This supergroup debut sees Colin Stetson dabble into the world of metal. You read that right, metal with a saxophone. The result is a strangely beautiful avant-jazz metal record with great production, outstanding compositions and some amazing percussion from Greg Fox.

Fav Tracks: Opposition/Perihelion; the Coil, Xenolith; the Anvil, Anaitis Hymnal; the Arkose Disc

Least Fav Track: Form Constant; the Grid

Score:
8.9
Exceptional

It doesn't have as many career highs as his other works, nor can I find as much reason to replay it, but "All This I Do For Glory" is an album that showcases more avant-garde sounds and rhythms that he can pump out of his sax. His composotions still sound as gorgeous, chilling and enigmatic as ever.

Fav Tracks: The lure of mine, Spindrift, All this I do for glory, Between water and wind

Least Fav Track: In the clinches

Score:
8.5
Exceptional

Don't act like this score is representative to your music in general, it isn't, it's just that I really didn't like this one. "Blue Arcade" is kind of a mess in terms of quality. There are some usages of sampling that I really, really like and then there are those that are so out-of-place that they damage my overall enjoyment of these tracks (i.e. the frequent reversed Björk samples). There are also certain drums that are re-used and parts that are kinda off-key, which makes me ... read more

"2020" has an amazing concept, with Richard Dawson dealing with the topics and paranoia of the present (anti-immigration, Amazon, etc.). The record is also meticulously-crafted, beautifully-produced, well-written and exquisitely-performed!

Fav Tracks: Jogging, Two Halves, Civil Servant, Heart Emoji, Dead Dog in an Alleyway, The Queen's Head, Black Triangle

Least Fav Track: Fresher's Ball

Score:
9
Outstanding

If it didn't say that Kim Gordon made this, I would've skipped on this. But actually listening to it sent a lot of mixed messages. While the production is great and goes into some pretty unexpected territory at times, I'm sorry, Kim's vocals are just awful on this and "No Home Record" is one of the messiest records I've heard this year.

Fav Tracks: Air BnB, Cookie Butter, Murdered Out, Don't Play It, Sketch Artist

Least Fav Track: Earthquake

Score:
6.2
Fine

BODEGA still doesn't have anything up their sleeves and "Shiny New Model" still doesn't impress me. I really just have nothing to say about this band other than their lyrics are alright and that's still not saying much.

Shiny New Model: 5.5
Treasures of the Ancient World: 6.5
No Vanguard Revival: 7
Knife on the Platter: 7.5
Domesticated Animal: 3.5
Realism: 4
Truth: 5.5

Score:
5.6
Okay

Ok, I need to check out this band because "Sonic Citadel" is fucking BRUTAL! Everything about the recording and the mixes are so rough and chaotic that it benefits the flow of these tracks! The bass riffs are extremely fun, the grooves are punchy and the overall record is one of the weirdest, most distorted noise rock albums I've had the pleasure of hearing this year!

Fav Tracks: USA Is a Psycho, Hüsker Dön't, Big Banger, Blow To The Head, Van Halen 2049, Air Conditioner, ... read more

Earl Sweatshirt's "Some Rap Songs" remains one of the most sonically unique records of the past decade. But little did I know that it would spawn a whole group of followers for this sound, and I'll just say this right now. If the sLUms Movement is turning into a whole subgenre, then I'm sure as fuck on board with it!

North Carolina rapper Mavi seems to check all the boxes on "let the sun talk", like the looping, lo-fi, sampled production, the short track lengths and the ... read more

Yet another pleasant little album! In fact, I found "Two Hands" to be even better than "U.F.O.F.", as it felt more raw. Otherwise, the strengths I had with their previous record applies to this one. The songwriting is great, the production is gorgeous, Adrianne Lenker's voice is bone-chilling and the lyrical content is just straight-up depressing.

Fav Tracks: Not, Forgotten Eyes, Cut My Hair, Wolf, Two Hands, Rock and Sing, The Toy

Least Fav Track: Those ... read more

"In the Attic of the Universe" is another beautiful record from Peter Silberman. While the lyrics can be a bit on-the-nose at times, the songwriting is still very good and I think the short length complements the album better than "Uprooted".

Fav Tracks: In the Attic, On the Roof, Stairs to the Attic, The Universe Is Going To Catch You, Look!

Least Fav Track: Shh!

Score:
8
Great

"Uprooted" has an insightful concept that is bolstered by some good writing, pretty acoustic instrumentation and some beautiful vocals from Peter Silberman. But at just 30 minutes, it left me wanting more.

Fav Tracks: Uprooted, Flash Floods Don't Retreat, Stonethrower, Nashua, Keys

Least Fav Track: Last Folk Song

Score:
7.8
Very Good

Sometimes the best records can be complex with little in the way in terms of structure and hooks. Sometimes they can influence many artists for years to come. But other times, the record can just be really fucking good. That's pretty much "Get To Heaven" summed-up.

I'm completely with the rest of the site on this album, this is fun as hell! It oozes charm, style and substance throughout and I can't seem to get enough of it! The production is spectacular and the instrumentation is ... read more

[Treasure Tue-Wednesday Ep. 9]

My original plan was just to review "Intern" as a single. But since I loved "All Mirrors" so much, I decided "why the hell not".

So, this album, "My Woman", is great. Angel Olsen goes for a sound akin to Kurt Vile on this record and the results are pretty striking. Her songwriting is heartfelt (if not overly effective at breaking the formula), the production is quite lush and the vocals from her are nothing short of ... read more

“Naked” is such an unnecessary final album for a necessary band. Everything great about the Heads’ sound has been zapped out. It’s tame, forgettable and bloated, adjectives I don’t (want to) use to describe David Byrne.

Fav Tracks: Cool Water, Totally Nude, Ruby Dear

Least Fav Tracks: Facts of Life, Big Daddy, Mommy Daddy You and I

Score:
4.9
Meh

You could literally sneak some earphones on me and I wouldn't even know this is Talking Heads. The charm that made David Byrne and crew so great in the first place is all gone. While there are definitely a handful of enjoyable songs here, most of "True Stories" relies on too many conventions and pop rock formulas to make it a worthy TH release.

One thing I CAN give this record credit for is that track title, "Radio Head". It's a pretty cool title, sounds like something a ... read more

Ooookay. This is underwhelming.

So, they completely went a different direction from their edgier post-punk roots. While the Talking Heads spirit is still there in spades, the writing, the hooks, the color, it's all been watered-down on "Little Creatures".

Fav Tracks: And She Was, Road to Nowhere, The Lady Don't Mind, Give Me Back My Name

Least Fav Track: Stay up Late

Score:
6.8
Decent

[Album of the Day Challenge: Day 25]

RE-REVIEW (OG SCORE: 6.5): I reviewed this at a time where I was afraid to rate AOTY projects harshly. Well, it's not that time anymore and I'm gonna review this more harshly. "Halloween Came Early II" isn't outright bad, it just fades into the background for me. It has maybe a few cool, chilled-out beats and it has an indie RPG game-esque charm to it, but most of it just repeats the same formula and it just comes out as overly generic at the end ... read more

While it's not the most original shoegaze record I've heard and the album can feel a bit inconsistent, "Deciever" is still abrasive and fuzzy with lots of great instrumental ideas. It's also one of the better shoegaze records of the year.

Fav Tracks: Blankenship, Skin Game, Acheron, The Spark, Horsehead, Between Tides

Least Fav Track: For The Guilty

Score:
8.2
Great

"Closer To Grey" isn't the most cohesive record I've heard this year, and I don't really see how this is an album 7 years in the making, but it's still a spooky, catchy and well-written synthpop record that has a good amount of hits and a few surprisingly excellent covers.

Fav Tracks: Touch Red, Whispers In The Hall, On The Wall, Twist The Knife, The Sound Of Silence, Wishing Well

Least Fav Track: Through The Looking Glass

Score:
8
Great

Usually, when I review an album, I stick to it for a full opinion until I have my full thoughts or else I lose my train of thought. It was especially the case for "Ghosteen" because I was sick this weekend. Now that I feel a lot better, goddamn, I have plenty to say about this record.

I haven't checked out Nick Cave's discography yet (in fact, I'm starting the binge in two weeks), but I am aware of what happened to his son, Arthur. It's some pretty tragic stuff and I bet it had a ... read more