CATCH-UP TIME 2019, Part 1: Haiku Reviews
Many, many moons ago, I had a weird idea pop into my head; how hilarious would it be to sum something up not with a long winded review, but something short and directly to the point? At the time, I didn't act upon the idea of the Haiku Review, but I wish I had; of course, someone else acted upon their idea and beat me to the title "pioneer of haiku as a form of critical thinking".
Such wasted chances
I could have gotten more hits
If only I'd haiku'd.
Anyway, I have published haiku reviews before; when Arcade Fire released their super-pretentious double album Reflektor back in 2013, I went about the business of reviewing it not on this site like a normal person would, but with haiku on my old personal Twitter account. I did a few, but my favourite was:
The first half was great
What happened on the second?
Think I fell asleep.
You get the idea. So, with that spirit in mind alongside the knowledge that I've been really, really terrible at keeping up my end of the bargain around here while letting over 30 pending reviews pile up, I've decided to cut the list down in the quick and efficient way known as haiku reviews. Let's go!
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN The Balance
April 26, 2019 • Island/Universal
Highlights Longshot • 2all • Basically
Streamlined and upbeat
Like Cage the Elephant, but
Without the weirdness.
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Fishing for Fishies
April 26, 2019 • Flightless/ATO
Highlights Fishing for Fishies • Plastic Boogie • Cyboogie
Boogie for boogie
Boogie and boogie again
Boogie boogie boo.
BAD RELIGION Age of Unreason
May 3, 2019 • Epitaph
Highlights My Sanity • Do the Paranoid Style • Age of Unreason
Seventeenth record
It's Bad Religion, all right
What more do you need?
FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES End of Suffering
May 3, 2019 • International Death Cult
Highlights Heartbreaker • Crowbar • Anxiety
Intense and hopeful
Infused with guts and groove
The future looks bright.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND Father of the Bride
May 3, 2019 • Sony Music
Highlights Harmony Hall • This Life • Unbearably White
Really ambitious
But lacks immediacy
Kind of underwhelmed.
BIFFY CLYRO Balance, Not Symmetry (Soundtrack)
May 17, 2019 • 14th Floor/Warner
Highlights Balance, Not Symmetry • All Singing and All Dancing • The Naturals
All over the place
Like most soundtracks tend to be
But hey, Mon the Biff!
THE NATIONAL I Am Easy to Find
May 17, 2019 • 4AD
Highlights You Had Your Soul With You • The Pull of You • Light Years
Lush and beautiful
Artistic growth abounds here
Another winner.
BLACK MOUNTAIN Destroyer
May 24, 2019 • Jagjaguwar/Dine Alone
Highlights Future Shade • High Rise • Boogie Lover
Hello traveler
Welcome to Big Riff City
Population: This.
DINOSAUR PILE-UP Celebrity Mansions
June 7, 2019 • Parlophone/Warner
Highlights Thrash Metal Cassette • Back Foot • Pouring Gasoline
For better or worse
The 90's are back again
But mostly better.
SILVERSUN PICKUPS Widow's Weeds
June 7, 2019 • New Machine
Highlights Neon Wound • It Doesn't Matter Why • Bag of Bones
A return to form
Not that they really left, still
Nice to have them back.
BARONESS Gold & Grey
June 14, 2019 • Abraxan Hymns
Highlights I'm Already Gone • Throw Me An Anchor • Borderlines
Damn you, Dave Fridmann
Another stellar record
Killed by production.
BLACK MIDI Schlagenheim
June 21, 2019 • Rough Trade
Highlights 953 • Western • bmbmbm
Indescribable
Unique and vibrant vision
Album of the Year?
THE RACONTEURS Help Us, Stranger
June 21, 2019 • Third Man
Highlights Bored and Razed • Sunday Driver • Now That You're Gone
Jack White rocks again
Brendan Benson rocks better
Together they reign.
THE BLACK KEYS Let's Rock
June 28, 2019 • Easy Eye/Nonesuch
Highlights Shine a Little Light • Lo/Hi • Walk Across the Water
Just as I suspect
Response to a career low
Is rocking again.
HE IS LEGEND White Bat
June 28, 2019 • Spinefarm/Universal
Highlights White Bat • Burn All Your Rock Records • Resister Resist Her
These guys just might be
The most underrated band
In heavy metal.
THOM YORKE Anima
June 28, 2019 • Unsustainabubble/XL
Highlights Dawn Chorus • Not the News • The Axe
Full on Dancing Thom
Mixed with prime Radiohead
Not perfect but great.
Such wasted chances
I could have gotten more hits
If only I'd haiku'd.
Anyway, I have published haiku reviews before; when Arcade Fire released their super-pretentious double album Reflektor back in 2013, I went about the business of reviewing it not on this site like a normal person would, but with haiku on my old personal Twitter account. I did a few, but my favourite was:
The first half was great
What happened on the second?
Think I fell asleep.
You get the idea. So, with that spirit in mind alongside the knowledge that I've been really, really terrible at keeping up my end of the bargain around here while letting over 30 pending reviews pile up, I've decided to cut the list down in the quick and efficient way known as haiku reviews. Let's go!
CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN The Balance
April 26, 2019 • Island/Universal
Highlights Longshot • 2all • Basically
Streamlined and upbeat
Like Cage the Elephant, but
Without the weirdness.
KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD Fishing for Fishies
April 26, 2019 • Flightless/ATO
Highlights Fishing for Fishies • Plastic Boogie • Cyboogie
Boogie for boogie
Boogie and boogie again
Boogie boogie boo.
BAD RELIGION Age of Unreason
May 3, 2019 • Epitaph
Highlights My Sanity • Do the Paranoid Style • Age of Unreason
Seventeenth record
It's Bad Religion, all right
What more do you need?
FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES End of Suffering
May 3, 2019 • International Death Cult
Highlights Heartbreaker • Crowbar • Anxiety
Intense and hopeful
Infused with guts and groove
The future looks bright.
VAMPIRE WEEKEND Father of the Bride
May 3, 2019 • Sony Music
Highlights Harmony Hall • This Life • Unbearably White
Really ambitious
But lacks immediacy
Kind of underwhelmed.
BIFFY CLYRO Balance, Not Symmetry (Soundtrack)
May 17, 2019 • 14th Floor/Warner
Highlights Balance, Not Symmetry • All Singing and All Dancing • The Naturals
All over the place
Like most soundtracks tend to be
But hey, Mon the Biff!
THE NATIONAL I Am Easy to Find
May 17, 2019 • 4AD
Highlights You Had Your Soul With You • The Pull of You • Light Years
Lush and beautiful
Artistic growth abounds here
Another winner.
BLACK MOUNTAIN Destroyer
May 24, 2019 • Jagjaguwar/Dine Alone
Highlights Future Shade • High Rise • Boogie Lover
Hello traveler
Welcome to Big Riff City
Population: This.
DINOSAUR PILE-UP Celebrity Mansions
June 7, 2019 • Parlophone/Warner
Highlights Thrash Metal Cassette • Back Foot • Pouring Gasoline
For better or worse
The 90's are back again
But mostly better.
SILVERSUN PICKUPS Widow's Weeds
June 7, 2019 • New Machine
Highlights Neon Wound • It Doesn't Matter Why • Bag of Bones
A return to form
Not that they really left, still
Nice to have them back.
BARONESS Gold & Grey
June 14, 2019 • Abraxan Hymns
Highlights I'm Already Gone • Throw Me An Anchor • Borderlines
Damn you, Dave Fridmann
Another stellar record
Killed by production.
BLACK MIDI Schlagenheim
June 21, 2019 • Rough Trade
Highlights 953 • Western • bmbmbm
Indescribable
Unique and vibrant vision
Album of the Year?
THE RACONTEURS Help Us, Stranger
June 21, 2019 • Third Man
Highlights Bored and Razed • Sunday Driver • Now That You're Gone
Jack White rocks again
Brendan Benson rocks better
Together they reign.
THE BLACK KEYS Let's Rock
June 28, 2019 • Easy Eye/Nonesuch
Highlights Shine a Little Light • Lo/Hi • Walk Across the Water
Just as I suspect
Response to a career low
Is rocking again.
HE IS LEGEND White Bat
June 28, 2019 • Spinefarm/Universal
Highlights White Bat • Burn All Your Rock Records • Resister Resist Her
These guys just might be
The most underrated band
In heavy metal.
THOM YORKE Anima
June 28, 2019 • Unsustainabubble/XL
Highlights Dawn Chorus • Not the News • The Axe
Full on Dancing Thom
Mixed with prime Radiohead
Not perfect but great.
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