Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2016 Telefone Noname ★★★★ 80 Hip-Hop Alternative Hip-Hop Jazz Rap While people were out celebrating Chance the Rapper’s mixtape Coloring Book in the summer of 2016 because of his warm personality, laid back and authentic demeanor, and pleasant — sometimes grand — gospel-forward production, another Chicago rapper released herContinue reading “Telefone – Noname ★★★★”
Category Archives: Album Reviews
GREY Area – Little Simz
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2019 GREY Area Little Simz ★★★★ 82 Hip-Hop UK Hip-Hop Every track on Little Simz’ GREY Area shows how effortlessly talented the British rapper is. Her 2019 release is her third album overall, but was the first to really gain traction with U.S. hip-hop heads. She comes off asContinue reading “GREY Area – Little Simz”
Reflektor – Arcade Fire ★★★½
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2013 Reflektor Arcade Fire ★★★½ 73 Rock Art Rock Alternative Dance Compared to the band’s first three records, Reflektor was the first time you could say Arcade Fire missed the mark. Reflektor was a clear shift in direction for the band. Produced by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, instead ofContinue reading “Reflektor – Arcade Fire ★★★½”
Dogrel – FONTAINES D.C. ★★★★
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2019 Dogrel FONTAINES D.C. ★★★★ 80 Rock Alternative Rock Post Punk Dogrel is authentically punk, with driving drums and guitar, fun, ra-ra energy and post-punk monotone vocals that deliver smart lyrics with repetitive, singalong refrains. But for a punk album, it’s surprisingly even tempered. Compared to their Irish 2019Continue reading “Dogrel – FONTAINES D.C. ★★★★”
Slowdive – Slowdive ★★★★
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2017 Slowdive Slowdive ★★★★ 88 Rock Shoegaze Dream Pop You’ve gotta love it when a band makes their first album in 22 years and it ends up being their best. Like any good shoegaze album, Slowdive creates dense walls of sound on their 2018 release, where the choruses towerContinue reading “Slowdive – Slowdive ★★★★”
Innerspeaker – Tame Impala ★★★½
Year Album Arist Stars Score Genre 2010 Innerspeaker Tame Impala ★★★½ 77 Rock Psychedelic Rock Indie Rock Tame Impala burst onto the scene as a rock band from a bygone era, and quickly became a go-to for music fans looking for a good trip. Calling back to the psychedelic ambience of the Beatles, early PinkContinue reading “Innerspeaker – Tame Impala ★★★½”
Lonerism – Tame Impala ★★★★
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2012 Lonerism Tame Impala ★★★★ 82 Rock Psychedelic Rock Indie Rock Tame Impala’s first two records do similar things, creating psychedelic rock that’s influenced by the bands of the 1960s and 70s, with modern edge and youthful energy added on top. Innerspeaker was captivating as a whole because ofContinue reading “Lonerism – Tame Impala ★★★★”
SBTRKT – SBTRKT ★★★½
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2011 SBTRKT SBTRKT ★★★½ 75 Electronic R&B Electronic R&B SBTRKT’s self-titled debut is an easy-to-listen-to electronic album, made up dance-pop tracks with a slight dubstep build to them and R&B-style feature vocals. “Sanctuary,” “Right Thing to Do” and “Pharaohs” are simple pop tracks that easily could have made theirContinue reading “SBTRKT – SBTRKT ★★★½”
Process – Sampha ★★★½
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2017 Process Sampha ★★★½ 77 Hip-Hop R&B Electronic R&B Sampha has always brought soulful, genuine lyrics and a soft, pure voice to the R&B world. However, what makes Process — the debut album by an artist who had been featured on dozens of tracks over the decade prior toContinue reading “Process – Sampha ★★★½”
I Am Easy To Find – The National ★★★
Year Album Artist Stars Score Genre 2019 I Am Easy To Find The National ★★★ 66 Rock Art Rock Chamber Pop I Am Easy To Find represents the biggest swing The National have taken to date. Not only is it the band’s longest record, clocking in at over an hour and 15 tracks, the albumContinue reading “I Am Easy To Find – The National ★★★”
Fresh Out The Deli 