The fact that a video game soundtrack can pull off something this incredible is mind-boggling.

Volume Beta is the second installment of tracks created for Minecraft by C418. For the game itself, these tracks fill in a part of the game that did not have a soundtrack before such as creative mode, the Nether, and the End. Just like with Volume Alpha, though, this album as a whole as able to stand completely on its own without the game it was created for. Unlike the more tightly made and ... read more

I might be a Fiona Apple fan.

Fetch the Bolt Cutters is the fifth and currently most recent release by Fiona Apple and to everyone's joy she used that 8-year gap to create something great. The record once again is a continuation of her maturity as a musician and person, but it is here where I believe we get the culmination of everything from her previous records all packaged into the best possible experience. All of the songs on here are filled with emotion, instrumentally complex, and ... read more

It's not their best work, but it sets itself apart from previous albums in a mostly good way.

Danger Days is currently the final album from MCR, and it is a far cry from anything they did during their emo days. The best way I can describe it is that this is a bombastic summer rock record with some post-apocalyptic undertones most prominently displayed in the lyrics and song titles. Many people seem split on this release due to it being so different, but while I think it is flawed, I stand ... read more

I was gonna make a remark about this being a long album title, but then I learned what When The Pawn's full title is.

The Idler Wheel is Fiona Apple's fourth album, and I feel like this is where she truly shows that she has matured. In both her songwriting and the use of more complex instrumentation, this feels like the most natural evolution she could have gone under. There is not much wrong here, but I prefer to listen to albums like Tidal and When The Pawn because this record at ... read more

Still a classic even today.

With MCR's third release, they went big (for the lack of a better term). The Black Parade is a concept album with its story and songs all revolving around the theme of death, and through this, we also get a larger variety of sounds. With this being a rock opera, the band maintains a somewhat similar sound practiced on Three Cheers, but they go extra in giving this record a more theatrical field. Even if the story does not catch you on the first listen, every ... read more

Fiona Apple DLC pack.

From this point forward, if you were to dive into Fiona's discography you would come to notice that the year gap between the albums becomes bigger and bigger. After six long years of waiting, she comes out with her third release Extraordinary Machine. On here, she continues to do what made her and her previous two records great in the first place condensing it into this neat little package. I enjoy what she does here even if not as much as before, and I believe it ... read more

Despite my score, I think this album is hilarious. It's basically meme rap made more competently than most. Favorite song on here is Stingray.

Something about the Minecraft soundtrack of all things puts my mind at ease every time I listen to it.

Volume Alpha is a collection of songs from Minecraft, with a few unused tracks thrown into the mix, compiled into a roughly hour-long record. The direction of the soundtrack takes a low-key approach by having songs blend into a vast and blocky world through ambiance. A decent portion of Minecraft's fanbase, particularly my generation, has grown some kind of nostalgia towards this ... read more

This is more like it.

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge is the sophomore album by My Chemical Romance and is an improvement over their debut in nearly every way. The record is much more cohesive, it is not abrasive but remains to have just the right amount of anger, and it even has a few anthems under its belt. Even if we disregard the debut, this album contains a catchiness and melodic edge that makes it stand out amongst other emo releases that would come out around this time. Not to mention ... read more

A perfect continuation of the greatness that was already present.

When The Pawn... in my listening experience is very similar to Tidal that came before it and contains a lot of what makes that album great in the first place. Fiona on her sophomore release stays true to herself and takes the opportunity to improve her craft. Most noticeably, though, she performs with a more ferocious energy than before, making seem like to me that she has gained confidence as a singer. Like her debut, this ... read more

I want to make it clear that I think MCR is a good band capable of creating great music, but this debut album is just not it yet.

Bullets is the first effort from an emo band that would later shake the world, and already we see some elements that work but it is bogged down by quite a bit. Even in their earliest days, the band as a whole had shown they were competent when it came to being able to perform and having somewhat catchy hooks in a few of the songs. On the other hand, this record is a ... read more

It's a debut, but it already sounds like a seasoned artist a few years into her career.

Although it is relatively simplistic and perhaps not as poignant as some of her later releases, Tidal from Fiona Apple remains as refreshingly mature and one of the biggest standout indie albums of the 90s. Everything on here from the seamless jazz and rock fusion to the underlying themes of trying to find her place in the world as a young woman at the time, and it all being brought together by her ... read more

The energy that shines on here is extremely contagious.

This album is my first exposure to Porter Robinson, and I immediately understood the appeal as soon as Cheerleader started playing. Smile :D first and foremost is an electronic pop album that does not set out to be too ambitious but adds just the right amount of catchiness to get hooked into its sincere sound. Of course, what fully brings this record together is the emotional lyrics touching upon themes of self-worth and the will to live ... read more

Pitchfork must think they're real funny giving this a 69.

I have come to learn through diving into his music that Peggy, as a public figure, is somewhat polarizing. I guess this should not come as a surprise considering the material within his music, but his opinions and one-track mind approach to some subjects have, understandably in a few cases, turned some people off to him. This year especially has revealed its fair share of artists and other public figures being highly problematic, ... read more

Now THIS is something else.

I have not yet gotten into Danny Brown's material, but I can feel that with SCARING THE HOES both artists here are on their absolute A-game. Neither pull back their punches and deliver to us arguably the most chaotic and off-the-walls rap album of last year. Peggy delivers his aggressive and proactive style in a sound palette that has never worked better than it does here, and Danny is like the other half that balances things out. Sure, the production is a bit ... read more

Despite not having their former leading creative force, Isaac Wood, BCNR proves that they still have plenty left to offer as a band. This is one of the most clean live performances I have ever heard and the new songs that debut on here are great.

LP! but objectively better.

The Offline Version fixes the few issues I had with the studio version of this album and is a better listening experience as a whole. The flow of the tracks is much better, and the new tracks added along with the small production changes make this feel like the way the album was intended to be. If you should listen to LP!, this is the way to go.

This seems like Peggy's version of a "self-titled" release.

LP! continues the evolution of Peggy's sound in new and fascinating directions once again. Out of all his albums so far, this one is the most diverse in sound and tries out many ideas in both lyrics and production. This is probably my favorite sound that Peggy has flaunted so far, but I hesitate to rate this any higher than what it is due to the flow having some issues in a couple of places. Overall, though, LP! is ... read more

Wasn't sure what I was expecting but holy shit I haven't had a recent album make me feel this way in a while.

BCNR did what they did on their debut record and not only built upon it, but completely blew everything out of the water. Ants From Up There is a deliberate, tragic, and cinematic record that is nothing short of brilliant. I thought I was somewhat prepared after the debut, but I was greeted to a different sound that I did not know how to process at first but hit me when it ... read more

Pretty good for a debut record.

I am not sure if I would consider this as a masterpiece, but this one of the most well-aged and pleasant to listen to rock records from the late 80s. It is a shame that there are few records like this (to my immediate knowledge) because I would love more of this sound.