C.J. Dennis

Music

Review: "American Dream" by LCD Soundsystem

C.J. Dennis | September 15

Brooklyn dance-punk outfit LCD Soundsystem officially announced their reunion in early 2016, and at the time, I kinda wished they hadn’t. Their dissolution and long goodbye seemed so complete and perfect, with their final show at Madison Square Garden and that amazing farewell documentary. Although it was amazing to witness the return of one of the greatest and most legendary musical acts this side of the millennium, it felt like it cheapened what LCD really was. You had the grand ending with the fireworks and drugs and lights, and the idea of LCD 2.0 just felt really off. The release of two lead singles, “Call the Police” and “American Dream”, didn’t do much for their fans, and the album cover, eyesore blue that it boasts, almost served to lower my expectations. But maybe a return was inevitable. Maybe LCD was never meant to really end, and maybe there’ll always be a young audience for the pretentious, self-aware ramblings of an aging Brooklynite. Or maybe James Murphy was getting tired of his coffee antics. Either way, it ain’t bad, because it’s gotten us this new record: American Dream.

Music

In Retrospect: Frank Ocean's Blonde

C.J. Dennis | September 4

Blonde was a very long time coming. In July 2012, Frank Ocean released his major label debut, what is considered by many, listeners and professional critics alike, to be his magnum opus – as well as one of the greatest albums of the 21st century thus far – Channel Orange. Receiving a huge amount of critical acclaim, it’s a dense, narrative, expansive lava lamp of an R&B record and, following a tour in support of the aforementioned album, he more or less disappeared off the map completely. He had promised that a successor to Channel Orange entitled Boys Don’t Cry (as an homage to the Cure song of the same name) be released in summer 2015; 2015 came and went with no sign of Frank. His unreleased second studio album became something of a meme, and Breaux himself something of a legend.

Music

Review: "Pure Comedy" by Father John Misty

C.J. Dennis | April 4

The universe is a cold, unforgiving, arbitrarily chaotic, often very cruel sonuvabitch. I’ve used the album whenever the above statement has truly resonated with me, to remind myself of the terrible truth of existence – the universe is, in fact, a cold, unforgiving, arbitrarily chaotic, often very cruel sonuvabitch. Josh Tillman has followed up the critically acclaimed I Love You, Honeybear with Pure Comedy, a fantastic, seventy-five-minute journey through love, life, and the human condition. Honeybear was among the most acclaimed albums of 2015, appearing in almost everyone’s top two (I’d say top one were it not for Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly), and for good reason, too.

Music

Album Spotlight: 'Ty Segall' by Ty Segall

C.J. Dennis | March 19

On his second album, the California-based garage rock musician Ty Segall puts together an album that serves less as a venture into new territory than as a comprehensive culmination of his music to this point, jumping genres at the drop of a hat. I don’t know how Segall has time to sleep. He spends so much time recording and putting out album after album under the Ty Segall name and touring said music, in addition to his vast collection of side projects and bands. He is without a doubt among indie rock’s most prolific songwriters.

Review: "American Dream" by LCD Soundsystem

In Retrospect: Frank Ocean's Blonde

Review: "Pure Comedy" by Father John Misty

Album Spotlight: 'Ty Segall' by Ty Segall

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