On Repeat

Recently, I have had the same handful of albums on repeat and I have been talking and tweeting about them nonstop. All of these albums are new(ish) releases that I highly recommend and that might be on my Albums of the Year list. All of the albums are available on Spotify and Apple Music.

Science Fiction by Brand New
This one is a no-brainer. If you’ve read my other posts on this blog, follow me on any social media or know me in person, then you know how much I love Brand New. Science Fiction was a surprise release for every Brand New fan out there and it was absolutely worth the wait (it’s been 8 years since Brand New released a full-length album). It’s nothing like “I Am A Nightmare” or Mene that were released in-between Daisy and Science Fiction. To me, this album is Deja Entendu, The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me, and Daisy all mashed together and I absolutely love it.

Good Nature by Turnover
Full disclosure, I’ve had a copy of this album since early/mid-August because I attended Turnover’s album listening party in Boston and acquired a copy on CD and it hasn’t left my car’s CD player since. To me, the album sounds just like summer. It’s like Peripheral Vision because it is smooth and melodic, but at the same time they’re polar opposites. Good Nature is dreamy, shoegaze-y, and smooth. The album really puts you into a trance as you listen and the entire album really sounds like one continuous song. It's much brighter and lighter sounding than Peripheral Vision.

Harry Styles by Harry Styles
This might come as a surprise but I have to admit that Harry Styles is insanely talented and deserves all the publicity and hype this album is getting. I am not a fan of One Direction at all but damn I love Harry Styles’ voice. The first single off the album, “Sign of the Times,” is reminiscent of “Heroes” by David Bowie. I rarely ever compare other artists to Bowie but Styles channels Bowie in a way that is unique. Harry Styles has a lot of throwback and retro influences but it is still a modern-sounding album in the way that nothing sounds dated or too cliché. There are definite ‘70’s rock influences and no two songs sound the same, yet each song highlights Styles’ impressive vocal range and creativity.

A Black Mile to the Surface by Manchester Orchestra
I saw how much hype this album was getting on Twitter and Instagram and I felt compelled to check it out. I was never a massive fan of Manchester Orchestra but this album definitely changed that for me. This album is incredibly haunting and beautiful and it will stick with you after just one listen. It’s not as brash-sounding as some of Manchester Orchestra’s previously releases but it is still lyrically honest like their previous releases.

Mortals by Down I Go

 Mortals by Down I Go
Scattered across the earth, and living incognito as "regular people" are masters of an art form centuries old. Contrary to popular belief, being a successful band is not being rich, famous, or even popular; success is the accomplishment of some aim or purpose. Given that, it is no stretch to say that Down I Go are one of the most successful bands in our era. Their back catalog shows their ability and admiration for grabbing an idea, then bring it to life through both sound and story. Where many bands have run with concept albums, none ever feel as whole or well thought out as those put forth by Down I Go. Not only does Mortals continue this trend of excellence, it surpasses all the things I've come to love about this band.

   It's everything Down I Go has always done well except it's something entirely new and unique in it's own way. Something people tend to forget is that vocals are an instrument in their own way. It's what makes harmonies so complex and beautiful, and something that the group seems to have perfected on Mortals. They used them more frequently and effectively in these four tracks than most bands have in their entire careers. It gives everything more balance in the process. That doesn't mean that there is a lack of throat-ripping, seemingly impossible to produce, screams present either. Those are plentiful as well.
   As is always the case, their time signatures are above and beyond. It is baffling to think of how they arrange these things. On top of that, there are so many layers stacked into 14 minutes that you can listen to it twenty times over and still hear something new each time. Multi-layered harmonies, brass, woodwinds and pianos are placed so brilliantly (some times on top of one another, sometimes individually) that it makes Mortals sound like the most grandiose of all of their works.
   With every new release they manage to give me a new favorite track. When Gods was released I was convinced that Icarus was the best song they had ever written. Until a bunch of lunatics (me included) crowd funded You're Lucky God That I Cannot Reach You and I heard Drangey Concecrated. Now, out of the blue and without warning, I've become entirely too fond of Heracles. It's the heaviest song on this EP, and also the most lovable. Writhing with complexity, unapologetic with it's brutality, and beautifully layered it very well may be my favorite track of theirs. After the pause with the piano, the harmonies come in almost poetically. The second go around, DEEP in the background, that same harmony is accompanied by the lowest, deepest growl I've ever heard from Down I Go. My favorite of all however are the low saxophone notes that accompany the horns during the bridge. It is filled to the brim with sounds that shouldn't make sense together, but do. For being so aggressive, it has the softest and most faint ending, almost lullaby-ing it's way out.
   Really, the only way to experience it is by listening to it. It is a cheap purchase that will bring you joy for the years to come and is available on their bandcamp page, as well as most of their discography. One final note I have is an observation. Despite implying that the band is unpopular in my introduction, the fact of the matter is that their continued dedication to creating has only helped them. They have grown in popularity and that is only because of their continued efforts. They do everything on their own. Writing, recording, promoting, etc. is all done by them. With that, I would like to thank them for all that they have done. I am proud of what they have been able to accomplish thus far. I hope there are things to come in the future.