Yung Notes

Happy Halloween! Hope everyone had fun celebrating a classic fall holiday! Given Mount Eerie’s album “Night Palace” came out a few minutes ago, I wanted to review two of the singles as a sneak peek at what seems to be a pretty strong album. Mount Eerie is a musical outfit lead by Phil Elverum. The band started in 2003 and has released countless EPs and full-length albums since then, many to critical claim. Most of Mount Eerie’s projects generally fall into the realm of indie-folk/rock, or lo-fi, with some experimental rock. Both the singles discussed and not talked about in this article follow a similar theme sonically. I Walk “I Walk”, takes us on a thoughtful exploration of healing and resolving trauma that comes from tragedy. Elverum’s lyrics tell a compelling story with how candid they are. Referencing something as mundane as “Discarded clothing on the ground” carries a powerful sense of realness. In this moment we are right there with Mount Eerie, and we are there ourselves, recou...

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 th...

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 p...

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...

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...

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 ...

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...

  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 ...

    Happ y new year everyone, I hope you all are having a wonderful start to 2021! 2020 was a rough year with the coronavirus pandemic drastically affecting individuals and communities globally. I hope everyone reading this is safe, and I send condolences and support to those who have suffered great loss from the pandemic. For the actual article, I listened to many great albums this year across all music genres. These featured projects are what I believe to be the five best projects to come out this year. 5. Innocent Country 2 - Quelle Chris and Chris Keys      Vibrant and soulful production set the backdrop for this colorful rap album. Consistently good, the album is full of memorable lines, great songs, and entertaining guest features from artists such as Earl Sweatshirt. While the album came out in late April, I found Innocent Country 2 to be a great listen on a cool summer night. The section of songs from “Sudden Death” through “Mirage” is one of the b...

  On Bandana, Madlib and Freddie Gibbs produce an album of the year candidate in a hard hitting sequel to the critically acclaimed Piñata. Producer Madlib, otherwise known as Otis Jackson Jr., or his rapping alias Quasimoto is from Oxnard, California. (Sentences bout his music career until 2003 and 2004). The early 2000’s was met by Madlib with the release of the collaborations Chapmion Sound (J Dilla), and Madvillainy (MF DOOM), the latter of which is considered one of the most prolific hip-hop albums of all time. Most relevant, however, is Madlib’s collaboration history with Gibbs. He spent the 2010’s exploring this through the 2011 release of the “Thuggin” EP, and the release of two more EP’s “Shame” (2012), and “Deeper” (2013). These lead up to the eventual release of their first collaboration Pinata (2014), and hints at a future sequel project. Hailing from Gary, Indiana, Freddie Gibbs gained notoriety with the release of projects like The Miseducation of Freddie Gibb...

Released after his return from prison overseas, Gibbs latest project You Only Live 2wice recounts the mental and physical struggles of a man held overseas for false rape allegations. Gibbs once again comes out strong for his third studio album, demonstrating that his time overseas has not taken a major toll on his rapping ability. Freddie Gibbs, born Frederick Tipton, is a rapper from Gary Indiana. Leading up to 2009, Gibbs produced a lot of loosies (individual tracks), culminating in his first mixtape, The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs, the title being a homage to the critically acclaimed The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. Receiving mostly positive reviews for his first mixtape, Gibbs would go on to produce several more, with Cold Day in Hell being released in 2011, and Baby Face Killa the following year. Soon, Gibbs was signed to ESGN and Empire Distribution, where he produced his first studio album ESGN (Evil Seeds Grow Naturally) in 2013. Then in 2014, Gibbs, in collaboration wi...

In the track announcing the return of the current king of Rap, Kendrick disses Drake and announces the release date of his new album.  "The Heart Part 4" is the fourth song in the Heart series produced by Compton born rapper Kendrick Lamar. The songs delve into Kendrick's feelings and experiences at the time of their release. Most notably, several of the Hearts have either preceded big release dates, with the "Heart Part 3" being released two days before Good Kid, m.A.A.d City, or have been featured on Kendrick's larger projects ("The Heart Part 2" being the first song on Kendrick's mixtape Overly Dedicated). I think the production of this song is so-so because the beat switch between the first two verses is unnecessary. The first beat is this really smooth and relaxed sound that is incredibly pleasant to listen to. However after the beat switch, the sound of the song changes into a louder and more rambunctious sound. While the second beat...

Chance the Rapper - Coloring Book- Review  On Chance the Rapper's follow up to Acid Rap, the rapper departs from his previous music for a more heavily gospel and soul influenced mixtape. While the best songs are amazing, the worst songs on the album leave a little to be desired, though there are only a few such songs. Chancellor Bennett, stage name "Chance the Rapper", was born and raised in West Chatham, Chicago, Illinois. As Bennett progressed through school he dreamed of becoming a musician. After a 10 day suspension in high school for possession of marijuana on campus, Chance began to work on his debut project 10 Day. Following the release of 10 Day in April of 2012, Chance recorded and released Acid Rap one year later. Featuring artists like Ab-Soul, Twista, and Childish Gambino, who he had gone on tour with the year before, Acid Rap was lauded as one of the best mixtapes of 2013. Two years later Chance would go on to release Surf, his third album, which also...

On his debut studio album, Rashad displays his battle with drug addiction and alcoholism and nearly being released from TDE (Top Dawg Entertainment). An evolution of the sound produced for Cilvia Demo, Rashad demonstrates excellent lyricism over a smooth flow during an hour long experience. Isaiah Rashad is a Tennessee native who started rapping in High School. Most notably, he gained notoriety on the 2012 Smoker's Club Tour, where he performed alongside rappers Joey Bada$$, Juicy J, and Smoke DZA. Signing to TDE in 2013, Rashad moved to California and released Cilvia Demo one year later. The album received critical acclaim by critics and fans alike. Rashad continually refers to several important events and themes throughout the album. One of these themes is his drug abuse, which manifests itself in his xanax addiction on songs like Stuck in the Mud, where Rashad decides to "Pop a xanny, make your problems go away" and Wats Wrong, where he plans to "roll anot...