This record wasn't quite what I was expecting, though I like the more electronic direction. Alife, Kisses, and Skin in the Game sound like Slowdive's previous music, but the first two tracks might fool you into thinking this is going to be an ambient album. Everything is Alive has a really nice pace to it, excepting the overly-long Prayer Remembered. Unfortunately, the production is not Slowdive's best. The vocals are pretty indistinct throughout. It might be too spacey for some, but this album ... read more

I can't believe these guys made this album after a 22 year break. This is one hell of a return! I had never heard of these guys in 2017 and was unfamiliar with shoegaze music, but this album made me a fan of both. The production deserves some recognition for striking a tenuous balance--the vocals are low and the distorted guitars envelope you, but nothing feels lost in the mix (aside from some of the vocals on Go Get It, admittedly).

These songs, and Slowdive's discography in general, feels ... read more

The Smile has made me appreciate just how much Ed O'Brien's guitar textures and soundscapes bring to Radiohead. Something definitely feels missing here. This is not nearly as refined and sharp as Radiohead's best, and it winds up feeling pretty samey by the end. Tom Skinner absolutely has killer feel though, and Jonny Greenwood's soundtrack expertise is apparent with subdued strings and brass that make for some cinematic moments throughout.

I'm of two minds on this one. On the one hand, it's ... read more

Donald Fagen goes solo and trades sardonic wit for youthful optimism and nostalgia. Even without Becker this really sounds like a continuation from Gaucho with the same cold production. It works better on this one though. Aside from the bridge on The Nightfly, there aren't any of the supreme musical moments that can found on Steely Dan's best. That said, this is a breezy, relaxing listen.

Stand-out track: The Nightfly

"Just when I say boy we can't miss. You're golden then you do this."

Nah, it's still good. Gaucho's probably Steely Dan's least interesting album--things feel more straight-forward and smooth on this one. Also, this album always had a sort of cold sound to me that I just don't gel with as much as their previous work. Gary Katz's approach really works on Babylon Sisters though, that song's thick with sleaze and angst.

Stand-out track: Babylon Sisters

This is Steely Dan's funniest album, filled with vignettes of scumbags and weirdos. These include a drug dealer, a bomb-toting fugitive, a kleptomaniac obsessed with jewelry, a cheating newly-wed, and a guy who swears to always wear a condom. Donald Fagen's unique lyricism and weird imagination really shine here. The tour-de-force of effusive jazz musicianship for these wacky and often dark songs creates a kind of surreal atmosphere. Sign In Stranger and The Royal Scam drag a bit, but all the ... read more

Every single song on this album is gripping and beautiful. Radiohead perfectly balances their typical nervous energy with a kind of laid-back and resigned feeling. I always love Thom Yorke's lyrics, and they're at their most immediate here. Songs like Nude and Videotape are pretty simple and repetitive yet manage to pack real emotional weight. The production is incredible all around, including some gorgeous string arrangements. If it were released today, I think In Rainbows would be just as ... read more

This album really grew on me. Sure, there are some weaker tracks on here like Membership and Emperor Penguin, but I just find this to be such a charming record with some really evocative lyrics and sounds. It's such a shame these guys are virtually unknown in the US.

Stand-out track: Bobcaygeon

This might be the finest synthpop album yet made. The band did an album signing in LA after this album's release that attracted 17,000 people and caused a riot! These songs (probably) won't incite a riot these days, but the hooky pop writing and 80's synths are definitely in style. And this is an 80's album through-and-through despite the 1990 release date. Some of the B-sides for the singles (Happiest Girl, anybody?) that are tacked onto the Spotify version are absolutely worth listening to as ... read more

Occasionally, I find myself wanting to listen to that ominous intro to "Dogs" one more time and then, before I know it, I've listened to this whole album again. The songs may be long (like, really long), but they are always evolving, with cool riffs and memorable lyrics aplenty. Nothing to skip here. This is an album that feels masterfully crafted, and it has continued to catch my ear in new ways through almost my whole life. Oh yeah, the album art's a classic too :)

Stand-out track: ... read more