ALBUM REVIEW: Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide)

He's back! Divide (÷), is the long awaited third studio album released by Ed Sheeran. After a year-long hiatus Ed has returned with another album filled with every genre you could possibly imagine. Each song is melodically driven with impressive vocals and instrumental arrangements. I just finished listening to the deluxe version of the album from beginning to end, and I will go through song by song with my initial opinions. Going into this review I do want to disclose that Ed Sheeran is one of my all time favorite artists and he could probably convince me to buy an album of his that was just hours of white noise with the occasional guitar strum. With that being said, and to sum this introduction up, this may be my least favorite album of his BUT IT'S STILL VERY GOOD. Let me get into it...

1) Eraser 
5/5
Alright. Starting off with a bang. This is by far my favorite song on the album. The SB.TV version of this song drew me right in a couple days before the album was released as a sort-of-Ed-Sheeran-style of spoken word (think The Streets) that is my ultimate favorite. The album version adds more production to the live version with a driving beat in the background but it still provides the same story and feeling. Lyrically, this song is wonderful. This is not one of Ed Sheeran's classic love songs that he has come to be known for, but more of an intense story of the torments of drug use. 

2) Castle on the Hill 
5/5
One of the first two singles released off Divide earlier this year, this was a triumphant return for Ed. It's a driving pop song that gets caught in your head and also has a compelling story that goes along with it. What more could you want? I enjoy this song a lot, and can seeing this being the opening song in his live shows. It will be fantastic live and you can't help but sing along. The powerful vocals are the cherry on top of this amazingly written song.

3) Dive 
4/5
And here we are...a sexy blues-y love song. It's very good and his voice sounds absolutely fantastic with the perfect amount of grit. While I honestly really do love this song, but I feel like I've heard it before. That is its only fault...the sense that it's nothing truly unique. But hey, that's not necessarily a terrible thing, just something I noticed.

4) Shape of You 
5/5

When this song was released on Snapchat as a little 10 second snippet, I wasn't sold. Now, I love it. Once I heard the full version I was hooked. Unfortunately, the top 40 radio stations were also hooked and you can't go more that 10 minutes without hearing this song somewhere in your vicinity. Good for you, Ed. But I'm trying to avoid it as to not get sick of it like I did with Thinking Out Loud.

5) Perfect 
2/5
I had to re-listen to this song before writing this review since I honestly couldn't remember it. It's...a love song. It's sweet. It's cute. It's everything you would want in a slow love song. Get ready to hear this at every wedding you're invited to for the foreseeable future. I don't know. It's nice. I can't think of anything else to say. I don't dare call it generic...but it's sort-of generic.

6) Galway Girl 
4/5

So here we have a combination of hip-hop-ish-vibes and Irish folk music? Alright. You sold me. I'm here for it. This is going to get stuck in your head and it's definitely going to be fantastic live. For all those shows in Ireland...get ready. The only fault I have is a little bit of a problem with the production of this song where it feels sort of inauthentic, or maybe something "off" with the drum track, but it's nothing too bothersome. 

7) Happier 
3/5

Not so much a classic love song...but a yearning type of love song. I like the story of this song and really can feel the emotion behind the lyrics. Again, like with all of these, the vocals are spot on. This one is fairly memorable, but I can't picture this as a stand-alone song. The overall feeling is very cinematic and I can imagine seeing this as the backing for a film.

8) New Man 
4/5
Ok, so this song is fun. The lyrics are extremely relatable and hilarious, and the chorus is beyond catchy. I can't take it too seriously, but that's sort of the point. And that wikiwiki-record scratching at the end is great.

9) Hearts Don't Break Around Here 
3/5

Another love song. This one is better than Perfect in my opinion because it's slightly more interesting, melodically. But it's still a love song, and I have a hard time telling the difference between this and so many others. Maybe that's a personal problem though and I shouldn't fault Ed on it. Maybe it's actually really amazing and like nothing anyone has ever heard before. I'm not a professional music critic though and these are literally just my first impressions. Oh great, now I'm having an identity crisis in my review. Moving on...

10) What Do I Know? 
3/5

I completely forgot this song, also, after the first listen. It's a catchy bouncy acoustic song but...there's not much here. It's fine for bopping around, but I can't see myself wanting to listen to this over and over again. And now that I'm sitting here listening to it for the third time in a row I'm contemplating ripping my hair out. Yep. This is good for a listen every once in a while.

11) How Would You Feel (Paean) 
3/5

Oh look! Another love song! Didn't we hear this one already? No? Ok, well this one I like a little more. Or do I? I can't tell. I think I do. I feel like I'm at a wedding again. Yes, this one is slightly better. I feel like singing along a little bit and that's a good thing.

12) Supermarket Flowers 
5/5
This gets a perfect score for the sheer emotion and story behind it. It's an absolutely lovely tribute to his grandmother and it can resonate with anyone who has lost loved ones. Well done.

13) Barcelona 
3/5

Do you remember the Lizzie McGuire movie? They go to Rome and hang out and ride Vespas and Paolo is there and then Lizzie impersonates a pop star? Well, this song would be perfect for the nonexistent sequel of that movie where they do the same exact thing, but in Barcelona. Just picture a camera shot of Lizzie riding a Vespa around with Gordo around La Sagrada Familia and shopping in Las Ramblas. It's an upbeat love song that will get stuck in your head.

14) Bibia Be Ye Ye 
5/5

I'm giving this 5/5 just because it's fun as hell and it's something completely new and different for Ed. Taking inspiration from Ed's time in Ghana this song is a great combination of classic Ed Sheeran lyrics and a really fun Ghanian rhythm. 

15) Nancy Mulligan 
4/5

I really like this story of the Sheeran family history. It's written in Irish folk song style and I just really love that he is bringing this type of music into the pop music world. It's wonderful to hear all these influences in this, and other songs on this album, that one may not normally hear in such a commercially successful release. Update: When I woke up this morning, this song was completely stuck in my head over all the other songs I listened to.

16) Save Myself 
5/5

It's not a love song! It's a heart-rending song, but not a love song! WooHoo! I really enjoy this. It's a deeply emotional song with a powerful message that will resonate with many people. There's not much else to say here other than it's lovely. I think this is the gem of the tracks that are included on the deluxe edition

In summary, we have a great album that will do amazingly well in the charts. In my personal opinion, and one that really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, it's not my favorite. There's something about the production of this album that just feels...incomplete. I'm not entirely sure how to put into words why I'm not really feeling this album as much as a lot of his previous work, but that's just how I feel (paean). Many people have told me it might just take a while to grow on me...maybe I should give it another chance...but that's just it. I really don't have the urge to listen to any of these songs over and over and over again and give it time to grow on me. I will 100% be going to see him live, because I believe a lot of these songs will translate wonderfully to his unique style of live performance, but the album isn't living up to his usual caliber of music. Maybe I'm wrong (probably). Maybe I'm crazy (definitely). Maybe my opinions will change (possibly). But alas, here we are. It's a great album. I'll leave it at that. Maybe I've put him on too high of a pedestal for too long and I was inevitably bound to not enjoy something. That's totally fine. I'm still here for Ed Sheeran as much as I ever have been. Buy the album...see if you like it. It's worth the listen, that's for sure.

Review by: Carmen Bernu

Random Songs I've Shazam'd

Here is a list of random songs that I've Shazam'd recently. They all peaked my interest in one way or another.  That's it. It doesn't get much deeper than that. I've noticed a trend where I Shazam a lot of weird dance music, think it's good at the time, and then it's not as good when I get home. Anyway, here's the list. This post is mostly to ease myself back into writing about music.

1. My Rights Versus Yours - The New Pornographers
   This song was my JAM when I first started driving. My friend made me a mix CD to listen to me in my new car, and this was on there. So many good memories associated with this song and I completely forgot about it until I heard it on the radio again a couple days ago.
2. Lite Spots - Kaytranada
   Everything about this song makes me want to dance. Such a well produced song from a great album.
3. Casualty - Pional
   Honestly now that I listen to this song again, it's not that great. I'm not sure why this sparked my interest at all. Ignore this.
4. We Gone - Paper Diamond Feat. Shoffy
   Classic lounge-like deep house-ish track. Sounds pretty much like a lot of stuff out there. Gets sort of interesting in the middle but then goes back to being generic. I don't know. It's fine to listen to if you really want to.
5. Critical Mistakes - 888
   After hearing this song it was honestly stuck in my head for hours. VERY catchy. Not sure if I'd want to listen to it for ages, but it's good for now. A good combination of pop-punk and electro synth.
6. Feel Good - Syn Cole
   Wow is this repetitive but wow is it catchy. I've got your summer upbeat dance music right here.

Best EPs of 2014

As I was writing my Best Albums of 2014 post I realized there were a bunch of EPs that came out that I really liked and wanted to share. I couldn't put them in the best album post so I needed to come up with a new list. So I did. Because it's my blog and I do what I want.
Typically releasing an EP means there are bigger things to come from that artist, so I want everyone to keep their eyes peeled (what a gross expression) for all of these people in 2015. I'm so excited for things to come and I have a feeling 2015 is going to be a hard year for my bank account.

5. George Maple - Vacant Space

I remember browsing the Spotify New Music of the Week playlist (which, sidenote, is really awesome and you can really find some gems every Tuesday) and was instantly caught up in George Maple's music. This is right up my alley. She's a mix of soul and electronic? Very vibe-y sexy dark lovely music. The kind of music you can picture listening to in a dark smoky jazz-club place...you know the type...the only lighting is that tiny tealight candle on your table and you stumble over at least 12 people on the way to the bathroom. Again, I'm not the best at describing things so the best thing to do would be to listen for yourself. (iTunes)

4. Vince Staples - Hell Can Wait

This album is killer. I really don't know what else to say. Vince Staples is an insanely good rapper and this album has such good production value from beginning to end. I first heard about Vince Staples from his feature on Earl Sweatshirt's album and his solo album is such a good transition from his featuring stuff. It still has that sort of dark sound that a lot of Odd Future stuff has, but it's his own sound and is something really refreshing I haven't heard before. I swear I've had the song 65 Hunnid stuck in my head since October. (iTunes)

3. To Kill A King - Exit, Pursued by a Bear

Whatever new things To Kill A King are doing is really working for them. It feels like the perfect next step for this group and I'm very excited for their sophomore album (due in 2015). If you don't know To Kill A King, they are sort of a rock/pop group with very distinct vocals from frontman Ralph Pellymounter. Their songs tell great stories and within a single song can go from something incredibly simple and sweet sounding to a really epic and profound sound. They really are masters of building up a song from beginning to end, which also makes for an incredible live show. This EP is an awesome collection of a wide variety of driving songs and I encourage everyone to give it a listen. (iTunes)

2. Charlotte OC - Strange

This EP only has four songs but they are four incredible songs. Talk about great vocals. I'm sort of obsessed with her voice and I can't rave about her sound enough. It's this mix of soulful folky music with like a darker electronic element to it? Very modern 70s? Is that a thing? I honestly have no idea how to even describe this but it's well-worth a listen. Can I just freak out for a minute about how excited I am that she has been announced for SXSW? See you in Austin, Charlotte. (iTunes)

1. Låpsley - Monday (and other things)

Alright. Where do I even begin? Låpsley is by far my favorite artist I have heard in 2014. I can't even express enough how much I love her music. I heard the song Station and then listened to it another hundred times, and still can't get over how good it is. The Monday EP doesn't have Station on it, but I'm just going to basically say that you should download everything that she has ever come out with ever. Have I raved about her music enough? No. Absolutely not. I could talk about it forever. If you like that sort of deep house electronic vibe-tastic sound like I do, this is a must. Her Understudy EP is due out in like...two days...and I must have it. You must have it. We all must have it. (iTunes)

ALBUM REVIEW : Troye Sivan - TRXYE

I'm trying to think of an introduction to this review but it's proving to be very difficult. I honestly don't know much about Troye Sivan other than that he's a YouTuber and is quite popular with the #teenz. So, I suppose this review is coming from a totally unbiased place since I have no connection to Troye and literally just read his Wikipedia page to figure out a bit about him.

Anyway, TRXYE is a 5-song EP filled with electropop goodness. The album has a very consistent and cohesive feeling with a sort of dark pop vibe and a lot of interesting production going on. When I think of "internet people" transitioning into musicians I just automatically assume they are going to be acoustic or some sort of vocal-based singer-songwriter. So when I heard Troye's music I was pleasantly surprised. It's not like that at all. I wholeheartedly believe that electronic music, until quite recently, has been sort of underrepresented in the pop music scene but I can't say that anymore. Troye Sivan has embraced electronic...but not just by adding a beat or a bit of synth, there's some dark electronica in there and it really works. Who produced this? I must know. All of these tracks are screaming to be remixed, so give it a couple weeks...(days)...until the deep house remixes start emerging. I'm waiting.

Now, I'm not going to come in here and say that he's the best singer in the world, because he's not. He has a nice voice but there's not a lot of strength to it. I really don't care though because the music on this EP has more to do with the overall vibe. While I can't see him belting out an anthem anytime soon (maybe he has...again...I don't know anything about him) he has a very relaxing and soft voice on all the tracks which fits well with what he's trying to do.

Happy Little Pill and Touch are definitely my favorites on the album. Actually, now that I think about it, the order of the tracks on the album are also in order of how much I like them. When we get down to Gasoline and The Fault in Our Stars I start feeling a cheesy lyric vibe and I'm not about that. You might be. It's ok. We can like different things. For example, Gasoline has some nice R&B energy that's a little Frank Ocean-y and I can dig that.

You can buy it on iTunes if you want: Link!
Or, like, listen to it online before you buy it because you should be an informed consumer. I don't want to be responsible for you spending money on something you're not into. *fist bump*

ALBUM REVIEW: Ed Sheeran - X (Multiply)

Well, here it is. It's been three extremely long years since + and finally there's something new from Ed Sheeran. Honestly, writing these words feels almost like I'm in a dream. NEW. ALBUM. HERE. NOW. WHAT.

The promotion for this album has been smart and extensive...a radio premiere of the first single 'Sing', entire days of promotion in cities worldwide, festivals, releasing songs at midnight every night leading up to the release of the album, a 90-minute special on MTV. It has all been highly calculated and with the looks of the iTunes charts at the moment, extremely successful. With the curse of the sophomore album looming over, all eyes are on Ed. He's climbing higher and higher and higher with his career and hopefully this album will fit nicely on that path straight up to the top.

I have been plugging my ears this past month, trying to keep a lot of the songs on this album a surprise. I'm a big fan of that "first-listen"...when you sit down, put headphones on, and just submerge into a new album. Being a massive fan of Ed Sheeran, this album deserves my full attention, and I want to experience the album not just a song here and there. With this review, I thought I would do a sort-of initial reaction to the songs, one at a time, and then a more comprehensive review after.
Disclaimer: This is a review done by a fan. There are plenty of reviews done by professional music-type journalist-type professional-type people...all of which I am not...so don't expect anything too extraordinary. And, sidenote, I will definitely keep all my opinions completely unbiased. I may be a fan of Ed, but that doesn't mean I'm going to build a shrine for everything that he puts out.

Overly Detailed Track-By-Track Review:

(scroll to the bottom for an overall reaction/review)

The star ranking is out of 5 possible stars.

1. One

(*****)

The perfect song to open the album with. I mean, besides the fact that it's named "One" and it's track one. Good one, One. ...I'll stop. That raw guitar plucking as the first couple notes of this album is completely necessary. What do we think of when we think of Ed? Guitar. That's him. He's opening this album with something beautiful and heartwarming and quintessentially him. This is the perfect bridge between '+' and 'X'. In terms of the actual song, it's lovely. It starts completely acoustic...just a guitar and a voice, and it builds beautifully without too many extra things (just a little beat and some violin), then fades back to barebones acoustic. It's wonderful. Wonderfully produced and wonderfully written...just...amazing.

2. I'm a Mess

(*****)

I really like this song. This is one of those songs you can listen to in your car with the windows rolled down, wind in the hair, and just drive. It's energetic and basically acoustic for the majority. There is some beat and bass in there but it's minimal and adds to the epic-ness of the song. His voice goes from normal to falsetto to raspy and aggressive within a couple minutes. Huge range of vocal ability here, and also I think a couple guitar strings might be broken when this is performed live. Mark my words, this is going to be insanely good with a loop pedal.

Sidenote: I read some things talking about how they didn't like the autotune used in this song...I didn't hear any autotune. There's some vocal layering and a bit of reverb, but no autotune.

3. Sing

(**)

I listened to this song during the radio release back in April....my initial reaction still stands. I didn't like it when I first heard it, and I still don't particularly like it. All I hear is Justin Timberlake's "Like I Love You" and Britney Spears' "Me Against the Music"...which are great songs, but it just doesn't work for this. It sounds like Pharrell vomited all over it. The heavy breathing in the background and the bongos (?) are what kill it for me. With that being said, seeing it live is totally different. It's a really good song for a concert with a lot of audience interaction and a fun dance-y vibe. So I give it two stars for the recorded version, but maybe 3.5 stars for a live version. Also, I understand completely why he released it for his first single and I thought that was super smart. It got people talking and radios really loved playing it. Kudos for that.

4. Don't

(****)

This is the second song I heard from this album, and it made me so happy. After having a general feeling of disappointment from 'Sing' I heard this and was like "YESSSSSS. THISSSS." (actual quote) This is an amazing song. Rhythmic. Soulful. Bass-y. Lots of wordplay. This is the hip-hop influenced Ed that I was waiting for. So, why four stars instead of five? Editing. Apparently, because of a suggestion from a cab driver and his daughter not being able to listen to it, Ed took out all the explicit lyrics from his album. It doesn't bug me that much, but it sort of does at the same time. I like hearing things the way they were originally intended to be heard. He did a clever thing by adding an inhaling noise as a "fuck" replacement" but still. Can I still be mad about this? I'm still mad about this. I'll get over it...eventually? Maybe.

Also, I'm adding a whole extra bit to this review about the way he sings the lyric "god knows I'm singing" at 2:50 of the song is utter perfection and the best part of the whole song. Ok. That just needed to be said.

5. Nina

(***)

I have a feeling this is going to be one of those songs that I'm going to like live better than I like the recorded version. Another song that will sound incredible with a loop pedal and some audience interaction. Again, I still really like it but there's just something about it that isn't complete. High points: love the piano and the round at the end. It's like a very lightweight hiphop song and it's nice to finally hear some insight into his relationship which people speculated about for years.

6. Photograph

(***)

Photograph sounds like a classic love song. It's very lovely, light and pretty. All of those good things. It sounds quite Snow Patrol-y...which makes sense since Johnny McDaid is the producer and co-writer. Piano, rhythmic drumming, catchy melody. It's all there. So, I suppose it's a great song but maybe I was a bit underwhelmed. It sounds like it should be part of the soundtrack to some epic love story film. You know, at the point when the two protagonists are running towards each other in the rain and finally kiss after years of being separated by war or something. Is it all a bit cliche? I really do like the song, and it's already stuck in my head, but maybe it's just not what I was expecting. Hmm. This one might take a couple more listens.

7. Bloodstream

(*****)

Hooked from the first beat. Yep. Rick Rubin, I hear you here. Slightly overproduced but not enough so it bugs me. God, this is fantastic. Is it weird that I picture Ed singing this song while in the 1800's Wild West? Like on horseback? Maybe.

With wild west imagery aside, this is a catchy-ass song with great rhythm and movement. Damn.

OH SHIT IT JUST HIT THAT DRIVING BEAT AT 3:46. Yep. Ok. This is great. Nothing else to say.

8. Tenerife Sea

(**** or *****)

So, this was probably the first song I heard from X. I was lucky enough to go to one of his concerts at Madison Square Garden and a really small gig at Mercury Lounge where he performed this. It's honestly one of my favorite songs that he's ever done. The recorded version is...um...a bit worse than the live version. There's something about adding that drum kit in there that just doesn't do it for me. Honestly it could be because I heard it live first, but that's just my opinion. It's still a really incredible track and I love the bit of classical guitar-type plucking throughout.

9. Runaway

(*****)

LET ME GUESS PHARRELL AGAIN? Yep. You can hear that influence from the first second. This one is better than Sing though. Definitely. By about 10,000 percent give or take a percent. I'm really digging this song. It's Ed mixed with a hint of Pharrell, not Pharrell with a hint of Ed. This would be a good concert opener song.

For Ed fans: You know that part of "We Are" that's like "They're never going to change me. They're never going to change us. We'll always be the same." Those lyrics could fit perfectly in this song during the chorus. Just a random thought. There's a lot of melodic similarity there.

10. The Man

(****)

"Oh. OH. Oh my. Yes. Wait. EDITING FUCK." - My brain

So, this song. I love it. I'm not sure if you guys are familiar with The Streets/Mike Skinner but there is some serious inspiration coming from them in this song. The way the lyrics are put together is so incredibly Mike Skinner it's uncanny. I heard a lot of "Eminem inspiration" buzz on the twittersphere but no. I'm not getting that at all. This is The Streets all the way. It's a mix between spoken word, hip-hop and soul. Really amazing lyrics. It's raw and minimal and amazing. How many times can I use the word amazing? So why the four stars instead of 5? Again, editing. In this song, the censoring actually stood out at me and I went "oh...no". I really hope an explicit version of this song comes out because if any song on the album should be raw and contain it's original emotion, it's this one.

11. Thinking Out Loud

(*****)

Ummmmmmmm hello James Taylor. Is it 1970? Are we at the Troubadour? This is AMAZING. Ok, so there's some serious soul power going on with this song. Otis Redding mixed with James Taylor mixed with (surprise) Ed Sheeran. Ed's vocal ability is massive here. I mean, wow. Can you tell I'm typing this as I'm listening? Hah. I'm so eloquent. I don't know if there's any more I can say about this song. It's just great. That bit of piano in there makes it sound totally retro but the lyrics are totally modern and it's a great fusion of a lot of different styles. 

12. Afire Love

(*****)

Yet another type of song. I swear, the variety on this album is out of control. So it's like rap mixed with pop mixed with electronic mixed with soul mixed with gospel? Alright then. I can dig it. The story behind this song is touching and can hit home with a lot of people. It's touching and beautiful. Honestly, I can't find a single thing wrong with this song. It's something new I haven't really heard before and still sounds very Sheeran.

(Deluxe Edition)

13. Take It Back

(*****)

I (sort-of) got to hear this song at Mercury Lounge. Part of it at least. I've been memorizing the lyrics for months. It's literally brilliant and this is the reason you always buy the deluxe edition of any album. There's no production here. This is Ed, raw and unedited. This is what you hear when it's just Ed singing in front of you without any extra bullshit or added elements. Damn. This is talent exemplified in a song. AND THE WORDPLAY. Damn. Damn. DAMN. Really take a look and listen to the lyrics and you'll laugh and then be like "Damn."

14. Shirtsleeves

(****)

This one reminds me a lot of + for some reason. Lyrically, I think it's really similar to a lot of his old stuff but then he added a bit more production and elements like on the rest of X. Good combination of the two albums. It's one of those songs that Ed does so well where it's sad and happy all at the same time and you sit back and go "wait, what am I feeling right now?"

15. Even My Dad Does Sometimes

(***)

So, I think we can conclude that piano is a new part to this album that hasn't really existed in Ed's music before. I think it's a welcome addition. This is a very ballad-esque song that's really giving a lot of life advice in a heartfelt and soft-spoken way. It starts with a piano, plain and simple, then builds really nicely up until the end and becomes a full-blown ballad with a big sound. It's nice, and I'm glad it's included but not my favorite on the album.

16. I See Fire

(****)

The song from the Hobbit soundtrack. I love this song. I think it fits perfectly in the movie and it was really well written with complete inspiration drawn from the plot. There was quite a bit of backlash from the LOTR community. I mean, understandably so, since you're adding some so-called pop musician to your movie. But hey, it was only in the credits, and it worked beautifully. So, boohoo to them. It's great.

17. All of the Stars

(***)

This song is alright. It's a very classic sappy love song that worked really well for The Fault in Our Stars. I'm not sure how much I will listen to it since it seems sort of uninspired, but I don't think it's a bad song by any means and it's perfectly lovely and *cute*. You know? Like one of of those songs where you just go AWWwwwAwawwwW. Like that.

Synopsis:

Alright, so with all that being said I'm giving this album a 10/10. "How does that make sense since you didn't give all the songs a perfect rating?" Hush. The album is great. There are definite high points but there aren't really that many low points. Even with any "low" points...they are all relative. After listening I can definitely conclude that this is one of the most varied albums I have ever listened to. There is a song on here that everyone will like. If you're not usually a fan of singer-songwriter-type music, there is more hip-hop-type music for you and vise-versa. Ed Sheeran gains influence from so many genres that it only makes sense that he uses that influence in different ways on this album. He's showcasing everything that he does well, but doesn't try to do it all at once.

You can tell that this album was carefully constructed and each song was thought of as it's own piece of the puzzle. Each one tells a different story, each one has a different meaning, each one encompasses a unique emotion. All together, they make something complex and thoughtful. A gem of an album. Sophomore album curse be gone.

Written by: Carmen Bernu

SHOW REVIEW: Fallout Concert Series - April 11, 2014 (Josh Tarp & The Still, American Youth, Marah in the Mainsail)

Last night I got invited to cover/review a concert series that is put on once a month by the Fallout Arts Initiative in Minneapolis. It was a really great relaxed night full of good music and fun people.
Doors opened at 7:30 and I arrived just a little bit after that. I probably could have showed up around 8..or 8:30..the opening band didn't exactly have their shit together timing-wise, but oh well. Although there was a late start, I got to get a good look at the space.

The building is located at 2601 2nd Ave S in Minneapolis and is a great place for a show. Next time they put on one of these concerts I highly suggest checking it out. The acoustics were amazing and there is plenty of room for a large crowd with a raised loft complete with couches and chairs for those people that wanted to have more of a birds-eye view of the action. Check out their website and Facebook page for more information on the space, and future events. Links right here -->

Website and Facebook

They put on a really great event. Getting there is easy. It's right next to MCAD and there is ample street parking either right by the Co-op, or kitty-corner, and you can just cut through MCAD's parking lot.

Now, for the actual shows.

The first band to play was Josh Tarp and The Still. I really enjoyed their set and they have a really dynamic sound with all the voices fitting really brilliantly together. I always like groups with strong male and female vocals and so I was really digging their music. They are a local band from Minneapolis and I'm sure they have gigs and things that are coming up that you should probably check out if you're into that sort of folk/rock sound. They got thumbs up from me, and from my friend that I was with. A really pleasant surprise. They have an EP coming out...sometime...but for right now you can download their song "Ghost in the Radio" for FREE right here: link! They closed their set with this song and it's a really sort of haunting but peppy track that I really liked. Check out their Facebook page for more info and to stalk them for any upcoming shows.

Here's a couple random photos of the band:

The next band that played is called American Youth. They are another local band and are sort of Southern Rock? Country Rock? Folk rock? Something like that. They have a really powerful sound and I enjoyed the crap out of their set. There were some sound issues but they literally didn't effect the set at all while they were playing. You can bet I'm going to be looking up when they are playing and going to try to go to another show. It was worth every penny of the entire $6 just to see the bassist rocking out. Impressive stuff. Impressive beards. Check out their Facebook page here: Link! and try and stalk them a little bit too.

Here are more random photos:

There was another band playing after American Youth but I unfortunately had to leave. I still think you should check out their Facebook page and listen to them on Spotify and things like that and if you're really into them you should buy their stuff on iTunes. They are called Marah in the Mainsail and I really love their sound. Very folk-ish with a sort of rougher edge. Here, listen to this music video to get a feel for them:

Overall it was an awesome experience. Great way to spend a Friday night and I highly suggest looking up Fallout Arts Initiative and taking a look at what they are offering in the future.

Best Albums of 2013

Ok. Here's the cliche blog post for the end of December. You've all seen it before. I'm just going to dive right in and we'll see how many picks I actually end up with.


1. Foy Vance - Joy of Nothing
This is the best album of 2013. I can't say enough about it...except I already did in a separate blog post...so go read that. It's intelligent, beautiful and has the perfect amount of soul. There isn't a single flaw on this album and it's going to be one of my favorites for many many years. The gem of 2013 for sure. Go buy it already!

2. Lorde - Pure Heroine
Another album I've already yammered on about. It's brilliant. If you want to talk about the controversy surrounding Lorde as a person and musician, I don't want to hear it. This album is creative and fresh and has such a great sound. That's all you need to care about.

3. Arctic Monkeys - AM
This was probably my most anticipated album of 2013. It delivered. I think all of Arctic Monkeys' albums are stellar, and this one, like the others, doesn't disappoint. It took me a couple listens to really get into it but I think it's a really stand-out addition to their old stuff. They never really change their sound but somehow always build on whatever they've put out in the past.

4. Disclosure - Settle
Let's be honest, EDM was sort-of a joke this year. I'm still listening to my favorites from 2012 and nothing really compares to Luxury Problems by Andy Stott (will it ever?). I did, however, really enjoy this album by Disclosure. It's upbeat, creative, and throws together some really nice collabs and mixes. Impressive to say the least.

5. The Neighbourhood - I Love You.
This album really hooked me in. I've noticed it being played on the radio (with a subtle pop dance beat added...OF COURSE) and it makes me annoyed. Listen to the rest of the album. It's angsty, a bit rock, a bit pop, a bit everything. I love it.

6. Jay-Z - Magna Carta, Holy Grail
A lot of people are putting Yeezus on their list of best albums but I'm going to mix it up and put MC|HG on there. I think it's brilliant. Since I basically worship Hova I'd probably say anything he put out was brilliant but I just keep listening to this album and every song on there sounds a bit different. It's truly a diverse album while still keeping the classic Jay-Z sound. He grabbed about 8 trillion Grammy noms so we'll see what happens with that.

7. Frank Turner - Tape Deck Heart
Frank Turner put out yet another stellar album. There isn't much to say about this except it screams "Frank Turner". Insanely clever lyrics and driving sound. It's all there.

8. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
I was looking forward to this album like none other. I've been a massive Arcade Fire fan for years and the hype surrounding this release was crazy. With the neon animal parties and the sparkles and the whatever else I knew it was going to be good...and it is. I really was disappointed at first, but then I found myself singing the title-track Reflektor randomly at work and jiving around. It gets stuck in and you realize how truly catchy the whole album is. ALSO, I get to finally see them live in 2014. Someone pinch me.

9. Beyoncé - Beyoncé OR Katy Perry- PRISM
In terms of pop godesses I can't decide. Miley and Britney are for sure out. They released just piece of crap garbage albums that I wish never existed. Katy Perry shocked me. Prism is a really incredible pop album with an insane amount of diversity. Dark Horse hooked me in and then I just listened to the whole thing...over and over and over and over again. Do I need to say anything about Beyoncé? Her self-titled album is amazing and the way she released it deserves an award alone.

10. Little Green Cars - Absolute Zero
After seeing them live this album really opened up to me. I was always a fan of their work but when I saw how incredibly raw and talented they are live, I really started listening to this all the way through and it's such a fresh and awesome sound. They really deserve a lot more credit than they've gotten this year. Amazing vocals.

Well look at that, I actually ended up with 10. It's like I planned it or something (I actually didn't). Of course there are plenty of songs that I want to include but not everybody can be a winner. These are truly my stand-out albums of 2013 and I think they are all complete choices with multiple good tracks on each album. They all have a very distinct idea and concept behind the albums and deserve recognition as we end the year.

Happy New Year xx

ALBUM REVIEW: True Romance - Charli XCX

I can't even tell you how long I've been waiting for this album. Ok, yes I can...since August 11, 2012. A friend of mine invited me to see Coldplay on their Mylo Xyloto tour. I'm a fan of Coldplay, but when I saw that Marina and the Diamonds was opening I had to go. An unknown "Charli XCX" was opening for Marina and I had absolutely no idea who "he" was. Some guy that Jay-Z had mentioned? Oh, okay. Should be great.

...IT WAS SO GREAT.
I was immediately hooked and immediately wanted to hear more. Her (yes, her. I picked up on that pretty quickly) platform sneakers coupled with her crop top gave me mad Sporty Spice vibes...but more like if Sporty Spice was a raver. Absolutely insane in the best possible way. Being a completely unknown artist the crowd was, uh, less than enthusiastic but it's obvious that once you got her in a small venue instead of an area, shit would get wild. She's a really dynamic performer.

Since I live in the US I haven't been able to get a hold of a lot of her music so this album is a welcome arrival in my life. I pre-ordered it. Me. Pre-order. I don't think I've ever pre-ordered a CD in my life. That's how much I was looking forward to this album. So, the question is, did it live up to the hype I gave it? In short, 100% yes, absolutely. This album is one of the best I've heard in a long time. It's pop, grime, electronic, 90's, dance, and everything in-between.

I did a super scientific Twitter poll where one person responded so I'm going to follow their preference for a track-by-track review. 

1. Nuclear Seasons - 9/10

2. You (Ha Ha Ha) - 9/10

3. Take My Hand - 7/10

4. Stay Away - 8/10

5. Set Me Free - 9/10

6. Grins - 10/10

7. So Far Away - 8/10

8. Cloud Aura (feat. Brooke Candy) - 9/10

9. What I Like - 9/10

10. Black Roses -7/10

11. You’re the One -9/10

12. How Can I - 7/10

13. Lock You Up - 10/10

There isn't any sort of rhyme or reason to this scale so take these numbers with a grain of salt. Basically, Lock You Up and Grins are the stand-out tracks on this album to me. I could listen to them over and and over again (...I do). I'm struggling to find things to write about because there isn't a single bad track on the whole thing. These songs make me want to get up and dance, or at least get a little more daring with my fashion choices. Also, when listening I have had the sudden urge to throw a rave in a graveyard...a gRAVEyard if you will. Does that give you a better of idea of what this sounds like? No?  It really is a completely unique sound which is incredibly refreshing compared to a lot of junk that's been coming out lately.

If you're new to Charli XCX I would give some of these a preview on iTunes/Spotify/YouTube and see if you're into it. Especially Nuclear Seasons, You're the One and Stay Away, which are some of her more popular songs. I understand that she isn't everyone's cup of tea. When you add an electronic element to your music you're automatically isolating some people from your music. Now, I think people that don't like electronic music are crazy but that's only because I'm extremely biased and probably shouldn't be reviewing music in general. 

Give it a listen. Purchase if you like it (I think you will). And $9.99 for 13 tracks? Sounds good to me. Link!

"meh"

I've been really good about keeping up with this blog lately so, of course, I recently got writer's block. I've been stressing about a lot of things so music-related junk has been put on the back burner and frankly, nothing is out right now that's really tickling my fancy? ...what a disgusting expression.
So basically, nothing is good and it's pissing me off. I feel like everyone is coming out with new things and there's all this hype attached but they are all just so boring. Is it just me? I feel like everything sucks and generally that happens when I'm in a crabby mood so the problem is most likely me. Grumble grumble.

Examples:

Devandra Banhart - Mala 
Meh. His worst album. I keep trying to listen to it but I just can't even get through it and it's just so flipping boring. Everyone is going on and on about he's incorporating his Venezuelan roots with this album and how it's supposedly more cohesive but...no...or in Spanish...no.

David Bowie - The Next Day
Blah. It's ok. I don't even know what to say. Bowie fans will like it. I'm kind-of whatever about it.
..."Wow this is such a great blurb, Carmen. How are you so eloquent?"

Stornoway - Tales From Terra Firma
Bloop. I really love Stornoway. Zorbing is probably one of the best songs ever written. When I heard they had a new album I was super jazzed but upon listening to it I just felt...underwhelmed. I don't know. I can't help but just thinking of them as a Decemberists/Sufjan Stevens hybrid (which they're not) and literally while I was going through the tracks I kept flipping back to their old album. Maybe it will grow on me but right now I'm adding it to the "meh" pile.

The Strokes - All the Time
Ok, so, I've only heard the one song but I'm not feeling it. Yeah, it's catchy. Maybe I'm just having Angles flashbacks and I'm not getting my hopes up. Man, this whole blog post is super monotone and I'm incredibly sorry.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - We the Common
This album bugs the crap out of me. I had people literally throwing this CD in my face to listen to and we had it promoted at work so I was forced to listen to it. Holy cannoli it's probably the most blah album ever. Also, the most annoying album. Yeah, sure, you can listen to one of the songs once or twice in a playlist but listening to the whole album makes me want to rip my hair out. Dat voice.

Beyonce's New Song
I can't think of a Beyonce song that I don't like...except this one. It's repetitive, really weirdly put together and not consistent with anything she's EVER done before. I'm just really confused about it and I don't know if it's the pre-cursor to something? Like an artistic something? Yeah, no idea.

Local Natives - Hummingbird
Is this good? I can't decide if this is good. It's not good. But they sound really Shins-y on this album? Right? And Black Balloons is pretty good. Right? Ugh.

Vampire Weekend 
I'm bored already. It sounds the same. They always sound the same.



After all that bitching and moaning is there anything I'm actually liking? Well, sure. It's all just getting swallowed by boring crap.

• The new Cold War Kids track is growing on me and I find myself getting more and more excited for their new album...I'm nervous to get my hopes up though.
• Bastille's new stuff is really really realllayyy good. I'm loving it.
• This is good...I mean, it's not really new, but Australian things take a while to sail over to me.
• Big thanks to my wonderful friend Kyle for sending me to Woodkid (as I was writing this, great timing) whose album "The Golden Age" just came out. When I saw the album cover I was thinking it would be Fever-Ray-ish but it's more like Rufus Wainwright meets alt-J? I LOVE WHEN THINGS SURPRISE ME. This is good. Kyle, you rock.

MAYBE THERE IS GOOD STUFF OUT THERE. MAYBE IT'S NOT JUST ME. MAYBE THERE IS HOPE. *weeps softly*

ALBUM REVIEW: Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience

Here it is. The 10 millionth review of what possibly could be the most anticipated album of all time. I don't think I should set myself up to even review this since it will definitely get lost in a sea of New York Times level shit that I can't possibly compete with. Oh well, I just feel like I need to do this.

There's no doubt that this album is going to be compared with FutureSex/LoveSounds so let's just get that out of the way right now. Justin Timberlake created what is possibly one of the best albums of all time a couple years ago (yes, all time) so even coming out with a follow-up album is beyond ambitious. In short, no, The 20/20 Experience is not as good as FutureSex/LoveSounds but HARDLY ANYTHING IS so let's all just get over it. We all had ridiculously high expectations for this album and unfortunately, they weren't met, but I'm not mad. In fact, I'm the opposite. I'm ecstatic. Setting all comparisons aside, this album stands alone as a really great pop album that deserves some credit.

I think the biggest difference about The 20/20 Experience, that many fans are having a hard time stomaching, is that it's not really an album of singles. Yes, they play Suit & Tie on the radio but even that isn't really a single the way "My Love" or "Sexy Back" were. Those songs were built for radio play...although can we all agree that the album versions are 100x better than the radio versions? With The 20/20 Experience Justin owns that extended ending/transition thing that we've come to know and love. Really, whoever came up with "Experience" as part of his album title was spot on. These songs are exactly that: an experience. Most of them are over seven minutes long and there really aren't any two songs on the album with the same feeling. Represented on the album there's classic Timbaland-style pop (Tunnel Vision), Latin influence (Let the Groove Get In), Classic R&B (That Girl) and something that sounds sort-of Radiohead-esque (Blue Ocean Floor). Mirrors is probably the song that most of the FutureSex/LoveSounds fans will like. It's a pretty similar sound we've heard from him before but still slightly different? I'm terrible at describing things. Sorry.

Maybe it's just me but I'm really digging it. I took advantage of the iTunes full stream deal and just listened to the whole thing, beginning to end. If anything, this album proves that Justin Timberlake is pure talent walking. He's putting his own spin on so many different sounds and I give him so much credit for that. Just like with Suit & Tie I really think this album will take some time for some people to appreciate and get used to. It really is good. Trust me.

My personal favorite tracks: That Girl, Pusher Love Girl, Let the Groove Get In


At the end here I just wanted to note that Justin Timberlake is promoting this album like a boss. Letting us stream the whole thing before we buy? Giving live performances for a week straight on Jimmy Fallon? Finally the fans get to experience something BEFORE buying it! What a concept. Thanks JT. Class act. Other artists: take note.

Concert Review: Muse - Minneapolis, MN (With Opener: Dead Sara)

I've never written a concert review before so bear with me while I stumble through this process. I bought tickets to this concert the minute they went on sale and have been eagerly been awaiting it's arrival for six months now. As expected, I have a serious case of post-concert depression now that it's over. What do I even have to look forward to anymore? Cue melodramatic violin music.

Sort of unrelated note: Can I start out saying that Target Center is one of my least favorite venues to hear a concert on earth and this is why I was adamant to get GA floor seats. The nosebleeds in that arena make me want to jump to my death (which could be accomplished by leaning forward just a bit...they're that steep) so I'm curious to see how the concert looked from up there.

Anyway, Dead Sara were the opener and they opened the shit out of the show. There aren't enough words to describe how dynamic this group is. I like to think of myself as a closet punk-rocker meaning the music is amazing but I'm incredibly uncool (example: calling myself a "closet punk-rocker") and feel a bit out of place listening to metal or metal-ish music. That being said, I enjoyed the crap out of it. Any musician that likes to climb on top of amps and scream their lungs out is good in my book. Emily Armstrong, the lead singer, has a voice that could raise the dead. The power that comes out of her is unlike anything I've heard and her rasp just adds this extra cool factor. Immediately after getting home I downloaded their self-titled album and while it's amazing, I highly suggest seeing them live. From what I've experienced, usually a band is better on their album than live but the opposite is true for Dead Sara. They ROCK in person and I don't think I could bold the word "rock" any more. So much emphasis on rock. Basically, go see them live. I don't remember the last time I was so excited about an opening act.

Favorite tracks: Lemon Scent, Test on My Patience

Super Grainy Picture Taken By Me On My Super Shit Camera

A good hour after the opener (ugh) Muse took the stage. I may or may not have let out a squeal or two when the lights went dark. I WAS THAT EXCITED. Muse opened with Unsustainable, my favorite, and everyone else's least favorite, track from The 2nd Law. Unsustainable is the perfect track to open a show to and I was so into it. Really, I don't want to get into every song or whatever because the whole show was literally perfect. The only gripe I have is that they completely ignored Origin of Symmetry. It's my favorite album and New Born definitely should have been included in their setlist. They did have a good variety of music from all their other albums including two personal favorites, Stockholm Syndrome and Knights of Cydonia.

Shit Instagram Photo Taken By Me

Shit Picture of Awesome Lighting

Muse can definitely keep their title of being one of the best arena bands in the world and I can't say another word about anything without mentioning the lighting. I knew it was going to be good...I read the other reviews...I've seen the videos... but seeing it in person is beyond words. All I can say is that I'm glad I don't have epilepsy so I can experience the magic of lasers and strobe lights. It might have been nice to be a couple feet back from where we were to experience the full show of lights but there's a fine line between being too far back to see the band and too far up to miss the lights. I guess I'd rather look at Matt Bellamy even though he reminds me of an ostrich...a super talented ostrich.

The crowd was pretty good. It seems as though I can't go to a show without there being at least one psycho bitch who is drunk-crying, yelling at people and threatening to punch out her boyfriend. Get it together, girls. Of course, I also had a mega douche mosh his way directly in front of me two seconds before the show started. He stayed there for about three songs, strung out of his mind, phone up in the air blocking my view and his rock arm smacking me in the face. I did the subtle "push you in the back like people are pushing me but really I'm trying to move you as far away as possible" move and he got the picture and moshed his way closer to the stage. Seeing a mostly male, 18+ crowd, was a nice change from what I've gotten used to lately. There's just something infinitely better about guys at a concert than screaming (read: shrieking) 13-year-old girls. I'm even willing to put up with the extra height and body odor. Minnesotans are known to be slightly...reserved...so I was happy to see people jumping around and singing. There was a really good energy to the crowd that night and I was so happy to be a part of the front group of Muse fanboys and girls.
The only thing bad thing I have to say is that I was getting so frustrated at the amount of people recording things on their cell phones. Please take a minute and realize that by holding your cell phone you are literally blocking the view of everyone behind you. I don't care if you take pictures or video or whatever...I'm a concert photographer for fuck's sake...but be subtle and considerate about it. Your 10 minute cell phone videos are going to end up shit anyway. I guarantee someone will have a better video of the exact same thing on YouTube. Just enjoy the damn concert and put your phone down.

See? Phones. Go Away. (says the person taking a picture with a phone...it wasn't above my head though)

Overall, Muse were one of the best live acts I've ever seen. I feel like I say that after a lot of concerts I go to but there was really something extra special to this show. Maybe it was a combination of the energy, lighting, and sheer talent of Muse. I really can't say but I would recommend seeing them live to anyone and everyone. Even if you aren't a fan of their music the spectacle is worth the money alone. This show wasn't even sold out. Are you kidding me? America, get your shit together.

The best picture I could get out of my shit camera.