Reviews by mikey_nc

High-octane, hard-edged, swinging and pounding music. Almost feels like a more rap-oriented companion to Rage Against the Machine, although that’s sort of a labored comparison that probably doesn’t do either album proper justice. The production is a little too busy and crazy for me on most songs, but this is still a fairly rewarding listen.

Best song: Bring the Noise

When I was 16 years old in 2015 or so, I was kind of a big Black Keys fan and I actually bought this album on iTunes, one of my treasured gift-card-off-the-Walmart-rack purchases. Today I have mixed feelings about the Black Keys and their sound. To sum it up, they sometimes feels like the beer commercial version of a much better band. But isn’t that kind of an elitist take? The Black Keys were a valuable window into a wider world of rock music for me, and I imagine I can’t be alone in that. Maybe in the years since they blew up in the early 2010s, they’ve actually become under-appreciated?

Anyway, the album. There are a few great songs here alongside a variety of mid bluesy filler. The production is objectively pretty strong, as everything’s very clear and sharp, but something about this fuzzy yet clean sound isn’t clicking for me. I could definitely get in a mood where this album hits for me, but it’s telling that I can remember finishing Brothers for the first time as a teenager and feeling my love for the Black Keys starting to fade. There’s something about this album, and this band as a whole, that just feels hollow and overcooked. But hey, they can still write some great singles and you can still have fun listening to them.

Best song: Everlasting Light

An elegant, fully realized, and impressive display of virtuosity on the piano. There’s a lot of engaging sections and cool musical moments here, too, not just a display of raw talent. Keith could stand to moan a little less, though.

A titanic showing by a titanic band. Big, nasty, and melodic, minimalist in setup and maximalist in scope, with some killer musicianship.

Best song: My Generation Medley

Not Paul’s finest work, though I tend to agree with the modern re-assessments that this album was under-appreciated when it released. The scattered, unfinished nature of the album reflects Paul’s own scattered frame of mind as his life’s work disintegrated around him… or he was too lazy and/or stoned to finish the songs and accidentally created lo-fi as a genre. Either way, it’s got Maybe I’m Amazed on it.

Best song: Maybe I’m Amazed

A very unique sound, mixing post-punk with funk and, uh, disco? That sounds kinda awful but I actually think it works, more or less, even if I don’t love some of the production choices. The singer is a bit of an acquired taste, too. I enjoyed it all in all.

Best song: Rip It Up

A very weird and pretty polished genre mish-mash. Quite listenable even if I didn’t love some of it. Worth hearing if only for the novelty.

Best song: The Paris Match

Impeccably crafted, smartly written, and a pretty fun listen to boot? Surely Lauryn Hill became the next hip-hop mega star and broke the doors down for women in—oh. I don’t want to dwell on Lauryn never really capitalizing on this album because it’s more sad than anything, but it is too bad this is basically all we ever got from someone who seemed to be a budding master. Thankfully, the album is still here and is still great.

Best song: Doo Wop (That Thing)

I’m pretty sure I prefer this to Born to Run, which feels a little blasphemous but I have no qualms about it. A lot of artists were terrified of the 80s, but Springsteen leans into them and I think he succeeds. The album feels genuinely bright and celebratory even though most of the songs are about small-town desperation and misery, and that’s an interesting emotional mix that I don’t think could be pulled off without this style of production. And, of course, most of it is just damn catchy.

Best song: Dancing in the Dark

A heartbroken album, with the sadness amplified by Harris’ voice sounding like it might break at any moment, a la Tammy Wynette. Just like Wynette, though, there’s a lot of power in that vulnerability, and the album as a whole exists in that power too. A little dirge-y at times, but really emotional and effective.

Best song: Boulder to Birmingham

Bright, spacey, fluid, and super well-produced. Not every song connects with me, but the three big singles are so good and the vibe is so well-established that I still come away with pretty good feelings about this one.

Best song: Electric Feel

I always appreciate it when the generator gives me the opportunity to hear a new genre and/or culture. That being said, this sounds like background music at a resort with some dude moaning in French over it.

Best song: Désespoir

A quiet, raw, and honest album, laying the groundwork for who knows how many earnest singer-songwriters. The songs are pretty excellent and the focus and vision are clear. I hate to be prissy about this, but the number one issue is that Neil’s shrieky singing voice is just never going to be my cup of tea… I got over that issue with Bob Dylan, but I can’t get all the way there with him. I also think Neil’s hard rock side isn’t perfectly integrated—Southern Man is great, but When You Dance is a mismatch. Summing up, it’s a well-written and sometimes beautiful album, even if the performances aren’t always my favorite.

Best song: Southern Man

Bombastic and epic, but also sludgy and sluggish. Probably more interesting in concept than in execution. Not bad, but I don’t need two hours of this.

Best song: The Call of Ktulu

Really inventive and well-executed. Definitely weird, but a legible and interesting mix of genres. Really enjoy the jazzy stuff and the guitar work.

Best song: Willie the Pimp

The British have a mixed record with interpreting American forms of music. Rhythm and blues? Imperfect, but pretty great. Jazz? Not much to talk about, but inoffensive. Rap? An assault on the ears.

Best song: Fix Up, Look Sharp

A very consistent vibe, folksy brassy party time. Not totally my thing, but pretty well-written and well-executed.

Best song: Feelin’ Alright?

Edgy but polished, grimy but pristine, Blondie somehow straddles two worlds in late 70s pop and pulls it off. A fun listen with some depth.

Best song: Heart of Glass

My second album with Clapton on it in three days, oh boy. This one starts quite strong, but when the nine-minute jams start rolling in is when I start to lose interest. The title track is remarkable in some places (the beautiful instrumentals of the second half) and irritating in others (LAYYYLUHHH!!!). Overall worth hearing if far from a masterpiece.

Best song: Bell Bottom Blues

Oh goodie, another band from the Steely Dan/Jethro Tull school of rock music. Just what I wanted.

Best song: Mr. Skin