I cannot, for my life, figure out how people are saying this; it sounds totally different from its predecessor. What I am hearing is more of the same. However, “Tension II” is more enhanced with lyrical content. As you know, Kylie has a knack for writing catchy choruses, executed perfectly in ‘Taboo’. ‘Lights Camera Action’ has a touch of Madonna about it. ‘Diamonds’ features the co-leader of the Scissor Sisters, Jake Shears, and it has that kind of pop music you would associate with Jake.
Returning to an earlier comment, if you disagree with me that the record is not a continuation of the previous album, I will say that there are more songs on this that will hit the charts and become crowd favourites. It also sums up Kylie’s ability to make great pop. You will hear that over the first 11 tracks and then encounter two tracks that appear for god knows what reason. They do not fit with the flow of it. One track with Orville Peck is country/disco/pop but at a plodding tempo, and the other track features fellow Australian Sia, which, to be honest, isn’t that good.
‘Hello’ is also another track that doesn’t have much going on. ‘Good as Gone’ is a good song, but unfortunately, it has quite surprisingly a weak chorus. Despite what some critics have said, the production overall doesn’t alter that much from its predecessor. I am not knocking it, far from it. I enjoyed “Tension” for its disco vibe, and therefore, I enjoyed its successor. ‘Kiss Bang Bang’ sounds exactly like ‘Padam Padam’, but I seemed to enjoy ‘Kiss Bang Bang’ much more.
Song recommendations: ‘Kiss Bang Bang’, ‘Lights Camera Action’, ‘Diamonds’
I do not know how I first came to hear of Miley. I just knew she was the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, who had the early 90s country pop smash shit ‘Achey, Breaky Heart’. I also knew she played a character called Hannah Montana on some children’s television channel, and I believe she was also part of the infamous Disney Kids Club. I remember her appearing as Jake’s fling on Two and a Half Men. Now, as you can imagine, the music I have heard of hers is all that awful pop chart shite. But I have enjoyed her collaborations with DJs, and her country songs, which her vocals are better suited for. I also enjoyed her cover of ‘Nothing Else Matters’, which I reviewed on someone’s album. The name of the artist who collaborated with Miley to cover the popular Metallica songs escapes me now. I have so far avoided her cover of ‘Slideaway’ by Oasis. I have heard it’s good, but nothing beats the original or better.
So, “Endless Summer Vacation” certainly wasn’t the usual kind that Miley churns out; far from it. This album is not pretentious in any way. Miley reveals every detail about her marriage, divorce, embarking on a relationship, and other topics, with minimal swearing, which is a surprise.
I need clarification on why the opener “Flowers’ gets a raw deal. It is by far the best song on the record in both guises (The closer is a stripped-back demo version.). Again, I wasn’t expecting her to do a melancholic song over a disco stomper, which also throws in a strings section that deems this track a comparison to Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’. I like how the song is directed at Liam Hemsworth, but with the disco vibe, you are carried away by the uplifting instrumentation.
‘Jaded’ is the second track, and…wow! Fucking shoegaze? I never thought I’d hear Miley channel the War on Drugs or Slowdive. So, you got that floaty instrumentation over a synthesiser and Miley’s best vocals on the record. The topic concerns being in a dysfunctional relationship and how she is often at home waiting for her boyfriend (Now an ex, in this case.)to return from the bar after heading out in his car. However, he does not try to notify her of when he will return, so she is unaware. She is exhausted by his coping mechanism. Hence, why the chorus says, “You Leave me feeling jaded”.
The next song is ‘Rose Colored Lenses’, another shoegaze moment. ‘Thousand Miles’ follows, which features Brandi Carlile on co-vocals and acoustic guitar. This Americana track is about keeping your shit together when the head is all over the place. ”Handstand’ is a spoken word song with a synth and springs to life after the halfway point turning into electropop. Only then will the song have a lot going on.
‘Muddy Feet’ features Sia on both the song and the writing credits and sees Miley aim at a cheating ex. The delivery is raspy until she steps it up by telling him to “fuck off”.
‘Wildcard’ sees Miley explaining her imbalance in a relationship, saying that she wants it all and is fully committed, but she cannot guarantee that it will remain that intense.
‘Island’ is a double-sided coin. It can mean feeling euphoric about finding someone, and then it can also mean feeling alone after breaking up with someone and longing for those moments.
On the outro, Miley has shown maturity on this album and discusses things she might have shied away from before. It certainly is an eye-opener to the honest Miley and not the one portrayed in the media.
Song recommendations: ‘Flowers’, ‘Flowers(Demo)”, ‘Jaded’
As you can imagine, Hannah Reid is once again a critical group member, and I especially liked her vocal performance on ‘Intro’. Many told me before I got the chance to listen and review this album that it had a hint of Clannad about it. Considering Hannah’s Celtic roots, this didn’t surprise me, but I’m afraid I have to disagree with most of their assumptions about this record sounding like Clannad. Yes, ‘Intro’ does sound like a Clannad track used for a soundtrack or otherwise, but I didn’t see much else resembling Clannad’s inspiration. Another three to four songs, but that’s about it.
It differs from the last album from 2017 because it flirts with experimentation more, adding more orchestral, Celtic, and cinematic sounds. There is a touch of ambience in the album, too. Now, remember I spoke about ‘Intro’ sounding like Clannad earlier? Here’s why. Although Hannah doesn’t sing, she still uses angelic vocalising with her voice while chiming bells, strings, vinyl crackles, and a haunting Celtic ambience dances with her vocalising. Its cinematic feel is glorious to listen to in surround sound and sends chills down your spine with its haunting. It would be ideal for a film based on Celtic folklore. Clannad may have heard this track and might be interested in working with Hannah.
Hannah’s vocals do not deviate much during the entire album. The record then goes from ‘Intro’ to the ‘Californian Soil’ title track. Many have drawn comparisons with Massive Attack on this.
Still, as always going against the grain, I found some other artists I felt drew more comparison in Alanis Morrisette. Why? Because to me, the riff sounded more like her 90s hit ‘You Oughta Know’ not because of the aggressive vocals or subject matter, but just that.
After that, a record is packed with Hannah’s trademark vocals, sometimes angelic vocals, synths that are sorelaxing you fall into a trance, strings, Clannad-inspired melodies, and sometimes the guitar riff makes an appearance.
Because of the calming and light instrumentation, you could also draw comparisons to My Morning Jacket. Like the American band, London Grammar has allowed you to sit back, stare at the ceiling, or close your eyes and dream of entering another realm.
Of course, aside from their generic sound, ‘All My Love’ is a cinematic ballad, and ‘Closer America’ is more melancholic than what they usually do. The latter is about chasing the American dream and crushing it with brutal honesty.
However, I will close on the trackside of the review with ‘Missing’. When I heard this, I instantly thought of Zero 7’s ‘Destiny’ with its downtempo, which felt precisely like the 2001 track. Still, Hannah’s vocals mirrored Sophie Barker’s and Sia Furler’s (Yes, THAT Sia Furler. She came over to England in 1998 from Australia. In fact, it is worth listening to some of her earlier work like ‘Little Men’ and ‘Drink to Get Drunk’). Not only have you got a sense of Sophie and Sia in it, but I am going to say the great Sadé, too.
The lyrical content is centred mainly around Hannah’s fight with feminism and the sexism and misogyny she has encountered many times since joining the industry. It gives more energy and passion to the record because it lets her emotionsshine through with conviction.
The record is quite melancholic for the group, more mature than the previous records, with some tracks fit for a film soundtrack, inspired by Hannah’s Celtic roots and subject matters that need urgent addressing, like the sexism towards women that isstill experienced by many within the industry to the present day. As for the Clannad connection? It was less heavily influenced than some people have made out. Like I said, three to four tracks at the maximum.
Song recommendations: ‘Intro’, ‘Californian Soil’, ‘Missing’
I first heard about this Korean Republic boy band while going through security at an English airport, where I saw a plethora of young teenagers with various BTS merchandise from one of their London shows last year (Some torch seemed to be the favourite after the t-shirts.) and, being ever curious, I asked some of the ladies returning to their respective countries “Who are they?” and “Where has their popularity come from?”. I was told that they were a K-Pop boy band from the Korean Republic, and I should listen to some of their songs and see what the hyperbole was all about.
So, eventually, at some point last year, I decided to give them a listen, and even though I wouldn’t go mad for them, I could understand the hype surrounding them and why they are so popular. What I found a bit odd upon discovering them via Spotify is that this “Map of the Soul” thing is both an album and a tour. There is also “Map of the Soul: Persona, ” a seven-song extended play featured on the album. What is good about the final instalment of “Map of the Soul” is that this one goes more in-depth about the members. Look at the “Interlude: Shadow”, about Min Yoon-gi’s (Suga) struggles with fame and popularity as a member of the Bangtan Boys. The whole record talks about their current conflict with music, and they question whether they are still in love and have the passion for it now that they have achieved world status. Now, other good examples of tracks that mention these perfectly on the record are “Black Swan” and “ON”, but unfortunately, due to the use of auto-tune, I am not a fan; I cannot stand the use of auto-tune. It just disguises that certain artists cannot sing to save their lives.
That is not necessarily the case with BTS, so I am baffled by why they feel the need to use it. “00:00 Zero O’Clock” is a much softer song, but it pretty much has the same message; it also talks about optimism about getting out of this ill feeling you have in your life. You then have the trademark deliveries of all four members, which makes this song so unique; Kim Seok-Jin (Jin), the eldest member, brings a traditional Korean ballad, Jeon Jung-kook (Jungkook) brings a falsetto, Park Ji-Min (Jimin) brings warm and sensual. Kim Tae-Hyung (V) brings comfort that makes this song feel like you are at home, putting your feet up and getting warm by the fireplace. Not bad, considering dark elements are included in the track (Yes, I am Aware of Jung Ho-Seok, aka J-Hope, but he isn’t on this track in question.).
This record is very much a nod to their fans and that they are never far away from the members’ thoughts. Yes, it might be about their personal experiences, but as always, there is a deep connection with their fans in everything they do, whether through the songs, personal interaction via the official website, live streams or performing at concerts. Kim Seokjin even brings this into focus on “Moon”, which on the surface seems about falling in love with someone, but I think it goes deeper than that and is actually gratitude towards the BTS Army as they are known. The appreciation is expressed in the sleeve notes, but I listened via Spotify, so I wouldn’t know about that.
I happen to engage with some Bangtan Boys fans within my circle. I honestly cannot remember what songs were my standouts because it has been almost two weeks since I listened, but I was impressed by them and only didn’t like “Black Swan” and “ON” for its use of auto-tune. I’m including the original version of “ON” and not the final track featuring Sia. The record deserves credit for touching on personal subjects but also for the production, which makes this more than just a typical pop album. It’s like talking to your inner demons. It’s the members addressing their fans and thanking them individually. It’s a record of optimism where there is hope from a position where you’re stuck in the same old hole. But above all, it can be interpreted as a record where someone, something, yourself or even the band members are here to grab your hand if you are about to fall from a great height.
Honest Opinions 