2024 Music So Far: Featuring Vintage Culture

POST HUMAN: NeX GEn by Bring Me the Horizon

Model by Wallows

Lemon Cars by Coi Leray

Explicit Language

Promised Land by Vintage Culture

Vintage Culture is the project of DJ Lukas Ruiz Hespanhol.  It's the second album he's put out and I found this to be a solid listen.  The only real problem with this album is that it is too long at 16 tracks.  Really should have been a 10 to 12 track album and it would have felt much tighter.  No real bad tracks, but when you get to 16 tracks it is hard not to hit some lulls, especially on a DJ based albums that is really just a collection of songs.

That being said there is a vibe that carries through the entire album, so it does feel connected in that sense, but still at some point it starts to feel a bit long.  There isn't anything really original in the sound here and in fact he's borrowing heavily at times from The Weeknd.  

I would say each year I listen to maybe 4 or 5 of these DJ based albums and for the most part I find them to be fairly consistent.  All I'm looking for is a good collection of songs that have a good beat and can be used as part of a dance party, or workout mix, and this album succeeds at that.  

It's also nice in that there isn't explicit language on this album, so you can throw it on in the background and not worry about the language.  This of course means you can play it when you are cleaning the house, and it works for that purpose.  Not one my wife would go for, but if it's just me and the kids it could be a good one.  

2024 Music So Far: Featuring Willow and Alec Benjamin

Cowboy Carter by Beyonce

The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Rebel by Anne Wilson

Damascus by Elvie Shane

Your Day Will Come by Chanel Beads

Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa

Empathogen by Willow

The daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith I would have assumed Willow would be a traditional artist of some sort, but she is never going to be accused of that.  This is her 7th studio album since 2015, when she was 15 years old.  Her influences seem to come from artists like Kate Bush, Bjork, Tori Amos, Sinead O'Connor, and FKA Twigs.  

My favorite track on the album is "Symptom of Life" which has a piano opening that screams Kate Bush, then follows the song which feels like it was structured by Tori Amos.  It's a fun and interesting album.  She's still only 23 and still growing as an artist.  It will be interesting to see what she does with her next album.  She has a very interesting voice and an obvious vocal performance talent.  

Maybe this will be the peak of her powers and if so she has created a solid album.  If you want to get the feel for where art rock is in 2024 I would say this is a good listen.  I'm going to write something up about the Apple 100 best albums list soon.  One area that is greatly underrated there is the art rock scene.  An area of music that has always been very critical to influence the next generation.  

12 Notes by Alec Benjamin

If you follow my daughter's you tube channel you would know that she is a huge Alec Benjamin fan, so I'm prejudiced to like him, especially since I'm the one who introduced him to her.  That being said this is another solid album from Benjamin and a good listen.   

The key to his music is similar to many singer songwriters, it's his lyrics.  He has an interesting and playful tone about things which I really find enjoyable to listen to.  As a singer he has a good voice and understands how to write for himself.  

If you are cleaning up the house this weekend and want an album to throw on I would say this is a good pick.  My son enjoys this album too, so it's good to find something that everyone in the family enjoys listening to while we clean.  Well not sure you can count my wife in on that, she'll tolerate it.  

Album Reviews: Gabrielle Aplin, RuPaul, Old Dominion, Joesef, and Margo Price

 

Phosphorescent by Gabriell Aplin

This is Aplin's 4th album in 10 years and she's new to me.  I really liked the opening song "Skylight."  A good album to clean the house to or while you are baking.  

Album Reviews: End of the Year Extravaganza

 

Watch the Sun by PJ Morton

It's hard for me not to enjoy an album like this.  If you see the album cover PJ Morton made for his Christmas album a few years back you'll get an idea of the kind of artist he is. 

I think of an artist like Morton as a traditional soul singer.  This is the kind of album you put on when hanging out with your significant other having some conversation.  One of those albums that make you feel like an adult.   

It's solid all the way through and though it doesn't have any real stand out moments it was fun to listen to. 

Album Reviews: Maren Morris, Cannons, COIN, Alessia Cara, and Camila Cabello

 

Humble Quest by Maren Morris

I have never heard of Maren Morris, but this is her 6th studio album.  She put out her first in  2005 at age 15.  She would do three independent albums from 2005 to 2011 then sign with Columbia and put out her first with them in 2016 and it would go to number 1 on the country charts.  Now at age 32 she is deep into her Nashville career.  In many ways this album feels less country and more Americana, but that isn't too surprising as this seems to be the path for many country artists these days.  It also isn't bad.  I don't know her earlier music obviously but listening to this album makes me interested in going back and listening to her earlier stuff.  Since she and Taylor Swift are the same age and both have been putting out music since they were kids I was curious as to whether or not they know each other and was happy to find they do interact with each other and are big fans of each others work. 

As for the album like I said it feels pretty Americana and is very laid back in it's pace.  It would be a good album for driving on a long road trip while the family sleeps around you.  

Album Reviews: Spoon and MØ

 

Lucifer on the Sofa by Spoon

Sound Opinions reviewed this album recently and so I would point you to their review.  Jim DeRogatis made a comment in that review that I think is so true.  Spoon music sounds like Spoon.  No matter what they are doing they sound like Spoon and that's a good thing.  This album is heavy on the rock sound, but in the end it's a Spoon record and so if you like Spoon you'll like this record.  I'm not a huge Spoon fan but I like them and if I see they have a new album out I'll give it a listen.   If you feel like some 2022 rock from a band that has been around since the 90's then give this a listen.  

Album Reviews: Astrid S and Cam

Leave It Beautiful:  At 24 this is Astrid S's debut album.  She's been in the spotlight since she placed in 5th in the Norwegian version of Pop Idol in 2013.  According to my 24 year old theory this is likely the best album she'll ever make and it is a pretty solid album.  There are no bad songs, it's good and short at 10 tracks and it's a fun listen.  I found myself putting it on over and over.  Perfect album if you are in your 20's and single.  It's all about being in your 20's and single.  Lots of lyrics about love and drinking.  

I'm reminded of something I heard a music critic say a few years ago about Robyn.  He was talking about how she writes these reflective and sometimes dark songs with a great dance tune as the back drop.  So unless you are really paying attention to the lyrics you won't notice that the song isn't really upbeat.  This album makes me think of that.  The song in the video above is a great example of this.  If you listen to the lyrics it's a pretty dark song, but it's so catchy you can miss it if you aren't paying attention.

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The Otherside:  While Leave It Beautiful is all about being in your 20's, The Otherside is all about growing past that experience and starting the see the world and your own life experiences from a different perspective.  Cam is now 36 and a recent mother, and this album does a great job of reflecting where she is in her life experience.  

Here is a line from her song "Changes" that does a good job of expressing some of the sentiment of this album. 

Somewhere out in the big wild country Someone's fallin' in love in a backseat Givin' it away Like their hearts won't ever break God bless the young hearts sippin' cheap wine Gettin' drunk with their friends for the first time Thinkin' nothing's gonna change Till everything changes

It's funny because this seems a perfect complimentary album to the one from Astrid S.  

If you don't know Cam I would best describe her music as Americana.  At times she makes me think of Lone Justice.  She's more country than they were, but there is a certain vibe in her vocal performance and in her lyrics that reminds me of them.  This is a good album and nice and tight at 11 songs.  Every song on here is strong and well written.  I discovered Cam a few years ago when my daughter started listening to her last album based on one of her friend's recommendation.  It's cool that my daughter can now influence what I'm listening to.   

This album is a definite clean the house album as I've done just that with it.  The opening song "Redwood Tree" is about as well written song as you'll hear and reflects that she got her start in Nashville as a songwriter.  

Album Reviews: Harry Styles and The Avener

Harry Styles: Fine Line

A 70's/80's singer songwriter inspired album. It's easy to listen to and doesn't really have any bad moments. Definitely an album to put on while cleaning the house on the weekends. My only problem with the album is that I don't find myself wanting to put it on to listen to, and there aren't any tracks that really grab me. That being said I give it 2 out of 5 stars.

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The Avener: Heaven

The Avener is actually French producer Tristan Casara, and this is a collection he has put together. He does a very good job of blending all of these songs together to make a coherent album. At 16 tracks it is a little long but it still works and I've found the more I listen to this album the more I like it. Another album that you can put on while you clean the house this one has a little more complexity and intrigue to it than does Fine Line from Harry Styles and so I give this one 3 out of 5 stars.

Album Reviews: SASAMI and Dido

SASAMI's self titled debut album is an interesting mix of Liz Phair, Sonic Youth, and a touch of Kate Bush. The album feels very personal and raw at times and it really works. I find the first half of the album to be much stronger than the second half but still it works all the way through.

"I Was a Window," the opening track, is a good way to start the album and gets us right into the mindset of the songs to come with the opening verse.

There is a shadow over something that used to be a light
I was a window into something you didn't like
So you blamed it on me
And you thought it made you free
But that's not how it works, my love

All in all I enjoyed the album and rate it 2 stars out of 5. There are captivating moments if you listen to this album a few times, but definitely need to be in a thoughtful place to really enjoy it to its fullest.

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Dido's fifth studio album Still on My Mind comes out 6 years after her last studio album and 20 years since her first. Her sound has held up over those 20 years and feels modern in part because her sound of 1999 has so influenced many young female artists out there today. Her lyrical and singing voice feels very similar to how it did 20 years ago and that is something I found refreshing. There are moments when she sounds more weathered, but that is a good thing when you are talking about an artist who is in her late 40's. This album can definitely be put on while you are cleaning the house but more likely on a day when you are feeling a little blue. It's a solid album from a professional artist and I give it 2 stars out of 5.

Album Review: Sucker Punch by Sigrid

OK if you have read my reviews you probably can tell where this one is going when I say female, Norwegian, electronic dance pop. This has been the hit album of the summer so far in my house. Me and the kids play this album all the time and leads to a lot of dancing and fun times. There are a few tracks you have to skip on the explicit version of the album but for the most part it works well.

Like any good dance pop what makes this album work isn't so much her singing or the music, it's the lyrics. They are interesting enough to draw you into the song and keep you there. If I were to put a label on Sigrid I would say she's taken influences from Lorde, Lady Gaga, Bjork, and Kylie Minogue.

OK now back to the songs. Let's look at a song that is a big hit in our house and discuss why it works so well.

The song is called "Strangers" and here are the lyrics.

Just like in the movies
It starts to rain and we
We're the broken beauties
Blindfolded minds collide and we fall

When the curtain drops
Our touch is just a touch
Not like in the movies
Our story's after the end

Like strangers
Perfect pretenders
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real
It could never be us, eh
Just you and I

Strangers
Perfect pretenders
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real
It could never be us, eh
Just you and I

Memories in photos
Too easy to rewrite
Left as lonely shadows
Holding each other tight and we fall

When the curtain drops
Our touch is just a touch
Not like in the movies
Our story's after the end

Like strangers
Perfect pretenders
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real
It could never be us, eh
Just you and I

Think we got it, but we made up a dream
'Cause we've got a pretty look of what we could be, whoa
I don't want you, all you want is someone
Going home together to forget we're alone
Think we got it, but we made up a dream
'Cause we've got a pretty look of what we could be, whoa
I don't want you, all you want is someone
Going home together to forget we're alone

You and I, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I
Not like in the movies
You and I, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I
Not like in the movies

Like strangers
Perfect pretenders
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real
It could never be us, eh
Just you and I

Strangers
Perfect pretenders
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real
It could never be us, eh
Just you and I

Think we got it, but we made up a dream
'Cause we've got a pretty look of what we could be, whoa
I don't want you, all you want is someone
Going home together to forget we're alone
Think we got it, but we made up a dream
'Cause we've got a pretty look of what we could be, whoa
I don't want you, all you want is someone
Going home together to forget we're alone

Strangers
(Think we got it, but we made up a dream 'cause we've got a pretty look of what we could be, whoa)
Perfect pretenders
(I don't want you, all you want is someone going home together to forget we're alone)
We're falling head over heels
For something that ain't real we could be, whoa)
It could never be us, eh (I don't want you, all you want is someone)
Just you and I

So the lyrics are interesting. It creates a compelling story. We have two people they meet. They are drawn to each other like a magical moment in a movie. Like the movies though this moment isn't real and in reality their story will really begin once the movie is over. I really like the line, "when the curtain drops, our touch is just a touch, not like in the movies, our story's after the end."

So lyrically this song is something I find very interesting. It has good imagery, it's an interesting piece the way it's structured, and then she combines it with one little hook after another. Me and the kids will just be sitting around and start singing "Just like in the movies" or "you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I, you and I." All together you end up with a great dance tune that you can listen to when you want to dance and be happy or when you are feeling emotional and dark, it works anytime you need it.





Right now this is my album of the year. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.

Album Review: Don't Feed the Pop Monster by Broods

I didn't know anything about this sibling duo out of New Zealand and initially didn't find this album to be very interesting, but the more I listened the more I liked it. This is their third album and clocks in at 12 tracks. The first eight songs to me hold together a flow that is lost on the last four songs. Those four tracks seem to exist outside the rest of the album. They aren't bad but the spell of the album is broken.

Those opening eight tracks find Georgia Nott singing with a very vulnerable voice, both lyrically and vocally. Her brother backs this with stripped down synth production which helps create a sad and lonely mood. This comes to the full on the track "Everytime You Go I Cry." It's funny I was reading the review in AllMusic and it was moments like "Why Do You Believe Me?" that struck the reviewer as being problematic and these are the moments that I feel hold that first part of the album together. Either way we agree that the album's flow is off. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good. I'll be interested to see where they go from here and I'll be going back to listen to their first two albums.

I would say if you were just in a breakup and then had a four hour drive back to visit your folks this would be a good album to put on for the drive.

Album Review: Toast to Our Differences by Rudimental

I never really know how to define a group like Rudimental. Allmusic refers to them as an electronic outfit. Essentially they do the music and they partner with others to do the singing and I would think lyrics. Anyhow this is their third album and includes a few singles they released a year ago. Overall it is 16 tracks, a bit long for my taste but very solid throughout. For the most part the language is clean and so I list it as a clean the house album, we'll try it out this weekend and see how it goes.

It's a fun album that really screams for the summer. Maybe that is why I enjoyed it so much as we go through a cold spell.

I wish it was fewer tracks but all in all I found myself really enjoying it. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.

Made me flashback to this.

Album Review: Thank You for Today by Death Cab for Cutie

I think that people naturally go through different phases in their adult lives in terms of how they relate with the world around them. I'm not saying this is true for everyone but I think it is a general thing. In your 20's for instance it's all about self. In your 30's it's all about yourself and the world. In your 40's it's all about reflecting on your life. That's as far as I've aged so I'm not sure what comes next. But I do believe these things are generally true and I think they are reflected in good songwriters. As they age their lyrics tend to follow a progression similar to this.

This is all to say that Death Cab for Cutie have released this album while in their early 40's and so at a time when they are being reflective and that is what this album perfectly captures. Not only in lyric but in music as well. There is a lot here reflecting from sounds of their youth bands like New Order, The Cure, The Smiths, etc.

I'm not sure this album would appeal to someone in their 20's but it certainly hits home for someone who has been through the reflective phase of their life. A perfect album to put on if you are driving by yourself on a drive of an hour or so. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.

Album Review: Back Being Blue by Kelly Willis

Kelly Willis turns 50 this year and she's another artist that was big on my mind back in 1992. "Not Afraid of the Dark" is a top ten all time song for me. For me Kelly Willis is the best country music vocalist of my lifetime and the best thing to hear on her latest album is that she still sounds great.

This is a solid 10 track album but there isn't a song on here that really grabs me and it doesn't have the kind of flow that an album like Easy has. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.

Album Review: Goodbye Sunshine, Hello Nighttime by Family of the Year

I had never heard of this band but this is their third album of the decade. It's a pop based band who are taking influences from people like Oasis, The Verve, Beck, etc. The more I listened to this album the more it grew on me and I found myself putting it on to listen because I wanted to listen to it, wanted to hear certain songs. I especially like the song "Latchkey Kids." It sounds great and has very thoughtful lyrics. I would say in the end that describes this 12 song album. Lyrically the songs are strong and they consistently deliver with a good pop sound.

Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad. The album is consistent and interesting but it doesn't really carry any sense of energy or angst that I think an album needs to get to 3 stars.

Album Review: Ruins by First Aid Kit

Before reviewing this album I went back and read my review of their second album Lions Roar from 2013. I complained about the sound being too heavy. They have solved that problem on this album and I found it to be a good mix of Americana music with a Swedish twist. Take a song like "It's a Shame" it has the feel of a song that Abba would do, but it has a rootsy rock backing to it rather than disco.

I also like this album because right out of the box it caught me with the song "Rebel Heart." I've had that on repeat now for about a week and that's always a good thing. Unlike Lions Roar which I felt dragged, this album flies by.  Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 3 out of 5 stars for Pretty Good.

Album Review: Words I Never Said by Ella Vos

I would say this falls into the adult contemporary genre. Seems like the kind of album they would have had playing in the background of Starbucks back in 2008 or whenever it was that they launched their record label. It's not a bad album, great for background, but it literally sounds like the same song over and over. It is very hard to tell when one song has ended and the next begun. There are times when a song starts and I think, didn't I just hear that? Still for what the album is it works fine. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give this 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.

Album Review: Forever and Then Some by Lillie Mae

Part of the fun of listening to new music is hearing artists you know nothing about. Lillie Mae Rische has been playing professionally for a long time, but has put out her first solo album at age 25. I've enjoyed listening to this album. It's a very solid collection of songs and she has real talent as a singer/songwriter. The only thing this album is missing for me is that one song that really grabs me. As much as I enjoyed listening to the album I wasn't going out of my way to put it on or to hear that one song.

It's a fun album to throw on while cleaning the house or have a dance party with your 2 year old. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.

Album Review: The Breaker by Little Big Town

This album borrows heavily from bands like The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac and does a great job of tapping into those groups harmonies and pop sensibilities.  There isn't a dark or emotional edge to this album like you would have found from those two bands but that's OK this is a fun, light adult pop album and that's OK.

I've found myself really enjoying this album and even coming back to the song "Lost in California."  This would be a great album for a beach trip and definitely works for cleaning the house. Following the Rhapsody rating method I give it 2 out of 5 stars for Not Bad.

Eighth Podcast

The eighth podcast is up. Thanks to freemidi.org for the audio files. This week Eric and Matthew talk the 1971 baseball season and ask the question just what is clean the house music?

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