RANDOM ROULETTE #214:
Compared to the immediately towering Symbolic or Sound of Perseverance, Human may seem relatively frail- that couldn't be further from the truth. There's a ferocity here that sounds even more demented and fierce than Death's usual- the shorter runtime feels like a worthy trade-off for some of Death's most utterly essential cuts such as Lack of Comprehension, Suicide Machine, and Cosmic Sea
RANDOM ROULETTE #213:
A balls-to-the-wall jazz-fusion explosion. Extended instrumental passages form the hallway to Wonderland as horns drunkenly stumble around you- but Zappa never lets loose of his grip for even a moment
RANDOM ROULETTE #212:
Some hype fucking music. Passages of this went by in such a blink I couldn’t even process them properly, but this fucking ripped
Despite not being super long in length, I do think this record would be even sharper with 4-5 fewer tracks- the bulk here, though is *sharp*, befitting the title. Navy Blue coasts along these tracks like a leaf in the wind. Conscious Hip-Hop that doesn't feel as though its beating you over the head with any sort of messaging- the beats here are enough to take your focus over the lyricism if you'd prefer, an unusual arrangement for Conscious
Overall preferred to Preacher's Daughter, as the production and general approach here feels a lot more meaningful- moments like Nettles that reward you sticking through for the long build-ups really feel earned. I did find myself struggling to stay fully engaged despite this however
The feeling of loss is obviously unavoidable when listening given the context of Ryan’s passing- yet there’s also an undeniable sweetness found laced throughout the entire record that makes it such a special listen
The production and presentation here seriously knocked me off my feet- but something about this bloke’s delivery grates me. Intensely. So much so that it greatly hampered my enjoyment of the overall project, despite enjoying the other components here quite a bit. Shame
Positively mesmerizing. OPN comes through with a spellbindingly captivating mix of electronic wizardry and ambient fortitude- the results sound like a dimensional mirror shattering. Almost assuredly my electronic AOTY
Even with a noticeable lull in the middle, Cabin In The Sky still sounds like a faithful revitalization of De La Soul that feels both contemporary and appropriately old-school. The record’s themes on death and grief are shockingly potent, with special care being afforded toward founding member Dave ‘Trugoy’ The Dove’s absence- which is unquestionably felt, yet also acknowledged. All around- a beautiful reminder of why De La Soul were, are, and will continue to be one of ... read more
RANDOM ROULETTE #211:
What a scene setter. Few moments in album cataloging do I feel confident- even remotely, relatively so- that a record is the *definitive* mascot of a specific sub-genre. Bitches Brew is one of those infinitesimally rare examples- I truly don’t think Jazz-Fusion gets better than this. The peak of Davis’ discography- AKA a towering summit amongst a sea of mountaintops
RANDOM ROULETTE #210:
Heartland rock that seems to be missing the most important element- the heart. From the Born to Run gib line in the opener, it’s clear that The Monitor is unafraid to display its Springsteen worship front and center, which isn’t inherently a bad thing. However, despite featuring a healthy helping of hammering riffs, I found myself repeatedly frustrated with just how often this record dipped into cliche territory. The moments where punk elements are thrown in ... read more
RANDOM ROULETTE #209:
Perhaps the very essence of what Hardcore Punk really *is*, which is punk that's unabashedly fierce, political, and fun- that last word is what I'd say shines the strongest on this record. The Kennedys are never afraid to let loose and sound goofy, resulting in a band that sounds staunchly confident in every word they sing
RANDOM ROULETTE #208:
Listening to this on a fog-covered morning while driving to work feels like the proper way to hear 0. Even the shorter tracks here feel like shrouded mysteries that unfurl themselves in brilliant fashion. The vocals strike as a mix between Thom Yorke’s and Tim Smith of Midlake, though perhaps even more delicate than both. Mixing indie folk and post-rock is a combo that I’ve become increasingly more and more inclined to- so many of the natural textures of both ... read more
RANDOM ROULETTE #207:
Likely NSB’s most varied release, breaking several of their staple conventions (such as having a multitude of *genuinely*, not just relatively, shorter tracks and sung moments)- almost certainly the best entry point to NSB- if you like this, you’ll gel with their longer works. If not- do not attempt
RANDOM ROULETTE #206:
A project with infinitely more depth to it than I could ever do justice in explaining in such a short blurb- but as of right now, I'd say this very nearly beats out TPAB as my favorite of Kendrick's. This album makes *absolutely ZERO* attempt to obscure or conceal its messaging, so much so that it's deeply uncomfortable at many points- and that IS the point. It's easy to feel completely exposed and even upset about this record, but I truly, truly ... read more
RANDOM ROULETTE #205:
This project from Ted Leo’s pre-pharmacists venture is overall a fun time, thought markedly it does lack a lot of the in-your-face punk pizazz that makes the pharmacists’ output Leo’s most inventive
RANDOM ROULETTE #204:
At a glance, you’d assume the grandiose, glitchy production here would result in a record that’s too abrasive to really be particularly ‘smooth’ or palatable- yet there’s actually a shockingly serene feeling to the record that persists throughout the runtime. It’s like a friend guiding you through the brightest, most crowded and neon-adorned city at night
RANDOM ROULETTE #203:
This is the favorite of a buddy of mine, so I’ve been waiting for this one- I see why it’s a favorite. Some of the most bubbly indie rock I’ve heard in a hot minute- Leo’s voice is aptly suited for this scrappy-n-punkish style of indie rock fo sho
RANDOM ROULETTE #202:
Proto-Punk power, baby! Iggy & The Ruff-N-Tumble Stooges kick the door down once again with a set of glamorous, raunchy Proto-punk bangers. Fire’s blazing
RANDOM ROULETTE #201:
Eerily striking. Much of Virgins sounds as though it’s cryptically attempting to make itself apparent, only to suddenly be muffled by force. Electroacoustic goodness
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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
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On Faith Evans & The Notorious B.I.G. - The King & I
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On Doofy's review of The The - Infected
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On Clifford Brown & Max Roach - Clifford Brown & Max Roach
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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
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On π©πππππππΆππ's review of Slayyyter - WOR$T GIRL IN AMERICA
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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."
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On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
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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
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On Silk Sonic - An Evening With Silk Sonic
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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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