music things
This website began as a humble little home for my music-related writing. Although it now serves as more of an outlet for everything I write that doesn’t completely suck, I still have tons of music content to go through. That content is located below, but you can also follow my Instagram using that little button right there.
Album Review: Jon Buller – Come Awake (2022)
His first full-length release since 2009’s Light Up the Sky, Canadian worship artist Jon Buller has triumphantly returned to the album scene. The Juno-nominee came back very ambitiously with his announcement of, not one, but two full-length projects set to release in 2022. Recorded at Farmhouse Music in Vernon, BC, Buller’s first album of theContinue reading “Album Review: Jon Buller – Come Awake (2022)”
Every Steven Wilson Studio Album Ranked Worst To Best
Steven Wilson has certainly kept busy with his musical projects over the last few decades. A quick look through his discography will reveal his involvement as a main member in about 10 separate groups, production work with groups like Opeth and Anathema, and several remixes of classic albums from King Crimson, Yes, ELP, Jethro Tull,Continue reading “Every Steven Wilson Studio Album Ranked Worst To Best”
Album Review: The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky (1982)
As the music of the eighties came into bloom, and keyboards started taking their run of popularity, production in music would often switch from subtlety to pure overkill. That being said, plenty of music was still being made with intelligence and true production talent. Enter: Alan Parsons. Early in his career, Parsons was involved inContinue reading “Album Review: The Alan Parsons Project – Eye In The Sky (1982)”
Song Review: Excelsior – 20 Vision, Part I (2021)
Based in Manchester, UK, Excelsior is a one-man project overseen by Eros Spataro. Spataro, 17 years old, provides vocals, guitars, bass, keys, drums, and song-writing on his debut single, “20 Vision, Part I.” Clocking in at over eight minutes, the mini-epic track is separated into four distinct sections. The first section, “Cyclops,” is an awesomeContinue reading “Song Review: Excelsior – 20 Vision, Part I (2021)”
Album Review: Greta Van Fleet – The Battle At Garden’s Gate (2021)
Critical adversity is no stranger to Frankenmuth, Michigan band, Greta Van Fleet. Ever since the release of their 2017 double-EP, From The Fires, the group has faced major backlash from critics and music fans alike, calling out their Zeppelin-esque sound and style. Pitchfork even gave a coffee-spitting 1.6/10 rating on their review of GVF’s debutContinue reading “Album Review: Greta Van Fleet – The Battle At Garden’s Gate (2021)”
Album Review: Aperire – Aperire (2011)
Ambient music occupies a very unique piece of the musical world. We hear it all the time — films, online videos, in public — and yet it isn’t, and never really has been, considered popular music. It exists constantly, but only in the background of the average listener’s life. That being said, select ambient songs,Continue reading “Album Review: Aperire – Aperire (2011)”
Album Review: Blue Öyster Cult – The Symbol Remains (2020)
However ironic it may seem, Blue Öyster Cult is one of those groups that has a very large cult following. If you’re a casual fan, odds are you can only name three songs, those being “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Burnin’ For You,” and “Godzilla.” Still though, BÖC have released 15 studio albums in 50+ years,Continue reading “Album Review: Blue Öyster Cult – The Symbol Remains (2020)”
Album Review: Porcupine Tree – In Absentia (2002)
Steven Wilson is undoubtedly among the more eclectic modern artists. Although currently, he may be unapologetically submitting to pop (which fans have mixed feelings about) Wilson’s roots go much deeper than the singles for his upcoming album, The Future Bites, may suggest. Porcupine Tree, despite its origins as a Wilson solo-project, quickly evolved into aContinue reading “Album Review: Porcupine Tree – In Absentia (2002)”
Album Review: Chase The Bear – Chase The Bear EP (2019)
With more and more bands getting labeled the newest “saviors of rock and roll,” it’s easy for less well-known groups to lack the attention and praise they deserve. Enter: Chase The Bear. These Vancouverites may only have a self-titled EP released, but it certainly delivers on many nostalgic levels for fans of blues rock andContinue reading “Album Review: Chase The Bear – Chase The Bear EP (2019)”
Every Rush Studio Album Ranked Worst To Best
Getting “your own sound” is something you always hear in regards to the music business. No matter how good the songs you make are, critics (both professionals and keyboard heroes) will rip you apart if you can’t achieve a certain level of individuality. Rush has had several different of their “own sounds” (plus a pinchContinue reading “Every Rush Studio Album Ranked Worst To Best”
DeYoung vs. Gowan: Who is the Better Styx Front-Man?
It isn’t often a band can continue after losing their frontman, let alone put out more good music, but that is exactly what Lawrence Gowan seems to have done for Styx. In 1999, Styx’s Dennis DeYoung, the vocalist and keyboardist, decided to leave the group due to health issues, creative differences, disagreements regarding touring, andContinue reading “DeYoung vs. Gowan: Who is the Better Styx Front-Man?”
Album Review: The Police – Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)
The English trio of rockers, The Police, have always been a very unique band. So much so that one couldn’t even really label them with a certain genre. There is some new wave in their music, plenty of reggae rock, early music has some punk to it, late music has lots of pop rock inContinue reading “Album Review: The Police – Zenyatta Mondatta (1980)”
Album Review: The Offspring – Smash (1994)
I have a confession to make. The first time I listened through The Offspring’s 1994 release, Smash, was not the greatest experience of my life. It sounded sloppy, repetitive, and annoying. I was going to turn this into a seething review, and I was going to completely trash a highly critically acclaimed album. After severalContinue reading “Album Review: The Offspring – Smash (1994)”
Album Review: Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (2013)
Being a musical artist in the modern world comes with many more challenges than it did in the twentieth century. One of these challenges is the risk of over-comparison to other artists, just look at Greta Van Fleet and some of the hate they receive. The concept of creating “your own sound” is hardly possibleContinue reading “Album Review: Steven Wilson – The Raven That Refused To Sing (And Other Stories) (2013)”
Album Review: The Who – Who (2019)
You would be surprised how many names this album has already been given. Ever since its announcement in September of 2019, it’s been dubbed “the best work since Quadrophenia,” “the best work since Face Dances,” and “the best work since (insert some other previous Who album here).” Despite no longer being the smash hit (punContinue reading “Album Review: The Who – Who (2019)”
Album Review: Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)
More than 45 million copies sold, over 18 years on the charts, and often considered the greatest album of all time, Pink Floyd’s 1973 classic Dark Side of the Moon has not only passed the test of time, but rather mastered it. Many consider it the greatest studio album to ever be released, and itContinue reading “Album Review: Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)”
Album Review: The Tragically Hip – We Are The Same (2009)
“The Hip” have always been one of the more fascinating bands in my eyes. Up in the Great White North, they’ve always been a favorite of Canadians, getting lots of radio airplay and topping the charts constantly. Outside of the country, however, they’ve never seemed to have had as much popularity as they deserve. AlbumsContinue reading “Album Review: The Tragically Hip – We Are The Same (2009)”
Music History: XYZ, The Super-Group That Could Have Been
In the early eighties, two rock behemoths were undergoing major lineup changes and breakups, yet their members were all looking to go in new directions with their music careers. For a short time, their paths crossed; let me tell you, it could have been amazing. As of December of 1980, British blues rock legends LedContinue reading “Music History: XYZ, The Super-Group That Could Have Been”
Album Review: Rush – Caress Of Steel (1975)
This has always been… an interesting album to say the least. Rush’s third studio album followed up their release from earlier in the year, Fly By Night (1975), and although their tumble into progressive rock was foreshadowed on that album, especially by the mini-epic “By-Tor and the Snow Dog,” Caress of Steel is their firstContinue reading “Album Review: Rush – Caress Of Steel (1975)”
Album Review: Styx – The Mission (2017)
It isn’t often that a group can go through so much drama and so many lineup changes as Styx did throughout the late eighties and nineties and still work as a touring band; it is much less often that they can release new material that isn’t, simply put, horrible by the standards of their formerContinue reading “Album Review: Styx – The Mission (2017)”
Clockwork Entertainment 