clearflowers music

Mastodon 's eighth studio album Hushed and Grim is an epic exploration of loss.  It has been four years since 2017's Emperor of Sand.   After the last couple of years of death, and grief the band has released on this double album is a testament to their emotional maturity to use music as a vehicle to explore personal loss, and the complex process of mourning and grief.  This album explores the impact of their loss of late manager, Nick John, who passed away in 2018.  It is a vulnerability most bands do not wield in their arsenal, but Mastodon have a history of processing personal experiences to inspire the content of their work.  The album was produced and mixed by David Botrill, known for producing Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Tool, and many more. I will admit, I have not been into Mastodon since Blood Mountain and Leviathan , I found their albums since then just not vibing with me, they also did not grab my attention as Hushed and Grim has.  It is a long album, and I have b

I have been a Duran Duran fan since I got the cassingle of "Ordinary World" when I was twelve.  I have come to expect great melodies, synth, bass heavy songs, and of course those distinctive vocals and harmonies.  Duran Duran are one of my favorite New Wave eighties acts that defined the British boy-band aesthetic. They are also prolific hit makers: giving music some of the best hooks, such as "Notorious" which rapper Biggie Smalls infamously took as his moniker and sampled in "Notorious B.I.G".  Dance floor favorites "Hungry Like the Wolf", "Rio", "The Reflex" and "Girls on Film" are examples of their lasting impact on music.  Their last release Paper Gods in 2015, featuring an amazing track with Janelle Mon á e and Nile Rodgers entitled "Pressure Off". First, let me get the petty annoyances out of the way, all the tracks and title are in ALL CAPS! In this age of internet sub context, my first thought is

 I will be starting off my music writing again by returning to album reviews.  I have always liked listening to new music and sharing my opinion, since the Rasputin Manifesto days, I hope I have grown as a writer and since then.  Back in the days when I used to work at the record store, new music used to come out on Tuesdays.  These days, and for a while now it has been Fridays, which gives me a couple days to give you a review of the album from this past week (if any) was worthy of reviewing.  I will be sticking to genres and artists that I like with an open mind for new and exciting artists and albums that are making an impact. I tend to like pop and post punk music, with a penchant towards the more dark and electronic influences: industrial, experimental, future-pop, dark wave/cold wave, new wave reprints, etc.  I am hearing a lot of good music these days and through my Spotify account I can check out bands and really get into their new material when it is released. Follow me on Twi