Genre: Rock Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 9/10 Commentary: Suddenly, out of the blue, we remember why Nick Cave matters. If you are sad, or tired, or lonely, or angry, these songs are for you. I could (I have) listened to this version of “Distant Sky” on repeat for days. More info: here. Listen: […]

Genre: Black Metal Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 8.5/10 Commentary: Rebel Wizard just continues to press all the right buttons for me. Trippy and profane, primal screaming, and utterly muscular guitar god licks. This is his second release of the year and both are in my top ten metal albums so far. It just […]

Between vacation and grantwriting, I’ve gotten very far behind. So here’s a rapid round of things worth listening to that I haven’t gotten to yet. Craft – White Noise and Black Metal Genre: Black Metal Rating: 6.5/10 Listen here           Calibre 50 – Mitad y Mitad Genre: Banda/Norteño Rating: 5.5/10 Listen […]

Genre: Rock Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 7.5/10 Commentary: This utterly trippy, extremely long concept album about… Cadan… puts forth a wall of psych-rock sound that just ebbs and flows, and grows on you with each listen. And, Cornish. More info: here. Listen: here.

Genre: Rock Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 8.5/10 Commentary: The Night Flight Orchestra is a 80s nostalgia rock side project comprised of members of various metal bands, like Arch Enemy and Soilwork. When you first listening, the early impressions are that you are settling into a fun session listening to parody rock. But then… […]

Genre: Jazz Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 6.5/10 Commentary: Tremendously enjoyable jazz, that flirts with bubblegum elevator music, soul/R&B and other genres. With the lack of hard edges and strong cross-over appeal, it works as a very successful call to make jazz accessible to new listeners. It is very long (a double-album) and it […]

Genre: Pop Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 8/10 Commentary: This is superficially a pop/R&B albumb, but remarkably diverse and sophisticated, both musically and lyrically. It takes a few listen-throughs to realize how great it really is. More info: here. Listen: here.

Genre: Electronica/North African Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 9.5/10 Commentary: This album is a full-on sensory assault of deep bass, electronic beats and traditional North African instruments. It is so intense it is hard to listen to in the background; it demands that you stop and give it your full attention. It ends up […]

Genre: Opera Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 7.5/10 Commentary: “Dance of the Blessed Spirits” is core material in Flute II, which I suffered through in a methodical and unmusical way. But that left me with a great nostalgia for this opera, but I haven’t really enjoyed most of the recordings. This one is great, […]

Genre: Metalcore Format Reviewed: Spotify 320 kbps Rating: 7/10 Commentary: So I guess this will be my metalcore album for the year. Not my favorite genre, as I’ve made very clear. I kinda like this album though. It has all these swooping choruses and feel very arena-ready. Not that I would ever go to an […]