Author: Jessica Romera

Real Estate – Atlas (Domino; 2014)

For their third studio album, the New Jersey indie rockers step out from behind the haze of their previous releases and confirm that they are more than just a novelty act. With their two previous albums, Real Estate has proven that simplicity is the key to their popularity. Their dreamy arrangements and pop melodies feel pleasant and  nostalgic, and never required much investment from the listener. With Atlas, we are faced with a maturation. The lyrics speak of time, regret, and alienation and the production is more polished, creating a deeper and more complex listen.

The band may be growing up, but the core of what makes Real Estate feel so genuine remains intact: a bunch of suburban guys who want to have fun and play music. Who can complain with that?

Trial Track: “Talking Backwards”

Rating: 8/10

-Paul Traunero

Pharrell- G I R L (Columbia; 2014)

Pharrell Williams has truly outdone himself in his latest album, G I R L . It’s an adventurous summer-lovin’ album with an interesting set of guest appearances from artists across the music industry’s spectrum. This 10-song mixture has interesting collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Osbourne, Daft Punk, Alicia Keys, and Timbaland, to name a few. The best way to describe such an album is that it really tries to make you feel happy. It also has an emotional jazzy side to add a final touch. Already, the latest single off the album, “Happy,” has garnished 100 million views on YouTube alone. If you are looking for a summer time set list of tunes to jam to either in the car or in the club, G I R L is definitely an album for you. Finally, someone in the industry is making real music again, and still hitting the mainstream airwaves with a bang.

Trial Track: “Gust of Wind”
Rating: 8/10
-Jonathan Cohen

Trust – Joyland (Arts & Crafts; 2014)

Trust unleashes a more mature and complex sound on his sophomore effort, Joyland. Originally a two-piece effort, Trust is now composed uniquely of Toronto-based artist Robert Alfons. Following up his Juno-nominated debut album TRST, Alfons attempts to find a balance between upbeat, synthy house music and darker techno, and does so with relative ease. Most of Joyland has a lighter, dreamy feel to it: album opener “Slightly Floating” perpetuates a feeling of being caught up in a synth-fuelled dream. The album then moves into murkier soundscapes on tracks like “Are We Arc?” and “Four Gut,” all the while maintaining a retro-inspired dance-ability. Joyland also displays Alfons’ vocals more prominently than on his debut album, exemplified most notably on tracks like “Geryon” that showcase the Toronto musician’s semi-sinister sounding  vocal-work. At times, the album borders on overly eurobeat techno, but tracks like “Barely” remind us that Alfons is able to create an atmosphere that is both intricate and fun.

Trial Track: “Barely”

Rating: 7/10

-Jessica Romera

Imogen Heap – Sparks (RCA; 2014)

Back in 2011, eclectic singer-songwriter Imogen Heap asked her fans to help her write her fourth studio album. The album, entitled Sparks, was released on March 3, and is the perfect update to her amazing sound. The album brings the same hauntingly beautiful voice, layering, and harmonies that put her on the map, yet with a more upbeat, different touch. While some of the songs on the album, like “You Know Where To Find Me” are reminiscent of “Say Goodnight And Go,” others, like “Xizi She Knows” are completely different, and bring an exotic new twist to Heap’s music. Heap collaborated with Deadmau5 for her song “Telemiscommunications,”and the unlikely duo’s work is beautiful and catchy. In “Minds Without Fear,” featuring the music-directing duo Vishal-Shekar,Indian music is layered onto Heap’s singing, giving a new spin to her music. “Neglected Space” is spooky and haunting, with Heap narrating to music, almost sounding like she is reading a poem.

Those who fell in love with Heap’s hit songs “Speeding Cars” and “Hide and Seek” will definitely appreciate Sparks.

Trial Track: “You Know Where To Find Me”

Rating: 9/10

-Nathalie Laflamme

St. Vincent – St. Vincent (Loma Vista/Republic Records; 2014)

With its choppy melodies, electronic distortion and synthesized instrumentation, St. Vincent‘s eponymous fourth studio album draws a clear influence from Love This Giant, her recent collaboration with ex-Talking Heads frontman, David Byrne. Thematically, the album focuses on power, faith and our increasingly digital lives—themes that perfectly contextualize her most confident and experimental release to date. Sporting a new bold silver hairdo, Annie Clark explained at the album’s press release, “I wanted to make a party record you could play at a funeral.” Expect a departure from St. Vincent’s previous sound, with elements of funk and art-rock, all within her distinct pop sensibility. Clark has become one of the most innovative guitarists in indie rock, and though St. Vincent may be a challenging album, it should be praised for its originality, style and progressive sound.

Trial Track: “Digital Witness”

Rating: 9/10

-Paul Traunero

The Fray – Helios (Epic Records; 2014)

Helios is pop/rock band The Fray’s fourth studio album. The first single off the record, “Love Don’t Die,” is an edgy, foot-stomping track that marked a change in the band’s sound. Compared to The Fray’s signature piano-driven ballads, Helios is significantly more upbeat than their 2012 release, Scars and Stories. The Fray takes risks on this record, with a gospel choir featured on the opening track “Hold My Hand” and the funk/retro-inspired “Give It Away.” Yet the band has not strayed too far from its roots, with songs like “Same as You” and “Closer To Me,” which are sonically similar to some of its older songs, but with a happier subject matter. In an interview with Fuse, band member Joe King attributed their more upbeat and positive record to being in an all-around better place as a band, as well as in each of their individual lives. Overall, the risks paid off and showcase the band’s growth over the past decade.

Trial Track: “Hurricane”

Rating: 8/10

-Jaimie Roussos

Beck – Morning Phase (Capitol Records; 2014)

 Last June, Beck announced that he was in the process of recording two albums to be released around the same time: one acoustic album and one with a greater emphasis on electric elements. Morning Phase is the acoustic half and his first studio album released in over five years. This newest release does not stick to what has worked for the artist in the past; Beck does not attempt to rehash the formula of his previous hits, but instead treads into modern indie territory. That is not to say that Beck is emulating current artists, the father of indie is showing newcomers how it’s done. Musically, the new album is stripped down; Beck’s previous work seems overcrowded by comparison. The tone of the album is also much more relaxed than the artist’s previous releases. The lack of variety presented in Morning Phase is its biggest downfall, tracks begin to blend together about halfway through leaving the listener craving something different.

Trial Track: “Blue Moon”

Score: 7/10

-Justinas Staskevicius

Lo-Fang – Blue Film (4AD; 2014)

Blue Film is L.A. native Matthew Hemerlein, a.k.a Lo-Fang’s, full-length debut album. Hemerlein’s vocals are sultry and smooth, making it almost impossible not to draw comparisons to the likes of singer/songwriter and producer extraordinaire, James Blake. “Look Away” starts off the album with an upbeat kicker; the track combines Hemerlein’s suave pipes with classical cello and violin instrumentation blended with borderline-psychedelic electronic beats. Blue Film then dives into some darker territory with “Boris,” setting a somewhat gloomier tone for much of the album. Lighter notes are felt throughout though, especially on “When We’re Fire” and “Animal Urges,” the latter providing exotically space-age electronic sounds. Showcasing his natural vocal talent and classical training in piano, bass, cello and violin to name a few, Blue Film is organic and fluid. An overall strong debut for Lo-Fang.

Trial Track: “When We’re Fire”

Rating: 8/10

-Jessica Romera

Katy B – Little Red (Rise/Columbia Records; 2014)

Following her 2011 Mercury Prize nominated debut, On A Mission, and last year’s critically-acclaimed Danger EP, Katy B is under a lot of pressure to deliver on her sophomore release. Shedding the dubstep beats of her debut  for a more sophisticated and mature production, Little Red is a darker and more personal album. We hear a transformation in Katy B, with deep house EDM beats over her urban-pop R&B vocals, there is sadness and introspection following her on the dancefloor. In an interview with Pitchfork, she admitted: “the new album has a lot of songs that I cry to—songs that run really deep. I’ve gone through a lot of changes in the last couple of years and had a lot of realizations that come through on the album.” Little Red is danceable and catchy, yet offers more under the surface.

Trial Track: “Crying For No Reason”

Rating: 7/10

-Paul Traunero

Broken Bells- After The Disco (Columbia; 2014)

Brian Burton, better known as musical mastermind and producer, Danger Mouse, joins forces with indie vet James Mercer from The Shins, for their second full length album together as Broken Bells. After The Disco combines the lyrical ease of Mercer’s indie background with Burton’s smooth electronic R&B influence. Staying true to its name, the album has a dominating retro feel that permeates through most of the tracks. The title track is a straightforward electro-pop song, with heavy disco-dance grooves. Much like disco music, this song is infectiously catchy and will force you to involuntarily break out in Saturday Night Fever inspired dance moves. While the majority of the album has a heavy pop focus, “Leave It Alone” and “The Changing Lights” standout because of their honest, stripped down nature, allowing for Mercer’s lyrical prowess to shine. After The Disco weaves The Shins-style guitar work with Burton’s electronic melodies for a dynamic sophomore effort.

Trial Track: “Leave It Alone”

Rating: 8/10

-Jessica Romera

Isaiah Rashad – Cilvia Demo (Top Dawg Entertainment; 2014)  

After blowing up at the 2013 BET Hip-Hop Awards with Kendrick Lamar and other artists from his label, Top Dawg Entertainment, Isaiah Rashad is one of the many artists to watch out for in 2014 with his debut EP, Cilvia Demo. The tracks flow perfectly into each other from one to the next, and Rashad himself rarely missteps on any of his beats or hooks. His introspective story-telling fits perfectly with the beat selection, meshing together tales of drinking, smoking, and of course, women. While Rashad isn’t afraid to go in and glorify these influences, he can acknowledge these as faults as well. The EP’s beats bleed the jazzy and soulful influence of Outkast making for a smooth and cool listen. (Fun fact: Rashad aspired to be a preacher before listening to Outkast’s album ATLiens, which inspired him to be a rapper). While the EP doesn’t feature Lamar, Top Dawg Entertainment’s Schoolboy Q and Jay Rock are among those featured on Cilvia Demo.

Trial track: “Shot You Down” (ft. Jay Rock & ScHoolboy Q)

-Julian McKenzie

Rating: 7.5/10

The Gaslight Anthem- The B-Sides (SideOneDummy; 2014)

The Gaslight Anthem’s newest album, The B-Sides, is, as the title suggests, a compilation of covers, a live recording, outtakes and acoustic versions of previously released material. The acoustic renditions are the meat of the album but are hit or miss. Certain songs, like “The ’59 Sound,” translate beautifully from electric to acoustic, at times sounding better than the original releases. Others however, such as “American Slang” and “Boxer,” do not hold up as well when stripped of their punk influence. The covers on the album are good, but few will consider The Gaslight Anthem’s version of “Tumbling Dice” better than the original released over 40 years ago by The Rolling Stones. Overall, a handful of the songs on the album really shine; for instance some of the acoustic renditions convey the emotional weight of the lyrics better than their amped brethren. Sadly, subpar songs clog up the track list, holding these few gems back.

Trial Track: “The ’59 Sound”

Score: 6.5/10

-Justinas Staskevicius

Supreme Cuts- Divine Ecstasy (Dovecote; 2014)

If you love the music of Disclosure and Flume, then you will absolutely fall for Supreme Cuts. Their newest album Divine Ecstasy, is a breath of fresh air in the music world. The Chicago-based duo consists of Mike Perry and Austin Kjeultes who began their music careers together in 2010,according to the website Pretty Much Amazing. Apparently, Supreme Cuts began originally as hip-hop producers and have now emerged on the front stage as electronic artists.
Their new sounds are hard to file in respect to any specific genre. The best way to describe their sound is a psychedelic, tech-house with undertones of an earthy-ambient hip-hop. The album also has a variety of female and male vocalists featured with soundscapes of the synthetic world. The vibe is very laid back but the clarity and the sound designing is impeccable. Overall, the album was also very well mastered.

Favorite Song: “Divine Ecstasy”

Rating: 9/10

-Jonathan Cohen

Sleepy Sun – Maui Tears (Dine Alone Records; 2014)

Maui Tears is the fourth studio album from the California-based collective, Sleepy Sun. Often labeled as psychedelic surfer rock, the entire album is drenched with sunny guitar riffs and trippy instrumental distortions. Tracks like “Words”  and “The Lane” are heavily laced with the signature ‘60s California surfer spirit, while others like “Everywhere Waltz” play up the trippy echoes and heavy synth sounds to create six minutes of pure neo-psychedelia. While most of the album features fast-paced instrumentals and chaotically hazy guitar playing, “Slowdown” stays true to its name. On this track, the band turns down the tempo, allowing for frontman Bret Constantino’s distorted vocals to stand out next to the deep feedback loops from the guitar amplification. On the title track, Sleepy Sun dish out smooth jazzy bass lines that continue subtly throughout the rest of the 10 and a half minute instrumental epic, leaving listeners on a next level trip.

Trial Track: “Maui Tears”

Rating: 7.8

-Jessica Romera