ALBUM: Vampire Weekend-Modern Vampires of the City

They have been away for a while since their last album Contra was released. Since then Vampire Weekend have been pondering about death and atheism and their own country's attitudes. They then decided to put these ideas into their more matured, more American new album Modern Vampires of the City. The opener is a very sedated and sweet Obvious Bicycle which may put listeners in uncertainty about what the album will be like. However, these doubts change when Unbelievers comes in. This track is classic Vampire Weekend and will soon become a fan favourite with its catchy drum beat. Then come the singles from the album Step and Diane Young, both very different tunes: Step is a slow track, but is one of the better ones on the album; Diane Young is a nonsensical mash-up song (putting me in mind of The Countours' "Do You Love Me") which is bound to be a failure, yet works magically. This marmite track has already proven to be a hit with the fans anyway. Past these first four tracks, the album gets a bit wobbly - Don't Lie is a slow rock track that may be tedious to some and Everlasting Arms doesn't stand out too much to remember. Even the Vampire Weekend formula of a fast song with the high voice doesn't work on Finger Back with its irritating lyrics and addictive sound. Then there's the great. Hannah Hunt is beautifully crafted and the soundtrack to some young love story, whilst battling with life and what it throws at people as frontman Ezra Koenig cries "There's no future, there's no answer". Worship You is rapid-paced and after the ridiculousness of Finger Back, it almost shows how you actually write a fast song, but this album has no fast song of the calibre of A-Punk or Cousins. The highlight of the album is Ya Hey, a slower track but one of the catchiest ones as the band tackle the Christian America who doesn't support outsiders (like atheists as they are) "Dear sweet thing, America don't love you". After such a great part of the album, Hudson disappoints a little. The only dark song on the album (and written, according to the band) is wobbly and moody, but the final track of the album finishes on a high. Little is said in Young Lion, but the simple innocence of the track is enough to show you that although the Brooklyn band have changed their sound quite radically, they can craft something beautiful. The more Americanised album is a change from the African influences of the first two albums, but it works. At parts the album is flawed, but then it is absolutely gorgeous at other times.

Rating: 7/10

What is your favourite Vampire Weekend album? What do you feel is the best track off of "Modern Vampires of the City"? Have your say by commenting below.

Best tracks: Ya Hey, Hannah Hunt, Unbelievers, Step

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Queens of the Stone Age-My God Is the Sun

Josh Homme and his band from Queens of the Stone Age are back...again. But that is a really good thing. They release their new single My God Is the Sun this week which sounds like their usual run-of-the-mill work: again not a bad thing. Unfortunately I cannot really love this and repeatedly listen to this, but as you can imagine, it's hard to dislike their music and My God Is the Sun shows that even something that isn't spectacular, is still great work from QOTSA.

Rating: 7/10

Who is your favourite contributor to Queens of the Stone Age? What's your favourite QOTSA album? Have your say by commenting below. 

Listen to "Queens of the Stone Age-My God Is the Sun" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFca32_7YUU

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

Cascada-Glorious

Cascada is a cancer that will not leave me alone and is slowly killing me. I've for years, put up with this terrible "dance music" and Germany didn't do themselves any favours by entering the trio into the Eurovision song contest. The worst thing about their entry Glorious is that it's an absolute, blatant, rip-off of last year's contest winning song Loreen's Euphoria. Fair enough, your song can sound the same, but could be better, but no. This steals the best parts of Euphoria and adds in terrible extras to beef up the content.Just very poor overall from a week that is dominated by Eurovision and it's wacky singles. Unfortunately, Glorious fails to live up to it's name.

Rating: 3/10

Have you ever heard a decent Cascada track? Do you think Euphoria and Glorious sound awfully similar? Have your say by commenting below.

Listen to "Cascada-Glorious" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y77A9-hQAp0

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

Robin Stjernberg-You

Even though some Eurovision entries were enjoyable and fun and in some circumstances, actually good, we got just as many crap ones. After last year's Swedish entry smashed all other countries as it trumped to victory, this year it was underwhelming and boring. Robin Stjernberg was the criminal and his song You gave everyone a reason not to watch Eurovision. It's got to the stage where I can't describe just how bland it was. It was about as fun and great as hearing a lecture in a monotone voice. So yeah, not great. Poor from a usually exciting Swedish team. This will make you tolerate the trash in the UK charts today.

Rating: 4/10

Do you agree that this was a boring song? Do you think I should stop reviewing Eurovision songs? (I'm not finished sorry). Have your say by commenting below.

Listen to "Robin Stjernberg-You" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBUJ0u7ZVaE

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

Roberto Bellarosa-Love Kills

I don't know if it's the fact I'm tolerating all sorts of music these days, or because I get caught up in the excitement of Eurovision, but I feel the quality of music is becoming less cheesy and more quality, even if it isn't great quality. I enjoyed about half of the songs at Eurovision this year, and the Belgium entry Roberto Bellarosa and his single Love Kills was one of my favourites. The kid looks quite weird and frankly a bit scary, but this is a catchy tune which is pretty much straightforward and quite fun which makes you forget about the singer. This is my guilty pleasure of the week due to it's addictive sound. Why do you do this to me Eurovision?

Rating: 7/10

What was your favourite Eurovision song? Do you find Eurovision enjoyable trash? Have your say by commenting below.

Listen to "Roberto Bellarosa-Love Kills" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9uExokZcIM

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

Stereophonics-Graffiti On the Train

Stereophonics in recent years have had a lot on their plate: they have been quiet compared to the days of Dakota; a former band member committed suicide; and their music has dived in quality. So after the underwhelming Indian Summer, not much was expected from the album. New single Graffiti On The Train could be described as mature, but is also timid and miles away from their beloved sound. It's average and loyal fans will be fond of the track, but anyone else will see it as complete dad-rock. Although the music is different, it's not better.

Rating: 6/10

What's your favourite Stereophonics' album? Do you feel they have really lost their touch? Have your say by commenting below.

Listen to "Stereophonics-Graffiti On The Train" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFmLVtSqQo0

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

Swim Deep-She Changes The Weather

Brummy boys Swim Deep have went leaps and bounds since I heard them live eight months ago. Back in September, they were playing Oran Mor as a support act for Spector, but now they have changed from that shy-ish band and turned into a much adored band. After the critical success of previous singles such as shoegaze song King City and dreamy number Honey, their next single She Changes The Weather had some expectancy to be at least decent. Right from the piano intro, this song suggests some sort of uniqueness and despite the very long intro (1 minute and 40 seconds to be precise) the song kicks in with Swim Deep's usual dazed music with a hint of Britpop. Frontman Austin Williams sighs his way through "She takes her time, I don't mind" with a decent band sound as well. Although this may not be their best work to date, they have definitely released a competent single that shouldn't damage their reputation.

Rating: 7/10

How big can Swim Deep make it? What do you think of "She Changes The Weather"?

Listen to "Swim Deep-She Changes The Weather" here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQUIOUKhEdk

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g

ALBUM: Tyler, the Creator-Wolf

He's the leader of rap collective Odd Future, he's one of the most popular rappers of recent times and he's the most controversial one since a young man Eminem appeared. Yet, Californian rapper Tyler the Creator has yet to break the UK in the way he has achieved fame in the US. However, this could be where Tyler makes his commercial success in Britain with his new and third album, Wolf. This album played as part of a story and a prequel to previous albums Bastard and Goblin. Unlike his previous albums, Wolf is a lot more innocent and naive as well as a happier album overall, with a lot less angst. This is before Tyler's character and alter ego Wolf Haley goes insane like he does in the previous two albums.

The album opener is the eponymous track is a dazy theme to the album which is overloaded with a piano and xylophone and where we are introduced to Sam, Wolf Haley's rival and Tyler's hateful alter ego. This is then followed by dubstep track Jamba which continues the happy theme to the album before Tyler sings one of the album's best pieces Cowboy which mixes that dreamy sound with one of the darkest on the album as there is interaction between Haley and Sam which introduces Sam's girlfriend Salem, "WOLF: Who's that? SAM: That's Salem/That's my girlfriend/You stay the fuck away from her alright?" which yet again conveys Sam's hostile and angry attitude. This then leads on to Awkward which is a calm song about an encounter where Tyler kisses a girl "Now it's awkward because our lips locked". Then first single Domo23 starts which is adrenaline-pumping and celebrity dissing as Tyler controversially threatens pop-teenies One Direction and cracks a joke about Rodney King: "Cause shit's going down/Just like Rodney King's swimming lessons...And purchasing weapons, naming them and aim 'em in one direction" which is definitely the comic relief of the album. This is then followed by Answer, as Tyler hits out at his never-present father in his life "Dad isn't your name, see Faggot's a little more fitting" and then Slater (the name of his bike in the track as well) adds an insight in what the ghetto is like. Colossus ends the first half of the album as Tyler raps about fans, controversially. However, he makes it hilarious with lyrics like "I got your pics on my wall/With the mouth cut out, now paper cuts on my balls/Cause your dick's in my jaw" which is like a funnier and lighter version of Eminem's Stan.

The second half starts off with three part song PartyIsntOver/Campire/Bimmer which part 1 is catchy and yet again dreamy. Part 2 is a lot more eerie before part 3 is a beautiful part of the song. After the niceness of the last track, things I turn a bit bipolar when next track IFHY which is Tyler in Sam's character after finding out Wolf and Salem went to the lake together. He gets angry quickly and escalates quickly into a rant, but is also really confused: "I fucking hate you/But I love you/I'm bad at keeping my emotions bubbled". Salem then reveals to Wolf that Sam had trouble back home which sets up Pigs which is set up with a sinister church organ and police siren background as well as Tyler rapping about what the album consists of: different personalities: "I'm not bipolar, see I'm just known by those couple names". Parking Lot sidetracks from the story as Odd Future pal Mike G joins Tyler as they shout about Loiter Squad. However, after Parking Lot, comes the best song on the album as well as a pretty intimidating song, Rusty. Domo Genesis raps a catchy chorus "Nigga, summer, fall, winter-time, 24/365/You niggas gon giv' me mine, I don't have plenty time" and Tyler backs up his point that he isn't homophobic "Saying I hate gays even though Frank is on 10 of my songs". The outro sees the death of some of Odd Future as Sam shoots them looking for Wolf "Samuel's here!/Where's Wolf?/Fucking faggot/Salem was mine, bitch!". Most of the songs after Rusty fail to live up to it's previous song. Trashwang involves a shoot out with a lot of screaming in a decent effort, then Treehome95 is jazzy and nothing like the rest of the album, as well as taking a break from the violence that came before it. Tamale sounds like a samba track or some weird song you would find in the darkest corners of a Fifa soundtrack, yet it works. The final track Lone shows Wolf in the psychiatrist's office talking about his life, with the dark voice representing his therapist Dr TC, the same one as the background to Yonkers. The album ends with Wolf talking to Dr TC in which when referring to Sam says "Nah but if I seen that nigga I woulda killed him" which makes the album link with the other two, between Bastard and Goblin. 

Coming to over 70 minutes of material and 18 tracks, Tyler, the Creator once again worked hard on his latest album, yet kept people interested due to the crazy storyline. Tyler is many things: controversial, hilarious, an entertainer and disliked by some, but he's also a serious songwriter who can cleverly tell a story in an effective way as well as make some great tunes like Rusty. The rumours of a coming fourth album EARLWOLF being the last in the story series, could spark the end of Tyler's recording. Hopefully I am wrong in saying that as his album's have inspired many in recent years and will continue to for years to come.

Rating: 8/10

Best songs: Rusty, Cowboy, Domo23, Pigs

For updates, follow me on Twitter: @ML0g