A simply beautiful cover of one of the best songs ever written, despite all three artists here being relatively up there in age all three absolutely kill it here, genuinely amazing cover
Def a mixed bag. The highs here (Just like Heaven, Why Can’t I Be You, Hey You, etc) are jaw-droppingly amazing and introspective takes on love, while some of the lows (Like Cockatoos, Hot Hot Hot, The Snakepit) are still decent but quite boring and muddy compared to the highs. Still an overall great album, just not among the band’s absolute best imo
This album really surprised me, this feels like Hozier’s most deliberately thought out project to date with a pretty solid concept. There are some definite stinkers here (the mixing on Damage Gets Done is embarrassingly terrible), but some of the highlights like Anything But and Abstract had genuinely innovative production, not to mention excellent lyricism as always. I definitely still think his self titled is leagues better than this, but I unexpectedly am a fan of the direction Hozier ... read more
This compilation is like if The Cure were doused in ABBA-style production, which should sound absolutely terrible yet to me is so catchy that it’s absurd
My God this thing is so depressing and dark. The Cure knows how to nail misery that’s for sure, my big complaint with this album is how sonically most of these songs blend together making it a tad repetitive by the end of the record, and for that reason I think I just slightly prefer Faith due to its loftier, more varied sound. Still, the highlights here are absolutely amazing and downright terrifying
SO much bettter than I was expecting based off the singles. I respect him a ton for switching up his sound so drastically given his popularity as a pretty standard fare tiktok guy. There are some definite misses with his new approach but overall I think it works pretty excellently, most of the singles even sound better in the context of the album. Very pleasant surprise, I hope his future stuff takes this sound and refines it even further
‘Lost In Translation’ is an absolute banger but all the other tracks range from incredibly mid to outright awful, it amazes me they even made one banger which shows they are capable of it
In a basic way I can respect this band doing something COMPLETELY different than what anyone was expecting, especially given their status as a TikTok band… but this just sucked. It sounds terrible. The message is novel on paper but the execution is so abysmal that there’s really nothing to be gleaned from a single one of these songs, with some moments being outright unlistenable. Such a weird move, one of the only albums I can think of that subverted expectations way too hard in ... read more
Yet another mixed bag from Cage. I definitely appreciate the more mellow soft-rock sound this record is going for in comparison to the band's other works, but only the hits like 'Trouble', 'Cold Cold Cold', and 'Punching Bag' really manage to capitalize on this sound. Still, there are no real outright bad tracks on the record, I just wish it had committed to its sound more.
Yet another mixed bag from Cage, probably their most truly 'mixed' album. There are some genuine pop-rock standouts on 'Social Cues' that I really don't think get enough attention, like the title track, 'Ready to Let Go', and 'Black Madonna'. On the flip side... there are tracks like 'House of Glass' and 'Dance Dance' that are so utterly forgettable that they serve as obnoxious background music at best. I definitely don't think this is Cage's worst release, and I appreciate this record for its ... read more
Continuing Cage's streak of extreme mixed bags of albums, 'Thank You Happy Birthday' is no different, except on this album there is definitely more weak than solid. Most of the tracks here are either extremely forgettable or just outright obnoxious ('Indy Kidz', 'Right Before My Eyes', 'Japanese Buffalo'). Songs like 'Rubber Ball' and 'Aberdeen' are pretty solid tracks but the real standout of the record is 'Shake Me Down', a melancholic acoustic-thrash ballad that is EASILY one of the band's ... read more
This is one of the biggest mixed bags of an album I have ever heard. The highs on this record are genuinely incredibly in songs like the iconic 'Ain't No Rest for the Wicked', 'In One Ear', and 'Back Stabbin' Betty', really sounding like defining songs of 2009. On the other hand, there are tracks like 'James Brown' and 'Judas' which are completely and utterly forgettable. I still think generally the sound of this record is very fun and unique, but my goodness there are major weak points here
Now THIS is some good-ass pop. 'City Slicker' is easily Ginger Root's best project and is one of my favorite EPs I have ever heard. There isn't a ton of depth to be had here in terms of lyricism but it doesn't even matter- all of these tracks are absolute bangers imo. There's ofc Ginger Root's smash hit 'Loretta', but tracks like the title track, 'Juban District', or the Mario Kart-on-steroids 'Entertainment' are also equally as amazing. Overall such an incredibly enjoyable experience and ... read more
Most of the covers here, though certainly far weaker than the source material, are still pretty fun and enjoyable. I'm not really a fan of the other guest vocalists that are on some songs, such as the incredibly grating feature on the 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' cover, but Cameron Lew's voice solo is so damn good. Covers like 'September' and '1234' genuinely do their source material justice- had the rest of the project been up to par with these tracks the record would be a genuinely great ... read more
This is definitely Ginger Root still founding his overall sound. For being a debut project it is kind of amazing how smooth and clean the production is, especially tracks like 'The Classic'. The EP certainly pales greatly in comparison to Ginger Root's later projects, but this is still a perfectly fine, smooth-soul debut.
The sound and quality of tracks on 'Rikki' is a natural step up above 'Mahjong Room', Ginger Root's prior LP. The record definitely still has an issue with standing out on some tracks, but there are more highlights here than the previous album, such as the plucky and fun 'Multiply', the grooving intro 'Friend', and 'Le château'. Overall a really smooth, soulful-pop ride that showcases why Ginger Root is great.
I've listened through 'the record' three times now to formulate a real opinion and I have loved it more and more each time. At first listen, though I certainly enjoyed it, I was tbh somewhat disappointed by some of the deep cuts not matching up to the singles presented. On repeated listens, however, I found myself just simply drawn in by the mastery of these three artists- their ability to tell a story that is so utterly tragic and depressing in a way that inspires others in such an anthemic ... read more
My big problem with 'Wolf', that being the muddy production and abundance of slurs/hateful language, is WAY more potent here, to the point that this album was genuinely challenging to get through. I don't hold any of the hateful language used here against Tyler, nor do I think anyone should, as this was a past, much more immature iteration of him that he has since outgrown and evolved from. But 'Goblin' as an album is still plagued with these issues that make it hard to listen to, at least for ... read more
There is generally way less of a punchy sound on 'Mahjong Room' compared to Ginger Root's two EP's or even the album following it, but in a way I like how much smoother and understated this record is. There are def moments where it's a bit too understated and uninspired, like 'Jeanie' and 'Hazel Street', but I generally quite enjoy the smooth soul-pop that's presented here. Cameron Lew's voice is so incredibly smooth and really stands out on tracks like 'Having Fun', 'Undertaker', and 'Call it ... read more
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Recent Review Comments
On Jalen Ngonda - Doctrine of Love
"@Shayden 100% agree, it’s a throwback record done right"
On 2Pac - Me Against The World
"@Cloudboy019 yeah I def get what you mean. Pac’s cadence and energy is so infectious for me I was able to look past the production being relatively ‘one-note’, even though like you said it is excellent production. That’s an excellent analogy"
On 2Pac - Me Against The World
"@Cloudboy019 that's a fair critique, I will say flow is not Pac's strongsuit, though a lot of people would probably disagree with that. The production is pretty much perfect here imo but it is definitely uniform across the record so I could see it growing stale if G-Funk adjacent stuff isn't as much your bag"
On David Bowie - David Bowie [Space Oddity]
"@usur_disc350 I’ll admit I’ve not revisited this much at all in the last couple years, but I’ll definitely stand by it having several great cuts beyond the title track"
On usur_disc350's review of McKinley Dixon - Magic, Alive!
"Honestly, really well put. I still have this rated pretty highly but I'd say I feel similarly, there's a sheen over this style of 'indie rap' that's starting to feel like the sheen that's covered a large bulk of indie rock the past decade (post-Mac if you will), it's a sheen of homogenization. Hadn't really put much thought to it until now but I think this absolutely hits the nail on the head, and is probably why despite there being so much 'good' hip-hop nowadays, the bulk of it feels like one big swirl of sameness. Excellent take"
On susquatch - Water Plant
"@Rileone it is yeah but it’s also definitely math rock too"
On Faith Evans & The Notorious B.I.G. - The King & I
"@TheTrillTrolla that’s actually very informative, thank you!"
On Doofy's review of The The - Infected
"I prefer Soul Mining a shade, but I’ll agree that this record should be considered as far closer in quality than most. Nearly everything that makes Soul Mining so excellent is found here too, excellent production and songwriting especially"
On Clifford Brown & Max Roach - Clifford Brown & Max Roach
"@HomeSession3 holy shit what a story! Thank you for sharing, that certainly sounds like one of those life-defining moments, for you and Roach. Live Jazz may be the definitive form of live performing for the reasons you said- it makes the frail jolt to life"
On My New Band Believe - My New Band Believe
"@Trazyn I hate saying ‘annoying’ bc that’s reductive, there are def moments where the lyricism along with the vocal style felt really contrived and grating to me though. Overall it’s certainly not an ‘annoying’ album, just nothing particularly new for Windmill. I would say I’m annoyed with the windmill scene in general nowadays"
On Tangerine Dream - Rubycon
"@Litebill931 thank you much! I have to stop myself from over-writing a lot of the time lol"
On π©πππππππΆππ's review of Slayyyter - WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA
"First review of this project that’s really made me want to check it out- seriously excellent write-up"
On XTC - Drums and Wires
"@sher12308 you’re totally right! Major goof on my part, I’ll edit that, appreciate the call-out"
On King Krule - 6 Feet Beneath the Moon
"@yusukeYYH thank you so much! His music is this really intriguing blend of abstract and extremely vivid"
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"@ScaredDog6163 yeah for sure! I appreciate the compliment! Jeff Buckley is a perfect example of why 90s rock really shouldn’t be funneled into those two ‘categories’ I listed because he blends so many styles and sounds (a major reason why Grace is one of the most majestic albums of all time). I’m the same as you in that there’s very little I truly dislike that I listen to- it makes it a lot easier to be encouraged to check out more stuff! Let me know when you’ve got those reviews typed out, I’d love to check em out!"
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"Sorry for the long winded answer, hope that helps! If you need help finding some specific bands lmk too and I can try and throw you some based on what you currently rock with π€"
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"The other main strain in my mind is Slacker Rock (the kind I tend to prefer a bit). This is your Pavements, Built to Spills, Weezers, etc. This style of rock tended to ‘look forward’ whereas grunge took influence from a lot of its contemporaries in many ways.
In terms of what I’d do for a deep dive now- honestly, I’d determine which strain you like more and start with the big bands before digging deeper, maybe even trying out some of the influences/ similar bands. For instance, if you really fw Weezer I’d recommend other Geek/Wacky Rock bands like Cake or Grandaddy. Same goes for, say, AIC- you could check out other alternative metal bands for instance."
On Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album)
"@ScaredDog6163 for sure! I went on a pretty big 90s rock binge a couple years back and it’s definitely a vast canyon. This is a wildly simplified answer, but imo there are two *main* streams of 90s rock. The first is what most people think of , being Grunge. These are your Nirvanas and Pearl Jams and basically what the average person will probably think of when they think of ‘90s rock’- and it’s great! Grunge pulls a lot from heavier influences depending on the band, such as Punk and Noise Rock for Nirvana or even Metal with bands like Alice In Chains."
On The Radio Dept. - Clinging to a Scheme
"@Zubb autism + long commutes to work goes a long way lmao"
On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
"@Iam_AKne thank you so much! It’s become something of a passion of mine for sure. The kind words go a long way, I’d love to have my own site or something one day"
On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
"@Iam_AKne no I’m not, it’s funny you ask because in high school I had plans to maybe become a writer but it never panned out"
On Johnny Blue Skies - Mutiny After Midnight
"Unless you find a rip somewhere or dish out thirty bucks it’s impossible for the time being unfortunately, it is an absolute blast of a record though no doubt, one of his best easily"
On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
"@Iam_AKne thank you much! I have fun with them lol"
On Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage Acts II & III
"@ScottShelby that does look interesting, I’ll try and get to it later today, thanks again for all the recs! You’re the Zappa guy so it’s been helpful as a total Zappa novice"
On Frank Zappa - Joe's Garage Acts II & III
"@ScottShelby honestly, having sampled a handful of tracks from his studio records to follow from here I think I’m going to bow out for the time being on his discography, I’d prefer to end it on a high note. Someday I’ll eventually go the whole distance but I think I’d honestly just get burned out going through a series of just messy subpar records tbh"
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