One of the best rap records I've heard in my life. A big step up from the already great GKMC. An utter masterpiece.
Fav tracks: u, Wesley's Theory, Alright, For Free?, The Blacker the Berry, King Kunta, i, These Walls, Mortal Man, Hood Politics
Quite quiet, quite sad, this album is not for casual listening. Commit to it, though, and it will break your heart. Reminds me of last year's Benji, but still very much in Sufjan's style and perhaps even more depressing because of its dreary "We're all gonna die" outlook.
Emotional content aside, though, it's a gorgeous record and a powerful return for Sufjan, if not necessarily a sunny one.
Fav songs: Fourth of July, Eugene, The Only Thing, No Shade in the Shadow of the Cross, ... read more
EDIT: I've actually cooled off on this album a bit over the past few months. It's still got some great songwriting and lyrics, but I'd like to see her expand her sound a bit more on future releases.
Fantastic folk rock/singer-songwriter record that I keep returning to. Lady Lamb is a magnificent, powerful lyricist and a refreshingly unorthodox songwriter.
Fav tracks: Billions of Eyes, Violent Clementine, Spat Out Spit, Batter, Penny Licks, Sunday Shoes
The most straightforward Dan Deacon release yet. He hasn't changed his sound much, but he has added more thoughtful lyrics, smoothed out the production and made his unique sound more accessible. Recommended if you like other psychedelic/electronic acts like late 00s Animal Collective, Gang Gang Dance, or Caribou.
Favorite Tracks: When I Was Done Dying, Mind On Fire, Meme Generator
On subsequent listens, I actually think this is Drake's best full length after Take Care. It's less ambitious on the surface, consisting of a bunch of minimal trap beats with Drake maintaining a consistently aggressive tone and avoiding pop-friendly tracks like the Take Care title track or Hold On, We're Going Home. The production, while sparse, is consistently great and manages to tie together what on the surface is an unwieldy bunch of songs. It also has some of Drake's best rapping yet, ... read more
After delaying this album for years, Azealia Banks comes through on Broke With Expensive Taste despite the long gestation period. The album shows some signs of wear, but is ultimately a satisfyingly unique blend of house and hip hop. The worst that can be said about it is that it jumps around from style to style too much and includes a few songs that should have been edited out. What's most impressive about Broke, though, is that it stokes my interest in Banks again after I had nearly given up ... read more
One of my favorite albums from The National. It may not have the grandness of High Violet or the directness of Boxer, but, to me, Trouble Will Find Me is the best encapsulation of The National's sound and style. The songwriting and production are simple, but endlessly effective, combining jittery post-punk rhythms with downtrodden camber pop and navel-gazing lyrics. Matt Berninger's lyrics are unrelentingly bleak and pessimistic, but are extremely relatable in their plainspoken poetry. Ever ... read more
Absolutely stunning follow-up to their debut. As much as I loved the fun-loving nature of their first album, I never expected RTJ to make an album as focused and as thematically resonant as this. EL-P's beats are better than ever here (which is saying something, considering he's one of my favorite ever hip hop producers), finding the perfect balance between noise and rhythm. He and Mike have also never sounded better as rappers, each challenging and expanding their flows on each song. ... read more
The key to a band enjoying longterm success is transformation. The Flaming Lips certainly did that with The Terror, and to surprising effect. Not only have the guitars and strings been replaced with chilly synthesizers, but the band's usually cheery outlook is substituted for something harder and more sinister. Apart from a couple of songs being too long and/or unnecessarily abrasive, this is a great late-career record that leaves me hopeful that the Lips will be making boundary-pushing music ... read more
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Recent Review Comments
On Amnesia Scanner - Tearless
"Too bad he has to be the poster boy for such a flimsy ass album."
On Viagra Boys - Street Worms
"Whoops! You're absolutely right; I shouldn't have assumed he couldn't have been American just because the band is from Stockholm. Fixed now and thanks for the info."
On GAIKA - Basic Volume
"It's honestly grown on me even more since I first heard it. That dark, sad Batman vibe is like nothing else I've heard this year."
On Jam City - Dream a Garden
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On Oneohtrix Point Never - Good Time
"Ha! I didn't think of it necessarily as a black comedy when I first saw it but I can see it now that you mention it. It's definitely funny in parts, but I was impressed by how intense it was throughout too (soundtrack helped), almost like a thriller or light horror. Probably cracks my top 3 for 2017 too; glad I'm not alone in thinking so!"
On Oneohtrix Point Never - Good Time
"Now that I've finally see the movie, I know what you mean--the images go really well with the sounds 0PN is creating here. Still, I loved his scoring quite a bit; I'm considering picking up a copy of the soundtrack, even though I doubt it'll flow as well as one of his true albums."
On itsyahboinoah's review of SiR - November
"I'll bite. I didn't see a ton of movies last year, but:
[no order]
Get Out
Logan
Dunkirk
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The Big Sick
[I thought Mother! was interesting too, if a bit abrasive as a viewing experience]"
On Kirin J Callinan - Bravado
"[Woman randomly whistling during EDM buildup]"
On Future - EVOL
"yeahhhh sorry. i have a hard time deciding whether itll really end up being one of my favorites of the year or not. i think its really catchy and cohesive but futures lyrics still make me cringe sometimes. ill probably keep it at 82 at this point"
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