The writing here showcases MJ Lenderman's skills in storytelling really well, on top of being incredibly creative. His voice worked really well for the heavy country instrumentation, I've realized that I like country music the most when it sounds like you're sitting round a campfire listening to some old stories, and that's an atmosphere that's executed incredibly well on some of the tracks here. A couple of the songs go for a more alternative sound, while still keeping ... read more
I feel like one of the biggest dance acts in Britain should be making a more interesting album.
A few of the tracks here are decent, I really like "adore u", and "places to be", I feel like these tracks are at a level of quality that I would expect from an artist as big as Fred again.. but that's about it. Most of the tracks here aren't at all fulfilling or even all that fun to listen to. Even with some of the tracks on the latter half being over 5 minutes long, ... read more
I don't even know what to say to this, how did I not know this existed until now.
A very good post-rock album, it feels much more appropriate to judge this album as a single project, not to split it up into individual tracks, each track flows so perfectly into each other that you rarely even notice when one has ended and the other has began. There is a subtle feeling of hopelessness with much of this album, perfectly illustrated by the cover, it's one that occupies almost every part of this album, on "Slow Successors", for example, part of the instrumental ... read more
An album with incredibly unique production, it almost sounds like a precursor to a lot of experimental/abstract hip hop music that would come over the next 13 years. It's absolutely the highlight of the album, but the rapping itself is also equally as impressive, there's a number of unique flows at play, and given the multi-phased aspect of many of these tracks, the rapping remains interesting, and the song structure means that none of these songs feel boring.
![Молчат Дома [Molchat Doma] - С крыш наших домов [From the Roofs of Our Houses]](https://cdn2.albumoftheyear.org/100x0/album/142487-s-krysh-nashikh-domov-1.jpg)
This album has a unique aesthetic to it, and replicates a very specific sound extremely well. However, there isn't much to enjoy beyond that, it's a pretty standard post-punk/synth album.
The weakest Kendrick Lamar album I've heard so far. It just seems like a weaker version of everything he would do on later albums. The writing is decent, and Kendrick's storytelling is probably the best part of this album, but the production doesn't sound as clean, the way different genres are put together doesn't sound all too natural to me. This isn't a surprise, of course, it's his first full length album, so it's expected that it's going to be rough ... read more
Having zero vocals in a Godspeed album for the first time ever, means that the themes and message for the album is much more ambiguous and will probably very depending on who you ask. It's not really a surprise that this sounds as incredible as it is, the massive build ups in all of these songs and the great payoffs that follow. It made me want to revisit their other albums I had listened to quite a while back now, to see if I have a newfound appreciation for them.
Really like the production style here, and I can already see developments in your sound compared to the previous song. Also I thought the singing was really good, interested to see where you take your music from here.
This album has not aged a day in the 36 years since it came out. A large reason for this is the how messy and amateur the album sounds, and I don't mean that in a bad way, I think it adds to the charm of the whole thing. Where Is My Mind? is the standout song of this album of course, but I think the main positive of the album as a whole is how it really just sounds like a bunch of people coming together and just jamming out for 30 minutes.
It's hard not to not to enjoy this album's positivity, and it's cool to hear an album that sounds like this released in the 90s, but it just goes on for a little too long, and never really hooked me.
Doechii has an incredible amount of confidence and personality on her debut mixtape. Her flows and delivery are bouncy and fun, and mixed with her great storytelling, make a really interesting listening experience. I feel like I know Doechii a lot better as a person after listening to this album, her writing feels very honest . Not every track is masterclass in rapping and writing, and not every song works, tracks like "BOOM BAP" definitely overstay their welcome, despite the track ... read more
It's about what you'd expect from Nails, now. Having listened to all of their albums now, it's clear that they have a distinct sound, and have kept to it for the past 15 or so years. That being said, I'm not sure why, but this album isn't doing it for me as much as their other albums, it's not bad by any means, but it feels like the first time where it doesn't sound like they're innovating or trying many new things with this album, they're just doing ... read more
A very strange album, and wasn't what I was expecting at all. I'm not even sure what to say about this album, Arthur Russell certainly has a nice voice, but it almost plays second fiddle to the production. The production itself does a better job at conveying Russell's emotions and changes in emotions than either the writing or the singing.
This EP sometimes feels like it's loud for the sake of being loud, and I don't love the vocals at points, but there are moments of this EP that has this energy and noise at a level I haven't heard this year. The very digital style of production adds to the insanity of a lot of moments in this EP, and there are some pauses, giving you some room to breathe, before hitting you in the face with a wall of noise.
Thanks to @paiirs for showing this to me. This album has a really nostalgic feel to it, the production makes it sound like you're listening to an old VHS tape. Really great listen.
A lot louder and more dense than the other albums I've heard from him. Where "Jump On It" felt sparse, and "Odds Against Tomorrow" was slow and methodical, "Music For Four Guitars" is filled to the brim with music. Because of this, the album feels like a mess, it's not that too many ideas are at play at once, the album really has one style of music and sticks to it the entire album, the beginning of this album is no different to its ending. The issue ... read more
Really great and fun to listen to, this sounds fresh, which is incredibly impressive considering this was made a decade ago. It sounds like it was made in a futuristic utopia, with nothing but happiness. Was also pleasantly surprised to find out that a few of these tracks would be sampled in "C3L3STIAL" by bliss3three, one of my favourite albums of all time.
Perhaps the most visceral Nails album I've listened to so far, and one of the most aggressive albums I've heard full stop, the writing feels so much more targeted and violent here than before, and it goes so well with the sound of this album. The instrumentation is equally as messed up sounding. This album never gives you a moment to breathe, it's just heavy riff after heavy riff for 20 minutes, which may sound like a bad thing, but with Nails, each song is so full of adrenaline. ... read more
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Recent Review Comments
On twenty one pilots - Clancy
"@avg_music_enjoy nearly 2 years late but just listened to trench and holy shit it was incredible"
On JID - God Does Like Ugly
"@Phiroman I think it comes down to a personal preference thing, my favourite JID tracks are the ones where he's the main focus throughout. Not saying he can't bounce off others well, but I think he really shines when it's just him rapping his heart out."
On JID - God Does Like Ugly
"@Phiroman I expected this album to be weaker than the forever story, but it's weaker in ways I wasn't expecting, if that makes sense? I appreciate him not trying to recapture the forever story's magic, instead stretching his legs and trying out different musical influences on some tracks. I think by "disappointed", I just mean that I wish this album was more consistent quality-wise. Also by "Not giving it his all" I was referring to the tracks where the features feel like they do a lot of heavy lifting, and JID is less present than I was expecting."
On Armand Hammer - Race Music
"@Phiroman I know they've collaborated before, but this is one of the first times they've come together to make an entire project with a shared vision. Because of this, there are ways they bounce off each other that would be refined over time. Their rapping abilities and writing are still really impressive."
On TorpedoArma's review of Alex Warren - Ordinary
"Better question, why is it STILL the #1 in the UK?"
On Little Simz - Lotus
"@Cnd185 Probably will either sometime today or tomorrow"
On FootballVertigo's review of Doechii - Alligator Bites Never Heal (Extended)
"Kendrick Lamar did the exact same thing with Mr Morale, adding a single song on the deluxe that had already been out for a while. I don't see what makes this in paticular a cash grab."
On A.R.E.A.S - You Won't Last Forever
"@Alius9 Probably "It's Still There", that song sounded like an entire city being destroyed, if that makes sense. I also thought the ambience and the more blaring noises juxtaposed each other really well."
On Kobold's review of E L U C I D - INTERFERENCE PATTERN
"I think Peggy's only listed as a producer because the album samples a different ELUCID song that Peggy produced. This is pretty much entirely ELUCID's own work, not counting samples."
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@ol_iv_ei_ra I think we can both agree that it's actually Question mark"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
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On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
"@CaptainSquirrel It might be Quagmire"
On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
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On Quadeca - I Didn't Mean to Haunt You
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On Radiohead - OK Computer
"@davFaithid Thank you!!"
On Sezen Aksu - Firuze
"I actually never thought of the albums being connected in that way, really interesting!"
On Shygirl - Cruel Practice
"@NeedlefluuJr I'll have to check it out before finishing my year-end lists"
On Shygirl - Cruel Practice
"@NeedlefluuJr She has such a unique take on British rap and electronic music, I've heard some of Shygirl's stuff before, but I've never actually sat down and listened to her stuff."
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio I suppose music like this would be better to experience live, I'll have to check out some of the music you suggested, it's not a genre I have that much experience in"
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio No problem! Do you have any recommendations for albums that sound like that song?"
On HEAL XO - dis/ambiguate
"@healio I would say my favourite track would be "nuit (poissons lune)": the way all the different vocals are layered on top of each other is simply angelic, there's something so soothing and meditative about that song, it's the highpoint of the album for me."
On healio's review of Tristwch Y Fenywod - Tristwch Y Fenywod
"@healio Yeah I get that completely, as someone who's only experience with Welsh music was pretty generic pop rock and folk, this album hit me like a truck. Definitely has an underlying sinister atmosphere to it."
On healio's review of Tristwch Y Fenywod - Tristwch Y Fenywod
"Great review, love the track by track analysis you gave"
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