2017 Album Review thread

[Roadster]

This is to review and rate albums that come out this year, 2017.

 

[Roadster]

@Ethan Hunt - Think this should be in Music section

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Got ya covered, dawg.

 

[NexFlax]

I have a good number of fairly short reviews from this year. I'll post this is order from least to most favorite.

Spoiler: Pissed Jeans - Why Love Now

Pissed Jeans is not too far past 10 years of being an active band, with only a handful of albums under their belt, and they're already seeming desperate for remaining relevant.

I enjoyed their first few albums quite well, and while a tad hesitant for this release after seeing the album cover, I was going into this expecting I'd enjoy it as well. Unfortunately, I was caught with these boring, subsistenceless tracks. There isn't a single song in here that I can say is the best due to them all sounding just as bad as the last. Although, if I had to pick the worst song, it may have to be Waiting on My Horrible Warning since that was the only song that could hold my full attention. After that I had no choice but to tune everything else out.

Making the 2nd song "The Bar is Low" was a really bad move on this band because it just sets the mood for the rest of the album. They're just admitting the album is garbage and no one should have to put themselves through this pain.

Spoiler: The Chainsmokers - Memories ... Do Not Open

Well it's that time of the year. Spring is here and summer is on the horizon as all the big music festivals are putting up their tents. Time for horrible, bright, chirpy electronic "summer music festival" music. This album is full of some of the worst samples I've heard in a long time. From dying rats, to pitch-adjusted trumpets. Every song is the same "i got drunk, did some drugs, and now I'm not sure if I still love you anymore". Who fucking cares. I don't give a shit about your underage girlfriend you're only in a relationship with because you provide drugs an alcohol for her. These "chainsmokers" (do we even have proof they "chain smoke"?) try to include these female vocal duets to try to add substance(?), continuity (?), and ???. These women could've been some LSD-tripping slags they picked up at the local Coachella and just put a mic to their vagina and told them to just sing about their boyfriend that they ran away from to just hula hoop in a desert.

Interesting little spice they add the album, mini "banter" skits. After/before tracks they take you behind the scenes in The Chainsmokers studio to give you just a little taste of whatever the fuck goes on in there. Which is nothing of value. There really is no reason to do it other than to diminish the production value of the project as a whole.

Are there any positives to this album? That is a question most psychology and philosophy majors are still pondering to this day.

All in all, 1 star.

Spoiler: Linkin Park - Heavy (feat. Kiiara) (single)

Linkin Park used to be the band you could fairly easily ironically enjoy, like most Nu-Metal bands from the 2000s but Jesus Christ they really fucked their goat with this one. Call me a "born in the wrong generation fag" but I have no idea who Kiiara is other than she sounds like every other female vocalist in their mid-20s. I'll for sure keep my eyes out on this new album they're releasing with this. High contender for worst album of the year if they keep up with this dog vomit.

Spoiler: Big Sean - I Decided

Okay, first of all. Big Sean isn't even big. He's 5'8" so it's literally a manlet. Lying will never take you far, Sean. Other than that, the music is really not all that. It lacks partially production wise with really stale nothing-special instrumentals and lyrically, is a boring heap of substance-less garbage. I just really cannot get myself to care about why Big Sean can't get this woman he's trying to talk to - or whatever message it is he's trying to get across with this project. I haven't listened to much Big Sean in my lifetime, but is the running joke that he sounds like a Drake ripoff?

Spoiler: Migos - Culture

That's right. I listened to it. For the culture, and nothing else. Every time I listen to a Migos album I get a bit excited because of how hyped they are in the trap rap scene, but once I get about 4 songs into it, I just begin to zone out and can't get myself to care about what's playing anymore. It's just a few dudes sitting in a studio rapping and making mouth noises over some beats they got people to make. Don't get me wrong, the production on Migos albums are always pretty great and I can easily juke and jive to the rhythm of a strong Migos beat, but when it comes to these guys, they don't really make music for people who like to listen to an entire album all the way through and pay close attention to the music itself. It's something you play at parties, or just driving around in the car on your way to the local grilled cheese joint. Just slap on Bad and Boujee in the background and just groove to the beat in various social situations to seem cool. Because, in the end, that's just what everyone wants. To seem cool. And that's the kind of music the Migos make.

Spoiler: Future - S/T

imagine listening to the same song for an hour straight. That's this album.

OK...Now the positive reviews..

Spoiler: Neil Cicierega - Mouth Moods

Great little comedy mash up album. Good to start the year off with, but probably won't last to be in my top 10-20 at the end of the year.

Spoiler: Brian Eno - Reflection

Great atmospheric music. Takes you to a different place. We all feel the need to escape our reality. This is good for that.

Spoiler: Exquirla Para quienes aún viven

it was a good hard-hitter of a prog album. Some great sound overall, while I felt like the vocals could use some work. I'm not sure what I think of prog rock still being made in 2017, though.

You'd probably enjoy this more if you were autistic or are over 45 years old.

Spoiler: Charli XCX - Number 1 Angel

This was surprisingly good, even though I've been a fan of Charli XCX for some time. Some of the features on this are pretty bad in all honesty, and some tracks on this are very purely formulated electropop with nothing special, but it really has its moments.

It's a solid "Check it out if you ever have the time"/10

Spoiler: Xiu Xiu - Forget

First Xiu Xiu album I've listened to. Been hearing about them for a long time, but just never decided to give them a shot. Wasn't bad. I enjoyed it. I'm sure they have better stuff though so I'll check out their other stuff soon enough.

Spoiler: Angles 9 - Disappeared Behind the Sun

Not too deep in my favorites of the year, but a fairly satisfying collection of avant-garde jazz music. The complication with avant-garde is that it's never too digestible and you have to be okay with that. Sometimes you have to be looking for something that isn't very digestible. Venturing far away from your musical "comfort zone" can work wonders for your both your mind and soul.

Now, I've never gone extremely far in the avant-garde style of music. Every now and then, after I listened to a stomach-full of formulaic music, I go on to find I need something a bit different to satisfy my inner hunger. So I'd go for something a bit different, and on most occasions, international. This album has just about everything in there.

So if you're sitting around, feeling dissatisfied with whatever harmonious music you're listening to, whether it be nu-metal or hip-hop, give your mind-tongue a taste and examine how it reacts to such a thing.

But yeah, I guess this album is pretty nice.

Spoiler: The Garden - U Want the Scoop?

ust some good clean tunes on this one. Overall seemed like a cleaner version of the i.l.y's which is a bit surprising to see for some reason. Although, I am not fucking with the hook on the title track of this one. I'd still recommend checking this out.

Spoiler: Blanck Mass - World Eater

I don't have too much to say about this album that no one has already said, but it's a nice album with nice tunes so check it out if you ever have some spare time on your hands.

Spoiler: Uniform - Wake in Fright

crazy hardcore noise rock. But doesn't really stand out too much from other noise rock acts out there. Still worth a listen.

Glad noise rock isn't dead...yet.

Spoiler: Grails - Chalice Hymnal

A really nice "just chill and vibe out" type album. Nothing all too special, just some nice vibes.

Spoiler: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard - Flying Microtonal Banana

First time listening to the ol' Gizzard here and left off really intrigued to listen to some more. Could very well possibly be the intention of this album, but I have no clue. All I know is that it left me off in a good mood. Which is really what every album should be doing. So good on old Gizz here.

Spoiler: Sampha - Process

All I remember from this was hallucinating hard while laying in bed. I recall driving around when all of a sudden (who I assumed to be) Sampha smashed the window of my car and started rapping or singing or something. I also remember spending a lot of time walking around in a desert, just sifting through the sand. It was really relaxing and therapeutic. I don't know if listening to it sober will change my rating much, but I do think it calls for another go around or two.

Spoiler: Me and that Man - Songs of Love and Death

This was a surprisingly good release from a band that seems to be fairly new. This seems to be their first album and it's an amazing start if I say so myself. I don't much specific to say about this album, other than it's just a great little blues rock project.

Spoiler: The Necks - Unfold

A pretty relaxing set of avant-garde jazz. It's long and drawn out, but not necessarily a bad thing as it's all pretty easy-going and fun to listen to. It ends off really nice as well. Just an overall nice collection of tunes you can place on a platter and spin while hanging around the house.

Spoiler: Animal Collective - The Painters (EP)

Did not expect much from the single that came out a few days before release. Seemed like the spare grease left in Painting With's pan. Although while being tasty grease from some nice bacon, it's still grease and I could always just cook another batch of bacon.

Given AnCo's experimental past, you'd expect then to change it up with each release which sometimes you see, sometimes you don't. The songs on here sound like they made them fairly after the release of Painting With, just with a very similar sound. The songs are still very catchy and easy to dance to, so I can't fault them for making some nice tunes. It's an easy listening, little sample of the leftover grease from the Painting With pan and that's about all you say about it.

Spoiler: Bed Wetter (Lil Ugly Mane) - Vol. 1: Flick Your Tongue Against Your Teeth and Describe the Present

First time I've listened to Lil Ugly Mane. Been hearing about him for a long time, but just never made the jump. Noticed this release had some buzz so I thought to give it a shot. Really glad I did. Great music and very personal lyrics. Heard not everyone is vibing with the instrumentals on this album, but I really dig it. Seems like filler to some, but I see it as more of a way of Travis showing how his mind is working at the present time. I can really feel his emotions on every track, including the instrumentals. It's all around great and it's got me wanting more.

Spoiler: Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg / Robert Ziegler / Max Richter Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works

Such a beautiful assortment of music. It entices me to picture scenes of pure bliss and depression all at once. The piercing feeling of one's suicide, contrasted with the feeling of accomplishing major goals in life. When i hear this, I see a man who's done almost everything he can do in life. He's worked as hard as any man could in life. He has a loving family, that he grew and raised with his hard work and the loving and caring nature of his wife of 30+ years. Unfortunately it was all taken away from him. His family must deal with the loss of their provider and cope with this unforgettable travesty in their life. They may never recover, but one thing is certain. They will prevail. And never forget his name.

Spoiler: Thundercat - Drunk

Very close to being my favorite album of 2017 so far. Very certain this will make it to my top 25 of the year as well. Thundercat is a sloppy bass slapper on plenty of tracks and the lyrics are probably some of the most fun I've heard these past few years. Lots of short fun songs on this LP and it's very addicting and easy to listen to. It's the kind of thing you would want to slap on a record player if you have a nice lady friend over and you want to cook her a nice dinner, like some pasta, or even a meatloaf, and end the night off on a memorable note. If she's cool enough she might even have sex with you. That or think you're weird and not cool at all and never talk to you ever again and never respond to texts or DMs or snapchats or emails or PMs on AIM or Facebook messages or handwritten letters or anything else you psychotic bitch.

A recommendation for anyone, even for people who don't call themselves a neo-soul/funk fan.

Spoiler: Ty Segall - S/T (2017)

Great piece of work from Ty Segall. I haven't listened to every Segall album, but from what I've heard this is probably my favorite. It's got a really good sound instrumentally. A bit more "bluesy" than I remember most Ty Segall tracks to be and this is probably the best singing I've heard from Ty as well. Makes me want to jump back into the lake that is Ty Segall's discography and swim through and soak in the milky substance that are his lyrics.

Spoiler: Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me

Death does a lot to the human psyche. Grief is complicated and sometimes hard to understand. Everyone grieves differently, and everyone has their own way of expressing emotion. In this album, Phil Elverum painstakingly goes into harsh detail of every emotion he feels as he goes through the stages of grief. Very few albums this kind of emotion and self-imagery. It may seem cheap to some to use death as a way to stitch an album, or use it as a means of publicity or income, but the emotion is real and raw in this. This is just a really well put together album all together. Really sad and really depressing, but an amazing album for 2017.

Spoiler: Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.

KENDRICK LAMAR JUST HIT THE RESET BUTTON

 

[Roadster]

Damn son/