This was actually a pretty cool album. So far, out of everything I’ve heard from Funkadelic, this is probably my favorite. It strikes a really solid balance between psychedelic and funk, and you can definitely hear some progressive characteristics as well through its experimentation and improvisation. It’s not really my go to style of music, but this is one of those albums I genuinely enjoyed, and I’m glad I finally checked it out.

This is definitely a classic album, but for whatever reason, it was never one of my personal favorites. On the other hand, this album has always remind me quite a bit of Joy Division. Obviously, Robert Smith and Ian Curtis are very different vocalists with distinct voices and deliveries, but if you strip the vocals away, the music itself shares a lot of the same DNA.

I’m really trying to loosen up when it comes to Maynard James Keenan, because historically I’ve never liked his fanbase. That mostly goes back to the 90s when I was in high school and Tool was one of the biggest counterculture bands. The kids I knew back then practically built their entire identity around being Tool fans, and the attitude was always snobby and pretentious. Then in the 2000s, when A Perfect Circle came along, that fanbase multiplied and almost became militant. The ... read more

Since this album came out in the mid 90s, right around the time Queensrÿche took a complete nosedive, it sounds like Kamelot were trying to pick up where Queensrÿche left off. It was a solid attempt, but realistically, no one was ever going to fully fill those shoes, especially during a period when this style of music was basically dead.

That said, if you enjoy Queensrÿche’s prog power metal sound, particularly Geoff Tate`s style vocals, this album is still worth checking ... read more

Overall, it’s a decent album. There were some parts I didn’t really enjoy, but on the flip side, I think a lot of that comes from being burned out on 90s female adult contemporary music, mostly because it was completely shoved down our throats at the time. If I separate that bias, this is actually a pretty laid back album and a nice one to put on at the start of the day.

This is definitely one of those truly unique, one of a kind albums. When I first started listening, I remember thinking it sounded like PiL, but as a dub band instead of post punk. After doing a little research, it made perfect sense once I realized Jah Wobble was a major part of PiL.

Rather than treating dub as a purely Jamaican foundation, this album pulls in Middle Eastern, African, Asian, and European influences, while still being dominated by massive dub basslines that give it real ... read more

I really loved this album, especially for its shoegaze and dream pop aesthetics. The vocals are soft and restrained, blending into the music rather than sitting on top of it. The sound is lush, with reverb-heavy guitars that create a fully immersive atmosphere. After hearing this album, I’m definitely open to checking out more of their music and seeing what they’re all about.

I thought this was a fun, eccentric, and quirky indie pop and neo psychedelia album from the early 2010s. The music and instrumentation is playful and off kilter, blending analog electronic textures with the garage style roughness of indie rock.

The fact that this album was mostly produced by Mirwais is really what gives it any major credibility. Beyond that, 25 years later, I don’t think this album has aged all that well. It sounds very stereotypical of late 90s and early 2000s pop that was trying to merge with the EDM scene of that era. Overall, I highly doubt I’ll ever revisit this album in the future.

It was nice to check out Saint Etienne’s debut album, especially since I didn’t realize they went all the way back to the early 90s. This album was a bit more house driven than I was expecting, but I really loved it. It feels like a blend of indie, dream pop, house, and dub.

House influenced rhythms and downtempo grooves form the backbone of many of the tracks, while light, jangly guitars reinforce the indie connection. This album also makes great use of samples and loops that ... read more

It’s not a bad album, but it’s very typical bluesy indie pub rock from the late 2000s, and that was a movement I just never really connected with.

Classic album. Sometimes it’s groovy, other times it’s heavy as hell. What I really enjoy is how they shifted their sound toward a more nu metal and groove metal direction and actually pulled it off in a convincing way.

A lot of bands from that generation didn’t age very well, in my opinion, but this album still holds up. The way Sepultura maintained their Brazilian identity and incorporated strong tribal elements is a huge part of what makes this album feel so unique and one ... read more

I honestly don’t know how this band slipped through the cracks for me for so long, and I’m only just discovering their music now. They must’ve been one of those British alternative bands that were big in Europe but had little to no relevance or marketing in the U.S. at the time. That’s a real shame, because if I had heard this album back in the 90s, I would’ve loved it.

What really stands out is how many styles they pull together. There are moments of grunge ... read more

This was actually my first time listening to a full album from Elis Regina. Overall, it’s a decent album, and it clearly sits under the umbrella of Música Popular Brasileira, which blends multiple Brazilian styles like samba, bossa nova, baião, and tropicália with pop, rock, and funk elements.

That said, this particular album leans more toward an orchestral approach with big, expressive pop vocals. I enjoy that vocal pop jazz sound up to a point, but after a while it ... read more

Musically and culturally, this will always remain a top tier album. I’ll be honest, I can’t say I’m fully on board with a lot of the lyrics, but there’s no denying how far this record pushed cultural norms at the time.

What’s crazy is that it was a commercial failure when it first came out and only sold a few thousand copies, but over time it resurfaced and became widely considered one of the greatest albums ever made. It also ended up being massively influential, ... read more

I’m honestly surprised this album is getting so much hate. I’m not a metal purist, and I wouldn’t even call myself a Megadeth fan, but ever since I discovered them as a kid when “Symphony of Destruction” came out, they’ve always been a band I’ve appreciated.

With that in mind, I thought this was a pretty decent album with some genuinely cool hooks. On top of that, they’ve been making music for around 40 years, and this is their farewell album. I ... read more

I remember owning this on CD when it first came out. I enjoyed it at first, but I got bored with it pretty quickly, and before long it started to feel monotonous. Listening to it again over 20 years later gave me the exact same experience. It was fun at first, but it wears out its welcome fast. It feels like it lacks real substance and just keeps repeating itself from track to track, relying more on chaos and energy than actual depth.

This album feels more evolved and expansive than their debut, which was more rooted in cold, minimal goth. This one leans more into a traditional post punk sound while still keeping that dark Bauhaus edge.

For anyone who’s new to post punk and goth, this would be a great next step if you’re coming from bands like Joy Division. It feels like a natural progression into darker and more theatrical territory.

Another great album from Fishmans that weaves together dream pop, ambient, dub, and psychedelia. The only real complaint I have is that sometimes the vocals get a little too high pitched for my taste. I’d consider it more of a cultural differences, and if I understood the lyrics, I’d probably appreciate the vocal delivery more.

This album reminds me of what Beck was doing about 10 years earlier in the 90s. It’s more groove driven, sample heavy, and built around a collage style approach. Something I also found pretty interesting is that Beck teamed up with The Dust Brothers for the production and mastering of this album.