"It's no Lemonade but it's pretty cool, especially the back half. It all flows together nicely like an endless dance club night out haha. Have been to a few haha, dancing in public isn't for me but I can see the appeal. They could literally just play this entire album and it'd be about the same as...""It's no Lemonade but it's pretty cool, especially the back half. It all flows together nicely like an endless dance club night out haha. Have been to a few haha, dancing in public isn't for me but I can see the appeal. They could literally just play this entire album and it'd be about the same as the nonstop dance music in your average club haha. "[+]Reply
"Very solid pop album. Definitely surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Excellent production, and very catchy melodies and beats. The lyric falls a little flat, and the final anthem feels shallow, as agreeable as the statements are. But definitely a great album of jams."Reply
"The rise and rise of Geese was definitely one of the most fun things to happen in 2025, even if it wasn't quite as unexpected as Cameron Winter's own explosion in popularity right at the end of the year before. 'Getting Killed' goes way beyond the band's previous efforts, sounding more original t...""The rise and rise of Geese was definitely one of the most fun things to happen in 2025, even if it wasn't quite as unexpected as Cameron Winter's own explosion in popularity right at the end of the year before. 'Getting Killed' goes way beyond the band's previous efforts, sounding more original than 'Projector' and balancing melody and experimentalism better than '3D Country', which were both already solid records. There's a lot to like here, the songwriting is strangely catchy, lyrics have emotional weight without seeming like they're trying too hard, but the real triumph is how Winter's vocals are showcased. He's sounded decent across previous releases and had notably improved by 'Heavy Metal', with this record we're getting a clearer sense of his range, calling to mind artists like Justin Vernon or Anohni at different turns. Also, whilst not going for the gravelly quality of Tom Waits, his vocals remind me more of Tom Waits than anyone else. The result is a record with twists and turns, that can go from the chaos of 'Trinidad' to the sweeter melody of 'Cobra' or from the relaxed feel of 'Au Pays du Cocaine' to the infectious groove of 'Bow Down'.
Inevitably with something this varied there'll be tracks or sections that you like more than others and for me it's the second half where things really come into their own. The final three tracks stand out especially, 'Bow Down', while a bit simpler in its composition has one of the most dynamic vocal performances, going from near spoken word to strained, drawn out notes, a really fun instrumental break caps it off. 'Taxes' just builds and builds as the emotion of the whole things spills over with the line "I will break my own heart from now on". Finally, 'Long Island City Here I Come' carries even more momentum as almost every instrument becomes dedicated to rhythm letting another spotless vocal performance filled with drama and energy take off. Its a perfect place to end an album that makes you wonder what's next."[+]Reply
"(Avant-Prog, Prog rock, Jazz rock, noise rock, ooooh babayyyy! Prog is back! - for a more cogent statement I’ll say that this is the best Prog rock album I’ve heard that’s been released in years. And it’s bloody brilliant almost the whole way through.) What a rock solid album. Feels like somethin...""(Avant-Prog, Prog rock, Jazz rock, noise rock, ooooh babayyyy! Prog is back! - for a more cogent statement I’ll say that this is the best Prog rock album I’ve heard that’s been released in years. And it’s bloody brilliant almost the whole way through.)
What a rock solid album. Feels like something significant. But maybe that is just the hype and me getting swept up in it. I have been delaying and delaying on writing any sort of comment on this beast. I have listened to it a dozen or more times. And I notice my opinions change with almost every listen. Sometimes I feel like saying hyperbolic things like “This is this generation’s In The Court of the Crimson King”, and sometimes I feel like this is a bit of an uneven and yet vibrant and exciting avant-Prog album for a new generation. I switch between feeling effusive love - and merely feeling strong, healthy respect. Haven’t landed yet on what my final thoughts are. Maybe only time can tell, after we have seen the progression of black midi, that Windmill scene, and underground rock in general over the next 3-10 years time. I don’t know.
I do know that “John L” is my song of the year so far. Something special it is, indeed. I know that “Marlene Dietrich” is gorgeous and features a brilliant subdued groove that I adore. I know that the 1-2 punch of “Chondromalacia Patella” and of course the masterpiece that is “Slow” never fail to blow me away, and sweep me up and away somewhere fresh and new. I’m confident that “Diamond Stuff” is beautiful if a bit too slow in its development and a bit anti-climactic. I know that “Dethroned” is very solid but one that hasn’t yet clicked with me fully. I know that “Hogwash and Balderdash” is excellent and the closest to the sound of “John L” that this album ever comes back to and I know it’s too short. And, finally, I think “Ascending Forth” is… a bit lost on me and for some reason, despite most people considering it a stand out track or even THE standout, I think it’s my least favorite song here. Of course “Ascending Forth” is still like, idk, 70% incredible. That is an indicator of how much I like this album through and through.
I also love that these songs do flow. Like, this feels like a concise yet complete album statement, where each track logically rolls to the next despite at times featuring INSANELY massive changes in tone and style. Not sure how the guys in black midi pulled that off but they did.
I’m closing, I have a feeling this will be one of those memorable albums for years and decades to come. I hope it does become something of a classic as time goes on. For now, it’s too new for all that. But it is for sure amd without a doubt one of the few albums that managed to fully live up to my expectations (hopes more like) and, I think, the music fandom’s as well.
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"(Total masterpiece. Genres to describe this I guess would be post-industrial, Noise, with some kind of gospel spirituality mixed in. Anyway, that doesn’t really describe this album. Not very well, anyway.) What can I possibly say that will do this album justice? I don’t think I am capable. This a...""(Total masterpiece. Genres to describe this I guess would be post-industrial, Noise, with some kind of gospel spirituality mixed in. Anyway, that doesn’t really describe this album. Not very well, anyway.)
What can I possibly say that will do this album justice? I don’t think I am capable. This album is special. When I listen to HEY WHAT, it is an out-of-body experience. The detail contained within the “noise”, the way the sheer volume of the album rolls over me like waves, I feel like I am thrown into a storm in the middle of the ocean, and for a few seconds I fight it and I panic and I start to scream and cry. But then a voice reassures me that these tidal waves won’t cause me harm – not truly and not truly me -, and I am told to breathe and embrace the immensity of this place and this experience. I relax and I breathe and … I am fine, I am calm, I am free. The rest of the album is like a massive, Pacific-sized epic about modern life and spirituality. And unlike so many other unapologetically gloomy, bitter, and hopeless epics that seem to tackle this struggle, with HEY WHAT I feel love and I feel hope and I glimpse a way through this mess I find myself in.
Musically, production-wise, this album makes me laugh lovingly and in awe, because I just can’t understand how humans being of flesh and blood can go and create this. Like, how? This could be called “Noisy” and “Staticy” and “Loud” but I can’t really say that those words fit to describe even the most inhuman and loud and most intense moments in this album. These scratchy, buzzing, sonically overwhelming sounds never sound harsh or hard to listen to. Again, like I said at the beginning, I have no clue how to express what this sounds like to me. The machines present on this album are simply communicating, meshing, corresponding with the human voices and harmonies. When the harmonies and the machine sounds come together, in these artist’s genius hands, what you get is transcendent music of the highest caliber.
Just yesterday I was trading comments with the excellent fellow-BEA user buzzdainer. Buzzdainer mentioned about Chris Stapleton’s 2020 album Starting Over: “…for me it's the quintessential album for coping with the cruel realities of our current decade.” This description was excellent and I can see how Starting Over would have that effect. However, when I took a look and thought about what album for ME truly had such a significance in this current decade… I couldn’t think of one. The music I have loved from this decade thus far has been mostly powerful and cathartic in very different ways or, in some cases, very escapist. But no album as of yesterday had I heard that really uplifted me and helped me cope and find meaning and stabilized me in this current crazy world we live in.
Then just a couple hours later I pushed play on Low’s latest. By the time I finished listening the very first time I felt emotionally satiated, understood, fulfilled. And I felt spiritually uplifted and enlightened. This is probably the most uplifting piece of music I have heard this decade so far. It for sure is.
To list the specific tracks on here that I love or want to shout out seems like a silly activity. It is only silly for me because the whole album, start to finish, is the perfect example of a cohesive album experience. For example, I can point out (and – lol - I am about to) that the back-to-back majesty of the track “Hey” followed by “Days Like These” makes me legitimately weep with joy and some emotional mixing I still don’t understand. And that is true, I think Hey/Days Like These is some of the greatest music I have ever heard full stop. BUT I had heard “Days Like These” as a single and when I heard it in that out-of-context way, I thought it was a pretty song and it made me excited for the new album… and that is all I thought of it. But when I hear it now on the heals of “Hey” and also after the absolutely stunning build up to this middle portion of the album, it is cathartic, life-changing, inspiring and perfect. Every song here is special on its own but transcendent as part of the entire sweep of the album.
This album expresses to me; Humanity, Human Goodness, True Affection and Love and Unity winning and triumphing in the face of inhumanity, materialism, and the bleak ubiquity of the utterly unfeeling. This album is a treasure. I actually feel a deep appreciation and an immeasurable respect for and to Mimi Parker and Alan Sparhawk and BJ Burton for creating this album. It’s just what I needed to hear in days like these.
Now I know I have not really said much of anything in this “review”/rambling comment – I haven’t touched much upon the songs and the lyrics and the harmonies and the industrial manipulations and genres and all that. Well, sorry. But this album, more than any other this year (outside of perhaps By the Time I Get To Phoenix), really transcends words and clear description.
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"You know, I never liked Weezer. I think Blue Album and Pinkerton are overrated, and their stuff since has been pretty bad. However, even I must say this album is pretty great. It is very Beatles-esque. The orchestra really adds a much needed beauty to the album that pairs perfectly with Cuomo's v...""You know, I never liked Weezer. I think Blue Album and Pinkerton are overrated, and their stuff since has been pretty bad. However, even I must say this album is pretty great. It is very Beatles-esque. The orchestra really adds a much needed beauty to the album that pairs perfectly with Cuomo's voice. Best part of all, I think it is the length. If it was any longer than 30 minutes it would have overstayed its welcome.
Well done Weezer, you finally made something I can dig."[+]Reply
"Like if FKA Twigs did hyperpop, a dynamic and innovative statement! This album shows her powerful and versatile vocals, which range from breathy whispers to soaring falsettos. Again she blends of pop, electronic, experimental, trip hop, new wave, and traditional music to creating a dynamic sound ...""Like if FKA Twigs did hyperpop, a dynamic and innovative statement! This album shows her powerful and versatile vocals, which range from breathy whispers to soaring falsettos. Again she blends of pop, electronic, experimental, trip hop, new wave, and traditional music to creating a dynamic sound that, while sparse in sections, is in general much more dense than her last record Pang.
The production is top-notch, with layers of synths, percussion, and other sounds that add to the overall mood. Polachek's lyrics are introspective and often deal with themes of love, loss, and self-discovery, adding a personal and emotional depth to the album. The result is a tapestry of sound that captures the listener's attention, with intricate details that make it difficult to decide where to focus."[+]Reply
"Another beautiful collection of songs from Weyes Blood that definitely rivals the quality of her previous masterpiece Titanic Rising but it will take me a few more listens before I can determine if it surpasses it. To start with her voice is just as strong as ever with it being both delicate and ...""Another beautiful collection of songs from Weyes Blood that definitely rivals the quality of her previous masterpiece Titanic Rising but it will take me a few more listens before I can determine if it surpasses it. To start with her voice is just as strong as ever with it being both delicate and powerful and it absolutely commands this album from beginning to end. Her voice is like an instrument in itself as it adds such a unique dynamic to every track which takes them to the next level. The instrumentation backs her vocal up brilliantly on the majority of tracks and with it being so diverse as well it keeps every song entertaining and encourages us to revisit the music often so we can discover everything. Furthermore, the production is stellar with the release sounding so smooth and elegant the whole way through. Overall, a very consistent album from an artist who is proving that she is an elite level musician and deserves a lot more credit for her work. "[+]Reply
ExTeaSea | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (2 helpful | 1 unhelpful)
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ledaero | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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Mercury | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +7 votes (7 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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corenfro | Helpful? (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful)
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