Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Their Spotify description calls them "socially conscious noise rock" and I have a phobia of invertebrate parasites. I wasn't sure what to expect, to say the least of how I started out. Microshift opens with Negative Space, which builds from a highly programmatic intro (you can hear the krautrock influence immediately) to a clean, fairly soaring feel by the end of its near-seven-minute length. For the grittiness of the guitar tone, the vocal delivery, electronic accents and production all combine for a fairly clean, atmospheric number. In short, it builds. Mostly, reminds me of early (Suburbs) Arcade Fire, but with a little less catharsis. This music is very nice and if you like it, you should go back and work through the Canadian indie collectives of the Oughts (Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire).
That rare burger gave me hookworms :(
I had this whole snarky review in my head where I was going to name British rock bands that I love from this era, but it turns out this album is pretty solid. It can't hold a candle to LCD soundsystem, but it is still good. Unlike numerous other UK indie rock albums from 2000 to present day on this list, this album actually has some character. I guess you guys will have to wait until tomorrow when I get some no name white bread British band for me to write my snarky review. Low 4.
Een behoorlijk recente toevoeging en het komt meer dan eens voor dat ik er dan nog nooit van heb gehoord. De wiki weet amper iets te melden, niet eens een stijl. Hookworms is een 'rock' band blijkbaar. Als het eerste nummer instart, krijg ik eerder Daft Punk-achtige vibes. Op het moment dat de zang erbij komt, wordt het wel meer festival rocky. Maar dan wel artsy-fartsy als Arcade Fire. Ik was in eerste instantie wat skeptisch, misschien ook omdat ik net de Beach Boys moest luisteren, maar ik kan dit soort muziek een stuk beter hebben dan dat gedateerde gewauwel van wijlen Brian Wilson. Er zit veel elektronica om de rockmuziek heen, maar het vult aan in plaats van dat het stoort. Het tempo is lekker hoog, de muziek sfeervol. Het gaat vaak genoeg even lekker los. Voordat je begint aan een lijst als de 1001 hoop je veel bekende klassiekers te horen en een aantal verborgen parels, waarvan je blij bent dat je ze hebt leren kennen. Inmiddels weten we iets beter, dat er dus ook heel veel meuk tussen staat. Daarom word ik altijd wat terughoudender als ik een moderne plaat als dit zie staan. En dan is het eigenlijk des te leuker als je positief verrast wordt. Want ik vind dit hele fijne muziek.
good!
I have never heard of them before, but this was great
I had never heard of this band. I enjoyed the album! Great length - I think any longer and it might have gotten boring. Solid album, I'd say 3.5 - rounding up.
First time hearing this. It’s good!
Modern synthpop? I like this
Nice!
This list has so much old music that it’s easy to forget the effect of modern music production technology on the landscape of music. This band (which I’d never heard of) is able to create an exceptionally produced blend of prog, krautrock, and more modern indie.
I didn't like Boxing Day very much, but I liked the rest of the album. I love the spacey feel.
This is just a fun album
This kinda stuck in my brain, it hooked me and wormed its way in. Loved this album although I did not expect to at all
"Microshift" is the third studio album, the fourth long play album and the final album by British rock band Hookworms. Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock and drone rock had been their musical genres up to this album which saw them use more "electronic loops and glacial synths." The bandmembers included EO (guitars, backing vocals), JN (drums, percussion), JW (guitars), MB (bass, synthesizers) and MJ (vocals, keyboards, synths and producers). Commercially, the album reached #18 in the UK. Electronic beats, synth noises and robotic synth voices open "Negative Space." MJ enters with a tenor voice. An underlying synth melody and ringing guitars. Dance beats come in. This really reminds me of early 80's synth Ministry. A compelling song about the death of a close friend. The beat picks up in "Static Resistance." Muddled vocals and a similar guitar/synth melody. This song is much more driving and urgent rock. It would not be out of place on an LCD Soundsystem album. They go more with a bouncy beat in "Ullswater." A song that builds with a nice searing guitar solo. A song about a family illness. A synth drone from the previous song carries into "Opener." A beat changes that and into quite a nice pop song musically. The guitar cranks it up a bit. MJ going on about the inability of men to open up. The album closes with "Shortcomings." A heavy bass, normal drum and a post-punk sounding guitar. A vertical catchy chorus and overall song. Insecurity over one's onstage appearance. I had no idea what to expect going into this album so I was pleasantly surprised with a very good album. It's hard to pinpoint this band but they reminded me at times of LCD Soundsystem, early 80's Ministry, Postal Service, Stereolab and New Order...all good comps. Songs can be urgent and driving or more subdued. Mostly electronic beats and synth melodies but the guitars play an important part. Serious and adult lyrics discussing death, illness, ending of relationships and insecurities. It's too bad this was the last album for the band or maybe they never would have topped this. Regardless, it's an album worth a listen.
A good album, I liked Negative Space, Static Resistance and Shortcomings the most.
Another surprise for me, never heard of the band before, but loved it and will have this in my rotation for a while.
Okay, this is 100% my jam - I've never heard of this band before, and am extremely pleasantly surprised. Time to see if they have any other music and all about... oh. Maybe not. Album still bangs though.
Hadn’t heard them before. A new favorite!
3.75
Loved this. Will dig deeper.
True neo-psych here from a band that is consistent while evolving.
Never heard of Hookworms before so I didn't know what to expect I actually quite enjoyed this album! Sounded very similar to a lot of other indie/alt bands I listen to A good find! 4 ⭐️
Neo psychedelics rock that also has the right groove. Sometimes they step into rather dull catchy indie hooks territory, these worms. Without those I'd rate this great album even Higher.
This shouldn't be as interesting as it is
Really enjoyed the sound and was perfect background music but just didn't have any standout songs that I would say are classics.
Never heard of this band. I'd definitely listen to more as this was enjoyable.
Beautiful surprise.
Thought I would be skipping through this one but actually quite enjoyed it! It was catchy and despite there being several 5+ minute songs on it, it didn't drag at all. Weird choice for this list but a welcome one
I wasn't aware of the brief existence of this band, well apparently it wasn't very long. After hearing the first bleeps and bloops of the first song, I thought that we would have another incredibly dated record on our hands. However, I quickly realized that there was far more to this record and that it actually sounded modern. This is one of the newer additions to this list and I actually really like it. Microshift is a record to blends psychedelic shoegaze with a sort of hard old school synth vibe. It's an odd mix but works rather well and I quickly found myself boping along. I liked the drowned out vocals as well and I think it's definitely an album that I'll have to revisit to sniff out all the details. Ullswater was a particular highlight for me with it's hard synth drive. Overall, it may be a bit derivative as I was constantly reminded of other projects that had a similar vibe. Still a really decent addition on here.
I had never heard of this band, but I quite enjoyed the music. Yikes on the description on Wikipedia, but will SAFA.
Really interesting
Refreshing album that I know will grow on me with more listens
was scared at first but then i realized theyre gunnin for a neu!/stereab sorta vibe
Well I’m hooked
Rätt bra!
What a pleasant surprise! I wasn't aware that this band existed, wonderful mix of indie and electronic music without sounding like a 2010's cliché.
72/100. Microshift by Hookworms is a good record with a strong first half. The blend of krautrock, psychedelic, and pop elements is fantastically produced and works really well. However, the second half feels unfinished and somewhat messy in terms of mixing. A track like "Boxing Day" left me confused by the end, almost disrupting the flow of the album.
Frénétique, aérien, traitement des voix: distantes, presque noyées dans l’ensemble, présence de cuivres. L’écoute m’a stimulée et intéressée.
4/5
This album has an awful opening riff. I thought for sure it was going to be a struggle to get through the album. Happily, it switched up after about 90 seconds, and the rest of the album was enjoyable and interesting. The music is multi-layered, has energy. Unfortunately the band is no more, due to alleged abusive behavior by the lead singer. I had never heard of them before today and now there is no future for them. But I am happy to know this album.
Yooo this album is really good. Bit mad they’re from Leeds and I’ve never heard them. Looks like they didn’t blow up massive but still. Love the heavier indie rock sensibilities mixed with the electronica/computer esq beeps and boops. Very cool album. I enjoy 💻
Actually really enjoyed it. Might listen again. It's also not some landmark album you need to hear before you die, it feels too young for this list. It wouldn't surprise me if it is removed in new versions of the book.
Didn't know about Hookworms before this. A lot of synths used around. I liked it. If you don't consider the lyrics, the tracks seem to merge together.
Never heard of this one. Fun!
I wasn't sure what to expect here, never heard of this band and never even thought it would be something this book would have included, even more seeing that one of the members eventually went on to be on Yard Act, one of the more "okay" bands of the past few years. So, color me surprised when this album was instead a really cool psychedelic album that's clearly inspired by bands like Animal Collective and Stereolab but manages to give it its own twist. The synth work and instrumentals here are so lush and wonderfully arranged but still grounded with driving bass and drums which makes the music feel as energetic as it is nicely composed. It's always albums like this that reminds me the thrill of listening to new obscure music, you never know what you're gonna get or hear but if it's good it's always gratifying
Great.
Tentative 4 stars because i did enjoy some of the music but a lot of it was pretty generic especially for this time period when everything sounded similar to this.
Initially I was pretty meh on this one, but as it has played out it really has grown on me. The singer reminds me of Styx and the instrumentals at times recall of some brighter indie Lotus songs. I'd say this isn't something I loved, but I grew to enjoy and could see myself coming back to again for a summer drive. Solid 4 / 5
I really liked the background synthy jaunts that were going on in that whole. I am surprised that this band didn't catch on more with how groovy this whole album sounded...unless all of their other albums suck, then that would make sense.
This album is wild. So many sounds happening, in a good way. Really digging it. The Soft Season reminds me of Animal Collective. This was a weird but fun one. Pretty different than what I've heard which I appreciate. Will probably try to dig into these guys a bit more.
really good indie rock/noise rock album. 4.5 in my book, will listen some more.
GOSTEI, VOU OUVIR MAIS!
I enjoyed their indie sound.
I was dreading this album after the first couple minutes of the opening track, but I ended up really enjoying it! Some progressive stuff mixed with more standard indie fare, it checked more than one box for me. Not sure if I'll dig into this artist more, but I enjoyed this album. Notable Tracks: - Negative Space - starts off weird but picks up midway and gets real catchy - Ullswater - Opener - to have this song mid-album, the hypocrisy! - Shortcomings 7/10
I actually really enjoyed this album. It felt uplifting and like life altering in a way… It felt like I was flying and like just beautiful.
Like Spiritualized....but 20x better? I'm getting a little hint of Flaming Lips with better singing and more direct melodies. Like everyone else, I'd never heard of this band (and after perusing their brief history never will again, alas...yeesh...) but swirling melodic keyboard-laden tunes is something I'm definitely into. Album loses a bit of momentum near the end (esp. "Boxing Day" which might be the only skippable song) but I'll definitely listen to this again. 7/10 4 stars
i liked this way more than i expected
The actual album was good. Finding out about the band was not. 7/10
Not sure why it's here. But i love the sound. Opener is nice, everything is nice. This one can be on repeat and i would not mind.
Great album. Reminds me of something but couldn't put my finger on it
Hidden gem
ei tarpeeksi klariteettia ja työntääkseen albumi kokonaisena muottiin.. Matoja siellä täällä ei ole microshiftejä.. vaan macroshiftejä ei saisi sellaisia olla vaan koheesio.. ei tartte olla surkea albumi kuten the darkside of the moon missä kaikki kappaleet ovat sama kappale ja soitatnta useaan kertaan.. mutta jos järki päähän kuiteskin...
I did enjoy this one. It was a bit flat at times though. Not sure why it’s on this list.
While the sound of mid-2010s indie rock/pop was done to death, and rightfully gets shit on from time to time, I'll give credit where credit is due when I believe it was done well - and IMO this album is one of those times. The electronic elements also give me Beach House vibes which I am absolutely here for.
Neat
Actually I kinda liked it. I think I need to give it another listen to fully grok it.
Microshift is a baffling crossbreed between that public radio late 2010's indie pop sound (wonder why) and heavy Stereolab influence in both choice of warm, analog synths and an eternal debt to krautrock and weird library music instrumentation. as both a product of their time and still firmly driven by bands like The American Analog Set and Broadcast, Hookworms intrigue me to no end. i had no idea this combination would even work -- like cheddar cheese and apple pie. aside from the somewhat grating "Boxing Day", i don't think there's a single skip on this thing. a delight, and one that i argue deserves to be on the 1001 Albums list more so than three solo Moz records. still, nothing good can stay. ever. nothing good ever happens and if it does, ohohoho buddy, hold onto your shittin pants, cause you're about to learn a valuable life lesson.
Never heard of these guys before, but this was a decent little album.
Modern krautrock. Love it!
This is an odd choice to have on this list. I've read before that the list tries to include bands & albums that were not hits, but they felt were very strong songwriting showings. This is likely one of those as I've never heard of this band or album. I really like the first four songs and the general flow of the album up until this point. It's ambient in a way that I enjoy. "The Soft Season" has very Bon Iver inspired sounds. The 'noise' with soft trumpets and other similar instruments in the background. I love Bon Iver so that sound is really doing it for me. I really like that the songs flow into one another so well. It reminds me a little of the M83 album "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming" in that way. "Each Time We Pass" wasn't as great for me and I didn't love the wailing noises on "Boxing Day". "Shortcomings" is a good ending to the album. This album wasn't too long and had some really good sections. It dropped off a little on songs five, six , seven and eight, but then came in strong again at the end. 7/10
Brian Eno meets the strokes
Look, I love albums like this. Psychedelic music is one of my favourite genres and I like this album when I'm in a specific environment and headspace and after a specific vibe so yeah I'll be saving it for future plays. That being said, was it a masterpiece of motifs, bass lines, lyrics or production? No. There were definitely aspects to the tracks that I loved e.g. I have no idea wtf kind of instrument or effect was used at the start of Negative Space, it gives me a "someone flicking a rubber band against a metal bucket but make it reverb", but I did like it. I also enjoyed the bubble effect in The Soft Season but that song in general made me feel like Hookworm ripped off Sigur Rós so I have mixed feelings. The transition between Boxing Day and Reunion threw me off entirely and Shortcomings felt like a bit of a cliche song to end the album with lyrics wise. Overall probs a 4/5, was tossing up between a 3 but I genuinely did enjoy most of this.
Quite enjoyed this one, nice to listen to a modern album on the list that has a fresh sound. The singer's voice really reminds me of someone else though, and I can't figure out who. The album has some very interesting electronic instrumentation, and while it is a bit repetitive, it's a soundscape that I enjoy. It was a nice album to let wash over me, as different layers are added and removed. Seems like a pretty natural progression from stuff like Animal Collective and LCD Soundsystem in the 2000s.
Better than I expected. Some nice builds and sustains
I'm pleasantly surprised by this, it has some energy and sounds unique enough to merit 4 stars. Especially considering that by this point feels like everything has been already done. As a whole album it's pretty consistent without becoming boring.
like the strokes but less interesting overall. pretty good but not really elite like mr casablancas
Wasn't sure what to expect once the first song started with all sorts of old school electric rhythm sounds only for it to transition into a very Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, !!!, MGMT mix of early 2000's indie dance punk. There's a certain nostalgia I got from this record This is my first experience with this band but I'll likely be digging into the rest of their catalog in the future. Check out "Static Resistance", "Opener" and "Each Time We Pass" 4/5
Music was pretty neat. I like this kind of rock. Do not look the band up if you can't separate the art from the artist.
Decent and different.
Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock, drone rock. Muy chulo. Un poco Claps your hands and say heah, pero con más guitarra.
A mix of neo-psychedelia (whatever that is), space rock, noise rock, and drone rock - think OMS meets Joy Division meets Kraftwerk meets Snow Patrol. I quite liked it, especially "Opener".
I fucking love phych-rock
Beautiful layers and textures
Took me by surprise. Didn't know them/it and really enjoyed it. Shades of LCD Soundsystem and Tame Impala with a rock twist. Into the library it goes!
Nobody has heard of this band. Who knows why they're on this list. It's a decent album. Off brand Hot Chip. But not list worthy.
Never heard of them before. I like the multilayered music, some nice sound pads there. Each track is quite unique, in pace, volume and vocal delivery. Will likely return for a re-listen.
#50 - I quite enjoyed this, I think the album is extremely well produced. I'd like to come back to it and pay more attention to the lyrics. Reminded me a bit of Hot Chip.
Hookworms is an album with consistent vibes. The feelings, colors, and moods persist throughout the recording, making it feel as a solid entity. If it was not a straight A, it is a great experience.
never heard of them before and despite the awful band name and album title, I really enjoyed this! Sort of surreal, sort of ambient, sort of rock adds up to a mellow and interesting album. Easy on the ears without being boring.
That was pretty cool. Inhaber missed the record when it came out and i really liked it after the first songs. Good work!
Indie rock. A lot of nice tunes here. I enjoyed it.
This was a pleasant surprise! In the first few seconds I was worried I was in for a long album, but it flew by in a good way. 4/5
don't you just hate it when you find music that is a real breath of fresh air, but then the band members just have to turn out to be complete shitheads?
Groovy confluence of indie, electronic, and ambient. Reminded me a lot of some of the midi electronic indie of the 2000s in a good way. Also, the transitions on this album are pretty stellar, very atmospheric.
There's a lot of interesting elements going on here. I think it's a really good synthesis of a lot of bands that came before them in the late 2000's to early 2010's. I can hear some Foster the People, The Strokes, Passion Pit, Two Door Cinema Club and others in this. I think while this is a really good stamp on what a lot of music coming out around that time sounded like, I don't know if there's anything revolutionary in this. I think an album like this can go so far rating wise despite how much I enjoyed it.
I walked into this album assuming I’d hate it based on the description. Modern psychedelic indie rock is very much not my jam, traditionally. But, strangely, synthy space age indie rock very much is my jam! It has a handful of casual hiccups, don’t get me wrong. It can sometimes be a bit too sparse, like “The Soft Season” or “Each Time We Pass” And sometimes it doesn’t tie up neatly enough, like “Boxing Day.” Overall, Side B is a much weaker offering than Side A, as that side has a lot more stop-start energy, but I think to say o prefer one over the other is also splitting hairs when overall, I liked it all. It’s a stronger listen front-to-back than it is with each track heard on their own, sure, but this isn’t an album I’d normally listen to track-by-track. It works as a single-sitting flowstate album, which fits with its vision and themes. I don’t know if it’s the most essential album of the last 10 years, but I’m really glad this challenge brought it to my attention. It’s a very solid modern take on this sound, and I think it’ll age like fine wine over the next decade.
I had never heard this one before. Enjoyable throughout.
I liked this.. more experimental than I expected
"Microshift" by Hookworms is an exhilarating ride through a rich, sonic landscape that marks a notable evolution for the band. Released in 2018, this album sees the band moving away from their noise-rock roots towards a more polished, electronic-infused sound, without losing the raw energy and intensity that defines their music. Tracks like "Negative Space" and "Ullswater" stand out with their propulsive beats and immersive synth layers, creating an atmosphere that's both expansive and intimate. The lyrics, often exploring themes of personal and societal upheaval, are delivered with a fervor that resonates deeply, adding emotional weight to the swirling instrumentals. The production on "Microshift" is meticulous, each track carefully crafted to build and release tension in a way that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish. The band's ability to blend electronic elements with their traditional rock foundation results in a sound that's refreshingly innovative yet familiar. While some might miss the rawer edge of their earlier work, the shift in style showcases Hookworms' versatility and willingness to experiment. "Microshift" is a compelling album that demonstrates significant growth and creativity, earning it a well-deserved 4 out of 5.
(Track 1) hey they got the mainspring from Clock Cleaners (the Mickey Mouse cartoon from 1937) to sing on this track Settles into a more abstract place about halfway through, but I was pretty psyched by this album. Whenever I get a slice of 21st century psychedelia, my brain automatically sizes it up to MGMT, but the parallels to Neu! & Jason Pierce from the Guardian review are equally relevant. HL: \"Negative Space\", \"Static Resistance\", \"Ullswater\", \"Opener\", \"Each Time We Pass\" May 10, 2024
This album goes.
Negative Space:10/10 ThIs Is A BOP!!!!!🔥🔥 Static Resistance:14.5/10 ABSOLUTE BOOOOOOPPPP!!!!!!!!! Ullswater: 16/10 BANGER RIFF AAAAND TIME SIGNATURE!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Soft Season:4.7/10 Just ambiance and vocals....no drums???? Opener:18.8/10 Very mellow track.This should be the Opener to the Album. Each Time We Pass:13.7/10 Can definitely vibe to this. Boxing Day:8/10 W TRANSITION🔥🔥🔥 This sound so weird... Reunion:20.5/10 This is the best song on the album the band. Shortcomings:20/10 THIS IS A VIBE!!!!!!!!
Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock, drone rock. Muy chulo. Un poco Claps your hands and say heah, pero con más guitarra.
I remember hearing Static Resistance on the radio for the first time in the car, and really enjoying it, then getting onto the album. Listened to it a lot for a few weeks, and then totally forgot about it. Anyway, I was extremely pleased to have it back in my life. I listened to it running, and it is about as good a running album as you can get. Really well paced, very propulsive and just generally very good indeed.
I have read the reviews before listening to this album... it was foolish. This album wasn't that bad. I actually liked most of these songs. Nothing special, but it wasn't as bad as I have expected it to be. Worth giving it a try
Pleasantly surprised!
I enjoyed the flow from one track to the next. Sure, the albums inclusion is a little weird, but the fact I came away wanting to listen to some of this again isn't just the result of some lame marketing stunt, there's plenty of musicians I've become more opposed to as a result of this experience.
I thought this was great and am glad I was introduced to it. Listened through twice and will go back to it in future.
at first i didnt think much of this, but i had spotify on repeat and after three listens i really like it. Maybe its just Stockholm syndrome, but maybe this is just a really unique band with a really fresh sound?
This was unbelievably cool
Really, really dug this album. It's like Devo had a baby with Tame Impala. Gimme.
A new-ish album I've actually heard! Not sure if anything quite matches the cynical energy of the first track, but they've got a unique sound and the tunes are there.
Yeah I’d never heard of this band either and I’m not in love with all the unknown Britpicks on this list. This one though I feel is a legitimately good indie album with energy, creativity and variety. I enjoyed the first three tracks in particular with Ullswater being my favorite
It's good to hear a recent album that has substance, a great sound and songs and is a pleasure to listen to. I don't know whether it will stand up against time but it's one of the best post 2000 albums in this project so far.
Great album, not quite sure why on the list but thoroughly enjoyed either way
Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock, drone rock. Muy chulo. Un poco Claps your hands and say heah, pero con más guitarra.
It’s fun and weird, but very early 2010s. Not great, but I liked it too much for a 3
Another good-not-great UK album is selected by an English editor. I listened and enjoyed but it's hard to see this approaching 'essential.'
honestly i kind of liked this i didnt save every song and some of the influences (such as tame impala) were very obvious but i reaaaaallly liked a few tracks. the opening track negative space felt as if it was underwater it was something i really liked however the next song was almost exactly the same so i was like meh idk the soft season and opener together worked really well, the first is probably my fav song from this album instrumental track reunion was really good and shortcomings had some very fun instrumentation i felt like i could listen to on a car ride home overall not as bad as i thought it was gonna be + unrelated but the album cover is rlly pretty :-)
Niet wat ik had verwacht! Het is veel futuristischer en niet een recht toe recht aan rock album, ik ben best wel positief verrast! Vooral de langere nummers vind ik heel vet met Ullswater en Opener die echt een soort reis zijn als het ware. Daar staat een hoop standaard rock tegenover, maar de meer psychedelische nummers zijn heel erg vet! ] FAVO: Ullswater, Opener, Shortcomings
nära en femma. det här är bra
i had never heard of this before. its great!
I really enjoyed this album but I'm not sure it is one to listen to before I die although I obviously have
Firstly, Hookworms is a terrible band name. From one angle it grosses you out, from the other it's only a very mildly amusing pun. Anyway, reading the reviews I thought this wasn't going to be very good, but there was loads to enjoy! Driving beats and, true to their name, lots of nice electro hooks. Sorry Americans, there may well be too much British stuff on this list, but I think this deserved a place.
Awesome. 4.3
Nice sound
Much better than I thought. Listened to this all the way through. Reminded me of Phoenix in a good way. Def would revisit this
This album got less weird as it went, until I actually started to like it. The spaces between songs sometimes sounded awkward or abrupt. More mellow than I’d expect an EDM album to be.
I have a lot of predjudice towards newer rock artists due to it including some of the most uninspiring music out there. But this is awesome — a nice blend of noise, groove, catchy pop and krautrock. I didn´t think that was possible, but here we are.
Surprisingly good.
What can I say I’m a sucker for 2010s indie rock and this one was no exception. Sometimes it felt like part of the social network score and sometimes it had a more mgmt vibe and sometimes it just had weird production choices. But I liked it pretty much all of the time I listened to it and especially enjoyed negative space opener and shortcomings.
On hyvä! 4/5
Trippy and fun soundscapes here. I’ve heard *of* these guys but never *heard* these guys. Some fun stuff throughout for sure. Almost like Porcupine Tree lite at moments.
Très intéressant et innovante. Super pour monter l'esprit. Bon chaussant pour faire le footing
Jamais entendu parler de ce groupe ! Très sceptique en écoutant le début de la 1ere chanson de l'album, je me demandais bien ce que j'allais écouter. Mais finalement bonne surprise, des morceaux pas mal.
Love this album! I used to listen to this quite a bit a couple years ago. Really good musicality and unique style. The urgency of "Boxing Day" and the way it cuts off abruptly is an interesting choice. 4/5
I really liked this Gave me lots of vibes from bands like tame impala, arcade fire, band of horses and really enjoyed listening to it 3.5-4
Actually really liked this for working
Surprisingly refreshing and creative. I enjoyed the electronic grooves and sounds of the album.
Really fun record. Not something I’m likely to come back to but really enjoyed it
this was odd but i loved it. four stars only because i’m unsure of how likely i am to return to it frequently. but it was great.
beep boop
One more band I've never new anything about before. Enjoyed the album. Kraftwerk-esque intro was nice.
first listen feels super indie for a psych record
Not too shabby. I thought it was going to be avant garde at first but it wasn’t - 8/10
Pretty good! Fun to have a modern one. Reminded me of that childish gambino album with the all white album cover, which I really liked initially but the novelty kind of wore off on multiple listens. 7/10
Nothing super crazy or special here, but I enjoyed listening 7.5/10
I really liked this album. I’ve seen some criticism because who the hell are these guys and why are they included in the 1001 albums to hear before you die? But I came to this site to be turned on to new music. So while I agree it’s odd to have this album on here I still enjoyed it.
It sounded like a mix of Tame Impala and new order. Really liked it but wish some minutes were trimmed off the tracks. It became a bit laborious waiting for tracks to end. Rating: 3.7
Negative Space - 4 Static Resistance - 3 Ullswater - 4 The Soft Season - 3 Opener - 4 Each Time We Pass - 4 Boxing Day - 3 Reunión - 3 Shortcomings - 3
Pretty solid psychedelic synthrock album. Vocals were pretty great and the part in the middle were they dropped out and the instrumentals got to take over for a solid section was really nice. Some of the early tracks were a bit boring and forgettable though, containing just boring rock chords and floaty vocals. The space Tron sounding stuff was the better parts of the album. Seems like a band that would be a lot of fun live.
My favorite album I've listend to so far
Never heard this before, bit like Arcade Fire. Liked it a lot.
I had to give this a few goes. I was surprised if never heard of it. It seems like a bit of an obscure choice for this list. It was enjoyable to listen to, but I don't know if I'd go back to it. I liked the subsequent suggested tracks that listening to this on Spotify generated, too. 3.5 stars.
Every time I've tried to listen to this album I've been interrupted about halfway through. Today I've finally listened all the way! It's an interesting one, for all the reasons why I shouldn't like it, I did enjoy it. Good vibes.
Really fun
Although it gets a little too derivative of bands like Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem or Flaming Lips with a hint of Krautrock, this record is a LOT of fun. The way it plays with time signature changes on tracks like Ullswater keep your ear invested in a 7-minute long track. I wish more longer tracks would take this approach. If you had asked me to name the year this album came out, I'd say no later than 2010. It feels like a lost millennial gem, and that's not a bad thing. That said, this sound had its day in the sun, and I'm okay not having too many more out there.
At first it sucked, but then there are some good tracks here. I usually hate this kind of music.
за синты ставлю жирные 3 сразу. Еще балл добавляю за общие аранжировки и тягучесть переходящего звука
Just odd and weird enough to make it interesting but not pretentious, keeping the runtime short makes it more digestible too. Lots of variety on this album, my only gripe is the vocals are a little muted at times. I found Shortcomings and Static Resistance (gives some U2 energy) were up my alley.
Was pleasantly surprised by this one! Really great sounds and rhythms and energy. I knocked a star off because it all gets kind of “samey” by the end
Fun, electronic
Enjoyed this record quite a bit. Some of it reminded me of something that would result from crossing Public Image Limited with Pink Floyd.
Listened to this while playing Return to Dark Tower solo. I finally won! I really enjoyed this album. It didn't really feel like there was anything new happening here...but it was still an enjoyable, occasionally dance-y album with a solid progression. Nothing earth shatteringly inventive, but I would still listen to this with friends.
Pleasant & upbeat Indie rock. Made for good background music while I worked. 3.5 stars.
LOVED THIS. Sounds like Animal Collective with the bass from Kid A.
Really liked it, and likely will continue listening. Has a fun alternative rock / electronic mix.
I’ve never heard of the Hookworms but I listened from front to back and really fucking love it. Giving LCD, Arcade Fire. Added to my playlist for sheeze
1. Negative Space - interesting choice for the sound, very electronic or something, intro goes a little long for my liking. I appreciate the build-up but probably could got there quicker. don't mind the lyrics and it's actually kind of a bop. 2. Static Resistance - this one is also quite boppy, i like it. 3. Ullswater - I really like the sound of this one too, reading what it's about (his father's alzheimers) is also super interesting to me and the lyrics def reflect that and it's actually heartbreaking. 4. The Soft Season - interesting sound (crackling and splashing), i didn't mind this one, liked the others better 5. Opener - again the intro went for a little long for me and not a pleasant sound, it built up and I liked the sound of it mostly, but a little too long. 6. Each Time We Pass - sounds like birds chirping in the background, which I don't love. 7. Boxing Day - this one is a really interesting sound, it's a little experimental with that sound that shows up in the song, it's not that pleasant for me, well...that ended abruptly. 8. Reunion - an instrumental, it was ok since it was only one in the whole album and makes sense after the 'loudness' of the previous song, but not a fan of instrumentals. 9. Shortcomings - i like the sound of this one, it's a bop. Overall, I really like the sound of this band and the songs imo are pretty unique and i like their lyrics and music. I don't really get the track lengths, some are super long and then some are like 2 mins, would have liked some consistency, but surprisingly one of my favourites was the Ullswater which went for about 7 mins. I also really like the writing style and the stuff they are writing about is really interesting and not as talked about in music, so that's interesting. looking into it apparently the band split up because MJ had allegations of abuse...that's very disappointing.
Verygood
This was a cool discovery. Seems a bit inspired by KGATLW, tame Impala and the like, while at some times sounding like a source of inspiration for butterfly 3000 by KGATLW
Never heard of this band but wow! I really enjoyed the electro power pop on here. Yes the first 90 seconds of each song drags and sounds like laptop bleep-bloop music but then you get some real emotive, melodic synth rockers. Nice surprise album for me.
This band is entirely new to me. Pleasantly surprised.
Je ne connaissais pas du tout, j'ai bien aimé (revue très utile mais la flemme d'argumenter plus avant)
J'ai plutôt bien aimé. J'ai oublié d'écrire ma note après l'avoir écouté donc je ne me souviens pas de plus de choses pertinentes à dire, mais c'était globalement pas mal.
The first song, "Negative Space", gave me an impression that I wasn't going to like this album, but it's actually interesting. Ullswater reminds me a bit of some 80s and 90s alternative.
Its the electronic driving vibe that's a little dark and ambient that really works for me. Enjoyed.
Pretty funky, actually
The music was excellent. The singing was a bit too 2010's for me. But still, well done Hookworms.
Strong 3 to light 4
I really enjoyed this one. It's got a good energy and it's a well-crafted album. I don't know that it's anything exceptional, necessarily, but it was a good time. That band name, though. Hard pass.
was pretty good
Cool plaatje. Volgens mij door Arie ooit aangeraden.
Heel creatief en divers album. Boeiende band, en live ook heel goed!
Really enjoyed this one. Never heard of the band but I'll be listening to their other stuff now.
Really enjoyed this one quite a bit. Pretty cool, full sound, especially in the instrumentation. Albums like this tend to sound the same from track to track, but that certainly is not the case here. Favorite track: Opener
Didn't know this before but really enjoy it
Enjoyed this a lot from start to end
In a time where songs have become more important than albums, I'm happy to have listened to an album again. I was aware of the singles Static Resistance and Negative Space that have been played on my alternative radio stations, but for some reason never got to listen to the entire album. And it really didn't disappoint, the album is listening to a heavy trip.
Sounds like Weezer doing a King Gizzard album. Ironically enough, neither of those artists are on this list. 7/10
Never heard of them. Enjoyed it though.
Thought this was very good
Plodded along, this kind of generic electro indie always scratches an itch for me
This reminded me of late sixties, early seventies electronic music in some ways, when synthesizers were a new toy. I liked that. Overall it was an interesting listen. 4
This was fine...it was fine... My interest was piqued at first and then I got kind of bored. Then the second listen was better, but still not thrilling for me. With the third run-through, it landed in the "it's tolerable" to the "I like it" range.
Really enjoyed this, shame about the lead singer being a rotter
This was an enjoyable neo-psychedelic/electronic album. The music has strong influences from early 2000s British alternative and sounds like a British version of Phoenix, a French band who also infused indie/alternative rock with electronic influences. However, this album doesn’t seem to be breaking new ground though its pacing, flow, and production are perfect.
I do like some good distortion and feedback every now and then. The earlier Hookworms releases were noise rock that showed its influences on its sleeves. Microshift adds pop and synth elements and it all works. Ironically, the synths tempers some of the harsher Krautrock elements. Boxing Day and Static Resistance are highlights.
Pretty cool album, a decent listen and one which I would revisit
Me on my way to look up a band I really enjoyed only to find they broke up due to sexual assault allegations :D
Positief verrast. Alhoewel psychedelische invloeden niet zozeer een plus zijn voor mij, vind ik dat ze het in dit album op een creatieve manier hebben gebruikt, en zo zitten er dan ook wat aardige nummers tussen.
Beetje MGMT achtig, maar beetje zweverig en traag
like it
Drone rock. Wow another genre moniker that fits perfectly. This is hard driving good beats by a band that I never heard of. They must have liked Kraftwerk back in the day. I didn't get time to discover too much of the lyrics but I did check out lyrics to Negative Space; they deal with emotions and hallucinations after a good friend dies. Very well done. I like that the list is augmented with recent stuff and I will be generous with rating more recent albums that I like. When we're done and we look back at our ratings, I don't want all my 4s and 5s to be bands comprised of old grey haired fothermuckers like me.
First time listen. This is a good driving album, the songs run together nicely, the beat fits a road running pattern Will check it out again
Hidden little gem loved their downtempo songs
Great album. Less loud and punk than their previous two, but still got that familiar krautrock/pysch sound with the addition of more synth / electronic. The antithesis of laddy indie rock. Lyrically too they don’t shy away from sensitive themes, which made the allegations about the singer even more shocking at the time. Pleased to see other members have found success elsewhere- they’re far too good to have their careers cancelled by the actions of one idiot
That was really good, just the right blend of electronic loops and indie. Heard a lot of other bands in there and this was better than most of them.
I didn't like this album at first but felt there was something there, so I gave it another listen and I'm glad I did. I preferred the more electronic/psychedelic tracks and the longer songs were some of were my favourites. Highlights were "Each Time We Pass", "Opener" and "Ullswater".
Never heard of these before.... Really enjoyed it, right up my street. This site says it is "rock" but it isn't. Not sure what I would call this but it reminds me of the shins, the postal service, or public service broadcasting. I'll be listening again
I've never heard of Hookworms before, but this album reminded me in parts of some of my favorite music from the Indie Sleaze era of the 2010's. I thought the instrumentation was great, and all of the songs were really catchy and well written. I enjoyed the lyrics as well, especially on 'Negative Space.' Even though I enjoyed listening to it, I don't know if it's something that I'll necessarily seek out again, but I'm glad I can appreciate it for being a really well made album.
This is one of the few albums I had to listen to a second time to figure out what I think about it. I'm still not entirely sure, but I now know enough to call this very good. The first few tracks left me underwhelmed at first, but the album gets better with every track, and I'm quite fond of tracks like Opener and Shortcomings. Somehow, I find this mixture of electronica, pop and rock very fascinating, and my second listen intensified that feeling for me. I suspect I will listen to this again multiple times, and I still don't know what I like about it especially. I just do. Perhaps it's best not to overthink it. 4/5 ish
An interesting choice for an album from 2018. I liked it and I dug the synthy vibes. Will check out the other albums from this group (although another artist that had a sexual creep in it seems). 4.5/5
Solid but unremarkable
Heard of, without hearing this band (knowingly). Excellent on first listen.
Pretty dope grooves. Some of the songs are a little meh in comparison but in general I enjoy the vibe and vocals.
Nice to hear something I wasn't already familiar with that I liked a lot. Very reminiscent of Arcade Fire. 4 stars.
It’s always more exciting for me when there is a more recent band on the daily album generator that I haven’t heard of. It makes sense if I haven’t heard of a band from long before I was born, but something from just a few years ago then went under my radar is always good fun to explore! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Ullswater, Negative Space This was such a fun album. I’m always a sucker for a good synth, and I got the feeling from only the first few notes that I was going to like this. The synths stay throughout, but it is much more rocky than those first few notes would suggest. The music is high energy throughout, and the vocals sound great - somehow reminiscent of playing sports games as a kid despite this album being released long afterwards. Overall, an easy album to recommend if, like me, this album passed you by when it released 4 years ago.
This was a pleasant surprise. Likeable and contemporary
DFA meets shoegaze. I guess they broke up for problematic reasons.
I like this type of modern rock music. Good!
pretty good
funky
Very good
A tad lengthy for this style, but overall enjoyable. Up beat and fun.
Surprisingly good! Typical Indie sound of the late 2000s, few filler songs and generally songs dragging on a bit but overall catchy and easy listening songs
Hlustaði tvisvar, fannst skemmtilegt og mundi hlusta aftur, jafnvel í fjórða sinn.
A bit strange, can't quite place the genre but pleasant enough to listen to
ma confiture fort
Very interesting album. The mix of post pop punk and new wave flow together beautifully.
I’ve never heard of this group but I did enjoy it. My kind of sound.
When the album started I thought: oh idk about this… but then I ended up rather liking it!
Good neo-psychedelia, like a lesser MGMT to me. Disappointing to hear about why they dissolved as a group.
Big Kraftwerk energy. very boppable and enjoyable.
Neo-psychedelia, space rock, noise rock, drone rock. Muy chulo. Un poco Claps your hands and say heah, pero con más guitarra.
I actually thought this was sick, reminded me of Foals and sort of Arcade Fire. and Little Comets kind of, but more experimental at times. Will listen again! Summer vibe
Enjoyed this a lot, it bopped.
Nikad čuo za ovo
Wow.. I'm surprised how much I like this.. I'll be listening to this more for sure.
This is a really good record and I’ve never heard them before. This will definitely get another spin. Good electronic based indie pop.
Never heard of this band but enjoyed the listen. If i had to compare them to someone, they're like a more straight forward Tame Impala
Surprisingly good. I didn't know anything about it going in, but I really enjoyed the album and will look forward to listening to it again.
Had never heard of them before, but I really enjoyed this album! I don't feel like there was anything particularly innovative or stand-out about it, but it's well-executed melodic electronica which is good enough for a 4/5 in my book!
When I first started listening to this album, I would not have guessed that it was from 2018. I'm not sure that I could place when exactly it was from, but this album is a throw-back to earlier synth music in many ways. There are also many modern elements, and everything blends together seamlessly. Some parts of it compare favorably to Animal Collective's sound. Really cool synth pop with solid if not overwhelming lyrical content. Dope. 4/5
Decent
Quite an enjoyable listen. Certainly one to explore further. A bit of a sad story but these are the times we live in. No particular fave but it does finish strong so let's say Shortcomings.
This is deadly! Unreal rhythms and grooves, it really digs in
Really good. I enjoyed it. The vocals were hidden in mix and should be more profound.
Never heard of this bunch. Quite like it. It’s never a 5 but glad to have discovered them. Cover art 5/5. You can beat a bit of surrealism
Really interesting sound, love the blending of genres here. Great find
decent; 4,5
This one really took me off guard. I had never heard of this band and honestly thought they were electronic vs alt rock Apparently now broken up after this one came out from accusations against their lead singer which is unfortunate.
Cool album cover The transitions between some of the songs are seamless!!
Muy bueno, grata sorpresas
Du bon indie rock alternatif. Définitivement à réessayer, influences évidentes mais son tout de même original.
Good, reminded me a little bit of arcade fire
Pretty damn good! Atmospheric, the connections between songs was well thought out.
Great record.
funky. i like the keyboards. reminds me a bit of genesis. freaking love static resistance. synthy madness. reminds me of the Brian Eno from Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Sono rimasto spiazzato all'inizio, ma facendo l'abitudine ai suoni elettronici ne escono dei bei pezzi. Sì, una piacevole esperienza. 'Each time we pass' la mia preferita. Sta tra il 3 e il 4, direi 4 perché mi ha piacevolmente sorpreso.
I enjoyed this - I like a bit of motorik style krautrock. Not entirely sure what qualified this album for the list, though? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Fave track - uh, "Static Resistance" maybe? I listened to it three times and no specific track jumped out at me, although I liked the album well enough as a whole...
This came as a complete surprise and I really enjoyed it ! 4*
That was a pretty good one.
I really like this, shades of MGMT and Tame Impala, nice and dreamy with some interesting weirdness in there such as the broken guitars in Boxing Day. Each Time We Pass was a standout for me, really nice song
A lot of melodies and stuff. 0RS
Weird perhaps even stupid name but damn, I Like this album. It rocks...it has soul and it's mostly electronic. I enjoyed most every song. I really enjoyed the album and I will delve deeper into their catalogue. 4 stars
Really like this. Reminded me of Les Big Byrd.
Like it - will listen to more. Not a fan of vocals so low in mix.
Strong 4 stars. Honestly pretty awesome album. Surprised I haven’t heard before
- remind me of django django - really like boxing day
Another album rounded up because really it’s a 2.5, not my sort of thing, but not without some merit… I
I have absoluyely no recollection of this album 24 hours aftet i listened to it.
Took a few listens. But it grew on me.
Wasn't bad
I enjoyed this but couldn't quite get my head around it, it was almost as if it had no distinctive sound of it's own.
I liked the first song but after that it felt quite generic to me
Have absolutely never heard of this band in my life and I don't know if they belong on this list, but it was a good record!
Some very interesting sounds coming out of this album. Creative and repetitive with powerful vocals. This is most likely a one-and-done for me, but I’ll give credit for experimental sounds that didn’t annoy the piss out of me.
My expectations were very low going in, but I was pleasantly surprised. There is a small bit of an Arcade Fire vibe to the album that I enjoyed. A bit heavy on the tonal stuff, but not too bad overall.
2018 is the worst possible year for this to come out, since it's too early for indiesleaze nostalgia but way too late for kinda synth-y, kinda dance-y indie rock to be cool
Not many albums I love at first listen and then gradually like less with each return. That's kind of the opposite of what should happen. This had loads of potential, electronic rock, some great ideas. But it just drifts away to being generic after a great opening.
Meh
Me están hartando los álbumes que están bien, nada muy destacable y nada para criticar. Además es de 2018 este, parece como que pagaron para que esté aca. Pero bueno, tampoco le puedo dar 2 porque estaba bueno.
good example of that sort of lofi electro pop that was abundant in the late 2010s. Is not doing anything particularly special or interesting though.
Splatoon Music! Started strong but mellowed out.
There wasn't really much special to this for me, aside from a couple of sax parts which brought it marginally out of 5/10 range into a low 6/10.
Gave this multiple chances because it started really strong, but like many other albums on here, the fun flourishes and extra touches gradually disappeared as it all became a mass of samey indie sludge. Can't say I didn't enjoy it, because I did, but it let me down a little.
The name made me think it was going to be metal, but it is a combination of shoegaze/poolwave/dreamhaunt/housecat that i found myself enjoying as moodsetter
I'd have thought this was from 2014 instead of 2018. But otherwise it's competent background music. I wouldn't be surprised to hear it in an indie-head's car.
Not a bad album. Didn’t grab me necessarily, but it’s a solid effort. I’m going to give it a 3, but a second listen could improve it.
Uneven, but not bad. Meh. It's fine. Some interesting tracks, but nothing that really grabbed me. I've never heard of these guys before, which isn't usually a great recommendation for the impact or staying power of albums made within the last 10 years, but I can kind of see the thought process behind adding this one to the list. Still not something that blew me away though, and I wouldn't be surprised if I heard it was one that got removed/swapped out in later editions.
5/10 This is an interesting one. I’d never really heard of Hookworms before, and the cover and name made me immediately think this was going to be some kind of electronica act. A brief bit of Googling reveals that they are in fact a “neo-psychedelic rock” band, and that over 50% of their biography on Wikipedia is dedicated to sexual assault allegations against their lead singer. So that’s good. But art/artist and all that, so let’s see what’s so special about this then, shall we? To begin with, things were pretty promising. The hints of electronica in the vein of Lusine were pretty good, and that built into a vibe with echoes of LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip. There’s an interesting blend of electronic tones and indie band instrumentation that shifts focus from track to track, which was an interesting element. But as the album wore on, things just didn’t develop. They spent so long spinning around the same ideas on each song that the initial interest generated by the vibe and tone of the work dissipated all too swiftly. They make some decent rhythmic choices here and there and build some nice sound beds, but there is little to no dynamic range or sense of musical development in pretty much all of the songs, an issue that is compounded by the frankly baffling runtime of some of these tracks. It’s a real shame, because there are some pretty cool moments and concepts within the record, but it honestly feels like they’ve written 15-20 minutes of music for an EP and dragged it out to over 45 through repetition rather than development. And there are so few hooks or real peaks within the structure that everything sort of drifts along, rarely bothering to attempt a grab for attention as it floats by. The fact that the bones are there is the most frustrating thing, and it honestly doesn’t feel like it would have taken much to have pulled this into much more coherent and engaging shape, but as it is, it ends up feeling like a fairly formless wash of music. It’s fairly benign and inoffensive, and worked reasonably well as background music while working, but on closer inspection had nothing much of substance to say. Stick it in the pile with the other post 2010 landfill indie. Negative Space - It’s a sonically interesting start that’s essentially electronica in nature. It’s got some cool sounds, and has hints of LCD Soundsystem and Hot Chip once the vocals come in. The way they pull around where the beat sits by shifting the emphasis of the groove is very fun. The slow build nature of the song works very well to slowly trickle what the band are trying to achieve in over the course of seven minutes. The drop back out to a more restrained sound and then return to fullness of arrangement is well handled, and the extra guitar later on adds an extra bit of texture. I’d say this is a promising start, even if it is a bit too long. Static Resistance - A nice change of pace now, and they lean a little bit more into a band sound with electronic additions, rather than the other way around. It’s not bad stuff, to be honest, and I quite like the rhythm of the vocal delivery. It’s fairly one paced though and while I like the vibe, it doesn’t quite have the range to completely hook me in. Ullswater - There’s some decent elements here, and a cool sense of urgency to the songwriting choices. The pulse is nice and bouncy, and it’s fun to have the core of the track in 9/8 time to give things a slightly off-kilter feel. It’s definitely a case of dragging a concept on for too long though, because while there are strengths to this track, I don’t think they justify a seven minute run time and there are definitely parts where things just lull to a state of inertia. There is a bit of drive out of the back of those sections though, and I do think the general vibe is pretty decent. Funnily enough, when the guitar came in late on, it made me realise how structurally similar it is to the opener. The Soft Season - Now this one is quite dull. I can kind of hear what they were going for, but there’s very little in terms of musical hook on which the song can rest, so it feels very meandering and unfocused. As a transitional track between others, this might work quite well, but it’s another where they’ve pulled the idea beyond its viability, so it just becomes fairly uninteresting after a while, even if it began with a bit of sonic interest. It’s a shame really, because thus far, this feels like a pretty damn good EP stretched out into a so-so album. Opener - As if to address my issues with the album so far, the band gives us an incredibly slow-burn synthy wash of an intro that drags on for two minutes before anything really starts to happen. Once it kicks in it’s a decent vibe, and has a well produced quality to the sound design, but by god it takes forever to go anywhere. The vocal comes in just before the four minute mark, and the general musical gist of the track just plods on and on and on. This one wouldn’t even have been saved by a sensible chop to three minutes, because there’s not really enough variety in the songwriting to justify that, let alone eight and a half minutes. People, learn to edit. Each Time We Pass - Another song with nice sound design, but not much to actually do with it. It’s just a bit floaty and bland without anything substantial to grab on to, which is a massive shame, because the rhythms aren’t bad, but by the end, it feels like it’s passed me by almost completely without leaving any impression at all, like finger prints on an abandoned handrail. Boxing Day - Again, the groove here is pretty good, with well layered rhythmic elements and some interesting moments of sound design. But where is it going? Nowhere in particular, it seems. Again, as a transitional track, this isn’t bad, and at the length this one is, it would probably work well between two more engaging and well developed songs, but because it’s among quite a lot of tracks that are fairly unremarkable, it doesn’t have the effect that it would on a better collection of songs. Reunion - And the same goes for this one. Nice sound design. Nothing to say. Stick this between two high quality tracks and it would be a pretty perfect respite, but as it is, it’s a pleasant diversion from nothing. Shortcomings - The vibe and tone of this starts very well, and the main bass riff is pretty good, and feels like it’s building to something, but it just stays quite flat and, if anything, weakens it’s central premise with a bunch of pretty beige musical choices. There’s very little dynamic range across this album, and this is a prime example of it, with a decent starting point, but no satisfying development of the themes, and no diversion from the base state of the production. It’s just bland, and perfectly sums up the shortcomings (phnarr) of the record as a whole.
This just enjoying easy listening vibes and was good accompaniment for a first day back at work after the summer break. There’s nothing that grabs you, but equally not really anything that grates or annoys. It is just a good mid album. That being the case it would be churlish to round down so 3/5
I had a surprisingly decent time with this album, went to look up some more info about the band and erm... yes... Makes me wonder quite what proportion of the artists on this lists are wrong 'uns? Anyway, Negative Space started in a way that made me think I was going to despise it, but it kept building and building and I ended up really enjoying it. So it really won me round, despite being nearly 7 minutes long. I enjoyed Static Resistance too - I liked the keyboards and the harmonies. Ullswater just didn't grab me until the chorus and started a trend where I was a little less enthusiastic about what I was hearing. The Soft Season made me think of The Flaming Lips for some reason. Opener is far too long. Each Time We Pass was forgettable. Boxing Day was odd, with it's monotonous lyrical delivery, screeching instrumentation and such a sudden ending I thought I'd accidentally pressed skip - I think I liked it? I didn't see the point in Reunion and the final track Surroundings had a very enjoyable funky bassline. I didn't write a review on my first listen, so I relistened later in the day to remind myself of each track. I ended up enjoying it a bit less second time round, but it's still getting a solid: 3/5
This was fine. Sounded to me like about 800 other albums released earlier that decade. No idea why it's on the list.
Not bad. It's not as interesting as an MGMT. It was fairly uneventful
does feel like it could have been quite good, but just too many weird beepy noises, and then the fact the singer is a cunt makes you want to mark more harshly as well
I mean it’s alright. Again as is the case with this journey. Why is it actually on here? Also reminds of a little of artic monkeys. I don’t like them.
Day 14 What is it with these albums that start so strong and then dive down in keeping my attention lmao Fav track: Negative Space