REDUX: 2018 Album Reviews (January-August)

REDUX

My Past Album Reviews

From January-August

Due to an unfortunate issue with my past blog, I have decided to celebrate the creation of my new blog with a quick recap on each of the albums that I have reviewed in the past spanning from the start of the year up to the end of August. So without further ado, lets get started!

1

Scallops Hotel

Sovereign Nose Of Your Arrogant Face

1st January

The very first album that I had the pleasure of listening to, "Sovereign Nose Of Your Arrogant Face" has a very quirky style and atmosphere unique to American rapper Milo (who in this effort goes under the alias of Scallops Hotel). It has a very refreshing and current feel and the lower level of volume in the audio allows for a much more chilled listen. I was intrigued by this album from the very moment I first listened to "A Terror Way Beyond Falling" and later found out that there were many more amazing tracks ready to be listened to.

2

Shame

Songs of Praise

12th January

"Songs of Praise" was a perfect example of an album that just really got me in the mood for the warmer months. Despite being released at one of the coldest times in the year, the album had an incredibly warm and upbeat atmosphere that really helped take me out of the dreariness of January.

3

Nightmares on Wax

Shape the Future

26th January

Before this album was released, the artist known as Nightmares on Wax was completely unknown to me. But he blew me away with this effort. Theres such a marvellous level of diversity with this album in terms of songs and I'd argue that theres something for everyone. Yet theres a consistent atmosphere throughout; one thats highly grand and spiritual. This atmosphere really helps give "Shape the Future" that feel-good quality and cements it as one of 2018's musical masterpieces.

4

Harms Way

Posthuman

9th February

The first album this year to offer me much heavier music, "Posthuman" pulls absolutely no punches. A lot of the tracks have so much depth and so many layers that I'm left wondering how they even managed to materialise it into a record. I was very eager for the album to release and when it finally did, I was not disappointed.

5

Official Black Panther Soundtrack

9th February

I would never have expected to enjoy a movie soundtrack as much as I enjoyed this, but with artist such as Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, Future and Schoolboy Q (just to name a few) collaborating to create this piece, how could I have resisted.

In terms of tracks, the soundtrack is a bit of a mixed bag. But the songs on this album that are good are really, really good and will live on to be some shining examples of great tracks in 2018.

6

Turnstile

Time & Space

23rd February

This was the first album I listened to this year by a single artist whose past album I have enjoyed. Said artist is none other than underground hardcore legends in the making; Turnstile.

With this effort of theirs, I could really sense a development of musical prowess and all around, a more concentrated idea of their own unique style.

7

Turbowolf

The Free Life

9th March

While notable albums may have been a little bit scarce in the month of March, one album that surely was notable was Turbowolf's "The Free Life". It has a very nostalgic style of electro-rock that also feels current somehow. I found it to be very similar to 2017's "How Did We Get So Dark?" by Royal Blood. However, I found myself preferring this album a lot more.

8

Serol Serol

Self Titled Album

23rd March

The one word I would use to try and describe this album as accurately as possible would be "magical". In my initial review I had mentioned just how well the cosmic vibe of the album is carried through and even 5 months down the line it still holds true. This album simply was such an amazing one to listen to during the summer and was arguably one of the best to listen to during that period. In short, this album is just pure indie bliss.

9

Cancer Bats

The Spark That Moves

24th April

Moving on from a blissful album to quite the opposite spectrum, "The Spark That Moves" is a full-on, gritty, desert metal explosion of an album from a band that I'm very fond of; Cancer Bats. Especially in terms of audio quality and just general loudness, it was a significant step up from the band's previous effort. "The Spark That Moves" was everything that it needed to be and more!

10

Skindred

Big Tings

27th April

Prior to the release of "Big Tings", I had only dabbled upon Skindred's material. But I have this album to thank for finally getting me into them. While the album stays true to the bands musical roots, it has a very current feel and is just incredibly catchy (without having to sacrifice any of their heaviness). Their performance at Reading festival, which I managed to see the entirety of, only boosted my appreciation and love towards them.

11

Parkway Drive

Reverence

4th May

I was anticipating this album greatly before its release as I have been a big fan of the Australian metal group for quite some time. But even with all the hype and anticipation, I don't think I could've ever expected the album to be this brilliant.

Due to a number of deaths relating closely to the band, the solemn thoughts and feelings are carried through into this album extremely clearly, and the result is a sorrowfully godly masterpiece and the best album that Parkway Drive have ever made in my opinion.

12

Arctic Monkeys

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino

11th May

While this album might've divided opinion, I personally appreciate this album immensely for just how different and innovative it is for the band. For the most part I really enjoyed listening to the album. I admit that there are a few other albums that strayed from tradition that I haven't enjoyed, but "Tranquility Base" certainly isn't one of them.

13

Bakar

Badkid

22nd May

While only listening to this record recently, It really didn't take me long to fully enjoy this album. As I mentioned in my first review, it feels like a more raw version of King Krule's "The Ooz" with a bit of Bloc Party thrown in for good measure. But all in all this album really stands as a unique album in its own right and one that I will continue to listen to for a long time.

14

Pusha-T

DAYTONA

25th May

The first of what I like to call the "Wyoming Trilogy", Pusha-T kicked it off with a bang with "Daytona". The album generally had a really high level of swagger and was a very good summer album.

15

Kanye West

Ye

1st June

While being a much shorter album than the majority of Kanye's other albums, "Ye" still had a very clear concept which heavily revolved around Kanye's own mentality. That alone made the album a very memorable one, but there are quite a few gems in the album (especially the first two tracks).

16

Ghost

Prequelle

1st June

While dabbling on Ghost's previous material, this was the first effort of theirs that I listened to fully from start to finish. It carries through that gothic vibe that they've had with previous efforts, but also find a way to make it a bit more pop-influenced which I feel makes it very catchy in many ways. It has this certain gothic campiness that you just can't help but fall in love with.

17

KIDS SEE GHOSTS

Self Titled Album

8th June

The first project from the collaboration between Kanye West and Kid Cudi known as "KIDS SEE GHOSTS" is the last of the "Wyoming Trilogy" and in my opinion, the best of the three. It was certainly a pleasant surprise to hear an album that I found even better than both "DAYTONA" and "Ye". The mixture of Kanye and Kid Cudi really allowed for a lot of experimentation and creativity on the album. Both the production and the lyrics made this album one to remember.

18

Fantastic Negrito

Please Don't Be Dead

15th June

With this album being my introduction to Fantastic Negrito, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But what I got was a totally badass funky masterpiece with amazing soulful vocals that just hooked me to the album from the very moment I begun listening to it.

19

Mike Shinoda

Post Traumatic

15th June

Mike Shinoda's "Post Traumatic" was a highly teased album with a three track EP followed by a number of singles which would all later be on the album itself upon its release. The unfortunate death of Linkin Park's Chester Bennington last year, Shinoda, being a fellow member of the band, took it upon himself to pour his feelings out completely with his solo instalment. You can really understand what sort of feelings and emotions he tustve gone through when listening to each track and while the album does have a very serious undertone, Shinoda still finds a way to make the album upbeat and incredibly enjoyable to listen to.

I also had the pleasure of seeing Shinoda live at Reading festival, in which he gave us an emotional and phenomenal set.

20

Nas

NASIR

15th June

Yet another project involving Kanye West quite some bit, "NASIR" has a very nostalgic quality to it. This is possibly being thanks to Nas being in the game for quite some time now, but it almost feels like it was released in the late 90's, especially with songs like "Cops Shot The Kid" and "Adam and Eve". It's simply put, an epic album!

21

The Carters

EVERYTHING IS LOVE

16th June

I was enticed to listen to this album thanks to the track that they released which pretty much marked the surprise release of the collaboration of musical giants Beyonce and Jay-Z. The track I speak of is called "APESHIT" and it honestly is remarkable. While this song still remained my favourite after listening to the album in full, there were a number of other songs on this album which I still really enjoy listening to to this day.

22

Vein

Errorzone

22nd June

I was instantly interested in Vein after listening to the first track to tease the album; "Virus://Vibrance". This track (along with the rest of the album) is quite clearly influenced heavily by Code Orange's material.

However, "Errorzone" is far from just a carbon copy of a Code Orange  album; it uses tonnes of unique elements throughout the album, giving each song its own unique quirk. Theres also a crazy level of energy that remains consistent throughout the entirety of "Errorzone". It's an insanely good album!

23

Gorillaz

The Now Now

29th June

After last years effort from Gorillaz (titled "Humanz"), I was a little anxious about what would happen from there. The trouble with "Humanz" was that it didn't really feel like a Gorillaz album at all because of the overabundance of featured artists and lack of that signature Gorillaz style. 

However, "The Now Now" seemed more than promising with the release of various singles which would later become part of the album, especially with tracks such as "Humility", "Sorcererz" and "Hollywood". When the full album was released, I had some mixed feelings towards it. i felt like it was either a not as good version of "Demon Days" or a much better version of "The Fall". Despite this though, I felt that it was still a massive improvement upon last years effort and a very good Summer album.

24

Night Verses

From The Gallery Of Sleep

29th June

A far more different album it seems than those Night Verses have made in the past, "From The Gallery of Sleep" is entirely musical from start to finish and has no vocal material. This allowed for the listening experience to be far more immersive.

Some of the musical feats that the band showcased with this album and it tracks are at points, extraordinary! As well as this, the whole album is a very good blend of explosive tracks and softer, more indulgent numbers. This one really blew me away.

25

Bury Tomorrow

Black Flame

13th July

After the release of the single of the same name, I was excited to find out how the full album played out. What I can say now is that it's the quintessential epic metalcore album and it works perfectly. With songs like "The Age", "More Than Mortal" and the affirmentioned "Black Flame" single, This one's an essential listen for all metal fans.

26

Buddy

Harlan & Alondra

20th July

Recognised by artists such as Kendrick Lamar as quite the underdog, It's really easy to see why after listening to this album. Putting a more funky and melodic spin to an otherwise solid rap album, This one was released at a very good time when Summer was at its warmest stage. Buddy holds a tonne of promise and I am very excited to see what he has in store for the future.

27

Crossfaith

EX_MACHINA

1st August

As someone who has been a fan of Crossfaith for quite some time now,  it was exciting to hear an album that has a much more fresh and current feel to it. I could sense that there was a hint of Enter Shikari influence on this effort of theirs and I definitely think It works perfectly for them. There are also some very good features on this album such as "Ho99o9" and Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari (which I feel only furthers their influence on this album. In short, this is possibly the best album Ive heard from Crossfaith in a long time.

28

Nostrum Grocers

Self Titled Album

3rd August

The second album I've heard this year to involve Milo, the collaboration with fellow rapper Elucid to create this piece.

The album still has the chilled atmosphere and abstract qualities as "Sovereign Nose" and in a way almost feels like a sister album in a sense. But that still doesn't detract from the enjoyability of the listening experience when it involves this album.

29

Jake Shears

Self Titled Album

10th August

Seeing Jake Shears live certainly added to how much I enjoy this album. But Even If I didn't, I would still love it the same without a doubt.

Once a member of Scissor Sisters, this album marked the beginning of his solo career. It is a marvellously whimsical and well conceived album with a solid concept and a diverse range of thoroughly enjoyable and feel-good tracks. Theres a heavy Elton John influence on this album as well and is a perfect musical representation of Jake Shears himself.

30

Slaves

Acts of Fear and Love

17th August

After the last effort from Slaves, called "Take Control". I was left questioning if the band are limited to one specific niche and was anxious that their future material would feel a little outdated. Thankfully, I was proven wrong with their latest instalment; "Acts of Fear and Love". The duo managed to tweak a few past elements to create a more refined sound while also not straying too far from what they've done in the past. There are tracks such as the title track that feel very refreshing. "Acts of Fear and Love" also feels like it had a much more solid conception and I only hope they continue this further down the line.

31

Spring King

A Better Life

31st August

"A Better Life" is an incredibly feel-good and warm-hearted rock album that feels a tonne more polished that their debut effort. A lot of the tracks on this album have a very anthem energy to them which ultimately creates a very enjoyable listening experience.

32

Eminem

Kamikaze

31st August

Finally, we get to the surprise release from Eminem, "Kamikaze" had quite a simplistic yet a very solid concept which mainly revolved around the negative response to his release last year; "Revival".

This album, while still having a few songs that aren't fantastic, is nevertheless a brilliant improvement upon "Revival" and is a pretty descent effort from Eminem.

I also love the social chatter that this album has created. It certainly shows that even in his later years, Slim Shady never fails to cause a bit of controversy, and for that, I can totally appreciate this album.

That concludes all of the album reviews that I needed to cover once again. I am very excited to see what the later months of 2018 have to offer in the music world.

Thank you for reading

BBP