The intimacy of the recording and tongue-in-cheek tone made this way more enjoyable than I expected! Everybody's talking about how good the outro is, but I'll be coming back for the chorus.

I also expect hipsters like me to play this on the beach all summer, so I'll probably get tired of it eventually.

"Well Rested" might be my SOTY so far. Either that or Leave the Door Open. Regardless, KKB have churned out some of their most sonically daring material since Time 'n' Place. It feels like emerging from a cave after a nuclear apocalypse, only to be met by a colorful cavalcade of synth-powered automatons. By capturing that experience, the songs are sweet, vivifying, and tinged with loneliness. Plus, placing the track "21/04/20" in the context of the pandemic was an inspired ... read more

Swift's 2020 effort may lose steam in the second half, but as Todd in the Shadows noted, it benefits from writing in the third person. By more directly drawing from artists like Joni Mitchell and Dylan, Taylor regains focus and produces arguably her most consistent and appealing project to date. With Exile and Mirrorball being two of my favorite tracks from last year, I am eager to hear her expand on this sound in the future.

Oh no.

I mean, the remix of Levitating is pretty ok I guess. Madonna is barely present, but Missy Elliot lends some much-needed personality.

Otherwise, what happened? Why are synths so abrasive on Love Again and Love is Religion? How is Good in Bed *still* terrible?

If I am inebriated, I might play this in the background. Outside of those circumstances, I have no interest in listening to this again.

As many have noted, Run the Jewels' album is not an incidental reflection on the racial and socioeconomic injustice of our times. It is a fully-formed critique of systemic discrimination while retaining musical appeal. On tracks such as JU$T, Killer Mike, El-P, and their collaborators remind us that racism is not an accidental or new problem, but instead baked into the core of American society. Few hip-hop albums are this prolific in insight and, dare I say, essential.

My most played album of 2020. Everyone's listened to it and, yeah, it's great. While the first few tracks wash out Abel's voice and character, the rest of the project is a grandiose, at times intimate synth-infused trip to Las Vegas, one that's probably more fun than actually going to Sin City.

This one didn't stick with me the first time I listened to it. However, after replaying it 10 times, the peerless lyricism and dynamic instrumentation grew on me immensely. It's now nearly impossible for me to listen to the last track without feeling emotionally overwhelmed.

When I find a song that I particularly enjoy, I tend to play it on repeat until I'm bored of it. With any record on Blue, I avoid doing that. I always want this album to feel new. Joni's seminal project hits hard with memoir-esque lyricism that would give Dylan a run for his money. The relatively simple yet precisely arranged instrumentation perfectly compliments almost every melody and emotion conveyed. The Appalachian dulcimer on "California" produces a sense of nostalgia ... read more

The good song and mediocre album. Much of the production and songwriting can't live up to the vibrant energy of Mind Over Matter. The sweet vocal harmonies in that track tend to be supplanted by dry, overlong solos for the rest of the LP. Despite Ramos' undeniable singing ability, the run-of-the-mill and repetitive theming make it all quite boring. Sadly, Ramos' debut amounts to nothing much more than RnB playlist fodder. Plus, the title track might have one of the most tedious hooks I've ... read more