what i've been listening to 4

[puffin]

you know what this is i'm just gonna get right into it >:)

fetch by melt-banana

(massive flashing colours warning on this video btw)

fetch by melt-banana is one of those albums that upon first listen is so unlike anything else you have ever heard, so you keep listening just to see where its going. but then you listen to it again. and again. and again. and suddenly you are addicted to it. every song on here slaps like crazy, with my favourite tracks being infection defective, candy gun, and schemes of the tails. this band is especially so good at writing bass riffs that hold together the insane distorted guitars and high pitched vocals and provide the noise with some much needed groove. i love this album because it never fails to give me a jolt of energy, it sounds like drinking 7 monsters, dunking your head in ice cold water, and then getting in a high speed car chase. basically: a very fun album!


crystallize by tokyo shoegazer


crystallize by tokyo shoegazer has become my favourite shoegaze album and i'd probably consider bright to be the best shoegaze/dream pop song of all time. when the wall of noise from the distorted guitars comes in during the chorus i genuinely find it overwhelmingly beautiful and it gives me goosebumps every single time. the noise demands your attention and the amazing vocals break through like sunlight through a foggy window:

"far away, yet so close
but i can see only you
i'm relying on the slightest hope
the world's been coloured pure white
but i can see only you
i'm relying on the slightest hope"

as the eight minute song builds to its conclusion the noise consumes more and more of the song around it before the whole thing fades away. bright has all the makings of the perfect shoegaze opus, but really the whole album does as well. one thing i love about crystallize is how careful the band is with when to use lots of distortion and when to go for a cleaner, dreamier sound. in one of my other favourites from the album, waltz matilda, the song is very soft and airy for the first two minutes before erupting into a cacophany of noise. my other favs are 299 addiction and back to my place but really all seven songs are amazing and come together to create a near-perfect album.


you're living all over me by dinosaur jr.


considered proto-grunge and the predecessor to bands like nirvana by many, you're living all over me by dinosaur jr. (then just dinosaur) is definitely a very special album. though in my opinion it falls of slightly in the second half, the first four tracks are basically perfect. first you have little fury things, a song that is both harsh and noisy yet melancholic, soft, and catchy. the second song, kracked, has a lot more focus on impressive guitarwork and soloing. in an album this melancholy sounding, guitar solos could easily cheapen the vibe and take you out of the emotional experience, but instead they add to it in an amazing way. j mascis manages to put so much emotion into just his playing, let alone his singing.

sludgefeast is my favourite song from the album, featuring its most impressive guitar playing and thickest, heaviest, fuzziest soundscape. it gets especially heavy in the last minute and a half, melting into a distorted mess before switching up completely to an almost thrash-inspired section that could be a whole kickass track on its own. the lung closes out the perfect run of amazing songs at the beginning of the album. i love the part near the beginning of the song where the tempo suddenly shifts into higher gear, and the solo in the middle of the song is one of the best on the album as well. i love how this album has the emotional, nostalgic, and bittersweet feeling associated with indie/slacker rock while also having much more focus on badass guitar riffs, like the super distorted, psychedelic one that fades in and out of the final section of the track. the rest of the album is still great, don't get me wrong, but those first four tracks are just on another level entirely.


time is a mirror by oregon space trail of doom


with only just over 25,000 listens across all of its songs combined, time is a mirror by oregon space trail of doom has easily become my favourite ever niche album. i'm literally the only person in the world to give it a full track rating on rym lol. the whole album is awesome jammy psychedelic prog rock, but i want to focus on new perceptions, my absolute favourite song at the moment. the song starts out pretty great with a mesmerizing bassline, trippy guitar noodling, and some great usage of a wah pedal, but its around the five minute mark where the song really transforms into something amazing. the song fades out in what could be an ending, but then the guitars and drums kick back in with much more tempo, fuzz, and aggression. then, the shredding begins. the last 90 seconds of this song are absolutely stupid and ridiculous in all the best, mindblowing ways. it's such a shame this song only has 4000 listens on spotify and less than 300 views on youtube because its genuinely up there with the absolute best that other, much more popular, modern psych/garage/prog outfits like king gizzard and thee oh sees have to offer.

for lovers by lamp


i don't really have too much to say about for lovers other than that it is just such an amazing vibe. it's recently been my go-to album to throw on while i'm getting ready for bed or want to do a bit of cleaning. not to say it's only good as background music, but it's perfect for setting a good vibe. though it can make me feel very lonely as well, as the vibe it gives truly seems like it's "for lovers". hmu if u wanna come over we can put this album on and dance together lol haha pleas ehaae ahh ahahah aha my favourite tracks are hirogaru-namida, last train at 25 o'clock, rainy tapestry, and words of love.

some mentions
there are a couple albums i've just started listening to in the last couple days so i can't really come up with anything to write about them just yet but i wanted to mention them quickly:

reflections of a floating world by elder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAWwOZ6VH0k
i've only listened to this album once through so far but on that first listen i absolutely adored it. it's already up there for me with my favourite heavy psych albums like slift's ummon or king buffalo's regenerator, but i think after a few more listens it may become my outright favourite due to it's more complex compositions and just how damn good it is in general. the first three tracks especially are just plain amazing.

ilana (the creator) by mdou moctar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZvPoE0EH1o
amazing pysch/blues rock from niger. the whole album is fantastic and super unique, especially the song tarhatazed. mdou's guitar playing is at times unbelievable and his technique is just so damn cool. i've heard his next album after this one is even better so i'm excited to listen to that one soon.




gila monster by king gizzard & the lizard wizard


OKAY i have to include the new king gizzard single in here i have already listened to it like 40 times lol

i absolutely cannot get enough of amby's verse

the music video is also so slay i love how cheesy and 80s it is it reminds me of the good ol nonagon infinity and murder of the universe videos

the song is also just a banger i love the main riff i love the group vocals on the refrain (group woo!!!) and the switchup at the end was unexpected and very cool. I CAN'T WAIT FOR THIS ALBUM!!!! FANTASY GIZZ IS BACK ON THE MENU!!!!!!!!!