-
Propagandhi ‘How To Clean Everything’ (1993)
How to Clean Everything introduced Propagandhi as one of the sharpest and most self-aware voices in the early wave of skate punk. The band was signed to Fat Mike’s record label Fat Wreck Chords after playing a show with NOFX in the early 90’s. As dutiful readers know, that record label would soon define the…
-
The Story So Far ‘I Want To Disappear In The USA’ (2025)
Along with having a great band name (seriously what a great goddamn band name) The Story So Far is one of my favorite pop punk bands operating today. So when I saw that they’d be on tour with fellow modern pop punk titan Neck Deep and a hotshot upstart Origami Angel I was pretty excited.…
-
Milton Nascimento & Lo Borges ‘Clube Da Esquina’ (1972)
Recorded in 1972 under Brazil’s oppressive military dictatorship, Clube de Esquina represents both a musical triumph as well as a quiet act of resistance. At a time when censorship and fear defined daily life, Milton Nascimento and the 20-year-old Lô Borges gathered a collective of musicians to create something transcendent—a lush, double album that celebrated…
-
Eddie Murphy ‘How Could It Be’ (1985)
Eddie Murphy’s fearless stand-up, unforgettable Saturday Night Live sketches, and his ability to bring humor, charm, and swagger to every role he played is infamous. But not many people have any idea Eddie Murphy was actually a pretty damn solid musician as well. And in 1985 at the height of his fame as one of…
-
Muse ‘Absolution’ (2003)
In the pantheon of great alternative rock bands in my generation there’s few who come close to Muse in my book. This is a band who simply isn’t just fun to listen to (although they most certainly are) but also frankly a band who made me recognize the transformative nature of what rock music can…
-
Nova Twins ‘Parasites & Butterflies’ (2025)
Parasites & Butterflies is a fun romp through modern rock, blending hip hop and dubstep and pop together over highly energetic nu-metal esque instrumentation. Think Cardi B meets Muse meets Skrillex (especially on “N.O.V.A”) and you’re on the right track. I don’t know if this album has much if any staying power for me but…
-
MxPx ‘Pokinatcha’ (1994)
I’ll be seeing MxPx live in a few months alongside The Ataris, which is basically gonna be me living out my 13-year old self’s dream show at the age of 38 years old. I’ve talked about my love for MxPx a few times in past (especially my personal history with their 1995 album Life In…
-
Hardcore Superstar ‘Split Your Lip’ (2010)
This is another one of those “Jason has been absolutely loving Peacemaker Season 2 on HBO over the last few weeks and binging songs off the soundtrack ever since” inspired albums. It follows the familiar formula. Big production? Check. Big gang vocals? Check. Big ass guitar solos? Check. And with a classic sleaze rock inspired…
-
Cat Stevens ‘Matthew & Son’ (1967)
Matthew & Son captures the youthful exuberance and pop ambition of Cat Stevens’ as he was still discovering his true voice, years before his introspective folk era made him a household name. The album is certainly different than his 1971 smash hit Tea for the Tillerman which is the type of folksy charm everyone remembers…
-
Father John Misty ‘Fear Fun’ (2012)
Father John Misty’s Fear Fun introduced the world to a bold new incarnation of Josh Tillman in the early 2010’s that would eventually watch him become one of the more commercially successful indie folk artists in an era when it seemed like everyone was doing the vintage indie folk thing. Tillman cut his teeth in…
-
Thee Oh Sees ‘Floating Coffin’ (2013)
Thee Oh Sees play a really fun brand of psychadelic garage rock and they have a mystique about them that fits their eclectic style. They might be one of the only bands I’ve ever seen that have gone through multiple name changes for the sole purpose of pissing people off. The band has been known…
-
Andrew Bird ‘The Mysterious Production of Eggs’ (2005)
Andrew Bird’s The Mysterious Production of Eggs is a lush, introspective journey that showcases Bird’s rare ability to turn eccentricity into elegance. Known for his cerebral songwriting and intricate arrangements, Bird weaves together violin loops, delicate plucks, and soaring whistles into something that feels like it almost comes from another world. It’s like waking up…
-
Pop Smoke ‘Meet The Woo’ (2019)
Pop Smoke’s untimely death at the age of 20 robbed hip hop fans of a young burgeoning talent, but his debut mix tape Meet The Woo helped to ignite a resurgence of Drill and Grime music in the United States during the late 2010’s. This album is perfectly fit for late nights in dark clubs,…
-
Mötley Crüe ‘Too Fast For Love’ (1981)
Mötley Crüe had yet to reach the height of their powers during their debut album (1989’s Dr. Feelgood being their high water mark imo) but you could hear the beginnings of their glam metal greatness beginning to form. The whole band is a little rough around the edges technically on this album, especially the rhythm…
-
Various Artists ‘Treasures of The Walt Disney Archive’ (2015)
I just wrapped up day 1 of an impromptu trip to Disneyland with the family today and boy are my legs beat. 27,000 steps since 8am will do that to ya. One of the true joys in life is watching your kids eyes light up under the grandeur and spectacle at The Happiest Place on…
-
Lana Del Rey ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ (2019)
I’ve always understood how Lana Del Rey could be beloved by so many but never understood why she was so beloved if that makes sense. The cinematic qualities of her music, classic Americana nostalgic undertones, and romantic sentimentality of her music felt incredibly compelling at face value. But there was always something that felt sort…
-
Scream ‘Still Screaming’ (1983)
Scream’s debut album Still Screaming cemented their place as one of the most vital voices in the D.C. hardcore punk scene alongside legends like Minor Threat, Bad Brains, and Government Issue. The 80’s were a time when the city was becoming a hotbed for raw, politically charged music. Known for their blend of speed, aggression,…
-
+44 ‘When Your Heart Stops Beating’ (2006)
After the highly publicized breakup of Blink-182 in 2005 Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker found themselves navigating both personal and creative fallout from their strained relationship with guitarist Tom DeLonge. While DeLonge went on to form Angels & Airwaves, Hoppus and Barker decided to channel their energy into a new project that retained the urgency…
-
Diamond Rio ‘Diamond Rio’ (1991)
Diamond Rio may sound like your typical run of the mill 90’s country band (all for good reasons mind you) but there’s a handful of things that set them apart in my opinion. The first is the fact that every single one the band members actually play every single lick on every single one of…
-
Useless ID ‘Redemption’ (2003)
Useless ID caught my eye last week when I was reading up on some lore about The Ataris in preparation to see them live alongside MxPx in a few months (I’m pumped!). I was kind of going down the rabbit hole of albums that lead singer Kris Roe produced over the years and read a…
-
Central Cee ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ (2025)
Central Cee is one of the most prominent British MC’s right now and is a fun listen. UK Drill is just kind perfect to zone-out to while you’re taking a walk, especially because it’s pretty clear Cee both acknowledges how massive he’s becoming internationally while also making sure to let you know he doesn’t take…
-
Stone Temple Pilots ‘Core’ (1992)
Stone Temple Pilots came together in San Diego in the late 1980s when soon-to-be legendary rock vocalist Scott Weiland and bassist Robert DeLeo bonded over a shared love of bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors, and Aerosmith. Along with Robert’s brother Dean and Eric Kretz they began refining a sound that combined heavy riff-driven rock…
-
Kajagoogoo ‘White Feathers’ (1983)
Kajagoogoo carved out their spot in the very crowded 1980s new wave scene with a shimmering blend of synth-pop hooks and a fashion sense that perfectly mirrored their sound—colorful, sleek, and unmistakably of the MTV music video age. Their breakout hit “Too Shy” off White Feathers embodied the era’s obsession with styles and weird ass…
-
Lily Allen ‘Alright, Still’ (2006)
I’ve long been a sucker for British hip hop (here’s me waxing poetic about Mike Skinner of The Streets) and while Lily Allen isn’t exactly hip hop, her brand of pop certainly has a lot of nods towards the genre whether it be the musical instrumentation or the bounce of the beat. Allen has got…
-
Eddie Money ‘Eddie Money’ (1977)
Eddie Money’s career was defined by his working-class spirit and his relentless pursuit of rock stardom, a goal that carried him from his early days as a New York City cop-in-training to becoming one of the most recognizable voices of late ’70s commercial rock radio. What set him apart wasn’t just his knack for writing…
-
Noah Cyrus ‘The End of Everything’ (2020)
Being the sister of megastar Miley Cyrus and the daughter of similarly commercially popular father Billy Ray Cyrus doesn’t leave a whole lot of room on the family tree for another well known music star. But it seems like Noah Cyrus may revel in that sort of environment. Her 8 song extended play The End…
-
Rick Astley ‘Hold Me In Your Arms’ (1988)
Internet memes aside I’ve always been a massive fan of Rick Astley. For the sake of being succinct, here’s what I shared when I wrote about his smash hit album Whenever You Need Somebody: For people in my generation Rick Astley is pretty much exclusively known for nothing more than “Rickrolling”, which is basically the…
-
Corinne Bailey Rae ‘Corinne Bailey Rae’ (2006)
Simply said, “Put Your Records On” is such a damn good R&B song. The groove, Corinne Bailey Rae’s vocal performance, the harmonization, the vibe, all of it. The whole thing feels so darn warm, like a sunny summer day in Los Angeles as you walk out your front door to grab brunch with some friends.…
-
Daughtry ‘Daughtry’ (2006)
I used to watch American Idol pretty consistently with my mom when I was growing up and remember Daughtry being a pretty awesome edition to one of the earlier seasons of the show. He was (is) an incredible rock singer on a show that didn’t have many of them which always stuck out to me.…
-
GoNoodle ‘Presents Blazer Fresh Vol 1’ (2017)
One day you become a parent and realize that most kids songs really suck. So you do one of three things: I fall into the last two camps (because exposing my kids to quality music is a massive priority of mine), which led me to find GoNoodle. The best way to describe them is if…
-
The Quireboys ‘A Bit Of What You Fancy’ (1990)
Originally known as the “Queerboys” (a name the band abandoned when it led to challenges getting booked for shows), The Quireboys had a pretty fun take on 80’s inspired hair metal. As I’ve mentioned before I’ve been binging the HBO show Peacemaker a lot lately and listening to the corresponding soundtrack as a result. The…
-
Hollywood Undead ‘Swan Songs’ (2008)
I’m not here to dog on bands but Hollywood Undead is just not my cup of tea– it’s synth rap rock nu metal for hardcore hipsters who also like boy bands. Plenty of people like them but I can’t seem to understand why. I’m sorry Hollywood Undead fans. If you’re reading this I swear I…
-
Between You & Me ‘Armageddon’ (2021)
I don’t need to describe my love for pop punk (the last 2 1/2 years of writing about music has made that clear) and I’m always in the mood for hearing some new bands in the scene. Between You & Me heralds from Australia and their 2021 album Armageddon channels the raw energy of early…
-
Alien Ant Farm ‘Anthology’ (2001)
If you’re anywhere near my age you’ll fondly remember Alient Ant Farm’s cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” which became the band’s biggest hit of their career. The song is awesome in a couple of ways– it is equal parts rock and roll shreddability and comedic relief, because nowhere in music history should a nu-metal…
-
Thompson Twins ‘Into The Gap’ (1984)
The Thompson Twins crystallized their new-wave trance pop vision with Into The Gap. It was the album the trio would forever be known for and saw them hit both their commercial and creative zenith in one fell swoop. Known for their sleek synth-pop sheen, the group blended Tom Bailey’s knack for indelible hooks with Alannah…
-
Capone-N-Noreaga ‘The War Report’ (1997)
The Queens rap duo of Kiam “Capone” Holley and Victor “Noreaga” Santiago first met in 1992 while serving time at Collins Correctional Facility and bonded over their shared backgrounds in Queensbridge and LeFrak City neighborhoods. After being released from prison they adopted stage names inspired by infamous gangsters and began recording together, signing with Penalty…
MUSIC OF MATTHEW.
Planet Earth’s #1 Source for Album Reviews.
Search through over 1,000 album reviews below
About the Author
Jason Matthew Plank listens to copious amounts of music and writes about one album each day. He is currently active in the bands Related to Strangers (post-hardcore) and Kindergarten Cartel (punk covers of children’s nursery rhymes).
RECENT REVIEWS
