Reviews by soundowl

Anamanaguchi's most inventive release to date.

Anamanaguchi are a unique band in the way they helped popularize Chiptune and Bitmusic by combining it with power-pop and punk rock styles to help reach a wider audience. This was also made easier by their contribution to the Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World video game OST.

[USA] sees the band go in a more textured and subtle route compared to their last LP, the very Pop-oriented Endless Fantasy. Starting things off with a very twinkly and 8-bit sound, the title track builds as in the background you can hear USA being chanted over and over. At the height of this intro it all collides into a glitched out wall of sound before dropping into a calm and quiet piano section, that then also becomes glitched out before seamlessly transitioning to Lorem Ipsum.

The next track has processed vocals, more of that spaced out and airy production style mixed with some tasteful glitch and 16-bit melodies before the whole song erupts into power-pop bliss. The whole track reminds me of a flashback montage during a crucial moment in an Anime. The song is blissful and a pure delight to the ears.

Transitioning once again very seamlessly into CRT Woods, we get a rather epic and anthemic start to track with lots of guitars and soaring synths.

The whole record pretty much follows this tight ebb and flow of transcendent and serene synth passages with a nice build-up and release with rock inspired passages and power-pop presentation. We also get a few songs with great guest vocals, like on the song On My Own with Hana, even Hatsune Miko is featured on the song BSX.

The album is pretty wonderful. The songs flow very well into each other, giving it a cinematic feel while also just transporting you into another world. It's definitely their best record to date in my opinion, and a must listen for fans of electronic, video game music, and pop music in general.

"In the crowded woods I feel
Them move me all around
I can only hope to dream
That feeling I forgot
"

Alter Bridge's 3rd effort is probably their most introspective and darkest album up to this point. It's also a rather demanding listen at over 60 minutes worth of material. Alter Bridge have always been known for skirting the lines of Heavy Metal and Post-Grunge, considering the band's roots with Creed. This album takes things in a decidedly heavier direction though, as stated before with lyrics that deal in self-doubt and struggles with faith.

The first song "Slip To The Void" is a prime example, as it opens with a rather sinister vocal and slinky bass arpeggio that just oozes atmosphere. The rest of the band comes in and blasts out your speakers with intense chords and anthemic choruses. "Isolation" is a proper follow up to this track as it is the album's first proper single. With nasty riffage and a super hooky chorus, this one quickly became a fan favorite. Mark Tremonti has always been a beast at guitar, and consistently proves his mettle on these songs with sweeping solos and chunky riffage. "I Know It Hurts" is compositionally impressive as Mark stated that he unintentionally made this the hardest song to play in AB's repertoire.

The end of the record is strong as "Coeur D'Alene" longs for the end of a journey, the final track "Words Darker Than Their Wings" sees Mark and Myles duetting for the first time, to great success as it closes out the record superbly with impressive vocals and a climax that will send shivers down your spine.

This album's biggest glaring issue, and why it took so long for this to grow on me, is the middle portion is full of good to "meh" tracks. They packed a lot in, all with similar feels and lyrical themes of struggle. They tend to blend together, and some are definitely not as good as others. I don't particularly care for "Fallout", and while "Wonderful Life" is a fine song on it's own, it feels vastly misplaced in the tracklist. The album's length in general causes mild fatigue, so an edited version of it would have been beneficial to it's enjoyment in my ears.

Still though, while not as much of a masterpiece as Blackbird, this record still has plenty of greatly memorable heavy metal bangers, and some great high points. A solid AB record for sure.

"Just don't you lose hope
I swear I'd never dream that we're alone
Now don't you let go
I swear I still believe though I don't know"~

20 in 2024: Talkie Walkie

Released on January 26th 2004, Talkie Walkie is the French electronic-duo's 3rd full length LP (Minus the Virgin Suicides Soundtrack). As someone who was only familiar with their space odyssey album Moon Safari, this album is a bit of a stylistic shift from what I'm used to.

Going from a more focused and relaxed atmosphere that was established on their debut, to a more cinematically drawn out and shifting sonic landscape, Talkie Walkie feels a bit more disjointed and all over the place than before. Not that it's necessarily a bad thing altogether, as it gives us a glimpse at all the different ways that the French composers can make us drift up into the stars in wonder.

The opening track "Venus" sets the tone of the record pretty adequately, with some piano and stomp clap percussion followed by acoustic guitars and Air's signature light and delicate vocal style. Lyrically this album never gets too deep and the lyrics on "Venus" are no exception. Simply stating in song that no matter the differences we will always care for each other. A very cute song with a building instrumental that gradually reaches grandiosity and that familiar feeling of outer-space psychedelia. The overall simplistic nature of the song does lend to itself being a tad bit forgettable sadly, but it's a fine tune all things considered.

The next track is considered one of their biggest singles and that's "Cherry Blossom Girl". A sweet acoustic ballad with some synthy touch ups and lyrics about the fleeting feelings for someone you're not meant to be with for very long. The song's atmosphere sweeps you into it's breathy singing and spring-kissed themes, it really almost feels like you could be sitting under a sakura tree whilst serenading the girl of the moment. The only thing keeping me from liking this song more are the subtle synth pad hits underneath the acoustic guitar, as it reminds me of feedback coming from a 3.5mm cord that's about to die. Once the song goes into full swing though it's easier to ignore, so there's that haha.

The first song for me that really took my breath away was the beautifully atmospheric and expansive "Run". Simple lyrics provide more of a vehicle for the main portion of the song, as when they sing "run" the vocal gets looped in a pulsating rhythm as the synths wash over you in a cinematic sense and absolutely bath the listener in this whirlpool of sonic bliss. I am absolutely in love with this song. "Universal Traveller" is an okay song to follow up, but feels lackluster in it's presentation and execution, ultimately becoming one of the more forgettable tracks sadly.

"Mike Mills" is a wonderful instrumental, featuring more guitar than you would expect, and expertly weaving in synth layers to create another immensely immersive and encapsulating listening experience. Leading into "Surfing on a Rocket", which FIFA fans may recognize from the 2005 edition of the game. This is the album's first and only "Banger" featuring an electronically-tinged indie rock track with some rather repetitive vocals but a driving beat and catchy instrumental that really gets your head moving and grooving. I really appreciate this track as it creates a very needed energy boost in the middle of the record. "Another Day" is a pretty drab song in my opinion. While the production is nice, the overly simplistic lyrics and forgettable tune create just another track that I feel is a bit of "filler".

"Alpha Beta Gaga" is a wild smorgasbord of a track though, with lots of guitar and synths and even a shamisen, this instrumental track is multi-layered and multi-faceted goodness with lots of neat little details woven into the song that make it rewarding each time you visit it. "Biological" is another song that feels just alright to me, it's also probably one of the most emotionally detached attempts at flirting with someone I've ever heard, but it's pretty I suppose.

The final track on the album for me is by far the best song on the album. "Alone in Kyoto" is a piece of ambient electronic pop with this absolutely gorgeous production and progression, with swelling highs and calming lows, it paints a picture of a misty dawn in a lonely town by the shore, and this imagery is helped by the sound of gently crashing waves upon the song's conclusion. Absolutely amazing!

Air are master of making the chillest, most atmosphere soaked pop music you can listen to and this album is proof of that for sure. Twenty years later it still holds up as being a pretty good entry into the Air canon, and the Ambient Pop canon as well. Sure, there are aspects of the record that could have been explored better. I do have to say I prefer the instrumentals VASTLY over the sung tracks, the lyrics leave much to be desired and the whispery singing doesn't always work for me. I also wish this album had more of a thematic focus like Moon Safari had, but albums like MS are one in a million and I think Air experimenting like this was ultimately a good thing, because it shows a group that is hungry for progress and willing to take the risk.

A very good record, worth checking out absolutely, perfect for a quiet night of reflection.

"We would be together
Lovers forever
Care for each other

Wonky Futuristic house music from beyond

Chile's own Nicolas Jaar is the mastermind behind Against All Logic, one of his many projects in the realm of electronic music.

This album is a collection of tracks made between 2017 and 2019, hence the title of the record. It's a wonderfully modern, and yet futuristic collection of Post-industrial and house music with all sorts of different embellishments and influences strewn throughout.

Take the first track Fantasy for instance: sampling Beyonce's Baby Boy, you get her sampled voice playing in a choppy rhythm as the (for lack of a better word) crunchy drums beats play off kilter in the back. It's such an odd and yet wonderfully disjointed track, it's absolutely mesmerizing. The first half of the song is intriguingly sparse, with the crunchy distortion tickling your eardrums as the song revs up and gets going. It becomes such an insane yet secretly low-key track, perfect for setting up the mood and expectations of the rest of the record.

The following track If Loving You Is Wrong continues the warped sultry vibe with another low-key banger. The drum beat is more straightforward but the electronics that play on top of it are particularly burnt and almost drowning at the same time. It's really quite interestingly haunting. The track also has some quite interesting soundplay near the end that you best prepare for. It can be quite surprising.

With An Addict is one of my absolute favorites. It opens all ethereal and haunting, as the drum breaks slowly build up over time with the soothing yet haunting vocal samples in the back ground repeat their mantra. The drum patterns are simply bonkers. It pulls you in like a vortex until you're completely entranced. Brilliant tune all around.

Lydia Lunch comes in on the next track to absolutely crush the feature. The song builds up with this soft thudding bass while deep fried electronics blare in the foreground, building into possibly the hardest beat on the record. Lydia's mantra commanding you to go hard absolutely has the correct effect in going hard as fuck.

Alarm is probably my least favorite track, it's repetitive and very short, but the sound palette is unique. Sadly it just feels kinda like the closest thing this record has to filler, however this goes right into deeeeeeefers which is this sinister monster track with a driving beat and busy bass, that all leads to what I can only call "A Droid having a seizure". It's loud, punishing, and totally amazing. The sounds that Jaar produces on this record are mind bending. I didn't even know that sounds like this were able to be emitted.

Faith gives our ears a bit of a rest, with a more lowkey cut and less blasted out sounds. There's a ghostly vocal sample played that gives the song a very "cathedral-like" feeling. My major complaint with this track is the very repetitive beat in this one. There's not much variation and the beat is very upfront so it tends to get a bit much, especially when you start paying attention to it. thankfully at the song's climax it drops off and becomes a demented version of a Mr. Roger's backing track, with weird keyboard notes twinkling away. For me this evokes free floating in a marine trench, calm yet uneasy of the unknown. It's an neat feeling that a song can evoke.

Penny I can only describe as " Childhood memories of playing at an arcade at a silent hill mall". The electronic beeps and the house grooves all mixed together with an ethereal wash and slight demented distortion give this feeling perfectly. Listen to this song while watching Silent Hill 3 cutscenes and it will make sense.

You (Forever) is the closing track, by now the cybernetic specters have possessed your music player as their otherworldly beeps and screeches try to break through and communicate to you over ghostly synth passages and distorted voices vaguely calling out. It's a wonderfully beautiful way to close out this experience.

2017-2019 offers plenty of bizarre sound palettes, dizzying beats, and unique compositions that any fan of electronic music will find something intriguing and enjoyable out of this. The harsh noises and deep fried nature of most of these tracks can be deterring for some, but for those that can endure it there is truly something special here with Jaar's batch of songs this time around. I deeply recommend it.

"Because if you can't beat 'em, kill 'em
If you can't kill 'em, fuck 'em
If you can't fuck 'em, kill 'em
If you can't do it good, do it hard~"

10 Friends 100 Albums: Album 7 (Noll)

AFI are a pretty well-known and legendary band in the realms of punk and alternative music over the years. Starting out as a ragtag group of brats out of Ukiah California, they became staples in the underground hardcore scene, before exploding into the mainstream with their "Days of the Phoenix" single, and their acclaimed "Halloween EP". Shifting gears into a more goth rock and emo oriented sound on "Sing the Sorrow", AFI have since always been playing with various styles of alternative, blending in aspects of electronic and new wave as well.

On this most recent release by the band, they buckle down on goth inspired new wave and rock, treading closely to influences such as Depeche Mode and The Cure, while also having honed their signature sound at this point. It's all very familiar stuff. The fast and urgent "Far too Near" recalls the singles from their "Burials" era, while "On Your Back" sounds like it was taken from a "Decemberunderground" recording session. The moody and skeletal "Dulceria" is co-written by Billy Corgan, and has a cool slinky bass line while Davey croons about sweet affections over a sullen backdrop.

It's after this first half of the record that I felt that AFI are just now going through the motions. Critics often refer to this album as feeling "Forced" or "uninspired" and while I wouldn't go that far in describing it, I can see why some would feel that way. Lyrically, Davey seems to be less inspired to tell stories or go deep into his writing than before (Death of the Party and Looking Tragic) and a lot of the songs compositionally feel pretty sterile and typical for AFI. The friend who recommended this to me says he feels it's "all of AFI's sound coming together" and while I can sort of see that, I felt like it was coming together in less of a creative way, and more like a brick wall kind of way. The closer "Tied to a Tree" attempts to close the album out on a dramatic note, with it's hushed verses and contrastingly bombastic choruses, but the pacing is very slow and the lyrics repetitive. It also just doesn't match the generally fast paced flow of the record so far, so it really feels like a major halt in the track listing.

I wouldn't say I dislike this album, more that I am just kinda disappointed by it. The songs are fine, they do sound like AFI, I just think it's played super safely, Davey's vocals are super understated, and the music doesn't go beyond what they've already established to be their style. AFI has always found ways to be different with each release and this is the first time since their hardcore days that I found them to be getting kind of stale.

"I'd give my heart to you

If I can't then, oh
What is that crashing sound?
Far, we're far too near"

California punk band AFI put out this little EP in the late 90's, and for what it is it's pretty fun. It's a few short songs, a couple originals and a couple covers.

The originals on this album lyrically fall in line with what the band was doing at this time, in terms of the self-hatred and mixing in of religious tone and angsty self-loathing. The opening track 3 1/2 is savage. The guitar riffs are chunky and fast, and bassist Hunter Bergen (who makes his first credited appearance on this EP) proves that he's as speedy and on point as any punk bassist would be. "Over Exposure" is a fine song as well but in comparison is not as potent as the previous song's graphic imagery and urgent delivery.

The covers on this EP are pretty awesome. Davey and Co. attempt The Cure's song "The Hanging Garden" off of their 1982 masterpiece "Pornography". They do it excellently and give it the hardcore punk treatment while still maintaining the original's deep moody atmosphere. The breakdowns in this song are explosive and Davey's voice is perfect for a rendition of this song. Certainly the highlight for me. Their cover of The Misfit's "Demonomania" is a super brief but impressive cover. They were practically made for this song. Too bad it's so short though, especially considering it follows up "Hanging Garden", it leaves the listener craving more.

Yeah, this EP is super short, but if you come across it or even just want experience AFI doing The Cure justice, it's worth checking out. The originals on this album are fine, but nothing you wouldn't hear off of any of their 90's era output.

"I feel so faint as my life spills over you"

A tale of rebuilding and nurturing a broken love

Divorce, love and acceptance are the major themes explored on Adele's latest project in 6 years, "30". Following her separation from her husband, this album is full of complex emotions regarding herself, her ability to love and exist for herself, and more importantly how it will all affect the relationship with her son.

There's no question here that the lyrics are wonderful. There's not a single song that detours from the themes at hand, each song plays into the next one as a tale of her coping in chronological order, and the record is very cohesive for that.

The song vary from tender ballads, to upbeat pop bangers, to dramatic and glorious soul cuts. Opening with "Strangers by Nature" we get an Adele who's accepting that she's ready to open up and bare her soul for the world. The stripped back ballad is a very meek way to begin the LP but it works in telling the narrative she wants. "Easy on Me" is a wonderful single that fully showcases not only her powerful vocal range, but her songwriting capability as well. It's again a ballad, but a powerful one that enraptured me the first time I heard it, and continues to do so with each subsequent listen. "My Little Love" is about her son Angelo and her bond with him over the course of the divorcing process. It's a touching song that addresses some very real and complex themes when going through something like this. I just wish the song didn't trail off as much as it does, it felt too meandering near the end.

"Cry Your Heart Out" and "Oh My God" are the first couple of true pop songs so far, the former being a dub-inspired motown song about letting your emotions free and not bottling them in, and "Oh My God" is a song full of swagger about finally letting herself love again and explore the dating life. This one is truly a bop and gets stuck in my head easily.

"Can I Get It" is an upbeat lament over how poor the LA dating scene is, how everyone wants to hook up instead of pursue true meaningful partnerships. It's a spicy song but for me one of the weaker cuts in terms of impact and lyrics.

"I Drink Wine" is an epic song about letting go of your ego and accepting yourself for who you are. It's got a slick 60's pop-soul vibe and a great progression that really pulls you into the song.

The latter half of the record gets more intimate and personal, kicking it off with a song directly addressing her ex-husband on "Woman Like Me" where she confronts him about everything that led up to her separation. What I find refreshing about this one is it's low-key instrumental paints a less "pissed off mood" and more of a "I'm just over it" mood. Showing maturity in her feelings instead of a petty diss track.

The final three cuts are constant barrage of some of the grandest vocal deliveries and songwriting on the whole record. "Hold On" is a self-reassurance anthem (featuring amateur choir from her friends), to be loved is a heartwrenching ballad featuring some of her best vocals on the whole project, and "Love is a Game" is an extremely strong closer at nearly 7 minutes that culminates everything we've heard so far into a truly climactic finish.

Honestly this record is really really good. I find myself more enamored with the stories and the lyrics and her singing, above everything else, but that's not to discount the arrangements either as everything does coalesce into a great record. If I had any complaints I would just say that some of the songs don't hit as hard or maybe compositionally they could be improved, but really at the end of the day this is a very satisfying record to sit with. Kudos to Adele for taking the time to express her struggles with us in such a way, and I wish her well for what her future may hold.

"It's about time that I face myself
All I do is bleed into someone else
Painting walls with all my secret tears
Filling rooms with all my hopes and fears"~

10 Friends, 100 Albums: Album 24 (Josh)

Adeem The Artist is actually a name I've known for about a year now, just never got around to checking out their music before now, Born in North Carolina and then on to Syracuse and eventually Knoxville, Adeem is a Non-Binary and Queer individual whom has had a unique life in their 35 years existing in this plane. Growing up LGBT in the south is not an experience I would envy, and this album serves as small look into what that is like, at least for Adeem here.

The opening track "I Never Came Out" right off the bat tells the listener about who Adeem is, how they value their identity and how despite knowing who they are at their core, they never had a way to actually go about expressing it in terms that made sense to them and their family or peers. It's only now after they have "Married and settled down" that they are feeling like they can talk about it as openly as they are, at least that's how I interpreted it. It's a wonderful track and one that caught my attention right away.

The following track is even better, "Fervent for the Hunger" was a single released for this LP, and it details their relationship with religion as well as their own youth and growing up. This tune is a bit more upbeat and has a nice chorus. I should mention that Adeem's vocals are great. They have that gritty drawl that a good southern singing voice should have, and their range is nice on the ears. Each of these songs is played and sung wonderfully. Their speaking voice is also great to listen to as well.

Now musically most of the songs; if not all of them, are stripped down and mainly acoustic accompaniment with Adeem's vocals serving as the main attraction. This makes sense as the lyrics are the most important aspect of what the album is trying to accomplish. This is none more apparent than on track three "Apartment". A tense song about repressing those base primal desires, that you cannot express, to someone you cannot have. It's a powerful little song, that hits really hard. On the flipside, "Honeysuckle Hipbilly Homo-Erotica" is the inverse of the former song. A song about a fling, the imagery and the excitement in the song is a bit whimsical, but still manages to weave in feelings of forlorn sullen-ness as Adeem expresses a tad bit of regret in how they are wired to give and receive affection, all the while their date is looking for no more than just a hook-up.

Now as I alluded to, I've known about them for some time now, followed them on social media and the like, so for me it comes as no surprise that the content of this album is not only LGBT-themed, but also politically charged as well. "I Wish You Would've Been a Cowboy" is a scathing criticism of Toby Keith's affect on country music culture, the extreme toxic patriotism he helped foster, and the mockery it makes out of those who live the southern lifestyle for real. The lyrics come from a personal and affected place, and it's just incredible to hear these words be spoken as plainly as they can be in a song like this. On top of the message the song itself is just fantastic. A great piece of southern rock.

There are a few moments in the album where I felt like there were some filler moments that were indulged in. The sentiment behind "Womyn Who Bartend" is genuine and well intentioned, but it doesn't feel like it fits in with the themes of the record thus far. "Going to Heaven" was a little interlude ditty but ultimately didn't add much to the overall listening experience. "Live Forever" is interesting more as a lyrical song rather than a song-song for me. Thankfully the final two songs round out the album is a very nice way.

The title track is a is a rousing number, that speaks more about Adeem and their values, with a declaration of what they feel the country needs to step forward to more progress. It's a bit smack-dab on the nose, but subtlety is not what they are going for, clearly based on the title and album art for that matter. The closing song is a really bold lyrical exploration of their childhood and their memories; for better or for worse, and how that if they could, they would go back in time to "reclaim their name" and do things differently a second time around. With this, the album closes out at only thirty minutes and some change. The succinct nature of the album does work really well in it's favor, as it gives us a taste of what Adeem wants to say and what they can bring to the table as a songwriter and musician.

All in all this album is great. It's emotional, thoughtful, and above all earnest in it's portrayal of Adeem and their experiences, and in turn possibly the experiences of many people who found themselves in similar ways. The stripped down nature of the music does wear a bit thin on the presentation side of things, I wish that maybe some of the instrumentals were a bit more fleshed out, but I cannot deny that on the key moments of this album the emphasis on the vocals and lyrics were a smart thing to do. Overall I feel like this album is definitely worth listening to, and I am excited to hear more of their material from this point forward.

"Take me down to Carolina, on a cardinals wings
I got Guthrie in my gullet Lord and a few new songs to sing"

20 in 2024: Love is Hell

Ryan Adams, singer and songwriter who had a super prolific run of records spanning the late 90's up to today, over 20 albums in his name makes for one busy guy. He earned his reputation being one of the most popular musicians in his lane, with lots of classics under his belt. Though during the 2010's he has been outed as being a serial harasser and general sex pest to many women in the industry, therefore tarnishing his overall reputation and rightfully so. This dude is a scumbag.

With that to consider, this album is kind of painted in a new light 20 years later. At the time of it's release, this record was actually two EP's released separately at the behest of the record label. Being labeled as "too alternative" for a full official release. Though because the EP's were so popular, it got an official pressing in 2004 as a full LP. The record itself is pretty much a concept record of how shitty at relationships our protagonist(s) are in these songs, and not to mention the opening track which alludes to Jack and Meg White's divorce. So yeah, this album is kind of messy topic-wise, but that's also sort of reflected in the music too.

This record is a hodgepodge of different rock styles ranging from Coldplay-esque alt rock, to heartland rock a la Springsteen, to blues-oriented country-tinged balladeering. Stylistically incoherent, it leaves a rather strange taste in my mouth for that reason, though due to this it does have many layers and different dimensions to explore the material in the music as well. It's rather interesting honestly.

The opening track "Political Scientists" is a pretty stark opening that contrasts really stripped down verses with explosive choruses. Adams sounds like a mix of Thom Yorke and Kurt Cobain, going from his whispery quiet singing to loud and emotional yelping. This is none more felt than on a song like the title track, which is a more upbeat jangle-pop song sort of similar to something you would hear from The Stone Roses.

The first leg of this album is by far the strongest. "Afraid Not Scared" is another pretty sullen track that continues the slow burn set by the opener, while "This House is Not For Sale" reels in the Heartland rock quite suddenly but welcomingly as the pace picks up for some of the album's most upbeat tracks. "Anybody Wanna Take Me Home" is a desperate plea of someone who's drank too much and needs people to help him, despite no apparent help coming. The title track is probably one of the best songs here as the cries of "love is hell!!!!" can be felt in your soul.

The biggest surprise this album had in store for me was the cover of Oasis's defining single "Wonderwall". Which was once a wistful and lovestruck ballad, has now turned into a desperate and disturbing wail of love unrequited. It's haunting, and the change in key from the original just sends shivers down my spine. This song transitions wonderfully into "The Shadowlands" which is another haunting ballad about a drug abusive husband who's torn his family apart due to his destructive habits. By far the darkest song in the record. The first half of the song being a sullen piano ballad, and then the song turns into two minute rock jam as the emotion ramps up. The first half of this record ends with "Avalanche", a gut wrenching rock ballad that describes the distance felt after a breakup. Pretty effective in how it ties up the first side of this double LP.

So yeah so far I really really enjoy the first half here. The second half though is a bit more underwhelming to me honestly. The songs are still decent to pretty good. The ballads are a bit more understated here though and feel a bit more lifeless compared to the high points of the former half of the record. "My Blue Manhattan" feels like a Chet Baker song if it were rendered in 2005, which makes for a concept that is more interesting as an idea than a song for me. "City Rain" is a welcome change in pace though, it picks the pace up a bit but hits us with an intense bout of self pity and self deprecation, as Adams admits to ruining someone's life to the point of announcing them as "having died". The peppy instrumental offsets this shocking string of lyrics. "I See Monsters" is a bit of a creepy song about the protagonist being awake while his partner is sleeping. Admiring her beauty and gentleness while "all he can see is monsters". Whether this reflects the paranoid ownership of the protagonist, or a self reflection on his own capability to be a monster (I think maybe a mix of both), this song still manages to make me want to take a shower.

"Hotel Chelsea Nights" ends things off on a rather epic note. The song plays like a rock jam, with some bluesy organs and a raspy sung and loose vocal delivery. Lyrically talking about how much Adams desires to no longer live in the Chelsea Hotel in NYC. Which is famous for housing many famous writers and songwriters over the years. More than just a desire to leave NYC though, Adams explores the idea of maybe getting lost in the fog, disappearing entirely, and just going away. A pretty apt way to close the record off I would say.

Yeah all in all I do really like this record. It has a pretty consistent mood despite the constant stylistic shifts, and the lyricism is really good and Adams is by all means a fantastic songwriting, and vocalist. Sometimes the influences can be felt a little hard, and the album's length can definitely be felt on the second half of the record BUT considering all that this album is a satisfying listen when you're in the mood for some depressing ass music.

When considering the kind of asshole that Ryan Adams is, and the lyrical content of this record, it's kind of no wonder that he turned out to be the kind of guy he is. The person being portrayed in the lyrics here is not a good guy, and all these failed relationships and traumas all stem from POV of the person singing the song. If there was an album to be a red flag album in someone's list of favorite records it would be this one to be quite honest. It's interesting to see how self aware Adams was when making this, which is probably why when all of the allegations started coming out he pretty much almost instantly owned up to all of it and accepted the consequences. It doesn't redeem the guy at all mind you, it just feels apt. That's really all I can say.

Anyway, good album, glad I heard it, and happy twentieth birthday I guess!

"I feel like getting rid of all my things
Maybe just disappear into the fog"

Dull pop-rock with cringey lyrics

Hoo boy, the only reason I checked this record out was morbid curiosity. I have this weird Kellogg's 90's disc that the song Let's Make a Night to Remember was off of, and that's what led me to this.

I might as well tell you what is good about the record. The clean production and the ballads are all pretty okay. The closing track elicited an "oh that song!" Moment out of me, and the classical guitar playing on top of it was quite nice actually. The aforementioned Let's Make a Night is a decent rock ballad with some empassioned vocals. Black Pearl was also quite good.

Now... this album's major hindrance is the lyrics. In an album where it's mostly typical pop rock, the lyrics are one thing you want to get right. Adams certainly did not do that. The song about wanting to be underwear and the song complaining about aging are the most egregious offenders here, other tracks are just plain uninteresting.

It's almost a shame cause Adams does sound good at this point. His voice is still tastefully raspy and the instrumentals; while a tad cookie cutter, were serviceable and his guitar playing is fine. This album just falls apart in the sense that it barely tried and falls for some of the worst mid-life crisis rocker tropes ever.

Skate Punk Bliss

Unless you were an avid local music fan in Boston during the early 2000's, then you most likely would've only been exposed to this group via Guitar Hero or Rock Band, as was the case for me! That's fine however, as my curiosity led me to check out this record.

Right off the bat, Day Late Dollar Short kicks it off, and this song should bring out some Rock Band 1 memories. It's a killer track with an incredibly catchy chorus and tasty guitar leads.

Callout is a bonus track from Guitar Hero 1, and so is Laughtrack from Guitar Hero 2. The latter being my favorite of the two, with it's jaunty rhythms and changing tempos it's possibly the best track on the album.

The band is no stranger to doing covers and The Primitives Crash is a fine example of the band taking the classic song and punking it up so to speak.

The rest of the album is all solid as well, providing catchy skate punk that's energetic and to the point. Full of fast guitar leads and Rancid-esque bass fills. It's not reinventing the wheel, and most likely won't blow your mind, but it's hype and gets me moving and I love it for that.

"You're always hanging on to last year's next big thing
A top ten list of fads gone by"~

Honestly not terrible. It's catchy, effervescent, it's teeny-bop pop rock at it's finest.

Gateway Rock Band

5 Seconds of Summer blew up in popularity right after I graduated high school, and I can see why. Their boy band qualities combined with the upbeat and pop-punk stylings are pretty much a surefire way to get young girls into this more rockin' version of. It also makes sense this band opened for them, hence cementing their popularity amongst that demographic.

Now the appeal in 5SOS comes from the fact that they write their own songs and play their own instruments, taking "boy band" to a new dimension by actually being a band. They're all fairly proficient at what they do as well. Catchy four chord power pop with punk rock flavors (not quite pop-punk), with group harmonies and songs about teenage love and life, they are the whole package here.

The opening track "She's so Perfect" is the omnipresent summer jam, sing-a-long choruses and sticky lyrics guarantee this. The rest of the album pretty much follows suit. Every track displaying an upbeat energy and boyish attractiveness that would get young teens enamored with these Aussie Backstreet Boys.

Therein lies the issue for me with the record. The songs themselves are harmless in all reality. As an adult nearing my 30's this music is way past my threshold for enjoyment, yet I can certainly see the appeal and if my hypothetical 13 year old was into this, I would have no problem with it...in fact this would hopefully get them into certain styles of rock and pop that they can enjoy as they grow older, and I can therefore see the merit in this record's existence. It's current RYM score is not very fair I feel as obviously this isn't gonna appeal to your average music-head (especially if you're over the age of 25).

So really, it's fine for what it is. 5SOS by the time of this review have grown up and matured so the band wasn't destined to be pigeon-holed into this kind of music forever (thankfully) but if a young zoomer happens upon this album and falls in love, so be it.

"Your lipstick stain is a work of art"

Semi-enjoyable post grunge fodder

3 Door Down are probably one of the most consistent modern rock bands to burst onto the scene in the early 00's. Their fourth record here tries some new things but ultimately falls a little flat on the back half.

Lyrically the album seems to be a push and pull between realization that relationships aren't working out (These Days and When It's Over), and having tender moments and good times between the two (Your Arms Feel Like Home and Runaway).

The album does open with probably their hardest rocking song they've written on "Train". A song about leaving home and starting a journey, cliche type stuff. The riffs are tasty though and lead singer Brad Smtih actually puts in some effort in making it sound like he cares when singing so that's awesome.

Continuing the streak of having a great first leg we have the song "Citizen/Soldier" which is a bit of a National Guard propaganda song but it also sounds the least like a 3 Doors Down song out of the tracks here, it's got a good progression to it also which I enjoy. "It's Not My Time" is an absolute banger of a track, with catchy chorus and uplifting lyrics, it's fantastic. "Let Me Be Myself" is a power ballad in typical 3DD fashion but it is an earworm and pretty good tune also.

The rest of the album starts to fall by the wayside once the song "It's The Only One You've Got" comes on. Songs start to blend together, they get instrumentally repetitive and the filler begins to pile up. There were a couple decent tracks towards the end that had some energetic songwriting and the more angsty cuts were easier to get into, but the slower ballad type songs just get tedious and by the time the last song is over you'll want to take a nap.

Still though, I find that as far as these types of 00's generic rock albums go this one wasn't too bad, especially during the first half where nearly every song was a rager. 3 Doors Down is the perfect mom-rock band and this album will satisfy any middle-aged adult's wishes to rock out.

"This could be the end of me
And everything I know
Ooh, but I won’t go"!~

Goofy fuckin' rock music

Okay so like

This album is the band's 3rd major release and contains their biggest hits, "Down" and "All Mixed Up". The former being a heavy alt metal song about being thankful for their fans, and the latter being a well rounded multi-phased Reggae rock cut with catchy chorus and lyrics.

The rest of this album is whack.

Instrumentally you got the bassist P-Nut who goes between being a virtuoso superstar on his instrument, to barely being there other than simply mimicking the straightforward rhythm sections the lead is playing. You got Tim Mahoney playing chunky chord progressions and every ONCE in a while busts out a major solo. Chad Sexton is a monster on drums so his beats are fun to listen to, but when it all comes together the mix makes these guys sound like mush when they aren't playing the more reggae inspired stuff. This album is actually very scarce in that style, only a handful of songs enter chilled out mode too.

Then you have the lyrics. What in the goddam fuck are these lyrics???? For some songs they seem well-written and make sense, the major hits for example and there's one song about domestic abuse that seems well thought out and meaningful, but otherwise they literally just create rhymes for the sake of having vocals on top of the music, and the rhymes are god awful. Like, just read the lyrics to "Brodels" and you'll see what I mean.

The major thing is though, there's a talent underneath the vapid songwriting and muddy playing, it's just not shining on this record. Most of the songs are very forgettable when simply just listening to them, and they all start to really blend together into a loud distorted fog. I am really perplexed how an album that went triple platinum managed to sound this lazy and uninspired. Their previous effort "Grassroots" was WAY better in my opinion.

Despite my complaints, the fact that this album is short makes me feel like it really isn't all THAT bad in comparison to some of their truly awful material, and the juvenile energy they bring is sorta infectious to a degree and when the instrumentals do hit, they become bops despite the lyrics being so garbage. So it's really kind of a mixed back and forth of being annoyed and enjoying what I am hearing.

Not a must listen by any means, but cherry pick the higher rated songs here.

"Soon the church pitted bell will clang
Boys on the corner mack with slang play a dice game
When I walk by it some bag lady goes sha-na-na-na"

Thirty Seconds to Mars' first foray into music is a vastly different style than what they would later become known for, but all of the elements that they've utilized are still present here. Big anthemic choruses, dramatic production, you name it. This time though, all of that energy is put forth into making a superb space rock concept record full of futuristic instrumentation and electronics, as well as esoteric lyrics about space and society.

The guitars in this album are either crushingly heavy with many distortion effects and layers added to them, or they can be light and ethereal and really give that "Sci-Fi" feel they were going for. The drumming is tight and robotic, and the assortment of electronic nuance really help give this record it's identity. The songs are vast and dark, Leto's vocals are really well utilized for this record. It's kind of hard to believe this is a debut recording from a fledgling band.

Concept-wise, it's all loosely tied together with very cryptic themes but all coming together in the sense of trying to move humanity towards a society ready for space exploration and colonization. What really holds this album together is the atmosphere, which it deals heavy in.

I really love this record, it does get a tad exhausting towards the end, but honestly it's pretty worth it. It's a whole mood that I can get lost in.

"Welcome To The Universe"

I hear you callin' me to come back

His first posthumous release of material other than the already completed Makaveli album, this project was overseen by his mom Afeni and is usually considered the best of his post-death albums. It definitely feels like it too, as for the most part it does feel like a Pac "rarities and b-sides" release.
While it doesn't feel like an LP should with any kind of track flow or definitive beginning, middle and end, the spirit is there and there are some pretty fire songs scattered throughout.

When this album falters it's due to the beats not really matching with what Pac was known for, or what he was actually rapping over with the original cuts of the songs. There are some rather uncanny songs for that reason that do feel off. The production though was pretty great.

So yeah basically, it's not bad. It functions like an album made in his memory, and not like a soulless cash grab ((foreshadowing)).

The start of 2Pac's legendary career and string of albums begins here on 1991's 2Pacalypse Now. This project is classic west coast rap and hip-hop all the way, down to the beat production and the lyrics. A very young 2Pac lays it all out on this album, holding nothing back and coming out of the gate swinging on everything he needs to get off his chest.

Tupac's classic stuff is often pointed inward. Rapping about his own experiences in gang life and all the surrounding problems that comes with it, to his experiences living in a poor impoverished world as a young black man just struggling to live. This first album by him takes a lot of that latter sentiment and projects it outward in frustration and anger at the systemic, racially-motivated injustices of the world. The police, the government, the struggles with drugs and violence, all of it. Even just the negative effects of a lack of education and being beat down by the system and how it can affect the communities. For being so young, Pac's lyricism and storytelling was mature beyond his years and despite his anger coming across as a bit juvenile in how it's executed, everything said here is purposeful and drives the point home perfectly. The messaging of this album is potent, and that alone is enough to make Pac an icon and a figure to be noticed.

The music in this album is fantastic as well. The production style is pretty spot-on for early 90's material. Boom-Bap beats and plenty of sampling of classic 70's soul and disco provide the backdrop for many of the tracks here. "If My Homie Calls" has the most upbeat and uplifting instrumental, despite the lyrics saying otherwise. You can thank the Herbie Hancock bassline for that. "Part Time Mutha" pulls from Stevie Wonder, giving this autobiographical song a smooth motown edge to an otherwise dejected and frustrating tale of struggle.

It wouldn't be a proper review without mentioning the album's crown jewel, and that would be "Brenda's got a baby". A song that perfectly displays Pac's skills at storytelling, as he raps about a twelve year girl who ends up pregnant and living on the streets as a prostitute, before more tragedy befalls her. The song was inspired by a news article detailing a similar situation, and the amount of detail and anguish in the lyrics is enough to pull the tears out of most. It's a dark and grim reality that most of the privileged audiences of this music never had to face or witness, and it's accessibility was incredibly effective at showing the world what that kind of life is like for the unfortunate who experienced it.

The few blemishes this album does have I just chalk it up to it being a product of it's time. Some of the ad-libs are kinda goofy at times, some sound effects feel a bit out of place or jarring in the mix, and one or two songs aren't as substantive as others (Something Wicked specifically). All in all though, for a debut album I found this project incredibly well made and well thought out. The album has a natural flow that feels great to listen to, and the thematic cohesion is pulled off really well too, It's dark, violent, depressing, and above all inspiring in a way. The album's honesty and unfiltered storytelling is it's strongest weapon even though a lot of the songs are fantastic too. I think even though it gets overshadowed by Pac's later releases, it's an essential 90's rap record and should not be overlooked or skipped.

"2Pacalypse Now, America's Nightmare"~

A curious release

To my knowledge I suppose this was recorded by a group of young teens for a contest? I found out about this thanks to the Rock Band Network. Their song just hang on was published for the game, and I found it through there.

It's a pretty short collection of hard and blues rock. Played rather competently, with some generic but tasteful rock riffs, and rather inoffensive lyrics that don't really mean much other than what's on the surface. The singer is actually pretty good also. Which helps cause once more, the lyrics aren't really much of anything.

Some songs just kinda fall by the wayside, such as the last track aptly titled The Conclusion. Still, it was neat and cute. Not something I would eagerly return to, but I can't completely write it off either. Part of me wonders what happened to these kids and if they are finding success in the music world. It seems kind of a waste to record this EP and have nothing become of these guys.

"Just Hang On, and never let go~"

The Bonus Tracks are redundant and pointless.

The main album I enjoy quite a bit despite it's flaws, but when I acquired the album, it was the bonus edition that fell into my lap.

Disc 2 is worthless.

Sorry to be blunt, but it has very very few good songs in it. Some of them are just rough recordings of the album's major hits, some sound like decent enough tunes but the mixing is so bad that it becomes distracting, and the vast majority are sleepy d-sides that are drowning in melatonin.

On top of all of that, there's plenty more of those spacey synth tracks that feel so pointless in keeping in the track list.

I find very little reason at all to put on the bonus tracks, save for the song titled You, that one (not including the hidden track attached to it) is the best original song on the whole thing.