The Plot in You "Dispose" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

Late last year, I got the immense pleasure of discovering the band The Plot in You for the first time. It was actually with their single "Feel Nothing" for their album that I'm reviewing now. I went back in this band's discography, and they've had an interesting evolution that's somewhat comparable to Bring Me the Horizon. This band started off as pretty intense metalcore, even right up until their 2015 release. With this new album, "Dispose", TPIY have opted for a more accessible hard rock/electronic rock sound. The results of this experimentation work immensely. This release is raw and often very dark. It has powerful themes of inner brokenness and seeing the darker parts of other people. That can make this album a tough listen, but it's a very powerful one full of clear talent from every band member.

This album comes out swinging with the electronic heavy track "Rigged". This opening track is definitely one of the most experimental on the album. It has an industrial feel to it, which works in the song's favor. A dark atmosphere is created, which compliments this song's rough, angry lyricism. I get the feeling that this song could be a turn-off for many, but I think you need to give this one plenty of chances. In my opinion, this song is superb. You can feel the anger emanating from lead vocalist Landon Tewers. He does a great job at alternating between singing and screaming. Often, his singing sounds just as intense and impassioned as his screams. The next track, "Not Just Breathing", is one my personal favorites on this album. The combination of booming electronics and a memorable guitar riff make this one stand out as a prime example of what this band are capable of. The chorus on this song is huge and charged with passion. The lyrics are also interesting in this song, as Landon paints a vivid picture of this girl who made him feel so broken inside: "She only cares about the way she looks/Can't think for herself she's just a frame/A body dwelling on this earth/A user of the desperate and the vain". Something I appreciate about this album is how candid Landon is in his writing. It can be very uncomfortable to see a vocalist putting their pain so explicitly out there for the listener to hear, but it also feels like I could connect with his struggles. I think his vocal style is very unique, and it works so well against this style. I do wish TPIY had done a few more tracks in this vein on the album, but I'm glad that at least when they did do it, they were doing it perfectly.

Speaking of displaying uncomfortably vulnerable emotion, "One Last Time" does this as well. My jaw dropped to the floor when I heard this song the first time. It already has a gorgeously rendered beginning with the incorporation of strings. But, man, the chorus of this song is what really sells it. Landon's voice goes between singing and screaming, as he pleads out these lyrics: "Tell me one last time/That I never tried". On initial look, those lyrics could be viewed as simplistic. But the way in which Tewers sings them is devastating. The music backing this song is great as well, but Tewers is really the star of the show here. "Feel Nothing" was the single that got me into this band, and while this song isn't actually one of the top best on the album, I still love it. Its balance between blasting synths and searing guitars is well-executed. The chorus is very easy to head bang along to. I think this one will definitely have the audience hyped up in a live setting. When you listen to this track, you'll be able to understand why. If you're looking for a chorus that is criminally catchy, look no further than "The One You Loved". This song is straight-forward rock, and I love it for that reason. Rock will always be the genre I'm biased to, so a song that nails it in the right way will get praise from me. This song is certainly radio-ready, but it isn't cliched. The verses especially still bleed emotion, as Landon actually lets his voice crack and show some imperfection in it. "Paid In Full" is easily the most intense song on the album. Josh Childress's frantic guitar playing and Mathis Arnell's thrashing drum patterns are definitely the highlights here, along with Landon screaming his heart out in the chorus.

My favorite track off "Dispose" definitely comes in "The Sound". This song isn't the most crazy in terms of musicality. In fact, it's fairly stripped down, with only Tewers's vocals and an acoustic guitar dominating the song. But, the emotion in this song is practically tangible. The pain expressed in this song is done in a way that is very natural, and it actually made me tear up a bit. The lyrics only serve to lift the emotion up even more: "You feel it, eyes racing, my feet were buried in the ground/My chains break and I can't take the sounds/I don't feel like I still have anything to hold me here/My steps fade and she can't take the sound". I got the feeling that Landon was at the end of his rope in this song. This song creates a feeling that you are invading on a private moment. That makes the emotion all the more heart wrenching for me. What really sold me on this song, though, was the saxophone that came in at the end. It was totally unexpected, but it works so well. This song is so unique in the hard rock/metal scene as a whole, and it will most likely be one of my favorite songs of the year. It's interesting that this album is book ended by its two most experimental songs. Like "Rigged", "Disposable Fix" feels very different to what the rest of this album has to offer. But I think that's actually a good thing. This song's climactic ending with the powerful guitar riff makes this album end out on a high note.

There are only a couple of weaker moments on this album. The weakest song is definitely "I Always Wanted to Leave". I don't really like anything about this song. The chorus is way too cliched in its breakup themes. The verses are somewhat annoying with Landon utilizing his falsetto. I just don't think this delivery works at all against the overly polished soundscape. Maybe it would've worked with a more raw production value. It just seems odd that the band chose to only do that contrast on this song. "Happy" is a weird and mainly pointless transition track. It just uses a lot of static effects and vocal distortions. This album would've been no different without it. Finally, I think this album could've used more than ten songs. But, honestly, when so many of the songs are so stellar, that's not a very big complaint.

I am always excited when I hear any band doing something new and interesting in the rock scene. The Plot in You have done just that. This release has memorable song after memorable song. The emotion on display throughout this album just feel so natural. There was hardly a moment in this release where I wasn't thinking that Landon was being incredibly compelling in telling his story. This album is not an easy listen by any means, as it has undeniably dark content and heavy themes. But, I think it is an important and valuable listen. Not only is this one of the most interesting rock releases I've listened to, but this album certainly has potential to be one of my top 10 albums of the year!

Favorite Songs: "The Sound", "Not Just Breathing", "One Last Time", "The One You Loved", "Rigged"
Least Favorite Songs: "I Always Wanted to Leave", "Happy"

Slaves "Beautiful Death" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Even though I always haven't been a fan of the music backing him, there's no denying that Johnny Craig is one of the best vocalists in the rock scene. He has been known for his work with bands like Dance Gavin Dance and Emarosa in the past. Now he's part of the band Slaves. It seems that he might be a tough person to work with, as even Slaves were just announcing that they were breaking up last year. But, Johnny didn't want to see this band die off, and instead they came back with a new album. Let me just say, I'm very glad they decided to stay together. This album is easily Slaves's best, as it shows off excellent musicianship, actual good relationship-centric lyrics, and an impassioned vocal performance from Craig.

The opening track and lead single "I'd Rather See Your Star Explode" will give you a really good idea of what you're in for. This is definitely a great song in context of the album. You can see a tight chemistry in the band, especially in how effectively the drums and guitar work clash together. I also like the subtle incorporation of electronics. Johnny's voice fits very naturally against this soundscape. You really get the full extent of his vocal prowess here, as he hits impressive low notes and a lot of emotive highs. I suppose you could almost say he's showing off, but I think the way he utilizes his voice is perfect for the lyrical content this song has to offer. I like that the song is a reassurance to his fans that he's not backing down any time soon, and won't let them down this time. "Patience is the Virtue" is definitely one of my top favorites, simply because of how freaking catchy and captivating the chorus is. This one does a good job at combining pop and rock tendencies. There are some clear pop elements in this song, but they mesh really well with the guitar work. The guitar still dictates this song's melody, which in my opinion, is the important part to making a pop song work. There's even a rap segment in this song that works surprisingly well. "True Colors" is yet another highlight. I like the moody atmosphere this song has, which works particularly with its bittersweet lyrics: "It’s your eyes that told me you were in it/All the flags that were red I told myself they were tinted/Then I noticed that you couldn’t stand the sight of your own shadow/Like the devil on your shoulder couldn’t stand to wait much longer". It's easily one of the best lyrical moments, and once again, you'd be hard pressed to not have the chorus constantly in your head.

Things only get better with "Let This Haunt You", which is one of Johnny's best vocal performances on the album as a whole. You can just feel his passion in every moment of this song. He even lets his voice get a little gruff and aggressive at points in it, which is a nice contrast to his usual accentuated smooth delivery. This song structurally is just really interesting, and it works well at this point in the album. "Pretty Trappin" is a song I started out unsure about. Like the title implies, this song does have some very heavy trap and R&B influences. They are all over the song, especially in the verses. But, unlike so many songs of this style, I actually rather enjoy this one. In fact, I'd consider it another major highlight just for how unique it is. Johnny sounds natural against the backing beat; he would probably be even bigger if he did just a straight up R&B album. But what this song has going for it is that the guitars still take the lead, making this song feel more natural in context. Even the "woah-woah"s in the chorus. All the elements of this song I would normally hate in anything else, but Slaves makes it work. My favorite song comes in "I Know A Lot of Artists". I may be biased towards this one because it's heavier. But there's not another song on this album that has the natural aggressiveness this one does. The lyrics are appropriately angry cynical, and the chorus has an unbelievable hook and compelling feel to it. I love the booming guitar riffs and the pounding drums, as well as Craig really going off vocally. "Back to My Roots" goes more back to the pop/rock influence. It actually reminds me of Paramore a bit, which isn't a bad thing at all. The final track, "The Pact", is an absolutely gorgeous ballad. It's a heck of a way to end the album. The lyrics are packed with heavy emotion: "The longer I stay numb, the longer I don't have to think much/Never have to think about my father and how he walked out on us/How I barely know my mother, for that I'm ashamed/Afraid of what they think of me, so I stay away". This song gives me chills every time I listen to it, and is certainly a special moment in the album. You can just tell Craig poured his heart and soul into this one in particular, and it leaves a mark on the listener for sure.

There aren't honestly that many tracks that I truly hate. I wouldn't call any song on here particularly unbearable. But, there are two that are just a little underwhelming compared to the excellent content the rest of this album has to offer. "Deadly Conversations" does boast a raw vocal turn from Johnny, but the lyrics are just a bit too cheesy and cliched for me. They're pretty typical breakup fare. The lyrical content just stands out when the rest of these songs containing break up themes have much more raw and legitimate feeling emotion. "Warning From My Demons" uses the tiresome metaphor of demons for addiction or something that Craig just can't let go of. This metaphor is one of my least favorite cliches in rock music, so it's almost a guarantee that any song that uses this will be a weaker song in my book. Also, the song is repetitive; not a whole lot of lyrical variation here. Sometimes while listening to this album, I noticed some songs that somewhat bled into one another. But, I think that's more of a nitpick than anything. That may have actually been purposeful on the band's part, as a lot of these songs revolve around similar thematic topics.

Overall, "Beautiful Death" was a pleasant surprise for me. Like I said earlier, I've always admired Johnny's vocal talents, but in this album, I actually came to love them. I hope that this band stays together and hones in the unique style they've established on this release. The combination of pop, rock, and R&B is highly effective and captivating. I've been seeing many people loving on this album. You can definitely count me in as one of those people. Check this release out!

Favorite Songs: "I Know A Lot of Artists", "The Pact", "Patience is the Virtue", "Pretty Trappin", "True Colors", "I'd Rather See Your Star Explode"
Least Favorite Songs: "Warning From My Demons", "Deadly Conversations"

"Black Panther" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

In my opinion, though Marvel has had a pretty solid streak of movies, there haven't been that many since "Guardians of the Galaxy" that I would call amazing. Most of them have been just fine. My main problem with all of them is that they have continued to follow a very noticeable formula without really changing anything up. I hoped that "Black Panther" could be the movie to break that mold. After all, he was one of my favorite parts of "Civil War". Even if there are some cliched and formulaic moments in this movie, I still can't deny that "Black Panther" is one of the better Marvel movies I've seen in recent memory. This is due to solid direction by Ryan Coogler, a great cast, and a general feeling that there's more weight to this movie than there have been in other recent Marvel films.

This story could be looked at, in some ways, as an origin story for Black Panther. But, instead of T'Challa having to train a whole lot, he is already a pretty experienced warrior. We begin this movie with him returning back to his homeland of Wakanda and ruling there as king. But he begins to question his ancestors- and himself- upon encountering Erik Killmonger. Thematically, I think this movie does solid work at honing in some pretty complex ideas. This movie is almost solely focused on how T'Challa struggles to find the balance between being a king and a warrior. He is admittedly good at doing both, but there are times when he has a tough time deciding which side to let out in a particular moment. I appreciate that this was the focus of the movie, as it helps let in an interesting subtext to the movie: commentary on racism. I think it was somewhat inevitable that the film would be talking about racism in America. This mainly comes through the character of Killmonger. Rather than making him very over the top or cartoonish (like so many Marvel villains), we get to see a character who is broken inside. He has a sympathetic edge to him, and if you're a rational viewer, you can at least somewhat see where he's coming from in his motivations. Even though we're obviously not supposed to side with him, it's fitting that he makes T'Challa gain some sort of knowledge about himself. That's what the best villains are supposed to do. Erik is easily the best Marvel villain since Loki. It has been such a long time since there has been a truly multi-faceted antagonist like this in any superhero movie. It brought a smile to my face to see such complex opposition be in this film.

Another part of this movie that I love is the world building of Wakanda. Many Marvel movies just take place in America, so there doesn't need to be a real establishing of anything. But this movie takes place in a world that is foreign to its audience, so Coogler had a lot to do to make this world feel tangible. And, to me, it does. There's so much interesting lore throughout this movie about how Wakanda operates. We get to see all their intriguing rituals and traditions. They have different tribes, people with conflicting beliefs, and they put an immense respect on their leadership. My favorite part of the world building is how they reveal the ancestral realm. Not only is it visually beautiful, but it also just feels so ethereal and interesting. The usage of purples and blues gave it a sense of mystery and intrigue. The soundtrack often helped Wakanda feel more like its own entity as well, as the soundtrack here was very different and didn't have your typical action movie beats. My point here is Coogler's creativity in making Wakanda stand out makes this Marvel movie feel so different in comaprison to its peers. In fact, it doesn't always feel like a superhero flick. It doesn't have to namedrop other superheroes or even bring them in to the film. Instead, this movie stands very strongly on its own, and that is such a refreshing and welcome change.

For the most part, the casting in this film is excellent. I had already liked Chadwick Boseman in the titular role previously, and I only liked him more in this film. There's a certain calming presence that he gives in this movie. Even in his weakest moments, you get the feeling that T'Challa is in control and has a plan. He has a dignified aura, and Boseman gives this character a quiet sense of power. I loved following and getting to know Black Panther because of his performance. He really keeps this movie aloft and makes the audience have someone that they can easily root for. The highlight performance of this film, though, comes from Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger. This character was already well-written from a script stance, and Jordan really sells the character in the best way possible. I felt intimidated by this character when I needed to be (especially in one particular scene where Jordan excellently lets out a haunting monologue), and I felt sympathetic to him at other moments. Jordan makes this character charismatic and menacing at the same time. Whenever he is on screen, the movie picks up and becomes even more interesting. I honestly wish he was in the movie more, because there is a good portion of the film when he's not in it. Another highlight is Danai Guirra as Okoye. Guirra completely disappears into this role. It can be hard to make a tough, reserved character seem interesting, but she does it very well. Lupita Nyongo as Nakia has great chemistry with T'Challa. The moments with the two of them are some of the best in the movie. Andy Serkis was a fun presence on screen as Klaue, offering some of the more darkly comedic moments of the film. Even though his role as this old mentor character might be a little cliched, I still couldn't help enjoying Forest Whittaker as Zuri. There were a few performances that, as I thought about them more, I wasn't as impressed by. Letita Wright as Shuri doesn't really have much of a character beyond being a technology dispensary. She also offers one of the more cringy lines in the movie; it was clearly trying to be a funny moment but wasn't at all. Angela Bassett as Romanda, as always, tries her hardest to give a good performance, but her character is uninteresting and stale. Martin Freeman as Everett is not awful, but his type of performance feels like it belongs in a different film. 

There are a couple other miscellaneous issues about this film. While they don't detract significantly from me liking this movie, they're still present. The action scenes in this movie are, overall, not the most impressive in the Marvel canon. Some of them are shot in places that are way too dark to the point where you can't see anything going on. There is a pretty good car chase scene, and the action sequence in the casino is good, but the final fight is standard and underwhelming. Also, some of the CGI in this movie is not the greatest. It can even be awkward at points. Unlike a Marvel movie like "Guardians" where the CGI blends really well, here it can be noticeable. Finally, while this movie doesn't follow all the beats of a Marvel movie, it does follow the beats of an origin story almost too closely. That makes the movie, occasionally, a little predictable. Another slight problem is that we don't really feel that the Black Panther is in any actual danger at any moment in the movie. 

Still, even with those criticisms, I still can't deny that I loved "Black Panther". With most Marvel movies, I leave feeling like I enjoyed myself, but I know that I had problems with them. With this one, it took me much longer to even start thinking about one issue I had with it. Even though my criticisms came eventually, the fact that they took so long indicates just how much I liked this film. In my honest opinion, "Black Panther" is the best Marvel movie since "Civil War". I don't say that lightly. It deviates from what is typical for this franchise, and instead is a movie that feels weightier and has some deep themes on its mind. I definitely recommend you see this one. Also, after I review "Infinity War", be on the lookout for my ranking of ALL of the Marvel films!

Rend Collective "Good News" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

There are only a couple of groups out there that are really doing worship music right. It can be so easy to fall into the rut of making same-sounding anthems with lukewarm, comfortable sentiments about God, and sometimes worship songs can so easily be about us rather than about God and our relationship with Him. Rend Collective has never fallen into that trap. Even in their earliest years I've always viewed this Irish group as one that was actively going trying to make worship a more powerful and effective genre. This band certainly has an accessibility about them, but I think that they have always done a good job of combining that with their interesting folk/rock genre and their theologically sound lyricism. RC's new album "Good News" is far and away the band's best album to date. It is full of creativity, passion, and some of the band's most upbeat and most intimate songs to date.

If there's one thing that this album has on its mind, it is certainly to deliver the much needed message of the gospel, which actually means 'good news'. In volatile times like these, sometimes it can be forgotten just how much we as Christians need to be reminded of the basic truths about God. We also sometimes just need to be reminded of something that is beautiful and essentially good. Rend Collective certainly deliver that sentiment right away with the opening track "Life is Beautiful". This song begins uniquely with a flute being played before going into a big band sound, with even some brass instrumentation being implemented. This song reveals right away how musically creative and diverse this album will be in general. This song just makes you feel good, and there's honestly nothing to complain about. "I Will Be Undignified" has RC at their folksiest ever, utilizing banjos and fiddles throughout the whole song. It honestly surprised me how prominent these instruments were, as in previous albums they've usually been mixed in with acoustic guitars. I'm glad I got to hear them in their fullness here. This song is unbelievably catchy, and you can just tell that the whole band is having a great time on this one. "Rescuer (Good News)" was an effective choice for lead single, as it is the band's signature sound, just amped up a little big more. This song delivers a simple truth about God being able to rescue all of us from sin, but I think the message is still delivered so earnestly that it's hard to fault it at all. In fact, the simplicity is refreshing in the context of this song. "Counting Every Blessing" is one of the biggest highlights of the whole album in my opinion. Chris Llwellyn's vocals are at their absolute best, and the implementation of electric guitar was a very welcome surprise. I like how the song is intimate and upbeat at the same time.

Honestly, the album might get even better from its already strong start. "Nailed to the Cross" is one of the band's most touching and honest songs to date with some absolutely stellar lyrics: "When I stand accused by my regrets/And the Devil roars his empty threats/I will preach the gospel to myself/That I am not a man condemned". I especially love the ending of this song where the whole band roars to life for a climactic finish. I can see the song "Hymn for the Ages" working very well in a live setting. This one definitely has a feeling that it could work for corporate worship, and that isn't an insult against this song. This one delivers some of the best written modern theological lyrics I've heard, and it does it in such a way that a variety of audiences can appreciate it. "True North" brings back the more upbeat nature of the band. With the big drumming and usage of lots of faced paced acoustic guitar work, this song reminds me of "Praise Like Fireworks" in the best way possible. I love how fun the song is, and the harmonies between Chris and Ali are great. My favorite song on the album comes in the resonant "No Outsiders". Not only is there a beautiful acoustic guitar being played along with Chris's vocals being at their passionate best, this song also has a powerful theme of God letting in all people regardless of where they come from. The lyrics rejoice in the truth that all are welcome into the kingdom: "There are no outsiders to Your love/We are all welcome, there’s grace enough/When I have wandered, Lord/Your cross is the open door". There's a personal aspect to the song as well, which makes all the more connecting to a diverse audience. The album winds down with another intimate song in "Weep With Me", possibly the band's best written song ever. It has the feeling of a classic hymn. "Yahweh" and "Christ Lives In Me" both end the album on a pensive, personal, and vulnerable moment.

There are only a few tracks that don't work for me. Though I don't necessarily hate "Resurrection Day", I do think it's a bit cliched when compared to the rest of the album. Its repetitive chorus is where its main problems lie, as it can be a bit annoying. "Marching On" is probably RC's worst song to date, and that's mainly due to the unnecessary feature of Hillsong Young and Free (the antithesis to Rend's creativity and interesting musicality). The combination of folk and electronics just doesn't work that well, and the lyrics are actually not that great. Thankfully, the rest of this album is so incredibly strong that this song doesn't even put a huge mark on it at the end of the day. As a whole, "Good News" is easily Rend Collective's best album, as well as one of the best worship albums I've heard in a while. It never gets boring, it's diverse in sound, and it has a great balance between fun and quiet moments. Usually, I prefer the band's more upbeat songs, but on this one, the more intimate moments are what really stand tall. I absolutely recommend this release, as it definitely has potential to make my top 10 albums of the year!

Favorite Songs: "No Outsiders", "Nailed to the Cross", "Counting Every Blessing", "I Will Be Undignified", "Weep With Me", "True North"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Marching On", "Resurrection Day"