Log:
2024-06-15 (First) *
* Most of the songs are good; some are great. Overall it's an interesting time capsule but it also shows how manufactured the "alternative" sound became, which can be pretty annoying too. There are some tracks with vocals that would go just fine with some synthpop production—and, not unbelievably, these were all artists I'd never even heard of before. So, it's a mixed bag between legit heavyhitters and wannabes, but still passable. Good enough to put ... read more
Log:
2024-06-11 (First) *
* I was surprised at how unfinished this felt; how much it was like a spirited sketch of an album more than the final form of one. I was reminded of years-later releases of shelved albums, partially done—such as The Smile Sessions by The Beach Boys. Wild Life is just missing two or three more editorial passes to tighten it up (lyrically, in particular; creative ideas, in general), bolden its sound and instrumentation and otherwise assure the overall tonal ... read more
Log:
2024-06-09 (First) *
* It isn't better than Firepower, but I'm nonetheless incredibly glad that they're still doing this—and at an entirely passable level. Rob sounds incredible and the band is solid. Where it comes up short for me is the relative safeness of the sound, which generally feels like it's all working backward from its desired conclusion. Routine, really, with numerous songs seeming to be little more than tropey genre titles which were expanded into expectable and ... read more
Log:
2024-06-09 *
* Does it blow my mind from an objective standpoint? No. But when I think about the age of the material I like most from Deep Purple and how well this new song matches with it more than 50 years later—then I am blown away. The instrumentation marries with that sound well and, similar to Rob Halford of Judas Priest, it is truly unearthly just how pleasantly Ian Gillan's voice has aged. Like Rob, I think he would match up with anything he did in the early times, which is ... read more
Log:
2024-06-05 (First) *
* This may grow on me. It's very good, but so bare and frequently strange. With the richer sounds of Harding's subsequent album Designer in mind, there was a naked, unfinished feeling throughout Party, which is an initial letdown. I'll happily give it some more thought and see if I can find a way into her artistic intent; but, for now, it sits with me as an inspired curiosity that didn't quite seize its full potential—potential which was finally realized on her ... read more
Log:
2024-06-03 *
* I've long been ambivalent on this one. It seems that I just needed to get older. Like its brilliant, Polaroid-based CD packaging (long gone from my life, but thinking back on it now...), it's a jumbled, messy collage of tones and ideas—ideas, in particular, that hit different in your 30s. Though not the sort of wonderfully balanced, full experience that Ten and Vitology have always been, there is something very present, existential and fleeting in No Code. The play ... read more
Log:
2024-06-04 (First, x2) *
* What's wrong with people? This is a perfectly fine Pretty Things album. I don't see how it's not worth at least a 3/5 (or an AOTY-equivalent 60) if you're being honest. AllMusic, which is usually great, is huffing its own farts with that 40 score.
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