Tag: album review

Halsey went all out while building a team to create “Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.” She aimed to make a more radio friendly album, collaborating with some of the hottest people making music right now, from powerhouse producers like Greg Kurstin, Benny Blanco and Ricky Reed to contributions from Lauren Jauregui (Fifth Harmony), Sia, The Weeknd and Quavo (Migos).

Almost two years have elapsed since One Direction went on hiatus. In that time we have seen solo releases from Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, former band member Zayn Malik and most recently, Harry Styles. Liam Payne is also working on his solo debut with a single coming May 19.

After four long years without releasing an album, Paramore is back with their fifth full-length album, “After Laughter.” The band is said to have gone through difficult times the past few years which almost tore them apart completely, leaving many fans surprised that they were releasing new material. I have always been a Paramore fan, but my taste in music has changed quite a lot since their last album came out, so I wasn’t sure what to expect with this new album.

I can’t quite put my finger on how Mac DeMarco became such a beloved staple of indie rock. He never quite grabbed me with his music (not yet, at least), but I can’t deny he’s got a certain charm. He’s probably the only artist who I’ve watched more interviews of than actual videos of his performances. He’s likely the goofiest dude in the whole world.

Joey Bada$$ is an interesting artist in the context of his contemporaries.

I haven’t been this impressed by an artist’s debut album in a while. When I first heard Alexandra Savior’s single “Mirage,” I fell in love with the track. After that, I decided I should keep tabs on her. I was delighted to find out that she would be releasing her debut album, “Belladonna of Sadness,” April 7 through Columbia Records.

The new album by witty lyricist Kiernan McMullan is a truly emotional release for the indie songwriter. Aptly named “Baggage,” McMullan’s 10 new songs all reflect on the singer’s past and present stress, struggles and shortcomings.

The last thing Father John Misty needs right now is another article. Honest to God, it feels like every time I like log onto Facebook, there’s another album review or interview. Needless to say, his new album, “Pure Comedy,” has been getting a lot of hype.

The first time I’d heard of Hippo Campus was when they were playing one of WXPN’s Free At Noon concerts last year (obligatory plug — World Cafe Live puts on a free show every Friday at noon with stellar artists). Their hit “Suicide Saturday” instantly stood out to me as a jam. I added a few of their songs to a playlist, but with nothing more than a six-song EP to their name, I came to forget about Hippo Campus.

After a year-long hiatus Ed Sheeran has abruptly marked his return to the music scene with his third album, “Divide.” Cue the jokes about how he’s slowly working his way through PEMDAS (“Plus” and “Multiply” being the names of his first two albums). There were high expectations for this one.