This gem got released onto the world yesterday, so here are my thoughts about it after letting it sink in for 24 hours.
Blurryface is the second full-length record to get released by TØP through Fueled By Ramen, after having released two EPs before on their own.
The duo from Columbus, Ohio, is nowhere near easy to sort into a genre at all. Billboard used a quite perfectly fitting phrase here, with which I whole heartedly agree: "The great thing about being a pop duo that treats genres like a toddler treats Legos is that even your mistakes are fascinating."
So after setting your expectations with this, here's what I think of the individual tracks.
HEAVYDIRTYSOUL introduces you to the record with a Prodigy-esque (is that even a word?) lead up to that first track, making you believe you got your hands on a drum'n'bass/electro inspired pop record. But, behold, as soon as Stressed Out kicks in, you'll be completely thrown off of that track again and get taken into a world of a more hip-hop inspired corner. With the lyrics being as nostalgicly drained as it gets, you get dragged into a more calm, yet haunting atmosphere as you, most likely, relate to a big part of it all.
Only having gotten comfortable with the new scene setting, you get lead to an almost reggae-like side with the beginning of Ride. If you don't get the feeling of just lying down immediately and pretend you're on some lonely island ... well, we clearly don't think alike.
Fairly Local doesn't give you much time before it pulls you out of the summer feeling and puts you into a fridge instead to cool down. This back and forth between songs continues throughout the whole record. At this point, it's more than obvious that Billboard basically nailed it with their description of this album and the band in general.
To have such a variety of influences on this record, stretching from Depeche Mode, The Killers to Brand New, and many more, is the final prove of their high level of creativity. Especially to create all this as a duo is another factor to increase the respect towards those guys.
I feel like my words don't really do the creativity pattern enough justice, so I'd highly suggest you go out and visit your local record store to get a copy yourself.
Overall: 8/10
Favorite tracks: HEAVYDIRTYSOUL, Fairly Local, The Judge, Goner, Message Man
As mentioned before, the record dropped yesterday, on May 19th, and is also available on iTunes and through their webstore.
They will also head out to tour across Europe and the UK in November, so check their site for a date near you! Their live show is clearly something worth watching as it gives all of their songs such a diverse intensity as to what they sound like on record. They recently played a how at the Electric Ballroom in London and, from what I read, the atmosphere was one of the most exciting and anticipation filled ones in quite some time. Don't miss out on it!
They will also head out to tour across Europe and the UK in November, so check their site for a date near you! Their live show is clearly something worth watching as it gives all of their songs such a diverse intensity as to what they sound like on record. They recently played a how at the Electric Ballroom in London and, from what I read, the atmosphere was one of the most exciting and anticipation filled ones in quite some time. Don't miss out on it!
