Tag: Album Review

Exhibit number one can be the absolutely gargantuan ‘IF IT DOESN’T HURT’, which is as anthemic as it gets. Further evidence can be taken from their carefully crafted collaborations with Eric Vanlerberghe (‘HOUSE OF SAND’), Sinizter (‘STUCK’) and David Draiman (‘ANGEL SONG’), which all work well individually and as part of this record.

But the true proof of their incredible love and passion for what they do comes on the rest of the tracks. This isn’t a case of a big hit, some random features and a load of filler. Every second counts on ‘CARNAL’, every note adds gravity and every lyric means something.

Existing fans will savour every moment of this album, and with some ragers capable of cutting through to the mainstream, this may be the record that opens even more eyes onto the magic of NOTHING MORE!

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Tags Album, Album Review, CARNAL, Music, Nothing More, review

Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 23, 2024

Vol. 42

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Album Reviews

The Mysterines

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 23, 2024

Afraid of Tomorrows

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THE MYSTERINES – AFRAID OF TOMORROWS – ALBUM REVIEW

The Mysterines made a big impression with their superb debut album ‘Reeling’, which finished second in our Album of the Year list in 2022. Eighteen months of heavy touring later, including a prestigious slot opening for Arctic Monkeys on their stadium tour, and the band have grown their audience exponentially.

Time then to strike while the iron is hot, and release a carbon copy of that first record? Not on your life! In their short career, The Mysterines have already shown a fierce desire to explore their creative capabilities and that has been evident in the progress between breakout EP ‘Take Control’, ‘Reeling’ and now their sophomore record ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’.

Heading out to Los Angeles with revered producer John Congleton, the band have commented that Congleton sold himself by stating his opposition to replicating ‘Reeling’. Eager to push themselves, the band dove into these sessions and ended up with an abundance of songs, with only the most engaging making the cut.

Opening track ‘The Last Dance’ in particular proved a catalyst for what was to come and it’s fitting that the song welcomes listeners to the journey that this album will take them on. The band have always felt like a throwback and the limited amount of pre-release singles has been refreshing. It means when listeners dive into ‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ they are doing so with a great sense of intrigue.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘LAST DANCE’

The Mysterines – ‘The Last Dance’

It’s also liberating that as the album progresses through the likes of ‘Stray’, ‘Another Another Another’ and ‘Tired Animal’, care has clearly been put into the tracklisting to make this album flow like a singular piece of work and not just a randomly collected group of songs.

That cohesion makes this a truly enjoyable record that epitomises the ambition of these four talented musicians. With singer Lia Metcalfe still holding a hypnotic hold over the listener with her powerful vocal delivery, the music provides the perfect balance and enables the groups sound to expand beyond expectation.

‘Afraid of Tomorrows’ really is quite magnificent and will have fans of the band looking forward to the future and the wonders which this incredible band will create!

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Tags Afraid of Tomorrows, Album, Album Review, Music, review, The Mysterines

Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 10, 2024

Vol. 40

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Album Reviews

Bon Jovi

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 7, 2024

Forever

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BON JOVI – FOREVER – ALBUM REVIEW

Anyone would love to have had the career that Bon Jovi have had, but their journey through different eras is something future music historians will view with great perplexity. How many times can a band be written off only for them to reinvent themselves and prove all their doubters wrong.

Whether it’s early glam rock Jovi, soft rock Jovi, hard rock Jovi, ballad Jovi or country Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi and his merry men keep moving whereas their contemporaries pack up or stay put. During a career which has turned them into one of the biggest bands of all time, they’ve also become one of the biggest targets of all time!

An American U2 if you will, the group will be the butt of jokes from your mates, but they’ll be the first in line for tickets and screaming the lyrics to ‘Living on a Prayer’ whenever they come to town. Reviews, quite rightfully of late, have also always been quick to lament the efforts of one of the most enduring acts past few decades.

The title of their new album, ‘Forever’, feels like another proclamation that they aren’t going anywhere despite recent vocal issues trending and their latest albums being highly maligned by most commentators.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘LEGENDARY’

Bon Jovi – ‘Legendary’

The first thing to note about the record is that Mr Bon Jovi himself sounds in fine fettle and as such the many sing-a-long inducing choruses all sound stadium ready. The second thing is that musically this sounds like peak Bon Jovi, as the band almost go back to basics.

Thirdly, it’s worth admiring that all of those genres listed above are present and, to use another tired cliché, the sound of this album could be referred to as career-spanning! This means that there really is something here for fans from all eras of Bon Jovi and that they don’t do any of these eras a disservice with their offerings here.

‘Forever’ could be a much needed career reset once again for a band with an astonishing work-rate. Indeed, you wouldn’t put it past them to simply go on forever after all. This may not be up there with a ‘Slippery When Wet’ or even a ‘Have a Nice Day’ but it’s a damn sight better than their most recent efforts!

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Tags Album, Album Review, Bon Jovi, Forever, Music, review

Album Reviews

Royal Republic

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 7, 2024

LoveCop

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Royal Republic are one of those bands that people might struggle with until they see them live on stage. Thereafter they’re guaranteed to be fully converted into the madness that this obscenely catchy party band.

Of course, a band needs songs to play when they are on those stages and Royal Republic are back to grow that arsenal with their fifth studio album entitled ‘LoveCop’. A naturally absurd name for another over the top, all out disco rock release!

The ten tracks on this album may just be their most diverse set yet, despite all heavily capturing that funky style that has typified their sound to date. Indeed, this is a continuation of their previous work, but it’s more than that as the band expand on the retro elements of their music with some sublime 80’s-esque pop hooks lifting these new tracks even higher!

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘AIN’T GOT TIME’

Royal Republic – ‘Ain’t Got Time’

Never afraid to let it all hang out, it’s great to see the group playing with their sound enough to keep things fresh, whilst maintaining their signature aura. ‘LoveCop’ is made for the dancefloor and it will be impossible not to dance along to the likes of ‘My House’, ‘Boots’ and ‘Ain’t Got Time’.

Equally the likes of ‘Lazerlove’ and ‘Electra’ bring something a little different to the collection which keeps it moving nicely. All in all, with a runtime of 35 minutes, the album flies by and provides the band with more than a handful more songs to draw from when they capture your attention from the stage, just as they will at Download!

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Tags Album, Album Review, LoveCop, Music, review, Royal Republic

Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date June 2, 2024

Vol. 39

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Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date May 26, 2024

Vol. 38

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Album Reviews

Twenty One Pilots

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date May 24, 2024

Clancy

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TWENTY ONE PILOTS – CLANCY – ALBUM REVIEW

Every now and then a musical force comes along that changes the game and inspires a whole new generation of artists. Twenty One Pilots can lay claim to being such a special talent, with their 2015 effort ‘Blurryface’ launching a tidal wave of creatives looking to replicate the fresh sound perfected by Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun.

Continuing their artistic vision, the duo have subsequently embarked on a multi-album story arc involving a character names Clancy. 2018’s ‘Trench’ and 2021’s ‘Scaled and Icy’ are now joined by the eponymous ‘Clancy’, which closes out the storyline.

Twenty One Pilots have again used creative methods to promote the record in a way that engages their dedicated fanbase whilst generating much needed hype for the album. The world brought to life through songs and videos is wondrous and the duo should again be credited with changing the norms that surround the unlimited volume of music put out into the world.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR OVERCOMPENSATE

Twenty One Pilots – ‘Overcompensate’

Musically though whilst ‘Scaled and Icy’ was generally praised there was a clear undertone of negative reviews which gave it the bands most mixed reception since their mainstream explosion. The same will likely happen again with ‘Clancy’ as whilst it continues to spotlight the ingenuity of Joseph and Dun, it also fails to produce the same excitement as their breakthrough releases.

Of course, popular opinion is a historically polarising medium in which to rate actual quality but it sadly does bare consideration. Clancy is a sublime theatrical and sonic journey which diehard fans will celebrate as a masterpiece, but it’s sadly likely to flop at the box office. A useful analogy may be that ‘Clancy’ is the Multiverse of Madness for the Twenty One Pilots’ MCU!

Given the levels of ambition for both those projects it may be frustrating that outside of an embedded customer base the visions for this album may not get the response that they deserve. Like certain movies in the MCU will stand the test of time, you wonder which tracks will endure in setlists over the next decade and outside the obvious like ‘Overcompensate’ and ‘Next Semester’ you can’t pick any with a degree of certainty!

Much like the MCU as well, you can’t help but wonder where the band will go next.

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Tags Album, Album Review, Clancy, Music, review, Twenty One Pilots

Album Reviews

Paul Weller

Post author By fullpeltmusic
Post date May 24, 2024

66

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PAUL WELLER – 66 – ALBUM REVIEW

Paul Weller celebrates his 66^th birthday with his aptly titled new studio album, ‘66’. What a career Weller has had! From The Jam and The Style Council to his ever growing arsenal of releases under his own name, he has long since carved his name into musical folklore.

It’s highly commendable then that he continues to explore his creative desires and ‘66’ is his sixth solo album of the past decade. Much to his financial detriment (how much would a reunion of The Jam earn him?), Weller’s persistent pursuit of musical evolution has typified those releases and he shows no signs of slowing down.

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR ‘NOTHING’

Paul Weller – Nothing

Always looking to work in new ways, collaboration is something that Weller has embraced and on ‘66’ you will hear contributions from an array of talented individuals including Noel Gallagher, Suggs and Bobby Gillespie.

The twelve tracks that make up ‘66’ have been worked on over the past three years and represent a varied sonic outlay akin to the diverse mix of sounds produced over his recent efforts. It’s probably fair to suggest that there is something on this album for fans from each of his different eras.

The likes of ‘Jumble Queen’, ‘Nothing’ and ‘Soul Wandering’ do jump out but the album as a whole is easy to consume with a well structured flow. As ‘Burn Out’ brings the album to a close you can’t help but again marvel at the longevity and vision of a true national treasure!

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