Album Review: Looking 4 Myself - Usher

As Michael Jackson will forever remain the King of Pop, Usher Raymond is on the fast track to taking his throne as the Prince.  On his seventh studio album, Looking 4 Myself, Raymond pushes the evolutionary bounds that have become a staple in popular music.  His smooth, soulful croon carries just as much power and sensuality as it did when he first broke through the airwaves.  At 33, with almost every one of his albums certified platinum, one would wonder what the R&B megastar has left to prove.  Mixing samples from electronic, R&B, soul, hip hop, and pop music -on this record, Usher establishes himself as an artist.

As combining the overtly sexual with his real life struggle, Looking 4 Myself is Usher taking you along for the ride.  The album opens with "Can't Stop Won't Stop" -a club thumper that sets the tone for the electrifying groove, though the fault comes in the lyrics, "This is a jam, turn it up."  While songs that follow like "Scream" "Climax" and "Lemme See" featuring Rick Ross are ready-to-chart singles, they still sound fresh, at least for Usher.  Always walking the line between seductive and vulgar, it's Raymond's unshakeable confidence that breathes life into these high energy tracks.

While dubstep nuances and electronic flare provide a modern backdrop, Usher's R&B sensibilities round out the sound.  "Twisted" featuring (and produced by) Pharrell, is minimal, but hypnotic in its simplicity and soulful groove.  More creative boundaries are pushed with slower ballads like "Dive" "Lessons for the Lover" and, maybe the record's most emotionally serious track, "Sins of My Father."

The low-points aren't as poignant, because the rest of the record more than makes up for it.  However, it is obvious why bonus tracks "Say the Words" "I.F.U." and "2nd Round" were left off the original tracklisting.  Sonically, those songs seemed to be going in the opposite direction, while Raymond and his producers wanted to float up mainstream.

Looking 4 Myself is not as evolutionary as Usher maybe wants, or thinks, it to be.  The last time we heard from him, Raymond vs. Raymond seemed too hard to play up his playboy nature to mask the more mature facts concerning his divorce.  This album is similar, but the approach seems more honest and more believable as Usher really seems to be moving on.  Regardless, his fans will always be moving on with him.  **8.0/10

Album Review: The Wanted EP - The Wanted

Teenage girls (and a relative amount of teenage boys) have had a love affair with the notion of the "boy band" for as long as I can remember.  Whether it's from the Osmonds or Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, to more recent, harmonized monsters like Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys, and the Jonas Brothers -these acts have been sure to establish those warm, butterflies-in-the-stomach feelings across the world.  So, it's only natural that the latest UK import burning up the US charts is also making teenage hearts race like they hadn't in a long time.  The Wanted is composed of wannabe footballers (soccer here in the States) and all-around good-looking gents who can carry a tune.  But with success in cracking America held up so high, The Wanted fall short.

Technically, this EP entitled The Wanted is the group's third release.  Their two previous albums, The Wanted and Battleground were received well across Europe, but failed to get the boys noticed in America.  Now, all that has changed with the release of mega-singles like "Glad You  Came" and "Chasing The Sun." 

The Wanted EP open with the promise of dance floor-ready anthems with much more sex appeal than boy bands' past.  But after the initial rush of "Glad You Came" and "Chasing The Sun" (which actually sound much less appealing on record than when performed live), the production and lyrical content starts to try too hard.  "Heart Vacancy" can be compared to the sappy, almost love songs like Backstreet Boys' "I'll Never Break Your Heart" but, that would be unfair...to the Backstreet Boys.  With The Wanted's decided sexuality and self-proclaimed "man band" status,  their "love songs" seem unbelievable.

"All Time Low," the track that cemented the band's status in the UK, attempts to establish a looking-for-true-love persona, but again falls flat.  The same can be said for the dramatic, semi-ballad "Warzone." Maybe the lyrics themselves are overshadowed by lack of interest sonically, but the two don't mesh well. "Gold Forever" includes the laughable line, "butterflies, butterflies, we were meant to fly" and lends itself to yet another celebration of youth.   "Lightning" is redeemable, but it follows the same recipe as The Wanted's previous singles: slow beginning, simple hook in a catchy chorus, accompanied by an overdone, but always danceable beat.

Maybe this album is helping me realize that this is where popular music is staying right now.  That maybe that awfully annoying Gotye song is the most sonically interesting track that will make it on the radio.  To The Wanted's credit, these guys can actually sing.  It's not their voices that sound bad, it's the lack of diversity in each track, both lyrically and structurally.  Will the album perform well on the charts? Most definitely.  But, eventually they're going to want to change.  Hopefully, there will be enough fans and skeptics interested in what that change brings.  **6.0/10

Album Review: Bloom - Beach House

Maryland's dream-pop duo, Beach House, have been critically acclaimed darlings since their self-titled debut dropped in 2006.  The two albums that followed, Devotion (2008) and Teen Dream (2010) were accepted equally as well by fans and critics alike.  Their latest release, Bloom is the band's most beautiful work to date, masterful both vocally and musically.

The dream-pop duo invite you into their wonderland as "Myth" begins.  Victoria Legrand's vocals overcome the listen as she rasps stronger than ever.  Alexander Scally's accompaniments mystify while creating sharper contrast and structure.

Bloom couldn't be a more fitting title for this record  as each track flows into the next.  To dissect each track would take from the sheer lushness that these two individuals create.  "Lazuli" and "Wishes" are near-masterpieces, with vocals that cascade along with guitars, which are crafted against a simple drum beat.  The overall tranquility of each track extends itself to the feeling of spinning or falling, but in the most beautiful way. 

And while Beach House has produced bold tracks in which the listener can lose his or herself, each track, spanning over four minutes, is never boring.  "Troublemaker" is the album's standout, with Legrand's ethereal contralto making the track jump out at you.  There's a slight Zombies-feel here, as well as on "Wild" -which exemplifies the band established creativity and awareness of influence vs. homage. 

The wonderfully epic instrumentation comes to a climax on the sweeping, "On the Sea" and the album's closer, "Irene."  The shining, screeching guitar compliments Legrand's finesse with phrasing and narratives.  Compared to iconic acts such as the Smiths or the Cure, Beach House's strong air of mystery shines next to Legrand's straight-forward narratives. "Other People" features Legrand pining for a gone-too-soon lover, but while it could come off as desperation, she phrases each sentence with conviction.  And while lyrical poetry can come off as contrived, Legrand and Scally are believable and inspired. 

The direction Beach House is heading is new territory for a band of this generation.  Bloom is familiar, yet it leaves you wanting more.  Retrospectively, this is the type of record Chris Martin wanted Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto to be, but came up short.  While I don't believe this band has fully "bloomed" (pardon my pun), I'll be waiting impatiently for the impending tour and future releases.  **10/10

Album Review: The Only Place - Best Coast

In 2010, the California duo, Best Coast busted onto the scene with Crazy for You; singing blissful pop tunes about relationships and weed. Bethany Consentino and her partner-in-crime Bobb Bruno struck a lo-fi chord with music fans and critics alike, becoming darlings within the festival circuit and on summer music playlists. Their sophomore effort, The Only Place, is a more mature Best Coast with a potential for more mainstream appeal.

 The album opens with "The Only Place" -an almost folky loveletter to California. Creating the perfect image of Cali, Consention beckons the question, "Why would you live anywhere else?" accompanied by an all-over happy, sonic feeling.

 On this record, Best Coast excels at the happy -whether it's real or not. Tracks like "Why I Cry" and "My Life" are relatively sad, but the band knows well that a deep, downer-ballad isn't their style. The closest track produced to a ballad is the beautiful, final taste of the record, "Up All Night." A track that should be played whether it's the end of the night, summer, or a relationship.

 Then, there are sheer crowd-pleaser tracks like, "Better Girl" and "Let's Go Home." Consentino seems to pride herself on writing narratives about heart and homesickness which create a dramatic underlay, presented with shiny pop sensibilities. While there record seems more like a continuation than a creative leap, there is a sense of self-awareness. The record is a reflection of the band's current state, which appears to be solid, honest, with a firm grip on creative freedoms. The newfound maturity comes in the form of the songs, "Last Year" "No One Like You" "Do You Still Love Me Like You Used To?" and "Dreaming My Life Away." Each song is a standout in itself, with a bit of a soda-shop '50s doowop quality, while the latter feels a bit like nondescript MGMT. Sonically, they're most unlike what is associated with Best Coast. The sounds are bold and seemed more round and complete.

Each track is much more polished than its predecessors on Crazy for You. Yet the band remains playful and youthful without having the be so serious, as if the stigma of the "sophomore slump" never existed. Yet, The Only Place isn't perfect, not that it was expected to be. Best Coast isn't the band one listens to for its deep emotion or philosophies on a greater power -its moreorless a relatable, feel-good jam band. Yet, while the album backtracks when Consentino whines about not conforming.

 To take Best Coast at face-value is to really appreciate the purity of what Consentino and Bruno have built together. There's no doubt these tracks will be just as successful, if not more, than what was released from the band's debut. However, I always like to see a band's progression and I'm still waiting for that from Best Coast. **7.0/10

Album Review: Blunderbuss -Jack White

Saying that Jack White’s career has been illustrious would be an understatment. The man has established a neo-legend status that puts him up there with greats like Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan. The White Stripes were an integral part of the new “garage rock” movement that saved rock and roll in the early ‘00s, while White then went on to find success with the Racontuers and Dead Weather. Always sharing the spotlight, White was the guy that was part of a band of equals. Now, with the release of his first solo EP, Blunderbuss, you may wonder if White thinks he has something to prove, but if you’ve been pondering this...you’re wrong.

Blunderbuss was a conceived accident, stemming from Wu-Tang member RZA missing his recording sessions. From this mishap, White penned and recorded the thirteen tracks that, in his own words, “could only be presented under my [Jack White] name.” These songs, which heed influence from Elton John to Muddy Waters, are White grabbing the reigns and going full speed.

The album is really White’s take on the late ‘60s/early ‘70s southern rock, which only continues to separate him from his past work. He seems to be 36 going on 70, cutting the ties from the White Stripes, Raconteurs, and Dead Weather with one swipe. Tracks like “Missing Pieces” and “Freedom at 21” are raucous, both classically and progressively. What has remained is a Jack White who is so sure of himself, that each track is a creative epic in itself. His essential peddal distortions are accented by both a piano and a keyboard and an all-too familiar bass line that is like a slow burn.

Lyrically, the doors are darkened with talk of divorce, love, and personal demons, but with a smirk and a snarl. “Hypocrticial Kiss” features White howling “Who the hell’s impressed by you?!” while the album’s farewell track “Take Me With You When You Go” repeats, “I’ve got nothing keeping me here.” Jack White never appeared to be that musician who’s authenticity was questioned, and that doesn’t change on Blunderbuss.

While the record is a Jack White rock record, his Nashville established swagger does creep in. From electric guitars and peddal distortions come sort of cabaret/saloon sing-alongs in the form of tracks like “Hip Eponymous Poor Boy” and “I Guess I Should Go To Sleep.” While White’s inner honky-tonk blues unleashes itself on “I’m Shakin’” and “Trash Tongue Talker.” The songs shouldn’t fit, yet they do, but their initial sound is jolting and not what would be synonymous with a Jack White album.

But maybe that’s the whole point. Blunderbuss’ lead single, “Love Interruption” wasn’t what anyone expected, yet it works and it’s perfect. These songs could very well be what you’d imagine White strumming on his acoustic guitar on his front porch, if that’s the kind of thing Jack White does. But no one really knows the method to his madness. He’s influenced by music way before his time, but manages to keep it fresh while staying 5 steps ahead of his own generation. You could argue that he’s more of an enigma, but Blunderbuss is relatable, somewhat gentle, if not “mainstream.” With White knowing that he has, more or less, conquered the music world, what’s left to prove? Oh yeah, nothing. **8.8/10

Album Review: Born To Die -Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey has the Youtube generation to thank for her rise to “fame.” After her video for the song “Video Games” went viral, the pouty, self-proclaimed “gangsta Nancy Sinatra” became the center of online attention –both good and bad. The people that loved her couldn’t get enough, and the haters still reported on every move she made. Her somewhat alouf past, both professionally and pesonally, has been the subject of many blogs and music critics alike. But after bombing her US television debut on SNL, plenty of doubt has been placed on whether or not Del Rey is for real. Now after months of waiting, Del Rey has dropped her debut album, Born To Die. Unfortunately for the budding songstress, it’s not doing her case any favors.

Born To Die opens with the slow-burning “Video Games.” The song is still as beautiful as ever with its cascading string-section and soft piano. While Del Rey sings, “It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you” it’s hard to tell if she’s sincere or not. Unfortunately, this doubt spills into the entire record. Like “Video Games,” tracks like “Without You” and “Dark Paradise” show Del Rey’s vulnerability, but at the same time make her sound like mellow-dramatic. The album’s constant theme is a love that Del Rey plans to hang on to forever, regardless of circumstance. While it may be relatable, it gets boring, needy even, and leaves her sounding desperate rather than strong.

While some of the tracks find themselves drowning in party clichés (the song “This Is What Makes Us Girls” even nausiatingly so) and youth rebellion, you can’t deny that they’re catchy. “National Anthem,” “Off to the Races,” and “Born To Die” are epic in some sense, but don’t convey any more power or prowess than the others. It’s Del Rey’s attitude that makes these songs stand out. Whether her sexuality is subtle or not, these songs are alluring and take more than one listen. Other tracks like “Million Dollar Man,” “Lolita,” and “Lucky Ones” are differently formulated, almost jazz-like. Del Rey’s husky vocals captivate, until her borderline-baby talk jolts the listener back.

The downside to Born To Die is that, although it’s her major label debut, it sounds amateurish. There doesn’t seem to be any real effort to make each track stand out while being cohesive and sounding like a complete record. Lana’s American teen runaway love story falls flat in the sense that it all seems one-dimensional. Hopefully on her sophomore effort, there’s a stronger sense of self-assurance, which should inspire new narratives and sounds. Born To Die wasn’t the ambitious, refreshing pop album we were all rooting for. Instead, it’ stagnant and repetitive. Maybe alter-egos aren’t the way to go anymore, maybe Lizzy Grant should make her return. **5.7/10

Album Review: Reign Of Terror -Sleigh Bells

In 2010, Brookyln-based rock duo Sleigh Bells released their full-length debut, Treats. What followed was a slew of tour dates, festival appearances, and raucous moshpits of zealous fans wanting to hear songs like “Infinity Guitars,” “Crown on the Ground,” and “Rill Rill.” Since then, the band was hard at work on their sophomore effort, Reign of Terror. On December 2, 2011, a teaser trailer was released, showing singer Alexis Krauss and guitarist Derek Miller looking ready for battle. On Reign of Terror, a battle does ensue, but between the band’s use of hard and soft sounds.

The album opens with “True Shred Guitar” and it’s exactly that. A live introduction to the raw power that is Sleigh Bells, you can hear the crowd going wild for Krauss and Miller. But while the first track is the noise-rock the band has become synonymous with, Reign of Terror has little “terror” to it at all. What follows are tracks with strong pop and r&b sensibilities with guitar accompaniments that seem to hug the songs rather than give them a good punch in the face.

Tracks like “Born to Lose” and “End of the Line” are mid-tempo, showcasing the sonic change. But while “Born to Lose” comes in heavy, “End of the Line” is mellow, with recognizable r&b influences. Though the foray into something more mellow is new for the band, and fans, the change of pace is complimentary to what follows. “Crush” an “Comeback Kid” are quintessential Sleigh Bell’s rallying songs. Krauss’ vocal come complete with bad-ass, almost cheer chants while Miller’s loud riffs duke it out with step-team beats. “Comeback Kid” features the catchiest hook on the album and the backbeat is absolutely punishing.

Reign of Terror is vastly more accessible than the riotous Treats. The band’s near ballad, “You Lost Me” is the album’s most beautiful track, creating a dream-like atmosphere around glistening arpeggios and lyrics like “You’re holding hands through your favorite bands.” But where there is accessibility, there’s still that hard-hitting intimidation factor. “Leader of the Pack” is definitely not a cover of the Shangri-La’s classic, but a track that busts down the door to make room for other tracks like “Demons” –an evil, yet oddly seductive, romp where Miller’s guitar battles Krauss’ roar, and “Never Say Die.” The opposite of the inviting “You Lost Me,” “Never Say Die” is creepy, nightmareish even. The vocals are shapeless and vaguely ghost-like while the mix of a constant, rumbling drum and repetitious guitar scale are spine-tingling.

While the album may not be the mosh-inducing fanfare that drew crowds as Treats did, Reign of Terror is good, REALLY good. What separates Sleigh Bells from everyone else is the control of loud, hard, and soft. Lyrically and sonically, Miller and Krauss have grown. Whether they’ve grown enough to be comfortable in the music they’re creating and true to the sound they’ve created remains to be seen. But the next time Sleigh Bells comes to town, I’ll be there –that’s for sure. **7.5/10