Rapid Review – 4/27/21

Dinosaur Jr. – Sweep It Into Space: Timeless alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. releases their twelfth full-length studio album. Their famous You’re Living All Over Me album was one of the most personally influential works of music for me in getting into alt-indie rock. So, it is very cool to see them release an album in this contemporary era of music while I’m blogging. They seem to have kept up with their joyfully fuzzy aesthetic with the help of slightly blurry reverb everywhere, which is a unique source of lo-fi production. I Met the Stones is a phenomenal epitome of what I enjoy in their current work. ~7

Cordae – Just Until…: Formerly known as YBN Cordae, the rapper and singer-songwriter drops a short extended play made up of four tracks. Cordae is known as a slightly more lyrical and technically skilled rapper of this generation, and he gives us a taste of what he is up to before his next album releases. He chooses some nice, soft beats with synthesizer, piano, and vocal-noise instrumentals as he reflects on his career, personal life, and being thankful for his fans in such a strange time. Cordae’s genuine reflection along with some solid features made the EP very enjoyable. 7-7.5

Jeff Rosenstock – SKA DREAM: I want to preface this review by saying I have not listened to NO DREAM yet, so I will judge it with the knowledge that it is a rendition but with no other experience. Rosenstock has four studio albums under his belt already and decided to release this ska version of his most recent album. The journey this record takes you on is filled with exuberance, humor, and some slight wokeness. I presume these are some hallmarks of Rosenstock’s DIY vibe and NO DREAM, as well. The artistry in both the instrumental accompaniment and the ingenuity of his lyrics and vocals are phenomenal and urge me to listen to the original. ~8.5

Patti Smith – Piss Factory: One of the most progressive manifestations of Velvet Underground’s countless influences, Patti Smith uses a prose poem accompanied by an instrumental on this single as social commentary on the postmodern stresses of boredom and insecurity.