song instantly made me want to get up and dance in the middle of my bedroom.

Following another verse and chorus about being free and “riding the wave”, the track transcends into the bridge, a quieter melody of intimate lyrics, snapping fingers, and of course, the trumpets. I feel like no Chase Atlantic song can be complete without the saxophone, and they sound great no matter how the band uses them.

The transition from the bridge to the last chorus is probably my favorite part of the entire song. As Mitchel Cave chants on for his love interest to “give it up”, the editing on his vocals and prominent drum beat in the background mesh together perfectly. It makes my body sway from side to side every single time I listen to it.

But, what I appreciate the most about this song is the fact that it sounds like the Chase Atlantic I fell in love with last year. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for bands expanding their horizons, but I think Chase Atlantic make their best music when sticking to their alternative pop/rock roots. “Keep It Up” sounds like it belongs on one of the band’s older EPs, the EPs that initially caught my attention when I first gave the band a go.

On top of being a naturally groovy and captivating song, “Keep It Up” is a relieving reminder that Chase Atlantic will probably never completely ditch their old sound.

Song rating: 8.5/10

Track 3: 23

Then, after “Keep It Up”, we are brought to my other favorite track on the EP, called “23″.

Over the last few years, Chase Atlantic has created a handful of slow and intimate songs, including ”Gravity”, “Hold Your Breath” and “Roxanne”. But I have to say, after listening to “23″ a few more times after my initial first impression, I can safely say that it is the best ballad the band has released yet.

The song opens up with a calm, almost lullaby-esque feeling accompanied by the sounds of a raging storm outside. A smooth transition introduces the first verse, where Cave‘s soft voice sings about mixed emotions, losing his mind, and a struggle to “straighten out”. The first verse definitely caught my attention the first time I listened, and I was eager to hear where this song would go. Needless to say, it only got better from there.

Overall, the more I listen to "23″, the more I seem to fall in love with it. On top of its simple and beautiful melodies, there’s an obvious storyline to this song that I dive deeper and deeper into with each listen.

I pay very close attention to the words being said, and I truly feel for the girl this song was written about. I don’t know what exactly happened to her, but I also didn’t expect to. I’m sure the band’s intention when writing this song was to keep it up for interpretation, and they did a great job of doing that.

One lyric that gets me every time is in the chorus: “Baby’s only twenty-three, dancing under lights since she was seventeen”. There is something about that line that is so beautifully said, yet so upsetting at the same time. It’s vague enough to keep her story a secret, but straight-forward enough to let the audience’s imaginations run wild.

Thanks to the instrumentals, powerful lyrics, and overall vibe of the song, “23″ is the most visual and thought-provoking track on Part Three, and it’s definitely worth a listen. I really appreciate Chase Atlantic for including such a lovely song on this EP.

Song rating: 8.5/10

Track 4: No Friends (feat. ILoveMakonnen & K Camp)

The final track on Part Three, titled “No Friends”, is probably my least favorite from this EP. What starts out as a song with great potential to be a banger, unfortunately plummets into another basic song that sounds like everything else on the charts right now.

Let’s start with some pros. I love the introduction of the song. Right away we hear a very promising beat that’s both unique and a little menacing. As it builds up, an Siri-like voice steps in to remind us all that we are in fact listening to Chase Atlantic. It’s a small detail that makes me chuckle every time.

The first verse of the song is pretty good, in my opinion. I could tell almost immediately that this song would be a lot like “Drugs & Money”, which was a little bit of a concern, considering I like their alt-pop stuff a lot more. But nonetheless, the first verse was not a disappointment. It was catchy and had a lot of potential to wow me.

The chorus of “No Friends” is even better, and definitely my favorite part of the whole song. Cave’s voice gets very passionate as he sings about his lack of friends on the guest list, and I can totally hear the emotion and shade behind his words.

The first time I listened to this song I was pretty satisfied. That is, until the song hit the 1:09 mark, and I immediately felt like I had heard this song a hundred times on the radio before.

One thing I strongly dislike is auto-tuned rap music, but it has been very popular lately. Perhaps Chase Atlantic wanted to experiment with this trend by featuring K CAMP, but my first impression was not thrilled with his verse. After listening to the song multiple times, hoping I’d grow accustomed to it, I still feel disappointed every time the second verse rolls around.

After another “lit” chorus, the 3rd verse is rapped by ILoveMakonnen, the other artist featured on this track. His part is better than K CAMP’s mostly because he actually has some emotion in his voice as he raps, but it still doesn’t wow me. In my opinion, this song would’ve been great if it was done strictly in the style of Chase Atlantic.

But, overall, this song is catchy, well-produced, and caters to the side of their fanbase who digs the rap/R&B vibes. I appreciate the effort Chase Atlantic put into experimenting with new sounds, but I’m just not particularly fond of it.

Song rating: 5.8/10

In conclusion, I still believe Part One is the best installment from Chase Atlantic’s 2017 trilogy, but there are a lot of reasons why Part Two and Part Three are great as well. Part Three, although probably my least favorite out of the series, still shows a lot of growth and passion from the band.

Chase Atlantic definitely tried some new styles out this time around, and I can see why most fans really enjoy it. My own personal opinion feels otherwise, but nonetheless I will keep jamming out to this EP until they release something new. I am really hoping that a debut album is in the works, and I can’t wait to see what this band does next.

#chase atlantic #part three #music review #music recommendation #partthreechaseatlantic

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concertcollector-blog · 7 years

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“Harry Styles” by Harry Styles (Review)

Guess who’s bringing rock n’ roll back to the 2010s? That’s right, ladies. Harry Styles.

After a rocky last few years and worrisome hiatus, Harry Styles has officially begun his much awaited solo project with the release of his self-titled debut album, Harry Styles. The 10-track record, ranging from simple acoustic songs to jaw-dropping ballads, completely blew me out of the water and took me on a journey through the sides of him that I went 6 years without truly understanding.

Going into this, I knew this wasn’t going to be a biased review. Although I was a massive One Direction fan a few years ago, I eventually grew out of them when I found other bands that suited my music taste a little more than what they were producing. I am not afraid to admit that Made In the AM was a not a good album in my opinion, nor was FOUR a home-run for me either. But, that was One Direction. This is Harry Styles, and my respect for him has skyrocketed as his new album exceeded every expectation I had for it.

So, let’s dive into this iconic masterpiece, shall we?

Track 1: Meet Me In The Hallway.

The 10-track album opens up with “Meet Me in The Hallway”, a dreamy and lethargic taste of what’s to come later on in the record. The song starts off with Styles murmuring some numbers under his breath, and then transcends into a funky melody of faded vocals and fingers picking the strings on a finely tuned guitar. If the musical elements of this song weren’t already ambiguous enough, the lyrics only push my curiosity further. The repetitive line “Gotta get better” was mysterious; What could this possibly mean? Was his meaning shallow, or was he really in a dark place throughout the writing process of this record? It made me, the listener, wonder how deep this album could go, or how equivocal it could remain.

Overall, “Meet Me In The Hallway” was the perfect song to open Harry Styles up with, and I will explain why more towards the end of this review.

Song rating: 8/10

Track 2: Sign Of The Times.

Styles’ infamous debut single, “Sign Of The Times”, follows after the album’s whimsical introduction. My initial reaction to this song when it first dropped back in April was nothing but positive: although the first verse of the song was questionable for my taste, I fell in love with the song the second the chorus began. From that moment on, I’ve been a huge fan of it.

“Sign Of The Times”, in my opinion, is a successful attempt at modernizing classic rock. It has certain elements to it that remind me of a lot of artists from the Classic Rock age, and it doesn’t make Styles seem like a “poser” at all. The song altogether - from the lyrics to the melody - is extremely mysterious and I’m sure it generated a lot of excitement to hear the rest of the album beyond just my own curiosity.

Song rating: 8.5/10

Track 3: Carolina.

In Harry Styles’ 3rd track, titled “Carolina”, Styles’ smooth voice tells a cheeky story of a girl from the South who immerses herself into the superficial world of the Los Angeles, California. The chorus of “Carolina” is fun, upbeat, and sexy in the most classy way possible. The constant La la la la’s in the background put a grin on my face every time I listen to the song.

Although I feel like some parts of this track are childish, that is not a negative observation. They’re childish in a way that still works extremely well and keeps the song fun and current.

Song rating: 8.5/10

Track 4: Two Ghosts.

I must admit that I hit a small bump in the road after “Carolina”. The next two songs on the album, titled “Two Ghosts” and “Sweet Creature”, are probably my least favorite songs on Harry Styles. This may come as a shock for some people, because I’ve gotten the sense that these are some fans’ absolute favorite songs from the whole album. Just hear me out you guys, I promise I have a rational reason.

The thing I dislike about “Two Ghosts” is that it is musically forgettable. Don’t get me wrong, the lyrics are magnificent; They are powerful and poetically heartbreaking. It’s plain to see that Styles was describing a low time in his life, and I respect him for opening up. But the tune of the song, in my opinion, just doesn’t do the words justice. From a musical perspective, “Two Ghosts” wasn’t as unique as the other songs off the album, which causes me to skip it most of the times it comes on.

Song rating: 5.5/10

Track 5: Sweet Creature.

Similarly, “Sweet Creature” has lovely lyrics, but with just a simple guitar and a few backing vocals behind it all, I feel like it is not enough to truly wow me.

Personally, I love when songs have a lot of production in them. I like songs that don’t rely solely on the lyrics to entice people, but use instruments to help create a masterpiece as well. “Sweet Creature”, from a musical standpoint, needs some more instruments to help bring it to life.

But, then again, there are a lot of people who like simple songs like that. So, to turn this bump in the road into a positive pit-stop, at least this album has diversity.

Song rating: 5/10

And then, we are brought to the 6th track on the album, and a huge transition is made. We leave this calm and gentle side of Harry Styles and enter a whole new world of sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Literally.

Track 6: Only Angel.

“Only Angel” begins with an almost minute-long introduction consisting of a gods singing and a soft piano and in the distance. The intro sounds as if we’re all being lifted into heaven aboard a bedazzled spaceship with Styles behind the wheel. Everything is calm and euphoric until we are immediately thrown back down into a 1970s rock concert at the 53-second mark, and the song truly begins.

“Only Angel” is a lyrically and musically genius song. ‘I'm just happy getting you stuck in between my teeth’ and ‘She’s gonna be an angel ... when it turns out she's a devil in between the sheets’ are just a few lines that I found to be not only surprising, but clever as well.

Song rating: 9/10

Track 7: Kiwi.

Don’t even get me started on this song. This was the first track I listened to off Harry Styles, and to say I was shocked is an understatement. I was shocked in a good way, of course.

Being one of my favorite songs on the record, “Kiwi” is yet another bold and daring taste of Harry’s rock n’ roll side. The melody of the song is sassy, very sexual, and probably takes a lot of parents back a few decades to what they often refer to as “simpler times”.

The lyrics show that Styles knows what he’s doing. Some phrases that stick out to me are ‘She worked her way through a cheap pack of cigarettes, hard liquor mixed with a bit of intellect’ and ‘It's New York, baby, always jacked up, Holland Tunnel for a nose, it's always backed up’. One particular line in the bridge that I think is pure lyrical genius is “She sits beside me like a silhouette. Hard candy dripping on me 'til my feet are wet”.

Whenever “Kiwi” comes on, there is no way I can get myself to skip it. In combination with “Only Angel”, these two songs are proof that Harry is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone and say the things he never could when he was in a boyband.

Song rating: 10/10

Track 8: Ever Since New York.

“Ever Since New York”, with it’s charming lyrics and soothing guitar riffs, is a nice cool-down from “Kiwi” and “Only Angel”. I feel like this song is very visual. Something about it will take your mind back to a particular memory or time in your life… or, if you’re me, it’ll take you back to a scene from your favorite movie.

Whenever I listen to this song, for some reason my mind visualizes that scene from Almost Famous where they're all piled in the tour bus, driving across the country and singing Tiny Dancer together. Everything about that scene is graceful and heartwarming, as is this song, although it is rather sad.

One negative thing I have to point out about “Ever Since New York” is that it get’s pretty repetitive after a while. I feel like the phrase ‘Tell me something I don’t already know’ is used too many times, and Styles could’ve incorporated other lyrics in those spaces. With just a little more variation, this song could’ve been a huge hit.

Song rating: 7/10

Track 9: Woman.

The 9th track on Harry Styles is yet another song that I refuse to skip whenever it comes on. “Woman” is one of the best songs on this record, and I’m sure many Harry Styles fans can agree with me.

The beginning is one of the most unique introductions on Harry Styles. The random man asking about romantic comedies throws you off at first, but then the piano transcends into the enticing guitar riff and you are brought back into reality, as the song truly begins.

The chorus is short, sweet, to the point, and catchy as hell. It makes me wonder how this concept came to Styles’ mind and why he decided to take a plain word and fuze it into the song in such an elementary way. All he’s got to say is ‘woman’ over and over again and poof! It’s a masterpiece.

He took the word ‘woman’ and truly transformed it into a work of art. Because, let’s face it: Women are beautiful, and sometimes all we need is a simple, charming song like this to prove it. As Styles sings about this mysterious woman (or perhaps all women in general) he does it in a way that is sexy and fun, yes, but he doesn’t objectify us. I give him mad kudos for this one.

Song rating: 10/10

Track 10: From The Dining Table.

The final track on Harry Styles is “From The Dining Table”, a soothingly sad song that brings the album to a satisfying close. This song explores the final side of Styles that is a little bit more raw and truthful than the others portrayed on this record. The guitar and edited vocals create a chill, almost Jack Johnson-like sound while the mature lyrics show that he is finally able to grow up after certain expectations prevented him from doing so.

For example, I’m sure the line in the first verse that goes ‘played with myself, where were you?’ came as a shock to some fans, but in an exciting way. The song is simple but powerful, and just as mysterious as the beginning of the album. I feel like this song and “Meet Me In The Hallway” are very similar to each other in a lot of ways, and they both work together to bring the album around into a full circle, with an interesting beginning and successful ending.

Song rating: 8.5/10

Overall, I think this album was amazing and something that the music industry was in need of. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that every so often, the radio runs dry and repetitive. Harry Styles, still in its rightful place at the top of the charts, is something new and different, a breath of fresh air for us all after we’ve been drowning in generic pop songs that all sound the same for so long.

I didn’t know what I was expecting Harry Styles’ first solo album to sound like, but it wasn’t what I got. Everything about this record, from the melodies to the lyrics, completely exceeded my expectations and impressed me beyond belief.

I wish there were more than just 10 songs on this album, but perhaps that means that Styles will be back relatively soon with another masterpiece to share with the world. I’ve got mad respect for Harry Styles after hearing this album, and I hope that those who once judged him or ignored his talents because he was in a “boyband” can eventually come around with an open mind, and appreciate what he has been able to do on his own.

Overall Album Rating: 8.7/10

#harry styles #album #review #hsreview

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concertcollector-blog · 7 years

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“Part Two” by Chase Atlantic (Review)

With fans still recovering from “Part One”, Chase Atlantic fueled their ongoing fire with the release of “Part Two”, the second EP of what I’m assuming to be their take on an electrifying musical saga.

The EP was released on March 31st, 2017, and I was very eager to hear it. Although I myself am a relatively new fan of Chase Atlantic’s music, “Part One” completely blew me out of the water: compared to their older stuff, it was a major step forward in terms of their lyrics, musical production, and style. My only hope for "Part Two” was that it would be similar to its counterpart, if not better.

After finally sitting down and listening to the new EP, I had some mixed feelings about it. Although I was pleased regardless, because I like this band a lot, I’m not quite certain whether this one shook me as hard as “Part One” did.

Let’s break it down song by song, shall we?

Track 1 - Triggered.

My very first impression of this song was a quick snort through the nose. Not going to lie, the title made me chuckle. I wasn’t sure if the band was genuinely pissed off about something, or they were just making fun of Twitter users’ lingo. Either way, I was interested to see where this opening track would lead to.

Personally, I’m a sucker for dramatic album introductions. And this song had just the right amount of mystery, lust, and grunge to immediately draw me in.

The song started out with a relatively chill introduction, but the first 10 seconds definitely built up. It was quiet at first, but as soon as I heard the car revving its engine in the background, I knew I was in for a bumpy ride.

Immediately after the car sounds, I was hit with lead singer Mitchel Cave’s distinctive voice and a brand new beat.

If I was to describe this song in one word, I would use the term badass (or is that two words?). There was something about the heavy bass, deep rhythm, and the slickness in Cave’s voice that immediately painted a dauntless picture in my mind. I imagined myself thrown into the middle of a high-speed police chase after my hot boyfriend and I just robbed a convenience store. He would be driving a black SUV with tinted windows, I would be perched up in the passenger seat, and Triggered would be our get away song.

Although the chorus could’ve been fuller in my opinion, the verses and the bridge of this song were what really brought it to life for me. Lyrics like “driving ‘till we killing love” and the repetitive use of the phrase “won’t slow down” strengthened my inner feelings of love and rebellion as I bopped my head to this song’s steady beat.

The lyrics and overall theme of the song helped me realize that perhaps the meaning of “triggered” was not a reference to overused internet slang, but maybe it was referring to the shotgun my hot boyfriend was firing as we swerved on the 405, desperately trying to get away from the cops. Once again, the visuals that this song brought to life were killer (haha - see what I did there?).

In conclusion, the more I’ve listened to this song, the more I’ve come to really like it. From the lyrics, to the melodies, and to the delinquent realm it creates, Triggered is definitely my favorite tune on this EP.

Overall rating: 9.4/10

Track 2 - Cassie.

This song, unfortunately, did not woo me as much as its preceding track.

First off, what I appreciated about the song was how unique it was. In my opinion, this song was the complete opposite of Triggered, and very different from what I’ve been associating with Chase Atlantic’s more recent music. Coming right out of the sinister world of Triggered, Cassie was like a breath of fresh air and a field of blooming sunflowers right in front of me.

The general vibe of this song was very easy to pick up on within the first lines of the first verse. The light and airy beat that continued throughout the entire song reminded me of a symphony imitating the gentle ticks of a clocktower. It made my heart, still calming down from Triggered, feel all warm and fuzzy again.

Another thing I appreciated about this song was how the lyrics and the music contradicted one another. A bubbly melody is a rarity among Chase Atlantic’s newer releases, but somehow they managed to pair the uplifting beat with lyrics about drugged up veins and an impatient girl named Cassie in a way that actually worked quite well.

However, the unique airiness of this song just didn’t seem to completely win me over, though I did appreciate it. The main reason why this song did not particularly knock my socks off is because throughout the whole first listen, I kept feeling as if something was missing. Especially in the chorus, I felt like there could’ve been something else - a tempo change, another instrumental element, faster lyrics - to make it more exciting. Although the song was cute and a little brighter than the other two tracks, it was kind of forgettable.

Overall rating: 7.8/10

Track 3 - Why Stop Now.

This track has become known to me as the cool-down song, because I found it to be very chill and relaxed, but nonetheless a very interesting listen.

The introduction features a few intriguing elements that quickly brought me to the edge of my seat: more undistinguishable sound effects (were they popping pills?), the lazy strum of an electric guitar, and Cave’s muffled voice singing a few catchy lines, as if he was teasing me of what’s to come later on in this song.

The introduction slowly built up, but then quickly flushed me into the first verse. The band was back at it again with the alternative hip-hop beats, this time singing (rapping?) about self-hatred and a desperate search for Mitchel’s cell phone.

The transition into the chorus was rather quick, but nonetheless it still worked pretty well. By now I was able to conclude that this song would be slower than the other two, but I wasn’t complaining about it.

The lyrics of this song once again displayed a level of contradiction to the other elements of the tune. Lines like “Life in the fast lane. You live then you die, babe ... so why stop now?” were somewhat depressing lyrics, yes, but the way Cave’s gentle and soothing tone of voice meshed together with them was quite menacing, sending shivers up my spine. If I’m thinking out loud here, he has a very sexy singing voice. Don’t @ me.

In some ways this song almost felt half-assed, but thats what I kind of like about it. Although it is slower than the other 2 tracks, Why Stop Now has this kind of vibe to it that fuels my inner desires to just “not care”, which I assume is a common mood fellow Chase Atlantic fans feel while listening to their music. And that’s not a bad thing. Being a moody 18-year-old whose just trying to figure her shit out, I need music like this to listen to from time to time. Sometimes we all just need to “not care” and chill TF out.

The reason why I still wasn’t completely blown away by this song either was the same reason as Cassie. I felt like there was something missing from this track as well, though I still can’t put my finger on it. Either way, it’s still a good jam, and I can see this one becoming a lot of fans’ favorite.

Overall rating: 7/10

Overall, the “Part Two” EP did not meet the high expectations “Part One” set for me, but that is quite all right. Triggered is a major gem of a song and I’m still going to be blasting this EP in my car for the next few weeks. Perhaps there will be a “Part Three” and maybe even a “Part Four” to help us further envision where Chase Atlantic are headed next. These EPs are obviously just a mere taste of what they’ve got in store; I feel a debut album coming soon, and I cannot wait to devour it.

AN: This is the first music review I’ve literally ever done, so please go easy on me! Hopefully you enjoyed it - I tried to keep it as honest as possible, so I apologize if any of my opinions offend/upset you, but they are just my opinions. If you liked this, let me know! I’d love to do more reviews in the future.

#parttwochaseatlantic #chase atlantic #part two

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