Audiophile 2.27
After a short absence, the weekly Audiophile is back. Each week, WVAU DJs will review five albums.
Use the fields below to perform an advanced search of The Eagle's archives. This will return articles, images, and multimedia relevant to your query.
5 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
After a short absence, the weekly Audiophile is back. Each week, WVAU DJs will review five albums.
Blood Orange – Cupid Deluxe After listening to the album’s first mysterious, yet embracing single “Chamakay,” I eagerly awaited the release of Blood Orange’s sophomore album. Dev Hynes, the man behind Blood Orange, has taken his experiences living in New York combined with a genre-crossing sense of creativity and created the groovy, soulful, fresh album that is Cupid Deluxe. The album borrows from the traditions of Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop, Funk, and decades of Pop in order to build a multi-faceted work. Throughout the album, passionate songs discuss love and the problems that can follow. A few such as “On the Line” and “Always Let U Down” feature a complimentary woman’s voice that wraps the listener in the artists’ qualms with beautiful harmonies. “Uncle Ace” and “You’re Not Good Enough” transport the listener back to the funky side of the ‘80s while tracks such as “Clipped On” and “High Street” are filled with immersive hip-hop beats and robust, relevant lyrics. What I’m trying to get at is that this album is crisp, heartfelt, and honest is definitely worth a listen, no matter what kind of music you gravitate towards. RIYL: Solange, Toro y Moi, Rhye -Jack Fitzpatrick, Soul Beat on Wednesday 8-10 a.m.
Innanetape – Vic Mensa Vic Mensa’s debut album-length mixtape invites a few comparisons. The former Kids These Days frogman wields a stop-start sing-rap style that recalls fellow Chicagoan Chance the Rapper (featured on “Tweakin’”). Elsewhere, Mensa’s syllable-heavy delivery evokes Earl Sweatshirt, albeit with less detachment. These similarities aside, Mensa proves to be engaging while shuttling between a conventional rhyme style and a melodic flow that transforms into a full-on croon. The album’s sound is equally eclectic with touches of drum-heavy neo-soul (“Orange Soda”), upbeat jams (“Lovely Day”) and more straightforward hip-hop (“YNSP”). The furthest departure is “Run,” which sounds like an update of Prince’s high-paced 80’s rock. Soulful guest vocals from Jesse Boykins III on “Magic” and BJ The Chicago Kid on the spectacular “Holy Holy” complement Mensa’s own tuneful performances. A variety of styles and tempos are juggled to great effect, making for one of the year’s better mixtapes. RIYL: Chance the Rapper, The Internet, Earl Sweatshirt -Rafael Smith, The Funk Box on Wednesday 4-5 p.m.
Kings of Leon – Mechanical Bull I spent the better part of 2008 to 2011 telling everyone who would listen how Kings of Leon sold out by cutting their hair, shaving their beards and adopting a more mainstream sound, abandoning their Southern Strokes identity. I’ve mostly made peace with that era, regarding it as stylistic experimentation that just wasn’t for me (except for “Use Somebody,” seriously, screw that song), and I still hold out hope that Kings of Leon will return to form. They haven’t quite done that on “Mechanical Bull,” but it’s at least better than their previous album. The lead single, “Supersoaker,” isn’t all that bad, in fact, it’s probably one of the album highlights. On songs like “Rock City” and “Don’t Matter,” the Followills return to some of the hyped-up Southern rock they started out writing. Unfortunately, for every exciting flash of the past, there’s a “Beautiful War” or “Comeback Story,” pop-pandering ballads that contain such Shakespearean gems as “I walked a mile in your shoes/ Now I’m a mile away and I have your shoes.” “Mechanical Bull” isn’t the album KOL purists want, but it’s hard to imagine anything being much better, and it could be a lot worse. RIYL: The Strokes, The National, Neon Trees -Michael Lovito, Truth, Justice and the American Way on Wednesday 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Porcelain Raft – Permanent Signal (Secretly Canadian) Italian dreampopper slightly misses the mark on this sophomore effort “Strange Weekend,” which was the debut album from Mauro Remiddi’s project. The album was a great record for both headphones and sing-alongs — rich in texture and melody. However, the quick turnaround of “Permanent Signal” slows Remiddi’s creative momentum, suggesting that more time could have been used to flesh out the songwriting. This is not to say that the album is a major disappointment. Remiddi smartly utilizes more live instrumentation this time around, and the appearance of a full drum kit on “Cluster” is genuinely thrilling following the hazy album opener “Think of the Ocean.” Furthermore, the soaring hook of “The Way Out” makes it one of the year’s best tracks. Sadly, these moments aren’t as abundant as they were on “Strange Weekend,” but they’re comforting proof that Remiddi hasn’t lost his touch for creating songs that stir both your ears and heart. Recommended If You Like: M83, Phantogram, Still Corners -Cameron Meindl, Rhyme & Reason on Tuesday 10 p.m. – 12 a.m.