Average Rating: 3.42 Rating Variance: 0.60 Objectivity Score: 79% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicBomb the Music Industry! ScramblesCarcass HeartworkThe defining album in Melodic Death Metal. My life would be incomplete without it. 4.85/5Charles Mingus Mingus Ah UmThis. This my good friend... is Jazz... Jazz at its very best. Where some jazz can be uninspired and noodley, this is fresh with every note. Where other jazz can be lacklustre or overly flash, this is subtle, but that subtlety perfectly frames the indescribably momentous jewels of intensity. As almost anyone would agree... anything, and I mean ANYTHING below an 5 is sheer mockery. 5/5Coheed and Cambria The Second Stage Turbine BladeOne of the few albums that I have classic'd out of sheer enjoyment. Listening to the album, it is easy to notice how under-developed their sound was, and how stilted it feels compared to their later albums. However, despite all its flaws, Claudio and company make this a hell of an album. Catchy lyrics and riffs, exaggerated yet still classy vocals, and an intense story-line created a crevice in my heart that no other band can fill. 4.8/5Converge Jane DoeElliott Smith Either/OrElliott Smith XOElliott Smith Figure 8Glassjaw Worship and TributeGodspeed You! Black Emperor Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas...Gustav Holst The Planets, Op. 32Surprising, Invigorating, Diverse and everything that makes classics like this amazing. The way the movements flow; the thought put behind every note; the sheer diversity. From crushing crescendos in and threatening marches in "Mars", to serene and personal pianissimo sets in "Venus", to the complete and utter headspins that come with "Jupiter" EVERY SINGLE BIT OF THIS IS PURE AMAZEMENT. Truly a perfect album if I ever heard one.Isis OceanicLudwig van Beethoven Two Piano Sonatas, Op. 27Truly fantastic piano work from the man who defined the term "classical music" for many people. The only low point of this work of art is the Allegretto of the "Moonlight" sonata, but every other second in these two piano sonatas more than makes up for it. Absolutely beautiful in every way. 5.0/5Mr. Bungle CaliforniaMy Bloody Valentine LovelessNeutral Milk Hotel In the Aeroplane Over the Seagood for an indie band, but I just don't like this kind of music. (Fall '09 Soundoff) Music Changes people and peoples' taste change in turn. If you don't like this right now odds are you aren't going to like after 5 straight listens; it's just one of those kinds of bands. All I can tell you is keep an open mind and re-try music after a couple months. (Summer '10 Soundoff)Pink Floyd Wish You Were HerePyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat MinorWhy the f**k did this not click the other day??? I mean, I must've been seriously f**ked to not immediately notice the Brilliance of this beast. Seriously one of the most brilliant piano pieces I've ever heard. The way the piano virtuosity is blatantly out in the fore-front, while at the same time gently harmonizing with the rest of the ensemble. Impeccable, in every sense of the word. 5/5Queen A Night at the OperaAn all-around fantastic album. I understand that the fact that many people of the younger persuasion find such "old" music truly a chore to listen to... and that is disappointing, but I understand. For those of us who can stand (and even enjoy!) 70/80's music, this is without a doubt a crowning point of brilliance. Every song is memorable, every song is full of emotion... just by hearing the inflection in Freddie's voice you can tell that every single person involved in the forging of this masterpiece couldn't help but love the work they were doing! Hearing this it's obvious to see why the 80's happened, and not a single one of them could hope to copy something as magnificent as this. Also, for those who still need a reason? Umm.... it has f**king BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY!!! That makes it an immediate 5/5. 5.0/5Refused The Shape of Punk to ComeLight-years ahead of its time in sound and perfect in embodying the "Punk/Hardcore" texture. Definitely an album no true fan of great music should be without. 4.8/5Sigur Ros Ágætis ByrjunTruly Jonsi and the gang's best, and that's not just for hipster points, this the pinnacle of beauty; few manage to even make it into the ballpark and this masterpiece is a motherf**king grand-slam. 5/5.Strapping Young Lad CityHands-down the heaviest f**king thing on this earth, from the opening riff of 'All Hail the New Flesh' to Gene Hoglan's brutal drum mastery to HevyDevy's incredibly deep lyrics, there is not a single thing to dislike about this album.Sufjan Stevens IllinoisSunny Day Real Estate DiaryThe Arrogant Sons of Bitches Three Cheers For DisappointmentHoly crap is this a fun album! Fast-paced, Clever, Humorous, Accessible, and Catchy; every single facet of this album screams "AMAZING!!" more than the next! 5.0/5The Dave Brubeck Quartet Time OutAll-around fantastic jazz. Evenly interspersed fast-paced and slow-paced parts create an equilibrium that few albums of the genre seem to find leaving the listener (or at least me) with a feeling of satisfaction. 4.8/5the pillows FLCL: Original Soundtrack No. 3Everything a fantastic soundtrack should be; perfectly complementing the movie/show while still being a solid piece of standalone music in its own right. In relation to the actual music: what you'll find inside is some of the catchiest and most accessible, yet still emotive and diverse alt-rock found either side of the pacific. Even if by some random chance you've never heard of FLCL, this "greatest-hits" style soundtrack rendition (full songs instead of just sound-bytes) will not disappoint. 4.8/5The Seatbelts Cowboy Bebop Original SoundtrackSome of the best jazz I've ever listened to as well as the first jazz I ever listened to. Anyone who's watched the anime will undoubtedly agree that the soundtrack was amazing and matched the cosmic-bounty hunter theme of the show in a way that was as surprising as it was incredible. 4.9/5Yndi Halda Enjoy Eternal Bliss4.5 superbAaron Copland Appalachian SpringAn undeniably beautiful piece of music. Harmonious, beautiful, and rustically natural in a way. It is very bio-mimetic much like Beethoven's 6th symphony, only more recent and maybe not as grandiose. Most definitely one of THE greatest pieces of classical music to ever come out of America. 4.4/5Alcest Souvenirs d'un autre MondeAnamanaguchi Summer SinglesThe singles worked well as singles, but work even better as part of a greater entity (much like The Dear Hunter's "Color Spectrum" EP series). Definitely one of the first things I'd recommend for someone looking for a fun bunch of little songs. 4.4/5Andrew Bird Break It YourselfFor the first time in a long while an album has left me speechless in describing its impact on me. About a year ago I tried my first Andrew Bird album Armchair Apocrypha, it didn't impress me. Hesitantly I approached this album expecting nearly the same thing, happily I was left completely flabbergasted. After one listen I didn't know what to think about this, "is this fantastic was I just happy at the time I listened to it?" So, I gave it another listen. I could contest that there was an audible "THUNK!" when it clicked. On that second listen I heard all the things the people around me were raved about. On that second listen I heard raw emotion in Andrew's voice. This is without a doubt a serious contender for my AotY. 4.5Antonin Dvorak Symphony No. 2 B-flat Major, Op. 14Quite an experience. The first movement is eye-opening, the second movement is cerebral and eerie, the third movement is exhilarating, and the crescendo at finale is fantastic. The perfect mixture of slow calculation and explosive excitement. 4.4/5Antonio Vivaldi The Four SeasonsTruly amazing, beautiful and moving in every sense of the word. Each season conveying subtle emotions, each unique and mystical in their own sense. It truly sickens me that in this day and age "Classical" music is such an overlooked genre. 4.5/5Armchairpolitician Seven Segment DecoderAt the Drive-In Relationship of CommandBad Religion All AgesBad Religion 30 Years LiveBlack Sabbath ParanoidBlack Sabbath Black SabbathThe progenitor of all we know and love about metal today. In addition to its influence, it still unsurprisingly holds up after all these years. 4.4/5Boards of Canada GeogaddiA real grower. Almost never an instant classic, but stick with it and it'll grow on you... I know it did for me. 4.35/10Bob Dylan Highway 61 RevisitedBomb the Music Industry! To Leave Or Die In Long IslandBomb the Music Industry! Goodbye Cool World!Bomb the Music Industry! Album Minus BandBomb the Music Industry! Adults!!!Jeff Rosenstock reaffirms his musical genius yet again. It truly breaks my heart that such amazing talent is unknown to the vast majority.Bomb the Music Industry! VacationMy thoughts a couple months ago: "Jeff has been making progressively more amazing albums with each release ever since I started listening to him... I mean there has to be a limit, he can't just keep on making more and more amazing music each and every time... There has to be a ceiling!"rVacation releases: "......................fuck...................."Botch We Are the RomansWhy the F**k did this take so long to click?..... anyway, whogivesaf**k... it's amazing now! 4.6/5Brand New The Devil and God Are Raging Inside MeBuddy Holly Buddy HollyWhoa! 14 votes including mine? Somebody here at sputnik seriously needs to start pushing this on everyone because it is easily the single most passed-over piece of fantastic music in the history of this site. 4.6/5Burst Lazarus BirdSaw these guys live just before they disbanded, such a shame too, brilliant band. Proggy, Sludgey, and fun as hell. 4.3/5Carcass Necroticism: Descanting the InsalubriousComing out 2 years before Heartwork, this album shows a slightly more agressive and unpolished sound. The adding of soundbytes before each tracks really exemplifies the band's interest in gore and, as the title says, the insalubrious. 4.70/5Catch 22 Keasbey NightsFrom start to finish, this album is the beautiful embodiment of 3rd wave ska. Energetic and catchy AS HELL, not a single stale moment on here. 4.6/5Charles Mingus The Black Saint and the Sinner LadyTo some it may come off as a bit chaotic or lengthy... but to me it's just brilliant. Quite a bit shorter than "Mingus Ah Um", thereby making it a bit more digestible, but the aforementioned sits just a hair above this when it comes down to overall enjoyment. 4.4/5Children of Bodom Follow the ReaperCirca Survive Blue Sky NoiseCirca took a lesson in mainstream accessibility and succeeded without selling out. Truly a perfect album for the time and the place. 4.5/5Circle Takes The Square As the Roots UndoLove it or hate it, it is a landmark album for the "Screamo" genre. Give it a couple listens and if you don't like it now, try it again in a couple months... always keep an open mind.Clutch Blast TyrantCoheed and Cambria In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3More polished, cleaner, and just as fun as SSTB, just a hair weaker. Where the aforementioned album has not a single weak track, this has a bit of a lull in the middle. Truthfully though, that is the only thing holding this back. 4.3/5Converge Axe to FallVery catch riffs and a wide array of guest musicians combine to form an amazing record. The fast, in your face, attacks from "Dark Horse" and the title track incite a fist pumping mosh, while the ending tracks, "Cruel Bloom" and "Wretched World" have the makings of an aural orgasmic experience. Truly an album that has something for everybody and a great starter album if you are thinking of getting into Converge.Converge All We Love We Leave Behindfirst impression, "......F**K." Such an amazing release. It's not Jane Doe 2, but it's the f**king closest thing you can imagine. Absolutely fantastic in every way that Converge can make it and holy crap Kurt Ballou can you freakin shred! 4.6/5Cryptopsy None So VileFrom any angle, an absolutely impeccable DM album. Brutal, Heavy, and not a single legible lyric in the whole album! Sarcasm aside, This is the epitome of DM and what every DM album from any band should yearn to be. 4.5/5Cursive The Ugly OrganCynic FocusCynic Traced in AirDavid Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust..."Sup Ire. Sorry, but this is just another 70s rock album. It had its day, but that day has passed. Music has progressed and evolved since that time and I've clung closer to that music than the music than the music in my parents' day. Although this will probably forever be in many a person's heart regarded as the best album of all time, I am not one of those people." Who the F**k said this? because it's the f**king stupidest thing I've ever heard. 4.6/5Deftones White PonyA Crowning Achievement for the Nu-metal genre. For as long as I can remember, Deftones have been one of the most talked about bands in the genre; I never understood why this was, because they have such a personal sound that I don't hear in other bands of the genre. With 'White Pony' Deftones experimented, progressed, carved out a sound that was drastically different from most of their contemporaries. If you go back and listen to Adrenaline you can still hear their immaturity and lack of experience. With 'White Pony' you will notice how Deftones evolved since that time and admittedly marked their place in the annals of music history.Deftones DeftonesDevin Townsend TerriaI went into this expecting a lot Devin... and damn-it, you blew me away again. Long-live the immortal god of Canada. 4.5/5Devin Townsend InfinityCreated in the wake of exiting a mental-health institution (where Townsend was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder), Infinity is everything it should be. Majestically melding the face-melting demon that is City and it's diametric opposite Ocean Machine: Biomech, Infinity finds a focus and direction when Devin was at a time I belive most musicians would've fallen flat on their faces. Honestly my words cannot do this album justice, PLEASE!!!! Listen to this album as soon as you can ; I promise you will not be disappointed. 4.4/5Devin Townsend Ocean Machine: BiomechKind of grown off of me over the past couple months. Still, an amazing album. 4.4/5Dorena About Everything and MoreFresh and fun post-rock in a world full of "Explosions in the Sky" copycats and cheap, vapid imitators. Serene and majestic in the way all good post-rock should be, but still a very alive and energetic listening experience. 4.3/5Edge of Sanity CrimsonI knew I heard Akerfeldt in there! But honestly, this is absolutely fantastic. With a song of such length you'd expect it to get stale after the first 15 minutes or so, but it doesn't. The riffs vary, but compliment each other well and the repeating one that pops its head in every so often as if to say "yup, still me!" is infectious. Definitely one of the first things I'd recommend for someone intending to get into DM, though that doesn't mean that the experienced can't thrash to it on a weekly basis. 4.4/5Elliott Smith From a Basement on the HillAmazing in retrospect seeing as this a posthumous release. Almost never are unfinished albums even near as enjoyable as "finished" albums, but maybe by a combination of Elliott's lyrical and musical style and the fact of this being his swan-song makes this surprisingly very good. Forever your songs will be in my mind and my heart Elliott... 4.5/5Elliott Smith Elliott SmithJust what I expected as well as wanted from early Elliott. It displays an unrefined quality that makes it all the more relatable, which sadly worms its way out of Elliott's later work (on the up side, it's in exchange for many greater nuances unstated here). As always, each and every song is amazing lyrically as well as musically. Elliott smith is truly, as the meme goes, "A GEEEEEEEEEEEENIUS!!!!!". 4.32/5Elliott Smith New MoonWhat the hell was this doing at a 3.5 ranking. Of course it isn't Elliott's best work but cut the guy some slack, this wasn't even intended to be released. Sadly, his music is now all we have to remember him by. May all wrath and damnation fall upon the wretched spawn of Satan whom struck down our Saint prematurely. 4.45/5Faith No More Angel Dust*Looks at previous rating of 3.5* "WHAT THE F**K IS WRONG WITH YOU PAST TRAVIS!?!" Obviously this deserves much better. 4.6/10Fear Before The Always Open MouthF**k. There need be no explanation for why this album is amazing. The riffs are amazing, the vocals are perfect (for the genre), and don't even get me started on the rest of the amazing-ness on this album. 4.8/5Frank Zappa Apostrophe(')My all-around favorite Frank Zappa album, hands down. Perfectly quirky and odd, while still being a solid album musically (which is honestly an extremely hard thing to do). 4.3/5George Gershwin Rhapsody in BlueA classic from broadway. I don't understand what there isn't to like. It may go on a little longer than wanted, but the slow parts are still far from uninteresting. A Classic of the American Classics. 4.7/5Giant Squid CenotesGiant Squid have really found their sound with this EP. More than just some depressive, heavy post-metal, Giant Squid have crafted a unique blend of post-metal with the continued excellent cello-work by Gratz. I have renewed faith in this band now. 4.3/5Glassjaw Everything You Ever Wanted To Know AboutLess refined than its successor "Worship & Tribute" but just as ingenious. Aggressive hardcore punk angst interspersed with a melodic air that at first thought would seem out of place but in actuality works out perfectly. You can still taste the nu-metal in this, but it isn't overwhelming like the majority of contenders in the genre. 4.65/5Glassjaw Coloring BookWait, what the hell is this? Progression? Progressive Post-Hardcore??? Yes... Yes this is definitely what I f**king waited 9 F**KING YEARS FOR!!! 4.3/5Glassjaw Our Color Green (The Singles)Fact: It Isn't Worship & Tribute. Fact: It Isn't Everything you Ever Wanted to Know About Silence Fact: It still kicks major a** any day of the week. 4.3/5Godspeed You! Black Emperor F#A# (Infinity)Honestly... it doesn't grip me the way Slow Riot or Skinny Fists do; however, that doesn't make it bad. No matter what you say about it, it's still GY!BE in top form and well above most of the other crap out there. 4.25/5Godspeed You! Black Emperor Slow Riot For New Zero KanadaGojira From Mars To SiriusHerbie Hancock HeadhuntersTruly Phantasmic!! I've tried earlier Herbie Hancock albums and they haven't really done anything for me, but this... THIS!! Truly a piece of art! 4.4/5Howard Shore The Lord of the Rings SymphonyI remember when The LOTR movies came out, it was such a great time. I was about 10 at the time and, for an entire summer, each and every day my neighborhood friends and I would battle on "Mt. Doom" (the hill behind our houses no higher than 60 ft.). We'd use bent sticks and elastic bands to make makeshift bows and we'd use PVC piping for swords. This is honestly one of the few clear and happy memories I have of my childhood in California. Thank you, Howard Shore. 4.4/5Hypno5e Des Deux l'une Est l'autreAmazing album from an even more amazing band. Never before have I been enticed to buy an album 2 songs in. It is very progressive metal with an experimental tinge. Why had nobody told me about this sooner. Best thing to come from France since fries.Igor Stravinsky Le Sacre du printempsNot what I'd call "heavy" but powerful nonetheless. The primeval and threatening aura that this work exudes is breathtaking. Definitely one of the landmark opuses of the 20th Century. 4.6/5In Flames ClaymanThe Melodeath soundtrack to my teens and probably the sole album that got me into real DM (none of this -core crap). Every time I hear "Only for the Weak" I cry a little bit. 4.4/5Irepress Sol Eye Sea IImagine wading through quicksand. As you're struggling for your life, your life flashes before your eyes. Compress all the emotions you feel (as well as the weight of the struggle for life itself) into a single record and there you have Sol Eye Sea I.rPronounced like "Irrepressible"Iron Maiden PowerslaveIsis PanopticonJeff Buckley GraceJeff Mangum Live at Jittery Joe'sJust how I've always imagined the divine being that is Jeff Mangum would sound live. Just as good... hell, even better than he does on 'In an Aeroplane'. Packed chock-full of emotion and beauty, nary missing a beat. Beautiful in every sense of the word. Jeff Mangum, you are now officially on my "I'm Completely Gay for You" list. 4.4/5John Coltrane Blue TrainProbably the greatest jazz album you'll ever listen to. Almost a Classic on first listen r(and I'm not typically a jazz listener!). I'll have check out the rest of his discography rto see how this stands up in comparison. 4.4/5Jonsi GoSurprisingly fantastic for a solo album. 99.999% of the time solo projects turn out to be absolute horse manure, but this is beautiful in a different way than Sigur Ros. 4.4/5Kashiwa Daisuke Program Music IBeautiful, Exciting, Harmonious, Confusing, Scary, Majestic; Everything a good post-rock album should be. I see this becoming a 5 very quickly. 4.4/5King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson KingKoji Kondo The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time OSTGroundbreaking in both the fields of video games and soundtracks overall. Never before had a soundtrack so intimately permeated with the game it was framing that both would feel empty without the other. Without a doubt, nostalgia plays a major part in this soundtracks incredibly high avg. rating, but for good reason; this is likely the most memorable video game soundtrack of my as well as many other a kid's childhood. 4.6/5Kvelertak KvelertakKwoon When The Flowers Were Singing...Fantastic Post-Rock! Great melodies and the perfect mix of heaviness and simplicity. Also, this reminds me a lot of Yndi Halda (NAMEDROP!!! CHECK THEM OUT!! NOW!!) which is always a plus in my book. 4.3/5La Dispute WildlifeThe PERFECT follow-up. Though maybe not perfect in the sense that they hit every note perfectly or move you with every listen, perfect in that it is a beautiful display of how a second album should be. What initially came across as both chaotic and kinetic in "Somewhere Between..." has been focused into clarity while still retaining that rough, indie, non-mainstream filth sound. Judging by their recent tour with Thrice (and by the fact that half that crowd came specifically for them) I see big things in La Dispute's future. Here's to hoping they don't lose what makes them great on the long road ahead. 4.4/5Laura Stevenson Sit ResistBeautiful. Absolutely Beautiful. Why the f**k did I let this sit on my ipod for 23 f**king months without a single f**king play?!? 4.4/5Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory OSTAn irreplaceable part of my and many a kid's childhood as well as one of the most memorable soundtracks I've ever known. 4.3/5Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68Disregard any previous soundoffs, this is fantastic. 4.4/5Mastodon LeviathanMaximum the Hormone BuiikikaesuOne of the weirdest things you'll ever hear... and at the same time, probably the most fun (that is if you like Japan.)rAnother way I like to describe this band is that they're the Japanese equivalent of early (good) SoaD; totally f**king psycho riffs and a lot of aggression accompanied by the "pop" music of the time (in the US, nu-metal was the "pop", in Japan "J-pop" was used). a high 3.5 is where this album should really sit musically, but I'm gonna give it a 4.3/5 for nostalgia and personal preference sake.Megadeth Rust in PeaceMiles Davis Kind of BlueMisery Signals Of Malice and the Magnum HeartMouse On The Keys SezessionGreat short Piano/Keyboard + Drums set. This is exactly what I want when asking for some good contemporary piano virtuosity when the Classical gets a bit old. A bit shorter than most like it, but the skill that these jazz-fusion nuts have more than makes up for it. 4.3/5Moviegoer 64 FPSSeeing that it's from way back in '99 you'd expect an old sound, but surprisingly, along with that mathy/old-school, loosely nu-metallic sound, there is an underlying inclination that it would feel right at home if released just yesterday. Contrary to my previous notion, this album is more a post-hardcore/punk album at its heart, though honestly a concrete genre specification escapes me. For a random album that I picked up on impulse for less than 1 USD I can honestly say I was surprised. 4.27/5 To give a little more info on the sound, I'll just list a few phrases that came to mind over the past couple listens. Post-Hardcorish, vaguely Tool-esque on a couple songs, Horse the Band minus the balls, soft-industrial on one or two songs.Nick Drake Pink MoonAs like Elliott Smith down the road, Nick Drake was an undeniably brilliant musician that had his bright and shining life cut tragically short. While we may never know what may have become of him, we are left with the gems that he left during his lifetime. A classic of not just the folk/indie singer-songwriter subgenre, but of the whole of music. It may take a listen or two to fully root in the listener's heart, but this is one of the great pieces of music that, no matter how hard you try, it is impossible to escape its allure. 4.5/5Nine Inch Nails The Downward SpiralNine Inch Nails Year ZeroBasically everything a great Industrial album should be; abrupt synth, smoky monologues, and an overall mechanical feel to it. Not surprising seeing as this is Trent Reznor we're talking about... 4.3/5O'Brother The Death of DayOperation Ivy EnergyOpeth Blackwater ParkOpeth Ghost ReveriesPhilip Glass GlassworksEerie, Surreal, Ephemeral, and 14 other ghostly sounding adjectives. A truly mind-bending listen. As with Glass' other works, an almost trance-like nature falls over the piece creating a field that affects the listener (positively for some, negatively for others). An interesting sample of the minimalism movement that should be the starter album for anyone intending to get into "art" music. 4.4/5Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the MoonPink Floyd AnimalsPink Floyd PulseFrom beginning to end chock-full of excellent songs, one right after the other (though that's no hard feat for the single greatest band in the world). Probably the very first Live Album that I've actually enjoyed from beginning to end.. 4.3/5Porcupine Tree In AbsentiaUtterly indescribable in words. Not just this album, but the band as a whole. Comparisons can be made and meaningless sub-sub-sub-genres can be created to describe this music, but such efforts are still vein. The ability to go from a lucid dreamscape where velvety whispers lull you to nirvana into a sing-a-long chorus with a vibrant atmosphere and chords resounding into a hurricane of sound is... unique. 4.4/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 1 in D Major, Op. 11Seeing as I'm listening to this while I'm reading a Victorian romance I may be embellishing a bit, but I can easily say this is one of the best quartet pieces I've listened to quite a while. Amazingly well done you damn brilliant Ruskie. 4.3/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony, Op. 58Your typical romantic symphony, and one of the better ones at that. At first there weren't any epic points that made me fall in love with it, but then the finale happened... Also, over the entirety of the symphony, I definitely get a better cohesive vibe than than I usual. A crowning achievement in Tchaikovsky's lengthy repertoire. 4.4/5Queen Greatest Hits OneThis was basically the soundtrack to my adolescence. A fantastic choice of songs from one of the most prolific bands in human history. 4.4/5Rosetta The Galilean SatellitesSeparate - Disc 1: Heavy and aggressive, a perfect example of what every post-metal band should be. 4.2/5 Disc 2: More ethereal and haunting than it's predecessor. Definitely more in the "ambient" genre than "post-metal" or "sludge." Together: The absolute best of both albums. Seriously, the albums sync up beautifully and make for the most amazing post-metal experience since I first listened to oceanic some 2 years ago. 4.7/5Rush A Farewell to KingsRush Clockwork AngelsThe best album from a 46-year old and still touring band I think I've ever heard and probably ever will hear. Perfectly meshing their classic sound with newer sounds and staying relevant even after a long stint of being "another one of those 70's/80's bands that just won't die." Equally recommended for die-hard fans of classic prog as well as the uninitiated looking for a gateway album. 4.3/5Sergei Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto no. 2 in C Minor, op. 18A truly magnificent composition. Not just an amazing display of technical prowess, but an explosive amount of emotion as well. An amazing piece by the last great Romanticist. 4.3/5Sigur Ros ( )Sigur Ros med sud i eyrum vio spilum endalaustSlayer Reign in BloodSlint SpiderlandStevie Ray Vaughan Texas FloodHe was an amazing musician no matter which way you look at it. There's no arguing that. The inevitable thing however is, no matter how great a musician he is, each and every person's musical taste subtly and qualitatively differ, which is probably the whole reason for the diverse range of scores given to this album. As for where I stand? When it comes down to skill and emotion, I say 5/5, an absolute perfect score. However, no matter what genre of music, if you're not completely enjoying it, it means nothing. Taking that into account, I myself feel much happier with a 4.3/5. I can definitely see why so many fans go crazy for this man, but I don't particularly see myself putting this album on perpetual repeat like I can see several other albums that I truly treasure. 4.3/5Streetlight Manifesto Everything Goes NumbSufjan Stevens Seven SwansSoft, Emotional, Beautiful, Majestic, Heartbreaking, Comforting, Nostalgic, Heartwarming, Depressing, Experimental; all apropos words to describe this masterpiece. Less over-sized swoons and crescendos than Illinois, but still just as malevolently beautiful. 4.4/5Sunny Day Real Estate How It Feels To Be Something OnWhen you have as extensive a backlog of "need-to-listens" as I do (slowly chipping away at a 200+ heap), when deciding whether to keep an album or not, you probably follow something of a forumla. About 99% of the time it comes down to: judging an album on its merits and flaws, and either keeping or trashing accordingly. Rarely does something magical happens where you're completely blown away by the sheer beauty of the music; that's what happened to me today with "How it Feels to Be Something On." 4.6/5Sunny Day Real Estate LP2 (The pink album)In a word LP2 is a lot less "gritty" than Diary; some emo music fans may take that to mean that it's a weaker album seeing as the whole appeal of "emo" music to come off as raw as possible, but I feel that it works out better in this case. Either way, both albums are must-listens for any well-rounded music connoisseur. 4.3/5Talking Heads Remain in LightWhile not a masterpiece or an album with myriad singles, this album is still definitely a solid 4.5. The flow of the songs track-to-track works extremely well. "Born Under Punches(The Heat Goes On)" is quite possibly the very best opening song for an album ever recorded. 4.6/5The Beatles Rubber SoulAt first this seemed to me a more depressing version of 'Help!" but after repeated listens the album starts diversifying itself. What at first appeared to be depressing copies now are obviously more diverse, more interesting, and are leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor in terms of songwriting, dark though it may be. 4.6/5The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandSeeing as Rubber Soul was previously my #1 Beatles album and on first listen this is easily on par or better than that, it is only a matter of time before this is a 5.The Devin Townsend Project KiThis is hands-down Devin Townsend's most confusing album since he got his act straight, yet at the same time it easily has the most substance and depth. One half of the album feels like he's every ounce of his strength fighting back his black-as-coal SYL heart. Later on the music develops into some of the most beautiful and calming ballads with unbelievable atmosphere. Despite the fact that it's (as others have said before me) a walking contradiction, each and every single song complements the next while also complementing its predecessor, creating the most calming/invigorating album he's made. Don't let the apparent mediocre avg. rating fool you, this album trumpets HevyDevy's reprise from his alcohol and weed riddled days. This album shows how much he still has to give us, never mind the fact that he's given us an insane amount already. 4.6/5The Devin Townsend Project AddictedThe Flaming Lips Yoshimi Battles the Pink RobotsI can honestly say I've never smoked marijuana, never have and probably never will, but if this album is anything to go by then The Flaming Lips are this generation's Pink Floyd. Monumentally Talented musicians that work together perfectly to create an aural experience that at times escapes description. 4.3/5The Mars Volta De-Loused in the ComatoriumThe Ocean Fogdiverthe pillows Happy BivouacSuch an excellent Alt-Rock record that the language gap doesn't even pose a problem. LISTEN TO THIS (or the 3rd FLCL soundtrack, they're equally awesome). 4.4/5The Red Chord Fused Together in Revolving DoorsThe Sleep Design All That Is Not Music Is SilenceA post-rock candy bar with a delicious alt-indie nougat center. At first I want to call this instrumental or progressive alternative, but at the same time I want to call it the post-rock messiah. Truly an amazing album, being incredibly accessible while at the same time keeping all the uniqueness that is oh so often lost in in favor of that mainstream factor. Brilliant, just Brilliant; and hey, you can't get much cheaper than FREE!!! 4.35/5 Download here: http://comeandlive.com/downloadsThe Smiths The Queen Is DeadProbably the only good thing to ever come out of the 80's. 4.6/5 (I think i'm 5 this within the week.The Tallest Man on Earth The Wild HuntThe Tallest Man on Earth There's No Leaving NowIn some ways better, then some ways lacking when compared to "The Wild Hunt", but overall about on par with it. A seriously consistent artist. Something can be said about the similarity, but if everything is this good I'm fine with that. 4.3/5Thelonious Monk Brilliant CornersWhile it may not be an utter perfection of an album, this definitely ranks way up there. Enjoyable at every minute and very easy to listen to, no freelance additions to distract from the enjoyment you get from absorbing the music as a whole. 4.3/5Thrice VheissuTool 10,000 DaysWeezer The Blue AlbumWindir 1184Yoko Shimomura Kingdom Hearts II Original SoundtrackAs I've said before, I'm a bit biased when it comes to KH... but this is the greatest video game soundtrack ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, maybe not, but you've got to admit Shimomura-sensei's talent when it comes to creating a diverse array of music that doesn't get stale even after so many repeated listens. 4.3/104.0 excellent7 Angels 7 Plagues Jhazmyne's LullabyA Backward Glance on a Travel Road A Backward Glance on a Travel Road2 Years after initially discovering this I finally give it a listen; I'm pleasantly surprised. It's not overly heavy, instead focusing on harmony and being delicate with the overall flow of the album. Very Avant-Garde and definitely not for inexperienced sputniker. 3.8/5A City Safe From Sea Throw Me Through WallsGood catchy music, the vocals are a little weird, but their not so bad as they are different. These guys could go places with a little radio time.A Lot Like Birds Plan BSolid progressive post-hardcore. The perfect amount of experimentation to match an excellent standard post-hardcore center. So glad to see that these guys are finally getting the face-time they undoubtedly deserve. 4.2/5Aaron Copland Symphony No. 3Quite an amazing piece. Loud, surprising, and full of energy. A Great display of Post-WW classical. 4.2/5Aaron Copland Quiet CityCrisp, delicate, and quaint. Nothing over-the-top bombastic or exhilarating, but beautiful in a gentle way. 3.9/5 Absu AbsuAcid Bath When the Kite String PopsAcid Bath Paegan Terrorism TacticsAgalloch The MantleIf Pink Floyd played doom metal, this would be it. 3.9/5Agalloch Ashes Against The GrainAlexander Borodin Petite SuiteA fairly somber piece with brief flashes of energy. Great if you're in the mood for some soft and calming pianowork. 3.8/5Alkaline Trio GoddamnitCatchy, Accessible, yet still holding on to that immature punk sound that we expect of the genre. Not the greatest punk album ever made, but this is what I expect when I hear the word 'punk'. Good job Alkaline Trio, your later albums may not be up to par, but with this you hit it out of the park. 4.1/5Anacrusis Screams and WhispersSome supremely overlooked, great prog-melodeath album. The only detractor I can think of would have to be it's length. While most albums of the genre are best enjoyed in 30-40 min intervals, this one drags on for just over an hour. It's perfect for the die-hard metal fan, but for the average "all-types" listener this might come off a little tiring. 4.0/5 After another listen, I stand by this opinion. It is only Manic Impressions that is uninspired generic thrash.Anamanaguchi Dawn MetropolisScrew You SilentPotato, this is a good album. I'm definitely not saying this is innovative or ultra deep, and I'd personally hate it as well if this were the direction music as a whole was going, but as a standalone band these guys do some good work. Most songs work out pretty well and this album serves as an enjoyable poppy, nerdy outlet for us video game fans. 3.8/5Anamanaguchi AirbrushedI can easily see this becoming nails on the chalkboard for someone in a funk or depression, but mostly because of what makes it so good. Such positivity and energy!!! 4.2/5 Anamanaguchi AuroraMore ethereal and slow-building than their other singles, but just as fantastic. B-side is more in-line with their previous work. 4.1/5Anamanaguchi My Skateboard Will Go OnMore fantastically upbeat and fun nintendocore. This song is what I imagine fully 8-bit BtMI! would be. Also the b-side of this (8-bit/Rap) was the last place in the world I was expecting a Jeff Mangum reference. 4.1/5Anamanaguchi Airbrushed (RAC Remix)A reiteration of an already good song that takes a different yet equally fun and new slant on the song. 3.9/5Anathema A Natural DisasterAncestors Of Sound MindAnd So I Watch You From Afar And So I Watch You From AfarAndrew Bird Hands of GloryThe natural progression form "Break it Yourself". Soft, soothing, and though not as phenomenal as it predecessor, still a great all-around album. 3.8/5Andrew Jackson Jihad People Who Can Eat People are the Luckiest PeopleAndrew Jackson Jihad Knife ManAndrew Jackson Jihad is the folk-punk equivalent to BtMI!'s ska-punk, never serious and always having fun making brilliant music. 3.8/5Animal Collective Strawberry JamEclectic? Yes. Interesting? Yes. Worthy of all the unwarranted hype? No. Still an excellent album well worth at least one good listen? Yes. 3.8/5Animals as Leaders Animals as LeadersA quite exceptional album. A definite front-runner of the instru-metal genre, well ahead of the rest of the pack. 3.8/5Antonin Dvorak The Carnival Overture, Op. 92, B. 169Certainly festive, but not long enough or exhilarating enough to be placed in the annals of all time greatest overtures. Overall a good overture. 3.8/5rArcade Fire FuneralArchipelago Have HereFirst, say hello to Sigur Ros. Next, meet Elliott Smith. Now make them have a way better than expected lovechild. This album has an inventive indie-tastic sound with quite a nice bit of ambient post-rock glaze to satisfy even the most disenchanted. Sponsored by the Almighty god known as Jeff Rosenstock, how could this ever fail?Archipelago Good as GoneA very wintery vibe with this one. Just as good as the last album, if not better. Why can't there be more indie like this? Instead we just get The National clones and 2-bit hipster bandwagoneers. 3.9/5Arcturus The Sham MirrorsAt the Gates Slaughter of the SoulAtheist Piece of TimeOne of the best DM albums I've listened to quite a while. Atheist find the perfect amount of thrash aggression and counterbalance it with excellent technicality. 4.0/5Atheist Unquestionable PresenceBad Rabbits Stick Up KidsDefinitely a horribly overlooked modern soul-funk band. Definitely check these guys out. Irepress' drummer is in here too. 4.1/5Bad Religion The Dissent of ManNot nearly as solid as some of the classic BR albums, but then again, of course it wouldn't be. Still, it's a great album over all. Though Greg may look more like your dad than your buddy now, he still has what it takes and made more than passable album; Wrong Way Kids being and amazing high point. Overall the album was great and would be great for any Punk fan. 3.85/5Baroness Red AlbumBathory HammerheartOld-School BM at one of its finest points. Screeching guitars and pummeling drums provide for an intensely heavy experience. A great album for both beginners to the genre and experienced BM Veterans. 4.1/5Blitzen Trapper Destroyer Of The VoidSounds like it could come from the 80's, is confusing as hell, and is pretty much the last thing I'd think I'd expect from an album called "Destroyer of the Void", but you know what? As the last few tracks ticked by, this thing really started growing on me! Definitely not the pinnacle of cutting edge music, but I'm definitely keeping this one around. 4.1/5Bloodbath Nightmares Made FleshBoards of Canada Music Has The Right To Childrena very "chill" album. The overall lack of vocals or anything distracting I see this as a great album to go to if looking for something to study to. Although fairly monotonous, it isn't boring like I sort of expected it to be; it has enough variation in it to keep me interested, but not distract me. I also assume that this is probably one of those albums you probably have to be tripping balls while listening to to fully appreciate. 4.0/5Bob Dylan DesireSeeing as there is such a wide dichotomy between the only two other soundoffs for this album, I don't want to lean too far in either direction, acting sort of as a bridge. I can see what Nick is saying, I kind of fell asleep inbetween "Hurricane" and "Joey", but overall this is a pretty good album. It's definitely not his GREATEST work, but it isn't as empty and hollow as you're making it seem. 4.0/5Bolt Thrower Those Once LoyalBolt Thrower War Masterpretty repetitive but a solid death metal album. If you want a poster child for "what is True Death Metal" then you have this album right here.Bomb the Music Industry! Get WarmerBomb the Music Industry! Everybody That You LoveSup Jeff, Still Making Amazing Music? Yup. Still horribly underappreciated? Yup. Still giving me and Satty raging hard-ons? Yup. Botch An Anthology of Dead EndsThe perfect bite-sized supplement of Botch. Doesn't hit the heights of We are the Romans, but still works perfectly well given how short it is. 4.1/5Botch American NervosoNot We are the Romans, but still a solid album from one of the kings of Metallic Hardcore. As always, the band matched perfectly the intensity and aggressiveness of hardcore punk with a unique sense of melodic-ness and some harmony. 4.1/5Brand New DaisyBridges of Konigsberg The Five ColorsAbsolutely delightful. If I had to point to one example of the right way to evolve, it would be this album. On their earlier EP " We Have Many Faces" the whole experience came off as uninspired and underdeveloped, but the change seen with "The Five Colors" is absolutely picturesque. the band's previous lack of direction has blossomed into an adept combination of progressive depth and post-rock beauty. In addition, key vocal sections (beautiful ones btw) add a depth that couldn't be grasped with just instrumental ballads and makes me wonder why there aren't lyrics on all of the tracks instead of just a handful. DEFINITELY worth picking up since it's FREE!!! 4.1/5rFind @ http://music.bridgesofkonigsberg.com/album/the-five-colorsBright Eyes I'm Wide Awake, It's MorningWhy the HELL has this been just sitting on my mp3 player doing nothing but gathering dust for a year? This is great!!!r[*] Okay, so after repeated listens the shine has worn off a bit.... but still, an excellent album. 4.1/5Broken Social Scene Forgiveness Rock RecordSoft, Squishy, Moist, and Delicious. Everything a good indie album should be. Each song is delectably unique and enjoyable. A Vast improvement over the S/T album. Good Job BSS! (this one's going on the best of 2010 list) 4.1/5 Brother/Ghost Black IceBuckethead ColmaBuckethead Giant RobotDefinitely one of the scariest, weirdest, and most interesting albums I've listened to in a long time. 3.8/5Buckethead Electric TearsWith all generally renown albums, the one thing I do to be sure I judge them properly is to imagine it were some no-name artist playing the music instead of coming in with a bunch of presuppositions. Honestly, this one doesn't stand up. It's a solid album, but really doesn't warrant all the 5s and 4.5s it's getting. 3.8/5Buckethead Pepper's GhostBuckethead Crime Slunk SceneSoothsayer Slays!!, I can see why GN'R recruited him.Buckethead Shadows Between The SkyBuddy Holly The Chirping CricketsAlthough being born 35 years after its creation makes me a bit removed from the generation, I don't find it hard to find why people loved this guy. Definitely check this out if you're interested in who that guy that Weezer sings about is... 4.1/5Buddy Holly That'll be the DayAnother great set of classic Buddy Holly songs. Definitely not for everyone... but it's always good to every now and then take a look back and see where the present music we love came from. 3.9/5Burst OrigoA Definite grower, but a solid 4 at the very least. First listen was a 3.4, next listen was a 3.7-8, now it's at a 4.0 on the third. Sad that I'm discovering such a great band so late, but at least I got to see them once while they were still around. 4.0/5Cadaver Disposal Signum Gloriae DemoPretty good Death Metuhl. This is not OSDM, it's not Progressive Death Metal, It's not Melodeth, and it's not death-core; It's something in the middle of all of them. It's slightly melodic, and it's fairly accessible, but this is in no way shape or form Melodeth; would much more at home touring with the likes of Morbid Angel than they would be with bands like In Flames. 3.78/5 (Drummer is ex-member of Belphegor) Free LEGAL Download Here: http://deathmetalinvasion.blogspot.com/2010/11/cadaver-disposal-signum-gloriae.htmlCaravels FloorboardsAh, Skramz... How I love thee. Ire, you do not disappoint. 4.0/5Caravels CaravelsShort, but beautiful all the same. This is exactly what I'm looking for in skramz. 3.9/5Carcass Symphonies of SicknessCarcass SwansongCarnage Dark RecollectionsCeleste Nihiliste(s)Celeste Misanthrope(s)Celeste Morte(s) Nee(s)Misanthrope(s) is still better, but this gives it a run for its money. Great album from an amazingly consistently solid band!Charles Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus MingusIt's no "Ah Um" or "Black Saint", but it's still quite a listen. Definitely worth checking out for anyone interested in Mingus or just jazz as a whole (like I am doing right now). 4.0/5Charles Mingus Pithecanthropus ErectusThis is without a doubt some of the most amazing "early work" I've ever listened to. One of the things that has drawn me to Mingus is his ability to so adeptly marry the liberal and conservative elements of jazz; that skill is displayed wonderfully here. New, yet not at all foreign, and a fantastic album for the budding jazz connoisseur. 4.1/5Charles Mingus Let My Children Hear MusicThat Sax! Mother of... THAT SAX!!!!! LISTEN TO THAT!!!!!!..... the other music is good too... 4.2/5Charles Mingus Blues & RootsGreat fast-paced jazz. Exciting from the get go and just gains steam as it nears its fantastic finale. Superb musicianship from everyone involved. 4.1/5Choking Victim No Gods, No ManagersRight up there with Op-Ivy as kings of the ska-punk genre. I could easily see this rising in rank given a couple more listens. 3.9/5Chotto Ghetto Walk is GodlikeChotto Ghetto create a progressive hardcore masterpiece. Interspersed in the aggressive, anger-filled hardcore affront are melodic intermissions creating just enough of a change to keep you interested but not getting sidetracked like many other bands that attempt the challenge. A great album that is just short enough to not get repetitive but long enough to interest you. 4.1/5Chuck Berry The Great Twenty-EightFantastic! One moment I'm hearing what would become The Beatles, the next I hear what would become Bob Dylan, the next I'm hearing something different entirely. Listening to this it is easy to see how significant of an impact he had on music as we hear it today. 4.2/5Circa Survive On Letting GoNoticeably somewhat less accessible then their most recent "Blue Sky Noise" But not bad. Great, catchy nu-prog that is continually improving on itself while still keeping a unique sound that sets it apart from the rest of the sheep. 4.1/5Circa Survive Violent WavesIn some ways this is a weaker album than Blue Sky Noise, in other ways it is far better. There is more depth to many of the songs near the back end, but with that depth they lost a bit of accessibility. I wholeheartedly agree with what Sam Cowen said in his review, it probably isn't going to win them any new fans, but for those of us who already are fans, are able to appreciate every ounce of the progress they've made over the years. 4.0/5Cloudkicker A New Heavenly BodyUndoubtedly, anything this good can be considered an amazing and overwhelming achievement. That being said, though it may falter when compared to contemporaries, this is a crowning point of success for the man. (Also, this is basically "]]][[[" only remixed) 3.8/5Cloudkicker Let Yourself Be HugeA great step in a distinctly different direction. Usually what you get with Cloudkicker is some sometimes very repetitive instru-metal, but with this it's like.... prog/folk??? Definitely an experiment that IMO played out very well. Honestly, my favorite of everything the guy has done. 3.7/5Cloudkicker FadeAnother step in the right direction for Ben Sharp. To me Fade proved to be the perfect melding of Ben's early work as a prog-metal instrumentalist and his more recent (and in my opinion better) post-rock/shoegaze work. If this is the direction Ben is continuing then he has made one fan very happy. 4.1/5Clutch Robot Hive/ExodusPretty much Identical to every single other clutch album: Bluesy, Ballsy, and Badass. While it would be impossible to say that Clutch re-invent the wheel with every album, they do what they do well and every album they make works perfectly in instilling an overwhelming feeling of manliness in even the most estrogen-riddled pansy; this album is no different. 3.9/5Clutch ClutchWhile the monster that is "Blast Tyrant" it is not, it IS still a hell of a blues-metal album. For a time I believed this to be trash for the simple fact that it wasn't their later work... now who the hell put that f**king retarded idea in my head? In the end it's not as sparkly or polished as their later work... but it's entirely as enjoyable. 4.1/5Clutch From Beale Street to OblivionClutch Strange Cousins From The WestCoalesce Functioning on ImpatienceCoheed and Cambria From Fear Through the Eyes of MadnessThis in my mind was Coheed's last hurrah before their 7 year lul, as well as the album that brought the band to my attention. I remember hearing Welcome Home for the first time back when rock band came out, I though it was a fantastic song but never gave it much thought. How I wish I could've discovered these guys so much sooner... 4.1/5Coheed and Cambria Live At The AvalonCoheed Live > Coheed Studio. Very First time I've ever thought that about any band.....EVER. Only bad part on this EP is the screaming vocals on IKS.Coheed and Cambria The Afterman: AscensionThis is definitely a reprise when compared to Good Apollo: Volume 2 and to a less extent Year of the Black Rainbow. It's lacking something that their earlier albums had, but that is likely due to the fact that it is only half an album as intended. This is sitting at a solid 4 for me right now 4.0/5. Grows WonderfullyColonel Claypool's Bucket Of Bernie Brains The Big Eyeball In The SkyConverge Petitioning the Empty SkyConverge No HeroesCormorant MetazoaCult of Luna SalvationCursive DomesticaIt's a good album, it's just lacking that melodic-ness and crisp-ness that made me fall in love with The Ugly Organ. Needless to say, a bunch of great songs on this album. I like it and all, it just doesn't have that beauty and flow that its successor has. 4/5Cynic Carbon-Based AnatomyDeath-Metal and Focus this is not, but a great EP it is. The first couple songs aren't really that great, but track 4 is where this it really starts workin' for me. In the end though, this probably won't get them any new fans, just give their die-hard ones another reason for why they're so awesome. 3.8/5Daft Punk DiscoveryMost only know of this for Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, but honestly it is so much more than just one hit track. A definite outlier in my musical repertoire, but definitely not a miss. I'm sure this will hit a low "Classic" once I get around to watching Interstella 5555; but as of now it's a 4.2/5Daft Punk Tron: LegacyDiscovery it is not... but um, was it supposed to be? Obviously not. Tron, a classic sci-fi movie with a solid fan-base that Disney didn't want to disappoint. Daft Punk, possibly the geekiest electronica duo that everybody and their mother has heard of. Daft Punk was tasked with creating a perfect soundtrack that mixed the grandiose overthetop-ness of blockbuster scores with the simplistic yet perfectly not-so electronic clicks and whistles that made them icons. In this way they made the perfect album. Without the cinema backdrop this album has a tougher time standing on its own feet (I mean, the only song really worth keeping, just to listen to, would have to be "derezzed."), but that's not what this was made for, it was made to mesh perfectly with the movie... And it Did!!rAgain, I reiterate. With Movie: 4.5/5...Without Movie: 3.5/5Daitro YDarkside Journey Pervasive SolitaryGreat Instrumental Prog-Metal. Think Scale the Summit, but more of A Death Metal Feel like Hacksaw to the Throat and Iron Thrones. A good comparative soloist would be CloudkickerDeath Spiritual HealingDefeater TravelsDeftones Saturday Night WristA bit irregular, while at the same time retaining the unique "Deftones" sound; a statement that could be said about any of their albums. It is not the greatest album ever conceived... but anyone who hands-down abhors this album obviously has something wrong with their head. 4.0/5Deftones Koi No YokanTo start things off, this doesn't live up to the astronomical hype it had accumulated building up to its release. However, on an upside, it DOES more than make up for the fumble that was "Diamond Eyes." 4.1/5 (though this may be a grower)Devin Townsend Christeen + 4 DemosSeeing as this is just a single and a couple demos, this is surprisingly well put together and very listenable. 3.9/5DIR EN GREY UroborosDominic DominicExtremely solid skramz. Very raw and grating yet still containing a very melodic and accessible sound. Some SERIOUSLY unnoticed talent right here. 4.2/5Dominic Running with ScissorsAnother severely under-appreciated emo band. Slightly more substantial than their previous EP which makes it a whole lot more listenable in my eyes. 4.1/5Dorena HolofonNot as amazing as About Everything and More, but still some solid post-rock. With as diverse and popular genre as post-rock you'd expect more than a million Explosions in the Sky copycats, but it seems that's what we're getting. If only more bands took Dorena's route. 4.0/5Dream Theater Images and WordsDream Theater Six Degrees of Inner Turbulencedredg El CieloDrive Like Jehu Yank CrimeEdvard Grieg Peer Gynt Suite, No. 1, Op. 46One of the few pieces of classical music that everybody knows but nobody remembers. Definitely one of the "greatest hits" of the Romantic era of classical music. 4.2/5Electric Wizard DopethroneWhile this is WAY better than Sunn O))), I guess drone just isn't for me. I can enjoy a s**t-ton of post-metal, and I can definitely tell where all the love for this album comes from, but I just don't have the kind of brain to call this "the pinnacle of all that is music). 3.8/5Elliott Smith Roman CandleWeakest album overall, yet still a great listen. 3.9/5Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Roadas much as I hate pop (as well as most 70s music as a whole) this is actually a very listenable album. Though I'm not the premier resource for gay pianists, I can say without a doubt, on this album at the very least, Elton John is a brilliant musician. Don't judge a book by its cover. 4.0/5Emery ...In Shallow Seas We SailNot an album I would replay over and over, and definitely not "the album of '09", but a great album. Definitely better than a lot of other crap and a great album for those just getting into the post-hardcore genre. The album appeals to a younger audience, the angsty audience one that still needs some help and guidance. If I were 3 years younger this would probably be much higher. 3.8/5Eminem The Marshall Mathers LPEmpalot Tous Aux CèpesThe Duplanteir brothers were in this before they started Gojira. So imagine going back and forth between that and one of Patton's more experimental bands; very weird going back and forth between DM riffs and spastic scat-singing. 3.8/5Eucharist MirrorworldsExotic Animal Petting Zoo I Have Made My Bed in DarknessFaith No More The Real ThingFear Before Art DamageFiona Apple Extraordinary MachineAnother reason to love Fiona but at the same time hate her for the unbearable wait between releases. A bit more accessible than her subsequent album, and just as good. 3.9/5Fiona Apple The Idler Wheel...I don't know if this is absolutely revolutionary or just terribly self-indulgent... then again I could say the same thing about Sufjan Stevens who I love with a passion. *A couple listens later* Okay, now I'm getting it. Much better on second listen. 3.9/5Firebird Double DiamondDeath Metal god turned Honky-Tonk Blues rock, sounds exactly how you'd expect it to sound. On a couple tracks you can really hear Steer's Carcass/Napalm Death days coming through. Overall though? Above par. If you're into that kind of music, it's definitely very listenable... but if you're looking for something like Scum or Necroticism look elsewhere, because that's as far from this as you can get. Check it out. 4.0/5Flow GamePop-punk with actual variety. At least with this album, Flow does J-rock/J-punk right and, though I may be a little biased due to rthe spending of my early teens watching naruto subs on youtube for days on end, I stand by my conviction. 4.1/5Frank Zappa Hot RatsFrank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention We're Only In It For The MoneyThree words and three words alone can describe this album (as well as practically any other album in his amazing career) "Weird. Ass. Shit." As long as you stand that, this is a pretty solid album. 3.8/5Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention Freak Out!A seriously interesting album. This is one of those severely odd albums, quite like "In the Court...", that is either a classic above all other classics, or a series of WTFs. As for I, it is still growing but could easily fall into the previous classification. Thanks for the Zappa Recs Ire. 4.1/5 (for now)Frederic Chopin 12 Etudes, Op. 25Good and Relaxing, I can tell how he's matured in the time since his first etude collection. And just like last time, GLORIOUS finale. 3.9/5Frightened Rabbit The Winter of Mixed DrinksFugazi 13 SongsFugazi RepeaterAn enjoyable listen... but I can't agree with some of the "Classic Punk" nuts who thing this record is golden. Don't get me wrong, there are some great songs, and it works well as an album as a whole, but doesn't really hold a flame to Margin Walker or the S/T-EP. 3.75/5Fugazi Margin WalkerAn Iconic punk masterpiece. Fresh with each listen while still retaining that specific sound of an era and of a time. 4.0/5Fugazi Fugazifun. Aim and IgniteWhen I first started sputnik, I had a closed mind when it came to music. I listened to metalcore and that was it. Thanks to the wonderful people of this site, I was directed to an album that would help open my mind, expand my horizons, and make me a much better person overall; this is that album. Each song is unique and beautiful thanks to Nate Ruess' (as well as the rest of fun.'s) brilliance when combining harmony and accessibility with tenacity and energy. Not many times in your life do find such a great album that you can still find new things to love even after 50+ listens; I am just happy that I found one. 4.1/5Gentlemans Pistols At Her Majesty's PleasureGreat home-grown, southern party-rock... except they're from Leeds. Much in the vein of Clutch, and with Bill Steer (Carcass) manning the helm you know you're in for some greatness. 3.9/5George Gershwin An American in ParisSeeing as Gershwin is practically synonymous with broadway music, this fits perfectly with that image. Lively and exciting, but would probably fit better as a soundtrack or as a companion to a show. Nevertheless, the music is beautiful. Definitely a must-listen for those interested in early (pre-60s) American Music. 4.2/5George Gershwin Gershwin Plays Gershwin: The Piano RollsA fine collection of some of Gershwin's finest pieces, all reproduced perfectly on solo piano. Not perfect, but great for any fan of Gershwin. 3.9/5Giant Squid The IchthyologistGlassjaw El MarkTakes the next logical step after where "Worship and Tribute" left off with. The focus mainly lies in Glassjaw's more down-tempo/softer songs as apposed to their balls-out, badassness that we all love equally well. Honestly, I'd find it very hard for anyone with a good head on their shoulders to dislike this. 4.0/5Gnarls Barkley St. ElsewhereAn amazing collaboration if I've ever heard one. Cee-Lo's scaling clean voice complemented perfectly by Danger Mouse's amazing work on the musical side. 3.9/5God Is An Astronaut The End of the BeginningGodspeed You! Black Emperor 'Allelujah! Don't Bend! Ascend!Not as mind-numbing and beautiful as "Lift Your Skinny Fists...", but it's undoubtedly better than "Yanqui U.X.O." and that counts as a win for me. 3.9/5Goes Cube Another Day Has PassedGojira The Way of All FleshGospel The Moon Is a Dead WorldGrant Kirkhope Banjo-KazooieSO MUCH FREAKING NOSTALGIA IT HURTS!!!!! Even so, Grant Kirkhope knows how to make the perfect soundtrack for such a light-hearted and fun adventure. 4.2/5Grayceon GrayceonSome really great, overlooked music right here. Post-Metal that is continually changing and keeping things interesting throughout the whole album. Up and coming Post-Metallers should take from these guys' example.Greg Edmonson FireflySuch a short-lived series that has accumulated such an amazing (and well-deserved) following! The soundtrack is fantastic in that it works perfectly with the sci-fi setting while being entirely foreign to the genre at the same time. If you haven't seen this show you are seriously missing out on the experience of a lifetime. 4.1/5Grown Ups SongsGustav Mahler Symphony No. 2 in C-Minor, "The Resurrection"Very Fluid, just how I like my classical. It may take a few listens to absorb all that's going on, but just like most classical music it is well worth getting into. Don't give up on the first or second listen because there are layers upon layers of brilliance hidden in the music just waiting to be discovered. 4.0/5Hacksaw to the Throat WastelandsHe Is Legend I Am HollywoodHelios EingyaHuldra Signals From the VoidCall it imitation, an homage to the original, or downright theft; Huldra sound hauntingly similar to the Panopticon/Oceanic era Isis that we constantly have wet dreams about. Nothing new, but what they have done they've done perfectly. 4.0/5Immolation Close to a World BelowImmolation Majesty and DecayImmortal All Shall FallIn Flames ColonyClayman still sits a bit higher than this for me, but this is some solid melodeath (less on the 'melo-' than Clayman, but still). 3.9/5iNTRiKeT The WoodsYeah, I don't really have all the butthurt for this like Aids seems to have, but this is a solid piece of work. The weird thing is, I don't feel the "Fear" vibe that Aids (and the liner notes themself) talks about, in actuality the majority this is pretty cozy and comforting for me. Always glad to see some solid work from a fellow sputniker. 4.1/5Ion Dissonance Breathing Is IrrelevantIrepress Samus OctologyIron & Wine Our Endless Numbered DaysGreat modern folk. Honest, soothing, folk from the soul that isn't trying to be something it's not or trying to copy someone who it isn't. A Great album if you want to make an already mellow day even easier. 3.8/5Iron & Wine The Sea and the Rhythm EPSweet and serene folk goodness. I WOULD NOT call myself an authority on the band or the genre even, but I feel that the medicore rating for this EP betrays how good it actually is. 3.9/5Iron Maiden The Number of the BeastIron Thrones Visions of LightIsis Wavering RadiantJapandroids Celebration RockSo, more than 3 years after their first full-length debut and I finally decide to give 'em a spin. Honestly, I'm pleasantly surprised... maybe not completely deserving of all the outrageous praise they seem to be getting, but definitely a duo to be proud to be a member of. 3.9/5Japanese Cartoon In the Jaws of the Lords of DeathNice Album; fun and interesting through and through. I've never listened to Lupe Fiasco but thanks to this I am definitely going to. Not what most people would expect coming from a Hip-Hop artist, but I'm sure all who decide to check this out will be pleasantly surprised! (Also, I love the English accent) 3.9/5Jeff Buckley Grace Around The WorldJeff Rosenstock I Look Like ShitAs sad as it is, it seems that this will be one of god Rosenstock's last hurrahs. Though not quite as well worked-out and finished as his normal releases, this proves to be another example of how much left Jeff has to show us and how much more of a tragedy it is that he's hanging up his guitar 'til who knows when. 3.9/5Jimi Hendrix Band of GypsysAmazing, Albeit not what I was expecting. One problem though, with the amazingness comes a non-shortness, so don't be ready to sit down...listen...and leave. This needs to be enjoyed in full, and that'll take a good 45 mins. So grab a drink, get comfy, and be prepared for a hell of a live album. 4.2/5Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G major, BWV 1049Yeah!!! Harpsichord Solo!!!! Rock On!!!! But really, an amazingly virtuosic display right there. 3.8/5Johann Sebastian Bach The Partitas, BWV 825–830Quite lengthy, but good all the same. Not for someone who wants something exciting or invigorating to get pumped up to... but it makes some sublime "homework music". 4.0/5John Coltrane A Love SupremeIt's Great.... I just feel that it's lacking the integral "something" that made Blue Train so enjoyable for me. 3.8/5Jonathan Coulton Artificial HeartI don't know if I'm disappointed in this album or I love it?! On my first full listen none of the songs really clicked and the whole album felt really disjointed. After a week or two of more off and on listening, I stand by the statement that it is disjointed, but I am appreciating the individual songs so much more (especially "Glasses", "Alone at Home", "Now I am an Arsonist", and "Still Alive"). If you were to hand me this album and say it were a compilation album instead of a debut Full-Length I would immediately believe you. 4.0/5Karnivool ThemataKhann TofutopiaKidcrash JokesKoji Kondo Star Fox 64 OSTThe perfect soundtrack it is not... but it's not bad. The nostalgia factor absolutely plays a factor in video game sound tracks, but that doesn't mean that they're absolutely terrible without the video games themselves. For me this sits at a low 4 among video game soundtracks. 3.85/5Koji Kondo The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary SymphonyA great symphony plays some of the most amazing video game music ever! It may just be the nostalgia talking, but this is absolutely fantastic! 3.9/5Kowloon Walled City Gambling On The Richter ScaleSOMEONE NEEDS TO REVIEW THIS NOW!!!! Severely Underrated album IMO.Kudrow LandoKylesa Static TensionsMuch better than Time Will Fuse Its Worth. Where the previous album was drowning in repetition and monotony, this album really branches out and creates a unique sound for the band. A natural and much appreciated evolution for the band. 3.8/5La Dispute VancouverThe greatest album of all time it is not... what it is is excellent post-hardcore with a s**t-load of emotion and great riffs. If you like any post-hardcore at all it is almost assured that this (or maybe another other of this band's releases) will easily work itself into your regular playlist. 4.1/5La Dispute Somewhere at the Bottom of the River...La Dispute Untitled 7"This 7" works out to be everything La Dispute fully intended it to be. It isn't too long, but in the short time given it completely displays who La Dispute is. Emotional, coarse, melodic, and addictive; a mix you very rarely find, especially all-together. Truly an amazing listen. 3.8/5Laura Stevenson A RecordJeff Mangum's girlfriend if Jeff Mangum didn't already have a girlfriend in Anne Frank. The influence is immediately noticeable... but that isn't really all that bad seeing as it's some pretty good emulation. Not to mention that Laura has one HELL of a Folk Voice. 3.9/5 Legal Free Download: http://quoteunquoterecords.com/qur019.htmLe Pre Ou Je Suis Mort Le Pre Ou Je Suis MortCan't understand a damn thing, but the skill that these guys have makes up for my idiocy 100 times over. An amazing album that shifts back and forth between Post-Rock bliss and Hardcore/Screamo aggressive rampages. Available for free download at Denovali Records.Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IIIHonestly the first Led Zeppelin album I've enjoyed every minute of. With all the other albums I can hear the influence and prowess in the music, but nothing is connecting with me on a integral level; this is the first one to do that. 4.1/5Led Zeppelin Led ZeppelinWhat can I say? It's a classic album and THE Godfathers of Rock n' Roll's debut album... It's impossible to rate this badly. 3.9/5Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IVLed Zeppelin Houses of the HolyA great album, but I guess I can't fully appreciate the supposed perfection of this album. The 1st and back 3 tracks are impeccable, but an album half full of good songs does not a "CLASSIC" make. This is easily a 4, but repeated listens will be needed to confirm whether this is a 5 or just what it appears, a 4 and nothing more. 3.8/5Louis Armstrong The Definitive CollectionSome really good stuff, I just don't see myself consistently listening to this on a daily basis. 4/5Ludwig van Beethoven Two Piano Sonatas, Op. 49You've got some primo stuff right here; both are BRILLIANT piano sonatas. Listening to these two pieces made me take notice of how few and far between truly great pieces of classical music are. A very model piece for the uninitiated. 4.1/5Ludwig van Beethoven Three Piano Sonatas, Op. 31Three fantastic sonatas. In addition to great virtuosity, each sonata has the perfect amount of slow melodic parts to intersperse between the fantastic peaks. Definitely one of the better sonata collections, very worth checking out. 4.1/5Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15Quite good. Sounds much more mature than his symphonies of the time and as such is a much more enjoyable listen in the end. 4.0/5Lye By Mistake Arrangements For Fulminating VectiveLearned about these guys when BTBAM talked about the bands they listened to lately. The Vocalist isn't that great, but the rest it is pretty unique. Lykathea Aflame ElvenefrisManchester Orchestra Mean Everything To NothingMarvin Gaye What's Going OnThis is undeniably great music... it's just not music I would listen to in a million years. 4.1/5Mastodon RemissionMastodon Crack the Skyemaudlin of the Well Part the SecondMaximum the Hormone Greatest The Hits 2011–2011Exactly what I wanted after their lengthy hiatus. If this is anything to go by, these guys still have a lot to offer us. 4.1/5Maximum the Hormone Tsume Tsume Tsume/FUmmmmmm... It has a f**king song about Dragon Ball Z on it, even for me who isn't the most avid fan of the series, that's a definite mark in the awesome category. The other two songs are great as well; crazy, aggressive, and fun in MtH's fashion. 3.9/5Maybeshewill Sing The Word Hope In Four-Part HarmonyDefinitely a much more complete and finished product than Not for Want of Trying. This is definitely a lot louder and more aggressive; and it feels as if they've lost a lot of the "post-rock" sound that was so prominent in the last album. However, with losing that they've found their own unique sound that sets them apart and makes this album so much more enjoyable. 3.9/5Maybeshewill I Was Here For a Moment, Then I Was GoneAnother exemplary album from Maybeshewill. Energetic and majestic; Serene and Bombastic. 3.9/5Mercyful Fate Don't Break the OathMeshuggah obZenJust what I'm looking for in excellent TDM, but like a lot of "instru-metal" it just feels like it's lacking that certain something that will push it from "great" to "fantastic." For those looking to get into the band, this is a good place to start as any IMO. 3.8/5Metallica Master of PuppetsMetallica Kill 'Em AllMetallica ...And Justice for AllMetallica MetallicamewithoutYou Brother, SistermewithoutYou It's All Crazy! It's All False! It's allMichael Ashford This RiverMichael Jackson ThrillerAstoundingly!! not as bad as I expected. Ask any one of my close friends or family members and they'll inform you that I have a obscene abhorrence for mainstream pop. This if honestly the very first "pop" album that I've ever listened to from to beginning to end and actually enjoyed. There's a reason that this is the #1 best-selling album of all time, and though it's not a "perfect" album by any stretch of the imagination, it's definitely worth at least giving a cursory listen by any music fan. 4.1/5Mihai Edrisch L’un Sans L’AutreFairly well executed emo with a hint of experimental/post-rock nuggets of goodness. It's French, so you can't make out a thing they're saying (but were you really going to understand anything to begin with?). Good to try if you have an ear for the genre, but may just sound like complete and utter s**t to the uninitiated. 3.8/5Mihai Edrisch Un Jour Sans LendemainJust because you can't understand a f**king word doesn't mean it isn't amazing. Beautiful skramz, no two ways about it. Listen. Now. 4.2/5Mike Patton Mondo CaneSurprisingly this is quite enjoyable. It brings back memories of California while giving a whole different vibe (in addition to being entirely in Italian). 4.0/5Miles Davis In A Silent WayA phenomenal first half followed by a good, but not as amazing back half. I can definitely tell why this man is considered the god of jazz, but jazz just doesn't seem to hit me the way it hits some people. Hopefully with a few more repeat listens this album's rating will inch its way up 3.8/5Miles Davis Relaxin' With the Miles Davis QuintetQuite Enjoyable... and just enough to keep around. There might just be something to this "JAZZ" thing. 3.8/5Minus the Bear Planet of IceModest Mussorgsky A Night on the Bare MountainNot the most amazing romantic classical piece ever conceived, but more than worthy of the notoriety it's accumulated over the years (mostly thanks to it being the soundtrack for the most bad-ass Disney villain ever). 4.1/5Mono Hymn To The Immortal WindIt has its moments of boredom, but for the most part this is a fresh and very enjoyable album. Would be a solid 4.5 if not for those few snooze-inducing clumps in an otherwise pristine post-rock masterpiece. 4.2/5Monty Python Monty Python SingsIt's a collection of Python's better musical skits, so don't go into this looking for a groundbreaking, experimental score of Biblical proportions. However, as long as you don't start the thing with completely ludicrous preconceptions, this proves to be a pretty enjoyable listen. 3.8/5Morbid Angel CovenantMore Than Life PreludeMr. Bungle Disco VolanteMr. Bungle is undeniably in a musical league of its own, that I can say for sure. My first album with the band was California and I can easily say that that I was confused while at the same time amazed by the brilliant music I was hearing. This album has left me feeling a little more confused than amazed, but There is still that underlying profoundness to the music that makes me stand in awe of Mike Patton. I give it a "excellent" rating and not an "superb" or "classic" one purely because this will never stand up to Mr. Bungle's swansong and as such will never get nearly as many listens or as much appreciation on my part. 3.9/5Muse AbsolutionMuse Origin of SymmetryQuite possibly the single greatest opener of all time. Oh, and the rest of the album is almost perfect as well... It's the times that I listen to this that I cry thinking what Muse has become. 4.2/5Narrows New DistancesA Real Grower; at first I felt that it was just another scrap of hardcore/metalcore, but after listening closer I feel that this could really be as good as "We are the Romans" given enough time... 4.0/5 (though it could rise very easily)Narrows PaintedOkay, so it's probably not another "We Are the Romans" like I said about Narrows' last release, but it is one of the best thing to happen to metalcore all year alongside Converge's newest release. It's scary how under appreciated these massively talented guys are. 4.0/5Neurosis The Eye of Every StormNeurosis Through Silver in BloodHeavy as a ton of bricks. I foresee that this will take repeated listens in the double digits before it really sinks in... 4.0/5Neurosis Souls at ZeroNeutral Milk Hotel On Avery IslandA bit more broken and scattered than In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (if you can even call that composed), but still a strong companion to the masterpiece. The lyrics seem a little more lucid than Mangum's later work, and "noise rock" vibe is a lot more pronounced, so if that is what drew you to NMH then you may love this even more than the aforementioned album but even then it isn't too distracting for non-fans of the genre. All in all a solid album by Jeff that is sadly under-appreciated due to its successor's acclaim. 4.0/5Nice Wings, Icarus! AuroraAnother reason why I'm constantly scouring bandcamp for undiscovered gold. It had been a while since their S/T, but I didn't think they'd mature this much this quickly! Definitely check this out, I still have yet to figure a name for the genre but's that progressive/Post-Rock/Math/Whatever with little-to-no vocals that's been exponentially gaining popularity recently. 3.8/5Nick Drake Bryter LayterIt's Nick Drake... do I really need to say anything else to make it worth your time? I didn't think so. 3.9/5Nightwish Century ChildNile Those Whom the Gods DetestNine Inch Nails The FragileDoesn't really hit me with the force that "The Downward Spiral" or "Year Zero" do, but makes up for it in length. Keep up the good work Reznor. 3.8/5Nine Inch Nails BrokenIt's short... though that's probably the only thing not to like about this EP. Definitely a good listen, though your mileage depending on your love for Trent Reznor. 3.9/5Nine Inch Nails Pretty Hate Machine: 2010 RemasterWhat can I say? It's Reznor doing what he does best. I'll be honest and say I haven't listened to the original mastering, but after this I don't feel I really need to. 4.0/5NOFX Punk in DrublicWhat I consider the iconic "punk" album. Copious amounts of beer, good-times, and one too many stories we'd probably rather forget went into this album and will continue to if NoFX has anything to say about it. Truly an enjoyable album through-and-through 4/5NoGod GenjitsuExcellent melodies and instrumentation all around, by all accounts a fantastic album. The only thing I can't seem to get past is the overwhelming "Visual Kei-ness" that this gives off if that can be said. If you've listened around or maybe just seen one too many anime openings you'll agree with me that there's a very specific voice that literally EVERY Visual Kei vocalist has, and this guy fits that sound to a T. If they got someone not so outrageously cookie-cutteresque for a vocalist, I just might be able to 5 this motherf**ker. 4.0/5Nujabes Metaphorical MusicEqual parts Hip-Hop and Jazz. Both genres complement the other amazingly well. Albums exactly like this are the sole composition of the small sliver of hip-hop that I actually enjoy. 4.1/5Oceans (Hardcore) The Great DivideProgressive + Hardcore + Free + Canada = Major WinOhashi Trio This is MusicA Japanese jazz-dominant Sufjan Stevens. Pretty dang impressive seeing as I just randomly downloaded it when I saw the name and nothing else while browsing last.fm one day. 4.0/5Omega Massif GeisterstadtAt its dark points it can be as sludgy as old motor oil mixed with molasses and as heavy as an f'n black hole; at its light points it can be haunting and mysterious. Starts off with a bang and doesn't disappoint as the album continues. Post-Metal/Sludge the way it's supposed to be done. 4.2/5Omega Massif KaltMassively heavy Post-Metal. Sludgy, looming, and absolutely menacing. Did I mention it's free? F**king listen to it! 4.0/5 get it here: http://denovali.com/mp3shop/Free-Downloads/Omega-Massif-Geisterstadt-Kalt::992.htmlOperation Ivy HecticOpeth OrchidOpeth Still LifeOpeth DamnationOpeth My Arms, Your HearseOpeth The Candlelight YearsOpus Dai Tïerra TrágameOzzy Osbourne Blizzard Of OzzP.O.S. Never BetterPantera Cowboys from HellPantera Vulgar Display Of PowerParliament Mothership ConnectionThe good wholesome funkalicious funkieness of Funk.........FUNKY!!!Paul Baribeau UnbearableGood, very very good. With small-time folk you usually get what you expect, but with this you can be pleasantly surprised. Yes the lyrics aren't written by God himself, but Paul puts just enough emotion into the lyrics to make them sound golden, and that's really what it's all about. Also, you can't really get a better price than FREE. Check it out. 3.9/5 (Download here: http://www.ifyoumakeit.com/album/paul-baribeau/unbearable/ )Pavement Brighten the CornersPerfectly relaxing and blissfully majestic. A great album by one of the bands that best exemplifies the "Indie" genre. 3.9/5Pavement Wowee Zowee - Sordid Sentinels EditionPetrels All Things in CommonVery Sigur Ros-ey on the first track with a strong, bright build-up... then everything gets dark and mysterious finishing up with some great electronic overlay and marimbas. Definitely worth checking out. 4.0/5Philip Glass Einstein on the BeachSurprising as it may seem, this is actually extremely listenable for me. The repetitiveness may be grating for some, but for me repetition is rsomewhat calming and sets up a pseudo trance where focusing on something singular is extremely easy. Also it makes me feel good pretending I actually know a thing about minimalism and crap. 4.0/5Pink Floyd MeddlePink Floyd The Division BellUmm... Well yeah, it's not The Wall, or Dark Side of the Moon, or Animals, or Wish You Were Here, but it's not bad. Seriously, if you give it a listen without having any pre-disposed notions of Floyd's Greatness, it still turns out be be a really great album. 4.0/5Pink Floyd The WallPorcupine Tree DeadwingPorcupine Tree Fear of a Blank PlanetPorcupine Tree The IncidentEven if a bit predictable, still an enjoyable album. The band hasn't really gained or lost anything over the past decade, just that they've found a formula that they all enjoy and they're sticking to it. The variables in this formula are always fluctuating (members' emotional states, new instrumental techniques, new found inspiration, etc.) but, if anything, this album shows me that Porcupine Tree will continue making competent albums (if not amazing ones) from here until the end of time. 3.8/5Pressure Points Remorses to RememberPrimus Frizzle FryMore than just "Too Many Puppies" and "John the Fisherman". This thing is choc-full-of fun, innovative, interesting music. At times Claypool can get a little too deep in his own world and can get out of contact with his audience, but he found the perfect equilibrium with this album. 3.8/5Primus Green NaugahydeSeeing as this is my first real Primus album, it has made a complete fan of me. "Last Salmon Man" is the best single I've heard in quite some time and this album has cemented my belief that Les Claypool is the modern day Frank Zappa. 4.0/5Protest the Hero KeziaMuch more poetic than Fortress. Though their second album has more of a technical and intricate feel when it comes to the instruments, this album's appeal is the flowing and poetic lyrics. If this is the debut of the band I can't wait to see what they can make of themselves in the coming years.Protest the Hero FortressTechnical and fun, but not anything that should be called perfect [and that goes for almost anything in the -core genre (other than Jane Doe)] 4.0/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture, Op. 49Long enough to be considered a full work and not just a lone movement, but short enough to be listenable when you don't want the length of a Symphony or Concerto. And as always from Tchaikovsky, f**king brilliant finale to cap things off. 4.1/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 In F Minor, Op. 36I have no idea whether this is amazing, or a flop in the classical world (seeing as it's my introduction into the genre). All I know is I like it.Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker, Op. 71Quite possibly one of the more over-rated albums of Tchaikovsky. However, just as with Brand New's "TDaGaRIM", that doesn't mean it has to be bad. Being a soundtrack for a play, it doesn't have that freedom that Symphonies do; however, in exchange it appeals to a much larger audience and is more accessible for those who aren't Classical Music buffs. Has quite a few great moments and would really recommend for those trying to get into Tchaikovsky... as long as they don't mind long albums. 3.9/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 in G minor, Op. 13Not bad for a first symphony. As with all of Tchaikovsky's work it is fairly accessible while still showing us those awe-inspiring explosions of intricate beauty. Not Pyotr's best work, but definitely not bad. 4.1/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 18 Pieces, For Piano, Op. 72Sup Pyotr... Still making amazing music?..........no?... oh, you're dead?!!............oh yeah... well... whatever, Amazing collection nonetheless. 3.8/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet, Fantasy-OvertureNot as astounding or as spectacular as some of his Symphonies, but there is more than enough emotional/harmonic range to be sufficient. Very recognizable and short enough to where the classinewbz won't get bored. 3.85/4Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Swan Lake, Op. 20Long and Epic. While it is undoubtedly beautiful and breathtaking in its own right, the combination of it's sheer length and the fact that it is without it's ballet accompaniment brings the enjoyment of the piece down a bit. 3.8/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 22Slightly less astounding as his first quartet, but just as brilliant. 4.2/5 Shameless plug. Read "Emma" by the mangaka Kaoru Mori.Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 3 in E-flat minor, Op. 30More sombre than his previous quartets... but not bad in-and-of itself. Not his greatest, but definitely worth not skipping over. 4.0/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky "Souvenir de Florence", Op. 70Like almost all string quartets, an exhilarating experience. Check it out! 3.8/5Queen News Of The WorldYeah, it doesn't have Bohemian Rhapsody, but it does have two of the greatest rock anthems of all time right at the start of the album. In addition to those two, there really isn't a weak track on here; not all of them are golden, but not a single one holds the album back. 3.9/5Queen JazzClassic hard-rockin' Queen. The album focuses primarily on the Queen's more "rock" side, with only a few ballads mixed in for good measure. 4.1/5Queen The GameA Severely Under-rated Queen Album. Not a perfect hit with each song, but definitely deserving of a little thing called love... 3.8/5Queen Greatest Hits TwoSlightly less amazing than the first Greatest Hits album, but still a fantastic pick of songs. 4.1/5Radiohead The BendsRadiohead Kid AThe best Radiohead album? No. The album of the decade? No. But an awesomely eerie and creepy album that knocks your f**king socks off? Yes. 4.2/5Radiohead OK ComputerHas grown quite a bit over the years, but still isn't the "PERFECT" album some believe it to be. Still, you've gotta' admit that Yorke has a hell of an emotional voice, albeit sounding a bit wobbly. 4.2/5Raekwon Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Even as someone who generally detests hip-hop/rap, this is easily identifiable as the better stuff. No over-produced, superfluous crap. 4.1/5Raised Fist Veil Of IgnoranceThis guys' vocals leave something to be desired, but the band plays pretty well and shows a pretty good representation of hardcore.Rites of Spring End on EndA nice album overall, it has that Fugazi-esque, old-school punk/hardcore sound that is oh so wonderful. However, just like many others (Drive like Jehu for instance) it is way over-rated. A 3.9/5 at best. (have to admit "End on End" is one hell of a closer though)Rodrigo y Gabriela Rodrigo y GabrielaRodrigo y Gabriela 11:11Rosetta A Determinism of MoralityA strong step in the right direction where Wake/Lift took a definite wrong step. Without a doubt, nothing they've done recently can stand up to the brilliance that was Galilean Satellites, but this album has assured me that the band isn't just another one-album-wonder band. 3.8/5Rush Moving PicturesSome may say it's Rush's greatest, and some may say it's their greatest commercial success. I myself sit in the second camp. Nonetheless, Moving Pictures is a hell of an album and was (and still is) crucial in the framework of our current progressive-metal genre. 3.8/5Rush Permanent WavesAnother solid album by the prog-rock masters. Equal ratio of radio-hits to underrated hidden gems. 4.1/5Rush HemispheresAn invigorating album that really makes one realize how much Rush has affected what we have come to know as "Prog-Metal" today. Looking at almost any band with the prefix "prog-" and it is physically impossible not to immediately notice the overwhelming influence. However, as with all paradigm shifts, there are two sides to the new coin, both a good side (amazing technicality and diverse/creative lyrics and concepts) and bad a (unmerciful noodling). Nonetheless, this album as a whole proves to be an amazing album, smack-dab in the middle of Rush's golden year. Well worth buying on the spot given the opportunity. 4.2/5Rush Exit...Stage LeftBarring the infamous endless drum solo on YYZ, this album proves to be an exceptional live album. Usually live albums turn out to be compilation-like in form and are wholly disappointing; this album is exactly the opposite. "Exit..." hits all the good songs, but it doesn't feel forced like I expected it to be. Definitely a win in my book. 4.2/5Rx Bandits ProgressRx Bandits The ResignationRx Bandits ...And the Battle BegunThough this album doesn't come across as energetic or fun as "Progress" did back when RX had more of a Ska influence, they undoubtedly did something right while writing "...and the Battle Begun". Although I myself prefer a more "bouncy", ska-esqe sound to their brand of music, they don't fail in providing that progressive heart to the music that they lacked back in the day. While the majority of the music on this album leans more on the 'prog' side, it still keeps that tiny bit of ska to keep me interested; something they've lost on their most recent album. Still, a great overall album. 3.9/5RZA The Man With The Iron FistsI'm probably the worst person to judge rap, but this is absolutely fantastic; the perfect fusion of Wu-Tang and Tarantino. 3.9/5Sabaton Primo VictoriaSakee Sed Alle Basi Della RoncolaIf Elliott Smith, Jeff Mangum, and Les Claypool had a child.... in Italy. With music that is turns out to be just as confusing as the album cover, you'll never know what's around the next corner. Going back and forth between freaky Claypool-esque funk to melodic masterpieces like "Waltzer" and straight back again can be jarring to some listeners, but for those willing to stick it out and have an open mind/ear I can assure you you won't be disappointed. 4.2/5Saosin Translating the NameLikely Saosin's only really great release. 3.9/5Scale The Summit The CollectiveWhile I couldn't exactly grasp how much the band has improved on first listen, now it is blatantly obvious how much they've matured. Where Caving Desert Canyons was over-saturated at its high points and monotonously repetitive at its lows, The Collective is entertaining and interesting the whole way through. While the genre of instrumental prog may leave something to be desired as a whole, Scale the Summit have definitely found their sound as a band. 3.8/5Scryer Pointless Dissent and Several Lost CausesA bit -CORE-ish, and a bit more prog metal wankery than is preferred, but the overall experience of the album makes up for it. It's a good listen overall, but nothing that hasn't been done before. Good nonetheless. 3.8/5Scryer Necessary EvilsSergei Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 27Just as always, some great Russian romanticism. Melody is bright, and though the body of the work is your pretty standard fare, the finale is absolutely fantastic. 3.9/5 (This is coming from a music connoisseur, if you don't already like baroque/classical/romantic/ect. you probably won't like this).Sergei Rachmaninoff Symphonic Dances, Op. 45An exhilarating listen, definitely one Rachmaninoff's better compositions. 4.2/5Sergei Rachmaninoff The Isle of the dead, Op. 29A very beautiful piece. Not particularly bright, but it definitely has a dark and exciting allure. 4.1/5Shai Hulud That Within Blood Ill-TemperedShpongle Ineffable Mysteries From ShponglelandSigur Ros Hvarf/HeimHvarf: A short collection of B-Sides/Rarities by the band. Overall it gives a general feeling of the justification in them being "B-sides"; none of them hold a candle to anything on any of the Full-Lenghts. 3.0/5rHeim: A beautiful yet short live session by the Icelandic gods. The quality is so perfect and the audience is so respectful on these that it's possible that these are on par with (if not better than) many of their studio recordings. 4.6/5rFinal Rating: 3.8/5Sigur Ros ValtariTo me 'mellow' is the word to describe this album. During the pre-release of this album I remember the teaser featuring the ship on the cover slowly drifting across the horizon as a song played in the background; this album is a lot like that image. With Agaetis Byrjun ( ) the mental image that conjures in my mind is one of majesty and brilliance; an ocean-faring adventurer at the docks, launching his expedition for treasure, notoriety, or what have you. This album is not that, it is safer, closer to home and a lot simpler; Think a tired sea-fisherman returning in the late afternoon awaiting a warm dinner and comfort from his wife and kids. This is not Sigur Ros' early work... and it shouldn't be. It is a more than natural progression of the band that we've come to love and cherish as we ourselves progress daily. 3.9/5SikTh The Trees Are Dead and Dried Out Now why couldn't PtH take a hint from these guys and DEP and make good music? This album is just about on-par with Death of a Dead Day and which one is better is honestly up to personal taste. Definitely one of the better math-core bands out there even if the vocals get a bit grating every so often. 4.1/5SikTh Death of a Dead DaySikTh How May I Help You?Silent Lapse BirthrightProgressive metal at it's most average. This album is neither good nor bad. It has it's moments when you're astounded like at the beginning of "Final Error", and then there are times when you sit back and wonder, "haven't I heard this 10,000 times already?" Overall I'd say it's worth a listen, but not worth paying for or keeping unless you are a SERIOUS prog metal-head. 3.8/5Sioum I Am Mortal, But Was FiendThis is some quite good post-metal. Nothing as quite as epic as Isis or Cult of Luna, but still a very good album. May times it is actually quite tranquil; almost like a combination of post-rock and post-metal. 3.8Sithu Aye CassiniSithu Aye pulls it off, probably the only listenable djent in the entire world. 3.8/5Sons of God The Genesis PrologueWhoa, WAY better than I was expecting judging from the semi-pretentious band name and the fact that I got it for free. A really great, accessible, Alternative/Indie-ish EP with loads of replay value. Download it free here: http://www.comeandlive.com/downloadsSoundgarden SuperunknownSoundtrack Once More With FeelingLess of an impact than the actual episode, but still very fun and one of the better musicals to come out of cable television. 3.8/5Soundtrack Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along BlogNo brilliant writing, instrumentation is lacking, and it's a bit short... but DAMN IS IT CATCHY!!! 4.1/5Spiritual Beggars Ad AstraState Faults Head in the CloudsFantastic instrumentation and overall musicianship; s**t vocals, even by screamo standards. If the man crooned like he did on "Quiet Steps" more often then it would be an entirely different story. 3.9/5 (would be a solid 4.5 if not for the vocals)Steve Reich DrummingLike most "Modern" music, it is more trance-like or "whitenoise"-esqe than anything. Still, it is interesting and takes a creative mind to understand. Nothing life-altering or paradigm-shifting, but an enjoyable listen for the most part. 4.0/5Steven Wilson Grace for DrowningWhile a fantastic album in its own right, this thing is mind-bogglingly fantastic considering it's a solo album. Keep up the Good work Steven! 4.0/5Strapping Young Lad Alienthe upside is that it's f**king SYL; the downside is it's not City. Still, there's more than a handful of classic SYL face-melters on here, so it's a definite win for metalheads the world over. Check this out even if only for "Love?". 4.0/5Strapping Young Lad Strapping Young LadYeah, no matter which way you cut it this isn't City 2, but never mind that, it's still a solid metal album and a welcome member of HevyDevy's massive discography. 3.9/5Strapping Young Lad The New BlackStreetlight Manifesto Somewhere in the BetweenStreetlight Manifesto Everything Goes Numb DemoStreetlight Manifesto 99 Songs of Revolution: Volume IA great ska-ification of fantastic punk songs, what isn't there to love? Yeah, it can't really stand up to original material... but seriously guys, this is a cover album; most cover albums are absolute s**t! Definitely worth checking out for any ska fan. 3.8/5Sufjan Stevens MichiganBeing the starting point of such a massive undertaking as "the Fifty States Project", many see it just as the start of a career-long gimmick. However, overall it proves to be an excellent album in it's own right; displaying that unique Sufjan elegance that we've come to love, while still leaving room for improvement and experimentation down the road. When compared to "Illinois" it is softer; containing more subtle messages and being less boisterous than its successor. 3.92/5Sufjan Stevens Songs For ChristmasProbably one of the only "Christmas Albums" I will honestly sit down and listen to. Not every song is a hit, but more than enough of them have that sweet nostalgic hint that partially comes from Sufjan (the sweetness) and partially from the fact that the songs are part of the public domain (the nostalgia). 3.8/5 Also, for those who can't take the entire collection in one sitting, split it up into 5 EPs. It makes it much more digestible and therefore much more enjoyable.Sufjan Stevens All Delighted PeopleSufjan Stevens The Age of AdzNot Exactly the direction any of us expected nor wanted Sufjan to go, but that's where he went. Down an electro-symphonic road, Sufjan has lost his sense of self. This new route is plagued with an abundance of meaningless off-shoots and round-abouts, but makes up for its indirectness in beauty. "The Age of Adz" is a scenic route and should be enjoyed for what it is and not what we want it to be. 3.9/5Sufjan Stevens Silver & GoldPretty much what we were all expecting; Sufjan and his happy band of crazies doing what they do best. Broken down, Volumes 6 & 9 are pretty akin to his previous Songs for Christmas collection, with volumes 7 & 8 venturing in more experimental directions. Volume 7 is almost entirely comprised of large group choruses while volume 8 is some sort of acid-fueled space odyssey. The Final Volume "Christmas Unicorn" is where Sufjan really shines brightest though. One of the most memorable and freshest "Christmas" albums that I think I've ever heard. Thank you Sufjan, you've made the little boy in me very happy. 4.0/5Takeharu Ishimoto The World Ends With You OSTNot the most amazing of soundtracks, but the choice of music meshes perfectly with the game. The short, catchy, exciting ditties work equally well in short 3-hit battles as well as lengthy pain-in-the-butt battles. Overall a good OST but not for those uncomfortable with hip-hop or j-pop/j-rock. 3.8/5Takeharu Ishimoto "Subarashiki Konosekai" + TWEWY (EP)Just a small collection of the more prevalent songs in the game. Many of the songs songs here are nearly completely in English, so that might make it a bit more listenable to some. May of the songs on here are also those that usually get cut off during gameplay, so this finally gives you a chance to listen to many of them in their full glory. Definitely not the j-pop crap you'd probably expect from a game set in Shibuya. 3.8/5Talk Talk Laughing StockTeenage Poster Computer Club DemoThe first of three songs on this Demo is "Great Britain's Most Expensive Teenager Stole a Sheep" and from the very start they don't mess around. It starts with some subtle yet interesting guitar and continue bring more instruments (and a voice) in as it leads to the chorus. Overall it is a pretty well put together opener and helps in intriguing the listener to "see what's inside." The middle track is named "The Last Petit" and it has a slightly more progressive/ambient feel and it better displays each musician's talent; most of the track being instrumental helps show the creativity in the way they structure songs. Whereas most instrumental ballads come across as too long and repetitive, each second of this song proves to be wholly enjoyable, from beginning to end. The final song, "Wren: Hero of the Jungle" is fairly comparable to "The Last Petit" but it comes across a little softer and helps end the demo by providing a couple mellow grooves and soft velvety vocals to set the listener down gently. If this demo shows even the tiniest fraction of what these guys are capable of, I expect to see their name a lot more often in the near future. 4.1/5Tenacious D Rize of the FenixFor what should be by anyone's measurements a long-dead joke, this holds up incredibly well. The great songs solidly outnumber the misses and the comedy is quite funny. Not a cornucopia of innovative musical talent, but it does what it intended to do well. 3.8/5Testament The Formation Of DamnationThe Arrogant Sons of Bitches This Is What You GetSka-ification of maybe the greatest band of my generation? Yes please!!! The Brittish sterotypes shouted during intermissions are entertaining as well. 3.8/5 The Beach Boys Pet SoundsA really, really great album. Very cheery and accessible album. Honestly, if you don't find this at least a little bit enjoyable there's something seriously wrong with you. 4.2/5The Beatles Abbey RoadGreat songs abound on here and 'Abbey Road' is undoubtedly their most commercially successful and well known release, but for the most part it is vastly overrated. The flow of the album from song to song is grating going from a great 'Serious' song a (though just as good) 'silly' song and back again *see first five or so tracks*. If this album was split in two or the tracklist were seriously overhauled I could possibly start to see the allure of this album but until then earlier albums like 'Rubber Soul' and 'Revolver'. 3.7/5 *8/2012* After a few more listens, I still stand by the belief that this doesn't deserve a 5... but I have grown to enjoy it more. The dichotomy between the songs is a lot less noticeable and I can better appreciate the album for what it is. I no longer feel that a re-working of the album would make it any better and feel that there are very few "weak" songs on the album. Still, although there are many "great" songs, I do not feel as spiritual connection with the band though this album like some seem to claim. I'm willing to raise my rating to a 4.1 or 4.2, but that's as high as I feel this will ever be for me. 4.15/5The Dear Hunter Act III: Life and DeathThe Dear Hunter BlackFantastic! Absolutely Fantastic!!! Starts heavy and continues progressive with just the perfect vocals. Sounds like something between Muse, Circa Survive, and The Mars Volta. 3.9/5The Devin Townsend Band SynchestraAs always, superb stuff from the crazy Canadian... Not as brilliant as Ocean Machine: Biomech or Infinity, but definitely better than Accelerated Evolution. 4.0/5The Devin Townsend Band Accelerated EvolutionDevin Townsend doing what Devin Townsend does best, making beautifully emotive music with his patently majestic wall of sound. 4.1/5The Devin Townsend Project EpicloudThis definitely isn't a "Classic" worthy of a 5, but it's still nothing to sneeze at. Put simply it is "Addicted pt. 2", if you absolutely loved his work on that then you'll absolutely love this. If you prefer his heavier or more progressive works like City or Ghost, then this will undoubtedly seem a waste of an album. As for me I personally can't get enough of (not so)HevyDevy's brand of "Pop-Metal". 4.1/5The Dillinger Escape Plan Calculating InfinityThe Dillinger Escape Plan Miss MachineThe Dillinger Escape Plan Irony Is a Dead SceneThe Dillinger Escape Plan Option ParalysisThe Flaming Lips The Soft BulletinWayne Coyne working more of is beautiful magic. This still sits just a bit lower than Yoshimi, but it's still a fantastic album. For all you out there not listening to The Flaming Lips; Stop, just Stop.... I'm serious, Stop. 4.1/5The Flaming Tsunamis Zombies vs Robots!The Gaslight Anthem The 59 SoundThe Mars Volta Frances the MuteHas the same problem a lot of people say Gojira has; the songs just drag on for far too long. If you find that kind of wankery enjoyable, then good for you. As for the rest of us we basically zone out by the end of "L'Via L'Viaquez". 4/5The Max Levine Ensemble Ben Weasel Split 7"Ben Weasel can kiss my a**. These guys win 10 ways to Sunday.The Mayan Factor In Lake 'CHThe Mountain Goats The Coroner's GambitSomewhere between Nick Drake and Jeff Mangum; Absolutely beautiful. I'd heard of the guy (John Darnielle) and I thought I'd like him; turns out I love him. Seeing as I haven't checked out his other stuff, this rating might fluctuate, but at the very least, I'm liking it. 3.9/5The National High VioletMy hipster-of-hipsters gene is screaming at me to hate this since it's has such a mainstream indie sound, but Matt... Your voice... Matt... 4.1/5The Ocean PrecambrianThe Olivia Tremor Control Black Foliage: Animation Music Volume 1"Neutral Milk Beatle" is the name I'd make up describe this music. Very psychedelic and poppy, like some of the Beatles' later stuff, but still very NOT the Beatles. I can definitely tell that I've only scratched the very surface of what this album has to offer. 4.0/5 (will likely go higher)The Pax Cecilia Blessed Are The BondsI had heard a little bit about this band previously and had ever so slightly had the inkling to check them out; I was not disappointed. These guys are masters at combining several different sounds and yet still retaining their original sound.r(Update) Over a year since first listening and I still don't know what to make of this... Amazing nonetheless. 4.1/5The Please & Thank Yous Mind Your P's & Q'sKind of surprising, it has a very vaguely ska-esqe vibe running through the whole album. Great non-generic pop-punk. It's what most pop-punk should be instead of the poop-punk we get like FYS, Green Day, and NFG. A couple songs have a loose emo influence, though its obviously diluted; overall a really great album. Pick this up if your looking for some very accessible pop-punk/emo/ska. 4.0/5The Red Chord Fed Through the Teeth MachineThe Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground & NicoNot immediately a life-changing album, but underneath it all I can sense great promise. With repeated listens I'm sure I'll discover the depth that other people jizz over for this album. The Welcome Wagon Welcome to the Welcome WagonThe "Illinoise" flavored juice that Sufjan drenched this album in is probably one of the main reasons that I am enjoying this album so much. For an album primarily comprised of gospel/Praise-and-worship songs (which I have to admit I believe to be one of the weakest genres, even as a devout Christian myself), Sufjan makes this more than listenable. If only all churches were led by people like this couple I feel that there'd be a much smaller problem of filling those back pews every Sunday. 4.0/5The Wild The WildThe Wild Set Ourselves FreeYoung, vibrant, fun, accessible, and colorful; all great words to describe this album. Yeah it ain't groundbreakingly new or genre-bending, but it does folk-punk just the way it's supposed to be done, Right. 4.0/5Thomas Newman Wall-EAn amazing soundtrack for an even more amazing movie. Symphonic and exciting at its highs, then soothing and heart-warming/tear-jerking at its lows. Perfectly matches the emotional roller-coaster that is the movie. 4.1/5Thousandaires Million Dollar Move, Two Dollar ShotNot anything astoundingly different from what they provided for us a year or so ago. They've cleaned up their sound a little, sounding just good enough to not be playing in a garage, but that's that's the only that's progressed in the time since. Would be a 4.5 but they lose points for not progressing much in the musical sense. 4.0/5 (also, great lyrics as always)Thrice The Illusion Of SafetyThrice The Artist In The AmbulanceI remember first picking this up and finding it very skippable, gave it another spin today and it's definitely sounding much better. This still probably sits as my least favorite of the three when compared to Vheissu and The Illusion of Safety; still, a fantastic album exemplary of what post-millennial Post-Hardcore should be. 3.8/5Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. I & IIThe Alchemy Index could be said to be a perfect concept series. Each album has the band going in different directions and experimenting while still maintaining a signature unmistakable "Thrice" sound. With 'Fire' Thrice try out a heavier and more aggressive, solidly post-hardcore sound (which they perform phenomenally I might add). 'Water' however is much more mellow with Thrice skirting the post-rock and ambient genres at times. Fire: 4.2/5, Water: 3.9/5Thrice The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IVIMHO, the weaker pair of "The Alchemy Index." "Air" is very mellow in the same way that "Water" was, this time shedding the aforementioned album's murkiness and going straight forward with for the most part soft and soothing ballads. The final volume has the band tapping into a more folky vein. No matter what way you slice it, these albums are an unquestionable success. Even if you don't like one album, the other three almost assuredly have you covered. Air: 3.6/5, Earth: 3.9/5Thriftworks RainmakerQuite a bit more accessible than the EP, at least for me... I think this very well may have saved the genre of electronica as a whole for me! 4.0/5Thriftworks Hermetic ThriftologyThis falls just a bit below Rainmaker, but I'm surprised, this might actually be getting me into electronica. 3.8/5Thursday No DevolucionAn amazing swansong if I ever heard one. With as many times as I've tried listening to Full Collapse and failed to love it (or even like it really) I came into this expecting absolutely nothing; I was entirely blown away. While at first I was a little irked that the vocals felt like the were pushed through the same filter that Chino Moreno uses, but I quickly got past that and was able to really enjoy the album (and maybe the band) for what it is. 3.9/5Tom Waits Rain DogsScattered, confusing, and unsettling... but at the same time unbelievably beautiful. I can only assume that Mike Patton drew a lot of influence from this guy and with good reason, undeniably years ahead of his time. 4.2/5Tom Waits SwordfishtrombonesWith this album I'm definitely getting more of an "...Interesting..." feeling than the "Wow, this is confusingly beautiful" feeling that I got with Rain Dogs. A solid album; definitely not for everybody, but nonetheless impressive. 3.8/5Tom Waits Mule VariationsWith this being the 3rd album of Waits' that I've listened to, I've resigned myself to never trying to understand Tom. One minute he's weirding the hell out of the listener with some spastic scat-singing affront, the next he's composing the most beautiful lullaby-like ballad I've heard in years. Whoever he is, he's undoubtedly a genius. 4.1/5Tool LateralusTool AenimaTool UndertowTouche Amore/La Dispute Searching for a Pulse/The Worth of the WorldWhile it still doesn't live up to the hyperbolic hype that it attained, both bands do an excellent job on this split making for an easy 4.0/5.Transistor Transistor Erase All Name and LikenessTrent Reznor and Atticus Ross The Social NetworkThough maybe not the greatest soundtrack to grace the annals of film history, a pleasant listen well deserving of more than a cursory listen. Just what I expected in a soundtrack affiliated with Trent Reznor. 3.8/5Trophy Scars Hospital MusicBasically a just a great post-hardcore/screamo EP. The 25 minute run-time really helps it; it's long enough to have substance, but not too long that it drags on and becomes repetitive (something sadly all too common in the genre). It's not the greatest music ever made, but it's a long-shot from being the worst and could help some casual P-HxC listeners in getting into the real dissonance and experimental-ness of most Skramz. Overall a good album for casual listening. 3.8/5United Nations United NationsWeezer PinkertonWhy? AlopeciaJust as good as I remember it, great spacey indie with a unique hip-hop flair. Not overly-produced (which is the downfall of a lot of great music), but simple and clean. 3.8/5 Wino Punctuated EquilibriumWu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)While I wouldn't in my wildest dreams call myself a die-hard fan of Rap, I can still tell the good from the bad and this is without a doubt some of the best out there. 4.2/5Year of No Light NordYes Close to the EdgeUnique, thought-provoking, and a little weird. Although Yes is an easily recognizable name in the progressive world, ask anyone on the street and they will agree that they are nowhere near as renown as names like Pink Floyd or King Crimson. This fact a bit depressing (seeing as the music is still brilliant) but well deserved. No matter which way I listen to them, not of Yes' works hit that "Perfect" sound that I yearn for and achieve other bands. This album proves to be a incredibly solid album and is a delight to listen to, but it is just being held back by something that escapes my grasp. Nevertheless, this is definitely a recommended album for any prog lover. 4.0/5Yes FragileYo La Tengo Popular SongsYo-Yo Ma and Others The Goat Rodeo SessionsFantastic... just fantastic. The perfect mix of heartland Americana and brilliant musicianship. 4.2/5Yo-Yo Ma and Others Appalachian JourneyOn par with their more recent Goat Rodeo Sessions. The amazing vocals on tracks 3 & 14 really set this one apart from the other "Appalachian" sessions. 4.2/5Yoko Shimomura Kingdom Hearts Original SoundtrackNostalgia out the wazoo with this (definitely once you get around the end), though I will admit that it is weaker than the second game's OST. Still, great video game music. 4.0/5Yoko Shimomura Drammatica: The Very Best of Yoko ShimomuraKingdom Hearts is what initially brought me to love Shimomura, and in that aspect this didn't disappoint, but as an added bonus this introduced me to her other work! Now, Off to play Video Games!!! 4.1/5Yoko Shimomura Piano Collections KINGDOM HEARTSI may be a little bit biased seeing as KH was (and still is) THE series I reminisce about when thinking about the good parts of childhood, but this is just fantastic. Great songs masterfully crafted by Shimomura-sensei are re-worked by various soloists for a beautiful album full of beautiful music and blissful childhood nostalgia. 4.0/5Yoko Shimomura Piano Collections KINGDOM HEARTS Field & BattleNostalgic, just like the first piano collection, only this one covers some of the memorable battle-songs and world-soundtracks instead of core character melodies and themes. Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of the series. 4.2/5Yoko Shimomura KH Birth by Sleep & 358/2 Days OSTBirth By Sleep - Chock-full of great original music. Yeah Ven's theme is just a thinly veiled theme of theme of Roxas, but the plethora of original worlds brought with it brand new music. Definitely the puzzle-piece that makes this whole triple-soundtrack enjoyable. Score: 4.1/5 358/2 Days - Slightly more fleshed out than Re:Coded. Most of the original songs are pretty much just modifications of songs found near the end of KHII though. Score: 3.7/5 Re:Coded - Little new original music and repetitiveness lead this to be probably the most boring of the soundtracks... Very reflective of the "not relatively important to the story-line" vibe that comes across while playing the game itself. Score: 3.2/5 Cumulative: 3.825/5Yoko Shimomura KH: Dream Drop Distance Original SoundtrackOkay... Yeah it's "the new installment" in a long series, but Yoko hit it out of the park with this soundtrack. All new music to go with brand new worlds, each one fresh and fun. 4.1/53.5 greatA Sunny Day In Glasgow Live at Primavera Sound May 28, 2010A pretty solid live set. Continual beautiful music and it doesn't come much cheaper at FREE! Download it Here: ://tinyurl.com/26x3lx2Absu TaraAbsu In the Eyes of IoldánachAdam Sandler What The Hell Happened To Me!Aeon Spoke Above the Buried CryAFI Sing the SorrowAlice in Chains Black Gives Way to BlueAmerican War RhetoricAmogh Symphony Abolishing the Obsolete SystemProgressive, a bit technical, and weird at times. A great release from a, for the most part, completely unknown band. A long listen with a lot of eastern influences seeing as the band is Indian. Almost lyric-less except for some deaf vocals on the 6th track. It's good to finally see some people from this generation finally stepping up and creating something experimental, interesting, and inventive. 3.4/5 (for fans of Dream Theater)Amorphis Am UniversumAn Albatross Blessphemy (Of The Peace-Beast FeastgiveAnaal Nathrakh EschatonAnacrusis ReasonAnamanaguchi Power SupplyNot as intense or intricate as their later work, but still some solid chiptune music. 3.7/5Anamanaguchi MessLess ups and downs than the rest of the summer singles... still good but not quite as good as its predecessors. 3.6/5Anathema JudgementYeah it's good prog/alternative if you're into that sort of thing, but as for me, if I'm in the meed I'd reach for something in the Steve Wilson direction 99 times out of 100. 3.7/5And The Hero Fails Empire SmilesAndrew Bird Armchair ApocryphaA great album in its own right, I just feel I've heard it so many times before. 3.6Andrew W.K. I Get WetAnimal Collective Merriweather Post PavilionAnimals as Leaders WeightlessYour general "Instru-metal" album... might be good for some head bobbing... but if you're looking for some real music look elsewhere. 3.4/5Antigua y Barbuda Try FutureAntonin Dvorak Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 10Definitely has some thought put into it... but it just doesn't work out the way I assume he wanted it to. Another classical symphony that doesn't stand up to the ages and falls out of human memory. 3.3/5Antonin Dvorak Symphony No. 6 in D Major, Op. 60Pretty mediocre with brief hints of grandeur in the first 2 movements. However, when the 3rd movement hits, things really pick up. Good enough to call a success, but still not an over-arching display of classical brilliance like the kind you find in the New World Symphony. 3.74/5Arcade Fire The SuburbsArctic Monkeys HumbugAs Tall As Lions You Can't Take It With Youa light nu-prog album with heavy indie influences. This album does nothing but repackage already present parties.... but in actuality they don't do a bad job of it. Anyone with a working ear can tell that these guys are just copying and reiterating what RX Bandits and TMV have done before; so in that sense they're kind of drab. However, if you like that kind of music, enjoy, it's great, albiet a great facsimile. 3.7/5 (Also, Dan Nigro does a hell of a job as a Jeff Buckley impersonator on "Duermete")August Burns Red MessengersAugust Burns Red ConstellationsAustrian Death Machine Total Brutalnot the best metal around but deserves at least a 4 for funniness alone.Bad Religion The Empire Strikes FirstBark Cat Bark MathildeBaroness Blue RecordBaroness Yellow and GreenI can definitely hear the change in direction. Instead of the sludgy prog-metal of their first 2 albums, it's more of a the middle-of-the-road prog-rock sound. While at first it doesn't sound all that appealing, a couple tracks into the double-album Baroness start making the listen worth while. While not perfect, the album just works. 3.6/5Battle of Mice A Day Of NightsBattles MirroredBeastie Boys Licensed To IllTo start things off, OS Hip-Hop has been by far the hardest genre for me to get into and I'm still struggling on this album. However, in spite of this; "Licensed to Ill" was a pretty enjoyable listen. The first 5 or so tracks were a bit lacking, but as soon as 'Fight for your Right' hit the album as a whole got a lot better. Tighter rhymes, better grooves, and overall a much more cohesive 2nd half. 3.6/5Beastie Boys Paul's BoutiqueAn album from a different time. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome... just... the time difference between when this was made, and the time of life where this would be most influential (not to mention the supreme cultural change during the time) is just too large of a gap to be really enjoyable. Good luck to other listeners though... 3.6/5Becoming the Archetype DichotomyBig D and the Kids Table Strictly RudeBjork HomogenicBlack Tusk Taste The SinBlind Melon For My FriendsBob Dylan Bob DylanNot the most fantastic album in Bob Dylan's extensive career, but still a very enjoyable album well worth checking out even if just for 'House of the Rising Sun.' 3.7/5Brian Eno Ambient 1: Music For AirportsBrian Wilson SmileA very diverse album that at points it feels diametrically opposite to the classic Beach Boys sound. I can definitely see how to a Beach Boys fanboy this would be like sex, but for me but I can name dozens of albums that impacted me more in a heartbeat. 3.6/5Broken Bells Broken BellsNot great, not horrible. Before giving this a listen one might look at the two people that birthed this child, Danger Mouse and the Brian Burton of the Shins. At first glance it would seem that great (DM) + good (BB) would = pretty good, but it just doesn't. It is an enjoyable listen, but it doesn't break away from the norm or shock, which is what most people (including me) want in their music. In this case the algorithm that has been used so many times before (supergroups) still results in a slight disappointment. 3.5/5Buckethead The Cuckoo Clocks of HellPicks up around half way through the album, good album by a very unique artist.calculator These Roots Grow Deep...Much Better Skramz than I was expecting. Will probably whore these guys down the road.Captain, We're Sinking It's A TrapDue to repeated listens, maybe I'll finally learn to spell Captain correctly.Cave In Perfect Pitch BlackCave In JupiterCave In Planets of OldCee Lo Green The Lady KillerPretty good but not anything sputnik would or should go crazy for. Singles rule the pop/hip-hop/R&B world and this album obviously does it right. 3.7/5Celeste Pessimiste(s)Chewing On Tinfoil Get Rich Or Try Dyin'Chotto Ghetto RampageYeah, Check these guys out Free at QuoteUnquote to boot >> ://quoteunquoterecords.com/qur010.htmChotto Ghetto 5 Magical Years: The Ox ChroniclesIt's a live session from an LA radio station, so needless to say the quality suffers when compared to their other releases (even given the underground status of the band.) Not to mention that the band gets a little (by which I mean really) goofy after each set. Still a good light-hearted listen for fans of the band. 3.6/5 Download it free here - http://www.phatnphunky.com/disco/disco19.html -Chotto Ghetto Lover CoversDespite how terrible it could've been, this is a surprisingly good collection of covers. True Love Waits (ft. Jeff Rosenstock) definitely stands out for me, but the whole thing is definitely worth checking out even if just for the novelty of it. 3.6/5Circa Survive JuturnaYeah, it's not as accessible as Blue Sky Noise, but it's still great. It's enjoyable, it's a little different, and there's nothing like Anthony Green's voice. Not perfect, but well worth a listen. 3.7/5Cloudkicker The DiscoveryInstru-metal handled well. Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but definitely enjoyable. Cut back a little on having too much going on at the same time and it'd be perfect. 3.6/5Cloudkicker The Map Is Not The TerritoryCloudkicker BeaconsAs with all instru-metal, repetition is to be expected, and in that aspect "Beacons" doesn't diverge from the pack. However, don't think that just because I said that, that this is just the same riff strummed over-and-over-and-over again, because it isn't; there is more than enough variation to stand separate from the rest of the herd. Not the a classic, masterpiece, or anything of the sort by a long shot, but definitely worthy in its own right. 3.4/5Clutch The Elephant RidersObviously this isn't as great as Blast Tyrant or the S/T. As such, don't expect it to be. Nevertheless, "Elephant Riders" turns out to be a pretty enjoyable album. Less refined than the masterpieces of Exodus and Blast but with more substance than their earlier work. *sigh* Basically I'm just BSing all over the place in an effort to explain that this is the middle of the road for clutch; worth checking out if you like the genre or Clutch themselves, but not the best for almost anyone else. 3.6/5 Clutch Jam RoomCoalesce OXCoheed and Cambria The Afterman: DescensionA Little less enjoyable than Ascension, but both are are easily better than GA:2 and YotBR, so Coheed has definitely re-found their direction. 3.6/5Converge You Fail MeAn all-around aggressive and entertaining album as well as a necessary step in solidifying their post-Jane Doe sound, but in the end it just doesn't come off as wholly copacetic or satisfying as both their earlier (post-Halo in a Haystack) or more recent albums. 3.3/5Converge When Forever Comes CrashingConverge Caring and KillingAn unrefined and unlearned form of the Converge we've come to know and lube, but this record is not disappointing in any way shape or form.Cowards SolitudeCro-Mags Age of QuarrelCursive Such Blinding Stars for Starving EyesBasically everything you expected. If you've listened to later Cursive, this is what came before. With immaturity comes pros and cons. As always with Cursive's music, emotion is at the forefront. On this debut, it is noticeably less refined, but still listenable. How much enjoyment you get from basically ends on how coarse you like your music. For me, this album is a weak point... but well serves as a more than decent debut for a band that I have come to love so much. 3.7/5Cynic Re-TracedA Progressive EP from a Progressive Death Metal Band. It sounds a bit different from the normal Cynic, but that's to be expected with progression. Not necessarily the wrong direction for the band, but much of this EP just sounds like the musical equivalent of microwaved turkey a week after Thanksgiving; originally delicious, but something happened to it in the re-heating process and now it's a bit unappetizing. 3.3/5Damascus Of Whom I Always ThinkThough I don't get how it's necessarily about Tesla when not a single word is said throughout the entire album, it's great post-rock nonetheless. 3.7/5Dance Gavin Dance HappinessDavid Bowie Hunky DoryI really need some alone time with this apparently... I mean I can definitely tell why so many people have nothing but great things say about it on first listen... but I still can't grasp the "orgasmic" experience some seem to achieve when they listen to this. Ziggy Stardust took several listens to sink in for me... maybe (hopefully) the same thing is happening with this. 3.7/5 (for now)Deerhunter MicrocastleDeftones AdrenalineSo this is where it all started. In a word, I'd say it sounds like "immature" deftones, because that exactly what it is, it's a debut. You can definitely hear a lot more angst and rage than the melodic-ness found later on down the road and that is interpreted as a upside or a downside depending on personal preference. For me this sits as a solid 3.5/5Deftones Around the FurAdrenaline pt. 2. Still very chaotic compared to White Pony, but definitely more well though out than its predecessor. It succeeds phenomenally in many areas where Adrenaline failed, but for those who have already heard and loved White Pony, this will feel a little sub-par. Still, a great album and well deserving of at least a 3.7/5 in my book.Deftones Diamond EyesDepeche Mode Music for the MassesDevin Townsend PhysicistWith the exception of "Kingdom", the rest of this album just seems just a bit lacklustre by HevyDevy's standards. Still, an enjoyable album in the long run. 3.3/5Devin Townsend Ziltoid the OmniscientWhy do you guys complain about this so much? Yes, this is boring by HevyDevy's standards, and yes this is a half-baked concept album from hell, but it's 10X better than most of the "metal" gargled out on a regular basis by those XYZ-core f**ks. Give it a light-hearted listen before screaming "lame", I'm sure you'll find it at least tolerable. 3.7/5Diablo Swing Orchestra The Butcher's BallroomDionaea GroundsCrazy and off-the-wall spaz-core, yet held together very well and very beautiful near the end of the second track. 3.7/5Direct Hit! #4Great catchy pop-punk. Accessible and enjoyable while being just short enough to not get boring. All the songs sound vaguely similar, but that's nothing bad when the pop-punk is this good. 3.5/5Direct Hit! #5A small step down from the quality pop-punk of "#4", but it's still worth checking out. 3.7/5Dissection Storm of the Light's BaneWeird, I just listened to None So Vile the other day and absolutely loved it... this, not so much for some reason... 3.4/5Dominic DominicA Great little EP for familiarizing a listener with the band's sound, but just far too short to glean any real lasting enjoyment from. 3.7/5DOOMRIDERS Darkness Come AliveDream Theater OctavariumDream Theater A Dramatic Turn of EventsThe regular prog-metal offering from Dream Theater that we've come to be familiar with. Nothing outlandishly outstanding... other than the over-the-top antics that come with the genre. Still, a pleasurable listen. 3.7/10dredg Catch Without ArmsDustin Kensrue Please Come HomeWhile the parts where Kensrue gets a little too fauxlky for his own good can get a little grating, the album is for the most part very enjoyable. Dustin did his best work with the band, but for any real fan of the band this is definitely worth checking out. 3.6/5East of the Wall SplitElliott Smith Division Day/No Name #6It's without a doubt one of his poppier numbers, and neither song would sound really at home on any of his albums except MAYBE Figure 8 and even then it's a stretch. However, even in spite of that, both songs are solid and aren't found anywhere else in his discography, so if you're a solid fan of his definitely check this out. 3.7/5Elvis Costello My Aim Is TrueClassic old-school rock, and a not-too-shabby debut either. If this album is anything to go by, chock Elvis Costello up on my big board of artists whose discographies I need to get to know better. 3.7/5Eminem The Slim Shady LPError ErrorEsbjorn Svensson Trio From Gagarin's Point Of ViewGreat jazz, no two ways about it. More the cool/easy listening type than the Mingus/Brubeck style "in your face, fast and furious" that is generally more to my interests, but still a solid jazz album. 3.7/5Eschaton GodModeFirst coming into this album I was totally expecting nothing seeing as I found this on "freemetalalbums.com". However, I am pleasantly surprised after listen. The drums (almost sounding like bongos sometimes) can get very annoying very quickly but most listeners will be able to ignore them for the most part after a song or two and the other instrumentation on the album helps in making than makes up for it. If not for the drums this would be my go-to BDM album. 3.7/5Eschaton An Instrument of Darkness6 years for 2 fairly skippable songs? I expected more Eschaton. With their new EP, Eschaton has evolved and changed. While the new contains inklings of that BM sound contained on "Godmode" it is severely diluted on this new EP. It's less BM and now more or less a DM/Doom blend with a BM sprinkling. Not horrible, but not really worth downloading unless you're really on a Blacked DM binge. 3.3/5Exivious ExiviousExplosions in the Sky All of a Sudden, I Miss EveryoneExtol SynergyKind of what I was expecting but still a somewhat of a letdown. More -core than DM. 3.4/5Extortion Loose ScrewsFAULTY WIRING!!!! JSKAONVAISDALW"RWE FAULTY WIRING!!! Far Tin Cans with Strings to YouMostly known for containing a song from BtVS, but stands up fairly well on it's own. Cannot hold a candle to Emo/Post-Hardcore masters like Sunny Day Real Estate and the like, but still a very listenable album. Enjoyable for almost anyone. 3.7/5Fierce Brosnan Basement Demo 2007great emo-punk with fair to horrible production. Good music that doesn't drag on too often, but isn't good enough to be called really exceptional music. Enjoyable, but not enjoyable enough to waste the precious limited space of my mp3 on. 3.6Finch Say Hello to SunshineFleshgod Apocalypse OraclesFlorence and the Machine LungsFlow Splash!!!Japan's Sum 41/Simple Plan/Blink-182. But honestly, it's not as bad as it sounds. If you can get past the language barrier, a little auto-tuning, and the whole j-pop sound... it is probably one of the most listenable bands to come from the Country. Though this album isn't what I'd call one of their highlights, it's still a pretty good listen. 3.6/5For Serious This Time When You're In ItFor Those Who Can't Wait For Those Who Can't WaitMainstream punkish post-hardcore minus the connotations that come with the word mainstream. FTWCW's create a very accessible album with their debut that almost anyone would probably enjoy. Definitely check this out. 3.7/5 This is available free from the artist here >> ://www.ifyoumakeit.com/album/for-those-who-cant-wait/self-titledFranz Schubert Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, D. 485Basically the epitome of classical music. A name that seems vaguely familiar accompanied by music that is obviously beautiful and well thought out, but even in spite of that you feel it just isn't "your kind of music." Overall it's an great album, but it never exceeds that "meh" emotional plateau. 3.6/5Frederic Chopin 12 Etudes, Op. 10If all the pieces of this set were like no. 12 it'd be a different story... but the truth is that this is a chore to listen to barring its finale. Honestly I recommend skipping through the first eleven pieces and then setting No. 12 on repeat. 3.4/5Frederick Delius Florida SuiteHonestly, REALLY good for a first composition... but still obviously in need of improvement. Check it out if you live in Florida... though honestly, to me it doesn't sound a thing like "Florida". At most it's just some generic Romantic-Classical. 3.3/5From Indian Lakes Able BodiesI SHOULD like this, I feel that I really should, but in the end all I'm feeling is TDaGaRIM over and over again. I mean it's good, but it's been done before. 3.5/5Futile 7 NightmaresBasically a less dynamic, less experimental, and less interesting Tool. Every now and then I can hear a bit of a "gothic" influence (if that's what you call it) in the vein of Lacuna Coil, except with exceptional male vocals. It has far less progression than contemporaries and after about half an hour it gets a bit boring. Altogether a good-but-not-great prog-metal outfit that, if they can up-play good points and down-play bad ones, will exceed greatly in the genre. 3.7/5Gama Bomb Tales From the Grave in SpaceA new thrash metal band releases an album free online, though I thought this was going to be crap (it's free for heaven's sake) it is surprisingly awesome. A Fresh take on a genre recently being overrun by old farts trying to relive "The Old Days". These guys easily rival and overtake Slayer's new album.Genghis Tron Cloak of LoveGiant Squid Metridium FieldsIf you can get past the vocalist's sometimes a bit too "Serj-ey" style of delivery, this album has more than a fair amount of enjoyable music. I will admit however, this is one of their weaker performances. Their two subsequent releases are a bit stronger performances (at least in my opinion). 3.7/5Giant Squid/Grayceon Giant Squid/Grayceon SplitGlassjaw Kiss Kiss Bang BangWhile definitely under-developed, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang still holds strong the Glassjaw standbys while still giving a good look at how they've changed (undeniably for the better). On KKBB, you can definitely hear a more "metal" vibe than on later releases; specifically, the guitars border on almost DM-like riffs at times. 3.4/5Gojira Terra IncognitaGood Weather for an Airstrike Signalspleasant, minimalistic, and calming. May bore some, but is no more boring than the average post-rock album. Even softer and gentler than many post-rock bands, the drums ruin it when they come in though on track 4 though. 3.7/5Goonies Never Say Die In a Forest Without TreesA good enough album worth checking out, and the finale is absolutely fantastic, but... something just leaves me wanting more from this album... Maybe I've just gotten a bit spoiled with Sigur, Yndi, and Godspeed to appreciate the other guys... 3.6/5Hard Girls HelloBasically what you'd expect a free release from a fairly unknown punk band to be. Not "OMGHOLYF**KAWESOME" but well worth checking out if you're between the ages of 1 & 100 and are looking for some well above average tunes to blast. 3.5/5Harvey Milk A Small Turn of Human KindnessCan anyone say, "Heavy as a ton of bricks"? Because that describes this music to a T at most times.Haste the Day When Everything FallsHave A Nice Life DeathconsciousnessHave A Nice Life Time of Landunderwhelming, exciting, creepy and intriguing are four words that can describe this album... and they all describe it perfectly. An odd clump of songs from an even more odd and awe-inspiring album 3.4/5Head Automatica PopagandaA lot more cohesive than the last album; though what it makes up for direction, it more than looses in sincerity. The songs sound vapid an repetitive and it sounds utterly mainstream; you can't feel any of the emotion that Glassjaw's music is rampant with. This is basically all that you glean at first glance "Daryl fronting a mainstream pop/rock band", and HELL is it catchy. 3.6/5Heatmiser Mic City SonsYeah, I'm not gonna' try dancing around the fact that I'm an Elliott Smith fanboy, but everything he touches is great. The other parts of this album are great and all, but the ES-centric songs are where this album shines. 3.7/5Helium Horse Fly A Dispute to Redefine Clearly Frontiers Between...In the vein of Lacuna Coil and Evanescence; Gothic and symphonic, but with a gruff undertone. Not unlistenable, but definitely lacking a certain something that would bring them up from obscurity into the mainstream. 3.6/5Helium Horse Fly Fishing for GhostsA definite change in sound is immediately noticeable. Instead of going for goth/alt and focusing on female vocals, this time they go for a more ambient sound. While it is undoubtedly a move in the right direction as far as individuality goes, it's still up for debate whether this is the right sound they want. 3.4/5Herbie Hancock My Point of ViewI don't really see how this can have such a low average. Yeah, it's not utter experimental out the wazoo and doesn't take any unexpected turns... but it's a great display of that classic relaxing blues that you just need sometimes! 3.7/5 HORSE the band Desperate LivingDefinitely sporadic, but still an enjoyable album. Albums like this are the right way to merge electronic music and post-hardcore; pretty much the "Right" to every Sturgis-core ever's "Wrong". 3.7/5How To Destroy Angels How To Destroy AngelsI'll Eat Your Face IrritantSome Pretty good Instrumental Grind/Math. Could serve as a really good starting point for those looking to get into the Genre.Igor Stravinsky Suite Itallienne (from Pulcinella)Great neoclassical piece... but basically it's just a reiteration of what Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven mastered. Go to that before checking stuff like this out. 3.6/5Into Eternity The Scattering of AshesIntronaut VoidIron Maiden Somewhere in TimeIron Thrones The Wretched SunIsis CelestialIsis In the Absence of TruthJeff Buckley Live at Sin-éJimmy Doyle and The Engineers JD+EWhile I initially had the assumption that this was a poor man's BtMI! (which is weird since BtMI! is free to begin with), but after another listen I can definitely that there is a bit more than that here. I'm still not foaming at the mouth, but you've gotten my attention Jimmy Doyle. 3.6/5Joe Satriani Surfing With The AlienJohn Adams Doctor Atomic SymphonyVery reminiscent of one of those great sci-fi "alien world" movies. Sounds just like what you'd expect it'd sound like. 3.4/5rJohn Coltrane My Favorite ThingsEasily accessible John Coltrane. It's not the most mind-boggling work of his, but each song is enjoyable in its own right. 3.7/5Judy and Mary The Power Source90's J-Rock. It's j-rock so pretty much expect that... still, its pretty listenable as long as you handle pop-rock. Also, Track 3 served as the Rurouni Kenshin anime theme song, so if you're a fan of that this album suddenly seems a whole lot better. 3.6/5Junker Better in the EndOne of the better bands off Death to False Hope Records' website. Fun, aggressive, melodic, and even beautiful at times. Definitely not a just another throw-away, small-town, punk band! 3.4/5Katatonia Night Is the New DayKeelhaul Keelhaul's Triumphant Return To ObscurityProgressive and experimental, but sometimes the wankery gets in the way of the music trying to get through. 3.65/5Kid Kilowatt Guitar Method 1996-1999It's some solid emo, what else can I say? Nothing about it really sets it apart from any other emo album out there, but if nothing else its got equally high doses of emotion and fantastic musicianship. 3.7/5Kidcrash I Haven't Had A Date In 4 Years EPKidcrash SnacksKillswitch Engage The End of HeartacheKing Crimson The Power to BelieveKowloon Walled City Turk StreetSludgy... That's what this is. If you like that stoner-sludge stuff done by bands John Baizley does artwork for, odds are that you'll like this. This one is more on the sludge side than the stoner one.Kylesa To Walk A Middle CourseOverall, a listenable album, but as is the norm with the genre, each song sound the tiniest bit too much like the previous to be overly enjoyable. Finishing great barely bumps it up above the average sputink rating. 3.6/5La Dispute Here, HearLa Dispute Here, Hear. IILa Dispute Here, Hear. IIILed Zeppelin Physical GraffitiFor whatever reason, Zeppelin just doesn't hit me like other god-level bands seem to (eg; Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, The Beatles). This is still a solid album by any measure, and the last 2 tracks of disc 1 are phenomenal, but I just can't seem to put this any higher than a 3.5, for enjoyment sake. 3.6/5Les Claypool Of Whales And WoeYour standard Les Claypool offering. Bass-driven and catchy but not exactly for everybody. Still, a solid album by Les' standards; Not every song is amazing, but then again, there weren't really any songs that hurt the album as a whole. 3.7/5Les Claypool And The Frog Brigade Live Frogs (Set 2)An expertly pulled off cover of a classic album, but obviously if given the choice, I'd listen to the original rather than a replica every single day of the week. 3.7/5Letlive. Fake HistoryFake History is both the best post-hardcore album and the worst. It's energetic and exciting, and has more than enough stylistic variation. At the same time though, these two reasons are why this album saddens me. With the constant onslaught of musically great post-hardcore, most listeners can't stop and notice what this band's real problem is. Some of the things that made post-hardcore classics like Relationship of Command and Worship and Tribute so great were that they weren't trying to be something they're not. All I hear on this is a band being a ditto. I'm serious, when the Jason isn't trying to be Daryl, he's trying to be Claudio. Hopefully by next release these guys actually play their own music. 3.6/5Lines Into Phoenix AriesLiving Sacrifice The Infinite OrderLouis Armstrong The Hot Fives & Sevens, Vol IIISome great swing/jazz from the man with the molasses voice, but honestly... what can I say... we just live in two entirely different eras... this just doesn't excite and amaze like it probably did way back it its heyday. Good music, just too far removed for me to enjoy like I do other albums. 3.4/5Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21Though a bit short, this is still very good. Though as can be expected, this is very "classical" and not as natural sounding or as revolutionary as his later work. I good view of where the man who would define "romanticism" where music was concerned. 3.6/5Ludwig van Beethoven Three Piano Sonatas, Op. 10A couple of piano Sonata by Beethoven... what do you want me to say? (the third sonata is by far the best) 3.3/5Ludwig van Beethoven Two Piano Sonatas, Op. 14Two sprightly sonatas. Both quite good and easy to listen to, though I don't feel either of them went above and beyond the call of duty. 3.7/5Lynyrd Skynyrd Thyrty: The 30th Anniversary CollectionNot it's not a classic album, made and meant for a single sitting session, and not it's not "The Definitive Collection" that contains every single good song of theirs, cutting the fat and leaving a perfect collection. What it is is a great collection of some of their best works, allowing those who are caught between "I want more than a 40min best-of collection" and "I really need to hear who the band is, who they are and who they were" a perfect choice of listening. 3.6/5Machine Head The BlackeningManchester Orchestra I'm Like a Virgin Losing a ChildThe same exact thing you've heard 100 times before, but still very enjoyable. 3.7/5Manchester Orchestra Simple MathIt seems that the new fad sweeping the nation is one of alt./Indie Rock (play Manchester Orchestra, Brand New, and From Indian Lakes consecutively and I'm sure 75% of people wouldn't be able to tell the difference) much like Nu-Metal did in the 90's. Thankfully, THIS genre is for the most part much more listenable. When you get down to it this is just that, one of your standard Alt./Indie Rock albums. Nothing on here that hasn't been done before, but in the whole scheme of things, it's a solid album from a band capable of just a bit more. 3.7/5Mastodon Live at the AragonPar for the course basically. The majority of this live album is stuff from "Oblivion", so it that's your cup'o tea then you'll be right at home here; but for those of us that prefer Mastodon's older work this might be a bit of a letdown. As with all live albums, it's a bit bittersweet... I mean, yeah it's great music, but you just can't recreate the intense experience of a live metal concert. Nothing against the band... I've always loved the band and look forward to many more years with them... but this just isn't for me; Maybe my ultra "anti-live album" upbringing by my grandfather has tainted me in this respect. 3.4/5 Maximum the Hormone Rokkinpo GoroshiMore "J-Punk" than Buikiikaesu, but still fun. 3.6/5Maximum the Hormone KusobanMaximum doing what maximum does, making excellent j-punk that, while not exactly the most innovative music in the world, is fun enough to warrant checking out. 3.6/5Maximum the Hormone Mimi KajiruI'll say about this what I've basically said about the band ever since I can remember; they're the Japanese SoaD. While this isn't nearly as catchy or as memorable as "Buiikikaesu" it's still an enjoyable listen. 3.4/5rMaybeshewill Not For Want Of Trying...This is very hard to explain... At times the music is undoubtedly post-rock, with its lilting melodies quietly plucking at your heartstrings; then at other times it wouldn't be wrong to call it metal. Though not pulled off the most perfectly in this album, it's been a while and I've been looking for something exactly like this so I think I'll definitely give the rest of their Full-Lenth discography a listen. 3.6/5Meet Me in St. Louis Variations on SwingBasically what this site thrives for; a semi-obscure band that definitely has a unique and interesting sound, but in reality isn't that dynamically different enough to really set it apart from the others in an overtly significant way. Great post-hardcore nonetheless. If post-hardcore is your forte you will definitely like this, but if you're just a cursory post-hardcore listener and only listen to it every now then then I would say this will just go in one ear and out the other. 3.6/5Megadeth Greatest Hits, Back To The StartMegadeth EndgameMeshuggah KolossMeshuggah is a hard band for me to rate, at times I can't stand the repetitiveness of the music, then others I can't get enough of their special brand of death. This album falls somewhere between Catch Thirtythree and Obzen for me. 3.6/5Metallica Ride the LightningMidlake The Courage Of OthersMiles Davis SorcererClassic miles. All-around great jazz that's easy to get into and easy to love. 3.7/5Mindflow Mind Over BodyProgmetaltastic. Sounds like a slightly rougher, more manly version of Dream Theater. The Vocals remind me a lot of LaBrie so much so that I many times think I'm listening to him instead.Mono You Are ThereI don't know what to say about this album... Yeah it serves its purpose as a mellow piece of art, but it doesn't leave me utterly astounded like Yndi Halda, GY!BE, and Sigur Ros do. For me, this falls somewhere between the brilliance of the aforementioned greats and the monotony offered by most American Post-rock bands like Explosions in the Sky and Mogwai. 3.7/5 (for a better album, check out this band's next album, Hymn to the immortal wind)Moonface Dreamland EP: Marimba and Shit-DrumsMore Than Life Love Let Me GoNot anything amazing or overly groundbreaking, but a good album overall. Mouth of the Architect Split with KenomaMudvayne MudvayneMuse ShowbizWhile not the highest, a high point for a band that had so far to fall. Not phantasmic at every turn like Origin of Symmetry, but definitely worth a listen. 3.7/5Muse Black Holes and RevelationsNeutral Milk Hotel Ferris Wheel on FireClassic Jeff Mangum, but seeing as the only thing I can get my hands on is the scratchy garbley version you can find on the internet, it's leaving something to be desired in this listener. 3.6/5 (though probably a 4.3/5 with the right rip)Nirvana NevermindWhen it comes to Kurt Cobain everybody seems to think of him like some kind of musical genius, nearly to the level of Hendrix and the like; a shooting star who was cut down in his prime and could've changed the nature of music as we know it if given a few more good hears. However, this is not Kurt Cobain. Cobain was just a grunge rocker that got lucky and found mainstream success (...then got less lucky later down the road). Nevermind is without a doubt Nirvana's best album and the first third-to-half of the album is golden, the songs seem to grow weaker near the end. 3.6/5Off Minor The Heat Death of the UniverseOh, Sleeper When I Am GodOhashi Trio A BirdJapanese Indie-Jazz... what can I say? Despite the language barrier this is quite enjoyable for me. Give it a try yourself! 3.3/5Omar Rodriguez-Lopez & John Frusciante Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and John FruscianteOpeth MorningriseOpeth DeliveranceOpeth WatershedProbably not their best album but a really great album from a great band.Opus Dai Touch the SunOrbs Asleep Next to ScienceThe Metalcore/Post-Hardcore equivalent of a supergroup. I mean, the album is relatively good, and each musician is obviously talented, but even after repeated listens, all I'm left with is a somewhat unsatisfied feeling. In this case, the whole isn't equal to the sum of its parts. 3.4/5Oskoreien Demo 2009OVERDUB 2009Less noodle-ey Dream Theater with female vocalist = OVERDUB. What you're getting is a Female gothic/symphonic metal vocalist (think Nightwish or Lacuna Coil) and pairing her up with a John Petrucci wanabee. However, get past the fact that they're just recycling used methods and you'll find some pretty great music. The Bassist definitely knows his way around his instrument and as you get closer to the back tracks it starts sounding less re-hashy and repeated. Any of you out there that love the aforementioned bands definitely check this out. 3.3/5 Available for free download at bandcamp here: http://overdub.bandcamp.com/Ozzy Osbourne Down To EarthPanzerballett Starke StückeParadise Lost Faith Divides Us - Death Unites UsPaul Dempsey Everything Is TruePegasuses-XL Untitled [EP]Pelican What We All Come To NeedPig Destroyer Phantom LimbPoison the Well You Come Before YouProbot ProbotPropagandhi Today's Empires, Tomorrow's AshesGood old-school punk rock. No unnecessary frills or flair, just a bunch of great musicians doing what they're good at. 3.7/5Psychic Babble My Brother's Ears, My Sister's EyesIf you like Circa Survive, you'll probably like this. What You're pretty much in for is some solid alt-prog minus Anthony Green (even I have to admit his voice can get pretty annoying at times). 3.7/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Seasons, for piano, Op. 37bas beautiful as it may be, nothing in the piece ever (imo) wowed me or made me take notice. Though I don't expect the splendor of his symphonies, many of his other works outside of that setting easily top this. 3.4/5Queens of the Stone Age Rated RRadiohead Pablo HoneyRevocation Empire of the ObsceneAmazing, very good musicianship. I'm really glad that these guys got signed.Revocation Existence Is FutileRush 2112Yeah it's a wank-fest, but I'm honestly feeling nothing emotionally from this music. Good in the technical sense, but I'm just not getting any of the connection I get from any of their next four (absolutely fantastic by the way) albums. 3.6/5Rx Bandits Halfway Between Here and There...a bit disappointing. It's not a chore, and there's great musicianship by the whole cast, but so many times it fails to exude that fun, energy-packed vibrancy that so much ska should innately have. 3.4/5Rx Bandits MandalaRx Bandits Live At Park AvenueSince Park Ave is THE main place I go for my music needs (other than amazon) I guess I'd better give this a spin... 2nd: Pretty nice acoustic session. He goes on a bit of a tirade about not playing back catalogs half-way through which is kind of weird, but most of this is pretty enjoyableSay Anything Say AnythingEnjoyable album overall, tough it does tend to drag a bit at times. 3.5/5Scale The Summit MonumentWhile not as fully fleshed out as subsequent albums, it is still an entertaining album and is a must-listen for the prog-metal wankery fanboy. 3.5/5Scale The Summit Carving Desert CanyonsReally Great, honestly. But I agree with what another sputniker said a couple years ago. r"It's Like eating a bowl full of frosting. Yeah it's delicious at first, but if you just rcontinue with frosting, frosting, and more frosting, you're gonna' get a stomach-ache." r3.6/5Sex Pistols Never Mind The BollocksWhile I understand its importance providing a soundtrack for GB's youth rebellion, it comes up a bit late to the picture in terms of directly shaping future music (like The Stooges or other early "punk" bands did). There are a handful of good and catchy songs on here, but others kind of feel like they just fade into the background as generic "punk riff with sloppily yelled lyrics" songs. 3.6/5Shadows Fall The War Withingood 'ol metalcore, just like I remember it; a genre full of over-used riffs that brings nothing new to the table. It's not that this album is all that horrible at its heart, but it just perpetuates the same crap that every other metalcore album does. Though on this album there is a bit of progression and experimentation (which is what in the end pulls it up above a 3 rating) it just can't hold my attention. It brings up some seemingly bad-a** riffs and awesome solos, but at it's heart it is just another face in the crowd; slightly different, but in the big picture indistinguishable from the rest. 3.4/5She Loves Pablo Mother of AllGood wholesome sludgy stoner metal. Seeing that they were from Croatia, and also that they themselves were releasing the whole album for free, I didn't think they had it in them, but they pulled off one heck of an album if you like this sorta' stuff.Shinobu Strange Spring AirFairly enjoyable Record. One of the better Non-Rosenstock bands signed with "".Sigh Infidel ArtI'm liking this album more and more as the tracks go on. A very under-appreciated album in the Atmospheric Black Metal World.Sigur Ros VonNot really exemplary of Sigur Ros' later work... and to be honest, if it weren't Sigur Ros I probably wouldn't listen to this. Experimental without a doubt, but too firmly rooted in abstractness to get any real enjoyment out of (at least until the title song). 3.4/5Sigur Ros Takk...Silversun Pickups SwoonSithu Aye IslesPhenomenal prog-metal/Djent in a genre-pool as stagnant as it's ever been. Definitely checking out the guy's other stuff right now. 3.7/5Sithu Aye Invent the UniverseYeah, the shine is kinda' wearing off right about now... still, solid stuff. 3.4/5Skeletonwitch Breathing the FireSlayer Seasons in the AbyssWith "Seasons in the Abyss" Slayer create a slightly more accessible album than they did with Reign in Blood, but they also retain a lot of the problems they had (which will continue to follow them for the entirety of their career.) Slayer keep the rage and aggression, but neglect to try something different for a change; each song having vaguely the same riff, with only minor key changes. While the album does succeed at being fun and energetic, only a few songs stand out as "different." 'Spirit in Black' & 'Skeletons of Society' are the only really NEW songs I can pick out on here. If you want some down-home thrash metal, then pick this up. But stay way from this band as a whole if you have even slightest inkling of expecting any evolution or progression. 3.7/5Slow Dreams Einn Ár SeinnaNot-horrible ambient noodling. Interesting and not a pain to listen to, but not my cup 'o tea. The way the sound-bytes were worked in and the choice of sound-bytes works perfectly with the music. Just dissonant and distorted enough to be eerie yet not be annoying. 3.7/5Snowing Fuck Your Emotional BullshitSolterra Soul, Earth, SunTo me this feels like a cross between Rodrigo y Gabriela, -Gabriela, and Scale the Summit. It's an enjoyable listen, and you can definitely tell that there is SO MUCH untapped potential that it isn't even funny, but the truth of it is that it's just that, untapped potential. 3.6/5Solterra UmbraDefinite maturation can be heard when compared to "Soul, Earth, Sun", but I still feel that the band's potential has yet to really fully realized. "Fear & Loathing" and the title track stood out as some of the better tracks, but still... something's missing. 3.7/5Sonic Youth Daydream NationA fantastic shoegaze album, but I don't know... this one seems to have grown off of me a bit... 3.7/5Soundtrack Commentary! The MusicalA fun very fun listen, especially when the whole cast harmoniously calls the listeners "F**king Nerds" in the reprise. 3.7/5Steve Reich Octet/Music For a Large Ensemble/Violin PhaseRepetitive, though not monotonous; Just like great post-rock. An eclectic collection of interesting and odd music by a musician who played in integral part in shaping "modern" music. Definitely worth listening even if just for the novelty of it. 3.7/5Steve Vai Sex & ReligionQuite enjoyable. It still definitely has that signature 80's sound, but the addition of HevyDevy vocals (at least to this individual) makes the listening experience 10 times better. Still... this album hits just under the "worth checking out" line... unless, like me, you're horrifically gay for Devin Townsend. 3.74/5Struck By Lightning SerpentsPretty good, But I'm not seeing much more than that. Hopefully with the next release these guys will have something that sets them apart from the rest of the herd.Sufjan Stevens The Avalanche: Outtakes and ExtrasAs with almost all "b-sides/extras" albums, it's a little disappointing. However, if you're smart like me, you'll be prepared for the slight disappointment and will be better able to enjoy the album for what it is. Sufjan knew for a fact that none of these songs were as good as the ones he chose to keep on Illinoise, is it his fault if this isn't as good as that??? In the end, it's length and lack of any bombastic singles will keep the non-fanboys uninterested, but for us in the other party, it's well worth keeping around. 3.7/5Sufjan Stevens The BQEIn all honesty, this album makes for a pretty difficult to listen to soundtrack, and to anyone who attempts to argue for the opposite I commend you. Nonetheless, this album in its entirety turns out being really beautiful. Along with keeping some of the Sufjan-ey spriteness, this album displays beautifully the more experimental side in him that is realized to a greater extent in "The Age of Adz". Not as perfect as Illinoise and not as confusing as some of his earlier work, but amazing background music if you need something pretty to listen to while focusing on something else. 3.7/5Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal TendenciesI guess this is just one of those albums that doesn't hit me in the way it does others. When compared to How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today this album doesn't exactly hold up and gives off more of a immature "screaming into the mic" feeling. In all probability this is entirely intentional... but to me it all just feels more thrown-together rather than giving the album raw, hardcore feeling. 3.4/5Suicidal Tendencies How Will I Laugh Tomorrow If I Can't Even Smile Today?Excellent thrash! If you don't like the genre, then this is definitely not for you. I myself feel that I've progressed past the part of my life where I "thrash out" on a daily basis, so I'm probably not the main demographic for this album; as such I don't think I can fully appreciate what it has to offer. Still, a great metal album. 3.7/5Sun Kil Moon Admiral Fell PromisesSomewhat of a letdown. I hear that Mark Kozelek has quite a devout following... but I don't exactly see why. He has a nice voice, and his guitar-work is obviously above par... but that's all he has going for him (on this album at least). I've heard better lyrics, and there is almost no change in emotion or sound from song to song. Hopefully if I listen to some of his earlier work I might find something to hold my interest... but judging from this album, I don't expect much. 3.3/5Sunny Day Real Estate The Rising TideNot the same band that did Diary, but still an entirely enjoyable listen. An acceptable closer to such an influential band's career, but I'm sure I'm not the only listener with a lingering hope in their heart for just one more album. 3.7/5Tabula Rasa PeopleInteresting, and well worth a listen... but not anything over-the-top amazing in my opinion. It's good, but not astoundingly different when compared to the many other prog/metal, subtle jazz influence bands out there. 3.7/5Talking Heads More Songs About Buildings and FoodAgain, I guess I'm just not figuring out what warrants this a 4.2 avg. rating... Remain in Light definitely has a unique vibe that none of their other work can top, and that belief has proven itself with my listen of this. It's definitely an enjoyable listen, and is far from a "failure" of an album, but nothing can top their #1 IMO. 3.6/5Talking Heads Fear of MusicGood... but doesn't push the boundaries like Remain in Light does. Also, it doesn't have any "hit" songs, so only TRUE fans of the band can really take the time to honestly process this for what it is. 3.7/10Talking Heads The Best of Talking HeadsTeam Teamwork The Ocarina of RhymeThe addition of the Zelda Music feels a little forced at times, but there are definitely a few keepers. I'll keep it ://teamteamwork.bandcamp.com/album/the-ocarina-of-rhymeTenacious D Tenacious DThe Afghan Whigs GentlemenGreat music overall, no songs that really strike me as bad or anything. It just isn't really that exciting. The Antlers HospiceI guess I'm just too ingrained into the monstrous behemoth of the genre known as metal; I just can't seem to get into much indie anywhere.The Arrogant Sons of Bitches All The Little Ones Are RottingA nice, catchy album from the kings of ska, but it lacks a bit of the intensity and overall completeness found in Three Cheers for Disappointment The Beatles RevolverA solid Beatles album, but IMHO this is their second most over-rated album right next to "The White Album". I mean, yeah the vast majority of this album is solid work by the band, but to me "Rubber Soul" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" sit much more solidly as near-masterpieces in the Beatles Discography. 3.4/5The Beatles A Hard Day's NightRight along with "help", every song is great. The only thing that might cause rage by someone other than me is that every single song sounds eerily like the next, so if you want more experimentation and differentiation try something later on in their career. 3.4/5The Beatles The BeatlesSadly, it has the same problem all post-golden days Beatles albums have; amazing songs here and there drowning in a sea of mediocrity. "As My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Rocky Raccoon" and 2-3 others re the only really enjoyable songs on here. The real problem with the Beatles is that they didn't know which songs to keep and which to toss. With most bands, the bad songs are tossed, or if the album is good, get placed on a B-side. With the Beatles we're stuck with both the good and bad... for better or worse. 3.3/5The Beatles Help!Whomever up here is bagging on "HELP!" about being too poppy, not doped out enough, or containing an over-rated song or two, just settle down and appreciate the album for what it is; enjoyable. Finally getting around to trying out one of the most impressive and renown bands of all time (after ignoring them for several years for some reason I still have yet to remember) I find "HELP!" an amazing starting point. While it may not be as memorable as some of their later albums, it still proves to be more than entertaining. If their later work proves to be at least on par with this I'll be more than satisfied. 3.6/5The Binary Code Suspension Of DisbeliefThe Blackout The Best in TownObviously not anything really amazing, but some very listenable pop post-hardcore/punk. 3.7/5The Chariot One WingOkay, "First" and "Tongues" were good, and I definitely hear a band headed in the right direction, but there is nothing here that hasn't been already done a hundred times before. Far from deserving of the hyperbolic acclaim that this album has been receiving as of late. 3.5/5The Decemberists PicaresqueThe Decemberists The Hazards Of LoveThe Devin Townsend Project DeconstructionWhile on paper the concept of taking a god of metal and paring him with other demigods of metal sounds ingenious, what ultimately plays out here is less than monumental. There are more than enough great riffs, great vocals, and a large enough (signature HevyDevy) sound wall to suffocate a small elephant, but when taken as a whole, everything feels completely disjointed and a hair bland. Songs like "Planet of the Apes" and "The Mighty Masturbator" have their moments, but honestly go on way too long meandering into nothingness. The album was great, but could have easily been a 4.5 or a 5 with some of the fat trimmed. 3.7/5 The Dillinger Escape Plan Under the Running BoardThe Dillinger Escape Plan Ire WorksThe Fire Theft The Fire TheftIt still has a lot of that SDRE sound, but with the near-decade that passed between Diary and this' release a bit of the emotion that made earlier SDRE so f**king enjoyable has been for the most part lost. Not a terrible album, but it sounds way too much like a mainstream producer broke into the SDRE studio and put his own spin on the already beautiful music. 3.4/5The Format Dog ProblemsThe Gathering How to Measure a Planet?Seeing how much I loved HevyDevy's Addicted I though I would love this so much more. On first listen I was almost going to give this a 2/5... and that was surprising for me. Feeling something was wrong I gave it a listen and thankfully it sunk in a little... but that's the bad thing, "a little." Whenever I listen to an album and catch myself checking my mp3 to see what the name of an especially great track is, I can tell how great it is. With this entire double-album that happened a single time with "Liberty Bell." Although it's not bad enough to warrant the 2 I was originally going to give this, but in no way do I feel this deserves a 4+. 3.6/5The Henry Clay People Somewhere on the Golden CoastFantastic fun-rock! What originally drew me to these guys was the SYSK podcast; I respect the guys and knew that their taste was probably pretty, so I checked out their de-facto band out. I am not disappointed. They're definitely one of those indie-rock dime-a-dozen bands, but what they don't provide in innovation they make up for in enjoyment. They don't go out trying to sound years beyond their age like many "indie" bands do. They're just what they are. With repeated listens this could EASILY appreciate to a solid 4 rating. 3.6/5 (for now)The Hold Steady Heaven Is WheneverThe Knife Tomorrow, In a YearYa' know those warnings before the start of movies or video games that say "may cause seizures" or something like that? Then yeah, that's probably all you need to know.The Lonely Island IncredibadNothing great in the way of actual music, but great if you want a few cheap chuckles. Definitely won't sound nice if you aren't already in a good mood. 3.3/5The Mars Volta TremulantThe Mars Volta AmputechtureYeah, I don't know where the hate for this is coming, in the end it probably stems from the fact that it's the exact middle of the road between Deloused in the Comatorium and Frances the Mute. Neither is it the fresh, post-hardcore heavy debut of the former nor is it the experimental smorgasbord of the latter; however, that doesn't mean that it should be treated as an unwanted bastard child. If you were to ask me I'd recommend Deloused -> This -> Frances for the beginner seeing as for many listeners Frances can be a bit jarring. 3.5/5The Mars Volta The Bedlam in GoliathKind of the same middle-of-the-road jazz as Amputechture, but more on the prog/post-hardcore side than experimental on this album. When it comes down to it, TMV mastered the two aforementioned styles on their first two albums and anything they've done since is just trying to recapture what they did then in one way or another. 3.5/5The Mars Volta OctahedronI'm going to have to agree with Sobhi, if the entire album was the energetic prog/post-hardcore that was ever-present on their debut then I would be a lot more excited about the band. The white-noise/ambient/electronica that accompanies the actual songs does absolutely nothing for the band. 3.4/5The Mountain Goats Transcendental YouthIt's definitely a lot more 'Cleaned-Up' than his only other album I've listened to (Coroner's Gambit), but it doesn't take away from it. There's a bit of emotion that's been lost, but the skill and the love for the music remains. 3.7/5The Nibiruan The Nibiruan 2010 DemoProgressive Metal from Finland. This stuff is pretty good! They make some good music and come off as a good sounding cross between SYL and Slipknot. Give these guys a try if you're interested in anything like that.The Number Twelve Looks Like You Worse Than Alonethe pillows Living FieldCan't really say much about the lyrics seeing as I.... uhh.... don't speak Japanese, but the music itself is entertaining (assuming you're already familiar with j-pop/rock) .............not too entertaining though. 3.4/5The Receiving End of Sirens Between the Heart and the SynapseThe Red Chord Clients [Deluxe Edition]The State Lottery When the Night ComesGreat fun punk. Great home-grown music, but (just like BTMI!) the guy's vocals might turn away more die-hard fans than it will invite. For the fan of excellent low-budget gold who isn't looking for cleanliness or perfection. 3.7/5The Stone Roses The Stone RosesThe Sweet Revenge Creatures of RoutineMainstream, but not in a bad sense like Green Day/Sum 41/Blink-182/ect. It's catchy, fun, and not to mention free. Recommended for anyone who's looking for something quick and catchy to listen to. Can be downloaded here (http://www.deathtofalsehoperecords.com/downloads/dtfh021.html)The Sword Gods of the EarthThe Taxpayers A Rhythm in the CagesThe Who Who's NextThe Wild A CollectionWorth downloading if you like the genre. It's pretty much their EP plus a bunch of other unreleased b-sides and live/acoustic takes. Not as good as their other stuff, but still a good listen. 3.6/5The World is a Beautiful Place And... FormlessnessMarginally better vocals than on "John is Dead", but the last song is the only thing on here that really bumps it above your average emo band. If all the songs were at the level "eyjaffjallajokul dance" this would easily be a 4 or 4.5. 3.3/5Thelonious Monk Monk's DreamSurprisingly, a rough listen. Brilliant Corners was an instant hit with me... but with this I feel nothing. 3.4/5Them Crooked Vultures Them Crooked VulturesThink Big! Losing GroundIt's just what you expect; some easy and energetic pop-punk. If you want some accessible and fun pop-punk that's great for just easy listening give this a download.... just don't expect any deep lyrical content or really anything new at all. 3.4/5Thousandaires ThousandairesThriftworks HydromancyVery easy to see the cleverness and skill in the music, but this kind of music just does NOTHING for me. Don't let my distaste for it stop anyone else from checking it out though. 3.6/5Thriftworks Terry - DStill getting into the genre, but if I had to say one thing about this? "Relaxing". I don't know what it is about the music, it just clears your mind and leaves you feeling refreshed. 3.7/5Trophy Scars Alphabet AlphabetsUnearth The Oncoming StormVarious Artists Tastemakers Magazine's Sargent House CompilationGets better as it goes on. The first half was a little iffy, but as soon as it hit #7 or so, it got a lot better. This thing also introduced me to Fang Island and This Town Needs Guns. I guess I'm off to check them out now. 3.7/5Various Artists (Indie) Dark Was The NightVarious Artists (Punk) We Can't Be Everything We Wanted to BeA Free Sampler Album Released by "Death To False Hope Records", an online distributor for all the unknown or under-appreciated punk bands that so sadly get utterly lost in the woodwork. As expected, being thirty-three long, the majority of the album is full of pop-punk that has a reason for being unknown. However, you might come to find that quite a few bands are able to necks out and shine, for me they were: Direct Hit!, Let Me Run, Mixtapes, The Please & Thank Yous, The Dirty Little Heaters, White Tiger and the Bed of Roses, Joey Cape, The Fresh Kills, and Jazz Hands. Overall it's a good album to play in the background at a party, but it probably isn't the best album if you're looking for deep lyrics, diverse musicianship, diversity in general. However, props to DTFH Records for actually giving all these great guys an actual voice. 4.3 for the guys over at DTFH, but a 3.4 for the musicians themselves.Various Artists (Punk) Germs Of Perfection: A Tribute To Bad ReligionPedro hit the nail on the head with his summary of this album; experimental, while not f**king it up. Although I may disagree with him in which songs stand out and which ones fail, it is all meaningless to argue when the album as a whole is great. Definitely worth picking up if you're interested in something weird and interesting. 3.6/5Very Okay Small LoudExactly as the band's name describes; "very okay". The heterodox super-group (a hipster term if there ever was one)does a great job of staying above the s**t-line where most bands today fall below but don't ever get more than a few inches away. Like a sweet sweet love-making, there is only limited time in which to find bliss; With "Small Loud", Very Okay was obviously making a valiant effort but sadly ran out of time before finding that one sweet spot. 3.6/5Vitamin String Quartet The String Quartet Tribute to Elliott SmithAs with all "tributes" it's enjoyable and fun to listen to if you're a total fan of the original, but it just doesn't stand up to the source material. All-in-all I wouldn't recommend this to you unless you're an avid ES fan like I am. 3.4/5Weird Al Yankovic Running With ScissorsProbably he farthest thing in the world from ground-breaking, bleeding-edge music... but if it isn't SO MUCH FUN!!! Hilarious lyrics throughout. 3.6/5Weird Al Yankovic Poodle HatNothing really new or out of the ordinary for Weird Al, but fun nonetheless. 3.3/5Wilco Yankee Hotel FoxtrotWilco Wilco (The Album)This to me is just one of "Those" indie bands. There are thousands of "indie" bands out there and the vast majority of them are great, but it seems impossible for me to fully appreciate them unless I forcibly make the conscious effort to. Not a bad album and better than YFH in my opinion, but it just feel that even if I bought this I would forget about it every time I looked away from it for more than 30 minutes............3.7/5 Wow, Owls! Pick Your PatternsBest Band Name Ever. Good music too, definitely look these guys up.Year of No Light Demo 2004A Good listen and I definitely see why they were signed after this, but a couple tracks seem sorta' dirty and unrefined, even by post-metal standards. Then again, demos aren't supposed to be perfect.Yo La Tengo Summer SunA summer, but a very depressing summer. This isn't the summer feeling that I get from Bomb the Music Industry's "Everybody That You Love". I envision summer as Vibrant, Fun, and Alive! This album just has a dreary and lucid vein that keeps running and running the whole album through. Not crap, but definitely not Yo La Tengo's highest point. 3.3/5You Slut! Critical MeatEntertaining from a technical standpoint, but lacking something definitive as a whole. The melodies are shaped well and the instrumentation is top notch... but it all sounds a bit too mechanical. (Such is the main drawback for a lot of math-rock, just look at Scale the Summit's earlier albums for another example.) Still worth listening, but definitely lacking a key aspect that would set it apart from all the rest. 3.7/5You Slut! Medium BastardVery like Scale the Summit in some ways. Like StS, what you've got here is Fast-paced instru-metal that is always enjoyable and interesting, even if it doesn't always work out perfectly. Unlike StS, song lengths are just long enough to enjoy without getting repetitive or tiresome. 3.7/5Zao The Funeral of God3.0 goodA Day To Remember HomesickA Wilhelm Scream A Wilhelm ScreamAaron Copland Symphony No. 2, "Short Symphony"One of those extremely passable classical pieces. It's obviously well put together, but nothing in the piece ever reaches out or makes me take recognition. 2.9/5Aaron Copland Three Latin American Sketches for OrchestraInteresting enough, but not long enough to keep more than a cursory interest but just long enough to feel tiring. 3.1Aaron Copland Dance Symphony, For OrchestraNot nearly as good as some of his other works, but a starting point if you really want to get into American Classical. 3.1/5Abriosis Abriosis EPAC/DC AC/DC LiveAcross the Sun Pestilence & RaptureMelodic metalcore in the vein of Killswitch Engage and other bands like them, only they are a little better than average. Some pretty catchy choruses and good guitar work, but is about as generic and appealing as the aforementioned band. Good music for those who are looking to get into the metal scene.Aerosmith Greatest HitsAll That Remains The Fall of IdealsAmon Amarth Twilight Of The Thunder GodPretty good Metal from a bunch of crazy awesome guys... I just can't get into it thoughAnaal Nathrakh The Codex NecroAnaal Nathrakh Domine Non Es DignusAnaal Nathrakh In the Constellation of the Black WidowAnberlin CitiesAnimal Collective FeelsAntonin Dvorak "Husitska" (Hussite Overture), Op.Okay, I guess... but not worth keeping around. Much better pieces out there by Dvorak, as well as other composers. 2.9/5Apocalyptica Amplified: A Decade Of Reinventing The CelloApocalyptica Worlds CollideArliss Nancy Truckstop RosesArmed For Apocalypse DefeatPretty good, worth a listen, but I've heard better.As I Lay Dying Shadows Are SecurityAt the Drive-In This Station Is Non-OperationalAtheist Beyond '88 DemoNo hints of progression or the Jazz influence on here, all DM. It's still some pretty listenable DM, but the quality of the production is just so horrible (seeing as there is none, this was recorded on regular old dollar Cassette tapes from Walmart) it really pains me to listen to this. If you want theist just go with their later albums; you can't really go wrong with anything except this. 2.8/5August Burns Red Lost Messengers: The OuttakesAuthors The SmileBasically good 'ol garage punk/post-hardcore. Nothing amazing, but it's one of the better albums/bands from Death to False Hope Records.Aye Nako Demo 2010More listenable than the drivel the mainstream populace is force-fed on a daily basis, but still not anything superbly substantial. All in all, a middle of the road album, not a pain to listen to... but nothing really noteworthy either. 2.9/5Bad Brains Banned in DC: Bad Brains' Greatest RiffsBaroness SecondBaroness FirstBATS The Sleep of Reasonrhythmically the music is phenomenal, but I can't help but feel that I'd like this music more if they weren't so arrogantly anti-religious. If the lyrical themes leaned more in the "Science is Amazing!" direction instead of "Science is cool, BUT THESE A**HOLES ARE RUINING EVERYTHING!! RAAAAAGHHHH!!!" I would easily 4.5 this... 3.1/5Becoming the Archetype The Physics Of FireBetween the Buried and Me The Anatomy OfBlack Flag My WarExcellent opener/title-track, but none of the later tracks (bar "Three Nights" seem to pull me in. I understand that these guys were integral in shaping the 80's underground punk scene, but if we're rating on basis of enjoyment, this gets a 2.9/5.Black Flag The Process of Weeding OutThere's definitely something there... but it's just not complete, as you would expect. This is the epitome of "Punk", a genre that is exciting, violent, and off-the-wall... this is good, but without vocals you're missing half of the fun! 3.2/5Black Sabbath Heaven and HellBob Dylan The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan....Surprisingly, I find this a disappointment compared to his debut. Beyond "Blowin' in the Wind", I really can't find much to enjoy. 3.1/5Bomb the Music Industry! Others! Others! (Volume 1: 2005 - 2008)Basically a b-sides and rarities album. Not as good as previous stuff.Bridges of Konigsberg We Have Many FacesInteresting, but fails to really succeed and inspire in any major ways. By no means a bad piece of music, just underdeveloped and therefore not really a success in my opinion. 3.1/5Broken Social Scene Broken Social SceneBuckethead Enter the ChickenBuilt To Spill You In ReverseCancer Bats Hail DestroyerCannibal Corpse Evisceration PlagueCarcass Tools Of The TradeCast Of Cheers ChariotCentury Black OceanCheap Girls Find Me a Drink HomeSaw this on QuoteUnquote Records. Good, and probably one of the label's better bands, but nothing amazingly diverse.Cheeky Choke on a CheesburgerChimaira ChimairaCirca Survive Hurricane Sandy Benefit EPNot their stronger work; but hey, it's not meant to be. It's for a good cause, so buy it! Standout tracks are "Baby Steps" and "April." Also, on an upside, it got me to check out Psychic Babble. 3.2/5Circle Takes The Square Circle Takes the SquareCityCop SeasonsFor some reason I seem to accumulate an excess of bandcamp emo on my iPod, even when I am not necessarily an emo lover. While this is great emo, I think it's my recent excess of the genre that's making me not love this. 2.8/5Cloudkicker ]]][[[Quite repetitive and borders on the mundane at times, but still an entertaining EP at the greatest price in the world; Free! Giving it a cursory listen won't harm anything and you just might like it. 3.2/5 Coheed and Cambria No World for TomorrowWhile I stand firm in my belief that this is easily Coheed's weakest album, I will admit that with giving this another listen, it has grown on me. In reality though, the only people who should own this album are Claudio himself and die-hard fans who are truthfully only looking for a soundtrack to the comic book. 3.1/5Coheed and Cambria Year of the Black RainbowNot Coheed's strongest outing by any stretch of the imagination, but when it comes down to it the good songs balance out crappy ones. Thankfully Coheed got their act together with "Ascension" and we can try to forget about this and "GA:V2." 3.2/5Connectedness Locus TerraformsSome interesting stuff... it just doesn't go anywhere. When I finish a piece of music I want to be at least a little bit moved or affected... and this does neither. Maybe that's just the style and I can't get into it at all, the violinist of the Moon is definitely worth listening to though. 2.9/5Contaigeon Death at the Gates of DeleriumCorrosion of Conformity In The Arms of GodCory Johnson The Legend of ZeldaWhile this massive continuum of music is by all regards a success, it unsurprisingly fails to surpass it inspiration. Without a doubt, the "variations on a theme" formula of the album holds the artist back from achieving the heights that would otherwise be achievable if some original material had been been released instead. 3.2/5Cream Disraeli GearsYeah, this hasn't aged well; probably sounds better through a 45 year old speaker system. 3.1/5Crosses EPOverall pretty good, but nothing really all that exciting. Most of the songs would be right at home as one of the softer songs on a deftones release, so don't really be expecting anything too experimental with Chino. 2.9/5Cursive Mama, I'm SwollenCursive I Am GeminiI think the Cello on The Ugly Organ is the only reason I was drawn to this album. I mean... this album is pretty listenable and it definitely has that "Cursive" vibe that I like... I just can't come to love anything they've done since nearly as much. 3.1/5Cynic The Portal TapesI really expected I'd like this more than I actually do... Musically it feels like a "Carbon-Based Anatomy" if it were released in '94 or '95, and in that respect it is by all accounts a success. I think Cynic's move in a more progressive direction, which by itself is a perfectly logical and natural move for the band, just doesn't have the same draw that the DM Cynic originally drew me in with. 3.2/5Damascus Salutations, Distant Satellite!A couple years ago (hell, even a few months ago) this would've been a solid 4, but I feel I needed to tighten down on how I rated albums, so this is a 3. It's your average post-rock/hardcore/progressive/Idon'tknowwhattocallit that's started to gain real popularity as of late. I really feel that the production on here were just a bit cleaner it would be a whole different world. 3.2/5Dance Gavin Dance Dance Gavin DanceDangers Messy, Isn't It?Darkest Hour Deliver UsDarkest Hour The Eternal ReturnDeerhunter Weird Era Cont.Demon Hunter The TriptychDerelict Earth Sins of the SiblingsDespised Icon Day of MourningDestroy The Runner I, LuciferDethklok Dethalbum IIDimmu Borgir Death Cult ArmageddonDirty Projectors Bitte OrcaDisturbed Ten Thousand FistsDomo Genesis Rolling PapersI don't listen to hip-hop/rap. I don't know what to think of this, but it just feels lazy to me.Down Down III: Over The UnderDragonForce Sonic FirestormDream Theater Black Clouds & Silver Liningsdredg The Pariah, The Parrot, The DelusionDying Fetus Descend Into DepravityDysrhythmia Barriers And PassagesDysrhythmia Psychic MapsDysrhythmia PretestEdvard Grieg Peer Gynt Suite, No. 2, Op. 55Interesting, and well worth the listen... but not nearly as memorable as the first Suite. 3.2/5Embers Split w/ Book of BelialEmbers side of the Split available for free at their bandcamp page.Embrace The End Ley LinesFACT FactFear Factory MechanizeFinch FinchFollow The White Rabbit Follow The White Rabbit EPFragments of Unbecoming Sterling Black IconWhen I downloaded a single off the Metal Blade Records' site, I d the song right after I heard it. It really takes a whole album to fully understand a band I guess, this is no different. This is pretty good, but my main problem is that the vocals are really rough and the drums are a little simplistic, if you can get past that, this turns out to be a pretty enjoyable album.Frightened Rabbit A Frightened Rabbit EPExactly what can be expected... whether this is good or bad is up to the listener. To me this just sounds like a mediocre EP from a sterotypical "Indie" band. Yes, it has that soft and sweet melodic warmness that is generally indicative of the genre... but this EP brings ABSOLUTELY nothing new to the board. 2.8/5Genghis Tron Board Up the HouseGod Forbid EarthsbloodGodspeed You! Black Emperor Yanqui U.X.OHonestly, a disappointment. As a post-rock album it is moderately enjoyable, but when looking at it in context of GY!BE's pure brilliance, this just pales in comparison. Still, worth a listen if you've got about an hour to spare and nothing to do. 3.1/5rGojira The LinkThis is definitely a difficult album to rate. At some points I'm banging my head to one of the best riffs I've heard in years; at others I am cringing at the repetition and monotony that opponents of the band justifiably complain about. Overall, the highs don't outnumber the lows and the album turns out to be more of a chore than some of their other albums. 2.9/5Good Weather for an Airstrike As We're Both Just Standing StillBasically just like this guy's other releases. They're not horrible, and they're pretty good if you want some ambient stuff to chill to... but would it kill the guy to make more than 10 minutes of music and call it a release? Seriously... 2.9/5Gorod Process of a New DeclineHatebreed Satisfaction Is The Death Of DesireA lot of very short fast songs, still better than anything they have created sinceHave Heart Songs to Scream at the SunHead Automatica DecadenceEasily some of the weakest stuff Daryl has ever done, but still, it's daryl. 3.2/5Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki Symphony No. 3, Op. 36I love post-rock, so I feel that I should really love this... I really should... I just don't, I guess. The harmonies are all beautiful and everything, and the woman's voice is undoubtedly beautiful, but I'm getting nothing emotionally from this. 3.1/5Henryk Mikolaj Gorecki String Quartets No. 1 & 2, Ops. 62 & 64Nope... Still impossible to get into. I just don't understand the depression of the piece I guess. 3.1/5 Her Name Is Calla Long Grass 10"Herbie Hancock Maiden VoyageYour average jazz album. It seems that many consider this amazing, but all I hear in this is everything I've ever heard before; not many points that stand out or draw me in. 3.2/5Herbie Hancock Empyrean IslesI guess I'm just not getting it. All I hear when I hear this is a bunch of noodling. 3.1/5High on Fire Death Is This CommunionHolding Onto Hope Of The SeaThis Screams "Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"Husker Du New Day RisingI Am Abomination Jaw DropperI Am Abomination To Our ForefathersI Have Dreams Three Days 'til Christmas EPI Wish You Were Here 5 Parsecs to HomeWow...................... some really crappy stuff comes from the recesses of the internet. Basically Imagine Oliver Skyes skramming over some music could very easily pass as listenable if not for his horrible voice chiming in at the most inopportune times. Thankfully the horrid vocals are only on the first and last songs. The almost post-rock-esque music on the interior 3 tracks are pretty good, but none of them are exceptionally memorable. Album would be near a 4 if not for the horrible vox and horrid drumming. 3.2/5Iced Earth The Glorious BurdeniLiKETRAiNS Elegies to Lessons LearntAfter listening to GY!BE, Sigur Ros, Yndi Halda, and Mono, post-rock just doesn't sound right with clear English vocals.In Flames Come ClarityInk & Dagger The Fine Art of Original SinIron Maiden Piece of MindJay Reatard Watch Me FallJob for a Cowboy RuinationJonsi and Alex Riceboy SleepsJoy Division SubstanceKatatonia Dead End KingsI want to say this would be an album I'd have loved 3 years ago, but going back and looking, I didn't even like it then (when Night is the New Day came out). This band it seems is a lot like Opeth, a highly skilled band that can open up a listener's horizons. However, once that point has been reached by the listener, the band kind of loses its pizzazz. 3.2/5 Killswitch Engage As Daylight DiesKillswitch Engage Killswitch Engage IIKing Crimson RedKing Crimson Larks' Tongues in AspicKing Diamond AbigailObviously impeccable musicianship by each and every person on this album, but I can't seem to rate this any higher than a 3.5 and the reason stems from two primary issues. The first of the two is the overuse of guitar solos; if every song were just the chorus/verse/interludes I'd be more than happy, but I am undeniably glad that that relic from the 80's stayed there. The second of the two issues is Diamond's voice; just like some people absolutely abhor "death growls" I have grown to be the same way with King Diamond's falsetto. If not for those two issues, I'm sure this would be a near-perfect album for me. 3.2/5Kodiak KodiakKreator Enemy of GodKreator Hordes Of ChaosKronos Quartet FloodplainActually fairly bearable... An good display of Arabian music. Though... I have no expectations of this being an overly-enjoyable listen for the common sputnik indie/metal/everything-except-this listener. One detractor to mention is the play time, MUCH too long, MUCH MUCH too long. 2.9/5La Dispute Winter Tour Holiday CD-RFinally!!! A holiday CD I don't feel gay listening to out of season.Lacuna Coil ComaliesLacuna Coil KarmacodeLana Avacada The WarehouseSome better than average modern Emo. None of the songs are 'bad' per say, but none of them really stand out or grab you either. 3.2/5LCD Soundsystem Sound of SilverGood, just not anything amazing. I remember there being a surge of people raising a hubbub over this a while ago and didn't understand it; I still don't understand. I can sort of see why some people find this enjoyable, but there are so many others albums out there that this album doesn't even hold a flame to. I might as well keep this though, just for the random happenstance that I may be in the mood for it a long way down the road. Some people may tout this as king, but as for me, when I'm in the mood for some post-punk I'll break out the ol' "Remain in Light". 3.24/5Lento IconHymen was good...and so was the title track...but...I can't really say much for the rest of it. For me this falls oh-so-slightly above the "enjoyable" mark on my music yardstick, so this is probably not going to get too many spins after the first. 2.9/5Les Claypool Of Fungi and FoeDefinitely the weaker of the two Les Claypool solo outings I've listened to. While the man has a specific sound that he excels at, this outing feels quite monotonous and downright bland by Les' standards. 2.9/5Let Me Crazy Virgin MetalLight Bearer Silver TongueI'll admit that there's a lot of continuous building, but that's just what Post-rock/metal is. To be honest, the really beautiful moments are few and far between; still, it's far from a "worthless" album like some are supposing. 3.0/5Linkin Park Hybrid TheoryLudwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13Didn't love it when I tried it a year ago, don't love it today. I don't know that it is..... Weird. 3.2/5Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36It's good........ just not anywhere near as fantastic as his later concertos, symphonies, and sonatas. 3.2/5Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 55I don't know, this is good... It's just missing something. 3.2/5Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata in F minor, Op. 2, no. 1Honestly, pretty meh... You can really tell how early on in his career by the sound of the piece. 3.2/5Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata in C major, Op.2 No.3Usually I love piano sonatas... but I'm not feeling anything with this one. 3.0/5Ludwig van Beethoven Various Late SonatasLike with most classical music, the finales are where it's at... Among all these sonatas, only the 29th and 30th sonatas really stand out. 2.8/5Lunar Day Silhouettes of DustProbably a lot more entertaining for someone other than me. I think I should give up on electronica as a whole from now on... 3.2/5Mastodon Blood MountainMatthew West HistoryMaximum the Hormone OotoriThey found their sound, they just haven't crystallized it yet. 3.0/5Maximum the Hormone A.S.A. CrewYeah, this really isn't that great. It's some great old-school thrash (kind of reminds me of Suicidal Tendencies), but it's clearly noticeable that the band had yet to capture their "sound" that set them apart from everyone else out there. 2.8/5mc DJ Illin-NoiseA Remix of Sufjan Stevens' [i]Illinois[i/]. Not bad for what it is, but the original is obviously far superior. 2.8/5Meat Loaf Bat Out of HellMechanism Inspired HorrificMeshuggah NothingMeshuggah Catch ThirtythreeStill good TDM, it just doesn't have that individual sound that make obZen or some of their other work so much more enjoyable. All I hear with this is Chug-after-Chug-after-Chug. 3.1/5Metallica Death MagneticMiles Davis Sketches of SpainI just don't get it I guess... I mean there's definite though put behind all this, but none of it really means anything to me. 3.1/5Miles Davis 'Round About MidnightIt's good... but nowhere near as great as In a Silent Way or Kind of Blue. There's nothing about it that really makes it "bad", but there's also nothing here that really sets it apart from Miles' other albums. 3.2/5Miles Davis Pangaea"I didn't know Miles Davis released some lame self-masturbatory guitar and trumpet-solo album." Though, on an honest note, this is definitely not for everyone. For the vast majority of people this will come off the way I described it above, an overly long noodle-tastic jazz-rock abortion. It has its definite moments, but most of us aren't going to wade through 85 minutes of truly forgettable music to find those 1/2 minute nuggets of brilliance. 2.9/5Mindflow Just the Two of Us... Me and ThemModest Mouse The Moon & AntarcticaMogwai Mr. BeastMogwai The Hawk Is HowlingMy Chemical Romance Three Cheers For Sweet RevengeMy Chemical Romance The Black ParadeNapalm Death ScumNarcoleptica The Modular ExplanationWeird, noizy, and interesting... but not in the good way. The zenith of the album is definitely 'The Modular Explanation II' which actually gets pretty interesting and fun to listen to at times, if only the rest of the album were so good. The band is attempting noiz, but they aren't succeeding. At many times through the album I was even tempted to just shut it of since the music had deteriorated into several atypical instruments in complete and utter disharmony. If you're a hardcore Noiz fan, I guess I'd rec this to you, but if not, stay far away. 3.2/5Nas IllmaticA good rap album, but nothing about this really excites me. It's not the absolutely fetid crunk s**t I hear all too often, which is a plus, but then again it doesn't scream "Amazing" like many albums (no matter the genre) usually do for me. 2.9/5Native Wrestling MovesNerd Alert Demo 2009Nothing really to say about this, it's normal, everyday skate-punk. Bad Production, lack of lyrical development, and over-used riffs abound in this album to no surprise. Overall it isn't bad music, it's just not that great either. 3.2/5Newsboys Shine: The HitsNine Inch Nails Ghosts I-IVGhost I is soothing and meditative. Ghost II is raucous and drone-ey but at times beautiful and majestic. Ghost III is somewhere between the two. And Ghost IV... is something altogether foreign and out of frame.... Ghost has proven to be a very interesting listen. Sadly, for me, interesting doesn't always transform perfectly into enjoyable. I'd rather listen to Year Zero or The Downward Spiral any day. 2.9/5Nine Inch Nails The SlipNirvana NirvanaNorma Jean O' God The AftermathNorma Jean RedeemerNorthern Sword Demo 2010I definitely see these guys getting a record deal... not so much because they're good, but that they're pretty accessible and are just another band that sounds good in an already overstuffed genre.O Pioneers!!! Neon CreepsOh, Sleeper Son of the MorningOpeth LamentationsPretty underwhelming to be honest. Back end of the album makes up for the snooze-fest of the first ten or so songs, but everything about this album screams "Their live concerts must be a lot less fun than their albums" for me. 2.9/5Opeth HeritageThis is by no means a terrible album; however, when compared to the monolithic image Opeth has until now been able to live up to, this is without a doubt one of the lowest points in their career. While others may cry about how "'Tis not BP!", I honestly welcome the band's evolution in a direction away from death metal. Where this album fails is that it is nothing but build-up without any conclusion (except maybe with the exception of "Famine." Opeth have proven in the past that they can provide impressive progressive without relying too entirely on their DM roots (see Damnation), but for some reason or another, with this much anticipated album the gods of metal have entirely failed to excite. 3.2/5Ozzy Osbourne The Ozzman ComethPanopticon CollapsePegasuses-XL The Midnight AquariumPegasuses-XL Pegasuses-XLPetrels T R E E T I G E RJust what great shoegaze should be; lots and lots of beautiful buildup. Sadly with this one, the buildup doesn't end fantastically and fuzzy discordant section doesn't balance too well with the beautiful post-rock accompaniment. 3.2/5Pink Floyd The Piper at the Gates of DawnThis is a very confusing album... I mean it's interesting album in its own right... but an entirely different monster than Waters-led Pink Floyd. You might love it more than their classics of the 70's, but I for one don't feel from this what I do from "Wish You Were Here." 3.1/5Pixies DoolittlePoison The Best Of Poison: 20 Years Of RockPorcupine Tree Voyage 34: The Complete TripPropagandhi Supporting CasteNot nearly as good as I remember it being. I think I need to give this another listen. Until then, this sits at a low 3. 2.9/5Protest the Hero ScurrilousImagine for a moment a trip to the beach with your best bud. Things start out great, it's sunny with a couple nice sun-blocking clouds in the sky, not perfect but things look promising; so you start your walk. Sadly, before you have a chance to enjoy the day for what it is your buddy chimes in reminding you of how great a high-school trip with all your classmates. You start reminiscing about the magical day and realize how nothing could match the experience no matter how hard you try. That simile is this album in a nutshell; a great album in and of itself, but so reminiscent of the perfection you felt before that it drags the actual day down and makes it hard for you to enjoy it for what it is. 3.2/5Pteradon VIVA!Garage punk through and through. "Fun", in a word, but overall too few identifiable differences when compared to contemporary bands. It's not horrible... but in the end, just too mediocre to merit further listens. 2.9/5Public Enemy Fear of a Black PlanetOkay, with this I have concluded that hip-hop is not for me... 2.8/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64Good, but not everything I was expecting it to be; honestly a little disappointing, and I'm an actual Tchaikovsky fan. 3.2/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Voyevoda, Op. 78 (Symphonic Ballad)good, as expected by Tchaikovsky, but just not great. No memorable crescendos, and the overall flow is a little wonky IMO. 3.2/5Ramones Leave HomeI understand the impact on later music but, with the exception of "California Sun", none of the songs really get me rockin' like punk is really supposed to. While the impact of the band on later generations is without measure, this musically is a 3 for me. 3.2/5Red Hot Chili Peppers CalifornicationReverse the Curse PathsRodrigo y Gabriela Area 52While at first it seems great, after the second track It's easy to realize how mediocre an album this is. The premise seems solid, "1. Take fantastic guitar duo, 2. Add additional Instrumentation, 3. Profit" but in actuality the completed product is nowhere near as good as expected. What a couple years ago was inventive and original now is indiscernible from your dime-store, run-of-the-mill, latin bar bands. Rodrigo and Gabriela harshly toned down their own sound to fit better? with C.U.B.A, but in doing this they stripped the songs of a lot of enjoyment. I'm glad they're experimenting... but this is NOT the right direction if they're looking for opinions. 2.9/5Rosetta Wake/LiftHas its highs, but is sadly comprised of a vast majority of lows. It's not like I was expecting a 2nd Galilean Satellites, but I was kind of expecting more than this. 2.9/5Run DMC King Of Rock"King of Rock" is the only redeeming song of this album, then again I hate hip-hop with a vengeance.Russian Circles EmprosI for one cannot understand where all the love is coming from for this slightly above mediocre prog band. I definitely hear the potential there, but with each song I feel let down... let down that they didn't realize all the potential packed in those few minutes. This could have easily gone over much better than it did... 3.1/5Rx Bandits Those Damn BanditsNot the RX Bandits that you know and love now, but not bad. Energetic, fun, and catchy just as all ska should be. 3.1/5Sabhankra Our Kingdom Shall RiseGet a vocalist like King Diamond and put him in a death metal band that has the chops of a thrash band. Though there is some pretty crappy production and vocals throughout, the band does a pretty good job of making some pretty good riffs. When you play the first song you'll laugh out loud from the mixing of the guitars, but don't worry, it settles down pretty soon and becomes more enjoyable. find free download here> ://deathmetalinvasion.blogspot.com/2010/01/sabhankra-our-kingdom-shall-rise-ep.htmlSabrepulse First CrushA bit(lol) poppy for my tastes, but but most of this is pretty listenable. My only complaint is that once "Arcanine" hits things get way too dub-steppey (which is sad since Arcanine is tied with another for being my favorite pokemon ever). 2.9/5Scary Kids Scaring Kids Scary Kids Scaring KidsSepta All the BirdsGreat atmosphere and range, just doesn't really go anywhere. 3.2/5Serart SerartUhhh.... yeah.... I don't know what to say about this. Serj being there makes it a lot more accessible, but not by enough... I mean it sound beautiful and everything, but I do NOT see this being one of my regulars. 3.1/5Sergei Rachmaninoff Rhapsody on a Theme of PaganiniGood... I guess... just not very deep... I feel almost zero emotion from this piece. 3.2/5Shrinebuilder ShrinebuilderSilversun Pickups CarnavasSixx:A.M. Heroin Diaries SoundtrackSky Eats Airplane Sky Eats Airplane"World Between Us" was the shining moment on the album for me. I find them a little better than the average metalcore band, but just by a hair.Slipknot SlipknotSnowmine Laminate Pet Animal"An amazing psychedelic trip you will not forget."rNot for me. While it isn't necessarily a pain to listen to, I just can't grasp what makes this so amazing; all I hear is some generic indie that wasn't unique enough to find a proper label... 3.2/5So Long Forgotten Things We Can See and Things We CannotStrike one for absence of creativity. With "Things we Can See & Things we Cannot" just rehash a genre already overstuffed with completely identical contenders. Yes, the music is enjoyable, but it's just the same Jesus-tinged Indie-ternative that everybody and their friend seem to making in rural America now-a-days. If you want something interesting, provocative, and new, don't listen to this because you'll find nothing whatsoever. But. If you're looking for something family-friendly to play in the background of your local church's youth-group, then slap this baby right on! 2.9/5Steely Dan AjaI see the skill in music, I just can't get into this at all. 2.8/5Steve Reich Early WorksNot really that great one way or the other... some may contend that it is a masterpiece and a ground-breaking work of minimalism, while his friend may claim that it's all just a bunch of conflicting melodies and is utterly unlistenable. Music like this is one of the few pieces of music that hinges entirely on the person listening. One man's trash is another man's treasure. 2.9/5 (for me at least)Steve Reich Variations for VibesInteresting, but honestly just a tad too boring to hold my interest past a first listen. 3.1/5Steve Reich Daniel VariationsAgain, slightly to monotonous for my tastes. Adios Steve, 2.9/5Steve Vai Passion and WarfareVan Dragonforce, in a word. I know Van Halen came before and Dragonforce came after, but that's what this album is. Endless wankery that sometimes sounds really awesome, but most of the time just gets tiring. Not to the completely deplorable level of crab-core, but still a chore to listen to in my opinion. 3.1/5Strung Out Agents of the UndergroundSunn O))) Black OneSunn O))) Monoliths and DimensionsSwitchfoot The Beautiful LetdownTeam Teamwork Vinyl Fantasy VIITears for the Dead Gods Tears for the Dead GodsThe Beatles Please Please MeThe Beatles before they were The Beatles. It's some catchy old-school pop, but is in no real way unique or different at all from what was going on at the time. 2.9/5The Beatles Beatles for SaleSgt. Pepper's... or Rubber Soul it ain't, but definitely a much more all-around enjoyable album than some of their other albums. 3.2/5The Binary Code Demo 2008Good quality production for a Demo. Progressive, Technical, and catch as hell; I definitely see this band going places.The Black Dahlia Murder NocturnalThe Faceless Planetary DualityThe Flaming Lips At War With The MysticsThe Human Abstract NocturneThe Mars Volta Scab DatesThe Mountain Goats All Eternals DeckThere's no escaping the fact that it's that mainstream as hell folk/indie singer-songwriter hipster crap... that much is obvious. However once you come to terms with that, The Mountain Goats (aka John Darnielle) get a lot more enjoyable. As for where this album rests in John's lengthy discography? I'd probably somewhere about the middle; better than a good portion of his work, but ultimately weaker than his best stuff. 3.2/5The Ocean Islands/TidesThis is not as amazing as Fogdiver or their Full Lengths, but I've heard much much worse demos. It is easy to see why they were signed shortly after they put this out. The Offspring AmericanaThe Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quartet Sepulcros De MielBasically all that wankery stuff on FtM sped up/slowed down a bit. For fans of the boring parts of TMV's albums 2.9the pillows Runners HighGood, just not amazing.................. I Miss FLCL 3/5The Receiving End of Sirens The Earth Sings Mi Fa MiThe Reptilian Boys Life EPThe Riot Before So Long, The LighthouseThe Sawtooth Grin CuddlemonsterThe White Stripes White Blood CellsI kind of understand why some people sort of like these guys, but it's just not that great. There are one or two really good songs, but honestly... the vast majority of the songs on here are just not that great. 3.1/5The Who TommyHonestly, this really doesn't do anything for me. It undoubtedly has had an effect on the industry as a whole and for thousands it truly hits them where it counts... but for me? Nothing. All I can say is that with this album there is just too much of a generation gap. 3.2/5Thelonious Monk Thelonious Monk With John ColtraneI'm not loving this like I love Brilliant Corners... I don't know what it is, it's just lacking that "oompf!" 3.2/5They Might Be Giants Join UsEnjoyable, but just too distant for me to really latch onto. They Might Be Giants are a classic 90's band, but this just reads to me like an augmented version of what they (and many other bands) did over 20 years ago. 3.2/5Thousand Foot Krutch The Art of BreakingThriftworks Raki TakiSolid electronica; I just know I'd like this a lot more if I actually enjoyed the genre. 3.2/5Tiamat A Deeper Kind of SlumberToby Driver In the L..L..Library LofttobyMac Welcome to Diverse CityUnearth III: In the Eyes of FireUnraveller Kinship SynthesisListenable, but feels a little empty... like a metalhead with an NES and too much time on his hands; not fully fleshed out. I for one would much rather listen to Anamanaguchi any day of the week. 3.2/5Utada Hikaru DistanceIt's your standard J-Pop, everything feels like it's been done 100 times before and Utada's fantastic voice is what really holds this album up. 3.1/5Various Artists (Post-Rock) PostrockologyDorena and Goonies Never Say Die kind of stole the show on this compilation IMO... though Moving Mountains and Athletics weren't far behind. Those were the only noteworthy bands though... most of the rest is just forgettable, somewhat bland post-rock. 3.2/5Vasudeva Roots of the TreeVery proggy post-rock and very much in the vein of Irepress' lighter stuff. Excellent music and I know for a fact that this genre combination would appeal to many a listener here at Sputnik. I don't know what it is about me though, maybe I need a level of heaviness or darkness in my prog or post-rock for me to really love it. 3.2/5Weird Al Yankovic Bad Hair DayNot as good as Running With Scissors and a couple of the tracks lag a bit. Still, it's Werid Al so you've gotta' love it at least a little bit. 3.2/5Weird Al Yankovic Straight Outta LynwoodWeird Al Yankovic AlapaloozaFor one reason or another, it seems that "Weird Al" has been undeservedly shunned on sputnik. When an artist can not just rmimic so many diverse genres but add to them respectfully and comedically (as well as successfully I might add), then that rshows a love for music as a whole that so many "normal" musicians sadly lack. 3.2/5Windir ArntorA bit harder for me to get into than 1184. I really thing this is going to be a grower. 3.2/5Yo-Yo Ma and Others New ImpossibilitiesA whole cast of individually talented musicians coalescing to create some beautiful music. By no fault of their own though, traditional eastern and middle-eastern music just doesn't mesh well with me. What by all means should qualitatively should be a 4-4.5, this sits at a high 3 on the enjoyment scale for me. 3.2/5You Blew It! The Past in PresentNot at its core a bad band, but then again there really isn't anything here that hasn't been done a hundred times be for by a thousand different bands. 3.2/5Zero System MeridianA marriage of Metalcore and Melodic Death Metal, taking along both the good and bad of both genres. Zimmer's Hole When You Were Shouting at the Devil...Sounds like Devin doing power metal. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it feels that a few songs are a little lacking.2.5 average3 Inches of Blood Fire Up The BladesA Perfect Circle Thirteenth StepA Tribe Called Quest People's Instinctive Travels & The Paths of RhythmNot really feeling anything from this. I think this is the nail in the coffin, Hip-Hop is just something I'll never enjoy. 2.4/5Aaron Copland Copland: Our Town, The Red Pony, El Salon Mexico...really... I don't know what to say... Appalachian Spring is phenomenal, but everthing other than that (and his symphonies) just seems uninspired and honestly quite boring. Just pass this over, There is WAY better contemporary classical out there. 2.7/5AC/DC Back In BlackAcid Death Random's ManifestEssentially a watered down version of Heartwork. (with a little jazz thrown in, though that doesn't help it much)Aerosmith Devil's Got A New DisguiseAndrew W.K. The WolfA catch album overall, but honestly that's all Andrew W.K. has going for him. The Songs all sound vaguely the same and there is little if any experimentation. Try again next time A.W.K., 2.3/5Animosity AnimalAnlace TransmutaciónAlbum is good but vocals are crap. A vast improvement from their previous attempt. If this album is any indication of where they're heading it would be a good idea to keep an eye on this band.Arms ARMSASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION Surf Bungaku KamakuraHonestly a really mainstream j-rock album, maybe good for an anime opening, but not much else. 2.7/5Atlas Sound LogosAugust Burns Red Thrill SeekerHorrible, Just Horrible Generic Metalcore A Real Chore To Listen ToAvenged Sevenfold Sounding the Seventh TrumpetAvenged Sevenfold City of EvilBarnaby Jones Barnaby JonesBat For Lashes Two SunsBeach House BloomYeah, this is just some lame'o indie crap masquerading as something different. Just skip over this; check something else out that you've been needing to get to. 2.4/5Beat Noir The Bay Street Superstars EPBehemoth EvangelionBen Sollee Learning to BendSeeing as it's so similar to Jeff Buckley, I really should love this... but something's not meshing with me; maybe it's the delivery that's getting at me. While it wasn't exactly a groundbreaking approach, on Grace it sounded like Jeff was putting the entirety of heart and soul into each individual song... all I'm getting with this is a guy with a good voice mimicking his idols (though not Buckley specifically). 2.6/5Bjork VespertineSup Bjork.... you're eccentric, something that always leads to mainstream success (see Lady Gaga). Too bad I'm to much of a hipster impersonator to really care. Still don't get you and don't think I ever will. 2.3/5Black Flag DamagedUnfiltered angst and aggression, and on that front it succeeds. Musically however, it fails to live up to the hype. Very similar to the Ramones in a way. They both played integral parts in shaping the way music sounded afterward, but the successors of the genre definitely improved on the previous' groundwork. 2.5/5Blonde Redhead Penny Sparkle"Background music". There's no other way for me think of this... It's not unpleasant, but neither is it really different from all the other "Indie" (now the new "Alternative") I now hear far too often. 2.7/5Blueneck Twelve DaysBasically, a depressionization of some of the songs in the Great American Songbook (Christmas Edition.) May be interesting to a Drone/Post-Metal/Depressive Post-Rock lover, but not to me. 2.7/5Bon Jovi Have a Nice DayBrains (Ireland) AlchemyBlues-rock loosely in the vein of bands like Clutch, The Sword,and Firebird. Not the greatest band out there, but it's a solid debut for the band. Hopefully someone more in love with the genre will stumble upon this and give it a listen; the band is definitely skilled and deserve a bit of attention, they're just not getting it from me... 2.7/5Brian Head Welch Save Me From MyselfBuckethead Electric SeaAs much as I wanted this to be a minimalistic masterpiece like Colma was, this does absolutely nothing for me. I definitely see where people can love the serenity of the whole thing, but this thing is just going in one ear and out the other for me. 2.6/5 Buddy Holly The Definitive CollectionA perfect example of how compilation albums fail. On their respective albums you find that each song flows beautifully into the next and compliments the previous song; in this compilation, that feeling harmony of found in the original is all but lost with one song bumbling into the next. 2.7/5Bullet For My Valentine The PoisonBullet For My Valentine Hand Of BloodBurzum Hvis Lyset Tar OssRepetitive, monotonous, and dull in the exact way metal should not be. Whatever genre of music you may be a fan of, whether it be electronica, post-hardcore, indie-pop, or Death Metal, if music is good it should be able to stand up on its own two feet; this album can't do that. In my opinion the only thing "propping up" Varg's music career is the corpse of his dear Euronymous. If not for the absolutely fantastic "Tomhet", this would easily be a 1.5. 2.4/5Cannibal Corpse The BleedingCave In AntennaGreat musicianship, but mind-numbingly formulaic. The band's skill is self-evident, but each and every song is nothing but the same mildly progressive alt-rock song. Nothing about this album makes me want to set this band apart from the hundreds of other new-prog rockers out there. 2.7/5Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Bird & DizWhat was supposed to be a collaboration between to amazing musicians turns out to be just a let down. Unless you have an unhealthy fascination with both these musicians it'd probably be better to just pass this one by. 2.7/5Chimaira ResurrectionClutch Pitchfork and Lost NeedlesCold Electrics Y'know, for CharityCriminal White HellCursive Happy HollowSee review if you want to hear my opinion on this album with more than 50 charactersCursive The Storms of Early Summer: Semantics ofMuch in the vein of Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes only a lot more disappointing. Where the debut had enough hooks to latch onto to accompany such an emotional singing style, this album brings a lot less to the table rhythmically speaking. While the previous was a great, though not fantastic, sampling of a emo/alt/indie maga-genre, in this album Kasher just flounders in trying to live up to the debut... 2.6/5Cynic Demo 1991Dead Mountain Mouth UnveilDemon Hunter Storm The Gates Of HellDismal Lapse Eon FragmentationDisturbed The SicknessDisturbed IndestructibleDivine Heresy Bringer of PlaguesDragonForce Inhuman RampageDragonForce Ultra BeatdownDream Theater Systematic ChaosDream Theater Greatest Hit (... and 21 Other...)Embers Memoria in AeternaEscape Act Loosely Based on FictionEschaton Isolated IntelligenceWow, I remember "Godmode" being a whole lot better... maybe I need to go back and re-listen, because this just sounds like every other generic "metal" album ever made. 2.7/5Evanescence FallenFamily Force 5 Business Up Front, Party In The BackFlyleaf FlyleafGinger Ten (Two)"This Bed is on Fire" has quite possibly just taken the no. 1 place in my list of favorite Mondegreens. Album would do SO much better back in the 80's where it belongs. 2.4/5Glassjaw Impossible ShotIf they made a cleaner recording of this the rating would skyrocket. Really not that bad, just.... it's a demo made who knows how long ago with who knows what kind of equipment, so what do you really expect.Goatwhore Carving Out The Eyes Of GodGreen Day American IdiotGuns N' Roses Greatest HitsHaste the Day Pressure The HingesHaste the Day DreamerHatebreed SupremacyHe Is Legend It Hates YouHeaven and Hell The Devil You KnowHeirs AlcheraHelado Negro PasajeroI honestly just downloaded this because it was free. Slightly disappointed, but maybe I just don't "get" it. It's spacey and ghostly, whether that's good or bad is up to the listener. To me it doesn't break the "glad I checked this out" cusp. 2.7/5 Anyway, here's the link: http://heladonegro.bandcamp.com/album/pasajeroHelmet Unsung: The Best of Helmet 1991-1997Ihora & Fragment. Split BittersweetPretty all around blah. If you like droning music (not serene and slow like a lot of post-rock is... I mean DRONING) then I guess I'd rec. this, but you'd have to be in a really lazy mood. I give it a 2.5Impending Doom The Serpent ServantIn Flames A Sense of PurposeInhale Exhale I Swear...Invisible Elephant The Lights Go Outpsych-noise with iffy production at times (the vocals and drums sound vastly more distorted than the guitar, which I don't think is intentional). If you like simple, easy to follow music, that's also free, then this is for you; but for those who prefer music with a little more substance to their music this is not for you. 2.7/5Iron Maiden A Matter of Life and DeathJaga Jazzist What We MustI really thought I was going to love this... I really did... but listening to it now, I get absolutely nothing. Instead of whatever ambient/post-rock/electronic bliss you guys are getting, I'm hearing none of; just jazz-noodling done by a bunch of post-rockers. 2.7/5Job for a Cowboy GenesisJohn Adams On the Transmigration of SoulsVery culturally significant and relevant to Americans... but not much in the way of real "music." 2.4/5Journey The Essential Journey (2-Disc)Other than the first few songs this gets tiring VERY fast.Kidcrash New RuinsKing Crimson Three of a Perfect PairKinniku Shojo Tai Buddha LOkay disco, I totally agree with you that there's a definite 80's vibe all throughout this. Bad news? I really can't stand the 80's signature sound, so there is pretty much nothing for me here. 2.4/5Kom InkSort of directionless and meandering in a structural sense. You can tell the band isn't completely devoid of talent... it's just that their talents can obviously be better used elsewhere. 2.4/5Korn Follow The LeaderKorn See You on the Other SideKowloon Walled City Container ShipsI don't know what it is, but Gambling on the Richter Scale was WAY better than this. I love sludge as much as the next guy, but this is not what I was expecting after how excellent their last album was. 2.6/5Kronos Quartet Henryk Górecki: String Quartet No. 3Maybe I just don't understand avant-garde... this is just to hard to follow. Maybe some of his other stuff is more accessible. I'll come back to this in a year or so. 2.3/5Kylesa Time Will Fuse Its WorthGloriously bland. Each song on the album sort of blends into the next... and not in the good one. I can tell little to no difference song to song, and the band's sound feels devoid of originality. Thankfully their next album more than made up for what this one lacked. 2.6Lacuna Coil Shallow LifeLamb of God Ashes of the WakeLed Zeppelin BBC SessionsLiving Colour Everything is Possible: The Very Best of...Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata in A major, Op. 2, No. 2There's nothing really to say. It's not absolutely unlistenable... but I'm looking for more in music than that. I'm looking for exhilaration, I'm looking for excitement!... and I'm not finding it here. 2.6/5Madina Lake From Them, Through Us, To YouMahavishnu Orchestra Birds Of FireUnabashed, thickly layered 70's prog... I honestly can't find a thing to love on here... 2.3/5Metallica ReLoadMiles Davis Bitches BrewI agree with Nick Butler on this album. For all the hype that it got, I was expecting something much more exciting. For the vast majority of my listen I was sitting, waiting for the real stuff to start... but by the end all I was left with was a feeling of disappointment. Beyond some jazz noodling that seems to be pseudo-influential I get nothing from this. Give me "In a Silent Way" any day. 2.3/5Motley Crue Greatest Hits (1998)Neil on Impression L'oceano Delle onde che Restano onde per SempreYeah it's post-rock, but nothing about this really sets it apart from any of the innumerable mediocre post-rock bands out there. Bands like GY!BE and Yndi Halda have succeed in finding that golden ratio between excitement and comfort; this just feels too loud at inopportune times and basically just throws everything off where it could've excelled. 2.6/5Newsboys Take Me To Your LeaderNorma Jean The Anti MotherNoumenon Party MathematicsPretty average instrumental mathcore. Not horrible or cheezy like the crap you can find whoring themselves at Warped, but not really great either.Opeth Apostle in TriumphPetrels Talus Dice/Beyond The High SavannahsReally more discordance and clicks than music. I Really see these guys going somewhere, but this is just nothing... 2.4/5Pg. 99 Document #1Pixies Surfer RosaPowerglove Saturday Morning ApocalypseTruly, the only reason this album is rated so highly is because of nostalgia and really nothing more. When you get down to the brass tacks, this is just another power-metal album in a sea of equally as uninspired power-metal albums. This is more akin to a cover album than anything else. Fun and everything (especially their live shows) but I kind of expected more than this. 2.6/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Storm, Op. 76Good... but nothing really astounding. Search elsewhere for better Romanticism. 2.7/5Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Slavonic March in b-flat Minor, Op. 31Nothing all that exciting here. Except for the absolute Tchaikovsky fanboy, not worth the time wasted in listening to it. 2.4/5Queensryche EmpireRage Against the Machine The Battle of Los AngelesRed End of SilenceRevisionist! Thoughts...Folksy acoustic indie with a tinge of emo. The guitar is obviously out of time a number of times each song and the vocalist doesn't have the voice for the genre (his voice is in that middle-ground between 'normal' vocals and vocals that are so discordant and angsty that it's amazing) Not horrible, but not something I'd waste my time on when there are so many more bands out there that this guy can't even hold a candle to. 2.4/5Rimfrost Veraldar NagliSaliva Cinco DiabloSammath Naur The Anhedony DomainShadowcast Sun Lucid, Dreamscape, RemedyOverly lengthy songs and little if any progression. All the songs sound the same and it's all buildup and no delivery. It's not deserving of a troll ranking, but it's still not worth anything higher than 2.5.Shadowcast Sun VoidShadowcast Sun Lie; Up; Sky; ScrollShadows Fall RetributionSigur Ros Untitled 1WAYYYY Too Short. Basically, its a 'single' release from "( )" 2.7/5Skeleton of God Primordial DominionSlipknot All Hope Is GoneSteve Reich Double Sextet/2X5OVERALL: 2.45/5 Double Sextet: Quite a bit more exciting than the latter half... but still, I don't hear anything warranting a Pulitzer Music Prize. 2.7/5 2x5: Nothing really exciting here. Described as a "Rock and Roll Piece" but in reality just feels like something Phil Collins could've crapped out on a random Saturday and would be too embarrassed to publish. 2.2/5Suffocation Blood OathSufjan Stevens Enjoy Your RabbitReally surprising seeing as it's the same guy who made a masterpiece in "Illinois." Honestly, VERY hard to rate. I mean, looking at it objectively, I wouldn't call it a complete chore to listen to... but neither would I call it anything near "good." I think resting at a solid 2.5 would be a gift Sufjan seeing as I'd never even listen to this in the first place if it were by anyone else... 2.5/5Sufjan Stevens A Sun CameNot a particularly optimistic debut, but a crucial album in Stevens' career. The different song styles are all over the place and the sweet, lucid tranquility that is synonymous with his later work is utterly unrefined. Definitely more of an avant-garde experiment than an indie masterpiece. 2.7/5Sufjan Stevens Run Rabbit RunAlmost as hard to digest as the original..... which is still pretty hard. As "Tom" below agrees, it's not that it's particularly 'good' or 'bad', it just 'is.' The real difference between the two "Rabbit"s is purely aesthetic... if you harbor a sever intolerance for electronica you'll probably lean towards this; if you can actually stand bleeps and bloops, the other one is the album for you. When it comes down to me though, I refuse to join either party and simply refuse to believe there was anything before "Michigan." 2.7/5Sunn O))) Flight of the BehemothSunn O))) and Boris AltarI have the same problem with this album that I do with almost every other drone album. There is no substance to the album. If compared to the average album it takes WAY less writing and skill to make; and yet all the 1337 snobs gawk and ogle saying it's the most awesome-est music ever when it's not. The songs are most often grating and drag on forever, which I suppose is their appeal, but I don't get how that is "appealing" at all. Nonetheless, it's one of the better drone albums I've heard. 2.5/5Supermachiner Rise Of The Great MachineWhile the little slivers of ambiance here and there work perfectly on a Converge album, the ambiance works a little less perfectly here. If every song were like "I am Legend" or "Fireflies Light the Way" It would be a different story, but in the case of this album the vast majority of the music is honestly worth skipping over. 2.7/5Swans The SeerNot wholly devoid of worth, but again sputnik has disappointed me. This isn't musical perfection, it's a bunch of off-the-wall experimentation that SOMETIMES strikes upon brilliance, 90% of the time wanders lost in confusion. 2.4/5The Beatles Magical Mystery TourThe least consistent Beatles album I've listened to to date. Usually with the Beatles you can expect classic 60's pop (Rubber Soul, Revolver), perfectly balanced experimentation (Sgt. Pepper's), or drug-trippy obfuscation (Abbey Road). With this I'm getting mixed messages; about half the time it's the beauty you find in Sgt. Pepper's, the other half is crazy gibberish. I'll admit there are a handful of fantastic songs on here ("All You Need is Love", "I am the Walrus" and "Hello Goodbye") but the bad definitely outweigh the good. 2.6/5The Beatles With The BeatlesA pretty weak album. I don't think there's a single song that really stands out from the rest on here, but what can you expect, they're still so young. Really glad they diversified their sound as they got older. 2.7/5The Binary Code Watch The Skies Collapse [Demo]Their most recent demo is the best, but this has a few shining momentsThe Black Dahlia Murder DeflorateThe Cancer Conspiracy OmegaThe Devil Wears Prada PlaguesThe Fall of Troy ManipulatorIt sounds like a bunch of guys trying to impersonate The Mars Volta........and utterly failing.The Flaming Lips EmbryonicVery "out-there" and Wayne Coyne-esque, but this just doesn't have the lasting power of Yoshimi or The Soft Bulletin. 2.7/5The Henry Clay People For Cheap or for FreeYour standard indie-rock release. The music is enjoyable, but there isn't really anything unique or special that sets this apart from everything else out there. 2.3/5The Matt Kurz One Debt SoundsThe Number Twelve Looks Like You Nuclear, Sad, NuclearThe Olivia Tremor Control California DemiseThe Police Synchronicity"meh....", that is all I'm getting out of this. Somehow Sting and co. have achieved a status of "80's rock gods", this being their crowning achievement, but I am not feeling anything from this. The only song of the entire lot that even moderately keeps my interest is the single "Every Breath You Take", and even then this is mostly due to it being a staple contemporary and future pop-culture, so a familiarity is almost unavoidable. Basically what I feel is that this could be the no. 2 most over-hyped band in the world behind Nirvana. 2.7/5The Prize Fighter Inferno My Brother's Blood MachineOkay, this officially is the biggest letdown of the year. After rediscovering this band and loving the hell out of Claudio's comics as well as C&C's most recent The Afterman: Ascension I thought this would be gold as well, but I guess the dream had to end somewhere. I WANT CROONS!!! NOT HIGH-PITCHED WHISPERS CLAUDIO!!!!!! 2.4/5The Red Chord Prey for EyesThe Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Don't You Fake ItThe Showdown Back BreakerThe Specials SpecialsSorry, maybe it's due to my complacency after finding bands like BtMI! and Op. Ivy, but it seems I need a lot more energy in my ska for me to really enjoy it. 2.6/5The World is a Beautiful Place And... Josh Is DeadJudging by end of "To Miss Catherine" and the entirety of "Blank #6" this band would do a LOT better if they entirely abandoned vocals. I mean I know that unattractive vocals are a calling point of the genre, but this is just terrible and adds nothing to the music. 2.7/5The xx xxThree Days Grace One-XThursday Full CollapseThe appeal of this album still escapes me years after first attempting to listen to it. When compared to contemporary "Classic" Post-Hardcore albums, each and every one is more accessible and easily has overall better musicianship. I don't think I'll ever understand this album. 2.7/5Tortoise Beacons of AncestorshipUnearth The MarchVarious Artists (Metal) Kerrang Remastered: Master of Puppets...Machine Head and Mastodon did well, but the majority of the other artists totally made a mockery of the original songs.Various Artists (Punk) A Pop Punk Summer, Vol. 2A hand-full of great bands amid so many mediocre ones... This would make for some great background music at a party or something, the only problem is that each song sounds exactly the same as the last. 2.7/5Victor! Fix the Sun Retracable ClawsWeezer The Red AlbumWithin Temptation The Heart of EverythingWitxes Sorcery/GeographyInteresting drone/post-rock/??? that is mildly entertaining but ultimately fails to go anywhere. 2.4/5Yndi Halda Awake! Awoke! This Heavy GloomPales in comparison to their Full-Length, and is generally not very enjoyable to listen to... Then again, this was supposed to be a demo, not an actual release to the general public. Even then I'm not giving this anything over a 2.6/52.0 poorA Lily Wake:SleepA regrettably lacklustre album. I understand that both Electronica and Post-Rock are genres prone to at least a little staleness, but this album really takes the cake. There's so much filler on here that sometimes it's hard to tell if there's any actual music underneath it all. 2.1/5A Perfect Circle Mer de NomsAC/DC Black IceAerosmith Honkin' on BoboAll That Remains OvercomeAn Infinite Dream Sequence Masquerade of the Dead [Demo]Anthrax Spreading The DiseasePretty much an embodiment of my hate for the 80's. 1.8/5Antonio Vivaldi Gloria, RV 589Crap... Absolute Crap. When one composer makes literally thousands of pieces it is obvious that quite a few of them will be utter bores. This is one of those pieces. 2/5Aqua AquariumAs I Lay Dying A Long March: The First RecordingsBehemoth The ApostasyBlack Tide Light From AboveA bunch of kids playing music they enjoy, the music doesn't have much sustenance and is clearly heavily doctored. Overall a fairly enjoyable album if you're a fan of A7X and bands of the like.Breaking Benjamin PhobiaBridges of Konigsberg The Five Colors [Remixed]As with most remixes, these songs are pretty much the musical equivalent of junior-high art class copies of classical masterpieces. Where the originals were beautiful in their own right, when the brush is put in the hands of someone other than the original artist, something unsettling and distant is left in its place. 2.1/5Bullet For My Valentine Scream, Aim, FireBury Your Dead Beauty and the BreakdownCaptain Beefheart Trout Mask ReplicaUmmmmmmm.... Yeah, I guess I just don't get this. I mean I can enjoy weird insane music as much as the next guy (see my Ratings page), but this is just way too out there for me. I'll admit that the music got a WHOLE lot better as it went on, but the vast majority of this music is just impossible for me to listen to nearly each one of those songs sounds exactly the same. 1.8/5Children of Bodom Skeletons in the ClosetSounds nothing like what CoB should sound like and they cover horrible songs. Although they may be butchering their street cred by doing a cover album, they've done a pretty good job of it. I honestly would never be caught in broad daylight while holding this, but they do a good job of doing metal versions of songs I'd never listen to if I hadn't picked this up. Horrible as a CoB album, good as a cover album. Scratch that, this sucks, the first 6-7 songs are the only bearable ones.Circle Takes The Square/Pg. 99 Document # 13Cloudkicker PortmanteauDo you Like Ice Cream...?, That's what I though. How about a tall stack of syrupy, buttery flapjacks...? A nice juicy steak? While it's true all three of these are great on their own, together they make an unappetizing mess... that is what this album is. If I had multiple ears, maybe this would be a different album... but that not being so, this album is way too complicated and convoluted to really enjoy. 2.1/5Cloudkicker LoopThe worst of everything Cloudkicker does normally. Rampant repetition with none of the good bits you usually find buried in the other albums. 2.1/5Creed My Own PrisonDaughtry DaughtryDevin Townsend DevlabDevin Townsend The Hummersimilar to devlab in that it is just post-rocky soft drone. It isn't anything that you really could call "music". This would feel more at home playing while waiting in line for a space ride at Disney World than it would on your iPod. Still, it gets a little atmospheric and enjoyable with the eastern music near the end.Eric Dolphy Out To LunchI can understand when people pick out avant-garde people who throw into importance once though unnecessary aspects of music, but this is just... too far gone. For music to be enjoyable, there has to be at least a semblance of melody or direction. All I heard with this was incomprehensible randomness. When you can explain to me the brilliance of this in regular human words come get me. Only when the reasoning for this album's superb status can be explained to a toddler will I try this again. 2.2/5Eric Johnson Ah Via MusicomEvan Ireland Ten Songs About the Last Six MonthsAt its core, just a handful of meandering ambient/dub-step tracks that never become anything more than soundscapes layered over muddified voice samples. I think I'm understanding this dub-step movement less and less as time goes by. 2.2/5Everett DestinationsBoring Praise and Worship music minus any vocalization or variety whatsoever. As boring as it can ever get in my opinion... Man, I expected more from you Dallas (Taylor of Underoath and Maylene fame)Flow IsleThis album really disappointed me. On albums like Splash!!! and Game, Flow had the perfect amount of fun energetic pop-punk mixed in with their accessible/mainstream j-rock sound. On this album, the j-rock element has completely taken over. Littered with dime-a-dozen power ballads and bouncy hip-pop sound effects, when I listen to this it feels like the individuality that originally drew me to the band has been completely sucked out... 1.8/5Fugazi 3 Songsfun. Some NightsWhere the debut was heartfelt and immature, this was over-produced, stale, and nearly formulaic. The letdown I feel listening to this has made me re-evaluate the debut and question what drew me to the band in the first place. Buy the debut, burn everything else. 1.8/5Glory Bound Glory BoundGood Weather for an Airstrike The Beginning of the Rest of our LivesA couple sound-bytes slapped onto a couple of lucid waves of mellow sound. Not much here, for the love of music, the whole thing doesn't breach the 6 minute mark. 2/5Grimes VisionsAn excellent album (as long as you ignore tracks 3-13). It definitely sounded like it had some potential on the first track, but everything went downhill from there. Just another fad, move along, move along. 2.2/5Hacksaw to the Throat SeppukuAvailable for free download an their site, Hacksawtothethroat.comInto Eternity The Incurable TragedyJohn Adams Guide to Strange PlacesDoctor Atomic Symphony minus all the things that made it good. Really just a tiresome and boring listen. 2.1/5Karlheinz Stockhausen MantraOkay... Ummmmm?? How is this supposed to be enjoyable??.... because I'm completely lost. I mean I can enjoy some abstract art as much as the next guy (hey, I've actually listened to all of "Einstein on the Beach" in one sitting), but this is just unbearable... 1.9/5 (not a 1/5 for art's sake)King Diamond Give Me Your Soul.... PleaseKorn Take A Look in the MirrorKronos Quartet Alban Berg: Lyric SuiteWhy does this have a 5? I mean seriously... it's nothing all that special. 2.0/5Lamb of God SacramentLinkin Park Minutes To MidnightLiving Colour The Chair in the DoorwayLoma Prieta Life/LessSeriously Ire, what the hell do you see in this?....... skramz sucks..... at least this skramz doesLove Through Cannibalism MetapodestroyerHonestly the only bearable song on this is "Fear and Loathing in Viridian Forest", everything other than that is just a bunch of average chiptune music. 2.1/5Metallica St. AngerMike Patton Laborintus IIIf Philip Glass had nothing better to do and prepared an operatic version of a conversation/argument/conversation between a group of Italians he saw as he waited for the bus. But hey, at least there's actual music on the 2nd track. 2.1/5Motley Crue New TattooMuse The ResistanceMushroomhead Savior SorrowMy Bloody Valentine Isn't AnythingHow in hell did this turn into Loveless??? Loveless is mesmerizing and beautiful! This is monotonous and grating. What in the world happend between these two albums?? 1.9/5MyChildren MyBride UnbreakableNadja When I See The Sun Always Shines on TVNeutral Milk Hotel Everything IsI agree with [b]The Katz brothers[/i] above me in that this is very hard to rate/listen to. However, I feel the opposite way when it comes to which songs succeed and which songs fail. The title track is the closest thing to a "song" as can be found with the following tracks getting progressively harder to listen to. If you're a die-hard Mangum fan you might actually enjoy this, but then again, fan and non-fan alike, In the Aeroplane (and even On Avery Island for that matter) is 100X better than this even on the worst of days. 2.2/5Newsboys DevotionNickelback All the Right ReasonsNile IthyphallicNirvana In UteroI am Disappointed. As Nirvana's swan song, I was expecting In Utero to be a near masterpiece. Instead I'm stuck with what seems like a handful of leftovers that weren't nearly good enough for Nevermind. Where 'Teen Spirit' made me want to rock out and 'Come as you are' made me angsty as hell, this made me want to fall asleep. 2.2/5Nymphea Aurora Promo 2008and no that is not a typo. It is promo 2008, but was released in 2009Pandora 101 HourglassHonestly, just a rehash of what thousands have done before. There are a couple good riffs here and some awesome solos there, but it isn't really something I'd want to waste the limited space on my mp3 player on.Protest the Hero A Calculated Use of SoundA far cry from the quality of Kezia or Fortress, but still enjoyable at times. I am so glad that Rody got singing lessons.Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky The Snow Maiden, Op. 18Honestly pretty empty by its lonesome. Not worth your time unless you're actually seeing a live performance of the full opera. 2.1/5Red Hot Chili Peppers Greatest HitsSaliva Blood Stained Love StorySeason's First Rain Season's First RainCrappy, Low-quality Russian screamo. Definitely stay far away from this.Shadows Fall Threads of LifeSlayer World Painted Blooda real letdown from their early years. They sound like early Metallica at times rather than Slayer.Staind Break the CycleStaind Chapter VStampede to Timberline TribulationVery Sexy Jeff Buckley-esque voice... but that's about it. Sorry Snox. 2.2/5Takeharu Ishimoto "Subarashiki Konosekai" + TWEWY (LP)Pretty much nothing but remixes of the more popular TWEWY songs. Not terrible, but not really worth going out of your way to check out (even for avid fans of the game). 2.2/5The Black Dahlia Murder MiasmaThe Matt Kurz One If You Can't Join 'Em, Beat 'EmNot a great album overall, but one of the best one-man-bands I've ever heard.The Showdown Temptation Come My WayToni Peres A Strange WorldCould possibly do good as a soundtrack, but as a stand alone album it is empty and void of anything interesting.Various Artists (Metal) God of War: Blood and MetalMutiny Within = Trivium > Opeth >> Taking Dawn >>>>> Dream Theater > Killswitch Engage. It was no surprise that this was going to be crap. The only scraps of listenable music are surprisingly created by Mutiny Within and Trivium. The band most would expect to be the best (Opeth) comes off as lackadaisical and uninspired which only serves to crash the dreams of those expecting a tiny morsel of good stuff amid a collective of generic metalcore. Truly an abomination of an EPWeird Al Yankovic Polka PartyThe Talking Heads style parody was fun, but everything else was pretty much forgettable. 2.2/5White Collar Sideshow White Collar SideshowNoodley crap. Stay Very far away from this or be at risk for listless, peakless, boring wankery.Wold StratificationXipe Totec Rebirth Into Existence1.5 very poor3 Doors Down Away From The SunAnlace Bleeding Your HateArmor for the Broken Inspiring Stories of Hope and LoveStumbled across this on apeswithguns, since almost everything there is good I thought this would be interesting, but man was I wrong. This is the most disappointing piece of crap I've listened to all year. It is soulless synth-centered post-hardcore that sounds like it was mixed in someone's garage.As I Lay Dying Beneath The Encasing Of AshesAvenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfoldblink-182 Greatest HitsBonedust When you die and your bones are rotting...drone and random (grating might I add) screeching spread out over 6 tracks. May be up a die-hard noiz/drone/BM maniac's alley, but it ain't up mine. 1.3/5Caliban The AwakeningChimaira The InfectionDeerhunter Carve Your Initials into the Walls of the NightSome Really great stuff right here. Almost as in-depth and though-provoking as some of Sunn O)))'s early stuffDisturbed BelieveEighteen Visions Eighteen VisionsFace of Ruin Face of Ruin [Ep]A couple good riffs sprinkled here or there, but overall falls short of goodFamily Force 5 Dance or DieHinder Take It to the LimitMainstream Bullshit that can't stand up to any real music at all, but the best mainstream I've heard for a long while.Hollywood Undead Swan SongsHonestly one of my favorite guilty pleasures, but so as to not perpetrate the belief that REALLY f**king awful music is actually good I'm giving this a 1.5In This Moment The DreamIwrestledabearonce It's All HappeningMotley Crue Saints of Los AngelesNewsboys Adoration: The Worsip AlbumNickelback Dark HorseOtep Smash The Control MachinePuddle Of Mudd Come CleanStrapping Young Lad C:enter:###I love the anal sex reference in the title, I mean how much more Metal can it get?The Binary Code The Black Phantasma [Demo]The Chariot Wars And Rumors Of WarsThe Frozen Ocean The Frozen OceanAuto-tuned, low quality praise-and-worship musicians touting themselves as post-rockers anyone?The Matt Kurz One Impending Doom is No Excuse!Various Artists Elect-Lo-Nica CompilationYeah, not as bad as some of the other "Music" Higashiyama has decided to take part in... but a bunch of boring, unimaginative (what can hardly be called) electronica does not a good album make. 1.3/5Wold Screech Owl1.0 awfulAvenged Sevenfold Live in LBC & Diamonds in the RoughBring Me The Horizon Suicide SeasonDead Star Melancholia Dead Star MelancholiaF**ked up improv/free jazz/noise/crap from Japan. It actually gave me a headache while listening... yeah, it's that bad. I don't wish this upon my worst enemy... 1.0/5Epeus Richenback EtherizedWait... this is supposed to be music??? I thought it was just random samplings of random noises that some guy picked up when his cell phone microphone accidentally turned itself on. But seriously, this is boring in every sense of the word. At least post-rock and ambient actually have some substance to them... this is just absolutely devoid of anything that makes music good. 1.1/5Fantastimo Fantastimo JourneyYeah, I'm not going to even grace this piece of crap with any substantial soundoff... This is crap musically. 1.0/5Fantastimo Fantastimo VoyageUmmmmmm....... Yeah, this isn't worth even checking out. It's like someone turned on their mic one day while their cat destroyed a guitar to the best of its ability. 1.0/5Oceano DepthsSeason's First Rain split w/ Spray Paint the SunJust............... CRAP! One of THE worst things I've EVER heard. I do not recommend this to ANYONE!The Chariot The FianceeUtada Hikaru This is the One"AAAAGHHHAA!!!! STOP!!! STOP!!! PLEASE!!!!" - my reaction 7.24 seconds in. I cannot believe that this is the same person who brought us the amazing opening sequence themes of KH I & II. 1.2/5
"Sup Ire. Sorry, but this is just another 70s rock album. It had its day, but that day has passed. Music has progressed and evolved since that time and I've clung closer to that music than the music than the music in my parents' day. Although this will probably forever be in many a person's heart regarded as the best album of all time, I am not one of those people."
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