ArsMoriendi
Cyan isn\'t a shade of blue.
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Reviews 40
Approval 91%

Soundoffs 108
News Articles 25
Band Edits + Tags 4,192
Album Edits 220

Album Ratings 1171
Objectivity 75%

Last Active 12-09-22 12:08 am
Joined 08-22-13

Review Comments 40,960

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04.01.24 đźŚ§ď¸ŹApril’s Casual Conversationđź’ ♦03.22.24 Sputnik’s Sacred Clowns
03.21.24 Pram02.19.24 ###NeoFoLK TaG FeST
02.15.24 idiotican can't take criticism01.08.24 Inverted Umbrella 2023-24 Results: ♦
01.01.24 25 most listened to songs in 202312.31.23 Round 11: Inverted Umbrella Competition
12.25.23 Round 10: Inverted Umbrella Competition12.17.23 Round 9: Inverted Umbrella Competition
12.10.23 Round 8: Inverted Umbrella Competition12.03.23 Round 7: Inverted Umbrella Competition
11.30.23 NEW TAGS ARRIVED! K-Pop and J-Pop (help ♦11.27.23 Round 6: Inverted Umbrella Competition
11.24.23 Who Has a "New" Genre Tag on Their Pie 11.20.23 Round 5: Inverted Umbrella Competition
11.13.23 Round 4: Inverted Umbrella Competition11.06.23 Round 3: Inverted Umbrella Competition
More »

Arstravaganza

Today marks the dark my account turns 7, so I decided to make a multifaceted list.
1Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Album

Index:
1: Index
2: Intro
3-27: My favorite 25 albums and what they mean to me
28-37: 10 users who made an impact on me on Sputnik
38-47: 10 questions I have for Sputnik
48-57: Answering the first REAL 10 questions you have for me (not counting ones I arbitrarily consider dumb)
58: Reflecting on the current website
59-71: Random music thoughts
72-81: 10 Genre tags that the site could use
82-91: My 10 favorite songs
92-101: Dots and Loops Ranked (because that's my recent obsession)

I miss the days where blank list items would just be this weird looking album.
2Creedence Clearwater Revival
Green River

So, why am I even making a long confusing list like this? Well, partly because I'm bored, but also because it seems like a fun idea and a good summary of my taste and thoughts on Sputnikmusic.com that I could look back on in the future. It's not like my thoughts and opinions are important or anything. Maybe there's a level of ingenuity to this? Nah, I'm just bored. Uh, props to anyone who reads all of this, you don't get a reward or anything, but props.
3Robert Wyatt
Rock Bottom

My 25 favorite albums:

#25:

70s prog, before mixing it with metal was even an idea, could be so whimsical and beautiful. Wyatt's mixing of jazz and prog with goofiness and melancholy is truly enticing and I don't think he missed a single step on this one.
4Tom Waits
Rain Dogs

#24:

A fairly predictable choice, and often considered one of the finest moments of singer/songwriter music in general, I just feel like Waits is truly bursting with personality, heart, and catchy melodies. I guess I never really liked "Union Square" and always thought it felt strangely out of place, but 2 minutes of meh on an otherwise awesome 54 minute album can't drag down a classic much.
5Fela Kuti
Sorrow Tears and Blood

#23:

The layout of Kuti's albums is so strong. Usually it's two songs that take up 25 minutes or so together. To be a classic, it really needs both songs to be amazing, so while I find "Zombie" to be the best song I've heard by him, this ends up being the classic since both the t/t and Colonial Mentality blow me away, and most other Kuti albums have 1 amazing song and 1 good, but not amazing song. Then again, some of his other ones have 3 or 4 songs. But one of those is a double album, soooo. The keys too.
6Goldfrapp
Felt Mountain

#22:

Sexy, smooth, electronic, and just well orchestrated. Goldfrapp took the idea of an elegant dinner theater style lounge singer and brought it into the new millenia with a trip hop backing. Despite the album having a serious tone, she isn't afraid to get lost in it and sound completely alien at some points. It truly feels refreshingly original.
7Crass
Penis Envy

#21:

The fact that the main lead singer of Crass isn't on this album simply because it's the "feminist album" and therefore time for only the women to sing is a big statement on its own. But maybe I just love it because Eve Libertine has the best vocals of any Crass member and she sings 9/10 of the songs here, which is far more than she usually gets even if the album has twice as many tracks. Her anger works well with her over expressive style and makes the songs stand out in a sea of early 80s hardcore punk. She's so snarky and critical with her political ideas, so even when I don't 100% agree with her, I still manage to see where she's coming from.
8The Zombies
Odessey and Oracle

#20:

60s psychedelic pop might be my favorite type of music if I had to get specific and this album is the best example of The British Invasion I've ever heard. Argent's keys are cool as hell sounding and vocals are so melancholy, yet poppy and light. It comes off as so earnest. I know many people say this album is just derivative of The Beatles and The Beach Boys, but it's better than most of either band's work, so I kinda don't care.
9Stevie Wonder
Innervisions

#19:

I was raised around a lot of soul and gospel music, since my mom is really into that Christian industry BS music. Luckily, a side effect of that was hearing a lot of Stevie Wonder growing up since while he isn't really part of that industry, he sings about Jesus enough where he's one of her favorites. Lucky for me, he's also a musical genius talented at the guitar, bass, keys, and drums. He's a true one man band and deserved every 70s hit he got, and Innervisions is his magnum opus, filled with some of his best melodies, tons of personality, and nothing I could call a real weak point.
10Os Mutantes
Os Mutantes

#18:

You know an album is good if you can't understand 90% of the words and you're still absolutely hooked. I've translated them before with Google, but meh it's not like they're what's central on this colorfully timbred ode to psych. I really do need to hear more tropicalia since both tropicalia artists I've gotten into have become favorites. This one's more on the rock side and is often compared to Syd Barrett, but it's better than Barret if I'm being honest. The samba mixes well with psychedelic pop, like basil and garlic.
11Melody's Echo Chamber
Bon Voyage

#17:

I probably do need to hear more music from the 2010s, but from what I've heard, this is my favorite. A modern take on psych music with indie pop and occasionally weird autotune I have grown to like. I admit that I hate autotune, but at least it's used here to be goofy and is brief. Another album that doesn't seem to have a single bad song on it and many memorable highlights. Am I repeating myself? Probably. Whatever, this isn't a review.
12Radiohead
Amnesiac

#16:

Few would rank this as their favorite Radiohead album, let alone one of their favorite albums ever. To me, this is a perfect mix of their rock and electronic styles, their ability to make things flow, and it puts me in an absolute trance when I listen to it. I feel like people overemphasize its jazziness though, it's mainly an electronic rock album with only occasional jazz direction. It's neat as hell though, regardless.
13Gal Costa
Gal Costa

#15:

Tropicalia again, but so different from Os Mutantes. There are far more lush strings and it's way poppier and Costa's voice ranges from sublimely angelic to an impressive shrieking demon (this is a complement.) The psychedelic elements are sparse, but when they come they have a strong, meaningful impact.
14Talking Heads
Remain in Light

#14:

This is such a cliche choice, and it took a while for this to be one of my favorites. At one point, I prefered Fear of Music, but the catchy, yet complex rhythms, inspired by Brian Eno and Fela Kuti are to this day unmatched. I will admit that I don't think much of "Seen and Not Seen," but damn everything else is otherworldly. Funky, yet new wave, yet atmospheric.
15Cocteau Twins
Treasure

#13:

I like dream pop, especially when it isn't really mixed with shoegaze. I like the Cocteau Twin concept of the lyrics hardly mattering and the focus on how the words sound syllabically is taken to an extreme. This album is like a wanted frozen winter day or an ice sculpture. Its chilly atmosphere, but ever harsh or unpleasant. It captures this mood of a frozen winter wonderland so perfectly. Plus, Fraser's Scottish burr that comes out occasionally is lovely.
16Kate Bush
Hounds of Love

#12:

Another cliche choice, but as one of the biggest Kate Bush fans on this website, you shouldn't be surprised. The first half of this is a pop perfection and the second half is a strange epic set as a dream. The chopped up vocals on the Ninth Wave, the pretty piano and strings throughout the whole album, and Kate Bush's ability to craft odd scenarios, give this album so much replay value.
17of Montreal
Satanic Panic in the Attic

#11:

This is like the earwormiest album ever and instantly brings me back to my trip to Budapest since I first heard it there (by my own accord, but still.) Another mixing of goofy, melancholy, psychedelic pop, and weird characters. Of course I love it.
18Mr. Bungle
California

#10:

My account is named after a song on this album. 50 genres blended together in a way that works. At one point this was my favorite album of all time, but clearly it's fallen since then. I don't listen to Mr. Bungle as much as I used to, but when I do, it's usually cuts from this album. Maybe because it has that catchy sensibility to it.
19Portishead
Dummy

#9:

The best Trip Hop album ever. Mezzanine rules, I have it 5'd I know I know, but I'll take Beth's croons and the sheer depressing bleep bloops of this album over it honestly. Maybe "It's a Fire" is lame, but the rest captures how cool the 90s really was. A perfect blending of organic instruments, samples, and electronic. I'm going to use the word melancholy again because it fits a lot of the music I like. Hope that isn't annoying.
20Pixies
Surfer Rosa

#8:

Disjointed noise pop that's silly with a ton of personality. Obscure references, fun characters, random bursts of Spanish. Yup, this is one of the best indie rock albums of all time. Black Francis and Kim Deal's voices both work so well together and all of the best moments have them singing together. The simplistic instrumentation shows its punk influence without ever really feeling punk. Maybe my taste is predictable, but I don't care.
21The Beach Boys
Smiley Smile

#7:

After the failure of Brian Wilson's Smile project, the rest of the Beach Boys took his demos and touched them up into their weirdest album. I guess it's yet again another example of silly yet melancholy psych music, but wow is it a great example of it. Wilson's mental breakdown is so well reflected on the tracks in a way his other work doesn't quite show. It sounds like the closest we've gotten understanding how he thinks and best of all: Mike Love's writing contributions actually help the album rather than hurt it, a rare feat! Sure you can go listen to the glossy touched up Smile Sessions, but I'll stick with the stripped down, lo-fi Smiley Smile.
22The United States of America
The United States of America

#6:

A 60s album that uses electronics to sample? Pretty ahead of its time and the melodies here are so memorable, filled with personality... and yeah silly again, I know, sue me. But the textures are also often very pretty and the lyrics are also often introspective. One of the earliest examples of electronic rock and a 60s all time great more people need to hear.
23Can
Tago Mago

#5:
Another example of an album that doesn't miss a beat, and that's not just because the drums are so repetitive. The acid induced atmosphere feels primal as Damo Suzuki sings about his thoughts. Raging from crazy to rhythmic to long and spacious.All of the tricks are here, backmasking, crazy rambling, fun guitar fills, a bouncy bass, and so many drums. This has to be the best double album in existence, even if by today’s standards it could fit on one disc.
24Brainiac
Bonsai Superstar

#4:

Noise rock is a great genre, especially when it doesn't take itself too seriously. This one is a lot like Surfer Rosa, but heavier, feedbackier (not a word, but shhh,) and with more vocal effects. Sure he'll occasionally whine in a way I don't like, but like with Bon Voyage, an element I usually hate can become charming when it's used sparsely and around elements I usually love. No real lowlights, just crazy fun.
25Ween
Chocolate and Cheese

#3:

You'd have to barely know me to think that wasn't going to be top 10. It's a blend of a ton of genres, but unlike California, it's usually only 1 or 2 per song and is more focused on creating a memorable melody and chorus than sprinting through different sections. It can be oddly earnest and melancholy (there's that word again,) at times underneath all of the comedy, which gives this album surprising depth if you pay attention to certain lyrics. Y'know when they're not singing about ponies with hurt lungs, weird advice about roses, and HIV. They're nuts, but they're also great songwriters.
26PJ Harvey
To Bring You My Love

#2:

Blues, alternative rock, singer songwriter stuff that's both cool and emotional. The way that PJ Harvey uses religious calls out to Jesus to make her songs sound more desperate and broken despite not being religious herself is a nice touch. This album really is a dingy dirge, but in the best way. It's so easy to soak in her lamentation and of course it's covered in blues guitar, orchestral strings, and powerful wails. I find it so easy to connect with it and yet again: there are no bad tracks to be found. This has to be my favorite 90s album.
27The Mothers of Invention
We're Only in It for the Money

#1:

Frank Zappa is my favorite artist of all time and this is truly his finest moment. I remember not appreciating this enough when I first heard it because it was the 80s remaster, but once I heard a different mastering I knew it was something truly special. While it does carry that psychedelic pop sound I love, it's also goofing on its popularity in the 60s. Silly? Check. Psychedelic pop? Check. But it also manages to talk about the social issues that were prevalent in the 60s without truly feeling like it's taking a side. Musique concrete and old 50s pop manage to sneak into the mix creating a large contrast in sound. It's hard to get bored on this one. It's pretty, ugly, bizarre, silly, meaningful. It's everything, but at no point does it feel forced. Best album ever.
28Foetus
Nail

10 users who made an impact on me on Sputnik:

supercoolguy64 got me into Foetus, which is now one of my favorite bands, even if I don't think any of their albums are 5s.
29Nina Nastasia
Run to Ruin

Nerocorleone introduced me to Brainiac, which is in my top 5 favorite bands of all time. He also won my first Umbrella competition and rec'd me Run to Ruin, which also rules. I should ask him for more recs, he's good at them for me at least. Weird that he's so under the radar, when he has so many comments and great taste.
30Flipper
Album – Generic Flipper

budgie didn't get me into anything, but I'll be damned if he isn't one of the most fun users to talk to on here.
31Laurie Anderson
Mister Heartbreak

Frippertronics got me into Laurie Anderson and probably other stuff? I can't remember, but I'm mostly grateful that when I was a more controversial annoying user that he'd point it out to me without being a dick. Damn 2014-2015 Sputnik was very unforgiving. Newer users have no idea.
32The Knife
Shaking the Habitual

Lord(e)Po)))ts mostly for just being one of the most interesting people to talk to. His extreme opinions about food, culture, animals, and people still baffles me. Like how can apple skin bother you that much? Did a dog bite you as a small child or something? But if we all agreed on everything the world would be super boring. He won my 2nd umbrella competition too, so yeah that's also cool. Fuck the albums he rec'd though.
33The Beatles
Revolver

Trifolium is one of the friendliest users on the website, so much so that we won last year's popularity contest. I've had a tone of good talks with him. Sorry for not liking your recs more, I rarely dislike them, I'm usually very neutral.
34Silver Apples
Silver Apples

SandwichBubble, do you actually listen to all of the albums you rate? Just kidding. Out of all of the contrarian type users, I find myself in conversations with you most and we've debated a lot about things. Seriously though, where do you find the time to hear all of that music?
35Beck
Odelay

SharkTooth, you rarely visit Sputnik anymore, but I do remember that I'd often shitpost in a similar way to you. Or at least we got along when we did. Plus you liked funk a lot and Beck.
36Black Sabbath
Sabotage

garas, one day I want you to rec me something I love. Our tastes seem so polar opposite, yet we get along well on here. I'd love for you 5 at least one of my recs haha.
37Yo La Tengo
And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside...

JohnnyoftheWell, because if I don't include him, he'll probably yell at me. Our tastes match up a lot and we've discussed a lot of things on those Casual Conversation threads. Uhhhhhh when you like something that isn't weeb music, I usually like it.

To anyone I missed... uh sorry I probably like you too. Maybe.
38The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

Questions I have for Sputnik:

1. Do you think this website will ever get a design overhaul that brings it into the modern age?

Me: probably if Mx sells it to someone.
39The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

2. Do you think your pie chart accurately represents your taste?

Me: Eh, kinda. I mean experimental barely means anything and do I really listen to more electronic music than alt rock? I'm not so sure.
40The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

3. What are your favorite albums that you've discovered through interacting with the Sputnik user base?

Me: Bonsai Superstar by Brainiac, Dots and Loops by Stereolab, Penis Envy by Crass, Nail by Foetus, An Electric Storm by White Noise. Those are off the top of my head.
41The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

4. How many albums a month do you typically listen to that you haven't previously heard?

Me: Honestly, only 4-6 usually. I listen to stuff slowly.
42The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

5. Which decade has most of your favorite albums?

Me: 1960s without a doubt.
43The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

6. Which one of your reviews are you the most proud of?

Me: This one because it's so stylistic: https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/69449/Red-Krayola-The-Parable-of-Arable-Land/
44The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

7. Do you ever want to be a contributor/Staff?

Me: No, I'd be obligated to check way more modern stuff and that seems like a chore. Plus I'm not an amazing writer anyway.
45The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

8. How did you find Sputnikmusic.com?

Me: I used to look for reviews after I heard an album out of curiosity and eventually I found a review on here. I can't remember which one it was.
46The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

9. Do you have any ideas to make Sputnik more fun?

Me: I used to come up with game lists, so I could always bring those back. Putting them together is always a lot of work though. Then again, so is this indulgent list.
47The Unicorns
Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?

10. Based only on Sputnik's tags, what's one type of music you never seen yorself getting into?

Me: Black Metal. I legit don't get it.
48Eels
Beautiful Freak

Answering the first REAL10 questions you have for me:

[Question #1 Asked]:

SlothcoreSam asks: "Exactly how long did this list take you to make, you can round out to nearest second, it's OK."

My answer: It's hard to say because I slowly added to it on a google doc over the course of the week. But probably as long as it takes for me to write a review. 2 hours maybe? Maybe longer... but not in one burst!

(album also requested by SlothcoreSam)
49PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #2 Asked]

budgie asks: "question for ars: top 10 horror movies"

My answer: Horror is one of my least favorite film genres, so I’ve hardly watched any. My choices are boring:
1.The Thing
2.Young Frankenstein (horror comedy)
3.Videodrome
4.Silence of the Lambs
5.Night of the Living Dead
6.Alien
7.The Shining
8.Psycho
9.Get Out!
10.Shaun of the Dead (horror comedy)
50PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #3 Asked]

Dedes asks: "Real talk, I know were on absolute opposite ends of the music spectrum but I have to ask, if there are any, what would you consider favorites of extreme hardcore/ metal territory?"

My answer: Extreme metal wise, I like the industrial metal band Ministry's 84-96 stuff, and their 88-96 does have some thrash elements to it. Thought I only really go for it because it's mixed with industrial. The industrial artist Foetus will occasionally also got into extreme metal territory, though it's much rarer. As for exteme hardcore, the heaviest I ever really get is Lightning Bolt, Big Black or like Brainiac. I suppose Faith No More and Mr. Bungle also can get extreme levels of heavy too. In small doses, it's tolerable.
51PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #4 Asked]

JohnnyoftheWell asks: "at the relatively conservative (though admirably thorough) rate you go through new (for you) albums, do you ever wonder whether the scheme of potential experience you'll get from unheard music dwarfs whatever you get from stuff on hand?"

My answer: I have wondered this before, but I tend to balance that with a complete willingness to check a ton of singular songs when they're recomended to me. If any of those songs hit the right spot, I'll put them on a mental list and check the album that song is from eventually. It can be frustrating knowing there are hundreds of albums I want to hear but can't, but for me it's even more frustrating to move on from an album I'm currently invested in, while feeling like I barely know it.
52PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #5 Asked]

Nocte asks: "Are there some users on here (let's say up to 10??) that you haven't/don't interact with - but you'd like to based soley on site contribution, attitude, personality without resorting to similar music tastes. And why specifically for each of those users?"

My answer: That's a hard question because i'm fairly sociable on here in general. I'm pretty sure I've talked to all regulars who have visited since 2014. I guess Conmaniac because his electronic and psychedelic exploration lists were legendary and he seems fairly amiable in general. Damn, you want me to name 9 more users, uh... Dewinged could certainly count, cool guy. BlushfulHippocrene is a user people always say it great, but I know nothing about him. This is a hard question. I might come back to it, but I'm stopping at 3 for now.
53PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #6 Asked]

ColeT asks: "what are your top 5 Talking Heads songs"

My answer:
1. "Crosseyed and Painless"
2. "Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On)"
3. "Cities"
4. "Pull Up the Roots"
5. "I Zimbra"
54PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[Question #7 Asked]

Trifolium asks: "What are your favourite book, movie, painting and TV series ever and why?"

My answer: Dude, that's like 4 qurstions haha.
-Book wise, I don't read much, but I did like Life of Pi when I read it back in like 8th grade? God I'm an unintellectual disappointment haha.
-My favorite movie is probably The Big Lebowski, but for a lesser known chocie, I'd add Anomalisa. One of the best comedy ever and the other is a weird peering into the stop motion soul of a lonely man.
-My favorite painting is probably Magritte's The Treachery of Images because talking about it always opens up an interesting philosphopical discussion. I also really like Picasso's Weeping Woman aesethically. I'm kinda basic with paintings, I suppose.
-My favorite TV Series is Twin Peaks because it's the best cop show, best horror show, best soap opera, best sci-fi show, best comedy show, best mystery show, and best drama show all at once. It's well made genre hopping.
55PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[OPEN QUESTION]
56PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[OPEN QUESTION]
57PJ Harvey
Is This Desire?

[OPEN QUESTION]
58The Doors
Strange Days

Reflecting on the current website:

This place has a lot less activity than it used to, but it's also gotten far friendlier over the years. I mostly was quiet in 2013, despite my join date, but I remember 2014-2015 era really had some of the harshest users and they were everywhere, 2016-2017 was kinda like a transition era where a lot of those users either mellowed out or left and a lot of new users who weren't aware of that old atmosphere decided to stay. 2018-2020 has been mostly chill here and I actually really appreciate that, though of course it'd be great if this place was more active, but maybe that's the tradeoff. I like how competition lists are more common too and that there are specified shitposting areas. Also a great idea. Really helps get out that urge to fuck up a list without fucking up the wrong list.
59Radiohead
In Rainbows

Random music thoughts:

Is Sputcore really as popular as it used to be? I mean it's either shifted in style a lot or I'm just missing a lot of the Sputcore conversation since I hardly like any of those artists, so I'm not on those threads. There are certainly less emo, hardcore, and prog metal users than there used to be, I think?
60100 Gecs
1000 gecs

I do not understand the appeal of this album, but my real life friends think its great and Sputnikmusic seems to think it's great. I just find it irritating. I guess it's because I don't like heavy autotune use and I didn't have a pop punk or dubstep phase? Maybe...
61The Olivia Tremor Control
Dusk at Cubist Castle

Psychedelic pop, psychedelic rock, psychedelic soul, psychedelic electronic, psychedelic folk. Just put psychedelic in front of a genre and it's an indication that it's probably good. At least I think so.

Does psychedelic emo exist? Wait Forget I asked, I don't actually want to know!
62L7
Hungry for Stink

I find it weird I have this 5'd whenever I look at the rating, but after I listen to it I always remember why I 5'd it. It might be my 5 with the lowest Sputnikmusic average. Even if my taste is a bit unpredictable, I don't think I've ever 5'd something with an average under a 3. Is this my favorite grunge album? That feels wrong, but it's my own grunge 5, so if the shoe fits...
63Baths
Cerulean

Electronic music is totally the future, there's no point in fighting it. Just lean into it, eventually all other genres will be gone. Not even pop can survive unless it's electronic pop. Surrender to the bleep bloops.
64Ween
GodWeenSatan: The Oneness

Why Do I like silly music so much? Is it because I crave more light-hearted humor in my own life? Is it because I'm often seen as naturally goofy? Or maybe it's just because sillier artists are more willing to do something risky without seeming like a tryhard avant-garde artist. No shame in it, regardless.
65Sonic Youth
Daydream Nation

Even when a double album rules, it still feels too long. If I were a musician, which I'm not, I'd make sure my albums never broke 50 minutes.
66Wilco
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Sometimes I do just like indie classics though and this is an example of one. Albums like these make me wonder if I should try out more country instead of flirting safely with indie alt country only.
67Thinking FellersUnion Local 282
Strangers From the Universe

Why the hell does this band put so much stupid filler between their songs on purpose. They eve have a name for it: "Feller Filler." Like Lovelyville is so plagued with it, I had to give it a 3, even though its non filler tracks would make a great 40-minute 4/5. It's an hour of course.
68Bound & Gagged
Bound & Gagged

What the actual fuck is "zolo?" My taste has been called that, but when I google a list of zolo artists, it's never anything I listen to. That one punk band Bound & Gagged, that only has 6 songs ever was the only thing on there. Apparently it's Zappa-esque post punk? But I don't listen to Zappa-esque post punk, just Zappa himself.
69Parliament
Mothership Connection

My funk pie chart always seems like it's about to disappear and I hate that idea because funk is great. I just tend to 4.5 a lot of the funk I hear rather than 5 it. Great genre though I guess a lot of it isn't meant to be album oriented, but rather fun music you can dance to.
70Primus
Sailing the Seas of Cheese

Bass guitar is easily my favorite part of the rock/funk/jazz etc set up. Good bass can win me over even if the guitar and drums are pretty bland. Synth bass is cool too.
71The Beatles
Magical Mystery Tour

The Beatles were the first band I ever loved. I got into them when I was 11 and I often wonder if my love of psych pop and goofy music stems from them still having an influence on my taste. Such a generic start to a music journey, but hey it's common for a reason I suppose.
72Talking Heads
Fear of Music

Genre tags that should be, but probably will never be added:

New Wave
73Van Morrison
Astral Weeks

Baroque Pop
74Black Dice
Beaches and Canyons

Noise
75Gospel
The Moon Is a Dead World

Screamo

(Note: I have not heard this album or any screamo album)
76Frederic Chopin
Scherzo No.2, Op.31

A break down of classical, either:

By era:
Medieval
Baroque
Classical
Romantic
Modern
Contemporary

By style:
Symphony
Sonata
Opera
Choral

Wait, this is getting too complex... no wonder this never happened.
77Future
DS2

Trap

(Note: I have not heard this album or any trap album)
78Miles Davis
Kind of Blue

Modal Jazz
79Bonobo
Days To Come

Nu Jazz
80Duke Ellington
Ellington Uptown

Swing

(Note: I have not heard this album or any swing album)
81Bee Gees
Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack

Disco

(Note: I have not heard this album)
82Mazzy Star
She Hangs Brightly

My 10 favorite songs:

#10: "Halah"

Sad, catchy and filled with longing. This song was an instant favorite from the first time I heard it. Sandoval's voice is somewhat folksy and it always makes me think of the midwest from the 1870s or something. Scenic and beautiful music.
83Sly and The Family Stone
There's A Riot Goin' On

#9: "Family Affair"

I hate the extended version, but the classic LP version has amazing bass, cool as hell percussion, and some of the most depressing lyrics about mixed feelings about family. Apparently Sly Stone was in a dark place during the sessions for this song, and this was a reflection of those feelings.
84of Montreal
Satanic Panic in the Attic

#8: "Rapture Rapes the Muses"

Fancy reference heavy music, deep catchy bass, fun keys, and some of the catchiest music I've ever heard. It all ends up fizzling into poppy chaos too. Seriously, this song is obnoxiously sweet and catchy, but in a good way.
85The United States of America
The United States of America

#7: "The American Metaphysical Circus"

A cacophony of conflicting sounds fizzles into an early example of trippy electronic rock. She sounds like she's spinning in space as she sings to you. Pretty sure the lyrics are about acid too. I suppose this is my favorite 60s song, which is my favorite decade of music. That's gotta be saying a lot.
86Kate Bush
The Dreaming

#6: "Leave It Open"

This one feels very personal. On the surface it's Bush doing theatrical backmasky psych pop (which is weird because she usually doesn't go in that direction,) but it's the lyrics that really get me. It's all about how she used to police her behavior in an attempt to fit in -due to how she was poorly treated when she was authentic. She learned over time to be herself in spite of that. It's a song about her weirdness, but also her strength to honestly express herself and I find it not only relatable, but inspiring. Also, it's musically fun as hell, but duh, it's Kate Bush.
87Deerhunter
Microcastle

#5: "Agoraphobia"

This is one of my go to sad songs. "Heatherwood" "Basement Scene" and "Sailing" also deserve shoutouts in that respect. Deerhunter captures that feeling of despondency that can hit quite well. The idea of wanting ot be alone and wanting to fade into a vapor. The fuzzy guitar and mellow vocals are also incredibly soothing. It's like being coddled, but a song.
88Brainiac
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture

#4: "Kiss Me, U Jacked Up Jerk"

Okay, now for some more fun music! Choppy guitar, a bass that leads the song like the stretching lizard. Crazy squaky goofball vocals and cartoonish lyrics, random shouting that isn't guttual. Pretty much, it's stereotypically a song I'd like.
89Can
Tago Mago

#3: "Halleluhwah"

Those drums are so goddamn good. I sweat, that's the best drum line ever and no one can convince me otherwise. Ever listen to an 18 minute song and have it feel like it was only 5 minutes? Suzuki's vocals are cool as hell, the guitar fills are so fun, and it slowly changes to make sure it stays interesting without being jarring. It's a psych jam, but also a consistent song. Plus the way Suzuki sings "Halalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalaluwah" is about as plesurable as music can get. I hate how the single gives it to you immediately though, it's the buildup that makes it amazing.
90Ween
Chocolate and Cheese

#2: "Spinal Meningitis (Got Me Down)"

The way this song is crafted feels so meticulous for a 3 minute psych pop song. The way the percussion rings, the creepy childlike vocals, the gloomy downer chorus with guitar effects that sound like surfing a kaleidoscope. IT manages to make me feel bad and also want to laugh. It's a weird bad trip. Its like the perfect meshing of goofy and melancholy and to top it off, it ends with one of the most emotional guitar solos Dean Ween's ever done, and he has a lot. Songs like these are why I'm such a Ween fanboy.
91The Mothers of Invention
One Size Fits All

#1: "Inca Roads"

The catchiest marimba Ruth Underwood has played ever, tons of different vocalists including the talented George Duke, who also adds spacey keys, a great guitar break from Zappa himself, and plenty of deep bass grooves. Lyrically, it's a spoof on prog's obsession with mysticism. The song starts off by singing about aliens in the Andes, and then after a long guitar and bass jam, it turs around and parodies itself as if to say the first half was dumb and that prog is dumb, while sitll being prog. It's honestly hilarious and self-aware. Oh, and something about a guacamole Queen. Best song ever.
92Stereolab
Dots and Loops

Dots and Loops Ranked:

#10: "Diagonals"

Great song, but melody wise, it's probably the least catchy. Love the horns on it though, and the bass, and damn this album is so good though.
93Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#9: "Ticker-Tape of the Unconscious"

I like this one a lot too, but I guess it has a weird "late album" vibe to it that makes it not feel like a standout amongst other great tracks.
94Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#8: "The Flower Called Nowhere"

The harpsichord keys or whatever are super neat. Great song, but something had to be 8th.
95Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#7: "Prisoner of Mars"

At one point this was my least favorite and I thought it might even be a weak point, but the right mood hit me and now I love it. I like the percussion especially.
96Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#6: "Rainbo Conversation"

Marimba is awesome and the lyrics about a failed relationship contrast well with the upbeat music.
97Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#5: "Parsec"

Those drums are so quick and the song in general feels so urgent. A little perfect fun track.
98Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#4: "Miss Modular"

In a perfect world, this would've been a hit. It's so catchy, light, poppy, pretty, and overall memorable and fun. I especially love the backup "bada bahs."
99Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#3: "Contronatura"

Jazzy drums and bass, and pretty vocals eventually turn into a futuristic epic. The 2d half is also kinda sexy, I don't know how to explain why.
100Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#2: "Refractions in the Plastic Pulse"

The song that got me to listen to Dots and Loops. This song is just insane. She finds so many ways to find the same few lines over the course of 17 minutes, but it never gets boring, the buildup is perfect, and there's a weird IDM section that turns into a 60s worship baroque pop psych pop outro. It's a random genre mashup that works.
101Stereolab
Dots and Loops

#1: "Brakhage"

Vibraphone, lyrics about humans needing to occupy themselves with technology, a certain level of resigned vocals, and best of all trippy backups. This is such an excellent way to open up the album. This was a contender for the top 10 songs list, but only made it to about top 30.
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