-
Three Dog Night ‘Harmony’ (1971)
Three Dog Night rose to prominence in the late 1960s and dominated the charts throughout the early ’70s with a string of polished radio-friendly hits. The band’s had a pretty unique identity in that they had a three-lead-singer format which gave their sound a versatility few groups outside of the Eagles could match. At their…
-
Ram Jam ‘Ram Jam’ (1977)
Ram Jam were only a band for two years but in that time they notched themself into history by creating their enduring cover of the 20th Century African American work song “Black Betty”. From the iconic guitar to the shuffle drum beat on the hi-hat, Ram Jam nailed their version and locked themselves into rock…
-
Vains of Jenna ‘The Art of Telling Lies’ (2009)
I’ve been getting into sleazy 80’s inspired glam rock a bunch lately (inspired in no small part by the return of the HBO show Peacemaker, of which Season 1 is low-key one of my favorite shows released in the past five years) and Vains of Janna is a perfect band to fit that vibe. They’re…
-
G Perico ‘Crip James’ (2024)
Crip James is a sharp album filled with West Coast cool and 70’s funk, basically a mix of Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle and Rick James Street Songs. It’s got the G-funk bounce, a helluva lot of swaggy funk, and a minimalist soulful backbone that makes it a fun ass listen. But what stands out most is…
-
Rick James ‘Street Songs’ (1981)
When Street Songs dropped in 1981 Rick James was already a star but Dave Chappelle’s infamous “I’m Rick James, bitch!” skit two decades later reanimated the album for a whole new generation. Suddenly millennials like me who hadn’t been alive when “Super Freak” topped charts were quoting James while laughing our ass off in our…
-
The Jump Cuts ‘What A Fun Way To Kill Some Time’ (2025)
Every once in awhile I love to search the deep dark catacombs of Spotify to find unheralded bands super far off the beaten path. Basically the artists like me (shoutout Matthew., Related To Strangers, and Kindergarten Cartel) who outside of their supportive families haven’t quite cracked the big time just yet. So today I fired…
-
Story Of The Year ‘Page Avenue’ (2003)
Every millennial knows “Until The Day I Die”, but not many (including myself until this week) are super familiar with their entire album Page Avenue. Which is a shame cause holy hot damn does this entire album MF’ing rip. The dueling guitars of Ryan Phillips and Philip Sneed go so damn hard sometimes it’s easy…
-
Outkast ‘ATLiens’ (1996)
When Outkast released ATLiens in 1996 hip-hop was locked in a coastal war. You had New York’s materialistic swagger on one side and Los Angeles’ gangsta theatrics on the other. André 3000 and Big Boi broke the binary almost immediately, expanding Southern rap beyond Cadillac anthems into something cosmic and weird AF (especially for the…
-
The Cure ‘Three Imaginary Boys’ (1979)
Three Imaginary Boys sounds basically nothing like the sweeping, sorrowful goth epics The Cure would later be known for (see their magnum opus Disintegration for the reaaal good stuff) which makes it a pretty interesting start to their discography. The record is wiry and stripped to the bone sonically, with jangly guitars and sharp drums,…
-
Ennio Morricone ‘Il Buono, Il Brutto, Il Cattivo’ (1966)
Ennio Morricone’s partnership with Sergio Leone reached its height with the infamous The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, a film where the score plays as central a role as the visuals do. The famous five-note coyote-like motif of the movie’s signature song immediately sets the tone, followed by electric guitar, trumpet, and flute that…
-
Big D and the Kids Table ‘Good Luck’ (1999)
There was a record label in my hometown of Cupertino, CA called Springman Records that for the longest time was one my favorite record labels ever. There’s a few reasons for that– I was in middle school when I was first getting into punk rock, and Springman Records was a punk label so the synergy…
-
REO Speedwagon ‘Hi Infidelity’ (1980)
REO Speedwagon has always seemed a little cheesy to me and that didn’t change much after listening to Hi Infidelity. If you like idea of bringing a doo wop band into the context of 80’s rock balladry then they’re gonna be right up your alley. It’s just a part of town I frequent that much.…
-
M83 ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ (2011)
Synth pop was absolutely all the rage during the 2010’s and there’s very few songs out their that capture that feeling of youthful exploration better and more succinctly than “Midnight City” off Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming. From the bizarre ass synth introduction to the massive drum fill that kicks everything into high gear to softly…
-
Stormtroopers of Death ‘Speak English or Die’ (1985)
Despite being a side project of Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Stormtroopers of Death have had a pretty significant legacy in the American hardcore and metal scene. They were one of the first bands to fuse hardcore punk and thrash metal together, garnered pretty significant controversy for their deliberately offensive lyrics, and were credited with popularizing the…
-
Chromeo ‘Fancy Footwork’ (2007)
Electro-funk is pretty fun, especially when it’s made by a bunch of nerdy Canadians, which makes Chromeo’s 2007 album Fancy Footwork a pretty fun listen. This is kind of what I expect modern day AI music will eventually sound like once it becomes sentient and free to create on its own. Standout Songs: “Fancy Footwork”,…
-
Bananarama ‘Bananarama’ (1984)
Doesn’t get more 80’s than this. Bad ass band name, bad ass perms, bad ass single (“Cruel Summer” is so good), and just a damn good time all around. Is it just me or is the instrumentation of “Cruel Summer” this incredible mix of 80’s synth-rock with the West Coast G-Funk that Dr. Dre would…
-
Coolio ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ (1996)
“Gangsta’s Paradise” is an absolutely iconic hip hop song for about a million reasons. The stark social commentary. The cinematic production. The haunting orchestral sample from Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise.” The chorus hook delivered by singer LV (whose unforgettable, gospel-tinged hook gives the song a massive spiritual weight). All of the elements for greatness are…
-
Soul Asylum ‘Grave Dancers Union’ (1992)
Soul Asylum released Grave Dancers Union in 1992 and went platinum based off their hit single “Runaway Train”. The ballad quickly became the band’s defining hit and eventually earned them a Grammy for Best Rock Song. But its cultural impact extended far beyond MTV rotation as the music video famously featured images of missing children…
-
Whodini ‘Escape’ (1984)
Whodini is one of those groups that define 80’s hip hop. They’ve got the slow grooves, heavy synths, and staccato vocal delivery down pat. Their 1984 hit “Friends” is a signature track that lands on pretty much every damn hip hop playlist paying homage to the early days of genre, pairing a haunting synth groove…
-
Save Ferris ‘It Means Everything’ (1997)
Orange County’s ska punk scene was a damn fertile oasis in the mid-’90s (it’s seriously insane how many bands came out of that scene) and Save Ferris was one of those bands who brought a burst of brass-driven energy and sharp pop hooks to genre that was hitting the mainstream consciousness. Fronted by the charismatic…
-
Town Portal ‘The Occident’ (2015)
I got into Town Portal via Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge’s running playlist and I gotta say, it’s a vibe. These dudes are from Copenhagen and have long thrived on the fringes of instrumental rock, building a sound that pits Meshuggah-level polymeters against jazz-like playfulness and the noisy melodicism of ’90s post-hardcore. The Occident is a…
-
Big K.R.I.T. ‘4eva Is a Mighty Long Time’ (2017)
From soulful Southern anthems to hi-tempo party bangers to introspective spiritual ballads Big K.R.I.T. covers a metric ton of ground on 4eva Is A Mighty Long Time. It’s actually an interesting approach he takes to deliver that message, adopting two personas- the bombastic Big K.R.I.T. and the vulnerable Justin Scott (his real name). The double-disc…
-
Jill Sobule ‘Jill Sobule’ (1995)
Known for her contribution to the iconic 90’s comedy Clueless, Jill Sobule was a songwriter who focused on ironic story-driven character studies very much in line with the songwriting craft that dominated the 90’s. Quirky and irreverent. Bold and unique. It’s what defined her work until her unfortunate passing earlier this year. Standout Songs: “I…
-
Bad Omens ‘The Death of Peace of Mind’ (2022)
There’s been a real influx of heavy metal bands who are blending the pop sensibilities of Justin Bieber, the metalcore of Underoath, and the prog-metal heaviness of bands like Animals As Leaders. Bad Omens’ The Death of Peace of Mind is one of those albums, whose propensity for dense synths and guitars dropped about 8…
-
Vanessa Carlton ‘Be Not Nobody’ (2002)
More than two decades after its 2002 release Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” endures as one of the most instantly recognizable piano-driven pop songs of the 21st century, its opening riff as culturally sticky as any guitar lick of its era. Built on a buoyant classical-inspired piano motif, warm strings, and Carlton’s earnest, yearning vocal,…
-
Prince ‘Around The World In A Day’ (1985)
When Prince followed up his blockbuster Purple Rain with 1985’s Around the World in a Day he steered pretty hard hard into a sonic palette that owed as much to late-’60s psychedelia as to his own Minneapolis funk. The title track hints at that eclectic story and signaled a more technicolor sound was to come.…
-
The Sugarhill Gang ‘The Sugarhill Gang’ (1980)
The Sugarhill Gang’s self-titled debut from 1980 is basically considered the first full-length hip hop studio album, which makes it a pretty awesome historical landmark. Anchored by the song “Rapper’s Delight” which had been released a year prior as a single, The Sugarhill Gang proved rap’s mainstream potential and effectively marked the moment rap moved…
-
KNIVES FL ‘One Cut Away From Love’ (2024)
Every once in awhile (or if we’re being honest, a lot of while) I’ll get served ads on Instagram for young up-and-coming bands. The vast majority of these are in the pop punk vein. At any rate KNIVES FL was one of those bands who got delivered into my algorithm and I enjoyed this album.…
-
Sincere Engineer ‘Cheap Grills’ (2023)
Sincere Engineer has that sharp Chicago punk rock sound down pat, complete with brilliantly depressed storytelling that sprints through tales of heartbreak and shoddy self-repair. Frontwoman Deanna Belos’ earnest vocal approach makes her sound like she’s right at the top of her range on every song. And she filters her diary-like lyrics through punchy, hook-laden…
-
Frank Sinatra ‘Songs For Young Lovers’ (1954)
When Frank Sinatra signed with Capitol Records in 1953, he was emerging from a career slump but armed with a newfound sense of confidence and artistic direction. The dude was seasoned by countless nights on the stages of Las Vegas and refined a more intimate yet sophisticated lounge jazz style. Songs for Young Lovers has…
-
Tim McGraw ‘Two Lanes Of Freedom’ (2013)
Tim McGraw is definitely on my Mount Rushmore of country artists (you can read more about that here) and while Two Lanes Of Freedom represents some of his more recent pop-oriented work it’s still a killer album. Go flip on “Southern Girl” and listen to that hook and tell me you aren’t singing along. Go…
-
Buena Vista Social Club ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ (1997)
There’s been a ton of digital ink spilled about the landmark 1997 album from Buena Vista Social Club (especially recently since a musical themed version of the album just hit Broadway this year), but a brief history lesson is certainly helpful here. This album a living time capsule of Cuba’s rich musical past brought to…
-
Once ‘The Soundtrack’ (2007)
In college one of my closest friends Zach and I became utterly obsessed with the movie Once as well as its soundtrack. The movie is an incredible love story that features Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová (who are also members of the band The Swell Season, which yes is kind of confusing). In the movie…
-
Michael Cera Palin ‘I Don’t Know How to Explain It’ (2018)
I Don’t Know How to Explain It is actually relatively easy to explain. Tightly written emotionally charged emo-pop punk that plays to the genre’s strengths that blends catchy melodies and Midwest emo guitar noodling in its punchy runtime. The unexpectedly awesome cover of Sheryl Crow’s “If It Makes You Happy” show off their knack for…
-
Nazz ‘Nazz’ (1968)
We’ve talked about Todd Rundgren’s solo career before but his musical journey began with Nazz, a Philadelphia-based band he co-founded in 1967. Nazz was sort of a band in name-only based off what I’ve seen. Put another way, it was essentially a showcase for a young Rundgren to wield full creative control as songwriter, arranger,…
-
Nova Charisma ‘Metropolitan’ (2024)
Nova Charisma began in 2019 as a creative outlet for vocalist Donovan Melero (of Hail The Sun fame) and guitarist Sergio Medina, both known for their work in the progressive post-hardcore scene. While their main bands emphasized complex, layered arrangements, Nova Charisma aimed to explore a more accessible and direct songwriting approach. Between 2019 and…
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
