This album does a fantastic job of mixing the jazz-influenced hip-hop popularized by groups like A Tribe Called Quest and the hardcore punk origins of the band. Overall a great album, would probably listen again, maybe not all in one sitting though. Standout tracks IMO are Sure Shot, Sabotage, Heart Attack Man, and Root Down.
With production help from Jack Antonoff, this 2017 album from Lorde is labeled Electropop. Pretty accurate, lot of electronic instruments, however, the vocal style isn’t really something I enjoy, but perhaps it will grow on me. I will say the production and writing are stellar, however.
Out of nowhere, turns out I’m kind of a fan of Sober II (Melodrama); I think the trap drum kit really fits the song. Other than that one song, I didn’t particularly enjoy many of the other songs, basically just Sober II and The Louvre.
A very interesting album, as of halfway through. Half the songs seem ballad-y, with piano and orchestral elements, and the other half are very guitar focused. The distortion on a lot of the songs i’d very interesting and crunchy, and production is pretty unique too! Nothing to say that hasn't already been said about Billy Corgan’s voice, but I’m surprisingly impressed with the drummer. Great album, love the concept, but a little long for my taste.
An absolutely gorgeous album that melts the soul and makes the worries of the world disappear. Bossa nova at its very finest.
What an album. As a listener, I was initially distracted by the way Ian Curtis sings and doesn’t really focus on notes, but once I stepped back and really took a look at it, he did a fantastic job of painting a bleak picture of how depression and declining mental health feels, aided by his bandmates. Peter Hook’s bass lines were fantastic too, and my favourites off the album were his vocal feature on “Interzone” as well as “New Dawn Fades” and “She’s Lost Control”.
Although the songs are repetitive, as reggae tends to be, they still house a lot of meaning that stands up against oppression and evil. Bob Marley was truly a gift to this world.
A very interesting sound. Whoever said it sounds like a bubblegum pop band and Joy Division having a fight in a warehouse was spot on. The sound seems to primarily consist of loud guitars blended far into the background with subdued lead vocals brought more into the foreground. The band sounds like a mix of early shoegaze, The Velvet Underground, and The Beach Boys. Overall score of 1/5 because the abrasive noisy tone of the guitars was too overstimulating for me, to be honest. I can see the potential, and judging based on their next release, they do write some pretty decent music, but I’m just not a fan of their execution on this album.
A band that unabashedly wears their Beatles influence on their sleeve, this is a particularly well done record, although I prefer the album they released after this one, with Liam’s more mature vocals. He sounds a lot younger on this one.
A psychedelic trip in its own right. Absolutely adored the instrumentals, especially hearing Lemmy’s bass work, but wasn’t as big of a fan of the spoken word bits in their place in the music; I probably wouldn’t mind too much if they were a separate project to be honest.
A soft, folky album, with a few electronic elements, and a great sound!
Nice pub rock album. Good mix of punk and ‘50/60’s doo-wop style songs.
A psych-folk record with huge names from CSNY, Jefferson Starship, and The Grateful Dead on it, this album shines as both a vague concept album and as individual tracks. I love this one
I have been made a U2 fan, apparently; this album is just outstanding overall, from the ambient guitars on the less intense songs like “With or Without You” and “Where the Streets Have No Name”, to the intense bass and drums heard on “Exit” and “Bullet the Blue Sky.” An album about religion and war that fits both so perfectly.
Had a few highlights, namely “Been It”, “Choke”, and “Lovefool”, and was a decently good record overall!
The first couple of songs had me skeptical and mildly annoyed, but after that, Lana del Ray and producer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Jack Antonoff pulled it together and really delivered, with a fantastic cast of supporting musicians, and great arrangements. 3.5/5
Overall, I’d give this album a 4/5; with enjoyable and memorable melodies, fairly well-written lyrics, and next-level 80’s production, this album is a great snapshot of pop music in the 1980’s, and still holds its ground today. Aside from the iconic place the album and artist hold in history, the musicality is something to be admired, with Jackson, Jones, and the members of Toto working together to create a piece of popular art, and Van Halen’s cheeky solo on “Beat It” solidifying its place in rock history as well.
Very groovy record. Loved the basslines from Paul S. Denman, and Sade herself writes some very interesting lyrics touching on what sounds to me like the shady parts of nightlife and possibly being something along the lines of a lady of the night. Very thematic, with killer sax lines and great accompanying piano.
Absolutely fantastic artistry from everyone in the band on this album! With a great mix of electrifying, souped up rockers, showtune-esque musical numbers, generous poppy tracks, and the infamous Bohemian Rhapsody, this album’s got it all! I gotta listen to Queen more often!!
