To the albums, with notes from me, either from prior listening or from a new run through the tunes right now.
1. Mitski - Be the Cowboy. I liked this album, but it was too uneven for me to love it like this.
2. Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour. Hell yes, Pitchfork. For once, we agree on something.
3. DJ Koze - Knock Knock. Ahhhhhh, there it is. The absolutely random album, picked for a top three slot, that makes readers everywhere know that Pitchfork still has its full indie cred and is a knower of cooler things than you. "There are no barriers between genres, eras, origins—only freedom." Yeah, bro. Although, and I hate to admit it, the tunes are kinda cool. AND he has one of the dudes from Arrested Development rap on one of them! BUT its 1:18 long which feels kinda like eternity. And that is my verdict - a few songs at the start, good stuff. The other 15 songs, too much of a mediocre thing.
4. Robyn - Honey. This one might be a consensus pick, I know that RS had creamed itself over how amazing this album was. From my view, its aiight. Kind of a throwback to music I never really liked in the 90's. One big positive for the album? Only 9 songs and 40 minutes. I'll pass.
5. Snail Mail - Lush. Right on. I agree that this one is good stuff, although I had it down at #8.
6. Rosalia - El Mal Querer. Another one I've never even heard of. I mean, but its all in Spanish, so can you blame me? I actually like the sound - the intricate rhythms and world textures, but I wouldn't listen to this one again. Here is the top track, "MAMAMENTE," with 52.7 million streams and a pound and a half of sexy.
7. Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs. Crazy stat - I saw this album was 15 songs and was like UUUGGGGHHHH, but then looked and the whole thing is 24 minutes. Only three songs hit 2:00. Interesting. Honestly weird to me that this is the only rap album to make their top ten [EDIT, Tierra Whack is apparently rap]. These raps are fine, but the beats super simple, like just a single sample looped with little adornment, and the tone of his raps is kind of boring, just plain and talkative. I guess the lyrics must be great - I'll need to go back to find out...
8. Low - Double Negative. I recall seeing people talk about this when it came out, but never gave it a shot. I'd categorize this as actively unpleasant. "Tempest" makes me want to claw my ears out. Other bits are less unpleasant, but still not even remotely accessible. Their Spotify bio says that this album is an experiment in "discordant electronics" and that Low is the "slowest of the so-called 'slowcore' bands." This album is horrible. The only reason you put it in your top ten list is because you want to try to prove to everyone else how your tastes are so finely developed that you even love this grinding ear murder.
9. Tierra Whack - Whack World. This is wild. Never heard of this rapper, this album, anything, but it is a fifteen minute long album made up of fifteen one minute long songs. They mix up rap and R&B, mostly with each song picking a genre (because they're so dang short, she can't switch up in the middle of a track) and a mound of auto tune. I think "4 Wings," "Fuck Off," and "Hungry Hippo" are my favorites, but I'm super fascinated by the idea of this tiny little album. Her Spotify bio says that each song has a video, and that this was intended to be a visual album.
10. Yves Tumor - Safe in the Hands of Love. Starts off kinda OK, but literally couldn't finish the last song. His Spotify bio mentions making "confrontational noise," and I'd firmly agree with that thought. And say hell no.
So, two horrible things. And really only one new thing I hadn't heard before that is worth holding on to. Huh. Freaking Pitchfork. Why did I even try theirs in the first place?
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