Adeem the Artist- Anniversary (Thirty Tigers)
On their third full-length release for Thirty Tigers, Adeem the Artist continues to expand the barriers of modern country and roots-rock by crafting another sterling body of songs that know no boundaries or barriers whatsoever. The fluidity with which Adeem approaches pointed topics such as sexuality, politics, relationships, and religion is boldly matched by the nimble nature with which they transition between various moods and musical styles. Take the trifecta of tracks two through four for example: “Nancy” chronicles in great detail both the narrator’s sexual exploits and a navigation of mental illness with a troubled female lover, segues into “Part & Parcel’s” portrayal of a husband and wife welcoming their first child, before finally transitioning to “One Night Stand” and its scene of two men falling in love to a Loretta Lynn song. The blend of such disparate experiences may suggest that Anniversary is a collection of other people’s stories, but it’s quite clear that even the fictional aspects of the tunes come from autobiographical emotions and aspirations. Progressive as it is to hear all of these same emotions on a single record in 2024, not to mention one that mainly identifies as within the country sphere, Adeem makes it sound perfectly natural, rightfully singing and weaving these lyrics as the commonplace stories that they deserve to be. He balances the genuine conviction of his singing with the kind of abstract song-craft and vivid imagery that has earned him on-point comparisons to his professed hero, John Prine. Just as Prine’s poetic combination of charm, grace, comedy and soul enabled him to legendarily balance his records with songs of both the novelty and protest variety, so does Adeem on Anniversaries. The back-half of the album gets especially heavy, grappling with religious prejudices and trans rights (“Nightmare”), social class warfare (“Plot of Land”), the impact of literal war on our youth (“Night Sweats”), and racially motivated violence (“White Mule, Black Man”). In the midst of this you’ll find “Rotations”, an utterly gorgeous reflection on the passage of time, as universal of a human concern as there ever has been; it’s what we’re all truly, ultimately fighting against isn’t it? And it’s the universal quality of that track that really illustrates what Adeem the Artist has most impressively accomplished with this record. As widespread and topically challenging as so much of this material proves to be, each and every performance radiates with an omnipresent, human heartbeat. For as diverse as our experiences are and as divided as our society remains, the truth is that we’re still all fundamentally coming from the same essential needs and hopes for our time on Earth. This is what Anniversaries ultimately captures, and in the process it officially confirms Adeem the Artist as one of the pivotal musical voices for these times we’re living in.
Kings of Leon- Can We Please Have Fun (Capitol)
If you were wondering whether the title of Kings of Leon’s ninth studio album would be a literal indication of a pivot toward a partying classic-rock atmosphere, that speculation is silenced in short order as Can We Please Have Fun gets underway. In reality, the title plays out like a yearning plea for happiness, which should not shock–nor disappoint–any KOL loyalists. This album, the band’s first of their tenure with Capitol Records and in their third decade as a recording act, may not be an all-out artistic reset, but is nevertheless a vital refresh of the group’s signature brooding, aural rock experience. The raspy, growly gravitas of Caleb Followill’s vocals are as evocative as they’ve ever been, while the familial group’s moody guitar-based palate still proves to be among the most radiantly addictive in the current rock universe. Their captivating and intricate use of language in their songwriting also remains among the very best in the game, providing the kind of contemplative and soul-rendering lyrics needed to match the emotional depth of the singing and music behind it. This standard is vibrantly on display right out of the gate with opening track, “Ballerina Radio”, which boasts one of the most clever and visually popping verses I’ve heard open a record in recent memory: “All my wildest fantasies are here/Dimmers on the lights and filtered air/Acid in the rain, mustard gasoline/Sunday supper coming from a can/Ravioli and plastic parmesan/Fish are in the tank, having quite a think.” The proceedings only get more emotionally raw from there. Over the next forty-five minutes, the Followills take us on another one of their signature journeys through life’s most gripping experiences. Nostalgia collides bittersweetly with the harsh revelations of life’s reality checks, through fractured relationships, mental health battles, and the loss of faith in one’s self, your loved ones, and the world around you. Per usual, KOL manage to wrap all of this up in a slow-burning, but meticulously seductive wave of sound and emotion. Even in a track like the remarkable closer, “Seen”, which is undoubtedly one of the most powerfully sad uses of Caleb’s voice to date, there’s a lingering undercurrent of strength and perseverance. They don’t ever quite get to the fun referenced in the title, but the inspiring rock beauty is always in plentiful supply.
Enjoying our content? Follow us on Facebook and subscribe using the links below!
Dua Lipa- Radical Optimism (Warner)
In March of 2020, Dua Lipa unleashed her sophomore album, Future Nostalgia into a dramatically uncertain landscape as the entire world entered lockdown amidst the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic was a shocking world event that kept the live music and dance-club scenes more-or-less silenced for well over a year, certainly a buzz-kill and a potential death-knell for an album so joyously defined by hook-heavy and beat-driven bangers. Ironically, this turn of events only fueled the hunger for the infectious pop escapism of Lipa’s music. The album’s success solidified her status on the modern-day pop A-List and triggered a parade of smash singles that carried her through an inescapable cameo on last year’s Barbie soundtrack. This all only intensifies the follow-up expectations and pressures for Lipa as she launches her third LP, Radical Optimism, a title that boldly represents her steadfast confidence and artistic vision that flows throughout the album. It’s an intoxicating listen that faithfully fulfills the insatiable appetite for more of the dazzling dance contagion that defined Nostalgia. The singer and her diverse team of producers certainly push that sound further into nuanced new directions, though the publicized diversion into psychedelia was a bit over-hyped, which is perfectly fine. The trippier beats of lead single “Houdini” or the trembly strokes on its follow-up, “Training Season” are indicative of the subtle new flavorings sprinkled throughout the set. They push Lipa’s sound further while never upsetting the apple-cart of proven components that we’ve been eagerly starving for more of during our endless spins of Nostalgia decade-to-date. Meanwhile, tracks like the surging “Falling Forever” and the latin-tinged “Maria” showcase the often-underrated reach of her sultry chops, while the poignant maturity of the break-up ballad and album closer, “Happy For You” remind us of the emotional potency of the deeper compositional abilities evidenced on past cuts like “Boys Will Be Boys”. In an era where the length of LPs are either exaggerated into triple-albums or reduced to the traditional span of an EP, Optimism lands squarely in the middle with nine tracks. On one hand, she should be commended for allowing the cohesion of the music to dictate its quantity, instead of being seduced by the opportunity for more streams. On the other, its hard not to feel a bit blue-balled when it all ends (or especially when you first experience the abrupt ending to “Anything for Love”, one of the record’s most luminous moments). Yes, Radical Optimism leaves the listener wanting more, but only because of how strong the music is. It’s a solid problem to have if you’re Dua Lipa, whose magic touch and momentum as a leader in the pop spectrum show no signs of fatigue. Plus, you know there’s a slew of remixes, probably in the form of Club Radical Optimism, on the way. Plain and simple: the world of popular music is all the more fertile and entertaining when there’s fresh Dua Lipa in the universe.
Orville Peck- Stampede, Vol. 1 (Warner)
The perennially masked cowboy enigma returns to follow-up 2022’s Bronco, a fabulous and elaborate opus that further launched him into the stratosphere of today’s most fascinating musical curators. Similar to the 2020 EP, Show Pony, which bridged the gap between his first two LPs, this collection of duets seems to be a similar side-project to quench our thirst until he’s ready to unveil his third proper set. But as Peck has long ago established, side-project or not, there is nothing that he does half-assed. Across seven tracks, he displays the same amount of passion, gusto, and commitment that he did on this project’s double-length predecessor. The roster of guests here features icons like Willie Nelson and Elton John, and unique modern stylists like Nathaniel Rateliff, Noah Cyrus, Midland, Allison Russell, and Bu Cuaron. This diverse array of collaborations proves to be another excellent demonstration of Peck’s vibrant style and chameleonic nature. He once again gloriously recalls everyone from Elvis Presley to The Mavericks to Roy Orbison with each twist and turn. It’s of course easy to allow novelty to influence one’s pinpointing the covers of Nelson’s 2006 queer anthem, “Cowboys Are Secretly Frequently Fond of Each Other” and a turbo Western-inspired version of John’s classic, “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” as the ultimate highlights. But it’d also be a correct assertion. His resurrection of the Nelson cut comes at a critical cultural moment in the LGBTQIA+ story, while the 77-years-young Elton’s ability to keep up with Peck’s dynamic showmanship again proves that he remains one of the most uniquely gifted entertainers on Planet Earth. There’d clearly be no Orville Peck without Elton John. The rest of these duets are also marvelous in their own right, and earn their place among staggering company, with the Cyrus cut being particularly gutting, and the Russell contribution being the record’s most gorgeous moment. It’s encouraging that Stampede is listed as the first of multiple volumes; this would be a very welcomed blueprint for future stopgap detours for Peck to sprinkle between all his proper studio efforts.
Enjoying our content? Follow us on Facebook and subscribe using the links below!
The 706 
Leave a comment