Oop - looks like I missed last week's results post! I'll catch it in the next day or two. Apologies - in the meantime:
Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Ministry - A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste
Zombi - Surface to Air
Inevitably, when I push “play” on this Ministry album, it feels like a decisive washout. The energy and scope of Thieves is electrifying and infectious, but, although the tracks to follow capture a similar intensity, they eventually flatten into monotony. Zombi, however, maintains interest with virtuosic Neal Peart-inspired drums and analog synth goodness right out of the height of 70s instrumental prog. That’s a combination that hits me where I live.
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond VS. Brittany Howard - What Now?
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond
I appreciate the coherency of Howard’s second album, but this newfound consistency comes at the price of fewer memorable moments. Chronicles of a Diamond has many, many high points that buoy the overall album into greatness.
Slift - Ilion VS. Wednesday - Rat Saw God
Slift - Ilion
This one was kind of a gimmie, because although I appreciate Wednesday’s songwriting, for me personally, the vocal approach grates. Ilion’s cosmic scope and crushing intensity caught my interest early on and has done nothing but reveal more nuance as it becomes more familiar.
The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
The Smile - Wall of Eyes
To call this one contentious is an understatement. I’ve flipped back and forth all week. Clearly, 2024’s Wall of Eyes would not exist in the same form without the tonal experimentation laid down by Spirit of Eden in 1988. The stylistic overlap between the two is compelling, and I am quite sure that both Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood sunk into Spirit of Eden’s atmospheric melancholy in the early stages of their musical development. Talk Talk’s innovative recording techniques and avant-garde undercurrents also warrant recognition, but Wall of Eyes occupies a similar space in both tone and ethic with a decisive intentionality. Several years ago, when I heard that Johnny Greenwood was doing movie soundtrack work, I wondered how it would impact his work with Radiohead. That influence is realized more fully with The Smile. Even this, though, only evens up the odds when comparing Wall of Eyes to Spirit of Eden. In this case, I think the deciding factor was how Wall of Eyes feels subjectively connected with life events over the past few months. It feels representative of my little corner of 2024, and in the big picture, that means something.
I will most likely, however, exercise a SAVE on Spirit of Eden, however. It brings an emotive listening experience like few other albums I have heard this semester.
Viewer’s Choice
Zombi - Surface to Air VS. Ministry - A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste
Zombi - Surface to Air
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond VS. Brittany Howard - What Now?
Black Pumas - Chronicles of a Diamond
Subsignal - Poetry of Rain VS. Wednesday - Rat Saw God
Subsignal - Poetry of Rain
The Smile - Wall of Eyes VS. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
The Smile - Wall of Eyes
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