The Neighbourhood – “(((((ultraSOUND)))))” review

The Neighbourhood is an alternative rock & indie pop band from Newbury Park, California consisting of drummer/percussionist Brandon Fried, bassist Michael Margott, rhythm guitarist Jeremiah Freedman, lead guitarist Zachary Abels & frontman Jesse Rutherford. Signing to Columbia Records in 2012, they would go on to make their full-length debut the next spring with I Love You. & Wiped Out! celebrated it’s 10-year anniversary only a couple weeks ago. Hard to Imagine The Neighbourhood Ever Changing would improve from both it’s predecessors while Chip Chrome & the Monotones would moderately fulfill their Columbia contract. They have since taken a hiatus between 2022 & this summer, joining the Warner Records roster for their 5th album.

“Hula Girl” sets up their return with a bit of a homage to Oasis singing about the feeling of being removed from his peers whereas “OMG” continues by blending elements of the Wiped Out! & Hard to Imagine The Neighbourhood Ever Changing eras lyrically calling back to “You Get Me So High” & “No Grey” respectively, which is something I believe longtime fans will certainly admire. “Lovebomb” goes for a more nostalgic vibe altogether breaking the curse that all of Jesse’s previous relationships all have in common just before “Private” sings about the relationship he has with his current girlfriend Valentina Bilbao.

As for “Lil Ol’ Me”, we have The Neighbourhood continuing to pull inspiration from Oasis with a hint of Nirvana sprinkled in this time around singing about people wanting Jesse’s soul after putting a lease on it while “Planet” incorporates a bridge reminiscent of the late Michael Jackson yearning to take back a light that was stolen. “Holy Ghost” reaches the halfway point experimenting with alternative dance singing for Valentina to hold him close whenever he feels uncomfortable or wants to give up making music while “Rabbit” begins the 2nd act of (((((ultraSOUND))))) tackling themes of agony & despair.

“Tides” keeps it rolling by throwing it back to the Wiped Out! days once again depicting a relationship built around constantly fighting & asking if they can put their differences behind them while “Daisy Chain” shifts towards an indie rock direction stylistically singing about the topic of nostalgia. “Zombie” compares Jesse to the undead because of him staying up all night waiting for a woman he’s been in contact with as of late to answer his missed calls while “Mama Drama” thematically picks up where “Daddy Issues” left off a decade earlier.

The song “Crushed” winds down (((((ultraSOUND)))))‘s final 11 minutes by taking a bit of a funkier approach in terms of sound singing about self-destruction while “Mute” apologizes in advance if Jesse’s been acting weird, attributing it to his desire of wanting to disappear & things inside his head becoming increasingly loud. “Stupid Boy” concludes the band’s comeback with a sequel to “Pretty Boy” off Chip Chrome & the Monotones, except the aesthetics of I Love You. happen to be more significantly prominent with his empathy increasing & his faith in humanity decreasing.

Up until this point: These guys to me personally have always been one of those acts where they’ll occasionally wow me by putting out tracks like “Prey” or “Roll Call”, but (((((ultraSOUND))))) changes everything for The Neighbourhood returning under Warner Records for what might be their strongest LP. The production has something that all fans can enjoy recapturing every style they’ve explored during their Columbia Records tenure from alternative rock to indie pop, indie rock, alternative dance & dream pop with it’s darker & moodier spin complimenting Jesse Rutherford’s intimately self-aware lyrics revolving around heartbreak, disillusionment & emotional vulnerability.

Score: 3.5/5

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Alemeda – “But What the Hell Do I Know?” review

Phoenix, Arizona singer/songwriter of Sudanese-Ethiopian descent Alemeda returning for her 2nd EP. Appearing on the Hit-Boy produced highlight “Fallacy” off Ab-Soul’s 5th album Herbert at the end of 2022, she would eventually sign to Top Dawg Entertainment under an exclusive distribution deal with Warner Records for a positively received pop rock/bedroom pop debut EP Fuck It last fall. 14 months have passed & she’s looking to further her establish her by releasing But What the Hell Do I Know?.

Things begin with the pop rock intro “Happy with You” singing about being in disbelief that she can feel contented by a romantic figure whereas “Beat a Bitch Up!” featuring Doechii fuses alternative rock, post-punk revival, indie rock, pop rap, pop punk & shoegaze for a ventilation of resorting to physical violence. “Losing Myself” sings about feeling like she’s falling into a metaphorical abyss while the indie/pop rock & bedroom pop lead single “Chameleon” featuring Rachel Chinouriri cautions that karma’s coming to manipulators.

“1-800-FUCK-YOU” starts the 2nd half of But What the Hell Do I Know? with a pop rock/post-punk revival single confidently standing up to any bullshit hurled at her while the self-produced “Stupid Little Bitch” asks why she wastes her days crying over someone in her life worth deeming that very title. “I’m Over It” lately sends off the EP with 1 more pop rock track singing about how things started in this relationship she’s describing wound up being the same way things were lost, being on the verge of giving up trying to fix it.

Expanding the predominant pop rock & bedroom pop sounds of Fuck It almost 14 months ago including it’s secondary post-punk revival influences, Alemeda comes to the realization that she didn’t know everything like she always thought & takes a more vulnerable approach than she did on But What Do I Know?’s predecessor. Her whole entire style that makes her differ from her labelmates is being distilled right in front of us for 17 minutes additionally pulling from alternative rock, indie rock, pop rap, pop punk & shoegaze.

Score: 4/5

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Ashnikko – “Smoochies” review

Ashnikko is a 29 year old rapper & singer/songwriter from Oak Ridge, North Carolina who caught the attention of Parlophone Records & Warner Records off her debut EP Sass Pancakes. Unlikeable & Hi, It’s Mewould go on to prelude her 4th EP Demidevil, with the latter dividing the musical discourse. Her debut album Weedkiller reached the same level of moderacy Hi, It’s Me did & some of her greatest singles yet have been building up towards her sophomore effort with curious expectations.

“Smoochie Girl” begins with a pop rap, contemporary R&B, hyphy & electropop single talking about falling for someone whereas the hedonistically erotic “Liquid” explores her desires with her partner. “Trinkets” blends bubblegum bass, dance-pop, Baltimore club, hyperpop & hip house likening her collecting boys to collecting small ornaments prior to “Chinchinya” describing her dog Wednesday gruesomely attacking her ex referring to a nickname for Wednesday when she’s misbehaving.

Moving on from there with “Skin Cleared”, we have Ashnikko refining what she was going for during both the Demidevil & Weedkiller eras feeling happier & healthier as a result of a breakup just before “Microplastics” embraces a sassier tone showing a bit of a L.A.M.B. (Love.Angel.Music.Baby.) era Gwen Stefani influence. “Full Frontal” however uses lobotomies as a metaphor for letting go even if it’s only for a brief moment while “She’s So Pretty” takes a wholesome approach describing a woman who she can’t live without.

“Wet Like” featuring COBRAH starts the 2nd half of Smoochies fusing future house, bass house, electro hop & hip house embracing lust & hedonism fully while “I Want My Boyfriends to Kiss” confesses a fantasy of her 2 male lovers making out to each other making room for her sense of humor during the outro. “Sticky Fingers” combines pop rap, contemporary R&B, dance-pop & Arabic pop to talk about wanting to invest her time into her friends or new skills while “Lip Smacker” spends 2 & a half minutes getting cunty.

Pop rap, tech house & bass house all collide on the playful lead single “Itty Bitty” talking about tiny skirts healing a broken heart prior to “Baby Teeth” bittersweetly reflecting the good & the bad times of a relationship over an electropop instrumental with a banjo. Of course I can’t forget to mention the lo-fi country pop closer “It Girl”, where she’s singing about the concept of a young female who’s achieved everything in life being a short-lived feat from her perspective.

Tossing the whole Dungeons & Dragons concept of her debut out the window due to fatigue was a very smart move for Ashnikko to make because her getting more autobiographical with Demidevil‘s older sister Smoochies is a key reason I consider it to be the most gratifying work of her entire career. Gotta mention Slinger’s production ditching the trap influences of Ash’s previous work entirely to incorporate elements of electropop, bubblegum bass, dance-pop, electro house & electro hop in the midst of her signature pop rap sound.

Score: 3.5/5

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Earl Sweatshirt – “Live Laugh Love” review

Santa Monica, California emcee, producer & singer/songwriter Earl Sweatshirt surprise-releasing his 6th LP. Beginning his career in 2008 under the name Sly Tendencies as the son of Cheryl Harris & late poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, he posted a handful of tracks for a mixtape called Kitchen Cutlery on MySpace, but the tape would never be released to this day. Then he formed a rap trio with 2 of his friends called The Backpackerz & planned to release a mixtape together titled World Playground, but they disbanded sometime in 2009. Shortly after, he joined Odd Future & appeared on their 2nd & final mixtape Radical that May. 10 months later, he put out his only mixtape to date Earl with OF’s de facto leader Tyler, The Creator producing a bulk of it. The tape received a lot of buzz, but Earl’s mother would send him to a therapeutic retreat school for at-risk boys in Samoa sometime after until February of 2012. He was then granted his own Columbia Records imprint Tan Cressida Records & released his full-length debut Doris a decade ago to critical acclaim right before I started my junior year of high school for his clever rhyme schemes & the gritty production from The Neptunes to even the RZA. He then formed the duo Hog Slaughta Boyz with OF affiliate Na’kel at the beginning of 2015 & released his sophomore album I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside. a couple months after. Many of which consider to be better than Doris for its darker aesthetic. Some Rap Songs not only wound up being my favorite album of 2018, but also bastard child of one of my all-time favorite albums: Madvillainy. Feet of Clay the year after marked a new distribution deal Tan Cressida signed with Warner Records was a cool collection of SRS outtakes preluding his full-length debut on the label Sick!about 3 & a half years ago, coming off one of my top 10 producers of all-time The Alchemist for the flawless Voir Dire to drop Live Laugh Love almost a week since the listening party.

“GSW vs. SAC” starts with a throwback to the Some Rap Songs era talking about how he’s always been a slow roller whereas “Forge” hooks up a Middle Eastern sample advising to stick along for the ride. “Infatuation” goes for a drumless chipmunk soul direction referencing the Bessie Anderson Stanley poem Success leading into the funky “Gamma (Need the <3)” giving a nod to the late Roy Ayers’ biggest hit “Everybody Loves the Sunshine”.

The strings that Navy Blue heavily samples during the course of “Well Done!” reminding us that he already said nobody could get a rise out of a real one just before the 2-parter “Live” produced by Black Noi$e cautions not to get beheaded with only a month left of summer. “Static” drumlessly references WWE Hall of Famer Muhammad Ali at the beginning & later Jean Dawson at the halfway point of his verse while “Crisco” continues to strip the drums to talk about his upbringings.

“Tourmaline” counts down the final minutes of Live Laugh Love by coming to his senses while “Heavy Metal aka Ejecto Seato!” recalling a dream he had in 2016 vaguely similar to a scene in the movie Trainspotting where Renton began hallucinating as a result of him detoxing from heroin. “Exhaust” lastly sends off the album sampling a flute advising that it’s really just you & whatever you think at the end of the day, to which he’s not entirely wrong about.

If Some Rap Songs had a sequel that bridges the teenager we were formally introduced to 15 years earlier & the family man Earl Sweatshirt has become presently, you’d get Live Laugh Love. The production is a little more experimental than Voir Dire’s was 24 months previously & it brings a smile to my face knowing that the most skilled lyricist to come out from the OF camp is in a better place mentally.

Score: 4.5/5

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Deftones – “Private Music” review

Deftones are a groundbreaking alternative metal band from Sacramento, California consisting of DJ/keyboardist Frank Delgado, bassist Fred Sablan, drummer Abe Cunningham, lead guitarist Stephen Carpenter & frontman Chino Moreno. Adrenaline, Around the Fur, my personal favorite White Pony, Saturday Night Wrist, Diamond Eyes & Koi No Yokanwould all become classics for their own individual reasons & are returning 5 years after Ohms made up for Gore’s averageness to put out their 10th full-length album.

The lead single “My Mind’s a Mountain” sets the tone by combining alternative metal, shoegaze, post-hardcore, post-metal & doomgaze singing about the cycles of depression & non-depression whereas “Locked Club” suggests to either join the parade or be left out entirely. “Ecdysis” throws it back to the band’s nu metal origins singing about a new phase arriving just before the alt-metal/shoegaze crossover “Infinite Source” realizing a love they were chasing has been found.

“Souvenir” pushes forward with a 6-minute skull smasher singing about hurdling through space & discovering each other’s ways embracing the night leading into “cXz” finds their thoughts reappearing as lost time. “I Think About You All the Time” reminisces over a friend of the band’s who passed away some time ago leading into the 2nd & final single “Milk of the Madonna” blending alt-metal, post-hardcore & shoegaze to sing about being lost in religious ecstasy.

What could possibly be the heaviest track here “Cut Hands” assuring that they can’t be pulled out of their graces in the midst of these adversaries hitting a crossroads because of their lives failing in front of the band while “~Metal Dreams” sings about envisioning the gold drenched days laid ahead & sinking in perfect pose forever sooner rather than later. “Departing the Body” sends it all off with the realization that a brand new phase of their movement has started to change.

Private Music not only continues the ethos of Koi No Yokan & Ohms, but it’s another testament to Deftones rightfully becoming the Radiohead of alternative metal whilst striking a middle ground between the rest of their discography. Contemplating the attractiveness & dangers of nature as well as the challenges of tending a positive mindset & images of a trip beyond the physical realm, they revisit all 4 styles of it’s predecessors explored during the COVID-19 pandemic with more interesting ideas & intricate pacing.

Score: 4.5/5

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Bktherula – “Lucy” review

Finally got the 3rd studio album from Atlanta, Georgia rapper & singer/songwriter Bktherula. Beginning a decade ago as a pop/R&B singer, she eventually broke out in the plugg scene after dropping the single “Tweakin’ Together” produced by my lil homie Mars off her debut mixtape Love Santana. This resulted in her signing to Warner Records, following it up with her sophomore tape Nirvana along with the full-length debut Love Black & LVL5. It’s been over a year since LVL5 2 & her label has finally decided now is the time for Lucy to be released.

“DropWhenIDrop” starts with an industrial instrumental flexing that she’s been working her ass off & being in it to win it whereas “LoveSexDreams” produced by Skaiwater talks about wanting to see someone when she said she wasn’t gonna fall in love. “BBGurlGoSlow” featuring Ty$ finds the 2 over a cloudy trap beat 9lives co-produced coming their way after dropping what they want & the lead single “adult swim” bears it’s name after the Discovery Global-owned Cartoon Network late night block, taking it a step further with the Robot Chicken influenced video.

After the “I Feel Like” skit, “Bleht” cooks up a futuristic trap instrumental for Bk to completely spaz out with her flow showing how hard she be going until “Delilah” gets in her petty bag a little looking to take down one of her exes. “Abstract” brings his heavy synthesizers into the fold singing for God to forgive her for her sins cutting them off for a peaceful outro, but then “Euphoria” featuring Joey Bada$$ & KayCyy gets together for well executed pop rap duet & Murda Beatz drawing influences from rock.

“DumbShit” marked the final single that was teased flexing that she’s living life fast letting us all know this is what sounds like whenever her detractors are going through Hell & some of the best adlibs of the LP pop up during “R.I.P. (Rest In Peace)” basically killing off her ego delving back in the rage style. “OCB” fuses hypertrap & pop rap talking about your hoe wanting to be with her instead of you while “PickUpThePhone” goes drumless to pleas for her partner to answer her call.

To kick off the 4th quarter, “No Contact” heavily relies on synths speaking of nightmares when images of her heart on cold pavement come to mind while “Big Feeling” gives off a warm trap feeling talking about having the instinct of others going to hate on her. The final song “LookAlive” ahead of the “I Know” outro properly ties up Lucy by telling her partner she doesn’t feel like she’s loving them right & being on her side whenever they come back.

Birthing a new era in her career, Lucy proves to be the most personal & genre-defying entry in Bk’s discography thus far elevating the potential that was realized when she first got signed several years ago. Once you get past both of the skits & a couple redundant moments during the backend of it, the general sound is more pop rap-driven than the LVL5 series was albeit the rage undertones remain breaking down the topics of ascension & creative awakening.

Score: 4/5

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Benson Boone – “American Heart” review

Benson Boone is a 22 year old singer/songwriter from Monroe, Washington garnering the attention of Warner Records following “Ghost Town” going viral. Introducing herself to a wider audience off both her EPs Walk Me Home… & Pulse, his inaugural full-length Fireworks & Rollerbladesmarked a poorly received debut in terms of the pop rock style & his follow-up here has been generating a lot of attention from critics & fans so much that I had to give it a listen to hear what made it so appealing.

“Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else” was a mediocre pop rock single to start my off with further showing influences of big music & new wave addressing a former lover whereas “Mr. Electric Blue” sings about his father disrespecting the progressive pop rock band Electric Light Orchestra, who influenced a personal favorite artist of mine in KiD CuDi. “Man in Me” overloads this synth-heavy breakup letter with so much melodrama where it gets annoying after a short & “Mystical Magical” easily sticks out amongst the absolute worst songs I’ve heard all year making the late Olivia Newton-John roll in her grave.

Reaching the halfway point of this torturous listening experience, “Reminds Me of You” makes me miss Bruno Mars in light of 24K Magic turning 10 next fall & of course the Silk Sonic album An Evening with Silk Sonic. “Momma Song” was a disappointingly tiring adult contemporary single dedicated to his mother doing piano & symphonic rock little to no favors leading into “I Wanna Be the One You Call” redundantly exemplifying why it should’ve been on the cutting room floor & Malay’s involvement disappoints because of his production on the best alternative R&B album of all-time in Frank Ocean’s sophomore effort blond right above The Weeknd’s mixtape trilogy.

“Wanted Man” feels like him taking a giant shit on glam rock which the late David Bowie defined with his 1972 magnum opus The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars followed by “Take Me Home” homaging the EP that broke him out as a star except it underwhelmingly asks to be kissed like the old days. “Young American Heart” finally finishes this shitty album with him & recalling a time where he & his best friend felt limitless & indestructible.

Said to be inspired by heartland rock pioneer Bruce Springsteen & the Americana subgenre of country music, Benson Boone’s sophomore effort feels utterly commercialized to the point where you’d hear it in a dressing room of a store like Kohl’s instead of a generational attempt of solidifying himself as a successor to pop rock alongside adult contemporary & new wave doing the bare minimum of justice to every individual who’s brought out the good of all those styles making them what they are now.

Score: 1/5

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PinkPantheress – “Fancy That” review

PinkPantheress is a 24 year old singer/songwriter & producer from Bath, Somerset, England, United Kingdom catching the eye of Elektra Records for her first couple EPs To Hell with It including at least 3 remixes I like more than the original versions & Take Me Home to high acclaim. Warner Records later brought her over to establish herself as a dominant force in modern alt-pop & contemporary R&B on her full-length debut Heaven Knows, teasing a sophomore effort with her 3rd EP.

“Illegal” begins the EP sampling “Dark & Long”by Underworld to delve into a relationship that she’s trying to keep on the low with the fear of being caught in mind by the public eye whereas the original version “Girl Like Me” excluding the KAYTRANADA remix samples “Romeo” by Basement Jaxx & Kele Le Roc during the hook talking about not being a fan of the way things are moving.“Tonight” goes for a dance-pop, bassline, speed garage & contemporary R&B direction flipping “Do You Know What I’m Seeing?” by Panic! At the Disco expressing a mature side to herself while “Stars” is pretty much a homage to “Starz in Their Eyes” by Just Jack.

After an intermission, “Noises” explains the feeling of uneasiness while being home alone making good use of a Nardo Wick sample as somebody who’s not a big fan of his own music just before “Nice to Know You” samples “Spiral” by William Orbit, Kenna & the Sugababes singing about being a mess. “Stateside” explores her growth as an artist with it’s use of breakbeat, dance-pop, nu skool breaks, breakstep, UK street soul & big beat explaining her dating life pretty much being only long distance relationships & “Romeo” sampling “Good Luck” by Basement Jaxx finishes likening her & her partner to Romeo & Juliet

Representing everything kitsch & UK-centric, PinkPantheress continues to break ground as one of the biggest popstars of this decade taking on board with what appealed to her during the recording process of Fancy That using dance-pop, UK garage, 2-step, contemporary R&B, alt-pop, breakbeat, nu skool breaks, breakstep, UK street soul, bassline & speed garage to make it feel like a statement is being made with the 9 track EP clocking at 20 & a half minutes.

Score: 4.5/5

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Mac Miller – “Balloonerism” review

2nd posthumous outing & 7th full-length studio LP overall from Pittsburgh’s very own Mac Miller. The man exploded onto the scene in the 2010s with a handful of projects including K.I.D.S. (Kickin’ Incredibly Dope Shit), Macadelic, Watching Movies with the Sound Off, Faces & GO:OD AM. The final album of his lifetime Swimming was inspired by his breakup with Ariana Grande & he tragically passed away only a month later. A sequel to Swimming produced by Jon Brion called Circles stands as one of the best posthumous offerings in recent memory & Balloonerism is looking to do the same.

After the “Tambourine Dream” intro, the first song “DJ’s Chord Organ” by SZA starts off by singing over the late Daniel Johnston’s chord organ about running around & the ruthlessness of cocaine whereas “Do You Have a Destination?” cloudily asks where you’re going. “$5 Pony Rides” produced with Thundercat crosses over neo-soul, jazz rap, contemporary R&B, pop soul & funk reflecting on a complex, emotionally distant relationship while “Friendly Hallucinations” takes the mellow boom bap route talking about paradise waiting on the other side of the dock.

“Mrs. Deborah Downer” continues the atmospherically dusty vibes instrumentally admitting that everything feels slow to him leading into “Stoned” keeping the kicks & snares in tact to talk about wanting to get high with his romantic interest. “Shangri-La” wants to know exactly how super a supermodel really is on top of this lo-fi boom bap beat, but then “Funny Papers” takes the negatives & positives of what somebody might read in a newspaper while reflecting similarly on his own emotions

As for “Excelsior”, we have Mac hooking up more kicks & snares with a piano thrown in asking when did life become so serious while “Transformations” marks the return of the Delusional Thomas alter ego. “Manakins” talks about there being no such thing as freedom returning to the boom bap prior to “Rick’s Piano” pondering what death’s like playing Rick Rubin’s piano, but then “Tomorrow Will Never Know” ends Balloonerism asking if the dead have dreams like the rest of us.

Over a decade later & recorded around the same time as Faces, the 2nd posthumous offering in Mac’s discography shares a lot of the same key characteristics that made Faces his most acclaimed mixtape. His production builds around the sounds of jazz rap, east coast hip hop, neo-soul, cloud rap, neo-psychedelia & experimental hip hop showcasing both the breadth of his musical talents & fearlessness as an artist.

Score: 4.5/5

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LINKIN PARK – “From 0” review

LINKIN PARK is an alternative rock outfit from Los Angeles, California now consisting of lead guitarist Brad Delson, deejay Joe Hahn, bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, their new drummer Colin Brittain, co-frontman/rhythm guitarist Mike Shinoda & their new frontwoman Emily Armstrong. Originally known as Xero & Hybrid Theory, the band used the latter name for their landmark debut after signing to Warner Records & the sophomore effort Meteora became a childhood essential for me in addition to inaugurating Machine Shop Recordings’ formation. The Rick Rubin trilogy Minutes to Midnight as well as 1,000 Suns & Living Things marked them shifting away from the nu metal sound they made a name for themselves with although The Hunting Party was an underappreciated return to their roots. 1 More Light went full electropop & was universally scoffed at as the band’s worst album, resulting in Chester Bennington tragically taking his life on my mom’s 45th birthday. 7 years later, Colin’s replacing Rob Bourdon & Emily from prior Dead Sara fame is replacing Chester for the band’s 8th LP.

After the titular intro, the first song “The Emptiness Machine” is an alt-rock opener with additional elements of alternative metal & post-hardcore with Mike & Emily singing about wanting to be a part of something whereas “Cut the Bridge” taps into the band’s rap rock origins sabotaging it all. “Heavy’s the Crown” fuses rap rock, nu metal & alt-rock explaining today’s lthe day you notice ‘cause they’re tired of explainin’ what the joke is just before “Over Each Other” comes off as this mediocre alt-pop rock crossover.

“Casualty” lets off some angst over some guitars & drumming calling to let them out & set them free since they know all the secrets you keep leading into “Overflow” embraces a pop rock vibe even further singing that they both know they’re outta control all dressed up for a riot. “2 Faced” gets back to LINKIN PARK’s nu metal origins talking about certain people’s rules being unfair & their truths being unrigid, but then pop rock-inspired “Stained” references the tragedy of Lady Macbeth during the hook.

The penultimate song “I.G.Y.E.I.H. (I Gave You Everything I Had)” pushes further towards the final moments of From 0 by singing about the fact that forgotten doesn’t mean that it’s forgiven this time while “Good Things Go” finishes by showcasing Emily & Mike’s vocal chemistry, assuring that only they can save one another from their respective lack of self control feelin’ like it’s been raining inside of their heads for the last 100 days.

“Up from the Bottom” starts the deluxe run with an alt-rock/rap rock crossover with a hint of pop punk finding a way to escape aside from the exception of Emily & Mike having nowhere to go while “Unshatter” swaps out the secondary pop punk influences from prior with hard rock, post-grunge & power pop talking about undoing the damage of a broken picture because they were trying to see themselves. The final bonus track “Let You Fade” represents the band’s continuous evolution finding balance between honoring their legacy in the midst of forging a bold & new path forward.

Being as skeptical as I was when Emily was announced to be replacing Chester since I grew up listening to LINKIN PARK & felt that it wouldn’t be the same without him, I nonetheless came away from From 0 a little indifferent towards it although I very much wish the band all the best in this new era of their’s. Mike’s production abandons the lifeless electropop from 2017 in favor of a melting pot consisting of alternative rock, alternative metal, rap rock, nu metal & pop rock whilst Emily’s performances compared to Mike’s are hit or miss.

Score: 3/5

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