Lav's Music Corner

For the people who can tell the difference between all these genres, I'm sorry, and I promise I can to. But this was the best way to quickly talk about a bunch of records I wanted to comment on regardless in a rapid fire fashion. Enjoy <3 THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED - The Armed When The Armed broke through to a massive new audience on their 2021 album ULTRAPOP  they seemed to hit on something unique. They mixed the sounds and compositional styles from the indie rock umbrella into the pure ferocity of their screamo and hardcore demeanor. While I appreciated what the band did, I had an issue with the actual sound of the record. The production and mixing seemingly robbed the band of their most intense elements, with screams and churning guitars that felt like they never sounded as heavy as they were supposed to. Unfortunately, the EXACT same issue plagues this record.  The trio of singles for the album are the main reason I decided to cover it at al...

It's that time of year when I apologize to some of the more outside-the-box music genres for focusing a little too much on pop, rap, indie, rock, and R&B. Let's give both hardcore and screamo, and some records that exist within the folds of both, a chance.  Persona EP - Gel Last year Gel rode in a huge wave of hype to deliver one of my favorite debut album of 2023. When they the pummeling single Mirage  earlier this year it made it seem like they would continue climbing that mountain whenever their next project arrived. That next project is Persona , a 5-track and 13-minute EP that's only a few minutes shorter than the album that preceded it. The new project serves up songs like Martyr , a similarly short but surprisingly versatile and unrelentingly fiery two minutes that would have fit in well on Only Constant . But it's the very shoes the EP has to fill that handicap it from hitting as hard as it should.  Take a track like Shame  whose vocal layering should mak...

Review by Lav: Mannequin Pussy is a Philly punk rock band that has long interested me for their combination of ferocity and sonic versatility. For many it was their 2019 album Patience  that served as their breakthrough, but where they really clicked with me was on the 2021 follow-up Perfect EP. Across just a few tracks the band showed off their full range with infectious dreamy space and speedy punk intensity coming back to back on songs throughout. But with the singles for this record, the band seemed to take a different approach, why not combine them? For the best example look no further than the title track, lead single, and opener I Got Heaven . It's an absolutely ripping opener that I loved last year and it wastes no time kicking the album off with a bang. I love that it hits right away with this literally animalistic ferocity to the lyrics. It's also a great example of how the album can transition seamlessly between its punk angst and a sweeter, dreamier sincerity. I als...

While there are always a million allegedly great local hardcore records that I get recommended every year, I only really have the time to cover the ones I'm most excited for. That informs this decision which features three albums I went into anticipating being VERY good. These are the results. Enjoy <3 God's Country  - Chat Pila This is the highly anticipated debut album from Oklahoma hardcore act Chat Pile who have released some successful EPs in the past few years to generate a lot of hype going into the album. While I was a bit of a late comer to those EPs I did hear the record's singles as they were released which also helped immensely to get me excited for it. Now that the record is here I can say that it's one of the darkest and most versatile hardcore records you'll hear this year. In fact even just saying "hardcore" feels like a catch-all for a band that interpolates numerous styles of experimental rock and metal into their songs. The record beg...

$uicideboy$ are a New Orleans based rap duo who released their debut album last year after years of many, MANY mixtapes and EPs. The group recruited Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and screamo vocalist MUNKY for this six track EP which featured two singles.  Review By Lavender: Jesus christ.  $uicideboy$ have been an act I have followed for a few years now taking in whatever of their releases and solo material and collaborations that I can, but on Live Fast Die Whenever  they have chosen to clash their styles with some absolutely abysmal results.  The two singles for this EP we're strange but honestly the only highlights it has to offer. nothingleftnothingleft  is a pretty fiery and true to form punk tune.  Unfortunately it clashes directly with the style of the two very uncompelling rap verses delivered on the song and contains one of the most underwhelming choruses I've heard all year. There is some decent material here but the strange ...