Matt on Music: “Ultra Mono”
My Take: The band Idles is easily one of the most interesting acts in rock music working today. Genuine aggression and unrest fuels their albums to great effect, getting the listener in on it too. While I still haven’t listened to their debut album “Brutalism,” I greatly enjoyed their sophomore work “Joy as an Act of Resistance.” The biggest draw to the band for me lies in the singer, Joe Talbot, a man whom I feel would make an incredible ally or a terrifying foe. The power that he transports into the ears of his listeners fascinates me. It is clean, but at the same time grimey. Completely earned, and never cheap. Maybe I’m just a sucker for angry British accents, but Talbot seems to be one of the more fascinating frontmen today. Quality-wise, he fits the band just right. Some tracks were repetitive to take me out of the music, but overall the sentiment was right and the album succeeded in its angry message.
Three Standout Tracks: “Mr. Motivator,” “Ne Touche Pas Moi” and “A Hymn.”
Overall Score: 7.3/10