John Paul Davis

Micro Reviews

Begun as a series of posts on BlueSky, these are 300 character max reviews of albums I enjoy. I post them here & they are promulgated to BlueSky.

  1. Recorded alone live with no overdubs, the meditative songs combine Tignor's intimate, haunting violin with percussion & electronics in a cinematic whole.

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  2. The 20-piece band captures a live set of new material that highlights their groove-based, funky & explortatory improvisations, delightful interplay & top-notch musicianship.

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  3. Six lush, loose, bluesy pastoral atmospheric songs born of improvisation exploring spirituality & humanism, dynamically moving between tranquility & intensity, the ebb & flow of passion.

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  4. Layers of synthesizer & prepared piano merge, collide & reflect each other opening doorways into exuberance or peacefulness or, often, both simultaneously.

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  5. The trio expand their sound to include synthesizers & saxophone, more dynamic rhythms & more probing lyrics that capture the frustration of love & life in the modern era.

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  6. The adventurous tenor saxonphonist, backed by piano, drums, bass, plays classic ballads with warmth, introspection, emotional depth & tender lyrcisim.

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  7. The Wilco songwriter & frontman's solo outing with family & friends features the tunefulness & sonic adventurousness & texture that marks his most beloved previous work.

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  8. LaMontagne's knack for unique phrasing & rhyme, & his smoky, near-whisper singing are perfectly framed in the sparse atmosphe of quiet guitars & swelling strings.

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  9. The band reunites after 15 years with energetic new tunes & lively revisits, an intoxicating brew of relaxed grooves, passionate vocals & dazzling musicianship.

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  10. Amidst an intricate soundscape of muted synths, minimalist effects-laden guitar phrases & textural drums, Bridgers explores her own darkness, broken faith & small steps toward healing.

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  11. The celebrated organist covers songs by Beck as groovy, funky instrumentals, revealing the durability of the songwriter's infectious melodies & arrangements.

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  12. The elastic, expansive, eclectic, atmospheric muisc provides a shimmering dreamscape over which Ocean's free-form melodies drift & cohere around loneliness, loss & a search for love.

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  13. Simultaneously danceable & experimental, these witty, gritty, shiny songs showcase Grimes's abilities as a daring producer & skillfull songwriter, as well as an emotive, engaging singer.

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  14. The veteran rapper (re-)examines masculinity & maturity with wicked flow & his trademark wit, alongside an afterparty's worth of guests, all of them having a hell of a lot of fun.

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  15. Exploring the tension between emotional risk & emotional safety, the band embraces a big 1980s sound, allowing singer Maria McKee to widen the range of her powerful, heartfelt singing.

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  16. Masterful storytelling & unsparing self-examination via soul-baring lyrics sung in a gravelly baritone as lovely melodies to sparse, beautiful acoustic guitar.

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  17. Meditating on grief and loss, Delmhorst invites friends to sing soaringly & tenderly with her against atmospheric, texture-laden soundscapes that alchemy sorrow to hope.

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  18. Celebrations & examinations of the hopes & heartbreaks of women emobodied in stunning, emotive singing against lovely, warm, uncomplicated arrangments centered around piano, guitar, organ.

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  19. Eccentric & fun oddball stories sung & spoken over funky rhythms, groovy horns, minimalist guitar, woven to cast a hypnotic, humorous & human spell.

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  20. Sensual, fun singing (& rapping!) exploring young adulthood in NYC over ecelctic, hook-laden music built on unconventional sampling, a funky rhythm section, & crackerjack musicianship.

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  21. Loose, organic, funky playing & heart-on-sleeve singing, dynamic song structures, danceable arrangements, atmospheric soundscapes all combine in a monumental heartbeat of an album.

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  22. Clever, poetic lyrics contemplating endings & loss sung earnestly to compelling melodies set against dynamic, driving, gorgeous songs swelling with synths & winding guitars.

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  23. While the lyrics muse on missteps, miscommunicaiton & troubled times, the music, whether mellow or rowdy, is warm & inviting, a soulful & cozy center amidst chaos.

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  24. Energetic & dazzling interplay & soloing as this trio of piano, drums & bass interpret 5 standards in a glittering display of deep musicianship & friendship embodied as music.

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  25. Daring melodies, shapeshifting arrangements fill these songs with electricity. Held together by a tight, two-kit rhythm section, horns, guitars & slithering electronics meld genres.

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  26. Legacy, generational trauma & heartbreak can't weigh down these easily meloodic acoustic-guitar-driven tunes decorated with shimmering electronics & avant-garde production.

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  27. Meditations on mortality & artistry with a muturing sociopolitical perspective, wry humor & heartfelt storytelling delivered with elastic flow & genre-agnostic shifting production.

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  28. Eclectic influences & dynamic, fluid singing elevate this adventurous collection of originals & covers decorated with smooth synths, smart guitars & uncluttered percussion.

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  29. Confessional, honest lyrics sung with nuance, intimacy & melodic dexterity over ambitious, warm music that pays homage to but evolves from its 1970s influences.

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  30. The trio's infectious, energetic live sound is impeccably captured in their debut, which showcases Folds's preternatural gifts for hook-writing, melodies, irony, & evocative singing.

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  31. Drums, two-string bass, sax & vocals make up the entire sonic palette of this trio's startlingly full & emotionally rich sound, a perfect vehicle for their bruised-heart tales.

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  32. Tasty, infectious horns decorate these tightly-written, loosely-played, earnestly-sung tunes about love & wanderlust backed by a groovy, in the pocket rhythm section.

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  33. Genre, song structure & time itself become playgrounds where big-hearted generousity permeates the music & lyrics while the bright bird of Spalding's voice acrobats above.

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  34. Accordion, Hammond organ, mandolin add emotional depth to the usual rock instrumentation, paired with soul-probing lyrics hung on smooth, memorable melodies.

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  35. Innovative arrangements, careful instrumentation, impressionistic lyrics, delicate, emotive singing result a gorgeous songs that bounce & swoop & ascend.

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  36. Ironic, sometimes flippant but never unserious lyrics spun into catchy melodies add a sense of mortality & menace to these deftly-played, rollicking, energetic & fun songs.

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  37. Over propulsive bass, swinging drums, & blues-soaked, keenly instinctive piano, trumpet & sax trade smoothly perfect solos improvised off catchy, classic hooks.

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  38. Kelis lays her heartache & hopes out with her honeyed, soulful singing backed by chewy guitars, funky drums, groovy, spidery bass, & a boisterous brass section. Inventive & energetic.

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  39. Loose, lively playing paired with tight arrangements & sharp melodic hooks, probing & celebrating romance, ageing shot through with snatches of anxiety.

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  40. Two master vocal improvisers with almost opposite approaches breathe fresh life into mid-century standards thanks to their playfulness & mutual respect.

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  41. Sparse, poetic lyrics sung tenderly, in shy near-whispers of elegant melodies, backed usually by intricate acoustic guitar picking & atmospheric piano building to a spiritual shine.

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  42. Pivoting from synths & slick production, the band aim for a quieter, but transcendent sound that perfectly elevates their poetry of wonderment in everyday delights & sufferings.

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  43. Inventive blending of live music & samples, colliding genres decades before the internet in these danceable, fun songs whose easy melodies & winking lyrics belie their seriousness.

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  44. The artists blend their sounds. Intricately-picked acoustic guitar over ramshackle cluttered beats & gorgeous harmonies sung tenderly, creating something unique, fresh & inviting.

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  45. McLachlan probes the elusive mysteries & passions of the human condition via her haunted melodies over unconventional beats, uneasy synths & intricate arrangements.

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  46. The band captures the feral energy & crackling danger of its live sound while sacrificing none of the swaggering confidence, wit, or wisdom of its clever, fun lyrics.

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  47. Hazy & angular poetics adorn these coming-of-age tales to the backdrop of sweeping cinematic analog synths, atmospheric guitars, & durable, interlocking rhythms.

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  48. Wry, subversive lyrics wrapped in infectious hooks set to driving, skillfully-wrought groove-oriented beats, with occasional flourishes on trumpet & synth. The catchiest brainy music.

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  49. Uncanny strata of samples coalesce into a psychedelic & funky sheen of splendor & joy. Lazy Saturday afternoon nostalgia, shot through with workaday poetry

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  50. A bedrock of reliable grooves supports deep, rich textures & subtle layers unfolding patiently into soundscapes focused more on atmosphere & evolution than melody.

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  51. Vivid lyrical imagery & meditations on a vibrant inner life as experienced in encounters in the natural world over rhythmic acoustic picking & striking chord progressions.

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  52. Warm, lustrous, hypnotic bluesy riffs fade in & out over atmospheric organ all supporting sultry, dreamy singing of oblique, mournful lyrics.

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  53. Energetic & urgent. The band channels hope & history, rage & rejoicing in these epic songs that celebrate & transcend their eclectic influences. As timely today as 35 years ago.

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  54. Striking, unusual melodies sometimes almost whispered, sometimes belted, always perfect for the plainspokenly poetic lyrics, backed by wheezy, creaky instruments & elegant production

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  55. Owens features her own ethereal singing more confidently on an album of warm, captivating compositions that lean into repetition as an almost spiritual kind of change.

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  56. Black Thought delivers some of the most vulnerable & personal lyrics of his career, backed by the cinematic bottom-heavy smooth grooves of El Michels Affair

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  57. A musically bold, lyrically rich, almost hedonistically-arranged debut. Artistically daring, infectiously hooky & big big fun.

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  58. The composer revisits his solo piano works, recording them during the pandemic in the room where he writes, resulting in an intimate & tender intensity.

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  59. Beautiful & catchy as it is ambitious & lush, this record was a leap forward not just for writer/arranger/producer Brian Wilson but for recorded music as a whole. A masterpiece.

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  60. Lanois literally deconstructs his own liquid, deft guitar playing, & that of veteran session musicians then plays the studio itself, in an ever-inventive ambient gem.

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  61. The band distills their sound into 10 groovy, catchy, melodically-pristine bangers that harnesses the energy of their live act resulting in their most engaging record since 2005's Z.

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  62. Unpretentious poetry about friendship & love sung in resonant baritone backed by layered guitars, spidery bass & fluttering, complex drums yielding dramatic yet comforting intensity

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  63. Dreamy, gentle guitar-based, melodically catchy tunes & graceful, expressive singing give a glow to the lyrics' quiet, quirky domestic cozy.

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  64. Breakup songs elevated by energetic arrangements, impassioned singing & rewarding lyrical metaphors to theater-filling anthems that transubstantiate to joy.

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  65. Versatile, sharp, expressive singing breathes edgy, new life into this set of mid-20th-century American standards tastefully arranged, buoyed by bright, emotive piano.

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  66. Shifting in production between bare-bones tenderness & crowded dancefloor rapture, the duo embrace their quirks & showcase their writing. A pandemic album celebrating live performance.

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  67. The sonic adventurers turn the distortion down & sing quietly, close to the mic, to deliver this dreamlike, emotionally rich slice of night.

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  68. Adventurous, boundary-pushing compositions & improvisations from a quartet of young risk-takers who ride the balance between groove & experimentation made this album a classic.

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  69. Smith comes into his own as a writer/arranger, playing & singing everything on this exquisite balance between ambitious compositions & lo-fi production. Lovely melodies; sad poetry

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  70. An unflinching examination of addiction, its causes & effects, all achingly sung & supported by metamorphic, searing & gorgeous arrangements of shifting time signatures & tempos.

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  71. Lush, steady, interlocking grooves pulse above eclectic samples providing a sure foundation for shapely melodies well-suited to the emotionally intimate lyrics.

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  72. Mindful of tradition while original, the band explores young adulthood, romance & responsibility in these funky, smooth, fun, songs, elevated by silky, effortless singing.

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  73. By their 7th album the band were masters of their craft & it shows on this compelling, danceable collection of bangers & ballads. Michael Hutchence's bluesy, swaggering singing was never better.

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  74. Crystalline, emotive singing, evocative, poetic lyrics, sometimes sparse, sometimes lush arrangements make these songs of devotion, love, & yearning glisten timelessly.

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  75. Dynamic, shapeshifting compositions that are also warm, catchy tunes with oblique memorable lyrics, sweetly sung, examining both inner turmoil & middle-aged revelation & joy.

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  76. Lyrical, inventive, gentle interplay, tightly interlocked & playfully loose, between three masters of their instruments. Simultaneously adventurous & contemplative.

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  77. Buckley's versatile, shapeshifting, aching singing & dexterous, stirring guitar playing elevate these gorgeously-written tunes of longing to emotional & spiritual transcendence.

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  78. Infectious melodies & a swinging, nimble, boisterous band imbue these lean, expertly-crafted songs of losing love & finding oneself with joy in home, & the glittering world

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  79. Necessary & sometimes difficult truths & steadfast resilience delivered in exquisite lyricism sung sweetly over finely-crafted, warm, textured beats.

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  80. Bright, jubilant singable songs of gratitude, reflection & joy in the face of mortality backed with arresting, winding, textured layers.

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  81. Deftly, gorgeously layered eclectic instrumentation supports the strophic songs' backbone of acoustic guitar & Sam Beam's impressionistic lyrics tenderly, achingly sung.

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  82. Heartbreak, anger, pain & longing fill this album of baroque, amibitous, sweeping moods achingly inhabited by Wainwright's powerful, emotive singing.

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  83. Wit, wordplay, charm & character all woven together in these deceptively complex but catchy tunes. Sting is an arresting singer, baring his heart & having fun doing it.

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  84. Expertly balanced between sincere, emotive philosophy & witty, cutting satire, captivatingly sung, set against gorgeous, lush arrangements.

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  85. The brothers Gutiérrez play warmly, exploratoritavely, kaleidoscopically, expansively over spare percussion to craft a sound larger than the sum of its parts.

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  86. Analog synths, old-school drum machines, acoustic guitars & Lanegan's soulful baritone evoke a spellbinding catharsis of a life's sorrows, looking toward a new dawn.

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  87. Simultaneously adventurous & accessible arrangements of imaginative, satisfying compositions of elevated joy & sorrow. Could be from 50 years ago or 25 years in the future.

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  88. Delicate, intricate, tightly-structured songs that evolve into melodic & rhythmic complexity, paired with tender quiet singing & haunted, introspective lyrics of growth & change.

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  89. If anything is proof critics are usually full of shit, it's this brilliant, joyful, weird, moving & gorgeous album which was universally panned by everyone, all of whom were dead wrong.

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  90. Sturdy, textural beats, lo-fi & hi-fi synth voices, gritty & lush production, tension & release, all sounding like the entrance to a new world, the doorway into a spring morning.

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  91. Kinetic rhythms & intricate but not overwrought arrangements showcase the sublime melodies & interplay between musicians at the heart of this adventurous, ambitious album.

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  92. Trading the glossy, electronic sound of her previous work for acoustic & organic sounds, the big-voiced singalongs handle weighty reflections deftly & effortlessly.

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  93. 3 established artists collaborate in this testament to teamwork & friendship, enthusiastic & energetic, highlighting each member's best artistic qualities with top-notch songcraft.

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  94. Wood's arresting, elastic singing, along with his band's funky, upbeat arrangements gives these plaintive, catchy, & fun love songs life beyond just their hooky appeal.

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  95. Deeply personal lyrics & striking imagery matched by new vocabularies for the guitar all wrapped in songs expertly & hookily crafted to balance experimentation & accessibility.

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  96. In a time of fear & sorrow, an album of joy. Ecstatic exultation, optimism & faith, weathered by decades of experience with doubt, grief & hard times.

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  97. Beguiling blood harmonies soulfully-delivered over minimalist cajón-grounded beats on a collection that explores & celebrates love, familial, spiritual & romantic.

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  98. Cinematic & imaginative music, exquisitely-crafted melodies sung with verve, wittily & abstrusely exploring nostalgia, disillusion, creativity & the tension between art & commerce.

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  99. Glorious gorgeous collages of analog synths, live drums, funky guitars, catchy melodies. Reflections on the cycles & patterns of adult life: love, death, forgiveness, healing.

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  100. Songs of financial & spiritual anxiety but also songs of restoration & return. Inviting, languid arrangements, eerie cinematic atmospheres, earnest lyrics.

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  101. Stunning & elegant compositions charged with tumultuous energy that pay homage to Mingus's influences without being derivative. Suave & bluesy solos abound. A masterpiece.

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  102. Melodic guitar leads, room-filling riffs, winding song structures, inventive effects make anthems of the angry, grieving, frustrated lyrics. One song is aptly titled "Big Riff."

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  103. Introspection, yearning & spiritual ecstasy set against spacious, dreamlike but driving songs marked by daring, provocative melodies.

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  104. Backed by the Metropole Orkest, Mvula performs inventively-arranged, transcendent, shimmering, magical versions of her songs. expansive & yet somehow also intimate.

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  105. Lush, expansive, ambitious arrangements & ascending, anthemic melodies paired with spiritual introspection & grand expressions of love & healing.

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  106. Heartbreak without the 808s. Beck exorcises the demons of his divorce via his postmodern lyrics over acoustic guitars & sweeping, haunting strings & subtle analog synth soundscapes.

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  107. Acoustic instruments & the human voice, eloquently arranged. Warm & radiant, potent & graceful meditations on love, death & the human spirit. A masterclass in songwriting.

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  108. Adventurous, opulent, groove-heavy covers of 1970s classics by Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield & others that crackle with life & urgency

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  109. Witty, literate lyrics woven into tender, pretty melodies accompanied by energetic acoustic guitar-driven songs of frustration & faith surviving "the daily grind of being what we are."

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  110. An everyman's lament at the state of the world - war, racism, poverty, climate change, set to deft, fervant melodies against a symphonic backdrop of daring arrangements.

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  111. Gritty & groovy, boisterous & bluesy, lively & funky, showcasing Saadiq's tight songwriting & ear for a great hook.

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  112. This quartet interact flawlessly, almost telepathically. Melodic, effortless solos, impeccable timing. The art that hides the art. A pure delight.

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  113. Shapeshifting arrangements of acoustic guitars over warm synths bloom into magnificence just as it seems they'll fall apart, much like the album's meditations on love, anxiety & loss.

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  114. More melodic, sometimes anthemic, the band are cohesive, expressive & exquisite on every track. More reflective in places, while sacrificing none of their fire.

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  115. Working class stories, probing protest songs & contemplations of faith & the American dream set to smoky, bluesy, rocking tunes by a tight, world-class band. Still timely, 40 years later.

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  116. Graceful evocative piano, perfect chord progressions, luxurious horns, cadent, swaying melodies.

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  117. Endlessly inventive arrangements, operatic in scope, these songs celebrate the birth of a child & new love with idiosyncratic brainy lyrics.

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  118. Rainy, psychedelic, haunted, questioning, questing songs, lushly-arranged, tenderly sung.

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  119. Vibrant arrangements & spectacular melodies support the reflective, pastoral lyrics that meditate on aging, longing & love.

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  120. The band cements their longevity with these finely-crafted, mature tunes that retain all their early-career energy. Searing guitars, spidery bass, thundering drums & a whole lot of heart.

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  121. Hassell defies expectations of what sounds a trumpet can make, gliding, soaring, soothing over polyrhythms, synth pads & stuttering pulsing bass lines. Brian Eno & Michael Brook sit in on some songs.

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  122. His first with a full band, exploring themes central to his 55 year career: spirituality, love, progressive politics. Lush arrangements, tender melodies & his intricate guitar picking abound.

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  123. Adroit & lively lyricism set to compelling, dynamic melodies over mostly solo acoustic guitar played energetically.

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  124. Without deviating from their warm melange of soul, R&B, disco & hip-hop Jungle expand their sonic palette for a richer, more spacious sound.

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  125. Groovy, skittery percussion & funky basslines over string ensembles as Byrne's quirky, metaphoric lyrics capture the paranoias & anxieties of post-9/11 America.

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  126. Washington's spacious, glimmering electric funk never looses its way, thanks in large part to bassist Louis Johnson's nimble grooves & Washington's always-ascending soprano sax.

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  127. Soulful & spare, this album of mostly ballads evokes the almost monastic 3 year period Rollins spent alone, honing his technique by playing on the Williamsburg Bridge.

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  128. 25 years in, the indie band delivers a brooding collection of songs that sound like soundtracks to films that don't exist. Gritty, rapturous, cutting, this quiet music should be played loud.

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  129. The Dublin rock band expands their sound while staying true to the elements that made their first 2 albums so compelling. Still hard to believe these lads are 25 & under given how well they write & play.

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  130. Breakup songs that celebrate moving away from unhealthy love & find joy in the music itself which ranges from R&B, soul, psychedelia, rock & jazz that comes together as a unified whole guided by Howard's genius.

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  131. Gabriel fronts an all-star cast of musicians from around the world, blending alt-rock & subtle electronica to house his plaintive, incisive, musing explorations of love, grief, reconciliation & healing.

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  132. The band evolves their alt-country Mexo-Americana, focusing here on intimate examinations of love & self-exploration. Fetching melodies & disarming, quietly poetic lyrics, tenderly sung.

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  133. The quartet Redman assembled for his solo debut reunites 25 years later. 4 giants of contemporary jazz deliver a set of lively, masterful interplay, deeply felt.

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  134. Which sets previously-unheard lyrics of Woody Guthrie's to music written by Bragg & Wilco. Vibrant glittering folk-rock with infectious melodies highlighting Guthrie's still-applicable fiery politics.

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  135. Their most recent, full of winding post-prog song structures, big satisfying riffs, soaring vocals, mystical contemplative lyrics, thundering drums. The godfathers of emo made the Platonic ideal of area rock records.

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  136. A majestic, expressive & expansive set that finds the band at its finest. Simultaneously uplifting & daring. Wordless hymns of boundless love & hope. Sunday morning on Saturday night.

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  137. Layers of cozy, textured analog synths & Jenn Wasner's fuzzy indie-rock guitar licks foreground her warm, inviting singing on an album that explores the twin pulls of relationships & artistic work.

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  138. A love-letter to his family & celebration of his Latine heritage. Synth-driven avant-pop that sounds wholly original backs his soft, tender singing & joyous, evocative bilingual lyrics.

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  139. Percussive acoustic guitar, minimalist beats, occasional piano & a solid spine of bass, as Doughty explores love & sobriety with his Beat-poetic lyrics, sing-rapping & gift for hooky melodies.

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  140. Their 2nd as a trio. Moody, dreamy, introspective, it blends daring & gorgeous electronics with Buck's jangly riffs & Stipe's soaring melodies. An album that grew on me, now one of my favorites by this band.

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  141. Shimmery orchestral folk-rock with intricate arrangements, unusual song structures & poetic lyrics on the need for love & the difficulties in loving & being loved. Case's singing is seductive & powerful.

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  142. Angular, funky, melodic improvised tunes highlight both their technical mastery & emotional sensitivity & Mehldau's Beat-poetry style spoken word. Pushes the envelope of what jazz can be.

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  143. Dynamic, genre-bending folk-jazz driven by musical curiosity reveling in the joy of discovery, all supporting Aftab's versatile crooning, which is simultaneously tender & passionate.

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  144. The 2 masters recorded versions of their own songs with a quartet. Lyrical, playful, & dynamic. Everything you hope for from a record called Duke Ellington & John Coltrane.

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  145. his 1957 comeback album with Miles Davis's band at the time. He struggled with addiction, was in & out of prison. His wife arranged the session & he showed up surprised. 5 hours later this brilliant record existed.

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  146. I have to "develop" in Webflow this morning, so I'm listening to this classic. They shake off the constrictions of "nu metal" & forge their own unique daring sound. Aggressive riffs over gorgeous soundscapes; melodic soulful vocals.

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  147. Infectious, groovy, funky, sublime, melodic & sometimes delightfully weird, this double album more than lives up to the promise of its title.

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  148. The album finds him paring back the lush arrangements to focus on the songwriting, which is magnificent & sorrowful. Minimalism blended with orchestral soul gives room for aching anthemic melodies & heartbreak.

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  149. In which they expand their sonic palette & songwriter John Baizley unlocks the versatility & power of his voice (writing & singing). Infectious riffs; beautiful playing by a band discovering their potential.

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  150. A left turn for him, from straightforward jazz, in which he blends pop, rock and chamber music elements with assistance from producer Jon Brion. The gorgeous, moody & daring first act of his evolution.

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  151. Folk rock sometimes layered with elements of trap, indie rock, & ambient over gorgeous melodies. Incisive poetic lyrics examine the impact of smartphones on our love lives, politics & art.

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  152. A dystopian, agitated, restless but rewarding creative leap showcasing Grian Chattan's growing & imaginative ability in both singing and writing. The band charts new sonic territory while remaining true to their sound.

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  153. A sometimes dreamy, sometimes joyous genre-blurring collection that is simultaneously earthbound & ascending. Lush rootsy, bluesy layers beneath her endlessly versatile expressive voice.

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  154. The post-punk band expand their sound with the help of Kenny Beats & Nigel Godrich, adding more experimental soundscapes & beautiful melodies while not compromising on their aggressive, fun, transgressive and danceable foundation.

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  155. The album teams him with bassist Christian McBride & drummer Brian Blade for a buoyant, rhythmic, inventive & fun set. Three masters of their craft just enjoying the hell out of playing together & improvising.

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  156. My first purchase of 2025. Anxiety & tension lift off & ascend. Arpeggiated synths, epic post-rock progressions, smeary pedal-mutated transcendent guitar melodies. Perfect soundtrack for the early days of 2025.

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  157. A pristine, glittering jazz fusion set, with Bley on organ. Winding but melodic organ / piano / electric guitar solos abound, over the solid spine of Steve Swallow, Victor Lewis & Don Alias’s tight rhythm section.

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  158. Simon imagines an alternate self who never made it big & tours the bar circuit. The band is amazing (Steve Gadd! Tony Levin!) - what if jazz musicians played bar rock? & the lyrics are poetic & probing.

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  159. Explores the impact of race & racism at home & in the larger world, over over gorgeous music blending classic R&B & soul with elements of hip-hop, electronica, indie rock & jazz, set to matchless melodies.

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  160. Stylistically adventurous, wide-ranging in its influences, this empathetic, witty, soulful record is daring, but in ways that draw you into the finely crafted songs & tightly written poetic lyrics.

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  161. Melodic, playful & swinging, a melange of bebop, cool jazz, and heavily inspired by Duke Ellington. At this point in Burrell’s career he was a master of his craft & this album is testament to that.

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  162. A landmark for ambient music but also just a gorgeous record, uncertain as it is calming, melancholy as it is optimistic, haunted as it is playful.

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  163. Barron is one of the most lyrical jazz pianists I've heard, & this 2016 album melds that with impeccable rhythm, effortless swing & accents of Latin jazz. Saw them at the Vanguard recently - a delight.

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  164. The band examines love & loss in many forms (of place, romance, friends, family, God, country etc) over piano-driven alt-pop. One of their masterpieces.

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  165. (did Bowie name *his* “Changesone” inspired by this?) Opening track “Remember Rockefeller At Attica” is one of my favorite jazz songs of all time. The song’s playful, serpentine melody is 51 bars long.

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  166. Secular hymns of questioning, wandering, rock bottom & redemption. Lots of harmonies between Bono / Edge / Lanois / Eno. The most prog U2 ever got. Pitchfork hated it. But I think it's gorgeous.

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  167. Dylan's band on this includes members of the Heartbreakers and Los Lobos. Modern anxieties shot through with love & anger.

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  168. Joyful, masterful interplay between oud, santour & percussion.

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