The Chorus Music Club Society • Page 329

So after a bit of a delay, I have a few reviews ready to go! Sorry for the delay, @Kiana and @broken22! Next up are my reviews for @Patterns in Traffic, which should be out in the next few days. (After that, I should have a chance to get to some bonus reviews too!)





Roxiny: Rituals

This is a pop album with some of the tracks in a minor key, which is a bit out of the ordinary, but enjoyable. (I actually tend to prefer songs in a minor key.) The overall effect is a bit of a "dark" album, with some really powerful tracks.

I really enjoyed the instrumentation on this album. There is some fantastic guitar and bass work, especially, along with some huge drums and cool synths!

As usual, I haven't really picked up the lyrics, but the ones I heard were good. The vocals and melodies were really great and fit the music perfectly!

No major critiques here!

"Neo" opens the album with some awesome drums, along with guitar and some synth work. The vocals are especially powerful on this song, and the music itself is fantastic. "The Lights" is a bit more experimental than the rest of the album. It's a really strong track, but it may not be immediately accessible (i.e. I doubt this was a single). For me, this track showcases the vocalist's skills really well. "Golden Prophet" is a peppy 70s/80s-esque track. There's a bit of a Donna Summer "I Feel Love" sound to it, which is really cool. "9 Months" is a synth-heavy track and there are a lot of layers here! I appreciate and enjoy the musical complexity. This is another track that really shows off the vocalist's talent. "Goliath" reminds me of Kate Bush, surprisingly enough (especially during the chorus)! That's pretty cool! "Song 2" is another synth-heavy track and serves as a great closer for the album because it features some of the elements from each track, including some awesome guitars. Very nice!

Verdict: 9.5/10

Favorite tracks: Golden Prophet, 9 Months, Goliath, Song 2 (yes, over half of the album)

Reminds me of: Metric, Donna Summer (a bit), Kate Bush


(Thanks for sharing an excellent album, @Kiana!)







Astro: Astro

Kiana told me that this was an indie album in Spanish, and I can say that her description was very accurate! A lot of the tracks felt like indie-pop to me, and it was an enjoyable, upbeat album overall.

The instrumentation was really cool - I heard a lot of really awesome synth work, which I gravitate to often.

It should be no surprise that I have yet to pick up a lot of the lyrics (as usual), especially since they are in Spanish. My Spanish is a bit rusty, but the lyrics I did pick up were enjoyable and a bit quirky. The vocals and melodies were great - the melodies were quite catchy! I had a lot of these songs get stuck in my head after a listen or two.

No major critiques here! I'm not sure how often I'll return to this kind of an album, though. I usually stick with Selena and Gloria Estefan when I'm in the mood for Spanish lyrics. I'll keep it in mind, though, since I enjoyed it!

"Ciervos" opens the album with some nice synth and drum work (I'm pretty sure the whole album utilizes a drum machine). It also has some really catchy and enjoyable melodies. "Coco" has some excellent guitar and bass work! It's also one of the catchiest tracks on the album. The bridge was a nifty change of pace and my favorite part of the track. "Colombo" is another really synth-heavy, dance track; it has quite the 80s feel! "Druida de las nubes" is a short instrumental interlude, featuring some layered synth work. "Panda" really hits the ground running - it's a huge-sounding track. The lyrics here are a prime example of the quirkiness - something about a murderous panda? "Miu-Miu" is quite busy - it sounds like an epic battle scene in a spacey video game. "Manglares" is a bit more subdued in comparison, musically. It's a really enjoyable track, and it's catchy, even with some fast lyrics. "Mira, esta nevando en las piramides" has much slower lyrics (making it easier for me to pick them up) and was a pretty fun track! "Volteretas" features some awesome acoustic guitar work and is quite catchy! The bridge/outro is awesome! "Pepa" is another dance track with some fantastic percussion work. It's very impressive, musically! "Nueces de Bangladesh" has what I like to call "dark" synth sounds. There's some variation among the verses, but it's synth-heavy throughout. The outro is a bit overwhelming, but it's a good track overall. "Miu-Miu Reaparece" is an acoustic version of the track that appeared earlier on the album and is a nice way to close the album.

Verdict: 8/10

Favorite tracks: Coco, Colombo, Panda, Manglares, "Mira, esta nevando en las piramides", Volteretas, Pepa (yes, over half of the album)

Reminds me of: Gloria Estefan/The Miami Sound Machine, Reyli


(Thanks for sharing another great album, @Kiana! And again, sorry for the delay!)

(A fun note - half of my Spotify ads are in Spanish after listening to this album.)







Alkaline Trio: Good Mourning

Yes, this is my first Alkaline Trio album. Prior to joining the CMCS, I hadn't even heard a single blink-182 album, so this shouldn't be too surprising in comparison.

As I expected from a Matt Skiba project, the instrumentation was fantastic - especially the guitars. The drums were also really impressive.

I still haven't picked up a lot of the lyrics, but the vocals and melodies were really great. The melodies were extremely infectious at times!

No major critiques here!

"This Could Be Love" really hits the ground running! The rhythm guitars are especially enjoyable. The melodies are really catchy and serve as a good distraction from the...disturbing lyrics. "We've Had Enough" is another incredibly infectious track, with huge drums! "One Hundred Stories" is a bit calmer, in comparison. The guitars are the star of this track for me. "Continental" is probably my favorite track on the album - I just really dig those guitars! The drums are also really cool (especially during the bridge), and the melodies are impressive. "All on Black" is another high-octane track, but the verses are a lot more laid-back. This is yet another track with some awesome guitars! "Emma" keeps of the pace and has some really catchy melodies as well. The drums were especially impressive, too! "Fatally Yours" picks up the pace even more (I didn't check, but it's probably the fastest track on the album by far). It was a bit overwhelming at first listen, but after that initial shock, I quite enjoyed it! "Every Thug Needs a Lady" gives the listener a bit of a breather after the previous track. The guitars are really strong! "Blue Carolina" has some fantastic drumming and really cool guitars! I also really enjoy the melodies here. "Donner Party (All Night)" is another high-octane track, with stunning drum work! "If We Never Go Inside" really reminds me of a blink-182 track (not sure which one in particular, though)! The rhythm guitars were my favorite part, but the drums were really great, too. The bridge is really cool! "Blue in the Face" closes out the album with a (surprisingly) acoustic track. Even though it is quite different from the rest of the album, it doesn't feel out of place, and I quite enjoyed it.

Verdict: 9/10

Favorite tracks: We've Had Enough, Continental, All on Black, Fatally Yours, Every Thug Needs a Lady, Blue Carolina, If We Never Go Inside, Blue in the Face (yes, over half of the album)

Reminds me of: blink-182, Matt Skiba and the Sekrets

(Thanks for sharing a great album @broken22! And again, sorry for the delay!)

 

Dang it @anonimito your reviews are better than mine are gonna be! Should've posted mine first so I didn't have to follow yours up ha! I will def have yours soon! I've listened to both and enjoyed them but I always have a harder time reviewing albums I like. I'm better at talking about things I dont like than what I do like lol

 

Lol - I'm sure your reviews will be awesome, as usual.

Glad to hear that you've enjoyed them, and if albums you like lead to shorter reviews, then I'd be thrilled to see that they're on the shorter side!

 

I’ve traded with @Anthony Brooks this week.

They’ve given me Wider than the Sky by 40 Watt Sun

I’ve given them Phrenology by The Roots

 

(This is a bit earlier than I said it would be, but I really enjoyed this album!)




Feeder: Pushing the Senses

I had no idea what to expect with this album, but @Patterns in Traffic and I seem to have a lot of overlap in our musical taste, so I had a feeling that I would enjoy it! (I was right!) (A side note: I believe I did see the album art on a poster in a large poster/flat bin at a record store once!)

The instrumentation was excellent - while the vocals and melodies were the stars (for me), the guitars, keyboards, and drums had a lot of shining moments as well. There were even some strings!

As usual, I still haven't picked up the majority of the lyrics, but the ones I have heard are great. Also, the vocals and melodies were fantastic! The vocalist reminded me of both Steve Bertrand (Avion) and Bono (U2) a bit, and the melodies were really enjoyable and catchy!

No major critiques here!

"Feeling a Moment" opens the album with a "big" instrumental part that leads into a much more relaxed verse. This track reminds me of some of the slower Anberlin tracks, which is a great thing, because I'm a big Anberlin fan. While I really enjoy the chorus, the verses were my favorite, but all of the melodies are great. "Bitter Glass" features some keyboard work, along with some excellent, soaring guitars during the chorus. While I really love the whole album, this is one of my top favorites! "Tumble and Fall" starts with a familiar drum part, and is a slower track that features some acoustic guitars in places. It's also a relatively simple track, with a really catchy chorus. (This is the track where I hear a lot of the similarities to Bono's voice.) The outro has some extra complexity, which I found really cool. "Tender" again heavily features the keys (which is awesome) and has a soaring chorus that is really reminiscent of Avion. The vocals sound rather vulnerable, for lack of a better word, and I always enjoy that. The title track is next, and it opens with some amazing guitars! There are a lot of layers, and they're all fantastic - wow! This is another big favorite. After a couple slower tracks, this one really stands out and is exceptionally infectious. The drums are also really impressive here. "Frequency" changes the pace and features a lot of piano with a bluesy feeling to it, along with some nifty effects in the background. The drums were excellent, too. After a perfect transition, "Morning Life" begins with a really cool guitar part. Again, there are a lot of layers, which I really love. If I had to pick, this one would be my utmost favorite - there's just so much to enjoy! (Also something in this track that I can't quite put my finger on reminds me of "The Forest" by Windsor Drive, which is one of my favorite songs ever.) "Pilgrim Soul" really picks up the pace (in short bursts at first) and again showcases the guitars. The drums are also really awesome, and the instrumental bridge is fantastic! "Pain on Pain" features some strings! There's also some lovely piano - what a gorgeous track! The bridge is especially beautiful. "Dove Grey Sands" closes out the album with a lot of acoustic guitars. There are a few effects here and there as well, which are a nice touch. Overall, it's a nice, soothing track with which to finish out a fantastic album!

Verdict: 10/10

Favorite tracks: all of them!

Reminds me of: Anberlin, Avion/Steve Bertrand, U2, Windsor Drive


(Thanks for sharing a wonderful album, @Patterns in Traffic!)




Here's that Windsor Drive track for reference:

 

Woohoo, glad you dug this so much! I just managed to snag a copy on vinyl a couple weeks ago and fell in love with it all over again! I think it's benefited from the time that's passed since it was first released - I believe it was criticized at the time for chasing the softer piano-based Britpop sound that Coldplay were popularizing at the time. Most of their other albums are more in the powerpop vein. I think it can stand on its own merits now as a really great record. It has such a good mix of vulnerable songs and high-energy stuff ("Feeling a Moment" and "Pushing the Senses" never fail to pump me up).

Never thought to compare them to U2 but I think there are similarities on this album. Avion is definitely a good comparison as is Windsor Drive! Great band that I don't think I've seen mentioned here before. I check up on their social media from time to time to see if new music is coming but unfortunately they seem to be defunct at this point. Shame they never released a proper full-length.

 

Don't you love when that happens? That's fantastic! :)

I really love Windsor Drive. They were supposedly going to release an LP last year, but no word for a while. I love each of their "EPs" though. I keep wondering if their new album would have continued in the poppy/electronic feel of "Wanderlust."

 

Saw people mentioning Microwave here the other day

 

Great review @anonimito ! That Windsor Drive song is so beautiful and reminds me a lot of Mae.

 

Catching up from the weekend.

Hahaha that's me, I'm guilty!

Awww, huge congratulations man!!! First one?

Those are my highlights as well. If we ever get paired up again I'll rec you some of their other stuff. They are a super solid band with a great discography so far.

 

Thank you! It’s our second!

 

Aw that's awesome! It's crazy how fast it all seems to go by with the 2nd one, enjoy!

 

@Patterns in Traffic dont sleep on that Steve Moakler record. The opening song and title track will blow your mind. My review should be up tonight.

 

I'm excited to check it out! I'm finally almost caught up on new releases, hopefully I can keep it up because work is getting crazy again.

 

I’m the opposite. I need to catch up on new releases!

 

Its the final countdown....(dodododooo) of the week. Here's a couple reviews from @edisnfg

Daytrader- Twelve Years


If there is one thing that everyone knows I will say, is that the Long Island Nj scene has given us quite a few awesome bands that I love to this day, along with some not so awesome. Here, we have another addition to that scene with Daytrader, an alternative/emo/pop punk band from Long Island, NJ. This is their 2012 LP, after a string of EPs that from what I could gather were hit or miss depending on the person. Produced by Mike Sapone, who has also worked with Crime In Stereo and Taking Back Sunday, this album has a couple things going for it. One of which is Sapone's production; the production on these songs is flawless and crystal clear. I was instantly impressed with the production on this album, and with that I dove into the album. Secondly, there are some huge standout tracks on this album; a couple really huge heavy hitter songs. The down side of this is, some songs way out class the others, and I found myself only wishing to return to a handful of these tracks at the end of the day.

A prime example of this is tracks 2,3, and 4. A good 1-2-3 punch of 'If You Need It', 'Firebreather' and 'Skin & Bones'. If You Need It is amazing, and probably my favorite song on the album; its extremely poppy but its a great blend of pop with heavy hitting alternative to make the song really fun but also give it some fight. Firebreather sounds fantastic, the production really shines and helps a lot of the instrumentation sound some of the best that it does on the album; bass and drums are strong in this one and easily recognizable, as they string behind a very passionate and impressive vocal performance that builds up the focal point of the song. Its a slow burn of a song, but when it gets going its really going. Skin & Bones takes all of these elements from both these songs and kind of combines them into a best of both worlds type of situation. Its poppy, yet heavy and emotional, its slow, but has a form of energy behind its vocals and instruments. The three tracks do an excellent job of creating a high energy for the album. 'Lost Between Coasts' is another strong continuation, and is the 5th track on the album. Its smooth, has this amazing groove to it, and then one of the catchiest choruses I heard on the entire thing. The verses are slower and echoey, almost sounding like they are being sung and the instruments played in an empty space. It sounds really dark and really great, and then the chorus just explodes. However, sadly this is where the album slows down for me. After such a heavy hitting beginning half, in my three listens of this album tracks 6-9 just did not grab me as much as the rest of them did. They weren't bad per say, but they were kind of skippable songs compared to the ones preceding them. However, this is redeemed with the final track. 'Letter To A Forner Lover' is an extremely strong and passionate closer, and one of the best songs on the entire shebang. It was a formidable way to close the album, and if the second half of the album had just as much energy as this song I probably would have enjoyed the songs more. The lyrics to this song are fantastic, and it sounds so energetic and fun yet dark.

Overall this was a pretty decent album. I wish I could say that it stuck with me more than it did, but half of the album did extraordinarily well with me. The other half isn't too bad and on full album listens I'll let them play. Perhaps they will grow on me. When I want to hear these guys though and am picking songs, its going to be one of these ones:
If You Need It, Firebreather, Skin & Bones, Lost Between Coasts, Letter To A Former Lover'

 

The Barber- Black Friday

Holy shit what is this album. First off, do not try googling this album to try and find info about the band. You will only receive ads and yelp reviews for old black Friday sales for hair cuts. Yes that is apparently a thing. @edisnfg sent me to listen to this one. Another thing to note, this is a 2018 album. So, what is this band? Well, Do you like Every Time I Die? Take that band and amp it up and this is a general idea of what you are getting into. These guys are a lot more on the hardcore sound though as opposed to the melodic side of things. In fact, there are almost no melodic moments on this album. This album is HEAVY, there is a lot of aggression to it. One thing, I will warn you that if you don't like screamed vocals you will want to steer away from this album; it is mostly that. This is a guns unloaded, rampant explosion of aggression and rage personified into music. Now there are parts that are melodic or clean sung, such as verses on 'Unholy River'. There are some parts of the verses sung very well and clean, but the majority of this album is sheer rage.

That's not a bad thing though. The thing about this album is also that it is instrumentally very well done. Insane really, the guitars are played so well. Shredding, biting guitars rage behind the lyrics with a fierce aggression and highs and lows. The guitar playing on this album is extremely well done, and there are some moments where it is down right beautiful. There are some really heavy shreds, and some very beautiful heightened moments and parts where the guitar outshines the vocals. 'Dead End' is one of those songs. The guitar in this song is amazing and so crunching that its hard not to get into it. The drums in these songs is heavy and pounding, the bass lines are hefty and flow with the guitars. All of this coinciding with these heavy and aggressive vocals creates a ticking time bomb of an album. Its hard to really talk about this album because it is just such a heavy album; but its one done really well. I actually don't normally like albums where its almost all aggression and screaming, but The Barber pulls this sound off extremely well. Its one that will bite with a lot of force, and one that will have you tearing down the walls of your home or wanting to destroy something as you groove with it. I was put well out of my comfort zone with this one, but I liked it a LOT. I found myself listening to this album more than I really expected to, and I really have no complaints about it at all.

If you want some heavy, ripping music than this is your bag. Check this one out if you like ETID, or other acts similar to that. It crosses into the Metal area at times, and its glorious. This is one that begs to be relistened, and if you have had a long and frustrating day this album will help you work those rage sessions out.
Stand out tracks: Not Easy love, My Own Buyers Club, Mudblood, Unholy River, Dead End, Seven Sins, She's Dancing With The Dead, Smokin' Aces'

 

Sounds like I should check this out!

Who assigned this to you?

 

Looks like they’re Russian

 

@Bad Frequencies answer the question please!

 

Let me add to this review:
A Russian band that plays music similar to The Chariot, ETID and Norma Jean mixed with Hardcore Punk.

Glad to help Kevo!

 

I was just checking their bandcamp page - I like all 3 of those groups so I’m all in

 

Most definitely for me as well!

 

and now a long overdue one for @Nate_Johnson

CHVRCHES- Love Is Dead


I have never listened to CHVRCHES before this trade. There I said it. Yes I know, that's a taboo thing to say on chorus, but its true and I am glad I can now finally say that I corrected that mistake. The first thing I will say is that sonically this is extremely outside of my wheelhouse, flying far out of the pop punk/alternative area and diving into some popelectofunk sound. Yet, this is also an easy listen; someone who isn't normally a fan of this sound can easily dig this music and find something to connect with. Whether that be the extremely groovy synths, the electronic beats flying through the song and making these fun almost dance songs; or the beautiful vocals of the lead vocalist. There is something on this album that will lure you in and get you liking it. Its infections and pure ear candy; and yet it has this edgy side to it when you really sit down and digest the lyrics with some good old headphones in. This poppy sound album has undertones of personal and political that are very well crafted and very well done. Its down right impressive, and it poses the question if love is really worth it in this modern dark world filled with terrible things and events in the world.

Lauren Mayberry sounds FANTASTIC on these songs. Her vocals have range, and have passion; one that works extremely well with the context of these lyrics. The first three songs are prime examples of this, as they somehow manage to blend the energetic pop sounds with these heavier subject tones. And then you get to 'My Enemy', which is a duet featuring Matt Berninger, and my word this song is powerful and heavy. This is the first song where the happy overtones of the music are cast aside to an almost ballad like darkness sound, and this is something that will surface numerous times in the remainder of the album. Its a shiny and bright album, but like a beautiful beach with dark storm clouds moving closer and closer with each passing moment from the horizon. 'Forever' and 'Never Say Die' have that dark bliss to them as well, facing the outwards questioning of life and its follies, and its done beautifully well. Then you get to 'Graves' which has these bright pop sounds, but the subject matter deals with a lot of recent tragedies and political strife in Europe; which is two things you think wouldn't mesh so well but the powerful message and vocals work hand in hand with these uplifting synths to deliver a beautiful performance. 'Heaven/Hell' has a very cool intro to it, and some extremely powerful imagery in its lyrics. That's a talent this album has; the imagery it evokes in your mind while listening to it is fantastic and really well done. Another plus of this song, is the high register vocals; when Lauren's voice soars high is damn great and it sells the chorus of this song so well.

This is a good album, and I am sure the majority of you here have already heard it. If you have not heard it, and you like anything I said here, do yourself a favor and go listen to this album. Its an extremely fun ride, and its one that I found myself revisiting a lot throughout the week. This album has also made me want to go back and check out their earlier work, which I hear is just as good. This was a good album, and I thank Nate for finally getting me to check this group off my list and to also break out of my comfort zone a little bit.
Stand out tracks: graffiti, get out, deliverance, my enemy, forever, never say die, graves, heaven/hell, Really Gone, Wonderland

 

The only thing bad about this band is that I can’t listen to them without thinking of @blakebeats

RIP