A few nice singles here - maybe even some of the band’s best tracks. But as a whole this is pretty middling. Even more of a disappointment since their previous album was arguably their best work. This just feels like they’re coasting with a softer, less inspired sound that doesn’t pack any punches.

59 minutes of perpetual comfort and inexplicable happiness.

Very glad to have stumbled across this album as I’m just now discovering the beauty of shoegaze. To See the Next Part of the Dream is no exception to the power this genre can wield - such conflicting sensations portrayed in all honesty simultaneously. Doubt and faith. Despair and hope. Light and dark. Though it exists within the constant droning of its own distortion, it is constantly driving forward toward something. Anything.

I wouldn’t go as far as to say the album is entirely ... read more

It still blows my mind how effortlessly they were able to pull this thing off. But then again, if any band was destined for the heights of arena-rock stardom, it was these guys. Because Achtung Baby isn’t just a stylistic reinvention of U2. More importantly, it was the moment they discovered music big enough to suit themselves. It’s loud, dramatic, self-indulgent - just like the band itself. All that talent and ego directed into something so confident and cutting-edge. What other ... read more

I like to think of Rattle & Hum as the epilogue to U2’s Joshua Tree period. It’s more akin to a party of sorts than a full-fledged album - being comprised mostly of covers, live tracks, and collaborations. It’s both a celebration of what the band achieved and a farewell to that very era. Interesting that despite doubling down on the folk/country vibe, they would soon become something else entirely. That said, the album serves as a nice treat for fans who want an extra ... read more

Glass Animals are at their best when they’re overindulgent, and Dreamland unfortunately falls south of that extreme.
Most tracks run a pretty uninspiring pace and completely miss out on the sauce that made How To Be A Human Being such an animated ear-worm. It’s only in places like “Space Ghost Coast To Coast” and “It’s All So Incredibly Loud” where we get some dramatic turns in the album. These moments are like little oases in an otherwise lackluster ... read more

Coming off of a stellar, underappreciated debut album, You and Your Friends felt like it would be the one to propel Peach Pit into a bit more spotlight. Unfortunately, the band's new direction heads into rudimentary indie-rock waters rather than evolving the impressive potential they displayed in Being So Normal. Not that the album is bad, it just cuts their talent too short, in my opinion. If you don't mind settling for a harder, less loosey-goosey sound, then it's still a pretty enjoyable ... read more

An easy albeit underwhelming listen that blends M. Ward's traditional acoustic folk with some spacey, atmospheric vibes. I'm a fan of the direction, but the album definitely suffers from a great deal of boring tracks that feel a bit aimless. "Migration of Souls" is a memorable opener - just a shame the rest of the album couldn't keep up the pace.

With a bit more nuance than their previous EP, Wicked City still sees the band find their footing while trying out some seriously wild ideas.
A couple of tracks hit just right, like “Acid” and "City Hell”. The production here is honed, managing to create a singular sound out of the band’s glitchy, sporadic tendencies. I really hope to hear more like this from Jockstrap in the future, because these are some impressive tracks.
But the rest of the EP does not bode ... read more

Production-wise this should be oil and water, but for some reason it. Just. Feels. Right? Like, this probably belongs a hundred years in the future, except it’s kinda nostalgic too? You’ve gotta listen to believe it yourself.

“Joy” had me grinning so hard, what an ear-worm.

Could this have been any more perfect? What a stunning sophomore outing for Bridgers.
Melancholy is the DNA of this album. It pervades the lyrics, the production, and especially Phoebe’s voice - and I find it absolutely haunting. Her subtleties create some beautifully subverted songs and a dazed, yet fully-realized, soundscape, which continues to envelop you song after song after song until it outright bursts at the finale. It’s like being suspended in an uncomfortable dream.
The ... read more

The Joshua Tree holds HEAVY nostalgia for me, so most of my feelings toward the album are suspended in that warm, fuzzy, hard-to-explain kind of sentiment. But even aside from my bias, I’d like to think that this is one hell of an album that still holds up as both a masterpiece and staple of Americana rock. It’s the best this band could have achieved, and did, if only for one true moment. Everything to follow would range from meh to pretty damn good, but The Joshua Tree is the album ... read more

Not much has changed stylistically for Norah Jones over the years, but you can tell her voice has more emotional dimension, more presence than before. That confidence can be a game-changer for a jazz / singer-songwriter album. In the case of Pick Me Up Off The Floor, Norah is able to stretch her music so that her vulnerabilities and heartaches can breath without restrain.

There are places on this album that just pick you up and take you to some seriously emotional heights. So much heart went into the recording of these songs. The humanity in Bono’s performance is palpable, and the rest of the music serves to carry that passion.

It’s a shame that “Elvis Presley and America” stunts what is otherwise an extremely well-paced and artistically aware record. Even more of a shame that it comes right before “MLK”, an incredibly somber ... read more

U2 really came into their own with War - quite possibly the most necessary album in the band’s discography. Not only is it a lament for the turmoil of their own country and people, but it also evolved the band into U2 as we pretty much know them today. Every member is making this sound bolder, tighter, more tenacious. Particular credit goes to The Edge and his driving, echoey style of guitar, now synonymous with the U2 brand. The impressive drum and percussion work should not go unnoticed ... read more

So much talent being strut all over this thing. Chloe and Halle have such a command over their sophomore album, from the confidence in their performance to the lush production backing all of it. The back half loses some steam at times, but that doesn’t discount the fact that this is a real R&B treat.

Loving the production on this. Frantic yet focused. The scale of instrumentation is so epic and varied but always cohesive with a foreboding undercurrent. That said, I did come away from this feeling underwhelmed. The solid opener and closer bookend what is otherwise an album that could have gone much farther with what it was doing. A lot of these tracks build up so much tension, but “I’m the Man” is really the only place where it’s released in a compelling way. Great ... read more

Fresh off their fantastic debut, U2 tries to carve out more definition for themselves, but the results are underwhelming for now. Not a whole lot to say about this album other than it's tedious and quite honestly forgettable. Thankfully their following work would ground these ideas into something impressive.

U2 is one of those bands that continues to reinvent themselves (perhaps to a lesser degree, as of late). But listening to their debut makes me think that some of their best music came in the raw, right out of the gate. Boy is far from refined and not exactly dynamic, but it's energy is far more genuine than the band's modern efforts. Just an all around great listen. "The Electric Co." will forever be a banger.