Decade Recap

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Lonerism by Tame Impala
October 5, 2012 // Psychedelic Rock

Kevin Parker's second project builds on the foundation of the first to create a work that is greatly cohesive and meaningful. Everything about this album, from its cover, to the lyrics and even the production, work together towards its general theme of loneliness and introversion. The protagonist (surely Kevin himself) escapes to his daydreams to run away from the loneliness and isolation that picks at his heart. The instrumental sections, often blasted in reverb, volume and psychedelic goodness symbolize this and invite the listener to come along. The second last track offers a beautiful climax to the journey in that short spoken passage. I wouldn't say every track here is great though they are of much higher quality than those on the debut album. The whole album feels very genuine, even if it has some flaws.

Rating: 76/100

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Good Kid, M.A.A.D City by Kendrick Lamar
October 22, 2012 // Conscious Hip Hop

Having already displayed his superior ability for social commentary with Section.80, Kendrick sets to do so once more by telling his own story rather than those of others on good kid, m.A.A.d city. Aided by cinematic and eerily well done skits between tracks, Kendrick takes us through his teenage years, getting involved in gang activity. Though he never states the fact, the situation he was in is inferred to be something normal in the place he grew up in, though his story differs by his blossoming after enduring all the difficulties he did. Ambitious as this project is, nearly every track is worth a mention on their own, always playing a part or scene in the cumulative of the narrative. Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst is a fitting resolution to the conflict Kendrick faces, finding no other way to escape but through God. m.A.A.d city and The Art of Peer Pressure are each immersive experiences that shed light on crime and the involvement in such. Perhaps the last two tracks, while they are still important, lack the hooks and ambition of the tracks preceding them, though this hardly draws away from the experience of the album as a whole. good kid, m.A.A.d city is easily one of the most cohesive, entertaining and outspoken (though never preachy) hip hop albums of all time.

Rating: 96/100

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From now on I will only fit three to five albums into each year. As for my 2013 picks, I didn't find any albums that I knew would top the decade so I picked a couple that I was intrigued by and an old favorite.

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Modern Vampires Of The City by Vampire Weekend
May 14, 2013

I chose this because I was big on it upon release. I was 14, nonetheless. Having formed a distinguished sound by adding afro and caribbean elements to already exuberant indie pop, Vampire Weekend took a significant step forward in maturity with this, their third album. Though the lyricism on their previous projects has displayed Ezra Koenig's well-practiced writing (he was an english teacher, after all) and potential for ingenuity, they don't have the heft and genuine conflict that he brings onto this project. His inner struggle to believe in a God that seems to avoid reciprocity is often reflected throughout the album (Koenig is Jewish, for those who are unaware). I find Ya Hey (a homophone for Yahweh) to be the most intriguing song on the project, easily being the most genuine of them all. Somewhat blasphemous in stance, Koenig directly asks God the questions many have in mind but are afraid to voice. Sonically the band reaches new frontiers as well. Hudson may be the most ominous and gloomy song that the band has ever recorded, while Obvious Bicycle and Young Lion both see a mellower approach to their sound. These are okay, and most of the more vigorous tracks are good as well, but I find that there are moments of excess when the band really gets going, such as the harpsichord-heavy chorus of Don't Lie and Finger Back. These are small nuisances nonetheless and the album in general offers more substance than their previous work. Oh, and Step is great.

Rating: 67/100

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Push The Sky Away by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
February 18, 2013 // Art Rock

I'm aware that Nick Cave has a sizable discography and that there are arguably better records to be introduced to him with, but this is the first time I've ever listened to one of his projects in its entirety. I'm excited to listen to the rest of his discography when I get to it, for this album captivated me with its excellent lyricism and its unique aesthetic. It's very subtle and quiet while managing to be emotionally stirring and powerful. I'm sure with time and repeated visits it will open further, but for now I'm very pleased to have chosen to listen to this.

Rating: 69/100

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...Like Clockwork by Queens Of The Stone Age
June 3, 2013 // Rock

This being my introduction to the band (other than a few songs here and there), I was impressed with many aspects of the album. First of all it seems as though the group put real thought into every song on the track listing. The entirety of the project feels very deliberate. Now this doesn't mean that I liked every song, but it was close to that (sorry, Smooth Sailing). That being said, none of the songs wowed me either. However, I do enjoy the first half of the project more than the latter. The first several tracks feel creative and adventurous. The opener has that djent-like drop-tuned bass line. I Sat By the Ocean has a clean, gleaming guitar hook that stands out among the many on the project. The following track is a piano song for crying out loud and If I Had a Tail is set to a dance drumbeat. Past this point and with the exception of Kalopsia things head off in a more conventional direction, which in itself is not bad but caused a certain disruption in cohesion. Perhaps I'm just picky, what do I know? Lyrics and vocal performance are noteworthy as well. The band sounds tight! Perhaps once I listen to the rest of the group's discography my opinion may change.

Rating: 60/100

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Virgins by Tim Hecker
October 14, 2013 // Ambient, Drone

Hecker's previous soundscape, Ravedeath, 1972, imagined a desolate, post-apocalyptic world where only fading memories remain to attest of its former glory. While that project feels hollow and poignant (in the best way possible), its follow-up, Virgins, is chaotic and violent enough to be set as the cause of its predecessor's destroyed environment. Perhaps best described as apocalyptic, there is an ominous sense of urgency throughout the length of the project. Doom and gloom, no more no less. One of the very impressive qualities of this album, however, is that it creates this frightening atmosphere with sounds that, once isolated, are bright and positive in tone. Hecker's use of sound to evoke powerful emotion is one of the most exciting talents in the world of ambient and drone music. This really is an otherworldly experience.

Rating: 80/100

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I'm In Your Mind Fuzz by King Gizzard &...ard Wizard
October 31, 2014 // Psychedelic Rock, Garage Rock

The opening medley of this album being my go-to driving music, I chose to listen to the whole project in hopes that the rest of it would prove to be just as exhilarating. Instead, the band lowers intensity to provide some intriguing tracks such as Hot Water, where a pastoral flute accompanies the rather uncommon though far from unnecessary topic of climate change. Despite some decent songs and the continuity of musical elements present in the medley, I can't help but desire some more of what the album began with by the end of it. I hear Nonagon Infinity might be what I'm looking for, so I'll make sure to visit that one when I get there.

Rating: 66/100

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Pom Pom by Ariel Pink
November 17, 2014 // Psychedelic Pop

I wanted to hear something crazy so I thankfully chose this. This being my first full listen I'm not really sure how to word my thoughts on it; my mind is still trying to make sense of all of it, though I believe it's not necessary in order to enjoy what this album offers: over an hour of satirical, playful and half-insane ''pop'' songs accompanied by the kookiest version of Ariel Pink. I enjoyed all 17 tracks, a few more than others, but the overall experience is for me better than the sum of its parts. There are a few times in which the humor and madness got a little near the line of distastefulness, but I'm willing to forgive those thanks to the strongest moments on the album. Had a great time with this!

Rating: 79/100

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I Love You, Honeybear by Father John Misty
February 10, 2015 // Indie Folk

If memory serves me right then this is the first album I ever listened to with the intent of discovering new music, considered critically and even rated. Despite it having been a few years since I've heard any of its content, I still greatly enjoyed this revisit to it. Being somewhat less of a mindless teenager now than I was then, I understand now what I enjoy so much about this album. Cold and cynical as one may be, weird things happen to a person when they fall in love, and I think this album portrays some of that in interesting ways. Despite his clever and satirical critiques of our modern society and his dislike for the world we live in, Tillman comes through with some of the most sincere and earnest love songs I know. They don't feel forced or feigned, as his acknowledgement of the very imperfections within his situation end up validating it as an entirely human experience which the listener can relate to. This album reminds me of that flurry of emotions and light from heaven which seems to shine on everything when one falls in love, and it's comical yet heartwarming to see it happen to a master of deadpan, socially conscious sarcasm like Josh Tillman. No one escapes it when it hits, and it can happen anywhere anyhow, even at the grocery store.

Rating: 75/100

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To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
March 15, 2015 // Conscious Hip Hop

Three years after Kendrick claimed his seat at the top, he seeks to add another volume to his run of concept albums which began in 2011 with Section.80. That project, followed by good kid, m.A.A.d city in 2012 not only featured some great music, but brought listeners into the artist's early adult years and his rise to fame and critical acclaim. Though To Pimp a Butterfly sees Kendrick enjoying a far richer lifestyle than that of his previous albums, it offers a different, and some would say further enlightened, view of the same social issues he has commented on in previous efforts. There are layers and layers of meaning in the album, but something I always take out of it is that problems will be around no matter how high you climb, being at one with oneself being the real battle to be won in the long run. Kendrick further expands this to form an argument against gang violence, pointing out how the very people seeking equality when encompassed by great enemies like racism and poverty are at conflict and war with themselves. There really is something for anyone to learn in the lyrics of the album but musically it explores and incorporates ideas that make it more ambitious than his previous efforts, particularly the inclusion of jazz and other culturally significant styles into his instrumentals. The creative concept which unravels itself as the album goes on is also very ambitious and beautifully executed, adding a certain grandeur or epic quality to the project. Not a breath is wasted, as usual, and every song plays a part. I don't know if it's the greatest album ever, I guess as I become more and more knowledgeable I'll be able to figure that out, but it certainly is one of the albums I draw the most enjoyment out of consistently. Nothing but praise for this one!

Rating: 100/100