Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

distorted and noisy as shit rock

Moods

WALL of sound

Thoughts

Almost feels like a precise mbv. Tracks playing in waves with swells of super noisy guitar during things like the chorus. He sings quiet and calm, an interesting juxtaposition to everything swirling around him.

It's effective and there's something magical at play on tracks like 'wish'.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Flying-Saucer-Attack-Flying-Saucer-Attack/release/8020953

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hB2C-cw_bc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAWRyEbQfXg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa2E-rRT4JE

Spotify


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Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack

Description: Album Review of Flying Saucer Attack – Flying Saucer Attack


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Centro-Matic – Love You Just The Same

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

alt bar rock Americana

Moods

Articulate bar-fly

Thoughts

pretty good with solid songwriting, I just find myself having less interest in traditional rock. I can't articulate a specific reason for why I don't like this record, it just plays like a boring drag and I wasn't a less to get through a second listen.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Centro-Matic-Love-You-Just-The-Same/release/1225270

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS_20QTm3Tw

Spotify


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Centro-Matic – Love You Just The Same

Description: Album Review of Centro-Matic – Love You Just The Same


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

modern jazz with rock and free jazz ethos

Moods

Accessible experimental jazz for guitar shredders

Thoughts

Lots of guitar here. Earlier tracks are loaded with face-melting jazz guitar solos, with Cline coming out swinging; enlivened by percussive pushes. Middle tracks like 'red before orange' showcase his sweet tone.

Later tracks break away from structure, becoming more textural with bits of percussion and electronics. Really like the track 'seven zed heaven' which starts off with a swinging thing that turns into a tension building piece (Cyro's on this! Awesome weird percussive textures for this not familiar (see Hairy Mother intro).

Great album that rewards repeat listens.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Nels-Cline-Singers-Macroscope/release/5631195

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoVY6M8fTXc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzQCQbso-dY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixk6zST2nM0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZXAIbKNA0o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF2PaUA79ao

Spotify


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The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope

Description: Album Review of The Nels Cline Singers – Macroscope


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Magik Markers – Boss

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Desert spooky kind of spoken word folk with tense instrumentation

Moods

Enlightenment

Thoughts

Enjoyable, reminds me of Sonic youth a bit. The aggressiveness and slight angularity is something I probably would've liked when I was younger but not something I'm as attracted to now, definitely reaching for chiller songs overall.

I like her spoken word lyrics. She's got a kind of all knowing confidence that works really well, it's hard to imagine these songs succeeding without her.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Magik-Markers-Boss/release/8170173

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwmUKg5Sp3Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUu60J19xpU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA2cV-s8W84

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrYS9FW73EA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmYEZJ9r8VI

Spotify


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Magik Markers – Boss

Description: Album Review of Magik Markers – Boss


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

The Get Up Kids – Something To Write Home About

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

Emo pop rock

Moods

A melodic ode to coming of age relationships.

Thoughts

I've listened to this album a lot, it's impossible to talk about objectively. It doesn't sound as good or profound as it did 20 years ago but I think I'm the one that's changed. Addressing its faults I'd point to overly wordy lyrics and bland instrumentation. However the melodies and just straightforward memorability of these songs is hard to deny. The basic Moog lines add just the right amount of emotional highlight.

I think it does stand the test of time rather than just serving as a nostalgic memento of emos golden age. Is it for everyone? Definitely not but I'm sure this and the rest of the get up kids early catalog could find some modern fans.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Get-Up-Kids-Something-To-Write-Home-About/release/1262915

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgqxFcVD89M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-nuYrZE94A

Spotify


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The Get Up Kids – Something To Write Home About

Description: Album Review of The Get Up Kids – Something To Write Home About


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Atlas Sound – Parallax

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

artsy adult contemporary indie pop

Moods

A dark kind of love

Thoughts

Heartfelt and engaging. The first half is an excellent set of mature chilled-out indie rock. Cox is an excellent lyricist, a natural poet without pretense. His vocal range is limited but he works it well here, changing styles as needed but with a certain drifting casualness. Has a slight twinge of panda bear like psychedelica.

Things drag toward the end, track times get longer and I find it a bit exhausting.

Te amo is a magnificent track.

This album is as good as any great indie album I've heard in the past 10 years. Benefiting from Bradford Cox's steadfast vision rather than a flurry of ideas from a young band. Recommended.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Atlas-Sound-Parallax/release/3650273

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iVRuAUKrds

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rY5Uf4E0e4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8YrrkDvZ-8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdBaAGyeKvE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgIGChuG8Og

Spotify


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Atlas Sound – Parallax

Description: Album Review of Atlas Sound – Parallax


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

The Durutti Column – The Return Of The Durutti Column

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

electric guitar and bass over a very basic midi drum machine

Moods

A sunny day noodle with friends

Thoughts

Plays like a personal jam amongst friends. There are shapes of songs here and lots of melodic lines to grip on to which keeps it somewhat engaging. I like the basic drum machine, it's like an incompetent robot drummer. Adds this synthesized layer to ‘Katherine’ that adds so basic it stands as a nice supplement to the pleasant, wistful reverb driven guitar playing.

This came out in 1979 and I can see it being hugely influential then as the electric guitar was still finding itself. Listening to it almost 40 years later it holds up well. I think there's a whole scene of bedroom musicians and chillwave artists striving to create the same thing.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/The-Durutti-Column-The-Return-Of-The-Durutti-Column/release/807151

Listen!

Spotify


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The Durutti Column – The Return Of The Durutti Column

Description: Album Review of The Durutti Column – The Return Of The Durutti Column


Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Fiona Apple – Tidal

★★★★☆ = Quality release and suggested listening

Sounds like?

Intense piano driven pop rock

Moods

Passionate

Thoughts

Tracks ranges from good to great. She's bursting with emotion and it's hard not to feel something from these songs. There's an overall richness to her songs and productions that's very seductive and appealing. Might be the emphasis from the piano or use of strings. Her voice too: feminine but deep and satisfying like red wine on a cold night.

Criminal is a great track but it other places I found myself wanting more in lyrical content. Carion is a perfect closer, a track about her leaving a lover and instructing them not to look for her. Just like that the passionate night is over.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Fiona-Apple-Tidal/release/372264

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnXjISlKLuE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiuk0z8dzXo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFOzayDpWoI

Spotify


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Fiona Apple – Tidal

Description: Album Review of Fiona Apple – Tidal


Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Old 97’s – Fight Songs

★★☆☆☆ = Eh, fine

Sounds like?

Pop Alt folk country, like wilcos most straightforward pop from their earlier albums

Moods

Sounds like it'd play well in a barn

Thoughts

Not a bad record by any means just not really my style. Lacks the memorable weirdness of my favorite alt pop country act, Wilco.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Old-97s-Fight-Songs/release/3705572

Listen!

Spotify


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Old 97’s – Fight Songs

Description: Album Review of Old 97’s – Fight Songs


Rating: 2 out of 5

 

Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista

★★★☆☆ = Good!

Sounds like?

Equal parts experimental pop as it is swirling found sound

Moods

Uncle boonmee who can recall his past lives

Thoughts

haunting and strange indie alt pop sung in a language I don't understand, southeast Asia maybe? Good Western pop sensibilities with a spooky distant lofi vibe going on. Works and the foreign tongue makes this feel like a trip.. Vaguely experimental at times though these are clearly pop lovers..

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Paavoharju-Laulu-Laakson-Kukista/release/1337741

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oVyZxvUlPc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zG2dV_RjPc

Spotify


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Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista

Description: Album Review of Paavoharju – Laulu Laakson Kukista


Rating: 3 out of 5