Now, for the continuation of my "catch-up" series of quick reviews; it's meant to bring me up to date and help me wade through the backlog of unfinished reviews from this year, so these should be considered more as passing nods of acknowledgment than fully fleshed out thoughts on the albums below. I've scored 'em anyway but, as you'll see, I didn't skip over any Album of the Year contenders here.
MANIC STREET PREACHERS
Resistance is Futile
April 13, 2018 • Columbia
Highlights People Give In • International Blue • Liverpool Revisited
This far along into their career, Manic Street Preachers don't exactly owe anyone reminders of why they're regarded as one of the UK's landmark bands of the last thirty years; and yet, they still manage to find ways to creep back into the collective consciousness (admittedly, much more so at home than abroad). On their thirteenth album, the trio remain committed to their rock roots while adding colourful keyboards to the edges. It's bit of an uneven album with a handful of songs that don't leave much of a lasting impression, but the ones that do are all the proof a fan like me needs that they still have plenty to say and more interesting ways to say it.
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
Come Tomorrow
June 8, 2018 • Bama Rags/RCA
Highlights Can't Stop • Idea of You • Black and Blue Bird
Always more renowned for their work on stage than on record, Dave Matthews Band have never made a truly great album. After a six year gap between records, why would that change now? A few pleasant songs and formidable musicianship aside, Come Tomorrow is mostly bereft of energy and soul, its humanity buried under slick production and maudlin arrangements. Surely, these tunes will sound much better live.
MANIC STREET PREACHERS
Resistance is Futile
April 13, 2018 • Columbia
Highlights People Give In • International Blue • Liverpool Revisited
This far along into their career, Manic Street Preachers don't exactly owe anyone reminders of why they're regarded as one of the UK's landmark bands of the last thirty years; and yet, they still manage to find ways to creep back into the collective consciousness (admittedly, much more so at home than abroad). On their thirteenth album, the trio remain committed to their rock roots while adding colourful keyboards to the edges. It's bit of an uneven album with a handful of songs that don't leave much of a lasting impression, but the ones that do are all the proof a fan like me needs that they still have plenty to say and more interesting ways to say it.
DAVE MATTHEWS BAND
Come Tomorrow
June 8, 2018 • Bama Rags/RCA
Highlights Can't Stop • Idea of You • Black and Blue Bird
Always more renowned for their work on stage than on record, Dave Matthews Band have never made a truly great album. After a six year gap between records, why would that change now? A few pleasant songs and formidable musicianship aside, Come Tomorrow is mostly bereft of energy and soul, its humanity buried under slick production and maudlin arrangements. Surely, these tunes will sound much better live.
DAWES
Passwords
June 22, 2018 • HUB
Highlights Living in the Future • Feed the Fire • Mistakes We Should Have Made
Speaking of maudlin. Dawes' sixth album takes all of the sonic exploration they've done on their previous handful of records and throws it in a blender, opting instead to make a '70s soft rock album. It might be more interesting if the sweeping, starry ballads were the exception rather than the rule; however, with so few standout moments and over half of the songs hovering in the six minute range, Passwords ends up being a decent homage to Jackson Browne at best and a dull, morose slog at worst.
Passwords
June 22, 2018 • HUB
Highlights Living in the Future • Feed the Fire • Mistakes We Should Have Made
Speaking of maudlin. Dawes' sixth album takes all of the sonic exploration they've done on their previous handful of records and throws it in a blender, opting instead to make a '70s soft rock album. It might be more interesting if the sweeping, starry ballads were the exception rather than the rule; however, with so few standout moments and over half of the songs hovering in the six minute range, Passwords ends up being a decent homage to Jackson Browne at best and a dull, morose slog at worst.
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