Less consistent than their first but also more solidifies the sound one thinks of when they imagine a Decemberists album. The storytelling and melodies on here are great and really captivates you throughout the album. I also love the old timey feel of so many of these tracks, they really nail the folk in these tales. Fav tracks: Shanty for the Arethusa, The Chimbley Sweep, The Soldiering Life

The somber stories, the beautiful vocals, the more laid back instrumentation, it makes Castaways The Decemberists most beautiful album they’ve ever made. It feels like I am being sung to sleep in the middle of some European villa and I love it dearly. Also it is perhaps one of their most underrated in the respect that is somehow made the average person feel sorry for a French man. Fav tracks: Leslie Anne Levine, Here I Dreamt I Was An Architect, The Legionnaire’s Lament

Every part is so distinct yet flows into the next so well, it truly is an epic song/ep.

Some real nice striped back songs that plant a small seed for what is to come. Fav track: My Mother Was A Chinese Trapeze Artist

One of if not the most iconic pop album of the 2010’s and for good reason. When songs hit on this thing they HIT. Normally when a song is constantly played on the radio I get real sick of it, but Blank Space/Style are such ear wormy candy I’ve always been pleased to hear them. The understated moments here though are some of my favorites. You Are In Love is so sparse yet poignant it hits me in my lil heart. There are some duds in here that kinda kill the flow (Out Of The Woods, ... read more

The Taylor fans rave about this one and I really tried to like it, I really did. But I just gotta admit this one is not for me. I’m sure if I listened to this as a young girl this would hit so much harder than it does, but alas. Enchanted sounds so corny too me and I don’t even have words Superman, dear lord. The vault tracks from this are incredibly disappointing too considering they got Fall Out Boy and Hayley Williams. They felt so dull, like much of the rest of this album. A ... read more

After the disaster that was Reputation, Lover serves as a pallet cleanser with a back to basics silly little love songs. These can borderline on too silly such as with the lead single ME! but for the most part it is a welcome return. I was a believer in Cruel Summer from the second I heard it and it’s nice to see it finally get its recognition all these years later. The title track though is by far the standout on the album. The bass that drives the song while Taylor muses about her ... read more

Reputation takes itself so seriously when it is not at all that serious. Taylor just cannot pull off an edgier sound. I’m sorry but when your “ooo the old me is dead” song has Santa clause bars on it, I mean come on get real. Some decent songs are hidden here and there but they cannot save this project from itself. Fav tracks: New Year’s Day, Delicate, Getaway Car

This I feel is the perfect blend of her country roots and the pop star that took over the world. This version butchers some of the original songs with weird production choices I don’t care for, but it more than makes up for that with the excellent vault tracks which honestly might as well be a whole new album.I have no idea how any of these were deemed not worthy of an official release until now, especially All Too Well. Maybe it’s a hot take, but I did not care for this song ... read more

Some absolute standouts from Taylor’s career are here, but the rest of it kinda fades into the background. It’s not bad, but not totally my thing. Fav tracks: Love Story, The Best Day, Mr. perfectly Fine

Doesn’t waste any of your time firing banger after banger at you without overstaying its welcome. The jazz instrumentation on here is so good, I especially love the keys on Run, Run, Run and the horns on the title track. Gorgeous stuff. Fav tracks: Run, Run, Run, Sun I Rise, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz?!

Tyler has his best lil emo voice on here which can be a bit silly at times but also kinda neat as it makes this project have a very specific sound to it unlike any other album of theirs. Does every song hit? No, there are quite a few duds I will skip every time (A Car, A Torch, A Death), but there are so many cool ideas here too. Songs like Trapdoor and Addict With A Pen were essential to me growing up. Everything here sounds so defeated it’s tragic. But it’s continuing to get up ... read more

People say this album sucks on purpose and I feel like that’s a dishonest reading of what is here. It’s not purposely bad it is just putting on a more upfront happy persona which is similar towards how people struggling with depression feel they have to act towards those they love after an episode. Narratively I feel like it’s a cool turn in the scope of this whole storyline they’re doing. Outside of that these are just fun songs. Nothing that’ll blow you away, but ... read more

Are there some questionable production choices here? Yeah. Some cringe lyrics that take you out of the track? For sure. Is this still one of my most listened to albums ever? Yes. I enjoy how the sound of this album is all over the place, even if there are a few stumbles along the way. The lyrics are unsure of themselves which is fitting given the whole Blurryface as a character thing, but still convey understandable doubts. It’s not their best work but still a dang fine album. Fav tracks: ... read more

I definitely get why this is not for everyone, but man I cannot hate this thing. The lyrics are raw and personal, even if they sound a bit corny. Outside of The Run and Go I adore how this thing sounds, Tyler’s screams over bleep bloop synths and all. Every song from Regional at Best is given an incredible glow up, especially Trees and Car Radio. It’s crazy how their worst songs by a country mile are now some of their best here. If you think this is unlistenable I get it, but for me ... read more

This album is rough. Every song on here is an inferior version compared to its Vessel counterpart, the auto tune is… a lot, and some of the lyrics will make you double check if they really just said that. I understand why the band kinda pretends this doesn’t really exist. All that being said I can’t help but feel a bit charmed by it. Idk I’m allowed to like bad albums okay? Fav tracks: Slow Town, Lovely, Ruby

The detailed songwriting from evermore comes back but this time with more twang. Everything is cranked up to 11 and it’s so crazy we have a Taylor Swift song about allegedly murdering someone and hiding their body. This is the type of album that makes all the mania about people losing their entire minds about this girl make sense. Fav tracks: ivy, cowboy like me, willow

This feels like the album Taylor has been building towards her entire career. Wonderfully detailed songwriting with catchy melodies, all draped in these more low key indie instrumentals. Bob Iver also is jaw dropping on this, like oh my god why does he not sing in that register more often? Fav tracks: exile, seven, invisible string

This isn’t as awful as some people seem to say it is, but it 100% is a step backwards musically from her last two records. All the engaging and interwoven songwriting has been replaced with her usual pop sensibilities. Which is fine I guess, but now that we’ve seen what she’s capable of now it feels rather quaint. Fav tracks: Karma, Lavender Haze, Sweet Nothing

Dallon is such a great vocalist and really kills it on this short but incredibly catchy ep. Serves bop after bop that leaves you craving more. Fav track: Choke