Prior to the whole Covid mess we would ask, “Is Rock Music dead?” – silly question if you think about it. The answer is NO, HELL NO, NOT AT ALL. Rock music is definitely not dead. It is very much alive, kicking, screaming, bringing joy and packing stadiums with the likes of Green Day, Fall Out Boy and Weezer.
It is now 2021 and Japanese Breakfast is no longer a band to watch; they are now a band any sane audiophile simply cannot miss.
Ladies and gentlemen, Shaky Knees and live music are back!
Big Night Out was secure, fun, nostalgic, dance-inducing, buzzing, thrilling and, more importantly, normal — which in 2020 is not a given sensation.
Releasing RTJ4 during the fights for justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery is akin to hitting a home run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs of a tied World Series game 7; unforgettable, unbelievable and grandiose. Nonetheless, there is no denying that decades from now people will argue best and most important hip-hop albums of all-time, and somewhere in those discussions, the RTJ4 story will make a cameo.
For what it is worth, there is no real downer on this record, just a volatile good time. Be prepared to get Palaye Royale most of the time and Palaye Royale doing their best impressions at times.
With Invisible People the Bardo Martinez-led four-piece hold their hands to the fire and come out the other side a little more mature, a little more renowned and a hell of a lot cooler.
The New Abnormal is a record by The Strokes for The Strokes, not for the fans, not for the record label and not for the critics — and the result is most welcomed.
Navigating the fine lines between an intimate tranquil performance and an all out dance party, Blood Orange and his band strive for a symphonic balanced attack to the senses.
