hands like houses - dissonants

it's not on spotify, google play or apple music because streaming is "bad"

it's not on spotify, google play or apple music because streaming is "bad"

with this third installment in hands like houses' career, they're going at it without their keyboardist. normally, one would think that a post-hardcore band doesn't really need one of those, but i always enjoyed how real his parts sounded on their first two records. on this one, they continue to use synths/keys but they just don't have that same flair or the same flourishes. they held their own in the past and now the electronics are very typical.

continuing on the typical, it seems like they're embarking on the trendy arena rock stylings that a lot of bands seem to get into as they become more popular, seemingly in hopes that they'll grab more fans/shows/whatever. to counteract this, they've brought back some breakdowns and gritty scream-like clean vocals which can be nice.

all in all, these guys put together a solid album but one that really isn't that memorable and slowly gets more boring as it progresses.

top tracks: i am, colourblind, new romantics, grey havens

score: 59

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

dance gavin dance - instant gratification

we all came here just to fap - stroke god, millionaire

instant gratification is exactly that, an amalgamation of genres that create a plethora of emotions that are all highly welcomed. one minute it soars high, the next it crushes you into the earth with no remorse. maybe it captures you in a crooning whirlwind and drops you out on a streak of jagged riffs. it does whatever and goes wherever it wants; the project is erratic but highly focused. the members have never been more locked into what makes each other thrive. vocally, the clean and screamed vocals interact in a way that they never have before. the guitar licks team up with the very present bass lines overtop of extremely capable drumming.

there's something here for everyone: heavy post-hardcore/metalcore riffs and breakdowns on shark dad, rap #bars on eagle vs. crows, throwbacks to the glory days on variation, pop brilliance on death of a strawberry and a powerful anthemic chorus at the end of on the run. the production is immaculate; everything feels loud enough, clean enough and vibrant.

score: 100

i am legend, all because of you - legend

a perfect album doesn't exist because personal tastes are always going to keep someone from disliking whatever people deem is perfect. instant gratification is not a perfect album. however, instant gratification is my perfect album. it's an album that drove me out of my chair many a time on my first listen, it still shocks me after the many times i've gone through it, it is something i wholeheartedly believe in and something i am very inspired by in many ways. why deny that a perfect score?

broadway - contexture: gods, men, and the infinite cosmos

i mean after all, i am an abomination - doppelganger

evolution is a concept that when applied to music is something that most every artist strives for. it's the need to explore spaces that are outside the box of the past, the desire to break free of what holds you down. even though the cosmos may be infinite, it's not so bad staying home on earth. with a new lineup, broadway returns to the scene with a whole new outlook.

there's some of everything here: driving rock and roll rhythms complete with melodic soloing, gruff guitars to accentuate the chunky drum sections, and smooth, buttery vocals that sound a tad bit more mature. this spacious atmosphere is also its biggest annoyance. the technicality is few and far between, the soaring choruses are rarely found and the catchy lyrics are traded in for a loose concept of space and tech talk. broadway have definitely evolved, and they've created somewhat of a monster.

top 3 + bottom one: doppelganger, interstellar avalanche, volcano jack, found you

score: 55