Reviews by john

I am so unfamiliar with the pixies. The sound is something between queens of the stoneage and modest mouse. Which becomes more impressive when you realize the group predates both.

This is wonderfully organic sounding, with half-matched male/female screaming vocals recorded in a way that sounds like you're in the room with the band. I respect it, but this one isn't for me. Or, it doesn't capture my imagination at all. It's one of those records whose inclusion I wonder about how much it got carried by it's hit single. I think the whole album is made well, but there's clearly a standout song.

Sonic Youth's best projects do it more for me than this does. Strong 2/5

I am hard pressed to think of an album whose visual iconography supersedes it's musical content, at least here in the states. Everyone knows at least one dark side of the moon track.

The material on here is often fantastic. It's often morose and firm. The upright vocal delivery and rigid instrumentals provide a gothic backdrop for the occasional breakthrough of genuine emotion, like on "Insight".

There's also a perfect amount of electronics used on this record to add texture, once again "Insight" is a great example.

Soft 4/5 undeniable even for a guy who likes the warm electronics of New Order more

Holy fuck this was lifeless. I get the need for MBV and music that's supposed to be more of a backdrop than anything, ambient music does it for me. But this ain't it. The recording quality sounds thin and lacks dynamics. The guitar notes seem random and without intent. The singing is rambly at best.

I have so little patience for albums like this where it’s the 3rd from an artist. Close to a 1/5

So does this mean the October 2026 edition’s albums got added onto this generator? And if so, what the hell are those dozen album that were picked?? Brat is the one deserving record from the past 5 years that got correctly added. I don’t care how good this Cure album is, there’s hundreds of records made in the past 5 years that deserve to be on this list. It’s an extra limp move to pick a band who is as old as the Cure. How about music from anyone who’s actually pushing contemporary boundaries or making *new* music?

Anyways.
Robert Smith sounds impeccably like himself as he was in the 80’s. The opening song establishes a dynamic, haunting sense of drama that even some vintage Cure stuff doesn’t quite touch. Nevertheless, it still sounds like the same 1980’s Cure … in 2024 … whilst ignoring the loads of new, original projects paving forth new sounds and ideas in the musical zeitgeist.

I think I’m so up in arms about this comeback record being included because it’s a representation of one of the things I fear the most about the future; I’m terrified of the idea that I’d get stuck in my ways and become someone that believes art (specifically music) hasnt been made well since I was young and impressionable. To become so sterile that a band like Alvvays (no offense theyre great but it’s a relatively mellow sound) holds one of my top 10 records of the past 5 years. To me, within that music death lies a death of empathy, a death of curiosity. Most ironically, this fear is causing me to have the inverse reaction to this album where I can’t engage with it in good faith because of its ‘legacy’ status, partially blinding me to how impressive it is.

I’m gonna give this and existential crisis / 5

Muddy Waters yesterday Prince today what did I do to be so spoiled. Prince was such a generational talent and if this album doesn’t prove it I don’t know what will. This double album caps off a run of records he put out in the 80’s that hold up as well as anything. Specifically, the late 80’s seemed like such a transitory time in pop music (from the outside looking in), which resulted in some clanky sounds suffocating what would otherwise be good songwriting. Prince doesn’t suffer from that issue. Just like on Purple Rain, he finds a way to use the drum machines and synthesized sounds to create punchy instrumentals.

“Play In The Sunshine” is an infectious track whose happy nature is hard to deny. Much like PR’s “Let’s Go Crazy”, the song is relentless in its insistence that you dance along in joy.

“It” has such a fascinating instrumental. It’s really only got one melodic quality to it, a looped set of synth notes. Meanwhile Prince is losing his mind in the vocal booth. Few people were horny like this guy was, or maybe few people could convey that emotion so specifically well.

“If I Was Your Girlfriend” is a gender-bending banger. So many little 2 second hooks scattered about this song. How was Prince so adherent to religion and religious personal principles for so long, but also cranking out forward-thinking songs like this??

“I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man” always feels like Prince’s take on the Springsteen Born In The USA era of pop writing. Shouted lyrics over an anthemic melody, hand clapping fillers.

I think this albums expansive nature both works for and against it. Prince goes anywhere and does anything, with success in many of the waters he dips his toes in. But the last 20 minutes of this album or so feel unwarranted, especially with him just throwing a live song in there. I can’t give this a true 5/5, though I really want to. He’s already got Purple Rain, save some 5’s for the rest of us

Masterful work. Muddy Waters sounds spectacular, I can hardly believe this is done in concert - this is studio-quality.

He starts things out slow and establishes a clear sound and atmosphere that white rockers (both British and American) would chase after for decades to come. He has more charisma and stage presence in his pinky finger than many of his imitators had in their entire careers.

Right when things need a shake-up, his performance of “Ive Got My Mojo Working” saves the day. It’s an elevation of energy thats got the crowd all of the sudden clapping along. His intonations and vocal deliveries are charming on parts 1 & 2 alike. By the end, it sounds like he’s brought the house down.

You can *feel* the performances through your headphones. A pioneering effort that should be a live music touchstone just like Cash’s Folsom Prison show is. 5/5

Culturally significant but musically a bit hollow. The most obvious mark against this project and much of Elvis’ stuff is how he’s delivering worse versions of songs black Americans did before him. The “Tutti Frutti” performance on here is so lifeless compared to the original performance by Little Richard.

“One-Sided Love Affair” was pretty good”. The context of this record is more important than the contents of it. 2/5

Without the attatched tn of lived experiences I don’t feel too moved one way or another about this album. The trio is super talented and has enough to say, but it stops short of being amazing.

“Diggin On You” was the first stand out track to me, as it had some really interesting production choices that sound right out of Donkeykong Country. “Red Light Special” was an ideal intimacy track, just the right amount going on in the instrumental and some laser-sharp vocals.

I’m big on interludes and little ideas being used as immersive techniques but the interludes were a few too many for no good reason. Andre3000 at the end was a jumpscare

3/5 very mixed feelings. Does some things really well, also has a few too many gimmicks

The best is yet to come for Little Simz, as this list hasnt been updated since she put out her Sometimes I Might Be Introvert album. That’s not to say this is bad in any sense though! Her flows are just as sharp, but I’d say her pen game and lyricism grows a bit on following projects. GREY Area is mostly concerned with hyping itself and its reputation.

Maybe it’s because Halloween is around the corner, but I really liked the eerie “Wounds” and “Venom” instrumentals. The latter is my favorite from the whole album, her bars are incredible.

4/5 on this one. It’s impressive knowing she gets better after this album, she’s already hyper-focused in this short offering

Bjork and Arca, it just makes so much sense. A bunch of grand strings colliding with all sorts of *alive* sounding electronics. Like "History Of Touches", what a pretty song! Those stuttery, flashy synth chords haphazardly looping around -- they sound like the memory recollections she's having!

So many other sounds that are totally captivating on this project. The techno kick on "Black Lake" is so sleek. Those possibly synthetic string hits on the beginning of "Notget" are so tense.

What's most wonderful about Vulnicura is how it was made for absolutely no one but its creator. This is an exercise in processing heartbreak in a very visceral manner. It's very maternal/feminine at its core, which might be one of the reasons for a 2.8 star global rating imo. The other glaring reason being its deconstructed, jagged, peculiar production work. To some, it's frustrating, but I think it's beautiful.

Soft 4/5. I won't go back to this one for casual listening, it's just as much an experience as it is an album. But it's fantastic any which way

Yes, the general contents of this record are apparent and as-advertised. Lynn folds in some interesting change ups to the theme of the album, like “The Shoe Goes on the Other Foot Tonight” where she isn’t bemoaning love lost but instead finding her way to indulgence out of spite.

But the highlight is an impressive navigation of various vocal deliveries from Miss Loretta Lynn. She knows when to match the softer pockets of a verse and when to let her spectacular voice soar. She flips through various vocal intensities, intonations, and octaves with such ease.

Best songs for me are “There Gies any Everything” and “I’m Living In Two Worlds”. Both heartbreaking anthems.

4/5 she’s in elite company with Aretha Franklin and Karen Carpenter for vocal talent

Such an incredible opener. "Right Here Right Now" wields both an immediacy and a timelessness in how it's intro kicks things off with the titular vocal sample. He knew what he was doing to frontload the album by putting "Rockafeller Skank" right after in the tracklisting.

As for the rest of this record, it's such an oddity. To my ears, it really isn't doing much at all. But to my body, there's an undeniable energy about this record. It's strangely dull to give a close listen to, but feels authentic to a live dj set for it's time. FBS wields an impressive sense of timing and energy, like the buildup and drop on "Kalifornia". But on the same note, many of the samples and loops are underwhelming or even a tad bit harsh.

Shoutout to that roland arp synth on "Acid 800". Needed some more of that. A perfectly jittery but frustratingly crusty record 3/5

The whole time I’m thinking to myself ah yes this is post punk I can finally identify the sound correctly for sure. And then I look up this album to see that it was published in 1978 and I start second guessing myself. These guys were pretty clever with some of the sounds they worked into this thing, maybe being a few years ahead of the curve, maybe being right on time.

“David Watts” was a trip because to my ears it kinda sounded like if The Beach Boys were a British punk band? Like the composition was very peppy and melodic but the sound was being filtered through The Jam. Very interesting.

Then I forgot all about “English Rose”! How sweet of a song. I can’t even imagine how many folks have stuck this in their wedding ceremonies. As I’ve learned this year, writing a song thats as universally beloved as to be stuck in a wedding playlist is an accomplishment to be desired.

I’m gonna go with a light 4/5 on this one. Perhaps because this serves as an exact opposite to that horrendous Associates album from yesterday, a poor attempt at imitation. On the other hand here, All Mod Cons has The Jam hitting all the right notes

These two thought they could get away with leaning wag into some of Bowie’s charming oddities. They instead lean too hard and fall flat on their face.

Not only does this 1001 albums list provide Bowie’s gold standard for music made in this style, but it also provides a wide range of quirky 80’s music. This is the very floor of that field.

In a weird way, “Gloomy Sunday” was a very affirming experience. Based on the global reviews, so many people immediately sniffed out how blatant of a ripoff of Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” this is. It helped me remember that people all around the world will continue to gravitate towards art that’s genuine, made with pure intent and original techniques. And people also have a tendency to shun anything that seems disingenuous, like this song so clearly is.

Hackish and insincere 1/5

Super rich guitar tones throughout the whole record. There’s a warmth and ease to those guitars. It’s really pleasant. That was the most immediate and consist any quality about this project.

I was a bit surprised at how many of the melodic qualities could be fit into boxes of western tropes. The descending looping melody on “Muudo Hormo” sounds like a post-rock lick as much as it sounds like a Senegalese track. Either way, the song is excellent. It’s firm but a little melancholic, sprinkled with some mallets coming onto the second half of the song. “Ko Wone Mayo” Al’s has a guitar that sounds like it’s lifted right out of “Helplessly Hoping” by CSN. Excellent fusion of styles.

There’s a deliberate contentment in how many of these songs are played. They’re not at all worried about the space they take up or what they fill it with. Sometimes it drones on a bit long, but it’s otherwise easy and meditative. Some rich singing on “Bibbe Leydy”.

Strong 3/5, it feels longer than it is at times but there’s some pretty songs peppered about

Very funny how I can mentally parse each major instrument in the title track, thank you guitar hero 3. What I don’t remember is how sweet the school kid melody section is.

“Blue Turk” is like a more swanky Doors cut. Very enjoyable, a strong vocal presence from Alice Cooper backed by an ultra-colorful instrumental.

“Alma Mater” had a mid 60’s Beatles sound going for it, to the point where I strongly feel like it would fit right in on Rubber Soul.

Other than these songs, I didn’t get too much out of this one. Nothing was expressly bad though. Soft 3/5

There’s that saying “better to have bad words than bad art.” Well, kid rock is set on proving that to be a false dichotomy! The language wasn’t actually as bad as I was bracing myself for (Eminem was just as bad if not worse), but the virtue signaling was indeed awful. This is especially rich coming from kid rock, a guy who did not come from trailer parks and deadbeat crowds like he sings/raps about in all these songs. He’s the son of a successful car dealership owner, he grew up on a large estate. Couple this with how obvious of a punching bag this album serves as (for a 1001 albums audience the clearly skews liberal, many of which aren’t even American), and this album becomes impossible to separate from both its creator and its social baggage.

DWAC spits out antiquated ideas and at best serves as an echo chamber for a very specific type of American. Unfortunately, that means it (for a time) was identifiable for some group of people. It is not good art, and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Even more unfortunately, it’s incredibly memorable for many of the wrong reasons. And the first two songs aren’t a total wreck like the rest of the album is. This gets a lowly 2/5

What started as background listening became a firm, enjoyable time at the point of “Maseru”. The slow intro that kicks up into a syncopated, fast-paced whirlwind of instrumentation had me locked in. My attentive listening was rewarded the rest of the way.

“Minawa” towards the beginning of the record was also quite nice. Loungey and easy to listen to. So smooth.

“Ingoo Pow Pow” was a cherry on top at the end.

4/5

Man this made the cut over Power Corruption and Lies?? What are we doing?? I love New Order but this album is them finding the other side of the hill and beginning to tumble down.

It takes till "Round & Round" to hear something I recognize as truly the New Order sound, and even then it feels like a poorly-aged attempt to iterate on their signature sound by slapping a late-80's coat of paint on it.

"Run" was ok, but the song you are looking for is "Your Silent Face" off of PC&L. Sad to give this a 2/5 for it being such a blatant miss

This record is like ABBA’s “Slipping Through My Fingers” song. It’s succinct. You hear one part and think ‘wow this is a great hook’ and then boom there’s another completely different great hook. Moving Pictures is a 4/5 no doubter and I have some good reasons why.

- A prog rock record that answers my prayers and tightens things up both in song composition and in overall album length.
- Galavanting guitar riffs and hopeful lyrics.
- Instantly recognizable sound

“Red Barchetta” and “Vital Signs” are both really pretty, but “Limelight” is a most impressive song. An anthem about protecting one’s ego and remaining humble at the onset of the arena rock era is very omniscient.

Eat your hearts out Jethro Tull / Yes / Genesis