Average Rating: 3.43 Rating Variance: 1.73 Objectivity Score: 74% (Fairly Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name5.0 classicDream Theater Images and WordsA progressive metal masterpiece in every sense of the word. From Mike Portnoy's incredible percussion, to the star like synth work by Kevin Moore, John Petruci's guitar, John Myung's basslines and solos.. The musicianship on display is apparent from the first track to the last one. James LaBrie is also at his best vocally here. There is so much power and range to his voice that you can't help but feel as if he perfectly led each track with his singing ability. While many may say Dream Theater is a technically overwhelming band, it's easy for anybody to listen to this album and understand why they have retained such high status in the prog metal scene. Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a ButterflyThere's nothing to say about TPAB that hasn't been said already. It has layers in just about every facet of every song on this album. Storytelling, social commentary, Kendrick's incredible flow that can't help but force you to lock in and pay attention to everything he says. The incredible jazz focused instrumentals are made to be turned up to eleven each time you put this LP on--Flying Lotus, Thundercat, every single artist on this project shines incredibly well. The first time I listened to this LP it blew my mind. Easily one of the best hip-hop albums of the 2010s, and will be looked on fondly years and years from now. Is it a mainstream opinion to say TPAB is incredible? Sure, but that's because it fucking is.Marvin Gaye What's Going OnA phenomenal album with some of the most positive, loving lyricism in the history of music. So much soul, passion, and storytelling in each track, offering an incredible listening experience both the first time and on repeat listens. The harmonies pull you in, and the instrumentals complimenting Marvin's vocal work like nothing I've ever seen keeps you there. Delving into the history of this album, as well as Marvin Gaye as both a man and musician, will only give you more appreciation for "What's Going On", one of the best albums ever produced.Steely Dan AjaThis record is yet another example to throw onto the pile of albums that cement the 1970s as one of the greatest periods in the history of music. The talent on display here is truly stunning, in every single aspect of its composition, instrumentation, vocal work, and variety of songs to choose from. Of course you can sit down and enjoy the album from start to finish, but one of the greatest aspects of Steely Dan's Aja is the fact that you can play any song from it and find both you and any listeners around you thoroughly satisfied and impressed. A perfect album that needs no introduction, and should be on your list of what to visit when venturing through the history of both jazz rock and music as a whole.4.5 superbLCD Soundsystem This Is HappeningLCD Soundsystem's "This is Happening" is an album that requires patience in more ways than one. The group loves slow build ups, carefully pulling the listener along until they eventually reach a powerful crescendo that makes all the wait worth it. Tracks on this LP range from fun (Drunk Girls), to powerfully groovy (One Touch), to emotionally vibrant (All I Want). Genuinely speaking, I first listened to this album while going for a run one day, and I had to stop and just take in what was happening during the latter half of "All I Want", an experience I will forever yearn to have for the first time again. This album is impossible not to recommend considering its ability to pull the listener in and keep them there as the songs progress further and further, shooting above your expectations each and every time.Nujabes Modal SoulEver since being introduced to Nujabes via Samurai Champloo viewings with my older brother as a kid, his music always seemed to transport me to another realm each time I listened to it. His beats instill a mixture of bittersweet taste, the flavor of reminiscing, and overall bliss. Modal Soul just may be his best album--ranging from incredible beat production, to amazing artist features that each perfectly fit the track they're on. There isn't a single feature on this LP that sounds off, each intermingles with the beat perfectly, carrying heavy emotional weight that simultaneously keeps the listener in a groove. When listening to a Nujabes album, the listener is transported into a world full of emotional storytelling that encapsulates and satiates. Modal Soul is just another example of the brilliance and talent of a jazz hip-hop producer we sadly lost too soon.Origami Angel Somewhere CityAn upliftingly positive emo LP that is not only fun, but also an incredibly musically intriguing experience from start to finish. OA's decision to blend math rock elements as many modern emo bands have decided to do in recent years, is demonstrated at its full capabilities here. Pat Doherty's frantic drums that change from apple orange beats, to blast beats, to disco beats without feeling forced or technically overwhelming is truly something to behold. On top of this, Ryland Heagy's unique vocals are some of the best to come out of what I thought to be a dead genre in the last decade. His ability to follow the instrumentation with his voice on the LP's Title Track is wildly fun whilst also being incredibly vocally impressive in terms of voice/breath control, and his clear passion for the emotionally charged lyrics he's singing is contagious. All in all, Somewhere City is the best emo album I have heard in ages. OA set out to prove both themselves, and the idea that there is still room for this genre to progress and shine. Not a single skippable track, and an incredibly approachable experience. Considering the idea that this album was dropped shortly before the Covid-19 quarantine, the idea of a blissful, imaginary town where the realization that everything will be okay is apparent may have helped many a listener as they struggled to adapt to a new normal at the time--and I implore you to take a visit to Somewhere City as well.Radiohead OK ComputerRadiohead's OK Computer is without a doubt their highest point musically. The amount of dynamic listening experiences to be had on this one LP is proof enough of why it has retained such a high amount of praise over the last twenty years. Tracks shift and grow, guitars go from haunting backdrops into front and center rough riffs, Thomas Yorke's unique vocal work oozes a deep care and passion for both music as well as what he's singing about. Radiohead clearly wanted to catch the ears of many a listener to hear their call when they released this LP in '97, and they most certainly did. Even to this day there's no good reason not to give this album a listen at least once.4.0 excellentGiraffes? Giraffes! More Skin With Milk-MouthGiraffes? GIRAFFES! protrudes an incredible amount of musical talent, passion, and even emotion on this EP. While starting off with a more jam-focused approach, I am Shimmer's bridge gets about as close as you can to storytelling with an instrumental as possible. The emotional highs and lows of that track have the ability to intrigue, calm, and fill one with hope as you journey through some incredibly fun, well-written and produced math rock. While not the most approachable album of all time, it's definitely one of the most easily recommendable when discussing math rock as a genre.Shoji Meguro Persona 5 OSTWhile Persona 5's Soundtrack has become a massively overplayed collection of songs in the years since its release, it shouldn't take away from what Shoji Meguro was able to accomplish here musically. Elements of jazz, R&B, lofi, rock, and more all shine throughout the game's OST, making an incredible listening experience for those playing the game themselves, and those listening to the music itself as a separate experience. While narrative context helps these songs shine even further beyond what they would as a listening experience on their own, there's no doubt that even those not interested in Persona 5 as a video game will find much to enjoy within this game's compositional work.Spyro Gyra CarnavalAn underrated album that takes your hand, shoves a coconut drink in it, and welcomes you onto a beach towards dusk. It has a certain romantically inviting aura to a lot of its tracks, and demonstrates why Spyro Gyra has cemented a small legacy for themselves in the history of jazz fusion.3.5 greatMF DOOM MM.. FoodMF Doom's quirky, fun lyricism and beats demonstrate in full force why he has received so much love as a rapper/producer over the years on Mm.. Food. It's impossible to not listen to this album and not find yourself being uplifted by the energy it emanates. While the interludes may be a little exhausting on repeat listens, it's not enough to subtract from the incredible beat production and rap flow put on full display throughout the entirety of this album.Tool LateralusWhile I'm not exactly sold on the spiritual benefits as proposed by Tool's cult fanbase, I can most definitely attest to the fact that this LP is some of the best progressive rock to come out of the early 2000s. Ripples of nostalgia itched at my head as I could immediately notice the type of songwriting and instrumentation techniques that inspired so many of the bands I grew up hearing both on the radio, and in a multitude of media projects at a young age. From the haunting interludes, to the rough production and technically impressive instrumentation--this album is an experience you won't want to miss.3.0 goodGood Kid Good Kid 3Good Kid certainly has a fun, poppy flavor to their indie rock that refreshed me the first time I listened to their hit "Mimi's Delivery Service". Instrumentally there's enough going on in terms of uniqueness that is generally pleasing to the ear, and Nick Frosst's powerful vocals are some of the best I've heard in indie rock so far in the 2020s. Every track on this EP has enough to offer that makes each song worth listening in its own way, even if some of them start to borrow a fair amount of ideas from the previous ones. There is certainly growth to be had musically speaking, and I think we're ready for the first Good Kid LP to drop and truly see what this group is capable of on a larger scale.Lightning Bolt Fantasy EmpireI personally believe that the first lightning bolt album you listen to will always end up being your favorite--and for me that is the case with the duo's 2015 LP "Fantasy Empire." I was exposed to this album in middle school after getting Rock Band 4 for Christmas of 2015, and immediately was overwhelmed with everything happening musically as I listened to the tracks. It isn't until you try to relax with the chaos ensuing within these tracks that you really start to appreciate everything happening musically. Brian Chippendale's satisfyingly distorted, emotional vocals, mixed with his tribal-esque drumming that sounds almost like a war cry for a group ready to storm their oppressors. Brian Gibson demonstrates the depth of his instrumental talent as well, especially on the track "Dream Genie", where he mixes heavy, deep riffy basslines with higher pitched, chanting guitar (er, banjo string) licks. This LP has a fair amount to offer to fresh listeners, and is a solid listening experience from beginning to end.Origami Angel The Brightest DaysWhile Origami Angel doesn't reach the highs they achieved with their 2019 LP "Somewhere City", there is still a fair amount to enjoy with this album. Shining outwards with breakdowns like ones on the track "My PG County Summer", I can't help but respect the political and social commentary Ryland introduces with this LP as the duo reflects on whether they are truly okay at heart. Where Somewhere City pulled you in with love as the duo explored a suburban utopia alongside you, "The Brightest Days" sits you down at the beach with them as they vent about the things around them they cannot stand, whilst simultaneously reflecting on themselves.2.5 averageSoundtrack (Theatre) Heathers: The MusicalHeathers the musical has some reasonably enjoyable tracks here and there, borrowing ideas from 70s funk, rock, as well as other theatrical productions--such as the way harmonies are layered. Keeping this in mind however, it may be difficult to enjoy the music separate of the production itself. The satire for the most part is still in tact, and can prompt a smile or chuckle here and there, but simultaneously it finds itself getting tiring. The last thing I want to hear when driving and listening to an album is a high school boy harmonize about how much he wants to have rsex with his classmate for three straight minutes. On top of this, the acting adlibs that exist in just about every single track really detract from the listening experience and find themselves being incredibly distracting with how long they drag on. All in all, there's almost no reason to listen to this production outside of the theater.2.0 poorCaleb Hyles In One BreathWhile I can appreciate Caleb Hyles' passionate, theatrical vocal tracks that sing of emotionally charged, uplifting topics he attempts to tackle with his debut album, it's quite clear that he has a lot of work to do as a songwriter. So many tracks on this LP sadly reek of royalty free instrumentation, safe pop synths, overdone tropes, and commercialized spins. There's not much to offer here that hasn't either been done before better, or is sickeningly tiresome at this point. Awkward genre shifts don't necessarily help its case much either, as we go from pop, to incredibly weak rock tracks, to theatrical-esque musical type tracks. Nothing feels coherent, and in the worst way possible. It's a rough listening experience that I could barely sit through, offering almost nothing anywhere. Caleb stated he was tired of doing covers and wanted to make his own music--all I can do is hope that whatever he writes next is much, much better than this.1.5 very poorMachine Gun Kelly Tickets to My DownfallInstead of trying to discover himself as a musician outside of the realm of rap, MGK decides instead to painfully mimic the early 00s pop punk vibes that have been dead for over a decade and a half for good reason. Lyrical substance is at an all time low here, instrumentation finds itself at a weird blend between awkward trap and generic pop punk--and MGK's "Eh, I guess I can sing if you want me to" vocals make my eyes roll. While listeners desperate for a taste of nostalgia from the 2000s may find something to enjoy here, the rest of us can just forget this ever happened.Set It Off ElsewhereAfter being recommended this band by a multitude of acquaintances in a project, I went in with fairly high expectations. Imagine my chagrin when I quickly discovered that this record has nothing to offer beyond the most surface level, safe, generic pop rock ideas that have already been overdone to all hell. This album may be the only proof that AI generated music may actually have a chance in the industry at some point--simply because of the fact that this entire listening experience feels like a messy mash of passionlessly regurgitated music tropes from the last fifteen years. 1.0 awfulCG5 PatientlyCG5's debut album found itself in a strange spot. It came from a YouTube cover artist with nearly 5m subscribers, and somehow found itself flying completely under the radar, even on his own channel. Once you give the album a legitimate listen however, you realize exactly why that is. Every single track shamelessly borrows from tropes found in early 2010s pop trap, from the echoed three second openings to most songs, to the corny "She's bright, she's beautiful, just right and more than suitable, she's like the daylight sun" lyrics, to overall instrumentation work. Even CG5's vocals sound less like he is attempting to make his voice heard, and rather mimic his favorite artists instead. It's almost hard to put your finger on exactly why this album is so painfully generic, specifically because it's such white noise that your brain will be desperate to latch onto anything else around you as you tune out of the music. Nothing that is being done here hasn't been done before better, and as a result there is no reason to even attempt to listen to this record.Machine Gun Kelly Mainstream SelloutOne of the most painful listening experiences in the history of Pop Punk. MGK's passionless, constant mid range vocals coupled with some of the most generic, bland instrumentation make this album borderline unlistenable. I would say that it's simplistic Hot Topic white noise music, but even that may be too high of a standard for this album. If anybody ever wanted to make the argument that Pop Punk is a dead genre, this album would be a hard sell.
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