carly rae jepsen - emotion remixed +

more carly bae? yes, please

more carly bae? yes, please

most people know that emotion was one of my favorite albums of 2015 and there's two new tracks on this remix album so i figured i'd check it out. first time could've easily been an addition to emotion's main tracklist, fitting well within the sounds of making the most of the night or boy problems. fever's a little bit different, not really a major addition but welcomed anyway as it's a solid track.

the remixes here attempt to pull the 80s vibes out of the tracks for the most part and many of them succeed. would've loved to hear more takes on other tracks besides the four here but there's a few jams i wouldn't mind listening to again. not going to give this album a rating since it's not really a full effort but i'll suggest checking out the top tracks.

top tracks: first time, run away with me (y2k remix), your type (skylar spence remix), all that (the knocks remix)

five for five: vol. 2

alison wonderland - run

  1. pretty typical edm but i like female vocals
  2. lyricism is far from the strong point
  3. the best thing about this is that it kind of slaps
  4. i really don't need to listen to this much anymore
  5. this is like jack ü b-side material

score: 59

the maine - american candy

  1. the "pop rock band for the girls" aesthetic done right
  2. i don't really identify with this at all
  3. if rock was actually in right now this would be top 40 material
  4. i could see this being people's "guilty pleasure" album
  5. still too pretty for my regular consumption

score: 67

all time low - future hearts

  1. the "pop rock band for the girls" aesthetic done meh
  2. i shouldn't have listened to this
  3. the mark hoppus feature was entirely wasted on here and that's tragic
  4. i wanted pop punk and got rock pop
  5. these are like green day - uno dos tré b-sides and that's no good

score: 22

carly rae jepsen - emotion

  1. i wish she'd stop being cute sometimes, like write a dirty song already
  2. i really like you is actually a very solid song despite its slight annoyance
  3. too bad taylor swift did 80s pop first because this album's better and gonna get slept on
  4. it's a little too long of an album though, could've easily knocked off like 5 tracks
  5. black heart or i didn't just come here to dance better be her next singles if she wants to pop off

score: 71

polyphia - muse

  1. very proficient guitar players, less proficient compositions
  2. these songs take so much effort to listen to because they're so solo heavy
  3. the chon feature has the best replay value
  4. the songs aren't inherently bad at all but with all the soloing it needs more low points
  5. the album would do better with vocals, honestly

score: 57

the money pit - the money pit

“sometimes i wanna, i wanna blow up everything”
— i want my money back

tom hanks stars in the money pit, a movie about a couple struggling to repair an old house. nic newsham and bobby darling star in the money pit, an album about a couple successfully repairing an old band. they're not looking to dwell on the past and neither should any listeners. we're all met with various staple gatsbys american dream stylings (staccato guitar riffs, sultry crooning, tasteful drumming), but they're done in a way that feels fresh and forward thinking.

the melodies on nearly every track feel so effortless and easy-going. it's hard not to get lost and vibe out and it would be wrong to fight that feeling. that's what the album feels like, a respite from all that is hectic in the world. for a solid 30 minutes, you don't have to care about a thing but your own enjoyment for once. follow the drums through a simple journey with complex accents. follow the bass lines to your soul and feel the grooves. fly away and hover low with the vocal tones. return home once it clicks and all elements work together. 

it's easy to get hooked on old memories of the house you've known for years, especially when no one was living in it. the house never really became dilapidated, either. the money pit isn't entirely a money pit when all it really took was a new coat of paint to make it all pop.

top 3 + bottom none: i want my money back, killing time in hawaii, devastator

guest review by @internaldivide 

The Money Pit is the return of two greats within the indie/alternative scene, Nic Newsham and Bobby Darling. This is their first musical venture together since Gatsbys American Dream's self-titled album in 2006. With this album, they show that they haven't lost a single step along the way.

One thing to be noted is that this is NOT a Gatsbys American Dream album and it should not be treated as such. It's a completely separate entity. At the same time, fans of Gatsbys American Dream can find familiarity in The Money Pit through the stacatto riffs and accidentals used on guitar, the smooth vocals, the hard-hitting drums, and the punchy bass. And that's where the comparison ends.

The Money Pit's self-titled album is one of those albums where one can completely vibe out with for its duration. I found myself engrossed as one song lead effortlessly into the next. The lyrics gets you thinking, chuckling, and feeling introspective. The music backs that up with plenty of variety and stylings where each song separates itself from the one before it, yet being cohesive overall.

Being one of my personal AOTY contenders, it makes me estatic to see these two back into making music again. Gatsbys American Dream's music has had a huge influence on the music that I aspire to make. It's the culmination of some of my previous muscial interests, one being pop-punk, and my current interests in progressive and experimental. Their music not only was something to jam to, but like a musical adventure with twists and turns as rhythms and time signatures changed throughout. It helped me become more analytical in all of the music I've come to listen to. I can't help myself in pointing out to others "hey this song is in 5/4 it's so interesting right?" as they roll their eyes. What they made in the past is something I truly have an appreciation for and I greatly look forward to what they have in store for the future.

top 3 + bottom none: I Want My Money Back, Control Everything, Blackout

score: 94

score: 93

album digitally available sept. 4th.
pre-orders available at their website.
follow them on twitter @moneypitmusic.
download 4 tracks from the album below.

made in heights - without my enemy what would i do

“if you can feel the beat / then why the hell we talking”
— pop it in 2

one part smooth production and one part sexy, faint vocals, made in heights is a duo poised on stealing your heart without even talking about it. the ambience that is created in 13 tracks is so entrancing, you can't help but sway to every single one. some tracks are meant to croon, they drag on you in a way that calms your mind. others have more kick to them; they make you wanna get up and dance but in a very reserved way, and that's refreshing.

the vocals are strong but never really push hard at all. one would think that this would be a deterrent, but it's their best asset. where the vocals simmer, the beat punches. it also never hits you very loudly, but each noise is so precisely placed that its cleanliness is a manner of hitting hard. the use of unconventional noises mixed in with trap staples is also incredibly catchy. it's an easy listen and surprisingly takes a few listens to grasp all of the vibes regardless of its apparent simplicity.

top 3 + lowest one: pop it in 2, ghosts, slow burn, silver droplets

score: 90

sleeping with sirens - madness

sell us the world but we ain't selling out - we like it loud

madness is in fact the emotion that is evoked when coming into this album. are you crazy for expecting a post-hardcore album and receiving a mainstream pop rock album? that's not really what's maddening. the most ridiculous thing is that this album claims to be something different (see the track we like it loud) but it's really much of the same old shit that it claims to be better than.

lyrically, this album is a mess. there's nothing here to truly pick at because it's all more shallow than a puddle. instrumentally, it's about as sound as a paper bag; i've heard these chord progressions done better and i'm convinced that these are 5 seconds of summer b-sides. do yourself a favor and experience the madness once so that you know how to stay far away from it in the future.

top 1 + bottom 3: parasites (special edition cut), better off dead, november, the strays

score: 18

fall out boy - american beauty / american psycho

you take the full, full truth, then you pour some out - american beauty / american psycho

growing up with fall out boy has been quite the wild ride as a listener, so for them everything must be amplified intensely. throughout their entire career they've been under the spotlight for doing things differently regardless of the scene they resided in. this phase of fall out boy-hood is one of their most boyish even though they're at their most mature in their personal lives.

the record is simple and easy to digest. most of the songs don't deviate too far from each other sonically. this makes for a bland run through of the album, but strong individual songs. nothing here is bad music - centuries is a powerhouse with an immense chorus, uma thurman and the title track are the obvious boogie down numbers and twin skeleton's has a sense of raw grit that is unmatched elsewhere. this is not an attack on pop rock, because the boys are some of the best doing it right now. it is more of a point made to note the movement away from more of the drama filled lyricism of the past in favor of lighter themes, movement towards blending dance/hip hop textures with the sharpness of their pop punk.

there is a certain level of skill in balancing so many feelings and styles. there's a great deal of beauty, but the psycho has fallen out a bit.

top 3 + bottom one: centuries, jet pack blues, twin skeletons (hotel in nyc), the kids aren't alright

score: 64

purity ring - another eternity

watching me is like watching a fire take your eyes from you - repetition

figuring out what purity ring sounds like isn't difficult, you need not look any further than their name and album cover. these ten tracks ring pure and give the feeling of floating in an open space. even though this emptiness may be the overarching emotion evoked, these tracks are not entirely sterile; the trap influence is present thus creating contrast with the sweet vocals. it may seem counterproductive, but the blend makes for a nice ride.

there's sort of an ebb and flow to each song, with one part soaring and one part focusing on laying foundation, with the choruses taking the former route most often. these foundation moments are usually built upon a short repeated phrase that really gets you stuck in the mood. instrumental breaks are frequent and very refreshing as they allow the vibe to fully wash over you before the next verse comes in. every sound made has a purpose, each sound has it's own layer in the cake. 

bonus notes:
- the opening tone on push pull reminds me of the opening tone of drake - take care
- stranger than earth's "i wasn't thinking' 'bout you" really reminds me of frank ocean's thinkin' 'bout you
- this album sounds like what i wanted lights' follow up to siberia to be

top 3 + bottom one: repetition, push pull, begin again, sea castle

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score: 88