Lav's Music Corner

It's technically not even March yet and I already have like 50 albums from this year that I want to review but haven't had the time for one reason or another. Hopefully I can really dig in on these rapid fire reviews and covering new albums as they come out and we're starting here with a few experimental rock records I've been listening to and hearing people talk about online.  The Overload  - Yard Act Yard Act is a band I first heard about last year when some of the numerous singles they dropped in the lead up to this debut album started spreading in post-punk circles. Because of how much of a renaissance the genre has been going through particularly in Britain right now, I've sort of kept my ear to the ground with the style. What separates Yard Act is apparently pretty quickly with their lead singers distinctive snarl and their off kilter style of songwriting and performing which serves as set-up for those overtly political messages. The most enjoyable part of the...

Hello and welcome to the almost late for a second week in a row sort of weekly list we do on this little blog. I listened through a number of brand new songs this week and these are the best of them, simple as that.  5.  Sex Magik  - Bloc Party After what I would describe as a bit of a misstep on their previous single Bloc Party are back with style on this new song. From a weird chanted hook that's bouncy in their distinct way to some of those wiry guitar riffs that give everything the band does such a youthful edge this has everything a good Bloc Party song should.  Listen 4.  Zatoichi  - Denzel Curry (Feat. Slowthai) The second single from Curry's new album sports an attention grabbing title and feature, though isn't quite that bold. The Slowthai hook is unrelenting and the beat does occasionally make use of some punchier and more distorted beats but generally this is a far tamer outing than the duos previous. Regardless it's a solid and infectious single...

Beach House are a Baltimore dream pop duo who have been around for more than 15 years now. In that time they've become one of the most critically acclaimed and respected acts in all of indie music. Once Twice Melody  is their 8th album and comes 4 years after it's predecessor. The project is a four disc album what was released in portions dating back to 2021.  Review By Lav: Is there anybody who hates Beach House? Maybe if you have no patience or eye for nuance their stuff can sound boring but what makes it beautiful and captivating is so obvious that I can't imagine anybody who doesn't see it. While they obviously have good albums and better albums their ability to continue to impress within their sound and genre scope is remarkable. I'm no stranger to dishing out praise for the band though much of it has been retroactively as most of their catalog predates my reviewing. Last year when I took a look back at 2010 I called Zebra  a top 5 song of the year and Teen Dre...

So I was sort of on vacation this week which is why this list is one day late, sorry. Reviews will be back in line tomorrow with either a rapid fire or maybe the new Beach House. <3 5.  Magic  - Vince Staples This new Mustard produced single from Vince Staples does feature some uncharacteristic singing but it actually goes over surprisingly well. He also does some of what you'd expect him to spinning confrontational gangster tales over a sparse instrumental. It isn't redefining his sound necessarily but it does take it in a new direction while holding on to what makes him so good in the first place.  Listen 4.  I Love You  - Fontaines D.C It wasn't that long ago that I hadn't really been that impressed by anything Fontaines D.C had done, but earlier this year when they dropped Jackie Down The Line that changed. Thankfully I actually kind of like this new song too even though it can start to feel like its wandering in the middle section the distant crashing dr...

alt-j are a British indie rock trio who first began to attract attention with their 2012 debut album and breakout hit song Breezeblocks . They garnered attention for a very unique sound and the defining lead vocals which helped their songs stand-out. While they declined in critical success over their next two albums the band has still maintained a devoted fanbase. The Dream  is their 4th album following 2017's Relaxer . Review By Lav: I've always had a soft spot for alt-j. Their quirky British charm worked on me better than I'd like to admit and when it's paired with great songwriting I think they're capable of doing really great things. Even though the quality of the band's albums have gone down with each new release I've always been slightly more positive than the critical consensus. With The Dream  alt-j deliver their most inconsistent bunch of tracks to date and to make it easy on me, they basically split it right down the middle.  Two of my favorite son...

Spoon are a Texas rock band who have spent the last 20 years developing a reputation for being one of the most consistent acts in all of music. They have continually delivered refreshing and critically acclaimed rock records throughout their career as a band spawning a strong following. Lucifer On The Sofa  follows 2017's Hot Thoughts  and a combination greatest hits and B-sides collection in 2019. Review By Lav: There's a reason its so cliché to say Spoon is the most consistent band out there. They just continue to deliver time and time again making the exact right kind of subtle shifts to their style and tone. In 2014, well over a decade into their career they released my favorite of all their albums with the excellent They Want My Soul . A few years later they followed it up with a darker take on their usual sound and found acclaim again on Hot Thoughts . While I obviously enjoyed the singles leading up to this album I really didn't even need them to build up hype for th...

Kim Petras is a German born pop star who first emerged as a voice in the underground hyper pop scene in the late 2010's with collaborations alongside artists like SOPHIE and Charli XCX. Since then she has shifted her focus a bit towards the mainstream with a debut album that focused largely on more conventional electro pop and a series of singles with a more mainstream pop appeal. Early in 2022 she began her new era which saw her leaning heavily into sexuality and sexually charged themes. Review By Lav: Where do I even start with this one? It's obvious that I've enjoyed Kim's music before, I reviewed her debut album pretty positively, I called Malibu  one of the best singles of 2019 and her song Future Starts Now  was on my singles of the year list last year. Maybe there's some trans bias involved but I've been calling Kim one of the brightest voices in pop for years. It's also no secret that I'm a big fan of sexually charged music and am known to act li...

No heady observations this week. Given just how much great music came out on albums and EPs this week I'm sort of in full length review mode at the moment but that didn't stop me from engaging with some of the better singles I heard this week as well. 5.  C'mon Baby, Cry  - Orville Peck While I'm not sure this is the BEST song anyone's ever written it's hard to ignore the fact that Orville delivered a sadboy country anthem for what must be a pretty narrow group. His characteristically deep vocals and instantly recognizable voice sounds great flying over these jangly acoustic guitars and the whole song oozes a level of authenticity that most contemporary country falls drastically short of. Listen 4.  Bussin  - Nicki Minaj & Lil Baby After a HUGE whiff on a collaborative single last week Nicki and Lil baby didn't wait long to deliver the track that many had originally hoped they would. This is a confident and uncompromising banger that genuinely does see t...

For those of us who didn't grow up in the 90's the haze of flannel shirts, postmodern irony and Bart Simpson merch might as well be another planet. But as the musical aesthetics of the decade are being revived by contemporary artists and mined for commercial success it's worth our time to see what some of those classic acts are up to now. There's the big picture music critic/cultural analyst take but the honest truth is that I've seen a lot of 90's rock acts dropping records recently and I figured I should at least talk about them since I so often reference the era of music positively. Oui  - Urge Overkill Most people these days who know about Urge Overkill know them from their cover of Neil Diamond's Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon  which features prominently in Pulp Fiction . But if you talk to people who know their stuff about 90's alternative rock they will certainly tell you that the band is worth a deep dive. For some reason I was under the impres...

Mitski is a Japanese-American indie musician who successfully made the transition from indie darling across her first 3 albums to full blown sad girl sensation in the wake of her 2018 album Be The Cowboy . Mitski's notoriously low profile on social media has generally kept her out of the news since then but she emerged last year with a series of singles leading to this highly anticipated follow-up. Review By Lav: There's a LOT of love for Mitski out there, trust me. When I published my review of Be The Cowboy  I thought I was fairly assessing what Mitski did right as a lyricist with a strong grip on stringing conceptual emotional themes through her music, as well as what she did wrong as a songwriter penning tracks that lulled with no momentum and ended completely abruptly like the album equivalent of edging. That didn't go over well. As you know if you've ever tweeted anything about Phoebe Bridgers, talking about Mitski online will flood your DMs with Lady Bird  profil...

Saba is a Chicago rapper who made his name off of jazz rap with a heavy focus on narrative lyricism and a reserved performance style. He has an impressive list of collaborations including Noname, Smino, Chance The Rapper and his own group Pivot Gang who released their debut album as a collective back in 2019. Few Good Things  follows Saba's breakout project, the critically derisive CARE FOR ME  from 2018. Review By Lav: That introduction saying that CARE FOR ME  is derisive is no joke, I was there. When I published a very positive review of the album I had people in my Twitter DMs saying all kinds of shit about my "chops" as a rap critic for liking the project. But you also don't have to look hard to find a very devoted fanbase who have been patiently awaiting a follow-up. I wasn't sure exactly how to feel going into this record because I certainly believe in Saba's level of talent, but I was mixed on the singles and even some of the features I've heard fr...

Animal Collective is a Baltimore band consisting of interchanging members Panda Bear, Avey Tare, Deakin and Geologist. The group was primarily a psychedelic folk project in their early years but shifted into something more psych pop sounding, which resulted in the most acclaimed album of their career and one of the most acclaimed indie records of the entire 2000's, Merriweather Post Pavilion  in 2009. They released just two albums in the 2010's not counting numerous solo records, side projects, EPs and visual work, but neither record attracted anywhere near the level of acclaim the band is accustomed to. It's also their first album in 10 years to feature contributions from all 4 members. Review By Lav: I enjoy Animal Collective I'm not afraid to say that. One of probably the first 10 reviews I ever wrote for this blog was their Painting With  album in 2016 which I thought was okay at the time but I'm less favorable towards in retrospect. Even though I haven't be...

Black Country, New Road is a British post-punk band who have been one of the most surefire critical darlings in all of music since debuting with their single Sunglasses  in 2019. They released their first album For The First Time  early last year to massive critical acclaim and didn't wait long before starting their new era and announcing this sophomore project. A major surprise was thrown in less than a week before the album was released when the band announced on their social media that lead singer and primary lyricist Isaac Wood was departing from the band to focus on his own health and well being. Review By Lav: I knew Ants From Up There  was going to be special. I've been talking about it online for months, each of the four singles released in the lead-up to the record have been impressive in brand new ways. I was sure that the band was giving themselves the opportunity to build on their debut album and create something even more timeless and brilliant, but I had no ...