Lunar Boulevard

It's hard not to feel a sense of disappointment with The Decemberists' latest release. 2015's What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World may have been messy but it at least felt like the band was trying to branch out in ways that made sense. Fast forward to I'll Be Your Girl and the result, while more focused, is the least impressive moment in their discography so far. The album opens promisingly with "Once in My Life", with the band in full force and Colin Meloy delivering exactly what you expect from a seasoned veteran. "Cutting Stone" is a bit more downbeat but manages to stay the course due to some subtle synth effects. This is a recurring theme throughout the album, with the group trying to channel New Order and Roxy Music by incorporating more synths and glossy production into their trademark sound. Unfortunately this shift produces more misses than hits, resulting in a group so desperate to get out of their traditional style that the ...

Discovering Computer Magic's ( Danielle “Danz” Johnson) 2015 album Davos  was one of the happiest musical accidents I've experienced in quite some time. Her blend of spacey pop with sci-fi themes instantly hooked me and now we're finally treated to her official follow-up, the somewhat self-titled Danz . "Amnesia" opens the record with beeping synth loops and atmospheric vocals. The funky synth-bass of "Nebraskaland" gives away to a breezy chorus and recalls a bit of her past work, with layered vocals and a subtle sense of urgency. Danz  works so effectively because it's often more experimental and etherial, yet catchy and punchy enough that there can be no doubt about who you're listening to.  "Ordinary Life (Message from an A.I. Girlfriend)" beams with upbeat percussion and swirls or keyboards that float over dreamy vocals, finding an A.I. girlfriend losing interest in her programming and longing to see the world. "...