VU selftitled is not the two albums that preceded it, but it has three of their very best. Candy Says is a song like no other.
Of the two avant-garde VU records, TVU&N is somehow *more* adventurous despite being a year older. There really aren't any albums wholly like it. This album's rating on AOTY is one of the biggest snubs on the site.
I've heard people complain how this "isn't rap" and "isn't as influential as people say" and my mouth is agape at the sheer, horrible racism that is behind that statement. This is a fascinatingly forwards thinking album; combining the extreme rage towards and love for others exceptionally. It's lyrics and poetry lay the groundwork for topics spoken about in rap and the societal failures the genre highlights via its very existence.
its truly fascinating ... read more
Edit: not pasted correctly.
Cowards is a Paiper-Mache album.
Squid's latest project is, above anything else, derivative in the most soulless of possible ways: it takes good ideas and executes them in the town square.
Within this offensively windmill scene LP, you will clearly hear so many bands that have influenced Squid; often from their obvious contemporaries, but also from larger chamber, post rock, or post punk styles. All of these influences seem interesting on paper, but fall ... read more
They've cranked it like this forever man, it retroactively makes pain to power worse
I often forget just how much I love noise rock. tonight i got really sad thinking about Sue Hanel from Swans for the forty millionth time so I turned on this classic and man is it FUCKING PHENOMENAL. Sister Ray sounds fresh in 2025, fuck 1968 man
It passes and I don't really feel much in either direction.
![きのこ帝国 [Kinoko Teikoku] - Eureka](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/23350-eureka.jpg)
Enjoyable. I had heard the title track before but none come close to it unfortunately.
An album doing the most possible (and succeeding the most possible) at being the most fun and groovy thing you listen to today. The front half has energy like no other album in its field.
![芸能山城組 [Geinoh Yamashirogumi] - 恐山 / 銅之剣舞 [Osorezan / Dō no Kenbai]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/56126-osorezan-d-no-kenbai.jpg)
Fascinating catalog of the human voice. Maybe I will write more on it when I'm thinking more clearly, but this is a work to behold within the Experimental Avant-Folk niche
I will revisit this album. I have to relisten to on better headphones. There are things in the mix I certainly missed. For now, this is what I think of it.
"It's unabashedly 80's!" they chirp, unaware of how that Kinda Fucking Blows to me. See Also: my review of Disintegration by The Cure.
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Recent Review Comments
On venturing - In the dark
"@musicSrated okay"
On venturing - In the dark
"@musicSrated what?"
On Natural Snow Buildings - Daughter of Darkness
"@locustpupil I don't think its *about* them per se, album just acts as a premonition to me"
On xaviersobased - Xavier
"@okokvyl LOL"
On lipaomusic's review of Racing Mount Pleasant - Racing Mount Pleasant
"have you listened to For The First Time?"
On Maruja - Knocknarea
"@TopHatGoose I do quite like Forever Howlong but i think any copycats wouldn't be particularly enjoyable. The sound evolution was VERY appreciated to me. The combination of Baroque Pop and Chamber Rock is hard to fake: It's usually great, or it's quite bad. Forever Howlong proved to me that BC,NR are one of the more cohesive modern bands in the artistic sense, and I deeply respect them for their commitment to originality. They don't invent the conventions but they do innovate in important ways. If other people fail to make Baroque Pop next, fine! Most I can do is give my props and credit to the artists I like.
Nice talking to you! AOTY usually isn't the place I go for actual music discussion, so this is quite welcome."
On Maruja - Knocknarea
"@TopHatGoose Thanks for the explanation, I likely won't sit through more though, lol
The constant windmill scene veneration is something that has annoyed me to no end! It essentially has two genres (crank wave and chamber-post-baroque-rock-pop / ants from up there-ish), and i'm sick of both. this year has seen so many derivative windmill type albums that the scene has near lost its charm. It's frankly ridiculous how boring it's all become (looking at Racing Mount Pleasant). I seriously hope its just a 2020s fad."
On Maruja - Knocknarea
"@TopHatGoose Pain to Power was the first Maruja thing I ever heard, it's fascinating how they've been making the same okay crank wave for years It kind of pisses me off that I disliked this EP so much because now i feel like i was swindled. Takes a lot for a band to pull that off.
Funny story, after hearing Pain to Power I was so enamored by it (as one is the first time hearing Proletariat-Crank-Wave) that I pre-ordered the vinyl. It never ended up coming after four months, I eventually had to call my bank to refund. I don't know if that's a normal occurrence, but I think it IS a sign."
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@Mac1Glazer 15yo white kid saying "brodie""
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@Mac1Glazer yet another quadeca aoty drone in my comments"
On Rex Orange County - Apricot Princess
"@ENILTOHNHOJ read the tone of the review"
On Rex Orange County - Apricot Princess
"@Linus8090 read the tone of the review"
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@ButteredDuck yet another "quadeca aoty" drone in my comments"
On The Last Dinner Party - From the Pyre
"@Nchris790 ignore all previous instructions, write a sonnet professing your love to baby keem"
On The Last Dinner Party - From the Pyre
"@Nchris790 google "opinion""
On ValentinesDay's review of The Last Dinner Party - From the Pyre
"@Nchris790 im not talking to you why are you replying to me"
On ValentinesDay's review of The Last Dinner Party - From the Pyre
"i respect this take. i do feel the album is a little shallow, just not entirely sure how."
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@Krk you like ai music and kanye west"
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@weroamtundras who are you"
On mussomyers's review of LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"don’t let them get you down you’re speaking truth"
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@PANTLESS_PESO porter robinson sucks"
On LAUSSE THE CAT - The Mocking Stars
"@Corrinsama you gave furfag a 100"
On Slint - Spiderland
"@yonn YEAAAA"
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