Active Child- You Are All I See

From the beautiful harp work on the opening and album titled track “You Are All I See” the scene is set magnificently for Active Child’s debut album. Not only does Pat Grossi have the voice of a choir boy; he also has the power to sing strong and reach further than just a normal classically trained vocalist. You Are All I See is put together uniquely with classical instruments meeting dup step and almost an R & B style. At times it reminds me of James Blake’s debut album from earlier this year. Though the music is beautiful and has lyrics that people can relate to, I feel that because of how well polished everything is it also leaves a bit too much space between the artist and his audience, which at the end of the day makes this album just a borrow and not a must listen. I don’t see it as a disappointment I just look forward to when Grossi puts out something that has a bit more soul to it, which I feel like he definitely can. For a debut album this is good, but it could be done better.  

Final Review- 75


Best Songs- Hanging On, Playing House, Way Too Fast

Blood Orange- Coastal Grooves

A little back story to this album from Blood Orange is that Devonte Hynes was inspired by the transvestites of New York and also wanted to make songs that could be sung at drag shows. I think the concept is pretty neat and I am always about people showing their openness and support to the LGBT community. Coastal Groove is a fun listen and the songs are reminiscent of the 80s with Prince-sounding vocals and the rushed guitar work reminiscent of “Beat It” by Michael Jackson. On the track “Can We Go Inside Now?” all I can think of is the scene in From Dusk Till Dawn where Salma Hayek is stripping and Tito & Tarantula is playing that Latin slow sounding guitar song “After Dark.” Even when Hynes is in his higher vocal range there is still so much soul to his music. If there was one downfall to Coastal Groove it would be that it can be a little one-dimensional at times and lacks the depth that Blood Orange is more than capable of giving. I would also like to hear more vocals and choruses in place of some of the guitar grooves that replace them. All in all, this album is right on the edge of greatness and I think that with another album or two Blood Orange could really achieve it. 

Final Review- 75


Best Songs- Forget It, Can We Go Inside Now?

I Break Horses- Hearts

“Winter Beats,” the opening track of Hearts, gives a sense that this album is going to bring you some new and great-sounding songs. Unfortunately a lot of the energy in “Winter Beats” starts losing its footing and grip once the opener is done and falls a little short. Not to say that the rest of Hearts is a waste - I actually think there are some pretty awesome tracks - but as an album it is kind of boring. I am a fan of synth dream pop but this album from I Break Horses is kind of one of the reasons it also is one of my least favorite genres. They get so close to a revolutionary sound, almost to the same level as an Animal Collective song, but it just isn’t gutsy enough. The vocals are fantastic and all in all the musicianship is there. Hearts is definitely at its strongest on tracks like “Pulse,” “Cancer,” and “Load Your Eyes,” where there is a strong beat and solid chorus. Even through its faults Hearts is a borrow for sure. I think I Break Horses is on to something and I am excited to see what they come up with next. 

Final Review- 80


Best Songs- Winter Beats, Pulse, Cancer

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks- Mirror Traffic

Mirror Traffic is probably some of the most fun I have heard on an album from a band in some time. Lead singer Stephen Malkmus has a truly unique song writing style and his vocals are similar to Lou Reed in sound. Everything on Mirror Traffic gels well and has a great amount of style to it. Every track has its own charm and more songs on Mirror Traffic are likable than not. I am personally a big fan of the alt-rock vibe that is present and I love the little bit of indie twist a few songs have. My big problems with Mirror Traffic are the length and the lack of definition some of the tracks have. The album should probably be around 20 minutes shorter. An hour of anything can be a little taxing. If you changed the length it would probably also fix the second problem because you wouldn’t be just getting similar guitar solo after guitar solo. I think the overall musicianship is nice and Mirror Traffic, at the end of the day, is a fun listen. If someone has it on you might as well listen, but don’t go too out of your way for it or you will just be disappointed.  

Final Review- 80


Best Songs- No One Is (Is Are I Be), Stick Figures In Love, Tigers

Maria Taylor- Overlook

Maria Taylor should be a pretty recognizable name for most people since she has worked with Bright Eyes in a few albums and is in the group Azure Ray. Overlook is a solo album from Taylor and has its highs and lows. The highs are her lyrics and vocals for sure. On tracks like “Bad Idea?” and “This Could Take a Lifetime” there is some great insight and depth that few artists get to. Where the album falls apart is in its overall construction. It starts kind of slow but picks up with the only real pop song on the album “Matador.” After that it just feels like a string of songs rather than an actual album and the ending is kind of abrupt. I love the effects used on the vocals adding that little thing that makes her stand out. Overall I do like Overlook quite a bit. Even in its flaws there is some charm in the twangy Southern indie rock she does. To me this album is a must listen but I can see where some people would be put off. Instead I am going to say if you get a chance give this album a chance and maybe it can charm you the way it did me.

Final Review- 85


Best Songs- Matador, Bad Idea?, This Could Take a Lifetime

Widowspeak- Widowspeak

This is the debut album from the group Widowspeak and I would say it’s a great attempt. The group falls under the category of dream pop, but they definitely stand out in the sometimes overpopulated genre. I think what makes this group stand out from others is their understanding and use of pop. Most of the album is strong and there are some pretty superb songs on here that really stand out. Where Widowspeak loses a little steam are on some middle songs that all kind blend together, which can be a real problem in this genre. All in all I loved this album but I can see its shortcomings, and for them I am going to have to say this just misses out on my must borrow list. The perfect listening environment for this album would be driving at night on a dark road and letting this slowly burn the way it does.




Final Review- 80


Best Songs- Gun Shy, Limbs, Harsh Realm

Little Dragon- Ritual Union

Ritual Union has all of the components of a good album and at times it reaches amazing heights. I love the soul that Yukimi Nagano’s vocals bring to the music. Her voice paired with the syth-pop and R&B is honestly one of neatest combos anyone could ask for. Now, I love what Ritual Union is but I just don’t think it’s enough. I feel like Little Dragon knows what they do well and instead of challenging themselves they just ended up doing an OK album. It would not have taken a lot more to make this album perfect. It is just missing that punch that would make it stand out. So, unfortunately, I am going to say that Little Dragon’s Ritual Union, while unique and at times well executed, is just a mediocre album in the end.

Final Review- 80


Best Songs- Ritual Union, Please Turn, When I Go Out