ratthew

ratthew reviewed Art Angels by Grimes 1mo

8.2

Art Angels: Bubblegum Tinted Catharsis Induced by Heartbreak. “Art Angels”, the fourth studio album released by singer Claire Elise Boucher — otherwise known as “Grimes” — takes rather advancing steps in Grimes’ catalog, particularly in her capabilities within the realm of lyricism and production. I was not the biggest fan of Grimes’ third studio album “Visions”, but Grimes not only doubles down on the factors that made that album worthwhile, but also on what made her music unique. “Visions” was created by Grimes in a couple of weeks, in a dark room in which she never left. She practically harmed herself to create it, and the sound represents that. Although atmospheric, it appears oppressive in nature, not just to the listener, but grimes herself. Vowing to never do this again, Grimes followed up her 2012 album “Visions” with her 2015 release “Art Angels”, that takes a surprisingly optimistic yet dystopian sound, befitting of Grimes’ voice and the style of production she took to when creating this album. The opening track to this album is masterfully orchestrated, part operatic, part cinematic. Referencing falling leaves, and attempting to catch them all, which we all know to be a frugal attempt kickstarts the visionary lyricism that puts this album on such a pedestal. “laughing and not being normal” is a masterclass is the weird fun that Grimes brings to the table when she is in her element. “California” the following track, begins to craft the insecurities Grimes carefully lays within the album, coupled with an upbeat and unexpected performance that makes it feel like you are being duped while listening. The lyrics are raw and honest, as well as relatable — really showing the humanity a pop star can hide behind all of the theatrics. The lead single of Art Angels: “Flesh without Blood” is one of the most danceable and vomit inducing heartbreak themes I have ever encountered, trading out a large majority of the optimistic production for futuristic fantasy. A diss track intended for a fake friend, many view the lyrics as interpersonal towards their romantic relations, which goes to show the ache Grimes endured while curating the song. “Kill V. Maim” is probably the most Grimes track on the entire album, a song Grimes described as a piece “written from the perspective of Al Pacino in the godfather Pt. II except he’s a vampire who can switch gender and travel through space.” A ridiculously funny concept in and of itself, Grimes manages to execute a perfect satire on misogyny and societal corruption. “Realiti”, my personal centerpiece of the album, is an existentialist tale on personhood and time. A masterclass in production and storytelling, Grimes not only confronts Death, but she asks him questions in hypotheticals through chilling vocals and haunting production that I cannot do justice through prose. The production of Art Angels doesn’t just serve as a foil to the ache-inducing lyricism, it adds to the aesthetics of Art angels that allowed for Grimes to create so well. The catharsis she created doesn’t just happen over time like adding grains of rice to eventually make a pile, it is present from beginning to end — and you only realize it when the more eerie tracks come to life. The heartbreak that surrounds Art Angels is everywhere the album breathes, and can only be felt so well with all of these components working together. Art angels is Grimes’ best album, and is definitely worth giving a shot. My only reservations with Art Angels is that there is a clear disparity between amazing tracks and great tracks. Standout Tracks: Flesh without Blood, Kill V. Maim, Realiti, Venus Fly (Feat. Janelle Monáe), and Butterfly.

ratthew reviewed Melodrama by Lorde 1mo

9.3

Melodrama: How It Feels To Be Utterly Alone In A Room Full Of People. The second studio album by singer Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor, otherwise known as “Lorde”, is not just a collection of pop ballads infused with electronic synths. Melodrama is deeply intimate while maintaining a unique style of self-deprecating wit and teenager-esque exaggerations (otherwise dubbed as ‘Melodrama’.) The backdrop of Melodrama is a tale as old as time, but one wound that always feels fresh whenever you recall — that feeling of being alone. Lorde had recently turned 18 when she began creating Melodrama, a period often marked with graduating high school, and moving away from family — one she remarks on throughout the entire album. Lorde’s loneliness is not just felt, but slowly became as you reminisce upon your own life experiences. Although it sounds sad, Lorde manages to wrap you up in a gentle hug beneath all the layers of pity; the upbeat sonics of the more well known songs that weave in between the tracklist feeling like a peaceful reprieve for your ears as you cope with the depression fueled “Liability” and “Writer In The Dark”. The house party landscape imbedded with the albums lyricism and visuals is not just by accident. Lorde remarked that she often traveled in large cities, but felt like a complete loner. She observed all that happened, but never let herself get entwined with what she saw, settling for occasional retreats to rental houses to step away from noise. This album is not just all sadness and isolation however, as it operates on a cycle. You enter the house party with the opening track, “Green Light”, and party through the night with ghosts, sadness, and monsters, coping and facing all of your worries and regrets, before learning that you deserve happiness in the second last track, “Liability (Reprise)”, and seeing the morning light in “Perfect Places”, the final track. Melodrama is a masterpiece that helps beat you down but lets you get back up near the end, with a smile on your face and tears staining your cheeks. It’s not a happy ending, but a realization — one that everyone is entitled to. Standout Tracks: Green Light, Sober, The Lourve, Writer In The Dark, Supercut, and Perfect Places.

ratthew reviewed The Great Impersonator by Halsey 1mo

9.4

Halsey & The Great Impersonator: What Catharsis Through Art Feels Like. Ashley Nicolette Frangipane, more famously known for her stage name “Halsey” has always endowed her work with a heavy sense of personalization; whether that be her Tumblr blogs where she originally gained fame, her 2015 debut album “Badlands”, or in the collection of her published poetry within her book: “I Would Leave Me If I Could”, and her most recent release “The Great Impersonator” is no stranger to this alluring and inspiring element of her work. In order to do the album some justice, it is important to understand the framework in which Halsey was working under while constructing this piece of art. She had recently left her longtime partner, bore a son, and had multiple health scares, including a cancer diagnosis. Although Halsey is healthy and living a happy life today, the album is littered with laments and what if’s — reasonably so — as she navigated the possibility of orphaning her only child. Halsey, although having put out a rock album previous to this album’s release, was first and foremost a pop star, but she had always dabbled in other genres, such as in “Ashley”’s ‘you should be sad’, which has a melodic yet melancholic country twist on a breakup anthem. Halsey’s main inspiration for this album’s sound wasn’t to just create, it was to curate a blend of songs that resembled loosely the influences that helped her become so successful in her music career, ranging from Amy Lee of Evanescence to Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac, and even to Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie. Halsey’s prose shines the most superb on this collection, as her most interpersonal struggles are perfectly represented in songs such as “The End”, “I Believe in Magic”, and “Lucky”. Halsey takes brave strides toward grunge inside of “Lonely is the muse”, and even hints at her own musical talents inside of “Hurt Feelings”, a deeply sad yet relatable song for those of us who’ve struggled with parental abuse and neglect. Halsey’s expertise only continued to enrich as the years pass, and there were plenty of examples of that on this album. This is one of the most vulnerable and important albums I’ve yet to encounter, and I hope everyone listens to it with a sympathetic and sincere manner. Standout Tracks: Ego, Panic Attack, Lonely is the Muse, Arsonist, Hurt Feelings, and Lucky.

ratthew reviewed The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails 1mo

9.7

Trent Reznor & A Descent Into Hell: The Album That Gave Industrial A Name. The Downward Spiral is not just a story, it is a comprehensive of insanity. The second studio album released by Nine Inch Nails, a one man band lead, sung, and performed by Trent Reznor, The Downward Spiral follows an unnamed protagonist descending into madness and succumbing to his declining mental health, beginning to harm others before he ultimately takes his life at the end of the album, metaphorically or literally depending on the listener’s interpretation. As a Psychology student, aiming to become a therapist, this album is not just about a man falling, it’s about the consequences that come with. The protagonist is disgusted by himself, he hates himself, but can’t stop indulging in the mistakes and negative coping mechanisms that give him brief peace of mind that end up hurting him and everyone around him. The protagonists depression and deep seated self hatred is not just felt, it is forced upon you with Trent Reznor’s lyricism and persistent, assaulting sound. There is not a single reprieve in The Downward Spiral, for even the instrumental has you anticipating that something bad will happen — and it does. The protagonists abuse of alcoholism, drug, and sex is something that is not shielded by his mythomania — which I view to be the worst part. He keeps letting himself go, keeps hurting everyone, all while fully acknowledging all in which he does. The ambiguity of The Downward Spiral also serves as a huge part of it’s charm. The protagonist has presumably suffered his own abhorrent abuses, particularly in Ruiner, where he speaks of a mysterious figure staining all that is pure in his world with their disease. If you are looking for an album where you witness someone fall into the depths of despair, where you feel not just sympathy, but also disgust, and guilt for both yourself and the protagonist of the story, The Downward Spiral is just right for you. Standout Tracks: Mr. Self Destruct, Piggy, Heresy, Closer, Ruiner, Reptile, and Hurt.