folklore by Taylor Swift - ALBUM REVIEW

 

I always felt like the Taylor Swift story would end up here eventually. Here we are, eighth album in, and Taylor Swift has finally decided she doesn't need chart success anymore. And as a result, she delivers one of her best albums to date, which goes #1 anyway. Streaming really has taken over, and if albums like these get commercial recognition as a result, I'm all for it.

Folklore finally showcases a grown-up Taylor Swift, one that is able to carry the weight of crushing emotion for an entire album. This is an album of experience, one that takes all the baggage that came with Taylor Swift's success and presents a mature, yet world-weary, outlook on who she has become. That's evident through the musical style alone, where she ditches the glitz and glamour of her most recent albums, sheds the innocent face of her earlier work, and cuts right through the facade to deliver a well-written, emotionally raw indie folk record. I certainly have favourites on this album, but I won't deny that every song on here sounds gorgeous. Listening to this album puts me in a serene mood, walking through a forest, or a quiet night on a usually busy downtown street. Such an amazing comedown from her previous few albums, especially the last one.

If this is the Taylor Swift we get from now on, one that isn't trying to chase dated trends or capitalize on a garish media-painted image, I'm all for it. This album is masterful.

9/10

Best Tracks: "the last great american dynasty", "august", "this is me trying", "illicit affairs", "mad woman", "betty"

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? by Billie Eilish - ALBUM REVIEW

 

Billie Eilish really comes into her own with this album, fully tapping into that weird and wonderful personality she exudes in her music. You only need look at the cover of this album to understand what you're getting into. Is it a perfect experience? Well... almost. (We'll get to it.) But I feel confident in saying that if you like your pop music a little weird, but also sincere, you can't go wrong listening to this album.

What I find most remarkable about this album is how cohesive it is despite half the songs containing some kind of joke or ironic self-awareness about them, while the other half could be described as ballads. It's two extremes in one album, and yet it all comes together because Billie Eilish (and her brother) are masters at lyricism. Every song tells such a captivating story with the most minute details exaggerated to convey just the right level of terror or heartbreak. It's what turns a song like "i love you" from being a simple ballad to being a masterclass in writing and performance.

Speaking of performance, Billie deserves a lot of credit for breathing these songs to life. All the great lyrics in the world are fine, but it's just written poetry if you don't have an appropriate medium to deliver them. Thankfully, Billie's eccentric vocal delivery combined with Finneas' wonky production give these songs exactly the stage that they need. Almost all of them work near-perfectly, minus... one.

"8" is the black sheep of this album. I guess it's not terrible, but the one decision they made to manipulate Billie's vocals to sound like a little kid is a bit too jarring, even for this album. The album is filled with decidedly unpleasant noises like overproduced buzzing, but they seem to work in the context of the album. "8" sticks out like a sore thumb, and I kinda wish it was left off, because it keeps this album from being perfect. But other than that, this album is perfect. It's the perfect full-length debut from Billie to really introduce her to the mainstream, and it's full of great moments that keep me wanting to listen over and over again.

9/10

Best Tracks: "bad guy", "xanny", "you should see me in a crown", "when the party's over", "ilomilo", "i love you"

Top Tensday - Billboard Hot 100 Review: August 22, 2020

 Well, we all saw this, didn't we? WAP at #1. That's some wonderful ass positioning on the charts right now. Obviously this pushes everything else back, save for "Blinding Lights" which the radio just will not let go. For good reason, I might add!

Oh, and Lewis Capaldi re-enters the Top 10. We can stop this experiment any time now, folks.

Predictions:

That new Drake song, as all new Drakes songs are, is pretty much poised for a Top 10 positioning, possibly as high as #2? Yeah, I don't think it's beating out the juggernaut known as "WAP". Beyond that "Mood Swings" by Pop Smoke is quietly gaining traction and could make a run for the Top 10 next week. Everything else looks relatively steady, but if "Mood Swings" does break through, it would be nice to knock out some of the shit-awful songs in the Top 10 right now.

Plastic Beach by Gorillaz - ALBUM REVIEW

 

Hard to believe this was released over ten years ago. I am getting old indeed.

Gorillaz are a truly unique band, in that their personas consist solely of animated characters. They blend the lines of many genres between alternative rock, pop, hip hop, and much more. They are a refreshing, always exciting presence in the music world. And Plastic Beach is no exception.

One of the things that strikes me about Gorillaz is the level of craftsmanship put into each album. I've always said that good albums should feel like experiences, rather than a bunch of songs thrown together. Plastic Beach feels like a cool summer night, actually perfect to listen to during the summer. It's like the headlining performance of an electronica concert. There are a lot of guest artists on this album, but none of them feel forced in; each one makes a great addition, from Snoop Dogg's smooth delivery on "Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach" to Bobby Womack's soulful performance on "Cloud of Unknowing". It's a near-perfect album, with only a few songs that don't do it for me as much. But the majority of them hit hard. Love Gorillaz, love this album.

9/10

Best Tracks: "Stylo" (ft. Mos Def and Bobby Womack), "Superfast Jellyfish" (ft. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul), "Empire Ants" (ft. Little Dragon), "Some Kind of Nature" (ft. Lou Reed), "On Melancholy Hill", "Cloud of Unknowing" (ft. Bobby Womack and Sinfonia VIVA)

Top Tensday - Billboard Hot 100 Review: August 15, 2020

 Sorry guys I missed the last two weeks for pretty much no reason but I'm back! And hoo boy, the charts have changed. Luckily, all the predictions I made in my heaqd were correct, so we don't need to mull over that. Cool? Cool.

"Watermelon Sugar" at #1! That's nice to see a more summery song take the top spot, though "ROCKSTAR" kind of matches the mood better for this summer. New Billie Eilish,  which I haven't heard yet but will try to peep soon. And Chris Brown is here. Yep. In 2020.

Predictions:

Expecting a big debut for "WAP" next week, certainly top 10, but could it have the momentum to go all the way to the top? If it does, "Watermelon Sugar" and most of the other songs probably won't fall too far. We can only hope the opposite is true for Chris Brown, though.