#Young Guv
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329: Marvelous Darlings // Single Life
Single Life
Marvelous Darlings
2011, Deranged (Bandcamp)
One of the best pop-punk / power pop records I’ve ever heard, full stop, Single Life collects eight double-sided singles recorded between 2007 and 2010, the Darlings’ complete studio output. The lineup: vocalist Ben Cook, one-time ancillary guitarist in Fucked Up and veteran of one in every three early ‘00s guidance counselor-bait hardcore bands in Toronto; guitarist Matt DeLong, co-star of many of said bait bands; bass player “Marvelous” Mark Fosco; and drummer John Sirdevan. Cook’s discography alone has more writing on it than a stall at Sneaky Dee’s (well, maybe not that much) but none of these guys ever consistently struck gold the way they did with the Darlings’ charmed run.
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Cook was clearly fond of the singles format (he also released like a dozen under his Young Guv alias during the same period), and it has a wonderful sharpening effect for a pop-punk songwriter (and for the record, these songs were group efforts)—there’s nowhere on a 7” to hide if a song doesn’t bang. As a result, every song on Single Life feels like the band is swinging for the fences, trying to make this one the anthem they’d be remembered for. Even though I’ve heard the album a million times since my friend Meghan tipped me to it a few years back, I have trouble picking consistent favourites—every hook makes its case to be the one you’ll be humming all day, but then another undeniable should-be hit pulls up and your brain is placed in a terrible bind.
Marvelous Darlings was obviously conceived of as a throwback to the heyday of guitar pop (I get tasting notes of Cheap Trick, Green Day, Flamin’ Groovies, Mick Jones Clash, the Rezillos, Teenage Head, Weezer…), and there wasn’t a ton on ‘00s alternative radio in this style, but I dunno—I think there is something transcendent about the way this group approached their craft that could’ve resulted in a genuine hit with just a little luck on their side. (A Canadian hit anyway.) I’m probably crazy, but choruses like “Friend of a Friend,” “Shoot the Piano Player,” and “I Don’t Wanna Go to the Party” make even a pessimist like me a little starry-eyed.
I’m hot and cold on Cook’s other projects, though if I were to pick and choose the highlights from all of them I’d probably have a mean double-album compilation on my hands; Marvelous Mark has a smattering of pretty good lo-fi solo releases, and every once in a while really nails it; of the others, I have no news. So it goes: we’ll always have these magic singles.
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329/365
#marvelous darlings#ben cook#young guv#fucked up#no warning#marvelous mark#power pop#pop punk#toronto#toronto music#canadian music#'00s music#'10s music#deranged records#burger records#music review#vinyl record#fucked up band
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clouds up above stick to the sky, they're all just floating questions why. my thoughts are scattering around me they have no borders and no boundaries. 🌴☁️💿 cold in the summer — young guv
///// POV walking the streets of PV last summer
__________________
PLAYLiST: free district
💿☆ listen now on SPOTiFY | APPLE MUSiC | SOUNDCLOUD
#puerta vallarta#mexico#vacation#summer#young guv#lvfstvl#lyrics#music#spotify#playlist#photography#soundcloud#apple music#live festival#festival#palm trees#vsco#edit#holiday#travel#warmer weather#cold#freedistrict#amp#asnyd
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Phil Yates Best of 2022
First in our series of Faves of 2022. This list comes courtesy of musician Phil Yates!
Every year we ask some of our music friends to share some of their thoughts on some of the albums/singles that were released in the past year.
Our pal, Phil Yates of Phil Yates & The Affiliates released a terrific record, A Thin Thread, on July 15th of this year, and much to our joy, he agreed to share his thoughts.
Do you ever tire of hearing people say that there is no good new music…
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#Angel Olsen#BOAT#Cate Le Bon#Elvis Costello & The Imposters#Jarvis Cocker#Phil Yates#Phil Yates & The Affiliates#PJ Harvey#Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever#Sloan#The Beths#Wet Leg#Young Guv
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Toronto, ON -- Young Guv, the project of Ben Cook, released two new albums this year Guv III and Guv IV back to back this year via Run For Cover Records.. Last week, the prolific artist shared the music video for dreamy track “Cry 2 Sleep” from Young Guv IV. The song spans just about 3.5 minutes long and its breezy instrumental has a wistfulness that is nostalgic and warm. Cook’s gentle vocals are like a soft waves crashing on “Cry 2 Sleep” - comforting those that are up into the wee hours of morning. The song captures the bittersweet feelings of longing and diving deep into one’s memories.
GUV III & IV by Young Guv
Connect with Young Guv:
Official Site | Twitter | Instagram
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S23.E25: Morebits
More bits, this time psychedelic folk pop...
Episodio 25 de la temporada 23, al aire el 18 de Julio de 2022. Estaremos Ciro Velásquez y Jairo en controles. Charly tiene un evento de familia y se disculpa el día de hoy.
Como hemos dicho, como casi todos los años que terminan en 2, este es un año repleto de música, sabemos que la industria ha cambiado, que las cosas no son ya iguales, esperemos que la música no sea la que esté cambiando…
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#doublevee#ed wynne#ghost woman#gre vanderloo#kurt vile#nordsø & theill#pneumatic tubes#rolling blackouts coastal fever#the aluminum group#vancouver sleep clinic#young guv
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Nervous Around U - Young Guv
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Young Guv - GUV IV
Young Guv – GUV IV
Si hay algo que nos ha enseñado Ben Cool a lo largo de los últimos años, es que no puede dejar de componer canciones. El que fuera miembro de Fucked Up está muy cómodo con Young Guv, este proyecto de power-pop que empezó a tomar forma allá por 2018. Desde entonces, no ha parado publicar canciones y discos con varias entregas. Algo que ya pudimos comprobar en 2019 con ‘Guv I’ y ‘Guv II’, y que…
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Traintober | Day 4 - Devious
Green Arrow finds that Diesel likes having him around to listen to him, especially since he's mute and can't divulge his secrets. But what will happen when Arrow regains his voice?
Takes place during Young Iron - Green with Envy, when Green Arrow has his voicebox stolen.
~~~
“Why hello there new engine!”
Green Arrow nervously looked around to find a black Class 08 leering at him. Said Class 08 was completely black, unlike the usual members of his class who had yellow hazard stripes. He frowned and narrowed his eyes in response.
“No need for that look, I’m just trying to be friendly!” The Diesel grinned but Green Arrow didn’t believe him.
The V2 was aware of this certain Class 08’s reputation in the Railway Series books and stared at him in disbelief.
“Oh right, you’re mute,” the Diesel suddenly realised and Arrow began scowling at him. “Apologises, apologies I meant no offence.”
Green Arrow simply hissed steam and hurried off in a cloud of steam, his displeasure evident.
Not dissuaded, the Class 08 quickly sped after him.
“Ah I’ve upset you,” Diesel quickly lamented. “A deep shame, I was insensitive, allow me to introduce myself, I am Diesel.”
Green Arrow snorted and rolled his eyes in response. To his surprise the Class 08 was not offended.
“I like being called just Diesel, it’s better than just having a number,” Diesel proudly exclaimed but Green Arrow looked doubtful. “We all can’t be named after companies like you are friend.”
Arrow decided to ignore the Class 08 as he made his way to his next job yet still Diesel insisted on following him.
“I’ve seen how the others treat you and I think it’s terrible, just terrible,” The Class 08 lamented. “A fine standing engine such as yourself being subjected to such discrimination.”
More than anything Green Arrow wanted to tell the Diesel to back off but his lack of voice made that hard. He was however able to wheeshed steam in the Diesel’s face and sped up down the line.
The Diesel shouted at him but he did not hear him as he put as much distance between the both of them.
~~~
Over the next few months, the diesel continuously approached him whenever he saw him. Green Arrow didn’t really understand but Diesel seemed to find some sort of comfort in just talking to him while he rolled around or moved to jobs. He seemed to look forward to or even crave having someone to complain to.
Maybe he wanted company, maybe he was genuinely trying to be a friend but Green Arrow didn’t have the ability to tell him to go away for the longest time.
On the plus side, Diesel gave him an insight into how the other engines interacted. How Diesel often spied James and Edward behind the sheds when they both had spare time. How Gordon liked to sneak out to the Docks to talk to the massive cruise ships that came by. Or how Henry liked to spend time with Peter Sam whenever he was near Sodor's Narrow Gauge Railway.
He was learning a lot from the Diesel and he didn’t have to prompt or try to provoke a single word out of him.
Maybe that was why he continued to be mute around the Diesel, even when his voice box had been returned to him.
He didn’t want to spoil Diesel’s little exercises in talking to him, knowing that he found solace in the silent steam engine.
“Hello, Mr Arrow!” Came the voice of the small navy blue tank engine sat near cranky on the Docks. “It’s good to see you!”
He liked the Well Tank Engine. He wasn’t like any of the other engines on the island who held a grudge against him and seemed always happy to see Arrow. It was a nice reprieve when it felt like the entire island, bar Edward, was against him.
“I’ve forgotten your name sorry,” Green Arrow apologised to the little engine.
“That’s a’rite guv! Name’s Sonny!” The Tank engine grinned, not even offended by his forgetfulness.
“Sonny! Right! Hello to you too!” Green Arrow grinned back.
Sonny’s attention was caught by something behind him.
“Ay-O how goes it Diesel?!” Sonny greeted his friend but the Diesel didn’t answer.
Green Arrow could feel the glare of the Class 08 searing into his boiler as he came up beside him. The Diesel stopped, gave an annoyed ‘humph’ and sped off leaving a very confused Sonny.
“What was that about ay?” The Well Tank engine grunted confused.
Green Arrow said nothing and only stared after the retreating Class 08.
~~~
"So you can talk now huh?" Diesel oiled at Arrow as he found the Class 08 near Harwick Station.
"Not a lot of people approve of me having my voice back," Green Arrow admitted to Diesel. "I figured you would be upset."
"Upset?" Diesel scoffed, feigning his boastful attitude. "Why would I be upset?"
"Because maybe you thought that you wouldn't have someone to listen to your grievances any more," Arrow pointed out and Diesel glared at him.
"You've probably gone and told all my secrets to all your steamie friends!" Diesel sneered and Arrow gave a snort.
"What friends? I don't have friends, you see how the others treat me," Green Arrow argued and Diesel looked thoughtful.
"I suppose that he true, hehe, guess I had nothing to worry about," Diesel piped up.
Diesel started to oil away but Arrow spoke up again.
"You can still talk to me if you want, you actually helped me get a gauge on everyone else on this island you know," he offered. "I appreciate that."
Diesel stared at him and then smirked.
"Two outcasts just hanging out," he oiled and Arrow smirked in return. "But I'm not your friend, Steamie. I just liked to complain at you because you couldn't respond."
"Perhaps, but still, the offer is there," Arrow stood firm.
Diesel stared at him then humphed before meandering away. Without another world.
A few weeks later, the Class 08 was back to complaining at Arrow as if nothing happened, and Arrow was glad for it knowing that he was making Diesel at least a little bit happier.
~~~
#traintober#traintober 2023#ttte young iron#ttte fanfic#ttte#ttte diesel#ttte green arrow#ttte sonny#ttte young iron au
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I've been thinking about tha fucking mlp baki au I came up with and I came up with the idea of yujiro,Oliva and guv being Alicorns, MANILY BECAUSE THERE THE 3 WORLD STRONGEST but there's a twist, the three of them don't use Certain parts of there body's:
Guv: Only use his wings. He doesn't use his horn. He feels like using magic is taking the easy way out and requires no hard work
Oliva: Only use his horn. He doesn't use his wings. He feels like being able to fly every and anywhere is lazy, anypony should be able to use their legs even if you have wings
Yujiro: He doesn't use either. He feels like either one of them will make you soft and spoil. Depending on flight or magic is for the weak,He wishes he was born an earth pony
SO LIKE IN A WAY DESPITE THEM BEING ALICORNS:
Guv acts like a Pegasus (will get annoyed if you ever suggest for him to use his magic)
Olivia: acts like a unicorn (will get annoyed if you suggest for him to use his wings)
Yujiro: acts like a earthpony (will get extremely pissed if you suggest for him to use either)
Also side note: each of them at a young age has tried to rid themselves of the body part they don't like/ever want to use
Guv: tried bashing his horn into a rock(didn't work)
Olivia: tried breaking his wings( failed)
Yujrio: tried damaging both( cringe failed)
(They all have issues)
ANOTHER SIDE NOTE: they all hate if you keep emphasizing that they're all alicorns (they will murder you
It's like being an alicorn in baki mlp doesn't make you royalty. It just makes you special cause Alicorns aren't born that often .....look man, idk what the hell I'm rambling about, but I've been thinking about this for days
ALSO idk but the idea of spec and dolye being changeling have been on my mind lately
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Heads up, Seven up
I have gotten so many tags lately for last lines/HU7U/9 lines, so I'm sorry if I forgot you! This is from: @autumnalwalker here, @squarebracket-trick here, @mrbexwrites here, @tabswrites here, @sarandipitywrites here, @starbuds-and-rosedust here, and @deanwax here! Thank you! <3
There's not tons I can share from my NaNoWriMo project because we have gotten into spoiler territory, but have a few lines.
"STOP THAT PRIEST!"
I watched the man turn his head as he ran, paying me only a little mind. But then, like a miracle sent from the heavens, that small lapse of attention caused the priest to barrel into the outstretched leg of a man in a wheelchair who had just turned into his path.
From a distance, I saw the priest trip over the man’s leg, cartwheeling through the air in an undignified, fabric-filled flop. Like a hound upon the hunt, young Birtwhistle was upon him in an instant, pinning the man’s arms behind his back and placing a knee on his shoulderblades to ground him.
Stumbling forward on my cane, I made my way down the corridor, anxiously watching the priest struggle below Birtwhistle, before stilling. As I neared, the man in the wheelchair greeted me with an uplifted thumb.
“Got ‘im, guv.”
“Much obliged.”
I am loving how slapstick this story gets at times, also all the CAPSLOCK SHOUTING. It's just so fun.
Tagging everyone who tagged me as a back-atcha!
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[ID: Photo of a young Ledyba sitting next to Kyle's computer. Their antennae are mismatched, with the left being a bit longer than the right. It's hard to tell what gender they are because of it. /ID]
Okay I found my old webcam while I wait for my new phone to get here. Anyway, can anyone help me find out what gender Guv is? I know Ledyba antennae are different between genders but like... Yeah, I have no idea here.
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My month in music - April 2023
Little Simz - NO THANK YOU (relisten)
Whitmer Thomas - The Older I Get the Funnier I Was
Young Guv - GUV III
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You (new)
Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting (new)
Blondshell - Blondshell (new)
Wednesday - Rat Saw God
beabadoobee - Beatopia (relisten)
Waterparks - Intellectual Property
mau from nowhere - The Universe is Holding You
Feist - Multitudes
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
Ramones - Ramones
Alvvays - Blue Rev (relisten)
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Uprising
beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers (relisten)
Warm Human - Hometown Hero
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare (relisten)
Waterparks - Fandom (relisten)
Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
Björk - Post
Write-ups below
Little Simz - NO THANK YOU
A largely laid-back hip-hop album that still displays an ability to uplift when necessary, with great use of brass instruments in particular to introduce energy or glory to a song.
Recommended song: Gorilla
Apple Music link
Whitmer Thomas - The Older I Get the Funnier I Was
An indie slacker album that doesn't take itself all that seriously, with humorous songwriting throughout.
Recommended song: Rigamarole
Apple Music link
Young Guv - GUV III
Light, jangly, and airy, indie-leaning power pop. It's well produced and well executed, and worth a listen if that sounds like your sort of thing.
Recommended song: It's Only Dancin'
Apple Music link
Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You
A diverse electronic pop outing from indie darling Caroline Polachek which casts a broad enough net to please pretty much anyone who likes the genre, which I think is the biggest reason for the hype and "must-hear" status amongst reviewers. Don't mistake my comments of broad appeal for accusations of blandness though, because there is a very satisfying identity to the album which, while not groundbreaking, isn't something that can be easily found elsewhere.
As the album art suggests, the album transports you to a paradise, so if you fancy an affordable holiday, and you like indie music, this album could be just what you need.
Recommended song: Bunny Is a Rider
Apple Music link
Caroline Rose - The Art of Forgetting
A great, expansive indie pop album which excels in personable lyrics, left-field pop production, and earning its melodramatic moments. Most of my favourite elements are present on Miami, particularly that explosion of sound towards the ending. Give it a listen!
Recommended song: Miami
Apple Music link
Blondshell - Blondshell
I don't know if I just have a warped perception of the alternative rock scene lately, but it seemed to me that Blondshell came out of nowhere with a polished sound, high-profile playlist spots (at least on Apple Music), and sudden credibility, but even if that makes me suspicious of where she came from, I'm glad she's here, because the album is good. The album has energy, unique themes, and a healthy dose of passion, making it exactly what you've come to expect from alternative rock, and it's executed well enough to not get boring.
Recommended song: Salad
Apple Music link
Wednesday - Rat Saw God
Another alternative rock album, but this one is a little more unique, blending the more expected sound of the genre with country and shoegaze, creating a noisy, harsh wave of sound, which lead singer Karly Hartzman passionately wavers over with vocals that can pump you up as well as they can tear your heart out of your chest.
I'll leave it at that because I don't think I could make a better case for this album than it's 8 minute epic Bull Believer can. I highly recommend giving it a listen if you're a rock fan.
Apple Music link
beabadoobee - Beatopia
beabadoobee always excels in charm, and this album is no different. Every song on this album, whether the ones I like or dislike, has this innate childish wonder about it. A nostalgic, innocent warmth and fun that you can only really instill in the art you care about. In this instance particularly, the album revolves around that childishness, as confirmed by the album title and artwork which was conjured by a way younger Bea.
The nostalgia comes from the sound palette, but crucially, not the the sound itself. The sound palette is very reminiscent of the music her childhood-starved generation (which I also happen to share) grew up on: 00's alternative. She wields this sound palette in very peculiar ways, most clear with the first proper song on the album, 10:36 and later on Talk when distorted guitars are used, not in an aggressive way, but instead with a sort of sparkle. I think that sort of contradiction is how beabadoobee makes music that is so representative of this generation. It captures the anger, but centers the yearning for childhood as we retreat to youthful expressions and experiences, especially the idea of doing things simply because they are fun and offer reprieve. It's a false innocence. A distorted representation of a sparkle that our eyes have lost.
To be clear, I'm not saying that this was all intentional and that they necessarily knew the effect this small touch would have on me and potentially others, and even if they did, I'm not saying this is exactly why they thought so, but all the same, this is what it means to me. The reader decides why the curtains are blue, not the writer.
Apple Music link
Waterparks - Intellectual Property
Although it might be considered a hot take in some of the circles I usually find myself in, I like Waterparks. From their harder pop-punk style at the start of their career, through the poppier first few albums, to what I will call the hyperpop-punk style of their past couple albums... I think they're a great band that has evolved very satisfyingly up until this point, providing some rare pop experimentation.
This one though? I found this a big step back. The opener, ST*RFUCKER, promises a pretty high-quality retread of the last album's sound, which I would be on board for, but REAL SUPER DARK is a more accurate representation in my view. The album more broadly does retain Awsten Knight's ability to add interesting twists to common themes (such as turning a love song into a self aware obsession song), but the execution is almost always distractingly flawed. It also doesn't help that the mixing on this album is dreadful, particularly with the vocals being buried beneath generally unaffecting instrumentals. That latter point was so bad that I didn't even realize one of the songs had backup vocals until I relistened when the lyrics were added on Apple Music.
This was just a very disappointing listen, and I genuinely don't know who to recommend this to other than the people who would have heard it already. Greatest Hits is just way better if you haven't heard any of their hyperpop-punk style, Fandom is a better overall summary of the band's sound, Double Dare is the best example of their pop-punk stuff, hell, even Entertainment has some great stuff on there as the band start to experiment and find a more individual sound, and honestly I think INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY is the worst of them all.
Recommended song: ST*RFUCKER
Apple Music link
mau from nowhere - The Universe is Holding You
If I were to attempt to find a common thread throughout this album, I'd probably have to settle on something broad, like lo-fi, because it is one of those incredibly sprawling, artistically indulgent projects that I love to listen to, but hate to try to make a write-up for. Without doing a track-by-track, the most useful thing I can do is tell you that mau traverses many different styles with great ease, and recommend a handful of songs.
If a laid-back and poppy hip-hop jam sounds good to you, Haba Na Haba is a great choice. If you're after something with a little bit more energy, closer and title track The Universe is Holding You is a great choice in that style too. My favourite though is the straightforward lo-fi pop bop Refuse Refuge. The whole album is high quality though, and there's only a few I don't really like, so its well worth a listen in my opinion.
Haba Na Haba || Apple Music link
The Universe Is Holding You || Apple Music link
Refuse Refuge || Apple Music link
Feist - Multitudes
A singer/songwriter album with a warm, earthy tone and poetic lyricism. The album makes good use of sparse instrumentation that somehow still manages to fill the soundscape well and places the lyrics front and center.
Recommended song: The Redwing
Apple Music link
Daughter - Stereo Mind Game
I often feel like obscure indie music can fall into this trap where it sounds all light and airy, perhaps in the pursuit of that 'immaculate vibes' type of sound, but without realizing that it still needs a pulse to get there. It can easily be overlooked, because it's usually quite subtle compared to the flood of reverb and synths, but it is absolutely crucial, at least for me, to make the songs memorable and enjoyable.
Daughter fully understand this though. This album never left me bored because it is always moving forward. It is usually slow enough to still be laid back, but it's always moving forward and never feels aimless. It's a good album if verby and vibey indie sounds like it'd appeal to you.
Recommended song: Be On Your Way
Apple Music link
Ramones - Ramones
Okay, look, I know this is a classic. I know that I risk losing my punk fan license if I say anything bad about the granddaddy of the genre itself, but this just didn't do anything good for me. Maybe one day I'll look back and think I was a fool for this, but this album - this 29-minute album - bored the shit out of me. Every song sounded like the last except for some tiny tweaks, and it was a sound that was best executed on the title track Blitzkrieg Bop.
But that isn't a deal-breaker. Hell, some of my favourite albums are somewhat sonically homogeneous, but this didn't have anything else to make up for it. No interesting lyricism or themes, no experimentation with instrumental palette, nothing.
And yeah, sometimes if you aren't used to a genre or sound, it can all feel a bit samey to you, just through inexperience, but I grew up on pop-punk (an offshoot of this album's purer punk), and have listened to a bunch of comparable stuff since, and it doesn't help me hear much difference between tracks.
It was an okay listen for me, don't get me wrong, but it is just too flawed for me to respect it as a classic, and the group of people I can imagine recommending this to is tiny.
Recommended song: Blitzkrieg Bop
Apple Music link
Alvvays - Blue Rev
I've already gushed about this album enough on my post on Alvvays, but suffice it to say that this sprawling indie album is exceptional and must-hear for any indie fan. I love it dearly.
Apple Music link
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Uprising
I'd never listened to a Bob Marley album before this, but my brother recommended this album to me last month (as in April), and I was suitably interested, so I gave it a go. Naturally, it was my first reggae album and remains my only reggae album to this point, so I don't really have the adequate tools to speak at all critically on the album, but I did enjoy it. The messages are conveyed well, and the music feels as communal as the lyrics.
Apple Music link
beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers
This should be a quick one. Pretty much everything about Beatopia also applies to this, except the sonic diversity. Her first album is pretty focused in comparison, but retains all the charm, fun, and energy of her most recent effort.
Apple Music link
Warm Human - Hometown Hero
Warm Human describes their sound as 'sludge pop', and I think that works excellently to describe the sound of this album. It takes distorted guitars, drenches them in reverb and somehow delivers it in a way that sounds appealing in that particular pop way.
Recommended song: Daylight Savings
Apple Music link
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
I listened to this one to commemorate the anniversary of it's release. That should tell you I love this album, and this most recent listen changed nothing on that front. From the blistering pace of opener Brianstorm, to the cheeky, bouncy fun of Fluorescent Adolescent, and, of course, the album's patient swan song 505, along with plenty more, this album makes a great case for being the best Arctic Monkeys album for me, and by extension, one of the best modern rock albums.
Apple Music link
Waterparks - Fandom
Now I get a chance to be positive about Waterparks! On Fandom, I believe they strike the perfect balance between pop cheese, pop-punk melodrama, and otherwise meaningful artistic expression. Sure, sometimes the scales wobble a little, but it never feels like its falling far enough into one facet to noticeably undermine the others or feel bland.
I think this album probably also makes itself a great contender as the quintessential Waterparks album, with it being placed at their stylistic crossroads, and being so passionate and personal, so clearly cared for, that I struggle to see how any other could be placed ahead of it as a representation of the band. To paraphrase Awsten in future lyrics, they got everything they wanted on album 3 and it shows, with the band clearly demonstrating a radical self-acceptance, allowing the music to be cheesy at times, a tad melodramatic, impatient, as well as the more accepted traits like energetic, inventive, catchy, and fun.
I know Waterparks have their haters, but if you're willing to approach them with an open mind, this album is a great place to start if you ask me.
There. Now everyone is unhappy.
Apple Music link
Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert
I should have gotten to this way sooner. I had heard Little Simz' name a lot since this album dropped, and always meant to get to it, so when I saw she dropped another album at the end of 2022 I thought it was the perfect opportunity to get into her music, but after starting with NO THANK YOU, which underwhelmed me, this album dropped down my list of priorities. That was a mistake.
This album is everything I thought NO THANK YOU lacked. It's full, energetic, fun, and had themes I was way more able to grab onto, as well as a far more satisfying execution of those themes when listened to as an album. Not only are interludes used to great effect to reiterate the broader themes, the albums thematic flow is so smooth, with it being pretty common for the last few lines of any given song to tie itself into the next song on the album.
I should have gotten to this way sooner.
Apple Music link
Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
This isn't the first time I've tried to get into Prince. My brother is nuts about the guy's music, and has tried to get me into it as well, to little avail. He got me to listen to two albums, Purple Rain and Dirty Mind. I appreciated both, but always felt like, considering his legacy, I was missing something. I loved the hits, and always felt like that they lined up with what people said about him, and I respect a lot about the guy, but I couldn't get into an album of his the way I thought I ought to, which was very frustrating.
That was all a while ago though, and seeing this album as I was looking through AOTY, I thought I'd give it one more go after listening to the title track. After all, my brother loves it, and the title track seemed up my alley, so maybe this could be the album to finally give me some understanding.
Early on I got concerned it'd be another album where I could take a few songs from it but ultimately be unfulfilled. I even considered calling it a day after 5 or 6 tracks, which I hate doing, but the incongruity between what I hear from other people that I respect about Prince, and what I hear from Prince is too frustrating for me to have an enjoyable experience. I'm glad I held out though, because I loved the second half of this album, and I finally had something sustained for me to latch onto. I don't think I'll be bothering to explore more of Prince's music, but I'm so relieved that there is a run of songs within an album that I can point to and say "this is Prince earning his reputation", especially considering my brother's passion for the music.
Apple Music link
Björk - Post
I've only been writing about music on a public platform for a few months, but one thing I've experienced a lot is the thought that, despite my passion and the potential for a good post about something I love and want to share, it isn't worth making because it's popular. Everyone has already heard about it, so it's just preaching to the choir. Hell, I even felt it to some degree talking about Arctic Monkeys earlier. But the fact that I hadn't listened to Björk yet and only really considered it when Mic the Snare did a Deep Discog Dive on her is one hell of a counterpoint to that. We all have blind spots, and it never hurts to help people find music they might love, even if it's kinda on their radar.
But enough about me, this album was an incredible listen. Experimental, full, and uncompromisingly weird in a way that just makes the emotion more palpable. It's largely cohesive, it's entirely unique, and always passionate. I could compliment this album forever, but I could never fully describe it, but I'll give it my best succinct shot: I once heard someone describe Lorde as essentially gay Radiohead, but from what I've heard from all three artists Björk fills that role way better.
Apple Music link
#chaosincurate#Spotify#little simz#caroline polachek#caroline rose#blondshell#beabadoobee#waterparks band#mau from nowhere#daughter band#warm human#arctic monkeys#bjorkmusic#music#indie music#music suggestions#new music#music reccs#music recommendation#my month in music
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"Caught lookin for some love cuz mine ain't good enough."
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