Granted that "Kiss Me Once" is full of dancefloor bangers, however, the record fails to capture Minogue's true essence. "Kiss Me Once" is not a terrible record at all but by the Minogue standard it's quite lackluster, it loses the magic of its predecessors "Aphrodite" and "X". Rated against the backdrop of the pop scene for the last 10 years or so - the record is good.

Favorite Tracks: Kiss Me Once, Into the Blue, Sexy Love, Les Sex & Fine.

Allie X's sophomore project "Cape God" is a cohesive, introspective work of gloom. X sings of doomed relationships, rape, feeling lost, and experiencing the world as an outsider. For most of the record, X thrives and delivers a wide array of musical styles; from ballads like "Love Me Wrong" to fist-pumping club bangers like "Super Duper Party People". The record's closing tracks; "Madame X" & "Learning in Public" were lackluster but for the ... read more

"Parallelograms" is a rare psychedelic folk gem from the early 1970s from songstress Linda Perhacs. Perhacs was responsible for the writing and arrangement of the material on the record. The album has a dreamy atmosphere and the soft melodies along with Perhacs' gentle vocal performance make the record quite fragile - but in the best way possible, there is such a softness and fragility about the music that it makes it not only a transcending journey but a hypnotic one too. ... read more

Amy Winehouse wrote and recorded "Frank" at the tender age of 19, her incredible talent and mature character shine throughout this record. Inspired by one of her idols Frank Sinatra, the album is naturally mainly jazz with some soul and hip-hop elements. The lyrics on the record mainly revolve around romantic relationships, although she touches on fate and infidelity too. "Frank" is a glorious debut record.

Favorite Tracks: You Sent Me Flying, What Is It About Men, In My ... read more

An operatic, experimental work of doom with death metal elements, Lingua Ignota's "Caligula" is a masterful creation. Inundated with religious symbolism, the record is a haunting experience about a woman scorned, filled with dread and despair hell-bent on demolishing the thousands-year long patriarchy. Lyrically, just like sonically, the record is extremely heavy; touching on themes of depravity, abuse, betrayal, rape, misogyny, grief, and suicide - all through the nihilistic ... read more

Kate Bush's "The Sensual World" is an absolute masterpiece; Bush is emotive, vulnerable and hypnotic. The record's production is intricate and exceptional, that word ("exceptional") can also be used to describe the lyrical content of the record which ranges from loneliness and technology, WWII and birth to even Hitler. Permeated with Irish instrumentation, including pipes and whistles and a stunning vocal delivery - "The Sensual World" is a glorious and ethereal ... read more

Cher is one of those rare chameleons in the music industry who has pretty much done everything and evolved over time. Arguably her best project, "Heart of Stone" finds the music legend abandoning her pop and folk roots and beautifully embracing 1980s rock. Despite a few weak moments, this 1989 release is a phenomenal rock record featuring some of the best vocal performances given by Cher throughout her career.

Favorite Tracks: Emotional Fire, Kiss To Kiss, You Wouldn't Know Love, ... read more

"Caution" is a triumph for Mariah Carey. It features collaborations with Blood Orange, Ty Dolla Sign, Skrillex, and Timbaland. The 2018 release is a sleek and glossy homage to the 1980s and 1990s, mainly R&B, pop, and hip hop. Some of the tracks on this record feel like immediate Carey classics; including the Lil' Kim-sampled "A No No" and "The Distance" featuring Ty Dolla Sign. Other tracks have a more modern flair, like the punchy "GTFO". Carey's ... read more

Arguably Madonna's strongest work, "Ray of Light" is a spiritual, introspective, and cohesive body of work encompassing electronica, trip hop, and dance elements. Co-produced by Madonna and William Orbit, the 1998 record found Madonna embracing Judaism, or more specifically Kabbalah as well as Hinduism and was conceived shortly after Madonna gave birth to her first daughter, whom would become a lyrical inspiration throughout the record. "Ray of Light" contains ... read more

Predominantly a dance and disco record, Kylie Minogue's "Aphrodite" returns the pop icon to her musical roots. From its opening track, "Aphrodite" starts out strong and continues to pick up momentum with fantastic tracks such as "Closer" and "Illusion", the record does have its drawbacks though, one being the less than impressive "Better Than Today". Towards the closing of the record, Minogue picks up again with "Cupid Boy" and ... read more

Beyoncé's sixth studio album "Lemonade" is a concept album encompassing multiple genres; including rock, reggae, pop, R&B, hip hop, and country. The record features collaborations with The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar, James Blake, and Jack White. Thematically, "Lemonade" touches on racial inequality, spirituality, femininity, and infidelity. Beyoncé's emotive vocal delivery is captivating and multiple tracks from this project rank amongst the singer's most ... read more

"Mon Laferte Vol. 1" is the fourth studio album from Chilean singer, songwriter Mon Laferte. Laferte is a force of nature throughout this record, delivering heartwrenching lyrics and a phenomenal and emotive vocal performance. Tracks like "Tormento", "Tu Falta De Querer" & "El Diablo", all discuss a tumultuous relationship. Laferte sings of a despairing goodbye to her grandmother during "El Cristal". Thematically, the 2015 release ... read more

"Chalk Mark In A Rain Storm" is an interesting Joni Mitchell record, in which the artist is sonically quite experimental using synthesizers and intricate production to create a very cohesive album and one of her most pop-sounding bodies of work. Mitchell recruited multiple big names for this project including Willie Nelson for "Cool Water" and Billy Idol and Tom Petty for "Dancin' Clown". Lyrically, the artist sings of abuse towards the Native American as well as ... read more

"Impossible Princess" is a stunning trip hop record that borrows from alternative rock, electronica and jazz. Sonically, it's the furthest Minogue has strayed from her dance and disco roots. Lyrically, the record is mainly introspective and has Minogue singing about dreams, emotions, desire, and freedom. "Impossible Princess" showcases Kylie Minogue at the pinnacle of her creativity; not only co-writing and co-producing one of the best records of 1997 but crafting a sound ... read more

Being the sixth and final record from The Doors to feature Jim Morrison, "L.A. Woman" is exactly what you'd expect from the band; mystic blues and rock-infused instrumentals and wild lyrics. The 1971 release has some very strong moments, none more than the brilliant "Riders on the Storm". The band discusses success, near-homelessness, fame, depression and essentially the helplessness of living.

Favorite Tracks: Riders on the Storm, The Changeling, Love Her Madly, L.A. Woman ... read more

Lana Del Rey's baroque pop follow-up to "Born to Die" is a dreamy landscape of the artist's making. From its opening track, "Ride", Del Rey captures and serenades the listener as something of a dark, melancholic siren. Granted, "Paradise" has its flaws but containing tracks like "Gods & Monsters", "Ride", and "Body Electric" - I care very little about these flaws. What is so alluring about "Paradise" is perhaps not so ... read more

Julee Cruise's "Floating into the Night" is a dream pop masterpiece. Produced by Angelo Badalamenti & David Lynch, whose material including "Twin Peaks" and "Blue Velvet" featured a track or multiple tracks from this record; an instrumental version of "Falling" even served as the theme song for "Twin Peaks". Lyrically, Cruise explores different aspects of love and serenades the listener with beautifully soft and melodic vocals over jazz ... read more

Nina Simone's 1965 record "Pastel Blues" is one of her strongest bodies of work. Her fourth studio album under the Philips label was naturally a "blues" and jazz project. Simone's vocal delivery was impeccable as was her take on the two Billie Holiday tracks "Strange Fruit" and "Tell Me More and More and Then Some". Simone closes the record with a breathtakingly potent and haunting take on the classic "Strange Fruit" and with the stunning and ... read more

Lana Del Rey comments on politics and manages to craft her most hopeful record - "Lust for Life" is luxurious and ambitious. Del Rey's 2017 release is her first record to contain featured artists and she recruited some great ones - from the legendary Stevie Nicks to The Weeknd to Sean Ono Lennon, to name a few. The record contains some of Lana's best songs and more than half of it can be considered "highlights" from her "Love" letter to fans to the anthemic ... read more

Donna Summer's second studio album "Love to Love You Baby" is short and sweet. Released under the iconic Casablanca label, this record is disco heaven.

Favorite Tracks: Love to Love You Baby & Full Of Emptiness.