Message To Bears - Carved From Tides

/

A good ambient album will take you places. Some albums will take you to some place fantastic and mystical, while others can take you on a late night stroll through the forest or a late night through the city. Message To Bears' fifth record Carved From Tides is like a snow-ladden travel through the unknown. You don't know where you're headed, but it's certainly chilly and full of wonder.

This album has tracks that are simply beautiful. 'Spin-Float' features sweet, rich acoustic guitars on top of atmospheric synths that fill the track with a warm glow, and guest Gemma Alexander sings enchantingly over it. 'Breathe' is another beautiful track, shining with the same kind of dreamy piano vibe as Radiohead's 'Daydreaming'. What this track differs with, though is the beat that churns with the ever growing track. It builds in an almost epic way, as the instrumental becomes ever-more encompassing with its crystalline piano and sampled vocals. 'They Ran' is much the same, in a different way, though. The track features effected piano rather than the purer format, and focusses more primarily on growing ethereal vocal samples to make up its atmospheric vibe.

This album almost tells a story. The music flows like poetry without words. From the beginning you get the feeling of walking somewhere just before dawn with snow falling gently from the sky - the synths shimmering with the same glow and the snowflakes. You get the vibes of walking through a snowy forest in 'Blossom', while at the end with 'Hold On', rather than being a giant climax of a blizzard swallowing up the sky (surely that's not what you expected, though), you can feel the snow slowly trickle off into a gentle flurry as the first streaks of light breaks through the grey clouds. It's a very warm feeling you get at the end of this record; that's not to say that the album is otherwise cold and unwelcoming - well, it will give you chills, - but it feels like your experiencing a faraway familiar emotion. 'When You're Gone' seems to personify that emotion, speaking of ghosts in a distant way, as if it haunted the narrator until this sort of revelation. It's hopeful. It's interesting - you can't quite put a finger on exactly what the emotion is, perhaps nostalgia or one of its offspring, but it certainly feels lifting.

Message To Bears creating an ambient masterpiece. A lot of the tracks do work better in context of the album's consecutive poetry rather than standalone items, but as one start-to-finish piece, it's a fantastic listen. It gets slow at parts - which is what adds to the standalone argument - but it can be forgiven for that at its emotional climaxes. It's like a fine diamond that's not quite so perfect. It's cracked with the stories of a lifetime, that story being told through the music of Carved From Tides. Ambient album of the year goes to this one.

Favorite Tracks: Breathe, Hold On, Blossom, When You're Gone

Least Favorite Track: I'll Lead You There

Rating: 84 / 100

Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis

/

Scotland's key rockers Biffy Clyro are back and bigger than ever in their new album, Ellipsis. After extensively touring for their last release (2013's Opposites), the band took a break for awhile before getting their blood flowing again. And here they are, back and in full force. Ellipsis brings all the jams - Biffy has never been in better shape.

One thing you need to know for any Biffy Clyro record: the riffs will have you off your feet. This album even goes relatively easy on the riffs for Biffy standards, but they do exist and they do make their presence well known. The riffs kick off immediately with opener 'Wolves Of Winter', the dark intro building into the thick riffs. Vocalist Simon Neil's vocals blend brilliantly with the driving guitars, especially in the second half of the second verse - that's some great stuff. Heavy yet melodic is always an awesome combo. The song's solo is also electrifyingly awesome, too. 'On A Bang' is led by the rolling distorted guitar powerchords, Neil's vocals chanting proudly and powerful in conjunction with the heaviness. The album's closer 'In The Name Of The Wee Man' is also packed with fast punches of energy in the riffs, while still finding quiet moments, including the brilliantly composed bridge, deceivingly quiet while building urgency into a massive ending to a massive record. Other jams include 'Flammable', a song with loads of groove and is extremely infectious. This song will get you moving in your seat just listening to it, the great alt. rock chorus keeping you at it's beckoning.

This album also sees a lot of a softer side of Biffy Clyro. When the riffs aren't pounding into your ears, there's a lot of poppier, lighter rock tunes going on, some songs even abandoning guitar as a focus in favor of something else. The poppier sound can be easily heard in 'Friends and Enemies', which has very uplifting vibe and definitely segues from the former opener track in a good way - it has that good balance of heaviness and poppiness to it that makes it a success. 'Animal Style' falls in the same category, though it has more of a stoner rock vibe instead. The chorus is big but focuses more on the vocals than the big guitars. 'Don't, Won't, Cheat' utilizes gang vocals in a great way, keeping their harmonies interesting while not detracting attention from the lead. The guitar in this one is also very interesting - it sounds complex, while still feeling generally simple. Then the album gets into 'Re-arrange', which is very sweet and quiet. It has a very gentle, almost lullaby-esque melody going with it that flows like a sweet breeze. It feels genuinely happy, and that's always welcome in any song. The quietest song on the record is the beautiful 'Herex', an acoustic track blending full acoustic guitars with angelic orchestras; an amazing song full of emotion. In an album the begins and ends huge, it's nice to find gentle gems like this at its core.

The poppy sound does feel a bit beaten to death by the end of the record, though. By the end of the record, the last of the pop-rock run with the song 'People', it just feels repetitive. When you hit 'Howl', it's almost like you've already heard the same song before - and done in a more engaging respect earlier on in the record. There's also the failed experiment with 'Small Wishes', that almost feels like a country song (that's probably where it fails with me, at least). It just feels so odd and out of place amidst a record otherwise filled with jams and ballads that it almost alienates the vibe the album had going on leading up to it.

Biffy Clyro never fails to impress. Ellipsis is a jam filled record, from the beginning to the very end it brings raw energy in the form of riffs, with moments of gentle emotion in between. Biffy has always been great at balancing jams and connective moments. Ellipsis is no exception. It's a standout in their already amazing discography. This band is back, and bigger than ever. Mon the biff!

Favorite Tracks: Wolves Of Winter, Flammable, In The Name Of The Wee Man

Least Favorite Track: Small Wishes

Rating: 87 / 100

The Avalanches - Wildflower

/

Nearly 16 years off of its debut release, The Avalanches have finally returned in a big way with this year's plunderphonics epic Wildflower. Be prepare for a long and sweet nostalgic trip with sonic accompaniment by your side.

It's hard to put a finger on it, but each track has a distinct touch of dreamy nostalgia to it. Perhaps it's the scenes in between tracks that simulate beachside chilling or lazy afternoons watching TV, or the somewhat lo-fi feel in each track, but something just feels familiar in each song, from every angle. 'Live A Lifetime Love' has a lot of traffic sounds and active noise in the background that feels just like a commute to work or a drive through the town. There's also the sweetness of 'If I Was A Folkstar', that feels like it goes through the whole spectrum of emotions without being specific to any regard. 'Sunshine' brings you back to that feeling of falling in love for the first time, all the joy and serenity paired with it. It's almost like the album tells the story of life and all its beauties.

A lot of this album, when not stirring up your emotions, is just pure fun. Right from the beginning we have 'Because I'm Me', sounding high and proud with grand strings leading you into the golden city party the album offers. 'Frankie Sinatra' offers an old-fashioned carnival vibe backing hip-hop verses. There's a really playful tone in this one, making it a really fun and vivid listen. Other songs that have this fun embodiment include the absolutely ridiculous (one of those so bad it's good songs) 'The Noisy Eater' and the sweet 'Harmony'.

One thing you have to be weary about with this album, though, is that if you don't get it, it won't do much for you. Listening through it, you can kind of get the feel of the tracks and the emotion packed in with them, but there is a certain alienation you feel if you don't connect with it. It almost feels like a generational thing, a lot of the samples are maneuvered to have a more lo-fi vibe, or just a more relevant vibe to an older time. It will even get a bit boring if it doesn't key in with the listener. That's what set this album off for me - it was enjoyable, but it never really clicked.

The Avalanches didn't disappoint with the 16 year wait since their debut. Wildflower seems to have been well worth its wait time. However, if you weren't there for Since I Left You, the charm of the album may be lost. It's enjoyable even without having listened to its predecessor, but it feels like there's something I'm missing. Perhaps it'll click at another time. For now, I can take this album for a nice chill day with a cold drink. Here's hoping the next album isn't two decades away.

Favorite Tracks: Frankie Sinatra, Harmony

Least Favorite Tracks: The Leaves Were Falling, Subways

Rating: 73 /  100

araabMUZIK - Dream World

/

Elements of trap, hip-hop, and electronica all come together on araabMUZIK's third effort, Dream World, but perhaps not to the greatest of results. The album takes the trashiest parts of all of its elements and combines it into one, flat, sloppy compilation of boring tracks.

For some, just the use of the word "trap" can be enough to deter their attention. This album doesn't do that any favors. Most notably at the core of the tracklist are tracks clearly intended to instigate a late night club and rave vibe, some doing better than others. This theme is first seen in 'A.M.', which tries to be the hype up song any rave needs but just fails in context of the album, given that it's sandwiched between some relatively chiller tracks. This track and the track that does what 'A.M.' wishes it could do better 'Stadium House' are found between the lame, minimal hip-hop beat track 'Try Me' and the slow and chill (admittedly refreshing) 'Mind Trip'. 'Try Me' falls in line with many other dull tracks including 'Loud' (literally featuring someone named Loud Lord) and 'Train Wreck', the latter of which clearly warns you of its quality in the title.

Lots of this album is just plain standard; even lower than that, at points. Songs like the raving 'Senor Breakfast' with Baauer could've been a solid track had it had some form of progression going on - it's mostly just one synth hook on repeat for three minutes without any real elaboration on anything. 'Left Side' had a lot of potential with the sweet piano and bass duo it has going on, but there's no action found within it. A simple piano lick or drop could've easily elevated the track to something more than two loops repeating for three and a half minutes. That's where all the problems lie with this record - araab thought he had something going with the hook for each song, but relying on a single hook in each song and repeating it in every measure of it was not the way of making the songs click. The only song I can say I legitimately enjoyed was 'Chasing Pirates', and that's all thanks to the creaminess of Raiche's melody and voice throughout the song.

araabMUZIC doesn't really seem to understand the concept of a good hook. You get one rolling and repeat it at pivotal moments of the song: a chorus, a repeat, a coda, et al. What you don't do is repeat in every single bar of every single measure of the track. That's where Dream World fails. You're better off skipping this one, unless you need some crappy background music for a party.

Favorite Track: Chasing Pirates

Least Favorite Tracks: Train Wreck, War Cry, A.M.

Rating: 30 / 100

Bat For Lashes - The Bride

/

Splashing in puddles on a rainy day. Sitting peacefully under a shady tree in a peaceful meadow with somber clouds covering the sky. A late night ending with the gentle light of 5A.M. filing your room, you alone with your thoughts. That's what this album feels like. Bat For Lashes' fourth studio effort The Bride is a moody album, mellow and melancholy in all its devices, but comes out to be more of a background listener than a vivid experience.

If there's one thing this album has, it's atmosphere. All the synths and guitars resonate for ages allowing for cavernous textures to backup Bat For Lashes' silky voice. Song like 'In God's Hands' have sparkly and bright synths that add color to the track behind standard drumming and pianos, while other tracks like 'Joe's Dream' rely on the echoes of the subtle elements of the song to build up a big space. Some songs, namely the brilliant 'Close Encounters' and the bonus 'Clouds' feature orchestras, the latter closing the album with a gentle orchestra while 'Close Encounters' features a darker and more moody string section. Dark guitars give 'Never Forgive The Angels' an extra punch, with creepy harmonies and delicate pianos building their way into the song's dark composition.

While this album does have its place, it isn't exactly eventful. It's pretty much the musical representation of the color grey. There's no splashes of yellow or red in there (maybe some blue and greens). It's just one, continuous, slow moving storm of sad. It's almost gothic in it's own way, the vocals really taking a poetic melody in songs like 'Honeymooning Alone' and 'Close Encounters'. The weird ASMR 'Widow's Peak' even plays to this. This is what makes this album a background listen - there's nothing to keep your attention; no bursts of energy, no tense parts, just sadness.

Bat For Lashes has a new moody soundtrack to their discography. It's moody and sad, which is evidently what it was going for. It just lacks excitement or any hooks to grab at the listener to make it memorable. There are some really beautiful tracks on the record, but no really exciting ones. It's a storytelling record, in perhaps the most somber way possible.

Favorite Tracks: Close Encounters, Never Forgive The Angels, Joe's Dream

Least Favorite Track: Land's End

Rating: 73 / 100

Desiigner - New English

/

The new kid on the block Desiigner has slowly been making a name for himself, his hit 'Panda' giving him some success as well as featuring on Kanye's latest album. His latest contribution was on the 'Champions' single from G.O.O.D. Music. Now, he's finally offered up his first collection of material with his debut mixtape, New English. Listening to it will have you wishing we were back in the time where he was just a random feature.

2016 hasn't seen such a blatant ripoff yet. New English sounds exactly like content from Future, who I've come to be sick of lately with his monotonous flow, which Desiigner copies to a science. It goes as far as the beats and production style of the track, everything sounds like Future. Right after the Disney scene sounding 'Intro' comes 'Caliber', which honestly had me check if there was a Future feature on it. But no, it's just Desiigner copying flow and style. Even the atmospheric beat and sharp hi hats come straight from him. The track ends abruptly too, oddly going from the rolling verse into the piano intro of the next track. The ad libs found throughout this track, as well as 'Panda' which closes the tape ruin both tracks too. When listening through the first time, I didn't even register the run from 'Shooters' to 'interlude 1', and when I tuned back in on 'Talk Regardless', it sounded exactly the same as the rest of the album has. Funny enough, that's what happens when I listen to Future, too.

There are few moments where Desiigner steps out of the Future flow. 'Make It Out' has a different style of rap, but while it doesn't take from Future, it steals from Tyler, The Creator instead. The only interesting track on the entire record is 'Da Days', a surprisingly complex song with different sections and an appropriate instrumental. Milly.CTD starts the track off sounding dejected, with a spidery piano sounding behind his verse. The song builds up until about half way through, where a new beat and synth kick in. The Future flow returns but it seems to fit with this track, the urgency and haunting nature of the beat making it work.

Desiigner hasn't found his own style he's comfortable with yet. Perhaps he was worried his flow wouldn't work well on his first release, and tried to emulate someone else's style to justify his lack of confidence. Whatever the case, New English can't be chocked up to anything more than a ripoff. Will he find his own space before his next release? We can only hope.

Favorite Track: Da Day

Least Favorite Tracks: pretty much everything else (Jet, Shooters, Monstas & Villains)

Rating: 52 / 100

blink-182 - California

/

Some may have thought it was time for blink-182 to bite the dust when Tom DeLonge left. Many were also, possibly as a consequence of the former, skeptical of Matt Skiba taking his place. The band has released its first material with Skiba at the microphone with the band's seventh album, California, proving that the band still has some life left in them, perhaps revitalized by the introduction of Skiba.

You don't have Blink without energy. Their pop punk and alternative rock flair made them who they were. After all they've been through in recent years and the divided response to 2011's attempts at innovation with Neighborhoods, the end would have seemed nigh for the band. California has breathed a new sense of life and longevity into the band, with the energy and life evident in their music.

The album begins with a quiet intro with 'Cynical' featuring clean guitar and Skiba's first studio contribution, before it kicks into a full-fledged lite punk rocker track, complete with the full short explosions of energy and rawness. To somewhat of a surprise, there aren't many moments like this on the album. The only other punk rock burst of energy found on the album is in the less-than average onslaught of 'The Only Thing That Matters'.

Much of the rest of the album is a more refined and mature alternative rock experience. Lead single 'Bored To Death' feels characteristically like a Blink-182 song. The band found the energy they struggled to keep over the last few records. That's what this album has that past efforts lacked - a sense of integrity. Several tracks feature the feel-good Blink sound, including 'No Future' and 'Teenage Satellites'. The album gives off lots of positive vibes, perfect for the summer and for a good old-fashioned jam.

This album isn't free of risk, though. There are moments in which the band takes an unexpected turn, some for the better, and some for the worse. 'Los Angeles' has a surprisingly dark sound that resolves itself into something with more optimism by its bridge, the end contrasting the beginning in an interesting fashion. There are some slower songs on the record as well, the peaceful 'Home Is Such A Lonely Place'. The band jams huge with rock vibes and big riffs in 'Kings Of The Weekend'. Title track 'California' bears a sense of thankfulness, giving the album an appropriate send off.

Other moments are just questionable. The inclusion of the short interludes such as 'Built This Pool' really throw off the flow of the record. The sing-a-long parts in 'Rabbit Hole' don't lend themselves to taking a weak track to a stronger height. Lyrically, this album has its moments, as well as its grand nosedives. Take the conclusion track, the horrendous 'Brohemian Rhapsody' (be honest, you knew nothing was coming out of this track from the second you read its title). Barring nothing but jarred powerchords and the single, utterly incredible line 'There's something about you I can't quite put my finger in,' this song might as well have dropped a bomb on the end of the record. After 'California' ended it on such a satisfying note, too... Other lyrical masterpieces on the album include 'She had a black shirt / Black shirt / With Bauhaus stuck in her head' from 'She's Out Of Her Mind' and ''We bought a one way ticket so we could go see The Cure and listen to our favorite songs in the parking lot" in 'San Diego'. Those two have melodies that nearly justify the words, but don't let them be completely overlooked. 

California isn't another blink masterpiece. Nor is it a reinvention. It's a new beginning. Matt Skiba has breathed in a new life to the band. The band sounds and feels young again! They're a fresh new force on the field. Blink is here to stay.

Favorite Tracks: California, Los Angeles, Kings Of The Weekend

Least Favorite Tracks: Brohemian Rhapsody, Built This Pool, Rabbit Hole

Rating: 79 / 100

DJ Shadow - The Mountain Will Fall

/

Electronica blends with everything on this record. DJ Shadow has returned with The Mountain Will Fall, the long-awaited follow up to 2011's experimental The Less You Know The Better. The album features a wide variety of guests from an array of genres, providing a fresh view on an already complex electronic hip-hop record.

There are two sides of this record - the electronic, experimental and chill side, and the more upbeat and upfront side. The electronic side provides for a more provocative experience. The album features many stranger tracks that play to the experimental side of electronica, some flopping while others being strong and flowing. Stronger tracks include 'Bergschrund' featuring mastermind Nils Frahm, a glitchy and progressive track featuring lots of unexpected changes and movements. 'Ashes To Oceans' is another noteworthy track, featuring jazz trumpeter Matthew Halsall on it. The song effortlessly combines elements of hip-hop with moody jazz and electronics, taking the song through many sections and cleansing your palette with the record. Some of the stranger tracks include the glitchy 'Ghost Town' and the chilled out ending to the record, 'Suicide Pact' - this song could've actually benefitted with a verse over it. Weaker songs like 'Depth Charge' are interesting on top, but don't really progress anywhere of worth. 'Mambo' is the most left-field track on album, and not in a good way - it's lo-fi sample and minimalist beat doesn't have much going for it. The album's opener, the eponymous 'The Mountain Will Fall' leads the album in a good note, providing an easy going sound that leads into more high energy tracks.

The hip-hop and sample-oriented side of the album is where the fun comes in. It begins right after the intro track, with Run The Jewels going hard on 'Nobody Speak'. The song is huge, epic brass blaring confidently on top of epic electronic arpeggios and a signature bassline. That intro is a signature part of the record. This track is an all-around jam - very upbeat and driven. 'Pitter Patter' has much of the same epicness to it, in a more subtle manner. It's largely instrumental but features a sweet guitar line and some dark synth progressions that give off awesome vibes. The only song that doesn't really live up to the hype is 'The Sideshow', a very standard and outdated track.

DJ Shadow didn't make a masterpiece, but he did make something that's very discussable. The album has highs and lows, and takes influence from many places. It's easy to see how this album can be debated among different types of listeners. Electronica combines with elements of hip-hop provide for a refreshing listen in a genre becoming more and more saturated. Leave it to the underground artists to give us a fresh taste of a genre out of tricks.

Favorite Tracks: Nobody Speak, Ashes To Oceans, Pitter Patter

Least Favorite Track: Mambo

Rating: 71 / 100

Gojira - Magma

/

French behemoths Gojira never go lightly into a new frontier. The band's sixth effort Magma shows a more emotional side to the band, being written and recorded after the death of the band brothers Joe Duplantier's and Mario Duplantier's mother. The album feels angry and seeks vengeance, confidently taking strides with each powerful track making a new mark.

Gojira has always been an interesting band. Their lyrics always had some charge to them, typically that of a pro-environmentalist view. Magma doesn't feel the same way other big albums from this band has felt. The impact of their critically acclaimed From Mars To Sirius is present on this album, but in a different kind of light. There's a very apparent disposition on the album. The instrumentals speak for it - melody combines with cavernous and brooding booms of noise that create a tense atmosphere around each track. 

Melody is a key component in this record, and something that is somewhat new for Gojira. Their music never really keyed in on the melodic side of things. This has changed with Magma, where many tracks even centralize themselves around melody. Single 'Stranded' is the first song to give a taste of a revitalized Gojira, beginning straight off with an electrifying riff with a crazy guitar effect. The song bases itself around the riff before the climax of it, where a clean and melodic part comes in - a first for the band. The part of the song comes as a big surprise and a fresh taste of something different. It's big and epic, and doesn't bring the song down in any respect - if anything, it raises it to something new.

Melody plays different roles throughout the record. The brutal 'Pray' makes use of moody dark melodies on top of crushing riffs to create a giant atmosphere. 'Pray' is perhaps the most metal sounding song on the record, beginning with that dark atmosphere with distant flute in the background (the flute plays a surprisingly major key in this record, too). There's something so hauntingly dark about this song that goes beyond it's composition, its hard to comprehend. Title track 'Magma' has much the same structure, beginning creepily before a threatening instrumental kicks in. The verses feature a strange guitar line and almost monotonous vocals that feel like a religious chant. The choruses have giant vocals with resonating harmonies, progressing on from the verses. The bridge is just massive, incredible screams that bring the song into its instrumental climax. The large majority of the song is centered around the guitar, which is featured in an electrifying solo with that strange guitar effect, before a cleaner distortion ending kicks in to end the track with violent vocals.

Of course, with any metal band, the instrumentals have to play a big role in the composition of each track. As mentioned prior, flute makes a big but subtle impact throughout the record, being featured in the background of multiple tracks. Big riffs carry many of the songs forward, including intro track 'The Shooting Star', bringing the album in on an intense note. The big riffs accompanied by the expansive vocals create a giant epic track. The guitar riffs in this song progress in a such a dark way, that small movement in the verses adding so much intensity to it.  'The Cell' is all about the riffs, literally being a three-minute punch in the face of heaviness. Instrumental interlude 'Yellow Stone' is slow and dark, like much of the rest of the record, and progresses the album into its darker half with ease. 'Only Pain' features that same guitar effect from 'Stranded', ending even bigger than the single does. Guitar is the central focus of 'Silvera', epic riffs accompanied by brilliant melodic guitars that soar high above the dark rhythm. The album ends, surprisingly, on a soft note. 'Low Lands' is a heavy track that ends acoustically, leading into the final track, the instrumental 'Liberation'. The track is just as the title claims; it's the aftermath of the brutality of the album and the consequences of its intensity. Its a very stripped down track, acoustic guitar and a tribal drum beat. It's calm and recollective, not much to it besides the reprieve of the end. An interesting choice to end the album on a song such as this. Perhaps it was a send off from the brothers to their mother; the album was the emotion they faced at her loss, and the end is their final release and acceptance.

Magma is a huge album. It's unlike other albums of its kind in that it doesn't focus on the riffs. Instead, it focuses on the emotions of the music. It's dark and angry, but with a disposition that makes it personal. It's the summation of sound of anger that burns within us at the time of loss. It's the summation of the sadness we feel, too. It's the summation of that side of the human spectrum of emotion, and with that, it made its brilliant mark.

Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway

/

Being a band of giant caliber means there's a lot riding on every release. If it's not like the classics, the fans won't take easy to it, but at the same time, if it's not different, people will call you a sellout. The balance lies in taking all of what you were before, and progressing forward with new elements to take the sound one step further.

Red Hot Chili Peppers tried their best with this. The Getaway is a funky record, but it lacks something. It had the signature RHCP flair to it, that's undebatable, but it feels so standard for them. It's RHCP, but nothing more and nothing less. The infectious sound just overuses itself throughout the album, giving the album a great start but a less than memorable body.

Beginning with the two singles gives the album some hope. 'The Getaway' introduces the album with beatboxing percussion before a groovy beat and spidery guitar kicks in. Anthony Kiedis's flowing melodies sweetly fly over a light and bright instrumental. Lots of dreamy guitar parts start making their way into the track, providing for lovely tastes of ear candy. Female vocals kick in as little parts during the pre-choruses and the final climax of the track. This song is really just a great build up into the album, levels being progressively added in subtle but brilliant ways. 'Dark Necessities' follows up, starting off big to begin with, quiet bass and muted guitar contrasting each other as piano chords and arpeggios bring the track into a punchy bass line. The song features groovier vocal melodies and nice piano chords that add a lot of aesthetic to it. Closure track 'Dreams Of A Samurai' is a very surprising song, considering its an RHCP song that's actually evocative. It builds brilliantly with lots of noise and powerful guitars bringing it up, a sweet bassline that accentuates the background choir, ending with a dreamy and confident note. A strong closure for an album that has songs that don't live up to the rest of it.

And that's where it all goes down. The rest of the album is just uninteresting and bland. There's a lot of groove and color on the album, but nothing that you haven't heard before, or anything particularly good. After the first two tracks, you'd skip the entire rest of it to find something particularly stand out. The third track 'We Turn Red' is extremely groovy, a big drum beat and powerful verse brought into a strangely sweet verse. The verses and choruses feel like they should be part of different songs, or at least the instrumental vibes of them reversed. 'Sick Love' is pretty solid, though the solos near the end need a lot more punch. It feels way too quiet and subdued to stand out. The solo itself is great - production is its enemy. 'Goodbye Angel' is another track with great solos and a solid instrumental. The lyrics bring this one down, like they're trying way too hard to sound modern. The rest of the track is pretty great - the drum crescendo is epic and the harmonies are sweet. The "Ay yo, ay yo, ay yo" parts really kill it for me, sadly. Thankfully, the rest of the track makes up for it.

While those songs hold some ground, much of the rest of the record is bland. Lots of tracks don't even have good climaxes or hooks that can justify them. 'The Hunter' has lyrics that are just so obvious. There's no thought or depth to them, it's like they've been laid out on a plate for you. 'Detroit' has a strong riff in it, but the rest of really doesn't carry the same punch the riff has. The vocal melody doesn't even feel like it fits in.

Red Hot Chili Peppers' new album isn't the greatest. It has some good bangers on it, but not enough leverage in other tracks to bring it up. It's just boring. That's all that can be said. It's a real shame too, since a lot of their iconic tracks worked so well with the quieter sound they have made good. Perhaps it's the production that made this album its victim, or just a lack of inspiration. Maybe the next record will tell.

Favorite Tracks: Dark Necessities, The Getaway, Goodbye Angels, Dreams Of A Samurai

Least Favorite Tracks: Detroit, The Longest Wave, Go Robot

Rating: 65 / 100