Category: New Album Review

The newest albums, EPs and singles on the air at WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2

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New Album Review

Colaboyy- Prosthetic Boombox Album Review

A man sits amid a cluttered room playing on a guitar
Prosthetic Jukebox Album Cover

This is an album from word-of-mouth only, so I don’t have a lot to go on. The context I can give you is that this is an R&B album, it has a warm nostalgic sheen to it, and that the artist is “A Comrade.” Beyond that, we’ll have to take the music on its own merits, so let’s talk about Neo-Soul for a moment.

Neo-Soul refers to exactly what you’d expect. If an R&B album features little to no rapping, dense retro instrumentation, and is mostly lyric-driven, chances are someone has called it Neo-Soul. If that definition sounds a little vague, it’s because it is, but in practice, the genre is more cohesive than you might expect. The scene started as a specific revival movement for 60s and 70s soul, before taking on a life of its own by incorporating more disco, Motown, and hip-hop stylings. The big mainstream moment for this style was in the late 90s when Lauren Hill, Erykah Badu, D’Angelo and Common took off. The commercial success of the style has waxed and waned over the years, but it has never really gone away. Recently, artists like Tyler, the Creator, Tierra Whack, Frank Ocean, and D’Angelo (again) have been making waves with the style.

Colaboyy is an artist in this tradition, but his musical influences have moved up 20 years, a move that actually took me off guard. Conventional Neo-Soul takes inspiration primarily from the classic soul era, especially the chill yet political work of Marvin Gaye. Colaboyy, by contrast, is stuck firmly in the 90s. He’s not copying 90s Neo-Soul, mind you, that would get a little recursive (Neo-Neo-Soul?), his influence comes from electro-disco and early 90s R&B, before the genre began margining with hip-hop. Boys 2 Men, Poison—this is a pretty fondly remembered era, so it’s cool to see an artist fuse it with a 70s disco aesthetic. He was also inspired by Latin funk according to his website, but this is something I personally struggled to hear in his latest album.

The album isn’t perfect, in fact, it’s a little lacking in cohesive songs, but, as I’m pretty sure my fellow kids are saying, the vibes are immaculate. Colaboyy isn’t trying to make “what’s going on” at the moment, he’s content to make an atmospheric and elegant album with some light political and social theming. It’s easy listening and can play in the background of literally any activity, so give it a shot.

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New Album Review

Home Video- Lucy Dacus Album Review

Home Video album cover
Album Cover for Home Video, Copyright: Matador Records

Patron saint of moody ex-fundies everywhere Lucy Dacus has returned with her third full length album “Home Video.” After big deal releases from her boygenius bandmates Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, expectations were high for Dacus, and she has delivered on “Home Video,” a tour de force in nostalgia and coming of age documentary.

Prior to this album, Dacus was something of an enigmatic figure. Her music was autobiographical, but opaque. Her most personal, (and by far best) song, “Night Shift,” was unique for blending intensely individual details with a kind of universal songwriting style that made it relatable to nearly everyone. But beyond this, you really didn’t get a good feel for Dacus’ internal world or emotional landscape only her musical world.

On “Home Video” Dacus gives a far more grounded account of her life without sacrificing the universal and biting songwriting choices that made her stand out. It’s set not in the abstract fantasy world of song, but in the very specific realm of an evangelical community in Virginia in the 2000s. Every song is set somewhere during high school or the first year or two of college, but the order is scrambled. It’s a mess of early memories, filtered through a sheen of warm, yet critical nostalgia. Dacus isn’t here to defend contemporary evangelical Christianity, but she is here to put herself in that context without shame. A queer woman of questionable faith who actually has some warm memories of her hometown and congregation. It feels a lot more honest than any number of leftist punk rebellions or Katy Perry-style party phases.

Putting aside the core concept, this album is just immaculate. Dacus flexes every musical and lyrical muscle she has, and I can remember some melodic or poetic detail from literally every song on here. Dacus is a master of her craft, and “Home Video,” will likely impress anyone with an appreciation for folk, indie rock, or music in general.

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New Album Review

Bathtub Cig – bed Review

Bathtub Cig, a project from singer-songwriter Hilary James, deals with quarantine feels and grief in their new EP “bed.” The Minneapolis project is strongly influenced by Frankie Cosmos. Bathtub Cig is the best kind of bedroom pop, soft and sweet with lyrics that hit you hard. This EP is mostly the frontwoman James with accompaniment from Adelyn Rose on wind instruments and bass. Still, the songs are simple with James shining with her vocals and electric guitar.    

My Favorite Tracks:

Sepia

The almost bluesy “Sepia” is a great start to the EP. James sings about the end of days and how everything is colored in sepia tones. The track is only a minute and a half long but is a sweet opener to the rest of the EP. The poetic lyrics “I’m floating forward as the flames unfurl” are my favorite.

Quarantine Dream

While this track is about the 2020 quarantine, there is something that resonates in 2021. The lonely lyrics complement the airy woodwinds and strumming guitar. The light synth enhances the depression-pop ambiance. “Quarantine Dream” is cozy and sleepy, a great track to drift off to bed with.      

My Friend – We are the Willows 

This song is dedicated to James’s bandmate Leah Ottman, who passed away suddenly in December 2020. Peter Miller, Leah’s friend and bandmate, harmonizes with James, crooning their love of their friend. The sentimental track focuses on channeling grief and letting go. I love the harmonies and gentle guitar.    

Each of the songs of this EP flows seamlessly together and tells an expansive story. I’m so excited for the full-length album coming out this fall.  

-DJ lil witch

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New Album Review

Tyler, The Creator Returns with “Lumberjack”

The day has finally arrived. Since “IGOR” dropped in early 2019, Tyler, the Creator fans have been itching for a new album. “IGOR” will always have a special place in my heart because it was the soundtrack to a really lovely time in my life, but I couldn’t be more excited to see what he’s been cooking up.

Sure, we haven’t been completely left in the dark. Tyler released several singles over the past two years, including “Best Interest,” “Group B” and “Tell Me How,” his playful track made for a Coca-Cola commercial. It was only a matter of time before he returned with his usual gusto, full-length album in hand. After releasing a teaser video on June 14, his new single, “Lumberjack” followed shortly after. It’s filled with his classic production style: quick beats, bright yet ominous synths, and that unmistakable baritone voice. “Lumberjack” has more of an old-school feel than “IGOR,” playing off the sounds of early hip-hop.

The music video that accompanies the track has all the delight of Tyler’s impeccable visual taste. Though it’s short at only a minute and 18 seconds long, his trademark humor, artistic originality and incredible fashion taste are all present in a way that highlights the mood of “Lumberjack” perfectly.

After the “Lumberjack’s” release, Tyler officially announced that the full album, titled “Call Me If You Get Lost,” will be released on Friday, June 25. Each of his albums sounds so different in a way that really shows how he’s grown as a rapper and producer over his 10-year-long career. For now, we can only speculate what his sixth studio album will sound like, but don’t doubt that it will be full of his usual goodness.

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New Album Review

Left at London- t.i.a.p.f.y.h. Album Review

Alright I think this is a first. Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe Left at London is to date the only Vine musicians to breakthrough into conventional music success. Left at London, the stage name of musician and internet personality Nat Puff, has released her debut album after the viral success of her “Transgender Street Legend” EP series, and the song “Revolution Lover” in particular.

Puff first garnered attention for her viral parodies of Frank Ocean and Mitski, where she wrote full scale parody songs as a promotional mechanism. This new album features songwriting credits from Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest and Laura Les of 100 gecs. These influences are a pretty good approximation of where Puff is at; She sits at the crossroads of various styles of “Bandcamp music.” Unlike a lot of indie, she has a strong hip-hop influence, which is evident in many of the production aesthetics, but the songwriting and structure owe more to rock. The music is a little too low energy to be Hyperpop but the overall noise level mirrors that genre.

From this rather trendy pedigree, Puff struggles a little to carve out an identity, but her unique songwriting choices and ear for production make up for a lack of definition. The songs trend in the direction of “far too long,” a la monsieur Toledo, but she restrains herself to around the five minute mark on all but the album opener. The album is lyrically driven as a rule, with some songs like “The Ballad of Marion Zioncheck,” bending over into folksy territory. Her lyrics are emotional, generally preoccupied with mental health and inner turmoil, but written with just enough pretension to maintain interest.

The auditory aesthetics are perhaps the most compelling aspect of the music. Puff blends noise into songs without abandoning the conventional structure, making her music edgy and a little experimental while remaining more accessible than pop contemporaries like Black Dresses. Her voice is an asset as well, hanging in an unusually feathery contralto register than many women sing in, which contrasts both the bass of the guitars and the screeching treble of some louder passages. The result is that her voice cuts through the muck of the songs, allowing you to follow the lyrics without distraction.

While “t.i.a.p.f.y.” is a debut album, and a rather messy one, the music still shows great developing talent, and it features many memorable songs. Left at London is definitely an artist to watch in indie pop at the moment, and hopefully, her star will continue to rise.

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New Album Review

Lorde is Back and Happier Than Ever

The day that Lorde fans have been waiting for has finally arrived: new Lorde music. After nearly four years without any new music, and with her general absence from the internet, Lorde fans have been aching for any hint of a return. There was even a ruckus when she rebooted her onion rings review Instagram account.

There have been stirrings on the internet for a while that she might come back this summer, and the other day when the album cover was posted by Jack Antonoff (her producer and long-time collaborator) on Instagram, fans knew her return was imminent. With the title “Solar Power,” and Lorde’s connection to nature (see: her trip to Antarctica), there was an assumption that the song would come out on June 21st, the day of the summer solstice.

On Thursday, June 11th there began to be rumors that the song was coming out that day at 6pm EST. This caused a panic, and there were even a few short minutes where the song was available to stream on Amazon Music, Tidal and Apple Music multiple hours before the supposed release. The song was quickly removed, but leaks spread like wildfire because of this error.

With backing vocals from Claire Cottrill (better known as Clairo) and Phoebe Bridgers, Lorde has branched out in a lot of ways. The track is mellow and happy, distinguishing itself from her past work, which is often introspective and moody.

The music video feels a lot like Mamma Mia: full of feminine energy, carefree happiness and a general aura of light and love. I know I’ve said the pressure of having a “song of the summer” can be an overwhelming premise, but this genuinely feels like the pop song of the summer.

In an email to her mailing list, she told fans that “Solar Power” was also the name of the album. She described the upcoming album as a “celebration of the natural world.” She also said that fans should “look to the natural calendar for clues” about when she might drop her album. Immediately, fans began looking up when the next solar and lunar events were, scrambling to figure out when it may come.

If we know one thing, it’s that this Lorde era is going to be unlike anything she’s ever done before. 

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New Album Review

New Album Review: Delta Kream by The Black Keys

Delta Kream

If you’re like me, you despised “Let’s Rock,” The Black Keys’ most recent album behind “Delta Kream.” It lacked all the gritty, garage blues of their previous releases, and seemed to indicate that the rock duo was moving closer and closer to pop. Needless to say, I was not necessarily looking forward to listening to “Delta Kream,” thinking it would be comprised of the same kind of stuff.

Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised. “Delta Kream” could not be more different than their previous album. It’s a magnificent homage to the Mississippi Delta blues that Patrick Carney (drums) and Dan Auerbach (voice & guitar) drew their original musical inspiration from. Comprised of covers from classic artists like R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Johnny Lee Hooker, it’s a masterpiece of slow, crawling blues. In fact, Burnside’s bassist (Eric Deacon) and Kimbrough’s slide guitarist (Kenny Brown) play alongside the duo throughout the entire album.

Recorded in just ten hours at Auerbach’s Nashville studio, it has the spontaneous energy of a jam session, rather than a meticulous, drawn-out album. Studio chatter and little mistakes fill the gaps between songs, reminiscent of a true rock ‘n roll spirit. You can tell that there were no rehearsals and little planning, just a group of amazing musicians coming together. Nevertheless, each song is incredibly nuanced. The addition of Deacon and Brown creates a sound that is wonderfully layered and free-flowing, unlike the usual hard-hitting simplicity of the Black Keys’ work. Though I’m a real sucker for their original sound, “Delta Kream” is a refreshing pull in a new, yet classic, direction.

Some would argue that there’s not much variation between the songs, but it is a tried and true tribute to country blues. Many of the tracks are classics that have been covered and re-covered for decades. Originally performed by Big Joe Williams (but made famous by Johnny Lee Hooker) “Crawling Kingsnake” is made into a muddy, six-minute-long jam, contrasting the twangy ’60s rock version by The Doors. “Going Down South,” a Burnside track, stands out with a rare falsetto appearance from Auerbach and some truly amazing sliding guitar work.

You can really sense how passionate Carney and Auberach are about country blues, especially the work of Junior Kimbrough. Their 2006 album “Chulahoma” is comprised entirely of his work, and “Delta Kream” is nearly the same. The song “Do the Romp,” one of Kimbrough’s originals, also appeared on The Black Keys’ first album. It’s incredible to hear the difference in their style and how they’ve matured after nearly two decades of fame.

Yes, better covers of the songs in “Delta Kream” exist. It is certainly not the best blues album in the world, but The Black Keys’ spirit and passion is tangible. It’s clear that their hearts lie with country blues, and they sure are good at it.

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New Album Review

Alice Phoebe Lou – Glow Reviewed

ALBUM: “Glow” by Alice Phoebe Lou

RELEASE YEAR: 2021

LABEL: Self Released

RATING: 9/10

BEST TRACKS:  “Mother’s Eyes”, “Dirty Mouth”, and “Lovesick”

FCC: None

Alice Phoebe Lou pours out her heart on her newest record “Glow.” The South African artist wrote on her website that her third album was “An outlet. A place I blew off steam. I poured my most personal feelings, experiences & realizations into it and I stand before you completely naked, encouraging you to go to that place within yourself.” You can feel the earnestness throughout the album. Lou’s soft vocals belt out heartfelt lyrics backed by soothing keys, guitar, and bass. The album was recorded purposely on older equipment to give the songs a vintage sound. Lou sings about love for the first time, bringing us into her psyche. 

Here are my favorite songs from “Glow.”

Mother’s Eyes

This track has a slowed-down groove, giving Lou plenty of time to work her lyrical magic. Delving into post break-up insecurities, this song ultimately speaks to self-confidence and self-reliance. She acknowledges it is a process with her lyrics, “feels like I’ll get there one step at a time”. Even without analyzing “Mother’s Eyes,” it is still a sultry track that has lyrics catchy enough to belt out in the car. 

Dirty Mouth

The single, “Dirty Mouth,” might be my favorite from the whole album. Lou sings energetically and with the bouncy guitar, and the highs of the song are impactfully paired with the slower lulls of the track. This track has a punk/garage influence that you can hear in Lou’s rousing vocals towards the end of the song. “Dirty Mouth” has been my get-up-and-go track for a while now.

Lovesick

With a swinging beat, this track ends the album with a bang. She sings about an unrequited romance with such hope and wild abandon. I can’t stop thinking about the bridge of this song and the lyrics, “Would it be alright if we sat side by side and didn’t say a single word? Just let ourselves drown in the sweet sunny silence.” Lou is such an evocative songwriter, you feel drenched in the feeling of a short-lived summer romance.

9/10 amazing summer album!

-DJ lil witch

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New Album Review

L’Imperatrice – Tako Tsubo Album Review

Alright, this one is from the boards. L’Imperatrice is a disco fusion group from France, who is bubbling under American success. Their new album “Tako Tsubo” has gotten some attention and Reddit and the like as a raw slice of European dance cheese. They are firmly entrenched in some of the most passe styles of pop from the ’70s. The two genre tags alternatively used to describe them are Eurodisco and space rock, two colorful genres that fuse surprisingly well on their new album.

With lyrics mostly in French and a focus on funk, this album leans towards “vibe music” rather than deep listening. It’s not strictly ambient, the music is not crafted exclusively for the background, but as I write this it’s raining beside me, there’s a cat on my desk and this album is making me feel like I live in a YouTube playlist thumbnail. The grooves are expertly crafted, so the vibes don’t wear out as fast as you’d think, but they definitely do wear thin eventually.

I do not speak French, so I’m working off what other people say the lyrics are about. Supposedly this is a feminist band with lyrics focusing on misogyny and violence. I say ‘supposedly’ because their English songs are pretty boilerplate disco and dance cliches. They may be better poets in their native tongue, but I assume most of you can’t really work with that. The music makes up for it though, so if you need some hi-fi Nu-disco beats to study/groove to, give L’Imperatrice a shot.

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New Album Review

New Album Review: Changing Colours

ALBUM: “Changing Colours” by Babe Rainbow

RELEASE YEAR: 2021

LABEL: Eureka Music

RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: “New Zealand Spinach,” “Rainbow Rock” and “The Wind”

FCC: Clean

In the sea of Australian psychedelic rock bands, Babe Rainbow will always stand out to me as the most dreamy. You may recognize their hit song “Peach Blossom Boogie,” a track that testifies to their talent in surfy doo-wop type music. However, their newest album, “Changing Colours,” has a nice range to it. It’s obvious that they are just beginning to branch out from their classic sound.

“Changing Colours” is the sunny beach rockers’ fourth album. Just by listening to this release alone, it’s clear to see where they get their inspiration: nature, weed and surfing. Hailing from Byron Bay, the foursome is known for their signature dream-like melodies. Though their membership has changed considerably since the band’s start in 2014, they’ve stayed relatively true to this style.

But it seems like Babe Rainbow is dipping their toe into the pool of possibilities. Their popular single “Imagination,” which is included on this album, features Jaden Smith. A definite stretch away from the band’s usual rhythm, if you ask me. This particular track, which appears to be inspired by “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” does have that signature relaxing tone, but Jaden’s spoken word takes it to new levels.

Speaking of the early ’70s, listening to both “California” and “New Zealand Spinach” feels like being transported back to that glorious musical era, especially in the latter. Guitarist Jack Crowther takes on a twangier sound, creating sounds reminiscent of Woodstock. Meanwhile, “Ready for Tomorrow” and “Rainbow” Rock” stray into the funk realm, providing a glimpse into just how upbeat these mellow hippies can be.

Though “Changing Colours” is a great album, you can sense the shift the band is going through. The last song, “Different Stages of Life,” confirms this. It’s nice to see a new voice from them, but it feels like they’re fighting against it in an attempt to preserve their loyal, serene fanbase.

Babe Rainbow, I say just go for it.