RAR S3, #34

"Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd"
(2023)
By Lana Del Rey

So, I'll be honest, I always find it hard to review these super personal and expressive albums. It doesn't always feel right to critique how someone is expressing his or her feelings to their audience. I am also not always the best at reading into the deeper meaning a song or written work might have. With all of that being said, I feel that Lana Del Rey was able to deliver a ... read more

RAR S3, #33

"memory palace"
(2024)
By Intervals

I don't have a whole lot to say, other than this was reminiscent of the Polyphia album I reviewed in September. Except this album was slightly better.

I'm just not really a huge fan of instrumental albums, especially when I feel like nothing is happening on the surface. I don’t know, maybe I'm wrong.

Nice to see some more Canadians on the list though.

(6.75/10)

Top 3 Songs: "mnemonic", ... read more

RAR S3, #32

"Fantastic"
(1983)
By WHAM!

I just choose not to believe all the negative reviews of this album. It is good in its own right, albeit a bit repetitive, and I felt George's voice was poorly mixed on "A Ray Of Sunshine", or at least it sounded bad to me.

Otherwise, this is a joyful experience for the whole family rightfully overshadowed by its successor, "Make It Big".

(7.53/10)

Top 3 Songs: "Club Tropicana", "Bad Boys", ... read more

RAR S3, #31

"Symbolic"
(1995)
By Death

This is it. This is when Death Metal peaked, at least in my opinion. Nothing that came before or after this (except maybe Death's own "The Sound Of Perseverance" in 1998) gets better than this album.

I loved the vocals on here, they weren't the low growling I've heard on grimier records, but they weren't just regular old Metal vocals for the time. Chuck Schuldiner really just shines on here in every way ... read more

RAR S3, #30

"Voodoo"
(2000)
By D'Angelo

I recently got Prince's Black Album on CD which is an incredibly funky album, and I listened to it right before listening to this record for the first time. That being said, my mind was already turned on to the funky sound that appears on this record, and I was still mesmerized by the sound showcased on here.

On first listen, "Voodoo" may sound a bit empty, but the funk and groove are definitely there. ... read more

RAR S3, #29

"Immunity"
(2019)
By Clairo

Fairly impressive for a debut. I loved the hints of electro-pop in the background of these songs, I just feel like they add so much to the story being told. Clairo's voice manages to be distinct and very majestic, I never got bored with the tracks.

The stories told within these songs are those of a young woman transitioning into an adult, something I cannot relate to, but Clairo makes that fact unimportant as I found myself able to ... read more

RAR S3, #28

"Karma"
(1969)
By Pharoah Sanders

What a journey that opening track takes you on. 32 minutes of perfect Jazz. It's eccentric, it's fun, it's crazy. It's everything you'd need when listening to Jazz.

The spiritual sound of it all will envelope you, and consume your soul, so that the only thing that remains is this song, this wonderfully beautiful song. The length doesn’t even bother me, it manages to keep me engaged throughout the ... read more

RAR S3, #27

"Jar Of Flies" (EP)
(1994)
By Alice In Chains

This EP will take you on an emotional journey from front to back. It essentially details the decline of Layne Staley's mental and physical health right before your ears.

It is some of the saddest music that you can find from the 1990s, but it also has some groovier songs to balance it out. This EP has endless replay value, as it can relate to any point in your life that you might be listening from.

Overall, this ... read more

RAR S3, #26

"Daisy"
(2009)
By Brand New

A variety of sounds on this one. I especially enjoyed the screaming vocals, the singer clearly had great control over them. All of the band members seemed to be in touch with each other, every sound was like a well-oiled machine, just fantastic. The emotion I could feel oozing out of every track was overwhelming, I absolutely loved it. This was a superb record, and I believe that you should go and listen to it right now, because it is just ... read more

RAR S3, #25

"A Great Chaos"
(2023)
By Ken Carson

I'll be honest, I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would, but it's still not that good. I can see glances of potential on this record, but I feel like the production brings it down. Everything should've been turned down, it was so loud. I had my phone volume at like 15% and the production was still ringing in my ears.

Overall, it is nice to see people around my age create music. It fills me with hope for ... read more

RAR S3, #24 (524 Overall)

"Music"
(2000)
By Madonna

It isn't a Country album, if that's what you're wondering. This record pulls you in with its wonderfully Electronic opening track, and refuses to let go. You'll go on a whirlwind of emotions with this album at the helm. Madonna benefits from the variety of producers that she enlisted for the creation of this album, and all of their respective talents mesh together perfectly. The final result creates a ... read more

RAR S3, #23 (523 Overall)

"Raise Your Fist and Yell"
(1987)
By Alice Cooper

It's mostly an alright record, but it gets pretty alright at some parts, and it has some catchy riffs and stuff. Otherwise, nothing else really to say. It's not super bad, that's always a plus.

(6.38/10)

Top 3 Songs: "Prince Of Darkness", "Freedom", "Lock Me Up"
Least Favourite: "Step On You"

Next Review Is "Music"

RAR S3, #22 (522 Overall)

"Slave To The Scalpel"
(2021)
By 200 Stab Wounds

Not what I expected. It was a really nice surprise to hear more traditional distorted metal guitars, as opposed to the heavier thumping sound of Death Metal. I also really appreciated how the vocals stood out on here more, when compared to other records of the same genre. This really was something special, it stood out without being too experimental, and that's what I liked about STTS.

The song ... read more

RAR S3, #21

"Times Of Grace"
(1999)
By Neurosis

This was an incredible listen, there are points where this album will have you at the neck, SCREAMING in your face, and then ease you down with some calmer tracks. All while sounding simply astounding. I love the vocal ranges showcased on this record, it really shows their artistry in my opinion. Nonetheless, I really like how Neurosis played with the Doom and Sludge Metal genres, redefining them in the band's own unique ... read more

RAR S3, #20

"Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus"
(1964)
By Charles Mingus

(10/10)

Genuinely blown away by how enjoyable this was. The way that Mingus managed to fuse different sub-genres of Jazz to create his distinctive sound is truly awe-inspiring. On some tracks, you'll have a slower tempo mashed with some groovy brass instruments, and then on the very next track, it's this upbeat swing-type groove and it's so infectious I don't know what else to do but tap ... read more

RAR S3, #19

"Midian"
(2000)
By Cradle Of Filth

This is how I think Halloween would sound if it were written in song form. The wailing screams and haunting strings really help my case here. Everything sounds extra ghoulish and spooky, which adds to the overall atmosphere that this record produces.

The vocals are very good, the instrumentation is quite appealing, and everything just sounds good.

(8.18/10)

Top 3 Songs: "Lord Abortion", "Her Ghost In The ... read more

RAR S3, #18

"Homogenic"
(1997)
By Björk

This is a phenomenal masterpiece of a record. I enjoyed every little bit about it, nothing negative to say. The electronic soundscapes that Björk allows your brain and ears to take you on by combing a myriad of instruments is simply astounding.

At points this record goes hard, at others it goes soft. Throughout all of that there's always a combination of Trip-Hop elements with something unorthodox, such as a piano or ... read more

RAR S3, #17

"For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge"
(1991)
By Van Halen

FUCK is a mostly boring album. For a band like Van Halen, this feels way too safe to be attached to the VH name, although I had some memorable moments with this record. "Poundcake" and "Man On A Mission" are both really solid tracks, while everything else is just meh. That's all...

(6.07/10)

Top 3 Songs: "Poundcake", "Man On A Mission", "Judgement Day"
Least ... read more

RAR S3, #16

"Hot Rats"
(1969)
By Frank Zappa

The innovation is unreal with this one. Zappa managed to balance jazz with rock and add even more genres in between. The result is this mind-melting beauty that words cannot comprehend.

I love everything about Hot Rats, I really don't know what else to say, it is nearly perfect, I just wish "Peaches En Regalia" was a little bit longer. Otherwise this was a very pleasant listening experience.

(9.46/10)

Top 3 Songs: ... read more

RAR S3, #15

"Ágætis Byrjun"
(1999)
By Sigur Rós

Despite the language barrier, I truly think that this album was masterfully able to convey all of it's experiences, thoughts, and emotions thoroughly.

The instrumentation on this album is not to be understated, it is truly ethereal and dreamy. It puts your mind at ease and sends you on this endless adventure of your memories. Even the vocals, which I could not understand, sound so majestic and beautiful, I ... read more