Many ideas do not ultimately pan out or many tracks drag on too long are two key reasons why 3.15.20 is underwhelming to me. Coming off of “Awaken, My Love!”, I was expecting a solid record, but I was ultimately disappointed. There are a few moments that definitely help the album, but it’s an overall disappointingly mediocre r&b album.

Favorite Tracks: Algorhythm, 42.26, 53.49

Least Favorite Track: 32.22 (tries to come off as experimental, it is instead very messy and ... read more

Rina is a very appealing, catchy, and memorable 8 track EP from Rina Sawayama. Rina’s vocals are pretty and the production is almost futuristic and great as well. Easily one of the best pop EPs of the 2010’s.

Favorite Tracks: All, except the two interludes

Least Favorite Track: Time Out - Interlude or Through the Wire - Interlude (both could’ve been more fleshed out, though they are both still great)

Though The Bends may be slightly one-dimensional and not as strong as later Radiohead albums, it is still undoubtedly a large improvement over Pablo Honey and a really unique and memorable approach to alternative rock. Not as important as albums like Kid A or In Rainbows, but certainly a great moment in Radiohead’s discography.

Favorite Track: All

Least Favorite Track: N/A

Though none of the material on Pablo Honey is bad, none of it is as compelling or unique as later Radiohead records to make me want to come back to it. It has a few standout tracks, but it is mostly a sore thumb in Radiohead’s discography.

Favorite Tracks: You, Creep, How Do You?, Anyone Can Play Guitar, Blow Out

Least Favorite Track: Lurgee (really underwritten)

What Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not lacks slightly in cohesion and songwriting, it makes up for with creatively fun indie rock anthems. This a great album for the Arctic Monkeys to start their career off with and it certainly interests me in what later albums they have to offer.

Favorite Tracks: Almost All

Least Favorite Track: Mardy Bum (one of the few tracks that slightly hurts the cohesion of the record by being soft because a majority of the album is loud and ... read more

While not as ambitious or adventurous as their later studio efforts, which may be due to this album being post-punk revival unlike the studio records, Welcome is still a good post-punk revival EP and a decent project to start their career.

Favorite Tracks: Meydei, Germany

Least Favorite Track: 26/27 (sonically, slightly underwhelming during the verses)

Brutalism is not better than their sophomore album, but it is still a very compelling post-punk album. It brings what Joy brings, though it can be toned down at points. Overall, an excellent post-punk album that has aggressive vocals and instrumentation.

Favorite Tracks: Heel / Heal, Well Done, Mother, Date Night, 1049 Gotho, Rachel Khoo, Stendhal Syndrome, Exeter, Benzocaine, White Privilege

Least Favorite Track: Slow Savage (is vastly different from others in the tracklist and is slightly ... read more

Exeter is better than Red Light because of its much better production, but it still faces the bad vocals that album faces.

Favorite Track(s): Rain3ow Star (Love Is All)

Least Favorite Track: Open Symbols (Play) Be In Your Mind (awkward vocals)

After some arguably underwhelming efforts by the band, The Strokes stop me in my tracks on The New Abnormal. I expected a solid indie rock/new wave record based off of the teaser tracks, but they exceeded my expectations by a large amount. I believe this is the best comeback rock album since the Daughters album in 2018. The Strokes provide some really peppy tracks on this project, like the intro, The Adults Are Talking. The sequenced drums are great and perfectly accompany the light guitars. ... read more

Excluding some underwhelming moments, Heaven To A Tortured Mind is an exceptional art rock record. The somewhat raspy/nasally vocals and the psychedelic instrumentation can be very attractive and entrancing throughout. Heaven To A Tortured Mind is a very enthralling art rock album that improves upon Yves Timor’s previous project.

Favorite Tracks: Gospel For A New Century, Medicine Burn, Identity Trade, Kerosene!, Romanticist, Dream Palette, Super Stars

Least Favorite Track: Folie ... read more

Despite Making Mirrors facing cohesion issues, it is a solid art pop project that makes me wonder how Gotye only had one hit song from it. Many vocal performances are commendable and the instrumentation, usually consisting of guitars, pianos, or punchy drums, compliment Gotye’s voice very well. The first half of the record is almost perfect, but the second half doesn’t feel fully realized. The album starts with some great art pop tracks, then goes into some contemporary pop/RnB ... read more

Though a few tracks are rather uneventful, Replica is a phenomenal plunderphonics record that has heavily influenced the vaporwave genre. The way Oneohtrix Point Never implements old samples onto beautiful instrumentation is absolutely outstanding. Replica is certainly one of the best plunderphonics albums of the 2010’s.

Favorite Tracks: Andro, Power Of Persuasion, Sleep Dealer, Replica, Child Soldier

Least Favorite Track: Submersible (uneventful, but still attractive)

On Igor, Tyler goes for an even stronger attempt at neo-soul and it results in the best album of his career. Igor is absolutely astonishing. The production, like Flower Boy, is very neo-soul influenced, but it’s a very punchy take on the genre and it is unbelievable. The album seems to slightly resolve around a love triangle and it’s executed very well. Tyler’s usually high-pitched (sometimes not) vocals fit perfectly over the production. Again, Flower Boy and this album ... read more

Flower Boy is a surprisingly amazing follow-up to an otherwise mediocre album, Cherry Bomb. Tyler decides to go with a neo-soul and jazz rap approach much more than he has done before in his career and a majority of the time his ideas pan out. Many tracks have soul influenced instrumentals and Tyler’s songwriting, vocals, and flows are very captivating over them. There are two tracks (Who Dat Boy, I Ain’t Got Time!) where he goes for his more familiar rap approach and these tracks ... read more

Floss is a great sophomore mixtape by Injury Reserve. The production is very unique and the flows/vocals are impactful and memorable. Overall, a stellar hip hop mixtape that really impresses me.

Favorite Tracks: Oh Shit!!!, Bad Boys 3, All This Money, What’s Goodie, Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, Keep on Slippin, Look Mama I Did It

Least Favorite Track: Back Then (the auto-tune sounds awful)

Considering this seems to be a one-off EP that is music for a video game, it’s not bad. It’s nowhere near Aesop Rock’s best work, but it’s decent.

Favorite Tracks: Play Dead, Drums On The Wheel, Rat Skull, Frozen Caveman

Least Favorite Track: KOWP (underwhelming compared to the two other vocal tracks)

This is the music equivalent of turning on your trendy local “country” station currently for 39 minutes straight, but somehow even worse. Southside is essentially a stereotypical country pop record that really wants to appeal to millennials. I can’t say it’s worse than Florida Georgia Line, but it’s insufferable nonetheless. I would advise all to pretend this doesn’t exist and not listen.

Favorite Track(s): 2016 If I had to choose

Least Favorite Track: ... read more

Soundtrack from Twin Peaks is a remarkable dark jazz record that has absolutely beautiful and spacey atmospheres. The three tracks with Julee Cruise’s vocals are fantastic as well, her vocals add to the already great ambience of these tracks. This is a splendid soundtrack, that is an immersive listen.

Favorite Tracks: All, except Falling

Least Favorite Track: Falling (basically the first track, but with vocals, so kind of pointless, but still solid)

The Beach Boys’ debut album, Surfin’ Safari, is a lackluster surf rock album, which is mainly because the members did not have much experience during this time. The vocals can be childish and the songwriting can be repetitive, but for a debut, it’s not awful. Surfin’ Safari is basically just a forgettable album in The Beach Boys’ discography.

Favorite Tracks: Surfin’ Safari, Surfin’

Least Favorite Track: Cuckoo Clock (the hook mimics a cuckoo and it ... read more

Some of the legitimate “songs” on here are bad and unfunny, but I think a lot of the skits are laughable. I genuinely think that a lot of this album is entertaining, which is probably because this pre-2000 Adam Sandler. He wasn’t being bombarded with movie deals left and right. He could actually spend time doing other things like making an album, which I’m glad he did. I know this album won’t be funny to everyone, but I would recommend it. Its essentially a stupid ... read more