Monthly: Top 10 Songs of June

1. Give Life Back To Music by Daft Punk 
2. Beyond by Daft Punk
3. Neon Cathedral by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis feat Allen Stone
4. Blue Ocean Floor by Justin Timberlake
5. Step by Vampire Weekend
6. Montreal by The Weeknd
7. Wild by Royal Teeth
8. Cruise by Florida Georgia Line
9. Instant Crush by Daft Punk feat Julian Casablancas
10. Get Lucky by Daft Punk feat Pharrell Williams 

ALBUM REVIEW: Yeezus by Kanye West

THE NUTSHELL: Kanye's latest that seems to be blowing the minds of critics everywhere but hasn't struck a chord with me.


TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW


1. On Sight Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Not really the most groundbreaking piece from Kanye. The transition in the middle sounded a bit 'My Dark Twisted Fantasy-esque'. 

2. Black Skinhead Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: It's cocky, it's arrogant, it's boasty, it's Kanye, but it's not good. A quite bad put together track. Lyrically, Kanye doesn't have a grip. 

3. I Am A God Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: Cockiness continues at a whole higher magnitude. Quite an elementary subject for Kanye. However, it doesn't deliver in terms of substance and it's extremely irritating when he tries so hard to find ways to make himself look more glorified that he really is.

4. New Slaves Track Rating: 5/10
Remarks: An awesome point of view from Kanye here about his version of the 'new slaves' and how the African American community strives for a living in a whole new way. Hate the execution though. Repetitive beats and nothing that progressive from then on.

5. Hold My Liquor Track Rating: 6/10
Remarks: This song has more meaning that the title suggest. It stands out in terms of diversity in sound. At the same time, it has a heavy Kid Cudi influence, which right now, after he leaving G.O.O.D. Music might not be the smartest thing to do.

6. I'm In It Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: It's shallow. Pretty a dumb thing to say on a hip-hop track, but I've heard some of the most disgusting misogynistic rap pieces in the most groundbreaking and revolutionary ways ever. 

7. Blood On The Leaves Track Rating: 5/10
Remarks: was really digging probably the first 3 minutes of this song. It reminded me of what Kanye was capable of mind the autotune, but its just lacked substance as the track went on from there.

8. Guilt Trip Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: Kid Cudi? Damn. Kanye's verses are shit too. Extremely lazy. Sense made: None.

9. Send It Up Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: Skip this, really.

10. Bound 2 Track Rating: 6/10
Remarks: It's sounds more like a genuine Kanye. It just sounds like he's trying too hard to force emotions upon us, not giving us much to really think about (Not really on this track though, but this album overall)


ALBUM SCORE:


OVERALL: 4/10

20 Saddest Songs (To Me)

Ever heard a song and felt something inside you just die or have a realization that something with a great magnitude of sadness just lingers in your soul? #over-exaggerating This is a list of songs that gave me that exact feeling. My top 20 saddest songs. (Only the first 5 follows the order, the rest were equally sad to me) 

1. Forever and Always by Parachute

2. Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day

3. Permanent by David Cook 

4. Yesterday by Leona Lewis

5. Cancer by My Chemical Romance

6. Nobody's Child by Karen Young

7. For The First Time by The Script

8. Everybody Hurts by R.E.M.

9. Hate Me by Blue October

10. Dance With My Father by Luther Vandross

11. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley

12. How To Save A Life by The Fray

13. Where'd You Go by Fort Minor

14. Red by Daniel Merriweather

15. Vincent by Don McLean

16. Volcano by Damien Rice

17. Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) by Green Day

18. Mad World by Gary Jules

19. My Immortal by Evanescence 

20. Empty by The Click Five

20 All Time Favourite Songs!!!!

So, as you guys know, I'm pretty passionate when it comes to music. I've been doing album reviews, counting down list of favourite songs throughout the months, but what really are my favourite tracks of all time? Here are 20 songs that one way or another made me look at music a whole different way.

1. Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley (Yes, Jeff Buckley)
2. The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel
3. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica 
4. Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
5. Desert Rose by Sting feat Cheb Mami
6. Memory by Cats (The Musical)
7. Red by Daniel Merriweather 
8. Mr. Brightside by The Killers
9. The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel
10. Annie's Song by John Denver 

11. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel
12. Earth Song by Michael Jackson
13. You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson
14. Disenchanted by My Chemical Romance
15. Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel
16. Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
17. Walcott by Vampire Weekend
18. Everything by Lifehouse
19. Chop Suey! by System of a Down (Guilty Pleasure)
20. Volcano by Damien Rice

Change

Welcome to the reformation of society,

Free falling towards a spiral of impurity,

Making luxury a crucial necessity,

Dispositioning minds below maturity.

Severe greed feeds the young soul,

Stroking the idea of being complete,

Foolish is the mind that forgets his goal,

For his gain would be nothing but obsolete.

We have strayed too far from noble ways,

Swallowed by the wave of selfishness,

The light struggles to make it pass the days,

Being complacent with the ease of darkness. 

POEM WRITTEN BY MERVYN RICHARD

ALBUM REVIEW: Indicud by Kid Cudi

THE NUTSHELL:
Scott Mescudi delivers his 3rd full length LP since The Man on The Moon installments.



TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW:



1. The Resurrection of Scott Mescudi Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: The drama involved in just the music and the beats are compelling. The horror that comes with it is unique and has it's on flavour to it. However, I have heard better intros, and this ushering in the next track is just insignificant.

2. Unf**kwittable Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: This song isn't really giving Kid a great image. It's too whiny in the middle. The beat and backdrop sounds intolerable. Doesn't really send his message through well. Bad execution.

3. Just What I Am feat King Chip Track Rating: 3/10
Remarks: Kid Cudi has a good flow here during his rap verses. Sadly, that's about it. This song is about getting high. Nothing too different from what Kid has done before. Doesn't really cut it.

4. Young Lady feat Father John Misty Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: I never heard 'Jesus Christ' said so many times in a song and its not even a good thing. The start had a really good flow. It just loses grip from then on.

5. King Wizard Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: Started of sounding a bit like Kanye West's 'POWER' but lack execution. Lazy beats. Sloppy rhymes. An annoying hook.

6. Immortal Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Never knew Kid to have this much soul. It's hard to come up with a conclusion to Kid Cudi's style. It's a skippable track nevertheless, but still better than anything else here so far.

7. Solo Dolo, Part II feat Kendrick Lamar Track Rating: 5/10
Remarks: Kendrick's verse is just off the hook here. Extremely clean flow. He save this track, really.

8. Girls feat Too Short Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Extremely repetitive and really unpleasant flow. Lyrics get extremely shallow at certain points too.

9. New York City Rage Fest Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: A song with no words and a bad unprogressive beat.

10. Red Eye feat Haim Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Haim sounds good here. Not much of Cudi though. Loving the 'Last Night' beat to it. But still. Just below average.

11. Mad Solar Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Not sure whether Cudi is going though a writers block but this stuff is elementary even for his level. The flow is terrible and the hook is inaccessible 

12. Beez feat RZA Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: To be honest, I never really heard of RZA, but his verse is tight and believable. Kid just took it away from him with his sleazy hook.

13. Brothers feat King Chip & A$AP Rocky Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Even A$AP's verse can't save this (to be fair it wasn't really that good either). The message Kid is trying to eject is acceptable, sadly the music is not.

14. Burn Baby Burn Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Skip. Bragging sessions.

15. Lord of the Sad and Lonely Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: This doesn't even sound like Kid. I sense a bit of desperation at this point. Lyrics are quite disturbing when you look at it. Doesn't really mean it's anything different.

16. Cold Blooded Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Actually digging this quite a bit. The hook is dope. Cudi's verse is not even relevant. The beat is tight though.

17. Afterwards (Bring Yo Friends) feat Michael Bolton & King Chip Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: This song is 9 and a half minutes too long for something that is not even acceptable to be a track. 

18. The Flight of the Moon Man Track Rating: 2/10
Remarks: Just an outro.



ALBUM SCORE: 



OVERALL: 2/10

ALBUM REVIEW: Demi By Demi Lovato

THE NUTSHELL:
Disney star turned recording artist. Not the best, but way inferior than Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Debby Ryan in terms of musicality.

Side note: Albums and would now be given an overall score over 10 rather than 5.


TRACK BY TRACK RATING:


1. Heart Attack Track Rating: 7/10
Remarks: It's okay, I guess. Not really different from anything she did before (from what has been released to radio). Nothing to fancy.

2. Made in the USA Track Rating: 6/10
Remarks: Again, nothing to different from anything I've heard from any pop artist on the radio. Nothing much to say other than it's extremely radio friendly.

3. Without the Love Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Teens would probably love this track. Lack originality, content and substance. Song has a good flow though. Just too common.

4. Neon Lights Track Rating: 5/10
Remarks: Really on the fence. Love the Calvin Harris/Zedd-esque drop t this. Hate its premature lyrics and the hook before the chorus that is a copycat to 'We Found Love'.

5. Two Pieces Track Rating: 3/10
Remarks: Never liked fairy tale themed tracks. Girls would maybe dig this though. I just find it irritating. The verse and hook is unbelievably irrelevant to each other. Would skip.

6. Nightingale Track Rating: 3/10
Remarks: Read 'Two Pieces' remark. At least the chorus is relevant to the song.

7. In Case Track Rating: 7/10 
Remarks: I like this. Really, it has substance, it is deeper than surfaced pop songs. Quite inspiring really. Sounds like a young Christina Aguilera at certain parts. Good.

8. Really Don't Care feat Cher Lloyd Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Very irritating. Cher Lloyd's verse doesn't help at all, if anything, makes the song unbearable. 

9. Fire Starter Track Rating: 4/10
Remarks: Skyscraper Part 2.

10. Something That We're Not Track Rating: 1/10
Remarks: Sounds like a very cheesy self absorbed girl's favourite song. Really shallow.

11. Never Been Hurt Track Rating: 3/10
Remarks: Auto-tune is very obvious and ineffective, doesn't do much favours to this song. Mediocre.

12. Shouldn't Come Back Track Rating: 10/10 *ALBUM'S TRACK TO REMEMBER
Remarks: Love the acoustic feel and nostalgic elements to this track. Not really groundbreaking lyricism but everything fits well. I think it would sound better on Leona Lewis. I can really feel this so much for her and her feud with her father. This is by a country mile the best track of the album.

13. Warrior Track Rating: 7/10
Remarks: Something inspiring for teens. Has a 'Beautiful' by Christina Aguilera feel to it but not as well executed. Decent.

ALBUM SCORE:


OVERALL: 5/10