I've found myself at a turning point in my life recently - strings of troubles and personal doubts have forced me into a reflective headspace, giving me space to consider the future and reflect on how to proceed with my life. And perhaps to relieve those doubts, I've turned to albums that I used to enjoy when I was younger. It's taken me too long to realise just how influential many of these albums have been to the development of my musical tastes and sensibilities, but if you'll indulge me, ... read more

Play is not a perfect album, but it is *the* album that introduced me to gospel, blues, and jazz as a younger man. It's an album that I still find incredibly sincere, even in light of its unexpected success and subsequent commercialisation. And this is mostly due to the heavy use of samples taken from Alan Lomax's, "Sounds of the South", which features precious field recordings of blues and folk musicians from the early 20th Century.

And rather than cheapen these incredible tracks, ... read more

Bruh, I seriously listened to this shit after Vespertine. Actual cracked behaviour. Anyway, I used to have this album on my crappy MP3 player when I was younger - I don't even remember how it got there. Upon reflection, I remember it being fine, but I also couldn't really remember that many of the songs - why did I always skip them to get to the Interpol album that came after? I can see why that is now, and I'm surprised that it has such a decent rating.

Admittedly, most of my problems with ... read more

I mean it with 100% sincerity when I say: Vespertine feels like a project that the listener shouldn't be witnessing. It feels like walking in on a private moment between lovers, and Bjork's voice fills this project cover to cover with vulnerability and beauty. So many of us struggle to communicate directly to the people we care about the most, yet Bjork effortlessly captures those sensations, those desires, and those feelings with pure honesty. Genuinely, one of the most delicate, intimate ... read more

Mysterious and hypnotic, one can't help but see the blueprint for later ambient projects laid out here. Personally, I couldn't help but draw a connection between this project and Boards of Canada, who would combine religious imagery, eclectic sampling, and chaotic rhythms perhaps a little more cohesively on their own project, "Geogaddi". But much of that groundwork can be found here, and it remains a compelling listen: some tracks are surprisingly funky, and others are delightfully ... read more

This project actually didn't resonate with me at first. It's minimalist and understated, and despite being a drummer, I wasn't quite sure of what to make of the staggering, unsteady drum patterns.

Then something clicks. The echoing soulful vocal samples speak to a longing deep inside you, and you find yourself sobbing to Homeless at 3am. It's a project that thrives in the dark of the early morning, but it's also one that is profoundly tired of the cold. It's a project that lives in your mind ... read more

God, I love how sleazy this album sounds. The guitar tone is complex and driving, and the chord choices feel straight up dirty - in part due to STP's liberal use of a sharp 11 (#11) in most of their songs, which provokes tension and muddies the sound. Scott's lyrics are simple and the timbre of his voice might put off people not used to alt-rock/grunge, but his performances come off as far more authentic than the hair metal cock rockers of the previous decade.

It's not a perfect album by any ... read more

Experimental, imaginative, witty and raw - there is very little I can say that hasn't already been said. It's a must listen.

Favourites: Accordion, Fancy Clown, All Caps, Rhinestone Cowboy

I used to listen to Bush a lot when I was younger - my dad and I were in agreement that they were one of the few good post-grunge bands. After returning to this album 15 years later, I don't know if that is still the case. While there is occasionally some decent guitar work, nice riffs often disappear as quickly as they come, replaced quickly by Rossdale's pitchy sing-screaming. Some lines are delivered with such a lack of confidence that it literally sounds like he's making them up on the ... read more

Outside of the production on some of the guitar and synth tracks, this is a project that still feels incredibly fresh. Bush's voice commands attention, oscillating between quiet sincerity and powerful, emotional sustains, and the lyrical content of many of the songs is poetic and fascinating.

I don't know how often I will return to this project, because this kind of art pop isn't really my thing - but I can't deny that every song here is immaculately constructed, textually spectacular, and ... read more

I have really mixed feelings on this project. On one hand, there are times when everything just works: the ethereal beats and effects-laden rapping draws on its horror-core influences just long enough to make something great. Until Yung Ghoul shows up, Graveyard might actually be a perfect track.

But on the other hand, this project is brought down by some really weak bars. God damn son, it really is as bad as everyone has been saying - it is borderline satirical ("Runescape is the only ... read more

A lush impressionist classic that holds up beyond your fond memories and nostalgia. It's not perfect - I do think some of the songs on this project are more effective inside the context of the game itself. The mixing here can also be really inconsistent, especially on tracks like Living Mice and Mice on Venus. Despite that though, this project offers a serene and tranquil landscape, one that begs the listener to simply sit and relax for a little while.

Favorites: Wet Hands, Sweden, Droopy ... read more

It's astonishing how much more listenable this album is compared to their other projects. It's not perfect, particularly the timbre of Tyler's speak-rapping style, which tends to grate on me after a while. But outside of that, the project offers some really unexpected genre mash-ups - hardcore blends seamlessly into funk and disco across tracks - and the bass tone featured throughout most of the songs sounds spectacular.

Favorites: Morph, My Blood

A lot more restrained than their earlier material, the sound design of this project is what really elevates it for me. God damn, this album sounds fantastic - it is minimalistic, yet lush and organic. Live instruments bleed seamlessly into artificial sounds, and the vocals are intimate and intricate. I could genuinely sit for hours and pick out all the different instruments that comprise songs like Flat of The Blade and Paradise Circus, and while some songs don't quite hit the mark, the highs ... read more

Brooding, yet never edgy; sexy, yet never sleazy; restrained, yet consistently powerful: it's hard to believe that this project was produced while the group were practically imploding. Every second of this album, every texture and instrument comes together cohesively to construct eleven incredible tracks. And that is to say nothing of Horace Andy, Elizabeth Fraser, and Sarah Jay Hawley, who lend distinct and delicate guest performances to their individual songs. Nocturnal and intimate, ... read more

An excellent alt-rock classic, with uplifting riffs for days and superb instrumentation. I've actually never really been fond of the more traditional rock songs on this project, and I think this album really shines when it embraces the thundering dynamics, complex textures, and shimmering ambience of its shoegaze influences.

Favorites: Hummer, Disarm, Mayonnaise

I was expecting this project to sound a lot worse on return, and I can't deny that it's derivative, compressed to hell and back, and really sluggish at points.

But I will say this: Peep bleeds authenticity far more than any of his contemporary imitators, and I just can't help but scream along to The Brightside when I'm in a bad mood.

Favorites: Awful Things, The Brightside

A really decent collection of soulful pop songs, which draw from an interesting range of genre influences. It's often climactic, and many of the songs just come together really well structurally. That said, some inconsistent mixing and the occasional mediocre song between moments of excellence really bring this project down for me.

Favorites: Sacred, Feral