Reviews by mkaddour2001

Steely Dan have always allegedly been one of, if not the only, good soft-rock bands, which I can get down with, seeing as I enjoyed
'Countdown to Ecstasy' quite a bit from earlier in this list. And I can say I enjoyed this about as much, if not a bit more.

Their songs have this really weird effect on me, where I'm really not a fan of the song's general direction, lead melody, or instrumental palette during its first couple of minutes, but am left oddly satisfied once the song closes out, despite not much really changing. That's not to say the songs don't evolve and grow; a song like the title track felt like a long day on a tropical island resort town, from sunrise to sunset, that evokes just about every possible emotion you could have. It's maybe the best example of a song that just grows on me despite me not caring for its foundational elements. It's like the song is constantly pulling off insane tricks in a desperate effort to impress its worst critics, and it actually ends up working, because there's just so much to love in that middle instrumental interlude.

Almost every song has a similar effect on me, where I grow to appreciate what it's trying to do by the end. "Deacon Blues' has maybe the neatest saxophone solo here, and it took until the third go of the verse-chorus for me to really appreciate the melodic and lyrical direction of the song, just a super tragic nihilistic tale backed by some oddly fitting bright instrumentation. "Peg" was a nice refresher, with its tighter pocket groove feel, killer harmonies, and about as gnarly a guitar solo as you'll get out of a Steely Dan record. A feel-good song...I see why De La samples this one particularly. 'I Got The News' was another one with a super tight bassline
and piano groove, and I really liked how it just randomly burst into these lush instrumental segments before returning to the core groove.

It didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth, and I can definitely see why people enjoy this more than I do. It's just good music, with no bells and whistles, engineered to perfection, with a mind-blowingly wide instrumental range that's all super melodic. Plus, it reminded me of the Mario Kart soundtrack at times. As for me, I can appreciate it more than I fully enjoyed it. It's like I get super close to loving these songs, but something just holds me back, and I'm not fully sure what. Maybe I'll grow to love it even more on subsequent listens.

Honestly pretty good. I'm pretty skeptical when this list pulls out a random UK artist I've never heard of usually. I know people generally give this list a lot of shit for that exact reason. But this was just some solid neo-soul, with bangers like 'Put Him Out',
"Krazy Krush', and 'It Takes More', and pretty heartfelt and personal cuts like with 'Brother'. And a smaller moment, but I really liked the cool jazz breakdown on ‘All I Ever’, super smooth horns there.

Sure it feels like a personal favourite from the list creator, but it doesn't make it bad or anything. Ms. Dynamite has the vocal and lyrical chops to keep this record
enjoyable, if a bit run-of-the-mill, for its hour runtime. Not much else to say for this one.

Some okay slacker and indie rock here, about as solid and consistent as anyone could want in its best moments. But it certainly wasn't bringing anything very unique to the genre in the '90s. At least nothing worthwhile; when the band goes out of its comfort zone, it doesn't sound great, like with the ballsiness and facetiousness of 'Telecosmic Alchemy' and the nearly unlistenable "Fantastic Disaster' - these cuts just don't work in the context of this album, or as standalone experimental noise interludes. 'Sister' was the best of the noisier cuts; I just really liked the squealing lead, and the whole thing gave a sort of "Big Black" feel.

The band is at their peak when they're on the softer side of things. The album starts strong enough with 'Soul and Fire', a pretty expansive and tone-setting track, with these booming overdriven guitar hits that reminded me of a group like 'Built To Spill'. 'Sacred Attention' had some really neat guitar work; despite its simplicity, it also managed to capture that larger-than-life feel of the opener. And the funky scratchy guitar and bass groove opening up 'Emma Get Wild' was great; the rest of the song is pretty good as well, instrumentally at least, pretty punky.

An album that has its charms and some genuinely solid moments, but is unbelievably bogged down by the awful atonal cuts laced throughout. I'm all for noisy, unconventional cuts, but they're just not executed well at all here - especially on the vocal front. I can enjoy a good amateurish vocal delivery (especially in this kind of music), to bring up Build to Spill and Modest Mouse again, but it feels too forced here and doesn't add any sort of character to the thing - it's just annoying. And the worst part is, when it's not being loud and brash, it's middling and generic a good chunk of the time, with just a few solid moments throughout.

Bright, squeaky-clean, shimmering, and quite feel-good synth-pop, with many memorable choruses and electronic licks throughout, paired with a very grand presentation. I quite enjoyed some of the previous Pet Shop Boys songs (especially 'Being Boring'), but this album, while feeling a bit more streamlined than their past stuff, also contained some of their more visionary production moments.

Songs like 'Liberation', with its reverby pads, cutesy lead melody, and sweeping strings, feel like they laid the groundwork for many mainstream pop songs that would crop up in the late '2000s. 'The Theatre' was another highlight instrumentally; the very faint vocal samples spliced throughout stuck out to me, and the string arrangements here were especially memorable. 'One In a Million' was also pretty good, just a super catchy tune with an infectious and sort of funky electronic groove.

The thing about this album is it's not entirely without its '90s clunk (that actually sounds a bit more like '80s clunk); in fact, it's quite prominent, and this album's most glaring flaw. In large thanks to the horn sections here that don't entirely mesh with the rest of the electronic and artificial production. 'Different Point of View' was one of the worst offenders; not sure what they were trying to achieve with that goofy barrage opening up the song. 'One and One Make Five' also has these dance-floor FM preset string stabs that age the whole thing beyond repair. Thankfully, these cheesier moments are usually confined to just a few seconds in either the opening or the chorus, but I'd be hard-pressed to find a song that didn't feel at least a little clunky. But, despite all that, they add a certain charm that I can't bring myself to fully hate, in an old Nokia flip-phone kind of way. And they certainly go all the way with it, which I can appreciate, especially with the closer 'Go West' which is just all sorts of over-the-top that I couldn't help but smile at.

Cool album, though one primarily comprised of moments or hooks that I appreciate rather than full songs. But again, I definitely see a lot of '2000s synthpop groups, especially a group like the Knife, taking a lot from this particular record.

Delicate and intimate little classic folk record here, immediately reminded me of someone like Nick Drake in just how down and almost nihilistic it all feels. Though for a folk album, it was odd that I found the highlight to be the guitar playing; it was just super good, and the instrumentals here (and the playing in general) were just so evocative, balancing atmospheric finger-picking style with a pretty poignant driving melody on a lot of these. My favorites being 'Smokey River', which really sets the mood for the album, 'Alice's Wonderland', and the great closer 'Angie'.

As for everything else, it certainly has a very subtle British folk flavor to it in the finger-guitar style and the melody construction, sort of like a more subdued and moody Fairport Convention or The Pentangle. I also see some psych groups drawing from this record; I especially hear a lot of the band Love in this, in the twisted and dreamlike writing and acoustic playing, especially on 'I Have No Time,' which was maybe my favorite song here. And speaking of twisted, 'Needle of Death' was unapologetically blunt in its delivery and imagery in relation to drug usage; it was pretty unexpected in the mix here, but I did like it quite a bit. It's sobering. 'Do You Hear Me Now' is equally as blunt and holds Bert's most in-your-face vocal delivery; I'd say he goes slightly out of his vocal range on this one with those cracks and growls, though. The rest of the songs here also have pretty dark undertones; again, it really plays into the album's overall aesthetic.

A solid listen. I did wish for more on the vocal and songwriting front, but it is a very skeletal and consistent record, for better or worse. It establishes its gloomy atmosphere pretty early on, dimming the light and lighting a candle, and then leaves you there for 40-minutes or so.

Ridiculously consistent and catchy little new-wave album here. It starts ethereal, with these shimmering reverb guitars driving the opener 'Our Lips Are Sealed'- it's honestly pretty subtle when compared to so many of the other songs here, with a super gorgeous bridge that doesn't go on for nearly long enough. But after that, the album starts blazing through with these insanely fast-paced power pop tracks, packed with catchy choruses with those oh-so iconic '80s harmonies. I mean, it's almost ABBA-esque in just how well they manage to craft these earwormy choruses on almost every single song. I especially loved the harmonies on 'How Much More'; a song where the guitar lead and overall groove remind me of 'Boys Don't Cry' by The Cure. There's also a handful of really memorable instrumental breakdowns here, be they synth-driven or guitar-driven.

Best way to describe the guitars and bass here is "Nocturnal" - with these dark and brooding timbres and melodies sprouting out of seemingly nowhere, all without ever being too menacing or cold. Really just dark enough to establish a subtle gothic atmosphere that exists across the album, with some songs, like 'This Town', 'Lust To Love', and especially the dark synth melody and heavy fuzzy guitar of 'Automatic' standing out. It's no The Cure album, of course, far more subtle, but I do enjoy the occasionally darker tint here. You still get a song like 'We Got The Beat' which is about as straightforward as your new-wave bangers get, in a good way. And 'You Can't Walk In Your Sleep' is the most obviously post-punk track here, with a killer melodic bassline.

I mentioned those sweet power-pop harmonies already, but the lead vocals done by Belinda carry their weight on a lot of the verses here, and they're pretty dynamic all things considered. There's a punk rawness to the delivery and vocal range here, with a shakiness that reminds me a bit of Kathleen Hannah, especially on the ridiculous 'Skidmarks on My Heart'.

Just a really enjoyable 35 minutes. It does lose a bit of steam in its final songs, but that's just because the first half is just banger after banger. I can see the first four songs here especially becoming some future all-timer bops for me.

The whole acapella nature of the record was maybe its biggest hurdle for me, especially at nearly 40 minutes. But it honestly ended up entrancing me before long. Just the very steady nature of it all is hypnotizing, in the same way a long piano-driven ambient album is. Far from your conventional music but one that proves that the voice is a strong enough standalone instrument, same as any other instrument. In this case it's multiple voices, but really they all come together as one, like a warm blanket over you on a quiet, cold night as you're ushered into the dream world.

An album I'm glad I got to listen to. Not entirely my thing, but that really doesn't matter now, does it. This feels important, ethereal, and soulful, and I'm probably just not at the point where I've fully grasped it.

While I don't think that simply listening to a James Brown live recording does his performances any justice, I still got everything I would've really wanted from an auditory perspective on the experience.

Just such an energetic and lively set. Snappy, jagged horn-driven proto-funk songs like 'Think' showcase Brown's undeniable talent for nonsensical vocal riffing. His regular vocal chops also get a lot of time to shine on the slower ballads, and especially on the giant 'Lost Someone'; the emotive straining on his voice here is very much Prince-esque. And he really earns the label "Godfather of Soul" on this song - just in the way he stretches and contorts this ballad to his own liking. And there's a lot of tension building on this song that doesn't get fully released - that is, until that one snare hit near the end and the seamless transition into the next song as the crowd goes ballistic.

This album's one of those rare instances where the recording is way too short as well; this could've gone on for another half an hour, and I would've been fine. Probably because the pacing, sequencing, and dynamics of the setlist were exceptionally well curated - just constantly being hit with that hot/cold slow-ballad soulful cut versus upbeat funk track throughout, especially with the memorable medley on here. Recording sounds incredible too. Just a really solid live performance by one of the undisputed greats.

I mean, it's damn unique, that's for sure. Just the whiplash of that really oddball fusion of the Indian- and Western-styled Rolling Stones cover on the opener is enough to make this thing memorable, at least. I also really messed with the "Light My Fire' cover here - the inclusion only makes sense, considering it was no secret that The Doors were heavily influenced by Eastern music.

The music is solid, albeit a bit one-note at times. The sitar is the driver here, and on a song like 'Snow Flower' all the backing instrumentation does a great job of adding a lot of texture to the core playing, filling the space really elegantly. But then you get a song like 'Mamata' which has a nice enough core melody, but the backing strumming doesn't do very much for me. The drumkit breakdown on 'Metamorphosis' was another undeniable highlight; again the mix of influences here is completely foreign to my ears, and I don't fully know if I like it or not yet. I also love the backing drones of the slower start to "Sagar"; it sounds like a lot of your proto-ambient type stuff that was coming out around this time, stemming from South Asian music and jazz-fusion, just super ominous and brooding. And the gradual build near the end with just the right amount of bass and hand percussion was exactly what the song needed to propel it across the finish line. I'd also say this song shows off Ananda's playing the best of any other song here. Easily my favorite song on the record.

Neat record though not one I see myself revisiting very often. Reading up on him, the guy seems to be the son of Ravi Shankar, who was included earlier on this list for me, and who I know was super influential in drawing Eastern influences into Western music via the Beatles, for example. Wonder if Ananda here was fully embracing those fusions himself here, after being influenced by his father's worldwide appeal. Apparently, the guy performed with Jimi Hendrix, which is neat.

I don't know why, but this album feels more somber than some of Young's other albums, despite all his albums being sort of downers. Simultaneously, this is maybe the Young album I feel like I need to listen to the most to fully grasp its meaning. 'Heart of Gold' is maybe one of his most sincere and easy-to-relate-to tracks, a simple song about a man looking for someone, or something real, in a world that makes the task feel monumental. For as upbeat as the song sounds, it sure as hell feels like the poor guy's efforts are futile, especially given the context of the rest of the album. I feel like it's a general theme here: a man who has a lot left to live for, feeling like time is slipping away from him, due to a directionless search for love and meaning in a barren world. Most clear on the song 'Old Man', but also in the desperation of a song like 'A Man Needs a Maid' and the closing track 'Words'.

It's certainly one of his groovier-sounding albums as well, especially on 'Heart of Gold ', which just punches with that bass and guitar sequence. The orchestral bits I did find a bit of a place and clunky, especially on 'There's a World' and 'A Man Needs a Maid', I much prefer Young when he's working within a more refined palette - harmonica, guitar, bass, piano, etc... 'Alabama' was pretty good though, despite it sound like a more generic arena-sized country-rock song in its chorus, Neil manages to pull it off in the end with a dynamic song-structure that has that emotional-rollecoaster effect. The closer 'Words' was also pretty neat for similar reasons, solid guitar solo on this one. Again, not a sound I typically associate with Neil Young, but it goes over pretty well.

I think I've liked pretty much everything I've heard from this cool Canadian guy up to this point. This is definitely up there, though; while it's less refined than his future albums musically, the emotion and heartfelt writing are really what ended up sticking with me.

To me, the most impressive thing about this album is the fact that it was released in '83. It certainly differs from the hip-hop music of its time, opting instead for a more playful and colorful presentation more akin to a plunderphonics record from the '2000s. But there are no fat beats or cleverly chopped samples to be found, and it ultimately ends up feeling like a cracked-out DJ mix or radio show consisting almost exclusively of quirky little interludes - for better or worse.

It's not bad by any means; there are some good moments laced throughout. I really liked the sunny 'Double Dutch', largely because of how catchy and breezy the original sample is. Maybe the most proto-Avalanches song here. I feel similarly about 'Merengue'; it was a cool fusion of dirty western and salsa that painted a pretty epic scene, despite the really annoying adlibbing over the whole thing. 'Soweto' was another catchy song, but again, not enough interesting being done with its core samples.

The electronic tracks here, like the ambient opener 'Obtala' and the noodly yet evocative 'Legba', were pretty neat inclusions and nice breathers overall. And 'World's Famous' was maybe the most mind-bogglingly ahead-of-its-time song here, just super predictive of instrumental hip hop to come.

So yeah, more fascinating than anything and something to sort of vibe with in the background. While I can respect that it was doing some cooky plunderphonics things way before it was cool, I really just found myself wanting to listen to J Dilla or Avalanches by the end of it.

If the project Massive Attack is anything, it's ridiculously consistent. The slow, serene, airy soundscapes they paint in their music evoke a mood that's rivaled by very few of their contemporary trip-hop acts. This album is no exception.

There were a lot of highlights here. I loved the resonant and head-nodding grooves in the breakdowns of 'Karamcoma'. The ambient techno pads and soft vocals of the song 'Three' were another highlight; I would love to see MA doing this sound more often. You also get lounge room jazz vibes with the song 'Weather Room', which reminded me a lot of the very melodic and lush style that Nujabes would work with years down the line. But my favorite had to be the pulsating and ginormous electronics of 'Euro Child', with some really solid rap performances on top of it. It had this sinister industrial presentation, which is juxtaposed by these deep strings and a surprisingly funky groove. An absolute journey.

Vocally, it's really Tracy Throne that takes the cake for me; her vocals are stunning, and they so elegantly hover over the airy instrumentals of her two tracks. Just super chill. Nicolette on the song 'Sly' was also pretty good; I love the soaring orchestral strings on this one.

Not sure how I feel about the cover of 'Light My Fire' closing this out; it was bold at least. But putting that odd cover choice aside, this was really just another great entry in the Massive Attack discography. An absolute blast to get through.

I don't think it'd be controversial to say that Beyoncé's songwriting skills would improve drastically once she became a solo act. As for what we have here with Destiny's Child, it's a sort of half-baked '2000s girl group album, with some undeniable bangers here and there (especially the first two songs, 'Independent Woman Pt. 1' and 'Survivor ', and a lot of the songs near the end - a generally backloaded album), but that's bogged down by a lot of the fluff and padding throughout.

The vocals and harmonies here are solid, and the hooks and verses here are catchy and well-written enough, especially on 'Dance With Me' and the much more somber and intimate 'Emotion'. My real main complaint is the very dry and uninteresting production. It reeks of its time, and while it does admittedly allow the girls to shine, I was hoping for a lot more for this album, especially with it sitting at an hour in length. I did like the glitchy electronics of 'Perfect Man' and the cutesy synth lead of 'Dance With Me', a song with some of the better drum programming here. And the sort of cloudy and hazy atmosphere of 'Brown Eyes' was pretty predictive of alternative '2010s RnB, and future Beyonce in general.

Punchy and earwormy at best, and bland but ultimately inoffensive at worst. Not an awful way to start my morning, but far from the best thing this genre, or Beyoncé, has to offer. And again, pretty backloaded for once.

Cool album that reminded me a lot of Fairport Convention with a very similar appeal. You have these fluttery female harmonies frolicking through these very detailed and dynamic bits of Celtic-inspired folk-rock instrumentals, which are parts cold and moody, and parts vast and easygoing. Just that angelic hippie nature vibe fused with modern tavern music, pretty much.

This was released in the late '60s, so of course there's quite a bit of psychedelia infused here, with heavy usage of Eastern progressions and instruments, especially on 'Once I Had a Sweetheart' and 'House Carpenter'. I'm not a huge fan of the male vocals here; when compared to the female leads at least, they just don't fit the vibe well enough and are nowhere near as expressive. I did like the hymn-esque harmonies of 'Lyke-Wake Dirge' though, a pretty odd turn for the album.

Best song here ultimately was the snappy and crunchy 'Train Song'; I love the vocal riffing on this one, and the very clicky guitar playing on the outro as the song picks up pace was easily the grooviest thing here - great bass. The scenic storytelling of 'Hunting Song' was another undeniable highlight; again, I just really love the female vocals on this album, and the drum and bass groove nearing the end of this one is as infectious as they come.

Solid take on this flavor of British folk music, very whimsical as I've come to expect from this music. Good time.

Too bland yet simultaneously too all-over-the-place for my liking. The sort of "Lazy Sunday" sounding indie music that's way too monotonous for its own good, melodically especially, but also in the very empty feel of the production.

Will point out some alright moments here that I still enjoyed. 'Zumm Zumm' had a nice slick synth loop that captured the psychadelic feel the album was clearly going for, and the tribal nature of the rhythm section here gave early Eno and Talking Heads vibes. I enjoyed the popped bass groove on 'Love's Dart', again, a pretty solid core groove here. 'Wor' was a much-needed change of pace after all the slower songs here, a really solid twangy lead on this one. And the sinister synth breakdown on 'Life's a Beach' was also another standout moment.

So yeah, some interesting riffs and moments sprinkled throughout, but I can't think of a single song here that I'd willingly revisit in its entirety. An album of little cool moments as opposed to solid songs.

I do remember enjoying Weather Report's previous album "Black Market" a bit more. But while this album was a bit less adventurous and a fair bit more boilerplate when it comes to jazz-fusion, I found the music here to still be some of the most unique-sounding stuff in this synth-jazz funk field, and it was a very enjoyable album to get through. Weather Report just has such a unique vibe.

Opener 'Birdland' was particularly catchy; there's something so uplifting about the core melody and progression of this song, and I love the way it coasts with that deeper synth lead and drone around the halfway mark; it really is those winding song structures that this band does so well. 'Palladium' was also really great, it has this almost Herbie Hancock feel to it, with the hand percussion and very present bassline, and the way the band picks up the tempo near the middle with this super complex groove was great. The cute little spiraling synth melody of 'The Juggler' was another highlight here; the song, more than any other on here, really plays into that synth-funk odyssey feel, rising and falling in a very dramatic fashion. The song reminds me of early '70s prog, if anything. And the closing 'Havona' is "driving into the sunset" music at its best.

I just really love the large analog feel of the synths on this album, and how they're paired with these very sticky melodies. It's more easy-going than your average jazz album, but it never felt dull. The fusions here, I don't think Western music would fully start embracing until like the mid '80s - so that's pretty impressive in its own right.

Amazing cool jazz album, it's always been such a breezy and feel-good listen, given its short length and very digestible use of unconventional time signatures. 'Take Five' is maybe the most obvious example of this. The song really doesn't even feel like it's in 5/4; that lead piano riff just latches on to your ears almost immediately, becoming instantly recognizable and sensical, that is, until the song starts stuttering with that drum solo. It's one hell-of-a-song with an incredible saxophone melody and a shining example of how jazz can, in fact, be super catchy.

'Blue Rondo a La Turk' is a very gripping opener; it just feels much more fierce and driving than anything else here, at least in the first half and final bit. I love those occasional climbs and climaxes, feels like you're watching the final act of an overly-dramatic opera. I'd go as far as to say 'Three to Get Ready' is equally as catchy as the iconic 'Take Five'. I particularly love the drum fills in this one, and there's something about the way Brubeck puts together these very innocent and feel-good melodies that feels unique to his style. And I do love how minimal the instrumental palette is on this album, given it's a quartet, it never overwhelms with the solos as a result, and gives all the players an equal chance to shine, especially Paul Desmond on alto sax. I love the downpour of piano keys on 'Everybody's Jumpin', another song that has a winner drum solo, and the closer 'Pick Up Sticks' is about as perfect as a cool jazz song can get, with that classic walking bassline and very laid-back solos that feel like a stroll through a park late at night. And pretty representative of the album up to this point, the record just sort of ends with no large final gesture or climax; it just sort of "times out".

Just absolutely classic and essential listening. Very easy to get into, and it just flies by. Some of the best that Cool Jazz has to offer, and that's saying a lot

Background music at work, but even then, I found myself getting bored with it. Just so still and with very little punch, especially at a time when juggernaut trip-hop and instrumental hip-hop groups were making the rounds (Massive Attack, DJ Shadow, Portishead, Chemical Brothers, etc.). This just seems too tame; I don't get it. 'Pipes of Honor' and 'Stars' were maybe the worst offenders, just the most yawn-inducing music you'd probably hear at a shopping mall or an elevator or something. I understand this is meant to be background music, but it feels like it fell a bit *too* much into the background. Some solid loops here still, though, 'Bless My Soul' I certainly enjoyed a bit more than some of the other songs here. I liked the sort of dusty psychadelic quality it had. Had that vintage, uncanny Boards of Canada vibe to it, same with 'Cruise'.

Not the worst thing on this list, but I just don't understand its placement here. Not in the slightest. There are many better albums in this alley.

Some glitzy, shiny '80s soul that's just straight up ear-candy, no bells and whistles. No out-of-place beat, tone, or note - just consistently enjoyable to the point where I don't really mind that it doesn't ever get too ambitious or out there. It's a kind of "get what you paid for" album.

'Just My Imagination', despite sounding overly '80s in its melody and progression, was maybe my favorite thing here. I loved the slower balladry, alongside the weighty piano chords driving the song along. So pristine. 'Stand Up' was maybe the most outwardly funky song here, at least in that traditional Parliament warbly Bootsy bass style, a nice change in pace near the middle of the record. 'If You Think You're Lonely Now' is another top-tier '80s soul cut, just so smooth, and those backing melodies and swelling instrumentation are absolutely perfect.

The definition of easy listening. Smooth like butter, and soothing in a way only this type of music can be. Shout out to Womack.

Wasn't super familiar with Sinéad O'Connor, so it was nice to finally check out one of her albums here. I did enjoy it a fair bit, certainly some songs more than others. 'Feel So Different' was a marvelous opener for one. It had this gorgeous baroque instrumentation that linearly builds alongside Sinead's swelling vocals and impassioned lyrics. And her lyrics on this album are impassioned; If there's one thing Sinhead won't do here, it's sugarcoat how she really feels. 'Three Babies' for example, was pretty tragic and pretty raw in its depictions of loss, but overall, the sort of fluttery and uplifting instrumentation gives the song an almost optimistic edge. 'Black Boys Mopeds' was another pretty bold song in the mix here, but it never felt like it was trying to be over-the-top or provocative, and the topic is treated tenderly, I find, and Sinhead effectively paints a very human image of the racial injustice the song alludes to. 'You Cause As Much Sorrow' is another more difficult song here, given the conflicting feelings expressed by the protagonist. I find this album very raw emotionally; it makes it sort of daunting to deconstruct, but it's nothing that would turn me away.

'Nothing Compares 2 U' is obviously an incredible slow-ballad that I was already familiar with through the Prince version. Sinhead's take on it was pretty great, and I actually find it to be the highlight of the album. I'd say my biggest issue with the album is the at times uninteresting production - it sort of falls between alternative rock and trip-hop/hip-hop, but has an overly generic take on those sounds, I find. It's nothing too awful; the attraction here is ultimately Sinhead's voice and lyrics, and how she chooses to communicate her various struggles on this album. How much that resonates with you will ultimately determine how much you end up enjoying this album.