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Staff
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
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| Best User Reviews: April 2022
Just another batch of quality user reviews from April. | | 1 |  | King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
Omnium Gatherum
"Omnium Gatherum’s greatest achievement isn’t its length, its number of addictive grooves, or ample shredditude – but its cohesion. You can hear all of the lessons King Gizzard have learned over the years coalesce and come together into a glorious whole on this beast of an album. The slickly layered vocals & synths of Butterfly 3000 give the Nonagon-influenced motorkik beats a feeling of polish and richness that weren’t found in earlier releases. The unhinged eastern-tinged psychedelic stylings of Float Along and Oddments are given urgency and purpose by the tight, crunching shredding that feels pulled right from Infest The Rats Nest. And the band’s signature long form jams are now broken up by some of the slickest, tightest pop tunes ever to come out of Melbourne." --SublimeSound | | 2 |  | Red Hot Chili Peppers
Unlimited Love
"This reunion is all lovely, feel-good stuff from a human/storytelling perspective, but from a listener’s perspective it’s worth asking: what kind of music should we expect to hear on Unlimited Love? Is this a group of musicians that feels pressure to create, innovate, and push sonic boundaries? Or is this a group of folks who know they’ve got financial stability and nothing to prove musically, and are simply committed to enjoying the ride and jamming out with the de facto family they’ve formed over the decades? Unlimited Love is very much the latter kind of album." --whitecastle142 | | 3 |  | alt-J
The Dream
"Single "U&ME" is a perfect example of this oceanic muck as the unassuming, repetitive groove slowly lulls you to sleep and before you know it the memory of the song is completely lost. On the other end of the spectrum, "Hard Drive Gold" flips the switch in tempo and energy, yet is still somehow derivative of many other post-2010 indie bands. It falls flat on its face as it tries to emulate a quirky melody reminiscent of their earlier tracks yet it is not nearly as exciting or sticky. The album as a whole swells and breathes with a sigh of passivity but yet some songs scattered across the track list still retain some of your attention." --LemonBen | | 4 |  | Springtime (AUS)
Night Raver
"We begin with the sheer violence of Names of the Plague, a sprawling fifteen minute mood-setter that toes the line of precision musicianship and the archaic flailing of madmen. The angular chords, the wailing delivery of the vocals, the thunderous bossa nova groove that pushes forth and regresses into a backdrop of intentional and unintentional noise, its climaxes are hardly subtle and the footprint this track leaves behind on the entirety of the record is an unsettling connection between possible beauties, and the utter disregard for those notions entirely. There is no safe haven from the morbid curiosity presented in this track, and the shape of what is to come rears its ugly head." --Zakusz | | 5 |  | Beach House
Once Twice Melody
"But now, as I write this review and reflect on my status as a long-time fan, I am discovering this album for a second time, now as a sprawling, grand entity rather than a mere collection of chapters. Once Twice Melody ultimately proves to be more than the sum of its parts, and in this case said parts extend to all of Beach House’s previous albums. It feels like a culmination of the band’s esteemed career, and while I can’t rank it as my favourite Beach House album, no other record of theirs deserves the title of magnum opus quite like this." --brandontaylor | | 6 |  | Hallas
Isle of Wisdom
"That lightness along with a different sense of pacing is what sets Isle of Wisdom apart, especially when compared to 2020’s Conundrum. While the songwriting still has its share of variety and the mood fluctuates throughout, the contrasts don’t hit as hard as those on its predecessor. It makes for a more level listening experience; there may not be a montage-demanding anthem like “Beyond Night and Day” or “Carry On,” but the slower segments also keep from feeling too meandering." --PsychicChris | | 7 |  | The Longest Johns
Smoke and Oakum
"Folk music, like all music, tells us something about society. When sailors shipped off to sea, the songs they sang described their lives. Long days, backbreaking labor, and through it all you had to keep on tempo to make sure the work got done. One of the ways we honor history is by preserving those stories through music. The way the Johns approach these historical shanties is really beautiful, because you can tell they've delved into the history and understand the meaning behind the words. Hell, they have their own wiki for the lyrics, and it's nice to see that dedication. Songs like The Mary Ellen Carter, Hogeye Man, or Wayfaring Stranger, perhaps so memorable from its feature in the film 1917, all reflect the closeness and growth of the Johns after their many years together." --Naomi Lores | | 8 |  | Father John Misty
Chloë and the Next 20th Century
"But four full years between releases--almost certainly driven by the pandemic to some extent--has led to a significant lyrical and musical shift as Chloë and the Next 20th Century completely removes Tillman from the narrative, applying his dark wit instead toward fictional characters from a bygone era. The album's opening track, "Chloë," introduces this shift through a callback to an early 1900s music style with a swinging rhythm and sumptuous orchestral production, making the listener feel as if they have been transported onto the set of a black-and-white film. This sonic aesthetic, rather than being gimmicky, is well-executed throughout the album and blends seamlessly with other elements of Tillman's musical style. "Funny Girl" was my favorite example of this, with the core singer/songwriter piano ballad style being complemented with an intimate upright bass, brushed percussion, and grand orchestral production complete with strings, flutes, and horns." --NicksMusicList | | 9 |  | Daniel Rossen
You Belong There
"Forcefully reassuring and uncertain, rather than hopeful and nostalgic, is how Daniel increasingly views his home and his place. Adventure dwindles, family settles, life stagnates, realisation sets in that this is the direction of no return. But Daniel is always a calm and civil creature, tackling matters of self-worth with grace and experience age brings, while acknowledging that the best is what we make of it. He focuses on various positives, inconsequential to the world, but weighing a planet’s worth of mass to him." --someone | | 10 |  | Nneka
Love Supreme
"If Portishead’s Third was a huge freezer warehouse (which it is), Love Supreme would be the generator room next door, swelteringly hot but equally dark and weird. Some of these thirteen cuts do indeed remind me of Portishead’s 2008 album, not only sonically but also because of Nneka’s occasionally Beth Gibbons-y voice. At other times she sounds almost like Britney Spears or even Snow-white heard through the ears of a hamster, yet it all works." --Trifolium | | 11 |  | Sirom
The Liquified Throne of Simplicity
"Indeed, from the first track I was pleasantly surprised. The instruments may not be used in a traditional or particularly technically impressive way, but they do a tremendous job at conjuring the atmosphere - indeed, of a dream-like, introspective acoustic jam. A strong bass groove (in the first jam - other jams are held together in a similar manner by different background instruments) helps hold everything together, and the "weird instruments" are no longer a distraction, but each add their specific timbre that gives the final multilayered offering an unique character." --arf | | 12 |  | Greyhaven
This Bright And Beautiful World
"It’s difficult to listen to a new Southern Metal record without acknowledging the fact that Every Time I Die is no more. It’s even more apparent when a band like Greyhaven wears that inspiration so proudly. Fortunately, there’s so much more to this band unlike most that slip into copycat territory. Greyhaven finds structure inside all of the chaos that permeates throughout every track. Following up 2018’s breakout record Empty Black is a tough order in and of itself, but This Bright and Beautiful World realizes the ideal combination of familiarity and innovation to give us one of the best metal records in recent years." --GarthAlgar | | 13 |  | Monuments (UK)
In Stasis
"Syncopated riffs and endless aggression drive “Collapse” and “Opiate”, two visceral fast-paced tracks that shift consistently in and out of time signatures with some of the best drum performances on the record from Mike Malyan, full of polyrhythms, blast beats, and intense fills. Andy’s vocal prowess shines through immensely on both cuts, with a 20 second scream on the latter and a ferocious flow to complete. The two tracks are absolute flamethrowers and my favorite songs on the album." --Crxmateo | | 14 |  | Cobra the Impaler
Colossal Gods
"However, the production sound, tuning, and compositional style of the rhythm guitars often lean on influences of European technical thrash metal instead of sludge metal; so those expecting thick fuzzy riffs might be a bit disappointed. One cannot leave this album without noticing its fast, punchy drumming, performed by Dirk Verbeuren. He excels at conveying different emotions in music’s tempo changes, shifting the underlying ambiance from soothing and tranquil, at one moment, to spiraling apprehension in another. Verbeuren’s superb musicianship is further evident from viewing his extensive resume, performing for dozens of bands and side projects including Devin Townsend Project's Deconstruction." --WattPheasant | | 15 |  | Et Moriemur
Tamashii No Yama
"The band is clearly devoted to these themes and have gone the extra mile to employ the services of several musicians who are familiar with playing ethnically traditional instruments such as the shakuhachi, as well as classical instruments like the cello, harp, violin and more. On top of the Japanese influence, their also appears to be a gothic atmosphere that floats effortlessly above this conglomeration of sounds. As such, there is a plethora of musical transitions that take you from a soothing melodic soundscape to the shrill and oppressive atmosphere that death/doom metal is known for. This balancing act is realized sufficiently for the most part. If any transition appears to be questionable, the sheer musicianship keeps it interesting rather than a purely distracting experience." --InfernalDeity | | 16 |  | Peregrine (USA-MA)
the awful things we've done
"Admittedly, Peregrine lacking a unique strength is a half-truth; they’re efficient echoers of not just their forefathers’ songwriting prowess, but their elevated passion as well. It’s immediately audible in the blistering opener “A Polite Merlot,” whose Omar Rodriguez-Lopez-esque guitar riffs joust out at a gang chorus of angst and pummeling drums. Twangs of Americana crop up again in “A Room Filled With Bees” and the doomy “Exorcism USA,” the former of which is among many moments here that bring to mind {insert your favorite mid-00s post-hardcore act here}, while the latter contains a drop of blast beats so sinister it could scald the skin off any wannabe “blackened hardcore” act that skips leg day." --ashcrash9 | | 17 |  | Moonshield
The Void Squadron
"The Voids Squadron’smost impressive track is by far The Omega Day. The song starts off with a fairly standard riff that then leads to drums breaking into the mix with it’s notable speed and fills. However, what makes this track stand out is the Iron Maiden-esque guitar melodies. It is truly amazing and is perfectly complimented by the booming drums. The song also features a short yet sweet solo that absolutely shreds." --Zac124 | | 18 |  | Kirk Hammett
Portals
"It is, therefore, not until the opener has given way to second track The Djinn that Hammett begins to reveal the ace up his sleeve, as the chugging riffage and virtuoso noodling become progressively intermingled with heavily orchestral, atmospheric elements, which lend the whole a cinematic ambiance not unlike that of cowboy movies produced in Southern Europe in the late 1960s and early 1970s (the so-called spaghetti westerns)." --ReturnToRock | | 19 |  | Flaw
Revival
"Revival has no spark to speak of. The fresh cohort of instrumentalists deliver a limp take on various covers, sounding like an overdriven equivalent of a campfire singalong. Volz is at his best when he has genuine emotion to channel, or at least a competent instrumental backing to feed off of, and there's extremely little of that here. "Broken" features some sensible clean arpeggios in the verse and an effective rearrangement of the chorus, but an incredibly phoned in extra main riff destroys any interest. The only other song of note is the Whitesnake rendition, as the band gets into a groove and Volz awakes a bit. Everything else blends together, apart from the groan when "Every Breath You Take" starts up. Even the renditions of classic Flaw tracks, a Cleopatra cover album staple, are hollow. New Flaw can't even play Flaw properly." --turnip90210 | | 20 |  | Hatchie
Giving the World Away
"This album, however, pulls from so many great influences it's hard not to be engaged. The dream pop is still there of course, and she is not afraid to get noisy, but what I really love are the dance influences. Baggy, alt-dance, and synth-pop undertones are present in many of the songs. "The Rhythm" is an immediate stand out, as the jangly Take My Hand ends, this song kicks in with an infectious drum beat and then a wall of sound is textured right over it to produce this blissful production." --AmericanFlagAsh | |
Sowing
05.02.22 | Feel free to give these reviews some love and/or constructive feedback. | parksungjoon
05.02.22 | https://www.sputnikmusic.com/user_reviews.php?memberid=1204427
i liked these ones a lot
and these
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/84761/Ash-Ra-Tempel-Ash-Ra-Tempel/
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/84758/Klaus-Schulze-Irrlicht/ | Zac124
05.02.22 | Lot's of great reviews here. Thanks for the shout out! | Sowing
05.02.22 | @parks - needs to be within 3 months of official release date to make the list | parksungjoon
05.02.22 | dam :[ | Sowing
05.02.22 | It's no knock on reviews of old albums, but by limiting inclusions to only new releases, then these lists can serve the additional purpose of helping me cross reference contributor applications with actual production | parksungjoon
05.02.22 | thats actually really smart, cheers | fogza
05.03.22 | Some really great reviews on here and I'm really happy to see AmericanFlagAsh writing! | dedex
05.03.22 | great to see so many user reviews! | someone
05.03.22 | yeah FlagAsh is a great concise writer. i went back to check some of his older revs and they're solid. definitely a reviewer i'll keep in my notifications (mental of course, as sput is an ancient brick of a website) | someone
05.03.22 | i especially want to point out the good work Trif, zakusz, ashcrash, Nicksmusiclists, and brandontaylor are doing and wanna wish them solid writing ahead | fogza
05.03.22 | agree with someone, also that Daniel Rossen review was 🔥🔥🔥 | someone
05.03.22 | ❤️ | DadKungFu
05.03.22 | This type of list would be really cool as a regular thing | parksungjoon
05.03.22 | it literally is a monthly thing | DadKungFu
05.03.22 | Lol just saw that | Zakusz
05.03.22 | Wow thanks again for the shoutout Sowing, I am glad people are enjoying my reviews, always wanted to participate in this site (been a casual visitor since 2010). | YoYoMancuso
05.03.22 | 1 really was a great review, wasn't super motivated to listen to it before reading | WattPheasant
05.04.22 | Sowing, thank you very much for the inclusion in your monthly best User review lists. And of course, many thanks for your feedback on my draft. It turned out a decent bit better than it would have been otherwise.
A lot of these other reviews are pretty great as well. I particularly liked GarthAlgar's review of Greyhaven even though I would definitely not give it a 5/5. | Sowing
05.04.22 | You're welcome, I'm always happy to provide constructive criticism! | AmericanFlagAsh
05.04.22 | Oh thanks for the shoutout! | Trifolium
05.04.22 | Thanks for the shout Sowing! I had fun with that one. Many good reviews here! Now back to the album for my 10,000th spin! | arf
05.09.22 | oh hey that's me on this list |
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