Sunday, October 22, 2017

Loosies Of The Week, Oct. 16-22



Welcome to yet another Loosies Of The Week, a wrap-up of this weeks singles, throwaways, leaks, and any other loose tracks I find. A wide range of genres this week, with a well-rounded level of quality. There's sure to be something you enjoy. 
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Critics and listeners alike have ridden off MGMT in recent years, which is surprising because, even though their self-titled disappointed in many facets, it was their only release since 2010's astoundingly creative and catchy Congratulations. One album has never reduced a band's worth so much. Well, one album, year-in year-out radio silence, and an open admission to disliking your best material. 'Little Dark Age' aims to rectify that, and boy does it try to. It's resoundingly more addictive than anything off MGMT, while likely being more ambitious too considering what the duo does with what's ultimately a Synthpop-centric radio single. There's a heavy dose of 80's SynthPop all over 'Little Dark Age,' and that's not just because of MGMT's appearance in the goth-abiding music video. The Cure, Gary Numan, Depeche Mode just a few names that come to mind. After hearing 'Little Dark Age,' there's a lot of promise for their upcoming LP. It's catchy, especially the lovely turn-of-phrase hook, and satiated to the brim with sounds, styles, and quirks, much like Congratulations or Oracular Spectacular.
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Fever Ray - To The Moon & Back

Sweden's strangest eccentric, Karin Dreijer Andersson, has returned as Fever Ray. Known primarily as one half of the progressive cult duo The Knife, Andersson, between the band's lush Silent Shout and unexplainable Shaking The Habitual, dropped Fever Ray as a wintry construct of what Electropop would sound like if Sweden's frigid winter months were evoked. Praise was rewarded, although not on my behalf. The album reversed the roles of atmosphere and catchiness in The Knife's dynamic, something many adored but a decision that left me unsatisfied. Now, the opposite is sure to happen. 'To The Moon & Back,' shockingly, reprises and relives The Knife's 2001-2003 era with bubbling synth-dominated rhythms, screeching, childlike vocals, and a juvenile sense of humor. 'To The Moon & Back' embraces the delusional immaturity of 'Is It Medicine' or 'You Make Me Like Charity,' even more impressive considering over a decade has passed since then. Plus, Andersson ends the song with the ridiculous line "I want to ram my fingers up your pussy," recalling the extreme sexual delinquency of 'Hangin Out's' "I keep my dick hanging out of my pants." Doesn't get much better than that.
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King Gizzard - Crumbling Castle

To reimburse fans who've had to wait nearly two months for new King Gizzard material, the band decided to put out the 11-minute 'Crumbling Caste.' To this day, I still question how they've managed to release such high-quality material in such short spurts, all while artists (typically in Hip-Hop) doing the same thing have been struggling immensely. As expected, 'Crumbling Castle' is an above solid track. The epilepsy-inducing music video, which achieves about the maximum amount of psychedelic one can muster, accompanies the drifting grooves, battling drums, and Stu Mackenzie's theatrical vocals to a tee. A minor setback, potentially promoted to a major one considering the 11-minutes, is the lack of unseen material. Essentially, 'Crumbling Castle' is King Gizzard by the books. That's a pro for fans, a con for those wishing they'd break new ground with every release. Echoes of I'm In Your Mind Fuzz and Nonagon Infinity can be found deeply entrenched, as Flying Microtonal Banana's throat singing can be found scattered throughout. Before the eight-minute mark there's a promising, synth-driven transition that, if acted upon, could tease King Gizzard's next, proactive move.
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Clark - Honey Badger

I know not the context for 'Honey Badger,' a seemingly one-off release for the commanding Industrial-Electronic powerhouse Clark. 'Honey Badger,' in due time, will be joined by 'Pig,' two earthly creatures that bear no resemblance to the purely mechanical conjunctions Clark creates here. Badgers though are known to be aggressive, and 'Honey Badger' is no different, parading through a litany of passages, each roughly a minute in length. The flow is effortless, a clear sign of a talent and veteran producer. Here, Clark reimagines the chromatic Industrial compositions that dominated his acclaimed 2014 self-titled release, combining them with the frantic, fast-paced movements of this year's Death Peak. The result is the best of both worlds. While 'Honey Badger' doesn't reach the radiant highs of Death Peak's 'Peak Magnetic,' or the nimble progression of Clark's 'There's A Distance In You,' the one-off muscle-flexer excels by combining their efforts to manifest something more delusional and topsy-turvy.
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Big K.R.I.T. - Aux Cord

With the release of 'Keep The Devil Off,' one of Big K.R.I.T.'s best songs in years, the announcement of 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time came along with it. Marketed as a double album, Big K.R.I.T. leading one side, Justin Scott (his birth name) leading the other, all signs point to this LP being the make or break moment in K.R.I.T.'s career. With nearly 90 minutes of material planned, content has to be good and diverse enough to satisfy the length. So far, with the three singles as evidence, it seems possible. 'Confetti' was a miss, latching onto dated ideas of what K.R.I.T. and the South represent. 'Keep The Devil Off' was awesome, bringing in a breath of creativity that's been sorely missed in his music. 'Aux Cord' finds the middle ground, wholly inspired by a myriad of artists meaningful to K.R.I.T.. That's with purpose given the content of the song, which exists as an ode to dozens of artists both new and old, all through a humble tone and a humble brag. I say that last part insincerely as the chorus finds K.R.I.T. demanding to "just pass the aux cord." In reality, this track is earnest, heartfelt, and passionate. Even better considering the gorgeous, multi-layered production handled behind the scenes. Without it, the concept would've been lost.
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The Soft Moon - Burn

The Soft Moon is the moniker of Luis Vasquez, one of modern Post-Punk's most enduring artists. The long-dead genre still lives through these faceless individuals, ironically representing the underground much like the genre's initial origin did. However, even Vasquez has moved on, transitioning slowly through his career from Post-Punk to the more brooding, abstract sub-groups Minimal Wave and Gothic Rock. 'Burn,' the lead single to 2018's Criminal, evokes even more of the latter, all whilst introducing an Industrial Rock edge. Unfortunately, it doesn't excel, struggling to get off the ground without constructing anything new or meaningful. Vasquez's vocals, or more importantly his lyrics, teeter on temperamental Emo Punk. Not a good sign for the genre that desperately tried to desert the insincerity for the artsy scene. 'Burn' tries to be both at once, coming off rather as cheesy and awfully theatrical. 
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