I'm just not on her wavelength. I have issues with the endless repetition of unremarkable musical motifs, her weird breathy vocal affectation (as I saw someone else comment, it often sounds like she doesn't open her mouth enough when she sings), the two interludes that seem to go on forever, the samey-throughout general sad girl vibes, some of the cringe lyrics, the album's oppressive length, etc. But there are some solid melodies (e.g. "I'm gonna take mine of you with me" is fun to sing), and...what else...?...the piano's nice, I guess?... Of the Lana Del Rey albums I've heard, this is probably my favorite (lyrically and thematically I'd say it's a solid standout), but that's not saying much.
41/100
(2)
New Favorite. Perhaps it will be a new favorite.
(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: 654. Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers (1996)
3: 771. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 854. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 924. 'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis (1957)
6: 964. 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: 161. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
2: 184. Pink Floyd at Pompeii - MCMLXXII by Pink Floyd (2025)
3: 343. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 370. At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (2005)
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
A compelling album in many ways, with a striking album cover and many striking and well-chosen songs, juxtaposing Krauss' beautiful voice with gentle and tasteful country production that really lets it pop. Jerry Douglas' dobro and steel guitar playing is a perfect complement. The more bluegrassy songs sprinkled throughout, often fronted by Dan Tyminski, offer a change of pace that makes Krauss-helmed songs more affecting. Now for the negative, not all of the songs are winners. Some are merely quite nice, and then Bright Sunny South turns my stomach. Why would they do a straightforward cover of a traditional confederate song that says God is on the south's side? Smells like Lost Cause mythology, and sung by a guy from Vermont to boot. New Favorite is a very nice LP overall, but sadly it won't be my new favorite. Starting at a high 3.5/5 or 70/100 on BEA.
Django Django - Django Django (2012)
D - White Denim (2011)
Cross - Justice (2007)
Savane - Ali Farka Touré (2006)
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley (2005)
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright (2004)
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen (2002)
Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals (2001)
Southern Rock Opera - Drive-By Truckers (2001)
Melody A.M. - Röyksopp (2001) _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
(1)
Then Play On (1969) by Fleetwood Mac
I can understand why some people consider this blues rock royalty. It's a really consistent album with a lot of slightly different variations on British blues rock style. Sometimes it's heavy, sometimes more psychedelic, it goes into the ballad territory here and there, and it's fun pretty much the whole time. That being said, while I've started warming up to most tracks (on my 3rd listen now), the majority of the time this is just some good blues rock with middle of the road songwriting. An excuse to flex Green/Kirwan dual guitars, write some good riffs and have fun. Nothing wrong with that, but I expected much more from this legendary album.
(2)
Ali Farka Touré is always worth a listen. Don't think I've ever heard Savane, I'll play it too.
(3)
R marks relistens
Skee Mask - ISS012
Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern
Rafael Anton Irisarri - Points of Inaccessibility
Angine de Poitrine - Vol. II
不失者 [Fushitsusha] (and Peter Brötzmann) - Nothing Changes No One Can Change Anything, I Am Ever-Changing Only You Can Change Yourself
Shinichi Atobe - The Butterfly Effect (R)
John Fahey - Volume 6: Days Have Gone By
Saafir - Boxcar Sessions
Teitanblood - Death
Shivkumar Sharma, Brij Bhushan Kabra & Hariprasad Chaurasia - Call of the Valley _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
(1)
After Hours (2020) by The Weeknd
This music is not made for me. Clearly. The first eight tracks seem to be trying to burn any goodwill I might have going into this (having rated to one of The Weeknd's previous albums, the supply is already very low) by simultaneously putting me to sleep and throwing in the occasional irritating element (perhaps to give me anxiety dreams?). Then, for the three track run of Blinding Lights, In Your Eyes, and Save Your Tears, he seems to be trying to turn things around and while it seems to be a valiant effort (which in a different context I might potentially enjoy to some degree), it's far too little far too late. And so he seemingly gives up and resumes being irritatingly boring for the final three tracks. For the most part, I find this to have boring production, insipid vocals, and uninspired lyrics. While there is some promising stuff here, it's buried in lots of meh, and ultimately this is a waste of my time. It's just not my style.
36/100
(2)
Angine de Poitrine has been showing up in my feeds recently. Are they worth checking out?
(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: 578. Up The Bracket by The Libertines (2002)
2: 656. Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers (1996)
3: 776. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 858. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 928. 'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis (1957)
6. 960. 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: 160. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
2: 213. Live at Red Rocks '22 by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (2023)
3: 339. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 371. At the Mountains of Madness by Electric Masada (2005)
(1)
Vol. II (2026) by Angine De Poitrine
Angine de Poitrine have taken over the indie circles in the early 2026. If I wanted to be reductive, I'd just call them Battles, but 20 years later. And it's true, they sound a lot like their Warp counterparts, and you could just as easily draw a parallel to other bands like Don Cab (obviously, given Battles connections to Don Cab), Hella, toe, Black Midi, Lightning Bolt and a dozen others. But I still think they are unique and weird enough to stand on their own, not to mention that it's not a sin to take inspiration from other great bands. So, my short summary of this whole Angine de Poitrine drama: this band isn't as mind-blowing or as singular as some people suggest, but they're good regardless.
As for the album Vol II. itself... it does reminds me a lot of my experience with Battles' Mirrored. Several cool tracks (though none in the Atlas range), undeniably excellent playing, mostly very good and fun, but the general vibe and the songs themselves bore me in larger doses. This is best taken in a few tracks at a time, or just watch one of their lives which sound better and are far more engaging. Good band, glad they exist and I hope they diversify their songwriting in the future, so I can truly love their music.
(2)
At the Mountains of Madness is great
(3)
R marks relistens
Skee Mask - ISS012
Jill Scott - To Whom This May Concern
Rafael Anton Irisarri - Points of Inaccessibility
Slayyyter - Wor$t Girl in America
不失者 [Fushitsusha] (and Peter Brötzmann) - Nothing Changes No One Can Change Anything, I Am Ever-Changing Only You Can Change Yourself
Shinichi Atobe - The Butterfly Effect (R)
John Fahey - Volume 6: Days Have Gone By
Saafir - Boxcar Sessions
Teitanblood - Death
Shivkumar Sharma, Brij Bhushan Kabra & Hariprasad Chaurasia - Call of the Valley _________________ Overall chart Fake overall chart
This album was completed by Ali Farka Touré weeks before he died of cancer, and its status as both his parting artistic gift to the world and his favorite record in his own discography seems to have influenced its selection for this list. As the Robert Johnson-referencing subtitle indicates, it's also one of his most blues-oriented releases. Unfortunately for me, the amount of blues in an Ali Farka Touré album is generally inversely proportional to how much I enjoy it. Not sure why, as there's plenty of blues music I love, but I just find his traditional Malian music more compelling. So Savane is not one of my favorite albums of his, but it's still quite a good record, with languid grooves carrying it steadily forward. Definitely recommended to anyone who already enjoys his work, but maybe not the best entry point. Starting at a light 3.5/5, or 65/100 on BEA.
~~~~~
2. Haven't listened yet, but this album cover has long caught my eye:
Django Django - Django Django (2012)
D - White Denim (2011)
Cross - Justice (2007)
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley (2005)
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright (2004)
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen (2002)
Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals (2001)
Southern Rock Opera - Drive-By Truckers (2001)
Melody A.M. - Röyksopp (2001)
Le Revancha Del Tango - Gotan Project (2001) _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
Rhynersoft silly music is meaningful magicalProfile Utah
(1)
At The Mountains Of Madness (2005) by Electric Masada
Well, it's long, and while many sections are nice (albeit kinda background-music-esque and not particularly noteworthy in my opinion), I'm not a big fan of all the wild flailing bits. Impressive musicianship, sure, but does that translate into it being something that moves me in any way or makes me want to return again and again? No. There's not really anything here for me to grab onto. It's just not my thing. And it's so long...
42/100
(2)
Southern Rock Opera. Give yourself a taste of the southern thing.
(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: 584. Up The Bracket by The Libertines (2002)
2: 655. Everything Must Go by Manic Street Preachers (1996)
3: 780. Clics Modernos by Charly García (1983)
4: 857. Countdown To Ecstasy by Steely Dan (1973)
5: 926. 'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis (1957)
6. 957. 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: 159. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
2: 212. Live at Red Rocks '22 by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (2023)
3: 341. UNDERTALE by Toby "Radiation" Fox (2015)
4: 387. DELTARUNE: Chapters 3+4 by Toby Fox (2025)
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
Drive-By Truckers have been on my to-do list for years, but this is my first time actually listening to an album by them. Fittingly, it's their breakout record. A concept double album about Lynyrd Skynyrd and related topics is not exactly what I was expecting. I really like both southern rock and country rock, so instrumentally, I'm on board. The vocals are solid, but the lyrics and songwriting are more hit and miss. There are some really poignant songs about death and malaise, especially the closing section about the tragic plane crash that took the lives of three Skynyrd band members. In fact, the whole second disc is damn good. But on the first disc, some songs are barely songs, and more like essays set to simple music. Tracks 2 & 6-9 have a historical and sociopolitical focus, discussing George Wallace (by way of Neil Young & Skynyrd), race, and what it means to be southern. On one hand, they have a nuanced perspective, which I can appreciate. They're clearly grappling with what it means to be white southerners and reconciling the sordid history with the love they have for the south. On the other hand, their approach still soft-pedals racism, and despite being depicted in hell, Wallace is presented far too sympathetically. But what do I know? Obviously I'm the type of Yankee a southern man don't need around anyhow. Despite this part of the album not resonating with me, I respect the ambition. And I must say, for a double album with some clunky tracks that are more about the message than the music, Southern Rock Opera does remarkably well at avoiding the issues that frequently plague the rock opera category. The numerous strong songs pull this up to a light 3.5/5, and a 65/100 on BEA.
~~~~~
2. This is my favorite of the 3 I've heard. Let's see if you find anything to like:
Django Django - Django Django (2012)
D - White Denim (2011)
Cross - Justice (2007)
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley (2005)
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright (2004)
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen (2002)
Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals (2001)
Melody A.M. - Röyksopp (2001)
Le Revancha Del Tango - Gotan Project (2001)
Bright Flight - Silver Jews (2001) _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
Rhynersoft silly music is meaningful magicalProfile Utah
(1)
Grey Area (2019) by Little Simz
Unlike many rap albums, this one's not tediously long and isn't full of insufferable skits, so that's nice. Also, it has some decent beats. But it's still a rap album, and, well...philistine that I am, I find rapping to be an inherently inferior style of vocal performance. Not to mention that it often comes hand in hand with the most unappealing subject matter. Grey Area avoids much of that as well, so good on Little Simz for that, but still includes some of the stuff I find off-putting, particularly egotistical boasting. Tooting your own horn isn't a good look, in my opinion.
So...yeah. A blessedly short rap album with no awful interludes and generally above average rap lyrics and some mildly interesting stuff going on beat-wise (especially in the first half; second half of the album seems more like standard fare to me) is still a rap album. And that's quite a hurdle to overcome in order to get my approval. Truly sorry. It is what it is.
43/100
(2)
I'm not super familiar with any of those. If I were to pick one to listen to myself it would be Bright Flight by Silver Jews, so give that a shot.
(3)
My ten are split between two lists:
BEA top unrated albums
1: 287. The New Abnormal by The Strokes (2020)
2: 403. Highway To Hell by AC/DC (1979)
3: 420. Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz (2021)
4: 440. The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me by Brand New (2006)
5: 443. Ocean Rain by Echo & The Bunnymen (1984)
RYM top unrated albums
1: 140. Flood by Boris (2000)
2: 148. Journey in Satchidananda by Alice Coltrane featuring Pharoah Sanders (1971)
3: 156. Silent Hill 2 by 山岡晃 [Akira Yamaoka] (2001)
4: 157. You Will Never Know Why by Sweet Trip (2009)
5: 159. Jenny Death by Death Grips (2015)
baystateoftheartNeil Young as a butternut squashProfile Massachusetts
In an album fronted by David Berman, you know the main attraction is going to be the songwriting. The instrumentals are pretty straightforward, much more country and less indie rock than I expected. His barely-sung, fairly monotone vocals are nothing special. So it all comes back to the songs, and the lyrics in particular. There are some hard-hitting winners here like Room Games And Diamond Rain, I Remember Me, and Tennessee, and the tracks that don't stand out as much are still well-written depressive songs. After one listen, I feel these compositions will have room to grow as I settle into the atmosphere of Bright Flight. I won't be rushing to check out more from Silver Jews given the moroseness of the music, but I respect the craft. Starting at a high 3.5/5 or 70/100 on BEA.
Django Django - Django Django (2012)
D - White Denim (2011)
Cross - Justice (2007)
Coles Corner - Richard Hawley (2005)
Want Two - Rufus Wainwright (2004)
The Rising - Bruce Springsteen (2002)
Rings Around The World - Super Furry Animals (2001)
Melody A.M. - Röyksopp (2001)
Le Revancha Del Tango - Gotan Project (2001)
Punishing Kiss - Ute Lemper (2000) _________________ Join us in the canon game :) / Add me on RYM
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