Benson Boone's sophomore album, 'American Heart', is a difficult listen at best. It is self-obsessed while parading as selfless, it is surface-level while pretending to be profound, and it is above all, unauthentic.

The opener, 'Sorry I'm Here For Someone Else' is an insufferable track to start the album with. Even the title feels like its setting up a soap opera while trying to sound profound. "Now I'm waiting at the diner, looking traumatized, ... read more

TFS's 'Fairyland Codex' is a tempest. Violent, unpredictable, and thrillingly dense.

Each track on the album brings a new intrigue to the forefront. With unpolished keyboard solo's, to screeching guitar breakdowns, the album jumps from strength to strength. With drawn out song, like the title track and 'Joe Meek Will Inherit the Earth', the band showcases their ability to hold a listeners attention through ebbing and flowing melodies, rhythmic chanting lyrics, ... read more

‘Very Human Features’ by ‘The Bug Club’ dials back on the rough sound of the band’s previous record ‘On the Intricate Inner Workings of the System’ but does not sacrifice on excitement.

Swapping their seemingly random lyrical choices of the previous album, ‘Very Human Features’ sees the band taking on significantly more poignant themes. What results is some songs that are quite beautiful against the backdrop of absolute chaos throughout ... read more

I clearly remember the first time I listened to King Krule. My sister had just returned from her first month working at a holiday camp, and she played 'Easy Easy' for me. I was hooked immediately. The singer's voice was so unique and entrancing, the music was smooth and dark and moody. It was like nothing I had heard before. Shortly after, I tried to listen to the album in its entirety. I remember being very disappointed. I thought the album was full of fuller tracks, boring ... read more

'A Hero's Death' is a monumental sophomore album. Far more focused than the debut 'Dogrel', 'A Hero's Death' sees Fontaines D.C. embracing their more moody, dark side. Production here is cleaner, less chaotic.

It's hard to imagine that they have not peaked with this album. It comes across as a well defined magnus opus, from a band that knows themselves and bleed their message. However, Fontaines D.C. only go on to further improve on later albums. ... read more

'Dogrel' is a near perfect debut. Fontaines D.C. come roaring into the post-punk scene, with a fully formed identity and an eagerness to tear everything apart.

With themes dealing with Irish identity, disillusionment, and systemic frustration, 'Dogrel' is an honest, no holds barred album. Fans of Irish literary history, this album can feel like a celebration of just that. Ireland and those who inhabit her. Their lives, their struggles, their frustrations.

Musically, ... read more

One of my all time favorite albums, HELLMODE is the album that shifted my taste of music drastically into the punk sound. Music tastes are very malleable, and this is one of the albums that helped mold my own.

To the unprepared ear, HELLMODE is an explosion of noise, and shouting, and lacks any cohesion that makes music enjoyable, but if that unprepared ear takes time to embrace the noise, shouting, and seeming lack of cohesion, that untrained ear will become trained to see the beauty in said ... read more

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard has always been a band that has caused me some frustration. Absolutely bursting with talent, they continue to churn out more albums than reasonable. In the last 5 years, they have released 12 albums. That is more than most bands release in their lifetime. And here is the kicker. They're all at the least good. My frustration is in that, given the buckets of talent it requires to consistently release good albums at an alarming rate, why do all their ... read more

'Happy Birthday', Finn Wolfhard's new album, is by no means a bad album. It might be all over the show, and might disappoint listeners who expect a more complete sounding album, but on a 24 minute long debut solo project, those expectations are unfounded.

It is difficult to successfully transition to music when one is already in the spotlight, There is a long list of otherwise "famous people" trying to make successful music, a list that has produced some pretty ... read more

'More' is a welcome return of Pulp, after 24 years. Back are the art-rock, almost chamber-pop sounds you would expect, with Jarvis Cocker bringing his signature brit-pop vocals. The song writing is quite narrative, with Cocker taking listeners on almost relatable stories of his life, exposing inherent beauty in the mundane.

The production is clean and atmospheric, and the background vocals add another level of texture, adding to the beautiful atmosphere the band creates. The record ... read more

'NEVER ENOUGH', Turnstile's newest album, is a fluent exercise in hardcore that is accessible as it is, well, hardcore. When listening to the first few singles, I thought that this would probably be an album that brings in new listeners to the genre, and ambassadorial album. And it has been just that. Throughout the album, Turnstile show how hardcore can appeal to more listeners than just those willing to run into each other in the middle of a mosh.

Turnstile do not stay in ... read more

This Is Lorelei's latest project is an exiting exercise in indie-folk. There is something quietly arresting about these songs, which all bring something unique. Many songs on this record feel slightly unfinished, like a few carvings short of a masterpiece. They aren't trying to be perfect. There is something Basquiat about it, careful to avoid losing its honesty through too much production.

Indie has lost it's meaning, but 'Box For Buddy, Box For Star' seems to capture ... read more

It's difficult to understand where any of these glowing reviews are coming from. A large cohort, I'm sure, are from Addison's fan club, those who have supported her from her early days of Tiktok. It is a great feeling watching someone you've been a "day-one" fan of making it big, but that cannot be forced through high production over mediocre (at best) song writing. The rest of the glowing reviews (this is my own opinion, of course) are surely from reviewers afraid ... read more

Lotus is an album that has been well worth the wait. Bursting with star power and emotional depth, it is an exceptionally moving work of art.

Lotus feels as much a vulnerable introspection as it does a celebration of the culture behind the music. Feature performances from Moonchild Sanele and Lydia Kitto are standout, with Obongjayar also delivering excellent performances on the several tracks he brings his voice to. Wretch 32 and Cashh bring their touch to the vulnerable Blood. Other feature ... read more

Birthing by Swans is a challenging listen. This is expected. Swans has always demanded full attention on their records, and Birthing is no exception.

The songs are without hooks, but they don't require hooks. The tracks ebb and flow, like a deep dark ocean with untold horrors beneath the surface. It is a atmospherically dark record, incorporating harmonic chanting, electronic dissonance, and free jazz, all backed by Swans signature droning post-rock sound.

Throughout much of the record, ... read more

Something Beautiful is at the very least interesting. It is a frustrating listen. So many of the musical choices just don't make sense. Often elements seem thrown into songs just to make them feel more interesting.

The album starts weak, despite Something Beautiful being a standout track, and songs like More to Lose and End of The World feel lifeless. The lyrics don't connect well with the emotions that are being attempted to convey by the grand over the top instrumentation. On More ... read more

Ribbon Skirt, formerly Love Language, have released their debut album Bite Down. Bite Down is a visceral album, complete with droning guitars and anguished lyricism. The band melds post-punk and shoe-gaze to create a dark haunting sound.

The albums production is impressive, glossy while keeping its unpolished grit (think Momma's new record "Rodeo", or Blondshell). Some tracks feel quite Wet Leg-esque, with matter-of-fact song writing and its tense defiance.

Although the album ... read more

Deep dive into Bob Dylan (2/37).

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is a major step forward in Dylan's artistic growth. He has gone from a 20 year old folk imitator to a fully fledged song writer, delivering 11 original tracks, politically charged and excellently composed.

His writing is observational, delivered in a matter of fact tone. His lyrics are astounding, and what a batch of songs he delivers. Once again, the sound is centered around Dylan, his guitar, and his harmonica, stripping ... read more

Deep dive into Bob Dylan, from the start (1/37).

For this review, one must first understand the setting. Year is 1961. 20 year old Bob Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, had just arrived in New York from his home state of Minnesota. Dylan reportedly changed his name in an attempt to distance himself from his upbringings, and moved to New York, new identity in his hand, to be reborn. Dylan quickly becomes a regular at the Greenwich Village folk-scene (oh to be there).

It doesn't take long ... read more

Mt. Joy's 4th album shows the band reflecting on love, chaos, and uncertainty. Hope We Have Fun reaches for emotional resonance, and while it still delivers effectively, it tends to stray a little too close to the safe side.

While the album starts confident and daring, with tracks such as More, More, More and Coyote, it quickly loses its steam toward the middle. To it's benefit, the album closes strong, with some more tender tracks. Many of the tracks struggle to stand out against ... read more