This isn't the MCR that stands as flawlessly tight and conceptually airtight- quite the opposite, as this debut is astoundingly rough around the edges. Gerard Way's voice in specific would improve leaps and bounds from here. That said- the M.O. here is still undeniably 'MCR', and the melodramatic approach to the whole thing (some would argue the core facet of the band's identity) is found here too. There's a few legitimate highlights too, such as Vampires, Drowning ... read more

Not particularly inspired nor engaging for much of the runtime, but at the same time it’s really hard to dislike just on account of the charm and suave these guys naturally operate with. La Grange will always be a highlight

It’s hard to refute the notion that Rollins isn’t a sort of ancient saxophone mystic of some kind, simply based on the mastery with which he navigates the instrument like its second nature. So charming and relaxing

Heaps of charm that evoke the feel of an intergalactic lounge, complete with clouds of hazy, multi-colored smoke. Much of the record blurred together like a dazzling blur to me, which is to say the record on the whole has a unique identity, just not neccesarily song to song despite Remy’s clear capability behind the wheel

One of the least expected comebacks in 2026, no doubt. Seeming to take page from the Cure playbook of ‘Transylvanian in-aging’, Neurosis come through with a reunion record that is every bit as agile, hateful, and chiseled to fine form as their peak three entire decades ago. Wildly impressive

Even the shortest tracks here (well, maybe not the interludes) feel toweringly smothering. Hard to deny as the de facto AtmoSludge record to reign above them all, especially if ‘grandiosity’ is any virtue

Utilizes their punk background in a way that adds spunk and energy to this inherently oppressive (intensely so) sound. Pretty much the moment *the* Atmospheric Sludge band comes alive

Compared to Untrue that would follow it, Burial’s s/t record has much of the same delicate, highly ‘futuristic’ intricacies that make Burial an essential Dubstep outfit- this record just isn’t as refined

Shades of The Dismemberment Plan in its quirkiness but still having heaps of originality, Q And Not U come through with a post-HC essential that deserves to be in discussions with Emergency & I + Relationship of Command for the gold standard of the genre at the dawn of the millennia. Discordant and jilted but still confident and tight- the indie rock + post-HC whammy combo

Perfectly middle of the road, inoffensive Glam Metal that really sounds like it came out quite a bit before ‘83, which depending on how you view it is either a compliment or slight to the record

One of the most vibrant and definitive statements of culture and identity in jazz history.

I’m all for a throwback sound when done right, but this record just feels like a 60s shrine without any charm to truly set it apart*.

*Reflections After Jane is the one tremendous exception here and single-handedly keeps this from the red

Even with a complete lack of guitar solos (seriously, not *one* to be had for all 47-minutes), every track being about the infinite perils of war, and a general sonic conformity to the whole enterprise, Ashes of the Wake defies the odds to be a seriously heavy-hitting Groove record with absolutely *smothering* fry vocals

As far as comebacks go, A Tiny House isn't half bad, though there's certainly less 'oomph' here than the ever-flowingly vibrant masterpieces that preceded it

Fish is as excellent an opener to Sweet Trip’s discography as any of the other high points in their career- a serious contender for their best track. The other tracks here follow a similar train of thought- long, drawn-out ambient, dreamy electronic fuzzy-landscapes with little emphasis on vocals. It’s the blueprint for their stronger successes to come, while still feeling charming enough in its own right

The Ramones' best, on account of there being an actual discernible non-conformity in every track here. It's still utterly Punk Rock through and through, but tracks like Rockaway Beach or Teenage Lobotomy show a legitimate attempt at branching out (comparatively, of course)

In many ways, ground zero for ‘Punk’ and all its endless connotations to this day in music and culture. At the same time- the only true gem here is at the very start, while the remainder here is the same song with a different set of lyrics. Influential in every sense of the word, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t charming- it’s just tiresome

Having heard David Sylvian’s solo works around a year ago, it’s certainly interesting to hear his roots via Artsy-New-Wave outfit Japan. This record in particular has a lot of the trappings of some of his finer solo works like Brilliant Trees- punchy production, and especially plaintive moments that are capitalized by Sylvian’s bizarre lyrics. I wasn’t as in love with this as I was hoping to be, but the highlights here (Ghosts, The Art of Parties, Still Life in Mobile ... read more

Apt title. Many will be lured in here by I Love Music and its acclaimed Nas sample (best Nas track btw), but The Awakening is worlds beyond just a memorable sample flip. Jamal and his trio-mates deliver a glorious declaration of Jazz entering the 70s. While many of his contemporaries were fully ensconced in the burgeoning Fusion scene or exalting the Heavens via spiritual explosions, The Awakening feels reverent entirely on the merit of its performances- simple, but phenomenally powerful

The problems I have with Tumor’s other acclaimed records plague Praise A Lord to an even higher degree. So often, there’s an intriguing idea or sound palette on display here that seemingly evolves into a dead-end disguised by outlandish production. Wish this was for me more than it is unfortunately