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Top 5 albums of 2023

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Happy 2024 everyone! I hope everyone has had a nice start to the new year, and that you have accomplished everything you set out to at the beginning of 2023. Last year was a crazy year in music, so I figured I would share the five projects I enjoyed listening to the most. While there were many other amazing albums that came out in 2023, I found these five to be the albums I would most consistently come back to. Truly, all of the albums on this list are excellent and I am excited to celebrate them! I  will say this a number of times during throughout this review, but I seriously recommend taking the time to give each of these projects a listen if you have not already.  5.   i was mature for my age, but i was still a child - grouptherapy. This is a fun debut album from the California based grouptherapy, and a follow up to past projects this is not the album. , there goes the neighborhood. , and Truth Be Told . One thing that I think really stands out about this album is the variety -- t
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Black Country, New Road - Live at Bush Hall Album Review

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Black Country New Road’s first project since the departure of Isaac Wood  Live at Bush Hall , is a masterpiece in self exploration told through a live performance album. Black Country, New Road, are an English art rock band founded in the mid 2010s. Following the release of multiple singles, “Athens, France” and “Sunglasses”, in 2019, the band released their debut album For the First Time in February 2021. The following year, Ants From Up There , their sophomore album, was met with widespread critical acclaim. Almost immediately after the release of Ants From Up There , lead vocalist and guitarist Isaac Wood announced his departure from the band. Since the change had been known by the other band members preceding the announcement, they had already started to work on music without Wood. In March 2023, BCNR released Live at Bush Hall,  an album consisting of songs performed across two days at Bush Hall in London.  The band has been described as having sonic roots in post punk, and art r
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Quelle Chris - The Sky is Blue Because the Sunset is Red Track Review

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Quelle Chris' second single leading up to the release of Deathfame this year continues to build on the soulful and lyrically style he has owned throughout his career.  So to start off, I would admit that I have limited experience listening to Quelle Chris -- my first album of his was the 2018 collaboration Everything is Fine between him and Jean Grae. While I really enjoyed the project, it did not really click for me in a way that would entice me to go back and listen for months on end. However, with the release of Innocent Country 2  in 2020, I became a huge fan, finding soulful cuts like "Graphic Bleed Outs",  "Sacred Safe", and "Sudden Death" to be warm and emotional. The variation on the project between these songs and "Mirage" also really heightened my appreciation for this project. So after loving Innocent Country 2 , I have been actively looking for new features and songs of his. The song loops a piano riff, incorporating various gues
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St. Vincent - Daddy's Home Album Review

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St. Vincent takes us on a beautiful and magnificent trip back in time with 70's influenced instrumentation and stunning vocals on her 2021 album Daddy's Home .   Coming out a in early 2021, Daddy's Home was the latest release of musician Annie Clark, known professionally as St. Vincent. Her prolific solo career started in 2007 with her debut album Marry Me , St. Vincent has won multiple Grammys for both songs, "Masseducation", and albums, St. Vincent . Daddy's Home carries the spirit of her musical style as it appeared on past projects, with an orientation towards various subgenres of rock including indie, psychedelic, and others. The psychedelic undertones of the entire album permeate every song across both the instrumentation and the singing.  Diving deeper into the album, the best place to start is certainly the instrumentation. A diverse arrangement of hazy and bright sounds litter the project. Despite this sonic contrast, Clark does a really good job in c
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Beach House - Once Twice Melody Album Review

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Once Twice Melody takes the listener on a long and complex journey of serene and dreamy sequences interwoven with eerie interludes.  Beach House consists of Baltimore duo Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand. The two met up in Baltimore’s indie rock scene in 2004, releasing the self-titled debut album Beach House, to critical acclaim in 2006. The band followed up with projects such as Devotion, Teen Dream, Bloom, and Depression Cherry between 2008 and 2015, receiving positive reception for each project. Most recently, the group released 7 in 2018 to high praise for its creativity and sound. Once Twice Melody is the duo’s 8th studio album, a refreshing addition to their already massive catalogue. The group is fairly well known in dream pop circles with their heavy and unique use of synths and overall sound. Words that I would say capture the spirit of their discography include celestial, spacy, melodic, and luscious. While Once Twice Melody very much follows in this tradition – it does inde
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Best Albums of 2021 So Far

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Hope everyone is having a good summer! 2021 has been just as wild as 2020, and I sincerely wish that those reading this are doing alright. Since we are about halfway through the year, I figured I would share some of the best projects that I have listened to this year. While I expect many other excellent albums to be released throughout the next six months, the ones that I have written about here are for sure must listens.  5. Conway the Machine - La Maquina I honestly had my reservations about this album after the first three songs. However, the skepticism quickly evaporated as the album picked up with Clarity, barely missing a beat for the rest of the project. Conway drops banger after banger, with witty lyrics and impeccable rapping. The energy he brings on each song is complimented by excellent guest verses, with vintage performances from artists such as 2 Chainz on "200 Pies". Furthermore, the production across the entire album is so good it could stand on its own as a un
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Spanish Love Songs -- Brave Faces Everyone Album Review

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  One of the best albums to come out in 2020, Spanish Love Songs' Brave Faces Everyone wrestles with what it means to survive in a tumultuous and uncaring open world.  Spanish Love Songs are a Los Angeles based punk rock band founded in 2014. Their first album, Giant Sings the Blues had solid reception, a level of success and notoriety that was furthered by their 2018 sophomore project  Schmaltz.  Traditionally, I would say their sound normally features catchy guitar riffs over banging drums that accentuate emotional lyrics. In terms of the actual review, I honestly do not know where to start with what I like about this album. Almost every track has been a favorite of mine at one point or another, which is a testament to the overall messaging and strength of the project. Slocum's singing on each song is heartfelt and emotional, the lyrics are thought-provoking and relatable, and the project is cohesive with no "filler" tracks. Brave Faces Everyone  is an album about
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