JohnnyoftheWell
Hugh G. Puddles
Staff

Reviews 368
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Album Edits 658

Album Ratings 4401
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Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70

Review Comments 60,277

 Lists
04.16.24 All Blonde Redhead songs RANKED ♦03.28.24 OED Japanese imports RANKED (Q1 2024) ♦
03.22.24 Sputnik's Sacred Cows03.14.24 POP ALIGNMENT
03.09.24 Discogs that peak on song #103.07.24 new staff + contribs RANKED ♦
03.03.24 MARCH of JAZŽŻ ♦02.16.24 G L I T C H genre tag
02.01.24 FEBRUARY of ambi2ent (REC me) ♦01.01.24 well_2023: "YES" albums (2/2) ♦
12.31.23 well_2023: "NO" albums (1/2)12.27.23 (be)rate my LP 'collection'
12.03.23 2023 BNM: cringedex ♦12.01.23 New users :: REVIEWED ♦
11.28.23 Your 5s choices reviewed AGAIN ♦11.15.23 learn from my WORST REVIEWS ♦
11.13.23 Tory stooge music11.10.23 Feed me 2023 things
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Neek vs. Johnny ROUND 2: Big Chomp

After they m a y h e m of round 1, we are now down to TEN albums each to jam. How exciting. Which will be most loved, are there any surprises, who will win(?) ?? The game is ON
1Anathema
Judgement

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2Alanis Morissette
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie

RATING: 3.6
HIGHLIGHT: The Couch
LOWLIGHT: Your Congratulations // That I Would Be Good
3-WORD SUMMARY: Gap year flex
WORDS: This was interesting and surprisingly refreshing; I didn't expect this album to be nearly as frank and personal. It's based primarily on relationships and her reflections on a long stint in India, but Alanis Morissette's lyricism uses these as a nice springboard for her wider perspective on People And Their Lives; I was quite impressed by how engaging this was as a personal window. She finds her voice so clearly here that it kind of makes sense that she keeps on going...and going...and going, and then 72 minutes of your life have passed and you realise that at least 3-4 songs could have been slashed without compromising the album in the slightest. This one's radio-friendly alt rock carries it for the most part, but it's not nearly versatile enough to sustain a runtime that long and, talented as she is, her vocal schtick wears a little thin by the end.
3Anna von Hausswolff
Dead Magic

RATING: 4.0
HIGHLIGHT: Ugly & Vengeful
LOWLIGHT: Marble Eye
3-WORD SUMMARY: Now We're Talking
WORDS: Small issues first: the opener feels like an overture for an album double this one's length; The Marble Eye is good sequencing botched in execution (the album needs a cut like this before the closer, but the ostinato is a snooze; the rhythm drags its heels. Should have been darker; Ulver nailed this tradeoff on the last three tracks of Messe, which you MUST hear as an understated counterpoint to this; she's a good vocalist but doesn’t innovate often enough outside of Electra, which nails this (this music is so close to vintage 4AD that expectations of stunning vocals are a given; I couldn't shake the "what if Lisa Gerrard were singing this?” feeling at points). That's it. A very impressive album with outstanding continuity and focus. Electra back to back with Ugly and Vengeful is a great complementary pairing and the closer sounds like a gothic reworking of Loud City Song. Love it.
4Chicago
Chicago Transit Authority

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5Damien Rice
My Favourite Faded Fantasy

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6Foxing
Nearer My God

RATING: 3.6
HIGHLIGHT: Bastardizer
LOWLIGHT: Five Cups, Slapstick
3-WORD SUMMARY: Not Kid A
WORDS: I want to like this one more than I do. It's smart, but I don't feel these tracks tie together quite as the band's ambition requires them to. Some of these tracks are *great*, some get cluttered and miss whatever point they seem to reach for. This leads to the unfortunate situation of the straight-up alt rock sections working considerably better than the more diffuse/'experimental' parts. Slapstick is a neat example of this, a aimless jumble that only takes off when it its its most derivative moment. Five Cups is a 3 minute palette-cleanser turned in a 9 minute meditation for no good reason. That said, Gameshark, Bastardizer and Heartbeats all rip, so no shade on the band's rock credentials. This record's heart and head are both in the right place, but the execution is a few marks off, I feel. Not sure how much I'll return to this, but I'm definitely interested in following this band.
7Harrod and Funck
Live

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8Madeline Kenney
Perfect Shapes

RATING: 3.5
HIGHLIGHT: Perfect Shapes
LOWLIGHT: Cut Me Off, I Went Home
3-WORD SUMMARY: Discount cleaning products
WORDS: Of all the albums on the list, this was the hardest to get my head around. I had a clear sense of what she was going for and that she pretty much knew her craft, but it took a while to suss out how I felt. The verdict is mixed but overall positive. There are some interesting tones and textures here, but I'm not in love with the eclecticism and find it stands in the way of this working as a mood piece (its primary appeal, I feel). Cut Me Off and I Went Home made me think of a twee, less interesting version of a Buke and Tase track - obviously a different fix, but parts of it have a similar off-kilter quirk. Then again, the opening pair and the title track are excellent and made me more than happy to switch my brain off and drift along. All in all, this is well-crafted and creative, but I’m still not sure how much it stands out or how often I’ll return to it.
9Miya Folick
Premonitions

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10Peter Gabriel
Security

RATING: 3.9
HIGHLIGHT: The Rhythm of the Heat, I Have the Touch
LOWLIGHT: Lay Your Hands On Me, Wallflower
3-WORD SUMMARY: a real one
WORDS: Og prog pop/art pop, nice nice. This is legit - I've had limited experience with Mr. Gabriel and his many musics, but the guy clear knows his shit - the songwriting here is 101% on point, builds nicely and lands its hooks just where they need to be. PG has a solid set of pipes and a great sense of inflection (which he switches up as the hook lines get reinforced, something I v much appreciated). I don't even like most of these tones or melodies (fussy 80s preference, sorry dad), but I DO like these songs because he owns them. If that ain't what good pop is about, idk what is. Would have preferred a little more intense world music a la opener and a little less Bowie/Byrne vibes on the likes of Lay Your Hands On Me, but hey, we're good. Nice nice
11Regina Spektor
Remember Us To Life

RATING: 3.6
HIGHLIGHT: Older And Taller
LOWLIGHT: Black And White
3-WORD SUMMARY: out of chara
WORDS: So I finally showed up to my appointment with Regina Spektor, emeritus headmistress of art pop. It was and wasn't what I expected. Things I was right on: deluge of sarcastic baroque tweeness. Things I wasn't: she's not an underwhelming vocalist (not where this came from), she's as strong when she doubles down on her piano as she is in flashier arrangements. Overall, solid stuff; reminds me of St Vincent's debut, but much more competent. Where it stumbles is the lyrics; also similar to that St Vincent alb, Spektor is a good writer but botches focal lines that should carry the strength of her songs (the final line of the otherwise brilliant bear simile in Small Bill$ is a case in point). She clearly knows her craft inside out and I'm on board with this, but there's one two many a moment that I feel is meant to be wry and knowing but makes me roll my eyes. Will dig deeper into her discog.
12Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork

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13Advantage Lucy
Fanfare

RATING: 4.1
HIGHLIGHT: “So”
LOWLIGHT: “Solaris”
3-WORD SUMMARY: sunny-side up [editor's note: this is 2.5 words lol]
WORDS: It’s interesting to hear an album from the other side of the world than I’m used to sound so singularly 90s. I mean the production, the guitar sounds, the jangle, idk man. This was some really great indie pop, and the rockier moments like “So” knocked it out of the park. The sunnier upbeat moments were rightly the focus here though, with the closer “Armond” ending things in a brighter direction. It’s a testament to this band’s obvious goal, to leave you with fond memories and a smile on your face. And they succeed!!
14Dir En Grey
Dum Spiro Spero

RATING: 4.2
HIGHLIGHT: “Diabolos” // “Vanitas”
LOWLIGHT: “Amon”
3-WORD SUMMARY: Twisted Metal 2
WORDS: While I was clearly catfished by Johnny’s use of “Vanitas” as a bait, I’ve gotta say the rest of this album was not far off quality wise. Sure its full of ugly, creepy twists and turned, but especially the back-half of this was a roller-coasted of beauty smashed up against some of the most enjoyably insane metal I’ve heard on a long time. The vocals here are a showstopper, and I just love the way the bass is used in this. Once again, Johnny… you win.
15Fishmans
Uchuu Nippon Setagaya

RATING: 3.9
HIGHLIGHT: “Weather Report”
LOWLIGHT: “Magic Love”
3-WORD SUMMARY: soaring eyes closed
WORDS: The majority of this album is a blissful journey, emphasizing its warm vibes with mellow beats and psychedelic influences in the guitar and bass. It opens in an eternal chill one-two punch of “Pokka Pokka” and “Weather Report,” the latter of which catapults into the stratosphere in the back-half—and was quite a treat for high Neek. Every once in a while something will pull you our dream-like stupor whether it be the abrasive wonkiness of “Magic Love” or the high-pitched vocals suddenly not melding quite as well as they usually do with the music’s melodic frame, but this is often forgivable. Overall, it’s something you would be happy to thrown on, close your eyes, nod your head, and take flight to wherever you’d rather be right now.
16Ling Tosite Sigure
Just a Moment

Rating: 4.0
HIGHLIGHT: “Moment a Rhythm (Short Ver.)”
LOWLIGHT: “Jpop Xfile”
3-WORD SUMMARY: dis is gud
WORDS: I cannot quite remember my thoughts on this album because of how long it took johnny to finish his album (I’m making excuses to buff the word-count, I should’ve done this right as soon as I listened), but I do remember liking it quite a lot. This is one of those albums that has a really unique and captivating sound but could’ve stood for a bit more variation inside its own track list. But yeah great stuff as usual, I should just preemptively 4 the rest of this list at this point!
17Mass of the Fermenting Dregs
Mass of the Fermenting Dregs

RATING: 4.2
HIGHLIGHT: “Endroll” / “I F A Surfer”
LOWLIGHT: “Highlight”
3-WORD SUMMARY: ADD crunch wrap
WORDS: Yeah yeah yeah, you got yourself another winner here Johnny, but what can I say? This is rambunctious alt-rock with a big stupid heart, so of course I’m gonna enjoy the hell out of it. While it takes a little while to get into a groove, once it settles in we’re treated with a triple-threat of 90s power-pop (“Skabetty”), big crunchy gorgeous post-ish-rock (“Endroll”), and whatever in the flying fuck you call “I F A Surfer.” It’s all fun in games here, and even the weaker moments are exhilarating. Chiefly to thank I’m sure is the short runtime, as I’m not sure how much longer they could keep this energy out without getting tired. But there you have it, this works stupendously.
18REOL
Σ

Rating: 3.9
HIGHLIGHT: “Give Me a Break Stop Now”, "VIOLA"
LOWLIGHT: “Chiruchiru”
3-WORD SUMMARY: sugar or cocaine?
WORDS: An adrenaline shot of pop ridiculousness, Sigma has plenty of variety and tricks to keep things interesting throughout its runtime, even if its pure (charming) obnoxiousness can wear on you if you’re not in the right mood—but if you are, you’re in for a treat. Some tracks like “Give Me a Break Stop Now” (this one in particular BANGS) have more than enough muscle to make up for the slighter numbers, but overall this was another easy winner.
19Shiina Ringo
Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana

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20Shiina Ringo
Shouso Strip

Rating: 4.3
HIGHLIGHTS: “Honno”
LOWLIGHT: “Tsumi to Batsu”
3-WORD SUMMARY: I get it
WORDS: Sheena laughs in the face of my love for rock music. She knows all the tricks, and she doesn’t care. She’s not trying to usurp the genre in some kind of mind-bending Tool-esque statement on the human condition. It’s clear she’s having fun, and she wants us to as well. From top to bottom this is an engaging, ridiculous, and awesome bounce through varying styles and emotions, and even though this write-up sounds really forced, what I’m trying to say is that this is cool. This is so so cool.
21Spangle call Lilli line
or

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22Supercar
Highvision

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