Undertone. A blog about music.
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dodie: Build a Problem review – much more than a YouTube sensation
Build a Problem is a coming of age for dodie with its cinematic ambition and intricate strings compositions, although much of the album lacks a sense of purpose.
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Royal Blood: Typhoons review – an innovating dance-rock revolution
Royal Blood have successfully carved out their own niche in this dynamic disco-infused collection of rock bangers which sound destined to soundtrack many post-lockdown workouts and dance parties the world over.
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The importance of IGOR
This week Undertone invites special guest and music lover Alex Walden for a look into what makes Tyler, the Creator’s critically acclaimed 2019 album IGOR so special.
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Middle Kids: Today We’re the Greatest review – a change of pace to mixed results
Today We’re the Greatest has more than its fair share of highlights and a strong set of lyrics, it’s just a shame Hannah Joy’s songwriting falls a little flat when put to the test with more intimate ballads.
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Every song from Eurovision 2021, ranked
May 2020 was a sad month without Eurovision, but at last the wait is over and I couldn’t be more excited. After trawling through the 40-odd entries from the Class of ’21 I’m pleased to report this is shaping up to be one of the best Eurovisions since I started following it, at least in…
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Beach Bunny: Blame Game EP review – an exhilarating comeback
Beach Bunny returned with another set of concise, hook-laden songs filled with compelling melodies. This time around, a new feminist edge results in some urgent commentary on the state of the patriarchy in today’s America.
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The best songs of 2020 – part 2
It’s time to wind up the best of the best songs of 2020.
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The best songs of 2020 – Part 1
Music hasn’t been so much a form of therapy for me in 2020 as it may have been in 2019 (Bodys will long be one of the most important songs I know), but instead it’s been a welcome, bitter sweet distraction. Rather than screaming out lyrics that resonated with me and dancing in my bedroom,…
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The 30 best Vulfpeck songs of all time
With the release of Vulfpeck’s fifth studio album, The Joy of Music, the Job of Real Estate, it’s time to look back at a newly revised list of the top 30 Vulfpeck songs of all time. The Michigan funk group are still yet to release a bad album (although 2020’s offering came close in some…
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Vulfpeck: The Joy of Music, The Job of Real Estate review – a disappointing Jekyll and Hyde
I’m tempted to say that it’s been a long two years since Vulfpeck’s last album, Hill Climber, but the truth is it really hasn’t. 2019 and 2020 have seen the Michigan funk legends take something of a hiatus, with a host of new albums from individuals.
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Snarky Puppy: Sylva review – a mind-blowing gem
Forget Oliver Tree, I’ve got another confession: I’ve never really liked classical music. I’m someone who needs a hook, a bass line, a groove and whilst classical music can have its moments, for me it’s always been too meandering and too inaccessible without a singer to guide me through. After all, what’s the point of…
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Oliver Tree: Ugly Is Beautiful review – an intriguing career showstopper
I’ll be honest with you: I hate Oliver Tree. It’s something I’ve realised since first hearing his boisterous, memorable hit single Hurt a year or two ago. Tree sits uncomfortably within the liminal space between comedic actor and reality, displaying an obnoxious, money-grabbing and at times absurd character to his large and increasingly devoted following.…
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