The Machine Performs Pink Floyd [Saturday, 11/5/22] [Review]

Earlier this year, I inadvertently became a huge fan of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd thanks to my boyfriend sharing the fact that they were his favorite band and me therefore feeling inspired to do a deeper dive into their discography than I ever had before. With Pink Floyd being the massively iconic band that it is, I of course had heard several songs already but definitely had not heard everything - not even close. I ended up being so glad that I ventured into their discography because they ended up becoming one of my all-time favorite bands; they might even be in my top five now. I loved so much of what I listened to, and a lot of what I didn't immediately like, I did upon repeat listens. When I found out, therefore, that a Pink Floyd cover band was going to be playing pretty close to me in the near future, I immediately bought myself a ticket, and I am so glad that I did because it was a beautiful night that I won't be likely to ever forget. The Machine is, as I said, a Pink Floyd cover band, and although they have had a few lineup changes (such as Chris DeAngelis recently joining the band due to the passing of Joe Pascarell, may he rest in peace), they have been active for more than thirty years, having formed in 1988 when the aforementioned Joe Pascarell founded the band with drummer Tarah Cohen. The band's lineup is now as follows: Chris DeAngelis, Scott Chasolen, Ryan Ball, and Tarah Cohen.

I was really surprised by how beautiful that the venue was. The concert took place in Homer, NY at the Center for the Arts of Homer which, based on the architecture of the building, I think was probably a church at one point. (See above photo.) I was also surprised by the size of the venue. There was a very large room with a drinks bar and a snacks bar, and, in fact, when I first entered that room, it was so big that I initially assumed that that was where the concert was going to be held (there was very little seating in there, but I have been to my fair share of concerts that were standing room only), but it wasn't because that was only one part of the building. The other part was the auditorium/theater where the show was going to be performed, and I had excellent seating. I was far to the left (my left, not left of the stage) which not only made me closest to where Scott Chasolen was positioned (which I only say because he was, in my personal opinion, the highlight of the show) but also allowed me a good angle of the rest of the band members due to where the stage was located in relation to where I was sitting. I didn't have to wait long for them to get started either. Two people who I assume were employees of the theater came on stage promptly at 8 p.m. and gave a very short speech before The Machine began their acoustic set, the set list being as follows:

1. Breathe (in the Air)
2. Welcome to the Machine
3. Fearless
4. Learning to Fly
5. Wot's... Uh the Deal
6. Money
7. Echoes
8. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
9. Young Lust
10. Arnold Layne
11. Wish You Were Here
12. Comfortably Numb
13. Fat Old Sun
14. Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)

I was quite honestly pleasantly surprised by the set list overall, although I was a tad disappointed that they didn't play anything from Pink Floyd's 1994 album The Division Bell, as I was especially hoping for "High Hopes." As I said, however, I was overall very pleased because they played several of my all-time favorites such as "Fearless," "Wish You Were Here," "Comfortably Numb," and "Shine on You Crazy Diamond." I was also overall pleased with the set list because I know that The Machine sometimes plays Pink Floyd albums in their entirety from front to back (as they did recently with the 1977 album The Wall), and I would definitely prefer a variety show especially with it being my first time seeing them. It allows you to enjoy a little bit of most everything which brings me to my next point regarding why I am overall really pleased with the set list. I remember chatting with my boyfriend prior to the show (with whom I sadly did not see the show because we live far away from each other) and the two of us agreeing that the show would likely be comprised mostly of songs from the band's most iconic albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), and The Wall (1977). There was a lot more variety than I had expected, however, and some of the cuts were deeper than I had expected, and my boyfriend said the same thing when I shared the set list with him after the show. "Wot's... Uh the Deal," for example is from Obscured by Clouds (1972) which lives up to its title because it is arguably one of the band's more obscure LPs. I was also surprised that they played a song ("Arnold Layne") from the Syd Barrett days, although that was also coupled by the mild disappointment that it wasn't something that was actually from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967) which is my favorite Pink Floyd album (even though my favorite member, David Gilmour, wasn't yet part of the band).

Highlights included "Welcome to the Machine" (which I loved because Chasolen included a really cool, melodically haunting piano motif to it), "Fearless" (which Chasolen was really into as he played the accordion which I totally get because that song is a mood), and "Comfortably Numb" (which stood out to me mostly just because it is one of my favorite songs). The audience got the most excited, however, when they dove into the memorable opening chord of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond." As I said, Scott Chasolen was definitely the highlight because he had the most energy. He was really emotionally absorbing the music and was interactive with the audience, and he was also the most versatile member - playing piano, playing accordion, singing, etc. (I honestly can't remember the last time - if ever - that I saw a musician live whose talent was that versatile, and he was especially gifted on the piano.) Also appreciated was how they were respectful to the sound and legacy of Pink Floyd (part of me had honestly even felt afterwards like I had seen the actual band) while also putting their own interpretation on it at times. That is when covers and tributes tend to be best in my opinion - when they are not exact replicas but also don't change the sound of the originals so much that they are barely even shells of what they are supposed to be. (Seriously, if you're going to change it that much, then why even cover it?) Yet another thing that took me by surprise, however, was the length of the show. It ran for almost exactly two hours, wrapping up at around 10 p.m., when I had expected it to run until 11 p.m. due to the ticket having said that it would. This is not a point of criticism, however, primarily because I had nearly a 90-minute drive home ahead of me, so getting home earlier than expected was sort of a blessing. The Machine was absolutely incredible, however, so I am not saying that I would have been opposed to another hour of them. I was on such an emotional high after the show and would absolutely go see them again if they are ever in my neck of the woods again. (Also, check out my audio recordings of two of the songs played - "Echoes" and "Comfortably Numb.")

Greyson Chance - Palladium [Review]

American singer-songwriter Greyson Chance rose to fame more than a decade ago when a video of him performing Lady Gaga's hit "Paparazzi" at a school talent show went viral. It caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres who had him perform the song on her show and also signed him to eleveneleven, her record label under which Greyson released his debut album Hold on 'Til the Night. Ask Greyson himself, however, what he considers to be his debut album, and he will cite 2019's portraits - and with very good reason. Hold on 'Til the Night has some gems on it such as "Heart Like Stone" and "Summertrain," but most of the songs did not much involve him in the writing process and are therefore not authentically his. For starters, many of the songs on the album are about female love interests (there is even a song titled "Cheyenne"), and Chance has since come out as gay. portraits therefore marked his first full-length album on which he was expressing himself as a person and as an artist authentically. (Given the perspective that Greyson recently shone light on regarding Ellen's manipulative behavior, which Charlie Puth soon after corroborated, we can add that to the list of reasons why he seems to dismiss that album.) Following portraits, Greyson proceeded to tease the follow-up titled Trophies. Unfortunately, however, that - released in June of 2021 - ended up being more of an EP than an album, with several tracks such as "Honeysuckle" and "Bad to Myself" (just to name a couple) being released as stand-alone singles but not making it to Trophies. (Greyson himself expressed his frustration with the record label interfering with that album's process, resulting in it being a different product than he had intended.) 2022's Palladium is ultimately the gift to fans who were anticipating a proper, full-length album following portraits. It features thirteen tracks as well as more of an overarching theme and narrative than Trophies does (or, for that matter, even portraits). This is, in fact, arguably the most cohesive body of work that the singer has thus far given us.

Palladium opens with its title track, which I am going to skip over discussing here only because I did already review it as a single release. The album then gives us "Aloe Vera," a song that seems to be addressing someone who thinks themselves somewhat of an offbeat hipster or something to that effect. (I am quite honestly not sure what terminology to use.) The person potentially even fancies themselves somewhat of a Bohemian given the line: "...When the money ain't there, then you just don't eat." Greyson is no stranger to using words to describe someone that would normally be seen as insults but that he is using affectionately, and his choice of word here is motherfucker: "You reading In Cold Blood like the motherfucker that you are." The song has a very slow, sultry beat, and it's very airy and soulful. I love when Greyson goes up into falsetto in the chorus: "'Nobody knows my baby.'" We then get "Down & Out," a mellow but sonically fun song with fluttering piano. A soft piano rock song in the vein of Jack's Mannequin and The Fray, the song seems to be lyrically addressing a relationship that left the speaker worse for wear: "I now know I can't be what you wanted," he laments in the pre-chorus, "when you pulled apart my body seam by seam." "Watchtowers" is a very short track at only a minute and eleven seconds, acting as somewhat of an interlude. It's a very beautiful song, as short as it is, opening on uplifting somewhat echoed wordless vocals which sound female to me, but I could not find any credit regarding who it might be. (Greyson is capable of hitting very high notes, as he proves right in this song even, so it could be him, but it doesn't sound like him to me.) It remains a very low and quiet song throughout, with piano providing the main accompaniment to Greyson's falsetto vocals, which definitely take the lead at the very front of the track. (The volume of his voice is refreshing, however, given music's recent trend of burying vocals.) It lyrically seems to be asking someone (possibly himself) to help him stay on a path toward personal healing and progress.

"Black Mascara" is, without a doubt, one of my favorite tracks on Palladium if not my favorite. It opens on gentle acoustic guitar and piano reminiscent of The Beatles (although its somewhat vintage sound also brings to mind Lana Del Rey, especially her Ultraviolence album.) This is an interesting one because I don't think that it's from Greyson's own perspective but rather from the perspective of famous celebrity women (which the visual lyric video released alongside it seems to support). I am once again reminded of Lana Del Rey - in this case her song "Dark but Just a Game." "...Their stories all end tragically," Del Rey sings in that song. "Sweet, what-whatever, baby, and that's the price of fame - a tale as old as time..." Chance seems to be tackling a similar topic here: "One day," he declares in the second verse, "I'll have some money after my funeral, honey. They'll say I was a legend - gone way too soon for heaven." I really like how the track gets a little louder and little more energetic closer to the end when it brings electric guitar into the mix, making it a soft rock song. "Mercury Year" is another track driven by piano (which is my favorite instrument and is approximately 50% of why Greyson caught the media's attention in the first place). It's a beautiful song and makes reference to the final song on the album in the second verse: "...When I drove off and you sang the balcony song..." (We then get "Athena," but this is another one that was released prior to the album, so I already reviewed it.) "Pallas," like "Watchtowers," is another short one at about a minute and fourteen seconds. It opens on an ambient sound that reminds me a bit of the Lost main title, and it's a unique one because there are two vocal layers that are out of sync, which is not something that you hear very often in music. It lyrically, as is the case with a few other songs on the record, addresses a relationship that has ended, leaving Greyson in need of healing: "I need some love now. I thought you were the one, holding my heart like it's palladium." I love the reference to the album title; like I said, this is, without a doubt, his most cohesive album yet.

"Homerun Hitter" is the third and final pre-release song, so it's another one that was already reviewed on this blog, but I will add that Greyson did comment on it specifically in a recent interview, saying that it's about thinking that he had everything in a relationship that since ended but then realizing that he is no longer sure what he wants. He pointed out that it's a very important song to him and helped him move past a breakup (which was likely with his ex-boyfriend Michael). Like "Watchtowers" and "Pallas," "Panthers" is yet another short one at only one minute and thirty-eight seconds. It is, as is much of the album, piano-based, but there is also a very low synth, and Chance seems to be singing about an unrequited love: "Paint my face in hope, darling... If only I could be what you want, be the target of your love." It's a nice song, but my only real complaint with it is its brevity since it sort of does abruptly cut off without a satisfying conclusion. Palladium then gives us one of the album's singles (complete with a cinematic music video), "My Dying Spirit." It makes sense that Chance would release this one as a single and music video because it's definitely one of the bigger sounding songs on the album and also somehow seems to be one of the most personally raw. In the second verse, for example, he addresses two personal issues that he has addressed previously in his music: (1) his eating disorder on "Bad to Myself" and (2) his habitual drinking on "stand." "I'm hanging on needless hunger," he admits, "keeps the tears out the devil's eyes. I don't eat because he tells me that it's fine. Barely even standing now. Goddamn, I need another round." It's a piano rock track, another one reminiscent of bands like Jack's Mannequin and The Fray, and I love its inclusion of a gospel-esque choir. Most of Palladium takes pride in its raw simplicity, but this track is definitely one that stands out, and I wholeheartedly mean that as a compliment; it's a highlight for sure.

The penultimate effort on the album is "Hemingway, 74 rue de Cardinal," definitely another highlight. In fact, this is up for favorite song from the album. (It is kind of hard to choose between this and "Black Mascara.") Carried along primarily by acoustic guitar and piano as well as beautifully harmonized vocals, it has an absolutely beautiful and haunting melody especially in the chorus, making it one of the album's more infectious and memorable tracks if not the most memorable.. The lyrics are also so intense and hard-hitting, seemingly about Chance grieving the end of a relationship and wondering what legacy he will leave behind as an artist, contrasting himself from poets and folk musicians such as Ernest Hemingway (the song's namesake), Bob Dylan, and Joni Mitchell: "I'm no Dylan in the Village putting typewriters to shame. I've got stacks of empty paper. I've got nothing to my name." This could possibly be referencing Greyson's lack of mainstream success despite the several albums and EPs under his belt and the fact that he debuted as a viral sensation. While I don't care much about charts when it comes to music (the pop music fandom is seriously so toxic with its talk of "flops" and obsession with awards and chart numbers), there is a level of frustration for me because while yes, he does create alternative music that wouldn't normally be played on pop radio, it's not that far removed from the music released by, say, Lewis Capaldi, who catapulted into mainstream success seemingly overnight. There isn't even a Wikipedia page for this album. Very little information about the album's credits and whatnot are available on Genius, and there are also very few lyrical annotations on Genius. He simply doesn't get the recognition that he deserves, and that is a bit frustrating. Greyson, however, seems to overall be happy with where he is; when asked in the aforementioned interview how he feels about his place in the music industry, he said that he is in a good place.

The closing act is "The Balcony Song," alluded to in the previously discussed "Mercury Year." The track features minimal musical accompaniment, dominated by Chance's gentle vocals. I am honestly not sure what the song is about or who it's addressing because on one level, you could argue that it's addressing an ex-lover who has hurt him: "The fire of the night, you started wars inside the corners of my chest, the vicious look inside your eyes when you lit my skin like a match." It's possible that the "lighting" of his skin is intended to be a sexual metaphor, but like I said, I am not sure because he shortly thereafter follows that up with, "Hell, I'll never make it to your age," which suggests that the song is about someone considerably older. Could it be his father whose influence on him he has previously addressed on tracks like "Hit & Run" and "stand"? Although not my favorite track from Palladium, it is still a strong number and serves as a great closer. In that interview that I keep citing, Greyson said that he was going for a much more alternative sound on this album than he has in the past which I think is definitely evident, especially on "Black Mascara," and this album definitely showcases his talent especially as a poetic lyricist. It is also, as previously stated, his most cohesive body of work to date. Hold on 'Til the Night, portraits, and Trophies are all bodies of work that lack an overall focus or direction; they're just sort of collections of songs, but that is definitely not the case on Palladium. Songs build on the same story and even occasionally reference each other. In that sense, it's definitely his strongest work thus far, but that's not to say that it's flawless. You're not going to find the kind of catchy hook like you do on "shut up" or a fun, playful beat like on "black on black," and I think that Sam Thomas says it best in his review of the album: "...It does suffer from a touch of repetition. The body of work is a solid example of sonic cohesion, but some songs... blend slightly." If, however, you're looking for lyrics that pack a punch, Palladium is a good place to start.

In This Moment - Blood 1983 - EP [Review]

In summer of 2012, American metal band In This Moment released Blood, the album that is arguably the biggest turning point of its career. Not only was it in a change in direction toward a somewhat more accessible, more melodic sound, it was also the first album to experiment with more electronic sounds which would be amplified even more so on Black Widow, the band's first album on a major label since Blood was its final album with Century Media. In addition, although not my personal favorite (it's tough for me to choose between Black Widow and Ritual), I have seen many fans cite Blood as their favorite In This Moment album. All of this is just to say that with 2022 marking the tenth anniversary of the album, it makes sense that the band would want to commemorate it in some way, and they did so in a unique way. Rather than reissuing a remaster of the album and/or a reissue with some outtakes (which may or may not even be possible given that, again, Blood was originally released under Century Media; I am not sure), they released Blood 1983, an EP which features a new instrumental intro plus new recordings/reimaginings of four songs from the album stylized with synths so that they have a 1980s influence, hence the title. What is the significance of the year 1983, you may ask? I honestly have no idea, but it's no secret that musicians and storytellers have, for several years now (especially since the birth of the popular Stranger Things series in 2016), been memorializing and romanticizing the 1980s in one way or another, so this could just be In This Moment jumping on that bandwagon, which I am here for. (Plus, reimagining previous records seems to be a relatively popular trend amongst rock and metal bands right now. Within the last five years alone, Evanescence did it with Synthesis, Lacuna Coil recently did it with Comalies XX, and In This Moment now does it with Blood 1983.)

As previously mentioned, the EP opens with an instrumental intro simply titled "1983." Pretty short at just under a minute and a half, it begins and ends with low, indiscernible whispering and is heavily synthy and atmospheric, with the synths buzzing and waving throughout. If you're a fan of Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein's eerie and atmospheric synth work on the Stranger Things score, then you will very likely enjoy this piece. (My only issue with it, in fact, is that I wish that it were longer.) We then get the new version of "Adrenalize," and there are honestly a couple of tracks on this EP that I prefer to the original versions, this definitely being one of them. The dark, industrial synth just completely makes this version, in my opinion, and it's very, very, very (did I say very?) different from the version found on Blood, the guitar riff of which (the original, that is) easily makes it one of In This Moment's heaviest tracks of their discography thus far. In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink sings the verses in a lower register than she does on the original version, giving this version of the song a darker, somewhat more eerie feel, although the melody and pitch of the chorus is mostly unchanged. This is one that I will most definitely be opting to listen to over the original most of the time and is probably the brightest highlight of the Blood 1983 EP for me. Then comes the 1983 version of "Burn," another one that I prefer over the original (although the difference isn't as great as it is for "Adrenalize"). I love how soft and atmospheric it is compared to the original version, and Brink's low, whispery vocals work perfectly alongside the synths. The track still gets a bit heavy beginning with the chorus and into the second verse, but it's still a very different take on this EP. (An interesting although probably trivial note that I want to make is that "Burn" is the only reimagined song present on the EP that was not originally a single from Blood.)

"Blood 1983" is another interesting take on its original version, although the synthy opening is not as surprising here because the 2012 version is an example of where the band began experimenting with electronic sounds. The original version of "Blood" is a memorable highlight from the band's career thus far, and this might be a different situation from the first two songs because even though I enjoy this version, I do still prefer the original. I do love how on this version, however, the synthy motif continues after the track gets a bit heavy. I don't think that the concept of synth-metal had ever crossed my mind prior to hearing this EP, yet here we are, and that's probably what I love the most about this EP - how unique it is in its approach. (Don't misunderstand - I am not saying that metal music has never before incorporated synths and electronic production before this EP. I have, in fact, already given examples in which In This Moment did it themselves. I just haven't really heard it done quite like this before. This EP really doesn't resemble any other band that I have ever listened to.) The EP then closes with its version of "Whore," another memorable staple from the band's career and definitely one of my favorites to hear live. (I have thus far seen the band three times, and you can check out my In This Moment tag to read my reviews of the shows.) Once again, I probably prefer the original Blood version to the version present here; in fact, if I had to choose a least favorite on the EP, it would probably be this. I love the classic '80s synth that comes in after the chorus is heard for the first time, but this version is much softer than the original version. Brink even sings it in a much gentler manner, and the lyrical nature of the song calls for it to be loud and angry. The 1983 version simply doesn't have the affect that it should. All in all, however, In This Moment has definitely given fans something special here. My only real complaint, in fact, is that I wish that they had redone the entire album rather than just four songs.

VV - The Foreverlost - Single [Review]

"The Foreverlost" is former HIM frontman Ville Valo's third single from his upcoming debut studio album Neon Noir, set to be released on January 13, 2023 under the initialized moniker VV. It follows the 2020 three-track EP Gothica Fennica Vol. 1 (all three songs of which will be featured on the album), "Loveletting" (reviewed here), and "Echolocate Your Love" (reviewed here). "The Foreverlost" sounds like something that you might expect to hear in The Lost Boys, carried primarily by synth and heavy guitar. It reminds me a bit of Billy Idol (whom HIM has actually covered live) but with a heavier, darker, and more gothic edge. My only fault with it really is the same fault that I have with "Loveletting" and "Echolocate Your Love" - I feel that Ville's vocals are not loud enough, drowned out a bit by the instrumental. This, however, seems to be a modern trend amongst rock and metal; Evanescence's 2021 album The Bitter Truth is another example of an album on which that is somewhat of a problem.The song's lyrics are very abstract and poetic - definitely up for interpretation. Ville has offered commentary on the song's meaning, but the only problem is that that, too, is rather abstract: "[It's] yet another loud love song depicting the burlesque butoh between two world-weary souls. All my Carmina Buranas and could've should've would'ves rolled into a neat little Gordian knot of the gothic variety." To put it simply, it's more or less a narrative that Ville has explored plenty in the past via melodious goth tunes ("Join Me in Death"): star-crossed love à la The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

VV - Echolocate Your Love - Single [Review]

Former HIM (Finnish goth metal band which disbanded in 2017) frontman Ville Valo (who currently goes by VV as his artist name) is set to release his debut solo album Neon Noir sometime next year (in 2023) and has thus far released three singles from it - "Loveletting" (reviewed here), "Echolocate Your Love," and "The Foreverlost." (He also released a three-track EP titled Gothica Fennica Vol. 1 in 2020, but, as far as I know, it has not yet been revealed whether or not any of those three songs will be featured on the album.) "Echolocate Your Love," as was the case with the previous four songs Valo released, is very much in the same vein as HIM, managing to be both soft and heavy at the same time, melodious and beautiful, and simultaneously electronic and organic. Synths and guitar carry most of the weight of the track, even sometimes drowning out Ville's vocals (which, as much as I absolutely adore the song, is one of my faults with "Loveletting"). Ville himself commented on "Echolocate Your Love," saying, "It's a sonic step-by-step guide on how to survive, and perhaps even enjoy, the realm of VV with its abundance of things that go bump in the night. It's a teary mascara marathon between Robert Smith and Ozzy, with a dash of hope." While I absolutely love his description here as it's 100% spot-on, that is also a perfect description of HIM, not just VV, which makes sense because he really is just continuing with HIM except without the other guys. The steps to which Valo refers are found primarily in the bridge between the verses and the chorus: "If you want to dream what I dream," he gently instructs in his signature velvet vocals, "don't close your eyes. If you want to feel what I feel, kill the light." I also wanted to make note of an interpretation that I saw from a fellow fan on social media. Named Timea, they say, "I'm trying to build this song around Hekate because she is the mystical goddess of darkness and the Moon. The three-faced one who shows the past, the present and the future. But there is the mystique of love in it, the moon is the other side of the sun, like love, not only the sunny side has a shadowy side. Submerging in the sea, I think the subconscious is the experience of the unconscious, when a person is tormented by suspicions and cannot face them until he descends into the depths. For me, echolocate your love means certainty when we are waiting for confirmation that this love is real." This is a beautiful and unique analysis of the song, and it absolutely holds up if you look at the song's poetic lyrics, especially in the second verse. While I prefer "Loveletting," this is definitely another strong single from Neon Noir.

Harry Styles - Harry's House [Review]

Harry's House is English pop-rock musician Harry Styles' third studio album as a solo artist after the disbanding of One Direction. The album follows Harry Styles (2017) and Fine Line (2019) and is quite honestly probably his best album so far, which is a very tall compliment because Harry Styles and Fine Line are both fantastic albums. Harry's House just somehow feels rawer and realer and even more beautiful, and I definitely think that it's lyrically his strongest work so far and offers his best vocals to date. I remember when I first saw the tracklisting, I expected the opening track to be a soft, atmospheric number, and I predicted that for two reasons: (1) that is typical of Harry, as evidenced by "Meet Me in the Hallway" and "Golden") and (2) the title - "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" - created a calm and serene image in my mind, but the song is ultimately anything but music for a sushi restaurant. It's fun and funky, music that I would expect to hear at lively parties rather than at sushi restaurants (which, from my own experience, usually play mellow music such as instrumental eastern music or classical). As much as I do like the song, however, it's far from being my favorite from the album because it's lyrically pretty simple - a love song admiring the beauty of the speaker's lover: "Green eyes, fried rice, I could cook an egg on you," he opens, obviously putting a spin on the popular saying that it's so hot outside that you could cook an egg on the pavement so that the love interest is the pavement, meaning that they're "hot" in the other sense of the word. It is, as I said, a very fun song but just not, in my opinion, the best that album has to offer, although if you care to see Harry Styles as a mermaid (using excellent effects if I may say so myself), then definitely check out the song's cinematic music video.

We then get "Late Night Talking," and along with the opener, it's likely about Harry's partner Olivia Wilde. Styles is no stranger to incorporating retro vibes into his music ("Treat People with Kindness"), but it's arguably most prominent on Harry's House, with "Late Night Talking" serving as an example, sounding very much like a '70s pop song with a hint of the synth that would become more popular in the '80s. It's upbeat and playful like "Music for a Sushi Restaurant" while also being a more reserved, with lyrics referring to a lover with whom Harry enjoys... well, late night talking. He also expresses a desire to be a source of comfort, declaring that "if you're feeling down, I just want to make you happier, baby." There are also hints that the relationship is at least temporarily long-distance because he then follows that up with "Wish I was around; I just want to make you happier, baby." It's fun, but Harry's House still has not dipped into its true highlights, which it first does on its third track, "Grapejuice." The very first time that I heard this song, my immediate thought was that it reminded me of Gorillaz / Damon Albarn, not only because of the funky groove but also because of the vocals, which are reminiscent of Albarn's especially when his vocals are digitally filtered a bit at exactly the 1:00 mark. It's a mellow earworm and is basically a love letter to red wine. The song might be another one about a lover, but I'm not so sure; I think that the "lover" might in fact be wine. He starts with a story involving his going to buy flowers for his lover but then deciding to buy a bottle of wine instead. The wine does not seem to be a gift for his partner but rather for himself, as he then goes on to say in the second verse that he is a "couple glasses in." (While he does refer to all of the places that "just me and you" have been, I, again, think that he is addressing the wine.) Later in the song, he croons that "there's just no getting through the grape juice blues," suggesting that he is drinking this bottle of wine with an air of melancholy.

Harry's House then offers up its lead single "As It Was" (which I am going to skip over in this review only because I already discussed and reviewed it here). Dreamy and playful while also light and airy,"Daylight" is definitely one of my favorites. (What's my #1 top favorite? Well, you will have to stay tuned to find out!) As previously mentioned, long distance seems to be a recurrent theme on Harry's House, with it being referred to several times on several different songs. "Daylight" seems to be another example of this: "If I was a bluebird," he sings playfully in the bridge, "I would fly to you." (While probably a coincidence, it's worth noting that when I saw Harry live Halloween weekend 2021, he was dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and did an emotionally raw rendition of "Over the Rainbow," which features the line "somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly." Bluebirds are said to represent hope, so it might not be a coincidence that Styles brings that imagery into this song.) I just adore this song's playful, hopeful, and airy quality, and it's definitely, as I said, one of my favorites from the album. With that being said, however, while there isn't a single song on this album that is bad, there are definitely ones that I like better than others, and "Little Freak" is one of my lesser favorites. It is a very soft and atmospheric ballad featuring gentle guitar and synths that reflects on a relationship that seems to have since ended. The narrator wishes that the relationship didn't end the way that it did: "...jumped in feet first, and I landed too hard," he laments in the third verse, "a broken ankle; karma rules." It's like he's saying that he fell too hard and too fast for this person and paid the price. It's such a beautiful song, and I do love it; it just doesn't emotionally hit me as hard as some of the others do.

As a perfect example of a song that does hit me really hard emotionally is "Matilda," not only because I just love the song but also because I find myself relating to the lyrics. It's another very soft acoustic ballad with Styles' gentle and velvety vocals carrying it forward. It reminds me a lot of The Fray, especially when Harry sings in falsetto in the bridge: "You don't have to go; you don't have to go home." As per Harry himself, the song's lyrics are based on someone he actually knows whom he disguises as the titular Roald Dahl character, expressing empathy toward them for having had a rough home life and a very conflicted relationship with their family. The speaker tells them that it's okay to let go of toxic people even if they're family: "You can let it go," he encourages in the chorus. "You can throw a party full of everyone you know and not invite your family 'cause they never showed you love. You don't have to be sorry for leavin' and 'growin' up." So emotionally raw and moving, this song is such a gem and definitely one of the album's strongest numbers. I do remember seeing, however, a meme that depicted a sad Spongebob vs. a partying Spongebob, with the text referring to the transition on Harry's House between "Matilda" and "Cinema," and it was definitely accurate. The album is overall very soft and mellow, but there are spots that pick up in energy, and this is one of those spots. The song has somewhat of a disco groove to it with Styles' soulful voice appreciating the beauty and uniqueness of someone (likely a lover given the suggestive lyrics near the end: "you pop when we get intimate"), comparing them to a movie: "I dig your cinema." While not necessarily a highlight for me, as I said, there is no song on this album that is bad, and this song is a lot of fun and definitely unlike anything Harry has done to date.

The next two tracks on the album are two of my favorites. "Daydreaming" is an upbeat dance track that once again brings in disco and funk influence, and the "ahyee-yah, bah, bah, bah, bah, bah" motif (which is borrowed from The Brothers Johnson's 1978 song "Ain't We Funkin' Now") that repeats throughout is so cheerful. (In fact, I remember first hearing it and experiencing a boost of serotonin that I didn't know I needed thanks to that hook.) The track is possibly another love letter to Olivia Wilde, as it seems to address a lover with whom Harry is so happy that he feels like it's a dream. After all, wasn't it Dr. Seuss who said that you know that you're in love when reality is finally better than your dreams? "Stay until the morning," he declares in the second verse, "'cause, baby, lovin' you's the real thing," and I call special attention to these lyrics because I like how they very likely have more than one meaning. The speaker's asking the subject to stay the night could very well have a sexual implication, with his affirmation that "lovin' you's the real thing" being his way of assuring that it's not just a one-night-stand. Fitting the song's title and the aforementioned Dr. Seuss sentiment, however, he could also be saying that he would rather spend the night with this person than go to sleep because that time would be better than anything he could ever dream about. "Keep Driving" is another one of my very favorites because it's so sonically beautiful and has this air of nostalgia around it. It's kind of hard to explain, but it's like it brings you back to a simple, happy time, even if it's imagined as opposed to an actual memory. The lyrics have a sort of stream-of-consciousness style to them which is another reason I really love it, and it thematically reminds me a lot of "At Full Speed" by Jack's Mannequin. Both songs are, on the surface, about escaping hardships by taking a road trip (or even running away altogether) to a new location with a loved one, living in the moment as you're doing so.

"Satellite" has a synthy, '80s sound to it and sounds a lot to me like something that Troye Sivan might have done, especially on Blue Neighbourhood. It lyrically addresses something that Harry has definitely addressed plenty before, especially on his first album: a lack of communication. "Boyfriends" is definitely another highlight for me (especially because it's another one with which I find myself relating). It's a soft folksy song with acoustic guitar that is pretty brilliant lyrically and conceptually. It addresses men's toxic behavior in relationships, acknowledging that it's cyclical and continues in part because the person who is being neglected and/or emotionally abused in the relationship is in love. This is addressed multiple times such as when he points out that "you love a fool who knows just how to get under your skin, [but] you, you still open the door." He also calls back to "Daydreaming" in the line "you lay with him as you stay in the daydream." What makes this song especially clever, however? It opens and ends the same way, with the line: "Ooh... fool, you're back at it again," except it's backmasked in the opening. Isn't it fitting that a line about being "back at it again" would bookend the song, given that the song is about the cyclical nature of toxic behavior? It's a great song, but here we arrive at my favorite song from Harry's House. What do I love about "Love of My Life"? I love the punctuating synth which reminds me a great deal of MARINA's "End of the Earth." I love the lyrics, which can either be interpreted as a love letter to the narrator's titular lover or as a love letter to England (the latter of which was apparently the intent according to Harry). The piano outro alone (which can be heard in reverse in the album trailer), however, is enough to skyrocket this song to my top favorite not only from this album but possibly from Harry's entire discography thus far. It sounds like what being in love feels like, and it brings tears to my eyes and sends chills down my spine. It's an absolutely beautiful masterpiece as is the album as a whole - the album of 2022. Bravo!

Greyson Chance - Homerun Hitter - Single [Review]

American singer and songwriter Greyson Chance is set to release his next studio effort Palladium fairly soon (to the best of my knowledge, a concrete release date has yet to be revealed), and "Homerun Hitter" makes for the album's third single following the title track and "Athena" (both reviewed here). "Homerun Hitter" starts off very softly, with Greyson softly humming over a gently strumming acoustic guitar, and the melody in the verses is chillingly beautiful, with Chance singing in a somewhat higher register that occasionally drifts up into falsetto. The song takes a somewhat surprising turn, however, when it suddenly becomes a bit more upbeat in the chorus (which sets it apart a bit from the first two Palladium singles): "...'Cause I thought you were the homerun hitter, the cherry that never bitters..." I love the rhythm of the chorus, and I, in fact, think that this might be my favorite song of the three singles so far. While I don't know for sure, I suspect that "Homerun Hitter" was inspired, at least partially, by Greyson's ex-boyfriend Ben, with whom he broke up not too long ago. Chance has even commented on the song's meaning, saying, "'Homerun Hitter' is... a cold splash of water to the face. It represents that moment of looking at yourself in the mirror, unsure of what to do and where to go next. Sometimes you can be in love without it being the right love." Not only does he directly refer to being in love, that feeling of not knowing where to go next is definitely a relatable feeling after a relationship ends. Like "Palladium" and "Athena," this is a very open, honest, and vulnerable Greyson Chance, and I am definitely looking forward to hearing what the rest of the album has to offer. I seem to recall Greyson saying that this would be the final single released before the album drops, so we will hopefully get a release date and tracklisting soon!

Within Temptation - Don't Pray for Me - Single [Review]

"Don't Pray for Me" is presumably the fourth single from Dutch metal band Within Temptation's upcoming eighth studio album (the title of which has not yet been revealed). The string of new singles began two years ago with "Entertain You" (reviewed here) and continued with "The Purge" (reviewed here), "Shed My Skin" (reviewed here), and now "Don't Pray for Me." While all four songs are great songs in their own rights, I do think that "Don't Pray for Me" might be my favorite. Like the band's last album Resist, there is somewhat of a futuristic synthy sound to it while still maintaining a heavy metal weight to it. (The music video even has somewhat of a futuristic sci-fi feel to it, as does the music video for Resist's lead single, "The Reckoning.") The song also features a persistent choir motif throughout which I love because I really love symphonic rock and metal, and it brings me back to the days of The Heart of Everything (my second favorite Within Temptation album next to Resist) when songs like "The Howling" and "Final Destination" brought in theatrical aspects such as a choir. Close to the end of the track, we also get frontwoman Sharon den Adel's haunting chanting in a higher register than most of what she offers on the rest of the song, also a signature sound that brings me back to the band's earlier days. The song's meaning is definitely up for interpretation (as is typical of Within Temptation's style of songwriting as their lyrics are sometimes rather cryptic and open-ended), but I personally interpret it as being about overcoming strife and hardship relying on no one other than yourself: "In hell is where I stand," Sharon declares in the second verse. "It's where I find my inner strength." Speaking of the lyrics, I definitely have to tip my proverbial hat to this song's lyrics because I think that this song makes for some of the band's best lyrics to date, and I especially love the line, "For my confessions, I don't need a church." As I said, it, to the best of my knowledge, is still unclear whether these four singles released over the last two years are standalone singles or are the first four singles from an upcoming studio album, but I am definitely hoping for the latter and am hoping that the band makes an announcement about the next album soon!

Lady Gaga - Hold My Hand - Single [Review]

Whereas Berlin offered up "Take My Breath Away" in 1986 for Top Gun, current pop sensation Lady Gaga released "Hold My Hand" earlier this year specifically for the film's sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. (In fact, not only did she release the song alongside the movie, she also helped write the film's score!) The song is a bassy power ballad that eventually brings in electric guitar reminiscent of '80s rock, and the track as a whole reminds me a great deal of Faith Hill's 2002 album Cry (especially the title track and "Unsaveable"), and while I do really like it, I can't say that it's Gaga's best work to date. It just feels kind of like a generic power ballad to me lacking in the unique creativity at which Gaga usually excels. (It's also a tad annoying to me how Gaga is seen artfully slamming away at a piano in the music video, yet I don't hear any piano in the song, so if it's there, it has to be buried deep.) With that being said, however, her vocal delivery is powerful to say the least, especially in the song's chorus. (Love her or hate her, you can't deny that Gaga has pipes.) The lyrics of the song remind me a bit of Gaga's 2017 song "The Cure" as both songs are from the perspective of someone offering to be a source of comfort for someone going through a rough time: "So cry tonight," she belts out in the chorus, "but don't you let go of my hand. You can cry every last tear. I won't leave 'til I understand. Promise me; just hold my hand." As is the case with a lot of music and, for that matter, art in general, the song is open to more than one interpretation. As Gaga herself states, "When I wrote this song for Top Gun: Maverick, I didn't even realize the multiple layers it spanned across the film's heart, my own psyche, and the nature of the world we've been living in... I wanted to make music into a song where we share our deep need to both be understood and try to understand each other - a longing to be close when we feel so far away and an ability to celebrate life's heroes... This song is a love letter to the world during and after a very hard time." With that explanation offered, it's easy to see how she might have drawn inspiration not only from the film but also from recent events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, making it even more culturally meaningful.

Greyson Chance - Palladium - Single / Athena - Single [Review]

Greyson Chance will soon be following up his Trophies EP with a new album titled Palladium and has so far released two singles from it - the title track and "Athena." "Palladium" is very beautiful, featuring somewhat of an alternative rock Imagine Dragons meets Passion Pit vibe to it. Acoustic guitar and piano dominate the track along with Greyson's mid-register vocals, softly and gently fluttering throughout the track. (I absolutely love his vocals on this track; I would even go as far as to say that this is some of his best vocal work to date.) He also, in the latter half of the track, shows off his range by rising into falsetto in the song's bridge. The song is beautiful not only sonically but also thematically, as it is from the perspective of someone who yearns to be a specific person's protector and guiding light: "I just wanna try to protect you," Chance declares in the song's chorus, "like your skin protects your blood... and if I ever let you go, then my whole kingdom's done." Commenting on the song's meaning, Greyson has stated, "The song is inspired by an ancient Greek myth I had researched when I was in college studying archaeology. When I was writing the lyric, I thought of how the myth relayed back to my own life. Palladium is about protecting the most sacred parts of yourself, which in this case, is my creativity as an artist. Throughout my entire career, I have been told what my music should sound like." This is interesting because that very much makes it a song about self-love (as is his song "Bad to Myself"), but the beautiful thing about music and art in general is that, much of the time, it is open to interpretation and can therefore also be regarded by someone as a love song directed toward someone other than yourself.

In keeping with the theme of Ancient Greece (which will perhaps be the theme of the album overall?), the second single released thus far from Palladium is titled "Athena." "Athena" is a tad more upbeat than "Palladium" and also features electric guitar, but it is still in more or less the same vein, again sounding like a soft rock track reminiscent of Imagine Dragons or The Lumineers. Once again, though, I really love Greyson's vocals here. He seems to be striving to experiment a bit with his tone and his range, and I am here for it. (He almost doesn't even sound like himself in the verses, but he sounds great!) Of the song's meaning, Chance has commented, "'Athena' is all about letting go and surrendering to love... Athena is a God mainly associated with love, but she is also so much more than that. In many myths, Athena appears stubborn and hardheaded. In past relationships I've exhibited those same traits, and even more unfortunate ones too. For me, Athena is about recognizing those faults, and acknowledging that every person needs love... they key is just being open to it." I think that it is also worth mentioning that Athena is also known as the goddess of wisdom, so, in the song's chorus, when Chance pleads, "...Where is Athena? God damn it, I need her," he is very likely also asking for the wisdom needed to open himself up to love. The theme of the song reminds me of a line from his song "Low" in which he sings that "I think I'm ready to hear 'I love you.'" As previously mentioned, "Athena" features electric guitar, and that aspect of it reminds me so much of Jack's Mannequin, especially their song "Spinning" which even got stuck in my head after listening to this. I adore both of these songs, and if they are harbingers of what's to come on Palladium, then this is likely going to be Greyson's best album yet.

VV - Loveletting - Single [Review]

In 2017, I finally fulfilled a long-standing dream of seeing one of my favorite bands of all time - HIM. Seeing them followed the devastating news that they were disbanding after more than two decades together and consequently going on a farewell tour, and I knew that I would need to see them on that tour since it was going to be my last chance. It was such a great experience, but it was also a very emotional one, knowing that it was my last chance and also knowing that I was never again going to hear a new HIM song. Fast-forward to 2020, however, and HIM frontman Ville Valo (under the name VV) released an EP titled Gothica Fennica Vol. 1 featuring three new songs - "Salute the Sanguine," "Run Away from the Sun," and "Saturnine Saturnalia." While it was not HIM, it might as well have been because it sounded just like HIM's typical style of melancholy bluesy metal; VV even revived the heartagram, now slightly updated so that his initials were featured within. There was unfortunately no news, however, regarding whether or not the EP was an album sampler or if there would be a Gothica Fennica Vol. 2 - no news until recently (two years later), that is. On April 8th, VV dropped a new single titled "Loveletting," by far my favorite of the four songs that Ville has thus far released as a solo artist. Like the three songs on Gothica Fennica Vol. 1, it's definitely very much in keeping with HIM, reminding me most especially of the band's 2010 album Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice, Chapters 1-13. A somewhat melancholy but also beautiful and hopeful keyboard motif opens the song which is primarily a mellow rock song with the keyboard motif being joined by a gentle electric guitar riff, and Valo's velvety voice singing the lulling melody of the chorus is enough on its own to remind me of how much I have missed HIM. It lyrically seems to address star-crossed lovers who cannot be together: "Two heartbeats out of sync with each other and crying." (This is also typical HIM territory thematically.) While I don't know for sure, I am thinking that Ville is probably playing all instruments on the track because that was apparently the case on Gothica Fennica, and even though Ville has announced a solo album on the way titled Neon Noir (the lead single of which being "Loveletting"), it's as of now unclear if the three songs on the EP will be on the album or if there will be a Gothica Fennica Vol. 2. Either way, however, I am so excited about this album!

Harry Styles - As It Was - Single [Review]

Following the late 2019 release of his second solo album Fine Line, Harry Styles is releasing his third studio album, titled Harry's House, on May 20th. The album's lead single, released on April 1st, is titled "As It Was" and broke records on its first day of release. The song is an uptempo alternative pop song with synth that gives it a bit of an '80s and early '90s feel. (Parts of it, in fact, especially the motif with which the song opens, remind me of The Cure's 1992 song "Friday I'm in Love.") In keeping with the title of the album (which, again, is Harry's House), the lyrics of the song definitely do seem to address some sort of isolation or being held back from human interaction: "'Harry, you're no good alone. Why are you sitting at home on the floor?'" Styles also claims that he can't interact in the way that he would like to because "gravity's holdin' me back" and asks for someone else to be the one to make the first move of reaching out: "I want you to hold out the palm of your hand." The intro of the song, in fact, features a young child speaking the following words: "Come on, Harry, we want to say goodnight to you." As Styles has confirmed himself, that is actually Harry's goddaughter Ruby and is from an actual voicemail left by her: "[Ruby] got a streak of calling me every night before bed," he revealed, "and I missed it once, and she wanted to let me know that she was quite angry with me." Once I learned that, this song (and especially that intro) became so much more precious, and it definitely fits with the song's theme of social isolation. Harry has also further elaborated upon the meaning of the song, commenting, "The song is about metamorphosis, embracing change and former self, perspective shift and all that kind of stuff." I personally love the fun, synthy energy of the song and can't wait for the album, especially since I feel like if this song is a harbinger of what's to come on the album, this may just end up being even better than Harry Styles or Fine Line!

Ghost - IMPERA [Review]

IMPERA is Swedish metal band Ghost's long-awaited and highly anticipated fifth studio album, with it having been four years since the band's fourth album Prequelle (although they did drop small releases here and there such as the two tracks on the Seven Inches of Satanic Panic single and their incredible cover of Metallica's "Enter Sandman"). Admittedly, IMPERA was a bit of a grower for me because I felt lukewarm upon first listen (even though I instantly loved the first two singles "Hunter's Moon" and "Call Me Little Sunshine" when they first dropped). I remember seeing several friends who are Ghost fans saying on release day that the album was beautiful and might have even been their favorite Ghost album yet, and I initially found myself thinking that I didn't quite feel the same way but wished that I did. While I still don't know that I would call IMPERA my favorite Ghost album thus far (an honor that I think still goes to Prequelle), I am definitely absolutely in love with it now and definitely think that beautiful is, overall, a great word to describe it. As is Ghost tradition (with Meliora being the one exception as it opens with "Spirit"), the album opens with a short instrumental intro titled "Imperium"(a word meaning absolute power, which makes sense given the album title being a variation of that and frontman Tobias Forge having revealed ahead of the album's release that the album would be about the fall of empires). "Imperium" is absolutely gorgeous, a slow acoustic piece that builds in intensity and weight as it progresses, eventually bringing in electric guitar and a marching beat. Forge has described it as having a "national anthem opening" quality to it, and I can definitely hear that, especially because of its aforementioned marching beat which also gives it a bit of a militaristic quality. The melody heard via the electric guitar is also repeated again at the very end of the album (which I will call back to when I get there). IMPERA then gives us "Kaisarion" which is my least favorite song on the album. While I by no means hate it, it has somewhat of a punk rock quality to it, and I don't know how well it works here. It also feels a tad too long. Running at just over five minutes in length, it is a bit redundant, and by the time it reaches four minutes or so, it feels like it has already done pretty much everything that it needs to.

Interestingly, whereas "Kaisarion" definitely sets the stage for the album's previously mentioned theme involving the fall of empires (as it addresses, as Ghost often does, Christian hypocrisy and dominion and even directly states in the first verse that "we're building our empire from the ashes of an old" which calls attention to a wheel turning as empires fall and new ones take their place), the next three tracks seemingly veer away from it a bit, with "Spillways" and "Call Me Little Sunshine" (the album's second single which I reviewed here) hitting upon a theme similar to that of Meliora's "Cirice." "All your faith, all your rage, all your pain," fictional frontman Papa Emeritus IV declares in the pre-chorus, "it ain't over now, and I ain't talking about forgiveness." The title of the song (which is recited in the song's chorus) is in reference to a structure that is intended to help release a controlled amount of water from a dam to prevent overflow, emphasizing the song's theme of our souls needing to purge that bottled up darkness (rage and pain). I love the somewhat poppy and retro synthy sound to it (reminding me of Bon Jovi's "Runaway"), making it one of the catchiest songs on the album. We then get "Call Me Little Sunshine" and "Hunter's Moon," both of which I already reviewed since they are the album's first two singles. (Check out my review of "Hunter's Moon" here.) "Watcher in the Sky" is one of IMPERA's heaviest tracks, featuring a thumping and chugging guitar riff following Forge opening the song with the chorus. The song is a bit repetitive, since the main hook ("Searchlights looking for the watcher in the sky") is heard nearly twenty times throughout. In the Metal Hatter interview with Tobias Forge to which I linked earlier in the review, Tobias said that the song addresses the irony of using science to reverse humanity's progress, and fitting the overall theme of the album, it lyrically makes Machiavellian and totalitarian references which makes for a nice transition into the next track as it is titled "Dominion," a short instrumental track Forge described as "majestic." Featuring horns, it also sort of works as an intro to "Twenties," which I already reviewed since it was released as a promotional single ahead of the album's release. (All I will say in addition to what I already said about "Twenties" in my review of it is that I now love it even more than I did then. It might even be my favorite song from IMPERA; the pulsating rhythm of the big band intro is - for lack of a better word - sick.)

I remember when I first saw the album's tracklisting, I thought that "Darkness at the Heart of My Love" sounded like an epic power ballad from the '80s penned by Diane Warren, and that is essentially exactly what it is (sans Warren's involvement). Forge talked about the song with Metal Hammer and said, "This is about people promoting all of these values under the guise of being God-fearing and righteous while they practice none of it. It's just for cash and power." It therefore touches upon a frequent Ghost subject - Christian hypocrisy. As is also often the case with Ghost's music, however, the lyrics can also be heard in a broader sense. As is true of "Cirice" and "Call Me Little Sunshine," this is another example of a Ghost song in which the empathetic speaker is offering his hand to those in need: "When the summer dies," Emeritus offers in the first verse, "severing the ties, I'm with you always..." My favorite line of the song, however, is the following: "Remember always that love is all you need. Tell me who you want to be, and I will set you free." It's a beautiful and epic (epic especially because of the choir brought in late in the song that joins Forge on the chorus) hard rock ballad about sharing kindness, empathy, and love in a world in which there isn't nearly enough of it (hence that darkness that's at the heart of the love; the darkness that the love needs to snuff out). "Griftwood" is another one of my favorite songs on the album, possibly even my second favorite next to "Twenties." I think that it might be the catchiest song on the album, with an infectious guitar riff and chorus, and I also love the rhythm of the verses. It has an arena rock sound to it somewhat similar to that heard in "Square Hammer." Ahead of the album's release, Forge revealed that "Griftwood" is about religious hypocrites such as Mike Pence: "That song's about him and anyone like him who's willing to soil everything they've worked for. They definitely qualify for a front-row ticket to hell which is so ironic because that's what they believe in... He's known as this sort of Bible-thumper believing that he has strong faith, and he's just this awful, awful person..." This is definitely reflected in the song's lyrics which seem to be from the titular grifter's perspective as he makes false promises which he has no intention of delivering: "You want a view from the spire? You want a seat by the pyre and never, ever suffer again?" This could also be seen as in reference to the promise of heaven that Christianity offers, a promise that, according to Forge, would be false.

The album closes with "Respite on the Spitalfields" which is introduced by a very short instrumental segue titled "Bite of Passage." "Bite of Passage" moves gaplessly into "Respite on the Spitalfields," somewhat of a power ballad that does, however, get fairly heavy in the pre-chorus when Emeritus employs a somewhat more aggressive vocal style than usual, probably my favorite part of the song, although I also adore the lyrics of the chorus: "Nothing ever lasts forever. We will go softly into the night." Ghost is no stranger to repeating musical motifs. The melody heard in Meliora's "Spöksonat," for example, is repeated on Prequelle's "Ashes" / "Rats," and here, as previously teased, "Respite on the Spitalfields" ends with the same melody heard on the opening track "Imperium." I have, for a very long time (ever since seeing the 2001 film From Hell), been fascinated by the Jack the Ripper case, and that is what this song is tackling lyrically: "We're here in the after of a murderous crafter," Forge laments in the first verse. "The past is spun like a yarn and mangled with flesh and blood and bones." Tobias did in fact confirm this in an interview with Kerrang! when he stated, "[Jack the Ripper] did the people of Spitalfields and that part of London an enormous disfavor because he was never caught which meant that... they were never sure that he was not going to do it again, so for a long time after, there must have been fear, especially among women, that it could happen again..." The song lyrically addresses that collective fear that unites people, and it's a great song but probably Ghost's weakest closer so far primarily because of its fade-out. When a song fades out at the end, I, for some reason, expect that to lead into something, but it doesn't. As I said, however, I overall adore IMPERA. It's very eclectic, with Ghost at times being in league with Metallica and other times Bon Jovi. I know that some fans didn't like Prequelle because they felt that it was too "poppy," and I fear that such fans must likely hate IMPERA because I think that it's overall undoubtedly the "poppiest" Ghost album so far. I do kind of wish, however, that "Hunter's Moon" had been featured as a bonus track rather than as track 5 because I do think that it feels a bit out of place thematically, and speaking of bonus tracks, I am very surprised that there is no deluxe version of IMPERA with at least one cover included because that seems to be tradition for Ghost, but perhaps that is still to come (as I believe was the case with Meliora).

Avril Lavigne - Love Sux [Review]

Love Sux is Canadian pop-rock musician Avril Lavigne's seventh studio album, a highly anticipated album by many for a couple of reasons. Not only did it simply feel time for a new album since it had been three years since Lavigne's sixth album Head Above Water, but Love Sux is a return to form for the singer. Ahead of the album being announced, Lavigne collaborated on a couple of singles with WILLOW and Travis Barker ("G R O W") and her current boyfriend MOD SUN ("Flames"), and both songs (whether intentionally or unintentionally, I don't know) served as precursors for what was to come on Love Sux. Much like her 2007 third studio album The Best Damn Thing, Love Sux is an album fueled by pop punk reminiscent of the likes of Simple Plan, blink-182, Sum 41, etc., and the album doesn't waste any time getting into that vibe, opening with the loud, heavy, and high energy punk rock number "Cannonball." "Cannonball" opens with the staticky sound of instruments plugging in, making it such a great way to open the album as that definitely sets the overall tone of the album. "Like a ticking time bomb, I'm about to explode!" Avril shouts after the instruments kick off. The chorus is a soaring, catchy melody that is sure to get stuck in your head after a couple of listens. I am not going to spend a whole lot of time addressing the lyrical meanings behind most of the songs on the album because many of the songs have a similar (if not the same) lyrical theme, and that is another way that "Cannonball" sets the mood for the album. Lavigne has stated that the song is "about being a fierce bitch," but, as is the case with most of the songs on the album, it addresses a bad breakup and how the speaker feels free and happier now that it's over: "You did me dirty," she aggressively proclaims in the first verse. "Now, I'm gonna live a life without you... and I'll be happy if we never speak again." (Like I said, that pretty much sums up the entire theme of nearly the entire album.) I like the melody of "Bois Lie" (the spelling of which is likely intended to be a reference to Lavigne's very early hit single "Sk8er Boi"), but I am not a huge fan of Machine Gun Kelly so don't love his being featured on it. One thing that does thematically stand out with "Bois Lie," however, is that it's not one-sided. Despite the title, MGK argues that "girls lie too," so we sort of get both perspectives of the failed relationship.

"Bite Me" is the album's lead single and is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album. It's so catchy, and I especially love Lavigne's "eh-oh" at the beginning of the chorus because something about it takes me back to old school Avril from Let Go and Under My Skin. It's such a fun song that, like I said, as is the case with most of the album's material, is about feeling free and empowered after the end of a bad relationship: "Should've held on, should've treated me right," the chorus advises. "I gave you one chance; you don't get it twice." (She also released an acoustic version which even got its own separate music video.) We then get the album's second single, "Love It When You Hate Me," a collaboration with alternative hip hop artist blackbear who solely commands the second verse. Avril has described the song as being "about ignoring all the warning signs and doing something knowing, full well, you shouldn't." With that in mind, I would argue that it's more specifically about the consequences of having jumped into bed with someone whom you knew wasn't right for you. While I am not spending a whole lot of time discussing the sonic elements of the music (the reason behind which I will explain shortly), I will say that there is a part in "Love It When You Hate Me" that reminds me a great deal of "Runaway" from The Best Damn Thing. Here in "Love It When You Hate Me," Avril's voice melodically soars in the pre-chorus, "...and I ignore all the warning signs...," and in "Runaway," she sings (interestingly, also in the pre-chorus), "...and I feel so alive..." The melody between these two parts is nearly identical, and they even both start with the same two words. Given that both songs (albeit in different ways) thematically address being impulsive, it's not a stretch to imagine that it might be an intentional callback to that song. As one would expect given that it's the title track, "Love Sux" (which sonically reminds me a bit of Under My Skin's "He Wasn't") is such a great representation of the album's overall story: "Na-na-na, not another breakup. When I think of you, I just wanna throw up." "Kiss Me Like the World Is Ending" is another one worth mentioning because, despite the title of the album, it addresses love from a more positive perspective. Written with and about her boyfriend MOD SUN, it is a lovey-dovey number about getting swept away in the honeymoon era of a relationship: "The stars shine for the two of us... so sweet and mysterious." 

"Avalanche" is another highlight, mainly because it's the first of only two occasions on the album that veers a bit away from the raw punk sound heard throughout most of the album which is exactly why, as previously stated, I am not spending a lot of time in this review discussing the sound of each song. Doing so would quickly get redundant because, as is one of my minor complaints with the album, it's a bit monotonous sonically. Although I have found this to frequently be the case with pop punk albums, The Best Damn Thing does at least offer up a lot more variety with tracks like "When You're Gone," "Innocence," and "Keep Holding On." Although a band eventually joins in, "Avalanche" begins on an acoustic note reminding me a bit of Head Above Water's "Goddess." I love the melody of the chorus, and I also love that it's one of the few spots on the album that doesn't address a relationship. It is instead about admitting that you're not okay emotionally, making it the one song on the album to which I most relate. I also really enjoy the guitar riff that fuels the chorus of "Deja Vu," and other highlights include "All I Wanted" (if for no other reason than that it features Mark Hoppus on guest vocals, an absolutely iconic name in the world of punk rock) and "Dare to Love Me" (the album's only soft ballad driven primarily by piano and orchestra). The album then closes on an upbeat note with "Break of a Heartache," perhaps (especially because of its speed) the most punk rock that the album gets. It's somewhat of a historical move for Lavigne because this is the first time that an album of hers doesn't end with a soft ballad. I overall have complex feelings about Love Sux. I am so happy to see and hear this return to form and there are some great gems on it, but one of the reasons why I love her 2013 self-titled album as much as I do is because of the variety on it, whereas, as previously stated, Love Sux gets a bit monotonous after a few tracks. The chorus of "Deja Vu" says it best: "It's the same thing over and over again." A close friend also pointed out that he felt that the equalization is off on certain tracks, and I went back and listened specifically for that and found myself agreeing; on the first three tracks especially, I am not sure if her vocals are loud enough, and on "Dare to Love Me," her voice seems to suddenly get a bit louder once the second verse begins. I think that, overall, this might be my least favorite Avril Lavigne album so far, but like I said, I am also thrilled about the return to form.