(re-posted from Facebook, edited)
Completed New Music Week 12 through Tidal.
Each Friday release day, I’m going to download 5 albums with the only criteria being name recognition or the best pieces of cover art and review them. These are the releases of 3/22.
- Album: Motley Crue – The Dirt Soundtrack
- Previous Knowledge: Tidal Catalog #36
- Chosen: Name recognition
- Review: Not including this in the catalog that’s already done because it’s pretty much a comp. Hits, some non-hits and four new songs. The fact that this isn’t a straight greatest hits album is the only thing that saves it. There are a handful of tracks from the early days that weren’t hits like “Red Hot” and “Merry-Go-Round” but otherwise, it has a typical hits feel as well as four of the seven new songs they recorded for the finally released movie on Netflix.
The new songs? Ha, laughable. “The Dirt” is a joke of a single followed by the true joke in Motley Crue covering Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” The band even said this felt funny having Vince Neil sing this but were we in on this joke? It really feels more like we’re getting pranked instead.
- Rating: 3/10
- Album: Adam Sandler – 100% Fresh
- Previous knowledge: C’mon, get Happy!
- Chosen: Name recognition
- Review: I don’t review many comedy records but I’m still one of those few people that love Adam Sandler. This is a recording of his Netflix special and since I don’t have Netflix, this is new to me. Have I also said I love Adam Sandler? I did? Okay, just wanted to make sure you understood that because it seems like 90% of America doesn’t these days. But I’m still critical of his shit and so I can honestly say, with no questions in my mind that this shit is legitimately funny. It’s an interesting mix of his spoken comedy and original songs that really works well. But if you don’t like him already, it’s very typical Sandler material, so this won’t change your mind.
- Rating: 8.5/10
- Album: Jenny Lewis – On the Line
- Previous knowledge: None
- Chosen: Cover art is just a picture of her cleavage. Hard to resist that.
- Review: I know the name Jenny Lewis and I’ve heard of Rilo Kiley as well but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard anything from either of them despite how critically acclaimed both she and her group are. This album is mid-tempo to mellow indie pop for the most part – well crafted songs and as most of you likely already know, Lewis has a great voice, so she carries these tunes magnificently. Great, unassuming record.
- Rating: 9.5/10
- Album: Ex Hex – It’s Real
- Previous knowledge: None
- Chosen: Neon pink and blue artwork gets me all the time
- Review: I had no idea this group was led by Mary Timony of Helium fame, but here we are. This is also their second record after a five year gap since the debut. This is a sweet blend of 90s alternative and garage rock. Wonderfully crafted songs, rippin’ guitar licks and just a complete well thought out rock record.
- Rating: 9.5/10
- Album: La Dispute – Panorama
- Previous knowledge: None
- Chosen: Again, neon pink and blue artwork gets me all the time
- Review: I like this record a lot. These guys are post-hardcore at the core and take shoegaze with spoken passages and blend them with post- riffs and screaming to create a great balance between anger and sadness, dark and light. If you’re a post-hardcore fan, this is a really great example of the genre.
- Rating: 9.5/10
Albums ranked 10/10 in 2019 (ordered by release date)
- Terror Jr. – Unfortunately, Terror Jr.
- Emily King – Scenery
- Good Fuck – Good Fuck
- The Claypool Lennon Delirium – South of Reality
- UB40, For the Many
The Trusty Steed 