Propagandhi
Failed States
Rating: 8.5/10
By Desmond Ho, Senior Writer
Propagandhi’s latest album, Failed States, is another solid, politically-charged album in the band’s 26-year history. The band’s sixth album sees the Canadian punkers once again raging on about the current state of the world.
The album opens with “Note to Self,” a slow intro lead-in then instantly kicks into technical riffs at breakneck speed. Propagandhi has certainly not lost it’s aggressiveness over time, as demonstrated by the pure grind of “Hadron Collision.” Things slow down a bit later on in tracks like “Dark Matters,” balancing the album’s pace.
What’s most impressive about Propagandhi is how much they’ve matured over the years. They have certainly come a long way since their early days of being a sneering, bratty, NOFX-style skate-punk band, gradually morphing into progressive thrash metal one. In a genre marked by triteness and interchangeability, it is refreshing to see a band that has taken risks and had them pay off. The band’s lyrical evolution transcends it’s old, adolescent sense of humor based on gratuitous swearing.
Propagandhi emulates the style of their fourth album, Potemkin City Limits (2005) refining it in the process.
Failed States is a great listen not only for punk and thrash-metal fans, but also for those hungry for politically charged, aggressive messages. who like their music laced with aggressive protests and political messages.
Two Door Cinema Club
Beacon
Rating: 6.5/10
By Shelby Clemons, Staff Writer
In the two years since their debut studio album Tourist History, indie-rock band Two Door Cinema Club has taken the indie scene by storm with fast, catchy songs. The Irish trio keeps their to their upbeat roots in their sophomore album, Beacon, yet offers a more mellow, mature vibe. Much like their first album, the band depends on electronically processed melodies, which seems to be their signature.
Unlike Tourist History, which lacked variety, making every song sounded bleakly similar, Beacon, displays a new side of the band with slower songs like “Spring” and the title track “Beacon.” Cinema Club fortifies its indie-rock status with “Wake Up,” which redirects focus away from the frilly pop image depicted in Tourist History‘s more popular singles. In comparison to Tourist History’s repetitive beats, it’s a step up.
Unfortunately, the album’s single “Sleep Alone” is not nearly as memorable as the band’s first album single “What You Know,” which saw much more radio time.
Fortunately, it seems like the band can always depend on the catchiness of their songs. When teamed with poetic lyrics, whether they are about romance or youthfulness, the songs are bound to get stuck in your head while connecting at an intimate level.
On its own, Beacon is a solid album. When compared to Tourist History, though, it is easier to appreciate the album. Beacon is worth listening to whether you are a Two Doors Cinema Club fan or not.
Imagine Dragons
Night Visions
7/10
By Cole Nelson, Staff Writer
Ever since the release of their latest EP, the fairly new band Imagine Dragons has stirred up much anticipation for the release of Night Visions, their first album. The four-man-band lives up to the hype with the jaw dropping album debut.
With the powerful vocal range and ability of lead singer Dan Reynolds and the catchy and memorable beats of drummer Daniel Platzman, the indie-rock band is able to produce catchy and memorable songs. Several of the new songs match the quality of the classic Imagine Dragons single, “It’s Time,” with some possibly even surpassing it.
In Night Visions, Imagine Dragons has strayed from their typical upbeat, “happy-go-lucky” sound. As suggested with the plethora of “slow songs”, Imagine Dragons seems to be molding a mature reputation for themselves.
The album itself exudes an air of emotional instability and redemption that triggers one’s self-analysis, creating a pervasive sense of optimism. This is effectively fortified with strong, appealing and relatable lyrics. It conveys a sensation of epiphanic experience, instilling a hopeful and positive outlook in listener.
Having only formed in 2009 with only one released album, Imagine Dragons can easily be described as an “Underdog”, a song on the album and a personal favorite. Night Visions is an album I will have in my disc tray for a good while.
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