Music is revving up for the final quarter of 2015. Last week brought many great releases, though some albums didn’t make the cut for this week’s review. The variety in this selection of Nick’s Picks is unparalleled, featuring an one-eyed rap hollerer, a Scottish synthpop trio, and a pair of British house brothers. Unfortunately, a Philadelphia indie rocker, a Compton gang-banger, and rap’s first cat remix album didn’t make the cut. Without further ado, here are the three big releases from Fetty Wap, Chvrches and Disclosure:
Fetty Wap – Self-Titled (6.3/10)
The rise of New Jersey “rapper” Fetty Wap is remarkable. Fetty came out of Patterson, New Jersey – a place most people have never heard of. There are many factors which complicated his rise but here we are, with Fetty as the first rapper to have four hits in the Top 10 of Billboard rap charts.
Most will be familiar with “Trap Queen,” the inescapable radio hit and the three other hits that followed: “679,” “My Way,” and “Again.” Fetty is an undeniable hit machine. Unfortunately, the high expectations for hits may be a downfall for the rapper. His debut album lacks variation and reaches a tipping point about halfway through. By the end of the album, the listener will feel bored by Fetty’s howl. In this case, it’s better to stay for the hits than for the whole album.
CHVRCHES – Every Open Eye (8.2/10)
Scottish Synthpop trio CHVRCHES had the hard task of following up to a great debut, 2013’s The Bones of What You Believe. Luckily, they came prepared. Their sophomore effort, Every Open Eye, is a worthy second helping.
The strategy they used shouldn’t have worked on Eye, for how simple it is. Right off the bat, the album comes out strong with heavier synths than on Bones. The band’s vocalist, Lauren Mayberry, delivers great vocals and lyrics with extra power. Usually a great sophomore effort involves keeping elements of the first while adding new sounds; CHVRCHES rejected this idea and instead simply turns up the production level on their old sound to great results. Every Open Eye is one of 2015’s top albums.
Disclosure – Caracal (6.7/10)
Unfortunately, not every UK electronic group can make a great second album. Disclosure, much like CHVRCHES, had a stellar debut album with Settle. The album put them on a track to join EDM’s top-tier acts while remaining a classic UK house and garage act in a dubstep and progressive house world.
Getting lifted to such a level of success so quickly may have hurt Disclosure. Caracal, the duo’s second album, reeks of failed ambition. Disclosure wastes potential hit collaborations with big pop acts like The Weeknd, Lorde, and Miguel. Sam Smith is the only popstar they mesh with on “Omen,” but that was already a winning collaboration after “Latch.” Many times, the collaborations feel like Disclosure has lost itself. The Weeknd collab, “Nocturnal,” feels like a song scrapped off of The Weeknd’s 2015 release, The Beauty Behind The Madness, not a Disclosure song featuring The Weeknd. The Lorde collaboration faces a similar issue; neither the Howard brothers nor Lorde deliver any musical content that belongs to their artistic narratives.
Settle was simple as it was subtle in classic electronic sounds from the ‘90s and ‘80s. Caracal feels overproduced in an effort to keep pace with major EDM DJs. Only two songs feel rooted in the original Disclosure sound: “Hourglass,” with R&B duo Lion Babe and “Holding On,” featuring singer Gregory Porter. The sophomore effort seems like Disclosure had a hard time being themselves the second time around.
If you give a listen to any of these albums, it should be CHVRCHES’. Stick to Fetty’s singles instead of boring yourself through the album. Caracal is a skip, maybe listen to “Omen” or “Jaded,” but otherwise check out their debut, Settle for a truly original dance album.