Six albums that seize control of their own story, including:
Buckingham/Nicks - Buckingham/Nicks (1973) Pom Poko - Champion (2025) De La Soul - De La Soul is Dead (1991) Djo - The Crux (2025) Nine Inch Nails - TRON: Ares OST (2025) Cardiacs - LSD (2025)
Yes - Union Review ‘91 VS. Consider the Source - The Stare
Yes - Union Review ‘91
Consider the Source has stellar musicianship and respectable compositional skills. Despite the singularly unique style of the group, their music is ultimately fun and often electrifying. Against all odds, however, this unofficial Yes recording is an engaging document of Yes at a crucial point in their career arc. Untangling the way in which the various players subtly rearrange this classic and often magical music is an irresistible treat for the Yes fan.
Amythyst Kiah - Still+Bright VS. Sobs - Air Guitar
Amythyst Kiah - Still+Bright
While both of these albums share a certain songwriting focus, they diverge in really profound ways. Amythyst Kiah’s rootsy blues approach is, in some ways, far removed from Sobs’s urban sheen, but in the end, each of these albums succeed respectably well in their respective styles. Place matters, however, and because I am currently living in a rural area close to the place that Amythyst Kiah calls home (Johnson City is nearby), her music resonates really strongly with me right now. If I was living in a city, I wonder if my preferences would be different.
Magdalena Bay - Imaginal Disk VS. Father of Peace - The Year of Madness
Father of Peace - The Year of Madness
Online advocacy for Imaginal Disk is rabid. Critics love it, fans love it, and I love it. It’s a deep, cinematic listen that stands up to nearly microscopic inspection. Many will rightfully argue that it is the superior album of the two - perhaps even one of the standout albums of the decade! The infectious nature of The Year of Madness, however, is undeniable, and as much as I love and respect Imaginal Disk, its tunes like Advice and Land of Foreign Suns that wander in when I relax my inner dialogue.
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Choosing between these two was more difficult than anticipated. Like several other albums that I have encountered this season that prioritized vibe and ambience, Pigments has resonated with me in an elusive yet undeniable way. In this particular case, however, the sociocultural relevance and subsequent raw conviction of The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady is irrefutably convincing.
Viewer's Choice
Yes - Union Review '91 VS. Consider the Source - The Stare
Yes - Union Review '91
The Murlocs - Rapscallion VS. Lucy in Blue - Lucy in Blue
The Murlocs - Rapscallion
Teitur Magnusson - Orna VS. Dummy - Pure Energy
Teitur Mangnusson - Orna
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
In order to get through the Disc Course in a timely fashion, there are a couple of instances in which a week will be split between two tiers. Clearly, this is one of those weeks. The first two Spin-Offs below are stragglers from the third Tier 6 cycle, whereas the last two are a sneak peek into Tier 7, which will decide the Fall Top 12.
Tier 7 Spin-Off’s are often very challenging. They represent albums that have already established themselves through several showdowns, some of which have been in play since January. To have even gotten to this point implies a certain level of quality, and Tier 7 pits these albums against each other. It it not unusual to engage in a bit of reflection and soul-searching to make a selection at this stage in the game, and sometimes it will be the smallest detail that gives an album the edge.
Tier 6
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus VS. London Grammar - The Greatest Love
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus
London Grammar has had a good run this year. They lost a hopeless battle against XTC’s Black Sea in Tier 1, but definitely proved their mettle against the impressive Icelandic electronic group Samaris in Tier 5. Every time they have returned, they have grown in my esteem, but the carefully crafted nostalgia of Equus Caballus elicits an emotional response from me that is difficult to overcome.
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Kohachiro Minyata - Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
In a way similar to Equus Caballus, traditional Japanese honkyoku elicits an undeniable emotional response, which gave Shakuhachi: the Japanese Bamboo Flute a unique challenge to The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady. In this case, however, despite the centering effect of Minyata’s recording, Mingus’ transgressive approach to jazz proved to capture my interest
Tier 7
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman VS. Queen - Queen
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman
This was incredibly difficult. Queen is a favorite group of mine. I would stop short of saying that their catalog is perfect, but they have a pretty good track record overall and their debut album Queen is far from the bottom of the barrel. All of the sonic elements that are identifiably Queen are present on this album, with the exception of relatable songwriting. Queen is profoundly musical and clever, but forgettable when compared to the band’s later work - or Ozzy’s. Diary of a Madman is more immediate and relatable in comparison to Queen, while Randy Rhoads’ contributions inject a level of nuance below the surface.
Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia VS. Magma - Udu Wudu
Magma - Udu Wudu
I like Sleep Token, and although this particular album from them has been critically divisive, I fall on the side of advocacy. The way they cross the streams between contemporary R&B and progressive metal is unique and musically effective. Part of Even in Arcadia’s distinctive appeal comes from its production conventions, which imbues it with an otherworldly atmosphere, but also robs it of a certain level of humanity. Despite being more conceptually dense, Udu Wudu is an innately human album. Throughout its runtime, musicians subtly play off of each other, which, given the album’s identifiable situation as a 70s recording, I find attractive. Rick Beato’s recent breakdown of Emergence from Even in Arcadia, however, has given me a new perspective on the album that may earn it a save.
Viewer’s Choice
Tier 6
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus VS. London Grammar - The Greatest Love
Men I Trust - Equus Caballus
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady VS. Kohachiro Minyata - Shakuhachi: The Japanese Bamboo Flute
Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady
Tier 7
Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman VS. Queen - Queen
Queen - Queen
Discipline - Breadcrumbs VS. Magma - Udu Wudu
Magma - Udu Wudu
The Fall Top 12 will still have the same redundancy features that we saw in the Spring. The group’s top contributor (comments and posts only) will sub out one album from the list for an eliminated album of their choosing from Tiers 6 or 7, and the group at large will select 6 eliminated albums as “saves” that will go directly to the Finals.
The Murlocs - Rapscallion VS. Sobs - Air Guitar
Sobs - Air Guitar
The intellectual care that The Murlocs have hidden inside of Rapscallion’s rougher edges is incredibly respectable, and is certainly delivered with no small amount of musical craftsmanship. Air Guitar is similarly well-crafted, however, and what it lacks in conceptual cohesion it more than makes up for in polished performances and production.
Yes - Union Review ‘91 VS Soft Machine - Bundles
Yes - Union Review ‘91
Being that I am usually hesitant to really delve into live albums and am not a big advocate of bootlegs, I was emotionally ready to give this one to Bundles, which is amazing. Union Review ‘91, however, captures a very unique configuration of Yes, and listening to them interpret the repertoire is not only interesting for this longtime fan, but it also allows me to quite vividly recall my own experience on the Union decades ago. When it is at its best, Yes’ music is magical, and Union ‘91 has helped me remember that.
The Tea Club - If/When VS. Hjatalin - Enter 4
The Tea Club - If/When
The vibe and atmospheric clarity of Enter 4 has pushed it out in front of many of the Icelandic albums that I was introduced to last Summer, and I was really rooting for it going into this Spin-Off. I can’t deny, however, that despite having a few production and consistency quibbles, If/When contains some of the best tracks I have heard this season. Several of them have been on repeat in my head for weeks and, as a result, indelibly imprinted on many Fall experiences. These emergent memory episodes are very hard to ignore when considering albums that represent 2025.
Father of Peace - The Year of Madness VS. Tinted Windows - Tinted Windows
Father of Peace - The Year of Madness
This was the most difficult Spin-Off from this week. Tinted Windows has come back around several times since the beginning of this year, and has only increased in my esteem with each return. It's a pristine example of my favorite branch of power pop that is flawlessly executed by a compelling “supergroup” roster of musicians. The Year of Madness is similarly well-crafted, but Father of Peace’s approach to songwriting is epitomized by quirky Pinkerton-esque shifts that provide the album with a broader stylistic palate that doesn't sacrifice musicality or memorability.
Viewer’s Choice
The Murlocs - Rapscallion VS. Sobs - Air Guitar
The Murlocs - Rapscallion
Yes - Union Review ‘91 VS Eldberg - Þar Er Heimur Hugans
Yes - Union Review ‘91
The Tea Club - If/When VS. Sheena Ringo - Kalk Samen Kuri no Hana
The Tea Club - If/When
Father of Peace - The Year of Madness VS. Teitur Magnússon - Orna
Teitur Magnússon - Orna
Another six entries for Tier 6, with albums from:
Father of Peace - The Year of Madness (2024) Men I Trust - Equus Caballus (2025) Charles Mingus - The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady (1963) The Murlocs - Rapscallion (2022) The Tea Club - If/When (2019) Yes - Union Review '91 (1991)
Oak - The Third Sleep VS Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
Both of these albums are beautifully melancholic and emotionally evocative, and although they may be coming at this description from different angles, I feel that there’s significant enough common ground between the two to warrant an equitable comparison. There’s a unique compositional nuance to Pigments, however, that grants it a distinctive liminality.
The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum VS Parannoul - Sky Hundred
The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum
Sky Hundred is great, and I have come to really appreciate Parannoul’s work, but it veers into unnecessarily noisy territory at times. A Coliseum Complex Museum, in comparison, is consistently pristine, and its songs capitalize on the power of this clarity.
George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 VS. Queen - Queen
Queen - Queen
A controversial Spin-Off, for sure. Many, many fans have spoken out in support of Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, and I agree that their advocacy is warranted. It is doubtlessly George Michael’s finest and most direct album, and his artistic vision shines brightly throughout its runtime. If we were talking about later Queen albums like Hot Space or The Works, he might have won our. At this early stage in their career, however, where Queen seems to have an astounding clarity of vision and a vital drive to match it, they are very difficult to unseat, in my opinion
Discipline - Breadcrumbs VS. Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
This one wins the contentious Spin-Off award for this week. Given the divisive nature of Even in Arcadia, I am sure to ruffle some feathers by giving it the win, especially given my progressive rock credentials. After much consideration, however, I flew in the face of my usual preferences. Breadcrumbs is beautifully melodic and conceptually compelling, but it doesn’t have the impact of Discipline’s early work. Paradoxically, my lack of investment in Sleep Token’s earlier work has, I think, allowed me to approach Even in Arcadia unburdened by preconceived notions of their work. I am really fascinated by the way in which they layer contemporary R&B with atmospheric progressive metal and bind it together with their distinctive identity presentation. This fascination grants them the win.
Viewer’s Choice
Oak - The Third Sleep VS Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn - Pigments
The Besnard Lakes - A Coliseum Complex Museum VS Parannoul - Sky Hundred
Parannoul - Sky Hundred
George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 VS. Queen - Queen
Queen - Queen
Discipline - Breadcrumbs VS. Sleep Token - Even in Arcadia
Discipline - Breadcrumbs
