video review: 'singing saw' by kevin morby

Well, so this sucked. I'm genuinely curious how people are going to respond to this review - it's a critically acclaimed release, but it's also a smaller one, so I have no idea how much of a response it's going to get one way or another.

Anyway, next up I've got a bunch of albums to get through before I cover Aesop Rock, so I might fit in Death Grips ahead of time... stay tuned!

album review: 'singing saw' by kevin morby

So I don't cover a lot of music from the indie folk rock scene - and believe it or not, I actually have a reason. Several reasons actually, the first being volume, because it seems like every other week I hear about a new up-and-coming indie folk songwriter that I need to hear and most don't really impress me. I used to define it as a general aversion to the 'white guy with acoustic guitar' subgenre, but it runs a little more complicated: when you strip down the sound to the bare essentials, those essentials all need to be great working order or the flaws stand out all the more. And yeah, part of it is the fact that when you've heard so much singer-songwriter music, your bar when it comes to compositions or lyrics tends to be quite high - and I'll be blunt and say that a lot of this material can get tedious or pretentious if the writing or instrumentation doesn't step up.

And those were a lot of the thoughts I had before looking to cover Kevin Morby, most notable as being the former bassist of indie rock band Woods before going solo in 2013. And when I checked out his two previous records to this... well, they have their moments, I guess. I was never really gripped much by the songwriting - it always felt a little too self-serving and lacking in storytelling chops, with none of the writing having any sort of flair or punch - but a lot of the production and composition was nice, and I always appreciated a commitment to solid mix balances. But it wasn't until the second album Still Life where I saw the long shadow of The National hanging over Kevin Morby, especially in the vocal production and the blend of alternative country and modern folk rock influences - and look, I love The National, but I don't need a sleepier version of a group that already has trouble with momentum.

That said, this record has been getting a suspicious amount of critical acclaim, so I figured what the hell and checked out Singing Saw - how did it go?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - may 14, 2016 (VIDEO)

So yeah, this week was awesome... and yet given that Drake is probably going to smash most of this way next week, it's all too brief. Eh, it happens.

And also on a downer note, I've got the next review dropping tonight, so stay tuned!

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - may 14, 2016

So remember when I said last week the turbulence wasn't going away any time soon? Yeah, this week proved that in spades, because not only did Beyonce's Lemonade hit like a ship from Heaven, Prince's tracks only picked up more traction on the Hot 100 and holy shit, somehow the charts got kind of amazing this week! And I mean that beyond just the new arrivals: this sort of shakeup I suspect will have longer lasting impacts than many might think.

video review: 'dolls of highland' by kyle craft

So this was amazing. Seriously, everyone should be checking this out, I absolutely adore this record - so damn catchy!

Next up is Billboard BREAKDOWN, where I effectively get to enjoy myself by re-reviewing Beyonce's Lemonade, so stay tuned!

album review: 'dolls of highland' by kyle craft

So before I begin, let me talk a little about my schedule. Right now I'm at a bit of weird place: I've got upcoming releases that of course I'm going to cover, but a few records in my backlog have pretty extensive discographies to revisit and review. So while I'm intending to Aesop Rock, I just need some time to completely absorb his existing material. As such, I did the next best thing, went to Pitchfork, and scrounged around for an act that looked interesting... and here we are.

So, introductions in case you haven't heard about this guy - and I reckon that's probably a strong possibility, given that outside of the critical circle he hasn't made a huge splash just yet. Kyle Craft is a Louisiana songwriter who started off crafting some rough-edged southern glam rock before moving to Portland and signing with Sub Pop. Now immediately for me that's a good sign - Sub Pop tends to have a good reputation with signees and I was kind of intrigued by what I heard from Craft, blending a certain sort of Southern carnival theatricality with rough-edged, early-Bowie-esque melodic grooves. And while I wasn't convinced his debut would be a great record - that sort of style can get a little gimmicky if not played with smart songwriting or poise, and it can feel a little dated - at the very least it would make for a release with a lot of personality. So I dug into his debut record Dolls Of Highland - what did we get?

video review: 'views' by drake

I'm a little amazed that this video hasn't been torn to shreds by the Drake stans yet... eh, just should give a little time, I think.

Next up, I'm interested in this Kyle Craft project (I need time to get to Aesop Rock or Brian Eno), but there are a few potential options, so give me some time. Stay tuned!

album review: 'views' by drake

I don't know if I'm the right person to do this review.

Now I can imagine that statement is a little surprising - I'm a music critic, I've covered Drake's last two records - not counting the one he did with Future that I effectively reviewed over several episodes of Billboard BREAKDOWN - and at this moment I live in downtown Toronto and am a Raptors fan! At this point, I could see the argument that I'd be the perfect choice to cover Drake, given the overexposure...

But that might be part of the problem. I've covered so many Drake songs in such intricate detail that I was oversaturated eight months ago and heartily sick the guy in six - that would happen if he was a great artist or not. And the more Drake projects I hear, the less I like the guy. Yeah, he's a emotive singer, he's got an ear for some atmospheric production that I've always liked, he can come up with some good hooks and the occasional clever line... but for everything I like about Drake it's incredibly easy to find problems. Sure, he's an emotive performer but he traffics in melodrama that doesn't have the good sense to go over the top, and over the past year he leaned further away from R&B and more towards hip-hop. And let me stress that's not really a good thing - the biggest defense of Drake's writing is that he's very good saying a lot with very little, but when you hear so much similar subject matter the little differences stop standing out - and considering how monochromatic his production can be, that's not a good sign. And it gets particularly exasperating when Drake hops on southern or triplet flows that don't flatter him or help him stand out. As for content, Drake tends to fall into two molds: a swaggering arrogance that used to be smarter and more self-aware; and his more emotive side, which can tread right up to the line of bad taste. And yet as the years have progressed, the self-awareness and commentary that used to temper Drake's best material has fallen away, which has cranked up the obnoxiousness and has made his ego feel a lot less earned. Because let's be brutally honest: Drake didn't so much win the Meek Mill beef as Meek Mill lost it in spectacular fashion, and if faced with real competition - and if untitled unmastered. is any indication it'll probably be Kendrick Lamar - I don't believe for a second Drake has a chance against an MC out for blood.

So with all on the table, I can't even pretend to be excited that Views was finally getting released, likely as the last straw to free Drake from his contract with Young Money. Because even though 'Hotline Bling' had its moments, 'One Dance' and 'Pop Style' are both mediocre at best, and that's really a bad sign if they're your lead-off singles. And considering this record was reportedly around twenty tracks - especially considering If You're Reading This It's Too Late went long - I did not expect this to be remotely good. That said, I did use to be a fan of Drake, and hell, if Beyonce can surprise me the way she did with Lemonade, there's not reason that Drake can't do something similar - so what views did we get from the 6?

video review: 'the hope six demolition project' by pj harvey

Considering how much work went into actually going through the discography... actually, that was probably the most rewarding part of this whole exercise, because I really got very little out of this. Eh, it happens.

And on that non-promising note, next up is Drake - stay tuned!

album review: 'the hope six demolition project' by pj harvey

It's gotten to the point of cliche that I open reviews from long-respected, critically acclaimed artists I've never covered before with the assertion that it's hard to talk about legends. And yet the more I've thought about this assertion, the less it makes any sense: presuming, of course, that I'm respectful and do my homework, it shouldn't be any more or less difficult to talk about these acts. 

And on some level, I wouldn't call relistening through a discography work, especially when it's as good as PJ Harvey's is. Most well-known for a series of absolutely killer albums in the 90s and affiliated with Nick Cave - there's a lot of overlap in touring personnel and producers - English singer-songwriter PJ Harvey has always been one of those artists for me where the critically acclaimed discography has been a little daunting to tackle in full. But over the course of the past few weeks I've listened through every single project and found a ton to like: a voice that can span delicate coos to full-throated howls; compositions that twist melodies and grooves in intricate ways that still manage to be catchy as hell; production that preserves a ton of brittle, razor-edged texture that adds to the intimacy and intensifies the rawness; and songwriting that tends to be tricky to decode, but often reveals vivid storytelling with an emotive core that may seem abstract at points but no less powerful. 

Now in terms of her recorded output, many would agree that her alternative rock side in the early-to-mid 90s was her best work - with the bid for mainstream appeal on Stories From The City, Stories from the Sea signalling the end. The next several years would have her dipping back into explosive rawness on Uh Huh Her in 2004 and a stab at gothic pianos on White Chalk in 2007, but where things really kicked back into gear came in 2011 with Let England Shake, pulling in a broader musical palette of autoharp, zither, horns, and her highest vocal register yet to juxtapose against some shocking and graphic lyrics delving into the violence of war. It's a genuinely unsettling record - especially considering how damn catchy it was - and it reflected one of the first times PJ Harvey had directly delved into political material - and it wouldn't be the last. In 2015 she recorded her newest record live through one way glass in an exhibit open to the public, and with the title of The Hope Six Demolition Project, it was clear she was turning her target to the modern era and to the United States at the very least. So, how did that turn out?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - may 7, 2016 (VIDEO)

Well, here's a brief oasis before everything goes bonkers next week. Strap in, folks, it's going to get wild.

Next up, I think I'm finally ready to talk about PJ Harvey, and then right after is Drake (of course), so stay tuned!

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - may 7, 2016

So, you all wanted turbulence? You definitely got it this week - and yes, while too much of it was triggered by the far-too-soon and tragic death of Prince, a fair amount of it was driven by the past weeks of instability. And with the new Beyonce release and Drake's new album on the way, you all better buckle up, because I don't see the Hot 100 quieting for a good month, at least.

video review: 'lemonade' by beyoncé

Well, this happened. Trust me, I'm no Beyoncé fan, but I'm not going to deny quality when it shows up. Goddamn fantastic record.

Next up... Billboard BREAKDOWN, we'll see where we go from there - stay tuned!

album review: 'lemonade' by beyoncé

There's no easy way to talk about Beyoncé, especially nowadays when her status as a 'icon' has easily become bigger than just the music. And while you could tag some of it as the outgrowth of celebrity culture to where it becomes hyper-focused online, I can't argue that Beyoncé has defied expectations when it comes to how art and music is consumed in the modern age, most of which culminated with the surprise release of her self-titled record in 2013 after most critics had already assembled their lists of albums for the year. And the fact that it sold so damn well is all the more indicative that Beyoncé cannot be stopped at this point...

And I just wished I liked more of the music. Again, I will not deny that Beyoncé  has talent, but more often than not I've found her an incredibly frustrating performer and songwriter. I'll admit right out of the gate that I was never a Destiny's Child fan, and while Beyoncé has had a fair few songs I liked when she inevitably went solo, I can easily assemble a longer list of Beyoncé songs I just can't stand. And the issues are all over the place: sometimes Beyoncé has lacked the finesse or subtlety as a singer, though she has shown a lot of improvement here; sometimes the writing has fallen short or not delivered the nuance she needs; many times her guest stars have let her down. But more than ever what I've found frustrating about many Beyoncé tracks is the instrumentation: you'd think that for as many people work on Beyoncé songs, more of them would have a recognizable melody or tune! That was the biggest factor holding me back from liking her 2013 release when I covered it, along with the fact that it ran long and had much better intentions than execution.

So when Beyoncé surprise-released her newest record Lemonade through TIDAL and accompanied with an hour-long short film on HBO - you know, two services that just drip with populist appeal - look, I wasn't even surprised at this point. I was intrigued, though, because digging through the liner notes there were a fair few surprises: of course Kendrick Lamar and The Weeknd were bound to show up, but Jack White and James Blake? Production and cowriting credits from Ezra Koenig and Josh Tillman? Interpolations of Animal Collective and Led Zeppelin? That, combined with a much tighter running time gave me a feeling that maybe the music and her costars won't let her down this time, so how's Lemonade?

video review: 'always strive and prosper' by a$ap ferg

Well, this happened. Not an easy album to review, but certainly an interesting one, that's for sure.

Up next, Beyonce - stay tuned!

album review: 'always strive and prosper' by a$ap ferg

Okay, way back when I was first starting this show in 2013, I took a crack at discussing A$AP Ferg's debut Trap Lord - and you don't have to tell me the review is pretty rough in retrospect. Putting aside that it was done before I had a proper camera, it was also a record that screamed style and flow over substance, which to me at the time didn't feel particularly cohesive against gothic-tinged trap production that initially felt too dark to fit with the content. Sure, I could appreciate the tracks where A$AP Ferg was indeed spitting, and his collaboration 'Lord' with most of Bone-Thugz-N-Harmony remains a highlight to this day, but for the most part it was a record that that was trying for a certain opulence and grandeur that I wasn't entirely convinced it could pull off, especially in the lyrics.

Granted, that was in 2013 - since then, we've seen so much hip-hop tilt towards material that's even more gothic and opulent, and at least A$AP Ferg could maintain a consistent flow on his own and not slather his vocals in autotune to drive the melody. And given that I did like his lead-off single 'New Level' with Future, I figured I'd give him another chance with Always Strive and Prosper. The one significant reservation I had was the larger-than-ever list of guest stars - A$AP Ferg can have an odd tendency to mimic the flows of his guest stars for better or worse, and given that I have pretty much zero expectations in finding a lyrical identity, that doesn't really help him stand out. But again, Future really was the worst part of 'New Level', and with a more impressive list of producers, I had reason to be it'd come together with at least some flair and style - was I right?

video review: 'human performance' by parquet courts

This review was a lot of fun - not just because of the album, but because it was a tough nut to really explore, even if I didn't all the way love it. Definitely expect some of the songs will grow on me more throughout the year, though.

Next up, A$AP Ferg - stay tuned!

album review: 'human performance' by parquet courts

So I'll admit right out of the gate that I was a little tentative to cover this record. I think I've gone on record about how most lo-fi garage rock doesn't really excite me unless the hooks are stellar or they're doing something incredibly bizarre - see the collected output of Ty Segall - but that's not saying I dislike the genre, more a factor that if you've heard a lot of this brand of indie rock it can start to blur together a bit. 

Well, okay, that's not fair, and I'll admit that Parquet Courts does stand out a bit. Their wordy brand of art punk first materialized around the turn of the decade and immediately racked up critical acclaim for albums like Light Up Gold and Sunbathing Animal. And yeah, I liked those records: the guitar lines were sticky, there was some groove there, and you could tell that the lyrics had a certain cleverness that I could definitely respect in isolated chunks, often taking broad shots at Internet culture and finding something to respect... but more often than not, I got the feeling the band hadn't quite reached the level of ambition or instrumental heft groups like Ought or fka Viet Cong had. Good for sure, but a shade away from real greatness for me.

Granted, I get the feeling Parquet Courts were looking to change things up too, because after dropping two records in 2014 - the latter Content Nausea being released by only half the band under a slightly different name with a much rougher, more punk tone - and an EP that confounded critics, they looked to follow it up after a few years of touring with this release, which promised to be a mellower, yet more eclectic new record. So okay, I'm good with Parquet Courts pushing themselves, so what did we get with Human Performance?

billboard BREAKDOWN - hot 100 - april 30, 2016 (VIDEO)

Pretty decent week, but a bit of a weird one too - get the feeling it's right before the storm too.

Next up, Parquet Courts and A$AP Ferg, so stay tuned!

video review: 'love streams' by tim hecker

Well, this was a fascinating and incredibly difficult album to untangle. I still think it's worth listens even if its not my thing, but again, not my thing.

Next up... hmm, probably Parquet Courts, so stay tuned!