[baystateoftheart]

1.


Éthiopiques 17: Tlahoun Gèssèssè (2004) by ጥላሁን ገሰሰ [Tilahun Gessesse]

At this point, I don't have too much more to say about tizita as a genre. This is a very nice compilation, but compared to the albums I've recently heard from Mahmoud Ahmed, the vocal and instrumental chops of Gèssèssè and his band are a notch below. That said, the grooves are there, this is a smooth and fun listening experience, and it's definitely a high-quality record. Starting at a 3.5/5, or 70/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. This album is too long, but it has a bunch of great tracks, including my favorite Gang Starr song Above The Clouds:


Moment Of Truth (1998) by Gang Starr

~~~~~

3. NPR's 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women

63. Like A Virgin - Madonna
64. Spice - Spice Girls
65. Blue Light ’Til Dawn - Cassandra Wilson
67. I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got - Sinéad O’Connor
68. King’s Record Shop - Rosanne Cash
71. Blacks’ Magic - Salt-N-Pepa
76. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
78. Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares
85. Diamonds & Rust - Joan Baez
88. Ingénue - k.d. lang
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[LedZep]

(1)

Tangerine Dream (1967) by Kaleidoscope (UK)
The band were also known at various times as The Sidekicks, The Key, I Luv Wight and Fairfield Parlour. It's some wonderful English psychedelic pop. Reminiscent of Revolver, Donovan and ofc Pink Floyd's earliest works, but without the legendary songs like See Emily Play, Astronomy Domine, Arnold Layne or Interstellar Overdrive. This is all universally sweet, catchy and so easy to listen to. Seriously, if this was like 2h instead of 36 minutes, it'd be just as good. Some of the lyrics are way too whimsical and laughable, but honestly it just adds to the charm. Taking acid in the 60s must've been fun. Highlights: Kaleidoscope, Dive Into Yesterday, The Sky Children.

(2)
Don't think I've ever heard the full Diamonds & Rust album, try that

(3)
R marks relistens

Skee Mask - ISS012
Slut Intent - Slutworld
Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern
Rafael Anton Irisarri - Points of Inaccessibility
The Black Dog - Bytes (R)
Project Pat - Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin' (R?)
不失者 [Fushitsusha] (and Peter Brötzmann) - Nothing Changes No One Can Change Anything, I Am Ever-Changing Only You Can Change Yourself
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Shinichi Atobe - The Butterfly Effect (R)
John Fahey - Volume 6: Days Have Gone By
_________________
Overall chart
Fake overall chart

2020s

[Tha1ChiefRocka]

My Ghosts Go Ghost (2026) by By Storm

Similar to the previous Injury Reserve album, By The Time I Get To Phoenix, I think this is going to take more than a few listens to be fully understood. The remaining members of that group, Nathaniel Ritchie and Parker Corey, continue to make challenging and enigmatic music that pushes the boundaries of hip hop music to its breaking point. I had seen that a lot of people had said that this album was rather back-loaded, and I have to agree, but it's not because the first three tracks are bad, but the last three tracks are just that good. I really wasn't in the space to focus much on the lyrics, but I can hear the words of a man/group that are still coming to terms with the grief they've experienced. Musically speaking, not one track on this album has the same feel or vibe, they each have some kind of defining characteristic whether it be the strange refrains on 'Grapefruit' or the massive swirling synths and saxophone of "Double Trio 2". My favorite track might be "In My Town" though, the last few minutes where the beat gets to shine gives me feelings of Burial, which is about as high of praise I could give something in this space. Certainly a must listen for 2026.

I love the 90s Warp releases, so I'll pick Bytes as a relisten for you.

Zu- Ferrum Sidereum
Shaking Hand- Shaking Hand
Searows- Death In The Business of Whaling
Julianna Barwick, Mary Lattimore- Tragic Magic
Dead Dads Club- Dead Dads Club
American Road in New Jersey- American Road In New Jersey
Poppy- Empty Hands
IDK- e.t.d.s. A mixtape by .idk.
Mandy, Indiana- URGH
Puma Blue- Croak Dream

[Rhyner]

(1)

Moment Of Truth (1998) by Gang Starr
If I went on at any length, I'd be repeating myself (much as the beats on your typical bloated rap album--of which this is a perfect example--tend to do) from comments I've made on other hip hop albums. So I'll just say: this album is tedious.

35/100

(2)
I know next to nothing about any of those, but the one I'm most interested in at a glance is Tragic Magic.

(3)
My ten are split between two lists:

Here's one album from each of the first six pages (20 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on BEA. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 577. Up The Bracket by The Libertines (2002)
2: 708. The Nightfly by Donald Fagen (1982)
3: 768. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 848. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 901. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey (2023)
6: 960. After Hours by The Weeknd (2020)

And two albums from each of the first two pages (40 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on RYM. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 163. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
2: 183. Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII by Pink Floyd (2025)
3: 342. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 366. At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (2005)

[Tha1ChiefRocka]

Tragic Magic (2026) by Julianna Barwick & Mary Lattimore

Exactly what I wanted it to be. Always been a big fan of Julianna Barwick's looped choral vocals and layered atmospheric synths, so adding a harpist into the mix only adds to the beautiful soundscape. There's a cover of "Rachel's Song" from Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack which is unexpected. The track "Stardust" is one of the more maximalist things I've heard Barwick make, and I'd kind of like to hear some more like that from her in the future. The interplay between Barwick and Lattimore is very natural and a collaboration that makes a great deal of sense. Pretty music that's not going to challenge the listener, but it won't disappoint them either.

Donald Fagen's The Nightfly is a great post-Steely Dan record.

Zu- Ferrum Sidereum
Shaking Hand- Shaking Hand
Searows- Death In The Business of Whaling
Dead Dads Club- Dead Dads Club
American Road in New Jersey- American Road In New Jersey
Poppy- Empty Hands
IDK- e.t.d.s. A mixtape by .idk.
Mandy, Indiana- URGH
Puma Blue- Croak Dream
Colin Stetson, Greg Fox, Trevor Dunn- Nethering

[LedZep]

(1)

Bytes (1993) by Black Dog Productions
I'm a huge fan of everything Warp Records related (even the movies), it's quite possibly my pick for the label I'd take to a desert island. I've heard multiple Black Dog (Productions) releases, but haven't listened to them nearly as much as the other legendary Warp artists from the 90s (Autechre, Aphex Twin, Drexciya, Squarepusher, F.U.S.E., Speedy J, Boards of Canada, other Artificial Intelligence releases...). Just recently, Ken Downie unfortunately passed away, and I realised I had to give their classics another shot.

Listening to Bytes now, I'm genuinely surprised by how much of their style has been emulated and repurposed over the years. I don't think someone like Skee Mask (or Illian Tapes in general) would be making music today were it not for Black Dog, and that's just the first example that comes to mind. A lot of modern, boundary-pushing bass/breaks music sounds owes a great deal to this style. Some of the tracks feel like a precursor to the Birmingham sound. Exit Records, with their twisted breakbeat and DnB tunes, have definitely drawn ideas from here, and even some bassier labels like Nerve Collect carry traces of Black Dog DNA. In fact, Bytes feels more directly influential to the current club music landscape than any other Warp release from that era, at least to my ears.

Bytes is a collection of 11 tracks, each released under a different alias. This kind of mechanical, techno-infused breaks/IDM has aged incredibly well and remains a joy to listen to, so this is not only a pioneering work, but a genuinely great one outside of its historical context too. That said, I don't think it reaches the same highs as my favourite Warp records. Highlight: Focus Mel by Atypic.

(2)
Glad to see other fans of Tragic Magic, I also enjoyed the maximalist version of Barwick a lot.
I recently bought Ferrum Sidereum at a Zu show, they were great live. The record itself isn't nearly as brutal or exciting as the live show, but it's still really good. Let's hear what you think about these Italians, Chief.

(3)
R marks relistens

Skee Mask - ISS012
Slut Intent - Slutworld
Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern
eel - dead load
Rafael Anton Irisarri - Points of Inaccessibility
Project Pat - Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin' (R?)
不失者 [Fushitsusha] (and Peter Brötzmann) - Nothing Changes No One Can Change Anything, I Am Ever-Changing Only You Can Change Yourself
Fleetwood Mac - Then Play On
Shinichi Atobe - The Butterfly Effect (R)
John Fahey - Volume 6: Days Have Gone By
_________________
Overall chart
Fake overall chart

2020s

[baystateoftheart]

1.


Diamonds & Rust (1975) by Joan Baez

Before this I had only heard her debut, and coming 15 years later, this is a very different sound that's appropriately of its time. The folk is blended with soft rock, folk rock, and country rock vibes throughout, and even jazz pop at times. Baez is a great vocalist and interpreter, but on this record, her own songs are so good that I wish there were more from her (4) than there are covers (7). The title track is an obvious highlight, while Children And All That Jazz is pleasantly evocative of Joni Mitchell's contemporaneous work, and she then shows up on Dida. The best of the covers is Simple Twist Of Fate, which briefly features an entertaining Dylan impression, but some of the others (like the closing medley) don't fit the album as well. As is, Diamonds & Rust is a very good album, but some more self-penned songs of this caliber would make it a great one. Starting at a high 3.5/5, or 70/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. This one's on my to-do list:


Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin' (2001) by Project Pat

~~~~~

3. NPR's 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women

63. Like A Virgin - Madonna
64. Spice - Spice Girls
65. Blue Light ’Til Dawn - Cassandra Wilson
68. King’s Record Shop - Rosanne Cash
71. Blacks’ Magic - Salt-N-Pepa
76. Stand By Your Man - Tammy Wynette
78. Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares
88. Ingénue - k.d. lang
90. Funny Girl - Original Broadway Cast
91. New Favorite - Alison Krauss + Union Station
_________________
Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM

[Rhyner]

(1)

The Nightfly (1982) by Donald Fagen
I never got into Steely Dan much. Their music is alright, but it doesn't really excite me. They're very professional, highly competent, and so on, but there's never been much of an emotional connection for me.
This solo album by half of Steely Dan is quite similar. I'd say it has more of an eighties sound than the Steely Dan music I'm more familiar with, but otherwise they're much of a muchness, to my ears.
Except I think I do find myself connecting with this a bit more than I do with any Steely Dan album. There's a character Fagen imbues it with (it reminds me a bit of a smoother, poppier Geordie Greep...and I promise I was already thinking that before I read others saying the same thing in the RYM comments section) which I find kinda charming.
The standout tracks for me are I.G.Y., the titular The Nightfly, and The Goodbye Look. Most of the rest of the album I find to be kinda filler-ey, and not particularly engaging, although even then there are some solid moments here and there.
So overall, I guess I kinda like this album. I could see it growing on me with more familiarity.

60/100

(2)
I'm a big fan of Tammy Wynette's voice. I prefer D-I-V-O-R-C-E, but give Stand By Your Man a shot.

(3)
My ten are split between two lists:

Here's one album from each of the first six pages (20 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on BEA. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 577. Up The Bracket by The Libertines (2002)
2: 656. Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers (1996)
3: 767. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 852. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 902. Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd by Lana Del Rey (2023)
6: 953. Grey Area by Little Simz (2019)

And two albums from each of the first two pages (40 per page) of albums I've not yet rated on RYM. I've tried to choose the albums I'm least familiar with.
1: 163. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
2: 184. Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII by Pink Floyd (2025)
3: 342. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 370. At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (2005)

[LedZep]

(1)

Mista Don't Play: Everythangs Workin' (2001) by Project Pat
Damn I knew Project Pat was cool, but not like this. Dude kills it on the mic, and DJ Paul/Juicy J duo makes consistently excellent Memphis beats. For reference, I know a dozen or so Project Pat songs, and it's possible I've heard this album before as well. My roommate is a pretty big fan, though if there were a Pat war, I'd personally side with Gangsta Pat.

The instrumentals are somewhere between early trap, crunk, and classic southern rap production. I can see why Pat's flow can come across as boring or monotone to some people, but it's exactly what I'm looking for in old school Memphis stuff. Verses by Triple Six Mafia members and others feel like natural extension of Pat's lyricism and flow An hour and 13 minutes flew by. I think Gorilla Pimp with Namond Lumpkin was my fave, but there are numerous bangers here including a rework of "Break Da Law."

[baystateoftheart]

1.


Stand By Your Man (1969) by Tammy Wynette

My first time hearing Tammy Wynette's music, and she indeed has a beautiful voice. Reminds me of Loretta Lynn at times, another great country vocalist. It may seem a little ironic for this album to represent her on this particular list, but the title track has less clear of a message than its antifeminist reputation would suggest. And in general, the other songs on the album don't support the label marketing that this was a shot at women's liberation. There are some great songs here, mostly about sadness within and without relationships. The instrumentals complement her voice so well, and I particularly love the liberal use of steel guitar. But the quality is not uniform, and the sequencing is baffling, with several very similar songs about divorce from a child's perspective all bunched together at the end. While it's not put together with care as an album, Wynette's voice and the accompaniment make it a very worthwhile listen. Starting at a 3.5/5 and 70/100 on BEA.

~~~~~

2. This is the only one of those I've heard. Wasn't a big fan, but it was pretty good and blues rock isn't one of my go-to genres.


Then Play On (1969) by Fleetwood Mac

~~~~~

3. NPR's 150 Greatest Albums Made By Women

63. Like A Virgin - Madonna
64. Spice - Spice Girls
65. Blue Light ’Til Dawn - Cassandra Wilson
68. King’s Record Shop - Rosanne Cash
71. Blacks’ Magic - Salt-N-Pepa
78. Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares - Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares
88. Ingénue - k.d. lang
90. Funny Girl - Original Broadway Cast
91. New Favorite - Alison Krauss + Union Station
92. Peace Beyond Passion - Me’shell Ndegeocello
_________________
Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM