Frightened Rabbit – Get Out

The Rabbit crew are finally back, and with production help from Aaron Dessner of The National their newest album Painting of a Panic Attack is a massive gut punch of melancholy lyrics and souring orchestral sounds. This is such a dream team of Rabbit’s poignant and wholly unique lyrics ripped from their, and our, everyday lives, along with the kind of driving multi-layered sound The National have rode to success. This album has been on heavy repeat here at the F24 office, and we haven’t even broken the seal on our vinyl yet. Soon.

LNZNDRF – Beneath the Black Sea

Speaking of The National, LNZNDRF is a side project for their bassist and drummer (real life actual brothers) along with Ben Lanz of Beirut. Sticking mostly with instrumentals with this album, there’s more than a passing resemblance to Explosions in the Sky – if you’re into that kind of thing (and many are). Beneath the Black Sea, however, adds on some lyrics (I mean really, how hard is that?) to provide a drum-propelled wander of a song.

Daughter – How

Daughter is also recently back with now their second major label album. Again highly produced and multilayered – a large departure from their sparse and wonderfully naked early work – Not to Disappear is a contemplation on failed relationships, personal trauma, and the general ennui of being a human among humans. Always a good listen, Daughter has an innate ability to sneak a lyric into your head that makes you stop and think, “wow, that’s messed up.” In the best way.

Tiny Deaths – The Gardener

This one has a little funk to it. Tiny Deaths are a new group (you heard it first!) with just an EP out. Don’t expect that to stay the case for long. Hardly sounding like an amateur freshman attempt, The Gardener is a fully fleshed hip shaker with a chorus you’ll have after the first go around. We’ll be keeping an eye on this crew and can’t wait to see what’s next.

On Dead Waves – California

Ready for your summer anthem? Coming hot off the presses is On Dead Waves with this poppy little number that will sound perfect on the beach, at your annual BBQ where you get too drunk, or just blasting out of your windows as you dust. With etherial vocals and a running time closer to a Ramones song, California is a nice little pick-me-up in the list of otherwise sad sack songs. I mean, we have to leave you on a happy note right?

Look, we made it through an entire music post without mentioning Prince…

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Available in six different color combinations I think COGITO nailed the look aspect of the watch. It’s not high-fashion and not for those, say, over 30, but they’re flashy and fun for the youths who can actually tell time on an analog watch still. The band is a very comfortable rubber which along with the housing makes the watch waterproof.

Enough about the “fashion” side of the watch since the COGITO POP’s looks alone do not warrant the $130 price tag. The connected side of the watch is…interesting. Once the proper app is downloaded to your phone the watch pairs very easily and you’re ready for the fun to begin, but the fun never shows. The watch has a few main functions: push notifications, camera control and music control. Push notifications worked great. My wrist was buzzing and beeping with every text and Facebook message, but so was my phone in my pocket. This feature would be great if the watch told you who the sender was, but it doesn’t and I don’t have the will power to not immediately take my phone out to see. Additionally, the camera control from the watch only works within the camera function in the watch app. I could live with this assuming I ever could come up with a reason to trigger my camera from my watch. The music control worked flawlessly, but would only control iTunes. This isn’t terrible, but I like to use streaming services for my music and would like control of those as well.

I see the camera and music functions being updated and new features being added via the app once the watch is available for the public in the coming days/weeks, but even then don’t think that will be enough to sell me on it. Music and camera controls are cool, but nothing my headphones can’t do better and as for the text/call/social notifications it’s basically just a pager for your phone if you’re out of ear shot, but in range of the Bluetooth. COGITO has the tech and desire, but is just lacking one function with COGITO POP that dazzles.

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