What I’m Listening To #6

What I’m Listening To, the blog series in which I reflect on all the music I’ve been exploring during the last few months. Join me on this inspirational journey and listen along with the Spotify playlist below. Let me know your recommendations in the comments!

Rise Against – Nowhere Generation
A melodic punk rock album in classic Rise Against fashion, “Nowhere Generation” can sometimes sound a bit too familiar. At the same time however, this is what the band does best: loud and fast-paced instrumentation accompanied by Tim McIlrath’s powerful raspy vocals. The album has definitely grown on me, but it’s not my favorite. That title still belongs to 2008’s “Appeal to Reason”.

Deltron 3030 – Event 2
I’ve had this on my list for ages! “Event 2” was never to be found online, but I finally managed to find a copy. Rapper Del the Funky Homosapien (yes, that’s his name) is a fantastic storyteller. With his lyrics he paints futuristic scenarios of intergalactic societies, travel and conflicts. Thoroughly enjoyed the album, but I haven’t figured out the exact punch line of the story yet.

Jacob Banks – For My Friends
This new EP opens strong with the rock influenced “Parade”, but the song feels somewhat out of place in retrospect. Instead, the focus mostly lies on minimalistic and atmospheric electronica accompanied by soft guitar or piano. The thing that stays consistent though are Jakob’s phenomenal vocals. With unique timbre and emotion, he makes you feel every word he sings!

Royal Blood – Typhoons
Who would’ve thought Royal Blood would evoke the sounds of Foster the People, Daft Punk and Muse? Keyboards, vocodor and crazy chords took me completely off guard on my first listen to “Typhoons”. Although Royal Blood has drastically freshened up their style, they stay true to their roots with iconic nasty bass and rhythmic punchy drums. A brilliant way to evolve, and I’m so glad they decided to do this after two similar albums. On top of that the album manages to stay consistently awesome! This is what Royal Blood needed. This is what rock music needed.

Imagine Dragons – Mercury Act 1
I mostly prefer albums that tell a cohesive story, be it through sound or lyrics. “Mercury Act 1” is far from that. In fact, it’s quite the chaotic listening experience. The band has no problem going from indie pop and electronic to full-blown hard rock and even screamo. I do have to applaud Dan Reynolds for displaying such a wide vocal range. He gives it all, singing and screaming like his life depends on it. This being album five, Imagine Dragons have shown to be excellent songwriters and capable of handling different styles. However, I think they can establish a stronger identity if they stick to a particular direction for once.

The Founders – No Masters, No Slaves
This hardcore punk band is Mark Passio’s music project. He’s known for his lectures on Natural Law, hence the EP title. It doesn’t get any more hardcore than this, both in terms of loud music and lyrical themes. The recordings are raw and authentic and you feel the band’s passion, hence the singer’s name. “No Masters, No Slaves” isn’t available on Spotify, but I strongly encourage you to look it up!

S P E C I A L
S I N G L E S
Individual songs that have sparked my interest.

Rag’n’Bone Man – ‘’Alone’’
The emotional yet powerful singing on this song really stands out to me.

Linkin Park – ‘’Papercut’’
Linkin Park at their best. Turns out to be fairly easy to play on guitar.

Queen – ‘’Crazy Little Thing Called Love’’
Went back to some Queen stuff. The blues suit them surprisingly well!