Releases Of September (In Brief)

Well, as you may suspect, there are many more record releases planned for this month than I can actually handle all by my lonesome, and it is due to this that New Music Monday has the listing of albums that it does.

However, there are certainly more albums than that small selection which have caught my attention over the course of the month or are currently exciting me with their impending release, and so I have come up with a little list of things that I didn’t really have time to do full reviews for.

It is by no means a complete list of all the records that have been released this month, but merely a small sample of the titles that caught my eye and which I managed to get my grubby little hands on.

It is worth bearing in mind that these records haven’t had much more than a cursory listen as I really have not had the time to do a full analysis, and so my comments on them are very brief. They are also apt to change in the future if I find the album interesting enough to return to in future days for a further listen.

But, as it stands, here are my first thoughts on a few of the albums that came my way throughout the course of the month. And be sure to stay tuned for many more!

The 1975 – The 1975

Released 2^nd September 2013 on Dirty Hit/ Polydor

Alternative/ Rock

This debut LP from British alternative rockers The 1975 is really just a huge bore. I mean, none of the tracks lead up to anything and they all practically sound the same. The music is not really bad as such – it’s got some nice hints of funk and some solid rock beats – but overall it never actually gets proper funky or lets itself rock out. Not to mention that the vocalist has one of the irritatingly whiney voices I’ve heard on a pop record for a long time. The opening tracks started out relatively strong, but the whole thing rapidly dissolved into little more than bait for disaffected, over-cashed hipsters (right down to the ridiculous album sleeve): truly a disappointing first effort.

RATING: **/5

Notable Cuts: The City/ Robbers/ Girls

Trash: M.O.N.E.Y/ Talk!/ Is There Somebody Who Can Watch You

Tales Of Us – Goldfrapp

Released 3^rd September on Mute

Electronic/ Alternative/ Synth-Pop/ Folk

British electronic outfit Goldfrapp sixth studio album Tales Of Us is a mildly interesting piece of dream-pop. Everything floats well enough to create a trancelike future-folk feeling that permeates every inch of what you’re doing while listening to this record. It never actually catches your attention per se, but it’s always there influencing your mood and actions (for better or for worse – I haven’t decided yet).

I would like to have heard a little bit more emphasis on beat (because the beats on here actually are solid even if they are underplayed) and perhaps a little more emphasis on actual melody rather than a constant reliance on ethereality. I mean, beauty and skill is never a substitute for catchiness if you want to sell records (sad, but true) and Tales Of Us has the first two in spades, but lacks somewhat in the latter.

Overall, however, I’d have to say that on first listen this record has a lot to offer, and on later listens I’m sure I’ll find out exactly what.

NOTE: This record needs revisiting at a later time to form a full opinion and write a full review.

RATING: ***/5

Notable Cuts: Annabel/ Ulla/ Thea

Trash: Alvar/ Laurel

B.O.A.T.S II: Me Time – 2 Chainz

Released 10^th September on Def Jam

Rap/ Hip-Hop

This follow up record to rapper 2 Chainz’ debut Based On A T.R.U Story has some truly amazing beats forming the backing track on it. Like a simplified Yeezus it builds layers of influence and heavy, jarring timing-fucks, but, unlike Kanye’s overworked opus, B.O.A.T.S II actually succeeds in creating an element of subtlety throughout the album.

Unfortunately, however, it lyricaly falls down with its insistence on ‘ghetto’ themes without any positivity or forward thinking. Once again, I’m disappointed by rappers never living up to the expectations given me right at the beginning with Public Enemy – why can’t anyone fight the power anymore?

Another issue I had with this one was 2 Chainz’ completely uninteresting style and flow. I mean, Cap 1’s deftly spat additions to Where U Been? held some interest and some of the other cameo’s were fun, but 2 Chainz’ himself was really just rehashing a whole tired history of hip-hop that I’ve heard at least a hundred times before while adding nothing new at all.

Overall the record’s not bad, but it’s definitely not anything special. Musically it’s just a slightly less complicated version of Yeezus which isn’t a bad thing (still undecided on whether B.O.A.T.S II is better beatwise), but lyrically it’s laughable at best and cringe-worthy at mediocre. Can’t recommend.

Rating: **/5

P.S

Spelling and grammar: I don’t really mind if the rules are bent, but with B.O.A.T.S II it just makes me lament for the state of the American schooling system and every impressionable who reads this lyric sheet.

Notable Cuts: “36”/ Feds Watching/ Black Unicorn (just for the intro – the rest is pretty much awful)

Trash: Netflix/ Fork/ U Da Realest/ So We Can Live

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