G.O.O.D. Music - 'Champions'

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Big collaborations amongst a strong group of individuals can either go brilliantly or flop epically. The return of G.O.O.D. Music boasts the likes of Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Travis Scott, and more. Lead single from the follow up of the 2012 debut Cruel Summer 'Champions' shines the light on the fame of these artists and what their stardom has brought them. The question is, is this song conceited and cocky, or rightfully optimistic?

Before delving into the overarching questions this song beckons, the instrumental has to be accounted for. It's banging. Cinematic synths fill the verse instrumentals, creating a big party vibe. Deep bass synths provide the track its powerful low end, creating lots of space between the deep groans of the bass and the high dancing chords of the main synth. The track's beat is perhaps the least notable thing about the instrumental, incidentally. The synths do all the work here. The beat does take over during certain parts, such as behind Big Sean's big verse, where the beat takes a solo before the synth returns in the same pattern. 

The track is pretty evenly split - half of the verses are great, and the other half are awful. The good half sees the song's subject in a thankful light; or, at least, in a non-conceited way. Quavo's verse is the in between - it has no clear side, and it's more neutral if anything. It merely discusses the media's interpretation of his fame, referencing his fame as a source of attraction in the world. Kanye West, ironically, has one of the more grateful verses on the track. He discusses how his outwardness is what crafts him; he says things no one else would dare to say. He then switches subjects to say he has overcome his difficulties and the nonbelievers in the lines "I done lost and made money / Now I'm makin' somethin' they can't take from me / And I'm fresh out of debt in this mothafucka! / And they still ain't ready yet for a mothafucka," the alleged fourteen million dollar debt he was in being easily paid off by the success of his more recent material. Big Sean's verse is, also ironically, probably the best on the album. It is charged and fiery, putting forward his fame like the bullets to his loaded gun of his words. He attacks his opposition (the haters, as it were) with his fast-flowing verse, even going as far to claim he's sorry their hatred can't best him: "Look, I say a prayer for my enemies / They cannot slow down what's meant for me." It's just a generally badass verse. The chorus is sung by Travis Scott, very fittingly placed on top of the deep bass synths which compliment the layers of vocals and harmonies, meanwhile the lyrics serve as a bridge between the good and bad perspectives of fame.

The rest of the collaborators bring the track down in the second half of the song. Desiigner's ad libs on the subsequent choruses just ruin it, and it's his only contribution on the track! 2 Chainz's verse serves no other purpose than to say that every girl he's finds (including the one he's currently engaged with) will bring him to the next girl, and the cycle repeats. Yo Gotti delivers a very conceited verse next, the trashiness of the verse complimented by the tacky samples of "Yuh!" and throaty "Yeahs." Gucci Mane follows up without the transition of a chorus, and it honestly would have been a good verse had it not been for all the ridiculous sounds in the background and his pathetic attempts to try and vocalize the last few lines.

'Champions' is split straight down the center. The first half is worth listening to again and again, the verses strong and from grateful and restrained dispositions, while the second half is almost pathetically sad in how conceited it is. The track's purpose is to shine a light of all these "champions'" fame and how they see it, or, in some cases, how others see it. The choices the rappers made to either thank it or brag about it really crafted a hit-or-miss scenario. That being said, there's a lot of hope for the upcoming Cruel Winter. Lot's of it.

Rating: 8.5/10

Radiohead - 'Daydreaming'

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Beauty is often found in the simplest of things. It’s always the refined and subtle beauty that makes something undeniably perfect. The new Radiohead track, ’Daydreaming’ is the perfect example of this. It’s quiet and subtle but all the while, huge and evergrowing.

Radiohead is always one for surprises. The media promotion for the upcoming LP9 (releasing tomorrow!) was elusive and hyped up all who couldn’t escape their screens for the latest news. Even those who didn’t care were intrigued. The beginning was the erasing of their online presence, deleting all of the media posts and tweets. Then the floodgates opened when they dropped ‘Burn The Witch’, an old track teased live ages ago and finally made it to the studio. That track was disjointed (as any quality Radiohead track should be), and along with its thought-provoking clay-animation music video, had some angry charge to it. The song’s first unique aspect was the inclusion of strings on it, showing that the direction the band was taking with The King Of Limbs was a thing of the past. A rawer, orchestral sound was the next step.

Then ‘Daydreaming’ dropped two days after. The pure beauty of the song was hard to grasp on the first listen. All of the sweet waves of the instrumental complemented by Thom Yorke’s haunting vocals coupled with an enchanting music video all added up to an overwhelmingly chilling experience. It’s as if the minimalistic swelling beauty of my favorite Radiohead album, In Rainbows had met the beautifully chilling orchestra of ‘Spectre’, a combo I was not ready for..

The track begins with chiming ambience, as beautifully simple piano arpeggios bring the track to a start. The ambience moves to the background and Yorke’s recollective vocals kick in, the first line somberly admitting, “Dreamers, they never learn.” Haunting weeps are sampled in the second part of the first verse, panning left and right as if passing as you fly through a dream. A short instrumental break then enters the picture, soaring with blue and white spirals of noise. The second verse continues much like the first, only building upon the background ambience and a synth imitating the piano, adding to the gentle body of the song. A second, more immense instrumental break follows, this time with all of the elements of the songs building to a grand climax. Chilling vocal samples fill the soundscape as strings, ambience, and synths swell slowly and brilliantly. Bond-esque strings accompany the song to a provocative end, the track ending with piano fading out as an effected backwards sample deeply and creepily chants with basses.

LP9 has set its mark already, and it’s still just under 24 hours before it’s release. It’s triumph and disposition have already laid the foundations for what may be Radiohead’s magnum opus. ‘Daydreaming’ is one of the most haunting and beautiful tracks I’ve heard this year, and every time I listen I can feel my heart beating tensely with the flowing beat of the piano and strings. LP9 is almost here, and the long wait is almost over. If the first two tastes of music from it are any indicators of the rest of it... we may have an album of the year on our hands.

Deftones - 'Prayers/Triangles'

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First track review - let’s do it.

After a four year studio silence since 2012′s Koi No Yokan, Deftones are finally back and spacier than ever. Due out in April, Gore will be the band’s eighth album and the lead single, ‘Prayers/Triangles’, which also serves as the intro track of the album is now out, featuring the band taking a very progressive turn.

The song begins with vibes that serve as a throwback to Around The Fur’s ‘Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)’, beginning without climax, but with a reverberating guitar that sounds like something from the unreleased Eros (with the indications from ‘Smile’) and a light drum beat following it. The chorus bursts in powerfully, huge and demanding, every element commanding attention. The song has some of Deftones’ most atmospheric sounds the band has ventured into, the song sounding huge and expansive. The songs epic conclusion has the song turn full gear into a heavy wall of sound that sounds crushing and huge. The song does suffer a little from mixing inconsistencies, though it makes up for it by being so big.

This song has a lot going on lyrically, too. Chino Moreno’s vocals are full of tension in the verses and enchanting in the choruses, while still being packed full of anger and beg for something in the bridge and outro. The lyrics kick off intense right off the bat: “There's a new strange godless demon awake inside of me / There's a force divine terrorizing the ages I keep while we dream.” The song seems to be about a realization that eats its narrator up, as they realize the realities of it. The “new strange godless demon” is the thoughts they have that they don’t want to accept, but know is true. The “force divine terrorizing the ages I keep while I dream” are those thoughts tampering with the truth they want to believe. The chorus cries, “Prayers, lay it on the line / You will never be free... / Triangles, placed in your mind / You will never be free,” the narrator battles between the wishes they have for reality and the actual truth they must begin to accept. The bridge cries: “Beware / Now we will never walk this street again / The only time I feel I'm not alone / I pull my heart out, wave it in the air” and the narrator lets his true thoughts out as the truth solidifies within them. Chino specializes in all things about love and sensuality, and never fails to provide sexual yet provoking lyrics in every one of his songs, especially Deftones material.

Gore is set to be a standout in Deftones’ discography, and in all of music in 2016. The band seem to be taking a different approach to their music. While this song is definitely a Deftones song (you can just tell), there is something unique about it. Perhaps its spaciousness, though that is reminiscent both of Saturday Night Wrist and Eros. Only time will tell what Deftones have in store for this album. It’s bound to be massive.

Top 10 Songs of 2015

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Last day of 2015, so let’s wrap it up with another Top 10 of the year: My top 10 songs of 2015. Another set of tough choices, but here they are. This is solely based off of my opinions - not looking at charts or popularity. Just the songs I enjoyed the most from the year! Be sure to check out my Top 10 Albums of 2015, too. Click on the song titles for my review of their respective albums!

10. Father John Misty - “Bored In The USA”

No one does satire better than Father John Misty. “Bored In The USA” off of this year’s I Love You, Honeybear offers the perspective of an ordinary citizen being bored with life. Throughout the piano ballad, Mr. Tillman offers many questions that get your head thinking. The song is clever enough to grab the laughs of any middle-aged individual (looking at you, Dad). Hell, the crowd laughing of a soap opera is even featured in the track! That’s gotta be indicative of something. There’s too much fantastic lyricism too comment on. “Bored In The USA” is the best satire of 2015.

9. Radiohead - “Spectre”

This song was only released a week ago, but it’s had enough of an impact to earn it a spot on my Top 10. Had it been given more time to grow on me, it would’ve definitely scored a higher spot. Before Sam Smith made it to the cinematic opening of Spectre this year with “Writings On The Wall”, Radiohead were approached to create the theme instead, offering “Spectre” on Christmas Day. Best Christmas gift, period. The song has the ominous vibe Radiohead so perfectly radiates in all of their music, and features their signature syncopation and a beautiful symphony backing Thom Yorke’s haunting voice. There’s so much in this song that it’s hard to single out any specific element. The symphony sends chills down my spine. The song is everything any fan would want of Radiohead. Hopefully the hype of their forthcoming album lives up to this huge track.

8. Kendrick Lamar - “The Blacker The Berry”

2015 was a big year for hip-hop. A lot of ground was broken. Perhaps the biggest contender in the rap race this year was Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly. “The Blacker The Berry” is a demanding track, Kendrick going off with dirty verses and a giant beat accompanying the ominous instrumental. The subject of the song is politically charged all the while sliding in the message of internal struggle. “The Blacker The Berry” is the best hip-hop song of the year, and it deserves all the praise it should get.

7. Fall Out Boy - “Twin Skeleton’s (Twins In NYC)”

Fall Out Boy came triumphantly into the new year with American Beauty/American Psycho, edging deeper into pop rock than they had before. “Twin Skeleton’s (Hotel In NYC)” is the most cinematic song on the album, featuring Patrick Stump crying out his vocals. This is the best song on the “rock” half of the album, featuring some great (while still admittedly subtle) guitar work throughout. The harmonies towards the end of the song are what make this track so big, ending the album on such a haunting note. Andy Hurley’s drumming can’t be ignored - it’s fantastic on this song! “Twin Skeleton’s” is a giant song to end a great album.

6. CHVRCHES - “Afterglow”

“Afterglow” is the most subtle track on CHVRCHES’ new album, Every Open Eye. In the same way, it is the most beautiful. The song features Lauren Mayberry singing over an atmospheric array of synths. There’s not much to the song, it’s very stripped down. The song is the biggest highlight on the album for it’s simplistic beauty - everything in it is perfect, for what it does have going on. Definitely a song that’s hard to grasp at first, but is an amazing one to experience all the same.

5. Bring Me The Horizon - “Avalanche”

Bring Me The Horizon continued their evolution that began with 2013′s Sempiternal with this year’s That’s The Spirit. While the new effort doesn’t match what Sempiternal began, the album is still undeniably great. With lots of fantastic songwriting, and the band distancing itself form it’s metalcore roots, the band is continuing to focus more on the words than the aggression. “Avalanche” is the peak of this album, where Oli Sykes opens up his heart to needing a cure for his pain. Perhaps a cliché subject (though important all the same), but the song gets across the emotions and message very well, and is definitely one of the best songs of the year.

4. 10 Years - “From Birth To Burial”

10 Years returned this year with a follow-up to 2012′s Minus The Machine, with this year’s From Birth To Burial. The self-titled track of the album is one of the best songs of the year, 10 Years bringing everything they’ve got into one track. The ominous piano buildup explodes into a bustling track with a huge riff and loud playing. Perhaps what really sells this song to me is Jesse Hasek’s rapping before the first pre-chorus, which reminds me a lot of Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park. Regardless, this song is huge in its own way, and all the ways 10 Years have built themselves up to be.

3. Muse - “The Globalist”

Muse promised a sequel to the fan-beloved track, “Citizen Erased” would make it onto Drones. That song ended up being the progressive rock anthem, “The Globalist”, the story of the rise and fall of a dictator. Beginning with whistling akin to Ennio Morricone’s “L’Arena” and a huge symphony, the drama of the tracks begins early. Matt Bellamy continues with his reverb-filled slide guitar as the verse kicks in with the rest of the band. Perhaps one of the moments in music from this entire year is the heavy part of this song, the giant riff (taken from a previous jam known as the “Helsinki Jam”) in the bridge of the song is as metal as Muse have ever gotten, with a countdown to the firing of a nuclear missile and the marching of an army helping make this part so loud. The bridge concludes with a Spanish-influenced solo before concluding with one final piano ballad - a send-off of sorts. Sure, the track has it’s faults - perhaps it would’ve been better as three separate songs instead of one, as to better the flow, but it is undeniably a huge track that deserves a place on this list.

2. Arcane Roots - “Slow Dance”

Arcane Roots returned to the scene this year in a big way. Coming off of their first full debut album, Blood & Chemistry, the trio had a big weight on their back to follow it up. With this year’s Heaven & Earth EP, the band smashed all expectations. Introducing it in July with “If Nothing Breaks, Nothing Moves”, fans knew to expect something absolutely huge. “Slow Dance” comes from this very EP, and is everything you’d want from the trio and more. From a buildup opening that blows into a massive breakdown and chorus, this song will have you on your feet in no time. Excellent guitar work and vocals by Andrew Groves add to the sheer massiveness of this track. If you haven’t heard it yet, check it out. 

1. Muse - “The Handler”

It’s probably unfair of me to include Muse on this list twice, but it’s warranted for me. But this year, Drones was huge. Muse at the top of their game (perhaps not lyrically, but definitely from a jam standpoint) with their back-to-basics approach. “The Handler” is a combination of everything Muse is made of. With the huge arena-filling opening riff to the wah-filled bridge harkening back to the band’s old b-side, “In Your World”. Bellamy’s fantastic vocals and lyrical play (”trance formation”? Hmm) contribute to making this song the most massive song of the year, if the demanding riff and incredible bass work didn’t already win you over. The song is an absolute beast live, too.

Honorable Mentions

  • Justin Bieber - “Love Yourself”: a track that you couldn’t have expected from Bieber before this year, but is definitely a standout from 2015. 
  • Halsey - “Castle”: the song that kicked off the rebellion that is BADLANDS, and the most demanding track on the album.
  • Years & Years - “Foundation”: the darkest track the trio has to offer, and the one that’ll be trapped in your head for weeks.

Thanks everyone for a great year. It’s been an adventure for me, and I’m sure it has been for many others. If it wasn’t the greatest year, hold on. Everything will find it’s right place. Here’s to 2016, it’s gonna be a big one.