LIVESOS, 5 Seconds of Summer

I originally wasn't going to write a review of this one since it's a live album, but this is just such a fun live album it deserves a spot on the 500 album list.

For a little bit of context, LIVESOS (what a fantastic title by the way) was recorded at the House of Blues in LA in 2014 at one of the stand-alone shows 5 Seconds of Summer played while on tour with One Direction at 18 years old, fresh off the release of their debut album. It's hard to rate these songs on a scale similar to other studio albums I've listened to since the performance quality of each song plays a factor in how I feel about each one so:

Stand-out/favorite tracks: "Out of My Limit - Live" "Heartache on the Big Screen - Live" "What I Like About You - Live" "She Looks So Perfect - Live"

This album is nostalgic, fun, and such an easy listen, particularly if you're living with post-concert depression. And it shows off 5SOS doing what they do best-- performing the heck out of the best of their discography.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

FULLY OBSESSED

WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is one of the biggest music artists of the last decade, and with a darkly unique debut unlike what you would normally expect from a teen pop star, it's no wonder WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? became a sensation.

Throughout the entirety of WWAFA, WDWG? the fantastically unpredictable and addicting production of tracks like "you should see me in a crown" is mixed with delicately powerful vocals in tracks like "i love you" and the simple ethereal impression left by tracks like "when the party's over." Billie Eilish doesn't dumb herself down to the stereotypes of a teen idol even a little bit, and creating her own sickly delicious sound gives her all the more power as an artist. Quite simply, WWAFA, WDWG? beautifully illustrates late-night fears, thoughts, and dark dreams.

Stand-out tracks: "bury a friend" "i love you"

My favorites: "when the party's over" "you should see me in a crown"

This album starts with quirky "!!!!!!!" and the unexpectedly provocative hit "bad guy"- these songs are just the tip of the iceberg when entering the world of WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? "wish you were gay" could easily have been spun into a coffee-house-style love song, but it's trippy bass production and edgier lyricism make it that unique style Billie Eilish has claimed as her own. "when the party's over" is a stunning and haunting piano ballad that I truly don't have the words to describe except that I could listen to it forever. The only moment that feels truly teenage is "my strange addiction" that's laced with audio clips from The Office between angsty, lamenting lyricism. "bury a friend" deserves every bit of recognition that "bad guy" got-- it's incredibly and confidently sinister with arguably the best production of the entire album. "i love you" is one of the albums best tracks; it's a gorgeously melancholy acoustic ballad that illustrates the tragedy of disappointing love. "goodbye" is a serene and mystifying conclusion to the album that ties up some ends while leaving others tempting listeners to press play again.

On WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? Billie Eilish crowns herself as the queen of delivering the unexpected in the world of electro-pop-- and she does it with a perfect blend of teenage confidence and the frightening needle-sharp precision of a well-seasoned artist.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

FULLY OBSESSED

Magic, Bruce Springsteen

This Bruce Springsteen album gives me a certain level of nostalgia-- Magic played out of our kitchen stereo, iPod classic, and car CD players with a fair amount of regularity in 2007. He's certainly had many other albums with more chart hits and overall commercial success, but my personal connection to Magic made it feel like the right choice for my first Bruce Springsteen album during this project.

Bruce Springsteen takes on concept albums in such a way that the concept almost sinks into the woodwork of the album-- the slight bit of background research I did into Magic prior to listening brought to light the contrast between the magic and lack thereof of humanity. That point comes across lyrically and the album as a whole is enjoyable to listen to for the realness and rawness of its instrumentation combined with those lyrics.

Stand-out tracks: Radio Nowhere, Livin' in the Future

My favorites: You'll Be Comin' Down, Your Own Worst Enemy

It's hard to compare the songs on Magic to one another. They work together to create a cohesive sound but tell very different kinds of stories on their own. There are songs like the powerhouse opener "Radio Nowhere" and lighthearted, vibey "Girls in Their Summer Clothes" that appeal to the feel-good side of this album. There are songs where the E Street Band sounds particularly exquisite, like "Livin' in the Future" and "I'll Work for Your Love." Uncertainty and frustration take on two very different personas with "You'll Be Comin' Down" and "Last to Die," one taking the head-held-high kind of sound while the other is pure, unyielding angst. Magic is somehow multifaceted yet cohesive across lyricism, sound, instrumentation, and storytelling-- as an album, it's simply some kind of magic.

AM I OBSESSED?

RATING:

KINDA OBSESSED