Album Rating: 4.5

Gyro is just crying cos he has such a tough choice between choosing Blonde (average as all fuck) or JEFFERY (average as all fuck) for his album of the year smh

Album Rating: 4.0

5'ing Weakerthans is a good thing tho



But I do wish Gyro would explain himself beyond just deriding stuff as "boring" or "overrated"

Album Rating: 4.5

Bum Bum Bum is such a great tune. This is still holding up as one of my favorites of the year. Still need to dig deeper into the Cass discog though...

Album Rating: 4.5

Just go for Big Wheel next - pretty sure you'll love that one



This is definitely top 3 of the year, whether it stays top I'm not sure. For a well balanced and well written traditional style of album this is hard to beat in 2016

Album Rating: 4.5

What a record. I do kind of wish it ended with It though, Switch and I'm a Shoe are good songs but not quite up to par with the rest.

Album Rating: 4.0

"It" is my favorite song on the album but it doesn't really feel like a closer to me. I think "I'm a Shoe" does a great job of closing the album. "Switch" wouldn't be as big of a loss, song is serviceable but weak by this album's standards, plus "It" would have made for a well-placed penultimate track.



Track ranking:



5/5: It

4.5/5: Opposite House > Bum Bum Bum > Medusa's Outhouse

4/5: Laughter is the Best Medicine > Run Sister Run

3.5/5: In a Chinese Alley > Low Flyin' Bird > I'm a Shoe

3/5: Cry > Switch

1.5/5: Rancid Girl

Damn what makes Rancid a 1.5? Haven't even heard the album but it's such a low score compared to everything else

Album Rating: 4.5

I think Rancid is really good. The lyrics are silly but I like them. For example the way he delivers "You're bad / I mean you smell bad" is quite funny imo.

Also the song has a nice bluesy feel, though stylistically it does stand out from the rest.

Album Rating: 4.0

@Sounds "Rancid Girl" takes a nifty little blues riff nugget, and turns it grating by repeating it over and over and over and over and over again for four solid minutes with no variation whatsoever. Song as a whole feels like a piss-take, but the humor is lost on me.



As a standalone tune, the 1.5 rating might be a bit on the harsh side, but compared to the rest of the album it's a hard 1.



@Boney If you like it then fair enough, I just don't agree at all. The bluesy touch does help to add some variety to the album, I'll give it that, but it could have been executed far, far better imo.

Album Rating: 4.5

I think the whole song is supposed to be a joke, both lyrically and musically, and thus shouldn't be taken too seriously.

Album Rating: 4.0

I guess I just don't find it very funny, then. :/



Like I said, if you dig it that's cool, no judgment on my end.

Album Rating: 4.5

Rancid Girl has grown on me, track ratings now.



1. Medusa's (5/5)

2. Bum Bum Bum (5/5)

3. Run Sister (4.5/5)

4. Opposite House (4.5/5)

5. It (4.5/5)

6. Chinese Alley (4/5)

7. Low Flyin' (4/5)

8. Cry (4/5)

9. Rancid Girl (3.5/5)

10. Laughter (3.5/5)

11. Shoe (3/5)

12. Switch (2.5/5)



Album as a whole still perched between a 4.5 and 5

Sorry lads. This one isn't hitting the mark for me. There's an unsettling sheen on it.

Album Rating: 4.5

Unfortunately that's the point of the album, none of his other albums have the 70s soul production thing going. You might prefer Wit's End that's more 'haunted' or the early stripped down alt country/Americana/folk albums



I actually prefer the lyrics to 'Bum Bum Bum' to DBT's 'What It Means' on the 'State of Racism in the States in 2016' stakes. Cass just sounds so pissed off but beaten by the mind numbing futility of history repeating.



This isn't quite a 'FLOTUS' level of departure but this is still a surprise genre shift for an established artist.

Album Rating: 4.5

Embrace your inner Austin Powers Zak

Album Rating: 4.5

Zak I quite like the sheen - the whole album is a bit tongue in cheek with a bit of intentional cheese methinks, and that's all part of the packaging. Plus the instrumental performances are awesome throughout.

Album Rating: 4.5

Yup, you definitely get the idea he's purposefully playing around with some cheesy musical tropes on this - esp if you've heard his previous output. 'Laughter is the Best Medicine' is probably the most extreme example and I have to admit sometimes I do find that one a bit too sickly to listen to.



I do like the 70s druggy aesthetic in general though, works well with Cass's voice and song writing. The dude is inherently understated so the contrast with the heavily produced yet smooth backing works for me.

Album Rating: 4.5

Haha, I see what you mean with Laughter, I love that one though.

The dude's clearly much more skilled than I gave him credit for after that first EP, I will get to the rest of his material eventually.

Album Rating: 4.5

Good chance you'll prefer another of his albums, a lot of variety there.



Got a feeling 'Big Wheel' might end up your favourite. 'Catacombs' is quality too.

Album Rating: 4.5

I'll probably work backwards from here so Big Wheel will be next.

With Cass, Richmond Fontaine, and Lambchop you've given me some meaty discogs to work through bud!