Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis

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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

2nd Quarter Of 2016 in Music - Wrap Up

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2016 is still rolling by, and the albums are getting more diverse. Here's what I've listened to over the last three months (April - June) and links to the albums I've reviewed.

5-Star Albums (8.5 - 10)

4-Star Albums (6.5 - 8)

3-Star Albums (4.5 - 6)

2-Star Albums (2.5 - 4)

  • None!

1-Star Albums (0 - 2)

 

Top Albums Of 2016 (so far)

  1. Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool
  2. AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend
  3. Panic! At The Disco - Death Of A Bachelor
  4. Deftones - Gore
  5. Dream Theater - The Astonishing
  6. Foxes - All I Need
  7. Daughter - Not To Disappear
  8. Gojira - Magma
  9. Thrice - To Be Everywhere Is To Be Nowhere
  10. Architects - All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us

Top Songs Of 2016 (so far)

  1. AURORA - 'Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) (Acoustic)'
  2. Radiohead - 'True Love Waits'
  3. Deftones - 'Hearts/Wires'
  4. Radiohead - 'Daydreaming' *
  5. Panic! At The Disco - 'Emperor's New Clothes'
  6. Foxes - 'Better Love'
  7. Lacey Sturm - 'Rot'
  8. AURORA - 'Through The Eyes Of A Child'
  9. Deftones - 'Phantom Bride'
  10. Thrice - 'Black Honey'

Once again, thanks for reading our reviews and following us! :) There's a lot more to come. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page so you don't miss anything!

The Avalanches - Wildflower

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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

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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

Seconds To Stand - 'Burnt'

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Boston native pop punk outfit Seconds To Stand has been refreshing the pop punk scene for a couple of years now, and have starting offering up some studio content. The band's latest single is 'Burnt', a fresh sounding taste of pop punk that brings you back to the mid-2000's feel.

The song begins with lo-fi guitar that confidently brings in the signature punk drum beat and distorted guitars. Vocalist James Smith gives a great vocal performance throughout the track, singing positively on a seemingly end-all situation, ending the song with the words, "And I don't know what way I can go / But I know I'm not too far / I'll just hold onto my head and my heart". The verses of the track feature sweet guitar licks from guitarist Ray Brunelle and a driven drum beat as the beat and distortion is taken up a notch for the big choruses, with Chris Weeler handling the low end of the track. Nothing really goes beyond standard powerchords and higher leads as far as guitar goes, but that all plays to the flavor of the genre. The buildup of the bridge adds a nice taste of difference in a song that admittedly doesn't change much throughout, leading strongly into the final blast of energy in the final chorus.

Seconds To Stand is all about being uplifting. Their music makes the most out of the negatives of life, making energetic tracks for people both to scream out to and relate to. The band's single 'Burnt' is a great representation of who they are; a fire that won't stop fighting. The only real complaint you can have with the song is that it sounds like a standard pop punk song - nothing besides it's message really screams innovation or something to keep the band separate from the rest. That being said, who doesn't like a good old fashioned pop punk track?

Rating: 68 / 100

Bat For Lashes - The Bride

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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

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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

Of Mice & Men - 'Pain'

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After a year from on and off touring and going in and out of the studio, post-hardcore group Of Mice & Men have offered up the first single from the follow up to 2014's Restoring Force, 'Pain'. The song brings the band to a new type of metal they haven't truly treaded in before, distancing themselves from the scene hardcore and the more alternative metal sound of their last effort to an almost nu-metal sound with a modern flair.

The song begins with a frantic and effected guitar riff, before thick riffs kick in. As the riff becomes the focus of the track, vocalist Austin Carlile brutally screams to bring in the track. He mixes full on screams with dirtier growled vocals throughout the jarred choruses and verses. The instrumental doesn't really progress much past the main riff, percussionist Valentino Arteaga delivering a heavy drive complete with blast beats and double bass drum runs. Aaron Pauley's bassline imitates the heavy distortion of Phil Manansala's tuned-down riff. The bridge features a tense part with lo-fi military drums pounding as the guitars and vocals build back up to the song's heavy composition.

The music video of the track is as unsettling as that effected guitar riff. The main niche of the video is the glitchy of ballerinas doing what I can only hope is an interpretive dance, crawling tortured along an all white or black floor, their movements seeming possessed. Shot of the band performing are also dispersed throughout, though those shots kill the mood of the video. More glitchy shots of Austin Carlile are also used throughout the video, fitting in with the theme.

'Pain' feels contrived, though. The song feels just like it was taken out of the back catalogue of Slipknot. Perhaps they felt they needed to appease the crowds on the upcoming tour with Slipknot and Marilyn Manson? The song is nothing special, to be frank. The intro riff is great and had a lot of potential, but they just threw on a Slipknot riff and Austin Carlile's screaming and called it their own. It's not a bad song by any means, just... unoriginal. Another issue lies in the fact that the song pretty much sounds the same throughout its entirety. The whole intensity of the track is bargained on the riff and vocals... which sound exactly the same throughout the whole song.

If 'Pain' is to be an indicator for the rest of the album, Of Mice & Men may not have positivity heading their way. Restoring Force had a kind of poetry to it, the emotions of anger or want evident throughout every song. 'Pain' doesn't really feel like anything. The only emotion is in the title. There's nothing to it. Hopefully the album is better than this track.

Of Mice & Men's Cold World is out on Rise Records on September 9. More details are available here.

Rating: 50 / 100

blink-182 - California

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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

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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