Forgot A Few

So in the CD/album post I did a while back, I forgot to mention a few albums I bought digitally on iTunes. A lot of them slipped my mind even though most of them are songs I have in HEAVY rotation. So here's a little follow-up.

After this expect a post on the albums my friends in high school recommended to me.

Crystal Castle's (II)

Crystal Castles' is an electronic duo from Canada that originally consisted of Alice Glass and Ethan Kath. I love this album especially so it gets top billing. They're a nice chaotic mix of Alice Glass screaming her lungs out over catchy poppy electronica beats. This is extremely my shit.
Unfortunately they're not really a thing anymore because Ethan "allegedly" and probably sexually harassed Glass among other serious abuse charges. He even had allegations brought against him from Crystal Castles' second vocalist after Glass left, Edith Frances. Kath was, as recently as 2017, under investigation by the Sex Crimes unit in Toronto. So yeah, fuck him.

Even with that in mind, this album is basically all about Alice Glass since her vocals are the only ones we ever hear anyway. So it doesn't ruin this album for me too much. Looking forward to her solo work and even Edith's next music gig (if any surface) going forward. Wish them both the best.

Favorite Song on (II): Baptism (really this whole album is great)

The Killers' Sam's Town

Oh boy, the album that people unnecessarily gave The Killers way too much shit for.
For the longest time I kind of stayed away from this album because people said it was bad. But then I realized that The Killers are one of my favorite bands and I should check it out regardless of what strangers tell me. I did and found that it wasn't that bad at all. I'm not entirely sure what all of the vitriol was about but if I had to guess people probably wanted another Hot Fuss but were disappointed when they didn't get it. Personally I really appreciate acts that evolve with every step they take and I enjoyed this album a lot. At times you can still hear the band that made Mr. Brightside, but at times it's a very simple offering speaking honestly about some uncle named Jonny. This is good for what it is and I stand by that stance.

Favorite Song on Sam's Town: Read My Mind

I See Stars' New Demons

I See Stars is a electronicore band, meaning they're a mix of metalcore (punk and metal together) but also electronica. I like this sound because it doesn't make for boring droning songs when the band feels they need to slow things down a notch. Those practically can't exist. Fine with me.

Favorite Song on New Demons: Murder Mitten

Funeral Suits' Lily of the Valley

Here's a real indie release by a short lived Irish band named Funeral Suits. Those of you who enjoyed Lord Huron might have some use for this too. Although expect a lot less folk and country. I still like Colour Fade a lot though. It's still in my playlist even though not much else on the album managed to make it.

Favorite Song on Lily of the Valley: Colour Fade

Imagine Dragons' Night Visions

Imagine Dragons are known nowadays as the only rock band that could be out-rocked by Nickelback so no wonder I forgot about them. This was their debut album so it features a few songs back when they actually had a purpose and weren't making background tracks to offers for car ownership deals at 20% APR financing. Not a whole lot of those songs mind you, I'm pretty sure most of the songs were used for some movie trailer or ad at some point. Good on them for finding their niche in an era that has been very unkind to musicians though I guess.

Favorite Song on Night Visions: Demons

Echosmith's Summer Sampler EP & Talking Dreams

Speaking of ad-jingle indie rock, here's Echosmith's debut EP and debut album.
Echosmith aren't anywhere near as lame as Imagine Dragons but they are dangerously close to being another band where when I hear them I don't associate their songs with love or insecurities or any of the major themes in their songs, I think that the Samsung Galaxy tablet is available for sale. I mean that's not fair to Echosmith, who by all accounts are a band I should like since they're only three years younger than me and grew up on similar favorite artists. And I do like them a lot. But yet, they are one of my go-to examples for how one of the worst repercussions from the record industry falling apart is that artists have to rely on ad play to feed themselves.
Anyway, in spite of all of that, these are very good releases and those of you who enjoyed Eisley may enjoy them too.

Favorite Song on Summer Sampler: Cool Kids
Favorite Song on Talking Dreams: Tell Her You Love Her

Clyde Carson's Playboy

Oh shit, prepare to get hyphy in here. Clyde Carson is an Oakland based rapper and is one of the members of Bay Area based hip hop group The Team. Terrible group name I know, but despite that they have some pretty decent albums with gems like "Hyphy Juice" and "It's Gettin' Hot".
Carson's been a well known among people who listen to strictly westcoast based hip hop for a while thanks to his short stint as a rapper signed to The Game's Black Wall Street label. This was his third ever EP and a pretty decent one. I won't lie, I expect my Bay Area music to slap a lot more and this one, well this one seemed more of a throwback to old school Bay Area hip hop. Which isn't bad but kind of explains why I forgot about this the first time.

Favorite Song on Playboy: Not Me (Feat. Cousin Fik)

U2's Songs of Innocence

I didn't buy this album, this was that free U2 album that iTunes downloaded onto everyone's computer for free and without their users' consent. But it was a "free" U2 album so I went along with it. No it's not as good as their best known work but it's serviceable.

Favorite Song on Songs of Innocence: The Troubles

J. Cole's 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Hmm, forgot that I downloaded this. Honestly I still like J. Cole a lot, but I've long since accepted that everything he's releasing appeals to me less than his really early mixtapes did. That's not to say this album (or K.O.D.) are bad. They're pretty great. He's just one of the few acts I haven't been able to vibe with since he switched up his sound and his direction as an artist. This album still has a few gems worth checking out though.

Favorite Song on 2014 Forest Hills Drive: Wet Dreamz

Taking Back Sunday's Louder Now

Emo rock in the 2000's went through three stages. The first were in the early 2000's where it was a bit more whiny, then in the mid 2000's it got really theatrical and over the top, then in the late 2000's when it tried mixing in other genres. Taking Back Sunday is an act I associate with early 2000's era emo rock even though they've switched up their sound (for the better I might add) a few times. Louder Now is my favorite release by them even though none of the songs on it are my favorite by them (that still goes to Cute Without The E).

Favorite Song on Louder Now: Makedamnsure

Brand New's Deja Entendu

Back to back emo bands. Brand New had a big feud with Taking Back Sunday back in the day that's been on-and-off for the past decade+. This was my first foray into the world of rock beefs. Not a whole lot of diss tracks like in hip hop beefs, but enough drama to keep the alternative rock scene interested in the two of them. As for this album I quite like it. I consider this the lead up to when emo rock was going to be changed forever with the rise of subsequent bands like Fall Out Boy.

Favorite Song on Deja Entendu: The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment's Surf

Another "free" iTunes offering, only this one wasn't forced onto people. This is a collaboration album between trumpeter Donnie Trumpet (now known as Nico Segal) as well as with Chance The Rapper, and three other people. I guess this is technically hip hop but the overall vibe I got from it was neo-soul. It features a lot of uncredited contributions from other rappers and singers, adding to the allure and mystery of it. A lot of the critics were kind to this and I can see why, it's a nice album to just have in the background.

Favorite Song on Surf: Slip Slide

We Came As Romans' We Came As Romans

So earlier I said that emo music in the 2000's went through three stages. Here's a band I associate with the third stage, We Came As Romans. They're described a lot as being post-hardcore or screamo or whatever but I associate them with late 2000's emo more than anything. Unfortunately they often end up in the dead zone where every song they release sounds the same. There aren't too many standout tracks on this album. Some songs sound the same only they end up with diminishing returns after each listen. I will say this though, I'm impressed that a band waited until they were four albums into their career to release a self titled album. Most bands do it for their debut or never at all.

Favorite Song on We Came As Romans: Savior of the Week

Daft Punk's TRON LEGACY Soundtrack

Finishing this post on a weak note with Daft Punk's forgotten soundtrack. Daft Punk and Disney's unlimited resources crafting a soundtrack for the much anticipated Tron sequel? What could go wrong?!

Well the movie being mediocre was one, this soundtrack being as mediocre as that movie didn't help. I love Daft Punk but this doesn't really sound like a Daft Punk release. There's only 2.5 songs where it sounds like Daft Punk played a part in the making of this. That's not to say this is bad. As soundtracks go this is very standard. But Discovery this is not. For a time it looked like this was going to derail their career until Random Access Memories came out and put them back on the right track. And we're all better for it.

Favorite Song on Tron Legacy Soundtrack: Derezzed

The Vaccines' What Did You Expect From The Vaccines

Okay nevermind, there was no way I was going to let this post finish with two stinkers. Here's my second favorite album (behind Crystal Castles) in this post. It's so very good. Lots of fuzz guitar. Lots of stories that sound real and yet surreal. If you're a rock guy this is something I'd recommend highly.

Favorite Song on What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?: Post Break-Up Sex in particular is great but the whole album is a 5+ from me.

Okay, glad I was able to tie up this loose end. Got a whole slew of music content lined up for people who likely don't even want it.

As always thanks for stopping by and take care :).