Mabber: Music Staff Reviews Albums

Mabber, Vol. 1

Album: A Walk Through Jackson County

Artist: Arlington

Name: Maria Serra

I am obsessed with Arlington’s essentially brand-new album A Walk Through Jackson County. I had the joy of premiering this indie trio’s single “Hollow Moon” for Alternative Press and became immediately obsessed with their sound. If you love alternative indie music like that of Tilian or New Politics, Arlington might just be your next favorite. The band are out on tour with Hands Like Houses this fall and you must check them out ASAP.

Album: Sweetener

Artist: Ariana Grande

Name: Chloe Forbes

Effervescent melodies with soothing R&B tones heighten Grande’s voice with the help of co-producer Pharrell just 18 months after the tragic shooting at one of her concerts in Manchester. The album addresses optimism with a new-found love alongside the struggles of recovery. Sultry vocalizations layered with at times bizarre sounds, the album mirrors creative artists like Janelle Monae and pop singers such as Camilla Cabello. You’re sure to love this album if you want an uplifting bit of sweetness in your life.

Album: Petaluma

Artist: This Wild Life

Name: Matt Cutler

This Wild Life is a two-man acoustic outfit from Long Beach, California. Their sound has always been very unique to me in the sense that they lead vocalist Kevin Jordan and Anthony Del Grosso on guitar. These guys released their junior full-length album just this past summer on June 22, 2018 and I still can’t get it out of my head! Petaluma might be the duos most diverse album thus far. This record truly captures life’s ups and downs with a mixture of emotions within each and every lyric. The flow of this record is flawless; from upbeat tempos and rhythm, to slow and somber guitar riffs. If you’ve been sleeping on these guys, listen to Petaluma NOW.

Album: BALLADS1

Artist: Joji

Name: Zac McDowell

This is technically Joji’s debut studio album; he has one other before this, but it is just a deluxe edition of his EP In Tongues released last year.  George Miller (his real name) used to be famous for his comedy rap project Pink Guy, and the Internet comedian on YouTube known as Filthy Frank.  He has since abandoned those previous commitments to focus on his Joji project; a blend of trip-hop, electronic, and R&B.  BALLADS1 completely skyrocketed him to the top of the charts, charting No. 3 on the U.S. Billboard Top 200, rightfully so. It was released on October 26th, 2018, and one of the songs already has over 50 million streams on Spotify.  This album is amazing; it is one of the most “vibey” pieces of music composition I have heard released in the last 10 years. The piece also features subjects such as love, life in general, and how, according to Joji, “no one is sad all the time”.  With the perfect blend of melancholic themes and trippy/psychedelic beats alongside a booming bass, Joji really out did himself on this one. Everyone needs to listen to this album right away.

Favorite track(s): TEST DRIVE, R.I.P.

Album: Nina Cried Power

Artist: Hozier

Name: Karlie Hirter

After taking a long hiatus from the success of “Take Me to Church”, Hozier comes back with a bang in his new Ep “Nina Cried Power” Starting off with the titled song, “Nina Cried Power” is a compelling tribute to all those who have fought for social justice, from Bob Dylan to Nina Simone herself, and everyone in between. Mavis Staples is a featured vocalist as well, and her dynamic voice adds to the strength of the song. Hozier also proves his flexibility as an artist with this ep, as the songs vary from a more rock-like call for justice to power ballads like “Shrike”. If you need something new and diverse to listen to, I highly recommend “Nina Cried Power”, and you’ll be crying for power soon enough too.

Album: Always in Between

Artist: Jess Glynne

Name: Christian Ward

Better known for her feature in “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit and “Hold My Hand” from Bridget Jones’ Baby, Jess’s second album does not disappoint. Jess came out with singles “I’ll Be There” and “All I Am” in lead up to Always in Between. As a new time listener to Jess, these singles had me jonesing for this album. Both songs were incredibly catchy and had a nice upbeat rhythm. The album itself, had come out October 12 of this year, includes some synth-pop songs like “So Real” and slower to-the-bone songs like “Thursday” and “Insecurities”. I had little to no knowledge of Jess’s music prior to this album, but after listening to all 16 songs top to bottom, I can certainly say- I stan. Her song “Thursday” in particular cuts deeply and talks about how to love ourselves in a raw and organic state. All Jess’s red hair definitely adds an element to her distinct look and sound. Listen to Always in Between for a good time.

Photos from Apple Music.