album listens #83 - dog eat dog food world - niko b

 

funny + good beats. the shtick gets a little old after a while but still good

FAVOURITE SONG: trespass coat

RATING: 6/10

album listens #82 - tigers blood - waxahatchee

 

a lovely little album. kinda modern indie rock + also some folk vibes ? amazing vocals, sometimes is kinda quite and then when she really goes for it this country twang comes out its cool. annoyed that the title doesn't have an apostrophe

FAVOURITE SONG: Ice Cold, Right Back to It, Crimes of the Heart

RATING: 6 or 7/10

album listens #81 - everything all the time - band of horses

 

pretty bog standard indie kinda emo-y vibes. feels quite uninspired 

FAVOURITE SONG: The First Song

RATING: 3/10

album listens #80 - heavy weather - weather report

 

this and black market are absolutely perfect. staples in the history of jazz fusion. pastorius one of the greatest bass players of all time.

FAVOURITE SONG: Havona

RATING: 10/10

album listens #79 - southern nights - glen campbell

 

very nice and very pretty. one of the greatest openers to an album of all time perhaps...

FAVOURITE SONG: Southern Nights, Early Morning Song, Sunflower, Let Go

RATING: 7 or 8/10

album listens #78 - rhinestone cowboy - glen campbell

 

amazing and beautiful. the production makes this album absolutely perfect it just feels so warm and pleasant to listen to. amazing catchy songwriting and the STRINGS.. perfect. it just swells round and round inside my head i love it

FAVOURITE SONG: Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A), Pencils For Sale, Marie, Rhinestone Cowboy, Count On Me

RATING: 9/10

album listens #77 - girls on film - duran duran

 

standard and solid new wave album. not loads to say on this one, just feels cool (as most 80s new wave does)

FAVOURITE SONG: Planet Earth

RATING: 7/10

album listens #76 - brat - charli xcx

 

i knew this album was gonna be good but i did not know it was gonna be THIS good. honestly might be charli at her best. i feel like its her most creative and unique and a perfect blend of the weird blend of experimental pop of pop 2 and the classic pop bangers of crash which are my two favourites of hers and it blends both those styles of pop music amazingly. on first listen there was not a single moment i was uninterested by. i cannot think of a pop album i've listened to that was more entertaining than this in a LONG TIME. its abrasive and the beats and production are so perfect, the drum beats go SO HARD and the way the whole sound is just amazing its hard to even pin point what it is, its very cohesive. the lyrics are super personal at times and it knows exactly when to go from that style to the anthem-like club tracks. there's just something about the whole sound of the album that is just so mesmerising.

i knew i was going to like this album but it really came out of nowhere how much i LOVE it. charli outdid herself with this album and its worth 100% of the hype.

FAVOURITE SONG: Von dutch, Sympathy is a knife, Apple, B2b, Girl, so confusing, Talk talk, Mean girls

RATING: 10/10

album listens #75 - bright future - adrianne lenker

 

adrianne lenker's music is like the bittersweet feeling of a warm hug that you know you will have to pull away from. her music makes me feel very safe yet also is absolutely heartbreaking at the same time. its quite a confusing feeling but one that i think is extremely difficult to create when making music and she does it absolutely perfectly, proving yet again that she really is one of the greatest songwriters at the moment. this album is stripped back and raw and makes my skin crawl with how much emotion is poured into it. i love it so much.

FAVOURITE SONG: Fool, Vampire Empire, Sadness as a Gift, Free Treasure, Evol, Cell Phone Says, Ruined

RATING: 9/10

album listens #74 - big fish theory - vince staples

 

awesome off-beat experimental hip hop with a kendrick feature on a SOPHIE produced track ?!?!? great mix of weird wonky sounds and just solid, well produced hip hop. vince staples just has one of those voices i think i would love to listen to him just talk. really creative album enjoyed very much

FAVOURITE SONG: Yeah Right, Homage, Love Can Be..., BagBak

RATING: 7/10

album listens #73 - piñata - freddie gibbs + madlib

 

awesome. amazing beats, great features, great lyrics. every song got a unique feel throughout its very cool

FAVOURITE SONG: High (feat. Danny Brown), Thuggin', Lakers (feat. Ab-Soul, Polyester the Saint), Robes (feat. Domo Genesis, Earl Sweatshirt), 

RATING: 7/10

album listens #72 - iowa dream - arthur russell

 

inexplicably beautiful

FAVOURITE SONG: Barefoot in New York, I Still Love You 

RATING: 7 or 8/10

album listens #71 - drill music in zion - lupa fiasco

 

first half is kinda boring but it actually really picks up in the second half it's like two different albums. thought it felt a little uninspired at first and the beats were kinda lame but then i ended up really enjoying it gets really soulful and the rapping is so much more interesting. i like the way some of the instrumentals sound i assume they used a live band, but i think that the beats are the weakest part of a lot of the songs.

FAVOURITE SONG: NAOMI, DRILL MUSIC IN ZION, MS. MURAL

RATING: 6/10

album listens #70 - mosaic - art blakey & the jazz messengers

 

a lot more swingin' than his other releases but still one of the greatest jazz drummers and groups of all time.

FAVOURITE SONG: Crisis, Down Under

RATING: 6 or 7/10

album listens # 69 - it don't bother me - bert jansch

 

so personal it feels like the music itself has a soul (idk if that makes sense, like there is a light in the middle of the songs and you can reach in and grab it). love how its recorded, really reminds you that good music needs barely anything to shine and makes me feel like i'm in the room with him just listening to him play. some points the guitar strings sound like they're about to snap off 

FAVOURITE SONG: Oh My Babe, The Wheel, So Long (Been On the Road So Long), Anti Apartheid, My Lover

RATING: 9/10

album listens #68 - crush - floating points

 

awesome.

FAVOURITE SONG: Falaise

RATING: 8/10

album listens #67 - kick out the jams (live) - mc5

 

pretty standard late 60s hard rock. have a bit of a soft spot for this kind of rock but this is just kinda inoffensive.

FAVOURITE SONG: Motor City Is Burning, I Want You Right Now, Kick Out The Jams, Rocket Reducer No.62 - Talk

RATING: 4 or 5/10

album listens #66 - celebrate - halo maud

 

pretty decent psych-pop. saw them live last night and they sounded really great but the album doesn't quite live up to it. lots of nice moments but as a whole doesn't do a lot for me D: . melody's echo chamber, stereolab and pom poko does this style so much better. still probably worth a listen though 

FAVOURITE SONG: Terres Infinies 

RATING: 4/10

album listens #65 - takanaka - masayoshi takanaka

 

amazing, perfect, incredible, unreal. maybe the best jazz fusion album i've ever heard. why didn't i know about this sooner. wow wow wow wow wow i love it so much.

FAVOURITE SONG: READY TO FLY, MAMBO NO.5 (DISCO DANGO), SWEET AGNES, SUMMER BREEZE.

RATING: 10/10

album listens #64 - altar sunn O))) + boris

 

big ol' wall of noise. felt nice in my ears sometimes, sometimes it didn't idk. hard to appreciate all the textures sometimes but i did try, and did enjoy at points, but a little too repetitive for my taste PERSONALLY. I would really like to get into more drone-y stuff like this but i fear it is too much for my small brain to comprehend

FAVOURITE SONG: Fried Eagle Mind, The Sinking Belle (Blue Sheep)

RATING: 4 or 5/10

album listens #63 - gongjoong doduk - mid-air thief

 

doesn't quite live up to crumbling but this album is still incredible. same level of production but slightly more fun than crumbling. songwriting still incredible the whole soundscape is still beautiful but just slightly lacking the beauty and scope that crumbling has. still 100% worth a listen though i loved it.

FAVOURITE SONG: Seismic

RATING: 8/10

album (RE)listens #62 - crumbling - mid-air thief

 

maybe the best production i've ever heard on any piece of music. this album is incredible, perfect, amazing all the way through. the instrumentation is lush and beautiful and swells perfectly and everything cuts through the mix perfectly, you can really hear it all at once. beautifully creative. the kind of album that reminds you how amazing music can be. so much love for this album. the vocals are soothing and i love all of the attention to detail with the synth sounds and also the plucks and bells in the background. it sounds almost lofi at points but still so crisp and satisfying. how did a human make this ?!?! everything works in perfect harmony with each other to create an experience of an album.

FAVOURITE SONG: Gameun Deut, Crumbling Together, Protector, No Answer, These Chains

RATING: 10/10

album listens #61 - embrace - embrace

 

cool ass 80s left wing angry punk.

FAVOURITE SONG: No More Pain

RATING: 6 or 7/10

album listens #60 - melting moment - poison girl friend

 

i feel like this has found me at the right time. just what i want to listen to right now. beautiful electronic music; the production really carries the whole thing. so pretty so nice i love.

FAVOURITE SONG: HARDLY EVER SMILE(without you)

RATING: 8 or 9/10

album listens #59 - strangers form the universe - thinking fellers union local 282

 

this album is so awesome. it's got this lofi, diy indie feel to the production and a real punk-y feel to some of the songs. the vocals are understated but in a cool way. the songs are cleverly written and stay interesting and mix the punkier aspects with some longer jam elements (never too long though, the longest songs are 6 mins, it keeps it compact) and even hints of psychedelia in there. incredibly creative and innovative how are these guys not bigger ?! one of the few albums, for me, where its understated nature really works well. feels like an experimentation where everything miraculously goes perfectly. ends with a really nice ballad, reminiscent of the velvet underground (in a good way, lots of boring bands have a similar sound to this and claim it's "like the velvet underground mannnnnn"). incredbile album i would highly recommend!!!

FAVOURITE SONG: Cup of Dreams, The Piston and the Shaft, Noble Experiment, Hundreds of Years, The Operation

RATING: 9 or 10/10

album listens #58 - know by heart - the american analog set

 

a very pleasant little indie album. a little slow in places but i like a lot of the ideas and the synth sounds are nice too.

FAVOURITE SONG: Gone to Earth

RATING: 5/10

album listens #57 - soup - bola

 

this shit makes me feel like i'm defusing a bomb in a 90s thriller movie

FAVOURITE SONG: Versivo

RATING: 5/10

album listens #56 - untitled unmastered. - kendrick lamar

 

he don't miss. feels super free form and loose so can definitely see why it never made it as a proper album but wow. the beats are sooo cool and obviously his lyrics are still perfect. i love the part where he's just jamming with his band and says "imagine my backing singers singing this part" and just writes a whole hook on the spot while laughing to himself. i wish he did jazzier beats like this. love.

FAVOURITE SONG: untitled 05 | 09.21.2014, untitled 03 | 05.28.2013, untitled 08 | 09.06.2014

RATING: 8/10

album listens #55 - this could be texas - english teacher

 

this album sounds so nice to my ears. i think english teacher have really grown into their own on this album and have found a sound that is amazing and suits them very well. i think the production is beautiful, the songwriting is interesting and somewhat weird and wonderful at times. an incredible debut album from an incredible band that, in my opinion, have a lot of promise. i love this album.

FAVOURITE SONG: This Could Be Texas, The Best Tears of Your Life, Mastermind Specialism, I'm Not Crying You're Crying, Nearly Daffodils, The World's Biggest Paving Slab

RATING: 9/10

album listens #54 - mad, bad and dangerous to know - dead or alive

 

criminally underrated 80s disco. has one of my favourite songs of all time on there. super corny but awesome. only not rating higher because i'll save you all my kisses is pretty dreadful.

FAVOURITE SONG: Something In My House

RATING: 7 or 8/10

album listens #53 - only god was above us - vampire weekend

 

vampire weekend always makes me feel nostalgic. similar to their last album, this album is very cute. i love the production it feels very power-pop-y at times. there's lots of moments on here that make me feel very nice and warm but i was slightly bored at other points on my first listen. i decided to give it another go and i definitely liked it more the second time, i think maybe it will grow more on me, but i still did really enjoy it. i like the mix of the singles, sounding more like the classic and catchy vampire weekend riffs and the more swinging songs and i think it works great when they come together. it's just very quaint and sincere and sweet and i like it the more i listen. 

FAVOURITE SONG: Prep-school Gangsters, Connect, The Surfer, Classical, Gen-X Cops.

RATING: 7/10

album listens #52 - men's needs, women's needs, whatever - the cribs

 

the better side of 2000s indie rock. 

FAVOURITE SONG: Be Safe, Ancient History, Our Bovine Public, Girls Like Mystery, I've Tried Everything

RATING: 7/10

album listens #51 - mccartney ii - paul mccartney

 

a collection of silly and nice songs.

FAVOURITE SONG: Temporary Secretary, One Of These Days

RATING: 6/10

album listens #50!!!! - iechyd da - bill ryder-jones

 

caught some of bill ryder-jones' set at work the other day and thought i'd give him a listen. heard a bit of buzz about this album and it's very pretty. he's got a lovely voice it's very soothing. a very pleasant album with nice production and strings etc. feels really personal. i love the atmosphere: pretty, warm and personal swaying ballads :)

FAVOURITE SONG: Thankfully For Anthony, Nothing To Be Done, A Bad Wind Blows In My Heart pt.3

RATING: 6/10

album listens #49 - after the gold rush - neil young

 

listened a long time ago but can't remember. this album is pure gold in music form. absolutely beautiful. incredible voice. just perfect in every way. so glad neil young is back on spotify. makes me feel a way i literally can't even describe. is also produced beautifully and it feels like a tape its so warm, love the way his voice stands at the front of the mix, it's out there but not quite jarring it fits just right. the songwriting is perfect, not a single bad moment. transcends words.

FAVOURITE SONG: Southern Man, I Believe in You, When You Dance I Can Really Love, Tell Me Why, Birds

RATING: 10/10

album listens #48 - changing light - ironsides

 

really cool. cool cool cool. love the string sections, feels kinda swing / waltz-y at points. this album just makes u sway back and forth, its super pretty. a great group of instrumental tracks that will make u feel super cool when ur walking down the street.

FAVOURITE SONG: Violet Vanished, Changing Light, Outlines

RATING: 7/10

album listens #47 - atliens - outkast

 

kinda feels like this album is entirely one song which i really like. the atmosphere is really cool in the production and the way they work the grooves into the dark feel of the album is really cool. the album cover matches the feel of the album. lots of great lyrics too, just an all round really cool album.

FAVOURITE SONG: 13th Floor/Growing Old, Babylon, Millennium, Mainstream, Wheelz of Steel, 

RATING: 8/10

album listens #46 - fishmonger - underscores

 

i love silly hyperpop and i love underscores.

FAVOURITE SONG: Kinko's field trip 2006, Bozo bozo bozo, Second hand embarrassment, Spoiled little brat

RATING: 8 or 9/10

album listens #45 - u.f.o.f - big thief

 

the weakest album i've heard by big thief standards but still really beautiful. 

FAVOURITE SONG: Cattails, Betsy, Terminal Paradise, UFOF

RATING: 7/10

album listens #44 - capacity - big thief

 

going through all the big thief albums now i've gotten green man tickets. this album is soooo beautiful. it's understated but works so well. honestly my favourite thing (apart from adrienne lenker of course) is the guitar tones. it's almost perfect but i still don't know if anything will beat dragon new warm mountain for me. i looooooooove this.

FAVOURITE SONG: Mythological Beauty

RATING: 9/10

album listens #43 - forth wanderers - forth wanderers

 

super cool indie with a lot of character ! awesome guitar tones and an incredible voice. very reminiscent of wednesday which i like.

FAVOURITE SONG: Ages Ago

RATING: 7/10

album listens #42 - flower of devotion - dehd

 

standard pretty indie rock which feels like it's been done... by a lot of artists before.

FAVOURITE SONG: Flying

RATING: 4/10

album listens #41 - ram - paul & linda mccartney

 

up there with some of the best beatles' and solo beatles works. makes me feel warm and happy, nothing over the top or too complex just really nicely written songs. can't say much about this album because i really do feel like it's more of a feeling than something to be analysed, which is very hard to do in music so i'll probably just leave it at that.

FAVOURITE SONGS: Too Many People, The Back Seat Of My Car, Eat At Home, Dear Boy

RATING: 9/10

album listens #40 - a little man and a house and the whole world window - cardiacs

 

another really really great work from cardiacs, i'm rlyyyy loving this band i'm very happy i have a lot to explore from them. this one is a little more dialed back in comparison to on land, i'm not sure if i prefer it or not though, i guess it's just a different kind of style. still though this band are so cool, i can't really even put in to words how it feels to listen to them so i probably just won't even try. i just absolutely love their sound, the way they write is so interesting. i love cardiacs and you should too.

FAVOURITE SONG: Is This The Life?, A Little Man And A House, Dive, Victory Egg,

RATING: 9/10

album listens #39 - on land and in the sea - cardiacs

 

cool and fun album. love the guitar work and the vocals. just never stops going at 100mph. it feels like every song switches up every 30 seconds, its all over the place! just so many creative ideas crammed into this album, its soooooooooooo cool listen to this rn.

FAVOURITE SONG: Fast Robert, The Stench of Honey, Two Bites of Cherry, Buds and Spawn, The Everso Closely Guarded Line

RATING: 9/10

album listens #38 - where's my utopia? - yard act

 

a real improvement on their first album, so much character and wit, yard act are actually super unique. so glad i came round to them i really don't know why i used to hate them so much but they're super cool, not arsed that they can be corny sometimes and their lyrics are just so creative. catchy hooks and poetic, yet also silly verses, doesn't take itself seriously and just feels like they really enjoy making music. not sure where they'll go after this though, as this sort of feels like they've stretched this sound to its end point, but a solid work from the band still. 

FAVOURITE SONGS: Blackpool Illuminations, Dream Job, A Vineyard For The North, When The Laughter Stops, The Undertow

RATING: 8/10

album (re?)listens #37 - pop 2 - charli xcx

 

i can't remember when i listened to this for the first time but i feel like it was this year? i don't know. either way it don't matter this mixtape is fucking incredible. so many ideas just crammed into it, so creative, so unique. wow. i don't think i can give it a perfect 10 cuz it is very all over the place but wow. i really just can't get over how creative it is. amazing production, features everything is really just perfect. amazing AMAZING! i'm going to listen to the other charli records i've definitely listened to before but i can't remember them properly and want to log them here. i'm pretty sure this one was early this year but i just cant remember and it was before i started writing this. cannot wait for the new album...

RATING: 9 SO CLOSE TO 10/10

FAVOURITE SONG: Delicious, Femmebot, Backseat, Track 10, Tears

album listens #36 - spiceworld - spice girls

 

i can't decide whether i like this more than the debut or not. i think spiceworld is so much more consistent all the way through, there were no songs that i'd skip, but i did like the high points on spice more. another amazingly crafted pop record with some really cool influences. it's more polished and more to the point than spice and i honestly can't see a bad moment on it. a really good improvement. SO FUN !

RATING: 8, maybe 9/10

FAVOURITE SONG: Denying, Never Give Up On The Good Times,

album listens #35 - 2020 - richard dawson

 

weird and kinda wonderful. songs are sprawling, rambling, in such a weird cadence and with a thick northern accent (it's a very british album (in a good way)). the riffs and the guitar work are really cool and there's so much creativity in it, it's most definitely unique. it feels very personal and anecdotal, there are lots of very strange and specific lyrics from his life. feels a little tedious by the end as there's not all that much variation, but i guess it's cohesive? enjoyed quite a lot !

RATING: 7/10

FAVOURITE SONG: Two Halves, Black Triangle, Civil Servant, Dead Dog in an Alleyway

album listens #34 - laurel hell - mitski

 

the pop-iest i've heard from mitski ! really fun and great, but also heart-wrenching at times with her delivery and lyrics, she really cannot go wrong. not my favourite of her albums but definitely still very great ! short, sweet and to the point.

FAVOURITE SONG: Should've Been Me

RATING: 7 or 8/10

album listens #33 - oil of every pearl's un-insides - sophie

 

after the first few songs i started to get worried that maybe i didn't get this album. it's talked about so much and hailed as one of the greatest works of pop music, so it was a little daunting to give this one a listen. after a few songs it really did make an impression on me. it's a great mix of experimental electronic and pop music and it's just such a creative album. i definitely need to give it another listen, because there's just so much to take in so maybe i don't fully understand it yet? but either way i enjoyed it a lot. the obvious standout is sophie's production it just sounds amazing and so cutting edge, with a great mix of harsh noise and more pretty electronics. there are some parts of this tho i don't feel like work together. some mixtures of sounds just sound a little thrown in at random as a song progresses when they don't feel like they have a place, which i noticed on the song Ponyboy. either way i feel like this is definitely a landmark album for experimental pop music and i have a lot of respect for it, such a shame that she never got to make another album because i would love to listen to more.

FAVOURITE SONG: Faceshopping

RATING: 7 or 8/10 (may change, going to listen again)

album listens #32 - grip your fist, i'm heaven bound - kingfisher

 

rly solid sad rock, very similar to bc,nr, love the trumpets and sax. cool songwriting. not a lot else to say just a very great sounded album, although i;m not that sure it connected with me all that much, which is ok! still deffo worth a listen :P

FAVOURITE SONG: Holy Hell, Snowing, all at once, Do You Think I'm Pretty

RATING: 6/10

album(EP) listens #31 - love is the key to the city - jockstrap

 

considering jockstrap have one of my favourite releases of all time, this can't help but feel underwhelming. it has its charms for sure, but it really does feel like a first attempt. lots of promise but not a lot of the ideas work? that being said its still georgia ellery and shes insanely talented so there are a lot of great moments on here, just not one i'd revisit that often personally.

FAVOURITE SONG: Wet

RATING:6/10

album listens #30 - dogs in the traffic - love & money

 

i honestly don't even know what genre this is? it's sort of folky sort of indie pop idk. super creative well written songs, feels a little empty at points though and i can't put my finger on why? i was expecting more of the vibe that the song winter has, which is an amazing and beautiful song, but the rest of the album is a completely different vibe. has a lot of really great moments though. reminds me a lot of dusk by the the, but with less character. overall a solid album but feels like its lacking something. i'm gonna give it another go and i'll update this review if my opinion changes!

FAVOURITE SONG: Winter

RATING: 6/10

album listens #29 - ignorance is bliss - skepta

 

rly cool grime album, looovve the production on here. the lyrics can be a little corny sometimes but occasionally they are funny, other than that they're really good. idk what it is but he just has a way of rapping that is super satisfying to listen to, like i just really like listening to his voice. the beats are really interesting in the way that they evolve and the storytelling is cool!

FAVOURITE SONG: No Sleep

RATING: 6/10

album listens #28 - spice - spice girls

 

a pop music masterpiece ! it's so catchy and groovy. there's even elements of old school hip hop and r & b in the production, with the way that the keys and drums sound. the production is really unique, but also sounds a little outdated, especially since it was only from 96, but for some reason that's why i like it. this album is great and fun, but there are a few tracks maybe i'd skip. the standouts make up for that tho in my opinion. the highs are high and the lows are.. well just okay. if this album left out mama, and like half of if u can't dance, it'd be perfect. anyway i think this album is reaaaaally great, i'm gonna move onto spiceworld next...

FAVOURITE SONG(s): Who Do You Think You Are, Say You'll Be There, Love Thing

RATING: 8/10

album listens #27 - if you’re feeling sinister - belle and sebastian

  i think i get belle and sebastian now. never heard a full release by them so decided to start with this one and loooooved it. the song writings weird and unique and very understated, songs don’t overstay and never build to anything more than is necessary. it’s compact and contained and super creative. can’t wait to listen to more !

FAVOURITE SONG: Judy and the Dream of Horses, If You’re Feeling Sinister

RATING 9/10

album listens #26 - it was hot, we stayed in the water - the microphones

 

a really beautiful, creative, avant-garde, lofi, folk album. feels very disjointed compared to their next album, but honestly i don't mind it all that much. this album is more sonically interesting than it's songwriting ability, i think this one will take me a little longer to get into; it's not an easy listen. there's lots of really melancholy and harsh moments on here, but not a lot that really stand out to me, it's sort of an experience that you have to sit through the whole thing. i really love the experimental nature of it and i would like to listen again to fully grasp the sound, but knowing how good the glow pt 2 is, it's hard to love this album as much! it's definitely an album i respect a lot for the experimentation. definitely worth a listen!

FAVOURITE SONG: The Pull, The Glow, Drums

RATING: 6 or 7/10

album listens #25 - asylum - cressida

 

really really solid 70s prog. really confused as to how this isn't a mainstream album ? it's as good as stuff by yes and early floyd. great instrumentals, production's great. the singing does sound very much like a stereotypical prog singer but it's not really doing anything wrong! my favourite aspect of prog is the winding structures of songs, with all the little riffs included in chord changes that make the songs so bouncy. a really great album just wish they had more! (but i think they only have one other). found this record in a record shop btw but didn't buy it, maybe i should go see if they still have it... 

FAVORITE SONG: Goodbye Post Office Tower Goodbye, Munich, Let Them Come When They Will

RATING: 6 or 7/10 

album listens #24 - self titled (1961) - art blakey & the jazz messengers

 

just some incredible jazz music. art blakey really is one of my favourite ever jazz musicians. not quite as crazy as his stuff on free for all, which is my personal favourite of his, this album has a song for all moods. upbeat, melancholy, happy, groovy. it's got it all. impulse!!!!! art blakey!!!!!!! jazz messengers!!!!! the highlights here really are the trumpet and piano playing in blakey's sextet. full of raw emotion you just cannot beat it!!!!

FAVOURITE SONG: Circus

RATING: 8 or 9/10

album listens #23 - strawberry jam - animal collective

 

i've never really heard an album that sounds like this. it's a lot of different, and very interesting sounding ideas all sort of mashed together, and it works? it's produced in a really interesting way and there are vocal hooks but nothing that's too catchy, the singer always makes sure it sounds slightly off but it really works. the soundscapes and the synth work are really cool. it's melancholy but also uplifiting? there's just so much going on here, i really can't get all of it from just one listen so i'm gonna have to listen a few more times i think. i love the blend of pop and rock and electronic music it all, as i say, is kind of mashed together but it all works. its loud and its outrageous and its experimental but its also kind of sweet behind the scenes. 

FAVOURITE SONG(s): Fireworks, Cuckoo Cuckoo, Chores

RATING: 8/10 (may change on next listen)

album listens #22 - lodger - david bowie

 

>by anyone else's standard this would be a great album, for bowie, it feels somewhat underwhelming. it is still a very solid album and it's hard not to compare this to bowie's other works but realistically it's kinda impossible not to. a lot of really weird moments on here that are really cool, and obviously a handful of "regular" bowie tracks that stand out from the weirder moments, that for me don't always land and feel a little disjointed, like he's trying to hard to force some of his influences into a track that can't really fit them in. that being said, it is still bowie and it's kind of hard for him to go wrong.

FAVOURITE SONG: D.J, Boys Keep Swinging, Fantastic Voyage

RATING: 6/10

album (RE)listens #21 - acabou chorare - novos baianos

 

one of the greatest albums ever. i don't need to explain just go listen to it. perfect brazillian bossa nova, pop rock. amazing. GO AND LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW.

FAVOURITE SONG(s): Preta Pretinha, Tinindo Trincando, Misterio de Planeta, Swing de Campo Grande

EVERY SINGLE ONE

RATING: 10/10

album (RE)listens #20 - tone soul evolution - the apples in stereo

 

see, now this is how u do a sunny indie pop album. absolutely nothing complex going on here. just warm guitar tones, a bunch of la la la's and ba ba ba's, a lofi garage feel, perfect! this album does that thing where it's just inexplicable at how it makes you enjoy it so much so you don't have to question it that much; i feel like i've been acquainted with this album my whole life. catchy choruses and riffs and all super simple, it does exactly what this genre is all about perfectly.

FAVOURITE SONG: Silver Chain, Seems So, You Said That Last Night

RATING: 9/10

album listens #19 - her wallpaper reverie - the apples in stereo

 

i love apples in stereo but i did not love this. it's kind of one note and i just really don't enjoy the beatles impression they're doing, it's not subtle at all. don't get me wrong it's pretty and has it's moments and there are a handful of interesting songs but it's very on the nose with the psychedelia themes. not for me personally but a few songs i may listen to again :)

FAVOURITE SONG: Benefits of Lying (With Your Friend)

RATING: 3/10

album listens #18 - 3+3 - the isley brothers

 

this album feels like what music is. it's perfect. pure feel good, rock-funk fusion. great songwriting. not a dull moment. so upbeat. just pure sunshine in an album. just amazing 

FAVOURITE SONG(s): That Lady, If You Were There, Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

RATING: 10/10

album listens #17 - histoire de melody nelson - serge gainsbourg

 

this album lives inside ur ear and whispers sweet nothings to you whilst an orchestra plays in the background. great guitar work mixed with the strings, it feels loose yet orchestrated, like a waltz. the way its mixed makes it seem sparse, with the vocals always being at the fore front and everything else taking a backseat, at points it feels like you are literally inside his mouth. however, when the instrumentation is allowed to take centre stage, the only word i have for it is cool. it swings and swishes about, sometimes it's jarring and sometimes it JAMS. cool.

FAVOURITE SONG: Ballade de Melody Nelson

RATING: 7/10

album listens #16 - never for ever - kate bush

 

a very solid pop album. this album feels more like it sets itself within the soundscape that it creates and obviously the star of the show here is kate's voice. some really cool and more experimental songs on here for a pop album, with some songs longer and sprawling, or at least feeling that way as this album is very short at only 37 mins long! the sounds are lush and beautiful and float around in your head, this album is romantic and very pretty

FAVOURITE SONG: The Wedding List

RATING: 7/10

album (RE)listens #15 - lp! / offline! - jpegmafia

 

ok i'm talking about this album even tho i've heard LP! lots of times and is potentially my favourite jpeg release. i've never really understood the difference between these two? i guess some of the songs are extended and more fleshed out ? anyway... i think peggy might be my favourite ever hip hop artist, rapper, producer, singer, he really has it all. sometimes it is a little off putting and disjointed but this album really rides the line of single material and experimental hip hop perfectly. what can i say about this man that hasnt already been said? he really is one of the greats. i'm just gonna group these albums together, i can never remember what the difference between tracks are and most of the versions are very similar but yeah anyway. everything flows so well, the songs are exactly how long they need to be he never stretches out a track so there are a lot of 1 min long experiments. i feel like i cant say much else about how good is he everyone knows it at this point. one of my fav artists ever so cool. 

(this review is so all over the place, im basically reviewing lp my bad but i cant keep track of which track is on which)

FAVOURITE SONG - 

LP!: REBOUND!, WHAT KIND OF RAPPIN IS THIS?, DIRTY!, OG!

OFFLINE!: DIKEMBE!, HAZARD DUTY PAY!, FLAME EMOJI!

RATING: EH IDK ITS HARD TO RANK TWO ALBUMS BUT LP! IS A 9 OR 10 

album listens #14 - keep it like a secret - built to spill

 

90S! FUZZY! GUITAR ALBUM! this album didn't blow me away but i think that's the point of it. the songwriting here is pretty, the guitars are warm and produced really well. there's a lack of other instruments here but they do make up for it with the tones they get out of all the guitar layers. i thought i heard a sax at one point but it was just a distorted guitar which i thought was cool. nice vocals, songwriting, nice sounds, very pleasant on the ears. 90s rock is almost always cool anyway so its a thumbs up from me.

FAVOURITE SONG: Time Trap

RATING: 7/10

album listens #13 - the pilgrim, their god and the king of my decrepit mountain - tapir!

 

a beautiful, pastoral, idyllic but melancholy folk album. wow. i feel like i'm wandering around the countryside, along a coastal scene, teetering on the edge of a cliff facing the sea. its rough around the edges but therein lies the charm and personality of the album. i had never even heard of this band before and i'm so glad i stumbled across them. the vocals are understated and timid but so personal. real folk vibes mixed with the vintage drum machine and warm synth sounds make the album sound like you're listening to it on a tape player which i love. the chord progressions are beautiful and the arrangements are pretty, this is really such a sweet and quaint album that has had a lot of passion put into it. i feel so much love inside me after hearing this album.

FAVOURITE SONG: My God, Gymnopédie, Eidolon, Mountain Song

RATING: 9 /10 (edit: i've been listening to this album none stop and i've decided it's a 10)

album listens #12 - wall of eyes - the smile

 

more new music! the smile's new album is equal parts experimental and beautiful. the main issue i had with the first album was the slower moments (not that they were bad but that they just belonged on a thom yorke solo project) and tom skinner was not being utilised fully in the jazzier aspects. i think that that is still the case to a certain extent on this album but their songwriting has definitely improved. i feel this album in my veins i dont know how else to describe it. two of the slower songs, the title track wall of eyes and i quit are the only two songs on this album i am not certain on, i definitely want to listen to this again and again tho. its fun at points and depressing at others, its mixed beautifully, although sometimes maybe yorke's vocals are a little loud, and the strings make the whole thing really pretty. it's romantic in a lot of ways too, the songs are sort of like wonky ballads with the weird time signatures. but yeah i think this albums really great i like it a lot. :P

FAVOURITE SONG: Teleharmonic

RATING: 8/10

album listens #11 - new last name - courting

 

new music from courting! i played the singles to this album absolutely to death, which in hindsight may not have been a good idea because it's sort of harder to listen to the album as a whole, but i love this album already. it's no where near as flashy and glitchy as their debut but, as they say themselves, its more genuine and pop influenced. i just get a really warm feeling when i listen to it, it's not technical or crazy its just very good written guitar music. i've seen a lot of people complaining about the autotune but personally i really like it, i think it adds sort of a weird character. the songs are so catchy and the guitar tones and the vocals are really satisfying (?). its a completely different vibe for courting but i really like the way that they're going. can't wait to see them live again on their tour and for them to play this new stuff live. very nice album !

FAVOURITE SONG(s): Emily G, Babys, Flex, The Hills, Throw, The Wedding

RATING: 8 or 9/10

album listens #10 - magical mystery tour - the beatles

 

this album reminded me of when i was younger and my parents had 1 on cd, the album with all the singles on it. i already knew most of the songs on here but for some reason have never listened to the album all the way through, i think it's great! it definitely is a singles album and the back half is infinitely stronger than the first, i wasn't crazy about the flying and man on the hill, though they are good songs. there are so many classics on here that i didn't even realise were on this album. blue jay way is one of those beatles songs that i'm surprised isn't more popular. every song on here is such a classic and obviously strawberry fields forever is just one of those songs that is beyond perfect, one of the best songs ever made. a good mix of songs on here, maybe doesn't do it for me in the same way that sgt peppers does, in the same way that amnesiac is to kid A, even though I actually prefer amnesiac in many ways! i feel similarly to this, the songs are sort of more unique though, on sgt peppers perhaps, which is not the case for kid a. anyway is the beatles reaching their peak and for that time its an incredible triumph and to this day a really great listen. relistening to a lot of the singles i've known for a long time was nice and gave me a little nostalgia, but also i got a lot of new meaning from the lyrics and the sounds that i don't remember hearing when i was younger.

FAVOURITE SONG: Strawberry Fields Forever (obviously)

RATING: 9/10

album listens #9 - apostrophe - frank zappa

 

this album is COOL and FUNNY and AWESOME. perhaps the most consistent of zappa's albums that i've listened to in terms of sound but this thing is all over the place. every song is silly but also jazzy and a little prog-y. he just has such an interesting way of writing music and i love how stupid it is and how much he leans into it. cool af album and i can't wait to listen to more zappa.

FAVOURITE SONG: Cosmik Debris, Uncle Remus, Excentrifugal Forz

RATING: 9/10

album listens #8 - master of reality - black sabbath

 

ehhhhh honestly i was kinda underwhelmed by this album :/. i've been really enjoying the old style, rock n roll, hair metal kinda vibe recently that i used to be into when i was 16 (more specifically i LOVE that AC/DC live album If You Want Blood You Got It, even tho i was never really into ac/dc) and i felt like this album was gonna satisfy the urge for some fun, maybe slightly corny rock n roll riffs that were lively and cool but this really wasn't it. i can see why people would like this album when it came out but listening back to it now it's sooooo underwhelming. the riffs are so basic and rigid, all with the same boring guitar tone and honestly most of the songs are just so uninteresting. there's a few moments that are fun in the middle of songs, mostly on bridges and such but on the whole i would probably never really listen to this one again. the more laid back songs on the acoustic are just  plain lifeless. everything on here just sounds so uninspired! boring. rock. !!!

FAVOURITE SONG: Children of the Grave

RATING: 2/10

album listens #7 - grown backwards - david byrne

 

this album is just so david byrne. it's so unique and so fun, i love the strings and the other odd instruments he adds and it's really cool to see him experiment a little after being in talking heads and you can tell that the sound is very personal to him. lyrics are witty and funny and the songs are funky and waltzy and sometimes even classical-esque. a very pleasant listening experience, maybe not as interesting or experimental as some of his stuff with the heads but i still enjoyed this one a lot. the closing track Lazy is crazy funky mixed with this orchestra and those really cool retro synth sounds?!? so amazing!! it's silly but not tongue in cheek; it's extremely sincere. definitely one i'll be listening to again :)

FAVOURITE SONGS: Lazy, Who, Dialog Box, Glass, Concrete & Stone, The Other Side of This Life

FIRST RATING: 9/10

album (RE)listens #6 - brave little abacus - just got back from discomfort we're alright

 

i remember loving this album but i really don't remember loving it this much. i think it'd be easy for someone to be put off this album, purely based on the vocals, and yeah sure i can see if you were on the fence about how u felt about it it would probably sway you. i'm really not normally a fan of them normally either, i feel like the whole shouty, midwest emo vocals are way over done, but brave little abacus just does it so perfectly. this album is so creative and i just love the lofi production (they recorded this album at home as apposed to their previous studio album). maybe i needed to pay more attention to the lyrics and i definitely will and maybe update this post when i relisten with that in mind, but the parts i remember are, for the same reason i love the csh album, just so personal. the songs are relatively basic in terms of chord progression but the where they are mixed just sounds so satisfying. i love the sound of loud, somewhat distorted guitars, there's something so soothing and also really emotional about the way they sound on this album; how do you do that with a guitar tone?!?!? you can tell adam demirjan the vocalist is just pouring every single fiber of his being into the lyrics it feels extremely cathartic and enjoyable to hear him just get everything off his chest as it fills this album. one of the things i love most about this album is also the amount of instruments that are crammed into it, it really refreshes the sound of generic guitar based midwest emo. this album is so great and emotional and bittersweet (as well being that it was their last album ever :0) and i can't recommend enough!

FAVOURITE SONG: (CAN'T CHOOSE) Pile! No Pile! Pile!, A Highway Got Paved Over My Future, I Drive It Getting To School, Aubade (Morning Love Song), Bug Infested Floorboards Can We Please Just Leave This Place Now

RATING: 10/10

album (RE)listens #5 - twin fantasy (face to face) - car seat headrest

 

honestly i don't know what the rhyme or reason to these posts are now but oh well. this one's kind of obvious if you know me (to the 0 ppl reading this) i've always loved car seat, but for me their best album has always been teens of denial. don't get me wrong i've always loved twin fantasy too but i guess i never got it properly i don't know. but yeah, after sitting down and reading the lyrics while listening to it it really is one of the greatest albums of all time. every lyric really just touches me and its so personal? will intertwines these crazy catchy, anthemic choruses with moments that are so unique and personal to him that surely no one can relate to him but it just works so well ?! the production on the 2018 version is far superior in my opinion, i can completely understand liking the lofi original version and i do respect it but its just not for me! i do tend to love lofi production (i love makeout videotape) and i get it does make it more personal etc but idk it just doesnt do it for me. this album is just the perfect mix of well written and personal lyrics i love this man, i just love how much of himself he puts into this album its so great. i guess its meant to be a breakup album but i find it to be just a whole story that's so intimate of one of will's relationship and then at some point it ends, but i guess it's also about his life at the time too. idk the writing is just so good i feel like im right there with him. this album deserves all the praise it gets, not overrated at all. parts of it are really heart wrenching and you really feel for him, it hurts in the best way possible. i love the themes of co dependency and there's just lots of little details and callbacks to previous songs about how the relationship starts to deteriorate man its just such a real album i don't know how else to put it ! but yeah aside from the songwriting the guitars sound great, it's loud and head bop-py but also has these long passages of story telling. yeah maybe i'll write a full review for this album at some point cuz i really can't say enough about how good it is !

FAVOURITE SONG: Famous Prophets (Stars)

RATING:10/10

album (RE)listens #4 - crash - charli xcx

 

i know i was only really going to do new listens, and yes i have listened to this album before but i only properly GOT IT this month. WOW! this is a perfect pop album. its everything id want from a pop album. its so fun, so catchy, AMAZING production, doesn't take itself too seriously but does what it does with full sincerity. perhaps not as experimental as some of charli's other works but that really doesn't bother me, for some reason i just love the way this album sounds. her songwriting is incredible, the hooks are perfect. this album is just so FUN. not a dull moment on here. really can't wait for her new album this year... the synths are LUSCIOUS. its simple and to the point but sometimes i think that's a good thing! wow i love this record so much! perfect ! pop ! music ! not every album has to be insanely deep and experimental to do what it intends to do well and that's exactly the case with this album. it just finds a way to dig itself into your brain, every song is so catchy and charli's vocals are just unreal! some great features from Caroline Polachek and Rina Sawayama on New Shapes and Beg For You too, they bring their own style to the song and sort of make it their own without taking away from charli's style, how is that possible?! anyway yes i love this album

FAVOURITE SONG: (CAN'T CHOOSE) Lightning, Used to Know Me, Crash, Twice

RATING: 10/10

album listens #3 - a.s.o - a.s.o

  this album was interesting. there's a lot of atmosphere on here but sometimes maybe it gets lost in that? like a few songs there's this really deep bass and driving drum beat but it indulges in that too much. however, there are quite a few songs that are really beautiful and have great harmonies. really cool electronic sounds all the way through, wouldn't even really know what genre to call it. trip hop maybe? vocals were also really nice when they're doing the harmonies (sounds a little like english teacher weirdly?) but then sometimes it can drag a little. overall a very pleasant listen though!

FAV SONG: Rain Down

RATIN: 4 or 5/10

album listens #2 - hejira - joni mitchell

 

wow. this album is the most beautiful thing i've heard in a long time. i don't think this is technically my first listen of this album but i don't remember the last time so i don't really count it. there's not a single moment on this album that i didn't have chills; that i didn't feel something deep inside me being moved; that i didn't feel my entire body feeling like it's being cleansed. the songwriting is simple (in terms of the instrumentals) but just so human, there's often not much more than joni's voice and an acoustic guitar, bass and drums, but she really shows that that's all you need. the guitars sound beautiful by themselves and the production is absolutely perfect. this is one of those albums where i'm just so surprised that it came from someone human. there's nothing crazy or over the top about this album it is just so sure of itself and doesn't need to show off; it simply just feels amazing to listen to which is why its kind of hard to analyse. i guess the only thing i haven't talked about is the lyrics and wow, joni really is a poet, it sounds at points like spoken word but her voice is just also so beautiful, she's sort of speak-singing i guess? but yeah anyway this is the best thing i've heard in a long time, this will for sure be on repeat for me for a long time. i love this album. i love joni mitchell. wow.

FAVOURITE SONG: A Strange Boy

RATING: 10/10

albums listens #1 - akuma no uta - boris

this is a new little thing i'm writing, honestly only to keep myself entertained. i'm gonna be keeping a little log of every album i listen to this year (not specfically albums that were released this year because i feel like i focused too much on that last year) just to keep an order of what i really enjoyed and what i didn't etc etc ! this is nowhere near the level of my other reviews but more just of like a topster style thing where i can just have a big old list, even if there's not much to say about them i'm still gonna put them here i think. anyway!!!! (lets see if i can keep it up)

first album i'm logging here is Akuma No Uta by Boris

i've literally just finished listening to this album and it honestly blew me away. its so fun and upbeat yet also really drone-y at points, i really thought i wasn't going to enjoy it after listening to introduction but the next song ibitsu totally hooked me. i couldn't stop listening and i'm about to listen to it all over again. the production is so cool because it does exactly what ur brain thinks is gonna happen to music when it goes to loud and just starts breaking but it sounds really authentic and kinda lo-fi? the album cover is a really funny nod to nick drake and i think this album is incredible from what i've heard so far. the bass is so boomy it rattles your brain but there's a lot of classic rock elements to this which make it sound like its ALMOST corny but it never quite reaches that level. then the long song in the middle naki kyoku has lots of improvised elements. very cool album wow ! EXPLOSIVE ! HEAVY ! LOUD !

RATING (AT TIME OF FIRST LISTEN): 9/10

FAVOURITE SONG: Ibitsu