AT. LONG. LAST. A$AP ROCKY – A$AP ROCKY – What is so confusing for olders like us is how kids who say stuff like “Makonnen gave me acid at SXSW. After that, I went back to my mansion and fucked nine chicks. It was pretty rad” might be among the best musicians out there. I wasn’t crazy about Rocky when I caught him at MSG, and “1 Train” had worn off, but this is a huge album in the middle of a very good year. “LSD” is the best song he has recorded, and the Rod Stewart, Miguel and Mark Ronson featured “Everyday” is a pop move that may well break pop, and the darker stuff features the likes of M.I.A. and Kanye West. At the least, acid is a lot more interesting than weed – ALBUM OF THE WEEK – A-
American Spring – Anti-Flag – US punk rock agitrockers with a cause and a smart line of platter, a little beyond three chord wonders, and given to sounding like leaflets at student protests on campus but so what? Some time plain speak is the only speak. Tim Armstrong joins em on one track – B
Touch Down 2 Cause Hell – Boosie Badazz – There is thug life and there is getting acquitted from murder one charges last year in the face of the death penalty. Meet the latter, a not untypical Southern rapper with the usual plethora of guest stars (Young Thug, T.I., Rick Ross and more) with a voice like wire through a throat and the realness many try for, few manage. His first official release and it will be very hot in the hood – B
Talk – Daniel Johns – Soulful heavy throbbing drums, tinkling synths album by the former Silverchair leader – B
Full Tramp – Dirty Fences – One son is called “Judy (Don’t Go) so let’s assume she isn’t a punk rocker now on this 70s nyc punk album, if only the songs were just a little better – B-
Empires – Hillsong United – I know you think this Christian band, part of the New Zealand Church out to conquer CCM but that’s just because they all use “Hillsong” the way the A$AP family all use “A$AP”. So this is their first studio album since 2013 and it sounds like a real album, a moody glistening thing which works intermittently but seldom over an album because they can’t help going for the big chorus. It reminds me of Imagine Dragon only even worse – C
Explains – Little Wings – Sweet natured, slow and dream, Cali folk rock mood tracks. Fe fi fo fum, they don’t want to smell your blood…. hippies, I’m, warning you – B
Multi-Love – Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sweet sounding, hi-lo fi songs, well arranged on their third album – B
English Grammar – The Vaccines – A whopping 18 tracks of very high octane UK rock and roll with art aspirations that don’t get in the way, but with a hit to miss ratio that needs work on – B
