after seeing 28 years later: the bone temple and hearing 'Everything in its Right Place' in cinema i've decided the second I can, I'm investing in a good soundsystem because I got goosebumps instantly.

it's not worth me describing this album because there are tens of thousands of reviews out there doing the same, but I do want to highlight some pretty common things I see that I disagree with: I don't think this is their best album, and it also is way more ... read more

"Death in the Business of Whaling" is a listen thats relatable, easy, and lovable, but mostly lacks in creating a sound to distinguish itself from others

throughout the album it has soft vocals, simple acoustic guitars, washed-out, drained atmospheres, and lyrics that talk about isolation, vulnerability, and emotional fatigue. none of this is inherently flawed, with each standalone song being fairly enjoyable, but as it progresses, the instrumentation starts to blur together with a ... read more

my personal favourite release from Animal Collective, with one of their more accessible sounds, "Feels", is like rummaging through your loft and stumbling across an old photo album.

the instrumentation is playful and bright, with looping acoustic guitars that feel like sunbeams on a cold winter's day, synths that shimmer with so much personality and colour, and twee percussion adding to the homely feeling. vocals are layered, with humming, chanting, and echoing almost like a ... read more

"Barafundle" is a sunlit, whimsical and overlooked album. it blends delicate acoustic melodies layered with folky horns, playful psychedelica and bilingual lyrics into a cohesive and engaging listen; from the cosy warmth of "Patio Song" to the more intense "Meirion Wyllt", every track feels like a small, magical world inciting a similar feeling you'd get from watching The Wicker Man - I highly recommend giving this one a go if you've never heard of the ... read more

this album has the recipe for being great, but something is missing and annoyingly enough, I struggle with pointing it out.

"…Like Clockwork", is built around a precise, heavy and hypnotic foundation. the guitars are dry and technical, weaving tight, looping patterns that occasionally erupt into more emotional solos, while the bass is thick and pulsing, anchoring the songs with a steady and deliberate momentum. the result is a controlled, cinematic groove that’s dark ... read more

another great Hum album, one that's incredibly overlooked when compared to "You'd Prefer An Astronaut". Matt Talbott has such a distinct vocal delivery, with his gentle, more mellow vocals set against a massive sound that creates a contrast enhancing both elements. most tracks are about relationships, often framed through emotional disconnect and loss, which comes through especially in sparse, focused tracks like "Apollo". I think my only problem is it can feel a ... read more

even if this isn't my favourite Rosenstock album, it still shows why I think he's one of the most consistent artists as there wasn't one moment I didn't enjoy.

most of 'We cool? ' focuses on navigating anxiety, dread and the feeling of stagnation that comes from watching everyone else move on with their lives, all delivered through singable hooks and the raw, honest, relatable sound his music always has. It also has one of his most unique tracks, "All ... read more

i used to dislike this album until something clicked; it's fun, has a lot of personality, and excels at the aesthetic it aimed for. the lyrics for this are really endearing; lines can sometimes feel awkward, which oddly enough, makes them seem so much more natural and charming. I also think there's at least one relatable part for anyone – a really warm, vibrant and easy listen.

it sounds like they discovered swearing for the first time and think it's cool.

even if this is by far the best piece of music they've put out, it's just the same formula: tedious riffs stretched across every song, corny laughing randomly mid-track and whiny, insufferable lyricism that acts like the whole world is against them. i just can't find the appeal for this band.

'Frances the Mute' is an album impossible to summarise, with a countless amount of interesting moments packed into its hour and sixteen-minute runtime. with Cedric's wild vocals, insane guitar solos, the thundering bass, abstract storytelling, ambient soundscapes, and some of my favourite drumming in more modern prog rock, it creates one of the most rewarding listens possible, where describing everything would make a review too long. my only complaint is that there are moments it ... read more

thanks ronainia for the recommendation!

this is a difficult listen, and I mean very difficult. the vocalist can sometimes sound like he's trying to squeeze a shit out, and the production makes it feel like I'm listening through the wall from the house next door, but there is at least some value in this with parts I did find interesting. I do think if it leaned more into its experimental side, with more unique instrumentation between tracks, and refined the quality, there'd be ... read more

some tracks here are incredibly fun, punchy and well made; others feel like a long car journey with a kid repeating the same thing in the back, on the right night you could catch me dancing to them all though.

thanks oingoboingo103 for the recommendation!

with tracks like 'Mur' riding the line between aggression and beauty, and the closer 'Okean' offering a more contemplative feel unifying the album’s tension, 'Litera' does an amazing job at balancing harshness and subtlety even when moving toward overwhelming density; its gravelly guitars and relentless drums coming together incredibly well.

you can tell this was written by a man from Yorkshire

It has moments that are phenomenal, like the title track, which might even be my favourite Pulp song. on the other hand, the instrumentation and vocal performance can be so pedestrian I could overhear something as engaging at the pub from a drunk man lamenting the state of his life, notably in tracks towards the backend where its runtime does harm.

'Relationship of Command' is a restless, driving energy where the songs don’t settle but snap into new ideas and land exactly where they need to.

It's incredibly emotional without ever slowing down to explain itself. the guitars scrape, the rhythm pushes forward, and Cedric’s vocals can feel like a live wire stretched across the record. It's not about its individual parts but the feelings they leave behind. breathless and alive with its more cryptic lyrics it ... read more

this listen is always horrifying; even outside of the lyrics, this triggers some sort of response in me that just makes me anxious, and then within all that it has some incredibly beautiful sounds like the violin in Sad Redux-Grapher. It's hard to explain this album, but that's not much of a surprise when you have a song called "Ian Curtis Wishlist" as a closer.

tourist trap the album

i really love this album as a whole but i'm going to talk about "come" here.

for me this song feels like the moment when you realise your parents were never as distant or invincible as they seemed. At a younger age there’s a strange disconnect; you know they exist as people, but you don’t fully understand that they can hurt in the same ways you do. when you’re struggling, when you have thoughts of suicide or giving up, it’s easy to push against them, to ... read more

i'm so happy this is only 30 minutes it's the perfect length, short and sweet with great replay value for times you want to just listen to something more relaxing or a short walk

this is like finding a loose cig in your pocket after you finish the pack, the first pint at the pub, a warm bed on a cold night, waking up to check the time and being able to go back to sleep, everything about this is so nice on your ears and to think a 16-17 year old made this it's just insane