Album of the week

Is it just me, or has there been a slight uptick in voter turnout over the last few weeks?
Man, if only I could say the same thing about the number of people jumping into the threads I actually find interesting...😁

Alright, here's one for everyone... some good news to brighten the mood.



Look, we clearly need more variety. It’s been a week and I guess people are still obsessing over the music, nursing these weird, unresolved personal frustrations about whether all music needs to be "art" or if art is even music at all. What’s actually wild about this whole thing is that such a chill, quiet, low-key album managed to stir up this much chaos.

We decided to pull this little surprise, though we’ve actually been planning it for weeks now. We wanted to catch you guys off guard back around week 20, I guess, but honestly, it feels like a better time right now. We just want to see what sticks and where the best conversations happen. Maybe that'll happen sooner than we thought.

What a lovely surprise! 🙂 Let's keep things diverse—I’m going to try to focus on the ones I actually voted for.

Anyway, catching up on a few late comments...

Jason Mendoza said:Boris - amplifier worship

I checked this out just out of curiosity—didn't think it was really my style—but man, it was interesting. It reminds me a bit of Sunn O)))—not usually my go-to, but sometimes you just need that vibe, especially on those rainy fall evenings.

Mark Cruz15 said:Public Image Ltd – Metal Box (1979)

This one hits the spot for me at times, too. I've always had a soft spot for post-punk, though I haven't dug deep into everything from that era yet—this project is a first for me. What a legend. 😁
Thanks for the suggestion!

Jason White17 said:Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen

The whole thing feels a little cheesy to me—that romantic new wave stuff can be a bit much—but overall, it's a pleasant listen. Still, I have to say thanks, because "Bonny" totally won me over; what a gorgeous track. 🙂
Generally speaking, the first three tracks really hooked me, but I started losing interest as it went on—though maybe I just need to give it another spin.
And your pick for this week sounds great—I'll listen a few more times before I weigh in.

analogbear40 said:Love & Rockets - Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven (1985)

Thanks for sharing this one too—it’s such a gorgeous album. Honestly, I used to only listen to Haunted... and had no idea why I hadn't dove deeper into their stuff sooner. Their whole sound just clicks for me—though man, they really do have some pretty hideous album covers 😁

Look, you can start a thread for any album whenever you feel like it. It’s just that there wouldn't be an "Album of the Week" distinction anymore... which honestly becomes pretty pointless if you end up having ten of them at once anyway. 🙂

The whole concept of liberal equality has taken over everything—this idea that we’re all equally valuable, equally smart, and everyone deserves a win. If I have to endure this nonsense for just one more week, I might lose my mind, because otherwise, there's just no point to any of this. 😁

We seriously need to come up with some kind of voting and review system to filter out the noise and vet the people participating.

Man, this week was something else! Honestly, we aren't going to see many more weeks like this one... We decided to shake things up a bit and focus on some suggested albums that usually fly under the radar, and wow, the variety we got was incredible! It also really highlighted how pointless it is to vote for clones or try to manipulate people into voting for someone else's picks. Moving forward, we’re going to be way more careful about this. If any shady business pops up regarding specific album suggestions, those entries will be pulled from the poll immediately—even if the voting is already mid-stream!

Critiquing my own drowning while staring at the passing scenery...

Two albums have been drifting through my mind via a bizarre chain of associations, leaving me itching to revisit and absorb them once more. They are similar yet worlds apart. Both feature top-tier performances across acoustic and electric instruments, though their vibes couldn't be more different. One is sun-drenched, airy, and wordless; the other is a dense, dark slog filled with lyrics depicting surreal imagery. Yet both are brilliant—one captures that classic Americana spirit, while the other has a gritty New York edge with some exotic spices thrown in. The first is lean and punchy; the second is a two-hour behemoth (originally much longer).

And so it goes.

Arthur Brown6, which albums are we talking about here?

Just a quick heads-up: brightwolf48, Kenneth Price6 and Jason White17; okay, look, you guys probably just disappeared for the weekend, no biggie! But once you see this, I’m calling on you to start those threads for the albums you suggested. They’re scheduled to drop this week per our plan, so get ready...

And since we've got ten new albums on the plate right now, I was thinking—maybe it’s better if we push things back to next week? That way everyone actually has time to listen and chat about the current batch without feeling rushed. So, instead of doing the suggestions and the poll this Thursday, let's just hold off until next week, if that sounds good to everyone?

Steven Newman50 said:Arthur Brown6, which albums are we talking about?

Penguin Cafe Orchestra from '81 and Escalator over the Hill from '71.

Steven Newman50 said:This week was a total outlier and honestly, we aren't doing this again. We decided to shift our focus toward some of those underdog albums that usually get overlooked, and man, did that pay off with some great variety. It also proved that there's zero point in people voting for clones just to force their own picks through. From here on out, we’re watching this much closer. If anyone tries to pull those shady moves by pushing specific albums, we'll yank them from the poll immediately—even if the voting is already mid-stream.

Zero tolerance for those vandals and troublemakers. 🙂

Steven Newman50 said:Arthur Brown6, which albums are we talking about?

Just a quick heads-up: brightwolf48, Kenneth Price6 and Jason White17; look, I know you guys were probably MIA over the weekend—no worries there—but once you see this, please go ahead and start those threads for the albums you suggested. They’re scheduled for this week per our plan, so get ready.

Since we have ten new albums on the plate right now, I think it might be smart to push things back to next week—just so everyone actually has time to listen and chat about the current batch. If you're all cool with it, let's skip the suggestions and the poll this Thursday and just hold off until next week.

First off, sorry for not starting the thread yet—I'll definitely get it up by the end of the week once I catch a breather (aka: the weekend). Since we're already set for this week, I assume 😁
won't be an issue.

Arthur Brown6 said:Penguin Cafe Orchestra from 1981 and Escalator over the Hill from 1971.

Regarding Penguin Cafe Orchestra—their debut is easily in my top 10—and The sound of someone you love who's going away and it doesn't matter still hits me right in the feels, even after listening to it a million times.

Definitely open this up so we aren't just sitting here waiting on you guys generically.
It doesn't need to be some massive manifesto... just a quick intro. 🙂

Anyway, if you're feeling inspired to pitch something, let's hear those suggestions! I mean, why not? It’s not like there’s a huge difference whether we have 10 or 11 albums in the rotation, and we’re sticking to the rules this time anyway: just one album per week.

With the movie of the week, those breaks and extensions didn't work out and interest just tanked. We had to draw a line last week. Honestly, it isn't fair to go to other parts of the forum to push your own picks. I think it's in everyone's best interest if we don't waste time deleting posts in the Fun section or hunting down clones. 🙂

You can keep sending in suggestions until the end of the day.

Knower – Life (2016)



Genre: electronic, funk / soul, pop, IDM, dubstep, electro, jazz-funk

So, these two musicians are actually jazz players at heart, but this particular record leans heavily into electronics and IDM... Someone pointed me toward it just the other day and honestly, I think it’s fantastic...

1. Knower Rulez (01:36 min)
2. Hanging On (05:25 min)
3. The Government Knows (03:44 min)
4. All Time (03:46 min)
5. Overtime (04:28 min)
6. Butts Tits Money (03:34 min)
7. Die Right Now (03:40 min)
8. More Than Just Another Try (02:25 min)
9. Pizza (04:10 min)
10. Real Thing (04:24 min)
11. Lose My Mind (03:24 min)
12. Cry Tomorrow, Laugh Today (05:35 min)

Lisa Davis46 said:Definitely start the thread—it’d be awkward if we were all just sitting here waiting for you.
And don't worry about making it long... just a quick intro should do it. 🙂

Finally got the thread up—managed to steal a few minutes between bites of lunch to squeeze out those two sentences. 😁

Here’s my latest pick:

Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat - Everything's Getting Older

Tracklist
1. Tasogare (01:59)
2. Let's Stop Here (04:19)
3. Cages (02:26)
4. A Short Song To The Moon (01:03)
5. Ballad Of The Bastard (02:42)
6. The Copper Top (05:22)
7. Glasgow Jubilee (03:58)
8. (If You) Keep Me In Your Heart (03:25)
9. Dinner Time (04:07)
10. The Sadness In Your Life Will Slowly Fade (03:17)
11. The Greatest Story Ever Told (04:20)
12. And So Must We Rest (02:24)

Not much to say about Aidan Moffat since he's pretty well known—I'll just drop a link to the best track from this record.

Since nobody's really hanging out here...

Shallow Reign - s/t (1986)

Shallow Reign - Forever

I stumbled upon "Forever" the other day and man, both the music and the lyrics just hit right. Especially that part where he’s venting about his girl heading to bed with some other guy instead of him. 😂

Look, I know this isn't going to win any Grammys, but hey, maybe someone out there will vibe with it. The whole album is a quick listen, barely thirty minutes. 👍

Shallow Reign - Shallow Reign

Alright, since we're already here...

Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker (2016)



Tracklist

1. You Want It Darker
2. Treaty
3. On The Level
4. Leaving The Table
5. If I Didn't Have Your Love
6. Traveling Light
7. It Seemed The Better Way
8. Steer Your Way
9. String Reprise / Treaty

Grc - Freedom for the People (1987)



Since my last "domestic" pick was such a hit, I figured I’d give another one a shot.....

https://www.discogs.com/Gr%C4%8D-Slo...elease/1240708

As you can see from the link, this album originally dropped back in 1987 strictly on cassette tape.

A long, long time ago—back in much simpler times—we used to hunt down these kinds of official and underground releases through local college music cooperatives, like those organized by student unions in cities like Chicago or Boston.
We listened to those tapes so much that some of them were practically worn out from sheer repetition.

Luckily, this wasn't one of those.
This is one of those rare albums that hits you so hard that just one first listen sticks with you for ages.



Tonight the City Burns

(I honestly still find it hard to believe someone actually released a song with a title like that back then.)

Blood Is My Light And My Darkness

Freedom for the People

Three of these tracks also made it onto that legendary compilation titled New York-Paris-Texas, which came out the same year.

Against all odds, the album was remastered a few years back and released in two different vinyl versions.

Me? I’m still hanging out with my old cassette. 😛

I’m not gonna suggest anything this week. Honestly, I just don't have the bandwidth to sit down and write up a full thread and pick favorites right now. I’d much rather spend my time actually listening to those albums you guys suggested last week. There were some seriously killer tracks in that batch.

Man, I just put on Ulver’s "Blood Inside" and... wow. Just wow. It’s one of those albums that hits you like a freight train in the middle of nowhere and then just leaves you staring at the ceiling for an hour wondering what happened to your life. It’s dark, it’s moody, and honestly? It’s kind of haunting. It’s got this incredible, atmospheric vibe that feels almost cinematic—like if a noir film was directed by someone having a total existential crisis. You know that feeling when a song isn't just playing, but it's actually occupying the space in the room with you? That’s this record. It’s heavy, but not in that "I'm going to smash my head against a wall" metal way. It’s more of a "my soul is slightly bruised" kind of heavy. Definitely a mood for those late nights when you're just sitting there with a coffee, questioning everything. Truly top-tier stuff.

Genre.: Man, where do you even start with this? It’s like trying to map out a fever dream. You’ve got your Experimental stuff that feels like someone rearranged your brain while you were sleeping, then you dive into Electronic/Industrial—which is basically just beautiful, rhythmic chaos—and suddenly you’re sliding into Jazz or Classical textures. It’s such a wild spectrum. Honestly, if a track doesn't make me feel slightly uncomfortable before it hits that perfect groove, am I even listening?
I mean, seriously, how much length are we even talking about here? It’s one of those things that sounds simple until you actually sit down to figure out the specifics, right? It’s like when you’re trying to decide if a gallon of milk is enough for the week or if you need to grab two—it seems obvious, then suddenly you're staring at the fridge wondering if you overshot or undershot. Anyway, I feel like everyone has a different definition of what "enough" looks like depending on the context. Some people want everything stretched out to the max, while others are just looking for something functional and quick. It’s all relative!: 45:45
Finally out in the wild!: June 6, 2005

Here’s the tracklist:

"Dressed in Black" at the 7:06 mark.
"For the Love of God" at 4:11—man, that part hits different.
Wait, did I just see that? "Christmas" at 6:15? Honestly, if we’re talking about that specific timing, you have to wonder what kind of chaos is brewing. It feels like one of those weirdly specific moments where everything either goes perfectly right or descends into total madness—kind of like trying to navigate a crowded Target on a Saturday morning before the coffee kicks in. You know that feeling? Just pure, unadulterated anticipation mixed with a little bit of "what am I doing with my life?" Anyway, just my two cents.
"Blinded by Blood" – 6:22. Man, that track just hits different.
"It Is Not Sound" — 4:37
"The Truth" at 4:01.
"In the Red" — 3:30
"Your Call" 6:07
"Operator" at the 3:36 mark... man, that part just hits different.

The whole thing clocks in at 45 minutes and 45 seconds.

If we need to round this out to ten entries, does anyone else have something they could toss into the mix? Let me know...🙂