Year in Review: Looking Back At Music in 2022

Believe it or not, the year is almost over. As always, it was filled with highs, lows, and great music. And some broken promises (looking at you Robert Smith). There were many albums I was downright obsessed with, and some I was utterly disappointed by. It was also a year of discovery. I was hellbent on checking new bands and artists and made some surprising discoveries. Before we say bye bye bye to 2022 and hello to 2023, here’s my brief review of what I was listening to this year.

Trop D’amour – Blaqk Audio

Oh, Blaqk Audio. The artist that, according to YouTube music recap, I listened to the most this year. We have a shaky relationship when it comes to their albums. Anything after CexCells has been very meh to me. This finally changed with 2020’s Beneath the Black Palms. Finally, a Blaqk Audio album that wasn’t a rinse and repeat of their formula or weaker versions of their past songs. It was an album I wanted to listen to again. So, when they announced Trop D’amour, I had high expectations for once. And with singles “Blue Cherry,” “Cowboy Nights,” and “Absolute Scenes” I knew the album was going to be a banger. But when it was finally released, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It was…fine, but not the exciting, gripping follow-up I was hoping for.

Yet, over time the album grew on me. It still didn’t grip me the way their previous one did, but I found it stronger than past efforts Material and Only Things We Love. I still think the singles are the strongest tracks. “Cowboy Nights” was constantly on repeat since its release. But other tracks like “Softbitten,” “Sharp Teeth,” and “The One Who Turns to Light” are standouts. Unfortunately, like past albums, this one starts off strong but falters near the end. While tracks like “Dreamyhead” and “EDZ” aren’t bad, they’re less interesting than the opening songs. And I can’t take “Behead the Bee” seriously.

But despite this, I enjoyed the album much more than I initially thought. One thing I really appreciate is how varied it is. Blaqk Audio has this tendency to fall into the same patterns with their songs relying on 80s-inspired synth beats to the point where many of their songs sound the same. While you can find some of that here, it stands out from their past efforts. No two songs sound the same keeping the album from getting dull. Additionally, both the sound and the lyrics are darker. The lyrics are peppered with references to crimes, knives, stabbing, death, and drowning. The music itself often feels cold and moody, especially compared to their last album. Even the upbeat, club-inspired songs have dark undertones. “Absolute Scenes” may be a banger but looking at the lyrics reveals a critical look at what you risk and lose when chasing fame.

Trop D’amour isn’t the band’s best album, but it’s a strong entry in their discography. Not every song is a hit, but overall, it shows the band continuing to move in exciting new directions. Plus, it proves Davey Havok knows how to write absolute club bangers.

Year In Review: Looking Back At Music in 2021

It’s almost time to say goodbye to 2021. In many ways, it feels like the sequel to 2020 that nobody asked for. Similar to last year, this year was filled with many hardships, disappointments, and setbacks, but at least we had music to help us through. This was also a huge year of change for me. New relationships. New jobs. New schedules. Some of it I’m still getting used to. With so much going on this year, time slipped away from and I didn’t get to dive into these albums as much as I normally would. But I didn’t want to skip my tradition of looking back at music for the year. So, here’s a brief rundown of the albums that captivated me in 2021.

TURNSTILE – GLOW ON

It’s no surprise that this is my pick for album of the year. This is the one album I couldn’t stop listening to. This is a flawless record. From the fluttering notes of “MYSTERY” to the spitfire energy of “LONELY DEZIRES” the album never disappoints. TURNSTILE have always been a great hardcore band, but with GLOW ON, they prove that the hardcore label can’t contain them. They truly found a unique way to blend their hardcore energy and aggression with hints of samba, jazz, pop, and funk.

What I love about the album is how you have songs like “BLACKOUT” and “HUMANOID/SHAKE IT UP” that have that high energy, raw, in-your-face sound you expect from TURNSTILE. But where the album really shines is when the band goes on a completely different path and surprises listeners with tracks like “UNDERWATER BOI,” “DON’T PLAY,” and “ALIEN LOVE CALL.” I expected to mosh to this record, but not wiggle my hips and dance. This album is unpredictable. Just when you think you know where they’re going, the band pulls out a new trick from their sleeve.

TURNSTILE could’ve released another album like Time & Space and it would’ve been good. But they took a huge risk and it paid off. The band has never played by hardcore’s rules, but this album is where they take everything you thought you knew about them and flip it on its head. This is what they’ve been building up to over the years and it is amazing. GLOW ON is TURNSTILE’s greatest album yet. Not only is it fun, makes you want to dance, and just damn good, it shows how versatile the band is. TURNSTILE is truly unstoppable now.

Album Review: Royal Blood – Typhoons

Originally posted on Genre is Dead!

When Royal Blood released their self-titled debut album in 2014, they quickly became known for their sound: gritty, heavy blues-inspired stoner rock with an emphasis on Mike Kerr’s unreal bass riffs. But rather than play it safe, the Brighton duo took a risk and tapped into their dormant groovy side for their third album, Typhoons. The album has the same spark and excitement that made their debut so infectious. Not only is it a new, fresh sound for the band, it also sees Kerr getting more personal and honest than ever.

Listening to Typhoons is like rediscovering Royal Blood. They strike a perfect balance between their hard rock sound and their new dance-inspired direction. “Trouble’s Coming” is just a hint of the band’s new sound with its fusion of rock and upbeat funk. They take it further on “Limbo,” which blends Kerr’s dirty riffs with big disco grooves making it the most infectious song on the album. Daft Punk’s influence can be heard on “Million and One,” with its catchy synth riffs and electronic inspired sound.

Fan favorite “Boilermaker” is a highlight. After making its live debut in 2019, the song finally gets a proper release, and it lives up to the hype. The song fucking rocks. It has an undeniable swagger with a sexy groove and an undercurrent of danger. But it’s very clear Josh Homme had his hands in the song. The riff sounds ripped from Queens of the Stone Age. It could easily be a cut from Villains. Still, it’s a badass song that gets you ready for a wild night out.

Read the full review on Genre is Dead!

Spins: Rob Zombie- Lunar Injection Kool-Aid Eclipse Conspiracy

Originally posted on Illinois Entertainer

For the past three decades, Rob Zombie has been music’s master of macabre. He’s built his career on disco metal groove songs about witches, monsters, and sexy mamas. He excels in disco sleaze groove metal horror-inspired songs to shake your ass to. And that’s exactly what you get on The Lunar Injection Kool-Aid Eclipse Conspiracy.  

Rob Zombie’s long-awaited seventh album doesn’t deviate much from this tried-and-true formula. It’s business as usual, and it’s a helluva good time. “Triumph of the King Freak” is a bombastic, in-your-face anthem reminding you who the king of disco-funk supernatural metal is. It’s a ferocious introduction to the strange, trippy journey we’re about to embark on with Zombie. Despite sounding similar to his past songs, it’s hard to resist the boot-stomping energy of “The Ballad of Sleazy Rider” or the sexy groove of “Shadow of the Cemetery Man.”

The heart-racing “The Eternal Struggles of the Howling Man” is one of the album’s best songs. Everything from the old school horror movie intro to the raging guitars and the porno-esque breakdown screams classic Zombie. And “The Satanic Rites of Blacula” is another fun, high-energy song that gets you riled up, fists pumping in the air. The mood shifts on the closing track “Crow Killer Blues.” It has a sinister edge. The song is heavy with a sense of doom as Zombie chants, “As you bleed darkness/judgment shall begin,” as if he’s bringing on the apocalypse. For a record that sounds like a non-stop party, it ends on a strangely bleak note.

Then there’s “18th Century Cannibals Excitable Morlocks on the Ghost Train,” the most WTF song on the album. It’s Rob Zombie gone country. The twanging guitars, Zombie’s southern drawl, and the rambling lyrics throw you off guard. On first listen, it’s off-putting. It doesn’t flow with the rest of the album, and the hoedown-inspired music is strange. But it grows on you after a while, especially with its intense hook that hits you like a runaway train. You gotta give it to him for going full country here. It’s a ballsy move that shatters our expectations. And it shows Zombie has no problem shifting gears sonically. This experimentation would’ve made the album stronger.

Whereas 2016’s The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (what’s up with him and these titles?) felt concise and left little room for filler, this album is too long. Not all of the 17 tracks are winners. Songs like “Get Loose,” “Shake Your Ass-Smoke Your Grass,” and “Boom-Boom-Boom” are tolerable but ultimately forgettable. But the numerous instrumentals really kill the album. They’re not even bad. They’re actually quite good and explore different sounds and styles lacking in other songs. But they’re too short, feeling more like unfinished ideas from the recording session. If they were fully fleshed out songs, they would add more variety to the album and push Zombie out of his comfort zone. Otherwise, they add little to the record.

The Lunar Injection Kool-Aid Eclipse Conspiracy is an in-the-books Rob Zombie album. If you’ve heard his previous records, you know what to expect here. Though it’s similar to his past albums, it’s still a good time. The songs are catchy, heavy, trippy, and funky as good Rob Zombie songs should be. After a year of music that reflected the hardships of 2020, it’s a relief to get an album that’s just fun. It’s the soundtrack to the wild, trippy party we all deserve right now. Is it the best of his career? No, but after 34 years of digging through ditches and burning through witches, Rob Zombie proves he can still be our boogie man.

7 out of 10

Record Store Day 2020: A One-Off—or the New Normal?

Originally posted on New City Chicago

Seven months into the pandemic and with no sign of a vaccine, it’s looking like the disruptions we’ve endured to our favorite annual events might not be a 2020 exception. Take Record Store Day.

Record Store Day is like Christmas in April. The promise of exclusive vinyl lures me out of bed and into the early-spring chill each year. Despite waking up too early and waiting in line for hours in the cold, it’s a tradition I look forward to. It’s a celebration of independent record stores, vinyl and people who love music. Not only do you walk away with new vinyl, you get to nerd out with other enthusiasts and support local businesses. But this year, of course, was different.

I’ve tried to avoid large groups of people. When the drop dates were announced, I was unsure whether I wanted to venture out. I considered going virtual, but after three months stuck at home, I needed to get out. Unable to visit my family, see friends or go to the office, I was desperate for some sense of normal. So I got up early and dragged myself to the record store. As always, I was groggy, cold, and half-asleep when I lined up. And it felt good. I was out with other people again and shopping at my favorite store, something I hadn’t experienced in months. I felt like a regular person again. But as I walked away with my prized vinyl, I was torn. The event left me unfulfilled, yet it was also my most pleasant Record Store Day experience.

Read the rest of the article here.