I believe this was the album that convinced me that city pop artists fall off in the 90s, and yeah, it is surprisingly weak for Tatsuro Yamashita. The first song here is a definite hit: you can tell because RGG Studios licensed it for Yakuza 6. The rest of the album is kinda just alright though. It's very bland and soft pop for the most part, though I did like Tokyo's a Lonely Town and Mighty Smile. While it's not a bad album per se, it's disappointing. The heyday is past, I ... read more

There's a production of Heathers happening this weekend at my university, but I'm a little too busy to actually see it, so I decided to listen to the soundtrack to compensate. It's been quite a few years since I last listened to this, and wow, it's still so good. I definitely get the complaints that the brassy production is perhaps anachronistic and does make light of serious issues, but it just sounds amazing. I have to admit that JD is kinda a freak though. In high school, ... read more

A soothing and tropical Smooth Jazz/Jazz Fusion album. Though there's a variety of energy levels here, from the chill title track to the surprisingly upbeat Lambada Nova, the tropical, samba-influenced sound helps everything feel very cohesive. Even so, there's something magical about Love Light that Yutaka hasn't really recaptured here. It's still pleasant enough jazz fusion, but Love Light continues to be my favorite of his.

Favorite Song: Lambada Nova (You're Good ... read more

Another minimalistic album by Steve Reich, though with more orchestral flourishes. Music for Mallet Instruments is something we've already heard before, and it's great minimalism, no notes there really. The bulk of the piece is The Four Sections, and it's quite good. I felt that I. Strings (With Winds and Brass) wasn't that captivating, which isn't ideal as it is the largest section, but altogether, this is a pretty nice Steve Reich work. Doesn't push the envelope ... read more

The first Soda Stereo album of the 90s strips away much of the classic new wave sound in favor of Alternative Rock while keeping the Pop Rock sound that makes them so enjoyable. Gustavo Cerati's vocals are still awesomely passionate, and the instrumentation is excellent as well. While there are a number of amazing songs here (the title track, Sueles Dejarme Solo, Entre Caníbales), those that don't stand out aren't as captivating, which I attribute to me missing their new ... read more

Taeko Onuki's first album of the 90s is an interesting fusion of City Pop and New Age. Although it starts strong, it blurs into a pleasant but aimless atmosphere by the end. I appreciate the experimentation here, but it seems Onuki's core formula hasn't shifted significantly.

Favorite Song: 泳ぐ人

It's been nearly 11 years since Bootsy's Rubber Band's last album, and it's like they never left. The house influences in this album are actually rather nice as it contributes to the mellifluous sound, though it's less funky as a result. Most of the runtime is dominated by two versions of the titular Jungle Bass, and it's not a bad song, so I've no notes there. Unfortunately, this means that the other two songs are kinda swallowed up as they don't really ... read more

If Innuendo was Queen's swan song, Made in Heaven is their epilogue. The intensity of Innuendo is absent, instead focused on largely celebrating Freddie Mercury's legacy through romantic and melancholic songs. It's not the most captivating or inspiring Queen work per se, though I do love the title track. However, it is a good sendoff to one of the most prolific rock bands in history, and in that light, the album does well enough.

Favorite Song: Made in Heaven

For their essentially final album, Queen returns to a striking fusion of Hard Rock, Pop Rock, and Art Rock with amazing success. Innuendo kicks off the album in thunderously haunting fashion, which hints towards the tension between the bombastic atmosphere of the album and Freddie Mercury's impending death. In some regard, this really feels like a blast to the past as this album is largely characterized by a hard rock sound that we really haven't heard since the 70s from Queen. The ... read more

There's no reason for the cover to be doing all that. Cover aside, this is a rather interesting Queen album. There's a wide array of sounds here that Queen has already dabbled with in some capacity, whether it's energetic hard rock or synthetic AOR, and everything just feels slightly dialed up past the point of safety. Thus, everything sounds somewhat off, not quite bad but not really good either. I do like Scandal though: it's probably the best of the "80s ... read more

The Rolling Stone's description of this album as "heavy plastic" is diabolical and unfortunately very true. This is probably the most "80s rock"-sounding Queen album, and it suffers for that kitschy synth sound. Most songs here aren't very memorable, and those that are (One Vision, Princes of the Universe) feel particularly overblown, even for Queen. Certainly not their worst album, but it's not a keeper.

Favorite Song: Who Wants to Live Forever

A good step up after Hot Space, though I'm not totally on board with the largely melodic, sentimental Pop Rock here. While it is a very consistent Queen album, it's not a very exciting album, at least in comparison with their other works. I attribute this to the aforementioned melodic piano rock sound, and while it does lead to some nice songs, it's just kinda boring for the whole 40 minutes. Still, this isn't a bad direction to go after Hot Space.

Favorite Song: It's ... read more

Probably the weakest Queen album I've listened to. The shift to disco-inspired pop just results in this bland, empty sound that diminishes every song except Under Pressure. I suppose Back Chat and Cool Cat are neat too, but the only song of any real note is Under Pressure, so don't bother with the rest of the album.

Favorite Song: Under Pressure

Queen shifts solidly towards Pop Rock with their first album of the 80s, and it's a rather mixed bag. The first three songs here are phenomenal, especially the basslines on Dragon Attack and Another One Bites the Dust, and the rest of the top half is pretty good too. The rest of the album is not good to put it simply. Rock It is a messy funk rock excursion, and Don't Try Suicide is excruciatingly unsubtle, and the following songs aren't notable in any way. I can see why people ... read more

A grandiose, energetic Hard Rock/Pop Rock album. This may just be my favorite Queen album for how overexaggerated and emphatic it is. I mean, have you listened to Mustapha? The fusion of pop and rock is super fun here, especially on songs like Fat Bottomed Girls or Don't Stop Me Now, which is probably my favorite Queen song. The hard rock sound of songs like Jealousy or Let Me Entertain You is great too, and while there is some filler, it doesn't drag down the sound whatsoever. Even ... read more

A Hard Rock/Glam Rock album that begins in a rather anthemic fashion before shifting towards something more melancholic. We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions are ridiculously famous songs that are built for chanting, and Sheer Heart Attack is a gritty, energetic follow-up to those two. However, with All Dead, All Dead, the album takes a turn towards a more melodic, sentimental sound (excluding from Fight from the Inside). It's a pretty interesting shift given the introduction, but ... read more

A symphonic, eclectic Hard Rock/Art Rock album from Queen. While it doesn't have the whimsy or beauty of A Night at the Opera, the occasionally ominous atmosphere juxtaposed with more uplifting songs is quite interesting: Somebody to Love is a particularly phenomenal operatic rock song. I do have to say that the Japanese in Teo Torriatte is pretty funny to hear, but Freddie Mercury makes it work. While it's no Night at the Opera, it's a strong album in its own right.

Favorite ... read more

An extremely fun and over-the-top Hard Rock/Art Rock album. Although this is my first time listening to this album, it feels surprisingly nostalgic, probably due to the romantic atmosphere of many songs and how well-known some of these songs are (I don't even have to say which one). On a personal note, I danced with a friend to You're My Best Friend for their debut, so that's probably contributing to that feeling too. Though I find The Prophet's Song to be a bit of a drag, ... read more

An energetic, theatrical Hard Rock/Glam Rock album. Queen are really coming into their own here, with the iconic Killer Queen and thrilling Stone Cold Crazy. The top half is simply excellent hard rock, but aside from Stone Cold Crazy and the reprise of In the Laps of the Gods, the other songs are just fine. They're not bad by any means, but they lack the thrust, the power of the top half. Altogether, a very good album.

Favorite Song: Killer Queen

An enthusiastic and melodic Hard Rock/Glam Rock album. While this is certainly better than their debut, I must be missing something because I don't see this as the dramatic step up like many others are saying. Still, it's very good: Side White presents this measured, theatrical introduction to the album while Side Black is more energetic and fantastical, especially the thrilling Ogre Battle. Altogether, a solid sophomore album, but I think I'm waiting to be ... read more