Jeff Rosenstock - Worry.

After emo rock came the cries of indie punk, which brought "emo" into a new light. Defeated melodies and anguished screams replaced the zeitgeist. Jeff Rosenstock is a flagbearer of the genre, but is his new album Worry. a strong effort?

The album begins with 'We Begged 2 Explode', already edgy with the whole number scenario. It starts off deceivingly, Rosenstock singing over somber piano chords as a dinky guitar and beat kicks in, progressively building into something rawer and angrier, taking the song to a distorted ending. It's a typical song of its kind, but it's not bad. A similar track plays out with 'Rash Pash', the acoustic, lo-fi intro segueing into a punkier vibe.

Personally, this indie punk brand doesn't typically settle well with me. It feels lazy and edgy without purpose - I'm not here to listen to 30+ year olds whine like they're in high school. That being said, there are still songs that stand out to me. It's a short run starting with 'Staring Out The Window At Your Old Apartment', which blends melody with a sort of uneasy anger. That's what doesn't really settle with me - the melodies of this genre sound lazy to me, and in a bad way, like there's no care to make something as such. 'Staring' sounds like melody took a good influence in its writing, which makes the song standout. 'Wave Goodnight To Me' is another track, and while its melody isn't exactly the main point of the track, the guitar work is really fun and the song has great vibe to it.

The best way to describe this album is through analogy. Think of it as Rosenstock taking a number two: the beginning of the album is the energy and satisfaction of getting it out of his system, while the rest of it is the afterthought of him sitting on the toilet for twenty minutes, sitting in silence as he thinks to himself "well, that happened." The initial blast of energy in the energy dies off before the core of the record even arrives, leaving a majority of the album sounding uninspired and just plain boring. There's very little to comment on with the rest of the record following 'To Be A Ghost...'; it's a conglomeration of sub-par, half-assed songs put to quick, easy guitar riffs and gimmicky ideas. The only upside is that the songs all have a smooth transition into each other, but even then some songs end for no other purpose than to transition, which detracts from their overall sound.

Jeff Rosenstock's charm isn't heading in the right direction. The initial energy of the album dies quickly, the rest of it playing through without any punch or replayability. Worry. isn't a good sign for things to come, but maybe this 34 year old will find more angst penned up within him for the next, and hopefully more inspired, album.

Favorite Tracks: Staring Out The Window At Your Old Apartment, Wave Goodnight To Me

Least Favorite Tracks: Pietro, 60 Years Old; Planet Luxury; Rainbow

Rating: 59 / 100

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation

Nothing is forever - not even chaos. The musical embodiment of such, The Dillinger Escape Plan, are calling it quits after the tour for their sixth and final record Dissociation runs its course.

There was never really a quantifiable way of describing The Dillinger Escape Plan. Their chaotic music gave them their niche and was always hard to understand. It's a hit or miss scenario for much of their discography - even their softer tracks. Dissociation wasn't much different, for me. As someone who's never actively listened to the band before, I was quite confused by the record for much of its runtime.

Then, everything started making sense when 'Nothing To Forget' played, particularly during the soft part in the bridge. The chaos and doom of the verses painted a tortured picture, but as the soft, symphonic bridge kicked in, it showed that it was all a controlled chaos. In the tortured mind, thoughts are often riddled with hopeless optimism. Amongst the anger and grit of everything else, there's still a sense of hope that is found at the core of it. It's the emotionally connotation of this soft bridge part that really tied the meaning of the record together. The bridge leads to an even heavier, angrier breakdown to end the song, in which Ben Weinman screams "Please let me be by myself / I don't need anyone else" over and over again, as if to try and escape his own mind from its full state.

The album is a representation of internal chaos. It's the interworking systems of a brain, at times schizophrenic and at others on the brink of self-destruction. Upon the second listen of the album, after the revelation of the album's theme, 'Symptom Of Terminal Illness' became more powerful. Originally, the intensity of the track stood out because it was less insane-sounding than 'Limerant Death', but its creepiness build a different complex. That creepiness builds unsettling pictures on top of restraint. It feels as if at any moment this song could abruptly explode into undying rage built up over years.

There's a general unsettling cloud that floats over a lot of the album. 'Fugue' is weird and unsettling, making the unease of the album greater as it gets into its core, with 'Low Feel Blvd' frantically and chaotically searches for a means of escape. It's the musical expression of tipping over the point of sanity and insanity. The song's majority is heavy and unrelenting, but a jazzy, bluesy bridge separates the beginning's anger from the end's. It's the constant change of sound and type of anger that makes the album constantly feel like its going through a mood change between songs.

It can't be forgotten that this is the band's final record, though. It all comes to an almost tragic end with title track 'Dissociation'. Brought up with a beautiful string intro, a droning bass kicks in, in time with a crazy drum beat. The song isn't angry, but it is neither satisfied. It's more like its come to terms with itself. The chaos is a part of it, and this song is about giving up and letting it take over, ironically making the chaos more refined and less apparent. The band's end comes at a tragic note, but a powerful one all the same. The band is concluded with the dying words "Finding a way to die alone" as the song fades out to its last breath.

Much of Dissociation feels like, to me, a mess of hitting drums and downtuned guitar tracks, and the album's meaning can't change that, but justify it. It doesn't make it good, it just makes it understandable. The album is Dillinger's final, and perhaps most powerful. It's internal, personal chaos and degradation rather than aiming to simply sound like it. There's meaning in there somewhere, but it's buried under layers of a dying mind. If Dillinger will be back one day is yet to be seen, but this album feels like the appropriate farewell.

Favorite Tracks: Dissociation, Nothing To Forget, Symptom Of Terminal Illness

Least Favorite Tracks: Limerent Death, Fugue

Rating: 73 / 100

The Naked & Famous - Simple Forms

New Zealand's best electronic act is back in action. The Naked & Famous are sounding stronger and more confident than ever, their third album Simple Forms reigning as their best works yet.

The band has experimented with different styles of electronic in the past. 2013's In Rolling Waves explored a gentle, if not fragile side of it, building itself up with layers of slowly building, aesthetic field of synths. Their 2010 debut Passive Me, Aggressive You had a poppier, more energetic vibe to it than its successor. Simple Forms combines the best of both of those records into one awesome album.

As soon as it begins, you know The Naked & Famous have really set the bar high. Lead single 'Higher' leads off the record, introducing the record with vocalist Alisa Xayalith singing sweetly before the big instrumental kicks in. Brought in by an electrifying guitar and splashy drums, the track exudes energy and also shows the softer side of the band, the bridge replacing the thick synths with a light wave of synth and piano as Xayalith tones done her voice for a sweet moment. Thick, explosive synths are this album's life force, but sometimes it comes at a cost. 'The Water Beneath You' has even more energetic synths than the song preceding it, yet the chorus almost feels empty with the lack of anything besides the big synth. Where are the drums? The guitar? Anything? It's a solid track, but if it had more to it, it could've been that much better.

Single 'Laid Low' - which we reviewed upon its release - exemplifies the album's energetic side. The big drums give it an anthemic vibe, while the bittersweet cries of "Take me home / I'm learning to live with ghosts" make the chorus personal and giant at the same time. The song's words are enough to motivate you, despite their sadder meaning about needing to be saved. The final explosion of cries at the end of the song give it a sincere, passionate vibe.

On the opposite end, there's songs like 'Backslide', that give anthemic a different side. The immense bass synth bursts like cosmic warfare, the beautiful melodies and harmonies adding to the song's conviction. It's a darker song, exploding with thick bass guitars and synths like some epic symphonic rock song put to electronics. It's uplifting in an convicting way - it makes you feel like wanting to act.

The chemistry between Xayalith and Thom Powers is another critical point on the album. 'My Energy' shows Powers take the lead on a track, with Xayalith acting as support to him, resulting in some great harmonies with big guitars and a grand instrumental taking them even further. The ending is great - the slight increase in pitch resolves the song in a confident, energetic note that gives it an unexpected punch. There's more of a tradeoff in 'Losing Our Control', the slower atmosphere progressing with the gentle swelling of the synth as the duo switch off with each other, both vocals telling their own part in this tragic story. Power's backing vocals in 'Last Vocals' may not be in the foreground, but they still really tie the chorus together and make the song cohesive. The song ends sweetly, a raw recording of them singing in the studio with the song's acoustic guitar track playing along. Moments like this aren't usually done well on records, but this one was perfect.

Simple Forms is The Naked & Famous' best work yet. Combining emotion, energy, and pure musicianship into one cohesive record makes the album truly enjoyable and warming to listen to. It's a masterful blend of electronica, rock, and indie that solidifies this band's position as the top contenders in their genre.

Favorite Tracks: Backslide, Losing Our Control, Laid Low

Least Favorite Track: Rotting

Rating: 90 / 100

Pusha T - 'Circles' (ft. Ty Dolla $ign & Desiigner)

The president of G.O.O.D. Music himself Pusha T is back again to share his next single from his upcoming album, King Push. The new song 'Circles' takes about the after party life, Pusha recruiting Ty Dolla $ign and Desiigner for the track, too.

For a Pusha T song, there's an awful lack of Pusha in it. Ty Dolla $ign has more prevalence in the track than Pusha does, which should come as a bit of a concern. That's not to say that this song has much lyrical content - a solid fourth of the lines in the song are "Tell her throw that ass in a circle / Throw that ass in a circle," which serves as both the hook and go to phrases in the verses throughout the song.

The premise of the song is to describe the events that took place after the release of 'H.G.T.V.', released a day before 'Circles'. The three rappers discuss the after-party and flaunting their wealth, glorifying their statuses as successful artists. While the after-party may be all good thoughts and vibes, there are some interesting lines in the song that discuss different topics. It's a success story for Pusha T, or Blowbama P, as he puts it in his third verse - a nickname for him given his starting point as a drug dealer to the president of G.O.O.D. Music. Indirectly, as a response to Pusha's past, Desiigner sings in his hook that "If we get high, you could be my supplier."

Despite the seemingly bland outlook on the song, it's a pretty fun one to listen to. Whether it be Desiigner's 'Tiimmy Turner' crooning that adds melody throughout the track or simply the flow of the words, I cannot say for sure, but I definitely like them both and how they work together to build the flow of the track. Songs like this usually aren't my cup of tea, but this one has groove and flow in a conscious way, which earns it a win for me.

Pusha T's on the heels of his new album, as seen by the two singles. 'Circles' is about the glamour of living as a successful rapper, but in a respectable way, conscious of the past. Pusha T, Ty Dolla $ign, and Desiigner came together in a way that really worked well for the track, and it's going to be interesting to see if the narrative of singles continues forward. Let's just hope the quality doesn't stray as a result of it.

Rating: 83 / 100

Two Door Cinema Club - Gameshow

Some bands love to bring the groove forward. One of the most effective bands who strive for that is Two Door Cinema Club, here in 2016 with their followup to 2012's sophomore Beacons, entitled Gameshow.

The band hit it big right from the start, the single 'What You Know' from their debut record Tourist History becoming a pop hit. The Irish trio have since then stripped back some of their energetic drive, ushering them into a more refined, groovy sound that forms the foundations of Gameshow.

The groove kicks off immediately with 'Are We Ready? (Wreck)' with the infectious guitars and bass getting you moving right on the first track. Even the vocals have a certain swagger to them that makes you want to get up and move around. Big drama fills the chorus to give it some tension, too. Similar vibes carry to title track 'Gameshow', its reckless abode pairing with a big, crazy attack gives it a sweet drive. 'Lavender' follows up with a similar thickness. The lovely melodies are paired with a subtle vocoder that whispers behind Alex Trimble's infectious voice. The guitar and synth punches in the chorus really give it an extra sense of optimism and energy.

Electronics play an important role on this record. Synths make their way into nearly every song, whether its background or lead. Often times, they contain some strong nostalgia with them, such as in 'Fever', as the dreamy synths wash over bluesy guitar before taking on an 80s soundscape, complete with strings et al. Closure track 'Je Viens De Là' also has a nostalgic atmosphere, a mix of disco and 80s flair blending to one funky conclusion. The choruses are generally simplistic before elements build into dancey synths and guitar chords. The aesthetic of the album is accurately portrayed through the synths of 'Ordinary', paired with a glitchy aspect that makes it fresh. The fat bass synth punches in 'Bad Decisions' and 'Surgery' also add to that vibe, the drive of 'Good Morning' and its great lyrics doing much the same.

An issue that seems to repeat throughout the record is that the band doesn't really know what to prioritize and what to put in the background. There are tracks like 'Surgery' that blend indie rock and 80s nostalgia seamlessly, complete down to the brim with a chill solo that satisfies both genres. They seem to want to be The 1975 too much on this record, but they haven't gotten that balance of funk and indie appeal. An example is 'Invincible' - the pizzaz is all in the background, leaving the more underwhelming portions starkly in the front of all the action. The guitar is good but it's almost lost amongst the synths.

Two Door Cinema Club are still on the road of solidifying this sound of theirs. It's getting there, but Gameshow is that final crossroad. You can hear the gradual understanding of their own sound and ideas in the record, and it's bound to show off in the next record. Gameshow stands on its own as a good album, nonetheless - it just lacks that cohesion that could've bumped it up one step further. We'll be drowning in funk for days with this one, though, so there's no need to rush.

Favorite Tracks: Lavender, Gameshow, Surgery

Least Favorite Track: Invincible

Rating: 78 / 100

Avenged Sevenfold - 'The Stage'

Avenged Sevenfold have a reputation of being the pop boys of metal. It's fair to say - they definitely have one of the more accessible sounds in the genre. While remaining easy to listen to in terms of the levels of metal, they often do it well. Their new song is not one of these cases.

'The Stage' is perhaps one of the most uncreative, gimmicky songs the band has ever put out. From the over-the-top angsty music video to the absolutely dreadful drum mix, this song really has hit all the checks for bad.

You'd think progressive A7X couldn't be that bad. You'd have thought wrong, though. 'The Stage' is melodramatic in the worst ways possible. The band is known for being bombastic and upfront, but this is just distasteful. It does have multiple distinct sections that work to a passable ending that takes the song out on its only positive note. The intro is brought straight from the title track 'Hail To The King' from their 2013 effort Hail To The King in a move which shows that the band is basically ripping themselves off (at least it's not Metallica this time). The song abruptly segues into a clean, almost bluesy bridge after an electrifying solo. The guitar in this part is really great, the instrumental as a whole sounding really genuinely pretty.

Then the heaviness comes back. It's not as bad as the verses had set up, but it's still not great. The song ends with dual guitar solos in that 'Nightmare'-esque fashion and pounding drums (the only part of the album where the drums are tolerable). A classical acoustic ending brings the song to an awkward end as the crash cymbal fails to fade out with the rest of the instrumental. Also, why did they end with an acoustic guitar? What is the relevance?

Not only is the performance out of place, but the instruments themselves just sound awful. The kick drum in the intro sounds like something a teen trying out a double-kick pedal or a sampling pad for the first time would sound like. The tone of it is so completely dead, too. The snare is okay, and the cymbals are fine, but as for the rest of the kit; it's like they forgot to mic them appropriately. Their new drummer Brooks Wackerman is really not doing them any favors - Bad Religion won't miss him if this is his work now... The guitar lacks bass or crunch, sounding floppy and weak. The lead parts are good, as is expected from Synyster Gates, but what happened to the rhythm guitar? Why does M. Shadows sound like a dying horse in the third verse? What's going on?

To make matters worse, the lyrics are absolutely laughable. By some tragic miracle, M. Shadows seems to have misplaced his own lyrics with an angry middle-schooler's diary. Who let "When did the walking apes decide that nuclear war / Was now the only solution for them keeping the score? / Just wake up / Can’t you wake up?" be words to a song? The key to being prolific and making a statement is ripping cliché metaphors straight out of angry YouTube comments? The second verse sings (in the song's awful, failing melody) "Jesus Christ, was born to die / Leave it to man to levitate his own to idolize / We’re simply sociopaths with no communication baby / I see your angle but we differ from our points of view," as if this isn't the cringiest line you've ever heard in a metal song (barring Limp Bizkit, of course, who made that their thing).

Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, the music video is atrocious. It's a giant metaphor on war and corruption, with handpuppets replaying scenes from the history of man, including the beheading of Louis XIV and World War I. An interesting concept, but done with the wrong song and the the wrong direction. Watching puppets in these scenes with crappy metal playing in the background doesn't do any justice. When Hillary Clinton and Vladmir Putin appear at the end as puppets controlling the other puppets, you can't help but say "Oh, come on." Then another set of strings control those puppets, the strings attached to a skeletal hand that presses a button the detonate a nuclear bomb, sending us back to the age of cavemen, because that's how evolution works. 

There's so much wrong with this song, and it makes me angry. I want this song to be good. Repeated listens lighten the initial "what and why is this" reaction, but fails to make the bad elements of the song any better. It's a badly produced song and a badly produced video to combine into one fail of a show. Hopefully the rest of Voltaic Oceans holds up, because if this song (and the edginess of the album title) are proof of what's to come, we're doomed.

Rating: 59

Rating w/ Video: 40

Kings Of Leon - Walls

Kings Of Leon have really fallen off of their throne. They always had that alternative rock meets country vibe that really had a sweet sound on the radio, but it seems that it's not working for them anymore. Their seventh album Walls is not a good sign.

For what it's worth, the album does have the Kings Of Leon charm. There's a lot of twangy guitars that give their alternative rock label a country tinge, especially evident in 'Around The World'. The beginning half of the album is mostly tolerable and a generally enjoyable listen, with the indie rock track 'Waste A Moment' opening the record in a standard way - nothing special, but nothing to scoff at, really. The same sound is continued in 'Reverend', which really has nothing else to offer besides its upbeat vibe. 

That's about all the praise the album can get: an okay start. It all falls apart after 'Over', the six minute track with a cool bass tone that leads nowhere. The issue with this album is that it really has no meat to it. There's no punch and no grit that can make any song grab you in the core of it. All momentum is lost in 'Muchacho', a weird song that tries to be overly dramatic while having a weak instrumental and weak lyrics. This theme continues throughout the rest of the record, 'Conversation Piece' and 'Eyes On You' offering up nothing new or exciting as they follow. 'Wild' makes it even worse, in fact. The album's closer track is single 'WALLS', which we reviewed upon its release (check that out here). The song is still as aimless as it was as a standalone, not progressing in its five minutes and burning out at the end of an album that's already struggling to stay alight.

The only redeemable track on the entire record is 'Find Me'. It's the only song that has a real sense of conviction and direction. It's laced with sweet guitar lines and punctuated chords that build tremendously to a feel good ending. The guitar work is pretty solid on the track, especially evident in the choruses, the nice moments offered up amongst the great melodies and sweet atmosphere. Why the rest of the album couldn't sound like this is beyond me - this is the sound that works; not the half-assed minimal rock tracks that try to sound deep.

Kings Of Leon are losing their steam. Their past efforts were both with largely negative appraisal, and it seems that Walls will be no different. With very few redeemable moments, it's hard to give this album any credit. They tried, but their efforts don't seem to have been enough to satisfy what the band and their fans were needing.

Favorite Track: Find Me

Least Favorite Tracks: Muchacho, Conversation Piece, Walls

Rating: 54 / 100

My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge

Last week, we reviewed My Chemical Romance's debut record, the punk precursor to their emo takeover I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love, which you can read here. The album follows the story of two "demolition lovers," who run from the authorities who are trying to capture them. In the end, he is killed and sent to hell while his lover continues to live.

Or so you thought. The narrative doesn't intentionally continue throughout the band's followup, but it certainly carries on the theme. Besides the story, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge is a largely stronger album than its predecessor, freshening up the band's sound and moving them towards the sound they became known for.

The album generally drops the complex song structures and generally raw, abrasive nature of I Brought You My Bullets. Instead, MCR is met with an album in which Gerard Way described as "pseudo-conceptual horror story." It's largely a tale of personal disaster: the hardships of life, the struggle of love, and even the grief of losing a loved one. All of this is done with an innovative album caught in the crossfire between punk rock and the rising pop punk and emo movement.

The remnants of I Brought You My Bullets can still be found throughout the album. The most similar-sounding song is 'Its Not's A Fashion Statement, It's A Fucking Deathwish', which not-so-coincidentally was the first song written after the release of the former record. The song discusses a love that doesn't fade, whether or not it was a good or bad thing. Similar elements of the song to its precursors are its rawer guitar and forward propulsion set forward by the drumming. What makes it part of Three Cheers is its conscious sense of melody. The former had concentration on the workings of the song rather than its sound. 'Give 'Em Hell, Kid' is another track with a similar punk rock vibe, but in a much more refined way, the production of style of Three Cheers aiding it. The verses are crazy and full of surprises, the choruses strong and melodic, all leading to a giant ending. The album did earn the band a reputation, but it was this record that truly skyrocketed them. 

The album's singles are also to thank for the band's popularity being sent into momentum. Listening to this album today, it's hard to not sing along to the anthemic chorus of 'Helena' that chants "What's the worst thing I can say? Things are better if I stay / So long and goodnight." It's almost as iconic as the piano intro of 'Welcome To The Black Parade', but in a sing-a-long sort of way rather than being the defining song of emo rock. The beautiful lyrics and melodies are backed by a thrilling, alternative rock instrumental. The lyrics somewhat relate to the demolition lovers, as the character reminds herself that anger won't get her anywhere past the grief of losing her lover.

The other singles also make it clear how this album was important for the band. 'The Ghost Of You' features beautifully clean and haunting verses as Way dramatically sings before the big choruses that display the refined rage and sorrow the demolition lover feels not that he is lost without his other half. The way the guitar imitates the "Never coming home, never coming home" part that still rings as powerfully as it did over a decade ago. Lead single 'I'm Not Okay (I Promise)' is a more personal track that steps away from the demolition lovers' narrative, the pop rock song tackling a very "teenage" issue: a girl who is having troubles with her boyfriend asks the narrator who is dealing with his own problems in his life, puts them aside to help her just to be ignored. The girl loves all these "deep" songs but can't see the real problems of life, as the narrator tries to explain. The true alternative rock vibe of the song was enough to burst that era into a new frontier.

On a heavier ground, 'Thank You For The Venom' was the single that showed that My Chemical Romance still had the capability to produce great, heavy tracks with a rebellious statement. The thick guitar riffs (including the one in the intro) give the song an extra thickness that the rest of the album doesn't have. It discusses fear and helplessness, as well as sending a blasting messages to record labels who don't understand that the bands want to be part of their fans, too.

It's not all black and white on this record, though. There's some moments that stand out more than others. 'You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison' starts off groovy that ends wild and rambunctiously has interesting artistic choices (especially in the second verse) and features lots of cool little moments and elements that make it unique. There's a Western-vibe to 'Hang 'Em High', likely inspired by Way's enticement with Clint Eastwood (since this song shares a title with one of his movies). The western intro is followed by thrashing guitars and drums that ultimately come together throughout the rest of the song leading to a cluster of noise in the end. It preaches that you should never stop fighting.

Three Cheers doesn't shy away from more personal and intense topics, however. A "jetset" is a lifestyle that is defined by frequent traveling and drug use. This is exactly what Gerard Way struggled with whilst touring, almost dying in Japan in 2004. This experience and coming clean led to 'The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You', a song that really speaks for itself once you understand the story. The rock vibe of the instrumental that sounds similar to a Weezer track acts as a support for the message and the big vocals. On another note is 'Cemetery Drive', the light melody and vibe shadowing the meaning: coping with life after a loved one commits suicide. The instrumental is great and really supports the track's lost demeanor, the chorus beautifully yet simply doing the same with its chants of "I miss you, I miss you so far / And the collision of your kiss that made it so hard."

It all comes back to the narrative of I Brought You My Bullets. Lots of tracks have references to the story: the loss of a loved one in 'Helena', the convict that is coping with failing mental health in 'You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison', and the living lover being unaware of the deal the dead one made with the devil in 'Give 'Em Hell, Kid'. The only song that fully delves into the story is closing track 'I Never Told You What I Do For A Living'. The song combines the best of the elements of I Brought You My Bullets and Three Cheers: the complex structure and the convicted vocals of Bullets paired with the power of the vocals and production style of Three Cheers makes this song a true monster.

Filled to the brim with sweet melodies, big moments, and epic screams, the song exhibits the raw emotions of the demolition lovers as the main character fulfills his deal with the devil: killing a thousand evil souls so that he can once again see his lover. The lyrics deal with how the murders slowly become justified in the name of love, the narrator asking his lover to free him from the burden. The devil tricks him, in the end: the last soul he must kill is himself, expressed in the lyrics "Down / And down we go / And we all fall down" sung in a growing rage that builds to a vicious scream, ending in the heartbreaking yet simple screams of "I tried". The beautiful clean chorus defeatedly cries "And never again / And never again / They gave us two shots to the back of the head / And we're all dead now." The lines repeat with more energy until its last repetition, sounding more like dying words than a proclamation of victory. Whether or not he gets to see his lover again is up to interpretation, but the beautiful story comes to an end here.

My Chemical Romance's romanticization of death becomes clear in this album and continues under a different light in the one that follows. Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge ends the tragic tale of the demolition lovers in a burning and vivid conclusion. I personally like to believe they did see each other again, but the devil brought them both back to hell - the last words of the album ending with a bittersweet apology to her, but a gratefulness amongst them both that they are united once again. That's the beauty of this band - they can tell a vivid story with no clear ending but still have it be a masterpiece. Three Cheers was the start of their sound's evolution and a solidification of their songwriting ability, and all of that only improved as they progressed, and we all know where they went from there.

Favorite Tracks: I Never Told You What I Do For A Living, The Ghost Of You, Helena

Least Favorite Track: Interlude

Rating: 91 / 100

Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos

It's not a mystery that the world is often fueled by corruption. Whether it be the top percentage cheating the middle and lower classes or insane politicians taking control, the world is over run with chaos. That very principle has made Kate Tempest very angry.

The English poet has released her second record Let Them Eat Chaos, and it's full of anger. It's not a yelling record, though - she has taken an interesting direction, creating a blasting hip-hop record that begs and pleas for understanding. It's riddled from top to bottom with powerful lyrics without sounding immature or angry as an inferiority complex.

The album isn't an immediate click. It grows with you sort of like an underdog - it starts off jarring but you slowly start to root for it as it progresses. It kicks off with the spoken word 'Picture A Vacuum', it has you wondering if you stumbled into a The World Is A Beautiful Place And I Am No Longer Afraid To Die album. The purpose starts becoming clearer as 'Lionmouth Door Knocker' starts setting a scene above a groovy beat and pulsing instrumental. The lyrics are eyeopening and really sets the scene of the record: do you know what's going on around us?

The album is highly political but in a very understandable way, particularly in the middle-class Londoner perspective. 'Ketamine For Breakfast' sustains the image of bleak life in the boroughs of England's cities. That song's meaner, upfront tonality leads into 'Europe Is Lost', the first reality check on the record. The five and a half minute track is a stark slamming of the tendencies of life, the very grassroots beat providing a raw and dirty aspect to the song, riddled with brilliant thoughts and great melodies.

This album is upfront with a purpose - every moment is plotted out to say something. 'Grubby' is passionate, the delivery restricted but clearly full of anger, as if Tempest is on the border of blowing. There's introspection in tracks like 'Brews', speaking of selfish desires while the atmosphere backs 'Pictures On A Screen' as a one-way conversation with herself slowly devolves into a fear of the future. 'Perfect Coffee' has a industrial vibe to it, its big instrumental supporting its dramatic moments as the casual scene it exhibits is dissected by Tempest. The closing track, perhaps the most jarring of all, 'Tunnel Vision' ends the record on a note of oppression - a cry for justice and an admittance to her tire of the world. It sums up the album all in one simple phrase: "existence is futile."

The issue with this album lies in the fact that it doesn't seem to know if it wants to be a poetry reading or a blasting hip-hop record. It's a mix of the two, and a good one at that, but its identity crisis often times interrupts the album's flow. The odd spoken word parts may serve well as songs with a beat backing them rather trying to be dramatic. One example is penultimate track 'Breaks', a song with a minimal beat as Tempest tells a vivid story. It begs for a more riveting instrumental with a beat, the droning synth that punches in and slowly builds with sounds doesn't satisfy it; in fact, it distracts the listener from the song. Other songs seem to want to be poems more than songs - 'We Die' is all about giving love and and appreciating life, but its lyrics don't really constitute a song. The cool beat and instrumental of 'Don't Fall In' is cut way too short, as if it wanted to be a poem but was made into a song instead.

Kate Tempest has a lot to say about our way of life and how it revolves everyday. Let Them Eat Chaos is about corruption and monotony, and how the two often play a closely intertwined dance. Her jarring imagery and provoking lyrics slam the world and its processes, begging for something different and for justice to be served. Those who want to revolt against the power can follow Tempest, but the others can continue living in their controlled chaos.

Favorite Tracks: Europe Is Lost Perfect Coffee, Pictures On A Screen

Least Favorite Tracks: Brews, Picture A Vacuum

Rating: 77 / 100

Phantogram - Three

The threat of Phantogram hasn't been quite so apparent until now. The duo's third record Three shows them at their highest, combining electronica, indie, and even hip-hop flair into one big mission statement.

The New York duo always had a certain swagger to them, and they make the best of it on their new record. There's the blues rock-meets-electronica jammer of 'Same Old Blues' that mixes sick guitar lines with deep psuedo-bass drops. There's also lead single 'You Don't Get Me High Anymore', a slam on a dying love that finds a brooding tone in its demanding bassline in the instrumental and the layers upon layers of harmonies that build the track. 'You're Mine' brings in a different kind of swagger, the heavy beat and challenging vocal delivery that functions as a tradeoff between Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter. It's more badass than the swag of the prior tracks, but still proves the point of the band's presence.

Hip-hop isn't something commonly channeled in indie projects, but Phantogram makes it a strong aspect of their record. Perhaps the most brooding and awesome track on the record is 'Run Run Blood', with Phantogram sounding like a rock version of Run The Jewels. The first verse begins with Barthel chanting "Hey wolf, there's lions in here / There's lions in here, there's lions in here / Hey wolf, just see there's no fear / Just see it's no fair, there are lions in here," as Carter follows through with his own interjection of "Extra, extra, read all about it / You think you slow me down? I highly doubt it / I own the paperboys, and you're the buyer / Your world is my world now to live and die in." The chorus backs away from the badass and instead takes a harmonious route with Barthel powerfully calling out that "It's bigger than life / It's bigger than love / It's bigger than us / Bigger than all."

The album closes on a similar hip-hop vibe, albeit resolving with a poppier flair by its conclusion, with 'Calling All'. When songs aren't badass or full of swagger, they're very introspective or uplifting. See the sweet guitar intro of 'Destroyer' that builds sweetly into an uplifting indie rock monster. 'Answer' is much the same, its weird glitchy piano providing as a back for sweet vocals, all leading to a big, uplifting, and confident ending. Other songs like 'Cruel World' delves into a matter of perspective, Barthel singing of her loss in faith in humanity. 

This album may be powerful in those senses, but it does have some weirdness to it. Its start is bumpy, the glitchy atmosphere of 'Funeral Pyre' sounding cluttered as it opens the album. Many songs have to be revisited on their own before they really click and become something special - it doesn't really flow all that well, each song surrounded by others with vague similarities but don't make quite enough of a connection to justify their vast differences. It's an eclectic experience, but one that's worth delving into. It won't click right away, but you have to give it a bit of time to grow.

Phantogram's third album is their most confident one yet. All the pressure is behind them and they're really settling into their place as musicians. Their force is yet to be recognized, but Three is on course to make some waves. Beware their swagger. 

Favorite Tracks: Run Run Blood, Destroyer, You Don't Get Me High Anymore

Least Favorite Track: Barking Dogs

Rating: 84 / 100