Idles - Joy As An Act Of Resistance
Bristol punk band Idles have come a long way in 2018, going from headlining the 500 capacity Gorilla in April, to selling out over 2,000 tickets for their upcoming Manchester Albert Hall gig in a matter of minutes. Their debut album ‘Brutalism’ (2017) was a clear statement of intent, setting out who they were and what they were about, politically charged punk played with rawness and vulnerability. With ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’ comes a more focused album which consists of thought-provoking themes such as toxic masculinity, immigration and diversity, whilst not losing the passion or energy which made the first album such a success and continues to make them one of the best live bands around.
The opening track ‘Colossus’, acts as a call against toxic masculinity and challenges the idea of what it means to be a man. A topic which is also visited in ‘Samaritans’ where lead singer Joe Talbot talks of traditional masculinity as a mask in which men are made to wear. Stand out tracks of the album include ‘Danny Nedelko’, which takes aim at the rise of nationalism, whilst promoting multiculturalism and the emotionally charged ‘June’ in which Talbot once again shows vulnerability by opening up about the loss of his daughter. Although the album focuses on many negative aspects, the band ensures the listener is left in an optimistic mood, with positive messages of unity, loving yourself and change throughout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VODKZxsRa_E
(Scott Lockwood)
The new Idles record is a cathartic explosion of exactly what it says on the tin: joy. The album sees the band, particularly singer Joe Talbot, funnelling negative energy from the past years, political and personal, into a violent and passionate album, touching on topics including toxic masculinity, Brexit, infant mortality, perms, and the media. Expect brutal vocals, searing guitars and a rhythm section that pummels your body while liberating your mind. UK punk renaissance! Amen!
(Rufus Murphy)
Snail Mail - Lush
For me, the greatest release of 2018 has to be Snail Mail's debut album "Lush", released through Matador Records. Hailing from Baltimore, 19 year old Lindsey Jordan is no stranger to songwriting, she began playing guitar at the age of 5 and was performing regularly in coffee shops at 11, being signed 6 years later. Her 90s-influenced indie-rock highlighting the angst of adolescence with echoes of Liz Phair and the Sundays, is a truly spectacular debut showing great musical maturity. The single 'Pristine' is a highlight of the album, with Jordan's jangly fuzzy alt-rock perfectly encapsulating the pain of unrequited love against catchy hooks. A real one to watch for the future of female guitar rock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tnTucP1UM
(Tilda Gratton)
Yungblud - 21st Century Liability
When someone describes an artist's style as a mix between Alex Turner and Jamie T, you know they're guaranteed to be a success. 2018 has been a monster of a year for the 20-year-old and Doncaster native Yungblud, aka Dominic Harrison. With the past success of several tours and festivals this year, this album is merely another addition to his already star-studded resume. His debut release ‘21st Century Liability’ is a socially aware and politically driven masterpiece, while being a fantastic fusion of rock and hip-hop.
The leading track ‘Eulogy’, sums up the whole album in 30 seconds mirroring his poignant attitude of someone who “just [doesn’t] give a fuck really” and “[speaks] far too loud”. His outspokenness makes it into a particularly wide-ranging album. From ‘Medication’ which discusses how we overuse pills and chemicals to cover up the real issues, to ‘Polygraph Eyes’ which is a deep, cinematic and upbeat track, which hides the darker theme of sexual assault. It also features straight to the point lyrics "Leave it alone mate |She doesn't want to go home with ya" and repeats this to make sure it hits home. This idea of covering up the darker truth is a running theme throughout ‘21st Century Liability’ and a tactic that Harrison also uses for effect, especially in ‘Psychotic Kids’ and ‘California’. In both of these, he discusses the feeling of isolation and being misunderstood delicately. Harrison definitely doesn’t shy away from complex ideas and isn't afraid to transform his thoughts into lyrics.
He leaves us with the titular track ‘21st Century Liability’ which not only questions capitalism and society but manages to do so with a strong catchy beat, as well as massive electronic influences and the inclusion of a telephone. Throughout this album, he manages to fulfil his pursuit of expressing his views while adding his own personal stamp of originality.
Overall, Harrison leaves no stone unturned and it is refreshing to see an artist so mature, so early on in his career. It is no wonder it has become such a popular album as it centres on issues, which will resonate not only with millennials but anyone who has ever felt a sense of chaos within the modern world. Despite his unpredictable nature, we can be sure of one thing- 2019 is going to be his year and we can only look forward to his progression.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf2KLhOVuas
(Camilla Whitfield)
Pusha T- Daytona
Personally, I have always preferred quality over quantity and Pusha T's 'Daytona' is exactly that, quality. Not only does 'Daytona' show that Pusha T can make arguably the rap album of the year and cement his legacy in music, it represents Kanye West's (who produced the album) most successful project of 2018. If compared to Drake's 'Scorpion', which with the 'beef' between the two seems appropriate, 'Daytona' is easier to listen to because its shorter with only seven songs and every song has been made with precision. 'Scorpion' has some great songs but has too many fillers. 'Daytona' is an art project whilst many other rap albums this year have been guilty of having as many great tracks as mediocre ones, making Pusha T's album a relief. Outstanding tracks on the album include the Latino influenced 'Santeria' and the exhilarating 'If You Know You Know'.
(Louis Strappazzon)
Young Fathers - Cocoa Sugar
2018 saw the release of Young Father's 3rd and latest album 'Cocoa Sugar'. The Scottish hip-hop trio won the 2014 Mercury Prize for their debut album 'Dead' and have been gathering praise and accolades ever since with their progressive gospel-tinged rap. Originally from and based in Edinburgh, the group comprises Alloysious Massaquoi, Kayus Bankole and Graham 'G' Hastings who share vocal duties, with Hastings providing often the only melodic accompaniment on a monophonic synthesiser (the intro from the track 'Toy' is a prime example of this). Combined with driving percussion and stunning vocal harmonies their catalogue makes for powerful listening. In view of their previous work and Hasting's genius lo-fi production, the new album certainly makes sense. The band has always been capable of both harsh aggression and spiritual poignancy ('Only God Knows', a track written for the T2 soundtrack, is simply breathtaking in that respect) and it is the latter that comes to the fore in 'Cocoa Sugar', bringing us songs such as 'Lord' and 'See How'. This is music that taps into something very profound. The lyrics cover everything from lust, race, body-image, greed and redemption but don't confuse this for an American import- what's on display is unmistakeably British, touching something that's much closer to home. Both Massaquoi and Bankole are of African origin and with their shouts and whistles come a vibe that is undeniably carnal, at times even tribal. Combined with a huge stage energy, this makes the three men an edifying watch. Young Fathers are like no one else and if they aren't on your new music radar then they very much should be.
(Noah Clark Hall)
Jack White – Boarding House Reach
The former half of the White Stripes’ third solo album is his most ambitious work to date. Stepping outside of his usual parameters of blues and country rock, Boarding House Reach embraces hip-hop, funk and spoken word, while retaining every ounce of White’s trademark style. This album proved to be divisive when it was released, but so were the Stooges. Dip into the mind of one of the only true geniuses in rock today; it’s bizarre, eclectic and funky like nothing else. And you can look forward to White’s band the Raconteurs’ new album coming in 2019, which is pretty fun too.
(Rufus Murphy)
Earl Sweatshirt – Some Rap Songs
There is some subtle magic behind the new Earl Sweatshirt record. We find Earl opening up about his ongoing battles with depression, in a conversational style, over beats, samples and tracks which leap, skip and glitch along, somehow retaining an effortless sense of nonchalance and cool. It’s a subdued album, befitting the subject matter, but it creeps up on you and grows. At 24 minutes, it’s a brief affair, with little room for airy hooks or hits, but it reveals the expansion of hip-hop as a genre, as it continues its forays into the avant-garde.
(Rufus Murphy)
Mitski - Be The Cowboy
Since her debut LP, Mitski has released album after album of excellent, off beat music, and ‘Be The Cowboy’ is no exception. Every song feels fresh and tightly written, and with the album barely clocking in at 30 minutes, no second is wasted. However, Mitski does not sacrifice diversity for brevity as she dives into a range of styles from the explosive orchestral arrangements on ‘A Pearl’, to the disco Chic-esque ‘Nobody’ and the tense, almost desolate ‘A Horse Named Cold Air’. ‘Be The Cowboy’ sees an increase in the quality of production, and even on the heavily layered tracks the arrangement never feels messy.
Standing out like a jewel on the instrumental crown is Mitski’s voice. Powerfully graceful, it floats above the music, and each word from her mouth rings out with clarity. Her lyrics touch more on the conceptual than the personal in direct contrast with the delivery; almost every song is sung in the first person, and with no vocal layering the lyrics feel very personal indeed. Love and loneliness are the prevalent themes on the album, as heard best in ‘Old Friend’ and ‘Lonesome Love’, while the subject matter on the heaviest track, ‘Remember My Name’, is equally compelling, dealing with legacy and ego.
There are no fillers on ‘Be The Cowboy’, with the quietest songs hitting as hard as the loudest. Mitski moves seamlessly between time signatures and key changes in her bid to fuse the catchiness of pop with, well, everything else, and her ability to do so is superb. This is an album written by an artist in their prime, and perhaps this presents the biggest problem - what the hell do you do next?!
My favourite tracks: Nobody, Why Didn’t You Stop Me, Old Friend
For fans of: Angel Olsen, Frankie Cosmos, Snail Mail
(Jonny Francis)