Reviews by scritters

Pre Listen:
A-Ha? I only know them from Take On Me, and I really like that song. If the rest of their stuff sounds even somewhat like that, I think I'll have a good time here. Expectations higher than usual going in.

Notable Tracks:
Take On Me - Mm, yes, that's the good stuff right there. Favorite track on here, absolute 80's classic hit.
Hunting High and Low | Living a Boy's Adventure Tale - Who gave the instrumental backings the right to slap this fucking hard. The lyrics are ok, but holy shit the instrumental and synth work is golden.
The Sun Always Shines on T.V. - The moment the tempo picks up around the minute mark is phenomenal. This one's going on the playlist, if it wasn't for Take On Me, this would be my favorite track.

Post Listen:
I was expecting some good songs on here, but I wasn't expecting solid gems.

All the songs I mentioned stood out to me as being way, way better than I could've expected. I anticipated most tracks on here being closer to 'Love Is Reason' in substance; a little boring, but mostly inoffensive and bubbly. Instead I was really taken aback by the instrumentals, and the consistent performance of the vocalist.

Shit made me go A-Ha! 4/5

Pre Listen:
This month just keeps giving me banger albums good lord, it's all downhill from here. I got a few songs from here on my playlist, but it still isn't my favorite Led Zeppelin album. I've listened to it a good number of times, but it has been a while, so I'm ready to give it another go.

Notable Tracks:
Immigrant Song - Golden classic right here. Is it overplayed? Maybe, yeah. Do I still love it? Yes :)
Since I've Been Loving You - My favorite track on here. Peak rock blues, very few songs out there that are better than this for the genre.
Tangerine - A very close 2nd favorite, I adore the twangy sound it has. I think this is one of Zeppelin's sleeper songs.
Hats Off to Roy Harper - Least favorite song on here. What were they cooking with this? Was this really the intended outcome?

Post Listen:
Led Zeppelin my beloved.

I enjoyed it as much as I thought it would. Classic!
5/5

Pre Listen:
More Brazilian music? Ok, I guess. The last one was a mixed bag. Hoping for more samba this time around.

Notable Tracks:
O Relogio - I love the slower parts with that soft guitar, soft vocals, and natural noises that accompany them. Then the song nose dives into a completely nonsensical psychedelic rock. I wish it was just the slow parts :(
Senhor F - Least favorite song on this album. Gave me a headache, mostly from the vocals.

Post Listen:
If these guys had shown some restraint on almost every song, this could've been a five. Brazilians aren't really known for their restraint on anything however.

They had a lot of very interesting sounds, and a wild mix of genres in here. There were some jazzy moments, experimental curves, a little bit of samba and a little bit of Bossa Nova, but mostly psychedelic rock. I really liked some parts, and really hated others, it was certainly one of those albums that felt like an experience. Everything from a technical level was done pretty well too, the guitar and drums especially hit hard for me.

As I said though, there was a severe lack of restraint when it came to a lot things. What encapsulates that thought for me was when one of the vocalists ate the mic on one song. There was a lot of goofy stuff like that.

Fun album, but I don't think I'll be coming back. 3/5

Pre Listen:
Second Steely Dan album featured on here I've encountered. Unlike the 1st one I got (Pretzel Logic) I actually know this one, and have two songs from it on my playlist already. Looking forward to listening to it again :)

Notable Tracks:
Do It Again - Now this one's been on my playlist for ages, probably amongst the first 50 songs when I first started building it over a decade ago. Classic :)
Kings - I don't remember this one, but man is it good. Adding it to my playlist!
Reelin' In The Years - Another certified classic, and the 2nd song I've had on my playlist for ages now.
Fire In The Hole - Another song I really dig and forgot about completely? Shit I really didn't recall how much I enjoyed this album.

Post Listen:
Man I enjoyed this album a lot more than I remembered. For a debut album from a band that remained relevant for quite a while, I think it's impressive that this is probably their best work.

Donald's lyrical poetry is superb, being clever, digestible, and full of substance. While I do love his lyrics, his vocal performance itself can get a little old upon repeat listens back to back, but overall it's pretty good. The instrumentation is wonderful as well, one of the few albums that I think does a sort of Jazz-rock fusion really well. The piano and guitar work especially stick out as something special to me. On a thematic level the album's great as well, exploring all sorts of concepts around vice and the consequences that follow, and attempting to turn things around. This album doesn't have any sort of pitfalls or major issues I can think of, no least favorite song either.

I think this album is truly Steely Dan at their absolute best, which is a shame since again it was their debut studio album. Regardless, it doesn't get Steelier than this. 5/5

Pre Listen:
Stevie Wonder, here's a lad I recognize. I got a couple of his hits on my playlist, "Superstitious" "I Wish" etc. I've liked most all the songs I've heard from him, so I reckon this album won't be any different. Highish expectations as a result.

Notable Tracks:
You Are the Sunshine of my Life - Great start to this album, sincerely. Bop.
Superstitious - Oh shit this ones actually on here. Certified Gold Classic. Love it!

Post Listen:
That was really nice. I liked every song, the album wasn't too long, incredibly solid album right here.

I may add Sunshine to my playlist, but outside of that, every other song was alright. I love Stevie's voice, and that twangy soundin bass and guitar above all. Funky beats to vibe to. No negative notes, didn't have a least favorite song either.

Giving this a 4/5, but I may come back to it. I can't place my finger on why it feels like a 4 to me, and not a 5. It's a great album, and I like it a lot, I just don't love it. 4/5.

Pre Listen:
The album cover looks like something I'd find at a scholastic book fair, and the title fits. Never heard of them, but I am ready. No expectations.

Notable Tracks:
N/A

Post Listen:
This is most certainly Trucker music. I can almost hear the 18 wheeler's noises in spirit.

I'm a bit low energy as of recent, and this album's tracks really blended for me, so rather than giving specific reasons on why this album was a 3, I'm just gonna rate it a 3 and leave it at that.

I am not a Trucker. 3/5

Pre Listen:
Based on the year and album cover, this looks like it'll be more millennial rock slop. I haven't heard of them. Low expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Temecula Sunrise - Good guitar work, very pretty. Not a fan of this vocalist thus far however.
The Bride - The vocalist is doing his best to sound like he just got kicked in the balls as he sings. I started really disliking him here.
Two Doves - Another highlight on the album. Very pretty sound, just like Temecula.

Post Listen:
Ack, another album I have conflicting feelings on!

I really loved the female vocalists, they have great voices, but they're just oo-ing and aa-ing for most of the songs that feature them sadly. The male vocalist on the other hand sucks! Grating and annoying 9/10 times. For both however, the lyrics are pretty meh. The instrumentation overall was a little varying as well, it was good for the most part, but had some weird or drab moments. Good variety in them though, and I always appreciate that.

I just couldn't connect with the vibes of the album overall. I didn't have a least favorite song, nor a favorite, it was just sort of ups and downs throughout. As a result, I'll stick with a middle of the road score. 3/5

Pre Listen:
The name sounds insanely familiar, but I can't quite remember if I know James Brown for sure. Based on the album cover saying "#1 R&B Star of 1962" it's made me realize I don't think I've heard any R&B pre 1980's. Going in to this with my interest piqued.

Notable Tracks:
Think - My favorite track, it's got a nice groove and awesome energy. The saxophone player really shines here.
Lost Somone - Least favorite track, the "Someone" James lost here was me. Just drags on, the audience is annoying as hell, and James starts making noises similar to the ones my elderly cat makes near the end.

Post Listen:
Yet another album that likely would've been higher if it wasn't a shitty live recording.

This definitely wasn't the R&B I've grown accustomed to, and it made me curious how what we consider R&B as a genre has evolved and changed over time. I'd consider this more Club Jazz than anything else, and it was ok for the most part. Instrumentation was well done, varied enough in sound from song to song.

The issue I have with it is the same as almost every other live album: the sound quality is worse because of it, and the audience noises actively subtract from the experience. This audience in particular was incredibly annoying, with individuals screaming seemingly at random at various points. I said it before and I'll say it again with live recordings, I'm sure the vibes were immaculate when it was happening, but they don't translate well at all upon playback.

I don't know where this project's obession with Live Albums comes from. 3/5

Pre Listen:
QUICKEST 5 TO DATE. This will also be the most biased review to date.

I've been waiting for them to show up. The undeniable #1 band of all time, by metric of holding the record for the most #1 hits world wide, and total record sales in history. This album isn't my favorite of theirs, but it's leaps and bounds better than most band's peaks.

Notable Tracks:
Nowhere Man - I feel this.
In My Life - My favorite song on here. One of the few songs that has brought me to tears not just once, but a handful of times. Love it.
Norwegian Wood - Another highlight, love George's sitar work here. The first instance of India's influence on his work, of many more to come.
Run For Your Life - My least favorite track on here by far. It's just weird man, and doesn't really sound that great either.

Post Listen:
I shall never tire of them. Knowing the lore behind them enhances each and every song so much more. Thank you, John, George, Paul and Ringo.

What is there to say that hasn't already been said about the Beatles? John and Paul's harmonies flow so naturally it's almost hypnotic. George's guitar conveys so much emotion in some songs, and absolutely rocks in others. Ringo's on the beat perfectly, and shows great restraint allowing the others to lead. The lyrics are chefs kiss. I struggled to pick a favorite on here, and if you were to ask me a week from now, it would probably be a different track. Masterpiece.

This was my #1 album of all time for a while. It's especially poignant after going through a turbulent patches of love, with partners, friends, or family. I adore this album so much, it's one of the few that really draws emotions out from me. 5/5

Pre Listen:
Never heard of them, but the album cover is giving King Crimson vibes. No expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Alright - Oh I do know this song. I think I've either heard it in a dozen commercials, or one commercial I've heard dozens of times. Either way, it's sounds corporate to me now because of the association. Also haha they said the British slang for 'Cigarette'.
We're Not Supposed to Go - What were they cooking here? Least favorite song.
Sofa (Of My Lethargy) - My favorite song on the album. Just has good vibes, I like the psychedelic part in the 2nd part of the song.

Post Listen:
There were some real catchy songs on here, and I did like the album, but I wouldn't call it super memorable.

I think this is another one of those albums I feel a little conflicted on. They had a very 90's sound to them, their instrumentation was pretty good, their lyrical work was alright, and the vocalist was pretty good too. It had a good variety of songs, none lasted longer than they needed to, it was quite solid overall. As said though, I just don't think the album was super memorable? I listened to this album in parts throughout the day, and none except Sofa and Alright stuck with me afterwards.

I think I'll give this album a 4/5 for the same reasons I gave Franz Ferdinand a 4; it may not have stuck or impacted me much, but I can feel the talent coming in through the music, and appreciate it. 4/5

Pre Listen:
Not really looking forward to this one based on Title, Album Cover, and release date. Hoping it won't sound astro-turfed, corporate or preachy. Low expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Out The Lies | Black Is | Black | Us - I have a simple smell test I apply to many political works of art this decade to determine if the message is actually progressive or regressive: If you replace a demographic in a lyric/verse with a different one, and it completely changes the tone of the message, it's probably regressive.
Don't Shoot Guns Out - Holy fucking christ could you make the message behind the song anymore in your face and unpoetic? This is the musical equivalent of video game yellow paint.
Sorry Ain't Enough - The best song on this album, both from a lyrical perspective and musical one. It's actual music. It's perhaps the only alright song on this album.
Black - What the fuck is this. Worst song on the album musically by a landslide. DJ Toenail ass beat. Might be the worst song I've heard on here to date.

Post Listen:
This shit was so fucking banal. Exactly what I was expecting.

Before beginning this complete rant of a review I want to clarify I'm quite left-leaning in my politics, to a degree that I think your average left-leaning American politician is just a Conservative Lite. I hold ideals of equality, freedom, and justice for all in exceptionally high regard, and believe that modern U.S. society is in desperate need of sweeping reforms. That being said, this album was such a nothing-burger in terms of messaging, musical substance, and politics. The beats and sounds were beyond simple, the occasional audio editing with distortions or sampling could've been done in Garage Band in 15 minutes.

On the subject of politics especially, this album felt like the most tip-of-the-iceberg messaging I've ever had the displeasure of listening to. I could boil down the lyrical message behind most tracks to "Black people good. Being black is hard. American society bad". Even back in 2020 this sort of political messaging was quickly becoming so worn out. This is the kind of shit right-wing pundits would point to on their podcasts, talking about how asinine the left-wing movement is for promoting this, and if this is your only exposure to political music, you'd agree, because it just sounds so awful.

This music is the kind of shit only performative liberals listen to. This is the kind of music people who did the social media "black out" back in 2020 listened to, while continuing to support corporations who perpetuate their oppression, vote for candidates who act against their best interests, and forget about it all within a month. The comments under almost every video was just the most narcissistic circle-jerk of self-congratulatory back-patters, going "We're so proud of you for being here" or "If you're here you get it." Almost made my eyes roll out of my head. Many of the 4 to 5 reviews on here read similarly.

Despite all my issues here, the album had some alright Synth work, the B side was better than the A side by a sizeable margin, and they gave all proceeds from this album to charity apparently. This being a non-profit is all that's keeping it from being a one. 2/5

Pre Listen:
The Kinks :) I have a good number of their songs on my playlist already, mostly from their Lola VS. album. I'm certain I'll recognize some songs from this, and I will enjoy this album overall.

Notable Tracks:
Victoria - Oh yeah, I know this one. Most excellent. May be playlist worthy, excited for the rest of this album.
Yes Sir, No Sir - Another one I know. This one *will* be going on the playlist.
Drivin' - Another one I know, and yet isn't part of my playlist. Will be adding this one too.
Shangri-La - I don't recognize this one, but I absolutely love it. Probably my favorite on here. Another one added to the playlist!

Post Listen:
I stopped putting notable tracks on because I loved basically every song on here. Easy 5!

Some have described the Kinks as Beatles-adjacent, and I get that. They have such a great variety of instruments, sounds, lyrics, etc. Every instrument is well played, every lyric sung in-tune and well done. So great overall, I hummed along to nearly every track.

I needed this. 5/5

Pre Listen:
Neat album cover, I'd listen to something like this offhandedly if it was recommended to me based on the cover alone. Never heard of them before though, no expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Second Time Around - Least favorite song on the album, especially that last part good god. Very thankful that this was it.

Post Listen:
Wasn't as great as I was hoping. Blended together quickly, glad it was a shorter album.

This album felt like proto-punk with a blues angle to it. It had a heavy garage-rock sound, which I guess for 1968 is neat? Problem is I think Punk and Garage Rock are perhaps the worst genres of music to ever claw its way into the human psyche. Just free-jam meaningless noise spanning 2 minutes or so, interluded by repeating the same couple lyrics again and again.

There were parts in most songs where it wasn't really bad, but I can't honestly say I enjoyed a single song as a whole. It wasn't unlistenable or anything though, and again, for 1968 this kind of sound is somewhat impressive I guess.

Won't be returning to these lads, will probably forget every song I heard here by tomorrow. 2/5

Pre Listen:
The name sounds familiar, but I don't recall ever listening to anything by her. expecting Rap based on the the album title, cover, release date, etc. I've continued to be surprised on how much I've enjoyed the rap albums given on this project so far, so no expectations going in.

Notable Tracks:
Sock It 2 Me - I watched the music video for this one, and the costume Missy Elliot is wearing makes her look like a mascot for Gmail. The song and music video sucks, but I thought that was funny.

Post Listen:
That was pretty painful. Disappointing.

Missy Elliot is at her best when she's actually singing lyrics, but the second she pivots to rap it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. She has a great voice, but her lyricism is more boring than drywall. As a result, when she actually sings it's easy to overlook the drab, self-congratulatory lyrics, but when she raps in a monotone voice, focusing on flow rather than tune, it's miserable. The beat/sample work was just sort of average overall, and got boring after about 1-2 minutes per track. The other low thing about this album was all the guest singers/rappers. They were all almost entirely terrible.

Combine these issues with this album being 17 songs long, and most songs clocking in around 4 to 5 minutes each, created a truly painful listening experience for me. Each song made 1 minute feel like 15.

It also gave me a headache. 1/5

Pre Listen:
I've heard of Bjork, but I don't really think I've heard any of her stuff knowingly. Based off what I do know about her, I don't think I'll enjoy this album, simply by genre. Still, going in with pretty much no expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Pagan Poetry - Oh hey this is that song that's used in various TikToks, Reels, and YouTube Shorts. I recognize this one, only by its intro.
Frosti - How unique. I actually like this. A mix of a Music Box with other sounds is something I haven't heard done before for a whole song. I like the transition from this into Aurora as well. Favorite song on here.
Sun In My Mouth - A high point of the album, but it solidified how much I dislike Bjork's vocals. The instrumental behind the singing is incredible, the musical equivalent of a movie. Bjork's voice though sounds terrible, like hearing your Mom singing in the shower.

Post Listen:
I liked that more than I anticipated, but it still wasn't my cup of tea.

All the instrumental contributions were quite solid. A variety of strings, percussion, synth, and after effects, were all superbly done. This album sadly falls under the category of "I really wish the vocalist stopped vocaling!" Her breathy singing, slanted lyrics, and jumps in volume were terrible. Despite how unique every song sounds, her vocals sound the exact same from song to song. You could isolate her vocals from one track, layer it over the other, and I wouldn't know it. I now understand that one Family Guy bit.

https://youtu.be/6Bc75EImLh4

I can see why this album is on here compared to a lot of the others, but as said, I'm just not that in to it. Quality was high, but it was a tough listen for me. I will try and find an instrumental version of the album, cause without her voice this may have been a 5 for me. There wasn't a single song I really disliked, I just disliked her vocals. 3/5

Pre Listen:
Prince! Here's an artist I've been meaning to listen to more, and haven't gotten around to. I don't typically listen to the genres of music he's known for, but I'm open to it. Higher expectations than usual going in.

Notable Tracks:
1999 - He's saying he won't hurt me, but I think he might. Groovy sound, classic song right here. I didn't know this was Prince.
Little Red Corvette - I know this one too, and again, I had no idea this was Prince lol. Another classic.
Automatic - Least favorite song in the album. I'd really like it if Prince stopped talking nasty to me in my ear, amongst other oddities and weird shit in this one.

Post Listen:
I did not expect to enjoy that album nearly as much as I did, especially with the raised expectations. It was so groovy and funky, Prince lived up to their title....at least on the A side.

The B side absolutely bombed for me. Price kept whispering in my ear, left me feeling icked out. Too many odd choices on the B side, from the women crying in one song, to the consistent nasty talk. I skipped through a good portion of each song on the B side as a result.

I'm left very conflicted on how to rate this. The A side was a 5 for me, then the B side was a 1. It can't be a 3-star album, as it definetely wasn't just mid/boring nonsense. For now I'll give it a 4/5, but that may change.

Pre Listen:
The album cover certainly gives early 2000's vibes. I feel like I'm staring at something I'd find on the early internet. French music is either the worst shit I've ever heard, or amongst the best, so I got mixed feelings going in to this one.

Notable Tracks:
Playground Love - Alright, I'm invested, this is quite good. That saxophone felt great.
Dirty Trip - A low point in the album, the scratched piano strings don't really do it for me.
Highschool Lover - Favorite track on here. That grand piano sound is great, carries a lot of soul in it.
Suicide Underground - I know what they were going for here. I get it's for a movie. this particular tract is just more art than music? I don't know. Least favorite song, but I'd probably feel someway else about it if I watched the movie, of which I have no plans to do.

Post Listen:
This album succeeded in giving me that early 2000's internet nostalgia. I feel like these songs were meant to be heard at a lower bitrate.

I appreciate the restraint shown with a lot of the songs. When I hear 'Electronic album' I think of endless synthesized sounds layered upon each other, looped into oblivion with the odd sample thrown in here and there. This album really didn't have that, and I appreciate that a lot. The motiffs carried in a few of the songs was neat, and there was a general variety in the sound I enjoyed as well.

Cool album, strong vibes, will likely come back to it later. 4/5

Pre Listen:
Looks like cowboy music to me, based on the album cover and title? The year is off for something like that, but we'll see I reckon. No expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Who/When/Where/How/Which Do You Love - What a neat little jam session. Had some highs and some lows, with the highest being the Who parts 1 and 2 for me, and the low being the Where part. It got too experimental for me. Overall though that was a cool little psychedelic experience though.
Calvary - SO IT WAS COWBOY MUSIC ALL ALONG. My favorite song, love the mash of a psychedelic rock band's sound with more western-ish sounds.

Post Listen:
I think that was a Live album? It had some audio effects that made it feel like it was a studio album made to sound live? If it was Live, that was an exceptionally good Live album! If not, that was still a pretty good album.

Cool jams all around. Every instrument was very solid, they reminded me of The Doors a little bit. Would've never guessed it was gonna be this type of genre from the album cover and title in a million years. I especially liked all the guitar work they did, and how every song flowed into the next with ease.

Will probably listen to this album again *off the goop* at some point. 4/5

Pre Listen:
Finally some good fucking music. I love Miles Davis, and I'm fairly sure I've listened to this album before. Looking forward to all of it!

Notable Tracks:
N/A

Post Listen:
Well uh. Huh. This is awkward, I uh, didn't really like that.

I must've had this Davis album confused with another, it was a little too freeform and experimental, especially the lengthier tracks. I love Jazz, and there is some exceptionally great Free Form out there, I think it's just gotta be a lot more lowkey than this one was trying to be. It felt too scattered, doing too much at most moments. The instruments felt as though they were fighting for a lead position.

I was really hoping for more, or just something else I guess. 2/5.

Pre Listen:
Never heard of them, but I like the album cover. No expectations.

Notable Tracks:
Haiti - My favorite track, I love the intro. I wish this female vocalist was featured on every track, I would've liked the album a lot more if that had been the case.
In the Backseat - Another highlight. Again, the woman singing is leaps and bounds better than the male vocalist.

Post Listen:
Another album I'm filing under Millennial Rock, and one where the lead vocalist really drags the whole experience down 90% of the time.

I defined Millennial Rock under a different review of mine as "really boring, but never really bad per say. It's characterized by smoother, low tempo beats, lots of ooo-ing and aaa-ing, and the occasional piano or other classic-adjacent instrument." I'm gonna use that describe every one of these types of albums, as I feel the exact same way. What's noteworthy on this one is how much I hated the regular male vocalist. Bro needs to either let out the tears, or go to therapy, sick of this wishy-washy inbetween whining.

Unimpressive, sleepy sounding corporate schlock. 2/5.