THE VINES: In Miracle Land
Lifting Beatles melodies wholesale? C’mon Vines, that’s a total Jet move. But this Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds-alike is pretty decent, even if it is a weird anthem paraphrasing the Sega classic Alex Kidd In Miracle World. If you’re not expecting much from the seventh LP from The Vines, then In Miracle Land delivers. If you are expecting much, then that’s probably on you.
DORSAL FINS: Let ‘Em In
It takes a certain type of chutzpah to cover Paul McCartney, especially Wings–era Macca. The melodies are good, the melodies are daggy. Finding a respect for that balance is the key. Dorsal Fins absolutely nail it on Let ‘Em In, bringing their powerhouse pool of talent without overcooking any element. They have fun with it. Rightfully so: it’s a fun song. I really love this. Open the door and let ‘em in. Dorsal Fins continue to be quiet overachievers.
RIHANNA: Kiss It Better
It’s hard to believe one of the world’s biggest pop stars can release something of a sleeper hit of an album, but that’s kind of what we have here with Rihanna’s excellent Anti. Such is the weird nature of the album in the stream–ruled climate. Kiss It Better is a brooding ‘80s soundtrack fanging it into a neon sunset. It exudes sheer power, and it’s all on RiRi’s terms.
SINGLE OF THE WEEK
A.B. ORIGINAL: 2 Black 2 Strong
A.B. Original, a new project bringing together Briggs and Trials, unleashes with the uncompromising monster 2 Black 2 Strong. The production (from Dazastah) is ridiculously large, reaching the scale of Pharoahe Monch’s Simon Says as Briggs and Trials outdo each other with the biggest bombshell punchlines in their respective arsenals. Briggs has talked up A.B. Original in a big way, to the extent of if this wasn’t primed to be the biggest hip hop release in Australia this year it would fall short. It doesn’t fall short.
