Quite literally the best album from an original grunge era band since the original grunge era.
Given the highs of The Black Crowes this album may seem weak but next to the modern releases of most bands that peaked in the 90s this album is an absolute god sent.
There are some obviously classic songs here and some satisfying deep cuts. There is just something that never fully clicks with me. It just seems less than the sum of its parts.
Probably one of the better Maiden related projects to come out in the last 2 decades. Bruce doesn't do anything fancy but brings a huge dollop of fan service and metal tropes that have been perfectly hand crafted for maximum effect with minimal effort. Its the type of album that happens after youve reach legend status but dont let your ego get in the way of keeping up with the strong fundamentals of rock.
Best tracks: Resurrection Man, Eternity has Failed, and Shadow of the Gods
Honestly Steely Dan is a huge blindspot for me music wise and the more I hear the more I enjoy it.
"Since 2006 I haven't been the same." Thats the first line of the first track of this album id say its more like since 2012 because since then Cold War Kids music has fallen pretty flat for me and this isn't much better. If you are a fan like I am there is stuff to like. Glimpses of their prime pop up intermittently, but to the uninitiated this probably just sounds like a more modern answer to U2. Its completely inoffensive generic "indy rock" with Stray, Toxic Mask, and For ... read more
Im incredibly biased and The Mountain Goats are my favorite band, but this has a very high probability of being Album of The Year.
Best tracks: Only One Way, Cleaning Crew, and Same as Cash
Worst track (but still good): Going to Dallas.
More of an exercise in focus than anything else, Harlow doesn't reinvent the wheel here but he finally succeeds in creating a linear album that is strong and to the point if not fleeting.
Beirut is slowly becoming a staple in my playlists and favorites lists because of their chill vibe and easy listenability. The crux of the problem with them isn't lack of skill or charm, but the simple fact the sum is never equal to its parts. They have about 4-6 fabulous songs deeply textured and nothing less than completely satisfying every album and then the other half tends to be inoffensive noodling on pianos with various horns and percussion instruments in the background. It's not exactly ... read more
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On OracleGuitarist's review of The Mountain Goats - In League with Dragons
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On Toasterqueen12's review of The Shaggs - Philosophy of the World
"You can try to turn this into a logic puzzle all day but this is still unlistenable, glad you found value in it's horridness but frankly despite the score you claim it deserves I assume you almost never listen to this "perfect" album. Furthermore its kind of disrespectful to the artists you compare them too who were actually trying to make music opposed to teens thrown in a garage with a bunch of instruments and notebook and then to recontext it as some cry for help "disasterpiece" when its outcome is simply par for the course of what would happen to any group of teens that tried the same thing. I can go find a garage band right now making something similar in sound im sure. There is nothing here to peel back and observe it is a naked attempt to make a girl folk band that failed because the musicians had no idea what they were doing nor any want to do so.
Who am I to say X about Y aside from a man with ears? indulge and wax philosophic about nothing to your hearts content."
On Toasterqueen12's review of The Shaggs - Philosophy of the World
"Bad music is bad. It fails at it's goal of being listenable popular music therefore it fails as a project."
On notbuzzzila's review of Gorillaz - Gorillaz
"Me trying to explain to people how I feel about Morning View"
On Houdanny's review of Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
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On Jolanmersseman's review of Masta Ace - A Long Hot Summer
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