Leo Rising is the sophomore album of married pop/hip-hop group Karmin, consisting of Amy, the vocalist, and Nick, the producer. Unlike Karmin's first album, this one was released independently, with the duo writing every song and Nick producing every song (except for "Come With Me", which he co-produced). I've been a fan of Karmin a long time, a lot more at the "Acapella"-era, but sadly I didn't listen to this album until this month, even though it was released on September 23rd. Nevertheless, I'm glad that I finally decided to listen to thisA very notable feature about this album is how they released a "couch video", a low budget video of them basically looking at the camera, for every song on it, each one corresponding to a certain zodiac sign, something that I find to be really cool.
"Dance With You", the Aries track, is a great start, showcasing both Amy's and Nick's various talents. I love the drums in this track, and the sounds in the post-chorus. Nick's production seems very masterful for a solo, independent producer. Amy's voice is also amazing in the verses and chorus. Her voice itself is quite unique, a bit deeper and heartier than most popstar's voices, but she also has an amazing falsetto. This falsetto, unfortunately, is used horribly on the bridge to this song. This track is one of the things that made me want to review the album in the first place.
"Sugar", the song for Taurus, follows. This song is the lead single of the album, and it was released with 3 different mixes (if I remember right), if you include the Karmin remix, and three different music videos. The song itself is great, with the verses reminiscent of Amy's older music, the pre-chorus sounding beautifully theatrical, and the chorus itself silky smooth, as Amy confides in the listeners that "I can't think about anybody but you, sugar." It's a great retelling of Amy and Nick's marriage, set over a great jazz beat. The song keeps evolving as it goes on, with both a vulnerable bridge that all builds up to a "Got me feelin right like, ooh, yummy." That just continues into an amazing rap breakdown, just like how Karmin originated, ending with the amazing lyrics "My best judgement fights with the liquor/Is that a spark in your eyes, or a flicker?". Finally, the song ends with a long, outro that's mostly vocalizations set over smooth strings. This song is only 4 minutes long, but it packs so much into it, and that's amazing.
"Didn't Know You" goes down the indie road a bit more, with a very Mumford and Sons-esque production and a simple shouted chorus that doesn't seem to fit in with pop. The pre-chorus of "Every word you say is made to please" is great, especially the way that it's redone in the bridge, but the rest of the song is pretty average, and it was released as the third single, which is just so wrong (though I do love the video). This song is for the Gemini Zodiac.
"No Suitcase" brings in some rock elements, with nice soft verses and then heavy, almost off-tune choruses. I really don't enjoy this song, other than maybe the rap-esque part at the bridge. The production is also strange in a bad way, with some brass coming completely out of left field for the last chorus. This is the song for Cancer.
"Come With Me / Pure Imagination" is a totally unexpected and welcome cover/remix of Pure Imagination by Gene Wilder, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Sadly, Wilder has just recently died, so this song also works as a great tribute. It was released as the fourth single, and Amy sounds great on this; her voice is a lot softer than normal, I love the whistles in the production, and the bridge is great. Even though this song is upbeat, it just gives you that feeling of sad nostalgia. Leo is the lucky zodiac sign for this song.
"Everything", one of the few explicit song on the album, is also great. It's the most seductive song on the album, with Amy almost dropping to a whisper a few times. The production has that really alternative sound to it, and, with the exception of the bridge, this could easily be a Banks song. This song is very laid back, and it's quite great. This song is for Virgo, which is the perfect choice for it.
The Libra song, which is also the second single, comes next. "Along the Road" is a nostalgia trip as it tells a tale of friends saying goodbye, and Nick made a great choice with the handclap instrumental. The bridge is an example of how Amy can use her falsetto; in fact, this song shows just how amazing Amy's voice control can be. This should've been the closer, in my opinion.
"Can't Live", the Scorpio, song, has a more somber tone. The production is extremely interesting, with a line of beatboxing continuing throughout the song and gasping and whistling also used. Out of the whole album, this song has the best production, in my opinion. The bridge is also great, delivered like a confession.
Sagittarius gets "Blame it On My Heart". It's another chill song, toned back vocals layered over a great urban beat. The pre-chorus is really great, but that's the only part that I really love about this song; it just doesn't have any other high points, though I don't dislike it at all.
I really never expected "Save Me Now", the song for Capricorn. It's a great rap song over a dark, industrial beat, and I figured that they moved on from dedicated (other than the chorus) rap songs on this album. I really do enjoy this, especially the way that she sarcastically quips "He could be polishing tractors / I'm x-ing my factors." The way that she drawls "Can't find my ticket to ride" is also perfect.
Unfortunately for me, the next song is "Easy Money", the song for my zodiac, Aquarius. It's easily my least favorite song on the album, with that antiquated jukebox sound mixed with a surfer-style guitar. The verses aren't bad, but I just find the chorus to be annoying, and I couldn't help but skip past this song a few times during my listens to the album.
The final zodiac themed song, for Pisces, is "I Got You". It's uplifting and powerful, with a nice, vocal supported marching band-esque instrumental. Nick makes a vocal cameo for the outro to this song, reminded us that he should sing more, as he used to. It's a song of friendship and love, and even though the lyrics are a bit cheesy, I enjoy it.
The final song, a bonus track, called "Love is Louder" is pretty okay. I love the verses and Karmin has some great control, and the melodies in the production are great. However, the chorus seems lacking, and again, the lyrics are a bit cheesy.
Overall, I'm impressed by this album. Karmin's still got their touch, and though they might be insanely underrated, their venture into the indie world is really amazing. They've proven themselves as a competent duo; Amy has a great voice, and Nick is also a great producer. Though it's certainly different than what they used to do, I'm thoroughly impressed.
Final Verdict: 72/100
Favorite Tracks: Dance With You, Sugar, Everything, Save Me Now
Least Favorite Tracks: Easy Money, No Suitcase
Comments
Post a Comment