Album Rating: 4.5

You’re fucking with me

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah he is 23 alright.. 23.000

Album Rating: 3.0

Was born the same day as I registered my sput account and something something o how little has changed since

But being real, I don't think my experience of existential dread makes me any more or less automatically receptive to songs about it than, say, my capacity for romance does to love songs (and would argue that tracks about existential dread are comparably oversaturated within the music this site generally platforms)?

Hell 99 turns me off so lyrically because it's so nondescript and unrevealing — anyone could have written it, I don't think it contains any compelling insight on its subject matter or anything I particular care for on a poetic/linguistic level, and since I find the delivery strained and unconvincing, I don't exactly care for its lyrics as a means to an end. Won't invade the thread any further with a fill line by line, but the first verse ("Throw out all the joy and show me the metrics for my failures...") in particular reminds me of terrible college poetry, whereas "You're friends aren't real / they're the company you keep / talking shit in a room long after you leave" is easily the strongest part for me bc it's the only line afforded development beyond the level of brimstone-style caption blaring. Rest of the track is moot and superficial as all fuck to me, but if it gives you the space to air a little end-of-days catharsis, power to you

Should probs also add that although I don't have strong feelings either way about this band/Smidley, their lyrics have never actively rubbed me the wrong way before - always thought they were fine on a means to an end level

Album Rating: 3.0

Maybe it’s because I’m autistic, but I’ve never understood the emphasis people place on lyrics. Easily the least important part of any piece imo — I mean don’t get me wrong, if the lyrics are distractingly awful af it’s probably gonna get in the way of me enjoying a song, and really good lyrics can of course elevate my appreciation of music. I initially perceive most of the music I listen to on a more visceral level, and sometimes I don’t even end up looking up lyrics to my favourite songs for months or even years (I’ve heard 1901 by Phoenix like 100 times over the last decade and I always thought they were saying “falling, falling, falling” in the chorus, only just learned that he’s saying “fold it, fold it, fold it”, actually kind of wish I didn’t learn this lol).



As for Hell 99, idk what the lyrics are outside of a few things I’ve caught while listening to it; I just thing the screams are solid and the song has good energy

Album Rating: 3.0

One negative I will say: idk why that track keeps going for like 2 minutes. I think the latter half is kind of useless and I wish they cut it

Album Rating: 4.0

i fuck with the outro, kinda gives me bjork vibes vocally. it def didn't need it though lol

Album Rating: 4.5

Maybe im just easy to please but i adore the whole thing

Album Rating: 4.5

2 10/10 tracks back to back. I couldn’t be more hyped for this record

Album Rating: 4.0

I like how the ending of Hell 99 is basically a coming down. "This is all there is" vs "it was never more than this". Subtle but works well.

Album Rating: 4.5

[2] I adore that it wasn’t just a straightforward rager. That kinda came out of nowhere for me but in a very good way

Album Rating: 4.0

Who gives a fuck what the lyrics are of Hell 99, the song absolutely rips musically. Not every line in every song has to resonate and be profound for it to be good. Half this site is digging melt banana right now and I don’t know a single word that’s being said in any song but it rips musically so who gives a fuck

Album Rating: 4.0

I think Hell 99 is amazing lyrically anyway, in addition to ripping.

Album Rating: 3.5

It’s amazing and so addictive. Also love how fandingbat put it in his “meh” songs of the week. He is more and more wrong as the years go on

Album Rating: 3.0

"I’ve never understood the emphasis people place on lyrics."

well fwiw the emphasis I placed on lyrics on this page comes in response to being asked specifically about them having dunked on the whole song unilaterally lol — defs wasn't the first part of my impression, but I find that any strong feelings I have re. the vibe/intention/affectation/aesthetic/whatever of a track are usually reflected in the lyrics too, which makes them an easy way to explore what the artist is laying out musically (and sometimes furnish a necessary context for the music to resonate — look at In Metal off TWLITF, decent track by itself, but suddenly a superb and v moving piece as a dead baby track that closes its album)

all that defs goes for Hell 99 - lyrics are v much of the same flavour as the rest of the track - and for Melt-Banana lol their lyrics are hysterically funny, uniquely cracked and full of heart, and defs complement the rest of their sound

Album Rating: 3.5

there's good albums that became 5s solely because of lyrics. I'm thinking of He is Legend - I Am Hollywood, PBBT's - The Lack Long After or Propagandhi - Supporting Caste.



Foxing lyrics are very good in their nonsensical/poetic way. I love Redwoods and 737 especially.

Album Rating: 3.5

if they were solely lyrics they’d be books

Album Rating: 4.5

I quoted them earlier but for me it’s Go Down Together. It’s been done a million times before but the somber lyrics with the upbeat atmosphere is just *chef’s kiss*



Also like the Night Channels lyrics… “Future love don’t fall apart” should be fucking iconic

Album Rating: 3.5

@anat: this is me trying not to use deepl too much to work on my written english :^(

Album Rating: 3.0

i like this bands lyrics a lot and ive read all of them for the new album and like them a lot too but the ones for hell 99 are prob the ones i was least compelled by. i still dug the song tho

Album Rating: 4.0

"Future love don’t fall apart" is huge



"why don't you love me back" is about as simple as it gets but it's delivered so perfectly. they have a lot of lines like that tbh. "i can't do this alone" "do you want me at all" "you think i must not remember, but i do"