Dec 7, 2019
[DIAMONDS OF DECEMBER: #1 of 4]
Merry Christmas you filthy animal. Welcome to the haunted, fucked up world of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and the fantastic murder booth of Murder Ballads! Please select mode of death: {Quick and Painless} or {Slow and Horrible}.
We all know deep down why we're all here. Yes, I'm talking to you, fellow bloodthirsty reader and music dickhead. We are humans: absolute savages built to be killing machines. You want to kill me, don't you? After all, murder is ... read more
Merry Christmas you filthy animal. Welcome to the haunted, fucked up world of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, and the fantastic murder booth of Murder Ballads! Please select mode of death: {Quick and Painless} or {Slow and Horrible}.
We all know deep down why we're all here. Yes, I'm talking to you, fellow bloodthirsty reader and music dickhead. We are humans: absolute savages built to be killing machines. You want to kill me, don't you? After all, murder is ... read more
Dec 6, 2019
I think I just wet myself...again!
In a release week filled with overblown big pop albums, mediocre rap and more shitty label grave-robbing, I'm gonna take a moment to spread some well-needed positivity and share my appreciation for an album I love, the best of the week and what will very likely be my final AOTY contender of 2019, The Dead Light.
Now, if you've been on this site for awhile, you may know that I am a BIG fan of Fen. Their last album, Winter, was my FAVORITE album of 2017 for ... read more
In a release week filled with overblown big pop albums, mediocre rap and more shitty label grave-robbing, I'm gonna take a moment to spread some well-needed positivity and share my appreciation for an album I love, the best of the week and what will very likely be my final AOTY contender of 2019, The Dead Light.
Now, if you've been on this site for awhile, you may know that I am a BIG fan of Fen. Their last album, Winter, was my FAVORITE album of 2017 for ... read more
Dec 5, 2019
A set of obscure recordings from Venezuelan avant-pop duo dating back to 1985 have finally made their way into a full, proper release 34 years later with Echoes, and it's promptly one of the decade's most enthralling, stunningly sublime art pop projects! God bless the Internet!
Echoes is a mesmerizing, nocturnally gorgeous album that I gladly had the pleasure of discovering, thanks to users like @siberianbreaks. Not only has it stuck around to become one of my most played albums of the year, ... read more
Echoes is a mesmerizing, nocturnally gorgeous album that I gladly had the pleasure of discovering, thanks to users like @siberianbreaks. Not only has it stuck around to become one of my most played albums of the year, ... read more
Dec 4, 2019
Plantasia, a simple, sweet, futuristic 70s electronic album I never thought I needed in my life.
I've had a strong fascination and affection for plants ever since I was a little toddler, growing up in the comfort of my grandparents' home and oblivious to many of the wonders and dangers of the world around me. I remember spending those innocent spring and summertime days of my youth in the garden watching the petals of flowers flutter gently back and forth with the wind. I'd lie beside them ... read more
I've had a strong fascination and affection for plants ever since I was a little toddler, growing up in the comfort of my grandparents' home and oblivious to many of the wonders and dangers of the world around me. I remember spending those innocent spring and summertime days of my youth in the garden watching the petals of flowers flutter gently back and forth with the wind. I'd lie beside them ... read more
Dec 3, 2019
Let me just say that there's a reason I saved Murder Ballads and Let Love In for last in my Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds discography binge...
I've waited for what I felt is now the perfect opportunity to review Nick Cave in full, right before the jolly ol' holiday season and after the remarkably profound Ghosteen, one of their best albums ever! Let Love In is perhaps one of the band's most pivotal moments, an effective array of alt rock/punk blues tracks that range from delicate ballads to ... read more
I've waited for what I felt is now the perfect opportunity to review Nick Cave in full, right before the jolly ol' holiday season and after the remarkably profound Ghosteen, one of their best albums ever! Let Love In is perhaps one of the band's most pivotal moments, an effective array of alt rock/punk blues tracks that range from delicate ballads to ... read more
Nov 30, 2019*
Let's take a moment to appreciate the Golden Age of King Push that was 2018. From DAYTONA to the Drake beef to a GRAMMY nomination, Pusha truly left a mark in recent hip hop history, fully transitioning from Clipse into a fierce middle-aged solo rapper thirsty for blood and vengeance! With Kanye playing a major contributing role, DAYTONA is an excellent combination of brutal delivery and stupendous production!
It's times like this when I take a look back at DAYTONA, the events following its ... read more
It's times like this when I take a look back at DAYTONA, the events following its ... read more
Nov 26, 2019
Been very sick lately, not just physically, but mentally. I've been carrying a lot of weight on my shoulders for a very long time now and felt as if I've left everyone in my life down.
While hospitalised and on meds, this is the kind of album I go to. One filled with pure ethereal beauty and sincerity. A soothingly lush experience encapsulating a journey through a dense, beautiful rainforest. Calming like the gentle flow of a waterfall, naturally peaceful like the sounds of tropical birds ... read more
While hospitalised and on meds, this is the kind of album I go to. One filled with pure ethereal beauty and sincerity. A soothingly lush experience encapsulating a journey through a dense, beautiful rainforest. Calming like the gentle flow of a waterfall, naturally peaceful like the sounds of tropical birds ... read more
Nov 24, 2019
FIRE!
Blood Incantation's latest studio album is an incredibly technical, densely cryptic, nearly-intergalactic death metal experience into the world of the unknown, a sci-fi concept that'll sure leave engaged listeners with goosebumps without having to sacrifice its alluring atmospheres, energetic instrumentation and existential undertones. Truly one of the most enthralling albums of the year!
This album may be best described as a portal transporting mankind into an alien wasteland. Ever ... read more
Blood Incantation's latest studio album is an incredibly technical, densely cryptic, nearly-intergalactic death metal experience into the world of the unknown, a sci-fi concept that'll sure leave engaged listeners with goosebumps without having to sacrifice its alluring atmospheres, energetic instrumentation and existential undertones. Truly one of the most enthralling albums of the year!
This album may be best described as a portal transporting mankind into an alien wasteland. Ever ... read more
Nov 23, 2019
Kinda pains me to say that this is probably the most interesting record Beck's put out this decade.
Most people probably know him today as either "the Odelay guy" or the short blonde dude that almost got pissed on by Kanye at the GRAMMYs. Generally, Beck isn't an interesting figure. He's just...there, inoffensive, yet forgettable. Like a generic cup of coffee in the morning, you may not ever acknowledge its existence.
Hyperspace sees Beck continuing down the road of pop appeal he ... read more
Most people probably know him today as either "the Odelay guy" or the short blonde dude that almost got pissed on by Kanye at the GRAMMYs. Generally, Beck isn't an interesting figure. He's just...there, inoffensive, yet forgettable. Like a generic cup of coffee in the morning, you may not ever acknowledge its existence.
Hyperspace sees Beck continuing down the road of pop appeal he ... read more
Nov 22, 2019*
When Coldplay and "2010s" are mentioned in the same sentence, there's two things I think of: a CGI monkey holding a Beats By Dre speaker and "†hê Çhåïñ§mðkêr§ & ÇðlÐþlå¥"
So, in other words, I'm not a fan. But if Coldplay somehow got a music video with better CGI than some of Disney's live action remakes, I shouldn't be betting an arm or a leg just to hear them make a great album, ... read more
So, in other words, I'm not a fan. But if Coldplay somehow got a music video with better CGI than some of Disney's live action remakes, I shouldn't be betting an arm or a leg just to hear them make a great album, ... read more
Nov 20, 2019*
Lyric of the Day: "Moto Moto"
Even in their weakest set of songs this year, TWICE still manages to release an album, this time in Japanese, that's very solid and full of colorful pop bangers!
And it pretty much solidified the statement I'm about to make, so might as well say it...
TWICE has the best multiple-album run of 2019!
Yep, even above artists like Big Thief, King Gizzard, Billy Woods and Sunn O))). There's no denying that TWICE, one of the biggest K-Pop group sensations ... read more
Even in their weakest set of songs this year, TWICE still manages to release an album, this time in Japanese, that's very solid and full of colorful pop bangers!
And it pretty much solidified the statement I'm about to make, so might as well say it...
TWICE has the best multiple-album run of 2019!
Yep, even above artists like Big Thief, King Gizzard, Billy Woods and Sunn O))). There's no denying that TWICE, one of the biggest K-Pop group sensations ... read more
Nov 18, 2019
Typing this on my phone cause I love mocking this dumb album's existence.
When it comes to reviews, I generally keep things as serious/mature as I can and not act too childish, but when you get such an atrocious release week with albums like this, and much much worse, I think it's fair for me to say:
This week was pee pee poo poo.
Consider this as my YUNO Review session. Was not interested in making full reviewz.
This album:
You've seen the "ok boomer" jokes, you saw the ... read more
When it comes to reviews, I generally keep things as serious/mature as I can and not act too childish, but when you get such an atrocious release week with albums like this, and much much worse, I think it's fair for me to say:
This week was pee pee poo poo.
Consider this as my YUNO Review session. Was not interested in making full reviewz.
This album:
You've seen the "ok boomer" jokes, you saw the ... read more
Nov 17, 2019
An observation: Listening to summer albums in the winter ain't such a bold idea.
Here I am trying to hook myself back into Wildflower, but half a foot of snow is covering my entire driveway and I need to get it out! Do you really expect me to imagine sitting by a beach enjoying a summer album while I shovel snow and freeze myself in the cold?
Well, apparently yes.
Wildflower, to put it simply, is magical. It's the power of The Avalanches: transporting you to a world of endless imagination, ... read more
Here I am trying to hook myself back into Wildflower, but half a foot of snow is covering my entire driveway and I need to get it out! Do you really expect me to imagine sitting by a beach enjoying a summer album while I shovel snow and freeze myself in the cold?
Well, apparently yes.
Wildflower, to put it simply, is magical. It's the power of The Avalanches: transporting you to a world of endless imagination, ... read more
Nov 15, 2019
"The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time." -Mark Twain
Ryuichi Sakamoto was that man. Suffering from a choking battle with throat cancer, Sakamoto stepped down from music, symbolically holding a white flag by his side, rested quietly, awaiting for the arrival of the Grim Reaper to come take him into the next life.
But that never happened. Sakamoto recovered, and made "async", an awe-inspiring reflection of the ... read more
Ryuichi Sakamoto was that man. Suffering from a choking battle with throat cancer, Sakamoto stepped down from music, symbolically holding a white flag by his side, rested quietly, awaiting for the arrival of the Grim Reaper to come take him into the next life.
But that never happened. Sakamoto recovered, and made "async", an awe-inspiring reflection of the ... read more
Nov 13, 2019
Here's a random thought of the day: Wtf happened to this dude?
Remember D.R.A.M.? Yeah, been forever since we last heard of him in the spotlight, feels like a lot more than just 3 years.
Sure, he came out with new music, the song "Lay Me Down", a couple months back. It was solid, but it's hard to imagine him today as once being one of the biggest icons/upcoming artists not just in hip hop, but popular music in general, back when "Broccoli" and "Cash Machine" were ... read more
Remember D.R.A.M.? Yeah, been forever since we last heard of him in the spotlight, feels like a lot more than just 3 years.
Sure, he came out with new music, the song "Lay Me Down", a couple months back. It was solid, but it's hard to imagine him today as once being one of the biggest icons/upcoming artists not just in hip hop, but popular music in general, back when "Broccoli" and "Cash Machine" were ... read more
Nov 10, 2019
So according to AOTY logic, it's perfectly fine to bomb a small indie artist/AOTY user's album dealing with sensitive topics like suicide with 0/100s, but not fine when done to a larger well-established artist like Nick Cave? Cause at the time of me writing this, it has more 0/100s than Ghosteen, and originally placed at #1 with a score of 91!
And this isn't an instance of stans flooding the page to artificially bump the score. No, this album is truly something special. Made by fellow AOTY ... read more
And this isn't an instance of stans flooding the page to artificially bump the score. No, this album is truly something special. Made by fellow AOTY ... read more
Nov 9, 2019
Thanks to its enchantingly transcendental vocal performances and heart-wrenching lyricism, Magdalene is perhaps FKA Twigs' finest, most profound statement to date, though often leaves a lot to be desired in terms of production and instrumental output.
Following the great success of her fascinating debut record and its more surreal follow-up EP, M3LL155X, Magdalene is a record over 2 years in the making, a conceptual album seeing Tahliah open up on her breakup with Robert Pattinson back in 2017 ... read more
Following the great success of her fascinating debut record and its more surreal follow-up EP, M3LL155X, Magdalene is a record over 2 years in the making, a conceptual album seeing Tahliah open up on her breakup with Robert Pattinson back in 2017 ... read more
Nov 8, 2019
There are two things in this world that just can't seem to get along: a cohesive album and Sea of Worry.
This time around, HANL seems to have dived belly-first into the cold waters of the Sea of Worry with little sense of direction. With respects to coherency, it seems to be this album's Achilles Heel, blurring a lot of the great ideas it had going for it with its teaser tracks. While HANL may deliver commendable lyrical moments and solid performances here and there, the result is still a ... read more
This time around, HANL seems to have dived belly-first into the cold waters of the Sea of Worry with little sense of direction. With respects to coherency, it seems to be this album's Achilles Heel, blurring a lot of the great ideas it had going for it with its teaser tracks. While HANL may deliver commendable lyrical moments and solid performances here and there, the result is still a ... read more
Nov 7, 2019
Want to start off by saying thank you all so much for 1000 followers! I really appreciate everyone, I've had such a great time interacting with so many friendly and supportive people. AOTY is truly a wonderful community in my eyes! <3
This Twin Fantasy review...was really hard to put together. I've kept this story/event in my life away from everyone outside my family for a while now, but I've finally gained the courage and strength to talk about it and let go of my feelings of grief. ... read more
This Twin Fantasy review...was really hard to put together. I've kept this story/event in my life away from everyone outside my family for a while now, but I've finally gained the courage and strength to talk about it and let go of my feelings of grief. ... read more
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On ThrowBackGmac's review of XXXtentacion - Bad Vibes Forever
"I really don't know if I've been a great influence to this site. Even though I spend my time to post some in depth, thoughtful reviews as much as I can and want to, I feel I've disappointed people with some of my actions and how I've dealt with things in the past. I've encouraged others to post "better" reviews, but that's only led to more competition and pressure to post something "good" to the site.
Anyways, thank you for this. This was very much needed. Also, if you want to stop seeing the same reviews in your feed, you can just filter your feed to "Reviews". Just a suggestion."
On ThrowBackGmac's review of XXXtentacion - Bad Vibes Forever
"I feel this stems from a greater issue with the community itself, and it's been present for a while now. The whole idea of "group-think", like when one person goes against someone, other people feel the need to join in on issues that don't concern them and makes things worse. This happens on album reviews as well, like with the dozens of X reviews that all seem to share the same "label bad" concept and not adding anything to actual discussions.
AOTY definitely seems to maintain an oligarchy, the popular users are always at the top. It really uncomforts me the amount of influence I have on the site (how my reviews seem to have an authority over other great reviews from smaller users), when I'm just like everyone else, just some random person on the internet who likes music. It gets to me sometimes.
Some of the criticisms mentioned in your post feel like it was directed towards people like me, and if so, I understand. I really respect you for speaking up. [2]"
On ThrowBackGmac's review of XXXtentacion - Bad Vibes Forever
"Hello Gavin, I'm really glad to hear from you again after your brief absence. I haven't reached out mainly because I didn't want to disturb you from your "vacation".
Sorry to hear about your shaky online and irl friendships. I totally understand keeping your personal issues completely private and being fatigued by music, but I hope you've sorted some things out and continued with your hobbies (I <3 the fact that you're writing bout plants!).
I will be honest, it saddens me to hear about others' enjoyment of AOTY be ruined because of the current state of the community, and I feel partially guilty for what it has become. However, I am very glad to hear others speak out about these issues from time to time, it'll only help us out in the long run.
I'd like to first apologize on behalf of the MvP discord server for the poor behaviour and mistreatment of other users on the site. Discussions get heated and sometimes, we aren't aware of the damage we're doing to others and ourselves. [1]"
On Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads
"@Toasterqueen12 I'm restarting the series in 2020, but of course feel free to stab me :)"
On Flamingooooo's review of Kanye West - Runaway
"Jesus Is King: It exists.
Best way to sum it up. Also, CHICK FIL-AAAAAAAAAA!"
On Flamingooooo's review of Kanye West - Runaway
"Ok. Now that Jesus Is King is out, let's continue. I liked JIK out of pure entertainment value. I didn't get what exactly was so so awful bout that album. It's just a dumb, forgettable project that people seemed to overreact positively and negatively to just cause it's Kanye."
On ChocoZilla3999's review of Lil Dicky - Earth
"THANK YOU. People keep giving it extra points cause "it's for a good cause", but it's clear to me Dicky's done more fucking damage to Mother Earth by turning our planet's environmental issues into a gross ass fucking joke. "
On KIDWITHGUNs's review of Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain
"Damn, you had me worried with that last bit :p"
On WhatTheFunk's review of Keiji Haino - Itsukushimi
"Definitely one of the most interesting albums I've come across from someone's review. Was instantly hooked as soon as "samurai" was mentioned, lol."
On Mimikyu's review of Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello - Señorita
"I wasn't asking for an answer but ok lol, you do you"
On Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Let Love In
"@KIDWITHGUNs Hey man, it's good to see ya online! :D"
On Pusha T - Daytona
"@okcomputer12127 Not really. I'm doing fine, but I'm pretty busy irl so don't expect like daily reviews from me at the moment."
On Pipe's review of Gorillaz - DARE
"Something went wrong with the link, try this: https://forms.gle/htyePmZ5oVJMNNhd9"
On EarCandy's review of Jamael Dean - Black Space Tapes
"Wow, interested in checking this out. Great review!"
On oh's review of Amelia Courthouse - ruby glass
"Glad I can make someone feel better with just my casual reviews! Congrats to you, oh. :D"
On FKA twigs - MAGDALENE
"@dumbmoonlight Are people not allowed to dislike/criticize my reviews now?"
On kooperation's review of EXO - Obsession
"I'm going to the convenience store, should I get Cheetos or Doritos?"
On exception's review of The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat
"shoegaze shoegaze shoegaze"
On PeterJoe's review of TWICE - &TWICE
"@dumbmoonlight They're a "K-Pop group". Jpop album but Kpop group"
On em /ᐠ｡‸｡ᐟ\'s review of FKA twigs - MAGDALENE
""why date when you got big ass uni exams to study?" -Inglume's Words of Wisdom"
