Category: Album Reviews

father of all… by green day

Album: Father of All…

Artist: Green Day 

Genre: Garage Rock Revival, Pop Punk, Garage Punk, and Alternative Rock 

Record label(s): Reprise Records 

Recommended Tracks: Track 1- Father of All… Track 3- Oh Yeah!

Green Day is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt in 1987 in the East Bay of California. The band started off as Sweet Children and as they added more members to their band, but they typically stay with three members in the future. Soon Lookout! Records took note of them and signed them onto the label, the band then changed their name due to another band having a similar name, “Sweet Baby” and also due to their love for cannabis, leading to the name “Green Day”. The band released their first debut studio album in early 1990 and their success increased from their with them signing with Reprise records after and leading to their success of the American Idiot project. Green Day released many albums and songs throughout their years of success, including their most recent album, “Father of All…”, which was released on February 7th, 2020. This new album is different from their other albums. Unlike “American Idiot”, reflecting the Bush-era of the United States, “Father of All…” aims to be the opposite of this era in the U.S government, aiming to be more “carefree” and “not caring about anything” type of lifestyle. If I were to rate this album out of 5, I would rate it a 4 because of the way the music is different and more peppy and spirited, opposite of their usual feel, but it also doesn’t reflect what Green Day is capable of producing. 

The first track on the Album is “Father of All..” and is arguably the best song on the album. This song follows the album in the sense that it is not supposed to have political commentary, but it is in an obscure way. The song feels like it can be an anthem for a riot or a revolution, it has the feeling and style to it. It also speaks to climate change and the stress of this term’s  U.S president, but it keeps it discreet. Ths instrumentals are also very amazing. The bass in the song feels so awesome and goes extremely well with the feel of the song. Mike Dirnt did an amazing job the bass, they feel very peppy and fun to listen to. The drums also sound amazing and go perfectly with the bass, Tre Cool really matches the energy of the song and makes it more fun to enjoy and rock to. 

“Oh Yeah!” is the third song on the album. This song discusses issues like gun violence ad the education system, but in a subtle manner. The song also mentions social media obsession and how people feel low after they got their money after being a social media star. These topics make the song feel like another anthem or revolution-type of song that people listen to when they are tired of the way things are. The bass makes the song more powerful and enjoyable. The drums seem to mimic hands clapping, making this song feel like many people are rocking to the song at the same time. This song also samples other musicians, which hasn’t been done by Green Day in a long time. Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – Do You Wanna Touch Me is samples in the parts where “oh yeah” is sung. 

“Father of All…” is supposed to be the opposite of what their successful album, “American Idiot”, was. Instead of making the songs politically driven in an obvious manner, this new album focuses on a carefree perspective and lifestyle. However, some political commentary is still shown in obscure ways, but it is not the whole focus. This album is more upbeat and spirited than others but it also lacks the very powerful vibe Green Day is known for. Although this album does not follow what Green Day traditionally produces, it is still a good album, it just doesn’t show the band’s full potential. The bass and drums give the album the upbeat feeling the band is not typically known for, but that is not a bad thing. If you enjoy rock and punk music o recommend listening to Three Days Grace, Radiohead, Fall Out Boy and Sum 41. Overall, if you like a classic rock band with a new taste then I really recommend you listen to Green Day’s “Father of All…”.

church by galantis

February 14, 2020

Album: Church 

Artist: Galantis  

Record Labels:  Big Beat Records and Atlantic Records 

Recommended Tracks: 4- “Never Felt A Love Like This (with Hook N Sling) [ft. Dotan]”, 13- “We Can Get High (With Yellow Claw)”

Galantis is a Swedish electronic dance music production, songwriting and DJ duo consisting of Christian Karlsson and Linus Eklöw. They have been active since 2012. Their type of genre are electro house and big room house. Karlsson is also known as Bloodshy as part of two other musical groups, a duo (Bloodshy & Avant) and a trio (Miike Snow). Eklöw is known as Style of Eye. They have won multiple awards and have been nominated for others. They also have played at other concerts like coachella. Galantis is even on tour now. I am going to give this album a four out of five stars. I will explain at the end why. 

Never Felt A Love Like This (with Hook N Sling) [ft. Dotan] is a very cute song. It is about someone not believing in love and not wanting it. They don’t like love until they find the one who is the light, which brings back the love that they have been missing. It is even a different type of love. In this song, they have lyrics and they do sing throughout the song. This song is also one of the very few songs in the Galantis’ s albume where the band sings in it. There is also a touch of EDM and electro music in it. This song is perfect for those who love electro music as well as singing in a song.  

We Can Get High (With Yellow Claw) is a song that you would definitely hear at a rave. It has very little singing and mostly EDM music. The song is about you trusting your partner and because you trust your partner, you both get virtually high in the clouds. I think this song is perfect for rave lovers and EDM/electro music lovers. I am not a huge fan of electro music but I do like this song. It is quite catchy. 

The reason why I gave this album a four out of five rating is because it is electro music and I am not the biggest fan of it. However, most of the songs on this album were pretty good. Another thing that I thought was pretty unique about the album was that not all of the songs on it were sung by Galantis. They were the DJs but not the key singers. I thought that was pretty unique.

manic by halsey

Album: Manic

Artist: Halsey 

Record Labels: Capitol Records

Recommended Tracks: 9- “Without Me”, 15- “Still Learning”

I am going to start off by giving you, as the reader, a disclaimer. Halsey is one of my favorite modern artists of our time. She is really amazing and is extremely talented. My disclaimer is that I am going to be biased towards this album. Because I am a fan of Halsey, I’m going to already give this album a high rating. However, I will try my best to give this album an unbiased rating and opinion. Halsey’s real name is Ashley Nicolette Frangipane. She is an American singer and songwriter. She gained  attention from releasing music herself on social media platforms. She was signed by Astralwerks in 2014 and released her debut EP, Room 93, later that year. Manic is a very interesting album. Like every album, it has both fast and slow songs. But, she adds a different touch to each of those songs by having SUGA, BTS, and other artists sing with her. I am going to give this album a five out of five rating. I will explain towards the end why. 

Without Me is one of the songs that made me become a fan of Hasley. I’ve always liked her music, but this song spoke to me the most out of all of her songs. This song is about Hasley putting someone above her, above everything in her life. But, then this person takes advantage of her. (This is my personal interpretation of the song). The lyrics are really sad, extremely sad actually. But because of the music Halsye has in the background, you can never get truly sad when singing the song. You could yell the lyrics but not get sad. It reminds me of a lot of 80’s music. This song is also one of Halsey’s most famous songs. I really love it. 

Still Learning is a pretty powerful song. It is about Halsey going through rough times. A man won’t stay, her money isn’t really hers because it is being passed around the family, and she has no self-esteem. But, she admits that she is still trying to learn how to love herself. This is a song that many of us could relate to. I recommend this song to someone who is going through a rough time. You and Halsey could relate to each other through this song. She speaks about learning to love yourself through rough times.  The reason why I gave this album a five out of five rating is because it is truly an overall amazing album. The song where Halsey, SUGA, and BTS all sing in it is amazing. She even has songs where she is talking in the beginning, then the music plays and she sings. All of her songs have something to do with her personal life. 929 is about the time and day she was born. I recommend this album for people who love pop music or who love Halsey. It is really good.

Dreaming of david by ryan beatty

Album: Dreaming of David

Artist: Ryan Beatty

Genre: Pop

Record label(s): Interscope and Mad Love 

Recommended Tracks: Track 2- Dark Circles Track 7- Genisis 

Ryan (Kevin) Beatty is an American singer and songwriter who was born on September 25, 1995, in Clovis, California. Ryan started his musical career on his Youtube channel by posting covers of popular songs in 2011. His channel was gaining high views so he unleashed his first debut single “Every Little Thing” in 2011. Ryan also released his debut EP in 2012. Afterward, he went on to release two more albums including his most recent “Dreaming of David”, released on January 31, 2020. This recent album kind of deviates from his usual work. His last album, “Boy in Jeans”,  has a more upbeat and fun feel to it as well as using more autotune and electronic production in it. “Dreaming of David” never feels monotone because his vocals change at any moment from lows to highs that creates a multi-dimensional song. Although this album still uses autotune and electronic production, it is supposed to feel human because of the way it is made, like thoughts left to hang and never fade. I would rate this album a 5 out of 5 stars due to how the music feels human even with all the electronic uses, this makes the album feel unique. 

“Genisis” is the second track on the album. The song title is associated with the dark hue under someone’s eyes from a lack of sleep due to stress of fatigue. This theme is recurring in this song and it feels that way. The music feels so melancholic with beats that resemble raindrops. The instrumentals feel so fast paste and a bit stressful with some beats repeating quickly, resembling the stress in the song. In the song, the singer is up all night thinking of n ex-lover, causing him to have dark circles. The vocals also give off the feeling of being tired and stressed. Ryan sings in a relatively low tone which feels like he is tired, his high notes also add more emotion to the song. The autotune gives the low voice a bit more of depth. 

The track “Genisis” is the 7th track on the album. This track has such a calming and soothing feel to it, it makes you feel as if you were laying on a cloud, and Ryan’s vocals are amazing in this track and help a lot with the soothing feel of the song. The instrumentals all have an effect that makes them echo. The layered vocals of Ryan really make a harmony in the song and show his wide vocal range, which is very impressive. The autotune on his high notes really make this song feel electronic but also really soothing when Ryan harmonizes with his other vocals. This song seems to deal with being fated for someone when they are in a time of need, the usage of biblical terms really ties in the theme of fate and faith in this song.

“Dreaming of David” explores gay love and feels more ambitious. Although this album is a bit too slow and maybe needs more predictability, but this album shows that Ryan has outdone himself again. The use of electronic production and autotune is still used in Ryan’s music but this album also has a slower and soothing feel to it and combined with the theme of it, makes the album feel human, despite the use of electronic production and autotune. If you enjoy pop music with a bit of an alternative feel, I recommend listening to Tyler, the Creator. Overall, if you love music that deals with love and the struggles of gay love, then I highly and strongly recommend taking a listen to “Dreaming of David” by Ryan Beatty.

Funeral by lil WAYNE

Album:Funeral 

Artist: Lil Wayne 

Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap 

Record label(s): Young Money Records 

Recommended Tracks: Track 8-Bling James (Ft. Jay Rock) and Track 4 – I Do It (Ft. Big Sean & Lil Bibby) 

Lil Wayne is a hip-hop artist originating from New Orleans, Louisiana. As a 37 year old rapper in 2020, Lil Wayne is no stranger to the rap game. Often being associated with other high names acts like Drake & Nicki Minaj. Real name, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, Wayne has made a name for himself from very popular songs like “Lollipop” & “How to Love”. Wayne first gathered attention off his popular mixtapes “Tha Carter” with five editions being currently out and released throughout his career. This album is a newly surprising drop being highly ant by Lil Wayne stans and lifelong fans themselves. The last time Lil Wayne released music was almost two years ago in 2018. In a way this album brings the standard Wayne delivery of classy bars coming at you pound after pound with a style of trying to fit in to the new sound in this current age. Not much like the 2000 type of hip-hop where Wayne served in his prime rocking the charts. If I were to rate this album I would give it a 7 out of 10 because of him always producing solid music and content. However, as this album is okay and fitting it it’s not necessarily something that people will remember from Lil Wayne’s career or something you’ll see on the top charts. Being a high-name rapper comes with high expectations to live up to. 

“Bling James (Ft. Jay Rock) ” is the eight song on the album and aside from the music it is the most heartfelt. With this song being featured as the 8th track on the album, the first 24 seconds of the track was silent with both numbers applauding to the tragic death of NBA superstar, Kobe Bryant. Referencing many luxurious things with co-feature Jay Rock, Lil Wayne has this track about glam and jewelry. Talking about his lifestyle and the drugs at hand with it. While also again making references to Kobe Bryant & the Lakers by discussing his yellow & purple drugs as well as being “Laker-geeked”. 

“I Do It (Ft. Big Sean & Lil Bibby)” is the fourth track off of “Funeral”. This song is the most nostalgic and is one you can really enjoy. It brings it the 2010’s Lil Wayne had and also with feature Big Sean, the years where they were popping the most. Lil Bibby also touches up on his verse and brings out a diverse sound. It’s a good one to listen to and you shouldn’t mind adding to your daily playlist. 

Funeral was an unexpected one from Lil Wayne and soon became highly anticipated to begin the new decade. However, it didn’t really live up to expectations and numerous people across platforms like twitter were hyping it up to be. It’s still Lil Wayne at the end of the day but it isn’t the same Lil Wayne album you are accustomed to listening to. If you are a big time Lil Wayne fan I would recommend listening to the album and should begin venturing off onto other artists like artists like Lil Tjay, Roddy Ricch & Lil Baby. Overall if you like the idea of hip-hop/rap mainly from the 2010s era artists or a big time Lil Wayne fan, I would recommend you listen to “Funeral” for yourself and see what you think about it.

Fine Line by Harry Styles

December 15, 2019

Album: Fine Line 

Artist: Harry Styles 

Record Label: Erskine Records 

Recommended Tracks: Track 1 – “Golden”, Track 5 – “Cherry”

Two years of anticipating Harry Styles’ second solo album finally came to an end on December 13, 2019. His album Fine Line was released, giving us 12 brand new songs to indulge in. It’s genuinely clear that Harry poured his heart into making this album. It’s cohesive, fun, heartbreaking, and definitely some of his best work yet. It’s great to hear how he experiments with his sound on Fine Line and doesn’t restrict himself from sticking to a mold or what people expect from him. Choosing only two recommended tracks was really hard to decide on because all of the songs are amazing in their own way. I rate Fine Line a five out of five. The tracks  “Golden” and “Cherry” stand out, and both differ sonically, showcasing Harry’s versatility. 

     “Golden” opens the album and upon first listen, I couldn’t think of a better song choice to start Fine Line. It begins with a soft drum beat before an explosive shift, introducing Harry’s voice. The lyrics seem to point toward the romanticization of a person, calling them “golden.” It’s fitting since this idea is welcomed at the beginning of the album, it contrasts a lot of the other songs that tear down the idealized outlook on people and relationships. The rhythm is fast-paced and energetic, and Harry’s vocals are warm and he sounds so sure of himself. 

     “Cherry” is a softer song that begins with acoustic guitar that leads up to Harry’s voice. It’s a song that feels inspired by the folk-rock genre, but it’s not totally stripped down as an acoustic song. There are layers of instruments that make it atmospheric and so pleasant to listen to. Lyrically, he sings about how it’s heartbreaking to see his ex-girlfriend moving on to another relationship and missing her. “Don’t you call him what you used to call me” echoes throughout the song, stinging with hints of sadness in Harry’s voice. It’s a heartfelt song and we get to experience Harry being vulnerable, which is a running theme in all of the songs. 

     Fine Line by Harry Styles is one of the best albums released in 2019. Every song is noteworthy and worth giving a chance. 

Romance by Camila Cabello

Album: Romance

Artist: Camila Cabello

Genre: Pop and Contemporary R&B

Record label(s): Epic and Syco

Recommended Tracks:

Camila Cabello is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, and actress who was born on March 3, 1997. Camila rose to stardom when she was part of an all-female group called Fifth Harmony that was formed on the television show The X Factor (U.S) in 2012. She was working on her solo career while still on the group with releases of her own. Once she left the group and established herself as a solo artist, she began releasing collaborations with other artists. Camila has released many EP and singles but has only released two albums which include her most recent one, “Romance”, which was released on December 6, 2019. “Romance” continues with the theme of love that is on air a lot and considered a pop trope. However, this album feels more frisky but not too much. Much has to do with Camila’s charisma which her listeners enjoy a lot. “Romance” shows different ways of falling for someone, from the fling stage to freaking out about having feelings for a friend, to wanting to be around that person, to explain to your dad that things with this person might get serious. The music has a lot of Latin influence. I would rate this album a 5 out of 5 due to the theme of the album being one that is still enjoyable to listen to and the music being, Latin influenced, has a friskiness to it. 

The Track “My Oh My” is the fourth on the album. This song has an animated vibe to it that really adds to the theme of the song. Camila’s raspy and airy voice gives the song a very alluring feel. The music has clapping and amazing beats when DaBaby has his verses and that made the song feel bouncy. The theme of the song deals with falling for someone who is not the best person, maybe, but you can’t resist their bad, but insatiable, habits. 

“First Man” is the last track on the album. This track is about a daughter telling her dad about her new love and trying to explain that her new love is good. The music is more soothing and the piano really makes this song heartful and emotional. Camila’s voice is breathy and quiet, which makes this song feel much more meaningful and less upbeat than her other songs, which is a good contrast for the album. Having this song on the album really makes the whole theme of love’s journey more personal. 

“Romance” tells the love story that Camila Cabello has experienced and the public has seen. Showing the way love manifests and the different ways it does, is a very common topic but one that everyone can relate to. The Latin inspiration in the album gives is an amazing flare of spice that makes the album awesome. If you like Latin-Pop artists then I’d recommend you listen to Becky G as well. Overall, if you enjoy music that talks about love, then I recommend listening to Camila Cabello’s recent album, “Romance”. 

Yuki by Flowershop

December 15, 2019

Artist: Flowershop

Album: Yuki

Record Label: Flowershop

Recommended Tracks: Track 1- “It Won’t Last”, Track 3- “It’s Now May” 

Indie-rock band, Flowershop, a four-member group based in Dubai, have put out some great music over the past year and a half. They’re a smaller band that are still finding their footing in the music scene, but they show a lot of potential in their sound and style. Their EP Yuki, released in 2018 and can be defined more specifically as having shoegaze influences reminiscent of British indie-rock from the 1980s. Yuki has four tracks in total and they’re all solid, earning it a four out of five rating, but the two that are most impressive are “It Won’t Last” and “It’s Now May.” 

     Track 1 opens with colorful guitars that immediately establish an upbeat tone that contrasts the lyrics but fits well with the overall theme of the song. It’s about fleeting moments and experiences that you know won’t last forever even though you wish it did. The guitar keeps a constant upbeat rhythm paired with the light and airy vocals that gives the song a sense of innocence and naïveté. Toward the end of the song, the vocals fade out and allow the bass guitar to become the center of attention. It’s low tone provides a shift in the overall softness in the song, adding depth to the song. 

     Track 3, “It’s Now May” has an infectious guitar right at the start. Vocally, I think it’s a cool addition to have spoken lyrics at the beginning before the pace picks up during the chorus. Toward the end of the song, there’s a soft fade-out allowing the soft guitar plucks to take over. I really enjoy the rhythm of the song and the quick shifts back and forth from slow to fast pace. 

     Flowershop is full of potential and I recommend giving them a listen. 

Pure Heroine by Lorde

Album: Pure Heroine
Artist: Lorde
Genre: Indie/Electropop
Record labels: Universal Music Groups, Lava Records, Republic Records
Recommend Tracks: Track 4-Ribs, Track 8-Still Sane

Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor, goes by the stage name Lorde, is a singer-songwriter

from New Zealand. She first came on the scene with the song “Royals”. ​Pure Heroine​ is my favorite albums because of the diversity in each song. The is one of Lorde’s best album, lyrically. I can say every song on this album is my favorite.

Track four “Ribs” is my favorite because it makes me feel young again. I fell in love with this song in the seventh grade and everytime I hear it brings me back to that moment. My favorite line is , “we’ll laugh until our ribs get tired”. Track eight “Still Sane” is my favorite because it instills hope. My favorite line is, “I’m little but i’m coming for the crown”.

I love this album because I can listen to it in any mood; It is timeless.

Thank U, Next by Ariana Grande

Album: Thank U, Next 

Artist: Ariana Grande 

Genre: Pop and Contemporary R&B

Record label(s): Republic Records and Universal International 

Recommended Tracks: Track 2- Needy  and Track 10- 7 Rings 

Ariana Grande is an American singer, songwriter, and actress from Florida. She began her career in 2008 starring on Broadway musicals. She got more recognition for her role as Car Valentine on Nickelodeon’s Victorious. She signed with her record after they found videos of her covering songs, and that’s when her music career took off. She released her first studio album, “Yours Truly” and released three more after, including her most recent, “Thank U, Next”, on February 8th, 2019. This album contains themes of vulnerability and emotions. Ariana has released songs with these themes, however, she mainly aimed toward a much stronger feel for her listeners. Thank U, Next shows a more vulnerable side to Ariana’s relationships with others and herself. This album dealt with a more real feel of Ariana’s life and it shows her journey. Her journey consists of ups and downs, much like the album with tracks that are meant to feel lower and others meant to feel upbeat. The album also explores different musical genres such as soul, pop-rap, and dancehall. I would rate this album a 5 out of 5 because the music and vocals are amazing while having a strong and relatable message. 

The second track on her album, “Needy”, is one of my favorites. This track mainly uses minimal instruments and quiet music that gives the song a sad vibe to it. The vocals are soft and quiet, which also adds to the sad vibe to the track. This song feels like Ariana is not afraid to show her “needy” side and she isn’t afraid to show it. The theme behind this song makes it feel even more vulnerable and relatable to listeners. Having a track that discussed the topic of feeling needy and wanting companionship, is a track a lot of people enjoy because it is an unspoken topic. Ariana suffers from anxiety and this song demonstrates this side of her that listeners and her fans can relate to and enjoy. 

The tenth track on the album is arguably one of the most popular ones on this album, “7 Rings”. This song was also featured as a single and has a different vibe and style than “Needy”. This track has an upbeat vibe and is a pop-rap, trap, and R&B style song. The meaning deals more with enjoying your close friends and the finer things in life given to you by your success, or in this case, Ariana’s success. The track demonstrates a moment in Ariana’s life in which she decided to focus on her success and friends while forgetting about the difficult times with relationships. This track does mention a lot of wealth but it emphasizes the “success” part. It leaves listeners with a feeling of being rich and focusing on yourself and having fun. The music has incredible beats and a very heavy bass vibe. 

“Thank U, Next” has proven to be very successful. The way it tells a story from having self-doubt to thanking life for the experiences and moving onto a new chapter in life. The album is a book on someone’s life, Ariana’s, but it can also suit the lives of anyone, as the album deals with personal themes that listeners can relate to. The heavy bass that is incorporated in the album is what got her fans hyped for this album. Ariana Grande has shown that it is okay to show vulnerability but as long as we can get up. If you like artists that express vulnerability but also show strength, I would recommend you listen to Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. Overall, if you love music that you can relate and feel awesome to, then I highly recommend listneing to Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next”.