I’m not someone who is particularly online anymore. In 2023, I cut a lot of social media out of my daily routine. Twitter (X), gone. Facebook, gone. Instagram, mostly gone. And, although cutting these sites out has definitely been beneficial for my mental health, it has meant I’ve had less of a finger on the pulse when it comes to new music. In addition to this, I live in China, and unreliable access to a VPN also means unreliable access to Bandcamp, or to YouTube. In terms of streaming, I use Apple Music, and, when it comes to finding new music, I tend to scour the app weekly, or catch wind of new releases via Instagram (when I log in). There are also a couple of music sites I still skim infrequently, like Brooklyn Vegan and The Alternative. All of this makes me a fairly poor music reviewer, but I haven’t really claimed to be one for the past five years or so. I do still listen to music though, and I figure I could at least document ten things I’ve been listening to each month, partly to make more attempts to find new stuff, but also to continue writing about artists I appreciate. Don’t expect polished notes or deep thoughts – I’m just putting these lists out there. This is the first installment – let’s see how long it lasts.
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1) Camp Cope – Live at the Sydney Opera House (stream)
A fantastic live stream of a fantastic final show, this recording documenting the Australian three-piece’s (a four-piece towards the end) last ever concert – which took place at the Sydney Opera House in October of 2023. Across eight years and three full-length albums, Camp Cope touched the lives and hearts of many, and they have left an inspiring legacy which hopefully continues to see their music discovered moving forwards. This final show, captured in the highest-quality, is a celebration of everything that made Camp Cope Camp Cope. I had a huge grin on my face the entire time, and don’t think the band could have gone out on a better note. Also, great crowd too. I don’t know how long this stream will be up, but it’s well worth a watch. Will also say here that I’m very excited to see what Georgia Maq is cooking for the future – always dig her solo work. [Link]
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2) Cheekface – It’s Sorted (album)
I made mention in my end-of-year list that I’ve been big on indie outfit Cheekface in the past few months, and January marked no change in that regard. The band’s fourth LP in five years dropped on the 22nd, and I’ve listened to it daily since (sometimes multiple times). It’s wonderfully replayable, with tight percussion, earworm choruses, and lyrics which are more focused than on past releases. It’s Sorted is another winner. I’ve found myself humming the chorus to ‘Popular 2’ nightly when trying to fall asleep, and this is not a bad thing. I can already see this album being my most played of 2024, even though I do rate their last LP from 2023 (Too Much to Ask) a little higher.
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3) Chappell Roan – The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (album)
I teach Chinese students English at a university a few hours west of Shanghai, and I often find myself wanting to talk to them about music outside of China. However, I find that the best I can get out of them is their opinion on Taylor Swift’s ‘Love Story.’ Next term, I’m going to be telling them, “Forget about Taylor Swift! Listen to Chappell Roan instead!” This is the future of pop music, and I am all for it. I found TRAFOAMP via a few end-of-year lists from 2023, and it has been a huge part of my 2024 so far – pop perfection. Unfiltered, self-aware, and catchy as all hell, Chappell Roan’s music is a welcome breath of fresh air. The reverb-soaked and wonderfully messy ‘Casual’ is a highlight, but every song here shines. [Apple Music]
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4) Blackshape – Itiiitiatiihylihyl (song)
You’re probably thinking, Craig, what’s with that title? When I read it for the first time, I had the same question. The song itself answers that question, but I won’t spoil it for you here. What I will say is that this is six minutes of towering post-rock, absolutely bursting with life – a devastating and empowering listen. My Youtube recommendations sent this my way, and it’s the best thing the website has ever done for me (aside from giving me a place to watch every season and iteration of Taskmaster for free).
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5) Gallows – Gallows / Desolation Sounds (albums)
I’ve gotten into the habit of turning my phone off during commutes and longer train journeys, passing the time with my beat-up MP3 player or a book to pass the time as a healthier alternative to endless doomscrolling. This led me to revisit these 2012 and 2014 offerings from Gallows, during a six-hour train ride. With Alexisonfire / Black Lung’s Wade MacNeil taking over vocal duties from the departed Frank Carter, Gallows is less politically motivated than it’s predecessor, Grey Britain, outside of songs like the anthemic ‘Last June,’ but it still packs a definite punch. Most songs come in at under three minutes, so the LP roars by, thunderous riffs and shout-along choruses aplenty. Desolation Sounds also holds up as a more focused listen, with heavier tracks like the huge ‘Leviathan Rot’ and ‘Chains’ immense. Almost ten years have passed, but these songs have lost absolutely none of their potency.
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6) Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – Dark Rainbow (album)
Speaking of Frank Carter, this new album with The Rattlesnakes is very solid, the first half a little stronger than the second, in my opinion. This is by some distance the mellowest record Carter has made, with more pianos and softer tracks than on previous albums. That being said, there are still big choruses too, as on ‘Superstar’ and opener ‘Honey.’ I have a lot of love for the production also, especially in the guitar work throughout. Haven’t seen much in the way of promotion for this LP, and will admit that it snuck up on me. January is generally a quiet month for releases – Dark Rainbow adds some welcome volume. [Apple Music]
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7) Bad Omens x Poppy – V.A.N (song)
I’ve never really connected with Bad Omens and their music, but have been a fan of Poppy for a few years now, so decided to see what this collaboration was about. I was surprised to hear Poppy take center-stage and vocal duties for the entirety of the track, a prescient examination of our own relationship to the world around us, backed up by stomping industrial instrumentals and a couple of sonic left-turns during breakdown sections. She is an excellent fit. ‘V.A.N’ is an interesting listen, and has made me reconsider giving THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND (2022 Bad Omens record) another chance.
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8) Deltron 3030 – Deltron 3030 (album)
I saw Jeff Rosenstock recommend this 2000 hip-hop classic on an episode of What’s in My Bag? [a great series run by the folks at Amoeba Records], and gave it a few listens, trusting Jeff to be an authority on music – the guy knows his genres. I ending up loving this, old-school beats and instrumentals, over which a pretty engaging narrative plays out, like an episode of Futurama reimagined as an LP. I’ve been getting into classic hip-hop steadily over recent years, finally getting around to exploring the back catalogs of artists like Nas and Wu-Tang Clan, so this was a stellar find. Shout out Jeff Rosenstock, always.
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9) Creed – Stadium Anthems (compilation)
Creed, yes, Creed. I also never thought we’d see the day. I found myself in the middle of a dull afternoon having a sudden random memory of a viral clip I saw of the band’s Thanksgiving 2001 half-time show, and then went online to watch the whole thing. One word – extraordinary. Yes, the vocals are pre-recorded, and the entire three-song mash-up plays out like a weird fever dream, but, you’ve got to admit, Creed nailed it. A piece of history, at this point. So, after that performance, I went and listened to ‘My Sacrifice,’ ‘Higher,’ and ‘Eyes Wide Open,’ three of the songs on this seven-song, 2023-released compilation. And, you know what? I think these songs are killer. It’s mostly because I unironically love that Scott Stapp’s vocals add an extra two syllables to every word, but there is also formidable guitar work from Mark Tremonti across these tracks. The chorus to ‘Higher’ is an all-timer, no doubt. Do I have any plans to listen to anything else from the band? Absolutely not, but I appreciate Creed’s creative and commercial peak, if it encompasses these three singles. [Apple Music]
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10) Fred Again.. – NPR Tiny Desk Session (live performance)
There’s a good chance this twenty-minute video will appear on next month’s list, and the month after, and the month after, because I use it as if it were coffee or a comfort blanket. I don’t think there’s a producer alive right now doing what Fred Again.. is doing, putting as much of their soul, pouring so much emotion into their music. It is, in the simplest of terms, a blessing. I press play on this video with the intention of perhaps doing something else at the same time, cleaning the flat, or getting some work done, but no. Every time, it just pulls me in, and I find myself caught up in the intricacy and power of the performance, every second so meticulously planned and wonderfully executed, so genuine in delivery, so moving in the abundance of heart that radiates throughout. To watch this Tiny Desk is to fall under a spell, and I always end it feeling healed, grateful, and more alive. It is a mesmerising watch, and I cannot recommend it enough, even if electronic music is not normally your go-to. The music of Fred Again.. is universal.
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Craig Reviews Music 