Up Next: July
The peak of summer album season didn’t disappoint us, Dominic Fike’s Sunburn is a sun-soaked mix of genres and self-reflection with some memorable songs sticking around on my playlists, and Nothing But Thieves blessed us with Dead Club City, a disco, synth concept album I couldn’t get enough of. I also share my thoughts on the long-awaited Greta Van Fleet album, Starcatcher, and Post Malone’s pop debut, AUSTIN.
Sunburn – Dominic Fike
Genre: Indie Pop
My Thoughts
Dominic Fike’s third album is a progressive step forward for the artist, his sound maturing into something finer and his songs exploring his emotions in a more open and honest way than in his first two albums, Don’t Forget Me, Demos and What Could Possibly Go Wrong. It still contains a lot of the lo-fi sounds we’ve heard from him in the past, ‘Bodies,’ feeling like the stepping stone song between his album’s main sounds and ideas. Dominic says the album is about “heartbreak and regret, addiction, sex, and jealousy”, emphasizing his openness in this album. Overall, the songs practically drip with summer ego and nostalgia.
Track 7, ‘Mona Lisa,’ was in Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse and easily gained the spot for most listens for this album, with over 59,000,000 currently. ‘How Much is Weed?’ deals with nostalgia and regret, with something smooth and danceable behind it as well. It is easily the best song, in my opinion, due to its sun-soaked guitar riffs and smooth melodies.
Song by Song
How Much is Weed? (5/5)
Ant Pile (5/5)
Think Fast (ft. Weezer) (5/5)
Sick (4/5)
7 Hours (5/5)
Dancing in the Courtroom (4.5/5)
Mona Lisa (5/5)
Bodies (3/5)
Sunburn (5/5)
Pasture Child (4/5)
4×4 (3.5/5)
Frisky (4/5)
Mama’s Boy (3.5/5)
Dark (3.5/5)
What Kinda Woman (3.5/5)
Dead Club City – Nothing But Thieves
Genre: Indie Pop
My Thoughts
I have not stopped listening to this album since my first listen; it has thoroughly caught me in its 80s synth sticky trap. ‘Welcome to the DCC’ and ‘Pop the Balloon’ bookmark the album with disco influence in a satisfying way, both songs pushing the band the farthest from the sound we are used to from them. ‘Keeping You Around’ and ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ are the grooviest tracks on the album, the two working together to keep you up and moving as the album progresses. ‘Overcome’ feels the most like the trademarked smooth but dirty rock that we know from Nothing But Thieves but fits the theme and concept of the album beautifully. The story behind the album takes it right over the top, from just a gorgeous album to one to remember for years to come.
‘Tomorrow is Closed’ and ‘Foreign Language’ might be the weaker links of the album, but even these weak links are strong songs with a flair of their own, making them worth a listen.
Song by Song
Welcome to the DCC (5/5)
Overcome (4.5/5)
Tomorrow is Closed (3.5/5)
Keeping You Around (5/5)
City Haunts (4/5)
Do You Love Me Yet? (5/5)
Members Only (4/5)
Green Eyes :: Siena (4.5/5)
Foreign Language (4/5)
Talking to Myself (3.5/5)
Pop The Balloon(4.5/5)
Starcatcher – Greta Van Fleet
Genre: Rock
My Thoughts
I went into this album with some high expectations of Greta Van Fleet; I was hoping to hear a real step in their progression as a band. While the album is strong, it is not what I was expecting. It feels half-finished in some places, and the sound is more mature, but something we’ve already heard from them in The Battle at Garden’s Gate. I can’t help but wonder if the rock revivalists have fallen into a rut, recycling the same thing again.
The band seems to struggle with the same issues they’ve had in previous albums: rushing to the climax (even if it is an amazing climax to the song) and their songs blending together with no real difference in taste between one another. I hope to see them grow more in the future, and I will do so while listening to ‘Meeting the Master’ repeatedly.
Song by Song
Fate of the Faithful (4/5)
Waited All Your Life (2.5/5)
The Falling Sky (3.5/5)
Sacred The Thread (4/5)
Runaway Blues (2.5/5)
The Indigo Streak (4/5)
Frozen Light (3/5)
The Archer (3/5)
Meeting the Master (5/5)
Farewell for Now (3/5)
HENGE – Gus Dapperton
Genre: Indie Pop
My Thoughts
Gus was one of the pioneering artists of bedroom pop, and he continues his legacy through his newest album. He takes his bedroom pop to a new era with some excellent pop songs. Overall, though, the album feels slightly disconnected from itself, lacking the connective tissue to make these songs that much better. The highlight of the album is ‘Sunset’ with its plucky guitar and smooth vocal melodies. There is no time to become bored in the song; it moves fluidly from one sound point to another and makes for a well-rounded listen. It makes for an excellent opening song in the slow build it creates and has you hooked to listen through the rest of the album. The ambiance and progression of pop make this album worth a listen.
Song by Song
Sunset (5/5)
Phases (4.5/5)
Horizons (4.5/5)
Homebody (3.5/5)
The Stranger (3/5)
Midnight Train (4/5)
Lights (feat. Cruel Santino) (3/5)
Don’t Let Me Down (4.5/5)
Spent on You (3/5)
Wet Cement (2.5/5)
Sunrise (feat. Ocean Vuong) (3/5)
AUSTIN – Post Malone
Genre: Pop
My Thoughts
Post has officially gone pop with his album, AUSTIN, and I am excited to hear more from him as he progresses. AUSTIN feels like a toddler’s first steps into the pop genre, but I am a delighted mom filming every second. The opening song, ‘Don’t Understand,’ is a brilliant soft song that builds into track 2, ‘Something Real,’ gorgeously and shows off Post Malone’s expertise at keeping you hooked. The background vocals amplify the vulnerability and authenticity Post Malone offers us through this song. The lyrics can leave something to be desired, bordering on immature and weak and moments and profound in others. The glittery pop can’t hide the weak moments, especially as he works his way through some serious issues and deeper emotions through his songs.
‘Novacandy’ sounds like something The Weekend’s cousin would play, and I hope this means Post Malone is exploring pop sounds before settling into something of his own. Hopefully, his sad boy fans can forgive him for going pop.
Song by Song
Don’t Understand (4.5/5)
Something Real (5/5)
Chemical (3.5/5)
Novacandy (4/5)
Mourning (3/5)
Too Cool To Die (4/5)
Sign Me Up (3.5/5)
Socialite (3.5/5)
Overdrive (4/5)
Speedometer (4.5/5)
Hold My Breath (3/5)
Enough is Enough (3.5/5)
Texas Tea (4/5)
Buyer Beware (3/5)
Landmine (3/5)
Green Thumb (3.5/5)
Laugh it Off (3/5)