Being Funny in a Foreign Language sounds like a cringe imitation of Black Country, New Road. Inoffensive and unremarkable, it's my new benchmark for mid: listenable but not good.

Sounds a bit like if Sonic Youth had irreversible brain damage and went on to never use a metronome ever again. Occasionally goes kinda apeshit.

Highlights: Ape Vines, Monkey and Ape, Ape Death Version 1
Lowlights: Long Ape / Short Ape, Ape Ambient

EDIT:

I retract my statement about tumblr: i.e. I don’t think this feels like a nostalgia-bait album. And I admit that I should have dedicated a bit more attention to this in my first listen. Supposedly, I should also explore tumblr at some point.

I stand by my Emerald Fennell statement, at least mostly. While I think there’s a lot of beautiful lyricism in here (I particularly enjoyed Love Song and Cinnamon Girl), I think that it’s often drowned out by an (admittedly ... read more

HELP(2) has shades of everything I love about music. While expected for a multi-artist collaborative project, there's so much variety in this one. It's just so extremely good the whole way through; taking on so many emotional battles that are just smothered in their artist's unique tones. I think the covers of Lilac Wine and Say Yes personify this idea best. It feels familiar, in appreciation of what's come before them, but rebellious in its assertiveness. I'm a big, ... read more

~\_(-_-)_/~

Nothing short of touching, Songs in the Key of Life is a testament to life itself. Wonder's description of this life is like a choir where there's never a moment wasted, or a sound overplayed. It feels appreciative in a way that doesn't discourage anyone else, to the extent that it's inspiring. A truly perfect album.

Certified roller rink yoinky sploinky for lovable weirdos

I can only liken The New Sound to cattails (aka marsh corn dogs). If you've ever seen a video of someone trying to eat one, you'd get what I mean. An incredibly strange album but in a fun way.

This album feels like a nice bottle of red wine you splurged on for a date that's going really well. The first half is earthy, sharp and a bit funky while the second half is bold and smooth. One of the most relaxing listens I've come across so far.

As atrocious as expected

I don't understand a word, but it makes me want to sit on a stool in a crowded market and eat something smothered in tamarind and msg while grinning ear-to-ear. Shout out mango sticky rice.

A timeless record with so much going on. I could put this album on at any time and have fun with it every time. No skips whatsoever. So much fun

A perfect album for Smooth FM 91.5

This album is an announcement of hedonism. It's the scene of a teen comedy where they sneak into the principal's office to make an announcement on the PA system before escaping down the hallway by knocking over students carrying their books and throwing bins in the way of their pursuers. The sound is aggressive and in your face, which isn't for everyone, but I think is really fun to revisit every now and then.

A defining album for Australian psychedelic surf rock. I was lucky enough to see them live in 2023, and they were brilliant. Knees and Confidence will always hold a special place in my heart. It's such a chill vibe and is perfect as music that you don't really need to think that much about to enjoy.

For a project that's ambitiously 20 songs long, "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You" delivers a unique and often times zany listening experience; which is an odd way to describe an album from the folk genre. It feels dreamy and warm: like a family road trip or looking through a photo album. Very cosy.

Disintegration is too much of a good thing. The album starts strongly with tracks like "Pictures of You" and "Lovesong", however drags on towards the end. As you progress past "Fascination Street" you'll realise that many of the songs just aren't distinct enough from each other to be all that memorable. The title track "Disintegration" is the exception to this on the second half of the album, however. Overall, I think it suffers from poor album ... read more

The Art of Loving is an exploration of all things needed to love and feel loved. Love is such a cliché thing to write about, but Dean does it in a way that feels fresh and interesting. It's clearly introspective, often self-critical and frustrated, but feels warm and welcoming. The album exudes a quiet confidence that sets it apart from other works. It's very impressive and my favourite pop record in a while.

I think this EP is great. It's so funky and fun, but doesn't do anything particularly revolutionary or unique. Incredibly polished, and I can't help but bop my head when I listen. I wish it was longer.

Elton John had one of the largest roles in shaping my taste in music and Honky Château maybe plays the most pivotal role in defining the sound that influenced me the most. While the album drops off a little in the second half, the entire work is cohesively contradictory. The piano riffs are so fun while the topic matter is usually not so. It makes for both good easy listening and deeper inspection. I think this is Elton John at his best.