Review: Amigo The Devil – Yours Until The War Is Over

Amigo The Devil - Yours Until The War Is Over

The latest album by Danny Kiranos (aka Amigo The Devil) called Yours Until The War Is Over is a great exploration of what it means to live through the hardest of times. While Amigo The Devil is known for its “murderous folk rock,” given the violent nature of the lyrical material, what shouldn’t be lost in the message is the powerful songwriting being brought forth. This album tackles a tragic fight between good and evil and all of the casualties that can get in the way of the bloodshed of war. Kiranos is a top-notch storyteller, and each song plays out like a chapter in a book meant for a bigger purpose than itself. These tracks are sequenced together majestically, purposefully, and sound like a mix between the epic storytelling of Coheed & Cambria, paired with the obscure folk rock of Modest Mouse, and set on blend with the lyrical wit of The Decemberists. Amigo The Devil is showcasing his brilliance in more ways than one on Yours Until The War Is Over.

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Interview: Taking Back Sunday

Taking Back Sunday

We’ll start off with the dreaded question, how’d you get the name?

John: I suppose I’ll have to answer this one. Do you want the real answer or the fun answer?

Both!

John [Fake Answer]: It was a reference to a Smith’s single that was a b-side to “How Soon Is Now?”

Eddie: Taking Back Sunday is just a name that we came up with that was a song by a friend’s band. We used to go see them all the time but they broke up.

John: Derek from The Reunion Show was in the band.

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Chorus.fm’s Top 30 Albums of 2023

Best of 2023

And we are back, once again, with our annual ranking of our favorite albums of the year. Below you’ll find the contributor best of 2023 list with blurbs written by the staff talking about why we loved these albums. Each album title links to a streaming page so you can check out anything you may have missed. There’s also a playlist featuring a song from every album on this list, and a few staff members have shared their individual lists and some commentary in their blogs.

As always, thanks for spending 2023 with us, and I hope you find something new to check out and love.

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Review: Alanis Morissette – Such Pretty Forks in the Road

Alanis Morissette - Such Pretty Forks in the Road

Alanis Morissette needs no introduction, but she deserves one. At 21 years old, her breakthrough album, Jagged Little Pill sold 33 million copies worldwide, was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning five (including Album of the Year), and it’s one of the best-selling albums of all time. The singles are magnificent – each a warranted choice for best song on the album. Whether you were a year old in 1995, 13-years-old or pushing 30, “You Oughta Know” and “Ironic” were inescapable. Most astounding of all, Morissette channeled unflinching female rage in a fashion that was unheard of in mainstream music at the time. She also didn’t dream about growing older – she had one hand in her pocket, and the other one “giving a high five,” “flicking a cigarette,” and “hailing a taxi cab.” She effectively became the voice of a generation overnight – a voice for those who never expressed their desires, their fears, or their anger. 

In many ways, Morissette’s ninth album — her first album in eight years — Such Pretty Forks in the Road, feels like a love letter to her many past selves. Originally written for the 2018 Jagged Little Pill musical, opener “Smiling” calls back to the drama of “Uninvited,” as well as the Radiohead classic, “My Iron Lung,” echoing Jonny Greenwood’s descending guitar notes; only quieter. “Smiling” also paves the way for the rest of the album: she’s back, and she’s more confessional than ever. 

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