Unlike last year's "Amen", "The Sailor" actually shows Rich Brian at his full potential! Rich Brian improves on every single front on here. His performances are leagues more confident and in your face, his pen work is a lot sharper and hard-hitting and the production is absolutely phenomenal! The combination of the more organic instrumentation and the gorgeous melodies had me entranced throughout! It's not 100-percent perfect, though. "Vacant" is an awkward mess ... read more

"Every Country's Sun" is a fantastic comeback for the band, as it combines what worked in the past and builds upon it. While some post-rock cliches remain, I think this is a huge improvement from their previous work. I do fear that their next record is going to be weak because I'm starting to see a pattern here.

Fav Tracks: Crossing the Road Material, Coolverine, Every Country's Sun, Battered in a Scramble, Party in the Dark, Brain Sweeties, 20 Size

Least Fav Track: aka ... read more

While I'm not really sure what significance this will have on the album, this is definitely a message that should not go unnoticed.

"Rave Tapes" adds synths and other electronic elements to Mogwai's post-rock sound. While it results in some beautiful moments, it also has some downright mediocre and forgettable ones too. Overall, the band seems to be running out of steam.

Fav Tracks: Remurdered, Heard About You Last Night, Hexon Bogon, No Medicine For Regret

Least Fav Track: Repelish

Score:
6.5
Decent

By sticking to a more straightforward songwriting style instead of the constantly changing volumes that'd become a cliche in post-rock, Mogwai have set yet another bar for themselves on "Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will". It's not revolutionary, but I've never thought of Mogwai as that in the first place, admittedly.

Fav Tracks: San Pedro, George Square Thatcher Death Party, You're Lionel Richie, Death Rays, White Noise, Mexican Grand Prix, Rano Pano

Least Fav Track: How To Be ... read more

The Hawk Is... Wait. The what? That's a fucking eagle!

Anyway, "The Hawk Is Howling" definitely starts off well, but it eventually evolves into tedious post-rock territory. The last track pick up a little bit but everything else is arranged so emptily that it tarnishes what made Mogwai good in the first place.

Fav Tracks: I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead; Batcat; The Sun Smells Too Loud; I Love You, I'm Going To Blow Up Your School; The Precipice

Least Fav Tracks: Scotland's Shame, Kings ... read more

"Mr. Beast" has some of the best moments in Mogwai's discography. Unfortunately, it also has some of their least inspired post-rock. It's still an enjoyable record, mind you, but it just feels like a lesser attempt at being every Mogwai album at once.

Fav Tracks: Friend of the Night, Glasgow Mega-Snake, Auto Rock, Folk Death 95, We're No Here

Least Fav Track: Acid Food

Score:
7
Good

"Every Open Eye" is yet another fun, infectious and gorgeously-produced record with Lauren's incredible vocals, outstanding hooks and a grander, more anthemic sense of scale. It does feel like a repeat of "The Bones of What You Believe", though.

Fav Tracks: Clearest Blue, Down Side of Me, Make Them Gold, Leave a Trace, Never Ending Circles, Playing Dead, High Enough to Carry You Over

Least Fav Track: Afterglow

Score:
8.3
Great

"Amen" has some pretty good production and I see plenty of talent here. Unfortunately, Brian's pen game needs a lot of work and there's a lot of filler that just bored me halfway through the record.

Fav Tracks: Occupied, Cold, Attention, Glow Like That, Introvert, Kitty

Least Fav Track: Amen, Enemies

Score:
5.5
Okay

With the addition of Spanish vocals, Arca's self-titled album is every bit as unsettling as the cover art. Yet it's the beautiful production, gorgeous vocals and emotional themes that, at least in my opinion, stands as her best record to date and a showcase of how unique of an experimental artist she really is.

Fav Tracks: Desafio, Piel, Reverie, Saunter, Anoche, Coraje, Sin Rumbo, Castration, Urchin

Least Fav Track: Whip

Score:
9.4
Outstanding

I bet her asscheeks vibrate to extreme levels whenever she shits.

Fav Tracks: Huh?

Least Fav Tracks: Wha?

Score:
1.5
*violently shits with the most painful noise and face ever*

As someone who has never cared for Sum 41, I was expecting a disaster from this. What I got was definitely far away from that, with tight performances and some really good production and riffs. I do not care for the vocals and lyrics (especially the lyrics), however. Still, there are some decent headbangers here and there.

Fav Tracks: Heads Will Roll, Out For Blood, Eat You Alive, Turning Away, A Death In The Family

Least Fav Tracks: Catching Fire, Never There

Score:
6.1
Fine

Ada Lea has enough songwriting and vocal talent to make "what we say in private" a good, if formulaic, indie rock album with some interesting production.

Fav Tracks: what makes me sad, wild heart, 180 days, for real now (not pretend), mercury

Least Fav Track: just one, please

Score:
7.2
Good

"Flamboyant" shows just how versatile of a "pop" artist Dorian Electra is. The bubblegum bass production is fantastic, the tracks here are over-the-top and catchy and their progressive lyrics are pretty damn great. Overall, I think they make an interesting addition to the PC Music scene.

Update (OS: 8.4): Nope. This is a straight-up fuckin banger.

Fav Tracks: Flamboyant, Career Boy, Mr. To You, Man To Man, Adam & Steve, Musical Genius, Emasculate

Least Fav Track: ... read more

Trying to be the next BROCKHAMPTON member, I see.

Jokes aside, this is waaay better than I was expecting it to be! It's nothing groundbreaking and Willow's lyrics are pretty barebones, but the production is absolutely phenomenal, the mixing is spot-on and her vocals are beautiful. Overall, this is definitely a step in the right direction and Willow seems to be the only Smith in the family who's close to finding their own voice.

Fav Tracks: Time Machine; Overthinking IT; Female Energy, Part 2; ... read more

I usually don't like reviewing albums after my first listen... but, goddamn, do I have a lot to fucking say! "CALIGULA" is an unstoppable force of nature like nothing I've ever heard before. Lingua Ignota really knows how to get you on the edge of your seat at all times. Her vocals make me feel puny and insignificant, with every breath making my hairs on my arms perk up. Her screams scare the living shit out of me every single time. The classical instrumentation is haunting enough, ... read more

It's very rare that we see an album ahead of our time. Fortunately, "My First Album" is the exception. Peppa Pig's lyrics can come across as cute and innocent at first, but look deeper and you'll find some really dark, topical themes that will stand the test of time. "Expert Daddy Pig" is a statement on internet culture, "Rainbow, Rainbow" was inspired by the dangers of toxic masculinity and the announcement of Straight Pride and "Super Potato's Theme" is ... read more

Holy moly rolly polly! This was fucking fun! There wasn't a single thing that let me down on this record and the pacing is just superb! "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix" is also one of the most gorgeously-produced and crisply-textured indie records I've ever heard! Not to mention it's deliciously infectious and exquisitely written... I'm sorry! I'm just in awe of how much I enjoyed this record!

Fav Tracks: 1901, Lisztomania, Love Like a Sunset, Lasso, Countdown, ... read more

Judging from my first opinion on their first two records and the mid-2000's pop rock style album art, I was a little skeptical. But I really, really liked this record! "It's Never Been Like That" ditches Phoenix's old sound in favor of a punchy, hooky, well-produced and all-around fun record that also has its moments of nostalgia and melancholy.

Fav Tracks: Long Distance Gone, Courtesy Laughs, Sometimes in the Fall, Consolation Prizes, Rally, Second to None, Napoleon Says

Least Fav ... read more

Phoenix seems to have a better grasp of their sound on "Alphabetical", with some groovier production and more fleshed-out acoustic arrangements. Unfortunately, there's nothing too standout-ish about it and the writing feels weaker. I did get some more enjoyment out of this, though.

Fav Tracks: I'm an Actor, Holdin' on Together, If It's Not With You, Everything Is Everything, Run Run Run

Least Fav Track: Congratulations

Score:
7.1
Good