Oggy

Absolutely fascinating and utterly unclassifiable. Despite being a huge influence in bringing electronic genres to mainstream attention, it adheres very loosely to the genres it draws inspiration from (with the sole exception of Violently Happy), playing with unconventional beats by the standards of the time and bouncing effortlessly between vastly disparate genres. Every track here feels completely distinct from any other aside from Björk's voice, which itself displays exceptional range even within the same song. Hell of a way to start, especially given how far a jump all of it is from previous work. I was introduced to Björk through the jazz standards with Corky Hale's harp, so it was a pleasant shock to realize that sound was only one of many explored here.

Standout tracks

Human Behavior is great and super bizarre, its like Kate Bush covering a Talking Heads song, or maybe the reverse. That bouncy timpani bassline interplays rhythmically with the lead vocals in a very satisfying way.

There's More To Life Than This was not singled out as "pure genre" earlier alongside Violently Happy because rather than simply use House, it uses it in service of a theme, cutting out the house beat periodically as we "leave the party". It also segues perfectly into...

Like Someone in Love is my favorite song on the album. I love the harp-accompanied standards so much, the simple accompaniment leaves room for her voice to really shine and the ambient city sounds round out the mix to absolute perfection as the strings bleed out of it and are on top of you before you realize they're even present. There's so much emotion in the vocal performance, it leaves me on the verge of tears every time.

...and then Big Time Sensuality busts in with a Warioware type beat (see: Hammond stabs and everything else about it). I can practically hear the Jimmy T vocal samples.

Despite moving further away from Canterbury scene to something more akin to Canterbury-themed soft rock, Caravan isn't out of steam yet. I think this falls in somewhat of a transitional moment between the structure of their earlier albums and the shorter, more jazz-influenced and slightly harder-edged songs of Blind Dog at St. Dunstans. I don't think it holds up as well as either, but there's a good deal of enjoyable material here. Very little cunning nor stunts though.

Standout tracks

Stuck In A Hole and Dabsong Conshirtoe are classic Caravan with a slightly harder edge.

The guitar solo on the back end of No Backstage Pass over those backing vocals is an absolute stunner. The defining track of this album for sure, it toes the line between the two styles this album is trapped between.

Deciding right here and now that Adrian Belew is my favorite guitarist. Hearing this delightful little collection of prog experiments immediately highlights how much of so many of my favorite albums ever were defined by his input, from Talking Heads to King Crimson to NIN.

Standout tracks

Ampersand, Writing On the Wall, and Matchless Man are everything I could have hoped for from a Belew-Claypool-Carey supergroup, I need more of this trio.

Walk Around The World is the best track on the album, its funky King Crimson type weirdness and highlights Belew's iconic voice.

Beat Box Guitar is appealing but indescribable, a bizarre mix of influences from vastly different genres that defies any attempt to classify it.

Under the Radar also nice, I honestly think it would have been a better place to end the album.

I was prepared not to like this given its description as metalcore, having heard it I would disagree with that classification. It's definitely part of the genre mix, but all metalcore I've ever heard is terrible schlock, this is chiefly 2nd wave nu-metal in the same industrial electronic vein as Wargasm (my beloved). It uses this sound to great effect to create an appropriately apocalyptic atmosphere, roaring walls of sound at war with one another. I do think its a bit much, the constant barrage is fatigue-inspiring even given its short runtime, but the tracks individually almost uniformly fuck hard.

Standout tracks

Parasite Eve is not only one of the best tracks present, but works wonders for the album's pacing as a bit of a rest after the explosive opening of Dear Diary,, as a pair they're a perfect start to the album.

Kingslayer fucks hard, I love how this track specifically fuses its electronic and traditional metal textures.

1x1 is a Linkin Park type beat, which usually I wouldn't like much but it good.

Ludens - DEATH STRANDING MENTION!!!

MY GOAT DOES NOT MISS!!!! Those looking for a detailed, rich narrative like that of the Acts will be disappointed in that regard, but not in any other. A straightforward exercise in somewhat ham-fisted worldbuilding takes that narrative's place and provides the skeleton for a near-perfect concept album. Every track is better than the last, and by the halfway mark they are un-fucking-assailable. Its sound is a natural progression from Acts IV/V (I have yet to listen to side projects), streamlined into an even more accessible sound. This is not to say its quality has decreased at all, if anything this is a tighter production than ever, richly orchestrated theatrical dioramas which never linger longer than they're welcome despite lengthy runtimes. I refuse to believe Crescenzo isn't a fan of Gentle Giant's The Power And The Glory between the structure of Act IV mirroring it and the echoes of Cogs In Cogs in Rings 3 and 4. The perfect bait to convince new listeners to join the cult. Listen to this NOW, and if you like it for the love of god listen to Acts I-V and talk with me about their nuances.

Standout tracks

Ring 7 - Industry perhaps unsurprisingly sounds a lot like IDKHOW, or rather the band I with IDKHOW was.

Ring 5 - Middle Class is the beating heart of the whole affair, the repetition of "They've got you buying your chains" is absolutely classic TDH

Ring 4 - Patrol is excellent, that roaring "POWER" at 2:10 is downright orgasmic

Ring 3 - Luxury is a treasure trove of clever little flourishes, TDH's villain moments have always shone since Act I, and this is no exception.

Ring 1 - Tower (and to a lesser extent Ring 2 - Nature) are where the worldbuilding goes from rote to something a little more interesting. That first "Why would the emperor need new clothes?" is so perfect...

Absolute magnum opus. It's super accessible, pushed the boundaries of what hip-hop was at the time from outside its main centers of popularity, and incorporates tons of influence from popular music past in a way that is completely transformative. I've never heard a bad track off of it, it turns out this is because there isn't one. It brims with energy in a landscape that sorely needed it in 2000. While it's incredibly forward-thinking, it does this in large part by being a celebration of the history of modern black music. From several styles of hip-hop to R&B to soul to funk to rock to gospel, it explores an incredible range of genre influences while remaining cohesive. Andre 3000's eccentric charm carries the hell out of this album, from iconic verses to his boredom with rapping leading to the prominence of more melodic vocals. It's peak and deserves every shred of popularity it's received and more.

Standout tracks

Gasoline Dreams is a perfect explosive opener, single material and criminally underrated, the first of many tracks with absurd verses and impossibly catchy hooks including So Fresh, So Clean, Ms. Jackson, and Red Velvet

B.O.B. holy SHIT nothing I can say about this song is enough

Ending on the sole true throwback with Stankonia (Stanklove) is so good, it's nothing special on its own but plays out the album perfectly and stands out by its normality compared to the surrounding material.

Honorable mentions: Spaghetti Junction, Xplosion, Humble Mumble, ?, Gangsta Shit

Ok so imagine U2 playing a slower song, rotate them around in your head. Now imagine they were good. That's all I have to say I can't stomach this melancholy dreck but I recognize its technical quality.

I LOVE BIG BEAT!!!! This album absolutely kicks in the door, opening with a 25 minute suite of Matrix music that fucks hard. It follows this with another banger, totaling 30 minutes of high-energy peak out the gate. It unfortunately slows down at this point, the latter half drags massively in comparison, but the closer more than makes up for it. I love the energy on this record, and the downright grungy sound it cultivates. It's abrasive but compelling, danceable or tranceable. Long tracks and impeccable pacing coalesce into an exceptionally cohesive work.

Standout tracks

The entire first half hour up through Setting Sun, with the latter in particular being a standout of the whole album

Lost In The K-Hole is a very funky take on big beat that I enjoy heavily, highlight of the lull

The Private Psychedelic Reel is an absolute journey, I love that sitar sample. It also runs nearly 10 minutes, meaning upwards of 2/3 of this album is absolutely unassailable material