Album Reviews: November 2014 Week 4

Queens Of The Stone Age - "...Like Clockwork" - 2013

I put off really listening to this album for a long while after it was released. The songs I did hear through other people and the ones that popped up on shuffle didn't do anything to make me think this would be great, but i've been such a big fan of this group in the past, I feel like I owe it to myself to give this album a real shot. I honestly don't know where my reluctance to listen to this even came from. I like their last album and I like Them Crooked Vultures. This album is still definitely a great rock album, even if it is much softer in nature than their previous releases. I actually think Josh Homme's voice sounds pretty decent on these more ballady songs. This is a great album to just kick back and relax to. You won't get bored and you won't get irritated, but it won't blow your mind either. Sometimes that's the exact mood i'm in and this is about as solid as a rock album could be, in that respect. Check out the videos for "Smooth Sailing", "I Appear Missing", "Kalopsia" (the video is only for half of the song for some reason), "Keep Your Eyes Peeled", "If I Had A Tail", and "My God Is The Sun". Also check out "...Like Clockwork" and "Fair Weather Friends". You can purchase the album here.

The Acacia Strain - "Coma Witch" - 2014

I was pleasantly surprised by the new Acacia Strain album, their 7th to date. Their style is labelled as deathcore/metalcore. I just look at it as some hard ass shit to get pumped up to. Some aspects of this album remind me of Hatebreed, but this band has a lot more versatility and is less one-dimensional about it. I definitely like this better than their previous LP from 2012, and time will tell, but right now i'm thinking this might be their best album so far. Just some really hard hitting metal, very tightly produced. Brutal, yet catchy. It's interesting that they attempted some sort of epic album closer than clocks in at 27+ minutes. I thought for sure there must be a hidden track when I first saw the song lengths, but no, there's music on the whole track. It's just kind of unnecessary, but not entirely awful either. It's about the only aspect of this album that isn't damn near flawless. Check out the videos for "Cauterizer" and "Nailgun". Also check out "Send Help", "Delusionalisphere", "Holy Walls Of The Vatican", and "Graveyard Shift". You can purchase this album here.

DJ Quik - "The Midnight Life" - 2014

On this new album, (his 9th solo album, damn!), DJ Quik is pretty much staying on par with all of his other post- "Balance & Options" albums, by being just tight enough to make it a cool album, but it seems like a lot of the magic from his first 5 albums is still missing. This is still light years ahead of the average rap release in 2014, but Quik set such a high bar of quality for himself previously, that it's basically impossible for him to keep up that level of dopeness. It happens to a lot of artists who release classic albums early in their career. His production is sounding smooth and crisp as ever, and he really hasn't changed on the mic either. An interesting aspect of this album, is that he has his son, named David Blake II, accompanying him on vocals on many songs. He's not bad on the mic either. It's cool to get the multi-generational aspects they got going on here. It adds a new element to Quik's formula. I also like how there's a couple actual R&B tracks on here, where Quik takes a backseat and just plays the producer role, and let's a guest have a shot over one of his beats. Of course, there's also another installment of the jazz-influenced, Quik's Groove series as well, making this a fairly versatile LP for how straightforward it actually is.  This is a must-have for long-time fans, but it's not going to blow you away either. Check out the videos for "Pet Sematary" and "Life Jacket" (featuring Suga Free & Dom Kennedy). (unfortunately, one of the cornier tracks on the album). Also check out "That Getter" (featuring David Blake II), "Shine" (featuring David Blake II), "Why Did You Have To Lie" (featuring Joi), and "Broken Down" (featuring Suga Free & Tweed Cadillac). It looks like his preferred method of purchase is iTunes.

Beck - "Morning Phase" - 2014

I will keep this review short and sweet. This album is for people who really enjoyed the "Sea Changes" album. For people like me, who consider that album, while technically sound, somewhat boring, this is another release in that same vein. It makes for nice, mellow background music, but it's never going to actually get me psyched about it. Check out the video for "Heart Is A Drum". Also check out "Waking Light", "Wave", "Blackbird Chain", "Don't Let It Go", and "Country Down". You can purchase this album here.

Mr. Oizo - "The Church" - 2014

As anyone that follows this blog, or has hung out with me within the last 5 years can attest, I listen to Mr. Oizo A LOT. I'd say he's my favorite artist from within that timeframe. This marks his first album released on Flying Lotus' BrainFeeder Records, and almost too predictably, I think this one is amazing too. Easy contender for album of the year for me. He brings just enough new ingredients to his familiar equation each time around to keep my ears piqued and my feet dancing. It doesn't get much better than this for me. Check out this mildly disturbing video for "Ham", starring John C. Reilly. Also check out "Bear Biscuit", "Memorex", "Torero", "Mass Doom", and "Machyne". You can purchase this album here.

(the aGitator) - "Music For Sensitive Teeth" - 2014

Dafydd McKaharay (main artist name: Nattymari, although he has about as many aliases as Madlib) is somewhat of an underground legend within certain circles, and i'm grateful to have discovered him when I did. His vast knowledge of underground music history (music history in general, but especially the avant-garde and truly progressive, groundbreaking stuff) is inspiring. It's always nice to know that no matter how deep I get, there's always someone out there that goes WAY deeper. Here is an article that goes in depth about his background and philosophies, and obviously talks about his own musical output as well. Being that I have sensitive teeth right now, I figured now was as good a time as any to check this particular release out, and I can attest, the vibrations from some of these songs are felt deeply in the sensitive teeth, like an audio drill. Very woozy, droney, and distorted, I really enjoy the gloomy yet still chaotic vibes on this one. It makes me feel like everything is melting. Checking out one of his releases will send you down a rabbit hole of sounds, if you are at all attracted to the more weird and uncharted territories of the music world. You can download and listen to this album here.

Nattymari vs. Curt Crackrach - "Ladies Love Roses" - 2013

This time around he's combining 2 of his aliases for one EP release. I would say this is a little more "normal" than i'm used to hearing from him, but that's a relative term. These are some cool, low-budget sounding beats that seem to sound good no matter what mood i'm in. There's lots of little weird intricacies in the background that you only notice sometimes, which makes for an adventurous listen. You can download or listen to this here.

Aphex Twin - "Syro" - 2014

So, the new Aphex Twin album is finally here, and I really really hate to say it, but i'm a bit disappointed. This album plays out similar to how a greatest hits album would for him. Like, almost literally. There's a few tracks on here that are strikingly similar to previous ones he's already released. Like he's just going through the motions, like "here you go world, this is what you fucking want, a new fucking album". Having said all that, it's still Aphex Twin, which means it's still good. It's just not progressive like all of his previous stuff was. This is his treading water, show me the money album, and that being said, it's pretty amazing that this album is good at all, considering most people's albums of this nature are horrible horseshit that you listen to once and never revisit again. I will definitely come back to these songs again and again, they just don't thrill me in the same way a lot of his previous songs did. I was saying a similar thing to someone recently about El-P and Run The Jewels, and how, I still enjoy that stuff a lot, but El-P's newer music doesn't THRILL me like his older stuff did. He's found a pleasant comfort zone and is unwilling to leave it, and that's exactly where i'd place Aphex Twin as well. You can purchase the album here. There's too many bunk links for his songs out there, that aren't the actual songs, so i'll leave you to your own devices for listening to this one.