Albums in Stores – May 31st, 2019

Denzel Curry released what might be the best rap album of the year (so far).

 

Carousel Kings
Microwave (3 song acoustic EP)
Dance Gavin Dance - Artificial Selection (Instrumental)
Remo Drive

FEVER 333 has a collab song out
There’s a Jack Mannequin song out from Warner Archives
propersleep - single
Cemetery Drive - single
Worth Taking - single
grandson. - single

Origami Angel EP art is in the style of old GameBoy Pokémon boxes. “Gami Boy Savage” LOL

 

Hunter As A Horse – Walk With Fire EP
Ionnalee – Rememberer The Future
Pip Blom – Boat

 

A new Bracket album?? That’s pretty cool. I’ll probably check that out today.

 

JOE HERTLER & THE RAINBOW SEEKERS - Paper Castle

 

Looks like Miley Cyrus dropped a surprise album this morning or more like a long EP.

Pretty raunchy ha

 

Microwave acoustic EP.

Did that drop out of nowhere?

 

This.

 

Eluvium
Darkthrone
Krypts
Nekroi Theoi
Gaahl's Wyrd
Paul Misvidal

 

Carousel Kings for sure. I Loved "Charm City" and had it ranked way up near the top of my favorites of 2017 so I'm hopeful for this release.

As for the Jack's Mannequin single from Warner Archives, it's "Broken Bird" which was a bonus track for them. It's a great song but it isn't a new recording or anything for those who have heard it before.

I'll also be checking out the Thomas Rhett record. He's pop country so it's not my usual cup of tea but he's one of a handful of artists I cross over into the genre for. Songs of his like, "Life Changes" are fantastic and his video for the song "Marry Me" is one of my favorite videos. It's well done and just puts a smile on my face.

 

Microwave

Joe Hertler

Denzel Curry

 

Real Friends - Even More Acoustic Songs

Good renditions of these songs!

 

Live thoughts listening through the Carousel Kings album from start to finish:

1. Plus Ultra - like the opening drum beat, the effects on the vocals to start the track are cheesy. So far I'm not huge on the song overall but the bridge into a brief piano Melody section starting around 1:45 in are real nice. I like that this band has some nice lead guitar solos injected into their stuff. It's missing from a lot of pop punk / pop rock these days it seems. Meh, not a fan overall of this track for this band. They've done better.

2. Move Slow - now this is more like it so far. I'm digging this. "Move Slow, Move Slow, I can't take this cold burning in my soul." This song has some nice energy and a catchy chorus. I'm sure I'll say that on a ton of these tracks. Some solid higher register scream type singing that almost sounds Circa/Saosin ish at times in this track but it's brief.

3. Shell Shocked - I love how this track started already. Man, I love this vocalists transitions and flow. I like the lyrics. This band has relentless catchy energy. "Tell me lies all the time, but it just feels right, but it just feels right." Driving guitar solo from about 2:50 - 3:15 is pretty hype. Oh hello, this outro is so cool.

4. Code Breaker (Smile) - This shit wasted no time. Energy from the point go. I like the riffs. This band makes jams. Breakdown city riffed through a verse around the minute mark. This is fire. I hope people listen to this album loud with some quality headphones in. Damn, this band surprises me constantly even within tracks with their transitions and beat changes and riffs, a little funk mixed seamlessly.

5. Ghost - I'm going to want to read the lyrics of this one later. It has almost a ballad feel lyrically but still all the energy you'd expect from Carousel Kings. Again the instrumental riffs are top notch even when they're more subtle and simple. The mixing of this track vocally is almost reminiscent of a Silverstein album. Not the delivery per say, but the overall mix. The track is about being ghosted.

6. Lock Meowt - this track isn't hitting me like most of the others. I'd rate this the weakest along with track 1 thus far but I'm only 1:20 in. It isn't terrible by any means but it's not connecting with me. Something is missing. There's still moments where they inject their style of riffs I love but... wait okay, 2:20 on through 2:45 makes this a "can't skip" suddenly but I'll probably still find myself skipping the first 2 minutes of the track to get to the solo.

7. Great White Buffalo - cool track name. Ballad type start which is well done. I dig it. "I'm a monster, an imposter. I held you too close and I lost you". This is high quality. I'm a big Buffalo Bills fan so loving a song with the name Buffalo in it is cool. Lyrics are enjoyable. The song clearly is about a bad ending to a relationship where the singer is agonizing over his fault in causing the end which is irreconcilable. This is relatable.

8. Truth Seekers - a nice heavy riff to kick off the track, let's go. Transition into a catchy vocal delivery of a verse. Bridge is just okay but a bit cheesy perhaps. Lyrics are a positive in a rhyming poetry style. This isn't a track that needs to be skipped but so far not a favorite. Umm...random rap around the 2 minute mark. Not sure how I feel about it. Now some deep screams after the rap but into a guitar solo...I like that Carousel Things keep things fresh and interesting but it doesn't always work. This track might be an example of that.

9. Shelter - This is a slower but magical type ballad which almost sounds like a dream with distorted instrumentals if that makes sense. "Your bodies my shelter and I'm praying heaven will lead me in." There's a haunting but pretty nature to the entire track. It's another interesting addition to their discography. The lyrics at times threw me off on this track. It sounds heartfelt but then lyrics like "My bed is the right place for you" make their way to my ears and I cringe a little bit. I may be being overly critical here though. It sounds like there may be a message of waiting until marriage to do the dirty? Lol An interesting tune.

10. Monarch - starts off sounding like a radio edit. This isn't a standout but fits alright into their discography. "Lose control if it's what makes you feel whole." Another guitar solo saves the day to give even an average track a better overall score than the typical generic pop punk for me. It's brief but an appreciated subtlety.

11. Jamais Vu - My first thoughts are that I have no idea what that title means and I hated typing it. This track is equally confusing. I don't quite know what sound they were going for. It just sounds like some random elements of other things they've used before recycled and thrown together experimentally. This track is bottom 3 for me for the first 2 minutes but rebounds nicely from that mark until the tracks end. I typically want to be blown away to finish an album on the final track and this final track didn't do it for me.

Final Overall Thoughts - this album didn't reach the levels of Charm City for me but it will definitely have it's uses while running or hitting the gym. I'm not sure on first listen if there was much of any growth in the band as a whole so I wonder if they've peaked. Give it a listen though for sure as you can certainly have fun jumping around, getting hype for a workout or keeping energy levels high during a run or long work shift.

 

Kishi Bashi!!!

I’ll also probably check out Remo Drive, Denzel Curry, Charlie Collins, Darkthrone, and Origami Angel.

 

Check out Austin Jenckes. It's some top notch country (not pop country).

 

Real Friends - Even More Acoustic Songs

 

Started listening to the first few songs on the DGD instrumental and it’s really jarring to not hear vocals from them.

 

Your final thoughts here are mine as well. Duality (Polarity? I forget the original name) was an awesome intro to the band, Charm City was a proper follow up, but the first half of this did not reel me in. The back half was more vintage CK big riffs and even a little rappy verse! It’s just decent on a first listen, doesn’t step up their music like I wanted it to be.

 

Really loving the Yonaka album. Also the new Mindy White single.

 

damn i saw microwave and got super excited. love the acoustic versions, but whew i cant wait for more new jams

 

Really enjoying Carousel Kings! I have to admit that I knew this band was around for a while but never really paid much attention but glad I gave this album a chance.

 

I wonder why seemingly out of the blue they would release a new (not new) JM song. Maybe they are trying to get out some hype for a tour in the near future. Just being hopeful.

 

Thanks for the recommendation. Always looking for some good country. Seems a little poppy, but not near as poppy as the radio ish. Reminds me of zac brown a bit.

 

I haven't had time to listen to anything today but I've got a long list of things that should all be really solid.

JR JR
ionnalee
Joe Hertler
YONAKA
Kishi Bashi
SACRED PAWS