January 2017 resumé
As always, if you're reading any of this, write "I like your big hairy cat, mate." in the comment section. This is no best-of list, it is just a bunch of records I've heard, that were RELEASED this month. Not the ones I've heard this month, but ones that were RELEASED this month that I've heard. Therefore, as the time goes, I'll be adding more items on the list, since I listen to stuff constantly. By the way, the names occasionally written under the comments are titles of songs that I recommend. If there are none written, it's either because I didn't like enough of them or because I can't point out a highlight. And now a score guide: 10/9 - 5; 8 - 4.5; 7 - 4; 6 - 3.5/3; 5 - 2.5; 4 - 2; 3 - 1.5; 2/1 - 1 |
| 67 |  | J.T. Woodruff
Lonesome
Slightly Emo-induced Pop-Punk that has some charisma in its melodies, but ultimately only comes off as "another one of those albums" that just don't have anything particularly outstanding to them, apart for occasionally tuneful track. 6/10
Suitcase, Sundown |
| 66 |  | Egyptrixx
Pure, Beyond Reproach
Not sure this actually counts as music. 5/10 |
| 65 |  | Sepultura
Machine Messiah
Okay, listen, this definitely sounds cool and the heaviness is endearing, but song after song I could not tell them apart. It's a perfectly okay one-time metal album. Nothing more, nothing less. 6/10 |
| 64 |  | Loyle Carner
Yesterday's Gone
Going in with little to no expectations, going away with a rich and full exerience. This has been some really patient, calm Hip-Hop with all the sophistication and consciousness in the world. I am surprised myself at just how much I enjoyed it. I suppose Loyle only either needs to add a little more punch to his music, or learn how to make this low-tone, subdued sound be even more charming. Then we might end up with a higher score. 7/10
The Isle of Arran, Mean It in the Morning, Damselfly, Florence, Stars and Shards, NO CD, Sun of Jean |
| 63 |  | Tupper Ware Remix Party
Ladyworld
uuuuuuuuuuuughghghghghghghghghghgh
This album is so just a horde of nearly unbearable disco jerk-offs with so much sugar that it gave me diabetes. Never again. 4/10 |
| 62 |  | Gold
Optimist
I have troubles forming thoughts about this. I definitely enjoyed it and all of its patient, atmosphere building and creatively constructed music, but I don't really know just how to describe it. It's creative and great and let's just leave it at that. 7/10 |
| 61 |  | This Social Coil
Pictures
If only their production could improve, then we'd have a great album blending Post-Punk and Post-Rock. Until then... 6/10
The Book, Far Away, Beacons Through The Underworld |
| 60 |  | As It Is
Okay
Silly and lightweight Pop-Punk with some slight Emo influences, but it never really goes above just... well, Okay. 6/10 |
| 59 |  | Dzo-nga
Upon the Shimmered Bough
Goodness, the production on here is atrocious. 5/10 |
| 58 |  | Avec Le Soleil Sortant De Sa Bouche
Pas pire pop, I Love You So Much
I like the instrumentation, but dear god, what is up with the production on here? It's so muddy and dissonantly ugly. 6/10 |
| 57 |  | AFI
AFI (The Blood Album)
Still the same uninspired and forgettable Punk-ish Rockism, but this time much less eyeliner. 5/10 |
| 56 |  | Dumal
The Lesser God
Some good ol' Black Metal like my mama used to make. 7/10
Fane of the Clandestine, Lost Caverns, Abrahamic Contagion, The Wind Demon |
| 55 |  | Horse Thief
Trials & Truths
Yeah, just not really doing it for me. It's a standard Indie blandness. 5/10 |
| 54 |  | Code Orange
Forever
I suppose people praise it for how ruthless and maniacally brutal it is, but I just found it to be obnoxious and the disrhythmic and all over the place ruthlessness for the sake of being ruthless simply did not resonate with me. I see what they were aiming for, but you need to clearly distinguish one song from the other, because right now it just sounds like a pile of nothing in particular. 5/10 |
| 53 |  | The Wraith
Shadow Flag
This is really ugly, but also kind of intriguing. Don't care for the vocals though. 6/10 |
| 52 |  | Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
Feed the Rats
This sounds like concepts for three decent Stoner tracks, but ones strechted out into excruciating lengths for no reason. 6/10 |
| 51 |  | The Great Old Ones
EOD: A Tale of Dark Legacy
A pure epic. I don't have much to say about this apart from the feeling that sometimes it wasn't that memorable. I mean, it simply felt like I was listening to a really good Black Album, but not one that particularly sticks to my mind for any reason. But in the end and after repeated thorough listening sessions I've come to a conclusion that this is indeed a heck of a record that is fantastic althroughout, even if some of the fantastic moments are not as on the level as the others. 8/10 |
| 50 |  | Shaarimoth
Temple of the Adversarial Fire
Imagine if that latest Nightbringer record was much much slower, but all the same ruthless and unforgiving. But I do admit that the production sometimes doesn't leave that much room for the explosive nature of the record to fully blossom. 8/10
Elevenfolded Wrath Of Sitra Achra, Fires of Molok, Harba Di Ash'mdai |
| 49 |  | Kid Koala
Music To Draw To: Satellite
I have nothing to say other than I don't understand this sort of music all that much. What is its purpose? 6/10
Adrift, Novachord, Collapser |
| 48 |  | The Drowned God
Moonbearer
Surely enough, it is an interesting genre blend. But my question is how can something so promising start tiring the hell out of you just a few tracks in. 6/10 |
| 47 |  | Deadlife
Where Life Ends
Whatever was there in it in terms of potential was brutally and maniacally annihilated (you know, tryin' to make it sound Metal) by the godawful production. 5/10 |
| 46 |  | Vinnum Sabbathi
Gravity Works
Well it is decent enough, I just think the production was too muddy and toned down for my liking. 6/10 |
| 45 |  | Surf Curse
Nothing Yet
"One way ticket to blandness, please." or Nothing yet, indeed. 4/10 |
| 44 |  | Eldamar / Dreams of Nature
Split
I suppose that the instrumental parts are decent enough, but the production is just so plain and unnoteworthy. It seriously numbs the whole thing down for me. 5/10 |
| 43 |  | Decknamen
Obsidian Sciptures
Honestly, I dig this EP a lot. The brand of instrumental Black Metal this band provides definitely shows a ton of potential and the instrumentation is nearly impeccable. But I said it on everything they released in the past and I'l say it again, THE PRODUCTION NEEDS TO GET BETTER! So far, it's so flat that it almost kills any enjoyment one might have. Come on! 6/10 |
| 42 |  | Kehlani
Sweet Sexy Savage
E - Ego. 5/10 |
| 41 |  | Cloud Nothings
Life Without Sound
I feel like this album deserves a praise, and I also really want to give it one. I truly felt like I enjoyed it a lot...at first. But as you keep listening, eventually you have to admit that there is simply something one-dimensional about it. It's not horrendously repetative, don't be scared of that. It is just a little samey. 6/10
Internal World, Darkened Rings, Enter Eternity, Strange Year |
| 40 |  | Condenados
The Tree of Death
Fairly decent Doom, but don't go into this expecting anything uber-fantastic and innovative. It's as typical as you can get, but still enjoyable. 6/10 |
| 39 |  | Sinmara / Misthyrming
Split
With all of its garganruan atmosphere, massive magnetic instrumentation, soul crushing vocals and near perfect production, this Split, although fairly short, provides some of the best Black Metal in 2017 thus far (yeah, I know it's January, but I really want to sell it to you well, it is worth it). 8/10 |
| 38 |  | Migos
Culture
Migos come together to release another quite listenable, albeit repetative and non-inventive album. 6/10 |
| 37 |  | Wiley
Godfather
Aggressive and straight-forward Grime album. I feel like Grime is on the rise lately, and that's good. Though this album definitely didn't sway me into the fan zone, probably because the songs seemed to samey and nonversatile to me, but it still showed me all the potential and intrigued me enough to seek out other Grime acts. 6/10
Bring Them All/Holy Grime, Back With a Banger, Pattern Up Properly, Lucid |
| 36 |  | Advent
Pain & Suffering
As brutal and dirty as a good Hardcore record should be. A lot of curious instrumental ideas and the enjoyable kind of corny lyricism. 7/10 |
| 35 |  | Black Anvil
As Was
Well, this could have been a simple enough somewhat mediocre underproduced Metal record, but my God do those vocals really dumb it all down for me. 5/10 |
| 34 |  | A Projection
Framework
For their style of Post-Punk, A Projection went searching for influences no farther than Joy Division and New Order. Granted, the most obvious artists one could take as influences, but effective nonetheless. However, the main problem with Framework is how basic and unmemorable it is. Certainly, some of the songs have indeed a much bigger punch than the others, but most of the time you'll be simply sitting and wondering to yourselves "Yeah, it's decent enough, but I've heard this already and there ain't that much in here to wow me beyond the obvious." 6/10
Hands, Sensible Ends, Scattered, For Another Day, Hollow Eyes |
| 33 |  | Ariel Pink and Weyes Blood
Myths 002
An utmost sweet Lo-Fi Psychedelic Pop EP that doesn't sound as much like a collaboration between Ariel Pink and Weyes Blood as a project of one of them, in which the other occasionally jumped in to replace certain passages with their own material and ideas. 7/10
Tears on Fire, Morning After |
| 32 |  | Heat (CAN)
Overnight
Well, the music is okay-ish, but nothing particularily special or remotely memorable, but the thing that really makes this album worse in my view are the perfectly mediocre vocals. They are so average that the album's only highlight tracks are the purely instrumental ones, and even then you'll have to sit through average music. 5/10
Rose De Lima |
| 31 |  | dangerkids
Blacklist_
That one, whose existence you hesitate to acknowledge when describing the history of metal. 4/10 |
| 30 |  | Uniform
Wake In Fright
Uniform follow up their fantastic Ghosthouse EP with an utmost underwhelming full-length album. It seems that they simply stepped away from the shocking and mind-twisting weirdness to a much more stale state. Each song sounds like some sort of incubation form of the Ghosthouse tracks. None of the ballscrushing insanity, but rather purposeful, yet inconsistent mess. 5/10 |
| 29 |  | The Angelus
There Will Be No Peace
With their Folky approach to Doom, The Angelus deliver an intriguing record that has room for improving, but is ultimately still worth your while. My only real issue is that at times it seems a tiny bit flat. However, apart from that it is brilliantly put together and melancholically subtle record, but when it hits, it hits hard. 8/10
Will There Be Peace, As I Live and Breathe, The Other Side of the Mountain, There Will Be No Peace |
| 28 |  | Drab Majesty
The Demonstration
Electronic and marvellously put-together album of New Wave-ish tracks that each carry a certain sense of solitude, all presented in a thick layer of echoic production. 7/10
Not Just a Name, Too Soon To Tell, Kissing the Ground |
| 27 |  | No Sun
If Only
Underneath all those gutless and boring layers of dullness, there's a decent album with interesting ideas and intriguing moments...If only it could from time to time shine some light through. 4/10 |
| 26 |  | Care
LUV IN THE RUINS
Care made an odd album, but one that hides beauty in it. Nearly every song has something off-putting and simultaneously something great in it. Each track is quite off-kilter to a certain extent, but almost all of them manage to find balance of weirdness with profound beauty. 7/10
You Hallucinate, Solitude, Netcong, Unfamiliar Ceiling |
| 25 |  | Kreator
Gods of Violence
Yet another Kreator album full of decent enough tracks. Fans of Heavy Metal and Kreator will probably love it. And I do too to a certain extent. But this album doesn't really wow me at any level for me to acknowledge that it is anything beyond decent. 6/10 |
| 24 |  | P.O.S
Chill, Dummy
I mean, the flow is decent and the lyrics are alright too...but this album is just so unlistenably all over the place. The production and the delivery mixture sometimes tries to pull off its whole off-kilter shtick so hard that it becomes awkward. But I do give credit for trying and doing something new and wholly unique, maybe I'll like it more next time. 6/10
Faded, Thieves/Kings, Infinite Scroll |
| 23 |  | Lord of the Isles
Parabolas Of Neon
Sometimes off-the-wall and mind-bending, but almost always formless and boring. 5/10 |
| 22 |  | Foxing
Two
Foxing released two new tracks. Two new tracks from Foxing everybody. Look at the two tracks Foxing just released.....aaaaaaaaaaand they're boring as hell. 5/10 |
| 21 |  | Ty Segall
Ty Segall (2017)
I don't really know what to think of Ty Segall's music anymore. He's done so much at this point that I'm running out of things to say. Even his side projects sound exactly like his solo stuff. 6/10 |
| 20 |  | Japandroids
Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
Japandroids released an engaging and sonically interesting album of unfortunately ungripping songs. The potential is there, it's just the execution that is lacking. 6/10 |
| 19 |  | Zooey
The Drifters
Even thinking about this album makes me experience a diabetic seizure. 4/10 |
| 18 |  | Priests
Nothing Feels Natural
This is certainly a listenable Lo-Fi Art-Punk, but I just didn't find any of the songs particularily memorable. The album is full of intiguing ideas (like the obnoxiously weird vocals), yet nothing to catch on to really. 6/10 |
| 17 |  | Great Good Fine Ok
III
Awful Bad Poor Yuck. 4/10 |
| 16 |  | DJ Okawari
Compass
On Compass you'll find a handful of truly intriguingly pretty and tender tracks. The production is top-notch, but my issue is rather wth the songwriting. A lot of the times the songs just didn't grip me as much with their melodic and musical components. But overall, this is a highly enjoyable album full of lush and sweet songs. 7/10 |
| 15 |  | The Flaming Lips
Oczy Mlody
The Flaming Lips came through with an album of various Electronica ideas. In its core, there is an enjoyable album somewhere inside, but this thing is just boring as hell. That's my whole issue. 5/10 |
| 14 |  | SOHN
Rennen
Sohn is getting considerably more distinct and intriguing. However, in spite of his significant musical improvements (not lyrical though) and finding a path unique to himself (well, not quite yet, but he's getting there), his music is still overall not that interesting to listen to. He can get boring, but if each song turns into what Falling turns into towards the end, I think we might have the solution to the problem. 6/10
Conrad, Rennen, Falling, Proof |
| 13 |  | Bonobo
Migration
Bonobo creates an intriguing and off-the-wall Electronica album that, however, lacks a certain sense of excitement. 6/10 |
| 12 |  | Fred Thomas
Changer
Fred Thomas is a Folkier version of Jeff Rosenstock. His lyrics are witty and clever, songwriting sharp and musicianship...well, passable. Instrumental and production aspect of the album is unfortunately the lowpoint for me. The production differences between songs is very apparent and Fred himself often turns the music into a really weird experiment with Electronica (?!). Besides that and the redundant interludes, the album is on point and sharply made. Fred's personality might come off as a bit tongue-in-cheek, but it works and makes the album all the more enjoyable. 7/10
Misremembered, 2008, Voiceover, Mallwalkers |
| 11 |  | Austra
Future Politics
On this album, Austra explores Artsy and slightly Dreamy territory, but ultimately fails to capture any particularily memorable sound or create any distinctly recognisable songwriting. Her vocals are mostly decent enough to carry the album, but she still seems to lack any range that I would love to hear on an album like this one. The music itself is nothing particularily special either, with its computery vibe and slight robotic atmosphere. All-in-all, I feel indifferent about this record, it has its moments, but Austra didn't quite has any particular unique crafted sound or voice that could intrigue me, but the potential is there. 5/10
Gaia |
| 10 |  | David Bowie
No Plan
Three fantastic B-Sides that I assume didn't get on the album itself, because they are so uptempo and sometimes even bright and happy...and because When I Met You is a dud. 7/10 |
| 9 |  | Of Montreal
Rune Husk
of Montreal improve exponentially from the series of unquestionably underwhelming albums they've released in the recent years. On this EP you'll get a myriad of different instrumental and melodic experimentation and intriguing songwriting. Let's hope that this sort of progress is kept on their future work. 8/10
Internecine Larks, Stag to the Stable, Island Life |
| 8 |  | Rakontyr Clique
Style Clashes
A Hip-Hop EP full of interesting melodic moments, good rapping and decent enough lyricism, but the singing can still be improved. And by the way, it's a musical project by the Rap Critic off Youtube; it's good to hear him being able to pull off an actually enjoyable project (seems like all that criticising served him well). 7/10
The Shame, The Hood, Is Somebody Smoking?, Where's Your Money? |
| 7 |  | Gone Is Gone
Echolocation
Oh c'mon, it's just the same thing as what we've heard from them and many others before, but now they stretch it out into a bit more unbearable length as to point out that they are indeed serious...if they were they would have improved musically...5/10 |
| 6 |  | You Me At Six
Night People
The band goes for the chorus driven accessible and radio-friendly sound, but in that case the choruses must be actually interesting. This album is just a painful display of uninspired flavourless Pop-Rock gutlessness. 4/10 |
| 5 |  | Foxygen
Hang
Instrumentally and from a songwriting perspective, this album is inpeccable, however when it all comes together with the production and the subpar vocals, it turns slightly silly in an unintentional way. Still, the peculiar instrumental moments do make it quite enjoable in the end. 6/10
Mrs. Adams, America, Upon A Hill |
| 4 |  | Half Japanese
Hear the Lions Roar
They might be the forefronters of Weirdo Rock music and they definitely do have their own unique sound, but to me they sound and always will sound as one of the most unlistenably obnoxious bands. 4/10 |
| 3 |  | Emptiness
Not For Music
All this hype, and for what? This record is pretty much an artistic dud. All these low-toned and grimly atmospheric Metallic tunes go pretty much nowhere and leave the record sound boring and lifeless at best. Emptiness indeed. 4/10 |
| 2 |  | Brian Eno
Reflection
Even the master of the genre failed to make me understand the genre's appeal. 5/10 |
| 1 |  | The xx
I See You
The xx came through with an album of decent tunes. However, this album is definitely not as atmospheric or echoic as some of their previous work. They rely on catchiness (that sometimes isn't even there), which causes them to lay much less effort into other album aspects, like lyrics. Lyrics on this album are by far some of their most cringeworthy and straight forwardly trivial. In the end, this record is a dud. The xx failed to create anything remotely memorable and the lack of lyrical momentum and vocal range, which could have come as a saving grace on almost every track) leave the album sounding flat and tedious (like the track Performance...pure boredom). I mean, even the highlights of this album are subpar compared to even the xx's previous work. 5/10
Say Something Loving, A Violent Noise |
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