#but i feel like it’s more impressive to have a few ballads on the album and for them all to be strong

[sappymix1]

thank fuck the pale waves album is good i don’t think that i could handle not liking it rn

[bookscandlesnbts]

Just a few random thoughts. Personally I think Jungkook is sincere and isn’t playing a role right now. I think he tends to be a bit impulsive and obsessive when he has something in his mind. Nowadays, he wants to make sure we don’t see him as a teenager and the forever maknae. I never took him for a baby, I’m well aware he’s 26 now and he’s a grown ass man, hell I’m older than him 😅 So I don’t exactly get why he’s so hell-bent on that. For a while now the fandom has been mostly thirsting over him and noticing how much he has grown up. I think Jimin is being babied a lot in comparison. Or maybe that’s just in my circles? But I respect what he feels and the direction he wants to take. I don’t like it, because for this chapter 2 I was looking for something a bit more personal from each member, a way to connect to each one of them. And so far it has been the case, except for him. Which makes me a bit sad as he is one of my bias, along with Jimin and Hobi. Hopefully one day he’ll get back to writing his own songs because it’s when I connect to him the most, but it’s not his goal at the moment and I respect that.

That being said I truly hope we’ll get at least one ballad from him on his album, and no more featuring… it’s the 3rd one now, 4th if we add Dreamers but that was a special song, and like many of your previous anons I’m losing interest. My excitement for his album has worn off. With Left and Right then Seven and now 3D it’s getting a bit too much, all over the place and lacking some sort of uniqueness. I want to hear Jeon Jungkook, not another western perfectly-pre-packaged production that could have been given to any other pop artist. I’m not really seeing a multiple-dimension Jungkook right now, which is fine but just not suited for I expect from the artists I follow. I wonder if the debates around his songs stems from the way we engage with music in general. I’m going to be honest but personally I don’t stream. I’ve never and I won’t, it’s not the way I like to consume music. Actually, I don’t ‘consume’ music. I don’t listen to the radio, I carefully pick up and choose what I listen to. I guess music is serious business for me hahaha and not something I listen to casually? It’s not some background noise for when I do this and that, I like to really sit down and listen. Does that sound stupid? I don’t know. Sorry, I’m rambling. I’m not against a fun summer hit here and there but I guess I’m a bit of a snob. I’m also very picky about the lyrics and I too find 3D gross, and I won’t apologize for it. It’s definitely not subtle and not even sensual. And I don’t have a problem with sexual songs, heck one of my favorite artists is french singer Serge Gainsbourg, if you know you know ;)

To sum it up, I’m having mixed feelings. I love Jungkook, so I will listen to his album and if he’s happy then I’m happy for him but as an artist right now, his music is not for me anymore and it makes me a tad bit sad. But eh, we still have his previous songs to go back to :)

Whew, if you weren’t an anon and I knew your identity, I would say that we could be friends. I very much so hold a lot of these opinions. JK has one of the best vocals in the business BAR NONE. No one not even the kpoppies can dismiss that fact. Yet, these songs don’t showcase that??? They are songs that anyone could sing. Sure, JK has some great ad libs here and there. There is arguably nothing wrong with the way that he sounds but it’s also not remarkable or impressive vocally in my opinion.

I also don’t consume music. I too am older anon. I’m 30 almost 31 and I listen to what I like. One of the things I like and admire a lot is excellent, lush songwriting. You want a stunning hetero sexual song about sex with women? Work Song by Hozier or really any song by Hozier. I also admire the lyrics of Frank Ocean in the R&B scene, Kendrick Lamar in the Rap genre, and indie girls like Phoebe Bridgers and Lana Del Rey. All of these are just to name a few. Western music can be high quality and have amazing lyrics. I get that JK is going for mass general population appeal, so that’s why this doesn’t resonanate with me. I can be pretty snobby too. In fact, a lot of the music I love is what Joon shares to his stories and as we know, he’s one of the lyrical masterminds behind BTS.

I also love Jungkook and I’ll continue to love him even if I’m not going to listen to 3D and Seven on repeat. I will of course listen to his solo album too when it comes out. I fear it will be more of the same which isn’t my taste, but that’s okay. And it’s okay to like it. I’m one of those people that really likes to dive into songs lyrically. Some people don’t care about lyrics. The lyrics more than anything are what drew me to BTS in the first place. JK wants to be a different kind of solo pop star. That’s fine, I’ll just wait until he’s back in the studio with his band mates producing songs that I know will be fire and I won’t care what the general public thinks about those.

[xchemoni]

Pitchfork’s Album Review on “Embrya” by Maxwell

“ The reissue of Maxwell’s second album from 1998 showcases the mercurial spirit that followed the R&B auteur down new, aqueous corridors.

In 2011, during the filming of his “VH1 Storytellers” episode, Maxwell attempted to describe his second album, 1998’s Embrya, and its uneasy position in his discography, the way it wriggles away from the more concrete and clarified R&B statements that surround it. “It’s one of those records where you’re like, ‘Should I have done that or should I have not done that record?’,” he said, seeming to pose the question to his own audience.

When Maxwell arrived on radio and MTV in 1996, he brought a sound back with him, the quietly storming soul music of the late-’70s and early-’80s, a genre that could hover politely in the air between neighbors at a cookout or totally collapse the air between two people in a bedroom. His debut, Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, modeled itself after records like Marvin Gaye’s I Want You, linked sequences of seduction that either blossomed toward or shrank away from the possibility of love; it eventually sold two million copies and earned Maxwell a Grammy nod.

Now he wanted the sound he had pulled from the past to follow him and bend around whichever corner he turned. As he told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2016, “What I did with [Embrya], on purpose, was that it was the anti-Afro ’70s funk-soul record.” He resisted the notion that his music could be pinned down and examined, and he seemed to want to write music that could circulate forever, that slipped away from any attempt to capture it, like a wave of water or an anxious thought. The songs he wrote for Embrya respond to this inner stubbornness, loosen themselves from their points, spread and pale like watercolors. It was as if had he had opened a window in his urban hang suite and the ocean poured in.

Made primarily as a reaction to his own debut album, Embrya has few previous models for its itself. It is the only R&B record I’ve ever heard that’s submerged as it is. (Even the Sade records that producer Stuart Matthewman worked on periodically come up for air.) At an hour long, it spills itself across four sides of vinyl on its new reissue, released on the occasion of the album’s 20th anniversary. It can be difficult to focus on its individual hooks; they rear up and break apart like waves in bottomless lakes of songs. Flamenco guitar solos ripple and die off like pulses on a radar screen. Strings stir and resettle like clouds of silt at the bottom of an aquarium.

There’s simply not enough water metaphors on this green earth to describe Embrya. This is by design; few R&B albums, let alone albums in general, embody the liquid rush of desire as completely as it does. Maxwell’s piercing tenor is double-tracked so often that even its edges seem watery, and his lyrics crumble from the direct romanticism of Urban Hang Suite into impressions and feelings that aren’t necessarily certain of what they are; he sings words like “plush” and “blush” almost interchangeably, and they melt away in pale petals of near-meaning.

As each song wades gradually from chord to chord, it grows harder to determine one’s position in them, whether at their middles or near their ends or slipping away into new, just-forming instrumentals, as when “Matrimony: Maybe You”—a pop-jazz track smooth and untroubled as the skin of a pebble—narrowly forks into a funk workout called “Arroz con Pollo.” Which isn’t to suggest the sound of the album is uniform; its songs are as various and vivid in their depth charges of color as Monet’s “Water Lilies,” which he painted as his vision was failing and the world itself was melting into streaks of color. There are indeed verses and choruses on Embrya; there’s a deep mysterious pull in the groove of “Luxury: Cococure” from which the chorus seems to bubble upward. “Drowndeep: Hula” is one of Maxwell’s tenderest yet murkiest ballads; if its drumbeat were a little slower and dilated it might’ve produced an early draft of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” instead. “Gravity: Pushing to Pull” finds Maxwell descending to a pressurized depth, his voice riven with low distortions. But as Embrya advances it can feel just as often like a lens is dwelling over different gatherings of sound—hands swimming up the keys of a synthesizer, basslines played so flexibly they’re invertebrate—briefly snapping them into focus before they sink back into the texture of the record.

In this way Embrya somewhat foreshadows D’Angelo’s 2000 masterpiece Voodoo, both artists searching for something even beyond the outer limits of their debut albums, both records achieving something close to perpetual motion in the slow circulation of their grooves. But where Voodoo stretches time out until it’s crisp and brittle, Embrya’s time feels thick and immeasurable and seems to pass in gradual stirrings, the liquid counterpoint to Voodoo’s spare, desiccated funk. It’s an album of traceless, amnesiac swellings, never seeming to quite know where it’s going or where it’s just been, flowing without ever seeming aware of its flowing, which is its truly remarkable achievement. According to Maxwell, Embrya is “a story that unfolds,” but it’s impossible to pick up a single thread of it and follow it to its original source; it’s all source, a concept album in which there is no concept, just feelings, impressions, intimacies and their absences, wave after wave after unending wave of them.”

Original review

[fantastickkay]

Album Review of the Week: Dream - It Was All A Dream (2001)

2001 is my all-time favorite year for music, movies, anything pop culture. It all kicks off with It Was All A Dream, hitting store shelves on January 23, 2001. There is a lot of Y2K pop energy, as well as some heavy R&B influences throughout. Their harmonies are sublime!

After a mysterious intro, we blast into the lead single He Loves U Not. The melody on this one is so great, the verses flow up down and around while the chorus' vocals pack a punch along with the instrumental. I will admit that the track becomes repetitive, however it is a great intro to the project.

In My Dreams has this sloppy robotic synth at the intro that is a very unique sound which makes this track interesting from the jump. Then, we get into their heavenly harmonies on full display. Verses have a laid-back talk/sing vocal which adds to this unique sound. The bridge sounds beautiful as well and builds to a climax to make the last act even better than the first. This is a very well-structured track with a lot of compelling sounds happening, separating them from the standard bubblegum pop act.

This Is Me is a total classic. This is one of the Hit Clips that I had on heavy rotation! The instrumental is like little digital bubbles popping all over the place, then sprinkles of high notes get peppered in for the pre-chorus. Not to mention the chorus is very fun to sing with a flowing melody.

I Don't Like Anyone has always been one of my favorites! Something about the harmonies right away in the beginning that just grab you by the collar and the sassy vocals on the verse. Then we explode into big beats, delicate yet assertive vocals in the chorus. Euphoric!

Pain is another classic, I had it on some TRL compilation as well so that's what I always think about when this song comes on. The hook "all you do is bring the pain, boy you crazy, eh eh" injects a lot of fun. The first verse has really impressive vocals in particular and I love the little rapping part talking about how the guy will regret it once they are famous. A lot of fun elements!

I absolutely love When I Get There. This is one that I sing to myself pretty often. It has a dreamy instrumental and melody. Another great track that highlights their harmonies, and the fast bit of the chorus is so much fun to sing!

What We Gonna Do About Us starts with this crazy keyboard (?) then bass intro. This is probably the most R&B infused track thus far. It has a funky, thumpy instrumental and the vocals are a bit different than we have heard.

As with a lot of albums from the time, we get this long interlude of phone messages from each of the gals sent to the same guy (!) which is pretty fun, leading into the New Edition cover Mr. Telephone Man. I adore this cover, the instrumental is groovy and their vocals are probably the best of the entire album. This whole sound is very nostalgic, I must have listened to it a lot back in the day.

Angel Inside is almost hip hop, a definite pivot from where we have been in the soundscape. The sound is a little dated, sounds more like it belongs two years earlier in 1999 but it is still a bumpin' track with some great vocals!

Do You Wanna Dance continues the R&B trend we have been for the past few tracks. This and the last track almost feel like filler. They are still good, but for such a long album I feel like we could do without these. They are a bit generic in comparison to what we have heard so far. With that being said though, the bridge is fantastic.

Miss You is a ballad with some gorgeous harmonies and instrumentation although the verses are a little bland and familiar.

How Long is a nice ballad that gets stuck in my head a lot too. Again, it feels a little generic but they do manage to breathe some life into this with their beautiful harmonies.

Overall, this has always been one of my all-time favorite albums, even though there are some clear fillers here and there. Listening to it again with analytical ears made me notice that they have some incredibly unique elements to their music and most of the songs are very well structured with interesting things happening throughout which sets them apart from most acts of the time. It is a shame that their record label went bankrupt and they didn't end up having the means to flourish further!

They did reunite for a tour in 2016, man am I sad I missed that!

[legion1227]

Panic! At The Disco: Viva Las Vengeance Review

For years, I considered Panic! At The Disco as my favorite band. They are no longer my favorite band.

Like probably many, my first exposure to the band stemmed from the radio play of one of the band's biggest hits, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies." I recall hearing it a lot as a child on the radio and in my household. Over the years, I discovered other songs that I loved even more from them than "I Write Sins." Between 2005 and 2013, Panic! dropped five albums with numerous bangers. Many fans consider this era as Panic's peak. "When The Day Met The Night," "Nine in the Afternoon," "But It's Better If You Do," "Sarah Smiles," "Miss Jackson," and "Collar Full," are beautiful ballads with either high octane energy or elegant croons of Brendon Urie and other skillful band members. Those are just a handful of examples of Panic! members Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, and Spencer Smith, to name a few, at their best.

The quality of Panic! At Disco's music was questionable after 2013, as every member of the band not named Brendon Urie left the group. 2016 saw the release of their sixth studio album, "Death of a Bachelor." DOAB is arguably the last great album Panic! dropped. "LA Devotee" is their best song dedicated to Los Angeles. (As opposed to the vocally peculiar Dying In LA.) And the song that shares the same name as the album, "Death of a Bachelor," is an excellent ode to the style of music seen back in the days of Frank Sinatra.

Then, Panic! followed up with their seventh album, "Pray for the Wicked." I loved that project upon release, but over the years, my feelings waned. There are some songs I still enjoy, but no song compares to their older releases. Panic! used to be more punk in its youth, but since "Death of a Bachelor," they've leaned more into a pop sound with some bops and more flops.

Then four, long years passed. Panic! made a triumphant return! On August 19, 2022, Panic! dropped "Viva Las Vengenace," their final album.

And this is it. /This/ was the album to make me ashamed to call myself a Panic! fan.

First of all, calling the band Panic! at the Disco hasn't been truly proper for a long time. The band's founding members were long gone except for our lead singer, Brendon Urie. As everyone left Brendon, they took their unique sound from long ago with them. This just leaves us with either generic popish instrumentals or forgettable nonsense. Again, the newer sound worked for some songs, but not every. No song truly encapsulates the vibe, energy, or what made Panic! during 2005-2013 so special. There have been some exceptions since DOAB, but most do not reach the same heights.

This album is just Brendon Urie! at the Disco. And it sucks.

The first single, "Viva Las Vengeance," when dropped, I felt mixed feelings until the end. Nothing stands out particularly about the track until the end. Brendon didn't regularly hit high notes in his songs back in the old days. But ever since DOAB, he's done it more often. Brendon gives himself big moments in songs at the end where he flexes how he can reach the highest of highs with his voice. It was impressive in "Pray For The Wicked," and it was in this single song. He attempts multiple high notes across the multiple songs on the album of "Viva Las Vengenace," and it does not work.

He comes off more like a banshee screaming. And if you've seen videos on Tik Tok, Twitter, or wherever, where he's performing the songs at the concert, you can hear how he sounds even worse live. He's ruined his voice to sound decent at hitting those high notes, and he's coming off like a nagging, dying cat. He tries hitting high notes in songs where it's unnecessary and just annoying. "Sad Clown," the tenth track on "Viva Las Vengenace" has an awful chorus due to how strenuous and needlessly extra he comes off as he belches lyrics.

This twelve-track project is a mess after the first song. It starts with the title track of the same name, "Viva Las Vengeance," which I maintain the belief that it is the best song on the album. It is downhill from there quickly. "Middle of a Breakup" is dull and uninteresting. "Don't Let the Light Go Out" has terrible lyrics. (You're the only one who knows how to operate my heavy machinery?) "Star Spangled Banger" and "God Killed Rock and Roll" are absolutely the worst songs on the whole album and the worst songs by Brendon Urie. Every other song isn't even worth mentioning. They all sorta mush together.

It's a bunch of pop nonsense. Bland instrumentals, uninspired lyrics, and vocal horseshit. I remember being so upset after my first listen because I waited four years for something great, and this is what fans receive instead. It just soured Panic! at the disco on me as a whole. If I'm in the right mood, I'll listen to their songs during their peak. But the will to listen to Brendon Urie's voice at all has died significantly after this project. Just like their band.

Brendon Urie released a statement days ago, stating that Panic! at the Disco was officially done. This news would've made me sadder a few years ago. Now, all I can say is I can't wait for Fall Out Boy to drop their album in March. Their single "Love From The Other Side" washes any song from "Viva Las Vengenace."

Oh, and Paramore is my new favorite band. Stream their new album "This is Why" in February.

(I gave their album a 2/5 a while back, but as I'm writing this, I'm contemplating dropping this to a 1.5. Shit's ass.)

[blueofthesun]

i have time to spare and love to talk as if i know something about music, so here's some album opener thoughts<3 i'm very curious as to what everyone's personal favs are, since each dir album has such a distinct vibe and i feel like their opening tracks really nicely set the tone every time. my top 5 (technically 6) is under the cut:

5. deity (macabre) / sa bir (uroboros)

tied because i feel similarly about both of them. both are the opening tracks of an album quite different from the one before, clearly indicating a step towards a direction that is significantly more ambitious and experimental. sonically i find these two have a few similarities as well. (in many ways i like to think of uroboros as their macabre 2.0 but that is its own post i think)

i just love the eerie atmosphere of both of these songs. the tension, the vocal teasers, the way they grow and morph and pull you in. both songs have a circular, hypnotic feel to them. both of these album openers say "you better start taking us seriously". and upon hearing them, i think that's exactly what you do.

4. schadenfreude (phalaris)

when i say i was in tears hearing the intro for the first time i am not exaggerating. what a beautiful way to lead in an album. and listen, i might not have understood and gotten the full vision with this whole song at first, but once i did, i really did.

the way this song is structured really gives you a good idea of all the different shades the rest of the album is to offer. it also ties nicely into the previous album era. i also really love the way this album is sandwiched by two 9-minute songs on each end, like two detailed, beautifully crafted bookends.

3. conceived sorrow (the marrow of a bone)

i just think making conceived sorrow the opener for tmoab was so genius. i remember many people feeling thrown off by it back when the album came out, but the more you listen to the full work, the more perfect sense it makes for this one to be the first track. it really highlights the undercurrent of grief and sorrow this entire album has beneath the aggressive exterior. it sort of acts as the perfect prologue for the rest of the album.

tmoab in general has some of the best ballads they've ever written, and i think it's brilliant the way they stand out against the gritty, gravelly framework of the rest of the album.

2. kyoukotsu no nari (dum spiro spero)

i love an instrumental album intro more than anything, and genuinely, kyoukotsu no nari is one of the most impressive and effective album openers i've ever heard. it achieves so much by doing relatively little, and every sound, every note has its purpose. you just know you're about to listen to their most ambitious and artistic piece of work to date when you start dss and hear that first chord drop.

the soundscape is so haunting and gut wrenching, gives me full body chills. that creeping organ (?) melody haunts my dreams. a masterclass on how to really make a lasting first impression, truly. i love their instrumental stuff so much.

1. audience killer loop (vulgar)

my beloved. all of this album's intensity and emotion is perfectly condensed into that little hook melody and the instrumental bridge, it's so good. the chorus is so powerful and memorable, the way the song loops (heh) back into that aggressive intro riff in the outro is just. absolutely iconic. to this day, this song works perfectly as a live set opener as well.

this song does what a good album opener does and makes you immediately excited to hear the rest of the album. i've called vulgar their most dynamic album before (and i'll do it again); this intro raises the energy from the get-go, and the rest of the album does a fantastic job at building momentum and keeping you in it up until the very last track.

[lordmayokcorner]

aespa My World - Album Review

-- image: euphoriazine --

After what feels like a lifetime, SM Entertainment’s aespa has finally dropped their new mini album My World. The group released a whopping 4 prereleases, always a red flag in my opinion. That said, I think that this EP has the potential to be a big hit among fans. This is a pretty noticeable departure from their original sound, but I see it as a good thing. Despite my bias being Ningning, we all have to admit that Blonde Karina is a massive slay. 

I’ll listen to each song 3 times and rate them afterward. Each song will be rated on a scale of 1-10 with 5 being completely neutral, 1 being my least favorite song, and 10 being the best songs ever. Please take my rating with a grain of salt, my goal is to be honest, no hate :)

Welcome To MY World (feat. nævis) - 8

First off, is that vocaloid I hear? Something similar nonetheless. We start off with a somewhat ominous but sweet guitar riff. When the refrain hits, the bass is incredible and super smooth. Ningning is killing it on the refrain! (or chorus depending on how you see it). As the song progresses, it continuously builds to hit harder and harder, adding drums, strings, more bass, synths, harmonies, backups, and the vocaloid-esque nævis lines. In the verses the autotune is quite excessive, but the chorus sounds more tasteful to me. That said, I still love this song!

Spicy - 9

This song has much more power than the previous. The sound design of the synth bass is seriously impressive and pleasing to the ear. The production is done by Moonshine, an absolute beast in the kpop scene. Peek-A-Boo, Naughty, and Forever 1, just to name a few. The rap in the verse feels like a cross between the Irene rap in Dumb Dumb and Robyn’s Konichiwa B*tches. The chorus slaps. So. Hard. All the pitch sliding in the vocals and synths gives this song a jazzy, danceable feel. There are elements of Illusion, but other than that it’s a new sound for aespa.

Salty & Sweet - 7.5

This song continues the trend of excellent sound design in the bass. The vocal processing is also quite nice. The master is a little quiet compared to the other songs which is a bit disappointing, but if you turn up the volume it’s just fine. This one reminds me a bit of Savage, and both of them aren’t exactly revolutionary, though I do prefer this song. The production is super satisfying, perhaps even more than Spicy, but the songwriting could use some work. A hard-hitting funky track that can be a little boring if you aren’t really focusing on the sounds.

Thirsty - 6

They’re going for a Red Velvet style R&B track here. It’s debatable whether or not they pull it off. I personally don’t think aespa is made for this style, but it does sound pretty good. Once again, heavy autotune that at times is distracting. I don’t think aespa really needs as much autotune as SM gives them! The production is also not quite as exquisite as the previous 3 tracks. I’m a sucker for this style though, being as much of a Reveluv as I am. 

I’m Unhappy - 7

Another R&B feel to this song. Aespa is really bringing the groove in this EP, I must say. I love the vocals, particularly in the chorus, my God! Everything besides the chorus doesn’t really stand out to me as much however. The rap parts aren’t that impressive, but that’s not necessarily the goal. The slight vocal fry and growl in the “I’m unhappy” just adds to the aggressively cool sound of the song. I think that Giselle and Karina in particular absolutely nail it. Thumbs up aespa 👍

‘Til We Meet Again - 5

The song begins with some beautiful bells, strings, and soft vocals. The acoustic guitar that enters afterward isn’t exactly for me though. The chorus cements this song as a power ballad. There’s nothing wrong with this song, I just don’t really see anything that notable in it. It’s a decent song, it just happens to be extremely similar to almost every end song ballad in kpop. I feel like there would be better ways to end this album, but this isn’t necessarily a bad way to do it. 

Final Thoughts

This must be the 10th time I’ve mentioned groove in this review, but this comeback really embodies the word. I certainly think this is a good direction for aespa. I like their older concepts too, but I think progressing as a group is very important. In my eyes, if they keep reinventing and developing their sound, they possibly have the ability to overtake groups with more defined, static sounds such as Blackpink, who they are often accused of imitating. That however is a whole other debate. I found this album to be generally impressive, particularly on the production side. SM undeniably has the best producers of the big 3, at least from my opinion as an amateur producer and sound designer. I give this album an overall score of 7, with my favorite song being the banger that is Spicy, the title track. Thank you for reading, let me know what your thoughts are on any of this!

- Maya

[dream-loudly]

The Impact of Beyoncé’s Renaissance - Album Review Almost One Year Later

May 28, 2023

It’s been almost a year since Beyoncé released her seventh studio album Renaissance, which was released July 29, 2022. Ever since that day, the album is still a daily discussion amongst critics and listeners alike. However, one thing that was very apparent while listening to this album was how queer it sounded. Everything from the ballroom influenced outro on ‘Heated’ to the flamboyant sounds on ‘Pure/Honey.’ This album is a gay fantasy. Nevertheless, how does this album stand the test of time one year later?

I’ve been a Beyoncé fan for as long as I remember. My favorite project by her to date would have to be B-Day, which was Beyoncé’s second studio album. B-Day in my opinion was a skipless masterpiece that will keep you moving from the first song to the last. It was when we got pop star Beyoncé. However, as Queen Bey’s career started to progress, she made the decision to make more artistic choices in her music that ranged from political awareness to personal themes such as marriage and infidelity. Nevertheless, this showed a lot of growth in Beyoncé’s artistry, but for me something was missing when she made the change in her career. I missed Beyoncé the pop star. I wanted her to make fun, carefree dance music. However, with Renaissance, Beyoncé is still political but displays it in a different way through the intersections of different communities, especially the queer community. Beyoncé has stated that this album is inspired by her late uncle Johnny who passed away from AIDS complications. The album is heavily influenced by Dance-pop, house, disco, R&B and Afrobeat. The first single that was released was ‘Break My Soul,’ which interpolates ‘Show Me Love,’ by Robin S. When I saw that title of the song, I assumed it was going to be a ballad, but I was pleasantly surprised by the sound, which was something I have never heard from Beyoncé. This was a sign that a new era was coming!

As July 29th approached, I was eager and excited to hear what this body of work would sound like in it’s entirety. At first listen, I was impressed by the complexities of the sounds. Every song had transitions that slowly faded into the next song similar to that of a DJ set. There’s a couple of transitions that come to mind, one being the Cuff it, Energy and Break My Soul transitions that were chief’s kiss and very pleasing to the ear. I loved how she wanted this album to feel like a club experience. Speaking of club experience, I went to a gay club one month after Renaissance was released and the DJ played four songs from the album. This says a lot considering that it isn’t always the norm to hear multiple songs from one artist, especially songs that would be considered deep cuts from an album. One of those deeps cuts that would eventually become a single is ‘Cuff It.’

Cuff It was definitely a highlight on this album for me. It’s bright, lighthearted and dance floor ready. It’s nostalgic and throwback to 70s disco. The song gained immense popularity on TikTok after users started creating dances to the song ultimately inspiring the “Cuff it challenge.” Along with Cuff It, there were other songs that were polarizing from this project such as Virgo’s Groove, which is a whopping six minutes in length. However, when listening to the track, it doesn’t feel like a long song as the harmonies and arrangements are made in a way to flow as it is too enjoyable to even think about the playing time. What is especially interesting to me about the song is the sultry outro in which Beyoncé coos the lyrics, “You’re the love of my life.” It is so beautiful yet striking to hear those powerhouse vocals, and apparently there’s emotion behind what she’s trying to convey. Another few songs that are worth mentioning are THIQUE, All Up In Your Mind and America Has a Song Problem.

Renaissance was released 10 months ago at this point and there seems to still be quite a dialogue going on about the album. In a way, it has taken on a life of its own. Before Renaissance Beyoncé was taking on social and political topics in her music about blackness and black liberation. However, she does the same thing here, but with the intersections of the queer community. House and disco were created by queer people of color, especially black and brown folks in cities such as New York and Chicago. Beyoncé does her homework when studying these sounds and as a result gives credit to the innovators who made this sound possible. However, we still have to acknowledge that Beyoncé is a cisgendered, straight woman dappling in this genre. There’s a big difference between appropriating and appreciating; however, Beyoncé is doing the latter. I’ve also noticed that the album is not an easy listen for most people. There are so many sounds, transitions and effects going on that it might be hard for the general listener to keep up with. This was evident recently when YouTuber AJay Deluxe reacted to Renaissance for the first time. And when I say that woman was dragged by social media, I mean DRAGGED! To be fair, house, dance and disco aren’t everyone’s cup of tea in terms of music, and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Nevertheless, one problematic thing she said in her video is that Renaissance is “hip hop,” which is furtherest from the truth. Beyoncé is known for talk-singing in a melodic way so it is completely ignorant to call her music hip hop just because she’s singing or talking in rhythmic patterns. The tracks where you can clearly hear those tones are in Church Girl and THIQUE, but to say the whole album is considered hip hop is a stretch.

In conclusion, after spending one year with Renaissance, I still listen to the album at least twice a week. I’ve actually never grown tired of it. It simply gets better with every listen. It’s safe to say that this is my second favorite Beyoncé album (first being B-Day). I’m also astounded by how Beyoncé is constantly reinventing herself with each era in her career. As someone who has followed her since her days of Destiny’s Child, I am proud to say that she is just as relevant if not more than she was back when she debuted. Renaissance is going to be an album that we will be speaking about for years to come. It’s legendary, iconic and timeless.

[skzingitup]

ALBUM REVIEW TIME 👹

This is gonna be a long one so be prepared!!

Today we will be reviewing Stray Kids’ new compilation album SKZ-REPLAY. comprised of songs previously released on youtube. They decided to bring them to streaming platforms, along with new solo songs for each member.

I wasn’t going to do this review because its a big album. But i’m bored and sad and SKZ make me feel better so here we go!!

FAM (Korean ver.) - 5/10 - I’ve listened to the japanese version a few times before. It’s cute. A little song to introduce all the Skz members!! Funky little beat. Not something i would listen to often tho. But a great way to start this album

Connected (BangChan) - 5/10 - All English!! Someone get this man laid he keeps writing horny song 🤨 2016 love island intro type beat. Kind if slays tho tbf. I really like Chan’s vocal tone. Although i prefer his other solo on this album.

Limbo (Lee Know) - 9/10 - Pop Rock ballad from Lee Know. Makes me so happy i get to hear his vocals so much more 😭 everything about this song suits my music taste. No complaints. Just *his voice* man has lungs fr. The way it just ends abruptly is genius. They will forever be stuck in this limbo with no solution or end. PERFECTION. I sobbed when i first listened

Doodle (Changbin) - 7/10 - well and truly noise music. Pots pans and alarms if you will. And for some reason it tickled my brain so well. MY LIFES LIKE A DOODLE MY STYLES LIKE A DOODLE!! I’m in love with the way he says doodle in this!! Changbin said with this song he wanted to make a song with a unique flow and style. And i think he succeeded!! But however because if it’s jarring nature, it loses it’s repeatability

Love Untold (Hyunjin) - 7/10 - now the articles lied to me about this song. It said it was hip hop with rock guitars. There was a single rock guitar chord before the final chorus and they it cut off 🧍🏼‍♀️ left me disappointed so my initial impression of the song wasn’t that good. BUT after listening again for what it actually is. An alternative hip hop song. It’s amazing!! Hyunjin’s lyricism is so pretty and he makes good tracks!! His vocal/rapping tone works so well with this style of song. However. I do prefer his other solos on this album. That YAEEYAEEYAEEYAEYA get stuck in my head fr.

RUN (Han) - 8/10 - I love the music Han makes so much. He always writes such relatable lyrics and this one hit. And the funky little sophisticated mario cart beat is so good!! I like that the beat feels like its running. It matches the name of the song!! I thought he sounded different in this song and it turns out he used the original recording from 2019 for this so it makes sense. He sounds younger. Writing and recording at a time where he struggled really come across in his voice and it’s really smart of him to keep the original track!! So much replay ability with this one. Its just so addictive!!

Deep End (Felix) - 6/10 - Now when felix said he was gonna do a song that had no rap i was surprised but then he said it was gonna be a song like glimpse of us but mixed a bit with lalaland. And he wasn’t wrong. He said said it would have an ASMR type feel to it. To which he was correct in saying. Now Felix isn’t rhe strongest vocalist in skz. But his development over the last year alone is so good and his confidence has grown in his voice and i’m so proud of him. With this song he managed to show off his fucking 3 octave vocal range. Insane. Imagine what he could do in a couple more years!! The way he harmonises woth himself is so fucking good. Anyway. The song is in all english and i cried 😭 its too sad to be repeatable but it’s so good!!

Stars and Raindrops (Seungmin) - 8.5/10 - seungmin working with Day6’s producer is always gonna create a banger. A retro/nostalgic sounding pop rock style song. Reminds me of Fairytale by Dreamcatcher. Perfect song to listen to on full blast while driving at nighttime!! Also Seungmin’s vocals!! The money i would pay to have this man just sing right next to my ear. 😩 so much replay ability here too!! Beautiful song!!

Hug me (I.N) - 8/10 - quick stop at the beach i suppose 😭 this is such a tropical funky little song. Ukulele song for sure!! Get them 2016 ukulele girlies on this one!! Jeongin’s vocal improvement over the last year makes me emotional. His voice is so unique and lovely and i’m so happy he gets to use his full capabilities now. Someone on twt pointed out you can hear when he’s smiling when he sings and they’re so right. And thats throughout this whole song. Gonna sob Also the sentiment of him wanting to hug us (the fans) in this song as someone who doesn’t like physical touch that much means so much 😭🥹 ILL GIVE YOU A HUG OH BABY!! basically i am in love with him, hand in marriage sir!!

#loveSTAY - 6/10 - I’ve not actually listened to this one before, lets go 👹 ballad!! Dedicated to the fans (STAYS) stunning vocals!! Skz don’t have very show offy vocalists but all their tones are so fucking nice to listen to and that’s so much better to me that being able to hit lots of high notes. It’s cute!! Ballads automatically don’t have much replay ability factor for me because i have to be in a specific mood for them but this is such a lovely song. Lovely is the perfect description i feel

Zone (3RACHA) - 7/10 - honestly, my fave 3racha track i’ve heard so far. (I haven’t dabbled in their pre-debut stuff yet, im too scared 😭) it’s a very classic rap song. The chorus is addicting. CANT YOU SEE IM IN MY ZONE!! The use of native māori words is cool too!! Māori fans have praised the pronunciation and correct use of them so that’s really nice to see!! Changbin’s gritty rap tone is so good man 😩 honestly a slay

Close (Han) - 5.5/10 - Pretty!! I am just in love with the instrumentals he produces, they’re so pretty and chill (most of the time) his rapping style is my fave in the group. Good pitch and flow and stuff. Very pleasing to listen to. And he has such insane vocals too. What can’t this man do actually?? 🤨 the stylistic autotune in the chorus makes it less replay-able personally. I’m not a huge fan of it when it’s on quite high pitched vocals. Just doesn’t sit well in my ears. But aside from that. A very lovely song

Streetlight (Changbin ft. Bangchan) - 9/10 - Oh how i love this song. The meaning behind it 🥹 Changbin wrote it in hopes to be the “streetlight” for fans who are facing a period of darkness and released it during mental health awareness month!! I love him ☹️ but aside from that, i will always love a song that has vocalist changbin in it!! Also it’s nice to hear softer raps from him!! Chan’s feature blends in so nicely and just adds an extra layer of vocals to complete the song!!

I hate to admit (BangChan) - 10/10 - Fuck. I love this song so much. The simple piano instrumental with Chan’s emotional vocals!! Makes me cry every time. I’ve been listening to it on repeat since it came out!! the lyrics are simple but so effective. His voice is just so €~*_=|€]+[=!| in this yknow?? His softer lower tone with powerful chest voice when it picks up?? Stunning!! HOW COULD I FORGET! THE DAY YOU LIED TO ME!!!!

I GOT IT (Han) - 7/10 - youtube diss track type beat 😭 also the switch up from chan to this?? Insane. Who decided the song order for this album!! But anyway. The song. Very much classic rap style song. Get to see the capabilities of Han’s more agressive/ faster style of rapping in this!! Would I shake ass to this?? Absolutely. Again what cant he do? Songs that make me cry and songs that make me shake ass, sometimes even both at the same time?? Genius fr

Miss you (Hyunjin) - 10/10 - oh how i love this song, his soft and swingy style vocals in this make me ascend to heaven actually. The acoustic guitar!! I love a good acoustic guitar in a song!! Honestly not much to say about this other than it’s pure vibes. Gives me the same feeling that Fairy of shampoo by TXT did!!

Maknae on top (I.N feat BC + CB) - 7/10 - this song 💀 its so silly. So unserious. Jeongin went to chan one day and was like “so i want to make a song about how i’m the one in charge and have you and binnie act as my servants/body guards” and i respect him for that. Goofy ass autotune but it works in the unseriousness of the song. MAKNAE ON TOP OHWOAHOH!! Changbin and Chan’s features work so well and yeah overall silly goofy song passes the vibe check

Alien (Han) - 6/10 - I wonder if he regrets writing the chorus in such a high key 😭 but yeah back to the same sort of style as close, this time depicting how he feels like an alien on earth as he doesn’t quite fit in and struggles with who he is as a person. Which fits in with Han’s own struggles with people and social anxiety. Honestly a slay. Made me cry, related a little too much. Again the autotune takes away replay ability for me. But it works better in this song!!

Because (Changbin, Felix) - 6/10 - VOCALIST BINNIE AGAIN!! A chill beat!! Felix’s deeper vocals mix really well with Changbin’s lighter tone. But the rasp of felix’s voice and the grit in changbin’s compliment each other so well in the rap verses. And the soft chorus ties it all together

Piece of a puzzle (Changbin, Seungmin) - 6/10 - oh pretty start!! I will never get over how much i love seungmin’s voice!! DONT FADE AWAY DONT FADE AWAY!! More melody to changbin’s rapping in this too!! Not much to say with this one honestly. Just a chill and pretty song!!

Wish you back (Han) - 6/10 - ah yes, the song everyone low key agrees is written about hyunjin on his hiatus 😀 pain 😀 another song that falls into the same genre as close and alien. But a bit more up beat that those two!! He really does just know how to make a nice song!! I WISH YOU BACK!!! I WISH YOU BACK!! the auto tune is a bit much for me in the song as well. But yeah great song!!

HaPpY (Han) - 7/10 - at this point i think we all have a grasp of what a Han song sounds like. Rap with some nice vocal moments, stylistic autotune and a chill hip hop type beat!! I love that he already has a distinct style that he keeps improving upon as he goes!! The autotune works better in this one too!!

Up all night (BC, CB, FLX, SM) - 10/10 - best song ever. EVER. i love it so much. Funky little tune with some funky dudes. Got halloween vibes (especially the MV) but yeah. It was the first song Chan produced as a trainee but just remastered and featuring some of his members. This coming after maknae on top with a 5 second transition is so fucking good btw. Happened when i shuffled the other day! Has a kind of salsa type beat to it but mixed with that trap/hiphop beat. Works so well. I will never get tired of this song. Even tho its a more relaxed song it doesn’t get boring. I DONT WANT TO GO TO SLEEP NOW, ILL BE MAKING A MASTERPIECE NOW

Drive (Bangchan, Lee Know) - 6/10 - ah yes, the song that is absolutely about driving 😀 this is such an unserious song for me too, it’s so silly. The autotune fits with the unseriousness like maknae on top. But yeah. Just two dudes singing about riding rough in the course of the night. RIDE LIKE THE MOTION OF THE OCEAN!!

Ice.cream (Hyunjin) - 9/10 - words cannot describe how much this song just makes my brain happy. They lyrics are sad tho ☹️ its about seeing someone who has a cold exterior as someone who is actually warm. Hence “i see ice as a cream babe” but in actuality they are just cold 😀 he had to go and make the trope actually sad 😀 but yeah. Relaxing r&b style song. I love it so much

Anyways. Thank you if you made it all the way to the end!! Stan Stray kids and Merry Christmas to those who celebrate!! 🫶🏻🎄

[luuurien]

Sam Smith - Gloria

(Pop Soul, Contemporary R&B, Electropop)

Positioning itself as a daring, confident collection of pop songs but possessing none of the charm, lyrical depth, or musical enthusiasm to make that happen, Gloria is Sam Smith cosplaying as pop’s future while desperately appealing to current trends and anodyne pop formulas.

½

I’m not surprised I dislike virtually everything about Gloria, but the most shocking part is just how lifeless Sam Smith is throughout it all. In recent years, their unapologetic embrace of their non-binary identity and inclusion of more direct queer songwriting as opposed to the flat, androgynous love interests of their earliest hits (I’m Not the Only One, Too Good at Goodbyes) has made them one of the biggest names in LGBT representation in the mainstream, but the strength of Smith’s public persona hasn’t nearly kept up with their music, Smith too invested in pop ballad pastiche and appealing to the taste of Billboard charts rather than trying to do anything exciting with their music in step with how they act in the public sphere. And it’s fine if they were interested in simply being a by-the-books pop singer, but Smith has so desperately wanted to be the next Big Pop Statement, marketing themselves as daring new releases even when their songwriting and production remain strikingly indistinct and bland. With Gloria, that’s even more of the case: For all the Rupaul and Paris is Burning samples they include in their songs, Sam Smith is too afraid to actually try something new, sticking to gooey R&B ballads or trying to tap into current trends of afrobeat and hyperpop without any understanding of what’s brought those genres into the zeitgeist. Gloria wants to be everything - it wants to be a liberating statement of queer visibility, it wants to be an emotionally intimate R&B album, it wants to tap into current trends and prove Smith can do more than the standard pop song - and ends up doing virtually nothing as a result. There’s nothing particular Gloria stands for, and when the music is this middle-of-the-road, listening through the entire album becomes a test of patience and your willingness to go more than halfway for Smith’s awkward songwriting to even somewhat succeed. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about Gloria is Smith’s songwriting, with one foot in trite attempts to sing about queerness without saying anything new or personal to Smith (“We love who we love / …Holding hands in the street / No need do be discreet”, they sing in the entirely unrewarding finale Who We Love) and one foot in the same anonymous pop of their past (“Babe, I’m not ready to lose you yet / Yeah, I’ve tried but you know I can’t forget” is all they can muster for the chugging dance pop of Lose You), but what all their writing sits atop is the actual music, similarly lacking in anything unique to say even when it’s trying to make a bid for Smith in new genres. Unholy, a song that has now terrorized just about every retail worker and shopping mall sound system in the world, does an incredible job at running the industrial EDM and hyperpop sound of the late-2010s into the grave with ugly and dry saw synths and percussion that couldn’t even shake the weakest speakers (plus an impressively annoying feature from Kim Petras, whose continued work and defense of Dr. Luke along with a hilariously weak output the past few years have made her one of the least interesting rising stars in recent memory), while their attempt at afrobeat on Gimme through a Koffee feature and lifeless beat make it clear that white British people should stay far away from the genre as possible - I guess it’s appreciable Smith is trying new things, but it feels more like they're trying to appease Capitol records than anything else. The other threads of Gloria aren’t much more exciting - there’s their usual R&B jams like Love Me More and No God that are unremarkable if smoothly produced, folksy singer/songwriter cuts How to Cry and Who We Love that are unoriginal at best with their strummed acoustic guitars and overwrought performances, attempts at club oriented dance jams with Lose You and I’m Not Here to Make Friends that are more likely to soundtrack Target shopping aisles and wedding dancefloors - but by trying to make every moment a big one, Gloria never finds a sense of relief, Smith unable to take in the moment when they’re so focused on keeping an image up rather than doing what they want. I can hear the bustling energy of Lose You or the sensual, wah-guitar sexiness of Six Shots, but Smith never leans fully into it, too reserved and vanilla for the many ambitions Gloria wants to achieve it all at once. But on Smith’s writing, it’s not surprising that an album so boxed in with its sound doesn’t have the most engaging songwriting, but even when singing about their identity and personal struggles with queerness and self-acceptance Gloria comes up short. Ironically, the album’s two interludes - Hurting Interlude and Dorothy’s Interlude - have the most interesting things to say of anything here: the former a sound clip from the 1970 pride march in New York City where a man speaks on the inability to open up about heartbreak to family in fear of hatred and homophobia and the latter stuffing a quote from drag queen Divine, Judy Garland’s  Over the Rainbow and a Sylvia Rivera speech into eight seconds that encapsulates different perspectives into a brisk, eight second lead into I’m Not Here to Make Friends. Smith themselves sticks to what they know: the plain self-care platitudes of Love Me More (“Lately, I’ve been trying not to hate myself / …Maybe I am learning how to love me more”), the lonesome anguish of Six Shots that hints at sex more than saying anything about Smith’s relationship to it (“I know how to mix it up / Let your body go with the slow as we grow with the weekend”). It’s all just so boring, Smith achieving relatability by taking almost all personal weight out of the songwriting, singing of their recent growth without giving any deeper insight into it - it’s cool to hear they’re putting themselves first on Perfect, but a chorus like “I'm not perfect, but I'm worth it / I'm not perfect, but I'm workin' on it” has no staying power, nothing to make sharing your time with Smith’s music worth the effort. Sam Smith so clearly wants the same kind of expansive, boundary pushing power as those they idolizes, but they're not willing to be as visually and musically daring as Lady Gaga was back in the early 2010s nor cut as deep into themselves lyrically as someone like Amy Winehouse or Adele, Gloria distinctly lacking in that sharp edge when Smith is either too afraid or prevented by their label to dig deeper. Perhaps the RuPaul sample on I’m Not Here to Make Friends is the clearest explanation of why Gloria fails to be compelling: for many non-queer people, RuPaul’s Drag Race is often their only exposure to any sort of gay culture, the neon lighting and over the top presentation and reality show format appealing to all even it has very little in common with what you might find at your own local drag show, Drag Race so clean and dramatized that so much of the energy and raw power of live drag performance is cast away for broader audience engagement. Much is the same for Gloria, Smith’s stories too padded and production too hyperactive for you to connect with them in any meaningful way. Sam Smith knows what they want to say with Gloria, but they are shockingly afraid to tell those stories without the safety of faceless radio pop to protect them, just as it did for them way back at the beginning. Nothing has changed.

[hwang-intak-archive]

You know what I love about Piwon? They’re real (not shading other groups tho I’m just sayin) especially Keeho he speaks up and he says things correctly (idk how to explain that my brain is still trying to work early in the morning TT)

I’m so glad you and me fell in love with Piwon. I just wish that they would get some attention! Also what’s your favorite song off of the new album? Personally I like Different Song for Me, I’m cheesy and I like ballad type songs (hence why Peacemaker and Before The Dawn) are my favorite songs haha! Oh and I might get a Piwon album for my birthday next week bc I can 😎

Sorry this is a lot TT

Nooo don't apologize!! I love it when people send me their thoughts^^ or just random asks in general hahaha

But yeah, you're right! I've been into kpop for a few years and I got into a lot of groups and p1h just have something that not a lot of groups have. I'm not sure how to describe it either, but from the start we've gotten a lot of insight in their creative process (the wonderwall interviews for example) and they were always very involved in the process of making their albums (with lyric writing and even participating in songwriting early on) or the directing of their covers. They don't feel like the typical industry-produced kpop group imo (not like that's a bad thing!!) because of how fnc is pushing them and allowing them to do their own thing to certain degrees.

And of course, as you said, they seem very free in what things they say compared to a lot of other groups. They make a great team and you can really feel that they understand each other well and know how to work together well - their chemistry is certainly something that sets them apart from many other groups (again, there's a lot of groups where the members are friends and get along well, but with p1h especially the focus seems to be on music as art and as a means to speak up about issues that are important to them, and I think you can really feel that in the way they work together if that makes sense?).

As for them getting attention... with fnc focusing on promoting them in the us a lot, they've already achieved great things. Especially between Scared and DILT, and then again with their tour, they were able to gain a bunch of overseas fans, plus their korean fanbase is continuously growing as well! And I think for the group being only a bit less than two years old they already have an impressive fanbase and they've done and achieved a lot! Of course I too want more people to get to know about them and to support them, but they're doing just fine in my eyes^^

Now to answer your actual question jdhdhdjdj at first I thought my fav would be Mirror Mirror, but the more I listen to the album the more I think Swagger is the nr 1^^ (overall my fav piwon song is of course still Before The Dawn!!!)

And yes get yourself an album!! I hope you have more luck with pulling your bias than me :')

[whatsonmedia]

Music Monday New Releases: Must-See Music Videos This Week

Looking for the hottest music videos? Look no further! This week's roundup features chart-topping contenders, rising stars, and the winners of Eurovision 2024. Dive into powerful ballads, uplifting anthems, and discover your new favorite artist. From Eurovision champions Nemo and Eden Golan to captivating new releases, we've got something for everyone. Let's hit play! Brandon Ambrose harnesses hope with autobiographical pop banger 'Keep Me Breathing'! Though it's quite a sad song I think it's been written in an almost uplifting way in that's it's an acknowledgement of mental struggle and turmoil. It's rare that biographical writing is the main element of the song. I like the country acoustic sound  Watch https://youtu.be/tRXzHMOCOF4?si=yKKKMdzWvsqRDz1G Listen  https://open.spotify.com/track/3nfYhpWXz9k9hhbctrsmLw?si=74c8a0179d24434b Lei Hope – 'Matrices' EP Listen/Watch Plastic Girl, Summertime, Sinner and 21, that's just four of the singles from Lei Hope's album, Matrices. Having listening to Sinner earlier this year I was impressed and wanting to hear more by Lei. And here it is. 7 great songs, and each one is amazing  https://orcd.co/matrices LIVE DATES - 10th May, Nottingham - Bodega (supporting Zach Templar) - 12th May, Manchester - Deaf Institute (supporting Zach Templar) - 13th May, Bristol - Exchange (supporting Zach Templar) - 18th May, Paris - La Boule Noire, France (supporting Zach Templar) - 20th May, Berlin - Berghain / Kantine, Germany (supporting Zach Templar) - 20th Sept, London - Village Underground (supporting Zach Templar) Cruush – 'Nice Things Now, All The Time' Waterbreathers, Cotton Wool, Headspace and Ladybird Song, four great tracks from Cruush. Now this is the first time I have heard of this Mancunian four piece band am already liking their music and what they're about. Has that lovely and hypnotic ambient rock fusion  Listen/Watch Live Dates - 12/05 - EBGB’s - Liverpool* - 15/05 - Esquires - Bedford* - 29/05 - The George Tavern - London - 01/06 - Gullivers Ballroom - Manchester - *w/ Pale Blue Eyes Nemo - The Code  The guy who won this year's Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Swiss artist Nemo has done his home nation of Switzerland proud. I actually enjoy this song and didn't sound entirely as I expected. Nemo's rap took me by surprise but it fits the song perfectly. Check out the video  Watch https://youtu.be/kiGDvM14Kwg?si=yP11XMq6-qsxGKF4 Eden Golan - Hurricane  Now I know that many people made their thoughts known on Israel, but just put aside your personal feelings aside for a moment and take a few to check out Eden's song. Hurricane is actually a really powerful and emotive track that deserved the points it got  Watch  https://youtu.be/lJYn09tuPw4?si=vB17b5nLASOSdhT2 For more update about latest release check out WhatsOn Read the full article

[dojae-huh]

‘Does anyone listen to Korean pop-rock and soloists?’

Hmm imo for the songs with rock genre in the album, they do have doyoung colors except for little light. Little light brings a lot of lucy’s vibe (a bit too much? Haha) and jpop-rock. Dallas love field and lost in california could be the one that has doyoung’s color the most. I don’t think there are a lot of similar songs like dlf and lic before in k- rock/ k-band and they fit doyoung very well. For ballad and rnb, I don’t listen to them much but beginning should have doyoung colors right? Hehe idk.

But te whole album does show doyoung signature. Should i say, the writing, storytelling or massage is the strongest in this album. It feels complete. The way he arrange the list and the way he tells the story of each song, that is what i see most prominent in this album. The poetic lyrics, like not a lot of korean knows the word ‘pomal’. The sound is maybe not strongly doyoung yet, but the writing, yes.

Of course, that’s just opinion based on first impression because he never revealed his music before. I think for me to really see his color, i need to wait 2nd or 3rd release. And doyoung has never really revealed a lot about the kind of music he wanna do before this album right? We only caught a glimpse from his song recommendation. Hmm doyoung’s sound is still quite hard to grasp for me compared to jaehyun.

oh btw. I might be biased when i say little light doesn’t sound strongly like doyoung cuz i also listen to lucy quite a lot😅. After a while, it sounds a bit more like him. But first listen definitely sounds like lucy minus string instrument sound (lucy has a member who plays viola/ violin? I can’t remember which)

---------

Thank you for the answer.

Doyoung was afraid that the fans won't accept the shift in his image easily, the first solo album was a dare on itself to begin with, so I wouldn't expect a completely new sound anyway. Do doesn't risk like that. However, Doyoung recently said he would like to stand out, bring something of his own to the table, and he always said he strives to be remembered years later and be recognised right away. So the motivation to have unique sound is present. It will take time to find it, however. Doyoung is not Taeyong, not a fountain of creativity. The way he described why Beginning was accepted when his previous lyrics were denied by SM tells me he uses logic, not feelings to come up with ideas. Concept - first, needed emotions and words - second. If Tae presents his feelings, Doyoung presents his thoughts. I guess it's also why he is good with arrangement of music. It's a similar way of adding to and bettering something that already exists.

People like what's familiar, it's risky to present something that needs digestion right away. Both songs you found in "Do's style" were placed at the end, after the more Disney and Korean style songs.

I think one thing is already can be written as Do's signature - the addition of his own backvocals. Few artists do it (it's a separate skill, plus additional recording time). And on this album all songs had them.

Doyoung always talked about liking band-music, Korean music and putting emphasis on lyrics and storytelling in songs. And he likes transitions to big notes. Almost all his covers with MVs have them. He also likes "fun" songs, playful ones, with sause, but he seldom covers them (one can tell by how giddy he gets singing those).

[vitaminwaterreviews]

Apink - Pink Memory

Overall, extremely impressed by this album. The thing that stuck out to me the most was the vocals. I’ve just listened to 29 albums by SM girl groups, and not a single one of those albums had vocals as beautiful as the ones I just listened to. Part of it is that SM just like, refused to mix their vocals cleanly until 2015, but part of it is definitely that there are some excellent vocalists in this group. Their breathy voices were So pretty, their high notes were So pretty, their regular singing voices were So pretty.

As far as musical style goes, I can see why you said that this album is kind of a midpoint. The only other Apink song that I know is Dumhdurum, and that’s definitely further along the house/EDM side of the continuum. I don’t know Apink’s earlier stuff, but I know bubblegum well enough to imagine that a lot of this album probably sits somewhere in between the two extremes, maybe leaning a bit more bubblegum.

Highlights of the album were definitely Perfume and Promise U. I love sounds that aren’t used often in kpop, and that kind of lofi electric piano that was in Promise U is super uncommon among the stuff that I know.

Anyway, score average is 7.7 which feels about right, maybe a bit low. My biggest issues weren’t with the music itself, though, just with my personal taste. The ballad in particular was objectively excellent, I just don’t like ballads in general.

Remember

Pretty scene

Oh, pretty pretty vocals

And the little music box in the background, that’s adorable

The aesthetic though

Here we go, here’s the synthpop

Their lips are SO pink like wow

These vocals genuinely are excellent, they’re doing some really neat things with their voices

Also they’re absolutely beautiful like wow, remember back when girl groups could just be Beautiful?

What exactly is going on harmonically in the chorus? My ear isn’t good enough to tell

8/10

Perfume

Oh okay, nice and bassy

Wow the guitar

Wow the horns

Honestly let’s fucking go, this is excellent

Chorus is just a tad too poppy, give me a bit more bass here

Love the horns

Oh my god that harmony just murdered me

Haha the “bum bum bum ba bum” is so good

The pause before the chorus omg

Awww they didn’t pause before the last chorus! Sad

9/10

Attracted To U

A bit more low key in this one

Oh wait who’s this?

“Marco” I guess?

This song is one of those songs that’s like a slow jam except it’s just a bit too bouncy to count

But like, the bass here is SO slow jam coded, the percussion too

Sorry I really just can’t get over how clean and pretty the vocals are

This album was released a couple of months before 4 Walls and I stg the production feels more modern and the vocals sound so much cleaner

(I just listened to 4 Walls like an hour ago)

7/10, it’s a great song but it’s not totally my style

Dejavu

Speaking of 4 Walls…

Cho-rong wrote this song apparently, the lyrics at least

I’m not a huge fan of the instrumentals here. I dunno what the name is for this genre, but there is SO much of this sound in early SM girl groups, and it got tiring midway through M.I.L.K.

Like, if I’d heard this song a month ago, or maybe a few months from now, I’d probably enjoy it more. But having just spent like three weeks straight listening to albums using this sound…

6/10

Petal

Alright, soft and pretty, ballad time?

Oh, maybe not

I always enjoy when they do that, switch the beat up after the intro and make it a fast song with pretty harmonies on top of it

Wow. Vocals for days.

7/10, really really excellent singing, not my type of song

What A Boy Wants

They really do love their horns on this album

Ohhh noooo not the 80’s drums haha

Actually, they work really well here, kinda like in Lilac

I hear that guitar in my right ear, don’t think I don’t hear you there

Haha “boo boo buh buh buh, yeah yeah yeah” I love that

“What a girl wants” hol up that’s not the title!

This outro is heavenly

8/10, that outro is everything that I want in a bubblegum group

I DO

Jammy

We’ve got two entire saxophones going off, that’s twice as many as one saxophone!

Aaand just like that they’re gone

Oh okay, they’re back (but much quieter) in the chorus

“Doo bee doo, doo bee doo,” that kind of scatting is my thing

Pheww the first part of the bridge is So good

Random high note

Obligatory ad libs

8/10

A Wonderful Love

The real question is, will there be a proper ballad on this album?

Well this sounds ballady so far

Yep, here we go

This sound, too, is SO prevalent in those early SM girl groups

I’m holding a package of Skittles and I’m debating whether I should open them

This bridge at least is a bit more unique, I like what the strings are doing here

Oh here’s the build

Oh nevermind, it’s quiet

Oh nevermind, now it’s heavenly

I can’t hear echoey vocals anymore without hearing Bada, those early B-sides were something else with her vocal production

These vocals, on the other hand, are some of the best produced vocals I’ve heard in ages

7/10, which is about as high as I usually put ballads

Promise U

Oh okay, we’re lofi now

Wow this is a Cool set of timbres

Pretty little vocal harmonies

“La la la la di da” love that

And now we’re all lofi and moody again

I just wanna say this song is so good

Also I haven’t mentioned the bass yet but the little slap bass is so good

Random high note, like that came out of Nowhere wow

Well this outro is perfect

9/10

[techtechonmymind]

Okay now that time has allowed it to marinate, here are my thoughts on Golden Age like three days later haha.

Baggy Jeans - For me, Ten, Doyoung, and Taeyong are just incredible in this song. Now that the harsh shock of the chorus has blunted, I really do think it’s a beautiful track. Ten underneath Jaehyun’s lines at around 0:30 is absolutely breathtaking. This kind of vocal directing is what makes NCT so fucking special. What a gift. This is the first of kind of a running theme of very stage musical theatrical sounds that so consistently run through the album, which I think is really impressive and cohesive! When they sing as a chorus before the bridge, these five sound so beautiful together. The bridge itself - stunning.

Listening to the track itself, it’s a bit challenging to really understand the final fifth without the performance. Like if I had no idea this had a video and choreo, I would be extremely confused about the section where Ten dances in the center, for example. I hadn’t really thought about that. I don’t really think a song necessarily needs to stand without its performance, but it’s just something to keep in mind. Anyway, I do like it, but it can never break into full marks category because the lyrics are nonsense and not in a fun way lol. Also, I love Mark to pieces, but I find the rap in this song uncharacteristically forgettable. 7/10

Call D - This is another song where the performance is playing in my head as I listen. The instrumental is so good, with what I think sounds like a melodica. Both Ten and Taeyong sound absolutely beautiful. I don’t really have notes. Again, this song is very much like a stage production - we saw that at NCT Nation. 10/10

PADO - Haechans and Junjun - a perfect partnership. The brass instrumentation is gorgeous. Haechan’s lead into the final chorus is beautiful, as is Xiaojun’s adlib out of it. 10/10

Interlude: Oasis - Chenle and Jisung sound lovely. Jaemin’s kinda deadpan delivery works for something like this. The ultra high chimes at the very top end are so grating to me though. 7/10

The Bat - I both love the chorus and feel it drilling it into my skull haha. I love Jeno performing this song, and I am enjoying his foray into more challenging rap verses. Yuta is the highlight for me here. After a few days, I actually find it a bit boring. I really liked it at first. Kind of a shame. 7/10

Alley Oop - More brass! Extended sports metaphor. Yuta sounds so lovely. I actually also really like Jaemin in the choruses and Jeno at the end of the bridge. Their boyish tones work well for a song about being a basketball team or whatever. 8/10

That’s Not Fair - This is such a theatrical track. This is the song where that running theme really peaks for me - even moreso than in Golden Age. It very much feels like it should be in a musical on stage lol. It’s a weird but very familiar little number. Ten sounds great. 7/10

Kangaroo - So cute. Weeooweeoo! I loved this song as well when I first heard it and still do now, but it doesn’t leave me with the strongest impression. 7/10

Not Your Fault - Beautiful, lovely backing harmonies. Would have liked more dual shared lines like Xiaojun and Kun’s. But NCT have many gorgeous ballads. This doesn’t stand out that much above most of them. Except that it has my beloved 96 line… singing beautifully… but independently haha. 6/10

Golden Age - If it was up to me, I would have chosen not to use such a present Beethoven sample. It never works. I am also not an enjoyer of Red Velvet’s Feel My Rhythm lol. My gut says to me that NCT’s team feel unconfident with full group songs, so they’re opting for weird mash-ups (Resonance), the safest soft jammer on the planet (Beautiful), or a song that relies on SUCH an overwhelmingly present sample. I think they would truly benefit from just taking the plunge and seeing how weird they can get. They have such depth of talent, they can do it.

But I do think the rest of the song works very well. I love the glitch and change up, and the back and forth throughout the rest of the song. I love how anthemic the chorus feels. The pre-choruses are a bit too Christmastime lol. Xiaojun and Yangyang’s “everybody! say are you ready? arrrre you ready??”, Doyoung’s stunning line, the busy drum fill and Taeil’s closing line are a lovely stretch to the finish line. Also just happy Tennie has such a big presence in this, even though it’s in my behated pre-choruses lol. I kinda wish Taeyong was in this more, oddly enough lol. I think it would benefit from even more of a counter to the inclusion of a classical sample in the form of Taeyong’s weirdness. 6/10

[xmystophalesx]

Best New Heavy Metal Releases Week of August 19th, 2022

Very busy weekend as I went out of town with my sons on a bit of road trip. Still got listening done on some great albums while on the road (much to my kids annoyance, I am sure…lol). There were quite a few that deserve much more attention than I will give them, as I am still trying to keep these posts at least relatively short. This can be difficult when I have a lot of highlight albums that should not be missed. This week there are eight albums that fit that description but I try to only write up 5 a week so it doesn’t feel like a wall of text. Too many very good albums and just so little time. Just know that even if I don’t write about a certain album and I have it as one of the best of the week doesn’t mean it is less than. Lets get to the aforementioned wall of text!

Eruption-Tellurian Rupture (Heavy Power/Thrash)**

Clean Thrash Metal with a heavy emphasis on the riffs with plenty of groove to add that little extra touch. This is your Bay Area sound but mixed with a bit of Heavy Power Metal that lightens up the sound a bit while still firmly reminding you of its aggressive moments. Think of Thrash Metal version of the band Cage and you will be in ballpark. GREAT album for speeding along the highway.

Thundermother-Black And Gold (Heavy/Hard Rock)**

This one had me a bit perplexed. Not because it wasn’t good, it is absolutely fantastic and hands down the best Hard Rock album of the weekend. I have been a fan of this band for a few years now and their heavily AC/DC influenced brand of Hard Rock. Great riffs and leads with an amazing vocalist carrying everything to another level. The issue I have is this album sounds very “slick” for lack of a better term. It has lost a bit of that decided edge that their previous albums had. If it’s a natural progression, then more power to them but if it’s something that someone is “suggesting” they do, then I hope they kick that fucker to the curb. Still a killer album…even if the ballad “Hot Mess” sounds 100% like a Shania Twain song…:)

Parasite inc.-Cyan Night Dreams (Melodic Death)**

I am completely new to this band but Melodic Death Metal that has touches of Power/Industrial Metal and keyboards over the top that remind me of 80s synth pop music? This REALLY shouldn’t work with that description but somehow this actually really does and in a big way. I came back to this album multiple times just for the sheer fun of it. A friend told me their other albums are more straightforward but either way I will look deeper into this band as I was thoroughly impressed.

Ahriman-Kehely (Black)**

I have actually been looking for this album for a couple of weeks now, as it has been on my list of new releases for a while now. Finally came across it this week and I have to say, I am glad I did not give up. This is Black Metal from Hungary and man, is it good. Great variety in the songwriting that sounds epic with atmospheric touches, giving it a much bigger feel. Vocals that sound visceral, angry, and pained all at the same time. Last week didn’t have any highlight worthy Black Metal. Well, this one makes up for that and then some.

Denial of Life-No Reason (Thrash/Crossover)**

I know this is labeled as Thrash/Crossover but honestly the only reason it gets the Crossover addition is the vocals, which are 100% what you find in Crossover. The music itself, however, is all out Thrash Metal with absolutely killer riffs and breakdown sections designed to snap your neck or absolutely destroy a mosh pit. This album has riffs for days and one of the best parts of this band is they let those riffs breathe. Too many bands have 43 riffs in a song and you just feel overwhelmed. This band knows how to stretch out that riff while still adding to it and then drop it back in as a callback just at the right moment.

That will do it for this week. Now to jump into a thorough analysis of Parasite Inc. “Thorough Analysis” sounded awfully fancy for throw some headphones on and listen to music. Until next week and, as always,

BANG THY HEAD!!!

All worthy of a listen if you like the genre

* = Standout in that genre

** = Best of the week regardless of genre

Best of the Week

Eruption-Tellurian Rupture (Heavy Power/Thrash)**

Denial of Life-No Reason (Thrash/Crossover)**

Ahriman-Kehely (Black)**

Splintered Throne-The Greater Good of Man (Heavy)**

Parasite inc.-Cyan Night Dreams (Melodic Death)**

Orthodox-Learning to Dissolve (Hardcore)**

White Rune-The Spell of Eternal Fire (Melodic Black)**

Thundermother-Black And Gold (Heavy/Hard Rock)**

Standout albums in their genre

Born Again-Live Hard, Die Free (Heavy/Speed)*

Myrsky-Tuonelalle (Melodic Black)*

Dawn of Creation-Self-Destructive Matters (Technical/Progressive Death)*

Tyrants of Chaos-Relentless Thirst For a power (Heavy)*

Soilwork-Overgivenheten (Melodic Death/Metalcore)*

To Obey a Tyrant- Omnimalevot (Death/Symphonic)*

Empress-Fateweaver (Symphonic Power)*

Spite-Dedication to Flesh (Deathcore)

Barbarian-Viperface (Black n’ Roll)*

Sun Eater-Vermin (Technical Death)*

Spirit Adrift-20 Centuries Gone (Heavy/Doom)*

Mael-Sentinel of Dark Divinity (Black/Death)*

Osserp-Els Nous Cants De La Sibil-la (Death)*

Doldrey-Celestial Deconstruction (Death/Punk)*

Worthy of a listen if you enjoy the genre

Exaltation-Under Blind Reasoning (Death)

Ether Coven-The Relationship Between the Hammer and the Nail (Sludge/Death)

New Democracy-The Plague (Melodic Death/Groove)

Nurez-Nachtlied (Atmospheric Black)

Deer Creek-Menticide (Doom/Sludge)

Hylda-Juniper Pyre (Black/Death/Doom/Sludge)

Grandpa Jack-Grits (Stoner/Desert)

Return to Darkness-Eternal (Heavy)

Orochen-Anthroposcenic (Post)

Tomb of Finland-Across the Barren Fields (Melodic Death/Doom)

Six by Six-Six by Six (Hard Rock/Progressive)

Elliot’s Keep-Vulnerant Omnes (Doom/Progressive)

Hammer King-Kingdemonium (Power/Heavy)

Jackyl-Jackyl 30 Coming in Hot (Hard Rock/Heavy)

Kalah-Descent into Human Weakness (Heavy Progressive/Metalcore)

Funeral Chic-Roman Candle (Black/Hardcore/Punk)

Final Summon-Paralyzed Reality (Thrash/Death)

Limuria-Lunar Sanctum (Power)

Parasite Inc.’s brand of “fun” Melodic Death Metal takes the Pick of the Week with 4.5 bulldogs chewing themselves to sleep out of 5.