AAAAAAA SHE JUST LIKE ME FR

favorites: ALL

I think I'm gonna be coming back to this one a LOT. so many great textures. the songwriting on here is pretty damn sharp too, especially for a debut record. brief yet invigorating.

favorites: Picture; Dog Song 2; Chores; Termites; Kennedy; Tricks; Grace (Outro); Drama Queen

least favorite: Sherman's Last Ride

this was so disappointing...only a few actual good covers and the rest are either bland or miss the point of the original. sad!!

favorites: Burning Down the House; Slippery People; This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)

least favorite: Found a Job

the goddess of pop is back baby!!!! really appreciate how frank she is on this album, even if lyrically it sometimes doesn't land for me personally. the instrumentals are operating on all cylinders though. AG Cook is something else.

EDIT (98 -> 100): I didn't think it was possible but this album has only grown on me. still one or two moments that aren't perfect but honestly that's just nitpicking. pop perfection.

favorites: Von dutch; 365; B2b; 360; Talk talk; Rewind; ... read more

yeah. ugh I REALLY wanted to love this record but it's just holding itself back. maybe on repeat listens it'll improve but almost none of these tracks have really stuck with me. the emotions of it are certainly strong but where are the hooks?? where's all the grit from Trench?? blurgh.

favorites: Next Semester; Midwest Indigo; Backslide; Routines in the Night; Navigating

least favorite: Lavish

pretty solid shoegaze record, if a bit by-the-numbers. plenty of great textures to enjoy, and the songwriting is engaging throughout. worth spinning if you're a fan of the genre, but nothing insanely groundbreaking imo.

favorites: Rust; Blue Collar; Unwound; Chipper; Lantern; Intake; Become

least favorite: Harbour Mouth

this album really clicked with me. BIG step up from their debut imo. there's a lot more of a focus on melody and songwriting here without sacrificing the wit and bite from The Overload. "We Make Hits" talks on selling out and the state of punk music quite frankly. "Petroleum" waxes poetic on patterns of self-sabotaging relationships, and has a ridiculously catchy chorus to boot. "Dream Job" is probably my favorite: I love the synthetic voice in the instrumental, I ... read more

this album didn't do much for me at all. felt way longer than it was which is NEVER a good thing for a pop album. had a couple catchy hooks that were undercut by some bizarrely awkward lyrics that feel really forced. just adds up to a really bland and underwhelming time.

favorite: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

least favorite: Ugly Side

happy lesbian visibility week this record SLAPS. one of the most consistent pop projects of last year I can't believe I missed it the first time around.

favorites: Naked in Manhattan; HOT TO GO!; Red Wine Supernova; Guilty Pleasure; Femininomenon; Coffee; My Kink is Karma; Kaleidoscope; Casual; After Midnight

least favorite: California

Bleachers Deep Dive part 4

it's always funny to me when bands wait to drop a self-titled instead of doing one as their debut. and this record certainly hits all the hallmarks of a Bleachers album. the dreamy production and hazy lyrics on the opening track get there instantly. love the piano on that track too. "Modern Girls" fulfills the Bruce Springsteen worship quota, and it's pretty solid. the chorus is a lot of fun. and at this point the ballads are pretty consistent. ... read more

Bleachers Deep Dive part 3

this album makes a great impression right away. I adore the baroque pop sound of "91," and it's paired with some of the best lyricism from Jack yet. from there the hits just keep coming. "Chinatown" and "How Dare You Want More" are ICONIC. (I know people complain about the mixing on Bruce, but idk I like it. it fits the vibe imo.) I love the off-kilter pulsing and haunting refrain of "is it you?" in "Big Life," and ... read more

Bleachers Deep Dive part 2

now THIS is the stuff. I'm in love with the production and general sound on this record. dreamlike bedroom pop meets Bruce Springsteen. the songwriting has improved too, though not everywhere; some songs still have pretty generic lyrics. but when it's on it really works. I love the way the album starts, for example. the hazy pulse of "Dream of Mickey Mantle" bleeds into "Good Morning," which has a great hook that paints a lively picture. but ... read more

I..."enjoyed" isn't the right word but I connected with this record quite a bit. loved the noisier touches and grand instrumentation. genuinely heartbreaking at times, especially in the vocals. the whole thing is so tightly constructed; there's hardly a moment of wasted space, and I'm looking forward to revisiting when I'm in my feels again (which is often).

favorites: Where We've Been; Chemical; Get Numb To It!; Crimson to Chrome; Crashing Through

least favorite: For Ella

Bleachers Deep Dive part 1

there's a lot to love on the Bleachers debut. obviously the big hits like "Rollercoaster," "Wild Heart," and "I Wanna Get Better" are anthemic and speak for themselves (though I'll admit they're MUCH better live). but I've always been fascinated with Jack's slower tracks, and they're a pretty lackluster here.

"Wake Me" is a solid one, though I enjoyed it less this time around. the dreamy chorus is nice enough, but can't save ... read more

come on. u guys are better than this

favorites: This Is Nowhere; Candy and Her Friends; Only Love Matters

least favorite: Read Em And Weep

pretty fun hip-hop EP about the joys and challenges of making art. some really great grooves and beats across its tight runtime, and only really brought down by some cheesy bars here and there.

favorites: Goin In; Freeware; Occult; Estate Sale

least favorite: Biollante

damn they were cooking on this one

favorites: Sweet Talkin' Woman; Turn to Stone; Birmingham Blues; Summer and Lightning; Mr. Blue Sky; Steppin' Out; Wild West Hero; Night in the City

least favorite: Jungle

"if not for everything repressed, I'd be so much better dressed"

this is probably gonna be quite a personal review. I'm not typically a fan of this flavor of rock music, but this record really struck a chord with me through the lyricism and emotional core of it all. the aesthetics of math rock really gel with all the trans themes on this album. the off-kilter rhythms of "The Birds and the Birds" perfectly reflect the broken, pleading nature of the lyrics, for example. ... read more

even revisiting this record it still outclasses Hearts Aglow, albeit by a small margin. everything snaps together here for a grand, sweeping, and deeply affecting record. it's definitely one that grew on me--I remember not thinking all too much of it the first time around--with each listen bringing me a deeper understanding and appreciation.

it's honestly hard to put into words what I find so striking about this album. the densely layered string arrangements on tracks like "Wild ... read more

MGMT has done it again: they vanished for several years, returned with a totally new sound, and it's just as good--if not better than--their previous work. loving how much slower they're willing to take things on this record, as it makes for some gorgeous and impactful art-pop. lots to dig into and I'm excited to keep relistening.

favorites: Mother Nature; Dancing in Babylon; Nothing Changes; Loss of Life; Bubblegum Dog; People in the Streets

least favorite: Phradie's Song