Top 10 Songs of 2015

Last day of 2015, so let’s wrap it up with another Top 10 of the year: My top 10 songs of 2015. Another set of tough choices, but here they are. This is solely based off of my opinions - not looking at charts or popularity. Just the songs I enjoyed the most from the year! Be sure to check out my Top 10 Albums of 2015, too. Click on the song titles for my review of their respective albums!

10. Father John Misty - “Bored In The USA”

No one does satire better than Father John Misty. “Bored In The USA” off of this year’s I Love You, Honeybear offers the perspective of an ordinary citizen being bored with life. Throughout the piano ballad, Mr. Tillman offers many questions that get your head thinking. The song is clever enough to grab the laughs of any middle-aged individual (looking at you, Dad). Hell, the crowd laughing of a soap opera is even featured in the track! That’s gotta be indicative of something. There’s too much fantastic lyricism too comment on. “Bored In The USA” is the best satire of 2015.

9. Radiohead - “Spectre”

This song was only released a week ago, but it’s had enough of an impact to earn it a spot on my Top 10. Had it been given more time to grow on me, it would’ve definitely scored a higher spot. Before Sam Smith made it to the cinematic opening of Spectre this year with “Writings On The Wall”, Radiohead were approached to create the theme instead, offering “Spectre” on Christmas Day. Best Christmas gift, period. The song has the ominous vibe Radiohead so perfectly radiates in all of their music, and features their signature syncopation and a beautiful symphony backing Thom Yorke’s haunting voice. There’s so much in this song that it’s hard to single out any specific element. The symphony sends chills down my spine. The song is everything any fan would want of Radiohead. Hopefully the hype of their forthcoming album lives up to this huge track.

8. Kendrick Lamar - “The Blacker The Berry”

2015 was a big year for hip-hop. A lot of ground was broken. Perhaps the biggest contender in the rap race this year was Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. “The Blacker The Berry” is a demanding track, Kendrick going off with dirty verses and a giant beat accompanying the ominous instrumental. The subject of the song is politically charged all the while sliding in the message of internal struggle. “The Blacker The Berry” is the best hip-hop song of the year, and it deserves all the praise it should get.

7. Fall Out Boy - “Twin Skeleton’s (Twins In NYC)”

Fall Out Boy came triumphantly into the new year with American Beauty/American Psycho, edging deeper into pop rock than they had before. “Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel In NYC)” is the most cinematic song on the album, featuring Patrick Stump crying out his vocals. This is the best song on the “rock” half of the album, featuring some great (while still admittedly subtle) guitar work throughout. The harmonies towards the end of the song are what make this track so big, ending the album on such a haunting note. Andy Hurley’s drumming can’t be ignored - it’s fantastic on this song! “Twin Skeleton’s” is a giant song to end a great album.

6. CHVRCHES - “Afterglow”

“Afterglow” is the most subtle track on CHVRCHES’ new album, Every Open Eye. In the same way, it is the most beautiful. The song features Lauren Mayberry singing over an atmospheric array of synths. There’s not much to the song, it’s very stripped down. The song is the biggest highlight on the album for it’s simplistic beauty - everything in it is perfect, for what it does have going on. Definitely a song that’s hard to grasp at first, but is an amazing one to experience all the same.

5. Bring Me The Horizon - “Avalanche”

Bring Me The Horizon continued their evolution that began with 2013′s Sempiternal with this year’s That’s The Spirit. While the new effort doesn’t match what Sempiternal began, the album is still undeniably great. With lots of fantastic songwriting, and the band distancing itself form it’s metalcore roots, the band is continuing to focus more on the words than the aggression. “Avalanche” is the peak of this album, where Oli Sykes opens up his heart to needing a cure for his pain. Perhaps a cliché subject (though important all the same), but the song gets across the emotions and message very well, and is definitely one of the best songs of the year.

4. 10 Years - “From Birth To Burial”

10 Years returned this year with a follow-up to 2012′s Minus The Machine, with this year’s From Birth To Burial. The self-titled track of the album is one of the best songs of the year, 10 Years bringing everything they’ve got into one track. The ominous piano buildup explodes into a bustling track with a huge riff and loud playing. Perhaps what really sells this song to me is Jesse Hasek’s rapping before the first pre-chorus, which reminds me a lot of Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park. Regardless, this song is huge in its own way, and all the ways 10 Years have built themselves up to be.

3. Muse - “The Globalist”

Muse promised a sequel to the fan-beloved track, “Citizen Erased” would make it onto Drones. That song ended up being the progressive rock anthem, “The Globalist”, the story of the rise and fall of a dictator. Beginning with whistling akin to Ennio Morricone’s “L’Arena” and a huge symphony, the drama of the tracks begins early. Matt Bellamy continues with his reverb-filled slide guitar as the verse kicks in with the rest of the band. Perhaps one of the moments in music from this entire year is the heavy part of this song, the giant riff (taken from a previous jam known as the “Helsinki Jam”) in the bridge of the song is as metal as Muse have ever gotten, with a countdown to the firing of a nuclear missile and the marching of an army helping make this part so loud. The bridge concludes with a Spanish-influenced solo before concluding with one final piano ballad - a send-off of sorts. Sure, the track has it’s faults - perhaps it would’ve been better as three separate songs instead of one, as to better the flow, but it is undeniably a huge track that deserves a place on this list.

2. Arcane Roots - “Slow Dance”

Arcane Roots returned to the scene this year in a big way. Coming off of their first full debut album, Blood & Chemistry, the trio had a big weight on their back to follow it up. With this year’s Heaven & Earth EP, the band smashed all expectations. Introducing it in July with “If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves”, fans knew to expect something absolutely huge. “Slow Dance” comes from this very EP, and is everything you’d want from the trio and more. From a buildup opening that blows into a massive breakdown and chorus, this song will have you on your feet in no time. Excellent guitar work and vocals by Andrew Groves add to the sheer massiveness of this track. If you haven’t heard it yet, check it out. 

1. Muse - “The Handler”

It’s probably unfair of me to include Muse on this list twice, but it’s warranted for me. But this year, Drones was huge. Muse at the top of their game (perhaps not lyrically, but definitely from a jam standpoint) with their back-to-basics approach. “The Handler” is a combination of everything Muse is made of. With the huge arena-filling opening riff to the wah-filled bridge harkening back to the band’s old b-side, “In Your World”. Bellamy’s fantastic vocals and lyrical play (”trance formation”? Hmm) contribute to making this song the most massive song of the year, if the demanding riff and incredible bass work didn’t already win you over. The song is an absolute beast live, too.

Honorable Mentions

• Justin Bieber - “Love Yourself”: a track that you couldn’t have expected from Bieber before this year, but is definitely a standout from 2015. 
• Halsey - “Castle”: the song that kicked off the rebellion that is BADLANDS, and the most demanding track on the album.
• Years & Years - “Foundation”: the darkest track the trio has to offer, and the one that’ll be trapped in your head for weeks.

Thanks everyone for a great year. It’s been an adventure for me, and I’m sure it has been for many others. If it wasn’t the greatest year, hold on. Everything will find it’s right place. Here’s to 2016, it’s gonna be a big one.

Top 10 Albums of 2015

2015 is coming to a close, and it’s time to whip out the top ranking albums (in my opinion) from the year. It’s been a long one... but there have been some absolute gems of albums released this year. Without further adieu, here’s my top 10 albums of 2015.

Click the links for my in-depth review of the album!

10. Aurora - Running With The Wolves

Kicking off the Top 10 of 2015 is an artist who is set of dominating the pop of 2015. Aurora hails from Norway, and has already been dominating B-lists for radio stations upon the release of her debut EP, Running With The Wolves. The short EP features four beautiful pop songs, which all will leave a lasting mark on the listener. Aurora can be noted for her enchanting instrumentals (see: “Runaway”) and pure voice. Every song is beautifully written, especially “Running With The Wolves” and “Little Boy In The Grass”. Aurora will march into 2016 and absolutely dominate it, if the quality of her music is any indication of her future success. Fingers crossed - who knows what the radio will be attracted to...

9. Loma Prieta - Self Portrait

This hardcore punk outfit from California made a huge mark on 2015. Loma Prieta took a “happier” approach on their relentless punk this year with Self Portrait, the powerful successor to 2012′s I.V. The album is punk at its core, but is different from the zeitgeist of punk in many ways. “Satellite”, the closing track, for example, is everything a punk rock song should be, but it is undeniably happy in tone. The band with this album almost becomes a heavy The World Is A Beautiful Place, most evidently with the song “Never Remember”, though “Merciless” can be passed as a punk version of Deftones’ “Change (In The House Of Flies)”. The album shows a clear progression of the band’s sound, but still stays true to who they are. It delivers some of the heaviest jams of the year, too. That’s always a plus!

8. Halsey - BADLANDS

Halsey had the most triumphant debut of the year. BADLANDS captures the rebellious of Nirvana, the pop appeal of Fall Out Boy and Justin Bieber, and the brooding instrumentals of Sia and Imagine Dragons. With all of these coming together, it’s hard to go wrong. Admittedly, since it’s initial release the album has lost some of its initial hype, but I’ll be damned if “Castle”  doesn’t give me chills. Halsey, rather than a follower of the past, seems to be a leader. A leader of the same rebellion Nirvana led back in the day - she’s the voice for the lost ones of this generation. “New Americana” is the modern day equivalent of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (though the latter will always be the most relevant). Lyrically, there are much stronger songs than “New Americana” - “Castle”, “Colors”, and “Gasoline” are all fantastically written. “Castle” and “Control” have the biggest and best instrumentals on the entire album. Halsey’s crafted a new rebellious wave of pop that has set a precedent that is sure to set off a huge new generation of artists looking for a voice.

7. Years & Years - Communion

Debut albums were huge this year. Years & Years burst seemingly out of nowhere in 2014 with their huge dance tracks “Kings” and “Take Shelter”, both of which can be found on Communion. The album showcases more than just the dance jingles the band executes so well - a darker and more intimate sound to the band can be found in the breathtaking opening track “Foundation” (which sounds like Radiohead meets Diplo) and the acoustic version of “Ready For You”. The band’s trademark electronic dance bangers are still the vocal point of the album, with new tracks “Worship” and “Border” giving the perfect vibes for the club and for love. Olly Alexander’s vocals shine throughout the entire album, his melodies full of emotion, brought higher by the soaring electronics. Years & Years have one of the most memorable debuts of the year under the belts - may this carry them further in the future. It can only go up from here.

6. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial

If you wanted big rock jams this year, you needed to listen to 10 Years’ newest release. The album is the band taking the atmosphere of Minus The Machine and adding a heavier touch to it. The album opens up with the title track, which is one of the biggest songs of the year, where Jesse Hasek draws from Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda for a quick rap verse. “Triggers & Tripwires” and “Crimson Kiss” showcase the band’s heavier side, while “Luna” and “The River” shine the spotlight on the band’s songwriting ability. The closing duo, “Miscellanea” and “Moisture Residue” are a fantastic way to end this massive album. The lead single of the album “Miscellanea” sees Hasek reaching really high for some notes and a piano bridge that is the vocal point of the heart-wrenching “Moisture Residue”. The song brought some of the band’s biggest jams, and definitely some of the biggest headbangers of 2015.

5. Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit

Being that Thirty Seconds To Mars is my all-time favorite band, I truly enjoyed a lot of this album. Bring Me The Horizon has continued their evolution of sound that began with Sempiternal with this year’s That’s The Spirit, which took the band even further from their post-hardcore roots. This album is more alternative rock than it is hardcore, though Oli Sykes’ vocals are just as powerful as ever. His screaming and singing are the best part of the album, and what carries it so far. “Doomed” and “Follow You” show his ability to write fantastic songs, while “Avalanche” and “Throne” (the latter of which truly play to the influence Linkin Park has had on them) are the big jams. “Drown” is as close to Thirty Seconds To Mars as the band has gotten, though “Happy Song” and “Oh No” use the crowd vocal elements as critically as Thirty Seconds uses them. This is a band who has evolved into something different and more powerful than ever before. This is the powerful evolution of Bring Me The Horizon, that will only continue to spiral upwards into something more incredible.

4. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty/American Psycho

2015 was a big year for Fall Out Boy. An album full of huge anthems that would stay popular throughout the entire year, very big performances at some of the biggest events in music, collaborations with Demi Lovato (for a version of “Irresistible”) and a variety of hip-hop artists (for the remix album, Make America Psycho Again)... you name it, Fall Out Boy probably did it. This album brought back some of the punk/alternative rock anthems Fall Out Boy are known for, while being tossed up with many pop and electronic elements. The band even brought out some tributes throughout the album, sampling Mötley Crüe in the title track, Suzanne Vega (who even sang her own melody for her song, “Tom’s Diner”, for their use!) in “Centuries”, and even The Munsters theme song in “Uma Thurman”. The singles of the album, while all memorable in their own right, the tracks on the second half of the album are were the band truly shines. “Novocaine” brings out some impressive vocals by Patrick Stump, and the driving beat of the song paired with the distorted vocal line and rolling guitars pair for an immense song. “Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel In NYC)” takes a cinematic approach, one of the only songs that shined both on the album and the remix album (that Joey Bada$$ verse!). The harmonies at the end of the song end the album on such a high note, leaving the fans wanting more. Fall Out Boy brought out all of the biggest anthems of the year in 2015.

3. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye

CHVRCHES burst onto the synthpop scene back in 2013 with their groundbreaking The Bones Of What You Believe and have finally followed up this year with the anthemic Every Open Eye. The trio took everything that shined with their previous effort and combined it with a brighter sound to craft the best electronic and pop album of the year. Singles like “Never Ending Circles” and “Clearest Blue” established CHVRCHES ability to dominate the charts and brought the album the attention it deserves. The band, while admittedly not doing much to separate this album from their debut, did experiment a bit with some songs. “High Enough To Carry You Over” (and bonus track “Follow You”) features Martin Doherty on lead vocals for the first time, while “Bury It” shows a thicker side to CHVRCHES’ electronic ventures, with a thick bass guitar track in the background. Lauren Mayberry’s fantastic vocals and harmonies throughout the album are another shining example of what makes the album so beautiful; the incredible “Afterglow” that concluded the album might just be the most beautiful songs of the year. CHVRCHES took electronic and pop music to a whole new expectation, earning them the third spot in the Top 10 of the year.

2. Arcane Roots - Heaven & Earth EP

From the English underground rock scene burst Arcane Roots, who in 2013 released their massive debut album, Blood & Chemistry. After fairly extensive touring around their mother country, as well as some other European stints supporting the likes of Muse and Biffy Clyro, the band finally returned to the studio this year to record the follow up. Instead of offering a full record this time, new music came in the form of a new, intense EP that stands as a pristine example for future brit-rockers to follow. The album kicks off with the huge banger, “If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves” that features vocalist Andrew Grover singing, tortured on top of atmospheric piano chords. The song sums up the album fairly well - strong soft moments, an anthemic chorus, huge breakdowns, and a massive explosion of an ending with all of the songs elements conjoining into one cohesive wall of noise. Another single from the album, “Slow Dance” brings back some of the urgency of their previous efforts and the beginning track, where tracks like “When Did The Taste Leave Your Mouth” and “Leaving” bring that intense radio-rock that could dominate any airwaves and will get the crowds jumping to the beat. The closing track, “Vows & Ceremonies” is a call to love, running away to live your life. It brings back some of the lighter rock from tracks like “Hell & High Water” from their previous album. Arcane Roots have truly crafted a masterpiece of an EP with their signature sound that will continue to dominate Brit Rock for ages to come.

1. Muse - Drones

Muse have always found ways to keep their sound fresh and exciting, whether it be the indie/alternative sounds from their debut Showbiz to the heavy, fast-paced apocalypse rock of Absolution, to the electronic anthems found in The 2nd Law. Drones saw Muse exploring the concept of drone warfare, following a protagonist becoming a mindless killer and then escaping the clutches of their oppressors, all the while taking their sound back to the basics. The track is filled with huge rock tracks like “Reapers” and “The Handler”, big jams like “Psycho” and “Defector”, and even the good pop jingles Muse are well known for hitting out: “Dead Inside” and “Revolt”. “The Globalist” is a ten-minute, progressive epic about the fall of a dictator, the successor to an older Muse gem, “Citizen Erased”. The song modulates out of the beautiful end of the main narrative, “Aftermath”, and segues into the final a cappella track that the album draws its name from, a prayer to all of the nameless souls lost in war.

Drones is a challenge to modern warfare, and it should be approached. Can we really stand back and let attacks happen from behind a computer screen? Can we continue to mindlessly destroy entire cities with the click of a button? Muse brought upon this message with powerful music backing it, earning them, in my opinion, the best album of 2015. 

Honorable Mentions

• Adele - 25
• Bea Miller - Not An Apology
• Björk - Vulnicura
• Coldplay - A Head Full Of Dreams
• Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
• Grimes - Art Angels
• Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
• Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
• milo - so the flies don’t come
• MUTEMATH - Vitals
• Purity Ring - Another Eternity

That’s a wrap for this year... another Top 10 list and a wrapup of the fourth quarter is still to come. Thanks for sticking with me throughout the year, and may 2016 be a great year for music.

Arcane Roots - Heaven & Earth EP

Massive riffs. Soaring melodies. Giant breakdowns. Arcane Roots will give you all of that and more in their triumphant new EP, Heaven & Earth. The forerunners of the upcoming wave of powerful Brit Rock artists, Arcane Roots have finally delivered a follow-up to 2013′s Blood & Chemistry. One would’ve thought it impossible to match the sheer intensity of the band’s previous effort, but this EP, while only containing five songs (and a hidden sixth track), proves to have smashed expectations.

Go into this EP expecting to be completely satisfied for all of your rock needs but still demanding more. Right from the get-go, the lead single and opening track “If Nothing Moves, Nothing Breaks” proves to be a monster of a song. Opening atmospherically with piano and the cries of Andrew Groves’ pleas provide for a huge statement to open this EP. Nothing will stop you headbanging to this song - the heavy section in the first verse will make sure of that. Moving into a lighter, ballad-y territory is “When Did The Taste Leave Your Mouth”, showcasing Groves’ talent as a vocalist and his songwriting ability. This one’s bound to be a massive crowd pleaser (not to mention how incredible a live band these guys are). “Leaving” does not let up the promise this album has, marching forward with driving force, chanting of triumph: “They’ll be dying to prove you wrong,” warns the chorus. “Slow Dance,” while no “Triptych,” brings some of the technicality Arcane Roots fans have come to love from the trio and works off of the sudden explosions of energy that “If Nothing Moves, Nothing Breaks” also had. The EP concludes proud and unrelenting with “Vows & Ceremonies,” featuring a happier sound than much of the rest of the EP. Definitely the album’s most radio-friendly track! The upbeat sound doesn’t distract from the jams - while relatively simple compared to the rest of the album, the song channels the band’s inner Coheed & Cambria and brings the feel-good, foot stomping vibes to close the album out. A hidden track is found at the end of the song, if you sit through a minute or two of silence. I’m not sure if it has a title - but it speaks for itself, no title needed. It’s a short, albeit beautiful, ending to the album, beginning with Groves harmonizing with himself over a delay-heavy guitar and piano before the full band kicks in for one last hurrah.

Leave it to Arcane Roots to bring one of the year’s biggest releases, in an EP that bursts with energy and charisma only they are capable of creating. Each song is long, only “Vows & Ceremonies” clocking in under five minutes (just barely), but each is a journey to be experienced. Arcane Roots have brought to table a defining EP, showcasing their growth as a band and as artists since their debut LP. Evolution at its finest.

Favorite Tracks: Slow Dance; If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves; Leaving

Least Favorite Tracks: If I had to pick one... When Did The Taste Leave Your Mouth

Rating: 9/10

My Top Albums of 2015:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Arcane Roots - Heaven & Earth EP
3. Halsey - BADLANDS
4. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial
5. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho
6. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
7. Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
8. Years & Years - Communion
9. Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit
10. Purity Ring - Another Eternity

Loma Prieta - Self-Portrait

Have you ever been hit by a freight train? If you have, congratulations on surviving. If you haven’t, Loma Prieta can give you a taste of what exactly that feels like. This San Francisco band has returned, following up their massive 2012 album, I.V. with Self Portrait. Between the massive walls of noise, Loma Prieta is back with a more refined sound and a thicker soundscape to rock your mind.

Going into this album is like being thrown into a pit, full of angry, hungry wolves, ready to tear your flesh apart. Some freight train collision, huh? The opening track, “Love” begins this monster album on a mild note, beginning with arpeggiated (albeit, distorted) guitar before screaming vocals kick in, barreling drums soon following. This is about as soft as it gets on this album. “Black Square” follows up “Love”, beginning with thundering drums a feedback buildup to more angry screams. The chorus brings us to the point of no return on the album - the distorted powerchords under extreme vocals are upon us. The album continues to march forward, each track being another punch in the face. The album, in fact, gets even crazier as it continues. “Merciless” is probably one of the most mind-bogglingly epic tracks on the album, beginning with what could be passed as a punk version of the intro to Deftones’ “Change (In The House Of Flies)”, this song embodies what hardcore punk mixed with noise rock is: confusion and sonic brutality. “Rings” continues the insanity, with pounding kick drums and giant distorted guitars knocking you out with every hit.

The concluding track of the album, in contrast, ends it on a lighter note. “Satellite” begins as the cleanest track on the album. It does eventually kick into another heavy-hitting punk rock banger as the choruses pick up, but it still shows a progression in the band’s sound, exhibited elsewhere in the album, too: a “happier” vibe. The band attempts to stray away from a purely negative sound at several moments on the album. This includes “Never Remember” (which could be passed for a really heavy The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die song) and “More Perfect”, two tracks that are uncharacteristically happy for Loma Prieta.

And so, as lightly it began, a crescendo of noise lifts you out of the sonic experience of Self Portrait. Barreling towards a happier sound, Loma Prieta has developed a fuller sound, maintaining the heaviness of previous efforts all the while mixing in lighter moments to lead the listener to a false sense of security, before bombarded by a massive wall of noise. They have mastered the art of noise (that is, feedback) and built it into powerful, hard-hitting tracks, keeping every track fresh and new. Congratulations, you have survived a direct collision from a freight train.

Favorite Tracks: Merciless, Love, Satellite

Least Favorite Track: Never Remember

Rating: 8.5/10

Disclosure - Caracal

Being among the leaders of house and a new album packed with all star guests (The Weeknd, Lorde, Sam Smith, and more), it’s easy to see where electronic and pop music fans alike are being drawn in. Perhaps the only way to try and match the success of Disclosure’s previous effort Settle was to get this pop appeal. But can their new album match the quality fans so adored in its successor?

Caracal stays very true to itself. It embodies everything house is, and should be. While this has both its ups and downs, for the most part, it does everything it attempts to do in a complete fashion. The beginning of the album is an onslaught of soul - The Weeknd and Sam Smith’s guest spots appearing consecutively after one another. The album opens on a big note: the seven minute house monster that is “Nocturnal” featuring The Weeknd. The Weeknd’s R&B voice shines bright and provocatively on top of the typical deep bass notes and pretty little synths that compose the instrumental. The song centers around the atmospheric chorus (which is really just Weeknd singing, “Nocturnal, yeah!” over and over) and progressive build ups. On the surface the track seems a bit tacky and long, though the length is justified by the catchiness of the track. Even if you hate it, the track is extremely infectious. Unfortunately, the album peaks just as soon as it begins.

As I mentioned before, this album takes a firm hold of everything it attempts to do. The negative side of that is that it holds on to these principles throughout the entirety of the album, making it an enjoyable yet forgettable experience. The tracks following “Nocturnal”, “Omen” featuring Sam Smith and “Holding On” featuring Gregory Porter, while great as standalone songs, ruin the flow established with the debut track. Not only that, but they feel like secondhand knockoffs of it! “Hourglass” featuring LION BABE rebuilds the charm of “Nocturnal”, with LION delivering great harmonies, with a fun backing track. The album quickly shoots low again, nothing separating “Willing & Able” from being a KWABS feature and a KWABS track. “Magnets” with Lorde and the first track on the album without a feature, “Jaded” are the last high points on the album. Lorde delivers a great performance with her signature ominously charming harmonies, even while the instrumental may not fit the mood the vocals seem to want to set up. “Jaded” has a driving charm with a very catchy chorus yet again. Your suspicions are built up and broken down throughout the first half of the album, ultimately leveling off into a very average expectation for the second half. While there are memorable moments scattered few and far between the second half of the album (songs like “Moving Mountains” and “Molecules” are quite well written and groovy), nothing truly stands out like the better tracks of the beginning. Not to mention the absolute disasters that are “Bang That” and “Good Intentions” featuring Miguel.

Caracal isn’t the follow up you’d expect from Disclosure, but it definitely holds its ground. It has its ups and downs (well, mainly downs), but it’s a solid house record. Great to put on in the background to get work done, or to put on at a chill party. Dropping big names definitely helped the album get some fresh ideas and pop exposure, so hopefully the trend continues in Disclosure’s future endeavors.

Favorite Tracks: Nocturnal (ft. The Weeknd), Magnets (ft. Lorde), Jaded

Least Favorite Tracks: Bang That, Good Intentions (ft. Miguel)

Overall Rating: 6.5/10

3rd Quarter Of 2015 in Music - Wrap Up

Just as I did for the first and second quarters of 2015, here’s my personal wrap-up for the new music I’ve listened to from July through September, as well as my Top 10 of 2015 as it currently stands. Also, what I’m looking forward to in the fourth and final quarter! Getting ready for the Best Of 2015 lists soon! Thinking of a URL change, too...

This quarter was admittedly slow compared to the previous two. Not many releases stuck out to me, but there were definitely some great albums! Click on the links for some of the albums below for my in-depth reviews of them!

Releases I’ve Listened To In The 3rd Quarter:

• Alessandro Cortini - Risvelgio: 6/10
• Bea Miller - Not An Apology: 7/10
• Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit: 8/10
• Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION: 7/10
• Cattle Decapitation - The Anthropocene Extinction: 7/10
• Chelsea Wolfe - Abyss: 8.5/10
• The Chemical Brothers - Born In The Echoes: 6/10
• CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye: 8.5/10
• Corpo-Mente - Corpo-Mente: 8/10
• Dead Letter Circus - Aesthesis: 6/10
• Disclosure - Caracal: 6.5/10
• Drake & Future - What A Time To Be Alive: 4/10
• Foals - What Went Down: 7.5/10
• Flux Pavilion - Tesla: 3/10
• The Front Bottoms - Back On Top: 5.5/10
• Future - DS2: 6/10
• Halsey - BADLANDS: 9/10
• Kwabs - Love + War: 5/10
• Lianne La Havas - Blood: 6.5/10
• Metric - Pagans In Vegas: 5.5/10
• milo - if the flies don’t come: 7/10
• Myrkur - M: 7/10
• Phedora - The House Of Ink: 7/10
• Prides - The Way Back Up: 6.5/10
• Run The Jewels - Meow The Jewels: 6.5/10
• Saint Asonia - Saint Asonia: 6.5/10
• TesseracT - Polaris: 7/10
• The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die - Harmlessness: 6/10
• Years & Years - Communion: 8.5/10

Top 10 Albums of 2015:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Halsey - BADLANDS
3. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial
4. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho
5. Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
6. Purity Ring - Another Eternity
7. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
8. Zedd - True Colors
9. Years & Years - Communion
10. Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit

Upcoming Releases I’m Looking Forward To in the 4th Quarter (in order of hype):

• Deftones
• Arcane Roots - Heaven & Earth
• Stone Temple Pilots?
• City and Colour - If I Should Go Before You
• Puscifer - Money Shots
• Trivium - Silence In The Snow
• Loma Prieta - Self Portrait
• Coheed & Cambria - The Color Before The Sun

CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye

Music has always been and always will be progressive. Through every big movement there is some form of growth, and that growth sprouts from pushing boundaries beyond what one would think is possible. Yet growth and progression is not limited to change. It can be internal. Humans have a distinct desire to change the game and to create something new, if only to make our world greater. A message is all that it needs.

CHVRCHES' sophomore album is a good example of this internal change. Even before it was released, the album has sparked controversy already (see: Lauren Mayberry’s speaking out again misogyny). The trio of electronica masters have burst forward with a brand new album, showing their growth since their debut while still maintaining their core principles as artists.

Admittedly, after initially listening to the three singles the band released (’Never Ending Circles’, ‘Leaving A Trace’, and ‘Clearest Blue’), I was somewhat put off by what I was to expect from this album. They were undoubtedly CHVRCHES songs, but they seemed to missing something that was present in The Bones Of What You Believe. It did not become apparent just what was missing until the songs were put into the context of the album. They lacked a story telling element. While there was never a clear narrative in Bones, everything added up. It made a statement that, when isolated to a single piece of music, may be unclear, but there still exists a sense of what the end result may be. While that is somewhat absent from Every Open Eye, it does not necessarily detract from it. Rather, it gives CHVRCHES a chance to work on specific meanings rather than summing up ideas as a whole. Even then, that statement is not entirely true - Every Open Eye does have some core concepts.

One of the more cleverly disguised secrets mixed into this album is the change of sound. It is a secret in that the album is definitively a CHVRCHES album, yet it starkly contrasts its predecessor. Bones had a dark vibe to it, almost to an otherwordly level. Even the cheeriest songs on Bones had something dark hidden within it (’Gun’ and ‘The Mother We Share’ come to mind). Every Eye Open is somewhat more straightforward, in that sense. Not every track has something dark behind it.

Differences do not end at the feeling of the album. There is an austere progression in their sonic landscapes as well. While Bones felt reminiscent and new all at the same time, Every Open Eye feels very familiar... yet still new. Perhaps the most similar song to their debut record is ‘Keep You On My Side’ - it could have come straight from the demo sessions of the album, if not for its slightly stronger EDM influence! The influences are definitely stronger on this one, though. ‘Down Side Of Me’ is almost CHVRCHES’s take on a Naked & Famous song. ‘High Enough To Carry You’ sounds like it came straight out of the 80′s (or straight out of a YouTube troll video, à la Rick Astley). On the subject of this song, this is one of the most interesting tracks on the album. Martin Doherty takes the reigns for lead vocals on this track, and absolutely takes it over! Hopefully they emphasize his voice more on future records, as well. ‘Bury It’ is the poppiest song on the record, with a huge metallic background and an absolutely massive chorus. ‘Afterglow’, the final track on the album, is perhaps one of the band’s most beautiful tracks. It finds power in minimalism and simplicity, featuring nothing but a building, huge atmosphere and Lauren Mayberry’s enchanting vocals. It almost feels like it took inspiration from Muse, who’s latest album Drones ended with the track of the same name, which was nothing more than a layered a cappella (and a single synth note to conclude it), in a similar fashion to how Mayberry takes this track mostly solo. It was without a doubt the best way - and possibly the only way - to end this album with a substantial conclusion.

Every Open Eye is a testament to progression. It represents how CHVRCHES have mastered their craft and can still find ways to expand upon it. It also is a statement on how humans desire change, too. One individual can make a huge difference in the world, but not unless the world can watch. Change occurs when every eye is open, and appeals to every open eye. Progress makes us human. Evolution makes us living. And CHVRCHES make us feel alive.

Favorite Tracks: Afterglow, High Enough To Carry You, Bury It

Least Favorite Tracks: Leave A Trace, Clearest Blue

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

My Top 10 of 2015:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Halsey - BADLANDS
3. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial
4. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho
5. Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
6. Purity Ring - Another Eternity
7. CHVRCHES - Every Open Eye
8. Zedd - True Colors
9. Years & Years - Communion
10. Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit

Bring Me The Horizon - That's The Spirit

It was a challenge to follow up their critically acclaimed Sempiternal, but Bring Me The Horizon has trudged forward and have released their new album, That’s The Spirit. The album drops some of the band’s metalcore and heavier qualities and presents a new, alternative rock / alternative metal sound that shines a new light on the band, taking the electronic influences of Sempiternal and taking them a step further while still maintaining their core sound.

Right from the get-go, on opening track ‘Doomed’, you can tell the album is something different for the band. Beginning with various moans and groans before clean vocals come in with an atmospheric, pop-production-esque background, the listener is already given a taste of the new sound. The album makes heavy use of gang vocals, in a similar fashion to Thirty Seconds To Mars - ‘Happy Song’, ‘True Friends’, ‘Drown’, and ‘Oh No’ all have a 30STM vibe to them. ‘Happy Song’ almost reminds me of ‘September’s Children’ by Rise Against, with how the gang vocals are sung, and ‘Drown’ has gang vocals that had me thinking of the sing-a-long of Thirty Seconds To Mars’ ‘City Of Angels’.

Another fair comparison to make it to Linkin Park - Oli Sykes being a big fan of the band definitely shines through on tracks like ‘Throne’ and ‘Doomed’. With melodic yet intense vocals while maintaining an intense array of layered guitars and various other electronics, the LP vibes are strong in many songs. ‘Throne’ could even be their take on ‘Lost In The Echo’! This track is probably the closest they get to Linkin Park on the record... though each track has a distinct flair to them. Much of the album could essentially be a Linkin Park vs. Thirty Seconds To Mars album. My two favorite bands - I have zero complaints about that.

While the influences may be stronger in some places than others, Bring Me The Horizon stay true to themselves on each track. Melodic when it wants to be and extreme when it needs to be - BMTH has their sound down pat. While it That’s The Spirit may not match the evolution that was Sempiternal, it does a good job at being the follow up that album deserved. Perhaps they won’t be able to match the quality that album was - after it all, it redefined them all as musicians. But they can continue to evolve and still make great music. Spirit is the proof.

Favorite Tracks: Throne, Doomed, Avalanche

Least Favorite Tracks: What You Need, Follow You

Rating: 8/10

My Top 10 of 2015:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Halsey - BADLANDS
3. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial
4. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho
5. Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
6. Purity Ring - Another Eternity
7. Zedd - True Colors
8. Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
9. Years & Years - Communion
10. Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit

Halsey - BADLANDS

It’s not very often a new voice appears on the scene that demands such attention it can create a cult. Here we have Halsey, who’s debut LP has done exactly that. She seemingly appeared out of thin air, with her powerful voice garnering enough attention to already be demanding playtime on radios everywhere. After a powerful EP entitled Room 93 (containing ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Ghost’, found on the deluxe edition of the album) released late last year, Halsey has brought out her best for an eccentric and challenging debut: BADLANDS.

According to Halsey, the name of the album is derived from the state of her mind as she wrote the album; fair enough, considering the themes presented in the album. Containing everything from rebellion to love, this album covers a lot of ground thematically. Lyrically, this album is nothing short of fantastic. The chorus of the opening track, ‘Castle’ embodies rising up against the machine: “I'm headed straight for the castle / They wanna make me their queen / And there's an old man sitting on the throne that's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean”. Lyrics should arrest your interest, making you delve into them, extracting meaning from them, keen on absorbing the next word. Halsey does great at this, with almost every track being able to capture your interest and hold it captive while it puts you in a trance you can’t escape. Her lyrics are also clever and relatable, especially the bridge of ‘Colors’, where she speaks of a mistaken love: ‘You were red and you liked me 'cause I was blue / You touched me and suddenly I was a lilac sky / And you decided purple just wasn't for you.” The songs are written with a lot of emotion and thought, and it does not go unappreciated.

Her sound in general is unique in its own right - think of it as The Naked & Famous meets Nirvana. Keeping the synths heavy and brooding while harkening back to rebellious styles like Nirvana is what Halsey does best. It’s undeniable that there’s just something about her voice that is so enchanting - is it the subtly raspiness to it? How introspective it is? Melody plays a big part in it too, each song having a memorable hook and backed up by having equally memorable lyrics. ‘Castle’ and ‘New Americana’ have particularly capturing lyrics and melodies that you just can’t get out of your mind. It isn’t all just power and catchy choruses, however. There’s a lot of little moments to be remembered, too. ‘Haunting’ begins with a little a cappella intro, almost in the style of CHVRCHES’ ‘The Mother We Share’. The instrumental of ‘Gasoline’ harkens back to ‘Hurricane’ when she sings the line, “Do you call yourself a fucking hurricane like me?” There, the little synth hook from ‘Hurricane’ plays - a small, but clever and cute moment. It’s these little inclusions that keep the album alive. No two songs sound the same, as well. You have a synth-rock track in ‘Roman Holiday’, but find yourself listening to the creepy, symphonic track ‘Control’ later on.

Halsey’s debut is one of the strongest first albums all year. It explores every nook and cranny it possibly could, while still holding together one progressive album that is relatable and fun all the same. I saw her live back in June when she opened for Metric and Imagine Dragons - even before she had a full length EP her shows were already massive. The attention she has garnered is very much deserved, and to be expected from such a massive debut.

Favorite Tracks: Castle, Colors, New Americana, Control

Least Favorite Tracks: Strange Love, Drive

Rating: 9/10

My Top 10 of 2015:

1. Muse - Drones
2. Halsey - BADLANDS
3. 10 Years - From Birth To Burial
4. Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho
5. Halestorm - Into The Wild Life
6. Purity Ring - Another Eternity
7. Zedd - True Colors
8. Joey Bada$$ - B4.DA.$$
9. Years & Years - Communion
10. Kamasi Washington - The Epic

Years & Years - Communion

Fresh off of their Y & Y EP released earlier in the year, Years & Years have finally released their triumphant debut album, Communion. The band appeared on the electronic / dance scene back in 2012, when the group was then a five piece. Six singles later (four of which have made it onto Communion), the now-three piece have perfected and polished their sound for their first major album. After demanding attention with their catchy singles like ‘Take Shelter’ and ‘Desire’, this album truly shows how the trio have brought a sense of finesse to a broad genre.

The albums begins on an intimate number entitled ‘Foundation’, one of the group’s more modest cuts. While minimalistic in terms of the sonic landscape of the song, it’s still quite beautiful and emotional. It acts as a ‘Foundation’ for the emotional aspect of the album, which is conveyed heavily throughout the album, most notably through lead vocalist Olly Alexander’s pure vocals. A lot of the soul throughout the album comes from his voice. The actual instrumentation behind the vocals also add a certain level of fun to each track, definitely getting your foot tapping with each beat. A common formula in terms of the synths on the album is to build up over time. In more cases than not, you can find yourself listening to a track that has a moderate introduction that transitions to an explosive collection of synths and noise to conclude the song. The album also has a few tracks that dare to push the borders of electronica. ‘Border’ is almost a rock ballad, with a driving beat and a chorus melody that pleases your ears to hear - the only thing keeping it from filling that “rock ballad” label is the lack of any acoustic instrumentation, though that is more than forgivable. ‘Memo’ takes a brief step away from the electronic landscape and is lead by room-filling piano chords. The song still has traces of electronica riddled throughout and at the core, but the acoustic instrumentation is a welcome change of pace for the album. The closing track, ‘1977‘, has an enchanting bassline, subtle but demanding your attention. This album is all about the little things hidden in the mix, while the foreground of sounds is already pleasing to hear.

The album name definitely lives up to the general idea expressed throughout the album. Each track has an aspect of intimacy of it, despite being upfront and arresting your attention on the surface. Upon further inspection, a story is revealed. From beginning to end, the whole album is generally a love story, building from desiring love to holding on to memories of it. Each track can be perceived in a variety of ways unrelated to love, but that core idea is expressed through the general progression of the album. Communion is definitely one of the more relatable releases this year.

Communion is a challenge to the electronic and dance scene. Its catchy to simply listen to, and heavy to take in with an honest listen. The acoustic takes on the deluxe edition of the album are beautiful renditions, be sure to check those out if you haven’t heard them already - they add another level of emotion to the album. Years & Years’ debut album is a major success, not only on the charts, but in execution as well. With the music they’ve released up to this point, the trio has brought their sound to a polished and firm state that can only improve with time.

Favorite Tracks: Border, Foundation, Take Shelter

Least Favorite Tracks: Ties, Real

Rating: 8.5/10