After waiting for three years, Mumford & Sons fans can finally rejoice.  Alas, the folk-rockers are back with their most experimental and well-written work to date.  The album is full of heavy, but still folky hits that soar the listener straight into the wild nature that surrounds us.  The first track on the album, "42", builds up into a dramatic stadium rock song.  The videos of Marcus clashing on the snare drums in live performances makes the song even more intriguing.  

As if returning to form, the album's second track reminisces on the folk background that Mumford fans originally loved.  "Guiding Light" seems to be a mesh of the old and new style that the band's sound has evolved into.  Furthermore, the song is a beautifully written poem with a flow that never ceases to move forward.  The rhythm and ambient sounds play off of each other to progress the sound in wave motions.  Yet just as the album starts to take off, the listener settles into a subdued track, "Woman".  The flow still progresses, but the vocals are a bit more laid back.  Fans of Babel might argue that this is not the hard-hitting Mumford that they loved back in the day, but this song shows that the band has evolved.

For listeners that did not like Wilder Mind but enjoyed the first two Mumford albums, "Beloved" brings back the folk spirit of the band with a banjo at the forefront.  This is my favorite song on the album and it's hard to argue that the lyrics don't light up the darkest aspects of our lives.  In recent interviews, Marcus has claimed that this song is about him watching his grandmother die.  With such a deep lyrical background, it is near impossible to listen to this song in the same way.

"The Wild" leads into the most experimental portion of the album, based mostly around instrumentals.  The creation of this nearly 6 minute track shows the versatility of each band member.  The whole band contributes to the masterpiece just as they contribute vocal backings on the next track, "October Skies".  Clearly Marcus, Winston, Ben, and Ted are capable of working together to create music that they truly believe in.

While Marcus can clearly lead the band in vocals, everyone is a part of every track.  In "Slip Away", Marcus takes the lead but every instrument holds weight.  The listener would never guess that this album was recorded in a converted Church.  The songs are often so heavy that you can imagine stained glass windows shattering under the decibels.  The slowed-down riff at the end of "Slip Away" hits the listener's ears, forcing them deeper into the construction of the song.

The second half of the album takes it slow, but always keeps the ambiance heavy.  "Picture You" catches a snapshot of the rhyming schemes that Mumford is capable of using to create a warm space.  This track flows straight into the least Mumford-esque track that they have ever written.  "Darkness Visible" is a full instrumental rock showcase.  This sounds more like a Muse song than a Mumford & Sons song.  Personally, I love it and will continue to support the ever-changing sound.  This would be crazy to see live and I can imagine audiences going nuts as the sound builds and builds and builds.

One of the lead singles for the album follows the hard-hitting track.  "If I Say" brings in an orchestral arrangement to fill up the empty space surrounded by Marcus's isolated vocals.  The 61 minute long album ends with three beautiful pieces of music.  "Wild Heart" is a quieter ballad with lovely guitar backing to accompany Marcus's charming voice.  The soundscape opens up more and more as the piece gains momentum.  Finally, the band drops us off with the titular track, "Delta".  This track is seemingly a culmination of the entire work, with experimentation and folky sounds combined.

Score: 9.5/10

Favorite Tracks: "42", "Guiding Light", "Beloved", "Slip Away", "Picture You", "Darkness Visible", "Wild Heart"

Least Favorite Tracks: "Rose of Sharon", "Forever"

Image credit: ​By Stefan Schäfer, Lich - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62977253

After 18 films, Pixar still continues to release it's greatest content yet!  When I first heard about Coco, I admittedly had extremely low expectations for the film.  None of Pixar's recent films had felt fresh, original, or great since Inside Out.  However with Lee Unkrich at the film's helm, Coco transcends the recent films to become a masterpiece from the studio that started it's animation dominance with Toy Story.  

Coco is beautiful and full of detailed animation that is hard to fully admire through the constantly progressing storyline.  Taking place during Dia de los Muertos, the animators are burdened with creating intricate costumes for many of the characters.  With all of the pressure, the animators do a great job of creating smooth transitions and glorious settings.  One of the highlights of the artwork was the spirit animals.  These neon and often glowing animals are vivid and full of imagination.  Aside from that, the movements of the characters are fluid and there never appears to be a slip up in the film that probably took many years to produce.

Similarly to Inside Out, the storyline for Coco is full of heart and empathy.  The film centers around a young boy struggling to find himself between his passions and his family's values.  Of course, there are multiple twists and turns along the way.  We meet sensitive characters and awesome creatures that help guide Miguel towards the correct path.  While the film is formulaic, it still feels fresh because of the revelations that occur.  A nice addition to this Latin film is the soundtrack which includes mariachi tracks and orchestral Latin compositions.  For a film that centers around music, the original and compilation soundtracks mesh together well.

The Bottom Line: Coco is the greatest Pixar film to be released since Inside Out, revolving around a young boy's journey in finding himself.

Score: 9.5/10

1. No Shape - Perfume Genius

Mike Hadreas makes himself relevant to the music scene once again under his stage name, Perfume Genius.  No Shape is unique, diverse, and pleasurable for everyone's ears.  The album starts off with an odd and amazingly well-structured hit that is sure to make the listener stay on board with the entire rest of the album.

2. Gone Now - Bleachers

Jack Antonoff had an extremely busy year producing three top-tier albums.  He shines brightest with the release of his own band's sophomore album.  The layers are intense and build one hit after another.  The songs captivate an audience when they are played live and work even better with Jack's two drum set production design.

3. Songs of Experience - U2

While on their 2017 Joshua Tree Tour, U2 teased audience members with snippets from the new album that they were getting ready to release.  Once the album dropped, I still don't think U2 fans were ready for the new music they were about to hear.  ​Songs of Experience is worth the hype and never strays far from the original form that Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. gained fame with.

4. QTY - QTY

Dan Lardner and Alex Niemetz are the perfect duo when it comes to indie rock.  Their voices are harsh at times and yet smooth when they play off of each other.  The sound that they create has been forgotten to pop aficionados, but they might single-handedly revive it.  Lardner and Niemetz clearly want to make sure that good-old garage band music never leaves our minds.
 
5. Keepers - Cataldo

From working in a local ice cream parlor to becoming an indie pop vocalist, Eric Anderson has pushed his band to the forefront of Seattle music.  Every track on Keepers is a heartfelt poem with hooking instrumentals backing them up.  While the album only clocks in at 34 minutes, it feels like the perfect length for the listener to reminisce on their inner-emotions.

6. Melodrama - Lorde

Recently I saw a video of Bruce Springsteen covering "Royals", which makes Lorde one of the biggest musicians of modern times.  After the release of Pure Heroin, I was not a big fan of Lorde's work.  Yet, she threw me into a full 360 with this new album.  Melodrama shows off the collaboration between a fantastic singer and an equally fantastic songwriter.  The emotions run deep and adults can connect to the tracks on the album just as easily as teens can.

7. Rainbow - Kesha

This album snuck up on us.  I don't think anyone expected Kesha to release one of the best albums of 2017, but here we are.  Battling her own demons, Kesha takes us into her worldly struggles.  She's been knocked down a few times, but her third album lifts her back up into fame.  She lets go of her past to create a new persona that is endearing to listeners.

8. Don't You Worry, Honey - Sir Sly

Sir Sly is a lesser-known indie pop trio that has now released a fantastic album.  The album is dark, with themes relevant to Landon Jacobs's real life.  The album was released shortly after Jacobs went through a divorce, lost his mother to brain cancer, and struggled to find himself.  Through all of the dark themes, we still get a fun album that is trippy and melodic. 

9. After Laughter - Paramore
​
Hayley Williams's newest release is well-explained through its title.  This is how we feel after we laugh and cry.  After Laughter brings us into an awkward space that is all too familiar to every human on this planet.  We love, we cry, we hate, and most of all we laugh.  Williams reminds us that we can be awkward and serious at the same time.  The album is fun and her vocals are reminiscent of Stevie Nicks's raw and emotional takes. 

10. Reputation - Taylor Swift

Some might argue about this pick.  Its different and definitely not as good as Swift's last album.  However, I believe that the second half of the album makes the whole thing worth multiple listen-throughs.  The old Taylor might be dead, but the new one is still capable of making some big hits with the same themes that "Swifties" have familiarized themselves with.

Image credit: ​By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53602837

1. "BOOGIE" – BROCKHAMPTON

Easily the best beat of the year, BROCKHAMPTON’s opener to SATURATION III has unparalleled energy with every member coming in strong. While it’s not the groups strongest hook, the blaring horns are infectious, and you can’t help but get excited every time it’s on.

2. "Walk Like a Panther" – Algiers

Algier’s opener to their album, The Underside of Power, is one of the craziest musical concoctions in years. The song is a mix of soul, industrial, and hip-hop. The grainy drums and guitars hit hard, while Franklin Fisher’s vocals are shouted with incredible intensity. On top of the emotional and catchy music are strong social lyrics.

3. "Give Me a Reason" – Ibibio Sound Machine

The funkiest song of the year, Ibibio Sound Machine brought together 80’s era electronics and classic West African funk for the best dance song of the year. The live horns, guitars, and percussion match perfectly with the synths. Eno Williams’ vocals are soulful and high energy.

4. "Bravado" – Kirin J Callinan

"Bravado" is the title track and closer to Kirin J Callinan’s sophomore album, and it’s a fantastic pop ballad about male ego. The synth-pop production on this track gives a catchy backdrop and allows Kirin to let loose with his unique vocals. One of the finest album closers of the year.

5. "Mother" – IDLES

One of the angriest songs of the year, frontman Joe Talbot rips into the English Conservative party with his grizzly vocals. Despite the pure rage emitting from this track, the repeated refrains are incredibly catchy. The lyrics, guitars, and drums are all highlights. The closing minute of the track is incredibly powerful with its lyrics directed towards issues of sexual violence.

6. "Rain in Soho" – The Mountain Goats

Acting as the opener from the album, Goths, "Rain in Soho" captures your attention instantly with a piano melody and heavy drums. John Darnielle’s vocal performance is fiery, while the choral backing throughout the song is excellent.

7. "Take Me as I Am" – Rina Sawayama

Had Rina Sawayama’s debut project been an album rather than an EP it likely would have landed in my top-three for the year. Rina’s sound harkens back to the pop and R&B sound of the 90’s that was popularized by the likes of early Brittney Spears. Rina’s catchy hooks and vocals are paired with production by songwriter Clarence Clarity. Clarity is one of the more interesting producers working right now and takes this sound to another level.

8. "Beggar" – Richard Dawson

Coming in over hallway through Dawson’s album Peasant, "Beggar" has a gorgeous acoustic melody that pairs beautifully with his raw vocals and percussion. It has a lengthy run-time of seven minutes and doesn’t provide instant gratification, but leaves you with a serene feeling that is hard to capture.

9. "DNA" – Kendrick Lamar

Off Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed album DAMN., "DNA" acts as the record’s most aggressive track, and hip-hop banger of the year. Lyrically, Kendrick is as strong as ever spouting about his heritage. But, the song reaches further heights in the final third with one of the best beat-switches in recent memory. The beat is dark, the bass rumbles, and Kendrick absolutely snaps.

10. "MILK" – BROCKHAMPTON

Coming in at the bottom of the top-10 is BROCKHAMPTON’s poetic and introspective track, "MILK", from their first iteration of SATURATION. The song allowed many of its members to open-up about important parts of their lives. Ultimately, it leaves you with a feel-good message of self-acceptance, improvement, and honesty. The beat features interesting guitars with the usual synths and drums. The hook is incredibly catchy and positive, and Dom McClennan delivers a Verse of the Year candidate with his spoken-word passage to conclude the track.

Link to Spotify Playlist: Top Songs of 2017

Image credit: ​By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56000312

1. SATURATION – BROCKHAMPTON

BROCKHAMPTON took the hip-hop and musical world by storm this year with their SATURATION trilogy. The group saturated the market with a wholly unique sound and identity. The boy band is one of music’s best stories and their first installment of SATURATION broke ground as a simultaneously catchy, creative, and layered project. The group focused on lyrical messages of self-improvement, loneliness, and friendship. The chemistry between the myriad of members is unmatched in the industry.

2. Uyai – Ibibio Sound Machine

Ibibio Sound Machine was one of the year’s biggest surprises, delivering upon a sound of electronics mixed with live instrumentation for an infectiously funky, soulful, and danceable experience. The group crosses multiple West African genres and features only limited English, but the music itself is so good lyrical understanding hardly matters.

3. Bravado – Kirin J Callinan

The Australian pop artist is currently one of the most interesting, creative, and passionate songwriters working in pop. He boasts an experimental sound with some incredibly catchy hooks and a great sense of humor. If you’re looking for something new and different out of the pop sound, Bravado is a can’t miss album.

4. Peasant – Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson created the year’s best singer-songwriter album with a completely primal and raw approach to folk music. His vocals aren’t clean or trained, but are more endearing for the passion he exhibits. The music in Peasant is best described as a well-traveled man in the medieval age singing his stories to anyone that will listen. The gorgeous melodies and the unhinged drums and vocals transport you to a completely different era and state of mind.

5. Flower Boy – Tyler, The Creator

Tyler, The Creator emerged in 2017 as a much more mature song-writer. His album deals largely with his own sexuality and life. He matched the album’s themes with his best production, sweetest hooks, and most ambitious set list to date. The album’s featured artists are used excellently, and Tyler does not shy away from letting his musical influences create one of the more dynamic sounding hip-hop albums in the last few years.
 
6. 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time – Big K.R.I.T.

Big K.R.I.T. returned to form after leaving Def Jam, by dropping a double-album of perfectly crafted southern hip-hop tunes. The album thrives with its consistency and diversity of feelings. The first half, named after his stage name, is a fun and upbeat experience. The second half, named after his real name, is introspective and soulful.

7. SATURATION III – BROCKHAMPTON

The finale to the Saturation trilogy was everything it lived up to be. While the album did not stray too far from its predecessor’s formula, it showed the group going further into experimental territory. The production strayed more and more from hip-hop norms, and the band’s hooks and chemistry remain top-notch.

8. Forget – Xiu Xiu

Easily the strangest album on this list, Xiu Xiu delivered a project that had no right be so catchy and infectious. The front man’s vocals sound like a demented and miserable David Bowie, while the instrumentals are foreboding yet funky. The lyrics are esoteric, and the music can be unhinged, but it somehow all works together beautifully.

9. No Shape – Perfume Genius

Under the Perfume Genius name, Mike Hadreas produced an incredibly beautiful and sincere album with No Shape. The melodies are fantastic, the instrumentation has its own identity, and the content is all deeply personal. Despite a slow pace for most of its songs, the album remains catchy with only a couple duds.

10. ALL-AMERIKKKAN BADA$$ – Joey Bada$$

New York rapper Joey Bada$$ returned after a two-year hiatus with a new, pop-focused sound and his most well-crafted album. At only 22 years old Joey’s writing is far more mature than many of his contemporaries, spreading messages of peace and social understanding throughout the music. Hopefully his success breaks boundaries for similar messages in hip-hop. While he strayed from some his strengths as an East Coast emcee, he created some of the catchiest songs in hip-hop this year. Aside from his lyrical and technical rapping prowess, Joey also displayed impressive singing chops on many of the hooks.

Image credit: ​By Source, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=54261058

Once again, Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada, Doubt) reminds us of the importance of fine arts.  As Florence Foster Jenkins, Streep takes on the role of a poor singer who pays her way to the top.  However rather than being a self-centered rich woman, Jenkins had a true love for the art of opera.  Streep gives us this portrayal through her emotional journey as Jenkins.  No one other than Jenkins's husband and accompanist understood this, but now the movie-goer gets this look at their perspective.  Stephen Frears (The Queen, Philomena) once again targets an older audience, but anyone who enjoys a well-made film can find something to entertain themselves with this one.

The film is often times hilarious, but also heartwarming as a story of true love, loyalty, and devotion.  Hugh Grant (Music and Lyrics) plays Jenkins's loving husband, providing for her but also living a double life.  As St Clair Bayfield, Grant is dramatic around his costar but playful around the other characters.  The two roles suit him well and I cannot remember a performance by Grant that I liked as much as this one.  The other stand-out star in this film is Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) as Cosme McMoon.  McMoon was Jenkins's piano accompanist, which was clearly an odd setup for McMoon.  Helberg brings the awkward relationship that the two "musicians" had throughout their time together.  Towards the beginning of the film, Helberg steals the show through his comic delivery and facial expressions.  He fits perfectly into the shoes of his character, overacting to get the audience roaring for more of his screentime.

In a film about such a famous singer, it is important to realize the soundtrack accompanying the imagery.  Streep brings out a new voice in her portrayal of Jenkins.  Listening to recordings of Jenkins, Streep sounds almost exactly like her.  This is one of Streep's best performances in any role I have seen.  It is also an extremely painful performance to watch, but somehow I could listen to Streep sing like this for over an hour and still find it hilarious.  The original music written for the film is a complete contradiction to Florence's voice.  Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Argo, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows) once again creates a score that fits the setting of a bustling New York in the early 1900s.  Desplat's score is dramatic and retrospective, bringing out the gravitas of the film.

The Bottom Line:  This film is painfully hilarious and fantastically flat.

Score: 7.5/10

When I first saw this film in theaters, I outright hated it.  I was hyped up by the soundtrack which featured Oscar Isaac (Ex Machina, Drive, Star Wars: The Force Awakens) and Marcus Mumford (lead singer of Mumford and Sons), who is one my favorite musicians of all time.  A few weeks ago, one of my friends told me to rewatch the film because it is better the second time.  While I still did not love the film this time around, I gained more of an appreciation for it and was satisfied this time around.  My main issue with the film is the storytelling method that the Coen brothers (The Big Lebowski, Fargo, True Grit) use.  The story is linear and drags on and on without any real sense of purpose.  We are thrown into the life of a musician who is trying to make a living with just his guitar.  Unlike the other Coen brothers films that I have seen, there is no real flashiness to this one.  It's just an image of a man living his life and trying to get by.  With that in mind, this is creative storytelling.  It is not extremely attractive to all viewers, but it is comprehensive.

The movie works like clockwork and without a flashy story, it often relies on its technical aspects.  First off, I have to talk a bit about the music.  Oscar Isaac's voice constantly takes us above the characters on screen in a serene manner.  The period piece plays normally until the music starts to play and we drift into an odd reality separate from the physical world.  Every time we feel landed in place, we are taken somewhere else.  Solo songs such as "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me" create a melancholic tone for the flick.  They lift us up to an alternate space (possibly into Llewyn Davis's idea of himself), but also leave us grounded in the film.  I know this is a weird review and analysis, but just bear with me on this one.

Another reason that I learned to respect this artistic film is the cinematography.  There are some crazy good shots in this film, earning Bruno Delbonnel (Amelie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince​) an Oscar nomination.  During one of the road trip scenes, there is a shot of the road that the car is driving down.  The shot is defined clearly and even gave me a bit of nausea.  The mise-en-scene is also appreciable with amazing settings ranging from a road blizzard to Greenwich Village.  The lighting often glows with effervescence creating the 60s set.  The film plays out like a spiritual 60s period piece that audiences will either love or hate.  

The Bottom Line:  The Coen brothers have proven versatility throughout their careers and Inside Llewyn Davis might be their most unique film to date.   

Score:  7/10

Image credit: ​By Katrin Neuhaus - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=38735896

eThis film struck me because of its unique style, one that I cannot say I have seen before in a film.  From the very beginning of the film, we are thrown straight into a story that started a long time ago.  When Glen Hansard's (The Commitments) character is heartbroken by his girlfriend, he flees to Dublin where he busks and works at his father's vacuum repair shop for a living.  During this time, Marketa Irglova's character stumbles upon him while she is walking along the streets.  From there, the story unravels in a quick manner through a small amount of dialogue and a large amount of music.

The score of the film is heartfelt and emotional, tugging at the empathy of the viewers.  Overall, the film is a long form music video that is glorified beyond MTV.  Over the course of one hour and twenty-five minutes, there are over five original compositions to enjoy.  Most of the pieces are slow but continue to progress the storyline until the very last minute.  By the last minute, I was ready to grab a bowl of ice cream and listen to the soundtrack all over again.  After all, Hansard's composition, "Falling Slowly," rightfully won an Oscar for the film.  Irglova's voice must also be commended in the song with her playful harmonization of Hansard's voice.  I am disappointed that the score was not nominated for Best Original Score, but I guess the film flew a bit under the Academy's radar because of its independent method.  After seeing Begin Again, Sing Street and Once, John Carney has proven to be a talented music-based film director who will likely shine on with future additions to his filmography.

Begin Again and Sing Street act as really well made music indie films, but Once stands out from the other two because of the way it is shot.  Rather than using typical film conventions, Carney refers to a reality television filming style.  The film angles are often placed in a candid situation and everything we see looks real.  At first I thought that I had turned on the wrong film because of the raw material on the screen.  At one point, there was a shot through a window that included the glare of the window.  Carney seems to have intentionally scrapped a lot of the post-film editing so that we could join the characters in their daily living situation.  There are multiple long takes as we follow them through a shaky handheld camera.  So many other diverse filming conventions are used throughout the film.  These conventions may sound like a negative for a film, but this love story cuts deep into our souls because of this realism.  It has been a long time since I have watched something so unique and soulful as Once is.

The Bottom Line:  Raw footage and diverse filming conventions harmonize together to create a realistic, serene film which put Carney on the map as a brilliant indie music film director.

Score: 9.7/10     

Image credit: http://images1.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/Once-movie-stills-once-832293_600_280.jpg

This film is a true heart-wrencher.  That does not mean that it is overly emotional.  Rather, it is just so like-able and relatable to the struggle of life that everyone endures.  As a Youtube vlogger, Princess Shaw struggles to get attention for her original music.  That is, until she is discovered by Kutiman who is an Israeli musician that uses random Youtube videos to create music.  Throughout this film, there is a sense of connection between the two artists who struggle to get recognition for their hard work.  Director Ido Haar connects the two characters in such a fantastic portrayal of their parallel lives.  Furthermore, the soundtrack hits home with Princess Shaw's original songs.  Her music is used in order to show her subtle rise to what one could call "fame."  

After the film, Princess Shaw herself came on stage for a Q&A whilst being applauded for her movie.  She seemed like such a genuine person that I had to check out her Youtube channel.  To me, documentaries have to have this effect where the viewer strives to learn more after the movie.  That being said, Presenting Princess Shaw left me wanting to learn more so I applaud Ido Haar, Princess Shaw, and Kutiman for their efforts in the making of this film.

The Bottom Line:  This film is very heart-felt and a beautiful portrait of how one person can fit into the bigger picture of life.

Score: 7.5/10

John Carney once again reveals that he is capable of perfectly meshing emotions and music in his new movie, Sing Street.  Sing Street is a beautiful coming of age movie that tugged all of my emotions through its characters and its music.  Personally, I think the 80s had the best music and Carney proves my point.  Put any grouping of 80s music in a movie and it is going to be hard for me to dislike it.   But what really struck me in this film was the original music.  The movie focuses around a young man who forms a band to get a girl.  There is a bit more complexity to the story than that, but I leave the rest for you to watch on your own.  If I had seen a band this good when I was in high school, I probably would have instantly become a groupie.  The music was so good that I would have cried, but I was next to two of my friends and no one likes to cry in front of their friends.

Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor, and Lucy Boynton must also be applauded for their fantastic character portrayals.  As the main character, Walsh-Peelo (who plays Cosmo) creates a very believable struggling high school kid whose main goal is to get the girl (Lucy Boynton).  This concept is not fully original, but it sure is done well because of Walsh-Peelo!  He continually changes his influences, adding a sense of humor to the film.  But really, the best actor in this film is Jack Reynor.  He plays Cosmo's brother, Brendan.  This is the brother that everyone has always wanted to have.  Or maybe its just me, whatever.  Reynor proves that he is a very skilled actor and now I really hope that he gets the role as young Han Solo.

The Bottom Line: So far, this is my favorite movie of the year.  Maybe its just because I'm a sucker for music films but you need to see for yourself.

Score: 9.6/10