Microshift

A 2018 release! This means that I won't be able to find it in my edition of the book, so I'll have no idea why it's on here. And that's kind of the problem with newer albums: unless they made a big splash upon release or soon after (see: Black Star by David Bowie), then an album is going to have to so some heavy lifting to convince me that it's important or influential. Otherwise, it's just a newer album that some guy liked more than another album on the list. Well, consider me impressed because this mountain of sound is so good. The steady beat with the psychedelic synth walls envelop the sound so nicely. "Opener", in particular, is not afraid to explore it's sonic landscape for a while before kicking in the vocals. And that's probably my only real problem with the album: the vocals. While the grandiose electronic arrangements blow me away, the vocal bits remind me of a generic garage-rock revival band from the 2000's that is just alright. "Boxing Day" also ends abruptly; who's production choice was that? Overall it's a good album. Pretty superb album, if you ask me. However, it'll need more time to see if it'll do anything to the wider music landscape. I can hear some of it in the newest King Gizzard album "Butterfly 3000", but "Microshift" still has some heavy lifting to do for it to really earn a spot on the list.

Very average.

I’m not really sure why some of these albums were selected. This is just random and ok but not at all significant from what I can see.

This one is fine, I guess, but this falls into the category of “why the hell is this album here?” No one seems to have heard of these guys and even the artist page on the generator links to the Wiki article for actual parasitic hookworms. The band seems to have broken up the same year this album released (2018) due to sexual abuse allegations.

não é ruim, mas é extremamente genérico (vindo de uma pessoa que passa metade do dia escutando synth pop recente) fora que é uma banda com a mesma profundidade de um pires e que acabou pq o vocalista era criminoso, é realmente um álbum que eu não sei porque tá aqui

medíocre e genérico mesmo, hein. cadeia nesse mano

A fine listen, just nothing to return to.

Arcade Fart. 4/10

it's... fine? i liked parts of it but mostly i felt underwhelmed

Sounds a lot like indie music that was released 10 years before it came out. Nothing groundbreaking. It's pretty cool, pleasant enough. Gets quite boring as it goes on. Meh.

Had to skip the first track because it was too annoying, but the second track gave me a reason not to skip the whole album... until that drawn out note at the end. Honestly, this album, for me, bounces between something I might vibe with, and something that is just irritating. That makes it uncomfy to listen to.

This is #day688 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… as much as I understand where this all is coming from with its vintage flair, and all that jazz, is it really an album to hear before you die? It does have its moments, but... I don't know. Too contemporary indie-schmindie? Let it be a 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day689.

Oui, c'est bien l'indé gentilchiant auquel on s'attendait.

mondoshit

Didn't really do it for me. Kind of boring.

Normally, this genre would be up my alley, but there's too much controversy around these guys to give it any more oxygen than this 2-star review.

Cool, a modern album! Also looked like something that could fit me at a glance. Sadly, this turned out to be quite a downer. The songs were way too long and monotone. 'Opener' was a prime example of this. I didn't get along with the singing either. Felt like there was much yelling and it overall felt quite intense and labored in not a nice way. The switch from 'Boxing Day' to 'Reunion' was quite jarring as well to seal the deal.

Didn't really get the hype at the time, and don't now. I could listen all the way through, but quite forgettable.

This started off so strong then the tracks just blended into each other and not in a good way

Virtually indistinguishable from a hundred other Indie-Synth-Psych-Pop bands that were doing the exact same thing five to ten years earlier. If you told me that this was an Alt-J (or M83...or Yeasayer...or Caribou...or Django Django) album, I totally would have believed you. In fact, this seems to just be a repackaging of the Metronomy record that we already reviewed here.

I like that these guys like dogs (apparently, from the Spotify picture). Musically, they sound like an electronics-heavy mix of Pinback & Arcade Fire (I like botg), with less interesting lyrics. Stadium anthem Baroque, electronica — with happy clappy Up With People vibes. It’s listenable, but repetitive and not memorable. A 2.

It was fine

Electronic might be the most unpredictable genre on this list in terms of what quality of music you're getting. This is definitely on the lower end, which is expected, seeing as it's a newer inclusion. I don't get what's so special about it, it sounds like generic background music for a sports game.

Låter lite som om Hot Chip spelar Silverbullit, dock helt utan Hot Chips självdistans och sneda leende i mungipan. Ganska onödiga skiva men sällan direkt dålig. Svag tvåa

Ger mig inget. Plus minus noll.

Ett band jag aldrig hört talats. Det i sig är kul. Musiken påminner ibland lite om Kraftwerk, ibland lite om Radiohead men mest låter det som en lättuggad version av krautrock. Jag tycker inte det får ihop det. Sången är allt för svag. Bäst är Static Resistance. Shortcomings är den låt som låter mest färdig, men den är lite för popig för min smak.

Bleh

Negative Space

Meh, poppy techno

Interesante rítmico

Great

2.5

Never heared of this band before. Chance is great that I will forget this band after listening to this album. Nothing special at all. 2/5

Yet another wtf is this here and who thought everyone needed to hear it before they died. Krautrock that is a pale imitation of Neu! 2000s psychedelia that was done better by Spacemen 3. Punk/noise that was better from Fugazi. A collection of cool influences does not a great record make

nothing special

I have never heard of this album or this band. Are these guys aware MGMT made Little Dark Age fourth months earlier? This is just that but not quite as good. Like it’s fine but there are better albums in this same style. Favorite song was Opener.

Forgettable, background music....

That was unremarkable

Sometimes we know too much about certain artists. This was the last album before they disbanded in 2018 after some allegations, which may or may not be true, I can't be bothered to find out either way. interesting how the centerpiece in the album looks like a chopped penis.

Not particularly interesting and the band has zero cultural significance so I'm not quite sure why this is included. Since it's pretty recent maybe the author thought it was going to be a big hit, but that obviously didn't happen. No matter the case, this has no place here. At least the album cover is visually appealing. Favorite track: Negative Space 2.5/5

Favourite Songs: Opener Boxing Day

eh

Inspired by a review in Spinal Tap: Microshit.

The further the album went on the less I liked it. I thought it started quite well

I didn't mind this. Decent indie rock, but nothing special. 2.5/5.

I only had to skip one track for being way too annoying but overall just another meh entry on this list. Quite sure I would have zero regrets come judgment day if I’d never had heard this.

Pretty forgetful

Got a new loop pedal and stuff? Ah cool, No I Dont wanna listen to you experiment with it Felt like he was enjoying it more than I was. Stuff was happening musically. I wont remembwr it half an hour after listening though. 2.5

Not very rememberable Quite boring and generic sounding. won’t go back to it I doubt

Fine but forgettable.

The only thing saving this album for me is the art.

I’m listening to this as I walk my dogs along a crystal clear mountain river in the beautiful French Alps and I can happily say that it didn’t distract me once! Bland bland bland! Oh hang on I just enjoyed Opener which is weirdly track 5

Loathed the first song. The rest were surprisingly doable thereafter. But... nothing really "hook"ed me.

Some elements of the 80's on this....but....

When this album popped up, and realizing that I'd never even heard of this group, I naturally assumed this was yet another shitty British EDM record that seem to be all the rage on this site. I guess I wasn't totally right, but also wasn't terribly far off either. Hookworms is not EDM, but it employs some of the same "instruments". There is some effort at creating actual songs (as opposed to "pieces" or "soundscapes" or whatever); it doesn't seem like Hookworms' M.O. is to make anybody dance (thankfully). They actually sort of resemble MGMT a bit. The problem really is—at least for me—that the reliance on synthesized music lends a real lifeless sterility to the whole record, and while I appreciate that they're trying to write songs, those songs are incredibly boring and—again, to me—not worth the effort it takes to listen. 5/10

I just don’t think I like most British rock after the 70’s.

Oli siellä ihan kivoja melodioita mutta tämäntyylisen muzan pitää olla mulle jotain superia että lähtee. Koukkumadot ei ny koukuttanu.

Solid at times but nothing that really stands out here

There was nothing wrong with this - I just don’t understand why it’s here. It’s more background music for me than something I have to hear…

Not the most memorable

This genre is psychedelic rock and has all the correct pieces of a good band, but I think their producer and mixer sucks. The singer has a great voice, great tone, I really like his sound. The drum sounds like it is a synth more than an actual dummer, but it may just come down to overly simplistic drumming. Overall this sounds like what one dude would make on his own when he does not have any idea how to finish a song. It reminds me a lot of a really shitty version of Foster the People. There are too many instances of synth notes held 10 seconds too long, repetitive sounds, simple mixing. Looking the band up, it sounds like all of their appeal came from their live shows.

This band soooooooo wants to be the Killers, but they are not.

MicroShit

Ultimately feels like something I have heard before.... many times before... and the songs all sound the same. Opener is OK.

Had an interesting, upbeat sound; it was not particularly memorable for me

Why are all of these so long?

it kept reminding me of something that i couldn’t put my finger on……. regardless, this was mostly unimpressive

I hate to be comparative but I felt, listening to this, that I'd rather be listening to either Dutch Uncles or Hot Chip in turns. It wasn't bad. It was fine and even catchy in spots. It just didn't grab me with a thesis at any point musically.

The first 1:30 started out nice until whimsical whiney vocal bulldozer came in to wreck the mood they crafted. Somewhat disinterested. Every song starts off with this interesting urgent driving beat and then the vocal dozer breaks the alluring trance.

Only production sounds modern. Very similar bpm for almost all tracks. Not a big fan.

nothing that really stuck out to me. just aight. probably another 2.5 rating, but i don't think i would go back to this one

Overall: 4/10 Started off decently enough, but I found their style to be kind of annoying in large doses. I refuse to believe that this is one of the best albums from 2018 that everybody needs to hear before they die. Fav Song: Static Resistance

Mostly harmless, I guess. I'm thinking it will also be just about completely forgettable.

Take any list on the internet of the best albums of 2018. I mean any. You'll not find a single one that puts Microshift on it, let alone in the top 5 or 10.

Idk. Could be anything from the 2010s imo. Not for me.

This started out not great and for the most part got worse from there. The best parts sound like an electro-pop take on The Cure, but there are only glimmers of that. Most of it is uninspired hipster-indy claptrap.

I'm puzzled. There's some nice songs but at the same time, this generation of bands all sound the same with the same boring voices ! half of the album is sounds experimental and you jump from a "real song" to something weird and its quite disturbing

- tässä tuntuis olevan kaikki elementit 2010-luvun indiemusiikista, hauskaa huomata että kliseisimmillään se alkaa kuulostaa omaanki korvaan vähän eltaantuneelta - väitän kuitenkin että on mahdollista että olisin tästä tykännyt jos olisin tämän kuullut joskus 2010-luvun puolivälissä, julkaisuvuosi 2018 sinänsä yllättääkin koska tää sopis ennemminkin johonkin 2014 paikkeille

psichedelico? non il mio genere, comunque capisco che può piacere. c'è di peggio

I disagree that this album is essential listening, but don't hate it. I had never heard of this group. Their Wikipedia page was... interesting. Terrible allegations against their lead singer prompted an abrupt break-up. I would probably give this a 2.5, rounding down because of *waves arms* all that.

This feels like synth pop or dance filtered through turn of the 00s pop indie - think Phoenix or Passion Pit. There are grooves on some songs, but it all feels sweetly poppy, never quite leaving conventional rock or pop completely. The longest songs are the best. "The Soft Season" is a dull, empty ballad, but it flows right into "Opener," which builds nicely. The opener, which isn't "Opener," also has a nice build-up, but it feels very indebted to LCD Soundsystem while being solidly less interesting. Similarly, "Ullswater" has a big obvious Gary Numan synth while never reaching the stark heights Numan did. There's more variety in addition to those - an ambient track and some rock songs - but that also prevents it from really finding its footing or establishing its sound. It's nice enough for what it is, but it's hard to point to anything it does that another artist didn't do better.

Reminds me of the Strokes mixed with MGMT with a lead singer from Death Cab for Cutie. It's not bad, just boring, mass produced noise.

It was ok. Not sure why it’s included.

Another one I could have skipped before I died. 'Hookworms' leads me to believe it's catchy music. Never heard of the band or any of the songs. It came out of the gates fast and furious but sounded super run of the mill. I can't get past the in-your-face vocals, I felt he was yelling at me. This is another, in a long string, of British albums and artists (Leeds this time) that never hit in the US and there's a SOLID reason for that. 7 min/8 min songs, why? It was repetitive. The production was good (though a bit wall of sound heavy at times) but the songs were not. The two songs with the most listens, "Negative Space" (1.9M) and "Static Resistance" (1.5M) were average at best, the rest was filler. I really can't imagine either on the radio. I have no idea how this made this or any best of list. I won't remember this album an hour from now. 2 stars, I could have gone lower, it was just weak from start to finish.

- 0 nummers toegevoegd aan MMMM - 0 nummers al toegevoegd aan MMMM

Another introduction to me. At one hand I generally like this kind of music but at the other hand there is absolutely nothing unique or remarkable on. 2,5

Lenkillä tätä kuunnellessa huomasin, että kappaleista ei ole jäänyt mitään mieleen, eikä herättänyt mitään tunteita. Tasaista taustamusaa. Ei siis hyvä. ⭐️⭐️

Vähän liian kokeilevaa tämä. 2/5

Ok so we don't get death cab for cutie, or the bluetones, but we do get this dictionary definition of mid 2010s bang average? It's ok, bordering on good in parts, but seriously.

Interesting enough and a valid edition to the list, but I didn't groove to it too much

Ok

I was trying to persuade a friend to do this album a day thing by telling him that the choice of albums wasn’t just down to personal preference, and that there were objective reasons for the inclusion of each one. This album made that argument a lot less convincing.

Decent music, around a 4* on that alone, but it doesn't belong anywhere near this list unfortunately. Not awfully original, and not known. I'm all for supporting smaller bands but this isn't the list for that. 2* overall

I listened to it while cooking and have already forgotten most of what it sounded like. Perhaps more suited for a Sprint commercial.

Tikrai įdomu, kodėl jis šitame sąraše. Nieko labai įspūdingo, geras pasiklausymas, tiesiog įprastas brit rockas.

Oh, I haven't played this album in a long time. And after playing this through, it seems rather underwhelming and unsuitable for this list.

Cool

First listen Saved 3/9 Top track: Negative Space

Meh layered on meh. 2/5.

This was fine enough to put on and listen to while I was working; I didn't know them before and I probably won't seek them out again when I have other things that I already like that are kind of in this space.

Bookended by a couple of solid alternative boppers. The rest of the album is a experimental sludge of noise.

Some nice moments with a load of waiting around in between for something to change or happen. Really nothing special

Boring. Kept checking to see how many songs were left. It just went on and on.

nothing really grabbed me about this album

First impression before listening: "Oh great, Britrock from the 2010s. Surely this isn't filler, and it's actually a great and influential album." This is actually pretty good. It's not particularly incredible, but it is good. It does fall off as the album goes. The thing that does actually bother me with this album is that it feels uninspired. It doesn't really sound any better (let alone different) from music from the 2000s. If this album came out alongside The xx, Blind Pilot, The Antlers, or other bands like that of similar vibes I think I'd be more impressed/invested. That's not normally how I judge or think about albums, but I can't get it out of my head with this one. It just never really does anything special or particularly interesting. It's a fine listen, but pair that with my feelings about how I find it uninspired, and I'm just not into it. Favorite Song(s): Negative Space

Didn’t sound bad but also did nothing for me

This was uneven for me. Some of it was a 3 and some was a 1.5

Not good. Shouldn’t be on here.

Interesting, havent heard smth like this before

Not sure how this got on here, kinda weird, but not in a way I really cared for.

This was new to me, which was surprising as they are from my area, play my kind of music and were around when i was an active participant in the music scene. There was a lot of familiarity here. With supergrass vocals and much more psychy and indie songs. The novelty was intersting but i don't see why this would be here. I got the klaxons album yesterday and complained it shouldnt be here. This is exactly the same, minus the decent singles

It’s ok.

Best album, reminds me of college

Not a band I'd heard of and an odd choice for this list. The album is a mix of sounds and more electronica than the bands previous releases which I checked out. Interesting on initial listen but doesn't really improve, maybe a little too much experimentation for my taste

Nah

Wtf was this? Why is it on the list?

Dig some of the krautrock grooves they’ve got going on here but does this really deserve a spot on this list? Some good tunes but nothing super influential or original going on here. It’s better than two stars but in the context of this list I think I that’s what Iit deserves. Favorite track- “Opener” 4/10

More brit electronic pop rock that is only here because of the compiler's bias. Started as a 2, finished as a 1. Held its head above the line, but just barely.

There are albums I have 3 points to that I enjoyed more than this one. Not really sure what I thought of it.

Not my thing...

interesting, but not my vibe.

Wholly unremarkable by any quantifiable metric, listened to it and forgot about it almost immediately, like zero impact in my short term memory whatsoever. It's not bad, per se, just bland.

Very forgetful tbh I don’t know why this was the first album recommended here to me Hoping they get better from here because it really doesn’t feel like an album to listen to

Just sounds like Passion Pit to me?!

Sounded a bit like lots of other indie stuff - MGMT (yay) and Arcade Fire (boo) were the first two to spring to mind. An album - and band - struggling for an identity of their own, I felt.

As soon as I saw the band name, I thought to myself "I bet this is British." Lo and behold, that is indeed the case. They remind me of a discount version of Passion Pit (who doesn't have an album on this list btw).

2,5

No idea who these people are, this was kinda interesting and liked the cover. Would I listen again? Not likely

microshite

This was fine. Nothing really blew me away but I didn't hate it.

Okay I guess. The songs were way too long and repetitive and bland. Just sort of fine all over. Nothing extraordinary or groundbreaking. Really don't think this accomplished anything. They're only on here cause they're British. There's better ways to spend 45 minutes than this.

oh look-another British group I haven't heard of before. and just like the others so far.....there's a reason for that. boring, electronic-pop ramblings. why is this on the list??

Schräg, es kling so, als ob sie Spaß hätten, es wird aber schon ziemlich anstrengend nach einer Weile.

ok. a bit europop. mot really sure why its on the list as it seems fairly generic.

Atmospheric but not much more than that. Some cool moments with interesting beat patterns, but that's where it ends.

Ironically, it lacked hooks.

Generic indie pop. It was fine I suppose.

electronic noise with largely unintelligible lyrics, possibly created by parasitic nematodes on acid. The "musicians" wouldn't even put their names on this piece of shit

Why is this even on here? I have some vague memory of listening to this at the time it came out but have certainly never heard them referenced in the years since. It's the opening track rang that a distant bell but this album sounds like an early to mid 2000s post punk electro relic. No way this album only came out 7 years ago. This has gotta be the most curiously inessential album so far. And the story behind why this was the last thing Hookworms ever recorded is some dark shit.

Boring. I've said that a lot on this list.. over a year in now can't lie, it's becoming hard work

some redundant shit right here.

2.5 What is this? The guy who made this list’s buddy’s band or something? Completely inoffensive tbh, but completely disposable.

It wasn't bad, it was just pretty boring. Every sound sounded similar, and they were so long! I honestly thought I'd been listening for 30 minutes and it was only the first 4 songs!

Even though the album has nine tracks on it, it felt like it should’ve only been four or five. A lot of the songs sounded exactly the same to me.

My favorite Yeasayer album. It's weird because I enjoyed listening to it but I fully intend to go the entire rest of my life without ever listening to it for another second. It added nothing to my brain Fav song: idk Shortcomings maybe?

# Playlist Track - Negative Space # Notes - Couple of good tracks in the opening, but loses it's way from the 3rd or 4th track. - "The Soft Season" and "Boxing Day" are so bad that I almost gave up on the album twice. - This has absolutely no place on this collection.

Interesting, but a bit too much noise in my opinion

En nyt osaa sanoa miksi juuri tämän pitää olla listalla. Hieno kanssa ja hauskoja soundeja 2/5

Nope

This is a weird one - I did some additional digging and apparently it was included in the 2018 edition of the book - which is also the year the album was released. It was also the year the band imploded, driven by (now retracted) allegations against the lead singer and primary songwriter. It hits at a problem I have with some of the recent editions of the list, they often include albums that are too recent to make a clear call about. This is fine, even interesting music at times. But it’s also by a minor UK indie band that likely won’t have much of a lasting impact on music culture and history. Two stars is my personal rating system’s way of saying “I somewhat disagree on the inclusion”

Death Cab For Cutie/The Postal Service meets Arcade Fire. How much more basic can you get? Nothing *wrong* with the album, but there's certainly nothing unforgettable about it, besides just how mid it is.

Merkityksetöntä mössöä. Uskomatonta, että jopa tässä vaiheessa he pitivät tällaista täysin merkityksetöntä meteliä, josta on yksinkertaisesti mahdotonta välittää. Ei tunteita, ei filosofiaa, ei munaa. Vain korkeaääninen, ärsyttävä brittiläinen indie-laulaja, jonka takana on joukko vitun twinkkejä, jotka hyödyntävät kaikkia musiikkikoulusta oppimiaan sointuja ja progressioita. Me kävimme musiikkikoulua musiikin tekemistä varten, ellemme nyt perustaisi bändiä. Syökää omat perseenne, te pikku pirulaiset. mahdotonta tykätä tällaisesta mutta en anna ykköstä koska perseeseen mahtuu kaksi. negative space

Kinda weird but not in a terrible way. Not that great either

no

there are 3 albums released in 2018 represented on this list. they're an odd bunch, not really being the most notable releases even in their niche. i guess i listened to Golden Hour and liked it? this isn't even that bad or anything i'm just incredibly confused that this made it over the plethora of great indie stuff put out that year. doesn't mean it's that good, either. very middle of the road and uncompelling. it exists. the krautrock song is pretty okay deserves to be one of the 1001? it's maybe the easiest no of the entire decade

Electronic rock, not really into it

Too deliberate without impacting anything really. Experimentally impressive but lacks finesse

Meh.

Sounds like it belongs in a modern art gallery. Eccentric and indie pop rolled into one!

I don't know that I would call this a rock album. I'm not sure what to call it, besides very strange. Felt a little like being at a rave at times. Great album art though.

while I am a fan of more electronic music... I didn;t enjoy it. It didn't feel like something I'd remember. 2/5

Well, that was mediocre at best. Not sure how this album from 2018 made this list.

126 albums in and I'm detecting a noticeable Brit bias with this list, especially with the more contemporary choices. I didn't even realize the writer was English until I started to suspect as much and looked it up. It's not necessarily a bad thing. Hell, it might even be a good thing for my American ears. Anyway, this one is not entirely objectionable, but mostly forgettable. 2/5 #126

First few songs were good but fell off the second half

This didn't break any boundaries in 2018, nor did it seem to take any risks. This was mediocre musical drivel which felt at its highest high, subpar at best. An unnecessary addition to an ever-growing list that has easily exceeded the supposed 1001 albums you need to hear before you die.

perfectly emblematic of the bland, shallow indie pop rock the 2010s were so good at producing. even if you haven't heard this album before, yes you have

..

Different from my usual listening.

Started off with some promisingly interesting soundscapes, then…New Wave. Oh well.

Never heard of them before. It was an OK listen though I doubt I’ll listen again to the album. Can’t even remember any of the songs a day later so not bad to listen to but also forgettable.

Sounded like a lesser-version of Arcade fire. Not for me.

It’s sort of interesting. But it really lacks something great. It’s another just okay album on this list. 2.5/5 Probably won’t listen again

I don’t think I like computer music. Ir are these real instruments?

Listened to half and could not remember what it sounded like. 2 stars for no impression

parts were ok, did not like most of it.

A psychodelic church concert. There might be people who enjoy it, the rest will most likely stumble in and back out after a short while. Transitions between songs are on point though.

Just not my kind of music. Too cold

idk i mean it was nice background music! kinda boring but i didn’t hate it

Tf is this... 2018 is it some mad shit. Yes. Oh fucking hell they're from Leeds. Hm so the front half of the opening track was like weird electronic noises and then the back half is uhh. Indie slop. Yeah i like can't hear this it's going straight through my brain. Exactly the style and era I can't be arsed with. Perplexed that it's on this list honestly feel like I should have heard of it? Pet favourite of an editor ig.

This is fine, but it shifts from Flaming Lips to Orchestral Manoeuvres to any number of other electronic bands.

Uhh idk nothing worth noting here. Felt very generic. Definition of mid without the years of legacy to back it up. 3/10

Goede muzikanten en goede zanger. Maar ik vind de liedjes wel saai. Keyboard is leuk, maar het voelt alsof ze het standaard demo pingeltje aan hebben gezet. **

Noisy, sometimes catchy, sometimes annoying, poppy, experimental Electronica.

Pa iznenađujuće zanimljivo! Super mi je kraut djir, odlične melodije, jedino taj vokal ne mogu probaviti. Baš mi je šteta jer instrumentalno dobro zvuči. Zbog toga 2/5, 4/10

Some interesting moments, but it dragged. Felt like wish.com LCD Soundsystem

Too hard core for me.

Another I didn't really need. Rated a 2 because it wasn't actively bad. But seriously, I seem to be in the middle of a long dry spell with this project. I wonder why I don't seem to have any long spells of great music?

It's ok but skipable. Can't see that this will be relevant in 30 years.

Not my jam

Fine but also completely unremarkable? (Shocker - it's British) 2.5

Decent

#566. This seems like the type of copyright free music people would use for YouTube videos. 2/5: meh

Umm, like it’s music for sure. And it has rhythm. They’re like if the band fun. was trying to experiment. Just not my vibe but I know hookwormers out there probably go crazy for them

Irritating.

eh

Synthy and grand. Solid piece of indie electronic - if this came out 10 years earlier they’d surely be more solidified in the indie rock conversation.

This was pretty fun! Definitely a lot of inventive sounds, which are oh so endearing.

Heard these sounds before. In most cases the original music I was remined of was of much higher quality.

not my style

Like most others, never heard of this band , although I’ve heard their influences . Thought this album started well but didn’t hold my interest for the duration

It's not bad per se. It is entirely unclear what earned the spot on this list though. Maybe another listen it'll sink in?

Acceptable but underwhelming indie-rock. I don't recall 2018 being a stellar year, but genuinely have to question how this made it onto the list. Surely there was another 1970s "white-guys play the blues" album that could have been added instead.

This is borderline what I would consider rock but it was ok.

nope

Klinkt nogal amateuristisch 1.9

Who thought it was a good idea to name their band after a parasitic intestinal worm? And they misspelled Microsh*t.

**A confusing album. Everyday sounds mixed with instruments and few vocals.

Ok, it's not a bad album, but why? why is it so important to be listened to before dying? I really should check this entry in the book; I can't believe it.

After listening to the first song, I wasn't sure what I was listening to. I didn't really care for what came next, but it was tolerable. 2/5

Started well, but soon devolved into blandness.

Meh

2018 is a really wonky year for the book. 3 albums in my edition, this, Kacey Musgraves and Chris. In a year when Mitski's Be the Cowboy, Liars' Joy as an Act of Resistance, Janelle Monae's Dirty Computer, Low's Double Negative came out. All of which make a lot more sense. I'd probably only argue for Kacey out of the three, despite not being my cup of tea. A difficult to justify inclusion then, but an interesting start to the first song, and a really decent album art. Begins to lose its way more or less the second the singing start. I was ready for 45 minutes of weird noise electronica and that would have been fine. The singing isn't necessarily bad, it's just kind of passable, and 'pop-edgy'. Sort of making an attempt to sound like The Rapture or something more underground New York post punk band but not fully committing. There are some decent enough motorik rhythms to tickle my fancy, and I'm reasonably engaged throughout. After it ends however I cannot remember a single melody, and that's after two listens right through. The Postal Service record would be a far superior inclusion for this sort of album that feels bedroom produced on a computer with singing. And then I go on Wikipedia and basically all that's written about the band is sexual abuse allegations against the singer from a former band member, which didn't go anywhere, but the band broke up the next day and deleted their entire social media presence. Which is curious. But ultimately this record definitely doesn't feel important enough for me to go digging. Kinell, Dimery. Stick the Mitski record in here in the next edition instead will you? 2.

A lot of it sounded like the Pointer Sisters song for Beverly Hills Cop. The rest was like dreamy background music for a movie set in a spa.

2/5

Mid….

Decent background music, made some chili 🌶️

This is perfectly fine and has some interesting features but it doesn’t feel “new” or “fresh” for 2018 indie/rock.

This didn't excite me. It's another forgettable album.

Quickly faded into the background and never returned.

At its best, it sounds like a less ambitious Animal Collective. At its worst, it’s ambient sketches of songs that go nowhere and sound incomplete (especially Boxing Day which just cuts out with no warning) Most of the time though it’s just middle of electronic-tinged alt-rock that sounds like every other song from a 2010s FIFA soundtrack. A really underwhelming inclusion, especially considering how few albums from post-2005 have made it onto these revised editions

Meh - not bad but not blowing me away.

Very nothingy. A few tracks were ok but it’s leaving no impression and the band name is aversive. High 2 to low 3, rounding down because if you name your band after an intestinal parasite I’m not inclined to help you…

First listen. Ok I guess.

Basically they found the market is for 7 minute MGMT songs, though I can’t fathom who that might be.

Apparently there is great adversity, bad luck, musical growth, excellent production and producers involved, but also they've been quite the pet of the indie scene. The music sounds like eletro-influenced indie pop with some guitars thrown in to me. Not really music that I'm fond of. These similar soundscapes with less of a hurry and synth vibes, would be reminiscient of Slowdive, whom I do like, but as it was it is just some aural background canvas for me.

I liked it at the start, then there was a huge lull and then they pulled it back a bit. At times it sounded like a BTEC Broken Social Scene. Overall not bad, but I wish they’d have kept that energy from the first few tracks up

This album and band passed me by, and on a listen to this it doesn’t suprise me, pretty forgettable to be honest in my humble opinion

Never heard of it. Kind of like the Dadaist derived cover art. Don't like the name "Hookworms." Actually, I might have heard of this... NOT GOING TO READ ABOUT IT NOT GOING TO READ ABOUT IT NOT GOING TO READ ABOUT IT NOT GOING TO READ ABOUT IT Every time I read. about the album it taints my judgement, especially when it's stuff I haven't heard of. Starts off very kraut-rocky. Love it. Seems pretty positive. SInger is singing, has a Gary Numan or OMD vibe. Starts belting out a bit like so many other alt-rock, over emotional singers though, like LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse, Snow Patrol, etc. (Where did that sound start? hmm...) Some interesting post-punk stuff here and there, but nothing that says “must hear before you die.” A little derivative, even. The book sometimes seems to include stuff like this just to remain contemporary and sell more editions, possibly. …. AAAAANNND then I read about it. ☹️

Some good some Boring. Made the mistake of looking the band up. Yikes

I guess 2, ambient music

gotta respect robert dimery for actively seeking this out and adding it in instead of better 2018 albums that people have actually heard of

È proprio noioso raga, non succede niente di interessante

It's an ok album but unfortunately lacking in hooks and earworms. It went by without being too taxing but didn't leave the experience feeling anything much

Other bands do this sound better

Album 578 of 1001 Hookworms - Microshift (2018) Rating : 2.5 / 5 I believe this is the newest album on the list and I can only wonder why it is here. It is an album and it doesn't totally suck. Let's check back in 20 years and see if anybody remembers it.

Weinig namen voorgeschoteld gekregen waar ik echt nog nooit van had gehoord, maar dit is er toch één. Na een klein beetje onderzoek lijkt het wel weer een volledig uit de lucht gegrepen keuze om een album van ze mee te nemen in de lijst. Enfin, we gaan er maar weer voor, met een 'neutrale' blik. Allereerst moet ik zeggen dat het een bijzondere mix aan rock-elementen is, van new wave, tot post-punk, tot shoegaze, tot electro. Noem maar op. En veel van die elementen slaan altijd wel aan bij me. En in mijn ogen is de unieke twist dat het ondanks die eclectische en complexe mix toch gewoon aanvoelt als een lichtvoetig indie pop bandje, in het straatje Death Cab For Cutie en Phoenix. De stem van de zanger draagt hier zeker aan bij. Maar hierdoor voelt het wel alsof het een band is die nog in z'n puberteit zat en nog erg opzoek was naar z'n ultieme sound. Ik was wel benieuwd geweest wat ze nog hadden bereikt als ze door waren gegaan na dit album. Nu blijf ik het vooral bij vlagen 'aardig' vinden, maar gaat het ook vooral nergens naar toe. Vreemde momenten ook op het album voor instrumentals, waardoor de drive - waar al nauwelijks sprake van was - er helemaal uit was. 6/10 Highlights: Static Resistance The Soft Season

# Album Name: Microshift # Artist: Hookworms # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Never heard of these guys before. it surprised me when i read it was from 2018. Honestly, the album is completely forgettable. There wasnt a single song that stood out for me if im honest. Im not sure how its on the list. # Top Tunes: None. # Would I listen to it again? no

Didn't keep my attention. You get a 2.

I think I’ll corroborate with the majority of reviews for this one : 1. I have never heard of this band. 2. I’m not sure why this is on the list, as it is neither culturally significant or innovative. 3. It is bland.

Painfully forgetable

Was okay. Not a must listen by any stretch. 2/5

not sure why it's on this lsit, it's ok

I have no idea why this is in here. It's a good album, but I don't think they were doing anything remarkable on here. I read about them and I guess they got cancelled and broke up when they were peaking in 2018. This album isn't post-punk but this was when everyone was putting shapes like this on their album covers and calling it post-punk.

Meh

More worms than hooks.

Very different but good.

Albums like this, with techno-beats that sound almost like a hum behind the entire length of the song, are incredibly fatiguing. I kind of hated this, but I also made it all the way through.

Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.

Too new to be included. I could overlook that if it wasn't just a "meh" album. This will get yanked off this list within a decade.

This was a new band for me, it was ok

Hmm, it’s somewhat interesting, although not really my jam.

This just felt like one long song. Didn’t find anything that really grabbed me.

Pleasant enough - I can imagine watching them at a festival, with an ice cold beer in hand.

2.5☆/5 07.13.2024

Meh ..

Some nice moments in an overall nothing album

This is sort of okay - I would like to know why this belongs in the book before many other 2018 releases.

2.11. Another mediocre British band like this list doesn't have enough already.

I was fine I guess but there was so much good stuff that came out in 2018 how is this what's on the list? Has anyone even heard of these guys?

All the ingredients were right for this but it just went nowhere. Infuriatingly droney and boring.

In a sentence, soundtracky mood synth music with ambience and a techno vibe growing as the album builds - it feels like its going to getting trippy but then it crashes badly, merges expectedly with other styles. Obscure territory here folks. Occasional faint tinges of Pet Shop , New Order, and straight out copy of Chemical Brothers going on ... gets spacey and neo psychadelic but a FAIL by the 2nd last track due to nauxious screachigng sounds, after all that foreplay! I am not sure of the pedigree impact and value of this album - despite this being precisely my kind of genre... apparently these guys do good live when the room is already high BUT - If you want a solid intro to more 'intelligent' and playful guided trippy trance or just great beats for walking in nature to fun techno, I can think of no better starting place that "knowoneness" by ELECTRIC SKYCHURCH. Here is what i was gonna say until the bad track. What is it? What does it do? Well, its might be what you listen to Eyes closed. Or, staring at a soothing blank smooth view, with a seagull in view; a solitary seagull, to look back at you, as you both figure out what the hell is going on today, and how to respond. At best this might be stylish mood music to play while you figure who is the beast really in the film "The Beast (2023)" Original title: La bête . 2023. 2h 26m There are playful electronic bloops and harmonies forming in "each time we pass' so they are capable of a lightness which feels like New Order at times. Left wondering - What is this?

Oh my god, this anonymous, anodyne and featureless band is the absolute definition of inessential listening. Somehow less than the sum of its influences (krautrock, early 2000s indie, mild psychedelia, dance, New Order), it seems custom designed to play well in an afternoon slot on the mid-sized summer festival circuit. But there is surely nothing memorable here. 2.5 stars being so aggressively "mid", rounded down.

This album went way over my head. If there is art to it, it passed me by like a ship in the night

Just yawn. Nothing stands out in this. It's wild that this is an actual selection, but given the British bias I should stop being surprised

Honestly quite boring. Not really culturally relevant or even anything that new stylistically. Not sure why this is supposed to be considered "essential".

Meh , wasn’t my cup of tea

Underwhelming

Fairly average and dramatically unessential synthpop with some krautrock undertones. At least it's not another Morrissey album.

Sadly, they forgot to put "hooks" in their Hookworms music. This is a well made album... and that's it.

Pix was right sounded like Depeche mode ..with some Inxs ripoff too. Annoying, glad it's over.

A bit weird for me. Not dreadful, just not really my thing and didn't really speak to me.

Of course the only track I cared for would be the last one called Shortcomings

2.5 The most definitive thing I can say about this is that it’s certainly a 2010s indie pop album. Beyond that, I got nothing - this honestly is one of the most unremarkable listens I’ve had so far, and I’m walking away with little to no feelings towards it. Like, by no means is this bad, but it also did absolutely nothing for me. And I actually listened to this thing like four or five times in an earnest effort to appreciate something about it, but sitting here now, still nothing comes to mind. Okay, I have one thing - Boxing Day sounds a bit like Joy Division and was probably my favorite song for that reason, but still, it’s like a third-rate Joy Division song at best. Also, the weird cutoff at the end is more annoying than it is creative and caused me to check my phone the first few times to make sure I didn’t get interrupted by a phone call or somehow accidentally skip ahead. TL;DR - meh. Not sure why this is here.

Rob's modern picks are mostly shit, this included.

Wanted to hate it—thought I would from the unbelievably long intros to the first song and to “Opening”, but it wasn’t terrible. If this had been a band I saw at some bar, I’d say “Hey, they’re not bad,” but they also aren’t that good. Who chooses this list, I’ll never know? In the end, meh. I may give up on this app and just ask people I know what albums they love.

Why?

Trippy

I don't like being overly negative, but this album just didn't do it for me. Some of the tracks were really interesting in parts I'll give them that. I just felt it sounded like songs for a fictional band in a coming of age movie or something idk. Just slightly below average. 4/10

interesting

Gear: Focal Clear Mix: drückt an den richtigen Stellen Musik: nun wirklich nichts Besonderes Wertung: 🪱🪱/5

is this anyone’s favorite album?

I mean it's good but top 1001 albums before I die? I don't think so...

It's okay. I wish I could understand the singer. Instrumentals are good.

Like hot chip but not as good

Some ok tracks and sounds but nothing much here either. 1.5 rounding up.

First few songs were 4's and 5's. Others were 1's and 2's. Where does that leave us? Avg 2.4. Around down to 2.

2/5. I'm not sure why this album was included. Nothing about it was unique or interesting, nor did it have any impact on the music scene.

This music is creepy and weird. It's fine but creepy and weird Theres nothing wrong with it but toward the end my anxiety spiked and I had to turn it off. Giving it a 2 stars because maybe I'm having a bad day.

Yet another modern pick that is very inessential - this was absolutely inoffensive but why this one out of all the records from 2018?

Synth heavy, melodically, rhythmically, and lyrically uninteresting.

This is really boring and not innovative at all. Remove from list 2

Unremarkable, como dicen los amigos gringos.

Meh

mediocre synthpop. has all the right ingredients but manages to make it awkward anyways

generic

The music itself wasn't bad. However, once the singing started it was not good. The lyrics were bad. I have no desire to listen again.

Well this is certainly an album by a band. It was fine but I don't really get the inclusion on this list. Apparently the keyboardist was some hot shit indie producer in the UK and this album came out after a long break and was a reset in their sound... then they broke up almost immediately because the lead singer was abusive. I get taking shots on new music for lists like this. This one didn't pan out.

I could live a thousand lives and if I never heard this I don't think I'd be any worse off

Not sure if it's saying much, but I'd rather listen to this than have a hookworm infection. I've listened to the album 3 times now, and each time it feels like I'm listening to it for the first time. That's how unmemorable these songs are. 2 mehs out of 5 😑😑

Nothing I'd seek out, but I didn't hate it.