giddy

An album so microscopically lesser than its older siblings, it is hard to even justify half of a star lower, and so I will not. Perhaps the hits feel a bit more commercial, maybe the concept could be done better, but frankly, I do not care, for if this album is one thing, it is a deep cuts album, through and through. Falling Away With You, Blackout, The Small Print, Endlessly, Thoughts of a Dying Atheist, all some of the band's best, and considering the band is still in peak performance mode, they are all pulled off flawlessly. Matt's piano playing is starting to reach virtuoso levels of magnificence, the bass riffs are actually some of the best in all rock music, and the drumming is finally mixed in a way where the (much needed) subtleties found throughout the percussion only elevate the momentous theatrics this album presents. Muse knows they're at the top of the world with this album, you can feel it, but they never let it get to them for a moment, and the album is all the better for it. Even its longer length flies by as you sit there waiting for the next track, and then the next one, and then the next one, it is pure bliss! Perhaps not my favorite album of theirs (would be hard to reach the top) but still well-deserved to be seen as the Plastic Beach to OoS's Demon Days, and if that isn't the most white boy born in the early 2000s thing to say, I don't know what is.

This album probably won't end up being the worst of the new additions, but it definitely feels the most unnecessary, and that's with another Rolling Stones album being added! I just don't understand this pick at all. Brat is already here, and this is far weaker than that album. Only guess was to pull in sales, but if people wanted to see a pop album from this year to pull in sales, it wouldn't be this, especially after the reception of the movie itself. This is getting cut next edition, no questions. Music itself is fine, even good at times, but, again, why would you listen to this over most of Charli's other work?

The band Sprain if it formed over twenty years ago. Excellent and really fantastic when it starts pulling from Tom Waits' bag of tricks.

An album that nearly makes every other electronic-pop album obsolete. Its catchy, full of tracks that were the best of their time (and are still amazing today), and just has this entire vibe to it where even the strangest moments can get you pumped upon every listen, such as tracks like Short Circuit. That opening four tracks is one of the best tuns in a single album EVER, and even the deep cuts on the album keep up the pace to be high octane, funky action for its whole run time.

The only miniscule flaw I find is that Too Long is, well, too long, but its still a banger for a solid chunk of the song, and its the only dip in quality in the whole album. Otherwise, for electronic music in general you would be hard pressed to find something better, and I'd argue the same for the world of pop music. This is a masterclass of everything presented.

I FINALLY, after nearly a year of the user generator, got one of my two submitted albums. This was actually a pick I never would have thought to submit when I put N. 1 in Heaven in running for the first twenty user albums. I had hardly heard of of Montreal, and certainly didn't think I'd find one of my favorite albums on a random album binge day. I've, of course, now gone through all of of Montreal's discography, and while there are some albums of theirs that deserve this spot nearly just as much, or are at least 5/5s, this is the album of theirs I felt deserved the spotlight.

The story the album tells puts it all out there, and really pulls you in from the opening track, with its utterly addictive hooks and great vocals from Kevin Barnes as they pour their current life predicaments into the records inner workings. It's an obviously catchy album, it becomes clear why I like this when I say my favorite band is Sparks, but it's the good, bad, and the ugly this album displays that truly wins me over. Barnes is not the hero, villain, or even bystander of this story, but the overwhelming stress of it all comes to an eruption that is one of the greatest songs of all time, "The Past Is A Grotesque Animal," that seems to be the highlight for even those not loving this album. It's a twelve minute venture through the mindset of a person who is utterly at a loss of what to do, and can only express it via anxiety ridden synths. And the tonal change as Barnes seems to "snap" can be jarring on first listen, but as you come back and see how Kevin copes, it really is perfectly on brand for the band, while still fitting the MO of the album itself. Not to mention there are still some great, catchy pop songs in there. For bonus points you can add their EP "Icons, Abstract Thee" to get another few songs that stand toe-to-toe with the best on the main album, while still attaching itself to the emotions presented here.

I'm glad this album seems to be generally liked on here, that makes me glad, but if you come away from this with disdain in your bones, I don't blame you, but I think this is exactly what I love Sparks for, plus some great lyrical content that makes it the best of the best of pop, rock, and everything in-between, and I think it deserves a spot in the 1001.