Halestorm - Into The Wild Life

There aren’t many pure rock n’ roll bands out there any more. No more record-straight-to-analog or single take recordings. It’s all recorded, processed, and edited. Halestorm decided to take it oldschool with their newest record, creating a very organic album along the likes of AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. This album sounds like it could be taken straight from the 70s/80s rock scene.

Go into this album ready to jam. You might be sweating by the end. Each track is a punch in the face in one way or another. From the huge opening of Scream to the surfer-metal (?) vibes of What Sober Couldn’t Say, this album explores a lot of territory in the metal realm. Lzzy Hale delivers powerful vocals track after track (interesting to note, all of the vocals were done in one take - no cutting, auto-tune, etc. was done to them. Additional vocals were added in later). The guitars and drums are relentless - Halestorm builds off of the best of their past material here, especially in riff-heavy tracks like I Am The Fire and Mayhem. Not everything is a wall of guitars, though - there are some softer tracks, too, including the confessional story of Dear Daughter and the groovy New Modern Loves. Sonically, this album is incredibly simple, but packs quite a punch nonetheless.

There are few negatives with this album. It might get repetitively rock-y at some points, yet each song is original in its own way. Halestorm shows in each track that they are truly masters of their craft and, even at their third album, can continue to make some great Americana rock-and-roll.

Into The Wild Life is possibly the best follow-up to The Strange Case Of... Halestorm could have possibly created. It showcases their growth as a band and still stays true to who they are. It’s as if the band combined their intensity as a live act with their power as a studio artist. Since the beginning, Halestorm have been an unstoppable force that are the diamond in the rough of the modern hard rock scene. Who says rock is dead?

Favorite Tracks: I Am The Fire, Mayhem, The Reckoning

Least Favorite Tracks: None. If I had to pick one, I’d say What Sober Couldn’t Say

Rating: 8.5/10

Three Days Grace - Human

After Adam Gontier left Three Days Grace in January 2013, a lot of fans feared for the future of the band. Their fear was warranted. Bassist Brad Walst’s brother, Matt Walst filled the shoes of Adam and this is their first release together. Maybe it would have been better for the band to call it quits...

I’ve spoken pretty negatively about it up until now. Let’s talk about the positives - the first half. Some of the band’s biggest jams are found here - ‘I Am Machine,’ ‘Painkiller,’ and ‘Human Race’ all show the band can still bring some great songs into the mix. The album opens up on a passive-aggressive note with ‘Human Race,’ a track that showcases Walst’s ability to live up to Gontier vocally. To be honest, the part about this song that made me love it so much was the verses, or, more specifically, the guitar in the verses. Great playing that keeps the song rolling. Sure, the rest of it is somewhat cliché, but it all builds up to one big jam. ‘Painkiller’ delivers the same energy, yet still a bit cliché in the grand scheme of things. It’s a jam, so it serves it’s purpose. The next two tracks, ‘Fallen Angel’ and ‘Landmine’ start to falter a little, as the album starts to drone on with these guitar-driven, basic songs. ‘Tell Me Why’ is the worst on the first half, not really expanding off of anything new. Painfully cliché at this point. ‘I Am Machine’ revitalizes the album, as it’s the first track since ‘Human Race’ to exhibit some emotion.

This is where everything falls apart - and by everything, I mean nothing is right about the second half of the album. The next six tracks are nothing but cliché, horribly written, sloppy songs that ruin not only the flow of the album but the entire thing. You can tell by it’s title, ‘So What’ is nothing but some angsty rock song that makes them seem like they’re trying to be Nirvana. ‘Car Crash’ earned the award for “second song I’ve given a rating of 1-star too.” The worst song on the album, it sounds like a middle schooler could have written it. ‘Nothing’s Fair In Love And War’ is a song that’s been written hundreds of times before by hundreds of other bands. ‘One Too Many’ is the another pathetically written track, sloppy and uninspired. ‘The End Is Not The Answer’ doesn’t even need an explanation to how bad it is, you can tell from the title. Even if it’s trying to convey a good message, it does it in as obvious of a way as possible. ‘The Real You’ is really bad, too.

If anything is to be taken from this album, it’s that Three Days Grace basically needed filler tracks to close out the album. I found a similar trend in their last album, 2012′s Transit Of Venus, where all the listenable tracks were placed in the first half, but then the album lost focus and became hilariously bad by the end. Perhaps releasing 6-song EPs would do this bad some favors, instead of littering their catalogue with horrendous tracks. Had the band not included the second half of songs into the album, I would have enjoyed it FAR more. If one thing can be said, don’t go into this album expecting good lyrics, let alone listenable tracks as you approach the middle.

Favorite Tracks: Human Race, Painkiller, I Am Machine

Least Favorite Tracks: Car Crash, One Too Many (+ the rest of the second half)

Rating: 3/10

Imagine Dragons - Smoke + Mirrors

Few bands burst onto the scene like Imagine Dragons did. Back in 2013, "Radioactive” took the world by storm when it seemingly came out of nowhere and became one of the biggest rock songs of the decade. The band followed up 2013′s Night Visions with an album of new ideas yet seemingly familiar: Smoke & Mirrors. Imagine Dragons’ new album is very reminiscent of their first effort, yet still introducing some new ideas that they have yet to explore.

To be completely honest, I wasn’t too confident about the quality album when they released the first single from it - “I Bet My Life”. I was not much of a fan of the soulful ballad (and I’m still not - it’s one of my least favorite tracks on the album). The album kicked off with “Shots,” which in all honestly isn’t too bad. It didn’t raise my hopes for the album, as it was a pretty characteristic Imagine Dragons song in every regard (and, unfortunately, not in the areas in which they shine). When the second song, “Gold”, kicked in, that’s when I tightened my seatbelt. Similar to “Radioactive” in all the right places - it’s huge, it’s catchy, and it’s pretty anthemic. The electrifying falsettos in the choruses are incredible, as well as the swirling guitar solo that wraps up the song. Listening to the title track almost made me skip it. That song’s a train wreck, the in your face pre-chorus that kicks into the very underwhelming chorus completely throws off the intensity “Gold” set up. Thankfully, the next song on the album completely brought my hopes back up. “I’m So Sorry” is my favorite track on the album (I did a guitar cover of it, too, if you’re interested). This track brings some pure rock and roll onto the table, akin to the intensity of Jack White. Perhaps a bit cheesy and maybe even a rip-off, but electrifyingly incredible. The madness that is the outro solo just makes it all the better.

A lot of the album begins to lull at this point. You have some fairly subpar tracks following (including “I Bet My Life” and “Polaroid”) that fail to show much growth in their repertoire. We cannot forget some of better songs on the album, though: “Friction”, “Dream”, “Hopeless Opus”, and “The Fall” all caught my attention in the best way possible. “Friction” in particular grabbed my ear, likely due to my guilty pleasure of some nice tribal drumming. Awesome Middle-Eastern, African-tribal vibe from this song. Heavy as all hell, too. This one’s going to be a monster live (no pun intended).

All in all, Imagine Dragons’ sophomore album isn’t much of an evolution, but rather an extension influenced by experiences. Let’s be honest - there isn’t much evident growth in the songs here. Most of the tracks would probably fit fine on Night Visions (barring the heavier tracks like “I’m So Sorry” and “Friction”). When they do shine on this album, however, they really bring their all. A solid rock album, but nothing groundbreaking.

Favorite Tracks: I’m So Sorry, Friction, Gold, Hopeless Opus

Least Favorite Tracks: Smoke & Mirrors, I Bet My Life, Polaroid

Rating: 7/10

Zs - Xe

There are so many different combinations of sounds and tones, we can scientifically never run out of music. That doesn't stop people from doing crazy shit, though. Zs testifies anything you might call music and create distorted soundscapes full of sporadic jazz saxophones, static and distorted guitars, and some drilling drum beats. The new incarnation of Zs features a powerful trio of masterminds who can literally create music out of the sound very foundations of life and homeostasis.

Xe is all about making music unexpected and untraditional. While some of the longer tracks ('Corps' and 'Xe') don't sustain the climactic energy over an extended period of time (not saying that they don't have their moments), each track has a certain element of "weird" and originality that shines through as each track seamlessly segues into the next. 'Wolf Government' is literally composed of the sounds of cells splitting (meiosis, bitches!) and electrons orbiting nuclei. Science stuff out of the way - they make small things sound huge. 'Corps' exhibits the mastery of Sam Hillmer's jazz stylings on the tenor saxophone, bringing infrequent and panic-y saxophone lines throughout the track. 'Xe', while uneventful as a whole, builds up as over 18-minutes with occasional explosions of energy until one huge climax at the end to conclude a fascinating album. The drum lines are often very captivating and thought-provoking, being very complex in their execution. All in all, the instrumentals of this album shows a clear mastery of the instruments being performed.

Xe is a testament to the weird. Music can exist in all forms, whether or not it makes sense or not. Perhaps that's what makes this album so intriguing - it makes little sense, akin to the experimental and jazzy tones of Talk Talk's Laughing Stock or Bark Psychosis' Hex. Weird is a hard element to master, but Zs has had no problem doing so.

Favorite Tracks: The Future Of Royalty, Corps, Weakling

Least Favorite Tracks: Beginning of 'Xe'

Overall Rating: 9/10

Fall Out Boy - American Beauty / American Psycho

Staying relevant can be a challenge, especially when you're a rock band. Luckily, some bands have amassed such a loyal fan base that achieving the feat that is relevancy in pop culture is a walk in the park. Fall Out Boy is a testament to this. No matter where they decide to go next with their music, there will be supporters, regardless of how they approach a sound. Good thing American Beauty/American Psycho has plenty of promise.

Released almost two years before their previous effort Save Rock and Roll, AB/AP is definitely the most appropriate follow up the band could have mustered up. This album ties all loose ends of Fall Out Boy's career together, polishing up their pop rock/alternative rock sound as well as dwelling in their earliest sounds. It was clear this album would be a game-changer when the band released the first single, 'Centuries,' back late in 2014.

There are few places where AB/AP falls short of excellence. The LP opens up with the anthemic, brassy 'Irresistible' before segueing into the pop punk chants of the title track of the album. This is followed by some of the album's strongest tracks, such as the monster that is 'Centuries' and the teen anthem 'The Kids Aren't Alright.' Next comes to classy, funky vibes of 'Uma Thurman' and the wonderful story that is 'Jet Pack Blues.' 'Novocaine' opens with a distorted synth-esque vocal line reminiscent of Kanye West's 'Black Skinhead' and has an infectious chorus that's hard to forget. 'Fourth Of July' is a recollection of a love story as well as an apology, and 'Favorite Record' keeps the tales of love going. The iconic 'Immortals' from Big Hero 6 is up next - mixed much better, mind you - and brings back the jams Fall Out Boy is known for. The album concludes with the cinematic 'Twin Skeletons (Hotel In NYC)' that recalls an experience - perhaps a recollection of journeys that helped form the tracks that make up this album! This song could not be a more perfect closure for an already amazing album.

Despite telling a wonderful story, this album still does have a few faults to it. The title track, 'American Beauty/American Psycho' feels a tad cliché, and just included for the sake of satisfying those fans who complain about the band not sounding like they used to back in the day (the same people who are the crybabies whining over how Linkin Park isn't Hybrid Theory anymore...), resulting in an awkward blast of energy that doesn't offer much except a reason to title the album as such. The placement of the love songs 'Fourth Of July' and 'Favorite Record' is also a questionable choice - it's fine to have a few songs about the same topic, but making them back-to-back deters the interest. Not to mention 'July' is a far more energetic track (and more heartfelt) than the latter.

Fall Out Boy has never wandered too far from the path, but they confidently march down it making a hefty impact every step of the way. American Beauty/American Psycho is a testament to that notion, proving to be one of Fall Out Boy's strongest releases, detailing their progression as both a band and creators. Another strong release by a great band.

Favorite Tracks: Centuries, Twin Skeletons (Fourth Of July), Uma Thurman, Irresistible

Least Favorite Tracks: American Beauty/American Psycho, Favorite Record

Rating: 8.5/10

Sia - 1,000 Forms Of Fear

In today's average music atmosphere, most music follows a certain formula, especially in pop music. As time progresses, the pop stratosphere becomes ever more saturated with bland progressions and predictable hooks.

Then there's Sia. After having limited success in prior efforts, she decided to give up the limelight and take a backseat to focus on songwriting instead (hey, it's definitely more profitable). After 'Chandelier' got turned down by artists like Rihanna, Sia decided she had to take the lead. And thus, a star was born.

Backstory aside, this album is definitely one of the more untraditional pop albums released in 2014 that received commercial success. Everyone has heard the anthemic and rebellious chorus of 'Chandelier' and the confidence in 'Elastic Heart' by now. The other tracks that have not seen the limelight do not fall short of the excellence that Sia has displayed with her popular tracks, however. Each song has a purpose that creates an almost storyboard-like collection of tracks. 'Big Girls Cry' is a confessional that immediately follows the rebellion of 'Chandelier,' revealing the softer, innocent side of a confident singer. 'Hostage' speaks of a love story, and 'Cellophane' of a time when Sia felt like she could end it all. Going into this album is like beginning a good book, beginning strong and ending one a relatable note.

Lyrically, this album is just short of a masterpiece. It does not fail structurally and instrumentally, either. Haunting synths and brooding melodies keep each track original and captivating. Most strikingly is the closure track of the album, 'Dressed In Black.' Not only is it daring in the regards that a pop song is almost seven minutes long, but the mood behind it is just so enchanting and dark that it begs for your attention.

All in all, this album is one of the best, if not THE best pop album of 2014. Gems such as this rarely find their way to the top, and Sia is a diamond in the rough. If you enjoy the anthem that is 'Chandelier' or the confident ballad of 'Elastic Heart,' definitely check this album out. A story is told that everyone can relate to in some regard.

Favorite Tracks: Chandelier, Hostage, Dressed In Black

Least Favorite Track: Free The Animal

Rating: 9/10

††† - †††

First review of the new year, let's do this shit.

I'm going to start off by saying thank you for reading this, and/or the others I have posted. I want to start doing these more often, so I'm going to be trying out a few new writing strategies. Instead of doing track-by-track reviews (which I do enjoy doing), I think I'll just type up a few paragraphs regarding what I feel about the album. That way, I can make these quicker, and have them feel more inviting to read. Of course, they'll be shorter, but I feel they'll be just as effective. Without further adieu, here's my review of †††'s self-titled release.

This album. This goddamn album, man. What a monster. ††† (pronounced "Crosses") is a Los Angeles band who formed in 2011, consisting of Chino Moreno (Deftones, Team Sleep), Shaun Lopez (Far), and Chuck Doom. What these guys are now is what Nine Inch Nails wish they could be. Combining industrial, electronic, and progressive rock into powerful, sexy, and hammering tracks, these guys are truly musicians.

Instrumentally, this album has a pretty powerful sound. From the haunting synths of "†his Is A †rick" to the stark beauty of "Nine†een Eigh†y Four", ††† have their work cutout from them. There's a lot of splashes of noises hidden within some tracks, sometimes adding to the experience, sometimes providing a snap back to reality as you get lost in the noise. The album is dominated by the synth leads from track to track, which, in their own regards, all have a very unique sound to them whilst keeping the integrity of the sound in mind.

Chino Moreno is known primarily as lyricist for creating many sexually charged, angry songs. This album is no exception. Each song can have two meanings to it, one open to interpretation and one regarding love (or the making of). You can hear in his voice, specifically in tracks like "Nine†een Nine†y Four" and "Bi†ches Brew," the sexuality and angst trapped within Moreno's voice. Not that you could expect anything much different from him, though. With lyrics like, "Very soon we'll be erased /Forget how to count tense we used / Then realize that, oh God / you were not aware that I was in love with you," (Nine†een Nine†y Four) however, it's impossible to complain.

Crosses' eponymous debut has few weak points, if any. Personally, I loved every track until the last three, which I would rate no lower than a 7/10 at the very least. Each song spotlights a different focus, with no consistent pattern to follow, with each proving the musicianship within the trio. No element is left out, while no element is pushed to the point of making a song seem purposed for it.

Overall, I'd say that Crosses' album is definitely one of the greatest albums released in 2014. The band has proven that their experiments with rock and electronica is not in vain, and that they can deliver a truly powerful and haunting sound without the need of over-glorifying any specific aspect.

Favorites: †his Is A †rick, Nine†een Nine†y Four, Bi†ches Brew

Least Favorites: †, Pruien†, Dea†h Bell

Rating: 9/10 

Foo Fighters - Sonic Highways

"Rock is dead," they said. Oh, were they wrong. This year alone has been filled with some huge rock releases, being topped off by none other than the Foo Fighters. Foo's eight album (in case you didn't pick up on the 8's scattered around the cover), Sonic Highways is a strong one, an appropriate follow up to 2011's award winning Wasting Light. Recorded in eight different cities, it holds true to Foo's sound while inhabiting every location at which it was recorded in. Full of huge, arena-filling moments, as well as having the down-to-earth, mellow moments, this album is nothing short of amazing.

1) Something From Nothing - The track begins as a light guitar track, a contrasting gentleness to what becomes a track that would probably punch you in the face if it had a physical form. The track gradually builds up in an epic fashion, beginning quietly and becoming a huge jam only halfway through. What makes this track is Mr. Grohl's huge "ALL RISE!" to conclude the bridge, reasserting himself as one of rock's strongest vocalists. A very powerful track on the album, one of the best on the album. 9/10

2) The Feast and The Famine - Immediately out of the eargasm that is Something, comes this upbeat, relatively standard rock track. While one of the more safer tracks on the record, it provides a huge sound all the same. The drum track does an excellent job of driving this track, understated yet powerful at the same time. Also, it's necessary to yet again point out how great Mr. Grohl's vocals are, specifically during the chorus. The song concludes with a powerful, almost thrash-esque breakdown of sorts, letting out on a strong note. 8/10

3) Congregation - This song is very reminiscent of the Foo Fighter's older sound, among the rest. The lyrics even hint at the classic rock-sounding track, with, "A jukebox generation..." The chorus is complimented with a great, happy riff that just screams "Victory!". The song has an overall upbeat tone to it, speaking to the spirit of the song. The bridge does a great job of showing off both Foo's ability to buildup a track flawlessly and the great guitar work that went into the album. Definitely a great jam, I can see it being a very "American" anthem to be blasted throughout households everywhere on Independence Day (coincidentally, they'll be performing at the 4th of July. Hard to get much more American than that). 8/10

4) What Did I Do?/God as My Witness - The track starts off with a burst of energy, probably as a filler in order to dispel the excitement from the album for a brief moment. This is one of the first moments on the album where the piano is brought to the front of the mixing, allowing for an intimate moment in an album constantly exploding with energy. Complimented by guitar chords, the track builds up to another very Foo Fighter-esque track. Once the "God as My Witness" portion of the song kicks in, it becomes an anthem for the lost. "God is my witness / Yeah, it's going to heal my soul tonight." A lot of emotion is clearly put into this portion of the track, and it pays off as the track doesn't lose any power while it fades out. 8/10

5) Outside - This track begins by introducing what is personally my favorite baseline on the record, very groovy. This song is mixed in favor of the instrumental taking power, but the vocals follow a great melody and have some wonderful meaning behind them. The first guitar solo on the song is an unforgettable moment on the album, the two guitar tracks harmonizing with each other fantastically before subsiding into the groovy baseline again, this time complimented by some bluesy guitar. The guitars yet again build up for a second, epic reprise of the guitar solos. Honestly, one of the most epic moments on the entire album. 9/10

6) In the Clear - One of the most uplifting riffs on the album right here. The big rock sound complimented by the addition of a brass section reminds me of myself, walking down the streets of a big city, about to fulfill my dreams. Gotta let each note inhabit you, man. Dave Grohl reminds you in the chorus that now that he's found success doesn't mean that the struggling is over. There's a constant battle between yourself and society that will never end. In the end, once you've fulfilled your dreams, it's all worth it. 9/10

7) Subterranean - Opening with a string section and acoustic guitar, you can tell this one will be the ballad of the album. The term "subterranean", in the context of the album, refers to digging down deep inside within yourself to find who you really are. The track seamlessly transitions from the sad, reminiscing first verse and chorus to a guitar-heavy track. The ascending baseline in this portion of the song is another great lower-register moment to pay attention to. The song soars throughout, concluding with a synth that transitions wonderfully into the next track. This track seems to lack something that the others do: a powerful vocal line. While they are more centered around the lyrics, there's no real power to them making it one of the weaker tracks on the record. 7/10

8) I Am a River - My personal favorite on the entire record, the song transitions from the synth ending of Subterranean and adding a wonderful delayed guitar into the mix. The formula of adding the drums and more consecutive layers after the first chorus, in this case the pre-chorus, of the track continues to prove effective. One of my favorite moments of this track is, in fact, the pre-chorus, in the sense that it reminds me of My Hero, in that uplifting (and even in a somewhat melodic) sort of way. The chorus could definitely be better, but Dave Grohl crying out, "I! I am a river!" in such a heartfelt way makes up for it. Everything after the first chorus of the track is full of emotion, every note, every beat. The strings coming in at the last part adds to the beauty and power of this track. I wouldn't have chosen a better way to end this incredible album. 10/10

The Foo Fighters are often acclaimed by many as the leaders of today's rock circuit, and for very good reason. With each effort, they continue to grow and expand their huge sound, all the while staying true to their roots. Each album proves that they can create some of the greatest moments in music history, as well as bringing true emotion to the plate. This album is nothing short of incredible.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Thom Yorke - Tomorrow's Modern Boxes

In today's day and age, music is flourishing like it never has before, despite record sales and all the other physical charges being utter crap (thanks, record labels!). Music discovery is booming, with avenues such as Soundcloud and Bandcamp giving new artists the chances they need. However, who ever said you can't teach an old dog a new trick? Recently, major artists have started taking music distribution to the next level, introducing new methods that many artists have not dared try. Most notably, U2 distributing "Songs of Innocence" via iTunes, to which the Internet responded "Who the hell is U3 and why are they on my iTunes?" While they essentially "forced" their music upon every Apple user, they did achieve quite a feat - over 81 million people have experienced the album. Maybe giving music away for free is the REAL way of making some cash? Probably not. But that didn't stop Thom Yorke for going to the next step: releasing an album through piracy. Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, the first album to be released via pay-gate, was released on BitTorrent to millions of listeners. Though, while it may have reached these unimaginable amount of people (aren't there only 6 million people anyway? I call hacks), were these people satisfied? Hell if I know. Here's how I felt:

1) A Brain in a Bottle: This song starts off the album strong. Musically, it's relatively simple:  a soundscape of synths and vocals. Something that this song does very well is layers. Each sound is layered very nicely, making it almost impossible to distinguish different channels, though it all adds up into a fantastic experience sonically. All in all, my favorite on the album. 10/10

2) Guess Again!: This one has a nice funky beat. Grooves for days. Lyrically, this isn't too impressive but the subtle vocal approach makes up for it. The atmospheric background is also great, very haunting. The piano is also creepily awesome (i made pun), love that. Solid track, overall. 8/10

3) Interference: My other favorite on the album, though there's not too much to say about it. The very light vocal approach adds a very innocent tone to the piece. Very atmospheric track. 9/10

4) The Mother Lode: mr. yorke cant speel At this point, I can say things I've already said before: nice soundscape, atmospheric, etc. What's unique about this track (at this point in the album) is that the piano is especially weird in this one. I like. The vocals are equally haunting. There's also a particularly interesting synth line in this one. Weird track overall, though it definitely says what it needs to say. 8/10

5) Truth Ray: Not much to say here - the soundscape has a more "brassy" sound than the previous songs (and most of the following ones, as well), making it a bit more open sounding and entrancing. Abandoned subway/factory vibe. If there was like a robot rave there. Yeah. 7/10

6) There Is No Ice (For My Water): Well that's just too bad, Thom. My least favorite track on the album, a 7 minute track that just drones on. It's charmingly weird but it starts becoming uninteresting after awhile. Its one saving grace is that it has a nice piano outro. 5/10

7) Pink Section: I liked this one because it continued the lovely piano that TINI concluded with. The entrancing piano starts becoming glitchy, with random bursts of sound interspersed in there. Adds an interesting element that keeps your ears intent. 7/10

8) Nose Grows Some: To conclude the three-song medley and the entire album, and it builds off of the glitchyness and noise that Pink Section had created. The song has a nice message: I'll stay with you no matter what, through thick and through thin ("But you're just another drop / It is metal and it's cold / We'll wait upon the rocks, I am waiting on the tide / Through my back doors / If I'm blowing myself away under half fluorescent lights / Two birds on a wire / Your nose just grows / And grows / Did I grow up tall / I will be with you") Yay for Pinnocchio and his allusion to lying. 7/10

This album is centered around its soundscapes over it's lyrical or vocal material, which is very weak as compared to what Yorke can do as displayed by his other projects. more falsetto pls. For the Radiohead fans, consider this a continuation of The King Of Limbs in a more experimental direction. This is electronica level Yorke. In the end, I was pleased with the album as a whole, only partially disliking one of the tracks. My only wish is that his next effort steers away from the soundscape-dependant tracks and opens up to more open-sounding and even rock influenced tracks.

Favorite(s): A Brain in a Bottle, Interference

Least Favorite(s): There Is No Ice (For My Water)

Overall Rating: 8/10