Abbey’s Choice: 

Pink Floyd’s “The Endless River”

Pink Floyd’s “The Endless River” is a mesh of old and new psychedelic sounds and beats. Intended as a belated tribute to Richard Wright, the keyboard player who died of cancer in 2008, “The Endless River” features 20–year–old outtakes from sessions of Pink Floyd’s “The Division Bell,” along with some tunes infused from “The Dark Side of the Moon.” “The Endless River” offers longtime fans the chance to reunite with  Pink Floyd’s infamous string instrumentals and patented musical shifts from melancholy to euphoria. At one point, a snatch of the guitar solo from “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” bursts out, and an old recording of Wright playing the pipe organ in “Atom Heart Mother” begins. Throughout the album, the unwavering guitar is accompanied by soft piano chords and sax solos, creating for an overall mellow aura. All in all, “The Endless River” sounds just like another Pink Floyd classic, featuring quite a few oldies but goodies.

Ranking: 4.5/5 Stars

What Ana said:

Pink Floyd’s album is that last encore all fans need, and a beautiful way of saying farewell to keyboard player Richard Wright. “The Endless River” is what one may call an “unreleased album”, full of old material brought back one last time. The music is simply old material being recycled to create something new. The new album is mainly composed of instrumentals, but still maintains a full and emotional sound. Pink Floyd is especially known for its psychedelic groove, and this album is no disappointment. The smooth sound leads one along as if it were holding its audience by a string. The sound ultimately leaves listeners breathless and demanding more. “Allons–y (1&2)” features a mind–bending rhythm that leaves one feeling a psychedelic vibe. The tempo later picks up its pace enough to keep up with the other tracks of the album. “The Endless River” is that time machine for all ages and it’ll leave audiences feeling musically satisfied.

Ranking: 4/5 Stars

Ana’s Choice:

Hookorms’ “The Hum”

“The Hum” is full of a psychedelic alternative sound that leaves listeners  feeling exhilarated. As this is their second album, Hookworms now seems to have an idea of where they want to go musically. However, they still need some work. In one of their songs, “The Impasse,”  the vocals are so intense and full of emotion that one can just feel a chill going through their bones. Hookworms must begin working towards getting a new tempos due to the potential they’re already displaying. It’s new in the aspect of different artists, but in terms of the band’s history, it experimentally lacks. “The Hum” is that album you’d love to listen to one time, but one time is enough to fully appreciate the music potential being presented. If your usual jam includes bands with a loud “oomph,” then “the Hum” is a top–notch recommendation. Even if you’re feeling adventurous with different types of music, this album is worth a listen.

Ranking: 4/5 Stars

What Abbey Said:

Hookworms’ “The Hum” features a variety of ambient, instrumental tracks that showcase the band’s ability to push musical interludes to the absolute maximum. Although the primary sounds of the album can become a bit repetitive, the musical quality is impeccable. “The Hum” instills a wide–open, cosmic feel within listeners that steadily progresses as the album goes on. Tracks such as, “On Leaving” and “Beginners” are built upon a repeated two–chord groove that creates a mellow musical vibe. In comparison to their preceding album, “Pearl Mystic,” Hookworms’ “The Hum” captivates listeners with stronger, richer and more dynamic beats. With the muscular pounding of drums, non–stop bass tones and relentless guitar riffs, “The Hum” captures all of the classic American punk–rock sounds and reunites them within one radical album.

Ranking: 3/5 Stars