This is classic rock n’ roll. It’s not as psychedelic as I assumed it would be, and I found this to be more like “roadhouse” rock with its mix of blues rock and hard rock. The guitar work was excellent, both electric 6-string and bass, especially on tracks like “Combination of the Two” or “Roadblock.” I think “Piece of My Heart” is one of the greatest rock songs ever, and is underappreciated when it comes to “best of” lists ... read more

I was let down by this album a bit, simply because I had heard the hype around it, and was expecting something that would catch me by surprise, and while this album is solid, it certainly did not do that, and I fail to see the greatness here. I’m not saying that greatness doesn’t exist here, it’s just that I couldn’t find it, at least not on my first listen. The beats and synths are all perfectly selected and implemented for this style, but they are all of a sound that I ... read more

This album just sounds…broken, and I’m into it. It’s definitely a standard-fare rock style in terms of performance, but the songs are arranged in a way that always kept me guessing. The vocal style is highly unusual, and it takes a while to appreciate, but once I did I found that the vibe of this sound really resonated with me.

Great Tracks: Every track

This is one of the best folk albums I have heard in a while, though it certainly isn’t a pure representation of the genre, and there is definitely some varied influences throughout, including rock and country. The “Queen of Hearts” is a real standout track, and the best on the album in my opinion, and it showcases a vintage psychedelic feel that I wish other tracks had. However, the other tracks are quite decent in their own ways, and I found the guitar and string arrangements ... read more

Quite a pleasant surprise here! I had to adjust to the twang of the vocals, but once I did I found Valerie June’s voice to be quite beautiful. She certain knows how to use the singing talent she has, and she can write great songs too that incorporate instrumentation from a few different styles. At times, this album sounds like rock, at times, blues or soul, and at other times, folk. I found this album to be quite charming, because the music was so enthralling and the lyrics were so ... read more

This album has a cult following, and that is why I chose to explore it. Needless to say, I am now a proud member of the cult, and this music has a certain quality that might elicit cult-like thoughts and behavior. This album has a special gloom that hangs over it, and it’s even mentioned in one of the title of the third track, but the music varies from aggressive to melancholy, with lyrics that are strange, creative, vivid, and emotional. This album masterfully creates an atmosphere of ... read more

I love the originality here. This is definitely progressive rock/metal if it were stripped down to a simpler style with bare instrumentation. This album is both sad and comical, and the theme is creative. The lyrics and music complement each other and help stick to the unique, medieval ballad theme this album has going, though I admit it is relevant even through a modern lens. I literally laughed so hard I almost cried during the opening track, “Herald,” and the other great tracks ... read more

This is definitely vintage NIN. It sounds like a mix of the sounds Trent Reznor created from the late 80s to the early 00s. It’s got that hard-driving industrial sound at times, and it has the softer, slower, and somber yet powerful synth moments that NIN is known for. “Less Than” is a great high-energy track, while “This Isn’t the Place” is reflective and moving. There is a lot of range packed into this short EP. I understand the closing track might run a ... read more

Now that’s what I call Jazz! Honestly, when I hear the term jazz, this is precisely what I think of. That’s a good thing though because I find this to be the quintessential jazz album. I have never been a huge appreciator of this genre in its pure form, as I often prefer it to be used in combination with other styles, but I definitely enjoyed listening to it here. I cannot break it down technically, since I am a bit uneducated on the finer details of jazz, but I loved with piano, ... read more

I will praise this album mostly because it managed to be a pop album that distinguish itself from American pop. I was mostly expecting this to sound like other, more electronic/dance focused K-Pop artists that I have heard, but this took a more serious approach that sounded like it was influenced a lot by R&B and soul. I’m not sure I would even call this K-Pop in the stereotypical sense. What is most eminent to me is the voice of the singer. She has a great voice, and the Korean ... read more

This is a great fusion of progressive metal and progressive rock. “The Coma Machine” is an excellent, standout track, and demonstrates what this band can do. However, it doesn’t seem like the band can recapture the magic of that track on any of the others, however, and it might drag on a bit too much because they can’t. From a technical standpoint anyway, this album is impressive. I believe that this album demonstrates great instrument virtuosity. The guitar work is ... read more

This album lived up to my high expectations, but it definitely had a different sound than I was expecting. This band has been label as goth punk or horror punk, but I really don’t believe those labels fit this album, though it is definitely punk. The songs are mostly fun, catchy tunes, but each seems to take a slightly different direction. There is everything from glam rock, to pop punk, to hardcore on this album, with maybe a hint of goth. The choruses are heavily emphasized, and this ... read more

I didn’t find anything memorable here. I did enjoy the retro, funky sound of the instrumentals, but I believe other artists are already doing this sound better, albeit not as accessibly. Almost everything that I appreciated about this album came from the vocal performances of the fantastic and varied guest artists. Almost none of what I appreciated apparently comes from Calvin Harris himself. I can definitely appreciate the singing, but since I am always more focused on the music, I found ... read more

Sweet distortion, love that sweet distortion. This is classic 1990’s rock, and it’s timeless. There are classic tracks here that are still radio rockers, and they are some of the best rock songs from that era. Songs like “Cherub Rock,” “Today,” and “Mayonaise” are quintessential alternative rock songs, and they can be both hard and soft at once. That’s something this band always does great, for a radio rock band, I find there songwriting to ... read more

I love post-anything, and this post-rock album is the best I’ve heard in a while. It was moving, and can be soothing or epic at times. It also does song-length crescendos quite well. It doesn’t stray from the typical post-rock formula though, and it’s something that could be heard on a number of other post-rock artists’ material. I do love most of the guitar parts though, they were definitely a stand-out.

Best Tracks: Horripilation (2), Murder of Thoughts (3), Bound ... read more

Great album, and it was nice to hear that this classic sound can still be fresh almost 3 decades later. The signature shoegaze elements are here, and it’s a solid representation of this cult genre. I love the sonic layers to this album, and I appreciate the soundscapes created by the instrumentation and powerful reverb that the music drags you through, and the vocals fit in perfectly, complimenting the hushed, ethereal, and dreamy quality of the music. Unfortunately, the album wore out ... read more

This was...interesting, and I love it. It’s a strange mix of powerful singing (a fantastic voice) and spoken word, with classical instruments and musical bits. There were definitely some moments where this ambitious formula fell flat, but when it connected with me, it was a fantastic experience. Nothing about the piano or strings was particular groundbreaking, but when paired with the amazing vocals and storytelling, they are effective and the whole of it is moving. There are interesting ... read more

I loved the novelty of this album, and it gets a lot of points for its concept. Johnny Cash was a great performer, and I think that shows here. I loved the stories, the simple but moving music, the contextual bits like the inmate paging, and the diversity of the songs, ranging from humorous to solemn. I have ZERO appreciation for June Carter’s voice, I must admit, and though I love Johnny Cash’s vocals here, she dragged it down...a lot. I was glad when she stopped. I don’t ... read more

This album was entirely unexpected and entirely fantastic. It was highly experimental, but it stuck to conventional patterns just enough to hit home. The fact that all the music was created with a saxophone is mind blowing, but it sounded great. The sax has a strange retro/futuristic combination sound, where the electric manipulation mixes with natural brass seamlessly, and the percussion too. I loved how jazz elements were fitted into the complexities of the tracks, and the smartly used vocals ... read more

These beats are generic, these beats are generic, and these beats are generic. Mostly, anyway, but when they aren’t, and when the music is interesting (later on), this album provides some decent, memorable tracks. I appreciated the rapping throughout, however, even when I couldn’t get into the music (early on), as I thought it flowed and I found the lyrics to be clever and thoughtful. The music on the last bit of the album moved me, and it certainly redeemed it for me. Decent, but ... read more