So Long, See You Tomorrow- Bombay Bicycle Club

So Long, See You Tomorrow is the fourth album from indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club, and has like all of the albums before taken a different approach to the music being played. The bands started off by fitting in playing music, around studying for their GCSE’s and have struggled to find a sound that fitted them. Each album has had a different basis from indie rock, to folk and now with So Long heading down a more electronic-pop route.

One thing that has stayed unchanged is lead singer, Jack Steadman’s trademark shaking voice; he has also brought a selection of new sounds to the album following his world travels. The album starts with Overdone, which involves a crescendo of strings, drums and wind that erupts into an oriental themed collection of delight.

The sound of his globe trotting experience is then carried on through Feel, in which Bollywood style samples are played throughout the track.

Whereas Eyes Off You, takes a slowed down western feel and features a grand piano and harmonising duet.

Carry Me takes on the euphoric electronic vibe and baseline thump, which could see the song being played in clubs around the country. Whilst Home By Now boasts modern R&B rhythms, a different track entirely.

This fourth album has again changed the musical preference of the band; even within the album there are an array of different sounds. Although this unusual mix of music, does make for an interesting and somewhat surprising album.

Marshall Mathers LP 2 Review

So after three years out, Eminem is back with his sixth album: a delayed sequel to his 2000 album, Marshall Mathers.

Marshall Mathers LP 2 © Shady Records

Although he is older, Eminem still keeps many of his well-known traits. He often inserts corny rhymes: ‘This is your jam unless you got toe jam” showing that he can still provide comical value to his audience. He claims this album is a combination of him “growing up and down” and that it’s definitely a “2013 album”.

Eminem is still incorporating a large scale of modern references – Frank Ocean’s Swim Good, the Kardashians and Star Wars to name just a few. He is great at using his voice in vocal interpretation, using a range of pitches and voices to create his different characters. In Rhyme or Reason, he does a humorous Yoda impression.

Although this album has lost a lot of the psychological problems that were present in Relapse and Recovery, there are still hints of his anger but not quite as much: “I’m the bad guy that makes fun of people that die”. Eminem counterbalances this self-loathing by boasting of audacity.

Bezerk has the sound of his earlier tracks as he uses an old-school sounding sample: ‘Take it back to straight hip hop”. Whereas, Love Game includes a 60’s guitar riff and a collaboration with the acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar.

Legacy has similarities to Stan; it uses a high-pitched voice mixed with the sound of rain and hard-hitting rap to create an overall sombre song. Of course, it wouldn’t be an Eminem album if it didn’t have a couple of his dramatic, hip hop skits chucked in there too.

Unlike all his other records, especially his first Marshall Mathers album, which continuously referenced his hatred towards his mum, this is closure and forgiveness towards her.

The album still has something for his old fans; Eminem’s usual traits are still there and it even includes homages and reference to his older work. Generally though, the samples are of a more upbeat tune and the lyrics themselves have moved away from his sadistic tendencies and more into a collaboration of memoirs as he looks back over his work and his life so far.

Unlike other artists, he hasn’t sold out but it is clear to see that he still very much cares about the sound of each of his tracks and how they work together to create an album.