Overexposed - Maroon 5

3/10 
Rated:Enjoy the Silence


When a band can't get over a massive hit and get stuck in trying to do it again this album is what happens. "the most ecletic and poppy album yet" says the singer Adam Levine, and definetly it is,a mess, but at least has direction.


The band seems to try to the repeat the success of 'Moves Like Jagger', so they trying to make a hip album and lost the last tiny bit if rock they used to have now they opted to follow the trend and some songs sounds like electronic in its worst like 'Ladykiller' which is the worst attempt of mixing Foster The People, Cut Copy and Calvin Harris but nothing good came out and is so fake. And more of bad copy of Calvin Harris alike sound goes in ' Fortune Teller' that is a bubblegum pop song could be a Britney Spears song if she wanted to do crap music but at least is one of the few songs where Adam annoying voice is off.


Loads of songs are pushing just Adam's voice and sound awful like the boring 'Daylight' or the nothing new and just repetitive 'The Man Who Never Lied'. But where the band touch ground is in 'Sad' which is a very bad version of Adele and Lana Del Rey dull-ness and the wailing is more than disgusting and pretentious.If album was not focus in expose just one of the band members it would be a lot way better.


Music is not that bad in some (few) songs.The album starts good with 'One More Night' is almost like a mix of reggae with rock, early 1980's, and sounds well but repetitive although enjoyable.And the last song 'Beautiful Goodbye' is fine as well, more chilling,a relaxing end. What is in the middle of these both songs is what ruins the record with songs like the longest hideous Guetta intro wich never seems to start a song,'Love Somebody' (more bad voice issues). There's also 'Tickets' that is a failed effort to make it catchy and is almost like sampling 'Moves Like Jagger' yet again and this song lead to another 1970's dance style song 'Doin' Dirt' which is a bit better but too repeats a lot.The rock-y element is well missed in the record but they loose it since the duet they did with Rihanna eventhough they were still fine there.

Adam voice is so unique and band seems fine they could be/did it better and they could probably be as good as Queen or something but they're stuck in creating crap and have lost track just to be hip. Cockiness won't save this album which probably will sell millions due to a massive fandom but definetly not a classic and definitely Maroon 5 's worst work.

Living Things-Linkin Park

7.5/10 
Rated: A Kind of Magic

The fifth studio album from the band  sounds amazing. More than 10 years since the release of their first album and Linking Park still causing chills. At first I thought that this record was going to be a bad one because the first single 'Burn it Down' is a bit weak and the last album was not so astounding but from the beginning of 'Living Things'  to the end the album sounds good and classic Linking Park.

The Album starts with  'Lost In The Echo' which is a great intro and kind of a preview of what to expect, is modern, level rises gradually, and very fresh. The record  has plenty of modern and Pop songs with a very band's unique twist like 'Lies Greed Misery' which sounds a bit like Hadouken!  but more poppy and easy to ears. 'Skin To Bone' sounds almost like Backstreet Boys latest albums or like a song from a boy band but strong, powerful,full of feeling. That's what this album is about, force and massive songs.

The sound of the album is compound by a beat that sounds like marching drums,that's the thing that mostly interlock the album, so the songs are more like anthems it's more exposed in 'Until It Breaks' even in a slow down song like 'Roads Untraveled' that could be a theme for a dark parade because is over bittersweet and overwhelming.The drummy  beat leads to another sound that link songs wich is rock and roll modernized and mixed with nu-metal and all genres Linking Park know well, 'Castle Of Glass' is one of those rocky songs and is mixed incredible. 'Victimized' also show off the quality of mixing of the band and how to blend a lot without being a mess.

The whole album is like a journey in Linkin Park history there are songs that sound like their firsts works and songs that sound like their last works but both much better like 'I'll Be Gone' which is slow and a sweet ride back to where they left last time. 'Powerless', is the best end the band could give to the album is slow and brilliant with band's signature all over. So this journey is eclectic and enjoyable and doesn't get to far from what we are used to from the band. One of Linking Park's finest works and their modernized themselves and sound but doesn't lose track and the only thing missing is more rap but not a complain probably was very well edited.

Recommend: In My Remains, I'll Be Gone, Castle Of Glass, Powerless 
Avoid: Lies Greed Misery

The National Health- Maximo Park

8/10
RATED :A Kind of Magic

After 3 years Maximo Park are finally releasing another album. Their forth studio album comes with nothing new but as good refreshing as their first one or any other.


This new album has the energy and the unique sound that only Maximo Park have. Fortunately, to a change from what other bands are doing, the album has a soft intro 'When I Was Wild' and present the album well, emphasizing that the band haven't changed.Then comes a bomb called 'The National Health' reminding us why we fall in love with the band, is fast and enjoyable. 'Hips and Lips' is next bringing more great music and a bit more dim but with a sort of "erotic" voice, the song is is provocative and very enjoyable the reason why is a single maybe.





As the album advances you can hear the classic Maximo Park style blossoming like in the soft but full of energy 'The Undercurrents' or the traditional video games tunes alike sound they do in 'Write This Down' this sound have a twist in the magnificent 'Until The Earth Would Open' that is so enjoyable and fun.'Wolf Among Men' also have the classic band elements, all instruments playing in harmony along with the voice. And also another song that keeps they unique amazing blend is 'Take Me Home' instruments come to gleam a bit more but made it perfect.


But the band have a few slightly different songs from what we are used from them like the bit more Pop 'Reluctant Love' or the more mild garage rock 'Banlieu' ,both are great and refreshing and so in the tune of Maximo Park. 'This Is What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted' has a more commercial taste almost like Nickelback but improved and British, the piano and instruments save it and but the song is not remarkable. The last song 'Waves Of Fear' might be the most different track but have the band's signature all over and take them to a new direction that could be a great introduction to next album and a new era, or lead to new solo projects.

Although as a whole the songs don't have something really new, the versatility of in the album make it so wonderful and thrilling even the slowest song, 'Unfamiliar Places', the vibe and energy is absolutely astonishing. This record brings memories from the noughties indie rock bands in their best and with all the charm and the essense of rock and roll.


Recommend: The National Health,Hips and Lips,Until The Earth Would Open,Take Me Home.
Avoid: This Is What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted

In Our Heads - Hot Chip

6/10
Rated:We're Not Gonna Take it.


Media seems to like it but I didn't , but I do enjoy it. The fifth Hot Chip studio album is called 'In Our Heads' and fortunately it doesn't get stuck in your head. The band doesn't have nothing new to offer but at least they gave the best they have and created a great album. When the first official single from the album 'Night and Day' I thought it was going to be hideous with all those sort of "samples" from Billy Joel's In the Middle of the Night mixed with Madness' Our house, but the album got a slightly different direction.


The feeling of the album is like you are listening to something familiar because the band went into a recycling session or something, like in the funny 'How Do You Do' which have very obvious music references to the remix the band did to Gorillaz's Kids With Guns. Another examples of re-use of music is 'Night and Day' and 'Let Me Be Him' both sound like a sequel of the band's 'One Life Stand' .Then Hot Chip goes Nsync and kind of modernize their 'Gone' song in 'Look At Where We Are' but the track sound incredible good and is a little break to the dance music.



The most lovable thing of the album is when it revives the 80's in a kind of high definition style, 'Now There Is Nothing' which has very good instruments playing. There's also 'Don't Deny Your Heart' that sounds like Cut Copy but 80's strength doesn't seem to stay along the song so it is a bit weak. The last song 'Always Been Your Love' is on the same decade vibe but more enjoyable and relaxing.


The music that is created with a lot of instruments plays a big part of the album and save it from being a mess because one song leads to another, except for the pretentious-the-futureheads-rip-off 'These Chains' that leads more to the amazing, track of the album 'Flutes' (which was the first song we could enjoy from the album). The first song, 'Motion Sickness', is good and is also saved by instruments.


The album is fine, could have less tracks like the 70's-in-deep-crap song 'Ends of the Earth' which seems it was put just to fill the album.But in general the dance 80's vibe makes a good record full of joy and conserves the bands style which is good.


Recommend: Don't Deny Your Heart, Look At Where We Are,Flutes
Avoid:Ends of the Earth, Night & Day

Endless Flowers - Crocodiles

7.5/10
Rated: (? i have no idea where to put this)

The Crocodiles delivered another great album and probably their best so far.The Album explores,flippantly, new 'genres' but in their very own style. A lot of energy in the songs could be great but too much can be a bit boring because you get use to so the blasting moments could slip past.


The amount of fun in this album is great, 'Endless Flowers ' opens amazingly the album with a very rock beat then comes 'Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)' which is even more explosive and gives more an idea of what's coming in the album. There's all sorts of joy in the album it even has that USA-Mexico frontier inspired music vibe, 'No Black Clouds for Dee Dee' slows down but still entertaining with cool drums playing alongside with that unique mix Americans bands,specially Californians, do. The cheerfulnesscontinues in the album and the Americanism too, in a very good way like in 'Hung Up On a Flower' that is brilliant, my only complain is the hideous "evil voice" weird twist in the end which is actually a good intro to next modern-rockabilly song 'My Surfing Lucifer'.


Due to this is a sequenced album all songs all songs are playing continuously without gaps so all the songs go the same way but in different levels that goes from classic American Pop-post-punk-ock to some brit-pop-ish style, like the so joyful 'Bubblegum Trash' to something more like 90's psychedelia, which is so lovable in 'Welcome Trouble'. The very last song sound like Oasis but more dramatic, 'You Are Forgiven', is a great finale but a bit boring.


'Dark Alleys' has a good sound, all instruments blended together in a more american-garage tune which is how the album feels like and make it so good,the sense of a 'live' experience. And as for 'Electric Death Song' the music is also sweet and fun with a charming beat in the same line as all the songs in the album.


The whole album is a Psycho-Garage party, very delightful, what you expect from Crocodiles.They really didn't took much risks and the sound doesn't go faraway from previous works so is fulfilling, but this could be boring at some point because is strong, yeah, but has too much about the same probably not to play back to back neither with the 2 preceding records.


Recommended:Endless Flowers,Hung Up On a Flower,Dark Alleys,Bubblegum Trash
Avoid: [there's no song that's really bad]


Listen Here: RollingStone

This is PiL- Public Image Ltd (PiL)

7/10

Rated: A Kind Of Magic

The first studio album in 20 years, and is agreeable. Nothing memorable to be honest but for the music is good, lyrics are a bit weak, that's well resumed in the opening track 'This is PiL'. The work could been better with just a little more effort. The need of be shorter is pretty obvious in some songs because are strong but don't go any further, like a drizzle you get use to it but need some thunder to be amused.

The album has a 1980's "post punk" (punk) but at the same time sounds very noughties. "Terra Gate" and the enjoyable song and first single 'One Drop' shows the band a little bit more updated and "commercial" .The song 'I Must be Dreaming' has that 80's and eager vibe mixed with something new and it is more like Depeche Mode. That mixture is in all the album, a bit of old stuff bring it to modern days and a sensation of timeless , it is actually very good blend and with a "poetic" fact in 'The Room I Am in' sounds exquisite.The most modern is 'Deeper Water' which also have a old-school element where seems like is where others bands have inspired (obviously not) and have a bit of 80's -90's Spanish rock like Heroes Del Silencio (youtube it) and this sound appears snatchy in all the album too.

The mash up of instruments sounds good, the voice is fine as well, but lyrics are not really a bomb.Probably the lyrics are over-thought or sometimes too safe like in 'Fool' which also sounds like the soundtrack of a California teenage drama with a 'post grunge American scene' (Rooney) twist. This album actually never properly explodes has moments when it should but never culminate for example 'It Said That' is like a stampede but stays like that not have a great wild moment.

The songs are too long and that's what makes this album slightly boring. 'Human' is a fantastic song, has a great beat to follow but with a little less minutes would be amazing and 'Lollipop Opera' is the funniest, lovable and greatest track in the album but 6:54 minutes is far too much for all that joy. The only longer song that feel fast ,because is really enjoyable is 'Reggie Song' that is very rock and golden something like Queen or a hit tune from the late 70's or 80's. The album ends with a song that sound like Blur's 'Me, White Noise' mixed with Madonna's songs live, specially when she grabs a guitar, but yet again 'Out of the Woods' is too long but for the last track it kind of works well and is a really good end.

The album has its charm and with more edition and less production it would been so good.

Recommend: One Drop,Deeper Water,Human,I Must be Dreaming,
Lollipop Opera,Reggie Song

Avoid: It Said That

Lex Hives - The Hives

9/10
Rated:Music (Rock'n'Roll) is my Radar


Always something new but always the same. This band gladly haven't change, just once again upgraded.'Go Right Ahead', lead single, reveled this new album very well, is all what this record is about, in a fast superb song.


The Hives are bringing back the proper rock and roll.Once I heard a crocodile talking to a pulp on Disney Channel explaining that Rock and Roll is THE MUSIC, that make you dance and shake everything away, and this album has all this. A 'silly' short song, 'Come On!' opens, brilliantly, this incredible rock music spectacle and for thereafter the record only get better.All 12 tracks don't lack nothing and have everything in proportion from instruments to lyrics everything is just perfect.


A powerful and electrifying sound goes along with every song in the album. 'I Want More' is so old-school and astounding, jangle all the way with all instruments and voice in perfect harmony, a kick-ass song. The music is sort a collection of classic fun rock bands like The Who or even The Beatles with the classic Hives very own style.The track 'Patrolling Days' brings memories of the 1950 and 60's rock and roll jams and the astonishing instruments madness closing song ,'Midnight Shifter', do it as-well both extraordinary tunes.The vigor of the album doesn't fade in the more slow down songs, 'Without the Money' is lovely and in my opinion too short for how good it is. A bit of nostalgia or hankering invades 'My Time is Coming' and a post punk in 80's vibe too and also keeps the fast mighty halo of the album


Stylized like a vintage album, The Hives do a retrospective/introspective to what made the band so fabulous. The roots of The Hives are in songs like '1000 Answers' and 'Take Back The Toys' in which the "garage" sound of characteristic of the band explodes magnificent. But the band is not stuck in sounding old, 'Wait A Minute' does have the antique soul but modernized and more popular, probably the forgettable song of the album but has its charm. 'These Spectacles Reveal The Nostalgics' and 'If I Had A Cent' are far too much enjoyable and make you feel like a teenager in its best.


A true bomb shell of rock and roll and what The Hives have accustomed us.The band didn't disappoint and alwayspreserve their style and They also mind how to shock and make noise.One of the best albums so far,in the year. Nothing really to complain about this is so unique and timeless and probably one of their best albums o just THE BEST.


Recommended :I Want More, Patrolling Days, Take Back The Toys,Midnight Shifter.( + all the entire album)