Tag: The 2010’s
-
Basement ‘Colourmeinkindness’ (2012)
One of my favorite moments each week is my Saturday morning run. It’s a time for self reflection and “me” time after a hectic week of work and family, alongside a much-needed shot of exercise-induced adrenaline. It’s also a really great time for me to listen to some new music. Today’s album was Basement’s Colourmeinkindness,…
Written by
·
-
Narrow Head ‘Satisfaction’ (2016)
I’ve been on a bit of a shoegaze and all of its offshoots kick lately and I stumbled upon Narrow Head during my exploration of that genre. The band draws plenty of inspiration from Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins with those fuzzy, layered guitars and a warm wall of sound that walks that fine line between…
Written by
·
-
Beach House ‘Depression Cherry’ (2015)
Depression Cherry is music made for quiet, misty mornings when the world hasn’t quite decided what mood it’s in yet. The album found the duo drifting back to their earlier, simpler dream pop sound, crafting lullabies for millennials who enjoy spending their evenings past the stroke of midnight. The band purposefully scaled back the big…
Written by
·
-
Black Pumas ‘Black Pumas’ (2019)
Eric Burton’s rich smoky vocals and Adrian Quesada’s warm analog production shape a vintage sound on Black Pumas debut self-titled album. When it was released in 2019 it immediately turned heads for a handful of reasons. The two-man operation channeled the spirit of classic R&B, psychedelic grooves, and slow-burn funk into a gorgeous sounding record…
Written by
·
-
Waterparks ‘FANDOM’ (2019)
FANDOM by Waterparks is one of the more unique albums I’ve lsitened to in a minute. It’s basically an explosion of neon-tinged pop-punk energy, electronic gloss, and candy-coated hooks. Lead singer Awsten Knight and company turn heartbreak, internet fame, and fan culture into a hyperactive sugar rush of sound that is equal parts confession on…
Written by
·
-
Hardcore Superstar ‘Split Your Lip’ (2010)
This is another one of those “Jason has been absolutely loving Peacemaker Season 2 on HBO over the last few weeks and binging songs off the soundtrack ever since” inspired albums. It follows the familiar formula. Big production? Check. Big gang vocals? Check. Big ass guitar solos? Check. And with a classic sleaze rock inspired…
Written by
·
-
Father John Misty ‘Fear Fun’ (2012)
Father John Misty’s Fear Fun introduced the world to a bold new incarnation of Josh Tillman in the early 2010’s that would eventually watch him become one of the more commercially successful indie folk artists in an era when it seemed like everyone was doing the vintage indie folk thing. Tillman cut his teeth in…
Written by
·
-
Thee Oh Sees ‘Floating Coffin’ (2013)
Thee Oh Sees play a really fun brand of psychadelic garage rock and they have a mystique about them that fits their eclectic style. They might be one of the only bands I’ve ever seen that have gone through multiple name changes for the sole purpose of pissing people off. The band has been known…
Written by
·
-
Pop Smoke ‘Meet The Woo’ (2019)
Pop Smoke’s untimely death at the age of 20 robbed hip hop fans of a young burgeoning talent, but his debut mix tape Meet The Woo helped to ignite a resurgence of Drill and Grime music in the United States during the late 2010’s. This album is perfectly fit for late nights in dark clubs,…
Written by
·
-
Various Artists ‘Treasures of The Walt Disney Archive’ (2015)
I just wrapped up day 1 of an impromptu trip to Disneyland with the family today and boy are my legs beat. 27,000 steps since 8am will do that to ya. One of the true joys in life is watching your kids eyes light up under the grandeur and spectacle at The Happiest Place on…
Written by
·
-
Lana Del Rey ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ (2019)
I’ve always understood how Lana Del Rey could be beloved by so many but never understood why she was so beloved if that makes sense. The cinematic qualities of her music, classic Americana nostalgic undertones, and romantic sentimentality of her music felt incredibly compelling at face value. But there was always something that felt sort…
Written by
·
-
GoNoodle ‘Presents Blazer Fresh Vol 1’ (2017)
One day you become a parent and realize that most kids songs really suck. So you do one of three things: I fall into the last two camps (because exposing my kids to quality music is a massive priority of mine), which led me to find GoNoodle. The best way to describe them is if…
Written by
·
-
M83 ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ (2011)
Synth pop was absolutely all the rage during the 2010’s and there’s very few songs out their that capture that feeling of youthful exploration better and more succinctly than “Midnight City” off Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. From the bizarre ass synth introduction to the massive drum fill that kicks everything into high gear to softly…
Written by
·
-
Town Portal ‘The Occident’ (2015)
I got into Town Portal via Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge’s running playlist and I gotta say, it’s a vibe. These dudes are from Copenhagen and have long thrived on the fringes of instrumental rock, building a sound that pits Meshuggah-level polymeters against jazz-like playfulness and the noisy melodicism of ’90s post-hardcore. The Occident is a…
Written by
·
-
Big K.R.I.T. ‘4eva Is a Mighty Long Time’ (2017)
From soulful Southern anthems to hi-tempo party bangers to introspective spiritual ballads Big K.R.I.T. covers a metric ton of ground on 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time. It’s actually an interesting approach he takes to deliver that message, adopting two personas- the bombastic Big K.R.I.T. and the vulnerable Justin Scott (his real name). The double-disc…
Written by
·
-
Tim McGraw ‘Two Lanes Of Freedom’ (2013)
Tim McGraw is definitely on my Mount Rushmore of country artists (you can read more about that here) and while Two Lanes Of Freedom represents some of his more recent pop-oriented work it’s still a killer album. Go flip on “Southern Girl” and listen to that hook and tell me you aren’t singing along. Go…
Written by
·
-
Michael Cera Palin ‘I Don’t Know How to Explain It’ (2018)
I Don’t Know How to Explain It is actually relatively easy to explain. Tightly written emotionally charged emo-pop punk that plays to the genre’s strengths that blends catchy melodies and Midwest emo guitar noodling in its punchy runtime. The unexpectedly awesome cover of Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” show off their knack for…
Written by
·
-
Foster The People ‘Torches’ (2011)
When I think of Foster The People I think of Coachella and the music festival scene of the 2010’s. I never saw them live during any of their stints at Coachella, but damn do they embody the sound of that era and the feeling of being young and free. Torches is kind of a low-key…
Written by
·
-
The Trees ‘The Wizard of BA’ (2017)
I’ve been rolling solo with my kids all week with my wife on a work trip and one part of our morning drop-off and evening pick-up routine has been listening to “The Poo Poo Song” by The Trees. When I say I’ve listened to this song over 50 times this week I’m not kidding– it’s…
Written by
·
-
Fuzz ‘Fuzz’ (2013)
Fuzz is a heavy, garage-inflected alternative rock band that channels the raw power of early Black Sabbath, the scuzzy lo-fi energy of Ty Segall’s solo work (unsurprising, since he drums and sings for the band), the sludgy psych tendencies and weirdness of Primus, and ultimately sounds like a dirtier and more unhinged cousin of Wolfmother…
Written by
·
-
Carnivores ‘Let’s Get Metaphysical’ (2014)
Carnivores’ were a pretty unknown band from Glasgow (74 monthly listeners) that I stumbled on a few weeks ago via a random Spotify playlist. I popped them on and was incredibly impressed in a short matter of time– it’s like garage rock meets post-hardcore in a very fun and frenetic way. Basically if you’re looking…
Written by
·
-
The Lumineers ‘The Lumineers’ (2012)
The Lumineers have had some pretty massive global success over the years (especially with “Ho Hey” off this debut album) and for all intents and purposes they’re massive superstars. The whole Boom-Clap suspendercore genre has been a go-to formula for artists in the last decade, combining the sentiments of mustachio’d Brooklyn hipsters riding unicycles around…
Written by
·
-
The Record Company ‘Give It Back To You’ (2016)
I love a good album story as much as the next guy and The Record Company’s Give It Back To You has a pretty darn good one. The band wrote, recorded, and mixed their debut in the same living room where the band was formed, which is a pretty poetic way to go about things.…
Written by
·
-
Wale ‘The Gifted’ (2013)
The internet is ablaze today after streamer Kai Cenat snubbed Wale at the BET Awards and mispronounced his name “Wally” before being corrected by his fans. It’s a silly thing of course but also shows just how quickly your time in the sun can come and go. So inevitably I decided to take a bit…
Written by
·
-
The 1975 ‘The 1975’ (2013)
I hadn’t gotten too deep into The 1975 until a few weekends ago when me and the family were driving home from a weekend in Chico. It’s a three hour drive which certainly lends enough time to get a few full album listens in. With my wife being a huge Taylor Swift fan it made…
Written by
·
-
WSTR ‘Red, Green Or Inbetween’ (2017)
Pop punk has historically been by and large dominated by American bands for it’s entire lifespan. That’s starting to change a bit, with British acts (like WSTR) beginning to gain more and more prominence. Their debut full-length album Red, Green Or Inbetween is a fun romp through all of the tropes that make pop punk…
Written by
·
-
Knuckle Puck ‘Copacetic’ (2015)
Sometimes you want to listen to a record that doesn’t overthink things, especially in the pop punk genre. No frills. No gimmicks. Just heart-on-your-sleeve hooks delivered with conviction until your voice is completely shredded by the time you hit track four. Knuckle Puck’s debut album Copacetic is just that. The Chicago quintet carved out their…
Written by
·
-
The Band CAMINO ‘tryhard’ (2019)
I remember hearing the opening guitar riff of “Daphne Blue” for the first time a few years ago and being totally blown away how fricking gorgeous it sounded. The hazy distortion, the reverb, the sweet delays, all vintage 80’s fare meets modern pop production until everything sounds massive. It was one of those songs that…
Written by
·
-
Alabama Shakes ‘Boys & Girls’ (2012)
Boys & Girls is steeped in the fuzz and feel of Southern soul, garage rock, and classic R&B. But what really sets the band apart is Brittany Howard’s spectacularly raw and emotive vocal performance.
Written by
·
-
Portugal. The Man ‘Woodstock’ (2017)
Portugal. The Man’s album Woodstock emerged from a creative reset after discovering a 1969 ticket stub. Featuring slick production and punchy grooves, the band went global with the success of hit single “Feel It Still”.
Written by
·
-
SKATERS ‘Rock and Roll Bye Bye’ (2017)
SKATERS’ Rock and Roll Bye Bye sounds like a scrappier, sunnier cousin to early 2000s New York garage rock, sort of like what The Strokes Is This It would have sounded like if they spent less time in dive bars and more time riding skateboards by the beach. There’s a loose, surfy charm running through…
Written by
·
-
JR JR ‘JR JR’ (2015)
Spring is one of my favorite seasons– flowers blooming, glorious sunshine, and a sense of renewed purpose. JR JR’s bright pop rock is an ideal pairing for relaxed mornings drinking coffee on the porch.
Written by
·
-
Turnstile ‘Step 2 Rhythm’ (2013)
Formed in Baltimore by veterans of the local hardcore circuit Turnstile came up playing packed basements and DIY shows and developed a pretty devoted cult following for the energy they brought live. Their debut EP captures that early energy, featuring raw breakdowns, gang vocals, and a sense of self-expression that feels less like aggression and…
Written by
·
-
Sam Fender ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ (2019)
I’ve been a massive fan of Sam Fender ever since I heard his sophomore album Seventeen Going Under, an auto-biographical collection of short stories masquerading as songs from his childhood. Fender has earned comparisons to my all-time GOAT Bruce Springsteen over the years due to the profound level of personalization in his music as well…
Written by
·
-
State Champs ‘The Finer Things’ (2013)
The Finer Things, State Champs’ 2013 debut, is a sugar-rush of pop punk energy—tight, fast, and full of heart. It’s the sound of youth at full sprint what with its crashing drums, soaring hooks, and massive guitar hooks. There’s very much a mid-2000’s vibe to State Champs (think in the vein of New Found Glory…
Written by
·
-
Origami Angel ‘Somewhere City’ (2019)
Origami Angel burst onto the modern emo scene with a fastball-down-the-pipe energy which blended rapid-fire math rock with hyperactive skate-punk and added in a dose of unshakable optimism. Somewhere City is a nod to a world where childhood comforts like all-day Danny Phantom marathons and Happy Meals serve as legitimate forms of self-care (shoutout to…
Written by
·
