I couldn't stay away. Not a year has passed and Dozens Of Donuts has risen from the grave. Sure, it's as a zombie whose mental state has been dwarfed by its former, living self, but still. We're back.
Truth be told, I remain satisfied with my decision to shut down Dozens Of Donuts on account of my busy work schedule, which is as active as ever. The amount of music I've listened to has increased tremendously since setting aside the keyboard, which has been a rewarding experience in my never-ending quest to become a self-prescribed connoisseur.
So how and why are we here? Well, as many of you know, I still run a RateYourMusic page. On that account you'll find my Listening Log, which is where you can see ratings and reviews for everything I listen to. My thought was simple then: Let's put those reviews - which are growing in size and substance (for those that know my writing style, this isn't a surprise) - onto Dozens Of Donuts. Once a week I'll amalgamate these reviews into two articles; Listening Log Past & Listening Log Present. It goes without saying that the former is anything not released in the current year, the latter is.
A new rating system has been put in place to better associate with my oftentimes confusing ratings on RYM. A textbook grading system will be used, ranging from A+ to F-, with C the baseline average. Also there is no set amount of reviews per week, just however many I get around to reviewing. And don't expect week-of reviews. I wait one month - with at least three listens under my belt - before I rate and review an album. Enjoy the return, let's hope it lasts.
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Why did I wait years to listen to BiRd-BrAiNs, knowing the extent of my adoration over W H O K I L L? Shame on me. tUnE-yArDs' quaint, bedroom debut feels like the younger sister to W H O K I L L's more assaultive, mature presence. There's an irresistible charm, an acceptance of peace in the face of turmoil.
Merrill Garbus, unabashed leftist, draws controversy - and confidence - from this harmlessness. BiRd-BrAiNs' Lo-Fi sensibilities are as inescapable as they are endearing, and misinterpreting that playful spirit for pretentiousness would be an errant mistake. In many ways, this record's meant for children. It's erratic, offbeat, desultory, and most notably; virtuous. Much like how children's cartoons from the 90's - a generation Garbus and I grew up in - taught life lessons through balmy banter and preposterous plights, BiRd-BrAiNs achieves the same feat. There isn't a single bad song, with genial peaks in 'Sunlight,' 'Safety,' and 'Fiya.'
A-
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An honorable and honest debut for The Antlers. It doesn't wow - that'll come with time - but Uprooted does plant the seed for what they'd soon achieve. Here, Peter Silberman is just as guarded as ever, quivering around every word like a mouse near a trap. There's a couple recurring Antlers elements that find their origin here as well, including bits of 'Keys' and 'Flash Floods Don't Retreat.' That continuity is what defines their veracity. Few awe-inspiring moments though, apart from 'Uprooted.'
C
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2017 | Post-Punk | Listen
THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS THIS INSURRECTION
Let's get the elephant out of the way: The Underside Of Power is dominated by its titular single. So much so that going into the LP, despite not knowing which song was the critically-acclaimed single, I hadn't a second guess once 'The Underside Of Power's' chorus came on. It's that salient. And easily Algiers' best song. The perfect marriage of Gospel, Soul, and Rock.
To put it simply, the rest of the LP could've paralleled Algiers and it would've been an improvement based off 'The Underside Of Power' alone. Thankfully, Algiers go above and beyond in other respects, flexing their prowess by incorporating hi-hats that wouldn't be out of the ordinary in Trap on bangers 'Cleveland,' 'Walk Like A Panther,' and 'Death March.' However, it's their commitment to bridging the gap between Noise-oriented Rock and Gospel that dictates the best music. Along with 'Underside Of Power,' the filthy screech of 'Animals' and the colossal epic 'The Cycle / The Spiral' help keep Algiers' second LP engaging throughout. The couple of instrumental pieces ('Plague Years,' 'Bury Me Standing') could've used some work though.
B
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1980 | Post-Punk | Listen
HOMELESS MAN TURNS ABANDONED FACTORY INTO A RAVE FOR ONE
Nick Cave's first prominent appearance, as 1/5th of The Birthday Party. Like other Post-Punk outfits of the early 80's, The Birthday Party merge the grit and grime present in the genre with a kooky levity that's not far removed from Funk. Think of Tuxedomoon, A Certain Ratio, and The Del-Byzanteens. It's sloppy, raucous, and manic, which doesn't exactly make it entertaining. There's too much Noise-oriented pandemonium to isolate moments of greatness, like No Wave on smack. Doesn't help that Cave's clearly molded by David Byrne, although he does add his own excessive dementia to the fold. 'Happy Birthday's' the only song I can separate and enjoy.
D+
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1993 | Dream Pop | Listen
FAIRY ANGEL WHISPERS TENDERNESS ACROSS THE DARK ARTS
Not as spectacular as Floating In The Night, but no one expected such a feat. To put it simply, Floating In The Night was the composer's take on David Lynch's twisted soap opera, whereas Voice Of Love is the producer's. Angelo Badalamenti helms both, but this go-around his style is more upbeat and textbook, which causes the speciality of Twin Peaks music to lose its luster. Nothing - apart from 'Kool Kat Walk,' which is the most Noir thing here - stands out from the crowd, as Julee Cruise herself drifts with the same motions as the previous LP. For me, 'Until The End Of The World' is the momentous climax as those trudging, augural drums and their persistence is so hypnotically-enduring.
C
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