toallthatlisten - Tumblr blog

[toallthatlisten]

Walk The Moon // Tiger Teeth

Tiger in my heart again When you swallow someone whole, you are bound to choke Well, I guess we can never be friends I ate you up the day we first spoke

[toallthatlisten]

[toallthatlisten]

Ariel Pink - Baby

[toallthatlisten]

James Parrish from Prescription PR, @JamesParrish 

1. Lonely The Brave - The Day’s War - Hassle / Columbia

Being so close to this record for so long - we’d just finished the album while they were still unsigned - I couldn’t not pick this record as my no.1. I think what sets the band apart is the universal nature of the songs, huge hooks that might only come in the once but get under your skin, melodies that evolve throughout, epic instrumentation and some of those lyrics - “when I was born I had my father’s eyes, now they can’t believe what they see.” They don’t sound like they’re aping any of the current rock scene and as such it’s hard to know where they fit in exactly. I think I like that.2. The Jazz June - After The Earthquake - TopshelfWhat a fucking record, seriously. Just that driving indie-rock that I’ve loved for years, done right. More straightforward than earlier releases and with better production values, it’s their first in 12 years and makes you wonder what might’ve happened if they hadn’t gone on hiatus the first time round. This record will be a welcome surprise to everyone who listens. There’s a track that sounds like an early Idlewild gone emo. That’s the best thing ever.3. Sun Kil Moon - Benji - Caldo Verde RecordsMark Kozelek’s Sun Kil Moon are a name that’s more recognisable since this record got 9.2 on Pitchfork but, in reality, this is just another high point in a career full of them. One of the first obscure bands I ever fell for, I heard Mark’s breakthrough band Red House Painters on a covermount CD with Spin Magazine. I was maybe 14, it was the highlight on the disc, and I’ve gone on to buy everything he’s done before, and since. Prolific, and despite perhaps less dynamics in his Sun Kil Moon career than his RHP one, I still think the lyrics on the new album are amongst the best of the year. To still have that many stories personal to him, this many records into a career is something else. No one writes about break ups and dysfunctional nostalgia better:Scares me how you get olderHow you forget about each otherThings mean a lot at the timeDon’t mean nothing later4. Fugazi - First Demo - DischordFugazi totally changed the way I wanted to hear guitars played and how I wanted to play one. This is their earliest material and it still sounds completely vital. I even prefer the version of “Merchandise” here to the one on the debut. To think a group of basically kids made this record is just nuts.5. Guided By Voices - Motivational Jumpsuit - Fire RecordsThis is one of my favourite records of the year and it’s not even that good by their standards. GBV are the most inconsistent I think I know. Capable of genius above their peers and equally capable of bad, throwaway ideas that are exactly that - bad, throwaway ideas. Fiercely against any editing process, this is how Bob Pollard has put out 50+ records and how most of them have nearly 20 songs. The new record has some gems (“Littlest League Possible” in particular), and some filler as usual, but if it’s a gateway to an amazing band, then it deserves its place on my list. Their best songs are as good as anyone’s - I’ll send a Spotify playlist to anyone who cares to prove it.Honorary mentions to:Fatherson - I Am An IslandSun Ra & His Arkestra - In The Orbit Of RaEXES - PhantasmaboringMarmozets - The Weird And WonderfulBraid - No Coast

[toallthatlisten]

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic 

The multi-grammy award winner Bruno Mars is back at it again with his new album ‘24K Magic’ and it is definitely an upcoming hit. After the past two albums, which sold over 26 million copies worldwide confirming Mars as being one of  the best-selling male artists of all time, he is back with his banging beats and hip tunes.

The introducing track and his first album release ‘24K Magic’ is another rendition of his 2014 collaboration with Mark Ronson, ‘Uptown Funk’ (which received a number of honors, among them three 2016 Grammy Awards, including the coveted “record of the year” award.)  This song is one of the catchiest on the album and definitely one to sing and dance along to. The funky rhythms and 80s feel gives a feel good vibe to the track that could bring a smile to anyone's face alongside the swag of the singer.

Track 3, ‘Perm’ is a great song which is full of attitude. The song is original and unique with  the use of call and response which is  perceived to be very effective in this track . I am in love with how many vocalists are featured on the song as it is full of energy and charisma. It’s the perfect song for Mars to show off his swag.

‘That’s What I Like’ [Track 4] is clearly going to be another dance hit. This song is so simplistic however very catchy. The unique timbres and brilliant vocals and sweet harmonies make it a winner for me. This song is a reminder of the reason we all love a bit of Bruno, because of his fantastic voice and infamous melodies.

Overall the album is funky, fresh and full of demeanor. The 20-time grammy nominee has really gone to town with the uplifting energy of the record. The songs have a very 80s vibe due to the use of saxophones and unique synths. Bruno Mars is also back on tour in the UK in April 2017 with the 24K Magic World Tour.

[toallthatlisten]

The 1975 - I like it when you sleep...

If you were a fan of the 1975’s debut album then you’ll be very satisfied with their latest release, ‘I like it when you sleep as you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’ (unnecessary name, i know). The four-piece made fans wait two years for new material, but was the new release worth the wait?

The opening piece 'The 1975’ is a recreation of the same track featured on their debut with an authoritative addition, a professional orchestra. The inclusion of the choir introduces beautiful harmonies and magnificent reverb to the track, creating a powerful yet familiar start to the album. This is a musical feature that the band has recreated in many of the songs in the record, ‘If i believe you’ also consists of an ensemble. The slow tempo and original instrumentation (including a trumpet solo and mellow synths) give the track a stunning aroma. With the addition of a professional orchestra the track is taken to a new extreme, making it powerful yet strangely soothing, contrasting mainstream music nowadays.

Some tracks on the album sound very similar to past releases. For example, ‘She’s American’ [ Track 5] sounds like their song ‘Settle down’ due to similar melodies and structure, even similar vocals in verse 1, although I am still a fan of the track. The high texturization and melodic hooks make this song very catchy and memorable.

We get close and personal to the lead singer, Matt Healy, in Track 16, ‘Nana’ when he sings a ballad towards what we assume to be his dead nana due to the lyrics “ I don’t like it now you’re dead” (no English degree needed to understand what this song was written about). The song is sad but at the same time, the song is quite heartwarming due to the fact Matty opens up so much in the song with the closing lyric “i haven’t been doing too well”.

The closing track, ‘She Lays Down’ is an unusual end to the record, the use of an acoustic guitar does not coincide to the ambience of the band yet I think it works quite well in breaking up the album. I love the fact that the band have chosen to keep the ambience of the vocals, it gives a great effect to the track.

The use of unique synths and drum patterns really draw attention to how the band have matured yet they still keep regular concepts and components of their past material. It’s good to know that the band feel as if they have found their original sound (although sometimes i feel as if most songs sound pretty similar).  After the success of their debut, this is bound to top the charts!

[toallthatlisten]

Now That’s The Spirit. 

‘That’s The Spirit’ is Bring me the horizon's fifth album, newest addition since the release of chart topping record ‘Sempiternal’ in April 2013. Since then, the band have surely developed sound as their newest released has seen them dip into, dare I say it, “mainstream”.

‘Doomed’ is a phenomenal start to the record as it consists of synthesised verses and melodic choruses, most relatable to their past album. Although, continuing through the record has seen the band drifting away from their former sound. For example closing track, ‘Oh no’, shows a massive relation to the pop genre. The melodies and romantic lyrics encourage  a future hit; yet not with their prior admirers who relish the past couple of records

If you are one of the long term fans of Bring me, you would appreciate track 2, Happy song, and Throne (Track 3) which move closer towards their heavier phase of their music career. This is due to the darker tempo and deeper lyrics.

So whether it’s the fact that lead singer Oli Sykes has burst his pipes or the 5 piece have grown out of their ‘post hard core’ phase one things for sure, if you’re looking for explicit content, this is not the place to look. However, even though the album is barely relatable to their past, the record is remarkably superb. It may not be a head banger, but it sure is a chart topper.