World's End is a surprisingly strong album that didn't get the attention it deserved.

I never heard of Andwella before coming across this album in the Taschen Rock Covers book, but I'm happy this random album was in the book because this is a solid album straight from 1970. At first it seems a little derivative of other bands, most notably The Beatles (Abbey Road), the Rolling Stones, Santana, Jethro Tull, Chicago, and maybe a hint of Led Zepplin. Peeling back the layers though ... read more

Heavy hitting album that would be in danger of being monotonous if not for some interesting native folk elements. These folk elements, however, turn Tzompantli into a multi-dimensional band that can lean into different elements musically to keep from getting stale.

Tialoc Icuic is my favorite song, probably because it leans into the tribal sound the most out of the album.

There's always someone else, isn't there?

I didn't know Little Richard copped his whole pastiche off of Esquerita. Everything from the bouffont hairdo, the pencil thin mustache, the heavy blues rock sound, and obviously the WOOOOOOOOOOOOO at the end of just about every verse was copied straight from Esquerita.

But wait, that isn't the whole story because Billy Wright influenced them both. So...makes all the Elvis hate a bit silly in my book. All these dudes just copped ... read more

This is simply a compilation of Liquid Liquid EPs all in one convenient package. If you like Liquid Liquid you know what you're getting yourself into. Experimental dance punk tracks, some good, some forgettable. I like Lub Dupe, Cavern and Out, but all in all this is good background music, but doesn't rise much above that.

I think I like Cavern and Out, but it all sort of blends together. The cover goes hard though, definitely outshines the music within.

Pixies Doolittle is aggressively mediocre. This is one of those albums that elicits a viscerally negative reaction every time I listen, with the exception of three songs (Here Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone To Heaven, Hey). I am not taking historical context into consideration. I understand this is a landmark indie album, but that doesn't change how amateur it all sounds to me. The vocals are a key weakness for me. It sounds like a garage band trying to be pretentious. Some of the more ... read more

This is tough. I want to love this album, but it's not sinking in yet. Technically speaking each song is fantastic but nothing has hooked me yet at an emotional level. Best part of metal is feeling that stress release when you vibe with an album. I'm not feeling that here. The first three tracks are weak and I'm not sure why. Maybe pacing is an issue? I like track 6.

I don't know, gonna give it some more time. I suspect it might be a slow grower as many Opeth albums are ... read more

Best surprise release of the year for sure.

Reincarnated followed by tv off is the one two punch that Mike Tyson really needed last week.

Nearly perfect album on first listen. Every song has major ear candy and hooks everywhere. The only miss for me was peekabo. Every other track is great. Reincarnated was fire on first listen, favorite track for sure. Luther was smooth, definitely hit material. This is an awesome day.

In one ear and out the other. If you're going to go country, go country. This, however, is called pandering to multiple audiences and it works for none.

This is crunchy as fuck. I like to picture cookie monster chomping on some Tate's chocolate chip cookies when I listen to this album.

Less Than Jake albums are always a good time.

The EP length is a strength, I was about checked out by track 7 anyway. This is a good throwback sound. If you like 90s ska, you'll like this. Overall I'm about 50/50 between liking it and relegating it to the background music bin. I feel like the drums don't really pop, which is usually a strength of pop punk. I mean, the drumming is adequate but so is a metronome.

My favorite cut is Sunny Side, which actually digresses from the ... read more

This is an interesting variant of the modern tendency to re-release pop albums with minimal changes immediately after the original release date. Give St. Vincent some credit here, at least she actually changed something more than just releasing shitty demos or simple remixes. However, I would point to the latest Run the Jewels re-release as a better demonstration of releasing an album with latin influence while including numerous actual latin artists.

This seems like an overwhelmingly failed ... read more

This isn't bad by any means. Started off feeling that Meg Smith was derivative of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter, but that's not entirely fair. This isn't a Gracie Abrams situation where Smith sounds like a cookie cutter knockoff of Tay Tay, she seems like she has potential to chart her own path in the alt pop scene. This isn't the most innovative music currently being produced, but it seems like there is some potential here to branch out and find her signature sound.

Emily Armstrong who? The real action this week in the metal world is right here with this album.

I wasn't expecting a ton from Negative Spaces *until* the singles started dropping. I didn't like her last album, Zig, mostly because the heavier parts in the album seemed misplaced within the otherwise pop heavy sound. I didn't realize at the time that Poppy just needed to embrace the heavy, but wow, am I glad she did on Negative Spaces. The metal on this album is legit and Poppy ... read more

First time play through of the Breeders debut album Pod. The album strikes me as grunge with a little tiny bit of doom metal mixed in. I realize that this probably doesn't fit in the zeitgeist of grunge bands, but this is fucking grunge music. It definitely fits in with the early 90s transition toward brooding grunge albums and it is not surprising at all to read that this album was one of Kurt Cobain's favorite albums. Also, I love the cover art story. Vaughn Oliver (album designer) ... read more

Listening to James Taylor makes me feel like I'm listening to an accountant who spends 6 days a week staring at spreadsheets, and once per week sings in a animated gospel choir. His music is so subdued normally, but every once in a while he let's the soul come out and shine.

I can see how a person could absolutely love James Taylor's music. It's not quite my speed but I can appreciate his style, and Fire and Rain is an all time classic.

The Lizard King returns for a stellar blues-inspired album.

There's no need for a biography here, I trust that everyone knows the story of the Doors and/or doesn't care and probably isn't reading a review on AOTY.

Album Highlights: Roadhouse Blues is a certified banger of a track that should still be the template for a heavy-hitting blues rock song. Peace Frog is a quintessential Doors track, might be my favorite on the album. Nice transition between Peace Frog and Blue ... read more

Explain this album in one sentence: Man with severe ADHD explains why political life in the 1960s is a real drag, man.

I wasn't expecting to spend as much time on We're Only in It for the Money but this is an album that requires multiple listens to fully digest. The most pervasive thought I had during this album was that Frank Zappa would probably be a reddit troll if he was growing up in present day. This dude shitposts on absolutely everything. Nobody is spared...would be like ... read more

Little Richard, King of Rock and Roll.

Listening to Here's Little Richard right after Elvis's debut album is a trip. Elvis king of rock and roll? I think not. Little Richard was so far ahead of the game that Elvis was already covering him even when they were contemporaries. No, this is the album to listen to as the high water mark of early rock and roll.

These old albums are tough to rate. Here's Little Richard fits the mold of the 1950s/early 60s LPs as singles compilations, ... read more

Elvis Presley's debut album is more of a compilation than a truly cohesive album. That said, and all the cultural appropriation aside, I feel like I have to pay homage to the fact that this indeed was a ground breaking rock and roll album. Perhaps it does not shine as brightly as it did when released in 1956 but I imagine that listening to this in 1956 was like listening to Nirvana, or NWA etc... for the first time. Groundbreaking LP, but unfortunately does not stand up as a cohesive ... read more