andconham's Diary

A good combination of indie and 80s pop. A bit overlong, with some filler but for the most part this album holds up well. The instrumentals are fun, and the songwriting is catchy and and clever. Favourite Tracks: - The City - Chocolate - Sex - Heart Out - Robbers - Girls

A dark album that is best enjoyed in full, rather than singling out specific songs. It's dreary and moody, and maybe a touch repetitive. It's not my favourite album of theirs, but it's still an important album in their discography and is perfect when you're after this specific mood. Favourite Track…

Big, epic stadium rock with some classic tracks on this album. Outside of the big singles there isn't too much that grabs my attention, but there's nothing bad and the good songs are really good. Favourite Tracks: - Starlight - Supermassive Black Hole - Invincible - Assassin - Knights of Cydonia

Rating just based on the studio recordings that make up the first half of the album. Admittedly never listened to Mudhoney despite being a big fan of their contemporaries. This is a great grunge / punk crossover, with a raw unpolished sound that works quite well. Given this is a reissue with additio…

This is pretty good pop rock. I think with time if Sombr can expand on this sound a vary it up a bit, we might have a great artist emerging. As it is, it's catchy and vibey, with easy relatable lyrics. Favourite Tracks: - 12 for 12 - i wish I knew how to quit you - back to friends - undressed

Orchestral renditions of what is pretty much Metallica's greatest hits. It works quite well for the most part, giving a lot of songs an epic feeling. I think some renditions don't quite hit the mark (Sad But True, Hero of the Day), but some really hit it, particularly on the first disc. I do find He…

I think Morrissey borders on self parody here, but it works for the most part. Instrumentally this album is great, and I do enjoy Morrissey brand of crooning. It's a bit hard to take stuff like 'Meat Is Murder' seriously though. Favourite Tracks: - The Headmaster Ritual - I Want the One I Can't Ha…

A good debut for this legendary band. There's hints of their defining sound in here, albeit with a rougher mix than later releases. There's a bit of a dip in quality during the middle section, particularly the Foxey Lady cover, but for the most part this album is a successful debut. Favourite Track…

Chino's side project at times feels like toothless Deftones, but mostly it creates a good vibe throughout. Some great production here, that pairs well with Chino's vocals to create some great soundscapes. Favourite Tracks: - Bitches Brew - The Epilogue - Nineteen Ninety Four - Option

A7X goes big on this album, with the scope being larger than their previous album. It doesn't all land for me, with the back end of the album dragging a little. When they keep it simple, the album works much better. The singles are all great, anthemic rock tunes that were staples of my teen years.…

Great production throughout this album. Vince flows over these live music inspired beats well, and the lyricism is mostly good too. Score will likely go up with further listens. Favourite Tracks: - Blackberry Marmalade - White Flag - Big Bad Wolf - Cotton

Pretty good Metalcore album here, with a bit more nuance and variety than their contemporaries. The transitions between songs are seamless, and flow and pacing of the songs themselves is great. Rating mat increase with further listens. Favourite Tracks: - Nurture - The Haze - Coven - Where We Go Wh…

A pretty fun psychedelic rap album. Bronson laid back delivery flows well over these unique beats. His lyrics are goofy and charming as ever, and there's some pretty good features throughout too. Favourite Tracks: - OLYMPIC VINCE CARTER - TRICERATOPS - PEPPERS - MANDEM

Recorded in the mid 70s and kept on the bench until 2009, this Punk album was ahead of its time and completely unnoticed for too long. It's not perfect, but it's shows great potential for a band that never got a chance to reach it. Favourite Tracks : - Keep On Knocking - Rock-n-Roll Victim - You're…

Sweet and sad indie folk, that is a little overlong but easy to listen to. It's pretty minimal in it's sound, with most tracks having plenty of breathing room which is nice. First half is definitely the stronger half. Favourite Tracks: - Black Crow - For You - Big Jet Plane - Santa Monica Dream - Y…

It's a relatively 'safe' offering, when compared to his previous 3 albums. It almost works as a reset after the scope of Pure Comedy, and I think it works. The album breezes by with the smooth songwriting and introspective lyricism that you expect. Favourite Tracks: - Mr. Tillman - Date Night - Pl…

Some easy breezy listening throughout this duet album from Finneas and Ashe. The songwriting is great, and instrumentally it's pretty tight. Not every song clicked for me, but it's definitely worth a listen. Favourite Tracks: - The Little Mess You Made - The Hudson - Necessary Evils - Someday I'll…

Some silly, fun Thrash/Punk that doesn't really take itself too seriously. They're all about the party here, and they don't waste any time. It's a little one-note, but brief enough so it's not really an issue. Favourite Tracks: - The Art of Partying - Mental Shock - Lunch Hall Food Brawl - Chemical…

A decent pop punk album. Nothing you must go our of your way to hear, but if you're a fan of the genre then it's worth a listen. Some good angst, catchy in parts. Also a bit plain in parts, with some Tracks struggling to stando out. Favourite Tracks: - Missingno - For Those Who Come After - Floaram…

This album was recorded in a day with no budget and it shows. Everything is a little muddy, and Lemmy's voice is a bit buried. It's almost part of the charm though, as this album still rips through its short run time. Sitting somewhere between punk and heavy metal, this album set a great foundation…

A great debut here from Cypress Hill. The Cypress formula still hasn't really been matched, and they still sound one-of-one to this day. They would improve on this in their next album, but this was a good starter and sign of things to come. Favourite Tracks: - How I Could Just Kill a Man - Hand on…

I'll be honest, I didn't expect much out of a Social Distortion album in 2026. But this is pretty good! They still have the energy, and this album fits right in with their 90s releases for me. Doesn't really have anything new to say, but it invokes nostalgiac feeling from their heyday. Favourite Tr…

Fun pop rock, that forces a good mood while listening. It's all groovy, danceable, and a good time. Debbie Harry is an incredible front woman, and its easy to see how Blondie have endured so long. May grow to appreciate this one more over time. Favourite Tracks: - Hanging on the Telephone - One Way…

Unfortunately peaks with the very first song, but there's still plenty to like about the rest of the album. It's a bit of a mash of styles ranging from Thrash and Nu Metal, to more South American traditional sounding music that I'm too uncultured to name. It works well for the most part, the the fin…