An Album A Day... Week of Classics
What a massive week of music.
Welcome back to your favorite weekly series! This week was absolutely nuts with outstanding albums. Now, I definitely “broke” my own rules about exclusively using a random album generator, but that’s not important at all. From one of the heaviest albums ever made to a discography review of a favorite band, there were so many wonderful music experience. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my yapping and blabbering.
January 11, 2025 // Blue Roses - Blue Roses
Blue Roses is the debut album of Laura Groves, an English musician under the pseudonym Blue Roses for this record. It is an absolutely gorgeous project seeped in beautiful sweeping guitar passages complemented by cinematic orchestration and pure vocal melodies similar to the compositions of legends like Kate Bush. Tracks like “Does Anyone Love Me Now?” and “Doubtful Comforts” insinuate the same dramatic atmosphere expected of emotional feature films while “I Am Leaving” and “Cover Your Tracks” give a bluegrass rooted tonality that exudes that same epic, larger-than-life sound.
However, despite all of its beauty, one issue arises: when every track goes for that big and climatic moment, the effect of simplicity is lost. With every song leading up to that massive sounding melody or full orchestral explosion, the subtle perfection of having room to breathe doesn’t exist. Yes, I absolutely love a grand climax in the music, it gives me chills… but if all 10 songs here attempt to create that feeling, then the charm of those goosebump-inducing moments fail to recapture it, making the album a chore rather than a pleasure. I could rave on and on about a lot of the songs individually here, because some of them are some of the more gorgeous pieces of folk music I’ve heard — yet when you blend it all together, it becomes difficult to enjoy them as much as they should be appreciated.
Now, it’s very clear that Laura Groves is a talented individual. There is nothing wrong with compositions here, and each aspect from the orchestration to the vocal melodies are planned with care and flow well with each other. She does a great job balancing the use of instrumentation, with the primary use of piano in a song like “I Wish I…” with the more guitar driven jams of “Coast” and “Rebecca.” Yet even with this balance, it still at times feels tiresome to listen to because of the consistent attempts at grandeur.
To reiterate, Blue Roses is a beautiful debut, full of talent and exceptional compositional work. There is truly nothing wrong with the individual works of art here, but rather the unfortunate result of them all being within close proximity to each other. Without a simpler, stripped down sound to root the project in, every “big” moment feels mundane simply because I had heard the other songs prior to it. I don’t really know anything from Laura Groves outside of this, but if she continued to capitalize on her ability to craft beautiful pieces and learned how to root it in a simpler sound to make those big moments even larger, then I’m sure she is doing great out there in the music world.
7.5/10Favorite Track: Does Anyone Love Me Now?
Least Favorite Track: Greatest Thoughts
Final Thoughts: I’ve come back to some of these songs individually, and “Does Anyone Love Me Now?” and “Doubtful Comforts” might be two of the best songs I’ve heard in quite a while now that I’ve heard them outside of the album’s constraints.
January 12, 2026 // Poppy - I Disagree
Nowadays, Poppy is established within the metal scene, featuring on tracks with bands like Knocked Loose and creating metalcore rippers. So, I Disagree is just another part of her metal discography… but it wasn’t always that. To put how weird the record is into perspective, we need to go back in time to just before its release. Poppy was known for her rather weird YouTube videos like “How To Load A Gun” and “a plant” along with her bubblegum pop style. However, with the release of her album Am I A Girl?, something switched. While the majority of the record featured her typical pop sound, the final two tracks were — metal? “Play Destroy” was a bit more of an alternative style track that featured catchy elements, but “X” just had some straight up metal riffs, and it was jarring to say the least. Maybe it was just an anomaly?
Then, shortly after, she released her EP Choke, and everything had changed. “Scary Mask” continued the trend of metal in her music, yet even the pop tracks had exchanged the vibrant bubblegum style for a darker, moodier atmosphere. It wasn’t just an anomaly, it was the foundation for Poppy’s future in music. However, even with the shift in the EP, I’m not sure anyone was prepared for what I Disagree offered untitled “Concrete” dropped.
The lead single is a wild way to kick off the record, with a genre-bending composition that bounces among heavy metal, alternative, pop metal, and rock. Compared to what she was known for at the time, this is an unbelievable way to bring on the new era of Poppy metal… but it’s only just the beginning. “Fill The Crown” and the title track dive deeper into her unique blend of metal and pop, with the verses boasting a dark and twisted bass and a catchy alternative metal-esque chorus. “Bite Your Teeth” almost entirely drops the bubblegum and just kicks you in the mouth with hard-hitting riffs, yet on the other end “BLOODMONEY” embraces the weird electronic side of her music with abrasive and chaotic noise that somehow manages to create a melody.
But there is a new element to her sound than was present in the previous releases that hinted toward metal. The final two tracks “Sick of the Sun” and “Don’t Go Outside” feature reverb-driven guitars that give a slow-burn feel for an epic conclusion. Beautiful vocals and pleasant chord progressions give a rather peaceful ending to the record, contrasting the more chaotic nature of the first 25 minutes. Moreso, the final track contains many nods and reprises of the previous songs, tying it all together for a fantastic finale that makes you want to go back for more.
While I do believe that Poppy’s more recent outputs do a better job with the metal sound and feel more polished, there’s just something that feels so charming about I Disagree. It was the first full-fledged dive into metal and darker tones that set Poppy on a new trajectory. It isn’t perfect by any means, and it does have a weird vibe to it, but that’s exactly what makes it so good! Sure, the newer ones are certainly more refined, but the chaos and unpolished feel are what make this Poppy’s best album to date.
9/10Favorite Track: Anything Like Me
Least Favorite Track: Sit / Stay
Final Thoughts: This album and Ghostemane were in constant rotation throughout 2020 simply because they were engaged at the time.
January 13, 2026 // Kendrick Lamar - DAMN.
I absolutely love Kendrick Lamar. good kid, m.A.A.d city is one of my favorite rap albums ever, and To Pimp A Butterfly is one of the most impressive albums I’ve listened to. While I do love his last two records and his earlier work as well, those two releases are easily just a tier above the rest. However, we aren’t here to talk about these masterpieces, we’re here to talk about DAMN.
Now, before we tackle this, I need to make it clear that I do in fact love this album as well. It is still a phenomenal rap release, with some of my favorite tracks from Kendrick Lamar, like the lyrical narrative of his father in “DUCKWORTH.” and the cornerstone of the DAMN. story concept in “FEAR.,” both displaying his flow and wordplay. However, the record is not flawless by any means… and it unfortunately at times pales in comparison to what his previous releases had to offer. So what holds this back for me?
Unfortunately, it’s the dip into the mainstream trap and hip-hop styles that were popular at the time. Of course, two exceptions lie in the two most popular songs, “DNA.” and “HUMBLE.,” which both dive further into a more contemporary sound than was offered from Kendrick Lamar previously. These two songs are catchy and have some phenomenal lyricism, and it is evident why they became as popular as they are. However, other tracks don’t live up to that same level. “LOYALTY.” has a fun feature with Rhianna, but it feels like it appeals to the modern sound too much that it lacks inspiration or uniqueness within the album. Additionally, other tracks like “GOD.” and “YAH.” fall flat, failing to showcase Kendrick Lamar’s lyricism or flow and instead relying far too much on the beat than his strengths.
Nonetheless, DAMN. still slots itself nicely into a discography full of iconic and classic rap pieces. Although it doesn’t reach the same heights of good kid, m.A.A.d city or To Pimp A Butterfly, it would be too much of an ask to expect that truthfully. Despite its flaws, many songs here, like the ones I mentioned initially and others like “FEEL.” and “XXX.” flaunt Kendrick Lamar’s prowess in the hip-hop/rap scene. Even at a step below his best, he still manages to be better than a lot of what modern artists offer today.
8.5/10
Favorite Track: DUCKWORTH.
Least Favorite Track: GOD.
Final Thoughts:DAMN. was actually my first Kendrick Lamar album, and I held it as my favorite for a while… but then good kid, m.A.A.d city suddenly clicked one day and jumped into first in his discography for me.
January 14 & 15, 2026 // Static Dress Discography
Before I jump into the discography review, let me explain why I’m doing this. Today, Static Dress dropped a new single titled “human props” and announced that they signed with Sumerian Records. The song is an absolute ripper, and it goes to show just how good they are at writing top tier post-hardcore in the modern scene. It follows the trend laid out by their previous tracks “face.” and “crying,” both of which have grown to become two of my favorite Static Dress songs with their catchy choruses and phenomenal instrumentation. I’ve been following the band for a while (which I will delve into more in the actual reviews), and every release has continued to build upon their sound and refined their unique identity. So, if you haven’t listened to them before, let me take you on a journey through their early singles, comic book soundtrack, and debut album.
2019 - 2024
Don’t be fooled by the title, these are only the singles they released in 2019 and 2020. I unfortunately missed their debut when it came out, but I found out about Static Dress very early on in their career. I remember randomly stumbling across “safeword” on YouTube, with many of the comments describing the band as the revival of the peak of post-hardcore in the mid-00s, specifically using Underoath as a primary comparison… and they aren’t wrong at all. The seamless mix of heavier, dissonant riffs and high fry screams with the melodic and soaring choruses captured a nostalgic sound that I hadn’t heard from a modern band in a very long time. I was immediately hooked.
“clean.” was the debut single for the band, which truly set the foundation for the band moving forward. Much like “safeword,” it thrives on heavier screams in the verses with chunky chords that give way to a massive chorus that highlights Olli Appleyard’s impressive vocal range. It still stands as the band’s most popular song to date, but I feel like that’s more of a result of its ability to replicate the old sound people longed for rather than truly being Static Dress’ best track… they were just starting to find their identity at the end of the day. “Adaptive Taste” really showed them starting to grasp who they were, with a clear dive into aggressive riffing and dissonance with outstanding drum chops that give a slight mathy touch. Not long after, “for the attention of…” capitalized on this more intense style, becoming their heaviest song at the time and still standing as one of their heaviest to date.
However, this was only the beginning, and growing pains were present. There was some unique experimentation here with the interlude and the final track “indecent_,” but they are far from perfect as they were still trying to nail down their softer side. It was clear that they had a massive strength, and that was refining their mid-00s post-hardcore drive. These singles set the foundation for what would come next, and what came next built upon everything they had accomplished here.
Prologue… (Comic Book Soundtrack)
Now, I can’t speak to how well this soundtrack does to set the scene of the comic book, but I can attest that this EP and the four actual songs present on it are phenomenal. Two things are important to note for Prologue…: one is that it showed exactly what direction Static Dress was going in with their music, and the other was that this release established their identity beyond the music. Before jumping into the content, I want to talk about the latter point first. The band was already cryptic from the beginning, with a lot of their music videos full of mysterious imagery and often odd decisions (like why did “for the attention of…” just have 20 seconds of a black screen at the end?). But this is where their mysterious side really took off, in the form of creating a comic book… which is a rather interesting decision considering this was the band’s actual first release that wasn’t just singles. Oddly enough, the most mysterious part of this release was from a song that isn’t even present: the (at the time) non-album single “sweet.”
The music video had a lot of nods to older hotel style design and a weird imagery that just didn’t really make any sense. Of course, the song wasn’t on the upcoming EP, so it was a little weird that there was all this imagery that didn’t necessarily tie into what they were going for with Prologue… But most mysterious of all was a random telephone number on the screen at the end of the music video that led to a recorded message of basically nonsense. What was Static Dress going for here? Why did they make everything so cryptic? It was jarring, but it was just the start of their unique approach to releasing music. Enough of that though, we’ll come back to “sweet.” later, it doesn’t even have anything to do with the EP at hand.
Disregarding the interludes, which really don’t add much to the music aside from some tie-in to the narrative sound of the comic book, the actual songs here are outstanding. Every track here builds upon the foundation of what the previous two years of singles laid out: bigger choruses, harder hitting riffs, stronger vocals, and increased production value. Lead single “sober exit(s)” relies on the vibrant post-hardcore/emo tinged style that has become a staple of Static Dress’ musical identity, with layers of guitars from dissonant leads to full-sounding chords that fill out the space of the entire track. The first actual track “disposable care” shows a bit more of a dynamic approach, experimenting more with drawn out breakdowns that embrace the chaos more than they did on previous efforts. “foreplay - is not my forté” suddenly becomes their heaviest track, clocking in at just over one minute full of unrelenting drum chops and dissonance mixed with feedback (I mean, it doesn’t even sound like guitar riffs anymore).
But where this EP truly excels is in the final song “vague.,” which is arguably my favorite Static Dress song to this day. It’s the perfect blend of their style, with progressively building layers in the verses with Appleyard’s softer vocal delivery leading into an explosion of a catchy chorus that has a vocal melody that is sure to get you singing along immediately. It showcases maturity from the band in how they build on their songwriting, leaning into the natural flow of the song rather than forcing a riff here or a lead there… it simply follows what the song demands and it delivers it to perfection. I truly believe this song is what became the blueprint for their future — and that leads us to…
Rouge Carpet Disaster
One of the strongest post-hardcore releases in the modern era. Sure, it still sounds reminiscent of the mid-00s scene, but this is unique to Static Dress. Rouge Carpet Disaster doesn’t feel trapped in the past, but rather it builds on what made the scene so good and applies it to what is lacking in the music today. As we saw from “sweet.” earlier, the band loved to be cryptic and confusing, and this release was no different. Leading up to the release, their website was full of messages that needed decoding, images that needed to be “cleaned up” to view properly, and even more phone calls and text messages. Even after the record was released, the vinyl sleeves came with blueprint outlines of this hotel and room, and messages that continued to add to the mysterious lore of the band. There was no end to their cryptic identity, and it added significantly to who they were.
As for the album, it is borderline perfection. The guitar work and chord progressions are significantly enhanced, with songs like “Push rope” and “Unexplainabletitlesleavingyouwonderingwhy (Welcome In)” having a plethora of catchy riffs that get stuck in your head instantaneously and display the layers of songwriting present throughout the record (yes, that is the full title, it took me four times to make sure that it was accurately written). The aggressive factor is turned up even more, with “Courtney, just relax” and “Di-sinTer” containing some of the group’s most relentless riffs and breakdowns in their discography. On the other end, “Attempt 8” and “Marisol” embrace a softer side that hasn’t been experimented with much in their career, the latter of which being a beautiful acoustic and orchestral progression that leads to one of the most gorgeous finales I’ve heard in a very long time.
Even almost 4 years later, this sits as one of my favorite post-hardcore albums in the 2020s, and nothing really comes close to it. With each listen, a new song seeps its way into my mind and latches on, exposing all of its subtleties and nuances, like the lofty guitar solos in “fleahouse” and the persistent use of static in “such.a.shame” that adds a layer of depth to its production. No matter how many times I return, Rouge Carpet Disaster only gets better and better… and it makes me excited for the next release.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the reason I wanted to do this longer discography review was because of the most recent track. Somehow, the new tracks have improved on the production EVEN FURTHER, and they bring a new approach to the riffs, with more chugging, more unique chord shapes and progressions, and even more groove in their breakdowns. “human props,” “crying,” and “face.” all set the tone for the next iteration of the band, and they are back yet again with the cryptic moments, with a message of “ARE YOU SATISFIED?” at the end of their newest music video and another number to call (just in case you were wondering, the recorded message features a clip of what I presume is a new Static Dress song, and you receive a message saying “help me find them…”). Additionally, a song only found on YouTube called “death to the overground” is their single heaviest track with an intense breakdown and insane drumming that is beyond infectious and groovy. Static Dress is truly making a name for themselves, and they are only going to keep improving with each and every release.
Singles 8/10EP 8.5/10Rouge Carpet Disaster 9.5/10Favorite Tracks: Adaptive Taste (singles), vague. (EP), Marisol (Rouge)
Least Favorite Tracks: indecent_ (singles), disposable care (EP), …Maybe!!? (Rouge)
Final Thoughts: This entire thing was just an excuse to fanboy over Static Dress and disguise it as a somewhat professional review.
January 16, 2026 // Frank Zappa - Hot Rats
This isn’t just an album, it’s an experience. With only one track featuring vocals from Captain Beefheart with his iconic raspy delivery on “Willie The Pimp,” Hot Rats is a display of Frank Zappa’s compositional expertise. From the jazz focused “It Must Be A Camel” and “Little Umbrellas” to the sporadic and energetic “Son of Mr. Green Genes” and “The Gumbo Variations,” talent seeps through every moment of the record. Opener “Peaches En Regalia” really sets the tone with its groovy rhythm complemented by an assortment of stringed instruments that add a unique taste every step of the way. While I love the softer moments of the record as it displays Zappa’s ability to follow the natural progression of the composition, this album truly signs when it is at its weirdest, particularly in the almost abrasive solos scattered throughout “The Gumbo Variations.” To me, I think the biggest accomplishment is how ahead of its time the album sounds. It boggles my mind that this came out in 1969, as it has more experimentation in its composition than a lot of modern jazz fusion today (from what I’ve heard in my own listening). Although I’m not super well-versed in the world of jazz/avant-garde/progressive rock/whatever you want to call this, I can’t deny how saturated Hot Rats is with technical proficiency. It truly inspires me to listen to older gems like this every single time I come back to it.
9.5/10Favorite Track: The Gumbo Variations
Least Favorite Track: Willie The Pimp
Final Thoughts:The first time I ever listened to this album, I was genuinely shocked by the fact that this came out in 1969… and it still does.
January 17, 2026 // Gojira - From Mars to Sirius
From the opening moments of “Ocean Planet,” From Mars to Sirius is a force to be reckoned with. The guitars sound like a wall of noise, with gritty, deep distortion and a mixture of galloped chugs and piercing pinch harmonics, complemented by the drums that follow the gallops with its own ferocious chops that rely on punchy double bass. Over the chaos of the instrumentation, Joe Duplantier delivers his signature shouted/screamed vocals that match the intensity of Gojira’s heavy songwriting — and this is all just in the first track. Throughout the record, the heaviness is relentless, with tremolo riffs powering “From The Sky,” triplet chugs guiding “In The Wilderness,” and machine gun double bass chops driving along “To Sirius.” With each passing track, From Mars to Sirius establishes itself as a punishing listen — it’s thoroughly heavy and feels crushing in nature.
However, where the heaviness truly shines is in the non-heavy moments. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but bear with me here. If the entire album was as soul crushing as “The Heaviest Matter of the Universe,” then I believe it would lose its aggressive factor due to tedium. Let’s use their staple track “Flying Whales” as an example. That main riff thrives off of a filthy groove, and the final breakdown sounds dangerous with its sharp harmonic sweeps. However, what really makes the track shine is that two and a half minute intro that utilizes reverb-driven guitars with a beautiful melody. Likewise, finale “Global Warming” has its fair share of brutal riffs and abrasive screams, but the true highlight is that massive tapped lead that lays the melodic foundation of the track. It’s details like these that amplify the harder-hitting moments throughout From Mars to Sirius.
Yes, there are a lot of heavy albums out there that I’ve listened to… some of which have lower tunings or even stronger and more abrasive distortion than this one. However, there is something about Gojira’s third album that makes it feel drenched with aggression. No matter how many times I listen to it, it feels more and more crushing with each repeated jam. It might not be the heaviest album in the world to you, but From Mars to Sirius is up there for me — and I absolutely love it.
9.5/10Favorite Track: Flying Whales
Least Favorite Track: World to Come
Final Thoughts:“Flying Whales” was the first Gojira track I ever heard, and it still gives me chills to this day when I listen to it.
That’s all for this week. Look forward to seeing y’all in the next one!