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.
__________________________________________________________
Azealia Banks has to be one of only a handful of artists whose daily life is crazier than the art she intends to create. Discounted by an entire music industry thanks to her antics, Banks' fetching Hip House never falters from her helter-skelter personality. 'Treasure Island' is yet another example of this, checking off each do of Hip House while limiting the don't's. Right from the get-go, with rough and rugged tribal drums, Banks' flow-savvy aggression fires off on all cylinders, bearing resemblance to her championing work '212.' Unlike 'Anna Wintour,' where Banks' sketchy R&B efforts somewhat soured the output, 'Treasure Island' billows during the fantasy hook. The duality is disorienting at first, as uniting her aggressive rhyme styles with the light feminine touch proves difficult. As with anything though, enough talent can circumvent such issues, and that's exactly what 'Treasure Island' accomplishes. A hollowed out bridge, devoid of Banks' vocal presence, further exemplifies her knack for atmosphere-building while showcasing the first-rate production bouncing under her.
__________________________________________________________
Chance The Rapper is extremely talented. His promise was unparalleled after the incredible Acid Rap, dissipating come Coloring Book but not enough to consider his potential a bust. However, since branching off from his honest roots with The Social Experiment, things have become less special, which is where Chance's music thrives. For his first output in over two years, the rapper decided to drop a four-single set: 'I Might Need Security,' '65th & Ingleside,' 'Wala Cam,' and 'Work Out.' The collection finds Chance reassuring listeners that his style's not one to change even when the trends around him do. Each single is summer affected Pop Rap to the maximum, flourishing in pleasantries but lacking in abrasion. Half a decade removed from Acid Rap and the aged, virtually lost Juke movement shows signs of apathy.
Ranking the four singles is fairly cut and dry. 'Work Out' outlasts its companions by retreating to Chance's 10Day era, finding a humble emcee praising a positive outlook over exciting Footwork. Then there's '65th & Ingleside,' which relies heavily on Frank Ocean-esque chipmunk vocals and booming tribal drums. Those are the least appealing aspects of the track, as Chance's verses are both engaging and tantalizing. 'I Might Need Security' wins the controversy award with the overly-used "fuck you" sample, something that makes and breaks the song as the verses are ruined by the multi-layering while the airy hooks thrive thanks to it. Chance's comments on police brutality here are wise and grounded as always. Lastly, 'Wala Cam' ends up as the caboose, if only for the poor integration of Juke and Trap and Supa Bwe's ear-curdling presence on the song. His verse is awkward, the chorus abysmal. Overall though, while Chance plays it safe with his four new singles, that talent we saw long ago can still be seen. It just needs to be unleashed.
Ranking the four singles is fairly cut and dry. 'Work Out' outlasts its companions by retreating to Chance's 10Day era, finding a humble emcee praising a positive outlook over exciting Footwork. Then there's '65th & Ingleside,' which relies heavily on Frank Ocean-esque chipmunk vocals and booming tribal drums. Those are the least appealing aspects of the track, as Chance's verses are both engaging and tantalizing. 'I Might Need Security' wins the controversy award with the overly-used "fuck you" sample, something that makes and breaks the song as the verses are ruined by the multi-layering while the airy hooks thrive thanks to it. Chance's comments on police brutality here are wise and grounded as always. Lastly, 'Wala Cam' ends up as the caboose, if only for the poor integration of Juke and Trap and Supa Bwe's ear-curdling presence on the song. His verse is awkward, the chorus abysmal. Overall though, while Chance plays it safe with his four new singles, that talent we saw long ago can still be seen. It just needs to be unleashed.
__________________________________________________________
Everything since 2016's Painting With indicated that Animal Collective was ready to turn over a new leaf, branching out (or returning) to ultra-psychedelic atmosphere building. Considering Avey Tare's control of the band, his 2017 output - Meeting Of The Waters with Geologist and Eucalyptus - leveraged this change. 'Hair Cutter,' the lead single to their next audiovisual project Tangerine Reef, implies that AnCo's not dawdling in the murky middle ground. The four-minute, Ambient / Neo-Psychedelia crossover lacks any formal structuring and finds Avey Tare whistling coos trapped amongst the squall of rainforest fauna. It is wholeheartedly not single material, likely working better as Tangerine Reef's introduction where it currently resides. However, the sheer audacity of releasing something so minor, quaint, and uneventful proves Animal Collective's not yet done with their artistic statements. 'Hair Cutter' itself even cuts out abruptly, signaling a continually-metamorphosing project that treats track labels as a mere formality. While 'Hair Cutter's' not the most exciting piece in their repertoire (it's really one of the least), the intention disguised as direction is really where the promise lies.
__________________________________________________________
Brockhampton continues to gear up for the release of The Best Years Of Our Lives, an album that distinctly looks back on the childhoods of Brockhampton's various members, if '1999 Wildfire' and '1998 Truman' is any indication. Unlike 'Wildfire,' 'Truman' brings back that dynamic energy a group full of teenagers is bound to incite, swapping out a lazily sung chorus with a vigorous one performed by Merlyn Wood. Despite mild improvement, 'Truman' fails to reach Brockhampton's heights, largely thanks to Joba's opening verse which derails any momentum the excellent Jim Jones-assisted opening contrived. Apart from his exaggerated quirkiness, 'Truman' powers through standard fanfare by Matt Champion, Kevin Abstract, and Don McLennon. As per usual, Brockhampton's bread and butter lies in the enterprising production. The band's trademark kookiness is on full display, complete with overwhelming bass and a litany of inane sound effects. A late beat switch into Abstract's soft and stripling R&B territory proves wearisome until a rousing sendoff akin to 'New Slaves' barrels in. Certainly fun, if not a tad reiterative.
__________________________________________________________
In terms of the Indie and Alternative scene, few bands have been more prolific than Guided By Voices. Their projects have reached the point where counting them accurately isn't so cut and dry. Out of the 50 or so, I've heard one; 1994's Bee Thousand, a solid, albeit slightly overrated record with a few lofty standouts ('Gold Star For Robot Boy' being my favorite). Safe to say this excursion into 'You Own The Night' and 'Your Cricket Is Rather Unique' beckoned more out of curiosity for how Robert Pollard's style has aged. Believe it or not, aged he has not. Each single - one set for landing on 2019's Zeppelin Over China, the other on 2020's Street Party - bridges the gap between 90's revisionist nostalgia and modern day Indie Rock. 'You Own The Night' bears a barhopping charm, landing midway between Titus Andronicus and Car Seat Headrest, while 'Your Cricket Is Rather Unique' borders on summer Dream Pop akin to a masculine Alvvays. Pollard's vocals on each are crisp and intact, aging like fine wine, unlike comparable Noise Pop singer Ira Kaplan (of Yo La Tengo). Seems there's plenty of value to be unearthed in Guided By Voices' past two decades.
__________________________________________________________
The same sentiment I held on last year's Out In The Storm rings true on Waxahatchee's latest single 'Chapel Of Pines;' It's too Singer/Songwriter, not enough artistic desire. Working as a lead single to her upcoming EP Great Thunder, 'Chapel Of Pines' finds the singer at her most sequestered, relying only on her vocals and faint acoustics to carry the weight of her melancholy. There's a minor recurring piano and string bridge that evokes faithful and balanced Folk, which is likely the best aspect of the song as Waxahatchee distances herself from the spotlight, allowing the music to invoke the emotion. That being said, regardless of candor and a heartfelt eulogy, the sheer simplicity of 'Chapel Of Pines' lacks any form of originality. It's nearly expressionless, at least in a sense that's unique to Waxahatchee.
__________________________________________________________
No comments:
Post a Comment