swans' first release of new material since 1994 is a big jump from their previous style. it makes for a great album, but it is very rare that an artist comes back from an extended hiatus at the top of their game. this album lacks the brutality and relentless unleashing of energy that was found in swans' older LPs, like soundtracks for the blind. that is an aspect that i always associate with swans' music, but it just wasnt present here like it used to be. the blues and folk influenced areas ... read more

i really couldnt get into this album. there wasnt enough energy to keep me interested, in both the production and vocals. i feel like the production was toned down too much, and if it were made just a bit louder below the vocals, there would have been a big difference. lyrically, i found the material to be intriguing but lacking any real emotion. maybe its because im not from great britain and i cant relate to what is said, but i still feel like there should have been more appeal to me. i ... read more

easily one of the best trap records that i have listened to. the first ep, 32 zel, is in my opinion the stronger half, with grittier, rawer production, and curry has no holds barred on the mic. this half also possessed some of the hardest bangers i have ever heard, envy me and ultimate. the second ep, planet shrooms, had much more of a cloud rap style and was definitely stronger lyrically. however i have to choose energy over penmanship in this case, as denzel curry's ruthless emotion and ... read more

i've been saying this for years and i'll say it again: the world needs less big sean. the world would be a better place if he stopped releasing music.

this sucks so much!!! i dont listen to music to hear some preaching, especially not from kanye west. although ye doesnt even make an appearance on this song, kirk franklin gives a weak contribution, same with the production. that being said, this was just a soundcloud drop on easter, so i completely understand the intent, but seriously? what "greatest living artist" wouldput their name on something that doesnt match up to the rest of their work. and i thought facts was a bad ... read more

yung lean's comrade releases an album that is almost as emotional and meme-y as the sadboy's own music. bladee (spelled with two e's for whatever reason) has a voice that can be groggy and irritating or to the point of being ethereal at times; it all depends on the instrumental and what hes actually saying. the beats really were not bad at all. i assume that bladee's producers are the same as lean's: yung sherman and yung gud. both of them have a pretty strong knack for airy, atmospheric ... read more

metal? kpop? no, a hybrid of the two that should not exist. there is a reason that people who often listen to metal dont listen to kpop, and vice versa. not a good mix.

there were some riffs here and there that i found appealing, but the album begins to lose its flavor after the first few tracks

after the bands return to decency in 2014, weezer releases a selection of songs that are very energetic and a perfect fit for the summer. cuomo returns to his hook-driven mindset that was on the green album, but produces something much less shallow. structurally, the tracks make me think of their first two albums, but lyrically they make me think of the green and red records. this is much better than both of those, except for a few songs on the second half, which kinda ruined to flow of the ... read more

weezer's best since pinkerton. these songs actually form a cohesive project that doesnt feel empty or fractured anywhere, as some of their early 2000's work did. this record had the pent up energy that was being held in ever since pinkerton, and released it in the form of one maximalist power pop record.
fav tracks: eulogy for a rock band, da vinci, foolish father

huge improvement from the last horror show. the lyrics get back to those that remind me of melodroit, and the instrumentation, in particular the guitars, is pretty solid as well. there just isnt anything that is great on this album. some tracks are good, enjoyable, and serve as a satisfying listen, but there is nothing that stands out from the rest
fav tracks: memories, hang on
least fav tracks: wheres my sex?

before listening: oh come on, i know weezer has had some hiccups, but can this really be THAT bad?

after listening: take me now. my time has come. life is over for me. nothing is sacred anymore.

at least some progress was made from make believe, as this isnt NEARLY as bad. the red album is fun and upbeat for the most part, but there is very little substance to it. i wasnt expecting the lyrical skill that was on pinkerton, but i was hoping for rivers to get back into it after the horrible funk he was in during the make believe days. the hooks on this project are pretty brilliant as well, and i could see many of these tracks being played on the radio even today. but as a piece of ... read more

this is a very impressive and chilling piece of music regarding the way it was created and how the sounds were used together, but it really isnt appealing too much to me. its some pretty calming ambient music, but i cant see myself going back to this. definitely worth checking out purely for the sheer experimental nature of it, but when compared to other modern electronic music, i cant say i love ultimate care II all that much.
fav tracks: ultimate care excerpt three

although lady gaga has created some pretty rough projects in the past, i think that she really redeemed herself here. she joins successful jazz singer tony bennett to create a cover album of jazz classics from the 20th century. the instrumentals are smooth and velvety to complement the very opposite voices of bennett and gaga. the alternating verses on the majority of tracks set the album with a very intimate theme which is what i find appealing in a lot of vocal jazz music. i can ... read more

purity ring showed a very promising direction on their debut album shrines. but with their second full length release, nothing is done better, just bigger. the production is blown up compared to the trippy, minimal style that was present on shrines. basically every track here is an attempt at a radio hit, which is why it sounds pretty generic and almost boring. i also really didnt find any major differences here in the lyrics, song structures, or production. all were very formulaic. there ... read more

charli xcx gives an interesting and sugary first record. she shows a decent strength in songwriting, and a very good taste in production. its a fun and upbeat album, but the formula gets old after 5 tracks or so (at least thats when i initially lost interest) and if you are looking for some variation, dont listen to this. the only gem of this record is the track what i like. it's a euphoric, dance-able earworm that plays out to be one of the best pop tracks from 2013.
fav tracks: what i ... read more

its young thug's worst release, by far, but there are still a few tracks that are worth checking out. the mixtape as a whole is a disjointed mess that would be better with less screeching and more cohesive rapping. young thug's voice varies too much on this project, changing paces and tones too often, but he still has his regular character intact. in addition to the below average music, the title is awful, along with the tape's cover. good thing that thug got his shit back together.
fav ... read more

abrasive and enthralling, interview 2016 seems to be this year's fashion week. the structure of each track is less repetitive than they were on fashion week, and they turn out to be a pretty nice listen.
fav tracks: interview track 4, interview track 6

great debut from gorillaz. it doesnt have the same charisma that is present in the later records, like demon days and plastic beach, but this LP showed their potential to make something great. instrumentation was particularly good here, with some very unique melodies. this eponymous debut lacks the dominant hip hop force in demon days and the blend of genres in plastic beach, but it does have a very indie rock feel that was the first step that damon albarn took in order to make gorillaz a ... read more