This album is his third entry, and gets a bit rougher around the edges. "Take Me to Tomorrow" and "Amsterdam" wander away from his down tempo feel good folksy sound from the previous album. I still very much enjoy these songs, but you can still tell he is experimenting.

Favorite Track: Amsterdam

His sound comes more in to focus, and he takes another step towards being one of the most loved folk artists of all time.

Favorite Track: Rhymes and Reasons

As you would expect on any artists first record, they are just throwing a bunch of ideas at the wall and seeing what will stick. I can hear the beginnings of what would become John's sound, however it isn't as polished yet, but that is to be expected on a self produced album. I didn't realize how many Beatles covers he did, and how much inspiration he took from them.

Favorite Track: Darcy Farrow

Love this newer era of KGATLW. Very excited for Phantom Island!

This album felt a little les dark and edgy than DECIDE, but still boasts some pretty interesting production and some cool ideas. I also hear a bit of Beatles influence on this record, especially in "Charlie's Garden." I definitely enjoyed this project and plan to return to it sometime soon.

Favorite Track: Basic Being Basic

100 Favorite Records: #78 - 4/3/25
Honestly, this record has a few really great singles and the rest falls away into obscurity. Tracks 1-5 are all pretty damn good, but 6-10 are just so bland and forgettable. It does redeem itself with the final track of "Up&Up." That being said, the singles that doe hit well are absolute bops. "A Head Full of Dreams," "Adventure of a Lifetime" and " Hymn for the Weekend" are really really fun and groovy tunes that ... read more

Favorite 1000 Albums: #79 - 4/3/25
This album feels cloaked in nostalgia and noire, reminiscing on the "what could have been." Billy Joel albums have a very good habit of luring me in with one or two of the hits, and then on full listen, I discover there are way more songs on the album that I love. This album started with me only knowing "Vienna," but oh my god there are a ton of bangers on here. That's the magic of Mr. Billy Joel. "Scenes From an Italian ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums: #80 - 4/1/25
In my opinion, this record is about as 2000s alt rock as you can get. This album does one thing, and it does it very good. It has over the top production, the instruments are in the your face, and it will never fail to get you moving. The 1-2-3-4 punch of "Jenny" into "Mr. Brightside" into "Smile Like You Mean It" and "Somebody Told Me" needs to be studied. Each of these songs are intoxicating, and beg you to relisten. I ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #82 - 3/17/2025
Honestly, Bad Suns, and specifically this album, are criminally under rated. I think they are a really unique and fun alt rock band, and I have yet to see anyone really do what these guys do. While I like most of there stuff, I think this album is their best. I started listening to this group many years ago, when I discovered the track "Salt." In the years since, I have grown to love more and more songs. I recently saw this band in New Mexico on the ... read more

I regard this as his best work. Over the past year, I have really explored his catalog, and while his next two albums have some of my favorite tracks, this is his best cohesive album. Simple? Yeah a bit. But I think his song writing and absolutely gorgeous voice takes this album to a whole new level. There are no skips on this record, and every track brings something unique and interesting to the table. You obviously have the hit "Take Me to Church" which was a hit for a reason, and ... read more

Honestly, I liked this album quite a bit. Dream pop is honestly a very relaxing genre and this seemed to incorporate a lot of what I like about the genre and pull from influences who I already enjoy. You have some Lauren Mayberry, you have some Kate Bush, you have some Dream Academy and a lot of 80s vibes come through. On some tracks, out of no where, you get a crunchy electric guitar, which I love, like on the track "The Forest" which was a standout song for me. Good, solid dream pop ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #84 - 3/6/25
This album embodies the hazy nostalgia you didn't even know you had. Literally that's how I found this record. I loved Ferris Buellers Day Off, and always loved "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want." When I discovered some more their music, the "Ah-hey-ma-ma-ma-dee-doo-din-nie-ya-ya" unlocked something within my deeeeep subconscious and somehow I remembered that song. I don't know where I heard it, or how old I was, but ... read more

This album clocks in as one of my least favorite that I have listened to in a while. This mixtape represents one of, if not my least favorite genre of music. The performance comes off as lazy, uninterested and just doused in unflattering vocal effects. Vocal effects, such as auto tune or pitch alteration are not always bad and can be used in a creative and artistic way, like how Porter Robinson uses them. But that isn't this. This feels like a way to make low effort vocals seem even more ... read more

Honestly, this album slaps. It has almost everything that I could want, including some absolutely infectious instrumentals, great vocal performance from Ms. Wolf and of course HORNS! The album literally starts off with something that would fit in on a Daft Punk album. It sounds like a bunch of artists that I really like, such as Alex Lahey (specifically on the track Cherries & Cream). It kept my interest and I found each and every track engaging. Honestly, I don't have too much to say ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #85 - 2/28/25
This is one of the records that I just always assumed I would very much enjoy. I really like Daft Punk, their vibe, and I consider them one of the premier electronic artists of all time. This album seems to bell curve. The beginning starts off slow, and includes some very unique tracks, including the 9 minute breakdown of a track on "Giorgio by Moroder." I think the album then really spikes in quality with the middle 4 tracks starting with ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #86 - 2/24/2025
Boston by Boston is one of those albums that just is. You don't really know how it came to be, who is responsible for it, and why it's so popular. But all that information doesn't matter in the slightest, because this album ROCKS. It has all the flare that 70s rock and roll has along with some really unique sounding vocals. My mom's complaint about Boston is that all the songs sound the same. Sure, you can make that argument. But if all of ... read more

Everything I love in a rock album. My man Sam Fender has come out with another banger of a record and has really cemented him as one of my favorite artists right now. He blends so many styles and artists that I love into a new sound that I love. Guitar riffs and blaring horns are almost always a recipe for success, and this record does not disappoint. The title track is really the stand out to me. It's so groovy and catchy and will have you tapping your foot the whole way through. The only ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #87 - 2/20/2025
Everyone knows this album, or atleast the hits off of it. It's an absolute icon from the late 2000s, and its catchy rhythms find their way into your mind all the time. As an album, I think it's a solid debut that features a lot of very interesting ideas, and showed that the group wasn't bound by any rules. Funnily enough, in their attempts to mock pop music, they created some of the most catchy, earworm (in a good way) bangers that are still ... read more

Favorite 100 Albums #88 - 2/17/25
Most REO Speedwagon music is either a power ballad or just rockin fun. This album definitely falls into the later category. Before they really cemented themselves in the music sphere as "Kings of the Power Ballad," this album was their first big step towards stardom. With the one-two punch of "Roll With The Changes" and "Time For Me To Fly," this album rolls through its limited run time with some pop rock tracks and fabulous ... read more

This album comes down to personal preference, as most rap/hip hop albums do in my case. I can see this albums merit and its place among some of the better rap records of the 2010s. I think his technique and skill as an artist is there, but it just wasn't my favorite, and not a project I will return to most likely. In my opinion, this album is at its best when it embraces a bit of EDM/techno ideas to supplement his lyrics. The first couple tracks, like "Crabs in a Bucket" and ... read more