Sun Kil Moon has been on a fantastic streak since 2014’s 

, releasing album after album of the most captivating contemporary folk music there is. 

“I wrote a captivating song about washing socks in hotel sinks.” With his signature snark humor, Mark Kozelek asks his listeners who else could possibly do just that, and the answer is absolutely no one (except maybe 

). Kozelek stands alone today as the songwriter of a generation, painting pure ekphrastic vignettes of the beauty of daily life. His stream-of-consciousness narrative finds the poetry in the meaningless and the mundane, seemingly freed from “good songwriting” in its traditional sense. When Mark writes, “She showed me a Snickers bar and she said, ‘I’m so fucking broke, this is my dinner,’” he means nothing more than exactly that. There is no metaphor, there is no symbolism, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some innate meaning or beauty. The music of Sun Kil Moon is just a reflection of reality, a conversation grounded in acoustic guitar, but even more than previous releases, 

 is a narrative album. It really feels like you’re touring around Europe, standing next to Mark as he apologizes to his bandmates for oversleeping or awkwardly mistakes a married woman’s compliment for flirting. That intimacy is a huge part of what makes this album so fantastic, but really every aspect comes together on 

. It’s unique, entertaining, and all around, a near-perfect record.

 is not at all a folk album, though. Mark and Co. fall back into Red House Painters era slowcore with a touch of jazz-rock, but always keep the focus on the lyrics. In fact, the instrumentals of 

 almost blend into Mark’s voice, fading into the atmosphere until it feels like he’s sitting across the table from you at a bustling coffee shop. Mark isn’t exactly the kind of friendly face that you’d have a pleasant conversation with over a latte, though. He’s the kind of guy who tells you about all the threesomes he used to have in Copenhagen, the time he left a candle burning and almost burnt down his apartment building, or how there’s no washing machines in Spanish hotels. Each anecdote further develops a larger than life but also smaller than reality character of Mark Kozelek. He’s simultaneously “

Indie Rock’s answer to Wilt Chamberlain

” and a sad, middle-aged man in a perpetual midlife crisis who washes his socks in the sink. Mark is well aware of who he is, though, and his humor makes neither his self-deprecation nor aggrandizement feel dishonest.

That humor is one of the defining characteristics of 

. Mark has always incorporated some laughs between the somber moments of tracks like ‘Chili Lemon Peanuts’ from 2017’s 

Common As Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood

, but never has he embraced it as much as he does here. The opening track, ‘This Is Not Possible,’ has Mark explaining how inhospitable Germany has been in his travels by listing out scenarios to which his bandmates respond “This is not possible” or “Yes, this is possible.” It features such great lines as Mark asking, “Is it possible that my favorite meal is chicken and waffles?” to which his bandmates, of course, respond, “This is not possible.” Linda Blair describes a girl with a cough who sounds like the titular character in The Exorcist by playing zombie sound effects over the instrumental. In ‘Candles,’ Mark simply begs Sweden to stop eating reindeer because they are such sweet animals. Despite all the laughs, there is still much sorrow packed into 

 Mark describes wishing he said goodbye the last time he saw Elliott Smith and bluntly describes his own legacy by saying, “If I die tomorrow, I’ll be blurbs on online magazines for forty-eight hours.“ In general, 

 isn’t nearly as devastating as a record like 

, but it’s lows are deep lows punctuated by Mark’s blunt and brief descriptions.

 has too many unique and entertaining stories to recount them all now. It truly is remarkable that Mark Kozelek has not yet faltered with Sun Kil Moon, consistently releasing albums that contend to be the best of the year. That is nothing if not a testament to his incredible and idiosyncratic songwriting and natural storytelling ability. 

 will not be for everyone, as it’s a long and often slow listen, but for fans of Sun Kil Moon, it’s yet another near perfect addition to Mark Kozelek’s incredible career.

Sun Kil Moon releases full-length ‘This Is My Dinner’

Clarence Clarity is one of the most unconventional producers of modern pop. He loves to incorporate elements of noise, electronic, plunderphonics and more into his polished pop and R&B tunes. While that could certainly come off as jarring, Clarence stays well within the boundaries of what is traditionally catchy. Ever since Clarence announced he was working on something, 

has been one of my most anticipated records of this year. His last album, 

, has quickly cemented itself as one of glitch pop’s genre-defining albums. Clarence also only continued to show off his production skills and pop sensibilities on the singles leading up to 

. Luckily, the album does not disappoint, bringing a completely new take on Clarence’s signature sound that will likely appeal to a much larger audience as it trades in much of the 

 for punchy, direct pop tunes. Songs like ‘Vapid Feels Ain’t Vapid’ and ‘Next Best Thing’ are such earworms that they alone could stand to make 

 is immaculate. Every instrumental is incredibly bright and intricate, often reminiscent of the wonky, glitch-pop production style of fellow Londoner Iglooghost. At the same time, Clarence manages to create something that sounds completely natural out of entirely synthetic sounds. This is due to Clarence’s vocals sliding around like ‘SexyBack’ Justin Timberlake, slicing through layers of synths with ease. There are also noticeably fewer effects altering Clarence’s voice than on 

, again pushing towards a more accessible sound clearly influenced by late 1990s/early 2000s pop and R&B. Clarence hinted at this style in his production on Rina Sawayama’s debut EP 

 last year, and songs like ‘Tr(u)e Love’ are clearly inspired by the boyband era. But even though deep down 

 may be Backstreet Boys and NSYNC inspired, Clarence’s music is still a bit too odd to have much of a crossover audience.

, though — the appearance of similar instrumental motifs and lyrical refrains over multiple songs. This is seemingly small, but the repetition over the course of multiple songs makes what could have been an album of unconnected singles flow together as one cohesive piece of music. One of the catchiest hooks throughout the record, “Girl you make me feel like you been fucking everyone/ So make me feel like I make you feel good,” ties together ‘Naysayer Magick Obeyer’ and ‘SAME?’ Both tracks were previously released as ‘Naysayer Godslayer’ and ‘Same’ respectively, sounding completely different from one another, but as they were reworked with this repetition and slotted into the context of the album, each took on an electrifying, new energy.

 is far from a perfect record though. It trades off the sprawling majesty of 

 for a sense of immediacy that fails to push all the way through the tracklist. Even though it sits at only 39 minutes, the album is lengthened by disjointed interludes that don’t explain a narrative. ‘Tru(e) Love’s’ long outro further slows the pace going into the final leg of the album, where weaker cuts ‘SAME?,’ ‘Law of Fives,’ and ‘2016’ barely crawl along. But weak is a relative term to the rest of the tracks, as each is certainly well-produced, interesting, and catchy.

 is an excellent follow-up record. It shows off Clarence’s versatility to go from one of the weirdest pop albums of 2015 to a record that is still weird, but measuredly so, and not at the loss of earworm hooks and catchy chord progressions. Look out for more new music from Clarence Clarity as he updates his 

 playlist throughout the rest of the year.

Clarence Clarity releases polished pop record ‘THINK: PEACE’

With every subsequent release, the group’s sound becomes more polished, dulling the sense of authenticity that originally made BROCKHAMPTON so relatable and interesting.

If you haven’t heard of BROCKHAMPTON yet, it’s likely you’ve been living under a musical rock for the past year. The “best boyband since One Direction” took the industry by storm in 2017 with their fantastic 

 trilogy, putting out album after album of some of the most inspired rap music the world has heard in years. But all they built came tumbling down as (now former) member Ameer Van faced multiple sexual conduct accusations earlier this year. The group struggled to find their footing throughout the summer, cancelling their tour after an emotional Boston Calling performance, releasing a series of subpar 1990s singles, and changing the name of their album countless times (anyone remember 

). After BROCKHAMPTON’s fall from grace, 

feels like a cathartic release of anger and sadness.

With every subsequent release, the group’s sound becomes more polished, dulling the sense of authenticity that originally made BROCKHAMPTON so relatable and interesting. Despite the band’s brags that 

 was made in just ten days, the sense of amateur hunger that permeated 

 seems to have been lost in the fulfillment of the boyband dream. For the first time, the BROCKHAMPTON fandom has truly reached boyband status, complete with 

. This doesn’t necessarily affect the quality of the songs, but music is never made in a vacuum.

does not lack in thermal-camera levels of colorful, punchy production and iconic lines like JOBA’s “Praise God! Hallelujah! I’m still depressed!” on ‘District.’ The problem is their chemistry and unique group dynamic no longer hold the tracklist together as tightly as previous projects. It seems the members are still struggling to slot into their roles in the new BROCKHAMPTON without Ameer. Although JOBA and Merlyn Wood have undoubtedly stepped up with central roles on ‘J’OUVERT’ and ‘WHERE THE CASH AT’ and Dom McLennon is as solid as ever, Matt Champion fails to find a truly stand-out verse. Beyond ‘WEIGHT’ and ‘TONYA,’ Kevin Abstract has an incredibly subdued presence, maintaining his emotional performances but never quite hitting home with a sticky, 

-esque hook. ‘SOMETHING ABOUT HIM,’ an ode to Kevin’s boyfriend Jaden Walker, is an unnecessary and distracting detour that doesn’t hit nearly as hard as previous BROCKHAMPTON interludes, like ‘TEETH’ off 

Within the turmoil, there is plenty of genius in 

. BROCKHAMPTON maintains their stylistic diversity, making plenty of the aggressive, noisy bangers that ‘SISTER/NATION’ from 

 hinted at, but also toning it down for ballads like ‘THUG LIFE’ and ‘SAN MARCOS.’ There is no shortage of songs with sharp production and tight lyricism like ‘BERLIN,’ ‘DISTRICT,’ and ‘HONEY,’ and bearface’s contributions are more interesting than ever. The sampling on 

 is also excellent. From the Cam’ron interview that makes up ‘LOOPHOLE’ to the repurposing of the group’s own song ‘BUMP’ near the end of ‘HONEY,’ it’s obvious that Romil, Kiko, and Jabari have grown as producers. The features from Jaden Smith and serpentwithfeet also go over surprisingly well, leaving the only musical missteps to be the abuse of pitch shifted vocals all over the album. From the end of ‘WEIGHT’ to the middle of ‘SAN MARCOS,’ there are many moments that could have been so much more emotionally potent and personal without the needless pitch-shifting, and more emotion and personality is exactly what 

 is a middling success for BROCKHAMPTON. They did exactly what they needed to in order to move away from their own shadow cast by the Saturation Trilogy and the fallout from Ameer Vann, but some musical inconsistencies and a lack of chemistry hold the record back from being the triumphant return the group needed. Hopefully BROCKHAMPTON will be able to fix these issues moving forward. After all, if you 

 is just the first installment in a brand new trilogy, 

Following turmoil, BROCKHAMPTON releases ‘iridescence’

Kali Uchis is a Colombian-American singer who has made a name for herself over the last few years featuring on tracks from big names like Tyler, the Creator, Gorillaz, Miguel, Daniel Caesar, Snoop Dogg, and more. 

is her debut full-length project, following 2015’s 

EP, and it is one hell of an introduction. Uchis has crafted a beautiful tracklist of dreamy R&B and pop, with deeply personal lyrics and infuriatingly catchy hooks. Her succinct songwriting and elegant voice make 

not only an excellent listen, but a symbol of pop and R&B to come.

is its fantastic production. Every track’s instrumental fits perfectly, always the right mix of dreamy and energetic, bouncy and smooth. That’s no surprise given the long list of acclaimed producers, though: whether it’s the the blissful synthy Gorillaz-produced ‘In My Dreams,’ or the psychedelic Kevin Parker-made (Tame Impala) ‘Tomorrow,’ or the groovy ‘Just a Stranger,’ courtesy of Steve Lacy and BROCKHAMPTON’s Romil Hemnani, the production is always so catchy and unique while still taking the back seat to Kali’s voice. Just to add on to that list, there are also tracks produced by BADBADNOTGOOD, Thundercat, Frank Ocean collaborator Om’Mas Keith, and Top Dawg’s Sounwave, who all manage to develop a cohesive blend of genres catered to accentuate Kali’s vocals.

opens with the breezy Bossa Nova style ‘Body Language,’ which lures you into the album as Kali begs you to “just come closer,” before fading out into the distance. ‘Miami’ follows up on the dreaminess with beautiful vocals from Kali, until featured rapper BIA pretty much ruins the song with a verse that sounds completely out of place on such a laid-back song, not to mention some disappointing attempts at Spanish wordplay. ‘Just a Stranger,’ however, features an excellent Steve Lacy refrain of “She don’t want love, she wants my hundred dollar bills,” and a bouncing bass line and comedic, yet oddly empowering, portrayal of the stereotypical “gold-digger” character that make it an irresistible highlight of the record.

‘Flight 22’ validates all past comparisons between Uchis, Billie Holiday, and Amy Winehouse, as she shows off her voice on a poignant, saccharine ballad comparing the pitfalls of a relationship to a plane crash. ‘Your Teeth in My Neck’ is the album’s most directly political track, criticizing how the “rich man keeps getting richer, taking from the poor,” and painting Uchis as what can only be described as queen of the Dreamers. She often sings about her upbringing and identity on 

, but no song compares to the bitterness with which she sings directly to those who have done her wrong: “you know better.”

 is one of the weaker tracks. The second verse comes off pretty cheesy when Kali compares herself to El Chapo and Brigitte Bardot, and Jorja Smith’s feature isn’t particularly jaw dropping either. ‘Dead to Me,’ on the other hand, is. With some opening vocals reminiscent of another Steve Lacy collaborator Rayvn Levnae’s recent EP, the track is ridiculously catchy and shows off Kali’s vocal range. However, this is followed by easily the worst song of the album, ‘Nuestra Planeta,’ an attempt at Latin cross-over hit of the summer. We get another incredibly weak rap feature, this time from reggaeton giant Reykon, and some of Uchis’ most surface-level lyrics. Combined with a basic summer-y beat, the song is nothing but boring, if not a bit cringy. But of course, Uchis fires right back with what is perhaps the album’s best track ‘In My Dreams,’ a beautiful bedroom pop reverie with Damon Albarn of Gorillaz. In it, she sings, “Why would anyone stay awake after being so sound asleep?” in response to her childhood described in the first verse, “I’m never stressing my bills, nobody ever gets killed / My mama’s never on coke, this isn’t my way to cope.” With a healthy dose of existentialism from Albarn’s “The moments we are happiest / Are the moments that we don’t exist,” ‘In My Dreams,’ is a beautiful example of Kali’s simplistic, yet deeply meaningful songwriting.

is a fantastic debut. Although there are a few weaker tracks, the moments that shine, really shine. It’s great production, catchy hooks, and genre-blending sound make it easily the best R&B release so far this year and Kali Uchis an artist that deserves your attention.

Kali Uchis releases full-length ‘Isolation’

Greta Kline is the undisputed queen of modern DIY. 

is the follow-up to her fantastic 2016 album 

, which solidified Frankie Cosmos’ position among indie gods like Car Seat Headrest and Alex G, having made the transition from lo-fi, Bandcamp solo-artists to full-band mainstream acts. Sadly though, 

doesn’t quite live up to Frankie Cosmos’ potential. It’s full of underdeveloped songs and unfinished melodies inexcusable as simply Kline’s style, but there are moments of lyrical genius that make the album profound and uplifting.

Originally going by ingrid superstar in her early Bandcamp days, Greta Kline has gone through many names before finally settling on Frankie Cosmos. This is important because 

 marks her fifty-second release in the last nine years. Yes, you read that right, 

 release, and through all those releases, Greta has matured and changed quite a bit. This is particularly evident in her songwriting, which combines a DIY-punk ethic with twee pop more endearing than the likes of Belle and Sebastian. Only two songs on 

 top three minutes, which seems like an eternity compared to tracks that seem little more than jingles like ‘Ur Up.’ When you’re writing such short songs though, it makes each word count even more, and Greta rarely disappoints. There’s a subtle and simple perfection to lyrics like “Sometimes I am weird and wrong,” and “I had sex once now I’m dead.” Frankie Cosmos’ lyrics have always been so poignantly poetic, with an emphasis on crafting specific lines that stick with you rather than bombastic choruses, and this is what 

 does so well. It’s entirely fitting that Frankie Cosmos is named after poet Frank O’Hara, because the tracks so often feel more like poetry put to music than songs.

This is simultaneously a compliment to Kline and a detriment to the music, however. There is a noticeable lack of interesting instrumentals on 

, and with Frankie Cosmos clearly introducing a larger, full-band sound, some of the DIY charm of Kline’s earlier work is lost. The one exception comes on the single ‘Being Alive,’ the most rock song the group has ever released, as its sporadic tempo changes and breakneck drum solo make it so infectious. The group also takes another chance by having each member sing the chorus instead of just Greta. It’s a really beautiful moment that so well emphasizes the song’s idealization of friendship and togetherness.

The larger theme of the album revolves around introspection and looking within your body as simply a 

 “Is your body a part of who you are or does it contain all of who you are? Does it stop you from fully being yourself?” asked Kline in an interview with 

, encapsulating the early-20s-lack-of-direction that the album represents. This makes Frankie Cosmos seem less like the musings of a heartbroken teen and more like those of a heartbroken adult. While ‘Accommodate’ and ‘Vessel’ deal with this topic directly, its importance is lost in an album that fails to focus in closely on what should be its main purpose. Kline takes too many detours to fully develop the idea of 

but also doesn’t provide enough space for other topics to shine. Each song, and the album as a whole, is too short and too broad in scope.

is that it loses a lot of what made Frankie Cosmos so endearing yet profound on tracks like ‘Sapho’ from 

Greta Kline’s unique voice and sound are almost lost in an album that feels all too generic. No amount of lyrical excellence can save an album doomed to be boring from its lack of catchy or inventive instrumentals. Gems like ‘This Stuff,’ ‘Accommodate,’ and ‘Being Alive’ are lost in a wave of underdeveloped jingles and songs that just fall short of sticking with you. But as a whole, 

 certainly offers some words and wisdom that makes it worthy of a listen.

Frankie Cosmos releases full-length ‘Vessel’

Rhye is the R&B project of singer Mike Milosh, who released debut album 

 under the name with producer Robin Hannibal in 2013. Hannibal has since left the group, leaving sole creative direction to Milosh, who immediately stands out to many due to his vocals. Milosh’s voice is intentionally soft and feminine, as the project is an exploration of love and sexuality, and is in many ways a love letter to the woman who appears on 

’s cover. Despite its best intentions though, 

 falls short of the pure magic its history promises.

 is undeniably very beautiful; from Milosh’s gliding voice to the delicate horns and strings, the album sounds lavish to the point of lascivity. There are certainly imperfections to Milosh’s airy voice and occasionally the arrangements fall short of being the perfect complement, but for the most part, 

 is instrumentally diverse and smooth. For an example of a song where everything went right, look no further than single ‘Please.’ The sparse piano perfectly combines with steady clapping to accent Milosh’s voice, which here is at its best. The subdued chorus highlights his pained yet saccharine delivery in a way that blurs the line between singing and beautifully moaning. ‘Phoenix,’ is also one of the most ambitious compositions Rhye has undertaken, as everything from the beginning bass line to the slick guitar riffs shows instrumental growth from 

Given this acknowledgement of its beauty, 

 falls short in one very important area: lyrically, it’s either corny or boring. The consistent subject matter of the album is love and sexuality, something that’s been absolutely beat to death by musicians over the last century. Not to say that someone cannot imbue the topic with new life and energy, but that someone is not Milosh. His description of love and sex is defined by surface level descriptions or awkward double entendres. On ‘Taste,’ Milosh refrains “I’ll lick your wounds / I’ll lay you down” like its a profound description. On ‘Softly,’ and every other track, he falls back on the all-too-played-out double meaning of “come” with “I really want you to come with me, ooh.” Overall, the lyrics just never live up to the grace and lavishness promised by the instrumentals and Milosh’s voice. This shallowness often undermines the intricacies of real love, and not to poke into Milosh’s personal life, but it is important to note that he broke up with his wife to which 

was dedicated to during Rhye’s hiatus. 

 comes more as a portrait of lust, completely debasing the wide-eyed innocence towards love implored on 

There is a defense to be made of this devolution, but Milosh comes off as far too myopic to nuance the fine line he blurs between love and lust.

Rhye is certainly interesting in concept. Milosh wants to use his androgyny to accentuate a unique point of view of love and sex. But too often on 

, he fails to fully utilize this potential and regresses to basic and animalistic depictions of such a complicated topic. No matter how orgasmic the instrumentals can be, when Milosh fails to provide any interesting subject matter, the whole project falls flat.

Rhye releases full-length ‘Blood’

Neutral Milk Hotel released their second album, 

twenty years ago on February 10, 1998. Although no one really listened to or even liked it at that much at first, it quickly become the most important indie rock album of all time. Everyone from the likes of Arcade Fire to The Lumineers owes a great deal to the masterpiece that is 

and the new scope of sounds it brought to light.

Born out of The Elephant 6 Collective, a Denver-based group of bands (of Montreal, Elf Power, the Apples in Stereo) who focused on reviving and evolving 60s era psych-pop, Neutral Milk Hotel is the child of Jeff Mangum. In the years before Neutral Milk Hotel, Jeff wandered the country, staying with various acquaintances, and worked on music projects. None of his, or even the other Elephant 6 projects, had gotten much attention at that point – so it was only natural that when he was thrust into the spotlight over the monstrous success of 

, Jeff receded into essential hermitude, creating one of the many myths around the group. There was something incredibly intriguing about a singer who wrote an entire album about Anne Frank, then declined a tour backing R.E.M. to set his guitar down and hide for the next ten years. This created a legendary air around Neutral Milk Hotel that still holds to this day.

That mythology is rightfully deserved as Jeff Mangum certainly created one of the most forward-thinking and lyrically encapsulating albums of the era. The album combines more traditional psychedelic folk and rock with punk, jazz, and Eastern European sounds, which allows seemingly normal rock tracks like ‘Holland, 1945’ to exist next to a bagpipe solo (‘[untitled]’) and listeners barely question the change. The lyrics, though, are often questioned because if you do not pay close attention, you will be left scratching your head as to why “semen stains the mountain tops.” 

is something of a concept album, telling an extension of Anne Frank’s story. Before the album’s recording, Jeff Mangum read 

 by Anne Frank and was so moved by the story that he began to have recurring dreams about a jewish family as well as travelling back in time to save Anne Frank. On ‘Oh Comely,’ Mangum sings “I know they buried her body with others / Her sister and mother and five-hundred families / And will she remember me fifty years later? / I wished I could save her in some sort of time machine.” It’s certainly an odd story for a non-Jewish young man in America to be telling fifty years after the Holocaust, but it’s impossibly infectious and emotional. Part of the beauty of the album is that the emotion holds even without focusing on its concept; the clash of the familiar and the outlandish stirs up unrivaled emotional turmoil.

 ends with Jeff Mangum taking his guitar off and walking away. Symbolic of both the end of the album and the end of Neutral Milk Hotel, Mangum seems to be signalling that he has said what he needed to say. Neutral Milk Hotel would never record another song after, despite the album’s growth to massive acclaim and popularity in subsequent years. Mangum would completely disappear until 2010, only contributing to a few scattered projects in the meantime. The story was sealed. The band had delivered the pinnacle of indie rock that would go on to inspire so many others around the turn of the century. Twenty years later, 

has proven its place as a timeless classic, transcending music to become a placard for an entire generation of independent musicians.

Neutral Milk Hotel’s ‘In the Aeroplane Over the Sea’ turns 20

Less than twenty-four hours before Sleigh Bells were due to take the stage, I still had no idea they were performing in Boston. So when I got a Facebook notification telling me first, that they were playing and second, that WRBB had a pass that no one else could use, I was ecstatic. Sleigh Bells have long been one of my favorite bands because of their insane energy and unique sound, so I was expecting a great show. And despite my already high expectations, I was still blown away.

The show opened with a quick set from New York artist Sabri. His mellow style and sweet voice were a complete surprise given Sleigh Bells’ music, but his charisma definitely got the crowd moving. Just as Sabri and his band began to win over the room however, he ran out of songs to play, leaving the stage for the main act.

After about a half an hour of waiting, all the lights in the room dimmed and the beginning of ‘Blue Trash Mattress Fire’ off Sleigh Bells’ most recent album began to play. Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller took the stage to a thunderous roar from the fans. Still dark, Alexis began to sing the ethereal opening verse before Derek joined in with a crashing guitar and flashes of light and the show was on. Next came the fan favorite ‘Riot Rhythm,’ complete with crashing drum machine and a demand from Alexis that “everyone fucking join in on the chorus,” and you better believe everyone did.

Sleigh Bells jumped from year to year, playing a song from each of their five albums before the set was halfway over. And surprisingly even the critically panned and fan-ignored ‘Bitter Rivals’ sounded fantastic live. Alexis introduced it, saying it was one of her favorite songs because it samples her dog, before crouching down to perform the admittedly odd sighing and moaning that starts the track. She then jumped up to scream the opening line “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times!” to a crowd that was jumping to scream it with her.

The initial set ended with the bombastic ‘Rule Number One’ and ‘Crown on the Ground,’ after which Alexis said thank you and the band walked off stage. The crowd absolutely erupted in cries for an encore and sure enough, the duo walked back on stage shortly after. Alexis then asked for silence to perform the quietest and most emotional Sleigh Bells track, ‘And Saints.’ As a band that relies so heavily on deafening electric guitar with a backing drum machine, ‘And Saints’ stands out as a soft spot in the band’s discography, which made it all the better to contrast the screeching ‘A/B Machines’ that came next. The only words to ‘A/B Machines’ are “Got my A Machines in the table, got my B Machines in the drawer,” which made the song the perfect opportunity for Alexis to do a trust fall off the stage and crowdsurf her way through three minutes of simple lyrics. Finally, after returning to the stage, Sleigh Bells finished the show with their most popular song, ‘Rill Rill.’

As the show came to a close, with ears still ringing, I walked out into the cold, January night imbued with Sleigh Bells’ insane energy. I can say pretty confidently that no show I have ever seen compares to the atmosphere Alexis Krauss and Derek Miller can create with merely a guitar and a microphone. If you are at all a fan of Sleigh Bells, I recommend seeing them live: their recording and production often just cannot fully grasp the energy that makes Sleigh Bells so fantastic.

Sleigh Bells @ Paradise Rock Club

 is a “flipped” version of The Shins 2017 album, 

. This is a concept lead member James Mercer has been toying with for a while but has just now managed to put it into practice. In general, the idea of flipping an album lies in making the slow songs fast, the downtrodden tracks upbeat, the synthetic songs acoustic, and vice-versa. For better or worse, 

 mostly accomplishes the goal of flipping 

 on its head but doing so definitely exacerbates some of the issues the original album faced. 

 is, even at its best, inconsistent, but still manages to deliver a few gems.

 features some of the worst songs The Shins have ever released. Sometimes the group takes the idea of flipping the song a little bit too far and ends up corrupting the message or emotion of the original. For example, ‘Half a Million’ features bouncy, almost reggae inspired guitars that strangle the philosophical message Mercer is trying to deliver. The centerpiece of 

, ‘Mildenhall,’ devolves from a slow and nostalgic country-esque ballad to an annoying mess of poorly-mixed keyboard and a James Mercer that sounds very out of his vocal element. My personal favorite, ‘Name For You’ completely loses its sarcastic and saccharine tone in favor of dark, almost gloomy synths that feel entirely out of place. The integrity of the songs is often lost completely in absurdist instrumentation that adds nothing to what Mercer is trying to say. The album definitely could have benefited from focusing more on a compelling rework of each song rather than simply a purely flipped version. However, the biggest failure of 

 is the songs that don’t actually feel all that different. Notably, the flipped versions of ‘So Now What’ and ‘The Fear’ are so similar to their original forms that they would not feel out of place on 

It wasn’t nearly all bad though. The flipped ‘Heartworms’ for example, expands from a generically dreamy tune into a full-blown danceable hit complete with punching drums and a groovy synth line. ‘Cherry Heart’ also improves quite a bit. Originally an out of place synth explosion on 

, the flipped version finds its footing with more traditional instrumentation, especially in its ear-worm of a guitar riff. ‘Dead Alive’ is another example of a song where the flipped version clearly adds something substantial to the meaning of the song. This time around, ‘Dead Alive’ feels like Mercer struggling with a painful bout of nostalgia for a lost loved one rather than the happy remembrance of the original. This is mainly due to the intelligent instrumentation choice. The flipped version features simple piano mixed with intermittent violin as a backdrop for Mercer’s voice, creating a much more somber tone than the original. To me, ‘Dead Alive’ is an example of a flipped song done right. The new version neither detracts from the original nor devalues it, it simply sheds new light on the emotion Mercer was trying to convey.

 is not in concept, but in execution. Mercer and The Shins prove with songs like ‘Heartworms’ that there is plenty of interesting territory to explore in the idea of a “flipped” album. But they also prove that literally flipping tempo, tone, and instrumentation on top of the same lyrics is not the way to go about it. Overall, 

 is incredibly uneven. There are some cuts that completely outshine their original versions, but also some that I wish never existed. In the end though, I would say it’s clear that 

 is a successful experiment. After all, The Shins have proved they can make a better flipped album than Kendrick Lamar can.

The Shins release full-length ‘The Worm’s Heart’

No one does – and no one has done – what BROCKHAMPTON is doing, and that in itself makes them interesting.

BROCKHAMPTON can best be described by Dom McLennon’s line on ‘Fake’ off the group’s first album, “We turn weird shit to a commodity.” The fourteen member boy band is defined by their contradiction. They set out with a goal to saturate the music industry with their own brand of oddball hip hop and redefine what it means to be a boy band and a popstar in the Internet age. They’re diverse, young, and driven and bursted into the music scene with three excellent albums in the second half of 2017. They wear their influences on their sleeve, but have clearly cultivated their own unique sound. No one does – and no one has done – what BROCKHAMPTON is doing, and that in itself makes them interesting. Plus, they make some damn good music.

 begins with the absolutely infective ‘BOOGIE,’ the group’s most insane single by far. The track features blaring police sirens, squawking horns, and a gripping dance beat that absolutely warrant the title. On top of the beat, each rapper comes through with a tight, energetic mini-verse featuring call-backs galore from JOBA’s hook, “Break necks, I’m the chiropractor” to Kevin Abstract’s “Best boy band since One Direction.” As the first track, ‘BOOGIE’ clearly sets the tone for what to expect on the rest of 

. The album features some of BROCKHAMPTON’s best production and experimentation as well as some of the best verses the group has ever released. ‘SISTER/NATION,’ for example, sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before. The former rides on the energy of a wacky beat immaculately produced by Romil Hemnani, who uses some excellent drum fills and synth bursts to create a hypnotizing canvas for Matt Champion and Dom McLennon’s fast-paced verses and an auto-tuned hook from Kevin Abstract. After the song’s beat-change ‘NATION’ comes in as a slower, dreamy cut juxtaposed by another scrambling verse from Dom.

‘BLEACH’ also stands out as one of the group’s best songs to date. Originally featured in the short film ‘Billy Star,’ released just days before the album, ‘BLEACH’ is slow and somber. The track highlights an auto tuned feature by Ryan Beatty on the chorus where he sums up the song’s introspective tone as “Who got the feeling? Tell me why I cry when I feel it.” Ameer Vann reflects on depression and drug use, declaring “I found false hope in all kinda places. Hotel rooms and temporary feelings,” to which Dom McLennon questions “Do you make mistakes or do you make a change?” Along with ‘BLEACH,’ the final track ‘TEAM’ is another example of BROCKHAMPTON’s capacity for stylistic diversity. A shoegaze inspired ballad washed out in reverb, the first part of ‘TEAM’, unofficially known as ‘EVANIE,’ is the work of BROCKHAMPTON’s most enigmatic member, bearface. It’s a beautiful wall of sound that showcases bearface’s saccharine voice before switching abruptly to the more traditional rap sound of ‘TEAM.’.Kevin Abstract hits hard by opening up with ‘Little old me, I thought my world was progressive ‘cause my president was black,’ and the other members trickle in to give one final thought before the song fades out into the beat of the first song on the first 

To me, it’s clear that BROCKHAMPTON will herald in a new era of Internet-age music. The group’s diversity and DIY-ethic combined with their meteoric rise to fame all represent something the music industry has never seen before. Because of this, I think it’s clear that America’s favorite boy band will inspire a whole generation of creativity to follow their dreams, and if any of them come even close to the level of quality BROCKHAMPTON has consistently produced, we’ll be very lucky.

BROCKHAMPTON releases full-length ‘Saturation III’

Imagine you’re listening to your favorite U2 album. Now, squeeze all the emotion out of it and replace it with a healthy mix of feel-good anthemic lyrics and Kelly Jones’ awkward, twangy vocals. Now you know what Stereophonics sound like!

 is the tenth studio album from UK superstars Stereophonics. The group has achieved six UK number one albums over the last twenty years doing largely the same thing over and over again. They create the kind of run-of-the-mill stadium rock that makes Coldplay seem experimental. In the past, they’ve been the kind of tolerable background music that you’d hear in some rundown pub and sigh, “yeah, I mean, I guess this is rock music.” And 

really isn’t any different. It’s got guitar, it’s got drums, it’s even got a trumpet, but that’s about it. There’s no originality, nothing that makes you think, and really not even anything that makes you want to dance. It’s just kind of boring.

opens with ‘Caught By The Wind’ and ‘Taken A Tumble,’ two feel good anthems featuring lyrics like ‘Believe you can fly / Celebrate everything” and “Yeah I’ve taken a stumble / Come on and pick me up.’ Both tracks are incredibly generic and vapid with little in the way of emotion. Sadly, they serve as a fairly accurate indicator of the remainder of the album. Next, however, comes ‘What’s All The Fuss About,’ a winding, down-tempo track featuring some beautiful trumpet and acoustic guitar work. This is definitely a high point of the album, though it does drone on for about a minute too long. ‘Geronimo’ and ‘Cryin’ In Your Beer,’ on the other hand, stick out as two of the album’s weakest songs. Both build on generic rock instrumentals with some incredibly awkward lyrics. Who really wants to hear Kelly Jones whine ‘We get a drink in the alley cat / You throw up under the tree / And then you laid down on the railroad tracks / Until I pissed on your feet?’ The only other track worth noting is ‘Before Anyone Knew Our Name.’ It’s a legitimately emotional ballad to the band’s late drummer Stuart Cable. Consisting of only a piano loop and Jones’ voice, it’s a standout track, but still feels rather uninspired. But really, how original can you be with a piano ballad?

I didn’t want to hate this record. But the fact that I found myself desperately looking for anything positive to say about it reflects rather poorly. There is no track on this album that I would ever willingly listen to again. It’s just painfully awkward and uninspired. I don’t think Kelly Jones was looking to make boring background music, but, in the end, that’s really all 

Stereophonics release full-length ‘Scream Above the Sounds’

[three_fourth]Beck Hansen is the chameleon of modern music. From his absurdist top 10 hit ‘Loser’ to his Grammy award winning masterpiece 

, he has always found a way to adapt and evolve his sound. Throughout his twelve genre-bending studio albums previous to 

, Beck maintained a uniquely identifiable personality. 

, on the other hand, lacks that subtle touch that just says “Beck!”, which in an over-saturated music market means it sounds like everything you’ve heard before.

, Beck worked with producer Greg Kurstin (Kelly Clarkson, Adele, Sia) to 

 that “was uplifting, had a lot of energy, and made you want to sing along.” They kind of succeeded. Kind of. 

 is absolutely a record with some catchy choruses and danceable instrumentals, which is far from new territory to Beck. From ‘Loser’ and ‘Devil’s Haircut’ to ‘Que’ Onda Guero,’ Hansen knows how to make you move. The difference with 

 is really the loss of all flavors. The majority of the album is made up of generic pop instrumentals and lyrics that don’t really make you think. When it does try to incorporate some “old Beck,” we end up with awkward, cringey rhymes like “jiu jitsu” and “shih tzu” that stick out like a sore thumb on otherwise radio-ready pop jams.

 opens with its title track, where Beck sings the chorus (

“All my colors, see the colors, make the colors / Feel the colors, she says / See it in your eyes”

) with about as little color as possible. As an album opener and title track, ‘Colors’ is about as uninteresting and uninspired as I could have imagined from Beck. ‘No Distraction’ is an anthem about our attention being stolen in our modern, technology-filled world. It’s a cute, but ultimately trite message backed by what feels like a copy-paste instrumental that could fit any power-pop band’s needs. Tracks like ‘I’m So Free’ stray from the cookie-cutter pop formula a bit, but still fall short of any genuine emotion or experimentation.

Not to fear, it’s not all bad. ‘Dear Life’ plays out as almost Beatles-esque soundscape where Beck surrenders himself to the ups and downs of life. It’s a slower, winding track and one of very few on 

 that inspire genuine emotion. Another high point is the very first single, ‘Dreams.’ Released all the way back in 2015, ‘Dreams’ feels like Beck’s attempt at a MGMT track, but in a good way. It’s slick, guitar and drum driven, carefree, and the album’s greatest attempt at an interesting pop track.

 is far from an introspective, thoughtful record, and even further from a masterpiece of musical experimentation. It’s well made, at times fun, and at times catchy, but overall, it’s hard to justify returning to 

 when there are plenty of better pop records and plenty of better Beck records to explore.

Grant Foskett