Either Charming or Tedious

music reviews for the aurally curious

The Valley

vibe: eisley is a band known for their angelic voices, delicate melodies, and fairytale invoking lyrics. their latest album, the valley, keeps some of these elements in tact while adding the sharp edge of someone who has just had their heart broken. the album tackles that difficult feeling with a perfect balance of songs, ranging from anger to desperation to grief. eisley breaks down the intricate emotions of every stage of heartache with perfect honesty.

try this: smarter

standout track: please

lyrical gem: “there I sat alone in the car, the weight of what you’d done all around me.” -mr. moon

Watch the Throne

vibe: two of the world’s greatest rappers come together to create an album showing how great they are. as a hardcore fan of both jay-z  and kanye west, i was as excited about this album as the next girl, and i was not disappointed. the beats are strong and the lines are clever, and, despite touching on subjects such as racism, religion, and capitalism, the songs never gets too heavy. both rappers come stronger and harder on their own, however, so newbies should check out solo works, which include collaborations between the two. for old fans, this album is a solid addition to the collection. these guys have earned their reputations as the best, it’s nice to see them enjoy it as bffs.

try this: n*****s in paris

standout track: gotta have it

lyrical gem: “n****s hustlin’ every day for a beat from ‘ye, what do i do? turn around gave them beats to jay. and i’m rapping on the beat they was supposed to buy, i guess i’m getting high off my own supply.” - Made in America

The Rip Tide

vibe: In a lot of ways, this album is Beirut finally coming home. After two albums that filled listeners with images and nostalgic feelings about train rides through European landscapes, this album, made both in New York and Brooklyn as well as in singer Zach Codon’s hometowns of Albuquerque and Santa Fe, The Rip Tide brings that same nostalgia and exoticism back to the States, reminding listeners that the same elegant culture of the past existed in America as well.

try this: santa fe

standout track: east harlem

lyrical gem: “shake the trees, see what falls out of them. in a city where nobody hears a bird’s call fine, fine winter’s here again.” - The Peacock


Shallow Grave

vibe: this is the album that doesn’t really fit into any genres and transcends them all. it’s not that it’s so incredibly musically innovative, if i had to, it would be easy to place into the country or folk category. the really interesting thing about the tallest man on earth is the way this album sounds at first like the kind of bluegrass music that’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but suddenly it feels very personal to the listener, no matter what kind of music they prefer. Maybe it’s the eager tone of the singer’s voice, or the comfortably familiar strum of the guitar, but the each song has the unique ability to play directly on the listener’s most personal emotions.

try this: the gardener

standout track: where do my bluebird fly

lyrical gem: “i found the darkness in my neighbor, i found the fire in the frost. i found the season once claimed healthy, oh, i need the guidance of the lost.” - shallow grave

stars: 4.3/5


Middle Cyclone

vibe: this is an album of poetry, truly about the lyrics written by neko case. the music is all simple and nostalgic, like a music box from your childhood, over which she layers vivid imagery about longing, inner strength, frustration, and love. a magical album that i really can’t praise highly enough.

try this: this tornado loves you

standout track: the next time you say forever

lyrical gem: “i lie across the path waiting just for a chance to be a spiderweb, trapped in your lashes, for that, i would trade you my empire for ashes.” -middle cyclone

stars: 4.8/5

Lungs

vibe: this album has been huge this year, critically and among fans, and i’m among one of its proponents, but it is difficult to describe an overall vibe of something this unique- feral? mystical? worldly? i feel like this florence and the machine album is just a fairytale flight of fancy, a glimpse into the inner passion and pain of the damsel or princess, and the world of love and loss through her eyes.

try this: cosmic love

standout track: i’m not calling you a liar

lyrical gem: ‘here i am a rabbit hearted girl, frozen in the headlights… i must become a lion hearted girl, ready for a fight.” - rabbit heart (raise it up)

stars: 4.2/5

Lights

vibe: soulful pop, a quirky voice and enough synth to make you want to dance, not tear your ears off (that means you, britney and kesha). ellie goulding’s album is full of sincerity, modern beats, and an undeniably affecting voice. this is the album for when you need some pop goodness to jam too but aren’t willing to turn to the inanity of radio music.

try this: the writer

standout track: under the sheets

lyrical gem: “for all of the times that i lost my head, when it rolled to the floor and I found it again, but when it came back, I didn’t know my own name. ” -salt skin

stars: 3.6/5

King of Limbs

vibe: ah, radiohead. it’s not easy to do a critique on arguably one of the best bands of all time, and luckily, this album doesn’t really require any harsh words. it’s not as innovative as many of there albums, and it’s a bit heavy on the ambient, electronic noise, but thom yorke’s voice and lyrics as usual bring it all back home. it’s music to drift off to, until a certain tone or phrase hits you in the gut and wakes you up again. not the best radiohead album, but a great reminder of why they’re the biggest band in the world. 

try this: morning mr. magpie

standout track: codex

lyrical gem: “i’m such a tease, and you’re such a flirt. once you’ve been hurt, you’ve been around enough.” - little by little

stars: 4/5

Cover Of the Moment: When Doves Cry

the be good tanyas vs. prince

whether or not your an 80s fan, most people are familiar with the famous prince hit. the be good tanyas take a more country/ folk feel, but both versions let the lyrics tell the story, without putting too sad of a soundtrack to it, which works well to highlight the poignant honesty of the words. 

an 80s dance hit with a hidden heart, or a modern folk retelling from a female perspective? which do you prefer?