album reviews

Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.

WINNER - ‘WE’ - EP Review
From time to time, an artist can become a force to be reckoned with, yet still remain under-appreciated. These artists, although immensely talented, seemingly never get the recognition or acclaim they deserve from widespread, global audiences, but have with them an impressively loyal and passionate fanbase that still allows for them to achieve high chart positions, and expand into new markets without difficulty.
By Nathan Sartain7 years ago in Beat
Heard Yesterday
There is an alternate universe in which it is still 1985 or 1986. MTV still plays music. Madonna and Cyndi Lauper are still, like, really hot; and the center of every small town social set is a weekend trip to the mall. Malls are big centers of shopping activity that encompass clothing, movies, books, arcade games, such as Pac Man and Frogger (spend them quarters, kids); food, drink, toys and, most especially, MUSIC. Music is everywhere, an endemic part of the shopping mall experience, as ingrained into the fleshly soul of every consumer as that weird, plastic, fresh merchandise smell (which invariably gets all mixed up with the smell coming out of the Cinnabuns, or the dank effluvia of the bath and body-works store).
By Tom Baker7 years ago in Beat
Avril Lavigne Takes Her Music to Another Level with "Head Above Water"
Let me start off by saying that I am an Avril Lavigne fan from way back. All the way back to “Complicated” and “Sk8er Boi” in fact. As far as I know, I own a copy of all of her albums, and had the chance to see her in concert once on a college campus in my hometown of Pittsburgh. So, it would not be a shocker for me to say that I think she is a talented artist. That being said, while there are always a few songs from every album that even the biggest fans don’t like, of her work or anyone else’s, the newest release “Head Above Water” is probably her best to date.
By Jason A7 years ago in Beat
'Revival'
Eminem has been controversial for his entire career, but now he's making news by doing things that Republicans don't like. Which is, sort of, different? Revival has been pretty unpopular with Eminem fans, and most hip hop fans, too. And yes, it's definitely not his best album, at all. Like I'd say it's one of the worst. But nothing could beat Relapse, maybe, probably, I guess, we'll see.
By g. whiles7 years ago in Beat
The Stories of Pedro the Lion
After 15 years, Pedro the Lion has been reborn and in more ways than one. A Phoenix represents the rebirth of a magical bird, while Phoenix represents the reuniting forces of Pedro the Lion with their musical mixture of indie rock and their narrative subjects that are filled with political and religious overlay. Phoenix dives into a whole new series of raw stories that emerged after a trip back home. These stories will tug down your heart strings while your own experiences come along for the ride on the back of the guitar strings.
By Karen Rakowicz7 years ago in Beat
Best Albums Released in 2019 So Far!
While I only picked seven releases for this list, I feel like this year has already been better in terms of music. From Ariana to Beyoncé, we are so blessed to have all these amazing music!
By Luigi K.D.Cruz7 years ago in Beat
BDRM Presents: First Listen
Intro to CAL, artist and songwriter hailing from Mount Vernon, New York. At the age of 11 with just a PC, and simple software, he began recording from his bedroom amongst the company of friends and family, who equally admired and supported his musical expression. Fond of artists like Big Punisher, CAL focused on creating a sound that was inspired by his favorites, yet distinctly his own. His recent release, Ocean, demonstrates this unique approach by combining traditional Hip-Hop instrumentation, rhymes, and smooth vocals that effortlessly ride the beat.
By Jessica Jolia7 years ago in Beat
'You Are OK!' The Maine Says So...
The Maine is a five-piece band from Tempe, Arizona, that is constantly destroying their own previous records with every new release. The band formed in 2007, and is currently made up of John O'Callaghan, Kennedy Brock, Jared Monaco, Garrett Nickelsen, and Pat Kirch. The Maine’s first release was an EP that ended up in the hands of Fearless Records, a legendary label in their genre. With Fearless Records behind them, the band released a second EP. Those were followed by a debut album and a holiday themed EP just in time for Christmas of 2008. However, their first real seller was their second album, Black and White, that sold more than 22,000 copies in its first week. This would prove to be the album that really rocketed their careers. Between 2011 and 2019, the band has officially released five more studio albums, Pioneer (2011), ForeverHalloween (2013), American Candy (2015), Lovely Little Lonely (2018), and their most recent, You Are OK (2019).
By Shea S7 years ago in Beat
10 Years On—Eun Ji Won—‘Platonic’
It might be an incredibly hard task, but cast your ears back to 2009. Upon doing so, you’ll realise it was a year full of interesting releases with The Black Eyed Peas having hit after hit, Lady Gaga continuing her chart domination, and, well, Cascada.
By Nathan Sartain7 years ago in Beat
'ARIZONA baby'–Kevin Abstract Review
We haven’t heard much from the men of Brockhampton since their 2018 release of Iridescence, their fourth album, after the Saturation Trilogy. So, naturally, fans were ecstatic when Kevin Abstract (Ian Simpson), released a three-song album/EP titled ARIZONA baby. The set of songs include singles, “Big Wheels,” “Joy Ride,” and “Georgia.”
By Kay Kindschy7 years ago in Beat
Album Review: Bring Me the Horizon—'amo'
The ability to polarise is seen by some as the mark of great artistry. To divide an audience is tantamount to not giving a fuck, to not giving in to the temptation of pleasing people for the sake of mainstream kudos, to making people talk and debate for all the right reasons. Here's a challenge for you. Find a band who has done this more successfully than Bring Me The Horizon. This is a band who was kicked to the ground in their early deathcore days before rising to the top of the British rock arsenal, much to the dismay of the fans who believed they'd gotten there by selling out, when in fact they were producing their most critically acclaimed music to date. And in true Bring Me style, they're dividing the crowd all over again with their most recent release, perhaps more so than ever. Step forward, amo.
By E.W Hemmings7 years ago in Beat
BTS Map of the Soul: 'Persona' Review
BTS are finally back. We’ve been eagerly awaiting the latest album from the K-pop group that have taken the world by storm. After months of waiting, it’s finally here. The BTS boys are back with the first album, Persona, in their Map of the Soul series. This album is energetic. Everything sounds upbeat and confident and you can see the growth in BTS’ style and music. There’s a little bit of rock, rap, and pop, and each song has its own flavor. The short seven song album is a burst of personality with a little something for everyone.
By Sam7 years ago in Beat