I want new music. Specifically, I want it from Bastille. Truthfully, their last full length was mildly disappointing, but that didn’t stop me from shoving myself to the front row last time I saw them live. I still love them, and they still sound amazing. Sure, they’ve been fairly active on social media during this time of quarantine, but I want MORE! Here’s hoping, and in the meantime here’s the first drawing I ever did of them back in 2013 (I believe).
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Album Review: Louis Tomlinson – Walls
As I mentioned in my Fan Art Friday post from yesterday, I was getting ready to draw and with that I was going to listen to Louis Tomlinson’s debut album, Walls. As a die-hard Directioner, I was excited, but also nervous to listen to this, because I truthfully haven’t given their solo efforts much attention. I love the One Direction sound so much, that I just sort of live in that musical bubble.
Read moreAlbum Review: Silverstein, A Beautiful Place to Drown
I don’t know if I’m just not paying that much attention, but it seems like post-hardcore’s stalwarts, Silverstein, just keep cranking out albums at an insane pace. It didn’t feel like that long ago I was at Warped Tour having the band sign my copy of their latest release, Dead Reflection…but apparently, it’s been three years! Anyways, as I was finishing up a drawing, I popped in their latest effort, A Beautiful Place to Drown.
Read moreMusic Review: The White Reaper Catalog
Even though I’ve been a fan of White Reaper for a few years, I still hadn’t presented myself with the opportunity to listen to their third full length, You Deserve Love, that came out this past October. What better time than a quarantine?! That, coupled with a lot of drawing at my kitchen table, means that I actually listened to their entire discography again all the way through. Totally worth it.
Read moreFan Art Friday: Phantogram
In honor of the new album released by Phantogram today, Ceremony, here is a drawing I was able to gift the band during a tour for their last album! It was an amazing experience!
Read moreFan Art Friday: AWOLNATION
AWOLNATION released a new single last week called, “The Best” and it is the best! Seriously, go give it a listen. In the meantime, enjoy this drawing of lead man, Aaron Bruno.
Read moreFoals: Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2
Foals did what The 1975 claimed they were going to do, put out two records in one year. Where The 1975 failed, Foals succeeded! And Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 2 was by no means an afterthought, or a group of leftover songs. This record tells it’s own story while still keeping with a similar tone to Part 1.
Read moreFan Art Friday: Highly Suspect
In honor of Highly Suspect finally releasing new music today in the forms of singles, “16” and “Upper Drugs,” off their upcoming third full length, MCID, which is due out November 1st, here is a pretty ambitious pen drawing I did of Johnny Stevens from back before he had his face tats.
Read moreAlbum Review: Bear Hands, Fake Tunes
One of my favorite alternative bands, Bear Hands, finally released their latest full-length album, Fake Tunes, nearly three years after one of my favorite records ever, You’ll Pay for This was ironically (or not) released on tax day. This album was a strong follow-up and I’ll certainly be listening to this in the pool all summer long!
Read moreAlbum Review: Motionless in White, Disguise
I know I was slow to become a Motionless in White fan, and I credit my sister 100% – she’s obsessed. I also grew to like them after some chance encounters with the members; all of the guys were genuinely nice! It seems like they are constantly touring, so I’m always surprised that they manage to put out new music every couple of years. And it’s good music, too! Not a lot of bands can say that really. So it comes at no great revelation that the new album, Disguise, is a strong one. It’s very eclectic for them, so there is something everyone should like.
The two singles that debuted before the album’s release last weekend were solid, and would appease old and new fans alike. Title track, “Disguise,” was gritty and intense, much like most of their catalog. I was a bigger fan of “Brand New Numb,” as it was still heavy, but a lot more clean vocals which I’m a fan of from them. The rest of the album goes to all corners of creativity, most evident in the techno efforts of “</c0de>” (my personal favorite), and “Legacy,” which was a much slower paced song. For those die-hard old-school fans, “Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride” is a nice nod back to their first record, and my sister’s favorite, Creatures.
Like I said, there is a lot to like here in Disguise‘s ten tracks! I also appreciate that the band has evolved in small steps over their past five full length releases. If you change too much from one record to the next you’ll get ripped to shreds like Bring Me the Horizon, but bands get bored of doing the same old thing, so I think they’ve mastered the art of mixing their new interests with fans’ old ones. Bravo!