The Wilderness of Manitoba- When You Left The Fire

It was pretty difficult to dig up any information on The Wilderness of Manitoba but one thing I can say for sure is that they are good. When You Left the Fire is a smooth listen that is drenched in acoustic guitars, banjos, and reverbed vocal harmonies. At times the album does run a little long, and though the music is interesting enough, I think you have to be in the right mindset to really dig an album like When You Left the Fire. In a few ways The Wilderness of Manitoba kind of reminds me of Sufjan Stevens, especially with the intricate melodies and the lead vocalist defiantly shares some of Stevens’s style. I enjoyed this album and I think most people who have been getting into this new age of indie folk will share a lot of my positive feelings towards it. I wouldn’t say that When You Left the Fire is a must listen for most, but I would say if you get a chance and it’s on you would not be wasting your time giving it a listen.  

Final Review- 80

The Antlers- Burst Apart

I have never been a big fan of falsetto, but The Antlers front man and founder Peter Silberman is one of the few singers who can really pull it off. I would put Silbermanis’s quality of singing and range right up there with some of the greats like Thom Yorke and Prince. Burst Apart starts a little slow, but when it picks up, it doesn’t stop till the end. I knew almost immediately when Burst Apart started that it wasn’t just going to be another indie rock album from Brooklyn but its own entity entirely. In the oversaturated dream pop and indie scene that’s going on right now I think it’s a big feat to be original the way The Antlers are. There are a few tracks on Burst Apart that will straight up blow your mind, one of them being “Rolled Together.” The track has little to no vocals and is mainly just slow guitar strums, but the drum build is almost overwhelmingly good. I think if you have been waiting for a new and original sound/album then Burst Apart is here for you. This was one of the harder albums to not give a perfect score to. The slower start just makes it a listen that will not stay with you right away, but as it goes on Burst Apart will end up being an album that touches the deepest part of you.

Final Review- 95

The Cars- Move Like This

Move Like This is my first Cars album and I have to say I am kind of surprised I haven’t given them a chance before. Ric Ocasek, the lead singer of The Cars, has a similar tone to Lou Reed, which sounds good with their mix of electro pop and rock pop. Something about The Cars on Move Like This that makes me pretty happy is that they successfully found a way to evolve their ‘80s sound so it feels original and not done to death. Almost immediately after putting on Move Like This I found myself tapping my toes and humming along to the melodies so there are definitely some great hooks going on. It’s when Move Like This hits the fourth track from the end titled “Drag On Forever” that the album starts losing its steam. Up until then I was ready to give the album at least a 95, but with such a poor ending I had to knock it down a few pegs. All in all Move Like This is good and has some charming moments that make you want to keep listening, but like I said: it ends on a pretty weak note. Would I say it’s worth borrowing still? Definitely. Minus its flaws, Move Like This is still a fun listen.  

Final Review- 85

Cat's Eyes- Cat's Eyes

Cat’s Eyes is the newest project of Faris Badwan - best known for his work in the Goth Rock group The Horrors - and Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira. Zeffira is also known for her composing and use of different instruments. Cat’s Eyes is an interesting album that does a good job mixing classical arrangements with a ‘60s girl group vibe. In ways their music is similar to Nick Cave, especially when Badwan is controlling the mic with his low and deep voice. The duo is good at complementing each other, and a few of my favorite songs on Cat’s Eyes are when they are taking turns singing. The only parts of the album that are lacking are when Badwan is the only one singing. His voice is good but for the vibe of the album at times it can be a little too dark and that really hurts the overall flow.  All together Cat’s Eyes is a cool listen and honestly there is little to nothing like this out there in the music scene. This group should be producing 100 caliber albums because of how incredibly original and mind blowing they are but this Cat’s Eyes is just not there. Cat’s Eyes is going to be a group to keep your ears open for and I look forward to their future projects.   

Final Review- 85

The Beastie Boys- Hot Sauce Committee Part Two

I have never been much of a fan of the Beastie Boys, but having this blog kind of gives me an opportunity to try and give bands that I may have written off in the past another chance. I was decently surprised with Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. Most of the songs are a good length and the beats are really reminiscent of hip hop from the mid ‘90s. The first track that really caught my attention was “Nonstop Disco Powerpack,” a track full of tight drum samples and fun lyrics. Also, a track near the end of the album, “Multiladateral Nuclear Disarmament,” is a pretty cool song filled only with samples and beats and no lyrics. From what I can gather about the Beastie Boys, this is a group that you don’t really look to for new and different albums, but a band that knows what kind of music they want to create and do it the way they want to. I do enjoy that you can tell that the Beastie Boys seem to still enjoy making music together and that they have fun with it. All in all, Hot Sauce Committee doesn’t really stand out but it’s still a fun listen and a few songs are real gems. At the end of the day I would say if you love beastie boys then there is no reason you wouldn’t love this new album; if you aren’t a big fan, then it’s a skip.

Final Review- 70

Fleet Foxes- Helplessness Blues

Helplessness Blues is one of those albums that makes me happy that I have this blog and started this project in the first place. Fleet Foxes have gained a lot of acclaim for their music and after listening to the almost perfect Helplessness Blues I can see why. The group has an amazing talent for making this album fun to listen to and also meaningful. I know the whole indie folk thing has been almost done to death but Fleet Foxes pump life into every track and nothing feels like it falls short or is lacking. The one thing that perhaps hurts Helplessness Blues is the same folk sound that makes it so amazing might also close it off to certain listeners. Now, that’s not saying that this is some bluegrass guitar picking album that only country bumpkins will like; I just don’t hear that pop thing that can make this album played on every radio station. That one criticism aside, I am madly in love with this album and couldn’t imagine it being much better than it already is. It takes a decent amount of talent to really impress me the way Fleet Foxes have. Helplessness Blues is brimming with confidence and soul and is a must listen.

Final Review- 100