This is a masterpiece. My favorite Vampire Weekend album by far, the instrumentation is so festive, lively and really comes across as a sonic vacation at many parts.
Every song here is a perfect 10 out of 10 here (other than run and taxi cab but they are close) and leaves me in awe. I could talk about this album forever and never get tired of it; I think so so highly of Contra.
I also listen to this album weekly and have been for years, this is definitely my most listened to album of all time ... read more

One of the greatest albums in this genre I’ve ever heard. The dark, sleepy sound paired with the uplifting lyrics that touch on existentialism, religion, spirituality and so many other topics that just really move me emotionally. Every song here feels very high quality and unique, the only few moments here I don’t really care for are the few times this album dips into “bland” territory, which isn’t too often. An example I can think of this would probably be ... read more

EDIT 63-<88
Disregard most of this review, it grew on me so much. This album is so happy and feels like a snapshot in time in the best way. The back half isn’t as strong, but this album is amazing as a debut.

I just am not a huge fan of the sound of this album and the feeling it gives me, I love vampire weekend but a lot of these songs are very annoying to me. Blake’s, cape and even A-Punk are songs that I don’t think are terrible but I just cannot listen to them these ... read more

So much mid filler on here. There are moments of fun and moments of interesting introspection but then those moments aren’t too high.
There’s the solid hook, or solid verse every once and awhile but a lot of this just feels so boring. I liked the cowgirl song for some reason and the outro was surprisingly emotional and well executed but this is about what I expected going into it.

The first Pink Friday really isn’t even that good. This is just a downgraded version of that ... read more

This was so difficult to get through. One of the most bland and boring albums I’ve heard this year. I didn’t feel like this was anything fun, experimental or new and the emotional depth of this thing was practically nonexistent.
There were a few tracks here that I liked, when a heavy guitar riff or some interesting percussion paired with the smooth def-times like vocals occasionally gave this album a floaty, otherworldly feeling.

But there was so much boring nothingness here. Not ... read more

The beach boys pop sensibilities take a dark, existential twist on Surfs Up while still maintaining the charm that makes this band so special to begin with. The blend of introspective poetry and political commentary work together to form a world that the Beach Boys are not used to existing in, but it goes over so well you would think their whole career has been this way. The only song here I am not crazy about "student demonstration time" is still at least interesting in what it has ... read more

This is a really cool blend of genres. I really like the vibe of this album, and the lyricism was very unique. I enjoyed the story telling and the song topics a lot.
I did find her voice to be a little annoying at times, especially on the second song but I got used to it the more I listened.

I really am excited to see what comes from this band next, there’s nothing here I didn’t like and I think the risks taken here helped push the genre into a more interesting place.
I’m ... read more

There are some strong signs of potential on here, and I especially love the songs with Kendrick. The production on most of these songs is really good, and him being in charge of a lot of that is very impressive to me.

The only songs I really like here are range brothers, 16 and family ties. I like the second half of trademark USA and the viral part “two phone baby keem” is catchy and cute. But the rest of this thing ranges from decent filler, to laughably bad in my opinion. But ... read more

You could really tell that this was the first album where there was this huge shift in their sound that leaned more towards this mellow, grand, larger than life type of songs.

I respect the effort and the sound of this album a lot more than I actually enjoy listening to it. I do really enjoy the run of shorter songs on here, but I rarely come back to them because Floyd just does those types of songs much better later in their career. The intro and the outro are both very difficult to get ... read more

This is like an incomplete, more experimental, more proggy and more sonically varied pet sounds.
I’m a huge beach boys fan and think pet sounds is a perfect 10 out of 10, I hear this and can only really think of what could’ve been.
I need to spend more time with it to really understand what is going on here to score it, but I love that this exists. Brian Wilson is so creative, this album would’ve been neck and neck with sgt peopers during the summer of love for the best ... read more

This just further solidifies conductor as one of the best producers in the game right now, and Conway the coldest active MC’s of the last decade.
This is all killer no filler; other than the sung lyrics on noir this EP didn’t have any real weak moments. The production was creative as always, and we get a very clever and energized form of Conway.

This is both of them at their peak, at their most hungry. The best will randomly break into a horn solo, or a thriller music video ... read more

Great album. Not even close to my favorite from them, it just isn’t what I go to the band for. I love specific songs off of here and the story is pretty cool but I just don’t think every song here is as strong as their other albums.

Peak music.

The first time I had an ego death on lsd, breathe was playing and that moment will stick with me for the rest of my life.
It’s perfect. It’s dark side of the moon, I mean cmon. Art/music doesn’t get better than this.

Their political masterpiece. The lyrics and messaging is more relevant now than ever, these songs are just so masterfully crafted.
All of the different phases of each song, the way they link together with the animal farm reference.

I always thought the intro and the outro are kind of disconnected from the album, but I feel like the middle of the album is more of an objective take on society and the first and last songs are a subjective take on society and living in it with your family/love. ... read more

Peak music. This is pure magic, there’s nothing my words can express that will accurately describe how fucking masterful and perfect this album is.
The synths, the guitar solos, the lyrics, the emotion.

This ode to Syd Barret touches me in a person way having lost friends to mental health and lsd substance abuse, I just love this album and I think it’s one of the few examples of perfect music. This is just as perfect as dark side and animals.

The only reason this is not a 100 is ... read more

Quadeca is one of the best artists of our time, I was on board the second I heard Sisyphus . I saw people online saying that song was growth but that he still had the YouTube rapper sound attached to it, but I don’t think that’s the case at all. That song showed he’s more of a Kanye, Beatles type artist and less of a KSI, ricegum type artist.

I’ve been kind of iffy about some of these scrapyard songs, but this EP is by far the best so far. The blend of rap, his emo ... read more

This was a great project. The production outshined the rapping for me, but Wiki is insanely talented and kept me engaged with his flow and off the wall/introspective lyrics. The instrumental versatility on here was sick.

The only negative thing I noticed was some listening fatigue I had towards the end with it being around an hour long and his voice kind of wearing on me, but overall this is a solid project and my introduction to both of these guys.

This album has the best melodies and the best vocal harmonies I’ve ever heard. It’s just perfect. It’s so relaxing and makes me feel so comfortable. The songwriting is so ahead of its time and although the album sounds cohesive, there’s so much variation within it it never gets boring. The love songs are moving and beautiful, sloop John b is probably my favorite here. It’s so weird and catchy.
There is little nods throughout this album to counter culture and drug ... read more

A psych pop masterpiece. The album that REALLY got me into psych/rock music as a hip hop head 15 year old.

The song writing here, the use of synths, the way Parker manipulates and uses his voice in some of the best melodies I’ve ever heard in pop and the feeling this album gives me that is deeper than words are all just perfect. I understand this album isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. Cause I’m a man, yes I’m changing, let it happen, love/paranoia, ... read more

One of the best albums about death that’s ever been made. I’ve always said that there are aspects of this album that remind me a lot of Bohemian Rhapsody; especially Welcome TTBP… probably the theatrical stuff.
I genuinely think this album does the merging of the two better than any other piece of music ever. Period.

I could go track by track and write an essay about each song, what they mean to me and what I love about them because there isn’t a song here that ... read more