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

Album Review: I’ve Seen All I Need to See

An album cover featuring macabre imagery

New harsh noise music is hard to come by, and it’s even harder to find noise that’s worth your time, but praise be, The Body have come through. The Providence, Rhode Island duo have been minor celebrities in noise and metal communities for a while, and they have moved through numerous styles in the nearly 20 years since their debut. Their 2016 album No One Deserves Happiness, is a favorite of mine for its absolutely bonkers incorporation of dance and art-pop elements into their barren hellscape of a sound, and genre enthusiasts assure me that some of their metal-oriented stuff is good as well, though I personally don’t care for it.

This new album, however, is something altogether more primal and terrifying. Going back to power electronic basics is kind of the noise artist equivalent of an indie rock band putting out a folk album, or of Taylor Swift releasing an indie project, and accordingly, these albums usually get listened to by a handful of fans before moving on to the next major release. I’ve Seen All I Need to See breaks this mold, taking a cold, unpleasant sound palate and deepening it into a genuinely moving experience. There aren’t bombastic highs, like on some of their albums, and there aren’t really dredging lows either, instead, the album asks you to just sit with for an hour or so and take it in. Slowly, the rough grimy exterior slips into something melancholic and wistful. Distorted synth tones feel almost melodic and the distance scream becomes a gentle descant. For a genre with an all too limited range, this album is awfully subtle, and you could attach a host of different emotions to it. Anger, loneliness, even something more uplifting, the choice is yours.

This album won’t be for everyone, noise music is an acquired taste at the best of times, usually because of its abrasion, but in this case more because of the slow burn, instrumental feel. However, if you like noise, ambient, drone, or even more lowkey metal artists like Sun O))) I’d recommend this release, there’s a reward for your patience down in there somewhere.

ALBUM: “I’ve Seen All I Needed to See” by The Body

RELEASE YEAR: 2021

LABEL: Trill Jockey

RATING: 7/10

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New Album Review

New Single Review: Cannibal Corpse – Inhumane Harvest (2021)

Violence Unimagined Album Cover

THIS IS NOT A DRILL; I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL!!! CANNIBAL CORPSE RELEASED A NEW SINGLE AND ANNOUNCED THEIR NEW ALBUM!!! 

Okay, now that I got that out of my system, let’s talk about this new Cannibal Corpse single, “Inhumane Harvest.” This song was released on February 2nd and this was honestly the best way to start the month. This song embodies everything that I love about Cannibal Corpse; crunchy riffs, deep growls, and technical drumming paired along with it. 

Bassist Alex Weber says that Cannibal Corpse’s new album, “Violence Unimagined” was approached in the same writing style similar to their previous records. The band tries to make each song they write, the heaviest, most memorable songs that they can come up with. He also says that the band wants each song to have its own character. In other words, the band wants the listeners to be able to listen to the song, easily recognizing what song it is. This rings true because out of all the Cannibal Corpse songs that I know, I can name the song just by the opening riff. I think this talent is credited to Cannibal Corpse and how they create their songs, but also because I am a metal freak. 

Cannibal Corpse’s new album, “Violence Unimagined” is set to release on April 16th via Metal Blade Records. Do you see how brutal their album cover is for this album (see above)? That just means the album is going to be even more brutal and I cannot wait to hear what this album sounds like. 

Track List: 

01: “Murderous Rampage”

02: “Necrogenic Resurrection” 

03: “Inhumane Harvest”

04: “Condemnation Contagion”

05: “Surrounded, Kill, Devour” 

06: “Ritual Annihilation”

07: “Follow The Blood”

08: “Bound And Burned”

09: “Slowly Sawn”

10: “Overtorture” 

11: “Cerements Of The Flayed” 

Stay Metal, 

THE SAW 

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New Album Review

Sound Ancestors Album Review

Madlib - Sound Ancestors

Written by Miranda

The new Madlib album is something entirely new. Sound Ancestors has more than creative depth; it breaks the boundaries of what a traditional album is. Madlib is a DJ, producer, and occasional rapper most known for his production for albums with MF DOOM, J Dilla, and Freddie Gibbs. Madlib also worked with Kanye West, producing West’s 2016 single “No More Parties in L.A..” His former solo albums have typically been released as the instrumental version of his collaboration projects, but this album the creative project of Madlib. No rapper collaborations or narratives are present, though Madlib received help arranging and editing the album into its final product bu producer Four Tet. 

The album maintains a dynamic between elements of simple production and nostalgic samples. The track “Two for 2 – For Dilla” is a tribute song created for Madlib’s former collaboration partner, J Dilla who passed away in 2006. Throughout the different tracks, this one is the most serious. It also gives an homage to J Dilla through its similar style, bringing nostalgia to any fan of his work. The rest of the album has similar nature but is a bit more playful. It calls attention to the best parts of the songs it samples and breathes new life into them through fantastic drum beats, bass, and a mix of piano and guitar. My current favorite and greatest recommendation to listeners is “Road Of The Lonely Ones” – which I featured on this week’s Friday Favorites as one of the best new songs. I definitely recommend listening to this album while relaxing, doing homework, or any creative activities. This instrumental-laden album is sure to capture your attention and get your brainwaves and creativity flowing.  

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New Album Review

Gatecreeper – An Unexpected Reality (2021)

Gatecreeper An Unexpected Reality

Gatecreeper is a Death Metal band out of Arizona that quickly became one of my favorites. They formed in 2013, so they have done a lot of work in a relatively short amount of time. I would categorize the band as Death/Doom Metal, for the most part, with hook-riffs and some vocal components of Grindcore/Hardcore.  

They are signed with Relapse Records, on which they’ve released two full length records: Sonoran Depravation(2016) and Deserted (2019). This year (2021) they surprised us with an EP release, An Unexpected Reality, on Closed Casket Activities. 

Gatecreeper is:

Chase “Hellahammer” Mason – vocals

Eric “The Dark Cowboy” Wagner – guitars 

Sean “Hell Mammoth” Mears – bass

Matt “Thunder Rage” Arrebollo – drums

Israel Garza – guitars 

An Unexpected Reality is a banger, where the first seven songs are heavily influenced by the Grindcore and Hardcore genres, connected together by feedback, to seem as though they’re one song; and the last song, “Emptiness,” stands alone, completely different from the first, in a dark, doomy Death Metal posture. The first seven are 6:45 in length, combined; while, the last song is 11:06 on its own. This record is full of great riffs and powerful vocals, regardless of the style of any song. I love it!

Tracks:

Starved – 1:03

Sick of Being Sober – :58

Rusted Gold – :56

Imposter Syndrome – 1:07

Amputation – :31

Depraved Not Deprived – 1:11

Superspreader – :59

Emptiness – 11:06 

Favorite Songs: The first seven, and Emptiness! LOL  

Rating: 9/10!! 

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Band/Artist Profile Classic Album Review Miscellaneous New Album Review

Who Are The Burkharts?

Who are the burkharts?

Who are the Burkharts? The Burkharts are a new band that sounds like an old style of 50s doo-wop beach music. With angelic background harmonies, a fast drum beat, and a light bit of guitar, this band seems to mimic almost everything the Beach Boys stood for. However, that’s not to say that the Burkharts are a carbon copy of them. 

The Burkharts started in Buffalo, NY around two years ago. They have described themselves as not too sleepy, not too spicy. I honestly couldn’t put it any better than that. Their music keeps you engaged, but it’s not too overwhelming. It’s the kind of music I could do homework to or listen to while I walk around a park on a Sunday afternoon. Right now they only have two EP’s and a few singles out, but my favorite songs are “Our Rockaway,” “Pretty Words,” “Oh, Dreamer,” and “Flower City Nights.” Their second EP contains the latter two of my favorites and has more of an indie feel to it than their most recent EP, however you can still hear their trademark old-beachy-sound. 

Hope you guys enjoy the tunes, 
-The DJ Formerly Known as Chippypants

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New Album Review

Heaux Tales Review

Written By Miranda

My favorites: Lost One, Girl Like Me, Bodies – Intro 

Listen if you like: SZA, Summer Walker, H.E.R., Jorja Smith

Jazmine Sullivan, typically most well-known for her hit 2008 single “Bust Your Windows” has again created new music worthy of our attention. Since her 2008 “Fearless” which earned her seven Grammy nominations, Sullivan has only released two full-length projects before “Heaux Tales.” However, she has performed many notorious features with artists such as Goldlink and Bryson Tiller. “Heaux Tales” has quickly risen to the top of R&B charts – for good reason. 

“Heaux Tales” perfectly encapsulates all the talents Sullivan offers: versatility, depth, and realness. Sullivan’s purpose? Portraying “today’s women standing in their power and owning who they are.” She delves into relationship issues, love, and sex while utilizing the stories of other women as anecdotal tracks throughout. Sullivan navigates these topics with care and honesty, making each track delectably real and showing off the conflicts brought about by being a woman in the 2020’s. Sullivan’s “Heaux Tales” contains a mixture of catchy rhythms with Sullivan’s velvety vocals. She also features several artists which complement her style well including Anderson .Paak and H.E.R.. The album features prior-released singles, “Lost One” and “Pick Up Your Feelings,” released in 2020; and released in 2021, “Girl Like Me (feat. H.E.R.)”. The most popular song from the album currently is “Pick Up Your Feelings.” This song is catchy and playful, but meaningful. Sullivan discusses getting cheated on and how she “doesn’t need it” and deserves better. I know that’s true. “Lost One” is emotional and raw. Sullivan reflects on losing a good relationship: “And if it’s too late, I understand/Sometimes it’s too late to make amends.” Another notable track is the last one on the album, “Girl Like Me” which features vocals from R&B artist H.E.R.. The song follows a woman after a breakup rejected by her lover. The vocals include soft, beautiful harmonies; Sullivan and H.E.R. play off of each other’s energies beautifully. 

I highly recommend giving this album a listen, especially the three pre-released tracks which showcase the versatility that makes Jazmine Sullivan so appealing as an artist. I predict Sullivan to rise to ranks of other female R&B artists like SZA and Jorja Smith in the coming year. 

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Classic Album Review Miscellaneous Music Education New Album Review

Whole Lotta Leaks

WLR Album Art
Album Art credit to "arbitopi"

Well, it finally happened. After years of anticipation, memes, and leaks, the long-awaited album “Whole Lotta Red” finally dropped on Christmas morning. Playboi Carti had declared himself as Santa and donned a red appearance to match the theme of the album. However, and I say this as a true Playboi Carti fan, it turned out to be a whole lotta hype for a whole lotta garbage. Don’t get me wrong, there were definitely some good songs in there. “Place” was a classic throwback to the synth-style of Carti’s music and “Go2DaMoon” sent me to Pluto. But for the most part, the album was an evolution to a new style of rap that hasn’t entirely taken hold yet. Instead of sticking to his beloved dream-like style of music found in his first album, Carti is slowly transitioning to a more grunge, pop style of rap found in songs like “Poke It Out” in Die Lit. 

One of the most asked questions from fans concerning “Whole Lotta Red” is why none of the dozens of leaked songs were found on the album. To be honest, I feel like if Carti made an album entirely out of leaks it would have blown up. However, leaks such as “Kid Cudi” and “No Lie,” for as good as they may be, hinder Carti’s ability to actually release the songs. When a song is leaked by a fan it goes against how a rapper’s label may have intended to release the song. If it doesn’t gain enough popularity fast enough or in the right way, it may never release. So while it may be possible that some leaks could have been on WLR, since they were leaked they never made it on the album. 

Although the album wasn’t for everybody, it still had some pretty good songs on there and the new direction of Carti’s music warms up to you after a few listens. Hopefully fans are still willing to stick with him in the future and hopefully we can see less leaks and more legitimate songs. 

-The DJ Formerly Known as Chippypants 

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New Album Review

Album Review: Man On the Moon III: The Chosen by Kid Cudi

Album art for Man On the Moon III: The Chosen by Kid Cudi
Album art for Man On the Moon III: The Chosen by Kid Cudi

ALBUM: “Man On The Moon III: The Chosen by Kid Cudi”

RELEASE YEAR: 2020

LABEL: Republic Records

BEST TRACKS: “Tequila Shots,” “Dive,” “Heaven On Earth,” “Show Out,” “Solo Dolo, Pt. III”

FCC: Every Track

Since hitting the mainstream more than 10 years ago, Scott Mescudi has become something of a legend in the hip-hop scene. “Day ‘N’ Nite” was Kid Cudi’s first success and is still racking up streams to this day. That was in 2008, when he started the Man On The Moon trilogy.

12 years and several albums later, Kid Cudi has just released the finale to the Man On the Moon trilogy: The Chosen. It’s clear he’s still fighting the same demons he was on The End of Day, as the album is no stranger to themes of isolation, depression, and despair. Also like its predecessors, the final track “Lord I Know” serves as a triumphant denouement for our hero. After the intro track, “Tequila Shots” is the first taste of what the album has to offer, and its woozy synths and catchy chorus are the perfect appetizer. “Heaven On Earth” is the first act’s climax and finds Cudi in full Rager mode, backed by tinny synthesizers and a growline bassline.

Kid Cudi has always been renowned for his emotional vulnerability and willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve, not to mention his therapeutic singing voice. Man On The Moon III stays true to all of these accolades and gives us an updated insight into the mind of Kid Cudi. If you are a fan of hip-hop music, I recommend you give The Chosen a listen.

– DJ Mango

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New Album Review

Album Review: The Lo-Fis – Steve Lacy

The Lo-Fis Album Cover

ALBUM: “The Lo-Fis” by Steve Lacy

RELEASE YEAR: 2020

LABEL: L-M Records

RATING: 8/10

BEST TRACKS: “Infunami,” “When I,” “I Think I Should” and “Uuuu”

FCC: Explicit

Steve Lacy has returned! “The Lo-Fis” is his second full studio album, excluding his first EP “Steve Lacy’s Demo.” If you’re a die-hard Steve Lacy fan, it’s likely that you’ve heard most of “The Lo-Fis” already. Similar to his other releases, it’s filled with the indie-funk vibe that Steve is best known for. However, unlike his previous work, it is comprised solely of beats and songs he wrote in high school and released on SoundCloud.

The album is heavy with his signature falsetto, funky bass lines, and borderline mournful guitar strums. While Steve definitely showed off his hopeless romantic side in “The Lo-Fis,” he pursued other themes in his lyrics as well, such as personal growth in “That’s No Fun.”

To me, what stands out most about this album is how Steve explores instrumentals. In contrast to his previous work, these tracks feel almost like bits and pieces of songs rather than complete works; there are only a handful that have full bridges, choruses, and verses. Each song, though they’re all under three minutes, is completely different from the one before. I love how Steve flips back and forth between raw instrumentals, like in “I Think I Should,” to heavily processed and layered tracks like “Hummer.” It’s a quick album, full of surprises and beat switches, but it works as a whole unit very nicely despite its general lack of traditional songs. I know that all of this can be attributed to the fact that “The Lo-Fis” is more of a compilation rather than an intentional studio album, but I enjoy that it fits together so well.

Give it a listen!

– DJ Butter

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New Album Review

Cecile Believe- “Plucking a Cherry from the Void” Album Review

ALBUM: “Plucking a Cherry from the Void” by Cecile Believe

RELEASE YEAR: 2020

RATING: 9/10

BEST TRACKS: “Stay Open,” “Living My Life Over (Extreme Vocal Edit” and “Bitch Bites Dog”

FCC: Explicit

It feels like it was only a couple days ago when Cecile Believe dropped her first album “Made in Heaven” in May (you can read my album review here 🙂 ). And now she has blessed us yet again with another EP- “Plucking a Cherry from the Void.” The EP cover is really what drew me in– the glitter nails and tiny cherry are SO cute!! 

Speaking of “Made in Heaven,” Believe takes one of my favorites from the album and transforms it into the 5th song on “Plucking a Cherry from the Void”– “Living my Life Over (Extreme Vocal Edit).” I didn’t think the song could get any better, but I was wrong!! I actually find myself listening to the Extreme Vocal Edit way more than the original version. This along with “Stay Open” and “Bitch Bites Dog” have to be my favorites. 

“Bitch Bites Dog” reminds me a bit of Rina Sawayama. It’s very pop, but also kind of hard? Plus, there’s an incredible classical music interlude towards the end of the song, that contrasts the rest of the song beautifully. If we could go to the club, this would be playing. 

“Stay Open” on the other hand, is much more calm and more reminiscent of “Made in Heaven.” It reminds me a bit of Magdalena Bay and Caroline Polachek. It’s sooo pretty and just makes you wanna bob your head– the perfect song to drive to. This song has to be my favorite off the album <3 

I hope you give “Plucking a Cherry from the Void” a listen and love it as much as I do. 

Xoxo 

-Gab