Amidst the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cosmos Island’s new EP Someplace offers its listeners an escape to a psychedelic dreamland. Someplace is an eclectic mix of ‘60s psychedelic rock and ‘80s synth pop with a modern indie rock flair with songs centered around finding a personal escape during difficult times. The[Read More…]
Tag: album review
Embracing the new without abandoning the old in ‘Imploding the Mirage’
Imploding the Mirage sounds distinctly like a Killers album: The upbeat, new wave-meets-modern rock style is recognizable to longtime fans of the Las Vegas band. However, it’s impossible to ignore the album references to other artists, styles, and eras. The busy instrumentalism, coarse-sounding vocals, and reinvented ‘80s synth-pop sound is remarkably[Read More…]
The unconvincing hedonism of The Weeknd’s “After Hours”
In his latest album, After Hours, The Weeknd appears as a 1970s synth-pop star overcome by his own dark side. He casts himself as the victim of his own fame—ashamed of his wickedness, but too far gone to change—and the ensuing identity crisis reverberates throughout the album. No matter how[Read More…]
Anonymuz’s ‘Before the Night is Over’ is full of bangers
As of now, Isaiah Joseph, who records under the name Anonymuz, lives up to his chosen moniker. Though his projects have been gaining popularity as of late, the mainstream rap community has continued to overlook his unmatched talent. His newest project, a brief but sonically substantial EP Before the Night[Read More…]
‘Collector’ is just fine
“Plugged in, something’s wrong,” sings Disq frontman Isaac DeBroux-Slone on “D19,” the fourth track off of the alt-indie band’s debut album Collector. Against the backdrop of a trebly acoustic rhythm guitar, DeBroux-Slone’s aching vocals sound wistful as he sings of a brief but torrid affair with a faulty D19 microphone.[Read More…]
Tame Impala time travels in ‘The Slow Rush’
If Tame Impala’s third album, Currents, is the outset of an interstellar psychedelic sugar-pop trip, then their fourth full-length release, The Slow Rush, released on Feb. 14, is that trip’s arrival. In his most recent offering, Kevin Parker, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist behind the band’s music, has delivered another[Read More…]
Highly Suspect misses the mark in experimenting with new sounds
In a world where most rock heroes are either aging or have already passed away, it is hard not to get excited when a promising young rock band like Highly Suspect appears. After the success of their first album, Mister Asylum, which landed the band two Grammy Nominations (Best Rock[Read More…]
Doja Cat’s ‘Hot Pink’ will keep you warm all winter
Only a year after her debut album Amala and viral Twitter sensation “MOOO!”, Doja Cat proves to audiences that she is no one hit-wonder with the release of Hot Pink, a sophomore album proving her audacity as an artist. While Amala signaled an effortless and playful entrance to the rap world, Hot[Read More…]
Kanye West’s ‘Jesus is King’ is both unexceptional and transcendent
Kanye West may be a problematic, belligerent, and generally irritating person, but many consider him to be one of the most gifted artists of his generation. On Oct. 25, West finally released the long-awaited album Jesus is King, his ninth solo project, alongside a half-hour film by the same name.[Read More…]
‘Pang’ is for crying in the ocean
Caroline Polachek is no novice: The singer-songwriter has produced prolifically over the past two decades as part of indie synthpop duo Chairlift, released an album under the name Ramona Lisa, and even boasts a writing credit on Beyonce’s critically lauded 2013 self-titled release. Pang, her solo debut, is a near-perfect breakup[Read More…]
