11/5: Chvrches' The Bones of What You Believe: The build and climax of “Tether” gave me genuine shivers.
Why? After enjoying Every Open Eye I decided to finally check this out.
Additional Thoughts: I’m actually really glad that I decided to wait on checking them out until their sophomore, because I don’t think this really lives up to the hype. To be clear, in parts it does, but as whole it does not. Or maybe this is one of those instances where whichever one you hear first you’ll love more, because it’s not a bad album (“Lungs”, in particular, is lovely), it just doesn’t light a fire in me like their follow-up. And while I could take or leave the male vocal track on EOE, here they just drag things down.
11/6: Sara Bareilles' What's Inside: Songs from Waitress: I hope this is just the first of many musicals by Sara.
Why? New release and this will also round out Sara’s discography for now.
Additional Thoughts: I recall reading Sara describe this record as more her “covering” the musical’s songs, but I think the theatrical quality still comes through. It’s really a lovely album; quite jaunty and cute in places (“Opening Up”), but heartfelt when it needs to be (“She Used to be Mine” and “Everything Changes.”) Both of which are to be expected from Sara and places she excels.
11/10: Gabrielle Aplin's Light Up the Dark: Gospel-tinged “Shallow Love” exemplifies the album's thoughtful lyrics.
Why? 2015 release that’s been sitting in my Spotify “queue,” but I’m not sure how it got there.
Additional Thoughts: The opening moments of this album gave me instant Beatles vibes, as do the melodies in “Sweet Nothing” and a bit of “What Did I Do?” Incidentally, when I searched for Gabrielle and Beatles the first result is her doing a cover of “There’s a Place,” which as Beatle tracks go is a deep cut. That said, lyrically and thematically the album reminds a lot of Franz Ferdinand’s “Swallow, Smile,” because there’s a lot about emotional distance or coldness in a relationship, like in “Heavy Heart” or even wanting to fight just to feel something like in “Fool’s Love” when she says “I even miss the fighting.” I have yet to listen to her debut, but I really enjoyed this album. I dig her voice and her sound is an interesting mix of different influences, like the aforementioned gospel and soul.
11/11: Julia Holter's Loud City Song: I appreciate the slow burns and organized chaos, but it feels over my head lyrically.
Why? It was mentioned on the Needle Drop.
Additional Thoughts: When I first heard The Family Jewels I said it was the musical baby of Fiona Apple and Sparks. This album feels like that album’s sister, but not as immediate or as poppy, though it does have accents and weird vocal stuff similar to Marina. I still feel like I’m not quite getting it and maybe this was a difficult place to jump into her work, but with songs like the beautiful “Hello Stranger” I’m definitely willing to keep trying.
11/12: Hanson's Middle of Nowhere: There's a fine line between precocious and pretentious, and they walk it well.
Why? I have a list of discographies I want to get through and chose them.
Additional Thoughts: Like with Backstreet Boys’ early albums a while back, I didn’t go into this record completely blind. Granted, my relationship with Hanson is nowhere near as complicated as my relationship with BSB. I never disliked Hanson, but I never exactly liked them either. In 1997 my brain was all about the Beatles, the Monkees, Spice Girls, and Fiona Apple, there just wasn’t much room for them. But my cousin was suuuuper into them, so I didn’t miss the train entirely. As I alluded to in the tweet, it’s surprisingly sophisticated and mature. I don’t know how much of the sophistication you can attribute to the adult writers and producers who helped, because so many teen acts carried entirely by adults behind the scenes don’t sound as mature. Probably because they sound like what adults think teens sound like, because they either forget or look down on teenagers. Plus, having now listened to their whole discography and seeing that they’ve (SPOILERS) remained fairly consistent throughout, I think maybe it’s like the Beatles/George Martin and Hanson had collaborators who respected them enough to not give them fluff and really listen to their ideas. I think the Jackson 5 comparison made here is very appropriate and most applicable in the outro of “Look At You” and the adorable “Lucy.” But then amongst all that, you have fucking “Yearbook,” man. It caught me completely off guard with its darkness and heavy implications. Though I have to admit that the biggest spot in my heart goes to “I Will Come To You,” it’s damn anthemic and honestly deserves a better place in the 90s classics canon.
11/15: The Both's The Both: Consistent to a fault. It has that catchy power pop bounce, but doesn't really grab me.
Why? Spotify recommended it.
Additional Thoughts: The Both is a collaboration (and album) between Aimee Mann and Todd Leo. It’s the kind of album that while it isn’t so bad or boring that I’d immediately change the station if I heard it on the radio, I wouldn’t seek it out either or tell anyone, “You totally have to listen to this!” Basically, the kind of album critics fawn over upon release, but forget about completely almost immediately. I can certainly see how it’d be a big crowd pleaser, if you’re of the crowd into its sort of music. Generally I am part of that crowd, but for me, it just leaves me meh and wishing I was listening to the stuff it often reminds me of or artists whose vocals I enjoy. That latter bit is particularly important, because Todd Leo’s faux-Dylan affectation is very unpleasant and something even Dylan can barely pull off.
11/16: Hanson's This Time Around: Bright pop with an occasionally harder, bluesy edge, such as ballad “Hand In Hand.”
Why? Currently working through their discography.
Additional Thoughts: Some critics made a thing about the ways Hanson differed from their teen pop contemporaries and sure, they do in certain ways, but it’s also interesting to listen to this record and among the Journey homages, John Popper harmonica, and Jonny Lang guitar hear shades of hip hop and late 90s/early 2000s pop, like in “Can’t Stop.” Plus, they have an undeniable gift for melody and pop craftsmanship, just like other major architects of the teen pop boom (Max Martin being probably the most notable.) And that gift served them well on their debut and continues do so here with tracks like “If Only.” It’s unfortunate that it didn’t see a similar commercial success.
11/17: Alessia Cara's Know-It-All: Her lyrics and performances show such potential, it's a shame bland music backs them.
Why? 2015 release.
Additional Thoughts: Earlier I mentioned Hanson’s ability to walk the line between precocious and pretentious and Alessia Cara walks the same line, though maybe not as well. The worst offender in this regard being her biggest single “Scars to Your Beautiful” and maybe “Here,” which I can’t decide if I like or find the “too good for the room” attitude is too irritating. Ironically, one of the highlights is “Wild Things” which is similar thematically to “Here” (complete with the line “They’re not cool like we are”) and yet I can’t help but like it. Probably because the music of “Wild Things” is uplifting, unlike “Here” which borders on dreary. Another noteworthy song is the vulnerable ballad “Stars.” As I said, she clearly has potential and I really hope she reaches it.
11/30: Mariah Carey's The Emancipation of Mimi: The laid back groove of “Say Somethin’” is an absolute highlight.
Why? One Week One Band featured Mariah and it inspired me to get back to finishing out her catalog
Additional Thoughts: What sticks out to me about this record is how fun it is. Mariah has plenty of fun songs, but her albums overall probably couldn’t be described as fun. That’s especially true of Mimi’s predecessor Charmbracelet with songs like “Through the Rain” and “Sunflowers for Alfred Roy” that make a bit more somber and introspective. And while I enjoyed Charmbracelet, it’s easy to see why this record resulted in Mariah’s so-called comeback, because the freedom and joy within it is infectious. Of course the album does have its share of ballads, which are great (as pretty much always with Mariah) like the gorgeous and happy “Joy Ride.” If I have any complaint at all about the album it’s that I really wish Jermaine Dupri wouldn’t babble so much nonsense, like on “Shake It Off,” but that’s apparently a thing with him and man, does it bug me. Either way, yes, great record and mandatory for Mariah fans of all sorts.
All albums available to stream on Spotify.
If you'd like to suggest an album, comment on this entry, tweet me, or ask on Tumblr.
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