Rate the last album you listened to

[trailmix 11]

8/10

A shame I had been sleeping on it.

[Visions 2]

 

Rihanna - Talk That Talk 

 

10/10

i love Watch n` Learn

[trailmix 11]

9.5/10

Woah.

[Lil Psychic 0]

 

 

Excluding Nuclear Seasons, Stay Away, You're The One, So Far Away, Cloud Aura:

68/100

 

 

 

Including the aforementioned songs:

87/100

 

 

 

It's fantastically produced. Imagine a superior, less frustrating, bewitched Natalia Kills meets LSD in the futuristic 90's. Definitely not as fresh as the Super Ultra Mixtape (which is now unavailable for download on her website), but different nonetheless.

 

 

 

 

Track by track:

 

 

The infamous "You (Ha Ha Ha)" with its controversial Gold Panda sample made juicy blogosphere fodder on the week of its release (and no longer). I strongly detest falsetto vocal effects with this song "Anything Could Happen" and "Bow Down" as the only exceptions. It worked this time - notably because it wasn't the main vocals made to be annoyingly high-pitched (HOW do people tolerate that trash?). It's a solid track.

 

"Take My Hand" - the 2nd most impressive of the new songs - is a booty bopper with playful keyboard synth riffs. Your body will do the bouncing for you. If you feel that this would fit in Sky Ferreira's "As If!" era, you are not alone.

 

"Set Me Free" is a Billboard Pop Chart Top 40 hit gone wrong in a good way. A typical Hip Hop percussion beat, progressive bass synth that runs through the whole song (as in many other of her songs) and piano riff lead you to a less-than-impressive chorus that Pop has seen enough of. The song's saving quality is its lyrics - however the usual "imprisoned", "poisoned" babbling from Charli boast greater cohesiveness, organization and relatability than previously exhibited, which is an indication of her evolution as a writer.

 

"Grins" is nothing great in Charli's standard. If you disregard the fact that this doesn't sound much different from Blood Diamonds's previous work, you'll find that this has the potential to become a favorite given the time to grow on you. It's obviously not too catchy, but it's good. I remain un-swayed by his attempt to deliver a "Fineshrine" 2.0.

 

"What I Like" is simply a sweeter, watered-down "Cloud Aura", which showed a more badass-yet-angelic side to Charli that I honestly did not expect at all from her. Production reminds me too much of "Glow" - a track from her Super Ultra Mixtape - but is enjoyable still. You almost wish she added "This **** is super ultra." to the "This **** is wild. This **** is super cool." chant, but we can't have nice things, so she didn't.

 

I've been enthusiastic about the release off "How Can I"'s full version since the release of her "Heartbreaks And Earthquakes" mixtape. Unlike most completions of snippets, this one doesn't disappoint me. Its Industrial Hop percussion, solid synthwork and subtle soundscape and distorted electric guitar sample in its chorus establish this song as Charli's most Witch House track to date.

 

If you can't hear the blatant-than-usual 90's influence in "Black Roses", you are a not a true 90's child.

 

Don't even get me started on "Lock You Up". 

 

 

 

If you've already heard the songs that were released before the rest of the album, she delivers them this time around subtly different but immensely better. "Nuclear Seasons" now has: an intro ("Grins" sample) that excellently sets the mood for the rest of the album, a literally explosive end to its bridge, and what I think to be an extra layer of progressive running synth as if it didn't already have enough of that to begin with. Not much change was made to "Stay Away" except for a better defined chord progression in its bass and an overall polishing as with "You're The One" and "So Far Away".

[Viola 386]

 

BigBang - Alive Monster Edition

 

10/10

[LStephens11 15]

(I will definitely be using coverlandia for a new cover for my iTunes library... this art is awful.)

 

Fall Out Boy's Save Rock and Roll (2013)

 

8.5/10

 

Stellar album, however there were some continuity issues for me. It didn't necessarily flow together for the most part for me. Track #6, "The Mighty Fall" featuring Big Sean is a mess from the get go and a filler; track #10, "Rat A Tat" with guest vocals by Courtney Love (of Hole fame, Kurt Cobain's ex-wife, if you aren't familiar) is a great track, as well, however I wish her vocals were expanded on. She adds a bit of grit to the track which is nice. My favorite tracks are as follows:

 

1. Miss Missing You (one of my favorite Fall Out Boy songs period)

2. Where Did the Party Go

3. Alone Together

4. The Phoenix

5. My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light 'Em Up)

6. Rat A Tat (featuring Courtney Love)

7. Death Valley

8. Save Rock and Roll (featuring Elton John)

9. Just One Yesterday (featuring Foxes)

10. Young Volcanoes

11. The Might Fall (featuring Big Sean)

[trailmix 11]

10/10

[Viola 386]

 

After seeing how popular this album is I decided to check it out from the library. It's alright, I really like Mirrors though.  7/10

 

[GreenEyes 366]

 

Overall 8.5/10

 

I really like it, it is a different direction but it is a right direction. This is the full album that leaked, not the EP, which is worth the download. She was great with her first album, but too dark for some. She is full energized in this album, fun, and is pretty catchy. But she could have better lyrics, and some songs are filler. 

 

Highlights: Cant control the kids, Kaleidoscope, Love me or Leave me, Speed limit. 

[Design 860]

 

9/10

 

There are some tracks that didn't really suit my taste or were a bit boring, but I honestly appreciate every production on this album. What I really liked: Crescendolls; Aerodynamic; Digital Love. 

[Nastix 66]

Holy Fire - Foals (2013)

 

So I decided to listen to this album after loving their recent stuff, and I must say this is an amazing album. Great melodies, influenced by math rock and really unique synths and guitar sounds that create a really special feeling. The album kicks with the powerful Prelude, then continues to the great dance-influenced tracks, and then moves to the more art rock tracks. The vocals are somewhat eerie and a bit pitchy sometimes, but they match pretty well to the songs most of the time. Some of the tracks a re a bit long or repetitive, but it doesn't make the album less amazing than it is. 9/10.

[Viola 386]

Fight Like A Girl - Emilie Autumn   8.5/10

It's really good, I love it. The thing is I just don't think it's as good as Opheliac was.

[Stigma 204]

The Heist 

 

10/10

 

I will just say that I don't like hip hop and rapping, but this album...it changed everything I've ever thought about this type of music!

[Solar 604]

CocoRosie - Tales of a GrassWidow (2013)

I've been listening to this duo's music for a long time and I can say this one is the weakest album of theirs, compared to their previous work. The weakness is in the storytelling content: it lacks unity. Apart form that, the songs have amazing lyrics with vivid and descriptive language that add depth to the song's meaning. They have stick to their particular sound that mix innocence and wilderness, which is, in my opinion, what defines their imagery.

7.5/10

Edited April 29, 2013 by Solar Spectre

[Lion Heart 15,041]

American Football- American Football

Rating: 9/10 

 

Cocteau Twins- Heaven or Las Vegas 

Rating: 9/10

 

I recommend both albums if you're studying/ doing homework or something.