Recent Reviews
Charli XCX has so thoroughly reinvented herself as the face of PC Music hyperpop that it’s easy to forget how much she’s evolved in the past decade. Even before her brief mainstream pop star moment, Charlotte Aitchinson was a known quantity in the music fan universe, and in retrospect it’s amusing how we initially classified her — as an insurgent alt-pop critical darling in the vein of Chvrches, Haim, or Sky Ferreira. And certainly part of the fun in revisiting her debut ... read more
Though the hype disappeared completely, I vividly remember the brief flurry of excitement and anticipation around A Blaze of Feather in summer 2017, buoyed by rumors of Ben Howard involvement. While the album itself didn’t quite set the indie world on fire, it retained an appealing undercurrent of mystery. And then nothing much came of A Blaze of Feather; “Labyrinth” marks their return after three long years away from the spotlight. But where the debut was ethereal and ... read more
Thank you, Jenn Pelly, for reminding me why I check Pitchfork in the first place. Before Pelly’s recent Sunday review I had never so much as heard of That dog.; however, on the basis of the outstanding “Retreat from the Sun” they deserve to be listed in the same breath as The Breeders and Liz Phair as legendary purveyors of 90s power-alt-rock. “Retreat from the Sun” is a masterful blend of accessibility and quiet innovation, thanks to the particular vision and ... read more
I was a fan of “Kiss Yr Frenemies,” Sarah Tudzin’s debut as Illuminati Hotties, but I absolutely never expected she would snap in the way she does on “Free IH." Not so much a progression from her prior brand of eclectic bedroom pop as an absolute musical meltdown, “Free IH” seems likely to go down as one of the great label-struggles protest albums. These songs are raw, raucous, and righteously furious. Tudzin sounds almost completely unrecognizable, ... read more
The early results of a post-Car Seat Headrest indie world continue to trickle in, and once again I’m unimpressed. The elements that make Will Toledo’s music so compelling just haven’t yet translated in the young bands he’s influenced; in my book, the closest thing to a satisfying “post-CSH” album is “the first glass beach album,” which draws from a highly eclectic variety of influences to begin with. Enter Silverbacks, whose fans have been touting ... read more
May 27, 2020
Thank you very much, I appreciate your comment!
In fact there are several simple criteria: the first is that if it is a "classic" or unavoidable album, it is automatically reviewed. Then I restrict my selection to albums that are important for the evolution of music in the global sense (for example the invention of a style of music, a significant innovation etc...) or a major change in the format of the album (Revolution technologies, artistic choice, concept etc...) even if in the end they are not necessarily incredible. Knowing that I try to offer the most interesting content possible so when I have to choose between several albums of the same artist, if I think it is better to be relevant on only 1 album, I will only review this one, or nothing at all. Finally, the goal is also to highlight or pay tribute to some underestimated or simply little known albums, which are excellent without necessarily changing the history of music.
I hope I have answered your question :)
In fact there are several simple criteria: the first is that if it is a "classic" or unavoidable album, it is automatically reviewed. Then I restrict my selection to albums that are important for the evolution of music in the global sense (for example the invention of a style of music, a significant innovation etc...) or a major change in the format of the album (Revolution technologies, artistic choice, concept etc...) even if in the end they are not necessarily incredible. Knowing that I try to offer the most interesting content possible so when I have to choose between several albums of the same artist, if I think it is better to be relevant on only 1 album, I will only review this one, or nothing at all. Finally, the goal is also to highlight or pay tribute to some underestimated or simply little known albums, which are excellent without necessarily changing the history of music.
I hope I have answered your question :)
Sep 25, 2019
Wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it <3
Super excited to see what you have in store :)
Super excited to see what you have in store :)
Sep 21, 2019
I'm not sure if you're active anymore, but you're a fantastic writer!
About
I basically only listen to things I think I'll like, so my scores skew high. 60 = average, 70 = good, 90+ = all-time fave.
Rating Distribution
100
90-99
39
80-89
356
70-79
392
60-69
267
50-59
81
40-49
23
30-39
10
20-29
4
10-19
2
0-9
2
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