Screen Violence: Director’s Cut will be out this Friday featuring 3 new songs originally intended to be included on the release of Screen Violence. Pre-save it now here: https://CHVRCHES.lnk.to/SVDirectorsCut
Some musicians prefer to release an EP rather than full album, so here are our version of the best EP of 2020. Notice your favorite?
1. NOISY - I WISH I WAS A…
NOISY was discovered by us in November. It was all unintentional, and they are surprisingly very good. Merging alternative rock to rap and EDM is bizarre and only NOISY can make it more sense. We are in love with all of their songs and can’t wait to hear more, album next year maybe?
2. SAINT RAYMOND - SOLID GOLD
Solid Gold EP is just a teaser of Saint Raymond’s next full studio album scheduled to be released next Spring. Can’t even count how many times we rewind Solid Gold, Right Way Round, and Wide Eyed Blind. This will be our most anticipated album next year.
3. JOAN - CLOUDY
Another 2000s themed pack of songs and we never get bored of it. 2000s is the best decade ever and hearing joan sing this nostalgic tunes effortlessly was such a blessing. Under the influence of our endless love for NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Busted, and even 5ive, we claimed Cloudy as one of the best EPs of 2020.
Apart from what we have reviewed earlier, we still save several good albums we claimed as our bests.
1. BEABADOOBEE - FAKE IT FLOWERS
Adopting pop-rock-princess persona for her debut, Bea is taking the right start. Early 2000s themed music is the trend of this decade and many musicians try it out, glad to know that Bea is one of the first ones. Despite being gen-Z and was born in 2000, Bea has made the best powerful nostalgic music we never knew we needed in 2020.
2. SOCCER MOMMY- COLOR THEORY
Sophia turns into a new indie-rock idol since releasing her first single. Color Theory is like a time capsule, taking you back to the 90s but now with more wisdom. Rather than making feel-good music, her album full of despair and pain. Gloomy and sad, but calming and empowering almost at the same time.
3. WILL JOSEPH COOK - SOMETHING TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT
Will Joseph Cook changed his appearance and musical style. Shifting from playful songs we heard from his debut in 2017, he explored melancholic tunes and vulnerable lyrics. You may miss his dramatic upbeat songs, but this Will Joseph Cook’s version is not disappointing either.
4. BOSTON MANOR - GLUE
We favor all the songs in this album. Boston Manor tackles essential issues, again and this time better. Other than talking about drugs or their dragging hometown, the band starts to talk about toxic masculinity, quarter life crisis, and modern loneliness. They stick to the industrial rock genre with intriguing hooks and bridges which surely are their best decision.
5. LEON - APART
Apart is a slow-paced album. Something you can listen to while laying in your bed and staring at the ceiling, but has the ability to take you to the amusing breezy afternoon. Her work is such a humble masterpiece, simple, sweet, but full of life.
6. DMA’S - THE GLOW
Many say if DMA’s were in the 90s, they would be as big as Oasis. We don’t really agree with that though, as we did not understand much about music back in the 90s (we were definitely just small kids), we love to have them in this decade releasing 90s alternative rock songs we can enjoy everywhere and everytime.
7. GUS DAPPERTON - ORCA
Other than the successful collab single with BENEE, Gus Dapperton released a brilliant album called Orca. It was the best pop album we suggest you give it a try. Not only does his unique voice fill you with joy, the crucial statements in his lyrics give much more meaning to Orca. Simply the best album of the year.
8. PHOEBE BRIDGERS - PUNISHER
Kyoto and Garden Song are just introduction, you will find more somber piano driven indie pop. Nominating her to get Grammys is not exaggeration, Punisher is an album of catharsis, both for Phoebe and listener. If you only know Taylor Swift released two brilliant pop folk albums, please do consider Phoebe Bridgers’.
Before saying goodbye to 2020,we’ve curated 101 best songs of the year. No-genre-limit, prepare to ride a roller coaster of mood and tunes. This will not be our last post of the year, we commit to write best albums and EPs.
Music is pretty much what makes 2020 more bearable. And Seaway’s new album Big Vibe may be one of the best things to happen this October.
Since releasing three singles in sequence, Big Vibe, Wild Things, and Still Blue, Seaway is giving us hint of a new album. Surprisingly, they embrace a new style of music. Departing from pop-punk, the band is singing 2000s alternative pop-rock.
Instead of putting Big Vibe as the first track, they introduces us to Brain in A Jar. A punchy rock tune with a melodic hook. Then Mrs. David, 80s themed song. Wild Things is instantly catchy from the beginning, so are Still Blue, Peach, Pathetic, Sweet Sugar, Wicked, and If You Let Me. Compared to the 2017 album, Vacation or the collection of reworked tracks in Fresh Produce, this album is on another level. A pack of perfect soundtrack for coming of age movies you can imagine.
We remember those years in the early 2000s, we were just children with no 24 hours access to the internet like these days. Only television and radio for entertainment and the music only played on demand. Either you wait for your favorite songs to be played or make a request to the local radio. Let alone listen to the whole album, we were satisfied by listening to the chosen hit singles. Many say the year of 2020s would be full of 90s and 2000s inspired music and we could not resist it. Now that we could listen to the whole album without ever need to buy them, 2020s may be the best decade - except for the covid-19, though.
BOSTON MANOR LIVE IN BLACKPOOL: THOUGHTS ON VIRTUAL CONCERT
Sorry, but virtual concerts are not as convenient as watching series on Netflix or reading electronic books on Kindle.
Despite the lack of thrill, virtual concerts helped music fans from a pretty unknown place like Indonesia to be able to watch their favorite international indie bands. In this case, we assume Boston Manor would unlikely put Indonesia in their world tour’s list. So, let’s make this a history and we impulsively bought the ticket to watch their virtual live performance, something they dubbed as the first and the last gig in 2020.
The concert started with the landscape of Blackpool, narrated by band members as their beloved yet dull hometown. Once a tourist city turned into a bland place to live, let alone become musicians. There is not much good music scene there, reminds us of our own hometown. Another small city in Indonesia whose bunch of tourism spots and universities slowly turns into a dull place this pandemic due to weakening tourism activities and online school system. The city is still crowded though, typical Indonesia. Yet, the pandemic showed the real face of the city. Dominated by white and blue collar workers, it is hard to find artists or musicians here other than non-permanent residents such as college students.
Anyway, they opened the concert by singing a new hit from the new album, Everything is Ordinary. A good song people complain about because of the megaphone effect on the vocal. They made it better while performing it in raw vocals, though. A perfect opening. New songs such as Ratking, 1’s & 0’s, You, Me & the Class War, Plasticine Dreams, Playing God, Brand New Kids, even On A High Ledge were sung effortlessly. It was closed by Halo, another all time favorite along with the hope that this pandemic will be over soon.
Something we totally agree on. Live concerts are okay and helpful, for us personally and musicians definitely. But we believe there is something missing here. Streaming Boston Manor last Friday, brought us to a memory of watching live concerts on a DVD back when we were still obsessed with boybands. But it does not feel as convenient as reading e-book to replace paper books or streaming series and films at the best nook of our homes. This virtual concert could not fulfil our expectation to experience music live in the hall or stadium, as we frequently watch live performance through YouTube for years, this is very ordinary. Well, until today where live streaming is possible, there is nothing equivalent to offline live concerts anyway.
The most anticipated album from Glass Animals is finally here. Dreamland the album is the exact thing you expect from the artwork and singles. Technicolor!
Melancholic-shimmering-surrealist-pop, this album is also compilation of personal essays. Dreamland and Heat Waves are the lockdown anthems as you all know, soft but secretly painful. Those are not the only one, pay attention to the summery Tangerine. It sounds cheerful, coverts the sadness behind. When you listen carefully, Tangerine is actually about losing someone you used to know.
Or try Space Ghost Coast to Coast, a typical comforting bedroom mastered song, but indeed is a story of a kid who almost did school shooting. While tackling domestic abuse in Domestic Bliss, they also made self-critic songs such as Waterfalls Coming Out Your Mouth and Melon and Coconut. Helium, the last song was perfectly placed at the end as something magical, both lyrically and musically. Enough of the melancholy, Tokyo Drifting and Your Love (Deja Vu) are still available to please your palate.
We don’t even think about comparing Dreamland to Glass Animals’ old albums. It is more than what we expect. Nice company to our many days after.
WEIRD TIME: MUSIC, PANDEMIC, AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT
Never in our mind we thought that last March was the last time we could live a normal life. We are currently sitting at home waiting for this to at least getting better, which is also scary because there is no idea when. The new year was pretty much fine and exciting before WWIII issues came out, flood sank Jakarta, severe forest fire happened in Australia. We were so excited to watch Foals live for the first time in Jakarta. Throughout their career, the band never visited Indonesia. Now, the idea of listening their tracks come to live was almost like a dream come true, not forget to mention that their last two albums are highly praised.
Not all tickets sold out that fast though, in February the promoters even came up with sonic opening act, Feast. to get more audiences on the row. Everyone was so optimistic as Foals managed to play in Garden Beats Singapore. They even flew to Manila to perform in other festivals. Yet, three days prior to the festival date it was announced that the festival had to be postponed. No need more time to decide that the Indonesia show was cancelled as well. In April, Foals decided to cancel their Europe and US shows.
It does not limited to Foals only, imagine how many artists need to do the same thing. Don’t forget their crews, managers, stylist, and other people behind those creative industries. Some managed to record videos, conduct home concert and upload it on YouTube. But, how about small enterprises who needs offline presence? This is a scary and weird time obviously. Some of us are fortunate enough to stay at home and still get income, some are not. So, we just want to suggest you to do as best as you can to support each other. Donate if you have more, stay at home as long as you could, keep your hygiene and health, and stay safe. Let’s pray this will end soon.
Anyway, this stay at home moment was the time when we look up to more playlists and podcasts, the number of artists we never heard of or even the forgotten one suddenly peaked. One name ticks us, Moose Blood. It seems too naive not knowing what happened to them. In the end of 2018, the band decided to be in hiatus even indicate a break up after a series of unfortunate events. First, their last album was such a big failure. It never sold out even after the sale. People attack them musically as well as personally. After the accusation toward their former drummer and finally the singer, Moose Blood did not even impress fans with the the material.
The peak was when Good Charlotte deleted their name from opening acts list and the band release the statement, which to us seem a bit off guard. They should have released any statement since the accusation come out in 2017. Yet, they waited until 2018 before the third album released and finally after being cancelled by Good Charlotte. Well, without any evidence and proof, we never know the truth, but we would like to remain respectful to the victim. Any sexual misconduct and immoral behavior should never happened at all at any stage or place.
As we research more about this Moose Blood controversy, we bumped into Nothing But Thieves case. There are threads in Twitter talk about this, completed by evidences showing disrespectful manners and private messages from the band members to underage fans. Good PR is needed and they worked fast enough to release statement accordingly. Saying that it was something in the past they’ve long learned and left behind. Good point, although it is still disgusting behavior we could not tolerate.
Moose Blood and Nothing But Thieves were not the only one. The sexual misconduct involving artists is an old story. Remember Neck Deep’s former guitarist, Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein. It exists and happens for a very long time we believe. In Indonesia, there is one case involving a local indie musician lately, he even managed to collect several victims. The worst thing was he still has guts to apologize through video. Although we hoped victims would speak up and bring this case to police, we are sorry to admit that those kind of people are still there around you, around us, anywhere else undetected just like coronavirus.
What makes musicians do that? There is fame and influences which lead to the imbalance of power between them and fans. There is informal “assurance” that whoever become their victims will not tell anyone due to stigma and dishonor they’ll get from society.
I hope that this quarantine would make them think through what they’ve done. Uncovered or covered cases. We hope the world gets better soon and we all could live normally, walk safely without caution, then someday the safe gig/concert for everyone regardless their gender is a real deal.
We know this is such a random thoughts, but we hope you enjoy this. Stay safe and see you soon.
If we could just pick one best album this year right now, POWER would be it. Unlike their last irascible album, GLA or the pensive Great Divide, this new album is euphoric. Infusing 80s synth and rock guitar, they are surprisingly not trying to be generic band we almost bump into each day, mimicking certain popular bands.
Surely, they still want to engage the old fans while enlarge their demographic target. Oh! Euphoria!, Novocaine, and Barcelona are certainly made to get to younger generations, talking about love and affection. Meanwhile, Messiah, Praise Me, Ultraviolet Truth, and Volcano are more psychedelic and murky.
Many referred this album to Depeche Mode or Joy Division, something belongs to the cycle of nostalgia without offering novelty. No matter what that is, as simply music enthusiasts, we enjoy this and would love to declare it as a very fresh start of the decade.
Hello, it’s been a while since the last time we post something here. We are not necessarily end although as you know we began less and less committed to this blog for the past two years.
Honestly, sometimes we felt guilty by not making post at least once a week or checking our inbox. We actually still love listening to music non-stop each day, which means we have more new songs and musicians to share and even the reminiscence of old songs and our beloved bands/vocal groups make us eager to let you know. There were lots of times where we found good artists, good records, interesting topics, but we forgot to make draft, let alone a post.
2019 was the year of procrastination, a year of waste not sharing with you, but it is also a year of epiphany. We are not running a business here. This blog was created as a medium to share what we love, to share happiness through music we discover. Despite insisting ourselves to make regular post then keeping up with what’s trend and not, it is better to do it all as fun. Let’s share whenever and whatever we think is cool and worth. We’ll still do our best to check inbox regularly, hopefully our lack of response last year won’t demotivate you to contact us in any form.
Resolution: still make noise in internet, at least share our thoughts in music. It could be album review, song discovery, infographic, interview, opinions, and many others whenever we can. Please bear with us and stay tune. Thanks for everything.
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