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14 January
1970s Album Anniversary
Review
The opening chapter of Bowie's beloved Berlin trilogy builds upon the avant-pop he'd explored on Station to Station, with the biggest leap between the two being mostly attributable to Brian Eno's famous involvement, functioning as a multi-instrumentalist and engineer. "Speed of Life" sets the atmosphere, with a rollicking bassline and angular guitars riding atop some truly alien synthesizer sounds - this already sounds like a science fiction soundtrack, and we're less than two minutes in. Those synths tinge the rest of the A-side - buzzing on "Breaking Glass," bubbling on "What in the World," shimmering on "Sound and Vision," simmering on "Always Crashing in the Same Car," waltzing on "Be My Wife," wailing on "A New Career in a New Town" - a set of songs that are one part Wire and one part Talking Heads; that this album pre-dated both Pink Flag and Talking Heads: 77 is a testament to the level of inventiveness on display here.
That A-side is really just a refinement of Station to Station, though, and if that were all this album was it might still merit a 5-star rating. What makes this Bowie's best - and one of the 20-25 greatest records ever made - is the B-side, which throws away all notions of pop. Though Side 1 is far from celebratory or cheery, it is relatively bright - and Side 2 is its shadow. Throwing away all warmth of human emotion, it's a side of wax that paints a dreary futurescape overtaken by cold machinery. Each is a portrait of a place in Eastern Europe - Warsaw, West Berlin, the Berlin Wall, and East Berlin, respectively - and meant to evoke the desolate, post-industrial landscapes of the area at the end of the 70s. It's not just bleak - it's postapocalyptic, and its fingerprints can be found all over the Cold-War-paranoia-tainted popular music for the next decade, from Vangelis's score for Blade Runner to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Dazzle Ships. The Wikipedia article on "Warszawa" is a must-read for its detail of the mini-masterpiece's recording process, and the articles on other songs from the second side draw comparisons to everything from Philip Glass to the literature of William S. Burroughs, if that gives you any idea of what you're getting into. Each piece is distinct - not just from one another, but from anything in Bowie's catalog, and anything a musical figure of his magnitude had attempted at that point in history.
Both sides of Low are the sound of a musician who hasn't just outgrown the glam rock and "plastic soul" he pioneered - he's grown weary of it, and grown eager to re-shape himself with the same inventiveness he'd displayed before. Bowie would shift styles drastically throughout his career, but none of the other transformations were as pronounced as the one that arrived in full flower here - and it was also one that nearly doubled his legacy, and showed another cavernous facet of his genius.
That A-side is really just a refinement of Station to Station, though, and if that were all this album was it might still merit a 5-star rating. What makes this Bowie's best - and one of the 20-25 greatest records ever made - is the B-side, which throws away all notions of pop. Though Side 1 is far from celebratory or cheery, it is relatively bright - and Side 2 is its shadow. Throwing away all warmth of human emotion, it's a side of wax that paints a dreary futurescape overtaken by cold machinery. Each is a portrait of a place in Eastern Europe - Warsaw, West Berlin, the Berlin Wall, and East Berlin, respectively - and meant to evoke the desolate, post-industrial landscapes of the area at the end of the 70s. It's not just bleak - it's postapocalyptic, and its fingerprints can be found all over the Cold-War-paranoia-tainted popular music for the next decade, from Vangelis's score for Blade Runner to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's Dazzle Ships. The Wikipedia article on "Warszawa" is a must-read for its detail of the mini-masterpiece's recording process, and the articles on other songs from the second side draw comparisons to everything from Philip Glass to the literature of William S. Burroughs, if that gives you any idea of what you're getting into. Each piece is distinct - not just from one another, but from anything in Bowie's catalog, and anything a musical figure of his magnitude had attempted at that point in history.
Both sides of Low are the sound of a musician who hasn't just outgrown the glam rock and "plastic soul" he pioneered - he's grown weary of it, and grown eager to re-shape himself with the same inventiveness he'd displayed before. Bowie would shift styles drastically throughout his career, but none of the other transformations were as pronounced as the one that arrived in full flower here - and it was also one that nearly doubled his legacy, and showed another cavernous facet of his genius.
12 January
Review
Thoughts: Oh boy I was drawn in towards this as soon as I saw the genre types and it delivered in an astounding way. It's not stuck in one genre over the other, it really does balance both all throughout in a very natural way to give it a comprehensive sound. It's like if a screamo band took a go at a Deafheaven album in their own style and they nailed it. The vocals are distraught and emotional, the guitar work is brilliant with the variety of riffs and gorgeous acoustic moments laced into various songs, the drums are fast and dynamic when needed, the synthwork strewn throughout pulls you into each songs atmosphere. I love that they managed to create the blackgaze sound without any of the instruments being drowned out too much, everything is still very present and prominent in the mix. We're early into the year for sure but this is undoubtedly in the mix for being a top release this year. Releases of this style tend to be pretty long (usually around an hour) but this length feels so well executed and accessible. Feels in the vein of what the group lowheaven are also aiming for. If you've ever been unsure of this kind of sound, this is a perfect album for your first foray into it, it's a must listen imo.
Standouts: Clawing Still, Amaranthine, With Shadow
Standouts: Clawing Still, Amaranthine, With Shadow
Review
Dublin's Sprints, helmed by Karla Chubb, make their entrance with this suffocatingly bleak piece of scream therapy that's savvy enough to keep things tuneful, dancing on the edge of chaos while the thunderous rhythm section occasionally tries to bulldoze past Chubb's lead. Now, I'm not one for angst by the truckload, but Chubb's anthemic, straight-from-the-heart style is a refreshing break from the usual deadpan drawl of the contemporary post-punk scene. It's a spirited kickoff to 2024.
Grade: B+ ("Tickling", "Adore Adore Adore", "Letter to Self")
Grade: B+ ("Tickling", "Adore Adore Adore", "Letter to Self")
Exploring Ambient
Review
“A story of matrimony in loss”
It is a sunny spring day in the old age of your lifetime, and you are in the midst of pleasantly watering the flowers in your greenhouse. As you go about the subtly joy-inducing act of granting life and luxury to each grateful seed and stem, you hear three soft knocks echo over the front door of your cottage. Puzzled at who could be visiting you so deep within the countryside, you stroll through your house, past the scents of burning sage and shelves lined with photographs of your past adventures, giving each one a glance and reflecting on how lucky you are to have had such a full life and to now afford to settle down in peace with the comfort of the birds and the plants outside to keep you company. You've experienced a fair share of love and loss in the years past, but you have arrived at the conclusion that living in the moment is the healthiest option for spending your seniority.
You open the door, squinting against the light to look for whoever had wished to speak with you, but as you scan the area your eyes fall upon a small cream-colored envelope laying on your welcome mat with a relaxed pose within the doorstep's feng shui as if it had always been there. As you pick it up and open its contents with your fingernails, the wedding bells of a church sound off in the nearby village and the vision of such a joyous occasion brings a smile to your face. The expression of happiness turns to one of slight confusion as you read the mysterious letter. An invitation, in fact, unsigned but dated a little later this afternoon with a location not far from where you live. Tracing the oddly familiar green-inked cursive of these words, you again think back on every little coincidence and journey that live in your head and on your shelves as fond memories, and you think, why not roll the dice on one more? Surely it will be exciting in one way or another.
You arrive within the hour at what seems to be the wood-gated entrance to a sheltered forest clearing, and as you approach you hear a relaxing string of piano notes trail through the air as if riding motes of pollen or the tails of dandelion fluff. You enter, expecting to see some of the friendly town inhabitants, perhaps in a public ceremony for the wedding that occurred earlier, but instead the circular patch of grass is devoid of human presence. Almost, that is.
Tears well in your eyes immediately as you are greeted by your lifelong true love, the soulmate you lost several years back in a heartbreaking battle with disease. They look so real here in the sunrays. Your body frozen in shock, they walk toward you, and only until the familiar warmth of their hand brushes across your face to wipe the tears away do you know what has happened. The letter's thrill of adventure, the wedding bells that reminded you of your own, and finally the piano music you had your first dance to. You yourself have passed on, perhaps this morning, perhaps before you were even able to wake up. You have entered into a heaven of your own memory. But you couldn't ask for a better way to spend it.
★★★★½
You open the door, squinting against the light to look for whoever had wished to speak with you, but as you scan the area your eyes fall upon a small cream-colored envelope laying on your welcome mat with a relaxed pose within the doorstep's feng shui as if it had always been there. As you pick it up and open its contents with your fingernails, the wedding bells of a church sound off in the nearby village and the vision of such a joyous occasion brings a smile to your face. The expression of happiness turns to one of slight confusion as you read the mysterious letter. An invitation, in fact, unsigned but dated a little later this afternoon with a location not far from where you live. Tracing the oddly familiar green-inked cursive of these words, you again think back on every little coincidence and journey that live in your head and on your shelves as fond memories, and you think, why not roll the dice on one more? Surely it will be exciting in one way or another.
You arrive within the hour at what seems to be the wood-gated entrance to a sheltered forest clearing, and as you approach you hear a relaxing string of piano notes trail through the air as if riding motes of pollen or the tails of dandelion fluff. You enter, expecting to see some of the friendly town inhabitants, perhaps in a public ceremony for the wedding that occurred earlier, but instead the circular patch of grass is devoid of human presence. Almost, that is.
Tears well in your eyes immediately as you are greeted by your lifelong true love, the soulmate you lost several years back in a heartbreaking battle with disease. They look so real here in the sunrays. Your body frozen in shock, they walk toward you, and only until the familiar warmth of their hand brushes across your face to wipe the tears away do you know what has happened. The letter's thrill of adventure, the wedding bells that reminded you of your own, and finally the piano music you had your first dance to. You yourself have passed on, perhaps this morning, perhaps before you were even able to wake up. You have entered into a heaven of your own memory. But you couldn't ask for a better way to spend it.
★★★★½
10 January
1970s Album Anniversary
Review
Shaping the Mold: Review #231
8.7
Janis's untimely swan song, yet a seemingly prepared marvel of vocal versatility and powerful songwriting. I love the lamenting balladry of songs like "Cry Baby", which contrast perfectly with the hard rockin' blues of tracks like "Mercedes Benz". And the devastation held within the vocals of "Trust Me" is enough to keel you over, but this record's true patent lies within Joplin's goosebump-inducing emotion on her vocals, which elevate a lot of these tracks from being good blues rock songs to transcending the genre and absolutely dropkicking my heartstrings. Even the track which lacks her vocals "Buried Alive in the Blues", as she died before recording the vocals, somehow communicates the same rambunctious passion Janis was so good at cultivating. An incredible album on its own and even stronger as a display of one of rock's greatest female vocalist's talents.
Janis's untimely swan song, yet a seemingly prepared marvel of vocal versatility and powerful songwriting. I love the lamenting balladry of songs like "Cry Baby", which contrast perfectly with the hard rockin' blues of tracks like "Mercedes Benz". And the devastation held within the vocals of "Trust Me" is enough to keel you over, but this record's true patent lies within Joplin's goosebump-inducing emotion on her vocals, which elevate a lot of these tracks from being good blues rock songs to transcending the genre and absolutely dropkicking my heartstrings. Even the track which lacks her vocals "Buried Alive in the Blues", as she died before recording the vocals, somehow communicates the same rambunctious passion Janis was so good at cultivating. An incredible album on its own and even stronger as a display of one of rock's greatest female vocalist's talents.
RIP Phill Niblock
Review
A dense glowing wall of sound. Everything’s reduced to tonality and harmonics, slowly changing. Niblock intentionally creates music which dominates space, like an aural version of a massive minimalist sculpture, that alters and shapes the space around it. It’ll sound different depending on what room you play it in, and even a slight turn of the head changes the perceived harmonic structure. The first piece, "Five More String Quartets", features a a single quartet tuned to calibrated sine waves as they play, recorded onto tape, then four subsequent performances were overdubbed on top of it. The performers wear headphones so as to tune to their particular pitch, without being influenced by the other players. The result is a full dense web of microtonally contrasting drones. The second piece, "Early Winter", is an even thicker, heavier "mush" of flutes and "38 sampled and synthesizer voices, computer controlled".
This isn't difficult to listen to. On the contrary, it's frightening how comfortable the vibrations become. A toasty electric blanket you don't want to take off. The massive void of sound is a pleasure to look into, meditatively listening to the slight undulations and the almost imperceptible larger changes over time. And when the piece ends, you’re left with this huge emptiness.
This isn't difficult to listen to. On the contrary, it's frightening how comfortable the vibrations become. A toasty electric blanket you don't want to take off. The massive void of sound is a pleasure to look into, meditatively listening to the slight undulations and the almost imperceptible larger changes over time. And when the piece ends, you’re left with this huge emptiness.
Exploring Power Pop
Review
Perhaps the Greatest Power Pop Album Ever Made
(Review #160, August 30th [2021])
Radio City is considered by a huge amount of people to be one of the truly great American underground albums. Perhaps the only similar album that outshines this one in terms of popularity is the fantastic, incredibly influential, hugely loved by hipsters The Velvet Underground & Nico by, well, The Velvet Underground and Nico. Radio City certainly deserves the love.
Time and time again, both Radio City and Big Star as a collective have been cited as the founding fathers of power pop music as many know it. After listening to their entire discography, I have to say that I agree with this incredibly strong statement. It seems to me that no one was playing music exactly like Big Star in the 70s. While the music here obviously isn't even close to metal or hard rock, there is a certain aggressive tone in both the vocal delivery and instrumentals of tracks like "She's a Mover" and "Way Out West" that ensures Radio City isn't a pop or pop rock album either. I believe that you would be hard pressed to find anything that captures quite the same overall vibe that this record does. Famous and obscure 90s power pop artists such as Teenage Fanclub, Kleenex Girl Wonder, Weezer, and Matthew Sweet would not have ever existed without this band and this album.
The guitar work on this album is phenomenal and much more significant than that of Big Star's previous album, #1 Record. This is primarily thanks to group member Chris Bell leaving the band before the recording of this album. This meant that the former's melodic concepts were now gone. However, this would allow the band to focus more on interesting instrumentals rather than pretty melodies. Alex Chilton's guitar work on cuts like "Mod Lang" and the album-opening "O, My Soul" is actually quite fantastic. His vocal work on songs like "You Get What You Deserve" and "Morpha Too" is very pleasant as well.
Bassist Andy Hummel contributes some very solid basslines to Radio City. Hummel achieves a very bouncy but solid bass tone that allows him to stand out from his bandmates on tracks like "She's a Mover" and "Life Is White." Elsewhere, drummer Jody Stephens delivers some very strong drum work. More notably, Stephens' random drum fills add a certain touch of rawness and overall garage-y flavor that helps define the record. Overall, Hummel and Stephens are essential to Big Star's sound and track record of excellent musicianship.
Lyrically, Radio City is equally strong when compared to it's instrumentals. While Hummel and Stephens do contribute some songwriting to the record, the majority of the album was penned by frontman Alex Chilton. Highlight songwriting moments from Chilton include the lovely ballads "Daisy Glaze" and "What's Going Ahn" as well as the semi-iconic and very influential "September Gurls." There are huge lyrical themes of romance throughout Radio City, but much of it could be described as bittersweet (such as "I'm in Love With a Girl") at the very least if not at times downright venomous such as on tracks like "Way Out West." The lyricism found on this record is great and, just like it's instrumentation, is very influential.
In conclusion, Radio City is a personal favorite of mine. In my eyes, it is Big Star's greatest accomplishment. This album's lyricism is fantastic, the instrumentals even more so. This record is, perhaps, power pop's greatest achievement as a genre. Virtually every 90s alternative rock artist could not have picked a better album to be heavily influenced by. This album has rightfully earned it's place in music history as one of the greatest (and first) power pop albums ever made.
Radio City is considered by a huge amount of people to be one of the truly great American underground albums. Perhaps the only similar album that outshines this one in terms of popularity is the fantastic, incredibly influential, hugely loved by hipsters The Velvet Underground & Nico by, well, The Velvet Underground and Nico. Radio City certainly deserves the love.
Time and time again, both Radio City and Big Star as a collective have been cited as the founding fathers of power pop music as many know it. After listening to their entire discography, I have to say that I agree with this incredibly strong statement. It seems to me that no one was playing music exactly like Big Star in the 70s. While the music here obviously isn't even close to metal or hard rock, there is a certain aggressive tone in both the vocal delivery and instrumentals of tracks like "She's a Mover" and "Way Out West" that ensures Radio City isn't a pop or pop rock album either. I believe that you would be hard pressed to find anything that captures quite the same overall vibe that this record does. Famous and obscure 90s power pop artists such as Teenage Fanclub, Kleenex Girl Wonder, Weezer, and Matthew Sweet would not have ever existed without this band and this album.
The guitar work on this album is phenomenal and much more significant than that of Big Star's previous album, #1 Record. This is primarily thanks to group member Chris Bell leaving the band before the recording of this album. This meant that the former's melodic concepts were now gone. However, this would allow the band to focus more on interesting instrumentals rather than pretty melodies. Alex Chilton's guitar work on cuts like "Mod Lang" and the album-opening "O, My Soul" is actually quite fantastic. His vocal work on songs like "You Get What You Deserve" and "Morpha Too" is very pleasant as well.
Bassist Andy Hummel contributes some very solid basslines to Radio City. Hummel achieves a very bouncy but solid bass tone that allows him to stand out from his bandmates on tracks like "She's a Mover" and "Life Is White." Elsewhere, drummer Jody Stephens delivers some very strong drum work. More notably, Stephens' random drum fills add a certain touch of rawness and overall garage-y flavor that helps define the record. Overall, Hummel and Stephens are essential to Big Star's sound and track record of excellent musicianship.
Lyrically, Radio City is equally strong when compared to it's instrumentals. While Hummel and Stephens do contribute some songwriting to the record, the majority of the album was penned by frontman Alex Chilton. Highlight songwriting moments from Chilton include the lovely ballads "Daisy Glaze" and "What's Going Ahn" as well as the semi-iconic and very influential "September Gurls." There are huge lyrical themes of romance throughout Radio City, but much of it could be described as bittersweet (such as "I'm in Love With a Girl") at the very least if not at times downright venomous such as on tracks like "Way Out West." The lyricism found on this record is great and, just like it's instrumentation, is very influential.
In conclusion, Radio City is a personal favorite of mine. In my eyes, it is Big Star's greatest accomplishment. This album's lyricism is fantastic, the instrumentals even more so. This record is, perhaps, power pop's greatest achievement as a genre. Virtually every 90s alternative rock artist could not have picked a better album to be heavily influenced by. This album has rightfully earned it's place in music history as one of the greatest (and first) power pop albums ever made.
07 January
Review
Acasia’s Debut Unveils a Journey of Self-Discovery
Under the setting sun, its rays filling my eyes with a melancholic glow, I find myself in those fleeting moments when life pauses for intimate reflection. I'm assessing the journey, weighing past decisions, and connecting with my former self. What words would I dedicate to that earlier version of myself? This is the resonance left by Acasia's debut, a Valparaíso (Chile) native, titled 'Acasia.'
The album unfolds like a collection of intertwined pieces, tracing a meticulously conceived musical map. Despite the apparent "coolness" that the album's aesthetics might suggest, I find a quality connection with each melody, as if each note were a thread weaving a personal story. It's a significant step for the Chilean music scene, a sonic journey that ventures into new territories of the dungeon. With the sun bidding farewell on the horizon, Acacia's music becomes an evocative soundtrack for self-discovery.
The album unfolds like a collection of intertwined pieces, tracing a meticulously conceived musical map. Despite the apparent "coolness" that the album's aesthetics might suggest, I find a quality connection with each melody, as if each note were a thread weaving a personal story. It's a significant step for the Chilean music scene, a sonic journey that ventures into new territories of the dungeon. With the sun bidding farewell on the horizon, Acacia's music becomes an evocative soundtrack for self-discovery.
Review
Sneaking in right at the end of the year, dropping on the 30th of December, Ciśnienie reach their potential. This is finally the defining classic of experimental rock that this frustratingly overlooked Polish outfit have always come just shy of realising. A fair shot at being the most explosive, direct and powerful expulsion of sound you'll hear all year, or rather in quite a few years. Like Godspeed at their most ferocious or Swans at their most physical, Zwierzakom is a sound propulsed by a tangible, present momentum that can't be found anywhere else. A truly unique set of visionaries in contemporary guitar music.
05 January
Review
Fourth album in 23 months for Mr. Marston & Co. I usually dont like that kind of release schedule, but Krallice is part of a league of its own, consistently delivering quality material even in the span of a few months.
The new album consists of two different Eps: the initial 4 songs represent the second part of the “Mass Cathexis” album, originally released in 2020, while the subsequent 4 tracks offer the “Kinetic Infinite” experience.
The first half embraces the Technical, Progressive & Dissonant style of “Mass Cathexis”, with the presence of Mr. Edwardson (Neurosis fame) to delivers its intense shouts, after their collaborative effort in “Loum” & his guest appearence on the self-title track off “Mass Cathexis”.
After a string of hugely atmospheric, space-oriented & synth-driven material, Krallice is back to the roots with complex & free-form drumming, aggressive & labyrinthine guitar riffs crafting oblique structures & frenzied melodies and a creative bass of telluric intensity.
Noteworthy material, as expected, full of progressive interplay, jazzy undertones & technical inventiveness… but the second part, “The Kinetic Infinite”, exceeds expectations.
Stylistically following the path of “Mass Carthexis 2” in a more frantic, psychedelic & erratic way, it also introduces some deep atmospheres with the Marston’s earth-shaking synth-bass, brilliantly juxtaposed to the isolated, discordant high-pitched arpeggios & the melodically schizoid riffing. In a song like “The Blatancy of Fulfillment,” it brings to mind the most cerebral side of King Crimson, after a hallucinogenic trip.
“The Kinetic Infinite” not only surpasses the first part but, in a crescendo of psychedelic visions & intergalatic atmospheres proves one of the highest Krallice moments ever with the final turbulence of “And Then Erase Existence”. A truly immersive listening experience.
These skilled musicians consistently manage to surprise the listener, not only with the intrinsic quality of their compositions but also with the unpredictability that each new release brings.
Best Track: And Then Erase Existence
The new album consists of two different Eps: the initial 4 songs represent the second part of the “Mass Cathexis” album, originally released in 2020, while the subsequent 4 tracks offer the “Kinetic Infinite” experience.
The first half embraces the Technical, Progressive & Dissonant style of “Mass Cathexis”, with the presence of Mr. Edwardson (Neurosis fame) to delivers its intense shouts, after their collaborative effort in “Loum” & his guest appearence on the self-title track off “Mass Cathexis”.
After a string of hugely atmospheric, space-oriented & synth-driven material, Krallice is back to the roots with complex & free-form drumming, aggressive & labyrinthine guitar riffs crafting oblique structures & frenzied melodies and a creative bass of telluric intensity.
Noteworthy material, as expected, full of progressive interplay, jazzy undertones & technical inventiveness… but the second part, “The Kinetic Infinite”, exceeds expectations.
Stylistically following the path of “Mass Carthexis 2” in a more frantic, psychedelic & erratic way, it also introduces some deep atmospheres with the Marston’s earth-shaking synth-bass, brilliantly juxtaposed to the isolated, discordant high-pitched arpeggios & the melodically schizoid riffing. In a song like “The Blatancy of Fulfillment,” it brings to mind the most cerebral side of King Crimson, after a hallucinogenic trip.
“The Kinetic Infinite” not only surpasses the first part but, in a crescendo of psychedelic visions & intergalatic atmospheres proves one of the highest Krallice moments ever with the final turbulence of “And Then Erase Existence”. A truly immersive listening experience.
These skilled musicians consistently manage to surprise the listener, not only with the intrinsic quality of their compositions but also with the unpredictability that each new release brings.
Best Track: And Then Erase Existence
Review
Gorgeous And Gut-wrenchingly Emotive
Backed by a spectacular band, Vriska returns with a stellar new album blending elements of jazz with art pop, R&B, hip hop, and even trace elements of post rock. Songs such as "Like Blood" and "Black Dog" merit comparison to artists like Black Country New Road and Dijon, in sharp contrast to the more relatively conventional hip hop featured on Vriska's previous album.
Between gorgeous and lush soundscapes as a backdrop, Vriska pours her soul out on this record. The listener is practically allowed a window into her soul, even with one of Vriska's least humor-infused projects to date. That isn't to say that this record lacks any sort of humor about itself (Suck Me Through The Phone's titular nod to Soulja Boy being a prime example) or that the funnier elements featured on other doin' fine projects are somehow detrimental to the quality of those albums, however the noticable lack of them allows this record to feel more like an uncompromised expression of emotion unhidden by any previously present curtain of irony.
Overall, this record is absolutely phenomenal, and certainly more than worth a listen. between the warm horn-accented and piano-led instrumentals and deeply personal emotional lyrical content, doin' fine shows a continuous prowess of the craft and a refusal to stay pigeonholed into style or sound.
Between gorgeous and lush soundscapes as a backdrop, Vriska pours her soul out on this record. The listener is practically allowed a window into her soul, even with one of Vriska's least humor-infused projects to date. That isn't to say that this record lacks any sort of humor about itself (Suck Me Through The Phone's titular nod to Soulja Boy being a prime example) or that the funnier elements featured on other doin' fine projects are somehow detrimental to the quality of those albums, however the noticable lack of them allows this record to feel more like an uncompromised expression of emotion unhidden by any previously present curtain of irony.
Overall, this record is absolutely phenomenal, and certainly more than worth a listen. between the warm horn-accented and piano-led instrumentals and deeply personal emotional lyrical content, doin' fine shows a continuous prowess of the craft and a refusal to stay pigeonholed into style or sound.
Review
Cohesive PC Music release from an old favourite trying new tricks - and succeeding
This is very cohesive, and EASYFUN gets to approach acoustic influence that they tried on "Acoustic" but combined with A. G. Cook's aesthetics it ends up more than the sum of its parts. Features arrive and they are not show-offy. They cohere with the vision, and they serve the song well. Definitely a satisfactory release - perhaps not the *happy-go-lucky* one fans have always wanted from Thy Slaughter, but perhaps something else mature and well-realised. I am also happy that EASYFUN was able to participate in a full-length LP where they produced on every song and their influences shine through on every track.
The songwriting is taut, even if sometimes the distortion gets so out of hand that it's grating on the ears, and it doesn't seem to compliment the track.
EASYFUN's vocals throughout are very nice, too. I feel like this is a much more controlled and poppy "Acoustic" (an EP that disappointed me) and I'm now much more bought over by the concept. Overall enjoyed it.
Let's get to the individual tracks.
"Sentence" is a distorted banger that starts off with energy, and some nice front-faced production that is maybe a bit too distorted, similarly to EASYFUN's "Acoustic" EP, but it's still a nice tune that has great progression and a lot of energy.
"Immortal" serves Caroline Polachek vocals that perfectly fit the track. The tune is beautiful, and her vocals are just stunning on this production. Perhaps in a dream world, to have a Thy Slaughter-produced Caroline Polachek album would be a great project? I know it won't happen, but it would be interesting! Caroline's beautiful vocals seem to elevate the production and give it a medieval vibe, if that makes sense.
"Reign" is a nice instrumental track that serves as a decent transition track. Perhaps it is a bit too slapdash for my tastes, serving more like a "beat in the middle of songs" and feeling a little bit empty in the mix, for some reason.
"Heavy" is an absolute banger. Whenever you pair Charli XCX's vocals with A. G. Cook or EASYFUN, you get fire, and this is no exception. Good contender for my favourite song of the album, and feels like it should have been released as a single... perhaps it would have been too similar to Charli's solo stuff, and Thy Slaughter wants to show itself to be its own project, but it's definitely a banger.
"Bullets" was a nice tune, with a great vocal performance by EASYFUN, except the distortion did get a bit too harsh where it overwhelmed the entire mix, in my opinion, and I ended up getting flashbacks of EASYFUN's "Acoustic" EP.
"If I Knew" is a single that resonates even more here than it did as a released single. It really does benefit the track to be surrounded by other tracks of the similar aesthetic, and it serves as a nice middle-point of the album to pivot around. My only drawback is that it does feel a little too short, and I would've liked the ideas to be expanded perhaps further.
"Flail" is a nice ditty with A.G. Cook and EASYFUN vocals featured. Again, the distortion is perhaps a bit too high here for my tastes, but it also resonates with the feel that the album is setting up, so it ends up contributing to the overall aesthetic and redeems the track. That said, it is one of the less effectual tracks of the album. Maybe it is because the vocal performance doesn't exactly cut through the way I'd like it to. Although, that solo towards the end where they make the voice sound like a guitar, Daft Punk style, is pretty epic, even if it does get some grating equalisation near the end.
"Lost Everything" has vocals by Ellie Rowsell that are whispery and delicate, and while perhaps being one of the more predictably PC-Music-sounding tracks that felt like it was composed for Hannah Diamond, sounding definitely like something like "Hi" or "Fade Away". However, the melodies here, while a bit predictable, still are catchy and effectual. I get the feeling Ellie Rowsell's vocals are just a bit "buried" in the mix here, if that makes sense. It just feels like maybe they're a bit too quiet. But there's a delicate nature there that reminds me of oklou, which is a good comparison to have. It also gets repetitive when it starts to repeat the "you've got everything / you've lost everything" refrain.
"O Fortuna" sees us return to A. G. Cook's sound he established on tracks like "Being Harsh", except here there's this *thrumming* of the guitar strings that feels truly propulsive and exciting. An unusual guitar solo begins at 0:58, before retracting in this maze of angular guitars giving precise polyrhythms. The result is a curious track that I actually like quite a lot. Twisting synths close out the two-minute track that definitely feels more like a four-minute track, but in a good way?
"Shine A Light" starts with a riff that's sort of "Owl City"-esque, and I started thinking, "Oh dear, are we getting a cheesefest?" It doesn't really let down that expectation as the vocoded vocals then pursue some of the cheesier lyrics on the track, singing, "When I stop seeing / Oh, you shine a light for me / I get that feeling / Oh you'd make it right for me". It now occurs to me that this may be aimed at someone who is not alive anymore, and now I feel like a jerk for criticising what are probably some heartfelt feelings. The distorted bass that comes in at around the 1:30 mark gives the track some life, only to have it end before I feel it has said what needs to be said. Definitely one of the weaker tracks of the album.
"Don't Know What You Want" recalls Elliot Smith and Nirvana, funnily enough. Croons coming from some earthly guitars, feeling strangely mature for the duo... this could have been from a classic project in the 90s and I wouldn't have bat an eyelid. Except to say that around the 1:30 mark, the distortion kicks in again, except this time it amplifies the pain reflected in the track. The zenith that is built here is not something I was expecting from this record, and it feels strange doing a whiplash movement from "Shine a Light" to what is perhaps the most mature-sounding track on the record, even if it is just repeating the same line over, it feels the most heartfelt out of any of the tracks. I enjoyed this one a lot.
"Fountain" starts immediately having vibes of finality, longing, and rest. It's a good choice of a finale, except perhaps for the very-dry snaps that are a bit mood-ruining for my tastes. But the central tune is very well-written and performed, with affecting lyrics. The metaphor of the fountain being a life-giving force seems apt at the end of this album, which ends our hero's journey with a restful moment. Deep piano rumbles towards the end of the track, as water of the fountain gets poured down the drain and we lose what we've gained. It's very emotive, and a fitting finale to cap off the album.
Overall, I feel this is a cohesive album that ends up being more than the sum of its parts. There are tracks that either get too distorted for my liking or has a couple missteps that start to rob from the overall message, and it's front-loaded with bangers, but even a few of the less flashy tracks in the latter half of the album still maintain the overall aesthetic of the album that will stick with me when I see that beautiful album cover. A worthy release of the name "Thy Slaughter", and one that I will probably return to a few times.
The songwriting is taut, even if sometimes the distortion gets so out of hand that it's grating on the ears, and it doesn't seem to compliment the track.
EASYFUN's vocals throughout are very nice, too. I feel like this is a much more controlled and poppy "Acoustic" (an EP that disappointed me) and I'm now much more bought over by the concept. Overall enjoyed it.
Let's get to the individual tracks.
"Sentence" is a distorted banger that starts off with energy, and some nice front-faced production that is maybe a bit too distorted, similarly to EASYFUN's "Acoustic" EP, but it's still a nice tune that has great progression and a lot of energy.
"Immortal" serves Caroline Polachek vocals that perfectly fit the track. The tune is beautiful, and her vocals are just stunning on this production. Perhaps in a dream world, to have a Thy Slaughter-produced Caroline Polachek album would be a great project? I know it won't happen, but it would be interesting! Caroline's beautiful vocals seem to elevate the production and give it a medieval vibe, if that makes sense.
"Reign" is a nice instrumental track that serves as a decent transition track. Perhaps it is a bit too slapdash for my tastes, serving more like a "beat in the middle of songs" and feeling a little bit empty in the mix, for some reason.
"Heavy" is an absolute banger. Whenever you pair Charli XCX's vocals with A. G. Cook or EASYFUN, you get fire, and this is no exception. Good contender for my favourite song of the album, and feels like it should have been released as a single... perhaps it would have been too similar to Charli's solo stuff, and Thy Slaughter wants to show itself to be its own project, but it's definitely a banger.
"Bullets" was a nice tune, with a great vocal performance by EASYFUN, except the distortion did get a bit too harsh where it overwhelmed the entire mix, in my opinion, and I ended up getting flashbacks of EASYFUN's "Acoustic" EP.
"If I Knew" is a single that resonates even more here than it did as a released single. It really does benefit the track to be surrounded by other tracks of the similar aesthetic, and it serves as a nice middle-point of the album to pivot around. My only drawback is that it does feel a little too short, and I would've liked the ideas to be expanded perhaps further.
"Flail" is a nice ditty with A.G. Cook and EASYFUN vocals featured. Again, the distortion is perhaps a bit too high here for my tastes, but it also resonates with the feel that the album is setting up, so it ends up contributing to the overall aesthetic and redeems the track. That said, it is one of the less effectual tracks of the album. Maybe it is because the vocal performance doesn't exactly cut through the way I'd like it to. Although, that solo towards the end where they make the voice sound like a guitar, Daft Punk style, is pretty epic, even if it does get some grating equalisation near the end.
"Lost Everything" has vocals by Ellie Rowsell that are whispery and delicate, and while perhaps being one of the more predictably PC-Music-sounding tracks that felt like it was composed for Hannah Diamond, sounding definitely like something like "Hi" or "Fade Away". However, the melodies here, while a bit predictable, still are catchy and effectual. I get the feeling Ellie Rowsell's vocals are just a bit "buried" in the mix here, if that makes sense. It just feels like maybe they're a bit too quiet. But there's a delicate nature there that reminds me of oklou, which is a good comparison to have. It also gets repetitive when it starts to repeat the "you've got everything / you've lost everything" refrain.
"O Fortuna" sees us return to A. G. Cook's sound he established on tracks like "Being Harsh", except here there's this *thrumming* of the guitar strings that feels truly propulsive and exciting. An unusual guitar solo begins at 0:58, before retracting in this maze of angular guitars giving precise polyrhythms. The result is a curious track that I actually like quite a lot. Twisting synths close out the two-minute track that definitely feels more like a four-minute track, but in a good way?
"Shine A Light" starts with a riff that's sort of "Owl City"-esque, and I started thinking, "Oh dear, are we getting a cheesefest?" It doesn't really let down that expectation as the vocoded vocals then pursue some of the cheesier lyrics on the track, singing, "When I stop seeing / Oh, you shine a light for me / I get that feeling / Oh you'd make it right for me". It now occurs to me that this may be aimed at someone who is not alive anymore, and now I feel like a jerk for criticising what are probably some heartfelt feelings. The distorted bass that comes in at around the 1:30 mark gives the track some life, only to have it end before I feel it has said what needs to be said. Definitely one of the weaker tracks of the album.
"Don't Know What You Want" recalls Elliot Smith and Nirvana, funnily enough. Croons coming from some earthly guitars, feeling strangely mature for the duo... this could have been from a classic project in the 90s and I wouldn't have bat an eyelid. Except to say that around the 1:30 mark, the distortion kicks in again, except this time it amplifies the pain reflected in the track. The zenith that is built here is not something I was expecting from this record, and it feels strange doing a whiplash movement from "Shine a Light" to what is perhaps the most mature-sounding track on the record, even if it is just repeating the same line over, it feels the most heartfelt out of any of the tracks. I enjoyed this one a lot.
"Fountain" starts immediately having vibes of finality, longing, and rest. It's a good choice of a finale, except perhaps for the very-dry snaps that are a bit mood-ruining for my tastes. But the central tune is very well-written and performed, with affecting lyrics. The metaphor of the fountain being a life-giving force seems apt at the end of this album, which ends our hero's journey with a restful moment. Deep piano rumbles towards the end of the track, as water of the fountain gets poured down the drain and we lose what we've gained. It's very emotive, and a fitting finale to cap off the album.
Overall, I feel this is a cohesive album that ends up being more than the sum of its parts. There are tracks that either get too distorted for my liking or has a couple missteps that start to rob from the overall message, and it's front-loaded with bangers, but even a few of the less flashy tracks in the latter half of the album still maintain the overall aesthetic of the album that will stick with me when I see that beautiful album cover. A worthy release of the name "Thy Slaughter", and one that I will probably return to a few times.
04 January
Review
The Lemon Twigs channel further 1960s and 1970s aesthetic with glittering new single My Golden Years
Had their implementation of stylish 1970s influences not been clear enough on the recent release Everything Harmony, The Lemon Twigs make it clearer here. My Golden Years has all the iconography and setting of an early 1960s release – the push back further into history a wonderful flirtation with the past in a time where nostalgia benefits the listener. Through this, The Lemon Twigs are marrying the sharp tact of modern instrumentals with the classic guidance of essential artists from way back when. My Golden Years takes a leaf from both books and pieces them together slowly, assuredly and soon the leap to a new height is found. It is a shockingly strong piece – though this should be no surprise.
With some elements of The Beach Boys in their vocal interjections, My Golden Years starts steady and ends as a tremendous piece for the duo to work from. Feeding their appetite for 1960s discovery and reliable tunes, it should be no surprise the pair has worked this blend of multi-instrumental modernity with a vocalist whose voice belongs to the Apple Records heyday. Pleasant, warm and flowing well before expanding into a Pet Sounds style of upbeat frivolity lends The Lemon Twigs some real favour here. A three-minute wonder of a track, with plenty of depth to it. Key to enjoying The Lemon Twigs is understanding they are not just ripping up the past – though the tide of discourse will soon turn against them. A shame, since they do not deserve it, but the likes of My Golden Years feel soundtrack-ready for summer blockbusters.
But their creative blur and the fanciful charms they bring to the table when planting their style in the beats and instrumentals of yesteryear are stellar. The Lemon Twigs set themselves apart from the genre and era they love despite openly adopting the iconography. Welcomed into this fold and sticking it out for as long as they can, the swift guitar work and charmingly floaty vocals, soon brush into harsher cries for those titular golden years. It all comes together tremendously. Fear the loss of those glory days – it is only a matter of time before they pass. My Golden Years is not the beginning of the peak for The Lemon Twigs, it is gifted out by the band when they are already on top.
Start your year well with some shimmering nostalgia pieces. My Golden Years is a wonderful, upbeat piece which takes its listeners for a ride. Expect tranquil tones and relish the strong vocal range here from a band whose comparisons cast such a wide net it is futile to do it – anything from Wings to Supertramp to Big Star. The fact is, My Golden Years is a shining example of how old sounds can be fitted into a new era. The Lemon Twigs are cementing themselves as a band with a legacy older than they are – moved by the wonderful tones of an era long gone. As those familiar faces begin to depart and slow down their output of works, it is up to those sounding similar or even the duos with enough of an influence hanging over them to carry the torch. The Lemon Twigs do just that, and they do it well.
With some elements of The Beach Boys in their vocal interjections, My Golden Years starts steady and ends as a tremendous piece for the duo to work from. Feeding their appetite for 1960s discovery and reliable tunes, it should be no surprise the pair has worked this blend of multi-instrumental modernity with a vocalist whose voice belongs to the Apple Records heyday. Pleasant, warm and flowing well before expanding into a Pet Sounds style of upbeat frivolity lends The Lemon Twigs some real favour here. A three-minute wonder of a track, with plenty of depth to it. Key to enjoying The Lemon Twigs is understanding they are not just ripping up the past – though the tide of discourse will soon turn against them. A shame, since they do not deserve it, but the likes of My Golden Years feel soundtrack-ready for summer blockbusters.
But their creative blur and the fanciful charms they bring to the table when planting their style in the beats and instrumentals of yesteryear are stellar. The Lemon Twigs set themselves apart from the genre and era they love despite openly adopting the iconography. Welcomed into this fold and sticking it out for as long as they can, the swift guitar work and charmingly floaty vocals, soon brush into harsher cries for those titular golden years. It all comes together tremendously. Fear the loss of those glory days – it is only a matter of time before they pass. My Golden Years is not the beginning of the peak for The Lemon Twigs, it is gifted out by the band when they are already on top.
Start your year well with some shimmering nostalgia pieces. My Golden Years is a wonderful, upbeat piece which takes its listeners for a ride. Expect tranquil tones and relish the strong vocal range here from a band whose comparisons cast such a wide net it is futile to do it – anything from Wings to Supertramp to Big Star. The fact is, My Golden Years is a shining example of how old sounds can be fitted into a new era. The Lemon Twigs are cementing themselves as a band with a legacy older than they are – moved by the wonderful tones of an era long gone. As those familiar faces begin to depart and slow down their output of works, it is up to those sounding similar or even the duos with enough of an influence hanging over them to carry the torch. The Lemon Twigs do just that, and they do it well.
03 January
1990s Album Anniversary
Review
As part of the 90s wave of ‘female singer/songwriter critical darlings that found relative crossover success’, Tori Amos’s music likely gets attached to a string of like-minded debuts from around the same time: Fiona Apple, Alanis Morrissette, Liz Phair, Sheryl Crow, maybe even PJ Harvey, etc. Which is, of course, nonsense. For one, half those artists sound nothing alike. However, its also because such a sentiment vaguely implies a downplaying of just how dark, revealing, and intelligent Amos’s writing is, despite it's pop sensibilities.
Each topic she explores across the 12 tracks here are unbelievably heavy in tone – self-hatred, loss of control, the shortness of life, womanhood, failing relationships, microaggressions, and, in the record’s darkest moment, sexual assault. And Amos’s evocative songwriting handles each with a considerable sense of empathy and insight, with several individual lines taking on double meanings that bely a mighty emotional weight. Not only do all of the hooks *feel* immense (see: the self-incriminating chorus of 'Crucify'), but Amos’s layered songwriting means the quieter moments on the album more than provide the details necessary to sell that underlying danger (for this reason, the eerie a-capella of Me and a Gun might be one of the most striking, scary retellings of trauma i've ever heard).
And the production is consistently impressive for a debut of this kind: tender string arrangements, delicate piano melodies, fragments of electric guitar, and drum sounds seemingly played with hammers instead of sticks (listen to their surging on the chorus of ‘Precious Things’). Plus, there’s Amos’s voice itself, which has a natural diversity that allows the album’s progression to flow between each inward and outward accusation with great eloquence. She can sound vulnerable, empowered, assuring, vengeful – really just anything and everything she wants it to be.
So yes, while it might be easy to make comparisons to songwriting contemporaries, Amos's artistic voice remains unmistakable 30 years on.
Each topic she explores across the 12 tracks here are unbelievably heavy in tone – self-hatred, loss of control, the shortness of life, womanhood, failing relationships, microaggressions, and, in the record’s darkest moment, sexual assault. And Amos’s evocative songwriting handles each with a considerable sense of empathy and insight, with several individual lines taking on double meanings that bely a mighty emotional weight. Not only do all of the hooks *feel* immense (see: the self-incriminating chorus of 'Crucify'), but Amos’s layered songwriting means the quieter moments on the album more than provide the details necessary to sell that underlying danger (for this reason, the eerie a-capella of Me and a Gun might be one of the most striking, scary retellings of trauma i've ever heard).
And the production is consistently impressive for a debut of this kind: tender string arrangements, delicate piano melodies, fragments of electric guitar, and drum sounds seemingly played with hammers instead of sticks (listen to their surging on the chorus of ‘Precious Things’). Plus, there’s Amos’s voice itself, which has a natural diversity that allows the album’s progression to flow between each inward and outward accusation with great eloquence. She can sound vulnerable, empowered, assuring, vengeful – really just anything and everything she wants it to be.
So yes, while it might be easy to make comparisons to songwriting contemporaries, Amos's artistic voice remains unmistakable 30 years on.
2010s Mixtape Anniversary
Review
I'm A Trash Star Too
It took me a really, really long time to get into Bladee, cloud rap, and that whole leg of the underground rap scene. I couldn't get behind the vocal deliveries, the rough mixes, the disregard for songwriting traditions. I thought Bladee sounded bored, uninterested, and lazy.
Icedancer has all of these things that I used as counterpoints to the Drain Gang collective and this sound as whole, and it's become one of my favorite records I've heard in many years.
Why?
To start with, some of those things I nitpicked him for are just straight up not true. I've come to find Bladee is one of the hardest working, widest reaching, consistently influential members in the rap community. Your favorite spitters are listening to Bladee, they're just not telling you that. Alongside his work helming YEAR001 and Drain gang, he's also helped pave the way for independent labels, collectives, and creatives, spawning dozens of cloud rap collective clones (Ivvy league, Plugg, Reptilian Club Boyz, etc). He also offers a compelling "sigma male" approach to rapping, a refreshingly introspective and gentle change of pace from many of rap and cloud raps contemporaries.
As far as the rest of my nitpicks go, they remain, even for Icedancer, but my feelings on those nitpicks have changed.
The rough mix (it's not even bad, just clips) across this record comes across as endearing now. Having had a quarter-life crisis entirely centered around the idea of creative expression and the beauty of DIY, the raw energy the mixes bring to the very literal definition of a mixtape (a tape of mixes).
Bladee offers so many simple yet thought-provoking prods to the listener to pay closer attention. The lyrics of "Mallwhore Freestyle" address a unique perspective on shopping therapy and self-worth entwined into goods and daily expression. "Side By Side" is heartfelt enough that I'd be comfortable singing it with my future wife at our wedding (during the reception of course, so we can get lit).
It's just some of the wonderfully raw, introspective, and the purposefully ignorantly blissful journey Icedancer offers; there's so much to explore here.
But you really don't have to explore much of anything to have a good time here. If this sound clicks with you, then the songwriting should have no problems worming its way into your subconscious. I frequently find myself mumbling "Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise" or "I'ma Mallwhore and my Prada looks like Tom Fords" or "I fucked uuuuuuuuupp".
The music has stuck with me, and much more intently and wholly than I thought it would, with its glistening, frost-bitten, glitchy production and focus on fun.
And that's really what Icedancer is: fun.
Bladee and ripsquadd manage to take some dark, unforgiving song topics and give them bounce, life, and joy.
It has issues. Again, the mix isn't done, and frankly, a couple of the latter songs on the record are just boring and feel like filler.
But the amount of this album I not only like but whole-heartedly love is really impressive. I think if Bladee had trimmed just a couple off this (and mastered it) he'd have an undisputed classic.
To me it's a classic with issues, but everyone has issues.
We're all trash stars at the end of the day, right?
Favorite Tracks: Mallwhore Freestyle, Side By Side, Jaws, Topman, Be Nice 2 Me, Waster
Least Favorite Tracks: For Nothing, Feel Like
Icedancer has all of these things that I used as counterpoints to the Drain Gang collective and this sound as whole, and it's become one of my favorite records I've heard in many years.
Why?
To start with, some of those things I nitpicked him for are just straight up not true. I've come to find Bladee is one of the hardest working, widest reaching, consistently influential members in the rap community. Your favorite spitters are listening to Bladee, they're just not telling you that. Alongside his work helming YEAR001 and Drain gang, he's also helped pave the way for independent labels, collectives, and creatives, spawning dozens of cloud rap collective clones (Ivvy league, Plugg, Reptilian Club Boyz, etc). He also offers a compelling "sigma male" approach to rapping, a refreshingly introspective and gentle change of pace from many of rap and cloud raps contemporaries.
As far as the rest of my nitpicks go, they remain, even for Icedancer, but my feelings on those nitpicks have changed.
The rough mix (it's not even bad, just clips) across this record comes across as endearing now. Having had a quarter-life crisis entirely centered around the idea of creative expression and the beauty of DIY, the raw energy the mixes bring to the very literal definition of a mixtape (a tape of mixes).
Bladee offers so many simple yet thought-provoking prods to the listener to pay closer attention. The lyrics of "Mallwhore Freestyle" address a unique perspective on shopping therapy and self-worth entwined into goods and daily expression. "Side By Side" is heartfelt enough that I'd be comfortable singing it with my future wife at our wedding (during the reception of course, so we can get lit).
It's just some of the wonderfully raw, introspective, and the purposefully ignorantly blissful journey Icedancer offers; there's so much to explore here.
But you really don't have to explore much of anything to have a good time here. If this sound clicks with you, then the songwriting should have no problems worming its way into your subconscious. I frequently find myself mumbling "Mission Impossible, Tom Cruise" or "I'ma Mallwhore and my Prada looks like Tom Fords" or "I fucked uuuuuuuuupp".
The music has stuck with me, and much more intently and wholly than I thought it would, with its glistening, frost-bitten, glitchy production and focus on fun.
And that's really what Icedancer is: fun.
Bladee and ripsquadd manage to take some dark, unforgiving song topics and give them bounce, life, and joy.
It has issues. Again, the mix isn't done, and frankly, a couple of the latter songs on the record are just boring and feel like filler.
But the amount of this album I not only like but whole-heartedly love is really impressive. I think if Bladee had trimmed just a couple off this (and mastered it) he'd have an undisputed classic.
To me it's a classic with issues, but everyone has issues.
We're all trash stars at the end of the day, right?
Favorite Tracks: Mallwhore Freestyle, Side By Side, Jaws, Topman, Be Nice 2 Me, Waster
Least Favorite Tracks: For Nothing, Feel Like
Sonemic
Sonemic is the name of an update to Rate Your Music which is currently under development. It's an upgrade to RYM which greatly improves and modernizes the existing features of RYM. The Sonemic charts, genre pages, message boards, and new music page are already part of RYM today.
Glitchwave, our video game site, is currently in Beta 4, accessible to all users at glitchwave.com
We have recently announced a new development strategy: We are bringing all of the already-developed Sonemic and Cinemos features into RYM, one at a time, and have opened Glitchwave to everyone.
You can read more on the Development status page.
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