A really nice psychadelic-type album. The songs are complex enough to be interesting, and you can basically go as deep as you want to, but as a whole it's also very accessible so you won't be at all turned off if you're like me. Album cover is among the year's best and the lead singer sounds exactly like John Lennon, which is cool.
Amazing British R&B music presented in the form of the year's best OFFICIAL OFFICIAL debut. She takes influences from Sade and others, but the album always feels like it has its own identity. Every song is good. A great new artist to watch out for; she's coming to America this year.
Don't know wtf is wrong w/ this bitch, but she's amazing so no need to complain. Weird is the best way to describe everything about this album, her breakthrough. The song structure varies from track to track and at times it's almost impossible to decipher what she's saying. Despite this, it's a catchy and addictive listen the whole way through. Super creative.
Genesis may be the best music video of the year, and now here she is made up of some unknown material:
Haven't listened to neither Grimes nor Devotion yet,
but I've listened to some tracks from them, and
both have a glare of uniqueness that I love.
I'm looking forward to listening to them
soon. Nice albums
This is where Miguel finds himself as an artist. His flop 2010 debut was a solid album, but here he steps it up all around, and it really makes a difference. The lyrics mainly involve looking at subjects such as love, sex, and romance in new and creative ways, but he never repeats himself and every track has something new and honest to offer. There are a couple sparkly numbers, but the majority of the songs have a grimy (yet polished) feel to them, blending R&B with rock and occasionally other genres seamlessly. A consistent and perfectly paced set, and one that presents new things to its audience with each listen.
Would KNOCK Channel Orange the **** out head-to-head.
#2. Fiona Apple, The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do
A centralized album, lyrically and sonically. Her voice backed with little but a piano and some very spare production, we are taken on a journey through a uniquely profound, troubled mind. Moods blend together in a seamless yet distinct and noticeable way. The setting is projected as this vast, epic landscape, but for the purpose of the album it is condensed significantly. We only see the highlights, which keeps it thrilling, always. The songwriting pulls all of this and more off brilliantly. An emotional masterpiece.
Like I said, albums #1 and #2 have a lot in common. Freakish artwork, complex ass album titles, both outsold Ke$ha's Warrior, etc. But this album is different than the above, in that its massive scope reaches outward. We follow Young Kendrickolas as a conflicted teen growing up in one of the country's most dangerous communities. He deals with standard adolescent issues — b!tchez, his parents, (the ART of) peer pressure, among other things — but his life and future are at stake constantly. He turns to hip hop as an outlet. Obviously that's what is responsible for the existence of this album, but within the work it's also behind some of its strongest moments. He is a ridiculously good MC who has no trouble pleasing the crowd, however he also has a really really real story to tell. It is told perfectly. Powerful on so many levels: a masterpiece.
I've become obsessed with GKMC recently, but The Idler Wheel is still better.
I love Keep On Lying.
I'm starting to appreciate "Adorn" right now.