andconham's Diary

It's a dark album, compounded by Curtis' death the following year. It's a case of an album and a band being forever stuck in the small window of time that they were active, and that always makes for an effective listen (similar to Jeff Buckley and Her's). I don't think it's a perfect album, but it h…

God damn, this album came out of nowhere. First time listener to these guys, and they may have just put out my favourite album of the year so far. Hints of 2000s rock and metalcore, but still sounds very modern. Aggressive and abrasive in parts, but the slower sections work just as well. Favourite…

A near flawless combination of Prog Opeth, and Death Metal Opeth. It's epic, it's depressing, and its all performed perfectly. The songs are long but they are a journey and never overstay their welcome. The understated section where you can hear every note, culminate well into clean Death Metal, wit…

First time listening to Peggy since Veteran, which i enjoyed at the time. This album was okay, but got a little tiresome at points. The vocal performances really don't have much flavour, and there's nothing really memorable here that isn't a sample. The production is where he usually shines, and the…

Classic/10. It really is just a flawless thrash album, with no wasted moments. Every song here can reasonably be considered some of Metallicas best, and the best in the genre over all. It's easy to scoff at Metallica these days as the poster boys of heavy metal, but revisiting this shows that that b…

A great 4-track taster, sounding a bit grungier than their later releases. Those signature rolling grooves carry the album along, feeling particularly groovy during Can't Get It Up. Research Chemicals is really the highlight, and it's easy to see why they end their sets with this tune.

An album of two halves. The first, the classic Neil Young folk sound he is known for. This half features great songwriting, and fun guitar work. The second half is more rock oriented, bordering on grungy at times, and its great. Favourite Tracks: - My My, Hey Hey - Thrasher - Sail Away - Powderfing…

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…

I appreciate the foundation that this lay for hardcore, and there is some good tunes on here. I also like the Straight Edge themes throughout, making for some unique lyrical content. I just don't think it has aged as well as other hardcore albums of the era. A little repetitive, even with most of th…

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…

Great music to get the blood pumping. Chunky riffs and breakdowns, with aggressive vocals don't overstay their welcome on this brief album, making it ideal for repeat listens. Favourite Tracks: - Don't Need - The First Test - Kill Cap - I Mean It - Caught In A Craze

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…

Damn this is good stuff, love that feeling of discovering a band that instantly clicks. Great hardcore/metalcore that scratches that turnstile itch, while also standing on its own. Looking forward to diving into their earlier albums for sure. Favourite Tracks: - Cold 2 The Touch - Zero - Dust - Man…

Cro-Mags go pretty much full Thrash here, and its pretty good. It doesn't reach the highs of the first two albums, but it's still a fun listen with some great head-bobbing riffs throughout. Favourite Tracks: - Eyes of Tomorrow - Apocalypse Now - The Paths of Perfection - Kuruksetra

Probably an album that will grow on me further as time goes on, but my first dive into Youngs discography starts on a high. Sitting somewhere between country, folk, and rock the more minimal songs shine for me. Great introspective songwriting with transporting instrumentals. Favourite Tracks: - Wal…

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…

A near perfect pop-punk record. Like Williams herself, Paramore's music is aging like fine wine which I guess is why they are finding a new crowd with TikTok. Alternating between upbeat rock tunes and powerful ballads, this album doesn't really dip in quality throughout its runtime. Favourite Track…

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 great collection of in-you-face Punk tunes. Subtlety is nowhere to be found, and I love the attitude. The production on this is also much better than I anticipated, with everything sounded crisp without feeling over produced. Favourite Tracks: - Less Talk, More Rock - And We Thought Nation States…

My first full Arlo Parks album, and this is a bit more danceable than I was expecting. Beautiful production, smooth singing, and goos songwriting combine to produce a great neo-soul album with a bit of electronic influence. Favourite Tracks: - Blue Disco - Heaven - Luck of Life - What If I Say It

Not entirely my cup of tea. It's pleasant enough while it's on, but it's a little forgettable for me. I can definitely see the laid-back pop style connecting with others though. Favourite Tracks: - The Band - Spinning Around - The Trouble

Great Alternative Metalcore here. Doesn't stick to one style, and flows between genres quite well. Production might be a touch too clean, but the riffs and breakdowns are great, and the vocals range is pretty good for this type of album. Favourite Tracks: - Aggressive Evoution - Two Way Mirror - Sc…

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…

A great post-punk album, that really sounds ahead of it's time and doesn't sound all that dated. Great guitar work, and songwriting throughout. The standout being the 10 minute title track. Marquee Moon. Favourite Tracks: - Friction - Marquee Moon - Elevation - Guiding Light - Torn Curtain