Sampha - Lahai

Release Date:  October 20th, 2023

Review:  I know, it's impossible for me to like everything. Maybe by 2029, I will have listened to someone else's work to unlock this type of rnb for me. But for now, my goodness, this is really boring. And his voice is not gravitating. I can understand if you're British, but I feel like there's no flavor to it. So a voice that I don't like plus a genre that is on the slow and steady side, iono. I feel like I have high tolerant for music, however this album made me want to slap it.

Summary:  I only liked "Only." and I guess "Jonathan L. Seagull" was alright.

Favorite Songs: Only
Rating: 4/10

Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow

Release Date:  November 18th, 2022

in 2019, i was busy backtracking for my decade list to keep up with '19 releases, but i remembered liking her song, "everyday" off of that year's album.

Review:  but i'm not gonna lie, i couldn't wait for this album to be over. I thought it was so boring. I sort of liked the 2nd song, "Children of the Empire" and "Hearts Aglow" sounded pleasing. I can definitely hear the Joni Mitchell comparisons and a lot of the sounds have that 70s vinyl muffed air quality. But I'm not a joni mitchelle fan so perhaps, that's why I'm not into weyes blood.

Summary:  I know not every artist has to have pop sensibilities, but this album felt sluggish and i was so bored.

Favorite Song: Children of the Empire
Rating: 4/10

Tegan and Sara - Crybaby

Release Date:  October 21st, 2022

Doesn't it annoy you when you read comments from fans that won't give a band a chance once they changed their sound? "their old stuff was better."

Review:  I guess I'm that guy.  Don't get me wrong, I embraced them when they released "Closer" and Heartthrob was a game changer that made me like synthpop as a genre, but is this album bad or am I moving on? the first few seconds of "I Can't Grow Up" was such a turn off. "F*****g Up What Matters"
 is irritating. My heads actually hurting trying to think of why this album isn't for me. There are parts of "Yellow" that I like, and when the production is less distracting i try to imagine that these songs have depth. But I'm just not feeling it.

Summary:  I feel like I have a high tolerant for music even if i don't like it, but perhaps I outgrew this band because the music isn't working for me, and unfortunately, their voices don't make me want to come back to this. Maybe i need to watch their freevee show.

Favorite Songs: Yellow
Rating: 4/10

Kali Malone - Living Torch

Release Date:  July 7th, 2022

well, based on the album cover, I thought it was a sure fire 7 or above, but there's no singing.

Review:  and of the two songs, there's not much music either. no shit, it's drone music, what did you expect?  it's been a long time since i had a post-rock phase and i know that's not the same as drone music, but yeah, this is tough. It's very minimalist and for the second track, there's more buzzing noises. but I have no idea what it means. Anyways, i don't want to shit on this because other people seem to be able to appreciate it.

Summary:  There's not a lot here, but maybe it calms people down the way white noise helps people sleep. I can't say it's bad because if i had to choose between the worst songs imaginable or this, this would actually sound better. it's just not something I would willingly want to choose.

Favorite Songs: n/a
Rating: 4/10

LE SSERAFIM - ANTIFRAGILE

Release Date:  October 17th, 2022

ouch, maybe it'll grow on me, but i really did not like this.

Review:  I love it when singers hang on to a syllable, but the "anti-ti-ti-ti-fragile" does not sound good at all. I'm sure millions of people will say I'm wrong, and to each their own. The only thing i do like is when that girl says "lovey, lovey, lovey, dovey, dovey, dovey" because it sounds so strange, it's funny. The song is a miss for me, but if I'm suppose to think about the whole picture, the concept, i guess i can understand how important of a statement this song is.

"impurities" is pretty good. it's a nice rnb style track. But "No celestial" is a very disney channel version of pop punk. They even drop the f-bomb in this song, so i feel that alone is going to make this a fan favorite. Are they cool? are they badasses?  apparently they are no fucking angel. i have mix feelings about this because i didnt grow up watching hannah montana or demi lovato. All i can think is that this is disney (not literally) trying to sell their image. And the last song is a smooth sweet pop song.

Summary: Yeah, i'm being harsh, their debut was so good, and "Blue Flame" was something. I just didn't like this. credit to Yunjin for helping with songwriting on 3-4, and same for Sakura on the last track. Great intro FYI.

Favorite Song: Impurities
Rating: 4/10

Bjork - Fossora

Release Date:  September 30th, 2022

Bjork is an acquired taste, and I can appreciated that. When I started paying attention to music websites, i remember seeing news about Bjork calling out journalist for discrediting her work because people were too lazy to check the credit list. And so, I've always had a bit of respect for her work, but I gotta be real, what the fuck is this?

Review:  This is her tenth album and I have no idea if this is a good starting point or not. I already tried listening to the song "venus as a boy" and "hyperballad" and I kind of struggled my shoulders because they didn't convert me. I did like "It's Oh So Quiet."

As for the album, maybe I need to listen to this 20 more times, but just from two full listens, like yeah, i can appreciate the instruments, but Bjork always sounds like she is very cold and singing in an icebox shivering or something. And another thing, it feels like her vocals don't match with the music like she has no rhythm or sense of timing. I'm not saying all music should have those qualities, that's probably a big reason why Bjork is beloved. But for me, as of this moment, her music doesn't click for me. Give me something that's catchy.

Summary:  I know what bjork sounds like and this album didn't change my mind.

Favorite Song: Fossora
Rating: 4/10

Michelle Branch - The Spirit Room (20th Anniversary Edition)

Release Date: October 15th, 2021
Genre: pop rock

Review: Kinda interesting that if you google Michelle Branch at the moment, it's mostly fake outrage about her Virgin Mary Halloween costume, despite being raised catholic herself. Anyways, Michelle Branch was my gateway into listening to music. I legitimately didn't care about music until I discovered "All You Wanted" and needed to hear her beyond the two singles. 

With that said, it's very hard for me to review her music because at one point in my life, I really thought Michelle Branch was going to be the greatest singer-songwriter ever. Her lyrics resonated with me. This album isn't a faithful rerecording like Taylor Swift is doing. It's just an album if Michelle could do now, 20 years later, without all the early 00's production.

To keep this short, none of the songs surpass the original version of The Spirit Room. Her voice doesn't get that high anymore. I remember she said in the past that she wrote most of these songs before falling in love, so the lyrical content does feel, authentically teenager, but listening now as an adult, it feels very surface level.

There is a recording of "Paper Pieces," which is cool of her to include, but again, it's hard to beat the original. Then, there's an alternative version of "Everywhere" that is dark, mysterious. I don't like it.

Summary: I listened to it, glad she did it. it's alright, it's nostalgic, it sounds like it was recorded in a room and not a studio. so it doesn't feel the same without that 00's production.  I'm only giving this a low score because I don't think it sounds as good as the originals and I don't see myself choosing to listen to these songs over the originals.

Key Tracks: n/a
Rating: 4/10

Justin Bieber - Peaches (feat. Daniel Caesar & Giveon)

Release Date: March 19th, 2021

When I first heard this song while flipping through radio stations, I was thinking that the melody was really nice and mellow and chill. Did I understood what he meant by peaches?  no, but it sounded very free. Then I got home and tried listening to it on my own time and the magic lost itself. Justin has the first verse and the chorus, but then I realized how repetitive it was. The lyrics are fairly surface level, which is fine. I don't know, I think the song is pleasing for radio, or as a transition song used between breaks, but as a full song, I wish Justin didn't sing with this accent.

Rating: 4/10

Coldplay - Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

From Album: Upcoming Fifth Album

Well the ending is pretty boring and i don't mind the fact that they sampled some obscured song i never heard of it. The song does have this energy and flow from the music, but vocals don't carry it far for me so aside from that occasional guitar riff, there's no rewards.

Rating: 4/10

Chris Brown - F.A.M.E.

Release Date: 3/22/11
Genre: R&B


Review: All the pretty young things at the party. Let me see your hands up. And if they mad and they don't wanna party. Tell them shut the fuck up.

If he wasn't such a great dancer, I would not have cared. His radio singles are really good car driving songs and i understand the entire album can't be adrenaline pumping, but when he tries to show depth, the autotune gets in the way. I know i'm not his target audience, but i was really rooting for him to impressed me. Go Bieber!

Favorites Songs: Deuces, Yeah 3x, Next 2 You
Rating: 4.0/10

Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Release Date: 3/8/11
Genre: Hip Hop

Review: Yikes.  I like Lupe and wanted Lasers to be a his crown achievement in hip hop, but some/a lot of these songs make me embarrassed.  Aside from the Modest Mouse sample, The Show Goes On, I'm not really digging his chorus or guest artist that failed to heighten the song.  And worst of all, I don't feel like Lupe gave his all during his verses.

Favorite Songs: Till I Get There, I Don't Wanna Care Right Now, Never Forget You
Rating: 4.8/10

Copeland - You Are My Sunshine

Release Date: 10/14/08
Genre: Calm Rock

Sometimes you'll hear great things about a band, but never felt the need to download them as their myspace songs weren't impressive.

Review: And gosh, more good things about this album, but at the end of it, all I was left wondering was, "zzzz?" Yeah, so am I suppose to be feeling some deep spiritual movement? The vocals are airy soft and the only times I felt involve was when a female would enter. Which was rare. The music itself is pretty boring. It's like the cleanest album you could possibly make. But is it a bad thing? I don't know. As much as I would like to, I can't even pick a side. It's like the entire album failed to make a mark. Even when they do pick up the pace like on "The Grey Man" and "To Be Happy Now," it's not that strong of a song. While the rest relies on his soft voice, it just sound a bit basic. Add it together, it's false beauty underneath that blanket of feathery breath.

Summary: No reaction

Key Tracks: Good Morning Fire Eater, On The Safest Ledge
Rating: 4/10

Kasai Allstars - In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic

Release Date: 07/15/08
Genre: World

This album has a score of 85 on Metacritic.

Review: But no sir, I will not kiss your ass. O how my taste feels so pop when I can't even enjoy some world music that is supposedly good. But it's hard. It's a challenge. To be fair, I like it when there's no vocals like on "Beyond The 7th Moon." I don't even know what they are using to create that song, but I find it intriguing. And although I'm a fan of western music using chanting and group singalongs, the vocals just don't do much for me and I'm sorry to say it, but this is background music as best. All the songs just mash together and there's not a lot of difference between songs. For 70 minutes too.

Summary: It's like....okay. Not my thing.

Key Track: Kafuulu Balu
Rating: 4/10

The Cure - 4:13 Dream

Release Date: 10/28/08
Genre: Alternative rock

I didn't become hardcore about music-listening til 2006. Their last album was in 2004. So excuse me for never listening to this band. I mean, I did hear their cover of "Love Song."

Review: That was a joke. So The Cure. I sat through the entire thing and I never got tempted to switch nor did I felt like this was a top album. The album starts with a few jarring guitar chords. Nice and loud. Nice and easy. It's building to something I think. Then very spooky vocals. I like their use of the winds chime (I think). It makes it sound all glittery. Not an outstanding song, but it's the opener.

"Only One" is a more friendly. Vocals are kinda weird. Sometimes he sounds like he's losing air, sometimes he's being Freddie, sometimes he cries. Listening to "Freakshow," I can really hear a lot of new bands that sound like him. Maybe like The Killers, Jukebox the Ghost, Modest Mouse. Maybe Muse. I bet those are unfair comparison, but those vocalist sound like him. Or maybe it's cause he's british. hmm.

"Hungry Ghost" is cool. It might be a strong song in the universe of this 4:13 dream, but still weak in the real world. "Perfect Boy" starts simple. Then it comes together. I'm not sure, sounds like a safely net incase radio hates them so this one felt good, but a little standard.

"This. Here and Now. With You" is cool because he raises his voice at the right time. Catchy too. "Scream" felt like he was trying so hard to rock out. The last song "It's Over" does it better. Nice fast tounge.

Summary: Am I too young for them or is this band too old? I just didn't connect. It's like they play music and I'm listening. And the more I listen, the more I get it. And in the end, means nothing to me.

Key Tracks: Real Snow White, This. Here and Now. With You
Rating: 4/10

Nickelback - Dark Horse

Release Date: 11/18/08
Genre: Post-grunge

The World's most hated band. Thank you internet. Before I liked albums, I liked songs. And at the time, Nickelback produced a lot of good singles. It's what I like. Good friendly tunes. Well of course, I evolved and hated the rest of their discography and found my niche with indie pop and post-rock. Still, my heart will always lie somewhere with the music of my youth.

Review: So welcome back Nickelback. Your music is challenging. Now that I've entered the world of music blogging, I gotta follow the tread. But you know something, this album is very tolerable. The first track "Something In Your Mouth" is pretty stupid, but "Burn It To The Ground" is something I can hear in TV or Movie scenes with hot girls and fast cars. The chorus is designed for a sing-a-long.

Track 3, "Gotta Be Somebody" is hilarious. Being older now, I hate false lyrics. So maybe this song is written personally, but I don't believe. I wanna say it's cheesy, but they play this on the radio when I have no control of it (I'm not driving), so the chorus is etch into my brain.

"I'd Come For You" and "Never Gonna Be Alone" feel like the same love ballad. I can totally see these being used on TV. Like I really hate their overused message of being a nice guy and living life to the fullest. Is there something wrong with it? Shrugs. Love is always a reoccurring theme in music, but this level of corniness is too corny.

"Next Go Round" is a bit more aggressive and the verses seem to be using a vocal effect. Kinda cool only because it's different, but the chorus of "yeah....... we're gonna---" kinda makes me forget everything. There's a very apparent 'guitar solo' in it and on the next song, "Just To Get High," I think I hear it again. Very similar.

"If Today Was Your Last Day" is gonna be a hit song. It's so fitted for radio. Friendly acoustic rhythm during the verses, gradually build to the chorus, and then an infectious back and forth chorus.

"Last Call you sons of bitches"

Summary: So the important thing here is that this album is tolerable. The album has good pacing between fast and slow songs. There's nothing wrong with it, but as I'm a fan of albums, there are other bands that produce much better albums that relate to me. The fact remains, I won't be listening to this album tomorrow.

Key Tracks: Burn It To The Ground, This Afternoon
Rating: 4/10

Family Force 5 - Dance or Die

Release Date: 08/19/08
Genre: Crunk Rock

umm wow. I probably shouldn't have a voice on giving my opinion on this as it's not my area. But I did give it a full listen and I don't want to waste it.

Review: This album is ridiculous. It's easy for me to enjoy their smoother songs like "How in the World," "Share It With Me," and "The First Time." The vocals are clearer and it's easier to hear the details in the instrumentation. The rest of the album is really really wild. A mix of heavy industrial music and muti-effects on the vocals and lots of synth. I tried. But the vocals are just too appalling for me.

Summary: hi. Not your usual stuff.

Key Tracks: Party Foul, Share It With Me, The First Time
Rating: 4/10

Panic at the Disco - Pretty. Odd

Release Date: 03/25/08
Genre: Psychedelic Pop Punk

I know. But I could never get past the 3rd track. I always wanted to give this a full listen so alright. I'm gonna do it. I never listen to their debut, but their singles were so lame.

Review: So I did read around and it seems like the agreement was that the band matured and fans who liked their poppunk stuff will be disappointed while others will like it. Well After listening to the full album, there isn't much that appealed to me. The intro track is the best song and man, it held so much promise. "Nine in the Afternoon" has stupid lyrics, but it's catchy so i let it slide. After that, nothing really said "yes." Most of it was "60s."

So it looks like they added a backing band to give it that "Sgt. Pepper" sound, but the music just sounds like a generic rip off from the 60s. The singing is pretty harsh on the ears. Whoever is singing on"Behind The Sea," I wouldn't mind if they switched to him full time. If they wanted to sound like a retro band, I think his is more suited. The current singer's voice is too metro eyelinder for me.

Summary: Vocals and music don't match. And on its own, aren't that interesting. At times, I can see them having the right ideas, but the completed work just doesn't work for me.

Key Tracks: Nine in the Afternoon, That Green Gentleman, From A Mountain In The Middle Of The Cabins
Rating: 4/10

In Flames - A Sense of Purpose

Release Date: 04/04/08
Genre: Melodic death metal

gagagag

Review: You know I tried. At the beginning, I was like, "okay, this is cool." Vocals are what i expected, but they were more clear compared to some death metal. The instruments are more interesting to Metallica. I was laying on my bed while listening and after I felt like it was enough, I checked to see I was only 30 minutes into the album. Yeah! I know it's not my type of music, but it's really hard to tell the songs apart. Basically it's the same idea 60 minutes long. "Alias" has this acoustic section that's actually neat. "I'm The Highway" really really sounds like a Dream Theater song. Metal for 60 minutes is too long for me.

Summary: If you like the same song over and over.

Key Tracks: Alias, Sober And Irrelevant
Rating: 4/10

Gregor Samsa - Rest

Release Date: 04/01/08
Genre: Slowcore, Post Rock, Shoegaze

27:36 is still my favorite of their works.

Review: So basically it's October and I just want to fill my blog up with any album I've listen to this year and I was hoping that this would be an easy one. When I first got to listen to Rest, I was mildly disappointed in how slow it was, but here I am and this is some hardcore sleeping music. Epic crescendos are nowhere to be found and the vocals are a big letdown, but somehow, the instruments alone are so quiet and delicately timed that it makes me deeply personal.

Not really. I need melodies too.

Summary: Flat

Key Tracks: The Adolescent, Abutting, Dismantling
Rating: 4/10

Portishead - Third

Release Date: 04/28/08
Genre: Trip-hop

This album was such a big deal this year, but I could never get into it. I never liked "Dummy" either. So here's my last attempt.

Review: I feel really dark and trapped in a smoke room. Her voice isn't lady-like and it's really just trippy. Like if where you are now is life, she's behind a glass wall that is death. And she just sounds really eerie. The music doesn't stand out to me. Like it's just there. But in the right set of mind, it's not so bad. See, I feel like I'm missing the point because the muted sound is done on purpose. It's interesting, but I can't find myself giving the album more spins. The pace is very slow motion.

Summary: Depending on the mood.

Key Tracks: Nylon Smile, Machine Gun
Rating: 4/10