March 2016 resumé
This is no top ten list, it is just a bunch of records I've heard, that were released this month. Not the ones I've heard this month, but ones that were RELEASED this month. Therefore, as the time goes, I'll be adding more items on the list, since I listen to stuff constantly. By the way, the names occasionally written under the comments are titles of songs that I recommend. If there are none written, it's either because I didn't like enough of them or because I can't point out a highlight. And now a score guide: 10/9 - 5; 8 - 4.5; 7 - 4; 6 - 3.5/3; 5 - 2.5; 4 - 2; 3 - 1.5; 2/1 - 1 |
| 1 |  | Heron Oblivion
Heron Oblivion
And the award for best Bluesy Psychedelic Rock album of the month goes to...HERON OBLIVION. 8/10
Oriar, Beneath Fields, Rama, Your Hallows |
| 2 |  | Into It. Over It.
Standards
Outside of a couple tracks, it's just a boring same-y Emo-Pop-Punk or something. 4/10
Your Lasting Image, Bible Black |
| 3 |  | Aurora
All My Demons Greeting Me As a Friend
Florence+The Machine meet First Aid Kit meet electronica. I'm in. 7/10 |
| 4 |  | Ocean Jet
The Word Never Dropped
They no more screw around and go with full ambitions. They used to be very unsure and slightly naive Darkwave and now the vocals show off all they're capable of and the atmosphere is bigger and grander than ever. 7/10
Into The Storm, Breaking The Stones |
| 5 |  | The December Sound
Real Reign
It consists of two tracks and they both are very different. When one gets noisy and chaotic up to a point when it kind of hurts your ears; and the other one is more ambient and calm. I think, overall, I enjoyed it, but be careful with the first track and don't listen to it in your headphones. 7/10 |
| 6 |  | Sheer Mag
Sheer Mag III
Honestly, with that cover art, I expected some brutal Black Metal, but what I got was a pretty fun Punky Rock. Though the vocals may get a little obnoxious at times and the production wasn't the greatest, but for the most part it was listenable. Especially with those riffs that are just fun as hell. 7/10 |
| 7 |  | La Sera
Music for Listening to Music To
This is like your typical Country-ish Rock played in pubs by bands that don't really fit in the atmosphere of the place, but will probably never make it anywhere better than this. Only difference is that this made it to something better. And it also has way better vocals. Well, partially, the female singer is really good, the guy is a little underwhelming, but passable. 6/10 |
| 8 |  | Echo Tail
Fields of Vision
I got to this because I’ve seen it in Featured lists here on Sputnikmusic. So I thought that I’ll give it a shot. Without knowing what to expect I was honestly surprised. I definitely dig the Space-y continuous Ambience and Post-Rock instrumentation. And besides from that, individually the songs are alright, but as I wandered through the tracklist I realised that by the end of it I was quite bored. But then again, it is listenable and it's nice to see a fellow Sputnik (yep, I call other users Sputniks, because of the origin of the word) in progress; please continue, I'm curious what's next. 6/10 |
| 9 |  | Liima
ii
Going into this record I didn't know what to expect. And what I got was a very interesting experimentation with Electronica and Rock. Now, with this record, the band could have definitely established its sound as very distinctive, as heard on such songs as Roger Waters, Amerika, 513, You Stayed In Touch With The Wrong Guy and other similar cuts on the record. But this style, though surely unique, there is desperately not enough of, despite its potential. I guess I was mislead by those two singles, but I really hoped for a unique experience. And occasionally it did pop up and did make the album justice. Now, I realise that I am nobody and none of the bandmembers will ever read this, but I recommend them nontheless to carry on creating that sort of music (as the singles were) that they clearly can do. 6/10
All that I named above... |
| 10 |  | This Dog Don't Hunt
Soul Shakin'
I'm pleasantly surprised. It's fun and hip. It's surprisingly well written, or, well, better than your usual youngster's Indie Rock. It's on Bandcamp, so give it a listen. 7/10 |
| 11 |  | Moonlit Align
Volume One
This thing jumps all over the place. It seems to me as if the band is “checking the territory”. They’re not sure what exactly will folks like, so they just throw a bunch of tracks together, all of which completely different (and I DO mean that there’s almost no similarity between tracks). There’s acoustic Folk song, then some electronics, then suddenly Metal (my personal favourite part), then some Punk-Rock and what not and so on. But again, when Metal kicks in, it is just great. 7/10 |
| 12 |  | Wolfox
The Wolfox
This is exactly what I am always hoping to find on Bandcamp. Now, this isn’t a masterpiece or anything, but it is a nice Folk EP. And it is on Bandcamp. 6/10 |
| 13 |  | Ghazi
Illustrious
Wow, could you, please, make it sound even more flat and mechanical? 5/10 |
| 14 |  | Ortega Fuerte
Damned Inheritance
The only thought I've had after listening to this was "What? What the heck?" 7/10 |
| 15 |  | Ortega Fuerte
Film Soundtrack for Banjo...
Jeez, they've released two of those things? 7/10 |
| 16 |  | Show Me A Dinosaur
Show Me A Dinosaur
What a mesmerising and hypnotic Post-Metal record. If only the vocals were pasted in a little better. 7/10 |
| 17 |  | Boris With Merzbow
現象 -Gensho-
Japanese people in a creative and creepy oddball...thing. 5/10 |
| 18 |  | Polysics
What's This
Again, Japanese people in a creative and creepy oddball...thing. 5/10 |
| 19 |  | Masami Akita / Eiko Ishibashi
Kouen Kyoudai 公園兄弟
And yet again, Japanese people in a creative and creepy oddball...thing. Do we actually need three of those...things? 5/10 |
| 20 |  | Lust For Youth
Compassion
Could have been just an okay electronic album with some nice beats and rhythms, though not exactly as cohesive lyrics. But the vocals are just nothing. 5/10 |
| 21 |  | Keeps
Brief Spirit
I don't know, I guess I was just a little indifferent towards the production. It probably tries to be soft and easy-going, but ends up sounding just compressed. 5/10 |
| 22 |  | Funeral Moth
Transience
Wow, can you possibly get even more primitively monotonous and unimaginative. 4/10 |
| 23 |  | Sacrilegium
Anima Lucifera
This is like some kind of 90s Black Metal throwback that unfortunately also implies modern atmospheric vibes. It doesn't go together very well, that slightly underproduced sound and the grandiose atmospheric ambitions. 6/10 |
| 24 |  | Denzel Curry
Imperial
Indeed. 7/10 |
| 25 |  | Draugnim
Vulturine
I've critisised quite a lot metal records this month. Well, look here, this is the way to do it, guys. 8/10 |
| 26 |  | The Body
No One Deserves Happiness
Have you ever listened to an Art-Rock album and thought that what was missing are shrieks of agony on the background? If yes, this album is for you. Above from that this album features a lot of inhumane hellish sounds and chaotic production, that will send chills down your spine. 8/10 |
| 27 |  | Inverloch
Distance | Collapsed
Man, that voice though! 7/10 |
| 28 |  | Gun Outfit
Two Way Player
Remember those nights when you're tired, but you are still unable to fall asleep and every second feels like an excruciating age. 5/10 |
| 29 |  | Iglooghost
Little Grids
Adventure Time: The Album. 8/10 |
| 30 |  | Big Ups
Before a Million Universes
Pretty solid punky album, but the vocals are barely engaging. The shouts are okay, but basically every song is multiple times interrupted with those long and boring slow passages that are there only to provide the following explosion a bigger momentum. 6/10 |
| 31 |  | Sonny Taipei
East
Meh, it's alright. It's harmless and more or less nicely written, so give it a shot. Unless you hate hearing similar guitarwork in every song. 6/10 |
| 32 |  | Sounds Like An Earful
29RPM
So appearantly there's this thing called RPM Challenge Newfoundland & Labrador, where you have to make an album in 29 days or something (one track per day). And I accidentaly stumbled upon one of such pieces.
This album is a sweet pop-y folk and it's also nice and relaxing. However, due to the fact that it consists of 29 tracks (!), don't expect to make it to the end awake. 6/10 |
| 33 |  | John Zorn
The Painted Bird
Easily the most mind-bending and odd record I've heard this year. This is gotta be the best depiction of the dark plague ages and the chaotic and terrifying world it was. 8/10 |
| 34 |  | Overview Effect
Fault Lines
This is an overwhelming record full of ambitions and monstrousity. It's so obvious that the band just wants to be grandiose and huge and monumental. But, though it has its moments, for the most part it is just a bore. What a shame. 5/10 |
| 35 |  | Hotel Lights
Get Your Hand In My Hand
Some genuinely pretty tunes on this record, but the vocals are unfortunately just hollow. 6/10 |
| 36 |  | Stemage
Narrowband
An epic instrumental Space-Post-Rock that will sit well with you if you're a Post-Rock fan. Or if you're just a rock fan, cause it's quite brief with a lot of nice riffs and progression. So, check it out. 7/10 |
| 37 |  | RJD2
Dame Fortune
A very versatile and splendid electronic/hip-hop record that not only has a lot of great and bombastic musical moments, but also a handful of features that blend in perfectly. 7/10 |
| 38 |  | Meilyr Jones
2013
Whimsical and magical display of how much you can take out of one short trip to Rome. Lyrically smart, musically surprising and quite oddly constructed. 7/10 |
| 39 |  | The Cryptoids
The Cryptoids
You know, when you listen to an album multiple times, you usually start to tell various details apart, ones you missed before, and the songs begin to sound more distinctive from each other. But here, I just felt that the songs blended in each other more and more. As if it all was just one song with occasionally changed riff and vocal progression. 5/10 |
| 40 |  | The Body and Full Of Hell
One Day You Will Ache Like I Ache
"And now even more gruesome! Get disgusted today, fellas! Don't miss your chance of being horrified and impressed at the same time" 7/10 |
| 41 |  | Rami
Pull Up On Winslow
Could you be less focused and memorable, please? 4/10 |
| 42 |  | Howls of Ebb
Cursus Impasse: The Pendlomic Vows
This album has one of my favourite metal lines ever: "Ghraaghghghjghghghrhehghghaaehhghghggers!" Brilliant poetry. 7/10 |
| 43 |  | VermilionAJ
drama
I like to throw around a term "disordered" a lot, when I'm talking about a record that is cleverly incohesive. And this album is exactly that. I don't recommend it to you, because of how...well...disordered it is. It is Japanese, so you gotta understand that these folks know their way around experimental music. But this piece is purely seemingly random sounds that together create more or less semi-appealing rhythms. And in regards to what it is (and I already metioned three other complete Japanese musical mindfucks this month) it is good, I guess. I really don't know. I mean, I sat through it and I didn't feel pain in my head, but also couldn't quite make up what exactly it was either. So , I'll just leave it in the same place as all the other Japanese people in a creative and creepy oddball...thing. 5/10 |
| 44 |  | M. Ward
More Rain
Unfortunately, this record did not sit with me at all. From very bland lyricism to completely hollow music. But everything has its exceptions and even this album featured some decent tunes and lyrics. But not enough. Outside of two or three tracks the whole thing is just forgettable mish mash of half-assed ideas and boring music. 3/10 |
| 45 |  | Starchild & The New Romantic
Crucial
This is just bland and hollow. It tries so hard to sound smooth and catchy. But comes off just cringeworthy. 4/10 |
| 46 |  | breaking forms
Uno
dafuq 3/10 |
| 47 |  | Rob Crow's Gloomy Place
You're Doomed. Be Nice
Snarky RocknRoll-ish Pop-Punk that has very little in terms of enthusiasm. Meaning, that you will barely want to come back to it. 5/10 |
| 48 |  | Damien Jurado
Visions of Us on the Land
A musical equivalent of levitation. A lucid dream and a trip into your deepest limbo and astral sphere. This album will give you a feeling like you've been wandering in the desert for quite some time and start to hallucinate. Every song compliments each other. Everything has this odd dreamy and slightly saddening vibe to it. And though Damien's vocals may not be the most powerful ones, they still work perfectly with the music he's playing. 8/10
November 20, QACHINA, Sam And Davy, ONALASKA, Walrus, Exit 353, Cinco de Tomorrow |
| 49 |  | Wall Of Death
Loveland
Wall of Death start off strong on here and all throughout the album they are trying to sound as chilled down and bluesy as possible. But a lot of the time this formula falls into a simplistic bore. 6/10 |
| 50 |  | Matthewdavid's Midnightflight
Trust The Guide And Glide
Jeez, what a boring masterpiece...6/10 |
| 51 |  | Esperanza Spalding
Emily's D+Evolution
Weird, but more and more exciting with each next listen. Though sometimes it did get a little too obnoxious for my taste. I guess, for now, my fascination with oddball Art-Pop still remains within St.Vincent and Torres range. 6/10 |
| 52 |  | Open Mike Eagle and Paul White
Hella Personal Film Festival
I was just completely indifferent towards that more-or-less emotionless delivery most of the times. And it's a shame, because this album has a lot of good lyrics and interesting ideas (and occasionally good melodies). But all in all, I am just completely lukewarm on this. 5/10
Check to Check, The Curse of Hypervigliance (In Politics, Romance &Cohabitation), A Short About A Guy Who Dies Every Night |
| 53 |  | The Sun Days
Album
Well played, well sung and soft Indie Rock. Just maybe nothing distinctive. 6/10 |
| 54 |  | O'Brother
Endless Light
The album starts off strong, but that formula the band is going for wears itself off pretty fast, once the second part of the album kicks in. The sound becomes a bit stale and over-the-top. But still, I'm glad I've heard this, because for the most part, it is still a killer record. 7/10
Slow Sin, Complicated End Times, Burn, Time Is A Length of Rope |
| 55 |  | SPG and the Vices
Don't Lose Your Head
Surprisingly good release. The songs are country-ish, popy and bluesy catchy as hell. And if they manage to sign up to some more or less succesful label and get even a minor hype, their future is as bright as a star. (and it also sounds like a less psychedelic version of that Damien Jurado record that I gave 9 to). 8/10
Jenny, One Day (Parking Tickets), Grizzlies & Ponies, These Are The Days |
| 56 |  | Matt Ferrara
Fall & Fade
Mostly obnoxious as hell, though sometimes quite catchy. 5/10 |
| 57 |  | Nada Surf
You Know Who You Are
Sucking up last shreds of past popularity in one of the most lazy-sounding albums I've heard this year. 5/10
Out Of The Dark |
| 58 |  | North
Light the Way
I don't know, it's either the instrumentation that felt somewhat samey or the overall vibe of the album (to which the instrumentation contributes). Though I do understand that those deep and low as hell guitars were supposed to create a dark atmosphere, but I just grew tired of it. 6/10 |
| 59 |  | Telstar Sound Drone
Magical Solutions To Everyday Struggles
A record so mesmerisingly psychedelic and profoundly hypnotising to a point of certain dizziness. 7/10
Something I Can't Place, Dark Kashmir, Strange Apples |
| 60 |  | Yndi Halda
Under Summer
Proof that long doesn't necessarily mean good. Though I do appreciate the good production and atmospheric instrumentation, ultimately I couldn't pick one song that I liked in its entirety. They were all (there's 4 of them) filled with both great moments and a shitloads of expendable filler material. 6/10
Golden Threads From The Sun (I guess...you know, if I had to pick one that I was most enthusiastic about) |
| 61 |  | The Drones
Feelin Kinda Free
This is my first experience with The Drones. And though I don't know if they're this odd always or if it's just this album that is an experiment. Anyhow, the themes and even the disordered instrumentation managed to come together into some sort of cohesiveness, the vocals just ended up annoying me, unfortunately. 6/10
Private Execution, Tailwind |
| 62 |  | Sarke
Bogefod
Possibly the blandest Metal album this year, the dullest production and easily worst vocal performance of them all. I don't have all that much else to add. 5/10
Barrow of Torolv (some parts, like the acoustic and the atmospheric ones were okay) |
| 63 |  | Nine Lashes
Ascend
The most gutless, bland and primitive record I've heard in a long time. Strange lyrics accompanying the music have the most cringeworthy religious undertones this year, no doubt. But maybe, that's just an atheist talking out of me and my devilish sinner mind won't accept this faithful album and I feel the urge for blasphemy. Hraaaaghghghghghghhghsorry, I think I am possessed by the devil...appearantly. Meh, so be it. Still better than to listen to this mess. 2/10 |
| 64 |  | Space Funeral
City Of Forms
A poorly produced Metal based purely on bass line (again, badly produced) can hardly be a good one. 5/10 |
| 65 |  | Black Helicopters
Diagonal Science
Let's go through this step by step: bad production, boring instrumentation, drowned vocals and you got the idea. You think I liked it? 5/10 |
| 66 |  | James
Girl At The End Of The World
Very similar to that Travis album I critisised in April list. In that, it has a lot of empty tunes and semi-interesting melodies to fill in the lack of ideas the band was struggling to find since the decline of Britpop and subsequent (and personally despised) Post-Britpop (which is more like your typical Pop-Rock, but with a bigger amount of guitars, most of which are acoustic). 5/10
To My Surprise, Waking, Girl At The End Of The World |
| 67 |  | Hospital Ships
The Past Is Not A Flood
An oddly relaxing record with a little obnoxious but still satisfying vocals. 7/10
You And I, Long You May, Nothing To Hide |
| 68 |  | Polica
United Crushers
And the award for the most excruciating Electropop record of the month goes to...POLICA. 4/10 |
| 69 |  | New Keepers of the Water Towers
Infernal Machine
I feel like I'm in some kind of dark twisted nordic detective thriller, and I'm diggin' it a lot. 8/10
The Forever War, Tracks Over Carcosa, Escape Aleph Minor, This Infernal Machine |
| 70 |  | Khun Narin
II
This looks a lot like that Ukandanz album, in that, it is weird due to it's exotic vibes. Unfortunately, the production on this thing makes each song sound just barely engaging. I guess that production style (and completely vague drumming) was exactly what they were going for, but it doesn't do anything for me. 5/10 |
| 71 |  | Plague Vendor
Bloodsweat
That's an option as well, you know, to shout your way to quality. As ridiculously bloodpumping album as this one could only wish for. 8/10
Anchor To Ankles, Jezebel, Credentials, Chopper and ah fuck it, everything's awesome! |
| 72 |  | Flatbush Zombies
3001: A Laced Odyssey
I just can't really decide whether I don't mind that laid-back eventless style or whether I don't like it at all. By the end of it, I was honestly tired of all that slow and chilly production. 6/10 |
| 73 |  | Mind Spiders
Prosthesis
An output, that is surprisingly decent in its own way, from a band that I've heard a lot about, but never came across directly. Prosthesis has a lot of guts and personality that is very well depicted in the interestingly bizarre production that makes the instruments sound (not obnoxiously) electric and sort of technological. 7/10
Running, Prosthesis, Nothing Without It |
| 74 |  | Iggy Pop
Post Pop Depression
Post career regression. 6/10
American Valhalla, In The Lobby, Vulture |
| 75 |  | Underworld
Barbara Barbara, we face a shining future
With every next Electronica beats-driven record I believe less and less in my ability to understand the genre. 6/10 |
| 76 |  | Asking Alexandria
The Black
I've noticed a pattern with all of these Pop-Metal/Metalcore bands - they're all shit. 3/10 |
| 77 |  | Cullen Omori
New Misery
A sweet and gentle Pop-Rock, that may end up feeling samey after a while. 6/10
Two Kinds, Sour Silk, Synthetic Romance |
| 78 |  | Kiran Leonard
Grapefruit
For how good the instrumentation is, the vocals are just obnoxiously lackluster. And for how little ideas Kiran provides, the record is excruciatingly long. But hell, maybe that's all the way it was supposed to be and this album is just a certain form of trolling. 5/10
Secret Police, Caiaphas In Fetters, Half-Ruined Already |
| 79 |  | Atrocious Abnormality
Formed in Disgust
This album features both some of the lowest vocals and some of the highest vocals ever. Unfortunately, I never liked when the vocal perforamce is way too deep and low (the reason, why I could never really get musch into Cattle Decapitation). Many will disagree and say that as low as on here is the best it can get. However, no for me. I could hardly digest this. Still, the instrumental aspects are fantastic. 6/10 |
| 80 |  | Adamn Killa
Back 2 Ballin
The laziest Hip-Hop album this year. Hands down. 4/10 |
| 81 |  | Oddisee
Alwasta
Oddisee is on this EP surprisingly way more consistent and cohrsive than on any of his full lenght albums. 8/10
Asked About You, No Reservations, Lifting Shadows, Slow Groove |
| 82 |  | Yuck
Stranger Things
Another band, who forgot that it's 2016 and nobody cares about this kind of music anymore. 5/10 |
| 83 |  | The Joy Formidable
Hitch
An album full of well put together songs with good instrumentation. Unfortunately, most of the time, the tunes and the melodies are not memorable at all. No matter, how well played it is. And why are the songs always so long? They mostly all overstay their welcome pretty soon. 6/10
Radio Of Lips, Liana, Blowing Fire |
| 84 |  | Rotten Sound
Abuse to Suffer
I am searching for words to describe it, but all that comes to mind is: Holy Shit! 7/10 |
| 85 |  | Obsidian Kingdom
A Year With No Summer
Banal and uninteresting. I get what the band is going for and I can see people liking it, it just isn't for me. I tried, it didn't work. 6/10 |
| 86 |  | Port Noir
Any Way The Wind Carries
An album full of songs all performed with half the emotions that could have given it that punch it obviously deserves. 6/10 |
| 87 |  | Romp
Departure From Venus
The vocals on here are only good when they're shouting and the lyrics are simply silly. Whether that is done on purpose or not I don't care, it's just barely listenable. Occasionally the tunes are okay and the vocals don't show off the singing inability. In such moments it's alright, but such moments come up rarely. I simply can't get into this even if I really wanted to. Frankly, I have very little interest. 4/10
Get Off A Scale, Come Undone |
| 88 |  | Turnover
Humblest Pleasures
Run For Covers Records apparently love this instrumental easy-going style of Pop music, because last bunch of albums I've heard from them was mostly a parapharse of the same thing. This is a similar case. 6/10 |
| 89 |  | Lucius
Good Grief
I really did not expect all that much from this album, seeing that genre if Electronic Indie Pop has a pretty low profile in my eyes lately. But Lucius manage to break through with a collection of tracks, out of which at least more than half is really decent and the rest is passable. I like the vocal performance and the music is always so nicely melodic and occasionally catchy with some sweet beats every now and then. I might just suggest a little more experimentation next time. I'd really love to see either the music or the lyrics to get a little surreal. There's definitely a room for that. 7/10
Madness, What We Have (To Change), Truce, Almighty Gosh, Born Again Teen |
| 90 |  | Glenn Jones
Fleeting
I beautiful guitar only album by a prolific performer. It is nice and comforting (but I won't include it in my year end list, because an album like this can hardly be bad). 8/10 |
| 91 |  | Gesture
Gesture
Hands down, the laziest, most obnoxious and most uneventful Post-Punk set of songs this year. 3/10 |
| 92 |  | Izegrim
The Ferryman’s End
The vocals don't really fit well, but I am willing to forgive that for the music on here is simply fantastic. 7/10 |
| 93 |  | Jastreb
Orient and Occident
This record's in desperate need of a good remastering, because I sound like every instrument was recorded in a plastic bucket. 5/10 |
| 94 |  | Stepdad
Masterbeast Theatre
Halfway through it I forgot why is this kind of music still a thing. 4/10 |
| 95 |  | Clark
The Last Panthers
Clark tries to come off atmospheric, but on many occasions he just ends up sounding quite superficious. 6/10 |
| 96 |  | Stuck In The Sound
Survivor
This is not Shoegaze, this isjust a sterilised Indie Pop-Rock with a little disoriented electronic production. 3/10 |
| 97 |  | Night Moves
Pennied Days
A strange case of an album that is probably supposed to sound sweet and catchy, but is neither of those things. 6/10
Carl Sagan, Border on Border |
| 98 |  | The Falcon
Gather Up the Chaps
"The chaps can't come, mate, they're drunk and unable to even put together some semi-decent music." 4/10 |
| 99 |  | Miike Snow
III
Castration. This album sounds exactly like any of their previous albums, but for some weird reason this time it doesn't work. 5/10 |
| 100 |  | Bus
The Unknown Secretary
Bus delivers a performance so static yet massive in its sound that at first you may think it is some forgotten Black Sabbath record (although you most. Likely won't due to those vocals). 8/10 |
| 101 |  | Splendor
Despondency
"Welcome to your darkest, creepiest and most depressive nightmare. You're in here for life." 7/10 |
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