Reviews by mikey_nc

Wow Nico actually can’t sing huh. I quit in the middle of the nine minute avant garde song.

Very well-done with a couple good songs. It did get a little monotonous at a certain point.

Best song: She Talks to Angels

I appreciate Tom Waits’ crazy voice and singular style, but I found myself getting tired of this before it was over.

Best song: Jersey Girl

Insane Lauryn Hill carry job. Wyclef Jean’s No Woman No Cry cover tempted me to give this a 2.

Best song: Ready or Not

Something different. A soothing and occasionally engaging intro to classical Indian music.

Big, catchy, and pretty fun. That 60s sound is nice but a little overwhelming.

A much more somber atmosphere than Scott 2, and a much better album, full of great vocals on grim mysterious songs. Takes a little time to warm to but really interesting.

Best song: The Old Man’s Back Again

A very bright album with a lot of weird but fun stuff going on musically. I’m for it.

Best song: Roundabout

Pretty good soundtrack music.

Well-made, for sure, but kind of a big yawn sadly.

Well George Jones is a great singer, but… I dunno, George, there ain’t anything else to sing about? Just all the women that have left you? There’s like 2 songs on this album that aren’t about that. You think there might be a common denominator here, George?

Best song: Our Private Life

Some real gangster shit. Not sure it needed to be that long though.

Best song: Lifestyles of the Rich and Infamous

AIYIYIYIYIYI

Huge sound, melancholy tone, and great melodies. I think a lot of David Bowie and the Smiths, both of whom have inspired plenty of bad bands, but this was quite good and well-crafted.

Best song: New Generation

That was pretty calming annnnnd I can’t think of a single other thing to say about it.

This album is not bad—it’s very competently made—but I really don’t care for it even a little. Honestly, it doesn’t inspire many good feelings in me since it’s an extremely 2020-core album. The very conceit of the project is that it’s some revolutionary statement that will “speak truth to power” and “get into good trouble” or whatever, when really it’s just a mid-ass R&B album with a bunch of inane lyrics. Living in the Trump 2.0 era makes you really cynical about what the point of this kind of crap ever was. But hey, I’m a white guy, so take my opinion as you will.

Best song: Hard Life

A bright and full album from a band just as capable with simple pop songs as they are with long instrumental freak-outs. I liked it!

Best song: Everyday People

A slow, dour, and repetitive album that succeeds at crafting a singular atmosphere. Pretty tight band. I enjoyed it despite its flaws.

Best song: Decades

A very strange and inventive electronic album. Not really my thing, but massaged my brain pretty good.

Definitely middle-of-the-road, but I guess where I split with this album’s detractors is that I think there are worse things you can be than boring. There are good songs and good moments on this album, even if its mild sound foretold U2 becoming one of the most irrelevant bands ever.

Best song: Beautiful Day