An improvement on Rush's debut and also the first to really incorporate the Prog elements that would go on to define the band's pathos. The title track is the only true knockout-star here, but it nevertheless shows the band headed in the right direction. Rad cover art as well
Rush's debut, AKA Rush as scrappy blues-rabble-rousers as opposed to the prog-progenitors they'd become in a few short years. Nothing stands out here as particularly egregious, just across the board bog-standard blues-tinted hard rock. Geddy Lee's voice has always been iconic that's for sure
A total surprise sleeper hit of the year for me. Simpson continues to prove that he may be the single most creative force driving country in the year 2026, as this time around he’s put out a set of absolutely *blazing* funk-infused country-disco-dance-alongs that will light your ass on fire. Simpson’s lyrical wit is at an all-time high here, pointing out society’s obvious flaws (or maybe the problem is they’re *not* obvious to many now..) while also talking about getting ... read more
Coleman’s history with Free Jazz is so interesting, as he’s responsible handily for: a.) one of the founding Free Jazz records of the 50s (The Shape Of Jazz To Come) b.) one of the most unkempt and wild Free Jazz records ever made (simply entitled Free Jazz) and c.) one of the most accessible, being this very record here. The passages here are still absolutely zigzagging and tumultuous, yet it’s all held together with a tight pulse to never make you feel as though things are ... read more
Like being trapped in a jazz-vortex, with cacophonous horns whirring around you at different speeds (all some degree of ‘blazing’) for almost 40 minutes. The Shape Of Jazz To Come, despite certainly being Free Jazz, had discernible melodies. This record, on the other hand- does not. Complete and total improvisation to the maximum
A title that is nothing short of prophetic. Coleman’s freely-winding, careening approach to jazz really did lay the seeds of the avant-garde style that would come to dominate the 60s. The Shape Of Jazz To Come isn’t the best Free Jazz record ever, but there’s certainly an argument it’s one of the most important. One of the best Jazz records of the 50s
Far and away Deerhunter's most elaborate and sprawlingly grand project. The production here is easily the selling point, even with the vocals + lyrics being stellar in their own right. The whole thing sounds so dreamy, yet also features plenty of discordant moments too, like the closer's jittering production. Phenomenal
Microcastle is the more well-rounded and punchier Deerhunter '08 release, for certain, but the psychedelic textures here still result in a worthwhile listening experience. Operation is an easy to miss catchy tune, but in particular the closer manages to near outrank anything on this record or even Microcastle for that matter
Microcastle is a testament of Deerhunter’s ability to make highly accessible + nostalgia-soaked indie rock that is *also* successfully forward thinking from a sonic standpoint. Take Nothing Ever Happens- a track that is instantly catchy and perfectly embodies the summer of ‘08. Yet, the production is incredibly layered and complex. It’s a careful balancing act that Deerhunter pretty well nail here. Barring a few weaker, inconsequential tracks in the middle, this is a classic ... read more
For my money, markedly weaker than Morbid’s first three records. The performances are naturally still pretty stellar here, but sonically things mash together far too often if you ask me
Such an excellent intersection of approachable (comparatively, mind you) and absolutely brutal. Covenant manages to give Altars Of Madness a run for its money as Morbid's best work- the performances here are stellar across the board, the vocals are particularly snarling, and gone are the superfluous interludes of the group's prior record
Blessed Are the Sick is sandwiched somewhat disjointedly between Morbid Angel’s technically-adept debut and their particularly brutal third project Covenant, leaving this record as the comparatively ‘weaker’ triplet. Still, barring the insistence on these unnecessary interludes that halt the blistering pace, this is still some riotously aggressive death metal. The Ancient Ones is genuinely stupendous
I’m not going to go as far as to say this is ‘the best death metal album ever’ when Death (the band) exists- but I would argue that Morbid Angel came out of the gate stronger. All the core principles that define a death metal record are here in spades, with a healthy helping of technical prowess (think- bizarre time signatures, unorthodox soloing) to underpin the whole thing. Pivotal to the sound and DNA of 80s death metal
My favorite of Autechre’s fully-‘glitched’ projects. The beats and flow here are approachable and fully-danceable often without compromising their rigidity
I’m in the minority it seems, but I’d have to say I prefer earlier Autechre in comparison to their unkempt, Glitch-focused works, which really took form with this project. Don’t get me wrong- pieces like Pen Expers are really intricately woven experiments in Microsound and Glitchiness that pan out beautifully, it’s just the majority here is too writhing for me personally
One of Autechre’s most chilling-records, the post-industrial elements make for a particularly icy atmosphere. Cipater isn’t just one of Autechre’s best openers, I’d argue it’s one of the duo’s best songs period. The remainder is weaker and some cuts drag on too long but this is still a great and dare I say underappreciated record from them
One of Autechre's defining statements- the duo really reveal their unrivaled knack of making IDM that sounds both deeply emotional and entirely robotic. Tracks like Clipper and Rotar sound robotic in a way you may expect before unfurling into something more 'human', while a cut like Eutow shows shocking emotional resonance. A classic for the IDM genre and deeply essential
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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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