Gee, thanks Spectrum Pulse. Yeah, didn’t think I’d be saying it, but thus far, this is the best album I’ve heard this year. Yup, that gut feeling is strong. Blending Americana, Indie Folk, and Country, this album is so sweet and easy to listen to, while giving you one emotional gut punch after another. The record overall centers around moving past a dark place in ones life. Whether that be romantically, through redevelopment shifting your local communities, to even just ... read more

Pretty good, even though I Lay Down My Life for You has my sweep spot! Call this catch-up for his upcoming album. Choppy track flow throughout, but heaters after heaters! One of those days AHHHHHH-

HAUNTED MOUND GIRLS KILL YOU WITH A DAMN CHAINSAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW

IMMA PUNCH A PROUD BOY, IMMA PUNCH A TRANSPHOBE, FUCK WHAT YOU ABOUT, BITCH, ITS ANITFA MODE!

....uh, yeah, call this a bucket list type experience. I truly should NOT be enjoying this, but hell there's a first for everything. Yes some moments toward the back end even with the album being so deep fried in distortion do start to lost some steam. But hell if the execution isn't as gnarly and spooked as the first half. ... read more

First off, shoutout to the band last year for making their digital albums name your price on bandcmap amidst pulling their music from S***ify. Let's just say I have a back catalogue of their work to eventually go through, and since this year has felt more painfully slow- not by way of music releases, but I guess that desire to cover some that sure I wasn't gonna out of my own excitement. OR enough general buzz to make me wanna cover them myself at the moment. Alas, no shortage of ... read more

Yeah, idk, call it the Spectrum Pulse effect, but trying to be a bit more conscious on “meeting art where it is” quite possibly is maybe why I’m picky over what albums I deem bad. And yeah, this one is your more standard pop-rock/punk affair. But I’d be lying if I didn’t have highlights.

“punisher” by far lands as my fav track, centred around post-relationships in the internet age. Seeing your ex move on to someone else, and they share all that ... read more

just in case those get it twisted, this was from the end of 2024 as another "fundraiser" project that would help with the release of their next studio album, in this case 2025's "Birthing". And yeah while I highly enjoyed it as that final big album from the band, news broken from front-man Gira before it's release. Well, colour me surprised when I see in my bandcamp feed the fact they actually released it to streaming. And I'll spare you here but, DAMN does ... read more

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Welp, let's get my potentially biggest eye roll centric write-up this year. There’s many ways I could start this out. I mean, for one, within the context of the rollout, Vylet were to drop a video covering the comments toward the main single "Snarl at your friends!", citing the general notions of "I don't listen to rap but...." or even the "when *insert artist name* does rap, I like it" crowd. Essentially asking those less familiar with ... read more

Yeah, ummm- sorry I semi doubted she'd be able to do it so WELL a third time! I heard 2 singles going in; "I could get used to this" was just ok, but had me worried about maybe painting ones self into a corner artistically. Thankfully the track has immensely grown on me since within the album's context. And Ride, which gave me hope we'd get more cheeky sexy bangers once again. And that we do. Overall, while not above her previous efforts, MAN it's just another ... read more

Highlights: Looks just like the sun, Anthems for a..., Cause = time, Lover's Spit, i'm Still Your F*g
Overall a solid indie/post-rock album.

Some moments that stand out for me. The one-two punch of the first two tracks, as well as American Girl later on. Yeah, the harshest I'll be is it just sounds and had some overlap to BRAT. I mean hell, some lyrics make THAT uncanny comparison all the more valid. OR to be the bigger ass; this sounds like what BRAT could've been if Charli leaned more into accessibility over more hyper-pop leaning production, and more generic lyrics leaving you with not much to say. I hear crossings of ... read more

I know I use this example SO much lately within the pop discourse space, but yeah, yet again ANOTHER example of a more self-aware Sabrina Carpenter. You'd think I'd have beef, but it's only cause I wanted to like THAT last album more than I did. But hey, for fans of teenage-angst ala Olivia Rodrigo, to some more hush delivery ballads ala Billie Eilish- yeah, I see maybe more potential with this than I initially thought I would. Was not at all crazy about the single Die Happy, but ... read more

Few highlights for me: Opposite Teacher just off my processing of generational tropes and shaking off damages done from decades prior, Love Story as a simple but sweet sentiment moment mid-way through. And I'll give Actress the credit for that explosive moment toward the back half as well as being one of the better paced long tracks here. Yeah, I mean, I've spent some time listening to Cameron perform live so it's got that vibe of "yeah, it's what was to be ... read more

I thought I recognised this project name, and yeah, I did. Back in 2021 with "Burbank House". Honestly the mental health struggles displayed here kinda add a lot to why a debut album was pushed back for so long. The record while using vocal snippets from Hercules, displays Tsubi in a rut to say the least. Wanting to prove himself and others around him that he CAN hang with the big dogs within the space, while having to come to terms their reality of having friends break off, and one ... read more

Folks, I've tried with this project. And outside some honourable mentions, yeah I can't say this is working either. Guess i'll give "My Name Is Dancing" as the best here. "Fleeting" off her recent EP has gotten a bit of playback from me. But most of this seems lacking in instrumental power, or even vocal ranges that COULD have some of these moments soar. It's just one of those "ok" releases, but I struggle to see any returns from me. At worst ... read more

the 2nd track has my emotions held captive. The closing track with that accordion is a nice finishing moment. While more calmer than the debut, the brothers showcase a bit more diversity in that their slow burners can be just as captivating. No doubt this will be one of my favourite EPs this year. (Since an EP, the score is just for categorisation)

Just straight up a super weird project, but in a good sense. In a harrowing sense. I can now come full circle to have more appreciation for Xiu Xiu's crazier works and what Alex Kent has been apart of this decade (Sprain, Shearling). Not everything clicks super hard, and MAYBE it's fault IS the very thing it's experience consists of: experimentation. Look, you'll get what you get out of it, if anything. But lemme snob for a moment: music WORTH experiencing at least once in ... read more

Nice blend of experimental rock and doom metal. Only outlier for me is Blind. Not a bad song, just the transitions don't feel as locked tight as the other lengthier tracks here, like the final 2 songs for instance, which sit as my favourites as a real nice epic finish to the record. Surrounded by dread and a longing for the people to reunite against the morons pulling us apart. Yeah an easier statement would be "if swans went post-metal", but sure moments like Untethered's ... read more

So let me start with the best compliment I can give this album. Now I don't say this lightly either for much of any albums in fact; this project has what I desire for the mainstream. An album that has big ambition and in some sense actually executes such artistic desires. Like I can't think the LAST album the mainstream had where even after anyone's first listen, you immediately sink into "this is something special". Maybe TPAB in fact? I won't lie, despite what my ... read more

Man I wish this one wasn't as frustrating to get through for me. The record mainly has it's 3 "acts": the party girl, the post-party wanting to find love and connection while maybe even being her worst enemy, and the after-math fall off of the road of no return. Took me some time to get a grasp as the first leg just was hit or miss for me. Most cuts also spearing HEAVY influence from Justice (I'll admit I could be missing something within the French electro scene, but ... read more

Will Brooks kills it once again! Sound wise it's like a call back to their Absence era, which being my favourite album from the project- yeah, ok MAYBE some "easier to grasp" soundscapes on display for me. While I suppose my big gripe would be the record does come off sonically as a little one dimensional, I can't deny Brooks' pen game has stayed sharpened after all this time! While not measuring to some of my favourite albums from the project that I'd consider ... read more