What I’m Listening To #13

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. Press play on the playlist below, listen along and join me on this inspirational journey. Post your recommendations in the comments!

Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill
What, you’ve never listened to Beastie Boys before? Stop reading now and press play up above! Under the guidance of famed producer and music guru Rick Rubin, these guys were among the first to combine elements of hip hop and rock, forever changing the course of both genres and inspiring artists for decades to come (such as Joey Valence & Brae listed below). Two of their biggest singles, “Fight for Your Right” and “No Sleep till Brooklyn” are back-to-back on the tracklist, showing off some masterful sampling of their musical contemporaries and a dynamic interplay between the three rappers, bouncing around the stereo field. “Licensed to Ill” is almost 40 years old and honestly does sound a bit dated. Simultaneously, its age is also a strength, as the album transports you right back to the late 80s, a time when the Boys ruled the airwaves.

Luke Combs – Gettin’ Old
No less than 18 songs here! Besides the international hit and cover song “Fast Car”, “Gettin’ Old” contains moving stories that paint a detailed and sometimes romanticised or sentimental picture of ordinary life. Through his honest and intimate lyrics, Luke elegantly moves from memories of his childhood, friendships and moments of heartbreak to more complex themes like finding purpose and leaving a legacy. The result is a universal body of work to which anybody can relate. The country rock arrangements are pretty straightforward but effective, as are the singer-songwriter’s raspy and heartfelt vocals. A small nitpick is that there are too many ballads, bringing down the overall energy. Leaving out some of these would’ve benefited the flow and runtime, in my humble opinion.

Chvrches – Every Open Eye
Without hesitation, this album instantly grabs your attention by pouring a pretty and enchanting electro pop soundscape into your ears. With bright, pounding electronica and chopped vocal samples, the music has a very digital timbre. However, there’s also a clear human touch present, mainly due to Chvrches frontwoman Lauren Mayberry’s light voice. My favorite moments are the hypnotic breakdowns on songs like “Clearest Blue” and “Bury It”, when the music reaches its climax and making it impossible not to move your feet. This colorful and thick-layered album only slows down at the last minute, allowing for a brief moment to digest the mesmerising synthmania that is “Every Open Eye”. Special thanks to my friend PeppePark for recommending Chvrches to me!

Green Day – 21st Century Breakdown
For the longest time, Green Day’s 2004 album “American Idiot” didn’t wear me out, so I never was in a hurry to dive deeper into their discography. That was until recently, when I heard the nostalgic “21 Guns” on the radio and became curious again. It’s easy to compare “21st Century Breakdown” to its predecessor “Idiot”, as they’re both rock operas packaged in a hard rock sound with similar themes. “American Idiot” does seem a bit stronger in all of these aspects, but “Century” is certainly a worthy successor and I appreciate it for shaking things up a little: piano-driven arrangements, varying song structures and interesting melodies and chord progressions all make for an enjoyable listen.

Sum 41 – Heaven :x: Hell
This is it, the last official Sum 41 album. To celebrate that fact, “Heaven :x: Hell” consists of a double-sided LP of pop punk songs on one side and more metal influenced music on the other. After listening a few times, I relunctantly have to conclude that there’s nothing too groundbreaking here. Most songs sound like we’ve heard them before, some with predictable melodies or guitar riffs or lackluster lyrics. I had hoped for something a bit more daring. Take for example the introductory “Preparasi a Salire” with its a cappella-style vocodor or the electronic-infused bridge of “I Don’t Need Anyone”. These aspects, which were also present in 2019’s “Order In Decline”, prove that there was more territory to explore. It’s understandable though, with a goodbye album like this, that the band just wants to do what they do best. And that’s certainly the case here, because the passionate singing and aggressive, fast-paced drums and guitars all sound awesome as always. The band will probably be disbanding sometime next year after a big explosive worldwide tour. I’m already looking forward to seeing them one more time this October!

S P E C I A L
S I N G L E S
Songs that have caught my attention.

Linkin Park – “Friendly Fire”
Beautiful B-side from the 2017 “One More Light” sessions. Pretty hard to sing though.

Brothers Osborne – “Get to Movin’ Again”
Classic country jam, love it.

Chris Cornell – “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart”
Standout solo track from Soundgarden’s legendary frontman.

Our Last Night – “Let Light Overcome the Darkness”
These roaring vocals will make you overcome any darkness.

Joey Valence & Brae – “Punk Tactics”
Beastie Boys reincarnated!

Five Times August – “Liars, Cheats and Crooks”
Catchy, bluesy and defiant. The man keeps on delivering.

Falling In Reverse – “All My Life (feat. Jelly Roll)”
Apparently, country metal is a thing and I’m all here for it.