The most talented individual from One Direction, but Niall Horan is somewhat in the shade regarding former band members who have excelled. Harry Styles has had the most success as a solo artist, with Niall being the second. They always say the nice guys get overlooked, and that’s the case with Niall. He is more reserved than Harry, and even though he has got another No. 1 album under his belt, it passes without much fanfare. When Niall releases music, it flies under the radar of the media. They are more interested in the extroverted Harry Styles. Seeming to follow his every move.
Although he may not sell out stadiums, Niall is doing enough to carve out a solo career. Rather than attempt to be more rock n roll, Niall has elected to be more pop with synthesisers on this record, which, surprisingly, coming from a love of Indie, is more suited to his songwriting style.
The only time you will hear a guitar in full flow on the album is ‘You Could Start a Cult’, a song about looking through a relationship with rose-tinted glasses. It also features a harmonica solo. I don’t know if Niall is a fan of Johnny Marr (He probably is.), but it reminded me somewhat of the guitar legend. In all honesty, I wasn’t a fan of the track. I don’t know. There appears to be a sense of mediocrity to it. Save for the harmonica solo. On ‘Must be Love’, Niall discusses his insecurities about falling in love but confesses that you cannot hold back love if it feels like it, no matter how hard you try to resist
He cannot let that thought go even on the cheerful ‘Heaven’ where he is expressing feelings of being in love but also fears that everything will go pear-shaped over bouncing piano keys with sultry vocals. There is a reverb effect on ‘If You Leave’, and I was disappointed with ‘Save My Life’ because it sounds like something the 1975 would churn out.
I don’t know if I liked the record because it captures your imagination and then doesn’t. Sometimes it’s the lyrics, and sometimes it’s the instrumentation. I call the album safe and tidy. Niall is more comfortable writing these types of songs. I cannot wait to hear him write Indie to see if he can pull it off.
7/10
Song recommendations: ‘Heaven’, ‘It Must be Love’., ‘If You Leave’
Was it ever in doubt that the Foos would be number one? Despite being locked in a week-long battle with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, no one save for the Beatles was stopping them from getting to the summit. They had the intrigue of what they would sound like post-Taylor Hawkins and if the new drummer Josh Freese was good enough to take over from the late drummer. The last time Dave Grohl suffered a band member loss was in 1994 when Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain died, and he hit the studio to record what would become the debut album of Foo Fighters. He called it Foo Fighters, so no one would watch wind of who was behind the then-solo project. Although Dave was hurting from the loss of Kurt, the sound in 1995 was more a celebration of life over hardcore rock.
This time, however, the loss of Taylor is etched all over the album, also released over a year after his bizarre demise. You can especially hear this in ‘Under You’, where Dave reminisces about the good old days with someone no longer with us in some form. It is obvious what the song is about, but Dave leaves it open to interpretation through his words. It sounds more like a couple splitting up than the obvious. ‘Rescued’ also expresses how Dave felt at the recording. Of course, the record is littered with songs ready to be blasted in stadiums and belted out by the crowd. That’s what the Foos are good at. ‘Somehow’ features his daughter Violet and is a beautiful ballad and one of the slow moments on the album. ‘Teach Me’ is a track that lasts just over ten minutes, which fools you because there is a sustained silence before the track returns. That track itself trickles along rather than catches your imagination. Of course, another great track closes the records in ‘Rest’, which again is about Taylor, except this time, it is far more apparent as Dave says the drummer can rest in the chorus. The song builds from acoustic to the entire band wading in to end the music how they would complete a show with Taylor going tonto on the drums.
Song recommendations: ‘Rest’, ‘Under You’, ‘Somehow’
Apart from working in the studio on fellow Celtic fan Paolo Nutini’s album, where has Lewis been? Well, he’s been touring his debut album since the world opened up again and has thrown a few teasers for the follow-up. It has been four years since “Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent” was released. Has it? Blimey. I remember doing a track-by-track review, but it was the first month of 2020? It appears not. Anyway, in 2021, he postponed many tour dates to start work on “Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent” and, as mentioned earlier, aid Paolo Nutini with his. I don’t know if Lewis is Catholic, but he compares love and heartbreak in biblical terms, which makes this album have more of a religious slant to it.
Now, a new term of music has been created to describe some of his songs, and that’s blue-eyed soul. No idea if that is now officially a genre or if it is just one made by fans. Honestly, when he does ballads, I’d say they are more melancholic than “blue-eyed soul”. That is…I don’t know what it is, but I know the term is adopted for his ballads.
This record resembles his debut regarding the themes, instrumentation, and lyrical content. Albeit, this time, he goes deeper. ‘Heavenly Kind of State of Mind’ explores the rollercoaster ride of a growing relationship, and ‘Burning’ appears to be about his relationship with that girl off Love Island (Meg, is it?) who he wrote ‘Used to be Someone You Loved’ about, where it was never going to work out.
Despite being nothing like the late John Prime’s version, ‘ Wish You All the Best’ echoes the exact sentiment of a male wanting to let rip on his ex-girlfriend but then electing to let it go and wish her well to move on quickly. Of course, we see the other side of his emotions, and it is explored in ‘Pointless’, where he talks about being in love but also mentions his struggles with depression.
‘Haven’t You Ever Been in Love Before’ explores the anxiety of falling in love but being afraid of letting it wash over you for fear of having your heart broken once again. We can all relate to this because we tend to be close to doing or doing sabotage. We cannot let what happened before happen again, so we panic. So, that’s what the first half of the record explores. In the second half, we see more of his vocal ability. I especially noticed his diverse range in ‘Leave Me Slowly’, where he finds his inner Michael Bolton. When I heard it, that was the first singer that registered. There are many other comparisons, but I struggle to find a better one.
Beautiful strings can be heard on ‘How This Ends’ to combat his rich yet melancholic vocals. Honestly, what else would they be on? Besides, a song about a relationship meeting its end? The final track is quite apt and quite insightful regarding his struggles with depression. The title is taken from his Amazon Prime (Might be Netflix.) documentary ‘How I’m Feeling Now’. You may recall from my previous review that Ed Sheeran had a song where the instrumentation was uplifting in contrast to his lyrics to represent hiding behind a mask, and this track works on the same level. However, rather than putting on a brave face after a personal tragedy, Lewis is putting on a brave face when the depression controls his outlook on every aspect of his life. He isn’t alone in this. Several other musicians have admitted their struggles with mental health, one of them recently being George Ezra, which he documented in End to End.
As I mentioned, this is a continuation of the debut record regarding melodies and the constant use of a piano. Still, as I also said earlier, the lyrics go deeper than last time, but there is also now maturity within those lyrics. For example, he laid bare his hurt on the debut album and expressed anger. This time, he appears to move forward and forgive her for hurting him while trying to battle depression, fame, touring, and giving love a chance. I love seeing this guy perform these songs live, so that is when I will appreciate this record a lot more.
Song recommendations: ‘How I’m Feeling Now’, ‘Have You Ever Been in Love Before’, ‘Leave Me Slowly’
One thing you will notice about “-‘ is that Ed uses a lot of weather-based themes to foretell the latest trials and tribulations in his life. Although the lyrics and his delivery are pretty heart-wrenching, they are encased with rays of sunshine regarding the instrumentation. You may start to think it is a typical Ed acoustic, but the song builds as the choir comes in, making it more uplifting over Ed’s heartfelt vocals. Some of you may not like it and feel it is the same old thing because Ed is out with the acoustic again, but I say, listen to his frank story.
Salt Water:
Again, listen to the lyrics as he goes deeper with another life story. When you listen to the instrumentation, you understand how apt the title is. You have piano keys throughout, which represent the waves engulfing him, and the slow, steady drum beat, which means his struggle to stay afloat as the water tries to pull him under. There is then a bright moment with Female vocal harmonising coming in, which represents Ed’s soul letting go as it burns him inside from the pain he is experiencing. The bridge is where the tracks have ethereal tones, meaning Ed succumbs to the waves as he falls to the ocean bed. He has accepted drowning in his sorrows. The track then fades out, which represents Ed’s spirit giving up.
Eyes Closed:
For once, Ed starts a track on an uplifting melody. However, the song in question is another heartbreaker and a moment of reflection. This one is a tribute to SBTV’s Jamal Edwards, who tragically passed away early last year due to an overdose. Jamal was the guy who gave Ed his early but growing fan base when Ed performed from his London home over the Internet. It is undoubtedly how I initially heard of Ed after a friend, Joe, showed me some of the performance through his mobile phone in 2009. From there, I would keep my eyes peeled for Ed as I was left impressed. Those performances on SBTV gave him the platform he needed. So, the track has an uplifting melody, but it is also there to show that not everything appears as it seems and represents Ed’s sense of loss perfectly. Why? Because the upbeat melody represents Ed’s veil of happiness as he carries on after Jamal’s death when really behind the veil, he is struggling to come to terms with it. The behind-the-veil segment of the tracks is Ed’s lyrics, which reveal the true extent of his grief. Ed, with an acoustic baring his soul, is Ed at his best.
Life Goes on:
If you thought the previous track was heavy, put on your lifejacket because this one is gut-wrenching and pulls at your heartstrings—a deeply personal story. Cherry Seaborn, Ed’s childhood sweetheart and now his wife, is carrying their child when Ed taps into the emotion Cherry is experiencing when she hears the news. Ed belts out ‘it hit like a train’ to convey the feeling that Cherry has found out that their happiness is soured with news that she has been diagnosed with cancer. The track is Ed talking directly to you candidly about how he is worried about what may be on the horizon. Ed is begging his wife throughout to fight and beat the horrible illness as he cannot imagine life without her. Why is it called ‘Life Goes on”? Well, Ed is saying that, unfortunately, the world doesn’t stop when a tragedy occurs. If you don’t shed tears or feel anything as Ed pours his heart out about Cherry, then quite frankly, your body is just a vessel with nothing in it. Even though Cherry could not be operated on during her pregnancy with Jupiter, she has since had treatment and is recovering.
Dusty:
After the heaviness of the previous track, Ed switches up to hip-hop. The instrumentation is quite groovy, as most hip-hop is, and represents the light at the end of the tunnel for Ed, as do the lyrics, as they are more optimistic. Indeed Ed even says enthusiastically, ‘the future is so bright’. The bridge is out of synchronisation with the rest of the song as it sounds like something the likes of 5ive, 911, Boyzone, Westlife, et al would utilise in their songs back in the 90s. This track is like a continuation of ‘Salt Water’, although this time, it is Ed climbing off the ocean bed and swimming up while floating on the calmer seas as he gets above the water. Ed represents this with a high-frequency sound at the end of the track. The sound means his ears are unblocking as he returns to the surface.
End of Youth:
Oh dear, that calm ocean has turned rough again as Ed finds himself battling the waves that are dragging him under. To represent the sense of drowning and hopelessness, Ed utilises minor chords, which, if you have a good ear for music, are used in sad/reflective songs. To add to the gloomy mood, Ed throws in strings that match his vocals as he foretells how the grief drove him to attempt suicide. Another track that leaves his heart open.
Colourblind:
Staccato piano chords over loving lyrics to begin with Ed propelling back to 2013 when he was recording “X” and recording the controversial ‘Thinking Out Loud'( I am not going to go into the details about that. Just Google Marvin Gaye and Ed Sheeran for that story.), which this song draws inspiration from. The track is uplifting, and Ed’s happiness is heard through the vocals. When he was in the booth, he had a smile on his face when delivering the vocals on this one. Ed then tests his vocal range as he goes high and falsetto over a choir, adding that angelic and floating touch.
Curtains:
Ed showcases another segment of his vocal range: singing lower than ever. This track also breaks away from the usual acoustic and heads into the electric and rock arena as you can hear electric guitars, crashing cymbals, and thumping drums over Ed’s vocals. The chorus is even more frantic, representing that Ed is breaking free of his worries and rediscovering his zest for life. This whole track has a positive message for Ed and the listeners.
Borderline:
Once again, Ed sinks to the bottom of the sea as the depression takes hold. I call this the manic depression track because the instrumentation represents the manic cycle, and the lyrics describe the clinical cycle. When we get to the chorus, the song breaks free of the manic depression, and a bright sky breaks through. Very autobiographical.
Spark:
This is like swimming against the rough seas, represented by the bouncing beat before the drums match Ed’s soaring vocals to mean conquering the rough seas, which gradually get calmer. Ed is leaving his worries and his past behind and moving forwards.
Vega:
Another reflective moment as Ed returns to his beloved Martin in a song talking about the devastating news of his wife Cherry heard during the pregnancy and almost broke Ed entirely. He delivers his pain perfectly in the chorus—an emotional track. The track is very downtempo, but the lyrics contrast this with optimism that things will improve for Cherry and the family.
Sycamore:
This is a follow-up to ‘Vega’ with Ed and Cherry feeling relief that the nightmare is over and they can recover from the ordeal. Strings accompany an optimistic but wary Ed as he talks about being by Cherry’s side at the hospital. A clever track melodically because it shows the feeling of optimism and fear, which is what happens with an experience like that.
No Strings:
This is Ed letting go over stabbing piano chords as he expresses what Cherry means to him. After his wife’s recovery, Ed feels she has to know just how much he loves her, and that love is why they made it through.
Hills of Aberfeldy:
Remember when everyone mocked ‘Galway Girl’? I didn’t mind it, to be fair. I found it rather uplifting, but many thought it insulted Celtic music. He is back again with another Celtic song, but it will be warmly received this time. This is your typical traditional Celtic song. No fancy additions like on ‘Galway Girl’. The vocal delivery is that of an old Celtic singer with acoustic guitar joined by bagpipes and marching drums. Sonically, the track is calm, suggesting that Ed finds peace after a rough journey. Another ode to his wife, which looks to the future and ends the album with a message of hope and never fading love.
Song recommendations: ‘Salt Water’, ‘Hills of Aberfeldy’, ‘No Strings’
The Lottery Winners( an unusual name.) hail from Leigh, Greater Manchester, and formed in 2008. They have supported Starsailor and have collaborated with Frank Turner and Sleeper frontwoman Louise Wener. They are with an independent label (Modern Sky) despite being in existence since 2008. This band still needs to be signed. Regarding this staggeringly, this is their FIFTH album under a small label, and member Thom Rylance says it is their album for those struggling with mental health issues. The record opens with a posh-voiced psychiatrist telling you to relax and begin the session. It also closes with a thank you for sharing; the session is now over, or words to that effect.
This album is about Thom Rylance’s ability to feel better about himself when he gets all his emotions off his chest on the tracks. Yet, at the same time, we can all relate when we listen to the lyrics and feel much better by the album’s end.
After the brief introduction, the record bursts into life with the fast-tempo track, ‘Worry’. I had never heard of the band before this track, but they gave me a Lux Lisbon/Slow Readers Club vibe to their sound. I also loved how the first two tracks (‘Burning House’ is the second.) were energetic—the kind of energy you want at the beginning to pique your interest.
We then move on to ‘Money’ featuring Shaun Ryder, who brings his Mancunian swagger. The track is very Happy Mondays/Black Grape-esque (Probably the new band, too. Mantra of the Cosmos, which includes Ride’s Andy Bell.)The track is about coping with working, being a musician, and longing to ditch the regular job for music.
The record even has an ode to the anti-depressant, Sertraline, and is called such. Thom talks about how that particular one makes you feel better, and as I took that myself, I can vouch for that. I indeed related to this one. At this point, the album changes tempo and is more uplifting. As I stated, the record theme is based on a therapy session, and this record has reached the point where you would start to feel more optimistic and better for discussing what upsets you. ‘Letter to Myself’ features Frank Turner, as Thom addressed himself when he was 12, where he discusses how difficult school is but how one can overcome it. The video for the song is good, too.
‘Let Me Down’ features the brilliant Boy George and stands out for me. George’s vocals are like Galaxy chocolate and soothing, adding warmth to the uplifting track. You will understand it more when you watch the video of the child dressed as Boy George upstairs in his room singing along, and his father walks in, and instead of being angry with him, he accepts it and asks how he is.
I recommend this album, and I hope now that they have smashed that glass ceiling by having massive success with this album, they get on to bigger and better things.
Song recommendations: ‘Let Me Down’, ‘Money’, ‘Letter to Myself’
Much criticism was given over her last “Brightest Blue” in 2020, with quite a few critics saying the album lacked excitement. I cannot remember what I said, but in all fairness, it was recorded during the lockdown, so if the record was more downtempo, then it is easy to understand why. This time Ellie has decided to bring more uplifting dance-like music. The album is full of synthesisers and thumping basslines. The record doesn’t give you time to settle because it is more like going to a club, and the DJ playing song after song that makes you not want to leave the dance floor. ‘Love Goes on’ is the only mid-tempo track, but even that still has some energy.
The album begins with ‘Midnight Dreams’ to start the disco-themed adventure and is followed by ‘Cure for Love’, a song about breaking up in a relationship with an infectious chorus. The title track shows off the best of Ellie’s vocals so far in her career. She then goes into that 80s disco, which has been used by the Weeknd of late on ‘Like a Savior’ and ‘Let it Die’. You will see what I mean by hearing them and the dirty deep bass on both.
What is a shame, but probably understandable on the record, given its disco and uplifting instrumentals, is that Ellie focuses less on her brilliant songwriting. Her vocals also need more energy on ‘By the End of the Night’. The record also ends with the trap beat inspired ‘How Long’, which seems totally out of place with the rest of the instrumentation that comes before it. I wonder why that happened. Ellie may be teasing her next album sound.
Regardless of the lack of songwriting and the peculiar addition of ending with trap, the album mostly doesn’t lack energy and is uplifting and fun to listen to. You feel alive and get this sense of being on that dance floor in the club. Also, what a way to shut your critics up who lambasted her last album.
Song recommendations: ‘Midnight Dreams’, ‘Like a Savior’, ‘Higher than Heaven’
The opening track to her ninth studio album is called ‘the Grants’, and it features her in the studio( you can hear interactions between her and the production crew) that leads into a gospel intro with backing vocals. As with most of the record, it is her usual piano ballad. From what I listened to, this is the only track that slightly deviates away from the typical piano ballad. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t a boring listen because she has plenty of conscious lyrics to compensate, but there is little regarding the instrumentation. The strings give some flesh to the ballads.
Song recommendations: ‘A&W’, ‘Candy Necklace’, ‘the Grants’
This is the seventh studio album from the St Albans, Hertfordshire band. The band did a pre-tour over February, March and April this year to promote the record at the most iconic yet intimate venues nationwide. A mad concept, right? Well, no. The band wanted to support these venues that have taken a hit since 2020 and give a chance for their fans to see them up close and personal in all their glory.
We begin with the title track, and wow, what a way to start. It is nothing like I have ever heard the band do before. This is something Beethoven would have written. It is more a symphony than anything else, and the sound is glorious. We then return to familiarity on ‘Set Me on Fire’, where the band brings their rock and dubstep combination. ‘It Hurts’ is more of a departure from dubstep as they incorporate rock with club. I have no idea why the band use dubstep, as not many have been fond of it since 2014, and god knows why it still has its own chart on Beatport.
This album leads on from their 2020 effort. I may not have been fond of that one neither, but it worked out in a live setting. This one will as well, going by that. I liked that ‘Leap into the Lightning’ ventured into drum n bass, adding an element of Pendulum, who have mastered the rock and drum n bass combination.
Lead singer Rou said the record is a reminder for us all to smile in a world that gets more evil and sick by the day, so even though he might be releasing a lot of anger, there are more uplifting messages in the lyrics now and then.
Song recommendations: ‘A Kiss for the Whole World’, ‘Leap into the Lightning’, ‘It Hurts’
It was through watching Beavis and Butt-head and seeing Beavis wear the tee shirt I became intrigued as to who Metallica was. I have since fallen in love with ‘Nothing Else Matters’, ‘Mama Said’, ‘Enter Sandman’, ‘Seek n Destroy’ and ‘Sad but True’. I have also watched several documentaries about the production of “Master of Puppets”( their best album, in my opinion.), and Monster, which follows them during the highs and lows. A lot of arguments between the figureheads leading vocalist/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich (You know? He was once a vast talent in junior Tennis? Mixing it with the likes of Boris Becker. His dad was also a professional.). Quite a few of the documentaries put Lars in a bad light. He constantly shows up several hours after the band has commenced recording. I still think he is one of the best drummers alive, so he more than makes up for it. Anyway, the band sell out arenas and stadiums everywhere they go. They are also the main headliners at the creme de la creme of festivals. They have garnered many friendships with musicians across all genres. Even though Noel Gallagher doesn’t like their music, the band get on with him. Lars happened to do the lighting for Oasis on the “Definitely Maybe” American leg in 1995. Well, there is no better way to pay homage to this fucking fantastic band than to do a track-by-track review. I will also do a summary because, despite the fact I may wax lyrical on the tracks, the listen was wholly different in total.
72 Seasons:
One thing guaranteed with the band’s records is that you will get candid emotion throughout. The band do not hide behind a mask. The title for the title track is from a book James Hetfield read about from infancy to becoming 18, which equates to seeing 72 seasons in your lifetime. The book focuses on as you evolve, you find your identity and form your own opinions across a range of subjects rather than letting others choose your choices. This song is the audio version of it, albeit over heavy metal. Lead guitarist Kirk Hammett shines through, with James providing the emotional vocal delivery.
Shadows Follow:
Very similar to the subject at hand, but you can hear the tempo abating. It explores James’ time during rehab and how even stars like him are flawed, just like all of us are. The title is apt because even though we may fend off our demons, their shadows lurk, waiting to strike. According to bassist Rob Trujillo, this song has a Black Sabbath feel. I hear a typical Metallica song with a softer tempo.
Screaming Suicide:
This is the second single off the album and a powerful one. Although James may be talking about his experience in rehab, I also felt he was acting as a psychologist. What do I mean? He tells us all to show our vulnerability and confess that sometimes we have dark thoughts. As the song reaches the outro, James reminds us to keep moving despite those thoughts and that by doing this, we will win the war against the demons. As you may have noticed, this record focuses on James’ vocal delivery/songwriting and Kirk’s sublime axemanship. Usually, a lot of Metallica’s albums focus on Lars. However, he and Rob are ensuring the ship remains on course. Quite unusual not to see Lars featured as a figurehead on the record. Well, it is to me, anyway.
Sleepwalk My Life Away:
Kirk brings the bluesy feel to this with bombastic solos, which we have become accustomed to with him. Again, the track is focused on the songwriting.
You Must Burn!:
This is my favourite off the record, and Kirk’s axemanship blows you away. Looking at the lyrics and hearing the snarling vocals by James, you might think this track is quite sinister, but in a way, it isn’t. Yes, it has all of the aforementioned, but the more profound message is one of hope; Basically, it’s saying, “Fuck all the shit that makes you suffer. Enjoy yourself, and don’t let it get to you”. The production depicts that too. The track is downtempo before bursting into life with Kirk’s axemanship. Almost like from the deepest depths before seeing the light appearing on the horizon.
Lux Æterna:
Surprisingly, the shortest track on the album weighs in at 3:46. The leading single harks back to the band’s earlier days and is sure to be a hit with the fans on the “72 Seasons” tour, which is currently in progress. Talking to Metallica fans, when I mentioned that it was incredibly short for them, the fans were impressed with it.
Crown of barbed Wire:
Lars gets the spotlight finally, this time with Kirk complimenting him. This reminded me of when the band used to jam out and form a song from it. Something that gets lost when you hit the studio, rather than jamming out during rehearsals. It makes it organic.
Chasing Light:
This has the classic Metallica sound. A track that gets your body moving rhythmically throughout and heading to be a crowd favourite on tour. Again, Kirk’s axemanship is glistening. If it isn’t James, then it is Kirk.
If Darkness Had a Son:
Not a song for the faint-hearted. This one plays with your emotions and makes you feel uncomfortable. The track focuses on giving into ‘temptation’ (Well, from what James bellows out.)and knowing that the consequences could see your friendships dwindle, and how ‘temptation’ can cause harm to yourself. Another solid vocal performance by James, and of course, Kirk hitting with the solos.
Too Far Gone?:
James taps into his darkest emotions and how those demons play on his mind as he tries to find his soul. He explores how making mistakes that leave full of regret, and that is evident in the outro, ‘Too far gone, never too far gone, I’m too far gone to save, I can make it through the day, make it through the day, just for today’. As you can see, despite James expressing that he is damaged, he is optimistic he can survive another day. This would be a heavy listen if it were for something other than Kirk. Some may not like James talking candidly, but I like the idea of him sharing all this because it might make the toughest of their fans realise that we can be flawed and human. Many Metallica fans I have encountered seem to have a tough exterior, and we do not get to see the other side. The only human, so to speak, fans I know are the more casual ones like myself, who couldn’t give a flying fuck what makes a Metallica fan.
Room of Mirrors:
Another track for the excellence of Kirk Hammett.
Inamorata:
Someone informed me that is the longest track they have ever made. The track weighs in at 11:10 when I mainly see their live shows; it is short, considering how long the instrumentation and solos go on during the live performances. This time, the whole band takes turns to show off—a pretty fitting way to end the record.
Overall:
Last time, I reviewed Boygenius, and you may have concluded that the album was great, judging by the track-by-track review. However, I did say that that wasn’t the case regarding the record being relatively “tame” from what the band describe themselves as. Okay, I enjoyed “72 Seasons”, but it appeared chart-friendly and easier on the ear. Something I never associate with Metallica. They are always raw rather than polished. This record is more for the commercial side of music. Despite the heavy topics, listening to some of their previous albums this is much easier. A steady album that is polished. Too polished for Metallica.
Song recommendations: ‘You Must Burn!’, ‘Chasing Light’, ’72 Seasons’
Boygenius are a rock supergroup formed in 2018 consisting of Julien Baker, Lucy Dacus, and Phoebe Bridgers. The former is the only one I have ever heard of, and I enjoy most of her material. Five years ago, the band also released their self-titled EP. They share common ground, and what makes Boygenius dynamic is their similar tastes in authors and poets. There is more than just a love of music, and unlike most supergroups, this has been formed on music and other passions to make the chemistry extra special. They also have their unique style of writing. Julien Baker is more melancholic, whereas Phoebe Bridgers, although she can sing softly, brings more energy, and Lucy Dacus brings consciousness to the fore.
Here is my track-by-track review of “the Record”:
Without You Without Them:
The opening track begins with the trio singing acapella. The trio exchanging cyphers.
$20:
This has Julien Baker written all over it (Although I only know of Phoebe’s work, I did a little listening research.), where she gets political and her watermark guitar riffs, which, when you listen to her work, your ear picks up on the familiarity. Of course, as it is a trio, Lucy and Phoebe find a space on the track, with Bridgers doing a 90s-esque grunge rock scream, and Dacus leads the line during the fast tempo and fleshy verses.
Emily, I’m Sorry:
This song is split into two parts. The song title doesn’t fit the narrative that you should expect it to. Instead of being an audio apology letter to a specific individual, it discusses how uncertain life was during the pandemic ( depending on where you live.). You can hear Phoebe’s solo work coming through, but it also shows Boygenius working together to give it that unique sound.
True Blue:
This is quite obviously the turn of Lucy again. Why? Because her vocals are at the forefront, whereas Julien and Phoebe’s are more muted. This track is mellow and mid-tempo compared to what has happened so far. You can tell the band work democratically.
Cool About it:
We finally get to the acoustic song on the album with a cameo appearance from the banjo. The track could be described as folk-rock. Each member exchanges a cypher with different variations of bumping into the dreaded ex. The cyphers showcase just how talented each individual is at songwriting.
Not Strong Enough:
Just listening to this, you can tell that Sheryl Crow heavily influenced the trio. The track discusses the hotbed issue of the treatment of women (to this day, unfortunately.) within the industry. The instrumentation itself goes back to the sound more akin to ‘$20’ before developing into something more uplifting, which creates a rush of blood in your body. Synths feature on the bridge, and the strumming of the guitar with effects gives it that indie blend. I can imagine this one doing quite well on the tour. Although the lyrics are blunt, there is a sense of this becoming a tour anthem.
Revolution 0:
Another tender acoustic ballad to welcome in the second half of the album. The song has a frustrated delivery by Phoebe to match the writing. Phoebe ponders what love is and why it is called that if it isn’t love.
Leonard Cohen:
Well, this is one of the favourite poets they all adore. The late Leonard Cohen was one of the best poets around. There is a nod to one of his tracks from 1992 called ‘the Anthem’. The track is, funnily enough, the shortest on the album, but in no terms does it mean they are insulting his memory. The band discuss the song’s meaning, which is about accepting your own imperfections. Lucy also has an Easter Egg in her verse, so listen out for that. Clue: It has already featured on the album.
Satanist:
This track features dirty and heavy riffs as Phoebe lets out a scream you will hear in many grunge songs. The track changes tempo again after the instrumental break after the bridge with Julien’s question about satanism as the song changes to downtempo and absent of guitars.
We’re in Love:
Phoebe has been taking over a bit with her songs, but Lucy steps up this time, showcasing her ability to write a specific feeling and deliver it on the instrumental. It also sees the band move away temporarily from the rock wall of sound (Depending on what your idea of “rock” is.).
Anti-Curse:
Julien’s turn, this time with a song which talks about romance. After the bridge is the best section of the song, as we hear full-on guitars with cascading drums.
Letter to an Old Poet:
By this point, I was starting to wonder if there was a democracy in the band as we heard yet another Phoebe trademark song. The track is about surrendering to what you used to be. It also has recycled lyrics from ‘Me & My Dog’, featured on the trio’s 2018 extended play. You can hear a crowd in the background. As the song gently fades, Phoebe closes with a message of hope.
You may think, by reading this, that the album is a fantastic listen. Unfortunately, I have masked that by measuring each track individually. Overall, I felt that for a band dubbed “rock”, there were many downtempo moments and many of the shoegaze side of indie. For me, the term “rock” has not been categorised all that well. There are sub-genres, in fact, many for rock, and this one falls under alternative/indie/shoegaze for me. This was more akin to an album by the XX than full-on rock. I was looking forward to hearing “the Record”, but I had to listen to it twice because my concentration wavered somewhat on the first listen. I felt it was all relatively tame for a “rock” album. There is more energy in a Phoebe Bridgers live performance than this.
Song recommendations: ‘Leonard Cohen’, ‘$20’, ‘Cool About it’
Honest Opinions 