"How will I wake up when I just don't wanna?"

In giving this album a few listens, and mulling over my review of it, it's been challenging to separate it from WORRY., Jeff Rosenstock's 2016 album. At the time of writing this review, WORRY. is currently my favorite punk-related release, and ranks very high in an "all-time favorites" context for me. As a result, it's been tough to judge this album on its own merits as opposed to just contrasting it to WORRY. Ultimately the ... read more

My association with this album is a weird one. About a decade ago, I was first exposed to Wax Fang through the show American Dad, when they used the opening track "Majestic" in an episode. I liked the song back then, but being fairly young I wasn't invested in music enough to really take note of it. Cut to last year and a friend of mine happened to play "Majestic" again, bringing back the memory of the song as well as my love for it. With this context in mind, I thought I ... read more

Came across this album through a Spotify mix, although I had originally heard the most popular track off of it ("House Fire") a few years back. Overall, I'm very satisfied with this record. As others have pointed out, there are very clear influences on this record from both Elliott Smith and Weezer. However, I would argue that this record takes those influences not to serve as a watered-down version of either of those acts, but rather to blend them into a more unique sound. The softer ... read more

Found this album on the recent folk releases on Bandcamp. I want to start with what doesn't work on here for me, as I think it feeds into what makes this album a success. The weakest element of this project, in my opinion, is Senior's vocal performance. There's nothing inherently bad about it, but in the sea of baroque or chamber-adjacent folk acts, Senior's voice doesn't have much which sets it apart. However, it feels like her vocal performance isn't treated as the focus here, as the mixing ... read more

I found this album the same way I'm sure many others did; by noticing that it is the highest rated album under the "Ambient Americana" subgenre (on RYM). This album offers exactly what the genre name implies: an ambient soundscape rooted in traditional Americana instrumentation. Built atop acoustic droning, the songs on here heavily feature steel/slide guitar, some traditionally-reminiscent banjo/fiddle playing, and even some supplementary bells for effect. Tonally, this album feels ... read more

One of my favorite albums of 2021 was Smiling with No Teeth, Genesis Owusu's debut effort. As a result, I was very excited to hear he would be coming back with his sophomore record, STRUGGLER. I'm happy to say that Owusu has returned with another good album, even though this one is less strong than its predecessor. Something that makes Smiling so great is its frenetic, hard-hitting nature. Even softer moments on that record are flavored with crisp production or a punchy, infectious delivery. On ... read more

Noname is a rapper whose praises I've sung for quite some time now. Her 2016 mixtape, Telefone, to this day remains one of the strongest hip hop projects I've ever heard. Her 2018 debut LP, Room 25, while not as great as Telefone, still showcases Noname's talents in a pretty engaging way (especially her rapping ability and socially-conscious lyrics). Following controversy in late 2019 over her expressed disdain for performing her music for majority-white fans/crowds, it seemed that Noname may ... read more

This one grew off me quite a bit. Although I really resonate with a lot of their solo work, I can't help but feel lukewarm on this album. Unlike the boygenius EP, this record feels like a halfhearted combination of their recent sounds, the execution of which leaves a lot to be desired.

Rating: 6.5/10 (Original rating: 8/10)

I was first made aware of this album by The Bald Man a while back, however it was only when my cousin recommended it to me that I knew I should check this out at some point. Having finally got around to it and giving it a few spins, I'm very comfortable calling this one of the best albums of the year so far. Going into this record I was expecting something akin to Viagra Boy's Cave World, given the album cover, genre tags, and just general vibe of the project. The opening track "2122" ... read more

Saw the Bald Man was hyping this one up so I gave it a spin. There's definitely stuff to like here, but unfortunately the mixing gets in the way. There is clearly a lot of explosive, punk energy here, but most of it is killed by the mix, being mixed far too low for it to leave any real punch. Furthermore, despite its brief runtime (22 minutes), most of the material here is unremarkable. The exception here is the closing track, which is much longer and much more fleshed out than any other track ... read more

A really great shoegaze/blackgaze record. Despite its length, each of the tracks on here (especially the longer ones) use the time in a meaningful way to craft a lot of excellent builds and climaxes. The instrumentation is tight, the vocals are sincere and intense, and the mixing amplifies the dynamics of the album. Well worth a listen for fans of the aforementioned genre.

Favorite Tracks: Rose gold and Her kiss in red light
Rating: 9/10

I wanted to revisit this album now that the new By Storm single, "Double Trio", is out. This project didn't really click with me upon its release, ultimately leaving me feeling lukewarm on a seemingly universally-loved album. Unfortunately, two years since its release and I still feel the same way. By The Time I Get to Phoenix is undeniably eclectic and experimental, and it would be challenging to find something that sounds exactly like this. With that being said, however, I feel that ... read more

Heard this one off of Spotify's autoplay, and given its short length decided to give it a full spin. Very pretty album overall. Pratt's instrumentation is very well executed and makes for some very soothing soundscapes, and her eclectic vocal style (high-pitched, yet almost wispy) makes for a fitting complement. While I wish the album were more varied, it is nonetheless a short and sweet listen for those who like folk/chamber music.

Favorite Tracks: Crossing and Opening Night
Rating: 7/10

Listened to this one multiple times, ultimately wish I had more to say about it honestly. Damon Albarn is one of my favorite musicians period, and his work through Gorillaz was what kickstarted me to become as interested in music as I am today. He is someone that I can rely on to be consistently interesting in his music, even if it doesn't all necessarily land. While this album has some great stuff in it (especially the first two singles), I can't really feel anything about it other than that ... read more

Simply serene. Sheldrake's blend of field recorded birdsong and electronic production makes for a short but sweet, peaceful listen. The album overall is consistently beautiful, and there even some moments of what I can only describe as pure bliss. An absolute must listen for fans of ambient, electronic, and just generally peaceful music.

Favorite Tracks: Skylark, Owl Song
Rating: 9/10

In the past five or so years I've been super into music, I've been consistent about singing Carly's praises. While not my favorite pop artist, I oftentimes praise her for making great hits and always having something to chew on. Whether it be the infectious, explosive pop on Emotion or the more tender synthpop on Dedicated, I've always had a soft spot for her. While I would agree with others that this album might be her most consistent, I feel that it is consistent in all the ways it shouldn't ... read more

Went into this one without any real expectations, just saw they were trending under the Folk tag on Bandcamp. Sad to say that I didn't like the album. I think there are elements of this project which do work, especially when it comes to the instrumental talent showcased here. My main issues have to do with the mixing and the vocals. There are too many moments on this album where the band build to some grand passage in a song (especially those which feature horns) only to have it be mixed too ... read more

A good EP from ambient/electronic legend. While nothing super crazy, this 14 minute project comes and goes without any major issues (and some solid highlights), would recommend for his fans.

Favorite Track: in a room7 F760
Rating: 6/10

An absolutely gorgeous record from George Clanton. I haven't heard Slide yet (much to the chagrin of my associates) but this album has me excited for it. Clanton's ability to draw from Trip Hop influences to form a foundation for his almost-nostalgic vocals serve to create a beautiful psychedelic soundscape. This albums biggest successes come from its technical side. The mixing/production on this record are so well done that the listening experience becomes almost otherworldly, with boom bap ... read more

Went into this album with low expectations, given that I'm not a huge fan of trap and also I was pretty lukewarm on Rodeo. This album is a frustrating listen in the sense that it teases you. The first third of this album has an energy to it that is almost intoxicating, with some wildly interesting production and cool features (especially from Bon Iver and Teezo Touchdown). Unfortunately, around the time Drake shows up on Meltdown, the album hits a lull that it never fully comes back from. The ... read more