72. The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons by The Hives - 8.5

-After a long eleven years, Swedish rockers The Hives finally return with some new music. And its exactly what you'd hope to hear from a band coming off a long hiatus. It's not exactly a rock opera, but the entire album does tell a story, something new for them, while still sounding very similiar to their best/most known work and also is a step forward lyrically from what we've heard in the past. Great to have them back!

73. I've Loved You So Long by The Aces - 5
74. Aperture by Hannah Jadagu* - 5.7
75. Natural Disaster by Bethany Cosentino* - 6.2

Some more girls that are listed in the alternative genre here. Aces are more alt-pop, Hannah is more alt-r&b while Bethany has an alternative country twang. Shows just how expansive the genre has become. All are fine with Bethany showing the most promise.

76. Maps by Billy Woods & Kenny Segal* - 5.5
77. Samson: The Album by Chika - 8.9
78. Really Her by Bia* - 7.9
79. Blender Talk by Chase Fetti* - 8

Pre-vacation update. Another run of hip-hop here and what a better time for it? After I talked shit about how the year was going for the genre, hip-hop has just gone off the last month or so with great releases one after another. Don't have time to talk about them all today, but wanted to make sure to get some scores in before I forget.

Macklemore: Ben - A-
Lana Del Rey: Did You Know There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard? - B-
Ed Sheeran: Subtract - B-
Kesha: Gag Order - B+
Zach Bryan (self titled) - B+

Not the most variety lyrically (Some of my favorites from him previously had been in 3rd party storytelling mode like Jamie or Open the Gate which he doesn't have on this one, I guess could be expected on self titled album) but has a number of really good songs still like I Remember Everything, Fear and Friday's, Spotless and Jake's Piano. I'll be happy to see the Musgraves feature that is currently topping Spotify make top 10, I was surprised that the Golden Hours songs weren't even top 100. I think country has a singer songwriter franchise player they can be proud of.

80. Back To The Waters Below by Royal Blood - 8.2

-The Blood at back at it with their assault of drums n bass rock music and continue on their path as one of the best modern bands. As the album title would suggest, Royal Blood classic is back for this album after their brief detour into funk rock on the last album Typhoons. However, this isn't just their usual sound blasting for half an hour. Despite dipping into the waters of the past, the boys still manage to evolve their sound, and more important make it their most diverse record. All of the songs sound quite different from each other and are inspired by various sungenres of rock n roll. Can't wait to see these played live later in the month!

81. Guts by Olivia Rodrigo - 9

Big improvemet over Sour, which I gave a C- to back when I was still using letter grades ... that would translate into about a 4.4 with current scoring system and I only really liked Good 4 U. At least half of this new album is good though, and even the piano ballads are fine when they stick out as unique rather than being every single track (expect the one.) It feels like she took all her emotion and turned it into a homage to both the emo era of the 2000s and recent emo revival while still being very personal. Good job, Liv. I knew you had it in you.

I'd rank them:

Vampire
Ballad Of A Homeschooled Girl
Love Is Embarassing
Lacy
All American Bitch
Pretty Isn't Pretty
The Grudge
Bad Idea Right
Logical
Get Him Back
Teenage Dream
Making The Bed (this is the only song I really don't like)

82. Moments Elsewhere by Johnny Booth* - 8.4
83. Slow Burn by Conquer Divide - 7.5
84. Dethalbum IV by Dethklok - 7

When i first heard the name Johnny Booth I assumed it'd be some tiktok singer or at best an old bluesman. You wouldn't expect a heavy metal band to themselves such a thing, yet here they are with one of the heaviest and one of the best albums of the year. Collapse in the Key of Fireworks is an especially badass tune.

Conquer Divide have been promoting this album for a long time. The first single, Atonement, came out over a year ago and placed in the top 15 of last year's Flava'd Fifty countdown. None of the new songs are quite that great, but they are all pretty good, and I'd say the album was worth the wait.

Like many people, I hadn't thought much about Dethklok since the end of their show Metalocalypse. However, they did a co-headlining tour with one of my favs, Babymetal, and actually stole the show! Seeing them play live with the cartoon playing on a screen in the background was such a trip. One of my favorite concert experiences ever. Listening to them on my boring ole Homepod wasn't quite the same, but their music is still very enjoyable.



I should be able to get one more update in before leaving for riotfest. Currently have 11 albums in the queue and next Friday has the new Bring Me The Horizon album (though all the singles for it have been mid) and Demi's "rock" album which will probably be super cringe but could also be fun.

85. The Ballad Of Darren by Blur - 6.5
86. Say I Won't by Bass Drum of Death* - 7.5

-People like Ty Segall are known for putting out multiple albums with multiple bands in the same year, but not Damon Albarn, so its very impressive to have this one so quickly after Cracker Island in late February. I've always preferred Gorillaz and will continue to do so, but the feat itself deserves the honor of recognition.

Bass Drum of Death are not as heavy as the name would imply. Think more like mid 00s alt rock. Which is totally cool with me and thus the album was a very satisfying listen.

Macklemore: Ben - A-
Lana Del Rey: Did You Know There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Boulevard? - B-
Ed Sheeran: Subtract - B-
Kesha: Gag Order - B+
Zach Bryan (self titled) - A-
Olivia Rodrigo - GUTS - B-

A few decent songs but feels like a non progression from Sour to me, still a teenage girl’s diary, and seems like she’s the same age as on the first one. I’ll pass on becoming a real Livie.

87. Revamped by Demi Lovato - 6
88. Ruckus! by Movements - 7
89. Dizzy by Dizzy - 8

Demi's "rock versions" of her songs are almost too cringe to listen to on their own, but all put together it's not so bad. Just like a remixed version of a greatest hits album. I'll stick with the originals, but it was an admirable idea.

Movements are what we used to call a warped tour band. They aren't a new band persay, their biggest hit came out only a few years ago. Very very emo, but in an alt-rock grungey type of way. I know they've been opening for the likes of The Used and A Day To Remember recently, following in the footsteps of their presumed idols.

Dizzy album was a nice surprise. She showed a lot of promise on her previous work and it paid off her. The songs Birthmark and Jaws are especially good.

90. Teeth by Brood X* - 7.4
91. Stone by Baroness - 7.8
92. Cheap Grills by Sincere Engineer - 8
93. Picture Perfect by Hannah Diamond* - 8.3

Once again way behind on music. Some of these deserved their own post but we're just gonna power through it.

Brood X is a local band and probably the best one I've heard since Cloud Nothings blew up. I was gonna go to their show at Happy Dog (who serve Cleveland's famous fruit loop hot dog) but forgot. The good thing about local bands is that they play alot though. It's kinda of psych-rocky but with a punkish edge.

I hadn't thought of Baroness in a long time, I think I've only heard their debut from 2007 (which is really good.) This was getting strong reviews though and I'm glad I checked it out. Now I also have many many years of other Baroness albums to catch up on.

Sincere Engineer is best known for corn dog mosh pits, but they kill it in the studio too. Very angsty punk-pop music. Though it might have a better grade if not for the last song which is all about the Cubs coming back to defeat the Guardians in the 2016 world series. She is a Chicago native, but I felt personally triggered and traumatized by it.

Hannah Diamond was a nice little find for some dance pop music in the vein of Charli XCX and Kim Petras. The first 3 songs are so catchy.

94. The Surface by Beartooth - 8

I'll confess to being very worried about this one. Beartooth usually releases heavy metalcore music about how shitty life is amongst other similiar topics. All the singles for The Surface pointed to a new happy-go-lucky Beartooth that was more fond of pop-punk than metalcore. Hell they even did a country song with Hardy! While these new happy songs sounded weird and corny in their live shows next to their heavy/depressing classics, it actually works really well all together in one package. The title track especially is a banger. So my worries have been quelled and one of my favorite bands can continue on with their undefeated streak (5-0 on albums now!)

95. Formentara II by Metric - 6.1

-Another one of my favorites released on Friday the 13th! While I listened to this one first, Beartooth won the battle of the day. F2 starts off hot with To Detour and Just The Once being the best songs on the album. Descendents near the end would round out my top 3, but the rest ... definitely sound like a b-side album. Metric don't make bad music, but this is probably their weakest album to date. Grats to Pagans In Vegas for finally get out of the cellar lol.

96. The Window by Ratboys - 7
97. Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit by Speedy Ortiz - 8
98. Perfect Saviors by The Armed* - 7.5

A lot of high quality indie/alt-rock going around lately. Speedy especially stands out. I've been listening to them for 10 (!) years now and this is their best record to date.

99. Tether by Of Mice and Men - 6.5
100. For That Beautiful Feeling by The Chemical Brothers - 8.2
101. Endling by Kvelertak - 8.1
102. Brand New Soul by Angel Du$t - 7.8

An eclectic group of artists here that don't have much in common except that they were released over a month ago, on the same weekend as Guts.

I also finally found a lettrbox app for albums called Music Board! Enjoying it alot so far. Will have to go back through these threads to remember everything though lol.

103. One More Time by Blink-182 - 5.8

-Barker is at peak level here but the other two kinda sound like they are just going through the motions by taking one of their old riffs and putting lyrics about how "we" aren't young anymore on top of them. Still worth a listen though. Dance With Me and Fell In Love were the two best.

104. Magic 3 by Nas - 8.8

-For the second year in a row, Nas has dropped a banger out of nowhere in the final months of the season. Actually, in the span of 12 months he released King's Disease 3 (9.5), Magic 2 (8.5) and now gets an 8.8 for Magic 3. This dude is like 50, has released about 20 albums and they are all good. I don't think I can put him above Kanye for #1 all timer rapper, but who would have guessed Nas would be spending the 2020s making a strong case for GOAT?

105. 1989 (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift - 5

Hard to grade this one. The new songs are all very good, but the new mixes of the old songs are mostly bad. Luckily, we can all still listen to the old versions of the old songs which are all 10s.

106. nadie sabe lo que va a pasar manana by Bad Bunny - 9

22 songs on an album is way too many. That's my only complaint though. Bad Bunny continues to improve in every aspect. Who else can say they released their best album in the same year that they had their best wrestling match? Monaco and Telefone Nuevo are my top favorites. Every track is solid though.

107. The Fear of Fear by Spiritbox - 9.9

-If this was a full album it would be a 10 and competing with Travis and IA for the album of the year. All six songs are so fucking good. Cannot wait to see them perform these live. Cellar Door and Angel Eyes will tear the house down.

108. Problematique by Kim Petras - 5.7
109. Zig by Poppy - 8.1
110. Howl by Chuu* - 6.3

Petras got her own post (and midight listen) earlier in the year with Feed the Beast ... but that was one was underwhelming. Problematique sounds more like classic Kim, but it still doesn't hit as hard as she used to.

Poppy goes back to her more hyperpoppy sound for this new album rather than the guitar based, nxt theme song ready songs from the last two. Good news is that she does it all very well! Knockoff is a great song!

Chuu sounds like a pretty typical american pop star except she is chinese instead. It's fine. Not something I'll revist often, but good for one listen.

111. Chronicles of a Diamond by Black Pumas - 7.8
112. Some of It Was True by The Menzingers - 7.1

-Black Pumas album isn't quite up to their excellent self-titled debut from a few years ago, but it is close enough that these guys are already my top favorites in the R&B/Soul genre. Ice Cream and Mrs. Postmas were my favorite songs.

-Menzingers album sounds like a totally different band than where they started. If you'd told me this was the new Gaslight Anthem album (which I still need to listen to) I would have believed you. That being said, it's pretty solid nonetheless.


There are nine albums left in my queue. I don't think there's anything big coming out for the rest of the year but Andre 3000 just announced a jazz flute album so we will hear how that goes.

113. Crazymad, For Me by CMAT - 8.9
114. History Books by The Gaslight Anthem - 6


-CMAT, the abbreviation of Courtney Marie Alice Thompson, was my best new artist last year with her excellent debut If My Wife New I'd Be Dead. I'm happy to say she did not fall victim to the dreaded sophomore slump! This girl knows how to write songs and it looks like she shall continue to do that for us until she is no longer capable. The best songs are the first and last, California and Have Fun. She will have a good chance at getting another top ten album of the year on next months FF chart!

-Gaslight Anthem's return is a far cry from their peak, but it still has some pretty good songs like Positive Charge. Singer/songwriter Brian Fallon also has his dream come true by finally collaberating with his hero - Bruce Springsteen.

115. Higher by Chris Stapleton - 7.5
116. God Games by The Kills - 5.3

Stapleton continues being one of the better writers in the country game. This album is especially blues heavy, which I prefer over the 'pop or rock music with a southern accent' style of country.

It's been so so long since the last Kills album that I feel bad saying it was boring. But it was.

117. 152 by Taking Back Sunday - 6.5
118. ai by tlinh* - 5.2
119. La Gaule Vol. 1 by Gaulois* - 5.8
120. Plastic Eternity by Mudhoney* - 7
121. The Art of Self Defense by High On Fire* - 6.6
122. And Then You Pray For Me by Westside Gunn - 5.9
123. Think Later by Tate McRae - 6

Just cleaning up on the remaining releases. Foreign releases, random recommendations from friends, etc... Nothing will be making waves on the FF album chart, but at least two of these will have a chance at the song countdown.

Tate's album is the only big release here. It is super generic, but also totally fine.