ALBUM REVIEW TIME
For those expecting a Kanye West think piece, it's...probably coming? I don't even know if it's really an album or some new kind of thing yet, so I'll have to see. Give it another week, maybe. Until then, here's four joints I copped recently:
Mutemath "Vitals" ** and 1/2
It's basically "88.Nine: The Album". Was really into "Odd Soul", and their first two records contain some of my favorite songs of the last ten years, but this one is going to take awhile to get into. That being said, I don't really hear the standout, anthem, AWESOME song or songs that made me love their previous shit. But there's stuff to work with here, so maybe something'll grow on me.
Not terrible, but it's really all over the place, and there's even a few songs that border on nu-metal ballad a-la Saliva territory. The highest praise I can give "No Absolutes" is: "It's...fine, I guess..." I don't really hate any of the songs, but aside from exploring their tender side (which has never been a thing before now), they aren't doing anything they haven't done better on "Power Of The Damager" or "Ruining Lives".
Textures "Phenotype" ***
Definitely an album you need to listen to several times to "get" it, but worth the effort. Some of the rhythmic subdivisions are quite off-putting at first, but as the song plays out, they reveal their purpose, and you'll be like: "Okay, I think I get it now..." I'm not as big a fan of his death vocals, but Daniel de Jongh is one of the best clean singers in metal. Period. Another thing I like about Textures is they do Djent without devolving into some technical wankfest or veering off into blast beat-ass death metal territory. They keeps it groovy, and I give 'em points for that.
Megadeth "Dystopia" *** and 1/3
Maybe their best since the dissolution of the classic lineup. This is a solid, focused, less gimmicky album that just brings it. Personally, I still prefer "The World Needs A Hero", but I know I'm the only one on Earth that would say that, so let's just forget I brought it up. Also, I'm one of the only people on Earth (at least in the so-called "First World") not to have a smart phone, so the extra "Virtual Reality" concert thing I paid for is completely unusable. The box the whole thing came in is nice, though, and it works well to fill out the shelf it's on. So being that it was only a dollar more than just buying the CD, it all worked out, I guess. (Also, best album with drones on the cover this year!)
Mutemath "Vitals" ** and 1/2
It's basically "88.Nine: The Album". Was really into "Odd Soul", and their first two records contain some of my favorite songs of the last ten years, but this one is going to take awhile to get into. That being said, I don't really hear the standout, anthem, AWESOME song or songs that made me love their previous shit. But there's stuff to work with here, so maybe something'll grow on me.
Prong "X - No Absolutes" ** and 2/3
Not terrible, but it's really all over the place, and there's even a few songs that border on nu-metal ballad a-la Saliva territory. The highest praise I can give "No Absolutes" is: "It's...fine, I guess..." I don't really hate any of the songs, but aside from exploring their tender side (which has never been a thing before now), they aren't doing anything they haven't done better on "Power Of The Damager" or "Ruining Lives".
Textures "Phenotype" ***
Definitely an album you need to listen to several times to "get" it, but worth the effort. Some of the rhythmic subdivisions are quite off-putting at first, but as the song plays out, they reveal their purpose, and you'll be like: "Okay, I think I get it now..." I'm not as big a fan of his death vocals, but Daniel de Jongh is one of the best clean singers in metal. Period. Another thing I like about Textures is they do Djent without devolving into some technical wankfest or veering off into blast beat-ass death metal territory. They keeps it groovy, and I give 'em points for that.
Megadeth "Dystopia" *** and 1/3
Maybe their best since the dissolution of the classic lineup. This is a solid, focused, less gimmicky album that just brings it. Personally, I still prefer "The World Needs A Hero", but I know I'm the only one on Earth that would say that, so let's just forget I brought it up. Also, I'm one of the only people on Earth (at least in the so-called "First World") not to have a smart phone, so the extra "Virtual Reality" concert thing I paid for is completely unusable. The box the whole thing came in is nice, though, and it works well to fill out the shelf it's on. So being that it was only a dollar more than just buying the CD, it all worked out, I guess. (Also, best album with drones on the cover this year!)
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