This is definitely one of my favorite new wave albums. XTC kept their quirky and playful instrumentation, but leaned more into the guitar driven side of the spectrum compared to their earlier work. It’s also much more polished and refined than what came before. Making Plans for Nigel is obviously the big hit here, but the whole album is solid from start to finish with no fillers.

What a great combination of multiple genres. This album has the aggression of post-hardcore, the density of shoegaze, and the weight of grunge. The vocals are clean, the guitars are thick and distorted, while the gritty production delivers a powerful wall of sound.

Here’s another single from an all-female grunge punk band out of Mexico. This track is a great reinvention of ’90s grunge, from the vocals and attitude to the lo-fi production and distorted guitars. It’s got all the right aesthetics to sound like it came straight out of the ’90s.

Well, there’s no doubt this is one of King Gizzard’s more adventurous albums. It’s basically orchestral rock mixed with psychedelic rock. Some parts were really good, but then there were moments that left me frustrated, because it rides that fine line between liking it and not liking it, hovering just enough to get on your nerves without fully tipping one way or the other.

This is basically classic honky tonk, but rebranded as a modern and elegant reimagining that you’d expect to hear in a late-night lounge or speakeasy. It was kind of cool at first, but it ran dry pretty quickly. By the end, I was honestly just begging for it to be over.

Maybe it’s just me, but if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought I was listening to a Bob Dylan record. Gene Clark’s vocals here are more restrained and conversational compared to his days with The Byrds, and leans into a more laid back, storytelling style of delivery. Overall, it’s a solid folk rock album with some rustic country elements that give it a warm, earthy character.

This is a really cool grungy shoegaze single. It’s their debut release, and while I don’t know much about julie other than that they’re from LA, this track definitely made a strong first impression. Since then, they’ve put out a solid collection of music, and based on what I’ve heard so far, everything they’ve released has been consistently good.

So back in the late 80s or early 90s, my dad bought a CD player from one of his co-workers, along with his entire CD collection. It was packed with hair metal and glam rock albums from that era. During that summer vacation, my mom taught me how to use it while my dad was at work so I could keep myself occupied while she slept in. Hysteria was one of the many albums I started my music journey with. Listening to it again took me right back to those memories. Even though I’ve heard these ... read more

It’s always nice stumbling across albums like this from the late 50s and early 60s. Nothing too extremely special here, but it’s a really chill folk album with strong traditional English and Scottish folk influences. Simple, stripped-down, and easy to vibe with.

This album is slightly heavier and more grittier than their first two, but what really makes it stand out is that they dropped the power ballads completely and went full throttle with straight up rockers from beginning to end. That consistency is what makes this one of their strongest and most underrated records.

This was an awesome garage rock and psychedelic album. “Steady As She Goes” is obviously the best track on here, but it’s fair to say there are no fillers. Every track holds its own. Each member brings their own unique flair to the mix without overshadowing one another, which really adds to the album’s chemistry and consistency.

So I remember back in grade school we had a music project that involved asking our parents who their favorite bands were. Both the teachers and about half the class said The Beatles were their favorite band. I remember all the other kids getting excited because their dads really liked The Beatles, so naturally I got excited too, because hey, with this much hype, they had to be good, right?

Well, the teachers played the “Yellow Submarine” song, and I remember thinking, what a ... read more

If you’re a prog rock fan and haven’t checked out Haken, this is a great place to start. It’s their debut album, and while it definitely has its heavy and technical metal moments, it also leans more into traditional prog elements than I was expecting. The MIDI based keyboards really bring out a modern edge, which I really enjoyed. It’s a concept album centered around a mermaid discovered by a fisherman and later sacrificed to save humanity from a global flood caused by a ... read more

This is another one of those albums that will always have a special place in my heart, because it brings back memories and used to be one of those go to albums that would cheer me up. It was one of the defining records that helped kick off the electroclash movement in the early 2000s. It embraces the aesthetics of early 80s electronic music while injecting a distinctly ironic, postmodern attitude that gives it both a retro and futuristic vibe.

This is their debut album, but when it was first released in 1996, only 1,000 copies were pressed. It wasn’t until 1999 that a larger label picked it up and gave it a proper re-release. Overall, it’s classic chamber pop, and Belle and Sebastian are definitely one of the flag bearers for the genre.

Tom Waits is really good at expressing visual imagery through the sound of his music. The whole time you’re listening to this album, you can picture yourself in some smoke filled basement bar or speakeasy with low ceilings, experiencing an intimate night with Tom Waits himself. And of course, you can’t forget that signature gravelly voice, which pulls the whole scene together.

Based on all the reviews I’ve read across multiple platforms, this seems like one of those albums people either really like or don’t connect with at all. Well, I really enjoyed it. This is exactly what I want modern contemporary prog metal to sound like. I especially liked the heavy use of modern electronics, because they really bring out the futuristic side of the music. I’m definitely hoping to hear more from them in the near future.

This is the third Savatage album I’ve heard, and honestly, it’s definitely softer than I was expecting. It still sits in the power metal side of prog rock, but it’s clear this one was aiming more for radio play. I have to admit, for an early 90s radio friendly hard rock album, it’s pretty solid. But for anyone familiar with their earlier work, this probably felt like a curveball. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a bit of a letdown for longtime fans when it first ... read more

Ultravox is a band I’ve always known about, but aside from hearing them on a few compilations, I’d never actually listened to any of their full albums until now. This turned out to be a very solid synthpop album from beginning to end. It also carries that post punk atmosphere, which gives it a slightly darker edge. It kind of sits somewhere between Depeche Mode and Gary Numan, both in mood and sound.

This was a recommendation from a Reddit user, and I’m so glad it was recommended, because I love hearing these ’80s synth rock albums. It’s arena rock that leans into new wave, and unlike a lot of music from that era, this one actually stood the test of time really well.