There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) - 9
Crosseyed and Painless - 8
The Great Curve - 8
One in a Lifetime - 10
Houses in Motion - 8
Seen and Not Seen - 9
Listening Wind - 7
The Overload - 7

Overall Socre: 83

Favorite: Once in a Lifetime
Least Favorite: The Overload

Deeper Well just barely edges this out for my country album of the year. This has better songwriting than Deeper Well, but the production on that album is a lot more interesting than the production on this. I'm just surprised that there are two good country albums I listened to this year, as it's not usually my genre.

3 Sisters - 9
Evil Spawn - 9
Ice Cold - 8
Right Back to It - 8
Burns out at Midnight - 8
Bored - 7
Lone Star Lake - 9
Crimes of the Heart - 8
Crowbar - 8
365 - 7
The ... read more

Continuing the tradition of Silversun Pickups opening acts making really good albums. This album is a fusion of so many distinct ideas and styles, but it comes together in a way that enhances every aspect of the music and creates an otherworldly musical experience.

Coming To An End - 8
Make It Feel Like The Garden - 10
She Sits Up So High - 10
Iris (Interlude) - N/A
Falling For You - 9
Marigold (Interlude) - N/A
Another You - 8
Dahlia (Interlude) - N/A
Hurts - 8
I Wanna Love You - 7
Arabella ... read more

An album that’s pretty darn fun, even if the subject matter isn’t

Lightbulb - 7
All My Exes Live In Vortexes - 9
Gil Scott Albatross - 8
Paperclip Maximizer - 8
Maylene - 8
Big Fish/No Fun - 9
Suffer! Like You Mean It - 9
Unending Bliss - 8
White Savior Myth - 7
Obscura - 7
Me Minus One Atom - 6
Utopia Now! - 6
Eternal Life - 7

Overall Score: 76

Favorite: All My Exes Live In Vortexes
Least Favorite: Me Minus One Atom

This album was the soundtrack of the worst year of my life so far. As a depressed, awkward, bisexual high school sophomore, I would play this album on repeat in my early morning weight training class. Listening to it again three years later, I remember the emotions: the loneliness, the aimlessness, and the feeling of knowing that the girl you fell head over heels for doesn’t feel the same way anymore, if she ever did in the first place. I’m in a better place now, with a clearer mind ... read more

This has been a really good year for alternative country, which is good, considering mainstream country has been so repulsive at the same time.

Manning Fireworks - 8
Joker Lips - 9
Rudolph - 9
Wristwatch - 9
She’s Leaving You - 10
Rip Torn - 7
You Don’t Know the Shape I’m In - 8
On My Knees - 8
Bark at the Moon - 7

Overall Score: 83

Favorite: She’s Leaving You
Least Favorite: Rip Torn

They tried to do a lot of stuff, but they didn't execute very much of it very well. This isn't as terrible as many people will attest, but it definitely isn't good. Also, Fuck AI.

Overture - 8
Square Wave - 7
Prophecy of the Dragon - 7
7 Horses - 6
Spectral Analysis - 6
Flexorcist - 7
Perseverance-1C2S - 6
All the Same - 6
When Will the Time of These Bastards End - 5
Walk Off (Outro) - 6

Overall Score: 63

Favorite: Square Wave (Yes, really!)
Least Favorite: When Will the Time ... read more

Julian Casablancas got really creative with this album, and the results were pretty good overall. However, in my opinion, the best part of this album was hearing all the best parts of "The New Abnormal' in a more raw and experimental form. The influence is clearly there, and, with that being one of my favorite albums (ever), of course I'm going to like this as well.

Leave It In My Dreams - 10
QYURRYUS - 7
Pyramid of Bones - 7
Permanent High School - 9
ALieNNatioN - 8
One of the ... read more

Speaking of good songwriting, lets acknowledge the greatness of John K. Samson. This man is truly the crown jewel of Canada.

Civil Twilight - 10
Hymn of the Medical Oddity - 8
Relative Surplus Value - 9
Tournament of Hearts - 10
Virtue the Cat Explains Her Departure - 10
Elegy from Gump Worsley - 8
Sun in an Empty Room - 10
Night Windows - 8
Bigfoot! - 7
Reunion Tour - 6
Utilities - 8

Overall Score: 85

Favorite: Civil Twilight
Least Favorite: Reunion Tour

All opinions aside, isn't she a talented songwriter.

The 1 - 7
Cardigan - 8
The Last Great American Dynasty - 9
Exile - 9
My Tears Ricochet - 7
Mirrorball - 8
Seven - 8
August - 9
This Is Me Trying - 7
Illicit Affairs - 7
Invisible String - 8
Mad Woman - 6
Epiphany - 7
Betty - 7
Peace - 7
Hoax - 6

Overall Score: 75

Favorite: August
Least Favorite: Mad Woman

I cannot describe how much I hate the song Memories. Little did I know there would be a version that is 100 times worse.

Beautiful Mistakes - 3
Lost - 4
Echo - 1
Lovesick - 3
Remedy - 4
Seasons - 2
One Light - 1
Convince Me Otherwise - 3
Nobody's Love - 3
Can't Leave You Alone - 1
Memories - 1
Memories (Remix) - 0

Overall Score: 22

I hate everything about this, how dare you assume I have a favorite.

Yep, they're pretty huge sellouts alright.

Best 4 U - 4
What Lovers Do - 3
Wait - 5
Lips On You - 3
Bet My Heart - 3
Help Me Out - 2
Who I Am - 3
Whiskey - 4
Girls Like You - 5
Closure - 4

Overall Score: 36

Favorite: Wait
Least Favorite: Help Me Out

Unpopular opinion, but I think this sound works better for Maroon 5 than what they were trying to do on Overexposed. The singles are better, the deep cuts aren't as cringeworthy (with some exceptions), and overall, the album has more memorable moments. If they stick to this sound and focus on better songwriting, they could actually return to some semblance of their mid-aughts greatness. The only thing they shouldn't do is, I don't know, a massive genre shift. They won't do ... read more

The singles aren’t as bad as people say, but the deep cuts sure are.

One More Night - 7
Payphone - 7
Daylight - 6
Lucky Strike - 5
The Man Who Never Lied - 4
Love Somebody - 7
Ladykiller - 3
Fortune Teller - 4
Sad - 4
Tickets - 3
Doin’ Dirt - 5
Beautiful Goodbye - 5

Overall Score: 50

Favorite: Love Somebody
Least Favorite: Tickets

Quick! Adam Levine! Tell me what state you're in!

"I AM IN MISSOURI"

Thank you!

"OH YEAH"

Misery - 7
Give a Little More - 7
Stutter - 5
Don't Know Nothing - 5
Never Gonna Leave This Bed - 7
I Can't Lie - 5
Hands All Over - 6
How - 6
Get Back In My Life - 5
Just A Feeling - 5
Runaway - 7
Out of Goodbyes - 4

Overall Score: 58

Favorite: Misery
Least Favorite: Out of Goodbyes

Remember when I reviewed all of Weezer earlier this year. Now I'm doing all of Maroon 5. For, you know, nostalgia reasons.

If I Never See Your Face Again - 7
Makes Me Wonder - 9
Little Of Your Time - 6
Wake Up Call - 8
Won't Go Home Without You - 7
Nothing Lasts Forever - 7
Can't Stop - 4
Goodnight Goodnight - 6
Not Falling Apart - 7
Kiwi - 5
Better That We Break - 6
Back At Your Door - 7

Overall Score: 66

Favorite: Makes Me Wonder
Least Favorite: Can't Stop

First time I’ve ever laughed out loud when reviewing an album. Points for creativity though.

Antiworld - 3
Smack Jack - 3
Tiatschi-Tarot - 1
Dread Love - 4
Future Is Now - 3
Born In Xixax - 4
Iki Maska - 1
Dr. Art - 0
Cosmic Shiva - 3
UFO - 3

Overall Score: 25

Favorite: Dread Love
Least Favorite: Everything. The Whole Album.

Ambient and expansive, yet very polished in production. An excellent backdrop for my train ride back home.

Firesuite - 8
Here It Comes - 8
Break Me Gently - 8
Sea Song - 10
Rise - 8
Lost Souls - 7
Melody Calls - 8
Catch The Sun - 9
The Man Who Told Everything - 8
The Cedar Room - 8
Reprise - 7
A House - 7

Overall Score: 80

Favorite: Sea Song
Least Favorite: A House

Mildly disappointed listening to this after hearing “Crazy”, but this is decent and I feel it’s a tough standard to fill an album with 14 Crazys.

Go-Go Gadget Gospel - 8
Crazy - 10
St. Elsewhere - 7
Gone Daddy Gone - 7
Smiley Faces - 8
The Boogie Monster - 6
Feng Shui - 7
Just a Thought - 8
Transformer - 7
Who Cares? - 7
Online - 7
Necromancer - 5
Storm Coming - 8
The Last Time - 8

Overall Score: 73

Favorite: Crazy
Least Favorite: Necromancer

A lot of Modest Mouse influence on this record

Clap Your Hands! - 7
Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away - 8
Over and Over Again (Lost and Found) - 8
Sunshine and Clouds (And Everything Proud) - 5
Details of the War - 8
The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth - 9
Is This Love? - 8
Heavy Metal - 8
Blue Turning Gray - 7
In This Home on Ice - 9
Gimmie Some Salt - 7
Upon This Tidal Wave of Young Blood - 8

Overall Score: 77

Favorite: In This Home on I’ve
Least Favorite: Gimmie Some Salt