Noise 101: CD Reviews for Nov. 7
Gavin DeGraw
Make a Move
RCA Records
Score: A+
After being away for two years, Gavin DeGraw has come back with, arguably, some of the best songs he has ever written. DeGraw continues to write all his songs on Make a Move, carrying on a tradition of song writing that is now over 70 songs long.
The album features great rock songs that you can’t help but love, and all of the tracks on this album are solid, as DeGraw attempts to go back to his soulful rock roots.
Make a Move has everything you could want from DeGraw; his titular track is upbeat and catchy, while “Different for Girls” and the “Finest Hour” have a slower, soulful melody to them. The best songs on the album are “Leading Man” and “Need,” because they are a return to the classic DeGraw sound: soulful with a rocking edge.
This album is a must-have for fans of DeGraw, and also for anyone who enjoys an album that has a little bit of everything.
— Albina Khouzina
The Head and the Heart
Let’s Be Still
Sub Pop Records
Score: A
Let’s Be Still is only the second album by indie-folk group The Head and the Heart, but they sound like they’ve been around for much longer. Front-man Josiah Johnson told Rolling Stone magazine that this was “the first time that [they] produced as a full band,” where “everyone’s influences [are] equally present and prevalent throughout the album” – and it shows.
The album is a thoughtful mix of ballads and toe-tapping tunes — with a large orchestral or breezy chamber group finish. The group comes together for the opening track “Homecoming Heroes,” and violinist/vocalist Charity Rose Thielen laments solo on “These Days Are Numbered.” The title track, “Let’s Be Still,” will make you want to pause and do exactly what it says.
The Head and the Heart satisfy both the head and the heart equally with this album and is a worthy listen.
— Michelle Vaniersel
Islands
Ski Mask
Manqué
Score: B+
Right from the opening track, “Waveforms,” Ski Mask is a solid album. Each track is has a unique feel to it – nothing repetitive – yet there is still a welcomed essence of familiarity that brings it all together. The album starts out heavier with slower tracks like “Becoming the Gunship,” only to bring up the energy with “Nil” and its swing feel. This album has a melancholic feel throughout, yet a certain sense of hope and optimism, especially the final track, “Winged Beat Drum,” which alternates between upbeat verses and slower choruses.
Ski Mask certainly isn’t an album for getting pumped up about anything, but it is perfect for an afternoon drive or putting on your headphones and forgetting anything else exists.
— Becca Paterson
