Before: This looks fun. Love the album title and art. I think I've heard of Slade but couldn't name a single song. The track names look ANNOYING lol Standout tracks: Gudby T'Jane Wonderin' Y Least favorite tracks: The Whole World's Goin' Crazee Let The Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine During/after: Oh this is so early 70's. After listening to the first couple of songs, I'm not digging it. The vocals are so fried and the melodies are kind of annoying. The Whole World's Goin' Crazee makes me want to rip my eyelashes out. Gudby T'Jane has some fun little guitar riffs and stood out to me a bit. Wonderin' Y was definitely one of the better ones as well. Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonight was my favorite track, probably because it was SO different from the others. A lot of these tracks sounded more or less the same. It's like Led Zeppelin but much worse. I did appreciate that the band doesn't seem to take themselves too seriously. I was glad when it was over. It was a little painful. Not quite egregious enough for a 1/5, so 2/5 it is.

Before: This album reminds me of my grandma because she loves Cat Stevens. Wild World is one of my favorite songs of all time. Excited to get more into his discography. Standouts: Wild World Miles From Nowhere Into White (I LOVE the strings) Father And Son (TEARS) Least favorites: Sad Lisa Standout lines: "If you wanna leave, take good care." - Wild World "Lord, my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end." - Miles From Nowhere "I love everything so don't it make you feel sad, cause I'll drink to, my baby" - Miles From Nowhere During/After: Wild World is always a treat! I LOVED Miles From Nowhere - it almost felt like a wall of sound and the lyrics were great. Longer Boats has a really fun reggae (at least I thought it was reggae) inspiration that I was surprised by and interested to hear. I'm very happy I listened to this all the way through! Lots of the songs sounded pretty similar to one another for my taste and I wish the album were more varied, but it was a really fun album overall. I don't love the religious overtones, but I know that comes with the territory. His lyricism isn't amazing but I do appreciate the simplicity. Father and Son made me sad and it stood out but it's painful to listen to and I don't think I can listen to it again anytime soon because it's SO sad lol. He has such an iconic voice and I love the soothing guitar and strings on tracks like Into White. This album feels like a warm hug. 4/5

Before: I am totally unfamiliar with this album (which may be a bit embarrassing considering just how many streams it has). The cover art is neat and I'm excited to listen to it. I don't even know what genre it is. Standouts: Which Will Horn Least favorites: Road Harvest Breed During/after: My initial thought is how interesting Drake's voice is. The production is interesting as well, especially the mixing. I see the vision and I usually like the home-produced sound, but didn't dig it here a whole lot. I wasn't able to listen to it front to back without interruption because I was working, which may have impacted my experience. The album has a very calm sound and I can see listening to it while working or reading. Most of the songs on this record sound VERY similar to my ear (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I prefer some variety). Horn has some really raw and beautiful guitar sounds though and was a great instrumental. Overall, this record was not the genre I was expecting based on the cover. I was expecting a bit of a more avant garde sound. Overall, it's not bad at all but not something I think I will revisit. It's just not really for me. 2/5

Before: Oh HELL yeah. I can't wait to listen to this. Love Nirvana but haven't dove *super* deep into the discography. I've heard great things about the MTV Unplugged album, and I think I've listened to a few tracks but never the whole thing front to back. Standouts: The Man Who Sold the World (the little riff has always scratched an itch in my brain) Dumb All Apologies Least favorites (still bangers, just weaker tracks imo): Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam Pennyroyal Tea Standout lyrics: "My heart is broke, but I have some glue. Help me inhale and mend it with you. We'll float around and hang out on clouds, and then we'll come down." - Dumb "I think I'm dumb, or maybe just happy. Think I'm just happy." - Dumb "I can't see the end of me, my whole expanse, I cannot see. I formulate infinity stored deep inside of me." - Oh Me During/After: In the words of the late great Brand New, I'm a sucker for acoustic. Always have been and always will be. Nirvana is amazing there were some deeper cuts that I hadn't listened to a whole lot previously, so that was a treat and I found some new favorites. Grunge is one of my all time favorite genres, so it's super cool to hear one of the OG grunge bands unplugged. I'm also a huge live music fan, so hearing the crowd cheering and Kurt's commentary between sets is super charming to me, and if there is a God, then Kurt is still playing shows in the afterlife. Adding points just for that. Although I really enjoy Nirvana regardless, there's just something about this specific unplugged version that I'm absolutely in love with. Not quite a 5, but damn close. 4/5.

Before: I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this. I only know Beck from the song Loser and this album cover does not look like it would contain music like Loser lol Standouts: The Golden Age Paper Tigers Least favorites: Guess I'm Doing Fine It's All In Your Mind During/after: Ok SO I was right that this does not sound like Loser. The harmonies in Golden Age are absolutely beautiful and a great opening to this record and an introduction to the interesting instrumentals throughout - the strings and bass in Paper Tiger go CRAZY. The strings in Round The Bend are amazing as well and create tons of depth - very "wall of sound." I'll have to relisten with higher quality headphones or speakers. Sea Change is an amazing heartbreak record that demonstrates the process of healing from a breakup. It feels like it really took a turn with Lost Cause and became more of a story than a sad mopey album. My one critique is that the first half of the album seemed stronger to me, but the whole thing was still wonderful. Beautiful, love it, chef's kiss, this will definitely be on the rotation. 5/5

Before: Herbie Hancock, jazz legend Herbie Hancock? Excited to listen to this all the way through. Not sure if I know any of his work by name, but jazz has grown on me a bit in recent years despite not loving it much when I was younger. During/after: OOOH, funky! Love a good meaty bass riff and Chameleon is the perfect intro. This is so jazz fusion-y and I LOVE it. Watermelon Man has the most streams out of the whole album and I can see why. It's my favorite track in this collection and it's short and digestible compared to the rest of the album and is just FUNKY. The winds are a really unexpected but delightful touch. Sly is just so technical and a testament to the levels of talent these guys possess, but not something that I could listen to often, as it just made me feel very jittery and isn't super palatable to my ear. I thought Vein Melter was a great cool-down track to end the album with. Lots of cool psychedelic elements while staying kind of chill. This was very much not I was expecting for a jazz album. It was really fast and had a lot of fusion with other genres that I noticed. There was a very psychedelic feel, so it didn't feel like the more (for lack of a better word) boring, standard, traditional jazz. With a few shrooms in my system, this would go especially hard. Overall, I likely won't come back to this much because it's just not what I gravitate to musically and some parts weren't very palatable for my tastes, but the talent is very evident and I really appreciate these tracks for what they are. I thought that it would be good background music for while I was working, but a lot of it was just so fast and crazy that I found myself getting jittery and scattered. That's not necessarily a bad thing, not all music is meant to be background music for working, but it was something I noticed. Even though it's not something I'll revisit much, I'm adding points for the sheer talent and coolness. 4/5.

Before: TRAMPS LIKE US, BABY WE WERE BORN TO RUNNNN. Love Springsteen but only know the big hits from this record. Was so excited to see this come up today <3 Standout tracks: Born To Run Backstreets Least favorite tracks: She's the One Standout lyrics: "You work nine to five and somehow you survive 'til the night." - Night "Terry, you swore we'd live forever taking on them backstreets together." - Backstreets "Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see? Trying to learn how to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be" - Backstreets "Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness, I'll love you with all the madness in my soul" - Born to Run During/after: Loved the horns in Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out; they were very Springsteen to a magnitude that I hadn't really heard previously. Backstreets stood out to me because it really brings that feeling for me and I'm just a sucker for nostalgia. She's the One was my least favorite on this album. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about this track that just didn't jive with me. Jungleland was a cool ending, very American Pie-esque. Overall, I really really enjoyed this record. The first half of this album is a bit stronger than the second half, but Jungeland was a great ending. I love the horn incorporation throughout and I think it adds a beautiful nostalgic jazziness that lends to the feel of this album. My favorite thing about this record isn't necessarily the instruments, the vocals, or the lyrics, but just how it feels. Reminds me so much of being a teenager and a time that I can never go back to. It's fun and brings back fond memories while also being melancholic and makes you long for something that you can't get back. Based on how it makes me feel alone, I have to give this record a 5/5.

Before: No clue what to expect here. Maybe a bossa nova/choro type album based on the title? Mr. Jorge Ben Jor looks so babygirl on the album art hehe Standout tracks: Ponta De Lanca Africano Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro Least favorite tracks: O Filosofo Xica Da Silva A Historia De Jorge During/after: Ohh this is fun! This record has a very strong opening track. It sounds like summer and is just a lot of fun and easy to listen to. Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro is really neat too because of the switch from the soulful vocals and guitars back to the faster beats. Taj Mahal was fun, but I was surprised to see that it was by far the most streamed song from this record. I think my favorite was the opening track. I LOVE Africa Brasil (Zumbi), the last track of the record, for its driving melody and vocals. I listened to the first half(ish) of this album on my commute to work and there was something very vibey about listening to this while I drive through mountains and palm trees and the weather warming up and the sun is coming up earlier. The call and response throughout this record was fitting and added to the summery feeling. I'm a big sucker for lighthearted music that sounds like summer, and I don't think that this album would have hit the way that it did if I listened to it for the first time in the winter or fall when the weather is chillier. I have a summertime playlist and lots of these songs were added to it. I never would have listened to this record on my own, but I'm so glad I heard this. It's so feel-good. After doing some digging, I learned that most of the music on this record has very meaningful lyrics and focuses on deep topics. I don't speak any Portuguese but could tell that the title track was full of rage and was about revolution based on the sound and the names of countries throughout. 4/5

Before: This looks fun. Love the album title and art. I think I've heard of Slade but couldn't name a single song. The track names look ANNOYING lol Standout tracks: Gudby T'Jane Wonderin' Y Least favorite tracks: The Whole World's Goin' Crazee Let The Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine During/after: Oh this is so early 70's. After listening to the first couple of songs, I'm not digging it. The vocals are so fried and the melodies are kind of annoying. The Whole World's Goin' Crazee makes me want to rip my eyelashes out. Gudby T'Jane has some fun little guitar riffs and stood out to me a bit. Wonderin' Y was definitely one of the better ones as well. Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonight was my favorite track, probably because it was SO different from the others. A lot of these tracks sounded more or less the same. It's like Led Zeppelin but much worse. I did appreciate that the band doesn't seem to take themselves too seriously. I was glad when it was over. It was a little painful. Not quite egregious enough for a 1/5, so 2/5 it is.

Before: Snoop Doggy Dogggg. Before he accidentally left his camera live streaming for 8 hours and collabed with Martha Stewart, he was recording the 1993 smash hit "Doggystyle." I need to smoke a blunt with him more than I need air or water. Standout tracks: Gin and Juice For All My Ninjaz & Bitches Least favorite tracks: Lodi Dodi (those lyrics, yikes) Doggy Dog World Standout lyrics: "You can smoke a pound of bud everyday. You got a big screen TV, man, you wanna give this all up? You got the dopest shit out on these streets. Ninja, is you crazy? That's the American Dream, ninja" - Bathtub "I don't love you hoes, I'm out the door and I'll be rollin' down the street, smokin' indo" - Gin and Juice During/after: LOL the album starting out with the water splashing sounds on Bathtub is great. I fucking love Gin and Juice. What a classic. I'm a sucked for a mock radio inclusion in records, so the transition from Gin and Juice to Tha Shiznit had me on another planet. The flute in Tha Shiznit is a cool addition. Wish I were smoking with my friends while I listen to this instead of working at my 9-5. Snoop's flow is so unique to him and I just love how laid-back and chill it is - it adds to the whole "I'm so high all the time especially right now" thing that he has going on. So good. I could live without the peepee poopoo jokes and some of the goofier lyrics, but I can't be too mad at it because it's Snoop. I love a g-funk whistle SO bad and it makes the record feel so much like (what I imagine) LA in the 90's felt like. Snoop is just an OG and puts me in a good mood. There were a lot of dumb lyrics and general silliness that might not have been able to slide with anyone else but, again..... it's Snoop. I can't believe Snoop Dogg invented weed. 4/5.

Before: I've heard of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds! Beautiful album art. I almost want it on vinyl just to display the art. I have high hopes. I'm interested to see that this is split into disc 1 and disc 2 (presumably because it's a double album) on Spotify; I don't think it's something I've seen before. However, an hour and 22 minutes is crazy runtime, lol—this is probably gonna be a long review. Okay, here we go. Standout tracks: Hiding All Away Messiah Ward Spell O Children Least favorite tracks: The Lyre of Orpheus Fable of the Brown Ape (great lyrics, not as palatable to listen to for me) Standout lyrics: "You are a force of nature, dear. Your breath curls from your lips as the trees bend down their branches and touch you with their fingertips." - Messiah Ward "We could navigate our position by the stars, but they've taken out the stars, the stars have all gone. I'm glad you came along. We could comprehend our condition by the moon, but they've ordered the moon not to shine. Still, I'm glad you came along." - Messiah Ward "Everything's dissolving, baby, just according to plan. The sky is on fire, the dead are heaped across the land. I went to bed last night and my moral code got jammed; I woke up this morning with a Frappuccino in my hand. I kissed you once. I kissed you again. My heart, it tumbled like the stock exchange." - Abattoir Blues "The red-breasted robin beats his wings. His throat, it trembles when he sings, for he is helpless before you." - Breathless During/after: DISC ONE: The first track is JARRING, both lyrically and sonically because it really subverted my expectations. It's almost a light punk Christian vibe? I was expecting something quieter and more singer-songwriter coffeehouse indie (but maybe we'll get there at some point within these *checks notes* 82 minutes). God, I hope this whole record isn't this aggressively Christian. Loving the gospel choir in the background of certain songs, as it adds a lot of depth and complexity. For example, Hiding All Away is a big standout for me for this reason; the combination of Nick Cave's gravelly voice with the buttery choir backing is interesting and kind of just a treat. This record feels timely due to (what I interpreted as) political undertones. It reminds me of the whole "the world is kind of falling apart and things are uncertain, but at least I have you" trope that has been so pervasive throughout early 2025. A beautiful and necessary reminder that, even when the world is on fire, we need to keep loving. I think that a lot of the lines are probably (canonically) referring to God or Jesus, but I appreciate Cave making it open to interpretation. I'm noticing some ongoing religious imagery throughout, but generally much less overt, in your face Christianity. My BA in English ass does love some lyrical Christian imagery. Overall, this record is consistently filled with really really impressive and beautiful lyrics that made me a bit misty-eyed at times, even amongst the often gritty sound. DISC 2: Immediately, this one has much less overt religious tones. I actually don't love the title track. The vocals are just kind of annoying, honestly. I really liked Breathless, though. If there's one thing these dudes, can do, it's write a good, pining love song. I'm picking up on some sweeter, gentler nature themes on this half of the record, which is an interesting juxtaposition with the first half. The comparisons of his love for his partner with nature are really beautiful and just sexy and intimate at times - Babe, You Turn Me On is a great example. For all its beauty, though, it's just a lot more boring to me. Supernaturally wasn't a favorite in general, but it provided a needed break and tone shift from the melancholy. Do I hear Latin influence in Spell with string inclusions??? Neat. Love seeing the return of the gospel choir at the end of this album, but I wish it were more prevalent throughout. I'm not into the percussion on O Children at all, to the point where it's distracting for me, and it really weakened the ending of the record. The mixing was too loud and it felt out of place. Without those damn drums, this might have been my favorite track on here, but it's still a big standout. It's kind of a tragic ending to an album with some, at times, sickly sweet lyrics. This record has a time and place and is a good intimate dinner party album, but not one that I'll be returning to often. Initially, I thought this record as a whole overstayed its welcome a bit with that runtime, but honestly, it gets a pass since it's a double album. Although I think they went well together, I almost think that they would have been more effective individually. Some of the really powerful and driving messages of Abattoir Blues seemed to have been subdued by Orpheus, and it would have been more impactful and punchy as a standalone record. Overall, I prefer Abattoir Blues a bit for the complexity of sounds, angry, punk feel and instruments as well as the timely political lyrics. Both were pretty good, if not repetitive in places, and Cave is a super talented songwriter. Abattoir Blues gets a 4.5 and The Lyre of Orpheus gets a solid 3.5, so let's call it a 4 average. 4/5.

Before: Ok Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel! I've never sat and intentionally listened to Genesis tbh. I think we watched a Genesis music video in one of my college classes but I could not tell you which one lol Standout tracks: Dancing with the Moonlight Knit More Fool Me Weakest tracks: The Battle of Epping Forest After the Ordeal Standout lyrics: "And you know, I'd always hold you and keep you warm - oh, more fool me." - More Fool Me "Once a man, like the sea, I raged; once a woman, like the earth, I gave" <3 - The Cinema Show During/after: Okay so I have mixed feelings on the first track alone. I recognize the lyrical depth here and instrumental performances are just impressive as hell. Love a good synth too. As much as I appreciate so many aspects of this opening track, I just didn't love listening to it. Firth of Fifth has a really neat intro; I love the long and complex piano and the sudden switch. I know I'm a loser and a sucker because I fucking loved More Fool Me. It's probably the most palatable for normies and it's a TRAGIC LOVE STORY<3. I'm just a sucker for a good love song and some sweet and/or lyrics (and we've got both here). The Battle of Epping forest, while complex and nuanced and just interesting, was genuinely just annoying to my ear, unfortunately. The exception to this, however, is the trumpet (or brassy synth?? idk) licks about 9 minutes in. The Cinema show is driving and fun in parts with a cool switch up as well, and it's probably my favorite track from the album's latter half. This is so British sounding in like, a medieval way. I can tell that it's an important precursor and inspiration to the math rock of the 80's and 90's. The mixing and production quality is great. I'm conflicted, because listen.... it's really epic and tells stories and I understand the significance and the vision, but I just didn't like listening to it all that much lol. I'm confident that it would hit hard with some *ahem* psychedelic substances, so maybe it'll be worth a relisten and reevaluation at some point. Even though I didn't love the listen-through personally, the talent really shines here, so my uncultured ass is hitting it with a very strong 3 to a very light 4. Since we only get a whole number, 5-point scale (grrr), I feel like I need to round down to a 3 because my ear just didn't enjoy it all the much, and I want to keep the ratings true to my listening experience. 3/5.

Before: I've been waiting for a Led Zeppelin album. Probably most familiar with this one! Standouts: Stairway to Heaven Going to California Black Dog Weakest tracks: The Battle of Evermore Rock and Roll Standout lyrics: "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven. But when she gets there, she knows, if all the stores are closed, with a word, she can get what she came for." - Stairway to Heaven "Made up my mind to make a new start. Going to California with an aching in my heart." - Going to California "Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let 'em tell ya that they're all the same" - Going to California "Standin' on a hill in the mountain of dreams, tellin' myself it's not as hard as it seems" - Going to California During/after: This is such a classic. Black Dog is a strong, punchy opener with that iconic guitar riff that sets up the tone for the rest of the record well. Rock and Roll is has an interesting quality for me. Still very very good, it's just Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives core and I will not elaborate. I've never heard The Battle of Evermore and I fear it's for good reason. That drawn out "oh" leading into the second half of the track and the ending "bring it" lines are just not executed super well, and the high-pitched strings were annoying to my ear. HOWEVER it leads us right into THE Led Zeppelin classic (you know the one). Stairway to Heaven is so beautiful and such an important rock song. The switch to a more mellow vocal style really shows off the versatility of Robert Plant's voice when juxtaposed with his iconic guttural belting that we see in the earlier tracks. Going to California may be my favorite track because the theme of moving out west and aching to leave always resonates with me. When the Levee Breaks is such a perfect ending (and so sexy, Jesus Christ). Great guitar solos and drums. The harmonica at the beginning made me very happy as well. Also, fun fact but I listen to Greta Van Fleet a decent amount (I know), and people clown on them because of how much they sound like Led Zeppelin. The minute the vocals in Black Dog started up, I immediately thought it was Greta and it took me a minute to be like "oh wait." Obviously this is significantly more original and generally better, but Greta is NOT beating the plagiarism allegations. My boyfriend referred to them as "Great Value Led Zeppelin" and I'm still laughing. Overall, I loved this record! So iconic, important, and prolific for music as a whole. There are a couple of tracks that I don't foresee coming back to often, but man, there's always something great about hearing music that influences so much of the modern music that I have on rotation today. This is totally one that I'll come back to, but there were a few songs that were misses for me (though not egregious by any means - just didn't do it for me). I wonder what my opinion would be if I grew up on Led Zeppelin from my parents too, but I have no nostalgia connected like most people do. Good shit. Easy 4/5.

Before: Never heard of Todd Rundgren! Interested to see what's in store. Another long one at an hour and 28 minutes. There are some interesting song titles (see more: "Piss Aaron" and "Slut"). Let's get into it. Standout tracks: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference Intro I Went to the Mirror Weakest tracks: It Takes Two to Tango (This is for the Girls) Dust in the Wind Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me Standout lyrics: During: OH, I know I Saw the Light, the opening track. It's... fine. Soft early-70's radio rock for sure. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference has a bit of an interesting melody and I love the twinkly percussion. Do I hear a backing gospel choir in some later tracks??? I hope so. Sweeter Memories has a SEXY little guitar intro that gave me chills. I'm noticing that, other than the neat background instrumentals that stick out occasionally though, a lot of this record sounds more or less the same to me. BUT WAIT A DAMN MINUTE. "Intro" was really fucking cool. I was not expecting that. I hope we get more of this. It gives it so much personality and is a little eerie in a weird way. The way that it transitions into the Breathless instrumental is super cool too and there is a lot of neat synth action. The Night the Carousel Burned Down had a unique, almost psychedelic ending as well and I'm wondering if the record is going to take a turn after that "Intro" track. The beginning of Saving Grace also scared the shit out of me lmao. However, it wouldn't be 70's music without a creepy "you're only 17" line. As I continue to listen, there is absolutely a noticeable shift, both lyrically and sonically. The generic lyrics and sound at the beginning of the record slowly shifts into something more and more chaotic and unhinged. I Went to the Mirror almost sounds like a mental break that Rundgren is going through, a stark contrast from the former part of the album. One More Day (No Word) changed the perspective for me a bit, because it framed the record as almost a protest record as Rundgren describes his time in the military. It especially made I Went to the Mirror feel more powerful. Over - My Roots was another sudden switch up with the (intentionally) very poor production quality and tone switch throughout. It reminds me of scanning stations through an old radio. Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me is CRAZY work (not in a great way). It mellowed back out a bit despite the still slightly weird styles and transitions, to my disappointment. After: With unique and diverse instrumentation throughout, from brass to saxophone to flute, it was neat to hear how they were incorporated. I have very different thoughts on each half of the album. The first half is doctor's office rock and it's... fine. However, the lyrics are just... not good. Corny and generic. Then came the switch up after "Intro." I was in for a crazy ride and a treat. It felt like an absolute trip. I was bummed that it mellowed out in the end instead of continuing to get more and more chaotic. I am wondering if it was supposed to represent a drug trip, including the come up and the come down, and the mellowed out, but still a bit trippy ending demonstrated the come down well. Ultimately, I don't think that it was the protest album that I thought it was (but who knows - I could be totally wrong). The runtime is freaking crazy though. Rungar could have easily made this just as impactful and complex but shaved off a hot 20 minutes at least. I'm not sure how often I'll come back to this, but it may be a good listen with some *ahem* fungi. Really interesting album, but it way overstayed its welcome. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 because some songs were major hits for me while others were misses, but I have to give it a 4 for my first listen because I was just so excited and intrigued. Despite its often lackluster lyricism, the music itself left me thinking and felt very impactful which is powerful in a record. 4/5.

Before: I think I know like three Dire Straits songs and I don't enjoy any of them lmao Standout tracks: Money for Nothing Brothers in Arms Your Latest Trick Weakest tracks: Walk of Life During/after: Okay so the first track was fine. It wasn't horrible but sounded very much like background music. Money for Nothing is pretty good (despite the f-slurs circa 1985). It has some neat guitar effects and the "I want my MTV" thing. But holy shit WALK OF LIFE. There are few songs that make me want to rip my hair out to that degree (and Centerfold is one of them). It's not even *bad*, it's just annoying. That synth melody drives me crazy and the vocals make my eye twitch. Pain pain pain. Your Latest Trick has some beautiful horns, sax, and a really sexy jazz guitar. I sense some Latin influence in the background too. The vocals lend themselves surprisingly well to this style as well. They're quiet and mellow and jazzy in a way that seem to fit well with this track, but not as well with some of the other faster tracks. I really enjoyed this one (or did it just seem great when juxtaposed with Walk of Life? Hmmmm). Why Worry continues that slower vibe, but I wasn't as impressed with this one as I was with Your Latest Trick. It wasn't bad but just felt boring and uninteresting, while Latest Trick had cool and unexpected features. Same can be said for Ride Across the River (though it had a little bit more oomph than Why Worry, it was still boring). The final track, Brothers in Arms, was pretty good! It was a nice ending and had that same slow, quiet jazziness that the previous ones did. Some nice subtle synths in tandem with the jazz guitar is so *chefs kiss*. This record was a mixed bag. Walk of Life genuinely brought the score down for me, but some of the slower songs in the latter half of the album were pretty good. Not something I'd go back to again. Big "it's fine." 3/5.