Poppy - ZIG album Review

Poppy is back once again with more new music and this time she drops a brand-new album akin to I Disagree onto our laps. A few songs on here I heard prior to the album's drop as they were released as singles. Zig is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Poppy, released on October 27, 2023, through Sumerian Records.

Church Outfit

Kicks off the album with its synthy bass followed by aggressive vocals from Poppy. Interesting start to the album maybe more synth, bass like instrumentals to follow. Poppy has explored and experimented with many genre's maybe this album will be metal/electronica.

Knockoff

Once again another catchy synthy club bass song. I love the chorus of this and how Poppy sings it and the accompanying vocals "I want to know" is so good. It's such a catchy one, it got stuck in my head and was played on repeat when this dropped as a single.

Hard

The most recent released single from the album, follows the tune of the last few with some more of the industrial, synth instrumental with poppy's soft sing-song voice. Quite a catchy chorus too. Oh, dear lord we get aggressive around the 1:45 mark before calming back down.

What It Becomes

This one starts off with the strong violin and then Poppy sings with silence which echoes and whirs as the instruments swell and build up. Around the 2min mark we get this distorted slowed voice before Poppy comes back with her softly sung lines.

Flicker

This kicks off with sort of electronic drum and bass along with Poppy's soft vocals, and we get some more violins to close it out.

1S + OS

Electronic and synthy as Poppy commands the track with her confident vocals following the chorus I feel. I dig this one.

Zig

The album's title track plays now, and it's quite a synthy electro pop song to kick off. This is damn catchy! Ooof them synthy breakdowns and then we get a chugging riff and some booming kick drums as we build up to the chorus and boom "when you zig, i zag, when you zig, i zag, i zig zag." Oh yeah this feels like something The Matrix films would use in the soundtrack or John Wick films in a club fight scene.

Linger

A slow acoustic stripped back start with this one until 1min mark where we get the electro feel back into this track. It's a nice one.

The Attic

Its soft, but we quickly get caught up in the fast-paced drum and bass. It's a lot to take it in, and I do feel the fast drum bass is a bit much but when the chorus swells and erupts it's a nice addition which ends with a few lovely piano tones.

Motorbike

Alright get on, we got a robotic lady walking us into the track before Poppy swiftly takes over as the robot accompanies as some back up vocals at points. The chorus is so fast and catchy, and it's good. I admit when I first heard this when it dropped as a single I was not into it but now after hearing all of the album to now and hearing this again in my headphones, I am moving and singing along best I can to it haha.

Prove It

Time for the last song on this album, almost distorted vocals and piano keys kick off this track before the vocals get more sharp and distorted as the drum and bass pounds. The chorus and vocals are quite stunning. Around 1:21 in the song we get more distorted and synth and drum and bassy. All before the track slows back down with its chorus and fades out with electronic static, that's it folks.

Although the album clocks in with 11 tracks which only lasts around 30 mins total for the album, she covers a lot of ground with tracks capturing different emotions and feels. Poppy said it best "when you zig, I zag" as she continues to branch out and explore the different musical genre's and styles of instruments to accompany her wonderful voice and creative talents. Poppy is ever evolving and creating, and I love how she does it. The themes of the album are that of love and disconnection and also a sense of empowerment, that's what I am taking away from this album. Although "I Disagree" is still my fave album from Poppy, this one is a nice entry onto her album catalogue and I will always recommend Poppy to people searching for new music because she has something for everyone and I feel she is so overlooked and underrated.

7/10

Poppy - A Very Poppy Christmas Review

So we get closer to Christmas and I thought 'tis the season for me to finally listen to Poppy's Christmas Album. I had no idea until Flux came out that she did a Christmas Album! So sit down with me and grab some mulled wine and let's chill by the fireplace and warm up with Poppy.

A Very Poppy Christmas is the third E.P. by Poppy. It features three original Christmas songs and one cover, and is Poppy's first Christmas-themed release. The EP has a stripped-back sound, with Poppy only being accompanied by guitar or keyboard on most songs.

I Like Presents - It's a nice soft love kind of song, basically saying for you to leave the presents beneath the tree because she wants all of you in exchange for all of her.

I Won't Be Home For Christmas - Another soft, kind of melancholy song about love and feeling sad because as the title suggests she won't be home for Christmas, and she's sorry for it.

Kiss In The Snow - Catchy, slow, soft, pop dance kind of beat going on with the song also. Of course this is love themed too, the piano part is lovely. Yeah, I'm singing along to this, this is good and memorable.

Silver Bells - Sing songy, soft pop acoustic cover of ye olde Christmas classic Silver Bells.

Great and surprisingly lovely Christmas songs from Poppy.

I was kinda teary-eyed with some of these, I won't lie, it was so sweet and just heartfelt to me.

Thanks for reading and visiting!

Stay Shiny!

POPPY - Flux Album Review

Flux is the fourth studio album by American singer Poppy. It was released on September 24, 2021, through Sumerian Records. This album is a blend of Grunge, Pop and Metal and has Poppy's signature sound of daydream lull vocals and her aggressive screams along with her band having screeching guitar's, industrial synthy sounds, catchy pop like tunes and riffs and chorus's and laid back groove's. Every Poppy album is so unique, they always manage to get into your head and also make you sing along and headbang even when it comes to a halt and hits you with some fairy tale type vocals and sounds.

This review has been on my back bench since late 2021, I meant to listen and write about this sooner but things happen and got in the way but hey better late than never right? I also have her Christmas stuff to listen to and I may do my thoughts on that and post them near to Christmas this year, so please stick around on my blog for regular and monthly posts of all sorts. :) 

The Tracklist: 

Flux, Lessen The Damage, So Mean, On The Level, Hysteria, Her, 

Bloom, As Strange As It Seems, Never Find My Place

My Opinion

This album is a lot of fun and is Poppy standing up at the world saying "I'm here, and you can't stop me because like a flower, I'll bloom." Although I favour her previous work more than this album, I have to say this is still a great album and blends all elements of her music into one singular album. Also, this album is a big Fuck you to her manipulative controlling ex, see dude she's better off without you! 

Great, Unique Album!

8/10

Poppy has some new stuff due out soon, be sure to check her out on all the social media's. 

She is set to do a short UK tour near the end of the year too!

Thanks for reading and visiting!

Stay Shiny!

Poppy - EAT (NXT) E.P. Review

 So it's no secret I love Poppy's music. It's so unique and different and I love the emotions and catchy instrumentals and chorus's of her work all the way from her pop genre to the metal. This e.p. is I disagree Poppy merged with her weird quirky natured self of her pop genre and youtube weird videos but it's all fused together with a mix of synth, metal, punk centred instrumentals here. 

Poppy recently performed at the GRAMMYs, at which she premiered the killer EAT. Speaking to Kerrang! about being nominated for an award, the musician revealed of her feelings when the news came through: ​“It was unexpected, but it was great. The GRAMMYs are the GRAMMYs, they’re one of the biggest and greatest awards that you can get in music. But there are some people that I love and respect who have never been nominated, and it’s a very small percentage of people who get to have that attached to their name for the rest of their career – ​‘GRAMMY nominated’ or ​‘GRAMMY award winner’, whatever that may be. I never thought it would happen, but now I can call myself a GRAMMY nominated artist, and I am very excited about it (laughs).” She also told K! about her love for heavy music and if that will feed into a new album: ​“I’d say yes to that. Though the new album that I’ve made is going to be left open to interpretation by the listener, I would say that it still has the influence of heavy music.” 

EAT - The pure fucking anger here that I feel with her words matches and reflects my anger with some of my situations lately. I have never heard Poppy more pissed off than I do in this song and I love her screams it's so damn good!

SAY CHEESE - Slow groove is killer but so is her quiet and aggressive vocals. We do get a bizzare break in the song where we almost step foot into a elevator with Poppy speaking Japanese before Poppy opens the pit back up with another aggressive growl!

CUE - The harmonics here are just great and it's quite a slow bopping song at best of times but again like the past songs on the album it wants to try and lull you into a steady pace before POPPY YELLS LIKE AN ANGRY KAREN AT YOU! 

BREEDERS - This track explores the themes of exposing humanity for passing on lies, abuse, and corrupted beliefs onto each other thus turning future generations into the same breeders so to speak. A very political song and a social commentary one I would argue. 

DARK DARK WORLD - Another political society aimed track here with the man vs society/government going on as poppy says the corruption in today's world is waging war we can't ignore and we must fight it. 

Also not on this e.p. but is another amazing new track from Poppy is Fear Of Dying! 

So check that out too!

I can't wait to see what comes next from Poppy!

Poppy - I Disagree (album review)

I Disagree is the third studio album by American singer and YouTube personality Poppy. It was released on January 10, 2020 via Sumerian Records. The album is her first release on Sumerian Records following her departure from Mad Decent in 2019. 

I am new to Poppy since I seen her on WWE NXT, I was blown away just like; what am i hearing this is awesome and fresh and so unique and here i am with the new album, I ordered this off Amazon back in December last year (2019). I am still learning about Poppy and I have listened to her previous works and i have loved everything she has put out thus far, even her early cutesy pop orientated days. As far as i understand she also has a graphic novel out called Genesis 1 and she has a cult following of her own via youtube and even a wikipedia dedicated to her and a church. Poppy is a post genre pop metal artist combining the rocking riffs and sound of metal with the catchy lucky go happy pop vocals and lyrics of the top charting artists. I have been looking forward to this album for ages and here we go with my first listen through of the album and my thoughts.

1: Concrete - Do you hear that, the war sirens? It's about to go down! DAMN when that guitar hits it's so great and then it transcends into cute lyrical-ness which is not a word but i have now made it. It goes back down to the slow methodical pace of metal before erupting into applause and cuteness again. Stick with me on this album and with Poppy there is so much going on, don't take your ears or eyes away from her. 

2: I Disagree - The title of the album and second track of the album hits hard and fast and catches you in it's groovy riffy chorus. This is the first song i ever heard from Poppy and i was blown away, it starts as if it's telling you to proceed with caution and then oooft when it hits and then it keeps going and going and back to that catchy chorus which has me moving and grooving to the rhythm of the guitars and headbanging to the drum beat. It gets soft but also heavy it's an all round brilliant track and the go to song i show everyone when i talk about Poppy when they have no clue about her, this one shows you perfectly who is Poppy and what she is about, she's a game changer i am telling you!

3: Bloodmoney - A heavy hitter here and Poppy goes to show it in the music video for it too. There's a blend of instrumentals in here from the soft beats to the heavy beats from the soft spoken robotic-ness to the heavy distortion, lots going on a lot of heavy bass and aggression here. 

4: Anything Like Me - Soft start but it just once again transforms into a heavier industrial blend of metal, it's almost nu-metal and industrial kinda Korn meets NIN and Manson if i had to explain it more simpler and around the 2min mark its back to soft and acoustic but like Poppy is declaring no one is going to be anything like her as we end the song heavy!

5: Fill The Crown - A lovely soft toned start which evolves again into a blend of pop metal. The metal instrumentals and back up vocals hit hard and Poppy brings out her sinister side in this one with her vocals. Poppy is promoting freedom and being who you want to be but also about a cult theme with the baptising of children and poisoning children with lies. A complicated song to sing along to for sure but it has a lovely melody with the slow down near the end full of "awww ah ah ahhh, just come with me". Lots of beeping like robotic noises aswell. 

6: Nothing I Need - Most songs start soft but then get heavier but here we have a sweet soft toned like electrical synth instruments with Poppy's soft harmonies and vocals. 

7: Sit/Stay - Hard drum bass electronic introduction here, wonder how this is going to turn out. It's robot-tism comes in waves as it goes robotic electronic to back to soft. I am so amazed by all this blending of music and genre's on this album by Poppy. I have never experienced a listening experience like this nor an album or artist as diverse as this! 

8: Bite Your Teeth - Back to the hard hitting metal now with it's catchy chorus, just don't cry and bite your own teeth! A very groovy edge to this track along with a little break of like whimsical-ness with the pretty pop style before getting back to the heavy breakdowns and grooves and then it goes to soft, honestly this album and track is one you must experience! BITE YOUR OWN TEETH, BITE YOUR OWN TEETH, DON'T CRY JUST BITE YOUR OWN TEETH! Damn that breakdown oooofffttt......AAAAAAAAAAAnnnnd peace.....

9: Sick Of The Sun - Such a chill, melodic soft song here to calm down the heavy metal vibes. I am sitting here moving side to side just chilling grooving to the melody and beat. Singing along to this now the chorus is very catchy. 

10: Don't Go Outside - Another soft one to end the album, like the last song this has a melody that flows and chills you out with it's soft strings and light vocals. However at around the 2mins mark we get a bit more thrash before going back to a bit of acoustic as Poppy tell's us "everything will be ok" before switching back to the thrash and a lovely sweeping, guitar solo with licks to shine up any material. We get a cool down soft almost lullaby compilation of some of the previous songs on the album as way of tribute maybe? This album, the singles, the promotional content, the interviews have done so much for Poppy and this album. It's been number 1 in both rock and metal charts and everyone has caught onto the attention now and message that Poppy wants/needed to get out to the world. 

Poppy explained the album's overall message in an interview with Alternative Press: "The album as a whole is just about not stepping to anyone and disagreeing with people in positions of power and not accepting "no" for an answer or "you can't." And sometimes when people tell you [that], or at least when I'm told that I can't, it makes me want to have it more. It's all about burning down the music industry in a way and stepping out of any box that anyone might have tried to lock me up inside. The message is empowerment, not gender specific. Just empowerment." 

In an interview with Enfnts Terribles, Poppy described the aspects of the album on behalf of her musical reinvention: "People are calling it my third album, but it really feels like my first. I feel like everything that we've been working on is synchronising. I feel like the past two albums were more of a sound bed to the YouTube videos we're making." She has also said this is her fave album she has made to date and she has had a lot of fun making it.

This album is something else, something so special just like Poppy, so unique, there's something for everyone and to think this all could work so well and it's just brilliant, i love every single song genuinely! I can not wait for more, keep your eyes peeled and follow her on the socials, i see big things for this girl. Thank you Poppy!

Thanks for reading and supporting as ever, stay shiny and listen to Poppy!

The Scotties 2019

Hello ladies, gentleman, binary and non. Welcome to the second ever annual awards I am now issuing on my blog. The Scotties are just imaginary awards I will give out to the best things I have read, listened to, seen, played etc of the past year.

What a year, so many up's and downs so without further ado; 

Let The Scotties Awards begin!

(All winners will receive this image which will be available to download after the show/post of course. :P )

Best Film: Joker

What a film this is! 

Just my fave film of the year i have also seen it twice and would love to see it again!

Best Animated Movie: DBS: Broly

Not a surprise to anyone i don't think, for the longest time this was overall my film of the year!

Best Album: The Great War - Sabaton

OMG WHAT AN ALBUM I HAVE LISTENED TO THIS SO MUCH THIS YEAR!!!

Best Gig: Dragonforce at Cardiff Tramshed

Best Live Event: NXT UK Takeover Cardiff!

Best Game: Fortnite

It's all i have played mostly. So much fun with friends! 

Best Tv Show: The Flash

Again this one is not surprising!

Best Actor: Henry Cavill in The Witcher

Best Netflix Show: Movies & Toys That Made Us

I've found this show to be so interesting and eye opening i can't recommend it enough!

Best Animated Series: Dragonball Super

No surprises here! 

My most played game 2019: Animal Crossing New Leaf 3DS

A game i got into early on the year which i have played almost every single day!

My most heard song 2019: Billie Eilish - Bad Guy

I have heard this quite a bit so spotify would like to say. 

Best Chart Song & Artist 2019: Lover - Taylor Swift

I have always liked a few of her songs but i loved her new album this year some great tunes there!

Best New Artist 2019: Poppy

I discovered Poppy only 2 months ago but wow i love her! Pre-ordered her new album and everything!!!!

Best Holidays 2019: Saltash, England & Quay West, Wales

Best holidays and times spent this year has been with my beautiful gf.

Fave Food Of The Year 2019: Cabonara

obsessed with a cabonara this year! 

Wrestlers Of The Year: Becky Lynch & Tommaso Ciampa

Both have worked so hard and have been ever so amazing for me this year!

Best meme: Ooh a little bit of the bubbleh! - Chris Jericho

Best Famous Meet: Mick Foley

And that about does it here at The Scotties Awards 2019! 

It's been an amazing, fun year and now onwards and upwards for the future is coming on......

Musical Artists To Watch In The Next Decade. (2020)

These following bands and artist's I have discovered over the past decade and i think they deserve more love and recognition and a bigger following because i love their music and some of these on the list i have only discovered recently but i have loved what i have heard from them so artists like Billy Eilish, Bad Wolves, Poppy, Wind Rose, Alien Weaponry, Grailknights they are recent to my hearing and seeing of them. Where as the rest i have heard and followed from the start of the 2010's to the middle of them.

I will just provide bit of info to these artist's and bands and leave you to look them up and give them a listen/follow on the socials. 

Sabaton

Sabaton is a Swedish heavy metal band from Falun. The band's main lyrical themes are based on war, historical battles, and acts of heroism—the name is a reference to a sabaton, knight's foot armour.

Poppy

Moriah Rose Pereira, known professionally as Poppy, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, fashion model, YouTuber, and religious leader. Her new album I Disagree is coming out on 10th January and its a post genre pop metal album which so far has been banging, highly recommend checking it out! 

Billie Eilish

American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Highland Park, Los Angeles, Eilish began singing at a young age. She gained media attention in 2016, when she uploaded the song "Ocean Eyes" on SoundCloud, subsequently released by Darkroom and Interscope Records.

Ghost

Ghost, also formerly known as Ghost B.C. in the United States, is a Swedish rock band that was formed in Linköping, Sweden in 2006. In 2010, they released a 3-track demo followed by a 7" vinyl titled "Elizabeth", and later their debut full-length album Opus Eponymous.

Bad Wolves

Bad Wolves is an American heavy metal band formed in 2017. They are best known for their 2018 cover of The Cranberries' 1994 hit "Zombie". 

GloryHammer

Gloryhammer is an Anglo-Swiss symphonic power metal band founded by keyboardist Christopher Bowes, lead vocalist of the band Alestorm. Each member of the band represents a character in the story concept. The band appears on-stage in armour and costumes.

Powerwolf

Powerwolf is a German power metal band founded in 2003 in Saarbrücken by members of Red Aim. The band consists of vocalist Karsten Brill as "Attila Dorn", lead guitarist Benjamin Buss as "Matthew Greywolf", bassist/rhythm guitarist David Vogt as "Charles Greywolf", keyboardist Christian Jost as "Falk Maria Schlegel" and drummer Roel van Helden. The group uses dark themes and images, musically and lyrically, contrary to traditional power metal music, as well as corpse paint, gothic-tinged compositions and songs about Transylvanian werewolf and vampire legends.

Wind Rose

Wind Rose is an Italian heavy metal band founded in 2009 in Pisa, Tuscany. The band has released four studio albums, most recently Wintersaga in September 2019. Their lyrics take inspiration in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.

Alien Weaponry

Alien Weaponry is a heavy metal band from Waipu, New Zealand, formed in 2010 by brothers Henry and Lewis de Jong. The band consists of Henry de Jong, Lewis de Jong, and Ethan Trembath. All three members have Māori ancestry and several of their songs are written in the Māori language.

Skillet

Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1996. The band currently consists of husband John and wife Korey Cooper along with Jen Ledger and Seth Morrison. The band has released ten albums, with two, Collide and Comatose, receiving Grammy nominations.

21 Pilots

Twenty One Pilots is an American musical duo from Columbus, Ohio. The band was formed in 2009 by lead vocalist Tyler Joseph along with Nick Thomas and Chris Salih, both of whom left in 2011. Since their departure, the line-up has consisted of Joseph and drummer Josh Dun.

Grailknights

Grailknights is a melodic death metal/power metal/viking metal band from Hanover. Their music is basically superhero metal, unique and cool. 

BabyMetal 

Babymetal are a Japanese kawaii metal band. The band consists of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency.

So hit these people up on social media and all your streaming websites and support them and remember to support your local scene as every musician has started playing on streets in small pubs etc and they all move up with our support and bring us brilliant music.

Follow, support and stay shiny!