1. Air is the first of two singles for AOTY user @engar's upcoming album titled 'salt/copper'. They reached out to me looking for a little feedback, even if it's negative, and unfortunately that happens to be the case.

The song attempts to go for an atmospheric, glitchy, and electronic feel, but misses the mark and rather feels like a collection of uncomplimentary sounds and ideas that don't stick. The extremely loud kick drum is a non-starter as well, especially when chained together as they ... read more

The sophomore album 'Siamese Dream' from grunge band The Smashing Pumpkins carried on the mainstream success that was heavily influenced by Nirvana's 'Nevermind' and brought back a rebellious edge to rock music.

I really can't quite say enough about the guitars on this record. The brain-rattling, enveloping, and distorted guitars have an impeccable tone to them, some of the best I've ever heard, which is only then heightened by the dreamy acoustic and string passages that Smashing Pumpkins so ... read more

The progressive metal group Opeth from Stockholm, Sweeden released their 5th studio album ‘Blackwater Park’ in 2001 and is widely regarded as one of the best albums of it’s time and of its genre. The praise is quite clearly well deserved, as this is one of the most technical and devastating metal albums I’ve heard in a long time. The vocals on this record are demented, supplemented by even more chilling singing. Songs like The Leper Affinity, Bleak, and the closing title ... read more

I’ve never heard anything from George Clinton’s group Funkadelic, but I must say that this is a notably less funk-y debut than I would have expected from a group with such a bombastic name. Rather, Funkadelic’s self-titled debut is heavy on psychedelic rock elements with a soulful and funk twist.

Back in this time, there were still only a handful of genres to have cemented themselves as a core sound and building block for new groups. Today’s music has turned into a ... read more

First listen of the year woop woop!

twikipedia's EP 'still-life' is some pleasant indie pop, passing by without leaving much more of an impression for me. My favorite track after a few listens is hurt, I really think the melody is quite sweet, but beyond that this EP doesn't have much else to stand out.

~2023 Year in Review~

With 2023 coming to a close and a promising new year on the horizon, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on this past year of music and my own journey of music discovery. I did something similar last year, albeit much more off-the-cuff and spontaneous, and this time around I’d like to dive deeper into a reflection of myself, this year’s music, and where it has all taken me.

I posted last year’s endcap to 2022 on Vulfpeck’s newest album ... read more

‘Burnt Weeny Sandwich’ is actually my introduction to Frank Zappa’s music. I’m fully aware this probably isn’t the best place to start, but oh well! About half of this runtime is taken by the wild live recording of Little House I Used to Live In, who’s jazz instrumentals feel like they could fit nicely into the soundtrack for an uncanny version of Mario Kart. However, much of this album feels a little aimless, almost like it’s sounding bad for the sake ... read more

'Sweet Baby James' is an excellent blend of folk, country and blues. The songwriting is simple and easy, and James Taylors voice is silky smooth. Not to mention the song Fire and Rain is a classic, this record makes for some sweet listening.

One of the best feel good records I've heard in a long while. Van Morrison's voice is so distinguishable, his performances on this are strong throughout. The first two tracks on this too, And It Stoned Me and Moondance, are essential, timeless listening.

It could be argued that the self-titled debut of Black Sabbath is one of the most influential records of all time. This has a weighted sense of doom and darkness that was never heard before, and it rocks.

The debut record from ex-Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett truly plods along. This feels more like a poorly worked Beatles impersonation than anything else. At its best, the vocals are sub-par, and at its worst like on the track If It's in You, they're awful. Perhaps I'm missing something greater, but I'm not all that impressed at the moment.

Surely his ex-band won't go on to do much.

The long and winding four-piece opener Soap Shop Rock is sure to turn some heads, but I prefer even more the wild guitar solos of Eye-Shaking King. This is a pretty great psychedelic jam record that shines on some of its longer passages. The second disc of improvisations, unfortunately, isn't available on Spotify, so my rating isn't taking into account those tracks.

I'll be starting a trip through the year 1970, taking a look at some of the more important releases and hopefully resulting in a pretty comprehensive ranking and list at the end of it. I'll be keeping the reviews pretty brief to try and get through as much as I can.

Let's start off with a big one! Simon & Garfunkel's final album has so many hits, songs like Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Boxer may be played to death, but that goes to show how well their hooks, songwriting, and ... read more

Treating this as an EP, I wish more artists would do that rather than just sticking them on the end of an album.

This is actually really good! Drake sounds good, the production is amazing, and 6 quality tracks is way more palatable than 60+ minutes of filler.

Chinese Mike would be proud.

‘Quaranta’ is the latest studio album from eccentric hip hop artist Danny Brown, and it’s been a long time coming, to say the least. The record has been teased now since 2021, and the mystery on when, or if, we would ever get this album was beginning to mount. With Brown collaborating with fellow rapper and producer JPEGMAFIA earlier in the year on ‘SCARING THE HOES’, it felt like 2023 may come and go without word on the new solo ... read more

I would be hard-pressed to find a darker and moodier record than Puma Blue’s newest record ‘Holy Waters’. This thing is the epitome of a swirling, succumbing darkness.

Puma Blue is the solo work of London-based artist Jacob Allen. ‘Holy Waters’ is his second studio album, following up 2021’s debut ‘In Praise of Shadows’.

The sound of this album is drenched in gloom, both in its lo-fi and melancholic slowcore instrumentals, and its somber themes ... read more

High energy and consistency is what it’s all about!

The New Jersey rock band Screaming Females has been around for quite a while now, with 2023’s release ‘Desire Pathway’ being their 8th studio album. They’re well known for their catchy punk melodies abrasive tone and mixing, and this record seems to be no different.

Take the opening track and single Brass Bell, whose noisy guitar mixing and screaming lyrics make for a high energy opener, one that sets the bar ... read more

‘Desire, I Want To Turn Into You’ was one of the early statements of 2023, one of the first universally great albums of the year. Caroline Polachek’s sophomore follow-up from 2019’s ‘Pang’, ‘Desire’ feels like an album steeped in abundance and maximalism.

Take the opening track Welcome To My Island, which is such a bold and emphatic statement to kick off the album. The vocal performance is amazing, not just in terms of high notes, but with a ... read more

McKinley Dixon is a name in hip hop that has likely gone under the radar for most people, but I can guarantee that all eyes will be on him going forward after the release of his second album ‘Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?’

McKinley Dixon, the 27-year-old rapper based out of Richmond, Virginia released his debut album ‘For My Mama And Anyone Who Looks Like Her’ back in 2021 to some relatively strong praise, though it will be the follow-up record that makes waves. ... read more

The anticipation for Travis Scott’s fourth album has been mounting for years now. Teased all the way back in 2020, there have been multiple setbacks, including the tragedy at ASTROWORLD, that had delayed the project’s expected release farther into the future. As time went on, many fans started to doubt whether or not ‘UTOPIA’ would ever see the light of day, but now 5 years after the release of ‘ASTROWORLD’, the album has finally ... read more