alexk's pie-less rec competition
i feel like i can typically look back on certain years and say "that's when i got really into this genre / scene / group of artists" and that my taste changed/expanded in some way. every year except this year. and i'm kinda going crazyyyyy! so i thought i would start a rec competition, the winner will win some sort of cool prize yet to be decided + bragging rights. the rules are as follows: |
| 1 |  | Chepang
Swatta
1) you can rec anything so long as it is less than 80 minutes in length |
| 2 |  | Hail the Sun
Divine Inner Tension
2) THE REC CANNOT BE A RELEASE FROM A GENRE IN MY PIE CHART:
------------- NO METAL except for BLACK, DOOM, and SLUDGE
------------- NO HIP HOP
------------- NO JAZZ
------------- NO PROG
------------- NO -CORE OF ANY KIND
------------- NO INDIE ROCK (because apparently that's in there now lol) |
| 3 |  | Horrendous
Ontological Mysterium
3) MY RATINGS ARE UNRELIABLE... i don't rate anything besides new releases these days
you can search my last.fm if you really really want to confirm i haven't heard something, but chances are i haven't given the restrictions (search bar is top right above the red "all time" heading): https://www.last.fm/user/Clairvoyence/library/albums?date_preset=ALL |
| 4 |  | George Clanton
Ooh Rap I Ya
I will accept a total of 25 recs... and plan to check everything within the month of September. also plan to update this list with a rating and some thoughts for every album as I go. |
| 5 |  | Talk Talk
Laughing Stock
1. Rec'd by Ryus
I was already familiar with Spirit of Eden (and a couple big early singles) so I somewhat knew what to expect, but this is unquestionably an improvement and my favorite Talk Talk now by virtue (which seems hardly unpopular). Some real floaty stuff here, but the higher use of drums definitely set it apart from its predecessor. "New Grass" is my highlight. "Ascension Day" also rules. I do find the more "post" moments here a bit harder to grasp which I guess is why I am doing this!
ALBUM RATING: 3.9 |
| 6 |  | Arthur Russell
World of Echo
2. Rec'd by AsleepInTheBack
I find this album really neat from a sound design perspective, but I'm not sure its the most engaging listen for me personally. I just do not do well with more minimal ambient music but I'm trying! This album seems to be made up of mostly just the vocals and cello playing of Russell, peaking early with "Soon-to-Be Innocent Fun / Let's See", a nine minute distillation of everything the album has to offer. This is followed by "Answer Me", which is the base sample for Kanye's "30 Hours". From there I feel like I get lost a bit (maybe that's the point?!?) though I feel like I regain my footing with the final two tracks. Interesting listen but I can't say I take much away from it.
ALBUM RATING: 3.3 |
| 7 |  | Fall of Efrafa
Inle
3. Rec'd by Pikazilla
Now this is it. I've never been huge on sludge but this really really works for me. I don't even know what makes this different to me. It just is. Woundwort could most definitely be cut in half but other wise good shit.
ALBUM RATING: 4.1 |
| 8 |  | Sparks
Kimono My House
4. Rec'd by JohnnyoftheWell
The sort of thing a Bowie-phile like me would love. Very sleek and shimmery and amorphous, like a Scary Monsters before Scary Monsters. This thing starts off with a bang and slowly tapers off as it goes on, but it certainly makes an impression.
ALBUM RATING: 3.8 |
| 9 |  | Fire-Toolz
I will not use the body's eyes today.
5. Rec'd by CalculatingInfinity
I don't know what genre you would call this (maybe all of them) but this some prim and proper fl studio fuckery. The songs on here are hardly coherent but the sound design and the sheer throw-everything-at-a-wall philosophy makes for quite a fun listen. The album then ends right at the 30 minute mark before it gets boring. Great find.
ALBUM RATING: 3.8 |
| 10 |  | Lightning Bolt
Hypermagic Mountain
6. Rec'd by SomeCallMeTim
Cool noise rock record with some standout bass. There's a plethora of cool ideas here, but I think the album would've been more effective if it were 20-30 minutes shorter. This album has a very loud-louder dynamic and I found that a bit grating after so long, especially with the way all the tracks sorta bleed into each other.
ALBUM RATING: 3.2 |
| 11 |  | Yamandu Costa
Festejo
7. Rec'd by Manatea
Nice little latin jazz record (which should technically be disqualified but its different enough from the jazz I typically listen to that I am allowing it). Easy on the ears, though after giving this multiple listens I don't feel like I can add much more than that.
ALBUM RATING: 3.0 |
| 12 |  | Alexander O'Neal
All True Man
8. Rec'd by Drifter
Now THIS is some smooth shit. Alexander O'Neal is about as charismatic as can be here. He has great range and gets a lot of mileage out of instrumentals and lyrical content that would surely feel overwrought in different hands. The instrumentals have enough nuance to keep you on your toes. If I had one major criticism it'd be that this album is probably too long, but still a worthwhile listen.
ALBUM RATING: 3.7 |
| 13 |  | Heat Wave
I'm Fuckin You Tonight
9. Rec'd by Cygnatti
Need to give this one more listen, but I dig how dark and washed out feeling this is for a plunderphonics record. Can't say I've heard much like it, closest I can think is maybe Oblivion Access but even that seems pretty far off. Ultimately felt like this drags at points but am glad I got to check this out.
ALBUM RATING: 3.4 |
| 14 |  | Jordan Rakei
Wallflower
10. Rec'd by Conmaniac
This is a fine enough neo-soul album but I can't say much has really stuck with me after multiple listens. This style has a way of being pretty immersive in the moment but then just being completely discarded when its over. Closer "Wallflower" was my highlight, with the album's sole feature adding some much needed variety to the album.
ALBUM RATING: 3.1 |
| 15 |  | Talking Heads
Speaking in Tongues
11. Rec'd by Titan (replacing Remain in Light)
I'm fairly familiar with the Talking Heads but I had never heard this album before, and I got to say this doesn't hit me quite like Remain in Light does. By contrast I find these songs kind of derivative and overly long. I do really enjoy David Bryne's vocal style, but I find the rest of the band kind of lacking here.
ALBUM RATING: 3.4 |
| 16 |  | Curtis Mayfield
Superfly
12. Rec'd by ArsMoriendi
This is my favorite album of the tournament so far. Absolutely in love. For a soundtrack released over 50 years ago the production on this is absolutely immaculate. I've also heard probably every track on here sampled in hip hop songs which added a feeling of familiarity, but those samples hardly ever include Mayfield's vocals, which are easily some of my favorite I've ever heard in this style.
ALBUM RATING: 4.3 |
| 17 |  | Bark Psychosis
Hex
13. Rec'd by onionbubs
I thought this album had some moments but overall was not something I took a lot from. Very quiet record which I'm just so bad at really immersing myself in. May have to give this one more listen.
ALBUM RATING: 3.1 |
| 18 |  | My Dying Bride
Turn Loose the Swans
14. Rec'd by naughtcturnal
This one actually surprised me. An 60 minute doom metal album from band I already knew I wasn't super into. But this actually kinda slapped? I was really into this. Maybe I'm becoming acclimated to doom... or at least when the production is right. The riffs on here are 5 m/ out of 5.
ALBUM RATING: 4.0 |
| 19 |  | Public Image Ltd.
Metal Box
15. Rec'd by widowslaugh123
Another favorite so far. This album is so groovy, noisey, quotable... really has everything. Never wears out its welcome despite being pretty abrasive for almost the entirety of its 60 minute run time. Certainly one of my favorite albums of this tournament so far. Will need to check more from this band.
ALBUM RATING: 4.2 |
| 20 |  | Conflict
The Ungovernable Force
16. Rec'd by SlothcoreSam
Pretty standard hardcore punk record with some interesting quirks. The orchestral part in the opening track caught me off guard, but the rest was about what I expected. Fine album but not something I'd ever really come back to.
ALBUM RATING: 3.2 |
| 21 |  | Exuma
Exuma
17. Rec'd by chemicalmarriage
This was a fun interesting album that I'm not sure I understand enough to talk about in detail. It's a vibe though.
ALBUM RATING: 3.5 |
| 22 |  | Gezan with Million Wish Collective
Anochi
18. Rec'd by someone
This was a fun interesting album that I'm not sure I understand enough to talk about in detail. It's a vibe though. Slight bonus points for being on my 2023 to do list.
ALBUM RATING: 3.6 |
| 23 |  | Lake of Tears
Forever Autumn
19. Rec'd by Hawks
The first album I truly did not vibe at all with. Its fine enough until that "Demon You / Lily Anne" chorus hits and I realized I really really dislike these vocals, and I just could not get that out of my head on the second listen. I do kind of dig the production and the instrumentals and could see myself liking this more with different vocals though. Not m/ enough for me.
ALBUM RATING: 2.5 |
| 24 |  | Plebeian Grandstand
False Highs, True Lows
20. Rec'd by Wildcardbitchesss
This is essentially a black metal album with an almost mathcore sense of instrumentation and production and it actually kinda goes??? Probably an awful description of what this is but it really worked for me. The quieter tracks also really worked for me. Definitely something I've never quite heard before.
ALBUM RATING: 3.9 |
| 25 |  | The Brave Little Abacus
Just Got Back from the Discomfort...
21. Rec'd by Trebor.
This should arguably not even count for being almost indie rock but that's my fault for not vetting it. I really really liked this though. It throws everything at the wall and it all somehow sticks? I can't say this album has much in the way of coherent songwriting but the btbam fan in me appreciates this well enough. Will definitely be jamming this often in the months to come.
ALBUM RATING: 4.2 |
| 26 |  | Amenra
Mass VI
22. Rec'd by botb
I think I'm really developing a taste for sludge at this point of the tournament. I really love how cacophonous this all feels. The production is great and the higher pitched vocals really work for the core kid in me. Need to check more of this band.
ALBUM RATING: 3.9 |
| 27 |  | Scarcity
Aveilut
23. Rec'd by Demon of the Fall |
| 28 |  | REZN
Solace
24. Rec'd by Egarran |
| 29 |  | Venetian Snares
The Chocolate Wheelchair Album
25. Red'c by Avagantamos |
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