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