AJR "Neotheater" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 0.5/5 Stars

I am very hard on mainstream music of almost any genre. I will be quick to call out awful things that appear on the Hot 100 for the Pop, Rock, or Rap charts. I will be sure to call out music that is obvious trend-hopping, and isn't trying to do anything new. But when you have an "indie" band like AJR, I think almost any faults of the mainstream can be forgiven. In 2017, they released the awful album "The Click", which just had so many bad things about it that I can't even really get into in depth for this review. That's because their third and newest album, "Neotheater", is almost as bad, if not WORSE, than its predecessor.

Who exactly is AJR? Well, they are a band of three brothers who got famous off a song called "I'm Ready", which is more known for its usage of sampling the SpongeBob quote of the same name. That should tell you everything you need to know about this band. They are also clearly inspired by twenty one pilots and Jon Bellion. I almost cringe saying that, because saying that this band is "inspired" just feels disingenuous to me. I think a totally different genre name might be fitting for them: "Obvious Industrial Product". If you look at this band on the surface, you'll see that they classify themselves as this cutesy DIY group who just make music in their apartment. They may be under a record label of their name, but if you look who they're distributed by, you'll see Warner Brothers right there. The band tries their best to hide it, but you can't. And even if I didn't know this tidbit of information thanks to a YouTuber I watch, I'd still call BS on them putting themselves under the label of "indie". Nothing about this band's sound comes across as genuine, profound, or remotely interesting. In fact, it's all the complete opposite. For anybody that has already heard this album, I feel genuinely sorry for the sonic torture your ears had to go through. I'm not going to be forgetting this release any time soon, and that's not a good thing. Things get off to an immediately awful start with "Next Up Forever". This song gives the overall tone that this album has: unpleasantly immature and childish. You would think that the Baby Boomers are right about millennials being entitled, annoying whiners if you were to ever listen to this album. Jack Met whinges and wails about how he's not ready to grow up yet. He wants to always be in this perpetual state of limbo and transition, where he can always feel the thrills of graduating or the idea of the next big thing, but never actually having to deal with the hard stuff. Wow, what a horrible way of looking at life. The musicality here is something of its own to behold, with these absolutely overbearing vocal effects thrown in, along with insufferably messy electronics.

And that is only the beginning of this disasterpiece. Up next is the mind-boggling "Birthday Party". No joke, my mouth was hanging open with just how incompetent this song is in almost every way. I'm not even quite sure what the band was attempting to do with the music. The song ultimately sounds like no genre with the cacophony of sounds they put together. Nothing makes a cohesive product. There are once again the awful vocal effects, and they're even more obnoxious in this song. But even more confusing to me are the lyrics. This song has Adam going into the perspective of himself as a newborn. Already a bit of a weird idea for a song. Then, he weirdly literally says in the perspective of a BABY things like, "I bet my country's nice to immigrants" and "I bet I'll see a female president". Yep, that's definitely what I was thinking about when I was born. I was certainly concerned with the politics. I hope you see how stupid this is. In fact, it almost seems like AJR minimizes their own political views in the way they frame them. This song really rubbed me the wrong way and stands out as easily one of the worst moments here. Lead single "100 Bad Days" is one of the worst songs to hit Billboard Hot 100 this year. This song actually made me feel ill on the inside with its obnoxious usage of brass instrumentation. Was there not a way that the band couldn't make the sound so headache inducing? Up to this point, I haven't talked about Jack Met's singing, so I'll just say it now: I hate it. All he's doing is trying to do his best impression of Tyler Joseph, and it's awful. Awful, awful, awful. "Don't Throw Out My Legos" continues this album's insufferable thematic arc of refusing to grow up or remotely mature. I think this is because these brothers are actually just man children in real life. Apparently all the band members just moved out of their parents' house. Now I don't have any objection to people staying in their parent's houses in their 20s (and I shouldn't, because I'm 22 and still living in my parents' house). But from the way this song is presented, you'd think all the members are still 8 years old and the only contributions they have are playing with their Legos. It's this whining idea again of "I don't want to grow up and accept responsibility". I don't know how this is a remotely positive message, and yet the band seems to think there's something inspiring about being mentally childish for the rest of your life.

For a couple tracks, this album just turns straight up forgettable, which is a God-send considering the absolute trash we get in the second half of the album. "Break My Face" and "Turning Out pt. ii" left little to no impression whatsoever on me. "The Entertainment's Here" brings back the annoyingly over-produced brass instrumentation, but at this point I'm so used to that sound, so it
it's now just another senseless noise. And then, we get the double-hitter of two of the worst songs I've heard since 30 Seconds to Mar's atrocious album from last year. "Karma" made me want to yell in anger. Its sound would work great as a form of torture against terrorists. The lyrics sound so entitled as Jack talks about how he does so much good for the world, so why doesn't he get good karma? News flash, AJR: this isn't unique to you all, and you're not getting my pity. If this band could present even a degree of irony or satire in their sound/lyrics, I could forgive this message. But, everything here is just so literal. My anger reached its peak at "Beats". I was almost tempted to stop the album here, because this song is everything I loathe about the worst aspects of pop music. The band shouldn't even be able to call themselves indie with the whoring out of a certain product they do here. Sorry for the harsh language there, but it is what it is. The song is pretty much the band begging Beats by Dre to sponsor them. That's it; that's the song. Just a literal product promotion, and it doesn't even try to hide it. Just despicable. The band tries to play coy and innocent at the end by asking "And every star that I used to mock/Was probably paid, am I the same?" Yes, you are the same AJR. In fact, in some ways you are worse. At least other bands that have been sponsored by Beats have done songs that have a meaning or message behind them. I could almost find myself cynically laughing if I were to discover that this song was, in fact, sponsored by Beats. That would make the lack of awareness of hypocrisy that much more potent. But, I don't know if I could find the energy to laugh because of how despicable this song is. It's worthless, and belongs in the deepest circle of Hell. You are an industry shill, AJR. Are you proud of that? You probably are, as your surface level, "lol-I'm-so-relatable" lyrics imply that you don't really care about making music for an audience in the slightest. Your audience is only one thing, and it's cash.

I don't even want to take the effort to talk about the final three songs. This album just begins to go into oblivion at a certain point. I think the only song that is redeemable here might be "Dear Winter". This song has some weight to it in writer Ryan Met talking to his future unborn child. I'm not quite sure how he could have a connection to an unborn child given that he hasn't even found a girl to have the child with yet, but the song at least has something going on. The same can't be said for the rest of this awful storm of an album. For the most part, the impression I get from this band is they want to relate to a young audience, but they just can't do it in any deep way. So instead, they try to bring across these faux-relatable messages that ultimately lack substance. Say what you will about almost any other pop artist. I can name a song by even the artists I hate the most that have substance- I can even do this for 30 Seconds to Mars, whom I consider my least favorite band. Can the same be said for AJR? I don't think so. I hope this group fades out sooner rather than later. They don't deserve any type of spotlight with their despicable messages and awful musical composition. Don't listen to this album, please. This is your final warning, as it's almost certainly the worst release of the year. Is it worse than 30STM's "America"? Not quite, but it's close. Congrats to you, AJR!

Favorite Songs: "Dear Winter" (I guess)
Least Favorite Songs: Special mention to the horrible "Beats", IN SECOND PLACE IS LITERALLY EVERY OTHER TRACK HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY TERRIBLE

The Problem With the "Artist vs. Critic" Mentality

By: James Southworth

Being a critic is always going to come with its own set of contentious problems. You have to remind yourself daily that not everyone is going to agree with your opinion, and that no matter how justified you feel in your analysis of something, that doesn't make your analysis accurate. There is a stereotype around critics being pretentious and highbrow, and that stereotype exists for a reason. There are some critics where it seems there is no pleasing them, unless whatever they are reviewing comes from a very particular thing of their highly biased preference. There are many, many critics out there who don't accept other people's opinions and only consider theirs to be the right one. As a critic myself, I have always attempted to avoid that mentality and just be someone who honestly informs someone what I think. I'll be clear in my opinion, but I will always be interested to hear what other people have to say, as long as their views don't bring out some harmful or clearly hateful mentality.

Let's take the extremist critics out of the conversation for the sake of this commentary. Like all other types of extremists, these types of critics are a fringe group and they deserve the call-outs of their obvious hypocrisy. I just want us to consider right now the critics who are at least sensible people: the ones who won't hide their opinions, but at the same time won't pretend that their opinion is the only one in the sphere of existence. I don't think there's any denying that even these critics are under attack by the artists they talk about. There is clear evidence of this on social media all the time. Just go to Twitter and you'll see a tweet by relatively new singer Lizzo about how reviewers should be "unemployed" because they don't 'make' the music they criticize. I've seen singers from some of my favorite bands saying that practically every aspect of what a reviewer expresses is completely invalid. Some singers have even gone out of their way to say that all critics are "hurtful" or "hateful". Heck, you can't really escape any type of music scene these days without a song that calls out the "haters". I think the term 'hater' is an obvious coding artists use to represent anyone who would criticize their work negatively in any way. While I would say that this mentality is more obviously pervasive in the music community, the movie and TV community doesn't escape it either. The creators of the movie "Unplanned" called out Rotten Tomatoes for trying to censor their movie due to negative reviews. Actress Brie Larson and streaming conglomerate Netflix were quick to call out someone who thought she was doing her directorial debut too early into her career. All of this creates a clear picture of what I would refer to as the "Artist vs. Critic" Mentality.

In its most simple of terms, I would describe this mentality as such: a person is not allowed to critique a work an artist has created, especially if that person does not have experience in creating products from the artist's medium of work. Before I go into my problems with this mentality, let me attempt to be balanced and see where the artist is coming from. It's not easy to have your work negatively criticized, especially if it's something you feel that you've put your all into. For example, I often do appreciate receiving constructive criticism on my acting. However, there is a inner, bitter part of me that wants to say to the person telling me what I need to improve, "You're wrong! What do you know?". And that feedback I'm receiving is often coming from someone who is realistically more experienced in the realm of theater than I am. I'm just saying that I get it. This goes beyond art: it's an inherent truth that most of us don't like to deal with negativity of any kind directed at us. I think most people secretly would rather have people simply give them flowery praise and compliments. But, many people do realize that criticism is just an expected part of life. Nothing is objectively perfect; therefore, no art form is beyond criticism. But, some artists out there seem to think the opposite. There are some out there who seem to think that their art is inherently perfect because they put their all into it. I think some artists may even think that the "flaws" that might exist only add to the perfection of their product that much more. This can be seen as an arrogant mentality from the outside. However, to the artist, I think that they might see criticism of their work as a direct front and personal attack on them. This is where the us vs. them feeling is created. The artist feels like they are being attacked by the critic; therefore, they feel it is justified to go out of their way to attack the critic in the same way.

And this is where the critics begin to feel like they are being wronged, and critics can unleash their own form of hypocrisy, but it's not entirely unjustified. As a critic myself, I just can't understand the idea that because you don't create a certain art, you aren't allowed to criticize it. So, because I don't create my own, original food recipes, I'm not allowed to critique a restaurant when their food tastes bad? I'm not allowed to critique a movie when it has some things that I view as clear flaws that weaken the product as a whole? I think some artists may not even realize that some critics actually do have some experience in the field they are discussing. I would be willing to bet that though some music critics have not explicitly produced their own album, they still extensively delve into music and inform themselves on multiple genres. Or, they laser focus research into one or two genres they're passionate about. And some critics who actually DO make their own music. One critic I occasionally watch is clearly well-versed in playing the piano, and another has released their own EP. The same goes for movie critics, as some critics I watch have made their own short films or have written script ideas. I would still argue that even if critic doesn't produce their own music or films, they still have the right to critique a product if they feel there are problems with it. I would even say it's okay to point out problems with an artist's personality, as it is incredibly difficult to separate artist from their art (but that is a very complicated argument for another time). However, critics do need to realize that they, too, are not beyond criticism from others. I feel like critics (myself included) can get into this rut of believing that no one can understand what we do; therefore, people shouldn't be calling us out for the way we write or discuss our opinions. This is its own form of hypocrisy, and should not be indulged. We look no better than the artists who do the same thing. In fact, in some ways we look worse. In our wheelhouse, we should have an even thicker skin against valid negative criticism.

The bigger question is this: is there a way to solve this rift put between artists and critics? I give a hesitant "yes" to this answer. Realistically, I don't think this solution will be reached any time in the near future. I think artists and critics should be more in conversation with one another, trying to understand each other. These conversations need to go beyond the petty social media feuds I see constantly. It's often the same song and dance, with neither side coming to a satisfying resolution with the other. Both sides are left feeling that they are still in the right, and the other side is in the wrong. I think there has to be a common ground to be found. Artists and critics are both passionate about their crafts, and both feel they pour their heart and soul into what they do. That's why artists passionately promote their (hopefully) unfiltered art, and that is why critics passionately put out their (hopefully) legitimate opinions. There is a clear connection here that makes artists and critics have more in common than we might initially realize. I hope we might be able to start at this base at some point int time. For now, the "Artist vs. Critic" Mentality remains. I will continue to have my problems with it for as long as it continues.

Kings Kaleidoscope "Zeal" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I've kept it no secret that my views on the worship genre as of right now are quite conflicted. There's so much stuff out there that is the same regurgitated boredom we've heard over and over again. But there is also so much innovation out there, and a lot of the artists making actual change are being recognized. Kings Kaleidoscope has always been one of the heads of the movement to make worship music more interesting, in my opinion. "Beyond Control" remains to be the best worship album I've ever heard, and probably one of the best albums by any Christian artist in general. If anything, I cherish it more now, and the vulnerability that appears on tracks like "Dust", "A Prayer", and "Lost?" can make me feel quite emotional. Of course, I was very excited when the band announced they were releasing a new album, this being their third, entitled "Zeal". This title is quite fitting for this album, as it is incredibly upbeat, fun, and even most accessible album by the band. While this album can't match up to "Beyond Control", it actually comes closer than I ever thought it possibly could.

Like KK's other albums, this release has a rather clear concept. The concept here will seem quite simple on initial glance: the journey of rediscovering joy in one's relationship with God. I think the band really does well in talking about this concept over and over again. The album starts off with "The Coma", which has lead singer praying to God to get him out of this sinful, apathetic state he's in. The song has a fittingly minimalist feel to it, matching the plaintive and vulnerable tone the lyrics have. After this, the album gets into what can be described as its overall sound: wildly exuberant. It's hard not to smile while hearing "Hero Over My Head", which is one of the most naturally joyous songs I've heard in quite some time. As usual, Chad Gardner is a compelling vocalist, really just giving it his all in this track, particularly in the powerful bridge. This song has a really cool piano part in it, and the drumming patterns are quite interesting. I could see someone characterizing this song as "messy" on initial listening, but I think repeated listens will show how purposeful this song's structure really is. I think it's a great track to officially start off the album. We get an even better track after this with the legitimately surprising "Naked Feet & Holy Fire". I would've never quite expected this group to do a straight up rock track, but they did it here. This is just further proof that KK is constantly looking to expand their boundaries. Most would be satisfied if they'd kept with the general sounds of their debut album, but this band has never done so, and this is a positive. This song uses the bible story of Moses and the Burning Bush to symbolize God's calling to everyone to live up to their greatest potential in serving him. You can feel the urgency of this song, as Gardner spits out every lyric like it could be the last words he's saying. It helps that the guitar and drumming work are right on your face. I didn't expect that Kings Kaleidoscope would be releasing one of the most interesting rock songs of the year, but I'm very glad it happened.

If you liked this band's hip-hop effort "The Beauty Between", then you'll really like "Backwards". This song has such an interesting fusion of jazz and rap. This is not an uncommon genre combination by any means, but I do think that KK deliver an ace with their turn at it. This song is easy to nod your head along to, and it has such a chill atmosphere. Even the slight trap elements that appear here work to the songs effort. But as far as hip-hop influenced efforts go on here, the insane "About to Break" might be even better. This song makes you literally feel like everything's falling, as the song goes at a pretty urgently fast pace, not ever once letting up. The lyrics here are some of the album's best: "Jaded wrath, clashing praise/Vain attack, blades ablaze/Won’t hold the line 'cause hope will reign/And breach the walls about to break". I've always said one of the best things about this group is the way they utilize vivid visual imagery to bring about a legitimate feeling of spirituality, and these lyrics are proof of that. But for as good as all the other songs have been up to this point, nothing can quite beat the gorgeously epic "Aimless Knight". This is one of the band's most ambitious songs, as big portions of it are accompanied by a backing orchestra, and the verses are more hip-hop influenced. Somehow, the band is able to transition between these two genres in a rather effortless way. This song is one of the most thematically deep on the album, as Gardner admits they wrong ways he's gone about pursuing his faith: "Demon diamond, where you hidin'?/Keep me on a mission like a singin' siren/Rippin' up roots, diggin' up truths/Hacking at the vine, stacking up dead fruit". I can't emphasize enough how breathlessly beautiful the chorus to this song is. It's just something incredible to behold. I adore the way this song ends out as well, as Chad's singing style reminds me of "Beyond Control". It also sees Gardner finally asking God for the most simple thing he truly needs: rest. This song embodies what is great about this album's thematic arc of happiness: discovering it is paradoxically simple and tough.

"Same Blood" has a really nice message to it about Christians of all types need to come together and learn from one another. This song might sound like it doesn't directly apply to the theme of the album, but I think that it is important for us to rely on one another as Christians in the journey of finding a sense of zeal. After this song, we get a really incredible arc of three songs that are all part of "The Rush" series. These three songs all served as an introduction to the album, and I still like all of them quite a bit. The one that stands out the most of the three is definitely "Breathing Infinity", which sounds like the embodiment of transcendent joy. This song feels like it gives the thesis statement of the album, as Chad discusses the potential of what can happen when we finally let go of our insecurities and trust in God: "Jump into the wonder/And dance on the thunder/We're crying in color/Breathing infinity/Flying free". The idea of infinity is rather hard to comprehend, but it still is a beautiful thing to think about, especially in the way this track presents it. The other two songs, "Jumping From the Jaded Heights" and "On To The Light", do a great job at rounding "The Rush" series out and making it feel like a cohesive product. "Oxygen" is probably the closest this album gets to a straight up worship track, but it's not without its unique flourishes. I think it's interestingly appropriate to put this song after "The Rush" series. "Oxygen" contemplates on the simplistic truths of our faith, while "The Rush" pondered on the concept of the infinite. I think the simplistic truths about God are just as important as the complex ones, and so does KK. This song makes it clear that childlike faith is the best way to embrace a redemptive relationship with God, and it does this with "Jesus Loves Me". It seems like it would be rather cheesy to do this hymn, but it actually emotionally gripped me the way it was used. This track reminded me just how much I forget the childlike aspects of my faith, and that we all need to return to them in a way.

The only track on this album that rubs me the wrong way is the transition track "Flat On the Inside (A Word)". This cut basically has someone directly state what the theme of this album is, which I didn't think was necessary at all. I think the rest of the album makes it clear what the band was trying to say. While I don't entirely dislike "A Little Bit of Faith", this song does feel lyrically a little lacking for Kings Kaleidoscope. I get why the album ended with it, but I think "Oxygen" states the idea of childlike faith better.

It's amazing how much analysis pretty much every Kings Kaleidoscope release warrants. The idea of rediscovering your childlike faith in God may not seem as complex as "Beyond Control"'s conceptual arc of just how much control and autonomy we have as human beings. However, the band still analyzes childlike faith in rather powerful ways, both in context of the infinite and of the simplistic. I love that KK really takes a concept like this seriously, rather than drowning this concept in cliched platitudes like so many CCM artists have done in the past. Yeah, this album isn't quite on the level of "Beyond Control". But I wasn't expecting it to match that level of mastery. This album is still quite excellent, and easily the best Christian released album I've heard so far this year. Check it out!

Favorite Songs: "Aimless Knight", "Naked Feet & Holy Fire", "Breathing Infinity", "Oxygen", "About to Break"
Least Favorite Songs: "Flat on the Inside (A Word)", "A Little Bit of Faith"

"Us" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4/5 Stars

If you had told me back in his Key and Peele days that Jordan Peele would go on to direct one of the most acclaimed modern horror movies of all time, I probably would've said that sounded odd, but I could see Peele being talented enough to do that. And talented enough he certainly was. "Get Out" is one of the most praised horror films in recent history, and in my opinion, rightfully so. This directorial debut shows so much raw talent from Jordan, and every time I think about the movie, I'm just amazed at how much it accomplished. It cleverly combines satire and horror to legitimately call out those "fake woke" individuals who think they are helping disenfranchised races, when in fact they are only doing so to make themselves look better. The movie works on pretty much every front. Of course, excitement immediately ignited when Peele announced his sophomore film "Us". The trailers for this film are some of the best I've seen in recent memory, as they don't spoil major plot points and they leave enough open for you to be unsure of what you're getting. This movie focuses on the Wilsons, a relatively well-off middle class family who go on vacation. However, while there Adelaide can't shake the feeling that she is being watched, and has always had this backing trauma in her mind. This is further triggered when her family goes to the beach that is the reason for her trauma. Soon, the Wilsons are indeed found and invaded by another group of people, and the frightening thing is, this group of people look just like them.

I really wanted to take my time to think about this movie before I wrote a proper review of it, and we'll be getting into my reasons why later on. But first, let me talk about the things that work about this movie. There are plenty of things here that are just undeniably excellent. One of the most primary is the musical score. It's not often that in a movie the musical score is the first thing to jump out to me- it's something that has to be on a truly stellar level for me to consider talking about it before I do visuals or acting. The score in this movie is just too good, though. It really helps in bringing out the tension in so many moments. The score that was put in the trailers is extended in the movie to very satisfying results. I think this might go down in history as one of horror's best scores; it's that good. I also have to mention that the use of popular culture songs works quite well in this movie, particularly a segment involving the Beach Boys song "Good Vibrations". I promise you that I'm not kidding, and I promise you that the way Peele uses this song is delightfully genius. The visuals in this movie deserve plenty of praise too, because they are striking. "Get Out" did great at using a lot of blue imagery, whereas "Us" excels in using stark red imagery. This comes most obviously in the clothing of the doppelganger characters, but red appears in several other ways throughout the movie. In fact, this film as a whole just feels like it has distinct color themes, so pretty much every shot in the movie feels purposeful. Sometimes even the most simple of visuals can stand out in intriguing ways, such as the Wilson family walking on a beach, or a slowly receding shot revealing a slew of rabbits in cages. The most pertinent question you might have is this: Do the scares work? In short, the answer is a resounding "yes", especially in the first half of the movie. I like how the first half of this film has an interesting spin on the home invasion genre. There are elements that you would expect of this type of horror, but there are also some ways the film upends the formula. That's what makes Peele so great as a director. He knows when he should play into conventions, but not to the point where he gets trapped in them. This movie is considerably more violent than "Get Out", but unlike some gorefests out there, the violence here is not done excessively. Therefore, when violent acts do happen in the movie, they have a sense of weight to them. The doppelganger characters in this film are all quite frightening. We'll get into the reasons for that soon.

The acting in this movie is overall solid, although as a whole the acting here isn't as good as in "Get Out". The exceptions to that rule are Lupita Nyong'o and Elizabeth Moss. Let's talk about the former first. Nyong'o has two very demanding roles to play, and she portrays both Adelaide and her shadow Red very well. Both characters are entirely believable, and you in fact forget that Lupita is playing both roles. They both feel so distinctly like their own entities. That is quite an accomplishment, since they are often on screen at the same time. I think even people who dislike this film have agreed that at least Nyong'o gives a great turn in this movie. That should tell you something about how well she does. Her performance as Red is quite unsettling. Her voice sounds like it's on the brink of death all the time, and appropriately creates this "uncanny valley" feeling. There was never a moment I wasn't unsettled when Red was on screen. It's easy to sympathize with Adelaide, as Nyong'o brings vulnerability to this character, but also a sense of maternal determination as this character is always trying to protect her family. Elizabeth Moss has a much smaller role in this film as Kitty, but like usual, her performance leaves an impact. Moss has been blowing up lately in recognition as an actress across the board, and this movie is further proof for why she deserves all the praise she's getting. It's really interesting in particular what she does with her shadow self (or as the movie refers to the red-wearing antagonists, the "tethered"). I also feel as though Evan Alex as Adelaide's son Jason is interesting in this film and deserves more attention thrown at his performance. He has an unexpectedly key role to play in the film. As far as weaker performances go, I personally didn't care as much for Winston Duke as Gabe. He's not bad or anything, but he didn't leave much of an impact on me. The same goes for Shahadi Joseph as Adelaide's daughter Zora.

The thing that has been igniting the most discussion about this movie are its thematic arcs, and particularly how there doesn't seem to be any one easy answer. In an interview, Peele pointed out how this movie had major inspiration from "The Twilight Zone" episode "Mirror Image". This particular episode of the series poses to the viewer the unsettling question of whether we would truly be able to see any truth or possibility in a darker version of ourselves existing just underneath the surface. Peele takes this idea, and he expands upon it, for better and for worse. He admitted in interviews that he wanted people to view this movie through different lenses each time they watched it. I actually like this idea. I can see "Us" being a very personal examination of how we face the dark sides of ourselves. I can also see this movie being a more universal critique about how some of us live more privileged lives, and because of this we characterize anyone who doesn't as "the other". It's clear to me that this movie can be interpreted in multiple ways. There is a negative side to that, though. I think that can make the ending of this movie, at least, ring a little bit confusing in some ways. There is a twist at the end of this film that I won't reveal, but if you think about it enough, some things don't quite add up. However, the more I thought about it, the more I do think this twist somewhat ties in to the movie's thematic ideas. I still think that the theme could've been presented in a better way with a better twist. But, this twist does not ruin the film for me significantly. That is why I hesitated to write this review right away. My initial conversations of this movie began as positive, but turned more negative as my family and I discussed it more. I had to start thinking about why that was the case. Then, I had to think more about the movie without other outside biases informing my own legitimate thoughts on the movie. I acknowledge that the twist is not structurally sound and is a negative aspect of "Us". I also acknowledge that it doesn't make me dislike the entire movie.

Jordan Peele sparked a lot of conversation surrounding this movie, and I ultimately think that is a net positive rather than a negative. It's always refreshing to see horror movies that can make people talk about the film beyond just how scary it was. Peele clearly wanted to scare us in this movie, but I think that the scares come from a much deeper place than I initially thought. Facing and acknowledging the darkest parts of ourselves is a tough task to face, and Peele brings that concept to life in an overall effective way. Lupita Nyongo's stellar performance, the memorable visual moments, and the wonderful score all assist in making the movie that much more frightening. Is this movie better than "Get Out"? I can firmly say "no" to that, but it is not a significant step down either. I'm glad that Peele didn't just go and make the same type of movie, but instead did another type of movie that he truly wanted to make. There's so many other cool things to think about in this movie, like the various Easter Eggs, possible connections to "Get Out", etc. I definitely recommend seeing this movie, and see it more than once. I'm definitely planning on going to see it again!

Periphery "HAIL STAN" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

The world of metalcore and djent wouldn't be nearly as interesting without a band like Periphery a part of it. My first introduction to them was with "Juggernaut: Omega", and at the time, the sound was just a little bizarre to me. Now when I come back to it, I'm just forever thankful that it got me into a lot more metal subgenres. I soon became obsessed with Periphery, and now am a pretty big fan of them. I currently consider "Juggernaut: Alpha" to be their best work, but all their work is really, really good. Every band member is immensely talented, and work together to make a sound that is iconic and doesn't really belong to any other band. Even if I would say that the band's last "Select Difficulty" is the "weakest" of Periphery's albums, it still found the band doing interesting things and releasing one of their best songs ever in "Marigold". So I was definitely excited for "HAIL STAN". This is probably the surprising release I've heard this year, as Periphery takes their sound and upends it in all sorts of directions- and pretty much all of them work. This is a stellar album, and it's quite possibly the band's best.

The band wastes no time in going absolutely crazy, with the opening track "Reptile" being their longest track at sixteen minutes. Sixteen minutes! There are not too many bands out there that are able to hold my attention that long with a singular song. But when I saw the tracklist for this album, this song was the one I was most excited about. I had no doubts that the band could do a prog-metal track right. And somehow, even with no doubts in my mind, the band exceeded my exceeded my expectations. This song is insane, but a calculated insanity. There are so many different musical movements in the song as it gives a rather harrowing critique of the times America is living in right now. The band is darkly satirical in how they talk about the current political climate through a specific character's eyes, saying "Shutting out politics/Viewing beings as equals/Ain't it funny how that makes sense?/You had the floor, but you gave it a bore". There's plenty more to commend about this song. The guitar work throughout is just top-tier, and the drumming is unbelievably talented in every moment. There are times when the song feels like a cinematic overture, other times when it delves into full-on metal, and the song even has what is, in my opinion, one of the band's best breakdowns. This is an ambitious song, and it pays off. I see myself coming back to it a lot. There's so many intricacies to it that it's impossible to get them all just on a couple of listens. The album takes a total regime change (something rather typical for this release) with "Blood Eagle", which might possibly be the band's most intense song to date. The guitar tones in this song are just insane and brutal. It's impossible to not head bang along to them. This song is pure hype fuel, and also introduces a common theme in this album of using religious imagery. This song talks about both Christianity and Norse religion, and somehow it doesn't create a cognitive dissonance, since both religions are known for their war-torn pasts. I think the band might be making a critique on that with this song, but they could also just be having fun. Or it could be both, and there's nothing wrong with that. This song is lyrically intriguing, but it's also shamelessly enjoyable. This is one of the most intense songs I've heard in a while, and it was a great choice for a lead single.

For as brutal as "Blood Eagle" is, "CHVRCH BVRNER" is almost equally intense, with some elements that bring to mind deathcore. This song is definitely a more pointed critique at religion, as the song talks about this hypocritical priest's viewpoints on certain things. The song is pretty disturbing and has some rather haunting imagery, so I think the hard hitting musicality only serves to accentuate the mood. Spencer sounds suitably angry here, letting his screams hit some really high points. It seems sort of fitting that we get a more ethereal religious discussion in what is my favorite song on the album, "Garden in the Bones". This is the second single on the album, and as I've heard it, the more I've been impressed by it. I like the interesting allusions to Native American spirituality here, and how the band questions just how much control we have in the world. It's interesting to see a secular band actually considering the possibility of a spiritual entity existing, making this song far more complex than on initial glance. The lyric "Am I losing control?" suddenly begins to feel like it has more meaning. And by the way, the chorus of this track is simply gorgeous. Spencer really lets his vocals shine here throughout the whole song, but the chorus takes his vocals to a place that is quite incredible. It does help that this song feels like the most classic Periphery track on the album; it even feels like a throwback to "Periphery II", which is obviously a good thing. I can't go without commending Misha, Jake, and Mark's excellent guitar work here. Matt Halpern really drives this song forward even more with his intriguing drum patterns. This song is clear evidence that this band has so much chemistry. It helps that all the members have been together for so long together, and this song is really an indicator of what they can do when they are firing on all cylinders.

This album continues to stay delightfully unpredictable and stellar in its second half. "It's Only Smiles" is a beautiful ode to someone who has passed on. Spencer assures whoever this is that, although their life will be surely missed, that he'll still attempt to be smiling because that would be what they would want him to do. This song has a lot of rather pop-influenced moments. The verses almost feel straight out of a pop/punk album, and the chorus has a flair to where it could almost be compared to a good Billboard Hot 100 song. If there were any justice in the world, this song would chart. This song is proof of the band's undying versatility. Just a couple tracks ago, they gave us their most brutal song, and now they're giving us perhaps their most catchy and accessible to date. Following this is a somehow even more surprising song, the synth/EDM driven track "Crush". I promise I'm not joking, and I also promise this track works better than it sounds like it should. The band really just go all in on this genre, not cheating out of it or trying to only do the bare minimum. And of course, it helps that all the members are talented and make the synths sound deep and complex. There is still plenty of real instrumentation driving this song as well. The sick bass groove done by Adam Getgood is one of the biggest highlights of this album as a whole. The song unexpectedly ends on a symphony playing, and it put a big smile on my face. It felt like the perfect way to end out this perfectly insane track. "Sentient Glow" is the only other track on here that I would say feels like it would fit on another older Periphery album, and once again, this is not a bad thing. In fact, this song is also a significant favorite of mine. It really brings the best aspects of the band to the forefront in a tight four and a half minutes. It also helps that the lyrics are quite poignant: "I've had enough of this/I have to trust I will pull through/This is the end/Don't ask how we lost our way/Follow the stars to the place where we used to lay". I'm not sure if I have the words to describe the ending track "Satellites". It is a pure epic, and an emotional tearjerker. This is the perfect way to end the album, combining tragedy and beauty together to make a beautiful picture. The only thing that slightly ruins this song is a quippy remark at the end that just feels tone-deaf. But otherwise, the song is pitch perfect, and you can end the song without hearing the stupid remark at the end.

The only song that I could point out that doesn't completely work for me is "Follow Your Ghost", which feels like it replicates "The Bad Thing" just a bit too much. Still, even this song is not really that bad in the long run. I think I can comfortably say this album is a masterpiece. There are so many songs here that are wonderful, and several are almost certainly among the band's best work. I can't say for certain whether I think this is the band's best work, but if it isn't, it ranks at a close number two. It's only maybe beaten by "Alpha", but repeated listens may change my opinion in the future. I promise you you're missing out if you don't listen to this album. Please, check it out!

Favorite Songs: "Garden in the Bones", "Sentient Glow", "Satellites", "Reptile", "Blood Eagle", "Crush"
Least Favorite Songs: "Follow Your Ghost"

"Unicorn Store" Movie Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 2/5 Stars

All eyes are on Brie Larson right now, and no one should be surprised. After her momentous (and deserved) Oscar win for her stellar performance in "Room", Larson has been a spotlight in celebrity culture for many reasons. Whether it's her inclusive politics or the big hype around her starring in "Captain Marvel", you haven't been able to escape her name easily. I, for one, don't mind. I've stated many times that I really like Larson as an actor; she can put on a great performance. I unfortunately didn't like her quite as much in "Captain Marvel", which is a real shame. When I heard that Larson's directorial debut "Unicorn Store" was coming to Netflix, I was excited. This film had quite a bit of hype building up to it, and the trailers looked promising. Protagonist Kit is a young adult with the mindset of a child, not wanting to ever grow up. She takes on a corporate job she hates, but eventually gets an invitation from the mysterious Salesman who is going to give her the thing of her dreams- a unicorn.

Let's quickly get out of the way what works here. There just isn't a lot to commend unfortunately. I will give it to Larson- she does give a solid performance here, despite the insipid script she has to deal with. In fact, I would say that I like her performance here better than in "Captain Marvel". It's really just too bad that the stuff surrounding her was so awful. I don't even necessarily like the character of Kit (I'll get to that in a minute), but Larson was really convincing as her. The best performance here comes from an actor I've never heard of, Mamoudou Athie as Virgil. He brings a desperately needed sense of grounding and normalcy to the movie. He's the only character who feels like an actual person you could meet, and Athie is quite charming in his role. I suppose that there are also some cool visual moments that work in the film, such as a rainbow that illuminates Larson's face, or the way that the Unicorn Store itself looks. The beginning scene is also pretty good in contrasting Larson's childlike wonder with the cold, corporate feeling of the rest of the artists surrounding her. It gives you what you think will be a good establishing that this world the movie's in will be a bit of an exaggerated version of our own.

Sadly, the movie doesn't really do a whole lot more interesting things beyond the rather solid opener. After this, the movie quickly takes a nosedive into disaster territory. The biggest problem with this movie is its main character. For as much as I do feel like Larson puts on a convincing performance, I can't help but despise Kit as a character. It's clear we as the audience are supposed to root for her. But she is just insufferable. There is hardly a moment in the movie when she isn't acting childish and immature, and really making it clear that she just loves glitter and unicorns. I get that Kit is sort of meant to be a representation of the child that's in all of us. But the movie doesn't make it entirely clear why she acts this way. There's no real trauma that could be pointed out that's effecting her: she has loving parents and a nice home that she lives in. She gets a job right away when she applies for one. So, what exactly is making her regress into her childlike fantasies? I don't think the movie ever really explains it properly. Also, sometimes Larson just randomly decides as a director that she also wants her character to ask questions about sexual assault. It seems weird that a character who is so mentally immature would even be able to think about the idea of sexual assault, or have a desire to date another person. The only explanation that seems possible is that Larson is willfully regressing into childhood because she doesn't want to face real-world responsibilities. Now, I think this is actually a relatable theme, but the way the movie presents it isn't very well done. The movie seems to want us to root for Larson to stay acting like a child for the whole movie. She's so different and SO quirky, so that should automatically make her likeable, right? Well, it just doesn't; in fact, it makes her character feel like a caricature. That's the problem with almost every character in the movie. Kit's parents are nothing more than incompetent therapists. The movie tries to have some shallow development for them at the end, but it doesn't really work when all they have been throughout the whole movie is cardboard cutouts. Kit's boss Gary seems like he could be likeable, but it becomes clear that he too will become a caricature as a sexually perverted boss. This movie tries to bring some humor out of that situation, but it feels rather cliched and tasteless. It also doesn't really work tone wise with the rest of the movie.

Speaking of tone, there is one all too clear feeling that permeates this whole movie: whimsy. So, so, SO much whimsy. It gets to the point where you just have to roll your eyes. It's clear you're supposed to take very seriously Kit's desire to get a unicorn because it's just so cute and so delightful. Her head is in the clouds, and that's where the audience's heads are supposed to be firmly planted as well. Maybe this would work if this film's target audience was children. But I just can't see this movie being interesting enough for kids. The theme in it won't interest them, and the "Kit working for a boring corporation" plot line is sure to make any child lose interest. So okay, maybe this movie is for college kids: after all, it almost seems like Kit is meant to be the epitome of a millennial who is disenfranchised with facing real world responsibilities. But I just can't imagine college kids enjoying this either, as there is too much humor here that feels too childish and there is other humor that doesn't hit the mark at all. I can't see a situation where many older adults would be enjoying this movie, either. I think this film is trying its hardest to appeal to almost everyone, and because of that it ends up appealing to no one. The biggest problem with this movie, like I've sort of been implying, is the way it presents its thematic arc. The idea of finding yourself is so lazily done and feels shoehorned in. In fact, it's only literally with in the final couple of minutes of the movie that Kit realizes this theme, albeit in a shallow manner. The way it's presented is eye-roll worthy. There's yet another moment of cringeworthy whimsy as (and I promise I'm not kidding) Kit finally "discovers herself" through talking to a unicorn. And yes, the unicorn is meant to be real. No symbolism here. That was what made me realize this movie is too concerned with shallow aesthetics. I thought that Kit was supposed to be an extreme symbol of the millennial who doesn't want to grow up. But no, that's just what her character is. That makes her even less likeable, and certainly far less compelling. She's just a caricature; there doesn't really seem to be anything deeper to her beyond what the movie presents to us on the surface level. 

I really didn't like this movie. It adds yet another film to Netflix's rather large catalog of original films that are simply not good. I think Brie Larson might not be the right person to direct a movie, at least not right now. There wasn't any distinctive style to this movie besides a bunch of glitter and pretty colors. Those things don't do enough accounting for style, and when the colorful imagery isn't present, the film is rather stiff and basic. This is ironic, given the way that Kit is supposed to be a "lol random" character. I don't blame this movie's many issues entirely on Larson, as Samantha McIntyre's contradictory writing shoulders a lot of the blame here as well. I would avoid this movie if I were you. I really hope the next film I see Brie Larson in is one that I like a lot more.

Short Reviews #15

There's a lot of movies and music I've needed to catch up on in review format, so here's another segment of my Short Reviews series. I hope you enjoy!

Movies
"Captain Marvel"
Rating: 3/5 Stars

I think I am not alone when I say that I am tired of all the dialogue that has been around this movie. It's been rather hateful and not talking about the movie as a movie, but instead just complaining about its politics. I went into this movie with no expectations, and trying to keep any of the political conversation around it out of my head. And... well, the movie was okay. I wasn't really disappointed by it, nor was I incredibly impressed. I think "Marvel" being in the title of the movie is actually quite fitting, as this movie follows a lot of the tropes we've come to expect from this company, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. This film centers around Carol Danvers, who has lost her memory of who she was and has mysterious powers. When she literally crashes on Earth, she goes on a journey of trying to discover herself as well as find a dangerous weapon, along with Nick Fury. There are several things about this film that work great. One is Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. He's definitely the best element of the movie, continuing to be incredibly likeable. It is actually very interesting to see Fury as a young, somewhat naive agent rather than the hardened leader of the Avengers he is now. I liked seeing this side of Fury. The chemistry between him and Brie Larson is almost always really good. Ben Mendelsohn finally gets the chance to not play a character who is just a generic villain, and he shines. I've always felt this actor has unfortunate luck in being placed in bad movies where he tries his best to do well with what he's given. Thankfully, this movie isn't bad, and his character is pretty well-written. I liked Jude Law as well, as he clearly has fun sinking his teeth into the role of Yon-Rogg. I haven't heard people talking about his performance much, and I don't know why. It's not among his best, but he's still quite good here. Lashana Lynch gets a surprisingly weighty role as Maria, and perhaps has the most emotional material to deal with. She wasn't hyped up too much in the trailers, so her performance was a welcome surprise. It was also a treat to see Clark Gregg getting to reprise Agent Coulson on the big screen yet again. Another positive of this movie, I felt, was the theme. Now there's no denying the movie has a feminist theme, but I feel like it's presented in such a way where it's inspiring rather than insipid and obvious. There's some really good scenes in the movie that enforce this message, including a touching moment where Carol is talking to Monica, Maria's daughter. Marvel wanted to have a lot of this movie appeal to young girls looking for a superhero that looks like them and that they can look up to. I believe Marvel mostly succeeded on that front. Unfortunately, while the themes of the film mostly work, I feel like the titular character just doesn't. I LOVE Brie Larson as an actress- her performances in "Room" and "Short Term 12" still never fail to blow me away. However, I feel like either she is very miscast or her character is horribly written in this film- maybe it's even a combination of both. Larson just feels rather wooden in this movie, and doesn't exude much charisma. It seems like directors Ann Boden and Ryan Fleck don't really let this character have any emotionally charged moments, which feels ironic given the movie's message about emotions being a good thing. There are times when it seems like Carol is going to get to have a moment to be vulnerable, but the movie quickly takes that away from the audience. It's not like Larson is cringeworthy or makes this movie insufferable, but it just can't be denied, at least for me, that her turn isn't that interesting in the long run. This movie takes place in the 90's, and it puts all sorts of "relatable 90's humor" in your face whenever it can. This was the only part of the movie that annoyed me and felt like it was pandering. It was a little funny at the beginning with the reveal of Larson having fell on top of a Blockbuster building. But, the repetition of showing these 90's things and practically punching the audience's arm, saying "hey remember this?" got annoying very quickly. This is more of a nitpick than anything, but I also felt that the reveal of how Nick Fury lost his eye was pretty dumb. It didn't get me angry or anything, but it seemed like there could've been a better reveal than what they gave us. Overall, there's one word I could use to describe "Captain Marvel"- fine. It's not the one of the top Marvel films, nor is it one of the worst. Check it out for yourself, and try your best to keep all the political conversation surrounding it from influencing your opinion.

"The Hole in the Ground"
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

I'm happy to say that yet another solid entry has been added into A24's quite stellar horror roster. It's nice to see this company continuing to give promising horror creators a chance at directing, and Lee Cronin fits that bill for "The Hole in the Ground". This film finds Sarah and her son Christian moving to the Irish countryside to escape Sarah's abusive husband. They quickly find that there's something off about where they are living, especially a sinkhole that ominously lies in the middle of the forest. Christian soon begins to show odd traits to Sarah, and she begins questioning whether he is really her son or not. There are plenty of things to commend about this film. The first 5 minutes of this movie are quite impressive in their own right. I love the cold open of the movie in particular, as it cleverly establishes through visual symbolism Sarah's insecurities about her son and whether he will be influenced by his abusive stepfather. There's also a really cool moment where Sarah and Christian are driving on a long road, and the camera slowly turns upside down, giving you the impression that the two of them are sinking into a dark abyss. It's a rather eerie shot, and perhaps the most creative moment of the movie. Even though the creepy old woman trope has been done to death, the way the movie presents that is quite refreshing. What really brings this movie up more than anything, though, are the performances that Cronin is able to get out of his leads. Relative newcomer Seana Kerslake is stellar as Sarah, giving an incredibly layered and nuanced performance. You can really feel for her as she's completely shouldering this burden of being a single parent and caring for her son. It also helps that she's not a complete idiot this film, actually recognizing almost instantly when her son seems to not be acting like himself. James Quinn Markey is also excellent as Christian. It's incredible how he's able to effortlessly transition from being sweet and cute one moment, and then becoming menacing and unsettling in quick succession. He was compelling to watch, and provided a nice counterpart to Kerslake. The chemistry between these two was so on point that it was easy for me to believe their bond. You rooted for them to overcome the things they were dealing with. This movie also often succeeds in creating an unsettling atmosphere. This is definitely a slow-burn film, but not too slow. And when things go off the rails, they go off the rails quick. The main negative of this film is that, story-wise, it can't help but feel cliched at times. It does have a lot of horror tropes that we are very used to: a creepy child, an old woman who knows the truth, flickering lights, jump scares, etc. This can make certain parts of the movie have a "been there, done that" feeling. This is especially true in the ending, which feels like it was copying too much off of moments from "The Descent". I couldn't help but notice influences from "The Babadook" as well. What does help this movie from feeling like just a cliched horror story are its excellent performances and the sometimes creative ways Cronin presents his scares. There's two particularly effective scares involving a car rearview mirror out of all things. I also can't deny that the ending of this film sent chills up my spine.  Even though this movie can feel like a not-so-revolutionary horror flick at times, I'm not sure if it was trying to be. This film is still a solid showcase for another promising director, as well as two talented actors that I hope to see more of in the future. I recommend it!

Music
"You Are OK" by The Maine
Rating: 4/5 Stars

I was very happy to find The Maine with their release of "American Candy", which I still feel is their best. This band is incredibly consistent, always able to release albums that have distinct style and thematic arcs. The band's newest release "You Are OK" finds the group in a much more optimistic state than where they were at in "Lovely Little Lonely" (yet another stellar album from the group). This album begins on an excellent note with "Slip The Noose" a powerhouse rock track which expresses gratitude for a loved one saving lead vocalist John O'Callaghan from the brink of despair. It's a positively victorious track and a great way to set the mood for this album. "My Best Habit" is one of the most criminally catchy tracks I've ever heard, and has the classic Maine sound fans have come to love. "Heaven, We're Already Here" is certainly my favorite from the album, having an absolutely raucous and euphoric rock flair to it. The chorus is one of the most uplifting I've heard all year, and you can't help but feel elated when you listen to it. The song is musical bliss, and the way it reaches its climactic point is nothing short of incredible. "Forevermore" is the opposite of the coin as a low-key simplistic ballad, but it actually works being right next to "Heaven". "One Sunset" should please those who were fans of the bands older material, and "Broken Parts" has a touching message to it that goes along with its beautiful soundscape. "Flowers on the Grave" is almost 10 minutes, but never feels like it overstays its welcome. The song has some really great transitions, and ends the album on a poignant note with the lyrics "I was on the verge of breaking down/Then you came around". There aren't too many problematic points on the release. "I Feel It All Over" doesn't feel like it fits on the album, as it has a more spacey/electronic vibe to it. Most of this album is more straight up rock, so that makes this track an outlier. "Numb Without You" feels cliched, and was a bit of a weak lead single. It's not awful, but I don't find myself coming back to it much. Still, this album is yet another great entry by The Maine, a critically underrated group who more than deserve your attention.

Favorite Songs: "Heaven, We're Already Here", "Slip the Noose", "My Best Habit", "Flowers on the Grave", "Broken Parts"
Least Favorite Songs: "I Feel It All Over", "Numb Without You"

"TRAUMA" by I Prevail
Rating: 2/5 Stars

I really shouldn't have put my expectations for this album anywhere near the level I had them at. But I wasn't the only one. I Prevail really pulled a fast one on everyone with the singles they put out and then the album that ended up being the result. I still can't deny that "Bow Down" is an absolute throttling banger and easily the best thing the band has ever done. It's heavy and has a pretty compelling message about how the band won't sell out to what the industry demands. Unclean vocalist Eric Vanlerberghe and clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser are both great here. I also really like the song "Hurricane", which may be the most dynamically interesting song here. The chorus is pretty excellent, and the emotion the song has is palpable. The same goes for "Breaking Down" in its honest discussions about depression, along with "Let Me Be Sad". Unfortunately, the rest of this album ranges from generic to insufferable. For a band that preached about not selling out in their lead single, the rest of this album feels like radio ready pandering. "Paranoid" is only about 2 and a half minutes, and is instantly forgettable. It starts off a stream of tracks that are quite bad. "Every Time You Leave" is about as generic of a ballad as "Alone" was from the band's debut. I am sure that it's going to get plenty of radio traction, which is quite unfortunate. "Rise Above It" is one of the worst songs I've heard this year so far, with its laughable attempts at infusing EDM, rap, and metalcore. It's an absolute mess. The rest of the songs here all have pretty similar themes about how the band won't give in to whatever invisible force they're fighting against, and it becomes tiresome pretty quickly. It appears most clearly on "DOA" and especially "Gasoline", which clearly thinks it's being edgy by dropping a lot of f-bombs. I originally left this album lukewarm on it, but I came back more angry because of how clearly deceptive the lead singles were. This isn't worth your time, save some select tracks. I already thought I Prevail was generic from their debut album, and now this album confirms I probably won't be going back to them any time in the near future.

Favorite Songs: "Bow Down", "Hurricane", "Breaking Down"
Least Favorite Songs: "Rise Above It", "Every Time You Leave", "Paranoid", "Gasoline", "Low"

"Sucker Punch" by Sigrid
Rating: 4/5 Stars

Apparently this is the year for me to find pop artists that are incredibly refreshing and original. For as much as I enjoy Billie Eilish's debut, I may like this one even better in some ways. Sigrid is an incredibly charismatic and likeable artist: just watch any of her music videos and you'll know what I mean. I really like how this album combines a sense of classic 80's pop with modern pop, and it does so effortlessly. The title track and opener gives you an immediate indication that this album is going to be quite fun, as Sigrid is clearly having a ball talking about this unexpected relationship she's suddenly in. "Mine Right Now" brings the 80s pop vibes in full force, and it's hard to not like it. Lead single "Strangers" still remains to be my favorite on the album for its unbelievably catchy chorus, as well as the way the booming synths make this song irresistible to not nod your head along to. There's also a sort of rap-sing segment in this song that works really well. "Don't Feel Like Crying" has Sigrid doing a clever subversion of expectations on pop tropes, as she talks about how she will have to face her feelings on a hard break-up at some point, but she doesn't really want to right now. I like that the song is able to have fun while revealing a more vulnerable side to her. More heart-wrenching vulnerability appears on "In Vain", a song where Sigrid really lets the raw side of her vocals come to the forefront. I love how raspy her voice is on the track, as well as the powerful lyrics: "Should've known, but I got stuck here in your arms/But you hold onto me like you're holding your demons/As we lie in the dark". It's pretty haunting. Other highlights include the victorious "Don't Kill My Vibe", the fun video game references that appear on "Level Up", and the jaw-dropping closer "Dynamite". There aren't too many moments here I really dislike. I suppose "Business Dinners" doesn't quite work in its execution, though the concept is interesting. "Never Mine", particularly in its chorus, is too repetitive for my taste and is probably the weakest link on the album. However, the good moments here really shine, making this release have a good possibility for being in my top releases of the year!

Favorite Songs: "Strangers", "In Vain", "Don't Feel Like Crying", "Sucker Punch", "Mine Right Now"
Least Favorite Songs: "Never Mine", "Business Dinners"

"The Valley" by Whitechapel
Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

I have said many times before that I try to avoid talking about genres I'm not as informed on. That doesn't mean I'll be open to other genres, but sometimes I don't feel like the right person to talk about them. Deathcore is definitely one of those genres; I know that I'll automatically be biased against it because the amount of screaming in it is usually too much for my taste. However, this new Whitechapel album is often a different case. This album is incredibly heavy, probably one of the heaviest albums I've listened to in quite some time. But here, the heaviness almost feels weirdly accessible. This album also has a decent helping of clean vocals. Thankfully, unlike Suicide Silence's disasterpiece, Philip Bozeman proves to be an incredibly capable clean vocalist. This is very apparent on my favorite song from the album "Third Depth". The chorus here sent chills up my spine with some beautiful singing. The guitars here are blistering, and the drumming just sent my jaw dropping. Even though this album probably won't end up on my list, this song in particular could end up in my favorite songs of the year. "Hickory Creek" is an entirely sung track, and stands out as a unique moment in this album. It's gorgeous. This album is deeply personal to Philip as it details his relationship with his abusive stepfather, and how his stepfather being horrifically abusive to his mother led Philip to having thoughts of murdering him. This album can be a quite dark experience, and a hauntingly honest one. This is obvious right from the opening moment "When a Demon Defiles a Witch". This song made me tear up a bit in its closing moments. The heavy songs here are just unbelievably brutal, especially songs like "Forgiveness is Weakness" and "Brimstone". I actually ended up liking both of these tracks, even though I didn't expect that to be the case. "We Are One" is another highlight for me, with the guitar work here being some of the album's best. Now like I said before, deathcore can be a bit too much for me at times. This is true for me in the album's closing moments. I just couldn't get into songs like "Lovelace" or "Doom Woods". Still, I liked this album way more than I expected. Other non-deathcore fans should check this release out, too!

Favorite Songs: "Third Depth", "Hickory Creek", "We Are One", "When a Demon Defiles a Witch", "Forgiveness is Weakness"
Least Favorite Songs: "Doom Woods", "Lovelace"