Rock / Indie
Knocknarea by Maruja
Listened: March 2023. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
If the lead vocalist of an instrumental punk band turned into a saxophone.
Ants From Up There by Black Country, New Road
Listened: February 2022. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
A massive and monumental rock album, and the tragic final record of lead singer Isaac Wood, who died from COVID-19 the day before the album’s release.
Cavalcade by black midi
Listened: June 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 65%
Pretentious British dudes play notes quickly and sing songs strangely. Still sounds kind of cool.
To See the Next Part of the Dream by Parannoul
Listened: May 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
My Bloody Valentine, in Korean. The messy production and flat vocals are balanced out by the amount of heart that clearly went into the album.
ULTRAPOP by The Armed
Listened: April 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Tinnitus-inducing punk straight out of a basement mosh pit.
Cool Dry Place by Katy Kirby
Listened: March 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Friendly and charming singer-songwriter grooves.
Show Me How You Disappear by IAN SWEET
Listened: March 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
The combination of dreamy instrumentals and distorted vocals makes for a fun noise rock project.
Little Oblivions by Julien Baker
Listened: March 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
A consistently good album from start to finish. Standard indie-rock sounds, but shines with humanity, emotion, and catharsis.
OK Human by Weezer
Listened: March 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
Weezer adds an orchestra, but keeps the same patented combination of catchiness and cringiness.
Every Bad by Porridge Radio
Listened: December 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Mellow indie that circles around themes of happiness and depression – lots of repetition without feeling repetitive.
Loveless by My Bloody Valentine
Listened: November 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Chaotic and noisy but somehow … relaxing?
Live Forever by Bartees Strange
Listened: November 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
With diverse influences from Kings-of-Leon-style vocal delivery to bluegrass melodies and trap rap swagger, the album doesn’t always come together perfectly, but it’s rarely boring.
PIXEL BATH by Jean Dawson
Listened: 11/2/2020. How Much I Recommend It: 55%
The indie/rap genre-bending is interesting but doesn’t make up for the muddy production and repetitive songwriting.
The New Abnormal by The Strokes
Listened: October 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
The strongest album from The Strokes since Room on Fire, but the longer songs lead to lower energy.
The Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse
Listened: October 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 95%
Weird, wonderful, and worth a listen.
Misanthrope by We Are Only Human Once
Listened: September 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Delightfully earnest and full of distortion. Bonus points for being from Ohio.
The Baby by Samia
Listened: 9/14/2020. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
Immediately familiar indie sounds, accessible to the point of being inoffensive.
Days by Real Estate
Listened: August 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Unassuming and pleasant indie rock, full of life throughout.
A Hero’s Death by Fontaines D.C.
Listened: August 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Aggressively Irish post-punk featuring hypnotically repetitive lyrics and good grooves.
Jump Rope Gazers by The Beths
Listened: July 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 60%
The indie/pop/punk songs on this album are tightly-arranged and catchy, but don’t quite hold up against stand-out albums of the same style (like Snail Mail’s Lush).
Mordechai by Khruangbin
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 65%
Hazy interpretations of musical styles from around the globe. It’s impossible not to nod your head or tap your foot to the groove, but it’s also hard to find much to love in the weaker songs.
Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
Both melancholy and life-affirming. The lyrics fall into an uncanny valley of being incredibly human while not quite making sense.
Melee by Dogleg
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
Enjoyably noisy. Vocals are often unintelligible, but the point still comes through.
NO DREAM by Jeff Rosenstock
Listened: May 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
Straightforward and smart punk rock. Simple garage-band instrumentation lets the lyrics shine.
Pop
The Loveliest Time by Carly Rae Jepsen
Listened: July 2023. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
The best Carly Rae Jepsen project since EMOTION: Side B, with probably her most creative instrumentation and production to date.
Mercurial World by Magdalena Bay
Listened: August 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Playful synthesizer-driven pop that reminds me of the sun rising behind early-morning fog.
Solar Power by Lorde
Listened: August 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 65%
Lorde discovers acoustic guitar and sunshine in a decent but derivative album.
Animal by LUMP
Listened: August 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Low-key artsy pop that borders on being too low-key.
Zeroes by Declan McKenna
Listened: September 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
Intensely listenable and inoffensive pop-rock.
folklore by Taylor Swift
Listened: July 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
I’ve always thought that Taylor Swift’s sadly nostalgic songs are her best. The same is true here. But by going for such a mellow style, folklore has to compete with other, better albums in the genre.
What’s Your Pleasure? by Jessie Ware
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
Filled with funky bass riffs and sparkling synthesizers, What’s Your Pleasure? is the disco-revival album I didn’t know I needed.
SAWAYAMA by Rina Sawayama
Listened: April 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Rina Sawayama builds on her immaculate guitar-based pop, but along the way, she loses some of the thematic cohesiveness of her last project, RINA.
Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa
Listened: April 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Pristine and radio-ready pop music.
Rap
SCARING THE HOES by JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown
Listened: March 2023. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
Messy experimental rap. Carried by JPEGMAFIA’s production and performance but elevated by Danny Brown’s wild and wacky verses.
The Forever Story by JID
Listened: August 2022. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
JID definitely resolves the question of whether his fast and technical style of rap could translate to a full-length album.
LP! by JPEGMAFIA
Listened: October 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
Like a good whiskey, LP! is harsh but still goes down smoothly.
Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz
Listened: September 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
The lush orchestral instrumentation borders on being overproduced, but the album is overflowing with lyricism, variety, and thoughtfulness. It’s very good.
Donda by Kanye West
Listened: August 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Kanye’s best work in a while doesn’t bring much new to the table with the overplayed symbolism and squeaky autotune features, but at least sounds it good.
CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST by Tyler, The Creator
Listened: June 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Lavishly-produced and fun. Very little to complain about except for DJ Drama’s ad-libs being too loud in the mix.
ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE by BROCKHAMPTON
Listened: April 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Rap’s boy band returns with an energetic and entertaining album.
TYRON by Slowthai
Listened: February 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
The album has two sides. The first is decent but generic UK grime. The second is slower-paced and much better.
Alfredo by Freddie Gibbs & The Alchemist
Listened: November 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Laid-back gangster rap that knows exactly what it’s trying to be. Some self-indulgent production choices throughout, including the meandering outros and unnecessary vocal samples.
Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 by Tkay Maidza
Listened: August 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Playfully aggressive album that doesn’t waste a single song. Creative production and instrument choices throughout.
Grime MC by JME
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Early in the album, JME brags about his life and flexes his impressive technical skills. Later on, he turns more introspective and philosophical. He does both parts without seeming contradictory by keeping the musical style consistent throughout (at the price of getting a bit repetitive).
RTJ4 by Run The Jewels
Listened: June 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
More of the same from Run The Jewels, but that’s not a bad thing. As always, it’s intense, aggressive, and political.
Folk / Country
People Who Can Eat People Are The Luckiest People In The World by AJJ
Listened: September 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Apparently “folk punk” is a genre, and it’s about as chaotic and silly as it sounds. This album is an absolute whirlwind of youthful exuberance.
Ignorance by The Weather Station
Listened: February 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
Unobjectionable folk with indie-rock instrumentation.
The Glow Pt. 2 by The Microphones
Listened: January 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 90%
More complex than it appears, but exactly as beautiful as it seems.
Windswept Adan (アダンの風) by Ichiko Aoba
Listened: January 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Pure serenity.
songs by Adrianne Lenker
Listened: October 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
A stripped-down solo project from the Big Thief vocalist.
Shore by Fleet Foxes
Listened: September 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Blissful, warm, and immersive folk-rock.
Microphones in 2020 by The Microphones
Listened: August 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Phil Elverum’s Microphones in 2020 beats his previous record-holder A Crow Looked At Me for “number of times it made me cry per song,” but only on a technicality, since the entire album is one long track.
“gift” at Sogetsu Hall (live) by Ichiko Aoba
Listened: July 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Minimal Japanese folk. I find the simplicity relaxing and beautiful, and it’s not an exaggeration to call Aoba’s voice “angelic.”
Electronic
We Will Always Love You by The Avalanches
Listened: January 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
The most complete album yet from the sample-bending Avalanches. Stuffed full of guest appearances and funky riffs.
Inner Song by Kelly Lee Owens
Listened: September 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Smooth and simple techno-pop. The instrumentals could be enjoyable without vocals, and the vocals could be enjoyable without instrumentals.
In Colour by Jamie xx
Listened: July 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 95%
I thought I had listened to this album back in 2015 when it came out, but I had really only paid attention to the more vocal-heavy pop tracks. The rest of the album is a kaleidoscope of creative electronic music, which I am so glad I revisited.
How Can I by Park Hye Jin
Listened: July 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
In high school, it was “cool” to act like you never tried very hard at anything. I get the same feeling from this EP. But while there’s not a lot to connect with in the deadpan vocals, the minimalist deep house beats are unique and enjoyable.
Soul / R&B
An Evening With Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic
Listened: November 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Smooth retro sounds from a pair of unexpected collaborators.
Smiling with No Teeth by Genesis Owusu
Listened: March 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 70%
It’s a strong debut album, but there’s not much left once you subtract all of the ideas that are ripped directly from other artists.
Collapsed In Sunbeams by Arlo Parks
Listened: February 2021. How Much I Recommend It: 85%
Calming and uncomplicated.
Lianne La Havas by Lianne La Havas
Listened: October 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 75%
Deeply relaxing and refreshing indie R&B / soul music.
Untitled (Rise) by SAULT
Listened: October 2020. How Much I Recommend It: 80%
Protest music filled with both joy and rage. The songs are occasionally meandering, but usually come back around in the end.
Nick Beachy 