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The Getaway is a sonically a great album full of the funk infused rock The Chili Peppers have become known for. At times, too "clean" but still a very good outing.
WALLS is easy bake music, full of sing-a-long choruses and big, hypnotic guitars, and easy songwriting that'll leave you looking for something a little more to sink your teeth into. But damn if it isn't infectious.
Blue & Lonesome is a passion project for the legendary and it shows. They don't subvert the songs they cover and stick to the traditions of blues rock but they sound so good together and Jagger's voice sounds so at home, that it leaves you wondering what took so long.
Ty Segall was my first entry into his catalog, and it was a hell of an introduction. He's a prolific guitarist who's ability to employ a dizzying array of styles is awe inspiring. Will go down as one of the best rock albums of 2017.
Voids was the first album I've heard from Minus The Bear and it was all very solid indie rock with some great guitar work that seamlessly blended their various elements to create some really compelling music.
Humanz was my very first Gorillaz album and it left me as confused and mystified by them as I was before. Genre wise it is literally impossible to classify the album. It felt like they took the parts they liked from each genre and tried to put them together to create one product. It made for an interesting listen and when it worked, it really worked. But that was only about 50% of the time.
This was my first Feist album and it was an exceptional piece of art; full of raw emotion, minimalist production, and her incredibly layered voice. It was a surreal listen that left me floating through the ether and it's one of my favorites of the year thus far.
Goodbye June and Greta Van Fleet put on amazing sets for a packed house at DC9 Nightclub in Washington, D.C. on August 26. Goodbye June opened the night with great energy and their unique classic southern rock influenced sound blended with a modern edge. Greta Van Fleet headlined and from the opening chord brought a sonic "tour de force" that pictures just can't do justice.
Something To Tell You was my first Haim experience and it left me impressed not only with their great harmonizing and melodies, but also their deceptively accessible sound that belies their underlying complexity and stylistic breadth. It's a wonder they're not bigger than they already are yet.
Arcade Fire has delivered a mixed bag with Everything Now. There are some really great moments of synth heavy pop-rock here that get undercut by poor songwriting and flat messaging, despite their noble intents.
Foo Fighters are about as safe a bet as you can place in rock and roll. They don't do anything new here or take any significant risks, but they still continue to churn out good music. They're like that old reliable friend that you know is going to be there no matter what's happening around them.
February was a massive month for music that included a lot of heavy hitters dropping full lengths as well as...
Anything But Words was an unexpected collaboration between two NY icons in Paul Banks of Interpol and RZA of Wu-Tang. While sonically everything sounds great, it's just too formulaic and pop leaning for it's own good. A missed opportunity on something that could have been a dark, gritty spectacle.
Revolution Radio was a refreshing return to the basics of rock and roll. It's hard hitting, guitar heavy compositions really stand out in a time when mainstream rock has gone full blown pop, and it's hard not to appreciate artists who've already reached the top, that still "go there."
It's been a log 5 years since their last release and while Near To The Wild Heart Of Life has lost some of the rough charm their previous albums had, it's still a great listen that embodies the very essence of Rock and Roll.
Life Without Sound is full of that earnest, raw rock that I love so much. No songs aimed for pop stardom or arena anthems. Just a couple guitars, drums, and strong vocals. Just the way I like it.
For the second year in a row the most talked about inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame isn't from rock, but rap; and for the second year in row there's a lot of bitching about whether or not hip-hop belongs. For a long time, I have been adamantly for it because classic hip-hop definitely shares that same spirit and feeling that birth rock and roll. But as it's grown and evolved as a genre it's become clearer than ever that it's time they cut the cord.
After Laughter was a surprising return from the traditionally pop leaning punk-rock band that not only managed to reinvent and reinvigorate their sound but has made me a fan in the process. Their 80's pop influenced sound combined with Hayley's still great vocals and punk musings made for an unexpectedly great combination.
Painted Ruins is an absolutely gorgeous album that delivers some of the densest and intricately layered compositions I've heard all year, delivering hidden nuance with each new listen. It's a moody, cinematic album that's been well worth the 5 year wait. Check this one out now!
Is progressive rock truly progressive, or is it just newfangled jazz with a fake mustache? Prog. rock is coming closer to jazz than ever before. Is the music progressing or returning to its roots?
Wonderful Wonderful turned out to be a meandering, slightly above average album that failed to live up to the potential of it's lead singles.
Queens of the Stone Age worked with Mark Ronson to create their most accessible album yet, while still providing the depth, nuance, and wit you've come to expect from them. This is contemporary hard rock done the right way and an absolute must listen.
Sleep Well Beast doesn't totally shed their controlled, intimate approach to their music but it's more aggressive (in their terms) sound has paid off in meaningful ways, adding a new dimension to their music and overall ceiling as a band.