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lovejustforaday · 7 months

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Shoegaze Classics - Loveless

Loveless - My Bloody Valentine (1991)

Main Genres - Shoegaze, Noise Pop, Dream Pop

A decent sampling of: Experimental Rock, Neo-Psychedelia, Alternative Dance

DUT DUT DUT DUT VREW VREW VREW VREW VREW VREW VREW

Well, if you knew anything about shoegaze going into this series, you knew that this review was going to be inevitable.

Today I take on the most truly revered shoegaze band, and probably one of the most legendary indie bands of all time. God help me, I'm going to do my best, so here goes nothing. Let's talk about My Bloody Valentine and Loveless.

The Band

My Bloody Valentine is an awesome band. Plain and simple. The name is awesome, the sound is awesome, their public persona is awesome. Just, lots of awesomeness.

Okay, I can probably do better than that. Hmmm... Okay wait, stay with me here.

My Bloody Valentine were originally an unlikely, little-known post-punk band from the 80s, that somehow went on to being one of the most important and influential bands of the 90s whilst only having dropped one record for the entire aforementioned decade.

After a series of lineup changes that coincided with a search for the bands' sonic identity, the true My Bloody Valentine lineup solidified as Kevin Shields, the madman musical genius leader of the crew on guitars and vocals, Bilinda Butcher, a feathery soft-spoken punk on guitar and vocals, Colm Ó Cíosóig as the animated, flappy-haired drummer, and Debbie Googe as the badass butch bassist (BBB) who was originally from the anarchist punk scene.

I've been trying to consistently use the term "British Isles" to describe the epicenter of the initial first wave of shoegaze. I wanted to be careful not to just say "Britain" or the U.K., because that would be somewhat revisionist.

Proto-shoegazers A.R. Kane may have formed in London, but other "proto" bands like Jesus and Mary Chain and Cocteau Twins were from Scotland. As for the band most credited with the true inception of shoegaze by its strictest definition, that would be My Bloody Valentine, hailing from Ireland, folks who often (for very good reason) don't take too kindly to being described as "British". That being said, Debbie and Bilinda are English.

I won't waste too much time going into the history of the band for this review, mostly because this is already gonna be a long one and I've got so many things to say about the record itself. So I'll give you the sparknotes version.

Like most early shoegazers, My Bloody Valentine dropped a few EPs before their first full-length LP, albeit in some completely different genres. C86 style Jangle Pop, Post-Punk, and frigging Psychobilly of all things apparently?

The band really found their sound, and pioneered the definitive collective traits of shoegaze in 1988, signing with Creation Records and dropping the EP You Made Me Realize and, later that year, their debut full-length Isn't Anything which, depending on who you ask, is the first true shoegaze LP (Though a very little known post-punk band named A Primary Industry may have something to say about that).

Shoegaze was invented with the propagation of a new world of sonic timbres discovered through the usage of guitar pedals, and My Bloody Valentine in particular really loved their pedals. On top of those pedals, the band laid a lot of distortion and harsh volumes.

Likeswise, My Bloody Valentine has pretty much always been just as much a noise pop band like their contemporaries The Jesus And Mary Chain. The two scenes overlapped a lot during the first wave (just like dream pop and neo-psychedelia), and some even describe the shoegaze formula as essentially being dream pop + noise pop = shoegaze. Personally I think this is a reductionist definition when there are many shoegaze bands that don't fit nicely into either of those other categories. But I digress.

Isn't Anything was the record that launched a thousand (shoegaze) ships. It's certainly a bit more overtly post-punk in its foundations, and rougher around the edges than what would come next. But I also really do love this record. "You Never Should" and "No More Sorry" in particular are two of my favourite My Bloody Valentine songs.

What came next, however, is a whole different beast entirely.

The Record

I'll start with the disclaimer that everything I could possibly say about Loveless is probably already a cliche by now.

Insanely fuzzy and warm. Layers upon layers of sound that demonstrates a level of musical precision and perfectionism that almost doesn't seem human. Reinvented the guitar like virtually no other record before or since. Oddly arousing and potentially even sapphic if you read into the lyrics (tbf Debbie is a confirmed gay indie icon). Sounds exactly like the neon shades of magenta displayed on the cover art.

2023 is frankly a little bit late to be writing a review about this heavily celebrated 1991 record. Others have already written entire dissertations about this revolutionary LP. I don't promise this is going to be the most definitive and thoughtful review of this record, nor am I anywhere close to being the first or last indie nerd to ever champion and fanboy over this goddamn masterpiece of its genre, but I do wanna talk about how I myself personally experience Loveless.

Funny enough, my favourite memory of listening to this record (which I've been loving since 2015) was actually when I was dog-sitting for a friend's mom at her house in 2018 during the early autumn. The dog herself even seemed to wanna dance with me while I was spinning in little circles to the rhythms of "Soon". I think that's the season when I enjoy this record most - probably a mix of the coolness and crispness of the autumn breeze, and wearing the same kind of cozy sweaters that the My Bloody Valentine members are wearing in like half of their 90s photoshoots.

Okay, enough chitter chatter. Let's get into it.

"Only Shallow" is one of the most iconic album openers of all time, period. Instantly overpowers the listener with those first few overblown snare stabs before exploding into a pounding noise pop delirium of screeching banshee guitars. Letting up only slightly for the verses, where Bilinda Butcher describes something sweet, soft, and warm, in a brazen contrast to the blustering razor guitars that are unleashed after each verse. This track most perfectly encapsulates a pervasive trend across the rest of the album, wherein the sonic mosaic of textures can be described paradoxically as both cushiony and razor-sharp at the same time.

Lyrics and their delivery will continue from this point on to be every bit as textural and vague as the music itself, creating abstract entities that are transient and androgynous. Indeed, I struggled a lot on my first few listens to discern which tracks were being sung by Bilinda and which were Kevin or the both of them. Bilinda recalls that she would often take naps in the studio when they were recording Loveless and would do her vocal tracks soon after being awoken, which lends itself to her very tranquilized delivery in which I feel like I can picture the drowsy bags under her eyes in some of these songs. Likewise, most of this entire album is best appreciated in a half-awake mental state, even more so than other dream pop / shoegaze records.

"Loomer" is the dark underbelly of Loveless, like listening through the old floorboards of a basement ceiling to sounds of the band playing a live house show in the living room upstairs. It's a grainy, gloomy bed of sound that feels as though it could be physically slept on if desired.

I have no idea how many actual layers of track recordings went into the concoction of the heavily experimental "To Here Knows When", but it feels like hundreds. This song is a whirring helicopter blade of thousands of little sounds, scattering everywhere until it creates a thick, opaque, sparkling lilac mist that obscures the upbeat melody that's utterly buried in the fog of noisy drones and distortion. The mastering sounds as though you're listening to all of this happen through a small tubular opening in a giant glass wall, as if all of the tonal anarchy is happening from the other side, perhaps in another dimension. For a bonus observation, this one in particular sounds even more unreal and transcendental when you're tired as fuck on an early morning bus ride after a night of zero sleep (Don't ask me).

"When You Sleep" is probably My Bloody Valentine's most acclaimed and influential song. That de-tuned, icy, fluorescent glowing pop melody motif is seriously addictive, and it sounds almost deranged. The heavily compressed drumming provides the propulsion needed for a track that feels like its intensely vibrating every last quark of matter in its audible vicinity. I really have to remind myself that these crazy sounds are being made by guitars with effect pedals, and not with synthesizers (or, as the meme goes, vacuum cleaners).

The record really crunches in on those guitar textures with "Come In Alone" a track that you'll be hearing echoing in the back of your mind long after its finished (note: this record is NOT recommended to those especially prone to having tinnitus). This track is like all of the blood rushing to your head when you would hang upside down from the monkey bars as a kid. It feels intoxicating in the best way.

The band takes an unsuspecting turn for gut-punching emotions on "Sometimes", likely the only song with a more or less discernible lyrical theming on the record, about sharing intimacy with another person and the insurmountable fear of isolation from someone you love. The timbral effects are applied minimally on this song, but the dozens of recorded guitar tracks drone in a wondrous hum that resonates with the vibrations of a lonely soul. Usually, I'd say this is my favourite My Bloody Valentine song, though "To Here Knows When" and "Only Shallow" occasionally compete for the number 1 spot as well.

"Blown a Wish" is cool, dreamy shoegaze that fizzles and melts in your mouth like an ice cream soda. Pure pleasure is the best way I could describe its sensation, with all of its rippling, neck-tingling guitar effects that dance in and out of the foreground. Alternatively, this is like being high on helium and having so many butterflies in your stomach that you actually start to feel like you're levitating in a luscious trance. Delicious song.

The record closes with its poppiest and most accessible number "Soon", a mix of comparatively light shoegaze psychedelia and alternative dance beats that sounds enormously sexy. Evokes psychoactive substances, gently swaying hips, and grassy fields filled with buzzing fireflies. A very stylish way to end the record and solidify My Bloody Valentine's status as indie music legends.

What Came After That?

Loveless was a certified gold commercial success, about on par with the success of Ride's Going Blank Again, but it was also purportedly so expensive to make that it bankrupted the Creation Records label (serves you bastards right for making Oasis happen) and caused the band to be dropped.

I honestly kind of laugh to myself whenever I think of Alan McGee's pompous ass looking at the numbers and having a panic attack, almost as much as I laugh when I remember how Catherine Wheel gave him a big fat "NOPE!" to being signed after he pestered them. Have I mentioned I really don't like Creation Records ways of doing things?

*seething* ANYWAY, My Bloody Valentine basically disappeared for the rest of the 90s. Members moved on to different projects.

And then, after years of teasing a third record, the band's self-titled mbv was finally dropped in 2013. This one seems to divide fans a lot more than their other records; it wasn't as universally received as the Slowdive comeback record a few years later. This one is arguably more experimental than Loveless, and there's even a couple of tracks with some DnB influence. I think all things considered, it's a pretty great comeback record. I think many folks were probably expecting a Loveless 2, and it probably helps that I didn't even listen to this band before the new record came out, so I had no expectations built over years for this record.

There is allegedly a fourth record (and possibly fifth) LP in the works, but Shields has been teasing at it for years now, and its sort of becoming a running joke in the shoegaze community that we're gonna be waiting another five or ten years.

But hey, good work takes time. After making a record like Loveless, I personally think you've earned the right as an artist to afford yourself all the time in the world. I certainly wouldn't know how the hell to follow upon something that masterfully crafted, and some bands probably wouldn't even try to.

But besides all that, Loveless speaks for itself. It is a singular album experience. Nothing really sounds anything quite like it, to the point that newbies often getting into shoegaze for the first time with this record often lament the fact that the scene is not full of other records sounding just like this. It's for this reason precisely that, if you are totally new to shoegaze, I don't recommend this as a starting point. A lot of other great shoegaze records are unfairly compared to this record a whole fucking lot, and it can have a spoiling effect for some folks. But not every shoegaze band should sound like My Bloody Valentine, or have a Loveless in their discography.

But, at the same time, holy crap this is one of the coolest records of all time and if you haven't already heard it by now then you're doing yourself a huge disservice by not listening to this some time in the next week at the latest. Loveless is something that every fan of music should experience at least once, and there's only a handful of albums that I could confidently make that statement for.

So, yeah. Go listen. (✿ ᵔ ᴗ ᵔ )y

10/10

Highlights: "Sometimes", "To Here Knows When", "Only Shallow", "When You Sleep", "Blown A Wish", "Soon", "Come In Alone", "Loomer", "I Only Said"the

#my bloody valentine #loveless #shoegaze #noise pop #dream pop #kevin shields #debbie googe #bilinda butcher #colm o ciosoig #1991 #favourite albums #album review #music review #90s #indie rock #list #shoegaze classics

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msweebyness · 3 months

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Theater Kid Families

These are the families for my theater kiddos! @artzychic27 @imsparky2002 Enjoy!

Missy:

Axel Rutherford

Raised Missy on his own since his wife died in childbirth

Swimming instructor

Missy's temper comes from him

They argue a lot, but love each other very much

Sees Ondine like another daughter

Jesse:

Imelda Ortega

Possibly the sweetest woman in the world

Except when you hurt her son, ask her ex-husband

Research botanist

Seeing a therapist to work through feelings from her marriage

Good friends with Fred Haprele, Jesse and Mylene ship them

Manolo Ortiz

Massive POS, physically and emotionally abusive

Reason Jesse is blind in one eye

Currently in prison, courtesy of the Tomassians

Involved in a bunch of shady business

Ayesha:

Megan Reynolds

Ray of sunshine gene comes from her

Certified life coach

Talks a bit louder than she needs to

Makes up cheers for household chores

Watches her daughter's cartoons in her free time

Kurt Reynolds

Yoga instructor

Super chill and positive

Serves as a grounding force for his wife and daughter

Likes to doodle with Ayesha

Dot:

Enid Waverly

Could be BFFs with Nathalie, tbh

Event coordinator for a big business

Bun life 24/7, not a hair out of place

Struggles with expressing emotions

Never without her tablet

Orenthal Waverly

Very no nonsense, but more chill than his wife

Prosecuting Attorney for a big law firm

Soft-spoken when not in the courtroom

Keeps fidgets on hand for his older daughter

Dolores Waverly

Much more scatterbrained than her little sister, Dot helps keep her on track

Seriously, would lose her head if it wasn't attached

Deals with some anxiety

Always has at least two books on hand

Petra:

Arlo Markov

Petra's Bio Dad, an old friend was their surrogate

Interior designer, owns a business

VERY energetic, how much coffee does he drink?!

Happy flaps when he's excited

Will smack a bitch for his kid

Dennis Windham

Dad #2, the bear of the group

Junior football coach

Very emotionally intelligent

Usually has his whistle

Preston Manheim

Dad #3, the voice of reason

Very prim, always uses proper grammar. High class boi

Loves him some argyle and tea

Soft-spoken, but people listen to him

Curator of an art gallery

Trent Knapp

Dad #4, the hippie dad

Plays the mandolin, writes songs for his partners

New Age Philosophy teacher

Speaks like a fortune cookie, tbh

Anais:

Olive Ackerman

Celebrated particle physicist

Expects nothing but absolute perfection from her child

Think of Nicole Watterson's parents and Ming Lee, combined

Refuses to believe she's doing anything wrong

Praise is very controlled and limited

Quentin Ackerman

Chemist, very respected in the field

Secretly feels they may be too hard on Anais

Too scared of his wife to say anything, tho

Tries his best to bond with Anais over their shared interests

Roxie:

Richard Richter

Manager of a music store

Gives guitar lessons on the weekends

Actually a pretty chill dude

Good friend of Anarka, they had a band as teens

Can think up lyrics on the spot

Rydel Richter

Contemporary piano teacher

Roxie gets their temper from her

Strong enough to throw a table if needed

HATES Roxie's ex with a burning passion

Mama Bear

Rover Richter

Curious about everything, always has to ask why

Wants to be a drummer, carries around sticks

Has trouble sitting still

Will kick Roxie's ex in the shins on sight

Anthony:

Sylvie Mathis

Diplomat from England

The epitome of a proper British lady

Very supportive of her son, he got her into punk rock

Adores Jesse like her own son

Can play a mean game of foosball

Bradley Mathis

Diplomat from England

A bit more laidback than his wife

MEGA Cockney accent

Knows everything about the Beatles

Makes the best tea ever

Eri:

Hiroshi Tanaka

Screenwriter for an Indie studio

HUGE nerd but also really cool

Has never missed a play by his daughter or wife

Trivia champ, could rival Max

Sasami Tanaka

Celebrated stage actress, has done 215 (and counting) productions throughout her life

Every bit as dramatic as her daughter

Loves to quote plays in everyday life

Dresses to impress, always

Ryuji Tanaka

Eri's twin, just as goth but more subdued

Cosmetology student, attends a different school

Talks with his sister every day

Snark besties with Anthony

Candace:

Laurent Fletcher

Antique dealer, owns several successful branches and establishments

Charmingly British and a bit awkward

Has ridiculously high patience

Loves Candace as much as his bio sons

Sandra Fletcher

Former top-selling musician, now owns her own restaurant

Might spoil her kids a bit

Cried with joy when Candace became head cheerleader

Attends every pep rally

Finnick Fletcher

Ten-year old mechanical genius, looks up to Max

Always needs to have something to do, has ADHD

Always trying to help his stepsister, doesn't always succeed

Very close with his brother

Ferdinand "Ferdie" Fletcher

Rarely ever speaks, and only to his family

Knows FSL and ASL

Artsy kid, always drawing on something

Actually really smart

Soo-Yeon:

Eun-Jeong Park

Professional restorator, has a meticulous eye for detail

Speaks when something needs to be said

INSANELY flexible for some reason

Helps his son practice on their hoop at home, he used to play in high school

Mi Cha Park

Every bit as clumsy as her son, seriously, babyproof that house

Stay-at-home mom who sells her handmade snowglobes on Etsy

Cheering the loudest for her son at his games

Can kick both her husband and son’s butts on the court

Margo:

Leif Jorgensen

Professional contractor

Very jovial and kind to everyone around him

Can have his head in the clouds sometimes

He TALL, but somehow not intimidating

Besties with his daughter

Dagny Jorgensen

Artisan woodcarver, owns a successful business

Loves doing DIY projects with her daughter

Slips into Norwegian when frustrated

Most down-to-earth of the family

Staci:

Bai Kwan

Staci gets her sass from him

Political commentator for TVi, cannot stand Alec. Hates Bourgeois too

It’s a game at the studio to try and get him to laugh

He only laughs or smiles around his family

Yumei Kwan

Owns a local cafe, the fave for quality Chinese food

Takes no one’s shit, but also super perky

A former cheer squad flyer who helps Staci work out

People wonder how they’re related sometimes

Parker:

Col. Levi Beauregard

Big, strong military man

Speaks in all the military jargon

Surprisingly warm with his kids

Does obstacle courses with Parker

Cissy Beauregard

Retired army nurse, now works at DuPont

Meticulously keeps medical records of all students

Rose sees her like an aunt of sorts

Still uses military jargon

Jack Beauregard

Going into the army after high school

Strained, but loving relationship with his younger sister

Very tall and buff

Always trying to impress his father

Taught Parker self-defense

Brecken:

Annie Sutcliffe

Adopts a crap ton of random animals

Owner of a local, accredited shelter

Soft-spoken. Except when animals or her kids are threatened

Queen of the flannels

Rachel Sutcliffe:

Southern Belle with a kickass edge

Pro kickboxing instructor, who slays in sundresses

Will deck you if you call her son stupid

Makes a mean sweet potato pie

Dana & Donna Sutcliffe:

Try to tell these two apart if you’re not their brother. Just try.

Starting at DuPont next year

Have both had crushes on Kim

Aspiring cook and artist

Do the synchronous talking thing

Evie:

Julio Balthazar

Independently successful mosaic artist

His in-laws warmed up to him over time

Proud of his talented kids and boss wife

Always has glass cuts on his hands, poor guy

Carolina Balthazar

Comes from an old Spanish family of wealth

Still the CFO of a Bigshot record company

May put a little too much pressure on her kids, but not maliciously

HATES the stuffy old heiress stereotype

Alma Balthazar

Talented classical musician

Feels like she’s always in Evie’s shadow

Can be a little snippy, but has a soft side

Weak for comedy films

Emilio Balthazar

Snarky and suave lil shit

Can impersonate anyone's voice

Huge prankster

Gets on Evie's nerves 24/7

Jorge Balthazar

The shyest kid you may ever meet

Speaks similarly to Juleka

Loves to put on little puppet shows

Fidgets with his hands a lot

Rosa Balthazar

Baby of the family, and she knows it

Loves to wear her princess dresses

Adores her oldest sister, wants to sing like Evie

May have a little puppy crush on Brecken

Aggie:

Rohan Findlay

Aggie's paternal uncle, gained custody when she was nine, because his brother is a drunk and his sister-in-law is negligent

Mechanic who co-owns a practice

Bought Aggie her first skateboard

Good friends with Aerinn O'Connor

Bit of a jokester

Mona:

Bindi Truffaut

A bit of a helicopter mom to Mona, kinda overprotective

Kindergarten teacher

Has a mild stutter

Will punt an ableist's ass

Darnell Truffaut

Guidance counselor at DuPont

The chill teacher dad, that you don't mind being there

Helps his wife give Mona some space

HATES Damocles with the fires of hell

Cares a LOT about the students

Eloise:

Roerva Matuidi

Teacher of psychology at an elite university

Tutors at a community center on the weekends

Academic mom, but a chill one

SO proud of her daughter's math prowess

Cannot stand Olive Ackerman

Chet Matuidi

Eloise's gaming buddy, has a streaming channel his sister guests on

Really good with lit, but struggles with math

Helps his sister with emotional expression

Has to be forced to sleep

Leave your thoughts in the comments and reblogs!

#miraculous ladybug #mlb ocs #theater kids #family

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bronzetomatoes · 2 months

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I’ve been looking into getting more into rock music what are your recommendations? Also where do you draw the line between rock and pop?

In my professional opinion, the line is more like. The "line" between yellow and orange. Gradually shifts from one to the other, can be both, depends on who you ask, yknow? Anywho! All links are just to spotify accounts, not individual songs. I'm personally more of a 90s/2000s alternative rock person, so that's mainly what I listen to

Some more modern bands I like are Lovejoy (2021-present, indie, south of England), Mint Green (2015-present, pop-rock, Boston), and Destroy Boys (2015-present, punk rock, California).

Just some absolute favourites of mine atm are Radiohead (British alternative, started in 1985 but did their best shit in the 90s imo), Green Day (punk rock, California, kinda the same deal), My Chemical Romance (2000s New Jersey alt), Paramore (2000s/10s/whatevs, Tennessee pop-punk), Fall Out Boy (2000s Chicago pop-punk), and Sloan (90s alt rock from Halifax baby 🗣🗣🗣). Sloan sort of shifted into more popsy stuffed after their first album but that album (Smeared) goes crazy so. 🤷‍♀️

Personallyyyy I found that music w screamed vocals is an acquired taste. Like, one that you acquire. You ease into it ig. If you're into that though I'd recommend Pierce the Veil (California, 2010s-ish) and Thursday (New Jersey, 2000s) both of which are post-hardcore bands. Thursday is p much responsible for shaping the NJ post-hardcore scene that MCR came out of, actually.

That's all I've got for now! I do post individual songs sometimes though so those are all under my 'song rec' tag 👍👍 feel free to add on anyone

#look anika's talking!#answering an ask #anon #song rec #<- sorta!

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maaarine · 2 years

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MBTI & Celebs

Florence Welch: INFP

“Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986) is an English singer, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine.

The band's debut studio album, Lungs (2009), topped the UK Albums Chart and won the BRIT Award for Best British Album. Their next three albums also achieved chart success.

In 2018, Welch released a book titled Useless Magic, a collection of lyrics and poems written by her, along with illustrations. (…)

On 9 March 2022 Florence announced through her Instagram page that the band's fifth album would be titled "Dance Fever" and would have 14 songs, in her words "A fairytale in 14 songs".”

Sources: video, wiki/Florence_Welch. Screencaps: transcript.

#florence welch #florence and the machine #florence + the machine #zane lowe #infp #mbti #mbticelebs #mbtimus

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seasurfacefullofclouds1 · 2 years

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what i find interesting is all of those classic rock musicians who basically already have legendery status are much more supportive of Louis than those nowadays' indie musicians: I'm talking about that Gallagher situation or Green Day adding OOMS to the playlist and even tho I know it's not curated by Arctic Monkeys themselves but both Louis' singles appear on their spotify radio And then there is Sam Fender and Catfish and the bottleman

But the most interesting part is all of those legendary musicians had something real punk to them: Gallaghers against the americanisation of the world, Green Day rocked with American Idiot and Arctic Monkeys doing anything against the music industry rules while doing anti capitalism thing

What do Sam or that little indie band have? Sam is this kind of a person to say 'fuck the rich' but what does he do to fuck them except for getting cash back for his social/political lyrics because I've never seen him using his platform properly (and I say that as a fan of his music), same goes for Catfish and the bottleman

But you know what really punk is? The oldest exmember of a boysband finding his identity after writing some of the best delling pop music, getting organic growth, having sold out tour and a guiness record to his name despite all the blacklisting and disrespect from both mainstream and 'indie' media

And.

Getting back to his roots. Supporting his home town. Encouraging his fans to support the most vulnerable people and hungry children. Condemning greed and excess. Giving to charity himself. Setting a world record for livestream sales and donating all the proceeds. Showing his displeasure with the British class system and the institution of monarchy— not once, but over and over.

Punk is sharing a tour bus with all the band members, traveling together with them for seven months, highlighting them in his concerts, partying with them afterward, taking them on outings, paying for first class hotels and private planes.

Punk is including your make up artist, your photographer, your stylist, and your security guards like they’re your family. Going to events that are milestones for them, like their weddings, as a friend of the family and not a celebrity. Punk is hyping up other musicians that are breaking into music, not asking other famous celebs to plug your music. Punk is sharing tattoos with your crew to make a memory. Punk is getting into the barricade to let fans know that you are human, you are on their level.

Punk is street fashion, the avant-garde, the graffiti inspos, the fashion intellectuals, celebrating international talent, the homage to punk history.

Punk is understanding that principles matter even if you become the establishment, that chasing money and fame should always, in some way, feel uncomfortable.

#louis tomlinson #punk #punk rock

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legion1227 · 4 months

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Ranking All 111 Albums Listened to in 2023!

111. Yeat- AftërLyfe. 0.5/5

Yeat's third studio Trap album was an utter slog to get through. I hate how it sounds, many of the tracks blend together, and it's way too long. Yeat's appeal as an artist is mindboggling to me.

110. Lewis Capaldi- Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. 1/5.

Capaldi's second album harbors nothing of note and fails to engage me vocally, lyrically, or instrumentally.

109. Mia Carucci- Deities of Stone. 1/5

I appreciate it's brevity, but Mia's voice is grating to my ears and the production fails to evoke strong emotions from me.

108. Slowthai- Ugly. 1.5/5.

British rapper Slowthai's third studio album has one song, "Never Again" that is perhaps the best song on the album, but the rest of the competition is unimpressive with subpar instrumentals and lyrics.

107. Post Malone- Austin. 1.5/5.

Post Malone's 5th studio cements the notion that I am not a fan of his voice or music. His voice wavers and teeters onto annoying at times and with filler/bad bars, "I'm calling her Shrek cause she got a donkey" This is not an album I rock with.

106. Conor Maynard- +11 Hours. 2/5.

Back in 2013, Conor Maynard dropped the song "R U Crazy" which I liked then but does not hold up for me today. The songs on this album are slightly better than "R U Crazy" but are not lyrically interesting.

105. Crystal Fighters- Light+. 2/5.

The electronic indie band Crystal Fighters dropped their latest album in November and delivered an, in my opinion, underwhelming experience. With mediocre beats and forgettable lyrics, I feel there was potential for something better that they just didn't reach here.

104. American Authors- Best Night of My Life. 2/5

Best known for their 2014 hit "Best Day of My Life" the album to sequel from their hit song is too sweet and poppy. It has a positive vibe which I respect, and appreciate its brevity, but each song meshes together to create a generic, disappointing experience.

103. Youngboy Never Broke Again- Decided 2. 2/5

Decided 2 starts off terribly but gets a little better as the project goes on. Its production and lyrics are both okay towards the middle and end portions. Youngboy could've definitely stood to trim some tracks from the album.

102. Jason Mraz- Mystical Magical Rhythmical Radical Ride. 2/5.

Instrumentally, every song on the album sounds and feels different which gives it a somewhat unique listen. On that level, they surpass his 2008 hit "I'm Yours." Unfortunately, he lacks compelling vocals or lyrics. An instrumental version of this album might be better.

101. Escape The Fate- Out of The Shadows. 2/5.

The lyrics of this rock band are forgettable or incredibly cringe. "irreversible" is possibly the worst song on the album. Instrumentals carry the project slightly higher than the others.

100. Front Bottoms- You Are Who You Hang Out With.

The reverse of Front Bottoms appears as the lyrics are fine, but the instrumentals are uninspired. Lead singer Brian Sella's voice is something I can't stand with his nasally vocals.

99. Bebe Rexha- Seasons. 2/5.

Bebe's album has a decent pace and I really do like her voice, but she provides nothing engaging from a lyrical or instrumental perspective, unfortunately. "Born Again" is the only song of the 12 tracks I feel is worth a listen.

98. Scouting For Girls- The Place We Used To Meet. 2/5.

The Pop band's 7th studio album is a trying endeavor that's a bit too corny or sweet for my liking. Which might be surprising since I genuinely like their 2007 hit, "She's So Lovely" which is sweetness incarnate as a love song. The messages in some of the songs in the album are clearly made for his kids or his significant other, but it's not for me so it's ranked low.

97. Depeche Mode- Momento Mori. 2/5.

The English electronic music band's latest album was simply not for me. Lead singer Dave Gahan's low croons in his songs do nothing for me, and the instrumentals are not too fascinating. "Ghosts Again" and "People Are Good " were two of my favorite songs from the album, but nothing else really resonated with me,

96. Chief Keef- Finally Rich (Complete Edition). 2/5.

The Complete Edition of Chief Keef's Finally Rich adds seven previously unreleased songs to celebrate the anniversary of the album's release from over ten years ago. Besides the classic track "I don't like" there are no other songs that I really enjoy. There are still sparks of fun in his rap songs and the instrumentals are bombastic and go hard, so there's some credit to give.

95. Kelly Clarkson- Chemistry. 2/5

There are moments on Kelly's newest album where goodness bleeds through. "My Mistake" is her best song, but it's still a chore to go through it. The album could benefit from better production and lyrics, but at least Kelly still has some super vocals.

94. Sam Smith- Gloria. 2/5.

Chocked with features, yet none are particulalry gripping, especially Jessie Reyez on "Gimmie." It started decent with its opening track "Love Me More" but sadly wavered from there with forgettable tracks to follow.

93. John Mayer- Sob Rock. 2.5/5

Released in 2021 and resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,John Mayer's Sob Rock carries solely on vibes. The title track is the best one, but goes down from there as the rest meander from vocals or lyrics.

92. Ten Tonnes- Dancing, Alone. 2.5/5.

Indie Rock artist Ethan James Barnett, or Ten Tonnes has decent production in his sophomore album, with hints of special moments sprinkled across the songs. It's a fine project, but nothing comes close to the acoustic version of one of his older songs, "Born To Lose."

91. Niall Horan- The Show. 2.5/5.

Another fine project from one of the former members of One Direction. There are some instances where the songwriting and vocals are strong, like in "Science" or "You Could Start a Cult," but other songs do not have the privilege to be as remarkable, unfortunately.

90. Gucci Mane- Breath of Fresh Air. 2.5/5.

Gucci Mane's newest album was too long with underwhelming features. Luckily for Gucci Mane, he outshines his colleagues and impresses at points. If the production were done by someone else, he could make something even better, I feel.

89. Robin Schulz- Pink. 2.5/5.

EDM artist Robin Schulz's best song on Pink is "No Drama" which reminds me a little of an Avicii song. Every other song is mostly serviceable, but doesn't stick out too much.

88. Rae Sremmurd- Sremm 4 Life. 2.5/5

Hip Hop duo Swae Lee and Slim Jimini do well on a few fine songs like "Royal Flush" and "Flaunt It/Cheap." Other songs don't live up to the quality, but Lee and Jimini are pretty competent in this run.

87. Taylor Swift- 1989 (Taylor's Version) 2.5/5

Taylor Swift's rereleased album 1989, which dropped back in 2014, is the weaker of Taylor's rereleases that I listened to this year. Her 'From the Vault' songs surpass the original tracklist, but they only carry so far. The big hits, "Blank Space," "Bad Blood," and "Shake it Off" have never worked for me, while the majority of the rest fall short lyrically. But still, from the vault tracks like "Suburban Legends" are really good.

86. Drake- For All the Dogs. 2.5/5

Drake's latest album is too long and at times monotonous. One of the best songs, "First Person Shooter" is brought down by Drake after an excellent J Cole verse and a beat switch that brings down the vibe of the song. There are some solid lines sprinkled throughout by Drake, but it's still overwhelmingly mediocre. Although, 8am in Charlotte is another bop admittedly.

85. Maneskin- RUSH! 2.5/5

The band starts strong with its first three tracks and then loses steam so fast. Sonically, every track varies from sounding really well to completely ear-piercing. Instrumentally sound throughout, but the fall-off is such a shame. The first 3 songs are good enough to carry it as high as it is.

84. EST Gee- MAD. 2.5/5

EST Gee is lyrically coherent throughout with a decent flow, but the production fails Gee too often. 25 Min Freestyle is the weakest song of the bunch as it lacks energy, but every other song is mostly okay. "Undefeated" and "Kadas Song" work on lyrical, instrumental, and vocal levels.

83. Idina Menzel- Drama Queen. 3/5.

The voice actress of Elsa from Frozen is unsurprisingly a great singer. "Madison Hotel" is the best song the Disney princess VA has to offer on the album. Besides that, the rest of the songs fail to meet her on the same level. If the production or lyrics were as good as her voice, Drama Queen would rank even higher.

82. Michael Bolton- Spark of Light. 3/5

The musical veteran behind classics like "How am I supposed to live without you" released a decent album that sounds better when he doesn't dip into guttural vocals. "Running out of ways" is my favorite song from the album, but the other songs could stand to be better.

81. Rick Astley- Are We There Yet?- 3/5

The legend of the Rick Roll has nothing here on the same level of his original classic, but there are plenty of fine songs in this decently paced 12-track album. Maria Love is the most intriguing song from a concept level and production-wise. While every other song is okay, I recommend seeking out Maria Love if you had to listen to one song from here.

80. Portugal, The Man- Chris Black Changed My Life. 3/5

Dedicated to their longtime friend Chris Black who died in 2019, the rock band produced a decent time with okay vocals and instrumentals, but spotty features. Grim Generation and Champ are standout songs, while the rest aren't bad but could stand to be more impressive.

79. Plain White T's- Plain White T's. 3/5

The same band behind Hey There Delilah produced a few songs here with the same cheesy earnestness. It works for tracks like Would You Even and Fired Up, but not so much for the rest.

78. Logic- College Park. 3/5.

A step down from his previous album. Not bad at all, but Logic might not be my cup of tea like he used to be when I was a teenager. His production this time around is iffy, the skits are intriguing but are too heavy in abundance, and the features fail to impress. But Logic can still impress with his lyrical ability when he puts himself to it.

77. Macklemore- Ben. 3/5

Macklemore's lyrical ability to surpass Logic by just a tad is wild to me. When he is rapping and embraces hip-hop, Macklemore is better. Unfortunately, the plethora of pop songs on here are nowhere near as good and bring down the quality. Still, it's a decent listen.

76. Rolling Stones- Hackney Diamonds. 3/5.

For a first-ever album listen from the classic rock band, I sort of expected more from them. On par with some of their classics? Probably not, but the instrumentals are enough to drive the album to become a vibe as other facets of the songs fall a bit short.

75. Offset- Set It Off. 3/5

Offset's solo record is bloated with songs that could be removed to improve the quality. But the rapper himself is lyrically decent. Coupled with features from Travis Scott and Cardi Bi among others that do well and production varying from okay to good, Offset's latest outing is an okay time overall.

74. Rick Ross and Meek Mill- Too Good To Be True. 3/5.

The collab album between both Robert rappers is a bit lop-sided as Rick Ross does a more impressive job than Meek. While Ross impresses lyrically and even has funny lines, Meek doesn't raise to meet Ross at his standard, though he has some good verses throughout. With mixed features and production alike, the album is a missed opportunity to be better than it is.

73. Kevin Abstract- Blanket. 3/5.

One of the members of the former rap group BROCKHAMPTON launched out on his own and surprised me with an alternative rock album to the usual rap he's known for. Kevin's best songs come from the crushy, love songs that remind me of old Blink 182 at points.

72. Blink 182- One More Time. 3/5.

Speaking of Blink 182, the punk rock band still presents decent melodies and instrumentals all these years later. Lyrically and vocally, there are moments where the band will falter, but there are still songs to enjoy and latch onto which is a more than welcome surprise.

71. ZZ Ward- Dirty Shine. 3/5.

A soulful artist at heart, Pennsylvania native ZZ Ward presents strong vocals in an engaging style. She harbors a little hip-hop influence in the album which I love to see. (She makes a Lil Wayne reference in a track that pops me). The features were decent on this project, but also could've provided more. Luckily for ZZ, she performs well across the album.

70. Icona Pop- Club Romantech. 3/5.

Swedish synth-pop duo Icona Pop dropped an okay EDM album that could've been more bombastic. vocally and lyrically the tracks are uninteresting as the beats carry somewhat, but they could be better.

69. Meredith O'Connor- I am. 3/5

Upon request earlier this year, I listened to singer Meredith O'Connor and her 2015 album, "I Am." With production and lyrics being decent as they are, it's O'Connor's vocals that carry the quality of the album, bringing a vibe reminiscent to someone like Cascada, which is a positive in my eyes.

68. The Hives- The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons. 3/5.

Garage rock band The Hives should have songs that work so much better than they do. Bogus Operandi and Two kinds of Trouble are two fun and intriguing listens that the other songs fail to reach the same level as.

67. Avenged Sevenfold- Life Is But A Dream. 3/5.

The metal band tried something bold with their latest project. There's electronic songs sprinkled throughout that seem to grab influence from controversial artist Kanye West/Ye. Some of it sounds fine but it's not as good as some of Kanye's older works. The production is better for the rock songs than for the electronic tracks. Above all else, it's an interesting listen.

66. Big Time Rush- Another Life. 3/5.

A nice welcome back from a boy band group that disbanded long ago and whose show I used to watch on Nickelodeon in the 2010s. Vocally, all 4 members of the group are sound, but it's admittedly hard to tell who is singing at some times. It's classic boy band material through and through and it's hard to hate on that.

65. Rita Ora- You & I. 3/5.

Her material needs better work, but vocally she is sublime. "I don't wanna be your friend" works really well as a cute way for the singer to articulate her feelings. Some of the songs feel a big generic, but some are really earworm-like on a sonic level.

64. Daz Dillinger- So So Gangsta. 3/5.

As one-half of the rap duo Tha Dogg Pound, Daz Dillinger dropped a "so so" album circa 2006. Daz and the various features have some decent lines and the production is sound and feels right out of the 2000s, but the subject matter to which Dillinger raps about could stand to be more engaging.

63. Temple of Angel- Endless Pursuit. 3/5.

This indie band has some decent songs overall, but I think they need to work on their mixing. In some songs, the lead singers voices feel drowned out against the instrumentals. With a male and female lead singer taking turns across the 11-track run, I also find the female lead singer to be the stronger of the two. I definitely recommend the album as a listen, but especially tracks like Tangled in joy, Waving to the Wind, and Secret Place.

62. Killer Mike- Michael. 3/5.

The other half of Run The Jewels manages to have plenty of impactful bars, but also comes off as preachy at times and uninspired. Shout out to Andre 3000 and 2 Chainz though for having some of the best features on the album.

61. Foo Fighters- But Here We Are. 3/5.

The first two tracks set a nice standard. "Rescued" and "You" are some of the best songs Dave Grohl and the band have to offer. There's a small downward slope in quality after the first two songs, but it's still an okay album overall.

60. Dave Matthews Band- Walk Around the Moon.

The beginning and ending tracks are some of the best songs Dave Matthews and his band have to offer. The middle portion is a bit meandering, but his acoustic, low-key songs work pretty well for Dave Matthews.

59. Metallica- 72 Seasons. 3/5.

The iconic rock band started incredibly strong with its first three tracks, but sort of drifts off into mediocrity afterward. It's roaring instrumentals and guitar riffs are dope, but could and should be better from its lyrics and James Hetfield vocals.

58. Kesha- Gag Order. 3/5.

Kesha strayed from the party days of Die Young and Tik Tok long ago, but the dive into her own psyche on this project is fascinating. Vocally and instrumentally, it holds her back. But lyrically, it's compact with thought-provoking subject matter. Living In My Head has to be my favorite song of the thirteen on here.

57. Poppy- Zig. 3/5.

Known for surreal performance art videos on YouTube, Poppy's music is as intriguing as her artwork, blending dark elements into pop-techno vibes. The first two songs are heavy into EDM as the rest lean more into pop. I would've preferred more EDM fusion but Poppy still crafted something worthwhile.

56. Daniel Caesar- Never Enough. 3/5.

R&B artist Daniel Caesar dropped a decent projects days after his 28th birthday. Vocally he's pretty good. The same applies to his lyrics, but the instrumentals are not so noteworthy. Cool and Toronto 2014 are 2 of my favorite songs from him here.

55. Ellie Goulding- Higher Than Heaven. 3/5.

Goulding's pop sounds comes across as typical sometimes, but other times its incredibly pleasant with stand out moments. Her songs for love, "Cure For Love," "Love Goes On," and "How Love" are some favorites on the album among a few that aren't as memorable unfortunately.

54. Kim Petras- Feed The Beast. 3/5.

You may or may not be aware of Kim Petras from her feature on Sam Smith's big hit Unholy, but on Feed The Beast, Petras strives off on her own in her debut album. The first half of the album is stronger with more bangers in the dance-pop project. "Alone" has to be one of my favorite songs from the album, though to be fair, it's a bit of a cheat since it interpolates the beat and instrumentals from the superior "Better Off Alone" by Alice Deejay.

53. Nicki Minaj- Pink Friday 2. 3/5.

The long-awaited sequel to one of her best projects, it could stand to be better by cutting some of the songs, but it's still an okay listen. J Cole's guest feature was the best on the album as others were more or less impressive. As for Minaj herself, she sometimes delivers and sometimes hits just right in Pink Friday 2 with some fun pop jams.

52. Miley Cyrus- Endless Summer Vacation. 3/5

Vocally, Miley Cyrus is a champion. Lyrically, she flip-flops between engaging and meh. Her lead single, Flowers, is a certified bop, but other songs like "Jaded" and "You are" are two other dope tracks. Every other song is mostly acceptable, but the album would be better if it ended on "Wonder Woman" instead of another version of Flowers.

51. Lil Tjay- 222. 3/5.

On his third studio album, Lil Tjay dropped a finely paced album with decent lyricism. He even incorporates singing elements that were surprisingly nice to accompany solid production. It's chock-full of features that are hit or miss, but Polo G is definitely a standout amongst the sea of other rappers.

50. Dave East- Fortune Favors The Bold. 3/5.

The same rapper who portrayed Method Man in the Wu-Tang series delivered an adequate album that's way too bloated. At 24 songs, it's too much Dave East to endure, but there are still some verses and bars worth praise. With decent storytelling and solid production, Dave East's album could be better if a plethora of songs were cut.

49. Rupaul- Black Butta. 3.5/5.

As someone who does not follow or keep up on Rupaul much, I was pleasantly surprised to see how good this album was. The energetic dance elements are astonishingly well done here by the drag race icon.

48. TK Blockstar- Malicious Heart. 3.5/5.

I did a review for Cave Dweller Music on this upcoming artist, but to touch on her, TK Blockstar's 2019 release Malicious Heart is a really good debut album for her with some of the best aspects coming from the production and its features. Though one of my favorite tracks has to be Came a long Way.

47. Vic Mensa- Victor. 3.5/5

A bit long in the tooth, but Vic Mensa cultivated a rap album that impresses lyrically and vocally. While the features vary in quality, Mensa delivers quality verses in a run that could stand to have some songs cut.

46. Wiz Khalifa- Decisions. 3.5/5.

A song dedicated to Nipsey Hussle was a strong beginning. From there, he mostly tackles subject matters typical to him: Weed and Women. The tracks about girls are okay, but his weed jams are fun and elevate the album to be a decent, fun jam.

45. Troye Sivan- Something To Give Each Other. 3.5/5.

The theme of love goes strong throughout the album as its main subject, and it's done incredibly well. It's a cool instrumental, EDM album that has some admirable songs across the board.

44. Ben Folds- What Matters Most. 3.5/5.

Ben Folds crafts an engaging, emotionally charge experience with superb storytelling. With simplistic instrumentals and a soothing voice, Ben puts a unique spin on songs only he could craft like "Kristine From 7th Grade" and "Paddleboat Breakup."

43. Yellowcard- Childhood Eyes. 3.5/5

A short EP that makes the most of its runtime. The Pierce The Veil feature is a great surprise, Three Minutes More is the best of the bunch, and every other song is nice to listen to sonically.

42. Ab-Soul- HERBERT. 3.5/5.

At the tail-end of 2022, established rapper Ab-Soul dropped his fifth studio album titled after his birth name. One of the better rap albums to listen to this year with good beats and bars, but some iffy features.

41. Ava Max- Diamonds & Dancefloors. 3.5/5.

Ava has a stellar voice that the instrumentals compliment nicely here. Pacing, lyrics, there's plenty to like from this project with good tracks like Ghost or Hold Up (Wait a Minute).

40. Steel Panther- On The Prowl. 3.5/5.

The raunchy comedic rock band has funny shtick that manages to entertain for at least the first half of the project. It starts wearing thin in the second half with childish jokes or remarks, but it's pretty fun to listen to at points throughout. And it definitely helps that the instrumentals are sublime for the most part for the band.

39. Rod Wave- Nostalgia. 3.5/5.

Rod Wave shifts back and forth between rapping and singing, but its the singing that's stronger from him. At 18 songs, the tracks could've been shaved off after the tenth joint. 2018 and Call Your Friends are lowkey faves with sweet or interesting messages attached.

38. Melanie Martinez- Portals. 3.5/5.

Melanie Martinez is a gifted vocalist and lyricist. There's a story told throughout the project with peaks and valleys aplenty. Contortionist and Evil are standout tracks amongst some others.

37. Jorja Smith- Falling or Flying. 3.5/5

Jorja's emphasis on love is a wholesome, fascinating endeavor. Helped with decent production, but also could stand to have some songs be shaved off to help its length.

36. Paul Wall and Termanology- Start Finish Repeat. 3.5/5

A lowkey rap album where two great lyricists trade off bars and go back and forth is a superb listen. It's a chill vibe for people looking for something lowkey to listen to.

35. Danny Brown- Quaranta. 3.5/5.

Danny Brown's solo rap joint is a somber, retrospective listen. His unique voice works for the most part, and warrants listens from fans of him and hip hop alike.

34. Pierce The Veil- The Jaws of Life. 3.5/5.

There's a four-track run from the punk album that's wild and utterly sublime.

33. P!nk- Trustfall, 3.5./5.

P!nk's vocals and lyrics are really good, with her still being outstanding this far into her career.

32. PinkPantheress- Heaven Knows. 3.5/5.

The features sort of fumble the bag, but PinkPantheress is clearly better on her own and relishes in her solo project.

31. Burna Boy- I Told Them. 3.5/5.

An improvement on his last album, Love Damini, that's carried by chill vibes and a sampling of Birthday Sex by Jeremih that I have a soft spot for.

30. Gorillaz- Cracker island. 3.5/5.

The Gorillaz do EDM surprisingly well to me, I wasn't expecting it.

29. IDK- F65. 3.5/5.

The fusion of rap, jazz, and soul, is too damn good. Some of the songs are too short and should benefit from an extra verse, but IDK can sing and rap well, it's astounding.

28. Tiesto- Drive. 3.5/5.

More of the artists featured on this lowkey album do better than others and elevate the project to be really good.

27. Olivia Rodrigo- GUTS. 3.5/5.

I didn't like as much as her first album, which is on this list, but it has a lot to offer with lyrics and her range as a vocalist.

26. Alicia Keys- The Diary of Alicia Keys. 3.5./5.

As the 20th anniversary came and went, the initial release of Alicia keys 2003 classic is iconic.

25. Mitski- The Land is inhospitable and so are we. 3.5/5.

Mitski is an impressive vocalist but her song-writing ability is top notch as she records poetry for the listener to indulge in.

24. Lana Del Rey- Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd. 3.5/5.

Lana's songwriting and lyrics are even more sublime as she crafts a stunning effort with some easy favorites like Paris, Texas.

23. Rebecca Black- Let Her Burn. 3.5/5.

Rebecca Black recovered really well from the fiasco that was her disastrous song Friday. Tinges of darkness spread throughout to my liking.

22. Jon Batiste- World Music Radio. 3.5/5.

Jon Batiste aligned himself with a talented assortment of features to craft songs that are super solid to listen to.

21. Janelle Monae- The Age Of Pleasure. 3.5/5.

Janelle Monae crafted instant bops like Champagne Shit, Phenomenal, and Lipstick Lover, which fans of her and R&B genre should listen to.

20. Kali Uchis- Red Moon in Venus. 3.5/5.

Her soothing voice and intriguing lyrics help propel her romantic songs as some of the best tracks in 2023.

19. Taylor Swift- Speak Now. (Taylor's Version.) 3.5/5.

The obvious superior album to release from Taylor's vault this year, as opposed to the other one she dropped. The original lineup and from the vault are better here than 1989 by miles.

18. Paramore- This is Why. 3.5/5.

My favorite band dropped an album not quite as good in my opinion as After Laughter, but still a reaaaaally good listen that's gotten better as I listen more and more. Lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally, This is Why is an awesome listen.

17. Weezer- SZNZ: Winter. 4/5.

As Weezer experimented with 4 albums in 2022, one for each season, its the Winter season that may be my favorite of the bunch.

16. Bishop Briggs- When Everything Went Dark. 4/5.

Possibly the best EP I got to listen to throughout the year that makes the most of its short length.

15. Olivia Rodrigo- Sour. 4/5.

Olivia's freshman album surpasses her latest album by just a little bit with better pop-punk elements at play.

14. Dove Cameron- Alchemical: Volume 1.

sonically intriguing, one of the better pop elements to come out with decent pacing.

13. Corey Taylor- CMF2. 4/5.

The lead singer of Slipknot does well on his own swimmingly, as it works well and almost makes me want to check out the other Slipknot songs.

12. Travis Scott- Utopia. 4/5.

The long-awaited Utopia was worth the wait as it has songs that have great production and features that kill across the board from Drake to Westside Gunn to Beyonce.

11. Voyager- Fearless in Love. 4/5.

Instrumentals are godly, its vocals are a triumph, and most of the tracks here are powerful bops.

10. Danny Brown and JPEGMAFIA- Scaring The Hoes. 4/5.

its not my favorite rap album I listened to this past year, but it is the most interesting by far. the production is all over the place, its loud, bold, it full of nerd samples and references to games and wrestling that I love, its awesome.

9. 38 Spesh and Conway The machine- Speshal Machinery. 4/5.

Some tracks feel like retreads of other Conway songs and albums, but there are still some great songs, samples, and features across the board.

8. Hozier- Unreal Unearth. 4/5.

Similar to Mitski, the lyrics are akin to poetry. It's a remarkable sensational achievement with highlights like Damage Gets Done.

7. Conway The Machine- Won't He Do It. 4/5.

Conway by himself surpasses the collab with 38 Spesh by just a little. Brooklyn Chop House is a masterpiece of a song where Fabulous and Benny The Butcher are sublime in it.

6. Talib Kweli- Quality. 4/5.

Released in 2002, Talib Kweli dropped a critically acclaimed album that supplies dope bars, off-the-charts production, and sublime features. if it was just a little bit shorter, it would rank a tad higher.

5. AFI- Sing The Sorrow. 4/5.

Another epic album from the 2000s, my favorite decade. The punk album floored me with nostalgia as it hits peak 2000s punk rock. Vocals, lyrics, and instrumentals are exactly what I want from a project like this.

4. Raekwon- Only Bult 4 Cuban Linx. 4/5

It's billed as a Raekwon album, but it's more of a Raekwon and Ghostface Killah collab featuring other Wu tang members. Released in 1995, the production and bars shared by members of the collective are at their best which shows why this album is among some of the best.

3. 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne- Welcome 2 Collegrove.

it's one of the most fun albums to come out this year. Chainz and Wayne go dumb for song after song as they go back and forth with memorable moments throughout.

2. Fall Out Boy- So Much (For) Stardust. 4/5.

Heaven, Iowa is the only song from the album that is weak as hell. Every other song is a strong addition. It's instrumentals, lyrics, it all is immaculate.

Czarface- CZARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. 4.5/5. Czarface is a hip hop duo involving Inspectah Deck and Inspectah Deck. They managed to make raps about nerd shit like Marvel cool and it makes me grin ear to ear. I love almost all the features, mama's basement and marvel at that are endearing highlights. few low points but no bad songs overall. Clearly, my favorite album listened to in 2023.

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numetalpuppygirl · 15 days

Text

what i'm listening to 4/10/2024

spot.//yt

Limp Bizkit - Clunk: clunk. clunk clunk. clunk. clunk

Limp Bizkit - N 2 Gether Now feat. Method Man: it's backkkk and arguably never left. this didn't begin as a favorite of mine from lb but there's just so many good lines and it's so fun. discretion is advised for the blood of virgin eyes; we're limping on the track with the method

Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World: perhaps one of the greatest little riffs ever conceived and also btw i am a nirvana fanboy 😁

Emma Blackery - Blossom: mostly just putting this in bc i don't think i've ever had the chance to talk about how much i adore this song. easily emma's best track, i so wish she would make more that sound like this. it fits her voice so nicely and it's just so breezy and catchy and cute..... summer's a-comin'

Suede - Animal Nitrate: this goes so insane i can't believe it took me this long to find it. and i may be prone to homosexuality... but anyway this just *sounds* sooo good, the crunchy production and the riff and the melody and oh! chef's kiss!

Staind - Mudshovel: revisiting an old favorite! i so wish to perform this song live someday.... i could make it even better. and i wouldn't be a republican about it either

Ice-T - Big Gun: PENIS ALLEGORY!!!!! and VIOLENT WOMEN!!!!!! i need to watch this fucking movie so fucking badly

Limp Bizkit - Back Porch: genuinely one of lb's best songs but completely slept on bc of its placement down at the bottom of gold cobra of all things god help us. also a returning winner from a prior WILT

Sonic Youth - Death Valley '69 feat. Lydia Lunch: sonic youth good. this song in particular hits me every time as if i'd never heard it. gay

Korn - Twist: i've taken to my funny bit of unpromptedly doing the rrh na oom rah dah nn rah mm dah oom rah dah thing in the middle of conversation

Eminem - Just Don't Give A Fuck: i will confess to having a little eminem moment these past days 🫣 but this one is genuinely so good i love his early scrappy shitty music. he just don't give a fuuuuuuck

Sublime - Santeria: this has always been my favorite sublime song bc it's so pretty-sounding and summery and it's about tracking a guy down and shoving a gun in his mouth

Big Pun - Beware: the beat is crazy but admittedly the main appeal of songs where guys say a bunch of words really fast will always be the part where the guy says a bunch of words really fast

The Decemberists - Down By The Water: mostly kind of over the whole radio alternative indie folk pop rock whatever shit but this is so prettyyy and melancholy and i love the harmonizing bc i love harmonizing

Powerman 5000 - Nobody's Real: my friends and i have been watching this music video over and over, it's so fun..... pm5k at their peak was such a cool band with all the visuals and cartoon antics. plus this shit is catchy as hell

DANGERDOOM - Sofa King: i previously thought i wasn't much of a DOOM fan, though i certainly respect the craft, but these days i think it might just be that his most popular material, the stuff people always recommend, just doesn't hit for me as much as his other stuff does (and hopefully will continue to, the more i listen). g

Twin Method - Flawless: these guys were too late to the nu metal game to really get their due (not to mention they were british; that was never a big spot for the genre) but i would posit that they were damn good for a 00s-era entry in the nu canon. this is their "big" song and it holds up pretty good!

Fudge Tunnel - Grey: checked this one out bc lol funny name but they're kinda legit. speaking of british alt metal. i almost wonder if they were on the other side of things, a little ahead of their time...

Blue - All Rise: heard this in an uber and it's been stuck in my brain ever since. i do love boy band r&b, AND i love a courtroom drama, so really i han't go wrong here. lots of brits in this installment i'm noticing

#*char noises*#talking pop

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sunburnacoustic · 1 year

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The First Great British Guitar Band of the 21st Century

(NME, October 1999 after the release of Showbiz)

Oh the angst! The Pain! Searching for truth in a meaning less world.. Such is life in Teignmouth. Just ask Muse, three lads who've escaped small-town hell to be the toast of America. This just looks silly.

Three 21-year-olds from the sleepy fringes of Devon, lording it up in a glitzy Manhattan hotel lounge, chomping gleefully on tree-trunk cigars like they've just shagged New York senseless and eaten the entire music business for dessert. Any minute now these straggly indie-kid interlopers are sure to be turfed out on to the sidewalk with all the other guitar toting losers, back to their Transit van world. See ya. Keep dreaming, suckers. Except this never happens. Because even if they remain just above toilet-gig level at home. Muse are trainee rock royalty in America right now. Madonna herself beat half-a-dozen bidders to sign the youngsters to her Maverick label last November. Which is why the Teignmouth trio are billeted in New York for three weeks of back-to-back promotion for an album that hasn't even been released yet.

When British record companies sniffed around Muse, they declared them 'the new Radiohead' and shuffled away. When American labels saw them in New York's CMJ in November, they declared them 'The new Radiohead!' and formed a queue to sign their asses on the spot - cultural differences or Brit snobbery? Probably a bit of both, as Muse are more than the new Radiohead - they're the new Pixies, Nirvana, Mansun, Queen and Guns N' Roses too. And in their own broody intense way, they are about to explode.

Matthew Bellamy (singer/guitarist), Chris Wolstenholme (bass) and Dominic Howard (drums) were thrown together in a dark place of stagnation and decay, despair and degradation. It's called Teignmouth. Just below Torquay on the English Riviera, Teignmouth is a black hearted realm of eternal torment from which few souls emerge unscathed. Beneath its sleepy surface of genteel retirement homes and crazy-golf ranges, something deeply wicked festers in the remorseless south Devon sun. Possibly. "It's sort of like Torquay without the nightclubs" shudders Dom. Sounds pretty sinister. Like one of those elegantly shabby red-brick English towns where it's forever 1952 apart from the raging crack problem... "I think the best way to describe Teignmouth would be if we sent you the article that was printed on the front page of the local paper," sneers Matthew. There's a picture of the mayor of Teignmouth putting our CD in the bin because apparently we said in some interview that Teignmouth is a boring place, full of drug-takers. He said "I don't know who these drug-takers are, no-one takes drugs here...' Hahaha! That gives you an idea of what the town is like." Naturally, growing up in a stifling backwater run by rock-hating killjoys straight out of Footloose, the Muse boys were sometimes suicidally bored. They even resorted to doing 'dodgy stuff' on occasion.

There was a whole lot of nights when there was nothing to do and the only stuff that was fun to do was music," recalls Matthew. "You ended up doing dodgy stuff like breaking in to swimming pools, just because that was something to do. Most of the friends we had have either gone to University or become drug dealers." Ooh, the mayor will love that. Picture a bonfire of NME's outside the town hall. But at least the nascent Muse had something to kick against. And kick they did, starting with their debut sixth form gig five years ago. "The first gig we ever played together was a Battle of the Bands contest," says Matthew. "We wore loads of make-up, played loads of trashy punk stuff and got the crowd to invade the stage and smash all our gear. And we won! That's the weird thing. Because we beat all these bands that were really technically proficient, bands that sounded like Jamiroquai. People were shouting, you fucking cunts!' That totally affected our view of what music's about - it's not necessarily about music, it's about really believing in what you're doing."

So Muse kept plugging away, ignoring their critics, trashing their gear, dreaming of the big league. They eventually signed with a West Country management company and won a UK record deal with Mushroom, home of Garbage. And now, five years later, Madonna owns their souls. Sweet revenge on snobby old Britain and tight-arsed little Teignmouth, right? "That's what started us but I don't think that's what we're doing now," says Matthew. "The stuff we write now is more of a realisation of what the world's like. It's easy to blame stuff on a small town but then you go out there and you realise that some of the attitudes that you thought were just in your small town are actually all over." Muse's debut album is called 'Showbiz'. Oh yes. Most first albums contain two or three half-great peaks padded out with fillers. 'Showbiz' has a dozen tracks. ALL of which are heart-wrenching Wagnerian uber-anthems with fiery Spanish rhythms seismic meta-choruses and bile-spewing ultra-lyrics from the scabrous depths of Matthew Bellamy's charred-black heart. In other words, it's fucking great. But, bloody hell, is it miserable. Not trouser-fumbling hey-nonny-no Belle and Sebastian wistful nor chest thumping Daddy-never-loved-me Pearl Jam feel-my-pain self pity. Not even beautifully desolate and fragile like Thom Yorke, but aaaargh! post-apocalyptic heart-on-skewer Nick Cave tormented and urrrgggh! self-lacerating edge-of-darkness Ian Curtis fucked-up desperate. Heroically, bracingly, cathartically tragic. Hooray!

And yet Matthew seems like a pleasant well-balanced chap in person. Why the long face Sadboy-Slim? "Erm.... is this the time or the place?" Matthew wonders nervously "I don't think it is. Aren't we all tormented in some way? I've always had trouble.... I think it's like existentialism or something. The problems I'm having, if everyone else is having them the world's a scary place." Is miserable music some kind of perverse comfort in a cruel world? "All I can say is some of the music I listened to when I was young was like how we sound," shrugs Matthew. "That emotional deep stuff was what made me feel good because someone else out there is saying things the same as me. I used to listen to a lot of blues - Robert Johnson, Ray Charles I think that music was way deeper than I could have understood but for some reason it spoke to me."

Of course, Muse will be roundly mocked for taking themselves so seriously. But cynics said the same thing about Nirvana at the end of the '80s. Remember these boys are only 21, hurtling into a new millennium with their emotional wounds wide open. "I think things pick up generally towards the start of every decade." nods Matthew, spotting light at the end of a very long, very dark tunnel. "In 2000 or 2001, people will start getting more positive. There's a lot of fear hanging around which people are trying to deny but there is. And when that's over hopefully there will be a positive thing. Either that or extremely negative, hahaha! And it will all be over..." The first great British guitar band of the 21st century has arrived. Enjoy them while there's still time.

#Muse band #Muse interviews #1999 #NME #Matt Bellamy #Dom Howard #from the archives - rocketbabydolls.com #where would we be without the internet archive #the websites are all gone #muse band #matt bellamy #dom howard #muse #muse interviews #Showbiz Muse #Showbiz era

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randomvarious · 3 months

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Today's compilation:

Q Presents: The Best of the Best 97 1998 Alternative Rock / Britpop / Big Beat

Folks, this little comp here, which was included as a freebie sampler in an early 1998 issue of British music magazine Q, really gets at something that I've been banging the drum about for years now, and it's simply that, writ large, UK music is just better than American music. And I don't know how long it's been that way, but it dates back to at least sometime in the 90s. The things that have always seemed to set us apart from each other are our relative eases of access to different types of music and the overall rigidity, or lack thereof, of our many-tentacled popular music industries. And I'm gonna simultaneously get into both of those things right now.

For one, while electronic music in the US has largely been treated as this weird and foreign sideshow, the UK has managed to fully embrace it. They had their Second Summer of Love back in 1988, which saw teenagers and twenty-somethings taken hold by the acid house phenomenon, in which large warehouses were commandeered in order to throw enormous and illegal late night raves. And outside of London, Manchester caught the bug for it especially, which then spawned an iconic scene called Madchester, with bands like The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays venturing into alternative/indie dance territory by incorporating acid house into their own respective sounds. Versatile British dance trendsetter Paul Oakenfold would co-produce the Happy Mondays' most acclaimed LP, 1990's Pills 'n' Thrills and Bellyaches, and in addition to that, enterprising DJs were also hijacking the airwaves with pirate radio transmissions of their own too, so they could bring other underground electronic music, like jungle and breakbeat hardcore, to the masses as well.

And the prevalence of both the warehouse raves and pirate radio then seemed to engender this tradition among a significant amount of youths towards clubbing. Nightclubs would be open every night, often with some sort of theme or genre allocated for each one of those nights, and the young people would have their pick of where they wanted to go. And this time around it was all legal, except for all the drugs that you might choose to do 😅.

Now, the US, of course, has had its own clubbing history and culture too, but clubbing seems to be a far less popular activity among Americans, and you'll almost never hear our most popular radio stations showcasing the kind of electronic dance music that gets played at a club, whereas the BBC will be hip enough to air sets from some of the UK underground's greatest contemporary dance DJs.

So with nothing like a Second Summer of Love ever managing to occur in the US, despite the fact that we invented both house and techno, we still never really had a generation that electronic music successfully permeated to a comparable point of ubiquity as the UK did. And I think that's the main reason why our music isn't as good as theirs. You'll find electronic music in plenty of American pop material now, but we are so far behind what the UK has already been doing for decades. They developed their own scenes for every electronic genre under the sun and it ended up serving as this connective tissue to make the UK such a sonically vibrant and dynamic melting pot. Underworld's utterly strange techno odyssey, "Born Slippy," went to #2; drum n bass was popular enough to chart; Portishead, Massive Attack, and Tricky were all huge deals; and the big beat scene that was helmed by people like Fatboy Slim, The Chemical Brothers, and The Prodigy went simply bonkers. And the US really never had *anything* close to that, besides some of that big beat crossing over to soundtrack our futuristically-themed audiovisual media, like The Matrix, et al., and some car commercials.

And without that dimension of electronic music being able to flourish Stateside, the state of our own industry resulted in something that was a whole lot more cliquish and segregated. Little to no cross-pollination really ever occurred here and the most tangible thing we ever got out of it when it actually did happen was rap-rock and nu metal 😒. After grunge died, some of our biggest, most accessible American alt rock acts ended up being names along the lines of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Third Eye Blind, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Everclear, and over in the UK, they had Radiohead, Oasis, and Blur. And Radiohead would end up drawing inspiration from Aphex Twin and IDM, and Damon Albarn from Blur would go on to form The Gorillaz. Do you see what I mean?

So all of this is to say that while Q could produce a CD like this, comprised of fantastic music by mostly UK acts that the record-buying public over there was already familiar with, no widely read US publication would've been able to pull off the same in 1998 with a CD of mostly US acts. They might've been able to cobble together a better album with purely indie material, but then a lot of the names on that CD would've been obscure to a whole lot of folks. And while this comp from Q presents UK-made electronic music in the form of big beat from The Chemical Brothers, big beat-hip hop from The Prodigy and prolific abstract Big Apple rapper Kool Keith, and vocally soulful drum n bass from Roni Size / Reprazent, the best that the US probably could've mustered in comparison would've been something from someone like Moby, and *literally no one else.*

To be clear, America has produced plenty of great music without electronic music being popular enough to really inspire it, but the problem is really twofold: that amount of music, for the massively larger population that we have in comparison to the UK, is in nowhere near as much of an abundance, and for the great stuff that we have made, our industry, mechanisms, and apparatuses don't really do all that much in order to successfully raise its profile to a point of pervasiveness like the UK does. And I think a lack of electronic music being somewhere in the accessible ether definitely has something to do with it all.

Seeing as how this post is already long enough as it is, let me just provide one example of a song from this album that's a) very good and b) by a popular UK band that's not very well-known to Americans. I'm sure the US has had an indie group whose sound approaches that of England's Mansun before, but there's no way that what they ever made ended up amounting to anywhere near a similar amount of commercial success. Mansun's music has been available in the US, but they've only ever managed to chart once here, on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks list, with their 1996 single, "Wide Open Space," peaking at #25. And while the debut LP that that song is derived from, Attack of the Grey Lantern, didn't chart in any capacity in America, conversely, it managed to make it all the way to #1 on the UK's Albums Chart.

And the Mansun song that's on this Q comp here, "Mansun's Only Love Song," is from that same album too, and I think it's safe to say that no remotely popular American band has ever made anything quite like it. It's super catchy, melty, and silky-smoothly surging Britpop with icy synths and a distinct hip hop underbelly. And it's so good 🥰.

So, something that us music lifers always seem to be confronted with is this difficult-to-maneuver intersection between art and capital, which often leads to an axiomatic conclusion that striving for capital will always corrupt art, and sacrificing your art generates the potential to attain more capital. And while that's certainly borne out in the US to what feels like an extreme degree in more modern times, I don't feel like that conflict has ever been as dire across the pond, and this simple comp here of 15 songs that were mostly made by UK acts shows that some of those who are capable of making excellent and inventive music can also make a good chunk of change off of it as well, without having to either be a rare indie band that finds a way to strike rich, or a group of total sellouts. Whatever the UK's had in place, they've certainly managed to find that balance a whole lot more often than the US has, and one of the main reasons why they've been able to do it in the first place, in my opinion, is because the fertile ground that had been laid by acid house in the late 80s enabled electronic music, more broadly, to achieve a mix of popularity, accessibility, and inspiration that never came anywhere close to materializing in America.

Fin.

Highlights:

The Chemical Brothers - "Block Rockin' Beats (radio edit)" Texas - "Black Eyed Boy" Erykah Badu - "On and On" Bush - "Swallowed (7" mix)" The Prodigy - "Diesel Power" Supergrass - "Tonight" Portishead - "Cowboys" Depeche Mode - "Barrel of a Gun" Blur - "Country Sad Ballad Man" Mansun - "Mansun's Only Love Song" Primal Scream - "Burning Wheel" Roni Size / Reprazent - "Heroes" Oasis - "Fade In-Out" Radiohead - "The Tourist"

#alternative rock #britpop #brit pop #alternative #alternative music #rock #big beat #dance #dance music #electronic #electronic music #music #90s #90s music #90's #90's music

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