This is the second album with their new drummer Mike Mangini, but the first where he had full creative involvement in the songwriting and overall direction of the band.

This is a decent album, but it’s not my favorite. It leans much more into a guitar driven sound, with everything feeling tightly structured and more accessible. Because of that, I’d actually say this is a great onboarding album for anyone new to Dream Theater.

Even though there are cinematic string arrangements ... read more

This was a fun Dutch psychedelic rock album from the Netherlands. They definitely have their own European twist, which gives the music a slightly strange and unique edge.

Instrumentally, they use all the typical psych rock elements, but they also bring in that raga rock influence by incorporating sitar, tambura, and other Eastern instruments.

The big track they’re known for is obviously “Venus,” but honestly, I thought the entire album was pretty solid from front to back. ... read more

Pretty good for a random album I stumbled across on Reddit. It’s got that repetitive, psychedelic garage rock feel with a strong motorik rhythms. The guitars lean more on the heavier, droned out side, which gives it a nice, hypnotic edge. Overall, I thought it was solid album, but I’m not sure it left a strong enough impression to make me want to immediately dive deeper into their catalog.

I’m honestly surprised I never listened to Of Montreal back in the 2000s, especially considering how much music I was downloading at the time. This is the third album I’ve heard from them, and so far they’ve proven to be a pretty consistent band, with full albums that are solid from front to back.

I really love their psychedelic side, their synthpop side, and honestly, the list just keeps going. They bring in so many different elements, but somehow it all comes together ... read more

This is a cool compilation that was released in 1972, after the band had already broken up and Keith Emerson had moved on to form Emerson, Lake & Palmer. It’s a collection of unreleased tracks, singles, and BBC session material recorded between 1967 and 1968.

For casual listeners, this probably isn’t something you’d go crazy for, but for fans of prog rock and psychedelic music, it’s definitely a hidden gem. Especially if you’re interested in tracing the early ... read more

I thought this was a good album, but I still prefer Low’s earlier material from the early 90s a bit more than this one. One thing I thought was pretty cool, and honestly didn’t know until now, is that Steve Albini produced this record. That surprised me, because I usually pick up on his production style right away, but nothing stood out to me in that way while I was listening. Still, it’s a pretty solid album overall, even if it’s not one of my personal favorites in ... read more

By the time they recorded this album, there’s no doubt Savatage was creating some of their most technically impressive and musically ambitious material. If you enjoy the symphonic side of progressive metal, especially when it leans into full on rock opera territory, you’ll probably get a lot out of this one, because it’s also very theatrical and dramatic.

That said, while I think it’s a good album, it’s not my favorite from them. Personally, I’ve always ... read more

If you judge this album purely on the merits of being an 80s AOR, synth driven pop rock album, then it’s a solid release. Now, if you’re someone who prefers the progressive rock roots of Yes from the 70s, and also didn’t care for 90125, you’re definitely not going to like this one.

This album leans even further into accessibility, with hook driven, polished tracks clearly aiming for radio play. That said, I personally enjoy this album for what it is, and I think ... read more

I honestly don’t have much to say about this album, because the more I hear from Billy Bragg, the more I realize he’s just not really my kind of folk singer. As for Wilco, they’ve been pretty hit or miss for me depending on the album, and this one didn’t change that.

Overall, this felt like a very middle of the road album. A couple of good tracks stood out, but there were also a few that I found pretty rough. Definitely not a favorite, but I can see why some people ... read more

Regardless of what style of music you’re into, this is one of those compilations every serious music fan has to hear at some point. One of the main reasons is that the late 60s really laid the groundwork for Western entertainment culture moving forward, and even to this day, you still see revival trends that pay tribute to the aesthetics, sound, and spirit of 60s culture.

This compilation was originally put together by Lenny Kaye, who would later become a key member of Patti ... read more

Back in the ’90s, I wasn’t super familiar with GZA or RZA, but everything I heard from them, I always enjoyed. One thing I really love about this album is RZA’s production. It has this dark, dystopian vibe that really pulls you in, especially with all the kung fu and horror flick samples throughout the album.

I also love the tempo on a lot of these mid 90s hip hop albums. It’s not too fast, not too slow, just the perfect pace to vibe to while cruising around town. ... read more

This was a fun album for classic garage and psychedelic rock. It’s actually part of a genre called Zamrock, which was a music movement that emerged in Zambia during the 1970s. It blends Western psychedelic rock, blues rock, and hard rock with African rhythms, melodies, and traditional influences.

Also, fun fact, the band name WITCH stands for We Intend to Cause Havoc. Even though this album came out in the mid 70s, after the height of the Western psych movement, it still feels like a ... read more

If American Football and Black Country, New Road had a baby, Racing Mount Pleasant would be that love child. They balance the intimacy and emotional weight of AF with the grand, sweeping arrangements you’d expect from BCNR.

Up to this point, I’d never heard of these guys. I just saw it was a new release getting a lot of high ratings and positive reviews, so I gave it a shot. Turns out this is their first album under the name Racing Mount Pleasant, but they used to go by Kingfisher. ... read more

Another fun album from Joey Valence & Brae. They’ve really carved out a unique niche that’s missing from most modern hip hop, which is an upbeat, party driven style that doesn’t take itself too seriously but still hits hard.

It’s got the tempo and bounce of late 80s/early 90s boom bap, paired with the bass punch of old school Miami bass. The sampling alone gives the album a fun, nostalgic energy that crosses over into so many different genres, like funk, punk, EDM, ... read more

When it comes to 80s glam metal, Dokken is definitely one of the top tier acts, right up there with Ratt. They had a great way of mixing in just the right amount of synths and melodic hooks without losing that raw metal edge.

They really struck a balance between aggressive, gritty riffs and catchy, accessible songwriting. It’s heavier than a lot of glam metal from that time, but still has that fun, radio friendly energy. They just made it work without watering anything down.

This is a fun, upbeat psychedelic and space rock album that leans heavier into early proto metal territory than Hawkwind’s previous releases. One thing I found interesting, is that this was the first Hawkwind album to feature Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead on bass. That might be common knowledge to some, but it was definitely new to me, and I never would have guessed there was a direct connection between Motörhead and Hawkwind.

I thought this was a pretty good album from Goldfrapp. I wasn’t expecting a folktronica record, but I definitely prefer this over her more club oriented electro sound. It has the charm of late 60s psychedelic folk, with lush, pastoral English countryside vibes, layered in with electronic textures that gives it a more ambient pop edge.

This was actually my first time listening to Mudhoney, and they feel like the perfect bridge between Dinosaur Jr. and grunge. This album came out right before Nirvana’s Nevermind, but unlike the big grunge records that followed, this one had a much more unpolished, gritty garage punk feel, and it really leans into the noise rock side of the genre.

The production is murky and warm, clearly favoring texture and attitude over any kind of polished studio sound. That’s one of the ... read more

Haircut 100 is a name I’ve seen pop up on 80s compilations for as long as I can remember, and I always enjoyed the few tracks I’d heard. But beyond that, I honestly assumed they were just another one hit wonder from the decade, and to be fair, they probably are. But after listening to this album, I can definitely see why it had its moment in the spotlight when it first came out.

It’s a great blend of new wave, sophisti-pop, jazz, and funk. That might sound like it would be ... read more

I really enjoyed this one. Throughout the 2000s, it felt like Dream Theater was evolving into a more guitar driven, and aggressive metal band that was leaning harder into heaviness than atmosphere. But with this album, it feels like they realigned and reconnected with their identity as a true prog metal band. There’s a lot more depth, especially in the songwriting and the use of melodic synths. It gives the album a richer, more layered feel that offers a lot for the listener to dig into ... read more