#but she was the weakest link when it came to stage presence and expressions | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mitchwritesthings-blog · 7 years

Text

Mitch’s Music Year-in-Review

What this is?

My name is Mitch, although sometimes I say it’s Jeff, and I just wanted an outlet to discuss how my experience with listening to music was in the year 2017. Now, this is completely my taste in music, and only what I listened to. I don’t really keep up with new music all too much to be honest, so before I write this, I’m not sure how many 2017 albums will actually be in my 2017 write-up. There will be quite a few albums from the 00′s and 10′s that I had listened to the first time, as well as albums that have been my favourites for years that I still wanted to talk about.

What will be discussed?

i. 2017 album releases “After Laughter” ~ Paramore “Reputation” ~ Taylor Swift “Waiting on the Sun” ~ Jule Vera “Wolves” ~ Story of the Year

ii. 2016 albums releases that I can basically pretend are new releases “E-mo-tion: Side B” ~ Carly Rae Jepsen “Neptune” ~ Tall Heights “Yellowcard” ~ Yellowcard

iii. Albums that are nowhere new releases, but are new to me “stellastarr*” ~ stellastarr* “E-mo-tion” ~ Carly Rae Jepsen

Now before we get started

An introduction on my musical tastes. Since the early-to-mid 2000′s, I have been a pop-punk kid, whether I knew it or not. The videogame soundtracks from EA games (EA Games, EA Sports, and EA Sports BIG), heavily shaped my taste in music. Yellowcard, being my favourite band ever, were included in some of these soundtrack, and in section B I’ll be talking about their self-titled album- which was an emotional one for me. Story of the Year and stellastarr* were discoveries of mine for similar reasons to Yellowcard. The remaining artists I listened to from doing my own research (Jule Vera), them being popular enough -slash- from people I know (Paramore, Taylor, Carly), or from being blown away at a show (Tall Heights). So without further adieu, let’s get started!

2017 album releases

“After Laughter” ~ Paramore

I’m writing about these albums in alphabetical order of their category, so some of the stories and descriptions might be a bit disjointed- but fuck it- it’s just a Tumblr post.

Being a pop-punk kid that was transitioning into a girl pop guy, what a better way to merge the interests than with Paramore. Now, this album is not pop-punk, but that doesn’t mean it’s not great! In fact, the 80′s emotional pop vibes are amazing after playing the shit out of E-mo-tion, and needing more of those vibes.

About the album itself, it starts off with the wildly-popular Hard Times, which is not something I entirely love in theory. I don’t think it’s ideal to start off with the lead single for an album, it kinds sets you up for disappointment. And while Hard Times is a much poppier song that most of the album, I don’t think it necessarily does a bad job as the opener. It gets you jumping, ready to dance to the 80′s pop, while also introducing you the darker lyrics that are to come from a post-divorce album (Hayley split with lead singer of New Found Glory Jordan Pundik prior to the album’s recording).

The rest of the album is a nice journey in vibey aesthetics (definitely using Tumblr language here), with ebs and flows of energy. It’s hard for me to pick a favourite from it; trust me, I’ve had many many of these songs stuck in my head at some point. If I had to, however, I’d pick Fake Happy. The lyrics are very honest, and it kinda fucks you up a bit; starting off pretty depressing and then turning into a hell of a bop. Following is the real depressing song, 26, so it’s quite the two-song journey they put you on there.

Overall, it’s a very strong album both musically and lyrically, and would encourage anyone to pick it up. If you like Paramore, you’ll love hearing Hayley bleed her heart out. If you’re not, it’s a good fucking album anyway. 8.8/10

“reputation” ~ Taylor Swift

If I’ve linked you to this, you know I’m a major swiftie; I’ve got tickets to both of her shows in Toronto for August. So this album is a pretty big album for me. That being said, I was not completely blown away by this album- which didn’t surprise. After Look What You Made Me Do’s release, I kinda went “Okay, I know how this is gonna go”. It’s gonna be a solid pop album, but trying a little too hard being edgy and dealing with her reputation while subsequently pretending to not care about it.

Now I say I wasn’t blown away, but upon first listen, the first three songs were pretty damn impressive, and still are. Ready For It, which by the way is an incredible album opener and I knew it would be the moment I heard it, obviously starts it off well. End Game is a very single-worthy song, and introduces you to the overall theme of the album. And I Did Something Bad has a pretty fucking great chorus. Don’t Blame Me didn’t blow me away right away, but I grew on me pretty quickly, and it’s a top track for me.

After that, in the middle, is where the album really faulters. Delicate and So It Goes... are the weakest tracks on the album in my opinion, and they flank the lead fucking single, all but killing it’s strength from the perspective of the album. And after that, Gorgeous, which while a promotional single, is not in the upper echelon of rep songs. So you’ve got your 5 through 8 songs effectively killing any momentum your incredible starting batch created.

Following that is a very strong song, Getaway Car, and the beginning of reputation’s resurgence. Track 9 is probably the most 1989-sounding song on the record, and that is definitely a compliment in this case. Taylor tells a clean story, and gets to show off her pipes towards the end of the song. King of my Heart is a little meh in my eyes. It’s one of those classic Taylor songs that are on album and you’re like “Did this really have to be there?”, which is something 1989 actually avoided, and could be why I prefer it over rep. Dancing With Our Hands Tied was one of my favourites right away, although it’s a little underappreciated from what I’ve seen from the fandom on IG. Dress certainly gets the point across that this a new Taylor. She’s gone from “She wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts”, to basically saying “Boy, take this dress off and fuck me”. Something I’ve failed to mention, is the very consistent themes of alcohol consumption (in a recreational way) and getting good dick from her bf littered through the lyrics of this album- just so you know. This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things is the second direct Kanye diss on the album, and absolutely deserving of a single. Call It What You Want should have been the final song, but Taylor had to go and pop cliche it up and give the last track to a boring acoustic song that makes you think “That’s it?”, when it’s done. With an album this momentous, you gotta go out with a bang!

Overall, it’s a better collection of songs than it is an album. You could put in on shuffle, and it’d hold the same value. The pacing is a bit off, and it doesn’t really take you on a sonically cohesive journey. So for that reason, I can’t give it any higher than an 8 (the equivalent of an A-minus), but the songs themselves are still pretty good. 7.8/10

“Waiting on the Sun” ~ Jule Vera

I need to tell you guys about this band before I get into the album themselves. They are amazing people. Before Warped Tour 2015, I was listening to artists that were gonna be on the tour, and Jule Vera showed up on my youtube suggestions, so I checked them out. Fucking great. They had just put out their debut EP Friendly Enemies, which you should absolutely check out by the way, and I knew all the words by the time Warped came around. Now, they just put out their debut, so not really many fans at the side stages. In fact, I was the only person who knew the words in the crowd. But their set is bumping! They incorporate a lot of different parts of the stage in their act, sometimes disassembling the drum kit itself and having multiple people playing each part- it’s great. Their lead singer, Ansley, has got some serious pipes. The band will go as far as she takes them, because as that stage presence builds- watch out! I can absolutely see them making it big with the kind of energy they have, their songwriting chops, and a good-looking incredible female lead singer.

I talked with them after their, got a picture, and my album signed, and I was on the bandwagon. I’ll follow these guys and gal for as long as they make music- which includes coming back to Toronto in March after two-and-a-half year, and you bet your ass I’ll be there buying all the merch and hopefully getting some hangs with the band.

Oh yeah... there’s an album to talk about. Waiting on the Sun went in a much more poppy direction than their EP which i brought up earlier which was an alternative record. Despite the stylistic change, it still bangs. Ansley shows her singing chops, and despite only having put out 18 songs total, they show they have an incredible amount of diversity with the kind of songs they can right. Something Good is the bounciest chorus I have ever heard, check that shit out right away.

In complete honesty, the album kind of pales in comparison to its alternative predecessor, at least in my opinion, but it’s not bad. I think the stylistic change was a decision made my the label. They have a lead singer who could be a solo artist once the charisma gets there, so they tried to do a poppy singer-heavy record. They’re still trying to figure out what they are, but once they do, the sky’s the limit.

I love these guys, and even if the album didn’t blow me away, I’ll support them whenever they need it! 7.6/10

“Wolves” ~ Story of the Year

This long-awaited came out this month, so I won’t be able to fully express how I feel about, considering I’ve only given it a handful of playthroughs. But let me tell you, it rocks. It post-hardcore/melodic hardcore/pop-punk rocks. These guys’ Page Avenue was a killer album, and 14 years later, they’re still putting out tracks with the same amount of energy and attitude as when they were kids. But better yet, there’s a more musicianship and polish (not in a bad way) to make it even better. I haven’t listened to this album yet with headphones on chilling on the bus- which I think is a good barometer for the quality of an album- but I know it’ll be a great trip on the 200 iXpress when I do.

Right away you’re hit with trademake SotY energy, and it doesn’t really go away, at least not until you’re left utterly satisfied. How Can We Go On is a great way to get things going, and it keeps going. Songs like Bang Bang, and Can Anybody Here Me are terrific too, and there are definitely more- I just haven’t listened enough to get the song names down pat.

Just listen to it, trust me. Since it’s a very fresh listen to it, I don’t feel comfortable giving a definite score. So instead I’ll give it a bare minimum score and an absolutely peak score: 8.2-9.4/10, likely falling somewhere in the middle upon further listening.

So what’s my favourite release of 2017?

Well, to be honest, I don’t know. Wolves falls both above and below After Laughter, so I can’t say conclusively what I like more. If I had to, I’d give the edge to Paramore, since it’s stood the test of multiple listens, whereas there still can be some uncertainty with a brand new release.

What I did learn is that I need to listen to more new music. Only 4 albums throughout the year that I felt inclined to write about? The Used and Brand New put out new music, but they haven’t gotten enough listening to warrant anything more than honourable mention.

2016 albums releases that I can basically pretend are new releases

“E-mo-tion: Side B” ~ Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly is the GOAT, mess me with that Taylor shit. Despite having only listen to Side B for maybe two months- three tops- this is **spoiler alert**, my favourite thing I listened to this year. It’s just 8 bops. I can talk about it not being very “albumy”, but it’s a b-side release, who cares? You get 8 extra tracks that are all great, after Queen Carly gave us the gift that was E-mo-tion.

I feel like it’s kinda split into two four-song parts, with Fever acting as the end of Act 1 and Body Language bringing in Act 2.

First Time is a very fun start to the whole thing. It just bops. Carly’s vocal ability really shine in this release, and there are few good lyrical pieces too- so overall a very good showing from her herself.

Higher is an excellent second song... I don’t think that’s a compliment many people think about. But it starts off very quickly, no real lead-in, with an upbeat verse, than leads you into a chorus with leading and backing vocals. It says something about the album when I consider this to be one of the weaker tracks on the album- it’s still a great song! And I think that’s one of the benefits of a shorter album, there’s no filler!

The One again is a song that in comparison to the rest of the record, isn’t gaudy, but it’s still really good! All of the choruses on this album are uber catchy, you’ll have them all stuck in your head at some point. For an album I love so much, I’m kinda talking shit to start, but it’s good! This a really fun album to listen to it, and I’ve done a lot of singing in the shower to it.

The problem with the last two tracks, is that they didn’t really stand out to me. They were great, but not stand-out great. The rest of the album will stick in your mind a bit more vividly. Fever talks about stealing her man’s bike, who does that!? If this were a 4-song EP, this would be an excellent song to end it off with, but instead it leads you into another set of four bangers!

Body Language is a hell of a song. From the get go, you’re bouncing at the verse, hoping you’ll get an equally boppy chorus- and you get it! The anti-melodic ending to the chorus is kind of genius. “I just think we’re over thinking it, over thinking it” is intentionally disjointed, and it helps illustrate actually over-thinking something. Great song.

Cry really gets into the “emotional” part of emotional 80′s pop. It’s an incredibly honest song, and delivers such heartfelt lyrics, while still maintaining the level of catchyness ever-present in the album. Where most pop albums have latter-half songs that make you scratch your head about their inclusion, this album does the exact opposite. These b-sides would be singles on other artists’ best-of works.

Store is iconic. Just go listen to it. Go! Best chorus ever. Solidifies Carly as GOAT status. Nobody else could ever write that. The choppy sentences are intentional.

Roses is a nice chill, vibey, emotional finale to an absolutely stellar album. Strong lyrics, compelling verses, catchy yet deep chorus- everything this album is condensed into one song- reminding you why you loved what you just listened to so much.

I need CRJ4 asap. I fully expect it to be a masterpiece no matter what direction she goes in (which I heard yesterday was Disco, btw). 9.6/10

“Neptune” ~ Tall Heights

I saw these guys open for Ben Folds (who, by the way, is amazing live), and they blew me away. They’re a progressive folk duo-tuned-trio, with absolutely beautiful vocal harmonies-oh yeah, and a cello, how cool is that!?

It’s an beautiful record, the instrumentation is terrific, and the vocals are gorgeous- which isn’t something you necessarily hear a lot from male-sung bands. This is the kind of record you put on when you’re staying in on a weekend evening. and just wanna do some solo chillaxing- which is something I do quite a bit. It’s also good for falling asleep to, once you learn the melody and lyrics. I’d imagine it’d also be dope as fuck to listen to when passing a joint around. It’s super chill, sets a terrific atmosphere, and it takes you on a nice little journey.

It’s not necessarily an album that would yield any huge radio singles, but I have no problems with that whatsoever. You can just press play on this bad boy, and you know it’s gonna do it’s job. Now given the mood it sets, you’re not always gonna want to have this playing, but when you do you’ll be so glad you have it for those moments. 8.9/10

“Yellowcard” ~ Yellowcard

youknowihadtodoittoem.png It’s the last record every to be made by my favourite band, I had to write about it. I’m gonna start from the end though. Fields and Fences is the absolute perfect way for Yellowcard to end their careers. It’s not what I expected, nor what I would have said I wanted, but it was total and complete perfection. It kind of acts of a microcosm for the Lift a Sail era and on, where the guys pretty much left the pop-punk deal behind and went for a more alternative. Fields starts off basically as a country song, and you’re kinda disappointed, much like many YC fans were with LaS, but it keeps going, and you start digging it. And then, it stops, and you think it’s over. “That’s how it ends?”. No, that’s when it starts. You get the electric guitar, you get “I don’t have much that I can give to you...”, on repeat, and then it fades out, and every single Yellowcard fan is put in an absolute state of bliss when they hear almost 2 minutes of just Sean’s violin taking them by the hand and emotionally leading them to the end of what was an incredible 20-year journey. You’re listening to it, and you’re so thankful for those 90 seconds, because it allows you to reflect on all of the great memories this band has given you. And you don’t want it to end, and you savour ever note coming from Sean, as well as the return of Rodney and Christine, and you’re so happy. But you realise, it has to end, and it does. And not even with a cry, but more of a whimper. But it’s not a bad whimper. It’s a releasing of the bow for the very last time, and you think to yourself “Holy fuck, I love this band”. Then you stare at whatever your audio source was for that last first listen for a few minutes, and you’re at peace. You’ve listened to the last Yellowcard record ever, and it’s a bittersweet feeling. You’re glad that the guys went out on such a beautiful note, but you’re sad because you realise they could keep putting out beautiful records, but that will never happen again.

That is what this album is. This what this band is. The rest of this album could’ve been 40 minutes of farts, but if it end with that song, it’d be great.

Now I understand that objectively, this is not a perfect album- nothing is. Some of these songs aren’t great. But I can tell that at that very moment, when I heard the very last playing of violin on a Yellowcard record, I felt perfectly at peace with myself and who I was as an Underdog- something I’m proud to be, and always will be.

Fields and Fences, as a song, for a Yellowcard fan: 10/10.

I was going to write about more albums, as you can tell by the table of contents I made. But I think that was a good place to leave things. Thank you for reading all of this.

Mitch

0 notes