Category: Reviews

Knuckle Puck – “Shapeshifter”

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By: Ryan Smith

It is very difficult to listen to “Shapeshifter” without immediately making associations to acts from whom the band draws significant influence, to include ’00-era heavies like Brand New, Taking Back Sunday and The Starting Line. Knuckle Puck delivers their pop-emo hooks with such complete confidence and conviction and eventually their debts to those bands are eclipsed by the fact that they’ve written a banger of an emotional punk opus.
In fact, the title track lands so hard it is almost as if space and time have warped and we’re hearing some revisionist version of history where 20 years haven’t passed and it is Knuckle Puck whose t-shirts are flying of Hot Topic shelves.
Following up their 2015 debut, “Copacetic”, which entered five different Billboard charts in the top ten can’t have been an easy task – and apparently wasn’t as the band changed directions and producers midway through the recording process and scrapped their early efforts. The end result is the right album for this band and they make it sound effortless.
It’s easy to see why the band is one of the most beloved of the current modern emo pop genre; they’ve clearly gotten sharper and have put in the work to uncover their distinct identity.

Liam Gallagher – “As You Were”

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By: Ryan Smith

Not much can be said about the peculiar man that is Liam Gallagher. Fans of his previous work would know him as one of the members of Oasis, famed for “Wonderwall”, continuing as a member of the group when they became Beady Eye, and finally starting his solo career with his debut solo album “As You Were”. For a man so erratic, so confusing at times, this album is one that fuels the inner workings of the mind to a level not normally accessed. The album starts out strong with the lead single “Wall of Glass”, with Gallagher showing us again that vocal power and sound that defines him as a musician. Digging through other tracks on the album, you can hear the influences of his previous musical preoccupations- from old Oasis throwbacks on “For What It’s Worth” to the everlasting comparison and grandeur he has when it comes to the Beatles on “Paper Crown”. The album continues to throw different themes at you, and leave a lot for you to think about. “Chinatown” is unusually cryptic without losing stride amongst the other songs on the album, and then there is Liam’s vocal heavy “I Get By”, which throws a whole lot of bark at you, but not a whole lot of bite- almost in the same vain of Liam spouting off about something on Twitter. But even under all the new ideas on “As You Were” this is the same old Noel slamming, willful chord progressing, “Wonderwall” set closing Liam that we are used to.

Glass Animals – Palace Theater 9/27

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By: Ted Tiedemann 

Glass Animals performed to a sold out crowd at the Palace Theater for the first time this past September. As always, they had an elaborate set design adorned with palm trees, pineapples, colored lights, a pineapple disco ball, and the letters GA in large 8-bit font hung above them. The band presented an upbeat, energetic set that got everyone dancing, which is typical at a Glass Animals show. David Bayley, the front man, engaged in his usual bouncy antics, dancing from one side of the stage to the other, singing while standing amongst the crowd, and letting his inner child out on stage. Their performance was no short of incredible; all of the members bring a high tier of musicianship and talent to the table. Joe Seaward is an underrated drummer in the indie rock/pop world and his live performance shows his precise skill and passion he contributes to the show. On the song “Cane Shuga,” he plays a syncopated beat seamlessly with super clean trap hi-hat rhythms, and in a live scenario it’s mesmerizing. Both Drew MacFarlane and Edmund Irwin-Singer handle all of the synths, guitars and samples to create a kind of symphony that’s rooted heavily in hip hop, indie, and culture. 


Unfortunately the show suffered some mixing issues; the midi instruments were too quiet, low and high frequencies were too hot which cut out essential mids. Despite some sound issues, the band persevered and played a high energy show. David Bayley evoked images of Thom Yorke’s wild dancing, and felt loose enough to improvise some falsetto runs on various tracks. Both Drew and Edmund improvised melodic motifs in their most popular songs to add intrigue to the live show. Above all that, what made the show feel so much more intimate was the fact that they had Joe playing drums to the side rather than behind the band. This setup felt more like I got a better sense of each individual member and what they contributed, rather than having the focus always be the singer. Much of their live show consists of a subtle tweak to the formula of having a good live show, and subtle breaking of the rules that make them stand out as an indie band. There is no doubt that Glass Animals are a tight outfit that will definitely last due to their solid live shows.

Fleet Foxes – Palace Theater 9/30

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By: Mitchell Roers

Few artists succeed in sounding as good live as they do on their studio produced albums. Being used to listening to an album that has been tweaked and perfected in a studio environment, as well as the challenges that go with perfecting a band’s on-stage sound commonly leads to fans experiencing an artist they viewed as “not as good live.” There was no such feeling, however, when Fleet Foxes took the stage at Palace Theater this past Saturday, where the Seattle based Indie Folk band took the audience on stroll through the serene Autumn landscape they crafted throughout the night, which also included some of the best live production I’ve ever experienced.

Although the band is coming off a four year hiatus, which is the result of the departure of drummer/percussionist Josh Tillman (who has since found much success as a solo artist under the alias Father John Misty), as well as frontman and group leader Robin Pecknold quietly enrolling as an undergrad at Columbia University, the band hasn’t missed a beat. In this massive eighteen song set (followed by a three song encore), the group wowed the audience both with their awe-inspiring full band sound, as well as with intimate solo acoustic performances by Pecknold. Musically, the band did everything they needed to to create fantastic sound quality. The mix/levels of the instrumental and vocal sounds was perfect, which was ever present on songs such as Helplessness Blues and Third of May. The blend between Robin’s voice and the backup vocals was smooth and complimentary, creating some beautiful natural vocal harmonies. Furthermore, the sheer musicianship and professionalism of each member of the band was indistinguishable, reminding us that this was a band worthy of all the critical acclaim they’ve received throughout the last decade.

The visual production of the show was minimal, but effective. The few abstract set pieces on stage (which to me looked like they were supposed to resemble mountains), the subtle light show, and the unique and interesting on-screen avant-garde visuals combined to create an atmosphere that appeased concert goers, while making sure to not take away from the music. All in all, Fleet Foxes shined in providing the perfect show to kick off October and connect with both the diehards and casual listeners in the crowd, making sure fans left Palace Theatre feeling euphoric and with a smile on their face.

Highlights: Helplessness Blues, Blue Spotted Tail, Ragged Wood, Battery Kinzie, The Shrine/An Argument, Third of May/Ōdaigahara

TL/DR: Fleet Foxes triumph at sold out Palace Theatre performance, combining excellent sound production with unparalleled musicianship to create the perfect autumn concert experience.

Syd – “Always Never Home”

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Released: September 7th, 2017

After releasing her debut solo album “Fin” early this year, Syd returns with more bass-heavy R&B songs about women on her new EP. Syd smoothly spits sensual lyrics over the duration of her trio of tracks. She introspectively explores relationships, often questioning their overall worth and her level of commitment.

Her EP begins with Moving Mountains where Syd reflects on the efforts she has taken to sustain her relationship when her evaluation of its value seems to come up short. The second track, Bad Dream/No Looking Back, takes a different approach and focuses on the avoidance of commitment and the physical side of relationships. Finally, Syd closes out her EP with a third track, On the Road, which exemplifies her rapping as she relays the often-lamented trials of tour life. While Syd’s new EP is short in length, she doesn’t miss any opportunity to open up about problems that so many find relatable.

Syd will be performing at The Cabooze in Minneapolis on November 7th.

 


Image Attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/goincase/8048748632/in/photostream/

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

Macklemore – “Gemini”

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By: Ryan Smith

Going solo after a long period of having someone else be a big part of your life can be tough- whether it’s a relationship, a best friend, or in this case, a musical collaborator. His first solo album since 2005, Macklemore has shown that with his solo return to the scene with “Gemini” that it’s good to go back to your roots sometimes- those roots being yourself. This isn’t to say that he’s completely alone- in fact, every song but “Ten Million” has a feature on it. But don’t let that deter you from listening to this piece of art. From the get go, Macklemore lets us know that he has returned, as the opening line to “Glorious” (ft Skylar Grey) says “You know I’m back, like I never left”- a feeling that we’ve longed for since his last solo work. The rest of the album dabbles into different vibes that change from song to song- the trap feel of “Willy Wonka”, along with the nicely delivered Offset feature, to the almost Future sounding “How to Play the Flute” featuring King Draino. But perhaps one of (if not the) most talked about song from the album is “Good Old Days”, the piano chord soul tugging song featuring Kesha, in yet another long awaited return from another well known and well liked name in the music industry. This album is not one that you want to miss out on- the different themes throughout the album that Macklemore discusses leave the listener with an urge to take a step back and really appreciate all that we have in life.

Hippo Campus – “landmark”

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By: Matthew Jadlowski

Hippo Campus’ debut album landmark is set to be released February 24. However, on Sunday, February 12, at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis, the band had an in-store show and signing for the release of their album’s exclusive blue vinyl.

The record opens with the ethereal “sun veins.” The short song draws the listener into the newly developed sound of the band, and transitions into the familiar “way it goes.” Side A includes songs like “epitaph,” featuring vibrant synth sounds and vocal alterations, which seem to be influenced by Bon Iver while still maintaining the classic Hippo youthfulness as the song gains momentum; and “western kids,” which has the upbeat, fun summer feeling of past favorites like “Sophie So”, and a song structure that is also reflective of those on past EP, Bashful Creatures. The positive energy of this song seems to look to the band’s bright future by mentioning the love of their transition “from the ‘burbs to the streets.”

Side B of the vinyl opens with singer Jake Luppen’s smooth falsetto on “poems” which transitions into a beautiful instrumental and later adds a powerful vocal with heavy guitar. This dynamic song introduces the both more somber, and up-beat pop rock sound of Side B which includes already released tracks “monsoon” and “boyish.” The vibrant lyrics and steady drums of “vacation” tell a story of struggle and mystery of finding one’s self cloaked in a dreamlike, but positive sound. “interlude” then offers a pause in the album that includes deep drums as well as brass by DeCarlo Jackson, with an overall feel of freedom and passion that sounds much more like an old Edward Sharpe song. The album concludes with “buttercup” which has all the elements of any favorite Hippo song; upbeat and robust guitar riffs, a rhythm that can be danced to, and passionate lyrics and vocals which eventually lead up to a powerful yell of “I’ll be fine, I’m alright, it’s my body/gonna stick to my guns like you taught me.”

The album overall has a new and polished sound compared to past EPs. The lyrics are deeply poetic and the music is both nostalgic and hopeful for the future. Though the band has grown and matured a lot since Bashful and South, the songs are all authentically and distinctly Hippo Campus. landmark is available everywhere February 24. The band kicks off a spring tour in support of the album on February 15.

Glass Animals – “How to be a Human Being”

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By: Liz Legatt

If you haven’t engulfed yourself in the latest Glass Animals album yet, I recommend doing so ASAP. “How to be a Human Being” is the perfect blend of Alternative, Indie, and Hip Hop. Needless to say, I am obsessed and have been since day one… Which was back on August 26th, 2016. Four months later and I’m still listening just as much as I did the week of its release.

Glass Animals’ second full-length album grasps inspiration from the real-life interactions of lead-singer Dave Bayley, with fans during his travels across the world. The album features 11 banger tracks, each detailing the story of 11 different characters that Bayley has come across. Every character has their own personality; therefore every song has its own flavor. This genius idea creates a diverse album, drawing me back in and causing me to love it more with each listen. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve recommended “How to be a Human Being” to, but I can say that I have no plans to stop.

My favorite track off the album is without a doubt “The Other Side of Paradise”, which tells the story of a man who heads to California in search of fame, leaving behind his lover and resulting in him losing himself amidst the ambitions of Hollywood. The emotional build up as the woman he leaves behind repeats over and over, “I know you don’t but I still try, / my thunder shook him down, / that girl is gone but I still try, / I think it’s over now…” sends heart-wrenching goose bumps shooting down my spine without fail EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

I had the unforgettable opportunity to see this group at the Myth Nightclub back in October and can say that not only was I not disappointed by any aspect of the night, but also that this experience is now ranked in my top concerts. The amount of energy, combination of new and old music, and connectivity with the crowd made me feel as much a part of the performance as the band. My friends and I were able to reach front row for the encore, when Bayley personally grabbed our hands before heading offstage. The post-concert-depression I experienced was the worst I’ve had to date. I definitely have plans of seeing them again next time they roll through town and highly suggest you do the same!

Run the Jewels – “Run the Jewels 3”

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By: Sam Schultz

“I hope, I hope with the highest of hopes, that I never have to go back to the trap, and my days with dealing with dope” I hope you don’t have to either Killer Mike…because your music has me grooving more than the grooviest man that ever lived. This is the opening line in the intro track from RTJ3 titled ‘Down’. The slow build up this song brings is incredible. One of my personal favorites from the album, this song makes me feel like skydiving out of a plane, parachuting down to the love of my life and proposing. It leaves the listener with a thought like…holy sh*t, this album is about to be lit.

‘Legend Has It’ is this album’s head banger for sure. The beat is aggressive and the production is magnificent. Killer Mike and EL-P trade off verses and during the chorus a glorious “Wooooo” can be heard. Honestly it makes me feel like I just beat my elementary school arch rival in a game of 4 square.

Listen to to ‘Hey Kids’ because Killer Mike tears up the establishment and Danny Brown is featured.

‘Stay Gold’ is another aggressive song with an amazing electronic beat. The rap is pure and reminiscent of old school flavor. Stay gold everyone.

‘Don’t Get Captured’ is the rallying cry for those of us who want to keep the revolution going. Verses of White,corrupt politicians who want to shut down any possibility of change ring through the song. Keep fighting, just don’t get caught.

‘Thieves’ might be the most political and moving song on the album. It talks about the view society has about riots for social causes. All rioters being labeled as thugs, uneducated, and specifically in this song..”thieves,” this song spins that view and blames those looking on as the thieves. From police unjustly taking innocent lives to CNN reporters not understanding the implications of their words. This song shares the voices of the oppressed who continue to fight for their equality. Words from Martin Luther King make up the outro…”I think America must see, riots do not develop out of thin air. Certain conditions continue to exist in our society, which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots, and the final analysis is a riot is the language of the unheard” Think about that White America…think about that.

‘Panther Like a Panther’ it’s freaking lit. The beat is insane so get ready to dance.

‘A Report to the Shareholders/Kill Your Masters’ is the last song of the album. It details Killer Mike’s frustrations with the injustices that continue to plague Black people and the group’s frustration as a whole with the events of recent times(seems to point to the past election season) One verse has Killer Mike relaying that when RTJ was started it was all fun and there wasn’t necessarily a purpose. At this point RTJ has a bigger purpose.

Run The Jewels brought an insane amount of energy to RTJ3. Throughout the album I was so hyped up that I felt like I could do anything I set my mind too. Seriously..it felt like I just downed 10 Red Bull’s. And I think that’s part of what RTJ is doing with this album. They want people to hear about our country’s issues, and injustices, and simple everyday life problems too! But they also want us to act on them and do something about it! This album is a party starter and political dialogue all in one and I absolutely love it. Each song’s beat transfers into the next so seamlessly that the whole album sounds like one continuous song. With Run The Jewels 3, the same energy from previous albums was brought, if not more, but deeper messages were brought too, which leaves me to say that RTJ3 is the best album yet from this dynamic duo. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album.

Hippo Campus – University of St. Thomas 10/01

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Hippo Campus at UST: A Modern-day Miracle
By: Elli Dubanoski

On October 1st, Hippo Campus graced UST with their presence. It would be beyond fair to say that my expectations were high, yet somehow Hippo Campus met them all. Their palpable high energy and catchy songs made the floor shake enough to cause concern. The whole crowd was immediately and continuously engaged, hanging on to every upbeat note that was played.

The entire concert, put together by STAR, was a perfect exemplification of UST values. Halfway through, a female student threw her bra onto the stage where Hippo Campus’ Nathan then put it on, before later draping it over his microphone for the remainder of the concert. The crowd of students responded with loud cheers when lead singer, Jake, introduced one of their new songs by saying, “It’s about alcohol.” Also, shout-out to the kid who crowd-surfed.

The band performed all their older hits and played plenty of new material before ultimately closing the night with their song “Violet”. Even when the band left the stage, students refused to disburse and continued yelling for an encore until the lights went out. Hippo Campus’ performance is easily one of the best things to happen to UST and will be difficult to top at next year’s Homecoming concert.

Photo credit: Grace Lomauro