Tea Time

GENRE: indie, slow rock And now that we've re-calibrated, we have arrived back to that familiar indie sound. This time, there's a little twist in that this band is inspired by Twin Peaks, that one awfully slow-paced show with a feel for palpable tension. I mean, just look at the name of the band. My god, look at the album cover. It's a little excessive to me, personally. This particular song takes its main riff from the intro to the actual show. That repeating interval back and forth is so iconic, especially when the band has taken it to the point where a similar sound is used as well. I don't know if it's intentional, but this song drags just as much. I wish the tension was built slowly throughout. You kind of just drift along a stagnant wave when you listen to this song. At this point, why not just make it even longer than it is now? I guess, to that end, it's a proper adaptation inspired by a very eminent product. Rating: 5.5/10

GENRE: progressive You know I had to do it. Drop everything because TOOL just dropped their newest album. I myself haven't listened to the whole album yet due to life circumstances, but so far it is better than I thought it would be. Sometimes having way too much hype hurts a band, but TOOL does not disappoint. My favorite aspect of their songs are their drawn out phrases and developing ideas. That's especially the case with today's song. Plus, who doesn't love a little irregular time signatures with their entree. Anyway, I'm currently without internet so writing this on a phone hurts my thumbs. Have fun with the album. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: country  Well, we were bound to come across something more stereotypical of rednecks as we journey through the canon of country music. But, this piece is quite the kicker. You've got wicked guitar work on par with any guitar virtuoso. You've got the heavy accent of Jerry Reed. And last but not least, you've got a rant against growing technology. I wonder if you could see it as a satire nowadays. It's fun nonetheless to sing along with! I want to meet the drummer that played on this, because he's surely having quite a ball too. The lyrics are quite a hoot too. He sings pretty fast so, tune up your ears and keep up. It's not quite exactly my type of country song, but he's definitely a character and has a talent for lyrics! Rating: 7/10

GENRE: country Oh my god, what a catchy tune! I was lovestruck from merely the first words. The southern hospitality is just palpable. He's got a slight Elton John youthfulness to his voice. Just, such a clean and clear voice. The instrumentals are old-timey as well. That bright piano, and that lively bass is truly something nostalgic and beholden to simpler times. You know, it almost feels like an earlier Beatles song too now that I think about it, with the exception of that old banjo. Given the time period, it's entirely possible there were some influences here and there in the writing the song. The lyrics aren't deep, but simple and poignant. Concise, clear, and meaningful to the source material. Wow, I don't know. I am just totally drawn to this song. I only hope to find more like it. Rating: 8.5/10

GENRE: hip hop I hate to be the contrarian, but music is subjective and should remain that way. I don't know who this guy is, but he's apparently very eminent in the music industry. I think it comes from his spectrum of sounds that he includes in his mixed music? Either way, after I listened to this song of his, I've already heard enough. I really don't want to listen to it again. Seriously. It kind of just drags on. I can see where people enjoy this type of music. I get the feeling that there's too much going on without any actual substance. Oh well, you can't like everything you hear. Rating: 3/10

GENRE: country  As much as I want country to be about the people and the soul of Middle America, there's no getting away from the political ideologies that have come to be associated with country music and citizens. This song is quite hilarious. It's so obviously  targeted. Merle Haggard has actually gone public in saying that he regrets writing this song. It is a reflection of his closeted, narrow-minded self back when he was young. There are many viewpoints, but I like to see it as a satire of the conservative views of people like him. It makes the song so much better, almost like a one-up on the people that have racked our nation. The song itself is pretty catchy, and the lyrics are paced well without sounding too forced. Merle Haggard's voice is charming as ever; it's unfortunate it had to be used in an ignorant song such as this. In a way, it's also enlightening. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: hip hop, chill  Ok, it was my fault for rating Lover Is a Day  so low the last time I reviewed it. This entire album embodies a similar nighttime aesthetic, and Amor de Siempre  is one of the standout songs that help project that mood onto the listener. The manufactured hip hop beats sound a bit more obvious and flat in this song, but I do like the vocals a bit more compared to Lover Is a Day . Granted, I can barely understand anything, so I don't have much to comment about the lyrics. Plus, I don't normally take a look into the lyrics either unless they strike me a particular way. Cuco  has that definitive laid-back singing style that encourages you to sit back in your seat and ponder the pace of life. Most of the songs, if not all, are taken at slower tempo than comfortable. Again, everything works to his advantage in creating this sort of end-of-the-day mood. These songs are sort of fitting for a work-to-home transition. I think that's what I'll use them fo

GENRE: hip hop, rap I haven't listened much to any Vince Staples, and have only heard him featured on other artists' songs. I picked this one thinking it was one of his, but goddamn it's Billie Eilish. That's not a bad thing though; her extreme rise in popularity has really shadowed her actual artistic merits and abilities. I actually like her voice in this song, and sounds a lot like M Ø during her early days. Billie's sliding ascent in the chorus is a distinct tool she uses in a lot of her songs. I just hope it doesn't get old. I particularly like this song because it's not overly edgy like her newer stuff as well.  Oh yea, I almost forgot about Vince Staples. He's cool.  Rating: 7.5

GENRE: country Yes, I like country, but only a very specific subset of country. Namely, country ballads that speak to the heart and soul of a different part of America. I was never swept away by those more upbeats songs in the country spectrum. However, this one's a little different. It's a pretty old song, based on the slightly fuzzy, dusty quality I'm hearing. That alone adds to its charm. In fact, I feel like there's a lot of overlap and blending between the stylings of the oldies. It's honestly the choice of instruments that differentiate between them. It's a love song from an American sweetheart. That's just not a thing nowadays. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE: hip hop I apologize for the terribly quality of image, but that's all I could find online. It fits really well into the genre of the year for me. Female vocalist, romantic sensibilities, a jazzy undertone of synths and strings; it's got everything. I wasn't big on the rap verse, but it's stylish and not too abrasive against the overall tone of the song. A catchy melody is all you need. That interval change halfway through the chorus is a safe choice, and satisfying to the ear. I guess that's one way to describe this song—safe. Not much to be said here considering the repetitiveness of the lyrics. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: country Ah yes, my favorite style of country. It's that "sit around the campfire and contemplate" sort of song. The lyrics are heartbreaking, and the honesty of the instrumentals is palpable. I think that slide guitar is so representative of this style of country. I'm not sure if it's overused, but I listen to so little country that it's always a welcome element of a song. Don't you just wanna dance and just sway to song? The chords are quite simple yes, but within that constraint they are incredibly emotional. This sort of tempo and style reminds me of one of Dolly Parton's slower songs. Of course, I really like that one too. So, no surprise here. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: lo-fi, chill Literally, the one thing that spurred me to write about this song was it's use of a very specific tone of snare drum for its drum beats. It brings back good memories. Actually, I sort of like all the instrumentation and the timbre in general of that ukulele (?). The production is incredibly crisp and clean, and the melodies whisk you away into the album cover. My only gripe is that it's just way too short. I want more of this comfy blanket of a song. Now, I will admit that I've had my transgressions against lo-fi. But, if done right, I think there's a lot of merit to be had. Rating: 7.5/10

GENRE: doo-wop Continuing on this oldies train, we have a hit that lost to the flow of time. The Jarmels  don't have seem to have any big songs besides this one. As with most of the songs in this age, love was the subject matter. As upbeat as this sounds, the singer talks about his heartbreak by comparing it to soap. Apparently, the 0.01% of bacteria that soaps can't do away with is rejection. I'm proud of that joke, but moving on. The song is 2 minutes long, and need not be any longer than this. The lyrics are quite simple, and are supported by a doo-wop troupe. There's very little instrumentation; instead, the focus is on the singers. But, I cannot leave out that small little timpani flourish in the intro. It's fun. There's a even a bass singer solo to boot. All in all, a neat little package. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE: surf rock And now, we actually have a song by The Ventures, instead of one of their many covers. These guys form the foundation of a lot of early rock. They've got no singer, but that's no problem. This is off one of their earliest albums, and so it really captures a more popular style. It's similar to the Beatles; their first albums really catered to a huge audience. The Ventures  did not venture  very far from this style, but it was just enough to give them their own identity. Perfidia  is kind of a typical template for their type of music. A catchy, poppy guitar tune, a surf rock drum beat, and a peppy bass beat. Granted, I think it'd be fun to play and solo this still. Instrumentals nowadays can be ridiculously difficult. These were simpler times. Rating: 5/10

GENRE: rock  I was feeling the 60's surf rock, and I tracked a song from The Ventures' cover all the way back to the original. People just don't sing like this anymore. Matter of fact, I don't know if I really have a preference. It's just quirky and fun to listen to. The song in general is quite upbeat! You've got horns every now and then, with a prancing piano part. I think the solo is some kind of synth? Of course, the one part that's most memorable is Del Shannon's descending chorus. But just like that, the song is over; it's short and sweet. Was this considered too aggressive for back then? Did the old people back then enjoy this? It certainly seems something for the teens of that age. Either way, it feels like no one else but those from that time are still listening to stuff like this. Good thing I've found it before it sunk to the bottomless depths of obscurity.  Rating: 6/10 

GENRE: metal Put on a blindfold, and all you hear is Iron Maiden fully fledged and back to form. Take off the blindfold, it looks even more obvious given the album cover. Doppelganger as they are, they do a really good job of adapting the classic metal sound of Iron Maiden to a more modern audience. High quality, clean shredding, high-pitched vocals supported by skin-tight jeans, and a rampaging yet not overbearing drum part. I can really get behind those vocals; they remind me a little of Judas Priest too, one of my favorite metal bands. This song has got it all. A wicked bridge section, banshee-like screams, and varying meters that make it easy to head-bang and thrash all within the same song. I may be exaggerating, but this stands close to Holy Wars... The Punishment Due by Megadeth. Rating: 8.5/10

GENRE: korean, jazz  Now this is what I call cafe music. Music that you can zone out to, but really only because I don't understand the lyrics. My favorite interval drop occurs around 38 seconds, where you really  know it's jazz. It kind of tricks you in the beginning, playing around very harmonious and satisfying chords, before dropping into a more upbeat, poppy, jazzy cadence. It's quite intimate, consisting of only a piano, a guitar, a singer, and some auxiliary instruments trickling in here and there. That being said, there aren't exactly impactful moments, and rather goes for a structure that feels like floating, or surfing along a wave. Although it's not the most complicated piece out there, it fulfills a certain niche that everyone needs to explore sometimes. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: indie Ha, I've actually avoided this band one time already when I was just blazing through songs to write about. Now that my tastes have sort of narrowed in on a specific genre, you could say that this song crawled its way back into view. It's got all the elements; a female lead, a clean constant guitar riff, and a simple and tight drum track. My favorite thing about this is the delayed vocals. You get to immerse yourself in their soundscape for a full minute before they even stop singing. Even then, nothing stop when the vocals join in, it just smoothly blends in. Honestly, this musical idea just holds itself through the entire song. Other pieces build upon it throughout the song, which makes for a well-composed song that has a story weaved into it. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: indie rock, surf rock I'll throw it right out there that this piece is just slightly bitter. I'm not blown away by the interesting take on surf rock, but it's interesting nonetheless.It's like trying out a new food or cuisine that doesn't quite captivate you. Mark me down for a maybe, because I'm not quite sure I'll digging into this band. I do like the atmosphere that they carry you to. You've got the wavy, twangy sounds of 60's surf rock, with a layer of syrupy, dissonant guitars and synths thrown in. The middle section around 2:25 is quite nice and resolves itself as an indie song before whipping you back into shape with their specific soundscape. Again, not my particular taste, but maybe it takes multiple listens before I liken myself to its aroma. Rating: 4/10

GENRE: jazz This was as organic as a song recommendation as can be. Being a party, you can just ask the DJ who the artist is. Easy as that! And I'm excited to listen and understand that she is exceptionally good at what she does. Fundamentally, it's jazz, but there's such a nice layer of R&B and experimental music on top that gives her such a unique sound. On top of that, you get a sort of formless music with oddly timed phrases and broken verses. It's much like the type of writing you'd expect from Meshuggah. Even though the drums denote that the beat is quite straight, the roots and "downbeats" kind of shift here and there. It's quite spectacular to listen to. Seriously, her music is such a mindbender to listen to. Thankfully, you can both chill to it, and improvise to it too if you're really ambitious. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: folk I had a vivid dream that I was a cowboy in the rustic ghost town, while a Bob Dylan song was playing in the background. This is my salutation to that fun dream. Bob Dylan himself has been in the music industry for such a long time, and few people have listened to that gigantic discography in its entirety. I know his more famous works, but even then there are some that just slip by. You can immediately tell it's a Bob Dylan song, what with it's particular acoustic guitar plucking style, the voice obviously, and the harmonica. I guess, when you listen to this song, you aren't there for instrumental technique. You're there for the comforting, folk timbre and the compassionate lyrics. Granted, it's a push and pull love song, it's still a Bob Dylan song at its core. Rating: 7.5/10

GENRE: chill, jazz Well, sometimes you get the funniest surprises when listening to music. I never knew that Final Fantasy XIII-2 would have an OST PLUS. The PLUS soundtrack includes a bunch of demos and extra soundtracks that never made it into the game, this being one of them. I mean, just look at the title. It looks like they didn't even give it a nicely wrapped name, it has a tag at the end of it! Anyway, the song itself I've heard, but this sort of twist on it, I haven't. It was quite a surprise to me at first, because it perfectly fits the general tone of the song. It's melancholic, sorrowful, and the soft jazz undertones really reflect and add a different color to this song. I'm digging this take on it. It's absolutely the type of song you would put on for a long night drive home or something. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: indie, chill Wow, this song is composed in a style that I myself want to emulate. The production is really nice and addictive. It totally absorbs you in the atmosphere that's given off by the album cover. My first nitpick though is his singing style. It just falls a bit flat for me. It feels like very static in its tone and dynamics, like just going through a routine, especially during the long verses around the 3:50 mark. It's just constant singing. I've always subscribed to the idea that the silences in between matter just as much. I'm glad the song is longer than usual. You're going to want this kind of length when writing a song that slowly burns and envelopes you. Unfortunately, the song itself doesn't develop throughout accordingly. Yet, that's not a bad thing considering the contemplative, calming nature of the song. Rating: 5.5/10

GENRE: progressive metal And here we have it, the first TOOL song in what seems like more than a decade (and it is). They do not stray from the beaten path in this song, because it could not be none other than TOOL that makes song with this particular style. Sharp drums, an angry Maynard, a distorted and precise guitar riff, a wide spectrum of percussion instruments, droning sounds phasing in and out, a sick bass riff, and an exceedingly long playtime, it's TOOL. All fans of music rejoice today. Now my opinion? Funny that you ask. Personally, it's not the best TOOL song out there (maybe not even top 5), but it's refreshing to hear something new. However, maybe it's the years of wait that inflate expectations, but I was hoping that TOOL would try something new. Granted, the album isn't coming out until the end of the month, so we'll have to wait and see. I just hope this isn't the best of their album yet. Hopefully, it's just a teaser. My only pet peev

GENRE: indie This band is a bit of a hit or miss for me. I like some of their more popular songs, but it's usually the instrumentation that pulls me away from the songs themselves. The highlight on their songs is always the singer. Her nuanced, unique voice defines their identity as a music group. With their more recent album, I decided to give a short listen to one of the more popular tracks, UFOF. I had to look up what it stood for, which is literally UFO friend. And so, the lyrics take a bit of a quirky tone befitting of their band. Like any Big Thief  song, the vocals are all subdued and soft. So, if you've enjoyed their material before, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy them here. I'm having trouble in particular trying to describe the way their lyrics work around the song. The cadence of the lyrics always floats and seeps into the subsequent verses (?) That's my best attempt. I'm partial to the chord progression in this song as well, because it'

GENRE: rock With the wide variety of music we listen to nowadays, not a lot of people stay as consistent to a genre as much as Foo Fighters  do. If you were to look in the dictionary for the definition of rock, you'd find a picture them (maybe, it's just a joke after all). They have a knack for writing melodies, especially in this piece. Paired for Dave Grohl's grungy, raspy, fierce voice, and you've got a unique sound that has understandably spanned the past three decades. The lyrics are a bit on the simpler side, but this song is supposed to be more like an anthem than anything. And honestly, they don't need to change much to this song. It's just simple and well-written for the style that it's shooting for. Although, it is a bit slower for my tastes. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE: indie pop I'm really enjoying Clairo's  new album, and I decided to pick one today that's a little bit more out of the ordinary. There's quite a bit more spunk in this one (although not much considering her singing style). I'm just really into the instrumentals; she opts for a beat that lends itself well to dancing. A higher tempo, a faux-swinging hi-hat, and a booming synth give it all the qualities of a pop song while maintaining the subdued swagger of a Clairo  song. What's more, the lyrics are quite simple and catchy. A simple and welcome addition to break the pacing of the album. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: rock, soul Huh, I kind of like the aesthetic of this band. On the outside, there's a brooding appearance, but their music has a lot of emotion behind it. The booming organ is so fitting, especially with those rock orchestra quality drums. The verses stroll along in a minor key, before the actual chorus picks up with an uplifting beat & progression. The vocals are made to sound like choir it seems, although with a bit of distortion. They're very clearly drawing inspiration from that spectrum, but adding a bit of their own dark flavors to it. I like to think of it as eating dark chocolate. That synth solo is pretty sick too; there are two voices speaking to each other and it's quite intense and dramatic. Honestly, my favorite part is the tone of that bass synth. Just, so crisp. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: experimental, punk Isn't it great finding bands that are the result of poop jokes on the internet? No? Well, I'm not one to step away from this sort of zany stuff. I didn't really expect much at all from this band, but it seems like they're taking themselves seriously so I will too. That grungy bass riff they've got is pretty fun to groove too. It overpowers literally everything else in the song, especially the vocals. And, I emphasize "vocals" because there isn't really singing. It's more like, a passionate rant with yelling here and there. The lyrics are great though! Very fun to sing along too, if you decide to even look them up. It's all about feces, which is in accordance with their imagery and themes. Really though, even without this moniker, the song itself is actually well-put together.  Although they call themselves experimental, I'm not quite sure where they incorporate that in this piece. Since they're so small, I d

GENRE: prog rock What a glorious day it is. Fans of  TOOL  have been waiting for this moment for years; it is the day when all their music is finally available on streaming platforms. And so for today's special, we're talking about one of openers off Lateralus . After the opening silence, we get a really groovy riff in what I believe to be 5/8. The jarring entrance of the distorted guitar that ramps up the rhythmic speed is just so cool to hear as well. They start with quarter-notes, followed by triplets, sixteenth notes, then sixtuplets. I'd be really impressed if they added five-lets in there. The main portion of the song is in 5/4 though. My favorite thing to do while listening to their songs is trying to figure out what they're trying to do in terms of rhythm. I will say this though. Although TOOL  aren't the most technically adept at their craft, they have a talent for just writing and sound design/mixing. Their sound is so crisp, clear, and well-balanced. F

GENRE: indie  As timid as this song is, it's just refreshing to hear someone sing so intimately and raw. Whoever put together that drum set has a good taste and understanding of this type of genre. The ride is so crisp and sustains an attack for SO long that it sounds like they're using a brush. They might have a chain attached to it, now that I think about it. Although it's not the most catchy thing (I actually want it to transition a certain way but then it doesn't), I think it's hits the spot when it comes to a rainy day and you're feeling down in the dumps. It's analogous to soup weather but for songs. Rating: 7/10