Singer and model Sky Ferreira certainly isn’t a stranger to
rock and roll seeing as she recently got arrested for drug possession. And who
do we usually think of when we think of women in rock and roll? Debbie Harry
and Joan Jett instantly spring to mind usually, and Sky Ferreira embodies the
spirit of these artists but with her own sugary pop twist.
Hooks aren’t lacking on “Night Time, My Time”. “24 hours”, “I
Blame Myself” and “You’re Not The One” are bubblegum pop tracks that you won’t
be spitting out any time soon. The likes of “Kristine” and “Heavy Metal Heart”
will also leave you humming along joyfully and album closer “Everything Is Embarrassing”
is gorgeous synthpop with a light funk edge.
There are some tracks that you’ll want to skip though. “Omanko”
is pure nonsense because of its lyrics, some of its lines include: “Oh Japanese
Jesus” and “Reading Japanese comics” (obviously someone likes Japan a little
too much). The bratty “Nobody Asked Me (If I was Okay)” is too immature and the
grunge feel on it is kind of tasteless.
This is still a strong album though and the good parts
definitely outweigh the bad. “Night Time, My Time” is one of the better pop
records of recent times seeing as it has its own clear identity unlike a lot of
bland mainstream artists. Hopefully this album does well commercially.
OVERALL RATING: 8/10
BEST SONGS: YOU’RE NOT THE ONE, EVERYTHING IS EMBARRASSING, I
BLAME MYSELF.
Howler - World of Joy
Indie band Howler were once tipped by NME to be one of the
hottest new acts on the planet. Unfortunately they haven’t managed to set the world on
fire but they did produce a decent debut album back in 2012. Have Howler
managed to better themselves this time round?
What’s clear about “World of Joy” is that it’s way punkier
than the last album. Belters such as “Al’s Corral”, “Drip” and “Yacht Boys” are
fast, manic and somewhat heavy. “In the Red” captures that Ramones intensity
perfectly and “Indictment” has lots of passionate punk rock energy.
This kind of sound really suits Howler. The last album was
good: the hooks were there but too many of the tracks weren’t fast enough and
they lacked that punch. However Howler have managed to better themselves on “World
of Joy”. If you’re looking for a quick, fun thrill ride then get this album.
OVERALL RATING: 7/10
BEST SONGS: IN THE RED, INDICTMENT, YACHT BOYS.
Pamola Faith - A Perfect Contradiction
Quirky songstress Pamola Faith has many managed to charm the
public through out her career. Anybody who’s seen her on TV shows like “Nevermind
the Buzzcocks” will know that she’s loveable and funny. So does Pamola’s unique
persona match the music on this album?
Sadly it doesn’t, “A Perfect Contradiction” is seriously
lacking in originality. Opener “Can’t Rely on You” features everybody’s
favourite collaborator Pharrell Williams and the sassy R&B sound is just
dull. “Other Women”, “Love Only Leaves You Lonely” and “The Bigger You Love
(The Harder You Fall)” all suffer from the same ill fate.
Other genres that have clearly influenced this album are
motown and disco. However, you wouldn't be surprised if the 70’s angrily called
and asked for its music back because there are just too many cheap rip offs on
this album. The only decent track on this album that saves “A Perfect
Contradiction” from being totally diabolical is “Only Love Can Hurt Like This”,
the deep pitched brass section sounds impressive and the melody is beautifully
emotive.
Overall “A Perfect Contradiction” certainly isn’t perfect
and the contradiction part is rather meaningless. Avoid this like the plague.
OVERALL RATING: 3/10
BEST SONG: ONLY LOVE CAN HURT LIKE THIS.
Elbow - The Take Off And Landing Of Everything
Elbow have enjoyed a lot of success these past few years.
Their last two albums “The Seldom Seen Kid” and “Build a Rocket Boys!” were
hugely popular and they helped staple the band as one of the
This latest album is pretty much classic Elbow: it’s light, anthemic
and hugely enjoyable but that’s about it. The band doesn’t really offer
anything new here and it’s kind of similar to their last album.
Don’t worry though, this album is still really likeable.
Songs such as “Charge”, “New York Morning” and “My Sad Captains” are a treat
and they’ll leave you grinning from ear to ear. The only songs that are
slightly ambitious on this album the opener and the title track.
A bit of familiarity probably won’t stop you from adoring
this album though. After all, some people are comforted by repetition. All in
all, I personally think that this latest effort from Elbow is a bit average.
OVERALL RATING: 6/10
BEST SONGS: NEW
YORK MORNING, THE TAKE OFF AND LANDING OF EVERYTHING,
CHARGE.
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