MUSIC REVIEWS, 9/23/2022

 Hoo boy, did I hit writer's block.  I started this word document July 24th.  I was aiming to get it out concurrent with the Beyonce album (S.E.O. & all), but I just...haven't been able to write.  I also haven't listened to a ton of new music, but I've got enough here for a full volley.  So let's dive in.  And since I brought it up, let's talk about:

Beyonce "Renaissance" 

I liked this while I listened to it, but I don't remember a damn thing outside of "Break My Soul".  (And the line about needing Derringers because Karens are terrorists.  That stood out.)  And judging by how I haven't heard much talk about it since release week, I don't feel like I'm the only one.  (Citation needed, sure, but like...eh.)

I'm not a huge Beyonce fan.  I'm not sure I love any of her songs, but I like plenty.  But for every three songs I think are decent, there seems to be one that I never want to hear again.  I think that's why this is her best album because I didn't feel that way about any song on here.  Of course, I didn't feel much of anything, but I guess I'll take that over having to hear a song like "Irreplaceable" ever a-fucking-gain.  If you like Beyonce or 90's dance music, give this one a try.

Callous Daoboys "Celebrity Therapist"

Iwrestledabeartwice?

That was certainly my first thought, and that's a compliment because Iwrestledabearonce wrecked.  Though I suppose the obvious (and kind of lazy) comparison would be The Dillenger Escape Plan, but like duh; that's like saying a jazz musician sounds like Miles Davis.  Look deeper.

And I don't think that's a one to one because for one: you can understand most of the lyrics without having to strain your ears.  I've never been into this kind of spastic, screamy music (with a handful of exceptions), but because this review was requested, I decided to approach it with an open mind.  

"Title Track" is like a musical number?  Sort of like a show tune.  It uses the contrast between the good cop and bad cop vocals to set up this adversarial see saw where a line is sung, but is retorted at with screams and drunk, off-kilter meter, then right back to the normal verse as if nothing happened.  

There is so much happening with the lyrics that if I went into detail, we'd be here all day.  Reading along to the words, the music felt really secondary.  It feels like Celebrity Therapist is a set of slam poetry with a math core backdrop.  And let me reiterate: there is a LOT going on with the lyrics.

The spastic nature of the shifting music (and especially the screechy vocals) are not my cup of tea, but I respect how they set the scene.  Everything is on fire, and everything is sliding on uneasy, over-fracked ground.  I recommend giving this a couple listens, one to absorb the music, one reading along with the lyrics, probably a third one to try and synthesize the two now that you know a little bit of what to expect.

I respect this album more than I like it, but it's definitely worth dipping your toes into if you have any penchant for harsh, mathy screaming with deep lyrics.  

Oh, and shout out to the line "You larping fuck".  That was tight.

half-alive "Give Me Your Shoulders, Pt. 1"

"Make Of It" sounds like the whole song is out of tune.  Not microtonal; that has a structure.  This sounds like the whole thing is off; everything is sour.  "Summerland" made my Fall Hit Mix 2021 and I've had that song stuck in my head in one form or another most of the last month, but hearing it in context with the other songs, I realized this guy is a terrible singer.  No note is quite on and the ones that get really close are all warbly.  There's some reasonably decent musical ideas buried in this project, but they're hamstrung by poor execution, sung in a cracking, creaking voice and swamped out by ill-fitting electronics.

Winona Oak "Island Of The Sun"

Title track is decent enough, the rest devolves pretty quickly into generic pop slop.  The song "My Man" was so bad I gave up on the whole enterprise.

Frou Frou "Off Cuts"

It feels really good to hear Imogen Heap's voice again.  Like a long lost friend you just renewed contact with.  It's been eight years since her last full length, and five years since her last single.  I'll be real: I haven't even listened to Frou Frou's lone album Details since at least 2009 (maybe longer).  I had to look up whether or not any of these songs appeared on there (turns out no, not in these forms).  So it was good to get back into this world again.

Sasami "Squeeze"

I have no idea what I walked into here.  This album sounds like Juliana Hatfield doing stoner metal and industrial produced by someone from Flightless Records.  There's elements of Sleep, Sheryl Crow, Scarling, Lutefisk...Front 242 maybe?  It packs a lot into its 30-ish minutes of runtime and none of it sounds out of place.  Embrace amalgamy, I say!

That Mexican OT "Nonsense And Mexican Shit"

DaBaby by way of Swisha House.  And since DaBaby has been mega-cancelled multiple times (seriously, it has to be intentional self-sabotage at this point), why not let this guy get some shine?  It's 11 songs and 27 minutes and still sorta overstays its welcome, but honestly this ain't half bad.  It's fun, OT has syllabic dexterity and a rapid fire flow that he knows when to reign in and when to let loose...why not?

[Blogger's Note: The Edited Version of this album also has the word "Shit" in the title, unedited.]

So last time I promised I'd review all of the entries on AOTY's Worst Of 2022 Running List.  I've listened to a few more, but I've run into a problem: half the list is different now than it was last time I looked.  There's no way I can keep up with this, so I'm just gonna review what I have time for.

Mabel "About Last Night..."

The uncharitable read on About Last Night... is "Dollar-Store Dua Lipa tries and fails to make a neo-disco concept album about a relationship with uninspired to cringy lyrics", but I'm feeling a bit more charitable.  This album is not bad.  It's not stellar, it's not even really my cup of beverage, but I didn't mind it one bit.

Does it land the "concept"?  No.  I wouldn't have known it was a concept album if I hadn't read the Wiki.  But real talk?  Almost every "concept" album loses the plot.  And most of the rest that don't lose it are too literal to where the songs don't work on their own outside the project.

That's not important; I admire the ambition if nothing else.  (She also beat Beyonce to the punch by a month.)  This album is somewhere between Dua Lipa and Carly Rae Jepsen sonically and in lyrical tone, and it does that reasonably well.  If About Last Night... was a little more distinct, if it did a little something extra, it could get into my rotation, but something intangible is missing here.  Still, this doesn't belong on the bottom 25 of anything for any year; not even close.

White Lies "As I Try Not To Fall Apart"

This might make my top ten.  What is going on here?  

Flume "Palaces"

Generally, I don't even like Flume, but this might make my top 20.  AOTY's "Worst Albums" list so far has provided me with several good to great music recommendations.  Maybe if I'm looking for albums to dunk on, I should check the best of list since it appears to be fucking opposite day.  I'm not even complaining; if AOTY wants to stealth give me good to great music because they (or whoever gives those scores) think it sucks, keep it coming!  I'd rather be in for a treat than a trick.

And that'll do it for this time around.  I have tons of ideas on what kind of blog to do next, but the energy, bandwidth, inspiration and time are all wonky.  I'll get something out to you, and it'll definitely be before Year End List Season TM, probably at least two more (maybe even three if I get on a roll).  I went from having 30 left in the pile to almost 70 waiting to be heard now, so I got some catching up to do.  I've been wanting to do another grab bag song review thing, but scheduling has been a mess.  It's on the list, so look out for that when you least expect it.

'Til then, my band The Sketchballs were on the Jess The Ska Kid Podcast and my band The Night Howls put out a new album I've been meaning to blog about since the end of June.  Music is life, but it's been living me more than the other way around.  Gotta flip.

Love Over Fear.