Average Rating: 3.57 Rating Variance: 0.81 Objectivity Score: 77% (Well Balanced)
Sort by: Rating | Release Date | Rating Date | Name2017 Emily Haines and the Soft Skeleton Choir of the Mind3.5Julia Michaels Nervous System4.0Lorde Melodrama2.0Paramore After Laughter4.0Kate Nash Agenda3.5Kendrick Lamar DAMN.2.5The Chainsmokers Memories...Do Not Open1.0Michelle Branch Hopeless Romantic4.0Sorority Noise You're Not As ____ As You Think2.0Zara Larsson So Good2.5Bush Black and White Rainbows2.5Kehlani Sweet Sexy Savage4.5Kehlani's debut studio album is excellent. She samples Aaliyah on the clever "Too Much" (sample lyric: "too much of a woman, three much of a woman, four much of a woman, too much of a bad bad b*tch"), and edges close to the dancefloor on tunes like "I Wanna Be" and "CRZY" (no, that's not a typo). Comparisons to Janet Jackson aren't unwarranted, but throughout the album, Kehlani demonstrates a sassy personality and cleverness that has been missing from hip-hop for quite some time.2016 Melanie Martinez Cry Baby's Extra Clutter3.5This EP offers listeners the bonus tracks from the deluxe version of "Cry Baby," plus her holiday song "Gingerbread Man." The tracks are sure to please those who are already fans of her warped-music-box sound and reuse of children's items as symbols of heartbreak and pain, though it's unlikely that the EP will earn her any new fans. The highlights, "Cake" and "Play Date," sound more dancefloor-ready than most of her tunes, while "Teddy Bear," whose lyrics appear to tell the tale of a stalker, comes off more sinister and demented than interesting. A must-have for Martinez fans; best ignored by everyone else.The Chainsmokers Collage1.0Suzanne Vega Lover Beloved4.0Banks The Altar4.5M.I.A. AIM3.0Frank Ocean Blonde3.0Grace FMA (Forgive My Attitude)3.0An entertaining debut LP from a promising Australian songstress. She has a sweet tooth for the retro (check out her cover of Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me"), but that doesn't stop her from composing modern pop tunes.Ariana Grande Dangerous Woman2.5Pet Shop Boys Super4.0A pleasantly clever record, with tongue-in-cheek guilty pleasures like "Groovy" alongside interesting electronic arrangements and well-written lyrics ("The Pop Kids," "Happiness").Rihanna ANTI3.02015 Grimes Art Angels5.0Joanna Newsom Divers3.5Phases For Life4.0Carly Rae Jepsen Emotion4.0Melanie Martinez Cry Baby4.5Florence and the Machine How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful3.5Courtney Barnett sometimes i sit and think, and sometimes i just sit5.0Kendrick Lamar To Pimp a Butterfly2.0Marina Froot4.02014 Charli XCX Sucker3.5Taylor Swift 19893.0Tinashe Aquarius4.5Perfume Genius Too Bright4.0Morrissey World Peace Is None of Your Business2.5Jeri Silverman Leaflike4.5Suzanne Vega Tales From The Realm Of The Queen Of Pentacles3.52013 Alice Russell To Dust4.02012 Esthero Everything is Expensive2.52011 Cascada Original Me3.02010 Liz Phair Funstyle3.0Michelle Branch Everything Comes and Goes3.5Macy Gray The Sellout4.0"The Sellout" is one of her best albums. It's more poppy than its predecessors, but that doesn't spell out disaster in her case. "The Sellout" is surprisingly deep, discussing her hunger for fame and her desire to stay true to herself, while songs like "Lately" provide an opportunity to dance. The Velvet Revolver team-up "Kissed It" brings to mind Black Keys, and though its lyrics aren't phenomenal, it's still refreshing on an album of confessionals, apologies, and love songs. Even the balladry here is impressive - "Let You Win" could be sung by Adele, but it really pops with Gray's vocals. There's only one big misstep on the album: "Beauty in the World," a "the world is wonderful" song whose lyrics ("shake your booty, boys and girls, so much beauty in the world") leave much to be desired. The album is a testament to her range and talent; she wrote almost everything on it, and gives it a unique spin with her raspy voice, which sounds jagged but authentic, especially in a time when auto-tune is making 99% of the pop sound as if it came from a sterile factory in Hollywood. Though her vocals and eclecticism may be a turn-off for some, this record shows that Macy Gray is back, and with good reason.Christina Aguilera Bionic4.0Sleigh Bells Treats5.0Kelis Flesh Tone4.0Kate Nash My Best Friend Is You3.02009 Cascada Evacuate The Dancefloor3.5Not exactly the Holy Grail of dance tunes, but there are some great songs here: "Evacuate the Dancefloor" and "Fever" are charming, if unoriginal, dance tracks, while "Everytime I Hear Your Name" is the sort of shiny, heartfelt electro-ballad that only Cascada could pull off.2008 Alice Russell Pot of Gold4.0Pussycat Dolls Doll Domination3.0Little Jackie The Stoop4.5Charlotte Sometimes Waves And The Both Of Us4.02007 Cascada Perfect Day3.0Imani Coppola The Black And White Album4.0The Veronicas Hook Me Up3.5Skye Sweetnam Sound Soldier4.0Korn Untitled1.5Kelly Rowland Ms. Kelly3.0Feist The Reminder4.5Folk-tinged indie pop with something to say and great rhythms. "1234" and "My Moon, My Man" rank among the best pop songs of the year, and the whole album proves remarkably cohesive.2006 Joanna Newsom Ys4.5Amy Winehouse Back to Black3.5TM Juke Forward3.5Kelis Kelis Was Here4.0Cherish Unappreciated2.0A tepid and utterly faceless foray into mid-2000s R&B. Though hit single "Do It To It" is fun and "That Boi" boasts a good beat, the rest sounds like something a Destiny's Child cover band would record. The worst offender? "Taken," where they shamelessly attempt to emulate Beyonce and end up sounding like a second-rate Kelly Rowland. Alice Smith For Lovers, Dreamers & Me2.0Feist Open Season3.5Cascada Everytime We Touch3.52005 Esthero Wikked Lil Grrrls4.0Telepopmusik Angel Milk3.0Telepopmusik's second LP is fair, but it frequently tries too hard on puzzling experimental tracks that are mostly silent. They're best om songs like "Into Everything," a Deborah Anderson collab that sounds like "Breathe"'s more-complex cousin. Robyn Robyn4.52004 Skye Sweetnam Noise From The Basement2.5Madison Park Boutique4.0A sleek, sophisticated collection of electropop. Perfect for cocktail parties, romantic evenings, and days at the beach alike.2003 Kelis Tasty4.5Liz Phair Liz Phair3.0Michelle Branch Hotel Paper4.0Robert Palmer Drive4.5Weird Al Yankovic Poodle Hat3.5Yeah Yeah Yeahs Fever To Tell4.5Madonna American Life3.5A fun effort full of sparse electronica and lyrics that ream modern American life and ideals. Her criticism of beauty-obsessed culture would sound a lot more convincing if her career hadn't hinged on sensationalist showing of skin since Record No. 2, but most of her complaints are valid. At times, the record sounds like a precursor to M.I.A.; elsewhere, it sounds like a stripped-down "Music." It's not perfect, but it's more of a risk than her prior few albums, and that is worth applauding. At least it's different, another color Madonna the Chameleon effortlessly morphs into.2002 Kelly Rowland Simply Deep2.5For a while, it looked as if Kelly Rowland was going to be the Destiny's Child member with the big solo career. First, she helped Nelly with "Dilemma," then hit the charts solo with "Stole," a touching song that tells the story of a school shooting and the lives of those involved; a simple but haunting arrangement completes the package, making it one of the best singles of 2002. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is a disappointment. "Train on a Track" is a cool, laid-back tune about falling in love helplessly, and "Love/Hate" and "Can't Nobody" are good as far as dance-R&B goes, but too much of the rest sounds like dated filler.rTelepopmusik Genetic World4.0Alanis Morissette Under Rug Swept4.0Dirty Vegas Dirty Vegas3.02001 Michelle Branch The Spirit Room4.0Vitamin C More1.5A mushy collection on painfully dated pop; most of the album sounds like it was influenced by "Genie in a Bottle" and Britney Spears. Each track sounds Radio Disney-ready, but the lyrics would have parents changing the channel ASAP - just look at "Sex Has Come Between Us." The worst track? Her cover of "I Know What Boys Like." It has 0 self-awareness and her voice sounds like a chipmunk on helium. Her first record was at least bearable, but this album is another story...Nivea Nivea2.52000 Michelle Branch Broken Bracelet3.5Hoku Hoku3.5Not exactly Shakespeare, but it's a fun, innocent pop album that's far superior to anything Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera has ever done.Snake River Conspiracy Sonic Jihad3.01999 Pet Shop Boys Nightlife2.0Though the album has some good songs, like the disco-inspired "New York City Boy" and the toned-down Kylie Minogue duet "In Denial," much of the album feels nondescript and lacks the wit on the Boys' earlier work.Collective Soul Dosage4.0Fiona Apple When the Pawn...4.51998 Alanis Morissette Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie3.0Vitamin C Vitamin C3.0Liz Phair Whitechocolatespaceegg4.0Air Moon Safari5.01997 Imani Coppola Chupacabra4.0A lesson in clever lyrics and interesting sampling.Chumbawamba Tubthumper4.51996 Fiona Apple Tidal4.0Beck Odelay5.01995 Garbage Garbage4.5Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill4.01994 Liz Phair Whip-Smart3.51993 Pet Shop Boys Very4.5Though this record has lots of dancefloor-ready tunes ("A Different Point of View," "One and One Make Five"), there are some weighty lyrics - "Dreaming of the Queen" deals with AIDS, while "Can You Forgive Her" examines a relationship in which the woman is unsatisfied and close to learning the truth about her partner. A dance classic.Liz Phair Exile In Guyville1.51987 Pet Shop Boys Actually4.0Sinead O'Connor The Lion And The Cobra5.01983 Toni Basil Toni Basil4.0Toni Basil's second LP feels a little dated, but the songs are so much fun that that hardly matters. "Space Walkin' the Dog," which sounds eerily similar to Madonna's "Material Girl," is a must-hear (Toni's came first), and the MTV hit "Over My Head" has the new wave sound perfected.The B-52s Whammy!4.51982 Toni Basil Word of Mouth3.51981 Grace Jones Nightclubbing5.01980 Robert Palmer Clues4.51964 Diane Renay Navy Blue3.5Emblematic of early 60s girl-pop. Though it's clear that she wants to be Lesley Gore, Diane Renay avoids sounding like a copycat. Highlights include "Watch Out, Sally," an exciting tale of a girl who falls for a bad boy only to be dumped for another girl, and the title track, a top 10 hit in the US.The Shangri-Las Leader of the Pack5.0
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