“European Heartbreak” is beautiful and catchy while also being very extremely formulaic. Overall, it’s just another run-of-the-mill indie record.

Fav Tracks: Goodbye Europe, I’ve Done the Best, Simple Song, Oh Love (What Have We Done), Self-Portrait in a Car at Night

Least Fav Track: Where Did You Go

Score:
6.8
Decent

Now here’s a singer/songwriter from my area! Marissa Nadler produced an emotionally potent record with fairly simple chord progressions but they’re pretty enough to add to the emotional factor. Overall, her soothing voice and heartbreaking stories add up to a pretty decent product.

Fav Tracks: For My Crimes, Blue Vapor, Said Goodbye to that Car, Interlocking, I Can’t Listen to Gene Clark Anymore, Lover Release Me

Least Fav Track: All Out of Catastrophes

Score:
7.6
Very Good

Tim Hecker’s “Konoyo” is a compilation of unforgiving sounds spread throughout an unforgiving length of tracks. It’s a beautiful record that takes more than just one listen to understand the emotion being played here (even the track listing is trying to tell a story).

Fav Tracks: In Death Valley, In mother earth phase, This life, Keyed out, Across to Anoyo

Least Fav Track: Is a rose petal of the dying crimson light

Score:
8.7
Exceptional

"Favourite Worst Nightmare" shows that Arctic Monkeys can still be a capable band by not heading towards the "Sophomore Slump" category. Alex Turner's great performances and clever songwriting matched with crisp instrumentation are still present while also developing their alt-rock sound to stray farther from their contemporaries.

Edit: Ya know what? This is my favorite album of theirs.

Fav Tracks: 505, Brianstorm, Balaclava, Fluorescent Adolescent, Teddy Picker, Do Me a ... read more

While "Good News For People Who Love Bad News" doesn't have the same emotional heft as the previous records, it's still a fun, catchy and brilliantly-written breakthrough into the mainstream with some of Modest Mouse's biggest hits!

Fav Tracks: The World At Large, Float On, Ocean Breathes Salty, Bukowski, The Devil's Workday, The View, Blame It On The Tetons, The Good Times Are Killing Me, Black Cadillacs

Least Fav Track: Dance Hall

Score:
9.5
Amazing

Modest Mouse's major label debut, "The Moon & Antarctica" is a cold, depressing album heightened by Isaac's manic delivery and great songwriting. It also delivers some of their best instrumentation!

Fav Tracks: Dark Center Of The Universe, 3rd Planet, A Different City, Gravity Rides Everything, Lives, Tiny Cities Made Of Ashes, The Stars Are Projectors, I Came As a Rat, The Cold Part, Paper Thin Walls

Least Fav Track: None

Score:
9.7
Amazing

I liked this album a lot, actually. The melodies, guitar riffs, new-wave production and the soothing vocal performances are pretty great and there's not a bad song on here. I know I'm very new to this band (and this review is definitely written that way) but I was very impressed overall.

Fav Tracks: Now or Never Now, Die Happy, Dark Saturday, No Lights on the Horizon, Seven Rules, Risk, Art of Doubt

Least Fav Track: Anticipate

Score:
8.3
Great

Featuring a abrasive and weird but beautiful soundscape and a nice commentary on the Brexit, "Pastoral" is an impressive, albeit light, record from Gazelle Twin.

Fav Tracks: Glory, Little Lambs, Hobby Horse, Better in My Day, Dieu Et Mon Droit, Dance of the Peddlers

Least Fav Track: Tea Rooms

Score:
7.4
Good

*insert Aphex Twin joke here*

Do you rememBAH?!

... It was a cloudy day for me, tho. :(

As much as I hate addressing the elephant in the room, hearing about Ameer Vann, one of the key members, being forced to leave due to recent allegations, left me more than a little bit worried about “iridescence”. But it blew away my expectations by delivering their most experimental and off-the-wall release yet! Their thoughts and feelings are fully represented here with great writing and everything flows seamlessly! What impresses me more is that BROCKHAMPTON is still able to push ... read more

By far my favorite of the trilogy! "SATURATION III" amps up the experimentation and hookiness of the previous two records while keeping the substance, fun and honesty intact. Overall, BROCKHAMPTON looks to be the most exciting "boy band"... EVER!

Fav Tracks: SISTER/NATION, BOOGIE, RENTAL, BLEACH, HOTTIE, JOHNNY, ZIPPER, STUPID, TEAM, ALASKA

Least Fav Track: Idk

Score:
9.8
Amazing

"SATURATION II" still delivers what made its predecessor great. Which means it's still creative, catchy, fun and hard-hitting while also being more accessible. The band is still as strong of a bond as it ever was!

Fav Tracks: QUEER, JUNKY, SWAMP, SWEET, GUMMY, TOKYO, FIGHT, SUMMER, CHICK, SUNNY

Least Fav Track: GAMBA

Score:
9.3
Outstanding

This 15-person (at the time) hip hop crew presents itself with 17 creative, catchy, fun and hard-hitting BANGERS! Each member's verses and hooks are to die for! I kept bobbing my head and mouthing (most of) the hooks throughout the whole album!

Fav Tracks: GOLD, HEAT, STAR, MILK, BUMP, BANK, FACE, SWIM, FAKE, BOYS, WASTE

Least Fav Track: The skits, really

Score:
9.4
Outstanding

I swear if this is gonna be their sound, I’m hopping off.

The Guardian: “You’ll need to be a heartsick emo teenager to endure the lyrics.”

*munches on popcorn* Oh really? Do I find this appealing? I mean, this band has so much potential! But they play it so safe! It’s sooo extremely boring and the lyrics are uninteresting as fuck (Heather even copies ideas to other songs wtf?). Avoid like the plague.

Fav Tracks: Television Romance, Red

Least Fav Tracks: One More Time, She, Noises, Loveless Girl, When Did I Lose It All, ... read more

Aww! *sniff* That was cute as heck! Like, I’m in love right now! The whole time I was either smiling or laughing out loud! I think Noname is one of the most original rappers out there with her smart, heartwarming and funny lyrics on top of the jazzy, beautiful production!

Fav Tracks: Blaxploitation, Regal, Window, Part Of Me, With You, Don’t Forget About Me, no name, Self

Least Fav Track: Ace (If I had to pick one)

Score:
9.2
Outstanding

Edit 1/30/19 (OS: 7.7): Holy shit this grew on me a lot! It didn’t quite hit me on my first two listens because I thought it dragged too much. But the more I kept playing it, the more it clicked and I finally realized how much effort was put into this record! The crumbling, glitchy textures help create a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere and the lyrics, if you can catch on to what they’re saying, are well-written and depressing at times. Overall, you should probably give this at least ... read more

Made up of Daniel Johns of Silverchair and Luke Steele of Empire of the Sun, the two indie Aussies put out a record that, I have to admit, has a unique sound. But it fails to make something completely listenable out of it. The excessive autotune REALLY kills it for me, though.

Fav Tracks: Dreams, Love To Live, Young Minds, Silence

Least Fav Tracks: No One Defeats Us, Numbers On The Board, Always

Score:
4.5
Meh

On the “Collapse EP”, Richard D. James focuses on delivering some crazy percussion while also putting in as much detail as the human ear can handle! “T69 Collapse” is probably one of my favorite Aphex Twin tracks to date but the rest are no slouch either.

Fav Tracks: T69 Collapse, 1st 44, pthex

Least Fav Track: abundance10edit[2 R8's, FZ20m & A 909]

Score:
8.8
Exceptional

From the slick guitar work to Isaac Brock's striking performances and bold, but honest, lyrics. This is an indie rock album through and through and there's almost never a dull moment throughout its 74 minute runtime. Which is extremely impressive for a debut album!

Fav Tracks: Dramamine, Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset, Tundra/Desert, Custom Concern, Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds, Breakthrough, Beach Side Property, Ionizes & Atomizes, Space Travel Is Boring

Least Fav ... read more