Reviews by john

Shoutout Ellensburg Washington where this band is from, one of the biggest drive thru cities on WA roadtrips.

I was so hopeful after hearing the opening song. It reminded me a bit more of the Midwest grunge/emo of Hum more than anything out of the PNW.

But I can’t say this album blew me away, or anything close to that. “Sworn and Broken” was a super interesting listen though, as the singer starts out sounding strikingly like Kurt Cobain, then the song develops to the point where it’s played out with a keyboard sine wave solo! Very unique for this genre.

Then the closing “Gospel Plow” was pretty cool for how ambitious its composition choices are. Memorable intro and outro.

Everything else kinda blurred by in a flannel, torn jeans blur. Those standout songs were really good though. Soft 3? Strong 2?

This has got to be one of the worst album covers on this entire list. Luckily, that doesn’t matter.

This is dance pop music that mostly hits its mark. I think everyone needs to understand just how far electronic dance music and pop have gone to fuse together in the past 20 years (particularly the late 2000’s/early 2010’s), and how this wasn’t so normal in 1990. The crisp quality of most of the vocals in particular really impressed me, everything is very distinct and easy to hear.

“Good Beat” is as advertised, a good beat. Maybe one of the more memorable songs on this album.

“What Is Love” is NOT the Haddaway song, but perhaps the most ‘experimental’ of the bunch.

“Groove Is In The Heart” stands out not for being a disco-inspired one hit wonder, but for being significantly louder than the rest of the songs on this album - an indicator that it’s clearly a single.

Hard to get mad at any of these songs or at the album as a whole. Did its part to push for 4 on the floor music to make its way into pop, but I’d stop short of saying this was anything monumental. 3/5 down the middle

"Shakey Dog" is Ghostface Killah swinging on the first pitch of the game. It's aggressive, bombastic, and high-energy. He doesnt cut corners on forming a narrative on this song either; usually it's either super heady and moody OR screaming-in-the-booth hype rap - this song is both!

"The Champ" a little later is kinda just the same song but less effective, unfortunately.

It mustve been so cool to hear WTC in a completely different era on "9 Milli Bros". The novelty carries the song a little ways but not far enough for my ears.

"Heart Street Direction" is so stupid that it almost loops around to being funny again - and was surely inspired by Eminem right? A bunch of sex innuendos formed into one skit/joke? Sounds like Eminem to me.

"Whip You With a Strap" is such a beautiful reminder of J Dilla's sensibilities for making a beat and not overcomplicating it. He had an ear for samples like no one else.

I'm a big fan of "Clipse of Doom" for how relentless the beat is with Ghostface keeping up too - more of those vibes that "Shakey Dog" had, I feel left wishing for more of this.

What goes on in the last half of the album makes me wish the tracklist was put together with a bit more of a selective eye. Starts to all blend together. "Big Girl" into "Underwater" were super unique and almost reeled me all the way back in.

Strong 3/5. Some great energy, fantastic personality and presence in the booth. Just wish for a bit more restraint on what got put on this album. the 10ish best tracks on here and nothing more wouldve been perfect.

It takes a LOT to bore me but I can confidently say I was bored at many points on this record. Seriously that's really hard to do - how do you bore a guy that's a few years into an ambient music deep dive?! Clearly a soundtrack so im sure it hits way different with the movie accompaniment but that sure as hell isnt the point of this list.

Nothing on here was outright bad, but nothing was memorable, especially with the consideration that Air holds at least one other spot on this list with a much more substantive album.

Maybe this is a soft recommendation to watch the movie, but I won't. 2/5

All progressive rock roads lead to Rush, and I can see this album’s sound laying the groundwork for Rush’s immense success.

Such an interesting choice to put a live (albeit very good) guitar solo in the second slot of a track listing otherwise full of studio recordings. I think that leads into the double-edged sword dilemma this record (and probably most prog records) has going for it: they seemingly throw in any old idea/melody/motif without restraint. Like, the first half of “Ive Seen All Good People” being a folkish song with the chorus ‘dont surround yourself with yourself’? Awesome. The second half suddenly becoming a yacht rock rambling jam? Probably coulda saved that for a bonus track. Or split them into two songs maybe? Which they kinda ended up doing! In a very weird roundabout way later on the album.

I’m asking for structure/things that are ultimately unnecessary and arbitrary, but around the point of “Perpetual Change” I kinda needed it. The constant turn of one musical passage into another, the hard track panning. This was when the album was at its worst - seemingly begging you for your acknowledgment that this is a record that follows its own rules.

At its best though, I feel like I’m locked into an avatar state where the record store dwellers before me (mostly gen x white guys) look down the line at me, and I too recognize the immensely impressive instrumentation, excellent chemistry, and powerful performances.

3/5, I have whiplash and am left in a daze with nothing to hang onto but I’m kinda impressed

Finally some good fucking food.

“Turkish Song Of The Damned” really set the pace for this album being intentional, colorful, energetic, and often about hardship.

But “Fairytale Of New York” was really when I locked in, I’m a sucker for a sappy piano ballad. This albums take on that type of song is really cool, taking the soft piano part into a more galavanting Irish jingle.

“Metropolis” has my favorite instrumental, it’s very tense and suspended right from the get go.

“Fiesta” was fun because it almost veers into ska-punk territory!

“Sketches Of Spain” shows the breadth of styles the band is willing to cover and infuse with their signature Irish-folk sound. This is such a cool fusion of two distinct sounds.

Loved this project for how intentional it is, how much all the members sold out to deliver energetic performances across the track listing. Emphatic 4/5 from me!

So there I was, weeks and months ago, pounding the desk for more non-English albums. So here I am now, realizing I can’t have my cake and eat it too.

It’s not that I didn’t like this album outright, but it just sounds very much like 2018. Maybe that’s of more value to some, but I lived through that time and listened to plenty of pop then - this project doesn’t do a lot to distance itself from the sounds of that time.

My picks from this album are the French version of “Doesn’t Matter” for having a great pop chorus, and the English version of “Goya Soda” for sounding like the blueprint for Caroline Polacheks “Desire, I Want To Turn Into You” album (which you should probably just listen to instead of Chris). Not sure if this is a 2 or a 3 stars

I don’t know if this is the case for all Sonic Youth records, but Kim Gordon’s voice steals the show here imo - I wish there was more of it.

Most of this was just passable post-punk that went in and out the ears. I could hear this being played over a record store soundsystem, which I’m still trying to figure out why it’s a compliment to say that.

My pick from the record is “Beauty Lies In The Eye” or maybe “Master-Dik”. A decent subset of Gen X probably loved this one. Probably better Sonic Youth albums to be listened to so it’s a 2/5

I’d stop just short of calling this greatness. There’s some good things going for this album though! I’d imagine in 1997 this sounded like the fucking future. There’s a lot of tactful instrumentation choices, as well as a very clear atmosphere this album sonically exists in. It just lacks a bit of punch and/or ability to hold my attention, personally.

That Apple automated talking voice is such a cool choice on “Fitter Happier”.

On the other hand, songs like “Climbing Up The Walls” weren’t as easy on the ears as I’d hoped. I don’t take issue with Thom Yorkes voice being overtly whiny or impossible to listen to, but it wasn’t great on this song.

“In Rainbows” was the Radiohead album that clicked for me, I had no such click with this one. 3/5

This was a swing and a miss. I wont remember a single lyrical or melodic hook. Somewhere along the way there's a horrible attempt at a psuedo-screamo section, which somehow didnt break the monotony of everything else.

I have No Sympathy for the song "No Sympathy", which is a bit of lazy failure to capture the essence of Pink Floyd on the frontside, then a sudden transition to a half-baked Aphex Twin impression on the back half.

At least we have Jacob Collier now who can pull off the novelty of genre-bending with some sense of style, substance, and bring on decent collaborators.

This album is a nothing burger 2/5

Zeppelin 2 proves that the band is always good for a few memorable riffs, a few great choruses, some nice chunky guitars, and all too many creepy lyrics given the bands nefarious history. Too many uses of “baby” or “child”, which was nothing new for classic rock, but doesn’t make it any more excusable.

“Ramble On” is easily my pick for this project. It’s a basic choice but man were they firing on all cylinders with this song. Explosive chorus with some instrumental/arrangement choices that would be a precursor for the direction they took their sound on the perfect Zep 4 album.

Too meandering and lyrically too yucky for me. Could’ve gone without this one on the list since they have so many others included, 2/5

Lamenting the fabric of suburbia pulling apart at the seams, this album is the fraternal twin of Green Day’s “American Idiot”, both of which hit me right in the childhood. I have had transcendental and existential experiences listening to this record while biking through the Mill Creek neighborhoods on still summer nights.

I’m especially enamored with “Neighborhoods #4 (7 kettles)” as a more meditative, placid moment in the middle of Funeral. The song juxtaposes the surface level serenity of suburban life, with all the underlying reasons people never end up feeling actually happy with the way their suburban lives are turning out. In a microcosm, that’s what this album is about to me: grasping at a perfect life in acquiring a docile “American dream” life (even though the band is canadian) and realizing through the passage of time that not all of life can be controlled or painted to perfection.

Brilliant album because it’s a meditation on a loved experience Ive more or less been through, 5/5

A really powerful call for systemic change long before a lot of this albums lyrical content was socially acceptable in the states at least.

“Watcha Gonna Do” is probably the catchiest track to my ears, but I do think that focusing on how catchy these songs is kinda like missing the trees for the woods.

“Why Must I Cry” is my favorite off this project. Tosh spills out such agonizing emotions with ease, one of the best things to come out of all reggae music.

3/5, powerful messaging

For every good pop country album, there are 100 bad ones. Luckily this one is a good one. Remembering back on its release cycle, I think it got a little too much love from the Grammy’s, Spotify, etc etc. Dont get me wrong, this album is good and achieves what it sets out to do, but stops short at being a transcendent work of art imo.

“Love Is A Wild Thing” might be the lyrical summation for the themes of this project, especially the ‘flowers in the concrete’ line.

The memorable tracks are at the end of this albums nice little 45 minute runtime. “Wonder Woman” has a clever bit of lyrical imagery for such a simple pop song. “High Horse” is one of the best lyrical hooks paired with one of the best pop grooves of its time. “Golden Hour” gave everyone an instagram caption for the two years that followed its release. Then “Rainbow” is just one of those piano ballads that will hold up for decades to come.

Great pop album that doesn’t overstay its welcome, perhaps slightly overheralded and responsible for the continued pervasion of cowboy hats as fashion statements and country crossovers that didn’t go nearly as well. Soft 4/5

A light 3/5 for me. Mostly good messaging and some really clean production.

“Dy-na-mi-te” is easily the catchiest of all songs on this project. Great hook, very infectious.

“It Takes More” has the best production work, I love the chopped up intro sample.

The first half of the closing track is a standout as well, the acoustic guitar is so easy on the ears.

Solid vocal presence and bars, nothing I was head over heels about, but M’s. Dynamite holds her own on the mic for sure

This feels like coming out the other side of the 80’s sounds that were started by yesterday’s album, “The Pleasure Principle” by Gary Numan. Which is funny because that album only preceded this one by a few years, but Soft Cell seem to be living in a world of already established techniques and cliches.

“Sex Dwarf” doesn’t hold back, it’s a bit dizzying towards the end.

“Memorabilia” sounds like it definitely inspired the hell out of LCD Soundsystem. On that note, “Fun City” also has that late 2000’s synth bassline that goes up and down and up and down and up and down.

I can’t say this is the type of new wave that gets me going. And if I wanted to listen to some sweaty sex songs from this time, I think I’d just be better off with all the stuff Prince put out around then. 2/5

A very deliberate dive into what would turn out to be the sounds of the 80's. Feels like a less experimental sonic relative of an album we had not too long ago, Another Green World by Brian Eno (one of my favorites of all time). Just as much, it feels like a progenitor for all things Rush; Gary Numan and Geddy Lee sing in a similar register.

Most all of these songs are very straightforward in their compositions/arrangements. I do wonder if it wasn't so simple at the time though, no genre had been completely washed in electronics or given the "synth-____" prefix yet.

Many tracks here just do the bare minimum by todays standards. "M.E." is cool but damn does it go on for too long. I imagine it was pretty neat to hear a synth lead go crazy like that towards the end of the song at the time of it's release, but I just hear a song that overstays it's welcome. Most every other song is passable at best, painfully simple at worst. I got no problem with little albums that have no real message or monumental achievement attached to them, but this one doesnt seem to set out to do much of anything. "Conversation" at 7:36 minutes long? come onnnnn.

The hit "Cars" is unfortunately representative of this aalbum as a whole - the song doesn't have anything inherently wrong going for it, but man it feels like an 8th seed playoff team hat snuck into the postseason due to a weak division.

"Random" is my pick from this project, I did appreciate the gated synth on loop.

Just because an album constructed foundations for a genre doesn't make it's music any more gilded with age. Not mad about the music at all, mad about it's inclusion on this list. 2/5

Incredibly charming opening song. That synth lead/bassline walks down in a way that reminds me not of the Cat Stevens song it often gets compared to, but of “Our House” by CSN&Y. Knew I was in for something special when this songs was done.

Parts 1 & 2 of the title track are a great bit of storytelling. Part 1 in particular was pretty striking. I think I wasn’t expecting a fictional story like that to be accompanied by the arrangement/sounds that The Flaming Lips go for. It’s a bit melancholy and grounded in pretty, acoustic instrumentation. Then part 2 is just a masterclass in NOT using words to let the story play out.

The next bit that struck me was in the following song, “In The Morning Of The Magicians”. There’s this fantastic programmed kick drum that just sounds really really good for something that came from 2002. The production on songs like this or “One More Robot / Sympthy 3000 is selective, shimmery, and holds up REALLY well.

Parts of “Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell” and “Are You A Hypnotist” halfway through the record were the only time this project almost fell of its 5/5 star pace - a bit of meandering without really achieving nearly as much as the first third of the record did.

“Do You Realize??” deserves all the flowers it gets. Surely the band knew what they had with this song - I’m always impressed when a key change doesn’t completely ruin a song for me.

Very few times to I get to listen to an album for the first time and just kick back, knowing it’s gonna be a 5/5. Loved this from start to finish. No snoozers, fantastic concept that exists in its own world, and some production work that holds up wildly well to this day. Some pop influence sprinkled into the arrangement choices. Sticks the landing

The guy in these global reviews that called Morrisey a British Neil Young is more clever than I'll ever be. It is just as perplexing that I can tolerate Morriseys artistry and voice with more ease than Neil Youngs.

After a pretty fantastic opener, track 3 "We'll Let You Know" is a very pretty, melancholy little song. The downtrodden acoustic guitar with the snare roll coming in halafway through the song and those echoey guitar (?) sounds all make for a really good listening experience. Reminds me of a more downtrodden version of Alex Turners “Hiding Tonight”.

Worse yet, the instrumentation on this is really well done. The rhythym guitar tones on "The National Front Disco" are so pleasant. The easy, square-dance beat on "Certain People I Know" is really simplistically fun.

"I Know It's Gonna Happen Someday" is a total snoozer, most of the back half of this record is.

I hear so much of Jesse Lacey/Brand New taking inspiration from Morrisey, which makes sense on multiple levels. Excellent artistry wrapped up in a nasty guy 3/5

Fear set into me when I saw the year and album cover art - I was worried this would be another psychedelia project. I'm so happy to be wrong - its not even an english-speaking album! Much needed.

An opening track that's a bit of a facade, as it's all grand and energetic, while the next few songs are more loungey and mild.

"Alergria, Alegria" is a really interesting crossroads of the sounds of it's time and the sounds of it's place of origin. Brazilian psych rock? I've never heard anything like it before.

Caetano Veloso has a super unique, super recognizable voice. The way he glides over the waiting-room bossanova on "Anunciacao" is easy on the ears.

The way he pronounces 'copacabana' on "Superbacana" is by far my highlight of the record - this song is so short and sweet and fun. 3/5 I feel like im on aa beach in Brazil