Playboi Carti: Whole Lotta Red (2020) (Hip-hop,Trap)

It's not metal and barely punk, Whole Lotta Red is an unfinished, aesthetically dirty, collection trap scraps. Like his previous album, his writing is often impressionist, with embellishing ad-libs and some versatile inflexions and flows but not as capable as a Young Thug. Carti has a unique lane, it's too bad he does not commit to developing his ad-libs and repeated mantras throughout the song, they just exist to assume space. M3tamorphosis is good and parts of New N3on, and King Vamp have promising instrumentals and flows but are burdened but nonessential ad-libs and under committment

Hip-hop/Trap

C-

Savage Mode II: 21 Savage, Metro Boomin, 2020 (Hip-hop,Trap)

21 Savage is much more versatile much more amiable and occasionally humorous. Metro Boomin keeps up his consistent production with wide dark beats with little shimmers and sparkles. Retro Homage is present as shown on Steppin on Niggas an NWA nod. Savages attempts at softer more sensual trap are largely effective on Mr. Right Now and Said N Done while the tough songs (Glock in My Lap and Brand New Draco) reminding us that this is still a Savage tape. One of the better trap albums of the year.

Hip-hop/Trap

 7 Excellent Albums Fall Edition

John Wesley Harding, Bob Dylan (Country, Folk, Rock)

Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes (Folk, Rock)

Honor Killed The Samurai, Ka (Rap)

The Smiths, The Smiths (Pop, Rock)

Rubber Soul, The Beatles (Folk, Pop, Rock)

Over-nite Sensation, Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (Rock)

Song for My Father, The Horace Silver Quintet (Jazz)

Fleet Foxes: Shore (2020) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

Much more poppy than last efforts. Many pop ballads work well in their sphere and the punchy drums and colourful instrumentation helps give life to many songs, with many being well written. Some ballads are a bit to watered down. 

Chamber Folk/Folk-Pop/Folk Rock

Run the Jewels:RTJ4 (Hip-hop) (2020)

Hard bars, digitized boom-bap production, and some monster flows. From the start Killer Mike and El-P hit you with high octane and politically charged verses that demand attention, crafting an enticing album for hip-hop listeners. The oldheads win on this one, one of the best hip-hop albums of the year.

Boom-bap/ Concious Hip-hop/ Hardcore Hip-hop

Gryphon: Red Queen to Gryphon Tree (Folk, Instrumental, Progressive Rock) (1974)

Other than the song titles and the occasional tension, not much gives the impression of a "chess album" but the slight medieval tinges and pleasant motifs (especially on the 3rd song) do give a beautiful archaic tang much like much of fantastical scene of 70s UK prog, but this much with an apparent baroque and folk influence while still maintaining electronic instruments, organs, a rustic percussion section and all the gimmicks and intricacies of prog.

Medieval Folk/Progressive Folk/Progressive Rock

Taylor Swift: folklore (2020) (Folk, Pop)

As much as the gimmick of lowercase titles may be evidence of quaint rustic indie folk, a sheen of top 40 always remains. "The Woods" are a backdrop for Taylor's pop all crafted meticulously and clean but often effectively written songs about well ... romance and movies? The album is a bit of a bummer and its melancholy can be a bit overbearing not in how sad it is but how passive and similarly many of the songs are, but I can say its value can come from its dreaminess and occasional subtlety.






Chamber Pop/Folk Pop

Arca: KiCk i (2020) (Electronic, Pop)

Arca's usage of texture is intriguing and varied with her performances, ranging from chaotic to open and dramatic, focusing for the most part on sonic sentiment and dynamism rather than harmony and catchiness which allows for left field-like songs that still occasionally manage to fit in the pop sphere(Mequetrefe, KLK, Machote), for the most part, the tunes are for avande garde electronic but much crossover appeal can be found. Most songs are in Spanish, few are in English.







Art-Pop/Avande Garde/Electronic

Donovan: A Gift From a Flower to a Garden (1967) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

The hippie tendencies run deep and the faint nature of many songs will be worthwhile for those wishing to relive this era. As charming Donovan's whimsical and earthy sing is, at times the performances and instrumentals don't take as much authority rather seeming frivolous and too passive. Highlights include Wear your love like Heaven, There Was a Time, Someone Singing.






Folk-Rock/Psychedelic Pop

Gene Clark: No Other (1974) (Country, Folk, Rock)

Encapsulated sentiments of 60s counterculture but this time rather than reiterating the same tired anti establish motifs, it is rather passive and accepting, vying between spiritual and grounded, with tailored production yet maintaining the Midwest authenticity.

Country Rock/Folk Rock/Psychedelic Rock

Bladee: Gluee (2014) (Hip-hop,Pop)

In icy fashion, this tight album is a hazy collection of tunes rapped in a dejected occasionally monotone fashion, but in a drugginess that is intoxicating and beats that glisten and can't help giving a feeling of bliss and euphoria, allowing for a fruitful merger of art-pop and cloud rap. A very similar album to Yung Lean's Unknown Memory released in the same year, but an all-round more concise and stronger finished product. Favourites include Ebay, Shadowface, Everlasting Flames and Unreal.






Art-pop/Alternative R&B/Cloud Rap/Trap

Neil Young: Homegrown (2020) (Country,Folk,Rock)

Recorded between 1974 and 1975. For the most part quaint country-folk ballads with the occasional rock tune largely relating to Young's relationships at the time. A good batch of folk songs from one of the greatest in the genre.








Country/Folk/Rock

Bladee: 333 (2020) (Hip-hop,Pop)

With excellent production helmed by Whitearmor, Bladee continues his trend of art-pop, rap fusions. Some poppier tracks that surely borrow from older trends such as Don't Worry, Mean Girls and It Girl. With ballads such as Wings in Motion and Only One mixed in, 333 has a range of productions and Bladee's singing and vocals have improved, largely due to a more effective use of autotune. The brevity of the songs does lead to a disjointed listening experience but many of the minuscule songs are refreshing enough both in performance and production. Such as Hero of My Story 3style3 where Bladee alternates between flows and vocal effects over a very ascending ethereal instrumental and the quirky Reality Surf with Bladee's subtle delivery and vocal samples.



Art-pop/Experimental Hip-hop/Trap

Juice WRLD: Legends Never Die (2020) (Hip-hop,Pop,Trap)

Juice WRLD was one of the many prominent figures in the trend of angsty emo-rap who died much too early. On Legends Never Die, Juice WRLD follows this aesthetic but includes some of his most commercial songs like the EDM tune Come & Go, this may be due to his recent passing and likely may not have been completely part of the artistic planning. But Juice WRLD always threaded close to pop and though that may be present in this album more than ever he still expresses a relatively versatile selection of songs all ranging from EDM, pop to trap with occasions of punk. The trap drums can occasionally get a bit stale, but the aesthetic changes that occur later in album keep things interesting. Juice show's himself to be a competent songwriter and rapper as shown in highlights Conversations, Righteous, Wishing Well, Up Up And Away. 




Emo Rap/Pop/Trap

Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (1967) (Country,Folk)

In a year that was largely defined by psychedelic rock and innovations to electric guitar music, Dylan countered the prevailing trend by reverted to a folkier more rustic sound. Though it is not completely akin to the work that made him the singer-songwriter darling of the era. Instead, Dylan invokes lyrics of folk tales, myth, legend, spirituality often in an ambiguous and self meditative state. Though very earthy, there is something very ghostly and mystic, a masterpiece of an album for the Fall.




Country/Folk

Bladee: Exeter (2020) (Hip-hop,Pop)

"Spring is never far" Bladee sings which is a good descriptor for EXETER, a mini album at on 18 minutes in length vaguely bright quirky and blissful. Not as overtly sombre as previous works, there is a stronger sense of playfulness on EXTER, though often leaving much to be wanted in terms of a fully fleshed-out song, the intriguing aesthetics of Draingang remain, crossing trap, art-pop and electronic music but never truly realized. Bladee's performances remain for the most part expressionless chants and autocroning. Highlights include RAIN3OW STAR (LOVE IS ALL), DNA RAIN, LOVESTORY

Art-Pop/Electronic/Experimental Rap

Perfume Genius: Set My Heart on Fire Immediately (Pop) (2020)

Some sentimental romantic tunes with melancholic taint. Though some ballads may be a bit melodramatic and skeletal, tending to float in the ether (Leave, Moonbend), Perfume Genius succeeds in crafting a fruitful collection of art-pop tunes while maintaining intimacy. The singing, though often wispy can be very soulful and slightly desolate. While instrumentally the album can quickly change allowing for versatility through merging an array of indie sounds, synths, classical music, quirky and more rock-oriented tunes, while still maintaining the cohesion of the album. Worth listening to for pop fans. Highlights include Describe, Jason, On the Floor, Your Body Changes Everything, Some Dream.

Art Pop/ Chamber Pop/ Indie Pop

Jeff Rosenstock: NO DREAM (Punk, Rock) (2020)

The scrappy punk energy is effectively encapsulated in intimate, angsty tunes that foray into power pop even if many of the songs may seem short the performances explosive. Sonically NO DREAM may not be too elaborate or novel, but Jeff's performances are for the most part explosive, emotive and compelling enough to connect with most punk, rock, pop fans (in that order). Favourite tracks include Nikes (Alt), Scram!, N O D R E A M, State Line, The Beauty of Breathing, Honeymoon Ashtray.




Indie Rock/Power Pop/Punk Rock

Skinshape: Umoja (Funk,Soul) (2020)

Very breezy and summerlike in all. It does get too diluted and safe even with the obvious ethnic pull from guest features, but overall the music is chill and warm with some nice background funky tunes. Sue Alma, Sudan, Dourlé are highlights.






Ethnic Psychadelic/Funk/Neo-Soul/West African Funk Fusion

Jay Electronica: A Written Testimony (2020) (Hip-hop)

Rarely as epic or profound as it may believe to be. Production is largely unrefined but occasionally decent with interesting choices that touch on industrial. Much of the album is full of vignettes of religious allusions with little worth than to show that they read some parts of the Quran and the Bible and are truly woke such as the likes of Louis Farrakhan, however never nearly as outrageous or offensive as him. By they I mean Jay#1 and Jay#2 (Jay Electronica and Jay-Z) as they are both equally featured on the album leading to free but almost indistinct mixtape like feel. It quickly becomes apparent which Jay is the more compelling one... A few decent production choices and compelling verses and highlights include The Blinding and Universal Soldier. 





Conscious Hip-hop/Islamic Hip-hop

Kyuss: Welcome to Sky Valley (1994) (Metal,Rock)

The high-intensity hellish energy of their previous albums becomes much more condensed. Though not as experimental as Blues For The Red Sun, Welcome to Sky Valley refines the stoner metal genre through more intricate and filling, lengthy compositions. The guitars and drums remain monstrous crushing and intense, but this time there is a bit more composure, they sound sharper, but at the same time the production feels open like you are listening to a band play in the stary nights of California. A real gem in the genre and should be listened to even if you are not a fan of the genre.







Heavy Psych/Stoner Metal/Stoner Rock

Kyuss: Blues For The Red Sun (1992) (Metal,Rock)

Some songs sound like fiery mosh pits (Green Machine, Writhe), others like psychedelic trips that slowly warp into nightmares (50 Millions Year Trip, Apothecaries' Weight), some more serious and foreboding, others more comedic and rebellious punk. Kyuss's energy is destructive, occasionally spacey, and often unbridled, with a versatile sound but raw sound, managing to craft one of the most influential albums in the stoner rock/metal catalogue. 




Heavy Psych, Stoner Rock, Stoner Metal

Freddie Gibbs, The Alchemist: Alfredo (2020) (Hip-hop)

Drugs, crime, God and the Streetz are lyrically found throughout Alfredo wrapped with The Alchemist's jazzy beats making an enjoyable but not particularly novel album. Though lyrically dark for the most part the album is breezy and easy going with the occasional upbeat, high tempo song (Frank Lucas, Baby $hit, All Glass),  Freddie manages to employ compelling flows and lyricism cementing himself even more in the gangsta rap cadre. Highlights include God is Perfect, Frank Lucas, Something to Rap About, Baby $hit.

Jazz Rap/Gangsta Rap

Kate Bush: Hounds of Love (1985) (Pop)

Lovey-dovey art-pop, with lavish violins, pianos, bells and all things baroque complemented by fruitful recording techniques, bordering on glitch and new wave (Waking The Witch, Watching You Without Me), Hounds of Love has the wide range of performances expected from art-pop acts while still feeling incredibly cohesive, intimate and sensual. With her dreamy but powerful performances, Hounds of Love is a masterpiece and easily one of the apexes in the 80s art-pop scene. 


Art-pop/Baroque Pop/Progressive Pop

Esbjörn Svensson Trio: From Gagarin's Point of View (1999) (Jazz)

Sleepy, peppy, dreamy, bright and occasionally dark. This album is an all-round, tight experience littered with different instrumental performances from each of its members. The pianos are sharp well-tailored to each song with subtly minimalist instrumentation.  





Jazz

Ween: The Mollusk (1997) (Rock)

At times very ridiculous, and occasionally serious. The Mollusk is an ironic collection of songs loosely tied by elements of sea and sailors that often border on insanity.  The shanties (Blarney Stone, She Wanted to Leave) are a lot of fun and the psychedelic tinges feel like a dreamy ocean. 

Art Rock/Psychedelic Rock/Sea Shanties

Paul Simon: Graceland (1986) (Pop,Rock)

Some trendies will be writhing in contempt as the white saviour comes to appropriate many ethnic styles, most of the South African origin. But, Paul is respected enough as a musician and for the most part genuine enough in his adoption of these styles that much of this criticism becomes baseless and ideological. The songs are translated into poppier, more refined songs for a western audience with bright showy instrumentation that is well-produced and will make listeners believe themselves to be fans of "world" music.

Best Tracks: The Boy in the Bubble, Graceland, Gumboots, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, You Can Call Me Al*, Under African Skies*, Crazy Love, Vol. II, All Around the World or the Myth of Fingerprints*






Pop Rock/ Zulu Music

Nicolas Jaar: Space Is Only Noise (2011) (Electronic)

Space is only noise, but is noise only space? I would say yes, at least in this album. Through the manipulation of textures and soundscapes, Nicolas manages to play with this notion, conjuring vibrational, mysterious ambient and electronic passages, occasionally adding samples or his own voice to establish a firmer base while still remaining shrouded and distant. 


Best Tracks: Colomb, Sunflower, Too Many Kids Finding Rain In the Dust, Keep Me There*, Space Is Only Noise If You Can See*, Almost Fell, Balance Her In Between Your Eyes, Specters of the Future, Variations






Ambient Pop/ Downtempo/ Electronic

billy woods, Kenny Segal: Hiding Places (2019) (Hip-hop)

Grimy vagabond rhymes with his usual cryptic lyrics and quotable punchlines. Beats are disorienting dark canvases for his esoteric ramblings which often start subtly only to add instrumental complexity. Woods is a captivating rapper even if his bars may need more attention than warranted, his flows are captivating and versatile, the nihilism and despondency of his bars reaks of booze. 

Best Tracks: Spongebob*, Steak Knives, Checkpoints, Spider Hole*, A Day in a Week in a Year, Crawlspace*

Abstract Hip-hop

Clams Casino: Instrumentals (2011) (Electronic,Hip-hop,Instrumental)

Icy beats, that helped solidify cloud rap as a genre. Surreal warped vocals and spacy samples allow for not only a fruitful, ethereal background listen but a cerebral sound that grows on listeners. It is repetitive enough that the loops get stuck in your head but intricate enough to be worthwhile. A benchmark in the genre.

Best Tracks: Motivation, Real Shit, Realist Alive*, Numb, What You Doin', The World Needs Change, Illest Alive




Cloud Rap/Electronic/ Instrumental Hip-hop/ Witch-house

Neutral Milk Hotel: In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998) (Folk,Rock)

A hallmark in indie folk music that remains daunting and sonically exhilarating. With enough complexity and esoteric lyrics to remain compelling after multiple listens, even if Magnum's voice is whiny and hard to listen to at times, the emotion and absurdity of the project strikes home, in one of the immortalized "hipster" albums of recent decades.



Best Tracks: King of Carrot Flowers Pt.1*, King of Carrot Flowers Pts.2 & 3*, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea*, Two-Headed Boy, The Fool, Holland, 1945*, Communist Daughter, Two-Headed Boy Pt.2



Folk Punk/ Indie Rock/ Psychedelic Folk

Nicolas Jaar: Cenizas (2020) (Ambient,Electronic)

Cenizas serves as detached spiritual odes. Never explicitly catchy or attention-grabbing, not immersing the listener but rather creating space to invite the listener to interpret this eerie, smoking work of art in their own introspective manner. Ambient yet the compositions are mostly jazz-inspired.



Best Tracks: Cenizas, Agosto, Mud, Hello, Chain *


B

Ambient/Avantgarde Jazz/Electronic

Love: Forever Changes (1967) (Folk,Pop,Rock)

It would be easy to say Forever Changes is just one of many feel-good hippie albums of the 60s, but in listening closer, it transcends that moniker. With its enduring, socially potent lyrics, bright, lush instrumentation and excellent songwriting, shifting from melancholy, longing and fervour all in a poetic existential tone, Forever Changes is a timeless well-defined linchpin of 60s era psychedelia. A lighting in the bottle moment, effectively encapsulating it's era in such a cohesive manner to point that it is everlasting. The news of today will be the movies of tomorrow. 

Best Tracks: Alone Again Or*, A House Is Not a Motel*, Andmoreagain*, The Daily Planet*, Old Man, The Red Telephone*, Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale*, Live and Let Live*, The Good Humor Man He Sees Everything Like This*, Bummer in the Summer, You Set the Scene


S+ Summer Vibes/ Baroque Pop/ Pop Rock/ Psychadelic Folk 

Ahmedou Ahmed Lowla: Terrouzi (2019) (Electronic,Instrumental)

The occasional trap drums can be stale but the Moorish instrumentation can often be worthwhile and some melodies are catchy. The album is, for the most part, mellow and warm, well fit for summer listening.





Best Tracks: Khal Kar, Kar, Lestkal, Niamey*, Mentou*


B


Electronic/ Ethnic Psybient/ Moorish Instrumental


Buy Here

Future: DS2 (2015) (Hip-hop,Trap)

A nicely bottled album that embodies the luxe, hedonism and druggy nature that Future and much of trap music has been known for. For the most part very cohesive, but occasionally a bit redundant.






Best Tracks: Thought It Was a Drought, I Serve the Base, Where Ya At, Groupies, Lil One, Freak Hoe, Blood On the Money


B


Southern Hip-hop/Trap

Lou Reed: Transformer (1972) (Rock)

With typical Lou Reed swagger, Transformer is a poppy glam rock record that still holds onto much of the dirt, hedonism, and instrumental fulfilment of his Velvet Underground days. The songs are simple and sufficient, never too arduous or taxing, yet incredibly catchy and diverse, with a large range of energetic performances, from punk-like to slower more art rock-inspired, with consistent quirk and wit to throw serious listeners off guard. One of the benchmarks in glam-rock, Transformer is a must-listen for pop and rock fans alike. 


Best Tracks: Vicious*, Perfect Day*, Hangin' Round*, Walk On the Wild Side*, Make Up, Satellite of Love*, Wagon Wheel, New York Telephone Conversation, I'm So Free*


S

Art rock/Glam rock/Pop rock

Ka: Descendants Of Cain (2020) (Hip-hop)

Largely the same abstract atmospheric style he is known for, this time with a larger thematic emphasis on Christianity and it's relation to Ka's life in somewhat of a noir biographical style. There are times where the vocals could have been more pronounced (My Brother's Keeper, Eye Of A Needle) and some instrumentals are too attention-grabbing yet lack diversity. The dark and punchy verses remain, in a good abstract hip-hop project.

Best Tracks: Every Now And Then, Unto Dust*, Solitude Of Enoch, Land of Nod, I Love (Mimi, Moms, Kev)

B

Abstract Hip-hop/Christian Rap/Conscious Rap/Experimental Rap


Buy Here

Yung Lean: Stranger (2017) (Hip-hop/R&B)

In a cleaner more polished formula than usual, Lean crafts a cloud rap album filled with a mix of introspective ballads and catchy cuts. Lean's rapping and lyricism is occasionally captivating and in association with the crisp and clear production of Gud, Yung Sherman, and Whitearmor he does effectively write songs that embody a sentiment of melancholy and bliss. Like much of his work, there are moments with underwritten, unstructured songs, marinating in instrumental vapor, but that being said, Stranger may be his most accessible album and also one of his strongest.


Best Tracks: Muddy Sea*, Red Bottom Sky, Skimask, Hunting My Own Skin, Iceman, Agony*, Yellowman

B



Alternative R&B/Ambient Pop/Cloud Rap/Emo Rap

Yung Lean: Starz (2020) (Hip-hop/R&B)

A mixed bag of personal melancholic R&B and cloud rap, packaged in an aesthetic that is a bit rougher than Stranger but still more serious than most of his work. Performances are varied, and instrumentals are typical blissful cloud rap with occasional abrasive witch house. Some good songs but there are also barren songs with not enough focus or structure (Acid at 7/11, Butterfly Paralyzed), leading some songs to feel like filler. Still many blissful and interesting sounds are found like the lo-fi childlike Dogboy or witch house inspired downer banger Boylife in EU.

Best Tracks: Yayo, Boylife in EU*, Violence, Starz, Dogboy, Iceheart

C+

Alternative R&B/Ambient Pop/Cloud Rap/Emo Rap/Witch house

Charli XCX: how i'm feeling now (2020) (Pop)

For better or worse, most of how i'm feeling now sounds like it was made cooped up in forced isolation with little company but her significant other. The beats remain futuristic and glitchy, like her previous album, but this time more evident spots of industrial influence and a more intimate bedroom-pop-like aesthetic are found. Many of the songs read as confessional odes to love and anxiety but often the songs are not fully realized and rather feel like vague snippets of how she's feeling. A few songs may lack in instrumental progression as well (forever, enemy) leading how i'm feeling now to not be the packed pop experience but rather a collection of intimate sketches.

Best Tracks: claws, 7 years, i finally understand, anthems


C



Avant-pop/Bubblegum Bass/Electropop/Glitch-pop

Charli XCX: Charli (2019) (Pop)

A shiny cyborg of an album, half human from the energetic, innocent nature of many songs, half steel and sheen from the futuristic but bright production, drawing heavily from bubblegum bass and dance-pop, much like her previous project, Pop 2, this time with subtler more introspective songs. However, in consequence, many of these do not develop fruitfully (Warm, I Don't Wanna Know, Official). Plenty of excellent production choices, earworm choruses and vocal performances allow for this album to become an intriguing listen for pop fans.

Best Tracks: Next Level Charli, Gone, 1999*, Thoughts, Blame It on Your Love, White Mercedes*, Silver Cross*, February 2017

A-

Avant-pop/Bubblegum Bass/Dance-pop/Electropop

Clipse: Hell Hath No Fury (2006) (Hip-hop)

With a dose of bling era synths and bells, and the consistent involvement of fellow Virginia artist Pharrell, a poppier, more contemporary sheen is provided, allowing for memorable hooks and instrumentals, but not in consequence to the grimy raps and maintenance of the Southern hip-hop aesthetic. Clipse show that they can maintain the hard dark cocaine rhymes of their previous album in a more succinct and poppy and fashion crafting a benchmark album in coke rap.

Best Tracks: We Got It For Cheap (Intro)*, Momma I'm So Sorry*, Mr. Me Too*, Wamp Wamp (What It Do), Hello New World*, Keys Open Doors*, Trill, Chinese New Year, Nightmares

A

Gangsta Rap/ Hardcore Hip-hop/ Pop Rap/ Southern Hip-hop

Travis Scott: ASTROWORLD (2018) (Hip-hop,Trap)

A chaotic jumble of songs much like his previous album, but this time it's more serious, and there is an emphasis on creating multiphased songs with more interesting production choices. Even if the instrumental transitions don't always feel smooth and some songs rely too much on these shifts, , much of the production choices are successful and captivating. I don't feel as though Travis is an especially spectacular lyricist and many times his performances hinge too much on the "vibe" or energy he gives off, but most of the appeal in ASTROWORLD lies in the psychedelic vibe he and the army of producers and guests craft, which range from chill (STOP TRYING TO BE GOD, YOSEMITE) to frenzied (CAROUSEL, NO BYSTANDERS) allowing for a disorganized but occasionally intriguing listen with a range of different performances. Nice Stevie Wonder harmonica solo on STOP TRYING TO BE GOD.

Best Tracks: STARGAZING*, CAROUSEL, SICKO MODE, STOP TRYING TO BE GOD*, NO BYSTANDERS, YOSEMITE, WHO? WHAT!, 

B

Experimental Hip-hop/Pop Rap/Psychadelic Hip-hop/Trap

Steely Dan: Can't Buy a Thrill (1972) (Pop, Rock)

With lush, warm instrumentation, Steely Dan make an easy-going but very satisfying album that reeks of summer fun. The tunes are poppy in composition, very soul-inspired and consistently an easy listen yet instrumentally coloured with bright horns, catchy piano and organ melodies and sharply tuned guitars all recorded very pristinely. The lyrics are quite pristine as well, catchy and seem to paint a refined metropolitan feeling throughout the album. Now it sounds very boomer but excellent at that.

Best Tracks: Do It Again, Dirty Work*, King*, Only A Fool Would Say That*, Reelin' In The Years*, Fire In The Hole, Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me), Change Of The Guard

A


Jazz-Rock/Pop-Rock/Yacht-Rock