Quick Review: Beck & The Killers

on
Lauren Dukoff

Beck - Colors (Fonograf Records/Capitol Records)

Released: October 13th, 2017

Alt-pop heavyweight and legend Beck is back with his 13th studio album, Colors. With no need for introduction, Beck is one of the best musicians to ever do it. From his debut album all the way until now, he has proven his versatility through multiple genres including psych, indie-rock, pop, alternative and even folk. On Colors, Beck pulls no punches and delivers 44 minutes of pure alternative-pop.

The lead track "Colors" is full of fluttering synth work and a thick rhythm section. The chorus turns into a dance party when the vocal samples, echoes and effects kick in. The song even includes a swimming woodwind section post-chorus.

The singles from Colors include "Dear Life", "Wow", "Dreams" and "Up All Night". Each are full of energy and major pop-appeal.

The clunky piano and simple drumming dominate "Dear Life", while the power of the synth and hip-hop influenced 808's take over "Wow". The dense guitar chops, punchy drums and infectious chorus lead "Dreams" to Billboard charts.

The last single "Up All Night" borrows from "Dreams" by using guitar melodies to pave the way for a solid drum and bass pattern. This is my favorite from the album mainly due to the extremely catchy chorus..."Just wanna stay up all night with you!"

Overall, this album is not bad at all. Even the deep cuts are smooth and catchy. The use of guitar, synths and hip-hop inspired drum patches create a sonically pleasing experience. If you're looking for some straightforward alternative-pop that is catchy, danceable and positive, check out this album. Listen below...

Listen: Beck - Dreams

Genre: Pop/Alt-Pop/Alternative/Art-Pop/Art-Rock

Fav Songs: Colors, Dear Life, Wow, Dreams, Up All Night



Rolling Stone

The Killers - Wonderful Wonderful (Island Records)

Released: September 22nd, 2017

The Killers are another alt-pop/rock heavyweight who need no introduction. This Las Vegas based crew has been at it since the early 2000's. Wonderful Wonderful is their fifth studio album and their first in five years. This group will always be one of my favorites due to the energy and power they bring to each track. From the electric guitar work and the percussion to Brandon Flower's vocal performance, they will go down as one of the best of all-time.

This album didn't hit me has hard as their previous records but there are definitely some highlights.


My favorites from Wonderful Wonderful include "Wonderful Wonderful", "The Man", "Run for Cover", "Tyson vs. Douglas" and "Out of My Mind".

The singles "The Man" and "Run for Cover" are pure alt-pop. "The Man" includes this slick guitar riff combined with some spacious synths. The lyrics discuss the theme of what it's like to "be a man". Pretty cliche at points but a solid single nonetheless.

"Run for Cover" is another highlight due to the pumping percussion. A basic kick-snare pattern is the pulse of this song and provides the track with movement. I also really enjoy the vocal performance throughout this song. The bass is also heavy and full, while the guitar takes a backseat ride until the chorus and closing solo. Great Killers track.

You'll find that true Killers pop-appeal on tracks like "Tyson vs. Douglas" and "Out of My Mind". "Tyson vs. Douglas" is driving and punchy with gorgeous synth work, while "Out of My Mind" is a slower, reverb heavy jam.

I thought this album was pretty decent. I didn't enjoy the full play through besides the songs I discussed. This album sounds very "Killers"-esque, no surprises. The synth work is nice throughout while Flower's vocals shine on a number of tracks. If you're a fan of The Killers or a fan of alt-rock/pop, check out this album. Listen below...


Genre: Alternative/Alt-Rock/Alt-Pop/Dance-Rock/Pop-Rock/Synth-Rock

Fav Songs: Wonderful Wonderful, The Man, Run for Cover, Tyson vs. Douglas, Out of My Mind


Comments

Post a Comment