Atlas is Genius

A band out of Adelaide, Australia, Atlas Genius’ debut album, When it Was Now, made an immediate impact in the world of indie rock music. In terms of their sound, it is quite difficult to pin them to any other group, as each song has its own sound that is reminiscent of other bands. As a quick example, the song “Trojans,” which is arguably the best track on the album, has vocals that sound a little bit like the Cage the Elephant vocals, only like 40 times more mellow.

That being said, the album is such a combination of sounds and sub-genres of indie that it’s simply too hard to pass up. The entire album is enjoyable. No wonder Imagine Dragons picked them up as their opener for their most recent tour so quickly.

When it Was Now is a must listen for anyone who likes bands such as The Strokes, or even Two Door Cinema Club. Though their sound is completely different, if you dig the entire Imagine Dragons’ Night Visions, then this album may also be for you.

The above mentioned bands do not have a similar sound with Atlas Genius; these guys are unique. However, if these bands are within your interests, chances are you will like this album. When it Was Now is a fantastic album, and it is clear that we have not heard the last of this Australian quartet.

Holy Fire was Sort of a Miss

Sorry to anyone who reads this, it’s been awhile.

 Anyway, here’s my short review of Foals’ Holy Fire. If anyone actually is interested in a longer one, I will post it, but here’s the one I wrote for the Griff. 

In general, it may take a couple of listens to like the band Foals. The tracks that they put together are complex and well thought out, however the vocalist puts one in a sort of trance that is hard to get into initially. As expected, when their new album was announced, many fans pre-ordered it, excited for another great Foals album.

Holy Fire came out in early 2013, and with certain expectations that it failed to meet. Though the album is good, it is different from what was anticipated. The songs “Inhaler” and “My Number” are totally Foals, well put together songs with intricate guitar riffs and a certain upbeat tempo that is infectious. These two songs closely relate to the sound that Foals had in Antidotes. However, as the album continues, it gets increasingly slower, more trance-like tunes that their previous album, Total Life Forever, was like as well.

The album in itself is essentially Foals though, and their intention is most likely to experiment with different sounds. Some are working, whereas some are not. There are great guitar riffs throughout the record, but the songs just don’t have the same catchiness to them as their previous albums. However, fans of Foals, especially of their previous album, Total Life Forever, will like most of this album. Don’t give up if you don’t like it though; Foals will be back with their next album, better than ever.