Folie á Deux – Fall Out Boy
August 9, 2024
Hiya all!
Everyone deserves something to look forward to every week. From now on, each week I will feature a album recommendation here in my community tab. I will only include albums that I enjoy listening to all the way through.
This week, I’m featuring Folie á Deux by Fall Out Boy. This was one of the first albums I listened to all the way through, and I loved it. Patrick’s instrumentals really lean into R&B and orchestra roots, and his vocals are on point. Meanwhile, Folie has some of the best lyrics in their discography. Some standouts for me are Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet, The (Shipped) Gold Standard, Tiffany Blews, and West Coast Smoker (featuring the legendary Debbie Harry). Although not as well-received as their first three albums, Folie has found love and appreciation with time, and many hold it to be their favorite FOB record (including me). For me, this album feels like lying on the ground, bleeding out, and regretting all the choices you made to get there. Take a listen, and check back next week for a new recommendation!
Trench – Twenty Øne Piløts
August 16, 2024
Welcome to Trench.
For this week’s album recommendation, I’ve chosen Trench by Twenty Øne Piløts. I take it very seriously when I say that Trench might be the best album of the past decade. Following their blowup hit Blurryface, Trench takes us into new and captivating territory through Trench, a fictional continent where their story takes place. As far as concept records go, this is S tier. The lyrics perfectly allude to a sense of concealed meaning. Recurring themes and metaphors run rampant, making for an enjoyable listen every time. And speaking of enjoyable listening, the instrumentals are as addictive as they are innovative. The album combines a wide range of genres effortlessly: some standouts include rock songs like Jumpsuit, poppier roots like Chlorine, reggae infusions like Morph, deeply meaningful piano ballads like Neon Gravestones, and rap like my personal favorite, Pet Cheetah. I also have to credit Josh for some excellent drumming.
Don’t believe the hype! East is Up! |-/
Human After All – Daft Punk
August 23, 2024
I AM THE BRAINWASHER!
This week, let’s discover my personal favorite Daft Punk album, Human After All. While many seem to disagree with me, I think this album is great! It blends house beats with rock elements and excellent production. Daft Punk are the masters of making a repetitive song work, and for me, this album displays that at its fullest. My personal favorite track, The Brainwasher, has some of the coolest vocal production I’ve heard. Also notable are Human After All, Television Rules the Nation, Emotion (a beautiful closing track), and Robot Rock. If you love Robot Rock, I do recommend checking out Release the Beast by Breakwater, which it is essentially a remix of. Overall, Human After All is sometimes heartfelt, sometimes awesomely dissonant, and all-around an enjoyable listen. Check it out!
Synthesis – Evanescence
August 30, 2024
Follow your heart ’til it bleeds.
This week, I’ve selected one of the most flawless albums I know: Synthesis by Evanescence. My favorite band has always had a taste for orchestra, but nowhere is it more apparent than Synthesis. A compilation of both new songs and beautiful remixes of their hits, this album defines the history and future of Evanescence. Synthesis masterfully blends equal parts hard rock, orchestra, and electronica into an unforgettable album. It’s nothing short of an experience. My favorite tracks include The End of the Dream (my favorite Evanescence song), Imaginary, Never Go Back, Imperfection, and Hi-Lo with Lindsey Stirling. I could not recommend an album more. Amy’s voice is as on-point as ever, and the band kills every bit of the instrumental. Check out this 10/10 now!
So Much (For) Stardust – Fall Out Boy
September 6, 2024
What a Time to Be Alive!
It’s hard to stay afloat in the music industry without developing your sound, and Fall Out Boy is one of the best examples of doing so. This week, I’m featuring So Much (For) Stardust, FOB’s 2023 album. One word comes to mind when thinking of this album: Masterpiece. It’s so good! You don’t release 7 albums without learning a thing or two. So Much (For) Stardust is the perfect showcase of every FOB era before it, from their punk roots, the cinematic qualities of Infinity and Folie, and contemporary pop influences. Many fans noted a return to an earlier, rock-oriented sound, but I think this album shines best in the orchestral influences, marking a new era for Fall Out Boy. Every track feels unique while staying true to a cohesive whole. Standouts include the Elfman-esque I Am My Own Muse, dramatic Heaven, Iowa, beautiful Fake Out, emotional Kintsugi Kid (10 Years), 80s-sounding Hold Me Like a Grudge, and my personal favorite, the manically fun What a Time To Be Alive. Yes, I just listed most of the track listing, as there are no particularly weak tracks in this album. Each song brings its own uniqueness to the table, making it a sometimes dancey, sometimes dramatic, always emotional listen every time.
Scar-crossed lovers forever!
Miki Matsubara Best Collection – Miki Matsubara
September 13, 2024
It’s so Creamy, dododo do do…
It’s finally time to feature the legend herself, Miki Matsubara! I must confess, I haven’t listened to all of her albums properly, so I want to feature my current favorite release, her 2008 greatest hits Best Collection. Miki was a pioneer of city pop, and one of the best composers I know of. One of the most important qualities I look for in an album is a consistent listen; that is, no/few unlikeable songs. Every song provides a pleasing listen cover to cover, capturing both the comforting jazzy characteristics and the funky rock elements of the genre. While I love a dark album, Ms. Matsubara captures an overall cheery energy without relinquishing an inch of emotion, making for a great album to spin to bring up the mood. My highlights are It’s So Creamy, Bay City Romance, WASH, Hello Today, and my favorite, -CUPID-, which was also my introduction to her work. I simply adore that bassline. If you’re looking to play a comforting classic, this is the album for you!
PS. Stay safe this Friday the 13th!
Clancy – Twenty Øne Piløts
September 20, 2024
Welcome back to Trench!
Our favorite hero is back in Trench, and his name is Clancy. What better to name the album by Twenty Øne Piløts, Clancy, potentially the best album of the year? I don’t even know where to begin with Clancy. I’ve been hyped since the Overcompensate video dropped, and this release did not disappoint. The culmination of Trench’s top-notch production, Blurryface’s raw sound, and Vessel’s heartfelt lyrics, Clancy dives into the territory of punk/indie rock, rap, synth-pop, and of course, ukulele. The lyrics tackle many themes, from insomnia and excess to depression and addiction. Oh, and we can’t neglect mentioning that lyric from Lavish. Accompanying the lyrics, Tyler and Josh provide some of the catchiest instrumentals to date, from the earworm synths in Routines in the Night to the addictive hi-hats and hooks in Navigating. I’ve struggled to choose a favorite between the tracks; Overcompensate is essentially the perfect introduction, while Paladin Strait is a beautiful ending. Midwest Indigo and Oldies Station capture powerful nostalgia, while At The Risk of Feeling Dumb and Navigating nail soaring rock choruses. I might have to choose Next Semester as my #1, between its timeless sound and deeply meaningful lyrics. The ukulele ending is one of the best moments on the album. I would highly recommend Clancy to anyone interested, even if you aren’t a previous Twenty Øne Piløts fan. This was my introduction to their work, and I wouldn’t give it up for a thing.
Lindsey Stirling – Lindsey Stirling
September 27, 2024
When the Stars Align…
This week, I’m featuring one of the first albums I’ve ever listened to, Lindsey Stirling’s eponymous debut. Lindsey got her start on YouTube over a decade ago, fusing classical violin, EDM, and dance. And it works. This album is a perfect foundation for her later projects, and a collection of certified bops that create their own unique space on the tracklist. Although lauded for her skill performing, Lindsey is often underappreciated as a great songwriter. To write a compelling pop song primarily without lyrics is a task in itself. However, Lindsey Stirling effortlessly balances energy, mood, and emotion to create a beautiful momentum throughout the record. My favorite all-time song, Electric Daisy Violin, opens the album with a bright and adventurous sound. Other highlights include the perfect-for-Halloween Moon Trance, crazily catchy and danceable Shadows, orchestral Transcendence, the criminally underrated, dizzying Anti-Gravity, and bassy, dramatic Stars Align. I found it difficult to choose favorites, as every song has excellent merits in their own right. It’s difficult to write a record where every song pulls its weight, but Lindsey has done it, providing us with an enjoyable listen every time. Check it out!
The Open Door – Evanescence
October 4, 2024
IF YOU LOVE ME, THEN LET GO OF ME…
In the early 2000s, Fallen was one of the biggest debut albums to hit the market, and it is many’s favorite Evanescence release. However, today, I need to share some love with the equally incredible follow-up, The Open Door. This album develops Fallen’s powerful sound and further diversifies it. As always, Amy’s vocals are flawless, while Terry Balsamo’s guitar joins the ensemble. I also feel this album has some of the most colorful arrangements and songwriting choices, using harmony and word painting to really nail home the point in each track. The track listing begins with Sweet Sacrifice, which seriously gives the feeling of rising from the grave to seek revenge, while Lithium captures the angst of letting go of depression. Other highlights include the spooky Cloud Nine, rocking All That I’m Living For, and powerfully anthemic The Only One. I can’t fail to mention my personal favorite, Weight of the World, and the no-pun-intended gravity it bears. Overall, The Open Door is an incredible rock album, compiling a range of moods and energies while maintaining an arc of epic highs and crushing lows. Give it a listen!
The Family Jewels – MARINA
October 11, 2024
She said “Oh my gosh, you look just like Shakira, no no, you’re Catherine-Zeta.”
“Actually, my name’s MARINA.”
This week, I am featuring MARINA’s debut album, The Family Jewels. It’s exceedingly hard to make a no-skip album, and in the pop genre it is near impossible. However, The Family Jewels shares with us a rollercoaster of an experience worth enjoying to every track. The instrumentals are always fun, and MARINA’s unique voice really sells the lyrics. The album thematically deals with fame and family by portraying the dualities of MARINA’s public and inner self. Many prefer her later albums for their more clean sound, but I love the rawness of The Family Jewels. My favorite tracks have to be the manic Oh No!, dramatic Rootless, surreal Mowgli’s Road, and energetic The Outsider. I also can’t neglect to mention I Am Not a Robot, as it strikes particularly close to home, or Hollywood, which manages to capture both lighthearted humor and a very complex message. I think what makes MARINA unique is that she can capture such a pop sound without forfeiting cool artsy details and the fascinating strangeness of some of her lyrics. Overall, The Family Jewels is both surreal and relatable, a head-bobbing and a heartbreaking experience. As much of a fan I am of Froot, TFJ has quickly and deservedly risen to my #1 MARINA album. Give it a listen!