Monday, July 1, 2019

Listening Log Present - Vol. 1



I couldn't stay away. Not a year has passed and Dozens Of Donuts has risen from the grave. Sure, it's as a zombie whose mental state has been dwarfed by its former, living self, but still. We're back.

Truth be told, I remain satisfied with my decision to shut down Dozens Of Donuts on account of my busy work schedule, which is as active as ever. The amount of music I've listened to has increased tremendously since setting aside the keyboard, which has been a rewarding experience in my never-ending quest to become a self-prescribed connoisseur. 

So how and why are we here? Well, as many of you know, I still run a RateYourMusic page. On that account you'll find my Listening Log, which is where you can see ratings and reviews for everything I listen to. My thought was simple then: Let's put those reviews - which are growing in size and substance (for those that know my writing style, this isn't a surprise) - onto Dozens Of Donuts. Once a week I'll amalgamate these reviews into two articles; Listening Log Past & Listening Log Present. It goes without saying that the former is anything not released in the current year, the latter is. 

A new rating system has been put in place to better associate with my oftentimes confusing ratings on RYM. A textbook grading system will be used, ranging from A+ to F-, with C the baseline average. Also there is no set amount of reviews per week, just however many I get around to reviewing. And don't expect week-of reviews. I wait one month - with at least three listens under my belt - before I rate and review an album. Enjoy the return, let's hope it lasts.
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The National | I Am Easy To Find
2019 | Chamber Pop | Listen

MAUDLIN SERENDIPITY ENSNARED AMIDST GROUNDHOGS DAY

Another excellent National album that's getting seriously underrated by, I presume, National purists? I Am Easy To Find differs heavily in who delivers the content, with Matt Berninger splitting duties with a litany of female vocalists. They are all lovely, although one can criticize the flock for all providing the same heavy-hearted resonance. A style that undoubtedly fits the tone of the album, with every song - high tempo or low - applying that textbook National weight. 

Typically albums that exceed an hour with minimal variety don't fair well, but I Am Easy To Find's beauty is hard to dismiss. It helps that the album gets progressively better, hitting its stride midway through with 'I Am Easy To Find,' 'Where Is Her Head,' and 'Not In Kansas,' then capitalizing on renewed interest with the climax 'Rylan' and the emotionally-gratifying epilogue 'Light Years.' 'You Had Your Soul With You,' 'Quiet Light,' and 'Hairpin Turns' are all excellent contributions as well. This is how you do refined maturity without coming across as out-of-touch.

B
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Flying Lotus | Flamagra
2019 | Nu-Jazz | Listen

STARGAZING ON A PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT VIA THE COSMIC TRASH HEAP

2019's biggest disappointment? Without a doubt. Following the release of the David Lynch-assisted 'Fire Is Coming,' it seemed as if Flying Lotus was poised for his most ambitious, avant-garde, left field project yet. Instead, Flamagra molders every aspect of his IDM craftsmanship into its most trivial, despondent, and outright boring form. Excluding the rich and multi-layered 'Takashi,' there isn't a single redeemable instrumental here. None. 'Capillaries,' 'Inside Your Home,' 'Andromeda,' 'Pygmy,' etc. Pick your poison, they're all lifeless shells of the standard FlyLo formula. Dry, uninspired rubbish. 

Even the assortment of features - who all do admirable jobs - can't deter the incoming snooze fest. And the only reason for their success, whether it's Anderson .Paak on 'More,' George Clinton on 'Burning Down The House,' Shabazz Palaces on 'Actually Virtual,' or Solange on 'Land Of Honey,' is due to Flying Lotus' insistence on remaining true to that respective artists' essence. It's almost comical hearing the production behind the voices tread so tightly to the source material. On Flamagra, FlyLo's expertise in futuristic genre-blending is proven inconsequential, while his own identity is lost byway of copycat mannerisms, whether through his own material or that of others.

D
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Tyler, The Creator | IGOR
2019 | Neo-Soul | Listen

SAVORING THE BEAUTY OF MISSED CONNECTIONS

Phenomenal. What else would you expect with Tyler, The Creator in his prime? As Kanye West continues to recede in musical ambition, the mantle of Hip-Hop's best artist (taking the term literally) is left open for Tyler. Much like Flower Boy, IGOR is a gorgeous evolution of Hip-Hop. By accepting the LGBT community - something that defines the relationship triangle present in IGOR's underbelly concept - Tyler has unmistakably taken Hip-Hop out of the grit and into the glamor. 

In terms of IGOR's content, it's a double-edged sword. Quite literally, as the first half is arguably the most uninteresting of Tyler's career (from 'Igor's Theme' to 'Running Out Of Time'). Here, he relies too heavily on kickstarting the concept without creating compelling music to coincide with it. 'Earfquake,' 'I Think,' and 'Running Out Of Time' all feel like aborted B-Sides to Flower Boy, embellishing the Neo-Soul without offering something that intoxicates. Uncoincidentally, the first four helpings (excluding the 14-second interlude) are my least favorite. 

However, when 'New Magic Wand' hits with thunderous force, Tyler's virtuosity is unleashed for a seven-track run that's unparalleled in his, or damn near anyone's, discography. From here on out, IGOR is treated like an infusion of Flower Boy and Cherry Bomb, with the former's loving textures competing against the latter's grotesque deformities of over-saturated color. 'New Magic Wand' and 'What's Good' for their gross, nihilistic use of drum and bass, 'A Boy Is A Gun' for its illogical disassembly of structure, and 'Puppet' for its sickly treatment of a Hip-Hop star. 

IGOR's best comes out on 'Gone, Gone' and 'Are We Still Friends?' though, as they'e the two that best exemplify Tyler's dedication to beauty. Really, noting the exemplarily-used Al Green sample in 'Are We Still Friends?' should be proof enough, but Tyler's tasteful layering of synths and distorted vocals onto that only adds to the allure. A perfectly satisfying closer. 'Gone, Gone' is a separate entity entirely, as its elated euphoria draws direct comparisons to Mercury Rev's divine Psychedelic Pop (both in their 90's material and Jonathan Donahue's team-up with The Avalanches on 2016's Wildflower). This, a startling turn for the former radical. Seriously, go back and listen to 'Radicals' or 'Tina' or 'Tron Cat' and laud at the growth of a true artist.

A-
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Efrim Manuel Menuck | are SING SINCK, SING
2019 | Drone | Listen

A BLACK HOLE TO END CIVILIZED DISCORD

One year removed from Pissing Stars, an impressive and accessible - but equally distraught - take on the Godspeed You! Black Emperor formula, and Efrim Manuel Menuck returns for more society-shaming, apocalypse-embracing misery. are SING SINCK, SING strips the pleasantries and replaces any Pop flair for searing psychedelic Drone. The overwhelming wall of sound on every song does get monotonous, but there's no denying the sheer beauty. Especially when Menuck's cries for help - as fragile as they are - pierce the monolithic structure of straight Noise. At a cool 31 minutes, it's a rather harmless Drone record to dip your toes into, although it rarely impresses. The soft, humming, synthetic crescendo of 'Do The Police Embrace?' is my favorite part.

C
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Injury Reserve | Injury Reserve
2019 | Experimental Hip-Hop | Listen

GENIAL BRAGGADOCIO FOR THE INCLUSIVE HIP-HOP CONSUMER

Given their age and relative viridity in Hip-Hop, Injury Reserve's self-titled debut is truly a special occasion. It's not outstanding, but it is awe-inspiring to see success achieved at such a late stage in a young man's game. And that maturity between Ritchie With A T, Stepa J Groggs, and Parker Corey really shows itself through their knowledge of Hip-Hop. Injury Reserve is an all-inclusive project, one that doesn't neglect any form of Hip-Hop, whether it has to do with progressive ideals ('GTFU,' starring JPEGMAFIA and Cakes da Killa), vintage throwbacks ('Gravy n' Biscuits,' 'Three Man Weave'), traditionalist takes ('Wax On'), or chic bangers ('Jailbreak The Tesla,' 'Koruna & Lime'). 

Due to the variety, Injury Reserve warrant themselves the label jack-of-all-trades, although their own identity becomes lost in that shuffle. It doesn't help that their conscious attempts are sorely inconsistent, with some of the best - 'What A Year It's Been' and its bold Thee Silver Mt. Zion sample, 'Three Man Weave' and its shrewd coming-of-age take on Hip-Hop akin to J. Cole's '1985' - being marred by some of the worst, namely 'Best Spot In The House' and 'New Hawaii.' 

Still, a fun Hip-Hop album from three connoisseurs that explores all facets of the genre. Undoubtedly, there's something for everybody here. And while Injury Reserve's identity doesn't reveal itself too distinctly - with comparisons to Brockhampton abound - creative ideas like 'Jawbreaker' and 'Rap Song Tutorial' show that there's a lane for them if they choose to take it.

B-
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Mellow Gang | Adjourn
2019 | Synthpop | Listen

SEASIDE VISTAS IN A PERMANENT STATE OF OVERCAST

A disappointingly-dull debut from a band who intrigued me with 2017's EP Play. After Adjourn, Mellow Gang's reminiscent of Pinkshinyultrablast to me. A group who understands the modern blend of Dream Pop, Synthpop, and Ethereal Wave, but fail to discern their own lane within it. Adjourn is derivative mush, as each of the seven full-fledged songs attack the same shadowy corner, one that latches Harriet Joseph to Noir sensualism. Jungle rhythms in the percussion, balmy synthesizers, and archetypal Shoegaze-lite guitars dominate each and every surface. Entirely forgettable.

D
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slowthai | Nothing Great About Britain
2019 | Grime | Listen

NORTHANT INSURGENT JADED IN THE BREXIT AGE

Solid debut that's filled with passion and fervor. The primary problem of Nothing Great About Britain is slowthai's reliance on UK Hip-Hop tropes, with Grime and Trap playing key roles in the LP's soiled surface. They're well executed - especially in conjunction with slowthai's effectually-conscious lyrics  - but pale in comparison to 'Doorman,' a riotous Art Punk gone Hip-Hop oddity that feels like a continuation of the demented bacchanal laid out on Danny Brown's Atrocity Exhibition. Nothing else here sounds like it, which is a damn shame. 

However, ignoring that missed opportunity for greatness, Nothing Great About Britain does come equip with enough competent, coming-of-age dialogue (best seen on tracks like 'Gorgeous,' 'Toaster,' and 'Northampton's Child') to warrant appreciation.

C+
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