Reviews by mikey_nc

A fantastic album. The concept and the story are well-made without dominating, but more than anything the songs are just really strong. Kendrick on the top of his game.

Best song: Money Trees

A very fun and heavy album. The last funk rock album didn’t impress me much but I get why these guys are (were?) kings of the genre.

Best song: Give It Away

Hippie folk rock, random bites of electric guitar/rock jamming. I’m kinda mixed here because I really enjoy some of this but other parts feel dated and boring. There’s only a couple of songs that bring it all together for me. A bit of a hodgepodge but a solid one.

Best song: Our House

The guitars are obnoxiously loud, obnoxiously treble-y, and distorted to death for no evident reason. The lyrics are often faux-deep drivel. Liam Gallagher’s snide sneer of a singing voice is easy to get sick of. A lot of the songs are same-y. All this is true, and this album still kicks an insane amount of ass.

Best song: Champagne Supernova

Weird genre mix: kinda funky, kinda rock, kinda pop. Lyrics, when I noticed them, led to some eye rolls. A solid album though not one I would seek out.

Best song: Dlz

It’s very 90s. Very grungy. Very much music. Sure.

Happy, colorful, thoroughly strange, and thoroughly creative. Psychedelic pop through a Brazilian lens. I’m not sure if I’ll ever return to this but I had a very good time.

Best song: Senhor F

Great raps. Love the chipmunk soul beats. That Kanye West fella who made some of em seems pretty talented. Wonder what he’s up to these days

Best song: Izzo (H.O.V.A)

Aw yeah. Classic southern rock. Great guitars and grooves.

Best song: Gimme All Your Lovin’

I liked this more than I thought I would on first impression. Very well-defined vibe, punk-ish, grim, industrial (not even the genre, just feels like run-down urban factory music). Not really my style but neat enough.

Yeah that’s an excellent album. Her voice is so warm and rich yet there’s also these great moments where it gets sharp and brassy. Her voice is very instrument-like in that way, adjusting and curving around notes in so many interesting ways. Really enjoyed it.

Best song: How High the Moon

Yeah it's 80s hip-hop. I think this is one of those genres where I had more affection for it when I'd heard less of it, not to say it's bad, but it's just a sound that maybe benefits from the distance of nostalgia. Anyway it's cool. A couple bangers.

Best song: Doin' Our Own Dang

A chill album built on top of minimal beats. The energy is very consistent, but few songs stand out over others. Rapping is never bad but never impressive. An album you listen to for vibe above anything else, if this is the vibe you want. I like the more experimental and sample-heavy final song quite a bit, but it doesn't really fit with the album that precedes it.

Best song: Acetate Prophets

I like this one. Lots of hooks and melody. There’s a pervasive Englishness that might turn some people off but I think it creates a distinct mood and style (and, obviously, it fits the concept). Good songwriting.

Best song: Australia

I liked the early jazzy one and the Milestones interpolation, but otherwise a thoroughly strange album that didn’t click with me. I certainly can’t knock it for diversity or atmosphere, though.

Best song: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Weird, icy, dour, atmospheric. Definitely reminds me of Bowie's Station to Station, though not as high-quality. A very dense and interesting album although not one I'd want to listen to much.

Best song: China Girl

Okay I don't even hate this but there's no way this is a greatest hits album. THIS is the best of what they had???

Best song: Hate to Say I Told You So

Whoa what a voice. Songs vary in quality, but it’s a pretty consistent 60s soul vibe. A strong album though I’m not especially taken by it.

Best song: Respect

Pretty close to pop/disco perfection in the first half, not as strong in the second, but still a fun listen. A very light and happy album, floating in midair.

Best song: Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough

Not huge on the vocals. The sound is weird and hard to nail down, but I like the production. It’s the sort of thing I would like, but this doesn’t fully click with me for some reason. I’ll probably revisit at some point.

Best song: Lazyitis