COMPLETED: 1998 Deepest Dive
After the (narrow) failure of my favourite year for music (1994) to qualify for an even deeper dive I'm going to head to (officially according to 'the stats') my second favourite year for music in the 90s, that's 1998, and check out yet another hundred releases, one per calendar day (although I may not actually get to listening to them first time on that day strictly) and see if I keep unearthing those gems. The rule in this Deepest Dive series remains that I will be averaging the rating I award across all hundred albums that make this list and if that figure is equal to or greater than 3.25 then I will keep going and listen to ANOTHER hundred albums from the same year. MY STARTING RATING COUNT FOR 1998 = 282 ALBUMS RATED |
| 1 |  | Pernice Brothers
Overcome By Happiness
18th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I appreciate the jangle, has an effective Josh Rouse breezy quality in places, and if things get a bit wimpy from time to time it's not usually too off putting or for too long. Hopefully this one grows on me. |
| 2 |  | Incantation
Diabolical Conquest
19th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: some brutal death metal, and I feel I'm growing to appreciate the genre a bit more now. Still not about to change my life, but I think I prefer this to the other Incantation album I tried ('Mortal Throne...') |
| 3 |  | Tori Amos
From the Choirgirl Hotel
20th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: definitely my favourite Amos I've tried so far (I also know the first two), I really welcome the expanded sound. Some people don't like the Kate Bush'isms but I think they're fine. |
| 4 |  | Hugo Race and The True Spirit
Chemical Wedding
21st April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: as ever, Hugo's stuff reminds me a lot of Mark Lanegan and the Afghan Whigs, plus a little Nick Cave. Solid soulful/bluesy alt country rock. Americana? |
| 5 |  | Trembling Blue Stars
Lips That Taste Of Tears
22nd April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: ugh, yet another initial 3.5...maybe I should have docked this .5 for being such a throwback to the late 80s/early 90s indie sound. Field Mice, Galaxie 500 etc. Saying that this does update that sound with an electronic influence...aargh, it's an initial 3.5, pretty nice. |
| 6 |  | Archers of Loaf
White Trash Heroes
23rd April:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: the 3.5 run is broken so a big thanks to Archers of Loaf for that...still, they remain one of those bands I feel I 'should like', but outside of a few songs I just don't find them that special and I don't totally buy their whole slacker shtick. Decent enough album though, might grow. |
| 7 |  | Meshuggah
Chaosphere
24th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I actually like this band, an even more mechanical n' math'y Fear Factory really. |
| 8 |  | Todd Snider
Viva Satellite
25th April:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: these '90s dives are really showing the lasting influence 'Full Moon Fever' had on the decade, some big Petty worship going on in places here. Also: this album needed a massive edit, down from 65 minutes (why???) to something like 40, this has no business drifting past the hour mark. When Todd keeps things stripped back and country this is very good. |
| 9 |  | DJ Quik
Rhythm-al-ism
26th April:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: close to 'anti doof', this being West Coast highly produced (more what you'd expect from a mainstream R n' B album a lot of the time) hip hop. Still, it's a well done album with quality that can't be denied even if it isn't someone's thing. I didn't massively focus on all the lyrics but some are naughty, sure, but hey, music can be...fantasy and escapism, who'd have thunk, I don't need 'stories' to totally align with my own experience/morality/opinion, it's the same as other mediums like books and films which people seem more forgiving over (easier to split the creator from the art I guess, more obviously a 'story'). Anyway, could be a 3.5+! |
| 10 |  | Botch
American Nervoso
27th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I'd rather listen to this than Converge any day - not that I dislike Converge - could be a 4! |
| 11 |  | Hayden
The Closer I Get
28th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: can you have a laidback intensity? If so maybe that's Hayden, this is relaxing to listen to but also a bit brooding and restless. |
| 12 |  | Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire
Thrills
29th April:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: old time-y swing/jazz stuff...I prefer the usual indie folk sound but this might grow on me. The individual songs weren't that memorable but I guess it's 'a vibe' we're dealing with. |
| 13 |  | Woodie
Yoc Influenced
30th April:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: yo, there's only one Eminem. I jest but read that 3.5 as quite an optimistic one for now, this wasn't a voice I totally bought first time and the backing is very basic. Something in his energy is good though, need a second listen. |
| 14 |  | Cave In
Until Your Heart Stops
1st May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I prefer where they went later in their career, but this is a solid start. |
| 15 |  | June of 44
Four Great Points
2nd May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: this really has something, reminds me of some other bands of course, I guess something in the overall 'atmosphere' reminds me of 'Leaves Turn Inside You' at times. Math'y can be a turn off but this time I totally get what the band were going for. |
| 16 |  | Add N to (X)
On The Wires Of Our Nerves
3rd May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: far far too long but when this is good it is very very good - 'Murmur One' is an electronic '90s classic for sure. |
| 17 |  | Pushmonkey
Pushmonkey
4th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: '90s alt rock fetishism - these dudes were very late to the party it being 1998...this in reality is probably a 2.5 but I enjoyed it today so for now we stay optimistic. |
| 18 |  | True Love Always
Hopefully
5th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: none more twee, like emo meets the Aluminum Group. Also sounds incredibly low budget, but the pep got them through this first listen. Could be a 2.5, hopefully (heh) not. |
| 19 |  | Robert Earl Keen
Walking Distance
6th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: quality country release, not much more to say. |
| 20 |  | Kramer
Songs from the Pink Death
7th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: even creepier and less focused than the other two Kramer albums I tried before...but I'm starting to just really dig this style so I'm not fussed about either of those qualities, in fact I like that this album is a little different again. I'll probably get to all of his solo stuff at some point. |
| 21 |  | Jonny L
Magnetic
8th May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: yet more evidence this was a truly great year for drum n bass. |
| 22 |  | The Squirrel Nut Zippers
Perennial Favorites
9th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: this one really shits on the 'Andrew Bird's Bowl Of Fire' album I checked earlier! Lively good ol' swing here. |
| 23 |  | Nate Dogg
G-Funk Classics, Vol. 1 & 2
10th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: this was a lot, and as I've already established West Coast hip hop isn't my favourite. Very chill anyway, the best 25 minutes of this I enjoyed I guess, the rest not so much. |
| 24 |  | Tendrils
Soaking Red
11th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: an Australian version of Califone. The music itself has promise but the lyrics are clunky at times. |
| 25 |  | Current Value
Frequency Hunt
12th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: where it all started for one of the best in the game. |
| 26 |  | Macha
Macha
13th May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: this is something different, a load of different styles attempted and I guess overall 'maximal' and groovy (even a little Krautrock'y in places?). Maybe it's a total mess in reality - but on first listen I feel refreshed. |
| 27 |  | Midnight Oil
Redneck Wonderland
14th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: this band are really heavy handed and I'm not convinced all the time, but there are some intriguing moments. |
| 28 |  | Pinetop Seven
Rigging the Toplights
15th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: really consistent band, one of the most solid americana outfits of the '90s. This might be their best one. |
| 29 |  | Mudhoney
Tomorrow Hit Today
16th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: a little generous with the 3 outta 5 which is based on the four best songs being very good Mudhoney tunes....and one of those songs is over 8 minutes long so that too. Yeah, 3 for now seems fair. |
| 30 |  | Morcheeba
Big Calm
17th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: straddles the middle ground between trip hop and the 'chill out' revolution led by Air and Zero 7. Hoped for more but recognised a few cuts and yeah, nice background listening. |
| 31 |  | Motorpsycho
Trust Us
18th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: this band are always very solid and mostly enjoyable...but also they never draw me in to the degree I want to return and play a tonne of Motorpsycho. I'm not sure why that is (a lot of long jams? not always distinctive?), but I'll return to this one anyway. |
| 32 |  | Pete Rock
Soul Survivor
19th May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: becoming a 'can do no wrong for me' artist...but then I've now only checked his first three releases. |
| 33 |  | Urban Tribe
The Collapse Of Modern Culture
20th May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: probably the album so far that most sounds like it suits the current musical landscape, this downtempo techno revels in creating an atmosphere. |
| 34 |  | Dwight Yoakam
A Long Way Home
21st May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: not the best Dwight album and just very standard country throughout. He’s good though. |
| 35 |  | Ralph Stanley
Clinch Mountain Country
22nd May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: probably a legendary bluegrass album, I don't know enough about the genre, but it hit the spot. |
| 36 |  | Ultramarine
A User's Guide
23rd May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: this ambient techno was just that bit too uniform and steady to rise above background music. That reads too negative: this is still classy sounding. |
| 37 |  | Substance
Session Elements
24th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: more for the club, but listening to this on a couple of train journeys worked too. Mechanical sounding minimal techno. |
| 38 |  | Ryuichi Sakamoto
Discord
25th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I can hear the talent involved but this didn't move me too much I have to say, too trad classical. |
| 39 |  | Lycia
Estrella
26th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: nice gloomy goth tones but I'm struggling to get too excited so far. |
| 40 |  | Roy Montgomery
And Now the Rain Sounds Like...
27th May:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: it's like the Durutti Column with mysterious vocals a lot of the time and what could be better than that. |
| 41 |  | Willard Grant Conspiracy
Flying Low
28th May:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: still think the band’s style is better than their songs but this one stands out for its ramshackle feel. Liked it. |
| 42 |  | Gravity Kills
Perversion
29th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: I like this admittedly quite shit Nine Inch Nails copycat band for some reason - they are quite danceable/groovy which is unexpected I guess. A lot of industrial is po-faced and stiff as a board - not this. |
| 43 |  | Chokebore
Black Black
30th May:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: nothing really stood out, the whinge style of the vocals (sometimes I like that...) didn't grab me, like Thom Yorke minus 'the magic'. Something in the overall atmosphere in intriguing though, might go up... |
| 44 |  | Cake
Prolonging The Magic
31st May:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: more Cake equals more '2.5core' |
| 45 |  | The Crocketts
We May Be Skinny And Wirey
1st June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: Irish folk punk mix of The Clash and The Levellers with some added alt rock leanings - as much as I respect this sound I just don't think this set of songs or the (intentionally strained?) vocal delivery will warrant a score above a 3.5. |
| 46 |  | Surgeon
Balance
2nd June:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: sometimes techno is the most relentless sounding music out there - a lot of these tracks deliver on that promise. |
| 47 |  | Theatre Of Tragedy
Aégis
3rd June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: perhaps too smooth for its own good, this is the mellow side of goth rock/metal. What starts out as a striking sound to begin with then goes through limited variations beyond the tempo changing. |
| 48 |  | Paysage d'Hiver
Schattengang
4th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: grainy wall of noise blackened death metal that's so lo-fi you just have to embrace that reality. |
| 49 |  | Stupid Babies Go Mad
Speed, Thrill, Stupid!
5th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: really in your face intense hardcore punk can go the whole way round to actually ending up boring me thanks to the generic nature and one-note sound sometimes...but this Japanese band from the '90s are just so 'no let up' intense and rabid it stays high energy and grabby throughout. |
| 50 |  | Drowningman
Busy Signal At The Suicide Hotline
6th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I'm starting to realise I perhaps have unfairly jumped to the conclusion all metalcore is bad recent metalcore, as the earlier stuff seems very close to hardcore and is decent. |
| 51 |  | Cowboy Junkies
Miles From Our Home
7th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: one of the great consistent alt country bands, this one even reminded me of Low in places. |
| 52 |  | Current 93
Soft Black Stars
8th June:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: heeeh, I wanted to like this long piano dirge n' poetry session more than I actually did...imagine telling David Tibet he hasn't got that expressive a speaking voice, heh heh. Well, there'd be some truth in it, he doesn't always compel me to listen. |
| 53 |  | Stina Nordenstam
People Are Strange
9th June:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: a few nice atmospheric touches, but overall this was mostly dull. |
| 54 |  | The Vandals
Hitler Bad, Vandals Good
10th June:
Initial Rating: 1.5
Initial Thoughts: yet more non funny pop punk, forget landfill indie what about this stuff? Tonnes of it. |
| 55 |  | Hive
Devious Methods
11th June:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: and yet more quality drum and bass from '98, this sometimes reminds me of Plug/Luke Vibert at times, very playful. |
| 56 |  | Lagwagon
Let's Talk About Feelings
12th June:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: low key could ruin your day. |
| 57 |  | Karate
The Bed is in The Ocean
13th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: imagine emo vocals sung by Ben Folds placed over a very relaxed indie backing (think of the band Spain’s brand of gentle but deliberate slowcore) with unexpected jazz and blues motifs scattered among the song structures. |
| 58 |  | Morbid Angel
Formulas Fatal to the Flesh
14th June:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: this surprised me, on first impressions I think this might be my favourite of the three Morbid Angel albums I've tried. The last track proper is a real epic. |
| 59 |  | Maxwell
Embrya
15th June:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: maybe it's the face sizzling early summer temperature outside today but I more than tolerated this. Really smooth r n' b with liquid textures - it says here. |
| 60 |  | Marah
Let's Cut the Crap and Hook Up Later On Tonight
16th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: rough and ready alt country that has an E Street Band type flavour in there too, will check more by this lot. |
| 61 |  | Chris and Carla
Swinger 500
17th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: mature (but not overly mature imo) country folk songs released by members of The Walkabouts, considered and delicate. |
| 62 |  | Baby Fox
Dum Dum Baby
18th June:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: you can't get any more 'mid to late '90s' than this type of vague trip hop - these vocals aren't too exciting unfortunately. It's ok. |
| 63 |  | Joe Ely
Twistin' in the Wind
19th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: really solid outlaw country record. |
| 64 |  | Death in June
Take Care and Control
20th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: a grim procession of martial and classical music with industrial and neofolk undertones that would be perfect playing through a Second World War fever dream. |
| 65 |  | Gasp
Drome Triler of Puzzle Zoo People
21st June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: mixes drone, noise rock, bits of sludge metal...it all comes together surprisingly well, very atmospheric and oppressive. |
| 66 |  | Jack (UK)
The Jazz Age
22nd June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: mostly it sounds a little like the orchestral chamber pop of Tindersticks or Richard Hawley but occasionally it breaks into more of a Brit Pop rhythm along the lines of the Verve or Pulp - maybe a bit of an underrated gem, the debut is generally considered better but this one was more my tempo. |
| 67 |  | Jega
Spectrum
23rd June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: very close to a 4, an IDM album with a lot of genres tackled, maybe the variety results in a little inconsistency. When it's hot it's hot though. |
| 68 |  | The Little Murders
First Light
24th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: what is it about power pop and New Zealand? Another good slightly twee and jangly power pop band from kiwi stock. |
| 69 |  | Chris Mills
Every Night Fight for Your Life
25th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: was very tempted to 4 this as I think he has something, that voice is perfect for the alt country setting, only none of the songs totally snagged me first go through. Could be a Richmond Fontaine with someone with a superior singing voice? That would be a very very strong proposition. |
| 70 |  | Tadpoles
Smoke Ghost
26th June:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: good to hear a band stick to their guns and keep releasing psychedelic rock through the era of alt rock n' grunge - though this does also take some flavours from those scenes. Can't shake the feeling this album would have felt more at home in 1988 rather than '98. |
| 71 |  | Tall Dwarfs
Fifty Flavours of Glue
27th June:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: this oddball lo-fi rock album might prove more fun with enough exposure but this time all the boinging noises, experimental touches and strained vocals didn't do too much for me. |
| 72 |  | Nookie
Paradise
28th June:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: mellow drum n bass that comes across uplifting and still danceable rather than too sleepy/background muzak'y, which is good. |
| 73 |  | Ganger
Hammock Style
29th June:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: do you remember that genre 'post rock'? Yup, this stuff is hopelessly out of fashion in 2023 but this is a bit of a gem with some rhythmic krautrock in the mix. |
| 74 |  | The Gerbils
Are You Sleepy?
30th June:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: vaguely annoying lo-fi take on retro hippy sunshine pop. Gains a full .5 extra for the song 'Glue', a classic among the crud. |
| 75 |  | Royal Trux
Accelerator
1st July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: I get they're supposed to be obnoxious, and sure this time they're catchy too...but still just not something I'd ever listen to for enjoyment I'm thinking. Maybe harsh. |
| 76 |  | Leila
Like Weather
2nd July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: it's interesting these lists are forcing me to delve deeper in genres I've only really tasted 'the cream' in, as it were - here we have more trip hop...but if you're under the illusion this is a genre that didn't have a load of landfill average acts operating....well, take a listen to this. Generous/optimistic 3.0 rating for now. |
| 77 |  | Embrace (UK)
The Good Will Out
3rd July:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: lousy Oasis/The Verve worship...but I did recognise a few songs after all those years, without ever acknowledging this band's existence at the time. So that's something. The bloke's voice is atrocious haha! |
| 78 |  | Babybird
There's Something Going On
4th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: never realised how much he sounds like the dude from The Apartments...actually this ALL sounds like The Apartments. Well, at least a bit. Close to a chamber pop aesthetic, and very downbeat vocal delivery and lyrical subject matter. |
| 79 |  | Lo Fidelity Allstars
How to Operate with a Blown Mind
5th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: there's an argument no album on this list has aged worse than this one. Museum piece and I'm struggling to totally buy into the appeal...there's something there. |
| 80 |  | Quickspace
Precious Falling
6th July:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: now this is what you want from a lo-fi indie album, it fair motors with influences ranging between Dino Jr, Sparklehorse, Sonic Youth, GBV and MBV among many others. A driving rock album funnelled through an adorable 'garbage can' production filter. |
| 81 |  | Puressence
Only Forever
7th July:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: the singer is a bit like the JJ72 lad, REALLY high pitched with a little quiver, this is absolute overblown (pure) nonsense c'mon. The strings sound like weirdly canned, stock symphonics, but have been layered on top of themselves. Gold plated trash. |
| 82 |  | The Third Eye Foundation
You Guys Kill Me
8th July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: think the genre is 'strange creepy ass shit'. Interesting as a one off, not sure I'd need to return to this... |
| 83 |  | The Boo Radleys
Kingsize
9th July:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: very average Beatles inspired Britpop summer mixtape feel, fluffy as they come. |
| 84 |  | Varnaline
Sweet Life
10th July:
Initial Rating: 4
Initial Thoughts: a bit like Neil Young meets American Music Club or R.E.M....but probably not quite as great as that makes this sound. Likely I've rated this a .5 too high but I've got to take risks here. |
| 85 |  | Richard H. Kirk
Knowledge Through Science
11th July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: moderately interesting electronic ambient release that's one for the chin strokers I guess. |
| 86 |  | Solstice (UK)
New Dark Age
12th July:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: worst vocals on the list so far? I think so, just so weak and irritating. Yup, vocal dock this a whole 1 point! I know that's harsh, that's the way it goes - they shouldn't be there. |
| 87 |  | Blueboy
The Bank of England
13th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: I think I'll have to tag this 'indie schmindie'...but for that sort of 'jangle with some chiming guitars and breathy vocals thing', it's dang decent. |
| 88 |  | Jerry Garcia and David Grisman
So What
14th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: where jazz meets bluegrass, this swings. |
| 89 |  | You Am I
#4 Record
15th July:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: chaff |
| 90 |  | Braid
Frame & Canvas
16th July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: reasonably sturdy emo but unfortunately...that's not really my thing - I'd still prefer it to go a little harder, like Far or even At the Drive-In. |
| 91 |  | One Minute Silence
Available in All Colors
17th July:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: really average rap metal - funniest when the Irish accent breaks through in the vocals. |
| 92 |  | Ultraspank
Ultraspank
18th July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: inoffensive and generic...but hey I could also sort of dig this. A lot of Tool worship - almost to the point of comedy!! |
| 93 |  | Alanis Morissette
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
19th July:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: edgy awkward/unnatural sounding voice over clunky hard rock/alternative? Mostly guilty as charged, but also, I didn't feel this was any worse than JLP. That voice is kinda horrible though, not sure it was as obvious to me as now. |
| 94 |  | The Offspring
Americana
20th July:
Initial Rating: 2
Initial Thoughts: 'Smash' may have aged pretty badly but it retains a degree of, if not 'magic', then at least some charm. This one is almost completely charmless and instead mostly gormless. |
| 95 |  | The Jesus and Mary Chain
Munki
21st July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: middle hitter band for me outside of the debut - I know I know, I'm horrible |
| 96 |  | Barenaked Ladies
Stunt
22nd July:
Initial Rating: 1.5
Initial Thoughts: wtf is this? Is this going for 'cute' or 'funny' or 'clever' or a combo? Music seemed an afterthought anyway, no music here. |
| 97 |  | Rocket From The Crypt
RFTC
23rd July:
Initial Rating: 2.5
Initial Thoughts: acceptable band with their retro shtick, song writing is really 'by the numbers' though, they're totally reliant on intensity of performance which to be fair they mostly have. About as good as anything else they released. |
| 98 |  | Bob Mould
The Last Dog and Pony Show
24th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: enjoyable power pop sorta album from Bob, hard to make a case for it being top tier Mould but it has an ease about it that I dig. He keeps the tempo up which helps, so it mostly sounds like Sugar's 'Copper Blue' with less grabby song writing. |
| 99 |  | Tripping Daisy
Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb
25th July:
Initial Rating: 3.5
Initial Thoughts: somewhere between mid era Flips and classic era Built to Spill lives this. |
| 100 |  | Idlewild
Hope Is Important
26th July:
Initial Rating: 3
Initial Thoughts: I generally prefer the band with some power behind them than where they went later on 'The Remote Part'...this has a lot of charm but I'm not sure all the songs really live up to the sound and the performances. Three, maybe four, of these songs really delivered and that makes me want to check the second album anyway. |
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