andconham's Diary

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (6/30) A unique blend of genres results in a R&B album with a distinct sound that works very well and stands out from her contemporaries. Will definitely seek out more from Sudan Archives going forward! Favourite Tracks: - Confessions - Iceland Moss - Coming Up - Limitless

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (5/30) Another soft dream pop release from Fazerdaze here, with this one going into even dreamier territory. This is a great follow up to her debut with a nostalgiac sound that maintains a solid vibe throughout it brief runtime. Favourite Tracks: - So Easy - Dancing Years - In Blue - Distorted Dreams - Cherry Pie

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (3/30) A short one here, this only being a 5 track EP. Some nice vibey, cruisy house music here. Retro inspired, and even with some hints of acid house in there, I could see this going down well at the early stages of the festival. The dub remix is the only song I wasn't super high on, but it was fine. Favourite Tracks: - Tell Me How - Hold It - Find Your Way - The Deepest

30 Albums Before Electric Avenue 2026 - Reviewing the albums of artists on the line up. (2/30) Great production on this one that has stood the test of time. Parts funky, parts grimy, parts groovy. The tounge-in-cheek vocals elevate the music well (for the most part), and make for a fun listen. Favourite Tracks: - Romeo - Breakaway - Get Me Off - Where's Your Head At

A bit more scattershot than their previous albums, with The Strokes playing with their sound a bit here. The result is a bit of a mixed bag, though mostly good. Even with the sonic changes, it still sounds undeniably like a Strokes record. Favourite Tracks: - Under The Cover Of Darkness - Two Kinds of Happiness - Taken For A Fool - Games - Metabolism

A brief, dark, sad collection of acoustic alternative rock songs. The first half of this album is stacked. Unfortunately the last few songs don't hit as well for me. Instrumentally it's darkly soothing, and the harmonies are haunting. Favourite Tracks: - Rotten Apple - Nutshell - I Stay Away - No Excuses

More good stuff from Deftones here. A bit more of a mixed bag here but the continue honing their signature shoegaze/metal sound. But my god, pink cellphone really is as bad as they say! Favourite Tracks: - Hole In The Earth - Rapture - Cherry Waves - Xerces - Riviére

Worth a 10/10 for the Booker T sample alone. Conway maintains his streak of solid albums, with another swagger filled collection of raps over cold beats. Some welcome features on this track list as well. Favourite Tracks: - Slapbox - Piper - Land O' Lakes - Sigel In State Prop

A very frontloaded album here, with all the 'singles' coming one after the other to start. The back half of this album is forgettable and not really worth revisiting. The hits do hit hard though and are worth replaying over and over. Favourite Tracks: - Given Up - Leave Out All The Rest - Bleed It Out - Shadow Of The Day - What I've Done - No More Sorrow

Better than expected. New vocalist is pretty damn good, and I can image her covering the classics quite well. There's a few bangers throughout this brief runtime as well. It's hard to escape the shadow ast over this band, but on its own merits it's not half bad. Favourite Tracks: - Heavy Is The Crown - Two Faced - IGYEIH

Great album here. Smooth instrumentals, with a subdued Akerfeldt on vocals this time around. Album breezes by, with a shorter run time than usual. The songs are still long but nothing outstays it's welcome, only wish the album ended a bit stronger. Favourite Tracks: - Windowpane - In My Time Of Need - Hope Leaves - To Rid The Disease

Slaves 'comeback' album after rebranding themselves as Soft Play. Whatever you think about the name change, you can't deny this album holds up well within their catalogue. Yes some of the lyrics are a bit corny but the track list here plays out largely tongue-in-cheek and full of character as you expect from these guys. Great energy, heavy riffs, great stuff. Favourite Tracks: - Punk's Dead - Isaac Is Typing - John Wick - Mirror Muscles - Everything and Nothing

Solid Hardcore album. Turnstile again keeps it brief with some rapid-fire tunes, churning out some groovy riffs and energetic vocals. Not as experimental as later releases of theirs, with this one keeping it relatively simple and rockin'. Favourite Tracks: - Gravity - Fazed Out - Bad Wave - Out Of Rage - Stress

Short and sweet. Turnstile keeps it brief with this album, with most songs clocking under 2 and a half minutes. They pack in some good tunes with the classic fun riffs you expect from turnstile. They would go on to do better, but this is still a fun album with some bangers littered throughout. Favourite Tracks: - Real Thing - Big Smile - Generator - I Don't Wanna Be Blind - Lost Another Peice of My World - Can't Get Away - Come Back For More - Time + Space

Feels a little directionless and toothless when compared to their previous efforts. But even a lesser Deftones album is still a great album, just not one I will return to as often as White Pony, Diamond Eyes or Around The Fur. Favourite Tracks: - Hexagram - Needles and Pins - Minerva - When Girls Telephone Boys - Battle-axe - Bloody Cape

A slight step down from their previous album, with a few songs sounding a bit samey. The riffs still crush, with good solos, sick drum work and some catchy vocals as well. Solid stuff. Favourite Tracks: - Walk With Me In Hell - Again We Rise - Redneck - Pathetic - Blacken the Cursed Sun - Forgotten (Lost Angels)

A solid debut, and a good hint of things to come. Deftones come out the gate here with a raw, low fi, aggressive alternative/nu metal album that hits more than it misses. Obviously not their best work, but very good for a debut from a band still finding their sound. Favourite Tracks: - Bored - Minus Blindfold - Nosebleed - Root - 7 Words - Birthmark - Engine No. 9 - Fireal

Not my favourite VB album, but even at their 'worst' the boys show more creativity and character than most others in the rock world at the moment. Electronic/disco infused post-punk with great rolling grooves and the usual brand of slurring, crooning vocals. Favourite Tracks: - Ain't Nice - Creatures - 6 Shooter - Secret Canine Agent - I Feel Alive

Good enough album here, but is noticeably front loaded. The first half goes pretty hard, but then is brought down by a bit of filler towards the end. The hits here are pop punk classics though, and even average TBS songs are better than most in the genre. Favorite Tracks: - Set Phasers to Stun - Bonus Mosh Pt II - A Decade Under The Influence - This Photograph Is Proof - The Union - Slowdance On The Inside

A pop punk classic, but looking back this album is very front-loaded. The hits are great as are some of the b-sides, but there is some forgettable moments on the back half of this. Still, a fun listen and likely Green Days peak. Favourite Tracks: - American Idiot - Jesus of Suburbia - Holiday / Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Give Me Novacaine / She's A Rebel - Letterbomb - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Never been the biggest Jay-Z fan, but this one was pretty good. Sill some corny and awkward lines scattered throughout ("what's better than one billionaire? Two" 🤮), but there's also some great introspective songs on here that makes it worth a listen. Favourite Tracks: - Kill Jay Z - The Story of O.J. - Caught Their Eyes - 4:44 - Legacy