Experimental pop-rock titans Twenty One Pilots had made a career of blending together just about every sound under the sun in a way that came across as overblown and almost too experimental for its own good until 2018’s incredible Trench album. A cohesive and heavy prog-rock piece that incorporated aspects of bright pop choruses, synth-funk, … Continue reading Twenty One Pilots – Scaled And Icy
Month: May 2021
Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR
While it seems like more and more teen stars are rising to popularity every day, it feels like it’s been a very long time since someone had the kind of overnight success and overwhelming support that 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo is currently experiencing. The closest comparison might be someone like Billie Eilish, but even she had … Continue reading Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Three and a half years after teaming up with perennial producer of the moment Jack Antonoff for the excellent Masseduction, alt-rock and indie-pop superstar St. Vincent is back with something completely different – business as usual for the multi-instrumental experimentalist. Her sixth album Daddy’s Home is loosely based off of a moment of reckoning with … Continue reading St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
J. Cole – The Off-Season
After teasing a (potentially final?) album entitled The Fall-Off since the day his last project dropped back in 2018, global superstar J. Cole has elected to drop something entirely different in his triumphant return to racking up gargantuan stream counts. Dropping a couple teasers last year and getting himself into hot water with Noname over … Continue reading J. Cole – The Off-Season
Toosii – Thank You For Believing
Part of a new wave of young rappers from the Carolinas, DaBaby labelmate Toosii has been picking up attention through a series of high-profile features for a while, dropping off this mixtape with a couple big guests of his own a couple months after his breakthrough debut studio album. Delivering melodic trap through a nasal … Continue reading Toosii – Thank You For Believing
Weezer – Van Weezer
After dropping one of the most surprisingly excellent projects of the year just under four months ago with the emotional and orchestral ode to pandemic life that was OK Human, this reviewer absolutely had to check out what veteran nerd-rock band Weezer was up to with their long-delayed Van Weezer. Hilariously, almost a complete opposite … Continue reading Weezer – Van Weezer
girl in red – if i could make it go quiet
The influence of TikTok on the music industry can’t be understated enough, but its nature of blowing up songs off of a tiny soundbite can cause the actual artists behind these smash hits to remain in relative obscurity. That’s evidently not been the case for girl in red, who is resonating with Gen Z in … Continue reading girl in red – if i could make it go quiet
DJ Khaled – KHALED KHALED
The walking, talking meme and motivational speaker with the keys to success is back with what is surprisingly his twelfth studio album – the man has been making hits since 2007 and shows no signs of slowing down, online derision aside. Once again hilariously “executive produced” by not only his two infant sons, but also … Continue reading DJ Khaled – KHALED KHALED
Porter Robinson – Nurture
Highly influential DJ and singer Porter Robinson, believe it or not, hasn’t put out a full-length project since all the way back in 2014. Admitting to an extended period of writers’ block, overthinking things and falling into states of depression in recent interviews, his long-awaited project Nurture has finally materialized – and it couldn’t have … Continue reading Porter Robinson – Nurture
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 