The Carters - Everything is Love
Double Fantasy this ain't -- Jay and Yonce's coupled collab is essentially an exercise in stated+sonic opulence, their lifestyle and story and mutual affection safely amorphous besides a few distinct-yet-dubious detail-drops, and even during back-n-forth bickering over some bygone shit it never seems like they're really in the same room. "I don't give a damn about the fame", right; now plz bless us with more boring brags about your collective assets and status. But they as dynamic vet team and all dat money are persuasive, particularly when the bills are going towards the beats. Neither of em access the candor or character achieved on respective recent solo releases, but transmitting its own sort of magnetism is them casually killin' it while simultaneously kinda just mailing it in. Can they still cling to street authenticity? Are they truly stressing over false arrests? Is Beyonce really dropping her daughter off at school personally? They're big enough to make you ponder it, and it's pretty easy to be reminded as to why. 7/10
Idles - Joy as an Act of Resistance
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
Talbot's strength lies in snotty singalongee snarler rather than wise wordsmith; hence when spouting social-political usually the sentiment is greater than the articulation: calls for unity and loving yourself yet kicking "douches" in the mouth and classifying someone as "one big neck with sausage hands" for example. And hey I hate homophobes too, but professing to puttin' em in coffins akin to a wrestler is basically pure bro-talk. But beefy punk din and dirty bass lines and gangbuster choruses galore are their true bread-n-butter. And after seeing Idles in the flesh and watching a dozen-or-so vintage hardcore tuffs ardently shout along with "A beautiful immigrant" and "I kissed a boy and I liked it", I supposed sentiment is sometimes enough. A penchant for spelling is nice too. 8/10
Mitski - Be the Cowboy
Decidedly designed to be a dead-set for Mitski, palpably polished+punchier while pushing for a sort of pithy pop-rock perfection. Which, in its own prudent and persona-pressing way, it kinda accomplishes. But starting suitably with the introductory explosion of "Geyser" is a feeling that a tunna the tunes are cut short prematurely, or more precisely, just outta caution. I applaud her song-set solidarity and grounded grandiosity and linkin' of lush/loud/tender, but it becomes a bit guarded-gone-drab. A husband-n-wife sticking together is the jocose jaunt surrounded by deadpan-desperate seekings of affection+attention, the depth is dubious, the distinction is there, the disco is real. To be honest, could use more power chords. 7/10
Meg Myers - Take Me to the Disco
Seldom will I say this, but I kinda wish this actually took me to the disco -- instead we're stranded in the endlessly dully dour with diddly-squat for diversity or character. Traits include strained made-for-TV angst, some of the most foreseeable quiet-loud formulas and obnoxiously explosive choruses this side of 1995, wringing said choruses dry, vox and song-paces so narrow+monotonous it's laughable. Looking back, many-a trait that were there on her last one. But long gone is the creeping carnality turned to threats of murder and the hook-stuffed shark-chomp miracle quirk of "Lemon Eyes" and any attempt at pep. Also good for a laugh are guest vox provided by one "Leggy" on the aptly titled "The Death of Me". ~*~meh~*~
Nmesh and t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 - ロストエデンへのパス (2015 release)
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
///BRAV-FUCKING-O\\\
At a rate of an hour per producer this is undoubtedly a longwinded pilgrimage, one that's largely slow-mo atmospherics to boot. Hence it may be smart to split accordingly -- but no matter how ya spin it this offers a whole lotta expanse to get lost in. Simultaneously cinematic and footloose, many-a selection here tends to induce an eternity you're content with, whether it be Nmesh's 6 minutes or Telepath's 22. But the spacious flow on the whole is the true phenomena: think wandering through a Japanese rainforest saturated with mystery and mist and insects, warily camping under a waterfall with a mind full-a fever dreams and flashbacks, celestiality and murk joining forces, weeping melodies turned wondrous. Nice when an actual beat pops in, too -- not necessarily necessary but nice. 8.5/10
Rico Nasty - Nasty
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
Tho she does dabble in the carnal don't assume she's Cupcakke type nasty -- Rico Raspy or Rico Rejector may be more accurate. Your bae pressin' her is more of a haughty hassle than a situation worth wallowing in; and rather than recite knotty-n-cunning wordplay she's good getting by on tuff spittle-spraying tude and aggressive ad-libs alone. Too cynical and severe for crossover pop potential but leans into it anyway; "Ice Cream" in particular being a standout sweetener for all that surl while winningly wielding all-too-obvious truck-type tunage. A while later is when Lil Gnar's gnar finally calls for the mosh pit its numerous metal leans hinted towards, only to be soon out-raged by Rico herself times four-or-so. And for the record, best bedroom boast goes to one BlocBoy JB: "I get ass like a chair". 8/10
Snail Mail - Lush
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
From a foolhardy afar I suspected Lindsey Jordan would be just another strummer in the considerable herd of overhyped 90s hark-back singer-songwriters. And in some ways she sorta just is. But the tactfulness of her songwriting+tonage sneaks up on you, the emotion elicited ineluctable and free of bombast. And despite drowning a bit in convention and the nondescript emotional-struggle doldrums, she's wise well beyond her sub-twenty years: tunes steadily stripped back and clear-cut, bonafide and bored without being boring, despondent with drive. This is homespun purity harnessed and honed, an overhaul that doesn't overdo it -- plenty of time left for that methinks. 7.5/10
Tierra Whack - Whack World
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
///BRAV-WHACKING-O\\\
Epitome of charm and palpable potential that both sustains and suffers cuz of its novelty -- i.e. the all being fifteen one-minute motifs; each of em distinguishable and delightful with a semi-centered trio of deceased dogs/bird-flipping yokeldom/Mario as the capstone, the bookends of which even incorporating a meow and Luigi for good measure. Give this a go in video form and jointly it feels more like a genuinely proper project, as a straight listen however it can't help but feel like a tease with its explicitly terse tunes. Heck of a preview nonetheless. 7.5/10
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Between the Buried and Me - Automata II 6.5/10
Cruel Diagonals - Disambiguation ~*~meh~*~
Drake - Scorpion 5.5/10
Drumloop - Revenge Body [EP] 5/10
Jay Rock - Redemption 6/10
Let's Eat Grandma - I'm All Ears 7/10
Lotic - Power ~*~meh~*~
Luxury Elite - Prism 7/10
Obscura - Diluvium 6.5/10
RP Boo - I'll Tell You What! 7/10
Soulwax - Essential 6.5/10
YG - Stay Dangerous 5.5/10
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