Mercurial World brings the energy. It's dancy, it's poppy, and yet it is utterly unique. Magdalena Bay has an uncanny ability to craft songs in the most unpredictable ways, yet after the first listen, their approach feels completely natural; I cannot possibly imagine any alternative. The way they weave songs into each other is genuinely breath-taking. The only album I can think of with better sequencing than this is their album Imaginal Disk. It's ambitious, brilliant and ... read more
MAYHEM kicks off with undeniable strength, delivering a powerful opening. However, the album's pacing quickly becomes an issue, creating a disjointed feel that made me check if Spotify was on shuffle. The production is fine, but I found some of the songs lacking in heft, especially later in the album. Despite this, MAYHEM isn't a bad album; the first two tracks stand out as the album's strongest. I was almost certain the album was going to be a must-listen 10 minutes in. A simple ... read more
Alvvays' sophomore album is dreamy and jangley in all the right ways.
Highlights:
- Dreams Tonite
- Lollipop (Ode to Jim)
- Forget About Life
If I'm being honest, I don't even know how I got turned onto Labi Siffre, but I'm sure glad I did. What a fantastic album end to end. Funky and full of soul.
Highlights:
- I Got The
- The Fulture
This album is my first interaction with the output of Rebecca Black since her debut single back in 2011 (I think we can all remember that). I had seen she was still active but I also actively avoided her music. So, imagine my surprise when this record showed up on the front page of album of the year and not only with just decent reviews, but as a must listen. And damn, all I can say us that the hype is real. It may be on the short side (very short side) but I'll be damned if it ... read more
FAFYL not only defined Gizzard's psych period but saw their first venture into jam rock, a genre sticking with them over a decade later. Head On/Pill and the title track Float Along – Fill Your Lungs, are not only two of the strongest songs on the album, but in my opinion, two of the strongest songs in Gizzard's discography to date. Whilst not all songs on this record can live up to the same reputation, there is plenty to like and it's well-worth a spin.
Paper Mache Dream Balloon stands out against KGLW's output like no other album does in their vast discography. That does not mean it's their best album, but it's just so entirely different. The album gives us a brilliant collage of psych blues and folk that'll be sure to warm you heart and dig a worm into your ear.
A brilliant showing from Mandrake Handshake on their debut album. A brilliant mixture of Gizzard inspired Psyche and Jam music with their own twist to make it special. I thought that there was a little bit of filler at times and I didn't really like "Find the Tree and Dig (Deep)!", but the highlights of "Hypersonic Super-Asterid", 'King Cnut" and the title track "Earth-Sized Worlds" more than makes up for it.
The Muse Awakens is actually pretty darn decent. Some of the music sounds a little cheap and cheesy in places but it's all good fun at the very least. There are a couple of genuinely really good tracks in there too. Worth a listen.
Cowards misses a lot of the chaos that defines to me what Squid is. Compared to their previous album “O Monolith”, Cowards is generally quite a tame album, swapping the chaos and dissonance for arpeggios and gentle vocals. The album sets itself aside from the rest of Squids discography and is a good listen but I did miss Squid. If this is your first foray into Squid’s music, this departure does set a false precedent to what the band’s output is usually. But you know ... read more
Polachek has one of the most distinct voices in the music industry and Pang shows just what her vocals can achieve. In my opinion, the highlights from the album sit towards its end but it's still well-worth listening to.
Sungazer's sophomore album is another fantastic entry into their discography and some may even say it is their best to date.
The album gets better as it continues with it’s strongest tracks towards the end. Overall, I feel like the instrumentation is a little sprase and loose but the vocalisation and lyrics help to hold the album together. Top track is the title track “Inbred”.
What a truly beautiful album. It’s so incredibly emotive, and every aspect, from the carefully crafted lyrics to the astounding musicianship on show with Marling’s guitar playing, works together to help create this sense of change and a new beginning.
Yet another strong album from the British trio and the fact they released two great albums in the same year is a feat. I wouldn't say there is anything too new here that we haven't heard from Thom Yorke before, and The Smile in general, but it's a briiliant addition to what appears to be a rapidly growing discography.
Gilmour's fifth studio album honestly surprised me. Sure, it doesn't bring anything too new to the table and no one will call it album of the year, but it's far from bad. Though the album doesn't have a strong concept that glues it together, it feels cohesive. It's elegant and quite frankly beautiful in some parts. It's no Wish You Were Here or Dark Side of The Moon but anyone thinking it would be is just kidding themselves.
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Recent Review Comments
On CheeseFruit's review of Rush - Signals
"The 1980s was the beginning of the end for prog rock. Record labels were just not pushing the music, I think bands like Rush has to adjust their sound to try and survive. I mean, look at the trajectory of other prog bands like Yes, ELP and King Crimson. All of them see a dive in ratings on AOTY in the 1980s."
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