Quick Hits, Vol. 305 (Jack White, Wet Leg, Vince Staples, The 502s)

Jack White - Fear of the Dawn.  Weird ass album, man.  Like, one track will be the usual, heavy, Icky Thump of a prototypical Jack White track.  And then he has one with Q-Tip skedatting all over some weird creeper of a track.  "Into the Twilight" straddles both, both slashing guitars and thumping low end, but also weird flourishes that derail the song multiple times.  I'm remembering the great ways that he made minimalism the perfect sound on the White Stripes albums, because this one is chock full of action the entire time.  Lots of good guitar riffs in here, but you just aren't going to find a solid, full, cohesive song that brings together the best things in White's catalog and makes a catchy song.  "That Was Then, This is Now" is pretty solid, even if the organs make it seem like a jokey tune.  "Morning, Noon and Night" is probably the most straight-forward normal track here, and "Eosophobia" is a cool guitar noodle party for the first half.  "Taking Me Back" is the hit - a pile of brawny guitar riffs and smirking lyrics, perfect for a recently divorced guy to lift weights to.  7.3 million streams.

Straight rock and roll, homie.  But again, all those synths and effects and weird stuff?  That wasn't the schtick back in the day.  But at least the tune is catchy and loud and full of guitar flourishes!  I guess I find the overall album to be uneven.  Some songs draw me in, but usually not enough to like the next one.

Wet Leg - Several songs on here are straight jams.  "Chaise Lounge" is the hit, but "Wet Dream" rules (with, like a cheerleader party sort of vibe), and if not for the long scream in the middle, "Ur Mum" would also be a top song on the disc.  "Supermarket" has a great sing-along bit of her singing that she got "too high-e-i-e-i-e-i-e-igh."  These ladies were the belles of SXSW this year, and you can definitely tell why.  They're kinda funny, have sweet jams, and just sound like today.  For example, the lyrics to "Chaise Lounge" allow some good old fashioned double-entendre where she sings about telling her parents to look at her because she went to college and got the "Big D."  Which is both a degree and the peen.  Then they go into a bit about buttered muffins and getting horizontal on the chaise lounge.  It's silly and funny and absolutely danceable as hell.  You know its the hit as well, so here it is with 17.2 million streams.

Absolutely more funny hearing those words come out of the mouth of a girl who looks 15.  And the Strokes-ian guitars are great too.  When you watch their mouth, as they sing the words "chaise lounge" it looks like they don't even say the "nge" at the end.  That is weird. Love the kicks when the chorus kicks off.  Great fun.  That's what I'd say about the whole thing - its great fun.  Feels like these girls are here to goof around and kick out jams.  I hope they're on the ACL poster in a few days!

The 502s - Could It Get Better Than This.  I think my wife heard one of these songs on the radio, because she liked it and told me to check it out.  Unfortunately for this band, I've grown weary of the Lumineers' schtick, and so I don't really love this thing either.  Sounds like a roomful of buddies jamming and hollering and singing along.  And then a quiet solo track here and there, but it all lies in the lineage left behind by Rusted Root and the Lumineers.  I heard Train in one song.  Holy hell, "Just a Little While" has 34.7 freaking million streams!  Oh no.  This band is going to be at ACL, isn't it?

Also sounds like something that will be the song of the summer at every Christian youth camp across the country.  Fun and bouncy and entirely inoffensive.  I'm sorry love, but I just don't love it.

Vince Staples - RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART.  I generally like Vince.  He's done some stuff in the past that jams.  This album is another good one, not a classic by any means, but it has a good vibe and a handful of very good tracks.  "DJ QUIK" is named after the stud old-school rapper, and is a good one.  The beats are pretty chill, and his flow is very laconic.  He very rarely fires up in any meaningful way.  "Magic" has the top spin count right now at 11.1 million.

Good beat, with that deep bass thrum and the little hint of that sample that Ice Cube used in "You Know How We Do It."  This song really hits all the notes, with that chill feel in both the tune and the flow.  I'll probably keep this disc around for a while.