Sean Sharp's Diary

The varied use of instrumental ideas and textures, along with different vocal styles, seems to bode well for this record, as it suits its narrative. There may be more that could have been done in total. Keeping an album centered on a specific sound is obviously a challenging task, given that one must maintain the album's focus on its theme while also introducing new ideas to prevent it from becoming dull. Short albums often result from this, as artists struggle to create an ever-evolving sound that doesn't stray too far from the beaten path. At 47 minutes, this is by no means a short album and often delivers on that evolution. As a whole, however, some of the core elements remain too similar. As I alluded to in the opening paragraph, this album achieves a specific vibe and usually succeeds. The soft, sunbathed sound they go for here often leaves me unengaged with the lyrics, as they don't seem to have much weight on the enjoyment of the sound. I think that for specific genres, it can be both a blessing and a curse, as lyrics can make or break your work, such as in rap. This brand of pop is the opposite. The lyrics can be good or bad, but they won't significantly affect my opinion. Not unless the lyrics are just downright horrendous, which they aren't here. The topics generally stick to relationship-related things, but do step out of the box on "Personal Cathedrals," where they sing about the materialistic and selfish lifestyle people live. A topic that isn't usually explored in pop music like this, and I think it works well, being the best-written song on here. It's challenging to categorize this genre as a whole, as it does have some range in its instrumentals; however, I prefer to describe this type of music as Sunflower Pop. A warm feeling and glow, which is entirely fitting considering the name of the album. "Pretty Places" is a prime example of this, as it evokes the same great feeling as other songs I would classify as similar, such as "Waterfalls" by TLC or "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. There are others, but the point is clear. The closer, "Hold Out," also does a standout job of this, but is much softer, with almost a sadder feel to it. The musical equivalent of a supportive hug. A few songs on here miss at points, with the major one being "Paradise". The pre-chorus absolutely smashes it, being catchy and featuring a great build. The backing features wavy synths, but when it reaches a climax, the synth abruptly fades away, and they simply repeat the phrase "Paradise" over and over again. Disappointing to say the least. A constant use of general guitar and oo-ing and ah-ing throughout here also causes several songs to blend. There is a bass on here that I would typically like, but given the vibe of the album as a whole, it feels out of place. It's most prevalent on "Lucky to Get Him" about halfway through the song, where there is a much more gritty dance part. If this style were embraced elsewhere throughout the album, I think it would work better. However, on this song in particular, it feels a bit out of place, even though it doesn't necessarily sound bad by any means.

Listen 1: Time to break out the low rider. Ramirez COOKED with this. I didn't hear one buzzy bass (not that I don't like them) this entire album. Masterclass in focusing attention on fitting a vibe. Listen 2: I made a mistake in the previous portion of this review. There are several buzzy bass filled songs on this but they are all real bass (from what I can tell). Nothing electronic (from what I can tell). The skits on this thing are goofy as hell. Whoever the host is played out those parts perfectly. The end of the album is beautiful too. Instead of just going out with the band jamming, the crowd joins in with the clapping? Perfect way to wrap it up. Rocci's features on this are also killer. The use of him on here is second to none. Utilizing a voice exactly for what it was made to do. Crispy. 1 Week Later: Loved it from the first listen and it has only grew on me. Such a distinct sound on here that has a specific place and feel to it. Ramirez also just has this natural 90's sound to him that slots perfectly into the horns and featuring vocals.

Seems to be their critical magnus opus relative to how their work is usually viewed. For good reason as well. As a long time AJR fan, this hits in every way I want it to with The Big Goodbye being a fantastic beat and overall song. These guys just refuse to make the same thing over and over again and while many people may disagree with that, I don't think I have ever heard them make a song like The Big Goodbye or explore the calm nature of past songs like Turning Out with more care like a majority of this EP. A good way to cap off the summer.

I think I just love his style of music. After yustyna, I had a feeling it wasn't just a one-off, and I was right. His style is obviously not traditionally critically acclaimed, but something about it just resonates with my teenage years, when I listened to EDM and this gritty and dirty style, which I hadn't found before in the genre. Ultimately, I think I love music that is adjacent to other music I already like, but doesn't remind me of anyone directly. This way, I don't feel it's repetitive, yet it doesn't feel weird since it's so out of the ordinary from my usual listening habits. Artemas has that exact niche with me. LOVERCORE just further proves that for me. It doesn't sound exactly the same as his previous work, but it's still in that same vein. Feels fresh but still dedicated to his signature production and vocals.