In autumn 2019, BirdWorld released their debut UNDA on Focused Silence, followed in 2021 by reworks featuring artists including Qasim Naqvi, Francesca Ter-Berg, Olefonken, and Robert Ames. However, since then, BirdWorld started developing material for their second album, Nurture, remotely throughout the pandemic, a time when they also both became fathers. This experience shaped a new approach to their collaboration, resulting in an increasingly condensed and lyrical musical language.

With Nurture now here, let’s take a look at what we’ve got as a result of their sophisticated collaboration.

As soon as you dive into the record, you are instantly immersed in the sound of maturity and development, where the hard-sounding instrumental—what seems to be a violin—sorrowfully introduces you to the complexities of the sound the duo is presenting. The band easily uses and implements some of the most echoed instrumentals throughout the tracklist.

I feel as if Nurture should be treated as an album experience rather than a track-by-track performance. It presents a brooding atmosphere with intricate and frequently layered instrumentals that captivate the listener with a serene ambiance. It’s truly hard to describe what feelings the duo aims to evoke with such instrumental execution, but to me, it represented a contemplative yet minimalistic sound that immerses the listener in a mournful atmosphere.

With guitars that give bursts of raw energy and are almost haunting, they are bolstered by drums that feel occasionally punchy, gaining the necessary momentum for crescendos. During the album, you might certainly feel the Scandinavian sound influence—cold yet warm and ambiguous. This slow build-up feels almost hypnotic, especially on tracks like “Oisin Part 1,” which captures a sense of surreality with a slight touch of psychedelia. Another highlight is the band’s occasional use of shoegaze influences, which complexifies the sound even more with echoes and monumental textures.

The whole album is primarily instrument-driven, except for the final track, which may feel unpolished but is exceptionally sincere. It adds a touch of humanization to the record after the dominance of instrumental execution. These imperfections enhance the track’s rawness and minimalism, adding another layer to the album’s soundscape.

Nurture balances power and grace in direct yet minimalistic terms. With shimmering, cascading instrumentals, the atmosphere is immersive and introspective, even without words. Its wistful sound doesn’t feel subtle and instead represents a straightforward approach that mostly works.

Score/Good. To sum it up, Nurture provides a cinematic experience that may not resonate with everyone but is memorable for its steady, introspective atmosphere and illumination of maturity

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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Overall, “My Neighborhood” is a bit of a cheeky song, which I appreciate. Foolish Men really did write a tune that had some British wit and sarcasm to it, almost something that could’ve been made by Monty Python. To summarize, the song is critical of the homogeneity of British society, where everything is alright in the neighbourhood as long as everyone is doing as they should, even if it means hiding some unpleasant parts of one’s life.

So while I enjoy the lyrical content of the song, the musical aspect is a whole other tale.

To start off, there is the strange sound effect that begins and ends the song, almost like guitar distortion that is played in reverse. It’s not an unpleasant sound, but I don’t seem to understand why it’s there; it just feels out of place. The meat of the song, however, consists of acoustic guitar and percussions, with production that sounds like it was made by an indie band in the 2010s. It’s not a sound I particularly enjoy, being rather generic, but I will admit that it’s catchy.

The vocals on the song are the biggest weakness, in my opinion. It’s not that it’s bad per se, but the vocal delivery is very dry and done in a way that feels lazy. This is not to mention the fact that the flow is quite awful, almost like the singer is stumbling upon his words at times and not being able to keep a proper rhythm with the music. The only part in which I believe the vocals worked was during the chorus, which isn’t that great, but it’s as catchy as the instrumental.

SCORE/Good: While I commend the duo in doing what they love, I was honestly not impressed with this song. Overall, it was catchy but didn’t give me a reason to not come back to it. It confuses me a bit, as the Foolish Men promote themselves as “old dogs” with “new tricks, new tracks, and a new spin on past influences,” with this song being the complete opposite of that statement. If you ask me, “My Neighbourhood” could’ve (and a huge one at that) been a minor hit (at most) 40 years ago.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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I listened to that single in preparation for this review, and I can say that it’s okay, but I will elaborate more later. For now, let’s dive into this live album. Disclaimer: I’m not a fan of artists releasing albums that are just full of covers, but let’s see if Redwood Revolution is able to impress.

After listening to the entire album, I’m going to have to give a disclaimer for those who are not familiar with my critiques:

I am a brutally honest critic, but only because I believe that artists should be told the truth, even if it’s harsh. I’ve learned that it’s the only way artists (or anyone else, for that matter) will learn. For one to improve, you must reflect on yourself from time to time, and face the music (no pun intended) when the time calls for it. Better to tell an artist they’re not good than to feed their wild delusions.

That being said, this review is going to be very short, because I am going to sum it up this way.

To say that this live album is bad, even very bad, would be a great understatement.

To start off, this was a terrible recording of an already substandard performance. I would ask Beth Isbell if she has even bothered to check the quality before releasing this? Any producer or sound engineer would be fired on the spot for putting out a product that was even half as bad as this. As such, this was a very rough listen, and I’m sure anyone who listens to this would feel the same way.

Being a die hard Pink Floyd man myself and having had the privilege to see Roger Waters perform some of my favorite songs of all time, hearing this band absolutely murder “Breathe” and “Comfortably Numb” needs to be considered a violation of the Geneva Convention.

The only other thing that makes this project unbearable to the ears are the vocals. Beth Isbell, I mean this with all due respect, but you cannot sing. I understand that you want to follow your dream and had to really work to get to where you are currently, but some things are simply not meant to be. It’s not even just being out of key, it’s that there is no strength behind those vocals. On the other hand, Hollis Muenster had the worst vocal performance on this record when he sang “Heathens”. I’m not going to even apologize for that comment, Hollis couldn’t hit a high note if his life depended on it. I’ll say that I would highly recommend that you stick to playing instruments, and I’ll get into that a little later.

That all being said, there is one, and only one, redeemable quality to this album. Spencer Kennedy’s guitar work wasn’t all bad. Sure, it didn’t impressive me in any capacity, but I truly had no problem with it. I would say that his best work is heard in the songs “Slow” and “Blister in the Sun”.

SCORE/Poor: I’ll give Beth Isbell two pieces of advice, and they’re quite simple:

1. It’s not too late to take back this album. I’m only saying this to save you from further embarrassment. It doesn’t matter if your friends and family are telling you it’s good – they’re lying. The quality of this album is absolutely unacceptable, and you should treat it as such.
2. To reiterate from earlier, stop singing. I’m sorry, but you simply don’t have it, and that’s okay. Stick to playing the guitar and any other instrument that you are able to play.

If you’re asking yourself, “why is he bothering telling me to keep going?”, it’s because I generally care about helping artists get better. Back to the single “Sun King”, I actually do think it’s pretty decent. Sure, I don’t like the vocals, but it’s musically quite impressive. I’m not going to say that it’s the greatest thing I’ve heard, but there’s potential. I would conclude by saying to this Beth Isbell: tap into that potential, but also be self-aware as to what you can do.

Or not. I’m just a music enthusiast on the internet after all. However, I wish you well in your endeavours. Good luck.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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K2 Cocky is a New York-based LGBTQ artist who is known for his unique style as well as empowering lyrics. Impressively, he self-produces his work, including the release that this review will explore titled ‘SOCIAL STUDIES’. He has amassed a dedicated following on various social media platforms, with this release marking a significant milestone in his career. He invites listeners into his world with this groundbreaking release, addressing personal experiences, societal issues and celebrations of identity. The release promises a blend of infectious beats as well as thought-provoking storytelling, creating a powerful and engaging listening experience. Not to mention, K2 Cocky’s artistry can be traced to a bunch of paradigm shifting artists, including but not limited to: Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Marilyn Manson, Aphex Twin, 2pac as well as Nas. The album has also garnered 50k streams since its release in July, making it worthy of investigating.

Without further ado, let’s explore this release.

The first track, ‘LIFE STORY’, begins with an interesting and slighty atonal cluster of notes. I like how it presents the song with a sense of urgency, kind of like the motif in the song Mamushi by Megan Thee Stallion and Yuki Chiba. The compositional intent of the song is quite interesting, with the addition of futuristic and bold synths to add depth to the track. From a production standpoint, it meets the halfway mark, but there needs to be more filler sounds, dynamics and transitionary elements to gel the other musical elements into a more cohesive track. The sound design and sound selection is flawless, but the execution is choppy. Same goes with the vocals, even though I understand the harsh story behind the lyrics itself and I do empathise with the artist, it needs to be better mastered. The delivery of the vocals is lacking a certain musical oomph to match the track itself. Perhaps if the vocals were better mastered, this problem would be rectified to a larger degree.

The second track, ‘NO HOPE’, suffers the fate of worse sound selection. The claps and the hi-hats just don’t mix well in the track. I acknowledge the artist’s knack for picking out certain piano trills, but it needs to be mastered together. Same with the vocal track. It suffers the same fate of the initial track, and I hope this isn’t a recurring pattern the more I listen to the album. I do appreciate the slight hypersaw in the background, giving the song a feel of robust futurism.

The third track, ‘WELFARE’, boasts a better attempt at trying to make a robust, mysterious as well as slightly subversive soundscape to fit the thematic content of the song. However, I have to say, it strays inbetween the line of being compositionally interesting versus overdone. Good mastering would’ve solved this track, but unfortunately it ends up sounding like a poorly made composition towards the end. It actually has immense potential, and the way this was executed does not give justice to the productional aim of this track.

I’d say, the fourth track, ‘STEALING THE EAST’, has the best production and mastering out of all the tracks I’ve heard thus far. The drum pattern is unique, and the arpeggiations in the background build up with enough time to give the song dynamics- an aspect that I’ve been yearning for throughout this album. The break inbetween the first sequence of the track and the second track is utter genius from a compositional and mastering perspective. To the artist, if you’ve been put off by my comments in your previous track, please note that I think this track has the greatest potential out of all of your tracks. If more of your tracks exemplified the level of proficiency you showed in this track, I think you’d be on a more critically acclaimed path. (I’m well aware by your streaming numbers that my perception of your tracks will not deter your fans- or streaming potential.)

The fifth track, ‘UGLY’, comes across as a lost track. Perhaps it was intentionally done to mimic the title of the song, I’m not quite sure. This song was genuinely an unpleasant experience. The initial synthesized segments show potential with how unique it sounds, but the beat honestly takes away from what it could be- let’s not even talk about the poor mastering of the vocal tracks and the ad-libs. Was this intentional?

I can definitely hear the Nine Inch Nails influence in the sixth track, ‘THE PAYMENT’. It starts off strong, with good mastery in this aspect. All aspects of the instruments used definitely shine, with a cohesive and crisp drum pattern as well as a roaring guitar sequence. However, the main problem of the album- the vocals- detract from the genius of the track itself. It just does not gel well. It sounds badly mastered and even out of tune in some instances. I think the track is perfectly made, though. It shines as an industrial-rock track.

The seventh track, ‘FACEMASK’, improves in terms of the vocal tone… until it reaches a sequence of multi-layered vocals. It has POTENTIAL- it’s just the lows ruining the track. The high ends of the vocals actually sound quite good. In terms of the instrumental, I have ZERO issues. It’s a WONDERFULLY mastered and produced track! Robust, energetic, synchronized, almost as if it were from The Gorillaz with a tinge of Marilyn Manson. The vocalist actually performs better in a ‘spoken-rap’ type sequence with a voice filter, instead of singing. I think K2 Cocky’s musical abilities could be universally appreciated if he focused on his productions and perhaps stuck to a more ‘speaking’ cadence instead of attempting to rap melodically or sing melodically. It’s a wonderful track.

The eighth track, ‘WHAT ABOUT US?’ is another absolute gem from the album. I’m not even trying to be nice for no reason, I genuinely mean it. The composition, mastering and intent of this track shines. Perhaps, one of the best tracks in the whole album. The artist continues the motif from the previous track, showing his obvious proficiency in producing and mastering industrial-rock tracks with a chilled out, spoken cadence approach to narrating the lyrics. I love the effects and the technological sounds in the back of the track, in fact, which VST did you use, K2 Cocky? A provocative and succulent track. I have to give you your roses for this one.

The ninth track, ‘DALIBORED’, takes on the initial style at the beginning of the album with lone piano motifs accentuated with industrial sounds. However, it also mirrors the quality at the beginning of the album as well- slightly poor mastering (the levels on this track surely must’ve been peaking) with the poor cadence of the vocalist attempting to rap and sing at the same time. It just does not meld together as a cohesive entity. Unfortunately, when his vocals are layered, it makes the track sound even more amateurish.

The tenth track, ‘FACEMASK – version’, honestly has me, as a listener, convinced of the pattern emergent within this release. K2 Cocky shines as a producer more so than a rapper or a singer, and a producer of industrial, abstract rock specifically. Oddly enough, after the disappointment of the previous track, this track leaves me on a high with how well-mastered and cohesive this track is. It almost makes you wonder how someone can be so proficient and un-proficient at the same time. This song is a masterpiece. It reminds me of ‘I’m Afraid of Americans’ by David Bowie, a well-known track that was also co-produced by one of the members of Nine Inch Nails.

The last track, ‘EXIT: AMERICA’, serves as an abstract noise-rock sequence towards the end of the album. It reminds me of a lot of motifs that Sonic Youth used to employ in their works. I understand the artistic intent of this track, even though it is quite short.

All in all, this release honestly confused me. K2 Cocky weaves the line between proficiency and mediocrity quite well, making me wonder why he chose to be multifaceted instead of polishing his obvious skills and niches. Yes, it is a hallmark of a wonderful artist and a musician to be multifaceted and dabble in various genres, but you have to master and polish them before releasing them as a cohesive body of work that’s passed production. All the songs in which K2 Cocky sticks within industrial, instrumental or even less vocal-heavy rhetoric are utterly perfect- in fact, I could see myself replaying these tracks over and over again myself. Tracks such as ‘STEALING THE EAST’, ‘THE PAYMENT’, ‘WHAT ABOUT US?’, both versions of ‘FACEMASK’, and ‘EXIT: AMERICA’ could’ve been expanded upon instead of the other remaining tracks of the album. They’re well-mastered, and suit his vocal tone, instead of musically clashing or suffering from a bout of terrible mastering and vocal layering. As a producer, I’d definitely encourage K2 Cocky to continue producing the genres that he does best at- and definitely take the pointers from the other tracks to be the best version of themself they could be.

At the end of the day, I want K2 Cocky to succeed and put the best version of himself out there as an artist- as with any other artist I encounter.

Score/Mediocre to Good: I had a hard time deciding on the scale because of how great some tracks were and how poor some tracks were. From a mathematical standpoint, if 5/11 of the album is listenable, then it would go in the ‘Mediocre’ category. However, 5 songs from ‘SOCIAL STUDIES’ that I’ve pointed out are too well-mastered, delectable and proficient for the album to completely be Mediocre. K2 Cocky is an artist that definitely has untapped potential that needs further cultivating.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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Their soundscape is coloured by drummer Sam Kempner‘s ‘thunderously orchestral pulse’ as well as guitarist Nick Hodges‘ ‘strikingly melodious harmony’. It is then thematically led by the lead vocalist and primary songwriter, Layla Cima, who plays the art of brutally honest storytelling that also challenges the listener. They pay special attention to recording arrangements and live presentations, and this particular niche pays back with their audience responding with a highly emotive response. All in all, the band aims to seize the human condition with its mellow, harmonious and at times chaotic sound.

Let’s take a look at their new single, titled ‘Bookshelves‘.

The song starts off with a melancholic and nostalgic acoustic sequence, aided with sonic effects to amplify the effect of the sound itself. It sounds gut wrenching yet rustic at the same time, with the main vocalist Layla Cima gliding through the song with an adequate emotional timbre. It sounds pretty authentic, but I have one slight issue- the chord structure at this point, seems pretty predictable for a song that is quite mellow. It is very well mastered, and fits the conventional theme of the message they’re trying to convey, but nothing particularly stands out.

The cadence of the drums then enters the song, with a definite thunderous aura, but the drawn out melodies in the background paired with the syncopation of the drum give it a ‘metallic’ and colorful flair, giving the song more character in terms of its conventional chord structure. The song reminds me of an indie band from Singapore called ‘Stopgap’, with the way the song is composed and executed. It is very well-mastered, but predictable.

Thankfully, around the mark of 1:39, the predictability of the song wears off with a more intense segment, switching to an electric-blues mode instead of the drawn out acoustic chords. I also appreciate the main vocalist’s fluidity to seamlessly move between two singing styles, one tender and one intense. One thing that isn’t missing throughout this track is definitely authenticity- you can hear it with each note.

All in all, Bookshelves is not a bad track at all. My main gripe with it is how predictable it can sound for the majority of the song. I appreciate the slight change in mode from acoustic to electric, but I think the main segment takes too long for one to appreciate the potential complexity within the song. The members of this band are extremely talented and competent, all I think that needs to be done is a little bit of experimentation and boldness within their sound to stand out in a world where there’s many indie/alt rock bands that sound quite similar to this. I do definitely hope to hear more from them, as I definitely see potential. This song itself serves as a great gateway if you’re new to the world of alternative rock and ultimately, Soviet Jesus Choir’s soundscape.

Rating/Good – Soviet Jesus Choir returns with their new single, Bookshelves, a decent track that is well-mastered, authentic and filled to the brim with personal emotion. A little bit of experimentation is needed for their artistry to stand out, but this is definitely a band to keep an eye on.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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Px3Kauppila is a door to another dimension. A musician, a percussionist, and a nascent psychiatrist, she mixes her vast and unending worlds: that of psychiatric observations, a hybridised musical repertoire spanning all kinds of folk and world music, as well as reality itself. Reality holds a primordial role in the construction of her artistic vision, being the canvas for the paint of the possibility to carve its own niche. She cites David Lynch and David Bowie as her influences, two names that you don’t just drop casually. I am aware that Bowie used to infuse psychological and philosophical influences into his own body of work, and I am curious to see how the memetic flow evolved through Px3Kauppila’s artistry.

Her latest release, a solo album titled ‘Hirttäytynyt Neito’ translated to ‘The Hanged Maid’ is self-described as ‘a manifesto, an insurrection and an exaltation to acoustic percussion instruments‘. She ventures into the world of incantations and ancient spells through the artistic intent of this album. Her own relationship with these incantations and spells itself is intimate, and exploratory. Px3Kauppila describes the role of these incantations as a messenger that has revealed to her, a bright bridge connecting the world of modern medicine with the ancient past. She also mentions the use of Finnish incantation: from curing diseases to extricating witches from this medium. She still maintains her own personal niche and touch within the artistic manifesto of this album, employing interesting drumming time signatures as well as a variety of percussion instruments to expand upon her database of instrumental knowledge. The album also aims to highlight the endemic inequality in our society, as well as open conversations on the perspectives of autonomy. In a last bout of wisdom, Px3Kauppila also quips about the ‘human need to find solutions and to nurture’, as a silver lining to this album. With the gist of the artistic intent of this body of work, let us delve deeper into the world awaiting us within this release.

As you listen to this album, it is imperative that you refer to the original lyrics, the lyrics translated to English, and the background story behind the songs. This can enhance the experience of listening to each songs with added context and improve your understanding of the artistic stories behind each composition.

The first song, ‘Pahainen Plikka’ / ‘Poor Girlie’ starts off with a melange of interesting foley. The sharp twang of glass, mysterious vocals and the sound of birds come together catastrophically (in a great way) before the percussion enters the song in a crisp and sharp manner. The bass is fairly well-developed in this song, with the vocals quite strong. My only critique about the intro verses is how generic the chords sound, as the intro and song structure already beg the listener for a structure that is already quite unique. Even though this small quirk slightly turned me off of the song, the quick change of the time signature immediately drew me back in. The percussive element of this song (and the whole album) is quite significant in how it paints the picture of the story of the song. The harmonies of the song almost remind me of Bjork in a weird way- in fact, instead of David Bowie or Lynch, that is the closest artist I can compare this artist to. Eccentric time signatures, a distinct voice, and an artistic boldness enough to add certain sounds as part of the soundscape… it all melds together beautifully. After referring to the lyrics and the story behind the song, I understand the ‘trance’-like element of the lyrics and how the instrumental ties in to the theme. It is almost like a reverse mantra.

The second song, ‘Ei ukolle suostunut’ / ‘Refusing an Old Man’ starts off with percussive elements that have an extremely warm timbre. Indeed, the use of congas and the frame drum cajón lead to this warm timbre. The main melodic element of this song has a microtonal nature and that honestly appeals to my ears, as I am a fan of microtonal melodies. The chants come in gradually, having a choral tone to them with the concept of a ‘trance-like’ rap reciting the main component of the lyrics. I’ll say, the mastering of the voice mixed with the percussion in the background and the wispy melody does draw you in to listen to the story in the lyrics itself, unlike other songs that try this approach and often fail. The addition of synthesized effects in the middle of the song serve as a bass/lower-tone contrast in the song, giving it a holistic and whole feel. Even though I have to keep referring to the lyrics to understand the stories behind the song, the way it is presented give it an almost mystical feel that keeps me drawn to it. The lyrics play out a devastating and cynical tale of obsession and rejection, conflating with biblical and cult-like seances and imagery. It has a wonderful sickeningly subversive appeal to it, even though the tale exposes the irony of human behavior and lack of volition itself.

The third song, ‘Usein Sinä Sumuinen’ / ‘Time and Again, You Misty One’ begins with a contrasting and confusing melange of whispers that delicately wrap your ears as it pans from left to right and vice versa, before tender keys emerge with distant bird calls. A heavy low-tone piano sequence enters the song, as it delves into insanity with the circular melodic rhythm. This song is possibly one of the best songs in the album thus far, with the varying amount of emotions packed into one with all the various instruments. I love how the pitch of the circular rhythm modulates throughout the song before it goes into the classic thematic motif of the album- an interesting time signature cushioned with a delicate and captivating chant. The strong bass matching the syncopation of the time signature itself gives this song all the character it requires, with the vocalist’s voice employing more interesting vocal techniques throughout the song not simply through modes of singing, but in terms of production: layering and filtering. I think another thing that truly sticks out about the track is the compositional structure of the song itself. It travels far and then drags you back constantly into the loop of the song. Thematically, the song deals with the anguish of someone leaving their nest to marry someone in even more unfavorable conditions. The musicality of the song matches the themes of despair, and the literary quality of the chants makes it even more fascinating.

The fourth song, ‘Tuothan unta‘ / ‘Please Grant Sleep‘ possibly has the best intro out of all of the songs on this album. It starts off with a distinct dissonant foley, with a ‘THX’ esque descending and ascending sequence before it lends itself to the main structure of the song. It is cold, yet warm and full of depth and perception at the same time. I truly appreciate the eye for detail and the addition of polyphonic sound sequences be it through lone vocalisations or sound effects throughout the song. In this particular song, the tone of the vocalist almost sounds dark and ethereal, likening it to a production by Blutengel in their earlier years. The song just evokes depth and an indie-type of warmth throughout, with the use of panning strategically done to strengthen the effect of the verses. The use of berimbau in this track also gives it a slight tribal feel, without completely going into the realm of something ambient. The production is also stellar. The scales the vocalist goes through while singing the track is quite fascinating, as they deviate from regular scales- showing a sign of musical variability and skill in of itself. The theme of the song revolves around sleeplessness, anxiety, and the unfulfilled anticipation from going through the motions of lack of sleep- something that a lot of us experience, but I’ve never truly heard anyone try to musically recreate it as accurately as this track has done from the perspective of the human brain. A wonderful work of art.

The fifth song, ‘Laittakaa kehä kaikilta puolin palamaan!’ / ‘Burn the Circle!’ takes inspiration from a very underrated David Bowie track titled ‘The Heart’s Filthy Lesson’. Honestly speaking, that is one of my favourite Bowie tracks, and seeing someone pay homage to it is truly a breath of fresh air. The initial notes through the guitar get new life breathed into it, this time with a didgeridoo-like resonance. It’s like someone took off the high ends from the initial sample track and gave it a more mid-tone character, which makes sense given the trance-rap nature of the vocals of this particular song. I can hear slight percussive elements giving the sample more variation. I just wish the best part of The Heart’s Filthy Lesson was added to this song, through Mike Garson’s spontaneous piano trills, but I also appreciate the individual take of this song. In terms of the theme of the song, deals with the root causes of melancholy and sadness and how they evolve into current thoughts. The lyrics derive from once again, another incantation, which I think as I revisit the reference source as I listen to the album even further, gives this body of work a literary depth almost akin to Kate Bush’s knack for paying homage to literary works for the lyrical content of her songs. There are words that have once been uttered, never to be uttered again, and I think using them in the context of music is extremely necessary.

The sixth song, ‘Ikiyö’ / ‘Endless Night’ is also another masterpiece within this album. It starts off with various degrees of noise and foley that builds a spooky atmosphere. Another thing I have noticed throughout listening to the album is the use of cinematic compositional techniques instead of merely sticking to compositional norms within the ‘music’ world, and I find that quite inspirational. Instead of sounding cheesy, it gives the song a multitude of extra dimensions to play with. As the foley unfolds, a woodwind instrument enters the track in a unique scale, slightly Arabic sounding almost. It ends with a flair towards the end of each measure. It gives off the feel of mystery, sophistication and complexity all at once. The incantation in this particular track is extremely well-mastered to fit the theme of the song, with effects added at each stanza of the vocals. Percussive elements give the track a rhythmic edge, with the didgeridoo-esque drone roaming in the background to trap you within the scope of the song. I really like the quirk of the woodwind instrument in this track, as if it is indeed a saxophone, it’s rare to hear people infuse that instrument with darker tracks. Even though it’s rarely done, when done, the timbre is extremely inviting and sexy in the best way. This song is not just a song, it is a performance art piece. You’ll understand this to the core as the vocalisations unfold throughout the song. Thematically, the song infuses a spell and also deals with the question and description of impernance- in whichever interpretation you wish to employ. Either way, I think the slight ambiguity in the lyrics is well embraced by certain aspects of the song, such as the instrumental drone making you ‘trapped’ within its presentation. This song honestly has the compositional depth that truly isn’t that direct, it is very multifaceted.

Last but not least, the eighth track presents the best for the final goodbye before the album ends. The title track, ‘Hirttäytynyt Neito‘ / ‘ ‘The Hanged Maid’ is a ten-minute track presenting itself in the form of a trilogy. We will analyse each segment as it unfolds. The first act, titled ‘RISUMETSÄ‘ / ‘The Thicket’ thematically deals with the artist’s work as an adolescent psychiatrist, especially with a patient’s suicide being one of the psychiatrist’s worst fears. It also deals with the complex interplay of factors that does deal with child suicide, exemplified through the analogies of the lyrics and losing oneself in the rite of passage to other people. Musically, the piano improvisation started off through the pianist Paula Präjtig playing in the Phrygian scale specifically. Moreover, the percussive elements in this act and the second act also involves the work of the great composer Arvo Pärt– through improvisation in the style of flamenco’s soléa, representing solitude, inner pain and despair, as well as the concept of tintinnabulation, the art of ringing bells.

The track starts off with a distance between the notes, spaced out in an extremely contemplative manner. It gives me an abstract sense of a fleeting pendulum expressed through sound, especially with the addition of bells. The track then goes through a deeper percussive element, with the bells modulating between different notes. The bells are very distinct to me, they are dark yet childlike at the same time. The improvisation in the piano also reminds me of my own personal bias for sharp trills of notes spaced out, instead of a long and connected passage. It is very haunting, but charming in its own way. The vocalist presents the lyrics more tenderly during this track, narrating the start of the story itself. It definitely matches the thematic intent of the first act. It is cold, and spooky, yet tender and rustic at the same time. Juxtaposition would be the best way to describe the mode of composition within this track. As the pianist glides on, the distinct formation of the chopped-up melodies takes me through a jagged journey that is also oddly sleek.

The second act, ‘AITTA‘ / ‘The Storehouse‘, takes the motif of the first act to a deeper level, exploring the possibility that suicide is an act of preserving dignity and autonomy. It bears the opening questions, ‘Who decides who is silenced? What kind of a girl is the right kind of a girl?’

Musically, it marks a transition to the previous act seamlessly, with deeper sounds evoking the feel of the void. The vocalist’s delivery becomes more distinct and clear, yet more pained as the story unfolds. The pianist’s notes become more ‘faded’, in a way, almost in a Rhodes-like fashion, with the use of dramatic elements in the background of the instrumentation building up mental tension and a frenzy. I have to admit, the musicality at this point builds up an emotional tension- even if it is short, that it brings me to tears due to its depth for a split second.

The third act, ‘ÄLÄ ITKE ÄITISENI‘ / ‘Weep Not, Mother Dear‘, thematically deals with the final idea of suicide cemented as an act of dignity. There is no degeneration, only honour to fulfil the torment of the tormented mind and the sacrifice of sacrifice itself. It presents itself with the opening questions, ‘When two worlds collide – Who is there to comfort the mother?

Is a girl ever the right kind in the eyes of society?

What kind of a girl is the right kind of a girl?

The daughter reconciled her situation in her own way while maintaining her dignity, self-esteem and autonomy. This work is a canticle for the silent and the silenced!’

The lyrics deal with the perspective of the mother and the daughter, almost in a call-and-response, exploring the relationship between both perspectives and how ‘fluid’ it could be.

Musically, I feel like the homage to tintinnabulation is even stronger, with the various modes of instrumentation in the background. It tickles my brain in a very delicate way. However, I notice the use of ‘cold’ sounding sounds within the isolate instrumentation, so the addition of a strong and warm bass plus acoustic guitar helps to bring the track back to a ‘warm’/humane ground, connecting to the theme of the lyrics and topic at hand. I also have to commend the vocalist for using two different modes of vocalisation for each segment of the dialogue, helping to further paint the scene before the final ring of the bell.

All in all, this album truly put me through a journey. I feel like it helped me discover aspects of myself that I had hidden for the longest, not just through the lyrical and the thematic aspects of the album, but also through the familiarity and the eclectic nature of the instruments used. I am a person who always appreciates and tries to also implement the unexpected in my own compositions, and this album truly inspired me from start to end. This isn’t just an album or music, this is an auditory performance art piece. The wonderful mind of Px3Kauppila definitely sticks out throughout the album, as you have to truly commend the effort and the artistic intent behind each and every one of these tracks. Some people are musicians, and some people are people merely making music, but she is a true artist who mixes the art of art- expression, storytelling, ingenuity, expansion, exploration, and diversity all in one through her music.

It is also extremely rare for me to find artists with a cohesive storytelling-like narrative when it comes to a compositional intent, with the last person on our platform matching this level of intent being Didier Recloux with Monsieur Linh and His Child. It takes a lot of foresight to even craft a storyline and refer to literary works of art when it comes to transforming and transmitting it into music. The odd time signatures, the vast amount of instruments used and the amount of scales modulated within this album itself is groundbreaking. However, I have to point this out: one thing makes it where all of these aspects I just named can meld together, and that is Px3Kauppila’s raw, unabridged relationship with herself and her perceptiveness.

Rating/Outstanding – Hirttäytynyt Neito / The Hanged Maid is a mind-blowing album that solidifies Px3Kauppila’s role as an authentic composer and storyteller. It will take you through a journey, forcing you to face topics that you think you’ve forgotten about and expose you to vocal and instrumental techniques that you might have never heard before. Listening to this album is like uncovering a book with lost tales, just like the lost tales that inspired this album itself.

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They tell the teacher along with the rest of the class that they’re merely cogs in the machine, or another brick in the wall (probably an album that fueled this mid-class tantrum) before being told to shut their fat mouth by the teacher, so as to resume the aforementioned lesson on the Venezuelan financial crisis. Now, in this situation, you’re probably annoyed, maybe even angry; you’ve just been told that everything you know is a lie and facade put up to protect corporate interest.

But you’re also mesmerized by this kid’s level of sincerity and trueness to the cause. You understand that “the system” you’re currently living under could be improved greatly, but submitting to the daunting realm of red seems too scary. You realize: man, this kid might be onto something, but he’s just so damn rude! That has been Shellac as a whole to me. Not specifically To All Trains, but in their entirety.

There’s a level of charm that is brought to the table from the rude, arrogant remarks squaked by Steve Albini from tracks like “My Black Ass” on their 1994 album Live at Action Park, to “Tattoos” on the most recent album To All Trains. You simply can’t help but admire and yearn personally for the level of honesty and confidence that seeps from the band. 

I’ve heard my fair share of noise-rock. Frankly, it’s a scene that quickly gets stagnant and old to me. I’m not saying I don’t like it, but to, I simply need to catch a whiff of something special that sticks out to me. The 1989 album Tweez (actually produced by Steve Albini) by Kentucky band Slint is a good example. Listening to Tweez, it feels psychotic, paranoid, and manic. I don’t remember the album for every progression, but for the feeling that the band can emulate. I need personality and feeling to grab onto, rather than mere impressive skill.. Shellac manages to ride that line pretty well. I feel I get a good mix of fine and dandy instrumentals with a very loud personality. 

After my first listen of To All Trains, I kept asking myself: is this just another record that I won’t really remember in just a few months? Will the progressions I hear in this record end up blurring with other progressions I’ve heard from other noise-rock oriented records? After more listening and deliberation, I concluded that: it is and it isn’t. The bright and distorted guitars, paired with the burpy and moody sounding bass, wrapped together with sluggish drums inform me that yes, this is in fact noisy.

Some repeated progressions like on tracks “Wsod”, “Girl From Outside” and “I Don’t Fear Hell” really pull you in and feel very dominating and strong. However, the instrumentals alone aren’t enough for this record to stand tall on its own to me. The lyrics and vocals add quite tremendously to this record, as I feel they are what take this album from “sounds good” to memorable.

It’s very straightforward; breaking down each track and trying to examine every aspect of it under a microscope seems redundant, as the band straight up tells you how things are, and how they ought to be. It’s not one of those projects where the band teeters around a concept, bathing in this sense of intellectual superiority and mystery. They simply say (sometimes yell) what’s on their mind.

This album did achieve my only requirement for what I consider to be a “good” noise-rock record. It carried with it something other than rockin’ guitars, bass, and drums. And for that, I would consider this to be a project with actual weight and substance.

Rating/Good – Overall, there is something to be said about To All Trains and the sincerest form of honesty it throws at you. The band stands behind what they put out with absolutely no worry as to what you might think of it, which is quite refreshing in the current state of music. The philosophy of Shellac and its process is what I consider to be the band’s selling point. Listen to this album to explore those very sincere and blunt philosophies. Listen to this album for some interesting progressions. Don’t listen to this album if you’re trying to negate your preexisting angst and frustration.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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In today’s review, we will encounter a songwriter named Fungai. Fungai has been writing songs for over 15 years and has collaborated with a wide variety of artists. As most of us in the art world know, many a project can be scrapped due to circumstances or even just roadblocks. As a result, most of Fungai’s repertoire has been unreleased. However, today, we will witness Fungai’s first forage into the world of released music- in the form of an acoustic alternative pop-rock ballad they co-wrote with Ethan Cronin.

In the notes of this particular release, it is mentioned that the duo intended to fuse many genres together, such as lo-fi, rock, folk, and other avant-garde sounds and even ‘oriental’ influenced sounds (which I presume, is possibly pentatonic). As I’ve mentioned in my first paragraph, this is definitely a good sign. It is always a pleasant surprise when an artist merges as many possible genres as they can fluently and competently. Moreover, there is very limited information about the artist(s), which makes this release highly elusive and mysterious. Let’s find out and open pandora’s box in regards to this release.

The vocalist, Ethan Cronin, gives the track more soul with the agony in his delivery. Moreover, the layered harmonies and echo added onto his vocals also make it sound quite ethereal. The lyrics of this song are also quite poignant and interesting, in its analogies and writing.

The song then descends into a slight hip-hop and jazz fusion beat, as the tempo quickens, giving it a fast jazz groove, complemented by the innocence and decadence of the harp in the background. The vocalist’s vocals are layered with even more vocals on top, giving his words more of a punch when delivered towards the chorus. The addition of the acoustic guitar within this segment also gives the song an acoustic charm, and even though it is extremely multi-layered, it does not clash at all.

Another quirk in this song I can definitely point out is the slight glockenspiel/xylophone-esque instrument in the build-up of instruments during the chorus. It adds a cute boost to the song with its short envelope, as the rest of the instruments in the track have a long envelope in terms of attack, sustain, decay and release. Interestingly, at the mark at 3:25, the song switches trajectory in its break with a deep bass almost reminiscent of 90s R&B tracks or even tracks from George Michael in his later years. The strong vocal delivery and return to the acoustic soundscape does remind me a lot of ‘Faith’ by George Michael. However, with the hyperinstrumental style of this song, it is as if that original style had been upgraded.

Overall, this song was immensely contemplative, passionate, and earnest in its delivery. It has accents of genius throughout its songwriting, composition as well as delivery, but the timbre of the song really sticks out to me. It is a song by which you can definitely ‘feel’ what it intended to convey to you. It is also very tender, by the mode of some of the acoustic instruments used in this song. The addition of the glockenspiel/xylophone motif also adds a spark of innocence to the necessary harshness of the vocals, making it harmonically quite balanced.

For artists who are pretty elusive when it comes to how much available information is out there about their artistry, I’d say this track shows how highly competent they are. I hope they release more official tracks as if this track is a preview to their total portfolio, they surely are artists to look out for.

Rating/Excellent – ‘Mind Painted By Picasso’ is an extremely well-crafted song that makes use of the principle of multi-genre musicality quire well, and merges many different aspects of instrumentation together to create a masterpiece that is contemplative, passionate as well as earnest in its delivery. It definitely speaks to my musical preferences. A highly recommended track.

[We rank albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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Chris Cummings is a multidisciplinarian-  he is a drummer, educator, songwriter, producer, and bandleader all in one based in Easton, Pennsylvania. He also has some well-known names in his history of collaborators, such as playing with jazz legends like Gene Perla and Bill Washer as well as Dave Goddess. This release marks his forage into producing as well as songwriting. It is part of an upcoming album under the eponymous moniker ‘Chris Cummings and The Way’, with plans for an accompanying documentary film featuring some well-known rock musicians associated with rock acts such as Alice Cooper and the late Robert Hazard.

Chris describes his upcoming release as “…a convergence of my Americana and rock and roll roots into a collection of relatable tunes for the times we live in.”. Two singles, ‘Dream’ and ‘I’m Still Alive’ are the pre-emptive singles for this release, the latter of which we will explore in this review today. Does the single live up to his self-description and creative vision? Let’s find out.

I have a problem with some of the vocals in the pre-chorus, as it detracts from the steadfastness of the initial tone of the vocal delivery, but it is quickly saved and detoured with a melange of stronger vocals in the chorus supplemented with harmonising background vocalists as well. I notice a pattern of intentionally mismatched harmony as well, which is oddly pleasing to the ears.

The best part of the song is the instrumentation. First of all, the arrangement is pretty decent and it is very well-mastered. None of the instruments sound out of place neither are they fighting for dominance. From an instrumental perspective, this is one of the better rock ‘n’ roll-influenced tracks out there. I like how the groove of the drum stays consistent throughout the song, almost going into a jazz sequence at some point in terms of the drum pattern. The bass has a dynamic role in the entire song as well, changing up its pattern from the pre-chorus to the chorus. The amount of guitars playing at the same time, in a synchronized pattern, gives the song the gusto it requires. The melodic solo from one of the acoustic guitars also provides this song with a very interesting instrumental variation. If I’m not wrong, there are instances of a clavichord or somewhat of an organ in the background of the song. It provides the song with more of a subtle nod to Americana without necessarily being overbearing. Quite apt!

I think this song would appeal to people who are a fan of Americana-influenced music that is relatable as well. It is a very well-produced song, and pretty straightforward in its delivery, without sounding instrumentally generic or predictable. It actually puts you through a journey while you listen to the track. Even for someone who doesn’t necessarily listen to this genre, I can hear how well done it is and recognise its quality. Once again, isn’t the beauty of music versatility to cross pass genre boundaries and have your art resonate with others?

All in all, I would recommend this track to anyone and everyone.

Score/Excellent: For the artistic intent it intended to portray, and the high production quality of this song, ‘I’m Still Alive’ delivers in all aspects of the song. There is only one minor issue with the song, but the excellent arrangement makes it where it is easy to overlook and busk in the glory of the rest of the song. A good Americana and rock ‘n’ roll inspired track!

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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In today’s review, I am entering uncharted territory with an album called Fama by O Louco. O Louco, an artist fresh to anyone’s memory and recognition, is a self-proclaimed chameleon of Portuguese music. Through his artistic imagery and simply his aesthetic, I can see where that comes from. He gives off the feel of an artist inspired by David Bowie, who once described his state space in music as that of a chameleon. 

The album, ‘Fama’, translated to ‘Fame’ in English, explores the dark side as a complement to the starry-eyed perspective often characterising fame. As part of its stylistic theme, it expands upon that theme by branching out to hedonistic vices typically surrounding those under the guise of fame, such as drug use, alcoholism and depression. However, as this album is lyrically entirely in Portuguese, I will be reviewing this album with the same credence stated in my first paragraph- I am going to find out if Fama stands the test of universality with its level of musical competency. Language should never be a barrier to music, music speaks more than syntaxes ever will. I will also analyse the lyrics separately, and see how they match up with the musical soundscape as more so than musical universality, the tone of lyrics should also match the domain it is intended to be in.

The first quarter of the album is frankly not promising. It starts off with a  MIDI-heavy pseudo-dramatic intro that sounds quite cheesy, almost as if it were a backing track to a low-budget horror film. The intro then fades out into a track called ‘It Girl’, which sounds promising at first due to its electro-influenced swing but simply gets offset by how displaced the pads and cymbals sound. It then morphs into a torturous ‘i-will-warn-you’ balled singing style, which really does not help any form of likeability in regards to this track. It sounds like a bad parody of one of Lady Gaga’s earlier works. I genuinely do like the electronic soundscape, the swing, and the hypersaws, but the generic choice of notes in the melodies (both vocal and instrumental) really ruins the song. I wish people would have more creative variation when it comes to music involving themes that are perceived as ‘spooky’ or as a ‘dangerous warning’. Like its title, it doesn’t have any more redeeming qualities than the song with the same name from AliyahsInterlude. However, I do find the lyrics extremely interesting as it explore the superficial concept and obsession with the concept of an ‘It Girl’ in society in pretty much vivid detail.

O Louco definitely shines as well as a lyricist more so than a vocalist or even a ‘melodist’, as his writing style is extremely unique and introspective. Most lyrics in songs these days are extremely void of viable content and are usually filled with delusions or simple gibberish. O Louco does stand out in the sense that he uses his pen as a sword to wield through reality, albeit with a bias to the confines of the entertainment industry and personal experience itself, in a competent manner. In terms of writing, this passes off as descriptive poetry.

The song afterwards, ‘Fama’, is not any better. It is a slow ballad with horribly parsed-out hypersaws. The tone of the singer does not help the song at all. I cannot find any redeeming qualities of this track, other than the fact that it does have multiple audio track layers- but it comes out genuinely sounding like a coming-of-age theme song to a mid-00s soap opera. The choice of synthesis in this song also sounds extremely dated. 

To make things worse, ‘Amor Sintético Natural’ sounds like a ballad at the cadence of a Chinese ’Ah Beng’ EDM song. It has potential as a track with absolutely no vocals, but the vocalist truly ruins the soundscape with his whiny crooning. This is an instance where juxtaposition in music simply doesn’t work. I genuinely adore the electronic soundscape of the song, though. It stands on its own. Does it need a little bit of polishing and mastering? Yes, but the tempo changes and melodic changes adds an oomph to the song that is totally unexpected and displays musical variability. I would definitely recommend the artist to release the instrumental to this song. Once again, as unpromising as the song actually is, the lyrics to the song as quite fascinating in its choice of words as well as analogies. I must say though, the analogies are quite predictable when it comes to the topic of love and obsession itself.

‘Estatuto Social’ follows the exact same format of the previous songs- a somewhat competent electronic soundscape, with the artist’s intent and vocal choices completely ruining the song. If the vocals were not added, it has the potential to turn into a Cardopusher song. However, in the bridge of the song. It employs a completely acoustic soundscape, which suits the vocalist’s timbre better. Is it another case in which an overambitious person thinks their voice matches a hyper-electro soundscape without any form of vocoder manipulation?

I pose that question, because in the second quarter of the album, more ambient and acoustic techniques are employed and the vocalists’ vocals do not conflict with the soundscape at all. It is a really interesting thing to ponder when I come across artists such as these: a unique situation where their vocals do not shine in an electronic track, but can definitely have a presence acoustically. Is it due to a misdiagnosis of the limitations of their voice relative to what they artistically wished to display?

‘Aquele Beijo’, starts off in a sleepy ballad manner with sparks of acoustic instrumentation in terms of the choice of guitar used, as well as the percussive elements. I must say, the vocalist’s more tender delivery seems more passable in this track, compared to the other tracks. However, the song is merely passable- the chord structure is extremely predictable. It sounds like any other soft ballad straddling the lines of soft rock and heartfelt instrumentation. Moreover, the background singers and the singer himself does not actually stay in tune while they attempt to harmonise. If the other tracks were abhorrent, this track is passable.

Continuing with the theme of a more organic style of instrumentation, ‘Reality Show’ starts off with chords that give off the sound of a mystery, or a question, and follows up with a blues groove. The vocalist employs more of a ‘distressed’ croon in this song, and his tender yet fragile timbre is a treat to the ears compared to his other vocal styles. The instrumentation in this song is also very apt and well-done, with the choice of notes almost reminiscent of other neo-blues songs. The descending and ascending notes give off the impression of dread as well as exhaustion, and the tender sprinkle of hyper futuristic synthesisers in what I assume to be under a ‘love filter’ helps to give character to this song. This is definitely the first song worthy of a decent listen in this album. In this song, the excellent lyricism enhances the song as it paints a highly descriptive scene of the aftereffects and the aftermath of appearing on a reality show itself. It stands as a tale of caution.

After the high of the last song, ‘Estrada Interminável’ is truly a letdown. It follows the exact same musical issues detailed in ‘Aquele Beijo’, but worse, as the structure of the song is even more generic than the previous one. 

‘Has De Ser’, the 9th track, is a very strange track to me. The vocal delivery and production quality of the song are not up-to-par, once again sounding as if it was the work of a bar singer,, but I find some extremely interesting compositional quirks in this one. There are elements of grunge in this song, accented with elements of synths in EDM. I find this combination very unique, and it should definitely be explored more.

‘Nas Minhas Mãos’ is one of the much better songs on this album. It starts sombre, and heartfelt, with the vocalist once again shining because his delivery is more subtle and softer in this approach. My only critique with the first part of the song is the choice of sound for the piano, as I think it sounds too ‘innocently tender’ and clashes with the cinematic grief in the ambient sounds stretched out towards the end of the song. The ambient sounds are extremely genius. They fade out almost in a space-age doom manner.

‘Será Que Este Noite’ follows the same brilliance of the previous track, exploring more of an electronic, futuristic soundscape with robust drumming. The singer employs the same subtle vocal techniques that definitely go in his favour. I like how the chord structure and the synthesizers used keep you on edge during the pre-chorus and the versus, but it completely ‘bubbles’ out and bursts in a symphony of futurism in the chorus. Definitely a must-listen for this album.

The next song, ‘Estranho O Sonho’ starts off extremely promising with the synthesis of the song and once again, its homage to electronic music, but the choice of pads and percussion throw me off. Also, the problem of generic chord structure in regards to portraying ‘edginess’ in the vocalisation and melody props up again in this track, ruining it slightly. This is another track where it really should’ve been a standalone instrumental track. It has all the elements of a good electronic track, with polyphonic synthesizers, build-up, musical and instrumental variability. I do think this song is worth a listen due to how technologically forward it sounds.

All the tracks in this album with a party EDM cadence have to be evaluated with suspicion. ‘Perdidos No Ecrã’ somehow seems to morph the problems of ‘Amor Sintético Natural’ with the problems of ‘Aquele Beijo’. Of course, some aspects of the song sound interesting with the sparks of automation clips added in and the melodic variation, but I’m not evaluating parts of the song, and neither am I evaluating the stems of the song. It just does not gel well together in the song.

‘Viajante Eterno’, afterwards, sounds like it is going for the soundscape of ‘spookiness’ but unfortunately gets washed out by how cheesy the notes and the sound effects are. It sounds like what an early-80s production would’ve conjured up for a ‘spooky’, low-budget indie film. It then degrades into the same, generic soft rock ballad swing that I’ve heard throughout the album without anything to necessarily grab my attention. I think this sounds like an unfinished song to me. The theme of the song definitely has potential and does have some compositional quirks, but it needs to be refined.

‘Meu Mundo, Meu Amor’ starts off as an extremely peppy and quirky ballad. It is not my cup of tea, but it does remind me of some positive rock songs from the late 60s to the early 70s. In terms of production, it is one of the most ‘okay’ ones. It sounds like a low-budget version of ‘Queen’. I will say, for once in this album, the harmonisation actually works between the main vocals and the background vocals. This is a song I can envision being used in the background of a quirky film that explores growing pains. Around the mark at 2 minutes and 36 seconds, the song morphs into a sequence that reminds me of trance which is unexpected yet pleasant. Another song that I’d recommend from this album. I think the lyrics to this song is definitely one of the strongholds of this album, as the lyrics are a poetic piece by itself as a testament to love. If Atlas’ domain was love, I’m pretty sure he would’ve penned lyrics analogous to this.

‘Nada Em Ti’ has a great acoustic chord structure in its initial instrumentation, as well as manipulation of certain sounds, to give it a quirk, but the vocalist’s delivery once again ruins it. The chorus also has a chord structure that I cannot take seriously. Like most songs on the album, the producer adds some very interesting quirks towards the end of the song to save it- this time, electronic pizzicatos against a drop of acoustic guitars. A drop of genius in a sea of mediocrity.

‘Pó De Anjo’, ‘Perder O Norte E O Ego’, ‘Dias Desertos’ as well as ‘Um Passo No Céu’ to end the album in its final quarter, all pose the exact same problems highlighted in most of the initial 16 tracks. As a listener, and as a reader, it feels absolutely redundant for me to explore the soundscape of a work of art that doesn’t change in terms of its flaws. 

Another huge problem that I have with this album, in terms of the quality of the tracks already established and with the predictability of the standard of most of the tracks, I find the duration of this album a little torturous- especially for a breakout or a newbie artist. The theme of the album may have been lyrically cohesive, but as a musical medium meant to be universal, it dances between borderline irritating and unevolving. In terms of the lyrics as an isolate entity, the artist shows an extreme competence when it comes to writing.

The star of the album is truly the production value, compositional value as well as the mastering. The biggest problem of this album is the vocals, and the cohesiveness of the musical factors for the most part. If I’m not mistaken, the singer is also the producer of the album. As a producer, he has immense potential in how he infuses aspects of EDM, such as electronica and trance in other genres such as grunge, blues and acoustic mellowness but he falls short of vocal delivery as well as execution. I think he should work on his strengths in terms of musical instrumentation, as the intent for some of the backing tracks for some of these tracks are truly interesting. Moreover, his lyrical writing abilities are stellar. All of the lyrics on the album would definitely count as standalone writing pieces or poetry piece by themselves. The only reason why I can’t just promote the track based on the instrumental is because the vocals were intentionally added, hence, as a whole entity it is misaligned.

All in all, this album was not necessarily a great musical experience as a newbie listener to this artist. It started off quite terribly, with most of the saving graces of the album being in the middle or towards the end of the album, which isn’t good from a business and a neurological perspective as I highly doubt most listeners would persist beyond five tracks, if the initial five tracks perform poorly. Moreover, the lyrics are not entirely accessible unless requested. For better outreach as well as response, I’d recommend that the artist popularise a medium or a webpage to display his excellent lyrical skills in both Portuguese as well as English for the rest of his potential audience to come across. My most recommended songs from the album are ‘Meu Mundo, Meu Amor’, ‘Será Que Este Noite’ and ‘Reality Show’.

Score/Mediocre: Fama by O Louco is an album that does not musically perform up to standard, with 3 out of 20 songs truly being listenable. The plus points of this album are definitely some compositional quirks as well as excellent lyricism, but it does not stick out immediately as a cohesive album. It bears too many predictable as well as outdated musical techniques, for an act that isn’t a revivalist act. It should’ve been broken down into smaller parts for better execution.

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