Lorde - Melodrama

Melodrama is a very cohesive and well-arranged contemporary pop album. I’m really into pop music at the moment and this album is like a summer present from the NZ princess Lorde. Her approach to pop music continues to be so unique. The whole album is extremely catchy and fun. Green Light is a pure party anthem, The Louvre has really good lyrics and Supercut has so much potential to be a huge hit. Jack Antonoff co-wrote and co-produced the majority of Melodrama with Lorde. And I believe that is the reason I liked this album so much. I’m a huge fan of Antonoff and he totally helped Lorde to take this album to another new level. The overall experience of listening to the record is great. Lorde is only 20 years old, but she creates great music with a lot of heart.

Joey Bada$$ - All-Amerikkkan Bada$$

Joey Bada$$ has done it again. His sophomore album puts him right into the spotlight. Joey has been making great songs since 1999 but this is the most conscious and diverse album of Joey’s yet. The album has a solid and interesting production. The beats are there. The delivery is there. Everything is on point. It definitely tends to the pop side but, I really like it. The focus on socialism and political only shows the Joey grew up and reached a level of maturity and bravery that not many his age or style has. Themes like - police brutality, mass incarceration, racial profiling & corrupted politicians are all over the record. All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ is a mature album from such a young mc. His political statement is very well articulated. and it will go down as one of the most politically charged albums released in all of 2017.

Paramore - After Laughter

The album is truly surprising. I was never a Paramore fan but I can’t stop listen to this album since it was released. All 12 tracks are so catch and addictive. The 80s and 90s influences are all over it. And Hayley's vocals fit the material very well. I love how the lyrics address so many important issues like mental health issues and suicidal thoughts but are masked behind upbeat instrumentation. After Laughter may not be what the band’s long time fans would expect from them in terms of sound, but in my opinion this is the most consistent Paramore record to date.

Bleachers - Gone Now

On Gone Now, the follow-up to Strange Desire, Jack Antonoff goes very personal. It is very refreshing how honest he is about his insecurities and shortcomings. The album features guest appearances from Sam Dew, Carly Rae Jepsen, Lorde, and Julia Michaels. What a fantastic album! There are no fillers here, every song is great. Gone Now is some fun, catchy, and good pop music in my opinion. I really like the production on the album. The synth and electronic beats give the album this amazing 80s vibe and I love it. Antonoff created something that is truly unusual and in this day and age when not everyone wants to take risks, that deserves to be celebrated. I’m consuming a lot of new music lately (Thanks, Spotify). And I can assure you, this record is a pop hook magnum opus. Jack released another great album.

Phoenix - Ti Amo

Oh man, this album is so good. It is just so fresh and it captures that Phoenix trademark. There's a lot of catchy hooks on here and Tuttifrutti actually gave me chills during that chorus. Ti Amo is a great follow-up to Bankrupt and a perfect summertime album! They pull of the Italian disco sound and summer vibe without sounding corny. This is just what the world needs right now. Solid album from start to finish. I recommend it to anyone who enjoyed their last two. I love Phoenix and I hope they keep making music for a long time. I will definitely have Ti Amo on repeat throughout the summer.

Kendrick Lamar - Damn

After releasing three incredible albums in a row, Lamar’s greatness is undeniable at this point. We are witnessing music History, people. What time to be alive! Damn is a great listen from start to end with a strong concept, insightful lyrics, and outstanding production. It is also really different from his earlier albums. Clearly Kendrick Lamar is taking a different approach for each one of his albums, that’s pure talent. I’m not going to lie but I was a bit worried when I saw that U2 would be featured on the album. But they did a good job and really fit on it.

I can’t have enough of Damn every time I finish listening to it, I just wanna start all over again.

Favorite songs: Duckworth, DNA, Element, Loyalty, Fear.