List of RYM Reviews

WIP
(Review #5; August 23, 2019)

I think the about Americana is that while I enjoy it, I've over time come to notice a couple of enormous flaws. In the back of my head, I wanted to ignore them once more and go on loving this album like I did so many years ago; but it's just impossible now. So with a new love-hate relationship with this album, let's get into things!

Welcome/Have You Ever: Welcome is an interesting intro, to say the least. It's creative, I'll give it that. Not to mention that it's a nice and smooth transition into Have You Ever. There's where we start having problems. I can't shake that feeling of commercial pop-punk off my shoulders when I hear this song. I get that it's trying to be edgy, but that's the worst part: it's [i]trying[/i]. A good emotional and edgy song doesn't really attempt to be emotional and edgy. If anything, this song just comes across as cringe-worthy. Though, I have to admit Noodles does some nice guitar work on this tune. Even if he isn't enough to save these 90s edgefest songs, it's kind of hard to not respect the guy. All in all, I give this song a 1/5.

Staring At the Sun: I'll admit, this song is still quite good by my standards. Maybe it's Greg K's underrated bass playing or Dexter Holland's speedy and psychotic yet powerful vocals. I don't know what it is, truly. All I know is that this song still sticks with me after all this time for some reason. Even if it does end up being an overly edgy song like Have You Ever. I give this song 3/5.

Pretty Fly (For a White Guy): I can't put into words how much I dislike this song. I re-listened to this album to get a grip on this album once more and I don't know how I didn't realize how annoying this song is until recently. I get that it's supposed to be partially a joke song, but that doesn't make things okay. The guitar riff, while catchy, is pretty mediocre and absolutely nothing about this song (except it's music video) redeems it in any sort of way. I give this the rare award of 0.5/5.

"Kick" by INXS
https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Skylanderlord3/reviews

(Review #2; August 23, 2019)

Kick, and INXS as a whole, is a strange case for me. Half of their body of work is absolutely astonishing music that I consider to be some of the greatest of it's time. Then there's the other half that makes me question who ever was the person that even thought about signing these folks to a label. Let's get into it.

Guns in the Sky: I cannot express how horrid the opening ten seconds of this song are. It almost sounds like a poorly English-dubbed anime character grunting and laughing. It's almost like nails on a chalkboard in the form of a cheesy 80s tune. The rest of the song is alright, but nothing particularly good. This doesn't fit as an opening for this album. It should be a song that got thrown on the cutting room floor. The chorus is the only thing that is listenable about this song, and that isn't much. Not to mention that it's hard to get that opening's taste out of your mouth. 1.5/5 stars.

New Sensation: This is just...fine. I haven't got much to say about it. It just sounds like another average tune that probably shouldn't have made it on the album. However, I can still give it a bit higher of a rating  considering it starts to at least pick up a tad bit after the atrocity that is Guns in the Sky. 2.5/5 stars.

Devil Inside: Finally, a song I can give a rating that's higher than average! Maybe it's the haunted feeling in Michael Hutchence's voice or maybe the smooth yet heavy guitar riff, but this has to be the second strongest song on this album. I find this song to be strongest on the album lyrically, as well. The song still gets a fair amount of radio air-time and is considered a classic to this day for obvious reasons. It's a great song that just feels so relentless musically. I think this actually could've made a better opening song. Then again, most tracks on this album would've made for better opening songs. Nonetheless, 4/5!

Need You Tonight: As much as I like this song, I find it to be quite over-hyped. Because while it  is  a good song, I feel as though there are a few better songs on this album. Regardless, Need You Tonight is a good tune. The way Hutchence shouts out "I'm lonely" as the music blocks out for those few seconds is such a minor yet amazing detail. The transition back into the regular beat is done nicely and I can easily say this is probably Andrew Farriss' best work on this album. Still, this song is just a wee bit empty. For some reason there seems to be a lack of substance in the song. This is why I feel like I can give it nothing higher than a 3.5/5 stars.

Mediate: I enjoy the transition from Need You Tonight to this track quite a bit. It's smooth and subtle, yet you can tell that you've moved on to something new. I absolutely adore Hutchence's vocals on this and Jon Farriss' drumming makes what I find to be the catchiest song on the album. Even though it may be a fairly short song, it doesn't fail to impress. However, I wish they just did a little more with it and extended it while messing around with the instrumentals a bit as well. However, I'm still going to give this track a 3/5 stars.

The Loved One: This song has what might be the second best intro on the album. Something I particularly like about The Loved One is that Garry Gary Beers finally gets some serious time to shine with a slow and heavy yet powerful bassline throughout the whole song. Say what you will about the lyrics of this song, but I personally like the lovesick-esc feel to the song. I'll give this one a 3.5/5.

Wild Life: This is just an okay song. Nothing more, nothing less. While I will admit that I fancy it's move-your-feet style rhythm, I can't say much for the other aspects of this song. There isn't much more for me to talk about here, but I still think it's better than a few other songs on the album. I'm going to award this one a 2.5/5 stars.

Never Tear Us Apart: This is not only my favorite song on the album, but also my favorite INXS songs. Not to mention one of my favorite songs of all time. Something about this song, from the melodramatic opening to the emotionally driven chorus, screams pure artistry to me. Even the backing vocals could be considered highlights due to how well they're placed. I think this song also further cements Andrew Farriss as a great songwriter. Before I ramble on about random things I love about this song I'm just going to give it a 5/5 stars.

Mystify: I enjoy this song quite a bit for it's piano and it's piano alone. The echo behind Hutchence's voice is a nice touch, but is quite easy to miss if you aren't listening intently to the song. This is another song with not much for me to say about it, but it is a good song and is well worth the listen. I'll give it 3/5.

Kick: For some reason, I feel like this song should be used for some mediocre 80s sitcom. It really isn't all that good and even the saxophone, one of my favorite instruments, is pretty average outside of the solo it gets a little more than a quarter of the way through the song. It's also incredibly aggravating having to hear "sometimes we kick" repeated over and over after a decent song like Mystify. I'll give this one 1.5/5 stars.

Calling All Nations: Hutchence sounds fine enough on this track. However, the instrumental is what kills things for me. It just sounds incredibly blank to me. As if they were going to make this song into something special and just never did. This song actually feels almost like a song that would be released five years later on a demo compilation rather than on the album. Though, I can't be too harsh on it considering it's still better than some of the other songs that are featured on here. 2/5 stars.

Tiny Daggers: Every time I listen to this album, I forget this song exists and hope that the closing song is at least somewhat fulfilling. Of course, I get extremely disappointed every time. Like most other songs on this album, it swims in a sea of mediocrity. It just...isn't good. It sounds like another basic 80s pop tune you'd expect your mom to put on the radio. 2/5.

Kick is just, like I've mentioned many times before, a basic 80s pop-rock album with a few gems in a mountain of disappointment. I'd recommend picking it up and giving it a listen to see what you think yourself if that's what you're reading this review for, though. However, I find this to be one of my more regrettable purchases and give this album a 2.5/5 stars as a whole.

"Pink Moon" by Nick Drake
https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Skylanderlord3/rating104414939

(Review #3; August 23, 2019)

Pink Moon is unique in it's style as it reaches a sense of beauty I have yet to find in any other singer-songwriter album. Without saying much more, I'm going to just dive into it.

Pink Moon: The perfect opening song, the eponymous track really sets up for the rest of the album with a melancholy feeling to it as Nick Drake continues to play through the second quarter of the song in an outstanding instrumental that stands the test of time an will continue to forever be a staple song in the folk genre. I give this track a 5/5.

Place to Be: The beginning of this song has a really unique tuning on the guitar that I love. You can really hear the emotion in Drake's voice as he humbly sings through the peaceful, mellow song. Like the rest of the album, it's one for the history books. Once again, another 5/5.

Road: Although short, Road brings a certain zen essence that makes for a great song. I may consider this tune to not be quite as good as some of the other songs on the track list; but between the emotion in Drake's voice and his gorgeous guitar work I can't help but give this one a 4/5 nonetheless.

Which Will: Another example of how masterful Nick Drake's playing form was, Which Will also demonstrates his wonderfully crafted lyrics and the emotional power behind them. I personally find this tune to be the best off the album, but it's near impossible to pick gold from a sea of nothing but gold. I give this 5/5.

Horn: A peculiar song, but a lovely one nonetheless. You could argue that it is the weakest track, and I would agree, yet you can't ignore the beautiful simplicity. I haven't got much to say about this song, as it only clocks in at one minute and twenty seconds, but it is indeed a good song. 4/5.

Things Behind The Sun: Another pure classic that tends to sadly be forgotten within Drake's discography. A beautiful song that conveys various emotions in what is the album's longest song, clocking in at just under 4 minutes. Don't let the different length fool you into thinking this track might be bland, as it ends up being one of the most compelling songs on the album. I give this one a 5/5.

Know: Another track similar to Horn in the way of it's peculiar way Drake plays guitar. His humming is strangely mesmerizing in the song before it evolves into a melancholy ballad that, like many of his songs, is sadly overlooked by most average music fans. I give this track 4.5/5

Parasite: Something about this song in particular is nearly hypnotic and manages to lift your spirits and sadden you at the same time. Nick Drake's acoustic guitar skills shine through once again in this outstanding song. 5/5.

Free Ride: Another good song. I think there are strongest songs on the album, though. However, the chorus is nicely put together and Drake's guitar work during the line "but hear me calling" is beautiful in it's own calming sense. 4/5.

Harvest Breed: Once again, this song doesn't get enough credit for what it really does. Sure, it may be a simple song; but that's the beauty of it. It's simplicity is what brings it to it's beauty. There isn't much more for me to say here, so I'll leave it at a 4.5/5.

From The Morning: What might be the perfect closing song for this album, From The Morning gives the listening the image of sitting in a room on a cold fall day listening to this while looking out a window. It doesn't fail to capture the beauty of the other songs on the album and once again will likely continue to amaze the listener as the short-but-sweet album comes to a close. 5/5.

Pink Moon, arguably Drake's most well known and praised album, gets all the credit it truly deserves. It's a beautiful album that reaches a level of elegance I have yet to find, and don't think I will ever find, in any other album. I would highly recommend this album to anybody, whether an avid folk fan or an average listener. I give this album 5/5 stars.

"Threads" by Now, Now
https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Skylanderlord3/rating117103625

(Review #4; August 23, 2019)

I always found Now, Now to be an interesting band. Sure, they may not be the absolute stand-out band in the indie scene; but you can't deny they have a sound to them that is easy to listen to and enjoy. Without further ado, let's get into it.

The Pull: I think this is actually a perfect opening. I has a nice, mellow opening with an extremely melancholy feeling to it. I do actually wish it was longer and evolved into something more, though. However, it's transition into the next song is nice. There isn't much more to say about this track, but I give it a 3/5 for the beauty behind it's simplicity.

Prehistoric: I enjoy this song quite a bit. It reminds me of something that should've been released back in 1992, but with a modern twang to it. I especially enjoy Cacie Dalager's vocals on this song. Not to mention that Bradley Hale is a generally great drummer. However, once the song evolves into a heavier sound three quarters of the way through the song is when I have a slight issue. Cacie Dalager's vocals don't really change, which I find odd consider the fairly large change in pace in the song. Other than this, I find the production nicely done; especially as the song fades out with that electric pulse. I give this song 4/5.

Lucie, Too: This song's opening always reminded me of The Cranberries for some odd reason. Anyways, I don't actually have much to say about this song. It's good, but that really is all it is: Good. It isn't awful, but it also feels like some awfully wasted potential in certain spots. However, I do enjoy the use of the backing vocals, as they give a certain haunting chill to the song. I'll give this song a 3/5.

Dead Oaks: I can appreciate an indie tune with relatively the same beat through the song, but I just find this one quite lacking in...everything. Like all the other songs on this album, the production is perfect. However,  this song just leaves so much to be desired. I want to like this song. I really do. But there just isn't enough there. I'm sad to say I have to give this 2/5.

Oh. Hi.: This is actually one of my favorite tracks off the album. It has a nice steady beat to go along with Cacie Dalager's soothing vocals. Not to mention that, once again, production is on point. Songs like this really show how much only two people can do in the recording studio. I'm going to give this one 4.5/5.

But I Do: It's hard writing about this song, as there Isn't much to really write about. All I can say is that this is just another average indie pop song. Don't get me wrong, the lyrics are nice and both Cacie Dalager and Bradley Hale are on point in their respective roles. There just iisn't much substance here. 3/5.

Separate Rooms: I absolutely adore Hale's drumming in this song. The man is an underrated modern legend. Cacie Dalager's vocals here are also among the best they've ever been at in Now Now's entire discography in my personal opinion. The production, especially in the last half of the song, is done incredibly well done. All in all, I give this track a 4/5.

Thread: This song's opening is absolutely fantastic. Not to mention that the chorus has one of the most musically impressive moments from anything previously or since released from Now, Now. I personally believe this song is among some of Now, Now's top works alongside "Oh. Hi." I give this track a 4.5/5.

Wolf: This song gives me mixed feelings. I actually quite like Hale's drumming and Dalager's guitar work. However, Cacie Dalager's monotonous voice that I am usually fond off irritates me to the point of no return in this song. I don't quite know why, but I just find her vocals hard to enjoy in this song in particular. With that, I'm forcing myself to give this song 2/5.

School Friends: The opening to this song is beautiful! I absolutely love that part of this song in particular. Not to mention that the rest of the song is one of the better songs on the album, especially from a lyrical standpoint. Like always, the instrumental and production are both top tier and give a fantastical yet melancholy mood to the song. That's a 4/5 from me.

Colony: I always particularly liked the out of the ordinary guitar riff in this song. It almost gives me a southern vibe mixed with a modern dream pop style. That's something I never thought I would actually hear until I listened to this song for the first time a few years back. It's a nice song, if not a bit basic in parts. Nonetheless, it's a good tune. 3.5/5.

Magnet: I enjoy the beginning instrumental to this song quite a bit, actually. It reminds me of a tune that would be used in a cutscene in a video game. Cacie Dalager's vocals are also at what is arguably their peak of the whole album on this particular track. However, this doesn't feel like a closing track to me. To me it feels more like filler in the middle of the album than anything. Though, I have to admit the last minute or so of this tune is quite amazing to listen to. I just think there would've been better ways to close out this album. Regardless, Magnet is a great song. 4/5.

To finish things up, Threads is a good if not basic dream pop album. The highs are quite high and surprisingly good, but the lows are awfully bland and leave the listener with so much more to be desired. If you're a big fan of the genre or just general dream-indie, I'd say pick it up. However, I would steer clear if you are unfamiliar with the style as I think this would be a poor choice to lead someone into the genre and would likely leave a bad taste in someone's mouth. It's a lovely album, though; and it gets a 3/5 stars from me.

"Who's Next" by The Who
https://rateyourmusic.com/collection/Skylanderlord3/rating103658350

(Review #1: August 22nd, 2019)

Ah, Who's Next. I feel like this is one of those albums that gets praised by most reviewers a wee bit too much. Don't get me wrong, it's a solid album. One of The Who's best albums, actually. However, I think it is simply a "great" album. Not this S-tier, out of this world, majestic Pegasus of a rock and roll album like tons of people say it is. So, let's get into it!

Baba O'Riley: I personally believe this is the perfect opening song on the album. Then again, it would've also been a perfect closer. A better closing song than Won't Get Fooled Again at least. But I'll get to that when I reach the end of the album. First off, let me say that I have a weird adoration for this song's opening. It just....stuns me, for some odd reason. I feel like it has a certain level of elegance to it with still a twang of the jam-out feel The Who are known for. Roger Daltrey's vocals are on point here and I feel the need to point out that Keith Moon's drumming here is extraordinarily underrated. I find this odd considering the man is arguably one of the most well known drummers to ever live. Yet, when his name is brought up people seem to talk about other songs Moon drums on it isn't Baba O'Riley. One thing that sets me off with this song is how Daltrey croons out the lyrics "Don't cry. Don't raise your eye. It's only teenage wasteland." For some unknown reason, this totally messes up the later half of the song for me. Maybe I'm not a fan of the pronunciation or maybe I just wasn't impressed with the sudden pace change in the song. However, the gorgeous instrumental makes up for that bit in the end and allows me to give this song a solid 4/5 stars.

Bargain: I feel like this is probably the most forgettable song off this album. Don't get me wrong, it's a decent song. But it just is kinda...there. Though, I must say that Daltrey's vocals are superb when singing the extended note in the lyric "the best I've ever had." And the acoustic bit is nice enough before it kicks back into that classic style you're used to from The Who. However, this doesn't stop this song from being pretty forgettable. Even the closing instrumental bit is nothing special compared to other instrumental bits on this album. I'll give this track 2.5/5 stars.

Love Ain't For Keeping: Being the shortest song on the album, you would also think it would be the weakest tune given the fact that The Who wouldn't be able to work their magic as much as other tracks. However, I think it's one of the strongest songs they have on this album. I think one thing I enjoy about it in particular is it's beautiful use of acoustic guitar in the last half of the song. I haven't got much else to say, but it's a great song and is a nice bridge from Bargain to My Wife. 4.5/5

My Wife: Another song on this album in which the opening five seconds or so are purely ear-orgasmic. The whole song is decent enough. The instrumental is good and Daltrey's high notes on words like "machine-gun" and "alive" are lovely and quite impressive; however other than that this song fails to truly demonstrate the true musical talent behind any of The Who's members in my personal opinion. I would give this song a higher rating, but it's hard to do so know there ar emuch better songs on this album. I give this a 3/5.

The Song Is Over: I absolutely love the gentleness of this song's beginning and the tenderness on Daltrey's voice before breaking out into a powerful song you'd probably want to add to your workout playlist. Nicky Hopkins does a great job on the piano in this tune and is probably the highlight of this song alongside Pete Townshend's amazing vocals that would forebode a solid solo career of his later on. I think I could credit this song as one of The Who's best songs and also probably one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. I personally find this song to be Keith Moon's highlight on the album as he totally just rocks through this amazing fill in the last forty five seconds or so of the song. I'll be giving this one a lovely 5/5 and also the award for best song on the album.

Getting In Tune: This song reminds me of The Song Is Over from the second it begins. The backing vocals in the song are lovely and I would even go as far as to say that they are the best part of the song and even better than Daltrey's vocals. However, I don't think the general instrumental of this song was as notable as The Song Is Over. I wouldn't use The Song Is Over as a template for The Who's piano-rock type songs, but having this come directly after was poor placement in my opinion. However, the evolution from ballad to upbeat classic rock within the last minute and a half of the song feels extremely natural which I find is hard to pull off. It's still a solid song, even though it may not be the best. I'm going to award this song with 3.5/5 stars.

Going Mobile: The last major example of the amazing openings on this album, Going Mobile really showcases a more bouncy feel for The Who compared to some of their other songs. The chorus comes along beautifully and feels very calm to listen to. On the contrary, I don't this this song latches onto you as much as other songs on this album. That doesn't necessarily stop it from being a very strong song, though. This isn't much to really [i]say[/i] about this song; you just have to listen to it to get the true feeling out of the song. I'll give this song a 4/5.

Behind Blue Eyes: This song is on another level of beauty. Sure, mock the song for being a little over-emotional at some points or being over played to death in movies and TV shows. You still can't ignore the pure, raw emotion in Daltrey's vocals. And the way it just suddenly jumps into this loud yet emotional song that is very reminiscent of a tune that would close out a rock opera. Considering this was going to be apart of an unfinished rock opera by Pete Townshend called Lifehouse, it makes sense. After this it just suddenly hops back into it's original mellow style in a staggering yet breathtaking fashion. Something about this song just leaves a taste of grandeur yet also a slight sense of agony left behind. I believe this to be one of the strongest tracks on the album, so I give it a 5/5.

Won't Get Fooled Again: I understand that this tune is a fan favorite for many fans of The Who. Don't misunderstand me, it is indeed a solid track. However, it feels like it was meant to be placed somewhere towards the end of the A side of the album and not the climax to the entire album as a whole. A lot of people say this is a good closing song, but I have come to find that The Song Is Over, Getting In Tune, or Behind Blue Eyes would have made much better closing songs. Won't Get Fooled Again in itself is perfectly fine as a song. John Entwistle's bass playing is great throughout the whole album, but I find that he especially shines here. A mixture of Roger Daltrey's impressive vocal range and that unforgettable scream are what really keep this song from falling into the category of another basic track. Taking in the fact that this is the closing track, I would only give it a 3/5. However, if I factor out that I can happily give this song a 4/5.

All in all, Who's Next is actually quite an impressive album and each member really gets their time to shine on different tracks. However I still find that this album gets too much credit. I actually think this is one of the weaker Keith Moon era albums The Who released. Nonetheless, it is still a solid album that I think that any classic rock fan or even general album collector such as myself should pick up if given the chance.