Fontaines D.C. - Dogrel
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
Impassive vox and rigidity make their post-punk plain compared to oh say Idles, but unembellished precision and Irish-dry demeanor aptly appeal. Groove and buildups perpetually vital, raggedy rock conspiring with clarity+momentum, choruses that call for shoutalongs they would never dare orchestrate. Maybe most standout however is a capacity for moving calm-downs: with sarcastic-sounding "I'm gonna be big" and "sha sha sha"s the first impression is irony; formally forsaken by the effortless melodic punch of "Television Screens" and beckon-back to when he was "a cool cool kid" whose eyes were evergreen instead of dead. Heck, the ender could close a pub. 7.5/10
Moon Tooth - Crux
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
To be clear, Carbone's clean-n-cheesy emotional rocker wails+whimpers+woahs may never sit completely right with me, but you gotta hand it to him for not skimping on the soul and sinew. Plus eventually it's evident that they're a pretty crucial piece in this accessible-metal puzzle that they pull off so well. Siked full-band commitment is certain, and here balance is truly key -- proggy, punchy, passionate, fun yet poignant, heavy but flexible, melodic and groovy and riffy and meticulous. Thrills are plentiful, but gotta love the softie-start title track's anomalous minute of roars coming off as a lil near-end gift for those who'd been pining for more pugnacity. Particularly potent right after radio-ready "Awe at All Angles" lays down a bonafide super-silly chorus that sticks with you anyway ("Awe awe awe awe awe awe awe AH-UH"). Ultimately you'll even be fine with his "fucker"s. 8/10
Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah - Ancestral Recall
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
///BRAV-FUCKING-O\\\
Can't escape a sense of major maturation, seems saturated in an artistic and cultural and spiritual awakening -- perhaps bit of an exhausting hour, but tenacity and a guarantee to ascend transcendentally suck you into its universe. As saxer Scott loves to blare but stops short of excessively eccentric; without a doubt tho it's the rhythms that'll transport ya. Percussively weaving organic+electronic that's between being around the fire pit at a tight-knit familial get-together and cranium overload, the crew conveys running beside lions in the jungle to relaxing with snakes on a beach. Not to mention the guitar-looped featherweight hip-hop/soul greatness of "Forevergirl", the solid sometimed spoken word, the ghosts, fever dreams, fantasies. To be both this airy and this assertive is a gift. 8/10
Tisakorean - A Guide to Being a Partying Freshman
)))THE MEH-EST OF THE MEH(((
Most clever line: "12 inches is a feet." Second most clever line: "She got me hard like wood." Stay in school, kids. Or, er, maybe don't. ~*~meh~*~
Tree - We Grown Now.
*******HIGHEST RECS*******
///GROW-FUCKING-N\\\
It says alot about youth's dominant presence in hip-hop when the merely 35-year-old Tree sounds like he's spittin' from a rocker on the front porch and croonin' after a few too many at the VFW -- ODB or Rick Ross's weathered uncle, or Makonnen's wise grandfather perhaps. His dusted soul beats and Chicago crime come-up and god-given gravel voice make him seem worn beyond his years, with a sense of knowingly having missed the stardom-boat for better or worse and craftin' a quality quickie just for kicks when he's not caring for his kids. Only two tunes over three minutes and four under two, sentiments simultaneously offhand, consummate, effortless, broad, heartfelt, awkward. His singing is ludicrously lovable, give it up for sincerity and warbly low registers. Tho I do appreciate that when "No Lies" makes a point to tell no lies, it's pretty plainly spoken: "I did drop out of school / I smoke weed and cigarettes every day / I'm 35 years old / Epic did sign Bobby Shmurda over me", "I may never do a show again / I hate being famous / I hate it", "I've never been faithful / My sons love me". 8/10
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American Pleasure Club - Fucking Bliss 5.5/10
BTS - Map of the Soul: Persona [EP] 5.5/10
Joni Void - Mise en Abyme 6.5/10
Damien Jurado - In the Shape of a Storm 7/10
Quelle Chris - Guns 6.5/10
