A blazing-fast album deserves a blazing-fast post. Bad Nerves' self-titled debut is the catchiest proverbial slap-in-the-face I've ever seen live. "Radio Punk" is perpetually stuck in my head, "Palace" has great lines and riffs, and "New Shapes" goes faster than a jet plane. Do give it a listen!

While I have expressed my love and admiration for vocaloid music before, I must say both are somewhat recent; Only last year did it finally *click* for me. Still, I have yet to find another who does it like producer Jamie Paige! "Constant Companions" is unique, to the point it's hard to fit- 🧵(1/4)

I don't want to pretend I'm _old_, but if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's how enjoyable it is to take things a little more slowly. Why rush to catch a train when you can calmly wait for the next one?

For week 29 we've got "Sawayama" by, you'll never guess, British-Japanese singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama! This (self-titled?) pop album was introduced to me by a good friend, and I was immediately hooked when I heard "Fuck This World". It might be listed as an 'interlude', but I think that- 🧵(1/3)

Continuing on from last week's post; Owl City had another big hit after his first, one with Canadian pop singer Carly Rae Jepsen. Neither have been in the spotlight much since then, as far as the general public is concerned, but in 2022 she released an album that gained some notice on- (1/3) 🧵

Okay hear me out. Many might be sick of the one big song from this record, no doubt in part to its ubiquity in supermarket playlists, but Owl City's "Ocean Eyes" is worthy of your attention! This album by American singer-songwriter Adam Young was formative for me in many ways, being one of- (1/3)

For week 26, I'd like to introduce an album who's opening track, "Movie Light", brought me to tears. Singer-songwriter Satoko Shibata's "Your Favorite Things" is a lot of things. Discogs lists it as 'indie pop', but that does not, to me, capture what this album sounds like. When the strings- (1/4) 🧵

There was a time I became somewhat obsessed with a track by SIRUP some years back. It was called "MAIGO", and had some featured artist I'd never heard of; Joe Hertz. When I later went digging, it turned out this UK-based producer had an album out; Lucky me! That album was "Current Blues", (1/4)🧵

Also happy 21st night of september to all who celebrate!

One of my friends from middle school got married recently, and I distinctly remember when he introduced me to "As Blue As Indigo" by UK alt-rockers Tigercub. We listened to the entire album, front-to-back, while on our way to... I think a band rehearsal? This was in his somewhat shitty car, (1/3)🧵

Listening back through Friends At The Table's "COUNTER/weight" after listening to "PARTIZAN" and I have to mention; the opening excerpt of episode 16 is incredible. I knew Austin could write, but every line of that minute or so is brilliant

Switching it up for week 23, we have an album that's gone viral in some niche circles, but is very obscure outside those; "Flying Beagle", by jazz pianist Himiko Kikuchi! It's no secret I love the sounds of the 80's, and this album has that in spades. "Baby Talk" has wonderfully retro- (1/3) 🧵

Week 22 brings me down memory lane, to the first band I ever called myself a fan of; UK alt-rockers Area 11. Getting their start playing for a YouTube channel doing minecraft let's plays, it was on their second album, "Modern Synthesis", that I feel they proved themselves as a 'real band'. 🧵(1/3)

Week 21! I'm not going to pretend this isn't a somewhat basic pick, but it's hard to beat the satin-soft jazz singing of Chet Baker. "Chet Baker Sings" is from a different era of albums, when trivial concerns such as 'theme', 'sequencing', and 'cohesion' were not yet on the minds of artists. 🧵(1/3)

It should come as no surprise, given my (neo-)disco brainrot, but "Baby Be Mine" by Michael Jackson is one of the best songs ever to me

I've been building too much IKEA furniture these past few days...

Do you want $473 in audio plugins for literally less than $3 because guitar center pissed off Sam Pura? If you use the discount code FUCKUADANDGUITARCENTER to get his everything bundle you can live this dream.

We've made it to week 20, and I'd like to cover the delightful "Annihilation" by Japanese singer-songwriter AAAMYYY. I remember listening to the first single off this album, "Utopia", back in 2020. It felt to me like I was swimming in those synthesizers; The song's ethereal sounds were like 🧵(1/3)

Week 19*, and we're back to my personal nostalgia! When asked what the artwork represented, De Staat's frontman Torre Florim replied 'It could be a lot of things; The letter "o", a zero, or just a little circle'. Most fans have taken to calling this alternative banger "Oh". While I could- 🧵(1/4)

Huh, seems something broke the images in my last album post, making the alt-text mismatched. I'll repost once I find a fix. Apologies for the attack on your timeline!!

Oops

The weather's been nice again, so for week 18 I'm in a city pop mood! Anri's "Timely!!" is a true classic of the genre, maybe even _the_ defining album to me. So much so, in fact, it is somewhat challenging to write about; How would you describe 'oxygen', 'the sky', or the concept of a 'day'- 🧵(1/3)

Rewatched kpop demon hunters, and it struck me how it deeply loves women, but does not read as sapphic (to me at least). There's valid critiques of the movie, but in this regard it does a lot right. Also the music is really really really good

Someone give me the motivation to work on player options for this silly TTRPG project I'm working on...

I was skeptical of "Takopi's Original Sin" at first; Afraid they wouldn't handle such heavy topics well. Now, having seen the last episode, I think it is a must-watch. It's heavy, dealing with topics like (CW) abuse, abandonment, and suicide, but it does so with respect and a message that resonates

Week 17(ish) goes to UK rock duo Royal Blood and their 3rd: 'Typhoons'. While I've been a fan of theirs since their debut album, it is this foray into a more electronic, danceable sound where the band struck gold for my tastes. While it's still got their edge, the cuts on here are tempered- 🧵(1/3)

New Fujii Kaze single!!! Love the cheesy DX-7 e-piano on this one ♥️ youtube.com/watch?v=RoY_...

morning mood

Wish bsky'd let you schedule posts, but for now I think I'll have to move this week's album post forward to later today

Ooh, the MV for Furui Riho's new song is finally out and it is, as expect, excellent! www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxyA...

I touched on it when I covered Ado's Kyougen, but the insane talent in the utaite community still astounds me. I'm looking for/listening to cover of Giga's "Beyond the Way", and I am astounded by some of the vocal delivery these singers manage. 🧵

For week 16, I wanted to go down memory lane a little bit. As with most teens, I was really trying to find my own identity as I was preparing to go to university. One album that really helped me here was 'Belladonna of Sadness' by US singer-songwriter Alexandra Savior. I had already heard- 🧵 (1/4)

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have removed their music from Spotify: "Can we put pressure on these Dr. Evil tech bros to do better?"

Getting back into studying japanese, and the word for 'hobby' sounds really cute. It's "Shumi". Giggling like a schoolgirl rn

I mentioned before how I got into J-pop around 2020. For week 15, I'd like to reveal the culprit for my descent into loving this genre: 'Traveler' by Official HIGE DANdism! When it comes to modern Japanese pop productions, this album has it all; spanning the gamut from horn-blasting 🧵 (1/3)

Week 14, and we're tackling "Raw Data Feel" by English experimental pop band Everything Everything! Released around the same time as ChatGPT, this album found the exact right moment in time for its themes of using technology to cope with the horrors and burdens of the world to resonate. 🧵(1/3)

Well, seems I could make 13 weeks without forgetting! Next album thread will be up tomorrow as North Sea Jazz occupied all my weekend...

I know I chose Kyougen to talk about, but I think 'Chocolat Cadabra' is Ado's best (studio) vocal performance to date

Ado is a strange artist, viewed from the world of traditional, commercial music. Instead of slogging it out in small venues with a few decent songs, hoping to get noticed by a label, et cetera, Ado started as a utaite; A singer who covers (usually) vocaloid songs online. I won't deep-dive on- 🧵(1/5)

The problem with "I'll do it tomorrow" turns out to be this: Eventually, 'tomorrow' becomes 'today' and then you actually have to do it. Hate it when that happens

I feel I'm at a weird spot in my life. I have regrets now, not in the "oh I shouldn't have done that one thing" sense, but the "my life could be so much better, had I taken a different path" one. I feel like some of my dreams and aspirations are just... never gonna happen; I didn't start in time

For week 12, I'd like to spotlight "Ghost Notes" by Japanese singer-songwriter Kan Sano! I'll admit I don't know much about him, partially through only knowing the basics of Japanese, but I have always enjoyed projects he's worked on with the likes of Shin Sakiura (who'll get a spotlight- 🧵(1/3)

This is the cutest MV I have seen in ages, plus the song's great!!!

I stumbled upon a YouTube channel called 'Yuh Baek' that does beautiful piano improv/pieces, but the video titles are... something else. I've been reading the comments on this one and crying my eyes out. www.youtube.com/watch?v=siq9... Please stay, everyone. Please.

Week 11 (+ 1 day), and I want to shout out an album dear to me: "Screen Violence" by Scottish synth-pop band CHVRCHES! 2021 was a weird year for me; I remember this album releasing during a very hard time for me emotionally. 'How Not To Drown' (featuring none other than Robert Smith) became- 🧵 (1/4)

Thanks to a very busy weekend, week 11 of the weekly album column will be posted tomorrow!

The Amsterdam Ado show was an absolute delight!! She really is one of the best vocalists active right now, no doubt in my mind. Moreover, the crowd was energized, the band knocked it out of the park, and I met some really kind people! ✨

We've made it to week 10! I remember specifically putting off listening to concept album "Dead Club City" by UK alt-rockers Nothing But Thieves until *after* thye entrance talk to my current major cause I was so nervous! I even remember live-blogging my reactions to each song on tumblr! 🧵 (1/4)

Leave it to Fujii Kaze to write lyrics about Hachikō, the dog who waited over nine years for his deceased owner, and said owner having a joyous reunion in the afterlife, only to set it to one of the grooviest pop instrumentals in recent memory. Listen to 'Hachikō', the track is such a banger

Week 9, and of course the lesbian musician has to mention Irish singer-songwriter Hozier at some point! This is his third album, and I think thematically his most thematically cohesive yet. Most of those familiar already know about how the tracklist follows the nine circles of hell, 🧵(1/4)